Split (1)

train · 614k rows

pred_label stringclasses 2 values	pred_label_prob float64 0.5 1	wiki_prob float64 0.25 1	text stringlengths 51 998k	source stringlengths 37 43
__label__cc	0.634243	0.365757	Rabbi's Update Your Next Event info@bethora.org Rabbi Knopf's Weekly Update Thinking about the Sermon Rabbi Knopf's Special Newsletter Pre-Shabbat Inspiration Rabbi Anthony Knopf From the Desk - The Fast of Tevet Shalom Friends! Chanukah at Beth Ora We enjoyed a wonderful Shabbat last week at Beth Ora. There was a great attendance at our Chanukah dinner, superbly organized by Jackie Harroch and Howie Brown! On Shabbat morning, we were treated to an excellent sermon from Rabbi Haim Nataf, the Rabbi of our neighbouring synagogue, Petah Tikva. As I mentioned when introducing Rabbi Nataf, we were delighted by this opportunity to connect to the broader Ville Saint Laurent Jewish community. There are some more joint events being planned in the coming months and we look forward to further collaboration for the good of the whole community. After Shabbat, we enjoyed a wonderful Chanukah kids event. Many thanks to Rebbetzin Carly for her hard work in organizing this event and to all those who assisted. We turned on the Chanukah lights on the electric Chanukiah outside the synagogue where I gave the kids a Chanukah quiz with great prizes. We then came inside for popcorn, donuts and the screening of a great movie. Everyone had a great time. Passing the Torch to the Next Generation Last week, I wrote that I intend to spend the next few weeks writing and reflecting on the importance of bringing the different generations together at Congregation Beth Ora - a key component of our communal vision. Last week, I read an insightful article which discussed one of the great successes of 20th century Jewry: the Soviet Jewry movement. In the mid 1980s, there were close to 3 million Jews in the Soviet Jewry with little or no Jewish involvement. The community was determined to reignite Judaism in the Soviet Union. There were protests and marches, petitions and lobbying and the impact was monumental. And yet, the author (Rabbi Dr Jay Goldmintz) claims that there was one way in which the movement was a failure. Natan Sharansky reflected on a number of occasions that a generation of Jews spent 20 years or more fighting a battle that we ultimately won and yet, amazingly, we failed to tell our children about it: 'Our kids for the most part have no idea of our struggles or those of Soviet Jews; they have no idea what it meant to take to the streets, work the system and change the world.' Rabbi Goldmintz bemoans that our children do not know the story because, quite simply, we haven't shared it with them. As you know, the office staff and members of the board are currently thinking through some innovative ideas to engage the younger generation in our community. I invite you to join the conversation and answer the following questions: What are the stories that we should be telling the children of our community - not just to keep them coming through the door but to inspire them with a vision of what they can achieve? Members of our community and others have so many stories from their own lives - stories of Israel's wars, stories of Soviet Jewry and much more. What must we do to tell the younger generation of Jews what we as individuals, as a community and a people have accomplished and what this means to us. Our Prayers for Our Brothers and Sisters in Israel This week, we were shocked to learn of the shooting in the community of Ofra in Israel. We have just heard the very sad news that the baby born to Shira Ish-Ran who was injured in the attack did not survive. We pray for the recovery of all the other victims. We have the Hebrew names of Amichai Ish-Ran and his wife Shira and I ask you all to pray for Amichai Yishai ben Feige Gitel Galila and Shira Yael bat Liora Sara. While every terror attack is tragic, this hits close to home as the young man who was shot is a close relative of members of the Montreal Jewish community. On Wednesday evening, Amichai's grandmother came to pray at our services. May Hashem grant a refuah shlemah (a complete recovery) to all the victims and may our people be blessed with peace and no more sorrow. Off to Israel On Sunday, Dovid and I are going for a trip to the holy city of Jerusalem! We look forward to seeing you on our return the following week. Wishing you all Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Anthony and Carly Knopf Dovid, Rachelli, Yehuda and Avrami What's the Deal with.... The Fast of Tevet? Next Tuesday (December 18th) is the Fast of Tevet. We are familiar with the themes of Yom Kippur and, perhaps, Tisha B'Av but we are often in the dark on the ideas behind the other fasts in the Jewish calendar. So.... what's the deal? The Fast of Tevet commemorates the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, the ruler of Babylonia, an event which ultimately culminated in the destruction of the First Temple. The fast also commemorates other calamities that occurred on the 10th of Tevet and the two days preceding it. These include the following: The translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek which various rabbinical sources see as a debasement of the Divine nature of the Torah, losing the deeper layers of meaning available when we read the Torah in Hebrew. Ezra the Scribe, the great leader who brought some Jews back to the Holy Land from the Babylonian exile and who ushered in the era of the Second Temple is said to have died on this day. Some sources say that Ezra's contemporary, the great leader Nechemia, also died on this day. The Chief Rabbinate of Israel chose to observe the Fast of Tevet as a day to allow the relatives of victims of the Holocaust and those whose yahrzeits are unknown to observe the traditional yahrzeit practices, including lighting a memorial candle, learning Torah in the merit of the soul of the deceased and saying Kaddish. #Chanukah #Israel #10Tevet Shabbat Video Message from Rabbi Knopf - January 14, 2021 Shabbat Video Message from Rabbi Knopf - January 7, 2021 Shabbat Video Message from Rabbi Knopf - December 24, 2020 2600 Rue Badeaux, Saint-Laurent, QC H4M 1M5, Canada ©2018 by Congregation Beth Ora	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line874
__label__wiki	0.962207	0.962207	Mark Boyer - NY Jets Legend Jim Gehman, NY Jets Contributor See what NY Jets Legend and Boyer Financial Services Founder & Principal has been up to. Original article posted on newyorkjets.com A fresh start, familiarity, and free agency all contributed in bringing veteran tight end Mark Boyer to the Jets in 1990. "It was always fun to play against them. I liked the city, I liked the idea of learning kind of almost a different world, a different culture," Boyer said. "Also, the head coach at the time was Bruce Coslet. And one of my former coaches, Chip Myers, had been our receivers coach at the Colts, and I really liked Chip. "The offense that they were putting in, it was sort of that West Coast-style. That was very attractive. Thinking about coming there with Bruce and knowing that he was a former tight end, I knew that the tight end was going to be a big part of their offense in different ways. That kind of really fit my style in both the run game and the pass game." In five seasons with Indianapolis, Boyer averaged 19 catches for 180 yards. In his first year with the Jets, he caught a career-high 40 passes for 334 yards and a touchdown. Finishing third on the team in receptions behind wide receivers Al Toon and Rob Moore, Boyer enjoyed his new role as an offensive target. "I was more of a blocker in Indianapolis with (running back Eric) Dickerson there. That first year with the Jets was really an opportunity get in and catch some balls," Boyer said. "I wasn't the fastest guy in the world, but I could get open and I could catch. I think it was a part of my game that people didn't know I did. "Being in New York was really attractive because they were definitely going to throw the ball. That was part of my game that I was happy with and finally excited to be able to show that I could be a receiver in the passing game "My biggest disappointment that year was Mickey Shuler. I had watched him and known him from playing against him and I was really looking forward to playing with Mickey. At that time when I was coming in, he and I were hoping to be kind of a one-two punch. But when they let him go, it really opened up for me because they were needing more balls from the tight end." Feeling that he was playing at his best, Boyer was excited to head into the following season. He felt a lot of positive momentum around the team. But… "I got to training camp and we did the preseason physicals, x-rays, just the basic procedures before everybody starts doing two-a-days," Boyer said. "A doctor called me in after that because he saw a shadow in my chest and wasn't sure what it was about, didn't like the looks of it. They did a biopsy and checked it out. It wasn't cancer, but it cost me about two and a half, three weeks of camp just to recover. "So, coming into camp, great shape, everything is good, and then all of a sudden, you're missing reps in practice. It took me a lot longer to kind of get back in the groove. I came back and got hurt. I don't remember exactly, but I think I sprained an ankle. I was just out of sync. So, it was kind of frustrating. But we did come back late in the year, I played a lot, and we made the playoffs." After compiling a 7-5 record, New York went on a three-game losing streak before meeting Miami in the season-finale. The winner claims the AFC's final playoff spot. The Jets won 23-20 in overtime and made their way to the postseason for the first time in six years. The victory was among Boyer's fondest memories wearing the Green & White. "That was huge. I had a solid game. It was great," Boyer said. "I really enjoyed the people in New York, the teammates. I felt like we were, especially the first couple of years, a really tightknit group. It was really fun." Before playing eight seasons in the NFL, three with the Jets, Boyer had a plan to put his USC degree in finance to work after he hung up his helmet. Retiring from the game in 1994, he did just that. And in 2002, he founded his own company, Boyer Financial Services in Huntington Beach, California. "I knew I wanted to help people and I liked the freedom of the job. Being able to help people with their money and then also being able to do some other things, too," Boyer said. "I'm kind of a people guy. Finances can be a stress on folks, marriages and everything else, so I find myself really enjoying just helping them get organized, have a plan. "I think if coaching wouldn't have been so much time away from family, I might have gone into that field because, again, I enjoy helping people meet their full potential. I feel like I can do that in the financial world. Helping people get to where they want to go." Boyer and his wife, Janna, have five adult children: Jessica, Lauren, Melissa, Carlie, and Markus; and 13 grandchildren. "God just fully blessed me. I've got a great family. I've got a wife I've been married to for 38 years. She's my high school sweetheart. I'm still madly in love with her. My kids are close. We've had some tragedy; we lost a grandchild this last year. but God's still faithful," Boyer said. "I'm also involved with the ministry called Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I lead the ministry out here on the west coast. I think sports has given me a platform. Having played ball, you get in front of people that you'd maybe not be able to get in front of. So, it opens up doors and it's giving me an opportunity to hopefully make a positive impact on people's lives." Mobile: (949)541-5583 7752 Warner Avenue CA Insurance License #0L88728 jason.jacobi@boyerfs.com The LPL Financial representatives associated with this website may discuss and/or transact securities business only with residents of the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington. Mark Boyer – CA Insurance License #0B52615 and Jason Jacobi – CA Insurance License #0L88728 '); $('.page-our-team .c-team-member__info:contains("Mark Boyer")').after(' '); $('.page-our-team .c-team-member__info:contains("Jason Jacobi")').after(' '); $('.page-our-team .c-team-member__info:contains("Markus Boyer")').after(' '); $('.page-our-team .c-team-member__info:contains("Carlie Macwillie")').after(' '); $('.page-our-team .c-team-member__info:contains("Jessica Goodman")').after(' '); $('.page-our-team .c-team-member__info:contains("Janna Boyer")').after('	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line883
__label__wiki	0.592401	0.592401	Sandra Wagner-Wright Rama's Labyrinth: A Biographical Novel (Women of Determination and Courage) Biographical historical fiction that takes the reader across India during the last decades of the British Raj. From a girlhood among Hindu shrines to widowhood and Christian conversion, Rama seeks her destiny. Is it only to educate Hindu widows? Or does God have a larger plan in mind? Rama’s Labyrinth traces the life of Pandita Ramabai, a social reformer who rose above personal adversity to rescue and educate famine victims. Sandra writes historical fiction about courageous women who overcame discrimination. She also writes a weekly blog with entries relating to history, her travel experiences, and other topics that catch her attention. For more information about Sandra, visit her website www.sandrawagnerwright.com "God told me to come." After attending the Keswick Convention, Rama changed her approach. Educating child widows wasn't enough. Feeding and sheltering famine victims wasn't enough. Rama held daily religious services. Listeners believed and were baptized in the Brim River. But there's more work to be done. Among the famine victims were girls and women too naughty to be with the general population. They don't listen. They don't want to change. Rama isolates them and wants to help them but doesn't know how. Once again, Rama trusts God to send her funds for housing and a teacher for the incorrigible girls. Once again, God answers her prayer. Rama floats on God's promises. “Dear God, tell me how to help the girls who fell into temptation and won’t or can’t repent. How do I reach them? They sneer at the other girls. They’re a bad influence, and I have to isolate them. I know you sent them to me. Tell me how to help them.” Rama meditated a few more minutes. He that is without sin cast the first stone. Rama hung her head. “Send someone to teach me.” Rama walked outside the compound to an area she called Kripa Sadan — House of Rescue. The unlucky girls lived in metal sheds surrounded by a thorn fence. No wonder they can’t make any progress. Look where I house them. Rama wanted to build them a stone house, but there was no money. Let thy widows trust in me. Rama shook her head and turned around to walk towards the first bungalow. Rama hadn’t thought they could build Mukti, and God had given her everything there. I’ll start building and see what happens. But she still didn’t know how to train these women. A new woman stood on the veranda. Sunlight glinted off her pince-nez glasses. Her hair was lifted completely off her face, though whether that was her habitual style or a concession to the heat Rama couldn’t tell. “Pandita Ramabai, I’m Elizabeth Baker. God told me to come.”	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line888
__label__cc	0.503603	0.496397	Employers face ‘gray area’ with comp, coronavirus: Expert Louise Esola Catastrophes Employment Practices Workers Comp Coverage More + Less - Workers compensation legal experts say employers can look at past outbreaks and pandemics to try to understand the intersection of workplace injury and coronavirus, but that even history may not provide an accurate picture of what to expect if a pandemic occurs. “We don’t have precedence on this issue because we don’t have a lot of exposures to pandemics,” said Aaron D. Goldstein, a Seattle-based partner in the labor and employment practice at Dorsey & Whitney LLP, which held a webinar Wednesday to discuss implications for employers. “Unfortunately, it leaves employers in a gray area; if this coronavirus ends up being worse than the swine flu it may not follow the same rules.” Citing influenza exposure in the workplace, he said that generally “if you come down with the flu it is not a workers comp issue, maybe with the exception of healthcare workers.” But those with “medium” risk exposure, such as workers whose jobs require them to work with the public, could see rules shift in their favor, Mr. Goldstein said. Willis Towers Watson PLC addressed the issue on its website this week, stating that while health care workers could be among those with viable comp claims, “employees traveling on business into infected areas or those stationed permanently or semi-permanently in high-risk areas would be the most likely to make convincing cases.” Mr. Goldstein warned that “so many laws start to fray in the event of a pandemic” and that “workers comp is another one of those cases” where occupational injury could extend past health care workers who are on the frontlines helping those infected with the virus. One example is California’s Valley Fever, a fungal infection that thousands of people contracted in 2018 and 2019. The Workers’ Compensation Board of California held that “industrial causation” of the illness for a workers comp claimant “was established if the employee’s risk of contracting (the infection) from employment was medically probably or materially greater than from the general public,” according to Mr. Goldstein’s presentation. “A person who works with the general public” might have a claim if they can prove they were exposed at work, he said. Regarding prevention and safety, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has set guidelines on COVID-19, the scientific name for the virus, referring to its general duty clause, which requires employers to provide a safe workplace for workers, and a separate guideline that calls for personal protective equipment in the event of respiratory exposure. Mr. Goldstein said employers could limit exposure and problems by allowing workers to work from home or not fully staffing sites. Citing federal labor law, the law firm Fisher Phillips LLP on Tuesday posted in an online alert that an employee could refuse to go to work if they feel they are in “imminent danger,” but that “the threat must be immediate or imminent, which means that an employee must believe that death or serious physical harm could occur within a short time." “Requiring travel to China or to work with patients in a medical setting without personal protective equipment at this time may rise to this threshold,” the firm wrote. “Most work conditions in the United States, however, do not meet the elements required for an employee to refuse to work.” Overall, employers should have a plan to protect workers, according to numerous legal teams tackling the issue in statements and blog posts over the past week. The firm Goldberg Segalla LLP urged employers to review illness and absence policies to ensure compliance with federal and state laws in allowing sick workers to stay home, and to “exercise prudence and vigilance, while avoiding panic and poor decision-making in addressing these concerns.” “Decisions made in haste can lead to financial consequences and business disruption,” the firm wrote on its blog Tuesday. “These could include creating awkward situations between customers and employees, promoting hostile or offensive work environments, or the filing of discrimination lawsuits by employees or third parties against the employer.”	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line893
__label__wiki	0.562657	0.562657	Cardinal Burke: Church divisions show urgent need for clarity September 24, 2017 CNA Daily News News Briefs 4 Print Sydney, Australia, Sep 24, 2017 / 12:38 pm (CNA).- Amid the ongoing debate surrounding “Amoris Laetitia,” dubia author Cardinal Raymond Burke said in a new interview that he’s wrongly depicted as the “enemy” of Pope Francis, but he stressed that current division in the Church demands an answer to requests for clarity. “The urgency of a response to the dubia derives from the harm done to souls by the confusion and error, which result, as long as the fundamental questions raised are not answered in accord with the constant teaching and practice of the Church,” Cardinal Burke said. “The urgency weighs very heavily on my heart,” he said. In his experience, the cardinal said he’s seen “a great deal of confusion, also people feeling that the Church is not a secure point of reference.” “Some are feeling even a certain bewilderment…they are looking for a much stronger presentation of the Church’s doctrine.” Cardinal Burke was one of four signatories of a letter submitted to Pope Francis last September outlining five dubia, or doubts, about the interpretation of his 2016 post-synodal apostolic exhortation “Amoris Laetitia.” That letter had been submitted to the Pope privately, but released to the public two months later, prompting a firestorm of media commentary and debate. However, the cardinal also addressed the purported “conflict” between him and Pope Francis, stressing that the media portrayal of he and the Pope is inaccurate, and frequently “overdone.” “It’s all a caricature. They depict Pope Francis as a wonderful, open person and there’s nothing wrong with that, but they depict me as just the opposite,” he said, explaining that this is done “to advance their own agenda.” However, Pope Francis “is actually not in favor of their agenda. They use this kind of technique to make it seem like he is and that’s fundamentally dishonest,” Cardinal Burke said. Neither is there an intention to build up resistance against the Pope, he continued, explaining that the image of him being the “enemy” who is trying to undermine the Pope “isn’t the case at all.” Cardinal Burke made his comments in a recent interview with Australian journalist Jordan Grantham, published Sept. 21 in Diocese of Parramatta’s online publicaton, “Catholic Outlook.” The cardinal noted that as faithful Catholics, those who have expressed doubt or concern over the confusion surrounding “Amoris Laetitia” love the Pope “with complete obedience to the office of Peter.” Yet at the same time, he said, “they don’t accept these questionable interpretations…of ‘Amoris Laetitia,’ interpretations, which in fact contradict what the Church has always taught and practiced.” Without clarity on these issues, “people are in a very difficult state,” he said, explaining that this is demonstrated by the fact that bishops conferences have issued conflicting guidelines on how to interpret “Amoris Laetitia.” In addition to Cardinal Burke, other signatories to the dubia letter were Cardinals Walter Brandmüller, president emeritus of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences; Carlo Caffarra, Archbishop Emeritus of Bologna; and Joachim Meisner, Archbishop Emeritus of Cologne. Cardinals Meisner and Caffarra passed away within two months of each other over the summer, leaving Cardinals Burke and Brandmüller to carry forward the ongoing debate over the dubia. Cardinal Burke’s latest interview was not related to the release of a letter signed by 62 Catholic clergy and scholars, the most notable being superior general Bishop Bernard Fellay of the breakaway Society of St. Pius X. That letter presented itself as a “filial correction” to Pope Francis for reputed errors and heresies. Among other things, the letter argues that the Pope has either directly or indirectly perpetrated seven heresies, most of which surround comments he has made about Martin Luther and ambiguities in “Amoris Laetitia,” specifically related to the question of the reception of Holy Communnion by divorced-and-remarried Catholics who cannot get an annulment. The letter also objects to the Pope’s silence in the face of the “dubia” submitted to the Pope by the four cardinals. Like the four cardinals’ original dubia letter, the 25-page letter of “filial correction” was also sent to the Pope privately, but the signatories decided to publish it after having received no response from the Pope. Neither Cardinal Burke nor Cardinal Brandmüller signed the document. According to a Tweet sent out by the traditionalist blog “Rorate Caeli,” which has provided favorable coverage of the document’s release, cardinals were not asked to sign. The letter was “step one only.” In his interview, Cardinal Burke said that many lay people argue over “Amoris Laetita,” and “many priests are suffering in particular because the faithful come to them, expecting certain things that are not possible because they’ve received one of the these erroneous interpretations of ‘Amoris Laetitia’.” As a result, these people no longer understand Church teaching, the cardinal said. And in the Church, “we have only one guide, the Magisterium, the teaching of the Church, but we now seem to be divided into so-called political camps.” The at times volatile “attacks” from parties who disagree is “a very mundane way of approaching things, it has no place in the Church,” Cardinal Burke continued. “But that’s where we’re at right now.” The only way for the conversation to move forward on these matters, he said, “is to make the point of reference the doctrine of the Church. That’s what unifies us.” Cardinal Burke also cleared up what he said are several misconceptions about him that are often promoted by the media, namely that he is “only interested in doctrine and law,” and that he is “out of touch with the times and living in the Middle Ages.” “I am very pastoral and in fact, I don’t see any contradiction between being pastoral and being faithful in announcing the Church’s teaching and following the Church’s law,” he said. The cardinal insisted that he is also “very conscious of the everyday culture in which we live, and I try to address it, but in a way that is full of compassion in the sense of addressing the Church’s teaching to the cultural situation and trying to lead the culture to a certain transformation.” Referring to those who at times paint a picture of the Pope as a great revolutionary changing the tide of the Church in modern times, the cardinal said being the Successor of Peter “has nothing to do with revolutions.” Rather, it involves “maintaining the Church in unity with her long and constant tradition.” Many people also claim the Pope is somehow going against the Church’s centuries-long tradition, he said. “And that isn’t possible either, because the Roman Pontiff is that principle of unity, unity which is not only present now, but unity with those who have gone before over the centuries. “In fact, the two are one. When we are unified with the saints and especially with the great teachers of the faith along the centuries, then we also find unity with one another.” Offering a word to all those currently worried about the state of the Church, Cardinal Burke stressed the need to remain confident in the fact that it is Jesus Christ whom they encounter in the Church, and who comes to meet us. “Therefore, no matter what confusion or even divisions enter into the Church, we should never give up hope,” he said. “We should cling all the more faithfully to what the Church has always taught and practiced. And that way we will really save our own souls, with the help of God’s grace, which, of course, we must always be about.” Vatican responds to allegations that ex-auditor was ousted Paraguay’s government rejects gender ideology Analysis: Argentine letter on Amoris is in the Acta. Does that change things? December 5, 2017 CNA Daily News 5 Vatican City, Dec 5, 2017 / 05:19 pm (CNA).- Despite the recent inclusion of Pope Francis’ 2016 letter to the Buenos Aires bishops on Amoris laetitia in the Holy See’s official text of record, neither the Church’s discipline nor its doctrine have changed. The move is the latest in the debate over the admission of the divorced-and-remarried to Communion. The Second Vatican Council, St. John Paul II, and Benedict XVI – as well as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts under them – all firmly opposed proposals to admit to eucharistic communion the divorced-and-remarried who do not observe continence. The debate has received renewed impetus under Pope Francis. His 2016 apostolic exhortation on love in the family, Amoris laetitia, has been met with varied reception and interpretation within the Church. Its eighth chapter, entitled “Accompanying, Discerning, and Integrating Weakness,” deals with, among other things, the pastoral care of the divorced-and-remarried, those who may not be admitted to Communion unless they have committed to living in continence, eschewing the acts proper to married couples. Yet, for many Church leaders and theologians, ambiguous language in that chapter has led to uncertainties about this practice, and about the nature and status of the apostolic exhortation itself. Some have maintained that it is incompatible with Church teaching, and others that it has not changed the Church’s discipline. Still others read Amoris laetitia as opening the way to a new pastoral practice, or even as a development in continuity with St. John Paul II. Some Church leaders have noted that Amoris laetitia has led to the disorientation and great confusion of many of the faithful, and at least one respected theologian has argued that Francis’ pontificate has fostered confusion, diminished the importance of doctrine in the Church’s life, and cause faithful Catholics to lose confidence in the papacy. Pope Francis has been understood to encourage those who interpret Amoris laetitia as opening the way to a new pastoral practice – as he seemed to do in a letter to the bishops of the Buenos Aires region, which is the subject of the latest furor. His letter approves those bishops’ pastoral response to the divorced-and-remarried, based on Amoris laetitia. The response had said that ministry to the divorced-and-remarried must never create confusion about Church teaching and the indissolubility of marriage, but may also allow access to the sacraments under specific limits. These might include specific situations when a penitent in an irregular union is under attenuated culpability, as when leaving such a union could cause harm to his children, although the circumstances envisioned are not precisely delineated, which, some theologians say, has contributed to the confusion. The Pope’s Sept. 5, 2016 letter addressed to Bishop Sergio Alfredo Fenoy of San Miguel said, “The text is very good and makes fully explicit the meaning of the eighth chapter of ‘Amoris Laetitia’. There are no other interpretations. And I am sure it will do a lot of good. May the Lord reward you for this effort of pastoral charity.” It was reported this weekend that Pope Francis’ letter, as well as the pastoral response of the Buenos Aires bishops, were promulgated in the October 2016 issue of the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, a Vatican publication in which official documents of the Pope and the Roman Curia are published, and through which universal ecclesiastical laws are promulgated. Dr. Edward Peters, a professor of canon law at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, wrote Dec. 4 that the Buenos Aires document contains assertions “running the gamut from obviously true, through true-but-oddly-or-incompletely phrased, to a few that, while capable of being understood in an orthodox sense, are formulated in ways that lend themselves to heterodox understandings.” He noted that what prevents the admission of the divorced-and-remarried to eucharistic communion is canon 915 “and the universal, unanimous interpretation which that legislative text, rooted as it is in divine law, has always received.” The canon states that those “obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion.” In an August 2017 post anticipating the possible publication in AAS of the Buenos Aires letter or the Pope’s commendation of it, Peters had written that “many, nay most, papal documents appearing in the Acta carry no canonical or disciplinary force.” He wrote that “Unless canon 915 itself is directly revoked, gutted, or neutered, it binds ministers of holy Communion to withhold that most august sacrament from, among others, divorced-and-remarried Catholics except where such couples live as brother-sister and without scandal to the community.” “Nothing I have seen to date, including the appearance of the pope’s and Argentine bishops’ letters in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, makes me think that Canon 915 has suffered such a fate.” He added: “Neither the pope’s letter to the Argentines, nor the Argentine bishops’ document, nor even Amoris laetitia so much as mentions Canon 915, let alone do these documents abrogate, obrogate, or authentically interpret this norm out of the Code of Canon Law.” While the Pope’s letter and the Buenos Aires bishops’ pastoral response do contain ambiguous “disciplinary assertions”, they are insufficient “to revoke, modify, or otherwise obviate” canon 915, Peters wrote. Aside from the canonical problems with the admission of the divorced-and-remarried to eucharistic communion is the question of what it means that the Buenos Aires document and the Pope’s letter in support of it are intended to be a part of the Church’s Magisterium. A rescript from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, in the AAS notes that their promulgation was intended “as authentic Magisterium.” The Magisterium is a part of teaching office of bishops, by which they are charged with interpreting and preserving the deposit of faith. In its 1990 declaration Donum veritatis, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith noted that the Magisterium “has the task of discerning, by means of judgments normative for the consciences of believers, those acts which in themselves conform to the demands of faith and foster their expression in life and those which, on the contrary, because intrinsically evil, are incompatible with such demands.” Catholics are bound to assent to divinely revealed teachings with faith; to firmly embrace and retain those things which are required to safeguard reverently and to expound faithfully the deposit of faith; and to give religious submission of intellect and will to doctrines on faith or morals given through the authentic Magisterium. The critical question regarding Amoris laetitia is what, precisely, it teaches with regard to faith and morals, and what it doesn’t, or even, can’t, teach. On the latter question, especially, the Church’s existent doctrine is helpful. Even while some bishops, such as those of the Buenos Aires region and those of Malta, have interpreted the apostolic exhortation as allowing a new pastoral practice, many others have maintained that it changes nothing of doctrine or discipline. For example, while prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Gerhard Müller said that Amoris laetitia has not eliminated Church discipline on marriage, nor has it has permitted in some cases the divorced-and-remarried “to receive the Eucharist without the need to change their way of life.” “This is a matter of a consolidated magisterial teaching, supported by scripture and founded on a doctrinal reason: the salvific harmony of the sacrament, the heart of the ‘culture of the bond’ that the Church lives.” The prefect of the CDF said that if Pope Francis’ exhortation “had wanted to eliminate such a deeply rooted and significant discipline, it would have said so clearly and presented supporting reasons.” “There is however no affirmation in this sense; nor does the Pope bring into question, at any time, the arguments presented by his predecessors, which are not based on the subjective culpability of our brothers, but rather on their visible, objective way of life, contrary to the words of Christ,” Cardinal Müller stated. It has been the constant teaching of the Church that marriage is indissoluble, that people not married to each other may not legitimately engage in acts of sexual intimacy, that the Eucharist may not be received by those conscious of grave sin, and that absolution requires the purpose of amending one’s life, even with a diminished or limited capacity to exercise the will. And the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “If the divorced are remarried civilly, they find themselves in a situation that objectively contravenes God’s law. Consequently, they cannot receive Eucharistic communion as long as this situation persists … Reconciliation through the sacrament of Penance can be granted only to those who have repented for having violated the sign of the covenant and of fidelity to Christ, and who are committed to living in complete continence.” St. John Paul II promulgated the Catechism in 1992 by the apostolic constitution Fidei depositum, in which he wrote that it “is a statement of the Church’s faith and of Catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, Apostolic Tradition and the Church’s Magisterium. I declare it to be a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion and a sure norm for teaching the faith.” “The approval and publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church represents a service which the Successor of Peter wishes to offer to the Holy Catholic Church … of supporting and confirming the faith of all the Lord Jesus’ disciples, as well as of strengthening the bonds of unity in the same apostolic faith. Therefore, I ask the Church’s Pastors and the Christian faithful to receive this catechism in a spirit of communion and to use it assiduously in fulfilling their mission of proclaiming the faith and calling people to the Gospel life. This catechism is given to them that it may be a sure and authentic reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine.” Critical to understanding the character of the Church’s teaching on these issues is a declaration the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts wrote in 2000 that canon 915’s prohibition on admitting to Holy Communion those who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin is applicable to the divorced-and-remarried. “Any interpretation of can. 915 that would set itself against the canon’s substantial content, as declared uninterruptedly by the Magisterium and by the discipline of the Church throughout the centuries, is clearly misleading,” it said. This prohibition, the pontifical council continued, is “by its nature derived from divine law and transcends the domain of positive ecclesiastical laws: the latter cannot introduce legislative changes which would oppose the doctrine of the Church.” This declaration defines a kind of a limit on how the Magisterium can develop; by invoking divine law, the council says that no pastoral approach can transgress the norms of Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. While considering questions of subjective culpability do not exceed those norms, the council’s directive explains that the Church can not, and will not, redefine the deposit of faith. The deposit of faith has not been changed, and nor has canon law. Despite a great deal of anxiety and media attention, truth remains unchanged, and unchanging. While some find the Pope’s writing to be ambiguous, truth is not. Amoris laetitia must be interpreted in a way that does not contravene truth. Even when such an interpretation is not readily apparent. Pope Francis comforts parents of slain Italian Catholic priest October 14, 2020 CNA Daily News 1 Vatican City, Oct 14, 2020 / 08:00 am (CNA).- Pope Francis met with the parents of a slain Italian priest before the general audience Wednesday. The pope referred to the meeting with the family of Fr. Roberto Malgesini during his general audience… […] Pope Francis tells Catholics to not abuse God’s mercy March 24, 2019 CNA Daily News 3 Vatican City, Mar 24, 2019 / 07:09 am (CNA).- The mercy of God is not an invitation to “spiritual laziness,” but requires a sincere and prompt response from those who want to grow in holiness, Pope Francis said Sunday. “Despite the b… […] Ramjet Sooner or later, Francis and the Doctrine will have to come out into the open. Either the Church is as Jesus says it is or none of this matters and we really are the cosmic accidents the world says we are. Fr Peter Morello Sunday I exhorted Laity be aware of the current dangerous dilemma within the Catholic Church. Stemming from interpretation of Amoris Laetitia by many including National Bishops Conferences that lead to distancing practice from official doctrine. That everything in the Pontiff’s exhortation Amoris Laetitia is splendid. Except for the controversial section Ch 8 which contain hypothetical premises, biased suppositions, suggestions that are not official magisterial pronouncements, binding propositions that nevertheless invite change in practice. Permitting those living in adultery, cohabitation, practicing homosexuality to receive communion without the sacrament of reconciliation and requirement to relinquish those practices. I urged all remain steadfast in following Apostolic Tradition and the authentic Magisterium of Benedict XVI, Pope John Paul II, Paul VI on the now widely questioned, oft repudiated traditional moral doctrines affirmed and reaffirmed by these Pontiffs. The good beleaguered Cardinal Burke is impugned and increasingly isolated. We priests, diocesan ordinaries must for sake of our own salvation and of those we care for, Christ’s sheep must speak out and speak out convincingly. We ask how can this be? That a Roman Pontiff is permitting error to spread by suggestion, maneuvering, silence. I have my understanding that I will keep with myself. What I will say that whatever the Pontiff’s motives may be, God is his our our judge that on the grand scale of things we know God is permitting this. I may offer the rationale of retribution for widespread disobedience and laxity in practice by Catholics. That we are all being offered a Final Choice. A fateful one. Either to follow non binding suggestion and premises of what Pope Francis offers Church and world, or remain faithful adhering to and practice of the Apostolic Tradition and the Gospel of Christ. Mary uwechue No Pope is the Word of God,Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Word of God encapsulated in mortal body to teach us the Truth,the Way to Eternal life with God.His Word on marriage is the word from the wprd of God. Why is there any question in the mind of any faithful christian (not just catholic now) who now crucified with Christ, lives this life in the flesh by Christ who lives ( thru His indwelling Holy Spirit)in him by faith in the Son of God who loved&loves him and gave His life for him? What is the source of this lie from the father of lies who has bn lying from of old? Be alert&vigilant: the liar is seeking those to devour in the Church. We Christians should Watch and Pray (as the Word of God says to us)so that we are not beguiled to fall into temptation&sin. Brethren,clergy,pope:Watch &Pray is God’s Charge/Word still, to you. Be not unmindful of the devices of the liar,the devil. This confusion will fizzle away:it shall pass away. Only the Word of God and He who does&obeys same shall endure forever. Be encouraged,all who are calling the pontiff(and the lying agents of satan round about him)to repentance and order:the Lord is is at work in His church,judgement will begin there Be not dismayedthat the enemy can be allowed to crawl so close to the soul of the church. The gates of he’ll cannot prevail against the Church/Body of Jesus Christ.It could not in the grave,it cannot still or ever. The end times are here.Perilous times indeed.Seducing spirits all over! No wonder God’s Word tells’on that day some will say to Him ” we preached in your Name…did many good works in your Name…”BUT they will hear God’s Word say’Depart from me…I know you not…’ Let Christians learn of the Bereans of old who after they listened to preachers,SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES TO CONFIRM & BE SURE THAT THE THINGS THEY HAD HEARD WERE SO. LETS WATCH&PRAY . Cardinal Burke: Church divisions show urgent need for clarity - Catholic Crossing O Rex Gentium Catherine Harmon December 22, 2012 0 More on the “O Antiphons” can be found here.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line895
__label__wiki	0.841842	0.841842	This Roman church was a gift from Catholics around the world to Leo XIII August 1, 2019 CNA Daily News News Briefs 0 Print Rome, Italy, Aug 1, 2019 / 03:25 am (CNA).- There are many Catholic churches in Rome, but few can boast of having been built through the contributions of Catholics around the world as a gift to the pope. San Gioacchino ai Prati di Castello is an exception. Sitting less than a mile from St. Peter’s Basilica, San Gioacchino (St. Joachim in English), was built as a gift to Pope Leo XIII for the celebration of his 50th anniversary of priesthood. The pope, whose birth name was Gioacchino Pecci, had expressed the desire for a church in Rome dedicated to his patron, since none yet existed. He put the project under the direction of a French abbot, Antonio Brugidou. Brugidou purchased land in the area known as “the lawn of the castle” (so-called because it was an undeveloped area close to the monument of Castel San Angelo). As the neighborhood started to be populated in the 19th century, however, it needed churches; and San Gioacchino was one of the first to be built. Construction was finished in just seven years and the church was dedicated August 20, 1898. San Gioacchino, which is still a pontifical church, was entrusted to the Redemptorists that same year, and in 1905 a parish was erected there by Pope Pius X. At the appeal of Brugidou, Catholics from 27 countries donated generously to the building of a church Pope Leo XIII asked to be a permanent seat of reparatory adoration for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The names of these countries are inscribed on the inside of the church, over the entrance. Of these, 14 countries gave an exceptional amount and have chapels dedicated to them: Argentina, Bavaria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, England, France, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and the United States. These national chapels are each decorated in a unique style. Most include images of saints from that country and images or statues of the Virgin Mary under a title commonly honored there. Eucharistic symbols can be found around the church and in every chapel. “This church was built precisely as the global seat of Eucharistic adoration,” Redemptorist Fr. Piotr Sulkowski told CNA, adding that “everything here refers to the Eucharist.” In the sanctuary, above the main altar, sits a large Eucharistic throne of white marble used for solemn Eucharistic exposition. The large gold monstrance sits at the center on top of a globe flanked by angels holding candelabras. The Spanish nation chapel is the site of daily adoration, which takes place, with some variation, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. “People come even from far away to pray in this chapel,” Sulkowski, who is the pastor of San Gioacchino, said. The chapel of the United States is one of the most beloved in the church, according to Sulkowski, because of the presence of a beautiful statue of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, to whom the Catholics of North America dedicated the chapel. “Many people come there to pray [to Mary], whom they call, ‘my Madonna.’ It’s a beautiful thing,” he said. Outside the church, atop the dome, sits a four-foot-tall iron monstrance. Sulkowski said this dome can be seen from the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica and the apostolic palace and from other positions around Rome. On the church’s facade is a magnificent mosaic depicting adoration of the Eucharist by the Catholic world. At the center of the image is the Eucharist in exposition upon an altar, surrounded by adoring angels. To the left is Pope Clement VIII in adoration and to the right is Pope Leo XIII, inviting to adoration the Catholics of the world, symbolized by five women who represent each of the five major continents. Under the mosaic, words in Latin remind passersby of the reason for the church’s founding: “orbis catholici romae juribus reparandis adoratio” – “Adoration in Rome by the Catholic world for the reparation of divine justice.” Cardinals visit Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh Senators introduce bipartisan paid family leave bill Chile hopes Pope Francis’ visit will bring a ‘revolution of tenderness’ July 15, 2017 CNA Daily News 3 Rome, Italy, Jul 15, 2017 / 06:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The head of communications for Pope Francis’ upcoming visit to Chile said the country is in a period of social unrest, but the country has hope his trip will help them to rebuild on a foundation of love and tenderness. “We are really expecting that he will start a ‘revolution of tenderness,’ those are the words of the Pope,” Fr. Felipe Herrera told CNA July 12. “We have no social cohesion…people are angry against the government, congress, against the Church, against big enterprises, small enterprises, even with their neighbors. We need to rebuild our society on love, trust, fraternity and freedom. So we hope to hear that from the Pope.” Fr. Felipe Herrera, a priest of the Archdiocese of Santiago, said all Chilean people, not only the Catholics, are excited about the visit. What will be the Pope’s main message of the trip? The only one who can know that for sure “is the Pope” himself, Fr. Herrera said, but they expect him to bring “the word of Christ, the word of the Lord, particularly calling all Christians to be involved in the life of society.” “Sometimes as a Church, we live inside of the ‘temple,’ and we need to go out and to witness his love everywhere. And in this case I think we need to rebuild our country in fraternity and trusting each other.” A detailed schedule of the Pope’s trip has not yet been released, but the Vatican announced in June that Francis will visit Santiago, Temuco, and Iquique Jan. 15-18, 2018. From there, the Roman Pontiff will travel to Peru Jan. 18-21. His first stop will be the capital city of Santiago, from there traveling south to Temuco, in one of the regions affected by devastating wildfires that raged for weeks in January 2017. Considered the worst in the Chile’s history for the damage caused, at least 11 people lost their lives in the flames, and countless homes, livestock, and pastures were destroyed. The Pope’s visit will fall just one year after the fires. Temuco is in a very beautiful area of the country though, Fr. Herrera said. It is also the home of the indigenous Mapuche people, who have been at the center of a decades-long conflict surrounding the rightful ownership of the territory. Since the start of the disputes in the 1990s, Mapuche have been responsible for fires, shootings, and kidnappings in the country, as negotiations to return their rightful land, taken from them by former dictator Augusto Pinochet, have stalled. In 2016, 227 acts of violence were reported in the Araucania and Biobio regions, including 61 building fires. Of these, 16 were churches or other religious structures. There has been conflict, Fr. Herrera said, because of the land they have not received, but deserve. “I think the Pope will bring a ceasefire message to that area.” In the north of the country is the town of Iquique, a city which receives most of the immigrants coming into Chile, so it’s likely the Pope will have a message for immigrants in that city, he said. Iquique is also the capital of religious festivities in Chile. Nearly 50 miles to the east, in the same diocese, is the town of La Tirana, home of a shrine to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. There, every year starting on July 12 and ending on the feast day of July 16, Chile holds a week-long festival celebrating Our Lady, including fireworks and traditional dances. Considering his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Francis is likely to make a stop at one of the country’s many shrines to Our Lady, including, possibly, the shrine to the Immaculate Conception, on top of Santiago’s San Cristóbal Hill. One of the principal shrines in Chile, it is known for its large statue of the Immaculate Conception, which is 46 feet tall and stands on a 27 foot tall pedestal. St. John Paul II visited the shrine during his visit to Chile in 1987. His trip 30 years ago is still remembered and spoken of by the Chilean people today, Fr. Herrera said. He hopes this new visit by a Pope will have the same effect. “We hope that this new visit from the Pope will bring us a real ‘revolution of tenderness’ among all Chileans and will be a huge topic for the next 30 years,” he said. “We need a revolution of tenderness, loving each other, and fraternity among all Chileans.” Border guards stop Catholic archbishop from returning to Belarus August 31, 2020 CNA Daily News 1 CNA Staff, Aug 31, 2020 / 06:30 am (CNA).- Border guards blocked a Catholic archbishop from returning to Belarus Monday. Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of Minsk-Mohilev was attempting to enter Belarus from Poland when he was stopped … […] Damage to miraculous crucifix during pope’s blessing ‘not serious’ April 2, 2020 CNA Daily News 0 Rome, Italy, Apr 2, 2020 / 10:48 am (CNA).- The 16th-century crucifix which was present in St. Peter’s Square for Pope Francis’ Urbi et Orbi blessing last week was reportedly damaged by rain, but the priest in charge of the church where the cross traditionally hangs said it has not been seriously harmed. Fr. Enrico Maria Casini, who is in charge of San Marcello al Corso in Rome, told CNA April 2 the damage to the miraculous crucifix from rain “is not serious,” from what he understands, and is expected to be returned to the church for Easter. According to a Vatican source, the crucifix was not as badly damaged as some initially suggested and will be on public display again during the pope’s Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica April 5, as well as during the pope’s other Holy Week liturgies. The wooden crucifix was moved from San Marcello al Corso to the Vatican March 25. Pope Francis prayed before the crucifix during his extraordinary Urbi et Orbi blessing in St. Peter’s Square March 27 for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. During the holy hour and blessing, which was broadcast live, rain could be seen running down Christ’s body on the crucifix. One Italian report characterized damage to the crucifix as including swollen wood, peeling paint, and eroding plasters. The crucifix was venerated as miraculous by Romans after it was the only religious image to survive unscathed from a fire that completely gutted San Marcello al Corso May 23, 1519. Fewer than three years later, Rome was devastated by the “black plague.” Upon the request of Rome’s Catholics, the crucifix was taken in procession from the convent of the Servants of Mary in Via del Corso to St. Peter’s Square, stopping in each quarter of Rome. The procession continued 16 days, August 4-20, 1522. When the crucifix was returned to San Marcello, the plague had disappeared from Rome. The crucifix has since processed to St. Peter’s Square every Roman Holy Year – around every 50 years – and the crucifix has engraved on its back the names of each pope to have witnessed those processions. The last name engraved is that of St. John Paul II, who embraced the crucifix during the “Day of Forgiveness” during the Jubilee Year 2000. Shaun the Shepherd Nick Olszyk August 10, 2015 0 MPAA Rating: PG USCCB Rating: A-II Reel Rating: My college chaplain Fr. Rafael Luevano was fond of telling his students that when Jesus refers to mankind as sheep, “it is not a compliment.” Sheep are […]	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line896
__label__wiki	0.948416	0.948416	Urgently needed, but facing hurdles to complete Katherine Wickey, a first-year nursing student at Glen Oaks Community College in Michigan, balances raising her young family with remotely taking her courses. (Photo: Glen Oaks) By Ed Finkel April 19, 2020 Print The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an all-hands-on-deck moment for nurses and other allied health workers. But community college students hoping to join their ranks are facing challenges in completing their credentials as a result of policies pertaining to the pandemic that have prompted the cancelation or scaling back of clinical experiences they must finish. States, schools and healthcare institutions are trying to be creative with online clinical offerings, although opportunities tend to differ by location and programs in terms of how much students can complete. A coalition of 10 nursing organizations has issued a joint statement on meeting clinical-hour requirements in the current environment. It encourages partnerships between nursing education and practice agencies, requesting that students not be categorized as “visitors” to healthcare facilities but rather as personnel. The statement notes the potential for a “teachable moment” around issues related to facing a pandemic. An accompanying policy brief from the coalition notes that, to the extent pre-licensure students have their clinicals discontinued, “all nursing students will have a deficit in their education, (will be) unable to meet their program requirements and will not be eligible for graduation at a time when RNs (registered nurses) and PN/VNs (practical nurses/vocational nurses) are needed in the healthcare system.” The brief proposes that facilities use pre-licensure students to “augment and support” nursing services. They could be hired as full- or part-time student nurses, who would be paid and receive credit, while enrolled in a state board of nursing approved pre-licensure program or its equivalent. Encouraging flexibility, innovation Beverly Malone, CEO of the National League for Nursing, one of the signatories, says she’s seen innovation and creativity from nursing programs and their partners, as well as flexibility from accreditors during these unusual times. She’s noticed “a new vision for how nursing can be more agile, more flexible and more innovative through things like simulation,” she says. “Do we really need to do all of that? Could we do some things in simulation, and do it online?” Accreditors are being appropriately flexible, Malone believes, allowing innovation up to a point. “Someone has to have that boundary of saying, ‘You can go this far, but you can’t go beyond that because then you are going to get an (educational) product that’s not going to deliver quality,’” she says. “It can’t be one-size-fits-all. Some people may be doing 40 percent simulation. Other people may say, ‘The way our curriculum is, we can’t do that.’” Related article: From the front lines to the classrooms and back The Organization for Associate Degree Nursing, another of the 10 signatories and an affiliated council of the American Association of Community Colleges, has definitely noticed a move toward simulation. CEO Donna Meyer says each state has different standards governing use of simulation, so OADN has been encouraging programs to reach out to state boards of nursing and accrediting bodies. “All throughout these programs, from the very beginning, students are taught infectious disease protocol, to make sure they understand personal protection equipment,” Meyer says. “In some ways, they really could help in the hospital setting. For them to be excluded is very challenging right now. We’ve encouraged our members to try to communicate with clinical facilities and find out where they could still be of help.” A new environment The responses of facilities have varied, in part, driven by state board regulations. Nursing and allied health programs at community colleges have faced challenges in California, says Sharon Goldfarb, dean of health sciences at the College of Marin, which has lost all but two of its hospital partnerships for the spring — and even those reduced the number of students by half and totally restricted certain units. “It really is a disaster,” she says, noting that although the state nursing board recently relaxed its requirements for clinical hours from 75 percent to 50 percent direct patient care, that still did not suffice once the shutdown occurred. “A lot of (students) are saying, ‘We’ll try the summer, we’ll try next fall,’ but there’s no guarantee,” she says. In mid-April, Goldfarb was aware of only two schools that have a board-approved plan allowing students to complete their nursing programs on schedule. One glimmer of hope has been a state health corps program for which most Marin students have signed up, designed to bring students onto the frontlines of battling the pandemic. “We don’t know whether it will count for clinical (hours), whether they will get called in, whether they will be placed, what they will do,” she says. “There’s also an issue of equity: A student with a compromised immune system, or who is the only caretaker of elderly patients … can’t go and be frontline workers because the risk is too great.” Volunteering for experience Krista Alborg, a nursing student at Marin who hopes to graduate in May, is among those volunteering at COVID-19 drive-through testing sites. “Most of us were seven weeks away from graduating when all hell broke loose,” she says. “If everything continues perfectly between now and the next four weeks, we should be able to graduate. It’s so fluid right now.” Alborg says she’s grateful for the opportunity provided by the testing sites. “To lose the preceptorship was sad,” she says. “To go from that to the frontlines of testing COVID patients was pretty scary at first. But with proper PPE (personal protection equipment), it’s really satisfying to be able to take care of patients and do what we were trained to do … and take some of the stress off healthcare workers who are stretched so thin in our community.” A partnership for solutions Students at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, have lost their clinical opportunities at most hospitals but still have been able to continue final semester preceptorships in person at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics (UIHC). UIHC, University of Iowa College of Nursing and Kirkwood have partnered to develop a joint statement to nursing leadership organizations in Iowa to advocate for practice-education partnerships to further support student completion and urge hospitals to reopen to students. In Iowa, Kirkwood Community College is using remote simulation for its nursing students, which was previously done in person in classrooms. (Photo: KCC) Kathy Dolter, dean of nursing at Kirkwood, says her school has tried to work with other hospitals to allow students who they plan to hire to start in the summer to complete their preceptorships based on that understanding. As of mid-April, 11 students were given this opportunity. Dolter expects that will increase. “We are going to be able to get the majority of our final semester students through in the normal time frame,” she says. “Then, as the hospitals reopen, they will complete their preceptorship hours with our usual partners as they’re able to.” Although the Iowa Board of Nursing has allowed simulation as a substitute for up to 100 percent of hours, Dolter notes that evidence for simulation as a replacement for clinicals is based on research with computerized, high-fidelity mannequins, which Kirkwood can’t offer because its simulation centers are closed. “Our faculty voted that we did not want to substitute non-evidence-based strategies and instead voted to reduce clinical hours to 75 percent of usual,” she says. “But everybody has to do what they think is right.” Mannequins in the guest room Other schools are allowing for remote simulation with inert mannequins. At Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana, nursing instructor Linda Marie Deckert of the Terre Haute Campus has two mannequins in her guest room, and she also brought home supplies used to teach certain skillsets. Using Zoom, Deckert runs through scenarios with students, who use household objects to demonstrate what they would be simulating with the mannequins. If they’re simulating an injection, for example, they might use a lemon or a lime. “It’s different just because we’re not there to guide their hands,” Deckert says. “It’s not really that much different because of the audio and video. We can see what they’re doing in real-time. When they return-demonstrate, if there’s an issue, we can correct them.” The mannequins aren’t entirely necessary for educational purposes, says Kim Cooper, dean of nursing at Ivy Tech. “A lot of it is hand placement: How do you hold the needle? Where do you put that catheter?” she says. If the student needs to perform an assessment involving lung sounds, or picking up on other cues, “We are acting things out,” Deckert says. “At the end of the scenario, we have questions such as, ‘If I hadn’t done such-and-such, what would have happened with the patient?’ Or, ‘If there were sutures missing when you did that dressing change, what would have been different?’” Ivy Tech acted quickly when it became apparent that physical locations for clinicals would be shut down, says Jewel Diller, assistant vice president of nursing. “Nursing has more latitude than other programs,” she says. “We feel confident that finishing up in a virtual sense is not going to be an issue for them.” With test-taking sites mostly shut down, graduates will be able to become licensed for 90 days, with 30-day renewals available for as long as the COVID-19 outbreak continues. “We’re encouraging students not to wait to take their boards if there’s availability,” Diller says. “Data suggest that folks who do not test within the first six weeks (after graduation) do not do as well.” Other healthcare-related programs For other allied health programs, Ivy Tech has needed to evaluate next steps per program, says Lacie Couzin, dean of the school of health sciences at the Sellersburg Campus. She’s been meeting with curriculum committees and using accreditor guidelines to determine what’s possible. About two-thirds of physical therapist assistants are on track to graduate, but the others have not met the entry-level standard as required by the accreditor. And since physical therapist assistants cannot practice remotely, they will be considered high priority once they can come back on site, Couzin says. Some medical assisting students have met their hours because Ivy Tech’s curriculum committee temporarily brought its requirements down to what accreditors mandate — which many students already had finished. Respiratory students will be able to get a student license prior to taking board certification exams. “We’re going to have a lot of incompletes to do over the summer,” Couzin says. “The thing I’m most proud of is my faculty. They are not accustomed to doing remote delivery, and they have embraced it as well as they possibly could.” Some field experience available Glen Oaks Community College in Centreville, Michigan, has converted all nursing students to 100 percent virtual simulation after the state nursing board approved such arrangements, says Sara Birch, director of nursing. Faculty have created virtual simulations and case studies to meet clinical requirements “which, of course, is a huge satisfaction for our students because they’re going to graduate on time,” she says. Nurse aides at Glen Oaks will be able to complete on time, if they so choose, because one of the nursing homes with which the school partners is still accepting them on site, says Carol Naccarato, director of allied health and medical assisting. Testing sites are closed, but the licensing board has extended the period during which students can work anyway, she says. Phlebotomy students already had finished their practicums before the COVID shutdowns, and medical administrative specialists had their skills approvals signed off remotely, Naccarato says. Medical assisting students are a different issue because the accrediting body has not relaxed requirements to check off skills in person. “We are going to have to give them an incomplete,” she says. “And as soon as we can, we will bring them back face to face.” Seeking flexibility San Jacinto College in Houston has been discussing with its state board of nursing to try to adjust guidelines regarding clinicals so students can finish on time, says Teddy Farias, dean of health and natural sciences. “We’ve been working with the college leadership and employer partners to see what we can do to have students complete that mandatory part,” he says. “We’re doing everything we can virtual or simulated.” Nursing and allied health instructors have been working innovatively to get everything loaded online, including virtually simulated clinicals for one of the campuses, Farias says. “If their accrediting body is flexible on what we can do for clinicals, we may even have a workaround or suitable alternative for that,” he says. Nursing students at San Jacinto College in Texas. (Photo: San Jacinto) At Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in Salisbury, North Carolina, senior nursing students had completed in-person requirements in the clinical sites, says Wendy Barnhardt, dean of health and education programs. To ensure that they finish, the college is using the maximum allowable simulation, which is not the norm, she says. And the state has implemented a policy allowing graduate nurses to work under the direction of an RN prior to taking the licensing exam. Radiography students were to able to complete their competencies the week before the COVID shutdowns, Barnhardt says, but occupational therapy and physical therapy assistant students were in the middle of clinicals or labs and are unable to return. “We’re hoping they can finish in the summer, but that rides on when they let the students back in,” she says. Dolter at Kirkwood expresses the universal hope that students of all types are allowed back in as soon as possible to finish clinicals and take exams. “Every hospital has to do what they see the need for at the present time,” she says. “But if you shut off the pipeline of nursing students, that’s the pipeline of graduates, which has a huge impact on patient safety because there’s already a shortage — and then we’re adding to the shortage because of the pandemic.” Ed Finkel is an education writer based in Illinois.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line897
__label__wiki	0.740503	0.740503	CC Discovery Master Full Movie Download Free Leaked Online Tamilrockers Tiffany Trump Net Worth, Bio, Age, Career Highlights, Relationships & Other Details All You Need To Know About The Muppet Show Coming On Disney+ Ashoka Show Replacing The Star Wars Rebel? George Foreman Net Worth, Boxing Career, Early Life And Other Details Alicia Keys Net Worth, Music Career, Acting Career, Personal Life And More By: Ayesha Alicia Keys is an American singer, songwriter, and actress Alicia Keys is married to her husband who is a producer. Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys combined net worth is $ 150 million. Alicia Keys and her husband has an estimated net worth of $150 million. Keys have successful music and acting career. She has earned immense success and net worth by working in the entertainment industry. Early Life and Career Beginnings Alicia Augello Cook was born in Manhattan, New York City, on January 25, 1981. Her stage name is Alicia Keys. Alicia is the only child of her mother Teresa Augello. Her father has three children who are her half-siblings. Her father left her when she was just two years old. Her mother raised her as a single mother and she was brought up in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City. She began her singing career at an early age and performed in school and musical productions when she was in preschool. She enrolled in the Professional Performing Arts School when she was just twelve years old. She also took classes in music, dance, theater, and choir. Alicia graduated early from high school and attended Columbia University on scholarship. She struggled to focus on her music career and studies and dropped out of college to focus on music full-time. She got frustrated as she did not have control over her music, as Columbia forced her to work with producers that she did not want to work with. Alicia signed with Arista in late 1998. Read more: Nick Saban Net Worth, Career Highlights, Salary, Relationships & More Music Career Keys signed with J Records and prompted her upcoming debut album. She gave performances on “The Tonight Show” and “The Oprah Show.” Her first single “Fallin'” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her debut studio album “Songs in A Minor” earned wide critical acclaim. It made its debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over 6.2 million copies in the United States. The album was nominated for six Grammy Awards. At the 2002 Grammy Awards, Keys won five Grammys for the Song of the Year, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, Best New Artist, and Best R&B Album. Acting and Television Career Keys’ film and TV shows include: “Smokin’ Aces” (2007) “The Nanny Diaries” (2007) ” “Empire” “The Late Late Show with James Corden.” “The X Factor Australis” (Season 4) “The Voice” (Seasons 7, 11-12, 14) “The Voice Germany” (Season 6) Read more: Sarah Jessica Parker Net Worth, Career, Personal Life And Other Details Keys was rumored to be in a romantic relationship with longtime collaborator and friend Kerry Brothers. The couple was reported to be together till 2008. She began dating producer Swizz Beatz who is also a hip-hop artist. Keys and Beatz announced their engagement in May 2010 and got married in July. Keys became a mother and gave birth to their son in October of the same year. She became a mother to their second son in December 2014. Previous articleNick Saban Net Worth, Career Highlights, Salary, Relationships & More Next articleNetflix Finding Ohana First Trailer Revealed Ayeshahttps://www.ccdiscovery.com/ I am Ayesha and I have always had a passion to express my views and sharing things with people. There was never another career that appealed to me other than journalism. There is something intriguing and incredible in digging out scoops and finding out the truth behind mysterious stories. I was always fascinated by stories and news that can help touch the people and their hearts. With time I found out that the stories that triggered interest in me were stories from the entertainment world. I also love to write stuff about health related topics. The passion to get to know more about what’s happening in the world led me to become a journalist. I started off writing blogs and then I got the opportunity to write for different websites on various topics. One opportunity led to another one and I have managed to gather so much of memorable and exciting experience till date. The experience that I have gained by entering in this field has been unforgettable and I continue to do so as I cover more interesting stories with all of you. I am happy with what I have done so far and I hope to explore the world of journalism even more. Bushra - Modified date: January 20, 2021 Tiffany Trump is an American public figure and an aspiring singer. She has gained a lot of attention due to his father Donald Trump.... Ayesha - Modified date: January 20, 2021 George Foreman is a retired American boxer. He is also a highly successful entrepreneur. He is a boxing champ but his maximum net worth... CeeLo Green Net Worth, Bio, Career Highlights, Dating &Relationships CeeLo Green is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the most prominent and richest artists of all time. Although... Hulk Hogan Net Worth, Bio, Career, Acting And Other Details Hulk Hogan is an American actor, wrestler, and reality television star. He is a world-famous wrestler and has won many championships. He has also... Roger Federer Net Worth, Career, Early Life And Other Details Roger Federer is a professional tennis player and has a net worth of $450 million. He is one of the richest Tennis Professionals (ATP)... Serena Williams Net Worth, Career, Early Life, Bio And Other Details Serena Williams is a world champion professional tennis player. She is one of the best female tennis players and has earned a lot of... Mumtaz Khan - Modified date: January 20, 2021 Master full movie leaked Online to download by Piracy Sites Telegram, Filmywap, PagalWorld, Filmyzilla, Movierulz, Tamilgun, Moviesda, Bolly4U, RDXHD, Kuttymovies, Filmyfun, JioRockers, watches online... Tiffany Trump Net Worth, Bio, Age, Career Highlights, Relationships & Other... All You Need To Know About The Muppet Show Coming On... Get the latest Breaking News with Celebrity Hollywood Life & Biography, Entertainment ,movies, Games Updates. Latest Sports, Tech and Health news. © Copyright - 2018 - 2020 CCDiscovery Daily News Updates	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line898
__label__wiki	0.625592	0.625592	2021 MLK CELEBRATION DAY 1 Levl 2021 Be apart of a solution to Community Belonging Join us in a successful campaign of Equity Register & Help Make Change Partners and Supporters Conference audience Aneelah “An Inclusive community free of racism and intolerance” Jacque Julien Jacque Julien, Executive Director, Communities of Color Coalition has as a strong reputation for building and sustaining strong and successful partnerships across diverse constituencies. Her leadership style is focused on collaboration and partnership to facilitate dialogue to build, strengthen and inspire others for civic engagement. She earned her BA degree from the University of Washington Bothell. Majoring in Society, Ethics and Human Behavior with a double minor in Education and Diversity. She has an extensive background working with diverse and vulnerable populations, that includes those experiencing chronic homelessness, substance abuse, sexual exploited, court involved and at-risk youth, advocating for equitable practices in policy, navigating legal system- family law, CPS, mentorship. Mx. Julien currently serves on the Cultural Advisory Committee for the Snohomish County Juvenile Court. Where she fosters a collaborative atmosphere with court staff, stakeholders and community partners to identify racial and ethnic disparity reduction strategies and work to rewrite policy for a more equitable juvenile justice system for the community. She serves as Chair for the University of Washington Bothell Alumni Council She has been recognized by the Board of Directors for the Edmonds School District for her leadership and contribution in supporting students and families in the community. She has also received the Women in Leadership Award from the University of Washington Bothell, for demonstrating excellence and innovation in projects that promote awareness, systemic change and tangible result that improve and create opportunities for young womxn and girls. Conference on Race	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line906
__label__cc	0.640898	0.359102	All posts by tmgadmin Caelum and Alexion Announce Upcoming Data Presentations at the 62nd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition November 4, 2020 tmgadmin – – Accepted abstracts include Phase 2 safety, efficacy, and tolerability data for CAEL-101 in AL amyloidosis – – Phase 3 studies of CAEL-101 in AL amyloidosis are underway – BORDENTOWN, N.J. & BOSTON – November 04, 2020 11:55 AM Eastern Standard Time – (BUSINESS WIRE)–Caelum Biosciences and Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALXN) today announced that two abstracts on CAEL-101, a first-in-class amyloid fibril targeted therapy, have been accepted for presentation at the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, taking place virtually from December 5 to 8, 2020. New data, from Cleveland Clinic, will be presented on the safety, efficacy and tolerability of CAEL-101 in combination with standard-of-care therapy in AL amyloidosis from the Phase 2 open-label dose escalation study that suggest early evidence of organ response. Data, from Caelum, that further demonstrate the safety and tolerability of CAEL-101 and support the selection of the 1000 mg/m2 dose for the Phase 3 study will also be presented. The accepted abstracts are listed below and are now available on the ASH website: Oral Presentation Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of CAEL-101 in AL Amyloidosis Patients Treated on a Phase 2, Open-Label, Dose Selection Study to Evaluate the Safety and Tolerability of CAEL-101 in Patients with AL Amyloidosis. Abstract #729. An oral symposium presentation is scheduled for December 7, 2020, 2:45 p.m. PST. CAEL-101 is Well-Tolerated in AL Amyloidosis Patients Receiving Concomitant Cyclophosphamide-Bortezomib-Dexamethasone (CyborD): A Phase 2 Dose-Finding Study (NCT04304144), Abstract #2277 – poster presentation, poster session II, December 6, 2020, 7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. PST. As was previously announced, the Cardiac Amyloid Reaching for Extended Survival (CARES) Phase 3 clinical program to evaluate CAEL-101 in combination with standard-of-care (SoC) therapy in AL amyloidosis has begun. Enrollment is underway in two parallel Phase 3 studies – one in patients with Mayo stage IIIa disease and one in patients with Mayo stage IIIb disease – and will collectively enroll approximately 370 patients globally. The Phase 2 program continues with the addition of a study arm to evaluate CAEL-101 in combination with SoC therapy plus daratumumab. About CAEL-101 CAEL-101 is a first-in-class monoclonal antibody (mAb) designed to improve organ function by reducing or eliminating amyloid deposits in the tissues and organs of patients with AL amyloidosis. The antibody is designed to bind to misfolded light chain protein and amyloid and shows binding to both kappa and lambda subtypes. In a Phase 1a/1b study, CAEL-101 demonstrated improved organ function, including cardiac and renal function, in 27 patients with relapsed and refractory AL amyloidosis who had previously not had an organ response to standard of care therapy. CAEL-101 has received Orphan Drug Designation from both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Medicine Agency as a therapy for patients with AL amyloidosis. About AL Amyloidosis AL amyloidosis is a rare systemic disorder caused by an abnormality of plasma cells in the bone marrow. Misfolded immunoglobulin light chains produced by plasma cells aggregate and form fibrils that deposit in tissues and organs. This deposition can cause widespread and progressive organ damage and high mortality rates, with death most frequently occurring as a result of cardiac failure. Current standard of care includes plasma cell directed chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant, but these therapies do not address the organ dysfunction caused by amyloid deposition, and up to 80 percent of patients are ineligible for transplant. AL amyloidosis is a rare disease but is the most common form of amyloidosis. There are approximately 22,000 patients across the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. AL amyloidosis has a one-year mortality rate of 47 percent, 76 percent of which is caused by cardiac amyloidosis. About Alexion Alexion is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on serving patients and families affected by rare diseases and devastating conditions through the discovery, development and commercialization of life-changing medicines. As a leader in rare diseases for more than 25 years, Alexion has developed and commercializes two approved complement inhibitors to treat patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), as well as the first and only approved complement inhibitor to treat anti-acetylcholine receptor (AchR) antibody-positive generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Alexion also has two highly innovative enzyme replacement therapies for patients with life-threatening and ultra-rare metabolic disorders, hypophosphatasia (HPP) and lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL-D) as well as the first and only approved Factor Xa inhibitor reversal agent. In addition, the company is developing several mid-to-late-stage therapies, including a copper-binding agent for Wilson disease, an anti-neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) antibody for rare Immunoglobulin G (IgG)-mediated diseases and an oral Factor D inhibitor as well as several early-stage therapies, including one for light chain (AL) amyloidosis, a second oral Factor D inhibitor and a third complement inhibitor. Alexion focuses its research efforts on novel molecules and targets in the complement cascade and its development efforts on the core therapeutic areas of hematology, nephrology, neurology, metabolic disorders and cardiology. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Alexion has offices around the globe and serves patients in more than 50 countries. This press release and further information about Alexion can be found at: www.alexion.com. [ALXN-P] About Caelum Biosciences Caelum Biosciences, Inc. (“Caelum”) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing treatments for rare and life-threatening diseases. Caelum’s lead asset, CAEL-101, is a novel antibody for the treatment of patients with amyloid light chain (“AL”) amyloidosis. In 2019, Caelum entered a collaboration agreement with Alexion under which Alexion acquired a minority equity interest in Caelum and an exclusive option to acquire the remaining equity in the company based on Phase 3 CAEL-101 data. Caelum was founded by Fortress Biotech, Inc. (NASDAQ: FBIO). For more information, visit www.caelumbio.com. This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties relating to future events and the future performance of Alexion and Caelum, including statements related to: the safety and efficacy CAEL-101 as a treatment for AL amyloidosis; CAEL-101 has the potential to be the first treatment to target and remove the amyloid deposits from the heart, kidney and other organs; data from the Phase 1 studies suggest that the treatment approach may improve organ function and long-term survival and enrollment of the Phase 3 trials. Forward-looking statements are subject to factors that may cause Alexion’s and Caelum’s results and plans to differ materially from those expected by these forward looking statements, including for example: the anticipated safety profile and the benefits of the CAEL-101 may not be realized (and the results of the clinical trials may not be indicative of future results); the inability to enroll and complete the Phase 3 trial; results of clinical trials may not be sufficient to satisfy regulatory authorities; results in clinical trials may not be indicative of results from later stage or larger clinical trials (or in broader patient populations); the possibility that results of clinical trials are not predictive of safety and efficacy and potency of our products (or we fail to adequately operate or manage our clinical trials) which could cause us to discontinue sales of the product (or halt trials, delay or prevent us from making regulatory approval filings or result in denial of approval of our product candidates); the severity of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Alexion’s or Caelum’s business, including on commercial and clinical development programs; unexpected delays in clinical trials; unexpected concerns regarding products and product candidates that may arise from additional data or analysis obtained during clinical trials or obtained once used by patients following product approval; future product improvements may not be realized due to expense or feasibility or other factors; delays (expected or unexpected) in the time it takes regulatory agencies to review and make determinations on applications for the marketing approval of our products; inability to timely submit (or failure to submit) future applications for regulatory approval for our products and product candidates; inability to timely initiate (or failure to initiate) and complete future clinical trials due to safety issues, IRB decisions, CMC-related issues, expense or unfavorable results from earlier trials (among other reasons); future competition from biosimilars and novel products; decisions of regulatory authorities regarding the adequacy of our research, marketing approval or material limitations on the marketing of our products; delays or failure of product candidates to obtain regulatory approval; delays or the inability to launch product candidates due to regulatory restrictions, anticipated expense or other matters; interruptions or failures in the manufacture and supply of our products and our product candidates; failure to satisfactorily address matters raised by regulatory agencies regarding our products and product candidates; uncertainty of long-term success in developing, licensing or acquiring other product candidates or additional indications for existing products; the adequacy of our pharmacovigilance and drug safety reporting processes; failure to protect and enforce our data, intellectual property and proprietary rights and the risks and uncertainties relating to intellectual property claims, lawsuits and challenges against us; the risk that third party payors (including governmental agencies) will not reimburse for the use of our products at acceptable rates or at all; delay of collection or reduction in reimbursement due to adverse economic conditions or changes in government and private insurer regulations and approaches to reimbursement; adverse impacts on supply chain, clinical trials, manufacturing operations, financial results, liquidity, hospitals, pharmacies and health care systems from natural disasters and global pandemics, including COVID-19 and a variety of other risks set forth from time to time in Alexion’s filings with the SEC, including but not limited to the risks discussed in Alexion’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2020 and in their other filings with the SEC. Alexion disclaims any obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, except when a duty arises under law. Alexion Contacts: Megan Goulart, 857-338-8634 Executive Director, Corporate Communications Chris Stevo, 857-338-9309 Head of Investor Relations Caelum Contacts: Michael Spector, President & Chief Executive Officer mspector@caelumbio.com Jaclyn Jaffe and William Begien info@caelumbio.com Tony Plohoros tplohoros@6degreespr.com January 4, 2017 tmgadmin 1 Comment A Biotechnology Company	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line908
__label__wiki	0.54795	0.54795	Can you speak Canadian? Do you know your toque from your Timmies? We can well understand the appeal of going on escorted holidays to Canada. You can see all the incredible sights while putting your feet up and letting someone else drive. Plus, you get an expert host to fill you in on the history and hotspots. But, if you’re being guided by a local, you may well hear these common slang terms during your holiday. Canadian language is unique. There are lots of English Canadian-isms used by people from across the country, while in some parts of Canada the main language is French. “But why do Canadians speak French?” I hear you ask. Most French speakers live in the province of Quebec, which was a former French colony, and as such, French is the mother tongue for over 7 million Canadians. If you’d like to learn more about Canadian language, then test your knowledge by taking this short quiz to see how many Canadian slang words you get correct. You can then read on to find out more about the language in Canada. Canadian slang terms One of the most widespread Canadian slang words is toque, which people use to refer to winter hats. If you’re heading on a Canada holiday during the winter months, it might be worth remembering this word. J.J. McCullough, a Canadian who runs The Canada Guide, says, “There has been some French influence on Canadian words, but it’s been rather minor, which reflects the fact that outside of Quebec and Ottawa, French and English-speaking Canadians don’t tend to interact much. Using the French word “toque” for “beanie,” is quite mainstream.” Timmies and Double Double For anyone that didn’t know, Tim Hortons – a national café and fast food restaurant – is a Canadian icon that can be found virtually anywhere you go in Canada. It’s as ubiquitous as Pret or Starbucks. Because of the outlet’s huge popularity, there are many slang words that are associated with it. Overhear someone ordering their morning coffee and doughnuts and you’re bound to hear the phrases “timmies” and “double double”. Kim Logan, a Canadian blogger who runs the site Tales of a Ranting Ginger, explains what these two slang words mean. “A Timmies is a coffee from Tim Hortons, while a ‘double double’ refers to the way you take your coffee – with double cream and double sugar.” Sometimes the stereotypes are true! Canadians say their famous phrase, “Eh” all the time and Kim Logan says it is used by people to confirm they are understanding or are following what you are saying. Canadians commonly end sentences with “eh” as well. This is when a speaker is asking the listener a question, but is not necessarily expecting a response. Below are some examples: Toronto is a really nice city, eh We went on the Rocky Mountaineer and saw some amazing scenery, eh What do you think? Not bad, eh? If you’ve heard people doing this in the UK sometimes too, you may be onto something…CBC News reported that the two-letter phrase predates Canadian Confederation and may have travelled across the pond from Ireland. According to the CBC News article, the usage of ‘eh’ is most commonly used in Northern Ontario, but British Columbia and Alberta are also provinces where the term is used a lot. A Loonie You may be asking yourself why a Canadian dollar is called a loonie. It is quite simple: there’s a picture of a loon on one side of the $1 coin. A loon is a bird that looks similar to a duck and is very common in the country. The birds are vocal and can often be heard making hoots and wails. Another slang term that’s associated with money is the toonie, a nickname given to $2 coins. This is a combination of the words “two” and “loonie”. A chesterfield Although not a commonly used slang term, if you do hear someone say “a chesterfield” on your travels it means a couch or sofa, according to J.J. McCullough. “In practice, I think a lot of the so-called “Canadianisms” we read about tend to be quite dated or regional. A good example is calling a couch a “chesterfield.” My father and grandmother, who are both from Ontario, used that term a lot when I was growing up, but you never hear a young person out here in Vancouver say that. I think language is something that evolves naturally, and as Canadians have become aware — particularly in the age of the internet — that certain “Canadian” terms are not commonly-used or mainstream in the larger North American context, they’ve died out since they only impede clear communication.” This is another phrase which may have travelled across the pond. In the UK, a Chesterfield is a specific type of button-back sofa traditionally made of leather. It is believed that Lord Phillip Stanhope, the 4th Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773), commissioned the first leather chesterfield settee. In Quebec, a common slang term is dep which is short for dépanneur and refers to a convenience store. This comes from the French word dépanner which means “to help out of difficulty”. Dépanneurs used to be the only non-state stores in the province to sell beer and other alcoholic beverages, which makes the name quite fitting on a Friday night! Oil Town Edmonton is known as Oil Town as it is the service and supply centre for the oil industry in Western Canada. Oil production has long been the dominant factor in the city’s economy and its industrial base includes oil refining and the production of petrochemicals, plastics and fertilisers. Other slang terms Give’er – To give it all you got when all else fails Canuck – Canadian Clicks – kilometres Keener – a suck up/somebody who tends to pretend friendship for their benefit To be on pogey – to be on welfare Newfie – A person from Newfoundland, an eastern province The French influence French language has had a significant influence on Canadian English. Both languages have co-existed in Canada from roughly the 1770s, Canadian French being nearly a century ‘older’ than Canadian English. The French influence is particularly evident in Montreal. Most expressions and certain grammatical features adopted from Canadian French have a considerable role in Canadian English there. A spokesperson for Visit Montreal shared some examples: – Expressions such as anglophone and francophone (written with lower case letters at the beginning) are based on the French model, which does not capitalise nationalities and languages. – Quebec English in particular is rich with typically French words (autoroute, dep, chalet, stage) – The word ‘Canada’ positioned after the adjective in certain proper names (Air Canada, Parks Canada, Environment Canada) – Other Canadian English usages inspired by French include: “give a conference” (instead of “give a lecture”, which comes from French donner une conférence); “take a decision” (instead of “make a decision”, from French prendre la décision), or an infinitive after the verb “accept”, for example, accept to meet him instead of accept a meeting. In an academic paper by Masaryk University in the Czech Republic it says, “The influence of Canadian French on Canadian English is undisputed. As has been demonstrated, the original French vocabulary has penetrated all spheres of Canadian life, from official expressions to everyday words. Syntactical phenomena stemming from French have equally become a non-negligible part of Canadian English. Nothing like that has happened in other varieties of English. Hence it can be concluded that the French factor is one of the features that make Canadian English unique.” Kim Logan from Tales of a Ranting Ginger, says, “Canadian words seem to be a mixture of our British roots and French Canadian. I find French influences the spelling of certain words like theatre, and the pronunciation (many will notice some letters will have accents).” Image Credit: Michel Curi, Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine (flickr) Return to Blog results Canada specialist activities in CanadaCanadian language #MyCanadianAffair 48 Hours In… Canada Culture Tweets by @CanadianAffair Canadian Affair on Facebook	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line911
__label__wiki	0.678245	0.678245	Higher-Education Preconstruction Services Education Master Planning Virtual Design and Construction Field Positions Pro Resources The Builder’s Blog Madison History Home » Madison History By CG Schmidt Madison History2020-07-302020-08-06https://www.cgschmidt.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/cgschmidt-logo-tagline_color_web.pngCG Schmidthttps://www.cgschmidt.