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What is megan law
Why is Megan Law Important?
Megan’s Law, the first amendment to the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offenders Act, was passed in October 1996. Megan’s Law mandated all states to develop notification protocols that allow public access to information about sex offenders in the community.
Why is Megan law called Megan Law?
California’s Megan’s Law was enacted in 1996 Penal Code § 290.46. … Megan’s Law is named after seven-year-old Megan Kanka, who was raped and killed by a known child molester who had moved across the street from the family without their knowledge.
What does Megan’s Law mean?
Megan’s Law (Public Law 104-105) is the federal law that “require(s) the release of relevant information to protect the public from sexually violent offenders.” Megan’s Law was originally enacted in 1996, and is now included in the more expanded sexual offender laws (See Sex Offender Registration and Notification).
How do you get on Megan Law?
At the federal level, Megan’s Law requires persons convicted of sex crimes against children to notify local law enforcement of any change of address or employment after release from custody (prison or psychiatric facility).
How did Megan Kanka die?
Timmendequas lured Kanka into his house, raped her, and then killed her by strangulation with a belt. He then placed her body in nearby Mercer County Park.
Is Megan law constitutional?
Megan’s Law, adopted by all 50 states, requires convicted sex offenders to register their whereabouts with police once they get out of jail. Megan’s law is not being challenged on Eighth Amendment “cruel and unusual punishment” grounds. …
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What is Jessie’s Law?
Jessica’s Law is the informal name given to a 2005 Florida law, as well as laws in several other states, designed to protect potential victims and reduce a sexual offender’s ability to re-offend. … Forty-two states have introduced such legislation since Florida’s law was passed.
Who started Megan’s Law?
Paul Kramer
What is Chelsea’s Law?
“Chelsea’s Law allows life without parole sentences for adult predators who kidnap, drug, bind, torture or use a weapon while committing a sex crime against a child. Life terms could be ordered for first-time and repeat offenders.
Can you be removed from Megan’s Law?
California’s Laws on Sex Offender Registry Removal. Developments in California law are giving convicted sex offenders an avenue to be removed from Megan’s List. Senate Bill 384 allows a “sex offender” to petition the court for removal from state registries.
What is Tier 3 offender type?
A “Tier 3” offense includes any sex offense for which a person has been convicted, or an attempt or conspiracy to commit such an offense, that involves: 1. Non-parental kidnapping of a minor, 2. A sexual act with another by force or threat, 3.
What states do not have Megan’s Law?
Kentucky, Indiana among states not meeting federal sex offender registry mandates. Neither Kentucky, Indiana nor Illinois are among the 18 states in the nation meeting federal guidelines for sex offender registering and notification.
What happened to Megan from Megan’s Law?
Providing descriptions of abuse so graphic that jurors looked stricken, a prosecutor charged Monday that a twice-convicted sex offender deliberately murdered 7-year-old Megan Kanka, led police to her body and repeatedly confessed to the crime.6 мая 1997 г.
You might be interested: What is an administrative law
What happened to Jesse Timmendequas?
Timmendequas was sentenced to death, but the state abolished the death penalty a decade later and he is now serving a life sentence at New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. … After he raped and killed her, Timmendequas put her body in a toy box and dumped it in a park.
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Next Post:Why is it called murphy’s law
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Koch Inks Two Labels
New York-based Koch Entertainment has signed exclusive North American distribution deals with new hip-hop label I.M. Records and Christian/gospel label Alliant Music Group.
LOS ANGELES -- New York-based Koch Entertainment has signed exclusive North American distribution deals with new hip-hop label I.M. Records and Christian/gospel label Alliant Music Group.
Through its deal with Nashville-based Alliant, Koch will distribute the company's recently formed Vertical Records label. In 2005, Vertical will issue albums from Gospel Gangstaz, Claudius Craig & Loose the Familiar, Bishop William Toney, Leesa Jordan and Kloud 9.
Alliant was previously handled by Nashville-based Compendia Music Group. The company's catalog will be slowly integrated into Koch by the third quarter, says an Alliant spokesperson.
Atlanta-based I.M. Records is the label arm of I.M. Productions, which was launched five years ago to represent hip-hop act EDUBB. A first release from the hip-hop trio is due in May. Other releases planned from the label include R&B singer Kindrea and rapper Malikah Jones.
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Tiësto & Ty Dolla $ign Enter a Joint Venture on Their New Collab 'The Business, Pt. II'
Dolly Parton Mourns Younger Brother Randy Following His Death From Cancer: 'He's Shining in Heaven'
Canadian Download Store Launches
Canadian phone giant BCE Inc. began offering about 250,000 songs for downloading on its Sympatico.ca Web site yesterday (May 13).
The launch of the Sympatico Music Store came as Canadian music publishers that support BCE's online downloading service complained that Internet music piracy is "rampant" in Canada.
The Sympatico store, which sells songs for as little as 99 cents Canadian (71 cents), is powered by Canadian digital-music service Puretracks, which has deals with all five major labels as well as a host of independents.
Also yesterday, the Canadian Recording Industry Assn., which represents the major music labels, said a wave of illegal downloading had been unleashed following a March 31 decision by the Federal Court of Canada. The court ruled that it could not force domestic Internet service providers to identify music pirates so they can be pursued in court.
The CRIA said that during the five weeks from March 30 to May 7, more than 500,000 illegal attempts were made to download the latest single from the Tragically Hip, "Vaccination Scar."
During the same five-week period, fewer than 1,000 copies of the single were bought legally online, the CRIA reported.
"Any reasonable person would be staggered by the disparity in those numbers," the band's Gord Sinclair says in a statement. "The grim economic reality aside, it shows how widespread the practice of downloading has become."
The CRIA is appealing the court decision, which ruled music downloading for personal use did not infringe copyright protections.
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Jazz Singer Carl Anderson Dies At 59
Jazz vocalist Carl Anderson died Monday (Feb. 23) in Los Angeles after a long battle with leukemia. He was 59. A native of Lynchburg, Va., Anderson starred as Judas in the original Broadway edition of
Jazz vocalist Carl Anderson died Monday (Feb. 23) in Los Angeles after a long battle with leukemia. He was 59.
A native of Lynchburg, Va., Anderson starred as Judas in the original Broadway edition of "Jesus Christ Superstar" in the early '70s, and reprised his role in the 1973 film. Anderson eventually landed a recording contract with Epic Records, and his self-titled 1986 release for the label reached No. 49 on Billboard's Top R&B Albums chart.
His biggest success, however, came from a duet with Gloria Loring. Their 1986 single "Friends & Lovers" went to No. 2 on Billboard's Hot 100, and was featured on soap opera "Days of Our Lives." He later recorded with Nancy Wilson and Weather Report.
Anderson continued to record into the '90s, and his 1994 release "Heavy Weather Sunlight Again" (GRP) reached No. 21 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Albums chart. He appeared on Broadway again in 1997 with "Play On!," an adaptation of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" that transported the story to Harlem and featured the music of Duke Ellington.
A service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday (Feb. 28) in Culver City, Calif., at the Agape International Spiritual Center.
Anderson is survived by his wife, his mother, a son, two stepdaughters and nine siblings.
Ariana Grande's '34+35' Remix With Megan Thee Stallion & Doja Cat, Taylor Swift's Shout Out to Olivia Rodrigo and More Top News | Billboard News
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Ask Billboard
Answers to readers' questions about Keith's favorite 2006 singles, "Fever" and artists' "legendary" status.
REPLACING IRREPLACEABLE
Hello Keith,
"Listen" from the motion picture "Dreamgirls" is, in my opinion, the finest vocal yet from Beyonce Knowles.
To my knowledge, a video for this song has been in rotation since November and yet I'm unclear as to whether it has officially been released as the fourth single from the "B'Day" album. Considering the massive popularity of the set's third single "Irreplaceable," I figured it would be some time before radio programmers started choosing to play "Listen," but I have yet to see it show up on the Billboard charts. Do you know if the song is gaining in airplay?
What I find even stranger is that the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart shows that another of the album's songs, "Upgrade U," is currently in the top 20. Does that mean "Upgrade U" is the fourth single to be released from "B'Day?"
It seems to me that "Listen" is a shoo-in to win both the Golden Globe and the Oscar for best original song, and I would think that promoting it at radio would be a logical step in the process. Can you shed any light on this?
By the way, kudos to you for citing Pink's "I'm Not Dead" in your year-end top 10 list. I haven't a clue as to why radio has practically ignored her last two albums, and I really hope her label allows her to continue recording pop music that actually has a message. In any case, now that you've shared your Top 10 Albums, is there any chance that you'd be willing to share your top 10 Singles of 2006 like Fred Bronson does?
Nick Schafer
I think it's a fair estimate to think that "Listen" will likely get an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. Other new tunes from the film might get nods, too.
It's hard these days to say what is a single and what isn't. Now, with digital sales driving many songs onto the charts (see "High School Musical" for example), we may have to rethink what a "single" is. Unless I'm mistaken, there have been three proper single releases from "B'Day" that have been promoted to radio stations and video networks: "Deja Vu," "Ring The Alarm" and "Irreplaceable."
"Upgrade U" became popular with R&B and hip-hop stations and that airplay powered it onto the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
You sent in your question likely before "Listen" reached the charts, as this week, it's on both The Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs lists. On the Hot 100, it debuts at No. 95 (Jan. 6 chart) and on the R&B list, it moves 69-63 in its second week.
Switching gears to Pink: while it's unfortunate that Americans aren't really in tune with Pink's music, it's great that she's experiencing some current success with her latest single "U + Ur Hand." And, she'll be opening for Justin Timberlake's on his tour as well, so that may get people more interested in her music.
As a refresher, here is the top 10 albums of 2006 list that I prepared for inclusion in our year-end roundup at Billboard.com.
1. Gnarls Barkley, "St. Elsewhere" (Downtown/Atlantic).
2. My Chemical Romance, "The Black Parade" (Reprise).
3. Pink, "I'm Not Dead" (LaFace/Zomba).
4. Nelly Furtado, "Loose" (Mosley/Geffen/Interscope).
5. Scissor Sisters, "Ta-Dah" (Universal Motown).
6. Pet Shop Boys, "Fundamental" (Rhino).
7. Dixie Chicks, "Taking the Long Way" (Open Wide/Columbia).
8. Corinne Bailey Rae, "Corinne Bailey Rae" (Capitol).
9. Justin Timberlake, "FutureSex/LoveSounds" (Jive).
10. Girls Aloud, "Chemistry" (Polydor). (A December 2005 U.K. release that came out too late for last year's list.)
Here, in alphabetical order, is a gaggle of singles from 2006 that I
particularly enjoyed in 2006. (I'm probably missing a few that I just can't remember right now.)
AFI, "Miss Murder"
The All-American Rejects, "Move Along"
Chicane Featuring Tom Jones, "Stoned In Love"
Christina Aguilera, "Ain't No Other Man"
Corinne Bailey Rae, "Put Your Records On"
Deep Dish featuring Stevie Nicks, "Dreams"
Fall Out Boy, "Dance, "Dance"
Girls Aloud, "Something Kinda Ooooh" (America doesn't know what it's
missing.)
Nelly Furtado, "Maneater"
Gnarls Barkley, "Crazy,"
Goldfrapp, "Ooh La La"
Hi_Tack, "Say Say Say (Waiting 4 U)"
Paris Hilton, "I Want You" (Bring it on. I'm ready to defend her album.)
Infernal, "From Paris To Berlin"
Elton John, "Just Like Noah's Ark"
Justin Timberlake, "SexyBack"
Kelly Clarkson, "Walk Away"
Lindsay Lohan, "Who Loves You" (Another easy target, but the song is fun.)
Madonna, "Sorry"
Meck Featuring Leo Sayer, "Thunder In My Heart Again"
My Chemical Romance, "Welcome To The Black Parade"
Mylo Vs. The Miami Sound Machine, "Doctor Pressure"
Joey Negro, "Make A Move On Me"
Oakenfold Featuring Brittany Murphy, "Faster Kill Pussycat"
Pet Shop Boys, "I'm With Stupid"
Pink, "U + Ur Hand"
Prince, "Black Sweat"
The Pussycat Dolls featuring Snoop Dogg, "Buttons"
Rihanna, "SOS"
Bob Sinclair, "World, Hold On (Children Of The Sky)"
Sugababes, "Easy" (See Girls Aloud, above)
HOT FOR 'FEVER'
I have a question concerning the song "Fever." Although Peggy Lee seems to get the most credit for the song, I remember a popular couple back in the late '50s and early '60s that also sang the song. She was a tall slender woman and he was of average build. In my opinion they had a knockout version of "Fever." I'm driving myself crazy trying to remember their names. I've done a Google search in almost every way I can think of and have had no luck. Can you please help me? What were their names?
John R. Rosenburg
Loveland, Colo.
Hello John,
I think you may be talking about a version of "Fever" by Louis Prima and Keely Smith.
The couple, who divorced in the '60s, sang the song in their 1959 film "Hey Boy! Hey Girl!" The soundtrack, originally released on Capital Records, has been out of print for years. I've tried searching everywhere to see if their version of "Fever" is currently available on any album, and it looks like there are a few imports that might include the tune. Good luck, and hopefully this is the couple you were talking about!
LEGEND, STAR, DIVA... MARIAH
I have been a Mariah Carey fan since 1998 when she released the song "My All" from the "Butterfly" album. [I want to] know what you think about Carey's status in music industry. Do you think one day she could become a legend? Or do you think she might be just a lucky star in that she has had a lot of success on charts [and sold a lot of albums]?
Thanks in advance for your time!
Dave Corneau
Oh boy, another diva question? It does seem like certain acts, no matter how many albums they sell, or No. 1 singles they have, just aren't considered "legendary." Truly, just because you sell a lot, that doesn't mean you are a legend.
Take for example, acts like Bon Jovi, Journey, Celine Dion or Whitney Houston. All have had many hit singles, sold millions of albums, and yet, most would debate whether all of them have reached "legendary" status. (I'm waiting for frustrated Houston fans to write in, angered that I would even suggest she isn't a legend.) With some artists, say, the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson... it's a no brainer. They are legends. Period.
I think the "legend" perception may have to do with the artist's cultural significance. While Carey will likely end up rewriting history books as the artist with the most No. 1 Hot 100 singles (she get closer to breaking the Beatles' record every year), has she made the same sort of cultural impact as the Beatles? I think even Carey herself might concede that she's not in the same ballpark as the fab four.
And Carey fans, don't send me hate mail. "The Emancipation of Mimi" was my No. 9 favorite album of 2005.
Artists Mentioned
Keely Smith
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Andreas Dombret: The SSM - a supervisory level playing field for Europe
Keynote speech by Dr Andreas Dombret, Member of the Executive Board of the Deutsche Bundesbank, at "Frankfurt 120", Frankfurt am Main, 21 November 2014.
by Andreas Dombret
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak to you today at the beginning of our panel discussion. It is a pleasure to be here and to be able to share my views with you.
In the following panel discussion, we will speak about the SSM and its consequences for the third parties framework. By way of introduction, I would like to share some of my thoughts on the SSM itself and its implications for a supervisory level playing field in Europe.
2. A new supervisory level playing field for Europe?
The financial crisis has shown that banking supervision failed to keep pace with the increasingly international developments in the banking sector. Instead, banking supervision - and regulation, too - remained confined within national borders. It was the financial crisis that finally underscored the need for harmonisation in the banking supervision sphere and the need for a more harmonised regulatory approach - ideally one which would eventually create a level playing field for supervisors and banks alike.
We have done a lot of work in Europe to meet these requirements - first and foremost by introducing the Single Rulebook. This package, amongst others, implements the Basel III framework and assures the harmonised implementation of the rules throughout all member states.
For me, there are two watchwords for banking supervision and regulation which guide the way to a supervisory and regulatory level playing field: harmonisation and transparency. On the topic of harmonisation, the SSM will ensure that banks throughout the euro area are supervised according to a consistent set of standards. This will also enhance the effectiveness of banking supervision, because a joint supervisory approach can tackle cross-border effects more effectively than a purely national one.
As for transparency, the SSM will operate on the basis of more comprehensive information, and it will benefit from cross-border comparisons and Europe-wide expertise. Pooling insights into different national and regional economic conditions, legal structures, and especially different banks' business and risk profiles, will facilitate a deeper understanding of the European banking sector. Furthermore, banking supervision at the European level will reduce the probability of national supervisors affording preferential treatment to "their" banks, thus contributing to prudential transparency.
But is harmonisation an end in itself? Most certainly not: Harmonisation will always be constrained by the political and legal backdrop in the relevant jurisdiction. And in Europe, we must concede that an ideal world of a fiscal or political union is still some way off, which means that complete harmonisation remains out of reach. Ever since the EU came into being, European integration has proceeded step by step. The next step towards greater European integration was always dictated by what was feasible at the given time. These are the circumstances which all harmonisation projects in Europe need to come to terms with.
3. Implications for supervisors and banks
But what does all I have said about a supervisory level playing field in Europe mean for supervisors and banks?
Let's begin with the supervisors: The introduction of European supervision is an extremely exciting challenge. Ever since our national supervisors began taking part in the joint supervisory teams overseeing significant banks, our tasks and perspectives have been broadened substantially. Alongside our work in the joint supervisory teams, we, as national supervisors, are still responsible for overseeing the remaining 1,800 German credit institutions that are not supervised by the SSM. I am sure that our national supervision will also benefit from the insights we gain from working in the joint European teams. But, for all the benefits it offers, European supervision also means more competition for us as national supervisors - as I mentioned earlier on, the SSM supervisory standards will be developed by cherry-picking best practices from national approaches to banking supervision. And this is precisely where we are challenged to deliver our best practices and strategies in the prudential field.
Banks, too, will certainly feel the impact of the new European level playing field in supervision. First and foremost, the SSM banks will realise that they now operate in a more competitive environment spanning across Europe.
But also non-SSM banks, the so-called less significant institutions, or LSIs, will notice changes based on SSM supervision. Even though their supervisor is still the national competent authority - here in Germany, BaFin and Bundesbank work together in this role - the SSM environment will also influence the supervision of LSIs. The LSI sector as a whole will be overseen by the ECB when it comes to risk concentration. Furthermore, the ECB may also put forward recommendations and standards for LSI supervision. Therefore, I expect a harmonisation of supervisory practices for both SSM- and Non-SSM banks. This will contribute to the supervisory level playing field in Europe and fuel greater competition among credit institutions.
And in this competitive environment, German banks have a great deal of catching-up to do. The IMF's latest Global Financial Stability Report finds that the return on equity in the euro area is relatively low compared with the United States or Asia. And, with a return on equity of 1.26% and a return on total assets of 0.06% in 2013, German banks in particular are underperforming their European counterparts. Their net interest income is likewise weak by international standards.
What is behind these meagre earnings? The main reason is a business model that is relatively dependent on interest income. Running a business model like that certainly poses a challenge in the current environment of low interest rates.
Thus, banks will need to reconsider and adjust their business models if they are to achieve sustainable profitability. It might be worthwhile for German banks to diversify their sources of income beyond interest income. In terms of costs, German banks are faring relatively well compared with those in other countries. That being said, there is still capacity to trim costs. Streamlining branch networks or engaging in mergers might be ways of achieving this. In my view, the German banking market still offers scope for further consolidation.
In my remarks today, I have explained how the launch of the SSM marks the first step towards creating a supervisory level playing field in Europe. And yet there are still challenges that lie ahead of us:
First and foremost, there is the need for German banks particularly to bolster their earnings in the face of stiff European and international competition. Nevertheless, they have to be careful not to search for yield in overheating markets or to soften their lending standards too far. Other potential risks that need to be addressed are conduct of the banks themselves, which can have financial, reputational and legal consequences; IT risks both internally and from a cybersecurity point of view; losses from large corporate loans, in particular shipping loans; and disruption spilling over from mounting tensions outside the EU. All these are topics that both banks and supervisors have to give thought to.
Of course, the SSM will influence not only banks and supervisors in the Euro area but also third-country banks and rating agencies, for example. In the next months, we will see how the SSM affects third-country banks, especially those European banks whose home countries are not yet participating in the SSM. I am sure that third-country banks establishing subsidiaries will benefit from the level-playing field in the Euro area. This may possibly be even a competitive advantage compared to other financial centers such as the UK. Concerning ratings, I really am curious whether the SSM will provide more confidence in the European banking sector and thereby lead to better ratings for SSM banks. These are only some of the topics I am looking forward to discussing in the following panel.
Andreas Dombret
More speeches from "Deutsche Bundesbank"
Country page: Germany
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reaching for reality: rediscovering a blessed mentor
Occasionally I have a palpable sense of the communion of saints. This week it began in a second-hand bookshop in Sydney's Newtown. Looking up, a book seemed to spring out at me like a blessed shaft of light opening from above. It bore the author's name of Alan Webster, a beloved but sadly departed mentor on my life's journey. Reaching for Reality was a book written late in Alan's life and one of which I was not aware. Sketching people and events which have broken free from deadening routine and oppression, it speaks of vision and change, of the critical need and cost of risk-taking, and of the best of the Anglican spirit Alan embodied - warm, inviting, large hearted, open, culturally and intellectually intelligent, responsive and creative, down-to-earth, intimately concerned with every person and aspect of life, grounded in Julian of Norwich-like 'prayer in struggle', and discovering the transcendent in our earthly dust. As I and my immediate family make many transitions at this time, it is as though Alan again speaks directly to me - be encouraged; don't be afraid to be, bring and suffer change; the mystery of God calls us on...
what St Paul's says to me
What does London's St Paul's Cathedral represent to others, I wonder? For Londoners it symbolises many things, not least indomitable survival. As a northerner with a love-hate relationship to the Great Wen of the English capital, my feelings are more complex but just as deep. St Paul's is not quite my people's cathedral - 'wor cathedral' of Durham and the beauty of Lincoln both have claims to that. Yet it is also the people's cathedral for me - a very different entity from the royal chapel of Westminster Abbey. It is also my cathedral in a very special sense, as the place of my ordination as priest. Set in the centre of a great world city St Paul's also speaks to me of a love and vistas which are uiniversal and ever outward looking. Its design is also open to the future and to reason. Even the tomb of Wellington is tamed by poets and progressive purposes. Sadly Dean Alan Webster, a beloved mentor, is long gone. Yet his spirit still speaks to me, with St Paul's, of a greater peace and a rich and genuine liberality which even now could perhaps enable London, Europe and the wider world. Today's bridge across the Thames links Donne with Shakespeare, making the point even more powerfully to me.
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Construction underway on Forrestfield-Airport Link
Civil Engineering Tips, Construction News
When most people think about Australia’s growing infrastructure needs, the majority tend to imagine Sydney and Melbourne – the country’s largest urban areas. However, it is important not to forget about other major centres, such as Perth, that are also expanding at rapid pace.
According to the Australia Bureau of Statistics, Greater Perth’s population stood at 2.03 million in 2015 – up 1.6 per cent or 31,100 over the previous 12 months. The Western Australian capital has a flourishing middle class and, with the state’s economy looking strong, improving the infrastructure is the logical next step.
Forrestfield-Airport Link (FAL)
The FAL will open up greater Perth for all forms of transport.
In early November, construction started on the much-anticipated FAL – a new rail corridor that will connect Perth’s CBD, the expanding eastern suburbs and the city’s airport. The 8.5-kilometre rail line will create around 2,000 jobs during construction, with the costs split between the Western Australian and federal governments.
Premier Colin Barnett explained some of the benefits of this new project.
“The FAL will provide a much-needed 20-minute public transport link between Perth’s CBD and the eastern suburbs, and importantly will service future projected growth of residential and business developments planned along the rail route,” he said.
“The link will not only benefit people living in the new rail corridor, but will serve airport passengers and tourists alike and will leave a great first impression for visitors to Perth.”
One of the real highlights of the FAL is that a portion of it will be underground tunnels – connecting heavily congested and densely populated areas. While preliminary works are now underway near Forrestfield, it will be a couple of months before key utilities are moved and the entry points to the rail tunnels are established.
In fact, this should occur around mid-2017, when Western Australia will welcome two tunnel boring machines from Germany. The twin TBMs will drill to 26 metres below the surface (under the Swan River), with a average depth of around 15 metres. As such, innovative tunnel practices will be required.
Bluey Technologies – experts in tunnelling
As one of the most experienced tunnelling businesses in the Asia-Pacific region, it makes sense to work with the team at Bluey Technologies. Here are just a snapshot of the benefits to our tunnel support services.
Employees for the project
Co-ordinate deliveries and stock
Quality assurance paperwork
Site testing of bolts
Whether your project is located in Perth, Sydney or Auckland, we can provide the products and support to get the job done right. For more informaiton, get in touch with us today.
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Credit Card Offers > Credit Card News > Credit Card Rewards > Pharrell Williams Takes Over As Creative Director Of Amex
Pharrell Williams Takes Over As Creative Director Of Amex
Updated: January 18th, 2017
If you know the hit song “Happy,” you may be surprised to hear that the singer of that song, Pharrell Williams, is now working for American Express.
The company has hired Williams to serve as Creative Director of the American Express Platinum card. Williams will “inspire and guide” development of global experiences and services provided by the Platinum card.
American Express is renowned for their extensive rewards program, which offers everything from Membership Rewards points that can be redeemed for flights and hotel stays, to round-the-clock concierge service that is available to assist cardholders with travel itineraries, personal shopping services, and more.
The Platinum card is one of the most exclusive credit cards on the market, and provides some of the most valuable cardholder rewards. The annual fee for the card is $450 – a fee that cardmembers seem to feel is well worth paying.
Travel, imagination, and discovery are key elements of new position
Janey Whiteside, a senior vice president at American Express, said Williams is the person for this job because “he’s traveled the globe, he has an amazing imagination, and he loves to discover and share new experiences.”
For his part, “I’m excited to be partnering with such a globally respected brand as American Express to inspire new innovative and creative premium experiences and work together to enhance the future of the Platinum card,” said Williams.
Popular concert series is an American Express tradition
Besides offering an extensive and valuable rewards program, American Express puts on numerous events each year that are enjoyed by cardholders and non cardholders alike, such as their “Unstaged” concert series, which partners a well known director with a performer for an exclusive concert experience. Past pairings include Pharrell Williams and Spike Lee, Steve Buscemi and Vampire Weekend, The Killers and Werner Hertzog, and Duran Duran and David Lynch.
Other benefits of the American Express Platinum card include the 40,000 Membership points signup bonus that cardholders get when they spend $3,000 on the card in their first three months of membership. Points can be used toward travel, merchandise, dining, and more.
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Pragmatic Sanction of King Ferdinand VII
Home Politics, Law & Government Law, Crime & Punishment
Spanish history
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pragmatic-Sanction-of-King-Ferdinand-VII
Pragmatic Sanction of King Ferdinand VII, (March 29, 1830), decree of Ferdinand VII of Spain, which promulgated his predecessor Charles IV’s unpublished decision of 1789 revoking the Salic law of succession, which had denied royal succession to females. The Pragmatic Sanction was intended to permit his unborn child to succeed to the throne, even if it were female.
Ferdinand, still childless on the death of his third wife, María Josefa Amalia, in 1829, married María Cristina I of the Two Sicilies in that year and, in so doing, threatened the mounting hopes of his brother Don Carlos regarding the succession. The birth of a daughter, Isabella, in October 1830 greatly complicated the issue. By the ancient law of Castile and Leon women could rule in their own right. This right had, however, been abrogated by an act of 1713 designed to prevent any union of the crowns of Spain and France; and, although Charles IV had restored the former position in 1789, his enactment had never before been published, and its validity was now hotly disputed. Hence the birth of Carlism, the movement by which the supporters of Don Carlos and his heirs were known, which was for more than half a century to be a disrupting factor in the history of Spain. When, on Sept. 29, 1833, Ferdinand died, his daughter was proclaimed queen as Isabella II. The First Carlist War (1833–39) broke out almost immediately.
…by Ferdinand VII of the Pragmatic Sanction (1830), revoking the Salic Law (code of the Salian Franks), which prohibited female heirs from succeeding to the throne. Pop. (2007 est.) mun., 5,506.…
Ferdinand VII
Ferdinand VII, king of Spain in 1808 and from 1814 to 1833. Between 1808 and 1813, during the Napoleonic Wars, Ferdinand was imprisoned in France by Napoleon.…
Charles IV, king of Spain (1788–1808) during the turbulent period of the French Revolution, who succeeded his father Charles III. Lacking…
Edict of Milan
Pragmatic Sanction of Emperor Charles VI
Night and Fog Decree
Carlsbad Decrees
Book of Sports
Milan Decree
Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges
Edict of Toleration
Charter to the Gentry
Ventôse Decrees
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Black Identity
by Thomas Sowell | Feb 7, 2020 | Racism
Multiculturalism today celebrates all cultures but it is the poor who ultimately pay the price of that celebration in stunted development, missed opportunities and blighted lives.
Black identity has become a hot item in the movies, on television, and in the schools and colleges. But few people are aware of how much of what passes as black identity today, including “black English,” has its roots in the history of those whites who were called “rednecks” and “crackers” centuries ago in Britain, before they ever crossed the Atlantic and settled in the South.
Saying “acrost” for “across” or “ax” for “ask” are today considered to be part of black English. But this way of talking was common centuries ago in those regions of Britain from which white Southerners came. They brought with them more than their own dialect. They brought a whole way of life that made antebellum white Southerners very different from white Northerners.
Violence was far more common in the South — and in those parts of Britain from which Southerners came. So was illegitimacy, lively music and dance, and a style of religious oratory marked by strident rhetoric, unbridled emotions, and flamboyant imagery. All of this would become part of the cultural legacy of blacks, who lived for centuries in the midst of the redneck culture of the South.
That culture was as notable for what it did not have as for what it had. It did not emphasize education, for example, or intellectual interests in general.
Illiteracy was far more common among whites in the antebellum South than among whites in the North, and of course the blacks held in bondage in the South were virtually all illiterate. On into the early 20th century, Southern whites scored lower on mental tests than whites in other parts of the country, as blacks continued to do.
Many aspects of Southern life that some observers have attributed to race or racism, or to slavery, were common to Southern blacks and whites alike — and were common in those parts of Britain from which Southern whites came, where there were no slaves and where most people had never seen anyone black.
Most Southern blacks and whites moved away from that redneck culture over the generations, as its consequences proved to be counterproductive or even disastrous. But it survives today among the poorest and least educated ghetto blacks.
This is a much bigger story than can fit into a newspaper column, which is why I wrote my book, “Black Rednecks and White Liberals.”
White liberals come into this story because, since the 1960s, they have been aiding and abetting a counterproductive ghetto lifestyle that is essentially a remnant of the redneck culture which handicapped Southern whites and blacks alike for generations.
Many among the intelligentsia portray the black redneck culture today as the only “authentic” black culture and even glamorize it. They denounce any criticism of the ghetto lifestyle or any attempt to change it.
Teachers are not supposed to correct black youngsters who speak “black English” and no one is supposed to be judgmental about the whole lifestyle of black rednecks. In that culture, belligerence is considered being manly and crudity is considered cool, while being civilized is regarded as “acting white.”
These are devastating, self-imposed handicaps that prevent many young ghetto blacks from getting a decent education or an opportunity to rise to higher levels.
No one today would dare to do what Northern missionaries did after the Civil War, set up schools for newly freed black children in the South with the explicit purpose of removing them from the redneck culture that was holding back both races there.
A wholly disproportionate number of future black leaders and pioneers in many fields came out of the relatively few and small enclaves of Northern culture deliberately planted in the post-Civil War South. What they did worked and what the multiculturalists are doing today repeatedly fails.
But results are no longer the test. The test is whether what you say makes you feel good as someone who is a “friend” of blacks. But friends like that can do more damage than enemies.
This post originally appeared in Capitalism Magazine in May 2005.
The Meaning Behind Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech
Thinking About Discrimination and Prejudice
TMZ to Elder on ‘Systemic’ Racism: You’re Using Facts; I’m Using Humanity
Reason and Individualism: The Antidote to Racism
‘Blackfishing’ and Racial Deception
Breonna Taylor Case: Black Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron Called ‘Sellout,’ Compared to Slavemaster
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the NBA, the NFL and the Sciences
The ‘Diversity’ Fraud
Institutional Racism in America’s Universities
“Anti-Racist” Racists
Thomas Sowell has published a large volume of writing. His dozen books, as well as numerous articles and essays, cover a wide range of topics, from classic economic theory to judicial activism, from civil rights to choosing the right college. Please contact your local newspaper editor if you want to read the THOMAS SOWELL column in your hometown paper.
On Martin Luther King Day–and every day–we should focus on the antidote to racism and alternative to racial thinking: individualism.
Some of the confusion in thinking about matters of race stems from the ambiguity in the terms that we use. I am going to take a stab at suggesting operational definitions for a couple terms in our discussion of race.
“Facts don’t stop being facts if you are Black — and you are wrong.”
← The Worst Enemy of Black People According to Malcolm X Manipulation Through Racial Hoaxes →
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IP EXPO Europe returns with an eye on AI and Security
London - 26 July 2017
Six themes under one roof, co-located with Cyber Security Europe and new MACHINA Summit.AI
Europe’s number one enterprise IT event, IP EXPO Europe, has announced its 2017 showcase to help organisations and individuals looking to innovate and evolve through technology. Now in its 12th year, the event will take place on 4-5 October 2017 at ExCeL London and brings together some of the biggest names, in their respective fields, to tackle the technological issues facing organisations right now.
With six themes under one roof and unrivalled access to experts and technology innovators, IP EXPO Europe 2017 will be co-located with Cyber Security Europe and MACHINA Summit.AI, a new event focusing on AI, IoT and Analytics. This industry leading event is expected to attract a broad audience of enterprise IT professionals and enthusiasts to discuss how to evolve their businesses for a digital future and network with likeminded professionals. This means CTOs, IT directors, technology specialists and business leaders will be able to get a detailed and accurate overview of how the latest game-changing technologies can help develop their businesses into organisations of the future – from digital transformation and data to AI and security.
Bradley Maule-ffinch, EMEA Portfolio Director at IP EXPO Europe, comments: “This year’s IP EXPO Europe is going to be bigger and better than ever. With technology evolving at such a rapid rate, it’s fantastic to bring together the most innovative themes and industry leading experts to discuss the current realities as well as the future possibilities that these technologies offer.
We hope that this year’s keynote and seminar programme enables attendees to take away ideas of what they can bring to their own businesses now and in the future. Whether it be implementing a new cyber security policy, looking at future-proofing their technology, or getting a better understanding of how to use technology to transform their business, the exhibitors and seminar programme are designed to educate and assist. With the addition of Cyber Security Europe and the inaugural MACHINA Summit.AI, attendees will be able to truly get a full picture of what’s possible now and in the future.”
Attendees at this year’s event will have the opportunity to hear from a range of world class influential speakers over the two-day event, focusing on the six themes of Cloud, Cyber Security, Networks & Infrastructure, DevOps, Open Source, and AI, Analytics & IoT. The first to be announced include:
• Brad Anderson, Corp. VP Enterprise Mobility at Microsoft, who’ll cover the next evolution in mobility
• Stuart Russell, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at UC-Berkeley, on the use of AI, its long-term future and its relation to humanity.
• Comedian Bennett Aaron, who’ll discuss what it’s really like to have your identity stolen
• Garry Kasparov, Security Ambassador for Avast and former chess world champion, who’ll delve into what it’s like to face off against AI
• The people hacker, Jenny Radcliffe, who’ll be carrying out a live social engineering hack during the two-day event
Also lined up for this year’s show is a cyber security session to top all others, as James Lyne, Global Head of Security Research at Sophos, Rik Ferguson, Global VP Security Research at Trend Micro, and Mikko Hypponen, Chief Research Officer at F-Secure, debate the biggest cyber security issues of the moment in a panel chaired by Duo’s Principal Security Strategist, Wendy Nather.
For further information and to register free for IP EXPO Europe 2017, please visit: http://bit.ly/2uQ5Fjq. Get involved on Twitter using by following @IPEXPO
IP EXPO Europe is Europe’s number one enterprise IT event, designed for those looking to find out how the latest IT innovations can drive business growth and competitiveness. Now in its 12th year, the event showcases brand new, exclusive content and senior-level insights from across the industry, as well as unveiling the latest developments in IT. It covers everything you need to run a successful enterprise or organisation.
IP EXPO Europe 2017 latest theme is Analytics, AI & IoT, joining the existing Cloud, Cyber Security, Networks and Infrastructure, DevOps and Open Source – incorporating six events under one roof making it the most comprehensive business-enhancing experience for those across IT, industry, finance and facilities roles.
Infrastructure | Treasury Management Systems | Marketing / PR
What are the key learnings for banks from 2020?
More Marketing / PR Company Announcements
Shanghai Pudong Development Bank develops cutting-edge treasury services in Hong Kong
Brand Evolution: Murex Adopts New Logo
Puerto Rico Federal Credit Union selects Finastra to power its members’ digital banking experience
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Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (9 October 1835 – 16 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor, and pianist of the Romantic era. He is known especially for The Carnival of the Animals, Danse macabre, Samson and Delilah (Opera) , Piano Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto No. 1, Havanaise, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, and his Symphony No. 3 (Organ Symphony).
Saint-Saëns was born in Paris, France, on 9 October 1835. His father, a government clerk, died three months after his birth. He was raised by his mother, Clémence, with the assistance of her aunt, Charlotte Masson, who moved in. Masson introduced Saint-Saëns to the piano, and began giving him lessons on the instrument. At about this time, age two, Saint-Saëns was found to possess perfect pitch. His first composition, a little piece for the piano dated 22 March 1839, is now kept in the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Saint-Saëns's precocity was not limited to music. He learned to read and write by age 3, and had some mastery of Latin by the age of seven. His first public concert appearance occurred when he was five years old, when he accompanied a Beethoven violin sonata. He went on to begin in-depth study of the full score of Don Giovanni. In 1842, Saint-Saëns began piano lessons with Camille-Marie Stamaty, a pupil of Friedrich Kalkbrenner, who had his students play the piano while resting their forearms on a bar situated in front of the keyboard, so that all the pianist's power came from the hands and fingers but not the arms. At ten years of age, Saint-Saëns gave his debut public recital at the Salle Pleyel, with a performance of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 15 in B-flat major (K. 450), and various pieces by Handel, Kalkbrenner, Hummel, and Bach. As an encore, Saint-Saëns offered to play any of Beethoven's 32 piano sonatas from memory. Word of this incredible concert spread across Europe, and as far as the United States with an article in a Boston newspaper.
In the late 1840s, Saint-Saëns entered the Conservatoire de Paris, where he studied organ and composition, the latter under Fromental Halévy. Saint-Saëns won many top prizes and gained a reputation that resulted in his introduction to Franz Liszt, who would become one of his closest friends. At the age of sixteen, Saint-Saëns wrote his first symphony; his second, published as Symphony No. 1 in E-flat major, was performed in 1853 to the astonishment of many critics and fellow composers. Hector Berlioz, who also became a good friend, famously remarked, Il sait tout, mais il manque d'inexpérience ("He knows everything, but lacks inexperience").
For income, Saint-Saëns played the organ at various churches in Paris, with his first appointment being at the Saint-Merri in the Beaubourg area. In 1857, he replaced Lefébure-Wely at the eminent position of organist at the Église de la Madeleine, which he kept until 1877. His weekly improvisations stunned the Parisian public and earned Liszt's 1866 observation that Saint-Saëns was the greatest organist in the world. He also composed a famous piece called Danse Macabre at this time.
From 1861 to 1865, Saint-Saëns held his only teaching position as professor of piano at the École Niedermeyer, where he raised eyebrows by including contemporary music—Liszt, Gounod, Schumann, Berlioz, and Wagner—along with the school's otherwise conservative curriculum of Bach and Mozart. His most successful students at the Niedermeyer were André Messager and Gabriel Fauré, who was Saint-Saëns's favourite pupil and soon his closest friend.
Saint-Saëns was a multi-faceted intellectual. From an early age, he studied geology, archaeology, botany, and lepidoptery. He was an expert at mathematics. Later, in addition to composing, performing, and writing musical criticism, he held discussions with Europe's finest scientists and wrote scholarly articles on acoustics, occult sciences, Roman theatre decoration, and ancient instruments. He wrote a philosophical work, Problèmes et mystères, which spoke of science and art replacing religion; Saint-Saëns's pessimistic and atheistic ideas foreshadowed Existentialism. Other literary achievements included Rimes familières, a volume of poetry, and La crampe des écrivains, a successful farcical play. He was also a member of the Astronomical Society of France; he gave lectures on mirages, had a telescope made to his own specifications, and even planned concerts to correspond to astronomical events such as solar eclipses.
In 1870, the Franco-Prussian War, despite being over in barely six months, left an indelible mark on the composer. He was relieved from fighting duty as one of the favourites of a relative of emperor Napoleon III, but fled nonetheless to London for several months when the Paris Commune broke out in the besieged Paris of winter 1871, his fame and societal status posing a threat to his survival. In the same year, he co-founded with Romain Bussine the Société Nationale de Musique in order to promote a new and specifically French music. After the fall of the Paris Commune, the Society premiered works by members such as Fauré, César Franck, Édouard Lalo, and Saint-Saëns himself, who served as the society's co-president. In this way, Saint-Saëns became a powerful figure in shaping the future of French music.
In 1875, nearing forty, Saint-Saëns married Marie Laure Emile Truffot, who was just 19. They had two sons, both of whom died in 1878, within six weeks of each other, one from an illness, the other upon falling out of a fourth-story window (as the composer, approaching his house, watched). For the later death Saint-Saëns blamed his wife, and when they went on vacation together in 1881 he simply disappeared one day. A separation order was enacted, but they never divorced.
From 1877 to 1889, he lived at 14, rue Monsieur-le-Prince, and the apartment house is marked by a plaque.
In 1886 Saint-Saëns produced two of his most renowned compositions: The Carnival of the Animals and Symphony No. 3, dedicated to Franz Liszt, who died that year. That same year, however, Vincent d'Indy and his allies had Saint-Saëns removed from the Société Nationale de Musique. Two years later, Saint-Saëns's mother died, driving the mourning composer away from France to the Canary Islands under the alias "Sannois". Over the next several years he travelled around the world, visiting exotic locations in Europe, North Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America. Saint-Saëns chronicled his travels in many popular books using his nom de plume, Sannois. (What is little known today is the fact that the composer also wrote poems and published them in a collection called Rimes familieres in 1890. Probably the finest poem by Saint-Saens is "La Libellule" ["The Dragonfly"].)
In 1908, he had the distinction of being the first celebrated composer to write a musical score to a motion picture, The Assassination of the Duke of Guise (L'assassinat du duc de Guise), directed by Charles Le Bargy and André Calmettes, adapted by Henri Lavedan, featuring actors of the Comédie Française. It was 18 minutes long, a considerable run time for the day.
In 1915, Saint-Saëns traveled to San Francisco and guest conducted the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra during the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, one of two world's fairs celebrating the completion of the Panama Canal.
Saint-Saëns continued to write on musical, scientific and historical topics, travelling frequently before spending his last years in Algiers. Saint-Saens was made a Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur in 1868; and eventually, in 1913, he attained France's highest award, the Grand-Croix de la Legion d'honneur. A street in Paris and in Marseilles is named in his honor.
Saint-Saëns died of pneumonia on 16 December 1921 at the Hôtel de l'Oasis in Algiers. His body was repatriated to Paris, honoured by state funeral at La Madeleine, and interred at Cimetière du Montparnasse in Paris.
aint-Saëns's early start and his long life provided him with time to write hundreds of compositions; during his career, he wrote many dramatic works, including four symphonic poems, and thirteen operas, of which Samson et Dalila and the symphonic poem Danse macabre are among his most famous. In all, he composed over 300 works and was the first major composer to write music specifically for the cinema, for Henri Lavedan's film The Assassination of the Duke of Guise (Op. 128, 1908).
Saint-Saëns wrote five symphonies, although only three of these are numbered. He withdrew the first, written for a Mozartian-scale orchestra, and the third, a competition piece. His symphonies are a significant contribution to the genre during a period when the French symphonic tradition was otherwise in decline. Saint-Saëns also contributed voluminously to the French concertante literature; he wrote five piano concertos, three violin concertos, two cello concertos, and about twenty smaller concertante works for soloist and orchestra, including a colorfully orchestrated piano fantasy, Africa; the Havanaise and the Introduction and Rondo capriccioso for violin and orchestra; and the Morceau de concert for harp and orchestra. Of the concertos, the Second Piano Concerto is one of the most popular of virtuoso piano concertos, and the Third Violin Concerto and First Cello Concerto also remain popular.
In 1886, he wrote his final symphony, the Symphony No. 3, avec orgue (with organ), one of his best-known works. A motif from the third became the inspiration for the 1978 song If I Had Words by Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley. Aided by the monumental symphonic organs built in France by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, at that time the world's foremost organ builder, this work demonstrates the spirit of "gigantism" and the confidence of France in the Belle Époque at the end of the 19th century, a period that produced the Eiffel Tower and the Universal Exposition at Paris. The confident Maestoso fourth movement perhaps reflects the confidence of Europe in its technology, its science, its "age of reason". He was frequently named as "the most German of all the French composers", perhaps due to his use of counterpoint.
Also in 1886, Saint-Saëns completed The Carnival of the Animals, which was first performed privately on 9 March. In contrast with the work's later popularity, Saint-Saëns forbade complete performances of it shortly after its première, allowing only one movement, Le cygne (The Swan) for cello and two pianos, to be published in his lifetime. Carnival was written as a musical jest, and Saint-Saëns believed it would damage his reputation as a serious composer. In fact, since its posthumous publication, this work's imagination and musical brilliance have impressed listeners and critics. In 1950, poet Ogden Nash wrote verses to introduce the various movements and these have sometimes been used in concerts and recordings of the music.
Saint-Saëns also wrote wrote a number of solo organ works including six preludes and fugues for organ, three in Op. 99 and three in Op. 109, of which Op. 99, no. 3 in E flat major is most often performed.
The opera Hélène was composed by Saint-Saëns for the great Australian soprano, Dame Nellie Melba, in 1904. Unstaged after its premiere in Monaco, it was performed in the soprano's home city (Melbourne) during January 2008.
One of Saint-Saëns's symphonic poems, Le rouet d'Omphale, Op. 31, became famous to a new generation of listeners beginning in 1937 through its use of the ominous middle section of it as the theme to the long-running radio program, The Shadow.
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Sleepover – Alastair Reynolds
Sixty-year old Gaunt, a billionaire in his previous life, is woken up from the hibernation he entered in order to sleep his way to a future where medical technology would have evolved towards clinical immortaliy. But the future is not what he expected. He finds himself on a massive platform in the Southern Atlantic Ocean, as part of a caretaker crew for billions of sleeping humans.
This short story started as notes for a novel, and has a very interesting premise. As post-apocalyptic scenarios go, it is certainly one of the most original I have read. Mr. Reynolds’s masterful prose makes the whole thing flow smoothly.
The One: A Cruise Through the Solar System – Eric Klein
BJ is an IT troubleshooter in New York City. After a job well done, he receives a raffle ticket and wins the grand prize of a cruise through the solar system. On board, he soon meets the captain’s daughter Faye and the pair take a liking to each other. They are inseparable through adventures and misadventures on various planets and moons.
Most of this novel reads like a combination of travelogue and brochure. There is not much action beyond the tours that the protagonist and his inconceivably compatible-at-first-sight girlfriend take. Not-so-subtle hints of conspiracy are dropped and near the end of the story, an unlikely plot is hatched by nefarious elements. The whole thing is cute, the characters likeable, but it is altogether too banal; the homage to Heinlein, in particular, The Number of the Beast, and the 1933 version of King Kong too contrived.
After the predictable conclusion, one-fifth of the text is dedicated to appendices, including (seemingly) every bit of background the author researched or created about the cruise ship, the science, the political topology, and various other bits. This section detracts greatly from the text itself and gives a self-serving impression, as if the author felt the need to show off his own cleverness instead of letting the story speak for itself.
The Three-Body Problem (Remembrance of Earth’s Past I) – Cixin Liu
The Three-Body Problem takes place in the People’s Republic of China, mainly in the present day. However, the story is rooted in events that took place during the Cultural Revolution. In that troubled time, a young physics student named Ye sees her father, a professor of physics, killed by revolutionaries as a result of a struggle session. She is then sent to the country to work as a logger, before eventually ending up at a mysterious radio facility known as “Red Coast”.
In the present, a Nanotechnology expert called Wang is drawn into a web of intrigue surrounding a mysterious group called Frontiers of Science, made up of scientists with an initially unclear goal. He also starts playing a virtual reality game called “Three-Body Problem”, which deals with a planet where the sun has an irregular and unpredictable cycle, leading to great difficulties for the civilizations that rise and fall on it, as they have to deal with eras of extreme heat and extreme cold with no forewarning.
The story is somewhat interesting as long as the mystery is unveiling, but once things are laid out it is rather predictable. Having the protagonist, Wang, fumbling in the dark makes for a decent mystery, but once the much higher real stakes are revealed, his methodical discovery feels tedious.
The prose is filled with long infodumps. Every now and then some backstory must perforce be presented, but even the more interesting infodumps are intrusive on the pacing, and slow things down overmuch.
There is a tendency for Mr. Liu to take a somewhat condescending tone, presenting fictional constructs as facts with explanatory statements including words like “obviously”. If such “facts” came from a character, things would feel different, but this way it makes for a heavy-handed omniscient narration, which doesn’t fit well with Wang’s cluelessness. Eventually finding out that Ye has been “in the know” from the beginning does not make things better. (Granted, some of this feeling may be due to the clearly different literary style found in Chinese tradition.)
Rather disappointingly, I felt as if the novel took an inventive and very clever premise and then squandered it on a rather boring plot with an unspectacular outcome.
Note: I read the excellent English translation from Mandarin Chinese.
Tales of Time and Space – Allen Steele
A collection of short stories, with several set in Allen Steele‘s Coyote, Near Space and Chronospace universes.
Fans of Mr. Steele will enjoy this collection. The stories vary dramatically in tone and theme, but the quality is characteristically solid. The author’s affection for American mid-20th Century culture helps bring colour to the collection, and a hint of nostalgia.
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Famous Birthdays Today, United States
Bradley Joseph, Date of Birth, Place of Birth
Bradley Joseph
Composer, pianist, keyboardist, arranger, producer, recording artist
Date of Birth: 02-Sep-1965
Place of Birth: Bird Island, Minnesota, United States
Profession: composer, pianist, songwriter, music director, jazz musician
Zodiac Sign: Virgo
bradleyjosephmusic
Show Famous Birthdays Today, United States
About Bradley Joseph
Bradley Joseph (born 1965) is an American composer, arranger, and producer of contemporary instrumental music.
His compositions include works for orchestra, quartet, and solo piano, while his musical style ranges from "quietly pensive mood music to a rich orchestration of classical depth and breadth".Active since 1983, Joseph has performed in front of millions of people around the world.
He played various instruments in rock bands throughout the Midwest until 1989 when Greek composer Yanni hired him for his core band after hearing a tape of his original compositions.
He was a featured concert keyboardist with Yanni through six major tours, most recently in 2003 for the 60-city Ethnicity tour.
He appears in the multi-platinum album and concert film, Live at the Acropolis.
Joseph also spent five years as musical director and lead keyboardist for Sheena Easton, including a 1995 performance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Joseph is the founder of the Robbins Island Music label.
His solo career began when he independently released Hear the Masses, featuring many of his Yanni bandmates.
This debut was followed by Rapture, an instrumental album recorded with a 50-piece orchestra in which Joseph wrote and conducted all of the scores.
It was released on the Narada label and reached ZMR Airwaves Top 30.
A number of subsequent recordings including Christmas Around the World and One Deep Breath also held positions on ZMR's Top 100 radio chart, with the most recent being Paint the Sky which debuted at #15 in April 2013.
Paint the Sky was nominated for Best Neo-Classical Album in the 10th annual ZMR Music Awards.
He has produced numerous CDs/DVDs and piano books.
His music is included in multiple various-artist compilation albums including the 2008 release of The Weather Channel Presents: Smooth Jazz II.
Famous People's Birthdays on 02 September, United States
Famous People's Birthdays in September, United States
Famous composer's Birthdays on 02 September, United States
Famous composer's Birthdays in September, United States
Famous pianist's Birthdays on 02 September, United States
Famous pianist's Birthdays in September, United States
Famous songwriter's Birthdays on 02 September, United States
Famous songwriter's Birthdays in September, United States
Famous music director's Birthdays on 02 September, United States
Famous music director's Birthdays in September, United States
Famous jazz musician's Birthdays on 02 September, United States
Famous jazz musician's Birthdays in September, United States
Author: Portrait Photography: Jeff Dunn, permission granted courtesy of www.bradleyjoseph.com
Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons.
License: CC-BY-SA-3.0-migrated
GFDL
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Theresa May fails to give clarity on Snoopers’ Charter surveillance
ECHR workplace privacy ruling: How it affects BYOD and COPE
UK AI healthcare startup scores largest series A funding in Europe
News: babylon plans to extend its digital health mobile app beyond the current 250k British users.
The UK’s digital healthcare scene has seen its second multi-million pound startup funding this year alone.
London based artificial intelligence (AI) health service provider babylon has secured $25 million (approximately £17.4 million as of January 14), to develop what it calls "the world’s most advanced digital platform in healthcare".
The amount received represents the largest series A investment in European digital health to date.
The financing was led by Investment AB Kinnevik, the Swedish listed entrepreneurial investment group that builds digital consumer brands. Other investors included the founders of BXR Group, DeepMind, the British AI company acquired by Google for $500 million in 2014, Innocent Drinks, and Hoxton Ventures.
With the raised money, babylon plans to deploy the latest gains in AI and data analytics in its platform and expand its reach from today’s 250,000 UK users.
The start-up’s platform will utilise machine learning to analyse genetics, environment, behaviour and biology, in addition to key body functions to ensure users are staying healthy and provide real time personalised health advice as and when needed.
The company wants to place immediate, comprehensive and affordable healthcare "into the hands of everyone" and deliver preventative healthcare in addition to sick care.
Dr Ferdinando Rodriguez y Baena, senior member of the IEEE and reader in medical robotics at Imperial College, told CBR: "It appears that babylon may be well on its way to harvest this recent technological advances in the healthcare domain, which is wonderful news for the UK and Europe.
"Many of these opportunities are time critical and babylon’s early start may just be what will eventually allow them to lead the pack."
babylon’s healthcare platform is based on a mobile app that allows users to see a doctor or a therapist in real time, text medical questions, monitor their health, order tests and kits and access clinical records.
In addition, the app notifies patients when their prescriptions are ready with the user being able to select which pharmacy they want to collect their medicine from. For non-urgent medicine, the products can be delivered to patient’s homes.
