pred_label
stringclasses 2
values | pred_label_prob
float64 0.5
1
| wiki_prob
float64 0.25
1
| text
stringlengths 107
997k
| source
stringlengths 40
45
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
__label__cc
| 0.581509
| 0.418491
|
If next-generation art is your passion, then explore all the content that SXSW offers on this topic
Tomorrow’s Art Today at SXSW 2020
The Forrest Four-Cast: February 28, 2020
In addition to the many amazing exhibits in the Art Program, many panels and presentations at SXSW cover the current and future direction of visual creativity. Ten of our favorite sessions in March in Austin that cover the art of tomorrow are as follows:
AR at the Intersection of Art & Tech (March 19): AR is shifting the traditional artistic landscape and one thing is for certain: changes are speeding up. What was once tangible is now intangible, and the boundaries of reality continue to blur. This panel will explore how AR can come to life in individual art practice and offer infinite ways for creators to write the future of art history.
The Art and Craft Of Scoring to Picture (March 18): Join composer Jeff Rona as he guides you through the creative and technical process of scoring film, television, and video games — from the creative challenges to the politics and logistics of working with directors, producers, picture and music editors and music supervisors.
Art as Resistance: Brazil’s LGBTQ Fight Censorship (March 17): Brazil is a paradox for the LGBTQ+ community: home of the world’s largest Gay Pride parade, but also the highest rate of LGBTQ+ homicide in the world. Queer Brazilians and their allies are fighting back in the courts, on screen, in the streets and on fashion runways. Learn what actions are being taken to ensure that LGBTQ creative voices can be heard.
Deepfake Art and the Bright Side of the Dark Web (March 18): We all know about the nefarious uses of deepfakes. But what about the brighter side, that isn’t all doom and gloom? We’re seeing more positive applications of deepfake technology, such as deepfake remakes of Back to the Future. This panel uncovers what living our lives in tandem with digital dopplegangers might mean for our future.
Digital Art Can Save the Art Market (March 18): Artists have long experimented with technology. Yet, digital art remains a niche apart from the rest of the art market. Join this panel of experts as they discuss how to attract new collectors for these novel media forms, and also how to build a more sustainable and inclusive art market.
How Artists Are Driving Culture (March 17): From brand collaborations to limited-edition apparel to commissioned murals, artists have permeated the corporate world. This panel will highlight a variety of voices — the artist, the corporate brand, the curator, and the agent — all of whom navigate what it means to make and present art in contemporary culture.
How to be an Alien: Creativity in a Foreign Land (March 14): It might sound counterintuitive, but ‘not belonging’ can be a creative superpower. This talk explores the benefits of an ‘alien perspective’ in creative work, from how being the outsider can make you a magnet for creativity, to how a limited vocabulary can make you a better writer.
Immersive Art Exploration (March 15): Come learn how immersive art is evolving. From their unique points of view as Immersive Art leaders in experiential and design thinking, these speakers will engage in a well-rounded discussion on their experience, impact, and vision for the future of this art form.
Inside Key Art: The Faces Behind The Posters (March 13): Posters play an essential role in the marketing of movies. They are a true art form, needing to capture the essence of the film they advertise in one single, arresting image. Join a panel of industry experts as they discuss this unique art form and their careers.
Inspire, Empower, Educate: The Future of Art (March 14): ARTECHOUSE’s novel installations and curatorial work have attracted over 700,000 visitors to their art spaces, inspiring a generation of creators. Join us as ARTECHOUSE’s leadership guides you through co-creating with the innovative artists working at the intersection where creativity in science meets creativity in art.
Making Art Your Business (March 18): Jack Conte, CEO of Patreon, will explore lessons, stories, and insights into building an audience and a business around your art. From hiring a team, to understanding your income, to the pushing through tough times, Jack’s talk will get to the core of how creators make it all work.
Outsourcing Creativity: Authors, Artists and AI (March 17): The distinction between originality and simulacra is dwindling. It’s essential that we work to define boundaries as technology and art progress. AI poses challenges to authorship as we conceive of it today. In this solo presentation, Keren Toledano of Think Company imagines what creation looks like when it is supplemented by automation.
Social Media: The Impact On Art and Design (March 18): Art and design has always drawn influence from popular culture and the interactions between people. The rapid growth of image-based social media platforms has had a huge impact on the way we create. Has social media’s ferocious appetite taken this too far?
If your taste in content is less artful and more scientific, there’s also plenty of that at SXSW. Plus lots and lots of amazing panels and presentations on so many other compelling topics. Find what best suits your appetite by browsing the online schedule — use the search bar at the top right corner of the interface to zero in on what you want.
Museums and Gender: Gaze, Visibility and Reinvention
Aishwarya Srinivasan in Culture Cog
Gertrude Stein: A Woman With an Unparalleled Drive for Art
MutualArt in MutualArt Magazine
Kloosterboer on Eichenberg
Old Mistresses: The Rise of Baroque Mistresses
Divine, Natural, Imperfect: The Masters’ Eternal Concepts of Beauty
Experiencing Immersive Art in Colorado
Alice Bonasio in Tech Trends
Artist Highlight: Tammy Crawford
The Roxy Art Market
When The Word Artist is Used as an Insult
Karen Fayeth
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3172
|
__label__cc
| 0.532896
| 0.467104
|
Trump Tries To Stop Corruption, Media Calls Him Racist.
Rob Wasinger
The roaring economy and the looming probe by Attorney General Barr’s Justice Department are just too much for the discredited, mainstream media to bear.
These people spent the last three years chasing a conspiracy theory, promoting bogus narratives surrounding the President’s fealty to Vladimir Putin and Russia, and insisting that the “walls are closing in”.
The walls closed in alright. They slammed shut on CNN’s ratings.
Well yeah, they closed in alright. They slammed shut on CNN’s ratings, for starters.
Now they’re having to change tack. But they don’t really know how to change tack. They’re just going back to the original smears that failed to trouble Trump: “HE’S A RACIST!”
The Washington Post unveils their killer strategy in this regard by pushing fresh fake news to discredit the president.
Trump despises the people of Puerto Rico, apparently holding them responsible for the social and economic chaos in the territory. He therefore directed Secretary Carson’s Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to withhold crucial federal aid in the wake of the devastating Hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017.
Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Roselló, U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump discuss relief efforts during a cabinet meeting at Muñiz Air National Guard Base, Carolina, Puerto Rico, Oct. 3, 2017. The President visited Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria and met with local leadership regarding storm response efforts. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt Michelle Y. Alvarez-Rea)
That’s a thing now, we’re told.
Where’s the evidence, you ask?
The Post claims “[HUD] ‘unreasonably’ delayed production of emails and other records related to the agency’s handling of hurricane relief funding for Puerto Rico, HUD’s top watchdog said Tuesday.”
With the volume of requests from the Inspector General (IG), and knowing the Federal government, 18 days is positively speedy.
So there must be a cover up. Or something.
There are, however, a few problems with this narrative.
According to a spokesman for the agency, HUD actually delivered all the requested materials in 18 days. With the volume of requests from the Inspector General (IG), and knowing the Federal government, 18 days is positively speedy, particularly since the IG received all the requested materials.
Aside from this, there is zero evidence that the administration withheld relief aid from Puerto Rico. In fact, the administration has poured over $40 billion already into recovery efforts and has pledged another $51 billion, despite atrocious management of the island’s finances by their corrupt leaders.
The Post mentions the following, in passing:
The president has been far more involved in reviewing disaster relief for Puerto Rico than for Texas, Alabama or other states, according to current and former administration officials.
Well obviously. Texas, Alabama, or other states are not run as corruptly as Puerto Rico. Do they not expect the President of the United States to factor that in before signing off cheques for billions of dollars?
Rather than check their rash assertions, the Post ran with the story as another opportunity to bash the administration and further the narrative of President Trump pushing an agenda based on racism or xenophobia.
The whole thing highlights one of the main difficulties with mainstream media reporting today, namely that it’s much easier to lazily and breathlessly report the latest “scoop” that confirms the set narratives (and further the toxic political divide they have done so much to foment) than it is to do the tougher and more mundane job of reporting on actual policy matters.
Carson and fans (Image by Gage Skidmore, CC)
At Carson’s HUD, great strides have been made in the promotion of affordable housing for low-income families and supporting their access to homeownership. HUD is also undertaking innovative efforts on the local level to reduce homelessness and remove lead and other hazards from older homes.
To build on the gains of the Trump economy, Secretary Carson is educating the public on opportunity zones to encourage investment in our nation’s most vulnerable communities.
But reporting on these substantive though admittedly unsexy stories does not fit with either their political agenda, nor the race for ratings and sales which, for the print media, has become just as ideologically polarized as it is viewers of cable news.
Perhaps the greatest achievement of President Trump has been to expose once-revered institutions of journalism as the propaganda organs they now, sadly, have become.
Robert Wasinger served in senior advisory and liaison roles in President Donald Trump‘s campaign and transition team, after extensive experience on Capitol Hill.
In this article:Featured, large
No War for Venezuela.
Higher Education Needs An Exorcism.
Written By Rob Wasinger
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3174
|
__label__wiki
| 0.664227
| 0.664227
|
Businesses turn their back on Indiana over Religious Freedom Bill
, Member Events
The ‘right to discriminate’ is protected under a new Indiana Law signed Thursday by Governor Mike Pence. The controversial Bill 101, known as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, was signed quietly and behind closed doors despite rapidly growing controversy and backlash from Indiana businesses and organizations.
Supporters say RFRA is designed to protect people’s religious beliefs from unnecessary government intrusion. But opponents argue the measure serves as a license to discriminate, particularly against LGBT people, on religious grounds.
In response, a few of the state’s most influential businesses are exercising their right to refuse service–to the state of Indiana. Marc Benioff, Founder and CEO of Indiana-based tech giant Salesforce, said in a Twitter post that he will suspend all policies requiring customers and employees to “travel to Indiana to face discrimination.” He and other leaders in the tech industry released a statement claiming, “The RFRA clearly blurs that line [between church and state] and opens the door to blatant discrimination.” The $40 billion company, with over 12,000 employees and 104,000 customers, represents only a fraction of economic consequences facing Indiana.
Indianapolis-based Angie’s List, a thriving business review and search website, announced Saturday that it will pull out of a pending $40 Million headquarters expansion in the east side of its home city. The project would have meant the creation of 1,000 local jobs but according to Co-Founder and CEO Bill Oesterle, the expansion is “on hold until we fully understand the implications of the freedom restoration act on our employees, both current and future.”
Influential personalities are also speaking out against the new legislation. Former NBA star and ESPN commentator Charles Barkley is calling for the NCAA to relocate its Final Four tournament out of Indianapolis. “Discrimination in any form is unacceptable to me,” Barkley said in a statement released through his agent, as quoted by USA Today. “As long as anti-gay legislation exists in any state, I strongly believe big events such as the Final Four and Super Bowl should not be held in those states’ cities.” Although the NCAA has decided that it is too late to change plans for this tournament, President Mark Emmert said that the NCAA is “especially concerned” about the possible effects of the law on its student-athletes and employees.
Just as quickly as the bill was passed, new implications of the legislation are rapidly coming to light. Opposition has officially spread coast-to-coast with the Governor of Connecticut banning government-funded travel to the state of Indiana along with the Mayors of Seattle and San Francisco.
Seattle mayor #EdMurray joins #Indiana boycott, says no city-funded #travel #SeattleMayor http://t.co/B6rTQakXnv pic.twitter.com/KpgdKh11Cc
— Trendolizer (@Trendolizer) March 29, 2015
Inland Northwest Business Alliance is looking to the efforts of the Indiana State Chamber of Commerce which has opposed the bill based on the fact that “Religious freedom for individual employees is already protected through existing laws.” The state business chamber added the bill to their legislative agenda, noting, “The legislation is unnecessary, intrusive and likely to result in unintended consequences.” INBA will continue to follow this issue and work with local business leaders to develop its own response to Indiana’s new policy.
Washington State Community Small Business Resiliency Grant Program
OPEN NOW UNTIL OCTOBER 28 AT 12PM AFTER you have read the following requirements and restrictions, ...
Dear Google, we should talk about inclusivity and business.
I understand that there are still a lot (A LOT, a lot) of locations, businesses, and people, that ...
The INBA has gone digital launching a new directory app for iPhone and Android
We are so happy to bring you a fresh new way to connect with your local LGBTQ community. Find ...
Solace, Spokane-built app to help trans people, now available for download
A Spokane-designed app to help transgender people with everything from safely navigating day-to-day ...
Gov. Inslee appoints 15 members to LGTBQ commission; 3 from Spokane
SPOKANE, Wash. — Washington Governor Jay Inslee appointed 15 members to the state's new LGBTQ ...
LGBT activists say new bills target transgender youth
By Lindsay Whitehurst and David CraryAssociated Press SALT LAKE CITY – At the urging of conservative ...
Lunch & Learn: March 2021
Lunch & Learn: February 2021
Lunch & Learn: January 2021
Our members receive special discounts on INBA and other community events, as well as member-to-member discounts on products and services.
There are several membership options, choose the one that best suits your business, or join as an individual!
Chamber Partners
Reach out if you are in crisis:
Trevor Project – Crisis support for LGBTQ+ youth: thetrevorproject.org
Trans Lifeline – by trans people, for trans people:
24/7 Crisis Text line:
24/7 Sexual Assault Crisis Line:
First call for help:
Odyssey Youth Movement:
The INBA gathers local, national, and international news articles relevant to business and community and sends out a newsletter regularly. We would love to add you to our list of newsletter recipients!
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3186
|
__label__cc
| 0.727941
| 0.272059
|
Indian Healthcare Blog
Indian Healthcare System
Healthcare will be reformed when BJP comes to Power
Posted: April 9, 2014 | Author: Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta | Filed under: 12th Five Year Plan, Chronic Disease Management, Digital Health, Disease Management, eHealth, Healthcare, mHealth, NRHM, Rural Health, Telehealth, Telemedicine | Tags: Amit Shah, Arvind Kejriwal, Election Manifesto, Election schedule, NAMO, Narendra Modi, NRHM, Rajendra Pratap Gupta, Workers in NRHM | 3 Comments
Health Services – increase the Access, improve the quality, lower the Cost
India needs a holistic care system that is universally accessible, affordable and effective and drastically reduces the out of pocket spending on health. NRHM has failed to meet the objectives and will be radically reformed. BJP accords high priority to health sector, which is crucial for securing the economy.
The overarching goal of healthcare would be to provide, ‘Health Assurance to all Indians and to reduce the out of pocket spending on health care’, with the help of state governments.
The current situation calls for radical reforms in the healthcare system with regards to national healthcare programs and delivery, medical education and training and financing of healthcare. Our government would focus on the following reforms in healthcare:
the last healthcare policy dates back to 2002. India now needs a comprehensive healthcare policy to address the complex healthcare challenges, keeping in view the developments in the healthcare sector and the changing demographics. BJP will initiate the New Health Policy.
initiate the ‘National Health Assurance Mission’, with a clear mandate to provide universal healthcare that is not only accessible and affordable, but also effective, and reduces the OOP spending for the common man.
Education and Training – Will review the role of various professional regulatory bodies in healthcare and consider setting up an overarching lean body for healthcare. High priority will be given to address the shortfall of healthcare professionals.
Modernize Government hospitals, upgrading infrastructure and latest technologies.
Reorganize Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in order to converge various departments dealing in healthcare, food and nutrition and pharmaceuticals, for effective delivery of healthcare services.
Increase the number of medical and para-medical colleges to make India self sufficient in human resources, and set up an AIIMS like institute in every state.
Yoga and Ayurveda are the gifts of ancient Indian civilization to humanity and we will increase the public investment to promote Yoga and AYUSH. We will start integrated courses for Indian System of Medicine (ISM) and modern science and Ayurgenomics. We will set up institutions and launch a vigorous program to standardize and validate the Ayurvedic medicine.
Move to pre-emptive care model where the focus and thrust will be on child health and prevention.
School health program would be a major focus area, and health and hygiene will be made a part of the school curriculum.
Focus on Rural Health care delivery.
Senior Citizens healthcare would be a special focus area.
Give high priority to chronic diseases, and will invest in research and development of solutions for chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, cancer, CVD etc.
Occupational health programs will be pursued aggressively.
Utilize the ubiquitous platform of mobile phones for healthcare delivery and set up the “National eHealth Authority” to leverage telemedicine and mobile healthcare for expanding reach and coverage and to define the standards and legal framework for technology driven care.
Universalization of emergency medical services-108.
Re-orientation of herbal plants board to encourage farming of herbal plants.
Population stabilization would be a major thrust area and would be pursued as a mission mode program.
Programme for Women Healthcare with emphasis on rural, SC, ST and OBC in a mission mode.
Mission mode project to eradicate malnutrition.
Launch National Mosquito Control mission.
Poor Hygiene and Sanitation have a far reaching, cascading impact. We will ensure a “Swachh Bharat” by Gandhi ji’s 150th birth anniversary in 2019, taking it up in mission mode by converging resources and building around jan bhagidari:
Create an open defecation free India by awareness campaign and enabling people to build toilets in their home as well as in schools and public places.
Set up modern, scientific sewage and waste management systems.
We will introduce Sanitation Ratings measuring and ranking our cities and towns on ‘sanitation’; and rewarding the best performers.
Make potable drinking water available to all thus reducing water–borne diseases, which will automatically translate into Diarrhoea–free India.
Rajendra Pratap Gupta
Authored the BJP Election Manifesto 2014 under the Chairmanship of Dr.Murli Manohar Joshi
Time for a New National Health Policy
Posted: October 27, 2013 | Author: Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta | Filed under: 12th Five Year Plan, Chronic Disease Management, Digital Health, Disease Management, eHealth, Healthcare, Healthcare System, mHealth, NCHRH, NRHM, Rural Health, Telehealth, Telemedicine, Uncategorized | Tags: 12TH five, ASHA, Disease Management, Disease Management Association of India, five year plan, Healthcare in India, healthcare reforms in India, NRHM, NRHM Extension, NRHM jobs, Public Health in India, Rajendra Pratap Gupta, Rural Health | 2 Comments
President & Member
Shri Keshav Desiraju
Secretary to the Government of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi – 110108.
Reference: Need for a National Health Policy – NHP
Dear Shri Keshav ji,
I am writing on behalf of the Disease Management Association of India – The Population Health Improvement Alliance. We have been proactively taking up issues with regards to healthcare policy & reforms in India.
On February 01, 2013, when you were appointed as the Health Secretary, people involved with the health sector felt happy that the nation had got its best health secretary! Expectations are running high!
This communiqué is about the need for setting up a team to draft the National Health Policy. Since the last National Health Policy was drafted more than 10 years ago in 2002, a lot of things have changed, like;
NRHM was launched in 2005 as a flagship program focused on rural health
RSBY was launched
Pandemic outbreaks like H1N1 (Swine Flu) have been a surprise and have shaken the world
Rise of MDR – T.B.
Increase in the incidence of chronic diseases & the issues related to child health
Occupational hazards
High IMR/MMR & MDGs deadline approaching in 2015
Besides, a lot of other developments have taken place, like;
UID –Aadhaar number for the entire population have been initiated
Emergence of mHealth & telemedicine
Newer technological interventions for diagnostics and treatment
Emergence of Big Data Analytics
Also that, India is focusing on transitioning the healthcare system to Universal Coverage
Emergence of innovative concepts, like Disease Management, ACOs (Accountable Care Organizations), HMOs (Health Management Organizations) & Meaningful use.
Emergence of the prominent role of civil society organizations in healthcare delivery
Role of social media
The 12th five year plan has often been referred to as the plan for health, and I believe, that it is the right time to set up a committee to draft the new National Health Policy by 2015. Even if the committee is set up in early 2014, it will take at least a year to do the survey and complete the policy and so, most likely, the NHP would be tabled by 2015 and would cover a period of next 10 years (2015-2025).
We are sure that you will consider our request seriously and initiate the process for the new National Health Policy
With best wishes and with warm regards
Dr.Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister, Government of India.
Shri. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare
Dr.Syeda Hameed, Member, Planning Commission, Government of India
Chairperson, UPA
Presidents of all the National Political Parties
Healthcare policies in India: Setting the right priorities | Modernmedicare.co.in
Posted: March 21, 2013 | Author: Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta | Filed under: 12th Five Year Plan, Chronic Disease Management, Digital Health, Disease Management, eHealth, Healthcare, Healthcare System | Tags: Digital Health, eHealth, Healthcare in India, Healthcare reforms, Indian healthcare, Rajendra Pratap Gupta | 2 Comments
Healthcare policies in India: Setting the right priorities | Modernmedicare.co.in.
Healthcare policy of a political party
Posted: March 20, 2013 | Author: Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta | Filed under: 12th Five Year Plan, Chronic Disease Management, Digital Health, Disease Management, eHealth, Healthcare | Tags: Disease Management, Disease Management Association of India, DMAI, GDP on Health, healthcare financing in India, Rajendra Pratap Gupta | 1 Comment
I was on a call with a leading political party to discuss the Universal Health Coverage and i raised the following points for them to attend ;
1. Defining the UHC – We need to first define , what is Universal Health Coverage .
2. Focusing on execution – increasing the absorptive capacity on healthcare system – Even 1 % of GDP allocated to healthcare is not being used properly . How will we use 3 % ?
3. Ideating the UHC model – whether it should be pay for use ( except for BPL ) ? Anything free will be worse than what we have today
4. Using technology including telemedicine and mHealth
5. PPP for healthcare outcomes and delivery
Hopefully , this party will be taking care of these points as well . This is the third political party that has sought my views on its Health Policy
http://www.indianhealthcareblog.com
Implementing strategies focusing on Child Health through Ministry of Human Resource Development
Posted: February 24, 2013 | Author: Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta | Filed under: 12th Five Year Plan, Chronic Disease Management, Digital Health, Disease Management, Healthcare System | Tags: Child health, climate, Digital Health, Disease Management, DMAI, education, environment, health, medicine, NRHM, paediatrics, Rajendra Pratap Gupta, science, Telemedicine, women and child development | 1 Comment
President & Board Member
Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju
Union Minister for Human Resource Development
Shastri Bhawan, C- Wing, Dr.Rajendra Prasad road.
Subject: Implementing strategies focusing on Child Health through Ministry of Human Resource Development
Dear Dr.Raju,
I am sure this finds you doing well.
This note is a follow up on my earlier communications on including health education in school / college curriculum. Please refer
following communications;
Communication regarding Child Health dated 11th Feb,11 http://dmai.org.in/sites/default/files/Unhealthy_Promotions_MOHFW.pdf
Communication dated July 11, 2011 on the UN High level summit for Heads of States. http://dmai.org.in/sites/default/files/Note%20to%20PMO%20for%20UN%20Summit%20on%20NCD’s%20%20September’11.pdf
Communication dated 8th August 2011 regarding, Right to Preventive Care & child health . http://dmai.org.in/sites/default/files/Right%20to%20Preventive%20Care.pdf
Communication to Shri Kapil Sibal, Former HRD Minister, for including health in the school curriculum. http://dmai.org.in/sites/default/files/Healthcare%20in%20School%20Curriculam.pdf
Communication dated October 10th, 2012 to Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare on ‘Pre-emptive care’ focused on child health. http://dmai.org.in/Pre-emptive-Care-A-new-model-of-care.pdf
My address at the United Nations, on why we need to focus on Child Health? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCTKC4ndjsc
Implementing strategies to ensure good heath among children would require collaborative working between the
Ministry of Human Resource Development along with Ministry of Health & Family Welfare & the Ministry of
Women & Child Development & the Ministry of IT & Communications . We have been following this issue very
closely, and have sent numerous proposals and met up with various officials from time to time.
The following, if not yet implemented, would be a good step to promote child health ;
1. Start a chapter on hygiene & oral care from class 1 onwards
2. Create animated pictures and videos for children’s health that could be multilingual, and can be screened nationally in classes or using mobile health as a medium to disseminate the audio visuals .
3. Have a chapter and subject called ‘Essentials of health’ , which is exam based
4. Define child health and check-up guidelines on the lines of vaccination charts till the age of 15 years. This can
be done by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and incorporated in the school curriculum.
5. Child obesity is a serious issue, and this can be addressed by giving right knowledge about ‘Calorie exchanges’. Since parents teach the children, they will also get educated on the same and impact the family’s health. This must be added in school curriculum from class 3 onwards
6. Work outs or Yoga / mediation must be introduced in all schools
All schools must have ideal height / weight / age charts in all classes, and every 6 months these must be reported in the half-yearly and annual report card. The same way as attendance, neatness , punctuality etc. are reported in class report cards at the PTMs (Parents Teachers meetings)
It would be a great move if we start giving out 3 %marks or give a grading of A, B or C ( A for being fit for standards , B for borderline & needs improvement & C for being much below the child health metrics ), for various health indicators like dental hygiene, height and weight (BMI – Body Mass Index ), hemoglobin, Vitamin B & D etc.
Each school / college should have a full-time doctor / health educator
Junk foods & associated calorific intake needs adequate attention in school level awareness campaigns
Children do not realize the importance of having adequate quantity of water, and since, in school, they are sometimes restricted to go to toilets, it is high time that the guidelines are issued to all schools for adequate water consumption & availability of drinking water & toilets in school (It might sound trivial, but it is very
Important).
Hope this issue will be given the highest priority and attended at the highest level. We will be raising this issue in parliament though members of Parliament from different political parties
For this generation, we are already too late, but we must ensure that the next generation is a healthy one.
In hope of the needful
Shri. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare.
Shri Kapil Sibal, Minister for Communications & IT
Smt.Krishna Tirath, Minister of state (I/C) for Women & Child Development
Dr.Syeda Hameed, Member, Planning Commission, GOI.
Shri. T.K.A. Nair, Advisor to the Prime Minister.
Shri Keshav Desiraju, Health Secretary, GOI.
Shri Ashok Thakur, Secretary, Min. of HRD.
Shri Prem Narain, Secretary, Min. for Women & Child Development.
Dr.Jagdish Prasad, DGHS, MOHFW
Dr.K.Srinath Reddy, President, PHFI.
Address at the United Nations
Posted: February 14, 2013 | Author: Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta | Filed under: 12th Five Year Plan, Chronic Disease Management, Digital Health, Disease Management, eHealth, Healthcare, Healthcare System, mHealth, NCHRH, NRHM, Rural Health, Telehealth, Telemedicine, Uncategorized | Tags: Chronic Diseases, Digital Health, eHealth, GDP spends on Health, Healthcare in India, NCD's, NRHM, Rajendra Pratap Gupta, Rural Health, telehealth | Leave a comment
Rajendra Pratap Gupta spoke at the United Nations General Assembly Hall on the issue of NCDs ( Chronic Diseases). This was for the Heads of State Summit on NCDs.
UN post the MDG’s – Roundtable dated 13th Februrary , 2013
Posted: February 14, 2013 | Author: Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta | Filed under: 12th Five Year Plan, Chronic Disease Management, Digital Health, Disease Management, eHealth, Healthcare, Healthcare System, mHealth, NCHRH, Uncategorized | Tags: Extension of jobs under NRHM, Indian healthcare, NRHM, Regularization of NRHM workers | Leave a comment
Yesterday, i participated in the meeting of what the United Nations must do to the MDG’s ( millenium Development Goals ) post 2015 , when the MDG’s comes to an end in terms of the timeline .
I have suggested that ‘ without sustainable livelihoods for a family’ , MDG’s could never be achieved , so this must come at the forefront .
Access to ICT’s should be made a MDG
Improving life expectancy makes sense seeing the infant mortality and maternal mortality
Further , the MDG’s related to health be ‘clubbed’ and the definition be expanded to provide access to ‘ Preventive health’ as a MDG
Multi-skilling along with education needs to be put than the universal primary education as a MDG
Also, private sector needs to be involved in conceptualization , planning and execution . I further added , that , if the private sector was involved as a partner in MNAREGA and MRHM , things would have been different
Charity is as deep as profits …… time to work as a TEAM ( PPP), else ‘laudable’ goals will become ‘laughable’
Auditing of the unused budgetary allocations for Healthcare sector
Posted: January 2, 2013 | Author: Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta | Filed under: 12th Five Year Plan, Chronic Disease Management, Digital Health, Disease Management, eHealth, Healthcare, Healthcare System, mHealth, NCHRH, NRHM, Rural Health | Tags: Chronic Diseases, contractual workers in NRHM, extension of NRHM, NCD, NCD Policy, NCD's, NRHM | 1 Comment
Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi
6, Raisina road, New Delhi 110001
Ref: Auditing of the unused budgetary allocations for Healthcare sector
Dear Dr. Joshi,
Greetings from the Disease Management Association of India (DMAI).
This has reference to the meeting at your residence on 25th December 2012, and the discussions that we had on the Public Accounts Committee report on NRHM (PAC NO. 1939). I have gone through the PAC report submitted by your good self to the Parliament. I wish to draw attention to the following references in your report;
Page 9: Mission Steering Group (MSG) was required to periodically monitor progress of the mission and to meet twice a year. Audit scrutiny revealed that MSG met only four times in four years instead of 8 times as per the laid guidelines.
The delegation of powers to the MSG and EPC (Empowered Programme Committee) was subject to the condition that a progress report regarding NRHM, also indicating deviation from the financial norms and modifications in ongoing schemes, would be placed before the cabinet on an annual basis. However, during the past four years, the Mission had submitted a progress report to the Cabinet only once in August 2008 (as per the PAC report).
Page 12: Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in RCH services is not up to the expected levels
Page 18: Regarding composition & functioning of the VHSC (Village Health & Sanitation Committee)
Secretary Health’s statement,
“To be very honest with you, we have got a survey done recently by the Institute of Population Sciences, and yesterday they gave us a presentation. It is not a very happy picture on the village health societies. In many of them, people did not know if they existed; they did not know who the members are; they did not know if they are functioning; that was the finding of the planning Commission’s mid-term review also, when they had gone round the country and seen… that is VHND. There is certainly a vision in the NRHM when it was designed. That has not been fructified……….
“ Our experience with Panchayat raj is not good. They also complained about it. Half of the fund is not spent because he is the co-signatory – either he is not living in the village or if he is, he harasses her and why should she sign? The entire Panchayat raj system, with due respect, has not really worked; the ideal is one thing, but practically it is not; those who take interest, have got excellent experience, but those who are not interested, it is not good. It is very difficult for these people; it has not worked out well”.
Page 19: Health Secretary’s response on, “how the ministry ensures that the disbursal of funds by the state health societies to VHSCs is monitored”?
“This is a huge task for the states. They are finding it very difficult to keep a track of so many small accounts. But we have given them accountant at every block level. In a block there will be some 100 VHSCs. He should have been able to get these accounts and see what they have spent on and do the auditing. We will have to streamline it further and get them to do the auditing. But we suspect about Rs.100-200 Crore lying unspent. That is our present assessment”
Page 20: Table 3 highlights the gap between the funds released and expenditure.
Page 23: Point 55, “ However, the Ministry have clarified that actual utilization of the funds allocated shall depend upon a number of factors in particular the absorptive capacity of the system. In fact, one of the argument put forward by many is that while the actual allocation in the Eleventh Plan was lower than the original plan allocation, the actual expenditure has still been lower i.e. the system has not been able to utilize the curtailed outlay”
Page 28: “It may be observed that rural households account for around 55 % of the total out of pocket expenditure within the country”
Page 31: Audit examination revealed that 71 PHCs (11 per cent) in 15 states were functioning without an allopathic doctor. In 518 PHCs (86 per cent) of 28 States / UTs, an AYUSH doctor had never been appointed. 69 test checked PHCs were functioning without an allopathic doctor or an AYUSH doctor. This meant that population residing in their sphere of coverage had no doctor available at all in the public domain. In Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Punjab, Sikkim, Tripura and Lakshadweep, none of the test checked centres had an AYUSH doctor.
Page 33: “As per norms, Specialists are appointed only at CHCs level and not at PHCs level. As per the data available in Bulletin on Rural Health Statistics in India (Updated up to March 09), a total of 5789 specialists are in a position at CHCs across the country, as against the sanctioned posts of 9028 specialists…………”
Dr. Joshi, as discussed during our meeting, it is imperative that the PAC / CAG, or any competent independent regulator, starts the audit of unspent funds allocated for each social sector so that the benefit of the plan reaches the targeted population. As DMAI, we would be interested in pursuing this issue further with the concerned authorities. Also, a clear and enabling policy framework is required, so that the bureaucrats can take decisions without fear on fund allocation utilization, and the absorptive capacity of the system increases to 100 %.
I have been visiting the rural sub-centres and have been gathering first hand information about the impact of NRHM. This communiqué is marked to the PMO and MOHFW for information. Will meet you shortly with more details
Best wishes for a great year ahead, & tons of good wishes for your birthday, in advance. Wish you good health & long life.
CC: Dr.Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister,
Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, MOHFW
Dr.Syeda Hameed, Member, Planning Commission
Secretary – MOHFW
DGHS
President , PHFI
DMAI organises industry government meet
Posted: October 5, 2012 | Author: Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta | Filed under: 12th Five Year Plan, Digital Health, NRHM, Telehealth, Telemedicine | Leave a comment
DMAI organises industry government meet.
National Digital Health Plan
Posted: September 24, 2012 | Author: Prof. Rajendra Pratap Gupta | Filed under: 12th Five Year Plan, Chronic Disease Management, Digital Health, Disease Management, eHealth, Healthcare, Healthcare System, mHealth, NCHRH, NRHM, Rural Health, Telehealth, Telemedicine, Uncategorized | Tags: Chronic Diseases, Digital Health, Disease Management, eHealth, mHealth, mobile healthcare, POC diagnostics, Rajendra Pratap Gupta, Rural Health, telehealth, Telemedicine | 1 Comment
Dr.Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister,
7, Race Course road, New Delhi -110001.
Email/ speed-post
Reference: National Digital Health Plan (NDHP)
Dear Dr. Singh,
I am sending this note on behalf of DMAI – The Population Health Improvement Alliance.
About Disease Management Association of India (DMAI) Disease Management Association of India (DMAI – The Population Health Improvement Alliance), was formed by Executives from the Global Healthcare industry to bring all the stake holders of healthcare on one platform. DMAI has been successful in establishing an intellectual pool of top healthcare executives to become an enabler in building a robust healthcare system in India. India is on the verge of building its healthcare system, and it has a long way to go. DMAI is building the knowledge pool to contribute & convert ‘Ideas’ into ‘Reality’, for healthcare in India. DMAI is the only not-for-profit organization focused on population health improvement in India
Let me start by quoting Kathleen Sebelius, Health Secretary of the United States, “Mobile Healthcare is the biggest technology break-through of our time to address our greatest national challenge”. Ms. Sebelius said this last year at the mHealth summit in Washington DC. This statement is more relevant to our country as, though for the developed world, mHealth is another option for healthcare delivery but for a developing country like India, mHealth is the only option!
We urge upon your good selves to initiate the National Digital Health plan – NDHP (Digital Health means Telemedicine, mHealth & technology backed healthcare delivery) for India, and may be, consider to form an inter-ministerial group to give this a definite shape. According to WHO review in 2010, only a quarter of countries worldwide had drawn up a national telemedicine policy or strategy. Let us take the lead in setting up the National Digital Health Plan (NDHP).
With 6 billion mobile phones globally at the end of 2011 and about 960 million cell phones in India, mobile phones provide a matchless platform for delivering change at the grass roots and are a tool
To deliver programs aimed at economic & social inclusion & more importantly, inclusive healthcare.
We must think seriously & act now about incorporating Telemedicine & mHealth (mobile healthcare) in our healthcare system and building a road map of Digital Health for India. With over 800 million people living in rural India and about 640,000 villages as per the latest data of planning commission’s approach paper for the 12th five year plan, it is imperative that we build a national roadmap for telemedicine in India to address the issue of accessibility & affordability with sustainability on one side, and on the other side, for leveraging a global business opportunity for Indian entrepreneurs, like what IT (Information Technology) did to India’s growth story. It is time to replicate the IT success story this time using mHealth and help the industry build a few multi-billion dollar global corporations
Telemedicine is needed for delivering ‘Inclusive healthcare’ to India & also to serve across various sectors like in defence, help in job creation, veterans’ health and disaster management.
Defence services: We need Telemedicine through dedicated satellites for armed forces posted on Naval Ships and remote areas at the border and at Siachen. Also, the ECHS for ex-servicemen could have a healthcare facility through Telemedicine at various polyclinics .This must be initiated and the ECHS clinics must be connected with Army referral centers. US Veterans administration, for e.g., found that overall the practice of telemedicine / mHealth cuts hospitalization by 30 % & admissions for heart failure by 40 %
Disaster Management: During national disasters, Telemedicine & mHealth can be the only healthcare delivery channel for the affected areas and this calls for a Telemedicine road map under National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), at the Prime Minister’s office. During Tsunami in Japan, Continua Health Alliance members came together and gave a solution in a record time. It would have been a double catastrophe, if such a Tsunami ever destroyed paper medical records and the patients had to be moved to a remote place for treatment. Nothing could have been worked without medical devices which were interoperable and an EMR hosted over a cloud. This calls for immediate planning to avoid healthcare disaster along with a natural disaster!
Chronic Diseases: In the USA, FDA (Food & Drugs Administration) has started approving mHealth applications and two of the insurance companies recently agreed to pay for mHealth applications for diabetic patients. mHealth holds the promise to address the biggest challenge facing our nation i.e. chronic diseases & the implementation of secondary prevention program
With approximately 960+ million cell phone users; healthcare in India will converge to mHealth, and ultimately, this is where all practitioners, payers and users will converge too! It is time to look at mHealth as a tool for ‘Inclusive Healthcare’. With mHealth, ‘Universal Healthcare’ will move faster from a dream to reality!
Earlier, it was said that, ‘An apple a day keeps a doctor away’, and now it is being said rightly that, ‘An app ( mobile application ) a day keeps a doctor away’.
According to the PWC & Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) recent study – 2012, conducted in 10 countries including India, Patients believe that convenience, cost and quality of health in the next three years will change due to mhealth
According to this study;
59 % of the doctors and payers believe that the wide spread adoption of mhealth in their countries is inevitable
In the next 3 years,
57 % of the patients in emerging markets believe that mHealth apps / services will make healthcare more convenient
54 % of the patients in emerging markets believe that mHealth apps / services will improve the quality of care
53 % of the patients believe that mHealth apps / services will substantially reduce the overall cost of care
59 % of the emerging-market patients use at least one mHealth application or service.
The Department of Health, U.K. had set up a WSD (Whole System Denominator) program to help provide an evidence base for setting further policy in this field. This was claimed to be the largest randomized control trial of Telehealth & telecare in the world. The program was launched in May 2008 involving around 6200 patients and 238 GP practices. Early indications from WSD show that, if used correctly, Telehealth can deliver a 15 % reduction in accident & emergency visits, a 20 % reduction in emergency admissions, a 14 % reduction in elective admissions, a 14 % reduction in bed days and an 8 % reduction in tariff costs. They also demonstrate a 45 % reduction in mortality rates
According to Lord Nigel Crisp, Former CEO of NHS, U.K. (National Health Service) and Member, House of Lords, ‘In UK, NHS direct started free health advice service over phone. It has over 6 million subscribers, over 10% of the country’s population’.
For chronic disease patients, Home care based ‘Nuvola It Home Doctor system’ was developed by Telecom Italia in the Piedmont region. As a part of the policy to bring health services closer to the community, patients suffering from chronic diseases monitor certain biological parameters using traditional electro-medical devices and send them to the Telecom Italia data center, using a dedicated mobile phone provided by the hospital. Home-based care is estimated to cost 180 euros compared to 700-1000 euros in hospital. mHealth based home care can provide tremendous relief to geriatric patients in India, in addition to psychiatric patients with the existing ratio of psychiatrists: population nearing 1: 10, 00000
OPD workload in Government district hospitals: In India, the biggest problem in district hospitals is the patient overload in OPD (Outdoor patients department).
By using mHealth / telemedicine, we can provide right timely interventions at the point of care and cut this OPD overload anywhere by 30-60 %.
mHealth as a tool for diplomacy: A few years ago, ISRO had taken up some key initiatives along with the Ministry of External affairs for setting up the ‘PAN network’. It is time to revive that actively, and provide remote consultations, not just in India but in developing countries of Asia & Africa. Telemedicine can be a good tool for diplomacy. I had made a keynote presentation at Lahore, Pakistan under Aman-ki-Asha in May 2012, and telemedicine and mhealth was a key point of discussion to increase collaboration between the two countries. Healthcare is the most impactful tool for political diplomacy with our neighbours who have similar challenges when it comes to healthcare.
Rural Health: With over 640,000 villages where doctors are not willing to work, technology seems to be the best solution and mHealth appears to be the best technology
In Turkey, Acibadem Mobile runs a mHealth nutrition service with 450,000 members. Also, in less than two years, an emergency healthcare service offered in conjunction with Turkish Telecom has grown to 100,000 members. . In Mexico, Medicall Home has five million subscribers who pay US $5 a month on their phone bills in order to access medical advice
Across the border, in Bangladesh, Grameenphone has set up Healthlink to allow its customers to talk to the doctors 24 X 7. This service has fielded 3.5 million calls in the last six years
Strengthening India’s healthcare system: Also, India is presently building on its healthcare system, and the 12th Five Year Plan has been referred to as the ‘Plan for Health’! Now is the right time for the policy makers to ensure that technology is embedded in all programs that the Government is planning to rollout for healthcare delivery. In specific, mHealth has tremendous potential to reduce costs, improve the reach and access to Health Care, make the healthcare system more outcomes driven, and more importantly, help in establishing an ‘empowered patient’.
According to the EIU PWC report 2012, USA has been at the forefront of mobile health deployments in the world. Almost 40 % of the solutions deployed work towards strengthening the healthcare systems. mHealth is not just promising but truly transformative to healthcare. From pill reminder, training of health workers, reducing IM / MMR, T.B. – DOTS, HIV treatment compliance to quitting smoking to managing diabetes, obesity & emergency surgeries, mHealth is becoming an integral part of healthcare delivery. It is time for the best brains to work on mHealth with all stake holders in healthcare delivery
In my view, mHealth is the only option in India, where people pay 2/3rd of the healthcare costs and only 1/3rd get healthcare in the real sense.
Seeing the potential of telemedicine, & mHealth in particular, India needs a roadmap for mHealth / Telemedicine encompassing areas of rural health, tribal health, chronic disease management, disaster management, defense services, coastal healthcare services etc.
Following might be helpful in building the digital health road map for India
Focus areas that need to be considered in the NDHP Ministry / Deptt / Org. involved
Incorporating Digital Health in Medical education / training MCI, NIFW, MOHFW
ESIC clinics connected via Telemedicine & home care
facilities provided through mHealth for ex-servicemen MOD / ISRO
Sub-centers in rural areas to be replaced gradually
with mobile health Units (MHU’s & this could Consider under MNAREGA,
also double as medical ambulances at the time NRHM – MOHFW
of emergency in rural areas)
mHealth national grid MOHFW/ML&E/ MOD/MIT
National / Regional IVR Health helplines on the lines of 108 MOHFW / State Govts
mHealth for Chronic disease management MOHFW
Skills Development for Digital Health NSDC / MHRD
Telemedicine / mHealth under Disaster Management – NDMA PMO
Regulation of tariffs ( special tariffs for mHealth services) TRAI
Mental health Telemedicine Network MOHFW
Checking counterfeit & Spurious medicines using mHealth Deptt. of Pharmaceuticals
Healthcare facilities in Jails Min. of Home Affairs
National IT policy 2011 & health as a mission mode project Min. of Comm. & IT
National Institute of telemedicine & mHealth MOHFW
DST- TDB could set up ‘mHealth innovation village’
like the Startup village in Kochi DST, TDB / CHA
Electronic Health Record – RSBY MOL & E / HIMSS / CHA
ECHS / Naval Telemedicine / Siachen / borders MOD / MHA / ISRO
mHealth for Tribal health & North Eastern states MDONER / MTA
Civil Aviation / airports MOCA / ISRO
Social media strategy for health Min. of Comm & IT / HIMSS
Medical Devices standards & Interoperability Min. of Comm. & IT /CHA
Electronic Health records for all new born’s MOCWD / CHA /HIMSS
Treatment protocols for various diseases ICMR / PHFI / AIIMS
Enactment National Telemedicine / Digital Health Act MOHFW/Min. of Legal Affairs
Applications Venture fund for telemedicine TDB / DST
Digital adoption lifecycle benchmarking of different states Planning Commission /HIMSS
National Cloud computing policy for healthcare MIT / MOHFW / HIMSS
Privacy / data security issues of patients MOHFW / BIS / CHA
e-Prescription policy ( Electronic / digital prescription) MOHFW / MIT /HIMSS
On the acceptability & adoption front for telemedicine & mHealth, let me quote examples; a rural telemedicine service provider in Indi has done about 200,000 consultations with 30-40 % repeat visits, across states of U.P. , Bihar, Karnataka & Maharashtra . A leading eye care hospital does over 2.5 lac telemedicine consultations every year and another eye care hospital does over 1.5 lac telemedicine consultations in a year in India.
EMRI – 108 services in Andhra Pradesh is on a PPP model, and this service receives 58000+ calls per day with 4800+ emergencies a day and has saved 20165 lives. A true example of successful mHealth / telemedicine in our own country!
HMRI -104 (Health Management Research Institute, A.P.), is about providing information on health, counseling and healthcare services via health helpline. Till May, 2008, it received 51000 calls per day. Medical advice given to 40860, counseling attended- 7493, information of health facilities provided- 6331 & complaint calls received on healthcare facilities- 253. Top 10 ailments attended were recurrent abdominal pain, back pain, knee pain, cough, hair loss, chest pain, and eye pain or problems with eyelids, rash, pain in ankles or feet, belching, growing stomach or gas.
I had a chance to visit these facilities personally and observe the calls from patients / public, and I must say that this is something every Indian must have access to, rich or poor ! With an average cost per call of Rs.9, this is definitely a successful telemedicine & mhealth model for implementation in India. http://nrhm-mis.nic.in/UI/MEActivities/goa_web/PDFs/02-05-08_pdf/Pre%20Lunch/Goa%20presentation_AP.pdf
Also, I have visited remote places in Wardha district of Maharashtra, where mHealth has been used by rural health workers and has helped reduce maternal mortality from 91 per lac to 51 per lac in a period of about 1 ½ years with an approximate investment of Rs.4000 per village . There was a 43.95 % reduction in MMR using simple phones, through text messaging and covering high risk expectant mothers with the existing network of anganwadi workers
According to the GSMA deployment tracker, currently there are around 300 commercial deployments globally. (http://apps.wirelessintelligence.com/tracker/, extracted in Dec 2011).
So clearly, mHealth & telemedicine is fast pervading and showing its impact on the healthcare system in India
Digital Health & Medical tourism: India is fast losing to other South East Asian nations as a centre of excellence for medical tourism due to lack of IT usage in its hospitals and dismal usage of mhealth / telemedicine. International patients follow the international electronic data / medical records standards , and also would like to connect with their care givers using telemedicine , and if we do not promote EMR & telemedicine through hospitals , India is likely to lose billions of dollars in revenue which otherwise could accrue through foreign patients seeking treatment in Indian facilities
Healthcare program reporting, review & timely interventions: Currently, the healthcare data is reaching after months and in some cases well over two years. This could become live and actionable for timely interventions by using GPS enabled devices & e-reporting. Solutions are already available and are scalable. It is the right time to adopt the same in NRHM, and create a national household medical record (NHMR) for the families in rural / urban India. This will help us study the epidemiology & family health risk assessment. May be, we must make it compulsory to ensure that all the 18 million new born’s must have the electronic health record and then move upwards to put an electronic health record for all Indians, post the national screening program. At least, the next generation must be having a digital health record right from birth so we do not have to change the system backwards for them in future.
So, for sure, mHealth & Telemedicine is a proven model for care delivery, and we need to support it in a more structured and institutional manner for the next 5 years .
It is beyond doubt that , mhealth will add efficiency to affordability , acceptability , accessibility & efficiency on one hand , and create about 2 million jobs and also add about 0 .5 % of growth in the GDP at a minimum in the next 5 years .
Inclusive innovation & inclusive growth have now added a new dimension, i.e. ‘inclusive healthcare’, with digital health being the starting point. mHealth is the fastest solution to the oldest problem of reaching the unreachable! We must seriously consider deploying at least 3 % of our total healthcare budget on ICT, and this will certainly make the data live and lead to timely interventions and thus saving lives, establishing accountability of the service provider through periodic reviews and bring transparency in functioning of the various programs
US FDA has approved mobile health applications for diabetes management besides others, and two insurance companies have agreed to reimburse mobile health applications for treatment of diabetes. This development indicates that the big multi-billion untapped market of the developed world is waiting to be tapped and the government needs to step in, like it did to develop multi-billion dollar corporations in the field of Information Technology. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) & Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC )report 2012, mHealth market is likely to be USD 23 Billion by 2017, and Asia Pacific market will be 30 % at USD 6.8 Billion .If we work towards setting the right enabling policies for mHealth, Indian companies would grab a major portion of this market, like we did for IT industry a few decades ago. Besides, given the technical & competent manpower in India, mHealth & telemedicine can do for country what IT revolution has done for India! This calls for a dedicated action group on Digital Health (mHealth & telemedicine) .
mHealth & Telemedicine is becoming the focus area for all the major healthcare systems across the world, and given India’s expertise in this area, India can become a global provider of products and services in the field of Telemedicine & mHealth. We believe mHealth can add at least 0.5 % to country’s GDP in the next 3 – 5 years, create at least 5 billion dollar companies in mHealth, and lead to creation of over 20,00,000 (2 million) jobs directly by becoming a Global leader in this space. If two persons are deployed in every village for Telemedicine, and considering that India has over 6,40,000 villages, we will create over 1.2 million jobs directly just in rural India and this could be a worthwhile project to be considered for funding under MNAREGA scheme that will not only create jobs, but also lead to better health for rural India and lead to tremendous savings under NRHM expense head!
The good point is that, we have a least complex healthcare system in India, and we are building it up. Also, we have quite receptive and friendly policy makers who are willing to try initiatives.
Hopefully, we will lead and show the world an outcome driven & a self-sustainable healthcare delivery model built on strong foundations.
Over the past few years, I had a good experience working with policy makers across geographies and it has been a wonderful experience, especially in India, working with different stake holders to discuss new ideas and policies aimed at better healthcare options for the common man.
This is not a complete or a reference document but just to initiate a few discussion points. Should your office or any concerned organization, department or ministry need more inputs or support, my colleagues at the World Economic Forum, The Telemedicine Society of India, HIMSS & Continua Health Alliance, would be more than glad to volunteer and assist. I am sure that this submission will also be considered positively by the various stake holders in the Government and acted upon, so that we can see large scale deployment of mHealth & telemedicine projects in all major departments and programs of the Government making healthcare accessible and affordable to provide timely advice & right interventions for the common man 24 X 7.
Yours in good health
Member, World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council – Digital Health
Board Member, Care Continuum Alliance, Washington DC. USA
Executive Council member, Telemedicine Society of India
President & Member of the Board, Disease Management Association of India (DMAI).
http://www.dmai.org.in
Mrs.Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson , NAC.
Dr.M.M.Joshi, Chairman, Parliamentary Accounts Committee .
Dr.Sam Pitroda, Chairman, National Innovation Council, GOI.
Shri A.K. Antony, Hon’ble Minister of Defence , GOI.
Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Hon’ble Minister for Health & Family Welfare, GOI
Shri Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for HRD/ Comm & IT, GOI
Shri Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister for Rural Development, GOI.
Shri Ajit Singh, Union Minister for Civil Aviation, GOI
Shri Salman Khurshid, Union Minister for Law, GOI
Smt. Krishna Tirath, Union Minister of state (I/C) for Women & Child Development, GOI
Shri Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of state for home affairs, GOI.
Shri Sachin Pilot, Union Minister of State for Comm. & IT, GOI
Dr.Syeda Hameed, Member, Planning Commission, GOI
Shri. P.K.Pradhan, Secretary – HFW, GOI
Shri. Keshav Desiraju, Addl Secy – HFW, GOI
Shri. Anil Swarup, Joint – Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment, GOI
Mrs. Anu Garg, Joint Secretary – HFW, GOI
Shri Harkesh Mittal, Secretary, Technology Development Board, GOI
Shri Rajeev Aggarwal, Secretary, TRAI, GOI
Shri Shankar Aggarwal, Addl Secy, MOD, GOI
Dr.Jagdish Prasad, DGHS, GOI
Dr.V.M.Katoch, Secretary DHR & DG, ICMR. GOI
Director, NIFW, MOHFW, GOI
Governors, MCI.
Chairman, ISRO.
Dilip Chenoy, Managing Director, NSCDCL,
Board of HIMSS Asia Pacific India chapter
President, Continua Health Alliance
Board, Telemedicine Society of India
Board members, Disease Management Association of India.
NDHP: National Digital Health Plan
MOHFW: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
MHA: Ministry of Home Affairs
PHFI: Public Health Foundation of India
HFW: Health & Family Welfare
DGHS: Director General of Health Services
MCI: Medical council of India
TDB: Technology Development Board
DST: Department of Science & Technology
NIFW: National Institute of Family Welfare
TRAI: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
MOD: Ministry of defence
MNAREGA: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
NRHM: National Rural Health mission
MOL & E: Ministry of Labour & Employment
MCWD: Ministry of Child & Women Development
MIT: Ministry of Information Technology
MHRD: Ministry of Human Resource Development
MDONER: Ministry of Development for North East Region
MTA: Minister of Tribal Affairs
PMO: Prime Minister’s office
MOCA: Ministry of Civil Aviation
ICMR: Indian Council of Medical Research
BIS: Bureau of Indian Standards
CHA: Continua Health Alliance
HIMSS: Healthcare Information Management & Systems Society
NSDC: National Skills Development Corporation
Min: Ministry
Deptt: Department
Org: Organization
EMR: Electronic Medical Records
ISRO: Indian Space Research Organization
Reports referred in this note:
Touching lives through mobile health by PWC
A Better insight to mHealth adoption
Telehealth Report 2011 by Telemedicine Society of India ( www.telemedicinecongress.com )
Emerging mHealth: paths for growth by PWC
State Health Policy – Uttar Pradesh
Smart Villages – key to sustaining the Smart cities project
This TeD Talk will change the way you look at Health / Healthcare
mHealth is the winner
NHS report is now available
NCHRH
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3188
|
__label__wiki
| 0.622381
| 0.622381
|
by Paul Lilly — Tuesday, April 29, 2014, 01:00 PM EDT
Several Governments Warn Users To Switch To Chrome Or Firefox In Wake Of IE Exploit
If you haven't already, you should consider dropping Internet Explorer and using a browser like Chrome or Firefox, at least until Microsoft rolls out a fix for a zero day vulnerability that reportedly affects nearly every version of IE. Worse yet, if you're still stubbornly rocking Windows XP for whatever reason, this is potentially a permanent vulnerability -- Microsoft dropped support for the legacy operating system earlier this month.
The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) is one of several governments that suggests employing an alternate browser.
"US-CERT is aware of active exploitation of a use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer. This vulnerability affects IE versions 6 through 11 and could allow unauthorized remote code execution," US-CERT warns.
Microsoft says it's aware of hackers using this vulnerability in targeted attacks, which is something security outfit FireEye Research Labs has seen. If you must use IE -- a requirement for work applications, for example -- be wary of clicking on links in instant messaging applications or in emails. One of the more common methods of exploiting this zero day bug is by convincing users to click on a URL that will bring them to a malicious website.
According to FishEye Research Labs, the exploit leverages a previously unknown use-after-free vulnerability, and uses a well-known Flash exploitation technique to achieve arbitrary memory access and bypass Windows' ASLR and DEP protections.
"This vulnerability, for which (at the time of writing) Microsoft has not yet issued a patch, affects Internet Explorer running on any version of the Windows Operating System although Microsoft has indicated that versions of Windows Server and Microsoft mail applications are protected to some degree," CERT-UK, the U.K. equivalent of US-CERT, stated in a blog post.
Tags: Firefox, Internet Explorer, Chrome, security, Browser, NASDAQ:MSFT
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3193
|
__label__wiki
| 0.577244
| 0.577244
|
Raging Grannies join other groups in protesting Facebook’s political ad policy
Local members of the Raging Grannies Action League (left in photo) joined with representatives from Media Alliance and Global Exchange in a protest in front of Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park yesterday to call attention to the social media company’s practice of accepting political ads even if they have demonstrably false information in them.
“As culture jammers, Raging Grannies use street theater and other tactics to foster progressive change,” emailed Granny Ruth Robertson. “Some of our actions are pretty spontaneous and low-key like when we decided to dress up as grandmothers in headscarves and aprons busy at the task of cleaning house at [yesterday’s] protest. We waved feather dusters and brooms and carried signs that said ‘Facebook Clean Up Your Act!'”
The action came on the same day the Facebook announced that it was updating its Ad Library to increase the level of transparency it provides for people, giving them more control over the ads they see.
“Ultimately, we don’t think decisions about political ads should be made by private companies, which is why we are arguing for regulation that would apply across the industry,” wrote Rob Leathern, Facebook Director of Product Management in a blog post.
“The Honest Ads Act is a good example — legislation that we endorse and many parts of which we’ve already implemented — and we are engaging with policy makers in the European Union and elsewhere to press the case for regulation too. Frankly, we believe the sooner Facebook and other companies are subject to democratically accountable rules on this the better.
“We recognize this is an issue that has provoked much public discussion — including much criticism of Facebook’s position. We are not deaf to that and will continue to work with regulators and policy makers in our ongoing efforts to help protect elections.”
Photo by Chris Cassell, Pro Bono Photo
Frances Griffin January 11, 2020 at 4:56 am
It has become clear that the Facebook business model, which at first seemed neutral,(if you don’t mind having your data being sold and your friends’ privacy invaded) is actually a very destructive force. In effect, it feeds hatred and divisiveness. If Facebook cannot manage its site better than it has to date, it must get out of the news and political ads business. There is too much at stake.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3199
|
__label__cc
| 0.66387
| 0.33613
|
Corsair axi vs hxi vs rmi
Meraki mx84 power consumption
Chapter 2 reading informational text answer key
2006 f150 rattle at startup
Chihuahua wanted
Mole conversion practice answers
Working with a highly skilled and experienced Texas parole attorney is an investment in your love one’s freedom & future. Call Trent Marshall 817-435-4795. 817-435-4795
Jul 15, 2020 · A revised parole plan should address the release considerations of section 5A and 5B of the Act and include details of a significant change in circumstances, protective strategies and supports the prisoner will utilise to lead a law abiding life if released in the community on parole.
Delta wing rc
Mobile perk rs3If you give specifics in your letter, be certain those specifics are undeniable, quantifiable truth. Finally, sign and date your letter and make a copy. When you send it, send it return receipt so ...
Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 19A-MI-1092 | January 30, 2020 Page 2 of 9 [1] On July 30, 2014, Anthony Padgett was released to parole for his conviction for Class C felony child molesting. Following a February 9, 2017, revocation hearing, the parole board found that Padgett had violated two conditions of his
NORTH CAROLINA PAROLE COMMISSION, ) Defendant ) On discretionary review pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 7A-31 of a unanimous decision of the Court of Appeals, 118 N.C. App. 544, 456 S.E.2d 333 (1995), affirming the 23 March 1994 decision of the Industrial Commission which dismissed the plaintiff's claims.
Cadence pstb analysis
Mindfulness poems about gratitudeSep 20, 2012 · The Parole Board will meet October 1st to consider Carter’s 2012 request for parole. Therefore, it is imperative that we write and submit letters to the parole board in opposition to parole for Carter as soon as possible. For instructions concerning submittal of your letter, go to www.keeprickycarterinjail.com. Please send me a copy of your ...
Jan 21, 2015 · In 2013, Ann Arbor federal Judge John Corbett O’Meara said a Michigan law that denies parole opportunities for teens is unconstitutional. An appeals court suspended that decision and will hear ...
West Virginia Parole Board 1356 Hansford Street Suite B Charleston, WV 25301 Phone: 304-558-6366 Fax: 304-558-5678
Wilson county tn police scanner
How to fight insubordination claimJul 03, 2020 · A Georgia pedophile sentenced to 1,000 years in prison was let out on parole following an appeals court ruling, prompting the district attorney to lament that he was “powerless to stop it.…
Court of Appeals is not appropriate. Be sure to send a copy of the letter to the clerk, prosecutor, and trial attorney. 3. Mootness: a. A probation revocation appeal is not moot if the defendant is released from prison before the appeal ends because there are collateral consequences to an order revoking probation. State v.
May 09, 2014 · Attorneys for Barry Beach have sent a letter to the Parole Board disputing correspondence from former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot. ... Barry Beach's trial and his attempts to appeal his 1984 ... Noctua 3900x
Introduction to physics notes
Remarried empress chapter 21Sep 11, 2006 · Justices McClellan, Michael Adams and Megan Latham dismissed Knight's appeal. Justice Adams said the mutilation was so closely linked with the killing that "it must be regarded as an integral part ...
Generally, the appeal process begins with an appeal of a decision to the Division of Unemployment Insurance. After a hearing takes place and a decision is made, that decision may then be appealed to the Industrial Claim Appeals Office.
Ontario corrections covid
Ambiano egg cooker manual
Apr 22, 2020 · MANILA, Philippines -- The Department of Justice (DOJ) has approved the resolution of the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP) that widens the coverage and reduces some requirements when applying for
www.mansonfamilytoday.info
Feb 25, 2019 · Parole is a conditional release from prison before the end of your sentence term is completed. Any violation of the conditions of parole can result in your returning to jail. Read this FindLaw article to learn about parole violation and potential penalties.
Aug 04, 2020 · The family members and the Monterey County District Attorney’s office plan to appeal this decision to the full Board of Parole Hearings and the Governor, said Pacioni. SEASIDE, Calif. —
Rahul Gupta 123 Park Avenue, Iselin, NJ 08830 USA Home: 732-391-9293 Work: 732-733-4087 June 22, 2019 USCIS Texas Service Center P.O. Box 851182 Mesquite, TX 75185-1182
Generate mac address python
The parole board denied Keith’s parole and set the next parole hearing for 62 months later. In explaining its rationale, the board cited several factors and stated that Keith had been paroled eight times. {¶ 7} Keith sent a letter to Mausser requesting that the decision be
Feb 21, 2019 · SUMMARY. February 21, 2019. 2019COA28. No. 18CA0930, People v. Melnick— Criminal Procedure — Postconviction Remedies — Unlawful Revocation of Parole, Probation, or Conditional Release; Criminal Law — Rights of Defendant — Postconviction remedy. In this postconviction case, a division of the court of appeals must determine whether a parolee who appeals his parole revocation to the Appellate Board of the Colorado State Board of Parole is thereafter barred from raising the same issues ...