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/dsc_1721-scaled.jpg200px200px MR. SCHMIDT GOES TO MADISON Since the 1970s, CG Schmidt has been building more than buildings in Madison, we’ve built a legacy. Read the story of our Madison team, more than 35 years in the making. For generations, CG Schmidt has been known for our strong ties to the greater Milwaukee area, dating back to our founding days in the early 1920s when Charles Schmidt Sr. would walk the streets of Milwaukee offering to replace wooden sidewalks with concrete. And while in later years our company has become increasingly well known for our projects in the greater Madison area, our Madison roots actually go back quite a bit further than most would suspect. It was in the mid-1970s that Richard Schmidt Sr. completed the firm’s first recorded project in the area: construction of the $2.1 M (approximately $11 M in 2020 dollars) Yahara Center for the Adult Christian Education Foundation, completed in 1976. While the Center as Charles built it no longer stands, portions of this project can still be seen in the current Madison Country Day School, which purchased the property in 1997. Though much of CG Schmidt’s focus over the subsequent two decades would remain in the Milwaukee region, building some of the city’s most iconic projects, the firm never truly left Madison and continued to work in the area, including construction the sprawling 15-acre development of the Attic Angel Community assisted living center and 218,000-square-foot adjoining parking garage on Madison’s west side in the 1990s. Yet in spite of the company’s long history in the area, it wasn’t until 2006 that CG Schmidt would make firm their commitment to the Madison market, opening a storefront office in downtown Madison. The Yahara Center, former home of the Adult Christian Education Foundation, completed in 1976. Currently the site of Madison Country Day School. It didn’t take long for CG Schmidt to make their mark in Wisconsin’s Capital City either, quickly landing a $60 million contract to renovate and modernize the Monroe Clinic in nearby Green County in 2007, and in 2009 beginning construction on what would be one of CG Schmidt’s largest and most well recognized Madison projects: construction of the $96 million, 313,000-square-foot Union South building for the University of Wisconsin – Madison. This key campus hub demonstrated not just the quality of CG Schmidt’s work, but also that the firm had the capability to be a major player in the Madison market. The new LEED Gold Union South building opened (under budget) to much acclaim, earning awards for quality, innovation, and for meeting lofty sustainability and local / diverse inclusion goals, including an award of accolade from the Wisconsin Department of Administration for exceeding the mandated MBE participation on the project by 300%. Eric Schmidt, Sarah Dunn and Dan Chovanec The company leadership capitalized on the momentum built by the Union South project to continue to invest in their Madison operations, hiring the first of many Madison-based project managers in 2010. But the fledgling office really solidified as a bona fide Madison contender with the addition of Sarah Dunn to lead business development and client relations later that year. Sarah’s extensive involvement in the local community, along with her professional background in healthcare and commercial real estate and development, proved to be instrumental in growing the firm’s footprint and forging the key partnerships necessary for long-term success. The Madison office got another such push in 2011 when CG Schmidt co-owner, Eric Schmidt, relocated to Madison from Milwaukee to head day-to-day operations of the team. Eric was already well known in the industry in Milwaukee for his management of signature projects like the world-renowned addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum and under the leadership of Sarah and Eric, business for the office — and the office itself — quickly expanded, growing not just in Madison, but expanding heavily into neighboring counties and as far into northern Wisconsin. The 313,000-square-foot, LEED Gold Union South building at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. GROWTH AND EXPANSION Over the next few years the firm would complete a slew of projects for some of the region’s top companies and organizations, including Spectrum Brands, American Family Insurance, WEA Member Trust, Hovde Properties, CUNA Mutual Group, UW Health, EVCO Plastics, the Henry Vilas Zoo, GE Healthcare, the Edgewater Hotel, and a number of additional projects for the University of Wisconsin – Madison, among many others. In the public sector, the Madison office quickly cemented CG Schmidt as one of the area’s top builders in the K-12 public education market, partnering with more than a dozen regional school districts in less than ten years. One of the most visible and noteworthy projects completed by the Madison team was the construction of the new St. Paul University Catholic Center on State Street, replacing the Brutalist structure that had dominated the block since the 1960s. This project would demonstrate the team’s willingness to going well above and beyond a typical general contractor for our clients, with years of preconstruction and fundraising support before breaking ground in 2015, even driving to Nebraska to pick up a 4,000 lb., 20′-wide piece sample of the precast concrete exterior to obtain approval from the Design Committee. Completed in 2017, the new student center stands as a testament to the drive and commitment of the Madison team. The five-story St. Paul University Catholic Center features a 100,000-piece glass mosaic on the building facade. GETTING READY FOR THE FUTURE 2018 and 2019 saw a number of changes and milestones for our Madison office. To accommodate the firm’s substantial growth, in 2018 the office was relocated from the far west side of Madison in the UW Research Park, to the Capitol Square. In 2019, both Sarah Dunn and Dan Chovanec, the office’s Operations Executive, were named vice presidents of the firm. With several consecutive years of record-setting sales numbers and the long-term viability of the office secure – a feat that earned Eric the title of “Executive of the Year” from In Business Magazine in 2016 — in 2019, Eric Schmidt, now senior vice president, transitioned day-to-day leadership of the office to Dan Chovanec and relocated back to Milwaukee to lead company-wide innovation and expansion efforts. The same year, the company announced that after an exhaustive search beginning in 2016, they had located an ideal property to purchase and renovate to serve as a permanent Madison office. CG Schmidt’s Madison office at 433 West Washington Ave. The building, located at 433 West Washington Avenue near the Capitol Square, had been derelict for several years and badly in need of repair. Yet rather than build a new building on a greenfield site, arguably a much easier route to take, the decision was made that CG Schmidt wanted to be seen as not just another construction company looking to capitalize on a burgeoning market, but one committed to the growth and revitalization of the city itself. Bringing a dilapidated building back to life was the perfect way to show that CG Schmidt saw itself as part of the community — now one that paid property taxes directly to Madison. Construction on the office began in fall of 2019 and was completed in summer of the following year, coinciding with the firm’s 100th anniversary since its inception as Charles Schmidt & Sons in 1920. The Madison team in action — in the field, in the office, and in the community. Over the course of the last decade, CG Schmidt’s Madison office has changed dramatically; from renting a small storefront office with four Madison-based employees, to owning their own building, with a robust team of dozens of full-time employees spanning a number of disciplines, and a diverse portfolio of projects across the state. Their success where so many other firms have failed to gain a foothold is a testament not just to the drive and determination of the team, but to the culture and focus on caring that have made CG Schmidt Wisconsin’s trusted building partner for 100 years. And as the team is quick to tell you, the best is yet to come. Planning a construction project in the Madison area? Contact our construction professionals today. Building K-12 Schools for 70 Years – A CG Schmidt Moment in History Harvey Peterson: Building a Culture of Safety CG Schmidt’s True Colors are on Full Display Daily Reporter Names Two CG Schmidt Employees “NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR” CG Schmidt Headquarters 11777 West Lake Park Drive CG Schmidt Madison Office Copyright CG Schmidt. All Rights Reserved \| Lion Tree Group Site Design	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line912
__label__wiki	0.924765	0.924765	Cheap & Flexible flights to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) in 2021/2022 Map of Kekaha, Hawaii Home > Destinations > North America > United States > Kekaha, Hawaii Find cheaper flights and flexible date options to Kekaha, Hawaii, United States, Barking Sands Airport, BKH in 2021/2022 with CheapFlightsFinder from the USA and airports all over the world. The GEO coordinates for Barking Sands Airport are 22.0353, -159.7820, located in the country of United States. On this page you can find the best deals, flexible times to fly to Kekaha, Hawaii and the cheapest dates to travel to Barking Sands Airport (BKH) in the year 2021/2022 from the best meta search engines in the world. We search Skyscanner, KAYAK, momondo, Dohop, KIWI, Jetradar, Google Flights and many more to make sure you get the best price possible. Also, see the best things to do in Kekaha, Hawaii, the weather in Kekaha, Hawaii, a map of Kekaha, Hawaii, some travel videos of Kekaha, Hawaii and flight times and distances to Barking Sands Airport (BKH) from the most popular US airports. Top things to do in Kekaha, Hawaii Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor Davidsons Beach Pakala Point Waiokapua Bay Kaluapuhi FLIGHT DISTANCE AND FLYING TIME TO Kekaha, Hawaii Flights from Atlanta - Georgia, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 4,577 miles (7,365 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 10 hours 40 minutes. Flights from Los Angeles - California, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 2,635 miles (4,241 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 6 hours 21 minutes. Flights from Chicago - Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 4,303 miles (6,924 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 10 hours 3 minutes. Flights from Dallas - Dallas, Texas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 3,864 miles (6,219 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 9 hours 5 minutes. Flights from Denver - Colorado, Airport - Denver International Airport (DEN) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 3,430 miles (5,521 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 8 hours 7 minutes. Flights from New York - John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 5,040 miles (8,110 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 11 hours 41 minutes. Flights from San Francisco - California, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 2,466 miles (3,968 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 5 hours 58 minutes. Flights from Seattle - Airport - Seattle Tacoma International, Washington (SEA) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 2,715 miles (4,370 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 6 hours 32 minutes. Flights from Las Vegas - Nevada, McCarran International Airport (LAS) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 2,837 miles (4,565 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 6 hours 48 minutes. Flights from Orlando - Florida, Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 4,839 miles (7,787 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 11 hours 15 minutes. Flights from Charlotte - North Carolina, Douglas International Airport (CLT) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 4,748 miles (7,641 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 11 hours 3 minutes. Flights from Phoenix - Arizona, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 2,998 miles (4,825 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 7 hours 9 minutes. Flights from Houston - Texas, Airport - George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 3,989 miles (6,419 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 9 hours 21 minutes. Flights from Miami - Florida, Miami International Airport (MIA) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 4,948 miles (7,963 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 11 hours 29 minutes. Flights from Boston - Massachusetts, Edward L. Logan International Airport (BOS) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 5,147 miles (8,283 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 11 hours 56 minutes. Flights from Minneapolis - Minnesota, Airport - St. Paul International (MSP) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 4,026 miles (6,479 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 9 hours 26 minutes. Flights from Fort Lauderdale - Florida, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 4,951 miles (7,967 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 11 hours 30 minutes. Flights from Detroit - Michigan, Airport - Wayne County International (DTW) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 4,532 miles (7,294 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 10 hours 34 minutes. Flights from Philadelphia - Pennsylvania, Airport - Philadelphia International (PHL) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 4,978 miles (8,012 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 11 hours 33 minutes. Flights from Baltimore - Maryland, Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 4,916 miles (7,911 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 11 hours 25 minutes. Flights from Salt Lake City - Utah, Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 3,056 miles (4,919 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 7 hours 17 minutes. Flights from San Diego - California, San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 2,696 miles (4,339 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 6 hours 29 minutes. Flights from Tampa - Florida, Tampa International Airport (TPA) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 4,775 miles (7,684 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 11 hours 6 minutes. Flights from Portland - International Airport, Oregon (PDX) to Kekaha, Hawaii (BKH) - The flight distance between these airports is 2,646 miles (4,258 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 6 hours 22 minutes. Travel videos about Kekaha, Hawaii Flight Routes to Kekaha, Hawaii	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line915
__label__cc	0.592783	0.407217	Chess Moves Making Moves that Count Chess Moves is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation organized for charitable and educational purposes. Chess Moves' mission is to deliver and help others deliver volunteer services and education through chess. Chess Moves is making moves in the community to bring the game of chess to those looking for a new opportunity to engage their mind, connect with someone on a competitive level, or wanting to learn something new. Chase Frutos -- Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Chess Moves. Chase is a Texas State Regional Chess Champion and three-time Texas State Chess Champion and a National Youth Chess Co-Champion. As a Bronze Medalist at the Continental Youth Chess Championships in Oaxtepec, Morelos, Mexico, Chase was awarded the prestigious international title of Candidate Master (CM) by the World Chess Federation. Because of Chase's Cuban heritage, he took an early liking to Jose Raul Capablanca, World Chess Champion from 1921-1927 and one of the greatest chess players. Chase was greatly influenced by GM Babakuli Annakov of Russia and FM Keaton Kiewra. Understanding the benefits of chess, Chase wanted to do something to give back to the Dallas Chess Club which had given so much to him and others for so many years. He started by sprucing up and decorating the club and creating a newsletter to benefit club members and others in the Dallas chess community. Cole Frutos -- Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Chess Moves. Cole is a two-time Texas State Regional Chess Champion and three-time Texas State Chess Champion, a National Youth Chess Co-Champion and two-time National Blitz Co-Champion. As a Silver Medalist at the Continental Youth Chess Championships in Pocos de Caldas, MG, Brazil, Cole was awarded the prestigious international title of Candidate Master (CM) by the World Chess Federation. Cole is a two-time Qualifier to the US Youth Chess Team, representing the US in the World Youth Chess Championships in Maribor, Slovenia and again two years later in Durban, South Africa. Cole was greatly influenced by GM Babakuli Annakov of Russia, FM Keaton Kiewra, and IM Armen Ambartsoumian of Armenia. Cole began assisting Mr. Herminio Baez teaching chess at St. Monica in 2016 and, appreciating the benefits of chess, quickly learned the power of giving back and teaching chess to younger kids. Mr. Baez was involved in the Dallas chess community and was a jovial and fun loving person that spent his time enkindling the joy of chess in Dallas youth for decades. Mr. Baez passed away unexpectedly in 2018. It is from these experiences that Cole figured out other ways to give back to the community and use chess as a vehicle for doing that and Chess Moves was the move he made. We play chess for many reasons but mainly because it is fun. Chess has allowed us to travel the world and experience new interesting cultures, meet wonderful people from around the world. We recently researched the benefits of chess for our newsletter and the following lists some of my favorites: Chess improves memory (memory is required to visualize positions during a game) Chess improves creative and analytical thinking (you can come up with strategic plans) Chess improves logical thinking (thinking about what your opponent will play and how to counter it) Click here to read our article about the benefits of chess. With so many advantages to chess why doesn’t everyone play? Chess is for everyone! Chess Moves is a 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax-deductible. frutosbrothers@chessmovesinc.org SUBSCRIBE FOR EMAILS & NEWSLETTERS © 2018 Chess Moves. All rights reserved.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line918
__label__wiki	0.942433	0.942433	Fleet Foxes “Helplessness Blues” Review Published April 1, 2011 in Blog Archive, Culture Bully. Tags: Album Reviews, Music. “I have such a weird relationship with this record,” confessed Fleet Foxes‘ Robin Pecknold in an interview with Stereogum this past February. “The process of making it really took over my life and started affecting my relationships, which in turn affected the record.” Yet while the band’s new album Helplessness Blues is recognizable as a testimony to this personal struggle, it also represents a test for the group as a whole. Faced with the potentially crippling reality that they have created an outrageously high standard for themselves, the band was confronted with a new challenge: Could they create music true to their vision while avoiding disappointing the legions of fans they’ve attracted along the way? The immediate answer was no; or at least not at first. Fleet Foxes logged plenty of hours in the recording studio in 2009 while working on what would become Helplessness Blues; so many that a 2010 release was a near certainty. But after wrapping on the recording the band re-approached the new music with open ears and decided that it didn’t reflect their vision. Speaking to Uncut magazine, Pecknold recently revealed that he “felt there were things that could be improved.” So they “improved” them; re-recording many of the songs and pushing the album’s pending release date off into the distance. Now in its final form, Helplessness Blues doesn’t sound entirely all that different from the music that the band has released before it. The LP opens with the energetic alternating picking of “Montezuma,” relying on attractive vocal harmonies that have remained a staple throughout Fleet Foxes’ entire catalog. “The Cascades” flows by as a succinct instrumental. “Someone You’d Admire” loses itself in the combination of Pecknold’s gentle croon and a hollow-sounding acoustic. “Blue Spotted Tail” focuses similarly on cautious picking before bleeding into the rumbling conclusion of “Grown Ocean.” Really, for the most part, it could be argued that little has changed here: Fleet Foxes still work within the gray area of folk-pop, not really pushing any boundaries through the creation of their songs. Yet, despite such basic similarities, Helplessness Blues is constructed with a different purpose than 2008′s Fleet Foxes. Relatives of “Mykonos” and “White Winter Hymnal” are nowhere to be found, but are instead replaced by a number of rich tracks which further reveal the level of craftsmanship employed by the group. Be it the fiddle which follows the brisk build-up of “Bedouin Dress,” the grandiose pounding rhythm of “Battery Kinzie,” the extended opening vocal harmony which leads into a rollicking, free-spirited breakdown in “The Plains / Bitter Dancer” or the unusual musical disintegration in the conclusion of “Lorelai,” the album offers a variety of moments which keep things from becoming monotonous. There are three tracks which extend this further though, all of which helping to solidify Helplessness Blues‘ unique personality. The spirited pace of “Helplessness Blues” is refreshing, but it’s Pecknold’s lyrics in the song which help raise awareness of the conflict he was struggling with during the album’s creation. “I was raised up believing I was somehow unique like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes unique in each way you can see/And now after some thinking I’d say I’d rather be a functioning cog in some great machinery serving something beyond me.” It’s a dilemma nearly everyone faces — the struggle to find one’s place; a search for meaning. “Blue Spotted Tail” is another song which finds the vocalist confronting this struggle by questioning the purpose of existence. These themes of searching for self are woven throughout the album, each acting as a poetic reminder of the personalities behind the music. “Sim Sala Bim” progresses in a different direction, musically, as the track’s showcase of delicate finger-picking later erupts into a swelling acoustic solo (of sorts); it would fit in seamlessly on Led Zeppelin III. While not a major contrast to the rest of the album, the song offers a wink to a different range of influence that isn’t really associated with Fleet Foxes, suggesting that a fierce desire might swell below the band’s mellow harmonies. To some degree this is picked up once again in “The Shrine / An Argument,” a track which might be best defined as Helplessness Blues‘ aural climax. It continues where “Montezuma” left off with an immediate display of dexterity on the guitar before showing off the first break in Pecknold’s voice — real emotion. Through its eight minutes the song shifts between a variety of different sounds and patterns but — spastic horn outro aside — the segment of the track which leaves a lasting impression is, again, that created by driven acoustics. After listening to Helplessness Blues it would seem difficult to believe that the album isn’t viewed as a success by the band’s members. It is as much a reflection of personal internal struggle as it is evidence of individual musical progression. But that might have been all it ever needed to be all along: a Fleet Foxes album simply good enough for the band. (That would explain the re-recording, at least.) Which isn’t to say that they might not actually have cared much about disappointing their fans, but they could have rushed the release of the album’s earlier version, or could have easily stripped apart the most successful aspects of Fleet Foxes and manufactured something that would drive fans wild. They could have, but they didn’t. Thankfully for fans, what remains offers the best of both worlds: an album that satisfies the band which doesn’t abuse predictability in meeting a high level of quality. What more could be asked for? [This post was first published by Culture Bully.]	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line921
__label__wiki	0.920764	0.920764	Events and Surgeries Chris Elmore MP Maesteg Town Hall Redevelopment Off To A Flying Start Thanks To Welsh Labour Government and EU Fundi Ogmore MP and AM, Chris Elmore and Huw Irranca-Davies, have welcomed the new funding announced by the Welsh Labour Government to support the redevelopment of Maesteg Town Hall. The project is part of the Building for the Future programme, which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Regional Development Fund. The financial support made available to Bridgend County Borough Council includes £858,000 from the Building for the Future programme, £2,001,990 of EU funding and £650,000 from the Valleys Task Force. The funding from the Welsh Government’s Valleys Task Force forms the final piece of the funding jigsaw required to help facilitate the redevelopment, which will transform the building into a community space for decades to come. The plans for the Town Hall include turning the lower ground floor into a new library alongside a heritage and volunteering centre, a café and additional workspaces. Toilets and fully-accessible changing places will also be installed as part of the redevelopment. The first floor will become a multi-functional performing arts centre with dressing rooms, a bar and a brand new studio theatre. The existing balcony will be retained and refurbished and the two floors of the building will be linked via a modern, glazed atrium and foyer off Talbot Street. This is the latest in a series of funding successes for the project for both Labour-led Bridgend County Borough Council and the Awen Cultural Trust, who have been working together to secure the remaining funds required to get the project off the ground. In July, a national lottery grant of £774,900 was allocated, meaning the latest funding announced by the Valleys Task Force has completed the funding jigsaw required to deliver the project. Chris Elmore MP said: “This is truly wonderful news. Huge congratulations to everyone at Bridgend County Borough Council and the Awen Cultural Trust for all of their efforts in helping to secure the vital funding needed to get this crucial redevelopment started. “I’ve been delighted to support this project since it was first announced and I can’t wait to see it when it’s complete. It’s fantastic that the much-loved Maesteg Town Hall will now remain a local cultural hub for all generations long into the future.” Huw Irranca-Davies AM said: “Since this project was first announced, I’ve been really excited to see the finished result. Now, thanks to the Welsh Government’s Valleys Task Force, we’re another important step closer to seeing this become a reality. “Maesteg has a rich cultural heritage and I’m delighted that this investment means we’re able to protect and extend this to younger generations in the years ahead. I pay huge credit to everyone who has helped raise in excess of £6 million of funding to ensure this project is delivered for local residents.” Huw Irranca-Davies AM Bridgend County Borough Council Published and Promoted by Carys Price on behalf of Chris Elmore both at 44a Penybont Road, Pencoed, CF35 5RA.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line922
__label__cc	0.678695	0.321305	Tullian Tchividjian Preaches on God's Faithfulness After Sex Scandal: 'I Broke My Own Life' CP Current Page: Church & Ministries \| Friday, February 09, 2018 \| Coronavirus → By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Christian Post Reporter Follow \| Friday, February 09, 2018 Tullian Tchividjian preaches at New Mount Olive Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Feb. 4, 2018. \| (Screenshot: Facebook) Tullian Tchividjian, the grandson of famed evangelist Billy Graham, recently delivered a sermon reflecting on his "broken" journey over the last three years and the work of God in his life since he publicly "crashed and burned." In a Feb. 8 blog post, Tchividjian shared footage of a sermon he preached on Sunday at New Mount Olive Baptist Church, a historic African American church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was the first time he spoke publicly in that city since resigning from Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in 2015 after admitting to an extramarital affair. "It was also the first time since 2015 that my Mom, one of my brothers, and two of my three children heard me speak publicly," the Jesus + Nothing = Everything author revealed. "It was an emotional morning for me." Tchividjian began his sermon, based on Philippians 3:4-9, by revealing that before his downward spiral, he was a successful pastor who led a large, well-known church, had written numerous best-selling books, enjoyed a large TV presence, and traveled all around the country speaking at conferences. "According to the world's standards, I had everything ... I had somewhat of an impressive resume," he said. "I had a tight family, I had money, I had influence, I had a good reputation, I had tons of support." In many ways, Tchividjian said, he was a "celebrity pastor." And then it all came crashing down. "I'm 45 years old now, and my life is broken in ways now that it never was for the first 42 years of my life," he admitted. "Two things that I had come to believe were secure forever were my marriage and my career. I lost both during the late spring, early summer of 2015 due to my own sin, my own selfishness. I was unfaithful to my wife, and therefore I deserved to lose both my marriage and the ministry God had given me, and I lost it all very publicly." With those two losses, Tchividjian said, came "a thousand other losses," including the "loss of friendships, the loss of peace and security on my three kids' faces, the loss of purpose, the loss of credibility, the loss of confidence in God's goodness, the loss of financial stability, the loss of hope, the loss of joy, the loss of opportunity, the loss of life as I knew it." Overnight, his life went from feeling like a "fairytale" to a "violent tragedy." "I broke my own life, I broke my own family, and I broke the hearts of people who loved and trusted me. I wanted to die. I literally wanted to die," the former pastor said. His voice breaking, Tchividjian revealed he even penned a suicide note. "It was the first time in 42 years I'd been alive that I had no hope whatsoever," he said. "How did I get to that place? How did anyone get to the place where they are actually contemplating killing themselves? I had never been to that dark place before." Often, we don't realize how much we depend on the things that make life worth living until they're gone, the pastor said, explaining his worth, value, and security was anchored in his family, success and praise. When those things were gone, "I no longer knew who I was. I felt dead, therefore, I might as well be dead," he said. After six years at the helm of Coral Ridge, Tchividjian resigned in the summer of 2015 after confessing to infidelity. He was also deposed of his pastoral credentials by the South Florida Presbytery and divorced Kim in a very public breakdown of his marriage. During this dark season, Tchividjian said that a good friend of his told him, "The purpose behind the suffering you are going through is to kick you into a new freedom from false definitions of who you are." Those words, Tchividjian said, helped him realize that his identity should be firmly rooted in Jesus Christ's accomplishments and victory — not his own. "You are not what you do, you are what Jesus has done for you," he emphasized. "Because of what Jesus has done for you, you don't need to spend your life trying to earn the approval and acceptance and affection that you long for, because Jesus has already earned God's approval, God's acceptance, and God's affection for you." Christianity, he said, is fundamentally about substitution — that "Jesus has come to do for you what you could not do for yourself." "Because Jesus won for you, you're free to lose," Tchividjian, who remarried in 2016, contended. "Because Jesus was strong for you, you're free to be weak. Because Jesus was someone, you're free to be no one. Because Jesus was extraordinary, you're free to be ordinary. Because Jesus succeeded for you, you're free to fail ... No sin of yours will ever tempt God to leave you or forsake you, ever." When we understand the profundity of the Gospel, we are able to find our identity in Christ, he stressed. "It's true that Jesus plus nothing equals everything, and that everything minus Jesus equals nothing. But this doesn't mean that our struggle is over," he said. "God is committed to setting us free, even if it means we have to lose a leg so we can finally dance. Even it means we have to lose an eye so we can finally see." He concluded: "Your brokenness in this life isn't going away, but neither is God. He will be there with you, He will never leave you, He will never forsake you. You may let go of Him, but He will never, ever let go of you." Tullian Tchividjian, Billy Graham's Grandson, Says He 'Selfishly Wrecked' His Life After Sex Scandal Tullian Tchividjian Reveals He Planned to Kill Himself After Losing Ministry Over Affair Scandal	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line923
__label__wiki	0.794793	0.794793	Texas among leaders in filing gun reports News // Houston & Texas State files data on prospective buyers' mental health to FBI STEWART M. POWELL, Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle June 22, 2011 Updated: Aug. 17, 2011 3:51 p.m. WASHINGTON — Two years after Texas passed a law to comply with a new federal mandate, the Lone Star State is among those leading the nation in the number of mental health reports submitted to an FBI database that clears individuals to buy firearms. Texas' cooperation contrasts with 25 states and the District of Columbia that have filed fewer than 100 mental health records, according to FBI statistics obtained and released by Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Thirteen of those states have filed fewer than 10 reports and six states have not filed any reports, its data indicates. "Texans understand that background checks are not gun control," said Mark Glaze, director of the organization that represents chief executives from more than 600 cities. "Background checks are a common sense, crime-fighting measure that keeps guns away from the most dangerous people in our society while doing nothing to stop the rest of us from exercising our rights." During the eight-month period that ended April 30, Texas provided 68,769 mental health reports to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Washington state submitted the second-highest total number of reports during that same period, with 42,556. With its 60,680 reports already in the FBI database, Texas had 129,449 total, ranking sixth behind Virginia, Washington, Michigan, New York and California. Updated after massacre Federal law adopted in 1993 and updated after the Virginia Tech killings in 2007 prohibits gun purchases by individuals who use illegal drugs, suffer mental illness, have been involuntarily committed to a mental institution or have been found to be a danger to themselves or others. The federal requirement for states to submit mental health reports to the FBI database doesn't fully go into effect until 2018. States that fail to comply by then could lose up to 5 percent of federal crime-fighting assistance. Had their mental health reports been filed with the FBI clearinghouse, federally licensed gun dealers might have known enough to bar purchases by Jared Loughner and Seung Hui Cho. Loughner had been dismissed from a community college and rejected for Army enlistment because of alleged drug use before he was accused of killing six people and wounding Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., in January. Cho had been treated for mental illness before killing 32 students and faculty members, and himself, in the rampage at Virginia Tech. Mayors Against Illegal Guns cited Texas' performance as an example to other states, noting that the increase in the state's submissions followed passage of a 2009 state law requiring that the reports be sent to the FBI database. The Texas law requires local court clerks to notify the state Department of Public Safety within 30 days about cases involving court-ordered inpatient mental health treatment, acquittal by reason of insanity, commitment to a mental health institution, appointment of a guardian for an incapacitated adult or determination of incompetence to stand trial. Added an appeal rule Texas lawmakers, concerned about the accuracy of records submitted to federal authorities, made provisions for individuals to go to court to appeal the findings and have the corrected report submitted to the FBI clearinghouse. After a background inquiry is made by a gun dealer, federal authorities have three business days to determine whether the proposed gun sale is prohibited. If the FBI clearinghouse has not made a definitive determination within that time period, the gun dealer is free to complete the sale. 72,659 denials Nationwide, the FBI clearinghouse handled 14.4 million gun purchase transactions in 2010, and 72,659 purchases were denied for a variety of reasons, including mental health issues. Firearms dealers in Texas requested 968,071 background checks in 2010, according to the FBI. The number of denials was not immediately available. While the number of mental health records submitted to the FBI by state authorities has jumped 23 percent, federal officials estimate that as many as 2.7 million mental health records still are missing from the 6.4 million already in the FBI database. "The background check system has stopped hundreds of thousands of illegal gun purchases over the past decade," said New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, co-chairman of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. "(But) too many dangerous people are slipping through the cracks." Editor's note: An earlier version of this story misspelled Mark Glaze's name. stewart.powell@chron.com STEWART M. POWELL These are the best cold-press juicers under $100 Start making your favorite green juice in the comfort of your home.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line924
__label__cc	0.653075	0.346925	Seeing the same doctor 'a matter of life and death' File photo dated 15/08/14 of a doctor with a stethoscope. The Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE), which obtained figures from a Freedom of Information request to the Home Office found that more than 6,000 visa applications for highly skilled workers like scientists, IT specialists and doctors with job offers in the UK were refused because of a Government-imposed cap on numbers. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Wednesday May 16, 2018. It has been revealed that the refusals came between December 2017 and March 2018 and were the result of an annual limit of 20,700 so-called Tier 2 visas introduced in 2011 while Theresa May was home secretary. See PA story POLITICS Visas. Photo credit should read: Lynne Cameron/PA Wire By Jennifer Cockerell, Press Association Health Correspondent Patients who see the same doctor again and again have lower death rates, a study has found. The positive effects of repeated patient-doctor contact applied across different cultures, and was true not just for family doctors, but for specialists including psychiatrists and surgeons as well. The research, a collaboration between St Leonard's Practice in Exeter and the University of Exeter Medical School, analysed the results of 22 different studies carried out in nine countries with very different cultures and health systems. Of those, 18 (82%) found that repeated contact with the same doctor over time meant significantly fewer deaths over the study periods compared with those without continuity. The research, published in the journal BMJ Open, is said to be the first ever systematic review of the relationship between death rates and continuity of care. Sir Denis Pereira Gray, of St Leonard's Practice, said: "Patients have long known that it matters which doctor they see and how well they can communicate with them. "Until now arranging for patients to see the doctor of their choice has been considered a matter of convenience or courtesy: Now it is clear it is about the quality of medical practice and is literally 'a matter of life and death'." Professor Philip Evans, of the University of Exeter Medical School, said: "Continuity of care happens when a patient and a doctor see each other repeatedly and get to know each other. "This leads to better communication, patient satisfaction, adherence to medical advice and much lower use of hospital services. "As medical technology and new treatments dominate the medical news, the human aspect of medical practice has been neglected. Our study shows it is potentially life-saving and should be prioritised." Pic by Lynne Cameron/PA Wire	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line925
__label__wiki	0.947827	0.947827	Tim O’Reilly, O’Reilly Media founder and CEO, shared points of how he failed as he was evolving his business. Major points included, not making sure that staff heard what he was saying and financial and operational discipline. (Photo by Colleen Miller) Tim O'Reilly: Learn From Your Failures and Build Something Great What happens when engineers become leaders? Tim O'Reilly examined the topic using an approach familiar to data center managers: the failure analysis. O'Reilly, a leading technology visionary,discussed his failures and what he has learned from them. Rich Miller \| Oct 14, 2013 Tim O'Reilly, O'Reilly Media founder and CEO, shared points of how he failed as he was evolving his business. Major points included, not making sure that staff heard what he was actually saying, and instilling financial and operational discipline. (Photo by Colleen Miller.) NEW YORK - What happens when engineers become leaders? That's the question at the core of "Cultivate," a new conference from O'Reilly focused on entrepreneurial leadership for technology companies. In this morning's keynote, Tim O'Reilly examined the topic using an approach familiar to data center managers: the failure analysis. O'Reilly, the founder and CEO of O'Reilly Media, discussed the failures he experienced in building one of the industry's leading brands for publishing and events, and what he learned from them. O'Reilly shared the lessons of how an ambitious vision must translate into strategy and tactics to create a sustainable organization that puts money in the bank. O'Reilly Media's mission is "changing the world by spreading the knowledge of innovation" and telling values-driven technology stories. Steve Jobs and Trusting Yourself Like a number of the talks that followed, O'Reilly spoke about how to strike a balance between creativity, innovation and the everyday basics of building a business culture. That means remaining open to new ideas, while still trusting yourself and your beliefs. The latter was a strength for the late Steve Jobs, he said. "There's a real culture of Steve Jobs right now," said O'Reilly. "There are dark sides to it. Apple is a company that is ruled by fear at times, and some people at Apple are driven by strange mandates ... But I wish I'd channeled my inner Steve Jobs more often and said 'that's crap.' "There were times that I let others chip away at my values and the way I thought things should be done," said O'Reilly. "Don't accept the idea that someone can tell you to do something because 'that's how it's done.' That's not how you build a great company. As you build a culture, apply the same kind of creative thinking you apply to your products." Is Your Team Getting the Right Message? Communications is critical in creating a culture in which the big vision translates to the bottom line. O'Reilly said it's vitally important to ensure that leaders articulate their goals clearly and check to see that their teams are hearing the right message, to ensure there's not a disconnect. In an organization focused on innovation and new thinking, it's important not to devalue business concerns. O'Reilly said this was a culture challenge for O'Reilly Media during the dot-com boom near the end of the 1990s. "I ended up with a small group of people worrying about the business and a larger group thinking'why would I worry about that,' " he said. Financial Discipline Matters When the tech stock bubble burst in 2001, O'Reilly was forced to retrench. His company had been profitable, but hadn't put money in the bank to provide ride-through funding for leaner times. "We barely survived, and it didn't have to be that way," said O'Reilly. "Ultimately, you have to pay the bills. It's really important to be frugal and learn how to spend money on things that really matter. Financial discipline really does matter." That transition led to a major change in the economics of O'Reilly's technology books, which are widely recognized for their animal-themed cover art. In the 1990s, O'Reilly said, these books would net sales of $250,000 per title, but the company was "hemorrhaging cash." In the 2000s, the books averaged just $70,000 per title, but O'Reilly Media was able to put money in the bank. The goal throughout has been to "create more value than you capture." O'Reilly has an interesting metric for that, noting how many successful Silicon Valley executives have told him that they got their start reading an O'Reilly book. "We got 30 bucks and they got a billion," he joked. TAGS: Manage After Moore’s Law: How Will We Know How Much Faster Computers Can Go? Google Thinks Data Centers, Armed with Batteries, Should ‘Anchor’ a Carbon-Free Grid Why the Supercomputer Sector May Bifurcate – Again Remote Data Center Management Tools Must Learn to Play Together	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line928
__label__wiki	0.598466	0.598466	SOCIETY: THE BATTLE FOR HEALTHY FOOD Ammar RashidPublished January 3, 2021 Clockwise from top: The Punjab Food Authority team carries out an inspection in a milk shop in Lahore; pesticide residues in foods have been found to be beyond permissible limits across the country; a child receives nutrition treatment at a centre in Tharparkar \| World Food Programme/Amjad Jamal For decades into its existence, food safety was simply not a priority for Pakistan. The country did not have anything resembling a proper system of food quality regulation, with food security and nutrition being the primary focus of attention for policymakers. Laws relating to food safety had been on the books since the 1960s (notably the Pure Food Ordinance of 1960) yet, for decades, the bulk of food production and distribution networks were informal and beyond the limited capacity of the state to monitor and regulate beyond supply and pricing interventions. The relationship between food safety and public health is, of course, undeniable. Food and waterborne diseases are the leading causes of illness and death in developing countries, killing an estimated 2.2 million people annually, most of them children. Globally, the processes of urbanisation, growth of processed food industries and globalisation of the food trade have fundamentally changed patterns of food production and distribution, presenting new challenges for food safety and public health. Less known is the economic cost: each year, the impact of unsafe food causes production losses of around 95 billion US dollars in low and middle-income economies. Unsafe food accounted for the loss of 33 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2010. Foodborne illnesses also contribute significantly to premature mortality and low life expectancy in Pakistan, including being a significant cause of child mortality and morbidity. Studies have documented the widespread prevalence of aflatoxins, pesticide residues, heavy metal contaminants and adulterants in foods beyond permissible limits across the country. Ingestion of food contaminants is also the potential cause of several chronic diseases, including malignancies and cancers. As food imports and the processed food industry grew in the 1990s, the need for a system of quality standards was finally felt, resulting in the establishment of the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), under the Ministry of Science and Technology, through the PSQCA Act of 1996. The authority was tasked with prescribing standards for food products and food grade materials (as well as other items) at the national level, as well as consumer protection. Pakistan has only recently begun to develop an effective system for food safety and quality. However, federal-provincial conflict over jurisdictions, pressure from the food and beverage industry and the threat of regulatory capture present major obstacles to ensuring all Pakistanis can access safe and nutritious food as a right... The PSQCA adopted the Joint Food and Agriculture Organisation/World Health Organisation Codex Alimentarius standards programme for food quality and food trade, and adapted nutrition labelling and import regulations from the US Food and Drug Authority (FDA), with some additional local requirements added. However, as is the case with many policy and regulatory frameworks in Pakistan, the enforcement of food regulations remained a distant dream. The PSQCA was a federal body with no administrative presence at the provincial or district level. With the exception of occasional factory visits by district administration officials and provincial food departments (which continued to focus on food production and distribution), no concrete system of inspections or monitoring existed. Then came the 18th constitutional amendment in 2010, and the devolution of food regulation to the provinces, following which the provinces began to establish their own food regulation authorities. The first of these was the Punjab Food Authority (PFA), established through the Punjab Food Authority Act of 2011 “to ensure the availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption” in Punjab. The PFA marked the first systematic attempt by state institutions to create an enforcement system for food safety and quality in Pakistan. Empowered by budgetary allocations from an increased provincial resource pool, the authority soon established a regulatory presence, starting from Lahore, followed by offices in Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi and Multan and, thereafter, to the whole of Punjab. The PFA soon began a regime of impromptu facility inspections and on-site sample testing, typified by the heavily-mediatised raids in factories and food production facilities conducted by PFA Director General, the ‘Iron Lady’ Ayesha Mumtaz, from 2015 onward. In 2017-18 alone, the authority conducted 43,689 inspection visits across Punjab, shut down 747 centres due to various violations, served 25,000 improvement notices to various food businesses and penalised thousands with heavy fines for violations. The threats of facility shutdowns and public censure through the media proved to be an effective deterrent and compliance with food standards soon began to improve. Following the much-acclaimed success of the PFA, other provinces soon followed suit with their own food authorities. The Sindh Food Authority (SFA) was formed in 2016, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority (KPFSHFA) in 2018, and the Balochistan Food Authority (BFA) began functioning in 2019 (though legislation for it was passed earlier in 2014). The ‘activist’ DG of the Punjab Food Authority became the target of ‘corruption’ allegations — very clearly as a result of her making ‘enemies in the food business and among politicians connected with it’. In October 2016, she was sacked from her post, apparently under pressure from sections she had targeted. The KPFSHFA was the first, after PFA, to establish an institutional presence and begin crackdowns on violations of standards and regulations. In the past year, the Sindh and Balochistan food authorities have also started to expand and play a more proactive role in their jurisdictions. From 2018 onward, the food authorities began expanding their focus from safety to food composition nutrition and labeling as well, developing regulations for salt iodisation, wheat fortification and trans-fat elimination, training food workers in food safety and establishing nutrition clinics to improve the population’s dietary intake. For both Punjab and KP, the food safety / quality standards put in place were increasingly stricter and closer to FAO/WHO recommendations than those maintained by the PSQCA. The new decentralised regulatory regime had its shortcomings too, however. Chief among them was the fact that varying standards were in place in different provinces and at the federal level, complicating enforcement and creating legal hurdles for implementation. Technical capacity and resource gaps continued to hinder some of the authorities, particularly in Balochistan and Sindh, and make them vulnerable to the same kinds of shortcomings that made the PSQCA ineffective at enforcement. There was, nonetheless, a marked improvement from the nearly-nonexistent quality regulation of the past. Former PFA Director General Ayesha Mumtaz Unsurprisingly, the new food regulation regime and its enforcers soon came under attack from the food and beverage industry. Unwelcome food inspectors, attempting to fine producers or confiscate adulterated products in the performance of their duties, started being harassed by irate industry personnel and even shot at with firearms. The ‘activist’ DG of the Punjab Food Authority became the target of ‘corruption’ allegations — very clearly as a result of her making ‘enemies in the food business and among politicians connected with it’. In October 2016, she was sacked from her post, apparently under pressure from sections she had targeted. In April 2019, the Punjab Assembly Speaker, Pervaiz Elahi of the government-allied Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid) (PML-Q), called on the Punjab government to ‘rein in’ the PFA and limit their power to impose fines, claiming it was impeding economic activity in the province. Meanwhile, multiple legal challenges from the food industry mounted against the regulatory actions of the provincial food authorities, principally using the argument that food standards, safety and licencing/registration were a federal domain, something the provinces vehemently contested. Eventually, the matter of jurisdiction ended up in the Council of Common Interests (CCI). In a December 2019 meeting of the CCI, it was decided that food standards and licencing/registration would henceforth remain the exclusive domain of the federal government (under the Pakistan Standard framework) and the different provincial food standards would be harmonised by the PSQCA’s National Standards Committees (which would also include representation from the provincial food authorities) — a process that is now underway. It was decided at the same meeting that enforcement would remain a provincial domain, which food authorities were naturally better placed to carry out, given their well-developed local presence as compared to the PSQCA. However, the decision to hand over licencing authority to the federal government took away both a revenue source and a key mechanism for provincial authorities to enforce regulations and penalise violators. The government and the federal Science and Technology Minister celebrated the CCI decision as a landmark step that would improve ease of doing business in the country. It is indeed hard to argue with the fact that a uniform set of food standards would make for a simpler and common sense regulatory regime which would simplify both compliance and investment. There is also a compelling constitutional case for standards being a federal matter, as outlined in Part II of the federal legislative list. The WHO-recommended regulation is either two percent of fat content or a PHO ban. In fact, a study by the Ministry of Health and WHO in 2019 had found local vanaspati samples to contain trans-fatty acids in the range of 14 percent to 34 percent of total fats. However, for those working in the public health and nutrition sectors, it was clear this was also a lobbying victory for the food industry, which would now have to comply with less stringent federal standards and weakened provincial regulators. An example of this dynamic was the case of vanaspati ghee standards. The PFA’s scientific panel had imposed a phased ban on partially-hydrogenated (PHO) vanaspati in the province (on account of its high levels of trans-fats, a toxin strongly associated with heart disease, which the WHO and medical scientists have deemed unhealthy for human consumption). The Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association challenged the PFA’s impending ban in the Lahore High Court, arguing that the provincial authority was not authorised to determine food standards and claimed that the industry was already complying with the PSQCA’s TFA limit of five percent of fat content (the WHO-recommended regulation is either two percent of fat content or a PHO ban). In fact, a study by the Ministry of Health and WHO in 2019 had found local vanaspati samples to contain trans-fatty acids (TFA) in the range of 14 percent to 34 percent of total fats. In July 2020, the court suspended the PFA’s ban and restrained them from taking any action against vanaspati manufacturers. If the PSQCA’s existing TFA regulations are maintained for the coming years, Pakistan will miss the 2023 WHO global deadline for TFA elimination, at the cost of tens of thousands of lives. According to officials in the health ministry, the food industry is more comfortable with PSQCA being the locus of regulatory authority, as the industry is heavily represented in the federal authority’s various food standards committees (as opposed to provincial food authorities’ scientific panels which mostly consist of nutritionists and technical personnel). While provincial regulators with limited travel budgets often cannot make it to federal standards committee meetings, industry representatives, with few such constraints, are readily able to attend and have their will reflected in regulatory decisions. When asked, provincial food regulators from Punjab, KP and Sindh express similar reservations about the centralising direction the food regulation system is taking, and fear their enforcement powers will be further clipped by a government eager to meet investors’ needs. Provincial food regulators and health officials are generally supportive of the move towards harmonised national standards. However, they are rightly concerned about regulatory capture compromising legitimate issues of public health and food safety that affect the health of millions, and insist they should be able to enforce safety and quality standards without restriction. In an anaemic economy with low growth and high food inflation, it might be tempting for Pakistani policymakers to relax standards and limit regulatory enforcement to protect the industry. But to do so at this stage would be a profound mistake that would jeopardise both public health and food security. Unsafe food, and the consequential disease burden it generates, cost Pakistan tens of thousands of lives and billions in health costs and lost productivity. As the pandemic has shown, particularly in the developed world, unhealthy diets can leave populations deeply vulnerable to devastating mortality from disease outbreaks. Pakistan, with its growing rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease, in addition to communicable foodborne diseases, is also on a dangerous trajectory which will undermine public health and continue to sap productivity. Addressing this in the coming years will necessitate building on the progress at the provincial level in recent years, and require concrete evidence-based interventions in food safety and quality — from regulating additives and pesticide residues, to cracking down on contaminants, to affecting change in dietary habits, including measures to curb our excessive, growing and unregulated salt and sugar consumption. Enforcing food safety and quality will not just improve population health — it will also strengthen the food industry in the long run and bring its products to par with international standards and best practices, improving their export competitiveness. To achieve all this, Pakistan needs an empowered food regulation system that prioritises science over short-term economism and public health over profits. As the government streamlines uniform national food standards, it must ensure they are based on scientific consensus and established without pressure from industrial interests, while strengthening provincial authorities responsible for enforcing them, and equipping them with the administrative authority and technical capacity to do so. The writer is a researcher in development, public policy and public health who currently works as a senior researcher at Heartfile. He tweets @ammarrashidt. Published in Dawn, EOS, January 3rd, 2021 THE WOUNDED HAZARA THE SLAIN SONS OF BALOCHISTAN ESSAY: MARTIAL LAW BY OTHER MEANS Minister announces Rs1.95 increase in power tarrif, blames PML-N for leaving 'landmines' for PTI govt	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line930
__label__cc	0.653452	0.346548	Irina Privalova Birthday, Date of Birth Irina Anatolyevna Privalova (Russian: Ирина Анатольевна Привалова; née Sergeyeva on 22 November 1968) is a Russian athlete who has won a gold medal at the Olympics. She first competed in the sprint events, winning two Olympic medals in the 100 m and anchoring the 4x100 team, plus fourth place in the 200 m in 1992 whilst representing the Unified Team. With three European individual championships and three individual world medals, Irina Privalova had been a formidable competitor during most of the 1990s but had not yet won an outdoor world championship gold medal. In 2000, she gambled successfully and switched to the 400 m hurdles discipline winning the Olympic title in Sydney 2000 in 53.02 s and a bronze in the 4 x 400 m relay team for Russia. Irina Privalova is currently the world indoor record holder in the 50 m (5.96 s), 60 m (6.92 s) sprints. She has also been the world indoor champion at the 60 m (7.02 s in 1991), 200 m (22.15 s in 1993), and 400 m (50.23 s in 1995) events. Privalova achieved her best time (10.77 s) in the 100 m for nine years in 1994. Malakhovka, Moscow Oblast The November 22, 1968 was a Friday under the star sign of ♏. It was the 326 day of the year. President of the United States was Lyndon B. Johnson. If you were born on this day, you are 52 years old. Your last birthday was on the Sunday, November 22, 2020, 60 days ago. Your next birthday is on Monday, November 22, 2021, in 304 days. You have lived for 19,053 days, or about 457,292 hours, or about 27,437,552 minutes, or about 1,646,253,124 seconds. Charles de Gaulle (politician, military officer, statesperson, military personnel, memoirist, military theorist, born November 22, 1890) Benjamin Britten (politician, pianist, composer, conductor, choreographer, born November 22, 1913) André Gide (playwright, novelist, writer, autobiographer, essayist, translator, author, film producer, journalist, diarist, travel writer, born November 22, 1869) Boris Becker (businessperson, tennis player, sports commentator, born November 22, 1967) George Eliot (novelist, writer, poet, essayist, translator, philosopher, journalist, born November 22, 1819) Billie Jean King (tennis player, sports commentator, tennis coach, born November 22, 1943) Enver Pasha (politician, born November 22, 1881) Terry Gilliam (screenwriter, comedian, film director, film actor, animator, born November 22, 1940) Scarlett Johansson (singer, film actor, stage actor, voice actor, model, born November 22, 1984) Vladimir Dal (children's writer, writer, philosopher, physician, linguist, lexicographer, ethnologist, dialectologist, born November 22, 1801) Lazar Kaganovich (politician, statesperson, revolutionary, born November 22, 1893) Andrew Huxley (physicist, physician, physiologist, neuroscientist, born November 22, 1917) Endre Ady (writer, poet, journalist, born November 22, 1877) Joaquín Rodrigo (pianist, composer, pedagogue, choreographer, musicologist, born November 22, 1901) El Lissitzky (painter, artist, architect, photographer, teacher, graphic designer, type designer, born November 22, 1890) Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque (military personnel, born November 22, 1902) Rodion Malinovsky (politician, military officer, writer, born November 22, 1898) Louis Néel (physicist, university teacher, born November 22, 1904) Jamie Lee Curtis (children's writer, writer, actor, film actor, television actor, voice actor, born November 22, 1958) Rasmus Rask (university teacher, linguist, born November 22, 1787) Andreas Hofer (agriculturalist, military leader, born November 22, 1767) Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden (sovereign, born November 22, 1728) Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (pianist, composer, organist, born November 22, 1710) Roy Crowson (entomologist, born November 22, 1914) Elisabeth of France (politician, born November 22, 1602) John Nance Garner (politician, lawyer, judge, born November 22, 1868) Hoagy Carmichael (singer, actor, songwriter, pianist, film actor, television actor, composer, jazz musician, bandleader, born November 22, 1899) Thomas Cook (entrepreneur, born November 22, 1808) Mads Mikkelsen (actor, film actor, born November 22, 1965) Geraldine Page (film actor, stage actor, voice actor, born November 22, 1924) Mark Ruffalo (screenwriter, writer, film director, film actor, stage actor, television actor, film producer, born November 22, 1967) Johann Eck (translator, university teacher, theologian, pundit, born November 13, 1486) Abigail Adams (politician, born November 22, 1744) Qi Jiguang (soldier, born November 12, 1527) Gunther Schuller (composer, conductor, university teacher, music pedagogue, jazz musician, musicologist, hornist, born November 22, 1925) Wilhelm Groener (politician, military officer, born November 22, 1867) Marjane Satrapi (film director, comics artist, born November 22, 1969) Arthur Hiller (film director, film producer, born November 22, 1923) William IV, Duke of Bavaria (child actor, born November 13, 1493) Ville Valo (singer, songwriter, drummer, born November 22, 1976) Richard Bowdler Sharpe (zoologist, ornithologist, born November 22, 1847) Oscar Pistorius (athletics competitor, born November 22, 1986) Victor Pelevin (screenwriter, novelist, science fiction writer, writer, born November 22, 1962) Asamoah Gyan (association football player, born November 22, 1985) Steven Van Zandt (screenwriter, singer, musician, guitarist, record producer, actor, pianist, television actor, composer, disc jockey, born November 22, 1950) Roy Thomas (screenwriter, journalist, comics artist, born November 22, 1940) Conradin Kreutzer (pianist, composer, conductor, oboist, born November 22, 1780) Edward Bernays (journalist, non-fiction writer, psychologist, born November 22, 1891) Paul-Henri-Benjamin d'Estournelles de Constant (politician, writer, diplomat, judge, born November 22, 1852) Kent Nagano (conductor, music director, born November 22, 1951) Chad Trujillo (astronomer, born November 22, 1973) Gabriel Gonzáles Videla (politician, lawyer, diplomat, born November 22, 1898) José-Maria de Heredia (writer, poet, translator, born November 22, 1842) Robert Vaughn (actor, film actor, stage actor, television actor, voice actor, born November 22, 1932) Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz (politician, cleric, judge, mufti, Islamicist, born November 22, 1912) Aiko (singer, singer-songwriter, composer, born November 22, 1975) Andrzej Żuławski (screenwriter, writer, film director, actor, film actor, television actor, journalist, born November 22, 1940) Joan Gamper (businessperson, association football player, born November 22, 1877) Diego de Landa (priest, conquistador, chronicler, friar, mayanist, born November 12, 1524) Francis Willughby (ornithologist, ichthyologist, born November 22, 1635) Lionel Robbins, Baron Robbins (politician, economist, born November 22, 1898) José María Gil-Robles y Quiñones (politician, writer, autobiographer, jurist, minister, journalist, university teacher, full professor, born November 22, 1898) Torsten Frings (association football player, born November 22, 1976) Mandy Minella (tennis player, born November 22, 1985) Rodney Dangerfield (screenwriter, comedian, actor, film actor, television actor, voice actor, born November 22, 1921) Alexandra Fusai (tennis player, born November 22, 1973) Fikret Amirov (composer, born November 22, 1922) Alfonso II d'Este (condottiero, born November 12, 1533) Marouane Fellaini (association football player, born November 22, 1987) Peter Hall (artist, singer, film director, actor, theatre director, born November 22, 1930) José Leandro Andrade (association football player, born November 22, 1901) Erwin Stresemann (zoologist, university teacher, ornithologist, botanist, born November 22, 1889) Ruslan Khasbulatov (politician, economist, scientist, born November 22, 1942) Charlene Choi (singer, musician, actor, born November 22, 1982) George Gissing (novelist, writer, born November 22, 1857) Mikhail Mil (engineer, aerospace engineer, born November 22, 1909) Jeong Mong-ju (writer, poet, philosopher, diplomat, teacher, born November 14, 1337) Leos Carax (screenwriter, film director, actor, film actor, film critic, critic, born November 22, 1960) Steve Angello (disc jockey, club DJ, born November 22, 1982) Pierre de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal (civil servant, born November 22, 1698) Alfredo Cristiani (politician, born November 22, 1947) Ranavalona III (politician, born November 22, 1861) Irina Privalova (sprinter, born November 22, 1968) Mulayam Singh Yadav (politician, born November 22, 1939) Yakubu (association football player, born November 22, 1982) Chris Smalling (association football player, born November 22, 1989) Francis Obikwelu (athletics competitor, sprinter, born November 22, 1978) Milan Bandić (politician, born November 22, 1955) Wiley Post (aircraft pilot, born November 22, 1898) Christoph Cellarius (historian, university teacher, classical scholar, philologist, born November 22, 1638) 22nd of November 1968 News News as it appeared on the front page of the New York Times on November 22, 1968 Sihanouk Stokes Feud With the Press By TERENCE SMITHSpecial to The New York Times Prince Norodom Sihanouk announces Western newsmen will be admitted only once every 5 yrs; announcement is example of his unpredictable policy toward Western press; many observers doubt he will adhere to new policy; Agence France-Press is only Western news organ regularly represented in Cambodia BIG BOARD MOVES ON RISING COURSE; European Monetary Crisis Causes Little Reaction Among Traders Here By JOHN J. ABELE John ABELE STANTON SEES PERIL TO PRESS FREEDOM CBS pres Stanton lists as 1 warning sign of threat to press freedom suggestion that right-of-reply regulations for broadcasting be applied to newspapers, s to Sigma Delta Chi conv STOCKS OFF A BIT IN BUSY TRADING; Losing Tally Is First in 10 Sessions -- Dow Average Is Down 1.62 Points AUTO ISSUES ARE WEAK 18.32 Million Shares Traded But World Money Crisis Has Negligible Effect STOCKS OFF A BIT IN BUSY TRADING NIGERIA CEMENTS CLOSE SOVIET TIE; $140-Million Long-Term Pact Signed -- Russians Widen Their African Foothold NIGERIA CEMENTS CLOSE SOVIET TIE By ALFRED FRIENDLY Jr.Special to The New York Times Alfred FRIENDLY USSR Amb to Nigeria gave 1/2-hr TV s to Nigeria to mark Bolshevik Revolution anniv Students' Sit-Ins in Czechoslovakia End Quietly After 76 Hours By TAD SZULCSpecial to The New York Times Illinois U group plays at internatl jazz festival, Prague; allowed entry because visit was part of official cultural exch CZECHS POSTPONE PROTEST ON CURBS; Intellectuals Bow to Plea by Dubcek for Talks By TAD SZULC Tad SZULC 9 intellectual, artistic and scientific orgns score curbs Columbia Is Using Ford Fund Grant to Set Up New Programs and Courses in Urban Affairs By PETER KIHSS Peter KIHSS Columbia U Urban-Minority Affairs Center sets new programs in minority affairs through use of Ford Foundation credit fund; details LONDON TRADERS AWAIT BONN NEWS; Government Bonds Advance as Stock Prices Slip SIR GERALD BARRY, LONDON EDITOR, 70,; News Chronicle Chief Dies -- Led Festival of Britain Special to The New York Times Dies, 70	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line931
__label__wiki	0.564009	0.564009	Lake Mead Record Low Reflects Changing American West May 25, 2016 /in United States, Water Management /by Brett Walton In drier conditions, the desire to use more water confronts the need to use less. Mineral deposits on the canyon walls show where Lake Mead water levels used to touch. The big reservoir set a new record low on May 18, 2016. Photo © J. Carl Ganter / Circle of Blue By Brett Walton Nervous investors, concerned about their nest eggs, will check the financial markets. Is the New York Stock Exchange up? What direction is the NASDAQ moving? For people living in the American Southwest, water levels in reservoirs play the same role. And Lake Mead is the blue chip, the biggest, most consequential, most widely watched piece in the game. When water levels are up, spirits are unburdened. People are confident in their place in the desert. But when water levels are down, a cloud of worry creeps in, bringing questions about the fragility of life in the drylands. Down, way down, is where Lake Mead is today. On May 18, just before sunset, the surface elevation of America’s largest reservoir crossed the 1,074.7 foot threshold, setting a new record low for the iconic water body. The next day another record low was set. In fact, every day since then the reservoir has broken the old mark. The Bureau of Reclamation, the federal agency that manages Mead, expects the daily decline to continue through June. The reservoir is 36 percent full — or, to look at it another way, 64 percent empty. Public worry has evolved to a transcendent regional anxiety, and moving the Southwest to action. Communities are investing in new equipment and partnerships in order to adapt to the basin’s new math. Las Vegas spent nearly $US 1.5 billion to construct a water intake at the bottom of the lake and a pumping station to lift the water. Los Angeles, which is outside the basin but gets Colorado River water delivered by canal, is cutting reliance on imported water. Phoenix and Tucson, often viewed as ideological opposites, agreed in 2014 to coordinate the use of their water facilities, to maximize storage and minimize cost. Most remarkable of all, California — which holds the most power in the basin and the most secure rights — is in talks with Arizona and Nevada on a new conservation agreement. That agreement would reduce California’s annual take of the Colorado River for the first time. Mead started to tumble at the turn of the 21st century, when drier conditions took hold in the Colorado River Basin. With every new annual low the sense of urgency in the seven-state, two-country watershed grew. A landmark 2007 agreement worked out a formula for declaring a shortage in the lower basin states of Arizona, California, and Nevada, and for restricting water withdrawals from Mead. The three states are now working to delay that day of reckoning by keeping more water in the big reservoir. A reckoning is imminent. The climate and the Colorado are drying. There are proposals from the upper basins states — Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming — to take more water out of the river, which will reduce flows into Lake Mead. Utah filed a federal application earlier this month for a pipeline to draw water from Lake Powell, located upstream from Mead. Topography is another complication. Because the canyon that holds the lake is v-shaped, water levels fall more quickly near the bottom. Every one-foot drop in elevation equates to 80,000 acre-feet of water lost — an acre-foot is 326,000 gallons — or more water than San Francisco uses in a year. It all adds up to a long-term forecast of diminishing supplies. Downstream of Lake Mead, the Colorado River flows into Lake Havasu, a reservoir on the California-Arizona border. Photo © J. Carl Ganter / Circle of Blue There is no time to waste. The timetable for action is accelerating. The record lows are coming sooner in the season – July 9, 2014; June 23, 2015; May 18, 2016. All eyes are on the number 1,075. If Mead’s elevation in August is projected to be lower than 1,075 feet at the start of the following year, then a shortage would be declared. The Bureau of Reclamation estimates a 56 percent chance of a lower basin shortage by 2018. This means water cuts from the Colorado for Arizona and Nevada (and potentially for California, depending on how the ongoing negotiations shake out). Despite the gloomy forecast, there are encouraging signs of camaraderie. A shortage would have come sooner if not for concerted conservation efforts in recent years. A $US 11 million program that was agreed to in 2014 is paying for conservation projects that bank the saved water in Mead. A similar program is taking place in the upper basin. All told, a shortage will not decimate the basin. Its punch is more psychological at the moment than physical. But it is symbolic of the difficulty ahead if Lake Mead drops below 1,050 feet, or 1,025 feet, or even near the 950-foot level where hydropower generation would cease. The sternest tests for the Colorado River Basin — both political and hydrological — are still to come. Brett Walton Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton Tags: Colorado River, Drought, frontpage, Lake Mead, Lake Mead Feature, Water Management https://i1.wp.com/www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/2012-10-03-Nevada-Colorado-River-JCGanter_G7_8995-Edit_HDR-1.jpg?fit=2500%2C1525&ssl=1 1525 2500 Brett Walton https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Brett Walton2016-05-25 20:22:522016-08-03 23:05:50Lake Mead Record Low Reflects Changing American West The Missing Ingredient in the Obama Water Strategy Hurricane Laura Critically Damages Louisiana Drinking Water Facilities Vietnam’s Tourism and Fishing Industries Drown in Waste The Stream, June 2: Brazil Backs Belo Monte Dam Infographic: Plan to Change Lake Ontario Water Level Regulations Considered by Canada, U.S. Federal Water Agency, in Course Correction, Courts Private Investment Understanding Water Risks Drives Global Investors The Stream, May 26: Queensland Eyes Farm Runoff Limits To Improve Great Barrier...	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line932
__label__cc	0.588445	0.411555	North Cheriton, Somerset Send flowers to North Cheriton, Somerset Our florists love making bouquets and arrangements for UK flower delivery, and we can send flowers to North Cheriton, Somerset for you. We have a wide range of Roses, Freesia flower bouquets, and Lilies, as well as Classic Bouquets and our Colourful flower Bouquets, and our range of Flowers under £21.00. Our home page provides more information on our extensive range of next-day flower delivery services, all of which are available for next day UK flower delivery to North Cheriton, Somerset, Or indeed anywhere in the UK! When you're thinking of a gift to give on birthdays, anniversaries, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day and other occasions, why not send flowers to North Cheriton, Somerset? Through us, you can choose from a variety of bouquets to those close to your heart. We also offer next-day delivery service in case you want your blooms to arrive right on schedule. So if you want flowers delivered on special occasions, make sure to order flowers for delivery to North Cheriton, Somerset. Best of all, our seven day freshness guarantee means you can rest assured knowing your special someone will enjoy their flowers for days after delivery. Most popular flowers sent to North Cheriton, Somerset this month Heartfelt 6 Red Roses Bouquet 20 Pink Roses with Gyp Sensation Lilies White Whispers Freesia Bouquet Colostomy UK Charity Bouquet Scented Freesia Flower Delivery to North Cheriton with Clare Florist Located in South Somerset right along the border, North Cheriton is a small village that boasts a population of around 208 people. You can find it along the A357 just southwest of Wincanton. The small village shares the same general characteristics as many other small villages in the region, including its rich mixture of historical buildings amid the changing modern times. There is relatively little known about the area where North Cheriton was founded until just after William the Conqueror took over in 1066. In 1086, North Cheriton is mentioned in the Domesday Book as being the manor which belonged to William de Moyon. As a parish, it belonged to what was known as the Hundred of Horethorne. The Hundred of Horethorne dates to before the Norman Conquest when the Anglo-Saxons were in power. The term refers to a defence force along with a court that was responsible for the system known as frankpledge. Basically, under King Edgar the defence force and the court collected taxes and generally held order in the small village of North Cheriton along with many other places in Somerset. Interestingly enough, the power of the Hundred of Horethorne did not decline with the arrival of the Normans. In fact, it survived in North Cheriton and the surrounding communities for centuries until the 1600s when the system finally fell into decline. By the early part of the 19th century, Somerset was divided into numerous counties and parishes that gave rise to the highway districts, poor law unions, and sanitary districts that eventually took control. By the time of the Local Government Act of 1897, the Hundred of Horethorne was a thing of the past. The village itself is quite small and quaint with some aspects not having changed much in centuries. However, it is its location near other attractions that makes North Cheriton a wonderful place to see and visit while viewing other areas such as the Sherborne New Castle, the one Sir Walter Raleigh began to build in 1594. It sits near the village and is well worth viewing along with the Old Castle, the remains of which can still be viewed. The Old Castle dates back to 1120 and demonstrate the importance of the area as the Anglo-Saxons and the Normans viewed it back in those days. Today, the village remains a beautiful setting and quite representative of this area. If you are looking to send flowers to North Cheriton for someone special living in the area, the Clare Florist is the one to call. We offer a wide range of flowers that make the perfect gift for birthdays, anniversaries, or just to make someone special very happy. Our services provide you with the means to send a bouquet of flowers to family, friends, or that special someone in North Chariton or anywhere in the UK by the next day. If you want to send flowers for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, holidays, events, or just to say thanks, Clare Florist is here for you. Flower delivery information for North Cheriton, Somerset Our flowers delivery services in North Cheriton, Somerset are usually made by DPD or Royal Mail Special Delivery. 99.9% of our flowers are delivered by 5pm on the requested day - (more commonly before noon), except UK Public Holidays. We also offer a range of next-day flower delivery options in North Cheriton, Somerset - specific information is available during checkout. Order flowers to North Cheriton, Somerset At appropriate times of year we can also deliver Valentine's Day flowers, Easter Flowers, Mother's Day flowers, and Christmas Flowers to North Cheriton, Somerset. There is no small print! When you order flowers for delivery in North Cheriton, Somerset with Clare Florist, that's exactly what you get - flowers delivered in North Cheriton, Somerset, without any fuss.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line934
__label__wiki	0.500311	0.500311	Home / Cruise Lines / Royal Caribbean Cruises / Liberty of the Seas 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise Ship: Liberty of the Seas Departure: Sunday, March 6, 2022 Departs: Galveston Returns: Galveston 1 Sunday, March 6, 2022 Galveston, USA Embark 4:00 PM Galveston is a coastal city on Galveston Island in the US state of Texas. It is known for the hurricane that devastated the city in 1900, that is still regarded as the deadliest natural disaster in American history. This event has given rise to something unique to the island - the tree sculptures - fascinating works of art created from the trees that were damaged in the hurricane. Possessing all the delights of a small southern town, it is also home to one of the largest and well-preserved concentrations of Victorian architecture in the country. Read more about Galveston, USA 2 Monday, March 7, 2022 At Sea 3 Tuesday, March 8, 2022 At Sea 4 Wednesday, March 9, 2022 Roatan, Honduras 8:00 AM 6:00 PM Roatan (aka Ruatan, Rattan) is the largest of the Bay Islands, which are a part of Honduras, lying just over 48 km from the northern coast of the Honduran mainland. It is known around the world for its scuba diving. The reef surrounding the island attracts beautiful tropical fish and snorkellers alike. Dive attractions include sea walls and shipwrecks. Read more about Roatan, Honduras 5 Thursday, March 10, 2022 Costa Maya, Mexico 8:00 AM 6:00 PM With acres of unspoiled coastal land, vast natural resources and rich historic and cultural influences, Costa Maya offers visitors true insight into the essence of Mayan culture and the heritage of the Mexican Caribbean. While the port itself is home to: a modern tourist shopping mall; a central plaza with saltwater pools and swim-up style bars; as well as stores selling a mixture of souvenir items, most visitors enjoy going further afield. Costa Maya has the highest concentration of Mayan archeological sites and the largest existing Mayan population in Mexico. For historians, exploring the Maya ruins that provide glimpses into the past, is a must. Read more about Costa Maya, Mexico 6 Friday, March 11, 2022 Cozumel, Mexico 7:00 AM 5:00 PM 7 Saturday, March 12, 2022 At Sea 8 Sunday, March 13, 2022 Galveston, USA 6:30 AM Disembark Liberty of the Seas Overview (from 1 verified customers) Liberty of the Seas entered service in 2007, and at 154,407 GT she carries 3634 passengers. Her February 2016 renovation added three raft waterslides - ‘Boomerango’ – and twin racing slides on the Sports Deck. Other addition are two new alternative restaurants, a kids’ water park, and 53 new cabins. Liberty of the Seas Inclusions Liberty of the Seas Cabins CP, 1Q, 2T, 1T, 1R, 6V, 4V, 3V, 2V, 1V, AZ, ZI, Z Size approx: 150 sq. ft. Delight in bowed windows overlooking the Royal Promenade. Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King bed. Up to 2 guests. Royal Promenade View. One bathroom. 1L, 1K, 4M, 3M, 1M, 8N, 4N, 3N, 2N, 1N, AY, YO, Y Size approx: 175 sq. ft. Marvel the view through a floor to ceiling panoramic window. Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King bed. One double sofa bed in staterooms with up to 4 guests. Accessible Stateroom Size approx: 283 sq. ft. CB, SB, S2, 4B, 3B, 2B, 1B, 6D, 5D, 4D, 2D, 1D, AX, XB, X Size approx: 188 sq. ft. Balcony: 42 sq. ft. Experience a spectacular view for a memorable vacation. Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King bed. Up to 2 guests. One double sofa bed in staterooms with up to 4 guests. One bathroom. VS, RS, OS, GT, GS, VP, J4, J3, AW, WS, W Size approx: 1,302 sq. ft. Balcony: 845 sq. ft. Bask in your own private luxurious paradise. Up to 14 guests. Four sets of two twin beds that convert to a Royal King bed. One double sofa bed. Four Pullman beds. Deck Plans for Liberty of the Seas Other dates available for Liberty of the Seas Departure Date: Sunday, March 20, 2022 Departure Date: Sunday, April 3, 2022 Departure Date: Sunday, January 9, 2022 Departure Date: Sunday, January 23, 2022 Departure Date: Sunday, February 6, 2022 Current promotions for Liberty of the Seas Hold a cabin or view live cabin availability aboard Liberty of the Seas for this sailing Cruiseline: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ship: Liberty of the Seas Departure: Sunday, March 6, 2022 Nights: 7 nights Departs: Galveston Returns: Galveston	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line935
__label__cc	0.704792	0.295208	Home / Cruise Lines / Royal Caribbean Cruises / Voyager of the Seas 5 Night Fukuoka & Nagasaki Cruise Ship: Voyager of the Seas Departure: Saturday, July 17, 2021 Departs: Beijing (Tanggu) Returns: Beijing (Tanggu) 1 Saturday, July 17, 2021 Beijing (Tanggu), China Embark 5:00 PM Beijing, in Tanggu Province, northern China, is the capital of the People's Republic of China and the nation's political, economic, cultural and educational centre. It is also China's most important centre for international trade and communications. Each year sees about 4.4 million international visitors join with 140 million Chinese tourists to visit this popular tourist destination. Renowned tourist attractions include the: Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, the Ming Tombs, the National Stadium, and not least Tiananmen Square. Read more about Beijing (Tanggu), China 2 Sunday, July 18, 2021 At Sea 3 Monday, July 19, 2021 Fukuoka, Japan 10:00 AM 7:00 PM Fukuoka, the capital of the Prefecture of the same name, is located on Kyushu Island in Japan, and spreads out around scenic Hakata Bay. It is an interesting city with its attractive coastlines, shrines and relics of the aborted Mongolian invasion. Surrounded by mountains and sea and an untouched natural environment, interestingly its attractions are contemporary rather than traditional, but they are still very much worth seeing. For example, the Kyushu National Museum with its fascinating modern facade reflecting its use of technology, also elevates the focus of history over art. Read more about Fukuoka, Japan 4 Tuesday, July 20, 2021 Nagasaki, Japan 7:00 AM 4:00 PM Nagasaki City, on the island of Kyushu in Japan, lies at the heart of Nagasaki-hanto Peninsula. As one of Japan's closest port cities to the Asian mainland, Nagasaki has played a prominent role in foreign trade relations for many centuries. This is a port city that developed up the steep slope of a mountain, while also stretching horizontally to hug the Nagasaki Gulf. For an excellent view of the city one should go to the top of Inasa. Read more about Nagasaki, Japan 5 Wednesday, July 21, 2021 At Sea 6 Thursday, July 22, 2021 Beijing (Tanggu), China 7:00 AM Disembark Voyager of the Seas Overview Voyager of the Seas caters for adults, and especially families, with its many activities. And the Royal Caribbean International mobile app allows guests to check in and manage their on-board booking activities, shows, dining and shore excursions. Voyager of the Seas Inclusions Voyager of the Seas Cabins ZD, XD, 1T, 2T, 4U, 1V, 3V, 4V, 6V, AZ, ZI, Z Average Cabin Size – 0 m2 1K, 1L, 1M, 4M, 1N, 2N, 3N, 8N, AY, YO, Y Size approx: 328 sq. ft. Have a spectacular view in an immense space with the family. Up to 6 guests. Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King bed. One double sofa bed. Two Pullman beds. One bathroom. 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 6B, 1D, 2D, 3D, 4D, 5D, 6D, 7D, AX, XB, X Size approx: 179 sq. ft. Balcony: 42 sq. ft. Immerse yourself in a gorgeous view for a memorable vacation. Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King bed. One double sofa bed in staterooms with up to 4. Accessible Stateroom Size approx: 275 sq. ft. Balcony: 47 sq. ft. Up to 2 guests. RS, OS, GS, GT, J3, J4, VP, AW, WS, W Size approx: 1,066 sq. ft. Balcony: 196 sq. ft. Relish an extraordinary vacation in this luxurious suite. Up to 4 guests. One King bed. One double sofa bed. Deck Plans for Voyager of the Seas Indicates door location Stateroom opens only on the starboard side Other dates available for Voyager of the Seas Departure Date: Saturday, May 8, 2021 Departure Date: Monday, June 21, 2021 Departure Date: Saturday, July 3, 2021 Departure Date: Sunday, August 1, 2021 Departure Date: Sunday, August 22, 2021 Departure Date: Tuesday, September 21, 2021 Current promotions for Voyager of the Seas Hold a cabin or view live cabin availability aboard Voyager of the Seas for this sailing Cruiseline: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ship: Voyager of the Seas Departure: Saturday, July 17, 2021 Nights: 5 nights Departs: Beijing (Tanggu) Returns: Beijing (Tanggu)	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line936
__label__cc	0.725426	0.274574	Three Further Arrests Made in Connection with Attempted Murder in Norton Officers from Stockton CID have made three further arrests in connection with the attempted murder in Norton on Wednesday 23rd October. Seven people have now been arrested in total in connection with the incident. The 26-year-old male victim stills remains in James Cook University Hospital in critical but stable condition. A woman, 33, has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and two men aged 28 and 29 have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. They all remain in custody. The four men aged 29, 33, 35 and 46 who were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder last week have been released under investigation pending further enquiries. Anyone who may have seen anyone behaving suspiciously on Violet Close or Waterford Road on the evening of Wednesday 23rd October is asked to contact Cleveland Police on the non-emergency number 101, quoting event number 182863. Independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line937
__label__wiki	0.84404	0.84404	Happy Birthday, HG Wells By Paul Mackenzie Ross on September 21st, 2017 in Clever Marketing Today, the 21st day of September, is the birthday of the famous British author, H.G. Wells. You may know a little about him, you may know a lot. But, as a former Woking-based business ourselves, we wanted to find out about the great once-local man and these are just some choice selections from the very many facts that we learned about him: The HG in H.G. Wells stands for Herbert George. He was born in Bromley in Kent in 1866. 46 High Street, to be precise. Herbert George was the youngest of four – he had two brothers and a sister and he was affectionately known as “Bertie”. Wells was not born into academia; his father had been a gardener, was a professional cricketer and also a shopkeeper. His mother was a housekeeper. After an accident when he was just 7 or 8 years old, the young Bertie broke his leg and was bedridden. Stuck in bed for months, the boy Wells read prolifically with books his father brought home from the local library. Wells was very much into science from his early years, winning a scholarship to Imperial College, London, where he studied biology under Thomas Henry (TH) Huxley, an advocate of Charles Darwin, known as “Darwin’s Bulldog”, and grandfather to the writer Aldous Huxley. HG Wells’ first publications were actually science textbooks – Textbook of Biology and Honours Physiography, both published in 1893. His first novel was “The Time Machine” published in 1895. “The Time Machine” was interesting in that, as well as being a work of science fiction, it was a political and social commentary about how the human race might split into a decadent upper class and a subterranean proletariat. Wells wrote in the eminent scientific journal, Nature, for 50 years, contributing essays and correspondences. Apparently, he didn’t consider himself a scientist but more a journalist. HG Wells lived in Woking, Surrey, for only about 18 months. He was based at “Lynton”, now 141 Maybury Road, where he struck out to explore the town as the backdrop for The War of the Worlds. The first Martian cylinder landed in the sandpits on Horsell Common, just over a mile from Wells’ house. The idea for Martian invasion came whilst exploring Woking and Bertie’s brother posed the question of what it might be like if aliens were to descend on the town? HG Wells was probably at his most creative in Woking town, penning The War of the Worlds, The Wheels of Chance, The Invisible Man and The Island of Doctor Moreau. Wells had a vision of a “World Brain” or a “World Encyclopaedia” that would be a repository of common knowledge available to all. He also foresaw the use of tanks, aeroplanes and a devastating “atomic bomb”. In 1938 the American actor and filmmaker, Orson Welles, broadcast a radio drama of The War of the Worlds which was infamous for allegedly causing widespread public panic. By the time of his death, Wells had written over 100 books. The War of the Worlds has been made into two American films, the first in 1953 and a Steven Spielberg version starring Tom Cruise in 2005 (Neither was set in sunny Surrey, funnily enough) Our Digital Marketing Manager’s favourite Wells spin-off is Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War of the Worlds, released on a double gatefold LP in 1978 and starring Richard Burton, David Essex and Phil Lynott. One of the funniest things we came across in our research was when Wells wrote a letter to his friend, Elizabeth Healey, in 1895 describing the original, serialised version of War of the Worlds; “I’m doing the dearest little serial for Pearson’s new magazine, in which I completely wreck and sack Woking, killing my neighbours in painful and eccentric ways, then proceed via Kingston and Richmond to London, which I sack, selecting South Kensington for feats of peculiar atrocity.” So, Happy Birthday, HG Wells, the first English sci-fi writer, incredible mind, visionary, inspiration and former Woking resident. Tagshg wellswoking PreviousPrevious post:Content is King – For People or Search Engines? NextNext post:One More Good Reason to Secure your Website Our Digital Agency: Your Strategic Partner 21st January 2021	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line938
__label__wiki	0.935942	0.935942	Published: November 25, 2020, 6:37 am Updated: November 25, 2020, 2:00 pm Tags: Pope Francis, Health, politics, Government Global push to end domestic violence, worse amid COVID-19 Full Screen1 / 12 Posters of women victims of domestic violence are pictured at the Saint Michel fountain Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020 in Paris. With domestic violence on the rise amid the pandemic, activists are holding protests Wednesday from France to Turkey and world dignitaries are trying to find ways to protect millions of women killed or abused every year by their partners. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) PARIS – In a global push to end violence against women, activists held rallies Wednesday and world leaders called for action to stop the abuse, which has worsened because of the coronavirus pandemic this year. Protests from France to Ukraine were held on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women to draw attention to domestic violence in what is an uphill struggle to protect millions of women killed or abused every year by their partners and close relatives. In Rome, the office of the prime minister was being lit in red and red banners tumbled from trade union offices in Florence to demand an end to violence against women. Italy was a hotbed for COVID-19 infections this year, forcing the government to impose lockdowns to keep the virus out. In an unintended consequence, domestic violence cases began to grow. “Because of the restrictions, we involuntarily created profound distress,” that led to increased episodes of domestic violence and femicide, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told a parliamentary discussion on Italy’s long-standing problem with violence against women. The Italian Health Ministry, citing data from national statistics agency ISTAT, said calls to domestic violence hotlines shot up during the lockdown, registering a 75% increase compared to the same period in 2019. Between March and June, calls and text messages to the anti-violence number more than doubled during the same period, to 119.6% Together with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Conte signed a joint declaration vowing to accelerate measures to stamp out violence against women, which they called “an invisible pandemic.” Even if detailed statistics were hard to come by, organizations and countries, from the United Nations to the European Union, France and Britain, all said that the pandemic had so far been an additional source for men to mistreat women. In Ukraine, the Femen feminist activist group staged a protest outside the president’s office with a brief topless protest. “We want to illustrate the situation with women’s rights in Ukrainian society — unprotected from any violence. We think the violence against women is a human rights violation, Femen activist Anya Alian said. U.N. agency UNAIDS said that “evidence shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant increases in gender-based violence in nearly all countries," especially for women trapped at home with their abuser. “Men’s violence against women is also a pandemic — one that pre-dates the virus and will outlive it,” said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, executive director of the U.N. Women agency. “Last year alone, 243 million women and girls experienced sexual or physical violence from their partner. This year, reports of increased domestic violence, cyberbullying, child marriages, sexual harassment and sexual violence have flooded in,” she said. In Turkey, where at least 234 women were killed since the start of the year, according to government figures, riot police in Istanbul blocked a small group of demonstrators from marching to the city’s iconic Taksim Square to denounce violence against women. The government has declared the square off-bounds for demonstrations. Elsewhere in Istanbul, some 2,000 other women staged a peaceful demonstration calling on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government to remain committed to a European treaty on combatting violence against women. Earlier this year, some officials from Erdogan’s Islam-oriented party had spoken in favor of reviewing the agreement to adapt it to Turkey's more conservative family values. Pope Francis marked the day by tweeting: “Too often women are offended, mistreated, raped and forced to prostitute themselves ... If we want a better world, a home of peace and not a courtyard of war, we all must do much more for the dignity of each woman.” France’s government sealed a deal with TikTok to encourage young people to report abuse through the social network. World soccer governing body FIFA announced an awareness campaign. France’s deal with TikTok is among multiple measures it has taken since a national reckoning over domestic violence last year prompted by an unusually high number of women killed by their husbands, boyfriends or former partners. Activists say more needs to be done. France’s minister for equal rights, Elisabeth Moreno, said that reports of domestic violence registered with the government rose 42% during France’s first virus lockdown in the spring, and have risen 15% since a new lockdown was imposed nearly a month ago. Given that most people don’t report such abuse, the real rise is believed to be higher. In Britain, The Office for National Statistics said police recorded 259,324 domestic abuse offenses between March and June, an increase of 18% compared to the same period in 2018. The charity Refuge said the number of people calling its domestic abuse hotline were 65% higher between April and June than in the first three months of the year, before lockdown. “These appalling statistics show endemic levels of domestic abuse,” Labour Party crime spokesman Nick Thomas-Symonds said. “The COVID crisis didn’t create this scar on our society, but it has made the situation even worse." Europe largest human rights organization, the 47-nation Council of Europe, called on legislators throughout Europe to better protect women and girls. “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how fragile the protective safety-net for victims of violence really is, especially when it comes to domestic violence,” said Petra Bayr (SOC, Austria), Chair of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE). “The increase in violence during lockdown has been a shocking revelation in almost all our societies; it has put a magnifying glass on the harmful mindsets that still prevail.” Angela Charlton reported from Paris. Nicole Winfield in Rome, Jill Lawless and Sylvia Hui in London, Barry Hatton in Lisbon and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line940
__label__wiki	0.913893	0.913893	Sam Bennett: Green jersey is a different kind of pressure but I'm coping with it By Barry Ryan 14 September 2020 Irishman carries 45-point lead over Sagan into final week of Tour de France Team Deceuninck-QuickStep rider Sam Bennett wearing the best sprinters green jersey rides during the 15th stag (Image credit: Getty Images) Bunch sprints at the Tour de France go by in a flash, but they endure in the memory, especially for the beaten men. In the opening phase of this race, Sam Bennett's near misses – fourth in Nice on stage 1, second in Sisteron on stage 3, third in Privas on stage 5– were beginning to weigh on his mind. When the Irish champion flipped out the light in his hotel room each night, he found himself staring at the ceiling, replaying the opportunities missed and totting up the chances left. The pressure didn't abate even when Bennett won at Île de Ré on stage 10. It simply changed form. After ensuring that he continued Deceuninck-QuickStep's remarkable track record of sprint wins at the Tour de France, Bennett thrust himself definitively into the battle for a green jersey that had largely been the personal property of his former teammate Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) since 2012. Sam Bennett: First Tour de France stage win 'almost went too perfectly' Sean Kelly: Tour de France green jersey battle will go all the way to Paris Sean Kelly: Sam Bennett deserves Tour de France green jersey after hard times "In the first week of the Tour, I was only falling asleep at 2 or 3 a.m. so it was definitely a relief when I got the win," Bennett told reporters in a Zoom call on Monday's second rest day. "But now I've found myself in a whole new position, with a different kind of pressure. But I feel like I'm coping with it OK now. You somehow get used to it because it's there all the time. It's two weeks now so it's starting to become more normal." With six stages remaining, Bennett has a lead of 45 points over Sagan, wide enough to foster hope yet tight enough to ward off complacency ahead of a mountainous final week. Sagan has won seven green jerseys in eight years, largely thanks to his ability to pick up points in the parts of the race that the other sprinters can't reach. These old certainties seem to be evading his grasp this year. At Lavaur and Lyon, for instance, the Slovakian squandered opportunities to amass maximum points after his Bora-Hansgrohe team had managed to shed Bennett from the peloton on his behalf. "It's a nice lead at the minute but it can go down very, very quick. Peter is one of the best in the world so it's not going to be easy," said Bennett, who is prepared to forgo more stage wins in his quest for the green jersey. "It seems like there's a really big opportunity this year. I've sacrificed some stage wins already, I think, and I probably will again in the later stages of this race, but it'll be to try to take home this green jersey." Only outright disqualification – at Vittel in 2017 – has ever denied Sagan the maillot vert. Whatever happens, Bennett will be the first man to go the distance with him over three weeks in the points competition. With Bennett proving the quicker in the sprint, Sagan is compelled to try to knock the Irishman out of the equation by distancing him in the climbs, but the tactic is an exhausting one. "Yesterday, I noticed there was a little bit of a dip when he was attacking. I think the day before [stage 14 to Lyon – ed.], where his team rode very hard to get rid of me on the climb, might have hurt them a little bit," Bennett said. "He seemed to be a bit more tired, but he's one of these guys with incredible strength and I'm sure he will recover really well. He'll be very, very hard to compete with in the next days." Bora-Hansgrohe omitted Bennett from the Tour squad after Sagan arrived in 2017 and left him out of the Giro d'Italia last year in favour of Pascal Ackermann, which prompted his transfer to Deceuninck-QuickStep this past winter. Bennett gently dismissed the idea that he drew additional motivation from the prospect of denying his old team the spoils in Paris. "I'll just be focusing on what I need to do," Bennett said. "I don't care about any other teams or riders. I want to win the green jersey and I'd just be proud to have that green jersey." Bennett preferred to focus on the attention his efforts have garnered back home. In Carrick-on-Suir, signs have sprouted up bearing the legend 'Maillot for Sam,' a play on the famous mantra of the long-suffering fans of the Mayo Gaelic Football team, who have gone 69 years without winning the Sam Maguire Cup of All-Ireland champions. If Bennett were to carry green to Paris, he would bridge a 31-year gap to the fourth and final points classification triumph of Carrick-on-Suir's most famous citizen, Sean Kelly. "I love the support, but it also brings pressure in the form of expectation," Bennett said. "It's new to me as well, but I'm enjoying it. I'm enjoying the moment." The final week ahead When Bennett claimed a hat-trick of wins on the 2018 Giro, he was able to dole out his efforts carefully across the three weeks, sparing himself as much as possible in the mountains and thus maintain his sharpness for the sprints. With the green jersey on his back, there is no such respite at this Tour. The intermediate sprints in the forthcoming trifecta of Alpine stages all come before the day's main difficulties, but the terrain is still rugged enough in the opening kilometres to tempt Sagan into action early on. Vigilance will be the byword for Bennett in the first hour each day, before his thoughts turn to surviving to face the next one. "It'll always be a fight, and it's not only the intermediate sprints," Bennett said. "You also have to make sure he [Sagan] doesn't go in a breakaway and you have to finish the stage after doing all that work. It's quite a workload on the body." On his previous Tour appearances of 2015 and 2016, an injured Bennett barely had the chance to sample a bunch sprint. In the opening phase of this year's race, he learned that a mass finish in the Tour is unlike any other because of the sheer speed of the peloton on the run-in. "You often find yourself with 5k to go with absolutely no legs and thinking you won't even make the final," Bennett said. "But you keep pushing. The guys who are doing their jobs with 5k to go end up coming backwards through the group, and then in the last k [kilometre], all of a sudden, you find yourself up the front. And then somehow the legs are there." A thought to sustain him in the days ahead. Aero sprinting tech Kask Protone Helmet, Blue... Kask Protone Helmet POC, Ventral Spin, Cycling... Giro Vanquish MIPS Helmet Giro Vanquish MIPS Lazer Bullet 2.0 Helmet Lazer Bullet helmet Kask Utopia Helmet Black... Kask Utopia helmet	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line941
__label__cc	0.626154	0.373846	CZECHIA - GEOGRAPHICAL NAME OF THE COUNTRY Background map: S.A.Martson: World regions in global context. Tourist maps, road and other atlases Czechia in "World Regions in Global Context: Peoples, Places, and Environments" (5th Edition): Sallie A. Marston, et al. There are three distinguishable categories for the names of states separated into 2 categories - official and unofficial: * POLITICAL NAMES an official denomination of the political formation of the state, that includes the type of state system, e.g. Czech Republic, French Republic, Kingdon of Spain, United States of America, Federal Republic of Germany, etc. * GEOGRAPHICAL (short) NAMES an official denomination of the country, e.g. Czechia, Spain, France, United States, Germany, Austria, Poland, etc. * UNOFFICIAL geographical names unofficial, commonly used names of the country, e.g. America, Holland, Britain, etc. IMPORTANCE OF GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES OF STATES in light of Czech paradoxon : * Political names are connected with the momentary political system of the state, therefore have a transient character * Geographical names do not depend on changes of state political system, therefore represent the continuity of the state in space and time The Czech state has existed for more than one thousand years and the Czech Republic only 26 years. Its geographical and short name “Česko” in Czech and the synonyms in various languages (Czechia, Tschechien, Tchéquie, Chequia, etc.) were approved as official, standardized names only in April 1993, and that delay paradoxically became the reason for Czech politicians to question Czechia as a name and instead insist on using the political denomination, despite the fact that the name "Czechia" (unlike the Czech Republic) has existed for centuries, represents the Czech state in all historical continuity and gives it a timeless dimension. On the other hand, Germany was born by the unification of many territorial units under the leading role of Kingdom of Prussia only in 1871, but nobody questions its historical continuity! Historical first evidence of the name CZECHIA: 1569 in Latin preface to the "Musica" of Jan Blahoslav, Czech writer, poet, hymnographer and music theorist, 1795 in English (in the newspaper Hampshire Chronicle, England) To oversee and determine Czech geographical names, main regulatory body is the Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre (Český úřad zeměměřický a katastrální). The executive branch is its terminological commission, consisting of the government authorities, state authorities of the Czech Republic, scientific institutions of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (Czech Language Institute, Institute of History) and Czech universities. The Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre published an English guide entitled Toponymic Guidelines of the Czech Republic, compiled in accordance with Resolutions No.4 of the 4th Conference, No.14 of the 5th conference and No.7 of the 6th Conference of the United Nations on standardization of geographical names. It is intended for foreign editors of maps and other works dealing with Czech toponyms. It is similar in form and content to the toponymic guidelines of other countries. The geographical name of the Czech Republic "Česko" in Czech and foreign language versions (Czechia in English, Tschechien in German, Tchéquie in French, etc. - see the list of translations in "Linguistics" below) has been codified there and also in the publication "The United Nations Geographical Nomenclature Lists - The Names of States and their territorial parts“ (1993). The name was also accepted by English speaking geographists, which is, for example, documented by the book "European culture area: systematic geography of Europe" by Alexander B. Murphy, Terry G. Jordan-Bychkov and Bella Bychkova Jordan : "As for the names of independent countries, we have opted for commonly used anglicized short forms rather than formal country names (e.g., Germany instead of Federal Republic of Germany). The one case that might be less familiar to readers concerns the Czech Republic. Increasingly one hears the short form Czechia. Even though that name is not as widely known as other truncations (e.g., Slovakia for the Slovak Republic), we have decided to use Czechia for consistency and to reflect its growing use in the country itself." © 2018 by Czechia Civic Initiative	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line944
__label__cc	0.639847	0.360153	Horse Passports Animal health and welfare Farming and EU Exit Identification, registration and movement All horses in Northern Ireland need to have a horse passport to identify them. Further information on how to obtain a passport is included on this page. All horses and other equidae in Northern Ireland (NI) need to have a horse passport to identify them. The purpose of the Equine Identification Regulations (NI) 2019 is to improve the system of identifying horses and other equines. This includes the requirement for horses to have a passport and for horses born after 2009, to have a transponder (microchip) implanted. The information recorded on the horse passport will also be recorded on a United Kingdom (UK) Central Equine Database (CED). In addition to identifying the horse, the passport contains information that seeks to prevent horses that are treated with certain veterinary medicines from entering the human food chain. It is the responsibility of the owner of the horse to make an application for a horse passport from an authorised Passport Issuing Organisation (PIO) within six months, from the day on which the foal was born. An owner may be fined up to £5,000 if they don’t have an up-to-date horse passport. How to obtain a horse passport You can get an application form for a horse passport from an authorised PIO. The passport won’t be valid if it’s issued by an unauthorised organisation. You'll need to complete a passport application for each horse you own. PIOs who are recognised breed societies may only issue passports for a particular breed of horse, however, for horses that do not qualify for specific breed recognition there are PIOs that will issue an identity (ID-only) passport to satisfy legal requirements. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in England provides lists of all UK approved PIOs and their contact details on its website, available here: Passport Issuing Organisations (PIO) As part of the application process you’ll need to make an appointment with a veterinarian to implant a microchip in your horse and include information in the application, as appropriate for your horse. You’ll receive your horse’s passport in the post, which can take up to six weeks, although this can vary depending on the PIO. Once issued, the passport is valid for the lifetime of the horse. Your horse will also get a ‘Unique Equine Life Number’ (UELN) assigned by the PIO that first identifies the horse. It appears on the horse passport, links the horse to the PIO and remains the unique identifier of the animal for its lifetime. The first three digits represent a country code, the next three digits relate to the PIO and the last nine digits are issued by the PIO to identify each equine registered with it. The UELN number is not the same as the microchip number. Horse passports are small booklets that: identify your animal by its species, sex, colour, height; give the animals date of birth (may be approximate, if necessary); give the name of the animal; identify the owner; state if your animal can enter the human food chain when it dies; give the serial number, where applied to the passport; include the animal’s microchip code number; include the UELN of your horse. With effect from 1 January 2016, all horses born in the European Union (EU) must be identified and issued with a horse passport, from an authorised PIO, within 12 months from the date of birth of the foal. First passports that are issued by the PIO beyond 12 months from the birth of the foal, must be treated as ‘late’ and be issued as a Duplicate/Replacement passport. These horses will be excluded from the human food chain and declared as ‘not intended for human consumption’ in their horse passport. Horses born in, or imported into, the EU are required to be identified in accordance with equine identification legislation. Domestic Legislation The Equine Identification Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019 came in to operation on 29 March 2019 and they were brought in to enforce the European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/262 which has applied throughout all EU Member States from 1 January 2016. All Equidae or equine animals, as defined in this EU Regulation, which are born or imported in to the EU, must be identified in accordance with the EU Regulation. This includes any horses, ponies, donkeys, mules or other equine animals such as zebras. Five Point Action Plan - New Key Requirements Many of the requirements in these Regulations are the same or similar to the previous Regulations (The Horse Passport Regulations (NI) 2010), but there are some key changes. In 2013 the EU Commission announced a five point action plan to address the horse meat scandal and that plan included new EU Equine Identification Regulations laying down new rules on the methods of identification to strengthen the existing horse passport regime. The new Regulation, (EU) 2015/262, came into force on 1 January 2016 and from that date it has been a legal requirement to identify horses in line with that Regulation. Passports issued before 1 January 2016 are still valid and do not need to be replaced. For information, including Questions and Answers on EU Exit, please click here. More information and guidance is available from authorised PIOs or you may wish to look at the Questions and Answers provided below: Please note, that where the term horse(s) is used in this text it refers to all equidae. Brexit transition Q&As - Movement of animals Cattle birth and death notifications (MC1) Cattle Statuses - best practice advice Codes for use in a herd register DAERA encourages farmers to use APHIS Online to notify movements of cattle Ear tag information Equine end of transition Q&As EU exit and moving equines Identification, registration and movement of birds Identification, registration and movement of cattle Identification, registration and movement of horses Identification, registration and movement of pigs Identification, registration and movement of sheep and goats Introduction to identification, registration and movement of animals Northern Ireland Poultry Health Assurance Scheme (NIPHAS) Q&As for Pet Travel from 1 January 2021 The identification of cattle, pigs, sheep and goats imported to, or exported from Northern Ireland, from 1st January 2021 Transporter Authorisation, Certificates of Competence, Vehicle Approval and Journey Log rules from 1st January 2021 nibusinessinfo.co.uk	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line945
__label__cc	0.569672	0.430328	Greece and the EU: a question of trust By Frances Coppola - February 21, 2015 I have been mulling over the terms of the agreement between Greece and the Eurogoup. Initially, I thought that Greece had ended up with an appalling deal, getting almost none of its aims and losing control of EFSF funding for its banks. The retention of future primary surplus targets under the November 2012 agreement - only the target for this year is under review - seemed particularly harsh. But then I listened to Pierre Moscovici explaining the thinking behind the deal, and suddenly the penny dropped. We've all been missing the point. Holger Schmieding of Berenberg Bank was on the right lines - he commented recently that the real problem in the Greek negotiations was that trust had broken down. Indeed it has. But not recently. Trust in Greece broke down a long time ago. The most obvious breakdown in trust happened in 2010 when the extent of Greece's indebtedness was revealed - and the lengths to which it had gone to conceal its true position. With the help of Goldman Sachs, it had lied about its finances to gain admission to the Euro in 2001, and had been living a lie ever since. Since then, successive Greek governments have failed to deliver agreed reforms or have chosen to implement so-called "reforms" that wrecked small businesses and bankrupted households without addressing the deep structural problems in the Greek economy. Greece has made an immense reform effort, but all it has to show for it is a tiny primary surplus, some illusory exports and a growth mirage. It remains deeply depressed: the Economist observes that its depression is now nearly as deep as that of the US in the 1930s and more prolonged. And its debt/gdp is now a shocking 181% of GDP. However well-intentioned these reforms are, they are not working. But in fact Greece has a long history of fiscal mismanagement. It has had recurrent defaults: some estimate that it has spent half of the last 200 years in default. It has also had episodes of high inflation and even hyperinflation, which is one reason why restoring the drachma is unpopular. The long history of mismanagement, coupled with Greece's underhand behaviour when joining the Euro, are the reason for the breakdown in trust. Other countries simply do not trust Greece to do what is necessary to restore its economy and repay its debts. Syriza appears to have assumed that it would automatically be trusted by other governments. After all, it is a new government with no connection to the previous ones. It doesn't have a record of financial and economic mismanagement. It does have some lefty ideas, such as raising pensions and minimum wages and restoring collective bargaining, but these could be accommodated within a fiscally austere budget. And that is exactly what it has proposed. Its rock-star economist finance minister Yanis Varoufakis planned to run fiscal surpluses of 1.5% indefinitely, which is hardly profligate, and make structural reforms to encourage business, remove distortions and improve tax revenues. He complained that the reforms imposed by previous governments under the aegis of the IMF, ECB and European Commission were not good enough and he wanted to see far more extensive and radical reforms. And he wanted to "bail in" creditors by replacing existing debt with nominal GDP linked bonds, which would not pay out until growth improved and would therefore give creditors a direct interest in ensuring Greece recovered. To those of us watching on the sidelines, this did not appear unreasonable. But it did to EU member state governments, particularly in creditor countries and - perhaps surprisingly - in some other periphery countries. They rejected his ideas out of hand and insisted that he had to stick to the terms of the existing agreement. This seemed harsh, and I - like many others - thought that these governments should give his ideas consideration. But the governments were not objecting to the economics. No, their real problem was that this government is Greek, and they don't trust the Greeks. In effect, Syriza said to the other EU governments, "We aren't like the others: just let us do what we want and we will deliver growth and debt reduction". To which the others responded, "We've heard it all before. Why should we believe you are any more capable of doing this than your predecessors?" This, in a nutshell, was the obstacle. Syriza wanted a new arrangement in which the rest of the EU would trust it to deliver on its promises. The rest of the EU wanted Syriza to prove its trustworthiness by completing the current programme. Deadlock. It is to the considerable credit of the three institutions involved in the negotiation that this deadlock was eventually broken and an agreement established that gave Syriza some freedom of action while reassuring governments that existing commitments would be met. Indeed it appears to me that the IMF, EC and ECB have been broadly supportive of the Greek argument that the present programme is not deliverable in its entirety and needs to be renegotiated, and because of this more has been conceded than might have been expected. In short, the eventual agreement gives Syriza as much as it could realistically hope for and more than it had any right to expect. The agreement essentially wipes out the current reform programme for the next four months, replacing it with a programme of reforms that the Greek government will specify and the EC, ECB and IMF will collectively approve. In parallel with this, and subject to institutional approval of the Greek government's proposed reforms, the national governments will extend Greece's bailout program until June 2015 to enable it to meet essential commitments. Funding to Greek banks will continue to be provided by the Hellenic Central Bank under the ELA facility, and there will be no imposition of capital controls. The initial list of reforms has to be submitted for institutional approval on Monday 23rd February. It will probably go through several iterations before being approved, and there will be a lot of chewed fingernails, but once it is approved national parliaments will be asked to approve the bailout extension. There will then be further work to specify the agreed reforms in detail. The details, including implementation plans, must be agreed by the end of April. This will then give time for further negotiation of what could be a completely new programme. And then we will play the cliff edge game all over again in June when the bailout extension runs out and the new programme must be approved in time for Greece to meet its debt obligations in July and August. So although the Greek government didn't get debt relief, and it didn't get a commitment to reducing primary surpluses from 2016 onwards (this will have to be negotiated on the basis of revised forecasts taking into account the effect of the new reforms), it got something much more important - the opportunity to prove that it can be trusted. I can't emphasise too strongly how important this is. I've observed before that the value of currencies depends on the credibility of their sovereigns. But Greece is a Euro member. It is essential that ALL Euro member states are credible. If one is not, then the rest are also undermined because of the risk to the currency that they all use, and indeed to the institutions, the banks, the trade links and the information channels that they all share. No wonder the other states needed reassurance that Greece would meet its commitments. It is not just a moral argument about obligations. Their own economic stability is on the line. This chimes very well with a key demand of the Syriza government - the call for Greece's "dignity" to be restored. People who aren't trusted have no dignity. They cannot be left to do things for themselves, unsupervised, or to make decisions for themselves if those decisions will affect the welfare of others. So it is with countries, too. Syriza cannot have the trust of other EU members just because it says it should have it. It must earn it. This agreement, rather than treating it as a basket case that must be told what to do and supervised closely, offers it the opportunity to earn that trust by doing the following: creating a programme of credible and achievable reforms that will deliver the growth that Greece desperately needs delivering the reforms agreed with the supervising institutions meeting all of its existing commitments If it can do this, then it will be trusted by others to deliver more - possibly including a complete programme of its own design. And in this way it will restore the dignity of Greece. That's the challenge to Syriza. I hope it is big enough to accept it. But there is also a challenge to the rest of the EU. The approval and supervision of Greece's programme has been given to the three institutions involved, the European Commission, the ECB and the IMF. It is fair to say that none of these has handled Greece's difficult situation well in the last few years. The IMF was the first to recognise its failings, producing several pieces of research that identified deficiencies in its handling of the Eurozone crisis in general and Greece in particular. As time has gone on, it has looked increasingly uncomfortable with the harsh austerity imposed on Greece. The ECB, too, worried about the severe demand squeeze in much of the periphery, has been trying to find ways of reflating the Eurozone economy without breaking fiscal rules. And the latest to the party is the European Commission, which under the leadership of Jean-Claude Juncker appears to wish to soften the fiscal stance and increase investment. All three institutions are quietly supportive of Greece's argument that austerity is too severe and needs to be relaxed. But some key member states are not so supportive. For them, austerity is something to be endured in the expectation that reforms will pay off and growth resume. Germany's Wolfgang Schaueble was criticised by many people, including me, for his uncompromising attitude. And there are features of the agreement that do seem to be particularly aimed at soothing frayed German nerves: at the press conference, Jeroen Dijsselbloem said the reason for transferring HFSF funds back to the EFSF was to ensure that they could only be used for recapitalising banks and not to shore up the sovereign finances, which was a key worry of the German delegation. The insistence that the November 2012 agreement must remain in place for the four months is also a concession to member states worried that removing the existing framework completely would give Greece carte blanche to reverse all the reforms it has made. Evidently the supervising institutions still have some work to do to win the trust of member states, too. It is therefore a considerable concession for member states to relinquish their power of veto over Greece's reforms to three institutions that have a chequered history and now appear to have a somewhat softer approach than some member states would really like. And it subtly shifts the power balance within the EU, away from Germany-hegemon and towards institutions. Taken in conjunction with President Juncker's ideas about creating a Eurozone-level elected body, this seems to move the Eurozone further down the road towards fiscal and political union. Both Greece and the EU institutions should therefore appreciate the sacrifice of sovereignty made by Germany and others in this agreement. And both Greece and the EU institutions bear responsibility for making sure that it works. The IMF does, too, but its involvement will be short-term: Christine Lagarde explicitly stated in the press conference that the IMF programme ends in March 2016, which is long before any new EU programme for Greece would complete. As the IMF steps back, the maturing EU institutions must pick up the reins. As Schaueble put it in his post-agreement press conference, "in the end this is not about a particular country, it is about the EU". And it is the whole EU which will gain if this all turns out well. ECB Eurozone Germany Greece IMF chazzzzy 21 February 2015 at 06:15 Francis, The reforms are killing Greece, it's people, the country, etc. they are faulty. Why would anyone in Greece be happy with this outcome? pjt 21 February 2015 at 08:17 Reforms aren't killing Greece. What is killing Greece is the continued lack of reforms over the past 20 years, the Greek eurozone career and preparation to it. As a citizen of another eurozone country, I'm rather fed up with paying taxes at a level of 44 % to GDP, and being told to bail out Greece, when the Greeks pay considerably less (somewhere between 30 and 36 %, but how much exactly, no one really knows because the numbers are so unreliable). And then our powers-that-be seem to think we should enter a fiscal, political and transfer union. As Frances said, I simply do not trust Greece to do what is necessary to restore its economy. Don't mention it would repay its debts; it seems it wants more debt which I as a taxpayer should give, and then waive out as "unfair" once more. No disrespect @pjt, but this is not a sensible comment by you: > I'm rather fed up with paying taxes at a levels of 44% of GDP [ ... ] when the Greeks pay considerably less [of GDP in tax] (somewhere between 30 and 36 %, ... The Greeks are running a primary surplus now. If you think they're paying too little tax, then logically it follows that they are spending even less. Surely you like that? Anyway, I shouldn't be feeding the trolls.... The word "reform" is weird. The assumption is that "reforms" are good. Really, these are just "changes", and they must be judged on their merits. Stupid policies don't become good policies just because you slap the label "reform" on them. You wouldn't like the policies I would use in Greece, but you can't stop me calling them reforms. It has been established time and time again that "structural reforms", in the context of a shrinking economy, can do more harm than good. Once growth starts, the structural "reforms" might help a little, by accelerating growth. But they cannot kickstart growth on their own. If you make it easier to fire people, on the grounds that it's easier to hire people if you can fire them easily, then guess what happens in a shrinking economy? Companies just fire people, without replacing them. Unemployment goes up faster, tax receipts come down and everybody, including creditors, is worse off. I don't want to give a populist reply to what you said and I will try to be as objective as possible. First of all, most of the taxes you pay are contriburatory, while the taxes that Greek citizens pay are directed to a black hole. That is why I am in complete agreement with you when you say that 'real' reforms are needed for the Greek economy. And secondly, you are not bailing out the Greeks, you are bailing out some financial institutions (mainly from Germany and France) who were heavily exposed to the Greek national debt. Frances Coppola 21 February 2015 at 09:45 Pjt, a couple of points: - top rate of tax in Greece is 45%. That's the same as the UK. - corporation tax is 25%, which is fairly high - Greece has far too many tax bands and concessions. System needs simplifying. But envy is poisonous, especially when ill-founded: Greece is not a rich country by European standards....if most people are paying less tax than you it might be because they are poorer than you. - the new Greek government has specifically said it does NOT want more debt. It plans to run primary surpluses so it does not need to borrow any more. I was not talking about income taxes only; the figures mentioned are the ratio of total national tax revenue to GDP which is an indication of the total tax burden. For income tax, the top tax where I live is ~55 % (depends a bit on locality) of gross earned income. On top of gross salaries there are of course various employment taxes/contributions like a ~25 % what you'd call employer's NI. And then we have 25 % VAT (14 % on food), etc etc. That total outcome meaning that the taxation is substantially higher than in Greece (or UK). As you say, the actual differences of course come not just from rates as such but also from tax bands and concessions and all the variants of horse-trading. What I mean is that the total revenues in relation to official GDP are substantially lower in Greece, not to mention the difference between unofficial economy and official bookkeeping that produces the GDP figure. When Greeks talk about high taxes, it infuriates us who actually pay a lot more. That the Greek governments may be allocating their tax burden unfairly is something that only Greeks can and should solve. If the Greek government is able to handle its debt and does not want or need new debt, then fine, what are we negotiating about? If no new loans are needed, then let's just not negotiate about what is not needed. And to Anonymous, the "black hole" is precisely what I see and what I do not want there to be. Do something about it, that is what I call reform. You really need to figure out that people are not pure statistics. When you talk about total tax burden per gdp you look at a large group and average it as a percentage. You miss the forest for the trees. The important thing for average Joe Schmoe is how much money is left in his pocket after all the taxes have been deducted and what he can do with that money. A third of a small amount is still a small amount but it leaves behind it an even smaller amount in Joes pocket. When Joe has to pay the same as you when he goes to the supermarket but cant afford to do so because he doesnt have anywhere near as much money left in his pocket as you do, its only natural that Joe will ask for lowered taxation. Come out of the ivory towers and look at what all this is doing to human beings not your numbers. Yes your tax burden is higher but its because you can handle it while maintaining your dignity. This isnt the case in Greece... DavidmM 21 February 2015 at 14:54 So you don't trust Greek governments. Fair enough. You have very good reasons. But please take into account why both Greeks and you shouldn't trust YOUR government (or mine either). "That the Greek governments may be allocating their tax burden unfairly is something that only Greeks can and should solve." Well, that's not true if your government is asking for a set of certain reforms. The programme had two goals: get money to return the loan, and fix the economy. Fact is, those two goals are not always compatible. As OECD reports have proved, some of the measures in the memorandum have made the economy less competitive, not more: for example, slashing wages has been offset by increasing taxes, so that prices didn't get lower and exports didn't surge. That's a conflict inside the memorandum. And, in every damn case, your government and mine have pushed Greece for the quick money grab, not for the meaningful reform. Up until January they were supporting one party who had created the disfunctional economy, with the expectation that it would reform that economy. That's utter bollocks. They supported that party to get money fast. So, your government and mine (as well and you and me) bear some responsibility in the situation. People are not statistics, but in this I think the correct phrase would be that we miss the trees for the forest. There's quite a number of individual Joe Schmoes here (Finland) who have lost their livelihood because the big picture is that tax hikes are killing their jobs and the economy in general is stalling. The social security is not bad - for now. That won't last. And indeed, I don't trust Greek governments but I don't trust my own government either. It's not "my" government in the sense that I'd have voted for it, it's just the government that governs over me. Yes, I expect that in a few years, my country will also be knocking the door of EZ/EU/IMF to secure emergency funding. It will do that because it's taxing its economy to death, and it is doing that partly because the leaders are hell-bent on going to a fiscal, political and transfer union with Greece and Spain, and at the same time they want to maintain a generous level of social security that keeps people happy even if they are unemployed. And why wouldn't our leaders do this; there are some very nice EU positions available for those politicians who play along. We just don't usually call this "corruption", because it all happens completely openly. "Be in the EU core" means "make our taxpayers sign the bill obediently". Boursin 22 February 2015 at 10:02 Let's compare Finland to another Nordic country, such as Denmark. In Finland, tax revenue is 43.6% of the GDP. In Denmark, tax revenue is 49.0% of the GDP. In Finland, earnings-related unemployment benefit is approximately 50% to 60% of the previous earnings, for up to two years. In Denmark, earnings-related unemployment benefit is 90% of the previous earnings, for up to two years. Last November, unemployment in Finland was 8.9%, up from 8.3% a year earlier. Last November, unemployment in Denmark was 6.4%, down from 6.8% a year earlier. So what do angry right-wing middle-aged men blame for Finland's problems in their blog comments (not just here but on hundreds of Finnish blogs too)? High taxes and generous unemployment benefits! When you need to revert to commenting the personality of someone you disagree with - apparently being a middle-aged man is somehow contemptible? - it tells you that your argument wasn't that strong to begin with. Yes, Denmark is perhaps even more an outlier; on the other hand, it is geographically much closer to Central European markets so it has an easier time in many ways. One of them is that even though it has pegged its currency to the euro, it's not in the euro, and it's not in the supposed transfer union. John Papadachi 22 February 2015 at 12:26 pjt's point 'If the Greek government is able to handle its debt and does not want or need new debt, then fine, what are we negotiating about? If no new loans are needed, then let's just not negotiate about what is not needed.' needs addressing. There is lots about the primary surplus requirement and a lot about the real NPV and the supposed ease of servicing the Greek debt on the one hand. And lots about the punishing schedule of primary surplus requirements on the other. But nothing I could find about how these two perspectives can be reconciled. (I guess the primary surpluses are earmarked for early repayment of principal but I don't know.) A crucial point would be what levers the institutions would have after the end of the current programme if (I accept this might be a big if) the Greek government does not require further loans/ leeway as payments become due. Would the terms of the current loans become more disadvantageous if Greece was not deemed on track to get its nominal debt/GDP ratio down fast enough? No doubt there would be some such leverage but is this the same in Portugal, Ireland, Cyprus and Spain? And what about Italy? Undoubtedly sustainable economic improvement requires adjustment in the surplus countries but the degrees of freedom the peripheral ones have seems to be a neglected issue. Thank Heavens for a balanced assessment that doesn't start from procedural ignorance and proprietor agenda. Had I been the author I might have put my foot a little harder on the 2001 "who let them in?" pedal: at that time Goldman had net yet worked its Cohenesque magic. And I rather think the answer is...Germany. Germany also let Italy in on the basis of similar side-agreements. To be precise, Merkel's boss let them in...then she shafted him. Which is what Little Mutti does. I think the loose ends are: 1.Giving Syriza the freedom to sort itself out for four months is, for me, nowhere near long enough 2.Whatever Wolfie said at the presser, there will be bitterness in Berlin & Frankfurt. I still think the Germans will leave the euro before the Greeks will. on verra. JW 'The Slog' the F.B.I. 21 February 2015 at 07:50 I'm not sure I agree with the reason for the peripheral countries not supporting Greece is that they don't trust the Greeks. The real problem is merely political. Portugal and Spain have centre right governments, whose official discourse is that we've been on the righteous path to recovery for some time, that we left the economic problems and recession behind long ago, and that austerity has worked and should be deepened (all of which obviously false and hiding ulterior motives, but hardly seriously disputed in the local media). If Syriza succeeds, there is no chance in their lifetime of anyone from their political spectrum ever getting elected. This is underlined by the institutional centre left parties, which have been in government (PS in Portugal or PSOE in Spain, which are equivalent to the PASOK in Greece or PS in France), trying to position themselves as close to Syriza. It all boils down to basic self-preservation and short-sightedness. @go_faustino Theodota Nantsou 21 February 2015 at 12:23 You say that austerity worked for Portugal. Check out the latest (30 January) report by the IMF. The problems still faced by PT are more or the same as Greece's. Debt in percentage of GDP is different. Portugal has to understand that austerity is an ideological, not a logical prescription to the crisis. Portugal should see light in Greece's rejection of the austerity recipe. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.aspx?sk=42671.0 Jeriakis 21 February 2015 at 08:49 The point about trust is well made and, while the memorandum has contributed to the collapse of the economy, the lack of reform that should have taken place during the period 2009 -2015 is a major contributory factor. The horizontal cuts and non-progressive tax measures introduced by Greece's two previous governments exacerbated the situation. For example, despite significant reductions in labour costs, these cost savings have not been passed on to consumers and have instead increased profit margins. It is almost contradictory to say that a 'left-wing' government would tackle anti-competitiveness in an economy but hopefully SYRIZA will begin the process in Greece. teacher dude 21 February 2015 at 09:31 I don't think the lack of support from other periphery governments should come as any surprise. The current austerity narrative which Syriza has challenged has also been adopted by parties in power in Spain, Portugal and Ireland and their continuing political survival depends on maintaining the idea that sacrifices made are the "only choice" these nations have. A Greek victory would have thrown all of that out of the window and would have damaged electorally even further those ruling parties. Even Greece's largest opposition party, New Democracy under the leadership of ex-PM Antonis Samaras has been very publically attacking Syriza's stance in the negotiations. As with so much in the EU politics plays as large a role as economics in financial discussions. The reforms that Syriza has in mind and wants be able to implement in full sometime in the future are exactly the kind of reforms that are still long overdue in some of the peripheral countries which, supposedly, are dealing well with their debt levels and coming out of the crisis. Spain in particular is, to this day, riddled to the bones with political corruption, endemic tax dodging and a pervasive acceptance of the rotten 'status quo' among the majority of the population. The PP government's strong opposition to Syriza during the negotiations this past week-end had a bad smell about it...Guindos and Rajoy lecturing Tsipras and Varoufakis??? For sure what they must have been thinking was how dare you expose our shortcommings...how dare you suggest there can be an honest alternative? FBI, Teacher Dude and Carmen, I completely agree with you. I think Syriza acted prematurely, before anti--austerity movements in other countries had gained enough traction to provide meaningful support. Consequently they did not get anything like as much as they wanted. But this is the EU, not the Soviet Union: populist movements are crushed by pens, not tanks. They've done better than I feared. And this is by no means the end. Buying time was a good strategic move. Spanish elections this year..... "It is therefore a considerable concession for member states to relinquish their power of veto over Greece's reforms to three institutions ..." I'm curious about this. Have the creditors countries agreed, in a legally binding way, to hand over money such that the IMF, ECB and Eurogroup can spend it on their behalf? Do all three of those need to agree? And how does the Eurogroup vote internally? Is a unanimous vote required in the Eurogroup from all euro-using countries? How is this different from what we have had in recent years? I can't see this issue spelled out clearly in the Eurogroup statement. (But I'm no lawyer) It's not exactly clear. But as I understand it, the reform package proposed by Greece will be approved by the EC, ECB and IMF, not the Eurogroup directly. The Eurogroup is still responsible for authorising the bailout extension, though. Darpan Biswas 22 February 2015 at 03:40 Germany, in it's response to Greece's extension request on Thursday, (i.e. the Trojan Horse response) asked for the 3 institutions to review Greece's debt sustainability and primary surplus. Germany doesn't appear to see it as a concession - rather business as usual from past reviews. Ehsan 21 February 2015 at 12:18 Even if we accept that trust is important (why should a radical left government feel obliged to win the trust of the EU officialdom is not immediately obvious), Varoufakis/Tsipras weakened their bargaining position from the outset by clearly indicating their refusal to even contemplate leaving the Euro. Once Germany knew this, it was only going to demand a total capitulation. We still have to wait until Monday but I very much doubt what would be presented to the "institutions" will be anything but a set measures designed to be acceptable by them. This might win you trust in Berlin/Brussels, but would replacing "troika" with "institutions" be enough to keep the trust of their electorate? How does this compare to what Pasok did in 2009? The one positive outcome of this agreement is the growing number of people who start to realise that true change is not possible within the EU framework but, with Syriza shooting itself in the foot, all I can hear is muted chuckle from Golden Down. Varoufakis, with his "popular front" strategy for saving Europe from fascism, might have just delivered Greece to them. Guest(xenos) 21 February 2015 at 16:04 I think Varoufakis (like most economists) viewed exit from the euro as a disastrous policy choice, and was not prepared to bluff something that he and Tsipras would not be prepared to go through with. In that sense, they negotiated as honest brokers -- which is not something one can say for the Germans. I doubt that the outcome will benefit Golden Dawn in any way: the decisive point with be what can be achieved for a logical eurozone policy that prioritises the area (as opposed to Germany) over the next four months. Much of that responsibility lies with the Commission. "In that sense, they negotiated as honest brokers -- which is not something one can say for the Germans." Can't one? I would have thought the Germans were frank and honest right from the start. There's a lot of Eurozone members who think exactly the same as Berlin but who are happy to fly under Berlin's flag and let Schaeuble take the flak. @Anonymous. It depends what you think the German position is. If you take it at face value -- that Greece must accept commitments agreed to by previous governments, then perhaps it is honest in a limited sense. It is not in the sense that no government of any country is bound to the policies of its predecessors, since that would invalidate the purpose of democratic elections and of basic principles of democracy itself. The idea that states are bound by previously signed international agreements is only partially true, since any country can denounce an international convention. However, reading more deeply in the German position I see other things. Maybe others do not. One, is that the macroeconomic policies that have been forced onto the South are essential and there is no alternative, therefore there is nothing to discuss. Another is that the "reforms" foisted on the South have been effective and have improved their economies: again, there is nothing to discuss. In summary, the German position seems to be that the Troika policies have been very good and nobody has the right to question them. Of course, they have been good for Germany, up till now. This latter position is not directly stated, and hides behind the superficial "fiscal rectitude" dogma insisted on by Germany. This is not the conduct of an honest broker. How in the world were those policies good for Germany? Germans would have been perfectly happy not to have anything to do with Greece. "How in the world were those policies good for Germany? Germans would have been perfectly happy not to have anything to do with Greece." This probably speaks to the dissonance inside Germany. If the German people believe that money is being ripped from their pockets to support a luxuriant Greek lifestyle, then of course they would imagine they'd be otherwise happy. Alas, the vast majority of the funds went to their own banks. As well, there is a critique of the entire eurozone edifice by economists who see the German approach as selfishly mercantilist. A beggar-thy-neighbor approach to the economy. Most Germans, who do not receive the benefits of such an approach, are rightly resentful of the dynamics, but in terms of the eurozone as a whole, there is indeed an argument to be made by economists as to the benefits to the German economy of the current situation. RaviVarghese 21 February 2015 at 12:38 This is a great view of the game being played between the Greek government and external agencies. But of course this is a multi-level game - the new government has presumably earned some political capital from its populace by refusing to perceived as the Troika's lapdog. And of course the domestic political game should also be seen as clearing more political room versus the other parties who have claimed that a Syriza victory would lead to Grexit. Michael Kosmides 21 February 2015 at 13:17 Frances, for a detailed analysis of the Greek crisis, from a Greek perspective, you may want to have a look at this: http://www.macropolis.gr/?i=portal.en.the-agora.2268 . Apart from the economic side, as you are very rightly suggesting, there is a huge trust issue on both sides. El Harro 21 February 2015 at 13:47 The Greeks had a bad hand to play, their only card was "give us money or we blow the whole thing up". Their "moral" logic was that their voters would accept nothing less than complete autonomy to waste/steal more EU money. Plainly, rather than asking for picks and shovels, they demanded more comfortable hammocks....and a condo on the beach. Unfortunately German voters also believe their voice counts. And no German government could expect to survive after capitulating to Greek blackmail. You say the the problem is a lack of trust. Not quite so: the Germans fully trust the Greeks to steal their money. The dork of cork 21 February 2015 at 13:53 I am afraid all these " nations" and parties accept the current monopoly of credit. I imagine the Greek national accounts are somewhat like the Irish in so far the depreciation of the banks assets are enormous relative to real income. Further "reform" designed to induce growth so as to pay interest will merely increase the amount of assets available to depreciate relative to domestic income. Reform will therefore further reduce the standard of living. A national dividend that will equalise the prices in the economy with income is the only mechanism that will restore balance in the economy. Since this will destroy the monopoly of credit this will not be done. I expect the world banking system centered in London is planning the destruction of many billions of people so as to remain on top of the credit compost heap. DannyAxford 21 February 2015 at 13:59 I can't understand anyone in a creditor Euro state complaining about net fiscal transfers, this exactly what happens within states. Rich regions will generate more tax revenue than poor regions, poor regions will need net transfer to avoid the state diverging economically to an politically unsustainable extent. This is the reality of a currency union, either accept closer political and fiscal union or split the thing up. Ultimately the creditor states are going to have to accept debt repayments in the form of Olives, Feta and Holidays from the Greeks because they will never be producing enough Euros. This has been the reality since the creation of the EU - nothing to do with the Eurozone. Greece has received something in the region of €100bn in EU Funds since joining. The issue is, will the richer be happy to fund others without any influence? I suspect not, no-one likes to give blank cheques. The structural and cohesion funds within EU are quite OK because they are something that was agreed upon. Everyone knew what was due when signing. Not everyone was happy about sending more money to Greece, but it was part of the deal. The eurozone bail-outs are a different thing because the conditions of joining the euro were supposed to ensure these are not needed. Now, there's massive cooking of books in Greece and, to a lesser extent, in other countries. The whole point of joining euro was that there are rules to live by. Yes, Germany was living on the borders of those rules at a time and was taking flak for it, and that flak was justified. But the surprises in Greek deficits are something else. Germany did not "live on the borders of the rules". It broke them. See the comments below about the "surprises" in Greek deficits. The only surprise was that Papandreou was stupid enough to break the conspiracy of silence that had enabled the rules in effect to be waived for Greece in return for extensive arms purchases from Germany and France - purchases that continued even when it was being bailed out. Yes, Germany broke the rules, but when the deficit limit is 3 % and Germany goes to 3.5 % or 4 % (I forget which) and then is embarrassed and fixes it, I'll call it a repentant sinner that crossed the border. France was a somewhat more impudent transgressor. Greek deficit was in the order of >10 % for many years. That's not something that is explained by Germans forcing them to buy a lot of arms; even if the military budget in Greece is large (twice as big as ours in proportion to GDP) it does not explain a majority of the deficit. Germany exceeded the Maastricht deficit limit from 2002-2006, as this chart shows: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/charts/germany-government-budget.png?s=wcsddeu&d1=20000101&d2=20151231 It also persistently exceeded the Maastricht debt/gdp limits: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/charts/germany-government-debt-to-gdp.png?s=deudebt2gdp&d1=20000101&d2=20151231 It was therefore running both a "cyclical" deficit and debt/gdp in excess of the Maastricht limit for almost the whole of the BOOM YEARS before the financial crisis. To be fair, German GDP growth was flat at the time: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/charts/germany-gdp-growth.png?s=grgdppgq&d1=20000101&d2=20151231 However, by no stretch of the imagination can Germany's stagnant GDP be regarded as a recession severe enough to justify breaching the Maastricht deficit limits. WIth flat GDP, according to current rules Germany should have been running a balanced budget. Therefore Germany's behaviour is not a minor temporary transgression, it is flagrant violation of the rules for several years. Any country that did that now would be in the "excessive deficit" procedure. I agree France was even worse, but that doesn't excuse Germany's behaviour. Greece's budget deficit was worse than Germany's during that time, but nowhere near 10% of GDP. It only rose to those dizzy heights after the financial crisis. See chart (before you criticise, these figures are restated): http://www.tradingeconomics.com/charts/greece-gdp-per-capita.png?s=grcnygdppcapkd&d1=20000101&d2=20151231 I did not say the whole of Greece's deficit was caused by its arms purchases. I said that Germany and France tacitly waived the Maastricht rules for Greece in return for arms purchases. A deal, not a deficit. I think a strong case can be made that the Greek problems are a result of arms purchases. Greeks can't make this case easily (even Syriza hasn't) because of national politics and ever present fear of Turkey. But Greece is the 3rd biggest arms buyer in the world, or was until 2011. And even in 2011, post meltdown, it spent 7 billion on arms, or more than 10% of its budget. Read here: http://rt.com/news/eu-greece-bailout-arms-spending-273/ "Economists estimate that if Greece had cut defense spending over the past decade to levels comparable to other EU nations, it would have saved some 150 billion euros – more than its last IMF bailout." One Syriza minister has commented that it only needed quarter of this at most. So subtract 115B from the 280B debt at the start of the crisis in 2010. Greece's finances look different if you do. The question has even been raised by MEPs in Europe outside Greece as to the quid pro quo for funding Greece. Remember this article? http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/03/23/us-eurozone-greece-warships-analysis-idUSTRE62M1Q520100323 Frances, do you have any evidence that G & F waved Maastricht rules for Greece in return for arms purchases? I can think of many other reasons for why they were waved. Just to remind dear readers. Provision for depreciation in the Irish economy is now 23,657 million in 2013 We have seen a revision recently , in the previous national accounts it was 5 and a half billion less ..... I expect more surprises in future. The current usury based financial system is bankrupt beyond anything we have ever known OE even conceived in our wildest imaginations ...... Imagine living in a economy where the total expenditure both personnel and government is 109;290 million and having depreciation so catastrophic ..... What's worse the solution given is to built more cars and houses. This is how the eurozone functions.......the "growth" is actually designed to kill. There is much misconception concerning Greece, its finances, and the extent of the humanitarian crisis since 2010. I am not even certain that all parties in the EWG have the correct information on these subjects, as since the 3-partite bailout in 2010, Greek governments have excelled in concealing, befuddling, and obfuscating the extent of causes and effects, both in quality and in quantity, making any objective assessment extremely difficult and decision-making by EU institutions at best approximative. As this is a mere positive comment to a well-written article, and not the thesis I would wish to have written hoping to throw some light to the Greek 'situation', I will limit myself to the following hard-to-verify but i.m.p.o. facts: Greek taxation is not simply high, it is unsustainably high, tax-evasion is a necessity for individuals or any medium-small business to survive against govt-subsidized competition. Taxes are not directed into any reform-oriented or unemployment-diminishing measures but into ensuring pensions and benefits for the public sector that 'needs' to remain appeased for number of political reasons. Indirect taxation not revealed in the usual figures is beyond imaginable, energy and medical costs are at the forefront, and have contributed to most of the humanitarian crisis. Unemployment outside of the public sector is beyond acceptable to any EU-state, no government incl. Syriza has even envisaged dealing with it as the private sector is simply an addendum to the state-centralized economy prevalent in Greek political dogma. One may see a pattern emerging here, and this forces the conclusion that without major reforms in Greece's centralized ultra-rigid economy no bail-out or EU-sponsored aid will ever succeed in doing more than kicking the can even further, much to Greece's unending plight. "Taxes are not directed into any reform-oriented or unemployment-diminishing measures but into ensuring pensions and benefits for the public sector that 'needs' to remain appeased for number of political reasons. " I haven't seen Syriza address this at all. Of course, it could be just that the media and/or me are missing it, but how is it? Are they doing something about this? It is very difficult to audit or verify fiscal implementation when a sovereign entity wishes to demonstrate on the one hand compliance to EU institutions in order to receive desired funding, and on the other hand wishes to reassure the state-embracing clientelle that benefits the most from the impenetrable web of state-backed monopolies so prevalent in Greece. Post-election Syriza has rallied Greek popular opinion on a reiteration of the anti-austerity pre-election promises wrapped in nationalist confrontational rhetoric. This has galvanized the public to an extent that even 2 million unemployed Greeks will readily pledge their support for a government that offers them national pride through apparent negotiations, even though their prospects remain as grim as ever. Some of Syriza's pre&post election resolutions that one may easily find repeated ad nauseam in the Greek press: Re-instatement of all public employees vacated by previous govmts, pay rises for all public employees, abolition of public auditing/appraisal measures that were practically never implemented by previous gvmts as part of the hated troika conditions, roll-back of all privatizations initiated during the past 5 years including the re-nationalization of previously state-owned airlines/marine navigation companies. On Monday evening I will be curious to see exactly what the programme of intended reforms will include, the one that Varoufakis will deliver for approval by EU institutions & that will constitute the road map for the next 4 months, and how the inherent conflict with Syriza's electoral promises will play out. What you say sounds quite right. But just to clarify: "Greek taxation is not simply high, it is unsustainably high, tax-evasion is a necessity for individuals or any medium-small business to survive against govt-subsidized competition." So I take it that in your view, Syriza is not going to do anything about this? It's just promising that it can do what Pasok and ND no longer could do? I.e. default, write down all debt, and then immediately start accumulating new debt to keep all the old politic-economic structures and avoid any reform? And to get justification for this, there's this nationalist and socialist confrontational rhetoric (about demanding reparations from Germany for what it did during World War II, and so on). In my view, there was a bit of hope for Greece, at least in the form of expecting primary budget surplus for this year. I understand Greece actually achieved that in second half of 2014. Now it seems to me that Syriza is working hard to make that not happen, and try to extort the rest of Eurozone into simply providing it with continuous transfers to keep up with the system set up by Pasok and ND, and hopefully insert its own cronies into the system which previously was dominated by just two parties. To do this, it's ready to court Russia, for instance, which is something I consider rather shameful. More and more people here up North are also getting the feeling that tax evasion is no longer a real crime and not even something to be frowned upon; in the eurozone, it's becoming a patriotic duty. http://just3rdway.blogspot.ie/2013/09/the-problem-with-social-credit-i.html Oliver heydorn ( a published expert on social credit) destroys a classical Belloc distributionist in the comments section. Given that social credit theory as been 100 % correct regarding current events the great question of our time is why Oliver heydorn has not been invited on any trendy RT like television programmes. www.MiguelNavascues.com 21 February 2015 at 18:44 I'm affraid you're too much comprehensive with what you mean "populism". Syriza and Podemos are not simple populist parties. Podemos is a communists party financed by Venezuela, and I'm not very glad with the probability of a Podemos' government. All these parties are not only anti Austerism: they are convinced enemy of democratical institutions. They map is to consolidate a Venezuelan-type government, and I suppose you are informed about the uncountable problem of this mismanaged economy. Perhaps you are not capable of imagine a similar government in United Kindom, because it's absurd. On the other hand, in the euro area ins simply impossible a macro managed economy. The euro is a mistake, conceived on the idea that economy return itself to equilibrium. The euro is a very obstacle if a fiscal (as first step towards a political) union is not soon reached. All other thing is to dream. But I don't hope that this new "populist" party will arrange the flawed euro, on the contrary. As Isaiah Berlin said, we must know that some problems have no solution. This fiscal mismanagement thingy is a red herring Francis and is a grossly unscientific observation. The fact is the eurozone has destroyed peoples lives on the entire continent and for a very simple reason. Like in all capitalistic countries prices and income do not match but is perhaps more extreme in the eurozone with Anglo countries absorbing surplus euro production. Oliver Heydorn "I am glad to see that more and more people are looking into Social Credit. I am afraid, however, that the Social Credit that you are critiquing here is a straw-man. All of your objections can be answered and have been answered. Regarding the National Dividend, for example, it is indexed to productivity. No production, no dividend. In no way was Douglas advocating a promiscuous or imprudent creation of money (debt-free money) to consumers. Rather, he wanted to bring the financial capacity to consume in line with the financial capacity to produce. Right now we fill the gap between final prices and purchasing power mainly with debt-money, with the necessity for more work duly attached as the condition for its issuance." Let's just get down to basics. Your critique of Greece is based on its refusal or inability to produce surplus production. However surplus production is what has destroyed the continent .,..the costs are show up in the massive depreciation of assets relative to income. I don't think the culprit of the Big Mistake (Euro) is only in one way, from north to south. Greece is responsible of lying on its Nacional account to enter in the euro, thinking wrongly that it would receive unlimited fiscal fund from the rich north. I think also the same for Spain, Portugal, Italy... shah8 21 February 2015 at 23:39 I think that I'd buy some notion of trust-building if there wasn't such a strong stench of anti-democratic sensibilities, like telling the PM to ditch his rude FM. I also think that trust-building is largely a serious waste of time, in the sense that the earlier effective reforms are instituted, the better. It's like delaying a US Chapter 11 (and not doing Chapter 7 at all), just because you're not inclined to name a leadership you trust or back a workable plan. More to the point, that the Eurogroup is squeamish about being more invested, in terms of manpower on the spot/cash, than an absentee landlord is also a major part of the problem. Nobody really wants to be accountable or transparent about what they are actually doing, and this is a big part of how Greece is "untrustworthy". They had a lot of help in plenty of shadowy locations to play games with the rest of Europe. I think that the true issue is that European banks are waaaaaay underregulated, even at this stage of post-crisis reforms. This article by Nick Dunbar in Risk.net from 2003 undercuts the narrative surrounding Greece's entry into the eurozone. http://www.risk.net/risk-magazine/feature/1498135/revealed-goldman-sachs-mega-deal-greece It shows that the Goldman deal was known, that many countries did similar deals, and despite the disapproval of accountants, the eurozone FinMins insisted that the deals be kept off the books. So everyone knew Greece did this deal, because such deals were in vogue. It was known. Not a surprise. Dunbar, furthermore, writes that Greece was under the threshold for entry into the eurozone. Why did they do the swap deal then? To gussy up the debt to GDP ratio which was at 100% at the time. But the deficit was 1.5%. The line that Greece deceived everyone serves the eurozone FinMin well when they want to cover for the banks. if the banks say, "We didn't know about the Goldman deal, Greece was lying!" they can ask the eurozone to make them whole. But they knew, everyone knew, because the deal was common. It was a conscious decision by the eurozone to keep it off the books. In fact, other articles show Germany--when it was in trouble with the Maastricht rules--did deal 10x bigger than the Greek one. Cont'd: Nick Malkoutzis in this article basically agrees with Dunbar about the Greek budget upon entry into the euro: http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite3_1_08/12/2011_417884 Mind you, the New Democracy gov't certainly lied about its budget. It was not 6% in deficit as claimed. Oddly, Papandreou's gov't really tried to stick it to ND by elevating the restatement of the deifict in Greece to 13%. This was a controversial figure in Greece. The troika settled on an actual 10% deficit for 2009. Back then, I queried Yanis Varoufakis as to his take on Greek numbers and Eurostat. I had added the gov't expenditures (as reported by Eurostat) at the time of entry year by year and compared them to GDP to get a sense of how much the overall debt was, and the numbers reported by Eurostat agreed with the overall numbers reported at the time the crisis blew up (110% debt to GDP). Greece entered the zone at 100%. Varoufakis replied to me that although the Eurostat numbers tracked with overall debt, the internal numbers were hopelessly fabricated. In other words, no one knew where this money was going. Still, given the fact that creditors know how much they are owed externally, and of course, BIS tracks these amounts, I don't think you could say Greece's numbers were fudged when they entered. If they were, the final numbers that Eurostat reported in 2010 would be well out of kilter, and even Greece's debt to GDP today would be underreported. The numbers were massaged, inside of legal eurozone guidelines. Is this duplicitous? Of course. I would say most of what has happened between 2000-2015 has been duplicitous. Even some of the countries under austerity have had some fancy reengieering of debt (pension obligations moved off the books in Portugal and elsewhere). I would ask people to really read what Rogoff reported about Greek defaults (the famous line about Greece being in debt half of its existence). You'd find that Greece hasn't defaulted since 1932, the Great Depression. In fact, until 2012, Germany had defaulted more recently than Greece had. Greece in the past has defaulted on a loan(1820s) given to fund their rebellion against the Ottomans. That loan went bad a decade before Greece was constituted as a nation (1832). It defaulted on a loan it never signed, signed in its name, in the 1830s by the Great Powers, to recompense Turkey for lost Greek possessions. It defaulted on a loan to the Bavarian Prince (new Greek King) in the 1840s (he didn't service the loan). All these loans were eventually paid off in the 1870s. Up until 1892, Greece had never taken a loan from a private bank. All loans were sovereign. In 1892, the loan was taken from the National Bank of Greece, and that loan was defaulted on during the Balkan Wars. I think maybe the Greek gov't has a history of lying, but maybe it does just a hair more than all the other gov'ts. In my view, Moscovici's line about trusting Greece is laughable. Didn't Holland and Austria just recently get caught with huge black holes in their budgets? Tom Warner 22 February 2015 at 00:45 I love chazzzzy's opening question, and it seems though a dozen replies and replies-to-replies were posted, nobody answered it. "Francis, The reforms are killing Greece, it's people, the country, etc. they are faulty. Why would anyone in Greece be happy with this outcome?" The root problem is that Greece can't escape austerity without leaving the euro, but Greeks are more afraid of quitting the euro. It's also true that, having chosen to stay in the euro, Greece has managed its internal devaluation badly. I don't think that's mainly the fault of the troika. I think that's mainly the fault of Greece. But sadly even after all the trauma Greece has endured, its still not competitive enough to expect bounce-back growth. So if it wants to stay in the euro, there's little reason to think the huge numbers of unemployed will be re-employed anytime soon. I'm not advocating for quitting the euro. I understand that Greeks don't want their wealth devalued and are afraid to go back to high inflation, which frankly seems a serious threat if Tsipras controlled fiscal policy with an independent currency. But currency unions are hard, especially on their poorer members. Nobody ever asked the American South whether the dollar's valuation was right for its productivity. And it clearly hasn't been overall, for a very long time. http://globalizedblog.com/2015/02/tsipras-caves.html How can reforms kill Greeks who are at the same time worry about "their wealth" being devalued? If they are wealthy the reforms shouldn't kill them. If they have nothing why should they fear leaving the euro - or not at least consider it? Can we conclude that majority of Greeks are still wealthy? And that they now have four more months to take their "liquid" wealth abroad? I agree on badly managed "internal devaluation"!! "The majority of Greeks are still wealthy". No they aren't: http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/greece/ Anonymous was probably thinking of Italians, whose average wealth is above OECD average. Greece 14k, Finland 20k, Spain 24k, Ireland 28k, Portugal 30k, OECD average 43k, Germany 49k, Italy 54k, Sweden 55k, UK 60k, Netherlands 71k, Belgium 78k. I wonder if those figures are really reliable / comparable? But when Finns read those figures, you understand why they are not entirely happy about eurozone transfers to Italy, Spain or Portugal, and not even Greece. Why the majority of these comments are all related with the moral-blame-kill'emalliftheydon'tconcur game? Why economics are being thrown out replaced by this moral game? Oh I know class wars, neoliberalism and all that radical left fear("Here come the commies!" Come on, this should be treated as economics. But no talk on "reforms". Please no, that is a preposterous excuse to say nothing while believing you are saying something important. The moral games didn't work out, the politics are getting too much in the way and Germany show grow up.Now! Or they prefer Golden Dawn, Le Pen or something else to deal in the Eurogroup? That would be wonderful wouldn't it? Economics has given a bad result. Economics push theories contrary to reality and data.[1] Thus, it also has lost credibility. I think economics has no moral code of conduct. Most economists have almost no accountability to the public at all. Unelected people many with the idea to set policy. [1] Example insistence on the theory of equilibrium in dynamic economies. Is that my neighbor's address on the captcha? Should I enter it? Barbarous Finance 23 February 2015 at 09:59 Doesn't economics seem quite political? Did one of the most named dropped economist, Keynes, work in the Colonial Office? Was India drained of Specie? Did England profit from one of the largest gold deposits in South Africa? In that context doesn't calling gold, a barbarous relic, seem political? Barbarous Relic 23 February 2015 at 10:18 Correction, Wikipedia says Keynes was in the India Office. Ralph Musgrave 23 February 2015 at 16:05 Legarde in leather and Varoufakis in a smart suit? Something wrong there. If it was an issue of trust then how did the entire european establishment, openly support the previous goverment (New democracy) before the elections. The previous goverment had a much worse trackrecord. I dont buy the trust issue. R E stau funny 24 February 2015 at 09:48 Dear Francis, I have been following your blog for quite a while and I mostly enjoyed reading your posts. This last article you wrote was an exception though. I have two short comments to make. Number one is that, there is no such thing as “distrust” in Greece. Corruption, although it exists, was only the excuse, the opportunity that certain groups needed in order to impose harsh austerity and “happy hour” privatizations, on all countries that were not “model prisoners” inside the common hard currency. The headmasters of the EMU use the trust “on – off” button on Greece, whenever it is to their best interest. They trusted the corrupt Greek state fifteen years ago because it suited their purpose of expanding the common currency, they don't trust it now for the exact same reason. The rest is just politics. Comment number two is that, the so called “deal” that was reached in the eurogroup is nothing more than another refusal to deal with the debt problem. Which of course was created by the EMU, when they decided to “bail out” certain banks by increasing sovereign debt. Now, the politicians will have a very hard time “selling” a debt restructure to both their voters and, above all, to their financiers. That means they are going to avoid it as long as they can, no matter what it takes. What does all this mean? It means that the EMU is proceeding as planned. No stop to cheap privatizations and no less austerity, at least until further notice. The EMU is just using the fresh Greek government to buy some more time. I hope that they will prove me wrong, but they won't. Yes, I agree with the points made here. I don't think they invalidate the arguments in the article though -- rather, they add to them. For example, I think that the Germans actually are deluded enough not to comprehend exactly what they are doing and thinking in this matter of trust -- and this line of thinking is primarily cultural-religious in origin. Varoufakis made an important statement: Greece needed the most precious thing, TIME. In this context, Tsipras is right when he claims that Greece won a battle. The battle for TIME. Let's wait for chapter two. As I argue in a separate blog to Tony Yates I hope that your assessment of the deal - that it is about trusting Greece and the Greek people - is correct. https://longandvariable.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/greece-acemoglu-and-robinson/comment-page-1/#comment-2606 My view is not that the reforms were too touch but rather that they are the 'wrong kind' of reforms as they have been imposed from above. A set of reforms that respect subsidiarity are more likely to work in my view. And would use the reforms of the German labour market after re-unification - when the Ostmark and the Mark were given the same value - as an example of this. Bill Wells It's great post! Thanks for sharing! National Bank of Greece (ADR) not the only NYSE listed Greek bank to trade on; exposure to other non-NYSE listed Greek firms is the best way to diversify risks from heavy Greek exposure. The failure of macroeconomics The Battle of the Drafts Reforms, bloody reforms My Favourite Greek Things What on earth is the ECB up to?	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line947
__label__wiki	0.98813	0.98813	2 rare tornadoes reported in Northern California by: Liz Jassin and Nexstar Media Wire TEHAMA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) – The National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes touched down in Tehama County, a small region in Northern California, on Monday afternoon. The first tornado was reported around 1:34 p.m. in west Corning, Calif. and caused damage to a barn, tree and power line. Tehama County: Possible tornado damage was reported in west Corning around 1:34 pm PST this afternoon. Multiple people also observed & reported a tornado out in open fields near Vina around 2:40 pm PST. For details go to https://t.co/cojQdePLcd & https://t.co/SJj5MqbB0s #CAwx — NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) January 5, 2021 Another tornado was reported around 2:40 p.m. near Vina, Calif., but no damage was reported. With 2 tornadoes reported in the area today, you might wonder about the average number of tornadoes per year. In the NWS Sacramento forecast area there were 39 tornadoes reported from 2010-2020. This works out to about 4 tornadoes a year. #CAwx Tornado Warning including Butte Meadows CA until 4:00 PM PST pic.twitter.com/dsKpZwnMt7 A tornado is a “violently rotating column of air extending from the base of a thunderstorm down to the ground,” according to the National Weather Service. American Airlines grounds emotional-support animals from flights They are most common in the Central Plains and southeast U.S., though they have been reported in all 50 states. Per National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data, California sees, on average, 11 tornadoes a year, while Texas experiences an average of 155.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line950
__label__wiki	0.907027	0.907027	Behind The Baton Takács Quartet plays Bartok at Carnegie Hall By Brad Turner (Photo: Keith Saunders) The Takacs Quartet. Left to right: Károly Schranz, second violin; Geraldine Walther, viola; András Fejer, cello; Edward Dusinberre, first violin. In that case, Saturday’s “Live from Carnegie Hall” broadcast is doubly special for Colorado classical music fans. The performance features Boulder’s Takacs Quartet performing Bartok’s first, third and fifth string quartets. Geffen’s video gives the backstory of Bartok’s first string quartet and explains how it documents the composer’s development in his late 20s. The first movement carries the influences of Richard Strauss, Debussy and Beethoven. After an odd Viennese waltz in the second movement, the final movement emerges with a sound that’s “something simpler and something smaller scale.” “It’s very much folk-influenced and what we think of as Bartok,” Geffen observes. The Bartok quartets have become a calling card for the Takacs Quartet. The group has played all six quartets in countless concerts since releasing them on disc in 1998. Most recently, they played the first Bartok quartet Monday night as part of a performance at Grusin Hall in Boulder. The ensemble, formed in 1975 and currently faculty fellows at the University of Colorado, keeps busy performing at chamber music festivals throughout the world and releasing numerous recordings, including recent discs of Schubert and Britten string quartets. Hear the Takacs Quartet perform at Carnegie Hall at 6 p.m. Saturday on CPR Classical. CPR Classical Recently Played Pieces Sign Up For CPR Classical Updates More About Hosts	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line952
__label__wiki	0.887163	0.887163	The Film Analysis Of M Night Shyamalan's Split? The collaboration needed to make a film, much less a quality film, is enormous. Many people are needed to make a production work: screenwriters, cinematographers, composers, etc. The director is one of the most important elements and his or her interpretation of a screenplay can make or break a film. As stated in Persistence of Vision: An Introduction to Film Appreciation, “An auteur is a director that has garnered enough influence that they have total artistic control over the entire production (Miller 54).” Here we will be discussing one such director, M. Night Shyamalan and his low-budget film Split (2016). Split is a thriller about a young man named Kevin that suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), more commonly known as …show more content… Many elements must be addressed before filming can occur and these elements could take years to accomplish. In preproduction of Split, Shyamalan had an idea for a film on DID which he found “powerful and fascinating (Shyamalan 2017)” and set to writing the screenplay. He took control of financing, casting of major roles, and laying out the cinematography vision he had. He treated this film like an independent film with little financing so that he could have more control of the artistic components. As he stated in an interview on Fox News, “When you don’t take much money for the film, you feel safe to break formats.” With casting, Shyamalan tends to use actors he had worked with before such as Joaquin Phoenix and Bryce Dallas Howard. But in this case, he went against his norm and cast James McAvoy as his lead. McAvoy is a versatile actor with many acting credits to his name such as the X-Men series, The Last King of Scotland (2006), and Atonement (2007) for which he received a Golden Globe nomination. With a certain vision for this horror/thriller film, Shyamalan called on Mike Gioulakis and his knowledge of gritty cinematography to help him complete his story. Preproduction does not always include the director, but for the auteur director, it is …show more content… His staging of the film in the preproduction stage now comes into play to bring his vision to life. His use of low lighting gives us a suspenseful edge. The dim bulbs in basement increase shadows which increases the tension. Much of the film is shot at the Philadelphia zoo basement with some sound stage assistance. With such tight quarters at the zoo, it gave us a feeling of claustrophobia and being trapped which helps un understand the plight of the young women. A Shyamalan signature is to also use close-up shots to convey strong emotion as he did in The Village (2004) and The Sixth Sense (1999). But for Split, he not only wanted to convey strong emotion like the girls being held hostage, but to also show the many individual personalities conveyed (8 in all) by McAvoy during this movie. During this film, McAvoy’s superior acting showed distinct facial, body, and voice changes to represent each character (personality) he portrayed so we understood which character we were watching. As in other phases, production is such an important phase. Shyamalan’s use of the medium shot to show a full-length view of McAvoy and his clothing choices helps us also identify the character on the screen since all characters are one person. If the vision of the director is not captured during filming, it will make postproduction much more Casino Royale Book Analysis In contrast to the movie, Le Chiffre, from the beginning of the movie was known as a crazy man because of what Campbell established during the extra scenes in the introduction where him and his group are causing mass-terror and not caring about the lives of anyone. Other than adding more action and deepening the understanding of viewers, the differences Campbell made modernized the novel. The movie was released in 2006, 53 years after the novel was published, and it was only necessary for Campbell to change the movie so that it would appeal and relate to audiences in the 20th century. Instead of things from the 1950s like Bond’s Bentley, and the game Baccarat, the movie had Bond drive a Jaguar and play Poker. For example, in chapter 15 when Bond chased after Vesper in his bentley, it said “Bond leapt for the Bentley, blessing the impulse which had made him drive it over after dinner.” (pg.… Indiana Jones And The Last Cadesade Analysis The Jones movies by now have defined a familiar world of death-defying stunts, virtuoso chases, dry humor and the quest for impossible goals in unthinkable places. When "Raiders of the Lost Ark" appeared, it defined a new energy level for adventure movies; it was a delirious breakthrough. But there was no way for Spielberg to top himself, and perhaps it is just as well that "Last Crusade" will indeed be Indy's last film. It would be too sad to see the series grow old and thin, like the James Bond movies. Even in this third adventure, some of the key elements are recycled from "Raiders."… Analysis Of Henry Mancini's Touch Of Evil And Breakfast At Tiffanys A film is an art form. Composer, Henry Mancini, once said, “the real creative power is in the mind and heart of the composer.” Henry Mancini was the composer for Touch of Evil and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. While these two films may seem like they don’t connect with each other at any point, they do and it is with Henry Mancini. By examining Touch of Evil and Breakfast at Tiffany’s through the lens of Henry Mancini’s music choices we can see that Mancini’s music choices were just as important as Blake Edwards, director. Many people like to think that the directors of a film are the ‘authors’ of a film compared to screenwriters but Mancini challenges that theory, especially with his work in Touch of Evil and Breakfast at Tiffany’s.… The Silencer Reflection I wanted to step outside but I didn’t I because for the movie brought my attention even thought it was horror film I thought that it would be a great experience. And it was, through the movie The Silencer ever time Billy the doll did any movement such as moving spots or moving his eyes it gave me chills. The reason I said I liked horror even though I’m not very familiar with it until this point was because I really like the feeling it gives you, during the film it gives you chills and at the end of the… Scene Analysis: Harvey's House Scene The final close up brings everything together to show how Harvey is more intelligent or ‘above’ Chambers. Conventions For the creation of the sequence, I think we achieved what we set out to achieve, especially in terms of visual conventions for Film Noir. However we went overboard and wrote a treatment for an entire feature length film. When writing the screenplay, it was certainly a matter of researching to find out the ideal way to format and enhance it in order to make it perfect. This was helped substantially by a book called ‘Save the Cat’ by Blake Snyder [1].… The Babadook Horror Movies From there on a series of strange events occurred in their home from Mister Babadook. This film went a lot deeper than the fear of a monster and became an underlying problem that Amelia faced dealing with psychological issues. This movie, although, confusing at times for some viewers was not a set back. The Babadook won a award from the New York Film Circle of Critics… Influences Of Rebecca In Hitchocca By Alfred Hitchock However, Classical Hollywood cinematic techniques remain the dominant structure used for many reasons. One being that David O. Selznick being the producer and owner of the studio that is making this film he played a massive role in how much freedom Hitchock had while directing this movie. Secondly, this film was made for an American audience who during this time was experiencing World War Two so producers were making movies which would distract audiences. Finally, the thriller genre was just taking off and this film combined romance to a thriller which made it more appealing but adapting the genre of thriller to fit Hollywood audiences (Feasrson, 2013). Rebecca pushes the boundaries of Classical Hollywood in subtle ways but can be seen throughout the entire film.… Blockbuster Analysis So, how did Christopher Nolan make this kind of movie and how could he success in both criticism and box office? I will answer to these questions by analyzing the film production of . is a superhero movie but it is more like a gangster crime thriller when it comes exactly. Batman or villains are different with other superheroes that have superpower. Actually Christopher Nolan constantly preferred the crime thriller genre from his debut film (1998) to the recent film (2006).… The Importance Of Horror Film He would go on to be regarded as one of the most prolific horror movie directors of all time, bringing iconic horror movie villains, such as Freddy Krueger and Ghostface, to the big screen. The Last House on the Left, however, would be more than just a stepping stone for his career, but also launched Sean Cunningham’s career. Serving as a producer for the film, Sean Cunningham would go on to create the Friday the 13th franchise, which he continues to oversee today. It’s fitting that both would go on to have prominent roles in horror considering the effect The Last House on the Left had on the genre. The film is regarded as one of the original films to give rise to the horror exploitation genre, as well as fright films.… Dark Night Trilogy Analysis The Dark Night trilogy set the gold standard for the characters Batman, and the Joker. Every casual movie goer or critic would tell you that the most recent portrayal of each of these characters isn’t as good as the Dark Night Trilogy characters. With the flop of Man of Steel, and Batman vs. Super Man, Warner Brothers, the company making DC films, wanted to take a lot of control away from directors, and unfortunately the first movie to take such directions was 2016’s “Suicide Squad” by David Ayer, produced by Warner Brothers Studios. This movie was ultimately a letdown to many people including myself, but it doesn’t take away from the movie still being good. The bar was set so high there was no possible way to meet it, let alone beat it, and…	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line953
__label__cc	0.596549	0.403451	Welcome to a still, spectacular scene. To sun-drenched, fertile fields and sweeping mountain vistas. To velvety, star-strewn night skies and warm, gentle breezes. From the emerald cliffs of the Skimmerhorn to the diamond surface of Kootenay Lake, across orchards and vineyards, through wetland and wilderness teeming with life – this is the Creston Valley. View the Creston Valley Travel Guide Maps of the Creston Valley Town Webcam Creston Valley - Kootenay Lake Route Imagine Kootenay 238 10th Avenue North \| Box 1339, Creston, B.C. V0B 1G0 \| Phone: 250-428-2214 \| Fax: 250-428-9164 Town Hall Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. & 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. \| Phone Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Home \| Site Map \| Contact Us \| Government Websites by CivicPlus®	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line954
__label__wiki	0.963494	0.963494	ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --After the game Sunday, the mood in the Denver Broncos locker room was one of mixed emotions. On one hand, the team had just lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 7-3 to close out the regular season with three straight losses, but on the other, they were heading to the playoffs as the AFC West champions. The players didn't get the celebratory T-shirts and hats right away after the game that are often handed out. In fact, there was very little celebrating at all. "We know that we have a lot of work to do," receiver Eddie Royal said. "There's not a whole lot of celebrating going on right now. We have a tough team coming in here to play us. We have to get ready for them." Less than 24 hours later, the mood had shifted upwards, as the players watched film from Sunday's loss in order to put the game behind them. They diagnosed their mistakes and are now focused on correcting them so that they can be ready for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Broncos first playoff game in six years. Head Coach John Fox addressed the team in the locker room after Oakland's loss clinched the AFC West for the Broncos yesterday, and safety Brian Dawkins did the same with the team Monday morning. The 16-year veteran has been to the playoffs eight times in his career, and told the young Broncos team that it's time to move forward. "What Coach Fox said to us after the game and what Brian Dawkins said to us right now in the meeting we just had as a team, we need to correct the mistakes that we had in the Kansas City game but we need to move on now because it's a new season and anything can happen from here on out," tight end Dante Rosario said. "It's truly one game at a time. This is our one chance, this game coming up against the Steelers, for us to do something to continue our season." While the Steelers are favored against the Broncos, there is precedent to give the Broncos hope. Last year, the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks beat the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints in the wild card round of the playoffs. The previous year, those same Saints lost their last three games of the regular season before going all the way to win the Super Bowl. Fox also has a great track record in the first round of the playoffs, going 2-0 thus far in his head coaching career. "It's what you make it," Fox said. "I know not too many years ago, there was a team in New Orleans that lost their last three, and I think they won the Super Bowl." But the players aren't thinking that far ahead just yet. As Rosario said, they know that they need to win this week in order to keep playing, and after watching film Monday morning, that is now what they are entirely focused on. "It's a clean slate, new season," running back Lance Ball said. "That's how we have to handle it. The past is the past. We're in here now. We're all for one goal. We just have to get back to the winning ways." Super Bowl-winning Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak retires from NFL The only individual to play and coach for the Broncos and work in the team's front office, Kubiak served as Denver's head coach in 2015-16 and led the team to a Super Bowl 50 title. Mile High Morning: Ranking the Broncos' best battles vs. Philip Rivers In honor of Rivers' career, let's revisit five of the Broncos' best games against him. Sacco Sez: Looking back on the Broncos' general manager history Broncos Team Historian Jim Saccomano looks back on the history of the franchise's leading personnel executives. Five of the most memorable games from Peyton Manning's Broncos career Which games from Peyton Manning's four years in Denver were the most memorable?	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line955
__label__wiki	0.939216	0.939216	In pandemic year, Wrigley Rooftops give rare… In pandemic year, Wrigley Rooftops give rare opportunity for baseball fans While major league ballparks are off limits to the general public, Wrigley Field is one of the few spots where they can look in on the action. David Banks, The Associated Press Fans watch from the rooftops an opening day baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, July, 24, 2020, in Chicago. By Andrew Seligman \| The Associated Press July 25, 2020 at 4:43 p.m. CHICAGO — Bottom of the first, two out. Willson Contreras lines an RBI single against Corbin Burnes to give the Chicago Cubs an early lead over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. The crowd cheers and, just to be clear, it’s not one of those piped-in roars. Fans just beyond the ivy at Wrigley Field, up on the rooftops, are letting loose. Though the Cubs would go on to get pounded 8-3, just seeing a game in person from high and far was a welcome diversion for Dr. Dave Barounis. While major league ballparks are off limits to the general public, Wrigley Field is one of the few spots where they can look in on the action. “It feels really like you’re getting back to normal to be able to go watch a baseball game,” Barounis, an ICU physician at Advocate Christ Medical Center in suburban Oak Lawn. “It just feels like it’s a natural part of what we’d normally have for summer. What we’re all looking forward to is to kind of break the monotony that’s been the last several months. It feels like we’re getting back into the routine of things. It reminds us that things are going to get better, and better days are ahead.” Little about this pandemic delayed season is routine, with the start pushed back four months because of the coronavirus, the schedule slashed from 162 games to 60 and teams playing without spectators in the stands. But for fans looking to see major league baseball live, there are few options besides the rooftops along Waveland and Sheffield avenues. Boston has the Bleacher Bar tucked under the center field seats at Fenway Park. San Francisco has the promenade alongside McCovey Cove. Another possibility might have been the hotel at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, but with the Blue Jays barred by the Canadian government from playing at home because of concerns about the coronavirus, that’s out. In Chicago, tickets to the 16 rooftops come at a hefty price — about $300 to $440 compared to the usual $150. They can seat at about 200 to 250, but a 20% capacity limit has them selling 40 to 50 per game. The available tickets are going fast with about 90% purchased, Cubs executive vice president of sales and marketing Colin Faulkner says. Team ownership has 10 of the rooftop businesses and sells for one more. Some groups buy out a rooftop and distribute only a portion of those tickets to allow for more room to social distance. “The demand was overwhelming,” Faulkner says. Across Waveland Avenue, just beyond the left-field bleachers, Barounis was one of about 20 people on an outing with Advocate Healthcare. There were temperature checks at the entrance and reminders all around about social distancing, with some seats blocked off. Food options are scaled down, most coming prepackaged, and served by staff instead of the usual buffet. But there are plenty of drinks as well as hand sanitizer. And the view isn’t bad, either. The warning track from left to center is blocked by the bleachers, and the large video board cuts off deep center field. But most of the action is easy to see. And sounds that would normally be drowned out can be heard. Cheers from the home dugout are audible. And the Cubs can hear the noise coming from the rooftops. “I think the only thing I heard was the typical Ryan Braun boos (in Friday’s opener),” manager David Ross said. “I think their own team booed him when he got announced yesterday; they want to make him feel right at home. He’s a pretty good sport about all that.” For Jim Landini of Dyer, Indiana, seeing the empty stands from the rooftop is “very, very bizarre.” “My whole life, I played baseball,” he says. “My whole life I’ve been coming to games. It’s a lot less energy for the players. They’re competitive. They’ll keep playing.” Mostly a White Sox fan, Landini came with his wife who works in human resources for Advocate. He pitched for Robert Morris University in Chicago and goes to a handful of games on both sides of the city. “Being in the stands, it’s a little more intimate,” Landini said. “For me, having knowledge of baseball, I can kind of pick up on the little innuendos that go on throughout the game.” That’s obviously tough to do watching from a rooftop. But after being “locked in the house for five months and not having much of a social life,” he was enjoying the opportunity to see a game live — even if he wasn’t in the ballpark. More in Colorado Rockies Saunders: Trevor Story and Rockies heading toward critical crossroad Lefty Ryan Rolison leads Rockies prospects who could have impact in 2021 Rockies agree to one-year deals with Jon Gray, Kyle Freeland and four others to avoid arbitration Rockies, Mychal Givens agree to one-year, $4.05 million deal, avoid arbitration	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line956
__label__cc	0.694076	0.305924	Christianity, Politics Franklin Graham Apologizes to President Obama I noted last week that on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Franklin Graham suggested that President Obama might not be a Christian. Today, Rev. Graham walked that back with an apology. Here’s a bit of the report from Adelle Banks: Graham, president of the relief organization Samaritan’s Purse and the son of famed evangelist Billy Graham, said he now accepts Obama’s declarations that he is a Christian. “I regret any comments I have ever made which may have cast any doubt on the personal faith of our president, Mr. Obama,” he said in a statement. “I apologize to him and to any I have offended for not better articulating my reason for not supporting him in this election — for his faith has nothing to do with my consideration of him as a candidate.” Graham said he objects to Obama’s policy stances on abortion and same-sex marriage, which Graham considers to be in “direct conflict” with Scripture. Reflections on a Review Assessing Blame for the Insurrection without Partiality Is “Systemic Racism” a Useful Category for Christians to Use? Michael David Hotard There was no reason Pastor Graham should have apologized. (I will not make any conjectures on what his motives were in making this apology) President Obama is a public figure. He has made numerous public statements in where he in some way or another denies the exclusivity of the Gospel and the need for a person to have saving faith in the finished work of Christ ALONE to be able to go to Heaven. He is an universalist. Universalism is contrary to what the Bible teaches. Believing what he now believes, President Obama CAN NOT be a true Christian. Case closed. No apologies needed, or will be given here. Your servant in Christ, Justin Andrusk Amen, brother. I can’t see why he would retract the statement given the fact that he outlines two areas where Obama rejects the authority of the Bible on abortion and same-sex marriage. Plus he provides no point of reference for explaining why he felt he needed to retract the statement. yankeegospelgirl Oh good grief. He should have never made the statement in the first place. Statements like this are fuel for the base and nothing else. Where was Graham when Bush was saying the same things? Now, he can apologize, knowing that the statement is already out there and that the base will just blame the apology on that durned liberal media coming to get him. Glenn E. Chatfield I agree with Michael. There has never been any evidence that Obama is a Christian. He attended a church where Black Liberation Theology – a cultic teaching – was preached for 20 years. That particular denomination itself, the United Church of Christ, is one of the most apostate denominations out there. Every worldview philosophy Obama espouses directly contradicts the Christian faith. He demonstrates no fruits of the Spirit. donsands When Barak says, “I’m a Christian”, he means I am not a Jew, or Buddhist, or Muslim, I am a Christian in name. I think Denny nailed it with Obama beong a Deist. God is true for anyone in their particular religion, as long as they are good people, and love and respect others. Does the Cross mean Chriist died for the sins of the world to Barak? I would love for Franklin to go and ask the President about the essential doctrines of Christ and see how he then sees his faith. I never thought Franklin was this weak in his convictions. Sad. Some people focus only on Obama’s deferential words and actions toward Muslims when calling his Christianity into question (implying he may be Muslim), but it goes far beyond that. He is directly hostile towards anything to do with Christianity or Christians. He pointedly refuses to acknowledge Christian holidays like Christmas, for one thing. Also, remember the one time when he deviated from his teleprompter in order to cut out “under God” from the pledge? Barak seems to play the “all good people” go to heaven card. He likes to have a holiday tree instead of Christmas tree, and yet he will keep his Christian title, becuase he is a member of Rev. Wright’s church. I am really trying to speak of our President correctly, and yet, it’s difficult, becuase he is such a good “politician”. He plays the game very well. We do pray for him in church on Sunday. and we ask our Lord to help him to see Christ, and hear the truth of Christ. I pray that his conscience will keep him from sleeping well at night. But unfortunately there are people who will say that’s wishing him ill. Sadly, George W. Bush also stated on multiple occasions that there are many paths to God outside of Christianity. I’m no fan of Barack Obama, but if we’re going to criticize him for making these statements, we need to be honest that most evangelicals gave W a pass on the same type of statements. I think we’re being too narrow to focus on statements alone. I’m entirely willing to concede that Bush said some silly things. But for one thing, some of the things he’s saying (like about Moslems believing in the same God Christians do) are believed by a lot of Christians. Sadly, that particular one is even in the Catholic catechism. People will lump Moslems together with Jews and say they just need Jesus, but they’re already worshiping the same God. Now do I think that’s wrong? Absolutely! But I think you can still be a Christian while believing that particular wrong thing. When I look at Obama, I think his actions speak even louder than his words. And I can’t think of any actions on Bush’s part that correspond to the relentless hostility Obama has demonstrated against Christianity. YGG, The quote you’re referring to is the first part of two questions asked by Charlie Gibson about 5 years ago. Here’s that question and the one after it. The second answer is the one that should trouble us the most. But then again, it really shouldn’t shock us if we understand that his confessional community is the United Methodist Church. His statement is perfectly compatible with their confession. CHARLES GIBSON: Do we all worship the same God, Christian and Muslim? PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: I think we do. CHARLES GIBSON: Do Christians and non-Christians and Muslims go to heaven in your mind? PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Yes, they do. We have different routes of getting there. I voted for Bush both times, but he did deny the Gospel here and I also think he was a terrible representative of a Christian worldview at times. But your point is well taken, that Obama takes it to a whole other level.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line959
__label__wiki	0.690997	0.690997	The Snake Hole VINYL NATION -- A Sweet and Comprehensive Portrait of the World of Records Review by Sean Boelman Photo Credit: Sherri Kauk. What is so unique about vinyl lovers is that if you ask a hundred different people, they could each come back with a different reason justifying their love for the medium. Christopher Boone and Kevin Smokler’s documentary Vinyl Nation pays homage to the community that has sprung up around the appreciation of analog music listening, and it’s a wholesome little movie. The film is essentially a “state of the union address” for the eponymous fandom, offering a glimpse into the remaining collectors, vendors, and manufacturers in the record industry. And while that is understandably a lot of ground to cover in just one documentary, there have been more specialized films to come out that offer a more in-depth look at any one part of the business, so this is a refreshing survey. At a nice ninety minutes, the film is short and sweet, and because of the journalistic approach the filmmakers take, it’s a pretty breezy watch. As expected, the film cashes in on a lot of nostalgia, but because of the resurgence in interest that vinyl has had from the younger generation, there’s another aspect to the film as well. What is so magical about the art of music is the way in which it unites people, and Boone and Smokler really focus on that aspect of the vinyl community. Music lovers from all ages and walks of life can come together and put aside their differences to discuss and admire this tangible form of an otherwise intangible art. It’s pretty mind-blowing to think about it in that way. As the title implies, this film is about the global community of record fans, and the film features a diverse group of people talking about their passion. From amateur collectors to musicians who have their own extensive personal libraries, the film may not spin too much time with any one individual, but does an excellent job of exploring the greater scene. The only real disappointment about the film is that the soundtrack isn’t more memorable. Of course, given that this is an independent documentary, a lot of this likely boils down to the fact that song licensing is expensive and it simply wasn’t within the budget to use higher-profile music. But it’s hard to communicate the appeal of the sound of vinyl without a sound to demonstrate. That said, the film is quite strong visually. There are a lot of things working in the film’s favor, like quick and stylish editing and plenty of inspired visuals to use as inspiration. Some of the charm of vinyl is the album artwork, and there are some pretty extensive discussions of some iconic and undersung examples. Vinyl Nation is sure to be a fun documentary for anyone who loves browsing through the record store. And although it isn’t the deepest or most profound documentary in the topic, it accurately captures not only who makes up this community, but why it formed in the first place. Vinyl Nation is now screening online in partnership with indie theaters (and more). A list of participating locations can be found here. Rating: 3.5/5 Adam Donato Camden Ferrell Dan Skip Allen Sean Boelman disappointment media Dedicated to unique and diverse perspectives on cinema!	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line960
__label__cc	0.705867	0.294133	Brain treats tools as temporary body parts Not Exactly Rocket ScienceBy Ed YongJune 22, 2009 9:00 PM In martial arts classes, students are often taught to treat weapons as extensions of their own body. But this is more than just a metaphor. It turns out that when we use tools - not just swords and spears, but toothbrushes and rakes as well - our brain treats them as temporary body parts. According to some psychologists, our brains rely on a mental representation of our bodies called the "body schema", which allows us to coordinate our various parts and to interact with the world around us. Now, Lucilla Cardinali from INSERM, France has found that we incorporate tools into this mental plan after using them for just a few minutes. It's confirmation of an idea that has been kicking around for almost a century. She recruited 14 volunteers and asked them to grab a block in the middle of a table, that was always the same distance away. Then, they had to repeat the same actions with a grabber - a long, mechanical lever tipped with a two-fingered "hand" - and then a third time, with their own hand again. Small LEDs on the volunteers' hands allowed Cardinali to track their movements and calculate the speed and acceleration of their arms. She found that they reached for the block differently after they had been accustomed to the grabber, taking longer to accelerate their hands more slowly and to seize the block (although once they actually touched the blocks, they grasped them in just the same way as before). The delays even affected the speed at which they pointed at the block, a behaviour that wasn't "trained" by the grabber. To Cardinali, these results suggested that after using the grabber, the volunteers' had included it into their mental representation of their own arms. Because of that, they felt that their arms were longer than they actually were and reached for the block more slowly. Before accepting that interpretation, Cardinali had to rule out the possibility that they were simply a bit more tired in the second session. To do that, she repeated the experiment with another group of volunteers who used a grabber while their wrist were weighed down with 300g weights. Despite the extra load, this group of volunteers showed the same changes as the previous lot who used the lighter tool - clearly, their delay wasn't affected by the weight of the device, but the fact that it was used in the first place. But the clearest evidence for Cardinali's theory came from a final experiment, where she touched the volunteers on their wrist, elbow or middle finger and asked them to use their opposite index finger to point directly above the point of contact. This simple request showed that after using the grabber, the volunteers overestimated the length of their arm. Their pointing fingers indicated a larger distance between their fingertip and elbow, or between their wrist and elbow, than they did before they had used the tool. These studies show that our brains are quick to update our body schemas when tools fall into our hands, and that the revised representations last for at least 10-15 minutes. This ability to quickly treat tools as our own body parts probably underlies our vaunted aptitude with tools. Reference: To be published in Current Biology More on perception: How wearing a cast affects sense of touch and brain activity Pain in the eye of the beholder	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line961
__label__wiki	0.659171	0.659171	Schools Closed Down In 11 Provinces In Thailand Due To Flooding Discus Rewind > News > Schools Closed Down In 11 Provinces In Thailand Due To Flooding MichaelCKowalski December 7, 2017 The Ministry of Education announced that over 41,000 students’ education have been affected because of severe flooding. These children came from 11 different provinces in the southern part of the country not including the Bangkok British International School which is located in the capital. BoonruxYodpheth, Office of the Basic Education’s secretary general, said that aside from the residential properties and farmland, schools have also been severely affected by the flooding. These schools are under 26 education zones in various provinces. Mr. Boonrux together with fellow officials from the Ministry of Education said that they are already starting a campaign to visit the 945 schools in order to give assistance. The department officials will be assigned to various areas because they have to attend to over 900 schools at once. Their main focus at the moment is to provide these areas with basic necessities like medicines, water and non-perishable food items. They can also help in uplifting the pupils and the staff as they may be very affected by the flood. One of the provinces that have suffered severe flooding is Phatthalung since the area is known to be susceptible to mountain torrents of strong levels. It is located next to SongkhlaLake which is overflowing at the moment. The entire region is still experiencing heavy rainfall thus flash floods continue to happen due to the runoff coming from Banthat Mountain. Officials said that six districts are affected by flooding including Pa Phayom, Pa Bon, Sri Banphot, Tamot, Sri Nakharin and Kong Ra. The roads of the villages are currently under water due to the high volume of flood water passing through them and the same goes with the Asia 41 Highway. This is the main route used in going to these provinces. A large amount of farmland has also been destroyed because of the flood. According to reports, maximum flood level in these areas is 1.5 meters. The government needs to devise a long-term solution for the flooding in order to protect schools such as Bangkok British International School as well as all the state and international schools in the country as the children’s education will be affected.