Where medicine is prescribed, the platform will be able to monitor course completion and assess the effectiveness of the treatment, providing an end-to-end service. babylon plans to launch a full roll out of the service later this year.
Dr. Ali Parsa, CEO of Babylon told CBR: "Our mission is to democratise healthcare; to make better health accessible and affordable to everyone in the world. We only have so many doctors, so to achieve this we need to harness the power of artificial intelligence and real-time human data, in addition to medical expertise."
He also said that a very different model and means of delivery of healthcare is unfolding, and it should make the future of healthcare significantly better and accessible to all. "Artificial intelligence will make healthcare unrecognisable in the next ten years," Dr. Parsa said.
Several companies have partnered with babylon to offer its services to UK employees, including Citigroup, Sky, MasterCard, Mercer, Bupa and Aviva.
The startup is also at an early stage of partnering with the NHS to make its services available to the broader UK population.
babylon’s funding round follows last week’s PushDoctor, another British startup working in the digital health space, who raised $8.2 million (approx. £5.7 million) in its series A funding round to improve data analytics on its app-enabled video consultation with a doctor.
The AI healthcare market is expected to grow globally at a CAGR of 40% up to 2021, when it will be worth $6,662.2 billion, up from 2014’s $633.8 million, according to Frost & Sullivan.
Dr Baena said: "AI has picked up incredible momentum over the past few years, mostly thanks to the staggering computational improvements achievable via parallel computing methods powered by Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and access to the cloud."
He explained that these advancements enable massive computations on huge data to be performed remotely on powerful machines, before they are delivered to a mobile application. Examples of how AI is improving lives today are evident in, for instance, predictive searches and car navigation.
"Healthcare is the next obvious application area for this exciting new technology. With smart sensors mounted on your wrist, embedded in your phone, and even in your home, there is now access to a plethora of inputs which must somehow relate to an individual’s health.
"AI may offer an ideal tool to recognise complex patterns in this large dataset, with a view to predicting disease and keeping healthy," he said.
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CBR Staff Writer CBR Staff Writer 5th November 2020
“Calm Down, Dear” – Amazon’s New Wristband Will Tell You to Sound More Positive
Ed Targett Editor Ed Targett 27th August 2020
The Insecure IoT Device Free-for-All Needs to be Urgently Tackled
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TSN 4 re CFL on TSN (Winnipeg at Hamilton)
ENGLISH-LANGUAGE PANEL
CBSC Decision 15/16-1744
2017 CBSC 5
A. Noël (Chair), S. Crawford, V. Dubois, T. Kenney, T. Reeb, C. Scott, M. Ziniak
TSN 4 broadcast a Canadian Football League (CFL) game between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger-Cats during its CFL ON TSN broadcast of July 7, 2016 beginning at 7:00 pm Eastern Time. Microphones on or near the field picked up comments from the players, some of which included coarse language.
For example, at one point a group of players were on the sidelines looking at a tablet computer. One player was heard saying the word “fuckin’”. The announcer then said “Apologize for that live mic down there, if you’re offended by that. Live TV.” Later in the game a player was heard yelling “Hey man, call the fucking holding, man!” and another saying “Give me some fucking water!” The announcer made no comment after those two instances.
There were no advisories at any point during the broadcast.
The CBSC received a complaint dated July 8. The viewer identified three instances of coarse language that he had heard during the broadcast. He felt this language was inappropriate during this type of broadcast and wrote that the producer was showing “blatant disregard for decency and respect of the TV audience.” TSN replied to him on July 27, stating that “in no way does TSN condone the usage of profanity during its coverage of live events, [but] it remains impossible to anticipate that a player would use such profanity when standing adjacent to a live microphone. Consequently, our production team cannot immediately censor the content of these comments, as they are made during live television broadcasts.” In addition, TSN stated that they have reviewed the situation with the production team and the sports franchises, and made it clear that this type of language should be avoided. The complainant did not find this response satisfactory and requested a CBSC ruling. He suggested that TSN did not indicate how it would alter its broadcast to prevent this from happening again and did not even acknowledge that its own announcer felt the need to apologize. He also questioned whether the station truly “cannot” censor or simply will not do so. (The full text of all correspondence can be found in the Appendix.)
The English-Language Panel examined the complaint under the following provisions of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ (CAB) Code of Ethics:
Clause 10 – Television Broadcasting (Scheduling)
a) Programming which contains sexually explicit material or coarse or offensive language intended for adult audiences shall not be telecast before the late viewing period, defined as 9 pm to 6 am. [...]
Clause 11 – Viewer Advisories
To assist consumers in making their viewing choices, when programming includes mature subject matter or scenes with nudity, sexually explicit material, coarse or offensive language, or other material susceptible of offending viewers, broadcasters shall provide a viewer advisory
a) at the beginning of, and after every commercial break during the first hour of programming telecast in late viewing hours which contains such material which is intended for adult audiences, or
b) at the beginning of, and after every commercial break during programming telecast outside of late viewing hours which contains such material which is not suitable for children.
The Panel Adjudicators read all of the correspondence and viewed a recording of the challenged broadcast. The Panel concludes that TSN 4 is in violation of both the aforementioned clauses for broadcasting coarse language in a program beginning before 9:00 pm and for failing to provide any viewer advisories.
Coarse Language during Live Events
At the outset, the Panel observes that much of the coarse language picked up by live microphones in the broadcast was difficult to hear. Further they acknowledge that in one instance, an announcer immediately apologized for the language.
In addition, the Panel recognizes that broadcasters are always striving to improve the viewer experience. In 2016, new methods have evolved to allow broadcasters to bring viewers closer than ever to the action in sports broadcasts with the use of a variety of technologies including on-field microphones. Such advances clearly add value for viewers, but unfortunately have the unintended result that viewers may occasionally be exposed to coarse language.
The CBSC has maintained a policy regarding the broadcast of the f-word on television and has determined it to be unacceptable outside of the Watershed period (defined as 9:00 pm to 6:00 am).[1]
The rules that are in place were set by broadcasters to create a safe haven within which viewers are entitled to expect programming that does not contain “adult” content including very coarse language and that is preceded by an advisory where content is of a more mature nature. There is clearly a disconnect between the rules as they currently exist, and the coarse language that was picked up by live mics during the broadcast in question.
The Panel adopts the following as set out in CP24 re 30th Annual Pride Parade:
[The] Panel sees no reason to question the long-applied principle of ensuring a “safe haven” for audiences uncomfortable with the use of coarse or offensive language on broadcasts outside of later evening hours. It considers that the policy relating to the broadcast of such language applied by the CBSC strikes an appropriate equilibrium between freedom of expression and respect for the values of those viewers (or listeners) concerned by such content.[2]
However, in some recent decisions, where the CBSC has been faced with live events that veered unexpectedly into content that would normally require a post-9:00 pm scheduling, the rules have been slightly and narrowly modified. In Pride Parade, there were three instances of the f-word in a 2:00 pm live broadcast of a parade. In each case the reporter pulled the microphone away and commented that the language was inappropriate. In that case the Panel found no breach noting that it was a live broadcast, that the language was unexpected, that reporters had asked interviewees to be careful with language, that the coarse language was infrequent and that reporters immediately disavowed it.
In CP24 re an interview with Mike Tyson, an afternoon live interview with a famous boxer suddenly and unexpectedly saw the boxer begin repeatedly to use coarse language. Although the broadcast was found in breach of Clause 10 of the CAB Code of Ethics, the Panel likely would not have found a breach had the interview been ended after the first instance. The Panel further found that there was no way to anticipate the coarse language and thus no advisory was required.[3]
In the broadcast in question, the Panel acknowledges that, similar to the above noted decisions, the event was live. However, it differed significantly in that the language could and should have been anticipated, there appears to have been no attempt to discourage such language, and there were not consistent acknowledgments and repudiations of the language by hosts or other announcers. The Panel concludes that TSN 4 is in violation of Clause 10 for broadcasting coarse language in a program beginning before 9:00 pm and Clause 11 for failing to provide any viewer advisories.
The Panel considers that it might be possible to evolve the approach taken by the CBSC to ensure that viewers have access to the best calibre content, while protecting those viewers who wish to avoid such language. Because of the unique nature of the live sports broadcast, the Panel considers that advisories are likely not possible after each commercial break. Further, the Panel recognizes that live sports are not generally considered by most people to be adults-only programming requiring advisories. However, given the goal of “ensuring a ‘safe haven’ for audiences uncomfortable with the use of coarse or offensive language” some efforts need to be made to reconcile the potential for adult content with the current rules.
The Panel considers that some steps might, in future, mitigate a similar breach. While any such future broadcast would of course have to be considered on its own merits with reference to the codes and previous decisions of the CBSC, some factors that might contribute to a different outcome could include: 1) simple advisories adverting to the potential for the unexpected in a live broadcast; 2) the immediate repudiation by a host of such language when it occurs; 3) efforts on the part of the broadcaster to sensitize players, other on-field personnel, and the sports leagues to avoid using coarse language. This list is not exhaustive. In past instances broadcasters have often crafted creative solutions to accomplish the aims of the codes
Broadcaster Responsiveness
In all CBSC decisions, the Panels assess the broadcaster’s response to the complainant. The broadcaster need not agree with the complainant’s position, but it must respond in a courteous, thoughtful and thorough manner. In this case, TSN 4 provided a reasonable reply to the complainant, outlining the station’s efforts to educate both production staff and the teams involved with respect to the problematic content. The broadcaster fulfilled its obligations of responsiveness and, subject to the announcement of this decision, nothing further is required in this regard in this instance.
Announcement of the Decision
TSN 4 is required to: 1) announce the decision, in the following terms, once during prime time within three days following the release of this decision and once more within seven days following the release of this decision during the time period in which CFL ON TSN was broadcast, but not on the same day as the first mandated announcement; 2) within the fourteen days following the broadcasts of the announcements, to provide written confirmation of the airing of the statement to the complainant who filed the Ruling Request; and 3) at that time, to provide the CBSC with a copy of that written confirmation and with air check copies of the broadcasts of the two announcements which must be made by TSN 4.
The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council has found that TSN 4 breached the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ Code of Ethics on July 7, 2016. TSN broadcast coarse language during a CFL football game at 7:00 pm without any viewer advisories. This is contrary to Clauses 10 and 11 of the code.
This decision is a public document upon its release by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council.
[1] CTV re a segment featuring Eminem at the Junos (CBSC Decision 02/03-1130, January 30, 2004); CTV re the Green Day performance during Live 8 (CBSC Decision 04/05-1753, January 20, 2006); Global re an episode of fatbluesky (CBSC Decision 05/06-1611, January 8, 2007); TSN re 2007 World Junior Hockey Championships (Interview) (CBSC Decision 06/07-0515, May 1, 2007); BBC Canada re The F-Word (CBSC Decision 08/09-1516, April 1, 2010); BITE TV re The Conventioneers (CBSC Decision 10/11-0627, July 12, 2011); Sportsnet Ontario re Party Poker Premier League Poker (CBSC Decision 14/15-0908, October 21, 2015).
[2] CP24 re 30th Annual Pride Parade (CBSC Decision 09/10-1834, February 11, 2011)
[3] CP24 re an interview with Mike Tyson (CBSC Decision 14/15-0071 & -0089, April 8, 2015)
The following complaint dated July 8, 2016 was sent to the CBSC:
Once again I find myself having to protest the obscene language which was allowed to be broadcast from open, and obviously unmonitored microphones not ONCE, not TWICE but THREE TIMES in the same game. The last time I complained the following details were requested by your office.
Station: TSN-HD, channel no. 730 on Cogeco.
Time of obscenity:
1. During 1st half of game during color commentary (video clip on sidelines with several Ti-Cats reviewing a play on a tablet) with Rod Black – it was so offensive that Rod apologized to viewers.
2. During 3rd quarter at approx. 8:10 by the play clock someone shouts “What about the f-----g holding?”
3. During 4th quarter at approx. 8:00 by the play clock someone shouts “Give me some f-----g water!”
Date of obscenity: Thursday, July 7, 2016
Like I said, the last time I complained this disgusting and abhorrent language has no place in my home or the homes of thousands of other fans. I hold the producer in contempt for such a blatant disregard for decency and respect of the TV audience.
I fully expect an apology and the assurance that a stern reprimand be delivered to the responsible parties.
P.S. Would you please acknowledge receipt of my complaint or direct me to the appropriate person if your responsibilities have changed.
The CBSC requested further information from the complainant who provided the following, also on July 8. He answered the CBSC’s questions within the body of its email; his responses are in red:
Please see my responses below:
Subject: (C15/16-1744) Your complaint concerning comments during CFL football
The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) has received your correspondence concerning comments during CFL football.
I have a couple questions in order for the CBSC to secure a copy of the logger files of the broadcast that concerned you:
1. Do you still live in [city], Ontario? YES
2. When you write 8:00 & 8:10, do you mean AM or PM? Neither, as I wrote in my previous email these are the readings on the game time clock.
3. Is channel 730 on Cogeco is TSN 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5? Or is it just an HD version of TSN 1? HD
Please note that broadcasters are only required to hold logger tapes of their programming for a period of 28 days following the broadcast. We have nevertheless forwarded your complaint to TSN's head office at Bell Media so that they can be aware of your new complaint, while we wait for more information from you.
The CBSC then asked the complainant to provide the time of the broadcast. The complainant responded:
The game started at 7:00 PM last night. Does that help?
Broadcaster Response
The broadcaster sent the following response on July 27:
Thank you for your letter, which we received through the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council.
I understand and appreciate your concerns regarding comments made by players during CFL ON TSN’s live coverage of the Winnipeg @ Hamilton game on July 7, 2016. Please allow me to take this opportunity to address your concerns.
In no way does TSN condone the usage of profanity during its coverage of live events, and these comments were no exception.
Unfortunately, it remains impossible to anticipate that a player would use such profanity when standing adjacent to a live microphone. Consequently, our production team cannot immediately censor the content of these comments, as they are made during live television broadcasts.
While the mandate of our live game coverage is to capture the excitement and intensity of the game, our senior management team has thoroughly reviewed the situation with our CFL ON TSN production team. We have made it very clear that our team must work diligently in an effort to prevent comments like these from making it into our live television broadcasts.
We have also raised your concerns with the franchises in question so that they are aware of the feedback we are receiving from their fans, and our viewers, watching at home.
TSN is very sensitive to these types of situations and certainly had no intention of offending our viewers. Please accept my sincere apology on behalf of the network. We hope this letter clarifies how seriously we take our programming and broadcast responsibilities.
TSN is a member in good standing of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council and follows the Council’s guidelines.
Thank you for taking the time to write to us with your concerns.
Additional Correspondence
On August 2, the complainant sent the following letter directly to the broadcaster:
Thank you for your response to my letter concerning obscenities uttered by players during the live coverage of the Winnipeg at Hamilton game on July 7, 2016.
It is somewhat comforting to know that TSN does not condone this deplorable language.
However, from this point on in your letter you make no attempt whatsoever to suggest altering your broadcast to eliminate the possibility of this offensive and vulgar language from entering the homes of fans across the nation.
You didn’t even acknowledge that one of your own commentators, Rod Black, felt the language was so offensive that he deemed it necessary to apologize to viewers.
[President], I doubt very much you would allow anyone to speak to your children or family members using this kind of language in your home without stopping the problem. Furthermore, I would love to hear from your sponsors as to their reaction to “our production team cannot immediately censor the content”. ‘Cannot’ [President], or WILL NOT??
I fail to see your mandate of capturing “the excitement and intensity of the game” as being dependent on foul, obscene language. Might I remind you that the NFL does not seem to have this problem and I watch as many NFL games as CFL games without having to put up with this – if the NFL can do it, why can’t you?
This is not the first time I have written about the exact same problem and yet it persists so I fail to understand how TSN can be a member in good standing of the CBSC.
On that same day, the complainant submitted his Ruling Request with the following comments:
[The President of TSN] responded by email – however, despite his defence that TSN does not condone obscene language in broadcast, absolutely no indication is given to eliminate the open microphones that allow the foul language to enter fans' homes. The remedy is called a "switch" and TSN clearly intimates it is unwilling to use it. This is NOT the first time I have complained and still the problem persists – this is unacceptable.
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Highlights from the City of Los Angeles Brownfields Program
Written by Johanna Roth, Program Associate and Erica Rippe, Programs and Opperations Manager
The City of Los Angeles Brownfields Program provides financial and technical assistance for the environmental investigation and remediation of brownfield sites. Brownfields are properties where reuse or redevelopment is complicated by the presence or potential presence of contaminants or pollutants. Oftentimes brownfields sit vacant and blighted, making their transformation crucial for community revitalization. The Program staff at the Los Angeles Brownfields Program has their work cut out for them, with the goal of removing barriers to redevelopment posed by brownfields.
The road to redevelopment is tough, but in 1998 Los Angeles was selected to be one of only 16 communities initially designated as Federal Brownfields Showcase Communities in recognition of its innovative approaches to brownfields development. The Los Angeles Brownfields Program staff works directly with property owners, community organizations and City agencies, and helps Los Angeles assess, clean up and revitalize brownfields sites. Since 1998, the Los Angeles Brownfields Program has received over $7 million in federal and state brownfields and related grants funding to conduct brownfield site assessments and cleanups. This has enabled the Los Angeles Brownfields Program to play a crucial role in the transformation of blighted sites into vibrant new commercial, residential or recreational spaces in various neighborhoods. You can learn more about the program on their website.
Currently, the Los Angeles Brownfields Program is working with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB / Water Board) and the California Department of Toxic Substances (DTSC) to support environmental assessments and cleanups at two vacant, underutilized sites in the City of Los Angeles. With assistance from the SWRCB and DTSC, the redevelopment of these sites will improve neighborhood safety, provide jobs and improve public health.
The two sites are summarized below.
Wilmington Industrial Park, Block 27
This site is located within a 232 acre industrial development in the Wilmington area of the City, known as the Wilmington Industrial Park (WIP). The WIP is comprised of a mix of privately owned industrial and some office structures, residential dwelling units, oil extraction equipment, salvage yards, streets and alleys. Revitalization efforts began in 1974, when WIP was designated a Redevelopment Area by the Los Angeles City Council, in efforts to reduce blight and create labor-intensive industries. Since then, the City’s coordination and clean-up has resulted in 33 new and expanding projects, 700,000 square feet of development, and $30 million in private investment.
The WIP was declared a Brownfields Demonstration Site by the Los Angeles City Council in July 2000 to recognize the collaboration among City departments and in addressing the large number of brownfields sites area. The WIP has both great potential for redevelopment and substantial barriers, including securing grant funding to complete clean up. The Los Angeles Brownfields Program is currently coordinating with multiple agencies to ensure that clean up happens in a timely manner. Redevelopment of this site has great potential as its planned commercial/ industrial uses could create new jobs. Additionally, it is well located, close to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach with easy access to three freeways and direct connections to rail lines.
The Wilmington Industrial Park Block 27 site consists of an approximately 1-acre vacant lot with no structures and was previously used by various industrial/commercial businesses including a marine salvage yard. This site was transferred to the City from the former Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA/LA). Past subsurface sampling activities revealed elevated levels of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and metals in soil and soil vapor. Utilizing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) grant funding, the Los Angeles Brownfields Program completed additional site investigations to characterize and delineate the existing petroleum contamination from previous industrial uses as well as completed a Removal Action Workplan (RAW) to prepare this site for cleanup.
The Los Angeles Brownfields Program team is working with the DTSC and Water Board to obtain additional grant funding to complete cleanup at this site. After remediation is complete, this site will be ready for commercial/industrial redevelopment.
Future Western Gage Gateway Park
The future Western Gage Gateway Park site is currently a vacant lot with no surface improvements located in a residential and commercial-retail area. This site is in the process of being transferred to the City from the former Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA/LA). Prior to the transfer of the lot, environmental assessments were conducted to determine historical uses and potential environmental concerns. Between the 1920s and late 1960s, the lot was occupied by various automobile repair facilities and vehicle fueling stations, which exposed the ground to various contaminants including VOCs, petroleum hydrocarbons and gasoline. Underground storage tanks (USTs) also were removed from this site in the 1950s and 1970s.
Previous subsurface sampling activities identified soil and groundwater contamination from 10-25 feet below ground surface. To complete additional subsurface investigations and cleanup, the Los Angeles Brownfields Program has secured grant funding from the Water Board. Once cleanup is complete, the City plans to redevelop this site as a community park with features including attractive landscaping, sidewalk repairs, architectural features, lights, and street trees.
If you have questions or would like to learn more about the City of Los Angeles Brownfields Program, please call 213-485-2260.
Bridging Brownfields, Bridging Communities Jan 15, 2021
Brownfields to Healthfields: Brownfields as Neighborhood Health Opportunities Jan 11, 2021
Vision to Action Case Study: Building Consensus Through Community Engagement Dec 13, 2020
EPA Brownfields Grants: The Votes Are In! Nov 18, 2020
California Land Recycling Conference Recap Oct 08, 2020
CCLR VIDEOS
Brownfields Resource Center
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October 2, 2004 | Part Of The Future of Neoconservatism
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
2004-10-02T15:59:30-04:00https://images.c-span.org/defaults/BookTV_default-image.jpgNew Yorker staff writer Malcolm Gladwell previews his next book, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, scheduled to be published in January by Little, Brown. Mr. Gladwell’s previous book was The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, from Little Brown. In his remarks he outlined the ideas in his new book, public perceptions of news and events, and the role of the news media. He also used the Diallo murder case in New York to illustrate his points. Following his comments he answered questions from the audience.
New Yorker staff writer Malcolm Gladwell previews his next book, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, scheduled to be published in… read more
New Yorker staff writer Malcolm Gladwell previews his next book, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, scheduled to be published in January by Little, Brown. Mr. Gladwell’s previous book was The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, from Little Brown. In his remarks he outlined the ideas in his new book, public perceptions of news and events, and the role of the news media. He also used the Diallo murder case in New York to illustrate his points. Following his comments he answered questions from the audience. close
Filter by Speaker All Speakers Henry Finder Malcolm Gladwell
Henry Finder Editorial Director New Yorker Magazine
Malcolm Gladwell Staff Writer New Yorker Magazine
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[New Yorker] Festival[New Yorker] Festival
Book Fairs and Festivals
The Future of Neoconservatism
Literature and Politics Panel
Oct 02, 2004 | 3:59pm EDT | C-SPAN 2
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See all on Festival Arts & Literature
The World on Sunday
Nicholson Baker was interviewed about a book he co-wrote, The World on Sunday: Graphic Art in Joseph Pulitzer’s…
The Swarthmore College/Mt. Holyoke alumni book group met to hear Professor Hopkins talk about Robert Penn Warren’s novel All…
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In his weekly radio address President Bush talked about the National Book Festival occurring today at the Library of…
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Roy Morris recalls Samuel Clemens transformation from an unemployed riverboat pilot in Mississippi into celebrated writer…
User Clip: Malcolm Gladwell-Blink
User Clip: Momentary Autism
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Make every day Veterans Day
Eliseo “Al” Cantu
Texas Veterans Commission
Dear fellow Texans:
From August through November of 1918, Texans were fully engaged in the Great War. Nearly 200,000 were in uniform, many of them fighting in France. Over 5,100 would not return. They came from every community; from big cities and small towns. They were of all races, religions and ethnicities. The majority were men, but Texas women also served in France as nurses, telephone switchboard operators, and with service organizations. At home, citizens conserved resources and helped provide for soldiers in training and at the front. One-hundred years ago, Texans sacrificed all.
This Veterans Day 2018 is especially significant, as it marks the 100th anniversary of when the armistice began which ended World War I. It was one hundred years ago — at 11 a.m. on 11/11 — that’s November 11, 1918. In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson designated November 11th as Armistice Day to honor the Veterans who fought in the Great War.
Our great state of Texas understands its responsibility to serve veterans and their families and for more than 90 years the state has relied on the Texas Veterans Commission to execute those duties in order to improve the lives of those who have given so much. We are committed to serving the 1.6 million veterans and their families with more than 400 employees spread out across the state and our nine program service areas.
Texas is fortunate to have had so many brave men and women stand for freedom throughout our country's history. Therefore, the Texas Veterans Commission is honored to serve our military veterans, their families, and surviving spouses. We owe it to them and their families to ensure that their service and sacrifice is always remembered.
Let’s make every day Veterans Day.
Eliseo “Al” Cantu, Chairman, Texas Veterans Commission
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Council granted £501,070 from Culture Recovery Fund
News release from 14/10/2020
CAMBRIDGE City Council is to receive two grants from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund, with a total value of £501,070.
The money will go towards supporting Cambridge Corn Exchange (£400,211), which has been closed since national lockdown was imposed in March, and Cambridge Folk Festival (£100,859), which could not take place in 2020, both part of the council’s cultural services.
Founded by Cambridge City Council, Cambridge Folk Festival is one of leading folk festivals in England and has brought many internationally famous names to Cambridge, at the same time as supporting new and developing artists.
Attending the festival is a much-loved tradition for many city residents, and this year was the first year that the festival has not taken place since its start in 1965.
Cambridge Corn Exchange is the largest event and touring venue in the east of England and serves audiences from right across the region.
With over 200,000 visits annually across a genre spanning programme, it is a vital part of the region's cultural life. These awards mean the services can plan for the future with certainty through to 31 March 2021.
Cllr Anna Smith, Executive Councillor for Communities, said: “I’m delighted that our bids have been successful, with the Arts Council recognising the importance of both the Corn Exchange and the Folk Festival.
“Cambridge City council takes our responsibility to arts and culture very seriously and I want to thank our officers who worked so hard over the summer to put these bids together.
“We will continue to do everything we can to keep the arts alive in Cambridge and I urge the government to consider extending these grants to the period beyond April, should it become necessary.”
The government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund was set up to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic on cultural services.
The council is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support. The Culture Recovery Fund grants programme is administered by Arts Council England.
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Cheap & Flexible flights to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) in 2021/2022
Cheap flights to Lawton, Oklahoma
Departing from Dallas
Price found 19 Jan 2021, 20:42
from US$4,033
Map of Lawton, Oklahoma
Home > Destinations > North America > United States > Lawton, Oklahoma
Find cheaper flights and flexible date options to Lawton, Oklahoma, United States, Oklahoma, Lawton–Fort Sill Regional Airport, LAW in 2021/2022 with CheapFlightsFinder from the USA and airports all over the world. The GEO coordinates for Oklahoma, Lawton–Fort Sill Regional Airport are 34.56769943, -98.41660309, located in the country of United States. On this page you can find the best deals, flexible times to fly to Lawton, Oklahoma and the cheapest dates to travel to Oklahoma, Lawton–Fort Sill Regional Airport (LAW) 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 Lawton, Oklahoma, the weather in Lawton, Oklahoma, a map of Lawton, Oklahoma, some travel videos of Lawton, Oklahoma and flight times and distances to Oklahoma, Lawton–Fort Sill Regional Airport (LAW) from the most popular US airports.
Top things to do in Lawton, Oklahoma
Museum of the Great Plains
Hand-on American history museum
Lake Lawtonka
Lake for fishing, swimming & boating
Comanche Nation Casino
Round-the-clock gaming plus dining
Elmer Thomas Park
Park with a playground, a pond & more
Comanche National Museum and Cultural Center
Showcase for Comanche heritage
Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum
Historic fort with military artifacts
U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum
Historic Mattie Beal Home
Neoclassical architecture & guided tours
Lake Elmer Thomas Recreation
Elmer Thomas Lake
Site for fishing, boating & camping
Geronimo's Grave
Monument to Apache prisoners of war
Medicine Bluffs
Air Defense Artillery Museum
Medicine Creek Park
Lake Lawton
Weather in Lawton, Oklahoma
FLIGHT DISTANCE AND FLYING TIME TO Lawton, Oklahoma
Flights from Atlanta - Georgia, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 802 miles (1,291 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 2 hours 16 minutes.
Flights from Los Angeles - California, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 1,141 miles (1,836 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 3 hours 2 minutes.
Flights from Chicago - Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 765 miles (1,232 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 2 hours 12 minutes.
Flights from Dallas - Dallas, Texas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 140 miles (225 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 48 minutes.
Flights from Denver - Colorado, Airport - Denver International Airport (DEN) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 502 miles (808 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 1 hours 36 minutes.
Flights from New York - John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 1,407 miles (2,264 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 3 hours 37 minutes.
Flights from San Francisco - California, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 1,350 miles (2,173 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 3 hours 30 minutes.
Flights from Seattle - Airport - Seattle Tacoma International, Washington (SEA) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 1,521 miles (2,447 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 3 hours 52 minutes.
Flights from Las Vegas - Nevada, McCarran International Airport (LAS) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 948 miles (1,526 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 2 hours 36 minutes.
Flights from Orlando - Florida, Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 1,092 miles (1,757 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 2 hours 55 minutes.
Flights from Charlotte - North Carolina, Douglas International Airport (CLT) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 990 miles (1,593 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 2 hours 42 minutes.
Flights from Phoenix - Arizona, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 782 miles (1,259 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 2 hours 14 minutes.
Flights from Houston - Texas, Airport - George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 364 miles (586 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 1 hours 18 minutes.
Flights from Miami - Florida, Miami International Airport (MIA) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 1,238 miles (1,992 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 3 hours 15 minutes.
Flights from Boston - Massachusetts, Edward L. Logan International Airport (BOS) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 1,569 miles (2,526 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 3 hours 59 minutes.
Flights from Minneapolis - Minnesota, Airport - St. Paul International (MSP) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 764 miles (1,229 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 2 hours 11 minutes.
Flights from Fort Lauderdale - Florida, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 1,235 miles (1,987 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 3 hours 14 minutes.
Flights from Detroit - Michigan, Airport - Wayne County International (DTW) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 970 miles (1,560 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 2 hours 39 minutes.
Flights from Philadelphia - Pennsylvania, Airport - Philadelphia International (PHL) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 1,322 miles (2,128 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 3 hours 26 minutes.
Flights from Baltimore - Maryland, Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 1,240 miles (1,996 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 3 hours 15 minutes.
Flights from Salt Lake City - Utah, Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 856 miles (1,377 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 2 hours 24 minutes.
Flights from San Diego - California, San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 1,086 miles (1,747 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 2 hours 54 minutes.
Flights from Tampa - Florida, Tampa International Airport (TPA) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 1,041 miles (1,675 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 2 hours 48 minutes.
Flights from Portland - International Airport, Oregon (PDX) to Lawton, Oklahoma (LAW) - The flight distance between these airports is 1,479 miles (2,381 kilometres). The direct flight time is roughly 3 hours 47 minutes.
Travel videos about Lawton, Oklahoma
Flight Routes to Lawton, Oklahoma
From Dallas Cheapest flight price found from Dallas (DFW), United States to Lawton, United States (LAW): $4,033
Depart: 19 Feb 2021 · Return: 25 Feb 2021
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Online Database of Chemicals from Around the World Search | Submit | Advertise | 中文
Home >> Chemical Listing >> M >> 4-[2-(2-Methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethyl]piperidine
4-[2-(2-Methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethyl]piperidine [130516-99-3]
Complete supplier list of 4-[2-(2-Methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethyl]piperidine
Name 4-[2-(2-Methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethyl]piperidine
Molecular Formula C11H19N3
CAS Registry Number 130516-99-3
Solubility Sparingly soluble (14 g/L) (25 ºC), Calc.*
Density 1.12±0.1 g/cm3 (20 ºC 760 Torr), Calc.*
SDS Available
Market Analysis Reports
List of Reports Available for 4-[2-(2-Methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethyl]piperidine
2-Methylimidazole-4-sulfonic acid 1-Methyl-1H-imidazole-4-sulfonyl chloride 1-Methyl-2-imidazolidinone 2-Methyl-2-imidazoline 2-(2-Methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)benzenemethanol Methyl 3-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)benzoate 3-(1-Methyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)benzoic acid 4-(2-Methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)benzoic acid methyl ester 1-(1-Methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)ethanone 2-(5-Methyl-4-imidazolyl)ethylamine dihydrochloride (1-Methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methanol (1-Methyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)methanol (1-Methyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)methylamine 2-[(2-Methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]benzenamine 4-(2-Methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)phenylamine 1-(4-(4-Methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)phenyl)ethanone 4-(1-Methyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)piperidine dihydrochloride 3-(2-Methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propanenitrile 3-(5-Methyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-2-propenoic acid 3-(4-Methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)aniline
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EAST LONDON l MDANTSANE l BHISHO l KING WILLIAM'S TOWN
#WishYouWereHere
Buffalo City Tourism
Shipwrecks of Buffalo City: SS Orient
The S.S. Orient was a Russian vessel which called in at East London on 29 July 1907, sailing from South Australia with a crew of 21 and carrying a cargo of wheat.
The ship sailed that evening but ran aground on what was then known as the Sandy Beach. During the night the force of the waves slowly moved the stranded vessel further onto the shore.
By morning news of the incident had spread through East London and crowds swarmed down to the beach and out onto the pier to get a better view.
The captain took the logical decision of jettisoning his cargo in order to make the ship lighter. By noon on 30 July, the East London Stevedoring Company had gone into action with lighters.
Speed, however, was essential and soon the wheat sacks were being ripped open and the grain poured overboard into the water. By 9.30 that night, when operations ceased, nearly 400 tons of wheat had been dumped.
In the meantime, the two tugs Annie and Buffalo got hawsers attached to the vessel and took up pulling, attempting to prevent the Orient being washed further ashore, and more especially to stop her from being swept onto the nearby rocks.
They were initially successful but, with the turn of the tide, the hard work was negated. During the night, the Orient began to take in water and started listing. It was becoming clear that she was there to stay.
Rigs were thereupon set up between the beach and the ship to recover the remainder of the cargo and a temporary railway track was laid from the harbour to the beach to speed up operations.
The fate of the Orient was sealed as early as 15 August when an auction was held on the beach to dispose of the ship and its cargo. Although a great crowd turned up, most were interested spectators.
The sale was therefore disappointing. The first bid for the ship itself was for a mere £25. The ship was eventually sold to WJ Ellis for the grand sum of £130.
Further attempts to free the Orient failed. Her remains still lie beneath the waters off the quay and can be seen on calm days at low tide. The Sandy Beach itself soon became known as the Orient Beach.
Source: Dr Keith Tankard, East London historian and academic
SS Waratah: The mystery of the 'Titanic of the South' lives on
Shipwrecks of Buffalo City: The Quanza
Shipwrecks of Buffalo City: The Stuart Star
©2020 Buffalo City Tourism. Designed by Makinwa Media Solutions.
For content submissions email admin@buffalocitytourism.co.za
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HEALTH OFFICERS EXTEND, UPDATE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER WITH NEW RESTRICTIONS THROUGH MAY 3
More time and additional restrictions needed to slow the spread and reduce future impact on local hospitals from COVID-19
Berkeley, California (Tuesday, March 31, 2020) - The City of Berkeley’s Health Officer along with 6 other Bay Area public health jurisdictions are extending a previous stay-at-home order through May 3, 2020 in order to preserve critical hospital capacity across the region.
While the Mar. 16th order seemed to reduce the rate of transmission of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), it is not enough. There has been a significant increase in the number of positive cases, hospitalization and deaths from COVID-19, which is beginning to strain healthcare resources.
The Health Officers have determined that more and stricter social distancing is needed to slow the rate of spread, prevent deaths, and stop the health care system from becoming overwhelmed.
“Extending the stay-at-home order should reduce the number of sick patients seeking care at one time, giving us time to acquire more medical supplies for providers who will be providing care to people sick with COVID-19. The extension will allow doctors and nurses to better treat those who do get sick, and save countless lives,” said Dr. Chris Farnitano, Health Officer for Contra Costa County.
The new stay-at-home order will supersede the previous order and go into effect at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31. It is a complement to the indefinite statewide stay-at-home order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this month.
Like the previous local order, the new order requires people to stay at home except for doing essential activities, such as grocery shopping, in six counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara, as well as the City of Berkeley. Non-essential businesses will remain closed.
The new order adds some clarifying language around essential business and activities, as well as some new directives, including:
Use of playgrounds, dog parks, public picnic areas, and similar recreational areas is prohibited. These areas must be closed to public use.
Use of shared public recreational facilities such as golf courses, tennis and basketball courts, pools, and rock walls is prohibited. These facilities must be closed for recreational use.
Sports requiring people to share a ball or other equipment must be limited to people in the same household
Requires essential businesses to develop a social distancing protocol before April 3
Most construction—residential and commercial—is prohibited
Funerals limited to no more than 10 people attending
Essential businesses expanded to include service providers that enable residential transactions (notaries, title companies, Realtors, etc.); funeral homes and cemeteries; moving companies, rental car companies and rideshare services that specifically enable essential activities
Essential businesses that continue to operate facilities must scale down operations to their essential component only
“While many people have taken on these responsibilities with care and focus, we need to do even better,” said Dr. Lisa B. Hernandez, the City of Berkeley Health Officer. “Lives depend on everyone taking action.”
Social distancing is the most powerful tool to slow the spread of COVID-19, a virus so new that it has no approved medicines or vaccines.
“What we need now, for the health of all our communities, is for people to stay home,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. “Even though it has been difficult, the Bay Area has really stepped up to the challenge so far, and we need to reaffirm our commitment. We need more time to flatten the curve, to prepare our hospitals for a surge, and to do everything we can to minimize the harm that the virus causes to our communities.”
For more information about COVID-19 activities in these areas, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo, or Berkeley COVID-19 websites.
Health Officer Order to shelter in place
Order to shelter in place through May 3, March 31, 2020 (PDF)
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CJHL announces its Top Forward Award finalists for 2017-18
CALGARY, Alta. – The Canadian Junior Hockey League announced Wednesday the finalists for its Top Forward Award for the 2017-18 campaign.
Each of the finalists were determined following balloting by each of the CJHL’s 10-member leagues for their respective efforts during the course of the regular season.
Listed alphabetically, by league, are the five nominees for the CJHL’s Top Forward Award:
Chris Van Os-Shaw, Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL)
BIO: Van Os-Shaw of the Spruce Grove Saints was the 2017-18 AJHL Scoring Champion and winner of the Ernie Love Trophy. Van Os-Shaw completed the regular season with 51 goals, 46 assists and 97 points. He reached and surpassed the 50-goal mark in his final week of the regular season, a benchmark that was last set by Mark Letestu (Bonnyville Pontiacs / Columbus Blue Jackets) in 2005-2006. He led the league in goals, points, average points per game and with eight game-winning goals. The Regina, Sask., product was also named the 2017-18 AJHL MVP and recipient of the Alberta Old Time Hockey Players Trophy. Chris was recognized as the Viterra AJHL Star of the Game 15 times throughout the regular season, captured the Canalta Hotels AJHL Player of the Week Award twice (January 8-14, 2018 and February 28-March 2, 2018) and won the Alberta Ford Dealers AJHL Player of the Month Award in January 2018. Was acquired from the SJHL in the pre-season. Recorded 100 points in 96 SJHL games. Van Os-Shaw has committed to NCAA D-I Minnesota State in Mankato, Minn., where he will attend school and skate for the Mavericks.
Jasper Weatherby, Wenatchee Wild (BCHL)
BIO: Weatherby drastically improved on his numbers from last year, tripling his goals output and doubling his points total. He finished with a league-best 37 goals and 74 points and was rewarded for his efforts with the Vern Dye Memorial Trophy as the BCHL’s most valuable player, as well as the Brett Hull Trophy for the league’s leading scorer. Weatherby put up a season-high five points on Sept. 29 in an 11-2 Wenatchee win over the Cowichan Valley Capitals, scoring a hat trick and adding two assists. He matched these numbers again on Nov. 10 in a 9-2 win over the West Kelowna Warriors. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound forward from Lummi Island, Wash. was on fire to start the season as he had points in Wenatchee’s first seven games, piling up 12 points over that stretch. He is committed to play for the University of North Dakota for the 2018-19 season.
Dexter Kuczek, Winnipeg Blues (MJHL)
BIO: In his final year of Junior A hockey, Dexter Kuczek is going out in style. The native of Winnipeg won the MJHL scoring race by a single point: 37 goals, 92 points in 59 games. He was a major force behind the Blues’ offensive attack this season reflected in recording 27 multiple-point g ames ─ highlighted by 10 powerplay goals. At the end of the MJHL regular season, the big forward was voted league MVP, winning the Steve “Boomer” Hawrysh Award, in addition to being named the MJHL’s first all-star team. At 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, Kuczek was recently named the RBC Player of the Month for January, in addition to twice winning the Recycle Everywhere MJHL Player of the Week honour.He started his MJHL career with the Portage Terriers and played there from 2013-15. From there, he joined the Selkirk Steelers for two seasons before being traded to Winnipeg in 2016. Kuczek, who hopes to play U-Sports hockey next fall, said he’s learned a lot from his MJHL experience.
Andrew Petrucci, Toronto Patriots (OJHL)
BIO: The 20-year-old jumped from 58 points in 2016-17 to a league-best 100 this past regular season. He won the OJHL scoring crown on the final night of the year, scoring twice to edge Aurora Tigers captain Jack Bricknell by one point. Petrucci has committed to play NCAA Division I hockey at Rochester Institute of Technology next season where he will attend school and play for the Tigers program who compete out of the Atlantic Hockey conference. Petrucci was voted MVP of the OJHL by a panel of general managers and media representatives.
Layne Young, Battlefords North Stars (SJHL)
BIO: 1997 F Young from Frenchman Butte, Sask., had a season that was as prolific as any in recent memory. Young joined a select group of 100-point season players, becoming the first to do it since Travis Eggum and Marc-Andre Carre in 2010-11. By contrast, the leading point getter a season ago had 79. Young’s 100+ points represented a contribution of almost 50% of all North Star offense. He was also a model of consistency, finishing in the top two of league scorers in each month of the season. Teams held Young off the scoresheet only seven times all year (through 56 games), that included a rare three games in a row in mid-November. He had points in 16 straight to end the year. Young was the SJHL Rookie of The Year in 2015-16 and ends his career with 253 points in 169 games played.
Earning honourable mention for the CJHL Top Forward Award were: David Jankowski, Hawkesbury Hawks (CCHL); Philippe Pelletier-Leblanc, Flames de Gatineau (LHJAAAQ); T.J. Shea, Summerside Western Capitals (MHL); Connor Lovie, Cochrane Crunch (NOJHL) & Jacen Bracko, Dryden GM Ice Dogs (SIJHL).
The CJHL Top Forward Award recipient will be announced in the coming days.
Also of note, the finalists for the CJHL Coach of the Year will be named at a later date while the RBC Hockey Canada/CJHL Player of the Year and the RBC Scholastic Player of the Year will be presented at the RBC Cup Awards Banquet, May 10, in Chilliwack, B.C.
Previous PostCJHL announces its Top Rookie Award finalists for 2017-18Next PostCJHL announces its 2017-18 Top Defenceman Award finalists
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Fly fishing 101: Lake Erie's Steelhead Alley gets beginners hooked on the rod and reel (photos)
Updated Jan 11, 2019; Posted Mar 16, 2017
Fly fishing 101
Gallery: Fly fishing 101
By Plain Dealer guest writer
And know the place for the first time.
-- T. S. Eliot
By Kristan Schiller, Special to The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Local veterinarian Evan Morse, co-founder of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Trout Club, invokes poet T.S. Eliot's timeless verse Little Gideon (above) as he raves about the virtues of fly fishing in Northeast Ohio.
"I've pursued steelhead trout on the Yellowstone River in Montana, salmon on the Moisie River in Quebec, and bonefish on Grand Bahama Island, but my catch rates at these exotic locales pale in comparison to my success on my own doorstep, right here in Steelhead Alley," says Morse.
When Morse isn't busy vaccinating vizslas or spaying Siamese cats at the Warrensville Animal Hospital in Warrensville Heights, he can usually be found, rod and reel in hand, plying the waters of the 200-mile stretch of Lake Erie shoreline between the Vermillion River in Ohio and Cattaraugus Creek in New York, otherwise known as Steelhead Alley. And, says Morse, you can too!
"Fly fishing is not elitist," insists Morse. "The English wealthy class could fly fish and the common man couldn't so it has that history. But that was across the ocean and a long time ago. Fly-fishing is for every man [or woman, as the case may be]. You don't need a big budget or fancy rods. We welcome new fly-fishers."
So, how does a novice fly fisherman get started? First, get a handle on where the fish are. Steelhead Alley includes tributaries of Lake Erie in Ohio (including the Chagrin River, the Grand River, Rocky River, Vermillion River and Conneaut Creek), Pennsylvania (including Godfrey Run, Trout Run and Walnut Creek), and New York (including Cattaraugus Creek, Canadaway Creek, and Chautauqua Creek).
Next, figure out when they're there. During October and November and in spring during March and April, so-called "runs" of steelhead trout occur. The run is an event of nature, an aquatic parade of sorts, during which fish migrate upstream so females can deposit their eggs safely in the riverbed for the males to fertilize - a process known as spawning. Spawning season is prime fly-fishing season both because the volume of fish is at its height then and because the fish are more likely to bite, requiring more food to maintain their energy level for the spawn.
And finally, if you're not fortunate enough to have an exceedingly patient friend who is an expert fly-fisherman, you'll want to hire a private guide who can scout out the spots where you'll have the highest catch rate and teach you the basics: casting, knot tying, setting up your "rig" (aka rod), and "matching the hatch" (matching your bait choice to which flies the fish are eating).
Most fly-fishing guides are expert multitaskers, handling everything from planning an itinerary to preparing meals to instruction. And, while not everyone can toss a line the way Brad Pitt's character did in "A River Runs Through It," the Steelhead Alley region boasts a number of seasoned guides who will get you on your way.
Three reputable outfitters who either employ or recommend guides in the Greater Cleveland area are Chagrin River Outfitters in Chagrin Falls, Orvis in Woodmere, and the Backpacker's Shop in Sheffield. In New York and Pennsylvania, Orvis-certified, Fredonia-based Alberto Rey and Ellicottville-based Julie Szur, are two of the best.
"So many people simply want to get outdoors and be around nature," says Szur, who mentored with legendary angler Lefty Kreh, author of "Fly Fishing in Salt Water" (the seminal guidebook on the sport) and guides trips for couples, families, corporations, and cancer survivors.
"I want people to learn," says Szur, "but more importantly, I want them to have a good time."
Szur's "Wine and Waders" package (one among many) includes an afternoon of fly-fishing interspersed with local wine-tasting, while her "Fly Fishing 101" focuses on the fundamentals of the sport.
In nearby Fredonia, guide Alberto Rey takes a more measured approach. In addition to being an accomplished angler, Rey happens to be a nationally-recognized artist with watercolor depictions of the natural world appearing in the permanent collection of over a dozen museums including the notable Brooklyn Museum in Brooklyn, New York, and the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts.
Rey applies his artistic appreciation for the rhythms of nature to his carefully-honed guiding skills; he typically takes clients for half and full days to fish the streams of Cattaraugus Creek, then enjoy a lunch prepared from the latest harvest at the local farmer's market by Rey's wife, Janeil, in the comfort of his 19th-century brick farmhouse just minutes away.
Rey's educational program for middle school and high school-age youth, "Children in the Stream," includes monthly fly-fishing field trips in Steelhead Alley, promoting the ethics of "catch and release" fishing as well as respect for fellow fisherman and the land.
But what if you just want to get your waders wet without diving in? Perhaps the simplest way to do so is to attend one of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Trout Club's open events.
The Annual Fly Fishing Film Festival, which drew nearly 600 fly-fishing enthusiasts earlier this month, presented a three-hour montage of fly-fishing documentaries on the sport filmed in locales as divergent as Mexico, Montana and eastern Russia after a reception hosting a handful of exhibitors.
And on April 29, CMNH will host the Trout Club's Ironfly Event, which will offer fly-tying demonstrations, exhibitors, contests and games. Here you can chat with local guides and learn more about the sport while mingling with long-time members of the regional fly-fishing community.
"The purpose of these events is to get more people involved and to attract those who might not normally come," says Woods King Jr., secretary of the Trout Club. For information: cmnh.org/tc.
For more information on fly fishing in Steelhead Alley, pick up a copy of local author Jerry Darkes' book, "Fly Fishing the Inland Oceans: An Angler's Guide to Finding and Catching Fish in the Great Lakes."
(Kristan Schiller, a former editor at Fodor's Travel and co-author of Fodor's Guide to East and Southern Africa and Fodor's London, is a freelance writer and editor.)
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The cost of coal – Breaking Greece’s unlawful ties to fossil fuels
For six decades, lignite – the dirtiest and once the cheapest form of coal – has been the driving force of Greece’s economy. The Public Power Corporation (PPC), Greece’s dominant energy company, has been at the heart of this sector. Its once low electricity production costs and the jobs it created were deemed to outweigh the devastating effects lignite exploitation has on people’s health and the environment.
Today, lignite has become inefficient and costly. Despite this, the government has historically kept Greece artificially dependent on this fossil fuel by bypassing the law and putting industry needs before economic sense and the health of people and the planet.
Find out how we're fighting coal in Europe
Lignite coal: Greece promoting fossil fuels at all costs
For years, PPC has had exclusive rights to Greece’s lignite mines and power plants. But this distorted Greece’s energy market. To open up competition, the European Commission challenged PPC’s exclusive lignite rights and decided that the company had to divest 40% of its lignite assets.
"Lignite divestment no longer makes financial sense. Investors know this, that's why they're refusing to buy PPC's loss-making assets".
The decision to divest these assets in 2009 aimed to create cheaper electricity prices, but changes in global climate policy and a progressive shift to renewable energy mean the lignite divestment no longer makes financial sense. The deadline to submit bids has already been repeatedly extended – due to a lack of investors willing to buy PPC’s assets that are now running at a loss.
But Greek and European authorities have continued to force this anti-competitive deal. If they persevere, their approach will lock lignite into Greece’s energy mix until at least 2030.
In an attempt to guarantee lignite’s future in Greece’s energy mix, the government is trying to introduce costly new subsidies that would give money to its aging coal plants, favouring them over Greece’s abundant cleaner energy sources.
We take on Greece’s brown coal addiction
Greece’s preferential treatment of its lignite industry over cheaper, cleaner and more sustainable energy sources has come at the cost people’s health and the climate. So we are taking legal steps to challenge continued support for lignite in Greece. We have written to the European Commission setting out how the cost of the subsidies will fall on Greek consumers. We also demonstrated that there is no need for the scheme when Greece is deliberately delaying changes to its energy market that would ensure a functional system for the future.
Read our view on Greece's proposed scheme
Challenging Greece’s disregard for the law, people and the climate
Greek authorities have made it impossible for the public to challenge many of PPC’s unlawful permits. Permits are licenses that set terms and conditions for the construction and running of power plants, which limit pollution of the surrounding environment. The public should normally be consulted before a permit is granted, renewed or extended. However, in Greece, many of these permits are being approved in a way that bypasses the public and judicial control. This could be allowing PPC to pollute above legal limits and endanger the protection of the environment and public health. We have taken legal action with national partners to prevent the Greek state denying the public their right to properly scrutinise the permitting process, so that PPC’s permits cannot just be waved through.
"Greece’s preferential treatment of its lignite industry over cheaper, cleaner and more sustainable energy sources has come at the cost people’s health and the climate. So we are taking legal steps to challenge its continued support for lignite." https://t.co/e5h5g3sU6Q pic.twitter.com/sD0APVHwIE
— ClientEarth (@ClientEarth) August 14, 2019
Greek authorities have also been willing to disregard environmental laws to benefit PPC’s interests. In many cases, PPC’s permits partially or totally fail to meet various legal requirements and often do not abide by stricter emission limits. We have already taken action against the illegal renewal or extension of permits granted to Megalopoli A and B, Meliti I and its future sister plant Meliti II as well as Agios Dimirtios – ranked among the top 30 most polluting plants in Europe and responsible for releasing carcinogenic chemicals into the drinking water of nearby villages of Akrini, Agios Dimitrios, Koilada and Ryaki.Greece’s most recent breach of the law is illegally extending the lifetime of two of its most polluting lignite plants, Amyntaio and Kardia.
Amyntaio is Greece’s biggest emitter of sulphur dioxide (SO2) – a harmful gas with known negative impacts on people’s health. It emits 8.4 times the legal limit for SO2 for large power plants.
In 2017, the lignite mine feeding Amyntaio collapsed, endangering the lives of the people living in the adjacent village, Anargyroi, and forcing many to evacuate. Two years later, the villagers have yet to be formally relocated or compensated for the damages.
Despite the plant’s significant negative impacts, the government extended Amyntaio’s operating hours despite having exhausted them at the end of 2018. We partnered with The Green Tank to annul the permit extension as it goes against EU environmental law and was granted despite repeated objections from the European Commission.
The European Commission has since reinforced our legal arguments against Amyntaio’s permit extension in a letter sent to the Greek authorities. The Commission is concerned that Greece is failing to protect its people from harmful air pollution by allowing Amyntaio and Kardia to exceed their operating hours.
Greek energy mix: time to move beyond coal
By breaching environmental laws, Greece is not protecting its citizens from the harmful effects of burning fossil fuels. It is intentionally delaying its transition to a cleaner, cheaper and more efficient low-carbon energy future. In doing so, it is failing to plan for a sustainable future – one that puts the health of people and the environment at the forefront of its priorities.
To achieve the Paris climate objectives and tackle the climate crisis we currently face, Greece needs to embrace a green future and phase out coal, not fund it.
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Maisie Williams Says Game of Thrones Season 8 Will Return Next April
Game of Thrones hbo maisie williams streaming tv news TV Premiere Dates
By Jenna Busch
Maisie Williams tells fans when Game of Thrones Season 8 will premiere on HBO
Maisie Williams, who plays Arya in the HBO series Game of Thrones, knows when it’s going to return for Season 8. The show ended Season 7 with some shocking footage last summer, and fans were told that we’d have to wait until 2019 to see the final episodes. In an interview with Metro about her role in the upcoming film Early Man, Maisie Williams spoke about when we’ll see the season 8 premiere.
Williams said, “We wrap in December and we air our first episode in April [2019]. That’s a four-month turnaround for these huge episodes. There’s a lot that goes into the final edit. You would not want to rush this season at all. We owe it to our audience and our fans to really do this final season to the best of our abilities.”
She also spoke about her wish for Arya’s ending. “I’ve always said I wanted her to find peace. The things that have been driving her through her story have been very bitter and twisted and aggressive. I would love for Arya to find her true self again and let go of this anger and revenge that’s accompanied her on this journey. I’d love for her to be happy.”
At the end of last season, Daenerys’ (Emilia Clarke) dragons and her immense army were finally on the way to Westeros, where Cersei (Lena Headey) has now become Queen after the death of her children. The Night King’s (Vladimir Furdik in Season 6) army is heading south, and a battle appears to be imminent.