Changes to Parole Board hearings due to Covid-19. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, several important changes to the Parole Board process have taken place to protect the health and safety of all those involved in the parole hearing process.
General Conditions of Parole. The following conditions of parole apply to all parolees: 1. You must report in person within 24 hours to the district office or sub-office, and do not leave that district without prior written permission of the parole supervision staff. 2.
Oct 18, 2018 · Washington state’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday that sentencing youth offenders to life in prison without parole is unconstitutional, joining 20 states and Washington D.C. who’ve already ...
Sep 18, 2018 · North Carolina appeals judges say a prisoner convicted of first-degree murder must have the chance to be released one day since he committed the crimes at age 17.
Aug 20, 2015 · A man convicted of plotting his girlfriend's murder 15 years ago maintained his innocence Thursday, even as a Baltimore County judge sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Jul 06, 2018 · 90’s killer appeals parole decision. Christopher Alexander serving life sentece for brutal killing of Kitimat mom. Jul. 6, 2018 12:00 a.m. News
Osrs ironman crafting guide 2020
The role of the Parole Board. The roles and responsibilities of the Parole Board. Find out what the Parole Board does
The Board of Parole panel, generally comprised of 2 or 3 members, reviews the incarcerated individual's file, letters in support of or opposition to release, and recommendations from district attorneys, sentencing courts, and defense attorneys to determine release.
The California Lifer parole process is complex, heavily discretionally and very often frustrating to both prisoners and their families. Families want to be supportive and helpful but often can't understand why their prisoner isn't coming home, despite exemplary institutional behavior, letters of support and years, even decades, in prison.
Dec 08, 2009 · The letter must include a brief explanation of the reasons for denying parole and notify the alien that he or she may request redetermination of parole based upon changed circumstances or additional evidence relevant to the alien's identity, security risk, or risk of absconding.
That notification provided: In order to be considered for an appellate review, a written request must be received within forty-five (45) days from the date this decision is signed. The request must be mailed to: Board of Parole, Attn: Appeals Unit, 404 James Robertson Parkway, Suite 1300 Nashville, TN [.]
Making an appeal. This is when you try to change the decision made by the court about your conviction or your sentence. • Think carefully before you decide to appeal. Sometimes, if the appeal is not successful, the court may decide that the time you spend in prison to make your appeal will be extra to your sentence.
Apr 10, 2015 · Keith Kutska's parole was denied despite a letter from the sentencing judge urging commissioners to release him "at the earliest possible date," according to the parole board's written decision ...
At a sentencing hearing following Mr. Jones’s conviction, the judge said he considered “both mitigating and the aggravating circumstances,” and then imposed life without-parole. On appeal to ...
Appeal requests must be submitted no later than 45 days after the offender receives notification of the Board's final parole decision. If the Board directs that an appeal hearing should be granted, the hearing will be scheduled on the next available docket and the decision from that hearing is final.
Home theater projector screen
Dec 16, 2020 · In an appeal letter, you state the situation or event, explain why you think it was wrong or unjust, and state what you hope the new outcome will be. Your appeal letter is your chance to share your side of the situation. The goal of an appeal letter is to have a decision reconsidered, and hopefully overturned.
Let me assure you that, if parole is granted, he has the support of his entire family. We will give him all the personal and emotional help he needs to avoid returning to a negative lifestyle. Download this letter of recommendation — free!
Optional: Provide letters of support from family, friends or community members. Note on Voting Restoration Pardons: Unlike commutations, and other pardons, there is no application or process for applying for a pardon specifically to acquire voting rights while under parole supervision. The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision ...
If a request for humanitarian parole is denied, USCIS or ICE will mail a denial letter to the petitioner, beneficiary, and any representative of record. Denial cannot be appealed. The decision is final.
The Bureau of Probation and Parole oversees the supervision of parolees in the community. Parole is the release of an offender from imprisonment to the community by the Commission of Pardons and Parole prior to the expiration of his or her sentence, subject to conditions imposed which include a term of supervised release.
A parole assessment report completed by the Department of Corrections. If the offender were to be released on parole or released on conditions, how they would be managed. Summary of facts, sentencing notes and pre-sentence reports. Any restorative justice processes undertaken. Specialist reports. Submissions from victims and police.
Aug 02, 2020 · Tips for Writing a Business Letter . Review letter samples, including cover letters, interview thank you letters, follow-up letters, job acceptance, and rejection letters, resignation letters, appreciation letters, and more business and employment-related letter samples and writing tips.
A parole hearing for Michael D. Magers will take place in December, a report from Seneca County Prosecutor Derek DeVine's office states. Magers has served 17 years and two months in prison at the Marion Correctional Institution, 940 Marion-Williamsport Rd., Marion. He was sentenced to at least 18 years in prison by Judge Steve Shuff in July 2003 upon a conviction of murder and a gun charge.
Arvest credit card balance transfer
The man who shot and killed a Nepean police officer more than three decades ago has lost another bid for parole and deportation.
Mar 06, 2015 · Perfecting the Appeal. After filing the Notice of Appeal, the appeal must be perfected. This means you need to get the case ready for the Appellate Court. This may include getting a transcript of the trial, preparing the record on appeal, writing and serving a brief and getting the case on the court’s calendar.
Icarsoft cr pro vs eu pro
Blood during pregnancy 8 weeks
Hollywood in hindi dubbed movie download
Minecraft military vehicles addon
Crucial p1 1tb vs intel 660p 1tb
Merbau decking off cuts
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3208
|
__label__wiki
| 0.518102
| 0.518102
|
Something I Did Not Know I Was Missing
I went to Ireland with my two children in March/April of 2018. This was the first time that I had ever been. I always had the impression that Ireland was similar to the U.K. The trip completely dispelled that myth. I thought Ireland and the Irish people were beautiful and I came away with the belief that Ireland and the U.K. were as different as France and the U.K. Needless to say, I had a...
Paddling in the Wake of St. Patrick & Game of Thrones
Looking for a truly exceptional adventure? Paddleboarding is the fastest growing sport in the world, and Ireland offers an abundance of waterways – some challenging, some less so – and, as our intrepid Canadian couple discovered, all flanked by stunning landscapes of mountains, lakes, coastlines, and islands. ℘℘℘ We wanted to drink in Ireland’s audaciously green spring, but do as much...
Canada Game of Thrones Northern Ireland paddleboarding St. patrick Travel travel to Ireland water transportation Your Travel Story
Mighty Mayo
Steeped in history with landscapes that go from brilliant beaches to windswept boglands, lakes, mountains to islands, pilgrimage sites to pirate queens, Mayo has it all. ℘℘℘ There’s something about Mayo… Oh, the Green and Red of Mayo I can see it still Its soft and craggy bogland Its tall majestic hills Where the ocean kisses Ireland And the waves caress its shore Oh the...
County Mayo Mayo Travel
Take a walk (or a drive) on the wild side. West Cork offers an abundance of wildlife, nature, and scenery. ℘℘℘ Is there a more intriguing place in Ireland than West Cork? On a recent trip, I was dazzled by the wild beauty of its rugged coastline. I loved its small towns and villages, each buzzing with life. And I was thrilled to uncover its history through sites that still hold echoes of...
Bantry Bay Beara Cape Clear Clonakilty Cork Dursey Island Eccles Hotel Garnish Island Glengarriff Heir Island Inchydoney Beach Kinsale Mizen Head Peninsulas Roaring Water Bay Rosscarbery Sheep's Head Sherkin Skibbereen Tourism Travel West Cork
Home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, County Galway also features and ancient city with ties to Spain that doubles as a modern-day thriving university town. ℘℘℘ To Hell or to Connaught, roared Cromwell’s troops. At the time, it was the direst of punishments, but if you were banished to this Irish province today and ended up in County Galway, you would...
Aran Islands Barna Carna Claregalway Clifden Connemara Galway Races Kilkieran Kylemore Abbey Latin Quarter Oughterard Spain Spanish Arch Spiddal The Quiet Man
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3210
|
__label__cc
| 0.633256
| 0.366744
|
JazzLocal32.com
Jazz Blog
Jazz & literature
Jazz on Lockdown ~ Hear it Here
Jazz Photography (John Fenton)
John Fenton Poetry
James Waples
Chris Cody – ‘Not My Lover’
December 21, 2015 December 21, 2015 / JazzLocal32.com / Leave a comment
Due to the timing of the Chris Cody album ‘Not My Lover’, some jumped to the conclusion that his Jazz love letter to Paris was in response to the recent atrocities. In fact Cody recorded it well before those tragic events and much to the relief of family and friends he was safely in Australia at the time. The City of Light has the strongest of Jazz associations and Cody captures that intimate relationship perfectly. You can feel the ebb and flow of the city’s life running through his fingertips as he plays. The beauty of the architecture, the elegant Seine, the mad driving through the twisted maze of streets. Through his perceptive lens we gain a sense of the city which for hundreds of years has welcomed visiting creative artists to its heart; regardless of creed or colour. We also catch a fleeting glimpse of the harsher realities hidden behind the gorgeous facade.
Cody is a man of great charm and warmth and the compositions echo his urbane humanity. The album he has crafted is more than a collection of tunes loosely referencing Paris. When you listen carefully you realise that it is a soundtrack for the city; sonic impressionism. His deft pointillism revealing a Paris with its exotic and often troubled connections to North Africa, the complex realities of its political life, its restless intellectualism and the almost mythical sophistication of its women.
On tenor is Karl Laskowski, an important Australian saxophonist who was heard to such great effect on Mike Nocks ‘Hear and Know’ album. Cody albums typically feature the trombone prominently, but this is an exception. The textures are therefore different and in writing for tenor saxophone the piano and horn form an interwoven intimacy. Whereas the trombone is a voice calling up from the streets, the tenor speaks of cafe’s and basement night clubs. On bass is Brendon Clarke who I know best from his association with the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra and tenor player Roger Manins. Lastly there is James Waples on drums. Another highly respected musician and one who regularly features in Nock lineups. This band is the business.
There are ten tracks on the album. Eight by Cody plus ‘I Love Paris’ (Porter) and La Javanaise (Gainsburg). I have heard Cody play ‘I love Paris’ a number of times and the way he voices it and swings puts me in mind of the mature Hampton Hawes (Clarke, Waples and Cody interact so well here). The title track ‘Not My Lover’ is fabulous, with its sensuous moody introduction overtaken by a lively fast-paced segment which dances and moves delightfully. It is not a big leap to imagine it as the soundtrack for one of those timeless gritty neorealist French movies. Laskowski and Cody stand out here. Lastly I must comment on Cody’s composition ‘For Satie’. Satie is variously described as the father of modernism, the first minimalist etc. Which ever way people choose to remember him, his avant-garde approach caused a seismic shift in music. In this piece Cody has respectfully captured his essence. Capturing Satie, a man of few notes and delicate sensibilities required good taste and deft touch. That is Cody in a nutshell. Below is the title track ‘Not My Lover’.
https://jon4jaz.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/07-not-my-lover.mp3
Chris Cody (piano, compositions), Karl Laskowski (tenor saxophone), Brendon Clarke (bass), James Waples (drums). – purchase from www.chriscody.com
Mike Nock’s Australian Trio @ CJC 2013
September 25, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 1 Comment
A lot’s been written about Mike Nock and he is well recorded. In spite of this there is so much more to say and the unfolding story has come to define Australasian Jazz. It would be accurate to describe him as one of the greatest musicians New Zealand has produced, but Mike Nock deserves evaluation on a much wider stage than Oceania. As lucky as we feel owning him, he is a citizen of the world, highly ranked among the best that global Jazz has to offer.
This was summed up by one of the audience; an American who has been following the international Jazz Scene for many years. He shook his head in amazement and said “That was the best performance I have heard in ages”. He asked about Mike’s history and I gave him a potted version. “Oh yeah” he said. “Well all of those years in America have given him that deep blues feel that only top players realise”.
I caught up with Mike before the gig and he was his usual friendly self. Over dinner there were jokes and numerous war stories. Because I have attended too many loud gigs my hearing is not quite as good as it was. At one point the drummer James Waples said something to me which I missed entirely. I apologised, explaining that my eyesight and hearing were failing me. Mike leapt on the comment as quick as lightning, saying, “Man don’t worry. That’s exactly what we like in a critic”.
There was the briefest of discussions between the band members about the set list, which ended in Mike saying, “We’ll figure it out as we go and you’ll know when you hear me start to play”. While this is not unusual among Jazz musicians, it was evident that Mike would be digging into some obscure and unrehearsed standards during the evening.
The spirit of Bernie McGann hung over us as he had passed the previous evening. Mike spoke movingly of him and then he played one of Bernie’s compositions followed by ‘Bernie’s Tune’ (Bernie Miller) and the lovely old standard ‘No Moon at All’ (David Mann). ‘No Moon at all’ is hardly ever played these days but it was once very popular. It was famously recorded by Julie London, Nat Cole, Mel Torme and Anita O’Day. There are more recent versions by Karrin Alyson and Brad Mehldau. In Mike Nock’s hands this jaunty mid-tempo classic took on a deep bluesy feel and as it unfolded he achieved something that only the Jazz greats can manage.
The tune turned into something else; it was somehow transformed into ‘every tune’. From the first few bars everyone smiled and many whispered in the dark, “Oh I must know this but I can’t recall the name”. Like many probing improvisers Mike hummed and sang as he played. As the piece unfolded something extraordinary happened. People started quietly humming along with the trio; a deep connection was made and it was primal. I’m certain that many in the audience had never heard the tune before, but they thought that they had. Keith Jarrett has often invoked this state of grace, finding a hidden place deep within the music. So has Mike Nock. Several musicians later commented that he had moved in and out of the song form and that the bluesy overlay had been utterly effective. Another delightful old tune that the trio played was ‘Sweet Pumpkin’ (Ronnell Bright).
On Drums was James Waples and he certainly lives up to his reputation. He has featured on several of Mike’s albums and goes back a long way with Mike. There is a subtlety to his drumming that is hard to put into words. He is a powerful presence whether executing the softest brushwork or a driving upbeat tempo. He has a great ear and knows when to push the others or hold back. He is perfect for a multi faceted piano trio like this and I would go out of my way to hear him again.
Many Kiwi’s have forgotten (and many Australians will deliberately overlook the fact), but Brett Hirst is an expat New Zealander. He is highly regarded on the Australian scene and like James he has had a long association with Mike. When these three are in lockstep it is extraordinary. Like the others Brett is a deep listener and clearly at ease in this open-ended format. At one point in the program Mike stopped and said, “What shall we play now, something unexpected?”. Then he added, “Oh I know, I will try this”. Brett asked hopefully, “Can we know?” The number had started before an answer could be given and he was immediately there. Brett was up to handling any curve balls thrown and clearly relished them.
During the second set the trio were ready to take things further out and we sensed that they were in a zone where the communication is telepathic. It is during these explorations that we see another side of their music. Every interplay however subtle conveys layers of meaning and the spaces between the notes communicates a profundity. This is art-music at its very best but for all that it is never far from its blues roots. I have listened to Jazz across the globe and you would never, never hear better than this.
Who: Mike Nock (piano), Brett Hirst (bass), James Waples (drums). www.mikenock.com
Where: CJC (Creative Jazz Club), Brittomart basement 1885 building, Auckland, New Zealand.
When: 18th September 2013
Mike Nock – albums reviewed
July 2, 2013 / JazzLocal32.com / 1 Comment
Mike Nock: Hear & Know / Kindred
Mike Nock is always capable of surprising and this has long been his hallmark. A restless innovator and improviser who never settles on his laurels, Nock is surpassing himself yet again. ‘Hear and Know’ was recorded in 2011 following his aptly named and deeply satisfying ‘Accumulation of Subtleties’ album.
On ‘Hear & Know’ he is again accompanied by brothers Ben Waples (Bass) & James Waples (drums). There is an unmistakable synergy between these three and so adding Karl Laskowski (tenor sax) and Ken Allars (trumpet) had its risks. While there is a different dynamic and altered textural qualities, the magic of intimacy is maintained. It carries over much of the subtle interplay of the earlier album but creates a different range of moods as well.
I was always impressed by the subtle and profound sub-divisions of mood in the ancient Japanese Haiku. The almost untranslatable ‘wabi-sabi’ are the moods invoked when we can almost touch something profound, sense it and appreciate the mood, but know that it will be forever illusive. A further subdivision is ‘yugen’, which is the sense of mystery which underpins profound moments. To define them more accurately is to lose the moment. Mike Nock has achieved this for me compositionally and through his recording. The moods are profound invoking deep and somehow unnamable emotions.
I felt this most strongly on the beautifully named and wonderfully crafted ‘The Sibylline Fragrance’ and later while listening to ‘After Satie’. In the former piece there was an obvious reference to memory and our sense of smell, which is closely aligned with that. Beyond that was something else, a sense of the history of this music. Touching briefly on the past but rooted firmly in the now. When music achieves this it is especially satisfying. I have seen the trio performing and I have seen Ken Allars with the wonderful Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra. Karl Laskowski was not previously known to me. All of these musicians must feel pleased with this album.
‘Kindred’ is the more recent album and one with a pared back line up. Featuring just Mike Nock on piano and drummer Lorenz Pike, this album seems denser in texture and more introspective. Lorenz Pike is an interesting drummer and well-chosen; he is obviously colourist in tendency and that is the only choice for this music. Once again Mike Nock has made a virtue out of contrast. First impressions are often deceptive though and there is a degree of space and subtlety if we listen. The stories unfolding are at times free and open but there is always an underlying thread. The titles also fascinate me as they refer (as with the previous album) to a mixture of things past (references to the classical world), nature untamed and various private worlds. I am a strong believer that improvised music benefits from narratives, not to define, but to augment the journey.
Mike has created subtle narratives out of the whole, which sit in the consciousness like Haiku. There is something special about these two albums and I am certain that only Mike Nock could tell these particular stories.
What: Mike Nock – ‘Hear & Know’ and ‘Kindred’ albums FWM Records or visit http://www.mikenock.com
Where: You be able to hear Mike Nock in Auckland on Tuesday 23rd July 2013 at the CJC (Creative Jazz Club).
Follow JazzLocal32.com on WordPress.com
What Jazz Musicians Read (The lost libraries of Impronesia)
Dixon Nacey Band ~ CJC December 2020
Umar Zakaria ~ Fearless Music Collective
Bonita ~ Chelsea Prastiti
Choi/Howell ~ Kõmanawa
Kevin Field ~ Soundtology
Caitlin Smith ~ You have reached your destination
Clo Chaperon ~ Chapters
Haines/Crayford/Singh
Kang / Rainey ~ Christchurch
JCJ ~ Baxendale /Allardice /Lovell-Smith
Frank Gibson Jr ~ New Bop Quintet
Life is Brut[if]al ~ Andrea Keller
Artemis ~ Blue Note Records
Tigran Hamasyan ~ The Call Within
Bach In Reykjavik
Dr Tom Botting Rediscovers Aotearoa
Joe Kaptein / Ben Gailer
Passells/Howell/Deck
Keith Price Double Quartet
GRG67 ~ Happy Place
Now, Where Were we?
Adventurous Spirits
Leonardo Coghini ~ A Brave Path
Italy & New Zealand ~ Lockdown Releases
John Pål Inderberg talks of Norway in lockdown & Lee Konitz
Phil Broadhurst Obituary
Vanessa Perica ~ Love Is A Temporary Madness
Jazz On Lockdown ~ Florian Ross
Jazz on Lockdown ~Hear it Here ~ John Rae
Categories Select Category Ambient Improvised (3) Anthology (39) Auckland Jazz Festival (5) Audio Foundation (2) Australia & Pacific gigs (13) Australian and Oceania based bands (26) Australian Musicians (15) Backbeat Bar (22) Bandcamp (8) Bebop (4) Beyond category (96) CJC Creative Jazz Club gigs (381) vocal (49) Concerts – visiting Musicians (106) Duo (1) emerging artists (2) European Styled (9) experimental improvised music (45) Golden Dawn (1) Guitar (15) Interview (11) Jazz April (18) Jazz Arts-Poetry-Literature-Photography (10) Jazz Beyond Lockdown (17) Jazz Journalists Association (29) World Jazz Day/Month (17) Jazz on Lockdown (8) Jazz on Lockdown ~ hear it here (5) Jazz on Lockdown, (1) Large Ensembles (12) Latin (3) Lewis Eadys (2) New Orleans (1) New Zealand based bands (8) New Zealand Jazz Gigs (329) Avant-garde (28) Big Band (13) Fusion & World (41) Groove & Funk (34) Hard Bop (14) Post Bop (52) Post Millenium (87) Straight ahead (121) Swing (6) Nordic (2) obituaries (1) Piano Jazz (40) Poetry (2) Review (95) Small ensemble (17) Space Jazz (2) Trumpet (1) USA and Beyond (57)
Twitter ‘@JazzLocal32 ‘
RT @publicaddress: I guess it's unusual for a Deputy Prime Minister to write something like this, but it is something we need to talk about… 3 days ago
What Jazz Musicians Read (The lost libraries of Impronesia) jazzlocal32.com/2021/01/06/wha… 1 week ago
RT @ThatEricAlper: I just wanna say I’m glad Betty White got through 2020. https://t.co/zlGIG9RrBo 2 weeks ago
RT @BrightlineDef: Offshore wind development in CA will: ✅ create jobs ✅ improve air quality in EJ communities ✅ help CA reach its 100% cle… 4 weeks ago
@BrightlineDef @EnvCalifornia This is what the future must look like 4 weeks ago
Follow @JazzLocal32
Archived Posts Select Month January 2021 (1) December 2020 (3) November 2020 (4) October 2020 (4) September 2020 (2) August 2020 (4) July 2020 (3) June 2020 (3) May 2020 (2) April 2020 (4) March 2020 (6) February 2020 (3) January 2020 (2) December 2019 (3) November 2019 (1) October 2019 (6) September 2019 (4) August 2019 (4) July 2019 (6) June 2019 (5) May 2019 (3) April 2019 (4) March 2019 (6) February 2019 (3) December 2018 (5) November 2018 (3) October 2018 (1) September 2018 (2) August 2018 (7) July 2018 (3) June 2018 (4) May 2018 (6) April 2018 (5) March 2018 (6) February 2018 (4) January 2018 (3) December 2017 (4) November 2017 (4) October 2017 (4) September 2017 (5) August 2017 (6) July 2017 (5) June 2017 (4) May 2017 (3) April 2017 (6) March 2017 (5) February 2017 (3) January 2017 (1) December 2016 (2) November 2016 (5) September 2016 (2) August 2016 (4) July 2016 (4) June 2016 (5) May 2016 (4) April 2016 (5) March 2016 (4) February 2016 (4) January 2016 (5) December 2015 (5) November 2015 (5) October 2015 (3) September 2015 (6) August 2015 (6) July 2015 (6) June 2015 (8) May 2015 (5) April 2015 (3) March 2015 (5) February 2015 (3) January 2015 (2) December 2014 (4) November 2014 (5) October 2014 (4) September 2014 (6) August 2014 (4) July 2014 (5) June 2014 (5) May 2014 (4) April 2014 (6) March 2014 (5) February 2014 (5) January 2014 (2) December 2013 (4) November 2013 (5) October 2013 (4) September 2013 (6) August 2013 (3) July 2013 (5) June 2013 (6) May 2013 (5) April 2013 (5) March 2013 (7) February 2013 (3) January 2013 (2) December 2012 (4) November 2012 (1) October 2012 (4) September 2012 (3) August 2012 (3) July 2012 (5) June 2012 (5) May 2012 (9) April 2012 (5) March 2012 (6) February 2012 (7) January 2012 (4) December 2011 (3) November 2011 (5) October 2011 (7) September 2011 (5) August 2011 (4) July 2011 (8) June 2011 (7) May 2011 (7) April 2011 (8) March 2011 (11) February 2011 (1)
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3216
|
__label__wiki
| 0.84595
| 0.84595
|
Noise-blocking Device holds Potential for Aviation Abatement
A grid of speakers facing outwards can play sounds that cancel out traffic noises
Posted By: Cynthia Schultz July 28, 2020
Anti Noise Systems have been proposed before, but did not meet tests
Dr. Bhan Lam’s system of 20 speakers mounted on window-PROMISE
Impressive Publications, but no realistic test, YET
The idea of using noise cancelling technology to reduce the impact of aircraft is not novel. It has been proposed before but once the proposed system was put to practical tests, it did not reach expectations.
Dr. Bhan Lam[1], a research fellow with impressive credentials and a long list of accomplishments, has developed a system of speakers attached to the window that claims to reduce the sound level by 50% inside rooms, even with windows open. Great promise and even the proponents recognize that testing remains a major proof of concept, but the idea has received positive reviews in technical and general publications like Scientific American, Scientific Report, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Smart2Zero,Futurism, the Daily Mail and even The New York Times!!!
Speaker System Blocks City Noise
Active control of broadband sound through the open aperture of a full-sized domestic window
Noise cancelling device by NTU scientists halves noise pollution through open windows
Open-window noise canceling system cuts outside sounds
NOISE CANCELLING WINDOW GADGET CAN “MUTE” STREET SOUNDS
Noise-cancelling windows halve traffic sounds even when they’re open
Researchers combat ‘noise with noise’ by playing back inverted sound waves
Scientists say you can cancel the Noise but keep your Windows Open
TECHNOLOGY 9 July 2020
By Donna Lu
Danil Roudenko / Alamy
People living in cities with warm climates face a problem during summer months: keeping windows open for ventilation means letting in traffic sounds. A noise-cancelling device could solve this dilemma.
Bhan Lam at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and his colleagues have created a device that can halve the noisiness of urban traffic, reducing the sound coming through an open window by up to 10 decibels.
To cancel out road noise, the researchers used 24 small loudspeakers and fixed these to the security grilles of a typical window in Singapore in an 8×3 grid. These grilles are a common feature across South-East Asia, says Lam. He adds that the spacing of the speakers was dependent on the frequency of the noise that they wanted to cancel out.
The team placed the window in a replica room and played road traffic, train and aircraft noise from another loudspeaker 2 metres away. The frequency of most of the noise from traffic and passing aircraft ranges from 200 to 1000 hertz. Large trucks and motorcycles tend to generate sounds on the lower end of the range, while the majority of the sound from motorways is around 1000 Hz.
The researchers spaced each speaker 12.5 centimetres apart facing outwards and programmed them to emit sounds at the same frequency of noise detected by a sensor placed outside the window.
The device was most successful at cancelling noise between frequencies of 300 and 1000 Hz, with up to a 50 per cent reduction in loudness for sounds within this range. It isn’t optimised for the noise from human voices, which have higher frequencies.
The effect is similar to the technology used in noise-cancelling headphones, which are often tuned specifically to cancel out the hum of aircraft engines, says Lam.
The speakers the team used were only 4.5 centimetres in diameter – too small to cancel out noise at frequencies below 300 Hz. “A speaker needs to move a huge volume of air for low frequency sounds,” says Lam.
Having larger speakers is a possibility, but risks blocking out too much of the view from a window. The team plans to test a prototype in real-world experiments.
Tune in for the real-world experiments of the system.!!!
[1] Lam Bhan received B.Eng. (Hons) and Ph.D. degrees in electrical and electronic engineering from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in 2013 and 2019, respectively, where he is currently a Research Fellow with the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. His current research interests include the acoustics of active noise control, soundscape, and signal processing for active control (Based on document published on 5 May 2020).
Be the first to comment on "Noise-blocking Device holds Potential for Aviation Abatement"
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3217
|
__label__wiki
| 0.635114
| 0.635114
|
Friday Night Lights Moved to Thursday Night Due to Weather
With heavy rainfall expected in the crossroads by this weekend, some area high school football games will be played on Thursday night instead.
The Warriors of Victoria West will play their District 15-5A opener against Corpus Christi Moody Thursday night at 7pm at Corpus Christi Flour Bluff Hornet Stadium. The Victoria East Titans will aalso play Thursday night in their district opener Thursday night against Corpus Christi Miller Thursday night at Memorial Stadium. According to a report in the Victoria Advocate, Tuloso-Midway at Beeville will play at 7:30pm, Ganado will play at Odem at 7pm, Refugio is at Aransas Pass at 7pm, Runge is at Agua Dulce at 6pm, and George West will play at Goliad at 7pm. The game beyween Louise and Bloomington sceduled gor friday at 7:30pm will be played in Port Lavaca.
The St. Joe Flyers game at Industrial has also been moved to Thursday, game time 7pm with pregame at 6:30 on our sister station 98.7 Jack FM.
Filed Under: high school football, st joe, victoria east, victoria west
Categories: Sports, Victoria Events, Victoria News
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3228
|
__label__wiki
| 0.829706
| 0.829706
|
You're on Karhu Europe!
US Web
JP Web
EU Web
Karhu asks you to accept cookies for performance, social media and advertising purposes.
Social media and advertising cookies of third parties are used to offer you social media functionalities and personalized ads.
To get more information about these cookies and the processing of your personal data, check our Privacy & Cookie Policy.
Do you accept these cookies and the processing of personal data involved?
Synchron Classic "Karhu x Paavo Nurmi"-White/Black
New to the Synchron Classic? Order one size bigger than your normal size.
SKU_F802621
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Karhu’s founding, we collaborated with the Paavo Nurmi Games to honour the spirit of the Flying Finn. The Paavo Nurmi Games (PNG) is a Finnish track and field event that attracts top interna- tional talent to Nurmi’s hometown of Turku, Finland. This year represents PNG’s 60th anniversary and what better way to celebrate their success than collaborating with Nurmi’s choice of footwear brands.
Paavo Johannes Nurmi is one of the most successful athletes in Olympic history and one of only two track and field athletes to win nine Olympic gold medals. Nurmi was a Finnish middle and long distance runner who set 22 o cial world records at distances between 1,500 meters and 20,000 meters. He was nicknamed the “Flying Finn” as he dominated distance running in the early 20th century. His twelve Olympic medals remain as the most ever received by a track and field athlete in the history of the Games.
In an era when all track and field athletes wore black racing spikes, Nurmi began wearing all white Kangaroo leather Karhu shoes. The colour concept of this release is dedicated to Nurmi’s trendsetting character and athletic accomplishments on the track. The materials used on this Synchron Classic feature a mix of conventional soft grain, premium leather representing Karhu’s past combined with more technical performance air mesh and a rubberized heel with laser cut signature as a look to Karhu’s future.
The tongue label receives a special injected rubber treatment highlighting the Karhu x Paavo Nurmi project. The footbed showcases Nurmi’s accomplishments at the Olympics and the respective medals won. The special 100th anniversary Karhu x Paavo Nurmi box is black and white themed, features the athlete’s signature and provides unique wrapping paper to honour the record holder. Finally, a choice of two laces come with the Synchron Classic to complete a balanced look paying homage to Nurmi’s glorified past as one of the most victorious Olympic athletes.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3230
|
__label__cc
| 0.645789
| 0.354211
|
Our Counselling & Support Service
Our Young People’s Service
Our Domestic Abuse Service
Our Befriending Service
Volunteering @ Kasp
Our Volunteer Board Members
Our Volunteer Counsellors
Our Trainee Counsellors
Funders & Training
Kingdom Abuse Survivors Project exists to provide support which aims to eliminate the debilitating effects that childhood sexual abuse can have on adult survivors.
Supporting adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Childhood Sexual Abuse Trauma
The symptoms that can be generated from the trauma of childhood sexual abuse can be excrutiating and life inhibiting. Common responses include shame, anxiety, depression, anger, eating issues, substance misuse and relationship difficulties. Some survivors may be plagued by memories in the form of distressing flashbacks, body memories, mental images or nightmares. These symptoms are all normal responses to trauma and they can feel overwhelming and difficult to deal with.
Childhood sexual abuse may have been perpetrated by a member of the family, a family friend, another trusted adult, a stranger or a group of adults. It may have happened once, or over a period of time. Sexual abuse can mean a wide range of experiences – the most important thing is for the survivor to identify the experience as sexually abusive.
Many people who were sexually abused as children did not tell anyone at the time and may believe it is too late to talk about it now. It is never too late. KASP supports adults of all ages.
The free and confidential counselling and support that we offer enables survivors of sexual abuse to make sense of the present in relation to the past. Being heard and supported can help to ease the pain and reduce the power and impact of the memories.
Healing from the effects of childhood sexual abuse is not something you have to do alone and we invite you to browse our website for additional information on the type of support and services that we offer.
What services we offer
Counselling is about working together , you and your counsellor helping with the muddle that is left behind having suffered childhood sexual abuse.
Its having a space for you, your counsellor will listen, accept, believe, care, won’t judge and nurture ….and will help you understand the complex mix of feelings and emotions.
At KASP we don’t only offer counselling but we also offer practical support to make sure survivors of sexual abuse have their basic needs met.
The young person service is designed to focus and prioritise the needs of the 16-25 year olds who are referred or refer themselves to KASP’s service.
We offer 1-1 face to face counselling, videocall or telephone counselling. This is within the KASP premises, but outreach is also available.
On this service we provide 1:1 outreach support and counselling to survivors of childhood sexual abuse and domestic abuse; including risk assessments, emotional support, advocacy work, involvement in child protection procedures and safety planning.
We also facilitate the CEDAR mothers group – (Children Experiencing Domestic Abuse Recovery) for mothers
This service it will soon launch at KASP to offer survivors of childhood sexual abuse befriending services to reduce isolation and improve social skills.
Not sure which one?
Sometimes it can be overwhelming and confusing to read too much information online, if you are not sure about which service fits your needs, don’t worry, we are here at the end of the phone or email to help you decide.
Here at KASP we have a very competent, caring and committed team of staff and volunteers whose main passion is helping others. Click bellow to find out more about them
“ KASP has sustained and supported me through a terrible time. It has made me look at my life and myself within that and also significant relationships. It has supported me in overwhelming grief. ”
“Made such a difference to be able to tell my story as helped me feel better about myself and how I feel better about myself and how I feel now. ” Survivor
“KASP Made me realise how important I am and how to take care of myself. More at peace. Good to talk to someone and not be judged. Made me think more about the whole situation. ” Survivor
“KASP has made me understand that it wasn’t my fault and helped to understand how to deal with my feelings. ”
“ KASP helped me to build coping strategies to look at the importance of respecting myself and my experiences and accepting what has happened in the past and trying to move on. ” Survivor
“KASP got me out of big black hole” Survivor
“It was good to have someone to talk to even if I wasn’t sure if it would be too helpful. ” Survivor
“The service has not only helped me but it has helped my family. My communication with my family has improved and overall we have overcome my “demons” together.” Survivor
KASP Story
In 1993 A few Social Workers identified a need for a group for survivors of sexual abuse and at first they got funding to operate a help line.
Kirkcaldy Area Abuse Survivors” Project started as an Independent Urban Programme funded Project, which received joint funding from both the Scottish Office and Fife Council. The Project was recognised as a Scottish Charity by the Inland Revenue established in January 1995 for the purpose of providing a range of free and confidential support services to adults, both male and female (16 years and over) from ‘Priority Areas’ in Kirkcaldy, Levenmouth, Glenrothes, Kennoway, Burntisland and Cardenden.
Volunteering at KASP
Here at KASP we have a wonderful and very committed team of volunteers.
Our trustees are a team of 5 highly committed individuals with a lot to offer to the organization and who also volunteer their time.
At the moment we have 19 volunteer counsellors and we will soon start the recruitment of volunteer befrienders.
If you would like to be part of our great team and contribute to this important cause please click read more below for more information.
KASP will Believe, Support & Listen
Copyright © 2021 kasp.org.uk
Powered by kasp.org.uk
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3231
|
__label__cc
| 0.742067
| 0.257933
|
September 15, 2020 by Kendrick Uy
In this latest series, I will be going through all the countries I’ve travelled to on my mission to visit every single country in the world. In this article, we will be covering country #38: Guyana. If you haven’t gotten a chance already, read this story first to find out why I’m trying to visit all 193 UN-recognized countries.
My time in Guyana is one of my craziest travel experience ever. I ended stranded in the middle of the Amazon rainforest at 2 am at night. Little did I know that our van driver was actually a smuggler and he just got caught by the police.
VIDEO – Country #38: Guyana
Blog post on Guyana
The Step-By-Step Guide to Overlanding the Guianas Starting from Brazil
Guyana immigration at Lethem
My adventure in Guyana started in Boa Vista, Brazil where I took a shared taxi to cross over to Guyana. The immigration process was pretty straight forward. Actually, it’s one of the friendliest immigration experiences I’ve ever had.
The immigration officers even advised me on which taxi drivers outside the immigration is legitimate to hire.
At first, I was going to go with a specific company to take me to Georgetown. Getting to the capital of Guyana was going to be a long 24-hour drive. This is where I made my first mistake.
Lethem bus service
A van driver pulled up and said he can get me to Georgetown in less than 24-hours. I agreed with him and he took me to their office to make the payment of 10,000 Guyanese dollars.
As soon as the company had enough passengers, we departed Lethem towards our first stop which is the river crossing.
Drive from Lethem to the river crossing
After a long and bumpy drive on dirt and muddy roads, we made it on the first checkpoint. Here, we needed to present our ID or passport before proceeding to the river crossing.
Before long, we continued our trip to the river crossing where we waited for the last ferry to arrive and take us across the river.
Ferry crossing
The ferry crossing itself was short and sweet. But what happened next was the big problem.
Random restaurant in the middle of the Amazon rainforest
After the river crossing, there was a random restaurant in the middle of the jungle. We ate our dinner there while our driver disappeared.
Before we knew it, we see our driver loading the top of the van with sacks of alcohol. Something here doesn’t seem right.
Stranded in the middle of the jungle at 2 am
After a long wait for the driver, he finally started driving towards Georgetown. That’s when things took a turn for the worst. At another police checkpoint, they noticed the goods that the driver placed on top of the van.
The officer working said that these are illegal goods and he is hereby confiscating the van and the alcohol. Our driver tried bribing him but the officer is anti-corruption. We ended up being stranded in the middle of the Amazon rainforest with no place to sleep and no escape.
There were also mosquitoes here that when they bite you, they lay an egg inside your skin. If you don’t scratch the areas they bite you, the mosquitoes will hatch out of those eggs. If you do scratch it, you’ll have an open wound for one week.
One of the passengers had data on his mobile phone and because we were at a police checkpoint, there were cell phone towers in this area. He tethered his internet to me which gave me the chance to send my girlfriend a WhatsApp message. I told her that if she doesn’t hear from me in 24-hours, that she should contact the Canadian embassy in Guyana.
Then, the officer told me that I can sleep in the confiscated van and try hitchhiking the next morning.
Paid hitchhiking to Georgetown
The next morning at 8:30 AM, a pickup truck drove by. We began begging the driver to let us hitchhike to Georgetown. He said he would do it if we paid him 4200 Guyanese dollars each.
With no other choice, we accepted his offer. They decided to put me in the front of the pickup truck and I shared a one-seater with a big black guy. It was so cramped that one of my legs had to be lifted above the gearbox for 8 hours. It was one of the worst rides of my life.
Before long, we were now near the capital city. That’s when another problem arose. The ferry was undergoing construction and we would wait several hours before we can cross over.
This was one of the most brutal days of my life but I was thankful that I found a way out of the jungle.
Arrival in Georgetown
By the time I arrived in Georgetown, I was swarmed by aggressive taxi drivers. One of them just grabbed my backpack and shoved it in the trunk of his car. He then pointed at the backseat of his cab and told me “GET IN CHINA”.
I tried arguing with him about giving me a quote first before he drove off. But, the man just kept telling me “RELAX CHINA, I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING”.
By the time we arrived at the guest house I was staying in, he tried charging me over 700 Guyanese dollars. I only had 500 in my pocket which he angrily accepted.
By the time I entered my room, I passed out from sheer exhaustion.
Best Chinese food in South America
Several hours later, I woke up and was greeted by my Russian friends who I met during my travel to Venezuela. I ended up going with them to eat at a local Chinese restaurant. This place had one of the best-fried rice I have ever eaten.
I also thought it was interesting that Guyana has an obvious Chinese presence. No wonder I never got stared at here. My Russian friends were constantly stared at; though, by the locals.
Getting a visa/tourist pass to Suriname
In two days, I was going to Suriname next and needed a visa/tourist pass to enter the country. I hired a taxi driver for 1000 Guyanese dollars to take me to a local bank to withdraw money. Then, he would take me to the Suriname embassy to get the visa. I was surprised to see a Scotiabank in Guyana because this is a Canadian bank.
After withdrawing some money, I ended up going to the Suriname embassy to apply for a tourist pass. I came prepared wearing jeans and shoes because I heard of the dress code.
Ironically, the guy in front of me in the lineup was wearing flip flops. The security guard looks down on his feet and tells him “I like your flip flops” and lets him in the office.
Rules don’t really exist in Guyana.
I did get lucky because the processing of the tourist card usually takes 24 hours. But, the friendly woman working in the immigration office managed to process it for me in 1 hour.
Exploring Georgetown
After returning back to my guesthouse, I met up with a fellow Canadian I know from Vancouver who was also travelling in Guyana. We decided to explore Georgetown together along with his son and daughter.
We got a chance to check out the local markets.
And the UNESCO sites within the city.
His 4-year-old daughter wanted her nails done. And so, my companion took her to a local shop to get it done for her.
Before long, it was time to wrap up my trip to Guyana because the next day, I would be going to Suriname next.
Georgetown to Courantyne River
I booked a long mini-bus ride from Georgetown to Paramaribo in Suriname the next day.
For the first half of the trip, we would be going to the river between countries. There, I would be taking a ferry over to Suriname which I’ll cover in the next article.
The mini-bus ride was rough. I was squished between big black people in a stuffy mini-bus with no ac or windows opened.
During the washroom stops, the black people would yell at me and say “HURRY UP CHINA”.
I didn’t take any offense to it, I actually thought it was funny.
After a grueling 6-hour drive, we made it to the immigration and ferry terminal.
Immigration and ferry
The immigration process was chaotic as everyone was just shoving their way to get to the immigration booth.
I managed to purchase a ticket to take the ferry and waited for quite some time before we were ready to board.
While waiting, I overheard the locals talking about going to Suriname on vacation. I think it’s because Suriname is cheaper than Guyana.
Long after, we began making our way to the ferry itself.
I got myself situated at one of the metal chairs as the ferry crossed the river over to the Suriname side.
Not too long after, we were now in Suriname where my mission to cross over to all the Guiana countries continue.
Guyana is not a travel destination for the faint of heart. It’s one of the roughest places I’ve travelled to in my life. If anything, Guyana feels more like you’re in Africa than South America. It’s full of black and Indian people. Everyone also speaks creole English which is hard to understand.
While my journey in the Guianas was rough, to this day, it’s been one of the grandest adventures of my life. I will never return to this place but I’m still glad I got a chance to visit it once in my life.
Subscribe to Travel and Live Free’s email list to get the latest blog post, updates, and to follow my journey as I work towards visiting all 193 UN recognized countries in the world!
Like me at Facebook to get the latest updates on my journey around the world. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel to watch the latest video on my travels and travel tips.
Categories Adventure Travel, Around the World Travel, Guyana Tags Boa Vista, Georgetown, Guyana, guyanese, Lethem, Paramaribo, smuggler in guyana, Suriname, suriname embassy georgetown Post navigation
Venezuela – Country #37 In My Mission to Visit All Countries in the World
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3234
|
__label__cc
| 0.701954
| 0.298046
|
Dreamsville (from The Jazz Pianist’s Ultimate Guide To The Real Book)Ron2019-05-20T19:19:07-04:00
A Guide To Help You Play Better Jazz Piano
Ron Drotos
History and overview:
Henry Mancini is one of the handful of composers who achieved popular success in the 1960s and 70s while using a primarily jazz-based harmonic vocabulary. His jazzy movie soundtrack pieces like “The Pink Panther” and “Baby Elephant Walk” were huge instrumental hits. Even his most famous song, “Moon River,” can be successfully played as a jazz tune.
“Dreamsville” was composed by Mancini for the 1950s TV show, Peter Gunn. It’s an absolutely gorgeous song that translates well to the piano. My experience with the song has been mostly with accompanying vocalist who include it in their repertoire, but it would be a great jazz ballad to play in jam sessions when you want to introduce a new tune to your musical colleagues. They’ll enjoy playing a “new” tune as good as this one!
Here are some recommended recordings/videos:
(for international readers who may not have access to these YouTube links, I’ve indicated the original album names wherever possible so you can listen to them on music streaming services, etc.)
Henry Mancini: Music From “Peter Gunn” (original soundtrack)
George Shearing: Live in Munich, 1992 (video)
Henry Mancini and Sue Raney (video)
Musical ideas and jazz piano practice tips:
“Dreamsville” is a beautiful tune and unique, I think, in that its bridge is made up entirely of ii/V relationships: F#m7(b5) B7(#5)/Em7 A7/F#m7 B7/ Cm7 F7/G#m7(b5) C#7(b9)/F#m7(b5) B7(b9)/ Em7(b5) A7(b9)/Dm7 G7. This section alone could give us enough to improvise over!
It’s interesting to see how Mancini composed the ‘A’ Sections with a minimum of ii –V’s to contrast with this. The bridge sounds fresh because it comes out of something very different. The ‘A’ sections even contain a bit of modality. To improvise over the 2nd measure, you can think of the Gm7/C as either a Gm7 chord, using the G Dorian mode, or as a C9sus4, which would correspond to C Mixolydian. Like Irving Berlin before him, Mancini’s songs sound so melodic that we can miss the consummate skill and craftsmanship that he put into them.
Enjoy the journey, and “let the music flow!”
Further links and resources:
Henry Mancini: Wikipedia
Dreamsville: Journey Through The Real Book #102
How To Learn Jazz Piano
A podcast to help you learn jazz piano more effectively
Jazz Piano Video Course
This extensive, well-sequenced video course will get you playing jazz standards with a sense of flow and fluency.
Jazz Piano Lessons via Skype
Personal guidance from an expert, caring teacher. Beginning through Advanced.
Take a Free Jazz Piano Lesson
Previous Song Table of Contents Next Song
Learn the 5 Essential Left Hand Techniques with my free ebook: Left Hand Techniques for Jazz Piano
As a piano teacher, I 'll share with you what I learned from my own piano teachers, including jazz legend Billy Taylor. Click HERE to get started with my video course along with my personal guidance. Please email me at rondrotos@keyboardimprov.com if you're interested in Skype lessons.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3238
|
__label__cc
| 0.567134
| 0.432866
|
Exam dates and fees
Withdrawals, non-attendance and fee refunds
If a candidate is withdrawn from an exam or doesn't attend, the applicant (person who made the exam booking) is responsible for cancelling the exam using the online service. If a refund is possible, we will return exam fees the applicant/organisation who made the payment.
Cancelling an exam using the online service
To cancel an exam, the applicant (who made the exam booking) should log in to their account and go to the relevant booking. A bin icon is displayed to the right of the candidate’s entry in ‘Booking details’. Click the bin icon to cancel the exam and then confirm this in the pop up window. Log in to your account.
Public Venue exams
For exams at Public Venues, you can cancel an exam booking within 14 days of the date of booking. (This is the consumer and cancellation rights ‘cooling-off period’). Cancellations during the 14-day cooling-off period must be made by the applicant using our online service and fees will be refunded back to the original payment card. Applicants will receive a credit confirmation by email.
If you cancel a Public Venue exam booking outside the ‘cooling-off period’ we will not offer any refund of the exam fee for the cancelled exam other than in the circumstances specified in paragraphs f, g, h or i of our Withdrawals, Non-attendance and Fee Refund Policy. In this instance the applicant must notify ABRSM in writing at [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than the day of the exam.
Private Visits: practical exams
Visit Organisers and Permitted Applicants can cancel an exam up to 28 days before (and not including) the first day of the Private Visit and receive a full refund. Cancellations made during this period must be made by the applicant using our online service. Fees will be refunded to the original payment card and the applicants will receive a credit confirmation by email.
If an exam is cancelled less than 28 days before (and not including) the first day of the Private Visit, we will not offer any refund of the exam fee other than in the circumstances specified in paragraphs f, g, h or i of our Withdrawals, Non-attendance and Fee Refund Policy. In this instance the applicant must notify ABRSM in writing at [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than the day of the exam.
Private Visits: Music Theory exams (Grades 6 to 8)
Visit Organisers and Permitted Applicants can cancel an exam up to 28 days before (and not including) the first day of the Private Visit and receive a full refund. Cancellations made during this period must be made by the applicant using the online service. Fees will be refunded to the original payment card and the applicants will receive a credit confirmation by email.
Circumstances considered for a refund
A candidate who is withdrawn from an exam or does not attend, may be eligible for a partial refund, but only under the circumstances specified in paragraphs f, g, h or i of our Withdrawals, Non-attendance and Fee Refund Policy. The applicant must notify ABRSM in writing at [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than the day of the exam. Notice given only to an examiner, local representative, steward or invigilator isn't sufficient to qualify for a refund.
A candidate who is withdrawn from an exam may be re-entered in the next exam session. In such cases, a new exam booking and full payment must be made as we are unable to transfer bookings and payments from one session to the next.
Illness or injury
We will provide a partial refund of up to 75% of the exam fee, provided the conditions above are met and that written notification is supported by documentary evidence. This should normally be a letter from someone in authority, such as a head teacher, confirming the candidate’s indisposition or injury, or a medical certificate. The documentary evidence must be sent no later than four weeks after the exam date.
Exceptional personal circumstances
We may provide a discretionary refund on compassionate grounds in cases such as bereavement, family crisis or personal trauma, provided that the conditions above are met and that the written notification is supported by full details substantiating the application.
Death or serious indisposition of teacher
We may provide a discretionary refund to a candidate whose exam preparation is severely curtailed by the teacher’s death or long-term serious illness. In cases of occasional missed lessons due to the teacher’s minor or short-term illness, or cases of a dispute with the teacher leading to lessons being discontinued, no refund can be made.
Application for such a refund must be made in accordance with the conditions above, although it may be made by someone other than the applicant. We may request details of an independent person who we can contact to verify the application.
Circumstances beyond the candidate’s control
Where a candidate misses their exam owing to circumstances beyond their control (e.g. a major travel incident or damage to the candidate’s instrument immediately before the exam), we may give a discretionary refund, provided that the conditions above are met and that the written notification is supported by full details substantiating the application.
A candidate in quarantine for any infection must be withdrawn. If exams are cancelled owing to quarantine, we may offer alternative appointments/fee refunds at our discretion.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3240
|
__label__cc
| 0.597563
| 0.402437
|
« Where were UKIP?
Local elections »
What do the election results tell us?
By | Published: May 5, 2012
Labour won 2158 seats, Conservatives 1005 and Lib Dems 431. Congratulations to Labour on their success. Thank you to all those outgoing Councillors who have worked hard and who now have been asked to stand down.
SNP and Plaid came fourth and fifth, with the Greens picking up 40 seats in sixth place, or fourth place amongst UK wide parties. The English Democrats lost their 2 Councillors and UKIP made no net gains, staying with 9.
This leaves Labour controlling 75 Councils, the Conservatives 45, the Lib Dems 6 and SNP 2. No other party controls a Council. Turnout was a very low 32%.
All parties and anyone who believes in democracy should be worried that 68% did not think it worthwhile voting. There was plenty of choice on the ballot papers in many places. If people still did not think there was sufficient choice they could have stood themselves. So why was there such a mass abstention?
As readers of this site never tire of explaining, they do not think the current generation of politicians are up to much. Some think it will not make much difference who wins. They fear that a combination of EU and UK bureaucracy leaves little scope for political decision making that can make a positive difference. People on the left think all the main parties are signed up to too much capitalism. People on the right think they are signed up to too much big government. Some think that despite localism, Whitehall still calls a lot of the shots for Councils.
Many people feel squeezed. They associate politicians with taxes and higher public sector charges. Hearing of the debts and deficits, there is a sense of helplessness or a shrug of acceptance that most politicians will end up charging them. This explanation is supported by the resistance in all but Bristol to the introduction of new elected Mayors. The most common reason given to vote “No” was that they would put the costs of government up, leaving us with bigger bills.
Others just say they are not interested in politics. In some areas they do not see that they can have any influence, or they do not want to spend any time finding out if there are any important differences. Some people will say they know nothing about it or are not interested.
Politicians want to believe there is an easy fix for all this. They hope that a change of voting system, or a change of titles and powers, or some other constitutional reform will make a difference. So far the introduction of differing voting systems for European and devolved elections have not boosted voter turnout. The elected Mayor of London has stimulated some interest, but still more than half the voters do not think it worth bothering. Only postal voting has made some difference to how many people vote.
Of course it is up to all the parties to find a way to show people voting does matter, and it can make a difference. Labour were the overall winners on Thursday, but even they did not poll that many votes and found it difficult to get big numbers out to back them.
The Conservatives in Coalition need to wrestle with the main problem that was present on many doorsteps. People feel their living standards have been squeezed too much over the last four years. They want the government to reverse this, to tax them less and take some of the inflationary pressures off their budgets. Labour’s better results in 2012 as they admit do not guarantee them an election victory in 2015. Their gains were no more than other parties made in Opposition prior to losing the next General Election. Nor should the Coalition think that this is automatically just a mid term dip. Economic recovery is what the public rightly want. The next couple of years will determine whether we have a sufficient one. That will have an important impact on how people vote in 2015.
Posted May 5, 2012 at 6:34 am | Permalink
What do the election results tells us?
Cameron sense of direction is 180 degrees out people do not want big government, pro EU, anti growth, over regulation, tax borrow and waste on the PIGIS, quack green drivel. He is going to bury the party like Heath and Major did.
Boris only just won- he did very well to given the socialist Cameron’s direction as a back drop. He was sound on the EU, small efficient government, the green tosh, freedom and regulation.
Boris also took votes from UKIP as he is considered sound on the EU issue.
Siobhan Benita got very good support too – she is sensibly in favour of expansion at Heathrow. The 5 runway Heathrow and Gatwick Link is the way to go. The M25 needs to be enlarged too.
No positives other than Boris for the Tories and only three years left. It could be so different with a new compass for Cameron.
Clearly it is rather hard to get the 68% (who did not think it worthwhile voting) to bother to vote. After all, cast iron, fake EU sceptic and no tuition fee, politicians clearly do not do what they promise anyway. Voters, with the current voting system, have to vote for the least worse option who has any chance of winning or stopping the even worse alternative (Livingstone). In the case of Labour and Cameron what is the difference – they are both pro EU, tax borrow and waste, fake green, big state socialists.
The 68% are behaving fairly rationally given the system that pertains.
Posted May 5, 2012 at 5:01 pm | Permalink
Make their vote count for something. In other words let them vote on issues.
Constitutional changes aren’t issues.
Start off with tax. Have a referenda on tax increases. Have a referenda on more debt. [Make sure you tell people what their share is off all the debts]
The best news clip I saw throughout the entire election coverage, was of a man from the North-East.
He was asked by the interviewer if he had voted?
He replied:
‘No, the country is already in a mess, and I wouldn’t want to make it worse!’
That was an absolute gem!
Posted May 5, 2012 at 11:11 am | Permalink
I see that Ministers are says they will “continue with the deficit reduction plan” despite the predictable results.
But do they actually have one? If so when will it start and will it reduce government spending and waste – or just as now continue to close down the private sector?
Posted May 5, 2012 at 12:33 pm | Permalink
Didn’t ‘cast iron’ Dave look happy (not) standing next to his party’s only real success yesterday. Boris Johnson was smirking whilst DC looked as if he was chewing wasps whilst ‘celebrating the success’ of Boris’s victory….
‘He is going to bury the party like Heath and Major did.’…..Unless, of course, he is buried first. The Leveson gig is still ongoing, and I see that Guido is reporting that Kelvin MacKenzie has had a £1,000 punt at 10/1 on Cameroon leaving the scene by the end of the year….hmmm….
Kelvin MacKenzie will lose I am sure – it will take longer than that. Cameron is very flexible and will flex in the wind as needed.
He’ll need to be flexible to avoid the pots and pans possibly….! I never did like texting…
Can anyone explain why some people were allowed two votes in this election?
I’m sure I read somewhere that departing from the sacred principle of “one man one vote” would destroy our democracy, and moreover babies would die.
Oh yes, here it is:
http://www.no2av.org/
“Our current tried and tested voting system gives everyone one vote and delivers clear outcomes. The Alternative Vote is a complicated, expensive and unfair system that gives some people more votes than others.”
“Defend one person, one vote.”
(That’s what I meant, of course; not “one man one vote” but “one person”.)
The entitlement to two votes seems to be for people with second homes, Denis. [1] So “one residence, one vote” might be more accurate 🙂 However, the person needs to have a sufficient “degree of permanence” to make it onto the electoral register.
[1] Entitlement-to-register (see ‘Second homes’, para 4.13)
Clearly that one’s missed its mark, as least for you!
Mick Anderson
If one good man could make a difference, why has your sensible approach not made more improvement in the corridors of power? You have years of experience, and know where to look and who to talk to. You are already there and established.
Even if all the like-minded regulars on your blog started the process today, without the backing of a major Party, we have virtually no chance of achieving better than a post on the local PCC. With the backing of a Party, we might possibly become an MP in a decade or so – far too late to fix the disasters we see now, and personally I wouldn’t survive in a Party system that I disagreed with for that long anyway.
So, although you are quite correct that we spend a lot of time carping from the sidelines, actually starting the process of becoming the next John Redwood is a futile excercise.
If you look at the people at the top of both Parliament (all three significant Parties) and Westminster, it is stuffed with multi-millionaires who have made a career of becoming a minister or a mandarin. They have no concept of the real world outside SW1, and would prefer not to find out. In the unlikely event they ask someone, it will only be some sychophantic SpAd who wants to be just like their master. The EU is an amplified version of this. Those at the top have the power, and will exclude us if we ever try to join their club.
Politicians want to believe there is an easy fix for all this – yes, except for the fixes that don’t suit them, like dismantling their power-base and genuinely working towards a smaller state. The taxpayer has more than done their bit; we’re overdue for the politicians to start doing theirs.
Postal votes need reforming fast. They are becoming a national disgrace. How do I know? I don’t. Only guessing.
I remember my Dad complaining in the 1970s that local independent councillors were rapidly being replaced by party hacks. That has happened now. The county council here at least is packed with semi-professional politicians. Then there is the local district council which, guess what, is packed etc. Then there is the town council which is packed with local chiefs. And all are drawing enormous salaries and expenses. We pay. Voting? It doesn’t matter since anyone can remember it has always been Conservative. and that is how God made the world.
Finally powers are being drawn away from local and county government as we speak by Whitehall. Ever heard of the School Academy programme? Or the constant calls for the amalgamation of Police and the concentrated HQ for Firepersons?
colliemum
Good compilation of reasons why people didn’t vote – but leaving out the most important one: voters have had enough of the mass-produced politicians of any party, who talk in ‘spin’-speak. Voters are realists and have had enough of political tribalism when the obvious results in their daily lives show that it doesn’t matter whom they vote for because their decisions are always red-tinted.
And yes, we now know that far more of the decisions made locally as well as nationally are taken because of EU directives.
You write: “If people still did not think there was sufficient choice they could have stood themselves.” – my first impression was that here speaks the disgruntled politician …
I am sure you know full well how hard it is to stand as independent, and that such candidature will immediately have the full force of the big party machines fighting that lone candidate.
In the end, I think anybody who stands as candidate locally or nationally must stop fearing their party ‘managers’ less, must stop using ‘messages’ and ‘narratives’ which had been decided at party headquarters, and become more independent.
It is not the ‘apathetic’ voters who are at fault. IMV, it is the perceived attitude of those living in Westminster Village, politicians and MSM, which puts people off.
Here’s a withering description of this, which politicians would do well to read and take on board:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/brendanoneill2/100156101/the-electorates-silent-withering-rebellion-against-the-political-class/
Bob Spink told me pretty much the same thing. He is a brave man of principle, but the machine turned on him. There’s something intrinsically rotten with the whole system. Personally feel broadcasters and newspapers should give the lone individual and smaller parties a greater say.
Andy Man
At the last general election we were offered a choice between Labour federalism, tax and spend and Conservative Euro caution and public sector cuts. Clearly people were not massively impressed with Dave and co but Gordon managed to lose the election anyway so we were then promised cuts and some measure of backbone in Europe.
What we have actually got is more tax, more spending (especially on wars, Brussels and foreign aid) more regulation and weak, insipid leadership.
Is it any wonder that people do not think it’s worth voting?
Kevin Ronald Lohse
First bit of common-sense I’ve read in the wake of Thursday’s elections.
If you do not vote, you cannot moan!
Why, because it means you really do not care who wins power over your life.
The right to vote was hard fought and hard won, even if you simply make a protest vote, for a candidate who you think would not stand a chance, you at least have taken part, and then have a right to moan.
Given the very low turnout John, do you think our main Party leaders have got the message.
The people out here are seriously fed up with having little or no improvement in any of our real problems.
Someone needs to get real and control, and get control fast, at the moment events seem to be running the policy, not the other way around.
Anyone know if the turnout of less than 1 in 3 is a record ?
I don’t agree with that.
True, if you feel that none of the candidates merits your support then you can make the gesture of spoiling your ballot paper, but the time and effort required for that might be better spent on “moaning”.
Or, in the case of many of those commenting here, “articulating a well-reasoned critique of current political, economic and social developments”.
In connection with which, there’s a delightful letter in the Irish Times today:
“Sir, – I have received my copy of the stability treaty.
Conscious of the importance of the referendum required to adopt this treaty; Desiring to play my part by making a fully informed decision; Bearing in mind that important developments in European politics will affect the future of the treaty and its implementation; Taking note that there is significant obfuscation on both sides of the issue; Recalling the futility of some previous referendum outcomes; Noting the unreliability of all political parties with regard to pre-poll statements, promises, and commitments; Stressing that I have not made my mind up on the issue as yet; I have decided on the following course of action: if the Irish Government persists in its decision to hold this referendum on May 31st I will not vote; to do so would be to participate in pig-in-the-poke politics.