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line962
__label__wiki	0.884548	0.884548	TOP STORIES / World / Africa Germany and Eritrea: defending human rights or curbing migration? Eritrea is often called the North Korea of Africa. Tens of thousands of people flee the country each year. This week an Eritrean delegation is set to visit Berlin for political talks. The trip to Germany is important to Eritrea's government. Two ministers and the influential presidential advisor, Yemane Gebreab, are part of the delegation. The agenda: an economic forum, a panel discussion and a meeting with German parliamentarians. "The visit is the result of talks that were held in December 2015 when a delegation from the German development ministry, headed by minister Gerd Muller, visited Asmara," a spokesperson from the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development told DW. Eritrea has been politically isolated for years. The small state was once a beacon of hope in the Horn of Africa. In the early 1990s, after a 30-year-long war, it declared itself independent from Ethiopia. In 2007, Germany stopped its remaining development aid to Eritrea. The United Nations have repeatedly accused Eritrea's government of committing crimes against humanity in its detention camps and military facilities, including torture, enslavement, rape and murder. "Eritrea is an authoritarian State. There is no independent judiciary, no national assembly and there are no other democratic institutions," said Mike Smith, chair of the UN's Commission of Inquiry, in June. Eritrea was once a beacon of hope for the Horn of Africa. Today many young people want to leave Stopping the exodus All that has, however, not deterred Germany from extending its feelers towards the north African country. In December 2015, development minister Muller set the ground for political dialogue. The Eritrean government needs to improve its human rights situation and start political reforms, Muller said during his visit. "We can support Eritrea in stopping the exodus of its youths, by improving living conditions for the people on the ground," he added. Germany has felt the consequences of the mass exodus from Eritrea. Just last year, 25,000 Eritreans sought aslyum in Germany. Approximately 200,000 refugees are currently estimated to be in neighboring Sudan and Ethiopia. Many young people flee because of the infamous compulsory "national service". Officially, the service is branded a military service, but human rights organizations have compared it to forced labor because the recruits have to work in state run companies for several years. "We have to take care that the talks between Germany and Eritrea don't just prevent the migration to Europe and change nothing about the human rights situation in Eritrea, warned the German Green Party parliamentarian, Kordula Schulz-Asche. The German government needs to be clear about that, added the lawmaker who is also the deputy chairperson of the German-East African group in the Bundestag. "What is important, is that the Eritrean government allows an investigation into the human rights situation before the two governments speak to each other," argued Schulz-Asche. To date, Eritrea has not let independent observers into the country. The UN report, for instance, relies on testimonies from Eritreans who have fled the country. Ethiopia and Sudan receive many of Eritrea's refugees. Human rights groups have, however, also complained about the deplorable conditions in some of the camps 'The approach is naive' Experts, however, fear that precisely this issue could be undermined in the current talks between Europe and Eritrea. "From the European side, there is the hope that if they invest money in the country, people will no longer be forced into this long military service and as a result, will not want to flee. That is simply naive," argued Nicole Hirt, an expert on Eritrea at the GIGA institute in Hamburg. "I don't see any motivation from the Eritrean side to change their policies. I think that Europe should rather put more pressure on Eritrea before putting money into it." The European Union's recent actions, however, point to a different approach. In May and June, media reports suggested that the EU was seeking a stronger "border protection" cooperation with eight African states. Eritrea was one of them. Additionally, Brussels promised to pour 40 million euros ($44.9 million) over the next three years into its Trust Fund for Africa. In Eritrea itself, a policy change in its national service sector has not been a topic of discussion. And the most recent tension between Eritrea and Ethiopia, make a change in Asmara's forced recruitment policy very unlikely. DW recommends Refugees in Libya 'traumatized' The bodies of 41 presumed migrants were found washed up on a Libyan beach on Sunday in another tragic reminder that a refugee crisis remains unresolved. DW talks to the UN's senior diplomat in Libya, Martin Kobler. (26.07.2016) Attacks at Ethiopian - Eritrean border just a 'skirmish' The Ethiopian government has blamed Eritrea for what it calls provocation, which led to two days of fighting between the two countries. Political analyst Jason Mosley says the recent tension is not a significant upsurge. (14.06.2016) Eritrean government systematically committed crimes against humanity The Eritrean government has systematically committed crimes against humanity over the last 25 years. Only three weeks after Eritrea marked 25 years of independence from Ethiopia, a UN report has pulled no punches. (08.06.2016) Author Daniel Pelz / so Related Subjects The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Human Rights, Germany Keywords Africa, Eritrea, Germany, Refugeees, human rights, Gerd Muller, BMZ Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/1JxDs Join the discussion at facebook.com/dw.africa 02.06.2016 Follow DW (English) on Twitter 07.02.2013 Send us your feedback via SMS Got an opinion about the stories making headlines? Send us a text at +49-160-9575 9510. International SMS charges apply. Please make sure to include your name and your country. We will sample your texts in our show.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line964
__label__wiki	0.812759	0.812759	FILE – In this Jan. 27, 2020, file photo, workers in protective gear carry a bag containing a giant salamander that was reported to have escaped from the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei Province. A 10-member team of international researchers from the World Health Organization hopes to find clues as to the origin of the coronavirus pandemic in the central Chinese city of Wuhan where the virus was first detected in late 2019. (Chinatopix via AP, File) WUHAN, China (AP) — The WHO team of international researchers that arrived in the central Chinese city of Wuhan on Thursday hopes to find clues to the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic. The visit has been shrouded in secrecy, with neither China nor the WHO revealing exactly what the team will do or where it will go. The search for the origins is likely to be a years-long effort that could help prevent future pandemics. WHY WUHAN? The industrial and transportation hub on the Yangtze River is the first place the coronavirus surfaced in the world. It’s possible that the virus came to Wuhan undetected from elsewhere, but the city of 11 million is a logical place for the mission to start. People began falling ill in December 2019, many with links to a sprawling food market that dealt in live animals. The growing number of patients triggered alarms that prompted China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention to send a team to investigate. The disease would ravage Wuhan before it was brought under control in March. The city was locked down on Jan. 23 with little or no warning. The hardships endured and lives lost became a source of both sorrow and pride for residents once the 76-day lockdown was lifted on April 8. WHAT IS THE TEAM’S AGENDA? First they have to quarantine for 14 days, during which they will work with Chinese counterparts via video conference. Possible visits after quarantine are the Huanan Seafood Market, the site of the December 2019 cluster of cases, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Scientists initially suspected the virus came from wild animals sold in the market. The market has since been largely ruled out but it could provide hints to how the virus spread so widely. Samples from the market may still be available, along with the testimony of those involved in the early response. The Wuhan Institute of Virology maintains an extensive archive of genetic sequences of bat coronaviruses built in the wake of the 2003 SARS pandemic, which spread from China to many countries. WHO team members would hope for access to lab logbooks and data, both junior and senior researchers and safety protocols for sample collection, storage and analysis. WHY THE SECRECY? China has firmly rejected calls for an independent outside investigation. The head of the WHO recently expressed impatience with how long China took to make necessary arrangements for the expert team’s visit. The ruling Communist Party keeps a tight hold on information and is particularly concerned about possible revelations about its handling of the virus that could open it up to international criticism and financial demands. China stifled independent reports about the outbreak and has published little information on its search for the origins of the virus. An AP investigation found that the government has strictly controlled all scientific research related to the outbreak and forbids researchers from speaking to the press. State media continue to play up reports that suggest the virus could have originated elsewhere. In announcing the experts’ visit, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said “the tracing of the virus origin will most likely involve multiple countries and localities.” SEATTLE (AP) — Amazon is offering its colossal operations network and advanced technologies to assist President Joe Biden in his vow to get 100 million COVID-19 vaccinations to Americans in his first 100 days in office. “We are prepared to leverage our operations, information technology, and communications capabilities and expertise to assist your administration’s vaccination efforts,” wrote the CEO of Amazon’s Worldwide Consumer division, Dave Clark, in a letterto Biden. “Our scale allows us to make a meaningful impact immediately in the fight against COVID-19, and we stand ready to assist you in this effort.”	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line970
__label__wiki	0.949907	0.949907	Canadian Tycoon Clashes With Environmentalists in the Bahamas Anastasia Pantsios Canadian womenswear mogul Peter Nygård never seems to be more than an arm's length away from controversy. According to a 2010 Forbes article, Nygård has been accused of abusive labor practices, tax evasion, sexual harassment and rape. (He has also been called the Hugh Hefner of Canada). Punching back hard, he has sued his accusers and intimidated his critics with a small army of lawyers. “No one has ever disobeyed my orders and gotten away with it!" he once raged, according to the testimony of a former business partner. The unpermitted growth of Nygard's property over the years. Photo credit: Save The Bays Environmentalists say those who obey his orders include government officials in the Bahamas, where Nygård has been building a massive estate since the mid '80s. Forbes described his resort as "a 150,000-square-foot Mayan-style resort featuring 12 themed cabanas, volcanic smoking temples, a helipad, disco, casino and a human aquarium (with sharks on one side of the glass)" where he "has hosted the likes of Robert De Niro, Oprah, Michael Jackson, Prince Andrew and George H.W. Bush," as well as his one-time girlfriend Anna Nicole Smith. Environmentalists, unimpressed by the fact that it's been featured on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, describe it as a threat to the delicate and world-renowned ecology of the islands as well as to the public's ability to enjoy the beaches that attract visitors. Nygård's appropriation of oceanfront to expand his resort and his disregard of legal process and environmental protections to do so has been challenged by the rapidly growing Bahamas-based grassroots environmental group, Save The Bays, founded last year. That group has been embroiled in a series of legal measures to prevent the uncontrolled expansion on the peninsula he renamed Nygård Cay. That includes dredging and construction of artificial structures in the ocean—a threat to the marine habitat including delicate coral reef ecosystems. "Over the last 20 years Peter Nygård has illegally expanded his property at Simms Point to nearly twice its original size," charges Save the Bays. "Finally the government has required him to apply for permits for the work he's done to claim $35 million worth of crown land, the same work that has already caused environmental destruction to Clifton Bay and Jaws Beach. He's also applied to keep going, expanding his land further into the seabed, which belongs to the Bahamian people." To Canadian designer Peter Nygard, coral reefs take a backseat to his expansion plans. Photo credit: The Nature Conservancy Following a recent visit by environmentalists to the island, Sharon Khan, international director of Waterkeeper Alliance, noted the impact the unauthorized work at Nygård Cay was having on a nearby beach. "Jaws Beach is one of the last beaches that remains open to the public on this island and we remain concerned that poorly planned and unpermitted developments are decreasing the ability of Bahamian people and their guests to enjoy this famous beach and its clear blue water," she said. Last week, the Bahamas Supreme Court ruled in favor of Save The Bays, issuing an injunction to halt a public consultation process. Save The Bays had been issued an injunction in July to halt the process, saying that critical information had not been made available, causing the process to be fatally flawed. Save The Bays argued that the Bahamas government had breached the injunction by circulating new consultation notices anyway. The group was also granted judicial review of the government's failure to develop a land use plan required by the country's 2011 Planning and Subdivision Act. It's merely the latest skirmish in a long war, which also includes charges and countercharges between Nygård and his neighborhood, billionaire hedge fund manager conservationist Louis Bacon. Naturally, they're suing each other. Bacon, who supports the conservation efforts of Save The Bays and has won awards from groups like Riverkeeper, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and National Audubon Society, is claiming in a New York court that Nygård has engaged in a smear campaign against him. The New York application relates to evidence from a whistle-blower which is said to support Bacon's defamation suits and Save The Bays' action against Nygård concerning environmental destruction.‎ featured biodiversity	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line972
__label__wiki	0.567445	0.567445	Explore Professional Directory Ronald Dreskin Ronald Dreskin is the Principal-in-Charge of EisnerAmper’s Health Care Services Group. He leads a team of experts across a spectrum of health care disciplines dedicated to assisting the firm’s clients in transformational, operational, and financial management in addition to regulatory issues. With more than 30 years of experience, Ron has served providers and investors in virtually every health care segment, including academic medical centers, independent and specialty hospitals, large health systems and pediatric hospitals, along with physician practices, skilled nursing and long-term care facilities, ambulatory operations and entrepreneurial ventures. Ron has helped clients improve short-term performance, prepare for large-scale strategic and technology-driven change, and weather periods of growth or distress. As an advisor, he has helped numerous health care organizations throughout the U.S navigate the complexity of merger and acquisition transactions, evaluate models for collaboration, and restructure their balance sheets and operations for long-term stability and growth. Additionally, Ron recently served as Interim CEO for a two-hospital health system comprised of a 496-bed teaching hospital and a safety-net children’s hospital. He led strategic and operational efforts through a bankruptcy proceeding for both hospitals and the successful sale of the pediatric hospital with an emphasis on optimizing financial performance, including clinical efficiency and patient throughput. Ron continues to serve the pediatric hospital and is presently shepherding the institution through the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to joining the firm, Ron founded and built a boutique health care consulting firm focused on the hospital, physician practice, nursing home, ambulatory clinic and ancillary services segments. Engagements included designing and shepherding a $150MM Master Facility Plan through Certificate of Need approval to construction; acting as interim CFO for a medical school and reorganizing its departmental organization related to billings and collections; and playing a pivotal role in the creation of Connecticut’s largest private medical group. Ron draws on his vast experience from Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, where he served as the System Chief Financial Officer and assumed leadership of Manhattan-based Allen Community Hospital, where he served as Chief Executive Officer. Ron has served on several health care boards. He led a town-sponsored nursing home from bankruptcy and guided a multi-service provider in an underserved community. Ron also serves as an adjunct lecturer at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Credentials / Education Mercy College: BA Iona College: MBA Medical Group Management Association Columbia Mailman School of Public Health: Adjunct Lecturer Contact Ronald Blogs COVID-19 Gives Rise to Unique Partnerships Articles Leading Through a Crisis in Changing Field Conditions Articles Observations from Inside the C-Suite: COVID-19’s Impact on Hospitals	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line974
__label__wiki	0.646495	0.646495	Payback Time: Making Big Money Is the Best Revenge! By Phil Town Read by Phil Town Phil Town Random House Audio Don’t get mad, get even… Phil Town’s first book, the #1 New York Times bestseller Rule #1, was a guide to stock trading for people who believe they lack the knowledge to trade. But because many people aren’t ready to go from mutual funds directly into trading without understanding investing—for the long term – he created Payback Time. Too often, people see long-term investing as “mutual fund contributing” – otherwise known as “long-term hoping.” But the sad truth is that mutual fund investors are, to a stunning degree, pinning their hopes on an institution that is hopeless. It turns out that only 4% of fund managers consistently beat the S&P 500 index over the long term, which means that 96% of fund investors see a smaller return on their nest egg than a chimpanzee who simply buys stocks in the 500 biggest companies in America and watches what happens. But it’s worse than that. The net effect of hitching your wagon to mutual funds is that over a lifetime they’ll fritter away as much 60% of your nest egg in fees. Once you understand how funds engineer this, you’ll rush to invest on your own. Payback Time’s risk-free approach is called “stockpiling” and it’s how billionaires get rich in bad markets. It’s a set of rules for investing (not trading but investing) in the right businesses at the right time -- rules that will ensure you make the big money. Author Bio: Phil Town Phil Town has addressed millions of people, sharing the stage with such respected public figures as Bill Clinton, Colin Powell, and Rudy Giuliani. He appears frequently on CNBC as an investing expert. Currently, he lives in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Publisher: Random House Audio	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line975
__label__wiki	0.741885	0.741885	Welcome to the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Our executive committee, comprised of the hospital division heads and the training program director, guides over 40 full-time faculty in the vibrant and fast-moving subspecialty of infectious diseases. Faculty and trainees have a broad range of career interests that span the clinical management of general and transplant infectious diseases, basic and clinical research, infection control, quality and antimicrobial stewardship, tropical medicine, education practice and scholarship, microbiology, international health and HIV care. Our mission is to provide the highest quality training in adult infectious diseases in order to meet the needs and promote the health of the patients and populations that we serve, and to meet future challenges in the field, including new and emerging infectious diseases and increasing rates of antimicrobial resistance. Infectious Diseases Research Our research interests span the infectious disease spectrum from population-based epidemiology studies assessing the impact of antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance to research understanding pathogenesis at a molecular level. Infectious Diseases Fellowships The Department of Medicine offers more than 100 fellowships across our affiliated hospital sites. Meet the Division Director for Infectious Diseases Recognizing our Residents Our residents contribute strongly to the generation and translation of new knowledge and are publishing in prestigious journals. Infectious Diseases Residency Training Program U of T researchers find clues about COVID-19 virus immunity Learning and Unlearning Nov 30 / 2020 The Division of Infectious Disease's strategic vision, mission and direction	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line982
__label__wiki	0.985207	0.985207	Companies And Markets AOL sees $20bn opportunity in quality gap on web AOL is aiming to build an improved platform for brand advertising. (GETTY IMAGES) Published Thursday, March 11, 2010 Newly independent internet company AOL is selectively hiring journalists and engineers after cutting a third of its workforce as it tries to reshape itself as a leading provider of quality web content. AOL, which was spun off from Time Warner in December – nine years after one of the most disastrous corporate mergers in history – is deep in the middle of a turnaround under its new Chief Executive, Tim Armstrong. Its current market value is about $2.7 billion (Dh9.9bn). When its plan to merge with Time Warner was announced in January 2000, AOL was valued at $163bn. Armstrong, a former Google executive, said yesterday AOL aimed to close the gap between fast-growing methods of distribution on the web, including search and social networks, and media content created for a previous era. "In reality, the distribution's bigger than the content now. Quality hasn't caught up," he said in an interview at the Abu Dhabi Media Summit, adding that there was a huge opportunity to attract advertising to sites publishing quality content. "I believe there's about a $20bn gap between where advertising is and where customers are." AOL, a pioneer of the early internet that is slowly leaving behind its roots in dial-up access, employs about 500 journalists and has another 3,500 working for it freelance or on retainer – of a total of about 5,000 staff after the cuts. Armstrong said the workforce of the company he inherited was skewed towards technicians as it grappled with dozens of legacy publishing and advertising platforms, and his first priority was to hone and simplify that technology. In order to focus on that, AOL has cut its presence in some markets outside the United States. "We pulled back from international to get the plumbing straightened out," he said, adding that AOL would eventually expand abroad again. With the help of better technology, AOL aims to build an improved platform for brand advertising. To date, most of the explosive growth in online advertising has been in search advertising, which matches ads to users' queries. Armstrong declined to give details of the new platform, but said it would be different from the competition. Google leads the search-advertising market and Yahoo is ahead in online display ads, most often used for brand campaigns. "We will make announcements in 2010," he said. Armstrong also said AOL's web services business would make significant profits in years to come, as the dial-up business continues to dwindle. AOL also offers Internet access-related services such as security and backup. "I would like to have double-digit margins," said the new chief executive. AOL made a net profit of $1.4 million in the fourth quarter of last year, compared to a loss of $1.9bn a year earlier when Time Warner wrote down its value by $2.2bn.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line983
__label__wiki	0.936962	0.936962	Indian woman tops Everest twice in week, breaks record Published Monday, May 22, 2017 An Indian climber Sunday reached the summit of Mount Everest for the second time in less than a week, her expedition team said, setting a women's record for a double ascent of the world's highest mountain in a single season. Anshu Jamsenpa, 37, returned from the 8,848-metre (29,028-feet) peak on May 16, before turning around after a short rest to repeat the feat. "Anshu reached the summit of Everest at 8:00 am (0215 GMT) today for the second time this season, setting a new record," said Dawa Lama of Dream Himalaya Adventures. Jamsenpa, a mother of two, was blessed by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama before leaving for the expedition. The current female record, certified by Guinness World Records, is held by Nepali climber Chhurim Sherpa, who in 2012 become the first woman to scale the peak twice in a season. Jamsenpa has climbed Mount Everest five times. She intended to make the summit in 2014 but the climbing season was cancelled after an avalanche killed 16 Nepali guides. Another attempt the following year was foiled after an avalanche - this one triggered by a massive earthquake that left swathes of Nepal in ruins - killed 18 people at Base Camp. Last week Nepali climber Lhakpa Sherpa broke her own record for the greatest number of summits by a woman after scaling the peak for an eighth time. More than 120 climbers have made the summit this season, with the first ascents delayed by high winds, fresh snowfall and unusually cold temperatures. There are concerns a high number of summit permits issued by Nepal could cause dangerous "traffic jams" on the mountain as climbers target a brief window of favourable weather before the monsoon in June. This year's climbing season has already been marred by two deaths, including legendary Swiss climber Ueli Steck who fell from a ridge during an acclimatization climb.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line984
__label__wiki	0.916977	0.916977	Trump barrels into G-7 summit, ready to fight US allies Published Saturday, June 09, 2018 Bruising for a fight, President Donald Trump barreled into the Group of Seven summit Friday, confronting longtime U.S. allies over a burgeoning trade dispute and insisting Russia should be brought back into the fold. Trump joined the leaders of major industrialized nations in an idyllic Canadian resort town after days of escalating conflict over new U.S. tariffs he slapped on imports of steel and aluminum. Facing pointed criticism from increasingly disillusioned allies, he punched back, uncowed by the growing global outcry. "Look, all of these countries have been taking advantage of the United States on trade," Trump told reporters as he left the White House, repeating his longstanding complaints about trade deficits and tariffs. He declared: "We have to straighten it out." However, Trump did seek to lower the temperature after his arrival. He bantered easily with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, joking that the neighboring leader had "agreed to cut all tariffs and all trade barriers." And he emphasized a "good relationship" with French President Emmanuel Macron, saying they sometimes have a "little test" on trade, but predicting a positive outcome. Still, the fundamental differences remained clear. Trump again railed against trade deficits with other countries and repeated that he may pursue separate negotiations with Canada and Mexico to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. Asked if Trudeau was upset he'd be leaving Canada early, Trump joked, "He's happy." Macron said there had been "open and direct" discussions, adding that he thought there was a way to get a "win-win" outcome on trade, though details remained unclear. Before arriving at the meeting of the group, which some suggest Trump is pushing from the Group of Seven into "G-6 plus one," he further stirred the pot by asking why Russia was excluded. "They should let Russia come back in because we should have Russia at the negotiating table," he said. Russia was ousted from the elite group in 2014 as punishment for President Vladimir Putin's annexation of Crimea and support for pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine. In the U.S., special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia in a bid to sway the 2016 presidential election in his favor. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said the Russia issue "hasn't been raised around the G-7 table," though she said there have been "some direct conversations in bilateral meetings." She added "there are no grounds whatsoever for bringing Russia with its current behavior back into the G-7." Despite the tension, the president was greeted cordially by Trudeau as he arrived at the annual gathering, held this year at a picturesque Quebec resort. Other members of the Group of Seven are France, Italy, Japan, Germany and Britain. The European Union also attends. Trump showed up late and will leave early on Saturday, heading to Singapore for his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He spent Friday participating in the rituals of the G-7, including the formal greeting by host Trudeau, a group photo in front of the sparkling St. Lawrence River and a working lunch of Arctic char and buckwheat salad. Over the course of his presidency, Trump has inflamed allies with his isolationist policies, including withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate accord and the international Iran nuclear agreement. Under Trump, the United States has abandoned its traditional role in the G-7 as an advocate for freer global trade, instead pushing more protectionist policies. "The rules-based international order is being challenged, not by the usual suspects but by its main architect and guarantor: the United States," said European Council President Donald Tusk. Relations have hit such a low point that a key question now is whether the seven countries can agree on a joint statement of priorities at the conclusion of the meeting. Macron said Thursday on Twitter, "The American President may not mind being isolated, but neither do we mind signing a 6 country agreement if need be." Trump said he thinks the group will produce a joint statement. In the days leading up to the summit, Trudeau and Macron have severely criticized Trump's new tariffs, which critics say threaten to drive up prices for American consumers and companies and heighten uncertainty for businesses and investors around the globe. But Trump, who frames his trade moves as a fulfillment of his campaign promises, is vowing to hold firm, tweeting Thursday: "Take down your tariffs & barriers or we will more than match you!" The French president did have some private time with Trump before the summit officially started. Macron tweeted a short video of the two together, saying: "Sharing, reaching out, always, to promote the interests of the French people, and all those who believe in a world we can build together." Prior to leaving Washington, Trump appeared unenthusiastic about the summit, complaining to aides about having to attend, particularly with his Singapore sit-down with Kim right around the corner. On Friday morning, he appeared in no hurry to leave for Canada, walking out of the White House more than half an hour late and answering questions from reporters for nearly 20 minutes. To Trump's suggestion that Russia be welcomed back to the group, allies had mixed responses. In Paris, Macron's office said it wouldn't make sense and pointed out that the latest country to impose economic sanctions on Russia was the U.S. Italy's new premier, Giuseppe Conte, tweeted that he agreed with Trump, saying: "Russia should go back into the G-8. In the interest of all." Tusk was not convinced. "Let's leave seven as it is," Tusk said. "It's a lucky number." Russia seemed unconcerned. State news agencies quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying, "We are putting the emphasis on other formats."	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line985
__label__wiki	0.626633	0.626633	Global warming will expose millions more to floods Published Thursday, January 11, 2018 Global warming is expected to unleash more rain, exposing millions more people to river flooding particularly in the United States and parts of Asia, Africa and central Europe, researchers said Wednesday. The study in the journal Science Advances calculates how much more flood protection will be needed to keep the risks of high-end floods constant in the next 25 years. Unless actions are taken -- such as enhancing dykes, boosting building standards, relocating settlements and managing rivers -- the number of people affected by devastating floods could skyrocket, warns the report, based on models that are 10 times more precise than commonly used climate computer simulations. Asia -- the continent with the largest historical high-end flood risk -- would get hit the hardest, with the number of people affected by river flooding projected to go from 70 to 156 million by 2040, it said. For instance, Pakistan, already prone to flooding, "will observe almost a doubling in high-end flood risk," with 11 million people at risk of floods unless protective measures are taken by 2040. "In South America the number of people affected by flooding risks will likely increase from six to 12 million, in Africa from 25 to 34 million," it added. In Germany the number of people affected is projected to rise sevenfold, from 100,000 to 700,000. In North America, it could rise from 100,000 to one million. "More than half of the United States must at least double their protection level within the next two decades if they want to avoid a dramatic increase in river flood risks," said lead author Sven Willner from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). The increase in river flood risks over the next few decades is being driven by the amount of greenhouse gases already emitted into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels. When more heat-trapping pollutants surround the Earth, more moisture is held in the air, leading to more rainfall. Cutting these emissions is crucial to reducing flood risks for future generations. "It is clear that without limiting human-caused warming to well below two degrees Celsius (36 Fahrenheit), river flood risks in our century will increase in many regions to a level that we cannot adapt to," said Anders Levermann, a researcher at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in New York. "The findings should be a warning to decision-makers," added Levermann. "Doing nothing will be dangerous."	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line986
__label__wiki	0.851668	0.851668	Baby born with full head of hair has 2 hour beauty regime Photo: YouTube Published Tuesday, February 28, 2017 A baby who was born with full head of hair has a two-and-a-half-hour daily beauty regime. Kayleigh Marsh, 22, was given the "shock of her life" when her daughter Amelia - who was born in December - came into the world with a full head of brunette hair, and has revealed the 10-week-old tot has to undergo over two hours of treatments a day to keep her hair soft. Kayleigh - who is also mum to three-year-old Megan - told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "We got the shock of our lives when she came out and had all this hair. "The midwife commented on it as soon as her head came out but we couldn't believe it when she was placed on my chest. "We weren't expecting it at all because Megan was completely bald. Comparing photos of them both as babies is hilarious. "Since the day she was born it's just kept growing and growing. It's growing upwards and outwards. We'll have to book her in for her first trim soon enough. "Everyday from day one she has had to have it oiled - with the oil is left in for a bit then combed through - then washed, dried and brushed. "She absolutely loves being pampered. Her little face when she's having her hair washed and blow dried is so cute. "I dread to think what she'll be like when she's older. She's only ten weeks old and she's already got a strict daily hair regime. She's going to be so high maintenance." And Kayleigh, from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, says Amelia's dad Jonathan Lunn, 28, has already formed an affectionate nickname for the tot. She added: "When she hasn't had it washed and everything it forms into a proper Mohican. It is so funny - her dad calls her Mr T because of it."	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line987
__label__wiki	0.769154	0.769154	Mr James Crimmins Home Titanic Survivor Mr James Crimmins Mr James Crimmins was born in Southampton, Hampshire, England on 17 February 1891. He was the son of Daniel Crimmins (1853-1902), a dock labourer, and Johanna Leahy (1852-1917), both Southampton-natives who had married in late 1877. James was one of fourteen children born to his parents, ten of whom survived infancy. His known siblings were: Thomas (b. 1879), John (b. 1880), Helen (b. 1881), Mary (b. 1884), Michael (b. 1886), Dennis (b. 1888), Johanna (b. 1893), Catherine (b. 1894) and Elizabeth (b. 1897). James first appears on the 1891 census as an infant living at 19 Cross Street, St Mary, Southampton. They would move to 7 King Street, Southampton by the time of the 1901 census and would still be at this address at the time of the 1911 census. At the time of the latter census James was still at home and described as an unmarried scaler for the White Star Line and his mother was now a widow, his father having died in 1902. When he signed on to the Titanic, on 6 April 1912, James gave his address as 7 King Street, Southampton. His previous ship had been the Oceanic and as a fireman he could expect to earn monthly wages of £6. Also serving aboard was his brother-in-law Tommy Kerr, the husband of his sister Johanna. In a 1955 interview James recalled that he was working in the boiler rooms at the time of the collision and that the "bump" threw him from his feet. "We were told to stay at our posts. No one seemed excited, and it never occurred to anyone that the ship would sink." He reported that when they learned the ship had struck an iceberg that the tone became more serious and they were ordered to draw the fires in the boilers. Once released from his post he went to the upper decks and assisted in loading the lifeboats and stated that he was in the last lifeboat although it is more likely he left in one of the aft starboard boats (possibly boat 13), escaping clad in only light boiler room garments that afforded little protection from the bitter cold of the Atlantic. James Crimmins in the 1940s (National Archives / Gavin Bell) James returned to Southampton and continued working at sea, remaining a bachelor for the rest of his life. He was in the Royal Navy Reserves and served in the Merchant Navy during WWII, later as a night watchman, and survived the sinking of the Windsor Castle which was troop carrying in 1943, following which he was invalided from the service. Reportedly in ill-health for some time afterwards, he spent his last years living at the Salvation Army Hostel in Northam, Southampton but continued to work. He died on 15 February 1956 and was buried in Southampton's Old Cemetery. The Times (1956) TITANIC SURVIVOR DEAD Name: Mr James Crimmins Titanic Survivor Born: Tuesday 17th February 1891 in Southampton, Hampshire, England Age: 21 years 1 month and 26 days (Male) Nationality: English Last Residence: at 7 King Street Southampton, Hampshire, England Occupation: Fireman Engineering Crew Embarked: Southampton on Saturday 6th April 1912 Rescued (boat 13) Disembarked Carpathia: New York City on Thursday 18th April 1912 Died: Thursday 16th February 1956 in Southampton, Hampshire, England aged 64 years Buried: Old Cemetery, Southampton Common, Southampton, Hampshire, England Linked Biography Mr Thomas Russell Kerr Crimmins lady said: James was my great uncle. He survived. He returned to Southampton, without being asked any questions at the enquiry, and resumed his work on the sea. As it happens he survived another sea disaster in WW2. He died - I believe from smoke and dust inhalation, almost in obscurity, and very lonely. He felt guilty for the rest of the life for having survived and getting into one of the Titanic lifeboats, when so many perished. He told my Aunt what happened in the area he worked. Does anyone have any information about my uncle please. Thank you. Steven Christian said: If you haven't seen these already there is some info in them. Good luck on your search. Thank you Steven Christian for your response. I have seen all these articles and had a copy of my family member's (Peter Crimmins) booklet for some years. Your Welcome. Sounds like you got it covered. Sometimes theres not a lot of info out there especially from people long ago. Good luck on your continued search. Steve Frampton, UK Senan Molony, Ireland Bill Wormstedt, USA Rachel Wragg, UK United States Senate, Washington 1912. n° 806, Crew List Search archive British newspapers online Encyclopedia Titanica (2017) James Crimmins (ref: #1454, last updated: 14th July 2017, accessed 20th January 2021 04:17:12 AM) URL : https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor/james-crimmins.html Christopher Smith : RMS Carpathia (Waiter) John James Kirkpatrick : RMS Carpathia (Quartermaster) David Smith Eaton : RMS Carpathia (Carpenter) John Ritchie Cargill : RMS Carpathia (Able Seaman) William Thomas Dellow John James Kirkpatrick David Smith Eaton John Ritchie Cargill	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line988
__label__wiki	0.853253	0.853253	The Morning After: Mobile video service Quibi launches today Music streaming subscriptions grew by nearly a third in 2019 Apple TV Channels offers free Epix until May 2nd without signing up AMC's free streaming TV includes 'The Walking Dead' and 'MST3K' Netflix is distancing itself from the term 'binge-watching' A quick Twitter search suggests they're no longer fans of the phrase. Rachel England, @rachel_england Shutterstock / Twin Design The Oxford online dictionary has seen a spate of zeitgeist-related inclusions in recent times – 2014 was a particularly busy year, with "yolo," "clickbait" and "adorbs" working their way into the wordy hall of fame. Ditto "binge-watch," a term used to describe the consecutive hours and hours lost to watching new series releases, and often synonymous with Netflix, the platform that facilitates exactly that. But it seems Netflix isn't too keen on that phrase. In an interview on Empire Film Podcast, Guy Pearce says that Netflix banned him from using the term while promoting his new series The Innocents. When asked if his show had binge-worthy potential, he replied, "I don't think Netflix likes the term 'binge'." He went on to say that the show's cast members were "strictly sort of instructed beforehand not to talk about 'binge-watching' during interviews." Of course, it may simply be the case that The Innocents doesn't really lend itself to binge-watching, and so Netflix is mindful not to market it that way. But that seems unlikely. That said, it now licenses more shows for foreign markets (Better Call Saul, for example), so it can't release the entire slate of shows at once, meaning binge-watching them is actually impossible -- a quick Twitter search shows the brand's reduced use of the term of the last year or so. It seems more likely, though, that the brand is keen to distance itself from a term that has largely negative health connotations. Other tech companies are already implementing measures to limit screen time, and let's be honest, the "Are you still watching?" screen doesn't mean squat if you've settled in for an hours-long sofa slump. In this article: av, BetterCallSaul, bingewatching, business, entertainment, GuyPearce, health, internet, marketing, Netflix, series, shows, TheInnocents, TV	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line989
__label__wiki	0.770423	0.770423	How are Mercedes continuing to innovate in F1? (2:28) Mercedes technical director James Allison on why the performance group are so key to the team's continued success. (2:28) Mercedes is hoping to use Formula One's plans to level the playing field among teams in the coming years as motivation to continue its period of domination into the next decade. In an unprecedented run of success, Mercedes has won the last seven drivers' and constructors' titles and is the favourite to win again in 2021 and extend the run to an eighth. However, in an attempt to bring about more unpredictability in the sport and level the playing field, F1 will introduce a budget cap and new aerodynamic testing restrictions next year as well as a completely new set of technical regulations for 2022. The new rules are targeted at reducing the spending power of the top teams -- Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari -- while restricting some areas of development to reduce the amount of performance differentiators between teams. Although the rules are not specifically target at Mercedes, they represent the biggest threat to the team's run of success in Formula One, which stretches back to the last major engine regulation change in 2014. However, Mercedes technical director James Allison believes the introduction of the new rules has the potential to motivate his team to up its game once more. "You have unintended consequences with many things and if you are sitting, as we are, happily at the top of the pyramid right now -- but not in any way feeling like you are securely placed there and that you've got to keep scrabbling your way back up to that apex position -- then a lot of those changes do look like they are targeted at us," he told the ESPN F1 podcast. Mercedes celebrated its two championships in Abu Dhabi but missed out on the race victory. Dan Istitene - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) "They're not -- they don't have Mercedes written on them -- they have at their heart the idea that they don't want a pyramid, they want a continuous churn of teams that are capable of winning one day and not winning the next, and for each weekend to be unpredictable. "But if you are in the position we are currently in, then it doesn't feel that way, it feels like this is a set of rules that are designed to try to make sure a team like us can't exist in the future. "The potential unintended consequence of that is that if you are seven years into a winning streak and finding it difficult to come up with fresh rhetoric that gets people stirred up for the challenge of an eighth or a ninth, then in many ways the sport does you quite a big favour by coming up with a set of rules that are aimed squarely at your heart. "There is nothing more motivating for this group of people than to set to this new challenge and go, 'We'll show you! We'll show you that we will not go quietly into the night!' "That's the thrill for us now, to take this regulatory challenge and, as we have done with previous ones, try to show afresh what we are made of and that we are a team that just wants to try to do the best it possibly can. "With luck, that best is good enough to be at the front." Mercedes is not the first team to dominate Formula One, with recent examples including Red Bull's winning streak between 2010 and 2013 and Ferrari winning every constructors' championship from 1999 to 2004. Allison said Mercedes had tried to learn from the experiences of previous teams to ensure it continues its run of success for as long as possible. "Lots of things tend to get you in the end, but if you want to lob them all into one catch-all bucket, then probably the easiest one to put it in would be complacency," he said. "It's rare that another team simply makes some giant leap forward and leapfrogs the previously brilliant and undimmed-in-their-brilliance former champs. "It's normally that the former champ backs off from the loud pedal a bit and takes for granted the success that they've enjoyed and starts to feel like they are due that success and the back off in putting in the effort that they previously put in to earn it. "It's normally complacency of one form or another and then add to that complacency there are other attritional factors, like the people in the championship team tend to be very attractive prospects for the competitors to poach and eventually you lose one or two, who become ten or 15 and ten or 15 become 50 or 100 and what was an absolutely unbeatable combination of people starts to be a different animal. "So it can be lots of different things stacking up on top of one another. "How have we tried to deal with that? We have at least been very aware that those are the risks, because the cycle of success and subsequent decline all of us have seen happen a few times and many of us have actually lived through it in other teams. "And so we have been quite self-conscious in our determination to try and avoid those risks, try to remind ourselves that there is nothing special, nothing god-given about our success and it's a result of hard work and effort and, to a degree, some sacrifice in terms of people being willing to spend their time here at work committed to this instead of in the arms of their family, quite often. "So it's really reminding each other every single year that the next year will only be a success if we earn it and that we need to ignore all the voices off stage that are busy telling the world that our success next year is a guaranteed thing and that we only need to show up in order for it to happen. "So the humility to know we have to earn it. And then a determination to try to make it so that the people that work here enjoy working here. "So while they might be given lucrative offers to move elsewhere, they see the overall proposition that this team puts to them is a good one, and the environment where they work, the type of responsibility they are given, the trust that is placed in them and the fun that we have together adds up to being something that they don't want to scurry away from because it's nice and it's a nice place to work. "So a big amount of effort is put into trying to nurture the sense of team spirit we have here. "The final thing that the team has been pretty good about is not getting too overly reliant on individuals and to try to make sure it's a collective strength that keeps us in good shape. "Making sure we have some sort of succession plan for the key roles in the team for when people are spent, because it is a sport that uses you up gradually because you have only got a certain amount of vim and vigour to keep at this level of intensity, and when people have given their all, enjoyed every drop of it but are ready to hand the torch on, it's important to make sure there is someone to hand that torch to and that the company can exchange from one to the other seamlessly without it causing a loss of form. "There have been a number of exchanges like that that we have been able to manage and show a resilient team structure. That's the things we have tried to do, but it would be completely ludicrous for me to say "and therefore we have the winning formula" because it's completely against the first thing I said, which is the complacency that all of us feel and need to remind ourselves that it is simply not a given. "We need to keep earning it and, hopefully, if we enjoy it sufficiently and we recognise that we do it for the enjoyment every bit as much as we do it for the winning, then with a bit of luck the sheer pleasure of the enjoyment of doing a good job here has the consequence that you produce a thing good enough to win with and then you enjoy the winning as well."	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line992
__label__wiki	0.751347	0.751347	Founders' Awards Since 1975, the Founders’ Award Dinner has been an annual event that has honored many special members of the CMCP community. It is the highest and most significant award offered by CMCP and over 80 individuals over the last four decades have been recognized. Award recipients exemplify one or more facets of the Marianist charism in their education, work, ministry, or other contribution to the world or local community. Through their efforts we are all shown concrete examples of ways to work “Toward a Better World.” This year, CMCP honored Dianne Mistelske and the School Sisters of Notre Dame of the Atlantic-Midwest Province. The celebration was held on campus at Zaragoza Center on Saturday, January 25th. 2020 Founders' Award Recipients: Expand Accordion Content for School Sisters of Notre Dame of the Atlantic-Midwest Province School Sisters of Notre Dame of the Atlantic-Midwest Province One hundred and eighty-six years after the founding of their congregation, the School Sisters of Notre Dame of the Atlantic-Midwest Province minister in and out of formal educational settings in over 30 Dioceses across North America and in England. Their roles include teachers, administrators, librarians, lawyers, and accountants. They are also nurses, facilitators and therapists, pastoral and parish ministers, volunteers, and women of prayer. They recognize that education of the whole person does not stop when the person finishes formal schooling. Responding to the needs of ever-changing dynamics in our global society, today’s Sisters in the Atlantic-Midwest Province bring the unity of Christ’s love to our broken world in a variety of ways, coming to people where they are to bring them the opportunity of education. Present at the event to receive the award of behalf of SSND were: Sister Sharon Slear, SSND Sister Sharon Slear, SSND, Ph.D., served as a member of the Chaminade-Madonna Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2017. She is the current Provost and Vice-President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) at Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU). Sr. Sharon has been serving in this capacity since January 2018 when she was named Interim VPAA. Over her years, Sr. Sharon has lived the mission of working to educate leaders to transform the world. During her time at Notre Dame, she helped establish the School of Education and served as its first dean. She also successfully developed one of Notre Dame’s first fully online degree programs and founded Operation TEACH in conjunction with the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Sr. Sharon graduated from NDMU with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry/Pre-Med. She went on to obtain her master’s degree in Chemistry from Villanova University, and later earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Administration from Boston College. Sister Therese Dougherty, SSND Sister Therese Marie Dougherty, SSND, Ph.D., was one of the pioneers of Madonna Academy, where she taught Latin and music to the first Madonna graduates. After her Madonna experience she joined the faculty of Notre Dame of Maryland University where she has served for more than 50 years, teaching a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in Latin and Greek language and literature, archeology, ancient and medieval history, classical mythology, and other topics in classical culture. She has led archeological tours to classical sites in Greece, Italy, Sicily, Turkey, and France as well as tours of Roman Britain and Germany. She has directed numerous National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institutes for teachers both at Notre Dame of Maryland and in Italy. She has served as a trustee of Eta Sigma Phi, National Classical Honor Society, for several decades. She has been the recipient of an ovation from the Classical Association of the Atlantic States and the prestigious American Philological Association’s Excellence in Teaching Award. Sr. Therese has also received a lifetime achievement award from Eta Sigma Phi and the Mullan Distinguished Teacher Award from Notre Dame of Maryland University. Sister Patricia Murphy, SSND Sister Patricia Murphy, SSND, served as Madonna Academy’s Principal from 1984-1988. She is currently part of the Institute of Notre Dame’s Board Leadership Ministry, where she serves as the Chair of the Board of Trustees. She also serves as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees and is a member of the Corporate Corporation at Notre Dame Maryland University. She has also offered her expertise on additional boards and committees during her ministry. These include: Marian House, Sisters Academy of Baltimore, the SSND General Chapter Preparation Committee, and the North American Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Committee. She received her bachelor’s degree in History from the College of Notre Dame and went on to earn her master’s degree in American Studies from Fairfield University. Sr. Patricia also holds a certificate in Pastoral Theology from St. Mary of the Woods School. Collapse Accordion Content for School Sisters of Notre Dame of the Atlantic-Midwest Province Expand Accordion Content for Dianne Mistelske Dianne Mistelske Dianne has been part of the CMCP family since 2000. Dianne retired in October 2019 after spending nearly 20 years working in the Finance Department as the Student Billing, Collections , and Financial Aid Manager. Never one to sit on the sidelines, Dianne has been involved in many aspects of the school and the Marianist family. Some of these associations include: the Lay Marianists, Encounter Retreats, the Mission Integration Team (MIT), the Strategic Planning and Accreditation working committees, and the Diversity Club. Dianne has also participated in a number of Marianist gatherings such as Teaching as Ministry (TAM), the Head-to–Heart Marianist formation program, the Marianist Women’s Summit, the National Lay Marianist Assembly and participated at the Provincial Assembly in July 2018 as a Lay Collaborator. Dianne received the 2014 Alumni Appreciation Award and the 2018-2019 Educator of the Year Award. Dianne previously worked for the Maryknoll Fathers (Catholic Foreign Mission Society), James B. Hay Middle School, and HOPE Outreach Center. She has travelled to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda, Hong Kong, and many other countries around the world during her tenure as a Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana. She served alongside the Maryknoll Lay Missionaries in Tanzania and was a Habitat for Humanity volunteer in Botswana. Dianne has raised a large family which includes six children including three children she adopted in Africa, and is blessed to have ten grandchildren and one great grandchild. Collapse Accordion Content for Dianne Mistelske	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line994
__label__wiki	0.970367	0.970367	Brexit crisis: How MPs have missed simple solution to prevent constitutional catastrophe THE failure to deliver Brexit after the 2016 referendum has created an impasse that threatens a constitutional crisis and puts the status of the Union in danger – but lawmakers appear to have missed a straightforward solution that would prevent such a catastrophe. By Martina Bet PUBLISHED: 09:25, Thu, Jul 11, 2019 \| UPDATED: 13:31, Thu, Jul 11, 2019 Lord Salisbury explains how constitution could look post-Brexit This week, prominent figures in the Cabinet warned that a no deal Brexit could result in the break-up of the United Kingdom, as it could boost support for Scottish independence. Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already earmarked the second half of 2020 for when a second Scottish independence referendum could be held and recently told STV news that support for a self-ruled Scotland is rising. Both Conservative leadership rivals Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt have committed to preserving the Union. How surprise factor could be biggest problem after Britain leaves EU Brexit was NO shock: How UK's motives for joining EU were different However, an opinion poll suggested there would be majority support in Scotland for independence if Mr Johnson, who is currently the bookmakers’ favourite, becomes Prime Minister. Moreover, earlier this month in a YouGov poll a majority of Conservative Party members said they would prefer Brexit to go ahead even if it caused Scottish independence. As many political analysts claim the country is sleepwalking into a constitutional crisis, a cross-party group has devised a plan to prevent such a catastrophe. The Constitution Reform Group (CRG), an all-party project convened by former leader of the House of Lords, Lord Salisbury, is currently advocating the Act of Union Bill – a ready-made Bill which includes proposals to stop this impending break-up. "Can a federal union that works for all four nations prevent a constitutional crisis?" (Image: GETTY) Sturgeon has already earmarked the second half of 2020 for a second Scottish independence referendum (Image: GETTY) The question of how power will be redistributed among the four nations and parts of the UK from the EU once Brexit has happened still needs to be determined. The CRG believes that the blueprint could be used to resolve this pressing issue, by proposing a federal structure for the continuation of the Union, establishing the principle of self-determination among all four parts. Talking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Lord Salisbury explained: "What this Bill does, it provides that all four parts of the United Kingdom, and England, agree with the centre what powers are going to be exercised by the centre over Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. "They are not necessarily going to be the same powers, but that should be by agreement. "And in this Bill, this agreement would be laid out and would see the surrender of all the sovereignty from the centre to all the constituents parts of the Kingdom. Brexit: England may be an issue after EU exit says Lord Salisbury Former Labour MP Gisela Stuart is on the steering committee of the CRG (Image: GETTY) "Simultaneously in the same piece of legislation, the powers which had been previously agreed by the four parts with the centre would be reconfirmed by the centre. "That deals with consent, particularly if you think it can only become law once the four constituent parts have approved by referendum the provision of the Bill. "So there is a sort of double lock on that." With devolution in 1997, the Parliament of the UK granted powers to the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly. England is therefore the only country of the United Kingdom to not have have a devolved parliament or assembly, as English affairs are decided unanimously in Westminster. Although this constitutional grey area has existed for years, the changes brought about by Brexit are likely to highlight it even more. Lord Salisbury suggested that it is for this reason, the CRG is particularly interested in looking at the governments of England. So far, the Act of Union Bill proposes two alternatives on this matter. Lord Salisbury is the chairman of the CRG (Image: EXPRESS.CO.UK) A spokesman for the CRG said: "The first model is the creation of a directly elected English Parliament to deal with non-central areas. "The second model provides for a regional devolution option whereby the UK Parliament would continue legislating both on central matters for the UK as a whole and on all matters for England. "It would put the English Votes for English Laws system on a statutory basis by restriction." The Act of Union Bill is currently awaiting its second reading. In the meantime, the cross-party group is developing and expanding the clauses within the Bill and welcoming feedback from those interested in contributing. The Bill would only come into force if approved by a referendum with a majority of votes cast in the UK as a whole at 65 percent and on a majority in each of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Brexit analysis: Why 'a true Conservative member MUST be eurosceptic' Brexit News Nicola Sturgeon Brexit News European Union Boris Johnson France CHAOS as vaccination centres forced to SHUT due to lack of jabs - ‘There is tension Mick Norcross dead: How did TOWIE reality star Mick Norcross die?	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line998
__label__wiki	0.671796	0.671796	Welcome to EY EGYPT (EN) You are visiting EY EGYPT (EN) What is your organization willing to sacrifice to do the right thing? Adam M. Lowenstein EY Global Knowledge Analyst Believer in a human way of doing business. Striving for a more fulfilling world. Making sense of it through writing. London-based, by way of American politics. Areas of focus Purpose Trust Office London, GB Adam is a purpose advisor experienced in content development and thought leadership. He also supports a range of C-suite programs through his role at EY Knowledge. Prior to joining EY, Adam spent eight years working in politics in the United States, primarily in Washington, D.C. Most recently, Adam served as speechwriter and strategic communications advisor in the U.S. Senate, where he was responsible for advancing a proactive communications and outreach strategy. Adam has also worked extensively in the U.S. House of Representatives, handling a wide variety of policy and communications responsibilities. Adam graduated from Colby College and holds an MA in Public Administration from The George Washington University. Having arrived at EY after nearly a decade in government, Adam believes that business can be a constructive force in tackling global challenges. But that role can no longer be seen as a side effort or marketing opportunity — it’s a fundamental responsibility. At EY, Adam’s research has focused on understanding how companies embed their purpose — their aspirational, human-first reason for being — into long-term strategy and decision-making. The organizations best positioned to thrive in the long term are willing to sacrifice profit and growth, especially in the short term, to live their purpose and values authentically. Adam aims to support and challenge business leaders determined to do more good and less harm. After all, if we’re not willing to make sacrifices to do the right thing, why are we here? Adam's latest thinking	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line999
__label__wiki	0.946276	0.946276	Starting today you can download and play DC Universe Online for free November 3, 2011 11:46 ( F2P News ) 0 Today, the MMO action game DC Universe Online (DCUO) has announced today that the players can now download and play for free the game. Now you can create your own legendary superhero or villain and join forces with your favorite DC Comics characters, including Superman, Batman and the Joker to either save or destroy the planet. There are three access levels in DCUO: Free, Premium and Legendary: Free Access: New players now have access to the base game content in DC Universe Online, including Gotham City, Metropolis, and all current raids and alerts outside of DLC packs. Free Access provides players with the ability to create two characters, join a League and many other benefits. Free level players can also purchase DLC packs, additional character slots, and more in-game. Premium Access: Any player who has spent at least $5 USD (including former paid subscribers and new players who have purchased $5 of in-game items) qualifies for the Premium Access level. Premium level players have more benefits available to them than the Free level player, including additional character slots, additional inventory slots, and higher cash limits. DLC packs, additional character slots, and more can be purchased in-game. All previous subscribers are granted Premium Access automatically. Legendary Access: Legendary Access provides the most content, features and benefits of the three access levels. Loaded with enhanced features, Legendary Access is available for a $14.99 USD monthly fee (multi-month discounts are available) and includes access to all DLC packs at no cost, more than 16 character slots, over 60 inventory slots, the ability to form Leagues, and many other benefits. We are confident that going free-to-play will expand the action combat experience of DC Universe Online by making the game more accessible to every type of player so they can choose to play the game their way, said John Smedley, President, Sony Online Entertainment. With a portfolio that includes three successful free-to-play games EverQuest II: Extended, Free Realms and Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures we have extensive knowledge and experience to apply to DCUOand are thrilled to be taking the game free-to-play today.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1000
__label__cc	0.610313	0.389687	Posted on July 7, 2015 by Fairborn Daily Herald AFLCMC chief celebrates one year Photo courtesy United States Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Doreen Losacco, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center command chief, shares homemade cake pops with 1st Lt. Caitlin Smart and Tina Compton, both with the F-22 Division, and talks to them about their projects. For Greene County News WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE — A grey and misty morning hung over the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center headquarters at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as arrays of colorful umbrellas played connect the dots with the two-day-old puddles that led up to the main entrance. The forecast wasn’t supposed to change much over the next week and although Ohioans know to never gamble with such predictions, a humid gloom still existed in the umbrella’d eyes. But inside the AFLCMC headquarters building and especially inside the office of Chief Master Sgt. Doreen Losacco, the air was different. Just a little over a year ago, Losacco began her role as the AFLCMC command chief and she brought with her not only a plethora of experience from her prior assignment at Sheppard Air Force Base (among others), but also a positive energy that even a gloomy Dayton forecast couldn’t dull. “I arrived on June 9 last year and headed down to Eglin Air Force Base to meet with Airmen just two days later,” Losacco said. During that visit, she met an Airman who had come up with a new idea that not only saved time, but also improved an old process from an ergonomics perspective. Airmen don’t always realize that they are the ones who can make small changes that then have such a large impact on the overall mission, Losacco said. Although headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB, AFLCMC is spread all over at bases such as Tinker AFB in Oklahoma, Hill AFB in Utah, Hanscom AFB in Boston, Robbins AFB in Georgia, Eglin AFB in Florida — to name just a few. “The fact that we have people everywhere … to reach out to them and let them know they are not out of sight and out of mind … To make sure I reach out and touch everyone to let them know we’re here for them — that’s one of my biggest challenges,” Losacco said. She also discussed the importance behind continuing to reach out — how touching base with someone once isn’t enough. “Just today, I went out and met some new Airmen. One is learning to play bagpipes!” Losacco said. “And another has a new workout routine that I’ve never heard of … and another told me about wanting to start a brown bag luncheon for linguists so they can meet up and practice their skills.” Reaching out and getting these new ideas from Airmen — young and old — is something Losacco is very passionate about. “Like the brown bag luncheon idea … Our linguists need to practice or they lose their skills so this idea is something that I can bring back and suggest to other units,” she said. We just can’t stop, she said. We can’t stop reaching out. Losacco also spoke about how she’d like to see Airman get a broader point of view earlier in their careers. “Right now we get senior NCOs and many of them retire here,” Losacco explained. “I’d like to start getting a few younger NCOs so they can take what they learn here at Wright-Patt back out into the field. We grow up with blinders on in any career field and I think it’s important to open up those blinders because that’s when we truly get innovation.” She told a story about a recent trip she took to Edwards Air Force Base with a lieutenant who had previously worked with the KC-46 program office and was part of a team that had suggested a new idea for testing the fuel system pressure of receiver aircraft. They toured the maintenance facility and it gave the young lieutenant a larger perspective. “The lieutenant’s team had come up with an idea to make a new pressure tester. So they suggested it and the people (at Edwards AFB) designed the sensor to make it work. She was able to see that whole relationship of how it all works,” said Losacco. “To relate that message of it starts here and then goes there and then the testing—it was a great experience to see that through the eyes of the Lt. I was so excited for her, for the institution, and even for myself.” During a visit with the Fighters and Bombers Division, she walked up and down the aisles of work areas saying hello, offering her famous homemade chocolate-covered cake pops, and talking to every Airman — officer, enlisted and civilian alike. She asked questions about prior duty stations, about photos of loved ones and other questions showing everyone she was interested in their lives not just at work, but holistically. When she first arrived at Wright-Patt, she explained her philosophy about a healthy work-life balance for individual Airmen with an analogy that mirrors her philosophy on teamwork. “Each individual has to balance their careers, home life, education and their community involvement,” she explained. “To highlight this concept, I like to share a button analogy. A button typically has four holes. Each hole represents a part of our lives — work life, family life, community life and personal life. If the thread from one of the holes begins to fray, the button can become loose. Eventually, if a person doesn’t take care of the thread from that hole, it may result in the loss of that button.” With the health and well-being of LCMC in mind, individual Airmen are the thread of the organization and Losacco is passionate about ensuring that thread remains securely fastened to all the buttons that keep LCMC strong and progressing. Hi! A visitor to our site felt the following article might be of interest to you: AFLCMC chief celebrates one year. Here is a link to that story: http://www.fairborndailyherald.com/top-stories/1009/aflcmc-chief-celebrates-one-year	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1001
__label__wiki	0.817451	0.817451	NSW Fire Brigades appoints new Captain and Deputy Captain for Walgett Fire Station NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB) Acting Commissioner John Benson today congratulated Retained Firefighters Rodney Thorne and Adam Robinson on their appointments as Captain and Deputy Captain of Walgett Fire Station. Acting Commissioner Benson said it was an exciting day for the NSWFB and the community of Walgett. "Two young and enthusiastic men have been appointed to the positions of Captain and Deputy Captain to serve the community of Walgett. "Rodney is also the first indigenous firefighter to be appointed to the position of Captain which is a wonderful achievement. It is great to see someone so keen to be involved in their local community." Mr Thorne, who was born and raised in Walgett, joined the NSWFB in November 2006 and, at just 22 years of age, is one of the youngest Captains the NSWFB has ever had. "Last year, I decided that I wanted to give something back to my community. I’d spent my childhood watching the firefighters at work, and always admired what they did – I thought it was the best way for me to make a positive contribution,” Mr Thorne said. Mr Robinson, who is also a police officer, has been a firefighter in Walgett since October last year and said he was looking forward to his new role. "I am looking forward to taking on more of a leadership role within the team. It also gives me the opportunity to undertake further training and personal development, and to be actively involved in the local community." NSWFB Chief Superintendent Neil Harris (Area Commander – Regional West), who was on hand to officially welcome Mr Thorne and Mr Robinson to their new roles, congratulated both men on their achievements. "Both Rodney and Adam are excellent firefighters and an asset to the community of Walgett and the NSWFB. I look forward to working with both of them in the future."	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1004
__label__wiki	0.501266	0.501266	Chris J. van Dijk Romantic Impressionist Biography Biography of a Dutchman who's living and working in France. Impressionism remains highly relevant in a historical sense, as an important artistic movement associated with innovation and modernity. But it is also alive today as a way of looking at the world that influences the vision of contemporary artists. To offer one notable example, the artist, former art dealer, and gallery owner Chris van Dijk paints in a style influenced by Impressionism and by the Romantic movement, calling his work “Romantic Impressionism”. Professional artist Christiaan Johannes Adrianus van Dijk. Born in 1952, Den Bosch ( Bois le Duc ), The Netherlands ( Pays Bas ). Since 1978, Chris has devoted his life to creating his paintings, which, true to their Impressionist inspiration, focus on plein air scenes: at the beach, in the forest, or in the beautiful wine and poppy fields of Burgundy and Dordogne. He has been living and working in France since 2002. In this year, he opened his own highly successful gallery in the Dordogne, a beautiful area in Southwestern France between the Loire Valley and the Pyrenees Mountains. His gallery features not only his work but also some of the most important artists working in a Realist and Impressionist styles. Like the works of Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt, the paintings of Chris van Dijk often feature women and children. The scenes look unposed, as if the subjects were caught unawares. Most of the time, they look away from the viewer, engrossed in their daily activities, such as playing in the sand, walking in the woods or picking wildflowers. They seem to be at home in their beautiful natural surroundings. Chris van Dijk’s paintings, like the works of the Impressionists, are a celebration of the beauty of nature and life. Thanks go to the author of the biography, Claudia Moscovici. She is one of the ten most famous female art critics in the world When you are interested in buying one or more Paintings, please let us know by sending an E-mail. Chris has his studio in one of the most inspiring and beautiful regions of France the 'Bourgogne'.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1006
__label__wiki	0.677348	0.677348	The global Art & Antique market Museum Readies to Display Newly Restored Multi-million Dollar Painting Found in Closet In 2016, an Iowa museum director was looking in a closet for a Civil War-era flag when he found a long-lost painting worth millions. Now with a full restoration completed and a security system in place, "Apollo and Venus," the rediscovered ca. 1600 work by renowned Dutch artist Otto van Veen, goes on public view with an evening reception this Thursday. Robert Warren, the director of Hoyt Sherman Place, a Des Moines museum and theater, said the 400-year-old early Baroque panel painting had been “lost in the shuffle” for decades. Chicago painting conservator Barry Bauman, who has also restored works by Thomas Moran, George Inness, and Edwin Lord Weeks for the museum, began an intensive conservation of the rediscovered painting that ended in March 2018. (Read more backstory on DSM.) Security cameras were added before the work goes on permanent display this week. The painting includes an exhibition label from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and was gifted to Hoyt Sherman Place in the 1920s. Warren says van Veen's work historically has sold for between $4 million and $17 million. Van Veen is known for his church altarpieces and for maintaining an active studio with numerous students. His most famous pupil was Peter Paul Rubens. Writers, Journalists and Publishers from around the World. Artists Highlighted Economic Art News General Art News	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1007
__label__wiki	0.87765	0.87765	Kenneth Gamble Leon Huff TSOP Radio Gamble-Huff Photos Gamble-Huff McFadden & Whitehead ETSY TO LEGENDARY PRODUCERS KENNETH GAMBLE & LEON HUFF: ‘YOU GOT WHAT I NEED’ PHILADELPHIA – Legendary Philadelphia International Records (PIR) co-founders and R&B pioneers Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff have a new commercial placement from their massive song catalogue. “YOU GOT WHAT I NEED,” which Gamble & Huff wrote and produced in 1968 for Freddie Scott – three years before launching PIR – is currently getting massive TV exposure in a new ETSY.COM commercial. Philadelphia International Records was home to The O’Jays, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, and many other acts that defined the Philadelphia soul sound of the ’70s. “Seeing the Etsy commercial featuring the song on TV so prominently, makes us instantly reflect back 52 years, when we wrote and produced the song in the studio for Freddie Scott – a great, yet unsung Soul/R&B artist and vocalist,” said Gamble & Huff in a joint statement. “We are so glad this original song and Freddie are getting their just recognition and their due.” Usage of “YOU GOT WHAT I NEED” has proven popular for sampling in recent years. But this is the first time the original recording is anchoring a popular TV commercial in the U.S. Rapper Biz Markie used many elements of the original recording on his 1989 hit “Just A Friend.” Kanye West, Common, Pusha T and Big Sean feat. Kid Cudi and Charlie Wilson sampled the song on “Good Friday” (2010). Ghostface Killah sampled it on “Save Me Dear” (2004). And in 2017, Janelle Monáe sang “You Got What I Need” in a Gap commercial promoting their Christmas offerings “YOU GOT WHAT NEED” originally reached #27 on the R&B chart. Scott died in 2007 at age 74. Click here to listen to Freddie Scott singing “You Got What I Need.” Gamble & Huff Music Bio Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Gamble & Huff Interview Gamble & Huff 1991 Interview Marian Anderson Award 2016 Kenny Gamble in the UK Dust to Dawn By DJ Lowtempo Grab our Monthly Newsletter and stay tuned 2019 © Copyright @ GAMBLE-HUFF MUSIC – All Rights Reserved – Website by NAZCANETWORK	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1008
__label__wiki	0.522081	0.522081	Review: Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing Fran Kranz Most directors, when forced to take a vacation by your big budget studio paymasters, would book a trip, go travelling, or lie on a beach somewhere… But this is Joss. So when he was contractually obliged to take a vacation before the editing of Avengers, Joss, and wife Kai decided to use 12 of the 14 days to film a version of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Since the days of Buffy, Joss & Kai have a tradition of inviting friends round for a sing-a-long, or to read though plays. This is really an extension of that. The couple’s house, which serves as the set for the movie, was designed by Kai and contains an amphitheater, and dance floor. It was built as a space which should be used for creativity, so where better to shoot the movie. It’s shot in a beautiful black and white (thanks to cinematographer Jay Hunter), with modern dress, and a micro budget. If you know the 90’s Branagh version of ‘Much Ado’, this really couldn’t be further from it. Much Ado About Nothing is a comedic tale of how some people can fall in love, whilst other must have love thrust upon them… For the fans of Joss’s other work, you’ll recognise a number of faces throughout the cast. Leonato (Avengers & SHIELD’s Clark Gregg) is preparing to welcome his friends home from the wars. Don Pedro (Reed Diamond – Dollhouse, Franklin & Bash, Bones), along with the quick witted Benedick (Alexis Denisof – Buffy, Angel, HIMYM… and Mr. Aliyson Hannigan), the young Claudio (Fran Kranz – Dollhouse, Cabin in the Woods), and Don John (Sean Maher – Firefly), Pedro’s traitorous brother. Upon arriving at Leonato’s villa, Claudio immediately falls for Hero (newcomer Jillian Morgese), Leonato’s only daughter. The welcome between Benedick and Hero’s cousin Beatrice (Amy Acker Angel, Dollhouse, Person of Interest) is rather less positive, with the pair jousting barbed comments at each other from the moment he walks through the door (partly due to the fact he’d slept with her, and then snuck out last time he was there…) Both have now sworn off marriage. Tom Lenk & Nathan Fillion As Claudio prepares to as Leonato for Hero’s hand in marriage, the evil Don John sees some opportunity for mischief in disrupting the impending nuptials. At the same time, Don Pedro, Leonato and Claudio embark on the task of uniting the estranged Benedick & Beatrice… Both Alexis & Amy have proved they can switch between drama and comedy easily and completely shine as the warring couple. Equally, Fran & Jillian work brilliantly as the 2 young lovers, and Sean is a perfect choice for the mischief making Don John. Hats really have to be doffed though to Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Buffy, Dr. Horrible, Castle) as Dogberry, the security chief, and his sidekick Verges, played by Buffy’s Tom Lenk for their hilarious performances. If you’re not a Whedon fan, I think you’ll find this an enjoyable, classy and entertaining take on the Bard’s work. If you are a Whedonite, it’s like watching watching Joss at his best. Hanging out with a bunch of old friends who are putting on a great performance, making a superb little movie, and having a blast doing it! MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING releases on DVD and Blu-ray this Monday, 7th October 2013 9/10 – A brilliant version of the Bard’s work! ← A farewell to Breaking Bad – it all ends this Weekend! New Trailer! The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug! →	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1013
__label__wiki	0.713824	0.713824	About us - Submenu How Our Research Is Different Global Advisory Committee (ACRIS) Our Affiliates And Collaborators George Health Our Work - Submenu News & Events - Submenu Blogs / Profile Stories Our Impact - Submenu Careers & studies - Submenu The George Experience Thought leadership - Submenu Women’s reproductive health linked to risk of heart disease and stroke Researchers at The George Institute, Oxford, drew on data from the UK Biobank, a large, population-based study of more than half a million men and women. They found that women who had started their periods before the age of 12 had a 10% greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease than those who had been 13 or older, while those who went through the menopause before the age of 47 had a 33% higher risk of developing heart disease and 42% greater risk of stroke. "This study clarifies the mixed findings of previous research, and underlines the life-long impact of women’s reproductive health," said lead author Dr Sanne Peters, Research Fellow in Epidemiology at The George Institute, Oxford. "Our research suggests policymakers should consider implementing more frequent screening for cardiovascular disease among women with one or more of the risk factors highlighted here, in order to put in place measures that can help delay or prevent the development of heart disease and stroke." The early onset of periods in girls has been linked to childhood obesity, and several studies – including a prior study among these women – show that early menarche is also associated with obesity in adulthood, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, there is no straightforward link. "Our findings show that the risk of developing cardiovascular disease increases for both women of healthy weight and women who are overweight or obese, which suggests we need more research to understand the association between an early first menstrual cycle and a greater risk of heart disease and stroke in later life," said Peters. Interestingly, the study found that the risk of developing cardiovascular disease increases by 3% for both women and men with each child parented. Women with children have a 21% higher risk of heart disease than those who don’t have children, while men with children have a 13% higher risk of heart disease than those without. However, neither men nor women with children are at greater risk of having a stroke. Dr Sanne Peters Research Fellow in Epidemiology Media release: 22/01/2018 The George Institute for Global Health Room 011, Unit 2, Tayuan Diplomatic Office Building No. 14 Liangmahe Nan Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100600, P.R.China The George Institute country sites: Affiliated with Peking University Health Science Center	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1015
__label__wiki	0.882113	0.882113	Orange County, Fla., has 18,000 missing students. The Miami-Dade County public schools have 16,000 fewer than last year. Los Angeles Unified — the nation's second-largest school system — is down nearly 11,000. Charlotte-Mecklenburg in North Carolina has 5,000 missing. Utah, Virginia, and Washington are reporting declines statewide. Comprehensive national data aren't available yet, but reporting by NPR and our member stations, along with media reports from around the country, shows enrollment declines in dozens of school districts across 20 states. Large and small, rich and poor, urban and rural — in most of these districts the decline is a departure from recent trends. Over the past 15 years, data from the U.S. Education Department show that small and steady annual increases in public school enrollment have been the rule. Six months after schools around the country shut their doors amid coronavirus lockdowns, these fall enrollment declines come as schools have been scrambling to improve remote learning offerings, and to adopt safety procedures to allow buildings to open for in-person classes, sometimes just a few days a week. In many parts of the country the start of the year has been marked by multiple changes in plans, widespread confusion among teachers and families, deep concerns about safety, and worries about unequal access to technology. Article continues after sponsor message"We are not alone in this," Chris Reykdal, Washington State's Superintendent of Public Instruction, said in a statement this week announcing a 2.82% decrease in enrollment statewide, driven by a 14% drop in kindergarten. "As our nation continues to fight the spread of COVID-19, states across the country are seeing changes in K–12 enrollment as families make decisions about the safest and most effective learning environments for their children." Reykdal said operational cuts might be looming, and schools would lobby the state for stopgap funds. "Counts are taken every month, and if these trends continue, many of our districts will need to make adjustments in the short-term even as they plan for booming kindergarten and first grade classes next year." In many places, the enrollment drops are especially noticeable in kindergarten and pre-K. For our reporting, we reached out to more than 100 districts and heard back from more than 60. In our sample, the average kindergarten enrollment drop was 16%. Many education experts are skeptical about the virtues of remote learning for very young children, and lots of parents seem to feel the same way. "It was either going to be virtual or hybrid, or if they were in person it was going to be weirdly socially distant and masked," says Megan Olshavsky, whose son was scheduled to start kindergarten this fall in Austin, Texas. "And he wouldn't be able to interact, really, with other kids." Instead, Jonah, who is almost 6, is staying in his small private Montessori school for kindergarten, where he'll attend in-person, full time. "We had signed him up to start in Austin in the beginning of the year and then, you know, in the late spring and the summer, we kind of realized that school wasn't going to look normal," Olshavsky said. The school district started the year with four weeks of virtual learning before phasing in small groups of students. Jonah's Montessori cut class sizes to fewer than 10 students to reduce the risk of COVID spread. And since it's licensed as a daycare, the children aren't required to wear masks. Meanwhile, the Austin Independent School District is down 5,000 students this fall, a 6% drop. Olshavsky says she and her husband will have to tighten their belts to afford another year of private-school tuition. And school districts stand to lose money as well. Public schools are generally funded by states on a per-pupil basis. This first week of October marks the first of two "count days" in many states — a day in the fall, right at the start of the new fiscal year, where school districts must submit an official enrollment count to determine their funding for the subsequent year. And that system tends to favor schools in better-off communities, which get more of their funding from local property taxes, explains Bruce Baker, an education professor at Rutgers University. It's the less well-funded districts that are more dependent on state aid. "If you've got a district where 70, 80 % of the money is coming in state aid based on some enrollment count number, which would tend to be a poorer district serving a higher share of low-income and minority students," he explains, "those districts stand to lose a lot if the state decides to follow through with using this year's enrollment counts as a basis for funding in the future." The potential loss is a hardship for school districts that already are facing the costs of schooling during a pandemic — from masks and hand sanitizer to hiring additional teachers to run both in-person and virtual programs. On top of that, the coronavirus-induced recession has already driven education budget cuts across the country. Stephanie Elizalde, the superintendent of Austin ISD, told NPR that the state of Texas has agreed to "hold the district harmless" for enrollment declines for the fall semester only. She is hoping that students start to show up in greater numbers now that the school doors are open a few days a week. Otherwise, she says, "we could have huge cuts." "I don't think there's ever been a time I can recall where I visited with colleagues and all of us are like, how are we going to manage this?..knowing that you have these cuts during the most economically challenged times and a pandemic is--I mean, that's just unheard of." Baker agrees that a downturn in enrollment this fall does not automatically equal a budget cut next year— states have time to pass measures in the spring to help schools make up the gap in funds. But in the meantime, budget pressures may push schools to make reopening decisions that they wouldn't otherwise. In Florida, for example, enrollment in Miami-Dade, Broward County and Orange County — all of which are in the top 10 largest districts nationwide — has dropped by several thousand students each. Back in July, on the same day President Trump implored schools on Twitter to open in the fall, the Florida Department of Education offered school districts the following deal: Reopen and get funded based on the much higher enrollment levels from before the pandemic. Or don't, and get funded based on the actual number of students. Plus, districts will get about $2,500 less for every student who remains online-only. Judith Marte, the chief financial officer of the Broward County schools, said at a recent school board meeting that the expected enrollment drops of 8,500 students could lead to a significant reduction in a district budget that is already "disgustingly low." And that shortfall, she added, could lead to potentially cutting thousands of jobs. On the other hand, echoing the difficult decisions educators around the country have faced, Marte said she worries about the safety of returning students to buildings full time: "This is also incredibly stressful for staff, it's incredibly stressful for this board and the superintendent ... To do what's right for our community, it's a very, very difficult place to sit." Concerns about the youngest students If students are not showing up at their public schools, where are they going? Possibly to private school, though dozens of private schools have shuttered since the start of the pandemic. Child care centers, which may accept pre-K and kindergarten students, are threatened as well. But there are some reports of private schools gaining students even as public schools are losing them, in places where private schools are in-person and public schools are virtual or hybrid. "The inequity of the situation is just really staggering," says Olshavsky, the mother in Austin. "We were basically able to pay to keep our kid in a safe learning environment." Austin Superintendent Elizalde agrees that her main concern is an "exacerbation... of opportunity gaps in students from different economic backgrounds." Not all families have the means to send their children to private school, or devote a parent to home schooling full time. Some families, says Elizalde, will be leaving children home with older siblings or to sit in front of the TV. Jessica Diaz is a nurse in Tampa, Fla., married to a firefighter, with three daughters. Since she and her husband work in high-risk environments, they don't want to send her children to school in person. But she's struggling with the district's online learning offerings, too. Her children's nanny is Spanish-speaking and has trouble with tasks like navigating Zoom class meetings. "I don't think [virtual school] is a sustainable option for our family at this point," she told NPR. "For all of the burden of constant emailing, changes in schedules, assignments and submissions, etc., we feel the content of the education that is being delivered is far below our girls' capabilities and not worth the trouble at this point. " She plans to pull them out and home-school after the winter break, when she hopes she'll have time to put together a curriculum; but she'll have to do the actual teaching herself in the evening hours after work. Experts in early childhood education agree with Elizalde that keeping kids out of kindergarten and pre-K, in particular, is likely to exacerbate existing inequalities. Kindergarten is not compulsory in most states. That means children can sit out the year without necessarily doing formal homeschooling or private school. They may enter next year as first graders, or simply delay the start of kindergarten — a practice sometimes called redshirting and, in normal times, more popular among affluent families and boys. Diane Schanzenbach, an economist at Northwestern University who studies redshirting, says starting kindergarten late has no long-lasting educational advantages and may even have some drawbacks, for example in lifetime earnings. And Chloe Gibbs, an economist at the University of Notre Dame, says decades of research have underlined the importance of early childhood enrichment for all children, and especially for children from lower-income and less educated families. "We have consistent evidence that these kinds of interventions can have big effects on children's both short-term skill development, but really importantly, their long-term life chances." In other words, pre-K and kindergarten are the rare educational interventions that both narrow gaps and lift all boats. When families keep children home, the opposite may be true, says Gibbs. "Parents may be choosing not to send their kids to pre-K or to hold back their age-eligible kids from kindergarten," she explains. " And that could be fine for kids in terms of their skill development, if they are in homes where they're ... reading a lot." But, she adds, what experts really worry about are kids "for whom this early childhood landscape has changed so much. And what are they getting kind of in the absence of having those important early experiences?"	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1016
__label__cc	0.625881	0.374119	Bradford J. Reid Joins Goldberg Segalla Bradford J. Reid Goldberg Segalla continues to bolster its rapidly growing Workers’ Compensation Practice Group with the addition of associate Bradford J. Reid, who joins the firm in its Rochester office with a practice that focuses on the defense of workers’ compensation litigation. Brad brings civil litigation experience in state and federal courts, including workers compensation proceedings, claims involving insurance coverage, employment matters, federal discrimination claims, and commercial disputes for large, institutional clients. Brad earned his J.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School in 2011, where he served as an editor of the Buffalo Law Review and an executive editor of the Buffalo Public Interest Law Journal. Goldberg Segalla Announces 18 Partner Elevations Super Lawyers Honors 68 of Goldberg Segalla’s Upstate New York Attorneys in 2020 Super Lawyers Honors Nearly Two-Thirds of Goldberg Segalla’s Upstate New York Attorneys	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1018
__label__cc	0.536443	0.463557	Give Me My Remote > #1 featured > THE CHICAGO CODE’s Jennifer Beals Teases Teresa’s Fight Against Gibbons THE CHICAGO CODE’s Jennifer Beals Teases Teresa’s Fight Against Gibbons May 9, 2011 by Marisa Roffman With just one week until Fox decides what its 2011-2012 schedule will look like, if you’ve been meaning to tune into THE CHICAGO CODE, now is the time. Why should you be tuning in? Series star Jennifer Beals (Teresa) has a good reason for the remaining doubters out there. “I just think that the story [and] the writing is really fantastic,” she told me earlier today. “It’s fast and it’s smart and you cover the whole spectrum of action and intelligence and I don’t think you get that often on many shows that air on television today.” Beals speaks the truth. So what’s going on in tonight’s episode for Teresa? “Teresa is boxed in a corner and she has to figure out a way to get herself out of Gibbons’ box,” Beals teased. “In these last few episodes, we really play out [their dynamic] at warp speed. This episode starts it off and the last few just go like a bullet train. Tonight is seeing what kind of game Teresa can have to deal with the situation.” A game? “In the beginning, she feels like she has no moves that she can make,” she explained. “She’s looking at the chess board and going, ‘There’s nothing I can do.’ And then she finds a little hole to squeeze through. I think that she’s realizing she has lots of different cards to play that she didn’t necessarily see before.” And while Jarek is still Teresa’s main ally in the fight against Gibbons, Beals teased that her character will be branching out in the remaining episodes. “She’s starting to learn to extend herself beyond the CPD,” Beals noted. “Because Chicago is all about power. It is a city in love with power the way Washington is in love with power. People play that out through personal and city politics and the two come together quite often. And I think she’s learning to work outside the police department. I think she understands politics outside of the police department, but it’s parlaying that knowledge into a bigger arena.” THE CHICAGO CODE has a brand new episode tonight at 9 PM. Will you be tuning in? FX Announces Midseason Schedule, Premiere Dates for DAMAGES, NIP/TUCK and More Who Won AMERICAN IDOL? 2011 Comic-Con Schedule: Check Out When Fox Shows Will Have Their Panels Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Tuesday, August 7, 2012 BONES: Stephen Nathan Previews Brennan’s ‘Emotional Upheaval,’ the Sniper’s Victim(s), a Valentine’s Day Episode and More Filed under #1 featured, The Chicago Code Comments Off on THE CHICAGO CODE’s Jennifer Beals Teases Teresa’s Fight Against Gibbons	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1019
__label__wiki	0.928381	0.928381	Family of British Student Slain in Jerusalem Laments 'Senseless and Tragic' Attack Hannah Bladon, who was studying archaeology and religion in Jerusalem, was stabbed to death by a mentally unstable Palestinian This undated image released Saturday, April 15, 2017 by the British Foreign And Commonwealth Office shows British tourist Hannah Bladon, who was stabbed to death in Jerusalem on Good Friday. Credit: /AP The family of Hannah Bladon, the British student stabbed to death by a Palestinian in Jerusalem as she traveled on the light rail close to the Old City, described her killing as a "senseless" tragedy. British student killed in Jerusalem stabbing attack; assailant mentally unstable Wary Israel tried to conceal East Jerusalem's annexation in 1967, documents reveal After Egyptian terror attacks, Jerusalem’s Coptic Christians strive to keep up the spirit “Hannah was the most caring, sensitive and compassionate daughter you could ever wish for,” a statement by the family said. >> Get all updates on Israel and the Palestinians: Download our free App, and Subscribe >> Bladon was in Israel as part of a student exchange program with the Hebrew University in Jerusalem as part of her religion, theology and archaeology studies at the University of Birmingham. Her murder took place as Jerusalem was was packed with Christians from around the world celebrating Good Friday and Jews enjoying Passover. "Hannah was a talented musician, part of a serving team at her local church and a member of her local archaeological group. She was an enthusiastic rugby player and a keen Derby County supporter. “She was driven and passionate and her death leaves so much promise unfulfilled. Our family are devastated by this senseless and tragic attack," her family said. Gamil Tamimi, the man who allegedly carried out a deadly stabbing attack in Jerusalem on April 14, 2017.Credit: Emil Salman Israeli policemen block a road where the light train passes following a stabbing attack just outside Jerusalem's Old City, according to Israeli police April 14, 2017.Credit: AMMAR AWAD/REUTERS Bladon, 20, was allegedly stabbed by Gamil Tamimi, 57, a Palestinian from East Jerusalem who police said had recently been released from a psychiatric hospital. A psychiatric report said that he had grown increasingly aggressive and violent over the last month. In a Facebook comment dated January 24, Bladon wrote, "Security is really tight on campus so no worries." The comment was made on a photograph she posted of the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City. In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tied the attack to global Islamic terrorism. Israel’s envoy to the U.K., Mark Regev, condemned the attack on Twitter. “My thoughts are with the family and friends of U.K. student Hannah Bladon, who was murdered in a senseless act of terror in Jerusalem today,” he wrote. According to the Hebrew Univeristy, Bladon started her studies in Jerusalem at the end of January. "We extend our deepest condolences to her family and we share in their sorrow," it said in a statement. "The university condemns such acts of terror that harm innocent people, and especially a student who came to Jerusalem to study and widen her academic horizons," it said. The Israel Antiquities Authority, where she volunteered, sent "its deepest condolences to the Bladon family over the murder of their daughter, Hannah, in the stabbing attack that occurred on the light rail line in Jerusalem. "Hannah recently volunteered in the IAA excavation at Wilson's Arch in the Western Wall tunnels, and was supposed to return to the excavation after the holiday. May her memory be a blessing." Jerusalem's Hadassah Medical Center said the woman died soon after she was rushed there following the attack, despite efforts to save her. President Reuven Rivlin said in a statement that he is "filled with sadness" over the violence and that Israel's "thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim." He said, "this week thousands have come through the ancient gates of Jerusalem, to celebrate the feasts of Passover and Easter throughout the city - while the security forces work to ensure the safety of the dear residents and visitors to the city. And so we will continue to do," he said. "Terror can never overcome us. Terror will never destroy our lives here." The Shin Bet said the Palestinian had recently tried to commit suicide in hospital by swallowing a razor blade and that he was convicted of sexually abusing his daughter in 2011. "This is not the first time that a Palestinian suffering from personal, mental or moral distress has chosen to commit a terrorist attack in order to escape his problems," it said in a statement.