The executive producers of Game of Thrones Season 7 are David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Carolyn Strauss, Frank Doelger and Bernadette Caulfield; co-executive producers are Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis, George R.R. Martin and Bryan Cogman; and producers are Chris Newman, Greg Spence and Lisa McAtackney.
What do you guys think of what Maisie Williams said about Game of Thrones Season 8? Let us know in the comments.
UPDATE: Williams has taken to Twitter to address the story. She said, “Just a tweet letting you know this game of thrones release date ‘quote’ I’ve supposedly given is completely false and taken from an interview I did years ago.”
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Courts grants Clarin last-minute reprieve
Argentine media giant Grupo Clarin has been awarded a last-minute extension of an injunction against the country’s media law, under which the firm would be forced to divest some of its assets, Dow Jones Newswires reports. A federal court ruled that the injunction – which was due to expire on 7 December – will remain in place until the constitutionality of the media law is determined by the courts. Clarin owns local cableco Cablevision, broadband provider FiberTel and a number of TV channels. In December 2009 it won a court suspension of Article 161 of the Audiovisual Communication Law, which states that companies exceeding licence limits set forth by the law must make divestments within one year, notes TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database. The three-year precautionary measure was due to mature on 7 December, and from that date the government said it planned to auction off Clarin’s licences that exceed legal limits (158 TV licences, one for each of the cities in which it offers cable and internet, and 134 more than the 24 allowed) if it failed to comply with the law. Last week Justice Minister Julio Alak warned the court not to extend Clarin’s injunction, saying that such a move would be ‘an insurrection against a law of the nation.’
Argentina, Cablevision (FiberTel), Corporate/Financial, Mergers/Acquisitions
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Ottawa, the Unknown City, rob mclennan
Arsenal, 2008, 173 pages, C$22.95 tpb, ISBN 978-1-55152-232-6
I may spend most of my waking weekday hours in downtown Ottawa, but there’s always something new to learn about the city. It’s in that spirit that I grabbed a copy of Ottawa, the Unknown City, the type of tourism guide that’s more interesting for locals than fly-by tourists.
Don’t look for a street-by-street guide of where to eat, sleep or shop: While Ottawa, the Unknown City does contain a few of those classic guidebook standbys, it’s best approached as a loosely structured book of anecdotes, historical facts, local wisdom and old-timer recommendations. If you ever wondered what a guide book designed for bathroom reading would look like, then have a look at “The Unknown City” books. (Arsenal Press has published such books for eight cities from Montréal, Toronto and New York to Vancouver and San Francisco.)
Even for local residents, it’s filled by fascinating stuff. Perhaps the best parts of the book are the historical anecdotes and suppositions: “since they used soil taken from a landfill across the river, an Aboriginal burial site (…) some say it is entirely possible that the second Parliament Buildings include fragments of Natives’ bone in its structure” [P.25] An entire chapter is dedicated to the bad kind of “Notoriety”, including Ottawa’s 19th-century gang riots, Canada’s first political assassination or why some say that the Cold War began in Ottawa. It’s amazing how quickly some events fade from memory: I had no clue, for instance, that the Heron Bridge’s construction was interrupted by a fatal collapse in 1966, or that a $750,000 gold heist happened at the Ottawa Airport in 1974. There’s a great index at the end of the book to track down the anecdotes or do name-spotting.
Other areas covered by mclennan (himself a well-known local literary landmark) include Transportation, Shopping, Sports, Entertainment (ie: which celebrities are from Ottawa), Nightlife and so on. Cleanly, even amusingly written, it doesn’t take much effort to keep reading this book, which is more than you can say about many guide books.
Alas, there are a few errors. I’m not surprised that Rivière des Outaouais is mis-translated as Rivière de l’Outaouais [P.15] (even though that’s something that could have been fact-checked with Wikipedia or a simple comparative Google search) since it affects nothing and will only bother us francophones in the kind of slight so-the-Anglos-also-screwed-that-one-up exasperation we’re learned to laugh about. As a cinephile, however, I was far less happy to see mclennan write “Sam Raimi, who directed Superman Returns” [P.113] since Bryan Singer directed Superman Returns, and that breaks the cute “six degree of Lorne Green” chain of connections that he was propping up. And that’s not counting the slight exaggerations that are used whenever someone wants to claim local fame for everyone who’s had an extended stopover at the nearest airport. But, hey, that’s the way the game is played: Tom Cruise is from Ottawa! The Rolling Stones shot a video at Zaphod’s in 2005!
The focus of the book is toward the not-so-young-yet-restless: there isn’t much about the city’s technological or official side. As with any project talking about Ottawa, it seems contractually bound to keep saying “Ottawa isn’t just about government! We’ve got culture, too!”, somehow missing the point that a good chunk of Ottawa’s charm is largely financed by its status as Canada’s capital. But feel free to ignore me: after all, I’m only one of those gray-faced federal public servants who represent everything that’s baaad about the city, never contribute to The Culture and who never ever spend money, oh buying books written by Ottawa authors. (But never mind that.)
A book with “the unknown city” in its title is expected to reveal a few secret, and few will be disappointed by what mclennan has managed to discover. While tourists who fly in and out of Ottawa for a few days may not have the time to appreciate the anecdotes in Ottawa: The Unknown City, this is a perfect book for those who will stay for more than a few days, including those who have been here for decades.
rob mclennan
Born Standing Up, Steve Martin
Scribner, 2007, 209 pages, C$29.99 hc, ISBN 978-1-4165-5364-9
There’s an admirable purity in stand-up comedy, which remains one of the most direct art form out there: a guy with a microphone, making a crowd react by the sheer power of his words alone. Jokes are easy, but comedy is hard and it takes a long time to learn how to do it well.
That’s the best reason to read Steve Martin’s Born Standing Up, an autobiography that tackles Martin’s career from his days as a Disneyland employee to the point when he decided to quit stand-up in favor of film comedy. Nowadays, Steve Martin has a very different reputation than he had at the end of the seventies: His movie career has degenerated in easy safe self-parody (CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN? BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE? THE PINK PANTHER?), while his work on projects such as Shopgirl has earned him serious literary accolades.
But by the end of the seventies, Martin was one of the best-known stand-up comics in America, presenting to sold-out arenas. He held top billing for only a few years, but it took decades to get there: Born Standing Up tells how it happened, following Martin through small acting jobs, early stand-up gigs and how he gradually developed his style of comedy.
Martin has earned accolade for his writing projects, and Born Standing Up is a fine example of his skill as a writer. The book is short and breezy to read, even when tackling the earlier years that are less interesting to audiences than Martin’s stand-up success. He chooses to end the book by a heartfelt chapter talking about his relationship with his parents. (Though I doubt it, there may be a second volume in the works: Martin chooses to focus this book on comedy, and it seldom mention the events of the past twenty-five years, and practically ignores his movie work after THE JERK.)
Students of comedy will be pleased by the material in this book. (Though poor students of comedy will have already read the essay in The New Yorker that reprints almost all of the book’s best chapter.) We get a sense of the life of a would-be comedian as he learns how to deal with the crowd, chooses a comedy style that runs counter to people’s expectations and becomes better-known through various jobs and occupations, from live theater to scripted television, Johnny Carson appearances to Saturday Night Live (which gets less of a mention than you’d expect.)
As a memoir, it’s what we would expect from “a Steve Martin autobiography”: it’s frank, it’s detailed, it’s revealing and it gives a good idea of the life he’s lived. Those who missed Martin’s stand-up years may want to hit YouTube and experience a number of his routines for themselves, just so to put everything else in a proper context. Humor theorists will get a kick out of Martin’s self-conscious attempts to undermine the very idea of stand-up comedy by disregarding the expectations of the crowd –a trick that, in good hands, leads to even more laughter through audience desperation when faced with non sequitur.
This being said, people with tighter budgets and fainter affection for Martin may want to check this book at the library, or wait for the paperback: at barely more than two hundred airy pages (albeit with numerous pictures), it feels overpriced at nearly C$29, especially for those who have read the New Yorker article, which contains most of what readers will remember from the book. Readers who skip biography chapters until the person becomes successful (a group I’m always tempted to join) may not find all that much meat here; neither will those who expect a tell-all airing of dirty laundry. Particularly picky readers will bemoan the lack of an index.
But there’s still a kick to Born Standing Up, especially if you want an inside look at the live of a touring comedian, and the dues that have to be paid before mastering the craft. Because, in the end, it’s still one guy with a microphone and a few carefully-chosen words versus a crowd of people who expect a good time.
21 [Bringing Down the House], Ben Mezrich
Pocket Star, 2002 (2008 revision), 340 pages, C$10.99 mmpb, ISBN 978-1-4165-8564-0
Probability mathematics and compulsive risk-aversion have forever cured me of gambling urges, but that doesn’t lessen my fascination for casinos and Las Vegas. Things are always interesting whenever large sums of money are involved, especially when it’s about places designed to take money away from people… and when people figure how to turn that system against itself.
Indeed, for a book revolving around blackjack at Las Vegas casinos, there isn’t much gambling per se at the core of Ben Mezrich’s docu-novel Bringing Down the House, now adapted to the big screen as 21: This is about a system, a business so simple that even disciplined students could be hired to follow its instructions. It’s about finding order over the chaos of card-dealing, and using a bit of cleverness to exploit a flaw in how casinos operate.
The story begins in the mid-nineties, when a brilliant young MIT student is recruited by two of his friends who show him a weekend of lavish excess in Atlantic City. Intrigued, the student learns that his friends are part of a small group led by a mathematician who has refined a method to improve the odds in blackjack games. It works using spotters, who keeps a running count of how a given table is likely to produce high cards, and gamblers, who come in and exploit “hot” tables having an idea of how they should bet. It only works using groups of disciplined specialists, discreet communications and hit-and-run weekends.
It’s isn’t strictly illegal, but casinos definitely don’t like it, which may serve to explain why the group’s leader won’t play, and where the story is eventually headed. At first, nothing is too excessive for the protagonist of the tale, who accumulates more money than he imagined. School soon becomes a memory when bekons a more lucrative way to spend his time. People leave and join the group. And then, well, obviously something happens to make them decide to stop…
It’s never too clear where reality ends and fiction begins in this book: Mezrich, a gifted novelist, is not the protagonist of the story, and there’s an element of a twice-told tale in how neatly the dramatic tension of the story rises with every passing chapter. The dialogs, structure and dramatic choices are presumably punched up for maximum effect, but that’s okay: It does become a terrific story of money, choices, villains, intimidation and close escapes. By the end of the book, the casinos have figured out how to close the loophole (it’s easy for dealers to switch decks or start over, thus destroying the card count) and every player’s face has been included in the big book of miscreants who are not welcome in casinos.
But the whole reality/fiction thing takes a step backward in Bringing Down the House mostly because it’s such a terrific, compulsively readable book. Fans of Vegas and casinos will sip it up in a single sitting, while others will be taken by this mixture of fact and fiction. There are tons of details about the way casinos operate, and author Mezrich himself becomes part of the story as he follows his friend to try out The System and delve deeper into Las Vegas lore.
In the end, paying ten dollars for Bringing Down The House is a surer bet that feeding slot machines. Not that anyone will rely on simple games of chance when the blackjack tables seem far more interesting…
The Book of End Times, John Clute
Harper Prism, 1999, 240 pages, C$44.95 hc, ISBN 0-06-105033-4
This is a very strange book.
Unless you haunt the dealer’s tables at specialized conventions, you’re unlikely to ever see a copy: It was published in millennium-feverish 1999 and disappeared almost completely from view shortly afterward, just as fast as most other Y2K-themed books did. It’s not rare (abebooks has 37 copies, only one of them priced higher than list), but it’s not something that’s ever likely to see print again.
I myself had to travel to Florida to an academic conference, spot one of the last remaining copies in the dealers’ room and get it autographed by the author, who commented that This is a very strange book.
Indeed. Commissioned to mark the big Y2K, it wrestles with millennial fever in a skeptical but not entirely dismissive tone. (Clute recognizes Y2K fever as unreasonable hysteria, but is concerned that the hysteria is keeping people from seeing more serious problems.) A large-format coffee-table book, it was designed with the best early-Wired visual aesthetics, a style that seems irremediably dated not even ten years later. And it also marks John Clute’s foray into social criticism, using the same tools that serve him so well in literary criticism.
Clute is best known, of course, for his genre criticism: he is widely acknowledged as one of the top reviewers in his field, has shaped the language of SF criticism and has even co-written landmark encyclopedias. To see him grapple with social commentary is an interesting side-step into a slightly different, but not unrelated field: Criticism is about making connections, and here Clute is free to link just about anything he wants into this study of “The End Times”, imagined or possible.
Not that he can stay away from literary commentary for long. I had to smile when Clute uses almost an entire chapter to riff on the Fall 1997 issue of Life magazine: the critic is never bereft of material. Later, Clute goes back to Science Fiction and studies its place in creating the hysterias of the end times. Through the book, there are quotes and nods to SF authors from H.G. Wells to Ken MacLeod. At the end of the book, the bibliography takes two pages; the Sources, five, with another page-and-a-half of copyright acknowledgments.
Clute has become famous, or infamous, for his unabridged vocabulary and the complexity of his prose, and this book is up to his usual high standards. The content of the book also holds its own as a piece of social commentary. If some of the structure can be suspect, such as the overuse of the Life magazine commentary, the book is well-informed from a variety of literate sources. Clute has intriguing ideas (just wait to see what he does with the notion of a Tamaguchi), and reading the book today is an interesting experience given everything that has happened since 1999: Without too much effort, we’re left to wonder whether the state-encouraged mad responses to 9/11 became an outlet for all of this untapped hysteric energy. 2008’s developing crises only bolster Clute’s notions of unstoryable end times: death by oil price shock, mortgage foreclosures, food riots and global warming.
Since this is a coffee-table book, the visual aspect of The Book of End Times is an integral part of the experience. A disjointed, exploding mess of colors, words, pictures, indenting and graphic elements, it’s a strange showcase for Clute’s words, which are usually seen in far more sedate company. It looks like a long Clute essay laid out over a twentieth century retrospective tossed in a blender. The first fifty pages are mystifying and the last fifty are repetitive, but the strident chaos of it lends to Clute’s words an uncanny urgency. It is not, however, a transparent design job: sometimes, thanks to poor contrast choices and ever-varying font sizes, it’s a struggle to read. The relationship between all elements of the design can often be a mystery, the kind of enigma that can only be put together by over-caffeinated designers with a shaky understanding of the text and tight deadlines to meet.
For Clute fans, The Book of End Times proves to be an essential puzzle piece in an understanding of his critical framework: It clearly outlines a notion that would later seep into Clute’s literary criticism: the idea of the world as Story, and the problems we face in dealing with times that cannot be told as stories. (The obvious case here is environmental issues: Many of them can only be solved by routine, unexciting actions by many -carbon taxes, say, or lifestyle changes- rather than flashy and spectacular acts of heroism by one or a few heroes.) Clute’s work is a mosaic of recurring themes, and so The Book of End Times leads directly to essays in The Darkening Garden, and most likely to the content of the reviews to be published in the upcoming collection Houston do you read. (I wonder if it’s possible to get a copy of the Little Book of Aphorisms of the End…)
From a brief chat with the author, I understand that the making of the book was chaotic and punctuated by radical changes in editorial directions. The result may not strike anyone as a must-read classic, but fans of Clute’s work, or sociological studies, will find fascinating material here. It’s dating itself fast, but not in the ways you’d expect. Perhaps, one day, we’ll get an updated plain-text version.
Contest, Matthew Reilly
Thomas Dunne/St. Martin’s, 1996 (2003 rewrite), 334 pages, C$34.95 hc, ISBN 0-312-28625-2
I have praised Matthew Reilly’s madness before, but it turns out that I really had no idea of what he was really capable of writing: Contest, his true first novel, provides a look at Reilly’s least-controlled, most chaotic self. The book’s publishing history itself has become a bit of a legend among Reilly fans: Written while Reilly was still in university, the book was rejected by numerous publishers before being self-published. Some of those copied were snapped up by an editor who commissioned Ice Station, and the rest has become publishing history.
This edition of Contest is not the original version: It has been re-written with more characters, set in a slightly different location and presumably americanized for its intended audience. But it clearly does show an undisciplined, hyperactive writer who cares a lot more about breakneck pacing than originality or even plausibility.
The premise itself is the kind of nonsense from which B-movie parodies emerge: In an intergalactic tournament where warriors from alien races battle each other for the prize, the latest iteration takes place… in the main branch of the New York Public Library. After careful consideration, a humble New Yorker doctor/dad has been selected to represent the human race. After dark, let the game begin!
It’s tough to take the novel seriously after that, especially given the weak and far-fetched justifications used to set an alien rampage inside the NYPL. No amount of hand-waving or advanced technology can make this premise work well, and it’s further evidence of Reilly’s insanity that he never seriously tries: we quickly gather that he’s really writing a B-grade movie, and whatever exposition would be too troublesome to put on screen is simply discarded. It’s worth noting that the book jacket blurb never mentions the word aliens, or even alludes to the novel’s science-fictional nature.
Fortunately, there are plenty of plot complications to keep us busy: Despite the so-called ironclad rules of the tournament. Our hero is actually stuck in the NYPL with his daughter, and at least one contestant is cheating like crazy. (The alien context overseers really don’t come across as particularly competent.) Some of the plot developments can be seen well in advance (say, as soon as the character is informed that “if you leave the Library, you have fifteen minutes until your bracelet explodes”), while other plot developments are sheer authorial bravado: As usual, never assume someone’s dead until you can conclusively identify the body. And always leave room for the possibility that the author is lying to you.
There are few other ways to say it: Contest is often a ridiculous excuse for a novel, a cheap B-grade exploitation action movie somehow written in prose. But it does have energy, some misguided cleverness and a three-pages-a-minute pacing. It’s bad, bold and yet good, certainly a promising work from a thriller author who would learn much in his latter novels. But I feel safe in saying that there hasn’t been a thriller set in a library quite like this, and even if I think that the premise would have been just as interesting in a more realistic context (say, with criminals and mercenaries as the contestants in a crazy game-show: see MEAN GUNS for a version of this), the finished product remains a better-than-average commuter read. Latter novels have shown Reilly forging himself a reputation as a fast-paced, low-realism, go-for-broke writer, and Contest shows him at his least polished, most visceral state. It’s a must-read for Reilly fans, and memorable experience for others.
Superhero Movie (2008)
(In theaters, April 2008) The comedy sub-genre of the spoof has fallen on hard time recently, and if Superhero Movie won’t do much to raise the bar, at least it has stopped digging deeper than the most common denominator: it does contain a number of laughs, and won’t disappoint indulgent audiences even despite its general lack of cleverness. Detail-oriented cinephiles will note that the lineage of this film takes on from the not-so-awful Scary Movie 3 and 4 rather than the Epic Movie creators. The big obvious target here is Superhero movies (imagine that), with a plot line taken straight from Spider-Man with occasional references from the X-Men and Fantastic Four trilogies. The humor is dumb, crude, gross and slap-sticky, but sometimes it works: seeing a Stephen Hawking caricature repeatedly swear after bodily harm is funnier than expected. Drake Bell isn’t too bad (ie: escapes the film with most of his dignity) as the protagonist of the tale, while Leslie Neilsen has long passed that point and even cameos by Regina Hall fail to create excitement. There are a few up-to-the-second pop-culture gags (the most inspired being the parody of Tom Cruise’s already-loopy Scientology video), but the bodily secretion gags eventually overwhelm everything else, leaving little that’s funny for high school graduates. The only way this film looks good is that there’s been much worse in the genre lately. Otherwise, this doesn’t even reach the level of High School High which, ten years ago, was considered an unfunny mess.
Street Kings (2008)
(In theaters, April 2008) If, during this film, you suddenly feel that this is a cracked-up insane version of LAPD corruption thrillers like Dark Blue and Training Day, do not be alarmed: It is, after all, directed by David Ayer who also wrote both of those movies. Better yet, the film is co-written by crime novelist James Ellroy, who contributed the story to Dark Blue and L.A. Confidential. It’s familiar territory for both men, and it shows: Street Kings moves swiftly through a fairly basic story of high-level police corruption, but not quickly enough for us to point at a specific connection and wonder how the characters are all unwilling to see a crucial piece of evidence. The answer, of course, is that they’ll do that at the most dramatically opportune moment. Still; there’s a lot to like here for people looking for a crunchy (if slightly deranged) police thriller, from a more energetic performance than usual for Keanu Reeves to enjoyable turns by Forest Whitaker and Naomie Harris. It’s not great art, but it’s adequate entertainment, and people who are predisposed toward L.A. Noir will like it well enough.
Stop-Loss (2008)
(In theaters, April 2008) There’s an annoying lack of focus and commitment to this film that ultimately doom it to irrelevance. As an exploration of the impact of the Iraq invasion on ordinary lower-class America, it’s an intriguing film. It even gets provocative as it portrays a good young man reaching for exile rather than being pressed back in service under “stop-loss” directives. It gets even more interesting as the war claims more victims at home, as the young returning soldiers are unable to cope with peacetime and self-destruct in various ways. But the loose and scattered feel of the film, especially as it re-invents itself as a botched road movie, constantly diffuse the impact of a story that should have been much stronger. The slow pacing doesn’t help, and the last-minute embrace of traditional American values (like, oh, doing one’s part for family pride and business imperialism) feels like a step back from what could have been a far stronger conclusion. If you’re going to toy with the idea of sedition, do it properly. Otherwise, well, you pretty much deserve the wars in which you get to die.
Sixty Days and Counting, Kim Stanley Robinson
Bantam Spectra, 2007, 388 pages, C$30.00 hc, ISBN 978-0-553-80313-6
Little about Kim Stanley Robinson’s “Science in the Capital” trilogy has been conventional so far, so it fits that the third volume, Sixty Days and Counting, also defies usual trilogy protocols. Mind you, it fits the subject: Critic John Clute often talks about the challenges of fiction in representing today’s “unstoryable” concepts that cannot have clearly-defined heroes and dramatic climaxes (such as environmentalism). This book puts the notion to the test, and though it may bore readers looking for more excitement, it does manage to remain true to its ideals.
By the time thir third volume begins, the flashy battles have been won: Pro-environment Phil Chase is the President of the United States, the NSA has gained enough favor with him to be able to lead the massive new governmental programs required to deal with global warming, and the Gulf Stream has been rebooted thanks to a massive saline injection. In another context, this would mean the end of the story. Here, though, there are still plenty of small issues to consider. Frank Vanderwal is still brain-damaged and unable to make decisions, which gets more and more dangerous as a shadowy group sets its sights on him. Meanwhile, Charlie Quibbler returns to political life, leaving behind his son, who may still be affected by the influence of the Khembali monks.
On a conventional plot level, only Frank’s struggles with brain damage, his lifestyle, his dangerous girlfriend and her unsavory, all-powerful ex-associates keep things moving. Frank struggles with decision-making following his assault in the previous book, but by the time he decides to have an operation that may solve the issue, he’s fighting for his life, chasing down covert agents and trying to uncover the identity of those who try to manipulate US elections. But even he can’t do it alone, and the ultimate resolution of that plot line is another one of Robinson’s attempts to defy expectations. Frank is a hero for how he reacts more than what he does. (Amusingly, the novel’s best moments are just as counter-intuitive: A moment in which Charlie verbally eviscerates World Bank representatives is a highlight, while an assassination attempt is completely under-played.)
But chases and special agents all seem a bit silly given the series’ continuing reliance on domesticity, utopianism and the scientific method as plot drivers. Neither of those elements can be achieved with dramatic gestures and extraordinary heroes: they are built day after day, with an accumulation of small actions. And so Sixty Days and Counting (which refers to the grace period after a presidential inauguration) is a novel of phase transition, as Robinson suggests a way to turn the country around towards a better society. Heady stuff: readers interested in Robinson’s liberal politics are sure to appreciate the blueprint for change.
The flip side of that argument, of course, is that readers looking for stronger dramatic plot drivers are going to be sorely disappointed. If people were still expecting something different this far ahead in the series, it’s too late to change course. Sixty Days and Counting is a logical follow-up in the course of Robinson’s career and a piece that echoes a good chunk of the author’s work so far, from the utopianism of Pacific Edge to the political musings of the Mars series, to the environmental message of Antarctica and the Buddhist themes of The Years of Rice and Salt. Readers who didn’t like any of that, well, should know that there’s another book that they’re not going to like…
As for me, I continue to be surprised at how much I enjoyed the series even if it does a lot of things in ways that I shouldn’t enjoy. Granted, I tend to be more generous toward Robinson’s work that other readers (though not early on, nor always: I tried reading A Short Sharp Shock recently, and it practically fell from my uninterested hands.), so you may adjust expectations accordingly. I’m constantly on the lookout for true science-fiction and this series really does stick close to the ideals of fiction about science, even if in doing so, it risks short-changing its fictional interest. On issues such as global warming, unstoryable by definition, that may be the only defensible choice.
Never Back Down (2008)
(In theaters, April 2008) There’s something both endearing and reprehensible in the way this film re-shapes the world to justify teenage fight clubs. It’s really a plot-driven excuse to drive the protagonist to bigger and better fights, but along the way we’re asked to cheer for an entire culture of blood-thirsty teenagers constantly shouting “Fight! Fight! Fight!” and filming the results for immediate distribution on YouTube. Yes, the American indoctrination to violence begins early in Florida… and we can even recognize the sanctimonious hypocrisy of the national character when the protagonist is portrayed as a reluctant brawler who is forced, yes forced to beat up others. But who am I to complain? As a purely American martial-arts film, Never Back Down works relatively well and flows relatively well from one expected set-piece to another. It may have all the appeal of an id laid bare and hypocrisy run wild, but it’s seldom dull. Djimon Hounsou once again manages to escape from a movie mess with his dignity intact, but he’s pretty much the only one.
(In theaters, April 2008) Wow. Who could have thought that a stoner comedy could lead to such a politically-charged sequel? A surefire reflection of the times we live in, this sequel to the unexpectedly hilarious Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle features our two protagonists being mistaken for terrorists, tortured in Guantanamo Bay, escaping to the mainland USA and being chased by overbearing DHS agents until they befriend a stoner George W. Bush. And I’m not mentioning the agent who wipes himself with the Bill of Rights, the fierce anti-racism, Neil Patrick Harris as “Neil Patrick Harris” and the triumphant romanticism of a mathematical poem. Unexpected delights in what is, after all, a teen stoner comedy that could have been perfectly happy showing the two protagonists going to another chain of restaurants. While the film doesn’t scale the absurd heights of the original, its mixture of political content and low-brow comedy is utterly fascinating. The film seldom shies away from comic reversals (the sequence in which the two protagonists interrupt a street basketball game is a highlight) and re-reversals, but it’s the caricature of Bush as a frat-boy stoner that sticks in mind, both savage and yet oddly sympathetic at the same time. Fans of the first film may not be blown out of their minds, but they’ll be satisfied, and cultural critics won’t stop thinking about the ways this film uses the legacy of the Bush administration as comic fodder, blatantly assuming the audience’s prejudices regarding DHS paranoia, Guantanamo torture and Bush’s weaknesses. Utterly fascinating… plus it’s got nudity.
The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)
(In theaters, April 2008) What a shame that the first (and probably last) on-screen pairing of Jackie Chan and Jet Li comes ten years too late and has to be stuck in a painfully americanized wish-fulfillment fantasy. For fans of Asian martial arts movies, this film is a thoroughly mixed bag of references and pretentious myth-making, with an American protagonist who really doesn’t belong there. Ignore the yadda-yadda about a Boston teenager magically traveling to a land of fantasy and mystical nonsense: The real worth of the film, as usual, is in the fights. The standout is obviously a battle between Li and Chan, the straightforward rigid style of the first one meeting the goofy looseness of the second: It’s a purely enjoyable ten minutes of generously uncut physical movement, far away from the annoying kid and the even more annoying mythology. As for the rest, well, it’s both good and bad: while Yifei Liu and Bingbing Li are The Hotness (white long hair, rwwwr), their characters, like everyone else, are ill-served by a threadbare plot that seldom exploits the possibilities offered by its premise. The scenery is nice. The special effects don’t add much to the story except for some shiny combat rays and hair extensions. Throughout, it’s hard to avoid the feeling that the filmmakers are gosh-wowed by the elements at their disposal rather than ready to make use of them. It doesn’t help that the tone remains juvenile throughout. At least the film remains pleasant from beginning to end, offering just enough to keep everyone happy while not enough to strike any lasting impression.
(In theaters, April 2008) The only thing worse than a bad film is a pretentious bad film that assumes that its audience has never seen another thriller in their lives. What starts out as an intriguing erotic drama featuring an exclusive club for professionals looking for unattached sexual relations turns out to be yet another coincidence-laden blackmail drama. The disappointing deception leaves a bad taste, especially when the film starts going through well-worn plot “twists” in a self-important ponderous fashion that can quickly sour anyone’s good intentions. Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams are capable actors that can do much better, but even their contribution can’t match screenwriter Mark Bomback’s trite script and director Marcel Langenegger’s leaden touch. The film is never worse than at the beginning of its overextended third act, when it dawdles for almost ten minutes while waiting for a not-dead character to come back in the story, spinning its wheels even as everyone with half a brain knows what’s going on. By the end of the film, I was muttering the litany of “I hate you. I hate youuu…” that I keep in reserve for specially flawed films that make me loathe the filmmakers, the cinematographic art form and the universe in general. Once past Maggie Q’s smoldering appearance, there’s nothing entertaining left about Deception, and a whole lot of drawn-out torture in the hands of people who shouldn’t be allowed near a film script ever again. This is not even straight-to-video fodder: this is straight-to-video trash that’s convinced of its chances for the Oscar.
Ewan McGregorHugh JackmanMaggie QMichelle Williams
The Merchants’ War, Charles Stross
Tor, 2007, 336 pages, C$28.95 hc, ISBN 978-0-7653-1671-4
Things never get any less complicated in this fourth volume in Charles Stross’ ongoing “Merchant Princes” series. Readers should be advised that in addition of being a fourth-in-a-series, The Merchants’ War is the second in a tightly-linked four-book sequence: They will be lost if they haven’t read the previous tomes, and few of the plot lines are resolved by the time the last chapter ends. Since, as of early 2008, the remaining books in the series still haven’t been published (that will have to wait until 2009), readers may want to stock the books for later reading.
But if you’re reading this in 2010 (lucky you!), here’s where things stood at the end of the third volume: Series heroine Miriam Beckstein, a journalist having discovered her talents for walking between the worlds, narrowly escaped a terrible wedding via an ever more terrible coup against the world-walking Clans. Lost on the unfriendly streets of Third-Earth New London, it’s time for her to take back control of her own destiny, even at the risk of making waves against the authoritarian regime of New Britain. There are a lot of dueling plot-lines by this point in the series, and it’s a mind-bender to try to keep up with them all. Even Miriam, after being in the spotlight for the first books of the series, is becoming just another character among many even as her role in this book is a little more active than her forced isolation in the third tome. A fourth reality even gets added to the mix this time around, proving that things can never get too complicated. But Stross’ clean style, combined with his usual humor and hard-edged understanding of economic realities, is enough to keep things hopping.
The series also keeps shifting in tone. The Merchant Princes have never been completely fantasy, but as the US government starts studying world-walking after being tipped off at the end of the second volume, Stross is bringing the series ever closer to Science Fiction: There is a superb sequence set in top-secret government laboratories in which the jargon flies as thickly as in Stross’ more conventional SF novels, and that in return promises even more interesting developments in latter books.
In parallel, a team of explorers from Miriam’s clan has also set out to explore the possibilities of world-walking as a science, discovering a fourth Earth that hints of a long-gone advanced civilization. That sequence is also one of the highlights of the book, and also promises much in latter novels.
At the same time, The Merchants’ War also keeps the series firmly set in the techno-thriller genre. After the incidents of the third volume, everyone is racing to find where the Clan’s “nuclear insurance policy” is located in Boston, and the scene in which they do find out is second in horrified interest only to the scene in which they discover another bomb they didn’t know about. Oh yes, this is a lively book.
The twists and turns keep piling up, as do the ideas and character revelations. The mix of technologies that the Clan uses against the Nobility’s aggression is intriguing, even as it’s an excuse for a few laughs—such as transporting “re-enactors” forces in a schoolbus.
But trying to review things at this point is like seeing half a movie and being asked for comments. The best thing to say so far is that the rhythm, inventiveness and quality of The Merchant Princes is intact after four books, and that all signs point to even more fascinating follow-ups. Sadly, these follow-ups still have to be published, and there are at least two of them to go before a natural breathing point.
So there’s really no news to report: if you like the series, this book isn’t going to change your mind, but any further development will have to wait until everything is out.
So, reader-from-2010, how good was it?
(In theaters, April 2008) Al Pacino can chew scenery like anyone else, and his oversize persona, when finally unleashed very late in the film, is probably the only thing that saved 88 Minutes from a quick and merciful straight-to-video release. Well, that and the film’s fake real-time premise, which gets relatively dense once the show is firmly on the road. Until then, however, it’s a long slog through a far too lengthy prologue, a laborious set of character introductions and far too many scenes dedicated to a villain that’s more exasperating than interesting. A better film would have taken the hint of the title and run with a real-time thriller the likes of which TV series 24 was made so popular. Here, alas, the film seldom has the courage of its own concept, and in fact blows part of its conclusion early by giving a seemingly minor role to a major thespian: what’s that person doing in such a small role unless it’s meant to become… something else? Still, the film doesn’t need external encyclopedic knowledge of actors to fail on its own merit: Despite being set in Seattle, it’s visibly shot in Vancouver (watch for the newspaper boxes and the known intersections!), a lax attitude to the product that carries over to just about every other aspect of this potboiler thriller. Pacino remains the only rock of watchable quality in this film, especially at the conclusion, which makes less sense that anyone can figure out given the tight time constraints of the story. Oh well; call it a second choice for a rainy afternoon when you’ve seen just about everything else at the video store.
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'Prophet' Kim Clement Dies at 60
CP Current Page: Church & Ministries | Thursday, November 24, 2016 | Coronavirus →
By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor Follow | Thursday, November 24, 2016
Kim Clement. | (Photo: Screenshot/YouTube)
After suffering from a brain bleed and other medical complications for more than a year, Kim Clement, who was known as a prophet, has died, according to an announcement by his family. He was 60 years old.
"It is with deep sadness that we share the news that our beloved Kim has died and passed into Glory, and is now in the presence of his Lord, his best friend, Jesus," Clement's family announced on Thursday.
Clement was serving as the senior pastor and spiritual leader of House of Destiny, which describes itself as "an online church family."
"Many have asked, or may be asking, who is Kim Clement?" says Clement's website, and describes him thus: "He is not really an evangelist, or a pastor, or even a missionary, although he has worked in all of these areas. … Many have called him prophet, but to simply call him a prophet is not even enough because of the unfortunate stigma attached to that title. Part of the journey to understanding Kim Clement is a lesson in understanding the uniqueness of his destiny. He is not a doom and gloom prophet with an apocalyptic forecast every three years; instead, he is a voice of hope to those who need it the most. He is able to paint a picture of destiny that inspires instead of frightens those who catch a glimpse. He has found a way to define again what it is to be a true prophet."
Kim was recently hospitalized with pneumonia and complications due to his diseased lungs, and his body was too weak to combat the illness, the family said. "The support and love that you have shown to Jane and the family throughout this 16-month journey has been crucial to them having the strength to withstand the fight. We are so very grateful, and we appreciate your continued prayers for the family as they face the upcoming days. Our hearts are broken, but we cannot mention his passing without honoring and celebrating the amazing life that Kim lived."
Clement "fought a good fight, finished the race, kept the faith, and is now embracing his exceedingly great reward in Heaven," the family said.
In January, 2006, Clement prophesied about the rapper Eminem and horror fiction writer Stephen King, but the prophecy didn't come true. "This year, I will raise up Eminem to be a voice. Conversion shall come to his house — Eminem. This year I will touch Stephen King, and he will write for the Kingdom of God," he wrote in an article.
"Kim's prophetic gift is a magnet that has drawn a broad audience," the website says. "He has whispered to kings and inspired prisoners. His diverse, extemporaneous perspective has gained him a notoriety that transcends culture, race and religion, placing him onto a world platform. … While Kim's ministry is unorthodox by "institutional standards," it is firmly grounded in both the Old and New Testament scriptures, as detailed extensively in Corinthians, Samuel, and Kings."
Pastor Spraying 'Doom' in People's Faces, Claims to Heal Cancer, HIV
Singer Monica Says Jesus Tattoo Helped Her Battle Depression
Billy Graham's Longtime Music Director Cliff Barrows Dies at 93, Was 'Like a Brother' to Icon
Controversial Gospel Tract Cartoonist Jack Chick Dies; Claimed Catholics Going to Hell
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Friendswood High Band Director presented Meritorious Achievement Award
Friendswood Journal // Friendswood News
July 27, 2015 Updated: Oct. 5, 2016 3:51 a.m.
Greg Dick
Friendswood High School Band Director Gregory Dick has been has named a recipient of a 2015 Meritorious Achievement Award by the Texas Bandmasters Association.
TBA President Bruce Beach presented this award to Dick during the annual TBA Convention/Clinic in San Antonio recently.
Dick has served as the Director of Bands at Friendswood High School since 2000.
At that time, Dick became the Director of Bands at Friendswood High School.
Since then, the Marching Band has advanced to the UIL State Marching Contest eight times consecutively, placed in the finals six times consecutively, and was the State Runner-Up in 2003, 2005, and 2009.
The Marching Band has won many local contests. The organization is a Band of America (BOA) Houston Regional Finalist and San Antonio Super Regional Finalist and has won 15 consecutive UIL Sweepstakes Awards.
FHS Wind Ensemble has won festivals in San Antonio, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Dallas, and performed in New York, Orlando, and Chicago. The Wind Ensemble was named the TMEA AAAA Honor Band in 2005 and again in 2009. In 2006, the group performed at The Midwest Clinic and won the inaugural National Wind Band Honors Award for outstanding performance.
The John Philip Sousa Foundation awarded the Sudler Flag of Honor to the band in 2007.
The Friendswood Band has produced 170 All-State musicians in the past 15 years.
Dick’s personal honors include the Texas Music Educators Leadership and Achievement Award and the Citation of Excellence by the National Band Association.
In 2000, Dick was the Secondary Teacher of the Year for the Clear Creek ISD and in 2005, was the first faculty member from FHS to win the State UIL Sponsor Excellence Award.
In 2007, the John Philip Sousa Foundation awarded the Friendswood Band the Sudler Flag of Honor. He was elected into the American Bandmasters Association in 2010. Greg was awarded the UT Exes Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Award and FISD recognized him with the “Making A Difference Award” in 2014.
Dick is an active adjudicator and clinician across the state, having conducted many region and all city bands and has presented clinics at Texas Bandmasters Association and Texas Music Educators of America. He serves on the Sudler Flag of Honor committee and has served in Region 19 and Region 17 in various leadership positions over the years.
“Greg Dick has served as a stellar director in Friendswood ISD. Each year he continues to raise the bar for musical excellence and he is very deserving of such an exceptional award from the Texas Bandmasters Association,” Superintendent Trish Hanks said. “We applaud him for making a difference not only every day in FISD and FHS but also across the state as he is an outstanding role model for others in the profession.”
Each year, TBA recognizes those who have made a difference in the lives of band students in Texas. It is a tradition dating back to 2000 for TBA to honor those who exemplify the qualities of an exemplary band director with the Meritorious Achievement Award.
This year marks the 68th annual Convention/Clinic hosted by TBA. More than 6,000 band directors, music teachers, and university music students from across the state attended the convention July 23-26 in San Antonio.
More than 60 educational clinics and professional concerts were offered to its membership of persons working in or retired from the music education profession. TBA also designed special full-day programs for first-year and new-to-Texas directors, middle and high school band students, and Booster Club members.
An Exhibit Hall of approximately 650 vendors presented the latest products from leaders in the music industry at the event.
The Texas Bandmasters Association promotes the value of music education in society and the important role instrumental music plays in cultural, intellectual and social lives.
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Houston woman who dug through trash cans for personal info gets prison time for identity theft
News // Houston & TexasHouston
Samantha Ketterer, Staff writer
Emily Ann Owens was sentenced on Thursday, June 27, 2019 to eight years in prison. She was accused in the identity thefts of more than 36 different people, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office
Harris County District Attorney's Office
A Houston woman dug through local business’ trash cans as part of a “methodical” identity theft scheme that defrauded dozens of people, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
Emily Ann Owens, 42, was sentenced on Thursday to eight years in prison for possessing dozens of items of personal information, stolen from storage units and trash cans and recorded in an organized notebook along with timetables and to-do lists on how to defraud victims, prosecutors said.
“She preyed on people, defrauded people, and took advantage of people,” said Assistant District Attorney Robert Buss, who prosecuted the case. “She was very dedicated to doing so.”
Owens’ attorney, Dustan Neyland, did not return a phone call requesting a comment.
ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: More than 970 labor violations self-reported in Houston in 2018
State District Judge Amy Martin sentenced Owens after she pleaded guilty to fraudulent use/possession of more than 10 and fewer than 50 pieces of identifying information, a second-degree felony, and fraudulent use/possession of more than 50 pieces of identifying information, a first-degree felony.
Owens was arrested on the first charge in October 2016, made bail, and was arrested again in July 2018 on the second charge, according to court documents. The maximum sentence she could have received was life in prison.
Investigators found Owens in possession of stolen Social Security numbers, credit card numbers and financial account numbers.
“She was basically treating it like a job,” Buss said.
In the second case, Owens was staying in hotels using stolen accounts. Buss said it’s difficult to determine how much money she might have taken using others’ personal information. Owens is believed to have defrauded at least 36 people.
Owens had several prior out-of-state convictions for fraud-related offenses, prosecutors said.
samantha.ketterer@chron.com
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Samantha Ketterer
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Samantha Ketterer is a reporter on the Houston Chronicle's breaking news team. She joined the staff in 2018 after covering tourism and Galveston City Hall for The Galveston County Daily News.
Samantha graduated from the University of Texas at Austin's School of Journalism, where she started her reporting career working for The Daily Texan. She later interned for the Houston Chronicle's metro desk and Austin bureau and was a reporting fellow for the Dallas Morning News' state bureau.
You can buy fashionable coats like the inauguration attendees
Seriously, who doesn’t have coat envy after that fashion show?
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Heisman 3: Tua Tagovailoa, Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins
Sports // College
RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Football Writer
Dec. 3, 2018 Updated: Dec. 4, 2018 8:19 a.m.
Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray (1) looks to pass as Texas linebacker Anthony Wheeler (45) applies pressure during the first half of the Big 12 Conference championship NCAA college football game on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018, in Arlington, Texas.Jeffrey McWhorter/AP
NEW YORK (AP) — Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa, Oklahoma's Kyler Murray and Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins are the finalists for the Heisman Trophy, ensuring a quarterback will win the award for the 16th time in the last 19 years.
The finalists were announced Monday, hours after the deadline for 928 voters, including former winners, to submit their ballots.
Tagovailoa has been the favorite for most of the season, but Murray and Haskins finished strong. Unlike most seasons, there should be some real drama Saturday night when the Heisman is awarded in New York City.
Tagovailoa and Murray will also face off in the College Football Playoff, when No. 1 Alabama faces No. 4 Oklahoma at the Orange Bowl semifinal on Dec. 29.
The finalists are determined by the margin of votes received, starting with the third- and fourth-place finishers. At least three and as many as five finalists are invited to presentation ceremony.
The last time three quarterbacks were the only finalists was 2008, when Sam Bradford of Oklahoma won over Colt McCoy of Texas and Tim Tebow of Florida.
Tagovailoa's Heisman campaign started the final game of last season, when he came off the bench as a freshman to lead Alabama to a comeback victory in the national championship game against Georgia. His first season as a starter has been as good as advertised, with 3,353 yards passing, 37 touchdown passes and just four interceptions. Tagovailoa would be the third Alabama player to win the Heisman since 2009, but the first quarterback, joining tailbacks Mark Ingram and Derrick Henry.
Murray replaced last year's Heisman winner, Baker Mayfield, for the Sooners and has been just as good. The junior, who has already signed a $4.7 million deal to play baseball with the Oakland Athletics next year, has passed for 4,053 yards and 40 touchdowns with seven interceptions. Oklahoma would become the fourth school, joining Yale, Army and Southern California, to have Heisman winners in consecutive seasons, but the first to have quarterbacks win it in back-to-back years.
Haskins, a third-year sophomore, shattered numerous Big Ten passing records this season, throwing for 4,580 yards and 47 touchdowns to lead the country in both categories. Haskins is the first Buckeyes' finalists since Troy Smith won the Heisman in 2006.
Ohio State, Southern California and Notre Dame have won the most Heisman's with seven. Oklahoma has six.
The Heisman has been dominated by quarterbacks over the last two decades. The last two winners have been QBs, and since USC's Reggie Bush won the Heisman in 2005, 10 quarterbacks have won it.
Tagovailoa seemed like he would be a runaway Heisman winner heading into the final month of the season, but Murray closed the gap by continually bailing out Oklahoma's faulty defense. Tagovailoa still seemed poised to head to New York as the favorite until last Saturday when he threw two interceptions and didn't finish the Southeastern Conference championship game against Georgia because of a sprained ankle.
Murray and Haskins, meanwhile, both had huge games on championship Saturday, adding some suspense to the race, but also separating themselves from the rest of the contenders.
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew II and West Virginia quarterback Will Grier had been in the Heisman mix for much of the season and put up numbers to rival Tagovailoa, Murray and Haskins, but both fell short of leading their teams to conference championship games.
Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor leads the nation in rushing, with 1,989 yards, but the Badgers struggling to a 7-5 season, he didn't make the Heisman cut.
RALPH D. RUSSO
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Spain’s Instituto Cervantes offers A-level Spanish classes online for Gibraltarian students
By Priya Gulraj Share
Students in Gibraltar studying A-Level Spanish have been invited to sign up for a free eight-week course offered by Spain's Instituto Cervantes to help prepare for exams.
The course starts on May 12, is open to students at both government and private schools, and is being offered in coordination with the Gibraltar Government’s Ministry for Education and the Department of Education.
The study sessions will be available online for students as they prepare for their exams during the Covid-19 health crisis, the Instituto Cervantes said in a statement on Monday.
The move was welcomed by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo during the daily 4pm press conference.
“The public will recall the Instituto closed its doors in Gibraltar at the time that Señor Margallo was Foreign Minister of Spain,” he said.
“I welcome this tentative return, even if it is only virtual at this stage.”
The Instituto Cervantes is a Spanish public institution tasked with the teaching of Spanish and Spain’s vernacular languages, while enhancing the visibility of Spanish and Latin American culture. It is present in 90 cities in 43 countries on six continents.
The Instituto Cervantes operated a centre in Gibraltar between 2011 and 2015, the product of the trilateral process and the Cordoba Agreement of 2006.
But it was closed by the Partido Popular’s controversial Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, although Spain’s Socialist Government has since signalled its interest in reopening.
In fact, in the documentation issued by the institute for the online courses aimed at Gibraltarian students, the organisation uses the logo Instituto Cervantes Gibraltar. It has also launched a website with the address http://gibraltar.cervantes.es
However any plan to reopen a centre in Gibraltar, should it happen at all, is still some way off and the focus now is solely on the provision of online study for any local students who wants to take up the offer.
“Compared to other British students, Gibraltarian students studying Spanish do not have an Instituto Cervantes centre near where they live in order to prepare for the exams,” the Instituto Cervantes said.
“It is with this in mind that the Spanish Instituto want to offer this is a gesture so that these youngsters can have the best chance to take on Spanish as a foreign language.”
The course is being offered free of charge to all Spanish A-Level students in both Gibraltar’s private and public schools.
Further details on class schedules will soon be released to the secondary schools.
The Instituto said its teachers are currently working on a teaching programme that will be delivered over the Zoom communication platform.
Spanish lessons from the Instituto Cervantes will start on May 12 and will run until June 30.
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Incoming McHenry County Board chairman tasked with appointing two members to fill vacant seats
By Kelli Duncan
Shaw Media
The McHenry County Board will soon have two vacant seats, one left by a Democrat and one by a Republican, that will need to be filled in the coming months.
It will be up to incoming county board Chairman Mike Buehler to interview candidates to fill the two seats and bring a nomination forward to be confirmed by the full board, one of his first duties as he steps into the new role.
"It will be best to seek someone with strong leadership skills, diversity in background that will bring value to the board," Buehler said. "We'll definitely be looking for someone who values teamwork and collaboration in order to best work to solve any of the issues at hand."
One vacant seat was left by the Chuck Wheeler, a Republican, who died Nov. 12.
A second seat will open when Democratic County Board member Suzanne Ness leaves her role to become the next state representative for House District 66.
"As for Mr. Wheeler, there's no doubt that his replacement is going to have to fill some pretty big shoes," Buehler said. "I would say that probably goes for Ms. Ness as well. I mean, she's a very strong leader and has high integrity."
Each seat must be filled by a candidate of the same party as the outgoing official and candidates must reside within the same district, according to state statute. This process must be completed within 60 days of when the seats are officially declared to be vacant.
An official declaration of vacancy for the two seats has not yet occurred.
McHenry County Democratic Party Chairwoman Kristina Zahorik said this may be the first time that a Democratic county board seat has been left vacant.
McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Tyler Wilke could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
The county's Democratic Party has already put an initial call out for applicants and asked that anyone interested in filling the role email the party at info@mchenrydems.org, according to a recent news release.
Zahorik said she and her colleagues have also reached out to a few candidates who they feel are well-suited for the position to ask them to apply.
They are looking for qualified, Democratic candidates who will also be interested in running for the position when they come to the end of their predecessor's term in 2022, she said.
The party will collect applications, vet candidates and submit a name or list of names to Buehler for consideration, she said. The McHenry County Republican Party will likely follow a similar process.
"I would hope that this would be the incoming chairman's first really large public gesture and that, if he does want to govern in the spirit of true bipartisanship, he would take the recommendations of either party," Zahorik said.
The process of nominating a candidate to fill a vacant seat has varied significantly under the leadership of different board chairmen, said county board member Carolyn Schofield, a Republican.
"I've seen (board chairmen) be very involved with the party that was vacating the seat; I've seen no involvement with the party vacating the seat," Schofield said. "It's really their choice."
After her initial conversations with Buehler, Schofield said she feels confident he will make the positions open to all well-qualified candidates and will work collaboratively with board members to confirm someone they can all agree on.
Buehler is a good example that "there might be people out there willing to serve that haven't really been heavily involved in politics, so I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing that they aren't really known by a party," Schofield said. "So you have to let people know."
This has always been Buehler's plan, he said, adding he plans to adhere to the 60-day time frame to fill the seats, barring any "unforeseen circumstances."
Outgoing Chairman Jack Franks said he would advise that Buehler make his own decision based on who he thinks will best serve county residents, independent of partisan influences.
The two political parties can play an advisory role in the process, but not a decisive one, Franks said.
When it comes to candidate recommendations from the two parties, "I think (they) would carry a great deal of weight," Buehler said. "I would probably consider their recommendations first and foremost, ... but I wouldn't just default to that."
Buehler said he is appreciative of Franks' suggestions and may consider reaching out to him or other former board chairmen for consultation during the process, as Franks said he did when faced with choosing his first appointment to the board shortly after being elected.
McHenry County Board
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FUTURE OF DISABLED SCHOOLS UNCERTAIN
HUGH LESSIGDaily Press
A task force has recommended building a school for multi-disabled children and closing one in Hampton.
For years, the state school for multi-disabled children in Hampton has faced an uncertain future, and the 2005 General Assembly may again fail to decide its fate.
After a meeting Monday, key lawmakers expressed different views on what should be done with the Hampton school and a companion school in Staunton that educates deaf and blind children.
That could lead to a replay of past sessions where lawmakers deadlocked over a long-term plan.
A task force in 2003, trying to end the debate once and for all, narrowly recommended closing both schools and building a modern campus elsewhere in Virginia.
But after Monday's meeting, one lawmaker expressed support for keeping both schools open while another said he would push to have them consolidate in Staunton.
The two schools have their roots in Virginia's segregated past. Blacks attended the Hampton school while the Staunton school was for whites. In recent years, the schools have evolved to serve students with different needs.
The Staunton school educates deaf and blind students with an academic curriculum. In Hampton, the students can be deaf or blind combined with other disabilities, and the curriculum is more functional, teaching life skills.
That leads Sen. Emmett W. Hanger Jr., R-Augusta, to believe the schools can co-exist but perhaps as smaller campuses. Hanger chairs the advisory commission for the two schools that met in Richmond.
He said it might be nice to have a new school, but he's never supported that option and said the task force report maybe "missed the mark a little bit."
"Clearly," he said, "I don't think we can maintain the status quo."
Del. Chris Saxman, R-Staunton, has another solution: Consolidate everything on the Staunton campus. But that was tried in 2002, and Gov. Mark R. Warner struck it from the budget.
A third member of the advisory commission, Del. Mamye BaCote, D-Newport News, said she would oppose Saxman's proposal.
Saxman asked about a recent state report that detailed repeated violations by the Hampton school from 2001 to 2004. The report said the school failed standards for children's residential facilities that included unreported injuries and understaffing.
Darlene White, Hampton superintendent, said that roughly half of the violations -- 47 in all -- happened in 2001, and the school has since taken steps to improve. The most recent inspection was in December and resulted in seven violations, she said. No other member of the commission raised questions about the report.
The Hampton school is now licensed until the end of 2005, but the state can revoke the license and close the school before then if it doesn't enact an approved improvement plan.
One thing is certain: Both schools have fiercely loyal alumni. Tuesday's meeting was attended by about a dozen supporters of the Staunton school.
Using sign language, R. Allen Justice urged the commission to keep Staunton open. He is a member of the class of 1959.
"There is a very strong spirit in Staunton," he said, "and we support it." *
Virginia General Assembly
Emmett W. Hanger, Jr.
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Hadyn Luke posted this on Friday 28th of August 2015 Hadyn Luke 28/08/2015
Tags: Case Study
19+ INTERMEDIATE APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR AWARD- SOPHIE PARKIN, PROJECT MANAGER AT OREAN PERSONAL CARE LTD
An apprenticeship can take you much further than you expect – as Sophie Parkin found out when she embarked on the first step of her career last year.
College attended: Rastrick High School Sixth Form College
Apprenticeship: Customer Service then Business Admin apprenticeship
Achievements: Being promoted three months into the apprenticeship; being awarded Apprentice of the Year.
Although Sophie Parkin had applied for and been offered a place at university, she was also applying for jobs and became interested in a job opportunity at Cleckheaton-based company Orean Personal Care. The business is a leading manufacturer and contract packer of hair, body and skin care products, supplying companies across the UK.