I can see no sufficient reason why this referendum should not be postponed until the political and economic situation in several significant European countries becomes clearer. – Yours, etc,
FRANK M FLANAGAN,
Clareview,
Limerick.”
But I think he should vote, and in protest against the “pig-in-the-poke politics” imposed by the Irish government he should vote against what they want.
I didn’t vote, because there wasn’t a suitable candidate. My beliefs haven’t changed, and neither have my values, but those of the Conservative party have. Frankly, I’m pig sick of a party that continues to con us they are true blue, when really, they are pale pink. I cannot in all conscience vote for a pro-EU party any longer, and at one time, I would have given my life for the Conservatives.
If the system cannot persuade 70% of the voting public to exercise a view, it is the system which is at fault. Consider the 70% abstention a negative vote against the current set of politicians…..
I suppose I was lucky, many years ago we had the Monster Raving Loonies to vote for in our area, and they did indeed get my vote for a couple of elections when I was absolutely frustrated with all of the other Party’s policies.
But do remember political Party’s are not bound to represent all polices and views of the electorate.
Of course you can moan. Your decision not to vote or spoil the ballot is an opinion on the current system. An Englishman can always complain and exercise his view, it is his birthright….
Single Acts
“An Englishman can always complain”
Some high profile prosecutions of ordinary people strongly suggest otherwise
Indeed you might not vote simply because you know it will achieve nothing or there is nothing to separate them or they will not do what they promised anyway.
I have the old fashion view that it is your civic duty to take an interest in current affairs and vote for the least harmful option.
Whilst Cameron and Osborne need to up their game, I still prefer them to the toxic alternative, Labour.
As one of the vociferous decriers of politicians I’d somewhat want to try and justify myself and say that individually I’m sure a lot, if not most, are perfectly decent and hardworking people. It’s the system that is rotten to the core. I can make the distinction but its when politicians talk patronisingly down to us is when it boils over.
Yesterday, perfect example, Cameron ‘we will not be distracted but carry on bringing down the debt’ as he mortgages our and our childrens futures.
Agreed. Every time a cabinet minister opens their mouth about reducing the debt when they are inceasing it by 80% it makes my blood boil. Then they wonder why we don’t want to vote for them.
80%? If only.
Think 1200%.
They omit the debts such as pensions and assume they can spend 100% of everything earned on payments.
Perhaps we need an MP app for their new ipads. Just to illustrate to MPs the state sector debt increasing every minute, the losses on the pigis loans, the number in the state sector that do nothing useful (or far worse) and the money wasted on all the green tosh, HS2, pigis and all the other barmy plans.
‘Bringing down the debt’….Either he hasn’t a clue what his government is actually doing or he is confusing debt and deficit…..incompetence or ignorance….take your choice.
Or deliberate misleading perhaps. MPs seem to think “misleading parliament” is a very serous offence but MPs misleading the public seems to be standard practice every day.
Before election “misleading the public” seems very common indeed – is this not obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception and is this still perhaps criminal I wonder?
For the vast majority of the electorate politics is likely but a small part of their lives. So come an election it is impossible to decide who to vote for based on an understanding of all the issues and an analytical judgement of the merits of the candidates.
The task is not helped by the fragmentation of the political structure. Once upon a time there was the national government and local elections at county and district level. That was challenging enough to understand the division of responsibilities. Unitary Authorities was a move in the right direction, but complexity dramatically increased with the EU, plus regional parliaments, elected mayors and the ECHR.
Matters are further complicated by claims made by politicians as to the significance of the results: for instance why should a good result for Labour in local elections be an endorsement of Ed Milliband?
And then there is the House of Lords. The three main parties are agreed on some form of election to the Upper House, but what makes them think the electorate want yet another voting task imposed upon them? Low turnouts should give them pause. They might even come up with the novel idea of finding out what the electorate would like before making a decision.
waramess
There is no choice as the results plainly show. There is no Conservative Party, just a bunch of shysters leading the Party who call themselves Conservatives but unashamedly wear the clothes of the Socialists.
The Conservatives must now wake up to the fact that if they wish to offer Socialist solutions then if those are the solutions the electorate prefer, they will elect the real thing.
This should not be a policy of what the Consseervatives have to do to get re-elected it must be about giving the electors a real choice between left and right solutions to the current problems.
Having both parties offering the same thing is excrutiatingly boring and is bound to lead to a disinterest in politics.
“So why was there such a mass abstention?”
See here for an explanation. I think Brendan’s the last 2 paragraphs are superb:
S MacDonald
What I want from the Conservatives is highly competent government – I am not getting it, and that is why I would have the most serious difficulty in deciding (for the first time in45yrs) whether or not to vote, were there to be a GE this year.
The key to the next Conservative victory is definitely the economy, if the economy improves significantly the Conservatives will get a good overall majority. Economic growth does not always follow government action as has been shown recently and forcasting growth is a dangerous game. Historically though the Conservative party have a good track record with the economy and usually reform it after labour have spent all the money, so I am reasonably optimistic that growth will occur before the next election and the conservatives will get a good overall majority.
Congratulations to Boris who has produced a deserved victory in a labour city, a remarkable achievement although the bookies had already paid out and the result was not that surprising.
The local election results will benefit the conservative party in that they can hopefully learn from them and if necessary modify their political stance, but I still think that the austerity package is essential if they are to win the next election.
The only way that we can renegotiate our position in Europe is to have a good overall majority of Conservtive mps in the uk parliament, so winning the next election is a key moment.
‘The only way that we can renegotiate our position in Europe is to have a good overall majority of Conservtive mps in the uk parliament’…..Really…..Oh I see does that mean that the Eurosceptic Conservative party will vote en masse to renegotiate the UK’s position in the EU. How come when they are in government now they can only muster 80 MPs to bark at the current direction of travel.
Anyone who thinks that a majority Cameron led Tory government even with a 200 seat majority would have acted any differently is deluding themselves. As John says, the votes aren’t there and they still would not be there with more Cameroons in Parliament (given the control over selection)…..This government is not Eurosceptic (please don’t talk about the Lib Dems unless you are controlled by their small number of MPs).
By 2015 there will not be much growth if any at all. The euro-zone is already in tatters and if Hollande is elected could see it’s total collapse even if it muddles through it will further hamper economies. The UK and the EU and it’s member states persist with economically unsustainable social democratic policies that are keeping taxes too high and are also continuing to heap up draconian regulations. Regulations already in place are suppressing wealth and job creation. Economic mismanagement is causing debt to rise, inflation to become a real threat and is not allowing proper allocation of capital. So even if the Conservatives discarded some of the dead weight around their necks the Lib-Dims and moved further right assuming Cameron would allow it it is too late to turn things around. 2015 will see no improvement so most likely less approval for the Conservatives so that the loons will be returned to government to complete the destruction if the euro crisis has not already done so. I always contended that it was wrong for the Conservatives to take the reigns of government after the last election and that Labour should have been left in power to complete what they started. After which the populace would have embraced proper right wing policies with open arms and the left would have been disgraced for a generation or more. As it is it will be the right that once again will wrongly take the blame.
MajorFrustration
Yes I suppose some people do associate politicians with higher taxes and higher local sector charges – but thats not all. Additionally, people associate politicians with failed promises, with all talk and no action -“we will go only making difficult decisions” (play it again Sam) failure to listen, not forgetting really great pensions and subsidised food and booze. As they say in Texas “all talk and no cattle” Can you wonder at the low turnout. Perhaps the change in attitudes of corporate shareholders to excessive pay and benefits will percolate down to the ordinary voter who might be stimulated to seek value for money from their politicians.
I think they tell us that when placed in a situation of voting Conservatives and getting Labour policies, as voters have been since the last general elections, it’s best to stay home or vote the real thing. I won’t even go into the scandals, sleaze and incompetence exuded by this administration.
Clearly, when you get something closer to Conservative policy, and a fairly clean and competent delivery, as is the case with Boris, the result turns out differently. Not discounting his charisma, but charisma alone isn’t all. For example, I’ve been following the French elections and the incumbent, a much more charismatic and articulate figure, is getting his butt kicked by one of the most uncharismatic, often incoherent, usually unpleasant and rude, wielder of dodgy “Robin Hood” policies challenger. So it’s not charisma alone.
I have to say, as much as I dislike Labour, I’m looking forward to a crushing Tory defeat in the next election. It will give the party a chance to get rid of the disastrous Cameron/Osborne duo.
Ssshh, Don’t tell anybody, but I heard from a good parliamentary source that Cameron is just an opportunist. I won’t name and compromise my source, but I’ll do the next best thing. I swear on the lives of my three kids that it’s true!
I always felt that Mr Blair chose to join the Labour Party because he calculated that by the time he had risen through it, it would be “their turn”.
Perhaps Mr Cameron made a similar choice. His leadership of the Party certainly doesn’t seem to be based on any sort of Conservatism.
You omitted to mention the significant drop in the size of the Conservative vote. Contributors to this blog warned of this for weeks before the elections. For many this was in exasperation at the failure of your party to deliver after two years in office and to show almost daily incompetence. Please don’t remind me that you are in coalition, according to Baroness Warsi 80% of what you have done has been Conservative policy. The reactions from your cabinet colleagues, particularly Warsi, Pickles and Hague, was a mere shrug of the shoulders and more or less to say that it wasn’t so bad and what they expect at mid-term. How inspiring!
This may fit in well with part of Cameron’s ambition to widen the appeal of the Conservative party by dropping the core vote. Will he now become even more determined to try and attract Labour voters by going further towards their policies? Do Conservative MPs care about how the country is governed or are they content with just being lobby fodder? If it is the latter then don’t expect those who this week, often for the first time, decided to withdraw their support for your party to return to the fold.
The coalition would be better advised to consult on and then introduce reform of the postal voting systen to reduce the abuse possible under present arrangements than waste time on House of Lords reform.
The coalition could, if it had the will to do so, make an instant impact on the cost of living by removing renewable obligation charges from everyone`s electricity bill and abandoning carbon pricing.
It could cut the deficit by cutting the aid budget. Among the monstrosities is this programme reported by the Guardian, link here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/15/uk-aid-forced-sterilisation-india
Apparently this programme has caused deaths and miscarriages and goes on to say:
`Yet a working paper published by the UK’s Department for International Development in 2010 cited the need to fight climate change as one of the key reasons for pressing ahead with such programmes. The document argued that reducing population numbers would cut greenhouse gases, although it warned that there were “complex human rights and ethical issues” involved in forced population control.`
My reaction on reading this was outrage. Why is UK taxpayers money being spent on such programmes?
Cameron says his ministers must do better. Hail the master of the under statement!
Tad,
What does he think about his own performance?
Paul Danon
This was just a redistribution of power among the three socialist parties. The significant development is Lord Mandelson’s suggestion of an in/out referendum on the EU.
The poll mentioned by Mandelson shows 67% support staying in the EU.
What may come as more of a surprise (or shock to some readers) is “68% would be more supportive of Britain integrating further if they thought it would help the UK economy.”
I’ve come across this mistake belief myself when talking to people .
They are so disillusioned with UK pollis that they are ready to give the EU a chance – and will be ready to give extremist politicians a chance too .
The three biggest anomalies between reality and their perception are :-
– they (incorrectly) believe the EU stands up for workers rights etc and is good for them .
– they cannot see that the point of a “single market” is to undermine things that they hold dear like the N.H.S. and dismantle them
– they cannot see that the EU is basically a construction of the big multinational corporations i.e. Hitler’s definition of national socialism .
1) The EU stands up for workers rights far more than the UK Government. The EU introduced the the prohibition on working 48 hours per week, the UK Government opposed it.
2) The Conservatives plan to dismantle the NHS because their major donors are healthcare companies that will benefit from this.
3) Utter nonsense. The US Government is far closer to being a construction of multinational corporations than the EU.
It’s not that they can’t see it, or are too uninterested – this is due to fact that for forty years politicians have ingested and acted on the advice of a FO mandarin, to pooh-pooh the obligations and the ever closer ties to the EU already planned for – with regionalisation/mayors all planned, as as sop to the people.
Last Sunday Christopher Booker wrote about this in the DT – his comment is still available.
Another thing which nobody of our politicians, never mind the MSM, ever mention is that the EU regards its directives and treaties such as the EMS as binding for the states – not the government du jour, but the state. So how can a government get out?
People will care about the EU and our membership if told the true circumstances.
But from our elected representatives and the MSM all we hear is ….. crickets.
Don’t you agree that it’s a nonsense for pollsters to ask people to choose between four options, two of which don’t exist, and can’t exist, and so won’t ever exist?
“36% of people think Britain should stay in the EU but only as a member of a free trade area, 18% as we currently are but with no further integration, and 14% of people say the UK should stay in the EU and play a full role in any further integration. A third think Britain should leave.”
Technically the EU does not even provide a “free trade area” to which the UK could belong; even if it did, the arrangements for trade are only a small part of what the EU is about and if it was reduced to that core then it would no longer be the EU as constituted under its treaties. Therefore the 36% have been misled into choosing a non-existent option.
Similarly it is not possible for a country to remain in the EU “but with no further integration”; clearly the 18% who chose that non-existent option have not yet fully understood that the EU treaties require EU member states to commit themselves to an unrelenting and unlimited process of “ever closer union”, inevitably leading to their eventual extinction as independent sovereign states, but that is the reality and no EU member state can hope to escape that process.
SJB: “if they thought it would help the UK economy.”
Interesting, I wonder how that poll would go in Greece now. Do you think they would believe that the EU is helping their economy?
Spain, with 45% or so, youth unemployment. I wonder if most people would think that the EU is helping their economy?
Perhaps you should ask the Greeks how many want continued EU bailouts. Those who want the bailouts obviously believe the EU is helping them.
Given that only Spain has 45% youth unemployment it’s more likely a problem caused by the Spanish Government than the EU.
Interesting link sjb, thanks.
Of course, the “68%” are simply saying yes to something attractive – there is no account taken of the likelihood of the attraction coming about.
I also note 86% would support the UK remaining in the EU if the UK/EU relationship was more to their liking, but as that option is not available they will remain dissatisfied as long as the UK is in the EU.
Ah, but that’s the caveat. How the hell could that possibly help the British economy?
forthurst
If you look at the poll, it reports 33% in favour of leaving and 36% in favour of staying in but only as part of free trade area. The latter option is hypothetical since it would not be possible to ‘stay in’ and opt out of virtually the whole package in practice; that would mean being out but having a mutual trade agreement which the first category did not say they didn’t want.
As to the 68% in favour of further integration if it helped the UK economy; that is a hypothetical question also designed to get a positive response.
Interestingly, 79% identified themselves as ‘English’, so the anti-English campaign of NuLab and the BBC is yet to bear fruit. When asked, “Which of these nations would you say Britain has most in common with culturally, politically and economically?”, the majority responded the USA (48%), rather than Australia (28%). Obviously most people haven’t been groped by one of Janet Napolitano’s goons yet.
yep the “none of the above” party won big time didnt it
the political class should hand their heads in shame at the gap between them and the population
Let them eat cake .
They should but they won’t and they will carry on regardless.
In one ward in this part of the world, there was a might 18% turnout and the elected councillor was liked by about 10% of the electorate, from memory, some 245 people.
Some may regard this as a legitimate mandate.
NeilMc
The people just want ‘fewer’ politicians. The cost is irrelevant as politicians will squander that money anyway.
Tony Blair had been highly popular but left it until he was unpopular to introduce mayors. He also appointed Prescott to lead the process. A sure fire loss all round. Cameron waits until he is extremely unpopular and appoints Greg Clarke to, lead it.
It’s actually a good result for the Tories as there is only one Boris. All other Mayoralties would have gone to socialists and entrenched cronyism not extended localism.
As ever Cameron is clueless. His reading of the problem will be to move further to the left to pick up all those Toynbee votes. If he’s there in 2015, Ed Milliband will make No.10 and the Tory backbenchers, constituency workers etc, know it. He is unfortunately a serial loser.
‘fewer’ politicians indeed – hence the lack of support for more Boris Mayor all over the place.
Jane Lom
People are not voting because they do not trust politicians. We want politicians who not only do what they say they are going to do but live their lives in accordance with their own policies and are transparent with the electorate. We are sick of spin and politicians who have lifestyles that bear no resemblance to our lives .
StrongholdBarricades
Didn’t the BNP lose all the seats that they re-stood for, and had no elected cllrs this time?
Great to see the BNP defeated in Marsden
George Stewart
John, Doncaster a Labour bastion did not reject elected mayors, they enthusiastically decided to keep on electing mayors!!
http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/it-s-a-big-yes-for-an-elected-mayor-in-doncaster-1-4520307
Note, the current mayor is neither Labour, Conservative or Lib Dem…..he is an English Democrat that is basically hated by the Council.
“Labour won 2158 seats, Conservatives 1005 and Lib Dems 431.”
Or put another way, the Tories had nett losses of 405 councillors and lost control of 12 councils.
UKIP held their ground, and increased their vote.
Congratulations to my second choice for mayor, and good riddance to Livingstone. Well done London!
I think the recent revelations concerning Cameron, Hunt and News Corp have laid the accusation of sleaze at this Government’s doorstep. The fact that Cameron is now going to get at look at Brookes’s e-mails shows that he is a worried man. This may partially account for a low turnout.
68% is, as you say, an abysmal turnout.
Much of this must be because councils really have little power except to rubber stamp directives from Parliament or Brussels.
However another part of it must be that though “There was plenty of choice on the ballot papers in many places” our openly corrupting electoral system means, as you point out, that the choices on the ballot paper (UKIP getting 14% od votes and hardly any seats for example) are not reflected by who gets appointed. The system is loaded to make sure you get Lab/Cons with a smidgen of LudDims. It is not difficult to understand why most people might feel it not worth participating in that sort of charade.
Reply: UKIP did not get 14% of the votes. Overall it polled a small single figure percentage. It did not stand in most wards. It got 1.96% in the London Mayoral election. Some say it got an average of 13% in wards in England where it did stand – I will try to get some figures.
Reply to reply
Why are you so obsessed with UKIP when you keep telling us how ineffective they are? If you concentrated on persuading your leaders to carry out the Conservative policies which they seem happy to have abandoned but have been adopted by UKIP you wouldn’t need to fret so much.
Reply: I am not obsessed with UKIP. Quite a lot of the bloggers on this site are “obsessed” with UKIP so I seek to explain to them the true position UKIP finds itself in.
Dear Brian Tomkinson,
As an outsider sympathetic to UKIP, it seems to me that Mr Redwood’s analysis of the party’s local election performance is spot on. At this electoral level, UKIP is still a party of protest, yet it failed to add a single one to the nine seats it was defending (one gain, one loss I think). That is an abysmal failure. It should have put a lot of effort into the London mayor/assembly election, because 11 of the 25 assembly seats were elected on a purely proportional party list. It was only necessary to gain a little over 9 per cent to win a seat. Yet UKIP managed to marginalise itself by having its named candidates standing under a completely different party identity (Fresh choice for London) . That is incompetent. I do hope for the nation’s sake that Mr Farage will instigate some serious constructive thinking to attract more politically serious young activists and focus on selective targets rather than allow UKIP to go through a round of fissiparous bickering.
“Only postal voting has made some difference to how many people vote.”
Including those who exist but aren’t eligible to vote, those who did exist but have died, in some cases in their home countries, and those who have never even existed.
John ,
People are committing suicide because they have no chance of making ends meet .
It’s only a matter of time before some depressed invididual takes the life of their young family .
When people think they’ve got nothing to lose they become desperate and do desperate things .
Wouldn’t it be better to stop our country descending into chaos than just rely on the police to beat the poor into submission 36 months down the line ?
Be absolutely sure that is what we are heading for .
The financiers in London behave like prima donna’s and think we are lucky to have them and that the cost for ensuring their safety , no matter how provocative their actions , should be socialised onto the little people who pay taxes .
My experience of software projects is that things only start heading in the right direction once you let the prima donnas go and are then “all in it together” .
Christopher Ekstrom
Starting with prima Donna number one: Davey SamCam!
NickW
Politicians from all parties have shown time after time that their manifesto promises and the promises they make in speeches are utterly worthless.
That is why there is no point in voting; nobody believes anything that politicians say; choosing between three different liars is impossible.
A return of truthfulness, honesty and integrity would go a long way towards lifting turnout.
Boris got re-elected because he is seen as a spin free zone; a politician who has the courage to say what he believes is right regardless of the consequences, and without continual reference to focus groups.
On the whole, people are left with the impression that politicians no longer have any beliefs or principles whatever, and will say or do whatever is necessary to gain power; that is the founding principle of Blairism, (also adopted by Cameron).
I exclude Mr Redwood from this criticism, he strikes me as a politician who has principles and keeps to them.
(I DID vote in the local elections, we are fortunate enough to have a very good Independent Councillor standing for re-election, who circulates regular e mail newsletters to anyone who wants them and is completely straightforward about his beliefs and principles, and whose actions are clearly guided by those beliefs and principles. He got three times the votes of his nearest opponent.)
As I see it, our recent political history has been one of monsters growing, and then being displaced in reaction by other monsters: so Mrs T got rid of union abuse in local government and replaced it unwittingly with bloated managerial bureaucracy. The idea was that ratepayers would be better served by these managers putting the maintenance out to contract, instead of being held to ransom by the TGWU and co. The best value for ratepayers was to be sought. Unfortunately, the bureaucrats sought not the best value, but the cheapest. They themselves stayed in their ever more luxurious offices, and didn’t monitor the results. Instead they pocketed the change. Any criticism from ratepayers, or council tax payers as they were renamed in yet another attempt to address the same problems, was deflected on to central government.
The same thing happened to a certain extent with privatisation. The boot-faced surliness of the nationalised industries was dipslaced by providers of utilities who are now disconnected from their customers and consumers, and often based abroad. The public feel ripped off and powerless. They can switch to another provider, but disillusion and then cynicism usually set in.
The Blair/Brown way round the union problem was to bring in cheap labour from abroad. The consequences of their unfettered mass immigration present rather bigger problems to deal with than a bloated bureaucracy
Now the idea is to displace the public sector fat cats by local democracy, regardless of the fact that we don’t all live in a monocultural Dorset village of permanent and settled residents.
What monster will grow on the back of that? Mayors could be captured by one particular community in the provincial cities, and corruption come in on a scale not known here; or they could be captured by the concrete and carpark big development boys based in Chicago.
The same could happen with the “local providers” who are to take over the running of our parks etc. in the government’s latest vision of devolving power to local people.
How do we get back the Chamberlain style of local government? Good honest uncorrupt best-value balanced books administration, which left something behind of value for succeeding generations? It depended on local people doing well and staying local; putting something back into their own cities. That demanded low taxes and a settled static population.
Those days are gone now we are globalised. Local connections and mutual loyalties are as dead as the “Can I do you now, Sir?” culture of the mid 20th century. Now cleaners don’t have that authority and confidence; they don’t have that intimacy with their employers. They sometimes don’t even speak their language. They come in anonymously at night, sometimes travelling long distances from substandard accommodation, and driving down each other’s wages. They compete successfully against British born people and their children who then become alienated and at the same time dependant. A dangerous combination.
PS people are in the majority apolitical. They don’t want to spend time going to meetings every evening, or plotting. That is how the student unions were taken over by the Trots and Marxist Leninists in the 60s and 70s, then intermittently by the God Squad, and now by the Jihadists. Most students mind their own business, so a lot of damage can be done in their names.
In grownup life it is much the same. Most people don’t want to leave their families to do politics. They just want other people to carry out good administration in their name. They will of course complain, and get alienated or apathetic, but they aren’t going to go into politics themselves, particularly not now that the intrusion into personal life is more oppressive than ever before and still getting worse. Who is going to want their marital, medical, and financial affairs scrutinised by the public and the press, and, worst of all, aired by the broadcasters?
I expect the same corrosive process to take place in the new local democracy the government is espousing.
Bazman
Its called being accountable and transparent. Some would cut parts of their body off for power and if they want power they should be clean and seen to be clean. I’m not doffing my cap to someone whilst they are secretly following their own agendas and/or embezzling. You are living in wonderland if you think MP’s and the like should live secret lives without scrutiny.
There is scrutiny and there is voyeurism. There is accountability and there is persecution. How far do you want it to go? And do you want any decent family people left in public life ?
One good thing from this is that Livingstone is now probably too old to stand again in any capacity in politics though Boris should have buried him before it went down to the wire – I agree that you can blame much of that on Cameron.
I think the low turnout is also sympton of big government and too many elections – after all we have local, devolved (Wales, Soctland, NI, Mayoral), European and General elections – all a wee bit too much.
I note the comments of the Blairite Whitehall big government organisation that probably have too many big state new labour politiczed civil servants calling too many of the shots making current politicians boxed in due to this and other treaty and law impediments. You could just see things like the pasty and caravan tax coming from these types of people in the Brown stealth tax style.
Unfortunately it seems we now have a much worse political structure in the UK than we had before Blair came in and did his tinkering – they say you get the government you deserve, we got a bunch of clowns in 97 who with some clever marketing and a canny ability to copy Clinton’s campaign come in on a massive majority and able to create huge amounts of damage much of which we can’t see.
The tories have to revert to being tories and stop all this politically correct namby pampy stuff to keep the libs happy – the libs have far too much say for their representation and some common sense needs to be restored to government. One thinks that a Thatcher type character needs to come in and take the place of Cameron and grab the monster by the throat.
I’m sure if they had come in offering a referendum on the EU, the HRA and all these EU treaties and seen it through they could have come in on a big majority without the Libs
None of it gives a good impression to potential foreign investors. It shows a declining nation state that is slowly loosing the will to live. The following sort of copy does not help either:- http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/05/20125142044487975.html .
In England Labour would have had to try hard not to do well as they were the only major opposition party! (Mr Livingstone somehow managed to under poll his party in London.)
Just one thing really… I’m sorry to say. Get rid of “the un-dynamic duo”. Cameron and Osborne are seen as shiny faced, spoilt brats. (word left out-ed)Rich youngsters with socialist ideals (nice if you can afford it) with absolutely no idea of what they are doing or what they are allowed to do by Brussels.
Cameron especially, who seems to enjoy the world stage a little too much and his reputation as a generous donor with OUR MONEY to overseas aid when people I know are struggling from day to day just to keep a roof over their families’ heads. Quite honestly, they don’t give a fig what happens on the other side of the world when they can’t afford to keep their families warm in the winter!!!!!!
Not a woman I know thinks he’s leader material. Mr Cameron does not appeal to the ladies, especially by ordinary mums and grannies (we’re not talking Netmum suburbia here but council estates). He’s patronising, (economical with the truth-ed) and comes over as completely incompetent with his constant u-turns and lack of knowledge of EU directives. He only has himself to blame, he needs to put some “normal” people in his inner circle to tell him about real life.
Women like to see experience and maturity in charge (He is referred to as “the boy” in silver-surfer circles). Somebody who has worked for a living and raised a family. A family man with no sordid little love secrets or liaisons and somebody that supports traditional Christian marriage. We may not all be religious but we still live by the rules set out in Christianity.
In short, elect somebody “REAL” to lead you.
Reply: No-one has ever alleged that Mr Cameron has cheated his family.
Sean O'Hare
Reply: No-one has ever alleged that Mr Cameron has cheated his family
His one saving grace. He has certainly cheated on the rest of us.
They both got grabbed by the Nads when called two arrogant out of touch posh boys by a Scouse Tory (?) who called for compulsory sexual abstinence lessons for girls. Only girls mind, as teenage boys are little interest in sex and are in danger of being forced into things by their girlfriends, but where you get the idea that they are involved in sexual scandal and are not ‘real men’ is a mystery. Fantasy as usual. Maybe they are yours?
The key to another Conservative victory is undoubtedly the economy. The Tories must cut taxes for all down into the 30’s, or even the 20’s, establishing a flat tax. Privatizing the NHS and education, so as to ensure that government spending is lowered sufficiently to make way for these tax cuts. The removal of business and inheritance taxes will also give the rich more incentive to stay and invest in Britain. It is interesting how the countries with low tax rates, such as Australia and Canada, have done well economically during the financial crisis. It is also true that Europeam Countries with high levels of tax have performed abysmally. However sadly, this economic dream of a low tax, low spending Britain will ont be achieved by this government, or any government.
If the Conservatives try to implement any of this they will never be re-elected and will forever be known as a party that only acts in the interests of the wealthy. Most people don’t want to lose the NHS and free schooling so the wealthy can have lower taxes.
You don’t need to keep the rich in the UK to convince them to invest in the UK. The wealthy are far more likely to invest in a country if they believe they can make a large profit, not because the Government is pandering to them.
Finally despite having the lowest tax rate in the world Dubai has been doing very badly during the recession, while Germany with its high tax rate is doing very well. Low tax rates aren’t the only factor for success and often prove detrimental.
Eddie Allen
If politicians can’t agree that the whole reason they are there is to represent the wishes of the electorate and give us a vote on Europe, then they don’t deserve our votes. If they ignore this question then it is they who should turn their backs on politics not those who didn’t vote.
For me, they should either believe in democracy and use it or else should stand aside.
I will never vote for any party which doesn’t have the interests of the unspoken people of this country who would otherwise give them a mandate as they are all the same. And it isn’t about economic fortune when democracy is shut out on the main question of why our parliament is non-representative of the wishes of the British people. It’s the EU that prevents our parliament from acting in our interests. It’s the EU that makes it impossible to get to grips with criminals. It’s the EU which drains our coffers. It’s the EU which adds to our population which adds to the burden socially and to welfare, roads, airports, NHS, and to unemployment and crime.
When a party is planning to deliver itself to the people on these problems and give a vote on the EU whilst campaigning itself for our removal then I will vote for it and not until.
Meanwhile, the coalition should stop using the whip on any Bill put before it because the coalition does not have a mandate from the British people. It is there because none of them gained enough support!
Eddie,
MPs could defy the party whip if they weren’t so gutless and self-interested.
Gewyne
Nothing really changes does it ?
Once in power manifestos go out the window, things opposition said no to suddenly become policy in government. Promises of referendum vanish, the talk and spin disperses on the wind and we are left another 5 years of the same.
Maybe if each party had to make a 3-4 cast iron Manifesto headlines that were legally binding, and became automatic policy becoming law/legislation day one of the party taking office (as it was thew will of the people) maybe people will start to vote again. At the moment though there is little point ? The only thing politicians bring us is more taxes (either direct or indirect) and more rules and restrictions on our lives year after year. At some point we will presumably have to pay for the privilidge of a job and be confined to a 6×3 cell the rest of the time to prevent us from harming ourselves from foolish decisions.
I agree that there is no quick answer, so here are some quick questions instead?
(1) What is the current literature on why (people say they) don’t vote?
(2) What is the economic performance (e.g. GDP growth per capita) of countries that have high / low percentages of election turn out (i.e. does election turn out matter – if there is a realtionship is it causal)?
(3) Given the range of elected bodies and the range of voting systems what percentage of the electorate understand these (the bodies and systems not even the policies)?
(4) Does localism really require (unpaid) elected councillors / mayors at all? {More specifically what layers of politicians are needed for information flow and service coordination?}
(5) At General Elections what would be wrong with separating out constituency candidate and party votes (- my MMP bias)? What would be wrong with a legal obligation to vote and a fine for not (abstention being the first option on the ballot paper)?
(6) What percentage of the electorate can demonstrate a basic understanding of policy issues? [I suspect a lack of interest may follow from a lack of understanding].
(7) How, over the next two or three years, could ‘we’ get all the current major parties and media outlets to, together, explain the main issues in a non-partisan way? Is it possible for us the electorate to be aided in becoming more informed? {E.g. what percentage of the electorate could give a reason why the debt is (or isn’t) an issue? What percentage can explain different forms of taxation, compare the effects of taxation and regulation? What percentage can delineate policy areas etc?}
(8) What are the barriers to standing as an indept / new-party councillor (e.g. no party brand, no salary if elected)? What are the barriers to standing in a General Election (cost, cost of campaigning, cost of campaignign against branded candidates, privacy & safety fears …)? How can these barriers be removed?
(9) Is Cabinet/Govt/Parliament communication to the electorate (as stakeholders) failing to brief properly? Is there a principal-agent failure between electorate and executive?
So, how far does the turnout have to drop, before we can say the results are illegitimate, and the people can finally get rid of the failed political classes with a bulldozer?
It is far more likely that the EU Komisariat will do away with elections entirely.
John, there must be millions of voters who are on line, but do not want the fag of wandering to a polling station.
If a bank account can be made safe by pins and other electronic safeguards why can’t I have a voting account with the government?
A site like that could have all the candidates putting up for election, their CV,s etc.
In the future big issues could be aired and public reaction sought. Only bona fide electors would be live and bogus/fraudulent applications rejected or investigated. Have your polling stations equipped with input devices so multiple input would be impossible. That would take care of those without online capability.
The young of today would think nothing of voting online and would do it in a flash.
Because it would open the door for electoral fraud even wider than on-demand postal voting has already done, that’s why.
Postal votes are bad enough.
Steven Whitfield
It local government elections tell us that the Coalition ministers are so unprincipled they are prepared to tell pork pies on national television in order to decieve the public about the imaginary nature of the so called ‘cuts’.
‘We will not be blown off course, we are taking the tough decisions needed ….’ – Chris Grayling said with a look of total embarassment that he had just said such a stupid thing.
Mr Redwood, do you really want to be associated with this shower ?.
This must be as good time for all principled Conservatives to bail out and steer their own boat as far away as possible from this sinking ship.
“If people still did not think there was sufficient choice they could have stood themselves.”……OK, John, if you stand as an independent MP/councillor, then so will I…..You know that it is very difficult and expensive to do that. It is not really a constructive point of view to criticise people for not standing…..Opinions are made through participation at the ballot box/lack of participation at the ballot box.
It costs nothing to stand as a candidate in a local government election, zorro. But you would need to find ten electors willing to sign your nomination papers.
I believe that people don’t vote because as far as they can see, whoever is in power, nothing changes. I find it difficult to find any real difference between the Blair government and the Cameron government. Certainly I believe that if Blair was in power now (without Brown), we would be in exactly the same position.
When it comes to local government, things are even worse, they can’t change much even if they wanted to as they are so hemmed in by the EU and Central Government. I was recently been talking to an ex-councillor, an independent who didn’t stand again because he was fed up with “banging his head against a brick wall”.
He claims that when wanting to make changes to various things he has been given the following reasons for not doing so by council officials.
“It is not within the Council’s powers”
“If we did that we would probably face a legal challenge”
“We do that for Data Protection / Heath and Safety / Child protection reasons ”
“That course of action might be considered to be racist”
“If you ignore the advice of your officials you could be held liable”
“We have a statutory duty to do that”
These are just a few of the reasons that I can remember, and they have broadly been confirmed by sitting councillor. It’s the officials who rule the roost, the councillors are just there to rubber stamp the officials’ decisions.
Most people realise this, and see no point in voting.
Did you mean “UK-wide” parties or what you have written viz “wide parties” as in “wide boys” or at best parties that wish (gay marriages etc) to be everything to everybody? I (Truebluechap elsewhere) can strongly relate to your contributor who said that despite once being a staunch Conservative yesterday he found himself rooting against Cameron. This is the level of contempt Cameron has inspired. Hard to believe he can have done some of the things he has done or even that he is in the Conservative Party let alone its leader. What we want as you know is for the UK to tell the EU to go take a hike instead of our merely pussyfooting around as now. In the light of the Referendum we haven’t been given who gives a rodent’s rear end about mere elections.
Congratulations to Michael Morris, who won Hook ward for the Conservatives with 71.26%. All it took was 5 weeks of canvassing so hard that he got sore knees and lost a stone and a half in weight. Genius can be the taking of infinite pains.
The Conservatives lost overall control of Hart DC. Rumour has it that our canvassing was less than diligent in 3 of the wards.
Appearances can be deceptive. UKIP’s share of the popular vote rose from 9% to 14%.
BobE
John, By now it should be possible to vote “On line”. I can manage my bank account that way and I am certain that a secure way could be found. Put a number on the voting card that lets that person log on and vote once. If that workes then let Yads do it by text message. That would improve the turnout.
I am now even more certain that the Lib Dems will virtually dissapear, their core vote seems to have switched to Lab or Greens. I would stay well away from them if you can.
Part of the reason for the poor Mayor turn out was GroundHog day. Boris only won because Ken looked like an old worn out boxer trying for a final gig. A better Lab cabdidate would have won.
Ukip is now at 14%, and rising.
Barbara Stevens
John, I do hope the Conservatives can get over this terrible results they have had. If they listened more and gave the people what ‘they’ want instead of party manifesto they might gain more votes. I feel very let down and didn’t vote for your party, mainly because of the let down over the EU. Cameron appears to do nothing. He should know full well when he used his veto how his ratings went up surely that’s enough an indicator for anyone? He’s not giving Tory policies at all, the old regime altered things, but fairly, looking after the old and sick properly, not targeting them with higher taxes and cuts. Many manage with what they are given and rightly so, and do it well.
the truth is the majority don’t want this EU set up, and now they are behind our backs beginning to organise a ‘President’ for Europe, and we all know what this means. I’m glad to see Boris saved the day, again, and what he’s coming out with is how people are feeling, he is in touch with the common man, Cameron is not. Lower taxes, laws repealed for better business.
What we now need is Conservative policies, that really tackle immigration, yes, that question is still here; stop the EU from encrouching on our liberty anymore, in fact we should have a referendum. If Cameron gave us that his esteem would rise considarably. Miliband as suggested a referendum ‘may’ be posssible, don’t let them deceive us anymore, or jump the gun on an idea that will gain votes.`The elections are over, its repair time, and that means giving the voters what they want, doing what they want. A stop to foreign aid, a stop to health tourists, a vote on the EU, and real fairness for all, like the old Tories used to. If not, then you’re doomed.
I feel that the low turnout is due to the following:
1) Most people don’t know what their local council is for, so they have little incentive to vote for anyone.
2) The current voting system (first past the post) means that most votes are wasted so most people see no reason to vote. Perhaps it should be replaced with the Additional Member system, which was used in the London mayor election, to ensure that the winner has at least 50% of the votes. Hopefully this will encourage 50% of the population to vote, rather than 32%.
Derek Emery
Isn’t the whole EU moving towards the post-democratic state where as many decisions as possible are taken as remotely and disinterestedly as as far as the public are concerned as humanly possible. Elections are OK as long as they can’t change anything important. Elected politicians are being replaced by EU bureaucrats as the solution to EU problems.
The unelected elite are convinced that what stops the EU having high performance is democracy because democracy means giving different people different solutions. From their god-like position they know that what is needed is never what the people want but what they want.
It’s obvious to all that the political elite in the UK have their own interests but these have nothing to do with the people. Changes to the Lords that they want will do absolutely nothing for the public. If the lot of the public is improved by more than 0.001% by these changes it will be truly astounding.
The public do not trust politicians as a class because they do not deliver. Most would say they are incapable of delivering any real improvement to our lives because they lack real skills and because we are an alien species as far as they are concerned. Many politicians (especially Blair) love war but what is in it for the public – absolutely nothing.
Any ideas on the type of person who does vote and why they do? Busybodies or concerned citizens?
A lot of us have just been brought up to do it as a duty and a privilege denied to many in the world.
Optimists
Max Dunbar
The only relief in Glasgow was that the SNP did not gain control of the council and Sheridan’s mob did not win a seat despite media hype. That means that the planned destruction of the UK has been dealt a possible set back.
Here, the choice is left, very left, far left and extreme far left. Take your pick. It is an extremely depressing state of affairs. When Labour are in danger of losing they can do a fairly effective job of masquerading as human beings however.
To put it simply, the only party that can change our relationship with europe is the Conservative Party.
Labour are servile euroslaves as are the lib dems
The conservative party will win the next election and will have a new intake of MP’s.
Then we can change our relationship with europe, the point being two things are required
1 a single party government i.e conservative
2 a large number of MP’s who are anti europe
This is the only way that the UK could leave europe
Eh, that fourth placed SNP came first in Scotland with 424 councillors elected. By that kind of manipulation of stats would I be right in saying Boris came last, as he only won one seat?
Voting should be compulsory, a box for none of the above should be on the ballot, and if that is what most folks want then the elections should be run with different candidates until someone is elected.
I always vote. Its a duty and a right which is denied to so many people around the world. I hear repeatedly from contemporaries that there is no point, all the politicians are the same. I dont know what the answer to that is. I have wondered if limiting to two terms would keep the dead wood trimmed. Perhaps in the absence of compulsion to vote it would be an idea to have all the different ballots on the same day.
We cannot really know what the results tell us, without also asking those who voted, or chose not to, why they decided as they did.
As far as I can tell, it is only politicians such as our host, who are even bothering to try.
The media and other political commentators apparently prefer assumption, projection and guesswork to actually asking Joe/Josephine Public the awful truth!
There is a growing feeling among even the least radical Baby-Boomer middle class bourgeois that they are being not so much squeezed as swindled.
They ask – quite understandably: what good have Zirp and QE done for the economy versus the bad they have done to my investments? Why are stock markets still so high when (if they were truly free markets) they should’ve dived months ago? How come paper Gold prices are depressed when real bullion prices are through the roof?
They wonder why the euro remains high versus the Pound when the eurozone is imploding. They ask what is the point of Osborne shaving £12bn off the deficit when over the same period Mervyn King has spend £95bn on ineffective QE.
It all feels ineluctably manipulated, with fabulous wealth for the few and misery for the many.
Politicians think the answer to every problem is more politicians. Their view is not shared by the voters – they think politicians need to get a grip on those greedy people in society who are taking the mickey…and the money.
And that, above anything else, is why 2 in 3 voters didn’t turn up: they don’t see the point any more.
Electro-Kevin
There could be various conclusions about the disengagement of 70% of the voting population from politics.
There can be only one conclusion about the disengagement of the Tory party with its core voters.
Your post does not answer why those core Tory voters – who care very much about politics and who are responsible people – stayed at home.
Once a promise is made, dubbed cast-iron, & promptly flung from the window upon assuming office even the very stupid realize they have been had. How Mr. Redwood keeps his jolly good humor as England tumbles is a mystery. The bitter end is near for DC. You cannot have 68% (!) abstain & not see the writing on the wall: UKIP will poll 30% by 2013. But in 2014 the Tory party may cease to matter!
A bit late to post, perhaps, but I rather suspect that Peter Hitchens’ article in the Mail this morning will strike a chord with many disillusioned Conservative voters:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2140023/PETER-HITCHENS-All-pillars-Cameron-delusion-collapsed.html
The conundrum they are in is that their current candidate David Davis turns most people off. David Cameron has annoyed his own party who are in a minority, but he doesn’t turn most people off. Of course the media with their own complex agenda are giving the Balls/Watson line that he does, that women don’t like him, that he is incompetent and out of touch; and of course the let down conservatives seize on that, build on it with additional charges of laziness and arrogance, and use it to get their preferred candidate in. Nadine Dorries may even be using it to get the audience for her beliefs that the left wing media denied her when she was loyal. As Miss Widdecombe found, if an unpopular and unfashionable Christian Conservative woman attacks a very senior memeber of her own party, she becomes the media’s darling. A contemporary version of the Dorothy Sayers approach perhaps?
Just stand back from these two sources of coinciding propaganda and examine the situation calmly as Mr R does.
Who won the election? Who votes Labour, no matter what they say about immigration and the EU? Which boundaries are still to be redrawn? Who can foul that up? Who still wants PR and will sell their souls to get it? How many people in the country will vote Conservative in a recession when they have got used to Labour handouts in a boom?
Now there ia a wishful thought abroad that Boris could change everything. Get real. He is no different from the PM in essentials. Except in just one: he doesn’t let the propaganda get to him.
Mike Fowle
What do the election results tell us? IMHO that too many people read the Mail and the Telegraph and believe in their relentless campaigns against the coalition. (Give us another juicy quote, Nadine). The government has a tremendously difficult job to do to salvage the country from the mess it was left in without alienating the people or actually causing riots. I wish some of these posters would not assume there is a simple Thatcherite answer to all our poblems. There isn’t. If it hadn’t been for the Falklands, Thatcher would have been dropped over the side much earlier.
I fully agree with the main thrust here, but not that Mrs T would have been ditched but for the Falklands. The economy was already on the up and the opinion polls reflecting that before the Argentine invasion. It was lazy journalism which made out it was the Falklands Factor in 1983. The Labour Party and its supporters didn’t in their own analyses.
The other thing we might remember from those days is that the then PM was also governing within a coalition – of the Thatcherites and the Conservatives – and just as shackled as the present PM in many ways. Not unlike Lloyd George’s coalition with them, which also ended in betrayal. All the serious opposition to her was within her own senior ranks, and the broadcasters and much of the press were equally hostile. Also, what she was trying to do had not been done before and very few thought it could be.
However, she didn’t have to rely on an actual opposition party to get boundary reforms through which were deemed to redress the balance in her own party’s favour. The other difference was that she knew better than to read the newspapers.
I fully understand why the present PM is more sensitive on this last point, having seen what happened to her in the end, and then to her four successors. But this modern attention to style and image always takes the edge off a leader. It has most recently been done to Sarkozy by his PR people, and not worked; and it was done to a certain extent to Mrs T, not to good effect. But it has never been done to Boris, and he is living proof that the public seem to prefer it when it isn’t. “What you see is what you get and it talks right back at you …” was what an American politician said in wonder of Mrs T in her unreconstructed days, and it is a very good formula for carrying people with you. Of course the opposition and media will always pounce on someone’s virtues and then respin them as defects, but if the person concerned doesn’t fall for that ploy, other people won’t.
Not for the first time, I am in agreement with Mrs Bone: give the PM a break. He has an impossible job to do. I am astonished that he took it on when there are more rewarding things he could be doing, but grateful that he did. May he succeed. If he fails, I really can’t think who could succeed in his place. Certainly not DD, and probably not Boris who is anyway badly needed where he is.
The other advantage Mrs T had over David Cameron was that not nearly so many people as now had been put onthe government pay and benefit roll, and mass immigration was not a factor, as primary immigration had all but been stopped at that time, not getting going again till after 1997.
Labour didn’t win, the conservatives lost. But arroggent people don’t understand that point. Your not listening to people your telling them what they want.
Get a grip on immigration and a referendum on the EU, we’ll see then wont we. But you wont be allowed to do it????.
NOW! THAT IS THE POINT!!!
Reply: The figures show Labour did win, with a decent swing to them in the votes cast.
lojolondon
John, us ex-Tories love UKIP because they stand for everything that a proper Conservative party would stand for, no more and no less. And I will continue to give them my vote until we are given a referendum. Because nothing else will make David Cameron listen to us. Every time we vote against him he says ‘what I think people want is …. ‘ and it is totally LibDem speak that comes out. Not a word against the EU, not a word against immigration, abuse of British resources, foreign ruling of our lands. He has seriously misunderstood his voters, which is why he will lose the next election.
In 2015, again the Conservatives will fail to win an outright majority so there will be a hung parliament, and the Lib Dems will be delighted this time to throw their support behind Ed Miliband. The Tories will pay the ultimate price for failing to muzzle the propaganda wing of the Labour Party aka the BBC, and for deserting all conservative principles.
Reply: Were your forecast to come true it sounds as if we all suffer.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3243
|
__label__cc
| 0.536908
| 0.463092
|
« War against ISIL
Heathrow Community Noise Forum »
Changes to Immigration rules
The government has just changed the Immigration rules again, to make clearer certain important elements to the rules.
Refugee status will be withdrawn if someone obtained that status by deception. It will be withdrawn if the protection is no longer needed. It will be withdrawn if the person commits a serious crime, or becomes a threat to our national security.
New rules highlight the fact that no national arriving from the EU can make an asylum claim. Under EU law all EU countries are deemed to be safe, so any claim for asylum should be inadmissible unless there are exceptional circumstances. In future the UK will normally regard any EU national claim as inadmissible. If they present a case that they are exceptional it will be considered but there will be no right of appeal against a decision.
These and other changes are to tighten controls under existing EU rules, and may be helpful at the margin. Clearly they cannot and do not deal with the bigger issue of freedom of movement.
Dame Rita Webb
Lots there about removing “status” but nothing about actually removing them from the UK at a faster pace.
And there is nothing about the young warriors who masquerade as children.
I want to say, though, that on the whole, within in the EU straitjacket, Mr Cameron and the government have done a cracking job on immigration compared with their continental colleagues.
Eh in the city in which I used to live the best primary schools have catchment areas of literally a couple of hundreds of metres. Cameron and Co are no different to the Euro leaders, all you can see is the early stages of the Swedish disease!
Indeed. Why do the authorities keep illegal immigrants at our expense in Hotels and the like? Why does it take so long to remove them? Why aren’t they deported and make their appeals from their home Countries? When is this Human Rights nonsense stopping? What about English peoples rights to their own homeland?
I see that Mr Junker still thinks its a good ideal to let the economic migrants enter the EU (eventually UK, under freedom of movement) for his plans to remove peoples feelings of Nationalism. More and more these unelected officials are proving to be a dictatorship with no means to remove them.
Our intrepid leaders letter to a foreign power was so feeble to be pathetic on the cosmetic changes to the EU that he wants. I read over the weekend that it is well known in EU circles that this is a Cameron/Osborne stitch up and charade to fool the people. The deals are already done and he’ll come back with his Chamberlain moment. The only negotiations are to give us Associate membership, a “British deal” with no change on increasing costs for foreign infrastructure and farmers. Everything will be stage managed to try and demonstrate how wonderful his negotiations have been whilst the real deal is no return of powers, ever closer union, an combined military, no return of CAP or fisheries, more free movement, including Turkey and more. The creation of a Country. If we loose this referendum our Country is lost at the connivance of the legacy leadership and its members.
These changes are welcome but in practice will very much change?
Clearly the Cameron government is not even trying to do a deal on “the bigger issue of freedom of movement” which is really the issue that matters. So anyone granted right to stay in the EU can turn up in England or the EU anyway.
The UK needs to be able to decide who does and does not have a right to reside in the UK just like every other nation.
Dear Lifelogic–Need to be clearer what you are fighting against, which is that as things stand we are very much not “like every other nation”; indeed if the EU maniacs had their way we would not be a nation at all. It is all really so rather odd because I for one have never met anybody in my life who aspires to live in a nation called the EU.
Douglas Carter
…’Refugee status … will be withdrawn if the protection is no longer needed’…
It’s my understanding that in recent years, there have been instances of individuals awarded protection in the UK who have subsequently travelled back to the country or region in which they remain ostensibly at risk.
From what I have read, they have done so for reasons which were to all intents and purposes, non-essential. Under those circumstances, I would hope HM Government would see examples of this as situations where that protection awarded was seen as ‘no longer needed’?
Cynically-speaking, observation and history shows it’s one thing to Legislate, quite another to get these matters through the Courts, the Judiciary and the Human Rights Industry (‘Industry’ used intentionally and accurately…). I would expect to see the Government fight these tenets through to the conclusion, and not meekly surrender to the fashionable chatterati and the Islington set. Or ECJ or ECHR rulings, for that matter.
Finally, something mentioned yesterday, I’d like to see the Foreign Office give a definitive illustration as to whether France is considered a ‘Safe Destination’ in cases of deportation? Not extradition, or cases involving the EAW, but strictly ‘deportation’. Their answer could well be quite illuminating.
I hope that question is pursued in public by senior political figures – recently enquiries made through my MP have returned responses from Government Departments comprising an awful lot of words, but absent an identifiable unambiguous answer to the question asked.
CHRISTOPHER HOUSTON
Not many refugees/asylum seekers/anti-apartheid activists and writers returned to the Republic of South Africa after they got what they wished for. They no longer need our protection.They should be given a helping hand to return to enjoy the fruits of their efforts. So too those of former Rhodesia who may now bask in the liberté, égalité and fraternité of Zimbabwe. I guess asylum seekers from Myanmar formerly Burma will be biting at the bit to return to their recently enfranchised homeland too.
Yes, there could very well be a massive slump in the housing market as hundreds of thousands of owners and tenants up and leave our bless-ed Albion. This could place so many millions here in negative equity.
Government should really think things through before acting.
The Active Citizen
Thank you for this information JR. Of course most of us would wonder why on earth these changes hadn’t been implemented soon after the 2010 election – did the Lib Dems seriously veto them?
Tomorrow there’s an important meeting of Conservatives for Britain (CfB), of which you are a Vice-President.
For those readers of your diary who’ve lost track of all the various anti-EU bodies, CfB has around 120 MPs, MEPs, or Members of the House of Lords, and was set up for ‘Conservative supporters who want to see fundamental change in Britain’s relationship with the European Union’.
On CfB’s website there’s an excellent powerpoint presentation from you JR, summarising the arguments against the UK’s membership of the EU.
I understand that the Group’s meeting tomorrow is to consider its reaction to the publication of the Government’s ‘renegotiation demands’ letter to the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk. I’d like to make two points in advance of this meeting if I may.
1. Mr Cameron’s letter to Donald Tusk demonstrates that no Conservative MP now needs to wait for the result of the renegotiation. The PM’s demands fall so woefully short of what is needed that the result of the negotiation is immaterial.
MPs such as yourself, who wish the restoration of sovereignty and national democracy and who recognise the EU as being a bureaucratic, uncommercial, and dysfunctional institution stuck in post-war idealogy which is hopelessly out of date and which holds back our growth, can now declare yourselves fully in favour of a Brexit, come what may.
2. I worry greatly about CfB’s seemingly automatic desire to side with Vote Leave Ltd. Surely CfB can come out – or at least can allow a significant proportion of its members to come out – as being simply for Brexit, regardless of the renegotiation. Why is it necessary at the same time to affiliate yourselves with one of the main competing exit campaigns?
On the latter point, there are many people who have serious concerns about both the two major competing leave campaigns: ‘Vote Leave’ and ‘Leave.eu’.
In particular, Vote Leave Ltd’s prime movers (and its two directors), Matthew Elliott and Dominic Cummings, have conspicuously failed to say that they believe we should leave the EU if the leave vote wins.
(See this from the new ‘LeaveHQ’ campaign of which Dr Richard North is a part.)
At this point, I also can’t say I would support Leave.eu either, for different reasons. However at least they actually want Brexit and say so.
I very much hope that you and the majority of your like-minded colleagues will come out of the CfB meeting tomorrow, declaring yourselves fully for exit from the EU, regardless of any negotiations.
In my opinion the EU is beyond help in terms of reform into a workable association of European nation states ready to tackle the challenges of the 21st century. If many of these states wish to proceed with their project – and if their peoples are fully informed and understand what their leaders are taking them into – that’s their choice. However we mustn’t be dragged further down into something which is alien to so much of what we believe in.
Reply I have made quite clear I am campaigning to leave, and Vote leave of course thinks if we win we leave! CFB has some members who want to see the agreed terms before deciding and we wish to bring them with us to Vote to leave.
Active Citizen, your link doesn’t work but LeaveHQ is here:
http://leavehq.com/default.aspx
JR, then why doesn’t the referendum Bill say that if there is a vote to leave the EU we will leave the EU? Why is it silent on what would ensue, when it would be easy to have a clause saying that if there are more votes to leave than to remain then the minister must put in a formal notice that we intend to leave. That could be the formal notice required by Article 50 TEU to initiate the process for withdrawal laid down in that article , or if people seriously object to that treaty article being used then it could just be a formal diplomatic notice; but one way or the other normal conduct of international relations dictates that we would have to tell the EU that we were leaving, rather than assuming that they’d find out from the media. I would point out that the Bill could not have gone through the Commons with that glaring deficiency (and several others) unless the CfB MPs had voted for it.
Reply We voted for the Bill the government drafted, as we wanted to get it through! I want a referendum, and that was the Bill on offer. Labour would not have supported any such amendment to it. The PM has made it crystal clear that voting Leave means Leave. If the public do vote to leave then we will have our mandate to get on with it as quickly as possible.
Suitable amendments to the government’s Bill could have been proposed and either passed or not passed without the Bill falling in consequence.
TAC ” I worry greatly about CfB’s seemingly automatic desire to side with Vote Leave Ltd.”
I’m intrigued by your concern about the two major ‘leave’ campaigns Leave.EU and Vote.Leave. Whilst the latter wishes to see the agreed terms following negotiation by the PM before deciding to leave, it seems clear that following the pitifully inadequate demands from Mr Cameron in his letter to Mr Tusk, that both of these campaigns are, or will be on the part of Vote.Leave, fully committed to leaving the EU. Are your concerns substantial or relatively minor?
It seems clear too that Mr Cameron’s emerging ‘British Model’ of some sort of EU associated membership status for the UK has also been rumbled by both of these groups, and indeed by the other ‘Brexiteesrs’ and all of these will undoubtedly vigorously challenge this position in coming debates before the referendum.
Whilst the two main anti EU groups are clearly rivals for the position of being chosen by the Electoral Commission as the lead group, both in effect are united in purpose and with all of the other groups in the one objective of leaving the EU.
Together with JR’s and Owen Paterson’s continuing valuable contributions to the debate and the growing consensus amongst many other anti-EU groups, it will be interesting to see how the cookie crumbles with CFB later this week.
I hope that you may also discuss and agree that the 16-17 age group will not be given a vote as they were in the Scottish referendum, as this agenda seems its being pushed it is reported by the House of Lords and the vote to stay campaign.
Like wise foreign visitors to our Country should not be allowed to vote.
We need the same rules for voter qualification as apply at the General Election.
Reply That is the government’s policy, to keep the same qualification to vote as for the May 2015 GE.
The problem is that the franchise for general elections includes several million foreign citizens. It shouldn’t, but it does.
You’re an honourable man JR and I accept you’re campaigning to leave the EU. I understand that CfB is trying to keep a consensus amongst all members, but this is in danger of preventing the Group from now speaking out categorically in favour of leaving the EU come what may.
I hope that (if necessary) a sub-group of CfB members including yourself will be able to make a statement after the meeting tomorrow, stating that you believe Britain is better off outside the EU, regardless of the outcome of the so-called negotiations.
I believe that you personally want the UK to exit from the EU immediately following a successful ‘leave’ vote in the Referendum. (By ‘immediate’, I mean Parliament invoking Article 50 and as soon as possible revoking the European Communities Act and its subsequent amendments.)
However I would like to hear categorically from Matthew Elliott and Dominic Cummings, the two Directors of Vote Leave Ltd, that a ‘leave’ vote means the same to them.
The Jesuits would be proud of some of the verbal contortions from some so-called Eurosceptics during the long-standing EU debate. I urge you to ask Elliott and Cummings the following:
“If a majority of the British people vote ‘Leave’ in the Referendum for the UK to exit the EU, do you agree that we should immediately effect the necessary announcements, laws and other instruments to make it certain that the UK will leave the European Union as quickly as possible, without recourse to more negotiations and/or a further referendum?” Answer: Yes or No.
To be specific, it’s not good enough for the leave vote to be used as a basis for renegotiation and a second referendum. I would simply like confirmation from those two gentlemen that they are 100% in favour of leaving the EU with no further ado, assuming the Referendum goes that way.
I don’t think that this is much to ask, do you?
JR, I hope the meeting goes well for you tomorrow and that something of substance comes out of it.
I heard Mr Cameron state that Leave means Leave, and that there will be no second referendum as part of an attempt to secure a better offer after a Leave vote.
I understand that there have been some who saw this as a negotiating tactic but it appears to have been rules out. Nevertheless I understand your wish for the issues and decisions at stake to be absolutely defined and to be absolutely specific without wriggle room. If Leave carries the day I would expect there to be many, many attempts to delay Grexit – not least by the EU itself.
What happened in Portugal could happen here? Our masters would never allow us to leave. They could not afford to lose our many various contributions.
matthu
I am confused.
Let’s just suppose we have a refugee from a dangerous state who commits a serious crime in this country. (Would that include, say, carrying a weapon, advocating mass violence or rape? Or only if such crime resulted in 5 years behind bars?)
So now his refugee status is “withdrawn”.
I presume that withdrawal would be automatic and not subject to appeal?
Would the individual them become stateless? Would they perhaps be incarcerated? Or would they simply be trusted to return at a later date to have their status reviewed?
A number of protesters alleged to have committed a crime recently refused to reveal their identities in court. Is contempt of court still considered a serious crime? They were simply advised to return voluntarily to court at a later date.
Its a load of cobblers! If you remember the Chinese cockle pickers in Morecombe HMG could not get some of the miscreants behind the disaster back to China. The Chinese government said if they have no papers, proving their citizenship, we are not taking them back. As you know most refugees these days travel without proof of ID.
Sensible countries like Switzerland just send them back to the first safe country they arrived in. For example 600 have been sent back to Germany this year alone. No problems there with claims that ” I have a right to a family life”
They only claim asylum to get the right to stay. Many just arrive illegally and do not claim asylum at all but disapear into the ether.
Still, I suppose its progress, of sorts.
Well it all certainly sounds like a marginal improvement.
If it works then well done, as its another loophole closed.
I assume it did not need any debate in HOC and a vote, as not heard anything of this being discussed or reported.
Will the Court of Human rights also uphold the new guidelines, with no right of appeal ?
If so all to the good, as I see it is now being reported that lawyers have been travelling to Calais to inform the waiting throngs there, that if they have a relative in the UK they can appeal for refugee status without even being here, something about Dublin 3 arrangements.
Will these new guidelines over rule this type of action.
Reply It was reported to Parliament which is how I know about it. I presume the Opposition will not wish to debate and oppose it. I and my colleagues agree with it and have no wish to hold it up.
These changes will not affect a single one of the waiting throngs in Calais because they are not nationals of any of the EU member states, EU citizens as the treaties say. If they did fall in the category covered by these changes they would not be thronging in Calais, as EU citizens they could just come over any time they wanted to.
Here are some explanatory notes:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/472374/51786_hc_535_web_accessible.pdf
“EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM TO THE STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN IMMIGRATION RULES PRESENTED TO PARLIAMENT ON 29 OCTOBER 2015 (HC 535)
1. This explanatory memorandum has been prepared by the Home Office and is
laid before Parliament by Command of Her Majesty.
2. Purpose of the Instrument
2.1. The purpose of these changes is to:
• Make asylum claims from EU nationals inadmissible unless exceptional
circumstances apply … ”
I’m sorry, JR, but you’ve got the wrong end of the stick on that.
reply No, I have written what the regs say
Further into the Explanatory Memorandum linked above, in Part 4 about the legislative context, it actually refers to the protocol I’ve mentioned below:
“4.3. Protocol 24 of the Lisbon Treaty relates to asylum for nationals of EU
Member States of the European Union. Protocol 24 states that asylum claims from EU nationals should be declared inadmissible unless they fall within one of the four criteria which mainly revolve around another EU country derogating from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) or if it is decided unilaterally to consider the claim. Where the claim is considered, as per current policy, it must begin with a presumption that it is manifestly unfounded.”