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1027
__label__wiki	0.626345	0.626345	Currently Viewing Posts in Interview Sessions Interview: Chris Brogan on Podcasting & ROI of Social Media What I am always trying to do is tie a mainstream, real world metric to these goofy online metrics because I just don’t care how many video views we got, or what our Klout is. What I say is “Did the cash register ring?” If the answer is yes, then we met our goal. This is part 2 of our interview with author, blogger and social media expert Chris Brogan. Over the last few years there has been a greater adoption of social media by companies looking to use social platforms to connect with consumers. Chris Brogan has been busy speaking, blogging and advising companies on how to do just that for the last 12 years as one of the biggest rock stars in the social media world. Brogan is co-author of New York Times bestsellers The Impact Equation and Trust Agents, (both cowritten with Julien Smith) and author of Social Media 101 and Google Plus for Business. Both in his roles as CEO & President of Human Business Works, co-founder of the PodCamp new media conference series and as a blogger himself, Brogan has a long history of shaping the way that companies approach the social web. Flightpath took the opportunity to speak with Brogan about his take on how companies could better utilize social media, measure ROI and just do social better. In your book, The Impact Equation you have an equation for success that includes platforms, ideas and so forth. What do you think companies are missing as part of the equation? Brogan: The real hope of the book is letting people know how you get your idea to resonate with people in such a way that they take action. What Julien Smith and I who wrote the book together, found and believe is that everyone seems part of this figured out. They might have a great idea, but not a big enough platform for anyone to see it. They might have an amazing idea and an amazing platform but they haven’t found a way to connect with people so that people can run with the idea. I think that getting that whole set of chains to turn the same way and pull the same gear is what I am really working on the hardest. Flightpath: How have you seen the social space change over the time you have been in it? What has changed in 12 years is that we humans expect a much more custom, personalized humanized response in business. There was none of this in the 80’s and the 90’s. There was none of us going “Oh man, I didn’t hear back from someone specific at Delta, I got a form letter.” That is just how life was. I grew up with my family yelling at the TV, now everyone tweets at the TV. There are some vast differences, but I think it is all good stuff. Flightpath: I’ve known you for a long time from podcasting, and think it’s interesting that you are launching a new podcast, The Human Business Way. Within all the forms of social media, podcasting is really the one that never blew up and went so mainstream. So, I think its interesting that you are investing in podcasting as a way to get your messaging out. Do you think that podcasting still has the promise it did in 2006? Brogan: That is my favorite question so far. This is a really interesting time for this medium called podcasting. When we were at it, I didn’t get into it until like 2006 or 2005, but I know that you were in it before that even and that you have one of the longest running ones in the world. When I got into this space, I was just like everyone else in that space thinking this is going to be great- we are going to topple TV stations and the radio and the world is gonna be ours and I am going to buy a bunch of stickers, because that seems to be what everyone did. Then that collapsed because at the time no one had the technology you had to be like a PHD to figure out how to get the podcast onto whatever device. It was just so much work. Now we are in this world because I can record, edit and post from the my phone. The process is just much more streamlined now. At the same time, podcasting suddenly picked up a lot of news from the strangest of ways. So first off, all the nerds came and made podcasts and life was good for all 3,000 listeners that we shared. Then, the mainstream discovered podcasting and all they used it for was archival distribution of their mainstream junk and that was boring, although it got more people to listen. Now, these mainstream people who have said F you mainstream and they are becoming apart of this new thing like Kevin Smith and Adam Carolla and every other comic it seems has a podcast. They have brought new attention to podcasting people are seeing that they really can listen to whatever they want. So, the reason I invested in it is because it is right out of the Impact Equation. It is Contrast, not everyone has this kind of a show. It’s Reach- putting me into a whole new place that I haven’t been, like iTunes. I got an email the other day from a listener saying “This is great do you have a website” and I thought “This is great, I have made it.” Its one of these things where we think we shouldn’t be doing it, it’s not a great idea because is takes a lot of time. That is why I am gonna do it. I know it is a way to get more engagement with people. Flightpath: So the last question is a question that every social media marketer who deals with companies is posed. It is “What is the ROI of social media?” Just how do you answer that question, or do you not- or is it a terrible question? Brogan: I do it all the time, and I tell you what I do. I say that there is no blanket answer because what you really need to do is always this: you have to say that you are going to tie this activity, this effort, this event to a direct and obvious revenue stream So for example, if I am helping a beer company sell more beer, then I would do it through Facebook and through the bars. I would choose very specific bars and I would create very targeted promotions for the bars and do all kinds of work to pump that up via the social web. Then I would ask the beer company how many more cases of beer did the bar order this week versus last week and that is the measurement. In ROI, the first question should always be “What is the I?” If you put no money in and you are wondering where the return is, then you are obviously not doing it right. Second, if you are saying more what is the time involved to get a yield, then that is a harder question that is like asking how long does it take to grow a garden. To me, there are some different metrics to look at in that case. What I always look at specifically in ROI is a real world number that I can move with an online technology. Read Part 1 of our interview with Chris Brogan here. Posted in Interview Sessions Tags: chris brogan, chris brogan interview, chris brogan podcasting, chris brogan social media, Facebook, podcasting, social media marketing, social media roi, social media strategy Interview: Chris Brogan on Humanizing Social Media – Part 1 To me this is the hardest and most difficult challenge, because I have to explain to a business that should you treat customers like real live humans. That you should give them incredible, concierge class service and that should you do this it is going to change so much more than you can measure in a spreadsheet. Flightpath: One of your gifts, and probably a huge reason why you have become such a force in social media is your outgoing personality and ability to make everyone you talk to feel important. You are also very successful transcribing this emotional connection across social media platforms. So, how do you advise companies to connect emotionally with consumers? Brogan: The answer to that is a little challenging because when I go in there and tell companies you really have to really connect with emotion, their eyes go up into the top of their heads. They say ‘Oh I thought there was some kind of software we could buy and a switch we could toggle and then we could go back to thinking about our golf game later.’ It’s really difficult because every time I’m telling people that this is a great way to get more value, what I am also saying is that this takes more work. I had a conversation with a woman who she runs the Microsoft New England Research and Development Center here in New Boston and we were talking about those experiences you have when you write a company complaint, challenge or question and you get a very personal response back. In her case, a specific kind of ice cream that was supposed to be showing up at Whole Foods that she loved from the West coast and it just wasn’t in the store. So, she wrote the ice cream company and got a letter back from the CMO (this is email not even the social web) but she could tell it wasn’t a form letter- it was a very personal letter right to her. It wasn’t like she wrote it as a woman who runs Microsoft, she wrote is as a woman who likes ice cream. The CMO responded very personally and said ‘Well, it’s a brand new deal and distribution might be a little slow. I’m really sorry but you might want to look for these 4 flavors.’ What came back from this, of course, is that she tells everyone this story. She told me this story. To me this is the hardest and most difficult challenge, because I have to explain to a business that should you treat customers like real live humans. That you should give them incredible, concierge class service and that should you do this it is going to change so much more than you can measure in a spreadsheet. Flightpath: There is so much process that agencies go through to come up with those canned responses and they all seem to begin with ‘We appreciate your concern, thanks for your input’. So should agencies working on behalf of clients dealing with a disgruntled customer situation use canned responses or are you saying that all social customer service responses be custom? Brogan: I think that it is so easy to do a hybrid of that. It is so easy to do. You can do 2 or 3 paragraphs of the absolutely canned stuff, and if you add one sentence at the beginning and one at the end it feels very custom. That is what I advise. Now believe me, there is times when there is a canned response required. Say Kindle Whispernet goes down and every Kindle owner cant get get a book or something like that. That is a great time for a canned response. And that’s fine, but I don’t even believe that volume is an excuse. I think that if it is a huge outage kind of a thing, than that is an announcement not a correspondence. I think that the opportunity for custom is when anything comes outside of the typical workflow. If someone is really mad because they missed their plane that is a perfect time for a personal message. If this person spent the time to complain than they are worth the time to reply to, because what you do next decides where they spend their next dollars. Flightpath: Marketers of course want to impact purchasing decisions and often the question they come to agencies with is which platform they need to maximize impact. How do you move the conversation away from tools and back to the importance of building human connections? Brogan: It’s so funny because in working with a lot of people in this space, I always get tool questions. I will be in a roomful of people and I will be saying, “How did your grandparents sell? How did they buy 50 years ago?” and they will be like “What does this have to do with Pinterest?” and I will be like nothing. This has zero to do with Pinterest. This is not the future, we do not have jet packs. We are not wearing foily costumes. What I need to tell agencies, marketers and business professionals of all kinds is that the tools are always in service of the work and the work is a lot simpler than the fear that goes into the tools. The reason we ask so many tool questions is we are so afraid of using them wrong. We are afraid of this Brave New World feeling of being on a social platform. But, the more you use the tools to convey real legitimate human experience and the less you use the tools to emulate methodologies that agencies worked on from past experience, the better the opportunity. The other thing I tell agencies all that time is that your job is no longer to be the voice of the company. Your job is to be the ears of the company and to help the company be their own voice.It is time for companies to reclaim their own voice. So, agencies have this opportunity to be listeners/teachers. Professional listening is a huge opportunity. That is a vast shift from the way that things are going. Read part 2 of our interview with Chris Brogan here! Tags: brogan, chris brogan, impact equation author, social customer service, social media, social media best practices, social media customer service, social media marketing, The impact equation, trust agents author Interview: Jenny Finkel of Prismatic A major trend of the modern Web experience is targeting: Offering users content that directly reflects their interests. It’s what drives online advertising and what may also drive, to a greater and greater extent in the future, the way we receive our news and information. Prismatic, a new site and iPhone app, hopes to take targeting and customization to a new place by linking with users’ Facebook, Twitter or Google+ profiles to offer personalized news feeds. And it actually works really well. To mark last month’s launch of the Prismatic iPhone app, Flightpath spoke with Jenny Finkel, Prismatic’s Chief Software Architect, about the launch of Prismatic, where it has succeeded and where it has faced hurdles, and why releasing a mobile version was so important. Flightpath: Let’s start off with the genesis of Prismatic. Where did the idea come from? Jenny Finkel: That all predates me. It was originally Brad [Cross, Prismatic CEO]’s, idea. And I honestly don’t know what his mindset going in or his motivation was, other than that he just thought that none of the news readers out there were very good at providing you content. A lot of the stuff out there currently is much more design-focused than it is tech-focused for actually getting you good stuff. So I think he just saw an opportunity for building a better product, especially since it’s a space that’s not really dominated by anyone yet. Flightpath: And when did it launch? Jenny Finkel: It depends on how you define “launch.” We’d been having beta users for probably a year. And then the website opened around April. But in our minds, the real launch [was actually last month] when the iPhone app came out. In our minds, I think the website was meant to be the training ground for the iPhone app, because there was a lot of algorithmic stuff we had to get right. The iPhone [version] is the real deal, I think. I’m very excited about it. Flightpath: When exactly did you come on board, and what’s your role there? Jenny Finkel: We just hired a sixth person, but until a couple of weeks ago there were only five us, and only three engineers. So when you’re a startup with three engineers, you have to be a jack of all trades and you have to do everything. Everyone worked on the iPhone app, even though I never coded anything for the iPhone before; everyone works on the back end stuff for things like performance and reliability and scaling up. So really, I do everything. But the things that I focus on, when we’re not in a mad dash to get an iPhone app out, is the language stuff. Language and machine learning. I did the algorithm for doing topic classification. Another thing is the topic suggestions, for instance – looking at your Facebook account and scraping it and trying to guess the things you’re interested in. My main focus is anything that has to do with human language and extracting some meaning out of it. Flightpath: How has the launch of the website and what you’ve learned from it informed what you’re doing with the app? Jenny Finkel: It’s hard to give a concrete example because it’s really an iterative process. We’ll have some idea and we’ll put it out, and either people will use it or they won’t, or they’ll send us feedback. We read every piece of feedback we get and pay attention to them. It’s more an issue that there’s a lot of things we know we still have to do, and the feedback tells us what’s important to people. And so that tells us how to prioritize. Flightpath: And what is important to people? Jenny Finkel: Well, the biggest thing that people complain about that we haven’t done yet, is banning topics and publishers. There’s a lot of demand from people who say, “Look, I don’t want to see an effing cat picture ever again.” Or, “I hate TechCrunch. I never want to see anything from TechCrunch.” That’s one that we’ve gotten a lot of noise for. It’s much more [about] little things. We recently changed the way the share box worked, just how it pops up and stuff. And then you see what happens. You see, do the number of shares go up or down? We’ll do a version, and there’s something about it that’s weird that we didn’t think of, and then we get enough complaints that we can figure out what the problem is and then tweak it. A lot of the feedback is design things for how to do the interactions. Flightpath: Is that helpful? Jenny Finkel: Yeah. It’s immensely helpful. Because it really helps solidify what people care about and what they don’t. It used to be the case that you could do multi-share. You opened up the share box, and it was defaulted to Twitter, and then you clicked on Facebook, you’d be sharing to both Facebook and Twitter. This is something that I had fought against from the beginning, because I thought it was confusing, and that most people who multi-shared were doing it by accident. They thought that they were just sharing to one and didn’t realize what happened. And we took it out to see if people would complain, and we got like, maybe three complaints total. That’s enough to indicate that no one really cares about multi-share, and it’s fine that we took it out. Flightpath: What do you think you’ve done right? What have been the real successes? Jenny Finkel: I think the core algorithm is really good. It’s got room for improvement – it will always have room for improvement – but I think the core nature of how we decide what to show you is right, and is good, and is much better than anyone else out there. So in my mind, that’s the biggest success. There’s tons of things to tweak, but with the core algorithm, I believe we pick out the right stuff. We get tons of feedback from people who are like, “I find things that I love that I never would have found elsewhere, from you.” That’s the overwhelming feedback, so I think that’s the biggest success. Flightpath: And do you want to keep to the core of what Prismatic does right now, or do you want to bring in more social elements? Not just sharing stories, but maybe you connect to other Prismatic users that share your interests? Jenny Finkel: This is actually on our short-term roadmap. We have a whole lot of social stuff coming down the pipeline. So right now, the precursor, which isn’t all that useful on its own, is profiles. So if you want to, you can make your profile public and then other people can look at it. Maybe you’re like, “Oh, John’s interesting, maybe I can look at his profile and see what topics he’s added and maybe I want to add some [to mine].” Obviously, that’s pretty passive, so there’s no connections between them right now. One of the very next things that we’re doing is adding followings, so you can subscribe to your friends. We also want to do stuff with recommended users. You favorited these five articles, another person across the planet also favorited those five articles, you might want to check out their profile. You probably have stuff in common. That’s very much the future of where we’re going. Flightpath: You mentioned that the iPhone app was the real launch, and the website was a training ground. I’m curious why you say that. Jenny Finkel: I think it’s just the nature of how people read their news. Some people read it on their computer, and I’m actually in that boat. But for most people, it’s basically mobile-only. Mobile is the most important. People use their computers less and their phones more, and it’s only going to further shift that way. There’s just a lot of time when you’re not in front of your computer. Flightpath: And what are your hopes for the future of Prismatic post-iPhone app launch? Jenny Finkel: Shorter-term, there’s the stuff I was talking about with the profiles. Longer-term, I think we want to move out of news entirely to do other kinds of recommendations. Recommending music and movies and stuff to buy and I don’t know what else. If we have enough information on your friends and interests and what people click on, we should be able to do a reasonable job for some stuff. Imagine you’re a photography buff, and your friend just got some awesome new camera and shared it out. There’s a reasonable chance you’re going to care about that, and maybe you’re also going to buy it. So yeah, I think broader recommendations are a big thing for the long-term goal. Flightpath: Tell people why, if they haven’t heard of Prismatic or haven’t signed up for it, why they should. Jenny Finkel: Basically, if you want to find interesting things to read, I think it’s your best bet. I know that’s a simple answer, but that’s the one. Literally, when I procrastinate at work, I procrastinate on our website. [Laughs] Interview: John McElroy, Audiobook Producer By Dan Brooks With June being Audiobook Month, Flightpath took the opportunity to speak with audiobook producer John McElroy about the impact digital distribution has had on the business and much more. While the publishing industry – and pretty much every other traditional media business – has had its struggles in adapting to digital, one facet of the book world quietly, and successfully, embraced the non-physical platform early on: audiobooks. The audiobook business has been slowly growing over the last decade, with digital distribution playing a large role in increased production, sales and visibility. In 2011, downloads accounted for 52% of unit sales and 36% of dollar volume, and look no further than Amazon’s purchase of Audible as evidence of the upward swing that digital “books on tape” – a term that really no longer applies – have taken. John McElroy is the four-time Grammy winning producer, director and abridger of audiobooks such as America by Jon Stewart, Don’t Eat This Book by Morgan Spurlock and I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert, and for years has been one of the industry’s most in-demand creators. With June being Audiobook Month, Flightpath took the opportunity to speak with McElroy about his start in audio, the impact digital distribution has had on the business, and the (inordinate) amount of time it took to download an audiobook in the days of dial-up. Flightpath: I want to start off with your personal story. How did you get into publishing and audio? John McElroy: Publishing was really kind of by default. I’d just finished my Masters degree in English Literature, and I decided I didn’t want to go on for my PhD, and you know, what the hell else had I been trained for? I decided I’d go into publishing. I liked books, I knew about books. Of course, I didn’t know anything about publishing books. But I went into publishing, became the executive assistant to the Senior Vice-President of Sales and Marketing [at Penguin Putnam], who later became the President of Penguin (USA). And I met a friend there, who was kind of a special assistant to the president. When I subsequently went back to graduate school, I got a phone call from him one day, saying, “Hey, I’ve just become the head of Penguin Audiobooks.” I said, “Audiobooks? You mean like, spoken word?” Because I had just never heard that term, “audiobooks.” When I was a kid I used to listen to LPs of Boris Karloff reading X, or Basil Rathbone reading Y. But I never heard the term, audiobooks. So I started doing abridgments. This would be like, 1993 or 1994. In those days, the trade publishers were not putting anything but abridgments out there. The standard abridgment was about three hours, so you could imagine taking novels and cutting them down to a three-hour format. It was A) a challenge and B) there wasn’t much left. But I did probably 60 abridgments in my first year, and I realized that I didn’t like working with other producers. I decided to go out on my own. I started as an independent producer. I picked up gigs, not only abridging, but producing the project as well. Flightpath: Was it hard when you started out, to go from abridging, which is one thing, to then having to direct people in the studio – their inflections, accents, and voices? It seems like a totally different skill. John McElroy: That’s true. First of all, it helps to be A) well-read and B) socially at-ease. But you certainly do build skill as you go along. I think when I started out, I was very, very afraid to ask for more than two takes of something. I would back off a bit. You just realize, you know, people are there to get it done right, you need it done right. And if one take doesn’t work, you need two. And if two takes don’t work, you need three. As a kid, I played a lot of music. You also develop a kind of musical ear. You have a sense of, “Well, that doesn’t really work. The inflection there doesn’t make any sense. The interpretation of the line doesn’t make any sense.” Occasionally, and you have to watch this with highly trained talent, you have to give them line readings. Some people appreciate it, some people don’t. [Laughs] But I don’t think there’s any way of preparing for this short of experience. You have to get involved, throw yourself in, and sink or swim. Flightpath: Was there a specific big break for you? John McElroy: My biggest break, I suppose, was in 1997. I was assigned to do the recordings for Charles Kuralt reading Winnie-the-Pooh. For people who don’t know who Charles Kuralt was, he was a big television journalist, who traveled all over the U.S., and had a [spoken in Walter Cronkite-esque voice] very famous rumbling way of speaking. He was a big Winnie-the-Pooh fan and it seemed to make sense. About a month after Kuralt finished doing this, he died. And it was because of this, the Grammy people decided to nominate him for Best Spoken Word for Children. I was actually named in the award. It was, “Produced by John McElroy and read by Charles Kuralt.” I said, “Oh, jeez. How am I going to win a Grammy Award? It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.” As we got closer and closer to Grammy time, the publisher began to think it’s a real possibility – we can win this thing. And we did. I’ve been lucky to win three others afterward. Flightpath: What’s your favorite out of all the audiobooks you’ve made? John McElroy: Well, I loved John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath. It was the first time it was ever recorded in its entirety. Dylan Baker [read it and] did a fabulous job. I hired a harmonica player to give me a series of kind of dustbowl pieces that I could use to mix into the project, and I think that really enriched it. I loved working on both Jon Stewart [audiobooks]. They’re very different approaches [than regular audiobooks]. Very heavily mixed, lots of sound effects and sound gags. Relatively complex for an audiobook. Flightpath: They’re almost like a new form of comedy album to me. They’re a little different from the actual book, they have sound effects, and they’re made to be funny. But they’re not like anything else. John McElroy: You know, that’s probably right, which is probably the reason the Grammy people kicked audiobooks out of the Comedy Album category. They think of the comedy album in terms of, “Eddie Murphy Live” and “Richard Pryor Live,” that kind of classic stand-up recorded live routine, and there’s something to that. One of the things about comedy and acting is, you work dialectically with the audience. The audience reacts to you, other people on the stage react to you, and that’s what creates the chemistry that makes the thing work. When you’re recording audiobooks, you’re alone in a booth. And in putting together those [audiobooks] with the cast of The Daily Show and Jon Stewart, they’re just incredibly funny people. Those little sound bites really work wonderfully, but you do need to weave them together and you do need to create a base of sound effects and ambiance that stitches it all together to make it funny, or to sustain the comedy. Those are what, four-hour programs? Four hours of comedy is hard to sustain. And I think it often does sustain itself in those albums, so I think they’re fairly successful. Flightpath: You’ve seen the publishing industry go through a lot of changes, both print-wise and on the audiobook end. With digital, all the old forms of media have taken their lumps. How do you think publishing, with audiobooks, is handling the transition to digital? John McElroy: The funny thing about the audiobook side of things is, we were involved in the digital side of things long before the print side was. We were actually creating these programs on Digital Audio Tapes – DATs – in the 90s, and we were recording to Pro Tools digital audio workstations. When the tapes went out and we started to record to CDs and hard disks, we no longer had to work in real time. We could process things far faster than we could ever process them in the past. In the past, if you needed to roll out an eight hour audiobook, you needed to do that in real time. But all of a sudden we could process things hundreds of times more quickly. The cost of production dropped significantly. When cost dropped, you could produce not just three-hour audiobooks, but six-hour audiobooks and nine-hour audiobooks. Now we’re in an environment where almost no abridgment occurs. And the orders of magnitude in productivity, from the early 90s to now, is just phenomenal. Flightpath: Do you think that as things go more towards digital downloads, something is lost in not having the physical artifact? John McElroy: I’m skeptical of that. I think that there are some people who do love to have the physical artifact, to hold it. I can see that much more in the world of print, because that object is large enough, it’s visually attractive enough. That’s less the case in audiobooks, I think. It’s a miniaturized package of the book, so the art is blown down, you’ve got shrink wrap on top of it. You know, I guess there are people who really enjoy owning them. I’m a big consumer of audiobooks myself. I’m very happy with the downloaded version. There are digital rights management issues that make me a little uncomfortable; I bought this thing, why shouldn’t I be able to lend it to someone without any difficulty? But it’s a challenging environment in which to protect intellectual property, and I guess you need to make some allowances for that. Look, I can go away with an iPod or my iPad, and I’ve got 15 audiobooks on it. I’m a big enthusiast of the digital distribution of audiobooks. Flightpath: And how has digital distribution impacted you both as a creator and as someone in business for yourself in the industry? Has it changed anything on either end of the spectrum? John McElroy: Yeah. Let’s put it this way: My profit margins have gotten much narrower, but the volume of production that I do has grown enormously. Five years ago, I would do – and you could make a fair income off of this – maybe 45 productions in a year. I’ve done about 55 productions in the first half of this year. So, the tidal wave of content out there is huge. And I’m not sure what to make of that. I’m not a publisher, so I don’t really have full insight into that, but my guess is that publishers are struggling to get as much out there as possible so that they can cash in on any opportunity that may arise. They’re willing to take as many risks as possible, and because the cost of production has come down so much, it makes it a far less risky proposition to do the number of audiobooks that are now being done. Flightpath: Do you think digital distribution will have a negative impact in terms of fewer special features produced, such as author interviews, or less of an investment being made for high-quality sound and sound effects? John McElroy: Even when audiobooks attain some level of complexity – let’s say the Jon Stewart pieces or the Star Wars audiobooks – they’re not so complex that you can’t go to a distributor and say, “Can’t we sell this with a higher definition codec that’s not mono and acknowledges the full range of material that’s in the program?” And my guess is that most distributors will realize that, yeah, we can’t turn a heavily mixed stereo product into a successful mono product. To that extent, it’s very much in the interests of the distributors to accommodate, and my feeling is that they’re not going to have to do that awfully much. As bandwidth grows, as the speed of computers goes up up up up, and the sophistication of codecs develop, you just have to be able to retain a certain level of quality in the downloads. Are they same quality that you would get out of a CD right now? Probably not. But it’s good enough to really sit and listen and enjoy the tales being told on audiobooks. And I think the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The digital distribution of audiobooks has grown many times over the past five or six years, and it shows no signs of stopping. You have extremely successful young adult books, you have people in their 60s, 70s, and 80s listening avidly, and everything in between. It really doesn’t show any sign of going away. Flightpath: I remember when Audible launched. I don’t know if people were sure what was going to happen with it, but now it’s a household name. John McElroy: Audible was around in the mid-90s. If you saw what they used to download things onto – I think it was called the Rio – I’d be shocked if those players held anything more than a hundred megabytes. Flightpath: It could hold like, three paragraphs from a book. John McElroy: [Laughs] Well, it was a heavily compressed format, so it was not full fidelity by any means. And because almost everybody by that point was using dial-up, you’d download these things overnight. I guess a 10-hour book would probably take around that long to download. Flightpath: You could read the book in that time! John McElroy: Exactly right! I thought they were kind of looney. But you know, things change. And they really saw around the corner. When broadband internet took off, so did Audible. I think I downloaded War and Peace in 15 minutes or something. This company [became] a public company, and then a company purchased by Amazon. And Amazon certainly knows something about distribution over the internet. Flightpath: Do you think audiobooks is the one form that has really benefited from digital distribution? John McElroy: I don’t really know enough to say that. [Laughs] But if my business is representative of anything, it’s the huge increase in volume of audiobook production in the United States. Just go to a site like Audible.com and see the number of audiobooks available. It’s pretty staggering. Interview: Richard Gottlieb of Global Toy Experts Scratch an architect and you will find a former Lego fanatic. In fact it both impedes (think the lack of women in the hard sciences) and speeds (again think of Lego) children into what they will study in college and turn into careers. If you are in the toy industry, then you probably know Richard Gottlieb. As CEO of Global Toy Experts, he is a well-known toy industry expert with years of toy industry experience in helping small, medium and large toy manufacturers increase their market share. He frequently speaks at toy industry conferences, and was named Ambassador to the United States for the Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair in Nuremberg, Germany. In recognition of his prominence in the toy industry, Richard is member of the National Toy Hall of Fame voting committee. We spoke to Richard about the growth of tech in the toy industry and his passion: challenging the gender bias in the toy industry. Flightpath: How important is the tech toy category for the toy industry? Richard Gottlieb: Moore’s Echo is a law that, when it was first pronounced, said that whatever is cutting edge technology will be a toy in 20 years. It is now down to about 7 years and dropping rapidly (that is according to my contacts at the MIT Media Lab). When you consider that the cost difference between domestic drones and toy drones is negligible you realize that there is a blurring between what is a toy and what is not. Flightpath: Have tech toys changed the way children play? Richard Gottlieb: It has allowed adults to play like children (think iPhones and iPads) and children to play like adults (think LeapPad explorer which is for all extents and purposes an iPad for three year olds). Flightpath: Do the toys we play with as children play a role in the paths men and women take in careers? Richard Gottlieb: Absolutely. Scratch an architect and you will find a former Lego fanatic. In fact it both impedes (think the lack of women in the hard sciences) and speeds (again think of Lego) children into what they will study in college and turn into careers. Flightpath: Tech toys for adults seem to be still marketed to men. How are tech toys created for children marketed? Richard Gottlieb:It is actually the most gender blind segment. Unlike toy ads and merchandising, there is little in the way of gender identification via color and license. Flightpath: This past holiday season we saw some backlash including the YouTube video of a little girl questioning the gender specific marketing strategy of the toy industry while standing in the pink toy aisle. Do you see evidence of a change coming when it comes to gender specific toy marketing? Richard Gottlieb: Hamleys, the world’s most venerated toy store, recently announced it was doing away with gender based signage and merchandising. Toys R Us told me that due to the seminar I did with them on gender and toys they increased the number of girls depicted in their Christmas toy catalog. Interview: Meghan Cross of StyleCaster StyleCaster recently had a makeover enhancing their news site and social hub for the fashion and beauty community. We interviewed Meghan Cross, Director of Communications, about the new layout, trends and the philosophy behind StyleCaster as told by their fearless leader Ari Goldberg “At one time, content was king; but today, conversation is king.” Back in the day you couldn’t wait until the latest issue of Vogue to come to your door step, find out trends for the upcoming season and plan accordingly for your fashion and beauty acquisitions. Nowadays, it just seems like you can get up to the minute news, trends and fads within seconds, catching yourself saying, “Ugh, that was so 20 seconds ago. I’m all about neon right now!” Meet one of the morning reads in the Flightpath office: StyleCaster. Their mission? Bring “Style to the People.” The site has undergone a recent makeover allowing the style community to easily interact with each other, bloggers and editorial staff, taking the power of content and conversation to the next level with a visual layout inspired by Tumblr and Pinterest. Flightpath recently checked in with Meghan Cross, Director of Communications at StyleCaster, to discuss the new and improved Stylecaster and how the site has become a social hub for the fashion and beauty community. Flightpath: How did StyleCaster come about? Was there a specific inspiration, or a void you recognized in the online space? Meghan Cross: Since day one, StyleCaster’s mission has been to bring Style to the People. What this means is, we empower people who are enthusiastic about style by giving them a platform where they can not only read content about the latest trends, but they can also be active members of the conversation. Flightpath: What makes StyleCaster stand out from other sites? Meghan Cross: With the new site that we launched last week, StyleCaster has become the first place where you can share and discover style alongside premium editorial content. People worldwide now have the opportunity to engage with everyone from bloggers and thought-leaders to designers and retailers in one style-centric environment: StyleCaster.com. Flightpath: How would you describe the StyleCaster community? Meghan Cross: The StyleCaster community is a growing group of 2.5 million unique monthly visitors who are engaged, plugged-in, and ready to talk style. They Tweet, Like, Digg, Pin, Poke, Check-in, and – most importantly – check-out what [others are] sharing on StyleCaster. And depending on what they think of those StyleCaster submissions, they Love. Flightpath: You’re not only the “one stop shop for fashionistas,” but for beauty junkies as well with Beauty High. Was that in the works from the beginning or was there a demand for more coverage in beauty? Meghan Cross: StyleCaster introduced Beauty High about a year ago when we realized the appetite for it within our community. Fortunately, StyleCaster’s extremely insightful beauty team was able to create so much compelling content and conversation within the past year that Beauty High has now taken a digitally viral life of its own. Flightpath: How did social media help you take the site(s) to the next level? Meghan Cross: From the get-go, our savvy social media guru made sure to leverage our alert Twitter following to build brand awareness and drive readers to Beauty High, through everyday tweets via @StyleCaster as well as our weekly #StyleChat. Every Wednesday at 3pm ET, @StyleCaster hosts a virtual office hours to help you answer all of your style questions, using the hashtag #StyleChat. Given the success of this weekly dialogue (we’ve had everyone from @Bergdorfs and @JBrandJeans to @WhiteGirlProblems co-host!), we have @BeautyHigh kick off their own #BeautyChat this past Friday. Definitely jump in this week for fun tips and tidbits. Flightpath: You recently held the State of Style summit – can you tell us about it and what you’ve learned from it? Will you be holding more summits in the future? Meghan Cross: Sure! StyleCaster held the inaugural State of Style Summit at 92YTribeca on February 7th, just in time to kick off New York Fashion Week. We worked closely with 92Y and Ford Motor Company to provide the counterpoint narrative to Fashion Week. The Summit united the industry’s most inspiring tastemakers, including Lauren Bush, Rebecca Minkoff, one of my professional role models, Tom Florio, and even my former Cornell Professor Van Dyk Lewis, in order to advance the conversation around new media and style. What we learned was that the industry needs a platform to converse. Both consumers and thought-leaders have a true appetite for open dialogues over one-way content. Believe it or not, we planned the entire event in 60 days, so it was exciting to say the least. And given the positively humbling feedback, we will most certainly hold our second semi-annual State of Style Summit in time to kick off September’s Fashion Week. Flightpath: What is important for both brands and sites to understand about using new media to their advantage? Meghan Cross: StyleCaster’s fearless leader Ari Goldberg always says, “At one time, content was king; but today, conversation is king.” This gem of a one-liner is what StyleCaster sleeps and breathes when we work with brands, bloggers, fellow publishers, and – of course – the everyday style enthusiast. The goal of StyleCaster’s new platform is to be the homepage of style, where you can have a sophisticated dialogue, with a tone set by our expert editors. Flightpath: Do you see style and beauty as a breakout social media leader? Like what the automotive category was to television? Meghan Cross: Style and beauty are visual industries, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned from the success of Instagram, Pinterest, StyleCaster’s recent launch, and even Facebook tagging, [it’s that] we all love some imagery. Online tools become viral phenomena if they’re visually-inclined, especially if they help us share pictures of the springtime neons our friends are wearing. Flightpath: Thoughts on Pinterest, the Fancy or other similar user curated photo communities? Seems like everyone has a heightened style IQ and are only getting more intelligent all the time. Meghan Cross: That’s definitely the point! Communities where you can share your flare are what empower people to become experts, especially when there’s editorial content to set the tone for the conversation. What I like most about the new StyleCaster.com is that all submissions are ranked by popularity, as decided upon by everyone, so you can really determine what sticks in the style community in a very tangible way. Flightpath: Where do you fit in with this trend? What does it mean to the style industry as a whole? Meghan Cross: The front seat at Fashion Week is no longer a coveted spot where one person can sit and set the trends. Susie Q in Idaho with a huge Twitter following can just as easily convince her friends that floral denim is the next best thing. That’s what StyleCaster and Style to the People is all about! Flightpath: What do you love most about being in the style/beauty business? Meghan Cross: There is so much budding creativity buzzing about the business – from visual gurus and stylists to designers and every editor in between – that I’m constantly stimulated and entertained. (Plus, at StyleCaster’s HQ, I’m always surrounded by experts who can give me some very helpful tips on a far-too-regular basis!) Tags: Ari Goldberg, beauty, BeautyHigh, Bergdorfs, fashion, Ford Motor Company, Instagram, J Brand, Lauren Bush, Meghan Cross, New York Fashion Week, NYFW, Pinterest, Rebecca Minkoff, social media, Style of Summit, StyleCaster, The Fancy, twitter, Web Design, White Girl Problems Interview: Jessica Chobot of G4 and IGN – Part 2 Concluding Flightpath’s two-part interview (in case you missed it, here’s part one) with Jessica Chobot of G4 and IGN, the videogame and tech reporter talks the impact of smartphones on portable gaming, when we’ll know games have really been accepted into the mainstream, and why she sometimes enjoys checking out bad games just as much as the good ones. Flightpath: Portable gaming is in a weird place right now, especially with smartphones having a bigger impact and being more of a threat to Nintendo and Sony than anyone may have thought. Where do you see the portable gaming industry going in relation to what’s happening with smartphone games? Jessica Chobot: I think you’re gonna always have a market for handheld consoles in regards to PS Vita and 3DS and DS in general. But I don’t know if that market will grow beyond what it already has within it. The console market for portables, in that regard, I think might be cornered, because of the fact that the games on things like the iPad or your smartphone are getting to the point where they’re just as entertaining or just as beautiful or just as good. And [they are] a little bit more available for your everyday person that might not consider themselves a gamer, but doesn’t realize that they’ve spent 50 hours playing Farmville or Infinity Blade. So I don’t think that the handheld market is necessarily going to go away, I just think that maybe it’s going to continue on the path that it already has established. And if anything, because of those systems having to keep up with things like the iPad, [they’re adapting]. An example would be the PS Vita – now it has apps and it’s starting to develop ways within itself to compete with tablets and phones and things of that nature. It would be interesting to see what would happen to it maybe in the next 10 years versus like, the next three. I think there needs to be a little bit more time and better defined lines of what games on tablets can do versus what games on portable consoles can do. Flightpath: I think a lot of gamers feel that games don’t earn enough respect. I think back to Roger Ebert saying games are not art, and the reaction against him online was very strong. But I think they’ve arrived in the mainstream, especially since there’s a channel like G4. Jessica Chobot: I think they’re becoming more and more respected, obviously because of the accessibility of casual games – even though I hate that phrase – that you’d find on your smartphones and iPads. It’s introducing that world to a whole new group of people that might not have given videogames the time of day before. By giving them even just that small little intro through a Japan Life or a Sims game or an Angry Birds game – or however they end up find themselves within this group of gamers that they might not have ever thought of themselves in – they’re also going to have an understanding and respect for the other gamers that are really involved, that have the PlayStation 3, the PS Vita, the Wii U. What I’d like to see is that videogames are no longer used for an excuse when bad things happen in society. Once that goes away, that’ll in my mind, be the height of when videogames have earned that respect. And I think they’re on that way because of the fact that games are accessible and open to more people, and the people that grew up with things like an NES, the original PlayStation, the Dreamcast and the first Xbox – those people are getting older and having families of their own and they used to play all the time, and they understand that there’s nothing to be afraid of. Flightpath: The same thing happened with comics and with rock n’ roll. Jessica Chobot: Rock n’ roll’s my favorite example. Everybody’s like, “I can’t believe these groups of kids nowadays! They’re shooting up their schools because they’re playing too much Gears of War!” That’s the exact same argument that you, when you were a teenager, would get angry about in regards to your parents saying that Elvis couldn’t be shown from the hips down, because all the girls were going to burst out into whoredom. It’s ridiculous. It’s absolutely ridiculous. So to me, that will be the ultimate sign of respect from society, is when society stops using videogames as an excuse for when something goes wrong within it. As far as games not being art, it’s not even worth arguing with [Ebert] about, because in my mind he’s completely wrong. He’s just wrong. I don’t understand where he thinks the images from within games and advertising work comes from. I don’t even understand that. And I believe the Smithsonian actually has a section or has declared that videogames are art, and they’re actually accepting videogame conceptual art pieces. So yeah, when the Smithsonian says it’s okay, I think Ebert should just learn to be quiet. Of course, he backtracked. It was a completely ignorant statement on his part, and it just goes to show the generation gap. Flightpath: It reminds me of what Pete Townsend once said about rap music. He didn’t say whether he liked it or not, but he said something like, “It’s just our generation’s job to get out of the way.” I thought that was very smart. Jessica Chobot: Yeah. Even if he was to say he doesn’t like it, it’s fine to have an opinion and not like something. But it’s not okay to dismiss it across the board. Everybody’s allowed their opinion, but it’s another thing to just make a flat out statement and say everybody else is wrong and you’re right. Flightpath: Reviews for videogames, particularly online, tend to have a real importance for both the market and for developers. Maybe more than any other entertainment or arts field. Why do you think that is? Jessica Chobot: That’s a good question. It’s kind of a double-edged sword. They’re paid so much attention to because usually the people who are writing the reviews are hardcore fans themselves. Because they are such fans themselves, they really can speak the same language and reach out to the demographic that’s going to read them. Maybe I’m the exception to the rule, but I very rarely buy or not buy a game based off of somebody’s review. I’ll definitely read reviews just because I just want to hear what the game is about and what their experience was. But if I’m curious about that game, I will remain curious about that game and I’ll still go out and buy it even if that person eventually says you shouldn’t. Sometimes I buy it just because they say I shouldn’t and I’m like, “Oh, why is it so bad?” [Laughs] Flightpath: The Mystery Science Theater 3000 aspect. Jessica Chobot: Yeah, totally. And a lot of the people that I know still do that too. They’ll read the reviews and they’ll educate themselves. But at the end of the day they make the final decision. So I don’t know. Maybe the reason that the reviews are so taken to heart is just because these people are speaking the same language and they’re gamers the same as you and I, and they can walk the walk and talk the talk. So whether you agree with them or not, you’re still interested in what they have to say. And that’s probably both good and bad. Gaming journalism went through a phase a couple years back – and it’s still there, it’ll never really go away – of self-importance and for lack of a better phrase, [an] “our shit doesn’t stink” attitude, and how they’re entitled to know everything upfront. That, I’m glad to see, has kind of fallen by the wayside. Because at the end of the day, this is a business. It’s a great, awesome, fun business, but it is a business. And people’s jobs are on the line, and people’s reputations are on the line, and they’ve got families that they’re raising now so they need these paychecks. To have that kind of fanboy-flaming reporting on games is not the best way to approach it. Flightpath: What’s a typical day like at G4 for you? Jessica Chobot: It’s kind of the same as it was when I was with IGN. I’ll just get assigned certain things and I’ll do the research on them, whether it’s reading articles that other people have written and then playing the game myself, if it involves games. The biggest difference between IGN and G4 for me is that at IGN, I pretty much covered mostly games, and what was going on in the gaming industry. G4, I cover a little bit more about the culture as well. We [just] did a shoot with Gentle Giant, and we did a shoot with a DJ – things that aren’t necessarily about videogames, but people into videogames might also be into these things. So that’s cool. It actually has helped to do a little bit more and not lock me into one particular thing. A lot of what I’m doing over at G4 is less studio-based and a little bit more out-and-about and interacting with people and kind of on-the-fly, which I also really like. Because as much as I enjoyed doing The Daily Fix over at IGN, I was very limited as far as the personality I could bring across, because I have three minutes to tell you the news and that’s it. Whereas at these events for G4 where I’m going out there and reporting on stuff, I can have a little bit more of my personality come out and show people what it is about these things that I also find interesting and fun. So that’s nice. Flightpath: Is it different shooting things that are going out on TV as opposed to the Web? Do you feel more nervous or present yourself on camera differently? Jessica Chobot: I actually find working for TV a little bit easier. At the end of the day, a dot com is a dot com, and you’ve got smaller budgets and limited resources as far as who’s available to help shoot and put together a production. Whereas a TV station, that is what they’re dedicated to, and so it makes things a little bit smoother. But as far as me being in front of the camera and nervous and things like that, no. That’s actually not there. If anything, it’s making me improve faster because now I feel like there’s more of a variety of demographic watching me versus just hardcore gamers. And so I’ve got to learn to approach things that also then allows those people to be included in what it is I’m talking about. So I’ve learned to still have that fanboyism that I have for certain things, but try and make it as open to anybody that wants to view it. Flightpath: And what can we look forward to in 2012 from Jessica Chobot on G4 or anywhere else? Jessica Chobot: There’s some things coming out that are gonna be announced soon that I can’t necessarily talk about, but definitely keep your eyes peeled because they’re pretty awesome. Both in a videogame sense [Chobot was revealed to be playing a character featuring her own likeness in Mass Effect 3 shortly after this interview. – Dan] and in a non-videogame related sense. The one thing about doing what I do now is I’m able to go out and do things that aren’t even related to videogames at all, and that’s working out well, also. And then within G4, I’ll definitely be doing more reporting for them, for both X-Play and for Attack of the Show, and covering games and culture. I think we’ve got a couple of Rad Jobs segments coming up, and then also some of the games that I got to see at CES will be showing up – hands-on [time] with Bioware and the Kinect and how Mass Effect works with that, and then the Wii U, I finally got some hands-on time with. All that stuff is pretty interesting. So, there’s some things coming. [Sighs] Oh, how can I say it? Just really keep your eyes peeled in the next month. [Laughs] Posted in Interview Sessions, Trendspotting Few have mastered the art of smart-meets-fun tech and videogame reporting like Jessica Chobot. After a tongue-in-cheek photo of Chobot licking a Sony PSP went viral in 2005, she caught the attention of gaming site IGN, known for its authoritative reviews but less for its video content. That would change, as Chobot – an anime, videogame and tech nerd of the highest degree – became a writer and on-air host for the site, shepherding The Daily Fix, IGN Strategize and Weekly ‘Wood to high popularity. Transitioning to videogame/tech TV channel G4 last year, Chobot has emerged as one of the station’s rising stars, bringing her wry sense of humor and genuine enthusiasm to programs like Proving Ground as well as on-the-street reporting. Fresh from CES, Chobot recently spoke with Flightpath about her early days at IGN, the evolution of her in-front-of-the-camera style, and why a refrigerator was one of the highlights of CES. Flightpath: When you started at IGN, I remember as a fan, it seemed like they threw you right into the fire doing hosting and event coverage and writing. Jessica Chobot: The writing part wasn’t so bad. Looking back on it now, I realize that I was not nearly as good as I thought I was at the time. I’m kind of ashamed of what I wrote, actually. [Laughs] But you know, you always have to start somewhere. And that’s actually what I really wanted to do, was to be a writer/games reviewer for the site. However, I was only kind of doing it as a freelancer, and strictly for a paid section of our site, IGN Insider. So it was a pretty light gig, but I was still doing that out of Michigan at the time. And I wanted a full-time job at IGN. So, I told them what my goals were and that if they ever had any openings to call me, and they finally did. The opening though, was to do game reviews for cell phone games. And at the time, smartphones hadn’t come out yet. They weren’t really on the horizon any time soon. Flightpath: So these were like the Pong versions of today’s mobile games. Jessica Chobot: Oh, very, very basic games like Snake and things of that nature. Any game that went above and beyond just that, it was a worthy effort but they were never very good. And I didn’t like them, and I didn’t want to do that. Those were not games that I wanted to review, so I went ahead and said no thank you, and then hung up with them and realized, “Oh God, that was a huge mistake. I probably should have just said, ‘I’ll take it,’ and get over there – get over there being go to California – and work my way through the ranks.” So I called them back about 30 minutes later after the first phone call and said, “You know, I’ve been thinking about it and I’d love to revisit this conversation, because it sounds like a great opportunity.” And they were like, “Sorry, it’s gone,” and then basically hung up on me. And then for a week I was just crushed, because I thought I’d pissed away my opportunity to get out of Michigan and to do something within the videogame world. About a week later, a different person from IGN called me and said, “Hey, we’re looking to start doing videos and we need a host. Would you be interested?” I absolutely hated being on camera. I’m used to it now – I still get nervous now, but I know what to expect and how to control it. But at the time, I’d never done anything even remotely like hosting or being on camera and trying to make it sound natural and all that stuff. But I just kinda said, “Yeah,” just to get my foot in the door, and I wasn’t going to make the same mistake that I did with the first offer. So I accepted the position, moved out to California, and just did the whole sink-or-swim thing, and managed to swim pretty decently. If you look back at the stuff when I first started, I have a really thick mid-Western accent, you can tell that I’m really nervous, and it was very amateur hour. But it was good, because it was amateur hour for IGN too. They’d never had a video team before, and so over the next four to five years, we grew and learned how to do all of that stuff together. So yeah, it was one of those trial by fire moments, and it worked out. [Laughs] I got really lucky. Flightpath: And as that took off, was it hard to enjoy games like you used to, as you got more and more entrenched in the industry? Jessica Chobot: Yes and no. Yes, in the fact that there’s so much coming out all the time, and there’s so much news coming out all the time. I feel currently too, that I go through stages where I feel overwhelmed and want nothing to do with games. But at the end of the day, that is what I love. I love this job, I love videogames, I love the people that work within the industry; I love everything about it. I always come back to sitting down and playing and really getting invested in it. The one thing I have learned though, is that to keep myself from getting burnt out as often, I only try and play the games that I really, really like. I’ll play a little bit of everything, but I really focus on the types of games that speak to me as a gamer, and that helps to keep me from feeling like it’s just this never-ending beat down of titles. So it actually worked out to my advantage – getting a job as host at IGN – because if I was to be an editor, I would have to play everything all the way through, no matter what. And so now I have to know what’s going on, but I get a little bit more freedom to be able to focus on the things that I like. Flightpath: After you became a host, you eventually developed this style of being very funny but also informative, and that’s carried over to what you’re doing with G4. Is that something you wanted to achieve or did it just come naturally? Jessica Chobot: You know, I think practice makes perfect, so in that sense, it was something I wanted to achieve. I would watch all of my shows and see the things I didn’t like and try to fix them while I was doing it. But also, I’m kind of a big goofball. That part comes naturally. I have no problem making fun of myself, and I have no problem making fun of others, and I have no problem having them making fun of me! And I actually find that that is the best way to approach it, because at the end of the day, this industry is fun. It’s all about fun. You can get philosophical about it – it makes billions of dollars, blah blah blah. You can talk about all the dry stuff, but at its core, it’s about playing games. And for me, I find that having a sense of humor and approaching things with a serious eye but a light-hearted attitude is the best way to make it entertaining for myself and for others. Flightpath: You just covered CES for G4. What was the coolest thing you saw? Jessica Chobot: That’s tough. I really liked the Toshiba glasses-free 3D [television]. They’ve got it set up where it’s finally starting to make sense to try and have it as your own personal home entertainment. Basically, what they’ve done is made it so that up to six people can sit in a room and watch 3D. Granted, those six are still locked in a fixed position so that the 3D is best for them. But if you wanted to watch 3D with a group of friends, you can. That’s really cool, but the thing that really struck a chord with me is that they have a camera built into the frame of the TV that has facial-recognition [technology]. So if you want to watch 3D just by yourself, you flick a little switch, the camera locks on to your face and tracks you around the room. So you can see 3D no matter where on the couch you are, [and] you’re no longer stuck in that one spot, without glasses. To me, that is really finally going down that road where I see it as something I would want to pick up. I liked a lot of the TVs. [Laughs] Samsung has a Super OLED smart TV. They didn’t give us a time for when it was getting released or cost. But it’s super super sharp, super beautiful. The colors are amazing. And because it’s a smart TV, it has facial recognition, voice recognition, and it also tracks your movement. So you really truly do not ever have to hold or screw around with a remote. You can do everything through voice or through gesture. They said that the facial recognition is good enough that if you select a group of preferences – let’s say you watch a lot of X-Play – if you sit down in the room and turn on the TV, it will recognize that it’s you sitting there and will pull that up as one of your preferences. So to me, that’s pretty outstanding. Flightpath: Unless you live with your twin. Then, it could be a problem. Jessica Chobot: Yeah, I forgot to ask if they’ve tested it with twins or not. [Laughs] I didn’t do that. But that’s very sharp. I should do that next time. So the TVs really impressed me, and this also was the first year I covered a home appliance. LG has this fridge called the Blast Chiller, and it can perfectly cool a can of soda or any kind of 12 ounce beverage in five minutes. It does two cans in eight minutes and it does a bottle of wine in eight minutes. They did a demo there, and it really is perfect. Flightpath: I was wondering about the refrigerator. Because when I saw that, I was like, “I don’t know if this is the best thing or the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t figure it out.” Jessica Chobot: I mean, I don’t know how often you would use it. I think the bottle of wine thing, that would make sense to me. I don’t know how often I would use it for a soda, because you know, I go shopping and instinctively put my soda in the fridge. I guess if you want one right off the bat, that would work. But then by the time you go to your second or third soda, it’s fine. [Laughs] Flightpath: It’s also like, it’s just soda. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Jessica Chobot: Yeah. [Laughs] It’s good to go. Flightpath: And what was the dumbest thing you saw? Jessica Chobot: We actually didn’t waste our time covering the dumbest thing. I pretty much was shuttled from one spot to another spot as far as what we were going to cover, so I didn’t really have a lot of exploration. But I’m sure there’s plenty of dumb things out there. From previous CES’s past that I attended through IGN, I remember there being a lot of really unnecessary Nintendo Wii third party controller attachments. Flightpath: Like a tennis racket shell that does nothing. Jessica Chobot: Yes, like tennis rackets or boxing gloves or golf clubs. Just dumb stuff that maybe if you have a kid you could justify it that way, but I can’t imagine that anybody cared about those things. Flightpath: I think my parents might have bought them all. Jessica Chobot: Oh, gosh! The tennis rackets too? No! That’s a shame. Flightpath: I was not going to ask you any PSP-lick questions, because I know you’re probably sick of that. Jessica Chobot: [Laughs] Flightpath: But my boss said to me, “I was watching G4 last night and saw Jessica Chobot at CES. And there were a bunch of guys standing around her, chanting for her to lick the PS Vita.” He was confused because he has no idea about the origin of it. I just think it’s funny, because now there’s been enough distance where people like my boss might see references to the PSP thing, but not know where it comes from. Now it’s this whole other thing of, “Why is this happening?” Jessica Chobot: Yeah. It’s been a long time since that first happened. That’s weird, I’ve never thought about it from the perspective of people that might just find out about me now, and are like, “What is the deal?” It’s just an inside joke for those that have followed me for the last five or six years. It’s kind of like my hit ’80s single at this point. It is what it is, and it’s gonna both follow me and potentially haunt me for the rest of my days. [Laughs] And that’s fine. At the end of the day, it’s a meme. I think it’s kinda awesome. Be sure to come back on Thursday for part 2 of our interview with Jessica Chobot! Tags: G4, IGN, jessica chobot, jessica chobot interview Interview: Ethan Nicolle, Co-Creator of Axe Cop – Part 2 In the conclusion of our two-part interview (in case you missed part 1, you can find it here) with comic book artist and writer Ethan Nicolle, co-creator of Axe Cop and creator of Bearmageddon, we discuss his younger brother’s inevitable growing up and what that means for Axe Cop, why playtime isn’t much fun to talk about, and how Bearmageddon – an awesome mashup of B-movie horror, comic book action and smart comedy – still has heartfelt, real-life sentiment. Flightpath: You mentioned in the commentary during the first Axe Cop trade paperback that at a certain point, Malachai is going to reach an age where he’s a little more conscious of the comic and he’s going to change, like all kids do. Do you think Axe Cop will continue through that, or do you see it coming to an end when the innocent way it’s created can no longer be? Ethan Nicolle: Yeah, I don’t know. I think one fun aspect of Axe Cop has been that Malachai is constantly changing. Every time I talk to him to come up with new stories, he’s on a whole different kick. He’s grown up a bit more, he’s thinking about different things, his mind is rapidly developing. So I mean, even Axe Cop today is not the same Axe Cop he was two years ago when we created him. [Laughs] It’s fascinating to see Axe Cop mature. I’m just kind of wide open to whatever. We probably will take a break here and there, and we’ve kind of been taking a break. I’m working on Axe Cop material I got from him back in April, I got a bunch of material for a new miniseries and stuff. So we talk on the phone maybe once or twice a month, and that’s about all we do together on it right now. It’s all me drawing all the stuff that we got. Yeah, so I don’t know what comes next. We’ll feel it out. At some point we’ll go, “You know, this is kind of tired. So we should give it a rest or shut the door.” Flightpath: The Internet can sometimes be an ugly place in terms of comments and people trolling. There’s a lot of positivity around Axe Cop, but I’m sure you get the occasional jerk. I’m guessing you can take it, but do you shield Malachai from that? Ethan Nicolle: He hardly ever even reads comments. He doesn’t even get why people want to sit there and talk about it. Once an episode is done, he’s done and on to the next thing. A lot of people want to interview him, and he doesn’t say much when they interview him, because he doesn’t understand why you want to sit there and talk about it when you’re done. He just sees it as playtime. So if you play with a kid, and then two days later you go, “Let’s talk about playtime the other day. What made you think about that? How’d you come up with that?” It’s like, “What? Why don’t we just keep playing? Why do we have to talk about it?” [Laughs] I don’t think that’s even on his radar right now. There’s an occasional curmudgeon on the Internet that freaks out and writes a blog about how stupid Axe Cop is and how he hates kids, and the guy just usually looks so ridiculous. He just looks so miserable – the person that writes it is always a guy – he just looks so angry, you kind of feel sorry for him. And usually there’s always a big reaction from people defending Axe Cop, which is great, but not required. So I mean, it happens every once in awhile, but I’ve actually been impressed. I don’t know if we’ve had any trolls on axecop.com. I don’t think we really have. There’s been a couple of people who’ve used bad language and I just deleted the comment. But other than that, people have been really respectful and I’ve been really impressed. Flightpath: As it’s gotten more successful, I’m guessing a whole other set of responsibilities have come your way – merchandising and marketing. Ethan Nicolle: That’s one of the tough things. I can only put so much time into that. I might be able to accomplish more if I could clone myself. One thing that’s definitely helped has been that I now have a licensing company, Surge Licensing. They did all the licensing on the Ninja Turtles originally, and they’re huge Axe Cop fans, they love it. They’ve gotten a few things off the ground – they got a Halloween costume made, some tee-shirt deals, and the big thing that we got recently was Munchkin Axe Cop from Steve Jackson Games. It was really successful, and they said it was one of their bestselling Munchkin games. That’s been awesome. My online store is something that started out of necessity. I was dirt poor, I had no job when Axe Cop hit. I had had two jobs, and I had been laid off from both in the same week, about a month earlier. It’s really what made me able to dive into Axe Cop as a job, because even though it was getting tons of exposure, no one was paying anything for it. Flightpath: Is there any chance we might see Axe Cop action figures at some point? Ethan Nicolle: We’ve come close a couple of times. You’d think at the point we’ve gotten, that you’re gonna see something. There’s nothing for sure right now, but I just feel like there’s gotta be eventually. I mean, it’s an easy action figure, right? [Laughs] Flightpath: Just take one of the old C.O.P.S. toys… Ethan Nicolle: Yeah, just take a C.O.P.S. toy, slap an axe in his hand. We’ve actually had fans make them, and one guy at Comic Con gave one to Malachai at our panel. He still has it and was playing with it at Christmas. Flightpath: What have you found in terms of monetary support from people who read your comics online? I noticed you have a college fund for Malachai. Ethan Nicolle: You know, I’d have to talk to my dad, because he gets all the money directly for Malachai on that. I could always check, but I just never do. I don’t think it’s a ton, but it’s a little bit of money here and there. On Bearmageddon I put up “donate and get a free wallpaper,” and I’ve actually been impressed. They have the option of $1, $5 or $10, and the majority have been $5 and $10 donations. That’s really impressed me. We’ve probably had around 50 donations, and most of them have not been $1. There’s a thankfulness that people have online. A certain group are very kind. Flightpath: And what comes next for Axe Cop? Ethan Nicolle: There’s a third volume of Axe Cop coming out – I think it’s at the end of February – so I’m looking forward to that. It’s another collection of the online stuff. And then the new Axe Cop miniseries, which I’m working on right now, starts coming out in July. It’s called Axe Cop: President of the World, and it’s funny because we didn’t plan it out, but it’s going to be during the election. [Laughs] Flightpath: You also have Bearmageddon going right now, and I’m curious how you approach creating a webcomic like that, because it’s one continuous story and not standalone stories. Ethan Nicolle: It’s actually a script that I wrote. So I wrote the entire story out in film script format, and then I’m doing chunks of pages at a time. I’m working on basically three projects right now. I’m working on Axe Cop the webcomic, then I’m working on the new Axe Cop print-exclusive series that’s a follow-up to Bad Guy Earth, the other one we did with Dark Horse. And then I’m also doing Bearmageddon. I’ll just do a group of pages from each one at a time, and try and keep ahead of all of them, as much as I can. [Laughs] Flightpath: People should know that Bearmageddon is really not like Axe Cop. It shares certain sensibilities in that it’s funny and it’s violent, but it’s more an adult story. Ethan Nicolle: Yeah, it’s not for kids. Malachai’s a little mad at me that I’m making a project he can’t read. [Laughs] Flightpath: What are the plans for Bearmageddon? Will it be going for a long time? Will there be print versions as well? Ethan Nicolle: It’ll go as long as it takes to tell the story. Depending on how long it is, I might release it in two volumes, or I’ll just release it in one. I haven’t even talked to a publisher at this point because it’s still so early. My guess is that it’s gonna be around 200 to 250 pages. So it’ll still be awhile, because I’m only doing two pages a week. Flightpath: I noticed in a lot of your work, including Bearmageddon, that there’s a real blend of humor, action and gore. What’s that informed by? What did you enjoy as a kid growing up? Ethan Nicolle: I grew up on Ninja Turtles and stuff like that, but I did get into independent comics. I was a big fan of SLG [Publishing]. I’ve always had a thing for cheesy movies – Mystery Science Theater, I got into really big-time when I was younger, and that was kind of my gateway drug in getting into really bad movies on my own. I love the really bad violent movies, that are just over-the-top crazy. Stuff like Dead Alive, that are so violent and could never happen in real life. That kind of thing is hilarious to me. I guess I’ve always liked the combination of action/comedy, and I like action/comedy/horror too, which is a genre that I don’t think has been done a whole bunch. Shaun of the Dead is probably the best example. Ghostbusters is good. I like being a little more light-hearted, but still getting to have monsters. Just all the stuff that I love in entertainment. I love action and I love monsters, and I like to laugh. Flightpath: Not that I know you [Laughs], but there are some elements of Bearmageddon that seem like they could be autobiographical. Particularly the relationship between Joel and his little brother. They seem to have a very warm relationship. Ethan Nicolle: Yeah, that, for sure. In fact, I think I even wrote a pretty heartfelt blog on Bearmageddon, on one of those pages where he’s talking to the little brother. I was always the oldest brother in my family. I have three brothers total, plus I have two little sisters. And my brothers always looked up to me, and they always treated me like I was a hero of some sort, even if I never deserved it. Before I was ever any sort of success, they treated me like I was already. So it’s special to me, and I see it more now. As I’ve grown up, I look back and go, “Man, I didn’t even appreciate it as a big brother when I was younger.” Flightpath: Ken, the store manager of Wow Mart, is my favorite character. I just love his put-downs; he seems like he could be a Mr. Show character. Will he be making a return? Ethan Nicolle: [Laughs] Yes. We will be returning to Wow Mart eventually. Flightpath: It seems like things have worked out for you in that you’re getting to do webcomics, release a print version later, and also make original graphic novels. Ethan Nicolle: Yeah, and I always have the book in mind when I make my comics. I’m always thinking ahead to the book. So even if I go, “You know what, this episode is going to be kind of a dud today. It’s not going to be very exciting for people to read this,” I’m thinking ahead to the book. Because that’s going to ultimately be the more important audience. You want it to work more in the book than you do one day on the website. That was one thought that I had when originally I decided to do webcomics. I went, “You know, there’s a good chance I could expand my audience by a bunch of people. But also there’s a good chance that a bunch of those people won’t buy the book even though they read it for free online. But just say like 10 percent of those people buy the book – it’s probably gonna be a pretty good deal.” Posted in Interview Sessions, Podcasting and Vlogging, Trendspotting Tags: axe cop, bearmageddon, ethan nicolle, ethan nicolle interview, malachai nicolle, webcomics, webcomics marketing Axe Cop, Avocado Soldier and Uni-Baby. They don’t sound like the names of traditional comic book characters, but then, there’s nothing traditional about the bizarre-yet-brilliant webcomic in which they appear. Launched in 2010 to massive viral success, Axe Cop stars, true to its name, an axe-wielding police officer in adventures featuring vampire ninjas, a T-Rex with Gatling guns for arms, and a female Abraham Lincoln. It is crazy, hilarious stuff, making for one of the most original and downright fun comics in years – online or in print. And if it sounds like it comes from the mind of a child, that’s because it does: Axe Cop is written by 7-year-old Malachai Nicolle and illustrated by his older brother, the Eisner-nominated artist Ethan Nicolle, whose gifts for straight-faced humor, action and storytelling help make the comic so effective. In part one of our two-part interview with the elder Nicolle – also creator of the excellent new Bearmageddon horror/comedy webcomic – we discuss how Axe Cop came to be, how it quickly went viral, and the origins of some particularly strange story details. Flightpath: I know you were doing creator-owned print comics like Chumble Spuzz before Axe Cop. What led from that to launching a webcomic with Axe Cop? Ethan Nicolle: Well, I got into comics before the Internet was a big thing. I was in high school still, and the Internet hit when I was around 15 or 16. So, I always thought the way into comics was through a publisher. You gotta get them to print your book, and then they gotta sell it for you. I was always working towards that goal, and I finally accomplished it with SLG Publishing, with my book Chumble Spuzz. I realized that after all that work, they finally print your book and they put it back on a little shelf in the back corner of a comic book store, and very few people are willing to go back and spend the money to actually buy that book and check it out. And I started realizing that my goal wasn’t to make money off that bat like that, my goal was to build an audience; and if I just want people to read it, why not just put it on the Internet? I had planned to do my next book that way, which was Bearmageddon, but then I wasn’t sure how to go about doing a webcomic. So I wanted to do a practice run first, and I had these Axe Cop comics that I created over Christmas with my brother. We were playing and Malachai wanted to play “Axe Cop,” because he had been given a toy fireman axe but wanted to fight bad guys. As we played, the first episode of Axe Cop happened and it was so funny, I drew it. I ended up drawing the first four episodes during that visit. We were like, “Well, we’ll just throw these up online and make kind of a quick website.” Just to test the functionality and see how people react to the way that we lay it out and everything. I could never have foreseen the success. Basically, in about two days, it exploded and became my job overnight. Flightpath: That’s amazing. You did have a lot of critical success though, with Chumble Spuzz. You were nominated for an Eisner. Ethan Nicolle: Yeah, a little bit. I had an Eisner nomination, it got some great reviews. It’s just that hardly anybody actually read them. The people that did read them loved them, but that was the thing. I was going, “Man, people that actually read this love it. But I can’t get anybody to read it. They don’t want to spend 10 or 11 bucks on it.” Flightpath: So you had some Axe Cop stuff in the can that you did with your brother, and you decided to put it out there. Once you posted it online, you said it became a success in just a couple of days. Did you do anything to actively promote it, or did people somehow find it? Ethan Nicolle: You know, I had a small amount of fans that followed me at that time from Chumble Spuzz, from the rock band I used to be in. So there was like a handful of fans that any time I posted something, they’d check it out and share it with their friends. We put all the sharing buttons on it, as you usually would do. StumbleUpon, Digg, a Facebook button, all those things. The best I could do, tracing back how it went viral, it was through sites like Reddit and Meta Filter and these sites where a lot of people go on and share stuff. It was just all over those websites, and it all happened kind of in one night. Entertainment Weekly [named it Site of the Day], that was a big one. It was just a really fast climb. Flightpath: Did you log back in and check the visits? Were people emailing you? What was the signifier that something was going on? Ethan Nicolle: Well, that night I was actually not even at my house [or] at my computer. I just had my phone, which was receiving emails, and emails started coming in like crazy. “Ask Axe Cop” questions just starting rolling in really fast, and I had my Twitter account set to notify me when a new person started following it, and I just started getting rapid amounts of Follow, Follow, Follow. [Laughs] It was just going crazy. And every time I checked my email, a bunch more emails would be in. It was just rapid fire emails all night. I fell asleep for like three hours that night, and when I woke up there were like another 100 emails in my inbox. It was crazy. Flightpath: Going into your technique for creating Axe Cop – how exactly does it work with your brother? Do you sit down and guide him through story construction, or do you draw what he’s telling you, as he’s telling it to you? Ethan Nicolle: There’s lots of different ways that we do it. It really comes down to playtime and kind of an interview. It’s almost like I’m a cop at a crime scene and I’m interviewing him because he’s a witness, and I’m trying to get all the details I can and piece it all together. [Laughs] He tells it to me out of order, and the story constantly changes here and there. So I find the pieces that fit. The first few episodes, I credited him as “creator.” The first few episodes I never even planned on publishing, it was just something for the family. So I just decided to call him “writer” and me “artist.” But my bigger job beyond just drawing it really is piecing it together, especially as we’ve gotten into these bigger projects, where [there’s] a full-on big story. It’s the part of the project that’s, I don’t want to say a headache, but it’s a real struggle, you know? [Laughs] Flightpath: Do you see his storytelling chops evolving as you do more and more of these? Ethan Nicolle: Yeah, he gets the hang of certain things. Earlier on, I would have to try and explain, “For it to be a good story, we need something bad to happen, so that something good can happen and we can be happy.” So I’ll try and find out, “Do any good guys get killed? Does anything bad happen to the good guys?” One thing I just started doing was have us pretend to be bad guys, so that we’d actually start inflicting lots of damage on the good guys. So if I keep switching sides of Malachai, because a lot of it’s role playing, he’d give me what I wanted. It’s not that I want him to come up with a specific outcome of the story and repeat it back to me, but I just look at the story and go, “This needs a big fight here, it needs some kind of conflict.” Just a general idea. And I ask him questions until I have a full story, basically. Flightpath: There are a couple of recurring themes or motifs in Axe Cop, and I wanted to get your opinion on them and where they come from. Ethan Nicolle: [Laughs] Okay. Flightpath: I noticed there are lots of decapitations. Ethan Nicolle: [Laughs] Yeah. If you think about kids playing with toy swords and just fighting each other, they’re fake fighting, swinging the swords, going, “I cut your leg off! I cut your arm off!” They’re not imagining that guys have blood shooting across the room. [Laughs] They’re not reveling in the gore. What makes Axe Cop funny to me is you take that kind of innocent look at [violence] – I wouldn’t even call it violence, in the context of what Malachai’s playing, because he’s not thinking violently – Flightpath: It’s like Looney Tunes violence. Ethan Nicolle: Yeah. And so you take that, you put it in the world of Axe Cop, you illustrate it out and you put that dead serious look on his face, and it’s comedy gold. [Laughs] Flightpath: There’s another one, which is someone getting something on them, like blood from a dinosaur, or they eat something, and then they become that thing. Where does that come from? Ethan Nicolle: [Laughs] I don’t know where he got that. All I know is, that [while writing the] original Axe Cop, that first episode, we were playing together and we’d just cut off some dinosaurs’ heads. I love horror movies, over-the-top gore Peter Jackson kind of stuff, and I was like, “Oh man, I just got blood all over me!” And then Malachai goes, “I got dinosaur blood all over me, too! I’m turning into a Dinosaur Soldier.” [Laughs] He decided right there that if you get something’s blood on you, you turn into it. And it just became a running thing. Flightpath: It’s funny because it kind of established the rules of the Axe Cop universe, in a weird way. Ethan Nicolle: Yeah, and it’s funny ’cause when we started playing together, he assigned me to be Axe Cop, and he was Dinosaur Soldier. And since for the story I needed Axe Cop to stay Axe Cop and not keep changing, it worked, because he gave me that control. So I keep Axe Cop as Axe Cop, and he kept transforming. [Laughs] Flightpath: You were talking before about how you wanted to break into comics, you got published, but you ended up going to the Web, where you could reach a lot more people. Do you think that’s the future, especially as the print industry changes? Will webcomics take up more and more of the comic book landscape? Ethan Nicolle: Yeah, I think that the Internet is effecting all forms of media, for sure. I don’t foresee in my lifetime the printed book dying off completely. I think most people that have held a book are going to want to hold a book later on, but that’s because I’m ignorant of what technology may come down the road. There could be a device invented that’s a great replacement. They’ve got the Kindle now, but I don’t think that’s a great replacement for comics. The iPad is kind of cool, but I don’t feel like I own the book until I have it in paper form. People are now used to getting to sample things more because of the Internet. They’re used to more interaction. They’re also ordering things online now more, so you’re getting less people walking into stores and flipping through pages to buy your book. Things are just changing, so you have to have an online presence. It just doesn’t make sense not to. I’m interested to see where it goes with comics and books myself. Flightpath: If you had decided to self-publish Axe Cop in print, do you think it could have possibly reached the level of popularity that it has as a webcomic? Ethan Nicolle: No. Number one, I don’t think I ever would have, unless I’d gotten a bunch more done. I’d only done four of them [when we launched it]. At the point that I had those four done, I was only thinking that every time I’d visit Malachai for a holiday, I’d do another couple of them with him. I wasn’t thinking that it was gonna be what I did all the time. [Laughs] And it wasn’t because I didn’t want to, I just didn’t think that was the reality. It was like, “I can’t spend all my time playing with my little brother and making these goofy comics. I gotta work.” [Laughs] Be sure to come back this Thursday for part 2 of our interview with Ethan Nicolle! Posted in Interview Sessions, Podcasting and Vlogging, Social Strategy, Trendspotting Tags: axe cop, bearmageddon, ethan nicolle, ethan nicolle interview, malachai nicolle, web comics Interview: Indie Filmmakers on the Secrets of Crowdfunding with Kickstarter, IndieGoGo & Social Media This past October, the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter reached its 1,000,000th individual backer since starting in 2009, with over $100,000,000 pledged to different projects in that time. Its peer IndieGoGo has helped raise money for over 50,000 campaigns since 2008. These crowdfunding platforms, combined with social media and other means of outreach, have become a powerful new model for funding a wide array of independent creative projects. Flightpath caught up with two independent filmmakers who recently completed successful campaigns to glean their secrets. Jayce Bartok is an actor, screenwriter and director who’s appeared in projects from Spider-Man to The Station Agent and White Collar, and in January will show up in two features at Sundance. Jayce used IndieGoGo to raise over $20,000 to keep shooting Tiny Dancer, an indie drama he’s writing and directing. Award-winning documentary filmmaker Andrew Berends shot two films in Iraq that explore the conflict from the rarely-seen, ground-level view of Iraqis caught in the middle. He raised more than $16,000 on Kickstarter towards completing Delta Boys, about militants and oil in the Niger Delta. Both were greatly empowered by their campaign experiences, but agreed there was no shortage of challenges. Jayce Bartok: It was the hardest thing we’ve ever done. For those 60 days, it was just insane. Andy Berends: Yeah. It’s awesome in a lot of respects, but I wouldn’t call it fun. For me, the first thing was you have to pretty much put aside your pride. Jayce: Totally. Andy: I had 184 backers but I probably directly contacted over 2,000 people, and indirectly maybe 3,000 – 4,000. For every backer, there’s probably 100 that ignored it and five that think I’m a jerk because I’ve been spamming them for a month straight. Jayce: The first quarter of our campaign we were so far behind. Then we realized we have to email all of our contacts from A-Z. We had 15,000 contacts, and we emailed I would say at least 10,000 of them. That was what really drove it; once we started those personal emails, people started jumping on. But you’re right, you have to swallow your pride. Andy: Which for me was a positive experience, because I err on the side of being too reserved and subtle. And that’s not how it works. That’s not how you sell your film, that’s not how you raise money. So it forced me out of my comfort zone. Jayce: You need to be the total self-promoter and ask. It was an amazing experience for my wife and me. And for reconnecting with people. Maybe it’s been two or three years and you email someone, and all of a sudden they’re like, “Hey man, here’s $100.” But you can drive yourself crazy, because that guy down the block who’s like my best friend will not respond to my email. Andy: As awesome as it is, it’s not free money at all. First of all, you have to have a project that people think is worthwhile. Second, you need to have a decent network of people who are willing to support you. And you have to do a lot of work. I worked hard to make my campaign and my video look good. I want people to say, he’s not just asking for free money. He’s put a lot of work into making this. You then have to be able to produce DVDs, t-shirts, all kinds of stuff. You’re a full-on production/distribution company. I raised $16,000. If it was $10,000, I would say it’s just barely worth it for what’s going to be a month-and-a-half of work. But it’s not just the money, it’s the publicity on top of that. And then there’s no question that it’s worth it. And the experience was worth it. But it’s not free money. Flightpath: How did you reach the point of deciding to go on these campaigns? Andy: If I were just starting the production, I wouldn’t feel comfortable asking all these people for money if I didn’t know I’d be able to finish the film. But now that I’m finishing it, I know I’m going to be able to deliver. That’s part of why I was ready. But it was also: Everybody’s doing it now. If I’m going to do it, now’s the time. Jayce: We’re in the exact opposite place [with our project]. We decided to do it because I’m tired of having friends who are like, “You made The Cake Eaters a long time ago, and I’ve made five $30,000 films since then.” And we were just like, “Oh man, we gotta do this.” We had this giant fundraiser event planned, and IndieGoGo was our safety net for people who couldn’t attend it. And ironically, that event netted us like $2,000 and we had all these wealthy people there and some celebrities. And then the IndieGoGo campaign that went to all our broke-ass friends got us 20-some thousand. It started as almost an after-thought. Flightpath: One early model for indie film-backing online was getting micro-investments, as opposed to a straight donation. What are the differences there? Andy: Investment 99% of the time is just a pipe dream. This does away with the pretense that you’re going to see a return. I never felt comfortable asking for investors, because it’s very hard for independent documentaries to break even, let alone make money. This is more straightforward. And also, you don’t get $50 investments. That’s when you’re going around looking for someone to give you $5,000 – $10,000. Jayce: It’s part of the shift where people are giving locally. You’re helping this person make a project happen that they passionately believe in, as opposed to trying to say, “You’re going to get a 120% return.” If I give Andy $50, he’s going to create something that I feel really connected to and that I’m a part of. Flightpath: Jayce, you did a 60-day campaign. Andy, yours was 30. How did you choose the length, and how much did you plan in advance for sustaining it? Jayce: We had no clue what was going to happen. The first half of our 60 days, we didn’t raise that much. It was scary, like we’re not going to make our goal. And what I found is that everyone loves a winning team. When you get close to your goal, everybody comes out of the woodwork to give you money. They want to be the one who pushes you over the top. In retrospect, I’d probably focus on 30 days, knowing the last 15 would be super-intense. Andy: And also because, it’s a full-time job. Kickstarter actually pushes you towards 30 days. They feel that’s the most efficient bang for your buck. On a 60-day campaign, maybe I would have raised another $1000. The people who come in at the last minute would have just waited another month. In twice as much time, I wouldn’t have raised twice as much money, but I would have had to work just as hard for two months. Jayce: I do believe what you put into it, you get out of it. But at the same time, I don’t believe we could raise any more money than we did. You only have a certain amount of contacts. We learned that for your project, this is a giant PR campaign with the added perk that you’re getting money. But you want to make your goal. You want to show that this is successful. With IndieGoGo we knew we could keep the money no matter what. But there was an incredible amount of pressure when we were so far under-performing, that we were like, “Oh my God, we’re spamming everybody and they’re going to know that we failed.” We were definitely sweating it. Flightpath: What about the psychology of choosing the all-or-nothing model, as Andy did, versus the take-what-you-raise platform, like Jayce. I’d argue that all-or-nothing creates a bigger incentive to donate. Andy: Absolutely. And it’s also a bigger incentive on me to make sure I hit the goal. Once you click “launch campaign,” the countdown is on, and your pride is on the line. The incentive is there to make sure I hit the goal. And some people looking at it would say, “He hasn’t reached his goal, I better kick in some money.” Flightpath: Jayce, you were blogging for MovieMaker, and you made a lot of down-homey videos with your wife and your intern. What was the social media outreach strategy? Jayce: We tried to listen to what IndieGoGo told us, that your video has to resonate with people personally. We sat on our stoop with our son and made a video and put the trailer at the end. We tried to keep in touch with videos. We were very strategic about social networking. Besides personal emailing and posting every day on Facebook, we went on a limb and tried to get anyone who was vaguely famous to tweet or retweet. I had worked with Kevin Smith on Cop Out. I emailed him and didn’t hear anything, and then someone at MovieMaker said, “Hey, did Kevin’s tweet help you guys?” I was like, “What?” I looked and four days earlier, he’d tweeted, “Help Jayce Bartok’s movie.” And he’s got 1.5 million followers. We were going to get MovieMaker subscriptions to give away to a certain donor level, and they said, “In return, will you blog about your crowdfunding experience for us?” And ironically, my blogging has been way more beneficial to our campaign. Andy: You get analytics on your campaign. Unquestionably, Facebook is by far how I reached the most people. Through my personal page, plus I set up a page for the film. I also set up an event, so that I could invite all my friends on Facebook. And there’s a Facebook group that friends of mine set up while I was detained in Nigeria making the film, with almost 1,000 members. Of my 184 backers, 69 clicked through from Facebook. Almost half of the people, and 26% of the dollars. I had this other awesome stuff. Sundance has a curated Kickstarter page, so I was on their page. Stranger than Fiction has a page. Rooftop Films has a page. Barely any donations came through that. But I was able to leverage that and say I was endorsed by all these organizations. The endorsement is huge. Sundance sent one tweet for me. And it helps. But for me, it was Facebook and personal messaging. Getting other people to post on their wall is how it really starts to build momentum. Jayce: I am super-impressed, because my wife and I were partners in this, but you did it by yourself. I don’t really understand social media. She’ll be like, “Go email Kevin Smith.” And I was like, “Okay,” scared shitless. I couldn’t really coordinate all that on my own. I was really in charge of the personal emails. I did all those 15,000 contacts. I just wrote them one-by-one with a couple of personal sentences and then the cut-and-paste part, and my fingers were going to fall off. That was the most effective. Flightpath: Beyond the money, how much awareness did this spread about your projects, and how does that create a foundation for the rest of the film’s life cycle? What starts now? Jayce: Because we still need to go raise $75,000 more, we have all these statistics now and all these backers. Instead of floating out these bullshit business plans, where we’re going to take the movie to Sundance and sell it and get this rate of return, we can say we have 1,000 dedicated followers, and that equals this number right off the bat. We’re using this audience that we built and trying to leverage that to raise the rest of the money and apply for grants. Andy: For me, I’ve actually sold more DVDs than I probably would have if I’d waited until I finished and sent an email to my friends. Nobody’s going to buy the DVD for $30. But with the campaign, I’ve sold 42 DVDs for $30. I’ve sold 45 digital downloads at $15. So essentially, distribution has already begun. This experience has been realizing that if I’m not going to sell it, there’s nobody else out there trying to sell my work, and that’s what I need to work on. That’s why this campaign was such a good thing for me. Because it’s freaking hard. And you do see your friends unsubscribing from your emails, and it’s devastating. There are moments of panic where I feel awful, like I’m going to raise this money, but am I going to lose friends over it? This is something that independent filmmakers have to learn. You can’t just be a filmmaker anymore. You have to be a filmmaker, a distributor, a fund raiser, a graphic designer. It’s hard, but it’s empowering. Flightpath: How empowering is this for you guys and your projects, emotionally and creatively? Jayce: Hugely empowering. And morally, you owe these people who are your backers and supporting you, so you have to finish this, you have to carry on and see the journey through. You can’t be like, “That famous person never wanted to be in it, so it’s just sitting on my desk now.” Andy: From every single person, it’s a vote of confidence, and now I have to live up to it. The thing about independent filmmaking is it’s lonely sometimes. You take a lot on by yourself. And to have the personal support from individuals feels very good. It makes me realize that we’re all indie filmmakers, but we’re all working together to make our independent projects, which I love. Flightpath: Finally, what advice would you give people starting their own campaigns? Jayce: Plan, plan, plan. For every dollar you get, you have to earn that dollar. You have to go out there and earn that money. You really have to think about it, plan and persist. Swallow that pride and figure out how to ask people to support you. Andy: Chris at the Sundance Institute said to me, “Don’t be shy.” That’s the piece of advice I personally needed the most. I agree, swallow your pride. But you have to have a good project. Otherwise, don’t do it. Have something you believe in that’s worthy. And then swallow your pride and don’t be shy. Posted in Future Thinking, Interview Sessions, Trendspotting The Flightpath Holiday Gift Guide for Digital Geeks Having trouble finding a gift for that special tech-head in your life? Or maybe you want to treat yourself to something? Either way, we’ve compiled a list of nine slam dunk digital-themed gifts to help you out – perfect for the digital-minded. Selected by Dan Brooks, Tyler Abrams and Roxanne Oliver. 