“I didn’t think of joining a large company at first,” she says. “I thought I’d be behind a till. But when I saw the job opportunity I thought, the worse that can happen is they say no.”
After leaving her job interview at Orean, Sophie hadn’t even reached the end of the road before the company rang her with a start date. “From day one I was on the apprenticeship, which was helpful,” she says.
Promotion and career development: Having started work in customer service on 14 July 2014, Sophie was delighted to be promoted to Project Manager just three months later – with a pay rise.
“I expected to be making hot drinks and doing the photocopying, but within a couple of weeks I had my own customers,” Sophie says. “I was quite shocked to be promoted so early, especially as they created the role for me. At the same time, I knew that everyone was more than happy to help me out, and I could also call on CMS Vocational at any time for support.”
Following her promotion, Sophie was moved from her Customer Service apprenticeship to a Business Admin apprenticeship, which she completed in July 2015.
“It was easy to change between the two,” she says. “My assessor at CMS Vocational, Emma, sat down with me and my manager and went through the differences between the two apprenticeships, which was really useful. It was good that she included my manager, so that she was also clear on what I should be doing.”
The benefits of apprenticeship training: Regular meetings with her assessor helped Sophie to complete her coursework and to plan her revision; CMS Vocational also sent her past exam papers to work on.
Having passed her GCSEs apart from Maths, Sophie was encouraged by CMS Voc to take the exam again, with additional revision sessions with her assessor. “She helped me out and encouraged me,” said Sophie. “She wouldn’t let me fail. It was definitely helpful to have Emma supporting me, and if she couldn’t make it, she would send her manager instead so that I could still have the review sessions and a point of contact.”
APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR
During her apprenticeship, Sophie was thrilled to be awarded the 19+ Intermediate Apprentice of the Year award by Kirklees Apprenticeship Hub, sponsored by C&K Careers, Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership and Kirklees Council.
“I was put up for the award by my manager and they picked me because of the hard work I put in on my apprenticeship and because I took on a couple of new roles,” Sophie says. “I was really shocked to win; I didn’t expect it.”
As for the future, Sophie is expecting her role to become more prominent in the company as new procedures come into play and says she would like to be the person that others call on and can rely on.
“I’m very grateful to Orean Personal Care for allowing me to grow and develop my role. The directors and the Managing Director have been joking that one day I’ll run the business – and I say, why not?”
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Octopus Cybercrime Community
Country Wiki
Public/Private cooperation
Information on Parties
Cybercrime website
Octopus/
Country Wiki/
Country Wiki AP/
Agrégateur de contenus Agrégateur de contenus
Imprimer Philippines
Statut concernant la Convention de Budapest
Statut : Partie Ratifié / adhéré : 28/03/2018 Déclarations et réserves : Articles concerned: 24, 27, 35 Voir le profil légal
Politiques / stratégies en matière de cybercriminalité
The Philippines is a party to the Budapest Convention since 2018 and they have given full implementation at the domestic level through the adoption and enforcement of a sound cybercrime legislation.
Nevertheless, the Philippine government has yet to adopt its draft National Cybercrime Strategy, which intends to provide the current landscape of cybercrime investigation, prosecution, and suppression in the Philippines, while embedding a whole-nation approach that will bolster the fight against cybercrime and cyber-related offenses, in line with international best practices.
The draft Strategy includes a vital multi-year cybercrime data/statistics based on official reports, actual operations, information and research, as well as analysis thereof, which were received from concerned agencies, such as the National Bureau of Investigation – Cybercrime Division (NBI-CCD) and the Philippine National Police – Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG).
It also proceeds with a concise narrative, summing up the Philippine strategy against cybercrime based on policy framework, situation analysis, and international commitments and comity, which consists of the following key elements:
Bolstering legal framework by enacting up-to-date laws, rules, and other government issuances that are dynamic to cope up with the technological challenges;
Harmonizing and coordinating efforts among government agencies concerned in fighting cybercrimes and cyber-related offenses;
Capacitating all members of the justice sector in the field of cybercrime and electronic evidence;
Strengthening international cooperation in order to tackle the problem of cybercrime by and large;
Promoting and encouraging public-private partnership in assuring service growth and development of a safe and secure cyber environment where the industry could continue to be competitive; and
Increasing the level of the public’s cognizance and to help them develop the required knowledge to prevent being victims of cybercrime, through provision of public awareness seminars and trainings.
It is worthy to note that the draft was disseminated to relevant stakeholders for consultation, inputs and comments. Some of the data and policies contained in the draft were adopted, and complemented, by the draft National Cybersecurity Plan 2022 (NCSP) which was formally launched by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in December 2016.
The primary goals of the NCSP are as follows: (1) assuring the continuous operation of the nation’s critical infostructures, public and military networks (2) implementing cyber resiliency measures to enhance the ability to respond to threats before, during and after attacks, (3) effective coordination with law enforcement agencies and (4) a cybersecurity educated society.
The National Cybersecurity Plan 2022 wants to reach the state of having a “Trusted and Resilient Infostructure” by the achievement of the following mission objectives:
To systematically and methodically harden the Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) for resiliency;
To prepare and secure government Infostructure;
To raise awareness in the business sector on cyber risk and use of security measures among businesses to prevent and protect, respond and recover from attacks;
To raise awareness of individuals on cyber risks and build a cybersecurity-educated society.
Législation sur la cybercriminalité
État de la législation sur la cybercriminalité
The legal framework of the Philippines for cybercrime and electronic evidence is largely in line with the Budapest Convention, with the Cybercrime Prevention Act entered into force in February 2014.
The Philippine Congress enacted Republic Act No. 10175 or “Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012” which completely address crimes committed against and by means of computer system on 12 September 2012. It includes penal substantive rules, procedural rules and also rules on international cooperation.
Amendatory bills on cybercrime investigations are under work in the Philippines, with new provisions being introduced on procedural powers, responsibilities, and extradition. The aim is for the amendments to provide a structured approach for prosecutors and investigators on cybercrime investigations and to further align national legislation with the Budapest Convention.
Substantive law related to the offences and procedural provisions on measures are included in the following acts:
The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, [2012];
Rules and Regulations Implementing Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, [2015]
Rules on Electronic Evidence, [2001]. The Supreme Court recently issued amendments to the Rules of Civil Procedure and the Revised Rules on Evidence (collectively, the Revised Rules). The Revised Rules will take effect on 1 May 2020.
Rule on Cybercrime Warrants, [2018]
The Philippine Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 focuses on the pre-emption, prevention and prosecution of cybercrimes such as offenses against the confidentiality, integrity and availability of computer data and systems, computer-related offenses, and content-related offenses.
In addition, Section 6 thereof provides that all crimes defined and penalized by the Revised Penal Code, as amended, and special laws, if committed by, through and with the use of information and communications technologies shall be covered by the relevant provisions of Revised Penal Code: Provided, That the penalty to be imposed shall be one (1) degree higher than that provided for by the Revised Penal Code, as amended, and special laws, as the case may be.
Furthermore, Section 7 thereof provides that prosecution under the Cybercrime law shall be without prejudice to any liability for violation of any provision of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, or special laws.
Droit procédural
The Philippine Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 also provides procedural measures to be undertaken by law enforcement authorities mandated by the law to enforce and implement its provisions. To ensure that the technical nature of cybercrime and its prevention is given focus and the procedures involved for international cooperation considered, law enforcement authorities specifically the computer or technology crime divisions responsible for the investigation of cybercrimes are required to submit timely and regular reports, including pre-operation, post-operation and investigation results and such other documents, as may be required, to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for review and monitoring.
The Supreme Court promulgated Administrative Matter (A.M.) No. 17-11-03-SC or the Rule on Cybercrime Warrants (RCW) to respond to the technical requirements of cybercrime prosecution and aid cybercrime courts in the exercise of their special jurisdiction. It sets forth the procedure for the application and grant of warrants and related orders involving the preservation, disclosure, interception, search, seizure, and/or examination, as well as the custody, and destruction of computer data, as provided under R.A. No. 10175.[1]
In other words, the RCW is a tool afforded to law enforcers and prosecutors to assist them in obtaining electronic evidence necessary to prove their cases. It provides for the following warrants:
Warrant to Disclose Computer Data (WDCD) [2];
Warrant to Intercept Computer Data (WICD) [3];
Warrant to Search, Seize, and Examine Computer Data (WSSECD) [4];
Warrant to Examine Computer Data (WECD) [5].
[1] Section 1.2, Rule on Cybercrime Warrants (RCW).
[2] Section 4.2, Ibid. A Warrant to Disclose Computer Data (WDCD) is an order in writing issued in the name of the People of the Philippines, signed by a judge, upon application of LEAs, authorizing the latter to issue an order to disclose and accordingly, require any person or service provider to disclose or submit computer data in his/her possession or control.
[3] Section 5.2, Ibid. A Warrant to Intercept Computer Data (WICD) is an order in writing issued in the name of the People of the Philippines, signed by a judge, upon application of LEAs, authorizing the latter to carry out any or all of the following activities: (a) listening to; (b) recording; (c) monitoring; or (d) surveillance of the content of communications.
This includes the procuring of the content of the computer data at the same time that the communication is occurring, either:
a. Directly, through access and use of a computer system; or
b. Indirectly, through the use of electronic eavesdropping or tapping devices.
[4] Section 6.1, Ibid. A Warrant to Search, Seize, and Examine Computer Data (WSSECD) is an order in writing issued in the name of the People of the Philippines, signed by a judge, upon application of LEAs, authorizing the latter to search the particular place for items to be seized and/or examined. The interception of communications and computer data may be conducted during the implementation of the WSSECD.
[5] Section 6.9, Ibid. A Warrant to Examine Computer Data (WECD) is a warrant authorizing the LEA who have acquired possession of computer device or computer system via a lawful warrantless arrest, or by any other method to conduct forensic examination on the computer data contained therein. Interception of communications and computer data may likewise be conducted during the implementation of the WECD.
General rules and safeguards apply. The Philippine Constitution provides that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws. It is the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures of whatever nature and for any purpose shall be inviolable, and no search warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue except upon probable cause to be determined personally by the judge after examination under oath or affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses he may produce, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.
Lois et règlements connexes
Besides an extensive legal framework on technical aspects, there are important acts on this field respecting:
Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012
Republic Act No. 9995 or the Anti-Photo and Voyeurism Act of 2009;
Republic Act No. 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009;
Republic Act No. 8792 or the E-Commerce Act of 2000;
Republic Act No. 8484 or the Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998;
Republic Act No. 4200 or the Anti-Wiretapping Law of 1965;
Republic Act No. 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, as amended by Republic Act No. 10364 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.
Institutions spécialisées
Department of Justice – Office of Cybercrime
National Bureau of Investigation – Cybercrime Division
Philippine National Police – Anti-Cybercrime Group
Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center (CICC) [1]
Cybercrime Courts
[1] Not yet operational as of date.
Autorités compétentes et canaux
Specific procedures and best practices for International Cooperation.
Jurisprudence / droit jurisprudent
In the case of Disini vs. the Secretary of Justice, G.R. No. 203335, which involves consolidated petitions seeking to declare several provisions of R.A. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 unconstitutional and void, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law while striking few provisions as unconstitutional.
Sources et liens
Philippines 2014-2015 Cybercrime Report - https://www.doj.gov.ph/files/cybercrime_office/2014-2015_Annual_Cybercrime_Report.pdf
87% of Filipino Internet users have been victims of cybercrimes–DOJ - http://technology.inquirer.net/21557/87-of-filipino-internet-users-have-been-victims-of-cybercrimes-doj
RA 10175 - Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012; dispositive part of 2012 SC decision declaring what provisions are constitutional and unconstitutional - http://attylaserna.blogspot.fr/2015/09/ra-10175-cybercrime-prevention-act-of.html
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These profiles do not necessarily reflect official positions of the States covered or of the Council of Europe.
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Andy Summers on his Police documentary, photos and favorite modern bands
By Daniel Mescher
Andy Summers is best known as the guitar player for British trio The Police, one of the best selling rock groups of all time.
The documentary film “Cant Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police” is based on his 2006 memoir "One Train Later." It opens in Denver on April 10 with screenings at AMC Westminster and AMC Cherry Creek.
The movie tells the story of the rise and fall of The Police through Summers’ narration, beginning with the guitarist's early days as a musician playing with acts like Zoot Money's Big Roll Band and Eric Burdon & the Animals.
It goes on to document how Summers, bassist/vocalist Sting and drummer Stewart Copeland formed The Police during the wave of U.K. punk rock in the late 1970s. Shortly thereafter, the band achieved tremendous worldwide success with their five studio albums, and the members were early MTV darlings.
However, after less than 10 years, turmoil within the band led to an acrimonious split at the peak of their fame in the 1980s.
The film also highlights the 2007-08 Police reunion tour. Though this is framed as a triumphant moment for the band, the filmmakers also include some tense moments between Summers and his bandmates as they rehearse for the new shows.
Summers captures the highs and lows of his time in The Police through his photography, which he describes as a "private world" of expression during a time of personal struggle with his career and family. His photos are featured prominently throughout the documentary.
We caught up with Summers by phone from Los Angeles before the Denver opening of "Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police." Stream the full interview above, and read some highlights below:
On showing tension between Police members in the film:
"It's important to show because it makes it more compelling. We're humans...you have to put these things in along the way to show what its really like to be in a band in the ilk of The Police. There are tensions in any great endeavor or rock band as you try to reach the creative point."
On the film's difference from other band documentaries:
"It's not a 'talking heads' movie in the sense that some documentaries are, which I don't particularly like. I get a bit bored with listening to all these people's opinions. What makes it unique is that it's from a particular point of view: my point of view."
On the modern bands he enjoys:
"I like Grizzly Bear in New York at the moment. I was a fan of The Stokes.
"I don't like a band just because they sound like The Police. In fact I'd probably like them less."
You love listening to new music and learning about Denver's music scene. We have a weekly newsletter for you -- Inside Track. Sign up here to stay in the know about Colorado musicians making new music and the new releases you should be streaming.
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Colorado Climber Died ‘Doing What He Loved’ After Summiting Mount Everest
In this photo made on May 22, 2019, a long queue of mountain climbers line a path on Mount Everest. About half a dozen climbers died on Everest last week most while descending from the congested summit during only a few windows of good weather each May.
A Colorado climber died shortly after summiting Mount Everest and achieving his dream of scaling the highest peaks on each of the seven continents, his brother said Monday.
Christopher Kulish, a 62-year-old Boulder attorney, died Monday at a camp below the summit during his descent. The cause isn't yet known, said his brother, Mark Kulish of Denver.
"He saw his last sunrise from the highest peak on Earth. At that instant, he became a member of the '7 Summit Club,' having scaled the highest peak on each continent," Mark Kulish said in a statement.
He described his brother as an attorney in his "day job" who was "an inveterate climber of peaks in Colorado, the West and the world over."
"He passed away doing what he loved, after returning to the next camp below the peak," Mark Kulish said.
About half a dozen climbers died on Everest last week, including Don Cash of Utah, who also had fulfilled his dream of climbing the highest mountains on each continent. Most of them died while descending from the summit during only a few windows of good weather each May.
Most are believed to have suffered from altitude sickness, which is caused by low amounts of oxygen at high elevation and can cause headaches, vomiting, shortness of breath and mental confusion.
Hundreds of climbers congested the 29,035-foot peak last week. There are 41 teams with a total of 378 climbers permitted to scale Everest during the spring climbing season. An equal number of Nepalese guides are helping them get to the top. Christopher Kulish also is survived by his mother, Betty Kulish, and a sister, Claudia.
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Canon Revisited: Establishing the Origins and Authority of the New Testament Books
By Michael J. Kruger
Book - Printed Caseside Ebook
Ancient Word, Changing Worlds
The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism
Collected Writings on Scripture
This study of the New Testament canon and its authority looks deeper than the traditional surveys of councils and creeds, mining the biblical text itself for direction in understanding what the original authors and audiences believed the canon to be. Canon Revisited distinguishes itself by placing a substantial focus on the theology of canon as the context within which the historical evidence is evaluated and assessed. In effect, this work successfully unites both the theology and the historical development of the canon, ultimately serving as a practical defense for the authority of the New Testament books.
Michael J. Kruger (PhD, University of Edinburgh) is the president and Samuel C. Patterson Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina, and a leading scholar on the origins and development of the New Testament canon. He blogs regularly at michaeljkruger.com.
Format: Printed Caseside
Weight: 22.32 ounces
“This book fills a lacuna in evangelical scholarship. Rarely does academic specialization in canon studies converge with thorough commitment to biblical authority. In this work, close evaluation of the history of approaches to the canon is matched by a richly theological interpretation of what it means to call Scripture our ‘canon.’ Careful, accessible, and wise in his explorations, Michael Kruger has given us a gift that will keep on giving for generations to come.”
Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California
“The Christian canon of Scripture is under fire now more than ever. Sadly, even as so much of this fire has been issuing from academic quarters, we are left with more smoke than light. Stepping into the gap with a fresh synthesis is Michael Kruger’s Canon Revisited. Gracefully uniting theology and history, Kruger invokes the chief Reformed argument for canon and gives it fresh wings.”
Nicholas Perrin, Dean, Wheaton College Graduate School
“Of all the recent books and articles on the canon of Scripture, this is the one I recommend most. It deals with the critical literature thoroughly and effectively while presenting a cogent alternative grounded in the teaching of Scripture itself. Michael Kruger develops the historic Reformed model of Scripture as self-authenticating and integrates it with a balanced appreciation for the history of the canon and the role of the community in recognizing it. This is the definitive work on the subject for our time.”
John M. Frame, Professor of Systematic Theology and Philosophy Emeritus, Reformed Theological Seminary
“Michael Kruger has written the book on the canon of Scripture that has been much needed for a long time. His focus is not on the process, but on the vitally important question of how Christians can know that they have the right books in their canon of Scripture. The question is an excellent one and needs to be addressed honestly and competently. Kruger does just that. This excellent book goes a long way toward clearing up confusion and misguided theories. I highly recommend it.”
Craig A. Evans, John Bisagno Distinguished Professor of Christian Origins, Houston Baptist University
“Here, finally, is what so many pastors, seminary professors, and students have long been waiting for: a clear, well-informed, and scripturally faithful answer to the question of how Christians should account for the New Testament canon. Perhaps not since Ridderbos’s Redemptive History and the New Testament Scriptures has there appeared such a valuable single source on the New Testament canon that is both historically responsible and theologically satisfying (and this book improves on Ridderbos in many ways). Michael Kruger’s work will help readers get a handle on what may seem like a myriad of current approaches to canon, whether ecclesiastical or critical. This book will foster clearer thinking on the subject of the New Testament canon and will be a much referenced guide for a long time to come.”
Charles E. Hill, John R. Richardson Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando
“Michael Kruger has written an important and comprehensive treatment of the New Testament canon. As an advocate of the self-authenticating view, he goes to great lengths to argue his case, but he also delves deeply into the variety of historical and community-based positions. He provides an insightful treatment of epistemological grounds for belief, and debates the positions in a rigorous way not often found in such discussions. I am sure friend and foe alike will learn from this valuable volume.”
Stanley E. Porter, President, Dean, and Professor of New Testament, McMaster Divinity College; author, Verbal Aspect in the Greek of the New Testament
“Canon Revisited is a well-written, carefully documented, and helpful examination of the many historical approaches that have been written to explain when and how the books of the New Testament were canonized. The author’s interest, however, is to move beyond the historical to the theological, concluding that the concepts of a self-authenticating canon and its corporate reception by the church are ultimately how we know that these twenty-seven books belong in the New Testament.”
Arthur G. Patzia, Senior Professor of New Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary; author, The Making of the New Testament
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West Virginia expands vaccinations to 70-year-olds
Bridgeport fire units extinguish garage blaze
CUNEYT DIL, Associated Press
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginians who are at least 70 years old can now receive a coronavirus vaccine, officials announced Wednesday as they lowered the age of eligibility for members of the general public.
The state exceeded 100,000 vaccine doses administered on Wednesday, leading the nation on number of shots given per 100,000 residents. Members of the general public previously had to be 80 years or older to get the inoculation.
This week, statewide clinics will offer 9,700 doses to teachers aged 50 and over.
The state reported 37 new deaths due to COVID-19 and 637 confirmed cases on Wednesday, and the daily positivity rate shot up to over 9%. West Virginia has set weekly virus records in eight of the past 11 weeks.
Gov. Jim Justice said the state will open vaccinations for everyone aged 65 and over once it receives more doses.
As soon as "we know we're going to have that significant amount of vaccines that give us the ability to go to 65, we're going to 65," Justice said at a press conference.
Federal officials have praised the state's focus on vaccinating older residents. First doses were offered at all long-term care centers before the end of last year, and second doses are expected to go out to those facilities this month. Nearly 16,500 people are fully vaccinated with two doses.
Washington is urging states to immediately start vaccinating other groups lower down the priority scale, including people age 65 and older and younger people with certain health problems.
“Expanding eligibility to all of the vulnerable is the fastest way to protect the vulnerable,” U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar said at an Operation Warp Speed meeting on Tuesday, specifically highlighting West Virginia and Connecticut. “It’s simply much easier to manage allocating vaccines and appointments to everyone over 65 rather than narrower, more complex categories, and it enables states to use much more diverse administration channels.”
As the FBI warns of the threat of armed protests at all 50 state capitals and in Washington in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration, officials said they remain vigilant.
“At this time, we’re not aware of any credible threats in our region, or to any of the governmental employees or any of our state legislators," said Thom Kirk, deputy secretary for the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security.
Also Wednesday, the state Board of Education approved a motion to have public school students in elementary and middle schools attend in-person instruction starting next week regardless of virus infection rates in their counties. The Department of Education said high schools will conduct in-person and blended models of learning unless their county is red on the color-coded map, when remote learning is required.
While some counties had hoped to keep their elementary and middle school classrooms closed, the state Department of Education said those counties do not have that option.
Justice said last month he wanted in-person learning to resume for younger students, saying that one-third of students were receiving failing grades in at least one core class, and that virtual-only learning models didn't work for most students. He also cited figures that show virus infection rates in classrooms among younger students were “miniscule.”
Associated Press writer John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia, contributed to this report.
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.
CUNEYT DIL
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Golfing at Connemara Championship Links
(34km from Currarevagh)
A true links course set on the very edge of the Atlantic coast. Measures over 7000 yards with 27 holes. One of the most beautiful and testing in Ireland.
www.connemaragolflinks.com
Tel: 00353 (0)95 23502
"In Connemara, the wind blows hard and clear, and sunshine alternates with deep shadows"
At the Edge of Europe on the wild Atlantic coast lies a links course that is a challenge to all who play her. Nestled between the mountains and the sea in the West of Ireland, the Connemara Championship Golf Links is an exhilarating golfing experience. This awesomely picturesque 72 par course with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean was designed by Eddie Hackett and measures over 7,000 yards. Wind and rainbows are the specialty of the house at this 27 hole course which was started in 1973.
“The course is amongst the most beautiful - and testing - in Ireland. Achieving the par of 72 at Connemara is a considerable achievement even for the best of golfers.”
Golf Monthly, February 2004
“A true Championship Links Course...The elevated greens on the back nine are spectacular.”
“If there were a course like this on the west coast of England it would surely host the British Open.”
Peter Alliss, golf writer and BBC commentator.
"Ireland voted International Golf Destination of the Year - 2004 by International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO)"
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Dashlane spends big on a Super Bowl ad after $110 million fundraising round
(Courtesy of Dashane)
Feb 3, 2020 | CyberScoop
Written by Jeff Stone
Yes, that commercial about an average guy trying to cross the river Styx during halftime at the Super Bowl was for a cybersecurity company.
Sandwiched between the first half of the game and Jennifer Lopez’s halftime performance was a minute-long ad for Dashlane, a password management company that was taking up time usually reserved for multi-billion dollar car companies or giant beer brewers. Founded in 2012, the company last year took on $110 million in a funding round led by the venture capital firm Sequoia, and added a chief marketing officer, Joy Howard, formerly of Lyft.
In the spot that ran Sunday night, a Grim Reaper-like character is rowing an unlucky schlub toward heaven. But our hero is apparently doomed to eternal damnation when he can’t remember the answers to a series of security questions, demonstrating how knowledge-based authentication is frustrating and not all that secure.
Flush with cash, Dashlane is now trying to differentiate itself from competitors like LastPass, whose parent company was acquired last year for $4.3 billion, and 1Password, which said in November it had raised $200 million in its first-ever round of outside funding. That’s not to mention growing focus on the password offerings in Google Chrome and Apple’s Keychain software.
But with Super Bowl ads going for a reported $5.6 million for 30 seconds of airtime, Dashlane’s marketing effort also briefly propelled the small company, with offices in New York City and Paris, out of the small world of data protection specialists and into household conversations alongside corporations like Anhueser-Bush, Little Caesars pizza and presidential electioneering. The company also funded the Unnamed Temporary Sports Blog, where former writers from Deadspin briefly published blogs over the weekend.
Dashlane offers a free password management tool, which stores and encrypts user credentials in a single place, changing them in bulk at regular intervals. There’s a free version of the service, though Dashlane also tries to convert users to various subscription plans that come with extra services like a virtual private network, dark web monitoring and other security tools.
You can watch the ad below.
1Password, advertising, Dashlane, LastPass, password manager, Super Bowl
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Why the Time Has Come for a Four-Day Week
The coronavirus pandemic has changed every aspect of our lives, and it’s had a particularly marked effect on the way we work. The largest flexible working experiment ever conducted has taken place out of necessity, and the early signs are that it will leave a lasting change in work culture. More workers than ever before have been able to fit their work-life around their home life by working at different hours – increasingly necessary due to childcare commitments during the closure of schools. With 44% of UK workers set to request permanent flexible working policies (according to research from Direct Line), there are no signs that it’s going away anytime soon.
The four-day week has always been a popular topic in the flexible working discourse, and although it has been adopted by some employers, it hasn’t yet gone mainstream. Here’s why its time has come.
A secondary effect of the coronavirus pandemic has been its effect on our mental health. Months of anxiety, coupled with increasingly difficult economic conditions and less contact with friends and family, have unsurprisingly taken their toll.
As countries seek to kickstart their economies again, any steps that will safeguard the mental health of workers need to be seriously considered. Figures from the ONS show that 17.5 million workdays were lost due to mental health problems in the UK in 2018, for example, underlining the drastic impact mental health problems can have on the economy as well as the workers themselves.
Mental health and employee wellbeing, in general, have always been one of the principal driving forces behind the four-day week. It’s seen as an important step towards a greater work-life balance, allowing for effectively a three-day weekend each and every week. Workers would have more time to recover from a stressful work week, freeing up that time and energy to pursue other hobbies and interests that can be beneficial for their mental health. With work-related mental health problems increasingly widespread, measures such as this are more important than ever.
The four-day week not only makes sense in terms of mental health – but it also benefits the company’s bottom line. Although, as fewer hours are worked overall, the expectation might be that production (and therefore profits) suffer as a result, the opposite is actually true.
What the four-day week experiments reveal is the importance of the quality of the hours worked, rather than necessarily the sheer quantity of those hours. Happy workers are productive workers. What’s better: an engaged, rested, happy employee working for 30 hours a week, or a burned-out employee working for 40 (or even more)? You can probably guess the answer.
The human brain is not a machine, churning out hours of equally productive work hours, but a sensitive organ with complicated needs of its own. To run at its maximum, most productive capacity, it needs rest. The same principle can be seen in a normal working day. Working for eight hours straight, with no break, will produce worse quality work than a smaller number of hours that have been split up with breaks. Such is the power of a break for the brain.
The coronavirus pandemic has only strengthened the case for a four-day working week. With unprecedented public health and mental health challenges, a struggling jobs market, and an ailing economy, it’s time has truly come. Workers will be happier and more productive, and the wider economy will also benefit. With an extra day of leisure, domestic tourism will also benefit – workers would have three days to recharge their batteries instead of two, giving them the time and energy to go further afield at the weekend and contribute to the wider economy.
It may seem like a radical step, but so did the move away from a six-day week of 12 hour working days. Rigid, traditional ideas around work culture can be difficult to break down, but these should not stand in the way of positive progress – both for employee wellbeing and the productivity of the company as a whole.
Why the US Suspension of Foreign Work Permits is Good News for UK Companies
11 Steps to Landing the Industry’s Top-Performers
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Cota Funeral Homes
Plant a Tree for Rita
Rita (McCarty) Piazza
Rita McCarty Piazza of Lynnfield, Massachusetts passed away peacefully at her home at the age of 84, on May 22, 2020.
Rita was born in Arlington, Massachusetts on November 28, 1935 to Gertrude M. Leahy and Eugene McCarty. Rita graduated from Arlington High School and The School of Practical Art in Boston.
Always up for an adventure and with vivacious curiosity, Rita enjoyed traveling to Spain, Mexico, Switzerland, Italy and more. In Alaska she was awed by the myriad of wild animals. Her caregivers and dear friends, Akos and Anna Mensah broadened her knowledge and awareness of cultures in Africa.
A talented artist, Rita’s compassion, understanding and creativity are clearly apparent in many of the portraits she painted through the years. The portrait of Saint Maria Goretti is still cherished at her local parish. Rita was an accomplished dog breeder of AKC Champion Cocker Spaniels.
Home was often found in Rita’s kitchen; she cooked in quantity for her children and their friends who referred to her as “Mrs. P”. They enjoyed her warm welcome and delicious treats. Her recipes are treasured by her family and grandchildren.
Rita is survived by the love of her life and husband of 62 years, Joseph Piazza whom she met at the beach at age 13, and by her children: Judy (Piazza) Bichajian and her husband Jack, Steven and his wife Maria, Thomas and his longtime partner Kassandra Duane, Jackie and his wife Renee. Rita, predeceased by her son Joseph (Jay) Piazza Jr., is also survived by her adored 14 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
Radiant Rita would light up the room with her natural beauty, elegant style and quick wit. She was a devoted mother, wife, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. Rita loved to be surrounded by her family where her motherly pride and love of multi-generational madness were on full display. Words do not do justice to her great compassion, infinite patience, strong willed determination and selfless strength. She will be missed by all who were lucky to know her.
Funeral services will be private and entrusted to the care of Cota Funeral Home, North Reading Ma. Please visit and leave remembrances of Rita in the guestbook www.cotafuneralhomes.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Rita to the Northeast Animal Shelter, 347 Highland Ave, Salem, MA 01970
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rita (McCarty) Piazza, please visit our floral store.
You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Rita (McCarty) Piazza
© 2021 Cota Funeral Homes. All Rights Reserved. Funeral Home website by CFS & TA | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
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Counterfire log in
A Marxist History of the World part 67: Reform or Revolution?
Written by Neil Faulkner
Published in A Marxist History of The World
The world Socialist movement was blown apart as its members supported the First World War. Neil Faulkner looks at how the question of reform or revolution lay behind the split.
On 4 August 1914, the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), the largest socialist party in Europe, voted unanimously for war credits in the Reichstag (the German Parliament). The SPD thereby gave its support to an imperialist war in which 10 million would die.
The decision stunned the European Left. It was ‘the greatest tragedy of our lives’ in the view of Russian revolutionary Nikolai Bukharin. ‘The capitulation of German Social Democracy,’ said Leon Trotsky, ‘shocked me even more than the declaration of war’. Lenin, the exiled Bolshevik leader, at first assumed that the paper in which he read the news was a forgery.
The German working-class movement was shattered. ‘Everything seemed to collapse,’ wrote young SPD activist Toni Sender. She found herself on a freight train crowded with troops on the way to the front. Most were married men, grim-faced, with little enthusiasm for what was to come.
Just days before, on 28 July, there had been 100,000 anti-war demonstrators on the streets of Berlin. Across Germany, during four days of mass protest in the final days of peace, there had been no less than 288 anti-war demonstrations involving up to three-quarters of a million people.
The mass movement had been building since 1911. The SPD stood at its head. On 4 August, the SPD vote killed the movement stone-dead and delivered the German working class into the hands of the Junker officer-caste and its war-machine.
On the evening of 4 August, a handful of revolutionaries met in Rosa Luxemburg’s Berlin flat. They issued an anti-imperialist statement and invited some 300 other leading socialists to sign. Clara Zetkin was the only one to cable immediate support. The German anti-war socialists suddenly found themselves a tiny minority.
The German pattern was replicated across Europe: socialist parties abandoned internationalism to support their own bourgeois governments in an imperialist world war. The Second International – a world federation of socialist parties – was exposed as a sham.
What had gone wrong? Why had all the speeches and resolutions proclaiming international solidarity and opposition to war turned out to be hot air?
The explosive growth of European capitalism from the 1870s onwards had created an industrial proletariat of tens of millions by 1914. Mass strikes had welded this working class into a combative labour movement across much of Europe. This in turn created a mass electoral base for parties like the SPD.
By 1912, with a million members and 90 daily papers, the German SPD was the biggest working-class organisation in the world. It ran a women’s section, a youth section, various trade unions and co-ops, and numerous sports clubs and cultural societies.
In that year, the SPD made a dramatic electoral breakthrough, winning one in three votes and becoming, with 110 seats, the largest party in the Reichstag. But the transformation of the party from a small outlawed minority to a mass electoral machine also transformed its social and political character.
This was reflected in the rise of ‘revisionism’ – what would later be called ‘reformism’. Its leading advocate was Edward Bernstein (1850-1932). He argued that capitalism was becoming less crisis-prone, prosperity was steadily increasing, and therefore, from now on, the condition of the working class could best be improved by gradual reform
Bernstein redefined the SPD as a ‘democratic socialist reform party’ – as opposed to a party of social revolution.
Bernstein never dominated the SPD, but he pulled it sharply to the right. Karl Kautsky (1854-1938) was more representative of the majority. He was a ‘centrist’ rather than a ‘revisionist’.
He continued to believe that capitalism was exploitative and violent, and that socialism was rational and necessary. But he also took the view that the system was so riddled with contradictions that it would eventually collapse of its own accord – without the revolutionary action of the working class.
Kautsky was therefore revolutionary in theory, but reformist in practice. This enabled him to bridge the gap between the out-and-out reformism of Bernstein and the politics of revolutionary socialists like Rosa Luxemburg. All three tendencies, however, remained within the SPD – rather than forming separate parties.
Reformism reflects: a) the limited consciousness of a class; and b) the actual material interests of a social group.
Most workers under capitalism have ‘mixed consciousness’. This arises from the interaction of three factors. First, because the system is based on exploitation, oppression, and violence, it engenders resentment and resistance among its victims. The class struggle is endemic to capitalism.
On the other hand, the dominant ideas of society are those of the ruling class, and most workers accept at least some of these ideas for much of the time. What strengthens the grip of these ideas is a third factor: the fact that workers often lack the confidence to fight because the balance of class forces seems unfavourable.
Lenin distinguished between ‘trade-union consciousness’ and ‘revolutionary consciousness’. The former is the attitude of most workers most of the time: they do not like aspects of the system, and they will sometimes fight for specific reforms, but they are not committed to an all-out struggle to overthrow it.
Reformism is the political form of trade-union consciousness. It expresses the limited aspirations of workers for political change within the system. It does not reflect the interests of workers as a class. These lie in the overthrow of capitalism and its replacement by a system based on democracy, collective ownership, and human need.
Reformism does, however, reflect the interests of a distinct social layer within the working-class movement: trade-union leaders, socialist politicians, and their respective bureaucracies of full-time officials, researchers, and spin-doctors.
The political role of the labour bureaucracy is to negotiate the terms of exploitation in the workplace or to secure social reforms in parliament. In performing this role, they work with representatives of the ruling class. Theirs is a mediating role between capital and labour.
The social position of the labour bureaucracy is privileged compared with that of ordinary workers: union officials and politicians enjoy higher salaries, more rewarding jobs, and better working conditions. They inhabit a relatively comfortable and conservative milieu.
The labour bureaucracy embodies the normal everyday reformist consciousness of workers: the lowest common denominator of left politics.
This consciousness includes nationalism. If the aim is to win reforms within the system, the bourgeois nation-state becomes the framework for political action rather than a target for revolutionary overthrow. The ‘national interest’ imposes a limit on the reforms that are possible.
Until 1914, none of this was clear. The German-Polish revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg (1871-1919) was in the forefront of the struggle against revisionism. She played a central role in defending the revolutionary socialist tradition against the growing bureaucratic conservatism of the SPD leaders. Two pamphlets in particular – Reform or Revolution (1899) and The Mass Strike (1906) – are landmarks in the development of the Marxist tradition.
But even Luxemburg did not predict the betrayal of 4 August 1914. Its effect was to blow world socialism apart.
The war would be ended by revolution, first in Russia in 1917, then in Germany in 1918. When this happened, ‘socialist’ ministers would be on opposite sides of barricades from revolutionary workers.
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A Marxist History of the World | Part 1: The Hominid Revolution
A Marxist History of the World | Part 2: The Upper Palaeolithic Revolution
A Marxist History of the World Part 3: The Neolithic Revolution
A Marxist History of the World Part 4: The origins of War and Religion
A Marxist History of the World part 5: The Rise of the Specialists
Tagged under: History Socialism Marxism
Neil Faulkner
Neil Faulkner is a freelance archaeologist and historian. He works as a writer, lecturer, excavator, and occasional broadcaster. His books include ‘A Visitor’s Guide to the Ancient Olympics‘ and ‘A Marxist History of the World: from Neanderthals to Neoliberals‘.
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Covid: a Tory-made crisis - Counterfire Bulletin October 2020
Trotsky in the Bronze Age
In this incisive and accessible analysis, Dominic Alexander shows how Trotsky’s theory of combined and uneven development illuminates how technology and society interact
Marx and the Climate Crisis
Elaine Graham-Leigh shows how Marx's analysis of capitalism explains the climate breakdown and how we fight for system change to protect people and the planet
As It Happened: Briefings From Two Years of Turmoil, 2017-2019
A selection of Lindsey German's briefings from the 2017 to the 2019 general elections which present an analysis of Corbynism and the state of British...
The British State: A Warning
As the left prepares for the possibility of taking power, Chris Nineham's timely new book analyses the British state and what the left can expect
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In this new timely book, John Rees analyses the Corbyn project from the moment Corbyn became Leader of the Labour Party in 2015 till today
Produced by @adycousins
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Will the World Community Condemn the Murder of Iran’s Nuclear Scientist?
by Medea Benjamin - Ariel Gold
Photograph Source: Tasnim News Agency – CC BY 4.0
Israel used all four years of Trump’s presidency to entrench its systems of occupation and apartheid. Now that Joe Biden has won the U.S. election, the assassination of Iran’s top nuclear scientist, likely by Israel with the go-ahead from the US administration, is a desperate attempt to use Trump’s last days in office to sabotage Biden’s chances of successful diplomacy with Iran. Biden, Congress and the world community can’t let that happen.
On Friday November 27, Iran’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated in the Iranian city of Absard outside of Tehran. First, a truck with explosives blew up near the car carrying Fakhrizadeh. Then, gunmen started firing on Fakhrizadeh’s car. The immediate speculation was that Israel had carried out the attack, perhaps with the support of the Iranian terrorist group the People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran (MEK). Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeted that there were “serious indications of [an] Israeli role” in the assassination.
All indications indeed point to Israel. In 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified this scientist, Fakhrizadeh, as a target of his administration during a presentation in which he claimed that Israel had obtained secret Iranian files that alleged the country was not actually abiding by the Iran Nuclear Deal. “Remember that name, Fakhrizadeh. So here’s his directive, right here,” Netanyahu said.
Fakhrizadeh was far from the first assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist. Between 2010 and 2012, four Iranian nuclear scientists were assassinated—Masoud Alimohammadi, Majid Shahriari, Darioush Rezaeinejad and Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan. Though Israel never took official credit for the extrajudicial executions, reports were fairly conclusive that Israel, working with the MEK, were behind the killings. The Israeli government never denied the allegations.
The assassination of Fakhrizadeh also follows reports that the Israeli government recently instructed its senior military officials to prepare for a possible U.S. strike on Iran, likely referring to a narrowly averted plan by President Trump to bomb Iran’s Natanz nuclear site. Furthermore, there was a clandestine meeting between Netanyahu and Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman. Among the topics of conversation were normalization between the two countries and their shared antagonism towards Iran.
Israel’s attacks on Iran’s nuclear activities are particularly galling given that Israel, not Iran, is the only country in the Middle East in possession of nuclear weapons, and Israel refuses to sign the International Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Iran, on the other hand, doesn’t have nuclear weapons and it has opened itself up to the most intrusive international inspections ever implemented. Adding to this absurd double standard is the intense pressure on Iran from the United States—a nation that has more nuclear weapons than any country on earth.
Given the close relationship between Netanyahu and Trump, and the seriousness of this attack, it is very likely that this assassination was carried out with the green light from Trump himself. Trump has spent his time in the White House destroying the progress the Obama administration made in easing the conflict with Iran. He withdrew from the nuclear deal and imposed an unending stream of crippling sanctions that have affected everything from the price of food and housing, to Iran’s ability to obtain life-saving medicines during the pandemic. He has blocked Iran from getting an IMF $5 billion emergency loan to deal with the pandemic. In January, Trump brought the US to the brink of war by assassinating Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, and in an early November meeting with his top security advisors, and right before the assassination of Fakhrizadeh, Trump himself reportedly raised the possibility of a military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
After the news broke of the assassination, Trump expressed implicit approval of the attack by retweeting Israeli journalist and expert on the Israeli Mossad intelligence service, Yossi Melman, who described the killing of Fahkrizadeh as a “major psychological and professional blow for Iran.”
Iran has responded to these intense provocations with extreme patience and reserve. The government was hoping for a change in the White House and Biden’s victory signaled the possibility of both the U.S. and Iran going back into compliance with the nuclear deal. This recent assassination, however, further strengthens the hands of Iranian hardliners who say it was a mistake to negotiate with the United States, and that Iran should just leave the nuclear deal and build a nuclear weapon for its own defense.
Iranian-American analyst Negar Mortazavi bemoaned the chilling effect the assassination will have on Iran’s political space. “The atmosphere will be even more securitized, civil society and political opposition will be pressured even more, and the anti-West discourse will be strengthened in Iran’s upcoming presidential election,” she tweeted.
The hardliners already won the majority of seats in the February parliamentary elections and are predicted to win the presidential elections scheduled for June. So the window for negotiations is a narrow one of four months immediately after Biden’s inauguration. W. What happens between now and January 20 could derail negotiations before they even start.
Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council, said that US and Israeli efforts to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program “have now morphed into Trump & Netanyahu sabotaging the next US President. They are trying to goad Iran into provocations & accelerating nuclear work—exactly what they claim to oppose. Their real fear is US & Iran talking.”
That’s why U.S. members of Congress, and President-elect Joe Biden himself, must vigorously condemn this act and affirm their commitment to the US rejoining the nuclear deal. When Israel assassinated other nuclear scientists during the Obama administration, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton denounced the murders, understanding that such illegal actions made negotiations infinitely more difficult.
The European Union, as well as some important US figures have already condemned the attack. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy pointed out the risks involved in normalizing assassinations, how the killing will make it harder to restart the Iran Nuclear agreement, and how the assassination of General Soleimani backfired from a security standpoint. Former Obama advisor Ben Rhodes tweeted that it was an “outrageous action aimed at undermining diplomacy,” and former CIA head John Brennan called the assassination “criminal” and “highly reckless,” risking “lethal retaliation and a new round of regional conflict,” but rather than putting the responsibility on the U.S. and Israel to stop the provocations, he called on Iran to “be wise” and “resist the urge to respond.”
Many on Twitter have raised the question of what the world response would be if the roles were reversed and Iran assassinated an Israeli nuclear scientist. Without a doubt, the U.S. administration, whether Democrat or Republican, would be outraged and supportive of a swift military response. But if we want to avoid escalation, then we must hope that Iran will not retaliate, at least not during Trump’s last days in office.
The only way to stop this crisis from spiraling out of control is for the world community to condemn the act, and demand a UN investigation and accountability for the perpetrators. The countries that joined Iran and the United States in signing the 2015 nuclear agreement —Russia, China, Germany, the UK and France—must not only oppose the assassination but publicly recommit to upholding the nuclear deal. President-elect Joe Biden must send a clear message to Israel that under his administration, these illegal acts will have consequences. He must also send a clear message to Iran that he intends to quickly re-enter the nuclear deal, stop blocking Iran’s $5 billion IMF loan request, and begin a new era of diplomacy to dial back the intense conflict he inherited from Trump’s recklessness.
Medea Benjamin is cofounder of CODEPINK for Peace, and author of several books, including Kingdom of the Unjust: Behind the US-Saudi Connection. Ariel Gold is the national co-director of CODEPINK and runs the organization’s Middle East Program.
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Legal insights into transition planning
February 15, 2018 Guide Business
Farm in South Africa?
Pea processor wants more protein
Growing quality oats
Why China needs canola imports
February 12, 2018 Canola
Today it’s getting even more critical to keep up with your legal documents all through your business planning and succession discussions
By Maggie Van Camp
Senior Business Editor
Guide Business, Succession strategy
In the family’s new pack barn, daughter Cate McCorquodale is experiencing their transition planning partly from her perspective as a lawyer. “It takes time to get all the pieces in place,” she says. “It’s not just about transferring ownership.” Photo: David Charlesworth
At 45,000 sq. feet the new dairy pack barn is impressive, especially the way it captures the spirit of hope that fills the McCorquodale family at Embro, Ont. With the next generation waiting in the wings, their barn represents their shared belief in their future, complete with robotic milking system and the latest in cow-comfort and financial know-how.
In multiple ways, it’s a giant leap from the tie-stall barn where, since the 1930s, the family has milked registered Holsteins.
This part of the story began last year when Murray McCorquodale took over full ownership of the farm from his 80-year-old uncle, Fred Innes, after they’d had a successful partnership for decades. As they were going through that process, the family jumped right into talking about transferring to the following generation.
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Where are the farm women?
Murray and his wife Cassie are sandwiched between the generations, with their children James, Sarah and Cate now each interested in farming. James has been home working full time for a year and half, while both Cate and Sarah have careers off the farm. Sarah is a teacher in northern Quebec but hopes to be closer to home soon, and Cate is a lawyer in Stratford and works at home on the weekends.
As of mid-January they were still milking in the tie-stall barn, the labour-intensive job of “swinging” cows, milking one group and then switching in the next batch because now they have too many cows for the stalls. In the spring, they started building the new pack barn and it’s big enough to double the milking herd (currently 55-61 cows) so they can eventually fully utilize two robotic milking units.
Building the barn has given them a collective goal and been a catalyst for learning how to make decisions together. Murray has been acting as general contractor, and all the family’s voices are being heard about the project. The “children” (all in their 20s and 30s) are adult peers now, and all their skills and education are contributing to the continued success of the farm.
“It’s taught us that not everyone thinks the same way or communicates the same way, and we all deal with stress differently,” says Cate McCorquodale.
Until the barn is completed, it’s difficult for them to discuss the future, as they’ll have an entirely new routine on the farm with new skills, labour and management required. They want to wait and see what the farm looks like logistically to see where everyone can fit in.
In the meantime, lawyer McCorquodale created simple but smart legal documents to transfer the assets from uncle to nephew and is starting to get her family to think about how they might organize the next transition of the farm business in the future.
“It takes time to get all the pieces in place,” she says. “It’s not just about transferring ownership, it’s about the process.”
McCorquodale says it doesn’t have to be complicated to be a good business structure. When they transferred her great uncle’s ownership she wrote simple, one or two page agreements — one to transfer the land, one for the quota, one for the cows, and one for the house, while he updated his will.
Even with the value and complexity of farming rising so rapidly, it’s possible to protect the farm during transition with a series of quite straightforward agreements, Cate McCorquodale says.
photo: David Charlesworth
Innes knows he can stay living on the farm and maintain ownership of a few of his favourite cows. The cow agreement simply states that if the cows or their offspring sell, he gets the money from the sale and the farm pays to take care of them and gets the milk. These straightforward contracts with his nephew allows Innes to keep engaged in the business he has loved all his life while transfering the full responsibility and almost all of the ownership and management.
Discussions on how to transition to the younger generation naturally sprang out of the transfer of ownership between uncle and nephew. It brought their family together to discuss their future and the farm’s future, leading in turn to discussions about expansion, new technology and new facilities.
Looking to the future has become integrated into how the business operates. Importantly, it’s also integrated into how they think. For example, when each member of the younger generation said they didn’t want to be tied to the cows seven days a week with no vacation, but they all wanted to farm, a robotic milking system and working together became a good option. With some research, they decided to build a pack barn similar to the heifer barn they had built 15 years ago.
The family also considered setting up a corporation right away, but held off to see how the tax rules were going to change. Plus with McCorquodale and her sister’s substantial off-farm income, they wanted to see how it might affect them income tax-wise. Eventually, with three potential farmers in the next generation, they will likely create a corporation, says McCorquodale, but for now, they are focused on finishing the barn.
Besides, there are a lot of things they need to discuss before they get tied into a legal ownership structure. For example, now they are all considered straight hourly-paid employees, but with the new barn, who will do what and how will they split ownership? How much each of them is going to need financially means sharing earnings information, not something that is usually done in families. How will they deal with future spouses? When will the older generation want to retire?
These can be difficult discussions but McCorquodale says they are starting to talk about them so they can think on it and proceed later after the dust settles from the construction project. They’re all optimistic about the future and about preserving the legacy of the farm.
John Mill, a tax lawyer based in Windsor, Ont., says the core issue that sometimes gets missed in succession planning is that a generational family farm is not a financial asset that is part of an investment portfolio. Instead, the generational family farm is personal, and it is a legacy in the same way as other personal mementoes with special family significance that are passed down through generations.
He calls succession-planning documents a family farm legacy agreement. “The first step is to develop a consensus that the generational family farm is worth preserving. This consensus must be the foundation of any planning. If there is dissent or lack of consensus about the family farm legacy, then careful consideration must be given to the planning,” says Mill.
An increasing problem with succession planning, he says, is defining fair market value (FMV) and trying to equalize estates. It’s how the family approaches the problem that will provide a good solution, and it’s not about maximizing inheritance. “The answer will never be found in legal documents or financial instruments alone,” says Mill.
Instead, he says, the answer lies in an alignment of two significant concepts: the generational family farm is a unique legacy deserving of protection, and the lifestyles of the members of the family farm and their families are deserving of protection. The legal documents then can be drawn to match those goals.
One of the things farm business transition planning does is to formalize processes, which also brings up the importance of having other legal documents in place.
Lawyer Laura McDougald-Williams says there are many important documents that are created along the journey of farm succession, depending on the stage of the succession process. McDougald-Williams and her husband, Dustin Williams, are former Outstanding Young Farmers and operate a grain farm near Souris, Man.
She says important documents can include marriage contracts, and employment contracts for family members/spouses as well as non-family hired help, partnership or operating agreements, corporations with unanimous shareholder agreements, land rental agreements, purchase/sale agreements, vendor take back mortgages and/or gift declarations, and up-to-date wills and powers of attorney.
For the young McCorquodales, the transition process has brought up the need for prenuptial and co-habitation agreements, as none of them are married yet. Through her legal network McCorquodale sees more divorces destroying more farms, and many more young people living together with no legal agreement between them in case they split up.
She prefers to call prenuptial agreements “marriage contracts” and says a co-habitation agreement can be written to automatically turn into a marriage contract agreement later. “It’s really not a black-and-white, win-or-lose situation; it’s about defining the grey areas,” she explains. “For a few hundred or a thousand dollars you can deal with it when everyone likes each other. Or you can deal with it at the end when everyone is angry and it’ll probably cost you much more.”
The other area of farm litigation McCorquodale is seeing more of has to do with estates. More litigation is happening with farms because the estates have become more valuable, she says. “It used to be the only person who wanted the family farm was the one left there. Now it’s a multi-million-dollar asset and the public has become more aware of the values lately. Also labour-wise, it has become easier to have a full professional career and farm too, so more people like me are interested.”
McCorquodale has been practising law for two and a half years and before that completed her master’s in cattle genetics and her undergraduate degree in animal science, both at the University of Guelph. It was when she was in law school that she realized how much she missed the farm work, particularly working with the animals. So she started working on the weekends and helping out when she could while going through law school in London, Ont. “I like the cows and have invested in my own cattle, my own genetics,” she says.
Creating strong, forward-thinking documents and structures can be a risk management tool for a farm but it is also involves thinking about estate planning. McCorquodale points out that 95 per cent of the farm agreements she drafts deal with estate planning. “You have to have it all (agreements) on paper now,” she says.
Families need to develop farm transition agreements reflecting their principles and values. “In the absence of courageous conversations, families will often revert to boiler-plate agreements that fulfil legal obligations but may not necessarily reflect the families’ values, nor their intentions,” agrees Jim Snyder, national director of agriculture practice development at BDO Canada. BDO offers a one-day workshop on “The Principles Behind Effective Agreements.”
Snyder wishes charter for corporations would not be issued unless accompanied by signed shareholders’ agreement and partnership and co-habitation agreements. The time to deal with an issue is before it becomes an issue, he says.
“When relationships have broken down, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to negotiate agreements acceptable to all parties. Worse than that, we cannot construct an agreement with someone who is no longer here and/or no longer able to represent themselves.”
It’s important for farmers to have wills and powers of attorney completed, and ensure that their children, once they turn 18, should have them done as well, even if they don’t own much of anything yet. “Lots of young people think they don’t need a will, but they will buy something one day soon and if they have a will in place, they are prepared ahead for that day,” McCorquodale says. “There’s no lag or forgetting when things get busy.”
Also, many people forget to keep their wills updated, says McCorquodale. She has had situations where people think their wills are fine but then they get marry and don’t realize that the old will then becomes invalid.
Having a power of attorney allows someone to step in to keep a farm going in case of an operator or bill payer becoming incapacitated. This is becoming critical as banks become less local and less flexible in their management.
Another thing that McCorquodale sees being done incorrectly and causing problems is putting joint names on bank accountants or assets. Although it can be a very good idea, it has to match with the plans for the farm overall and everyone’s income tax situation, and it must be communicated to the whole family.
Joint tenancy considerations
With joint tenancy, there is a need to balance competing interests and risks, and to ensure that any joint ownership is consistent with cohabitation agreements, business ownership structures and estate plans, says McDougald-Williams.
“There are especially serious issues with the parent generation adding adult children onto title jointly to bank accounts or land,” she says. “Adding adult children on as a joint owner is generally discouraged, unless the intention is for them to inherit this asset, and this intention is clearly documented, preferably in the donor’s will.”