“4.4. At an EU level, the Qualification, Procedures and Reception Directives which form the common asylum system are restricted in their application to Third Country Nationals and therefore do not apply to EU nationals … ”
“4.5. In light of the above, there is no legislation that prevents the proposed changes to the Immigration Rules to make inadmissibility the default position for EU nationals who claim asylum; with the possibility of considering a claim in exceptional circumstances. Further, as the Procedures Directive does not apply to EU nationals, there is no international obligation to provide an interview. Immigration Rules are
therefore being introduced to make asylum claims from EU nationals inadmissible unless exceptional circumstances apply.”
This is only about making any asylum claims from the citizens of other EU countries “inadmissible”, rather than the current policy whereby such a claim is admissible but must be considered with “a presumption that it is manifestly unfounded.”
Ex-expat Colin
How and/or where do we return them if their claim is rejected or have tricked us? I often read that origin countries don’t want them?
And I don’t understand whats happening with the Dublin Regulation
It appears there’s holes in everything…apart from borders?
I hope this is not a backdoor trick to allow Turkey into the EU.
This issue is now critical and is a severe threat to European and British civilisation.
All we hear is of the benefits of mass immigration.
When is someone going to demand that terror, military expenditure, loss of life, crime, loss of our own culture, increased welfare and loss of freedoms are deducted from those so called benefits ?
bluedog
Precisely. One senses that the aggregate cost already outstrips the benefits. Adding the massive physical disruption from both routine and then emergency security measures gives a picture where the economic cost of a hostile and unproductive mendicant demographic is completely prohibitive. Prudent management would suggest devising a range measures to mitigate and then eliminate the economic drag on the nation.
Will the £2bn promised to security services for anti terrorism – announced yesterday -be deducted from the net economic contribution that mass migration makes to Britain ?
What about the costs in money and life of any war that has been waged in recent years “…to keep terror off our streets” ?
UKIP came fourth in your seat because your constituents had a proper Eurosceptic Tory to vote for.
UKIP do a good job. If only to highlight the fact that we can no longer speak in direct and honest terms in this country. I wouldn’t expect a Tory to ever ask the reasonable question I have posed above but I can rely on UKIP to do it.
I hear there would appear to be a concerted political will to destroy nation states through mass immigration”. So much for so called democracy.
That asylum/immigration issues are being lumped together in the national consciousness with terrorism perhaps is understandable. What does not compute is President Hollande’s response to his neglect of the security of his own people by his authorising, suddenly, 20 bombs being dropped on Raqqa in Syria. Why were not they dropped two weeks ago? Have these targets coincidentally miraculously emerged right after the Paris murders? Yet the murderers are French and Belgian citizens. They do not live in Raqqa. They have never lived in Raqque. In this regard,Mr Hollande, should not also kick his dog.
The UK press reports again Mr Cameron is in favour of bombing Syria as if this is a correct response to elements of your own people turning to murder and treason. His dog if he has one should be confiscated and perhaps any small animal like a pet hamster should along with any cylindrically shaped battery flashlights be removed from Downing Street.
So, GCHQ will get more money and thousands of extra people sat on computer seats. Should Kalashnikov wielding thugs shoot up hundreds of shoppers, we can rest assured their Twitter accounts will be deleted,their Facebook accounts suspended, and Puffin Island will receive a a sound bombing by British Intelligence embedded in the RAF.
It is unsettling to hear that France was able to muster hundreds of armed officers within minutes.
They have 280,000 armed officers compared to our 6000.
Terrorists could go on a 20 minute rampage in an English village before the first police ARV containing just TWO officers arrived. In a major city the police could be easily overwhelmed.
Reply It is clear that we would have to use rapid response units with helicopters or other fast travel if a terrorist incident occurred away from main population centres with armed police or troops available. London has many police and army units in barracks. The whole purpose of the Cobra system of incident management is to call up any armed response that may be needed in the light of the special circumstances of the attack. The government would have at its command all the security forces and armed forces resources here in the UK.
JJE
London may have army units in barracks, but do Manchester or Birmingham or Glasgow? Unfortunately the best way to respond quickly to these atrocities is to have many more police who are routinely armed. I know it goes against fondly held ideals but the times have changed.
I would actually prefer this to the current situation. etc ed
10 men armed with Kalishnikovs in a mediums sized UK town.
They could easily take out all of the population of that town AND the police response that attended it. (We are told by a police commissioner today in the Express that police weapons and body armour are no match for automatic Kalashnikovs – the jihadist’s weapon of choice.)
ISIS claims that 4000 jihadists have made their way to Europe among the boat people from Syria.
We know that 450 of our own jihadists have returned from Syria and are at large.
The type of assault I describe could happen many times over.
The main problem will not be the terrorism itself but the destabilisation of our government as the people realise that they have been utterly betrayed and put in danger by the criminal disregard of our political leaders and politicians.
We have been telling them for over a decade that it would come to this.
In northern Ireland during the worst of the troubles the army rules of engagement prevented them returning automatic fire with automatic fire. They were ordered to stay in semi automatic single shot mode. Although against Isis hopefully no such nonsense would be tolerated.
Reply to reply: I hope that the scenario of 5 ‘Michael Ryans’ rampaging through a smaller city or town has been considered.
This country is not just London. Both police and soldiery are undergoing cut backs and the police are reluctant to bear arms since the recent prosecutions of firearms officers over the shootings of known violent criminals.
Serious money now has to be considered in these areas as a similar attack to the one mounted in Paris could be far more prolonged and less easily contained in Britain.
The figures for armed police officers speak for themselves. Our paltry 6000 to 280,000 of theirs.
We are woefully unprepared by comparison.
I understand the good work of our intelligence services but it will not take long for radicals to cotton on to the fact that all they need is guns, a car and to stay off grid throughout their planning (of which there won’t need to be much anyway.)
Thank you for your explanation but it inspires me with no confidence at all.
Don’t the French have helicopters and command/security and armed forces too ?
Doesn’t this just go to show how stupid British and Eu politicians really are.
I remember hearing something from Mr Farage years ago stating that what has happened
Will come to pass, yet the Eu and Britsh politicians call him every name under the sun. You may like him or not, but everything he has said on mass immigration and lack lustre boarder controls has come true. The Eu and British politicians should hold your heads in shame. Government work for the people and should protect the people as a number rule, yet you fail. All pro Eu that support no boarders have blood on there hands.
Sean – The greatest threat to Britain is her appalling levels of education.
“Under EU law all EU countries are deemed to be safe, so any claim for asylum should be inadmissible unless there are exceptional circumstances.”
As far as I know that’s not true for Greece; both the ECHR and the ECJ have ruled in the past that conditions for asylum seekers in Greece are so poor that they cannot legally be returned there, and I haven’t seen anything to say that has changed.
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2015/01/16/echr-condemns-greece-for-inhumane-migrant-treatment/
“ECHR Condemns Greece for Inhumane Migrant Treatment”
http://www.euractiv.com/justice/court-justice-amits-greece-infli-news-531682
“EU court issues ruling against Greece for ‘inhuman treatment’ of refugees”
“The Court ruled that a refugee from Iran who had arrived in Germany from Greece should not be returned to the Greek authorities because he would “face a real risk of being subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment”.”
On the other hand the EU Commission recently declared that Turkey is a “safe country of origin”:
https://euobserver.com/tickers/130639
“EU: Turkey is ‘safe country of origin'”
“The European Commission has described Turkey as a “safe country of origin” because it’s an EU candidate country. The phrase refers to countries whose nationals can be quickly returned if they demand asylum in a member state. Bombs in Ankara killed some 100 people during a march on Saturday.”
Instead of more pointless laws on the statute book, how about enforcing the ones already there
When are you going to remove the endless appeal system for illegals and failed asylum seekers.
When are you going to supply accommodation to UK nationals to the same standard as that provided to immigrants.
When will pensioners with 50 years national insurance payments receive the same as asylum seekers.
I see your colleagues are going to support votes for 16 and 17 year old kids
Just another bias for the remain contingent.
Ian – The same 16 and 17-year-olds barred from buying penknives and matches because they are too immature.
Tightening up on the immigration rules is all very well providing the EU keeps its fingers out of our pie . I fully expect that , one way or another , we will be forced to keep in line with whatever our European masters dictate and abide by the ECHR ; exporting any undesirable will then be impossible . This sort of restraint will continue until we are “Out” !.
Waste of time. Even if refugees status is removed they’ll still be able to stay here under ECHR right to family life.
Tim L
These measures are so sensible, I took for granted they already existed.
I hope the asylum rules are observed and that the failed asylum seekers are not just put in a house while they await deportation.
I’m just waiting for the Germans, Greeks, and Italians (in their desperation) to start issuing passports. It’s only a matter of time. And it’s the key to winning the EU referendum.
So as and when refugee status is withdrawn “if the protection is no longer needed” will we witness mass enforced deportation (applied retrospectively to those who claimed refugee status before this law?) or will we see instead mass reclassification to some other status that confers leave to remain in the UK?
I agree it is progress of sorts, but timid and limited.
Border Boy
This is all very welcome, but the big issue will be whether the Home Office is given the resources actually to deliver the outcomes which the changes to the Rules provided do what approach the Courts take to them.
If previous experience counts for anything we can expect every letter of the new Rules to be challenged. The approach of the courts will be key. They have so far largely supported asylum claimants against the Home Office even where the claimant has lied or used deception to obtain their status. The thinking being that by its nature asylum is different from everything else. The view has been taken that claimants may have to lie to protect their lives. An immediately Human Rights challenge is likely and the Judges have not been slow, effectively, to neuter immigration legislation in previous cases where they have seen fit to do so.
Dr Redwood,
What about the 450 known jihadis who left Britain to fight with ISIS in Syria. These people have been allowed to return here and live at liberty. Would the home secretary be happy to have these people living near to her – why is your government putting the ‘human rights’ of these people above everything else ?.
Wouldn’t it just be easier and safer to deport them rather than making a futile gesture of attempting to ‘monitor’ them?.
If citizenship can be given away at the drop of a hat..why can’t it be taken away just as easily?. It seems that your government is prepared to do ‘whatever it takes’ to ‘keep us safe’… so long as it doesn’t involve acting in a non politically correct way.
I know the PC doctrine is beloved of the political classes but is it really worth dying for ?.
I note that a petition calling for the closure of Uk borders until ISIS has been defeated has been signed by nearly 400,000 people ..will the government listen ?.
Iain Moore
I cannot see these changes in the immigration rules surviving the first challenge by a human rights lawyer and judicial activist.
I gather human rights lawyers are trawling the Calais jungle searching out migrants who they can get into the UK via family connections.
Until you deal with the human rights act the Government is powerless to control who we allow into the country.
Unless you deal with the people Germany hands out visas and passports to then this is meaningless.
At the moment anyone can turn up in Germany and get the paperwork to be a European resident, and a few years later a German passport.
I do not think Germany is a problem. My understanding of their citizenship law is that to get it you must have a “blood” link to Germany. So a non German speaking Volga German gets a passport after arriving from Russia. However a Turk who has lived in Germany since the 60’s does not. Now Sweden is a different kettle of fish as someone from Leicester pointed out here a couple of days ago.
You are wrong. I know because I personally know Russians who got German passports simply by being in East Germany when the wall came down. As East German residents they simply queued up and were given German EU passports.
Old Albion
What stops a terrorist who has been given ‘asylum’ in another EU country from coming into England?
What stops a terrorist who arrives from (say) Lybia and claims asylum?
No answers JR?
Anyone who is allowed into this country for any reason who is found guilty of any crime should be automatically deported. Australia does this, why can’t we?
Because we are the dumping ground of the world. Get here – “disappear” – stay here forever.
“New rules highlight the fact that no national arriving from the EU can make an asylum claim.”
Yes, but that refers to the nationals or citizens of other EU countries. It does not stop people who are not citizens of any EU country claiming asylum here after passing through other EU countries.
So a French citizen cannot claim protection here because he is deemed to be adequately protected in his homeland, France, but a Somali citizen who has got as far as France can still claim asylum here in the UK if he manages to complete his intended journey.
But this has long been covered by a protocol to the EU treaties, “Protocol (No 24) on asylum for nationals of member states of the European Union”, here:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:12012M/TXT
It seems this goes back as least as far as 1997, when it was Protocol (No 29):
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:12006E/PRO/29
“Given the level of protection of fundamental rights and freedoms by the Member States of the European Union, Member States shall be regarded as constituting safe countries of origin in respect of each other for all legal and practical purposes in relation to asylum matters. Accordingly, any application for asylum made by a national of a Member State may be taken into consideration or declared admissible for processing by another Member State only in the following cases … ”
reply The other cases are partially covered by the rule that they should apply for asylum in the first country they reach in the EU.
The other cases, which for practical purposes are ALL the cases, should be covered by that rule but it doesn’t seem to be working.
In reality what difference will it make if the extremely rare asylum claims by French citizens are treated as being “inadmissible” rather than as being “admissible” but with a presumption that they are “manifestly unfounded”?
And just how many asylum claims are made by citizens of other EU countries each year, to be treated in that slightly stricter way? A hundred? Five? None?
I am confused. These new rules seem to involve common sense, in which case who wrote the previous rules that allowed a person to travel from other safe countries to the UK as a matter of choice as best asylum destination? Also, there are international rules, agreed in different circumstances, and these are used by human rights lawyers, using legal aid, to challenge any home made rules and allow the claimant to stay here long enough to start a family and claim residency for this reason. What is to stop them continuing this racket?
Even if the Home Office manages to determine that a ‘refugee’ is not entitled to stay and negotiates a return with the country of origin or nearby safe country, the civil servants usually charter a very expensive plane and send them back a few at a time. Will this sort of idiocy still be the norm?
If my memory serves me correctly – an American man claimed asylum here as he was on medication here (free of course) and he was a convicted drug dealer, who was going to be deported after his sentence. His claim was that he needed the medication to live, and if sent back, he wouldn’t be able to afford it, so needed to stay here and sponge off the English taxpayer’s contributions to the NHS. Despite him showing no concern for other people’s lives ( by his drug dealing) – HIS life was of concern to the courts – who allowed him to stay, with presumably, a house, benefits and continued healthcare on the taxpayer. Isn’t it nice that foreign criminals get more concern from our authorities than we do.
Interesting – but will this change at all the way your Government treats the ‘asylum seekers’ that continue to sneak through the Channel Tunnel from Calais ? Do we have the holding facilities for them prior to their being returned (& where to, France?) & does this include the many unaccompanied ‘minors’ who have so overloaded Kent’s facilities – or will they continue to be driven up to 3 & 4 star hotels in the north by stretched limo ?
Well, these changes get a grudging nod of approval from me, but I can’t help feeling it’s a case of Nero fiddling while Rome burns.
What is being proposed for the consequences of these new rules? Will we be able to deport the ‘undesirables’ ? Yes, you did just hear a snort of derision from many of us.
Will we continue to stuff them into our inadequate and over-filled jails, further burdening the taxpayer?
How will we respond to the siren voices of Corbyn’s supporters who will scream ‘human rights violations’ across the BBC, Channel 4 and The Guardian, Independent and Observer, aided by Shami Chakrabati?
JoeSoap
This is all tinkering at the edges.
Much safer to say unless we need you, goodbye.
Sounds good, but full of holes, too many ‘ifs’ for example. How much does it apply in retrospect? To have proper weight and meaning the sentences in the second paragraph ought to have an extension ‘and the individuals will be immediately be required to be detained and removed from the country without delay’. Otherwise it’s just paper of course, and meaningless in practice.
I presume the words are in précis, but the removal aspect is important and the subject of much comment and concern on these pages. Are the words elsewhere and if so is there an unambiguous link? Are different ‘departments’ involved in the separate elements, ie. classification and re-classification, and removal, a very inefficient system if so? It’s foolish to give illegals long notice of their change of status. I can imagine a re-classification piece of paper in the ‘out tray’ and taking weeks or months to be seen by someone else’.
I’d like to know where I can see a worked example of what happens now and one showing what will happen after these changes.
If there are such inefficiencies I imagine the people concerned are simply ‘let out of the door’ so to speak, ‘sent a letter’, and they carry on as before and disappear. No real change.
In the meantime we just get the government patting itself on the back and others telling us how everything is now going to be much better and we should not worry any more.
Do you think ‘changing the rules’ is sufficient.? We’ve been here before and the ambulance chasers, assisted by the Judiciary will seek to undermine or overturn it. Surely if the government is serious this whole thing needs some primary legislation. We recently had ‘change of rules’ about gypsy status, which is already being challenged. It seems that Ministers may wish to do the thing they and the public want, but are thwarted by the lawyers. I know it takes time, but Ministers seem to have very little actual power do do anything much these days. Perhaps stopping lawyers getting paid for this sort of thing might be the simplest way, rather than bringing in new laws and rules. all the time. Then we’d see who is in for the justice and who just for the money.
The mind boggles. Surely these rules should have been in place all along.
As the protocol I mention above has been around since 1997 I cannot understand why the relevant part of the changes, ie not normally granting asylum to the citizens of other EU member states, has not been in place since then; so how many cases have there actually been of, for example, French citizens fleeing persecution in France and being given sanctuary in the UK?
I thank Mr. Redwood for informing us of changes to immigration rules, although to be honest I thought these were already in existence.
But what in practice is meant by “refugee status will be withdrawn” or “that no national arriving from the EU can make an asylum claim” ?
Will it mean they are no longer entitled to work, to welfare or to be treated by the NHS ?
Will it mean that they will be deported ?
Or is it just another status to be used like “British Citizen” or “British Resident” ?
Instead of being classified as a refugee they will become stateless and homeless.
They will no longer be included in any of the usual lists e.g. lists of the unemployed or those on the housing list, or asylum seekers waiting to be processed or legal migrants.
All weasel words and pretty meaningless.
Do you notice the applause anybody who speaks straight gets from the 90% these days? That just has to translate into real votes and this whole LibLabCon well-meaning socialist charade will be gone.
The Schengen accord was always a contentious arrangement, liable to buckle under pressure, there not being even cursory border checks which could at least netted some undesirables. To reduce numbers it should be broadcast that no one who have destroyed their papers or unable to prove their identity would be able to proceed. This is no time for fine-tuning.
I read that the odious Claude Juncker has been sounding off at being ” let down ” by various elected governments and haranguing them for not sharing his vision – he who has never been elected (not by anyone we would recognise anyway), and should now be
told to button up forthwith.
miami.mode
“….New rules highlight the fact that no national arriving from the EU can make an asylum claim. Under EU law all EU countries are deemed to be safe….”
As it’s extremely unlikely that asylum claimants will have come from anywhere other than the EU, then surely asylum is virtually obsolete in the UK.
I also recollect reading recently that Greece has been deemed unsafe either by the EU or UN (I can’t recollect which) due to “austerity measures” and consequently migrants are completely free to move to other countries in the EU.
Free movement means the right to move to another EU country for work. There is no reason why it has to mean the right not to be asked to verify identity at national borders – not when in most EU countries it is a legal requirement to carry an identity card at all times, and failure to produce it on demand a criminal offence.
Martyn G
Better than continuing with the present sclerotic arrangements and having almost every decision overturned by the ‘yuman rights courts and brigades I suppose, but what springs to my mind is – stable door? Loosely bolted. Horse? Long gone!
Hows comes Brits who have been out in Syria on the side of Isil are not in prison for treason or some such?
backofanenvelope
As they return they should be arrested, interrogated and interned. If they have been involved in the fighting, then they should be handed over to the Syrian or Iraqi governments for possible trial for murder.
A number of them appear to brag on the web about what they have been up to.
An excellent piece by Charles Moore today on the Telegraph pages.
How many years has it taken people like us to get the mainstream to say these things? And as he says how many more people have to die before we are taken seriously and something effective is done to defend us. Otherwise we will have to take to arms to defend ourselves.
It will be blood on your hands Mr Cameron and all your supporters, politically correct posturers and hangers on.
They are not too worried about the likes of us taking up arms. They are counting upon time and DNA degeneration.
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend” is a cute proverb . Dire consequences can await countries who push this bad translation. In fact, the Paris murders go some way to emphasise the folly.
The Rt Hon Theresa May is in Parliament as I type and has just reassured an SNP MP that the 100 Syrian refugees entering Scotland today are victims and not a threat to us.
Very well, she may well be right. In this she will of course know the moral values, the political views, the likely change in political views within the Syrian individuals’ political landscapes. She will know what cultural and religious forces within the UK will gradually change the refugees’ mindsets. She will know who will be the leader of Syria post President Assad. She will know if Mr Corbyn or herself will be Prime Minister here, for sure. She will know whether the Syrian refugees in the future will agree with the British recognition of a future Syrian Presidency. She will know they as Syrians will not turn on the new Syrian President and not turn on we British and murder us like the “Born in France ” and “Born in Belgium” Muslims some of whose parents were refugees. She will know because she is a part-time Fortune Teller whose tent-name is Mystic Theresa.
Owen Paterson is apparently getting ahead of the game.
He has already made his intentions entirely clear, prior to the CfB meeting.
Quoted in The Telegraph, he says: “The renegotiation process is effectively over and I will be focusing on campaigning for Britain to leave the EU.”
“It will be withdrawn if the protection is no longer needed.”
Even after 50, 60 years?
Gina Dean
This does not mean a thing as soon as they come before our judges all rules go out the window. Our judges seem to have their own agenda.
JR: “The government has just changed the Immigration rules again ..”
Now you need to change the firearms regulations too.
Did anyone notice how one sided the confrontation in Paris was?
The criminals and terrorists will always have access to weapons, because they do not care about the law.
I’ve seen French flags everywhere the past couple of days.
Haven’t seen many EU flags.
You didn’t see an EU flag at the Tory Party conference either, Dave.
You’d think proEU Tories in a proEU Tory party would be proud to display it. And if not- why not ???
They did in the past, on the backdrop to the platform for at least one national conference, that of 1984.
If only we could get your last sentence through to Cameron.
Sensible and timely measures, Dr JR, that will help reduce the additional economic burden of the global mass of demographic claimants to the benefits of Britain. It is to be hoped that your government will not be afraid to publicise these initiatives.
There is no doubt that a political earthquake is in the making across Europe. The emergence of Jeremyn Corbyn within Labour attests to this development within the UK. Outsiders are suddenly being seen as the solution to problems and needs that the existing governors do not recognise or do not manage effectively. Corbyn represents a shift to the Left, and as such is the promoter of policies that have already failed in the post-war period. It follows that Corbyn’s appeal to the centre is negligible, he only appeals to a hard core of true believers within the extreme Left.
The trend in events suggest that the populace is becoming very anxious indeed about the presence of a notorious fractious demographic within the polity. Relations seem to have broken down irretrievably and divorce looms. Talk of a healing partnership with the demographic in question is ridiculous, one cannot form a partnership with people whose values and objectives are the antithesis of your own. Managing that impending divorce is a matter of the highest importance for your party and your government. The possibility of an outsider on the extreme Right emerging cannot be discounted and your policy initiatives must pre-empt that outcome.
“…no national arriving from the EU can make an asylum claim….”
What does that mean? What do you mean by “national” in this context? Everybody is a national of some place or other.
If you mean an EU citizen, then they don’t need to make any asylum claim- they get to stay here anyway.
If you mean a non-EU immigrant- they only need a citizenship bestowed by some other EU country and they get to come here and stay here too.
In this context it means the citizens of other EU member states, so the change means that (for example) if a French citizen tries to claim asylum in the UK then his claim will now be given slightly shorter shrift than before.
“Refugee status will be withdrawn if someone obtained that status by deception”
How will it work for people who in the past e.g 10-12 years ago got refugee status and UK passport by deception? I know someone who did this under Blair and would quite happily report her, if it this were retrospective.
We need also to stop people who are here illegally from becoming legal. When we do that there will be no incentive for illegal immigration which is what we have at the moment.
Again, Cameron is tinkering.
Although his strategy for supporting Syrian refugees in surrounding countries is so obviously right, the EU and particularly Merkel, show no signs of adopting it. Despite serious misgivings by a majority of EU Member, States, Hollande and Merkel seem to be happy for the mass influx to continue and other countries do not appear to be willing to stand up in public and demand it be stopped. As a result, Merkel seems to be calling all the shots unchallenged.
Once migrants have made it to Britain, it will be impossible to make the EU country they came from take them back. We are seeing this in Dover where the French refuse to take back stowaways from Calais who legally should all have claimed asylum in Turkey, Greece, Italy or France.
Surely the key question for Britain is what are the intentions of Brussels and Berlin in respect of those that have already been admitted without background checks ?
The numbers are so great that upwards of 1m have already made it into Europe and, despite the oncoming winter, at least another 200,000-500,000 are already on their way.
In the spring the numbers looking to start on the journey will be enormous. By the Autumn of 2016 we could possibly be talking about a total of 2-3m having made it into the EU. No more than 25% of them will be genuine Syrian refugees.
1. Negotiations with Turkey and African countries about the majority who are economic migrants are not going well so is there any realistic prospect that Europe can prevent such a huge number of economic migrants arriving, let alone deport them ?
2. Of those that remain in the EU, are they going to be allowed to bring their families to join them ? This is a vitally important question because 1m-2m could easily become 6m-10m.
3. Are these huge numbers of people then going to be allowed to settle in Europe permanently and will they be given EU passports ?
These are serious issues for Britain, even though we are outside Schengen. With an EU passport they will all be entitled to settle here and nothing in Cameron’s laughable “renegotiation” is going to prevent them : If they are granted passports and just 10% of those ALREADY in Europe choose to come the the UK, that could double the number of new migrants arriving here in one year.
I suspect that the official silence on these issues means that Merkel, despite objections from her CDU partners, is intending to solve her labour problem by granting at least the Syrians refugees permanent residence. Under FOM they would then be entitled to settle anywhere in the EU.
Of course, Cameron and all the other Europhiles here would rather these questions remain unanswered but British journalists and politicians should be demanding answers now.
Before our people are asked to vote in the referendum they need to know exactly what the consequences might be.
Absolutely right.
Our political masters want an electorate who can’t fight back and the parasite sector wants a defenceless host to feed on – that’s why we have gun control today (it would be more accurate to call it population control).
Obviously no one would be in favour of criminals or lunatics having guns – but honest citizens, with the appropriate training, being able to defend themselves their families and community is not an outrageous concept.
Cameron wants his reward of a seat in Brussels, for the total destruction of this country and the annihilation of its people.
My short response to this blog appears to be still under moderation.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3245
|
__label__cc
| 0.6133
| 0.3867
|
« Trafalgar eve event
Let’s reassure BMW »
Was the EU really trying to help Mrs May with its change of view?
Yesterday’s well briefed stories in pro EU UK papers told us the EU is willing now to admit that the Northern Ireland border issues can of course be resolved by technology and checks away from the borders. Just as the Eurosceptics have always claimed, and as the UK government argued at the beginning of the Brexit process, there is no need for new barriers at the border and long delays whilst goods are checked at a border post. In this electronic age the issues of Excise,VAT and safety of product are already sorted out by electronic manifests and checks where needed away from the border. Most does not need physical inspection, as regulated operators file the necessary information so the authorities can do what they need to do without troubling the lorry driver. The authorities only need to do a few random inspections to keep the system honest, or to inspect where there is evidence of possible fraud, as they do today whilst we are still in the EU.
There was a suggestion this was designed to help Theresa May. I did not quite understand that part of the story. Mrs May has been arguing that it is because there is a problem with the Irish border – a problem many of us say does not in reality exist – that she needs to dream up the elaborate fix of Chequers. The imposition of the EU rule book for goods and the offer to collect EU tariffs for them was designed to remove the need for these things to happen at the Irish border. If the EU now rightly says there is no such problem it is difficult to see why we would need Chequers at all.
If we lift the nonsense that there is a problem with the Irish border, then a Canada plus plus trade deal is easy to do if both sides wish. The EU said they were up for a Canada style deal but wished to exclude Northern Ireland, leaving that in their customs union. That was clearly impossible for the UK. If this is no longer their view, then why not just agree a Free Trade Deal. It is easy to do technically, unlike most FTAs, because we start from a position of having no tariffs and having common standards.
What is strange is the PM is ploughing on with her very unpopular Chequers proposals, just at the point where it seems there is no need for them for the reason originally set out. It may be she knows the stories yesterday were false of course, though they looked well briefed and went to EU friendly papers. The alternative explanation is she wants to keep us in the common market for goods for reasons other than the Irish border. If so we need to know why. I see no good reason to make any such proposal.
Meanwhile the IMF is back with bad forecasts for what might happen if we leave with No Deal. Once again it appears a major forecasting outfit fails to understand the positives from leaving without signing the Withdrawal Agreement. There is that £39bn to spend, and then there is the up to £13bn of tariff revenue on EU imports into the UK that can be given back to business and consumers as tax cuts. Any discounted cashflow calculation of the money shows the UK is clearly better off without signing the Withdrawal Agreement. Why do they always leave that bit out, and go for silly models showing big falls in trade that are unlikely to happen?
hans christian ivers
Posted September 18, 2018 at 5:20 am | Permalink
JR,
Can we now please discuss some of our real challenges such as
-Young peoples health
-Challenges with the NHS
-Too little investment in infrastructure
–The state of our environment in the cities
-the state of our educational system
Reply. Yes. I wrote about the need for more spending yesterday!
May has changed the labels and narrative to leaving the EU:
May has made trade the central theme to leave.
Use Irish border for no other soluable solution.
Chequers means remain, no deal means leave.
May has changed the labels and exchanged them in reality it means remaining in EU for perpetuity on worse terms.
If the UK wishes to remain ot has to be on worse terms and May’s chequers plan accepts that.
May has failed to delive a national policy on the biggest ever turn out to leave the EU. May has betrayed the electorate and national democracy giving her the mandate to govern. She no longer has a mandate. May has lied to say it delivers on what was promised, manifesto, referendum and vote. May knows this not to be the case and continues to lie. She should resign if not be ousted.
Hammond today, again, flouts the govt policy to scare people to remain the in the EU under Chequers remain policy proposal.
Two years of capitulation allowed to be called compromise. Another two years being in the EU without a voice or veto to allow May to change our minds. There is no transition as the country is not changing to anything and cannot because it can only talk trade when it leaves, nor is it implementing anything. The two years is an acceptable financial and economic punishment agreed with the EU.
We voted leave. WTO was the only offer on the table.
Unl as WTO can be bettered by leaving in all forms then it must be that. Chequers remain proposal dos not even come close to leaving the EU.
JR, stop using excuses or pronouns for May’s disgraceful behaviour. There is no come back for her underhand lying behaviour.
Fishknife
Why did Mrs. May do the Panorama interview yesterday?
She could have, and perhaps should have, done it two years ago.
The smirking Robinson toed the pro EU BBC line of ignoring the evident.
In promoting Chequers, now, un-amended by Barnier, it is patently obvious that the interview had nothing to do with Brexit.
By Sherlock default it can only be about the Conservative Party and getting through the Conference.
JoolsB
Well said Hope. The Tories are on a death wish if they allow this treacherous pair to remain in office. As their own self interest and survival is usually their prime motivation for most MPs, the ‘Tories’ really have lost touch with reality inside their Westminster bubble if they think they will get re-elected for generations to come if May is allowed to deliver her disastrous Chequers proposal
Having said that, it’s probably the only way we will get a complete clear out of all the socialist MPs currently calling themselves Conservative. Hopefully eventually we might have a Conservative party to vote for.
Posted September 18, 2018 at 11:19 am | Permalink
I suspect JR knows the ‘strange’ reason for not changing the remain Chequers proposal. Is it because it was shown and agreed with Merkel before Cabinet and parliament? Is this choreographed like Cameron’s I reformed EU lie? I will not pay the extra £1.7 billion deception and paid nearly twice the amount?
When have any you asked May in Parliament whether it shown or agreed with Merkel before cabinet or Parliament? A journalist tried to ask Merkel, May intervened and stopped the question!
Why did leave ministers allow themselves to be had over the Irish border at Christmas when May did one of her last minute capitulation deals? BJ wrote yesterday they were taken in by personal assurances that the Irish backstop would not be used. Who gave the personal assurances and why were they needed if never to be used? Are the leave ministers that stupid? Clearly those leave ministers in office will not get elected again as they are putting ambition and personal gain above national interest and public vote to leave the EU.
Gove made himself look stupid saying a future PM could change the deal! Indeed, but most think to ratchet the way back into full blown EU! Also after making two treaty obligations what would the world think of the UK for reneging on two treaties! Barmier already dismissed Gove’s stupid comments. Who could deal with a country or person like that? Back stabbing Gove might need to reflect on his comments and conduct. he might think this sort of behaviour is acceptable, honourable people and countries do not. You could never do business on this premise.
hefner
Could it be that 48 Conservative MPs are required to trigger an internal Conservative election to change the PM, but 159 such votes would be required to define a final majority. The ERG is only ~80 strong.
We have been here before. In July: “Mrs May’s Chief of Staff Gavin Barwell floored Brexiteers by saying the Prime Minister is so convinced by her soft Brexit document that even if the Northern Ireland border was not an issue she would proceed and deliver it anyway.
Mr Barwell said Mrs May did not view the Northern Irish border as a decisive factor in her negotiating with the bloc’s chief negotiator Michael Barnier”
https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/988768/brexit-news-soft-brexit-irish-border-theresa-may-white-paper
But as May,Robbins, Barwell etc know, Chequers is not Brexit. The problem with Chequers is it effectively means not leaving the EU.
Martin Howe QC’s legal opinion on the Chequers Fake Brexit: https://order-order.com/2018/07/07/explosive-brexiteer-legal-advice-demolishes-cabinets-plan/
JRM: “The problem with Chequers is it means not leaving the EU” https://www.leavemeansleave.eu/media/jacob-rees-mogg-mp-problem-chequers-means-not-leaving-eu/
Stop the EU
Hope “May has changed the labels and exchanged them in reality”
In other words, Orwellian mind control tactics!!!
Hef, I am aware of the numbers you cite. But the public is outraged and the MPs will realise their jobs are on the line for a dead horse May, forever!
WTO was the only trade deal on the table when 17.4 million voted to leave the EU. May has delayed as much as possible and her punishment extension designed for more.
Merkel states the U.K. Must suffer a little bit. I think the UK public will think (so what ed)! Leave now.
… and Gremlins under the bed …
What we need is less demand on the services you list and more money to improve them.
Leaving the EU with its bad immigration management and exhorbitant club fees will be a very good start.
It is, of course, worth putting your ‘exhorbitant club fees’ claim in a rather more truthful context.
EU membership fees cost the average Briton just over £1 per week. Less if you are poor or low rate taxpayer.
EU membership costs a lot more than that when all is taken into account.
UK population is around 65m, at £1 per week your arithmetic works out at an annual cost of £3.38b (65m x 52 x 1) which is nowhere near the “polished” claimed number and excludes all the little extras.
Even against the pretend number of 9b you are still a factor of 3 out, are you really a business man? I very much doubt it if you can’t do a simple test like that.
However, last year the Bruges group estimated the true cost at nearer to £660m per week and so closer to £10 per head. An order of magnitude more than yours and likely still not including opportunity and indirect costs.
Nigel Seymour
When we leave the EU March 2019 then this will ,without any doubt, let us address many funding issues. We have been locked into the EU for 40 years and have progressively been drawn into a political union. A majority of voters decided in June 2016 that they no longer wanted to go down this route. Some are talking of a 2nd referendum (peoples vote?) The EU were very good at forcing countries to overturn their decisions i.e. Ireland and now they have come up against THIS GREAT BRITAIN who voted in the largest democratic act in our history…
Have you ever wondered whether Britain is the Great one only because Brittany is the small one, this geographically speaking?
No because the Great refers to the fact that this tiny little island has had the biggest effect in all kinds of ways on world history , we are still the 5th largest economy in the world ( despite the EU) and we sit in our own right on most international bodies
The historic reason is James 1 used the term to refer to the independent countries of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland as one block before the act of union
The first recorded use of the name Britain is believed to have appeared within a periplus written in about 325 BC by the Greek geographer and explorer Pytheas of Massalia
Reply Our country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Nig l
Why don’t you ask her?
Indeed. Mr Redwood is a member of the Conservative Party that has a leader called Theresa May and a bunch of remainiacs who are hell bent on betraying the referendum by any means. It’s obvious that she and her team have colluded with the EU and others European leaders and the whole Project fear part 3 people, IMF, Foreign Office, Treasury, Carney etc etc to come up with the Chequers plan. Anyone knows staying in the EU rule book for goods and agri products is remaining in the EU without a say. What other independent Country in the world would agree such an arrangement? The Tory’s must go and call an election so we can elect Brexiteer candidates and reform the Lords to clear the Westmonster swamp!
JR’s post highlights the problem. I’m wondering why the penny hasn’t quite dropped with so many Tory MPs who still don’t know which way to jump?
Surely they can’t be so dense that they can’t see through Theresa May and her remainer manoeuvring and plotting?
So what other explanation could there be for their lack of understanding?
The answer is, the party is infused with weaklings and turncoats who will bend with the prevailing wind. All the time not realising they will ultimately be judged by the electorate – just look at the rubbish the party lost in the 1997 disaster, only to bring more of them on board and miss a golden opportunity to re-align itself with expectations.
People voted Tory for a reason, because they believed their MPs were patriotic and wanted to uphold traditional Tory values. Those who now show themselves to be more of the liberal left and would have this country governed by a foreign political entity shouldn’t feel secure – May included!
Lib Dems were the only one of the three English parties to be honourable on the point to remain in the EU. They got trounced at the ballot box. Labour and Conservative party lied to get elected. Over 80% of the public voted for the two main parties who stated they would leave the EU. both parties lied to their voters. Who would be stupid enough to vote for either?
Interesting so many people on your site, are responding with what appears to be a growing anger at the May proposals, and the general failure, or lack of willingness of the Government to get a Proper and clean Brexit.
Aware you are inviting comment, but are you aware of many other MP’s getting a similar response/feeling from the public.
Reply Yes, its common I am told. The polling on Conservative Home shows 69% of Conservative members are against Chequers after receiving the PM’s letter urging them to like it.
Then she deserves to go…………and very, very quickly before she and her kind can do any more damage with their cowardice and deceit.
May must be on another planet not to realise the anger and resentment towards her and all the other treacherous Heath-ites down the years. The people really will be up in arms if we don’t get some positive leadership soon.
The way is open for someone with courage and conviction to get the UK out of the EU, not make this country a laughing stock by bowing and scraping at every turn. Never have I seen this country so badly run, and I thought I had seen some breath-taking incompetence with Labour in the mid to late 70s!
This is serious stuff, but she seems impervious to criticism and detached from reality.
You would just get a silly answer that did not address the issue raised in any way and make no sense. This would be robotically delivered in her “remember I am talking to very dim 5 year old’s mode”.
Something like:- If you are asking me ………(something you are not asking her at all) then I ….make….. no…….. apology….. for……. doing……. what……… the government (totally idiotically) think……. is in the UK’s ……….interests. Because (you silly little children) …… we ……. are ……. leaving ……. the EU ……. on 29th…… of March …….. next …… year. Which is not very ……long……. away.
Next question please.
Mrs May wants to remain in the EU full stop. The EU will only agree to the Irish solution providing Chequers is watered down even further.
The EU are desperate for the Withdrawal Agreement and to be signed tying us permanently to Brussels.
May is a downright traitor.
Quite right, its plain for all to see, so the question is where are the Brexiteers who will stop her?
Littlejohn has it spot on in todays Mail.
Mays Chequers Agreement leaves us so aligned with the EU that in a couple of years they can seamlessly rejoin without a referendum.
Euro and all. No opt outs.
That woman is despicable.
Littlejohn is indeed exactly right. The country wants out, not some absurd, vassal state fudge that is even worse than in.
For electoral, economic and Bresit reasons and to avoid Corbyn/SNP the despicable Appeaser May & tax to death Hammond must go.
Ian Wagg,
I am really worried about your blood pressure?
My blood pressure is 120/80 And pulse rate 61
Early poster today Hans. Then again Brussels is one hour ahead of the UK.
I think Ian states his case well and without the anger we often see from remain supporters who post on here.
Dennis Zoff
Another inane. boorish and overly-patronizing comment…why do you bother to comment at all. Your comments rarely have worthwhile substance?
She’s not despicable but just a puppet.
Not everyone is woke.
Personal attacks, justified or not, don’t help.
Not it seems Michael Gove, who lumbered us with May (by knifing Boris) and who has been a serial offender against the Brexit cause. Also now a climate alarmist green pushing VAT on school fees too.
Let us hope there are enough on the sensible wing to stop May and replace her with a proper pro Brexit Conservative.
“where are the Brexiteers who will stop her?”
It seems they simply don’t have the numbers to stop her. There’s probably 60 at most true Brexiteers and they need roughly triple that amount to get rid of her so she knows she’s safe for now which is why she is appearing very smug of late and sticking her two fingers up to all of us who voted Brexit. Why they allowed her to become leader in the first place is the biggest mystery.
60 out of 650 self serving MPs willing to deliver what we voted for. Scandalous.
Despite the understandable calls for May’s defenestration on this site and elsewhere it will not happen. The numbers are there for a challenge but not to guarantee unseating her. Failure would only reinforce her position for another year.
However, there should be the numbers to defeat the Withdrawal Agreement and Leavers should concentrate on that. What happens after can be addressed in due course.
JoolsB, Peter, thanks for your bit of fresh air in this ever more nauseating (and uninformed) enclosed space.
Indeed a dishonest traitor and she has idiotic regulate and tax to death economic policies (and is a huge electoral liability too). Get rid no one is taken in by her sycophantic interview, silly shoes and desperate panto performance on Panarama.
Can we all agree that the Withdrawal Agreement must be opposed now?
The Gove/Leadsom position that it is now a good thing and anyway we can improve things later just does not convince.
As the BBC admitted, May is now adopting an ‘Any Deal is better than WTO’ approach.
Yesterday was a big propaganda day. Panorama showed a very friendly Nick Robinson sharing a car with Mrs. May. Yes, he put questions to her – but her glib answers went unchallenged. All very carefully put together -soft focus with the PM in less robotic mode relaxing with her husband. Robinson letting her off the hook probably improved his chances of further interviews at the expense of Marr who seemed to have a monopoly on interviewing the PM.
Should have put Andrew Neil in to do the job – she wouldn’t have been so smug then!
May would never dare to be interviewed by someone competent like Andrew Neil.
It is simply false to say the EU has agreed that technology can solve the problem. It is false to say technology can solve the problem, full stop. There is not a single border anywhere in the world which is policed only by “technology” – except in the EU. Mr Redwood, your panic about how badly the UK is doing seems to be increasing!
There are historic border posts but many countries are moving to 100% technology based border controls for customs etc. Switzerland is a close example. The whole issue is a ruse designed to prevent a sensible comprehensive FTA for the UK. What’s coming out of all this is you might or might not want political union with the EU 27 countries – many, perhaps including you, do want that – but you don’t need it for seemless free trade.
Switzerland does not have frictionless borders with the EU. There are queues of lorries at the main crossings, paperwork is involved and some are checked. By border standards it is efficient but it blatantly untrue to claim it is frictionless.
Reply Not worse than the traffic jams on many European roads which do not prevent just in time systems
Ah. So you accept Switzerland has friction at its borders? Now you are correct. That friction is not necessarily very great. But the point is that currently there is no bureaucratic friction at the UK/ EU border and after Brexit there will be. Whatever solution you come up with your Brexit makes it worse. That might be a price people want to pay. But it would help if Brexiteers were honest and at least admitted that the price exists.
Incidentally, I drive pretty extensively across Europe and – with the exception of the Périphérique – it is usually quite difficult to find a significant traffic jam. Sure, it can get a bit clogged up around the big cities, but unless you hit an accident your journey is usually pretty smooth.
Until you get back to the UK of course. Here decades of under-investment by parties of both colours – though particularly the Tories – have left our main roads in a sorry state. Indeed, whenever I drive abroad – no matter how far I’ve been nor for how long -the worst bit of the entire journey is almost invariably the bit between Dover and Heathrow.
Traffic jams are NOT an indication of a lack of working technology at border crossings. The ENTIRE reason that the EU enjoys frictionless goods transit is BECAUSE of the technology , without it then trucks would have to be stopped at every border
You really are clueless, you have clearly never owned a business
Oh and I’ve been stuck in traffic jams in Belgium and France many times , nowhere near borders
From Die Welt 23rd January this year …
“German traffic jams piled on misery for drivers in 2017 ..
German automobile club ADAC has published figures on traffic jams for 2017 showing an average of 4,000 kilometers of jams on the country’s roads every day. And the problem for drivers looks set to worsen further still.”
I have crossed the Swiss-French border many times. There are rural crossing points with no checks at all – just a sign. The main crossing at Geneva sometimes has 5-10mins delays, no worse than a peage & the point is the commercial customs checks are all going automated. This is a non-issue.
Sir Joe Soap
Never been in a queue there in perhaps 100 crossings. Always waved through, last time even without the compulsory carnet 😕 (what a good idea for UK).
Try turning off early before Vallorbe, crossing the border in the country, and you won’t see any border posts at all.
I’m certainly in a panic about how badly your Remainer politicains are doing in negotiating any sort of deal with the EU – time to let a Leaver have a go for a change. If the EU wants to put up a hard border in Ireland let them do it.
L Jones
Project Fear via Facebook again, Helena? This is about far more than trade. Perhaps you could comment on those other things instead of attempting to denigrate our host.
Even if the UK were ”doing badly” at present (which of course it isn’t) it certainly wouldn’t be for long with several billion pounds to spend on itself and its own!
Know-Dice
European Parliament document –
Smart Border 2.0
Avoiding a hard border on the island of
Ireland for Customs control and the free
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2017/596828/IPOL_STU(2017)596828_EN.pdf
Next objection Helena…
Butties
Helena you are wrong. EU study confirmed no hard border necessary and use of technology works (way back last November see http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=IPOL_STU(2017)596828) Please keep up.
How much evidence has to be produced to prove that May is a devious trickster who has all along been bent on keeping us as closely tied the EU as possible? And yet the likes of JRM and DD say she is a great leader and they just want get to change her Brexit approach.
If I were sold a dud car from dodgy dealer I wouldn’t say he was a good person, that it was only a problem car and keep going back.
It’s all rather sickening and we are left feeling that no MPs have any integrity or honour. They seem happy to be played for fools and ask for more.
Peter VAN LEEUWEN
I actually believe that the EU is helping Mrs May (by extension the UK) to change her/its view (into a 21 month Norway-like option, to give time for arranging a Canada like FTA)
If that wouldn’t hold the Tory party together, so be it.
If that was the result it would be excellent both for the EU and the U.K. and we could all calm down. Unfortunately the ruse of the N Ireland border is being used to try to keep the U.K. as a quasi-economic colony. It’s not a far sighted policy by the EU even if they do ‘win’ the negotiation against the hapless Mrs May, as it’s clear such an arrangement isn’t sustainable for an independent democracy of 65m people.
@Richard1: Norway option for UK only 21 months, Canada + FTA would be sustainable. Business would only have to adapt one time (after 21 months).
If Not. Ireland not solvable, remember that the DUP only represent 28% of N. I. voters. So why not call a new general election sometime during 2021 in case there will not be a technically acceptable solution?
Which is the key point. The EU gain nothing if they try to achieve an eternally punishing relationship via Mrs May as it would not stand and they will lose. The EU is asinine to even demand an unchangeable agreement.
If we took the Norway route that would become the final destination.
Half in half out. Not what we voted for.
@Ian wragg: why not stipulate in the withdrawal agreement that “Norway” ends in 21months, just like art. 50 gives a hard date?
Because it gives the EU 21 months of money while we have no say at all and they can delay our seeking trade agreements. There is no benefit of such an arrangement to us.
The EU will have had 2 years and squandered the first 18 months trying to screw unjustified payments from us.
@David Price:
I’m afraid your confusing UK with EU. The EU has been unified, clear and ready from the start, respecting the UK-expressed red lines. The UK has spent all this time trying to unify internally (no success as yet) and keeps trying to ignore the EU red lines (integrity of the Single Market). Since the preliminary agreement last December (including the settling of financial commitments), the UK has been mainly absent in Brussels, too busy with itself.
The EU squandered the first 18 months – after all they dictated the sequencing quite arbitrarily.
That sounds too hard for Mme May to understand. She would give one of those frowns and say with a lopsided mouth it’s not what we voted for.
Not what you voted for, perhaps. Plenty of Leavers did vote for Norway style deal – and why does your view count for more than theirs? It doesn’t of course, except that you shout louder and expect people to listen – where as, actually, we just ignore you.
Reply You do not ignore me but come here every day to peddle your misleading nonsense. Please feel free to give the site a miss if you cannot ever think of anything positive or polite to say.The official Leave campaign stood for leaving the single market and customs union, and the official remain campaign said we would have to leave both is we left the EU. The Norway option entails EU type commitments we voted against.
Reply to reply: Mr Redwood, this must have been quite confusing for many ordinary voters!
Just search for “norway in leave campaign” in youtube and you’ll see some very influential brexiteers making the Norway case. People in their voting/referendum boots remember these statements, whatever the “official” line.
Andy – how on EARTH do you know that ”plenty of Leavers did vote for Norway style deal”(sic)
I’m with Dr Redwood here – you seem to be wasting your time spouting rubbish continually. You are so typical of Remainders generally – you simply cannot comment without working in an insult or two, veiled or blatant.
I most certainly DID vote to leave the SM and CU, and the CFP and CAP and the ECJ to boot.
oldwulf
Mrs May is proposing to betray the 17.4m majority who voted “leave”. Why does she think she can get away with that ?
She can get away with it as Tory MPs are apparently comfortable with betraying the 17.4 million who voted to leave the EU i.e. they are not prepared to remove Theresa May and install a Brexiter leader. It really is as simple as that.
How long do we have to tolerate the intolerable that is May?
I have no idea who this woman is, what she is and what she stands for.
With May in charge the UK will not be leaving the EU. Indeed with May in charge I would argue our involvement will become greater and greater.
We want her gone even if that means a GE
Agreed. Get rid of the Tory’s and elect Brexiteers in every Constituency where a false remainiac is sitting! Soubery, Grieve ect! Then reduce and reform the Lords to represent the people NOT the elite politicos!
Instead May went out of her way to promote Remainers as Parliamentary candidates and point blank refused to appoint Leave supporters to the Lords to balance out the Remainers there.
Has anyone – anyone – actually read the “State of the Union” speech which M. Juncker gave to the EU Parliament?
Has anyone – anyone – even heard of the “Advice to Stakeholders”?
Has anyone actually opened the “EEA Agreement”?
The Irish border question is insoluble outside the EEA. Seamless trade within Ireland, North and South, depends on power belonging to the EEA, above national governments. It depends on EEA approved inspectors authorising Approved Operators to trade within the EEA. There is no way (outside Efta) that the EEA – or the EU for that matter – can break this arrangement.
Which is why there is going to be a Conference on the day after Brexit (30/3/19) in Romania where no doubt M. Juncker’s sciatica is going to get much worse.
“The Irish border question is insoluble outside the EEA.”
How long will it take for you to notice that the Irish government has rejected out of hand the idea of a “light touch” customs border like that between Sweden (in the EU and EEA) and Norway (in the EU and EFTA)?
John there is already a hard border between the UK and France, went through it twice in the last month.
Passports checked and car stopped for a random search on the way out at Dover
Passports checked twice at Calais (French Check and Uk Check) on the way back, with some vehicles in front of us also being searched.
Do not understand why northern Ireland should be a problem its simply politics again.
There’s one between France and Italy and Spain. Long queues on the autoroute.
Turboterrier.
Good post today John.
But what is of a bigger concern is: When are all the leavers in Westminster going to get together and write an open letter to the press, highlighting the total betrayal of its charter in providing neutral, unbiased broadcasting on political matters especially that which is being churned out 24/7 by the BBC.
It is not politicians even the government that is controlling or leading the arguments it is the BBC. Totally unfit for purpose and well past its sell by date. When is this publicly funded fifth column going to be bought to task at worse or at best shut down?
R4 have a slot where they answer FAQs about Brexit, such as “why do we need a deal, why can’t we just leave?”. A trio of BBC’s “specialist journalists” answer the questions.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/play/b0bk12j8#t=166m27s
All one sided as you would expect. “If the pound falls imported goods will be more expensive” > No mention of the corresponding boost to British exports.
This is why I refuse to pay the BBC tax.
BBC tv had an expert on this morning answering a question on whether we would still be able to buy duty free. She said it would not be possible after leaving. In fact, at present we are not allowed to buy duty free in airports when travelling within the EU. When in Copenhagen last year, I was refused permission to buy duty free Scotch but a gentleman from somewhere East was allowed 3 bottles.
May and the EU are working together to get their already agreed plan approved by all sides. This latest comment from them is just part of their orchestrated plan to get the deal approved. It will be presented at the last minute at the end of the year, take it or leave it, and there aren’t enough no-deal votes in parliament to stop it. As you and most of the rest of the Conservative MPs keep telling us you are perfectly happy to leave May as PM you are presumably also happy to have her work behind your backs in this way.
Reply Your words, not mine. My views are as set out on this website.
Actions speak louder than words Dr Redwood.
We are being screwed over by May but no one is prepared to challenge her.
Reply to reply: words alone will not solve the Brexit betrayal problem as you must be well aware, Mr Redwood. It does not satisfy those who are being betrayed for Brexiter MPs simply to say that Chequers is wrong, and thereby apparently absolve themselves of the responsibility for actually blocking the massive betrayal of the Brexit voters. Radical action is required, but apparently Brexiter MPs say they still support May. The fact that May and Robbins apparently worked covertly and dishonestly to produce another EU exit plan and completely humiliate the chief Brexiter MP in cabinet seems not to bother Tory MPs. They seem to think that we will forget the duplicity and utter betrayal. Voters are not stupid.
Reply I am saying we will seek to vote down Chequers in the unlikely event that she sticks with it and the EU agrees it.
fedupsoutherner
Reply to reply. That will not be enough John. If there aren’t enough MP’s willing to vote this crap deal down then it is a done deal and one that none of us voted for. Other comments are right on this blog. Surely there are enough of you to see how lousy May is and what she is doing to the name of the Conservative party? Have none got any back bone? It seems the only great leader in recent times was got rid of in a flash and yet this useless PM is still here. Nothing makes any sense and the betrayal of democracy and the people of this country is second to none.
reply How can you say Conservative Eurosceptics lack backbone given all we have had to do and say to get this far?
Our MP’s are at liberty to vote as they feel fit. Deal/No Deal. I don’t see TM departing under any circumstances prior to March 2019…
So, My prediction is that Art50 will not come into force and simply be extended. That being the case, then this will once again give the EU the power to humiliate us and ensure we remain part of the EU political project. It will be a sad sad day come 11.00pm 29 March 2019
” It will be a sad sad day come 11.00pm 29 March 2019″
and the people who trusted the Tories to honour the Referendum vote will wish they had voted ukip.
Reply to reply: Mr Redwood, if you haven’t read them already, I suggest you read the comments to Jacob Rees-Mogg’s article in the D Tel today.
John, just face facts, our UK negotiation team have been useless, they started off on the wrong foot, and have played hop, skip, and jump at the request of the EU ever since.
I simply do not see Mrs May changing now.
Time is now moving on, so your/our options are closing in.
The big mistake was not to have WTO terms as the backstop, and negotiate hard with that point in mind.
What we have now is the worst of both Worlds, and May will certainly not get anything better than what she has asked for.
Be prepared for decades of argument and conflict because of this complicated fudge.
Reply WTO departure is what we have legislated for so far. If they want to do some kind of deal it will require new primary legislation from a Parliament that is very divided about any kind of deal, and running out of time to pass anything new before 29 March when we leave.
Reply – Reply
If WTO is the actual legislative backstop, why are so many politicians still talking about no deal means no trade, complete chaos, cliff edges, crashing out, etc etc. with no one pointing out their errors and highlighting most countries around the World including the EU trade on such terms.
Why if WTO is the legal backstop, why is Mrs May and all her cabinet trying to sign us up a deal which is significantly worse.
Are they all really that dim !
Why if WTO is the legal backstop have no proposed tariffs be published, so at least businesses know what the default position will be.
Seems to me like most of our politicians still do not have a clue what is going on, what is being proposed, what the alternatives are, or they are simply deliberately lying.
Its been a bloody farce so far !
Thank you for your efforts, please keep up the pressure as it would seem letters from the public to Ministers and those in senior positions in the Conservative Party, are simply being ignored.
Afraid yYur Party will end up paying a heavy price for such arrogance.
Reply I have lost count of the number of times I have written spoken and said those things in media interviews.
reply to reply. Trouble is John people like yourself are never invited onto day time popular programmes that most of the country watch either by design or accident. You seem to be on the more obscure programmes that only people interested in politics (biased politics on the BBC) watch. We need more from you, Boris and others who can refute all the claims being made by remainers and the media. Even Farage doesn’t get much of a look in and yet so far he has been right on every count.
The 60 need to resign and start a Conservative for Independence party and offer support with the Ulster MPs providing we change to the package they will back. Otherwise May will fiddle Brino through with her usual dishonest tactics. The honest MPs will survive the election and a proper Conservative party will too. You have to clean out the liberal/socialist infiltrators.
Reply We will not be doing that. That would then require a General election, which we do not need. The electorate made their views very clear on Brexit in 2017 by rejecting the Lib Dems/SNP approach and we need to get on with it.
Many people and politicians are claiming that the reduced vote for the Conservatives in the last election was a verdict on May apparently planning to effect Brexit. Even although that is not true, it is believed by many.
T May was extremely naïve to almost ignore Brexit in her campaigning and instead produce a ridiculous vote losing manifesto (apparently drafted by Timothy and Hill) which embraced more taxes and a left of centre agenda.
But we do need another election to clear the Westmonster swamp of lying deceitful MP’s who promised Brexit and all its EU’s tentacles and then offer us Chequers vassal state proposal. The claim it delivers the referendum promise is just a blatant lie and shows the levels politicians have sunk. Remove May or call an election
Why would it require an election if the new party offered to support the government like the Ulster MPs?
Reply Whats the point of forming a new party if it goes back on the Conservative whip?
Because you ignore the whip if the policies are not agreed ie real Brexit. Then take on real Bexit candidates for the next election.
It would appear so at the present state of play
I am very glad to hear that.
With Mrs. May I always fear she will try to pull some stroke at the last minute.
Reply to JR’s Reply,
‘ running out of time to pass anything new before 29 March…’ I was wondering if delaying tactics really can be the ‘best’ (least worst) strategy to get us fully out on 29 March? Do not approve any new legislation concerning Brexit until after 1st April, and then see where the cards fall. Really..?
” it will require new primary legislation from a Parliament that is very divided about any kind of deal”
and there lies the problem, so many of our MPs are of the bureaucratic big state Nanny knows best mindset and have no experience of the world outside of politics, and of the EU.
Re “What is strange” its not strange at all, she and her cabal are all remainers, and they are determined to deliver as close to remain as possible while being able to spin it as leave.
Its that simple.
May must go. I for one am tired of her lies (about immigration, police stop and search, knife crime, schools, healthcare, and yes Brexit)
Please main parties sort out your candidate selection processes to get more real world experience and a more normal cross section of views into the candidate lists. Otherwise there is going to be growing disgust at out supposed democracy.
Iain the general perception would be that you are not alone on that one
It’s obvious that May and co want to stay in. That was her preferred option from the very start. Why have we got a remainiac in charge?
Well, our fears were confirmed this morning by Katya Adler talking on BBC Breakfast time. She is in Brussels and admitted openly that Barnier is speaking on behalf of all 27 nations. This is just why we want out. We do not want someone else speaking on our behalf. We want to make our own decisions and pass our own regulations and laws. We don’t need some half wit in Brussels telling us what we can and cant do and this is what has been happening for years. Farage has got it right as usual. We are not in charge of our own destiny. If I hear one more negative from the BBC about Brexit I may need a new TV. Can they not find one positive?? The brainwashing is disgusting and its about time some MP’s said openly that the BBC is not sticking to their mandate of neutral reporting.
Electronic customs is a Commission project designed to enhance security at the external border. Re. Europa
John, I have been checking into this site for over a year now. I have never had a problem but this morning whether I use Google or Google Chrome I cannot get today’s post up without having to start from page 4 and move forwards. When I went to enter my post it said I wasn’t recognised and had to manually put in my email address and name. Very strange. I cannot even access it by typing in the full internet address. Has anyone else got a problem?
I use Google Chrome and have never had a problem. Have you cleared your Search history recently?
Sm and Cynic. Yes, I have cleared my files recently but I am still having problems getting onto the site on the home page for today. It keeps taking me back a few weeks. Never mind, will just have to hope it resolves itself.
I had the same problem, but using Yahoo solved it.
Mr Hammond is of the Osborne school who thinks any deal is better than no deal. If that’s the case he should resign, as the policy of the government – just – is to negotiate with the option of walking away if there isn’t a good deal.
I think it’s likely there will be costs and disruption to leaving, especially with no deal. But the advantages are: saving £12bn pa in contributions (& not paying the £39bn of course); out of the CAP and CFP both of which are unmitigated negatives; an ability to cut tariffs and cut an independent trade policy; an ability to get out of the worst EU regs such as those suppressing shale gas fracking and GM crops. Together with a more robust free market policy in the U.K. & cuts in silly expenditure like HS2 and overseas aid we could have a real boost on offer to voters by the 22 election.
Would need to get rid of Mrs May for all that though.
As you say “The authorities only need to do a few random inspections to keep the system honest, or to inspect where there is evidence of possible fraud, as they do today whilst we are still in the EU.” This is how most things now work hardly rocket science.
Exactly so why is May ploughing on with Checkers? She just must be a total idiot one assumes. This is supported by nearly every other policy she supports and her retention of Hammond. What other explanations are there?
Policies such as the attacks on the gig economy. landlords, tenants, hard workers, people buying houses, people with saving, people who move, her silly gender pay gap drivel, her pretence over control of immigration, her bloated government knows best agenda, the huge over taxation and over complex taxation, her criminal justice agenda, her police (who have essentially given up on most real crimes), the appalling NHS which is killing thousands, the bonkers climate alarmism, HS2, Hinckley C ……
Over HS2 it seems that over 50% of people are having properties stolen off them without even getting prompt or correct compensation. This is appalling behaviour authorised and allowed to continue under her government.