1. Digital Comics. Viewing comics on an iPad (or other mobile device) is a revelation. They look awesome, plain and simple – clear, vibrant and detailed. You can manually “flip” the pages like a regular comic, you can zoom in, or you can navigate panel-to-panel. A Comixology gift card – which will work for any publishers’ comics – would be perfect for the comics nerd in your life. (Read our interview with DC Comics’ SVP of Digital, Hank Kanalz, for more info.) 2. Arduino. If you whisper the words “open source” to almost any programmer out there, whether an amateur or professional, you will immediately see their eyes light up. Follow that up with the word “Arduino” and you’ve got them drooling now. Seriously, you can’t go wrong with giving your geeky programmer friend (you know, the one who helps you fix your computer all the time) the gift of open source software AND hardware. 3. Philips Fidelio. Chances are, if you purchased an iPhone in the last year, you’ve had the potential to stream music from the phone to an AirPlay capable device. Docking stations are a thing of the past now, so gone are the days of having to dismantle your bulky iPhone case to get it to connect. Check out the Philips Fidelio wireless speaker system and free your phone. 4. Elago Slim-Fit iPhone Case. We came across this case too late to include in our iPhone case post from last week, but it deserves a spot in that list. The Elago is sleek, feels great, and shows off the design of the iPhone while still providing protection. Available for the iPhone 4 and 4S. 5. Drivemocion EX Series LED Car Sign. This LED sign that shows an emoticon to whoever is behind you in the car satisfies that wish to let that individual who just cut you off know how you truly feel. Car nuts, or really, anyone with a car, would love this. 6. Belkin Headphone Splitter. If you are strapped for cash and need a gift or stocking stuffer for a significant other, there is hardly anything more romantic than a headphone splitter. Whether you’re in a metropolitan area or going to a park, nothing is sweeter than sharing a soundtrack with someone you care about. 7. Fisheye, Macro, Wide Angle and Telephoto Phone Lenses for the iPhone.. The new iPhone 4S was just released, and if you have a tech-head in your life, they will love these accessories from Photojojo to accompany it. The range of photographs that you can capture just improved tenfold! 8. TextMate. When it comes to cranking out code, programmers tend to have their own text editor of choice. Some prefer monster-sized text editors with tons of options and bell-and-whistles, while others need minimal and distraction-free programs (cue Notepad/TexPad). TextMate (only for Mac) is the perfect combination of feature-rich options and a slimmed-down interface. 9. Panasonic Retro Headphones. The iPod/iPhone was a great innovation in portable music; the earbuds that come packaged with them were not. They’re junk. But higher-end headphones can be prohibitively expensive. Panasonic’s retro-style line is a good half-way point: they look beautiful, with a vintage ’70s design, the sound is fantastic, and they’re not too pricey. They’re also noise-canceling, making them perfect for the subway or an airplane. Tags: holiday gift guide Holiday Happiness Brought to You By… With all the political rancor going on, the NBA season (probably) lost to greed, and the ongoing problems with the economy, things continue to have a somewhat melancholy hue in life’s atmosphere. Yet, if there is one sentiment we can expect to see this holiday season, maybe more than ever in our lifetime – be it wrapped in an app, posted on Facebook, or photographed with a QR code – it’s happiness and positivity. One may think this is cynical – offering people happiness via a product – but the truth is, it only works when the marketing is honest. And there’s nothing cynical about that. A couple of years ago, I wrote an article for Brand Week discussing the use of ELO’s “Mr. Blue Sky” in JetBlue’s “Jetting” campaign. And now, the song (and many of ELO’s biggest hits, for that matter) can be heard in practically every commercial or movie trailer. “Mr. Blue Sky,” written in 1977, is a stirring, upbeat track, with rich harmonies and instrumentation coupled with downright cheery, winning lyrics. As the story goes, ELO leader Jeff Lynne was in Switzerland, trying to write the band’s new album, but nothing was coming. Every day the weather was overcast and the sky was dark. Finally, after two weeks, the sun came out; Lynne, inspired, immediately sat at the piano and the song just emerged. “Sun is shining in the sky / There ain’t a cloud in sight / It stopped rainin’ / Everybody’s in a play / And don’t you know? / It’s a beautiful new day.” “Mr. Blue Sky” was popular when originally released, but only became a classic in the last few years. And why? Why now? In an interview with Q Magazine, Lynne recounted something Paul McCartney said to him about the song’s second coming – that the song found its time because “everything is gloomy right now,” and people “need a bit of optimism.” It’s absolutely true, and it’s true of the general tone of a lot of the marketing we’ll see this holiday season. Ruby Anik, senior vice president for brand marketing at J.C. Penney in Plano, Tex., told The New York Times, “The upbeat optimism is a value we’ve put into all our marketing this year. With all the bad news around, we wanted the element of ‘When I go to J.C. Penney, I have a fun time, and the brand makes me feel good.’” It’s a spirit that marketers across many consumer categories will be celebrating as well, and we have started to see it earlier and heavier than ever before from many brands. See the following campaigns that are doing it right: Kohl’s’ “Love to Give, Happy to Save” Facebook contest Target’s Christmas landing page Coca-Cola’s Facebook promotions Zappos’ “Give” copy theme and campaigns Coca-Cola’s “Live Positively” This sentiment of joyfulness, happiness, fun and frugality are at the soul of the holidays, marketers, the campaigns above, and the social landscape. Social media, in particular, delivers for marketers what they never had in years past: up to the minute, changeable copy or deals, and the ability to be emotionally relevant within targeted consumer/shopper circles. Social media only works because and when it’s real. When it is not real, people abandon. The holiday season is the one real time of year people expect it to be real as well – with family and friends, co-workers and even brands dealing as hard as they can. But as long as the message of happiness is relevant, and it’s coming from an honest place – as it does in everything from songs like “Mr. Blue Sky” to Facebook campaigns with actual heart – it’s hard for a brand to go wrong with that kind of messaging. Posted in Emotional Currency, Interview Sessions 10 Awesome Music Sites & Blogs There are some hardcore music nerds here at Flightpath. Sometimes there’s crossover between our tastes, sometimes not, but everyone has his or her favorites. (Personally speaking, my love of ELO, the Beatles and Guided By Voices is well-documented around the office, to the point where I’m sure everyone wishes I would just shut up about them already.) Anyway, just as we make connections with music that speaks to us, so do we make connections with web sites we trust that cover music. So, without further ado, here are our favorites, selected by myself, Tyler Abrams, Mike Liss and Roxanne Oliver, in no particular order. (Our only rule: none of the biggies like Pitchfork, Stereogum, Rolling Stone, or sites like last.fm.) Dust and Grooves – As someone who owns probably around 600-700 CDs, this may seem like an odd choice. But about a year ago, I made a conscious decision to switch to vinyl, and this site expresses why. It’s a photo and interview blog, where site creator Eilon Paz visits vinyl collectors around the world to photograph their collections and talk to them about their love of the format and music. It’s beautiful stuff. The photographs are stunning, mixing black & white and color, and capturing the beauty of an old vinyl record and a shelf completely filled with albums. Dust and Grooves will remind you why you love your favorite albums, and what you’re missing out on when you only experience them through iTunes or CDs. – Dan Tiny Mix Tapes – A few years back, I had a slight obsession with this thing called the “Automatic Mix Tape Generator,” a section on Tiny Mix Tape’s site where anyone can submit an idea for a mix tape and, in turn, receive a track listing based on that idea from volunteers dubbed as “Mix Robots”. At the heart of the site, though, is the music review section, which is split into 3 parts: Featured reviews targeting the mainstream and not-so-mainstream, Delorean reviews for the pre-TMT music that demands to be re-heard (or buried further away from the public), and Eureka! reviews for the ultra-obscure/experimental music that most shy away from. The thing that keeps me coming back to TMT is the down-to-earth style of the reviews, where the reviewer doesn’t float up into some music critique bubble that only other music critics can understand. – Tyler All Music – I hope this doesn’t cost me too much cred, because it is a bigger site, but I’ve always found All Music to be a good resource. Essentially a library of reviews, you can find information on just about any album here. What I like most is that the reviews don’t exactly seem unbiased – they’re written more from the perspective of, “If you’re already a fan of this band, here’s what you’ll think of this album.” And in most cases, I agree with them. (As a Beatles fan, I’ve always liked their appreciation of current-era Paul McCartney, which I think features some incredible work and isn’t quite lauded enough.) Whenever there’s a new release that I’m excited about, the first thing I do is check All Music to see what they thought. That’s a high compliment for a web site. – Dan La Blogotheque – Is most well known for the Take Away Shows, a series of very personal, acoustic videos that are directed by Vincent Moon. The English site is only translated for that Take Away Shows, but if you happen to be well versed enough to read French, La Blogotheque’s articles are insightful and reflect the same spirit of the videos. – Roxanne OMG Vinyl – Another vinyl blog, but this one is simultaneously a vinyl/news/reviews/deals site, and sticks the landing for each. It also touches on a lot of genres that I don’t get that much exposure to or gravitate towards, so it’s a good way to get me out of my music comfort zone. – Dan Gorilla vs. Bear – The exponential growth in music production is just way too overwhelming sometimes, with artists cranking out a single every minute, and then other artists swooping in and remixing those singles or mashing them together with other singles. What Gorilla vs. Bear does is handpick the good stuff from the junk pile and posts about 4 or 5 of them on a single day. And on slow days, there will just be one post. At last, the current amped-up music production scene is finally distilled into this tiny and minimal site so you don’t short-circuit from music overload. – Tyler NPR Music – In my humble opinion, NPR can do no wrong and the music section of their website is no different. From up-to-date news, the First Listen segments, and Tiny Desk concerts of some of my favorite musicians, their dynamic content always makes for a good read and listen. – Roxanne BrooklynVegan – Staying up on your favorite bands coming through the city used to mean grabbing a fresh copy of the Village Voice every Tuesday night and pouring over the music coverage ads. But for the past few years, if you keep at least one toe in the New York City live music scene, you follow BrooklynVegan. A self-described “NYC-centric mostly-music blog,” the site focuses on music news, show listings and reviews, concert pics, MP3s and much more. In a world of cooler-than-thou music tastemakers, BV cuts through the snark with zero attitude and coverage of bands from a broad range of genres and levels of success. And because it’s still primarily run by a single person, it feels more like getting tips from the best-versed friend you could have, rather than the anonymous editors of some glossy. A full-fledge community eco-system lives through the comment posts, where you can find everything from what time the band you’re seeing tonight took the stage last night to why Anonymous 10:17 and Anonymous 11:04 can’t stop flaming each other. Since while BV keeps its coverage on the level, when it comes to the back-and-forth of the comment boards, it can quickly devolve into third grade recess at the Coolest School in Williamsburg. And hilariously so. – Mike The Hype Machine – A Tumblr-based music blog, which means the content is consistently being updated/re-blogged. Despite being mostly based in a hipster/independent audible aesthetic, there is not a day that goes by where I do not discover a new band or song that makes me want to buy an album. That being said, it is wonderful for supporting new and upcoming musicians to gain notoriety, however dangerous for my bank account. Venture wisely, but with enthusiasm! – Roxanne Low Times – Just prior to this post going live, I listened to the debut episode of the Low Times podcast. The show features Tom Scharpling (host of The Best Show on WFMU), Daniel Ralston and Maggie Serota all interviewing different musicians (in this episode, they talk to Janet Weiss, Owen Ashworth and Catherine Popper, respectively) for extended periods, taking advantage of the podcast format to set their own pace, tone and length. The talks are both smart and funny, unfold naturally, and the hosts give their interview subjects room to breathe while still injecting their own personality into the show. (I particularly liked Scharpling’s question, “Was there music when you were a kid that you were not allowed to listen to? Was there anything your parents drew the line on?” because it’s something we all went through, but I’ve never heard asked to an actual musician before. And kudos to Serota for getting Popper to discuss jamming with Chevy Chase.) It’s clear that they’re real music fans, knowledgeable and curious about their favorite bands and records. I’d encourage everyone to get on board now. – Dan Posted in Interview Sessions, Podcasting and Vlogging Google+ Brand Pages Pros & Cons Finally, Google has officially launched Google+ brand pages. Marketers and those involved in social media are quick to point out the comparison to Facebook, although Google does not see itself that way, as this interview with Google VP Bradley Horowitz demonstrates. However, as marketers, it is our job to explore these various options so we can recommend them to clients and help them meet their business goals. Below is a quick breakdown of this new offering. Direct Connect – The Direct Connect feature is the ability for the Google+ brand pages to be found right in the search engine. By adding a + in front of the search query, users are connected right to the brand’s Google+ page where they can add to circles. Segmentation of customers – Circles is a core feature of the Google+ platform and the brand pages also utilize this functionality. Brands can divide their customer base into various subsets and target messages specifically for them. Huddles allow for exclusive content – Video chats with the company allow for a customer to experience more of an intimate connection with the brand. The demo video emphasized this feature using the neighborhood bike shop as an example. This more direct, more real connection was one of the purposes of this medium in the first place. Banning contests and promotions – This to me is the biggest flaw of the new platform. I had hoped that I would be able to use a contest and promotions to help build our clients followers. This is not something that hurts just the marketers, however; this affects the consumers directly. Study after study, including this graphic below, has shown that consumers connect with brands for a variety of reasons, but the number one reason is to receive special offers and discounts. This makes me ask Google, “What were you thinking?” Single admin – As of right now, Google+ pages only allow for one owner. Unlike Facebook, where you can add multiple administrators and work as a team to produce content, Google has limited it to one user. You can share the e-mail that was used to create the account, but even using that tactic has its limitations, as you cannot determine who on your team was posting what content. Overall, it just makes things less intuitive behind-the-scenes. Lack of analytics – A favorite saying that I use when thinking about analytics is, “You can’t get to your destination if you don’t know where you’re starting from.” With Google+ brand pages, it is hard to figure out a goal and a target because there is no way to measure your progress. The complete lack of analytics makes it very difficult for marketers to see what is working and what isn’t, which makes strategic planning almost impossible. That said, I am sure a robust analytics feature is coming. Lack of scale – At this very moment, I am hard pressed to recommend any of our clients get involved within the platform. The reason is simply that the users are not there. While it seems like those involved in the industry – marketers, branding experts, etc. – are all active within the Google+, it has yet to cross over to the mainstream consumer. Spending money on this platform is equivalent to paying for a sign in the middle of the woods where no one will see it. Google+ brand pages are a brand new offering and as Google has mentioned, they are still in a learning phase. As they receive feedback on what is and what isn’t working and as the user base continues to grow, the platform could become more of a key component in a complete online marketing strategy. Posted in Interview Sessions, Social Strategy, Tools, Apps and Platforms Interview: Jeff Rubin of College Humor and Jest – Part 2 In the final installment of our two-part interview with Jeff Rubin (in case you missed it, here’s part 1), the writer and performer discusses the new College Humor spinoff site, Jest, writing comedy for the Internet, and whether or not we’ll ever see a Street Fighter: The Later Years type sketch for a certain NES game. Flightpath: What I read about Jest is that it’s aimed at an older demographic. What can you tell us about it, and what does it mean that it’s targeted towards an older demo? Jeff Rubin: 25-year-olds and 35-year-olds, I think, would find a lot of the same things [funny]. I know for a fact that there are a lot of older people that are on College Humor. But College Humor is always going to be about college, and I think there are some people that will never go to it just because of that. And there are things that are popular online that don’t really fit within College Humor, so we wanted a way to address those. So what we’re doing with Jest is, it’s a very topical site. We’re still working on this, but we’re trying to develop, conceive, write, shoot and edit videos in 24 or 48 hours, as much as possible. We had an NBA lockout video, we shot something about the iPhone 4S, like the day after it came out. So we’re trying to turn those kinds of things around quickly. And even other things, like we did this sketch about Gatorade. It’s a commercial for Gatorade, but instead of it being an energy drink that will help you win at basketball – by the way, how clear is it that I don’t know anything about sports where I’m like, “It will help you win at basketball,” that’s what I think energy drinks do – it helps you get over your hangover. It was a funny idea and I think a funny sketch – and even that’s a little College Humor-y – but our sketch was more about getting through the day at work, as opposed to getting out of your dorm room bed and going out to party again. So I think it was a slightly different take on it. You know, we’re doing things that I think people in college would enjoy, but aren’t necessarily made with them in mind. Flightpath: Going forward now, will you have content or a hand in stuff that shows up on Dorkly and College Humor? Jeff Rubin: Yeah. Yes, I will. Maybe not as much as I had in the past or at a certain time, but I definitely will continue to contribute to those websites. They’re not gonna get rid of me that easily. Flightpath: When people think about comedy writing, I think they maybe still think of the SNL model or the Mr. Show model. What’s different about comedy writing for the Internet? Jeff Rubin: I’ve only ever written for the Internet, so I don’t have much insight. I would say that the rules are a little freer. I feel like we’re free to make up formats. We can make a video that’s one minute and really funny, or we can make a video that’s five minutes and really funny. Where if you’re writing for TV, it has to be 22 minutes and fit into these exact chunks at these spots. I personally find it very exciting that a lot of the rules are still being written. It’s changed so much just since I started working, and I think that’s pretty exciting. Obviously, there’s things on TV that come along that completely change everything, like Arrested Development. But I think it’s harder on TV because of how much money goes into everything and how long the process is, whereas I feel like we have the chance to really come up with something new and innovate every single day. Flightpath: So what’s your official role at Jest, and what’s a typical day like? Jeff Rubin: I am the Editor-in-Chief of Jest. I’d say the site’s new, there’s no typical day yet. We’re still kind of trying to figure out how to keep up with the news cycle and how to best react to it. It’s not hard deciding when to make a video, it’s hard deciding when not to, because there’s something in the news every day. “Is this the thing we really want to focus on this week, or should we hold off?” There’s writing meetings. We try and pay attention to the news and when something comes up, we have that conversation – is this something we should be talking about? And that’s just the original content. There’s this whole other side to the site that is aggregating the best comedy on the Internet and presenting it to you almost like news of what’s funny. Also, I work a lot on designing the site itself. It’s still very much in beta. There’s, I think, a lot of work to be done in the best way to present this material. So there are a lot of different elements that involve working with a lot of different people. And that’s fun. Flightpath: Will mixing original and aggregated content be a differentiating factor for Jest? Jeff Rubin: College Humor aggregates content too. There’s lots of just funny videos on College Humor, and they’re very popular on the site, too. Sometimes we labor for months over a sketch, really working hard on it, and we think it’s great and we’re really excited to put it up. And then a video of like, an elephant shooting water at a baby, blows it away the day it comes out. [Laughs] But we have a bit of a different take on it on Jest. You can kind of browse by person, or by topic, or by show. Jest also works with Hulu to incorporate more “legit” type of stuff and mix it all up. So when you go to a page for Will Arnett, you get all the funny videos he’s done online, as well as all the TV shows he’s on, which includes both episodes of Arrested Development that are maybe on Hulu, as well as episodes of Up All Night from NBC.com. Flightpath: Your podcast, The Jeff Rubin Jeff Rubin Show, seems like an amalgam of all the things that you love. Jeff Rubin: It’s funny. I obviously have a wide variety of guests on. People will comment on the randomness of the guests, but to me it’s not random. It’s all cool stuff! From my perspective, there’s a complete line you can trace through everything, because it’s all just stuff that I’m into. Flightpath: What do you get from the podcast that maybe you don’t get from your other work on Jest or College Humor? Jeff Rubin: I really enjoy the medium. The gateway podcast for me, as I think was for a lot of people, was Marc Maron’s WTF Pod. I’d listen to that, and I’d enjoy it. What was remarkable was that I was enjoying it as much as I might enjoy a book or a good TV show, but I was enjoying it in a way that was totally different. The way I was enjoying it was completely unique. I really like the connection I think you forge with people, because it’s not just like a five minute Internet video, where someone’s watching it and as soon it’s over they’re onto the next thing – maybe they don’t even finish it. You’re really in someone’s head for an hour. It’s a much deeper connection. I really enjoy how deep you can get with things. Some are 30 minutes, some of them are an hour and a half, and I think they’re equally good and each one is exactly as long as I want them to be. It can be about whatever. So there’s a lot of fun to be had with it, and I honestly just enjoy doing it. Flightpath: Now you have a podcast, you’ve written for some very successful comedy sites, you’re active on Twitter. Why do you think the Internet has become such a big destination for comedy? Jeff Rubin: I don’t think the Internet’s become a big destination for comedy. I think comedy is just always popular. You know, some of the first plays were comedy, some of the first TV shows were comedy. We just have this new thing, and I think as a society maybe, we like comedy and were like, “Well, how are we gonna laugh at this thing?” I think it also doesn’t hurt that everyone’s always on it. Comedy is always tempting and you’re always connected to the Internet, so it’s kind of interesting that you can always find something that makes you laugh. I actually installed the Reddit iPhone app. Not that Reddit’s necessarily comedy per se, but it’s fun. [Laughs] And I installed the iPhone app today, and I was like, “Oh, well, I guess I’ll never be bored anymore. There’s like a constant stream of interesting things going into my phone at all times.” Flightpath: Do you ever get tired of the omnipresence of not just the Internet, but the constant connectivity? Like, “You know, I just don’t feel like writing Tweets today.” Jeff Rubin: Yeah, and you know what I do when that happens? I don’t write any Tweets. I certainly don’t Tweet every day. The podcast, I’m sort of committed to doing weekly, and I treat it like it’s a TV show, but if I didn’t want to do one next week, I could just not do one and it would be totally fine. I like to go camping; I do sometimes feel like, “information overload,” and I try and make a conscious effort to get away from it. But I also embrace it. Flightpath: Is there anything on Jest we should be looking forward to that you can give us a little preview about? Jeff Rubin: You know I really can’t, because I don’t know what we’re putting up next week yet. We’re waiting to see the news, which is exciting. Flightpath: Finally, just since Jest is skewed towards an older demo, does this mean there will never be a Burger Time: The Later Years? Jeff Rubin: No, probably not. But on Dorkly, which is our videogame site, there’s hundreds of bits, and if there isn’t a Burger Time one yet, it seems inevitable that there will be. It’s totally perfect for that format. And that is, I think, what’s cool about what we’re doing at College Humor Media. There’s outlets for all these different types of jokes. I could have an idea that’s maybe more appropriate for College Humor, or more appropriate for Dorkly, or more appropriate for Jest. And I think it’s exciting to develop all these different outlets. Over the last decade, College Humor has become one the Internet’s biggest comedy websites, featuring a mix of sketch comedy, animated shorts, interviews and lots, lots more. It dared to incorporate geek culture – especially videogames – into its content before almost anyone else, and in smart, non-pandering ways that earned it significant cred among comedy and game aficionados alike. A big reason for College Humor’s success is Jeff Rubin. One of the main creative forces behind College Humor, Rubin has been writing and performing for the site almost since the beginning. His sensibilities, including a deft comedic touch and a love of gaming and pop culture, have played a large part in influencing the site’s tone and content. Lately, the performer has expanded his online offerings to include a podcast, The Jeff Rubin Jeff Rubin Show, and is now shepherding the recently-launched College Humor spinoff, Jest, which is targeting an older demographic. In part one of our interview with Rubin, we discuss the early days of College Humor, the legendary Street Fighter: The Later Years series of sketches, and why he’s not like The Wizard. Flightpath: How did you come to be involved with College Humor? Jeff Rubin: I started here as an intern. I had been out of college for a few months, and I actually found the job on Craigslist. And I was the first employee hired for the company past the owners themselves. They were looking to kinda kick things up. They had been in San Diego for a year and they moved to New York, and they were trying to grow the site and they were looking for someone to help out. I guess they hired me as an intern to help with a lot of the content. It was pretty clear that they were looking to grow and that if I didn’t mess up, I could have a job, maybe. And I’ve been here for seven years since. Flightpath: How did your role evolve from intern to Executive Editor? Jeff Rubin: I guess, initially, I had been involved more in curating the content and looking for other funny people online that we could maybe work with or feature their content, and sorting through these submissions. And I still work on those things to an extent, but that was among my first responsibilities. Then it became more about putting together a team to make those efforts even more successful, but also creating our own content – writing, and occasionally acting on camera in stuff that we were making. Flightpath: That’s one thing I wanted to ask about. College Humor evolved to have such a breadth of content. There’s interviews, there’s sketches and animation like The Jersey Shore RPG. What’s the creative process in funneling all this different content into the whole that is College Humor? Jeff Rubin: That’s a good question. I don’t know. You know, I guess we don’t think about it much. To me, they’re kind of one product. We try to give everything a similar sensibility, whether it’s something you have to read, or something you just look at and immediately get, or a video you watch for a few minutes. I hope that they’re all cut from the same cloth and are all from the same type of people – and in many cases from the same people. There’s a surprisingly small writing staff. Everyone knows each other, so we have a shared sense of humor. We’re into a certain type of thing, and I think you can see that represented in all the work we do over different types of mediums. We didn’t used to do original videos, we used to have a bigger focus on pictures, we didn’t used to write as many articles, we didn’t take articles as seriously as we do now. There used to be naked girls. So the site’s evolved a lot over time. Flightpath: So for something like The Jersey Shore RPG, how does that come to be? Because it’s very different from writing man-on-the-street interviews or sketches. Jeff Rubin: Yeah, I mean, it’s not that different from writing a sketch. I know it’s animated, but it follows the same structure, I’d say, as one of our live action sketches – where there’s a viral idea, taking something that’s popular, and putting a fun twist on it. Taking this idea and exploring all the different sides of it. We also react to the zeitgeist and whatever’s popular, and I think there was a time when everyone had to have a Jersey Shore sketch. So we knew we had to do something about Jersey Shore. I don’t know how we really came up with the idea to present it as an RPG, to be honest. I think we were just looking for a unique angle on Jersey Shore, and I feel like we like doing things that a lot of people are into, but you wouldn’t necessarily see on Saturday Night Live. They’d never do an RPG sketch on Saturday Night Live, even though there’s a large, large number of people out there who are familiar with the tropes of the genre and the format. Flightpath: I think my first exposure to College Humor was Street Fighter: The Later Years. Jeff Rubin: Oh, that’s interesting, because that’s one of our first original videos. We had done a few that starred us, and were kind of low budget – us going out with the camera kind of thing – which are still on the site somewhere. Then we started making videos with the idea of getting them spread around. Street Fighter: The Later Years was a huge, huge hit for us. It’s still one of our biggest hits. I think it was like the third or fourth video we ever made. I feel like a big moment in that video is with Dhalism – who was a character in Street Fighter that could extend his limbs to two or three times their length, and it was a fighting game, so he could punch people from across the street. Everyone’s kind of down-and-out from their street fighting days, and Dhalism, who is now a cab driver, I think…Maybe he’s not a cab driver. For whatever reason, he’s driving – Flightpath: He was a cab driver. Jeff Rubin: Okay good. I was afraid I was being racist just because he’s Indian. So they’re turning a corner, and he reaches his arm out, and he has these kind of extendo-arms, and he grabs this lamppost to swing the car around the corner. I think that was a big moment because it’s a fun special effect, and that was at a time when you weren’t seeing a lot of special effects with that kind of production quality in Internet videos, additionally in a funny video. Also, that’s where we started to hit upon this idea – that’s a nerdy example, but there are also non-nerdy examples – of doing these things that are out there that people are into, but you wouldn’t see a Street Fighter sketch on Comedy Central, necessarily. Flightpath: I was wondering if that was a conscious decision. I love the Street Fighter: The Later Years sketches, I think a lot of people did, with all the in-jokes. One thing I’ve noticed about College Humor, and I don’t know if this was intentional or not, but it seems like it filled a niche, or created a kind of gaming-slash-pop culture influenced form of comedy? Jeff Rubin: That’s definitely true, because a lot of us are dorky and we think that stuff’s funny, and it was often successful. Videogames are like movies and music, but they’re still a little underground. And [the videogame sketches] were so successful, in fact, that we spun them off into another site called Dorkly, which I also work on. Dorkly is just pure videogame humor, and we do two videos that take place inside a videogame every week, and every day there’s comics and articles about videogames. My favorite things on that site are articles that you have to have played the game [to understand]. There was this great one, “The 7 Most Difficult Cases in L.A. Noire.” One of them was like, “Murder At The Beer Bottle Factory,” which if you played L.A. Noire, is funny, because in that game there’s a lot of picking up bottles and examining them for fingerprints. And you have to have played L.A. Noire to get that joke. But it was a very popular thing and there’s an audience for that kind of humor. So it wasn’t intentional, but it was something we liked doing, we were proud of, and we recognized that there was a very hungry appetite for that kind of material on the Internet. Flightpath: Are you as big a gamer as you used to be? Jeff Rubin: I’d say that’s true. I do a lot of videogame humor, but I think I play videogames less than people would expect. It’s almost like a book to me. I’m not always playing videogames; I’m not like The Wizard, I’m not like, incredible at any game. But when there’s something out that’s good and has a lot of buzz and gets good reviews and people say is interesting, like L.A. Noire, I’ll check it out. Right now, Arkham City, the new Batman game, I’m totally obsessed with. I very rarely get obsessed with a game. But yeah, I’m still playing videogames. I’ve always done it my whole life – enjoyed it like that. </center Click here for part 2 of our interview with Jeff Rubin! Tags: college humor, Jeff Rubin, jeff rubin interview, jest Interview: Billy Fields, Music Business Sales Exec, on Vinyl’s Comeback and Digital Music Trends The struggles of the music business over the last 10 years have been well-documented. With the launch of Napster and the blossoming of illegal downloads, sales of physical CDs plummeted, and labels and shops disappeared. Digital sales via outlets like iTunes and Amazon have helped the industry stem the tide a little, but not enough. Yet over the last few years, something strange has happened: vinyl sales have shown tremendous growth. Once deemed too big and too old in the CD era, the format has somehow made a comeback in the age of digital downloads. We recently caught up with Billy Fields, Director of Sales and overseer of vinyl production and Record Store Day for a major record company, to discuss the return of vinyl, what makes the format unique, and how digital music and vinyl can both continue to grow in the years ahead. Flightpath: Music is so tied into digital technology these days, but vinyl sales – this year and last year – are really kind of astounding. 2.8 million sold in 2010, and that was up from 900,000 four years ago. Sales from 2011 so far are up 37 percent over the same period last year. Why do you think this is happening? Billy Fields: I should couch all this. Some of this is actually based in fact because of the business I’m in and who I talk to on a regular basis, but a lot of this is just my thought about the aspect of digital music – that convenience is really fantastic, but convenience doesn’t actually trump the emotional connection that someone has to a record. I just read a story that came in through a vinyl community blog and through a Twitter feed that I follow about this cat that was in San Antonio when the wildfires struck. The guy snuck back into his “by-demand-of-the-police-get-out-of-the-neighborhood” neighborhood to get his records. Flightpath: [Laughs] Right. Billy Fields: Now that’s a stupid thing for him to have done because records are not as valuable as his life. But he said the reason why he did it was that every one of his records, he had a sentimental attachment to. I challenge anyone to show me that sort of connection to a digital file. Let’s be clear about vinyl and the way it’s judged. All the numbers that everyone talks about are scanned through SoundScan, which is the industry standard. It’s what everyone uses, but there is a lot of business that happens that is either added to, subtracted from, adjusted, or never reported at all because of the nature of what the business is. As a couple of examples: Urban Outfitters carries records now in every one of their stores. They report none of those sales to SoundScan. All of the major online audiophile LP specific outlets – Acoustic Sounds, Elusive Disc – there’s a lot of them. They don’t report to SoundScan. So we are going off of what the mainstream music business does, and we had a plateau in 2010. 2010 I think, if I remember correctly, was up 15 percent from 2009. It was 2.5 to 2.8 million. And I’ll be honest that once we got through Christmas last year, and we got into January, I started seeing weekly averages of 62, 64, 65,000 units reported in SoundScan. Which was up dramatically from either the fourth quarter of 2010, where the averages, until you got to Christmas, were 48,000, 52,000, 45,000. So something happened this last year at Christmas which was like, this whole other group of kids got turned onto what was going on and started to actually buy. Now all this also, by the way, coincides with a lot of really great indie rock records being released with a digital component [included]. We’re actually able to go to these kids, tie in the sentimental quality of vinyl, but also give them this convenience factor that makes it the best of both worlds. You get something with 12-by-12 art, it’s beautiful, you can read liner notes, you get to get into the details of a record and, you know, you get to put it onto whatever device it is you’re walking around town [with] – you get the best of both. The reason why, back to your original question – it is the sentimental, emotional connection to music, which at it’s heart is what music is. That is driving the business and how it’s developing and how it’s growing. Flightpath: This is probably a reflection of what you were saying, but I’m a big music fan and nerd. I grew up in the CD age, I’m thirty years old, and I’ve basically switched over to vinyl plus digital downloads. And a big reason for that is because I can buy a new album on vinyl and get the digital download with it, which is great. I love the size of a record, the sound, and you know, the whole experience. But I also think that there’s something to be said for a well-made physical artifact that digital just can’t match. Billy Fields: I completely agree. Flightpath: Do you think that a new generation is kind of realizing that, finally? Billy Fields: I think that every, I don’t know, let’s call it every decade or decade and a half, you get this process that happens. You start to realize that all the technology you’ve been consuming, all this that you’ve done to drive you forward, you’ve done it so quickly that you actually forget to experience being alive. I think that, you know, it’s more this process of every decade, decade and a half of reviewing, “What have I been doing? What did I miss?” And so for you, at 30, you grew up on CDs, you never even really dealt with vinyl. There are three distinct groups of people that are actually buying records today. There are the audiophiles – the people that never stop buying records and would go wherever they have to go to get the best pressing. So they’d go to European imports, they’d go to little niche labels that release the weirdest psych records that have ever existed but are so lovingly made, and made in such small press runs, that they become highly collectable. Then you’ve got people like me. I’m 14 years older than you. I actually grew up on records – the end of records – but adopted every technology from there. I’m on Spotify, I’m a Rdio user, I love iTunes. I don’t buy a lot of music that way, but I use it. I have music on all my devices because I like to take it with me. So you’ve got my group of people that grew up on it, absolutely, but sort of walked away from it, that are now coming back because, “Wow, this really is better than CD sound. It’s better than ear buds in my ears on the train. I can hear this music, I can let the music envelope me, almost like a physical blanket.” And then you’ve got kids! And I’m going to call you a kid at this point – well, your age and younger, that never even thought that records mattered or never even had the opportunity to like, open up Dark Side of the Moon, put it on with headphones, and realize, “Holy shit, this is blowing my mind.” So, that’s what I think is happening. You’re going through the process where we’re all saying, “Hey, let me sort of reflect on how I go forward into the future.” And you also have kids that are like, “I’ve never even experienced this before and this is really fantastic.” Flightpath: Most of the time, when I find out about a vinyl release, I’m finding out about it online, either through Twitter or through something posted on Facebook. Billy Fields: With all the aspects of our media world that are splintered now and [are] becoming even more splintered, the more we get away from the ubiquitous song on radio – we’re sort of past that right now, but it’s not done yet – it’s almost, “Wherever the water rises to, that’s where we’re going.” I mean, I’ve got my trusted sources. I am, what’s the word…a disciple. I’m a disciple of independent retail. I shop in record stores. I like the people that work in record stores. I call any number of them my friends. I like to buy records. I’m in Denver right now. I went to Twist & Shout, bought records, and I’ll buy some more records before I leave. And the reason why is that when you walk in there and you say to someone, “Hey look, what are you listening to? Oh wow, that sounds great. I’m going to buy that.” That’s how I get turned onto records. I knew about Mumford and Sons before the two million people that bought it, because independent records stores were telling that story way, way before anyone else was aware of who that band was. Way before they were on the Grammys. I mean years before. And I mean, we all do this differently. It’s either, “This is what my Twitter feed is, this is what my Facebook friends are saying, this is what people I work with say.” I mean, we’re getting it, but it’s funny because it all goes back to that idea of, “I trust the people that I know. I trust the people who have previously told me about things I have loved.” You know, I’ve got people that are in that independent retail community that I could seriously just pick up the phone, call five people, get five different answers and they would all be fantastic records that you would never have heard of before. Flightpath: Right. I mean, I really miss record shopping. It’s exactly what you described. I discovered Marshall Crenshaw because when I was in college, I walked into a record store in the Village and someone was playing his greatest hits, and I was like “What is this?” Billy Fields: Right! You were like, “What is that!” I mean, we can’t consume it all. There are so many great books that are written that you’ll never read, you just don’t have the time. There are so many great records that are recorded that you’ll never get to hear because there isn’t the time to do it. You have to decide to pick and choose, build your filters well, and adjust that batch that best helps you hit the mark every time, you know? Flightpath: One thing I like now is that the marketing seems to have gotten very creative – in regards to vinyl – in targeting fans. Matthew Sweet has a new album out, so does Wilco, and they had these packages where you could preorder and you get the record, a t-shirt, and a tote bag. All this cool stuff. It seems in a way like the marketing is more creative than I’ve seen it in a long time. Billy Fields: I do agree. I think the reason they are doing that is that for one, you’re seeing the splitting apart of what the retail environment used to be. You simply can’t get all those things in all the places that you could before. You know, even those music retailers or the big box stores that actually carry music that are out in the market, they don’t carry as deep of a selection as before. They are catering to a different audience. It’s a sea change in how the bands reach out specifically and say, “Hey, you’ve already contacted us as a fan and because of that, we’re going to let you in on something cool and here’s the opportunity.” And it’s also combating the idea of valueless things. I mean, I think it’s great that Lady Gaga sold the records that she sold, and her record frankly, for what it is, it’s a great record. I’m not going to talk bad about the record; I mean, it’s not my bag but it’s a cool record. But for someone that visible, how does she not sell millions of records at 99 cents? [Lady Gaga’s album was released as a download for 99 cents – Dan.] I mean, to me it’s like, does the public actually believe that it’s worth nothing? Or is there some weird, like, “I’ll pay fifty bucks for a preorder of a Wilco record,” and it’s a matter of some people think it’s worth nothing, and some will give their right arm for it. You know, you have those bands that are like, “They want to support me. They like what I do, I want to give them something really fantastic.” Flightpath: Exactly. The focus of the music industry for a long time has always been on digital. Do you think that was a mistake? Billy Fields: I don’t think it was a mistake. I mean what has always happened, at least for the music business – and I could even probably say [the same] for the publishing business, or whatever the business is – we’ve always followed the technology. We made singles when that was what was hot. I mean, we’re the music, but we’ve always been about the medium. So as the medium develops and moves into a different environment, so does the music. So I don’t think it was at all a mistake, just that this is the march of technology. You know, I’m talking to you on an iPhone. Ten years ago, what I have in my hand right now was probably conceived by people like William Gibson, but the people walking down the street weren’t thinking like, “Hey, I’m going to be able to carry my entire collection on this thing that I also talk on.” Flightpath: They didn’t know they needed it at the time. Billy Fields: Exactly. So, there’s a bit of marketing and a bit of the showmanship of that, but we are an interesting, malleable creature, us humans. We follow pretty well. And if it’s done well, and if it’s done right, and it ends up being easy, we’ll follow all the more. So no, I don’t think that it was a mistake. I think it’s the natural evolution of whatever it is. Don’t you see a future where you don’t ever carry anything anymore? You just think it, you know? Flightpath: What’s the feeling in the industry right now about vinyl? Is it very excited about everything that’s happening? Billy Fields: Well, it all comes down to who you’re talking to. I mean, I’m excited about it, I love the format. I’m tied into it in a big way for my entire company. It’s a tough question. Flightpath: As a music fan, I find it very exciting. Billy Fields: It is. I’ll use Lady Gaga for an example. Is that really a record that should be on vinyl? I’m not sure. They put it out, which is cool. And it sold. But is that fan really excited about it being a record? I think that’s really what it comes down to. It’s not so much about the format overall, but does [the artist] really work well with the format? Are they going to love that experience for that artist? I think it’s a lot more about that than the overall thing and what the excitement is about that. Flightpath: I feel like there’s the opportunity there, though, that it could make a person become a fan of the format. Billy Fields: I think that happens every day. [Laughs] When I had just got out of working in retail and I got into working on the distribution side of the business, I was always amazed by how many Metallica Black records we sold. And what I would always come back to is, “Yeah you know, every year another 13-year-old kid turns 14, and the Metallica Black record becomes the most important record of his life.” Flightpath: [Laughs] That’s totally true. Billy Fields: I mean, that’s what happens! Sometimes you get it when you’re younger, sometimes you get it when you’re older; it all depends on how it breaks down. You never know when a record is going to be the most important thing in your life. Flightpath: Are most bands excited about their stuff coming out on vinyl now? Billy Fields: Again, the ones that love the format and the ones that actually want the record to be released on record – absolutely. You know the thing is, even after all this time, is your music even officially released until it’s on vinyl? I mean, maybe? Maybe it doesn’t really become real until you’ve got a 12-by-12 record. You know, maybe then it becomes real. Flightpath: I’m not just saying this, but I don’t download music illegally. I’ve always preferred to buy it. I’ve always felt like I want to support the artist. I like having a collection. I think a lot of my friends, or even a lot of my generation got to this point where they don’t want to pay for anything, and all physical media has kind of suffered for that. What’s your take on that – that phenomenon that’s happened, since the Internet kind of made free access to media possible? Billy Fields: Well you know, that’s funny, because being as I’m an old man now comparatively, that’s what I think: a bunch of lazy kids, not wanting to pay for anything. That’s good to hear. But I don’t know. That’s a really tough question to figure out. It really is. If we could all turn back the clock and go back to when Napster first started and say, “We’re going to figure out how to monetize this now as an industry,” and not go through the decade that’s been a struggle to figure [monetizing MP3s] out. What would have happened 10 years ago if we had services such as Rdio or Spotify or any of these services that are actually legitimate, real things that gave people access to hear music that they wouldn’t have otherwise? I don’t know. Because it’s not just that people feel like maybe they don’t have to pay for anything, but I guess isn’t that in everything? Flightpath: I mean, there are pirate sites for comic books. I was reading an interview with Grant Morrison, the comic book writer, and he was talking about how comic book sales are plummeting for different reasons. But he was also saying that it’s like no one wants to pay for anything anymore and that’s a real problem. Billy Fields: Maybe if we made more stuff and talked a lot more about the fact that it takes talent, and effort, and work, and that work pays off and that you’re fully employed and employable and that you aren’t working at whatever job that you can barely cover your rent, maybe you have a little extra money to say, “I love this artist so much that I’m going to support them.” I don’t know. I think that the way we behave is directly proportional to sort of the messages we’re told or the messages that are parroted into us through various media outlets. Sometimes those messages are pretty disruptive in what they tell you what’s valuable and what isn’t. But again, that’s almost a sociological conversation and I don’t know that I have any of the answers for that. Flightpath: I wanted to ask you about Record Store Day and about how that came to be. It seems like it’s been really successful. Billy Fields: It’s been fantastically successful. It started with a group of record store guys saying, “Hey, there’s this thing called ‘Free Comic Book Day.’ We should do something like that for record stores.” Next year will be the fifth year, so yeah, [it started] four years ago and it was mostly an off shoot of what Free Comic Book Day was, which was just, “Hey let’s give away a bunch of great stuff out to people who come in and get them sort of acquainted again with their neighborhood community record store.” Some of these stats might not be exactly spot-on, because I’m doing this from memory, but in 2010 there was something like 1.1 million people that went into record stores worldwide on that day. Recordstoreday.com’s web traffic for the month of April was something like 1.25 million page views. The amount of retail dollars – I can’t actually answer that, and I don’t know that there is a very clear indication of it. But when you talk to individual stores – and these are stores that have been doing this as community-based, local record stores for 25, 30, 35 years – they say that, “This is the best day that we have had in our history.” So what I would say is, that this has built, and built, and built. I want to say in 2010 that there were 174 specialized releases that were released on Record Store Day. Now, that can be anything from a short run of 100 seven-inch records that are only in a single market to big records, like a Black Keys special 12-inch that’s leading into their release that we made, you know, 5,000 of. So, in 2010 there were 174. Last April, there were around 300 different items that were released. Flightpath: Wow. So it’s bigger and bigger. Billy Fields: It’s bigger and bigger, but the thing is, we’re feeling like it’s almost getting too big. It’s sort of too much for stores to handle, and how do you sort through it? Just because the industry is saying, “This is really hot, we’re going to get involved in it and make these things available,” it doesn’t mean that the stores have to buy everything. The stores really need to pay attention to, “Hey, what can I sell to my consumer? What can I sell to my fan that is coming into my store?” So this gives you more of a choice to do it. Did more releases necessarily mean better results? I think yes and no. But again this last year, the same store I just related about “the best day in our history?” This year, it was store after store after store saying, “We’re up 45 percent from our last year. At noon, we had eclipsed last year’s numbers and we’re still going strong. We had a line 40 deep for seven hours.” I mean, I live in New York, and I went out with a bunch of friends from Atlantic [Records], and I think I hit seven record stores that day and it was great. J&R was a mad house. People were grabbing and pushing and screaming and it was just like, “Oh my God.” It was crazy. But then you go other places and it was, “This is what we’ve got left, and it was crazy at 9 a.m. when we opened,” and then you hang out at a store like Permanent Records out in Greenpoint and they’re like, “Oh yeah, it’s better than last year,” and they’ve got bands playing. It’s like a whole day party. Come out, interact with other human beings. Get out of your digital world and your 140 character lives and actually shake hands and say, “Hey,” to people that share an interest that you have. Flightpath: That’s awesome, and that’s why I don’t think vinyl will ever go away and why I’m excited it’s coming back. I just can’t think of anything else that would inspire people to be so excited about an entertainment format. Billy Fields: You know, I think that’s a really good point. Even though this is very specialized and we all admit that this is niche and it’s a very small percentage of the overall music business. And it is, let’s be real. But what other events have happened in the music business that are as exciting as Record Store Day? And not just the music business, but even in the entertainment business, period? In stores, where you have people lining up for hours and hours and hours to hang out and buy some things that they’re coveting. I have not seen any other event occur. In fact, one of the reasons why vinyl is exciting and why vinyl continues to grow is because of Record Store Day. Flightpath: What’s your feeling about where everything is going both for vinyl and for digital? Billy Fields: Well I think that vinyl is going to continue to be a really strong format. I see no reason why it won’t continue to have, on average, 20 percent growth, year over year, for the next number of years. I think that there is still a lot of content, and I say content in a very generic way, that isn’t in the format that needs to be. Whether it’s specific records where the artist really wants to take the time and do it right and put it back on the format, or just other things that haven’t yet been explored, whether it’s more seven-inch series or special 12-inch pieces or whatever. There is still a lot of vinyl business to be had and grow. The prime vehicle for marketing, and this is really the truth of it, is artist pre-orders and artists talking to their fans. It’s Record Store Day and it’s online record stores like Music Direct. So we have a lot that we can still touch on when it comes to selling. I think as far as the format’s concerned, it’ll continue to grow and it’ll continue to be a niche product, which it is now. But I don’t see any reason why it’s going to stop being 20 percent [growth] year over year. I think last year I said, “I see no reason why we’re not going to [grow] 20 percent, year over year, over the next five years.” This year, I think through last week, we’re 35 or 36 percent above last year. And we still have the busiest quarter of the year. Digitally…I don’t know. I think the growth of digital music has everything to do with the growth of whatever the device is. So, you see every year at Christmas that [new mobile or digital devices] are sold and then you get this huge influx into the iTunes store. Whereas three years ago, it was primarily music that was the benefit of that, now you’re seeing people buy everything. It’s apps, it’s books, it’s video – it’s everything. So I think that that will continue to grow, but it will be dependent upon the devices that support it. And so, as long as that continues to evolve and develop, I don’t see any reason why that slows down either. And frankly, the services like Spotify, Rdio or Rhapsody, and all that – sort of like, “Hey, come on in, listen as much as you want, have access to as much as you want for a set fee or free,” – I think that’s another access model for discovery, that lets people then make decisions like, “Hey, I’m going to go out and buy this record now.” Tags: billy fields, digital music sales, interview, vinyl sales Interview: Bill Hunt of The Digital Bits – Part 2 In the final installment of our two-part interview with Bill Hunt, the creator of The Digital Bits discusses his site’s landmark Alien Quadrilogy feature, the future of home video, and helping two of Flightpath’s favorite films get the special edition Blu-rays they deserve. Flightpath: I wanted to ask about the Alien Quadrilogy feature. It was really rich with information and you seemed to get a level of access that I’d never seen before. How did that come about? Bill Hunt: The backstory on that is, the producer of that set, Charles de Lauzirika, [became] a very good friend of mine. That happened because when the very first Alien was going to be released on DVD, I talked to the people I knew at Fox, and they said, “Next year we’re going to be doing our first special edition, and it’s going to be Alien.” And I put that news in The Rumor Mill on The Bits. I got an email within a couple of hours, basically, from this fella named Charlie, who said, “Listen, you don’t know me, but I’m an assistant. I work for Ridley Scott. I saw this news and I told Ridley, and he had no idea that Fox was going to be putting his movie out. He would love to be involved. He would love to do a director’s commentary and all that kind of stuff for it. So who do I contact to make that happen?” Flightpath: That’s amazing. Bill Hunt: Yeah. So I put them in touch with Fox and got them all talking together, and as a result of that, Charlie got his sort of first special edition producing job. And he’s of course since done some of the greatest special editions on both Blu-ray and DVD that have ever been done – Gladiator, Blade Runner, the Alien Quadrilogy, and the Blu-ray version of that – amazing, amazing work. When he was just getting into that, we sort of hooked up and became friends. So when that Quadrilogy project began to happen, Doogan and I were writing a book about DVD. It was called The Digital Bits: Insider’s Guide to DVD. It was something you could take to the store, find out what the good discs were, and figure out how to hook up your DVD player and that kind of thing. And I wanted to do a feature on what it takes to put a really good special edition together, because I had never really seen anything like that. To me, a good special edition producer is almost like an archaeologist for one of these catalog films, because they’re going back in boxes and they’re interviewing people who worked on these films 20 years ago. It’s this kind of really in-depth research that’s involved. So I told Charlie, “Listen, I think it would be a great topic for a whole chapter of the book.” And he thought it was a great idea, so we went to Fox and said, “Can we have permission to do this? We’ll go behind-the-scenes for the year-and-a-half or whatever it takes to document it all, but we won’t put any of it on the website until the title gets announced – we weren’t going to leak secret information – but we’ll release it in the book. And then at a specific time, when the title gets announced, we’ll do a series of stories on the website.” And they agreed. It was amazing. They signed off on it. So literally, for a year-and-a-half, for every two or three weeks or whatever, I went to commentary recording sessions, and into the Fox archives to look at all the boxes of material. It was pretty extraordinary. For the very original DVD release, I was at one of the sessions where they were doing the hi-def transfer for the original Alien. I was there in the capacity of doing that stuff [for the book], but also as a friend of Charlie. And it was riveting – sitting in the room with Ridley Scott when he was doing commentary. Ridley would be in the booth doing his commentary, and we’d take a break, and he’d come out and have a drink or something. It would be Charlie, the recording engineer, and Ridley and I, sitting in the room and we would just start talking about the films, and it was amazing. Then he would go back in and complete the commentary. We did that for all the actors involved – Tom Skerritt and all those people – and it was really amazing. Flightpath: Did that lead to you doing advising on bonus features or anything like that? Bill Hunt: We do a lot of that. It’s very often not credited stuff. I did get a credit on one of the Alien box sets and a couple of other things. But a lot of it is when the producers are working on these things, and then they have a question [like], “I’ve got two options [for bonus features],” or “I’ve got this content and this content but there’s only room for so much, and I’ve got to choose one.” That kind of thing. Producers or studio people will call me and ask my opinion about things. A similar thing happened on the Blade Runner set when Charlie was in Warner Bros. working on the first DVD release. I was kind of behind-the-scenes on some stuff there too. These executives at Warner Bros., many of whom I’d known for years at that point, said, “We just don’t know about this. We’re really putting a lot of money and resources into it, but this is a film that has never sold well on any format. We just don’t know.” I turned to them and I said, “Trust me. You’re going to sell just so many copies of this, you’re not going to have any idea.” It was one of the first DVD titles that was ever released – in a real bare bones format – and nothing had been done with it since then. It was one of those legendary cult titles, so it was just ripe for that in-depth treatment. And then there are a couple of titles that we have actually helped get on DVD. Synapse did a release of the Leni Riefenstahl film, The Triumph of the Will, that we kind of helped happen. And then there was another film called Six Days in Roswell, which was this great comedy/documentary that a friend of mine actually had directed, and he was looking for distribution on DVD. So we put him in touch with a company and sort of helped that happen. So every now and again, we do that. There’s things that we say on the website and that we reveal, but there’s also a lot of things we hear and learn and information we’re given that we don’t reveal. It’s not necessarily to be controlling of information, or any kind of an ego thing. It’s just that, what we’ve learned over time is that with a lot of these special edition things, if information gets leaked too early, they can actually fall apart. Sometimes when a studio is planning to do a release, they haven’t contacted the director yet, or they haven’t contacted the actors yet. They plan to, but they haven’t done it yet, because they’re preparing the gameplan and trying to pull assets together. A couple of times it’s happened where information has gotten out early, and an actor or an actor’s agent has heard about it and said, “Well, they’re obviously going to be coming to us for something, so we’re going to jack up our price.” Whole titles have been scuttled because of leaks breaking out on the Internet. So we try to be careful not to say anything until a project is well underway. It’s a really interesting balancing act. Flightpath: There are other sites – I won’t name them – that get into the game of posting spoilers for upcoming movies. I feel like that’s something you’ve resisted, or at least when you get to advance screenings, you’ll give your impressions of the film, but you try not to be a source of spoilers. Is that a conscious decision on your part? Bill Hunt: Yeah. Very, very much so. I’m kind of a mixed-mind about spoilers. I remember as a kid, how amazing it was to see the ending of Empire Strikes Back and have to wait three years to get the answer to that, because there was no Internet, and magazines didn’t cover it very much. So, yeah, I definitely think those things shouldn’t be spoiled. When I see a theatrical screening of something, I’ll go on the website and review it or talk about it, but I very much try and just give an impression. When I do a little synopsis of the story, what I try and do is just set up the story. I don’t go through and do a recap of the whole thing and reveal everything. I just try to give people everything they really need to know to go in, and that’s it. Give them just enough to get them intrigued or get them interested, or tell them why it’s good, why they should go check it out, and that’s it. Let them go and see it themselves. That’s something we’ve always tried to do, is not ruin it for people. Flightpath: Where do you see the industry going from here? It seems like the streaming wars are really heating up, and at the same time, they’re still trying to push Blu-ray. Bill Hunt: Physical media is gonna be around for another 20 years, is my feeling. But what you’re gonna see is, is it’s gonna shift in importance. There’s an inevitable trend toward all-digital – streaming, downloading, that kind of thing – and I think that’s unavoidable, and that is gonna be the future, probably. But there will always be some physical media, in terms of like, a really gorgeous box set with nice packaging and all that, that our generation is going to continue wanting to buy. Physical media will still be around. How are old are CDs? You can still go to the store and buy CDs. We still have them, we still use them. So DVD and Blu-ray, I think, are gonna be around for awhile, and you’ll still be able to buy them. But they’ll be rarer and the importance of that will change toward the digital. One of the great things about the disc format is, you know, you put the movie on there, and then you’ve got all this extra room. The tendency with the studio is, “Okay, we’ve got all this extra room. Let’s fill it up with good stuff.” You don’t have that concern with a download. There’s really not a lot of reason or incentive to include all of the extra ancillary bonus content as part of the download, because really, most people who download just want to see the movie. They don’t care about all the rest. The other interesting thing I see happening is, I really kind of see the whole industry contracting in the same way that the music industry has. Look, you can charge $39.99 for a physical disc, and people will buy it. A lot of them will wait for a sale, but you can charge $39.99 for a physical disc. You can charge $99 for a box set. You can’t charge that for a download. At best, you’ll get maybe 10, 15 bucks for a download – at absolute best. So what will happen is, the amount of income coming in will go down. You can say, “It will be cheaper for people,” and all that jazz, and there’s certainly good aspects to it. But one of the concerns I have is, you’ll see a lot less extras; a lot of that stuff will go away. The amount of money coming into the studios from the DVD boom, a lot of that went right back into remastering and preserving and restoring the catalog. That’s kind of changing. A lot of studios are selling their catalogs. Disney let the Miramax catalog go. The financial value of the catalog right now – in a world where DVD is fading and Blu-ray is still only a percentage of DVD – is down. So, money isn’t being put into restoring films as much. Certainly, a big classic like Citizen Kane or Ben-Hur, is going to get the money to do a restoration. But, for example, with Godfather, Steven Spielberg had to step in and help pay for the restoration of the Godfather films. Paramount wasn’t all that interested in spending the money to restore those films. They needed restoration, and Steven Spielberg said, “Listen, I’m going to put money into this, because it’s important.” One of our guys who occasionally writes for The Bits, Robert Harris, he’s also one of the greatest film restoration guys in the business. He did the restoration on Godfather, he did the restoration on Lawrence of Arabia. A dream project of his has been to restore the original road-show version of The Alamo, the John Wayne film, which is in terrible shape right now. It’s in absolutely terrible shape, and if a restoration isn’t done fairly soon, that film might get lost. That original version. There’s just no money. He’s been trying to get that project going forever, and there’s just no money. The studio’s just not willing to spend the money, and nobody’s stepping forward with the money, and it’s just a really complicated, political thing. So, that’s kind of my concern. There’s a lot of advantages of digital. But with everything going digital…record stores, video stores, book stores are closing. There’s a whole sort of infrastructure that’s going away. Flightpath: It’s like an ecosystem that gets effected just from the format change. Bill Hunt: That’s absolutely right. In some ways there are good aspects of the downloading thing. And I get the convenience – I get all that – Netflix and stuff. But at the same time, it sort of feels like the golden age of this stuff has passed. And as things go more and more to the download side, it gets a lot less interesting for people like me. What we love covering is the special editions and the features and all this stuff, and that really is going to be less important going ahead. Flightpath: I have one last question for you, and it’s related to this. I wanted to know if you could use your powers and your influence to get a special edition made of a movie that I feel really needs its due. Bill Hunt: Sure. I do it all the time! Flightpath: I don’t know if it’s something we would agree on or not, but it’s the Martin Short comedy, Clifford. Bill Hunt: [Laughs] Nice! Flightpath: It’s one of my all-time favorite movies. Bill Hunt: This is part of what I do every day. People email me and say, “Hey, this movie should be out. It should be a special edition.” [Types on computer.] That is an MGM film. I will absolutely put in the good word with all the right people. I will tell you that the odds are really long. [Laughs] There’s a lot of titles that deserve special edition treatment. Flightpath: Well, the other one I was going to say is Ghostbusters II. It’s also one of my favorite movies. Bill Hunt: Oh, totally. The first Ghostbusters has been given a really good special edition, but II never was. Flightpath: They kind of ignore it. It’s not even out on Blu-ray. Bill Hunt: I think there’s a possibility of that. Clifford‘s a long shot. [Laughs] Ghostbusters II is more likely. But I will put in the good word. Tags: alien quadrilogy, bill hunt, clifford blu-ray, ghostbusters 2 blu-ray, the digital bits For years, The Digital Bits has been a leading source of home video news, thoughtful reviews and industry discussion, developing a huge following among cinephiles and casual movie fans alike. From the beginning, it has been a champion of film restoration and presenting films with the best picture and sound possible; it helped establish the language of what constitutes quality bonus features; and it has an uncanny ability to offer smart film and disc critiques while addressing the technical aspects of DVDs and Blu-rays in an easy-to-understand manner. Today, its review archive is a treasure trove of insights and information on film and home video releases. In part one of our interview with Bill Hunt, creator of The Digital Bits, we discuss why he launched the site, the events that helped it make gains in popularity, and his new role as Star Wars therapist. Flightpath: Can you talk a little bit about your life prior to The Digital Bits, and what led you to start the site? Bill Hunt: Well, I’m originally from North Dakota, and I studied film at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. And right out of that, rather than getting into film, I actually got into video production. Did a lot of corporate stuff. I lived in Minneapolis for awhile after college and did a lot of directing and editing of corporate videos – training things, that sort of stuff. And that actually brought me out to California. In kind of a sideways way, I was doing video out here, and once I was out here I thought that maybe I’d establish some contacts in the film industry, and maybe see if I can’t put my foot in those waters and get involved there. The interesting thing is that I actually became friends with a lot of people who worked at the studios. I’ve always been really interested in the technology of home video – video technology, film technology – and so when DVD was being developed, I had a lot of contacts at the studios, and so I was following it really closely and I was learning a lot of interesting behind-the-scenes things about the technology. At the time, like many film enthusiasts, I was a big LaserDisc fan. I kind of thought, for quite awhile, that a movie disc format with discs the same size as a CD would probably be a huge hit if it happened. That wasn’t necessarily the prevailing wisdom in Hollywood. There were a lot of people, very early on, who didn’t think that was going to be the case – people that I talked to at the studios. But when it became clear that DVD was happening, they were developing a format, I started writing about it. I was using EarthLink at the time and I had a free homepage. Flightpath: And what year was this? Bill Hunt: This was ’97. Real, real early. When I would talk to these folks at the studios, I would put on this EarthLink site the interesting information I’d heard from them – what discs were being planned, what the technology was all about, what studios were going to be supporting the format. That sort of thing. It initially started as like, an email newsletter that I sent to a few friends, and then I moved that to the EarthLink site. But then within a month, EarthLink called me up and said, “You’re getting way too much traffic. You need to do this as a business.” Because what was happening was, there was really nobody covering DVD. Even Variety and Hollywood Reporter weren’t covering it. Video enthusiasts – Videographer and magazines like that – were sort of talking about it a little bit. But really, there was nobody who was diving into it, especially online. It was a time when there were very few websites devoted to this stuff. So what was happening was, I was posting this information online, and all the Hollywood people who worked at the studios and the movie directors whose movies were potentially being considered for DVD, and just the whole Hollywood community, jumped on board, and just the whole enthusiast community jumped on board, and traffic just went crazy. So, within a month I bought a domain name and started doing The Digital Bits. I ended up quitting my job doing video production, and I’ve been doing it ever since. Flightpath: Where’d you get the name from? Bill Hunt: You know, it’s interesting. I was trying to come up with something that wouldn’t be obvious, which is both good and bad, because obviously on the Internet, if you want to read DVD news or Blu-ray news, you search “DVD” or “Blu-ray.” But my thinking was that everything was going digital. All these things were moving from analog to digital, so digital had to be in the name. And “bits” just seemed like bits of news, bits of information, and it tied into the actual binary bits of digital information. And it all just kinda worked, and it’s good because a lot of other DVD websites have come and gone or had to rebrand themselves later. And we are still plugging away. Flightpath: What were some of the tougher learning curves in launching the site yourself and developing it? Because as you said, there just wasn’t much around at that time. Bill Hunt: Yeah, there really wasn’t. Just learning how to build a website – and this was of course, ’97, which was very, very early, so it was very early HTML – that was definitely a learning curve. And it’s still a learning curve, because after I got it up and running, it took off so quickly that I’ve never had a chance to go back and redesign. So I’m actually, right now, doing a redesign that will take The Bits from sort of the original HTML model into blog, database-driven content. Yeah, so I’m just now doing that. And the reason is because, in addition to being the web guy, I was the reporter; I was the main contact with all the studios. So there just was never enough time, and that’s what I’m doing now. Flightpath: I was going to ask about that. That’s one thing I always kind of liked about The Digital Bits. I feel like I’ve been visiting it as long as I’ve been interested in DVDs and movies, but you know, it’s always kind of felt the same. I’m not saying this to discourage you, but I’ve always liked that you seemed to resist the sometimes knee-jerk reaction of websites to redesign every year. Bill Hunt: Yeah. It was both purposeful and not. One of the reasons it’s taken so long to work on a redesign, is because one of the things I hate about a lot of websites these days is that the blog format tends to really McNugget everything. I used to read the old music magazines – Crawdaddy and those kind of magazines, and the LaserDisc Newsletter, and some of those things – and one of the things I liked is that you’d get one long column in which the person would go from one topic to another, and kind of tie them together, and give you a little context. And so you’d get lots of news, but you’d also get some background information, and you kind of would see how it all fits together. You also got some personality, because there was room to add a little personality to it. That’s kind of always the way I wanted to write and the way I’ve always done The Bits. The problem is, when you go to the blog-driven format, the tendency is for every single piece of news to become a news McNugget. And so you get like 20 posts a day versus one or two good, long, substantial ones. The struggle has been to try and figure out how to adapt to the blog format without losing that personality. You know, everyone is trying to drive up hits and drive up content, and the more posts you do, the more hits you get. So there’s that theory. But my feeling is that, the people who like The Bits and who have stuck with us over the years, like The Bits for what we don’t do as much as for what we do. [Laughs] It’s like you say, there’s personality and we don’t do the McNuggeting. I have no desire to take a press release that I get from a studio about a Blu-ray release and just copy and paste it, and upload it and call that a post. Anybody can do that; it’s just not very interesting. Flightpath: The problem with shorter content is that you can’t inject as much personality, or really, thought, into something. Bill Hunt: I think that’s absolutely right. I mean, the news is everywhere. There are a hundred websites that are posting this kind of news. But what people tend to come to us for is perspective, so that’s what we try to bring to it. So that’s been a challenge. And then I would say that the other challenge has been sort of the business side. Trying to figure out how to dive into the advertising model, and selling advertising and dealing with the other side of the studio – the ad buyers and the media people. One of the most challenging aspects of that has been that in the film industry, at the studios, there’s just a gigantic revolving door. So people go from one of the PR agencies to one of the studios, and then they go back to another studio, and then they go back to a PR agency. So it’s this constant churn of different people you’re dealing with. Flightpath: Are you doing all of it? Those are very different hats to wear: creative and business. Bill Hunt: I do a little of each of it. My wife, Sarah, does a lot of the business-end now. I really tend to focus on content and looking behind-the-scenes in the industry, maintaining those contacts, and doing reporting on those issues. We have columnists. For example, Barrie Maxwell, who does our classics column, reviews all the different formats but from a classic film perspective. Adam Jahnke does a lot of our more eclectic, more offbeat things. There’s also Tim Salmons, Todd Doogan, Jeff Kleist, Mark Altman and a few others who cover different things. And another good friend of mine, Matt Rowe, started a site called MusicTAP. So we partner with him on music content. We try and spread things around. But my whole day is spent answering emails, answering inquiries, talking to people in the studios, talking to DVD producers and special edition producers. That really is, I would say, the lion’s share of my day. And that’s hours, some days. Flightpath: The Digital Bits launched way prior to things like Facebook, Google+ and social media. What did you do to try and spread the word? Bill Hunt: The answer is we did almost nothing. The real advantage was that we were doing this before anyone else was really doing it, so there were very few other places to go. There were a few other good websites: DVDFile happened around the same time, plus DVD Review, Home Theater Forum. And Steve Tannehill’s DVD Resource Page was doing its thing. There were a handful that started around that time, but we were fortunate to be among the first. So everybody in that group, in that interest field, knew who we were, and it kind of spread via word of mouth within the industry and within the enthusiast community. And then certainly that was helped by the fact that we were right in the thick of the original format war, which was DVD versus DivX. Flightpath: Yes! I still don’t understand DivX. Bill Hunt: [Laughs] It was so ridiculous. We actually broke the news of DivX. We were the first publication, in print or anywhere, to reveal that Disney and Fox, for example, were going to adopt this format called DivX, which was sort of a pay-per-view flavor of DVD. And then we actually contacted DivX, and within a couple of weeks, we actually went to DivX and did a really substantial feature on the technology. We gave it a very fair shake, originally, and reported all the details of what it was and how it was intended to work and what it meant. After that, we sort of did a separate thing and said, “Well, here’s what we think about it.” And it really just kind of took off from there. Flightpath: Related to that, was there a specific review or a feature that you ran, which really turned the corner for the website? Bill Hunt: I would definitely say the DivX thing did, because that format war supercharged interest. Interest was really picking up, in terms of DVD, at the time. That topic just absolutely went everywhere. It was all over mainstream media. Attention coming to DVD was really [borne] out of that controversy about this format war. So I would say that. And then also, when the Star Wars special editions came back to theaters, which I think was ’97, there was talk that those were the obvious movies to bring to DVD. Those are the movies that everybody would want. And I think it was in 2000 when The Phantom Menace came out, there was this controversy – it came out on VHS, it came out on LaserDisc, but it wasn’t on DVD. It was a huge thing. It’s like, [George] Lucas is very progressive about technology, and these are obvious films to bring out. And so we, along with several other websites, did this whole Star Wars-on-DVD campaign. And Lucasfilm took notice, and they basically said, “We’re gonna do it.” And a year later they put out Episode I on DVD. So we were covering that, and that also was a big landmark event for the site. But I guess – probably the biggest thing that’s really helped The Bits grow over the years is that we’ve just assembled a really great group of columnists. I mentioned some of them earlier and there have been others as well that made key contributions and moved on. But for example, Todd Doogan coming on board and bringing his experience as a laserdisc reviewer and his time at TNT’s Roughcut – that was a big deal. Adam Jahnke – who started as a writer for Troma – brings a really refreshing and unique expertise and writing style to the site in his Bottom Shelf and Jahnke’s Electric Theatre columns. And Barrie’s passion and knowledge of classic films is as strong and deep as anyone I know. Each of our writers comes from a different place and a different perspective, but we’re all of very similar mind in terms of our love of this stuff and what we’re trying to accomplish. These guys are a big part of The Bits’ success and popularity. Even more importantly for me though, is that they’ve all become really great friends. Hell, they’re like family at this point. So I guess that’s really the thing I’ve gained and appreciate most from The Bits over the years – the friendships with them and others in the industry. Flightpath: You mentioned Star Wars…it’s funny, because I’m a Star Wars nerd. And I feel like, reading your review of the Blu-rays and all the Star Wars releases where Lucas makes changes to the films, you almost have to act as a therapist for Star Wars fans. Bill Hunt: [Laughs] It’s really true. It is true. And the funny thing about that is, I’ve said a couple of times, even in my reviews, is that I’m the same way. I grew up with those films; they had a huge impact on my life. It’s taken me years to learn how to sort of separate my practical, just common sense perspective, from the feelings I have connected to Star Wars. But having done that, having been able to do that, now I find that a lot of other people still aren’t able to do that. [Laughs] So in my review, I just try and say, “There’s good and bad here, but it’s not the end of the world. This isn’t rocket science, it’s not brain surgery. The films look good.” There is an aspect of that. The other interesting thing about this website – tied to both format wars, tied to Star Wars, tied to you name it – is that I get hundreds of emails a day from people. Just readers who have questions or who want help. One of the things I tried to do very early on was to keep The Bits very focused at sort of a mass audience. Widescreen Review is a great publication, but you have to be a real expert and enthusiast to really appreciate all the detail it’s going into. My goal was to always say, “Okay, I want to do two things. I want to expose people who are new to DVD or Blu-ray to the technology, and explain it to them in a way that they can understand, and help them to appreciate it, to get the most enjoyment out of it. And then on other side of the coin, I want to expose people to a lot of films that they maybe haven’t seen before.” One of the greatest things that ever happened to me was in college, as a film major. Growing up in North Dakota, I didn’t have a chance to see a lot of foreign films, or independent films, or art house films. And suddenly, I was a projectionist for the film department, and I was watching [Akira] Kurosawa and Sergio Leone and [Federico] Fellini. That was just an amazing time for me – discovering all these great movies from around the world. So, what I was trying to do, was sort of bring my love of those things to people who may never have seen a [Stanley] Kubrick film or a Fellini film, and say, “You know, you might really be interested in this, and here’s why.” We didn’t want to talk to the in-crowd, necessarily. We wanted to talk to everybody. We wanted to get everybody into the fold and let everybody share in the fun. Because of that though, we’ve developed a readership where, whenever they have a question or an issue, they start emailing. [Laughs] So, you know, half my morning is spent just going through emails and trying to answer as many as I can. Flightpath: With great power comes great responsibility. Bill Hunt: [Laughs] I guess so. I guess so. And the other fun thing about the site is, the longer we’ve been doing it, people just sort of feel like they know you. It feels like a family, to a degree. People have no problem emailing and talking about stuff, I think, because we do put a little bit of our personality into the site. They feel like they know who we are. Be sure to come back later this week for part 2 of our interview with Bill Hunt! Tags: bill hunt, blu-ray, dvd, interview, the digital bits Interview: Hank Kanalz, Senior Vice President of Digital for DC Entertainment DC Comics – home to classic superheroes Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and more – made headlines this summer with the announcement that it would be rebooting its entire line with 52 new No. 1 issues. In “The New 52,” characters are being de-aged (and in Superman’s case, de-married), redesigned and revamped in efforts to connect DC with a wider audience, and hopefully reverse the trend of the industry’s rapidly declining sales. It looks like DC might be onto something; according to USA Today, pre-orders for the debut issue of the new Justice League have passed 200,000 copies, already making it the year’s biggest seller. In another big move coinciding with the relaunch, DC, which is owned by Time Warner, will now release every comic in digital on the same day as the print version, marking a true acceptance of the format as playing a key role in the future of comic books. In advance of tomorrow’s historic launch, we spoke with Hank Kanalz, Senior Vice President, Digital of DC Entertainment, about the decision to go same-day digital, fighting piracy, and why he’ll never get rid of his print comics. Flightpath: We’re right around the corner of the big relaunch. What’s the feeling around the DC offices right now? Hank Kanalz: You know, not to sound cliche, but it’s positively electric. We moved into a brand new space, we’re all under one roof working on this incredible project. It’s so exciting. We’ve had daily updates on what’s going on, hourly check-in points on moving towards this launch. I’m knocking on wood – everything’s going according to plan. Flightpath: The relaunch represents a real move towards embracing digital with same-day digital and print releases. What made now the right time for that? Hank Kanalz: It was a very clean time, you know, with the 52 new number ones as a jumping on point for new readers. So what better way to get new readers than to go as wide as possible with all these number ones? And to go as wide as possible, you have to go digital. We could’ve kept this all in print, but if you want to reach an audience that can’t necessarily get their comic books, digital is the way to get to that audience. Flightpath: I know that the whole industry had kind of resisted same-day digital releases for different reasons – not wanting to anger retailers, not wanting to cannibalize sales of the print version. Was the decision to go same-day digital a no-brainer with the relaunch, or was there some internal debate about it? Hank Kanalz: From my perspective, it was definitely a no-brainer, and it’s something that we’ve been pushing for for quite some time. We were pushing for this, in my group, obviously long before The New 52 was announced. As a company, historically speaking, it’s something that we’ve always been looking at. And when we restructured, it became a top priority for us, so we went from 0 to 100 miles an hour in a matter of minutes. So yeah, it was very much a no-brainer. But if you take a look at what’s out there too, we’ve been noticing that there’s a lot of the pirate sites, so we were already losing some of our audience to piracy. So why not give people an honest alternative to get their comic book material, right? Flightpath: Yeah, I wanted to ask about that. How big a problem is comic book piracy? I remember years ago, a friend of mine sending me a PDF; someone had just scanned their comic and uploaded it, and I never would have thought in a million years that anyone would do that. Do you see that as something impacting your business? Hank Kanalz: Oh, absolutely. It impacts the entire entertainment business, not just us. We’re certainly not alone, and we’re fighting this together as a company. Warner Bros. – Time Warner specifically – we take a big stand against piracy. I don’t know if we’ve ever done a study to look at the financial impact, I don’t know if that’s possible, but clearly it’s impacting our business in general. Flightpath: The LA Times says that print comic book sales have dropped consistently over the last three years, and they’re down 7 percent in 2011. Why do you think that is, and do you think that releasing them same-day digital, and just having more digital initiatives, will help reverse the trend? Hank Kanalz: I definitely do. I mean, that was a very candid article. I read it, and I was like, “Wow, I’m really surprised at how candid the article is!” [Laughs] But, you know, it’s the world we live in. Obviously, as the SVP of digital, I firmly believe that this is additive and this is definitely something that grows the entire business. This is not just, “Here’s another way to turn a buck.” This is something that I think will have a very positive impact on the industry in general, print specifically, and then comic shops as well. This is a terrific way to get new readers into our business. You are never going to replace that tangible feeling of holding a comic book. You know, we have an archive library here too. Walking into that library, there’s this terrific smell of collected paper comics. And for that reason, I will never get rid of my comics. It’s my collection. It’s part of who I am, and the years I’ve been collecting. But yeah, we absolutely believe it’s completely additive, and it raises all the boats. We’re talking about DC, but this is not just a DC thing. Flightpath: I’ve been waiting for a day where I could buy graphic novels and download the single issues. At the same time, I do still love the single issues that I had growing up, and I’ll always keep them. If you look at the music industry, vinyl is making a comeback. I don’t think print will ever go away, in the same way that vinyl still means something to people. Hank Kanalz: I don’t think it will ever go away either. But this is a great sampling opportunity. How unique is it to get someone to try something for free, or for 99 cents, or $1.99, or even $2.99? Here, try this one thing, it’s only gonna cost you two bucks. If you like it, you can buy a whole bunch more in the same format, or push this button here, and we’ll tell you exactly where your closest comic book shop is. And go there, and pick up everything that you can get your hands on and can afford to. What if someone says, “You’ve got to read Planetary. It’s an amazing series.” You’ve got a couple of options. Find a comic shop, get a back issue, try it, and then purchase your trades or your hardcovers. Go to our app though – real easy, and sometimes we run that first issue for free or 99 cents – try it, if you like it, you can buy all 27 issues right there. Or you can go to your bookstore, and now you know that if you’re going to invest the money in it, that you’ve tried it and you liked it and you want to buy more. I can’t see how it’s not additive. Flightpath: It seems to me that all the digital stuff you’re doing is a way to break down the barrier of having to go to a comic book store or having to find this stuff on your own. It just makes it a lot easier. Hank Kanalz: It really does. I actually have some friends who thought that Green Lantern was a movie character. They had no concept that it was based on a comic book. It became the topic of the barbecue. “How could you not know he was a comic book character?” They don’t have access, so they didn’t know. And they loved the movie! “So if you love the movie, then step into my library.” So I set them up, and then I was realizing when I was stacking some books [for] them, it would be easier if I just got them the digital [copies], so they don’t have to carry it on their vacation. It’s just so convenient. There probably are people who don’t realize that Batman is a character that comes from the comic books. They know him and were introduced to him by either the cartoon show or the movies. There’s a generation that was introduced to Batman in the ’60s with the Adam West version. It’s a completely different entry point. So I would like to have our material readily available, and the best way to get it readily available is this, as digital. So you’re looking at your DVD, and in there you can have a preview of a book. It’s great. Flightpath: Can you talk a little bit about the actual digital delivery? How’s it going to work, from what’s available to actual ownership of digital files? Hank Kanalz: When you make your purchase, you’ll be able to download the files to read onto your device. If you’re going to be reading it through the Web, it streams, so you don’t actually have the files downloaded to your hard drive. But if it’s on your iPad or on [other platforms], it downloads the file. So you can load up your iPad and then get on a plane and read an entire series, depending on how you’ve structured your memory allocation on the device itself. We’ve been experimenting with different ways for people to purchase in bundles or series or collections. There will be more developments with that over the next couple of months, but right now we’re selling the backlist as individual issues. We run the occasional sale, where you can buy everything in the sale or you can select the different items that are for sale. We have character 101s, so there’s a “Batman 101,” which is basically your introduction to Batman and then 101 of his essential books that we have available digitally, that we recommend you try. So we do that with all our characters, and we rotate those through. And we get new customers that way too, so whenever we get new customers, they start their library with this great sale and they add to it after that. Flightpath: And what about price-point? Hank Kanalz: Our standard price is $1.99, and then we have select backlist items that are either free or 99 cents. For the same-day digital books, we’ll be matching the price for the first month as the [$2.99] print price. It’s very interesting. I really thought that people would wait until the price drops, but people want their comics and they want them now. So they’ve been purchasing at the same price. And we want price parity because we want people to choose, but we don’t want them to choose because of price-point. We want them to choose because of their preferred format. Some people actually don’t want a big long box in their apartment or house; they don’t have the room, their spouse won’t let them, they just don’t want to deal with moving it – they prefer to keep their comics digitally. So we want to give them that choice. But then after a month, which is pretty much the period of time that comic shops will sell their frontlist books before they put them in the back bins, we’ll drop it to $1.99, and it becomes a backlist title. If the comic book happens to be $3.99 on the stands, then it will drop down to $2.99. Flightpath: On an iPad, double-page spreads might not fit the aspect ratio of the screen perfectly. Do you think the digital format will cause the art form to change and evolve? Hank Kanalz: I don’t think so. We don’t have any intentions of limiting double-page spreads; they’re just too spectacular and fun. All we really do when we prepare for digital is we set it so that all you have to do is turn your iPad to landscape, and then it really does look beautiful. And depending on how the artist constructed the pages…if it’s a full-bleed page, we really try and accommodate that, but then we have the black framing, so it’s really not noticeable that it doesn’t fit perfectly in there. It has the same dramatic impact, I think. And then the difference though, is now that with the iPad, you can zoom in and you can see all the stuff that you would otherwise miss. Flightpath: Let’s say someone might love comic book movies, but they don’t buy comics or they don’t know where to start. Is there one title from the new DC relaunch that you’d recommend as a good place to get on board? Hank Kanalz: Oh, goodness. It’s so hard to be objective. We’re so immersed in it. My entry comic book that really got me hooked was Justice League, because it has all the characters. [Justice League No. 1’s] got such a nice feel, and it really is drawn cinematically and paced cinematically. I’m not just saying that because it’s coming out [tomorrow], and we’ve been working hard on this issue. It looks terrific. That’s a great starting point. I would say that, obviously if they’re a fan of a particular movie, then stick with that. If you’re a Batman movie fan, then Batman and Detective Comics are obviously the way to go. But Justice League has it all. It has all the characters, it’s a great starting off point, and you don’t need to know anything that happened prior to that point. Posted in Interview Sessions, Social Strategy, Trendspotting Tags: DC Comics, dc comics interview, DC Entertainment, dc reboot, dc relaunch, DCnU, hank kanalz Interview: Mike Nelson of RiffTrax and Mystery Science Theater 3000 Mike Nelson is a hero to those who love (or love to hate) bad movies. Having served as head writer and host of the classic TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000, Nelson played a large role in elevating movie riffing into a new form of comedy. After the show ceased production in 1999, he kept the flame alive with various projects, but most significantly with the 2006 launch of RiffTrax. An innovative site where users download audio commentaries and sync them with DVDs and Blu-rays, RiffTrax – which features Nelson and fellow MST3K stars Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett – lampoons everything from Michael Bay’s Transformers to classics like Casablanca to oddities like Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny. RiffTrax has also produced a series of successful live shows that are simulcast to movie theaters nationwide, with the latest installment set for August 17: a riffing of the low-grade 1962 fantasy adventure, Jack the Giant Killer. We recently spoke with Nelson about taking a chance on Twilight, sending the Tweet that may have started an Internet forest fire, and blowing up a cheese factory. Flightpath: I know that after MST3K, you started doing some commentaries for Legend Films on DVD releases like Plan 9 From Outer Space and Little Shop of Horrors, and that led to RiffTrax. But when did the idea of “let’s record commentaries on MP3s and have users sync them with their DVDs” actually hatch? Mike Nelson: It was actually quite awhile ago. I think probably the first time we ever did some specials for MST, we got to use modern movies because we were just taking bits of the EPK and using that. People were like, “Why aren’t you guys doing this,” which is fairly obvious, why we weren’t. We were thinking in the old days about bundling DVDs with the commentary, kind of before MP3s really took over. So it had been brewing for awhile. Flightpath: I find that part of the charm of RiffTrax is the syncing. It gives it kind of an underground feel and adds to the experience. Mike Nelson: You know, we sort of tentatively launched it. We knew that there was at least some demand, because I would get emails. A lot of people saying, “Why aren’t you doing this? This idea is so obvious, you should do this!” And so I knew that there were at least some people who were interested in it, but people say a lot of things. We get suggestions for movies, and people are like, “This would be killer, we would love this,” and then nobody buys it because it’s just a little too off the beaten path. So this seems like it could’ve taken that route, but like you say, there’s a savviness to people who like to be early adopters, and there’s something fun about it. Flightpath: With RiffTrax, you can do anything because you’re only offering the audio files. Was that really freeing for you compared to MST3K, where your scope was more limited? Mike Nelson: Yeah, and time limits [on MST3K] were kind of frustrating. Not always, because sometimes you could edit a film and make it actually better than the filmmakers did [Laughs], so you could leave out all the dull parts. But a little bit restricting when you were cutting a lot of stuff that was funny. And that was frustrating for us because we’d write the movie first before we’d edit it, because we just didn’t know how much time we could have. And you’d have to cut a favorite passage because if you didn’t include another part that you needed for the plot…it just presented a lot of complications. So to just be able to do the movie, is sort of freeing. Flightpath: I wanted to know if I could go through a few RiffTrax with you, and you