Williams adds that people need to be aware there’s no longer a presumption under the law that joint tenancy includes the right of survivorship to the surviving owner, unless they can clearly demonstrate an intention that the person creating the joint tenancy intends for it to include the right of survivorship. Otherwise, the surviving owner is deemed to be holding the asset in trust for the estate beneficiaries.
Another more common litigation situation McCorquodale has seen lately is when a family is in the middle of or hasn’t started succession planning and something happens to make it unravel: maybe someone gets angry or sick or even dies. And if at that point they don’t have a signed or funded unanimous shareholders’ agreement or other legal agreement on paper, there are no guidelines on how to proceed.
Or they made a succession plan many years ago and didn’t update it to adjust for changes in the farm or in the family. Farms are moving, rolling things, so the agreement has to continue to work, McCorquodale says.
A lack of communication causes problems for farm families such as documents being created and signed without the family telling their lawyers and accountants everything. Or the family doesn’t know. It’s not always easy to talk about these things, but you need to include the immediate farmers and their spouses and partners in the discussion, says McCorquodale.
On a farm you have the confounding problems of working all day together and then sitting down to dinner together and historical family dynamics. It’s easy to put off talking but understanding that succession planning is the transitional part of a business plan and knowing that it’s a collaborative continuum will help.
“You have to keep going and everyone needs to understand that it’s not always going to be easy or perfect and it’s okay,” McCorquodale says. ”But that can’t stop you from moving ahead.”
Maggie Van Camp
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Leading developer specialising in high quality mixed-use developments in central London
native-land.com
If you had to choose the ideal location to develop prime property that would stand the test of time, there could be few places with more appeal than Holland Park, Mayfair, Marylebone, Belgravia and Bankside. These are the rarefied playgrounds in which Native Land operates, partnering with Britain’s best designers, architects, landscapers and brands to deliver prime real estate, curated to the smallest detail.
As a world-class developer in a global city, Native Land is always seeking to set new standards in luxury living for its portfolio of domestic and international clients. It commissions top-tier British designers on its residential projects, such as Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners, Stiff & Trevillion, PLP Architecture, Make, Marcus Barnett Studio, Hudson & Mercer, Studio Reed and Studio Ashby.
The award-winning developments are designed to inspire, motivate and revitalise the people who live, work and spend time in them. At Holland Park Villas, for example, residents enjoy bespoke service and world-class amenities on a par with five-star hotels, as well as being surrounded by tranquil green spaces.
Developments designed to inspire, motivate and revitalise the people who live, work or spend time there’
Despite the uncertainties around Brexit and Covid-19, Native Land reinforced its position as a leader in the luxury residential sector by amassing combined sales in 2020 of over £100 million. 2021 is already shaping up to be a strong year, starting with the completion of TwentyFive in Marylebone: a boutique collection of 23 finely-crafted apartments and two penthouses designed as part of The Portman Estate’s strategy to reinvigorate its asserts. The development exemplifies Native Land’s expertise in creating outstanding London homes, with exteriors crafted to blend into the existing aesthetic of the area.
In the commercial market, Native Land will complete its first office space, OneThreeSix: an inspiring, 44,520 sq/ft workspace set over six floors in Marylebone, designed with productivity, sustainability and wellbeing at the core.
Bankside Yards, a major 5.5-acre mixed-use site, is under way – connecting the South Bank and Bankside in a continuous cultural strip along the River Thames for the first time in 150 years. This development will combine commercial, residential, wellbeing and retail spaces across eight new buildings and 14 grand railway arches, as ambitious modern design complements heritage architecture. Within the new neighbourhood will be 650 apartments complete with stunning river views and a five-star ‘urban resort’ hotel, with over half of the new development to be landscaped and open.
The business is also working on New Eidyn, the residential element of the landmark St James Quarter development, and, in conjunction with Transport for London, on the planned restoration and regeneration of South Kensington Underground Station.
Native Land partners with many British brands to help define the identity of its schemes, including Noble Macmillan, Jeroboams, Rockabye, Foffa Bikes, Harper and Tom’s, Playlister and Daunt Books. It is also proud to support creative and cultural British institutions such as the Royal Academy of Arts, Tate and Heritage of London Trust. Within the arcade at Burlington Gate, there is a window displaying the work of young RA students. This year they are also supporting United in Design, a new charitable organisation founded by Sophie Ashby and Alexandria Dauley to address the lack of diversity within the interior industries.
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Jacob "Jake" David Sensenbaugh
Olinger Highland Mortuary & Cemetery
Cemetery Flowers
Olinger Funeral, Cremation & Cemetery - Highland
May 20, 1997 – January 8, 2021
Jacob David (Jake) Sensenbaugh, 23, of Thornton, Colorado, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family on January 8, 2021.
Jake was born in Louisville, Colorado, on May 20, 1997 to David and Beth (Laffrenzen) Sensenbaugh, both formerly of Rochester. He was a 2015 graduate of Mountain Range High School in Westminster, Colorado.
Jake was a compassionate, competitive, fun-loving spirit who will be missed by many. He was an avid sports fan, especially of the Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rockies, and CU Buffaloes. He loved his dogs Jasper, Moose, Chelsea and Daisy, and enjoyed countless trips to the Denver Zoo, Minnesota Zoo, and Denver Museum of Nature & Science. His life was full of many trips to the mountains and Minnesota to visit family and friends. He enjoyed attending sporting events, playing blackjack at the casinos, and fishing. Jake was an avid gamer and loved playing Pokemon GO and fantasy football. He was one of the original members of the Colorado Avalanche Little Av’s Sled Hockey Team, as hockey was one of his passions. He had the honor of being a member of Shjon Podein’s Team 25, and an ambassador for Children’s Hospital Colorado in 2007.
Jake is survived by his parents, Dave and Beth, and brother Justin; grandmothers Iris Sensenbaugh and Mary Laffrenzen; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Jim Sensenbaugh and Wilbur Laffrenzen.
A Celebration of Life service for Jake was held on January 16, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. MDT at Summit of Peace Lutheran Church in Thornton, Colorado. A recorded video of the service is available on the Summit of Peace website at www.summitofpeace.org.online.church and Summit of Peace Facebook page. Interment took place at Mountain View Memorial Gardens in Boulder, Colorado.
Memorial donations may be given to the Children’s Tumor Foundation at CTF.org, or to Summit of Peace Lutheran Church, 4661 E. 136th Avenue, Thornton, Colorado 80602.
The Sensenbaugh family wishes to thank Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Hospital and St. Anthony North Hospital in Westminster, Colorado for the great care he has received over his lifetime.
PALLBEARERS
Riley Beckerman, Pallbearer
Ryan Collins, Pallbearer
Noah Draper, Pallbearer
Tanner Mullican , Pallbearer
Daynen Laffrenzen , Pallbearer
Joshua Laffrenzen , Pallbearer
Children's Tumor Foundation
Summit of Peace Lutheran Church
Cemetery Flowers Add a
I did not have a lot of opportunities to share time with Jake as we are friends with the Sensenbaugh family through mutual friends and live on opposite sides of town as well. However, the few times I got to spend with Jake were always enjoyable and he was always smiling and upbeat. One memory stands out: the Sensenbaughs and we were visiting a friend of ours in the hospital. Hockey season was approaching, and I foolishly thought to make small talk with Jake about the Avalanche. "How do you think the Avs will do this year, Jake?" What followed was was a 2 minute talent evaluation of the Avalanche roster, player by player (most of who I didn't know), that would rival anything one could get watching SportCenter on ESPN. When Jake was done, it was all I could do to reply, "Yeah.. I think they're going to be pretty good this year too." Jake has been and will always be an inspiration to me and my family (and many others I'm sure) for his positivity and passion in how he lived his life. He's the bravest person I've ever met, and likely the bravest person I will ever meet. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Beth, Dave, Justin, and all of Jake's family and friends.
Mark Johnson and family
Iris Sensenbaugh
What a wonderful service and beautiful photo album for Jake today. Jake was so special. Although he had challenges, he always had a smile. He was very thoughtful of other people. He was my first grandchild, and I am so glad I had him in my family. I know he especially liked celebrating Christmas. A tribute to his family for raising him so well. God's blessings to all. --Grandma Iris
Ron Knight
I never met you, but I have seen the lives you have impacted. You were only here a short while, but no doubt you were sent by God to show the best in this world. Thank you for being you. You will be missed by many.
Nate Roberts
I was so blessed to have Jake in my U.S. History class. I loved his ornery sense of humor and the overall diligence he had when attacking his work. I never saw Jake give anything less than 100% in class nor with his friends. He was like a rockstar in the halls, and he always took time to acknowledge people and let them know he saw them. Im certain that alone made a difference in many more lives than we will ever know. I am honored to have met him.
Nikki Richmond
Sensenbaugh Family,
I don't know what to say. Can't stop thinking about all of you and Jake. Please know that you are in my prayers and heart always.
Loveyoubye.
Erik Peterson
Jake was a very close friend of mine that I had met on xbox. I first met him 5 years ago and he immediately put a smile on my face every time without fail. He was very light hearted and was a great influence to everyone who knew him. He met and befriended hundreds of people from a group and nearly every single one of them can still remember him. I never got to play my big 1v1 against him but that doesn’t matter to me. I’m just happy I had the chance to know him. We’ll miss you, man.
In Memory Of Jacob "Jake" David Sensenbaugh
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/thornton-co/jacob-jake-sensenbaugh-9994104
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A Mathematician Looks at Darwin’s Theory and Discovers It Doesn’t Add Up
Seattle – “Darwin’s attempt to explain the origins of all the magnificent species in the living world in terms of the struggle for survival is easily the dumbest idea ever taken seriously by science,” writes Dr. Granville Sewell, in his new book In the Beginning and Other Essays on Intelligent Design published by Discovery Institute Press.
What do you get when you add together the big bang, the fine-tuning of the laws of physics and the evolution of life? Definitely not a materialistic theory of origins, answers Sewell, a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Texas El Paso.
In this wide-ranging collection of essays, Sewell concludes that while there is much in the history of life that seems to suggest natural causes, there is little evidence to support Charles Darwin’s idea that natural selection of random variations can explain major evolutionary advances.
In the book, he explains why evolution is a fundamentally different and much more difficult problem than others solved by science and why increasing numbers of scientists are now recognizing what has long been obvious to the layman: there is no explanation possible without design. This book summarizes many of the traditional arguments for intelligent design and presents some powerful and unique arguments as well.
In The Beginning provides delightful and wide-ranging commentary on the origins debate and intelligent design,” says biophysicist Dr. Cornelius Hunter. “Sewell provides much needed clarity on topics that are too often misunderstood, like his discussion of the commonly confused problem of entropy, which is a must read.”
Granville Sewell is Professor of Mathematics at the University of Texas El Paso. He completed his PhD in Mathematics at Purdue University in 1972 and has worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Purdue University, the University of Texas Center for High Performance Computing (Austin), and Texas A&M University. He also spent one semester teaching at Universidad Nacional de Tucuman in Argentina on a Fullbright grant. Dr. Sewell has written three books on numerical analysis and is the author of a widely-used finite element computer program.
Discovery Institute promotes thoughtful analysis and effective action on local, regional, national and international issues. The Institute is home to an inter-disciplinary community of scholars and policy advocates dedicated to the reinvigoration of traditional Western principles and institutions and the worldview from which they issued.
Follow Discovery
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California Senate Minority Leader Launches Probe into California Science Center's Alleged Violations of First Amendment Rights
Sacramento — Senate Minority Leader Dennis Hollingsworth has sent a letter to the California Science Center (CSC) requesting documents related to the Center’s cancellation of a screening last October of the pro-intelligent design documentary “Darwin’s Dilemma.” The screening was sponsored …
Maybe Gore Still Needs to Thaw
Al Gore seems to have thawed out from the deep freeze that descended over Copenhagen in early December. In light of the embarrassing failure of the Copenhagen climate summit, the string of scientific blunders issued by the UN’S Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and the scandalous …
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DISCO_201217_Dallas2021(Denton)_2560x750
Irving Bible Church
Dallas Conference on Science & Faith — 2021
Does our universe point to God? Do molecules show evidence of foresight? Were humans produced through an unguided evolutionary process or by intelligent design? Explore these questions and more at the third annual Dallas Conference on Science & Faith, sponsored by Discovery Institute on February 20, 2021.
Speakers will include:
Stephen C. Meyer, best-selling author of Signature in the Cell, Darwin’s Doubt, and the forthcoming Return of the God Hypothesis (March 2021)
Melissa Cain Travis, author of Science and the Mind of the Maker and Assistant Professor of Christian Apologetics at Houston Baptist University
Marcos Eberlin, member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and author of Foresight: How the Chemistry of Life Reveals Planning and Purpose
William Dembski, author of many path-breaking books on intelligent design, including The Design Revolution, The Design Inference, and Intelligent Design: The Bridge Between Science and Theology
A surprise speaker to be announced soon!
Click here for a tentative schedule.
For more detailed information, please visit the registration page to learn more about ticket pricing, lunch arrangements, and important policies regarding COVID-19.
8:45 AM – 4:30 PM CST
Denton Bible Church
2300 East University Drive
Denton, TX, 76209
Contact Pam Bailey at [email protected].
Homewood Suites by Hilton Denton
DISTANCE: 6.6 miles, 16 minutes
GROUP RATE INFO: Science & Faith Conference-Discovery Institute
Embassy Suites by Hilton Denton Convention Center
GROUP RATE INFO: Science and Faith Conference
Board of Directors, Discovery Institute
A mathematician and philosopher, Bill Dembski is the author/editor of more than 20 books as well as the writer of peer-reviewed articles spanning mathematics, engineering, philosophy, and theology. A past philosophy professor, he retired in 2014 from active research and teaching in intelligent design (ID) to focus on the connections between freedom, technology, and education — specifically, how education helps to advance human freedom with the aid of technology. Bill Dembski is presently an entrepreneur who builds educational software and websites. He lives in Iowa.
Follow Bill
A member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, Marcos Eberlin received his PhD in chemistry from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) and served as a postdoc at Purdue University. Back at UNICAMP, he founded and coordinated for 25 years the ThoMSon Mass Spectrometry (MS) Laboratory, making it an internationally recognized research center, one of the best-equipped and innovative MS laboratories worldwide. Eberlin has published nearly 1,000 scientific articles and is a recipient of many awards and honors, including the title of Commander of the National Order of Scientific Merit (2005) from Brazil’s President, the Zeferino Vaz Award (2002) for excellence in teaching and research.
Director, Center for Science and Culture
Dr. Stephen C. Meyer received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge in the philosophy of science. A former geophysicist and college professor, he now directs the Center for Science and Culture at the Discovery Institute in Seattle. He is author of the New York Times-bestseller Darwin’s Doubt (2013) as well as the book Signature in the Cell (2009) and The Return of the God Hypothesis (forthcoming in 2020). In 2004, Meyer ignited a firestorm of media and scientific controversy when a biology journal at the Smithsonian Institution published his peer-reviewed scientific article advancing intelligent design. Meyer has been featured on national television and radio programs, including The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, CBS's Sunday Morning, NBC's Nightly News, ABC's World News, Good Morning America, Nightline, FOX News Live, and the Tavis Smiley show on PBS. He has also been featured in two New York Times front-page stories and has garnered attention in other top-national media.
Dr. Travis serves as Assistant Professor of Christian Apologetics at Houston Baptist University, where she teaches courses in science and faith, philosophy, and ancient culture. She is the author of Science and the Mind of the Maker: What the Conversation Between Faith and Science Reveals About God (2018) and a contributing author for The Story of the Cosmos: How the Heavens Declare the Glory of God (2019). She is a member of the Contributing Writers team for Christian Research Institute and co-host of the Science – Reason – Faith Podcast.
17th Annual Insiders Briefing on Intelligent Design
You are cordially invited to join in the 17th Annual Insiders Briefing on Intelligent Design, to be held on August 13 to 14 in Seattle, Washington. This is an invitation-only meeting for members of the Discovery Society. While we haven’t yet confirmed all the speakers, we do know that the event …
Three Authors Discuss Their New Book: The Price of Panic — How the Tyranny of Experts Turned a Pandemic into a Catastrophe
The Science & Culture Network Chapter in Southern California, with support from Chapters in Houston and Colorado, invites you to join this upcoming webinar and Q&A with Douglas Axe, William Briggs, and Jay Richards — the three authors of the forthcoming book The Price of Panic — How the …
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Music / Album of the Month / Goldie – Timeless
Goldie - Timeless
House music was as important to young people of the late nineteen eighties as rock had been to the generation before them. Until then, electronic music had been either avant-garde (Kraftwerk) or pure pop (Human League), but was now being used in different ways. Primitive drum machines and analogue synthesisers were mixed with breakbeats (sampled, syncopated beats) and loops to create a fresh and original new sound. From this, Rave – the dance-oriented strand – emerged in the early nineties, and then came Jungle. This fused House, Rave, Hip-hop and Reggae, speeding things up from around 120 beats per minute to over 140. By mid nineties, pirate radio stations were broadcasting it non-stop, from the top of inner city housing blocks across the UK.
Drum’n’bass, as it became known, was like a musical black hole, sucking in everything around it. Many sub-genres of electronica were mixed up, creating a sound with timeshifts, weird vocal samples and massive slabs of synthesised bass alternating with electronic snare and hi-hat sounds, looped at up to 160bpm. The genre got more polished as the likes of 4hero, Omni Trio, LTJ Bukem and Goldie become familiar names in clubs up and down the land. The latter emerged as one of the leading lights. Clifford Joseph Price – to use his real name – became its public face, his gold-toothed smile and musical ingenuity soon getting him noticed. His first single Terminator was like nothing heard before. “It was the crucible of change – we were working out ways to joyride technology”, Goldie later said. “You didn’t get antibiotics by going the official way, you got them by accident. We were pushing the dance musical envelope every which way…”
Despite his prodigious talent, no one quite expected Goldie’s first long player Timeless to be the work of genius it turned out to be – or indeed such a commercial success. Released in 1995, it was a complex, multi-layered and at times quite beautiful piece of electronica. It was undeniably rooted in drum’n’bass but had grown up and out of this musical niche. Walsall-born Price had previously been a graffiti artist in both the West Midlands and New York, and brought his love of fusing styles to bear in his first album. It kicks off with the title track, which is an almost symphonic piece which changes pace and mood repeatedly, and is packed with his signature time-stretching and breakbeats. Angel fuses beautiful vocals by Diane Charlemagne to David Byrne/Brian Eno samples in a breathtaking way. Gifted engineer, programmer and producer Rob Playford proves a perfect conduit for Goldie’s boundless ideas, and there’s additional input from 4hero’s brilliant Dego and Marc Mac.
Released on Pete Tong’s FFRR label (FFRR 828 614-2), Timeless reached No. 7 in the British album charts, after which Goldie’s celebrity soared. Following a well publicised affair with singer Björk, he went on to appear in films including Guy Ritchie’s Snatch and the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough. His charity work later earned him an MBE in 2016, for services to music and young people. As its name suggests, Timeless is a classic – and still sounds dazzling today.
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OUTLAW – Marauders (October 26, 2018)
Outlaw originally formed in Lappeenranta, Finland, in 2015 by vocalist Lee Anvel and bassist John Kaiser. The line-up is completed by guitarists Jimmy Slashburner and Simon Shatter plus Johnny Gutter on drums. After an initial demo tape by the name of “Speed Calls,” High Roller Records stepped in and offered a deal for the band’s debut long-player Marauders.
Marauders features eight self-penned tracks, which singer Lee Anvel describes as follows: “I’ve been aiming for a Saxon-kinda approach when writing material; they have very different songs but are still always recognizable. We are influenced by a lot of different bands, but not many of those influences come from this millennium.”
The title track, for example, sounds a bit like mid-period Priest (British Steel to Screaming For Vengeance) without the obvious high vocal screams … Lee Anvel agrees: “Yes, when I composed the song “Marauders” I was going for a more commercial Priest-esque sound and my intention was to throw in a certain Scandinavian vibe as well.”
Apart from Priest, Iron Maiden has been a big inspiration for Outlaw. “Heroes Of Telemark” is probably the most “epic” number on Marauders coming across quite “majestic” (possibly sounding like a cross between classic Heavy Load and early Hammer Fall).
Lee Anvel explains: “I wanted to do something epic and in the vein of Maiden‘s “Where Eagles Dare”. I took the title from a war movie. Telemark is in Norway, and in the second world war the Germans had a factory there where they made heavy water for nuclear weapons. The song is about a handful of Norwegian soldiers who tried to take that factory down.”
On Marauders Outlaw mix US Metal, NWOBHM and Euro Metal but according to their singer this will probably change in the not too distant future: “I’ve started composing new songs for a possible second album and it seems to me that the future of Outlaw will be less NWOBHM and more US power metal.”
Check out “Tyrants of Ice” below.
PRE-ORDER: MARAUDER
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiYpzKych4Y[/embedyt]
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VDELLI – Out of the Sun (Album Review)
V what? Yeah, me neither, until Sweden Rock Festival that is. The Australian blues based band Vdelli flew across my radar in 2014 due to the hugely successful Scandinavian festival. With the experience of pilgrimaging from Toronto, Canada to the annually held Sweden Rock Festival four years running, I have my own little pre-festival rituals. One of those little “explorations” is investigating the many band names appearing there that are totally unfamiliar to me. The “seeing eye chart bands” as I’ve seen them described as by esteemed DBG colleague Loose Cannon. I’ve made many fantastic band discoveries in those nether regions of festival rosters. They often prove better than headliners and I’ve upheld this thought time and time again. Vdelli are just another in this strain of my music discovery. And furthermore Sweden Rock, I thank you for it!
Of the Vdelli set at Sweden Rock in 2014, I wrote:
The first band of the 2014 festival was a group called Vdelli on the 4 Sound Stage. Vdelli, a blues rock power trio from Perth, Australia presented a great and spirited set with selections from their back catalog as well as their latest release. There were several over indulgers (of booze) already present at this early hour of the festival, stumbling about the crowd while as the guitarist and namesake of the band told of the two days of travel it took for them to get to Sweden. He also said that he was glad they were on first so that they could then drink and watch all the other bands as well and would be available to meet fans at the Band Merchandise booth after the set. He was genuinely laughing throughout the set, obviously not lying when he said he was happy to be here. Several songs stuck out for me, “Loose Ends”, “Never Going Back” and “Time for a New Town”. “Change the View” came with the announcement that it was the first video for the band, just being made recently. The last song of the set, “Don’t Bring Me Down”, resulted in broken guitar strings and I do mean every string on his guitar, can’t say I’ve seen that before! Searching out some of Vdelli’s catalog is a must and this guitar-driven, boogie, blues rock was a great opener to the festival.
A Short Bio
Vdelli SRF 2014-The Meister
The blues-based, classic rock-influenced trio glean their moniker from guitarist, vocalist, and founder Michael Vdelli. Rounding out the three, we find bassist Leigh Miller and drummer Hanser Schüler. Realizing some membership adjustments throughout the years, Vdelli has remained constant. The band has been issuing albums since 1997’s self-titled debut. Five of the 12 studio albums came courtesy of German label Jazzhaus Records which they joined in 2010. The first issue for Jazzhaus, Ain’t Bringin’ Me Down, saw Vdelli working with industry heavyweight Kevin Shirley. The trio made headlines in Australia and also Germany, achieving #1 on German Amazon charts. Extensive European touring has been well documented in the live release Live & On Fire in 2014. They have set stages for the likes of ZZ Top, B.B. King, and Buddy Guy.
Out of the Sun
In late October 2016, Vdelli returned with Out of the Sun again on Jazzhouse. Out of the Sun opens with “Get Up, Get On It”. Near three and a half minutes of blues influenced, hard rock infused swagger. The title track follows, more of a straight-ahead hard rock affair that shows you just why Vdelli have made a name for themselves down under. The toe-tapping hard-rock boogie bursts throughout the whole album with highlights being “Looking for a Lifeline” (video below) and “Newtown”. While those are my top picks, the whole album flows well and is chock full of swagger-filled anthems. Songs such as “The Things That I Do” and “Addicted to Everything” are certainly worth a mention. Bassist and one-half of the Vdelli/Miller composition duo is afforded the chance to stretch his vocal chords on “Rock Out”. And it works well. “Noel Burnt the Kitchen Down” represents the one track seems a little odd or out of place to me. Therefore, I can’t decide where I fall on it, like or dislike.
Once again, thank you SRF! It would be great to see their name appear on the 2017 Sweden Rock poster…just sayin’! Vdelli may not be in my usual listening wheelhouse and as a result, my enjoyment may surprise many. You should check them out too, start with the video below.
BUY Digital / BUY CD
Meister on Facebook / Meister on Twitter / Meister’s Email
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Go-x9AnZCg[/embedyt]
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The Catholic Defender: The Apostle St. Bartholomew, follower of Christ
St. Bartholomew was one of the original 12 Apostles of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His name literally means "son of Tolomai", born in the "House of Tolomai" from Cana of Galilee.
Bartholomew most certainly knew the Bride Groom and guests at the famed wedding feast of Cana when Jesus performed His first public Miracle (John 2:1-11).
At the time of Jesus, Cana and Galilee in general had a strong economy based on the fishing industry. No doubt St. Bartholomew lived within the means of his household, but because of his friendship with St. Phillip, he had an encounter with Jesus that would change his life forever. St. John knew St. Bartholomew and lists him in his Gospel as "Nathanael" in respect to his strong faith and reliance on God.
At that time, there were many reports of messiahs and there were problems with the leaders of Israel, they were under Roman Rule and despair was a temptation. At one point, St. Bartholomew told his friend, St. Philip, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." What St. Bartholomew did not know was that St. Philip had already met Jesus a couple of days before.
John 1:47 States, "Jesus saw Nathana-el coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Think about that for a second, wouldn't that be great for Jesus to think of you that way? St. Bartholomew must of been strong in faith and conviction. From that time on St. Bartholomew would be counted with the 12 Apostles (Matthew 10:1-4, Mark 3:13-19, Luke 6:12-16).
St. Bartholomew was very amazed with Jesus asking him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Obviously, St. Bartholomew understood this revelation by Jesus as a call to follow Him. This was apparently a point that no one would have known St. Bartholomew was near this fig tree except those who were there. Yet, Jesus had knowledge of this and it is important that Jesus said "Before Philip called you". At least St. Bartholomew's reaction gives that presumption, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (John 1:47,49)
Think about this for a moment, this encounter with Jesus had to be powerful to St. Bartholomew, it was an encounter that he had been praying for, was open to, and was ready for. Like Jesus told Philip "Come follow Me" St. Bartholomew likewise followed Our Lord. Can you imagine the joy at this moment St. Philip must of had? Do you know this feeling by bringing someone to Jesus and they decide to follow Jesus today? They join the RCIA and begin this journey of faith and like St. Philip, you walk with them in this journey? What joy this is!
Jesus taught St. Bartholomew as one of the Twelve, his devotion, prayer, and conviction placed him in all of the events of Jesus public Ministry found in the New Testament. St. Bartholomew, through his deep faith, was able to recognize something special with Jesus, he was awaiting the Messiah as was St. Philip.
They knew well the Old Testament writings and prayed over them all their lives which Jesus opened their eyes. We can certainly learn some good practices today as we seek to follow Jesus today, to know our faith, love our faith, and spread our faith.
For three years the Apostles walked with the Lord, they were sent to do His will bringing the good news to the towns throughout Judea. They saw the miracles, Jesus walking on water, calming the storm, feeding the thousands with just a couple of fish and bread. St. Bartholomew was right there with St. Philip when St. Andrew brought forward a young boy who had five barley loaves and two fish. They witnessed Jesus feeding thousands of people and still had 12 baskets with fragments coming from the five barley loaves, and two fish.
Jerusalem would be the site of where the Apostles were tested as Jesus endured his passion and death. They were scattered for fear of the Jews and Romans beginning in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 47:56). But Jesus was raised from the dead as he foretold, St. Bartholomew was in the upper room when Jesus appeared to His Apostles (John 20:19-23).
St. Bartholomew was with the other Apostles fishing (John 21:1-14) when Jesus appears on the lake shore of Tiberias and calls out to them. Again, another miracle of fish. There were 153 fish caught representing all the nations, tribes, and peoples of the earth and the one net represents the Church without schism, without division (John 21:11).
Jesus would remain with His Apostles for 40 days when he Ascends into Heaven, this is the last mentioning of St. Bartholomew by name found in the New Testament (Acts 1:13), but we know he was present at the Council of Jerusalem in 49 A.D. (Acts 15, Galatians 2).
According to St. Eusebius (283-371), he states of St. Bartholomew that he went to India carrying a copy of the Gospel of Matthew. It is also reported St. Bartholomew went to Ethiopia, Mesopotamia, Parthia, and Lycaonia and finally Armenia.
Because of St. Bartholomew and fellow traveler, St. Jude Thaddeus success in converting the people to Christ, King Polymius went out to hear St. Bartholomew speak and himself was converted. This conversion so outraged King Polymius brother, Astyages that he secretly had St. Bartholomew arrested and brought to Abanopolis on the west coast of the Caspian Sea and tortured. Because the Apostle would not deny Christ or the Catholic Church, Astages had St. Bartholomew flayed alive and crucified upside down. Another story includes St. Bartholomew was also beheaded.
Do you think that Astyges won the day? Many miracles were reported after St. Bartholomew's death as it had been before. Soon, the people of Abanopolis began doing processions remembering their beloved Saint. A silver statue was made of St. Bartholomew which they carried towards town from where he was martyred. On one occasion, as they carried the statue, it became very heavy. The young men had to set the statue down. Then once again they resumed the procession as the towns people followed on, but the statue again because it became so heavy that again, the men had to set the statue down again. For a third time, they attempted to lift the statue and this time, they could barely pick it up, but within moments the walls leading into the town collapsed not far from where the procession was moving. Had they proceeded through without hindrance, many would have died in the collapse of walls.
Moving far into the future, during World War ll, the local government was looking for ways to raise money for the war effort when they wanted to melt down the statue of St. Bartholomew. But upon weighing the statue, it weighed only a few grams. As a result, the people who wanted to keep the statue won the day placing it back in the Cathedral of Lipari, the place of St, Bartholomew's martyrdom. The miracle is that the statue weighs actually several kilograms. Knowing this actually makes the first miracle that much more amazing.
The site of St. Bartholomew's Martyrdom, the Province of Armenia is now Southeastern Turkey.
Jesus told His Apostles, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth." The Greek word for witness is "martus" which is where the English word "Martyr" is taken. Today, St. Bartholomew holds a place of honor in Heaven, "And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Revelation 21:14)
The Catholic Church is built on this foundation (Ephesians 2:19-20) and St. Bartholomew's feast day is August 24.
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Main author
The Institution of Civil Engineers Institute / association Website
1 What is shale gas?
2 Development of shale gas in the UK
2.1 Current government policy
2.2 Regulation
2.3 Licencing
2.4 Mineral rights and access
2.5 Global shale gas reserves
3 US shale gas extraction
4 UK shale gas resource estimates
5 The role of gas in the UK's energy system
6 How is shale gas extracted?
7 Key environmental risks
7.1 Construction and operations
7.2 Groundwater and aquifer contamination
7.3 Seismic activity
7.4 Water usage
7.5 Air pollution
7.6 Condensates
7.7 Drill cuttings
8.1 Associated infrastructure
8.2 Production rates
9 Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
[edit] What is shale gas?
Shale gas refers to the natural gas (mostly methane) located in fractures and micro structure within shale rock. In the UK we have major shale rock formations across the south, Midlands, and north of England. The thickness of these deposits varies from tens of metres to thousands of metres. The British Geological Survey's study of the Bowland-Hodder shale estimated that the formation could be up to 4,000 m in thickness.
Many UK shale deposits contain both oil and gas hydrocarbon interstitial deposits. These hydrocarbons can be trapped within the source rock if it has a low permeability like shale. The trapped gas component, shale gas, is referred to as an unconventional gas reserve.
In the UK unconventional gas reserves may be present in sufficient quantities to make extraction commercially viable, subject to exploration and approval.
[edit] Development of shale gas in the UK
[edit] Current government policy
The UK Government is supportive of shale gas extraction subject to satisfactory regulatory planning and environmental control. The first policy document was published in October 2012 and updated in July 2013.
On 5 December 2012, the Secretary of State laid the Government's Gas Generation Strategy before Parliament. This included the Government's proposals for developing the UK's unconventional gas reserves. The strategy also included the establishment of an Office for Unconventional Gas and Oil (OUGO). OUGO aims to promote the safe, responsible, and environmentally sound recovery of the UK's unconventional reserves of gas and oil.
In December 2012, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change announced that exploratory hydraulic fracturing for shale gas could resume in the UK. This followed the temporary moratorium that was imposed in 2011 following the 2.3 and 1.5 magnitude level seismic earthquakes that occurred after hydraulic fracturing in Lancaster.
In the March 2013 budget the Chancellor announced tax allowances for companies developing shale gas fields allowing them to offset their exploration spending against tax. As part of this announcement, the Government published a consultation paper in July 2013 on their shale gas tax proposals.
Currently in the UK, exploratory wells are being drilled to evaluate the practical and commercial potential of hydraulic fracturing for shale gas. These will provide more information for regulators, government and the public to determine the future course of shale gas extraction.
[edit] Regulation
The purpose of the UK's planning system is to achieve sustainable development. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)(3) sets out the Government's requirements for the planning system and provides a framework and guidance for the preparation of local development plans. The NPPF states that the aim of local plans should be to make a positive contribution to the economic, social and environmental aspects of a region. With respect to the environmental aspects of sustainable development, local plans are expected to minimise pollution and other adverse effects on the local and natural environment.
Planning permissions are determined in accordance with the local plan. For all minerals developments (which includes on-shore oil and gas development) the planning authority needs to ensure that permitted operations for each phase of development (exploration, appraisal and production) do not have unacceptable adverse impacts on health, the natural environment or the historical environment.
Currently, a number of different bodies are involved in the planning and permitting regime for unconventional gas developments. These include the Department of Environment & Climate Change (DECC), the Environment Agency (for England), Natural Resources Wales, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Health and Safety Executive and the Local Mineral Planning Authority. This list is not exclusive and other bodies may be involved.
Proposals for all oil and gas development, including shale gas, are subject to the requirements of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and are administered by the Minerals Planning Authority for the area in which development is located.
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has published technical guidance which provides advice on the planning issues associated with each stage of gas development (exploration, appraisal and production).
The development of shale gas reserves is not currently classified as nationally significant infrastructure and as such these projects will not benefit from the Planning Act's streamline decision making.
DECC published a general guide on shale gas and hydraulic fracturing in 2014.
[edit] Licencing
Petroleum exploration, appraisal and development licences (PEDLs) enable a company to carry out exploration and extraction exclusively within an area. Licences bind the company to obey the licence conditions during the term of the licence. The licence periods are usually phased to accommodate the exploration, appraisal, development and production stages. The licence is separate from the other permissions that are required prior to carrying out any drilling activities. These include drilling and hydraulic fracturing consents, Health and Safety notifications, planning permissions, environmental permits and securing access rights from landowners.
The last round of onshore licensing (the 13th round) took place in 2008. DECC's oil and gas website provides details of onshore licences awarded during this round.
Following the completion of the Strategic Environmental Assessment and public consultation exercise, bidding for the 14th onshore licensing round opened in July and closed in October 2014. The 14th onshore round will enable new areas of exploration and facilitate the on-going assessment of the UK's shale gas resources.
[edit] Mineral rights and access
Under the Petroleum Act 1998, 'The Crown' retains almost all sub-surface rights to hydrocarbon reserves, including shale gas. An operator must obtain the access rights (ancillary rights) from the landowner in order to legally enter his land in order to exercise the rights granted by the licence. Such ancillary rights can be negotiated with the land owner or they can be compulsory purchased using Section 7 of the Petroleum Act 1998.
[edit] Global shale gas reserves
(Technically recoverable shale oil and shale gas resources: an assessment of 137 shale formations in 41 countries outside the United States June 2013 - source: US Energy Information Administration.)
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (USEIA) has updated its estimates of the technically recoverable shale gas resources in 41 countries. This are natural gas resources that could be produced with current technology. The figure is not dependent on the costs associated with above ground conditions, geology, drilling operations, gas volumes produced or market prices.
The 2013 USEIA report estimates that over 7,200 trillion cubic feet (tcf), equivalent to 206 trillion cubic metres (tcm), of shale gas is technically recoverable globally. This is higher than the current global estimates for natural gas at 6,839 tcf (194 tcm) and 58 times the annual global gas production of 124 tcf (3.5tcm).
[edit] US shale gas extraction
(US dry natural gas production by source, 1990-2040 (trillion cubic feet) - source: USEIA.)
US shale gas production has increased from 0.75 tcf (0.02 tcm) in 2005 to 8.1 tcf (0.2 tcm) in 2012. This could represent 50% of US gas consumption by 2040. The US's annual natural gas consumption in 2012 was 25.5 tcf (0.7 tcm) per annum.
According to the USEIA, proven US shale gas reserves were estimated at 97.4 tcf (2.8 tcm) and unproven shale gas reserves at 567 tcf (16 tcm).
Whilst these estimates seem impressive, the USEIA states that uncertainty remains about the size, economic viability and long term productivity of the resource. Further assessment and exploration will be required to improve the reserve estimates.
[edit] UK shale gas resource estimates
(The carboniferous Bowland shale gas study (tcf = trillion cubic feet, tcm = trillion cubic metres)
DECC published a British Geological Survey (BGS) study on the UK's unconventional hydrocarbon reserves in 2012. The study estimated that Britain's shale gas reserve potential was 5.3 trillion cubic feet (0.15 trillion cubic metres).
In 2013, DECC published a more detailed assessment carried out by the BGS study into shale gas reserves in the north of England. This report provided a central estimate of the 'gas in place' for the Bowland Shale formation at 1,329 tcf (37.6 tcm). However, the BGS has noted that the geology of the UK is more complex than the areas of the US that have been developed for shale gas. The values in the following table are theoretical and do not represent the recoverable quantities.
The recoverable gas resource is influenced by:
Above ground conditions
Geological constraints
Technical recoverability
Commercial viability
Environmental constraints
Conventional oil and gas fields often quote a recovery rate of 10% of a field's total resource. Based on this, the Bowland Shale formation could provide 133 tcf (3.7 tcm) of recoverable shale gas. This is almost 50 times the UK's annual domestic and industrial gas consumption of 2.8 tcf (0.08 tcm).
[edit] The role of gas in the UK's energy system
Gas currently satisfies a large share of the UK's energy needs. It provided 41% of the UK's electricity generation in 2011 and 82% of its domestic heating fuel. In recent decades, the UK has had access to major supplies of North Sea gas, but production has halved since 2000. In 2011, gas imports exceeded production for the first time since large scale extraction began in the North Sea. Piped gas from mainland Europe and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from the Middle East are being used increasingly to meet demand.
Over the long term, shale gas production could contribute to our gas supply mix by displacing imported gas. This would increase our security of supply. However, at this stage in its development there is insufficient information to indicate how significant shale gas production will be.
Over the next 10-15 years, the importance of gas in electricity generation is likely to increase. This is due to decommissioning of many coal and nuclear power stations, delays to proposed nuclear builds, and growth of share of intermittent renewable generation. Gas generation is a flexible technology. It is able to provide steady base load (the amount of power needed to meet normal customer demands) and be flexible to meet peak demands and/or to replace fluctuating renewable energy generation.
It must be recognised that gas combustion is a significant source of carbon dioxide, the principal greenhouse gas. To meet our 2050 carbon reduction targets, large scale deployment of low carbon generation will be required. The Government predicts a need for 40-70 MW of new capacity by 2030.
[edit] How is shale gas extracted?
Shale has a low permeability and the natural gas trapped within it cannot easily flow into an extraction well. Vertical and horizontal drilling with hydraulic fracturing is used to increase the permeability of the shale surrounding the well. This facilitates the flow of gas from within the shale rock into the extraction well. The radius of extraction of a single well is limited to the extent of the horizontal drilling, which is usually between 1-3 km.
Therefore, extraction on a commercial scale requires a large number of wells. Some estimates put the potential extraction capacity of a single well at 1 billion cubic feet (bcf). This implies that for 'technically recoverable' reserves of between 5.3 tcf (0.15 tcm) and 133 tcf (3.76 tcm) (10% of the BGS 'gas in place' estimate) between 5,000 and 130,000 wells would be required. This number of wells would raise significant issues for consenting, water use, logistics and land-use planning in the UK. In the US there are approximately 500,000 wells for the extraction of unconventional (90%) and conventional (10%) gas.
The processes of well construction and gas extraction involve a number of stages:
Firstly, an extraction well is drilled. To support the hole during drilling and to aid removal of drill cuttings, an oil-based or polymer-based fluid is circulated down the well hole. Once drilled, a steel casing is installed down the well hole and cement grouted into place. This seals the well to prevent cross migration between the well hole and overlying geology. The well casing extends below any water-bearing strata, aquifers or permeable rock layers.
Once the casing has been installed, the drilling continues vertically and then horizontally into the shale formation.
The fracturing fluid is mixed at the surface (water, sand and chemical additives) and pumped into the well hole at high pressure. The horizontal part of the well hole is sealed off in sequential sections (stages) and fracturing fluid pumped under pressure to create a network of fractures in the shale rock. The fracturing fluid contains sand which 'props' open the fractures and prevents them from closing up.
Hydraulic fracturing fluid contains 90% water, 8-9% sand and 1-2% additives. Hydraulic fracturing additives typically contain hydrochloric acid, sodium chloride, ethylene glycol, salts, potassium carbonate, hydroxyethyl cellulose and isopropanol. Composition of the hydraulic fracturing fluid may vary from site to site depending on the geology present.
After completion of the fracturing process, depressurisation and the weight of the overlying rock (overburden pressure) squeezes waste water and natural gas back into the well hole to the surface where they are collected. This waste water contains fracturing fluid (water, sand and additives), drilling fluids (oil-based or polymer-based) ground water, low levels of naturally occurring radioactive minerals (NORM), dissolved salts, metals, organic chemicals and inorganic chemicals from the shale rock.
[edit] Key environmental risks
Environmental risks are present at each of the key stages of development:
Completion & hydraulic fracturing
Gas treatment and transportation
This section will focus on the key environmental risks during well construction (drilling, completion and hydraulic fracturing).
[edit] Construction and operations
The normal environmental risks are present during site construction and operations. These include noise, dust and air pollution as well as soil and surface water contamination from construction equipment oil and diesel products. During well construction, site activities also include the storage and use of a wide range of chemical products, compounds, flow back waste water and drill cuttings.
[edit] Groundwater and aquifer contamination
Drilling a well can create a migration path between ground water and aquifers and the underlying shale rock. The hydraulic fracturing of a large mass of shale rock can cause gas or dissolved minerals to migrate through the shale or along the well casing into neighbouring rock strata, aquifers and ground water.
The risks are small providing the well bores and casings are properly sealed and the shale formation is located at a significant depth below the aquifer level. The management of risk associated with hydraulic fracturing is regulated using the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010 and the Water Framework Directive.
[edit] Seismic activity
Seismicity can be induced or triggered when stress or pressure changes promote slips along fault lines. Hydraulic fracturing under high pressure using large volumes of fluid injection directly into or adjacent to fault lines can increase the potential for movement. The large amount of faulting in UK strata increases the susceptibility for ground movement and opening up of new pathways for fluid movement. However, a good understanding of UK geology, monitoring and regulation will minimise this risk.
[edit] Water usage
Well construction and hydraulic fracturing needs a large quantity of water. Depending on the depth of the shale formation, each well hole may require up to 1,000 m3 of water and each lateral bore 10,000 m3 of water to drill. Oil-based or polymer-based fluids are also used during well hole drilling. Drilling and fracturing water is normally delivered to each well pad using road tankers. For each 10,000 m of water delivered or removed from site, 330 articulated tanker journeys (each 30 m3) are required. Traffic emissions, road congestion and accident risk increase as a result.
After hydraulic fracturing is complete, as much as 3,000 m3 of waste water flows back to the surface from the well as it is depressurised. Flow back water contains fracturing fluid (water, sand and additives), drilling fluid, ground water, dissolved methane, bubbles methane, very low levels of naturally occurring radioactive minerals (NORM), dissolved salts, metals, organic chemicals and inorganic chemicals from within the shale rock.
The fluid used for hydraulic fracturing typically has around 0.5-1% additives content. Therefore, for each lateral bore requiring 10,000 m3 of water, 50-100 m3 of additives will be required, some of which are toxic.
Wastewater collected at the surface would be an 'extractive waste' and its disposal would be regulated under the Mining Waste Directive and Water Framework Directive. Water companies will have a role to play with regard to water supply and waste water treatment.
[edit] Air pollution
Air pollution can result from vehicle movements, site preparation, combustion fuels, vented emissions flaring and fugitive emissions. These can affect human health and the environment.
The top soil strip, construction traffic movements and the construction of each well pad can cause airborne dust. Environmental impacts from airborne dust can be significantly reduced by using normal dust suppression techniques.
Fugitive emissions can include methane and other natural gases released while preparing the well ready for production. Methane is the main element of natural gas and it is also a greenhouse gas. Fugitive emissions can be significantly reduced by using conventional mobile plant to separate volatiles and hydrocarbon condensates from flow back water and gas production.
The Environment Agency has produced a report to provide information on the monitoring and control of fugitive methane emissions from onshore unconventional gas operations.
A recent study by DECC concluded that "if adequately regulated, local greenhouse gas emissions from shale gas operations should represent only a small proportion of the total carbon footprint of shale gas, which is likely to be dominated by CO2 emissions associated with its combustion."
The DECC study also concluded that "the carbon footprint (emissions intensity) of shale gas extraction and use……makes shale gas's overall carbon footprint comparable to gas extracted from conventional sources."
[edit] Condensates
In the U.S. about half of the shale gas wells provide hydrocarbon condensates as a by-product of shale gas extraction (propane, butane and pentane). Condensates are hydrocarbons that liquefy at room temperature or under pressure. The Environment Agency believes that UK shale gas wells will produce high quality gas that will not contain condensates (16). If exploratory studies show that condensates will be present, conventional mobile plant can be used to separate the solid, liquid and gas phases associated with flow back water and gas production.
[edit] Drill cuttings
The drilling of the well bore results in the production of well cuttings. These contain drill fluids, naturally occurring chemicals, naturally occurring metals and naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM). NORM levels can vary between rock types. Low, medium or high NORM concentrations would require an environmental permit and disposal at a landfill in accordance with the Environmental Permitting Regulations (England and Wales) 2010.
[edit] Other issues
[edit] Associated infrastructure
In the US well pads are connected to each other via a network of connecting pipelines. In the UK we are at the exploration stage and it is not yet known if production well pads would be interconnected or stand alone.
[edit] Production rates
In general a shale gas well produces gas at a lower rate and lower pressure than a conventional gas well. Published production rates over time for US shale gas wells show that gas production drops by 80-95% over the first five years of production. The production rates over time for UK shale gas deposits are not currently known. However, new wells will need to be regularly drilled at each well pad in order to maintain viable production levels.
This article was originally published as 'Shale Gas' at ICE on 9 Jan 2014. It was written by Ben McAliden.
--The Institution of Civil Engineers
NB: In May 2018, the government announced a consultation about whether the early stages of shale exploration (fracking) should be treated as permitted development, and the circumstances in which this might be appropriate. (Ref. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-measures-to-back-british-shale-gas-exploration)
Articles by ICE on Designing Buildings Wiki.
Biogas.
Carbon capture and storage.
Electricity supply.
Energy storage.
Fossil fuel.
Hydroelectricity.
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Mains gas.
Marine energy and hydropower.
Microgeneration.
Natural gas.
Oil - a global perspective.
Peak oil.
Renewable energy.
The future of electricity in domestic buildings.
Types of fuel.
[edit] References
Department of Energy & Climate Change (July 2013). The Carboniferous Bowland Shale gas study: geology and resource estimation.
Department of Energy & Climate Change (July 2013). Providing regulation and licensing of energy industries and infrastructure (14 October 2014).
Department for Communities and Local Government (March 2012). National Planning Policy Framework.
Department for Communities and Local Government (July 2013). Planning practice guidance for onshore oil and gas.
Department of Energy & Climate Change (July 2013). About shale gas and hydraulic fracturing (fracking).
Department of Energy & Climate Change. URL: www.gov.uk/oil-and-gas-petroleum-licensing-guidance#applying-for-a-licence (5 November 2013).
U.S. Energy Information Administration (July 2013). Technically Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources: An Assessment of 137 Shale Formations in 41 Countries Outside the United States.
U.S. Energy Information Administration (April 2013). Annual Energy Outlook 2013 Early Release.
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2012). Natural Gas Statistics. URL: www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=natural_gas_home#tab2 (14 October 2013).
Department for Communities and Local Government (2012). The Unconventional Hydrocarbon Resources of Britain's Onshore Basins - Shale Gas.
Department of Energy & Climate Change (2013). Gas Energy Trends. URL: www.gov.uk/government/publications/gas-section-4-energy-trends (14 October 2013).
Department of Energy & Climate Change (2011). The Carbon Plan: Delivering our low carbon future.
FracFocus (2013). What chemicals are used? URL: fracfocus.org/chemical-use/what-chemicals-are-used (14 October 213).
Environment Agency (August 2012). Evidence. Monitoring and control of fugitive methane from unconventional gas operations.
Department of Energy & Climate Change (2013). Potential Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Shale Gas Extraction and Use.
House of Commons, Energy and Climate Change Committee (May 2011). Shale Gas. Fifth Report of Session 2010-12 Volume 1
Retrieved from "https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Shale_gas"
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Tea-party games
Conservatives lay claim to a bestseller
United StatesMar 23rd 2013 edition
BY THE end of “The Hunger Games”, a trilogy of dystopian novels, the main character—a country girl in a post-apocalyptic America—has survived a state-run reality TV show in which children must hunt and kill each other, and joined a rebellion against the autocrats of the “Capitol”, an elite enclave that runs the rest of the country as a collection of colonies. On finishing the final volume, Amanda Robbins, a pillar of the Florida Federation of Teenage Republicans, fired up her computer and excitedly asked: “Is this author a conservative?” A “ton” of pages were debating this very question, Miss Robbins found.
In truth Suzanne Collins, the author of “The Hunger Games”, has never declared her politics, calling her trilogy a “gladiator story” exploring inequality, war and the power of television. Competing online essays have proclaimed her blockbusters a Christian allegory, an attack on capitalism, and a rallying cry for the tea-party movement.
As part of wider efforts to recruit younger members (and challenge images of the tea party as a home for grey-haired curmudgeons), groups such as the Tea Party Patriots are explicitly laying claim to the books (the first has also been made into a film), calling the trilogy a commentary on Barack Obama’s America.
The Patriots held a Hunger Games-themed youth event on March 15th at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), an annual shindig for conservative activists and Republican leaders who woo them. The group also launched a lavishly-produced film trailer drawn from the trilogy’s dystopian themes. Entitled “A Movement on Fire”, it depicts a future America in which young rebels battle the “Development Party”, a statist claque trying to smother individual will with the help of government welfare, a slavish media and death squads.
In case the point is missed, the group’s co-founder, Jenny Beth Martin, used a speech to declare Washington, DC, “very much like” the decadent Capitol in the trilogy. Even the children slain in its gladiatorial contests have their equivalent in patients who face shorter lives thanks to Mr Obama’s health reforms, she says. Ms Martin calls the third book a favourite, its double betrayals by both a luxury-addled despot and a rebel leader bringing to mind the unprincipled profligacy of both the Bush and Obama eras.
This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline "Tea-party games"
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We The Animals
Director - Jeremiah Zagar - 2019
"Dirty gem"
Homosexuality of nine-year-old begins to flourish as he contends with his dysfunctional household, in lyrical drama based on eponymous novel - in cinemas and also on VoD
Three mixed-race boys – Manny (Isaiah Kristian), Joel (Josiah Gabriel) and Jonah (Evan Rosado) – live with their parents (Raúl Castillo and Sheila Vand) somewhere in upstate New York. They affectionately call them “Ma” and “Paps”. The affection that they receive in exchange, however, is extremely volatile. Paps is the stereotypical über macho type who uses violence as his main currency. He’s abrupt and short-tempered. Ma is vulnerable. She allows Paps to manipulate and abuse her. The three children often come across as far more emotionally held-together than their parents.
Nine-year-old Jonah, the youngest of the three boys, is also the most sensitive person in the family. While Manny and Joel attempted to emulate their father’s grotesque sense of masculinity, Jonah prefers to go into hiding. Drawing is his venting outlet. He does it from under the bed, as if finding shelter from the stormy family life outside. He’s Ma’s favourite, and also her safe harbour. She demands: “promise me you’ll be nine forever”. The first signs of Jonah’s sexuality are beginning to show. He is infatuated with a slightly older blond friend, and his drawings contain very explicit homoerotic elements. The LGBT topic, however, is secondary.
We The Animals is a gentle yet harrowing tale about a premature coming-of-age in a fractured home, mainly seen from the perspective of the child. It’s very honest and brutal, without slipping into cliches. The action is interspersed by Jonah’s hand drawings fully animated. It’s as if Jonah’s angst and fantasies were given a lease of life. These drawings include both violence and sexual elements. The montage is exquisite, supported by an electrifying soundtrack. Jarring sound effects accentuate the violence. And Jonah’s battling with his hormones and emotions.
One of the most cathartic moments of the film takes place in the back of a pickup truck, where the boisterous three brothers enjoy each other’s companies. They jump, they roar and they hug each other. Despite their differences, there seems to be a strong connection between them.
Towards the end of the film, Jonah finds a very peculiar hiding place: a grave that his father inexplicably dug in their garden. This is where he allows his imagination to fly as high as possible. Breaking away from his broken family is often the only way to allow his creativity to flourish. His “flight of imagination” inside the mysterious grave is the most poetic and technically accomplished sequence of the film. We the Animals is poetical journey through childhood worth taking.
We the Animals shows at BFI Flare, taking place between March 21st and 31st. It is out in cinemas on Friday, June 14th. On VoD the following Monday. The film is based on the novel by the same name, written by Justin Torres.
By Victor Fraga - 25-03-2019
Victor Fraga is a Brazilian born and London-based writer with more than 15 years of invol...
The life of 18-year-old Nic Sheff is turned upside down after he becomes addicted to crystal meth, in this cinema adaptation of best-selling books by Nic and his father David - now available on VoD [Read More...]
LoveTrue
Alma Har'el
No family format is too unorthodox. No relationship is too unusual. Love is always the answer to a broken heart or a broken home. Astounding blend of documentary and fiction sheds the light of optimism on the most unlikely and dark places [Read More...]
Uncertain
Anna Sandilands/ Ewan McNicol
Touching yet at times gruesome doc examines the lives of the outcasts in one of the most remote and unlikely places of the American Deep South - in cinemas and VoD [Read More...]