A very well crafted argument as to why the Irish border question is just used as an excuse for the UK Government to deliver Soft Remain.
Nail on head. Always a contrived excuse by a treacherous underhanded Prime Minister on the side of the EU and must go!
Newmania
By the way I am yet to hear why it is that if we drop out into chaos we suddenly do not owe money we previously owed . I notice no-one in government is suggesting anything of the sort which makes me wonder if this is really a big load of lies invented by John Redwood to dupe the hard of thinking .
It is clear the £39bn leaving bung is conditional on a withdrawal deal. Some small part of that might be legally owed even without such a deal – but that will be a matter for resolution post-Brexit.
Because the EU have told us “nothing is agreed till everything is agreed”.
Next question ?
Clearly our economy will be worthless, so what’s the point of the EU asking for £39 billion which we won’t be able to pay?
Typical Remainder comment, Newmania. ”Work in an insult if you possibly can” sort of thing.
Many times our host has commented on this money we do not actually owe, as have many in Government. Others have commented on the money that the EU owes the UK.
”Hard of hearing”, Newmania? Or is it selective deafness on your part?
I always wanted to believe that Mrs May was playing the ‘long game’ and that she’d suddenly amaze us all by her acuity and far-sightedness. And that, of course, this long game would be to the benefit of her country.
Unfortunately, it seems that she has been playing this game, but for the benefit of the EU, so that they can display all these ”difficulties” and shenanigans as a warning to the others that they’d better not try to escape, or they’ll suffer.
However, so long as it results in our actually escaping next year, who cares?
This money is due as we entered into agreements that we would pay it and we benefited form not paying for programmes we have not agreed to when we joined.
Thats the way it works as we very well knew
Of course it is unlikely anyone will invade but the sort of animosity that would spark does not bear thinking about and it would be 100% our fault .
This £39 bn was not mentioned by anyone during the referendum what Redwood is doing is what useless builders do when they muck something up
” Make it a feature”
reply Untrue
John Redwood wasn’t actually the builder contracted to do this job.
We all know who the cowboys were though.
We do owe the money and some continental number crunchers reckon it is a lot higher than a net £39 bn.
But; there appears to be no mechanism to extract the money from the UK, if a “no-deal” pertains. Article 50 does not contain a “send in the Bailiffs” clause or infer any sub clause or protocol that could be used.
John Finn
Let’s suppose a country like say, Ireland, was leaving the EU. How much would they owe?
The only thing John Redwood can’t be sure of is what idiotic agreement Theresa May might have signed up to in order to make progress last December. If the UK had simply made it clear that we were leaving on March 29th 2019 and that any EU payments would cease at that date that would have been the end of the matter.
As always, another bucketload of smug, blinkered pomposity from Hysteria.
gregL
Newmania- It’s not so much that Jr says the money will be there to spend..but where is this money now? is it actually there on standby waiting or will we have to borrow it or raise more taxes- before we can spend it? just like a broken record JR’s nonsense goes round and around
Reply The government is in surplus on current account now, so the money will come from taxes
There are institutions within the EU, for want of a better description, to which we may owe money up to our date of departure. Call it our mess bill. We should not consider paying for anything once we have left The EU have had a good two years to adjust their spending to a level that does not include the UK. This does not include the Withdrawal Agreement sum which I see as a goodwill gesture to minimise the effect of our departure in exchange for a free trade deal on goods and services. JR has neither lied to nor duped anyone. No deal no WA money from the UK.
Do pay attention Newmania. John has repeatedly said there is no legal basis for such a payment and recently Dominic Raab also said we may have to pay a small amount but don’t legally owe £39b. Why are you so intent on paying others money we don’t actually owe? Do you want to see the UK go under? Go and live in the EU if you love it so much.
The IMF sells the story for the result they wish to achieve. My advice would be to ignore them along with the governor of the BoE, Hammond and the Treasury. Let the remainers feed on their mothers milk, there being little else for them.
That the PM is, and has been dishonest throughout the Brexit process is beyond doubt. Either bring her to heel or vote her down when she eventually presents Chequers version “X”. Going to WTO rules and no Withdrawal Agreement is financially good for us.
£39 Billion we need not pay for the WA.
£7 Billion PA we gain in duty payments from the EU for as long as trade remains the same.
The PM has constructively led us into a trap of believing that her solution is the only one. If you look at the time wasted it has been a deliberate ploy on her part for which she should be condemned.
NHSGP
How many nurses get sacked to pay the 100 bn the EU demands?
What’s the cause? Their criminal incompetence in spending their pension contributions and not investing them.
Given that under the EIOPA insurance rules, Junker signs off every month on his predictions in 150 years time he isn’t ignorant on insurance and pensions.
That the EU failed to follow their own rules and spent the money should teach them a lesson.
No bailout
No mass sacking of Nurses to bail Eurocrats out of their incompetence.
Barnier’s latest wheeze is to lock us into a terrible deal once it is conceded.
So Gove would be powerless to improve it at a later date.
Vague words and delay seem to be what May hopes will get her agreement approved in parliament.
It needs to be vigorously opposed and defeated. No withdrawal agreement. We can address other issues later.
MickN
Gove only says that a future PM could change the deal. That could just as easily be to take us back in as to extricate ourselves further. For the record Mr Gove is my MP who I have voted for enthusiastically on more than one occasion. Not any more. I actually thought he was a breath of fresh air when he was education secretary but since that I have no idea what he believes any more. I do know that if he had not stabbed Boris in the back we would be leaving the dreaded EU properly instead of being sold down the river. His capitulation over Chequers is the final straw for me. There is no one that I can vote for. No-one is speaking for me. You Sir are a noticeable exception, but I will not be moving to Wokingham.
MickN. Hurray, I am soon to leave Scotland and move to Shropshire where I can vote for Owen Paterson. Much better than the useless lot in Scotland.
Forgot to add that only if the Conservative party get rid of May and start real Brexit talks. If not then it will be UKIP
In the event Gove , should he be so lucky as to be re elected, will be sitting on the opposition benches with the rump of the Conservative party for company.
That would have the additional benefit of removing his green nonsense and in particular his obsession with all cars being electric by 2040 despite the physical barriers which science has yet to overcome.
There is, of course, a solution which involves completely seemless borders for goods – and for people on the island of Ireland. But which also has strict controls on people coming into the rest of the UK. This solution requires no Tory red tape, no new immigration lanes at airports. The M20 will not need to be turned into a lorry park. Planes and trains will still run. Business will have what they want and need and NHS patients will get their drugs, which won’t have to be stockpiled.
This solution, which is clearly now the will of the people is called EU membership.
Perhaps when the Tory pensioners are done with what Mr Cable calls their erotic spasm we can get our country back.
Incidentally, I notice that Mr Jenkin knows more about running Jaguar Land Rover Jan the boss of Jaguar Land Rover. Mr Duncan Smith appears to know more about the Irish border than anyone else alive, and both Ms Dorries and Mr Bridgen know everything about everything. Why are these people not running the country?
The irony!
You do seem to be rather like the ‘Tory pensioners’ you so despise given the amount of time you spend on Mr Redwood’s site. Perhaps you are a secret admirer of his work despite your innate pessimism about post-Brexit Britain.
Seriously though, stereotyping of Leavers in the way you enjoy is inaccurate and simplistic. I work, am not a Tory or a pensioner and took an active part in the referendum campaign (did you?). In the campaign I was part of a large group where in all but one of the activities (leafleting, street stalls etc) young people outnumbered older people – none of whom were pensioners. So if you think Brexit is a travesty for young people perhaps you should ask why so many chose not to vote rather than lazily label the Leave majority of all ages that did.
Beecee
I am glad they do because thy knows nowt!
300,000 new arrivals a year is not strict control of people.
This was no spasm. It was ten years in the making and the warnings were ignored time and again.
Still you try to ignore them by saying “Oh just don’t take any notice of Brexit voters. They’re just silly old people.”
I gave up every single one of my dreams to provide for my children and that included casual sex, as it happens (re ‘erotic spasms.’)
What is it with Remainers and rudeness ? We had Soubry talking about ‘fingers up bottoms’, Cameron about ‘fruitcakes and loons’, Cable about ‘erotic spasms’ and endless examples of rudeness from you and Newmania on these pages. Much of it predates the referendum and contributed to its outcome.
Well done, Andy – you managed to get more than one insult in there! Really, you silly, shallow, self-serving, ill-informed Remainders do take the biscuit.
Just for once try to make a comment without sneering or searching Facebook for a few nouns and adjectives you haven’t tried before. You might find you like the exercise it gives your brain.
I wonder if other contributors to this blog share my contempt for the idea that the British taxpayer should be imposed on as part of our extrication from the EU?
JR. More than once you have made the point about the anachronism of paying such a huge amount – for what?
There is a simple answer to such an extortion racket, Just as there is collective cabinet responsibility so there is collective parliamentary responsibility.
If our parliament at any stage sanctions the extortion of £39 Billion from the British taxpayer passed off as a EU departure bill, then in turn the electorate should immediately set in motion a move to levy a compensating financial return for the taxpayer from government in the form of an annual levy on every MP and member of the House of Lords, until the sum of £39 Billion runs its course.
MPs vote for it then MPs should pay for it given that the electorate has not given a mandate to government to arbitrarily pay this sum, when at the same time so many needy public services are still starved of money and resources..
Time we revived the simple principle ‘no taxation without representation’
If you voted for Brexit then you voted for the £39bn bill. Thought he, actually hat is just part of the cost – it will ultimately be much more.
If you feel contempt towards something you voted for you should feel sympathy for those of us who not only did not vote for it, but who told you all along that it was a dumb idea. Why should we pay for your folly?
Reply We do not owe them money after we have left and we do not have to sign a Withdrawal Agreement to leave
Perhaps Andy might spend a little of his valuable time telling us what is so admirable about the EU and describing that great, golden, glorious future we’ve forfeited by voting to shake off its shackles.
(Yes, I know I’ve asked before – but one lives in hope that he might one day talk some sense.)
It is clear now that the UK will be using technology and check away from the borders on the UK side, it not so clear what the EU will be using.
A.Sedgwick
It is increasingly down to our MPs to save our sovereignty. It is highly concerning that so many Eurosceptic labelled Cabinet Ministers are still in situ – time to walk. More Labour MPs shunned Corby in his fantasies. It is time Mrs. May was allowed to do her own shopping.
Philip Hammond has rejected leaving EU on WTO terms (what Remainers like him call ‘no deal’) therby undermining the government’s negotiating position and encouraging the EU to offer the worst possible terms. If this isn’t a sacking offence what is? Perhaps just like ignoring the solution to the problem that created the need for the ‘Chequers deal’ Mrs May is happy to say one thing and do another. She has lost all trust with her duplicity. Your upcoming party conference needs to see her gone.
An interesting take by Robert Shrimsley in today’s FT: Are the Brexiters the biggest threat to Brexit? Worth reading, specially by the “nuff said” and similar contributors.
“What is strange is the PM is ploughing on with her very unpopular Chequers proposals”
What is even stranger is why she is there at all. Looking at her TV performance last night, it’s clear that, unlike her husband, she knows the difference between a dahlia and a geranium. Being able to dissect her civil servants’ proposals for us leaving the EU into the good and bad bits is, however, clearly outside her scope. She seems to revel in the power/responsibility but can’t properly exercise it by analytical thinking.
Offer free trade in goods services and capital.
If the EU rejects it then its screwing Ireland, not the the UK.
It is now plain to see that Mrs Mays objective from the start was to deceive the electorate into thinking she would deliver a proper Brexit. Working behind the scenes to collaborate with a foreign power to hoodwink her own country is plain and simple treachery.
The EU loving establishment dont want Brexit but neither do they want Corbyn. It’s simple really – If we don’t Get the Brexit we voted for the establishment will get Corbyn at the next GE by way of a thank you, and The Tories will be consigned to history.
“Chequers proposals” makes them sound as if they were produced by a group which reached a consensus on the subject. As it seems that no-one likes them except the originator, shouldn’t they be re-named as “The May proposals”, which is what they are.
The Merkel/May proposals. After all the traitorous May went to Germany to get them approved before they saw the light of day here.
You may be absolutely spot on with that one.
Its dead in the water if that can be proved and it comes out into the public domain !
All no agreement means is that the two sides at this time cannot agree to the signing a withdrawal agreement which is the right thing to do at this time, you never second guess a withdrawal agreement between both sides of what you think might happen and might not happen because you do not really know.
It better to leave first with a view to seeing what the problem are and then signing a withdrawal agreement if one is needed once you know what is needed, in my opinion, you cannot second think it, has to be in life play to get it right.
The UK will be talking with the EU for years to come and the EU to the UK as two administration that looks after multiple countries under their parliaments and both allow countries to join or leave by way of referendums.
I see no problems that cannot be solved if both sides want to be friendly and agreeable as the process unfolds in real life without an agreement.
Businesses who export to the EU will be able to sort out the problems as far as they can and let the government know what problems they are having and what they might need in a withdrawal agreement if one is needed if the gov cannot sort it out for them without agreement or help with tariffs or getting their food and goods out of the UK on time into the EU, bring food and goods into the UK should not be a problem and should be the same as now or as the gov wants them.
Remember the UK government with MPs will making the laws and rules after March next year and will able vote though anything they want, as for the IMF I would asking for your money back from them and not send any more unfounded economically plans for the UK to follow in future.
JustGetOnWithBrexit
“Betrayal Brexit”…aka the Chequers Deal…is political suicide for the Tory Party.
My own MP is a firm supporter of Betrayal Brexit and has lost my support.
It seems that the victors of the EU referenda are fighting a war on two fronts. A war against a German political state that is determined to keep the UK shackled and a war against a British political class determined to subjugate the very nation they are meant to serve.
Which politician can break the grip of these two forces that appear determined to clip our economic wings?
Boris?
With the treacherous May in charge the UK will face a future of political and fiscal servitude. This person makes my flesh crawl. Her duplicity and mendacity is off the scale.
I don’t like the new immigration policy that suggests that English people are only good for low paying jobs and cannot be trained to do the top jobs in the country, the gov and companies are trying to get away again by not training English people for the best jobs in this country and earning the best money this country has to offer, It seems that only overseas people can do the top jobs which suggest the gov and MPs are saying that the English people are too thick for anything but being slaves to them and other people coming into England, anybody suggesting thing like that should not be allowed to seat in parliament, the people should throw them out of parliament for even suggesting such a thing.
We still keep getting bombarded by the remoaners about a people’s vote, muppets it’s not going to happen we’ve had three all ready, the last vote was last year when the labour/conservatives manifestos stated the commitment to leaving and the libs got cut to the bone, and as for a extension of artificial 50 that to isn’t going to happen either because of the European elections next May 2019 when the British seats are up for begging by the rest of Europe, then there’s the tale that Mrs May use to spin that no deal is better than a bad deal , so be it let’s not have a deal we are British and I’m sure we will survive, better to be free than slaves
I find that England is the only country may be in the world that thinks it people are too thick to do the top jobs and cannot be trained.
I see someone mentioned VAT on school fees. It would be interesting to see what would happen if every parent withdrew their children from private school and enrolled them in the state system.
Ha,ha, Mike. Don’t even go there. The system would collapse overnight.
Surely it is obvious that when the final, useless, ‘do as we’re told’ deal is presented to Parliament – faced with that or ‘no deal’ enough Tory and Labour MPs are such ardent remainers that it will be voted through.
The whole country will have been betrayed. The Leavers because we won’t really leave and things will be worse – and, likewise, the Remainers will feel it was all for nothing. Will it have any political consequences? Who knows?
Maybe Farage will lead UKIP again and get 5 or 6 million votes in a General Election. They’ll still get barely any MPs.
So, buckle up and accept that we are going to get the worst of all worlds. The only way I can see us avoiding this is if someone challenges May – and that is not going to happen as the Tory party is completely split on this issue.
It’s all a mess. We need leadership. But we haven’t got any.
Reply The system for electing a leader in the Conservative party does not allow someone to simply put up as a challenger. All the time there is an incumbent leader who wants to stay the process requires a motion of no confidence with more than half the MPs voting to demand a leadership contest before one is triggered. There is no current majority of MPs wanting a contest. There seem to be several people wanting to put up in such an event.
The fact remains, in my estimation, enough MPs are Remainers, Tory and Labour, to vote through anything rather than no deal.
And there is nothing the ERG group can do about that – apart from challenge May now. I thought you just needed 44 letters, or something.
Reply No, 48 letters does not give us a leadership contest. You need 160 votes to trigger a contest
So we’re stuck with a rubbish conservative party then John. Just shows how useless most of the MPs are then that they cannot see what the average Joe Bloggs sees.
We know this woman displays a serious lack of judgement. You only need to look at her last manifesto. I’m afraid she’s in the wrong party. She will bring down your party and the country if she isn’t removed along with your despicable chancellor who is destroying our car manufacturing industry.
John Probert
Good point well made
I did not think the PM came across well on Panarama
John Probert. No, she is as bad at acting as she is at leading the country.
Quote: “The alternative explanation is she wants to keep us in the common market for goods for reasons other than the Irish border. If so we need to know why.”
Yes, I’d like to know when she has this outlook as well. Right from the start of her Premiership??
Edwardm
As always, what you write makes sense.
It is amazing and most frustrating that a majority of Tory MPs have no wish to be rid of the crazed person we have as PM and who cannot be trusted, its not just Brexit it is other things too (merging our defence forces with the EU, weak on immigration and all the unwanted consequences, police force reductions, focus on subjective hate “crime” and not real crimes, not preventing veterans being harassed by activist lawyers, etc etc).
I cannot and will not vote Tory again until this person is removed as our leader. She is a product of the liberal left fascistic construct whose design is to subjugate and demonise anyone who refuses to adhere to the pro-EU agenda
Mr Redwood, you state that a general election is not what you need. I disagree. I think we have got to the stage that the country needs an election.
Tory Brexiter MPs are apparently unwilling to unseat Theresa May because they fear they would lose an election to Corbyn. If you stay with May, we will still effectively be tied to and enslaved by the EU after May’s so called Brexit, and as a result your Party will most certainly lose an election.
If you replace May and have an election with an utterly committed Brexiter MP as leader, who endorses true Conservatism and ditches the cultural Marxism of the “progressive” Cons who have taken over the Party, then you could win a landslide. Think President Trump. He has a huge following and is set to increase the Republican representation in November (do not believe what you read in the US media which seems to simply be a tool of the deep state).
There is one thing we could do in conjunction with a No Deal exit. If our position is going to worsen in the way forecast by the IMF, we could cancel our contributions to the IMF.
There are an awful lot of State institutions and international bodies that are an expensive overhead. In the UK, the waste is at the top. For example, just look at the number of non-execs on the Nationwide board. In a recent annual ballot I voted to sack the lot. Fat chance. And there has been no response from Nationwide. Why ever not? And do OFGEN, OFCOM and the Race Relations board do anything useful?
The EU are helping the EU supporting Mrs. May and Parliament to cook up a deal which is even worse than remaining a member of the EU, that is the Chequer’s deal where the UK becomes a vassal state accepting EU directives, rules, regulations and ECJ judgements but without any representation and totally against the EU referendum and GE results.
These anti-democratic politicians may well push through Parliament such a deal but it will not last, even if, as reported, the EU attempt to make the deal an everlasting deal.
Not only will 17m+ leave voters in the UK be very upset but many more will be upset by the illegal overthrow of a democratic decision plus even more as the undemocratically taken EU decisions start to bite into the UK’s prosperity and way of life, particularly if the current very high levels of immigration are not curbed.
A repeat of the Boston tea party becomes a very likely result.
John Dodds
Can the ERG not take legal action to enforce the result of the referendum.Surely the votes of 17.4 million people cannot legally be ignored by a dishonest Prime Minister.They voted to leave the EU and were told beforehand that their vote would be honoured.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3247
|
__label__cc
| 0.647715
| 0.352285
|
Council to attempt an override of Mayor’s veto
June 7, 2020 June 7, 2020 Mario Lotmore 0 Comments Budget, Lynnwood City Council, Lynnwood News, utility tax min read
By Mario Lotmore | Lynnwood Times Staff
On June 6, it was brought to the attention of the Lynnwood Times that Councilman George Hurst will bring a motion for a vote to override Mayor Nicola Smith’s veto of Ordinance 3358 that the City Council approved on May 26 by a 4-3 vote to end the City Utility Tax. According to council members, the repeal of the tax was done to provide financial relief for residents at a time when many are struggling and/or unemployed.
According to a letter sent to city council members, Hurst alleges that Mayor Smith is vetoing a permanent $1.5 million tax reduction in exchange for a temporary $500,000 from the Cares Act.
“If the Mayor is sincere about using the CARES Act funding for financial assistance to businesses and residents then the Council should act,” Hurst states in his letter.
Lynnwood is expected to receive $1,188,000 in funds from the CARES Act. However, only $500,000 will be used for assistance programs. The other $688,000 will be used by staff to recover City Department expenses related to Covid-19.
The letter further points out inconsistencies to actual events stated in the Mayor’s letter and questions the justification of the veto based on a “Covid-19 emergency response time frame.”
“I am not sure what the Mayor means by that phrase because the proclamations by the Governor restricting actions by all city councils to Covid-19 matters does not provide a time limit on any legislation passed by the City Council.”
“If you review the deliberations of the Lynnwood City Council’s repeal of the City utility tax the repeal was a response to Covid-19’s impact on residents and businesses in Lynnwood.”
“The Council discussed the repeal at meetings on May 11, May 18, and May 26. There was ample time for Council to deliberate on the issue and to make an informed decision that resulted in the City utility tax repeal.”
The Covid-19 emergency has resulted in staff and Council having to consider challenging budget decisions ranging from possible voluntary separation to reducing department expenditures. Members of the council that oppose eliminating the 6% tax cut are concerned that it would exacerbate the current financial reality.
A minimum of 5 votes from the city council is required to overturn a veto by the mayor.
The 7 p.m. June 8 meeting will be held remotely by Zoom. The Public can listen live at www.LynnwoodWA.gov/Live or join via Zoom with the link to make public comment, or can listen in by dialing 1-253-215-8782 – Zoom Meeting ID is 917 2275 2120.
George Hurst Letter to City Council
1 file(s) 80.04 KB
As reported by Erin Freeman in this article, the Lynnwood City Council passed an ordinance at its May 26 virtual Business Meeting to eliminate the 6% utility tax on water distribution in sewage utilities. This was done as a way to provide financial relief for residents at a time when many are struggling and/or unemployed.
As Finance Director Sonja Springer said at the meeting, the elimination of this tax would impact the general fund by about $1.4 million per year.
The ordinance passed 4-3 with Council President Christine Frizzell, Council Vice President Shannon Sessions and Councilmember Ruth Ross voting no and council members Jim Smith, George Hurst, Ian Cotton and Julieta Altamirano-Crosby voting yes.
In the published agenda for the upcoming June 1 city council work session, there is a letter from Mayor Nicola Smith to the council saying that she will veto the ordinance that eliminated the 6% tax.
The letter goes on to give background about the ordinance alleging it was introduced to the council by email one hour before the May 18, 2020 meeting and then “forwarded” to the May 26, 2020 meeting when it was discussed and approved by the city council.
According to the City’s website, posted meeting agendas and online YouTube council meeting videos, the timeline of events is as follows:
May 11, 2020 Regular Business Meeting: Councilman Jim Smith introduced a motion to repeal the 6% Utility Tax on water and sewer during New Business (Video timestamp of 1hr. 43 min.).
May 18, 2020 Work Session: The motion was on the agenda and discussed by the council (Agenda item G)
May 26, 2020 Regular Business Meeting the ordinance was listed on the agenda, further discussed, and approved 4-3 by the council (Agenda Item 90.3D)
The letter further alleges, “The adoption of Ordinance 3358 is inconsistent with the State Attorney General’s Guidance on the COVID-19 Emergency Open Public Meeting Act” (Proclamation 20-28).
On May 4, 2020, Washington’s legislative leadership acted on Governor Inslee’s request to extend the operation of Proclamation 20-28.1 which was superseded by Proclamation 20-28.2, pertaining to the Public Records Act and the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), through at least May 31, 2020.
The proclamation eased normal rules providing that the public must be allowed to attend any meeting of the governing body of a public agency… through telephonic access, at a minimum, with optional electronic, internet, or other means of remote access.
The proclamation further states that agencies are prohibited from taking “action” as defined in RCW 42.30.020 unless the matters are “necessary and routine matters or are matters necessary to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak and the current public health emergency,” until the Governor restores the regular operation of the OPMA.
According to RCW 42.30.020, “action” is defined as “the transaction of the official business of a public agency by a governing body including but not limited to receipt of public testimony, deliberations, discussions, considerations, reviews, evaluations, and final actions.
RCW 42.30.020 defines “final action” as a “collective positive or negative decision, or an actual vote by a majority of the members of a governing body when sitting as a body or entity, upon a motion, proposal, resolution, order, or ordinance.”
According to the mayor’s letter, public agencies are to limit its business to “matters related to COVID-19” or to business that is “routine and necessary.”
The letter also alleges that the ordinance “violates the spirit of Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act as the Council’s action did not include an open and transparent public process.”
← LPD training, policies, and community response
PAWS rehabilitates and release seven black bears →
Nonprofit sets up new homeless encampment following Snohomish County sweep
July 8, 2020 July 8, 2020 Erin Freeman 4
Major financial impact anticipated for Lynnwood
April 14, 2020 May 3, 2020 Erin Freeman 0
Salary Commission votes to increase mayor’s salary despite budget shortfall
October 25, 2020 November 18, 2020 Mario Lotmore 0
CARES Act funding and a Mayor’s veto dominate council meeting
June 11, 2020 June 11, 2020 Erin Freeman 0
Mayor Nicola Smith’s State of the City Address
June 14, 2019 May 3, 2020 Mario Lotmore 0
Transportation Benefit District and Community Justice Center dominate City Council Meeting
April 1, 2020 June 1, 2020 Erin Freeman 0
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3262
|
__label__wiki
| 0.541024
| 0.541024
|
OUTBACK-READY: 2016 Nissan Y61 Patrol Legend Edition features an equipment package including steel bull bar, winch, side steps, roof rack, tow bar and snorkel – $10,000 worth of kit – all for a drive-away price from $57,990.
Nissan Y61 Patrol Legend Edition road test and review
by Brent Davison
CARS come and cars go, but some feel like they are here to stay, members of a family rather than part of a passing parade.
And that is how I viewed Nissan's Y61 model, the one most of us know as the GU Patrol.
In late 1997, I was lucky enough to be in Port Douglas for the national launch of the then- groundbreaking new model.
Last week I was lucky enough to be in the hot and dusty South Australian outback town of Leigh Creek, saddling-up for the four-hour drive to the even hotter and dustier settlement of Arkaroola.
2016 Nissan Y61 Patrol Legend Edition
The vehicle of choice? Yep, the trusty old GU Patrol, still going strong and still relishing a challenge.
The desert drive was tinged with a degree of sadness though, because after near-as-dammit to 20 years on from its debut, we were taking the last of the line for its final drive, a sort of a "de-launch" if you like.
This time around, Old Faithful was dressed in the guise of the Legend Edition, loaded with as much kit as possible and sold with a bargain- basement price tag.
Outback-ready
Nissan will have just 300 Legend Editions for the local market, all of them running satellite navigation, a steel bull bar, winch, side steps, cool alloy wheels, a snorkel, reversing camera, roof rack, towbar and soft wheel cover.
It's an equipment package worth more than $10,000 retail but all part of the $57,990 drive-away price ($60,990 if you want the automatic transmission). It also gets really amateur side decals and the less said about those the better.
You don't need to have passed high school maths to know such pricing is a lot cheaper than the $69,990 (plus on-roads) start-up price of the Y62 - Y61's current stablemate and soon-to-be successor.
Nissan Patrol Y61's successor, the Y62.
Yes, I know Y62 is bigger and roomier, has a 298kW/560Nm, 5.6 litre V8 engine, shed-loads of four-wheel drive electronics and suspension that makes the ride quality feel just a weeny bit magic carpet (I know because Nissan brought a couple along for comparison purposes), but the Y61 is, well, special. And definitely legendary.
And before you ask, the answer is yes, I certainly would have one if the family budget could stretch to $61,000 and if Nissan promised to strip-off those daggy door decals.
Old-world charms
By comparison, Y61's 3.0-litre, turbo-diesel develops a modest 118kW and 380Nm (354Nm with auto gearbox), and yes, it has to work a bit to keep up with the V8-engined jigger but it still gives a good account of itself. Mechanically, GU is a bit like grandpa's axe.
On debut it had a choice of two powerhouse 4.2-litre, six-cylinder engines: one a diesel, the other fuelled by petrol but in its 20-year life it also got to be powered by a pair of 3.0-litre diesels, one a naturally-aspirated six-cylinder, the other a turbocharged four-cylinder.
I still vividly remember off-road racing legend Les Siviour showing me how to drive a Patrol really quickly off-road. It wasn't pretty but damn it sure was effective.
2016 Nissan Patrol Y61 Legend Edition
It also had trick new suspension, replacing the leaf spring design of its GQ predecessor (the Y60) with (gasp!) coil springs. And the ride was divine.
Still is, but I have to admit it feels a bit firm, a bit old school compared to the current crop of SUVs, and the 12.6m turning circle still means backing up and having a second bite at those really tight turns.
It's been a long time since I drove a GU Patrol and while this last-of-the-line model has changed a lot, it still feels a lot like the powerhouse SUV I drove in the northern forests 20 years ago. Sure, it has a slick new dash with soft padding on top and an integrated sat-nav screen, but the seats are still firm and the seating position upright. And it still has those nice analogue gauges.
In the engine room, that beaut 3.0-litre turbo-diesel feels a lot livelier and torquier than the old 4.2 petrol six, and even though the four-speed automatic transmission feels fairly last century (because it is), the two seem to match up really well.
Character-packed
One concession to modernity is the four-wheel drive system. Yes, you still have to change the transfer case manually, but there is no longer a need to get out and lock-in the freewheeling front hubs, a job I always seemed to get after the driver had ploughed into a creek. Or mud. Or anything else unpleasant.
I jumped into a Y62 for a while and it was easy street by comparison, but its character factor was low and it seems Nissan has failed to transplant the soul from Y61 into Y62.
On that final drive up and down mountains, over rocky trails, through sand and even on a weeny bit of black top, I still admired the Y61 for what it can do and what it will continue to do long after the last one is sold early next year. So goodbye, old friend. We had a lot of fun through the years and no matter what sort of punishment I handed out, you came back for more. We rolled over mountains and trekked through forests, ran along beaches and covered vast distances on bitumen, went camping and scrubbed up for formal outings.
Sure, you had a drinking problem to start with, but a change to diesel mostly fixed that, and yes, you were a bit beefy... but all your friends are these days.
But even though you are still a strong, handsome and rugged type, you are just getting a bit long in the tooth and the other guys are just that bit stronger and more capable.
Maybe you and I will still be able to get out for a run every now and then but until then, enjoy your retirement.
Model: Nissan Y61 Patrol Legend Edition.
Details: Five-door, four-wheel drive, upper-large SUV.
Engine: 3.0 litre, four-cylinder turbocharged diesel generating maximum power of 118kW @ 3200rpm and peak torque of 354Nm @ 2000rpm (auto) or 380Nm @ 2000rpm (manual).
Transmission: Four-speed automatic (six-speed manual a no-cost option).
Consumption: 11.8L/100km (combined).
Performance: 0-100kmh in 9.1 seconds.
Towing capacity: 3200kg (braked).
Bottom line: $57,990 (manual), $60,990 (automatic) drive away.
What we liked: Rock-solid feel, new car retro feel, huge equipment level.
What we'd like to see: A six-speed (at least) automatic.
Warranty and servicing: Three-year/100,000km warranty, fixed-price servicing.
Driving experience 15/20
Features and equipment 17/20
Functionality and comfort 15/20
Value for money 17/20
Style and design 15/20
Total 79/100
Soldiering on: Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series road test review
Toyota LandCruiser 200 road test review in the city
Nissan Navara Single and King Cab ute road test and review
car launch motoring nissan patrol review road test
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3263
|
__label__wiki
| 0.632206
| 0.632206
|
Books » Book Features
Caryl Phillips’ A View of the Empire at Sunset.
by Corey Mesler
Jean Rhys is one of my favorite writers. Her early autobiographical novels are singular depictions of marginalized lives, the lives of women in a man's world. In some of her novels, men represent a structure and a security her heroines don't quite believe is possible. Rhys was born Ella Gwendolyn Rees Williams on the Caribbean island of Dominica, but she moved to England to attend school. For a while she led a wayward life of alcohol and opportunistic, inappropriate suitors. She met Ford Madox Ford and, under his influence, wrote those early novels which paralleled her life in disturbing ways. Yet, for all their pain and sadness, they shine with a light that is honest, compelling, and eccentrically rendered. In the 1940s, she disappeared from public life and quit writing. Then, in 1966, in a miraculous end to her unconventional writing career, she published her greatest novel, a brilliantly realized prequel to Jane Eyre, The Wide Sargasso Sea.
In A View of the Empire at Sunset, Caribbean novelist Caryl Phillips gives us a fictionalized account of Rhys' life that works as both biography and fiction. He manages to limn Rhys' style while not falling fully under its sway and abandoning his considerable novelistic abilities. You can taste Rhys, but it's still Phillips' exotic stew. Here she is called Gwennie. I was absorbed initially in waiting for young Gwennie to become one of the 20th century's best novelists. But Phillips is after more than this. His narrative is about homeland, family, alienation, loneliness, and need. His Gwennie is a masterfully drawn character, as dissolute, yet as determined, as Rhys' tragic characters. Is Rhys' story her characters' story? Yes and no. While there is much to suggest that Rhys drew from her own life, it is a disservice to her remarkable novels to see them only as thinly disguised autobiography.
Phillips traces Gwennie from her birth in Dominica to her schooling in London. When she abandons school to tread the boards, she encounters and learns from other wannabe actresses. She abandons this as well; she wanders; she fails continuously at attempts to find herself. Comparing herself to a friend she says, "Unlike herself, Ethel was busy; unlike herself, Ethel had not stooped to love and thereafter found herself sitting idly about waiting for a man to whisper kind words in her ears as he unfolded his wallet."
She is married twice, loses a child, and has a daughter who survives her. She drinks. Her marriages are unhappy. "Is it possible, she wonders, that she might well be participating in a modern marriage: attachment and detachment at one and the same time?" Poor Gwennie!
Phillips is a colorful writer, even with such dour material. His sentences are as sharp as etchings in glass. And he's a storyteller of the first water. His Gwennie is a sad wreck; often one wonders where the triumphant Jean Rhys is in this gloomy, inchoate life. Of his heroine Phillips says, "She understands that it doesn't matter where you are, on land or sea, you always hear the noises before you see the light — and then soon after, the new day will arrive to torment you." But, perhaps the most telling statement about Gwennie is this: "Mabel always insisted that the key to happiness was to simply stay quiet and make them fall for you. Eventually she learned how to do this, but it was afterward that always proved difficult, when she invariably decided that she no longer wished to remain quiet." Of course, we know the conclusion. She does not remain quiet. She emerges as one of the most unforgettable female voices in all of literature.
In the end, A View of the Empire at Sunset is more novelistic than biographical. If Phillips doesn't give us the Jean Rhys, he gives us a Jean Rhys, a fascinating portrait of a clever, sensitive woman, who never quite gets where she's going. At novel's end, Wide Sargasso Sea cannot even be discerned on the distant horizon, but Caryl Phillips' Gwennie is still moving, still moving on.
Book Features Caryl Phillips Jean Rhys
Inman Major's Penelope Lemon: Game On!
Inman Majors’ Penelope Lemon: Game On!
by Corey Mesler | Aug 9, 2018
Tim Winton’s The Shepherd’s Hut.
by Corey Mesler | Jun 28, 2018
Michael Ondaatje’s Warlight.
by Corey Mesler | May 24, 2018
Julian Barnes’ The Only Story. 1
Susan Henderson’s The Flicker of Old Dreams.
by Corey Mesler | May 3, 2018
True Tales
Robert Bly’s More Than True: The Wisdom of Fairy Tales.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3265
|
__label__cc
| 0.608335
| 0.391665
|
Bernie Sanders Responds To Hillary Clinton’s Foreign Policy Speech
Bernie Sanders responded to yesterday’s speech by Hillary Clinton much as I responded in greater detail yesterday. We both agreed that, while Clinton’s criticism of Trump’s policy as dangerously incoherent was accurate, Clinton’s own foreign policy views have also been rather dangerous. Sanders put out this release:
“I agree with Secretary Clinton that Donald Trump’s foreign policy ideas are incredibly reckless and irresponsible. But when it comes to foreign policy, we cannot forget that Secretary Clinton voted for the war in Iraq, the worst foreign policy blunder in modern American history, and that she has been a proponent of regime change, as in Libya, without thinking through the consequences.
“We need a foreign policy based on building coalitions and making certain that the brave American men and women in our military do not get bogged down in perpetual warfare in the Middle East. That’s what I will fight for as president.”
In my post yesterday, I discussed Clinton’s dangerous foreign policy views further, including regarding Libya and Syria. I also included several tweets from others which point out the contradiction in someone as militaristic as Clinton warning about the views of someone else.
While Sanders had a sensible response to Clinton’s speech, Donald Trump responded by denying saying what Clinton accused him of saying in her speech. It was rather simple for Clinton to then respond by giving links to show what Trump has said in the past. Of course Trump appears to just make things up as he speaks, and nothing he says should be taken as having any further meaning. Even when he admits to something he has said previously, he now claims it was just a suggestion.
Posted in Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, Foreign Policy & National Security, Hillary Clinton. Tags: Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Iraq, Libya, Syria. 11 Comments »
« Warnings About Donald Trump’s Dangerously Incoherent Foreign Policy From Dangerous Warmonger Hillary Clinton
Records Released Through FOIA Request Back Up Snowden Against NSA Attacks »
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3272
|
__label__wiki
| 0.778846
| 0.778846
|
Journal of Pakistan Vision
Vol. 20 Nbr. 2, December 2019
Impact of Caste and Biradari System on Voting Behavior: Comparative Study of Rural and Urban Southern Punjab (District Bahawalpur).
Byline: Nazir Hussain Shah and Naudir Bakht
Since the end of World War-II, more than eighty-five former colonies have gained their Independence including Pakistan. All countries including Pakistan inherited democratic Political Institutions. The Pakistani does not have a lot of experience in elections. Since Independence Pakistan has held eleven General Elections so far. The first General Elections in December 1970, The second General Election was held in 1977. The system was also revised in 1977 to allow political parties to participate and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) won heavily. It was also resulted into military takeover as results were not accepted by political parties.Later on General Election were held in 1985 on a party less basis which were boycotted by most Political Parties afterwards Elections were held in 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008 and 2013 respectively.
The year of 2013 is to be considered as a mile stone in the history of democracy of Pakistan as it was the completion of transfer of power after completion of full tenure of civil government. In this election, all the parties took part with full vigor and spirits. The focus of the researcher is 2013 election as the research paper is based on the General Election 2013 at National Assembly level of Southern Punjab (District Bahawalpur).
The caste system largely affects the electoral campaign in rural areas, where caste and Bradari (Kinship) loyalty is seen as one of the most decisive factors determining voting behavior of the villagers (Ahmed, 2007). Different studies explain how the local Identities become the substance of electoral politics in rural Punjab (Ahmed and Naseem, 2011; Wilder, 1999). Some are of the view that Caste system does not have effect in urban areas. This is due to the increasing Political awareness of the people especially in the large cities like Lahore, Islamabad and Faisalabad. Caste system has become insignificant factor for both voters and candidates.
Amir Bahawal Khan laid the foundation of Bahawalpur city in 1748 and this city remained well known for many years as "Soorah Ki Jooke". Two rivers namely Sarswati and Hakra (Gagrah) were flowing in this area since thousand years. District Bahawalpur total population was 1522061. Amir Muhammad Mubarak had built a wall around the Bahawalpur City with nine gates around it. The gates are namely Farid Gate, Mori Gate, Lahori Gate, Multani Gate, Bori Gate, Shikarpuri Gate, Ahmad Pur Gate, Dilawri Gate, and Duowari Gate. Their monuments are still in existence. The District Bahawalpur is further divided into 5 Tehsils. Hasilpur, Khairpur Tamewali, Yazmans, Ahmed Pur East and Bahawalpur. National Assemblies constituencies were NA-183, NA-184,NA-185, NA-186 and NA-187 in General Election 2013.\
The famous caste/Biradri of Bahawalpur areAbbasi, Gardesi, Syed, Owasi, Cheema, Baloch, Lunga, Murral and Judgga. In the Cholistan Desert area and Tehsil Yazman other Caste/Biradri are Mehar, Sammah, Lo rt, Sheikh, Dahbahs, Mughals, Muttoja and Panwar are prominent.
The detail of national assembly seats of District Bahwalpurmaybe seen at Table 1 as under.
##NA-183###Makhdoom Syed Ali Hassan Gillani###PML (N)###61891
##NA-184###MIAN NAJIBUDDIN AWAISI###PML (N)###94429
##NA-185###Muhammad BalighurRehman###PML (N)###88219
##NA-186###Mian Riaz Hussain Peerzada###PML (N)###74491
##NA-187###Tariq Bashir Cheema###PML (N)###92972
To investigate in depth the real scenario of electoral system based on Caste, Biradari and Kinship system in politics.
To establish the root causes of the problems and devised strategies to improve voting behavior.
Following hypothesis as follows.
H1: The voters in Southern Punjab follow the trend of caste, Biradri and Kinship system as compared to leadership.
H2: There is more impact of caste, kinshipand Biradrisystem on rural voters as compared to urban.
In reference (1 to 5) different authors have discussed various historical aspects of Bahawalpur i.eBrig (Retd) Nazeer (1959) and Shahmet Ali (1948) discussed the Bahawalpur location, its climate, constituencies and various castes. He saysthat the state is as large as Denmark. Politically, the history of Bahawalpur State is as old as that of the United States.
(Giles Henery (2008) spoke about the Bahawalpur state had an independent sovereignruler, they had their own mint including three mobile ones. Bahawalpur was the only state which survived an independent Muslim state in 1947.
Tod in his history of Rajistan also mentions that Bahawalpur was built at the site of old fort which was once occupied and built by Bhatti rulers who also founded Koror Pucca. Tod's in his history of Rajistan mentions Alexander's invasion of this area somewhere near Marot,
According to Colonel Minchin (2013) "The dominate race in Bahawalpur is the Daodpotara which the Nawab is the Head. There can be no doubt that the founders of the tribe rather the Chiefs who led them to Bahawalpur were an enterprising set of men. They selected the Head of theperigani section to be the Chief of the whole tribe. This was Bahawal khan, the first who founded Bahawalpur and whose grave is at the village Musseeta".
"The People, continues Colonel Minchin are to a certain extent nomad preserver the use of bows and arrows their hospitality is proverbial.
The Wilder (1999) explains the complete electoral process in Pakistan and especially on Punjab. He showed concern that very less work has been done by the political observers and analysts on electoral system. He made a point that Punjab voting behaviour differs from area to area. The Northern Punjab voting behaviour is different from the Southern Punjab. Same is the case of Eastern Punjab with the Central and Western Punjab. The Central Punjab is most populous and 42% Of Population resides in urban and 58% in rural areas.
The Dr. Mandis (2008)discusses the electoral system and voting behavior of the South Asian countries like Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Based on the data collected from numerous articles, the author concludes that in most of the south Asian countries democratic system is although working but the...
COPYRIGHT TV Trade Media, Inc.
COPYRIGHT GALE, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3277
|
__label__wiki
| 0.876192
| 0.876192
|
‘It’s All a Farce’: Trump Campaign Lawsuit Challenges Less Than One Percent of Biden’s Arizona Ballot Lead
Colin KalmbacherNov 10th, 2020, 2:43 pm
Supporters of President Donald Trump demonstrate at a ‘Stop the Steal’ rally in front of the Maricopa County Elections Department office on November 7, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona.
President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign is fighting a legal battle in Arizona over a number of ballots so infinitesimally small that even were the outcome to go entirely the president’s way, those efforts would have no cognizable impact on the outcome of the race whatsoever.
According to The Arizona Republic, tabulations from a ballot-counting system show there a total number of 180 ballots at issue in the president’s litigation–out of a 14,746 vote margin for Joe Biden.
In other words, the Trump campaign–along with the Republican National Committee and the Arizona Republican Party–is hinging its Grand Canyon State legal strategy on less than one percent of Biden’s overall victory margin.
“These lawsuits continue to defy reason and logic, and are purely theater to make the president feel like he’s still fighting,” national security attorney Bradley P. Moss told Law&Crime. “It’s all a farce, and they will change nothing of substance.”
To be clear, the GOP effort in Arizona does not explicitly hang its hat on those 180 votes. Rather, the central premise of the lawsuit is that “potentially thousands of voters” were “disenfranchised by systematic improper tabulator overrides” of so-called “overvotes.”
An overvote occurs when a voter improperly attempts to cast a ballot by marking more options–candidates or ballot initiatives–than any given race allows. When that happens, Arizona’s election software alerts the voter that something has gone wrong. Sometimes, stray marks or other issues can cause a tabulator to tell a voter that their ballot has a mistake when no actual mistake has been made.
Here’s how the Trump campaign has framed the issue:
Qualified electors casting ballots in person on Election Day in Maricopa County submitted their completed ballot to an electronic tabulation machine. Numerous voters were alerted by these devices to a facial irregularity in their ballot—frequently an ostensible “overvote”—but were induced by poll workers to override the tabulator’s rejection of the ballot in the good faith belief that their vote would be duly registered and tabulated. In actuality, overriding the electronic tabulator’s alert automatically disqualifies the putative “overvotes” without additional review or adjudication.
Voters are given two options if a tabulator catches a would-be overvote: (1) request a replacement ballot; (2) cast the potentially problematic ballot. According to the lawsuit, voters who shrugged off the overvote alert and cast their ballot in stride may have their ballot “subjected to further review in an effort to discern the actual intent.”
Essentially, the Trump campaign and the national and state GOP are arguing that poll workers improperly advised voters to accept overvotes and failed to offer them valid, legally-required remedies.
“Upon information and belief, the adjudication and tabulation of these ballots will prove determinative of the outcome of the election for president of the United States in Arizona and/or other contested offices in Maricopa County,” the lawsuit alleges.
“Poll workers struggled to operate the new voting machines in Maricopa County,” Trump campaign attorney Matt Morgan said on Saturday. “The result is that the voting machines disregarded votes cast by voters in person on Election Day in Maricopa County.”
As it turns out, however, the number of potential overvotes specifically at issue here is only the aforementioned 180.
Deputy Maricopa County Attorney Tom Liddy, son of chief Watergate burglar G. Gordon Liddy, told a judge on Monday the 45th president’s entire theory was bunk and unsupported by the data culled from the voting machines themselves.
“There were 155,860 votes voted in person on Election Day,” Liddy said, referring to the Maricopa County numbers. “Of those, the tabulator only identified 180 potential overvotes on the presidential line … 180, that’s it.”
The elections official went on to note that under Trump’s theory of the case, “you’d also see thousands of votes for the Democratic candidate” going uncounted as well. Liddy went on to note that the 180 potential overvotes were also highly unlikely to go entirely for Trump–a prediction he called “absurd.”
“There is no possibility of systematic error with only 180 out of 155,860,” he concluded.
The Washington Post‘s David Fahrenthold called the the campaign’s Arizona strategy “[t]he Fyre Festival of the legal world,” an obvious allusion to the fraud-marred influencer event that just couldn’t get off the inhospitable ground of New York City during the spring of 2017.
Of course, invocations of fraud carry with them a heavy amount of secondary meaning: namely that the Trump campaign is launching a barrage of less-than-longshot legal challenges in an effort to convey an image of strength, fight and tenacity among the MAGA-hatted, Trumpworld faithful–while providing those same adherents nothing more than false hopes of an overturned result in exchange for continued support.
As Law&Crime previously reported, such efforts don’t only yield emotional coping dividends, they’re also a gangbusters way to fundraise off of confused partisans who are being increasingly and falsely convinced they are being robbed by the Democratic Party.
But maybe the mood is so dire that the Trump campaign is seriously convinced of–at least some of–the merits here? That’s a possibility according to one legal expert.
“It seems some Trump loyalists genuinely believe there may be a narrow, albeit unlikely, path to litigate a victory,” Tulane Law Professor and election litigation expert Ross Garber said in an email. “And, in any event, it appears they are litigating in the hopes of getting information (and time) to evaluate whether such a path exists. But it’s hard to see a way forward for them.”
[image via Mario Tama/Getty Images]
arizonaDonald TrumpJoe Biden
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3278
|
__label__cc
| 0.674354
| 0.325646
|
San Francisco / Napa / Sonoma
The Leader in Business Sales and Acquisitions
Become an Advisor
Selling a Business Articles
Selling a Business FAQ
Buying a Business Articles
Buying a Business FAQ
What Do You Need to Do to Get Your Business Ready to Sell?
January 20, 2020 By M&A Business Advisors
In his recent article in Smart Business entitled, “How to get your business, and yourself, ready for sale,” author Adam Burroughs explores the key points of getting your business ready to sell. Burroughs points to the truism that, at some point, almost every business owner must sell his or her business. For this reason, it is critical to think about what it takes to get your business ready to sell. Simply stated, it is best to explore and plan for selling your business long before you actually need to place your business on the market. Let’s explore some key points for selling your business.
Broadening Your Options
Burroughs interviews Scott McRill at Clark Schaefer Hackett. McRill notes, “The sooner you think about your exit, the more options you’ll have for yourself and the business when the time comes.” A savvy business owner will always want to give himself or herself as many options as possible. McRill wisely points out that early planning is key, and a failure to engage in early planning could lead to a lower selling price. If you want to get the best price for your business, then planning for the eventual sale as far in advance as possible is a good move.
Planning in Advance
According to Burroughs, business owners should start planning to sell their business at least 2 to 3 years before they actually plan to sell. Part of the reason for this is so that business owners will have enough time to make operational improvements designed to maximize the business’s overall value.
A Financial Review
At the top of every business owners “preparing to sell” list is to have a third-party review the business’s financial situation. This is excellent advice for, as frequent readers of this blog know, any serious prospective buyer will look long and hard at your business’s financials. Getting your business’s financial house in order means that you should turn to a professional accounting firm for help, if you don’t already have one. You’ll want to review financial statements for at least the previous 2 to 3 years and organize all the company books and records.
Burroughs points out that when it comes to selling a business, there are many variables that business owners often overlook. At the top of the list is the management team.
Your Management Team
Prospective buyers can get very nervous about the stability of the management team once ownership has changed hands. Often, a buyer may only sign on the dotted line and close the transaction if the owner agrees to stay on after the closing for a transition period. Having a competent and proven team in place, one that is dedicated to staying with the company will help you get your business ready to sell and shorten the time you as the seller will have to stay on.
Selling a business is a complex and time consuming process. There are a lot of variables involved in preparing to sell a business. The sooner that you get experts involved in the process, the better off you will be. An experienced M&A Advisor / Business Broker can serve as a guide – one that can point you in the right direction. Work with a M&A Advisor / Business Broker with an abundance of experience, and you’ll have an invaluable ally who can help you navigate the process. It can take a lot of time and effort to sell a business. Working with a M&A Advisor / Business Broker can help you accomplish your goals and sell your business at the right value.
Filed Under: Seller Articles, selling a business
Representing Sellers and Buyers of Privately Owned Businesses in a Wide Range of Industries.
See the full List of Business Brokerage and M&A Offices, Click Below!
See List of Offices
Become an M&A Business Advisor
Four Common Seller Mistakes When Selling a Business
Price or Terms: The Structure of the Deal When Selling a Business
Confidential Business Reviews Should Establish Trust
Essential Meeting Tips for Buyers & Sellers of Businesses
Business Brokerage | Mergers & Acquisitions | Business Broker | Business Advisor | Valuation | Selling a Business | Southern California | Northern California | Northern Nevada | Southern Nevada | Los Angeles Business Broker | Ventura Business Broker | Orange County Business Broker | San Diego Business Broker | San Francisco Business Broker | Marin Business Broker | San Jose Business Broker | Palo Alto Business Broker | Sacramento Business Broker | Roseville Business Broker | Reno Business Broker | Sparks Business Broker | Las Vegas Business Broker | Business Brokers Irvine
M&A Business Advisors represents sellers and buyers of privately owned businesses in a wide range of industries in California and Nevada. Our services include Selling a Business, Buying a Business, Mergers & Acquisitions, Business Sales and Acquisitions, Valuations, Opinion of Value, SBA Finance and Business Consulting. Sell your Business, Buy a Business, How do I determine the Value of a Business, How do I Sell my Business Confidentially, What is a Safe Way to Sell my Business, How long does it take to Sell a Business, How do I Sell a Business in California, How do I Sell a Business in Nevada, Search Businesses for sale. We represent Sellers and Buyers in Southern California, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, Kern County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, San Diego County, Los Angeles, Torrance, Gardena, South Bay, San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel, Upland, Woodland Hills, Chatsworth, North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, Camarillo, Anaheim, Irvine, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Fullerton, Laguna Beach, Aliso Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Orange, Costa Mesa, Brea, Loa Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Fountain valley, San Clemente, Northern California, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, San Ramon, Napa, Sacramento, Nevada, Northern Nevada, Southern Nevada, Reno, Carson City, Tahoe, Las Vegas.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3283
|
__label__cc
| 0.632112
| 0.367888
|
LSU Tells Athletes Not to Wear University-Branded Gear If They Protest Police Violence
By Joseph Myers
Louisiana State University's athletes have competed in the Southeastern Conference since 1932. (Image via Twitter)
Athletes from Louisiana State University have long held reverence as intense competitors, with 47 team national championships in their institution’s annals. Following the July 5, 2016 shooting death of Baton Rouge resident Alton Sterling in an altercation with police, many performers gained additional attention as commentators on race relations in the U.S. But if they wish to continue doing so through any form of protest, they will need to express their views minus any branded school clothing or gear. That news reached the pool of more than 350 registrants yesterday, the same day the Justice Department announced that Baton Rouge Police Department officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake II will not face federal criminal charges in the Sterling incident.
“We know this is a subject that many of you care deeply about, and we respect and support your right to speak publicly and express your opinions,” senior associate athletic director Miriam Segar communicated to the contenders in an email obtained by the Baton Rouge Advocate. “If you choose to express your opinion on this issue, including on social media, we ask that you not wear LSU gear or use LSU branding.”
Minus any mention of consequences should they don any garb or gear, except for Segar’s instruction for them to “Remember that public comments on this topic may be their first and only impression of you,” the outreach makes one wonder how the text might temper reactions to the decision by the Justice Department. The entity made its declaration following a 10-month independent federal investigation, stating that the evidence gathered could not prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officers’ use of force “leading up to and including the shooting violated the Fourth Amendment.”
In the early summer matter, the aforementioned civil servants had answered a call concerning the possible threatening of an individual “by a black man wearing a red shirt and selling CDs.” The department’s factual summary release on the findings showed that the officers had engaged with the 37-year-old when he refused to place his hands on the hood of a car. Over a fewer-than-30-second period, they struggled with Sterling, whom investigators determined had a loaded .38 caliber revolver, with Salamoni firing six shots, three each into the suspect’s chest and back.
In the immediate wake of the situation, LSU athletes reacted through physical protests and social media posts, with then-running back Leonard Fournette, who a week ago today went to the Jacksonville Jaguars with the fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft, drawing regard and wrath for tweeting a picture of himself wearing a T-shirt featuring a smiling Sterling.
Alton sterling.... pic.twitter.com/mkkPnkFvT9
— 7⃣ Leonard Fournette (@_fournette) July 7, 2016
If his successors in seeking gridiron glory or any other sort of athletic renown feel upset with the department’s conclusion, which Segar stated will receive “heavy scrutiny from both local and national media,” the option to express dismay via some form of protest, of course, will be their right. When revealing their thoughts, though, they will need to be mindful of how they adorn themselves. This matter figures to draw diverse opinions, as the Segar email acknowledges in stating that what student athletes “say and do directly impacts how people around the world view LSU.”
E F Joseph Myers Author's page Joseph Myers is Associate Content Editor for Promo Marketing and Print+Promo. Reach him at jmyers@napco.com.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3285
|
__label__cc
| 0.501676
| 0.498324
|
Splash Time: 8 Best Hotel Pools in Las Vegas
Between luxury cabanas and lazy rivers, there's something for everyone in Vegas pools
Lounging by the pool in Las Vegas isn’t quite the same as anywhere else. Whether living it up inside a cabana or lounging on a daybed, your troubles will quickly melt away underneath the blistering Nevada sun. Vegas is all about the perks, and some of the best are found at Sin City’s top hotel pools, where demand skyrockets during the triple-digit heat of summer.
My first exposure to the Vegas hotel pool scene was at the MGM Grand’s Wet Republic eight years ago. The lines were long, security was strict, and there was barely any room in the pool to move—but people weren’t really there to swim. It was more about the drinks and music. And if you have the money or connections for a luxury cabana—typically decked out with a flat-screen TV, video game console, wine cooler, and comfortable furnishings—even better.
Yet dayclubs are only a small part of what makes Vegas fun in the summer heat. Resorts on and off the Strip have pools for families and couples in addition to the party crowd. Some are busy. Some are quiet. But there’s something for everyone. So learn about the best pools in Las Vegas to determine a hotel that’s right for you on your next swimming vacation!
Flexibility is key: Free cancellation deals are available to you on trivago, so don’t forget to browse deals and compare prices using our filter.
Feel Like Swimming in Italy at The Venetian Resort Pools
The Venetian celebrates an Old World Italian theme, but feels brand new, especially since the entire pool deck underwent an extensive renovation for the 2020 season. The cabanas are now among the largest and most lavish on the Strip with couches and other furniture that wouldn’t look out of place in a living room. A few even have their own private plunge pools. The deck is massive with 10 heated pools, stretching on the third floor roof between the main Venetian hotel and sister Palazzo. Daybeds within the water are a nice touch.
Despite its expansive size, the pool area has a few secluded spots with gardens and sculptures to accent the Southern Italian image. The Aquatic Club is for adults with house beats by a live DJ and a refreshing lineup of cocktails. It’s great for couples who want to unwind without any children in sight.
Spritz is a new poolside bar and restaurant where guests can enjoy food and, as the name suggests, variations on a Spritz cocktail. After a long day in the sun, get in a workout or massage at the Canyon Ranch Spa and Fitness Center, which is also where you’ll find Truth & Tonic, one of the only 100% vegan restaurants on the Strip. That’s just scratching the surface for the Venetian, where even the least expensive rooms feel like suites, and gondola rides travel down the center of the Grand Canal Shoppes.
The Venetian Resort Las Vegas
9.3 Excellent (63189 reviews)
Enjoy Sophistication and Seclusion at Bellagio`s Pools
The Hotel Bellagio is best known for its iconic fountain shows, upscale shopping, and the colorful Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in the lobby, where lavish floral exhibits change with the season. Yet the resort is about more than over-the-top attractions.
The Mediterranean-inspired pool area is a quiet escape from the chaos of the Strip. No dayclubs. No party scene. Just five secluded swimming pools nestled between rows of well-manicured trees. Lounge chairs or daybeds in the Cypress Garden are less expensive than cabanas, but still allow plenty of pampering with drinks, food, and poolside massages.
After a long day of swimming and sunbathing, let loose at the new Mayfair Supper Club, which makes dinner feel like an entertainment experience. The restaurant features live musicians and dancers who navigate between tables and perform on a stage in the center of the dining room. It’s like a dinner and show in one with floor-to-ceiling windows revealing the famous Bellagio fountains as the backdrop. Fountain views are also available to most guest rooms booked on the east side of the hotel’s two towers. They’re well worth the upgrade charge.
Hotel Bellagio Las Vegas
Relax and Recharge Out of The Strip at The M Resort
It’s no secret why The M Resort is a popular, welcome alternative to the bigger, more elaborate hotels on the Strip. Located in southwest Henderson, The M has a stylish, modern image, spacious accommodations, and easy parking for visitors driving in from California on Interstate 15. Yet it’s just 10 miles directly south of the Strip on Las Vegas Boulevard.
The hotel’s contemporary styling continues in the M Pool complex, which includes two heated infinity-edge pools, spa tubs, and wet decks for sunbathing in lounge chairs dipped in shallow water. Curtains surround some of the daybeds to help block out the sun.
DayDream is a more reserved dayclub concept, where adults can book cabanas and have a small pool all to themselves. Restaurants at The M Resort include Anthony’s Steakhouse and the Hostile Grape wine bar. It’s also close to Henderson attractions like the Lion Habitat Ranch and SPEEDVEGAS exotic car racetrack.
Hotel M Resort Spa Casino
Soak in the Strip from The Cosmopolitan Pools
The Cosmopolitan has a sleek, modern image that carries over to each of its three pool decks. The Boulevard Pool overlooks the Strip with clear views of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris casino. The deck hosts weekly movie nights in the summer and winter with classics screened on the hotel’s digital marquee.
By comparison, the Chelsea Pool is more quiet and a better fit for families who favor seclusion and simplicity. Marquee Nightclub has its own pool that often transforms into a daytime party spot. It’s surrounded by bungalows, which are actually three-level townhouse-style suites with direct access to the pool deck. They’re strictly for the party crowd—or anyone who doesn’t mind dance music pumping hard and fast next door.
The party atmosphere is also felt at STK, a steakhouse and lounge in one. Other restaurant highlights at the Cosmopolitan include the fresh Mediterranean fish of Estiatorio Milos and é by José Andrés, a small hidden dining room that welcomes just nine guests for two seatings each night while serving inventive tasting menus based on European gastronomy.
Make a point to visit Chandelier, a three-level cocktail bar surrounded in crystals. It’s one of the most social meeting spots on the Strip. When it comes to guest rooms, the Cosmopolitan is the only high-rise on the Strip with open-air balconies.