could give your thoughts on the movie itself and how you attacked it. Mike Nelson: Sure. Flightpath: Okay, Birdemic? Mike Nelson: [Laughs] Well, it’s one of those things we’ve been talking about a lot lately, because a couple of people have emailed and said, “Why did you make me sit through that?” And I think they meant it sincerely. [Laughs] A lot of times people are kidding. It’s one of those things where it’s like, it’s totally indefensible that I like it, because generally, despite what I do for a living, I like to champion good things. But there’s this fun side that’s undeniable, and sometimes things that are totally inexplicable make you laugh. And again, this is one of those where I find it absolutely delightful. And yet if you go, “That is the worst thing. Banish it to the deepest pits of Hell,” I’d be hard pressed to disagree with you. Flightpath: Twilight? Mike Nelson: Twilight was very risky for us. In fact, I had a bet with the CEO of Legend, who we partner with. He said, “No, it’s a girl movie. It’s not our audience at all. It’s a bad idea and it’s a risk.” So I bet him a sushi lunch that it would be a success. And it was one of our biggest ones, and it was really, really fun once we weighed it in, because obviously none of the people who work at Legend would be watching these movies or know anything about them. So screening it was a delight, because we were like, “Wow, this is the movie we’ve been waiting for.” [Laughs] Flightpath: I just felt that with its long dramatic pauses and how serious it took itself, it was perfect for you guys. Mike Nelson: Yeah, we always are laying out the criteria. We say it has to be sincere, and you know, the pauses – that’s just sort of a technical thing, you have to have room to say something – and it has to have goofy elements. And, boy oh boy, does it excel at all of those things. Flightpath: The Room? Mike Nelson: That was also a risky one. We had heard the rumblings about this being the “new B-movie.” There’s something about these really bad movies that you have to know the story going in. You have to know, is this sincere? Is this a put-on? Because how do you relax and enjoy how bad it is when you’re sitting there going, “What is this? Who made this?” And that was my concern about it, that it was just too weird. But then like, two viewings of it convinced me. Once you sort of see the disjointed logic and everything, and you get the story of it, it really helps, and that made it enjoyable. And it was successful for us. But again, another movie like Birdemic, that stands on its own, but we think is enhanced by us. Flightpath: And you met [The Room director and star] Tommy Wiseau? Mike Nelson: I didn’t meet him face-to-face. We had several discussions with him; he was concerned about our RiffTrax, and he called us up. I think he really thought that we were stealing his movie or something. I don’t think he fully understood what we were saying, that it was just a commentary to it. But he – for a long time – tried to talk us into settling a lawsuit that he was going to bring, and I think we just couldn’t get through to him. But then after that, coincidentally, he was at Comic-Con, and my son who had seen The Room went and waited in line for him and got pictures with him and with [Greg Sestero, who plays Mark in The Room], and he mentioned who he was. And again, Wiseau seemed confused, but [Greg] was like, “Oh yeah, I heard about this. I heard it’s really funny!” And he’s since admitted that he loves it. So at least somebody knows and understands the spirit of it and thinks it’s funny. Flightpath: The Internet has evolved into a real destination for comedy, from Funny or Die to College Humor to RiffTrax. Why do you think that is? Mike Nelson: I think [it’s] immediate access to things that you really like without the filter. You can pick or choose what or when or where. Now that that’s becoming just totally ingrained, I just don’t see that changing. I don’t see the tides of that changing, especially with Hulu and all of that. It just makes no sense. The gatekeepers, I think they’re in trouble as far as that goes, because you can make something and give it directly to the people who want to have it for exactly the kind of arrangements you want to make on it. I love it. I mean, obviously RiffTrax couldn’t be possible without that, and just connecting on that level and reacting to what people want to see very quickly, I think makes it exciting. Flightpath: Kind of an extension of that is Twitter, which has drawn a lot of comedy writers and comedians, and you got on board pretty early. What do you think of Twitter? Mike Nelson: I like it. My use for it is fairly limited. People like me to crack wise about stuff, and that’s pretty much what I use it for: mostly jokes, a few advertisements about what we’re doing – which I never feel bad about, because I’m talking to the very audience who presumably likes what I have. I just try to make it a nice balance of very light stuff and things of interest, pointing things out to people and jokes, and then a few bulletins about what we’ve got going on. It works for me, and then all the people that I think are funny or want to pay attention to, I do the same. It’s perfect. I know from the outside, when I first was looking into Twitter, I just didn’t understand. “Why? Who would do this?” You have to maybe spend a couple of hours actually doing Twitter and reading what’s going on, and then you get it. “Oh, okay, I understand how these little bulletins work.” Flightpath: I’d imagine it’s also kind of a good comedy workout, in that you have 140 characters to say what’s in your head perfectly and funny. Mike Nelson: Yeah. It’s very similar to what we do with RiffTrax, because you get this setup and you get this amount of space to say it in. So we’ve been well-practiced at that. I did a book once [in the Pop Ink series with the Charles S. Anderson Design Company]; it was graphics mostly, but they wanted commentary on it. When I collaborated with them, they would send me the pages back and say, “You need to trim three letters from this.” [Laughs] You know, it became so unbelievably technical. But I had been trained for like, “Okay, make it three letters shorter. How do you reword it to make it fit?” I kind of like the challenge of that. Flightpath: Did you send the Tweet that basically created Rebecca Black? Is that true? Mike Nelson: I have been credited for that. We were watching that over the weekend that that happened, and it did sort of fan out from my Tweet about it. Usually just by sheer scale on Twitter, when you post something and you get the replies, you’re kind of like, “Okay, I got 30 or 40 or whatever, that’s fairly decent,” – direct replies or ReTweets or whatever – and this one was just like, insane. Just so many people responding, and it just went on and on. I happened to be traveling that weekend, so I was sort of paying half an eye to it. But another writer here, Conor Lastowka, was Tweeting me, “Uh, we’re up to however many million, and it’s climbing.” So that was kind of fun to watch. It did seem to fan out from there. And obviously you never know for sure. It’s like the forest fire thing. It’s really hard to know what was the thing that started it all. Flightpath: How do you compare writing for RiffTrax, which is released quickly and online – people can get it instantly – with writing for other mediums you’ve worked in, like TV and print? Mike Nelson: I just consider the writing of RiffTrax a hard slog at times, because you’re concentrating so much that the amount of time that it takes would probably surprise people, and probably be pretty daunting to most writers. But once you get the efficiencies of it, and you understand what you’re doing – and obviously we’ve done this a lot – there’s something very nice about relaxing into that. It’s like, some people just like doing manual labor to think. This is kind of the opposite. It gets you away from all of the other writing. You know, writing is hard, and I always try to avoid it. Even though I do it for a living, and I’m constantly writing. When I hear people say, “Oh, when I just have some downtime, I just love to do some writing,” I’m like, “Really? Are you insane? It’s really, really hard!” But there is an element of relaxation to doing it for RiffTrax, where you know what you have ahead of you and it looks like a lot of work. It’s kind of like when I was a kid, I used to like when my dad would to tell me to move a big stack of wood. It was just like, “Well, you know, you just have to do it.” And there’s something about that, of just having this large task ahead of you, and just putting your head down and doing it. Flightpath: RiffTrax is going back to movie theaters with a new live event. What can you tell us about the movie that you’re going to be riffing and the live experience? Mike Nelson: Live is always exciting for us, because rarely do we get the immediate feedback. Like I said, you’re sitting in a room doing the slog of writing, and then when we get together amongst ourselves it’s always fun to sort of refine the script. That’s got a writing room feel to it. But you’re still not interacting with an audience, and so that’s always a blast, and the feeling of the infectiousness of laughs is just good for the soul. The movie that we have is sort of a lift for us, because in the past we were sort of limited to public domain movies, and we’ve worked a lot of the best ones. Titles that could be recognized by an audience and get people excited, we’ve already done. And so this being a brand new one is pretty exciting for us. It’s Jack the Giant Killer, which is kind of a Sinbad adventure-style movie, with stop-animation giants, and wizards and witches and leprechauns in jars, and stuff like that. So it’s pretty perfect for us. It’s not quite an A-level version of that movie; it’s definitely in the B camp. Flightpath: I have one last question. This is one thing I’ve always wondered. How close was the actual young Mike Nelson in real life compared to the one seen in the MST3K episode Time Chasers, who had hockey hair, temped in a cheese factory, and was in a band called Sex Factory? Mike Nelson: [Laughs] It wasn’t very close. The cheese factory simulation was spot on, but I was basically playing guys that I had worked with at the cheese factory. I was the odd man out there and looked on as kind of strange, but yeah, through college I worked nights at a cheese factory. It was like 12 to 14 hour days, and I just did it because it was a job that was close. About a couple of years into it I realized that everyone I was working with had been making like five times as much as me, because it was the most hated job in the world and no one would do it. I was like, making minimum wage, putting in 14 hours a night. Stories of the cheese factory never ended in the writing room, and finally the guys were like, “Can we just do an episode about this?” Flightpath: Well, I’m glad you got out. Mike Nelson: [Laughs] I did, I did. My fantasy was that I’d make it big in Hollywood, and I would buy the cheese factory, I’d pay off all the workers, have a huge party, and we’d blow up the factory. That’s every guy’s dream when you have a bad job. Tags: bill corbett, kevin murphy, mike nelson, mike nelson interview, mst3k, mystery science theater 3000, rifftrax Interview: Josh Shabtai, Creative Director of Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner Star Wars has had a surprisingly rich history in video games. From the Super Star Wars trilogy for the Super Nintendo to the recent Force Unleashed series, there have been racing games, side-scrollers, RPGs and more, all designed to further engulf game and movie fans in one of the most successful film franchises of all time – but often with mixed results. Yet some of the most beloved Star Wars games are also some of the earliest: the arcade shooters of the ’80s, starting with the classic vector-graphics based Star Wars, where users piloted an X-Wing in the first film’s Death Star battle. In 2010, Vertigore Games created Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner, a fast, fun love letter to Star Wars and its early arcade titles, but with new technology – touch screen functionality, motion controls and augmented reality – updating the experience for today’s audiences. Published by THQ Wireless and available exclusively for the iPhone and iPod Touch, Falcon Gunner has players twist, turn and tap their mobile devices to control and fire the Millennium Falcon’s gun turret in over twenty levels, including The Empire Strikes Back‘s asteroid field chase and the climactic Death Star battle from Star Wars. Or, with the use of the camera, they can turn the game’s setting into their immediate surroundings – the living room, the subway, or wherever. It’s exciting, looks great, and stands as one of the best Star Wars game releases on any platform in the last few years. We recently spoke with Josh Shabtai, CEO and creative director of Vertigore, about his love of Star Wars, how his mother may have provided the inspiration for Falcon Gunner, and the game’s surprising original premise. Flightpath: Just from playing Falcon Gunner, I could tell you were a huge Star Wars fan because of the level of detail in it. Josh Shabtai: Oh man. Star Wars has sort of dominated life. I was born in ’79, so I wasn’t even old enough to see the original one in the theater. I’m not really sure what my first exposure to it was. I think I had the books on tape or something. But I ended up collecting a lot when I was a kid. Well, not really collecting so much as begging parents and relatives to buy me every toy. I had hundreds of toys. I had an original Yak Face, which has gotten more and more valuable. My brother buried it, along with a handful of others, in Virginia Beach when we were on vacation. They’re gone. This was like, when I was eight. That’s kind of the one that got away and has tormented me all my life. I’ve always been able to weave Star Wars throughout whatever I was doing professionally. I’ve been in PR for awhile, and I worked at an agency called Ketchum. And when I was there, I was on the marketing team that launched Geek Squad, as it transitioned from an independent brand to becoming owned by Best Buy. And I actually convinced them in 2005, the second year they were around, to become sort of the unofficial sponsor of Star Wars-related absenteeism around Episode III. We basically hijacked the launch in all kinds of crazy ways. We built a series of tools so you could get out of work, like an absentee excuse note that was customizable, or things that would automatically block your Outlook calendar. We then partnered with the fans who were waiting on line outside the Ziegfeld, and sponsored that line, and we went for 30 days. So I actually got work to pay for me to wait on line for Episode III. [Laughs] It was amazing. We rented this bus and skinned it to be sort of like the Millennium Falcon, and then inside we made it look retro and really crappy, like the inside of the Millennium Falcon. And there were all these wi-fi stations, so people could connect to work. That was sort of the brand tie-in. But that was the first time I able to somehow merge Star Wars with work. Flightpath: And then you got into game development? Josh Shabtai: Yeah. So I went from Ketchum to an Israeli startup, where one of the guys on our board is a serial entrepreneur. He’s put together a really neat incubator-slash-entrepreneur sort of resource calorie. So he not only funds companies, but he also has a layer of human resources developers that connects the business managers and owners with talent, so it actually gives you all the tools to run your own business. And he was working with these guys on the beginnings of this [shooter] game engine, and as soon as I saw it, I was like, “You know, it’s kind of cool, but what would make it a ton cooler is if you were sitting in the gun turret of the Millennium Falcon. You have to do that.” And basically, Edo – his name’s Edo Segal – he’s like, “Really? You want to do a Star Wars game?” This was February 2010. Flightpath: So that was where the idea for Falcon Gunner came from. Josh Shabtai: Yeah. It was a game engine that let you move 360 degrees across three axes, so when I saw it, I was like, “This is serious Millennium Falcon territory.” It was a sprite-based engine, sort of a World War II [setting] for shooting planes that were flying sideways. But the cool thing was, Edo was like, “Look, if you really want to do this, let’s do it.” So I ended up, just sort of on a whim, writing up a 40-page design document and then working with the team to build a demo. And we tracked down THQ Wireless, who owned the license, and we were able to go to them with a working demo and a real design document. Flightpath: You built a Star Wars-themed demo before you had any approvals? Josh Shabtai: Yeah. I mean, when we were building it, there was no guarantee we would get to make anything. It really came just from, “I have to make a Star Wars game.” This will sound like a canned narrative, but this is completely true. When I was a little kid, like three or four, I used to love the Star Wars arcade game. My mom would hold me up to the machine, and I actually got relatively good. For a four-year-old, I could play for probably five to seven minutes at a time. When Episode I came out, I actually flew back home to Erie, Pennsylvania, and bought tickets for my mom, dad, aunt and uncle and all my cousins, and we all went to see it together, because that’s how obsessed I was. And that’s when my mom first told me this story. There was a time where she was holding me up and was getting exhausted, and she actually wanted me to stop playing the game. She was like, “Look, we gotta go. I hear there’s a Millennium Falcon game at the other end of the mall.” And that’s what got me to stop. Flightpath: Was she lying or was she telling the truth? Josh Shabtai: No, she was lying! And they never made a Millennium Falcon game! They never made one in the arcade. Flightpath: So maybe that was the genesis of the idea. Josh Shabtai: Well, I would bug her. I would always be like, “Where is it?” So then when I started making Falcon Gunner, she was like, “You know, you’ve been working on this since you were four.” Honestly, my entry point to video games is that I played a ton of them. I was obsessed with understanding how they work. I started to make some alternate reality games, so I was never really making video games as much as games that could be played in real life, and stuff like that. A lot of the work that I was doing in marketing and PR was basically designing entire marketing campaigns that would push people’s buttons to elicit responses, so essentially applying game design thinking to developing integrated marketing campaigns. You’re creating content you know people will interact with. I’ve always done it from that perspective, so when I saw what Edo was doing, I jumped at the chance to do that. I don’t know if I’ve really told anybody this. Originally, the game design that I wrote up was not Falcon Gunner. My first instinct was to make an awesome Millennium Falcon game, but then second, I was like, “Man, you could make such a cool narrative experience.” So I wanted to actually make a game called Death Star Gunner. The idea being, you start off as the lowest guy on the totem pole in the Empire, basically a space janitor, who ends up graduating to becoming not the Turbo Laser operator on the Death Star, but just a turret operator. Like literally, just running one of those little stupid turrets on the side. [Laughs] Like, it’s so sad. That’s as good as it’s gonna get, and then ultimately… Flightpath: You get blown up. Josh Shabtai: [Laughs] Yeah, you get blown up! I wanted to make this awesome thing where you start as a janitor on one of the small frigates, and in the middle of a battle you end up taking on one of the turrets. Basically, your face would be covered the whole time by one of those black helmets. It’s so sad. And then there would be moments where he’s with his wife and kids. It would be this really weird, dry comedy set in the Star Wars universe. Ultimately you graduate, and then at the end when you’re on the Death Star, you get one shot at the Falcon. He literally zips by. If you hit him, the game ends with Vader wiping out Luke and the Empire winning and Vader getting all the credit, and no one ever knew your contribution to it. Or you blow up. [Laughs] Basically, I put that together thinking, “We’re never gonna really make a Star Wars game, so if we’re gonna make a demo, let’s just do that.” Then I sort of dug deeper into who had the license. We found THQ Wireless had it, and had been making some games for awhile. And then we found we had a real shot at it, and I was actually afraid to pitch this off-the-wall concept. Flightpath: It’s not a safe bet. Josh Shabtai: I had no idea how it would fly. I think it’s funny, but will anyone else? So we were like, “Let’s go back to the original idea,” which was a Falcon game. So we went out to THQ, who was really great to work with. I just have to say, I find that so often, ideas get killed because they’re presented in idea form. So to be able to walk in and say, “Hey guys, here’s a working augmented reality Star Wars game,” totally unsolicited, it was good. I remember the first title for the game was 12 Parsecs. But it sounded too much like a racing game. Flightpath: How was the development process? What were the stages in creating the game after you got the OK? Josh Shabtai: First thing really was rebuilding the complete engine from scratch. By the way, the engine that the game’s built on is our own. We call it the Immersion Engine. We built it from the ground up. So when we first started out, the engine we built the demo on was a sprite-based engine, and we gutted it and recreated it so it would be able to have full 3D models and things like that. So we started there. The game that we ended up building was essentially the design document that we put together to present, so a lot of the pre-work had been done, in terms of really outlining what the user progression structure was going to be, what the menu interface system was going to be like. All that work really was done upfront, and then we spent the next couple of months just building all this stuff. We got official sounds from Lucasfilm, and that was pretty cool, and obviously you have to have the real music. We made a few bets on what the control scheme would be like. The original engine that we had was a simple touch-the-screen to shoot. There were no thumbsticks, so we added that in. In game design, it typically works that you have an idea you think is going to be cool, you implement it as a prototype, and you find out it sucks. So you have to go back and forth. Where we landed with how the control sticks work, the speed with which you can spin to manipulate the position of the turret – all those things – they changed a bit from the final version, but for the most part we nailed a really fun control feeling from that early demo. A lot of credit goes to our devs. That was a dangerous first game to start with, because when you’re like, “Wow, this is fun with no effort,” you start to feel like that’s the way it’s gonna be on [making] future games. And I can say from experience now that it’s not. So we really lucked into it early on. It was pretty cool. Flightpath: Was there anything that was off-limits? Characters or locales that Lucasfilm wouldn’t let you touch? Josh Shabtai: Everything we laid out, they let us do. It was awesome. It’s funny. I feel like in the past, Lucasfilm got a lot of grief about how they played the fan community. But I have to say, they were amazing in terms of providing any assets we were looking for. Flightpath: And once it was done, how did it feel, both as a designer and as a Star Wars fan, to have made a Star Wars video game? Josh Shabtai: It hasn’t worn off. I really went into it saying, “Okay, I just want to make a Star Wars game. I don’t even care about anything else.” And trying to make one that would hopefully live up to what I loved about the X-Wing series, and the original arcade game, and to some degree, Rogue Squadron. I dunno man, it hasn’t worn off. It’s still pretty crazy. [Laughs] I really can’t even put it into words. And honestly, when I talk to Star Wars fans who are like, “Man, that game was awesome,” [I get] that good feeling of, “I was able to make something real,” that a lot of people had dreamed of for awhile. And frankly, what’s funny is that it actually ended up spawning a company, and we’ve made two other games since then, and we have some other stuff coming up. It’s starting to become a significant thing. But I don’t even know if that’s as interesting to me as just having made a Star Wars game. Flightpath: Well that’s a nice thing to check off your list of things to do in life: Star Wars videogame. Josh Shabtai: Yeah! I’d like to make more! Flightpath: Is there a chance for a sequel? Maybe one with speederbikes? Josh Shabtai: I hope so. [Laughs] But speederbikes are definitely one of the things I’m dying to make. Flightpath: I don’t know if you feel comfortable answering this, but Star Wars has a big legacy in video game history. Where do you think Falcon Gunner fits in that legacy? Josh Shabtai: I was obsessed with the X-Wing series. The X-Wing and TIE Fighter series were unbelievable in terms of making you feel like this stuff was real. My favorite game of all time is Knights of the Old Republic. I actually think that nailed the themes behind Star Wars probably better than even the prequels did. Realistically, I sort of feel like…you know, those games are incredible. You know, Knights of the Old Republic, X-Wing, TIE Fighter, not even just amongst Star Wars artifacts, but just amongst games, they’re unbelievable. I mean, we basically made a fun arcade shooter for iPhone. I’ve gone back and played Rogue Leader on Gamecube, and it’s amazing, some of the things they did in that game. It looks good, it plays well, it’s immersive. I feel like those guys really killed it. I’m psyched that we introduced augmented reality to it. I think [Falcon Gunner] is closer in spirit to the original arcade game than any of the others. It’s more arcadey, and really, the design objective was really simple. One part from A New Hope was probably my favorite when I was a kid, and it was when Luke got in the gunner seat and got really excited when he shot [a TIE fighter] down. Han says, “Don’t get cocky!” There was something about that moment. I love that feeling, where he’d never done that before. He’d never sat in a seat like that, he’d never fired those turrets. And for me, that moment where he was elated, and he figured out how to do it and master it, that’s the fabric of the Star Wars that I love. If the game did one thing, it would create that feeling in you. It’s kind of hard to figure out how the controls work well, and then all of a sudden, you lock into it and you have that feeling of elation like Luke did. I feel like, Knights of the Old Republic, their objective was to immerse you in a universe where you feel the shades of gray between being a Sith and a Jedi, and the political ramifications of decisions being made throughout the galaxy. Those are experiences that are more intricate in nature, so I couldn’t put Falcon Gunner up with those experiences. But at least we nailed that feeling [from A New Hope‘s turret scene], and a game hadn’t done that yet. So, hopefully we earned our place amongst those games. Posted in Future Thinking, Interview Sessions, Playing Games, Trendspotting Tags: augmented reality, falcon gunner, iPhone, iPod Touch, josh shabtai, lucasfilm, star ware arcade falcon gunner, star wars, star wars video games, thq wireless, vertigore Interview: Professor John Carey of Fordham University on 3D Technology, From Photography to YouTube – Part 2 In the final installment of our two-part interview on the history and future of 3D with John Carey, Professor of Communications and Media Management at Fordham University, the co-author (with Martin Elton) of When Media Are New discusses YouTube’s foray into 3D, the hurdles still facing the technology, and what will succeed it. Flightpath: It seems to me that Avatar fueled the new 3D craze, including the push for 3D TVs. Was that the case, or were the TVs in the pipeline, and then Avatar just happened to be this huge success? John Carey: I think the TVs were in the pipeline, and Avatar helped. Now, having said that, 3D TVs did not do well last year. As I understand it, they are not doing that well this year. Now, there are lots of reasons for that. You have the problem of multiple standards, which you had in the early days of HD also. In other words, there are three or four 3D standards, different types of glasses, and when people see that, they tend to say, “I might bet on the wrong horse here, and I’m gonna wind up with the wrong 3D, and no one’s going to produce [content] for this.” So that’s an issue. There’s also the cost of the glasses, which is a big issue. There’s active and passive 3D. The passive glasses can be as cheap as the ones you had in the old days for the movies, and essentially they don’t cost anything. And the active ones are like $150. Once again, I’ll do a comparison with HD. How did HD get known by people? Often, it was some big television event like the Super Bowl, and you invited 15 people over, and they saw your HD television set and they said, “This is fabulous, I’ve got to get one.” If you did that with 3D, you’d have to have 15 sets of glasses. Well, that’s $1500. That’s a big problem. Flightpath: If you have 15 people in a room, can you all be looking at it from different angles? Or do you have to be directly in front of the TV? John Carey: That’s another issue. Once again, it varies with the standard. With some standards, you have a fairly wide viewing area, with other standards you have to be pretty much directly in front. So if you had 15 people in a room, yeah, that would be a problem. Wearing the glasses for a long period of time is an issue. If you think about it, these active glasses, they’re somewhat heavy. Think about people who are doing something else while they’re watching television; they’re reading the newspaper, many of them will have their computer open. So you’re gonna have the problem of, essentially, looking at the screen and then looking down and having to take off your glasses. That’s a significant issue. The other thing that’s a challenge to 3D TV is that 3D without glasses is coming along. You already have it with one of the new videogame systems. Flightpath: Yeah, I wanted to ask you about the Nintendo 3DS. They were able to introduce glasses-free 3D to the mass market. John Carey: It’s called auto-stereoscopic, and it works. There are two issues. You have to be looking directly at it, but since it’s typically one person using the videogame [system], that’s okay. It also is, at the moment, outrageously expensive for anything but a very small screen. So if you have a [portable] game [system], and it’s five inches by five inches, that’s okay. If you tried to make a TV set that was, say, 40 inches, it would cost several thousand dollars. Having said that, like all electronic technologies, the price will come down. The estimates I’ve seen are that auto-stereoscopic 3D will probably be feasible for regular television sets in five to seven years. In that sense, 3D with glasses has a [small] window of opportunity. And then, coming behind that, will be holographic television. The Japanese have the 2020 Summer Olympics and they say they will be broadcasting that or cablecasting it in holographic television. Other people say that’s too ambitious. Now, holographic television exists. It’s used a little bit in medical imaging, but a set right now would cost about $40,000-$50,000, so that’s not feasible. And it’s roughly 10-15 years away. So these are all the things that are coming down the line, and the current generation of 3D has to kind of find its place before these other things take over. Flightpath: Do you think that without the use of glasses, 3D will be the success people wanted it to be in the ’50s, or will it always play second fiddle to 2D? John Carey: I think it will ultimately be successful. But I think what is gonna happen is that it will not be like HD, where let’s say, 75% of programs [are available in HD], and it will eventually be 100%. 3D, I think, will never be 100%, and there are a few reasons for that. One is that, with 3D with glasses, if you watch it for a long period of time, like five or six hours, almost everybody gets a headache. So what that means is, unlike HD, where your goal would be that you’d get an HD set and then everything would be in HD, with 3D, the goal would be you’d get a 3D set, and then maybe one of two hours a night, you would watch shows that lend themselves the most to 3D and then the rest would be in 2D. It’s likely [that] sports will be big-time 3D, and then in terms of other genres, I’m not quite sure which will be successful. And it also may be that over time, production techniques will change to take advantage of 3D. That’s happened with HD. If you look at production over the last 10 years, HD lends itself more to bright colors and pastels. It lends itself to moving shots, like from a helicopter, so you see more of that in production. It doesn’t lend itself so well to dark scenes. So like, Law & Order really doesn’t look particularly good in HD. A different set of issues will come and play out in 3D, as we learn what works in 3D. Flightpath: A key to early television adoption was having TVs in bars, and the same was true for HDTVs. Do you think that will be a key for 3D TV? John Carey: It’s absolutely a key thing. The story about early television in the late ’40s and bars, that’s absolutely right. With HD, they actually did a fairly poor job early on. If you went into an electronics store in say, 2000, or 1999 when they were first introduced, they had HD sets but they weren’t hooked up to an HD service. They were hooked up to regular analog television, and people looked at it and they said, “What’s the big deal? This doesn’t look particularly good at all.” And they actually missed the boat. What they really should have done is subsidized them and put them in sports bars. And they did eventually do that, but it wasn’t until around 2004 or 2005, that when you went into an electronics store, it was hooked up to real HD and bars were getting it. And that’s, by the way, when HD started to take off. Now, with 3D, you have the same issue. Right now, I think they’ve done a really poor job of marketing it. The World Cup, some of that was in 3D. There were some tennis tournaments in 3D. There were very, very few demonstrations of it. It’s been a little bit better in Europe. The U.S. hasn’t really had much at all. The issue is, people have to see 3D if they’re going to eventually buy it. So you’ve got to have some content, and you’ve got to have a place where you can see it. Now, some electronics stores are exhibiting it, but not all of them, and certainly not enough. The obvious place to do it would once again be sports bars. In a sports bar, let’s say it’s a big football game, you could have one set that is [showing] the game in 3D, and then two or three other sets with the game in 2D. So everybody can see it, and those who buy or rent the glasses [from the bar], they can experience [3D]. There was an interesting thing I saw, a photograph of what Sony is doing in Japan. In Tokyo, on sidewalks, they have a big panel, and in the panel there are cutouts. The glasses are built into the cutout. So you can walk up, see a sample of 3D, and not walk away with the glasses. And it doesn’t have to be manned or anything like that. One way or the other, they’ve got to deal with that issue of demoing it for the public. And they have not done a good job so far. If I were betting, I would bet that 3D TV with glasses will be a failure. But what will happen is, as before, it will sort of fade. And then, when auto-stereoscopic 3D without the glasses comes in in five or six years, by that point there will be enough content that will have been produced, the problem of the glasses will have gone away, and I think at that point it will find a market. Flightpath: What about 3D making its way over to computing? YouTube just launched its 3D channel. Do you see that as being anything more than a gimmick or a way to get in the 3D game, or will it play a role in the future of experiencing content on the computer? John Carey: I think, in the computer world, the biggest early opportunity is videogames. There are some videogames in 3D, and if you think about the type of person who might wear glasses for three or four hours, and would put up with all kinds of things in order to have the most super experience, it would be the gamer. So that’s certainly where I would start. The YouTube 3D [channel], at the moment, I’m not going to say [it’s a] gimmick. It’s a novelty. They have to get content. They’re trying to encourage people to shoot 3D and put it on the YouTube channel. It will be a novelty. What will be interesting is, will people, especially the amateurs, come up with something that’s totally new? In my mind, when I hear about something like that, I don’t say yes, I don’t say no. I say, “Let me take a look at it. Let’s see where it goes.” Tags: 3D movies, 3D technology, 3D TV, history of 3D, nintendo 3D, youtube 3D 3D technology is seemingly everywhere. Blockbuster movies are now routinely released in 3D, 3D television sets are for sale at every Best Buy, and the Nintendo 3DS has introduced glasses-free 3D to video games and the mainstream market. Recently, YouTube launched its own 3D channel, bringing user-generated 3D into the cultural and creative mix. While 3D has come and gone over the years, it has proven to be a resilient technology, and has never been more omnipresent. To get a better understanding of 3D, from its history to where it’s going, we recently spoke with John Carey, Professor of Communications and Media Management at Fordham University. Carey, co-author (with Martin Elton) of When Media Are New, has researched new media development and adoption for over 25 years, and has conducted studies on everything from consumer use of mobile video technologies to the impact of HDTV on viewing behavior for clients such as A&E Television Networks, Cablevision, NBC Universal and more. In part 1 of our two-part interview, Carey explains the origins of 3D, its failure at being adopted on a mass scale, and the role that sports and other content may play in the future success of 3D TV. Flightpath: Let’s start at the beginning. Can you talk a little bit about the first time 3D was introduced? I have an image of those kind of cheesy black and white photos from the ’50s, of a packed movie theater where everyone is wearing 3D glasses, as representing early 3D. I think a lot of people have that image. Is that really how 3D began? John Carey: It actually begins a lot earlier than that. If you just take the general notion of three-dimensional images, it traces back to the 1840s. The very first attempts to do photography, they were trying to do 3D. And the reason is kind of obvious. If you think about photography, and then you say, well, “How do people see?” People have two eyes, and two eyes allows for depth. So they were trying to figure out a way that they could get depth in photographs. And it actually existed by the late 1850s. There were these stereoscopes that allowed you to see 3D. All through the late 19th century there was some 3D photography, and then it actually became quite popular by the late 1890s. So from say, the late 1890s to around 1920, stereo photographs were very common. They ultimately lost out in terms of real popularity to the simplicity of a photograph on a piece of paper that you could hand to someone, because the stereo photos all required that you use a special viewer. Flightpath: It sounds like they were viewing the photos in a View-Master. John Carey: The View-Master that you may be familiar with was sort of the remnant of the 3D photography experience. As far as I know, it still exists. It certainly existed when I was a kid. Flightpath: Were people buying 3D cameras back then? Who was using them? John Carey: In the 1890s, [3D] was high-end amateur photography, and certainly professional photography, and many people were shooting 3D images. It was quite popular for awhile. I don’t want to exaggerate. 2D photography was way more popular and used than 3D. But 3D had a significant niche in that world. Flightpath: And when were 3D movies introduced? John Carey: The first film I’m aware of is in the 1920s. There was an experimental 3D movie, and there were also some experiments in the ’30s and ’40s. Then 3D movies took off in the early 1950s, and the reason for that was that the movie theaters were getting clobbered by television. People who used to go to the movie theater two or three times a week were now going maybe once, and they were hoping to bring them back into the theater. So they tried actually a number of gimmicks, and one was 3D movies. There was Bwana Devil and Dial M For Murder, a Hitchcock film. There were probably about 20 of them in the ’50s. They would try anything [to get people back into theaters]. They had things like Smell-O-Vision, where they’d introduce smells into the theater. They introduced panoramic, very wide screens. All of these were just an attempt to bring people back to the theater. But, in every decade after that – the ’60s, the ’70s, the ’80s, the ’90s – some 3D movies came back. And once again, they had a little bit of popularity, and then they went away. Flightpath: It’s funny because 3D being introduced by the movie studios to get people back in the theaters is exactly what they’re doing now. But what led to the marginalization of 3D? Did the market just say, “This is a gimmick, we don’t want it,” or were the glasses too much of a barrier? John Carey: It wasn’t the glasses, it was the fact that [3D] was a one-trick pony. By and large, what they did was, they would find a way to throw something at the camera, or shoot something at the camera, and that was the appeal. After awhile it just sort of wore off. “So, the tomahawk from the Indian is coming at me. So what?” Some people also argued, and this is an issue today, that with live-action actors, the 3D can get in the way of the story. That you notice the technique and that makes it harder to get into the story. I don’t think the glasses were the issue. The projectors were an issue, and how many theaters could project 3D. The glasses were not such an issue because it was still a rarity. In other words, you’d go to maybe two 3D movies a year. That wasn’t such a big deal. That is more of an issue with television, if you’re going to be sitting there watching it for three or four hours a night. The big boost for 3D movies was Avatar, because it was a huge success. The question is, would Avatar have been significantly less successful had it been in 2D? My opinion would be no. I think it still would have been quite successful. But it certainly was one of the best 3D movies ever made, in part because they did very little “throw-something-at-the-audience,” and they used depth of field instead. If 3D is gonna make it, that’s what’s gonna make it – not some axe coming out towards you in the theater. So Avatar was successful, but then if you look at the movies that followed, not so [much]. There were a few successes. I think Alice In Wonderland was successful. There’s another key thing here. Many of the successes, especially in the last 10 years, have been animation. 3D seems to lend itself very much to animation and somewhat less so to live-action actors. Flightpath: Roger Ebert is famously anti-3D. I just saw Thor in 3D, and I was underwhelmed. Watching scenes in a coffee shop in 3D didn’t really add anything to the experience, and I thought the image seemed muddled. John Carey: That points to a problem, which is, if there’s nothing that’s taking advantage of 3D in a scene, is that helping or hurting your experience? If it’s clearly and explicitly designed or shot to take advantage of 3D as Avatar was, which had beautiful depth of field, then yes. But that’s kind of a rarity. There are some directors who are dead set against 3D, and there are some who are in favor of it. But even the ones who are in favor of it say, “You have to shoot it right.” You have to take into account exactly what 3D is good for and then shoot to it. If all you do is have a 3D camera instead of a 2D camera, chances are, it’s not going to help the film. Flightpath: When did 3D come to television? John Carey: You had experiments with 3D [on television] going back at least to the ’70s. They tended to be of one kind. They tended to be commercials, [and] they were promoted – because you had the issue of where are you going to get the glasses – so there was often a tie-in between the commercials and let’s say, 7-Eleven. So you’d go to 7-Eleven and you’d get the glasses, and then there would be a program that would have some 3D in it. And the most recent one like that was the 2009 Super Bowl, that had some 3D commercials. You had some in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, but not a lot. Several things were responsible for 3D coming into television today. The penetration of high-definition TVs is now very high, and they make very little money now on selling an HDTV. The early sets, around 2000-2002, they’d make $1,000 profit. And now they might make $20 or $30 profit off an HD set. So the manufacturers needed something to boost sales and to boost profits, and there was also a lot people looking at 3D movies being successful and saying, “Well, if that’s what’s going to drive people, let’s start to launch it.” There are number of obstacles for 3D TV. When HDTV came in in the late ’90s, there was a lot of content available. Virtually every movie made since the ’20s was made in 35mm or 70mm, which is more than enough for high-definition television. So you had all that content, and then beginning in the early ’90s, most television programs were shot either in HD videotape or they were shot in film. So once again, you had all this content available to you. So, one of the challenges for 3D TV is, where are you going to get the content? There are a number of places. What’s the total inventory of 3D movies? It’s probably about a hundred. So there are not that many, but there are some. You can up-convert from 2D movies to 3D, and I’ve seen it; it’s okay, but it’s not nearly as good as if you shoot originally in 3D. They’re gonna up-convert Titanic and the Star Wars movies, and it’ll be interesting to see what they look like. The other thing people are banking on a lot is sports. If I was gonna place my bets, that’s where I’d place my bets. But there’s a lot to it. Some sports seem to lend themselves better to 3D than others, and some of this is surprising. Golf is quite good in 3D. Football is surprisingly more difficult to do in 3D, and one of the reasons for this is the angle of the cameras. With golf, inherently, the way they’ve been shooting it, someone is standing and looking at the player, so you get this sort of straightforward thing of the ball coming at you. With football, most of the cameras are high up, and they’re looking down. So if you shoot 3D that way, you’re not going to get very good depth, because it’s between the player and the field. What you have to do is put the cameras closer to the field and then you get the full depth of the players themselves. So what they have to do, as I understand it, is have two crews. Flightpath: You have to have two separate broadcasts. John Carey: That’s right. Now that also makes it more expensive compared with HD, because with HD you can just downgrade it to standard resolution. So you have some movies, and more movies are being produced. You have sports. It remains to be seen how much they’re gonna shoot of other things. Be sure to come back next week for part 2 of our interview on 3D with John Carey. Tags: 3D, 3D movies, 3D photography, 3D sports, 3D TV, avatar, fordham university, history of 3D, john carey, john carey fordham, youtube 3D Interview: Tony Scalzo of Fastball Fastball and its co-lead singer, Tony Scalzo, first found success with the band’s 1998 hits “The Way” and “Out Of My Head,” which became radio and MTV staples just prior to the rise of Napster and the Internet’s leveling of the music business. But even as the industry changed, Fastball continued to create its own brand of tight, catchy and smart records, quietly resulting in a stellar catalog. Throughout, Scalzo’s blend of Paul McCartney-esque melodicism and craftsmanship with Elvis Costello-style wordplay has filled Fastball’s albums – including the group’s latest, 2009’s excellent Little White Lies – with numerous pop gems. Now, Scalzo is planning his first solo album and has turned to Kickstarter for help in making it happen. At Kickstarter, fans pledge at different levels to assist in funding creative projects of all kinds, from albums to movies, in exchange for certain rewards. The rub: if the monetary goal is not met by a certain deadline, the artist gets nothing. We recently spoke with Scalzo about why he’s using Kickstarter to get his solo project off the ground, his views on the Internet and its role in music today, and what it’s like to play a concert in someone’s home. Flightpath: Fastball’s last album, Little White Lies, came out in 2009. What made you decide that now was the right time for a solo album, and what led you to Kickstarter? Tony Scalzo: Well, [Little White Lies] was over two years ago. We went on tour with that record, probably put about 45,000 miles on the road. Three or four months of touring, opening up for Sugar Ray for a month. We were totally active. We did lots of radio stuff. A lot of that touring though, we really didn’t make a lot of money, because we were piggybacking with Sugar Ray. It was supposed to be an exposure thing, but unfortunately, the tour didn’t really do us much good. So we basically struggled through the process of paying for the record we’d made, and our touring [profits] went to paying back the credit card debt we’d incurred recording Little White Lies, which was substantial. And then last year, ironically, having not really put out anything for a year, we played a lot of one-offs all over the country, and we did really well [monetarily]. And we still do that; we’re planning on having a really big summer of weekend shows. It pays the best and we get to stay home for most of the week. So anyway, I guess about seven months ago, Miles [Zuniga, co-lead singer of Fastball] starting working on his [solo] record. He has lots of songs that he’d been writing over the years. And he got that going, and I watched how well he did on his Kickstarter program to get the money together for his. So you know, it’s a great tool, where you don’t really have to put yourself in debt [to make an album]. The only thing you have to do is honor the rewards that you promise people for donating. Some people see a lot of value in some of those rewards, so they’re willing to throw down and be a part of the actual making of a record. And I think that’s really cool. I don’t know if I’m going to do quite as well as Miles did. I’m kind of behind right now. But I’m happy with the way I’ve gotten tons of support. Flightpath: How did you come up with the rewards? It seems like you had a list of everything a fan could dream of. It was like, “Autographed CD, check. Unreleased demos, check. Acoustic concert in my home, check.” Tony Scalzo: Yeah. I went around the whole Kickstarter site to see what other artists were offering and how much they wanted. I just sort of went from there and decided what I didn’t want to do. I didn’t really want to call people and wish their mom a happy birthday, or sing to their mom. [Laughs] That’s cool and all, but it’s not really what I’ve got in mind. But I have some other cool things, you know, like recording a video of me in my house, singing a song [on request]. I like the [listening] party idea, to get those mid-range pledges all together and have a party. Treat them to some drinks. Flightpath: You also already have a pledge at the $2,000 level. Tony Scalzo: That’s true! That was like, the first day, too. So you can imagine, I was like, “Oh, wow, this is going to be no sweat.” It happens to be someone I knew, and someone local, which is awesome. Flightpath: Have you ever played someone’s house before? Tony Scalzo: Oh, yeah. It’s usually a pretty special thing. It’s pretty worth it. Miles and I have done a lot of that kind of thing, and actually plan on doing more of it in the future. Flightpath: If this works, do you think you’ll stick with Kickstarter for your next album? Tony Scalzo: Well, the record, it’s gonna be a long time before this whole thing is complete. I think it’s a little longer than a lot of people might think, too. Miles’ record is still not out, and he got his funding months and months ago. I’m not saying that I haven’t started, ‘cause I have. I’ve done some basic tracks, but it’s gonna be a little while in that studio. Then there’s the manufacturing, and I plan on getting some promotional people together. To really have a campaign, you have to. Flightpath: That was one thing that struck me in your Kickstarter video. You’re kind of listing all the things that are going into this, and there are some things that I’m guessing you’ve never done before. Stuff like manufacturing the CD, and just being in charge of the whole project in a new kind of way. How do you feel about that? Tony Scalzo: Well, I must say — this is important, because this is the new world, right? And you know what? Having done really well in the old world [Laughs]…the new world, for musicians and artists having to deal so much with business, it distracts. There is such a thing as separation of left and right brain, and it takes away. I’m not writing [songs] for the last couple of weeks. I’m playing a lot, because I’m doing gigs, but I’m dealing with [trying to finance my album]. I do have those [business] fears, which I think is legit. You end up becoming a record exec instead of a musician. I’m a musician; I’m a songwriter. That’s really all I’ve ever wanted to do. I play my songs, and that’s really all I care about. Flightpath: In the Kickstarter video, you talk about how with today’s digital technology, anyone can make records in their basement, or wherever they want, for really cheap, but that you’re used to working in studios to create better sounding recordings. And you can hear it on the Fastball records. With tracks like “Wind Me Up,” there are layers of harmonies, guitars and strings. Tony Scalzo: It’s true, man. I have to be honest. If anybody thinks that I can just go and make a record in somebody’s kitchen on substandard mics and all digital, and do the kinds of things [I want], and reach the standards that I have with Fastball, they’re just wrong. There are fans that are going to be short-changed. Why should the quality of music go down with the technology going up? If I want it lo-fi, I’ll do it. But the stuff I do, I really want all those textures, and I want fine lines. I want those values in there. It’s super important to my fans. I know that. That’s why they like Fastball. Flightpath: Can you talk a little bit about how you’re approaching the writing and the creation of the album? It’s the first time you’re really doing it on your own. Tony Scalzo: Yeah, and at the same time, I have a team of a few people, including the guys in my [solo] band, that I’m working with. We work out a lot of the songs in rehearsals and at shows. These new songs can be heard live. I do play them live. They’re not recorded yet; they’re only in demo form. One of the rewards, which I think is cool, like we talked about, is the demos of all these songs. You get to hear the evolution of the album. So I work all that out with the band, but I call the shots, as far as the final word. But it’s great to bounce ideas off people. I can’t just run in and play all the instruments. I’m gonna get a lot of ideas from the musicians that are gonna play on it. There’s already a couple of tracks that are underway. We’ve got drums, bass, acoustic guitar and scratch vocals on three songs. So, we build on those, which are gonna be the nucleus of the record. Most of the songs are written, but not all the songs are completed. I think that I’m gonna be running around last minute, writing lines and filling in things. That’s the way I’ve always done stuff, and that’s the way Miles has always done stuff. We both get to an impasse and say, “Okay, I’ll see you in about 10 minutes,” and run off somewhere and try and figure it out. And one of us comes in and makes it work. So, I’m looking forward to that stuff. That’s the real energy of creation. That’s when it really feels like you’re doing something. Stephen Belans is producing it. I’m actually gonna be using Joe Blaney [to] mix it. He’s done Keith Richards’ solo records, he did Combat Rock by the Clash. He’s just an awesome guy and I’ve been wanting to work with him forever. I’ve got George Reiff playing bass on a couple of tracks. He plays with Jakob Dylan. Flightpath: Will Miles play on it? Tony Scalzo: Actually, a couple of the songs are collaborations with Miles. Some of them are Fastball songs that never made the grade or whatever. I’m putting a couple of those in there. Some of them are just from these last few months of writing. A lot of it’s gonna be along the same lines of what people expect from me. Hooky melodies. I don’t really like to go off into Radiohead land. I think there’s too many bands doing that anyway, and I like to hear a tune. There’s a band called The Belle Brigade, and they’re incredible. They sound like Simon & Garfunkel meets Fleetwood Mac, circa ’75. I’m going to be using their record as a textual template. You sort of bring records to the studio, and you A/B them with what you’re doing. “Does it come close to this? Are we getting in that zone?” In Fastball sessions, we’ve always tried to make things sound like the records we love. Flightpath: Finally, as a musician, how do you feel about the Internet? On one hand, it’s kind of responsible for the destruction of the industry with file sharing, yet on the other hand, it’s given artists new ways to promote their music or even with Kickstarter, to fund it. Tony Scalzo: I think the Internet is awesome, and I think we’re just trying to figure out how to optimize it. I get a lot of new music off the Internet, off of things like Facebook, especially. Just that one little vein of social networking really provides the bulk of my informational intake. I find out about new bands, I find out about local stuff. Also Twitter, you can put up links that get out to a lot more people a lot faster. With Kickstarter, so many people are throwing down and showing support. They can also help by just sharing the link. So that’s awesome. I think there are ways to really optimize with Kickstarter. You can view all pledge rewards and donate to Tony Scalzo’s album at his Kickstarter page. For the latest on Fastball, visit their official site. Tags: fastball, kickstarter, little white lies, miles zuniga, out of my head, the belle brigade, the way, tony scalzo, tony scalzo interview, tony scalzo twitter	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1029
__label__cc	0.70796	0.29204	Merlyn Elscott, 70 Merlyn Ray Elscott, 70, of Newton, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Dec. 29, 2020, following a year-long battle with cancer. A private graveside service was held at Sully Cemetery, Monday, Jan. 4. Merlyn was born Feb. 14, 1950, in Oskaloosa. He was the second of six children born to Glen and Verna (Vander Beek) Elscott. He grew up on farms in Sully. As a young boy, his father bought him a pony. This began a lifelong love of horses and horse riding. He graduated from Lynnville-Sully High School with the Class of 1968. In 1970, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. While in the Air Force, he was stationed in Thailand, assisting with turboprop aircraft maintenance. He was honorably discharged in 1974. He was a devoted father to his daughters, Megan Kathleen and Josey Marie, and enjoyed attending and photographing their sporting activities and other events. When Merlyn lived in Lynnville, he was an active and servant-hearted member of Lynnville Friends Church, where he taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, sang in the praise team and choir, and even volunteered to fold the church bulletins each Saturday night. He especially loved the men’s Promise Keepers Bible Study and serving on missions trips to Texas and Mexico. In 2008, he was united in marriage to Paulette Rene Adams, and they resided in Newton. Currently, he and Paulette were attending Haven Vineyard Church in Newton. He was employed by Jasper County Road Department for 35 years, retiring in 2015. Merlyn and Paulette enjoyed many camping trips with their horses, including trips to South Dakota, Colorado, Illinois, Missouri, and Arizona, and enjoyed trail riding with many close friends. He was well-liked by numerous friends and acquaintances. He also enjoyed doting on his grandchildren with hayrack rides and fishing trips, and introducing them to his horses. Those left to honor his memory are his wife, Paulette Elscott of Newton; his daughters and their families: Joel and Megan Vos of Sully and grandchildren Isaac, Isabelle, and Owen; and Troy and Josey Van Weelden of Kellogg and grandchildren TJ and Clara; stepdaughter Sarah and Bryce Champlin of Colorado and grandchildren Layla, Brady, and Summer; and stepdaughter Emily and Kraig Pool of Lake Park and granddaughter Katherine. His siblings and their spouses include: John and Phyllis De Vries of Prairie City, Rich and Fran Reel of Waukee, Jerry and Lorna Elscott of Sully, Bryce Elscott of Reasnor, and Dean and Donna Elscott of Newton. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Hometown Press Written by Hometown Press View all posts by: Hometown Press	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1030
__label__wiki	0.549428	0.549428	ridhigrg Why you should not become a Programmer or not learn Programming Language? See the Salaries if you are willing to get a Job in Programming Languages without a degree? Highest Paid Programming Languages With Highest Market Demand Have a look of some Top Programming Languages used in PubG Programming Languages C++ Java C Software Code PHP Three Popular Programming Languages with Three Source Control Systems to easily crack your Job Interview By ridhigrg \|Email \| Jun 17, 2019 \| 4782 Views What are some of the technologies in demand these days? So here are some of the top programming languages: Top three programming languages According to TIOBE's Software website, the first three programming languages by market share are presently Java, C, and C++ (in this order). Java continues to be the leader of the programming languages. His object-oriented and platform agnostic nature, fairly straight forward syntax, safer memory allocation mechanisms make it a very popular and largely adopted programming language. It is expected that Java will remain the leader of the market for a while. Things like the Oracle acquisition of Sun and Android development will strengthen Java's position as well. So, if you don't know it already, learn Java because it definitely makes you more employable. The old C remains in the second place. Some people are surprised by this. C is a solid traditional procedural programming language. It's been around for more than four decades and there is plenty of legacy code written in C. Until ported, that code will not go away. Plus there are popular full blast Operating Systems wrote in C such as the Unix based OS-es. C is a good programming language to know. And, if you don't like those pointers and memory leaks, don't worry: you'll get used with them. 3. C++ C++ makes it to third place. Its object-oriented nature, it's historic well known and fairly popular C based syntax, his adoption in large corporations over the last couple of decades, all these contribute to the presence of this programming language in the first three. Even if there are some objections to C++ syntax and you lately hear critical voices that demand a more flexible, less verbose programming language, C++ will be with us for a while as well. No matter if you know C or not, learn C++. It will teach you solid object-oriented programming and code re-usability concepts and it will help you write better, faster, more efficient code. As a side note, PHP and C# rank on the fourth and fifth places. They are both rising in popularity over the last decade. Objective-C and F# are languages that gained a lot of popularity as well: the first one due to Apple's success in the mobile world and the second one due to the growth in demand for functional programming. B. Top three source control systems According to Forrester Research and as published on some of their blogs, the first three source control systems as of 2010 are SVN, VSS, and CVS. 1. SVN svn is by far the leader of the source control systems used in the market place. Its relatively robust functionality (compared to other open source systems), straight forward labeling and branching command line syntax, the open source philosophy, as well as the adoption by an enterprise, make subversion the source control system of the day. 2. VSS VSS is one of the older source control systems promoted and maintained by Microsoft. The initial versions of tools were rather primitive (with a local sources repository rather than client-server). In time the tool became more sophisticated and it's still very popular in Microsoft intensive environments even though it has reliability issues and a fairly unsophisticated way to branch, merge and mitigate conflicts at merge time. 3. CVS CVS, initially designed as a collection of scripts to control the source code developed by teams on Unix environments, became a popular and widely adopted source control system about ten years ago. It is a classy centralized-control system, it has a fairly robust check-in / check-out / label /branch/merge set of features and a series of open source developed GUIs. It's cumbersome command line syntax and versioning of the files intimidate some of the developers. It might seem a lot to be familiar with seven or eight different source control systems but the good news is that from a developer's standpoint these are easy to learn how to use tools. With your hands on, you can get to learn a new one pretty much every week. Having mass amounts of data means nothing; what you do with that data is what matters. That's where data mining comes in. Most of the market trends, insights from top business leaders, and industry data depict that as soft skills are of equal importance, therefore they should not be overlooked. The futuristic leaders, workers, and executives will need to have a hybrid skill set to foster in the extremely tech-oriented world.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1032
__label__cc	0.594105	0.405895	FlammaUniversity of Helsinki For Children, the Youth and the Families Science Clubs Science Camps Science Parties For Teachers and Learning Communities Group Visits to Science Labs Donate to the Science Education Fund Tiedekasvatus /General Info / The Science Education Centre studies, develops and carries out multidisciplinary science education of children and young people as well as related teacher training, based on the latest research in the field as well as the internationally acclaimed integrated models of basic teacher education which have been researched and developed since 2003. The Science Education Centre collects related expertise from the different disciplines of the University. The Centre also cooperates with partners outside the University, such as the municipalities and schools in Uusimaa, the Finnish Science Centre Heureka, organisations, companies and nearby institutions of higher education (e.g., Aalto University). The Science Education Centre represents the University of Helsinki in the LUMA Centre Finland network of science and technology universities and is responsible for the administration of the network during the period 2017–2019. It is involved in global cooperation with other academic experts and organisations in science education. The science education activites since 2003 are presented also in the book Collaborative Science Education at the University of Helsinki since 2003: New solutions and pedagogical innovations for teaching from early childhood education to universities. Finland, the Top Country in Science Education University of Helsinki Strategic Plan 2017–2020 Support for Subject Teacher Education The University's Student Recruitment The Centre supports the University of Helsinki in reaching the Ministry of Education and Culture’s objective to rank Finland as the top country in science education by the year 2020. The Centre helps support the University’s reputation as a creative and international environment for learning and top research that is internationally attractive and which uses multidisciplinary research questions and cooperation between units to increase the impact of research in society. University of Helsinki Strategic Plan 2017–2020 » The Centre supports research-based (subject) teacher education integrated with science education at the University of Helsinki. The Centre promotes the connections of the University’s subject teacher education to employers and society at large. Science education requires more connections between disciplines/subjects and a broader approach encompassing several disciplines towards phenomena, topics and concepts. The new national core curricula for basic and upper-secondary education also emphasise integrated teaching and phenomenon-based learning. As the Centre continues to operate, the versatile concepts for science education, developed and tested over several years and integrated into (subject) teacher education, will gradually spread to different disciplines at the University. The Centre’s continuing education promotes lifelong learning among teachers from kindergartens to upper-secondary schools as well as interaction between various institutions, such as universities. The Centre promotes, coordinates and produces research and reports that support subject teacher training and the expertise of subject teachers. The Centre also disseminates information on events, phenomena and research relating to the work of subject teachers. The activities of the Science Education Centre provide teachers and other students at all faculties of the University of Helsinki with excellent opportunities to gain experience in non-formal teaching in various disciplines. The Centre informs University students of supervision opportunities, training sessions and courses through the University’s internal communication channels and social media. The Centre promotes the University’s student recruitment through novel multidisciplinary approaches. Studies indicate that science education supports the development of students’ interest and motivation and inspires interest and enthusiasm from early childhood onwards. Cooperation between different fields of science develops new, motivating solutions for the study and teaching of mathematics and natural sciences, which many pupils consider challenging but which are crucial for many University of Helsinki degree programmes. At the same time, the traditionally strong foundation of language skills among Finns is crumbling, which makes it important to use new approaches to motivate young people to study languages. The new national core curricula for basic and upper-secondary education emphasise the importance of cooperation between institutions of higher education with earlier levels of education. Extensive cooperation will also facilitate student recruitment.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1034
__label__wiki	0.564882	0.564882	info@history-reimagined.co.uk Austin Hernon Berengaria of Navarra The Dark Queen – Philippa of Hainault The Peace of the Magna Carta – Henry III Robert The Wayward Prince (Series) Robert The Wayward Prince – Book I Robert The Wayward Prince – Book II Robert The Wayward Prince – Book III Wars of the Magna Carta (Series) Wars of the Magna Carta – Book One Wars of the Magna Carta – Book Two History Explored O Robin, Robin, wherefore art thou Robin? Home » Magna Carta Category Archives: Magna Carta Who is the High Sheriff of Nottingham really worried by? One windy day on top of the motte of a Norman castle ruined the reputation of Robin Hood for me. And some better truths emerged from the uncertain mists of history. As a result, a legend was exposed for what it is. After hearing a radio broadcast concerning the estate of Laxton, in Nottinghamshire, we found that it was the last remaining example of a Saxon strip farm left in England. So we went to view it and heard a presentation by the Bailiff. It was incredible to discover that the estate was managed by him in a Bailiff’s court in the manner of old. After the presentation we went off to a high point to view the landscape. The Bailiff did not mention the castle but we were soon on top of the motte surveying the area. Interestingly, it sits on the west side of the River Trent and the major arterial, Great North Road, otherwise known poetically as the, A1 (M). From the height my attention was soon drawn to a view of three towers on the horizon. “What’s that?” I asked. “Lincoln Cathedral,” was the answer. Thus came the end of my interest in a Saxon strip farm and the beginning of the search for the History of Laxton castle. The result of this led me to write the new novels of: ‘The Wars of the Magna Carta’. Forming a legend Within this story we find King John, formerly prince, who only became king after his brother Richard died. After much researching, a tale gradually emerged of female heroism and a hidden history. Of that you may read in the ‘The Wars of the Magna Carta’ books, but of Robin Hood, the Sheriff of Nottingham, and the forests of Sherwood? In a world where stories tended to be passed on by Bards and Ballards, the truth often becomes left behind until it is secondary to a good story. This is not surprising when the tale could earn a meal from the telling whilst sat around a blazing log fire. Thus do we form legends, until they take themselves into print. As you can see, we fashion a new truth from the imaginings of the firelight’s flickerings. So we come to Robin Hood The name in various forms appears in writings of the thirteenth century, most notably in an allegorical fantasy with the title: ‘Piers the Plowman’. Other later documents mention undesirables in the woods but this does not mean the Merry Men, it means those, ‘Outside the Laws,’ of the forest. As time passes, Robin Hood begins to make more frequent appearances in literature, gathering characteristics as he goes, until he becomes ‘truth’ itself. Then in the nineteenth century, Sir Walter Scott, no less, gives him a new impetus in his novel ‘Ivanhoe’ (1820). As a result, the modern hero is set into history as fact. But here is a problem; to research the history of Laxton is to research the history of Lincoln and Nottinghamshire. This includes the history of the forests, and of all the documents dissected, the chronicles, the pipe rolls, and various other contemporary sources of official records. In none of these are there mentions of the character of Robin, or Locksley, so richly drawn in legendary history. There must be a history, but it is one of truth, of the times, of King John, of the Forests and the High Sheriff of Nottingham, and of the keepers of the King’s Forests, of two valorous women, of Nicholaa of Lincoln and Matilda of Laxton, female castellans, female Keepers, and one female Sheriff of Lincoln town. The Sheriff of Nottingham What of Robin’s adversary, the High Sheriff of Nottingham? His name was Philip Marc and he was only responsible for the royal hunting enclosure within the bounds of Sherwood. He made a mess of that small duty. In the 1215 Magna Carta – article (50) this appears: “We will remove completely from their offices the kinsmen of Gerard de Athée, and in future they shall hold no offices in England. The people in question are: Engelard de Cigogné, Peter, Guy, and Andrew de Chanceaux, Guy de Cigogné, Geoffrey de Martigny and his brothers, Philip Marc and his brothers, with Geoffrey his nephew, and all their followers.” It seems that Philip had been doing some tax collecting of his own. As a result he was interfering with the management of the forest by its rightful keeper, Matilda of Laxton. So stand aside Robin Hood; Hollywood might love you, but history knows you for what you are, a figment of many imaginings. The real hero who fought against the Sheriff of Nottingham was Matilda of Laxton. You can read more of her and the heroine of Lincoln, kindred spirits, in the stories of: ‘The Wars of the Magna Carta’. Available from Amazon in paperback and also on Kindle. This entry was posted in Magna Carta and tagged Magna Carta, Robin Hood on 17/09/2019 by admin. Isabella de Angouleme There are plenty of English Queens with a great history. Isabella de Angouleme deserves a place on the list because of her unique story and the impact she had on one of the most successful Kings in our history, her son Henry III. Isabella’s story starts somewhere between 1188 and 1191 in south-west France. She was the daughter of Alice Courtenay and Count Aymer Taillefer. Her noble birth earned her good looks and the right to rule the lands of Angouleme. As with lots of noble girls in this period, her parents looked to find Isabella a good husband. Not needing to search too far their neighbour, Hugh of Lusignan, was originally chosen. However, the marriage had to wait until Isabella came of age. This delay also gave her father the chance to look for better offers. The best opportunist offer came from John of Anjou, the youngest son of Eleanor of Aquitaine and brother to Richard, destined to become King of England. John’s goal was to gain a wife with lands to control. His marriage to Isabella de Angouleme went ahead on 24th August 1200, as John had succeeded Richard on his death in 1199, that made her Queen Eleanor of England. Embarrassing as there also existed two dowager queens of England. John and Richard’s father’s wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine was still active in the affairs of state, and Richard’s wife, Berengaria was also in the picture. Answering the insult Naturally Hugh of Lusignan was not pleased with John’s move. He made an appeal to the King of France about the matter. Philip II chose to confiscate John’s French lands. What originally looked like a wise move from John now seemed like an opportunity to far. While he did gain the lands of Angouleme, he lost his own ancestral lands, a domain that was much larger. This began the break up of the Angevin Empire. The Blame John took a lot of the blame for the marriage and losing the lands. However, Isabella de Angouleme was also blamed. Rumours even began to spread that the 12 year old bride had used witchcraft to bewitch John. Isabella de Angouleme – Queen of England The relationship between John and Isabella was an interesting one. At first the royal couple led very separate lives. Isabella even lived with John’s former wife, Isabella of Gloucester, who he dumped in favour of the younger girl. Isabella de Angouleme conceived her first child, Henry, six years after the couple wed. He was born on 1st October 1207. Amazingly, during the pregnancy John showed a different side of his character and doted on his wife. He even tried to reconcile the relationship between his wife and her half-brother. These actions are in stark contrast to John’s reputation as a villain. After Henry, Isabella went on to have four more children. The first, Richard, came in 1209. The queen then had three daughters – Joan (1210), Isabella (1214) and Eleanor (1215). The children meant that John’s line was secure. While family life was going well for the King, there were problems elsewhere. The loss of his French lands was a big blow. Added to other missteps, including with the Magna Carta, and it plunged England into war. John lost his life during the war in October 1216 after suffering with dysentery. Amazingly, Isabella de Angouleme was not quite 30 when her husband died. More surprising, John did not mention her in his will and did not choose to give her a role in the government for their nine year old son, the new King Henry III. The Embarrassing Mother While she was Queen of England Isabella did not have power or money of her own. John’s decision not to give her a role in government meant her prospects as Queen Mother did not look any better. Incredibly, in 1217 while England was still at war, Isabella chose to sail home to France, leaving her son in England with his advisors. She took her eldest daughter Joan with her, planning to have her marry Hugh of Lusignan, Count of La Marche, the son of the neighbour she was initially betrothed to as a child. Isabella’s story took another twist in 1220 when she married Hugh du Lusignan instead of Joan. Her reasoning was that she wanted to save her daughter from the perils of early marriage and childbearing, something she had firsthand experience in. However, Isabella chose to bargain with the English government for Joan’s return. She got a financial settlement and her daughter returned home. As you can see, Isabella de Angouleme has an amazing story. What is even more astonishing is that even though he was left without a mother at such a young age, Henry III became one of the longest reining kings in English history. He had the perfect advisors in William Marshal, Peter Des Roches, and Hugh de Burgh. If you want to pay respects to Isabella you can visit her tomb at Fontevraux Abbey in France. The picture above is her effigy. If you want to read more incredible stories about some of these characters, pick up Wars of the Magna Carta by Austin Hernon today. In addition, keep your eyes out for new books in the future where Henry III will be a central character. This entry was posted in Magna Carta on 17/09/2019 by admin. William Marshal – Knight William Marshal is an incredible figure in English history. He was a dedicated Knight, loyally serving several Kings, and led an army that helped to save England from the French in the First Barons’ War. His story is amazing, even more so because it is true. William was born in 1146 into a minor, but noble family. Like many young men of the time he joined another household, the de Tancarvilles, at the age of twelve, for training as a knight. It is not known if William had his sights set upon becoming head of the army at the time. However by serving through the reign of several kings, from Stephen onwards, he rose to that position by the time of King John. William Marshal excelled at his profession as a Knight. He was a hero who cut through the tournament lists ‘like a hot knife through butter’. His proficiency quickly claimed the attention of other noble families and a marriage to Isabel de Clare brought him into one of the great families of the land, providing land, riches, and also prestige at court. In 1199 he became the Earl of Pembroke. Thus we find him at the centre of our story in the ‘Wars of the Magna Carta’. One of the things William Marshal will always be linked to is the Magna Carta. He was loyal to King John even after John’s signing and subsequent repudiation of the charter of rights which led to civil war in 1215. It is most likely William gave his support to the King because he wanted to preserve the State of England rather than believing power should remain with the King. In 1216 much of England, from the Wash to Bristol, was in the hands of rebel barons. King John and his remaining allies, including William, had the challenge of defeating the rebels and their French allies. The situation became even more complex when King John, who had been suffering from dysentery, died following a visit to Lincoln. The crown fell to John’s 9 year old son Henry III. How would the youngster manage the kingdom, how would he even survive in times when the life of a king was not guaranteed? To make matters even harder for the young monarch, his mother, Isabella of Angouleme, left England for France in high dudgeon for not being given a place on her son’s Council of Regents. William Marshal was one of the key figures to restore the peace. He, along with Hubert de Burgh and Peter des Roches, became the protectors of and key advisors to Henry III. One of the turning points in the war was the breaking of the Siege of Lincoln. Through the incredible work of Lincoln’s castellan Nicholaa de la Haye and Matilda of Laxton, the stronghold was holding. However, the invading French army was slowly wearing down the defenders. Perfect timing from William Marshal, who at the head of the English relieving army, broke the siege. After the end of the First Barons’ War William remained a loyal supporter of Henry III. He also had a role in the reissue of the Magna Carta, signing as one of the Barons to bear witness to the new King signing it. William’s tomb is in Temple Church, London. The tomb features an effigy of the Knight in life; you can view it in the image above. Part of William Marshal’s story is re-told in the series, ‘Wars of the Magna Carta’. The novel is available from Amazon in ebook as well as paperback. This entry was posted in Magna Carta and tagged Tomb, William Marshal on 05/09/2019 by admin. The changing face of books. A magnificent demonstration of ingratitude Nicholaa de la Haye and Matilda of Laxton The Crusades and the Sea Wayward Prince History Re-Imagined Huthwaite, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Matilda of Laxton Nicholaa de la Haye Robert of Normandy William Marshal © Copyright History Re-Imagined 2021, All Rights Reserved Web Design By VISIBILITY	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1037
__label__wiki	0.655746	0.655746	Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters to Anne Hitchcock Sims, 8/9/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters to Anne Hitchcock Sims [Extract] EMBASSY OF THE My darling Sweetheart: I have your dear letters up to July 28th inclusive, telling me about the fine time you and the dear chicks are having at marion with Uncle John and Aunt Sarah.1 How I wish I could be with you! . . . But what would it be if our boys were men and were in the trenches? See the letter from Mrs Robbins <the English wife of the brother of Helen Sims>2 who lost her brother and whose husband she has been with but a few weeks in three years, and who is returning to Mesopotamia. Pinky3 has been ordered home to report and then return here for more information. <He wrote advising that he be so ordered. They replied that they would order him home and send a Dr. to take his place. I at once cabled protesting against sending a new man thus losing Pinky’s European experience, and recommending that that if he could not return, he should remain here. He is a member of my staff. They gave in.> He will try and get up to Newport to inspect the camps there and give them the benefit of his experience. He will carry this letter with him and mail it to you, so I will tell you some interesting things about the situation. I have been puzzled for a long time with the attitude and arguments contained in letters from fellows in the Department, especially Pratt’s.4 Certain remarks seemed to indicate that he had not seen all my cablegrams. He said once: “You tell us what you want, but you do not explain why”.5 Other remarks on important subjects showed that he could not have seen my cables and letters covering these subjects very completely. I will send you his last letter and my reply. Also a letter from Charlie Belknap and one from Kent.6 Well, I understand the situation now, and this is the way I found it out. In the first place, it appears that there is bad blood between the fleet and the Department. All sorts of things are done without consulting the C-in-C.7 Officers who were passed over by the selection board have been given command of divisions of battleships. One of these officers had never served on a battleship.8 <These men are Captains, and divisions should be commanded by rear admirals.> Grant9 was made Vice Admiral and put in the fleet without referral to the C-in-C. Admiral Mayo has tried to keep in touch with the situation by keeping one of his staff at the department. Usually it was Pye.10 Pye made a elaborate Estimate of the Situation and the C-in-C sent it to the Department with a recommendation that it be sent to me for comments. It was not sent! Pye got all his information from Pratt. Admiral Mayo, not being able to get the necessary informa[tion] to understand the situation, asked to be sent over. The President would not agree.11 Then he tried to have Pye sent over, and had to go to the Secy three times before he would consent. Finally he consented, and Pye arrived a few days ago[.] He brought a list of questions he wanted answered. You may imagine my astonishment to find that all of these questions had been fully answered in my cables and letters more than two months ago! Pye has been going over all the cables (there are nearly 300 of them) and all the letters I have sent in, and is now preparing a statement for Admiral Mayo. He agrees entirely with my conclusions and would have agreed if he had been allowed to see this correspondence in Washington. Pratt told Pye all he knew about the situation, but the point is that Pratt had not seen it - or very little of it! Apparently the Secy has kept it to himself, or between him and Benson.12 The latter is, as you know, violently anti-British. He told a friend of mine, a Lieut, that I am so pro-British that I am practically owned by the Admiralty. I do not know the attitude of J.D.,13 but you will see from Belknap’s and Kent’s letters how things are going in the Department - or rather how they are not going. The P.Ds. seem afraid that the condition of affairs as set forth in my cables may get out, so gave the Chief of Operation’s staff - Pratt, Schofield, McKean, etc, who are there to make estimates of the situation based upon all available information, are not allowed to have the information!14 It is no wonder I could not understand their remarks and arguments. Admiral Mayo is coming over here very soon for a conference with Admirals Jellicoe and Beatty.15 The French will also be invited to send representations. I will also try and persuade the C-in-C to run down to Paris.16 Our State Department called the Ambassador suggesting the conference.17 That was before Pye arrived - I did not know he was coming until he landed at Liverpool— but as I know the Department believed my reports to be very pro-British (to say the least), I strongly advised Mayo’s coming, and so cabled the Department. He is an honest man. He will understand the situation and represent it as it is and that will clear up the whole business Just how much the President is behind the attitude of the Department, I do not really know, but I do know that he takes the popular attitude that the Allies should “dig the rats out of their holes”—“stop up the hole in the wasp’s nest (the submarine bases) instead of trying to catch the wasps (submarines) after they are out”.18 Of course this is an impossible military operation from the sea – it can be accomplished only by forcing the German armies back far enough to remove the submarine bases. But the President has absolute confidence in his own judgement upon this subject (as upon all others), as shown by his telegram to me in which he states this opinion and then asks my opinion!19 I learned this only the other day when Berrien arrived.20 The President told Berry (who commands the Mayflower)21 that I am hopelessly pro-British and that my reply to his telegram was nothing but a British opinion, etc. Berry asked him if he might tell Berrien and if Berrien might tell me, and he said “Yes, for all I care.” Berrien told Babby22 this, and the letter told me yesterday So, you see, I have my troubles! But, don’t let that worry you in the least, for there is not the slightest doubt as to the correctness of my conclusions or the completeness of the information upon which they are based; and that is why I am glad Admiral Mayo is coming over, for the more this matter is looked into the clearer it will become. <For more than three months I have been urging the Dept. to send compe[te]nt officers to work in the Admiralty.23 Admiral Jellico urged the same, but they would not send them. Pye understands it already, and Twinning is in complete agreement with me.24 When you read Pratt’s letters and my reply, you will be at a loss to understand why the Department resisted all my appeals for more officers on the staff I think they must have been afraid I would build up a bit of a navy Department on this side.25 I did everything I could to persuade them to send me assistance. (See my letter to Pratt), because I could see that Babby was giving out from overwork and from worry. He has not the temperament to take responsibility easily. He is pessimistic by nature and crosses many bridges and imagines the worst. He apparently cannot avoid feeling the whole responsibility. He is so completely loyal that he feels it for me, and carries his worries outside the office. I have not bothered you with this because it would have done no good. However I believe the trouble is now over since I have Twining and five other officers, not counting Gillmore.26 I have also four stenographers (girls) five men to do the coding and ten men from Newport. But no more was made until I cabled Pratt that Pinky stated that Babby was in danger of a complete nervous breakdown and asking for him to try and persuade the P.Ds. to send me assistance and to telegraph the result as to relieve the strain on Babby. They telegraphed that Twining and Ancrum27 had been ordered. Of course Babby knew nothing of the telegram. Later I telegraphed Pratt that Babby was “all in” and asked when assistance would arrive. They replied giving the date and said Berrien and Blakeslee28 and another officer and the yeomen were also coming. I protested because they were not sending me the type of men I wanted-men who had the necessary experience and education for this kind of work. Ancrum is just a good solid old plug but not at all the man for this kind of work, and Berrien has had no experience of this kind, being a man of action. But the protest did no good. So, I took Long out of his destroyer and ordered him on the staff. He used to be on the staff of the C-in-C and is a classmate of Babby’s. Berrien and Babby had a row-in the flotilla and they did not “speak” for a year or so, so he was impossible on the staff. I have ordered him in command of the destroyer Long had, and he appears much pleased to get into the “game.” I have no authority to transfer officers this way, but have done so in many cases. Pinky took charge of Babby, put him to bed, gave him something to make him sleep, and now he is pretty well, and I think he will be all right. The staff has now been organized and the work distributed and everything seems to be going along well. Of course you will not mention this to Mrs. Babby. I don’t know how much he has told her about it. I hope he holds out, for he is invaluable. Now you must not imagine that all this trouble has worried me at all in the way of getting on my nerves. I dont seem to have any. Responsibility does not bother me in the least. I turn my important matters (like the handling of the troop convoys) over to a competent man (Long, in this case) and trust to him entirely. Of course I have the responsibility and will get the credit for success and the blame if things go wrong. Incidentally, we have had no casualties in my command or in the convoys. This is simply a wonder and we cannot expect it to continue indefinitely. This is war, and you must not be shocked if you hear of the loss of some of our vessels one of these days. I am in my usual perfect health-as well as I have ever been Perhaps I have not been getting enough exercise, but I will get more now that we have a staff. I walk a good deal with Pinky. I will miss him while he is gone. I hope he can go to Newport as I am sure it would be a great satisfaction for you to have a good talk with him. He knows all about conditions here, so you can talk to him with perfect freedom. . . . Did I tell you that two of our destroyer captains are going to be given D.S.Os. (The Distinguished Service Order), and medals for some of their officers and men.29 I am not saying anything about it until they get them, <Of course they cannot accept them without authority. But I will not ask for the authority until the British government officially designates them for this honor.>. . . I have just been with Admiral Jellicoe and he showed me a cablegram from Admiral Browning saying that Admiral Mayo will sail for England about Aug. 18. He is coming in his flagship, the Pennsylvania, and she will join the Grand Fleet while she is here.30 He will of course spend most of his time in London and in visits to various ports[.] I am particularly pleased that his flagship is coming, as his staff and her officers will have a chance to learn a lot. I am going to take advantage of Pinky going home to send you some of my correspondence with Pratt. I will make it up in a package with this letter and ask Pink to send it to you by express. These letters will give you a pretty good idea of what I have been up against and also of what the Department has been up against – including, particularly Pratt. He has had a hard time. So have I, for that matter; but I believe our troubles are about over. They now realize the seriousness of the war and they will get busy when they get admiral Mayo’s report they will see that I have been giving them the “straight dope.” The staff is now getting settled rapidly settled down and it is going to be fine. It is now really a small navy department. We have taken a house having about 14 rooms of which I have nine and the naval attaché the remainder. There are seven officers, not counting me, four girl stenographers, five civilian in the coding department, six yeomen and four sailors, several boy messengers and a couple of watchmen and a doorkeeper. There will be no more overwork, and there should be no strain except for those who cant help worrying. Some time ago, just after my last visit to Paris, I wrote a letter to the Minister of Marine, Rear Admiral Lacaze, stating that I wished him to consider the Forces under my command in France in all respects the same as tho they actually belonged to the French navy and that I wished to cooperate with him and carry out his wishes in all respects. He wrote a most appreciated reply. I am sending a translation to Pratt to show him what my relations with the French Admiralty are. . . .31 I found him [Lacaze] “tres sympathie.” He is a little scrap of a slender man with a thin sharp featured face of great refinement, a while complexion, a white-pointed beard and a careworn expression. He is a bachelor and must be about 60. He resigned because he would not agree to a certain investigation by the Chamber of Deputies.32 I am very sorry, as he is a man of great ability. I particularly admired the ease and grace and really literary quality of his presentation of all the subjects that he brought before the conference. But I think I liked him best for his manifest uprightness and fair-mindedness. In this he was in glaring contrast with the Italian Admiral.33 Lacaze treat the latter with marked gentleness while completely refuting his interested arguments. He made me angry and I was not so gentle, and Admiral Lacaze told me afterwards in his gentle way that he thought I had been a bit hard on him – tho he was manifestly pleased with my support. He is a really gentle and charming gentleman. The kind of man I would like to have you meet.34 Admiral de Bon,35 chief of staff, a handsome solid man with a square white beard, was nearly as effective in presenting a case or an argument. In this sort of thing the British (and most Americans) are very distinctly inferior. They speak haltingly and laboriously tho they usually “get there”. . . . You will see by Pratt’s last letter to me that they are now on the defensive. Admiral Jellicoe is going to send a Vice Admiral to Washington so the P. Ds. will have somebody to discuss things with36 There is one thing I am very glad of and that is that I am not in the Navy Department. I could not possibly put up with the way things are going. Doubtless Benson means well, but he conceives it to be his duty to do just what the Secretary wants, no matter what his own conviction is. He has the authority to prepare the navy for war and to direct the operations, and nobody could withstand him if he was willing to offer his resignation in case the Sec’y declined to approve any recommendation he considered essential. I am writing in the evening again, but now I must be off to bed So good night my darling sweetheart, I am loving you all the time . . . . Your devoted Source Note: ALS, DLC-MSS, William Sims Papers, Box 9. Sims later revised this letter, adding material in the margins, which are indicated herein by angle brackets. On 13 August, Sims made further additions to this letter, which is not printed here. Most of this material concerns Medical Inspector Cmdr. Frank L. Pleadwell's anticipated visit to Newport. Footnote 1: John F. Shepley and Sara Hitchcock Shepley. Sara was Anne Hitchcock Sims’ older sister. Footnote 2: This letter has not been located. Footnote 3: Medical Inspector Cmdr. Frank L. Pleadwell, M. D. Until July 1917, Pleadwell had been serving as the Assistant United States Naval Attaché at London. Following his brief recall to the United States (which Sims' discusses here), Pleadwell joined Sims' staff as the head of its Medical Section. Footnote 4: Capt. William V. Pratt, Assistant Chief of Naval Operations. Footnote 5: See: Pratt to Sims, 2 July 1917. Footnote 6: Lt. Cmdr. Charles K. Belknap, Jr., Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. For his letter to Sims, see: Belknap to Sims, 26 July 1917. Footnote 7: Adm. Henry T. Mayo, Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet. Footnote 8: Mayo did, in fact, have some input in the naming of force and flotilla commanders. See: Mayo to Josephus Daniels, 23 July 1917. Footnote 9: RAdm. Albert W. Grant, Commander, Battleship Force One, Atlantic Fleet. Grant officially became a Vice Admiral on 21 August 1917. Footnote 10: Cmdr. William S. Pye. Footnote 11: President Woodrow Wilson. Mayo believed that Sims was usurping his authority and Wilson may have been “protecting” Sims by keeping Mayo in the United States. See: Diary of Josephus Daniels, 30 April 1917, and Klachko and Trask, Benson, 67. Footnote 12: There is no evidence that Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels or Adm. William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, were withholding documents or information from Benson's staff. Footnote 13: The charge that he was a pawn of the British was one Sims would repeatedly confront throughout the duration of the war. Footnote 14: Capt. Frank H. Schofield; Capt. Josiah S. McKean. Footnote 15: See: Sims to Daniels, 31 July 1917. This conference between Mayo, First Sea Lord Adm. Sir John R. Jellicoe, and First Lord of the Admiralty Sir Eric Geddes took place in London on 4 and 5 September 1917. While both Jellicoe and Geddes were pleased with the results, Mayo continued to have reservations about how the British treated their American ally. Klachko and Trask, Benson, 82; Still, Crisis at Sea, 74. Footnote 16: Mayo did go to France following his conference with the British. Footnote 17: United States Ambassador to Great Britain Walter Hines Page. Footnote 18: See: Wilson to the Officers of the Atlantic Fleet, 11 August 1917. Footnote 19: See: Woodrow Wilson to Sims, 4 July 1917. Footnote 20: Lt. Cmdr. Frank D. Berrien, Commander, Nicholson. Footnote 21: Lt. Cmdr. Robert L. Berry. Footnote 22: Sims’ aide, Lt. Cmdr. John V. Babcock. Footnote 23: For example, see: Sims to Daniels, 16 July 1917. Footnote 24: Capt. Nathan C. Twining arrived in London in early August to become Sims’ Chief of Staff. Footnote 25: Indeed, Sims was subsequently accused of doing just that. Still, Crisis at Sea, 35. Footnote 26: Reginald E. Gillmor, Sims’ Flag Secretary. Footnote 27: Lt. Cmdr. William Ancrum, one of Sims' aides. Footnote 28: Lt. Cmdr. Edward G. Blakeslee. ran the Communications Section at Sims’ headquarters. Sims, Victory at Sea, 250. Cmdr. Byron A. Long, was in charge of the Convoys Section on Sims' staff. Footnote 29: These medals were not awarded, as it was not until July 1918 that Congress made it possible for Americans to accept foreign medals decorations. Morison, Admiral Sims, 434. Footnote 30: Mayo did not travel to England aboard Pennsylvania but went on the passenger liner St. Louis instead. Pennsylvania never joined the British Grand Fleet as a result. Mayo to Caroline Wing Mayo, 18 August 1917, DLC-MSS, Henry Mayo Papers, Box 3. Footnote 31: Sims included a copy of the letter, which is not printed her. In his letter, Adm. Marie Jean Lucien Lacaze’s letter was very complimentary toward Sims, expressing his delight and honor in being able to work with Sims. Footnote 32: Lacaze came under increasing criticism from the Chamber of Deputies for the French Navy’s lack of progress in combatting the submarines of the Central Powers. When that body created a special directorate for anti-submarine warfare, Lacaze resigned as Minister of Marine, but remained active in the French Navy as commander at the port of Toulon. WWI Encyclopedia, Vol. 2: 665. Footnote 33: Adm. Paolo Thaon di Revel. Footnote 34: This confrontation took place at an Allied conference in Paris in late July 1917. See: Sims to Benson, 30 July 1917. Footnote 35: Adm. Ferdinand Jean Jacques De Bon. Footnote 36: Possibly because of the perceived success of Mayo’s mission, Jellicoe did not send a vice admiral to the United States. Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, Campaign Order Number One, 8/1/1917 Executive Order of President Woodrow Wilson, 8/1/1917 Captain William B. Fletcher, Commander, Special Patrol Squadrons, Operation Order Number Six, 8/1/1917 Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels to All Officers of the United States Navy, 8/2/1917 Major General Tasker H. Bliss, Chief of Staff, to Adjutant General Henry P. McCain, 8/2/1917 Winston Churchill to Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels, 8/2/1917 New York Herald Report on Alleged Submarine Attack, 8/2/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters to Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, 8/3/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters to Captain William B. Fletcher, Force Commander, Patrol Squadrons, French Waters, 8/3/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Captain Richard H. Jackson, American Naval Representative to the Ministry of Marine, 8/3/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters to Captain William B. Fletcher, Commander, Special Patrol Squadrons, 8/3/1917 Major General John J. Pershing, Commander, American Expeditionary Force, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, 8/4/1917 Captain Josiah S. McKean, Staff, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, to Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, 8/4/1917 Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, United States, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, 8/4/1917 Commander William R. Sayles, United States Naval Attaché at Paris, to Commander John V. Babcock, 8/4/1917 Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, to Admiral Henry T. Mayo, Commander, Atlantic Fleet, 8/4/1917 Lieutenant Commander Halsey Powell, Commander, Parker, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, 8/5/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Office of Chief of Naval Operations., 8/6/1917 Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operation to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, 8/7/1917 Rear Admiral Heathcote S. Grant, Senior Naval Officer, Gibraltar, to British Admiralty, 8/7/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Sara Hitchcock Shepley, 8/8/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Vice Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly, R.N., Commander, Southern Ireland, 8/8/1917 First Sea Lord Admiral Sir John R. Jellicoe, to Vice Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly, Commander, Southern Ireland, 8/8/1917 List of Ships to be Based at Gibraltar, 8/8/1917 Memorandum to Committee on Standard Plans, Fleet Emergency Corporation, 8/8/1917 Commander Joel R. Poinsett Pringle, Chief of Staff, Destroyer Flotillas, to Commander Henry B. Price, Commander, Melville, 8/8/1917 Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, United States, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters 8/8/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Lindon W. Bates, Chairman of Engineering Committee, Submarine Defense Association, 8/8/1917 Commander William R. Sayles, United States Naval Attaché at Paris, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, 8/9/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Vice Admiral Lewis Bayly, Commander, Southern Ireland, 8/9/1917 Captain Richard H. Jackson. American Naval Representative to the Ministry of Marine, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, 8/9/1917 Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, 8/10/1917 Notice Posted on U.S.S. Reid by Commander, Lieutenant Commander Charles G. Slayton, 8/10/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Major General John J. Pershing, Commander, American Expeditionary Forces, 8/11/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, Force Instructions No. 1, 8/11/1917 Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels to Admiral William B. Caperton, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet, 8/11/1917 British Admiralty to Vice Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly, Commander, Southern Ireland, 8/11/1917 President Woodrow Wilson to the Officers of the Atlantic Fleet, 8/11/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Lieutenant Commander Charles R. Train, United States Naval Attaché at Rome, 8/13/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Operating Forces in European Waters, to Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels, 8/13/1917 Commodore Guy R. Gaunt, British Naval Attaché at Washington, to the British Admiralty, 8/13/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Vice Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly, Commander, Southern Ireland, 8/14/1917 Office of the Chief of Naval Operations Memorandum on Foreign Fuel Oil Situation, 8/14/1917 Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, United States, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, 8/14/1917 Commander André M. Proctor, Commander, Flotilla One, Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, 8/15/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Office of Chief of Naval Operations, 8/15/1917 Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, to Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels, 8/16/1917 War Diary of U.S.S. Palos, 8/16/1917 British Foreign Office to the Governments of France and Italy, 8/17/1917 Captain Joel R. Poinsett Pringle, Chief of Staff, Destroyer Flotillass, to Lieutenant Commander Ernest Friedrick, Commander, Nahma, 8/17/1917 Seaman Timothy Brown, Reid, to his Family, 8/18/1917 Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in Europe Waters, 8/18/1917 War Diary of U.S.S. Rowan, 8/19/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Rear Admiral Leigh C. Palmer, Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, 8/20/1917 Office of Naval Intelligence to Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, 8/20/1917 Lieutenant Commander Paul Foley to Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, 8/20/1917 British Admiralty to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, 8/20/1917 President Woodrow Wilson Executive Order, 8/21/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Bureau of Ordnance, 8/22/1917 British Admiralty Assessment of United States Submarines, 8/24/1917 Lieutenant Commander Rufus King, Intelligence Officer, Atlantic Fleet, to Rear Admiral Henry B. Wilson, Commander, United States Patrol Squadron Based at Gibraltar, 8/24/1917 Rear Admiral Henry B. Wilson, Commander, United States Patrol Squadron Based at Gibraltar, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, 8/25/1917 Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels to Captain William D. MacDougall, United States Naval Attaché in London, 8/25/1917 Captain William B. Fletcher, Commander, United States Patrol Squadrons Operating in French Waters, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, 8/25/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces in European Waters, to Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, 8/27/1917 Vice Admiral Williams S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, 8/28/1917 Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels to Commander Orin G. Murfin, 8/28/1917 Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, to Vice Admiral Williams S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, 8/28/1917 Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, Circular for Ship Owners, 8/28/1917 Rear Admiral Samuel McGowan, Paymaster General and Chief of the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts, Intra-Bureau Order Number 216, 8/29/1917 Secretary of State Robert Lansing to United States Ambassador to The United Kingdom Walter Hines Page 8/29/1917 Admiral Henry T. Mayo, Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet, to Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, 8/29/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Captain William B. Fletcher, Force Commander, Patrol Squadrons, French Waters, 8/30/1917 Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels to Lieutenant Commander William R. Sayles, United States Naval Attaché in Paris, 8/30/1917 Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Oswyn A. R. Murray, Secretary, British Admiralty , 8/30/1917 Rear Admiral Samuel McGowan, Paymaster General, Intra-Bureau Order 217, 8/30/1917 Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, to Captain William D. MacDougall, United States Naval Attaché at London, 8/31/1917 Frank L Pleadwell, Charles Belknap, Jr, Byron A Long, Frank D Berrien, Josiah S McKean, Woodrow Wilson, Josephus Daniels, Mayflower, William S Benson, Nathan C Twining, William V Pratt, William S Pye, Pennsylvania, William S Sims, Henry T Mayo, Albert W Grant, John V Babcock, Frank H Schofield, William Ancrum, Edward G Blakeslee, Reginald Gillmor, Robert L Berry Naval Leadership, Naval Conference, Anti-Submarine Warfare	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1039
__label__cc	0.507972	0.492028	State Actors 09/09/2015 \| by ICT Staff Formal research into terrorism tends to focus on sub-state actors, but such a view ignores the key role played by states that sponsor or otherwise abet terrorism. Speakers in this workshop analyze the role played by states in terrorism, relying on various case studies of contemporary conflicts such as Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. Chair: Dr. Ely Karmon, Senior Research Scholar, ICT, IDC Herzliya, Israel Mr. Ilan Berman, Vice-President, American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC), United States of America Dr. Matthew Levitt, Fromer-Wexler Fellow & Director, Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, United States of America Maj. Gen. Ashok Mehta, Former General Officer Commanding, Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF) in Sri Lanka, India Mr. Jonathan Paris, Senior Advisor, the Chertoff Group and Associate Fellow, International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), King’s College London, United Kingdom Dr. Jonathan Schanzer, Vice President for Research, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, United States of America Wednesday, September 9, at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzliya Interviews and Op-eds of ICT's Experts The Brussels Attacks – 22/03/2016 What do we know? & Insights from ICT Experts The Berlin Vehicular Ramming Attack – What we know & Insights from ICT Experts Interviews and Op-eds of ICT's Experts Jan-Feb 2017 Interviews and Op-eds of ICT's Experts March -April 2017	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1041
__label__cc	0.741247	0.258753	Here are some clinical studies/trials of interest to those with functional GI or motility disorders: Find clinical studies seeking participants which are near you: What are Clinical Studies or Trials A clinical study or clinical trial (they mean the same thing) is a research study to answer specific questions about new products, therapies, or new ways of using known treatments. Through these research studies, investigators find new and better ways to treat, control, prevent, diagnose, or detect conditions, or to improve the quality of life for those with an illness. More on Finding Clinical Trials The Web site ClinicalTrials.gov is one source that provides patients, family members, health care professionals, and members of the public easy access to information on clinical trials for a wide range of diseases and conditions. The NIH, through its National Library of Medicine, has developed this site in collaboration with all NIH institutes and the FDA. A study may be limited to questionaire designed, for example, to help doctors understand the needs of patients with a particular disorder. Other studies look at the effectiveness of counseling or psychological treatment. A treatment could be a drug; medical device; or biologic, such as a vaccine, blood product, or gene therapy. Possible treatments with potential toxicity must be studied in laboratory animals first before they can be tried in people. Treatments having acceptable safety profiles and showing the most promise are then moved into clinical trials. Clinical treatment studies/trials test potential therapies, in people who volunteer, to see if they should be approved for wider use in the general population. What are Phases Trials are in four phases: Phase I tests a new drug or treatment in a small group; Phase II expands the study to a larger group of people; Phase III expands the study to an even larger group of people; and Phase IV takes place after the drug or treatment has been licensed and marketed. Are there Risks Although efforts are made to control risks to clinical trial participants, some risk may be unavoidable because of the uncertainty inherent in clinical research involving new medical products. It's important, therefore, that people make their decision to participate in a clinical trial only after they have a full understanding of the entire process and the risks that may be involved. Who are the Sponsors Clinical studies/trials are sponsored or funded by a variety of organizations or individuals. Many studies are sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), or are industry sponsored by pharmaceutical companies or makers of medical devices. They may also be sponsored by physicians, medical institutions, foundations, voluntary groups, or other government agencies. Trials can take place in a variety of locations, such as hospitals, universities, doctors' offices, or community clinics. List a Study If you are a medical society, governmental agency, educational or research institution, or a nonprofit organization we invite you to contact us about listing your study or trial. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. We suggest you take a moment to read this article from IFFGD, Guide to Randomized Clinical Trials "Until the mid-twentieth century, all treatment was empirical. Healers relied upon their collective and individual experience to select the best remedy for a patient's complaint. Even today, most treatments are trial and error. Physicians, almost unique among healers, have sought scientific bases for their treatments, and their most powerful tool is the randomized clinical trial (RCT) . . ." (Read More) Sources and Suggested Reading National Institutes of Health (NIH). An Introduction to Clinical Trials, http://clinicaltrials.gov/about-studies, (Updated August 28, 2017) FDA. "Inside Clinical Trials," FDA Consumer Magazine, (Accessed August 28, 2017) IFFGD funds research that helps to shape science and scientific advancement, and improve quality of life for people affected by chronic digestive disorders. IFFGD Research Awards Research funding needs	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1042
__label__wiki	0.963457	0.963457	08/18/2011 06:13 pm ET Updated Oct 18, 2011 Los Angeles Public Transit Access Top Among Major Metropolitan Areas, Besting Even New York By Matt Sledge People stranded without a car may have better luck finding a bus in Los Angeles than in the greater New York City area, a new report from the Brookings Institution has found. Of all major metropolitan areas in the country, Los Angeles does the best job of giving people without cars access to public transportation, according to the study. 99.1 percent of no-car households in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana area have access to public transit, a figure bested only by much smaller Honolulu, where 99.3 percent of carless residents have transit access. That means that in those California cities, nearly 355,457 carless households most of them low-income, rely on transit to get around. In the New York region, including suburban parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, more than 2 million households without cars use the subway or a bus. Yet given the higher population, the overall rate of access there is slightly lower, at 98.7 percent. Adie Tomer, the author of the report, said he wasn't surprised by the findings, despite "that classic archetype L.A. residents have to deal with all the time -- that L.A. is the capital of car culture." "The reality is, it's also really good transit culture too when it comes to the ability to get on a bus," Tomer said. Reached by phone, a Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority official seemed unaware of the study's findings but pleased by L.A.'s top ranking. "That's good news to hear," Metro spokesperson Marc Littman said. "But the better news is that there's going to be even better access in the future." Where Los Angeles lags, the report and one that came before it suggested, is in providing the hundreds of thousands of carless Angelenos with a quick commute. In that respect, L.A. has a lot of work to do: only 36 percent of zero-vehicle households can get to their place of employment in 90 minutes or less (that figure includes areas not served by Metro). The region's dispersed job centers -- Downtown, Culver City, Beverly Hills, and elsewhere -- make it difficult for transit to connect commuters to a single central business district. Metro argues that its rapidly expanding rail network, catalyzed by funds from the Measure R sales tax, will enable people to get to work more quickly. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has made changing the city's car-centric reputation, through efforts like garnering voters' approval of Measure R to pay for Metro's rail expansion, a cornerstone of his time in office. "The west side is underserved right now by rapid transit, particularly rail, but that's being addressed," Littman said. "As traffic slows down, so do the buses, but when that subway opens to the west side, rain or shine it'll be 25 minutes -- no matter what traffic's like on the west side -- 25 minutes from downtown to UCLA." Littman stressed that Metro still values its bus lines, but Esperanza Martinez, lead organizer for the Bus Riders Union, disagreed. "The problem with MTA’s line of argument is that they are massively reducing bus service," she said. The Bus Riders Union is particularly steamed about the series of fare increases that have occurred over the last few years and the elimination of "critical rapid service in poor communities of color," like the 711 rapid in South Los Angeles. Many Angelenos may live near a bus line, Martinez said, but "simply having access to a bus that runs once an hour does not mean that people will utilize ... it because it does not meet their needs." One surprising finding in the report was that 21 percent of households without a car use one to get to work. "How are they doing that?" Tomer wondered. He speculated that "if you don't have a car, you find someone's car to borrow. It reminds me of being back in college." Yet borrowing a car to get to a part-time job at a video store in college, Tomer noted, was a lot less life-or-death than doing it several times a week to support a family. Matt Sledge Los Angeles Transportation New York Mta	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1046
__label__wiki	0.57803	0.57803	Infections May be Deadly for Many Dialysis Patients An infection called peritonitis commonly arises in the weeks before many dialysis patients die, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The findings suggest that peritonitis may be a deadly condition for some kidney failure patients. Most kidney failure patients on dialysis get their treatments at a clinic, through hemodialysis. But about 10 percentÂ to 20 percentÂ receive treatments at home through peritoneal dialysis, where fluids are first pumped into the abdominal cavity to collect wastes from the blood and are later removed from the body. Unfortunately this fluid can become infected, causing a condition called peritonitis. This occurs as commonly as twice a year to once every five or six years. Neil Boudville of University of Western Australia in Perth and his colleagues evaluated whether peritonitis affects the survival of patients on peritoneal dialysis. They looked at information from all kidney failure patients (1,316 individuals) who received dialysis in Australia and New Zealand from May 2004 through December 2009 and who died while undergoing treatment or soon after. Compared with the rest of the year, patients were more likely to develop peritonitis during the 120 days prior to their death, and even more so during the final month before their death. Specifically, they were six times as likely to develop peritonitis during the 30 days prior to their death compared with six months earlier. We have therefore proposed a potential new definition for a cause of deathperitonitis-associated deathbeing any death within 30 days of an episode of peritonitis, says Boudville. Study co-authors include Anna Kemp, PhD, Philip Clayton, Wai Lim, PhD, Sunil Badve, Carmel Hawley, Stephen McDonald PhD, Kathryn Wiggins, MD, Kym Bannister, MD, Fiona Brown PhD.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1047
__label__wiki	0.996007	0.996007	IOC President Bach leads tributes to Muhammad Ali Boxing main menu By Daniel Etchells International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has led the tributes to boxing legend Muhammad Ali, who has died at the age of 74. The three-time world heavyweight champion, widely regarded as one of the greatest sportsmen of all-time, died late yesterday at a hospital in the American city of Phoenix after being admitted on Thursday (June 2). He was suffering from respiratory issues with reports suggesting his breathing problems had been complicated by Parkinson’s disease, which he had suffered from since 1984 - three years after retiring from boxing. Ali had a strong affinity with the Olympics, shooting to fame by winning the light heavyweight gold medal at the 1960 Games in Rome. Ali continued to make public appearances, despite his illness, and lit the Olympic Cauldron at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He also carried the Olympic flag at the London 2012 Opening Ceremony. "The news about the death of Muhammad Ali has affected me and the Olympic Movement very much," said Bach. "Our thoughts are with his family. "He was an athlete who touched the hearts of people across the globe, an athlete who was engaged beyond sport, an athlete who had the courage to give hope to so many suffering illness by lighting the Olympic cauldron and not hiding his own affliction. "He was an athlete who fought for peace and tolerance - he was a true Olympian. "Meeting him in person was an inspiration. "He was a man who at the same time was so proud and yet so humble. "As such we will always remember him." Muhammad Ali died late yesterday at a hospital in the American city of Phoenix after being admitted on Thursday ©Getty Images Rome are currently in the running to host the 2024 Olympic Games with the Bid Committee aiming to bring the leading international sporting event back to Italy’s capital for the first time since 1960, when Ali topped the light heavyweight podium. "Muhammad Ali has not only been a sports legend but also an outstanding man, whose values transcend his fantastic boxing career," said Rome 2024 President Luca di Montezemolo. "We will always remember him also for his full commitment for the values of equity and brotherhood. "We're proud he started his unique sports career winning the Olympic gold medal in Rome 1960, a story that still emotions me very much. "He'll be forever 'The Greatest' to all of us." One of Rome’s rivals in the race to stage the Olympics in eight years’ time is Los Angeles, whose Bid Committee vice-chair Janet Evans passed the Olympic Torch to Ali to light the Cauldron at Atlanta 1996. Evans, a four-time Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer, has described it as the "defining moment" of her career and a memory she will "treasure forever". "As Olympians, our role is to inspire others to achieve their dreams, and no person has ever lived that role more than Muhammad Ali," said the American. "On behalf of all of us at LA 2024, we offer our deepest condolences to Muhammad's family and friends. "He will be sorely missed, but his legacy will forever endure." Muhammad Ali had a strong affinity with the Olympics, shooting to fame by winning the light heavyweight gold medal at the 1960 Games in Rome ©Getty Images The World Boxing Council (WBC) has also paid tribute to Ali, the first boxer to capture a world heavyweight title on three separate occasions. "In more than 300 years of boxing as a formulated sport, following on from its origins in the Greek and Roman classical eras, there's never, ever been anyone remotely like Muhammad Ali," the WBC said in a statement. "And for the few who live till they’re 100, none will see his like again." Born in January 1942 as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr, a name shared with a 19th century slavery abolitionist, the boxer changed his name to Muhammad Ali after his conversion to Islam. He won 56 of his 61 fights - 37 by knockout - before eventually retiring in 1981. Ali claimed in his 1975 autobiography that shortly after his return from the Rome Olympics he threw his gold medal into the Ohio River after he and a friend were refused service at a "whites-only" restaurant and fought with a white gang. He received a replacement medal at a basketball intermission during Atlanta 1996. To read Alan Hubbard's tribute to Muhammad Ali click here. June 2016: Boxing legend Muhammad Ali dies aged 74 May 2016: Alan Hubbard: What happens when the bell rings for the final time? March 2016: Alan Hubbard: Muhammad Ali, a supreme sporting icon who did it his way February 2015: Ali and Liston phantom punch gloves fetch $956,000 at New York auction February 2015: Boxing gloves worn by Ali and Liston during infamous phantom punch bout up for auction Daniel Etchells Senior reporter Follow @Daniel_Etchells Daniel Etchells graduated from the University of Huddersfield with a BA honours degree in Media and Sports Journalism in 2010. Before joining insidethegames.biz, Daniel covered football for various national newspapers through the Wardle Whittell Agency and undertook placements writing for the official website of his beloved Manchester United, the Manchester Evening News and BBC Sport. Read more of Daniel's articles Follow @Daniel_Etchells on Twitter	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1051
__label__wiki	0.885945	0.885945	Poole’s Land finale: Tofino’s legendary ‘hippie commune’ being dismantled Series of land-use fines inspire owner Michael Poole to sell the roughly 20-acre property. Andrew Bailey Poole’s Land is shutting down. The travellers and residents that made up the famous, controversial and longstanding “eco-village” or “hippie commune” community on the outskirts of Tofino have largely dispersed. The structures they stayed and lived in are being torn down, according to Michael Poole, who owns the roughly 20-acre property. “They’re both the very best who are staying to help me clean up this mess, the true friends, and then there’s the ones who just really can’t seem yet to manage. People who just can’t operate in the usual world and love it here,” Poole said. “It’s all transforming. We’re cleaning the board for a new era to begin, whatever it is…I’ve been the garbage man here and I don’t want to be in charge of anything anymore. I’ve had it. It was good, but I’m kind of burned out on it, honestly; more than burned out.” Poole purchased the property in 1988. What it became began to take shape about a year later as people began visiting and staying. “There were the really intelligent, the best travellers and university educated people that really came from good families and then there were the ones coming from totally broken situations with no education and poor working skills and all of that, so it’s been dynamic let’s say,” he said. “It turned into some kind of experience for people and I guess the town at first saw it as staff accommodation.” He estimated the land hosted upward of 100 people in any given day during Tofino’s busy summer months and perpetually carried a varied reputation, from being heralded for the desperately needed staff housing it provided, to being slammed for its loose laws and perceived illegal activity. “Whenever anybody does anything, there’s always a bell curve of responses. Many of the people still in Tofino got their start here because there was nowhere else to get a foothold in order to get a job and to stay. Even among that group, there’s a bunch of different responses,” he said. READ MORE: Where would all the workers stay without Poole’s Land? He believes it was the affordable accommodation his land offered that allowed Poole’s Land to exist with little government intervention, despite its illegality, for over 30 years. He also said he was already itching to move on before Tofino’s district office began handing him fines this past summer. “I’ve thanked [Tofino’s fire chief and manager of protective services] Brent Baker many times for giving the three fines of $1,000 each, that really got my attention. At first, I thought, ‘Oh well, they’re just rattling sabers because they have to,’ but then I realized, no, this is real and I said ‘Thank you. This is so good. Now I get to quit this crummy job cleaning up after world travellers,’” Poole said. “I’m fully dedicated now. I know I’ve run around the bush many times, but now it’s time to sell the place…I’m out.” Baker has been with the district office for over three years and told the Westerly that he had not received a formal complaint about Poole’s Land, so the complaint-driven bylaw enforcement process had not been triggered, until early 2019. “We don’t respond to complaints via Facebook and those sorts of things. When people sit down and take the time to go through the process, then we absolutely follow up with our process,” he said. “Sometimes it can be a lengthy process and we have to work our way through it, make sure that we’re doing all our due diligence, but that was the case here and hopefully we end up with a positive outcome.” READ MORE: Complaints lead to shutdown of Tofino Travellers Guesthouse He said the three $1,000 fines were related to zoning infractions after an investigation determined that Poole was operating a campground illegally, though the primary focus of the Poole’s Land crac down was centered around health and safety. He added that the Tofino Volunteer Fire Department has responded to two vehicle fires and one structure fire at the property in 2019. “This process has been ongoing for about a year because we set out with the goal of voluntary compliance,” he said, adding that Poole has been exemplary in his cooperation. “Every engagement that I’ve had with Michael Poole has been very positive, very pleasant, he was very welcoming to myself or any other agencies that I brought along with me. He always greeted us as friendly as anybody you might imagine.” Poole has looked into selling the property before and said he’s now committed to seeing that sale through, suggesting he’s received offers on the land for around $3 million. READ MORE: Tofino’s ‘Poolesland’ up for sale He said he plans to help the Tofino Habitat Society with crowd funding or other means to try to buy the land from him, but added that it’s likely a developer will purchase it. “There’s two options, one is that our society buys it and the other is that some rich developer buys it,” he said. “Whatever happens, from now on, it will have to comply with the bylaws of Tofino, which doesn’t really fit at all with our society and it’s very unlikely that a rag-tag crew could pull it together. It’s going to take some real savvy.” He added that he is skeptical about the society’s ability to take it on. “I, really, very much doubt that it’s going to go that way,” he said. “I’d say that this is ending and just going to get sold to someone typical.” He said he’d like to see the land used for educational purposes, particularly to test out alternative energy and living methods, rather than be developed in a traditional sense. “I’ve got about a month to decide finally. And, in that month, we are going to put it out that this is over and what can happen next and see if there’s any interest out there from anywhere to do a really good job here, instead of the usual money-grubbing cement works,” he said. READ MORE: Supportive and low-income housing doesn’t hurt nearby property values, B.C. study says He added that if the land does go to a developer, he plans to put at least $100,000 from the sale of Poole’s Land towards helping the society purchase an Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District lot near the West Coast landfill between Tofino and Ucluelet where, he believes, the residents who relied on Poole’s Land will be safely distanced from public and municipal scrutiny. “That, I believe, is the perfect halfway point where staff accommodation and food security meet in harmony. There’s no neighbours out there,” he said. “That takes the whole problem of staff accommodation out of Tofino and Ucluelet…It’s large enough to be a small town of its own.” He added though that he does not plan to be involved in the management of the potential new site. “I won’t be part of all that. I’ll be a visitor like everybody else. I don’t want to run anything. I don’t want to own anything. I’m going into my so called sadhu stage, which is when you divest of everything and let go of it all,” he said. “Ideally, right now, it will be up to the board of directors of the Tofino Habitat Society.” Poole noted Oct. 7 marked the 31st anniversary of Poole’s Land and said he’s excited to spend more time travelling. “I became old here. From 37 to 68 this all happened and I stopped being a traveller to become landed. Now, I’m going back to being a traveller again,” he said, adding he plans to explore and invest in other unique communities that he finds. “To try and just add some good kitchens and quality food processing here and there,” he said. andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca Port Alberni mom takes school district to court over Indigenous smudging, prayer in class MacLean says “Coach’s Corner is no more” following Cherry’s dismissal from Hockey Night	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1053
__label__cc	0.709621	0.290379	Top 40 People in the media for 03/07/2019 (Open list) (19 submissions) Kirstjen Nielsen (9/19) Submitted to "Top 40 People in the media for 03/07/2019 (Open list) (19 submissions)" by top40 March 7, 2019, 11:02 am 19k Views 0 Votes Previous article Kirstjen Nielsen Watch how she tries to collect her self by resetting her tone at the beginning…..“On Wednesday, Secretary of Homeland Security #KirstjenNielsen was subject to the most intense grilling of her career. In her first congressional appearance since Democrats took the House, Nielsen was questioned about family separation, Trump’s border wall, and US asylum policy.⠀In classic Trump administrative fashion, Nielsen’s answers were vague and seemingly designed to deflect responsibility. At one point, Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.) sought to remind the secretary that she was asking yes-or-no questions. Simple.⠀Buuuuuut, not so simple. Watch the exchange above, and click through the link in our bio to listen to today’s episode of The Mother Jones Podcast—in which we go inside a Tijuana shelter where migrant teens are stuck in legal limbo due to Trump’s policies.”___________________________________________Support the page on Patreon!___________________________________________Listen on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts ___________________________________________Follow my partner pages:@[email protected]@we.the.resistance @mariforyemen @mniwiconi @[email protected] ___________________________________________#yourdailyember #donaldtrump #trump #maga #workingclass #workingclassladies #berniesanders #tulsigabbard #ourrevolution #greenparty #republicans #democrats #bluecollar #demexit #socialism #socialist #berniesanders #livingwage #immigration #dhs (9/19) Next article Kirstjen Nielsen HIGHLIGHTS: Kirstjen Nielsen defends Trump child separation policy (9/19) Kirstjen Nielsen Watch how she tries to collect her self by resetting her tone at the beginning…..“On Wednesday, Secretary of Homeland Security #KirstjenNielsen was subject to the most intense grilling of her career. In her first congressional appearance since Democrats took the House, Nielsen was questioned about family separation, Trump’s border wall, and US asylum policy.⠀In classic Trump administrative fashion, Nielsen’s answers were vague and seemingly designed to deflect responsibility. At one point, Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.) sought to remind the secretary that she was asking yes-or-no questions. Simple.⠀Buuuuuut, not so simple. Watch the exchange above, and click through the link in our bio to listen to today’s episode of The Mother Jones Podcast—in which we go inside a Tijuana shelter where migrant teens are stuck in legal limbo due to Trump’s policies.”___________________________________________Support the page on Patreon!___________________________________________Listen on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts ___________________________________________Follow my partner pages:@[email protected]@we.the.resistance @mariforyemen @mniwiconi @[email protected] ___________________________________________#yourdailyember #donaldtrump #trump #maga #workingclass #workingclassladies #berniesanders #tulsigabbard #ourrevolution #greenparty #republicans #democrats #bluecollar #demexit #socialism #socialist #berniesanders #livingwage #immigration #dhs (8/19) Kirstjen Nielsen HIGHLIGHTS: Kirstjen Nielsen defends Trump child separation policy (10/19)	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1054
__label__wiki	0.772931	0.772931	Tori Pena from California to represent Ireland in the London 2012 Olympics Tori Pena will compete for Ireland in the pole vault competition in London in just a few short weeks. Born near ... AOIFE HERBERT Irish American Olympian Tori Pena Google Images Tori Pena will compete for Ireland in the pole vault competition in London in just a few short weeks. Born near Huntington Beach in California, the 24-year-old is eligible to represent Ireland through her Derry-born grandmother and got her dual citizenship in 2010 before deciding to represent the Finn Valley Athletic Club in Donegal. It’s quite a story and one which is steeped in Irish-American honor as Pena is a national record holder in Ireland and has just finished a solid campaign in Europe in preparation for the big event in London. She will compete in the Olympic A standard of 4.4 meters having excelled at the Beach Track and Field Classic in California in March and will be Ireland's only representative in the field events at the upcoming games. Pena has publicly expressed her pride in representing Ireland but securing a medal will nevertheless be a tough task. She is ranked 10th in Europe on the back of the championships in Helsinki last week, but the Olympics will bring a new and daunting task among some of the best field athletes in the world. If she can pull it off it would be an almighty feat, recognised from the beaches of Huntington, Cali, to the hills of Donegal.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1055
__label__wiki	0.776589	0.776589	The India-China Competition in the Himalayas: Nepal and Bhutan Christian Wagner Relations among South Asian countries after 1947 can be characterized as oscillating between Indian attempts to gain greater influence and counter-efforts by its neighbours to resist them. One of their successful counter-strategies has been to play the “China card” vis-à-vis India long before the Belt and Road initiative (BRI) was established. Bhutan and Nepal represent two extreme cases of this scenario. Bhutan was and still is India’s most reliable ally, whereas relations between India and Nepal have seen more extreme ups and downs. Despite these differences, the two countries share some commonalities in their relations with India. First, both are linked with India by a series of treaties which have far-reaching political, economic and military implications. Second, because of their geographical location, both countries have been dependent on India for their international trade for decades. Third, both countries are among the largest recipients of India’s development assistance. The different domestic constellations and security concerns explain why Bhutan and Nepal chose very different policies in order to cope with India and how they have dealt with China. Bhutan: India’s most reliable ally Relations between India and Bhutan can be seen as a mutually beneficial constellation in security, economic and political matters. The friendship treaty of 1949 gave India substantial influence over the kingdom’s foreign policy. In reaction to the Chinese takeover of Tibet, India helped to set up a national militia in Bhutan in 1958, which developed into a standing army in 1963. In 2003, India supported a military operation of the Bhutanese army against militant groups from India’s northeast, which had set up camps in the southern part of Bhutan. Like India, Bhutan faces territorial disputes with China in its northern and western parts. This conflict escalated into the Doklam crisis of 2017, when Indian forces intervened in favour of Bhutan. More recently, during the India-China standoff in the summer of 2020 in Ladakh/Aksai Chin, Bhutan was confronted with new territorial demands from China in its eastern part. Economically, Bhutan and India also have established a beneficial cooperation. India’s development assistance is used by Bhutan to develop its hydropower resources with the support of Indian companies. The generated power is sold to India and is the foundation of Bhutan’s affluence. Politically, India also supported the decision of the Bhutanese monarchy to introduce a democratic system in 2008. Bhutan still has no diplomatic relations with China and is, like India, not part of the BRI. But China has increased trade and cultural relations with the Himalayan country in recent years. Moreover, there are sporadic voices in Bhutan who want less dependency on India. But the strong bilateral links and the common threat from China seem to be a solid foundation so that Bhutan will remain India’s oldest and most reliable strategic ally. Nepal: balancing the giants India and Nepal have a unique relationship. Nepal was the only Hindu country until 2008, Nepali is an official language in India, and the open border has resulted in high labour migration from Nepal to India. The friendship treaty of 1950 as well as secret agreements restricted Nepal’s foreign policy in favour of India. Since the 1960s, governments in Kathmandu have time and again played the “China card” in order to elude India’s influence. In 1988, Nepal’s arms purchase from China and controversies over the renewal of the trade and transit treaty caused relations with India to deteriorate. The following economic blockade by India in 1989 paved the way for the democratic transition in Nepal in 1990. Moreover, Nepal has experienced more interventions by India in its domestic politics than any other country, starting with the Kathmandu agreement in 1951 up to New Delhi’s mediating efforts in the civil war between 1996 and 2006. This has led to an ambivalent constellation in Nepal. On the one hand, the major Nepali parties have established close links with India. On the other hand, there is a controversial debate both between and within the parties on the role of India in Nepal. India’s intervention in favour of the Madheshis in 2015 and the following blockade of the border again stirred anti-India sentiments in Nepal. Hence, it was not difficult for China to gain more influence in Nepal. In 2015, Nepal joined the BRI and China stepped up its energy supplies during the border blockade. In 2018, both sides agreed on the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Transport Network that included cross-border connectivity of railway, road, and transmission lines. China also granted Nepal access to several of its dry and sea ports. China has also intensified its military collaboration with Nepal, which was traditionally an exclusively Indian sphere of influence. Nepal may not only be an economic and political theatre in India’s and China’s rivalry over South Asia, since the conflict also has a cultural component in that both Asian giants also vie for influence over the Buddhist heritage in Nepal. During the stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the summer of 2010, Nepal approved a new national map, which redrew its national boundaries to the detriment of India. This underlined the new self-confidence of the government in Kathmandu in dealing with India. Bhutan and Nepal represent two opposite cases in the ongoing rivalry between India and China in South Asia. Bhutan has always been an outlier, because India and Bhutan share common security interests vis-à-vis China and the domestic discourse in Bhutan about India is much less controversial compared to other South Asian countries. Nepal on the other hand represents the experience shared by other countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, where longstanding bilateral problems with and the controversial domestic discourse about India have given China an easy opportunity to gain greater influence. In contrast to India, China offers much needed investments and infrastructure projects and its image is, so far, not burdened by negative historical experiences. However, as China faces more criticism about the BRI, this may give India new room for manoeuvring to reshape relations with its neighbours in South Asia. High Altitudes, High Stakes: What Next for China-India Relations? Post-Pandemic Asia: A New Normal for Regional Security? Axel Berkofsky Co-head - ISPI Asia Centre Giulia Sciorati Associate Research Fellow - ISPI Asia Centre, China Programme Cina: la questione uigura nello Xinjiang ISPI Associate Research Fellow - China Programme La "globalizzazione regionalizzata" di Pechino passa dalla sua moneta Franco Bruni Vice Presidente ISPI The China-US Race to Woo the EU, With Russia as a “Quiet Harbor” for Beijing Igor Denisov MGIMO Danil Bochkov Accordo Cina-Ue sugli investimenti: cosa prevede (e cosa no) ISPI China Programme Hotspot to watch 2021: Taiwan Autore di “Superpower Interrupted: The Chinese History of the World” Asia India China nepal Bhutan Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1056
__label__wiki	0.994952	0.994952	ILSC Board Our Country Our Future Agribusiness Investment News » Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation appoints Group Chief Executive Officer Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation appoints Group Chief Executive Officer The Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) has announced the appointment of its new Group Chief Executive Officer, welcoming Joseph Morrison to the role. Mr Morrison is a highly respected and trusted Indigenous leader from Katherine in the Northern Territory, who has both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage. He has a BA in Land Management from the University of Sydney and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of New South Wales for his contribution to Indigenous land and sea management, policy development and advocacy. Mr Morrison has 30 years’ experience working in northern Australia with the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA), governments, industry, Land Councils, and the Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group. He has been deeply involved in the areas of Indigenous rangers, carbon farming, climate change, economic development, research and policy, water, land rights and native title. Mr Morrison has more recently worked internationally with Indigenous people. ILSC Chairman Eddie Fry said Mr Morrison would commence his three-year term on 18 January next year. “The ILSC Board is looking forward to Joe Morrison taking up the position; we believe he has the right mix of skills and experience to take our organisation into the future,” he said. “Joe is well positioned to continue applying his networking capabilities across government agencies and the private sector. “His extensive knowledge of economic development, land and asset management and positive change capabilities will be a huge benefit to the organisation. “His experience will be invaluable to the ILSC, seeking to deepen the opportunities and exploration of new ventures with Indigenous Australians in a post COVID environment.” Mr Fry said Mr Morrison would lead the organisation to fulfil its mandate to improve the lives of Indigenous communities and to continue to grow the Indigenous Estate for the benefit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. He said Mr Morrison’s extensive experience in water management, including sitting on the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy with the Prime Minister, would align with the ILSC’s move into supporting water projects. Mr Fry said Mr Morrison would continue the good work undertaken since the departure of the previous CEO 14 months ago, with the ILSC exceeding its core performance measures in that time. “On behalf of the ILSC Board I would like to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of the Acting Group CEOs for their significant contribution in seeking opportunities for continual improvement in the operations of the ILSC,” Mr Fry said. “Mr Leo Bator fulfilled this role for 9 months and the current Deputy CEO Ms Tricia Stroud stepped up to act for the last 5 months, which we greatly appreciate.” Mr Fry said Ms Stroud would continue to act in the position until Mr Morrison commences in January 2021. ILSC contact details and locations. © Copyright 2019 ILSC	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1061
__label__cc	0.734856	0.265144	Home > News > Union Home Minister Inaugurates “Waste To Wonder” Park In South Delhi Union Home Minister Inaugurates “Waste To Wonder” Park In South Delhi 2019-02-22 Announcements Other Services Northern India The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurates the “Waste to Wonder” Park under the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC). While giving suggestions to the Municipal corporations for waste disposal, the Home Minister said that this park has set an example for others, as for the first time scrap has been used to create ‘Wealth from waste’. The efforts should be made towards behavioural change of the people and proper arrangement should be made for waste disposal, he said. He added that a system should be developed for recycling of waste that can be reused. The products which cannot be recycled should be minimally used. Shri Rajnath Singh said that new ideas should be developed on how waste can be used in an innovative manner as was done by SDMC. He appreciated the dedication of the artists and officials involved in the endeavor who have completed the task of Wonder park in just 6 months. The main attractions of the “Seven Wonders Park” are the different sized tall replicas of the Taj Mahal (20 ft.), the Great Pyramid of Giza (18 ft.), the Eiffel Tower (60 ft.), the Leaning Tower of Pisa (25ft.), Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue (25 ft.), Rome’s Colosseum (15 ft.), and New York’s Statute of Liberty (30 ft.). The seven replicas have been made with the scrap of automobile parts and other metal waste like fans, rods, iron sheets, nut- bolts, bicycle & bike parts, defunct sewer lines and age old appliances gathering dust in the 24 Municipal Stores. In all 150 ton scrap/waste has been used.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1063
__label__wiki	0.818922	0.818922	Every Day Is for the Thief Digital Audiobook (3/24/2014) NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY DWIGHT GARNER, THE NEW YORK TIMES • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY San Francisco Chronicle \| NPR \| The Root \| The Telegraph \| The Globe and Mail NATIONAL BESTSELLER • FINALIST, PHILLIS WHEATLEY BOOK AWARD • TEJU COLE WAS NAMED ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL AFRICANS OF THE YEAR BY NEW AFRICAN MAGAZINE For readers of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Michael Ondaatje, Every Day Is for the Thief is a wholly original work of fiction by Teju Cole, whose critically acclaimed debut, Open City, was the winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award and a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and was named one of the best books of the year by more than twenty publications. Fifteen years is a long time to be away from home. It feels longer still because I left under a cloud. A young Nigerian living in New York City goes home to Lagos for a short visit, finding a city both familiar and strange. In a city dense with story, the unnamed narrator moves through a mosaic of life, hoping to find inspiration for his own. He witnesses the “yahoo yahoo” diligently perpetrating email frauds from an Internet café, longs after a mysterious woman reading on a public bus who disembarks and disappears into a bookless crowd, and recalls the tragic fate of an eleven-year-old boy accused of stealing at a local market. Along the way, the man reconnects with old friends, a former girlfriend, and extended family, taps into the energies of Lagos life—creative, malevolent, ambiguous—and slowly begins to reconcile the profound changes that have taken place in his country and the truth about himself. In spare, precise prose that sees humanity everywhere, interwoven with original photos by the author, Every Day Is for the Thief—originally published in Nigeria in 2007—is a wholly original work of fiction. This revised and updated edition is the first version of this unique book to be made available outside Africa. You’ve never read a book like Every Day Is for the Thief because no one writes like Teju Cole. Praise for Every Day Is for the Thief “A luminous rumination on storytelling and place, exile and return . . . extraordinary.”—San Francisco Chronicle “Cole is following in a long tradition of writerly walkers who, in the tradition of Baudelaire, make their way through urban spaces on foot and take their time doing so. Like Alfred Kazin, Joseph Mitchell, J. M. Coetzee, and W. G. Sebald (with whom he is often compared), Cole adds to the literature in his own zeitgeisty fashion.”—The Boston Globe Praise For Every Day Is for the Thief: Fiction… “[Teju] Cole is following in a long tradition of writerly walkers who, in the tradition of Baudelaire, make their way through urban spaces on foot and take their time doing so. Like Alfred Kazin, Joseph Mitchell, J. M. Coetzee, and W. G. Sebald (with whom he is often compared), Cole adds to the literature in his own zeitgeisty fashion.”—The Boston Globe “Crisp, affecting . . . Cole constructs a narrative of fragments, a series of episodes that he allows to resonate.”—The New York Times Book Review “Hugely rewarding . . . [Every Day Is for the Thief] is both a celebration of one of the world’s most vibrant cities and a lament over what can be one of the most frustrating and difficult places to live. It is also a story of family breakup and an uneasy homecoming—the narrator has been away for fifteen years and must relearn how to navigate a place that was once home.”—NPR “[Every Day Is for the Thief has] a restraint that allows [Teju Cole] to slip in these exquisitely rendered observations on life, love, art that leave you feeling richer and more attuned to your own reality once you’ve finished reading.”—Dinaw Mengestu, The Atlantic “Shimmering . . . transcendent.”—The Seattle Times “Wonderful . . . a book that never fails to find a thoughtful and essential thing to say.”—Los Angeles Times “Fearless, nimble, and surprising.”—The Daily Beast “To read Cole is to be swept away by the language of a master wordsmith. In Every Day Is for the Thief, the PEN/Hemingway Award winner turns his considerable talents to the character of the expatriate, a young Nigerian medical student living in New York City who returns home to Lagos for a short visit. In his adventures wandering the town, reflections on the Nigerian homeland and the self-as-outsider arise. This work was originally published in Nigeria in 2007, four years before the release of Cole’s novel Open City, but was not available in the U.S. until now. We are thankful that non-Nigerian readers can now enjoy Cole’s first novel.”—The Root “A Teju Cole novel is a reading experience matched by few contemporary writers.”—Flavorwire “Every Day Is for the Thief, by turns funny, mournful, and acerbic, offers a portrait of Nigeria in which anger, perhaps the most natural response to the often lamentable state of affairs there, is somehow muted and deflected by the author’s deep engagement with the country: a profoundly disenchanted love. Teju Cole is among the most gifted writers of his generation.”—Salman Rushdie “[A] tightly focused but still marvelously capacious little novel . . . built with cool originality . . . The house of literature [Cole] is busy creating is an in-between space with fluid dimensions, resisting entrenchment.”—The Christian Science Monitor “Every Day Is for the Thief holds something for people with all levels of familiarity with Nigeria. It is an introduction and a provocation, a beautifully simple portrait and a nuanced examination. It invites you to steal a glimpse of Lagos.”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Random House, 9780812995787, 176pp. Teju Cole was born in the United States in 1975 and raised in Nigeria. He is the author of Every Day Is for the Thief and Open City, which won the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Internationaler Literaturpreis, the Rosenthal Family Foundation Award for Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the New York City Book Award, and was nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award. His photography has been exhibited in India and the United States. He is Distinguished Writer in Residence at Bard College. Coverage from NPR	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1064
__label__wiki	0.591752	0.591752	Antibiotic Use Prevalent in Hospice Patients Despite Limited Evidence of its Value New research suggests that use of antibiotics is still prevalent among terminal patients who have chosen hospice care as an end-of-life option, despite little evidence that the medications improve symptoms or quality of life, and sometimes may cause unwanted side effects. The use of antibiotics is so engrained in contemporary medicine that 21 percent of patients being discharged from hospitals directly to a hospice program leave with a prescription for antibiotics, even though more than one fourth of them don’t have a documented infection during their hospital admission. About 27 percent of hospice patients are still taking antibiotics in the final week of their life. This raises serious questions about whether such broad and continued antibiotic use is appropriate in so many hospice cases, experts say, where the underlying concept is to control pain and protect the remaining quality of life without aggressively continuing medical treatment. Additional concerns with antibiotic use, the study concluded, include medication side effects and adverse events, increased risk of subsequent opportunistic infections, prolonging the dying process and increasing the risk of developing antibiotic resistant microorganisms. The findings were just published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy by researchers from Oregon State University and the Oregon Health & Science University. It was supported by the National Institutes of Health. “Hospice care is very patient centered and in terminal patients it focuses on palliative care and symptom relief, not curative therapy,” says Jon Furuno, an associate professor in the Oregon State University/Oregon Health & Science University College of Pharmacy. “It’s not for everyone, and it’s a serious decision people usually make in consultation with their family, nurses and doctors. These are tough conversations to have. Having decided to use hospice, however, the frequency and prevalence of antibiotic use in this patient population is a concern,” Furuno said. “Antibiotics themselves can have serious side effects that sometimes cause new problems, a factor that often isn’t adequately considered. And in terminally-ill people they may or may not work anyway.” Issues such as this, Furuno says, continue to crop up in the evolving issue of hospice care, which is still growing in popularity as many people choose to naturally allow their life to end with limited medical treatment and often in their own homes. Hospice is covered by Medicare for people with a life expectancy of less than six months, helps to control medical costs and reduce hospital stays, and its services are now used by more than one-third of dying Americans. Unnecessary and inappropriate antibiotic use is already a concern across all segments of society, researchers said in the report, and more efforts are clearly needed to address the issue in hospice patients. The design of the study probably leads to it underestimating the significance of the problem, the researchers wrote in their conclusion. Source: Oregon State University College of Pharmacy	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1065
__label__wiki	0.695614	0.695614	L.A. River Design Proposals that Can Handle the Floods Sometimes a computer just isn't enough. While digital technology undoubtedly eases the stress of manual labor, it also removes the designer from the physical world. "We don't get a chance to explore our creativity within the boundaries of what we can do," said Alexander Robinson, director of the Landscape Morphologies Lab (LML), a collaborative research studio within the University of Southern California. This often results in conservative projects that fail to take advantage of the riverside's unique geography. Robinson's studio tries to counteract this by answering the question: How can we design along the Los Angeles River, while still taking into account its flow conditions? The results of the research conducted by University of Southern California landscape architecture students can now be seen at the City Hall's Bridge Gallery on the third floor. The proposals take into account a range of water flows on the Los Angeles River -- from a tiny trickle to a raging flood. To accomplish this, LML worked with the City of Los Angeles's L.A. River Project Office and the Department of Water and Power to build a physical hydraulic model of the Bowtie parcel out of high-density foam. The site, owned by California State Parks is located in Glassell Park, bounded by the river, the rail line, the 134 freeway, and Division Street. It may be one of the locations earmarked for restoration upon the approval of the controversial Los Angeles River Ecosystem Feasibility Study (ARBOR Study). The model was scaled; every 30 feet on the Bowtie parcel translated to one inch. It was also stretched vertically to exaggerate the grooves and turns within the physical space. More on SoCal floods Navigating Danger: Safety in the Los Angeles River The Southern California Deluge of 1938 Photos: How Rain and Floodwaters Literally Built the Southland Physical hydraulic model of the Bowtie parcel The model simulates natural processes such as water flow, scouring, and sand deposition Because a river flows, LML simulated the natural processes, such as water flow, scouring, and sand deposition. Water could be introduced through an inlet, which then flowed until it reached an outlet. Cracked walnut shells took the place of sediment and rocks. Colored dyes showed just how fast water spread through the system. USC landscape architecture students could then test their theories by milling 12-foot alternate inserts that go on top of the original model. It is a wonderfully tactile system that effectively grounds designers to the reality of the physical, rather than let them loose in the realm of the fantastic. Among the proposals was Chuang Ding's Living System. A hybrid of greenery and concrete, Ding's proposal added wood structures that were meant to be access ways for trash to be collected. "Trash would inevitably make it to the river," said Robinson, "we might as well find a way to easily remove it." Chuan Ding's ''Living System'' proposal Li Qian's sees the site as a possible outdoor park area that provides recreation for bicyclists, including an obstacle course. Terraced riverbanks could slow the water flows.(See top photo.) Finally, Tina Chee's "Urban Estuary" performed the best in hydraulic testing. In theory, it would perform even better than the current configuration of the Bowtie parcel. Chee's model adds a flowing sculptural element right on the riverbed. Chee called it "the River pathway." Running through the middle of the river, it would allow visitors to experience the water flowing on either side. Intermittent islands that spurt from the river would become ideal habitats. A separate kayak channel on the left side of the channel would be designed for swifter flows. Tina Chee's ''Urban Estuary'' proposal Though the designs are still theoretical, Robinson hopes the process LML had developed would find itself replicated in sites along the Los Angeles River, especially now that many key projects could be greenlit due to the ARBOR study. "We're going to have one chance to modify the river," said Robinson, "If we don't step up, it's going to be a tragedy." The exhibit is on view at City Hall Bridge Gallery until August 29. Images courtesy of Landscape Morphologies Lab (LML). Mapping Power and Strategy for Conservation Victories: An Interview with Kai Anderson Kai Anderson’s eye-catching, multi-colored, hand-drawn thematic maps have developed a cult following in conservation circles in the American West. He walks us through a map he created of Sen. Harry Reid's major environmental campaigns. By Jon Christensen	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1067
__label__wiki	0.95896	0.95896	Home ASEAN Widodo Begins 2nd Term Pledging to Make Indonesia Developed Indonesian President Joko Widodo, center, smiles as he speaks to the media upon arrival after his inauguration for his second term, at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Widodo, who rose from poverty and pledged to champion democracy, fight entrenched corruption and modernize the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, was sworn in Sunday for his second and final five-year term with a pledge to take bolder actions. Photo: Dita Alangkara / AP JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian President Joko Widodo was sworn in Sunday for his second and final five-year term with pledges to champion democracy and take bolder actions against poverty and entrenched corruption in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation. Known for his down-to-earth style, Widodo opted for an austere ceremony at the heavily guarded Parliament in contrast to the festive parade and horse-drawn carriage at his first inauguration, a relaxed affair where he was cheered on by thousands of waving supporters. A knife attack by an Islamic militant couple against his security minister on Oct. 10 prompted a security crackdown for Widodo’s second inauguration. Army troops and police, along with armored vehicles, firetrucks and ambulances, were deployed across Jakarta and major roads were closed. On his way to the ceremony, Widodo left his convoy with some of his security escorts and shook the hands of supporters, who waved national flags, yelled his name and called him “bapak,” or father. After taking his oath before the Quran, the Muslim holy book, in front of lawmakers and foreign dignitaries, Widodo laid out ambitious targets to help Indonesia join the ranks of the world’s developed nations by its centennial in 2045. He said in his inauguration speech that he expects poverty — which afflicts close to 10 percent of Indonesia’s nearly 270 million people — to be just about wiped out and the country’s annual GDP to reach $7 trillion by then. “For those who are not serious, I’ll be merciless. I would definitely fire people,” Widodo warned. Indonesian President Joko Widodo, right, reads his oath during his inauguration ceremony as the country’s seventh president at the parliament building in Jakarta, Indonesia Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Widodo, who rose from poverty and pledged to champion democracy, fight entrenched corruption and modernize the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, was sworn in Sunday for his second and final five-year term with a pledge to take bolder actions. Photo: Achmad Ibrahim Pool / AP Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan were among the dignitaries attending. President Donald Trump sent Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao for the ceremony in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy and a member of the G-20 bloc of nations. Indonesia is a bastion of democracy in Southeast Asia, a diverse and economically bustling region of authoritarian regimes, police states and nascent democracies. After decades of dictatorship under President Suharto, the country was convulsed by political, ethnic and religious unrest in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Since then, it has consolidated its democratic transition. While most of the country remains poor and inequality is rising, it is home to a rapidly expanding middle class. Popularly known as Jokowi, Widodo is the son of a furniture maker who grew up with his family in a rented bamboo shack on the banks of a flood-prone river in Solo city on Java island. He is the first president from outside the country’s super rich and often corrupt, political, business and military elite. Widodo, 58, presents himself as a man of the people, often emphasizing his humble roots. His popular appeal helped him win elections over the past 14 years for mayor of Solo, governor of Jakarta and twice for president. In a reflection of his popularity, he has nearly 26 million followers on Instagram and more than 12 million on Twitter. He has been likened to Barack Obama, but since taking office he has been perceived as unwilling to press for accountability that threatens powerful institutions such as the military. Instead, he has emphasized nationalism while also fending off attacks that he is not devout enough as a Muslim. Widodo was sworn in with his new vice president, Ma’ruf Amin, one of the most important religious figures in Indonesia. He chose Amin as his running mate to shore up his support among pious Muslims. Amin was chairman of Majelis Ulama Indonesia, the country’s council of Islamic leaders, and supreme leader of Nahdlatul Ulama, the world’s largest Muslim organization. But Amin, 76, has been criticized for being a vocal supporter and drafter of fatwas against religious minorities and the LGBT community. Human Rights Watch says the fatwas, or edicts, have legitimized increasingly hateful rhetoric by government officials against LGBT people, and in some cases fueled deadly violence by Islamic militants against religious minorities. Widodo has been widely praised for his efforts to improve Indonesia’s inadequate infrastructure and reduce poverty. He inaugurated the nation’s first subway system, which was financed by Japan, in chronically congested Jakarta in March after years of delay under past leaders. Pressing on is the biggest challenge, however, in his final years in office given the global economic slowdown, major trade conflicts, falling exports and other hurdles that impede funding. In an interview with The Associated Press in July, Widodo said he would push ahead with sweeping and potentially unpopular economic reforms, including more business-friendly labor laws, because he’ll no longer be constrained by politics in his final term. “Things that were impossible before, I will make a lot of decisions on that in the next five years,” he said then. Indonesian President Joko Widodo, left, and his son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, center, greet supporters prior to the inauguration for his second term, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who rose from poverty and pledged to champion democracy, fight entrenched corruption and modernize the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, was sworn in Sunday for his second and final five-year term with a pledge to take bolder actions. Photo: AP Story: Niniek Karmini and Jim Gomez. Previous articleHong Kong Descends Into Chaos Again as Protesters Defy Ban Next articleAustralian Papers Redact Front Pages to Expose Govt Secrecy Indonesia Starts Mass COVID-19 Vaccinations With President Muslim Protesters March Against Indonesia’s New Labor Law Surge in COVID-19 Infections Linked to Southern Muslim Pilgrimage Indonesia to Move Capital From Jakarta to East Kalimantan Indonesia’s Leader Says Sinking Jakarta Needs Giant Sea Wall Indonesia President Has Big Poll Lead as Election Nears	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1069
__label__wiki	0.547021	0.547021	Find out how KONE and Karstadt department store teamed up to make safety training fun, informative, and rewarding – for children. WHO SAYS LEARNING IS BORING? Imagine 120 children in a play area in a mall with a huge TV, exciting coloring books, helium balloons, ice cream and lots of fun giveaways. This was the setting for a 2-day safety training workshop for children, organized by KONE and Karstadt department store in Hanover, Germany. Karstadt is one of Hanover’s top department stores, with 22 escalators and four elevators that are used by an estimated 2,000 customers a day. To promote customer safety, the partners planned a training event for elementary school and kindergarten children. “We’ve all seen children playing on escalators, walking up in the wrong direction, sitting or playing on the steps,” says Nicole Köster, Marketing & Communication Manager, KONE Germany. “Other people at risk include elderly people with walking frames and people wearing long skirts, or not holding onto the handrail. We see these unsafe behaviors every day and, as the manufacturer, it’s up to us to work with our customers to minimise the risks,” she says. “As most of KONE’s elevators, escalators and doors are in public areas, customer safety is of utmost importance to us,” she adds. TRAINING YOUNG MINDS “We used the existing elevators and escalators and held 30-minute training sessions for groups of 10 children at a time,” says Jana Bauer, Karstadt Hanover’s Marketing Manager. Most importantly, each participant who completed the safety training was awarded an ‘elevator and escalator driver’s license’ issued by KONE and Karstadt. “Children learn best through play and by experiencing what works and what doesn’t,” adds Bauer. “While, we’ve put up signs indicating the correct use of elevators and escalators, workshops that allow children to learn by doing are the best,” she notes. Nicole Köster recalls the conversation between a young girl, who had just completed the training, and her grandmother on an escalator. “The girl was about four years old and we heard her scolding her grandmother, saying ‘you have to hold onto the handrail when you’re standing on the escalator!’. This proved that she’d listened and really learned something,” says Köster. Karstadt and KONE received positive feedback from the manager of a local kindergarten, who expressed an interest in organising similar training days for all their groups of children. #Escalators #Retail IT’S PLAY TIME! KONE has launched a digital game to educate children on elevator and escalator safety, featuring KONE's safety mascots Max and Bob. The adventure-filled game starts when Max the mouse accidentally flies away with a balloon, causing Bob the elephant, steered by the player, to go on a journey to follow his friend by exploring a tall building with the help of elevators and escalators. The game is intended for children aged 4 to 10 years, and can be played on personal computers and tablets.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1071
__label__wiki	0.525547	0.525547	Long lines and wait times mark first vaccine distribution in Robstown Vaccine event gets a late start, some people leave line By: Patrick Johnstone ROBSTOWN, Texas — People started lining up at the Richard Borchard Fairgrounds in Robstown as early as 7:00 a.m. Monday morning. With the line not moving early in the morning, some got frustrated. One of those people, a Corpus Christi woman who simply wished to be known as “Yvonne.” Despite having an appointment for a vaccine, she left after more than two hours in line. “There are thousands of cars, people all waiting to be vaccinated, and the line is not moving, and then we understand that the vaccine isn’t even here, they’re waiting for it to be delivered. We were tired of waiting, and there was nothing we could do, nobody gave us any direction on what’s happening. Just to sit here hour after hour, and not know what’s happening,” she said. For some people, leaving was not an option. Calallen resident Kathy Ricks was in line hoping to get her and her 92-year-old father vaccinated. She couldn’t register the two of them due to the city’s website crashing. They were willing to wait as long as they needed to, because Ricks works Tuesday, and cannot come back for the second day of vaccinations. “It’s an uncomfortable situation trying to get something that we feel we direly need,” Ricks said. “Mainly because of his age, I feel that we need to get here as soon as possible. We’re trying to last it out, and hopefully we’ll be one of the ones that gets the vaccine.” Ricks was not alone in waiting as long as she needed to for the vaccine. Janice Matosky of Corpus Christi, was prepared to wait as long as she needed to get the vaccine. She expected a long wait, so she brought a book to read, and some homemade banana bread to enjoy. “I’m not leaving unless they tell me I have to go home. I already have this much time invested in it, I’m not going to give that up,” she said. Portland resident Rick Hinojosa said he and his wife were willing to wait for the vaccine, and just hoped they could get the vaccines they signed up for. “It is what it is, we’re probably going to be here a couple hours. Hopefully they’re not going to say they ran out of the vaccine, because I have an appointment for one, I signed up online,” he said. Juan Herrera waited more than four hours before even getting into the parking lot at the fairgrounds. He got out of his truck to stretch a bit, and prepared for the long wait. “If I have to wait, I don’t know how long, but I’m going to stay here. I’m going to try my best to be here until maybe five or six o’clock,” Herrera said at 2:00 p.m. In total, the city planned to vaccinate around 1,000 people at the fairgrounds Monday, and will be vaccinating people every day this week until Thursday. Global Coronavirus Tracker: See map here Data from The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1072
__label__wiki	0.819696	0.819696	LIVE: Biden to put forth new virus strategy exactly a year after 1st confirmed case in US Stocks are soaring, and most Black people are missing out by: STAN CHOE, Associated Press Posted: Oct 12, 2020 / 11:31 AM CDT / Updated: Oct 12, 2020 / 12:29 PM CDT Banking executive Bob Marshall, an active stock investor, poses for a photo at his home in Ashburn, Va., Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Nearly half of all U.S. households don’t own any stocks, and a disproportionate number of them are from Black and other racial-minority households. Differences in financial-literacy education may be one factor, Marshall said. Or, because fewer Black families have wealth that has carried through generations, they may be more wary of risky investments. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) NEW YORK (AP) — Americans who own stocks are pulling further away from those who don’t, as Wall Street roars back to record heights while much of the economy struggles. And Black households are much more likely to be in that not-as-fortunate group that isn’t in the stock market. Only 33.5% of Black households owned stocks in 2019, according to data released recently by the Federal Reserve. Among white households, the ownership rate is nearly 61%. Hispanic and other minority households also are less likely than white families to own stock. Many reasons are behind the split. Experts say chief among them is a longstanding preference by many Black investors for safer places to put their money — the legacy, some say, of decades of discrimination and fear. Also, many were never taught what they were missing out on. “We didn’t have a grandfather or aunt or uncle or mom and dad educating us on the markets because they didn’t benefit from it because of historical discrimination in this country,” said John Rogers, founder and co-CEO of Ariel Investments. Black people have also often lacked the opportunity to build up wealth, park it in the market and watch it grow over time. In general, they have lower incomes, which leaves less money to invest after paying bills. Many also work jobs that don’t offer retirement plans like a 401(k). But researchers say that even wealthier Black households are much less likely to own stocks than their white counterparts. That means they missed out on the roughly 260% returns for S&P 500 funds over the last decade and the resulting chance to see their wealth grow. The typical Black family has less than $13 in wealth for every $100 held by the typical white family. Lower rates of stock ownership are a small reason why. The most important factor may be the restricted access Black borrowers had to mortgages and affordable housing through decades of redlining and other discriminatory practices, said Raphael Bostic, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, in a recent speech. Researchers say increased investment by racial minorities in the stock market, carried through future generations, could help narrow the wealth gap. Toward that end, industry groups are trying to encourage more Black people to become financial planners, who could then draw in potential investors. The differences in stock ownership between white and Black households go back decades, and they narrowed a bit between 2016 and 2019, the most recent data available from the Federal Reserve. But researchers say the coronavirus pandemic and resulting recession probably widened the gap again. HOW SAFETY SHORTCHANGES Instead of stocks, wealthier Black households are more likely to own assets that have a reputation for being safer, such as bonds, life insurance or real estate, said Tatjana Meschede, associate director at Brandeis University’s Institute on Assets and Social Policy. Black people “are shortchanging themselves by investing in more secure opportunities that yield less of a return,” she said. The largest bond fund has returned less than 40% over the last decade, for example. That’s far below the nearly 257% that the largest stock fund has delivered over the same time. Real estate has also had slower gains. The difference in stock-ownership rates is one reason the typical white, non-Hispanic household had a net worth of $189,100 in 2019, versus $24,100 for the median Black household, according to the Fed survey. That gap of nearly eight times compares with a little more than six times at the start of the millennium. “Especially if you talk about working for 30 to 40 years and steadily contributing to a retirement account and not taking it out when you change jobs or borrowing against it, you would come out way ahead” with a portfolio that has stocks in addition to lower-risk investments, said Sherman Hanna, a professor at Ohio State University who does research on financial planning. He calls it “the easy route to accumulating at least some amount of wealth.” Among middle-aged families, which are the most likely to have a retirement account, 65% of white families have a 401(k), individual retirement account or another similar plan, according to the Fed. The figure is just 44% for Black families and 28% for Hispanic families. Researchers have found that Black and Hispanic workers are less likely to have employers that offer a 401(k). A CULTURAL BIAS? Kashif A. Ahmed, president of American Private Wealth, a financial planning firm in Bedford, Massachusetts, remembers giving a talk at a Black church about the higher long-term returns that stocks have historically provided. “One person sitting in the audience said, ’That’s all fine and wonderful, but this is all for white folks,’” he said. Malcolm Ethridge, a financial adviser in the Washington area, regularly sees a reluctance to invest in stocks among Black people with enough money to do so, such as tech executives, attorneys and people who inherited rental properties. “My personal opinion is Black Americans tend not to trust things that are not tangible because of our history in this country and things being taken away,” Ethridge said. “It gets passed on to you from generation to generation: to only trust and believe in things you can actually touch.” “A house, I can put my hands on that and believe in that, whereas a stock is just whatever someone else tells me it’s worth, and I just have to take your word for it.” Bob Marshall, a banking executive in northern Virginia who is Black and does invest in stocks, said differences in financial literacy education may be one factor in the racial disparity in stock ownership rates. Or, he said, because fewer Black families have wealth that has carried through generations, they may be more wary of risky investments. “I’m building wealth for my children and grandchildren, so I’m going to hold onto more of it and be risk-averse,” he said is a common theme. Building and keeping that wealth “is more important from a legacy perspective than me maybe amassing 20 or 30% more.” Marshall also recalled that he didn’t have much exposure to stocks while growing up. His parents didn’t talk much about them because they were seen as too risky. He started dabbling in the market after taking a class in college where they tracked stocks. GENERATIONAL CHALLENGES Rogers, who founded Ariel Investments in 1983, said Marshall’s experience has been common among Black people for generations. “There isn’t a passing down of knowledge from generation to generation,” he said. “It’s the opposite of what I hear from Warren Buffett about the magic of compound interest and how much wealth has been created since he was born. Those kinds of stories don’t happen in Black communities.” Rogers had a different experience because of a conversation his father had with a friend, a white lawyer, about why African Americans didn’t invest in stocks. The friend said that he had already given his 10-year-old son some understanding of the market and that Rogers’ father should do the same for him. His dad introduced him to a Black stockbroker in Chicago, one who became a role model to Rogers, showing that Black people work in finance, too. Ariel now manages $12 billion in assets. STILL A VERY WHITE INDUSTRY Decades later, though, Black people are still relatively rare in the financial industry. It’s a difficult trend to break, Rogers said, as white people who grew up in wealthier neighborhoods have an easier time building up business and are the ones more often getting promotions. With relatively few Black people running big financial companies or offering their services as financial planners, potential Black investors may feel that buying stocks is not for them. There are only about 1,200 Black certified financial planners in the U.S., said Ethridge, the financial adviser in the Washington area who is also on the board of the Association of African American Financial Advisors. Across the country, there are more than 87,000 certified financial planners in all. Still, financial advisers say they are seeing a greater interest in stocks among younger Black clients. More of those Buffett-like conversations may be happening around dinner tables. Gary Simms Sr., a global information security strategist in Manassas, Virginia, began investing in stocks a couple decades ago after a friend pushed him to do better with his money. He was reluctant at first. Some family members still warn him that he will lose his money. But he talks often about investing with his son, a teenager who already has his own stock portfolio. And when Simms buys gifts for high school graduations, it’s often shares of stock, along with the certificates of ownership. “Culturally, I think African Americans are not raised to build equity,” he said, “but I do think the tide is turning.” A Cool and Foggy Morning, Scattered Rain Returns Later Today Louisiana / 50 mins ago Acadiana Eats / 33 mins ago Youngsville partnering with private landowners to build retention ponds Opelousas pharmacy vaccine supply going fast Local / 16 hours ago What Joe Biden has promised to do on ‘Day One’ and in his first 100 days as president	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1076
__label__wiki	0.535767	0.535767	Kansas City Royals help Strike Out Slavery Royals fans had the opportunity to learn more about human trafficking and what they can do to stop it. Updated: 11:45 AM CDT Aug 20, 2019 STADIUM HAD THE CHANCE TO LEARN HOW THEY CAN STRIKE OUT SLAVERY. BIANCA: THERE ARE MORE THAN 30,000 SEATS AT KAUFFMAN STADIUM. IMAGINE IF ALL OF THE FANS AT THE BALLPARK COULD HELP STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING. THAT’S THE IDEA BEHIND STRIKE OUT SLAVERY, AN ORGANIZATION STARTED BY KANSAS CITY NATIVES DEIDRE AND ALBERT PUJOLS. >> OFTEN THERE IS A BIG DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE FACT THAT PEOPLE KNOW THESE THINGS HAPPEN AND WHAT THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. WE ARE TRYING TO GIVE THEM ACCESS TO THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. THE PEOPLE ON THE FRONT LINE WHO HAVE ORGANIZATIONS WHO NEED HELP. BIANCA: LIKE THE BIG SEARCH. >> THE LAST BIG SEARCH, WE FOUND 24 KIDS IN 72 HOURS. YOU CAN’T FIND WHAT YOU ARE NOT LOOKING FOR. BIANCA: HUMAN TRAFFICKING CAN RANGE FROM LABOR TO SEX EXPLOITATION. ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC SCHMITT SAYS A SPECIAL TASK FORCE WORKING TO ADDRESS WHAT HE CALLS MODERN-DAY SLAVERY IN MISSOURI. >> IT IS NOT HOLLYWOOD DRAMA LIKE TAKEN. THOSE EVENTS HAPPEN, BUT MORE FREQUENTLY IT HAS TO DO WITH FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION. PEOPLE FIND THEMSELVES VULNERABLE AND ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF. BIANCA: THE FIRST STEP TO HELPING THEM IS AWARENESS. WE CAN DO MORE TOGETHER THAN SEPARATELY, SO WITH ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS, THE GOAL OF STRIKE OUT SLAVERY IS TO BE IN EVERY MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PART. WE COULD MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE. GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING ARTIST LAURYN HILL IS PERFORMING ON THE FIELD AFTER THE ROYALS GAME TONIGHT AS PART OF THE EVENT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND HOW TO HELP, I HAVE SHARED A LINK ON MY Kauffman Stadium has more than 30,000 seats. Imagine if all the fans at the ballpark could help stop human trafficking. That's the idea behind Strike Out Slavery, an organization founded by Kansas City natives Deidre and Albert Pujols. "There is a big disconnect between the fact that people know these kinds of things happen and what can they do about it," said Diedre Pujols. "We are trying to give them access to all of these organizations and the people on the front line who need help." Local and International non-profit organizations participated in an informational festival before the Royals game Saturday. Attorney General Eric Schmitt said his task force is actively working with the FBI to address the issue in Missouri. "It’s not the sort of Hollywood drama like Taken," said Schmitt. "Those events happen but its much more frequent and a lot of it has to do with financial exploitation. People find themselves in really vulnerable positions and are taken advantage of."Grammy award-winning artist Lauryn Hill performed on the field after the game as part of the event. Kauffman Stadium has more than 30,000 seats. Imagine if all the fans at the ballpark could help stop human trafficking. That's the idea behind Strike Out Slavery, an organization founded by Kansas City natives Deidre and Albert Pujols. "There is a big disconnect between the fact that people know these kinds of things happen and what can they do about it," said Diedre Pujols. "We are trying to give them access to all of these organizations and the people on the front line who need help." Local and International non-profit organizations participated in an informational festival before the Royals game Saturday. Attorney General Eric Schmitt said his task force is actively working with the FBI to address the issue in Missouri. "It’s not the sort of Hollywood drama like Taken," said Schmitt. "Those events happen but its much more frequent and a lot of it has to do with financial exploitation. People find themselves in really vulnerable positions and are taken advantage of." Missouri Attorney General: Counting of rape kits nearly complete KCPD: 2 juvenile sex trafficking victims recovered during targeted sting with FBI MO attorney general teams up with FBI to combat human trafficking Grammy award-winning artist Lauryn Hill performed on the field after the game as part of the event.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1077
__label__cc	0.6161	0.3839	Sanwo-Olu Showing posts with label Sanwo-Olu. Show all posts Sanwo-Olu and Demolition Of 5,000 Shops In Lagos, further demostration of their wickedness According to a report by SaharaReporters, early this week, traders and other stakeholders at the busy Oyinlola market, FESTAC Town, Lagos State, are presently counting their losses following the demolition of the market on Saturday. Whatever evil that the APC administration at all levels are hellbent undertaking and doing for their selfish arrogancy in the face of hardship and misgovernance that the country has been undergoing since the inspection of the ruling party in the country will only be the further demostration of their wickedness which are no longer knew to the populace. Teports confirmed that the security operatives, who were present during the demolition, fired gunshots to scare the people away as hoodlums also used the opportunity to cart away millions of goods from the traumatised traders. The demolition, according to the traders, was unexpected as there was no prior notice to that effect. However, the local government authorities stated that the demolition was carried out due to the structural defects of the buildings. A shop owner told SaharaReporters that the reason claimed by the LGA was false and baseless as the shops were in good standing. She said, "I was shocked when I heard of the demolition. l heard them saying that they demolished them because of the structural defects of the building; there was nothing like that. Who carried out the test as to whether the shops were in good condition or not? People didn't know it was going to happen. If not, we would have taken pictures of their shops before the demolition. For how many years have those shops been there and there was never for once a building collapse?" She added that the government ought to carry the traders along, considering the peculiarity of the bad economy at this period. Another victim, who leased out her shop to a woman and mother of 11 children, who paid N40,000 yearly, said the business had since stopped and the children were without reasonable care. "This woman wanted to pay her rent to me recently, but I asked her to hold on still. Thank God I had not collected the money from her. She fainted while the demolition was going on. So many other people make their livelihood from this same market. "Some of the traders stocked their Christmas goods recently. You know what the country is; they had to get loans so they could stock and sell; school fee is there, the rent too," she lamented. SaharaReporters gathered that while the demolition was going on, some thugs came and made away with people's goods. The solicitor for the traders, Ike Onyefulu, in an interview, said he was disappointed in the local government authorities for demolishing the shops without prior notice. He said, "There are laws in Nigeria. There are extant laws, but the problem is the enforcement of those laws by people. The urban and regional town planning law of Lagos State made specific provisions for any demolition of property either private or public but this is not adhered to. "No matter what you have as the reason for the demolition of a market, not only law; common sense should tell you to give people notice to move their property, paste it so that people will know that they are using the property at their own risk. That is how things should be done. They should have given notice even if it is for seven days, but that was not done." Onyefulu also confirmed that police officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army were present at the site with guns, thereby causing confusion that allowed the hoodlums to have a field day on people's property. "The police and the army were there with their AK-47 rifles, shooting into the air so that people were more traumatised and confused. Some people had travelled for the weekend; they were not around. Some that didn't travel were in their houses. It was a Saturday and those that were even in the shops, it took them by surprise that they were not able to save their goods. "How do we account for the property worth billions of naira that was looted there, when there were over 5,000 shop owners? This is coming at a time that people are yet to recover from the effects of COVID-19 and the EndSARS protest." Onyefulu said he had written letters to the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the council chairman, and the FESTAC Residents Association since three weeks ago, but he has yet to get a reply. "How would the state governor give such order as some of the people are claiming? Our letter was delivered. I want to believe the governor is not aware of this madness. In Lagos State, if a landlord wants a tenant to leave, the law says he has to give the tenant notice to quit and if that one refuses to go, you have to go to court to obtain the order but that didn't happen in our case," he explained. When contacted by SaharaReporters, the LGA Chairman, Valentine Buraimoh, said he had consulted with the stakeholders and there was no way the traders would say they were not aware. He promised that another market would be built within the next three months and "the original allottees would be given utmost priority." Tags: Africa Covid19 Lagos Nigeria politics Sanwo-Olu The Economy	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1082
__label__cc	0.517509	0.482491	Franchise Team and Attorneys Named Global Leaders in 2018 Chambers Ranking MINNEAPOLIS (Feb. 16, 2018) – Gray Plant Mooty is one of 12 law firms throughout the world—and the only Minnesota-based firm—to have its franchise practice group named a global-wide team in Chambers and Partners® Global 2018 rankings. In addition, three Gray Plant Mooty attorneys were recognized as global leaders—Liz Dillon, Gaylen Knack, and Carl Zwisler. Dillon, Knack, and Zwisler were among an elite list of 28 attorneys included in the annual ranking. Chambers wrote the following about the firm: “Based in the USA, Gray Plant Mooty possesses substantial international capability. Advises an enviable list of notable clients in a number of sectors, particularly food and retail. Features a seasoned team with decades of experience across a range of franchising matters and a renowned franchise litigation practice.” Furthermore, Gray Plant Mooty was praised for helping clients expand to new international markets, while also being solid, available, and approachable. Here’s what Chambers said individually about the Gray Plant Mooty world-leading franchise attorneys: Liz Dillon, co-chair of the franchise practice group, was recognized as “An ‘excellent and thorough’ practitioner” and “noted for her adept work with start-up and smaller franchisors, assisting them with growing their businesses internationally. She has advised clients entering markets all over the world, including Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and the Middle East.” Dillon is based in Minneapolis. Gaylen Knack, lead of the franchise practice group’s international division, was referred to as “an ‘excellent lawyer and business person’ ” and “revered for his work assisting franchisors in expanding and structuring their distribution programmes.” He was also noted for his proficiency in licensing issues. Knack is based in Minneapolis. Carl Zwisler was lauded “for his work with international clients attempting to enter the US market” as well as advising “a plethora of US companies on their international franchising issues.” Chambers further said of Zwisler: “Peers heap praise on him, with one enthusing: ‘He has encyclopaedic knowledge and is one of the best in the world. He is seen as a leader in his field.’ ” Zwisler is based in Washington, D.C. For nearly three decades Chambers and Partners has assessed the world’s best business lawyers. Based in London, the organization has a full-time team of editors and researchers who conduct firm and client interviews and surveys throughout the year to release rankings that are published online and in print directories. About Gray Plant Mooty Gray Plant Mooty is recognized as one of the leading corporate law firms in Minnesota and one of the top franchise firms in the world. We are a 185-lawyer, full-service firm with offices in Minneapolis and St. Cloud, Minn.; Washington, D.C.; and Fargo, N.D. Our attorneys and staff provide exceptional client service and value, and comprehensive legal services on a regional, national and global basis. Our roots date back to 1866. Learn more at www.gpmlaw.com. Liz Dillon Gaylen L. Knack Carl E. Zwisler	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1083
__label__wiki	0.80662	0.80662	When Settlement and Secrecy Do Not Mix By Stephen R. Chuk & David Munkittrick Non-disclosure and confidentiality provisions can be an important aspect of resolving a case through settlement. But when one of the parties is a purported class, and the allegation is an antitrust violation, settlement and secrecy may be like water and oil. This tension came to a head in Shane Group v. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, in which the Sixth Circuit vacated a $30 million settlement between the defendant and a class of Michigan citizens and corporations, settling allegations of health insurance price fixing. The reason: the district court refused to unseal the parties’ substantive filings – including the Amended Complaint, the motion for class certification, and the expert report on which the settlement was based. When a group of class members moved to intervene to unseal parts of the record and adjourn Rule 23 fairness hearings until they could review the settlement, the district court denied their motion to intervene. In the district court’s own view, the settlement was “fair, reasonable, and adequate,” and thus, class members had no further need for information about the case. The Sixth Circuit disagreed. Rule 23(e) gives class members the right to object to a proposed settlement, but they “cannot participate meaningfully in the process,” the Sixth Circuit found, “unless they can review the bases of the proposed settlement and the other documents in the court record.” The court found that the district court’s refusal to grant purported class members and possible objectors’ access to the record, including the report of plaintiffs’ damages expert, stymied that process. The court reasoned that, without that information, class members could not know “whether it does or does not make sense” to accept the settlement. Because the class representatives and the defendants had approved the settlement only after reviewing documents under seal, the Sixth Circuit reasoned that “the unnamed class members [were] entitled to do the same.” According to the Court, unnamed class members were “able to access only fragmentary information about the conduct giving rise to this litigation, and next to nothing about the bases of the settlement itself.” In short, the Sixth Circuit concluded that “[t]he Rule 23(e) objection process seriously malfunctioned” because the district court over-sealed the record. Not only did the Sixth Circuit vacate the settlement, but it also revisited the district court’s previous sealing orders. The Court explained that the public has a strong interest in court records, particularly in class actions where members of the public are by definition parties to the case, and particularly in antitrust actions “in which the public has a keen and legitimate interest.” The Court found that the district court had confused the standards for a Rule 26 protective order “with the vastly more demanding standards for sealing off judicial records from public view.” Accordingly, the Sixth Circuit held that a party seeking to restrict public access must offer detailed “document-by-document, line-by-line” analysis explaining why disclosure would cause serious injury. In this case, according to the Court, the parties had mustered only perfunctory justifications for their sealing requests. The Sixth Circuit considered these “patently inadequate,” so it vacated every sealing order entered by the district court. Confidentiality issues arise in every antitrust action, as competition cases tend to involve competitively-sensitive or proprietary information, including pricing and cost data as well as strategy documents. Sealing decisions are reviewed on an abuse of discretion standard, so trial court decisions are still entitled to significant deference. As a result of this ruling, courts in the Sixth Circuit may be more reluctant to seal materials simply because parties claim without support that their documents contain “financial and negotiating information.” If parties fail to identify justifications for their sealing requests during the litigation, a court may revisit those justifications in assessing a class settlement. And litigants seeking to prevent the disclosure of previously-sealed information will more carefully assess what information class members actually need to evaluate a settlement. Parties should be mindful of the balance between the need to protect truly sensitive and confidential information with the risk that a court may blow up a settlement because the parties sealed too much information. **Owen Masters, a summer associate in Proskauer’s Washington, D.C. office and a rising 3L at University of Virginia, co-authored this post. Stephen R. Chuk Stephen Chuk is an associate in the Antitrust Group. His practice focuses on complex antitrust litigation, including class actions and multidistrict litigation. He counsels clients regarding antitrust issues and represents companies in connection with government investigations and before the antitrust enforcement agencies. Stephen has handled antitrust matters in a wide range of industries, including agriculture and financial services, in cases involving alleged claims of monopolization, group boycott and price-fixing. Additionally, he advises clients on consumer protection matters involving marketing practices, false advertising and privacy/data security. Read more about Stephen R. ChukEmail David Munkittrick David Munkittrick is a litigator and trial attorney. His practice focuses on complex and large-scale antitrust, copyright and entertainment matters in all forms of dispute resolution and litigation, from complaint through appeal. David has been involved in some of the most significant antitrust… David has been involved in some of the most significant antitrust matters over the past few years, obtaining favorable results for Fortune 500 companies and other clients in bench and jury trials involving price discrimination and group boycott claims. His practice includes the full range of antitrust matters and disputes: from class actions to competitor suits and merger review. David advises antitrust clients in a range of industries, including entertainment, automotive, pharmaceutical, healthcare, agriculture, hospitality, financial services, and sports. David also advises music, publishing, medical device, sports, and technology clients in navigating complex copyright issues and compliance. He has represented some of the most recognized names in entertainment, including Sony Music Entertainment, Lady Gaga, U2, Madonna, Daft Punk, RCA Records, BMG Music Publishing, Live Nation, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Universal Music Group and Warner/Chappell. David maintains an active pro bono practice, supporting clients in the arts and in immigration proceedings. He has been repeatedly recognized as Empire State Counsel by the New York State Bar Association for his pro bono service, and is a recipient of Proskauer’s Golden Gavel Award for excellence in pro bono work. When not practicing law, David spends time practicing piano. He recently made his Carnegie Hall debut at Weill Recital Hall with a piano trio and accompanying a Schubert lieder. David frequently speaks on antitrust and copyright issues, and has authored or co-authored numerous articles and treatise chapters, including: Causation and Remoteness, the U.S. Perspective, in GCR Private Litigation Guide. Data Breach Litigation Involving Consumer Class Actions, in Proskauer on Privacy: A Guide to Privacy and Data Security Law in the Information Age. Location Privacy: Technology and the Law, in Proskauer on Privacy: A Guide to Privacy and Data Security Law in the Information Age. FTC Enforcement of Privacy, in Proskauer on Privacy: A Guide to Privacy and Data Security Law in the Information Age. The Role of Experts in Music Copyright Cases, Intellectual Property Magazine. Nonprofit Education: A Historical Basis for Tax Exemption in the Arts, 21 NYSBA Ent., Arts, & Sports L.J. 67 A Founding Father of Modern Music Education: The Thought and Philosophy of Karl W. Gehrkens, Journal of Historical Research in Music Education Jackson Family Wines, Inc. v. Diageo North America, Inc. Represented Diageo in trademark infringement litigation Read more about David MunkittrickEmail	cc/2021-04/en_head_0035.json.gz/line1086

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.