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Superhero “Blue Ear” inspired by hearing-impaired boy
Written by Teresa on August 14, 2018 . Posted in Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss, Pediatric
A hearing-impaired New Hampshire boy is now a superhero.
Marvel Comics has created a superhero called “Blue Ear” in honor of Anthony Smith, a 4-year-old boy from Salem, N.H., who was born with a chromosomal disorder that left him with severe hearing loss.
The boy, who has no right ear and only partial hearing in his left, wears a blue hearing aid that has enabled him to speak and attend school.
But Anthony – a devoted comic book fan – told his mother three weeks ago that he was no longer wearing the device because “superheroes don’t wear blue ears,” Fox affiliate WFXT reported.
Alarmed by the boy’s refusal, his mother, Christina D’Allesandro, emailed Marvel Comics in New York City, asking for assistance.
The comic book publisher sent D’Allesandro a picture the next day of “Hawkeye,” a superhero who lost 80 percent of his hearing and wears aids. The company then sent an image of its newest creation, a character called “Blue Ear,” who it said was named after the boy, according to the station.
“It’s amazing,” D’Allesandro said of the company’s response. She said her son brought the comic book pictures to his pre-school, which prompted teachers to hold a superhero week.
The Blue Ear, a superhero with hearing aids who assists Hawkeye of the Avengers team.
“Thanks to [his] listening device,” Blue Ear exclaims, he “can hear someone in trouble!”
Two years later, Marvel teamed up with the Children’s Hearing Institute to release a custom issue of the Iron Man series featuring Samantha, a young girl with a cochlear implant, who transforms into Avenger sidekick Sepheara. Together, Sepheara and Blue Ear help Iron Man defeat the evil Blackout.
While these Deaf characters increase the diversity of superheroes and provide Deaf children with relatable heroes, they also glamorize the medical technologies of hearing aids and cochlear implants, which not all Deaf children use.
Published by Fox News on 23 May 2012
Tags: children, hearing aids, hearing loss
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Great Britain’s lowest carbon Christmas
Great Britain’s fairy lights and roasted turkeys were powered by the cleanest electricity mix ever on Christmas day 2017 – rounding off a record breaking year for power generation in Britain. According to analysis of Electric Insights data by researchers at Imperial College London, in collaboration with Drax, 2017 is on course to be the […]
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Great Britain’s fairy lights and roasted turkeys were powered by the cleanest electricity mix ever on Christmas day 2017 – rounding off a record breaking year for power generation in Britain.
According to analysis of Electric Insights data by researchers at Imperial College London, in collaboration with Drax, 2017 is on course to be the cleanest year for electricity generation.
Carbon emissions from power generation were just 142g/kWh on Christmas Day – more than 10% lower than on December 25 2016.
Gas generators provided over 30% of the required capacity and coal provided just 1.4% on Christmas Day – compared to 17.9% for gas and 7.1% for coal in 2016.
Roasted turkeys were powered by the greenest electricity mix ever in 2017
Dr Iain Staffell of Imperial College London said: “This was achieved in spite of generation from renewables being lower than on Christmas Day last year; mainly due to the continued reduction in coal over this year, being swapped for gas power stations.”
The low carbon Christmas comes after a whole host of renewables records were broken throughout the year and with much less coal on the system, helping to reduce Britain’s carbon emissions by around half of what they were five years ago.
Dr Staffell explained: “The carbon intensity of Britain’s electricity halved between 2012 and 2016 and we think that by New Year the 2017 figure will be at least another 10% lower than last year’s record. This means the average British household produced 100 kg less CO2 this year than they did last year without having to lift a finger, all the changes are being made ‘behind the scenes’.”
Electric Insights data also shows that January 17 2017 was the ‘dirtiest’ day of the year, with carbon intensity reaching 398g CO2/kWh. Despite this, Britain’s carbon emissions have fallen sharply as renewables records were broken throughout the year.
Dr Staffell said: “Several real milestones were reached by renewable electricity throughout 2017 – we set a new record in March for renewable generation, which was then broken again in June.
“It helped that wind speeds were relatively high during the year, so wind farm output was up by around one third compared to last year. Also, electricity demand was a little lower, meaning that renewable output formed a bigger part of the mix.”
The records broken throughout the year include:
February was a record breaking month for biomass with 2.1GW produced from biomass generation
A new record for wind, solar, hydro and biomass power was made in the first three months of 2017, with 23.2% of Britain’s power coming from these technologies over the first quarter.
However, this record was then broken again in the next three months, with almost a quarter of the UK’s electricity between April and June being generated sustainably – wind, solar, hydro and biomass accounted for 24.9% of the UK’s energy mix.
No coal was used in power stations for the first time in more than 130 years on April 22nd Dr Iain Staffell of Imperial College London added: “This was a huge milestone: the first day in which no electricity came from coal since the first steam-driven power station opened in the 1880s.”
On 26th May, a new solar record was made, with 3.1GW of energy produced throughout the day from solar – almost triple the yearly average of 1.2GW per day. Dr Staffell said: “A great deal of new solar has been installed on the system which meant that the previous record was smashed.”
June was the cleanest month of the year, with 188g per kwh of carbon emitted, compared to 339g per kwh in January – the dirtiest month. Dr Staffell, said: “This is due to demand being lower, so we could make do with very little coal generation, and gas was much lower too.”
8th December saw a new record for wind energy, with 11.6GW of electricity from wind power produced over the day. Dr Staffell explained: “As with solar electricity, new capacity made it easy for the previous wind power record to be broken. 2017 was also a very windy year compared to 2016.”
Interconnectors also had a record-breaking year, with the link to France reaching new highs for both imports and exports. 26th March saw 1,994MW imported into Britain from France, while conversely 16th November saw 2,020MW exported from Britain to France.
Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO said: “Britain’s energy system is rapidly changing, as the Carbon Price Floor continues to force coal off the system and gas and renewables play an increasingly important role in helping to reduce carbon emissions – all year round.
“At Drax we have upgraded half of the power station to run on flexible, reliable, sustainable biomass. Around 70% of the power we produce is now renewable – enough for four million households.
“We are also looking at repowering two of our remaining coal generating units with gas to provide up to 3.6GW of power and developing up to 200MW of battery storage.
“With the four rapid response gas power stations we are developing, which will help to support the system and enable more renewables onto the grid, here at Drax we are playing an important part in helping to change the way energy is generated, supplied and used for a better future.”
Ali Lewis
Drax Group Head of Media Relations
Data from Electric Insights comparing demand, emissions and generation on Christmas day in 2016 and 2017 – these are averages of both Christmas Days not totals:
Demand (GW) 29.5 29
Emissions (g/KWh) 160 142
Temperature (Celsius) 10.2 9.7
Coal (GW) 2.1 0.4
Gas (GW) 5.3 8.8
Solar (GW) 0.2 0.1
Wind (GW) 9.4 8.4
Hydro (GW) 0.8 0.7
Imports and storage (GW) 1.8 2.9
Biomass (GW) 2 0.8
Nuclear (GW) 8.4 7.7
Previous analysis of data from Electric Insights revealed that four years ago, Britain sat in the middle of the ‘Low Carbon Electricity League’. Britain now ranks 7th in the world, following a 47% drop in emissions last year.
Electricity generation in the UK is playing a vital role in the reduction of carbon emissions, enabling other sectors like transport to become greener. Fewer fossil fuels on the system means electric vehicles are greener than ever before .
The electricity sector has many accounting conventions to be aware of. Power flow is measured in gigawatts (GW), volumes of energy are measured in megawatt-hours (MWh). Producing 1 GW constantly for an hour would give 1 GWh = 1000 MWh. Producing 1 GW constantly for a year would give 8760 GWh, which is enough to power 2.65 million homes.
About Electric Insights
Electric Insights Quarterly was commissioned by Drax and is delivered independently by a team of academics from Imperial College London, facilitated by the College’s consultancy company – Imperial Consultants. The reports analyse raw data that is made publicly available by National Grid and Elexon, which run the electricity and balancing market respectively. Released four times a year, the reports focus on supply and demand, prices, emissions, the performance of the various generation technologies and the network that connects them.
Along with Dr Iain Staffell, the team from Imperial included Professors Richard Green and Tim Green, experts in energy economics and electrical engineering, and Dr Rob Gross who contributed expertise in energy policy. The work to date has revealed scope for further research in this area, to inform both government and organisations within the energy industry.
The quarterly reports are backed by an interactive website electricinsights.co.uk which provides live data from 2009 until the present. It was designed by The Economist Group’s independent data design agency, Signal Noise.
Total emissions are calculated from British electricity consumption in tonnes per hour (including emissions from imported power), and the ‘carbon intensity’ of electricity – total emissions divided by total demand in grams per kilowatt hour (g/kWh).
About Drax
Drax Group plc plays a vital role in helping change the way energy is generated, supplied and used as the UK moves to a low carbon future. Its 2,300-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.
The Group includes:
Drax Power Ltd, which operates the largest power station in the UK, based at Selby, North Yorkshire and supplies 7 percent of the country’s electricity needs. The energy firm converted from burning coal to become a predominantly biomass-fuelled electricity generator. Drax is the biggest single site renewable generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.
Haven Power, based in Ipswich, provides businesses with electricity.
Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity and gas to businesses.
Drax Biomass, is based in the US and manufactures compressed wood pellets produced from sustainably managed working forests.
For more information visit www.drax.com
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The publication of Drax’s Opportunity Action Plan is in partnership with the Social Mobility Pledge, led by the former Education Secretary, the Rt Hon Justine Greening.
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© 2021 Drax Group plc
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Canada’s oil capital making leap toward renewables
Clean energy is coming to Canada’s oil patch.
Offshore wind news
The government of Alberta — home to the world’s third-largest oil reserves — on Wednesday auctioned off 595 megawatts of renewable energy capacity to be built in the province. That exceeded the government’s target of 400 megawatts.
The process marks a major step for Alberta — Canada’s largest consumer of coal and its second-largest producer of the fuel — in its efforts to transition to all renewable and gas-fired generation by 2030. Rather than a change in direction, Alberta’s government billed the move toward renewables, part of its Climate Leadership Plan, as a continuation of the province’s leading position in energy.
“It’s an industry that’s going to continue to be at the core of who we are and what we do for many, many years to come,” Premier Rachel Notley said at a news conference.
The winning bidders were Capital Power Corp., which is planning a wind farm with 201 megawatts of capacity, EDP Renewables, which is developing a 248-megawatt project, and Enel Green Power SpA, which will build two wind farms with total capacity of 146 megawatts, according to an emailed statement. Combined, the wind farms can power more than 250,000 homes, officials said.
The weighted average bid was 3.7 Canadian cents (3 U.S. cents) a kilowatt-hour, the lowest price for wind power ever in Canada. Developers agreed to sell power for 8.5 Canadian cents a kilowatt-hour in an Ontario procurement last year.
Climate Leadership Plan
The Climate Leadership Plan seeks to phase out all pollution from coal-fired electricity and get 30 percent of the province’s power, or about 5,000 megawatts of capacity, from renewable sources by 2030. The first round of the competition started with a request for expressions of interest in March and saw 29 projects advance to the bidding stage.
Alberta’s government, controlled by the left-leaning New Democratic Party, has sought to balance efforts to curb climate change while not harming the province’s major industry. Alberta’s oil sands contain the world’s third-largest stores of crude, with proven reserves of about 165.4 billion barrels, and produced about 2.5 million barrels of crude bitumen last year, roughly the same oil output as the entire country of Mexico.
Coal Production
Coal is also a major industry in Alberta. The province consumes about two-thirds of the fuel used in Canada for generating electricity, according to the nation’s natural resources department. Alberta has 6,457 megawatts of coal-fired generating capacity, more than four times the 1,530 megawatts in second-place Saskatchewan.
The province also accounted for 42 percent of Canada’s coal production last year, according to government estimates. Alberta was expected to produce 27.5 million tons of coal this year, according to the province’s energy regulator.
Notley credits the Climate Leadership Plan with helping the province secure federal government approval for Kinder Morgan Inc.’s expansion of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline as well as Enbridge Inc.’s expansion of its Line 3 conduit. Both projects have been seen as key supports for the oil sands, which are a top target of environmentalists seeking to limit global greenhouse gas emissions.
The Pembina Institute, a Calgary-based environmental organization that has been critical of the oil sands industry, praised the power auction on Wednesday, saying it showed that renewables are the affordable electricity-generation option for the province moving forward.
“It’s a good example of how a competitive process coupled with good policy design can result in cheap clean energy,” Binnu Jeyakumar, the institute’s program director for electricity, said in an emailed statement.
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1 – 10 of over 4000
Book part
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AND ELITE POLITICS: DISSENSUS AND THE DEATH PENALTY IN AMERICA
Judith Randle
Drawing from televised debates over capital punishment on CNN’s Crossfire from February 2000 to June 2002, I argue that Teles’s (1998) theory of “dissensus politics” is…
Drawing from televised debates over capital punishment on CNN’s Crossfire from February 2000 to June 2002, I argue that Teles’s (1998) theory of “dissensus politics” is useful in understanding the U.S.’s preservation of capital punishment as well as current divisions in death penalty sentiment within the U.S. I pose the retention of capital punishment as the product of rival elites who are unwilling to forsake capital punishment’s moral character (and often the political benefits it offers), and who consequently ignore an American public that appears to have reached a measured consensus of doubt about the death penalty.
Studies in Law, Politics and Society
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1059-4337(03)29003-7
A Twice-Told Story: Comparing Accounts of Capital Punishment in the Radical and Mainstream Press
Austin Sarat, Kyra Ellis-Moore, Abraham Kanter, Christina Won and Abigail Xu
This paper examines coverage of America’s death penalty in “mainstream” and “radical” newspapers in the 1970s. That decade was a crucial period for capital punishment, and…
EPUB (137 KB)
This paper examines coverage of America’s death penalty in “mainstream” and “radical” newspapers in the 1970s. That decade was a crucial period for capital punishment, and newspapers during that time helped set the trajectory of the public’s awareness and understanding for the remainder of the twentieth century. While scholars have recognized the role played by newspaper framing of capital punishment, most have limited their consideration to the mainstream press. We broaden the consideration to the radical press and note similarities in the treatment of the moral status of the death penalty across newspapers of different types. We find that the radical press was more likely to portray it as an instrument of racial and class oppression. In addition, long before mainstream papers attended to questions about the reliability of the death penalty system, radical papers were calling attention to the number of innocent people who were erroneously sentenced to death. Like dissenting opinions in judicial decisions, the radical press highlighted issues not emphasized in mainstream papers and foresaw concerns that would become important in the death penalty debate a decade or two later.
Studies in Law, Politics, and Society
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/S1059-433720160000070001
mainstream and radical newspapers
The heart has its reasons: Examining the strange persistence of the American death penalty
Susan A. Bandes
The debate about the future of the death penalty often focuses on whether its supporters are animated by instrumental or expressive values, and if the latter, what values…
EPUB (61 KB)
The debate about the future of the death penalty often focuses on whether its supporters are animated by instrumental or expressive values, and if the latter, what values the penalty does in fact express, where those values originated and how deeply entrenched they are. In this chapter, I argue that a more explicit recognition of the emotional sources of support for and opposition to the death penalty will contribute to the clarity of the debate. The focus on emotional variables reveals that the boundary between instrumental and expressive values is porous; both types of values are informed (or uninformed) by fear, outrage, compassion, selective empathy and other emotional attitudes. More fundamentally, though history, culture and politics are essential aspects of the discussion, the resilience of the death penalty cannot be adequately understood when the affect is stripped from explanations for its support. Ultimately, the death penalty will not die without a societal change of heart.
Special Issue: Is the Death Penalty Dying?
Mitigation versus individualism: Examining judges’ capital sentencing decisions
Ross Kleinstuber
The very contextual nature of most mitigating evidence runs counter to America’s individualistic culture. Prior research has found that capital jurors are unreceptive to…
The very contextual nature of most mitigating evidence runs counter to America’s individualistic culture. Prior research has found that capital jurors are unreceptive to most mitigating circumstances, but no research has examined the capital sentencing decisions of trial judges. This study fills that gap through a content analysis of eight judicial sentencing opinions from Delaware. The findings indicate that judges typically dismiss contextualizing evidence in their sentencing opinions and instead focus predominately on the defendant’s culpability. This finding calls into question the ability of guided discretion statutes to ensure the consideration of mitigation and limit arbitrariness in the death penalty.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/S1059-4337(2014)0000063005
hegemonic individualism
Death, unraveled
Jesse Cheng
This chapter explores knowledge practices around the subject of capital punishment. Capital sentencing jurisprudence and certain strands of academic scholarship on the…
This chapter explores knowledge practices around the subject of capital punishment. Capital sentencing jurisprudence and certain strands of academic scholarship on the death penalty have certain resonances with recent developments in reflexive cultural anthropology. Using the notion of productive unraveling, this chapter seeks to reinforce relations between these various knowledge practices by conceiving of them as situated on the same ground, already interwoven with one another. This chapter presents itself as both an example of and a call for the development of interconnections between these various kinds of expert knowledges concerning the death penalty.
Beyond Control and Responsibility: The Beauty of Mercy
Joo Heung Lee
Punishment is essentially about the expression and establishment of power. As such, punishment always carries with it the possibility of debasement. I want to insist that…
Punishment is essentially about the expression and establishment of power. As such, punishment always carries with it the possibility of debasement. I want to insist that the only morally legitimate purpose of punishment is to instill a respect for authority that does not demean the subordinated party (for example, as a parent might punish his or her child). In sum, my argument is that although harsh institutional punishment may be justifiable on utilitarian grounds, it is objectionable for aesthetic reasons that are ultimately far more important. As Nietzsche caustically recognized in the case of Christianity, the metaphysics of punishment is driven by the ugly feeling of ressentiment. Nevertheless, Christianity does emphasize one aspect of the question of punishment that Nietzsche would enthusiastically embrace: the attitude of forgiveness (or the act of mercy). For Nietzsche, mercy is a reflection of a beautiful strength. A new punitive paradigm, one that asserted superiority without debasing the criminal, might pave the way for a more general affirmation of life.
Crime and Punishment: Perspectives from the Humanities
Three Waves of American Prison Development, 1790–1920
Ashley T. Rubin
This chapter calls attention to penal regime shifts, emphasizing the importance of comparing different periods of prison development. In particular, it examines different…
This chapter calls attention to penal regime shifts, emphasizing the importance of comparing different periods of prison development. In particular, it examines different instantiations of prison across time.
I discuss three periods of prison development (1790–1810s, 1820–1860, and 1865–1920), focusing on the nature of prison diffusion across the United States. Specifically, I discuss the homogeneity and diversity of prison forms in each period.
I demonstrate that the first two periods were particularly homogenous, as most states that adopted prisons followed a single model, the Walnut Street Jail model (1790–1810s) and the Auburn System (1820–1860), respectively. By contrast, the post—Civil War period experienced the emergence of women’s prisons, adult reformatories, and distinctively Southern approaches to confinement. Using neo-institutional theory, I suggest this post-war proliferation of prison forms was only possible because the prison had become institutionalized in the penal landscape.
Scholars rarely examine multiple shifts in penal regime together, reducing their ability to make comparative insights. This chapter juxtaposes three historical periods of prison development, thereby illustrating the diversity of the third period and improving extant understandings of prison evolution.
Punishment and Incarceration: A Global Perspective
penal change
penal reform
neo-institutional theory
Publication date: 1 September 2008
Blood relations: Collective memory, cultural trauma, and the prosecution and execution of timothy McVeigh
Jody Lyneé Madeira
Based on interviews with 27 victims’ family members and survivors, this chapter explores how memory of the Oklahoma City bombing was constructed through participation in…
Based on interviews with 27 victims’ family members and survivors, this chapter explores how memory of the Oklahoma City bombing was constructed through participation in groups formed after the bombing and participation in the trials of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. It first addresses the efficacy of a collective memory perspective. It then describes the mental context in which interviewees joined groups after the bombing, the recovery functions groups played, and their impact on punishment expectations. Next, it discusses a media-initiated involuntary relationship between McVeigh and interviewees. Finally, this chapter examines execution witnesses’ perceptions of communication with McVeigh in his trial and execution.
Fostering and enhancing the role of private sector: A prevention way towards corruption eradication in Indonesia
Anastasia Suhartati Lukito
The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of private sector in Indonesia to prevent and combat corruption practices. The eradication of corruption is not only the…
The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of private sector in Indonesia to prevent and combat corruption practices. The eradication of corruption is not only the government’s problem which can be solved only by government regulations. The private sector should be involved in and be aware of these matters because of the huge interest of the business activities concerning national interest as well as their private interest to achieve highest profit.
This paper explores the Indonesian laws on corruption eradication and analyzes the important role of the private sector that needs to be built.
The role of private sector in the financial system can be viewed as a non-penal policy, which has a great impact as a prevention method to combat economic crimes such as corruption. A new perspective is needed to build, balance and integrate the role of the private sector. As a new perspective combating corruption, Indonesian Laws on Corruption Eradication is fostering the role of the private sector in promoting integrity and good corporate governance.
Practical implications
The paper can be a source to explore the eradication of corruption based on Indonesian perspectives.
This paper contributes by encouraging the private sector to prevent corruption and bribery practices, which, nowadays, are common in Indonesia.
Journal of Financial Crime, vol. 22 no. 4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-06-2014-0029
Criminal law policy
Publication date: 1 April 2006
Medical ethics in prisons: Rules, standards and challenges
Jörg Pont
Health care practitioners in prison face the challenge of providing high standards of health care within the unique peculiarities and restraints of the prison environment…
Health care practitioners in prison face the challenge of providing high standards of health care within the unique peculiarities and restraints of the prison environment. The strict adherence to principles of medical ethics by the prison health care staff and the knowledge and acceptance of these principles by the whole prison community not only results in ethical conduct but also yields practical professional advantages such as guidance in situations of conflict, promotion of confidence and avoidance of misunderstandings. The internationally consented conventions, declarations and recommendations relevant on medical ethics in prison are presented and their basic principles ‐ the primary task of the prison doctor, access to a doctor, equivalence of care, patient’s consent and confidentiality, preventive health care, humanitarian assistance, professional independence, professional competence ‐ are discussed. In addition, the personal obligation of the prison doctor for ethical reflection and decision making in individual ethical issues not covered by the quoted documents and in ethically controversial issues is emphasized. A training course and published guidelines for ethical conduct in prison health care are recommended.
International Journal of Prisoner Health, vol. 2 no. 4
Health care in prison
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Police log for July 27 through Aug. 3
Conewago Township Police Department
1:20 p.m. Responded to a theft reported on Johnathan Drive.
5:15 p.m. Responded to a two vehicle crash in the 700 block of West Elm Avenue. No injuries were reported.
4:10 p.m. Responded to a suspicious person in the area of Seneca Drive.
5:15 p.m. Responded to criminal mischief reported on Sunday Drive.
5:52 p.m. Responded to a suspicious vehicle reported on Seneca Drive.
12:24 a.m. Responded to a noise complaint on Los Alamitos Circle.
4:32 p.m. Responded to a harassment complaint in the 200 block of South Jefferson Street.
5:10 p.m. Fraud reported by a resident living on Providence Drive.
5:30 p.m. Suspicious activity reported in the 800 block of West Elm Avenue.
8:37 a.m. Theft reported in the 3700 block of Centennial Road.
1:15 p.m. Two-vehicle, non-injury crash in the first block of Eisenhower Drive.
2:15 p.m. Harassment complaint reported in Barley Circle.
2:30 p.m. Fraud reported by a resident on Elk Drive.
3:25 p.m. Domestic dispute reported on Sease Drive.
4:55 p.m. Suspicious activity reported on Franklin Drive.
3:15 p.m. Domestic dispute reported in 100 block of Conewago Drive.
4:49 p.m. Responded to a civil matter for child custody on Conewago Drive.
9:15 p.m. Assisted with medical emergency in the 800 block of Linden Avenue.
11:48 p.m. Disorderly conduct reported in the 200 block of South Jefferson Street.
AUG. 1
7:19 p.m. Disturbance reported on Barley Circle.
5:01 p.m. Responded to a civil matter for child custody in the 100 block of Linden Avenue.
5:15 p.m. Assisted McSherrystwn Police with an incident on North Fifth Street.
State Police/Gettysburg
5:43 p.m. Matthew McGlaughlin, 37, of Biglerville was charged with speeding when he was driving his 2002 Volkswagen Passat west on Goldenville Road in Franklin Township and hit a utility pole.
8:36 p.m. Police are looking for an older model Ford F-150 extended cab truck with a poor paint job that was seen hitting a mailbox on the west side of Gamelands Road in Tyrone Township, near the 1900 block of Heidlersburg Road. Anyone with information is asked to call PSP Gettysburg at 717-334-8111.
1:26 a.m. Blake Windell, 21, was charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop in Mount Joy Township. Charges are pending against a 20-year-old woman.
State police are investigating the theft of a trail camera taken from a residence on Braggtown Road in Latimore Township.
State police are investigating the theft of a USPS package from a home on Bingaman Road in Franklin Township.
2:44 p.m. Single vehicle crash on Hunterstown Hampton Road in Straban Township where driver hit two trees and rolled across the roadway. The driver refused medical attention at the scene.
11:17 a.m. Single vehicle crash where the driver struck three mailboxes and a utility pole on York Road west of Flickinger Road in Straban Township.
4:41 p.m. Jeffrey Arentz, 52, was charged with harassment after hitting someone in the head on Fairfield Road in Highland Township.
6:45 p.m. Single vehicle crash where a driver lost control of the vehicle on Conewago Road in Straban Township.
Police are investigation a burglary that took place in the 1100 block of Fleshman Mill Road in Mount Pleasant Township. The home was damaged when the screens were broken into and several liquor bottles were stolen. Anyone with information is asked to call PSP Gettysburg at 717-334-8111.
11:30 a.m. A 31-year-old Gettysburg woman was charged with retail theft after taking $18.85 worth of merchandise from the Walmart at 1270 York Road, Straban Township.
10:32 p.m. A 61-year-old Gettysburg man was charged with disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.
Littlestown Police Department
6:45 p.m. Responded to a medical assist at Crouse Park.
12:24 p.m. Responded to a theft in the first block of West King Street.
5:20 p.m. Responded to harassment report in first block of Gettysburg Court.
5:50 p.m. Responded to harassment report in first block of South Queen Street.
6:36 p.m. Responded to report of mischief 100 block of Cemetery Street.
4:14 p.m. Responded to an animal complaint in the 200 block of West King Street.
10:12 p.m. Theft reported in the first block of Gettysburg Court.
10:40 p.m. Suspicious activity reported in the 100 block of Lumber Street.
9:45 a.m. Responded to an animal compliant in the 300 block of Lumber Street.
2:10 p.m. Enforcement of a borough ordinance in the first block of Gettysburg Court.
7:22 p.m. Assisted another department in the 500 block of East King Street.
11:44 p.m. Responded to a medical assist in the first block of East King Street.
7:11 p.m. Assisted another department in the 100 block of Newark Street.
Eastern Adams Regional Police
12:26 p.m. Efrain Melendez Rivera was charged with destruction of property after he threw plastic into a meat processor at Plainville Farms, destroying 550 pounds of meat and stopping production for more than an hour.
1 p.m. Responded to a hit and run on Reba Drive.
12:19 p.m. A burglary in the 1300 block of Red Hill Road where a washer, dryer, refrigerator and air conditioning units were stolen.
10:59 p.m. Responded to criminal mischief call in the first block of Birch Lane were Patrick Riley broke a window. Riley was charged with criminal mischief.
11:54 a.m. A hit and run occurred along North Water Street.
12:58 p.m. A two-vehicle crash along South Peter Street when one vehicle pulled in front of another. No injuries reported.
3:47 p.m. A tractor-trailer struck and snapped off a road sign.
11:17 p.m. A single vehicle crash where a car struck a telephone pole.
9:56 p.m. Theft reported at Golden Lane Antiques where a man in his 20s was seen on video taking a gold, five-dollar Olympic piece.
1 a.m. Edgar Garcia was charged with simple assault for striking a woman who was being cared for at the hospital.
2:40 p.m. A dog bit a mail carrier on Drummer Drive. State Dog Enforcement is following up.
5:52 p.m. Two-vehicle crash on at Shur Fine when one car hit another in the parking lot. No injuries reported.
2:26 a.m. Zachary Murphy was charged with public drunkenness along Corey Lane.
12:37 p.m. Retail theft at Rite Aid for someone taking perfume.
5:49 p.m. Two-vehicle crash along York Road. No injuries reported.
West Manheim Township Police
11:37 a.m. Erratic driver in the 2400 block of Baltimore Pike.
1:45 a.m. Suspicious activity in the first block of Pumping Station Road.
7:09 a.m. Erratic driver 3000 block of Baltimore Pike.
2:33 p.m. Theft 1800 block of Baltimore Pike.
7:35 p.m. Fraud reported in the 400 block of Pumping Station Road.
10:15 p.m. Suspicious vehicle reported in the 2600 block of Black Rock Road.
2:57 a.m. Drug arrest in the 2000 block of Baltimore Pike.
11:35 a.m. Access device fraud reported first block of Malek Drive.
5:41 a.m. Erratic driver 3500 block Baltimore Pike.
10:30 a.m. Fraud report first block of Colonial Court.
11:40 a.m. Neighbor dispute 100 block Sara Lane.
12:04 p.m. Retail theft 1800 block Baltimore Pike.
12:40 p.m. Suspicious person 3500 block of Baltimore Pike.
3:20 p.m. IRS phone scam 100 block Vista Loop.
3:34 p.m. Retail theft 1800 block Baltimore Pike.
9:24 a.m. Internet fraud reported at home in the 200 block of Baltimore Street.
10:02 a.m. Criminal mischief reported in the 100 block of Carlisle Street for scratched vehicle.
1:42 p.m. Responded to fight in the 100 block of North Franklin Street.
2:36 p.m. Harassment between juveniles reported in 400 block of Carlisle Street.
3:30 p.m. Vehicle fire in the 300 block of Dart Drive caused by electrical problems. No injuries reported.
4:48 p.m. Kweisi Blockson, 23, of Hanover arrested on outstanding warrant after a traffic stop in first block of South Franklin Street.
6:16 p.m. Charges pending against 25-year-old Hanover man after incident in 200 block of Poplar Street.
8:52 p.m. Suspicious person reported at a business in 100 block of Carlisle Street.
11:17 p.m. Tyon Harrison, 24, of Hanover charged with simple assault and harassment after an altercation in the 100 block of Moulstown Road.
4:26 a.m. Disturbance reported in 600 block of East Walnut Street.
7:24 a.m. Two vehicle crash in first block of East Chestnut Street. No injuries reported.
9:08 a.m. Theft of purse in the 1000 block of Carlisle Street.
9:47 a.m. Wendy Schriefer, 34, of Hanover arrested on outstanding warrants in the 500 block of Baltimore Street.
2:38 p.m. Disturbance in the 200 block of Poplar Street.
3:06 p.m. Tiffany M. Lawson, 25, of Philadelphia arrested on forgery charges stemming from an incident in the 800 block of Carlisle Street.
4:49 p.m. Gary L. Hurley, 39, of Fairfield arrested on an outstanding warrant after a traffic stop in the first block of Baltimore Street.
7:13 p.m. Disturbance reported in the 500 block of Broadway.
7:31 p.m. William Parish Jr., 18, of Hanover arrested on an outstanding warrant after a traffic stop in the 200 block of Baltimore Street.
8:45 p.m. Mark Boyce, 28, of Hanover arrested on an outstanding warrant in the 200 block of High Street.
9:25 p.m. Group of people in the 300 block of Eisenhower Driver were warned against loitering.
10:57 p.m. Retail theft reported in the 100 block of Carlisle Street.
12:42 a.m. Adam Laughman, 25, of Hanover arrested on an outstanding warrant in the 100 block of York Street.
12:45 a.m. Charges pending against 25-year-old Hanover man after an incident in the 100 block of York Street.
7:17 p.m. Theft of money reported at a business in the 300 block of Eisenhower Drive.
10:55 p.m. Responded to a domestic dispute in the 100 block of North Franklin Street.
1:52 p.m. Hit and run crash reported in the 100 block of McAllister Street. A silver Ford truck left the scene. No injuries reported.
3:14 p.m. Responded to a domestic dispute in the 100 block of East Middle Street.
5 p.m. Christopher L. Brady, 30, of Hanover arrested on an outstanding warrant in the first block of York Street.
5:32 p.m. Stephen M. Mengel, 25, of Hanover arrested on an outstanding warrant in the 100 block of Carlisle Street.
6:57 p.m. Responded to a fight between neighbors in the first block of Allegheny Avenue.
7:02 p.m. Charges pending against a 48-year-old Spring Grove woman after a shoplifting incident in the 400 block of Eisenhower Drive.
8:34 p.m. Charges pending against a 28-year-old Hanover man after a disturbance in the first block of Allegheny Avenue.
9:05 p.m. A child reported missing was found in the 300 block of North Franklin Street.
10:25 p.m. Suspicious person reported in the 300 block of Eisenhower Drive.
10:45 p.m. Single vehicle crash in the 600 block of Washington Avenue when a driver hit a parked car. No injuries reported.
11:53 p.m. Suspicious person reported in the 100 block of Moul Avenue.
12:01 a.m. Charges pending against a 45-year-old Hanover woman after a traffic stop in the 200 block of Moul Avenue.
8:47 a.m. Allen Johnson, 43, of Hanover cited for criminal trespass in the 200 block of East Chestnut Street.
1:13 p.m. Two people injured and two vehicles towed from a three-car crash at East Chestnut and Charles streets.
1:31 p.m. Money taken from an unlocked vehicle in the 200 block of High Street.
2:37 p.m. Pedestrian struck by a vehicle behind a business at Center Square. Pedestrian taken to Hanover Hospital for treatment.
3:38 p.m. Single vehicle crash in the 100 block of Meade Avenue where a driver backing out of a garage crossed an alley and hit a home. No injuries reported.
5:36 p.m. Charge pending against a 20-year-old Hanover man after a fight in the first block of Commerce Street.
6:45 p.m. Responded to a domestic fight in the 600 block of East Walnut Street.
7:19 p.m. Suspicious person reported in the 200 block of Baltimore Street.
1:21 a.m. Loud music reported in the first block of Locust Street.
1:50 a.m. Responded to a domestic fight in the first block of Fulton Street.
2:32 a.m. Harassment reported in the 200 block of High Street.
3:58 p.m. Disorderly man warned about being a disturbance in the 800 block of Broadway.
4:15 p.m. Argument reported in the 100 block of Carlisle Street.
4:28 p.m. Hit and run reported in at South Forney Avenue and West Middle Street. A dark SUV left the scene. No injuries reported.
9:53 p.m. Responded to a dispute between two juveniles in the 100 block of York Street.
2:16 a.m. Responded to a disorderly man inside a business in the 300 block of Highland Avenue.
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2013 - BURLINGTON TEEN TOUR BAND FROM CANADA
SORRY FOR THE DELAY
SAINT PATRICK’S DAY IN DUBLIN - 2016
ST. PATRICK’S DAY PRADES - PRIOR TO 2016
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILLIAM MURPHY
STREETS OF DUBLIN
The tradition of excellence began on December 15, 1947, when 75 nervous members of the Burlington Boys and Girls Band gave their first performance under the leadership of Elgin Corlett, the band's founder and first music director. The band's first appearance outside Ontario, Canada took place in the summer of 1949, when the Burlington band traveled to Warren, Ohio to perform at a football game and play a concert.
By 1952, the membership had climbed to more than 150 boys and girls. In 1965, the name changed to the Burlington Teen Tour Band. Management developed a philosophy that would focus on producing a better band that would keep the members active year-round and organize annual tours.
Since its humble beginnings in 1947, the Burlington Teen Tour Band has grown into Canada's oldest and largest youth marching band. They have had the honour and privilege to represent Burlington, Ontario and Canada around the world in such countries as: England, Republic of Ireland, France, Japan, The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
In addition, the band has performed for Heads of State and Royalty as well as Televison and Movies and at prestigious events such as: the Rosebowl Parade, The 50th & 60th Anniversary of D-Day, the Orange Bowl Parade, and the 70th Anniversary of Pearl Harbour to just name a few.
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Czech household spend on alcohol among highest in EU
3.4% of Czech household expenditures went towards alcohol in 2019 - the fourth-highest figure in the EU
Daily News Eat & Drink
Bottles of champagne in a supermarket via iStock / sergeyryzhov
Czech spend on alcohol as a percentage of total household expenditures was among the highest in the European Union in 2019, according to new figures released by Eurostat on New Year's Eve.
A total of 3.4% of expenses for the average Czech household were for alcoholic beverages. The percentage was the fourth-highest in the EU.
At 4.8%, Latvia reported the highest share of household expenditures on alcohol, followed by Estonia (4.7%) and Lithuania (3.7%). Poland tied the Czech Republic at 3.4%.
Household expenditure on alcohol via Eurostat
Italy and Greece reported the lowest percentage spend on alcohol, at 0.9% in 2019. The average across the EU was 1.6%.
The total Czech household spend on alcohol in 2019 was 93.5 million crowns, up from 89.2 million crowns in 2018. The total spend has roughly doubled over the past 25 years.
However, the percentage spend on alcohol in the Czech Republic has decreased during that time, falling from 5.4% in 1995 to 3.4% in 2019.
Alcohol spend as a percentage total expenditures has decreased in most EU states over the past decade, though it has risen slightly in Romania (+0.6% since 2009) and Portugal (+0.3%).
Lithuania (-1.8%), Latvia (-1.5%), Bulgaria (-1.3%) and Estonia (-1.1%) have reported the largest drops in alcohol spend over the past ten years.
Across all EU member states, households spend the most on housing, electricity, gas, and other utilities, at 23.5% of their total expenditures. Transport accounts for 13.1% of total household spend, and food and drink (non-alcoholic) at 13%.
Marks & Spencer to temporarily close Prague stores later this week over COVID measures
Ain't no laws when you're drinking...Obora? The first Czech hard seltzer hits the market
Czech culture at home: 5 picks for good films, eats, and reads this weekend, Jan. 8–10, 2021
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Immigration advocates say more infants are being held in family detention
Silvia Foster-Frau March 1, 2019 Updated: March 1, 2019 9:02 p.m.
Immigration advocates say more infants are being held in...
1of11An American flag is set in the middle of the pathway, where Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson toured the new South Texas Family Residential Center, just outside Dilley, Texas. Detained immigrants that are currently being held in Artesia will begin arriving at the Dilley facility within the next two weeks. This pictured center, built as a "man camp" for the oil and gas industry, is a temporary center that will be used until the new facility is completed. The new facility will accomadate 2400 individuals. Monday, Dec. 15, 2014.Photo: Bob Owen, Staff / San Antonio Express-News
2of11The South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, is the largest of the nation's three immigration detention centers for families, housing up to 2,400, and has drawn criticism from immigrants and advocates although the private company that operates it ries to make it less like a prison. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske/Los Angeles Times/TNS)Photo: Molly Hennessy-Fiske, FILE / TNS
3of11Immigrant families arrive at the San Antonio International Airport from from a family residential center in Dilley, Texas, Tuesday, July 10, 2018.Photo: JERRY LARA / San Antonio Express-News
4of11Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson toured the new South Texas Family Residential Center, just outside Dilley, Texas. Detained immigrants that are currently being held in Artesia will begin arriving at the Dilley facility within the next two weeks. Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. This pictured facility, which was a "man camp" for the oil industry, will be used for approximatly 45 day until the new facility is completed.Photo: Bob Owen, Staff / San Antonio Express-News
5of11Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson toured the new South Texas Family Residential Center, just outside Dilley, Texas. Detained immigrants that are currently being held in Artesia will begin arriving at the Dilley facility within the next two weeks. Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. This pictured facility, which was a "man camp" for the oil industry, will be used for approximatly 45 day until the new facility is completed in the adjoining lot.Photo: Bob Owen, Staff / San Antonio Express-News
7of11Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, second from left, tours the new South Texas Family Residential Center, just outside Dilley, Texas, with Commander Robert Harris, left, Border Patrol Laredo Sector, Vice Admiral Williams "Dean" Lee, right, and Special Agent David Marwell of Homeland Security Investigations, second from right. Detained immigrants that are currently being held in Artesia will begin arriving at the Dilley facility within the next two weeks. Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. This pictured facility is an oil industry "man camp" that will be used for approximatly 45 days until the new facility is completed in an adjoining lot. The new facility will house 2400 individuals.Photo: Bob Owen, Staff / San Antonio Express-News
8of11Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson toured the new South Texas Family Residential Center, just outside Dilley, Texas. Detained immigrants that are currently being held in Artesia will begin arriving at the Dilley facility within the next two weeks. Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. This pictured facility, which was a "man camp" for the oil industry, will be used for approximatly 45 day until the new facility is completed in the adjoining lot. The building units at the far right will be used on the new facility.Photo: Bob Owen, Staff / San Antonio Express-News
9of11FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2018, file photo, provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, mothers and their children stand in line at South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas. A complaint expected to be filed Thursday, Aug. 23 with the Department of Homeland Security alleges that immigration authorities coerced dozens of parents separated from their children at the border to sign documents they didn't understand. In some of those cases, parents gave away rights to be reunited with their kids. The complaint will be filed by the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the American Immigration Council. (Charles Reed/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP, File)Photo: Charles Reed, HOGP / Associated Press
10of11FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2018, file photo, provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, immigrants walk into a building at South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas. A complaint expected to be filed Thursday, Aug. 23 with the Department of Homeland Security alleges that immigration authorities coerced dozens of parents separated from their children at the border to sign documents they didn't understand. In some of those cases, parents gave away rights to be reunited with their kids. The complaint will be filed by the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the American Immigration Council. (Charles Reed/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP, File)Photo: Charles Reed, HOGP / Associated Press
11of11FILE - This Aug. 9, 2018, file photo, provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, shows a scene from a tour of South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas. Months after the Trump administration ended the general policy of separating parents and children, advocates and members of Congress are questioning the treatment of children who cross the U.S.-Mexico border with other relatives - grandparents, uncles and aunts, and adult siblings. (Charles Reed/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP, File)Photo: Charles Reed, HOGP / Associated Press
Immigration advocates say they’ve noticed that more infants under age 1, most of them sick, are being held at Dilley’s family detention center.
Eleven mothers with babies ranging from 5 to 11 months have arrived at the South Texas Family Residential Center since last week, according to the Dilley Pro Bono Project. Two were released this week.
“We’ve almost never seen this, and definitely not in this number,” said Katy Murdza, advocacy coordinator for the group. “If we know of that many, then there’s likely more than that.”
The Dilley facility, which can hold up to 2,400 people, has held families and children — most of them recently apprehended at the border — since it opened in December 2014. Typically, the federal government, which has the discretion to detain undocumented immigrants or release them with a court date, has chosen to not detain parents with infants, as well as pregnant mothers.
“There’s been an unspoken rule for ICE to not have babies under 1 in the detention center,” Murdza said, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
On Thursday, the organization and Physicians for Human Rights sent a formal complaint to the Homeland Security Department and the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. The Dilley pro bono group has a staff of about 12 people and brings in large groups of volunteers each week. They provide immigrants with information about the U.S. legal process and help them prepare for their initial interviews in the asylum application process.
The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, or RAICES, a statewide nonprofit that advocates for immigrants, said that in the past five months, it has documented more than 24 clients who were under 3 years old at the Karnes Detention Center, the only other family detention center in the country. Most were under 18 months, and two were a year old.
“This is the youngest population we have ever documented in immigrant detention,” RAICES, which has a family detention program, said in a statement.
The project’s staff has interviewed eight of the mothers, all of whom said their babies are sick. They are losing weight; vomiting; coughing; crying from head, ear and throat pain; and having difficulty breathing, they said.
“We don’t think it’s an appropriate place for any child, but the younger the child is, the scarier it is,” Murdza said.
One mother told Murdza that her baby can’t make any noise when he cries because he’s so congested.
Physicians for Human Rights said it’s “alarmed about the inherent health risks for infants in detention, as infants have specific health needs which detention centers are ill-equipped to meet.”
The Homeland Security Department said in a statement to the San Antonio Express-News that “comprehensive medical care is provided to all individuals in ICE custody. Staffing includes registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, licensed mental health providers, midlevel providers that include a physician’s assistant and nurse practitioner, a physician, dental care and access to 24-hour emergency care.”
It said ICE spends more than $250 million annually on health care services for those in government custody.
The physicians’ group said in its letter that it was concerned also about the long-term effects of infant detention.
“Infancy is a time of critical brain development. A large body of research demonstrates that early childhood adversity and stress, such as conditions infants are exposed to in detention, can have significant detrimental impacts on the developing infant brain, with long-lasting and negative consequences,” the physicians said.
In the Pro Bono Project’s letter — jointly signed by the American Immigration Council, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network — the staffers said one baby has been at the facility for longer than 20 days, the maximum legal length of stay for children in detention.
“ICE is required to meet basic standards of care for minor noncitizens in its custody. It repeatedly has demonstrated an inability to do so,” the group’s letter reads, noting that two children died last year in Homeland Security’s custody. The group is demanding that the mothers be released.
In the year and nine months that Murdza has been on staff, she recalled one other time when there were infants at Dilley: when a migrant caravan arrived at Tijuana, Mexico.
This time, the mothers interviewed by the Pro Bono Project staff said they were coming from Piedras Negras — the border city in Mexico reached by the most recent publicized caravan.
“There’s definitely a connection. The two times we’ve seen babies under 1, it has been that they’re coming from where the caravan just arrived. So it seems like they’re prioritizing the detention of caravan participants and not wanting to release them even when they normally would,” Murdza said. Mothers are also having difficulty getting through their asylum interviews with crying babies on their laps, she said.
“All of this is traumatizing people and putting people in danger,” Murdza said. “But it’s not going to work to deter someone if the reason they left their country is they think their child could be killed where they are.”
Silvia Foster-Frau covers immigration news in the San Antonio, Bexar County and South Texas area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | sfosterfrau@express-news.net | Twitter: @SilviaElenaFF
Silvia Foster-Frau
Follow Silvia on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/silvia-foster-frau-1b920058SilviaElenaFF
Silvia Foster-Frau is the immigration reporter for the San Antonio Express-News and is the paper’s lead reporter on the Sutherland Springs mass shooting, which was the 5th deadliest in the country at the time of the attack in November 2017.
She grew up in Galesburg, Illinois, and took a gap year to live in Mexico after high school before attending Grinnell College. She graduated with a bachelor’s in English in 2015. Silvia interned at Minnesota Public Radio, wrote in English and Spanish for the bilingual Chicago newspaper Extra News, and in 2015 won the two-year Hearst Journalism Fellowship. She reported in Connecticut for a year and then moved to San Antonio in 2016.
In 2018 she won the Express-News’ Reporter of the Year award and Texas AP’s Michael Brick Storytelling Award. In 2019 she won Texas AP Star Reporter of the Year in the biggest newspaper category.
Silvia is half Puerto Rican and half Iowan. She loves breakfast tacos, frequently says “y’all” and keeps a stash of cascarones at her desk, so it’s safe to say she’s fully embraced the San Antonio way.
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Home > Press Room > Journalists > Accreditation Notices
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PRESS ACCREDITATION NOTICE- 12th Conference of the Ambassadors of Italy (Farnesina 24-26 July 2017)
The Farnesina will host the 12th Conference of the Ambassadors of Italy entitled "Security and growth in the era of disorder: Italian diplomacy to face global challenges," on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week, 24-26 July. The conference will be attended by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, the Italian Prime Minister, Paolo Gentiloni and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Angelino Alfano.
The following sections will be open to the media:
Monday, 24 July
- Opening session with addresses by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the President of the Republic and the French and Spanish Ministers of Foreign Affairs (4:30 - 6:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, 25 July
- Session closed to the media
Wednesday, 26 July
- Third Plenary Session - Global Challenges ( 10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.)
Walter Russel Mead, Fyodor Lukyanov, Cui Hongjian and William Lacy Swing will attend the session, which is organised in conjunction with the Aspen Institute Italia.
- Closing session with an address by the Prime Minister (12:30 p.m.)
- Family photo follows.
Photographers and TV crews will be able to follow the speeches by President Mattarella, Prime Minister Gentiloni, Minister Alfano, Minister Le Drian and Minister Dastis directly from the conference hall. Print journalists will follow them from the Ministry's salle d'ecoute via closed circuit TV.
The third Plenary session entitled "Global Challenges" can be followed from the salle d'ecoute.
Journalists, photographers and TV crews interested in the press sections should apply for accreditation in one of the following ways no later than 6:00 p.m. on Friday, 21 July:
- by filling the interactive form at the link http://mae.accreditationsystem.info/ITA/Indice.asp, attaching, unless already provided, the information requested in digital format (letter from the media organisation and, for representatives of foreign media, also a Note Verbale released by the Rome Embassy of the media organisation’s country).
- by sending an email to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation’s Institutional Press and Communication Service at the following address: accreditamentostampa@esteri.it (Tel. + 39 06/3691.3432 or 8573 or 8210), attaching the letter from his/her media organisation (or press card) and, for members of the foreign press, a Note Verbale released by the Rome Embassy of the media organisation’s country.
Accredited journalists, photographers and TV crews should enter the Farnesina from the rear entrance on Via della Macchia della Farnesina, on the following schedule:
(to follow speeches by President Mattarella, Minister Alfano, Minister Le Drian and Minister Dastis)
Photographers and TV crews: from 3:00 p.m. until 3:45 p.m. (Sala Conferenze Internazionali)
Print journalists: from 3:15 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. (salle d'ecoute)
Wednesday 25 July
(to follow the third Plenary Session)
Photographers and TV crews: from 9:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. (Sala Conferenze Internazionali)
Print journalists: from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. (salle d'ecoute)
To apply for a permit for satellite truck positions, please send the number plate, truck model and names of TV crew members to accreditamentostampa@esteri.it (tel. + 39 06/3691.3432-8573-8210) no later than 6:00 p.m. on Friday, 21 July.
ConferenzaAmbasciatori
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UN Peacekeepers Want More Troops for Ivory Coast
January 6, 2011 August 14, 2017 VOA 0 Comments
The United Nations says it needs more troops in Ivory Coast to resolve a political crisis between the internationally-recognized winner of the country’s presidential election and the incumbent leader who refuses to yield power.
The head of United Nations peacekeeping says he will ask the Security Council for as many as 2,000 additional troops for Ivory Coast. And Alain Le Roy says he hopes those soldiers will arrive here in the next few weeks.
The current force of nearly 10,000 troops is deployed throughout the country, including parts of the north that are still controlled by former rebels who back Alassane Ouattara.
U.N. peacekeepers are also guarding a resort hotel in Abidjan that Mr. Ouattara has not left since Ivory Coast’s electoral commission declared him the winner of November’s election. Incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo says he is the winner because the constitutional council annulled as fraudulent nearly ten percent of all ballots cast.
The Economic Community of West African States, the African Union, the European Union and the United States say Mr. Ouattara is the duly-elected president and Mr. Gbagbo must step down.
Mr. Gbagbo wants the entire U.N. peacekeeping force to leave Ivory Coast because he says it no longer has the confidence of the people.
U.N. peacekeepers would be compelled to leave a country at the head of state’s request, as they did this past year in Chad. But the United Nations no longer recognizes Mr. Gbabgo’s authority and has seated in New York a new Ivorian ambassador named by Mr. Ouattara.
Following talks with West African heads of state in Abidjan this week, Mr. Gbagbo agreed to negotiate a peaceful end to the crisis without preconditions. But the regional alliance says that does not remove its threat to use force to drive him from power.
James Gbeho is the president of the ECOWAS alliance. He says regional leaders understand the difficulties in mounting such a force but will not hesitate to do so if the crisis can not be resolved peacefully. “We, of course, are aware of the dangers in the force option particularly in a country like Cote d’Ivoire where almost all citizens and ethnic groups of our ECOWAS region are represented. And so it is an option that must be used with a lot of circumspection. But if push comes to shove, that is what is going to be used,” he said.
Mr. Ouattara says regional military intervention would not lead to a large-scale conflict because the operation would only need to remove one person, Mr. Gbagbo.
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Trump signs stimulus bill ahead of government shutdown, releasing checks and aid
Jan 2, 2021 | PC & Laptop
The stimulus bill that has eluded negotiators since May has now become law, authorizing a second stimulus check and more federal unemployment benefits.
Viktoryia Vinnikava/Getty Images
A $900 billion bipartisan stimulus package is finally on its way after President Donald Trump signed the COVID-19 relief bill Sunday evening, Trump’s press secretary confirmed on Twitter. Trump’s approval comes after days of the president withholding his signature despite the looming expiration of unemployment benefits and a government shutdown.
Trump also spent the week publicly denouncing the size of the second stimulus check his administration helped negotiate.
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“I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000. Or $4,000 for a couple,” Trump said in a video posted Tuesday. On Saturday and Christmas Day, he also tweeted about the “measly $600,” while continuing to press for a $2,000 per-person maximum in a second stimulus check.
The package allocates a second stimulus check for a maximum of $600 for qualifying adults and their child dependents. As with the CARES Act from March, the second stimulus check has a sliding scale based on your adjusted gross income, and not everyone will qualify for the $600 direct payment. The stimulus package also includes an additional $300 per week in federal unemployment insurance, a tax credit to help businesses pay employees and funding for distribution of the coronavirus vaccine.
The IRS is expected to start sending the second stimulus checks, which the agency calls economic impact payments, in about a week, through a mix of physical checks in the mail, direct deposits, and EIP cards, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Dec. 21.
The US House of Representatives passed the bill Monday, with the Senate passing it later that evening. Trump’s signature was the final step needed to pass the bill, which is now considered law.
This second stimulus check that millions of Americans will receive is a fraction of the $1,200 check allocated in March as part of the relief package in the CARES Act. It comes at a time when coronavirus infections are surging in many parts of the country. The package also comes as the US jobs market continues to suffer. Last week, more than 885,000 Americans filed for first time unemployment benefits, according to the US Labor Department.
With the health and economic crisis deepening, Congress was under pressure to pass a relief measure before the end of the year. This deal was the result of months of negotiations among the leadership of the Democratic and Republican parties, most notably the four top congressional leaders: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California; Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York; and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California.
What’s in the bill?
In addition to the individual stimulus checks, the $900 billion package also includes an additional $300 a week in jobless benefits, which will run for 11 weeks starting Dec. 27, 2020, and ending March 14, 2021. The bill also provides critically needed funds for small businesses, schools, broadband subsidies and vaccine distribution throughout the country.
Specifically, the legislation provides $325 billion for small-business loans and grants. There’s $69 billion for COVID-19 vaccine procurement and distribution and $82 billion for K-12 schools, colleges and universities to help mitigate the effects of the pandemic.