Play in The Sand and Wave Pool at Mandalay Bay
The colorful, tropical theme of Mandalay Bay is on full display in the resort’s expansive pool complex, great for families. Mandalay Bay Beach brings together nearly 3,000 tons of sand, an enormous wave pool, and a long, winding lazy river for a perfect waterside escape. Kids will enjoy building sand castles or bodysurfing in the waves. Adults may prefer the neighboring Moorea Beach Club, which is 21-and-over and allows topless sunbathing.
As one of the largest resorts on the Strip, Mandalay Bay has loads of attractions. After wolfing down upscale sushi at Kumi or elevated Mexican food at Border Grill, dance the night away at Light Nightclub, or catch the excitement of Michael Jackson One, a Cirque du Soleil production dedicated to the music and legacy of the late pop singer.
Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino
Swim With The Sharks at Golden Nugget
Downtown Las Vegas is where you’ll find the Fremont Street Experience, an outdoor pedestrian mall lined by the bright lights of casinos old and new. The Golden Nugget is one of the best hotels on the promenade, even if just for the pool deck.
The centerpiece is a 200,000-gallon shark tank that’s home to dozens of rare, unique exotic fish. The best part—you can slide down a water slide that goes through the middle of the tank. It’s a quick ride that lasts just a few seconds, so you’ll want to go down a few times. The three-story pool deck includes a waterfall, large built-in cabanas, and a quiet adults-only area on the top level.
Any stay at the Golden Nugget isn’t complete without a walk down the Fremont Street Experience, which has a massive overhead LED video canopy that displays free shows every hour. Wander in and out of the casinos, but make sure to cross Las Vegas Boulevard and check out the bars and restaurants of the Fremont East district. The Downtown Cocktail Room is a dark and seductive speakeasy that set the standard for the craft cocktail scene in Las Vegas many years ago.
Hotel Golden Nugget Las Vegas
Take a Dip by an Aztec Pyramid at The Cancun Resort
At first, the Cancun Resort seems relatively simple. No big restaurants or fancy bars. The lobby is functionally plain. But that no-frills feeling disappears once you head outside to the backyard pool deck. The main swimming pool has a towering Aztec-inspired pyramid with a circular hot tub inside and wide waterfall that dramatically flows down the exterior. Adults will appreciate the scenery, but kids are more likely to gravitate to one of two long, twisting waterslides.
Aside from an engaging pool deck, the Cancun Resort has large condo-style guest rooms that typically include a living room, dining area, and kitchen with a full refrigerator, oven, and microwave. With a location on Las Vegas Boulevard that’s about four miles south of the Strip, Cancun is a carefree destination for families who favor convenience, but still wish to be in easy driving distance to Las Vegas attractions.
Cancun Resort
Get Wet at The Largest Resort in Vegas
Based on the number of hotel rooms alone, the MGM Grand is the largest resort in Las Vegas. With a distinctive bright green exterior, it dominates the south end of the Strip. Yet while it glows at night, its sprawling pool complex draws most of the action during the day. Families will feel at home at the main pool complex, which includes four large pools, three mini-whirlpools, waterfalls, and a lazy river in a desert oasis decorated with palm trees.
Neighboring Wet Republic is one of the most popular dayclubs on the Strip. It has a fresh new look for 2020, thanks to a multimillion-dollar renovation that welcomed an upgraded sound system, high-definition LED video screens, and renovated bungalow-style cabanas with private plunge pools. Wet Republic was toned down to feature a less-crowded, lounge-like atmosphere following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The party continues at night at Hakkasan, a nightclub that’s attached to a Cantonese restaurant of the same name. But for a truly dignified dining experience, feast on a multi-course menu of French cuisine at Joel Robuchon. With chandeliers, drapes, and luxurious table settings, it’s almost like having a meal inside a private mansion.
7.9 Good (56297 reviews)
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3286
|
__label__cc
| 0.533903
| 0.466097
|
Front page - The U-boats - Listing of all U-boats
List of all U-boats
U-boat Types
Convoy battles
Successful patrols
Wolfpacks
Combat strength
U-boat Fates
Losses by year
Scuttled boats
Surrenders
Discovered boats
Revised fates
U-boat bases
U-boat Emblems
Events on this day
Commander file
Ralf Jürs
(U-778)
- More officers
U-boat of the day
U-211 - 5 patrols
1 ship sunk (1,350 tons)
U-boat Finder
IXC/40
Ordered 15 Aug 1940
Laid down 10 Sep 1941 Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg (werk 340)
Launched 20 May 1942
Commissioned 30 Jul 1942 Kptlt. Hans-Joachim Drewitz
30 Jul 1942 - 11 Aug 1943 KrvKpt. Hans-Joachim Drewitz (German Cross in Gold)
3 patrols
30 Jul 1942 - 31 Dec 1942 4. Flottille (training)
1 Jan 1943 - 11 Aug 1943 10. Flottille (active service)
Successes 1 ship sunk, total tonnage 3,454 GRT
Sunk on 11 August 1943 in the North Atlantic north-west of the Azores, in position 41.29N, 38.55W, by depth charges and a Fido homing torpedo from an Avenger and a Wildcat aircraft (VC-1 USN) of the US escort carrier USS Card. 54 dead (all hands lost).
Loss position
See the 1 ships hit by U-525 - View the 3 war patrols
Wolfpack operations
U-525 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Falke (28 Dec 1942 - 19 Jan 1943)
Haudegen (19 Jan 1943 - 15 Feb 1943)
Amsel (22 Apr 1943 - 3 May 1943)
Amsel 3 (3 May 1943 - 6 May 1943)
Rhein (7 May 1943 - 10 May 1943)
Elbe 1 (10 May 1943 - 14 May 1943)
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-525 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
We have 1 emblem entry for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.
10th Flotilla
German U-Boat Losses During World War II
Niestle, Axel
Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II
Blair, Clay
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2
Wynn, Kenneth
Hitler's U-boat War
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3287
|
__label__cc
| 0.741342
| 0.258658
|
Life of Chaz
Exploring What Captivates, Inspires, and Intrigues Us.
November 3, 2018 April 29, 2019 by Chaz
Goodreads – Seveneves
Author – Neal Stephenson
A catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb. In a feverish race against the inevitable, nations around the globe band together to devise an ambitious plan to ensure the survival of humanity far beyond our atmosphere, in outer space.
But the complexities and unpredictability of human nature coupled with unforeseen challenges and dangers threaten the intrepid pioneers, until only a handful of survivors remain . . . – Goodreads Synopsis
Neal Stephenson is an author that I have seen around a lot, and I have always wanted to try out some of his works. Seveneves is the introduction to his works for me, and one of the few novels that I picked up without knowing anything about beforehand. I read the back cover at a Barnes and Noble and went “Yup!” I’ll take this one.
The premise of Seveneves is one of the most captivating ones that I have experienced in a long while. I almost forgot how much that I loved Sci-Fi with all of the Fantasy that I have been reading until I started Seveneves. The premise is pretty much: What would happen to the human race if the moon suddenly exploded into multiple chunks, and the debris rained down on Earth? The rest is planning out the survival of the humans, and how to keep them from going extinct.
One of my favorite characters from this novel is actually who I call the villain: JBF, the American president. This character stuck out to me not because I loved her, but because I hated her. (Which coincidentally made me love her later on…) This character reminds me of the old days when I was reading the Harry Potter novels as they came out and Umbridge was introduced. There are just those antagonists/villains where they are not essentially evil in the traditional sense, but they act so vehemently against the protagonists that you just hate them with every fiber of your being. Every action these characters take, and after every word they speak, you just cringe with anger at how they could be doing what they are doing. When a character makes me feel like this, I know they are written well. (Think of Joffrey from Game of Thrones too.) Other than JBF, most of the characters did not really leave that much of an impression on me.
One of my favorite aspects of The Martian was this it had this hard scifi math that was super fun to follow along with. Similarly, Seveneves has a lot of scientific principles in it that remain accurate. To some, I could see how this would be boring and hard to follow along with, but to a super nerd like me…I loved it. Reading a novel that feels like it had to have had a lot of research done beforehand is very satisfying to me, and it makes me feel like I am learning something new while I read.
After The First 2/3
The most common feedback that I see for Seveneves, is how people felt the last third of the novel caught them off guard, and how they did not like that. There is a lot of validity to the feedback, as the last part of the book feels like a completely new story. The characters we were with for the first 600 pages are suddenly gone and replaced with new characters. I did feel like it slowed down until we got up towards the finale, but it was worth slogging through.
I love it when I find a book that I always seem to be thinking about when I am not reading it. There were many times that I was at work and than a random thought about what could happen next in Seveneves would pop into my head. The ending left me with some questions, and will leave me thinking about it for quite some time. I cannot wait to read more of Neal Stephenson!
Book Book Review Books life of chaz Read Reading review scifi syfy
33 thoughts on “Seveneves”
Nicely done review. I’m not usually into the genre but this does sound good.
Richard Rabil, Jr. says:
If you’re looking for a recommendation for your next Neal Stephenson novel, I highly recommend ‘Snowcrash’ and ‘Cryptonomicon’!
Thanks! I just got Snowcrash, and I’ll have to check out Cyptonomicon as well.
theclippednightingale says:
Excellent review. I like the way you put everything in detail and yet, not giving away too much!
thebookwormdrinketh says:
I love a sci-fi that has principles that are actually plausible! It makes it much more fun when it could one day be reality!
bibliogyan says:
Sounds like that scene from time machine !
The premise I mean 😁
I can’t say I’ve ever read one of Stephenson’s novels, but I love it when you have a character that you just love to hate. Those sort of characters that are so infuriating you keep reading just to see their downfall haha.
The final third sounds quite frustrating. I find that introducing new characters so late in the story just opens up a can of plot holes that never seem to be fully tied up by the end.
Anyway, I’m glad you enjoyed this book so much. The premise does sound really interesting.
thebibliophagist90 says:
This sounds like a wonderful read. I’m not a math person so idk about all of that🤣
Thank you for a well organized review
thebookprescription says:
and you’re most certainly an atypical super-nerd!
mycrazyobsessionofbooks16 says:
Hey there Chaz, as always truly amazing review. I loved this one in particular because I am obsessed with space (the universe) and Aliens. I know this is not about Aliens but it seems to be about concepts that might happen in the universe. I am amazed by your capability of using each word in a captivating way! I might read it sometime. Keep on going!
Gioia 🙂
Kariyanine says:
Great review. I had just heard about this on a podcast and added it to my reading list. Your thoughts on this have made me want to bump it up the list a bit.
loristory says:
Proud to be your 100th like! Well written review.
urmireads says:
Great review! Doesn’t really fit my genre but this did sound good😎😍💕
calypte says:
I think you picked a great place to start! Cryptonomicon took me a whole year to read. Snow Crash is a bit ‘lighter’. I have to try the rest, too 🙂
imsorrydave2001 says:
Brilliant book. And rumours of a Ron Howard film too!
Ryan Lee King says:
I love books that get in your head like that. That’s a sign of a good book.
Cheri Lynn Reeves, author says:
Nice Review, Chaz! I love stories like this as well. I was into sci-fi before it became popular, so the hard science aspect always make the fiction part believable and interesting. Thanks for sharing.
The premise does sound good and it’s great you couldn’t stop thinking about it when you weren’t reading it. Awesome review!
marietoday says:
I’m currently reading Cryptonomicon by the same author. It alternately follows a code breaker in WWII, a Marine at the same time, and a descendant of the code breaker getting involved in encryption and cryptocurrency in the 90s. It’s certainly similar to Seveneves in that it’s heavily researched and he doesn’t hold back on showing the math. I am enjoying the WWII chapters more than the 90s ones, but it sounds like you would really like this book based on your enjoyment of Seveneves!
Rae Longest says:
This definitely sounds like something I would like. I have heard students (really cool students) talk about it all semester (I think the copies “made the rounds.”), but now that I have read an actual review and pretty much know what to expect, I think I’ll order it. Tanks for the fine review.
bdarkgirl says:
Oh boy Umbridge – finding another villian like her is a pretty epic find – Loving your blog and your brain
Neal Stephenson’s last few books have sounded interesting, but I’ve shied away from his work since reading Snow Crash years ago. Lots of people loved it and highly recommended it to me, but part way through I lost total interest in it (a large part of that was that I felt like I was being lectured at). Did you find that at all in Seveneves?
thesoundofsurprise says:
Although I am loath to add more recommendations to his long list, you might want to investigate his historical sequence ‘The Baroque Cycle’ beginning with ‘Quicksilver’ – it is a sort of prequel to ‘Cryptonomicon’, which is also excellent. So many books…..
carolynmcb says:
Great review, Chaz. I’ve had this book for a few months now and haven’t quite gotten around to reading it. Perhaps I’ll pull it out of its place in my TBR pile! I’ll keep your advice about the last third in mind as I read.
I love the sound of this one – thank you for a cracking review, Chaz:)
emzurch says:
I felt the exact same way about this book! Its strengths definitely lay in the painstaking research that went into it.
liamcbyrne says:
I’ve got Snow Crash on my list of 75 for my own challenge. I’ve looked forward to checking out some Neal Stephenson, so I hope that that book is as good as this one sounds.
junesboy says:
I am a great fan of Mr. Stephenson. SEVEN EVES is my favorite. Your review is spot on. Thanks.
Going to have to check this one out
Britni Pepper says:
Neal Stephenson always gets a read from me. Big chunky meaty thoughtful novels. I may not agree with all of his premises or settings, but he puts so much into them that it’s worth taking a look.
Anathem was a recent one I read once and listened to twice.
I enjoyed all of Seveneves but it was the last part (the part that many readers apparently hate) that made me hope for a sequel.
Fahrenheit 451 | Book/Movie
Ready Player One | Book/Movie
Follow Life of Chaz on WordPress.com
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3288
|
__label__cc
| 0.681783
| 0.318217
|
Jack Borrebach, Concertmaster
mwe
The DiMenna Center for Classical Music
Photo: Krikor Daglian
Subscribe to get information on upcoming concerts and more
Want to play with us? MWE is composed of professional and amateur musicians. Contact us for more info!
As a community band and a 501(c)(3) not for profit corporation, Manhattan Wind Ensemble relies on our community to support us and allow us to bring wind band music to New York City. Support Manhattan Wind Ensemble
Copyright 2014-2018 Manhattan Wind Ensemble, Inc.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3299
|
__label__wiki
| 0.685468
| 0.685468
|
Louis Proyect: The Unrepentant Marxist
Filed under: Counterpunch,indigenous,Kevin Coogan — louisproyect @ 12:43 pm
COUNTERPUNCH, OCTOBER 6, 2017
On September 30th, New York Times reporter Simon Romero profiled the thief who had severed the bronze right foot from a statue of Don Juan de Oñate twenty years ago as a protest against the genocide of American Indians. Even the normally sedate “gray lady” could not help but refer to Oñate as the “despotic conquistador” of New Mexico. Indeed, the theft of the foot was highly symbolic since Oñate had once ordered the chopping off of the right foot of 24 Indigenous captives.
Romero got a chance to interview the foot thief through a rendezvous set up by Cheyenne-Arapaho filmmaker Chris Eyre who made “Skins,” a 2002 film that climaxes with red paint tossed in George Washington’s face on Mount Rushmore.
Romero analogized these protests with those against the statues of Confederate heroes such as Robert E. Lee. Eyre referred to the president’s complaint about these disrespectful acts: “Trump asked if all this stops with Washington or Jefferson. For me, that’s actually where it starts because we need to go back a whole lot further to examine the crimes upon which these lands were claimed.”
Trump is well-qualified to defend Washington and Jefferson since he harbors the same sort of racist attitudes that these Indian-killers embodied as early architects of Manifest Destiny. When he was building up his gambling casino empire in the early 90s, he claimed that Indian reservations were run by the Mafia. He secretly paid for more than $1 million in ads that depicted the St. Regis Mohawks in upstate New York as cocaine traffickers and career criminals around the time that they were seeking to build a casino in the county where I grew up. He even told the notoriously racist shock jock Don Imus that they were probably not real Indians, stating that he might have more Indian blood than them.
Besides the St. Regis Mohawks, there was another Indigenous group seeking permission to build a casino–the Munsee Lenapes. They were ethnically cleansed from Sullivan County, where I grew up, in the 1800s. Monsey, New York (now a predominately orthodox Jewish enclave) was named after the people who lived in the area while the city of Muncie, Indiana was where they were forced to go. Frankly, I would welcome a return of all the Munsees to their original homeland. They certainly would have more respect for a beautiful part of New York state that is being sacrificed at the altar of capitalist development and its consequent environmental despoliation.
When some on the left seek to contextualize Washington and Jefferson, it usually follows the line of reasoning that despite being slave-owners, they were also founding fathers of a democratic republic that was the envy of the world. While this might not sit well with the descendants of the slaves they owned, it also carries the burden of sweeping Indigenous peoples under the rug.
After reading Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz’s An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States, you will conclude that all these great White leaders should be condemned to the ashbin of history. Published as part of the Beacon Press’s Revisioning American History series (there are also books about gays, the disabled and Blacks/Latinos in American history), it is very much in the vein of Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States”. While the term “revisionist” is often applied to works such as these, I am persuaded that “revisioning” is a far more appropriate term since it points to both past and future. If we do not have a vision of how the United States should be governed, our future is bleak.
Before throwing Walt Whitman totally under the bus, keep in mind that he wasn’t the only one who backed Manifest Destiny when it came to Mexico. So did Engels in a February 1849 article in the NRZ:
“Just a word about “universal fraternal union of peoples” and the drawing of “boundaries established by the sovereign will of the peoples themselves on the basis of their national characteristics”. The United States and Mexico are two republics, in both of which the people is sovereign.
How did it happen that over Texas a war broke out between these two republics, which, according to the moral theory, ought to have been “fraternally united” and “federated”, and that, owing to “geographical, commercial and strategical necessities”, the “sovereign will” of the American people, supported by the bravery of the American volunteers, shifted the boundaries drawn by nature some hundreds of miles further south? And will Bakunin accuse the Americans of a “war of conquest”, which, although it deals with a severe blow to his theory based on “justice and humanity”, was nevertheless waged wholly and solely in the interest of civilization? Or is it perhaps unfortunate that splendid California has been taken away from the lazy Mexicans, who could not do anything with it? That the energetic Yankees by rapid exploitation of the California gold mines will increase the means of circulation, in a few years will concentrate a dense population and extensive trade at the most suitable places on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, create large cities, open up communications by steamship, construct a railway from New York to San Francisco, for the first time really open the Pacific Ocean to civilization, and for the third time in history give the world trade a new direction? The “independence” of a few Spanish Californians and Texans may suffer because of it, in some places “justice” and other moral principles may be violated; but what does that matter to such facts of world-historic significance?”
http://marxists.anu.edu.au/archive/marx/works/1849/02/15.htm
This sentiment was in keeping with M-E belief in the cultural inferiority of “backward peoples” of Europe as well. Roman Rosdolsky wrote an entire book on the topic that was finally published in 1986 entitled “Engels and the ‘Non-historic Peoples: The National Question in the Revolution of 1848.”
It makes for grim reading.
M-E backed Kossuth and the Hungarian aristocracy in the 1848-49 revolt against the Hapsburgs and they hated the Croats and other minority ethnic groups for fighting on the Austrian side. But the Hungarian aristocracy was just brutal to its peasants. But at no point do they bother to discuss any of this.
In short, they very much had a Hegelian notion of advanced versus backward societies of “cattle rustlers” if I remember one Engels’ jibe. Whether they fundamentally changed their views later in life is open to debate but (following in part Franklin Rosemont’s lead), Kevin Anderson forcefully argues for this point of view. I’d like to think he’s right.
What makes Mexico especially egregious is that Engels made his living helping to run his family’s textile plant in Manchester, a plant dependent on Southern cotton. At one point in the early 1850s, Engels even planned a trip to (I think) New Orleans to visit the Southern cotton market, although the trip never came off.
As far as I can tell, neither Marx nor Engels ever bothered to mention the extermination of the native peoples of North America although both became fascinated in the late 1870s by Morgan’s writings on the Iroquois from an anthropological point of view. Neither of them seems to have bothered to mention Frederick Douglass either although Douglass made extensive tours of Ireland and England before the Civil War to organize resistance against slavery. Also note not one mention of the extension of black chattel slavery (Texas was formed as a slave republic) in Engels’ remarks against Bakunin.
Comment by Hylozoic Hedgehog — October 6, 2017 @ 7:56 pm
Comrade, I am well aware of how Marx and Engels failed to grasp the National Question until the Irish struggle began to clarify things. Here is what I wrote about 15 years ago:
Every once in a while I run into a book with such a combination of scholarship and Marxist insight that it really blows me away. It is a happy coincidence that the book I am reading now, Ephraim Nimni’s “Marxism and Nationalism”, dovetails perfectly with the cyberseminar. I owe thanks to Scott McLemee who tugged my lapel to this book. I am going to recapitulate material from the first three chapters of the book and conclude with some thoughts on what relevance it has for the ongoing discussion on nationalism.
CHAPTER 1. “THE PERPLEXING LEGACY OF MARX AND ENGELS”
Most of what Marx and Engels were concerned about on the national question has to do with the task of the bourgeois revolution. Feudal social and economic relations were an obstacle to capitalist development, which in turn created the preconditions for proletarian revolution. Hence the urgency was to unite a nation having in common the following criteria:
–It must hold a population large enough to allow for an internal division of labor which characterises a capitalist system with its competing classes; and
–occupy a cohesive and sufficiently large territorial space to provide for the existence of a viable state.
The French revolution was a model for this form of national development. Just as the Russian revolution was a model for 20th century revolutions, so was the revolution of 1789 a model for bourgeois democrats in places like Italy, Germany and Ireland that had remnants of the old order.
The Jacobins believed that the only way to consolidate a modern, bourgeois state was to follow a path of tight centralization and *linguistic standardization*. We should not neglect the importance of the second task. Before the revolution, France had a patchwork of linguistic communities that spoke either Romance languages (Langue d’Oc, Langue d’Oil, Catalan), other Celtic languages (Breton), and other ancient pre-Latin languages (Euzkera). In the period before the revolution, only 3 million inhabitants of Paris and the surrounding areas spoke “French” as their mother tongue and a smaller number could read and write in this language.
The reason it became an urgent political task for the Jacobins to enforce French as a national language was that feudal counter-revolution tended to be strongest in areas where the language was not spoken, such as Brittainy where Breton was the native tongue.
In the context of the bourgeois revolution, the *crushing* of culture and language of the non-Parisian French national communities was progressive. Marx and Engels agreed completely that such action was necessary not only for 18th century France, but contemporary Europe as well. State centralization and national unification, with the consequent *assimilation* of small national communities was the only viable path to social progress.
However, what role do stateless or numerically small national communities such as the Bretons play? Are they all grist for the mill of bourgeois revolution? The answer from Marx and Engels is not encouraging. If the number one priority is to create strong national states, how else can they view cultural and ethnic obstructionists. If doctrinaire Marxism of the twentieth century puts forward the slogan that nationalism divides the working-class, there is some antecedent for this since Marx and Engels put forward slogans 150 years ago that the nationalism of the lesser nationalities divides the bourgeoisie.
They pinned their hopes above all on the national unification of the German peoples, who they contrasted as a “more energetic race” to the smaller national communities on the eastern outskirts of the German national territory, who could only be an obstacle to unification:
“Bohemia and Croatia (another disjected member of the Slavonic family, acted upon by the Hungarian, as Bohemia by the German) were the homes of what is now called on the European continent ‘Panslavism’. Neither Bohemia nor Croatia was strong enough to exist as a nation by herself. Their respective nationalities, gradually undermined by the action of historical causes that inevitably absorbs into a more energetic stock, could only hope to be restored to anything like independence by an alliance with other Slavonic nations.” (“Panslavism–the Schleswig Holstein War”).
Who would be the leader of such a federation of Slavonic nations? The only such leader waiting in the wings is the Russian czar, according to Marx. There is one consolation. The democratic movement in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy will assimilate these “relics of people”, transforming their culture and national identity into the ‘superior’ German and Magyar culture.
Here is the clearest theoretical statement on the attitude of Marx and Engels on the national question:
“There is no country in Europe which does not have in some corner or another one or several fragments of peoples, the remnant of a former population that was suppressed and held in bondage by the nation of which later became the main vehicle for historical development. These relics of a nation, mercilessly trampled under the course of history, as Hegel says ‘these residual fragments of peoples’ always become standard bearers of counter revolution and remain so until their complete extirpation or loss of their national character, just as their whole existence in general is itself a protest against a great historical revolution.
Such in Scotland are the Gaels, the supporters of the Stuarts from 1640 to 1745.
Such in France are the Bretons, the supporters of the Bourbons from 1742 to 1800.
Such in Spain are the Basques, the supporters of Don Carlos.
Such in Austria are the panslavist Southern Slavs, who are nothing but residual fragments of peoples, resulting from an extremely confused thousand years development. This residual fragment, which is likewise extremely confused sees its salvation only in the reversal of the whole European movement, which in its view ought not to go from west to east, but from east to west.” (“The Magyar Struggle”)
full: http://www.columbia.edu/~lnp3/mydocs/race/black_nationalism.htm
Comment by louisproyect — October 6, 2017 @ 8:10 pm
I think that the break up of Yugoslavia was a mistake. Yougoslavia should have become part of the EU not Slovenia, Croatia and so on. I do not care to defend my position that Yugoslavia should not have broken up. If a person disagrees he or she is just labeling themselves as a person with poor artistic taste. The same position about a larger central government should apply to Spain and the UK. But these countries are not republics they are monarchies. Some would say that for all practical purposes Spain and the UK are republics because they are constitutional monarchies.
Well were the political differences between Yugoslavia on one hand and the UK and Spain (or the republics of France and Italy) on the other great enough to say that these latter countries should be judged by a different standard than Yugoslavia? Are all positions on the subject of succesion just the subjective opinions of people with differing degrees of artistic talent?
Comment by Curt Kastens — October 6, 2017 @ 10:55 pm
A Very Public Sociologist
Cheap Motels and a Hotplate (Michael Yates)
Climate and Capitalism
Cold and dark stars
Comrade Thad Workers’ Library
Connection/Comedieus (English/French)
Doug Henwood
Fred Murphy
Ken McLeod: Early Days of a Better Nation
Lars Henrik Carlskov
Resolute Reader
Systemic Disorder
About Louis Proyect
Adolph Reed Jr.
Allen-Farrow dispute
autonomism
black bloc idiots
bourgeois revolutions
Brian A. Mitchell
British SWP
Bukharin
capitalist pig
class-reductionism
Cochranites
commercialism
conspiracism
cops/agent provocateurs
CPUSA
cruise missile left
crypto-Stalinism
democratic centralism
Dotty Nation Magazine writers
electoral strategy
former Soviet Union
government spying
Harper's Open Letter
history of the Marxist internationals
imbecile trolls
imperialism/globalization
Introduction to Marxism class
Jeffrey Marlin
jingoism
Karl Marx biography
Kautsky
Kevin Coogan
Koch-Lorber
Left Forum
Malinovsky
Marxist literature
Marxist memoir
Marxmail
McCarthyism
mechanical anti-imperialism
New Economic Policy
nuclear power and weapons
parliamentary cretinism
Paul Pines
Pekar
Phiiippines
Political Marxism
Popular Front
primitive accumulation
Red Plenty
Red-Brown alliance
revolutionary organizing
Richard Aoki
right-left convergence
Samuel Farber Cubanology
sociobiology
Soldiers/Veterans
Steven Salaita
student revolt
subaltern studies
transition debate
Trolls/stalkers
Tucson killings
two-party system
ultraleftism
ultraright
urban crisis
utopian thought
Werner Angress
Woodhull
Workerism
year end summary
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3303
|
__label__cc
| 0.665809
| 0.334191
|
It’s obvious Lowndes County people are investing in each other
By Amya Mitchell
Published 4:41 pm Friday, September 25, 2020
When I became a reporter for The Signal, the first thing I witnessed were people who care about the residents and the county’s future.
A few of my very first assignments included covering events in Lowndes County. I went to city council meetings, football practices and even the grand opening of the county’s very first chamber.
It was there I met Dr. Ozelle Hubert for the first time, the chamber’s president. Even before meeting him in person, I could tell from our conversations over the phone that he loves the county and its residents. He has so much in store for the county’s businesses and is stepping up to make necessary changes to better Lowndes County.
I also had the opportunity to speak with Harvest Tyme Food Ministries Director Dr. Debbie Bryant, who is wanting to use the outreach program to cater to the county’s students, families and veterans.
While talking to Dr. Bryant, I could feel the passion that she has to better the community.
Now that school’s back in season, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know the county’s coaches.
I’ve only been able to speak with each school’s head football coach, Coach Shane Moye of Lowndes Academy, Coach Michael Perry of Central Hayneville and Coach Ervin Starr of Calhoun.
It’s evident that every one of them is there to invest in the lives of their athletes, and each one welcomed me with open arms and spoke highly about their players and the potential the teams have.
Mosses Police Chief DeMarcus Weems was one of the very first people I spoke to. His excitement for his new position was contagious.
I walked into the city council meetings a bit more nervous than I should have been.
I remember the surprise on retiring Fort Deposit Mayor Fletcher Fountain’s face when I introduced myself, and the gratitude whenever I first spoke to retiring Hayneville Mayor David Daniel.
Even briefly speaking with the newly elected mayors of Fort Deposit and Hayneville has been a gift.
But the most obvious moment I was able to witness the heart of Lowndes County residents was after the death of Sheriff “Big John” Williams.
I had just moved to Butler County when it happened, and the shock was felt throughout our household.
My entire family is in law enforcement, and I constantly think about the dangers they face every day. I couldn’t imagine those dangers becoming a reality.
Lowndes County immediately united as a family, and are continuing to do things to commemorate Big John’s legacy and honor.
In every meeting I’ve attended, practice I’ve watched and business I’ve visited, it has been made clear that the people of Lowndes County are investing in one another and I’m honored to have the pleasure of getting to serve you all.
Resilience, ingenuity, creativity help
My parents grew up during the Great Depression and were teenagers and young adults during WWII. They knew all about... read more
Sheriff’s office receives new vehicles
2021 goals: Mayor hopes to clean up town, develop interstate
Federal student aid programs can help pay college costs
Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association adds new board members
Tesmer recognizes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week April 19-25
Gov. Ivey: Census 2020 important
National Guard dispels rumors
Local students make All-State football list
Lanier defeats Central 61-35
Lowndes Academy ends season with 41-2 loss
Rebels defeat Lakeside, 30-20 at home
Davison commits to Alabama
Appeals court upholds conviction
July 27-29
Police Reports: May 29-June 5
Obituaries for the week of November 12, 2020
Eric Spencer Jackson
Clarence Douglas Gill
Carol Ward Nadeau
Oliver Wood Till, Jr.
© 2021, Lowndes Signal
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3309
|
__label__cc
| 0.685862
| 0.314138
|
The Saints Scoop! – October 1, 2017
A LETTER TO FAMILIES FROM SUPERINTENDENT GORD STEWART
Attached please find correspondence from the Superintendent to parents/guardians regarding the status of teacher staffing in the District. As you read the letter discussing teacher staffing in Langley, please know that LSS has also been diligently working to fill teaching positions. We are now at two positions left to fill, both involving our Resource students; we expect those potions to be filled by the end of the week. We thank parents and students for their patience while this challenging process unfolds. Letter to Parents – School Startup 2017Sep28
GRAD GAB!
Mr. Camara Scholarship: Djiba Camara was a remarkable man who devoted the latter part of his life to humanitarian work. During his time at HD Stafford Middle School, his ‘Drop Off to Africa’ initiative fostered a culture of care throughout the school and community. He was also a retired professional soccer player and enjoyed an illustrious coaching career. The Djiba Camara Memorial Scholarship was created in his memory. It will be awarded to a recipient(s) who excels in academic achievement and community/school service, combined with soccer aptitude; this scholarship is only for LSS students. To learn more about the scholarship and how to apply, please see the attached: Djiba Camara Memorial Scholarship
$10,000 scholarships for students in their final year of high school – deadline Wednesday, October 25 – The Horatio Alger Association of Canada provides $650,000 annually in need-based scholarship support for deserving students in all Canadian provinces and territories. Scholarships of up to $10,000 are awarded to full-time students in their terminal year of high school with financial need (family income under $65,000) who have demonstrated integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity, a commitment to pursue a post-secondary education, a desire to con- tribute to society, and a good academic record. http://bit.ly/2bCwM94
LAUNCH FAIR POSTER – Interested in Graphic Design? Check out the details to an event at Langara College in Vancouver on Saturday, October 14, from 10 am to 1 pm.
BOOK NOW! Grad Photos! Its already time to start booking your graduation photo appointments! Grad photos will run from October 4 to 8 in a mobile studio at LSS. Be among the first to sign up and get your preferred date and time!
https://artona.com/schools/LANS/programs/graduation
TERRY FOX RUN/WALK
Congratulations to the students and staff at LSS for an amazing school-wide event, where the entire school completed a 2.5 km trek around the Derek Doubleday Arboretum. This type of event takes an incredible amount of planning and cooperation from all involved, and we are thankful to all who led and participated – these are the events that make a difference, and to see the whole school participate was heart-warming! Ms. Wood, one of the AVID teachers and organizers stated, “The AVID program worked together to organize the school wide Terry Fox Walk/Run. They set a goal of $800.00 and for the first time in Saints history they not only achieved their goal, but BEAT it!! It was an amazing day of teamwork, school pride and walking for a great cause. Thank you to all students and parents who donated to help us reach our goal!” Ms. Pagnanini, also an AVID teacher and organizer, added, “Our AVID kids were so excited that they could take ownership of this and make it happen. Their faces and enthusiasm today when we hit goal in the last minutes of the day were priceless!” Thank you and well done, LSS Saints!
LSS students line-up in the Castle Lobby to get in to the Main Gym, and begin their Terry Fox Run/Walk.
Just before they entered the Main Gym, students were able to get a washable “Terry Fox” tattoo, as well as write on a large sticker who they were running for, as most students and staff at LSS have had someone in their lives affected by Cancer.
Students are lined up to cross 56th Avenue and get to the Derek Doubleday Arboretum, where the majority of the run/walk was located.
Safety First! Thanks to PE students and staff who organized the crosswalk on 56th Avenue, to ensure that almost 1000 students and staff could safely cross the street.
Waiting for the students when they returned were pears, courtesy of the province’s Fruit and Veggie program, as well as these smiling AVID faces!
It was the grade 9s who got to leave LSS first to complete the route, and it was grade 9 student Isaac who also crossed the finish line first!
Mr. Kardos also ran the route, and was one of the first finishers!
AVID students lined up near the finish line and cheered on runners as they completed their route – how awesome is that!
Mr. Palichuk, Ms. Weir, and Mr. Kardos, three of our staff runners, pose after the run.
Our four AVID Homeroom teachers, proud of the students’ work in organizing the awesome event!
Can you see the suspense as Ms. Pagnanini and her AVID students counted the donations, getting ever closer to the $800 goal? Or maybe they were just having fun counting the money!
Hey look, everyone, LSS did it – we achieved the school goal!
The last photo goes to Mr. Calderon and Mr. Palichuk, along with a 2-eared character on Mr. Calderon’s right shoulder, standing below our electronic sign advertising the event. I can’t wait until next year’s run!
Dozens of staff and students also participated in Orange Shirt day, recognizing the negative effects of Canada’s history with its Aboriginal people, as well as looking forward at reconciliation for all people in Canada. Our very own Makayla Goldsmith designed the t-shirts and set up the display in the Main Foyer. We are proud to acknowledge that Langley District has been a leader provincially in working with our First nations communities to ensure that all of our students know and feel that Every Child Matters.
Mr. Moino poses with the “Makayla-designed” t-shirt!
Trades 1 students in their Orange Shirts!
The glass display case in the Main Foyer.
A close up…
INTERIM REPORT COMING HOME THIS WEEK
Just a reminder to families that INTERIM REPORTS will be coming home this week. The official day for them to come home is October 4; however, teachers will be letting parents and guardians know sometime this week about their student’s progress. As this is an informal report, teachers may let parents know about student progress via email, a phone call, or some other method – the key here is that some type of contact is made. If you have any questions about your student’s progress, please contact your student’s teacher directly. Any general questions can be directed to the Main Office; one of the administrators would be happy to help!
FLEX UPDATE
Students and staff have had an excellent first week with Flex, as the vast majority of students have been setting their plans, and using their time well to complete homework and other class assignments! We want to be sure to continue the positive momentum we have built in the first few weeks of training and actual Flex.
CAREERS UPDATES
Mr. Dickson Podcast: Would you like to learn more about Piping and Plumbing and its history at LSS? If so, listen to Mr. Dickson – the founder of the “P & P” Program – on “The Guild” Podcast from this past August! https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-guild-podcast/id1217679920?mt=2&i=1000390840157
First Responders Workshop: All students interested in learning more about the Roles of First Responders may wish to attend an upcoming workshop put on by the Langley RCMP and BC Ambulance to guide students through a simulation car crash. Please see Mrs. Blessing in the Counselling Centre for an application to participate in this workshop!
Langley Memorial Hospital Explorations Program or the Township of Langley Fire Hall Work Experience: Grade 11 and 12 students interested in applying for the Langley Memorial Hospital Explorations Program or the Township of Langley Fire Hall Work Experience, please see Mrs. Blessing in the Counselling Centre for an application.
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK!
This weekend Ms. Wood and 3 leadership students attended the Student Voice conference! They discussed topics like texting and driving, children’s health statistics, bullying and leadership pillars in the business world!
Of course, active work leads to people being hungry!
And thirsty, too (for a glow in the dark bubble tea, slurpee or something?!)!
Dozens of parents and students also turned out for the “Grant Me” presentation by Madison Guy this past Monday, on how best to access post-sencndary scholarships and grants!
Mr. Lewis and Mr. Hantke presented to our grade 12s this past week on several important topics, including graduation requirements, grad events, and so much more!
The football team gathers at the end of a practice to listen to words of wisdom and to end on with a sense of teamwork.
Ms. Wood’s classroom is a test room for “flexible furniture,” helping the school learn about how some of the new furniture and space can be used in the re-built LSS.
On of the keys to the New/Revised Curriculum, as well as to the flexible furniture, is students being to move around the classroom to engage in different, active learning strategies.
LSS students, along with other Langley students, also took part in the Canadian Student Leadership Conference this past week in Waterloo, Ontario.
A snapshot of Nathan as CSLC students arrived for tour of the University of Waterloo, where they attended innovation and entrepreneurial workshops and listened to a number of speakers. They also got to attend TEDx Kitchener!
More than 100 LSS students had the honour of being the final school on the “Push for Change” tour, raising awareness for Homelessness and Youth Homelessness across Canada.
Here, Joe Roberts shares a video clip and speaks about his experience walking across Canada.
Langley RCMP also attended the event, in support of the work that Joe does to keep young people from having to live on the streets.
In the 2nd floor hallway, one of our classes created a visual representation to show people the difference in sugar amounts in each type of drink… yikes, that’s a lot of sugar!
Finally, we are pleased to have added some clerical time to the Counselling Centre, as Ms. Battistel works to support the counsellors in the tremendously important work that they do!
LSS CLUBS AND TEAMS
Throughout the school year, we will have important information on students clubs and teams in this section of the Scoop! If you want to meet new people and have fun while learning something new, then read below… and join an LSS club or team!
LSS Book Club: Thursdays at lunch in room 220. All students are welcome to attend. Snacks and tea will be served at each meeting, along with talking about our book of the month.
KnitWits Club: Would you like to relax and learn a new skill? Would you like to learn how to knit? Please feel free to join us on Thursdays at lunch in Room 145. (Ms. Lee’s Foods Room). The club is open to anyone, beginners to advanced knitters are welcome.
Youth Unlimited Hangar 17: Wednesday’s at the Langley Airport! Creative life & drop in (free art program and drop-in centre) from 3:30-5:30pm. Community meal (free supper!) from 5:30-6:30pm. Spiritual life (a safe space to discuss life, faith and deeper questions) from 6:30-7:30pm. Shuttle bus pick-up at Langley Secondary at 3:25pm. Shuttle rides home are offered at 6:30pm and 7:45pm (waivers are required and are available in the school office!). For more information: 604-557-6507 or langleyyu@youthunlimited.com
Wrestling – Langley United: We are asking all interested students from grades 9-12 to attend a meeting next Thursday, September 21st at LSS @ 3:30 pm in the Cafeteria.
GSA Alliance: The LSS Gender and Sexuality Alliance will be meeting on Tuesdays at lunchtime in the Drama Room, beginning September 21st! All students are welcome to attend!
LSS Dance Team: Would you like to try out for the LSS Dance Team and perform jazz and hip hop? The Dance Team practices at lunchtime twice a week and performs at various events! All dance levels are welcome! Practices take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at lunch in the new Dance Studio.
Grad Council: Usual meetings of Grad Council take place on Tuesdays at lunchtime in Room 132. All grads are welcome! Get involved in Grad 2018!
ME to WE Club: If you are looking to volunteer, give back to your community and learn more about local and global issues, join ME to WE Club! ME to WE Club meetings are on Wednesdays at lunch in Room 213 with Ms. Wood and Ms. Sewell.
FROM THE DISTRICT
MICROSOFT LICENSES FREE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS!
DID YOU KNOW… that School District 35 students have access to 15 licenses for MS Office? This means that they can download MS Office for FREE on to 15 family devices at home. Please see the following attachment for instructions on how to download, and how to log-in: MS Office Download Steps[1] Office 365 Student Login
THE LANGLEY FOUNDATION – UPCOMING EVENTS
Hallowe’en Night Fundraiser – October 31st – Willowbrook Shopping Centre is holding their annual Trick or Treating Fundraiser again this year. The popular and lively Hallowe’en event takes place from 5 pm to 6 pm at the mall. Entry is by donation and includes a trick or treat bag filled with goodies to the first 1500 children. Proceeds from the event will support the Foundation to put towards school programs.
That’s the Spirit Shopping Night – Tuesday, November 14th from 6:30 to 9:30 pm at Willowbrook Shopping Centre. This exclusive ticketed shopping event represents an opportunity for schools and PACs to raise funds for school programs and initiatives. If you sell tickets to the event – $10 allows attendees to enjoy an elevated holiday shopping experience and take advantage of exclusive savings, participate in chances to win $20,000 in prizes and giveaways, gift with purchase offers, free refreshments and snacks, live entertainment and store discounts of up to 50% off and more – you receive the funds to put towards to your programs. PACs or schools who would like to participate should contact Laura d’Alva at 604-534-7891 ext. 363 to order tickets to sell. All monies received from ticket sales will be attributed to the school or PAC who sold them.
Gift Wrapping – The Foundation has again been chosen to run the gift wrapping centre at the Willowbrook Shopping Centre, every day all day from December 10th to 24th. This is a huge opportunity for PACs and schools to raise funds to put towards their specific programs and initiatives. To participate and take advantage of the funds raised, you must put together a team including supervisors and up to 10 wrappers (depending on the dates of your shifts). You can choose as many 4-hour shifts as you can handle. For more information, please contact Susan Cairns at scairns@sd35.bc.ca or Laura d’Alva at ldalva@sd35.bc.ca.
OPENS MONDAY – FINAL REMINDER – Choice Program Reminder for your School Newsletter – Families applying for first year entry into any choice program for September 2018 will need to apply online.
The online application system opens at 12:00PM (noon) Monday, October 2, 2017 and closes 12:00PM (noon), Monday, October 16, 2017.
On December 8, 2015, the Board of Education adopted changes to Policy 5084 (Application to Enter Choice Programs). Important information outlining these changes may be found here, under Programs & Initiatives, Programs of Choice.
These programs include:
Early French Immersion (Kindergarten – Belmont, James Kennedy)
Late French Immersion (Grade 6 – Alex Hope, Noel Booth, Betty Gilbert)
Montessori (Kindergarten – Uplands)
Fine Arts (Kindergarten – Langley Fine Arts)
Fundamental (Kindergarten – Coghlan, Langley Fundamental Elementary)
U-Connect (Kindergarten – Simonds)
Outdoor Education (K-3 – Fort Langley)
Pregnant and Parenting Youth has published its October calendar. Please see the attached for more information:
The Royal Canadian Navy is interested in inspiring more women to pursue careers in Aviation, Aerospace, Marine & Defence and other STEM fields. To learn more about some pretty cool opportunities, please click on the following link: AAF Press Release 14 Sept 2017 – Rear Adm. Royal Canadian Navy calls fo…
Youth Drop-In: Langley City runs (mostly) free drop-in youth programs out of Timms Community Centre. Attached are posters for 2 of our weekly programs: drop-in basketball, and youth night. youth basketball drop in – youth night aug 2017
Langley Hospice Society – Is offering a support group for people who have suffered loss as a result of suicide and overdose. Please see the attached poster for more details: LHS Suicide Overdose Loss Support Group_September 2017[1]
Community Bulletin Board – SD#35 Langley: To find out more about the different community events happening in our District, consider making it a habit to go to the District’s website, and you will certainly be in the know! https://www.sd35.bc.ca/news-events/community-bulletin-board/
UPCOMING DATES ON THE CALENDAR
Oct. 2: PSI Day – Grade 11s and 12s learn about Post Secondary options, 9:30 am
Oct. 4: Grad Mobile Studio Arrives (Grad Photos run October 4-8)
Oct. 4; Interim Reports Issued
Oct. 5: International Day of the Teacher
Oct. 6: Curriculum Implementation Day, Students NOT in Session
Oct. 6-9: Power at LSS scheduled to be OFF for Construction
Oct. 9: Thanksgiving Day, Schools CLOSED
Oct. 13: School Photo Retakes
Oct. 18: Parent Teacher Conferences, Early Dismissal at 1:30 pm
Oct. 19: The Great BC ShakeOut Earthquake Drill
Oct. 20: Professional Development Day, Students NOT in Session
Oct. 23: Staff Collaboration, Early Dismissal at 1:30 pm
Oct. 26: Grad Cruise, Departing LSS at 4:45 pm
Oct. 27: Semester 1, Term 1 Ends
Oct. 30: Report Card Preparation, Half Day Early Dismissal (Students attend in the a.m.)
Oct. 31: Hallowe’en – Dress up at LSS!
Nov. 10: Calendar Variation/Non-Instructional Day – Students NOT in Session
Nov. 13: Remembrance Day, Schools CLOSED
Nov. 21: Staff Collaboration, Early Dismissal at 1:30 pm
Nov. 24: Aboriginal Department Christmas, HDSMS, 5 pm
Dec. 22: Last Day of Classes before Christmas/Winter Break
Jan. 8: School Re-Opens
Jan. 15: Staff Collaboration, Early Dismissal at 1:30 pm
Jan. 17: LSS Piping Orientation for Students and Parents, Library, 7 pm
Jan. 24: Last Day of Classes – Semester 1
Jan. 26: Taste of LSS for Grade 7 and 8 students from HDSMS
Jan. 29: Semester 2 Classes Begin
Feb. 7: Staff Collaboration, Early Dismissal at 1:30 pm
Feb. 9: Semester 1 Report Cards Issued
Feb. 12: BC Family Day, Schools CLOSED
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3310
|
__label__wiki
| 0.642496
| 0.642496
|
Intraperitoneal treatment for peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis of appendiceal origin after operative management: Long-term follow-up of the mayo clinic experience
David A. Schomas, Robert C. Miller, John H. Donohue, Sharlene Gill, Paul J. Thurmes, Michael G. Haddock, J. Fernando Quevedo, Leonard L. Gunderson
OBJECTIVE: To determine prognostic factors and the impact of intraperitoneal (IP) treatment after surgical resection of peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis (PMC) of appendiceal origin. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: PMC is a rare, malignant, intra-abdominal neoplasm that produces large amounts of mucin. Patients typically present with diffuse peritoneal disease. After surgical treatment, multiple locoregional recurrences are common; recurrences outside the abdomen are infrequent. Treatment regimens include debulking, radiotherapy with IP radioisotopes, and chemotherapies (IP, systemic, or both). Because reported data are variable and heterogeneous, treatment evaluations are challenging. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 115 consecutive patients with PMC who underwent maximal surgical resection with or without postoperative therapy between 1985 and 2000 at Mayo Clinic Rochester. After maximal resection, 37 patients received IP 5-fluorouracil, 35 of whom also received IP chromic phosphate P 32. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival. RESULTS: All gross disease was removed in 61% of patients. With a median follow-up of 6.1 years, the median OS was 8.1 years. Median OS for patients receiving versus not receiving IP therapy was 23.5 years versus 7.5 years, respectively. The 5-, 10-, and 15-year OS for those receiving and not receiving IP therapy was 82%, 65%, and 52% versus 60%, 27%, and 15%, respectively. Adverse prognostic factors for OS identified by univariate analysis included partial mucin debulking, adenocarcinoma histology, systemic chemotherapy, diffuse IP disease at presentation, and no IP therapy. On multivariate analysis, diffuse IP disease at presentation and no IP therapy remained significant. A separate analysis was performed for the 70 patients who underwent gross total resection, 51% of whom received IP therapy. Adverse prognostic factors for OS included adenocarcinoma histology, systemic chemotherapy, and no IP therapy. CONCLUSIONS: This large, single-institution, retrospective series with long-term follow-up suggests that IP chromic phosphate P 32 and 5-fluorouracil after maximal surgical resection of PMC of appendiceal origin is associated with improved OS and disease-free survival.
Annals of surgery
https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0b013e31819ec7e3
10.1097/SLA.0b013e31819ec7e3
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'Intraperitoneal treatment for peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis of appendiceal origin after operative management: Long-term follow-up of the mayo clinic experience'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Peritoneal Neoplasms Medicine & Life Sciences
chromic phosphate Medicine & Life Sciences
Mucins Medicine & Life Sciences
Fluorouracil Medicine & Life Sciences
Disease-Free Survival Medicine & Life Sciences
Drug Therapy Medicine & Life Sciences
Schomas, D. A., Miller, R. C., Donohue, J. H., Gill, S., Thurmes, P. J., Haddock, M. G., Quevedo, J. F., & Gunderson, L. L. (2009). Intraperitoneal treatment for peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis of appendiceal origin after operative management: Long-term follow-up of the mayo clinic experience. Annals of surgery, 249(4), 588-595. https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0b013e31819ec7e3
Intraperitoneal treatment for peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis of appendiceal origin after operative management : Long-term follow-up of the mayo clinic experience. / Schomas, David A.; Miller, Robert C.; Donohue, John H.; Gill, Sharlene; Thurmes, Paul J.; Haddock, Michael G.; Quevedo, J. Fernando; Gunderson, Leonard L.
In: Annals of surgery, Vol. 249, No. 4, 01.04.2009, p. 588-595.
Schomas, DA, Miller, RC, Donohue, JH, Gill, S, Thurmes, PJ, Haddock, MG, Quevedo, JF & Gunderson, LL 2009, 'Intraperitoneal treatment for peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis of appendiceal origin after operative management: Long-term follow-up of the mayo clinic experience', Annals of surgery, vol. 249, no. 4, pp. 588-595. https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0b013e31819ec7e3
Schomas DA, Miller RC, Donohue JH, Gill S, Thurmes PJ, Haddock MG et al. Intraperitoneal treatment for peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis of appendiceal origin after operative management: Long-term follow-up of the mayo clinic experience. Annals of surgery. 2009 Apr 1;249(4):588-595. https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0b013e31819ec7e3
Schomas, David A. ; Miller, Robert C. ; Donohue, John H. ; Gill, Sharlene ; Thurmes, Paul J. ; Haddock, Michael G. ; Quevedo, J. Fernando ; Gunderson, Leonard L. / Intraperitoneal treatment for peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis of appendiceal origin after operative management : Long-term follow-up of the mayo clinic experience. In: Annals of surgery. 2009 ; Vol. 249, No. 4. pp. 588-595.
@article{19783a34cef441fa9c2dccbdc893a13c,
title = "Intraperitoneal treatment for peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis of appendiceal origin after operative management: Long-term follow-up of the mayo clinic experience",
abstract = "OBJECTIVE: To determine prognostic factors and the impact of intraperitoneal (IP) treatment after surgical resection of peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis (PMC) of appendiceal origin. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: PMC is a rare, malignant, intra-abdominal neoplasm that produces large amounts of mucin. Patients typically present with diffuse peritoneal disease. After surgical treatment, multiple locoregional recurrences are common; recurrences outside the abdomen are infrequent. Treatment regimens include debulking, radiotherapy with IP radioisotopes, and chemotherapies (IP, systemic, or both). Because reported data are variable and heterogeneous, treatment evaluations are challenging. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 115 consecutive patients with PMC who underwent maximal surgical resection with or without postoperative therapy between 1985 and 2000 at Mayo Clinic Rochester. After maximal resection, 37 patients received IP 5-fluorouracil, 35 of whom also received IP chromic phosphate P 32. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival. RESULTS: All gross disease was removed in 61% of patients. With a median follow-up of 6.1 years, the median OS was 8.1 years. Median OS for patients receiving versus not receiving IP therapy was 23.5 years versus 7.5 years, respectively. The 5-, 10-, and 15-year OS for those receiving and not receiving IP therapy was 82%, 65%, and 52% versus 60%, 27%, and 15%, respectively. Adverse prognostic factors for OS identified by univariate analysis included partial mucin debulking, adenocarcinoma histology, systemic chemotherapy, diffuse IP disease at presentation, and no IP therapy. On multivariate analysis, diffuse IP disease at presentation and no IP therapy remained significant. A separate analysis was performed for the 70 patients who underwent gross total resection, 51% of whom received IP therapy. Adverse prognostic factors for OS included adenocarcinoma histology, systemic chemotherapy, and no IP therapy. CONCLUSIONS: This large, single-institution, retrospective series with long-term follow-up suggests that IP chromic phosphate P 32 and 5-fluorouracil after maximal surgical resection of PMC of appendiceal origin is associated with improved OS and disease-free survival.",
author = "Schomas, {David A.} and Miller, {Robert C.} and Donohue, {John H.} and Sharlene Gill and Thurmes, {Paul J.} and Haddock, {Michael G.} and Quevedo, {J. Fernando} and Gunderson, {Leonard L.}",
doi = "10.1097/SLA.0b013e31819ec7e3",
journal = "Annals of Surgery",
T1 - Intraperitoneal treatment for peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis of appendiceal origin after operative management
T2 - Long-term follow-up of the mayo clinic experience
AU - Schomas, David A.
AU - Miller, Robert C.
AU - Donohue, John H.
AU - Gill, Sharlene
AU - Thurmes, Paul J.
AU - Haddock, Michael G.
AU - Quevedo, J. Fernando
AU - Gunderson, Leonard L.
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To determine prognostic factors and the impact of intraperitoneal (IP) treatment after surgical resection of peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis (PMC) of appendiceal origin. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: PMC is a rare, malignant, intra-abdominal neoplasm that produces large amounts of mucin. Patients typically present with diffuse peritoneal disease. After surgical treatment, multiple locoregional recurrences are common; recurrences outside the abdomen are infrequent. Treatment regimens include debulking, radiotherapy with IP radioisotopes, and chemotherapies (IP, systemic, or both). Because reported data are variable and heterogeneous, treatment evaluations are challenging. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 115 consecutive patients with PMC who underwent maximal surgical resection with or without postoperative therapy between 1985 and 2000 at Mayo Clinic Rochester. After maximal resection, 37 patients received IP 5-fluorouracil, 35 of whom also received IP chromic phosphate P 32. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival. RESULTS: All gross disease was removed in 61% of patients. With a median follow-up of 6.1 years, the median OS was 8.1 years. Median OS for patients receiving versus not receiving IP therapy was 23.5 years versus 7.5 years, respectively. The 5-, 10-, and 15-year OS for those receiving and not receiving IP therapy was 82%, 65%, and 52% versus 60%, 27%, and 15%, respectively. Adverse prognostic factors for OS identified by univariate analysis included partial mucin debulking, adenocarcinoma histology, systemic chemotherapy, diffuse IP disease at presentation, and no IP therapy. On multivariate analysis, diffuse IP disease at presentation and no IP therapy remained significant. A separate analysis was performed for the 70 patients who underwent gross total resection, 51% of whom received IP therapy. Adverse prognostic factors for OS included adenocarcinoma histology, systemic chemotherapy, and no IP therapy. CONCLUSIONS: This large, single-institution, retrospective series with long-term follow-up suggests that IP chromic phosphate P 32 and 5-fluorouracil after maximal surgical resection of PMC of appendiceal origin is associated with improved OS and disease-free survival.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To determine prognostic factors and the impact of intraperitoneal (IP) treatment after surgical resection of peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis (PMC) of appendiceal origin. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: PMC is a rare, malignant, intra-abdominal neoplasm that produces large amounts of mucin. Patients typically present with diffuse peritoneal disease. After surgical treatment, multiple locoregional recurrences are common; recurrences outside the abdomen are infrequent. Treatment regimens include debulking, radiotherapy with IP radioisotopes, and chemotherapies (IP, systemic, or both). Because reported data are variable and heterogeneous, treatment evaluations are challenging. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 115 consecutive patients with PMC who underwent maximal surgical resection with or without postoperative therapy between 1985 and 2000 at Mayo Clinic Rochester. After maximal resection, 37 patients received IP 5-fluorouracil, 35 of whom also received IP chromic phosphate P 32. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival. RESULTS: All gross disease was removed in 61% of patients. With a median follow-up of 6.1 years, the median OS was 8.1 years. Median OS for patients receiving versus not receiving IP therapy was 23.5 years versus 7.5 years, respectively. The 5-, 10-, and 15-year OS for those receiving and not receiving IP therapy was 82%, 65%, and 52% versus 60%, 27%, and 15%, respectively. Adverse prognostic factors for OS identified by univariate analysis included partial mucin debulking, adenocarcinoma histology, systemic chemotherapy, diffuse IP disease at presentation, and no IP therapy. On multivariate analysis, diffuse IP disease at presentation and no IP therapy remained significant. A separate analysis was performed for the 70 patients who underwent gross total resection, 51% of whom received IP therapy. Adverse prognostic factors for OS included adenocarcinoma histology, systemic chemotherapy, and no IP therapy. CONCLUSIONS: This large, single-institution, retrospective series with long-term follow-up suggests that IP chromic phosphate P 32 and 5-fluorouracil after maximal surgical resection of PMC of appendiceal origin is associated with improved OS and disease-free survival.
U2 - 10.1097/SLA.0b013e31819ec7e3
DO - 10.1097/SLA.0b013e31819ec7e3
JO - Annals of Surgery
JF - Annals of Surgery
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3314
|
__label__wiki
| 0.538323
| 0.538323
|
A Cruising Guide to New Jersey Waters
Reference: MICGNJW
Subtitle: Revised Edition • Author: Donald Launer • Subject: New Jersey and the Region/Recreation/Boating Paper •ISBN 0-8135-3418-6 • Pages: 240 pp. 120 b&w illus., 28 seacharts, 6 tables
American Samoa Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Aruba Australia Austria Bahamas Bahrain Barbados Belgium Belize Bermuda Bolivia Brazil Canada Cayman Islands Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt Falkland Islands Finland France French Polynesia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Guam Guatemala Guyana Honduras HongKong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kuwait Liberia Lithuania Luxemburg Macau Malaysia Maldives Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mexico Morocco Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Zealand Norway Panama Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa Saudi Arabia Seychelles Singapore Solomon Islands South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Thailand Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Islands United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Vanuatu Vatican City State Vietnam Virgin Islands (British) Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Description: Praise for A Cruising Guide to New Jersey Waters "Launer blends maritime history with nuts-and-bolts cruising facts. It's a good bet for East Coast cruisers who gunkhole south in the winter or north in the spring." -- Cruising World "Fills a big void in the East Coast boating world." --Home News Tribune "Whether you are a newcomer to the Jersey coast or an old-timer, you will delight in Captain Launer's blend of local history and sea lore." --Barnegat Bay Banner With this book in hand, boaters can cruise down the Jersey Shore--from New York Harbor to Delaware Bay--in the good company of Captain Donald Launer. Captain Launer brings many years of experience as a skipper of small boats to this engaging nautical and historical guide to New Jersey's tidal waters. Cruise with him from the New Jersey/New York state line near the mouth of the Hudson River, past Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook, and into the Manasquan Inlet. From there, he gives you a choice of voyages: the inside route through the Intracoastal Waterway to Toms River, Barnegat Bay, Atlantic City, and Cape May, or taking the offshore passage. Then you explore the Delaware Bay and its tributaries and cruise up the Delaware River to Trenton. This revised edition contains updated information about on-shore facilities, marinas, restaurants, stores, sites of interest, docking fees, bridge heights, maritime service stations, weather, navigation, and safety, as well as post-September 11 regulations in the waters around New York city. The book also includes a wealth of photographs and sea charts. All of which makes A Cruising Guide to New Jersey Waters an ideal gift for recreational boaters! Donald Launer, who holds a U.S. Coast Guard captain's license, has explored the New Jersey waters in every kind of small craft since he first sailed in Barnegat Bay at the age of eight. His articles on recreational boating have appeared in Good Old Boat Magazine, Cruising World, The Beachcomber, Offshore, and Sail. He berths his schooner, Delphinus, in Forked River, New Jersey.
Chesapeake Bay Ports of Call,...
Managing the Waterway: Biscayne...
Managing the Waterway: Hampton...
Cruising the Florida Keys
Cruising Guide to Eastern...
Cruising Guide to New York...
Cruising Guides: Cruising Guide...
Pennsylvania Atlas & Gazetteer
Florida's Gulf Coast...
Maryland & Delaware Atlas...
Florida Keys Ports of Call, 3rd...
Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer
Virginia Cruising Guide...
Cruising Guide to Coastal South...
Southeastern US Inlet Chartbook,...
Chartracker: Miami to Key West,...
Embassy Cruising Guide:...
The Georgia Coast: Waterways and...
Maryland & Delaware Cruising...
The Great Book of Anchorages:...
Cruising Guide to the Northern...
East Coast of Florida Ports of...
Quimby's 2020 Cruising Guide
Region 4.1, Long Island South...
Anchorages Along the...
A Cruising Guide to New Jersey Waters - Price : $17.95
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3317
|
__label__cc
| 0.71818
| 0.28182
|
Home / Collections / Overland Asia Diaries
Overland Asia Diaries
After the passing of my father, I harboured a sudden and explosive urge to find the furthermost corners of the planet. To honour his memory, his love of trains, of travel, and of seeing the world. All other purposes rapidly felt inadequate as I spiralled into the grief and pain that comes from loosing somebody you deeply care about.
He had died shortly after Christmas, and as a final Christmas present I had gifted him a large coffee-table edition book of the greatest railways on earth. He had spent days in the hospital gazing into the pages, talking to me about his favorite railway journeys. You see, my dad was a train lover.
His spare bedroom turned into an expansive model railway system, with new locomotives being shipped across the world to him with great frequency, and entire vacations planned around the trains he might catch.
I refocused all of my energy into planning the trip of a lifetime, an overland journey across Asia.
I like trains. I like their rhythm, and I like the freedom of being suspended between two places, all anxieties of purpose taken care of: for this moment I know where I am going.
― Anna Funder, Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall
I pored over the railway book, scouring for clues as to what might help me feel reconnected with him, until a particular journey caught my eye – the Trans Mongolian Express, one of the peak railway and overland Asia intrepid traveler bucket-list items. Surely, this would fulfill my desires for a long and remote life spent on the railroad tracks, writing about my experiences and experiencing somewhere very far away – even by my own high standards.
Piecing the trip together took many pages of paper, late nights, and spreadsheets as I put together the puzzle. We would go via Malaysia, a country my father adored and had planned to traverse by rail in the coming month if he hadn’t passed away – my brother would meet us there for a few days and together we would honor his memory by taking the trip he hadn’t quite made it to himself from Kuala Lumpur to Pengang. It was a love-filled and emotional kick-off to this very long trip.
After my brother left Malaysia, we would then traverse Thailand from the South up to Bangkok, another trip both my father and I had taken before and discussed in great detail. From Bangkok we were to take a quick flight up over the border and into the Sichuan region of China.
My father never traveled far for most of his adult life, having never left New Zealand and Australia. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that he saw his first opportunity to travel to China for business, after that first trip he was changed forever and would return home each time talking about this wondrous and mysterious country. Amongst the small number of things I kept from him was a collection of low denomination chinese currency and a map of Beijing. Making this exploration my first ever tiptoe into China made so much sense.
From Chengdu in the Sichuan Provence of China we would travel by train to Xi’ian in the centre of the country, and then over to Beijing to catch the Trans-Mongolian railway up to Ulanbataar in the northern-central region of Mongolia. I took with me three of my fathers books to read for this journey: Lost on Planet China, The Great Railway Bazaar, and Siddhartha. They all served me greatly and were the perfect literary companions for this trip.
Below you will find links to read my writing on each stop of my overland Asia trip. These are my stories or trains, travel, of grief, healing and love:
It all begins in Malaysia
The Journey Begins in Kuala Lumpur There’s nothing quite like the experience of your first morning out. Back on the road, away from home once again. On this occasion, mine was spent watching a dusky pink sunrise give a mauve glow to Kuala Lumpur through the lens of a steamy window. The last time I passed through the Malaysian capital was… Continue Reading
Tracks to Taiping My brother arrived to join us in a trip across Malaysia. Introducing the people you love, to the places you love, is one of my greatest pleasures as a traveler, and getting to show him around somewhere that was also a mutual love of our father made it all the more special. Continue Reading
Penang Revisited Coming to Georgetown was like coming home for me. It was exactly 2 years since I had list visited, and back then I had opted to live in a cabin on the side of the hill, surrounded by pristine jungle and within the open arms of the local Buddhist sanctuary. The place is heaven on… Continue Reading
A stopover in Thailand
Naiyang & the hidden treasures of Phuket There is nothing quite akin to the pleasure of stumbling upon an incredible new destination completely by accident, and with the amount of research I indulge myself in, it’s a rare find to be completely blindsided by somewhere. But tucked away just out of view of Phuket International Airport, I was delighted by Naiyang Beach. Continue Reading
The Khlongs of Bangkok Propelled from an ancient city into a space-aged modern one at the blink of an eye, Bangkok has undergone many changes in recent times. What was once a city of floating markets and traders of spices and silk is now a global tourism destination. A sprawling metropolis set against a futuristic landscape of skytrains and… Continue Reading
Ao Nang, My love As we departed the Phuket region of Southern Thailand bound for Ao Nang, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d been grossly mistaken about this entire corner of the world. So far, nothing in Southern Thailand had been as expected. Even the 6 hour bus journey, which I would usually dread, was deliciously scenic &… Continue Reading
Across China by rail
The Mysteries of Chinese Airlines Despite many years of working in the airline industry, the unique and often baffling rules of Chinese airlines still managed to surprise me. On arrival into Bangkok airport we were told , in no uncertain terms, that we were to pay another five thousand baht in overweight baggage fees to this small Chinese airline I… Continue Reading
In Chengdu, A Land of Pandas and Tunnels In my travels, I have yet to experience anything quite as post-apocalyptic sci-fi as the unusual tunnel land that was to greet us in Chengdu. The tunnels of Chengdu are not like anything I was prepared for. Continue Reading
Dragons, Myth, and Minjian As ancient Chinese legend would have it, here in the Sichuan region of Southwest China there was a fierce dragon lurking in the Minjian River. A 735-kilometer-long tributary of the famed Yangtze River that we were visiting from nearby Chengdu. Continue Reading
Xi’an and the tiniest Baozi House Disembarking from our carriage out into the heart of one of China's oldest cities, the beginning of the Silk Road, and home to the Terracotta Warriors, I realised Xi'an was already everything I'd hoped to find in China. Continue Reading
Beijing Memories, passed down from my father. Beijing existed in my mind as an abstract painting, fragments taken from my late father’s many tales of arriving in this mysterious land. Visions of tranquil ancient penzai gardens danced with the buzz of a post-modern metropolis. The city was all these things at once and still somehow more; a breathing, gyrating, living contrast to… Continue Reading
Final destination: Mongolia
Khuushuur in Mongolia (Making Mongolian Dumplings) I first discovered golden, crispy, co Khuushuur in a typical Ulanbataar restaurant. I sat and devoured while the snow fell outside and the rest of the world felt like it was tucked off a million miles away. Continue Reading
Mongolia in the early spring, Life in a Ger Camp Ever since I can remember I’ve found myself enamoured with far-off lands. Jungle explorations, desert treks through the Sahara, far away Nepalese mountain ranges and small Himalayan villages. So it comes as no real surprise when I locked eyes with the possibility of Mongolia, and even less unusual that I found a Ger to sleep… Continue Reading
A Trip Across Mongolia Beijing to Mongolia, considered one of the world's Greatest Railway adventures. Memories of the Trans-Mongolian Express through the Gobi Desert. Continue Reading
3 thoughts on “Overland Asia Diaries”
This is beautiful. I just shared it with my uncle who is also super into trains. I look forward to reading more of the adventure.
Thank you, Chrissie 🙂
Pingback: Mongolia in the early spring, Life in a Ger Camp | Anna Meanders
Hi, I’m Anna
My name’s Anna, and I’m a self professed Scanner and Digital Nomad from New Zealand.
I’m a writer and adventurer, remote undergrad student, humanitarian aid volunteer, and Happiness Engineer at Automattic .
You can learn more about me here
Keep in touch?
Drop your details below and I'll keep up to date on new stories and meaningful travel inspiration, no more than once per month.
I don’t spam! Read the privacy policy for more info.
Despite the year being utterly bizarre, it seems to be over about as quickly as it began! It’s hard to imagine a year ago I was in Martinique, planning for a North American Christmas visit then onto Tokyo for New Years!
It’s not been the 2020 we wanted, but it’s the 2020 we’ve got – and although it’s been challenging, there’s been a lot of good too. This is what I’d like to focus on, all the good bits that managed to slip through the cracks of a chaotic and strange year.
I’ve been so thankful to spend a year back home with my family, rediscovering my fabulous home country and living a much less transitory existence than I am normally used to. Buying a car, renting an apartment, having a small garden – none of these were on the forecast for this year, yet I am enjoying the change of pace that comes with these things.
This blog has been on a bit of a hiatus – so much so, in fact, that I didn’t post a November update. That’s because life got real busy all of a sudden with university exams, relocating up to Auckland, and my first attempt at celebrating US thanksgiving!
But things haven’t been entirely static, you may notice a new design on the site that I’ve been working away on migrating to, and a new photo blog section to contain more short-form and image based updates, as well as a brand new newsletter design & content! So stay tuned, as things around here are gearing up for more travel writing and updates as we plough on ahead into a new year!
Travelling Kitchen
New Delhi to Kathmandu by Bus | A Tale of Severe Food Poisoning
Sunny day in Auckland
Auckland city views
Jardin de Balata, Martinique’s Hillside Paradise
Tea Ceremony, Kyoto
Throwback to Moroccan souks
A to Z of Visiting Aotearoa
Wats & Waterfalls: A Weekend Road Trip from Chiang Mai
A First Timers Guide to Indian Railways Sleeper Class
A Trip Across Mongolia
September Gratitude & Springtime Curiosities
MEANINGFUL TRAVEL INSIGHTS
Sign-up for free today, and receive the latest articles, tips, and stories from Anna Meanders
Anna Meanders
Twenty Tales of Tragedy
My Travelling Kitchen
Asia // Pacific
Europe // Africa
Khuushuur in Mongolia (Making Mongolian Dumplings)
Discovering the Most Magical Beaches of the Oaxaca Coast
Notes from my (former) flight attendant life
Life After Idomeni - A reflection
Copyright © 2018 - 2021 Anna Meanders
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3318
|
__label__cc
| 0.606804
| 0.393196
|
Comic-Con Armitage?
All images in this post are screencaps from this excellent video by GiztheGunslinger.]
Richard Armitage at his microexpressional best: as Heinz Kruger in the car chase scene from Captain America. This is going to be such a pleasure to watch in slomo cap once we have the blu-ray files.
I was reading Vanity Fair this week while breakfasting and saw this article about the most recent ComicCon in San Diego (where Captain America was screened, and where we speculated that Richard Armitage might appear, though he did not). James Wolcott is a brilliant writer. Neat observation about celebrity behavior at the event. The piece is an attempt to recreate the atmosphere of the huge setting, especially the largest convention venue, Hall H. Wolcott observes that the sneak previews hold everyone’s attention, but that the celebrities are a mixed bag:
“There are those who bring a full compartment of charisma, such as Colin Farrell … whose movie-star walk converts every drab stretch of corridor into a red carpet, and Charlize Theron, sarcastically reminding everyone that she’s ‘an Oscar-winning actress,’ so don’t mess with me. But there are others who look as if they’re being tugged on a leash of contractual obligation, their hello handwaves employing minimum wrist effort. … Still others have been through this charade so many times before at so many different festivals that they can’t fake it anymore, such as that weary campaigner Kristen Stewart … who hunched semi-sideways through much of the panel. … The returning favorites are those who truly speak the Comic-Con language because they are part of that culture, not simply doing a parachute drop. Pop lore and gothic gore are the garlic air they breathe. … no one had thicker rapport … than producer-director Guillermo del Toro, who didn’t talk of cinema strictly in terms of product, technique, and toys-for-boys but of gargoyle archetype and devouring appetite…” (p. 170 of print edition).
Richard Armitage as Heinz Kruger in Captain America. The way the shadows catch the architecture of his eyebrows make him look doubly villainous here.
In turn, this article reminded me of a post from one of my favorite professorial blogs from earlier in the summer, about attending a Comic Con in Chicago to get an autograph from Julie Benz:
“There she was, on Autograph Alley, with a line of fans eager to make their way up to her signing booth. And she kept at it, as far as I could tell, all day: smiling, enchanting, being herself. … Was it simply the context in which I happened to see her …, not at all as glamorous as I had been expecting, indeed, the very opposite of glamorous, quite common, really? There Christopher Lloyd was in a t-shirt, and Felicia Day looking quite ordinary (albeit chipper). And even Patrick Stewart, albeit clearly the most professional of the lot, just an ordinary man in a nice shirt.”
And that quote, in turn, reminded me of an interview I read with Patrick Stewart in which he (as Richard Armitage has been) was insistent on speaking well of fans:
Stewart won’t, no matter how much I cajole him, be rude about Trekkies, the more – shall we say – obsessive breed of devotee.”The ‘loony fans’, as you call them, are a tiny minority who are given far too much significance by you and your colleagues,” he rumbles. “Our fans range from ex-Secretaries of State in the States – and at least two Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – numerous senior political figures, and academics in their legions. I know one vice-chancellor of a university who set his meetings around Star Trek episodes.“
Richard Armitage as Heinz Kruger in Captain America.
Anyway, what occurs to me while reading these pieces and thinking about them is that Richard Armitage is now desirable ComicCon material — after Captain America and The Hobbit, he’ll be someone that people in the milieu of ComicCon fans want to meet. Realizing this gave me a weird jolt of mixed feelings. On the one hand, I thought, “Well, if he did that, it would be a lot easier to meet him. Hundreds of people among the thousands who fantasize about it could fulfill their dreams.” Then I thought, “Uch, but even aside from the general problem of what fans want being a half hour to have coffee with him, doing it would be like going to a zoo to observe a lion in a cage.” And then I thought, “It seems like an especially extensive version of the red carpet, just exactly the sort of thing Richard Armitage is on record as really disliking.” And then I remembered this piece, in which he mentions that he doesn’t especially like signing autographs on the street.
Of course, there’s also the maxim that they don’t pay actors to make the film, they pay them to promote it. So I found myself wondering if this is the sort of thing that Richard Armitage will do one day. He’s certainly capable of talking about his roles in interesting ways, and also of appearing like an ordinary guy. But is this the kind of thing he’d be willing to obligate himself to do contractually? It seems like part of the territory with this kind of film. But I can’t imagine he’d like it all that much. In fact, I sort of imagine that he’d dread it.
Dear Mr. Armitage,
As always, I support you doing exactly what you want to do with your life and your career. But if doing this sort of thing makes you unhappy or uncomfortable in any way, I beg you not to do it, even for the sake of politeness. My feelings will not be hurt.
Posted in Armitage as victim, Armitage on Armitage, Armitageworld dogmas, Captain America, career, fans, fantasy, Heinz Kruger, humiliation, humility, me, morality / ethics / norms, objectification, reality, Richard Armitage, silliness, The Hobbit, the real Armitage, thinking / feeling, Thorin Oakenshield, why Armitage?
55 Responses to “Comic-Con Armitage?”
Well said, Servetus.
The poor man needs to keep something back for himself. It’s enough that we have the gift of his storytelling.
Cheers! Grati ;->
GratianaDS90 said this on September 26, 2011 at 1:38 am | Reply
I’m okay with him doing it if he’s okay with it.
Fame is certainly a double edged sword, especially for people like RA who are quite private. As much as things like red carpet appearances, award nights and ComicCon give us more opportunites to see him other than in a performance, I agree with your viewpoint, servetus. I also find myself conflicted about the prospect of fame for him on a much larger scale. On the one hand I am happy for him, getting the recognition he deserves because of his wonderful talent and hard work. But on the other, I find myself rather possessive of him, my own delicious secret. ;)! Well, not just mine…!!
Mezz said this on September 26, 2011 at 2:27 am | Reply
I think a lot of people feel that way — especially the longer term fans, many of whom already feel that the expansion of his fandom is not an entirely positive thing for various reasons.
Becoming famous as a person/celebrity is almost as important when it comes to “being a name” then being famous through his work. I suspect he will try and shy away from that aspect as much as possible but appearing at something like comic con, that is a lot less glamorous then the Hollywood circus, and doesn’t ask to reveal a lot about his private persona might be a good thing to do.
Jane said this on September 26, 2011 at 6:46 am | Reply
BTW am I right that the one and a half minute of the video contain every moment he is on screen? I know his scene is ten minutes long but I guess most of the time he is either in the background or not on screen at all.
Jane said this on September 26, 2011 at 12:22 pm | Reply
it’s a lot of it. i think it’s a minute or so more than that.
That’s a good point, Jane. The kind of contact in a setting like that is really so formalized — you stand in line, you say, “I loved you in Captain America,” he signs whatever it is you want signed, and the next person follows you. It would be tiring but potentially not so awful as spontaneous conversations.
I think I’d be more comfortable meeting him in a formalised setting like comic con, where the parameters for actor and fan are set. It would be entirely acceptable to ask RA for an autograph in these circumstances and he has agreed to sign by taking part. Tiring for him yes, but his privacy is maintained and I in turn would be soooo happy 🙂
I’d have a hard time not staring at him, I think. Part of what bugs me is that I’d be standing in for an hour, potentially, staring the whole time.
I wasn’t actually thinking about meeting fans more about getting his name out a little bit because that is part of the job. Appearing everywhere helps to get a mention in the press and the more often someone is mentioned by the press the more people remember him and may think he’s famous and a movie with him might be worth seeing. 😕
I’m sure you’re right.
I remember reading an interview with Bono in which he said something along the lines of as a fan he’d rather not bother his idols. I guess you have X amount of people who think they are your biggest fan and HAVe to say something and get an autograph it would make it difficult to get through the day. Yet what is the best way to approach someone? Not approach them at all? I don’t really have an answer. Just posing the question.
@Rob said this on September 26, 2011 at 1:14 pm | Reply
Hi Rob and others,
I’m afraid that I would be too shy to approach Mr. Armitage for an autograph and such.
A few years back, Jane Seymour came to our town to speak about philanthropy and her work with UNICEF. I was in the line to meet her, but as I chatted with others I knew in line, I found myself moving back in the line. I never did pluck up the courage to meet her. I greatly admired her work on Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and that she also worked for UNICEF. So, I hope she didn’t think that I didn’t want to meet her. I was just too shy to do so.
However, since I’m a much bigger fan of Mr. Armitage, my shyness would expand to the 100th degree. And if I were to go to a premiere where he was expected and stand in the crowd, I would probably stand way in the back–content with possibly seeing him in person, and maybe making brief eye contact with him before smiling at him and then shyly lowering my eyes.
Though with my arthritis, I wouldn’t be able to stand for long in the crowd after probably having to walk some distance to get there–and I would be seated in a chair of some kind. So, I probably wouldn’t get to see him anyway. But, my friends I was with would take his picture for me from where they were standing. So, I would have that for a memory.
Cheers! Gratiana ;->
P.S. I guess my biggest “brush with greatest” was shaking an unknown Barack Obama’s hand during his Illinois senatorial campaign stop in our city as I clutched the Time article about him in my hand. President Obama was earnest and sincere then in his remarks to those in attendance about his hopes for Illinois and the country. And he carries that hopefulness and quest to improve our country with his work as President now.
GratianaDS90 said this on September 26, 2011 at 2:12 pm | Reply
I think I’d have a hard time approaching him, too. For fear of being completely tongue-tied when I met him. A casual encounter might be better just because I couldn’t stress about it ahead of time.
I couldn’t just approach him when he’s out and about in RL, as much as I would love to. Like gratiana, I’d probably try to make eye contact and smile at him, which would hopefully convey that I recognise him, but choose to leave him alone. Failing that, do you think gazing upon him from afar, preferably unobserved by him, could be classed as stalking? LOL Oh, who am I trying to kid, I’d be a blithering mess!
I don’t know, either. I think there are a lot of people who think they just *have* to say something and I often feel like that — with me it’s the issue specifically of writing a letter. I struggle with that a lot. There was a point this summer when I was convinced that I was going to break my iron rule about no contact. Luckily Judi talked me out of it.
I know what you mean Servetus,
I struggled with actually submitting my birthday letter to RA via Callie’s book of messages, because I wrote from my heart. And baring one’s soul even a smidgin like that is scary–however respectfully I maintained myself I hasten to add. You want the other person to know that you admire them and wish them well.
Perhaps it’s because I lost two dear friends this past year–Emma who was older and unwell so it wasn’t expected, but Donna’s death was completely unexpected. But both deaths threw me for a loop. I had been in more contact with my 80+ year old friend Emma more so than with Donna. And I chastised myself for letting the hurry of everyday life interfere in my making contact with Donna. I’m actually working on a post for my blog that is essentially the eulogy that I would have given for Emma, had I been asked to do so.
Any way, both deaths reminded me again that life is precious and can be taken away in an instant. So, I always try to make sure that I give others–my hubby, family, friends (online and in person) encouragement and praise, however well I know them. Or in the case of Mr. Armitage–whom I don’t know at all–wish him well on his birthday. My letter to him is the only “fan” letter I have ever written or sent. And it will probably be the only one.
P.S. And in the year since Donna passed, my husband and I take her husband out for lunch monthly–we had done some couple’s things before and known each other. I think Donna would want us to keep up our friendship with her husband–and we will.
I’m sorry ot hear of your losses and glad that you’re preserving the remnants of these relationships.
Just so you know: I’m not critical of anyone who *does* write to him. I know the feeling of having something I just *have* to say. It’s just that there are certain rhetorical rules in place in my mind that make this blog possible, and if I wrote to him, I’d probably eventually have to stop writing this blog. But writing the blog is emotionally necessary for me right now. If I ever get to a point when it’s not, then maybe I’ll write to him and take the risk of not being able to write here any more.
Writing a birthday letter to RA in callie’s book would have been something I’d love to have done, even though I’ve never writtten to a crush of mine in all of my fifty + (cough) years. It seemed “safe” somehow, and respectful, but I’ve been slow to get into these blogs, so missed out unfortunately *sigh* Now I think the opportunity to write has passed, and I’ll just continue to express my admiration for him here.
I don’t know that opportunity has passed — actually, if you want, I’d write *now*, or at least before The Hobbit has appeared. I figure the real window to write to him and have a chance that he’d see it will end once The Hobbit premieres.
Hi Gratiana, leaving a message/letter in Callie´s RA birthday book was a whole struggle for weeks, whether I should participate or not. My position changed repeatedly from elation to no harm is done in doing so to total refusal. Finally I wrote a letter in German, and translated it ( it would have been probably a bit more easy choosing the words only in German!!), and posted it actually 5 min before (or after?) deadline. It was an exertion of force, as it was nearly morning. Afterwards I felt totally weird and unsettled. I haven`t viewed that letter again ever since. But in a certain way I`m glad now that I took heart.
Servetus, I´m quite relieved that even you sometimes have that feeling of “I just have to tell RA” (in a letter). As I never wrote a letter to a person unbeknown to me, it still agitates me that this strong impulse keeps on coming off and on. But this emotions have to go somewhere else……until further notice 🙂 ..besides it is emotionally necessary to be a little part of Armitageworld.
Sigh, I´m so much more a talkative person than I am a writer. Maybe this is one of many reasons why I´m here, to improve my writing skills and learn from you all???
Linda60 said this on September 27, 2011 at 2:44 pm | Reply
Hi Linda60,
I think that Richard Armitage has touched us so deeply with his heart felt, heart warming, and heart stopping character portrayals that we/fans are simply responding to me positively and constructively through our blogging and chatting and vidding and fan fictioning and such about him. That’s my rationalization, anyway. Ha!
And from Mr. Armitage’s interviews and his sponsorship of charities, he seems like a genuinely kind, warm, and gentlemanly individual. So who better to admire as an actor and fellow human being on the planet than him? Oh there are others to admire, but I think it’s fine and dandy to admire him, too.
P.S. I feel blessed with the friendships that I’ve forged across the RA fandom spectrum. These girlfriend contacts have really enriched my life. And I view chatting online very postively as a return to the written form of correspondence that took root with the pony express (an early version of post office delivery in the U.S. via tag team riders on horses that traversed the country). And blogs, such as with blogs here and elsewhere, they promote a form of “journaling” that is both fun and cathartic. So, don’t worry about over analyzing yourself and just have fun along with the rest of us. ;->
Dear Gratiana, thank you ever so much for your kind words! I´m a bit emotional today, but now feeling much better, even almost fine and dandy!!! 🙂
It´s utterly worth the effort to overstep one´s limits every now and then.
I totally have the feeling that there are things I *have* to say. It’s better or worse at different times but it’s something I think of a lot.
In the end, I come back to the fact that as the writer of this blog, I need to be able to have certain intellectual freedoms that I feel like I wouldn’t have if I wrote to him. But who knows, the time may come when I break that boundary, too.
Hi Servetus,
I know what you mean. Personally, I would find discussing Mr. Armitage as an artist different were Mr. Armitage to respond to my birthday letter to him–even in a form letter generated by a computer database merge file kind of way.
It must be so difficult for public figures to maintain any level of privacy and I would not want to breach that and add to his burden. And, I would want to keep the letter as a memory just for myself.
I totally respected Callie for not going into detail about her private conversations with stars at the Old Vic’s 24 Hour Plays Gala last November. She made the right call.
For me, it harkens back to what is courteous and compassionate to the other person. And I like to think that I treat others as I wish to be treated myself–with kindness and understanding.
GratianaDS90 said this on October 2, 2011 at 12:21 am | Reply
I’d add to that that the definition differs for almost everyone. Some are comfortable writing a letter, other write thousands of words on a pseudonymous blog. My big campaign in Armitageworld is going to be to get us to stop judging each other for having different standards of what’s acceptable.
COMIC Con! (Geraldine says, please g** NO!) However, actors do have to pay bills and the tax-man too. Only, we’ve been here, done that, with the action stuff, and 10 minutes (was it really 10? must have blinked) in CA. Action Hero in SB, which was very good; but after Thorin, something again different, please – producers, are you listening? An axe-murderer? (just joking) Speaking from a nationalist pov, Dr. Norman Bethune? A thoroughly complex man, and a bit of a hero….
fitzg said this on September 26, 2011 at 4:23 pm | Reply
I actually the people who’d be most interested in obtaining Armitage’s autograph in a setting like ComicCon would be Hobbit fans. As Patrick Stewart’s career has developed, he now has I think three separate roles that fit in this category. Maybe the current fad for fantasy / comic films will fade.
‘There are ways and means’, as we are all well aware) So, there is no danger in fame. There are ‘ways and means’ to keep a distance from its consequences being incredibly famous, to be noble enough being generous to fans and still to be capable to remain in shade, in the same time. That’s what we call in Russian being ‘intelligensia’ person (almost untranslatable word!), in the very Chekhov’s sense. There are lots of approved recipes how to behave. I see no harm in such a position. Who really cares about ‘red carpet’ thing if there is a real (red?) professional career unfolding ahead, up to horizon! He seems to be a Chekhov kind of man, a gentlemen (apparently), he’ll find his own ‘ways and means’ (evidently).
P.S. As for the fanvid by GuyTheGunslinger I’d prefer to keep silent. Video is probably not so bad. But the meaning (!): 10 minutes of fame? It seems to be even less then 15 minutes of fame promised to everyone of us by Andy Warhol in 1968))) Is it what anyone of you may call a success?!
P.P.S. Please, someone, tell me the final truth: is having an autograph of a person you admire is so important in terms of admiration? I’m just wondering…)))
Have a good night!
alex said this on September 26, 2011 at 11:21 pm | Reply
Re: red carpets — as I keep saying, he should do what he wants (or feels he needs to do). My point was simply that now he’s in the category of people who might be asked to expected to appear at events like these, and I wonder how he’ll react, and then I tried to extrapolate based on things he’s said in the past. My point was not to criticize him. In terms of fame: he’s the one who seems to be troubled by certain aspects of it, as his interviews indicate repeatedly.
Re: autographs: I’ve said what I think about this before: https://meandrichard.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/my-deficiencies-as-an-armitage-fan/
I assume for people who do this specifically as fans of Mr. Armitage, that it’s an aide-mémoire — they ask for his autograph if they meet him as a souvenir of that experience. Then, too, there are people who collect autographs, who would want to add to a collection, perhaps of all the Captain America leads or all the dwarves in The Hobbit. I don’t question other people’s motives — I’m only interested in interrogating mine.
re the video: I assume it’s a reference to the fact that his appearance in the film was so short, not intended as a prediction. I thought it was visually very good for an amateur vidder.
Oh, gosh! I seem to sound offensive here in all possible ways ((( I guess this is to do with a language (which is not my native and which is ‘a boundary of a subject’s world’)
Sorry everyone who felt offended. Sincerely!!! I’ve meant no harm to anyone!!! But I’m still trying to come to the point
1) ‘red carpet’ thing. I understand all you are saying. Therefore:
a. Of course, he should do as he wish.
b. Since August I’ve read almost everything I could find of anything RA has said ever since the beginning of his carrier. So, I’m informed. Well, I guess, he could be frustrated on a public event. But this is his professional duty. And nothing could be done to escape it. Period
2) an ‘autograph’ thing. What can I say after all. I see now, it’s an important sort of object. Very guilty, I’m
3) ‘video’ thing. I’ve said everything I wanted. I’ll try to translate from Russian-English to Russian-English (hopefully, a meaning will not be misunderstood again).
a) Richard Armitage acted brilliantly in the movie, for all 10 min and somewhat of a second given to him.
b) I consider his part in CA humiliating: his outstanding talent was evidently turned down by stupid Hollywood bosses.
c) the very video piece was ‘not so bad’ (as a said) – nothing less, nothing more.
If you want linguistic tips 🙂 (I’m not sure you do, but as a teacher I have a hard time staying away from them), don’t ask rhetorical questions (questions whose answers are implied to be known already to both asker and audience). Doing that in English tends to raise people’s hackles if they don’t already agree with you.
re: CA — he only got cast by accident, at the very end of filming, I believe. I don’t think his talent was ignored; they obviously hadn’t even considered him until the casting person saw his face on a billboard in London during the Strike Back broadcasts.
I think the size and nature of the part in CA is not “humiliating”, it shows precisely where he is in the pecking order – pretty much at the bottom and mostly suitable for a part a stuntman could have done. But it is still better than not being in any movies at all. It isn’t about how talented he is or isn’t but how much clout he has. He may have been cast by accident but that he thought it was worth it shows were he sees himself in the pecking order. After all, it wasn’t something that was completed in a few days but required a months of scuba diving and swimming training and performing stunts that were torturous for him.
Just look at some of his CA co-stars like Dominic Cooper or Hayley Atwell – unlike RA they already are in the pool of British actors that do get cast in movies, they already have done some movie roles and it is no surprise they get more and got bigger parts in this movie then RA. I had both of them on the radar for years and observed that they are rising fast and wondered why they get cast cast in movies and RA doesn’t.
What PJ did, obviously inviting tons of actors to auditions, relatively well known names as well as those without movie experience like RA or even complete unknowns, and make a decision based on those auditions and not on previous work, is a rare thing and RA can consider himself very lucky it has worked for him. Another director would have cast DC and HA.
Jane said this on October 2, 2011 at 11:29 am | Reply
You know me, I must dissent. 😉
I see no problem with RA doing a Comic-con for several reasons. First, there is no stigma attached to it like the old days when an actor if he wanted to be known as an “artiste” wouldn’t dare lower himself to such a venue. Today this venue is widely acccepted and a good way to keep your face in front of the masses. As you said Patrick Stewart does cons; he’s pointedly said he owes his comfortably living to sci-fi and fans. David Tennant attended two years ago and he had a ball.
Secondly, it is a formalized setting. RA would not get mauled by fans. Security is tight and RA could have as much exposure as he chose. Plus he really needs the expoures to become well known in the US.
Thirdly, RA needs practice in becoming comfortable with meeting fans and talking with the press. His star will rise with the Hobbit, so he really needs to learn to take things in stride. A formalized con where he can say a bit, smile and autograph actually would be perfect for him.
judiang said this on September 27, 2011 at 2:02 pm | Reply
Completely agree. Maybe next year, that should be a good date to start PR for the hobbit in earnest. It is fine to rely on the strength of his performance but it wouldn’t harm him to be a little more visible for fans and media. He had a prominent position next to MF at the press conference, he did lead the Maori ceremony and obviously Thorin was the biggest elevation of all, but to date this is hardly reflected by the press. If he doesn’t push himself forward a bit, it will all be about Orlando Bloom.
Jane said this on September 27, 2011 at 3:15 pm | Reply
Sorry, I meant “Thorin was the biggest revelation of all”!
I agree with you Jane about RA needing to ramp up his personal publicty a bit to capture the U.S. fans more.
His Project Magazine photo shoot was phenomenal! But,it was primarily for iPad users. Thanks to the tech goddesses who made it available to the rest of us.
And RA’s Captain America red carpet appearances were quite good. I loved the ease and confidence he exuded at the NYC premiere. Though I would have liked to see bigger media outlets interview him. One would have thought that the CA producers would have capitalized on RA portraying Thorin and line up some cross promotional publicity interviews for him.
And finally, althought the Recognise Magazine photos seem okay–except for that middle picture in the triptych that I elongated on my own to make him look less square headed–RA is playing a Dwarf, not a Troll, Ha!–there have been no sightings of the magazine and subscribers are angry.
So, RA if you are looking for some new publicists who will at least attempt to place you with interviews in the main stream media, look no further than your fans. Ha! Did I mention that my M.S. degree is in Communication? Ha!
Judiang, you make some good points, especially the last one. Do you think though that RA would care if it did all end up being about Orlando Bloom?
IMO he doesn’t appear to be interested in fame, only about working in good challenging roles. Maybe you can’t have one without the other. Certainly the PTB would want him out promoting their movies. So far Richard seems to do what is necessary in the way of publicity and no more, not being one for pushing himself out front and centre. I hope he has good people at his back. I just want him to be happy and fulfilled.
Mezz said this on September 27, 2011 at 10:17 pm | Reply
I think fame is helpful when it comes to getting the best roles. To establish himself it is incredibly important what he does next respectively over the next few years and it will help if he is someone the audience recognizes. He may end up being the guy from the Hobbit and still no-one knows who he is. Look at Orlando Bloom – he gets hired and paid lots of money because he is OB and everyone knows who he is, not because he is such a good actor.
Jane, I agree with you that what RA does over the next few years will be important. Thorin is a high profile role, but the character is almost unrecognisable as Richard Armitage. I think he would have to maintain quite a high profile as Armitage himself to counteract this. But in the end, it all gets back to what it is that Richard wants, and as much as we speculate, only he knows in his heart just what that is, and if he is prepared to do what it takes. There is an interesting observation by “anonymous” over on RANet who talks about Gregory Peck and how Richard compares to actors of that generation. (Being a recent newbie I hope I haven’t broken any rules by quoting from another site! I don’t know how to put up a link )
There is the celebrity fame of the likes of Orlando Bloom and Brad Pitt, on one hand, and on the other, the distinguished, character driven career longevity of Gregory Peck, Sir Alec Guiness (as previously mentioned somewhere in this blog) et al.
it’s fine, Mezz. We’re all friends in Armitageworld.
Mezz, I don’t think he’s after fame either and agree he wants more challenging roles. But a way to have access to those roles is to have a high recognition factor so producers will want to offer him those roles. Unfortunately the producers with the money are in the US. I say unfortunately because there’s an entrenched tendency to be copycats rather than trailblazers in Hollywood.
it’s actually my impression that he wouldn’t mind if it ended up being about Orlando Bloom, and that perception was at the basis of my comments wondering how he’d feel. At the same time, it’s true that if he wants to continue to get great roles like this a little more self-promotion would help him an awful lot.
Dissent away 🙂
I would like to salute him only as the obedient soldier:)
Joanna said this on September 27, 2011 at 4:04 pm | Reply
nicely put.
Did it seem to anyone else that when he took the glasses off he suddenly slimmed down? He really did look like a corn-fed mid-western boy, maybe a college line backer, in those first few seconds when he introduced himself. Then when he was running through the store and down the street he looked much thinner.
jazzbaby1 said this on September 27, 2011 at 5:31 pm | Reply
Yes. It’s a general effect of glass, I think, to make faces look wider.
L’shana tova tikatevu, servetus.
A very good beginning to a truly new year, you’ve been having.
Thanks, fitzg 🙂
If Richard doesn’t want people to ask him for autographs, then he’ll have to stop being so talented and good lookin’. Nuff said.
Nat said this on September 30, 2011 at 10:35 pm | Reply
^^^ What she said!
jazzbaby1 said this on October 1, 2011 at 5:12 pm | Reply
I don’t think it’s that he doesn’t want them to ask, I think it’s that he doesn’t enjoy it when they do — there’s a subtle difference. I don’t think he’d ever go on record as saying “stay away from me.” If he did, he’d trigger massive anger.
[…] importance of projects with a higher culture component (part 1 and part 2) and also as comment on whether he should appear at fan convention events (so I am glad that the way he’s quoted in Total Film suggests that he’s taking this […]
Armitage stands in the back, or: Tropes Armitage fans live by « Me + Richard Armitage said this on June 28, 2012 at 5:41 am | Reply
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3319
|
__label__wiki
| 0.565449
| 0.565449
|
Paper delivered at Power Institute of Fine Arts Post graduate Conference 1999
Why do so many urban Aboriginal photographers re-use old photographs in their work?
In the last decade there has been a flowering of Aboriginal photography, mostly by urban Aborigines. Before the eighties there were very few active Aboriginal photographers – Mervyn Bishop is virtually the only example. During the course of the eighties, as Bishop’s own career came to be recognised, a few other Aboriginal photographers also came to prominence: most spectacularly Tracey Moffatt, but also Michael Riley, Brenda Croft and Ricky Maynard. But in the nineties there has been a veritable explosion. As the recent National Gallery of Australia exhibition Re-take makes clear there has also been a general change in the style of Aboriginal art photography in the 90s: away from a relatively straightforward, but in no sense naive, documentary style – as was used by the Aboriginal contributors to the Bicentennial After Two Hundred Years book, and in the Aboriginal documentation of the Bicentennial protests – and towards a more postmodern, theoretically savvy, ‘art school’ style.
This explosion parallels similar explosions of urban Aboriginal creativity in painting, film and theatre. But more importantly it also parallels a growth in Aboriginal history telling, inaugurated by Marcia Langton’s ‘After the Tent Embassy’, much of which relied on archival photographs.1 As well this explosion accompanies a ratcheting up of the pitch of popular debate about Aboriginal issues and in particular our ethical responsibility to the history and memory of race relations in Australia. Those fateful few words – Mabo, Wik and The Stolen Children – not only resonate plangently in our historical consciousness, but have also planted a specific array of images in our collective visual consciousness: the bearded Mabo himself, barefooted kids in orphanages, etc.
It is perhaps not surprising, then, that contemporary urban Aboriginal photography is characterised by two things: a wordiness, a play or struggle with the weight of words – both English and Aboriginal; and the re-use of old photographs – both historical documents and family snapshots.
Just a quick roll call of the Aboriginal photographers who have, at some time or other re-used old photographs: Leah King-Smith, Brook Andrew, Rea, Julie Gough, Fiona Foley and the painter Gordon Bennet have all directly copied and re-used archival museum and gallery photographs; Fiona Foley and the early Tracey Moffatt have renegotiated their relationship to these ‘received’ images by some kind of performative response in the present; Brenda Croft, Destiny Deacon and Gordon Bennet have directly re-used family snapshots in their work. Received styles or retro atmospheres are also evoked by late period Tracey Moffatt, Destiny Deacon and Brenda Croft.
This is not unique to Aboriginal photography. Old photographs, both personal and historic, and retro atmospheres, both oppressive and kitsch, haunt contemporary photography globally. In particular migrant artists, say for instance Elizabeth Gertsakis, have used old photographs to talk about their dislocation from the past and their, at least partial, alienation from a present which still marginalises their heritage. Many settled white artists, such as say Narelle Jubelin or Fiona MacDonald, also reuse old photographs to talk about general issues of post colonialism in Australia and elsewhere. But then, as Andreas Huysman’s points out, today everybody is dislocated from their past, it is part of our general millennial condition in which we have been cast adrift by the multitude of twentieth century geopolitical diasporas, and muffled by mediating technologies which make historical consciousness and collective memory vicarious experiences.2
The question is, is Aboriginal photography just one further instance of this? Is it a more politically intense instance? Or is it fundamentally different? Certainly few peoples have been so brutally dislocated from their past as Australian Aborigines. And they have long used photography both symbolically and forensically to find their past. Many personal narratives of historical discovery use family snapshots. And several Australian museums now take a proactive role in using their collections to re-forge individual historical connections. For instance the South Australian Museum’s Aboriginal Community and Family History Unit helps Aboriginal people learn more about their families and communities using photographs originally taken by Norman Tindale and Joseph Birdsell and held in the Museum’s Anthropology Archives. 3
However the irony is, that unlike a white person using family snaps as aide memoires at a family reunion or historical images as a forensic genealogical clues, Aboriginal seekers after their family history are often using anthropological photographs that were not made to document individuals, but to identify anthropological types; and not as systematic social records, but as fragmented scientific specimens. They were taken not to confirm historical presence, but to preserve a record in order to posthumously confirm the historical extinction of the original.
A current newspaper cliché is the photograph of an elderly mnemonist either mournfully cradling a photograph from the past, or holding it up in a grim parody of an institutional identity board. The aetiology of this image goes back to Daguerreotype mourning portraits, but I think the current craze in Australian newspapers probably began with images of Aborigines from the stolen generation. Now the visual cliché is used more generally to picture any kind of poignant memory particularly, for some reason, that of war widows. However the Aboriginal images remain the most effective, again because the photographs which are held up were instrumental, not incidental to history. It is perhaps this bitter irony that makes the symbolic use of old photos in urban Aboriginal art, and the forensic use of old photographs by Aboriginal people of the stolen generation, qualitatively different from migrant or mainstream uses of old photographs.
To Gordon Bennet perspective itself is politically implicated. In 1993 he said:
“perspective may be seen as symbolic of a certain kind of power structure relating to a particular European world view … Aborigines caught in this system of representation remain ‘frozen’ as objects within the mapped territory of a European perceptual grid.”4
Lately the anthropological portrait has been held up as not only the theoretical paradigm of colonial attempts at genocide, but also an act of violence technically akin to, and part of, of the very process of that attempted genocide.
Therefore the photographs used by urban Aboriginal photographers are not monuments, they do not commemorate an historical closure on the past. In a way they are anti-monuments, images of unquiet ghosts who refuse to rest in their graves. There is a feeling of active dialogue with the past, a two way corridor through time, almost a voodoo quality, or a sense of New Age channelling. Brenda Croft in her Barthesian meditation on nineteenth century colonial Aboriginal photographs “Laying Ghosts To Rest”, accompanying Portraits of Oceania, comes closest to articulating this feeling. She allows herself the indulgence of retroactively investing the agency of political resistance in the portraits when she says:
“Images like these have haunted me since I was a small child and … [and] were instrumental in guiding me to use the tools of photography in my work.” […] “The haunted faces of our ancestors challenge and remind us to commemorate them and acknowledge their existence, to help lay them, finally, to rest.” 5
Clare Williamson, in discussing Leah King-Smith’s exhibition Patterns of Connection in which archival photographs are superimposed on landscapes, describes how King-Smith pictorially, rather than rhetorically, invests the images with the same ability to project the past into the present. She says:
“It is instructive to examine King-Smith’s imagery alongside the historical images which are her sources. These small black and white photograph’s ‘contain’ their aboriginal subjects as objects which can be held in the hand, collected, stored and viewed at will. Their placement of the figure within a fabricated European (or a constructed ‘native’ one), and set well back from the picture plane, creates a gulf between viewer and subject, and an inequitable relationship in favour of the viewer. King-Smith reverses the order. Large colour saturated images ‘impress’ the viewer. The figures are brought right to the picture plane, seemingly extending beyond the frame and checking our gaze with theirs.”6
Brook Andrew invests the bodies of his nineteenth century subjects, released from the closet of the past, not only with a libidinous body image inscribed within the terms of contemporary media and contemporary ‘liberated’ masculinity, but also with defiant Barbara Krugeresque slogans such as “I Split Your Gaze”. Some of these works also attempt to reverse the relationship of subject and object in the nineteenth century colonial portrait along the trajectory of the gaze, and to make the contemporary viewer the subject of a defiant, ambiguous gaze returned from history.
Even when the contemporary Aboriginal artist’s body ritualistically and purgatorially takes on colonial subjugation, the historic photograph and, more significantly, the alignment of gazes, is still the vitalising channel of connection. In her reading of Fiona Foley’s reinactments of the colonial photographs of her Badtjala ancestors, Olu Oguibe describes how the trans-historical objectifying gaze is made to rebound off Foley’s obdurate, physical body:
“In Foley’s photographs the Other makes herself available, exposes herself, invites our gaze if only to re-enact the original gaze, the original violence perpetrated on her. She does not disrupt this gaze nor does she return it. She recognises that it is impossible to return the invasive gaze, that what purports to be a return gaze is only a mimicry. Instead Foley forces the gaze to blink, exposes it to itself.”7
In these contemporary uses of the colonial photograph the original intention and function of the photographer is evacuated. We find ourselves in his empty shoes, shuttling back and forth along a two way channel formed along the alignment of the two interlocking gazes of sitter and viewer, object and subject, past and present. This gives the Aboriginal use of old photographs a different valency to equivalent uses of old photographs by migrant or long-term settler photographers. Yet, nonetheless, a sense of this channelling pervades all the contemporary uses of old photographs, and is intensified in Aboriginal use.
At this point my narrative frays into loose ends. How to think this Aboriginal re-use of old photographs? And in particular, for my purposes, how to think it in terms of history and collective memory, and the photograph itself as a mnemonic artefact? Below I list some references which I have found suggestive, and which might provide a direction for further theoretical research.
One approach may be to explore the photograph’s magical qualities of mimesis. Michael Taussig, in Mimesis and Alterity, describes ‘primitive’ uses of mimetic magic among the Cuna Indians, which he suggestively refigures in a postcolonial context by equating it to Benjamin’s notion of an ‘optical unconscious’ which can from time to time produces flashes of a ‘profane illumination’. Taussig uses the two laws of sympathetic magic derived from George Frazer’s The Golden Bough: the law of similarity, in which like produces like; and the law of contagion, in which things which have once been in contact continue to act on each other. By ritualistically running back up these channels of sympathetic connection the magician is able to reverse the flow of fact to thought and thing to image, and produce effects in the real world by mimesis. In Taussig’s formulation photographs are ‘mimetically capacious’ technologies. Their indexicality gives sight the ‘bodily impact’ and the ‘phsiognomic effect’ of a ‘tactile vision’. He quotes Benjamin:
“Only when in technology body and image so interpenetrate that all revolutionary tension becomes bodily collective innervation, and all the bodily innervations of the collective become revolutionary discharge, has reality transcended itself to the extent demanded by the Communist Manifesto.’8
In a less utopian and more strategic way, perhaps contemporary Aboriginal photographers are using old photographs to innervate themselves with historical tension Using the mimetic indexicality of the photograph, and the interpenetration of the photograph with both historical and lived bodies, the shaman/photographer reverses the flow of time and answers the call of the dead.
All this talk of shamans and magic is not as whacky as it sounds. The metaphor of the photograph as a ghost image is commonplace, and used by both Kracauer and Benjamin in their influential discussions of photography. There is also general agreement that the images of Aborigines used by these photographs are ‘ghostly’, and haunt the contemporary viewer. Indeed the body politic of Australia as a whole has long been haunted by the ‘Spectre of Truganini’. In their book Uncanny Australia Ken Gelder and Jane Jacobs use Australian ghost stories to describe the uncanniness of Australia’s relationship to Aboriginal spirituality. In postcolonial terms they see hauntings as a productive occurrence:
“‘Ghosts’ simply could not function in a climate of sameness, in a country which fantasises about itself as ‘one nation’ or which imagines a utopian future of ‘reconciliation’ in which … all the ghosts have been laid to rest. But neither can they function in a climate of nothing but difference, where the one can never resemble the other, as in a ‘divided’ nation. A structure in which sameness and difference solicit each other, spilling over each other’s boundaries only to return again to their respective places, moving back and forward in an unpredictable, even unruly manner … : this is where the ‘ghosts’ which may cause us to ‘smile’ or to ‘worry’ continue to flourish.”9
At the very least Aboriginal ghosts remind Australia that there is unfinished business. Raymond Williams makes a distinction between the archaic and the residual, the ‘residual’ for Raymond Williams is “still active in the political process”. These photographs cannot be monuments because they are still left over from the past, residual to history.10 The idea of ghosts soliciting the fickle memory of a too self-absorbed, too quickly forgetful later generation also scans across to the role of ANZAC ghosts in Australian collective memory. Examples are Will Dyson’s famous cartoon A Voice From Anzac of 1927 where two ghostly Anzacs, left on the beach at Gallipoli, receive solace from hearing, across the oceans, the marching feet of their returned comrades on Anzac day. Another example is Longstaff’s Menin Gates 1927. (More recent examples are the eerie freeze frame at the end of Peter Weir’s film Gallipoli, and the digital ghosting used in a video projection behind a Gallipoli landing boat in the Australian War Memorial’s new Orientation Gallery.)
There is a hint of this cross scan in a recent series of photographs by Darren Siwes. By ghosting himself standing to attention in a series of night photographs taken around Adelaide, he seems to be referring to an Aboriginal haunting, but he also evokes a feeling of an Anzac memorial statue.
The idea of the artist shaman also has contemporary currency in the New Age movement. New Agers have often appropriated Aboriginal spirituality, and at the same time contemporary Aboriginals and New Agers are occasionally fellow travellers.11 Leah King-Smith is explicitly New Age. She concludes her artist’s statement by asking that: “… people activate their inner sight to view Aboriginal people.”12 Her work animistically gives the museum photographs she re-uses a spiritualist function. Referring to Spivak’s “Can the Subaltern Speak?”, Anne Marsh describes this as a ‘strategic essentialism’. She says:
“There is little doubt, in my mind, that Leah King-Smith is a kind of New Age evangelist and many serious critics will dismiss her work on these grounds. Others will point to the artist’s misplaced desire to represent Aboriginal Australia: to talk for the subaltern, as it were. But I am interested in why the images are so popular and how they tap into a kind of cultural imaginary and use the mythology of photography’s syntax … to conjure the ineffable. … Leah King-Smith’s figures resonate with a constructed aura: the skin which is shed onto the photographic plate is given an enhanced ethereal quality through the use of mirrors and projections. The ‘mirror with a memory’ comes alive as these ancestral ghosts, already simulacra in their Anglo costumes, seem to drift through the landscape as a seamless version of nineteenth century spirit photography.”13
The role of performance is also important to these photographs. In discussing the Bringing Them Home report on the Stolen Generation of 1997, John Frow comments that the report supplements the standard historiographic citation of the past with collaged-in fragments of first-person testimony. Frow uses De Certeau’s discription of historiographic citation which allows the past to lend an effect of reality that validates historical knowledge in the present. Through citation the present makes the past intelligible, but also separates past from present. Collage on the other hand gives the past direct effectively and answerability within the present. In the Stolen Generations inquiry the unmediated, cathartic, performed testimony of witnesses allows the past to report on the present, just as the present is supposedly meant to be soberly reporting on the past.14
Similarly, in their re-use of old photographs, Aboriginal photographers do not cite them, or ‘appropriate’ them, so much as collage them into the present, using them to demand an answer from the present. They are trying not to so much appropriate them across culture, as collage them across time. They ‘re-perform’ the old photograph in the present in order to generate this sense of temporal collage. It might be this need to re-perform which gives many of these photographs their overwrought feeling. They seem histrionic, melodramatic, and pictorially overproduced – as though urban aboriginal photographers have to try very hard to ritualistically get in touch with their ancestors. They use an excessive bricolage of special effects verging on the banal to generate a sense of connection. An important aspect of their success or failure is the supplementation of the viewer’s own politically strategic sense of shame, our desire as good (white) liberals to say ‘sorry’, which we bring to the image.
The question I am therefore left with is: just how strategic is this Aboriginal flirtation with the magic of old photographs. Are they, whilst being made politically active in the present, kept in a dialectical relationship to it? After all photographs of long dead Aborigines are, in fact, merely insubstantial ghosts, they are not the Aborigines themselves. Are contemporary Aboriginal photographers hijacking the past for their own politico/aesthetic ends? In their attempts to break through the historicist impasse that tragically freezes contemporary Australian political discourse, are they collapsing time itself into a banal fantasy of strategic presentness?
1. Catherine De Lorenzo, ‘Delayed Exposure: Contemporary Aboriginal Photography’, Art In Australia, 1997, 35, 1,
2. Andreas Huyssen, Twilight Memories: Marking time in a culture of amnesia, New York and London, Routledge, 1995, , Introduction pp3-9
3See also the Berndt Collection in the Western Australian Museum, and the exhibition Portraits of our Elders by the Queensland Museum. . Michael Aird, Portraits of our Elders, Brisbane, Queensland Museum, 1993,
4. Gordon Bennett, ‘Aesthetics and Iconography: an artist’s approach’, Aratjara: Art of the First Australians, Dusseldorf, Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, 1993,
5. Brenda L. Croft, ‘Laying ghosts to rest’, Portraits of Oceania, Judy Annear, Sydney, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 1997, p9, 14
6. Clare Williamson, ‘Leah King-Smith: Patterns of Connection’, Colonial Post Colonial, Melbourne, Museum of Modern Art at Heide, 1996, p46
7. Olu Oguibe, ‘Medium and Memory in the Art of Fiona Foley’, Third Text, 1995-96, Winter 1995-96, , pp58-59
8. Michael Taussig, Mimesis and Alterity: A Particular History of the Senses, New York, Routledge, 1993, p58
9. Ken Gelder and Jane M.Jacobs, Uncanny Australia: Sacredness and Identity in a Postcolonial Nation, Melbourne University Press, 1998, p42
10 Raymond Williams “Dominant, Residual and Emergent”, Marxism and Literature, Oxford University Press, 1977. Quoted in . Ken Gelder and Jane M.Jacobs, Uncanny Australia: Sacredness and Identity in a Postcolonial Nation, Melbourne University Press, 1998, p18
11. L. R. Hiatt, ‘A New Age for an Old People’, Quadrant, 1997, 16, 337,
12. Leah King-Smith, ‘Statement’, Patterns of Connection, Melbourne, Victorian Centre for Photography, 1992,
13. Anne Marsh, ‘Leah King-Smith and the Nineteenth century Archive’, History of Photography, 1999, 23, 2, p117
14. John Frow, ‘The Politics of Stolen Time’, Meanjin, 1998, 57, 2,
Posted on April 29, 2013 by martynjolly. This entry was posted in Writing and tagged 1990s Australian Photography, 1999, Indigenous photography. Bookmark the permalink.
← Artist’s Statement, ‘Nineteen Sixty-Three: News and Information’, Photofile, No. 52.
Motels →
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3322
|
__label__wiki
| 0.711974
| 0.711974
|
Access, Equity, Progress
The Maryland Assistive Technology Guide
Category Assistive Technology, Family Partnerships
Imperative Access, Equity, Progress
Resource Type Resource
The IEP Process: Resources for Families during Virtual and Hybrid Learning
Category Division Spotlight, Family Partnerships, MSDE DEI/SES
Transition Talks: Accommodations in Postsecondary Settings
Category Evidence-based Practices, Family Partnerships
Imperative Secondary Transition
Transition Talks: Employment Soft Skills
Transition Talks: Virtual Career Exploration
Transition Talks: The IEP Secondary Transition Planning Process
Transition Talks: Postsecondary Education for Students with IDD
Transition Talks: Student Directed IEP Meetings
Transition Talks: Safety Instruction
Data-informed Decisions
Division Spotlight
Evidence-based Practices
MSDE DEI/SES
This site was developed and produced by the Maryland State Department of Education’s Division of Early Intervention and Special Education Services under the guidance of Marcella E. Franczkowski, Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Early Intervention and Special Education Services, in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University School of Education’s Center for Technology in Education.
Funding for this site is provided by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (MSIG Part D Grant #H323A990016). The Division of Early Intervention and Special Education Services received funding from the Office of Special Education Programs, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Education or any other federal agency and should not be regarded as such.
© 2021 Maryland Learning Links
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3323
|
__label__cc
| 0.528818
| 0.471182
|
One big news coming from the Indian sub-continent these days is the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan. India since her independence from the British has faced many decades of aggression and war from neighbouring Pakistan — a nation-state born as a result of the falsehood of partition in 1947, based on the falsehood that people of different religions can not live together as one nation. In addition to the four ‘official’ wars of 1947-48, 1965, 1971 and 1999, India has also bled by a thousand cuts in countless aggressive attacks led by terrorists, backed by the enemy state military and government machinery.
Having suffered terrible and horrific losses of life and property due to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, India now finally wakes up to her long-lost Kshatriya power to defend herself.
But sadly this is also the time when a group of self-serving folks in India — from mediocre film actors to out-of-work politicians, from out-of-fashion journalists to ordinary wannabes whose hearts only bleed selectively — start speaking of threat of ‘war’ or ‘escalating tensions’ or such things. One wonders whether these peaceniks were sleeping till now, because obviously they couldn’t see the ‘war’ until now. O wait, maybe because they didn’t think the other side has in fact been waging war on us all these years!
This post is directed to such sleeping ignoramuses. It is time they wake up from their tamasic, dark slumber and instead of merely mouthing soul-less slogans of non-violence and peace learn a bit of the history, particularly about the history of wars between India and Pakistan. It is time they start learning about India and what she stands for. And it is time they also start learning about some deeper truths about Ahimsa, non-violence as well as the necessity of war, the morality of peace as well as the morality of war.
Yesterday was the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, whom the world knows as Mahatma Gandhi, the great soul, the champion of non-violence, Ahimsa. Generations of Indians have been systematically brainwashed through a carefully crafted narrative of India’s freedom movement, taught in our schools and colleges, into believing that it was Gandhian Ahimsa that led India to her freedom. But is that really the truth? Does history support this claim? It would be educational to closely examine the history of Indian freedom movement.
Thankfully, many Indians are now slowly throwing off the various masks of falsehood and fraud propagated by some self-centered political powers and a well-nurtured lobby of some so-called intellectual elite who took it upon themselves to peddle a certain distorted, partial and a particular ideological view of history. Thanks to a much wider exposure and an easier availability of resources many young Indians today are questioning much of what has been so far served to them as their history. They are searching for answers and re-discovering chapters of their collective history, chapters that were excluded, distorted, shunned because they didn’t fit in with the ideologically chosen narrative of the political-intellectual elite who came to power soon after Independence.
This quest to know our collective history as a people, as a nation, as a civilization is a much-needed, positive and welcome direction. This new, confident, questioning India gives us the hope for an intellectual renaissance of the nation.
One line of questioning that has to do with the efficacy of Gandhian Ahimsa is being addressed here. It is done with the help of some excerpts selected from the writings and talks of the great revolutionary leader of India’s freedom movement in its early years, Sri Aurobindo, the proponent of Purna Swaraj, for whom the British Viceroy Lord Minto once said – “he is the most dangerous man we have to reckon with.”
A striking feature of the Gandhian politics was the adoption of non-violence as a creed. In the early 1900’s, during the early days of Passive Resistance movement in Bengal non-violence was adopted by leaders as a tactic in the then prevailing conditions. It was never meant to be accepted as a creed and dogma to be followed in all circumstances. For Gandhi however, non-violence was nothing short of an absolute dogma, to be practiced in an absolute manner without any regard for the specifics of a given circumstance or situation. It was this approach of Gandhi that led to the calling off of the Non-Cooperation Movement after Chauri-Chaura incident in 1922. This decision was even resented and opposed by Jawaharlal Nehru and other leaders of the Congress party. Yet most unfortunately, the Congress accepted Gandhi’s decision. Unfortunately, this trend of disagreeing and yet following such decisions of Gandhi was to continue right through the Freedom Movement.
But what is more relevant here is to note some remarks made by Sri Aurobindo on July 23, 1923 regarding the method of Satyagraha applied by Gandhi:
“I believe Gandhi does not know what actually happens to the man’s nature when he takes to Satyagraha or non-violence. He thinks that men get purified by it. But when men suffer, or subject themselves to voluntary suffering, what happens is that their vital being gets strengthened. These movements affect the vital being only and not any other part. Now, when you cannot oppose the force that oppresses, you say that you will suffer. That suffering is vital and it gives strength. When the man who has thus suffered gets power he becomes a worse oppressor…
What one can do is to transform the spirit of violence. But in this practice of Satyagraha it is not transformed. When you insist on such a one-sided principle, what happens is that cant, hypocrisy and dishonesty get in and there is no purification at all. Purification can come by the transformation of the impulse of violence, as I said. In that respect the old system in India was much better: the man who had the fighting spirit became the Kshatriya and then the fighting spirit was raised above the ordinary vital influence. The attempt was to spiritualise it. It succeeded in doing what passive resistance cannot and will not achieve. The Kshatriya was the man who would not allow any oppression, who would fight it out and he was the man who would not oppress anybody. That was the ideal.” (Evening Talks with Sri Aurobindo, recorded by A. B. Purani, third series, p. 290)
Sri Aurobindo, with his deep wisdom and penetrating yogic insight, clearly saw that the moral-ethical ideal of non-violence can never be effectively implemented in any mass movement such as the Independence movement. On this important matter he said:
“Politics is concerned with masses of mankind and not with individuals. To ask masses of mankind to act as saints, to rise to the height of divine love and practise it in relation to their adversaries or oppressors is to ignore human nature. It is to set a premium on injustice and violence by paralysing the hand of the deliverer when raised to strike. The Gita is the best answer to those who shrink from battle as a sin, and aggression as a lowering of morality.” (Bande Mataram, CWSA, Volume 6-7, p. 1117)
In the following passage we hear him speaking of a deeper truth regarding the type of soul-personality necessary for a leader of the people, a leader who must protect his people against aggression and war from the enemy, who must protect the weak from oppression by the unjust. He writes:
“Hinduism recognises human nature and makes no such impossible demand. It sets one ideal for the saint, another for the man of action, a third for the trader, a fourth for the serf. To prescribe the same ideal for all is to bring about varnasankara, the confusion of duties and destroy society and race.… Politics is the ideal of the Kshatriya, and the morality of the Kshatriya ought to govern our political actions. To impose in politics the Brahmanical duty of saintly sufferance is to preach varnasankara.”(ibid, p. 1118)
“The sword of the warrior is as necessary to the fulfillment of justice and righteousness as the holiness of the saint. Ramdas is not complete without Shivaji. To maintain justice and prevent the strong from despoiling, and the weak from being oppressed, is the function for which the Kshatriya was created. “Therefore”, says Sri Krishna in the Mahabharata, “God created battle and armour, the sword, the bow and the dagger.” (p. 1121)
And finally, here is a long but highly relevant extract from Sri Aurobindo’s Essays on the Gita in which he describes the deep psychological roots of why war is almost a necessity in the present state of human consciousness, both on the individual and collective plane of worldly existence and life as it is at the present. In the passage below we also find him speaking of the limitations of using ‘soul-force’ alone when faced with an enemy.