In addition to these programs, the bill also provides $3.2 billion in broadband subsidies for low-income Americans and those financially impacted by COVID-19, to cover monthly service fees. The legislation also provides $1 billion for tribal land connectivity.
This money lets broadband providers offer a $50 subsidy ($75 on tribal lands) to help those who are already eligible for the Federal Communications Commission’s Lifeline program. This program also makes the $50 subsidy available to families eligible for free school lunches or college Pell Grants, as well as to those who’ve lost jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recipients can also use up to $100 of the subsidy to pay for a laptop, desktop or tablet. In addition, the legislation provides funding to improve FCC mapping and telehealth services.
Consumer advocacy groups applauded Congress for acknowledging how vital broadband connectivity is, especially at a time when Americans continue working and learning from home.
“These subsidies will directly support those experiencing financial loss during the crisis, as affordability remains the key barrier to connectivity,” said Greg Guice, government affairs director at Public Knowledge. “No American should be forced to go without food, water, electricity or essential communications over broadband.”
But the two most controversial sticking points between Democrats and Republicans in the negotiations are missing from the bill. These are the COVID-19 liability protections for corporations and businesses that Republicans wanted and the direct aid to state and local governments that Democrats pushed for to help those governments struggling to make up for lost tax and fee revenue resulting from this year’s closures.
These issues have been largely set aside and will likely come up again in negotiations for more relief in 2021 after President-elect Joe Biden takes office.
Biden previously said he sees the current relief package as a “down payment” and that Congress would need to pass another bill in the early part of 2021.
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Home Corporate Governance
FDM Group operates within the requirements of the UK Corporate Governance Code (the “Code”) issued by the Financial Reporting Council and published in July 2018, and meets other requirements including the Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority and the Listing Rules of the UK Listing Authority. The promotion of sound corporate governance has always been, and remains, a priority for the FDM Group Board. The Board recognises that one of its key roles is to ensure that FDM’s culture and values are aligned with our strategy. FDM’s business is supported by a strong cultural identity which helps to ensure that our goals are understood and shared by all of our people and that they support our strategic aims.
An effective framework of governance will help to ensure that our culture and values strengthen the implementation of our strategy, supporting the long-term sustainable success of our business, delivering value for our shareholders and enhancing our contribution to our other stakeholders and the communities in which we operate. Further details of that framework of governance are set out below.
FDM is committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all its business dealings. Our core set of values form the foundations of who we are and what we are committed to. Our Code of Conduct summarises and provides a framework for these core values, which are developed in greater detail in other policies and procedures. The FDM Code of Conduct can be viewed here.
Schedule of Matters Reserved for the Board
A schedule of formal matters reserved for the Board’s decision and approval is available as a download here. The schedule of reserved matters was updated by the Board on 1 November 2018.
The Board is committed to the further promotion of diversity and inclusiveness of all kinds throughout our organisation. In 2018 we were delighted to be able to report that our UK median gender pay-gap remained at 0.0%, and our mean gender pay-gap was 5.7%, reduced slightly from the prior year. We have also been pleased to participate again this year in the Hampton-Alexander Review which set a target for the percentage of women on FTSE boards and leadership teams to reach one third by 2020.
We believe that by making the most of our differences of approach, and using the collective experiences, backgrounds, skill-sets and knowledge of our talented and diverse employees, we will drive innovation and success and achieve more for our stakeholders. This applies equally to our Board. The composition of our Board is vital to its effectiveness and that, in turn, enhances good governance.
The Board’s primary obligation is to make appointments based on objective criteria to ensure that the best individuals are appointed for every role. Within this context, the Board is committed to a policy of promoting a rounded Board which reflects a diversity of all relevant personal attributes, including skills, experience, educational and professional background, gender, race and age. In support of this policy, the Board intends:
to continue only to engage executive search firms who have signed up to the Voluntary Code of Conduct for Executive Search Firms on gender diversity and best practice;
to require executive search firms to identify and present an appropriately diverse range of candidates for each vacancy;
to consider all aspects of diversity including gender and ethnicity when reviewing the composition and balance of the Board as part of the Board’s annual effectiveness evaluation;
to ensure that the succession planning and talent management programme includes initiatives to develop the pipeline of talent, to encourage and monitor the development of a diverse range of internal high-calibre employees and to promote diversity in appointments to the senior management team who will in turn aspire to a Board position;
to develop further the level, frequency and quality of interaction between Board members (including Non-Executive Directors in particular) and those aspiring senior managers to enable them to gain more exposure to, and understanding of, the Board’s work; and
to review this policy and report on progress on an annual basis.
The Board is committed to the highest standards of corporate governance and to maintaining a sound framework for the control and management of the Group. The Board has established separate committees covering:
Directors’ Remuneration Policy
The Company’s Directors’ remuneration policy was approved by shareholders at the AGM held on 26 April 2018, and the policy as approved is available as a download here.
Investor Relations Policy
The Company’s investor relations policy is available as a download here.
Share Dealing & Market Abuse Policy
FDM has adopted a policy to ensure that it is able to comply with its obligations under the Market Abuse Regulation. This policy applies to all directors and employees of FDM Group and is designed to ensure that such individuals do not misuse, or place themselves under suspicion of misusing, information about the Group which they may have and which is not public.
FDM is committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all its business dealings and relationships. We recognise that modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights, and we have established effective systems and controls to help us to ensure that modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our own business or in any of our supply chains. The full statement can be viewed here.
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Pharma Asia
Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co. Ltd. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited Announce Decision to Terminate Their Agreement for the Joint Development and Exclusive Commercialization of Latuda® (lurasidone) - an Atypical Antipsychotic Agent, in Europe
by Justin Reynolds |
OSAKA, Japan, May 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --
Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. ("Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma") (Head Office: Osaka, Japan: President: Masayo Tada) and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited ("Takeda") (Head Office: Osaka, Japan: President and CEO: Christophe Weber) today jointly announced that their license agreement entered into in March 2011 ("Agreement") for the joint development and exclusive commercialization of pharmaceutical products containing lurasidone hydrochloride (Latuda®), an atypical antipsychotic agent, in Europe, will be terminated. The companies are starting discussions in an effort to finalize and execute a mutual agreement establishing a transition plan for the orderly transfer of all development and commercialization rights and activities with respect to Latuda to Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma.
Takeda's right to develop and commercialize Latuda within 26 member states of the European Union (excluding the United Kingdom), Switzerland, Norway, Turkey and Russia, will transfer back to Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma upon the effective date of the termination.
The termination of the Agreement is based on market and business considerations of Takeda and is not the result of new safety or efficacy information on Latuda. Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma and Takeda continue to believe that Latuda is an appropriate treatment option for adult patients with schizophrenia with minimal impact on important measures of metabolic health. Latuda has been available in the United States since 2011, in Canada since 2012, and subsequently in six countries in Europe. During this time it is estimated that more than one million patients have been treated with Latuda.
"Patients are Takeda's primary focus and we are committed to working closely with Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma during this transition period to ensure that transparent communication with patients and healthcare professionals is maintained as plans are finalized," said Christophe Weber, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. "In parallel Takeda takes its commercial partnerships very seriously and we will work with absolute integrity to see current commitments through as the companies work together to transition development and commercialization rights and activities to Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma."
"We remain committed to ensuring continued access to Latuda for patients in Europe, and to further contributing to the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders," said Masayo Tada, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma. "We will consider all options, including collaboration with a new partner, for the continued development and commercialization of Latuda in Europe."
The termination of the Agreement is expected to have minor impact on the consolidated business performance of Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma and Takeda in the fiscal year ending March 2016.
About Latuda® (lurasidone)
Latuda is an atypical antipsychotic developed originally by Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, characterized by a unique chemical structure and an affinity for dopamine D2, serotonin 5-HT2A and serotonin 5-HT7 receptors where it has antagonist effects. In addition, Latuda is a partial agonist at the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor and has no appreciable affinity for histamine or muscarinic receptors. The most frequent adverse reactions seen in short-term clinical studies (incidence ≥ 5% and at least twice as frequent as with placebo) were somnolence, akathisia, nausea, parkinsonism and dystonia.
Latuda was approved for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults by the European Commission (EC) in March 2014 and Swiss Medic in August 2013. Latuda is currently available in Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands and the UK. Outside of Europe, Latuda is available in the USA and Canada for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar depression in adults. Latuda has also been approved in Australia for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults. Latuda has been available in the USA since 2011 and in Canada since 2012, in Switzerland since 2013, in Denmark, Norway and the UK since 2014, and inthe Netherlands and Finland since 2015. During this time it is estimated that more than one million patients have been treated with Latuda.
About Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd.
Located in Osaka, Japan, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma defines its corporate mission as "to broadly contribute to society through value creation based on innovative research and development activities for the betterment of healthcare and fuller lives of people worldwide." By pouring all our efforts into the research and development of new drugs, we aim to provide innovative and effective pharmaceutical solutions to people not only in Japan but also around the world in order to realize our corporate mission. Additional information about Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma is available through its corporate website, http://www.ds-pharma.com.
About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
Located in Osaka, Japan, Takeda is a research-based global company with its main focus on pharmaceuticals. As the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan and one of the global leaders of the industry, Takeda is committed to strive towards better health for people worldwide through leading innovation in medicine. Additional information about Takeda is available through its corporate website, http://www.takeda.com.
Justin Reynolds
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About fitvoice
Tess Whittaker
Tess is a professionally trained actor, voice coach, voice over artist, and Speech and Language Therapist. She is a co-founder of fitvoice and an executive director. Tess is an active member of the Voice Care Network, the British Voice Association and the British Stammering Association. She is a committee member for the East of Scotland General Branch of Equity, the actors union. Tess' role within fitvoice is to lead the voice care team. She is the primary contact for our clients, creates tailor-made vocal advice and delivers it through various channels, including 1:1 sessions via video link. She also has a pivotal role in facilitating and maintaining stakeholder engagement. Tess is an effective and enthusiastic communicator who enjoys motivating and encouraging others.
Felix Schaeffler
Felix is a co-founder of fitvoice and an executive director. He is a speech scientist with more than 20 years of research experience on various aspects of the human voice. He has collaborated with colleagues from a wide range of backgrounds, and has worked in Germany, Sweden, and Scotland. His expert areas include digital acoustic voice analysis, prosody of speech and the interaction of linguistic and non-linguistic aspects in the generation of the human speech signal. His duties within fitvoice include strategic planning, R&D and Finance. Felix is a creative problem-solver and enthusiastic team-worker who enjoys leading a team towards common goals and visions.
Matthias Eichner
Matthias is a software engineer with a background in natural language processing and music information retrieval. He is one of the co-founders and an executive director of fitvoice. He holds a number of patents and has published various articles in the field of signal processing and data modelling. Matthias is passionate about technology and enjoys working with people from diverse backgrounds. His role at fitvoice is to design and maintain the IT infrastructure as well as implementing, developing and enhancing the algorithms for acoustic analysis.
Janet Beck
Janet Beck is a speech and language therapist (SLT) and academic with 30 years of experience in teaching and research. Her clinical and research career has been motivated by a fascination in the role of voice quality in communication and in the causes and impact of voice disorder. She has published extensively on various aspects of voice quality and voice disorder and is a co-author of the “Vocal Profile Analysis Scheme”, a phonetic tool for voice analysis that has had significant international impact in facilitating both phonetic research and clinical assessment. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists in recognition of her contribution to SLT education and professional development. Janet is a co-founder of fitvoice and a non-executive director. She works in an advisory capacity with the front of house operation, using her clinical expertise and knowledge to support the service.
Fitvoice is a registered trademark of Queen Margaret University.
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Miracle treat day: raising money for PCH patients
It's miracle treat day, that means you have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of some pretty sick kids being treated at Phoenix Children's Hospital.
Chance Peterson is a happy and healthy 10-year-old who overcame quite a bit to get where he is today.
"Some days were fun, I was ok, some days were bad because you never know what is going to happen when you're in the hospital," said Chance Peterson.
When he was five, Chance was diagnosed with a kidney obstruction, a simple procedure that turned out to be anything but.
"He should have been healed within a week and been ok, but every time they did the surgery he would have reoccuring scar tissue, it happened inside his body which blocked off his kidney, and would cause more damage. He's been through 4 major kidney surgeries," said Stephanie Hayduke, Chance's mom.
"I remember playing with the beach ball," said James Zintack.
7-year-old James has memories of healing and playing inside Phoenix Children's Hospital like he did today. His mom said he was diagnosed with CGD, a rare immune disease as a baby. As a result he lost a lung and some of his hearing, but he's ok now thanks to the staff at PCH.
"The only cure is a bone marrow transplant, so we went to PCH and did a bone marrow through them, now he's 4-years-old and cured," said Samantha Zintack.
Dairy Queen locations statewide are joining the fight.
"They're donating a dollar or more from all Blizzard sales to PCH, to help patients like Chance and James. Manager of the Glendale store, Kathy Lee, says miracle treat day helps make many miracles possible.
"So far we raised $2,200 in just donations, and then we're hoping another big turn today selling Blizzards," said Kathy Lee.
It's not too late to take part; there are 64 Dairy Queens in Arizona and all are participating. They're open until 10:30 p.m.
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Sheriff: S Carolina woman didn't feed ex's dog for 30 days
LAURENS, S.C. (AP) - Authorities in South Carolina say a woman refused to feed her ex-boyfriend's dog for at least a month.
Laurens County Sheriff's Capt. Chris Martin tells news outlets Elizabeth Lena James said she intentionally didn't feed or care for the dog left at her house. Martin says she later changed her story, saying the dog refused to eat provided food.
The 16-month-old mastiff mix was found tied to a tree, emaciated, malnourished and full of maggots and worms. Now called "Champ," he's being treated at a 24-hour veterinarian clinic in Columbia.
A rescue group says he should weigh more than 100 pounds (45 kilograms) at his age, but currently weighs only 50 pounds (23 kilograms).
James is charged with ill treatment of animals and is out on $15,000 bail. It's unclear whether she has a lawyer.
San Tan Valley woman missing since Jan. 11 found alive six days later
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Uber driver accused of peeping in passengers' home
ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - Uber says it has removed a driver's access to its platform after the driver was accused to peering into the window of two female passengers.
St. Petersburg police said 40-year-old Christopher Cuccorillo was released on $250 bond after allegedly returning to the home of two female passengers he dropped off earlier that morning.
St. Petersburg police said Cuccorillo was operating as an Uber driver early Sunday morning. He dropped the women off at the address they requested, in St. Petersburg, around 3:50 a.m. About an hour later, a neighbor called about a prowler in the fenced area behind the home where Cuccorillo dropped the women off.
The responding officers said Cuccorillo was outside when they arrived and told them he was checking up on the women at their request, because they were "highly intoxicated."
Officers said the women were not able to verify Cuccorillo's original story. He apparently then changed his story several times during their questioning.
Christopher Cuccorillo was arrested and charged with loitering or prowling. He was released on a $250 bond.
In response to FOX 13's request for comment on the accusations, an Uber spokesperson said, "We have zero tolerance for the type of behavior described. We have permanently removed this individual's access to the platform."
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Suspects arrested following wild police chase in Phoenix
PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A man is in custody Tuesday, following a wild police chase that ended near an apartment complex in Phoenix.
(Can't see the live video? Click here)
According to police, the suspect was arrested near 1700 W. Mountain View Avenue, and it began near the 2400 block of E. Indian School Road.
According to police, officers had been searching for an Audi for several weeks, saying the car was taken in an armed robbery, and was then used in conjunction with a commercial burglary. The suspects, police say, fled when officers located the car.
The Audi was later abandoned near 107th Avenue and Van Buren, after a tire blew out. Video taken by SkyFOX shows the suspect carjacking a woman in a white truck, after running from the Audi.
"I didn't know what he was doing and once he tried my door handle it was locked," said the carjacking victim, identified only as "Shirley". "He was going to move on, but he backed up and smashed my window and unlocked my door from the inside, opened up. I got out and he took my truck."
According to police, two people were inside the Audi when it was abandoned, and both have been detained. That all happened about 10 minute away from a barricade situation that involved a fourth suspect.
"We have your friend, you just need to come out and end this," said police officers, in a video submitted to FOX 10 by a viewer. That suspect bailed out of the Audi prior to the carjacking, and that suspect, who was armed, was later taken into custody.
"I thought it was an umbrella, but they told us it was a semi-rifle," said Nora Garcia. "He ran down to 116. He's trying to get in. He's banging on the door."
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Last Update April 28, 2016
AJ McCarron gets ready to try to end Bengals' 25-year slump
By | FoxSports
CINCINNATI (AP) The Bengals are preparing quarterback AJ McCarron to lead them into the playoffs, where they haven't won a game in 25 years.
He'll be facing the team that knocked him around only three weeks ago.
And that's not the only ominous part of Cincinnati's return to the playoffs.
The AFC North champions (12-4) are back in the playoffs for the fifth straight season, a run of success unmatched in club history.
They've lost in the first round each of the past four seasons, a run of futility unmatched in NFL history.
Overall, the Bengals haven't won a playoff game since the 1990 season, a 25-year streak of futility that's the sixth-longest in league history. And now it's McCarron instead of injured starter Andy Dalton practicing with the offense to start the week.
No pressure there.
''Regardless of Andy's status, we're going to go - right now, at least, the early part of the week - preparing with AJ,'' coach Marvin Lewis said on Monday. ''It's important for the football team.''
Dalton was leading the league in passer rating when he broke his right thumb while making a tackle against the Steelers on Dec. 13 at Paul Brown Stadium. McCarron took over and threw a pair of interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
The Steelers dominated in a 33-20 win that left a mark on the Bengals. They dropped two of their last four games, missing out on a chance for a first-round bye that would have given Dalton another week to heal.
McCarron's biggest improvement in his three starts was avoiding the interception, although he fumbled a snap in overtime that ended a 20-17 loss in Denver. Lewis wants him to get as much practice time as possible to prepare for the rematch with Pittsburgh.
''We felt good about his decision-making those (last) three games,'' Lewis said. ''We weren't as thrilled with some of his decisions his first opportunity. He's progressed.''
He's facing long odds, too. The last quarterback to start and win a playoff game after making three or fewer NFL starts was Gifford Nielsen, who led the Oilers to a road playoff victory in San Diego during the 1979 season, according to STATS.
The only one under more pressure than McCarron is Lewis, who is 0-6 in the postseason. His teams have done so poorly in the playoffs that he's compared himself to Susan Lucci, the television soap star who was nominated 19 times before finally winning an Emmy.
Asked what a playoff win would mean to him personally, Lewis said, ''One-and-six. That's all. It's important to win and move on.''
What they're trying to move beyond:
- The Bengals are the only team in NFL history to lose opening-round games in four straight seasons.
- Lewis is tied with the Giants' Steve Owen (1939-50) for most consecutive playoff losses with one team.
- Lewis and Jim Mora are tied for most consecutive playoff losses to start a career.
- Lewis is tied with Marty Schottenheimer, Mora and Owen for most consecutive playoff losses at any point in a head coaching career.
And then there's Dalton, whose four straight opening-round losses are tied with Warren Moon for the NFL record. It appears the Bengals will have to beat the Steelers with McCarron in order to give Dalton a chance to put his personal streak on the line later in the playoffs.
Beating the Steelers alone would be a breakthrough, as Pittsburgh is 14-3 all time at Paul Brown Stadium. That includes the Steelers' 31-17 playoff win in the 2005 season.
Carson Palmer tore ligaments in his left knee and dislocated his kneecap when he was hit by Kimo von Oelhoffen on his first throw of the game, the only time the Ohio River rivals have met in the playoffs.
And here they are again, a totally different Bengals team trying to break out of the same, sad history.
''There's not a correlation,'' Lewis said. ''Each and every time out there's a new opportunity. It's new folks, new faces, and a new situation.''
Notes: The Bengals have sold all of their single-game tickets for Saturday. ... LB Emmanuel Lamur went on injured reserve with a knee injury suffered on Sunday. He was third on the team in special teams tackles. Rookie LB Trevor Roach was promoted from the practice squad.
AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL
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Last Update January 13, 2015
Fire Erupts on Set of New James Bond Movie
LONDON – A blaze erupted Sunday on the set of the latest James Bond movie west of London, but no injuries were reported, fire officials said.
The fire broke out just before 11:30 a.m. at Pinewood Studios, about 19 miles west of London, officials from the Buckinghamshire Fire Brigade said.
Eight fire engines were called to the set, officials said.
Television footage showed plumes of smoke rising from the building, with the roof of the "Casino Royale" set charred and caved in.
"It is just a complete mess," said Fraser Pearson, spokesman for the Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service. "I would say the whole building has been damaged by the fire. It is still smoking quite badly. There has definitely been a large blaze here."
Roads near the studio were shut down briefly, but the blaze was contained and no one was hurt, said Vicky Evans, spokeswoman for Thames Valley Police.
The vast stage had been transformed into a replica of Venice, Italy, where part of the film is set. "Casino Royale," due for release in October, will be the first film featuring actor Daniel Craig as agent 007.
Craig was chosen last year to replace Pierce Brosnan as the British super-spy.
Visit FOXNews.com's Movies Center for complete coverage.
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Van explodes outside office of Australian Christian Lobby
The damaged front of the Canberra office of the Australian Christian Lobby is seen in Canberra, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. A van slammed into the headquarters of a Christian lobbying group in Australia's capital late Wednesday Dec. 21, though it was unclear whether the crash was deliberate, officials said Thursday. (Belinda Merhab/AAP Image via AP) (The Associated Press)
SYDNEY – A van carrying gas cylinders exploded outside the headquarters of a Christian lobbying group in Australia's capital, though there did not appear to be any political motivations behind the incident, police said Thursday.
The driver, a 35-year-old Australian man, was the only person injured in Wednesday night's explosion, which seriously damaged the van and blew out windows in the two-story building, Australian Capital Territory police said.
Police said it appears the driver ignited gas cylinders that were inside the van, causing the explosion. He then took himself to a hospital, where he was being treated for serious burns.
"Police were able to establish the man's actions were not politically, religiously or ideologically motivated," police said in a statement. They did not release his name, saying only that he was not previously known to authorities.
The head of the Australian Christian Lobby, a conservative advocacy group, said his group had received anonymous threats over the past year because of its opposition to gay marriage and equality for transgender students.
"I don't know the motivation of last night's attack, but the context of what I see here is in the context of multiple death threats and threats of violence that my staff have endured over the course of this year," managing director Lyle Shelton told reporters in Canberra.
The group has locked the building for most of this year after never doing so for at least eight years, he said, calling the incident a "truly shocking situation."
Police said they were investigating the threats against the group. A spokeswoman declined to release any more details of the investigation.
The van was removed from the scene early Thursday morning.
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Last Update December 24, 2016
Venezuela Expels 3 American Embassy Officials Over Hunted Opposition Leader
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a rally on Bolivar Avenue in downtown Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014. The signs read in Spanish "People of peace." Maduro said a police manhunt is underway for opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, and denounced what he said is a "fascist" plot to oust him from power. (AP Photo/Alejandro Cegarra)
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday ordered the expulsion of three U.S. Embassy officials after Washington came to the defense of an opposition hard-liner accused by Venezuela's leader of responsibility for bloodshed during anti-government protests.
Maduro didn't identify the consular officials but charged that intelligence officials who tailed them the past two months found evidence they were trying to infiltrate Venezuelan universities, a hotbed of recent unrest, under the cover of doing visa outreach. Foreign Minister Elias Jaua was scheduled to provide more details Monday.
Triggering the expulsion was the Obama administration's siding with opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who is being hunted by police as Maduro accuses him of leading a "fascist" plot to oust the socialist government two months after it won mayoral elections by a landslide.
Maduro said State Department official Alex Lee, in a phone conversation with Venezuela's ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States, warned that arresting the 42-year-old former mayor would bring serious negative consequences with international ramifications.
"These are unacceptable, insolent demands," Maduro said during a televised address Sunday night. "I don't take orders from anyone in the world."
There was no immediate reaction from the U.S. government, which has denied the accusations that it is plotting with the opposition against him. The U.S. hasn't had an ambassador in Caracas since 2010.
The Harvard-educated Lopez has been at the center of rising tensions in Venezuela since he led the biggest demonstration yet against Maduro's 10-month-old government, mobilizing more than 10,000 people on Wednesday to peacefully protest hardships ranging from rampant crime to 56 percent inflation.
The government blamed him for the mayhem that erupted after the rally ended and a group of students battled with security forces and armed pro-government militias, leaving three dead. Most of the demonstrators had gone home before the violence broke out.
In his TV speech, Maduro called for a march by oil workers Tuesday beginning at the same central plaza in Caracas where Lopez said he would rally with supporters dressed in white the same day, setting up the potential for clashes between the opposing forces.
Lopez announced his plans a few hours before Maduro's speech, appearing in a video shot at an undisclosed location. He said he didn't fear arrest but accused authorities of trying to violate his constitutional right to protest Maduro's government.
He said that after Tuesday's march to the Interior Ministry he planned to walk the final steps alone to the agency to deliver a petition demanding a full investigation of the government's role in the deaths. He said he was prepared to turn himself over to officials then and answer to an arrest order on charges ranging from terrorism and homicide to vandalism of public property.
"I haven't committed any crime," said Lopez, who hasn't been seen in public since a news conference Wednesday night after the bloodshed. "If there is a decision to legally throw me in jail I'll submit myself to this persecution."
Maduro on Sunday urged Lopez for his own safety to avoid a media "show" and accept an offer to negotiate his surrender. He claimed that some sectors of the extreme right-wing want to assassinate Lopez to provoke a political crisis.
Lopez's comments came after security forces raided his home and that of his parents over the weekend, seeking to serve the arrest order. Lopez wasn't at either residence when the officials arrived around midnight to the sound of banging pots and pans by neighbors protesting what they consider an arbitrary detention order.
The raids capped another night of protests during which security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets to break up a group of about 500 students who vowed to remain on the streets until all arrested anti-government demonstrators are released.
More protests took place Sunday, and authorities said 18 people were injured.
Lopez is the most prominent of a group of opposition hard-liners who are challenging two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles for leadership of the anti-government movement.
Maduro considers him a puppet of U.S. ambitions to regain dominance over South America's largest oil-producing economy.
Sunday's expulsion of U.S. diplomats was the third by Maduro.
In March, hours before announcing the death of Hugo Chavez, he expelled two U.S. diplomats while suggesting the United States might have been behind the leader's cancer. Then in a fiery speech last September, he ordered the most senior U.S. official in Venezuela and two others to leave, for allegedly helping opponents sabotage the electrical grid. In each case the U.S. retaliated in kind.
Secretary of State John Kerry on Saturday expressed concern over the violence surrounding Venezuela's protests, the detention of dozens of demonstrators and the arrest order for Lopez.
"These actions have a chilling effect on citizens' rights to express their grievances peacefully." Kerry said in a statement.
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Blog/May 7, 2018
The Importance of Onboarding your Directors
By Michael Mangum and Tracey Smith on May 7, 2018
Last month’s blog—Creating a High-Impact Board: How to Find the Proper Blend of Competencies, Perspectives and Experience—discussed the importance of defining the skill sets needed within your board and how to go about finding the right people to fit those needs. Once you’ve identified your team of directors, a formal onboarding process will ensure that they provide value to the organization from the outset. Without a formal onboarding process, it can take years for new directors to add significant value to your board – representing a significant waste of both time and dollars.
Unfortunately, it is common for companies in our industry to leave “onboarding” up to the individual director. In a recent study of governance practices at large E&C firms, only 34% of respondents indicated they utilize a formal onboarding process. One industry board member shared, “It was more bringing him in and spending time with him and giving him materials he asked for in our reviews so he was educated. They shared all the financials and things like that with him.” This lack of formal process leaves new directors on their own to figure out the ins and outs of the organization and to find areas where they can add value. Here are some areas you can include in your company’s onboarding process, with clarity around understanding the organization and clarifying roles and responsibilities for new directors.
Organizational Onboarding
The goal of organizational onboarding is to get new directors up to speed on the company’s business side, including current challenges, areas of opportunity, key risks, strengths, company culture and the business priorities/goals that align with its overarching strategy and vision. Here are a few key topics to cover during the organizational onboarding process:
History – New directors must understand when and why the company was founded and how it has developed over time. This creates a big-picture perspective regarding the organization’s current mission, purpose, services, strengths and needs. Materials may include a brief overview of history and facts about the organization, newsletters, pertinent brochures and articles of incorporation. Oftentimes, a long-tenured employee is tapped to share “back when” stories that capture first-person insights as to how the business transitioned from surviving to thriving.
Financials – The CEO, CFO or controller should carve out time to review recent financials with the new board member (which could include a brief overview on how to read/understand financial statements, if needed). In addition, new directors should gain an understanding of the board’s role in the annual business planning process and how the company conducts financial audits.
Organizational Structure – The onboarding process should include a thorough overview of the organizational chart, Bylaws/Shareholder Agreement, a brief introduction to key staff members as well as a review of current succession plans. It should also include all information pertinent to the board itself (i.e., charter, committee structure/roles, briefing books and minutes from the last couple of board meetings, etc).
Strategy – New directors should receive the most current strategic plan and organizational goals to understand the company’s go-to-market plans. This may include information on customer needs, growth targets, emerging trends and an overview of the competitive landscape.
Facility and/or Jobsite Visits – Using facility or job site visits to show new directors what the organization does, who is doing what, and how it is done can give incredible context to an incoming director. Utilizing key staff (other than the executive officers of the firm) to conduct director on-site visits allows a new director to ask questions and get a different perspective on the business and its current state.
Clients – By meeting clients, new board members can begin adding value even before their initial board meeting takes place. In our experience, a wisely selected director sends the message to a client that the business is taking the challenge of meeting (or exceeding) its expectations seriously. These clients leave the interaction with a new director even more committed to working with the firm in the future. And the new board member can ask the most basic of questions, gaining valuable insights into the client’s perception of the business and how they are currently being treated. Casual, social settings are ideal for this initial client experience; similarly, receptions can also be conducive to meaningful dialogue.
While formal organizational onboarding is critical for external directors, it takes a somewhat different form for new internal directors. As one CEO stated: “Internal directors need to understand the differences between their role on the management team and their role as directors. Take time to talk through how these roles differ.” Oftentimes, this role differentiation is aided by formal director training. Serving as a senior management team member requires different competencies and techniques than serving as a member of a corporate board of directors – the former follows the cadence of see-think-do while the latter demands a see-think-ask mindset. Consequently, an internal director who hasn’t mastered this shift of perspective runs the risk of becoming more of a problem than a solution.
In its simplest form, a board of directors’ goal is to be a high-performing team. It is critical for all directors to understand the dynamics of the team and their roles on that team. This conversation includes discussion around the responsibilities and expectations of the new position. Here are some factors the board chair should cover with new directors during the onboarding process:
Roles, responsibilities and expectations of all directors.
A discussion around the vision, purpose and purview of the board.
Clarification of the difference in roles for internal directors to ensure they are engaging with the proper perspective.
Agreements on how directors interact and communicate with each other and the management team (given that boards tackle varied and sensitive topics, which requires an environment of openness and trust at the deepest levels).
“Talking about being absolutely honest and open with each other. Too often what happen[s]…is that someone might be sitting there thinking that’s really kind of a dumb decision, but let him do it, it’s in his region or whatever, and not voicing that sort of thing. So saying that we have to have this absolute trust that whatever we say in the room, we’ll respect it, and this trust in each other.”
– E&C Industry board member
Onboarding shouldn’t start at the first board meeting. Setting up new directors for success starts with preparing them for success prior to their ever stepping into the boardroom. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to onboarding; it could happen through a formal orientation session, recommended readings in a briefing book or one-on-one meetings with the key individuals in the organization. Taking time upfront to onboard accelerates the learning curve, inspires engagement and can make or break the level of meaningful contributions from new directors.
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe here for more FMI content.
Michael Mangum
Tracey Smith
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Compensation Planning: Going Beyond Battening Down the Hatches
Depending on which direction the economic recovery moves in,...
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Heartbreaking Facts About Whitney Houston, The Tragic Queen Of Pop
Cadeem Lalor
Whitney Houston was not only a great singer but also one of the most revered and successful pop artists of all time. Houston was famous and loved by fans, but behind the scenes, her life was filled with heartbreak and scandal, from her early years all the way up until her untimely passing. Here are heartbreaking facts about Whitney Houston, the Queen of Pop.
Whitney Houston Facts
1. She Was Born For It
From the moment she was born, powerful musicians surrounded Whitney Houston. Not only was her mother, Cissy Houston, a gospel singer, but she was also first cousins with Dionne “I Say a Little Prayer” Warwick, and her godmother was Darlene Love. Aretha Franklin also served as her “honorary aunt.”
Little Whitney grew up hoping to become a teacher or a vet—but with that pedigree, a life in music was basically inevitable.
2. She Was Always Getting Into Trouble
Houston was a diva straight out of the womb. She was a fussy baby who had the habit of kicking off her blanket when her parents tried to put her to bed. Her dad nicknamed her Nippy, after a mischievous cartoon character. As she grew up, this rebellious streak only intensified. Later, her pastor nicknamed her “Illegal”—because if anything was against the rules, she’d find a way to do it.
Whitney: Can I Be Me (2017), BBC
3. Turmoil Plagued Their Home
Whitney Houston was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. However, when she was just four years old, her family suddenly left the once-sleepy town. In 1967, riots broke out in Newark after law enforcement injured a local cab driver while detaining him. A march followed, but so did looting and destruction. In the end, 16 local residents had died and the brutality had injured over 350 more.
The Houston family quickly packed their bags and moved to East Orange, where Whitney grew up.
4. She Got An Early Start
During her formative years, religion played a large part in Houston’s life. Church became her first creative outlet, offering an arena where she honed her skills—but she also spent a lot of time in an unlikely place for a young girl. When Houston would join her mother on tour, she’d spend her nights in nightclubs—even occasionally jumping onstage to sing with Cissy.
5. She Learned From Them
It’s common knowledge that men sometimes lack chivalry in general, especially when it comes to how they talk about women they have courted. Growing up with two brothers, Houston used that inside knowledge to her advantage: “Then I’d think, ‘I wonder if Sheila knows they’re talking about her like this?’… ‘[saying] I had her the other night.’”
Houston gave potential suitors a tough time. She knew what they were like behind closed doors.
Whitney (2018), Miramax
6. She Got It From Him
Aside from unintentionally demonstrating how crude guys can be when talking about girls, Houston’s her brothers also provided support during her career. Her older brother Michael wrote several songs for her 1995 album, Waiting to Exhale—but there was a dark side to their relationship. Michael admitted that he was the one to introduce Whitney to illicit substance use.
The two spent a lot of time hanging out as they grew up, and Whitney ended up partaking in all of the same activities he did.
PhXere
7. She Found Her Real-Life Bodyguard
In 1980, while working as a camp counselor, Whitney Houston met a woman who would change her life. Robyn Crawford had a similar background. Her family had also left Newark for East Orange, and her parents were also separated. The two formed a close bond—sometimes so close that rumors circulated about them—that would last for the rest of Houston’s life, with Crawford often acting as the singer’s protector.
8. He Knew She Was Special
Houston spent the early 80s struggling to get attention for her music—until one fateful night changed it all. An A&R rep who had heard Houston convinced his boss, Arista Records head Clive Davis, to see her perform at a club. Before the night was over, he had offered her a worldwide recording contract. It was like a fairy tale—except, as we all know, there was no happy ending.
9. They Couldn’t Hold Her Back
Critics praised her debut album, Whitney Houston, which produced a handful of hits—but still, as a black artist, Houston had to fight against the music industry’s invisible barriers. She had sent MTV the video for one of her first singles, but they refused to play it. Well, the joke was on them—Houston’s next few singles were so huge that MTV was forced to put them into rotation.
As she put it, “[they] had no choice but to play [the video] and I love it when they have no choice.”
10. She Had A Passionate Affair
An elite crew of accomplished musicians and producers had been assembled to help Whitney make her debut album—but behind the scenes, she was mixing business with pleasure. One of the more famous contributors was Jermaine Jackson (of the Jackson family). Jackson and Houston would work late together in the studio, and then one night, everything changed.
11. He Left Her Behind
Houston and Jackson’s relationship went from platonic to romantic. There was just one problem: Jackson was married to another woman. Not only that—his wife was the daughter of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy. It was not a great look for an up-and-coming R&B star. Regardless, they snuck around for months behind Jackson’s wife’s back. Ultimately, he refused to get a divorce—and Houston was utterly heartbroken by his choice.
12. It Wasn’t Easy
Luckily, the best revenge is living well—and Houston certainly ticked that box. Her album rocketed to the top of the charts, set records, and earned her scores of awards. It’s hard to explain just what an impact Houston had on the music business. She paved the way for scores of other artists after her—but back then, even though she’d left a trail of hits, she still had to struggle against to be recognized and respected.
13. They Wouldn’t Leave Her Alone
With fame comes scrutiny, and the tabloids were utterly merciless with Houston. They constantly speculated on her personal life, even insinuating that she was in a romantic relationship with her friend Robyn Crawford. Of course, in the same breath, they would also link her to famous men like NFL player Randall Cunningham and TV host Arsenio Hall—but they were off by a mile.
14. They Played With The Tabloids
For years, there had been rumors about Houston and comedian Eddie Murphy. Neither ever confirmed that they were dating, but they did certainly seem to egg the gossip on. At Houston’s 26th birthday party, Murphy presented her with a 5.5-karat diamond ring. Houston did her bit too—in an interview with Ebony magazine, she claimed they were just friends, only to joke about dating him seconds later.
However, they would soon put those rumors to bed.
15. She Couldn’t Win
Unsurprisingly, Houston’s second album was a huge hit—but she immediately faced brutal backlash. Fans and critics accused her of “selling out” to white audiences, and it culminated in a cruel incident at the 1989 Soul Train Awards. She was up for an award, and when the presenter read her name aloud, many in the audience loudly booed her.
Houston was hurt by the incident, but that wasn’t the only momentous occasion that night.
16. He Had a Checkered Past
It was at the same awards ceremony that Houston met R&B singer Bobby Brown. She fell hard and the two immediately began a whirlwind romance, but Brown had a disturbing and dark past. He’d been involved with gangs, had once been shot, and had already had three kids by the time he was 22. And that wasn’t all…
17. She Was The Other Woman
Houston didn’t know it, but when she was dating Brown, he was hiding a chilling secret. He was already in a relationship. Her name was Kim Ward and she was the mother of one of his children. Ward was two months pregnant with another one of his kids when she looked at the news one day and got the shock of a lifetime—Brown and Houston were engaged. Ward had no idea. The two broke up soon after, leaving Brown free to continue his relationship with Houston.
18. He Tried To Stop Them
Just before Whitney Houston got married to Bobby Brown, one of her closest friends called her to make a dire plea. The day of the wedding, Eddie Murphy called Houston and begged her not to go through with it. Whether it was because he feared he’d missed the boat with her or he just though Brown was a loser, we’ll never know—but either way, Houston ignored him and went ahead with the marriage.
18. She Wasn’t As Innocent As She Looked
Brown may have seemed like the bad boy in the relationship, with Houston as his squeaky-clean counterpart—but she had a dark side of her own. In his tell-all memoir, Brown revealed that on the day of their wedding, he checked in with Houston, only to find her doing lines in the room she was getting ready in. It was a shocking start to a union that would be tumultuous, to say the least.
19. She Branched Out
With an unstoppable career and a high-profile marriage to match, Whitney Houston was in heavy demand. There had been film offers in her past, but she rejected each one until she was offered the lead role in The Bodyguard. With a talented cast and crew, a powerful soundtrack, and lots of hype, the movie was going to be a sure-fire hit—but that didn’t mean the road would be easy for Houston.
20. It Didn’t Go As Planned
Houston was advised not to take acting lessons for The Bodyguard by director Mick Jackson, since he wanted a natural performance—but his plan totally backfired. Apparently, test audiences felt the performance was downright flat and Jackson was forced to admit that Houston and co-star Kevin Costner had “no chemistry.” Jackson’s remedy was to cut some of Houston’s longer speaking parts and add more close-ups of her face—and that wasn’t the only cutting her did.
The Bodyguard, Warner Bros.
21. They Tried To Whitewash Her
While Houston was a pop princess, there were worries that the interracial relationship in the film between Houston and Kevin Costner’s characters would turn away audiences—so they took drastic measures to downplay it, practically leaving Houston out of the trailer. It was a controversial decision, and Houston commented it on it after the film’s release, saying: “People know who Whitney Houston is—I’m black. You can’t hide that fact.”
22. They Couldn’t Hold Her Back
Despite the controversy—and some bad reviews—The Bodyguard was a huge hit. Whitney was responsible in more ways than one, but so was another unlikely figure: Dolly Parton. The country singer had suggested her song “I Will Always Love You” to the producers of The Bodyguard, but never received confirmation Houston would sing her song for the film. Then, one day, she was driving when she heard Houston’s cover on the radio. Her reaction was astounding.
23. She Got The Stamp Of Approval
Many stars might not take it well if one of the biggest pop stars in the world totally overshadowed you with your own song, but Parton was, as always, totally gracious. She said of hearing the song for the first time: “That was one of the most overwhelming feelings I’ve ever had in my life. About anything.” The song broke all kinds of records, and is the best-selling song by a female artist of all time. Houston was on top of the world—but life is never without its ups and downs.
24. She Was Queen Of Pop
By 1993, Houston never worried about competition much, due to her place as one of the forerunners among women on the charts at the time. People debuting after her, like Mariah Carey, got compared to Houston, not the other way around. That dynamic wasn’t lost on the diva: “…everybody tries to follow. But I’ve been out here since 1985, so whoever comes got to come after me.”
25. Boxed In
By now I’m sure we’ve all picked up on the fact that fame has a price. More public adoration comes with more scrutiny and criticism. Amid all the dark things in her life, one of the criticisms Houston hated the most was that she lacked soul or “rhythm.” These allegations were partly due to Houston’s music, which some viewed as being simple pop. Some black radio stations also chose not to play her music.
Houston defended her rhythm, saying “How could I come from where I come from and be rhythmless.” Houston also hated the soul criticism since it fed into the idea that pop was the white person’s domain. She wasn’t scared to break barriers.
26. She Was Proud
Houston wasn’t naïve to the pressure and scrutiny she faced as a black celebrity in America. At the time of Houston’s emergence, music charts heavily favored rock music, thereby creating a more segregated chart. Some people embrace the color-blind narrative but Houston believed that part of white America wanted to see her with a white person. In a sense, marrying a black man was an act of defiance against what society expected, she knew “the union emphasized her blackness.”
27. He Didn’t Handle It Well
The Bodyguard was a turning point in Houston’s career, in terms of popularity and record sales, but that didn’t really sit well with her jealous husband. Bobby Brown didn’t have nearly as much clout and Houston believed that “something happens to a man when a woman has that much fame.” According to some reports, the tense dynamic exploded into horrific attacks.
Brown was allegedly abusive, and he did admit to having affairs over the course of their marriage—but that’s not all.
28. They Grew Their Family
Despite the difficulties that Houston’s success presented for the marriage, there was one shining bright side. In March of 1993, Houston gave birth to the couple’s daughter, who they named Bobbi Kristina Brown. Both Houston and Brown had yearned to start their own family, and they’d finally done it.
29. It Had Ups And Downs
Shortly after Bobbi Kristina’s birth, Houston began the physically and emotionally taxing rehearsals for her ambitious The Bodyguard World Tour. It was controversial from the start—tabloids reported that Houston had shown up late to the first night and been rude to a fan. Tabloids also reported that Houston had overdosed on diet pills.
The singer shot back by not only addressing the rumors on stage, but by suing the tabloid in question—and it didn’t stop there.
30. The Tour Was Grueling
As the tour went on, it was clear that it was taking its toll on Houston, until it culminated in a heartbreaking tragedy. Late in the tour, Houston announced that she was pregnant again—but just a few days later, she suffered a miscarriage, forcing her to cancel a show. This sequence of triumph and loss soon became a bitter pattern in Houston’s life.
31. She Had A Stalker
Obsessed fans almost seem like a rite of passage for stars. One persistent fan would call Houston’s office repeatedly, just to make sure Houston didn’t forget he was her “soul brother.” Persistence pays off in rom-coms, but in this case, it resulted in handcuffs for the fan. That’s when law enforcement made a disturbing discovery: they found that he owned two rifles, a pistol, knives and a crossbow.
32. Things Were Looking Up
Throughout the mid-90s, Houston cemented her status as an A-list star with more hits and more critically-acclaimed performances in films like Waiting to Exhale. In 1996, Houston got pregnant again, and made a heartbreaking confession to People magazine, saying that she dreaded another miscarriage. “My greatest fear is I’ll lose this baby and be told I can never get pregnant again,” Houston said. “I have nightmares about it.”
Waiting to Exhale (1995), 20th Century Fox
33. She Couldn’t Fulfill One Dream
Houston had just appeared in another movie and performed at its premiere. She was planning to take some time off and enjoy her pregnancy when tragedy struck yet again. Sadly, just weeks after she gave the interview to People, Houston’s darkest fears came true, and she had another miscarriage. Houston was left heartbroken yet again.
34. They Were Opposites
Just because Houston and Brown had been attempting to grow their family didn’t mean that Brown wasn’t getting into trouble on the side. While Houston was appearing in wholesome fare like The Preacher’s Wife, Brown’s name was getting splashed across the papers for his run-ins with the law, including a driving under the influence charge that resulted in a short stint in prison. Over the years, he didn’t exactly reform himself, either…
35. She Was Producing Hits Like Never Before
Despite her personal struggles, Whitney Houston experienced great career success in the late 90s. She had begun to work on few new tracks for a greatest hits album, but the sessions were so fruitful that she ended up coming up with an entire new album, My Love Is Your Love, which was packed with hits. An actual Greatest Hits compilation followed.
As the year 2000 approached, things were looking up—but the next decade would be utterly brutal for Houston.
36. They Came Down Hard
It all began on the 1999 tour for her album My Love Is Your Love. Houston was frequently late to start the concerts, and behind the scenes, her behavior grew increasingly more bizarre by the day. The tabloids descended like vultures, speculating on Houston’s substance use and troubled marriage. She was even detained by law enforcement after security officers found a small bag of pot on her at an airport in 2000, although she was later released.
It was the beginning of a long period of negative attention that she wouldn’t be able to shake.
37. She Wanted To Slow Down
Once a star has conquered the world, in terms of their popularity and sales, sometimes all they want to do is live a simple life. In a 2002 interview, an interviewer asked Houston where she envisioned herself in 2012. Houston didn’t mention anything business-related, saying all that she wanted was a slower life where she could spend time with her daughter.
38. She Was The Only One He Recognized
Houston and husband Bobby Brown once met the Dali Lama in the mid-2000s. By 2000, Houston was an A-list star while Brown was for lack of a better word, washed up. He had begun with an R&B group called New Edition and had a solo career as well, but his last Top 40 hit had been in 1992. Additionally, his songs didn’t quite achieve the same level of adoration that many of Houston’s did.
When the couple met the Dalai Lama in 2004, he recognized Houston, but Bobby Brown had to explain that he was her husband, since his own career hadn’t given him enough clout. Ouch.
39. There Was Always Something For Them To Target
Among the more persistent rumors that the media spread about Houston, one that popped up time and time again had to do with her weight. They often assumed or proposed that Houston’s thin mid-2000s frame was a result of an eating disorder or substance use—but Houston shot back at them. In a 2002 interview, she argued that her thin frame was mainly a result of stress. Houston said that she had the habit of skipping meals when she had a bad day or week.
40. The Temptation Was Real
During her career, Houston’s substance use went from occasional to addiction-level. It peaked during the mid-2000s and the paparazzi couldn’t help but notice that it was affecting every aspect of her life. Things would only get worse, but the substances weren’t the only problems in her life.
41. She Was In Denial
Houston denied her substance use issues, and she seemed to be equally in denial about Brown’s violent nature. However, law enforcement did respond to a 9-1-1 call in 2003 where they found Houston with a bruised cheek and cut lip. Brown was charged with misdemeanor battery and the couple later left court arm-in-arm. An anonymous friend of Houston probably described it best when she said they were “like Mr. and Mrs. Smith.”
42. They Went The Reality Route
In 2005, Houston’s husband, Bobby Brown, began filming a reality TV series. Being Bobby Brown was released in 2005—and it captured the shocking dark side of their marriage. During this period, both were involved in substance use and quarreled often on camera. The show got good ratings initially, but Houston understandably shied away from the camera.
Once she refused to appear in the partially-filmed second season, the network brought it to an end. During an Oprah interview, Houston was quick to agree that the show was a “trainwreck.”
Being Bobby Brown (2005), Bravo
43. They Showed Everything
While it was still on the air, Being Bobby Brown laid bare the ups and downs—particularly the downs—of the relationship between Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown. Audiences marveled at seeing the visceral truth of the A-lister’s day to day life, with critics calling it “undoubtedly the most disgusting and execrable series ever to ooze its way onto television.”
44. The Loss Destroyed Her
Houston’s emotional turmoil was sadly on display in the series—but she had good reason to be heartbroken. The singer had always been close to her parents, and in 2003, her father John Houston Jr. passed on at the age of 82. Houston was devastated by the loss, and would frequently break down in tears on Being Bobby Brown if the subject came up.
45. She Saw Them At Their Worst
Houston’s daughter Bobbi Kristina was a witness to some of her mother’s worst years of substance use, sometimes helping to take care of her mother during a time when her mother should have been taking care of her. An anonymous family remembers recalls visiting the Houston and Bobby, and having a preteen Bobbi Kristina answer the door, advising that Bobby Brown had to put Whitney to bed.
The room was covered in dirty clothes and dishes, and the family source could only describe it as “the bedroom of a junkie.”
46. They Split For Good
Throughout their marriage, Houston and Brown’s struggles had always played out in public. Regardless, they had always presented a united front and made statements about their marriage being a work-in-progress. So, when Houston filed for divorce in late 2006, people were shocked. Both were individually fragile, but as a couple, they seemed unbreakable—yet it was clear that this time, Houston was capital-D done with Brown.
She even asked a judge to fast-track their divorce in 2007.
47. She Finally Got Out
That year, the courts finalized Houston’s divorce from Brown and gave her custody of Bobbi Kristina. She even avoided having to pay his spousal support. After the darkness of the past decade, it seemed like Houston was determined to turn over a new leaf—but it wasn’t meant to be.
Wikimedia Commons, Asterio Tecson
48. She Let It All Out
At this point, Houston hadn’t done in interview in years, but in 2009, she finally sat down with Oprah and revealed all the dark secrets and nitty-gritty details about what she’d been going through. Houston confessed to having a problem with substance use, saying that it had begun years earlier before becoming a daily part of her life, resulting in a stint in rehab.
Houston went on to say that she was clean and was taking her sobriety one day at a time, stating she still had the desire to return to illicit substances. Unfortunately, what happened later made it clear that the temptation was too much for her.
The Oprah Winfrey Show, Harpo Productions
49. It Was A Horrifying Scene
One of Houston’s rehab stays had happened at her mother’s behest after a disturbing incident at the Houston home. Cissy Houston tried to visit her daughter one day, only to find, in her words, “”Somebody had spray-painted the walls and door with big glaring eyes and strange faces. Evil eyes, staring out like a threat…In another room, there was a big framed photo of [Whitney]—but someone had cut [her] head out.”
Cissy Houston was so terrified that she called law enforcement and got a court order that forced Houston to enter rehab.
50. She Tried Hard To Stay Clean
Houston returned to her career, but after some shaky performances and a tour marked by multiple cancelations, she admitted that her problem was still ongoing and voluntarily entered rehab again. It was a last-ditch effort to get her to clean up—but sadly, it wasn’t enough.
Wikimedia Commons, Luca Viscardi
51. She Didn’t Make It
On February 11, 2012, Whitney Houston was found unconscious in the bathtub of her suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Paramedics attempted to revive her for 20 minutes, to no avail. Houston passed on at the age of 48, and nearly immediately, the world mourned.
52. Some Found It Unsavory
That night, Houston was supposed to appear at a pre-Grammy Awards party hosted by the man who had discovered her, Clive Davis. Instead of canceling the fete, Davis went on with the show, and many spent the evening celebrating Houston’s life—however, there was a dark side to this decision. The party took place in the same hotel where Houston had passed, and her body was still in the building.
Many wound up publicly condemning Davis for not canceling that evening.
53. The Show Must Go On
Houston’s ex-husband Bobby Brown took something of a similar route. He spent the day grieving his ex-wife, but also appeared at a scheduled performance that night. Fans reported that he blew a kiss to the sky and proclaimed “I love you, Whitney,” during the show.
54. It Was Accidental
After announcing the news, law enforcement stated that they did not believe foul play was a factor in Houston’s passing. One month later, an autopsy confirmed this when doctors deemed it accidental. They found the cause to be drowning, as well as the combined effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and substance use.
Wikimedia Commons, Simeon87
55. It Took Everything From Her
By the end of Houston’s career, fans and those close to her noticed that her voice wasn’t the same. The coroner’s report revealed that Houston had mild emphysema, an inflammation of the lungs, and it appears that Houston’s smoking contributed to it. Sadly, even after law enforcement wrapped up the details on her passing, Houston still could not stay out of the news…
56. The World Mourned
Soon after, the Houston family planned a massive memorial for Whitney. Her The Bodyguard co-star Kevin Costner spoke, and many of her close friends performed musical tributes. A visibly distraught Bobby Brown appeared, only to leave soon after the service began.
57. She Was All Alone
The news of Houston’s passing broke the hearts of her friends and family—and the effect on her daughter, Bobbi Kristina, was absolutely devastating. After days of grieving “inconsolably,” it got so bad that family members took her to a nearby hospital. Following the loss of her mother, Bobbi Kristina moved in with an aunt and uncle.
58. Horrific Stories Popped Up
Shortly after Houston’s passing in February 2012, the Twittersphere was host to a chilling dark rumor about Bobby Brown. According to the rumor, Brown had taken his own life, marking his exit from the mortal coil with a note that read “Two can play at that game.” Of course, the rumor wasn’t true—but the controversy over Houston’s passing didn’t end there.
59. She Had A Final Flame
In her final years, Houston was rumored to have been dating Ray J, the younger brother of her friend and collaborator Brandy. Significantly, he is probably most known for an intimate video he made with his then-girlfriend Kim Kardashian in 2003. He ended up being one of the first people on the scene at the hotel where Houston passed, and was said to have been devastated by the loss.
60. She Revealed Her Thoughts
Whitney Houston lived in a rental home in California during a period in 2011, and after her passing, a former landlord found a bible she left behind. Aside from the word of the almighty, the Bible also featured Houston’s notes. They ranged in topic from her ex to her daughter. The Bible was found on June 7 and went to sell at auction through the Moment in Time auction house, with a starting price of $95,000.
Needpix
61. She Invaded Their Privacy
Back in 2006, Bobby Brown’s sister, Tina, released pictures she’d taken of Houston’s home when she’d been in the worst stages of her substance use. The gruesome photos showed disgusting negligence and rotting food, beer cans, and smokes strewn all over. Tina Brown claimed that she published them in order to force Houston to get help—but she later regretted it.
Sadly, it wasn’t the only time that exploitative photos played a part in Houston’s life.
62. They Showed The Setting Of Her Last Moments
Following Houston’s passing, tabloids published leaked photos of the hotel room where she’d spent the final hours of her life. The chilling photos paint a bleak picture. They show the tub where Houston drowned, wet debris from where paramedics attempted to revive her, and the remnants of the room service she had ordered, which inadvertently became her final meal.
It’s not known who leaked the photos, but they were likely part of the law enforcement investigation into her passing.
63. It Was Insensitive
Surprisingly, the photo controversy didn’t stop there. In 2018, Kanye West paid $85,000 to use one of Tina Brown’s 2006 pictures for an album cover for Pusha T. Pusha T said they originally agreed on another image, but West changed it “around 1 AM” the night before the album was supposed to debut, May 30. Bobby Brown and the Houston estate were obviously not happy about it.
Bobby Brown said: “Something should happen to Kanye. He’s already crazy. I knew that when I first met him…He needs somebody to slap him up or something. And I’m just the person to do it.” West has yet to issue any apology or retraction.
64. The Pattern Repeated
Following the loss of her mother, Bobbi Kristina frequently made tabloid headlines for all the same reasons Houston had—substance use, unstable relationships, and dramatic weight loss. There was also a dispute about her relationship with a man named Nick Gordon, who she’d grown up with and had, according to rumors, married. Tragically, the eerie similarities to her mother’s troubles didn’t end there.
65. It Was Just Like Her Mother
On January 31, 2015, Bobbi Kristina’s friend and rumored partner Nick Gordon found her floating face down in a bathtub in her home. They called an ambulance and performed CPR, but the damage was done. She spent the next six months in and out of a coma before ultimately passing away at the age on 22 on July 26, 2015.
66. She Suffered A Heartbreaking Loss
No one knew, but while making the hit 1992 film The Bodyguard, Whitney Houston was hiding a dark and painful secret. Houston was pregnant when she began working on the movie, but soon after, she suffered a miscarriage. Years later, she finally revealed what had transpired. Houston described the agony of showing up to set the next day after experiencing such a painful loss and having to act as if nothing had happened.
Wikimedia Commons, John Mathew Smith
67. It Wasn’t Her
Kevin Costner recently revealed that the woman he is carrying on the movie poster for The Bodyguard wasn’t actually Whitney Houston, but her double. Following her miscarriage, Houston had left the set to rest, so Kevin Costner decided to shoot the picture with her double. He only told her to keep her face hidden, so she could show the fear that the character was experiencing. Costner himself then picked that photo for the movie poster.
68. She Was Hopeful
Just hours before Whitney Houston passed on, she called her longtime assistant Mary Jones and made a heartbreaking confession. Houston told Jones about her desire to get her life together and to get into heaven one day. Tragically, she passed soon after.
69. They Were So Close
For years, there were whispers that Whitney Houston was in a lesbian relationship with her lifelong friend Robyn Crawford. Even Houston’s ex-husband Bobby Brown said that it was true, and that Crawford and Houston had an intimate bond. He said that they kept it quiet because they feared Cissy Houston’s disapproval. No one knew what to believe…until Crawford broke her silence.
70. The Truth Came Out
In 2019, Crawford finally revealed the truth about their relationship. Their friendship had turned into an intimate relationship at one point, but Houston feared for her career and ended the affair. They went back to being just friends. Crawford’s words about the tragic loss of her best friend are positively heartbreaking: “Now I can’t believe that I’m never going to hug her or hear her laughter again. I loved her laughter, and that’s what I miss most, that’s what I miss already.”
71. She Held A Painful Secret
The truth about her relationship with Crawford wasn’t the only thing that came out after Houston’s passing. Some of Houston’s friends and family members have recently alleged that an older cousin molested Houston when she was a child. Whitney’s half-brother and her former manager say that Houston told them about the molestation in private. Whitney’s half-brother alleges he was a victim of it as well.
The cousin’s name was Dee Dee Warwick. She was in her 20s when she allegedly abused her much-younger cousins. A 2018 documentary named Whitney finally made the allegations public. Warwick passed on in 2008, so we will never hear from her side.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62
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Cadeem Lalor is a writer at Factinate.
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The Inside Story Of Soma, The Gorgeous Compostable Water Filter Company
Before he was launching Kickstarter-famous design projects, Mike Del Ponte was well on his way to becoming a priest. But then he found he could impact the world through other, more tangible, means.
By Whitney Pastorek 8 minute Read
This story is part of Change Generation, our series on young entrepreneurs making a difference.
If you’ve ever looked regretfully at your Brita water pitcher, imagining a day when you could pour filtered water out of something slightly more pleasant than a yellowing plastic clunker filled with black charcoal flakes, then Mike Del Ponte has a product for you. What’s more, he feels your pain.
“About a year and a half ago I was hosting a dinner party, and had everything perfect: the food, the music, the wine,” recalls Del Ponte. “As my friends started coming in, one of them asked for a glass of water. I walked in my kitchen, opened my fridge, and I grabbed my Brita. And I’m like, ‘There’s no way I can put this on the dinner table.’ I started pouring the filtered water into a glass wine decanter, but as I got about halfway through, the lid of the Brita fell off, it spilled all over my floor.”
Granted, this scenario would fall pretty much at the center of any First World Problems Venn diagram, but for Del Ponte, it was a frustrating moment that became life-changing when a dinner party guest named Ido Leffler–who also happens to be the co-founder of natural/sustainable beauty products line Yes To Carrots–walked in on the kitchen chaos. “He’s like, ‘What the heck is going on in here?’” Del Ponte remembers. “So I tell him the whole story, we both start cracking up, and I’m like, ‘Why don’t they just design something that’s beautiful, that works well, and that’s good for the environment?’ And he’s like, ‘Why don’t we do it?’ That was the lightning bolt.”
This week, Soma Water Filters opened for business, following on the heels of two multi-million-dollar seed funding rounds and a popular Kickstarter that easily reached its $100,000 goal last December. Del Ponte and Leffler’s solution to the unsightly/unwieldy Brita problem is a sleek glass carafe reminiscent of an Erlenmeyer flask, made of pharmaceutical-grade glass (watch it pass an impressive drop test)and featuring a 100% compostable filter designed by renowned water expert David Beeman.
In fact, there are quite a few fancy names attached to the project, including 4-Hour Workweek author and professional lifehacker Tim Ferriss, Joe Tan and Markus Diebel of Incase, former Apple art director Tom Crabtree, Neil Blumenthal of Warby Parker, and Eric Ryan of Method. It’s not a coincidence that Del Ponte was able to assemble an all-star cast for his first manufacturing venture: He’s been working towards this moment for years, gaining experience in the nonprofit and marketing sectors while developing a strong network amongst the San Francisco entrepreneurial elite. But it is a bit strange that Del Ponte has somehow wound up at the helm of an upscale water pitcher company, given that he attended Boston College and Yale Divinity School, with every intention of becoming a priest.
“I have a really strong faith,” Del Ponte explains, “and I was really inspired when I went to Boston College, which is a Catholic school, by all these women and men who had committed their lives to serving God. I thought that was a really inspiring thing. In American Catholic churches, there’s a huge shortage of priests, and particularly American priests. With the sexual abuse scandal, it not only was rare, but it was almost a bad thing. So I thought, well, I’ll step into the void and I’ll be one of the good priests and step up.”
But along the way, he got some life-path-defining advice from a professor: “He said the most important thing you can do is find your calling in life,” Del Ponte says. “And if you want to find your calling, you have to answer three questions: What am I best at? What brings me joy? What does the world need? From that point, I essentially spent my life searching for where I could have the biggest impact by doing the things I love.” He spent time as a microfinance consultant for the untouchable caste in Nepal, volunteered at an orphanage in Jamaica and a child health care program in India, and worked as a peacemaker in the West Bank, documenting human rights abuses. He even bootstrapped his own nonprofit called Conscious Lifestyle, aimed at giving young people tools to live more sustainably.
And then he realized that he wasn’t so much being called to the church anymore.
While he was at Yale, Del Ponte says, “I kept meeting all these young passionate people who wanted to change the world but they really didn’t have the resources.” It was during the 2008 recession, and spare capital was scarce. So Del Ponte set out to find other ways to build teams around an entrepreneurial vision. “I learned a lot about storytelling and inspiration and the sense of momentum,” he says, “and the opportunity to motivate people by things that are non-monetary, which I realized were actually the most important things.” He changed his path of study from priesthood to an academic degree, and began work on a nonprofit organization called Sparkseed that would eventually provide launch support for social ventures around the world.
Calling found? Nope. After four years at the helm of Sparkseed, Del Ponte says he realized, “I wanted to be one of those entrepreneurs, not just support them.” He merged his nonprofit with an established organization called Mobilize.org, and went to work as the head of marketing for a startup called Branchout, a Facebook-based employment networking service that grew to 25 million users in the 16 months Del Ponte was on staff.
“My experience at Branchout was primarily to learn,” Del Ponte says. “I didn’t know what I would be doing next, but I knew I wanted to start something soon, and so I set three goals. The first was to learn how to be a great CEO through mentorship. Number two was to increase my reputation for getting results. And number three was to build relationships with investors who would fund my next company. I ended up being there for about a year and a half, and then got the idea for Soma, and once we had it, it was just crystal clear that was what I was meant to do.”
Del Ponte, perhaps because of his brief background in the ministry, is fond of things that come in threes. Soma, however, was founded on four guidelines: “It had to be beautiful, it had to be sustainable, it had to be fun to use, and it had to be charitable,” he says. “From there, we just started talking to people about that vision, and we got all these introductions.” The first was to designers Tan and Diebel, who handled the beauty angle; the next to Beeman, who’s worked on water solutions for big-name companies like Starbucks and Keurig. “He heard we wanted to do a water filter that outperformed our competitors in terms of efficacy, but that actually was sustainable,” Del Ponte says. “That’s when he decided to join the project. And so we challenged him with making a 100 percent biodegradable water filter.”
The result is a combination of coconut shell carbon, four layers of silk, and a plant-based plastic. It’s a revolutionary design, made even more revolutionary by Soma’s plan to deliver fresh filters to carafe owners via a (fun) subscription-based model. “When you’re supposed to change your filter, you get it in the mail,” explains Del Ponte. “Every time you receive your package, it’s a fun experience. It’s just like a little tap on the shoulder to remind you.” And then there’s the charitable aspect, in which Soma will make a donation to charity: water for every carafe sold. “I like that they’re fully transparent,” Del Ponte says of selecting that organization as a partner. “When you donate to charity: water, 100 percent of that money goes to projects in the field, and they tell you exactly where. You get a report that has GPS coordinates.”
By this point it’s pretty clear that Del Ponte and his co-founders have deep connections and well-honed entrepreneurial muscles. Did they really need Kickstarter? After all, according to TechCrunch, they raised $1.2 million in seed funding in the summer of 2012, and closed another $3.7 million in June of this year. Del Ponte says yes, and credits the crowdfunding site with establishing proof of concept. “From a big picture, I think there are so many businesses that are started that the founders think they’re a good idea, but no one really wants,” he says. “Kickstarter allows you to put an idea out there, and really test it. We’re like, ‘This is perfect, we want it, but does anyone else?’ Fortunately, we had thousands of people jump on board. We now have this amazing community of people that love Soma, and they’re helping us spread the word.”
Perhaps a bigger question is, has Del Ponte finally found his calling, or will he pivot again? “Soma is about water and water filters, but it’s also about elevating your every day,” he says, by way of answering that question. “Water is one of the most important things in the world. You can’t live without it. Yet for most people, it’s completely taken for granted. We wanted to take this everyday thing and elevate it, with the design and sustainability and charity aspect.”
He says they’ve got several other everyday products in their sights that they feel are primed for elevation, and while Del Ponte is keeping them under wraps for now, it’s fairly easy to zero in on their general aesthetic. “I’ve always loved Method, Warby Parker, Nest thermostat,” Del Ponte says. “There’s so many things that we interact with that are important to our lives, but they’re poorly designed. I love companies that not only make them beautiful and sustainable, but they also make them fun. For the last five or so years I’ve wanted to have a company like this, and fortunately at that dinner party, we got the idea for it.”
At least he’s sure of one thing: “I’m a better entrepreneur than I would be a priest,” Del Ponte admits. “I could have a greater impact doing this. I don’t know if aggregately it’s greater, but for me, it’s a better fit.”
Whitney Pastorek is a writer and photographer based in Los Angeles and/or wherever the bus just dropped her off. She spent six years on staff at Entertainment Weekly, and her work has appeared in the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, ESPN the Magazine, Details, the Village Voice, and Fast Company, among many others.
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USA Stuns Canada, Captures World Junior Championship
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The United States upset heavily favored and undefeated Canada 2-0 in Edmonton, Alberta, on Tuesday to win the gold medal in the first world junior ice hockey championship played in a bubble.
In a defensive special, Boston College goaltender and Florida Panthers prospect Spencer Knight stopped all 34 shots he faced to secure Team USA’s first gold since 2017.
Knight recorded his third shutout of the event, the most for an American goaltender in the tournament. Forward and Anaheim Ducks draft pick Trevor Zegras led the tournament in scoring with 18 points and was named most valuable player of the tournament. The 18 points were the second most by an American player in tournament history. Zegras also tied the record for most points by an American in his world junior career with 27 over the past two tournaments.
The U.S. took the lead in the first period off a redirection at the front of the net from Los Angeles Kings prospect Alex Turcotte. That goal was the first 5-on-5 goal Canada had allowed in the World Junior Championship and the first time it had trailed at any point in the tournament.
“That was by far the biggest goal I’ve ever scored in my life,” said Turcotte, who was the No. 5 overall draft choice of Los Angeles in 2019 and was part of last year’s U.S. squad that was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
The U.S. overwhelmed Canada for stretches of the first period and held a 13-9 shots-on-goal advantage in addition to the 1-0 lead.
Zegras extended the Americans’ lead 32 seconds into the second period when he collected the puck and slipped it past Canadian goalie Devon Levi, who was leaning the wrong way.
That goal gave Zegras a tie with former NHL player Jordan Schroeder for USA Hockey’s all-time scoring lead at the World Junior Championship with his 27th point collected over the past two tournaments. He ranks fifth among players who have appeared in multiple World Junior Championships with 2.25 points per game, a list that is led by Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg.
Zegras also picked up second place on the Americans’ single-tournament scoring list, compiling 18 points to lead all players in the 2021 tournament. He moved past Jeremy Roenick and fell one shy of Doug Weight‘s record of 19, set in 1991. He was the only U.S. player to be named to the tournament all-star team, joining Canada’s Levi, Dylan Cozens and Bowen Byram, Finland’s Ville Heinola and Germany’s Tim Stuetzle.
Canada had outscored opponents 41-4 before Tuesday night’s final in its bid to repeat as world junior champion.
“This is the first team that really pushed back in the first period. We were not used to it and it took a little bit of time to get back at it. After we adjusted, we were really good, but we didn’t score,” Canada coach Andre Tourigny said.
The U.S. found itself defending for much of the second half of the game. Canada outshot Team USA 25-8 over the final two periods, including a 15-1 shots-on-goal advantage in the final frame.
“We had our looks, but Knight played great. We didn’t get the bounces,” said Cozens, who led Canada and finished second among all players with 16 points in the tournament.
Knight, who was selected 13th overall by the Panthers in the 2019 NHL draft, made several big saves in his third and final trip to the World Junior Championship. After collecting shutouts in games against the Czech Republic and Sweden in the preliminary round, he became the only U.S. goalie to record three shutouts in a single tournament and the only American to collect three shutouts in his world junior career. He was named U.S. player of the game.
In addition to records set by U.S. players, Team USA video coach Theresa Feaster became the first woman to serve as an assistant coach for a gold medal-winning team at the tournament. Feaster has been on head coach Nate Leaman’s staff at Providence College for the past seven seasons, including the past four as coordinator of men’s hockey operations, breaking down video and statistics for the coaching staff.
“I told the guys after the game, I was going to be proud whether we won or lost this game,” said Leaman, who won the NCAA men’s hockey championship with Providence in 2015. “This was a group that cared about each other. They had good character. The team came together and they cared more about a team than anything individually.”
The win gave USA Hockey its fourth consecutive victory over Canada in a World Junior Championship final, having earned wins in 2004, 2010, 2017 and 2021. USA is 4-1 in gold-medal games against Canada, which owns 18 golds in the tournament’s history.
You can read this article at its original location here.
Alex Turcotte
Bowen Byram
Devon Levi
Doug Weight
Dylan Cozens
Jeremy Roenick
Jordan Schroeder
Spencer Knight
Theresa Feaster
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Trevor Zegras
Ville Heinola
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Quo Primum
Fr Abdoo RIP slams the bishops of NZ. Father Abdoo: Open Letter to the Catholic Bishops of New Zealand (1987) It is now thirty one years since Father Stephen Abdoo died in a motor accident in New …More
Fr Abdoo RIP slams the bishops of NZ.
Father Abdoo: Open Letter to the Catholic Bishops of New Zealand (1987)
It is now thirty one years since Father Stephen Abdoo died in a motor accident in New Zealand. He was the first priest ordained for the Society of St Pius X, formed in 1970, to die. (26 July 1987)
His Open Letter still has application in our time, thirty years on; the Church is in a worse crisis now with the very Faith under attack from the Pontiff himself.
Please read what Father Abdoo wrote in 1987, and then forward this email to all on your list. The original appeared in the Australian journal Catholic for September 1987
An Open Letter to the Catholic Bishops of New Zealand.
The Catholic Bishops of New Zealand have written a Pastoral Letter attacking the work of the Society of St Pius X. We publish this month the reply prepared by Father Stephen Abdoo who was the Superior for the Society in New Zealand.
These same Bishops obviously prefer the faith-destroying RENEW process, they introduced it to New Zealand a little over a year ago. Already its disastrous effects are being felt, the exodus of faithful from the parishes is increasing.
Fr. Abdoo died as the result of a motor accident on his way to celebrate Holy Mass at Wellington on Sunday, July 26, 1987, the Feast of St. Anne. He was buried at Econe, Switzerland on August 6, the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord.
Your Eminence and Lordships,
Over the last few weeks you have published in parishes throughout the country a Pastoral Letter warning Catholics about the activities of the Society of St. Pius X. As Superior of this Religious Congregation here in New Zealand, I wish to submit to Your Eminence and Lordships some points for your consideration.
It was some months ago that I visited you, Bishop Gaines, to point out that an inaccurate version of our ‘position’ was emanating from your secretary’s office. I said that I had no objection as to your informing the Catholic people of our rejection of certain reforms of Vatican II and the Novus Ordo Missae of Pope Paul VI, but requested that it at least be accurate information. Unfortunately, I find myself once more in the necessity of replying to mistaken information, on this occasion however, to all the bishops of New Zealand.
Your Pastoral Letter centres around two premises. The first is that our ‘position’ depends upon ‘private interpretations of the Council’ and hence that we ‘depart from the fundamental Catholic principle that the Pope and bishops of the world acting collectively are the ones to whom is entrusted the responsibility and the charisms, for deciding what is ultimately Catholic and what is not.’ I can only say that it is not true that we depart from this principle; on the contrary, it is precisely because we follow this principle, and not our own private interpretation, that we are compelled to reject certain reforms of Vatican II.
In fact for 200 years, eleven Popes who foresaw this crisis (from Pius VI to Pius XII) have rejected the principles of Religious Liberty, Collegiality and Ecumenism as formulated during and after the Council, declaring them to be detrimental to the Catholic Faith, affirming on many occasions that they contribute to the formation of a naturalistic, humanitarian Religion. The encyclicals Mirari vos of Pope Gregory XVI; lam vos omnes, Quanta Cura, and the Syllabus of Errors Pope Pius IX; Libertas praestantissi, Humanum Genus, Immortale Dei of Pope Leo XIII; Pascendi Dominici Gregis, Lamentabili and the letter 'Our Apostolic Mandate' of Pope St. Pius X; Mortalium Animos, Divini Redemptoris of Pope Pius XI and Humani Generis of Pope Pius XII are but some of the documents of the Magisterium of the Church rejecting such principles. Clearly this is by no means a “private interpretation” by Archbishop Lefebvre or his “followers”.
Moreover, Cardinal Ratzinger, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in his book, les principes de la Theologie Catholique Tequi 1985 p 426 ff.) admits to this deviation from the preceding Magisterium of the Church and summarises this with the following formula: “Vatican II is the anti-Syllabus.” (It must be noted that Pope Paul VI explicitly refused on more than one occasion to engage infallibility as regards the conciliar decrees, which, at a council of this kind, in unprecedented in the history of the Church. There was not therefore that special assistance of the Holy Ghost to preserve it from such deviation.)
The second premise of your letter is the following: “Without compromising the essentials of our Faith, we are obliged to find new ways of exposing it, teaching it and celebrating it that make it more accessible to people.” In this we are in total agreement with you. Certainly if this only were the case, there would be no reason to oppose the reforms. But clearly this is not the case, clearly we are compromising articles of our Catholic Faith, we are diluting it to make it more acceptable to Protestants. and the result is that, by thousands, Catholics are losing their Faith.
We need only to look around us to see the truth of this; since the Council, vocations to the priesthood and the religious life have dropped dramatically; Priests and nuns have abandoned their vocations by the tens of thousands; there are countless Faithful throughout the world no longer practising their Catholic Faith. In the Zealandia of July 12, New Zealand Mass attendance figures for 1986 were published. In Auckland there were 156,000 Catholics and only 33,000 attend Mass; in Hamilton diocese out of 75,000 Catholics there are only 15,000 practising; in Palmerston North diocese out of 70,446, there were only 19,000; in Wellington out of 83,000, 28,000 are practising; in Christchurch out of 68,000 there are 21,000 and out of 40,000 Catholics in Dunedin diocese, only 14,000 practise their Faith. Is this what is meant by the second Pentecost of Vatican II?
At the first Pentecost St. Peter and the Apostles converted souls to the True Faith by the thousands, currently they are being driven away by the thousands. Surely you must at times ask yourselves why this is occurring? Why the great RENEWAL has resulted in such a decline?
It is because we have compromised, firstly, by this false Religious Liberty. By it we have dethroned Our Lord. He is no longer considered as King of the Universe with right over all His creatures. The Doctrine of the Social Reign of Our Lord Jesus Christ is now a thing of the past, overthrown by the decree of Religious Liberty which is a false Religious Liberty; for it puts the Religion founded by God on the same level as religions founded by men. By giving error and truth equal rights, it gives men the right to violate God’s right to be adored by His creatures in the way He Himself wishes to be adored. This decree and its consequences have instituted a new pantheon of all religions in the same way as the pagan emperors of Rome made their pantheon of all religions. The Italian Concordat of 1984, signed by the Secretary of State, Cardinal Casaroli, is an example of this.
From the false notion of Religious Liberty flows the Post-conciliar conception of Ecumenism. It consists in laying aside what divides us from our separated brethren and, concentrating on what unites us so as to bring about unity—or as you put it, Bishop Brown, at Holy Trinity Cathedral on Saturday, March 21 to launch the Luis Palau Mission to Auckland “to come together in a unique way, so that differences can be put aside and the unifying message of Jesus Christ can be proclaimed.” It all sounds very good and charitable, but the history of the last two decades shows that in practice, this means a watering-down of the Faith as regards its specifically Catholic content so as to facilitate this unity.
This is more easily seen in the obvious deficiency in catechetical instruction for our children, I am by no means exaggerating in saying that you allow them to be taught a naturalistic, humanitarian version of Religion which teaches vague notions of love, sharing, joy, peace, social justice, human dignity, the rights of man, life in community etc., which is devoid of sufficient knowledge of the Commandments of God, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the life of grace in the soul—in fine, the supernatural and truly Catholic dimension of our Religion.
Our Liturgy has also suffered this dilution. The prayers have been stripped of their specifically Catholic meaning and replaced by ambiguous and Protestant terminology. No longer are we to offer to God the “Pure Victim, the Holy Victim, the Immaculate Victim“, but the “fruit of the vine and work of human hands”; no longer is the priest to be the man set apart to, offer the Holy Sacrifice, but the ‘president’ of the Assembly, who will do no more than “commemorate the memorial of the Lord.” (General Instruction to the New Mass no. 7, 1969 ed.) Was it not Cardinal Ottaviani who stated in a letter to Pope Paul VI on September 25, 1969, accompanying the “Critical Study of the New Mass by a group of Roman Theologians” that the “Novus Ordorepresents, both as a whole and in its details, a striking departure from the Catholic Theology of the Mass as it was formulated in session 22 of the Council of Trent”? And if on the other hand, we are not compromising our Faith, if it is purely a new formulation, a new expression of the same Faith, as you say, then why, why is there so striking a similarity between the New Mass of 1969 and Cranmer's 1549 Communion Service and the new Anglican Series III Communion service? Why is it that Max Thurian, a member of the Protestant monastic Community of Taize is reported in La Croix (May 30, 1969) as stating that “the Novus Ordo Missae now makes it possible for non-Catholics to celebrate the Lord’s Supper with the same prayers as Catholics”?
Why is it also that the famous joint Catholic-Lutheran Commission of West Germany (1985) affirmed that a common liturgy was now possible between the two …
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Sky’s the limit for ‘hole-in-one’ StreetGolf star! (1)
Sky’s the limit for ‘hole-in-one’ StreetGolf star!
For most golfers scoring a hole-in-one is like England beating Germany on penalties – a lifetime goal but highly unlikely!
Georgia Smith, aged 13, of Wood Green School in Witney, Oxfordshire, achieved this feat playing in the Golf Foundation’s second National StreetGolf Championship Final at the 3 Hammers Golf Complex, near Wolverhampton, on Wednesday (15th June).
Thanks to a partnership with Premier League 4 Sport (PL4S), Sport England and Get into Golf, young people from community golf programmes across 16 Premier League and Championship football clubs wore their favourite teams’ football strips to compete for the coveted title of National StreetGolf Champions.
During the afternoon’s play a loud cheer was heard across the fairways as Georgia scored her hole-in-one on the 45-yard 15th hole. A fantastic shot: ten yards further back than Gareth Bale was and a much smaller target to aim at. Thirty minutes later she was being interviewed on camera by Sky Sports News who were present at the event.
Georgia said: “It was really exciting and of course it is my first hole-in-one; it was a brilliant moment and to do it with my school friends there and our teacher [Helen Smith] was fantastic.”
Brendon Pyle, Chief Executive of the Golf Foundation, said: “All the adults watching – experienced golf people – recognised this as a very rare and special achievement which perhaps explains the timeless appeal of golf. You take up the game as a youngster and can enjoy golf for the rest of your life, but many of us will never experience a hole-in-one.
“Georgia’s first ‘ace’ showed why golf is a great sport for all young people and we are encouraging more and more boys and girls from all backgrounds to play the game in our golf clubs in support of our national partners. StreetGolf is one of our methods of engaging with young people who might otherwise miss golf as an option.”
While their heroes in the Wales national football team would lose in last-gasp agony to England this week, it was a team from Cardiff City (‘Cardiff Two’) who would snatch a last hole victory against English team Middlesbrough in the StreetGolf Final and be crowned Champions. Gareth Bale, who is a keen golfer himself and who recently backed the launch of quick golf format SPRINT6GOLF, would certainly approve of this victory for Wales.
Teams present were from football club projects: Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Cardiff City, Crystal Palace, Derby County, Everton, Hull City, Middlesbrough, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Stoke City, and Sunderland.
All the finalists for the event had been introduced to golf through StreetGolf activities at a variety of local facilities including events at the actual football grounds of Crystal Palace and Derby County. Many had never picked up a golf club until recently and were now competing on the beautifully prepared par-3 course at 3 Hammers Golf Complex.
The Golf Foundation, the sport’s leading charity for young people, has developed StreetGolf as an exciting new strand of its HSBC Golf Roots programme which introduces youngsters to golf in their own community before providing the opportunity to play at the local golf club with help from the resident and junior-friendly PGA Professional Coach.
Golf Foundation Chairman Stephen Lewis presented the prizes and said: “This was an excellent event for the youngsters and well done to all the teams who played some great golf today. Working with Premier League 4 Sport and Sport England we’ve been able to reach children across many communities to try golf for the very first time and now, several months on, they are here playing in a national competition on a golf course.
“I’d like to thank all the staff at 3 Hammers for their support today, all the teachers who have helped their teams, the youngsters themselves and the Golf Foundation team for making it all happen today.”
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How baby Archie has changed Prince Harry's life
Baby Archie arrived on 6 May
June 14, 2019 - 14:22 BST Mulenga Hornsby Find out how the Duke of Sussex has changed following the birth of his baby boy Archie Harrison
Ever since the birth of little Archie, the Duke of Sussex hasn't stopped beaming from ear to ear, and there's an incredible buzz about him, whether he's at a family event such as Gabriella Windsor's wedding or Trooping the Colour. As he prepares to celebrate his first Father's Day with Meghan and their beautiful baby at Frogmore Cottage, we look at how becoming a dad has given new meaning to Prince Harry's life.
The arrival of their precious child has cemented his relationship with his wife, who was recently seen sporting what could be a new eternity ring to mark the birth. A close friend has said: "Family life could not be more perfect for them. The sleepless nights are totally worth it."
Baby Archie has brought the couple even closer together
While we might have expected him to take time out of the limelight for a while, it appears Harry is putting off his paternity leave until summer when the family of three may take a holiday to celebrate Meghan's 38th birthday on August 4.
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If anything the Duke's agenda in the last few months has seemed busier than ever as if he and Meghan have agreed that nothing must slow their mission to change the world. There was a trip to promote the Invictus Games four days after the birth of their son. At the request of the Queen he was on hand to welcome the Trump family during the US state visit, earning praise from the President as "a terrific guy". The new father then presided over the opening of the Cricket World Cup.
Archie was born on 6 May
And everywhere he goes, Harry always pays special attention to little ones, casting a spell on younger fans. "You can tell what am incredible affinity he has for children," Johnny Hornby, Chairman of Sentebale, said. "He is a magnet for children. I didn't think he could have appreciated children more than he did before, but I have seen a whole new involvement with them now that he is a father."
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Harry said it was an "amazing" experience to become a father
Although he still loves larking about with little ones, there is also a new maturity about him. Even before the Duchess became pregnant, Harry reportedly gave up smoking and adopted a healthier diet. It's said he also went the extra mile to show solidarity with the mum-to-be by forgoing alcohol and caffeine too.
There's no doubt the Prince would do anything for his family. And he also sees the bigger picture too. Just before Archie's arrival Harry confessed that he worries about the world he will inherit. "As someone who is about to become a father, I'm acutely aware of our shared responsibility to make this world more resilient and its inhabitants more accountable for the next generation. The only way to see real progress is not by chance, it's by change."
To celebrate Archie's arrival and Harry and Meghan's amazing first year of marriage HELLO! has published a Special Collectors' Edition. With beautiful photos of the couple who have taken the world by storm, expert commentary and coverage of Meghan's fashion, relationship rules, beauty tricks and lifestyle, the 132-page issue is one that readers will treasure. Don't miss our special edition on sale now!
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Khan splashes £30 million on more City Hall bureaucrats
Sadiq Khan came under pressure last night after new figures revealed that he is on course to spend £30 million more on City Hall bureaucrats than his predecessor, Boris Johnson.
City Hall staffing costs stood at £36 million when Khan came to office four years ago, but this figure is set to leap by an eye-watering 82 percent to £65.5 million next year.
The multi-million-pound cash splurge will fund a 45 percent increase in the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) posts at City Hall. The total number of FTE positions is on course to hit 1302 by 2020/2021, up from just 897 in 2016.
GLA Conservatives Leader Susan Hall said that the Mayor’s decision to blame government cuts for London’s crime epidemic while splurging millions on his own staff was “deeply dishonest”.
Khan came under pressure earlier this month after it was revealed that he had increased spending on his own press office by 26 percent since being elected nearly four years ago.
Commenting, GLA Conservatives' Leader Susan Hall AM said:
“Londoners will be shocked but sadly not surprised to learn that Sadiq Khan is finishing his term as London Mayor in the same way he started: by shelling out millions on waste while failing to get to grips with some of the biggest problems facing Londoners on a day-to-day basis.
“The millions of Londoners who feel increasingly unsafe in their own city will seriously question why Sadiq Khan has chosen to spend all of this money on his own staff rather than investing in our brilliant police force. Time and time again Sadiq Khan has shown that he has completely the wrong priorities for London.
“Questions will rightly be asked about how the Mayor has been able whack up his own staff bill by 83 percent while at the same time claiming that he doesn’t have the money to tackle London’s sky-high crime rates. This is deeply dishonest, and just goes to show how complacent Sadiq Khan has been in the face of rising violent crime”.
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Beit Lohamei Haghetaot and Genesis Philanthropy Group Bring History of Holocaust in USSR to Israeli Students
E-Jewish Philanthropy
As part of the ongoing efforts by Genesis Philanthropy Group (GPG) and Beit Lohamei Haghetaot – Ghetto Fighters’ House Museum...
to establish, preserve and educate future generations on the history of the Holocaust in the former Soviet Union, GPG and Beit Lohamei Haghetaot have initiated numerous activities geared towards the presentation of this aspect of history.
In addition, our efforts are bearing fruit with the launching of a new multi-faceted educational program for Israeli 12th grade high-school students which will incorporate the story of the Holocaust of Soviet Jewry, the memory of the heroism of Jewish fighters against the Nazis and their satellites, as well as individual heroism, and spiritual resistance in all its forms, as an alternative to traditional visits to Holocaust sites in Poland. They shall also delve into the meanings of memory, and engage students in discussions about awareness, activism, and communal involvement.
The six-hour long educational program portraying the Holocaust of Soviet Jewry will be conducted in small groups of about 20 students and tailored to the needs of each participating school in consultation with its educational staff, according to school’s goals and students’ level of knowledge. The program will include such elements as a presentation lecture/ workshop/introductory film that provides a basic overview of the Holocaust on Soviet territories (as part of WWII), guided tour of the museum’s relevant exhibitions, video testimonies of survivors and fighters, the “Bielski Brothers workshop” dedicated to the legendary family of Jewish partisans, a workshop telling of the Righteous Among the Nations, a unique archival workshop focused on stories exemplifying bravery and spiritual resistance during the Holocaust in the FSU, and a “Portable Gaming Workshop” – visual escape room sets, which will use quest room methods for exploring the individual life stories of five inspiring characters that lived on the FSU territories during the Holocaust. For those students unable to attend the activities at the museum, Beit Lohamei Haghetaot will conduct a guided workshop at their schools, centered around the history of the Holocaust in the occupied FSU territories.
Due to the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic on the traditional visits of Israeli high schoolers to the Holocaust sites at Poland, Beit Lohamei Haghetaot, supported by GPG, shall design an alternative seminar for 11th and 12th graders. The seminar will be three to four days long and will be conducted in the Grantee’s museum, Beit Lohamei Haghetaot Kibbutz, and the vicinity. In addition to the educational program, the seminar will include encounters with veterans and Holocaust survivors from the Former Soviet Union, guest speakers, and visits to historical sites around the Western Galilee.
For the wider audience in Israel and abroad, Beit Lohamei Haghetaot shall, for the first time, develop virtual tours of its exhibitions, which at the first stage will cover 3 out of 15 thematic halls and offer a guided online visit with 10-15 discussion stations to broaden the learning experience, augmented by original artwork and video testimonials.
It is estimated that, starting this September, about 5000 students from schools all over Israel will be able to take part in the program during 2020/21 school year.
According to Natalie Shnaiderman, GPG Director of Global Grantmaking: “Telling the story of the tragedy and heroism of the Jews who suffered, fought and died in the desperate struggle for human dignity in the occupied lands of the former Soviet Union completes the history of the Holocaust and Jewish resistance. This project will ensure that future generations of young Israelis will learn and remember this history in all its aspects”.
"Яд ва-Шем" проведет конференцию о Холокосте на территории СССР: 350.000 участников онлайн
Vesti.co.il
Jewish donors forced to rethink strategies due to Covid
Young Jews in Germany have fun with ‘reimagined’ learning and discussions
All News and Insights
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Gale provides useful resources for art and music research and education, including numerous art databases, music history databases, as well as art eBooks.
Humanities and Social Sciences | Communication Studies | Criminal Justice | Current Issues | Demographics | Environmental Studies | Gender and Women’s Studies | Geography | International Relations | Language | Multicultural and Regional Studies | Philosophy | Politics and Government | Popular Culture | Religion and Mythology | Social Sciences
Learn more about art and music, which are branches of the humanities concerned with audio and visual creative pursuits. Both are very broad categories that encompass a variety of formats. Art, for example, can include painting, sculpting, animation, architecture, ceramics, drawing, graffiti, photography, crafts, and textile weaving, as well as performing arts like dance and film. Music includes a diversity of genres such as jazz, rock and roll, classical, rhythm and blues, techno, country, hip-hop, Latin, and soul.
Art and music are universal features of all societies and are accessible both to those who earn their living as artists and musicians as well as amateurs. Art and music are important expressions of culture and fulfill a variety of purposes. For example, the capacity of art and music to reflect and influence human emotion makes them ideal vehicles for entertainment but also available for more serious pursuits, such as therapy. Musical and artistic expression can unify people through patriotic songs or artwork, or they can challenge the status quo by presenting a controversial perspective. Both music and art are important aspects of cultural and religious rituals, from the wedding march tune that ushers a bride down the aisle to the carved representations of gods.
Art and Music Resources
Gale provides scholarly resources to advance the study of art and music, including databases, primary source archives, and eBooks.
Ideal for school, academic, and public libraries, Gale databases offer researchers access to credible, up-to-date content from covering art publications to music databases.
Gale OneFile: Fine Arts
Periodical database for serious students of drama, music, art history, and filmmaking.
Gale OneFile: Culinary Arts
Offers more than 5 million publications from more than 250 major cooking and nutrition magazines, as well as book references.
Gale Primary Sources contains archives and collections that provide researchers with firsthand content, including historical documents, archives, and works of art that can be used to examine and analyze the evolution of art and music over time.
This compilation includes receipts and archives from the Drury Lane Theatre; Royal Philharmonic Society music manuscripts; and the largely forgotten Wandering Minstrels archive, which opens a rare glimpse into the decades of Gilbert and Sullivan. The archive enables scholars to explore primary sources covering such topics as Victorian popular culture, street literature, social history, music, bloods and penny dreadfuls, professional acting on the London stage, the Royal Literary Fund, British dramatic works, additional aspects of music literature, and many others.
Robert Winslow Gordon and American Folk Music
Archives Unbound presents topically focused digital selections of historical documents that support the research and study needs of scholars and students at the college and university level.
American Art-Union, 1839‒1851: The Rise of American Art Literacy
This collection consists of minutes of annual meetings, executive committee, committee of management, and purchasing committee; register of works of art in the American Art-Union (AAU); letters addressed to the organization, including many from agents around the country, and pertaining to the sale of subscriptions; letters from artists to the AAU with index; and letterpress books containing copies of letters sent by the AAU.
Gale offers a variety of eBooks covering a wide range of art history topics, including architecture, music literature, American music, popular music, world music, and more. Users can add Gale eBooks to a customized collection and cross-search to pinpoint relevant publications. Workflow tools help users easily share, save, and download content.
A Listen To World Music, 1st Edition
Rourke Educational Media LLC | 2014 | ISBN-13: 9781621699798
Ethnomusicology is the study of world music. Learn about music from all over the globe, steeped in the history and traditions of the people who make it. From Latin America to the Celtic songs of Ireland. Filled with bright photos and informative text on this fascinating form of music, this title will allow students to identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.
Art Scene: The Art of Animation, 1st Edition
ReferencePoint Press | 2020 | ISBN-13: 9781682825785
Animation was once considered primarily children’s entertainment. Today, animation provides entertainment for children and adults. It also is featured in all sorts of instructional, scientific, and legal simulations. This book discusses what today’s artists are doing, how they attract a following, and what they’re saying through their handiwork.
Art Scene: The Art of Anime and Manga, 1st Edition
Japan’s anime (animated films) and manga (illustrated books) have gained millions of loyal fans all over the world. The roots of these industries lie in the country’s long tradition of storytelling in pictures. This book discusses what today’s artists are doing, how they attract a following, and what they’re saying through their artwork.
Art Scene: The Art of Graffiti, 1st Edition
Graffiti is largely illegal in most American communities, but that hasn’t stopped street artists from rendering large and very public demonstrations of exquisite art. Some graffiti artists, among them Shepard Fairey, Jim Clay Harper, Danielle Bremner, and the mysterious British artist Banksy, have become world famous. This eBook discusses what today’s artists are doing, how they attract a following, and what they’re saying through their handiwork.
Careers for Creative People: Careers in the Culinary Arts, 1st Edition
People who are creative and also love food may not realize the large variety of careers that combine both. From chefs and pastry chefs to food stylists, craft brewers, and flavorists, the field of culinary arts offers many exciting choices. What the jobs entail, what they pay, and future prospects are discussed, along with insight from industry experts.
Hollywood Heroines: The Most Influential Women in Film History, 1st Edition
Greenwood Publishing Group | 2019 | ISBN-13: 9781440836497
Unlike other anthologies, this scholarly eBook is a hybrid of art history and industry information with an exclusive focus on prominent women. This reference work includes more commonly discussed categories of important women in Hollywood film history, such as directors and actresses, and reaches beyond them to encompass women working as cinematographers, casting directors, studio heads, musical composers, and visual and special effects supervisors. The wide range of filmmaking crafts covered in the eBook provides an acute view of the industry and increases the visibility of and quality of representation for women working in Hollywood. By bringing the experience and work of these influential women to light, Hollywood Heroines joins a growing movement that endeavors to dismantle harmful, long-standing industry myths that perpetuate the systemic underrepresentation of women and the devaluation of women’s stories in the Hollywood film industry.
Music Scene: Country Music, 1st Edition
While country music has deep roots in American culture, new country sounds by artists like Kacey Musgraves and Kane Brown are appealing to an increasingly diverse group of listeners. This book discusses what today’s musicians are doing, how they attract a following, and what they’re saying through this uniquely American music.
Music Scene: EDM, 1st Edition
Electronic dance music, or EDM, is the newest major music genre, having only become widely popular in the last decade or two. With a repetitive beat and catchy hooks, EDM is meant to get people dancing at nightclubs and festivals. And that’s exactly what it does. This book discusses what today’s musicians are doing, how they attract a following, and what they’re saying through their music.
Music Scene: K-Pop, 1st Edition
South Korean K-pop bands like BTS, EXO, and Black Pink are breaking music industry records on the pop charts, in the concert halls, and on social media websites. This book discusses what today’s musicians are doing, how they attract a following, and what they’re saying through their music.
Music Scene: Pop Music, 1st Edition
From the early days of Elvis and the Beatles to contemporary artists including Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, and Panic! At the Disco, popular music is a constantly evolving genre. This book discusses what today’s musicians are doing, how they attract a following, and what they’re saying through their music.
Music Scene: Rap and Hip-Hop, 1st Edition
Rap and hip-hop music is the most successful genre in a generation, and the sound has become an unsurpassed cultural phenomenon in America and the world. This book discusses what today’s musicians are doing, how they attract a following, and what they’re saying through their music.
Reusable and Sustainable Building Materials in Modern Architecture, 1st Edition
Engineering Science Reference | 2019 | ISBN-13: 9781522569961
Designing buildings and physical environments (architecture) depends on social structure, social needs, economic data, environment, and technological development. Planning these environments is heavily influenced by cultural and regional need, the existing environment, and the materials available. This title is an essential reference source that discusses the shaping of building design through culture and materials as well as the influence of environment on building design. Featuring research on topics such as passive design, ecological design, and urban design, this book is ideal for academicians, specialists, and researchers seeking coverage on culture, environment, and building design.
The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Music and Culture, 1st Edition
SAGE | 2019 | ISBN-13: 9781483317748
This encyclopedia presents key concepts in the study of music in its cultural context and provides an introduction to the discipline of ethnomusicology, its methods, concerns, and its contributions to knowledge and understanding of the world’s musical cultures, styles, and practices. The diverse voices of the contributors confirm ethnomusicology’s fundamental ethos of inclusion and respect for diversity. Combined, the multiplicity of topics and approaches are presented in an easy-to-search A‒Z format and offer a fresh perspective on the field and the subject of music in culture. Includes approximately 730 signed full-text articles by prominent scholars. Pedagogical elements include Further Readings, Cross References, and a Reader’s Guide organizing entries by broad topical or thematic areas. Includes an annotated Resource Guide; an appendix listing notable archives, libraries, and museums; and a detailed index. The electronic volume offers thorough search-and-browse capabilities.
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Halo 5: Guardians is rated T, unlike pretty much every other Halo
By Connor Sheridan 07 August 2015
Halo 5: Guardians is rated "T for Teen" by the ESRB. That wouldn't be a big deal, if not for the fact that every other Halo has been rated "M for Mature" (aside from Halo Wars and those Spartan twin-stick shooter games). Halo 5's potentially objectionable content includes blood, mild language, and violence, according to the ESRB, not to mention insults like 'Your father was a filthy colo and your mother was a hole in the wall!"
From everything we've seen so far, I wouldn't expect Halo 5's gore and interspecies taunting to be much more kid-friendly than that of Halo 1, 2, 3, 4, ODST, and Reach. Shifting standards at the ESRB probably had more to do with the change in rating than any kind of effort to "clean up" Halo 5 from Microsoft and 343 Studios; much like how filmmakers get away with more vulgar stuff in PG-13 movies today than when the MPAA first introduced that rating in 1984.
That said, the ESRB's official rating summary for Halo: The Master Chief Collection does sound a bit more dire than Halo 5's. Judge for yourself:
Halo: The Master Chief Collection: This is a compilation of four Halo games in which players assume the role of Master Chief, a genetically-enhanced soldier from the 26th century. From a first-person perspective, players use pistols, machine guns, grenade launchers, and futuristic weapons to kill humans and fantastical enemies in frenetic combat. Battles are highlighted by screams of pain, realistic gunfire, and large blood-splatter effects. Players can also use stealth moves (i.e., stabbing attacks or throat slashes) to kill characters; one scene depicts human characters crying out as their bodies disintegrate, exposing muscle and bone. Some aliens break part into pieces when hit, and soldiers' corpses are sometimes depicted amid large pools/streaks of blood.
Halo 5: This is a first-person shooter in which players assume the role of a super soldier (Locke) searching for a missing character. Players use pistols, machine guns, grenade launchers, and futuristic weapons to kill alien and human enemies in frenetic combat. Battles are highlighted by realistic gunfire, explosions, and occasional blood-splatter effects. Characters can also use “assassinations” to kill characters by snapping their necks, or by stabbing them with bladed weapons. The word “a*s” appears in the dialogue, as well as occasional taunts/insults (e.g., “I have copulated...with your genetic progenitors!”; 'Your father was a filthy colo and your mother was a hole in the wall!').
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Ex-Leicester City free agent signed up by Scottish side
The England Under-19 international joined the Foxes last summer but failed to make a first-team appearance
Leicester City crest
Motherwell have signed defender Kieran Kennedy after his release from Leicester.
The England Under-19 international joined the Foxes last summer but failed to make a first-team appearance and has now moved north of the border.
Kennedy said: "I think I have played enough football at development level and it's time to make that step up.
"If I am training well and working hard, hopefully I get a chance, but I know I'll need to be patient."
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Filed in: Press
By James Andrew Hinds, Jr., Partner, The Hinds Law Group, APC In the middle market the trend lines on bankruptcy cases in the age of the pandemic are growing not flattening. Despite happy talk from the Administration, many experts predict a tidal wave of bankruptcies beginning in September as the temporary cushion from the Paycheck Protection Plan “(PPP”) dissolves, even with the new extension for use or payback from eight to 24 weeks plays out, SBA loans fund and are…
The Hinds Law Group, APC is delighted to announce that its associate attorney, Rachel M. Sposato, has been selected for third year in a row to the Southern California Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers®. To be eligible for the Rising Stars list, a candidate must either be forty (40) years old or younger, or in practice for ten (10) years or less. Each year, no more than 2.5% of attorneys in the state are recognized for this list.
Steps to take if COVID-19 is hurting your business
James Hinds, is truly a guiding light in these dark times. After studying at Harvard, he’s now been in the bankruptcy business for over 40 years. Today, he specializes in working with middle-market businesses to avoid bankruptcy while maintaining a holistic, industry-agnostic approach. James has successfully helped people deal with an assortment of economic downturns at various large law firms, and his insight on today’s economic climate should not be ignored. In his interview, James explains a bit of his…
Associate attorney, Rachel M. Sposato, has been appointed as Member to the President’s Advisory Committee
The Hinds Law Group congratulates Rachel M. Sposato on her appointment as Member to the President’s Advisory Committee on Women in the Legal Profession Committee for Los Angeles County Bar Association’s (“LACBA”) 2019-2020 year. This committee dedicates its time and energy to promote the full participation of women lawyers in the legal profession in Los Angeles, and supports women in both their professional and personal growth from entry-level to partnership or general counsel. It also monitors existing conditions and trends,…
Rachel M. Sposato was recognized by her peers and selected to Rising Stars for the second year in a row. This selection is based off of an evaluation of 12 indicators including peer recognition and professional achievement in legal practice. Being selected to Rising Stars is limited to a small number of attorneys in each state. As one of the few attorneys to garner the distinction of Rising Stars, Rachel has earned the respect of peers as one of the…
Associate attorney, Rachel M. Sposato, has been selected for a Lawyer Monthly Women in Law 2018 Award
The Hinds Law Group is delighted to announce that its associate attorney, Rachel M. Sposato, has been selected for a Lawyer Monthly Women in Law 2018 Award “in recognition of her outstanding legal expertise and contribution within the practice area of Private Commercial Litigation.” The Lawyer Monthly Women in Law Awards recognizes women in the legal profession across the globe in a wide range of practice areas. Winners are selected following nominations and a research and selection process. Jim Hinds, Managing…
The Hinds Law Group is delighted to announce that its associate attorney, Rachel M. Sposato, has been selected to the 2018 Southern California Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers®. To be eligible for the Rising Stars list, a candidate must either be forty (40) years old or younger or in practice for ten (10) years or less. Each year, no more than 2.5% of attorneys in the state are recognized for this list. Managing Member Jim Hinds stated in response…
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Synergy seafarers contribute to relief fund
Synergy Group seafarers have made a substantial collective contribution in support of a charity established to combat COVID-19 and provide relief for those most in need.
Thousands of employees of Synergy Group, one of the world’s leading ship management companies, have donated a day’s pay to the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (CARES) Fund, the COVID-19 charitable trust set up in the name of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi which is leading the fight against COVID-19.
Among those ‘Synergians’ to donate was Capt. Mark Fernandes, a 16-year seafaring veteran. “As seafarers, it was important to us that we do our bit and contribute towards the PM CARES Fund,” he said. “Every sector has been hit hard by the COVID-19 virus and we have to stand tall to fight this pandemic.
“We seafarers are a rare breed of individuals and we are willing and able to make a difference for society and our country. After all, the value of man resides in what he gives, not in what he is capable of receiving.”
Vishal Bhagat, Synergy Group Chief Engineer, said: “Coronavirus does not discriminate, it has hit everyone hard. In times like these, empathy and solidarity should be our guiding lights. We seafarers try to think of those less fortunate than ourselves, so we’re delighted to support the PM CARES Fund which is helping exactly those who need it most.”
The substantial donation consisted of individual contributions by thousands of Synergy Group seafarers - both Indian and non-Indian - currently deployed on the company’s fleet of over 300 vessels.
Synergy Group has also contributed 10% of the company’s annual Corporate Social Responsibility budget to the PM CARES Fund. Captain Rajesh Unni, CEO and Founder of Synergy Group, said the PM CARES Fund charitable trust, which consists entirely of voluntary contributions from individuals and organisations and does not receive budgetary support from India’s government, is leading the way in the fight against the pandemic.
“The PM CARES Fund is providing the ventilators people need to survive this awful pandemic,” he said. “It is also helping our migrant workers that have been hit so hard and conducting valuable research to help find a vaccine.
“Both in India and worldwide, the coronavirus has taught us that we’re all in this together and we need to help and support each other.
“I would like to thank all the seafarers and staff that contributed to this fantastic cause.”
The donations have been made despite most seafarers currently being unable to leave or join vessels due to global coronavirus lockdowns.
“These contributions have been made even though many of our seafarers are under tremendous duress themselves due to restrictions on crew changes which have left thousands stranded at sea and unable to return to their families,” said Captain Unni.
“Seafarers are essential workers on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus. They deliver the food and essential supplies on which we all depend. We are hopeful that in the very near future their importance will be recognised and governments will take steps to allow them to return home using safe corridors.”
Synergy Group carries out its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities through its partners Synergy Educational and Charitable Trust (SECT) and Go2C Changemakers Foundation (Go2C). In the 2018-19 financial year, Synergy funded 29 initiatives in India and beyond with a total of 35,114 direct beneficiaries.
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Senate President Murray Visits Ireland
Senate President Murray meets with the Mayor of Donegal, Frank McBrearty, and Mayor of Letterkenny, Dessie Larkin, to discuss collaboration and economic development opportunities.
Irish Community News
Senate President Therese Murray is currently in Ireland as part of a trade-mission to connect with politicians and local councils, with Governor Deval Patrick also traveling to Ireland later this week as part of an effort to drum up business for companies in Massachusetts.
Murray began her 10-day trip in Derry on Thursday by attending the launch of the North West Health Innovation Corridor with the Derry City council and on Friday. The senate president also traveled to Donegal where she met with the Mayor of Donegal and Mayor of Letterkenny to discuss collaboration and economic development opportunities.
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick will travel to Ireland on Tuesday evening and will spend three days in Dublin. The Irish Consul General of Boston, Michael Lonergan, will coordinate the visit which includes plans for the governor to meet with the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, the minister for foreign affairs Eamon Gilmore, and also trade and business leaders in the country, his office said Thursday.
“I am delighted that the governor will be joining us in Ireland,” Murray said in a statement. “This trade mission is a great opportunity for us to strengthen our international connections, expand opportunities for Massachusetts companies, and continue to promote the Commonwealth as a portal for health care, technology, and life sciences in the United States.”
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