“This is certain that there is not only no construction here without destruction, no harmony except by a poise of contending forces won out of many actual and potential discords, but also no continued existence of life except by a constant self-feeding and devouring of other life. Our very bodily life is a constant dying and being reborn, the body itself a beleaguered city attacked by assailing, protected by defending forces whose business is to devour each other…
“It is good that we should be reminded of [this truth]; first, because to see it has for every strong soul a tonic effect which saves us from the flabbiness and relaxation encouraged by a too mellifluous philosophic, religious or ethical sentimentalism, that which loves to look upon Nature as love and life and beauty and good, but turns away from her grim mask of death, adoring God as Shiva but refusing to adore him as Rudra; secondly, because unless we have the honesty and courage to look existence straight in the face, we shall never arrive at any effective solution of its discords and oppositions. We must see first what life and the world are; afterwards, we can all the better set about finding the right way to transform them into what they should be. If this repellent aspect of existence holds in itself some secret of the final harmony, we shall by ignoring or belittling it miss that secret and all our efforts at a solution will fail by fault of our self-indulgent ignoring of the true elements of the problem…
“War and destruction are not only a universal principle of our life here in its purely material aspects, but also of our mental and moral existence. It is self-evident that in the actual life of man intellectual, social, political, moral we can make no real step forward without a struggle, a battle between what exists and lives and what seeks to exist and live and between all that stands behind either. It is impossible, at least as men and things are, to advance, to grow, to fulfil and still to observe really and utterly that principle of harmlessness which is yet placed before us as the highest and best law of conduct. We will use only soul-force and never destroy by war or any even defensive employment of physical violence? Good, though until soul-force is effective, the Asuric force in men and nations tramples down, breaks, slaughters, burns, pollutes, as we see it doing today, but then at its ease and unhindered, and you have perhaps caused as much destruction of life by your abstinence as others by resort to violence….Evil cannot perish without the destruction of much that lives by the evil, and it is no less destruction even if we personally are saved the pain of a sensational act of violence.
“It is not enough that our own hands should remain clean and our souls unstained for the law of strife and destruction to die out of the world; that which is its root must first disappear out of humanity. Much less will mere immobility and inertia unwilling to use or incapable of using any kind of resistance to evil, abrogate the law; inertia, Tamas, indeed, injures much more than can the rajasic principle of strife which at least creates more than it destroys. Therefore, so far as the problem of the individual’s action goes, his abstention from strife and its inevitable concomitant destruction in their more gross and physical form may help his own moral being, but it leaves the Slayer of creatures unabolished.
“It is only a few religions which have had the courage to say without any reserve, like the Indian, that this enigmatic World-Power is one Deity, one Trinity, to lift up the image of the Force that acts in the world in the figure not only of the beneficent Durga, but of the terrible Kali in her blood-stained dance of destruction and to say, “This too is the Mother; this also know to be God; this too, if thou hast the strength, adore.” And it is significant that the religion which has had this unflinching honesty and tremendous courage, has succeeded in creating a profound and widespread spirituality such as no other can parallel. For truth is the foundation of real spirituality and courage is its soul…
“All this is not to say that strife and destruction are the alpha and omega of existence, that harmony is not greater than war, love more the manifest divine than death or that we must not move towards the replacement of physical force by soul-force, of war by peace, of strife by union, of devouring by love, of egoism by universality, of death by immortal life. God is not only the Destroyer, but the Friend of creatures; not only the cosmic Trinity, but the Transcendent; the terrible Kali is also the loving and beneficent Mother; the lord of Kurukshetra is the divine comrade and charioteer, the attracter of beings, incarnate Krishna. And whithersoever he is driving through all the strife and clash and confusion, to whatever goal or godhead he may be attracting us, it is—no doubt of that—to some transcendence of all these aspects upon which we have been so firmly insisting. But where, how, with what kind of transcendence, under what conditions, this we have to discover; and to discover it, the first necessity is to see the world as it is, to observe and value rightly his action as it reveals itself at the start and now; afterwards the way and the goal will better reveal themselves. We must acknowledge Kurukshetra; we must submit to the law of Life by Death before we can find our way to the life immortal; we must open our eyes, with a less appalled gaze than Arjuna’s, to the vision of our Lord of Time and Death and cease to deny, hate or recoil from the universal Destroyer. (Essays on the Gita, CWSA, Vol. 19, pp. 40-46)
India on Our Mind, Indian History, Society
Ahimsa, Indian Culture, Indian History, Indian Politics, Indian Renaissance, Mahatma Gandhi, Sri Aurobindo
Sectarianism or Loyalty (by Nolini Kanta Gupta)
16 thoughts on “Sri Aurobindo on Gandhian Ahimsa”
adsunsri says:
A standing ovation to bring out the legitmacy of the greatness of the Mahatma’s sathyagraha and the greatest revolutionary Sri Aurobindo which gave the shivers to the colonial raj. It is sad that we are still facing the colonial hangover of the divide of nations, however, glad that the Government has woken up to give a befitting reply to the perpetuators of terror! We need to keep up the tempo and destroy the cells atleast in our neighbourhood which must have a cascading effect on the so called power nations to emulate and not promote this degeneration!
Sri Aurobindo didn’t have as kind a view of Gandhian methods of Satyagraha as many other thinkers/leaders have 🙂 But then he was seeing things from a very high and deep yogic stance, not all of which can be easily discernible by rational/logical mind.
His view on partition and Pakistan are also quite strong, and not many people would accept it that easily. But in any case that is beyond the scope of this post 🙂 Here I merely wanted to show that Ahimsa when understood very simplistically and applied stubbornly to a mass movement doesn’t always work. And that we need to have a much broader and deeper vision to understand when kshatriya dharma is needed to protect and defend a nation. I am with you on destroying the terror factories. May Ma Durga destroy those who are hell bent on destroying humanity and peace.
Thanks for reading and for sharing your perspective.
Bold writing specially the introduction.
jmathur says:
Invaluable post it is for sure contrasting the thoughts of the Mahatma and the Maharshi. I feel, both these greats were right in their respective lines of thinking.
Jitendra Mathur
Thanks Mathur ji for reading and for sharing your point of view. Appreciate the time you have taken to go through this post and for appreciating it.
Personally I think one’s perspective and way of looking at things helps one see whether one is right or more right than the other, or whether both are right in their own way.
What a beautiful analysis of the nonviolence movement of Mahatma Gandhi! Only Sri Aurobindo could have done justice to it, looking at the phenomenon from outside, dispassionately and objectively. You are right, it was not just the nonviolence movement that gave us our Independence. Lord Minto’s statement says it all. It is sometimes the intellectual, the yogi, the maharishi that needs to be feared more than anyone else. Lovely post, Beloo. Wonder how I missed it!
Wonder how I missed this comment, Zephyr! I agree with the spirit of your statement that it is the yogi, the rishi who needs to be feared more, because of the brahmtej he radiates. But the interesting part here is that Lord Minto said what he said about Sri Aurobindo at the time he was Aurobindo Ghosh, the one who had just been acquitted from the prison because the British government could not find any evidence against him. And yet he was the most dangerous man for the British, because his fiery writings and speeches had the potential to wake up a sleeping nation. That is the yogi-revolutionary!
Glad I found this comment 🙂 And sorry about the late response.
We both had somehow missed it when it was originally posted – I, your post and you, my comment. So we are quits.
As for Minto’s statement, maybe he could see something deeper in Aurobindo Ghosh, the prisoner and had the sense to see that he would one day waken the nation.
Matthias Eckerle says:
I see eye to eye with Sri Aurobindo. I believe that today India is divided. There was also a man like Subhas Chandra Bhose. This man was a real patriot and had a deeper Vision than Mahatma although he was a spiritual seeker he became politically involved.
Subhash Bose was also deeply influenced by Sri Aurobindo in some ways. It is indeed unfortunate that we are not taught much about the great contributions Netaji Bose had made toward India’s freedom movement. Thanks for reading and contributing your perspective.
laughmyheadoff says:
What about Subhas Chandra Bhose. He was a great patriot. He had a deeper Vision than Mahatma?
Yes, it is very unfortunate that Indian history has not given due credit to Subhash Bose. Thanks for reading and sharing your thought.
I can tell you from my going to a Sikkh temple here in Germany. Sikkhs are warriors. Although it seems for many people like a contradiction, they are the friendliest people ever. When I think about Operation Blue Star 1984, this was a disaster for India. And nowadays you see the new Minister speaking to an audience that is in sleeping mode in the Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh. What has happened to India, it is still deep in the past.
I appreciate your sharing this. Indeed there is a dire need to wake up the Kshatriya-hood among Indians. Brahma-tej and Kshatra-tej have to work in harmony if India has to become a world leader in materialistic and spiritual realms.
One speaker I can recommend is Arundhati Roy. Excellent.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3326
|
__label__wiki
| 0.583277
| 0.583277
|
COVID-19, Leadership
Agile resilience: Lessons from COVID-19
Organizations able to absorb and adapt to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic successfully are, by definition, resilient. Many also find themselves making decisions at a speed, which would have been unthinkable in pre-COVID-19 times.
What characterizes these organizations? What creates this kind of resilience? And how can organizations apply the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic so that in the “next normal” they remain resilient, flat, and fast?
Organizations able to absorb and adapt to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic successfully are, by definition, resilient.
One answer is agility. We spoke with executives at several leading international and UK-based organizations to build on and complement McKinsey’s global research. Each of these organizations displayed uncommon resilience throughout the pandemic, and a few common practices emerged, which align well with the trademarks of agile organizations. These organizations used resilience preparation as their base and were able to adapt and innovate by adding new practices to react to the crisis.
A resilient foundation to the COVID-19 response
All the organizations we interviewed were well-versed in building resilience through business continuity and crisis planning. They identified their critical processes and developed back-up plans to ensure they were on track, no matter what crisis hit. Most organizations complemented this with war-gaming, which involves rehearsing scenarios that establish a basic operational structure and mindset to adopt in a crisis. The war games also helped ensure role clarity and established chains of command that were communicated ahead of time. In particular, many executives mentioned how their war-gaming for no-deal Brexit helped prepare them for the COVID-19 crisis; for example, they had already put in place measures for supply-chain resilience.
However, understandably, no organizations anticipated or planned for a crisis with the broadscale operational impact of COVID-19. Most multinational organizations we interviewed found that all their global subsidiaries were affected almost simultaneously. War-gaming could only get these organizations so far, but they were able to build on the resilient backbone that their business-continuity planning gave them and, by adopting a series of new practices, absorb and adapt to the pandemic.
Common characteristics of resilient organizations and how they can build to agility
Five characteristics stand out across the organizations we interviewed (exhibit). Each characteristic not only helped them navigate the COVID-19 crisis, but also now points the way toward a more agile operating model that can be more resilient in the next normal. Since it is impossible to war-game every scenario of disruption, building these characteristics into normal operations will allow organizations to deal with future changes and potential shocks. In essence, these characteristics are both a proof of resilience in the past and a measure of readiness in the future.
1. Establish a common purpose and clear communications
The first shared practice was that organizations established a clear, simple common purpose that was applicable to the whole company. This helped engage and motivate employees, and prioritize competing demands. A major UK grocer, for example, established three clear principles at the start of the COVID-19 crisis:
These three objectives guided the organization’s response and established the priorities in support of the business objectives and values.
Across all sectors, the common purpose did not have to be newly conceived for the COVID-19 pandemic to be effective. Many organizations found their existing purpose held well, and employees were able to change their behaviors and actions to achieve the same purpose in new ways. A large UK bank, for example, found that its clear purpose to serve customers helped prioritize innovative propositions in both the aftermath of the Brexit referendum and during the COVID-19 crisis.
Alongside establishing a guiding purpose, the most effective organizations focused on more frequent communications, taking an adult-to-adult tone that explained decisions and shared a realistic assessment. During the COVID-19 pandemic at UK Power Networks, for example, the CEO shared daily video messages showing the rationale behind corporate decisions. Feedback from employees demonstrated the positive effect of this clear communication and transparency.
For organizations that have found a new focus during the COVID-19 crisis, the next key step should be to consider if they can enhance and develop their common purpose to hold true in more normal times, giving employees the same clarity of decision making and ability to act as during the COVID-19 crisis. Agile organizations often speak of a shared purpose and vision—the “North Star”—which helps people feel personally and emotionally invested in the organization. This North Star allows employees to individually and proactively watch for changes in customer preferences and the external environment, and then, act upon them.
2. Set up structures to enable rapid decision making, including the reallocation of resources against new priorities
The second shared practice we found was that organizations created new forums and structures, or repurposed existing ones, to act as rapid-decision-making bodies. These structures often began life as crisis-management forums composed of the most senior people and met regularly—often daily at the start of the pandemic—to make decisions and reallocate resources quickly. A leading global bank, for example, set up a decision-making daily-working group of key leaders from across the company to coordinate their COVID-19 response. Through this forum they accelerated procurement cycles to days rather than months, enabling the purchase of the technology required for employees to work from home.
These new structures allowed organizations to cut the usual red tape and management layers that had led to slow and laborious decision making. Decisions that previously required hard-won consensus or an onerous burden of proof could be accelerated if they could be overtly aligned to the organization’s common purpose. Intel UK, for example, used its decision-making forums to quickly shift employee focus and resources. Government, education, and healthcare became more important sectors for them during the COVID-19 crisis; for example, they developed partnerships with pharmaceutical organizations to aid in enabling vaccine production. Similarly, a UK grocer made the decision to close its fresh-meat and -fish counters and reassign the staff to other jobs within a single meeting—a decision that might normally have taken weeks or months.
The lessons learned from these examples highlight that organizations should retain the rapid-decision-making cycles they implemented during the COVID-19 crisis, but in a way that is sustainable for the long term. Daily conference calls with the entire executive team may be unrealistic, but continuing to embrace the mindset of making small decisions quickly—ensuring teams are guided by a clear purpose and have access to all the information needed to make those decisions—will lead to a greater ability to innovate and adapt to changing circumstances.
Agile organizations emphasize quick, efficient, and continuous decision making, preferring 70 percent probability now versus 100 percent certainty later. Rather than big bets that are few and far between, they continuously make small decisions as part of rapid cycles, quickly test these in practice, and adjust them as needed for the next iteration. This also means agile organizations do not seek consensus decisions—they take input from all team members, prioritizing those who have the most expertise on the topic at hand; but once the decision is made, all employees get behind enacting those decisions.
3. Create networks of local teams with clear, accountable roles
The third common practice was creating networks of teams and ensuring clear role accountability. Local business units became the focus for many organizations, with clear accountability for what they were responsible for versus the central team. For example, a leading global bank published central guidance but then asked local teams to take the lead on implementation within their own jurisdictions. They also encouraged each local team to share any lessons learned or best practices with other jurisdictions. This freed senior leadership to focus on overall guidance and support, while local teams focused on day-to-day activities.
The COVID-19 pandemic also led to several organizations reducing hierarchical barriers, bringing senior leadership in much more direct contact with operational leads. UK Power Networks, for example, brought business leads and trade union workforce representatives into meetings to communicate directly with the CEO.
Agile organizations typically maintain a stable top-level structure but replace much of the traditional management hierarchy with a flexible, scalable network of teams. They go beyond just creating local teams to creating dense networks of teams. They implement clear, flat structures and ensure there is clarity of role accountability. Agile organizations can implement networks of teams in different ways, depending on what makes sense for their specific circumstances. For example, they might use “flow to work” pools, like UK Power Networks did during the COVID-19 crisis, where teams are staffed against the highest-priority customer needs. Alternative models include cross-functional teams or self-managing teams. All of these can work—which model is best depends on the specific context, but all are based around the idea of connected networks of teams.
Flexible, scalable, and flatter organizational structures proved effective during the pandemic. In such cases, the team is at the heart of the structure, and team-based working—a central tenet of agile thinking—has advantages over a hierarchical structure in terms of speed, precision, decision making, and the satisfaction of employees. Organizations would do well to keep this lesson in mind and continue the team ethic and to extend the team-of-teams practice that has proved so effective in uncertain times.
4. Develop a culture that empowers people and gives them the opportunity to unleash their entrepreneurial drive
The fourth common practice is empowering frontline employees and creating a flexible culture that helps unleash their entrepreneurial drive. For example, a major UK grocer encouraged employees to capture the opportunities presented by the COVID-19 pandemic: new sales from customers no longer eating out in restaurants and fewer but larger shopping trips. Supply-chain staff likewise worked hard to keep up with the increased demand, negotiating with suppliers to buy more stock. This allowed the grocer to meet the unprecedented increase of more than 10 percent in year-on-year sales.
Some organizations we spoke to already had a culture of empowering staff and used the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to expand and reinforce this. Intel UK, for example, harnessed their employees’ passion to help deliver on the organization’s purpose—“creating world-changing technology that enriches the lives of every person on earth”—by encouraging staff to look for opportunities to make a positive difference. This flexibility and trust in their people led to a number of new frontline-led projects during the COVID-19 pandemic, including one employee working with a customer to attain a UK patent for the design of protective equipment for hospital staff and other teams working with the VentilatorChallengeUK consortium. (For more information on the consortium, visit ventilatorchallengeuk.com.)
Organizations should reflect on these examples to consider how, post-COVID-19, they can continue to empower their people. Frontline employees are closer to the customer and therefore usually have more relevant first-hand information and better ideas about customer needs. Organizations should ensure this sort of culture continues beyond the current crisis by investing in leadership that empowers and develops their people. In agile organizations, leaders act more as visionaries, architects, and coaches, and less as directors and controllers. They put in place processes that reinforce this and give their people clear accountability combined with the freedom to pursue opportunities. Many also proactively help employees build new capabilities through role-mobility programs.
5. Provide people with the technology they need
The final common practice was the use of technology. To enable many employees to work from home during the COVID-19 crisis, several organizations quickly secured access to remote-working technology such as laptops and webcams. For example, one leading global bank bought thousands of new laptops within days to enable remote working for their global staff.
By necessity, many organizations have had to move to a model where technology is key to every interaction, and a number of familiar tools have quickly become part of ordinary working life.
Organizations are already considering which new technologies they want to embed in their ongoing ways of working. We recommend that they go beyond that consideration. Agile organizations think of technology not as a supporting capability but as being seamlessly integrated with and core to every aspect of the organization. Organizations undergoing a full agile transformation would cut any technology that was outdated—including legacy architecture—to adopt new, more suitable platforms. All organizations now need to consider to what extent they want to do the same, bearing in mind their organization’s willingness to take on cost and security risk, which may enable or limit how far they go down this path.
Agile organizations think of technology not as a supporting capability but as being seamlessly integrated with and core to every aspect of the organization.
Building from the COVID-19 crisis to agile practices
It is not surprising that agile practices have enabled organizations to be more resilient to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Agile organizations are designed to make fast decisions and to absorb and adapt to challenges. McKinsey’s research on how agile organizations fared during the pandemic showed that 93 percent of organizations thought their agile business units had performed “better” or “significantly better” than their nonagile business units in both customer satisfaction and operational performance. As economies open up and we start to move toward the next normal, nonagile organizations must decide how much of these new practices they want to maintain.
Organizations that want to keep the benefits they’ve enjoyed during the COVID-19 crisis, such as faster decision making and clarity of purpose, need to make that choice now. To shift toward an agile operating model, organizations need to reflect on what they have learned during the crisis and be deliberate about which practices to keep. These practices need to be embedded in their culture and processes if they are going to persist. Further, if they want to undertake a full agile transformation, they will need to allocate appropriate time and effort for management as well as for the teams directly affected. But when the next crisis hits, they will have even greater resilience to absorb and adapt to the challenges they face.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3327
|
__label__cc
| 0.566821
| 0.433179
|
Giving All MI Students a Top Ten Education
Dec 1, 2015 by Sara Brintnall
Giving All Michigan Students a Top Ten Education
Like so many during this season, I find myself reflecting on the past year and being overwhelmed both by all that I have to be thankful for — and the tremendous challenges we face in the years ahead.
A healthy and happy family, and terrific friends and coworkers certainly top the list. But this year has also been different in the interest and conversation about what needs to be done to provide allMichigan students with the education that they need and deserve.
Earlier this year, The Education Trust-Midwest launched a new initiative to make Michigan a top ten education state for all of our state’s students, no matter who they are or where they live. We launched Michigan Achieves to bring much-needed attention to the issue and solutions that our state needs today. Michigan is now on track to be among the lowest performing states in the U.S. for student learning in important subjects such as third-grade reading. We must change our trajectory for our students’ and our state’s future.
Despite the tremendous challenges that we Michiganders collectively face in the years ahead in improving our public schools, this year I am buoyed about the potential for positive change.
Since Michigan Achieves was launched, the conversation around Michigan education has largely shifted from why Michigan needs to improve its schools to how that can happen. We have seen tremendous interest from business, community, educational, and government leaders, on how leading education states have achieved improvement and transformation. We are thankful for the many partners and leaders around the state for their partnership in this work.
This year Michigan has taken steps forward in reaching this goal, too.
The passage of a long-overdue framework for research-driveneducator evaluations and support systems;
Funding to train evaluators on evidence-based practices and support for teachers; and
A significant investment in efforts to help improve early literacy;
Higher academic standards and an honest, reliable assessment to measure student learning and inform instruction;
Focus on varying quality of charter school authorizers and the need for greater accountability;
Earlier this year, our state legislature made strategic investments in early literacy improvement efforts and funding to support high-quality evaluations for educators. Students and teachers have also begun implementing new higher career- and college-ready standards, which have been essential to raising achievement for all groups of students in states such as Massachusetts and Tennessee. The transition to higher standards and a more rigorous, honest assessment will take time, but we are on track in getting this work started.
Thank you to all of our partners that make this work possible, and especially for the thousands of Michigan educators who work so hard to the most important work in education: teaching students.
We have a long way to go in making Michigan a top ten education state for all students, but know that educational transformation is necessary and possible. Together, we hope that you will join us in working to make Michigan a top ten education state for all students.
Amber Arellano
Call to protect vulnerable students from budget cuts
June 30, 2020 by Brian Gutman
As the U.S. rightfully confronts longstanding inequality and racial injustice, Michiganders have a historic opportunity to address decades-long underinvestment…
Educational Recovery Plan for Michigan
Ed Trust issues a blueprint to address long-standing opportunity and achievement gaps
Today the Education Trust-Midwest – an organization focused on pragmatic solutions that move our state forward – issued that…
Amid nationwide focus on systemic racial injustice, Ed Trust-Midwest issues a blueprint for Michigan’s Educational Recovery to address long-standing opportunity and achievement gaps
ROYAL OAK, Mich. (June 23, 2020) – As the U.S. rightfully confronts longstanding inequality and racial injustice, Michiganders have…
A Marshall Plan: Reimagining Michigan Public Education
June 23, 2020 by Amber Arellano, Mary Grech, Jacqueline Gardner, Lauren Hubbard, and Brian Gutman
Over the last decade, our State of Michigan Public Education Report has marked annually Michigan’s progress and performance based…
From special ed. to charter school students, meeting the needs of every Michigan student
March 3, 2020 by Brian Gutman
The following excerpt is from an guest opinion column by Dave Meador, vice chairman and chief administrative officer or…
January 29, 2020 by Brian Gutman
ROYAL OAK, Mich. (Jan. 29, 2020) — In her second State of the State address, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer…
What Ed. Issues are You Watching in 2020?
January 7, 2020 by Brian Gutman
As we begin a new year, members of the Ed Trust-Midwest team are thinking about the issues that will…
Michigan continues to struggle to improve early reading, according to national assessment
ROYAL OAK, Mich. (Oct. 30, 2019) – Today, the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) released its new findings,…
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3334
|
__label__cc
| 0.622996
| 0.377004
|
Paediatrics (RCH)
Paediatrics (RCH) - Research Publications
Birth outcomes in Aboriginal mother-infant pairs from the Northern Territory, Australia, who received 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccination during pregnancy, 2006-2011: The PneuMum randomised controlled trial.
McHugh, L; Binks, M; Ware, RS; Snelling, T; Nelson, S; Nelson, J; Dunbar, M; Mulholland, EK; Andrews, RM
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Mulholland, Edward; Andrews, Ross
McHugh, L., Binks, M., Ware, R. S., Snelling, T., Nelson, S., Nelson, J., Dunbar, M., Mulholland, E. K. & Andrews, R. M. (2020). Birth outcomes in Aboriginal mother-infant pairs from the Northern Territory, Australia, who received 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccination during pregnancy, 2006-2011: The PneuMum randomised controlled trial.. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol, 60 (1), pp.82-87. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajo.13002.
10.1111/ajo.13002
http://doi.org/10.1111/ajo.13002
BACKGROUND: Pregnant women and infants <6 months old have a high baseline risk for pneumococcal disease compared to the general population, particularly among Indigenous populations living in poverty and low-resource settings. Efficacy trials of pneumococcal vaccination in pregnancy examining adverse birth outcomes are lacking. AIMS: We report adverse birth events as secondary outcomes from the 'PneuMum' randomised controlled trial of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination (23vPPV) in pregnancy (August 2006-January 2011). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Australian Aboriginal women aged 17-39 years with singleton uncomplicated pregnancies were randomised (1:2 ratio) to receive 23vPPV or no 23vPPV in pregnancy at 30-36 weeks gestation. We compared risks of stillbirth, preterm birth, low birthweight (LBW), and small for gestational age (SGA) between vaccinated and unvaccinated pregnant women. Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated on an intention-to-treat basis. RESULTS: Among 227 enrolled participants, 75 (33%) received 23vPPV in pregnancy. Risk differences in adverse birth outcomes between 23vPPV vaccinated and unvaccinated pregnant women were; preterm birth 9% vs 4% (HR 2.79; 95% CI 0.94-8.32) P = 0.07; LBW 9% vs 5% (HR 2.09; 95% CI 0.76-5.78) P = 0.15; and SGA 15% vs 17% (HR 1.02; 95% CI 0.50-2.06) P = 0.96. There were no stillbirths. CONCLUSIONS: We found a numerically higher rate of preterm births among women who received 23vPPV in pregnancy compared to unvaccinated pregnant women. Although further investigation with larger participant numbers is needed to better evaluate this safety signal, the contribution of safety results from smaller studies using appropriate data analysis methodologies is critical, particularly as more clinical trials in pneumococcal vaccination in pregnancy are progressing.
Paediatrics (RCH) - Research Publications [1852]
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3338
|
__label__wiki
| 0.644678
| 0.644678
|
← Resistance Against & Across Borders – Friday, March 30
Insurgent Theatre/Lucasville Prison Uprising Workshop →
Movie Mondays in April
Come enjoy FREE MOVIES at the Free Space every Monday in April!
Featuring: Born in Flames (4/2), Sankofa (4/9), Elmo in Grouchland (4/16), Attack the Block (4/23), and Life and Debt (4/30). Movies start at 7pm. See descriptions below.
April 2 – Born in Flames
Set in America ten years after the Second American Revolution, Born In Flames is a fantasy of female rebellion. When Adelaide Norris, the founder of the Woman’s Army, is mysteriously killed, a seemingly impossible coalition of women emerges to blow the System apart.
April 9 – Sankofa
SANKOFA is an Akan word that means, one must return to the past in order to move forward. The film follows Shola, a black model who is transported back to a West Indian plantation after participating in a fashion shoot on shores of the slave castles in Ghana. Shola becomes a house slave alongside Shango, a militant Maroon fieldhand and love interest who resists her early warnings to ignore the brutalities committed against others on the plantation. Sexually abused by the plantation’s owner, Shola is drawn to Nunu, an African-born fieldhand and Maroon leader, who ignites her eventual rebellion. *Warning: Sankofa is a potentially triggering movie for some who have experienced sexual violence.*
April 16 – Elmo in Grouchland *with Minneapolis Childcare Collective*
Lovable red Muppet Elmo loses his beloved blue blanket after a tug-of-war with Zoe. The blanket lands in Grouchland, a scary, faraway place populated by creepy creatures, smelly trash and an evil character named Huxley. Can Elmo use his wits and courage to get his prized blankie back and escape?
April 23 – Attack the Block
Attack the Block is a 2011 British science fiction comedy horror film written and directed by Joe Cornish. Set on a council estate in South London on Bonfire night, the film follows a street gang which have to defend themselves from hostile alien invaders.
April 30 – Life and Debt
Life and Debt is a feature length documentary that chronicles the deleterious impact of foreign intervention in Jamaica’s economy. From the destruction of local markets and the demise of working conditions to the rise of crime and a security apparatus, Black’s film gives its viewers an in-depth, everyday look at how the organized policies of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and
Inter-American Bank have accelerated the indebtedness of a small nation to the benefit of US business interests.
Invite your facebook friends at: http://www.facebook.com/events/241889695907462/
Ricardo Levins Morales Art Studio
Anti-War Committee
Communities United Against Police Brutality
Mayday Bookstore
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3340
|
__label__cc
| 0.587882
| 0.412118
|
Black Partridge Chapter of the DAR honors six area high school seniors
Thursday, February 13, 2020 - Posted 4:52:49 PM by Valerie Horton
The Black Partridge Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution honored six area high school seniors at their award program held February 10, 2020. Each of them received the Good Citizen Award. The students were chosen by their high school for their qualities of good character which the DAR emphasize as being dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism. After they are chosen they fill out a cover page,send a copy of their grades, write about their high school activities, their service to their community, their future plans,their extracurricular activities, and how they fill the four qualities of a DAR good citizen. Then in a two-hour session they are to write no more than 550 words on this topic, "Our American Heritage and Our Responsibility for Preserving It."The focus question was, "You and your peers are our nation's leaders of tomorrow. How would you energize America's youth to fully engage as effective citizens? Why is that important?"
Back row: David Snook, Ethan Hoffman, Nathaniel Aikman
Front row: Mya Gramm, Karissa Barth, Blake Bratt
Each student counselor sends these papers along with two recommendations back to our DAR Chapter. The six students are judged by three judges that are non-DAR members. One winner from this group of six students' papers is forwarded to the District Good Citizen Chairman. Our chapter winner was Mya Gramm from El Paso/Gridley High School and is the daughter of Mr. And Mrs. George Gramm. She plans to major in political science and go on to law school. Her passion is to fight against the issue of modern-day slavery.
Other area Good Citizen winners were Ethan Hoffman from Roanoke-Benson High School and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Eric Hoffman. He plans to major in manufacturing engineering at Bradley University. David Snook is from Metamora Township High School the son of Mr. and Mrs. David Snook. He plans to earn a degree in education at ICC and ISU. Nathaniel Aikman is from Eureka High School the son of Mr. Joe Aikman. He plans to earn a degree in radiation therapy. Karissa Barth is from Lowpoint-Washburn High School the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.Keith Barth. She has been accepted into Illinois State University's actuarial science program. Blake Bratt is from Fieldcrest High School the son Jessica Baldwin and Jeremy Bratt. He plans to pursue a career in Criminal Justice studying at Western Illinois University to become an FBI agent.
Each year our DAR Chapter can nominate two individuals for the Community Service Awards. Our state and national committees have to approve these individuals. This person cannot earn money for the service they provide for the community. This year Simon Langley and Sharon Gates received the awards.
Simon is a senior at Eureka High School. He cleaned up the old fencing, plants, and wood chips from the Lincoln marker between Washington and Metamora on the county line. For his Eagle Scout Award, he built a new fence and put in new wood chips. He also volunteers in the community with senior citizens, conducted a Flag Ceremony, and helps younger scouts at camp outs.
Sharon Gates, shown at the left, is from Washington and is the treasurer for Threads, Hope, and Love. Besides treasurer, she spends many hours sorting clothes and helping with the giveaways. She also volunteers many hours at her church helping with community projects.
The Black Partridge Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution wish to thank the parents, counselors, teachers, and others for making this a very special day for our Good Citizens and Community Award winners.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3341
|
__label__wiki
| 0.978115
| 0.978115
|
806 Health Tips
Enter to Win Stuff
We are Alexa Enabled!
Listen to Mix 94.1
Melissa Bartlett
Midday Michelle
Lucky Larry
Joe Cortez
Nina Blackwood
Melissa in the Morning
Retropop Reunion
Absolutely 80's
Mix 94.1 Mobile App
Amazon Alexa Streams Mix!
Mix 94.1 VIP Club
Mix Club Listen & Win
Advertise With Mix
Mix 94.1Mix 94.1
‘Saved By the Bell’ Revival Coming to New NBC Streaming Service
NBC via Getty Images
I’m so excited! I’m so excited! I’m so ... scared?
That is my reaction to the news (via The Hollywood Reporter) that NBCUniversal is adding a new Saved By the Bell series to its lineup of original content on its upcoming streaming service. Rather than a new class of kids at Bayside High School, or even recasting the iconic roles of Zack, Screech, and the rest, this show will continue the story of the original cast decades later. Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley will reprise their roles as Slater and Jessie, with the potential for other former cast members to return.
This, I swear to you, is the plot synopsis they provide
The new, straight-to-series comedy explores what happens when California Gov. Zack Morris (Gosselaar's role) gets into hot water for closing too many low-income high schools, he proposes they send the affected students to the highest-performing schools in the state — including Bayside High. The influx of new students gives the over-privileged Bayside kids a much-needed and hilarious dose of reality. Lopez and Berkley will return to play their beloved characters A.C. Slater and Jessie Spano, respectively, in what sources say are new roles as parents.
Saved By the Bell was one of the most popular Saturday morning series of the ’90s. After the original cast aged out, they moved on to college (in Saved By The Bell: The College Years) while a new group of kids took over Bayside (Saved By the Bell: The New Class). The last the cast was seen was in the finale movie Saved By the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas in 1994. Finally, 25 years later, the story continues. NBC’s streaming service is expected to launch next year.
Gallery — TV Revivals, Ranked From Worst to Best:
Source: ‘Saved By the Bell’ Revival Coming to New NBC Streaming Service
Filed Under: Saved By the Bell
Wildfire in Southeast Amarillo
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3343
|
__label__wiki
| 0.501076
| 0.501076
|
iOS 10 Update: Apple Releases iOS 10.0.2 and iOS 10.1 Betas
Apple has released a new iOS 10.0.2 update with several bug fixes for regular users, and also seeded the first iOS 10.1 beta for registered developers.
iOS 10.0.2 Update
The iOS 10.0.2 update for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch brings several minor bug fixes, and a few important ones. The update is a small one, and is available for all supported iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad devices.
If you installed iOS 10, then it is highly recommended that you install the 10.0.2 update. Here’s what the update fixes;
Addresses an issue that could prevent headphone audio controls from temporarily not working
Resolves an issue that caused Photos to quit for some users when turning on iCloud Photo Library
Fixes an issue that prevented enabling some app extensions
As soon as iOS 10 was released to the public, several users started reporting the above mentioned bugs. Some users couldn’t use their Lightning earpods after the update, as in, the controls would stop working or music would stop playing.
Thankfully, Apple has addressed the issues in iOS 10 and given us the latest iOS 10.0.2 update. If you haven’t updated yet, then head on over to Settings>General>Software Update and download/install it.
So far, Apple has released three betas for iOS 10.1. All of the new betas are available for both registered Apple developers, and for public beta users.
The first iOS 10.1 beta includes some bug fixes and a few new features. One of the most important new features in iOS 10.1 beta 1 was the addition of Portrait Mode for iPhone 7 Plus users.
This new Portrait mode allows those with the iPhone 7 Plus to make use of the second telephoto lens to take portrait photos with a shallow depth of field. Apple showcased this cool iPhone 7 Plus feature on stage during the announced, but only enabled it in iOS 10.1. beta 1.
In the second iOS 10.1 beta, Apple did not add any new features as such. However, they did slightly change the look of the Message App drawer and included a new scroll bar.
The update also removed the ability to drag-drop stickers on the iPad in Split-View mode.
Few developers and public beta users have also noted that this and the previous beta have slowed down their iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Since this is a beta, that is expected to happen, and Apple will definitely fix all that in the final update.
The third beta of iOS 10.1 was released recently to both Developers and Public beta users. Nothing new has been discovered in the latest beta.
There’s everything you need to know about the latest iOS 10 update and the iOS 10.1 beta releases. We’ll update this post when new betas are available.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3351
|
__label__wiki
| 0.872425
| 0.872425
|
Month in a Minute: Important Headlines and Data Points from the Indian Renewable Sector in October 2016
Priya Sanjay
Markets & Policy, Solar
National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) invited bids to Develop 8 MW Solar Project in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, under its self-owned and developed projects program. (read more)
India solar PV imports and exports are rising; exports have witnessed a 116 percent rise and imports have increased by 52 percent. (read more)
NTPC will set up a 3.5 MW solar and wind hybrid project in Karnataka. (read more)
Cumulative solar installations in India crossed 8.6 GW. (read more)
NTPC listed Green Masala Bonds worth Rs.20 billion (~$299.5 million) on the Singapore Stock Exchange. (read more)
Bid-Submission deadline to install 10 MW solar project at Paradip Port Trust was extended. (read more)
The year-to-date trading volume of solar renewable energy certificates has reached 506,148 already surpassing 2015 trade volume. (read more)
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has invited tenders to set up a 5.76 MW grid connected rooftop solar project on behalf of Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL). (read more)
NTPC has invited bids to develop a 17 MW grid-connected solar PV project in the village of Manglutan in South Andaman on turnkey basis. (read more)
The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) has issued a request for selection (RfS) to procure 500 MW of solar power from developers in Tamil Nadu through reverse auction, to meet its Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO). (read more)
NTPC is to set up 50 MW of solar projects with battery energy storage system at Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar. (read more)
In Uttarakhand, 181 MW of solar projects (with an average tariff of Rs.5.78 (~$0.0863)/kWh) and an original commissioning schedule of October 2016 have been extended until March 31, 2017. (read more)
NTPC has retendered a 250 MW solar project at the Kadapa Solar Park in Andhra Pradesh. (read more)
The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) has issued a notice inviting tenders (NIT) to set up a 50 MW solar project in the Theni and Dindigul districts of Tamil Nadu. (read more)
According to figures released by The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), 45,916 MW of renewable energy has been installed as of September 2016. Wind still account for the largest portion of the cumulative renewable energy capacity with 28 GW, but solar is catching up. (read more)
SECI has announced that a 10 MW solar PV project has been commissioned on the Teesta canal bank of West Bengal under the Central Government’s plan for Canal-top and Canal-bank projects. (read more)
Visakhapatnam Port Trust is planning to set up a 5 MW solar power project in addition to its existing 10 MW solar power project which is under progress. Work on the project is likely to begin by the start of the next financial year. (read more)
Last year, solar PV projects with a cumulative capacity of 1.1 GW were auctioned in Jharkhand, but, the power purchase agreements between the developers and the distribution company (DISCOM) are yet to been signed. (read more)
The Administration of Union Territory (UT) of Chandigarh is providing incentives to spur rooftop installations by private developers. These include a central subsidy of 30 percent and an incentive for Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWAs) in the UT. (read more)
Indian Railways plans to set up 1,000 MW of solar power generation capacity by 2022. (read more)
Central government to provide aid of $3.1 billion to India’s solar manufacturing industry. (read more)
Priya currently serves as the Publisher for MercomIndia.com. With more than a decade of experience working in corporate communications, research, and policy, Priya has deep roots in the Indian energy markets and is regularly in touch with policy makers and industry leaders. Priya received her bachelor’s degree from Vidya Vardhaka College of Arts in Bangalore, India for Political Science and Economics and completed her MBA from Bangalore University. More articles from Priya Sanjay.
Andaman and Nicobar IslandsAndhra PradeshGAILJharkhandMNRENHPCNTPCSECITANGEDCO
Fossil Fuel Cogeneration Projects Not Exempt from Renewable Purchase Obligation
Jharkhand Commission Approves Net Metering Facility for a 2 MW Rooftop Solar Project
SECI Halves Tender Capacity for Renewable Energy Bundled with Thermal
Why the Draft PPA for Andhra’s 6.4 GW of Solar Projects Was Considered Violation of Law
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3352
|
__label__wiki
| 0.843333
| 0.843333
|
Lights, wheelchairs and ramps: Northrop performance series takes dancing to new heights
Kinetic Light tests the limits of dance, artistry and disability.
Daily File Photo
Northrop Auditorium as seen on April 5, 2015.
Meg Bishop
Kinetic Light dance company works at the intersection of disability and dance. Wheelchairs, ramps and lifts take dancers to new heights as they raise the bar for what it means to represent disability in the arts.
Northrop and Walker Art Center will premiere Kinetic Light’s film “DESCENT” running Dec. 3-5. Kinetic Light, founded by Alice Sheppard, is dually based in New York City and the Bay Area, California explores the disciplines of art, technology, design and dance.
As part of Kinetic Light’s initiative to highlight accessibility, the production also includes audio described versions. Other short films by Kinetic Light and others were screened in a separate Nov. 30 event.
Kristen Brogdon, the director of programming at Northrop, was first introduced to Sheppard while working at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Sheppard had just begun setting down the framework for starting Kinetic Light.
“Combining dance, architecture, design and technology, it challenges cultural assumptions of what disability, dance and beauty can be,” said Mariclare Hulbert, publicist for Kinetic Light.
During a trip to Wilmington, North Carolina for an arts festival, Brogdon was able to catch a showing of “DESCENT.” She wanted to bring Sheppard and Kinetic Light to the University of Minnesota. The plan was for Northrop to partner with The Walker Art Center and showcase Kinetic Light at McGuire Theater this semester, but plans changed when the art center could no longer have shows due to the pandemic — so they began thinking about a virtual show.
Kinetic Light had put together a high-quality recording of its performances prior to the pandemic, and they decided that Northrop would use those videos for a short series.
“DESCENT” features Sheppard and one of the company’s dancers, Laurel Lawson.
“There’s a ramp that functions almost as a third character in the piece. It’s incredibly designed for them to move exactly the way they need to move for the story they are trying to tell,” Brogdon said.
The two characters in “DESCENT” represent Greek mythology’s Venus and Andromeda that come together in a queer and interracial love story.
“The way they construct a world onto the ramp is new. It’s not new in terms of artistry but by inserting the kinds of bodies and the kinds of histories and legacies that are on the stage, it makes the whole thing really pop,” said Jerron Herman, a dancer for Kinetic Light.
The film highlights that disability can be a pathway to a unique and new methodology in the world of dance.
“It is not a film that tries to reuse the tragic narrative of disability,” Herman said. “We love our bodies as much as anyone would, and what would it be like to make an aesthetic of joy and beauty out of that?”
More information about Kinetic Light’s Descent can be found on the Northrop Auditorium website.
Correction: A previous version of this article contained several errors. It initially misstated Kristen Brogdon’s title; she is the director of programming at Northrop. An older version of this article also mischaracterized the plot of a film and inaccurately characterized the main performance. The article has since been updated to reflect the changes.
Editor’s Note: Language in this article has also been updated.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3356
|
__label__wiki
| 0.601481
| 0.601481
|
Most Americans can't afford a $1,000 emergency expense
By Jessica Dickler August 11, 2011: 11:19 AM ET
It's less than the cost of a car repair, but many Americans would struggle to come up with $1,000.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- When the unexpected strikes, most Americans aren't prepared to pay for it.
A majority, or 64%, of Americans don't have enough cash on hand to handle a $1,000 emergency expense, according to a survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, or NFCC, released on Wednesday.
Only 36% said they would tap their rainy day funds for an emergency. The rest of the 2,700 people polled said that they would have to go to other extremes to cover an unexpected expense, such as borrowing money or taking out a cash advance on a credit card.
"It's alarming," said Gail Cunningham, a spokeswoman for the Washington, DC-based non-profit. "For consumers who live paycheck to paycheck -- having spent tomorrow's money -- an unplanned expense can truly put them in financial distress," she noted.
That's the case for Allyson Curtis, 35. "I think about it every day," she said.
Curtis was unemployed for only three months last year, but in that time she accumulated $5,000 in credit card debt that she's now struggling to pay down. In the case of an emergency, Curtis said she would likely postpone other payments and pile on additional debt.
She is already putting off $450 in dental work and a car inspection due to a crack in her windshield, which will cost $300 to replace, she said.
Budgeting for an emergency fund
Many respondents, 17%, said they would borrow money from friends or family. Another 17% said they would neglect other financial obligations -- like a credit card bill or mortgage payment -- in order to free up some funds.
Alternatively, 12% of the respondents said they would have to sell or pawn some assets to come up with $1,000 and 9% said they would need to take out a loan. Another 9% said they would get a cash advance from a credit card, according to the NFCC.
0:00 / 3:10 Trick yourself into saving more
Cunningham finds that particularly troubling. Neglecting other debt obligations -- or worse piling on more debt -- "really exacerbates the problem," she said.
An earlier study by the same organization found that 30% of Americans have zero dollars in non-retirement savings. A separate study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that 50% of Americans would struggle to come up with $2,000 in a pinch.
Has all of the market turmoil prompted you to move all of your retirement investments into cash? If so, we'd like to hear from you. If you'd like to share your story with CNNMoney, email blake.ellis@cnnmoney.com.
First Published: August 10, 2011: 1:40 PM ET
Is my emergency fund part of my portfolio?
Half of Americans don't have rainy day funds
Help! We need a makeover
Young dad, $15,000 in credit card debt
Carlos Rodriguez is trying to rid himself of $15,000 in credit card debt, while paying his mortgage and saving for his son's college education.
$400,000 portfolio, too many holdings
Susan Carson and Laura DeLallo make $225,000 and have half a million in retirement savings, but their sprawling portfolios is proving hard to manage.
6 years to retirement, too many expenses
3 tuition bills, only $35,000 saved
Mortgage & Savings Center
Overnight Avg Rate
30 yr fixed 3.80% 3.88%
5/1 ARM 3.84% 3.88%
30 yr refi 3.82% 3.93%
Find the best auto, life, home, health rates
Select a product:
Auto Home Life Long-Term Care Health
Insurance news and resources from BankRate
Everything you need to know about Obamacare tax forms
10 things you must know before signing up for Medicare
How to fortify and protect your home against wildfires
Basic differences between Medicaid and Medicare
Rate data provided
by Bankrate.com
View rates in your area
Find personalized rates: Card type Credit type Card issuer
Today's featured rates:
30 yr fixed mtg, 0 points, Los Angeles, CA, APR 4.625%
30 yr fixed, 0 points refi, Elizabeth, NJ, APR 4.625%
15 yr fixed mtg, 0 points, Orlando, FL, APR 3.875%
5/1 ARM, 0 points, Houston, TX, APR 3.125%
30 yr jumbo, 0 points, Cleveland, OH, APR 5.500%
MMA , Los Angeles, CA, APY 1.09%
$10K MMA , Tampa, FL, APY 1.09%
6 month CD, Metro, NY, APY 1.04%
1 yr CD, Houston, TX, APY 1.27%
5 yr CD, Los Angeles, CA, APY 2.50%
CA, $30K home equity loan, APR 7.99%
TX, $50K home equity loan , APR 8.87%
PA, $75K home equity loan , APR 4.99%
NY, $30K HELOC , APR 5.24%
FL, $50K HELOC, APR 5.49%
Capital One, APR 11.9% - 19.9% (V)
Discover Card, APR 11.99%-20.99% (Variable)*
Chase, APR 11.99%-22.99% Variable*
Discover Card, APR 11.99% - 20.99% (Variable)*
Chase, APR 13.24%-19.24% (Variable)*
Capital One, APR 22.9%(V)
Chase, APR 13.24% Variable*
MetaBank, APR *
*Rates subject to change
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3362
|
__label__wiki
| 0.606395
| 0.606395
|
Week-in-Review
Latest PR
iBLOCKCHAIN NEWS
Crypto, Downside, Goldman
Goldman Sees 26% Downside to Apple Over Nutty Accounting Conspiracy Theory – CCN.com
by btctipme
A Goldman Sachs analyst called for a 25% decline in Apple’s stock because of some wonky accounting related to Apple+. | Credit: AFP
Goldman Sachs generally has the best analysts in a world where analysts are regarded as overpaid contemporary versions of Nostradamus. Yet sometimes even Goldman climbs aboard the crazy train and makes predictions that would have Nostradamus himself scratching his head.
Goldman analyst Rod Hall reportedly lowered his Apple stock price target from $187 to $165 per share based on some really obscure accounting prediction regarding Apple+.
None of This Makes Any Sense
See if you can follow this logic because I don’t think anybody can.
Rod Hall believes – he has no evidence but he believes – that the Apple+ one-year trial will not be classified as hardware but as services. As a result, services division’s revenue numbers will look extra healthy while hardware will be penalized.
This, Rod Hall says, will have a material negative effect on earnings and consequently, the stock will fall.
And Bill Belichick holds blood rituals during the Super Bowl halftime show.
Here’s a Nutty Example
Here’s a specific example of what Rod Hall believes is going to happen. Let’s say a consumer buys an iPhone for a thousand dollars. The consumer also gets a free year of Apple+ that has a value of $60.
Apple considers you to have purchased a bundle with a total value of $1,060.
Here’s where the conspiracy theory begins. Rod Hall believes that the $60 discount for Apple+ that is built into that bundle does not go entirely to Apple+ revenue. Rod Hall believes that Apple will divide that discount proportionally.
That is since the iPhone makes up 94.3% of the $1,060 total and Apple+ makes up 5.7%, Apple will record the revenue as an iPhone being discounted to $943 and Apple + discounted to $56.60.
Rod also believes that the Apple+ revenue will be lumped into “deferred revenue” and apportioned out to earnings over the one-year period.
This will allegedly have the result of a 7% negative earnings impact over the next year for Apple.
Here Is What Investors Will Really Care About
I don’t think any of this makes sense and I don’t think investors are going to care.
Investors are simply going to look at the number of Apple+ subscriptions that get sold and, more importantly, are retained after one year. Apple investors don’t care about accounting.
The real story here is not about accounting maneuvers but whether or not Apple’s new content strategy is going to have any traction.
The company appears to be very happy with the content thus far and as a result, boosted its content commitment from $1 billion to $6 billion. That’s an enormous increase for a company that hasn’t even premiered its first program yet. Clearly Apple is very high on what is being produced in that division.
The pricing point of $4.99 a month is also a direct attack on both Netflix and Disney+.
As it is, Netflix is charging $13.99 a month or more for its streaming packages. Netflix investors got spooked when Disney announced that its streaming service would be only $6.99 a month. Imagine how both are going to feel when Apple debuts at $4.99 a month.
How The Streaming Wars Shake Out
Here’s how I think things will shake out in the average household.
Right now, most American households that have any interest in streaming probably have a Netflix subscription.
Most households also probably have one other service, such as Amazon or Hulu. Out of that subset, I’d say a certain percentage also subscribe to one of the pay TV networks such as Home Box Office.
With both Disney and Apple services premiering about the same time, I expect that households will sample both of these for a year. Disney is cheap enough and its brand name is such that it will be a slamdunk choice for families.
Because Apple will have a one-year free trial, families will probably add that as well, as will most other consumers that have any kind of service.
But by the end of 2020, we’re going to start to see a shakeout. I think most families will make a choice between Netflix, Amazon, or Apple. A certain number of households will take two of them.
But households with families will consider Disney to be a must-have and probably only select one of those other three services.
Those who presently have at least one of the pay television services will likely keep that service.
Netflix’s Vulnerabilities
In my opinion, the most vulnerable service is going to be Netflix. It costs far more than any other service. The content selection is not only too expansive but the quality has started to suffer.
I think Netflix is trying to be everything to all viewers, which is why they are borrowing money hand over fist to produce content as fast as they can.
Yet Netflix’s vulnerability is not going to be limited to the United States.
Competition is going to start to pull away domestic subscribers, but I believe international expansion is going to plateau much quicker than Netflix expects and retention is going to be much more challenging than it believes.
The dirty little secret about international content is that most cultures want to see their own faces reflected in their entertainment. Americans like to see American faces, Chinese like to see Chinese faces, Russians like to see Russian faces, and so on.
This is only something that is apparent to someone who has been around Hollywood as long as I have. There’s a reason why some of the most lauded and great pieces of American cinema have never made an international impact.
That’s because people in non-European countries couldn’t care less about a Woody Allen film or an American romantic comedy, where our cultures and values are not anywhere reflective of what might be seen in most other countries.
There’s one last wrinkle here. Disney CEO Bob Iger just resigned from Apple’s Board of Directors. Iger is a brilliant businessman and exactly the kind of guy you would want on Apple’s board.
The problem is now the companies, which previously had no overlap, are direct competitors in the content business. It simply not is appropriate for Iger to be on the board anymore.
That cements the idea that the streaming content wars are going to get bloody.
Last modified (UTC): September 13, 2019 10:59 PM
Merchants & Bitcoin
Shigeru Miyamoto gives a tour of the Super Nintendo World theme park
‘Cyberpunk 2077’ gets another patch to address HDR and V’s ‘modesty’
Google details what happened during Monday’s cloud outage
https://mygeopay.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/banking.mp4
© 2021 Geopay.me Inc, 2013 - 2019 Visit Us
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3364
|
__label__cc
| 0.733673
| 0.266327
|
Say sorry
Published On: July 14, 2019 02:00 AM NPT By: Aleena Udas Sharma
Aleena Udas Sharma
The contributor for Republica.
news@myrepublica.com
There’s hope even when the mind says there’s none
Learnings from Covid-19
An apology doesn’t have the power to undo what has been done but does possess the power to help ease the pain giving hope to rebuild the relationship
My day starts with a call from my mother. The tone in which she utters her ‘hello’ usually tells me more about what’s on her mind than what she actually ends up saying during the course of our telephonic conversation. So today, when I spoke with her, I detected an underlying tone of anxiety in her voice. She had been looking for some important papers which seemed to have been misplaced. After having rummaged through all her cupboards she had lost hope of finding the papers and that further fueled her anxiety.
While she was on the phone with me, she got a call from dad saying ‘I am sorry, I found the papers at my office drawer’. This call changed the entire conversation between us. It now revolved around dad’s apology call and it was important and special for her simply because dad had apologized. It completely changed the situation because getting an apology from a husband is something unusual in our part of the world where patriarchy is still widely practiced.
But let’s step back and think, isn’t ‘sorry’ one of those magic words taught to us during our kindergarten days? Why is a word so small and simple difficult to utter? Perhaps, the importance of this magic word is often undermined because we don’t realize how easily it restores us to a moral high ground and, to an extent, eases the pain we might have caused. While growing up we were taught, either by parents or by our teachers, to apologize every time we made a mistake which made saying ‘sorry’ a household rule and as easy a word as ‘thank you’. But as we grow older, we understand the complexities of human pride and self-righteousness and then we often find ourselves not being generous in using it.
Yet it almost rolls off our tongue when we apologize to those who we barely know. When we step on someone’s toe in a crowded elevator or bump against people in a busy supermarket we say ‘I’m sorry’ as easily as taking the next breath. We don’t think twice and we don’t weigh our self-esteem with the situation because we are strangers to each other and therefore it hardly matters.
Elton John, the singer and songwriter was right in saying ‘sorry seems to be the hardest word’ and it indeed becomes more difficult if the person is someone close to you. When you apologize you feel vulnerable. It feels like you are losing your power or status; you feel inadequate; incompetent and all of these make the simple word so difficult to say. Sometimes it’s our pride or ego that gets in the way making relationships less important in life than our inflated self-esteem. When saying ‘sorry’ has the magic to resolve conflicts and also has the power to save relationships, I wonder why we so often hesitate to say it where and when it really matters. This makes the act of apologizing so difficult in personal relationships as well as in relationships between nation states.
In 2015, when Nepal was busy trying to rebuild after the devastating earthquake, the Constituent Assembly passed its first Republican Constitution. India took offence at not having been consulted before the Constitution was passed and this unhappiness got reflected in an unofficial blockade at the Indian border which crippled the Himalayan nation.
The blockade, though never owned up to by India, was seen by Nepal as a covert attempt to teach Kathmandu a lesson. This distrust on the part of Nepal and muscle-flexing by India strained the relationship to its breaking. To save the kindred bonds that bind India and Nepal together both the countries should walk that extra mile and to begin with, an apology from India could have acted as a balm to the wound which is still fresh in the minds of the Nepali people.
An apology doesn’t have the power to undo what has been done but does possess the power to help ease the pain giving hope to rebuild the relationship. However, this is expecting a bit too much from countries which are high on power distance, a dimension based on the theory by psychologist Dr Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. It is this dimension which holds us back from saying ‘sorry’ as our culture has an appreciation for hierarchy along with a top-down structure in society and organizations. This is why even after four years big brother finds it difficult or doesn’t feel the need to offer an apology.
Like nations, individuals too struggle when they have to apologize not only at home but at work too. The power distance is so high between people both at work and home that one hardly gets an apology from someone higher in rank, position or relation. It is not because they are always right but because saying ‘sorry’ requires taking off the blinders that they wear and facing their flaws. Some feel they are either too old, too senior, too important or socially superior to say sorry. They refuse to apologize or even address what went wrong because they don’t want to be the one who “gave in.” And so, they end up valuing their individual pride more than the relationship without realizing how powerful and magical this five-letter word is.
Words have the power to heal or tear apart relations and ‘sorry’ is perhaps one of the three magical words which we are all taught in our growing years so that we may navigate with compassion our journey through life as social beings. (Other than sorry the two other words are ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’) But ironically as we grow up to be adults, we forget the proper usage of the magic words. The more successful we are the more forgetful we get. Therefore, it is important to pause and consider the cost of forgetting our childhood lessons and learn to let go of our ego because when we say sorry it doesn’t mean that we are acknowledging defeat
It just means that we are reiterating the value of a personal relationship as being more than the sum total of our misplaced ego. After all, making things right is way more important than being right.
The author is a freelancer based in New Delhi and is also Management Expert at EMERGE, Nepal
Misreading China’s strength
The US economy’s current strength appears fleeting. China is in the opposite position ...
Nepal should hedge
How should Nepal respond to a changing security context and handle pressures from greater powers like India and China? ...
Saffronization of Congress
The liberals, moderates and youth leaders in Congress must safeguard their party against the communal, sectarian allure of right-wing Hindutva...
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3366
|
__label__cc
| 0.606049
| 0.393951
|
Residents safe but at high risks of bird flu transmission, health experts
Published On: May 20, 2018 03:40 PM NPT
Photo Courtesy: Agencies
CHITWAN, May 20: Preliminary investigation by a team of five from the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division found that bird flu had not been transmitted to humans yet in Sutarni of Khairbani municipality-9 of east Chitwan. However, the team, led by Dr Hemanta Ojha has maintained that residents in the area are at high risks of possible infection.
According to the District Public Health Office, Chitwan's chief Bijay Kumar Jha, the team collected blood samples and acquired information about the process of destroying fowls and poultry products
Meanwhile, those poultry farmers who earlier were reluctant to kill fowls reared by them have agreed for so. A meeting held among poultry farmers, suppliers and the government technical team on Saturday reached to an agreement to this end, Chitwan's Chief District Officer Jitendra Basnet said.
Parts of Sutarni in Khairahani-9 have been declared as 'affected zones' following the confirmation of bird flu prevalence there. Import and export of fowls and poultry products has been banned and killings of fowls in the affected areas has neared final phase. Over Rs 70 billion has been invested in poultry farming in Nepal and over 50 percent is centered in the district.
Ministry of Health suspends 18 health workers for obstructing Polio vaccine program
KATHMANDU, March 5: Ministry of Health on Sunday suspended 18 health workers, including three district health office chiefs, on the...
Bird flu detected in Pokhara
POKHARA, Feb 25: Bird flu which is also known as avian influenza has been detected in Pokha. ...
China bird flu: 79 deaths in January alone, highest in a single month since 2013
An outbreak of H7N9 bird flu in China killed 79 people in January, the most in a single month in...
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3367
|
__label__cc
| 0.566216
| 0.433784
|
Ayman Jaber
Urban Fantasy Writer and Marvel Connoisseur
Five More Underpowered Antagonists
March 16th, 2019 by Oren Ashkenazi
Antagonists need to be threatening so they can provide tension. If the story doesn’t have tension, then the conflict isn’t interesting, and the audience will get bored in a hurry. Storytellers have many tools at their disposal to make bad guys more threatening, but there are just as many ways a villain can lose threat. They might be totally incompetent, they might fail over and over again until no one takes them seriously, or they might just be underpowered to start with.
It’s that last one we’re looking at again today. Underpowered villains might be perfectly competent, they might even win sometimes, but they simply don’t have the resources to credibly take on the hero. What level of power each villain needs depends on what type of story is being told and their role in it, but it isn’t hard to spot a villain who doesn’t have the tools to get the job done.
1. The Cardassians: The Next Generation
That helmet though. Why?
In The Next Generation’s fourth season, the writers decided to introduce a new enemy species, likely in preparation for the upcoming launch of Deep Space Nine. These aliens were called the Cardassians, and they were to be more intellectual than the Klingons without being as standoffish as the Romulans. They love to plot and scheme, but they’re also happy to do it over a friendly chat.
Sounds like a great setup, until we find out that Cardassian ships are made of papier-mâché. Their premiere episode, The Wounded, features a Cardassian surprise attack on the Enterprise; our heroes don’t even have time to raise shields. This devastating attack results in… some minor damage that the Enterprise easily shrugs off. Worf then disables the Cardassian ship with a quick phaser volley.
This is the Federation’s new enemy? Pardon me if I’m not quaking in my uniform. Okay, that’s unfair – maybe it’s just a fluke. The Enterprise is Starfleet’s flagship, after all, so maybe this was a destroyer attacking a battleship. Naturally, later in the episode the Cardassians have an opportunity for a rematch with a weaker Federation ship, and… the Cardassians are destroyed by a single torpedo. It’s even a plot point that the Federation ship’s shields aren’t working. Give me a break!
This is total failure for establishing the new villains we’re supposed to be worried about. At the end of the episode, there’s a moment where it’s indicated that the Cardassians have some deeper plan. It’s meant to be a tense exchange, but it’s not because, honestly, who cares? The Cardassians can scheme all they want; the next time they show up maybe Starfleet will need to use two torpedoes.
Adding even more irony, just a season later in Conundrum, the crew come up against an enemy whom they defeat just as easily, and that’s used as evidence that something must be wrong. Surely, such a weak species wouldn’t be at war with the mighty Federation. Riker even marvels that they could have won the battle with a single torpedo. Fortunately, later episodes with the Cardassians mostly pretend The Wounded didn’t happen, but they’ll never be able to erase how underwhelming the Cardassian debut was.
2. The Parents: Runaways
Runaways is a superhero show where a group of kids must grapple with the fact that their parents are evil, or at least highly amoral. This is a fantastic premise, as it allows for meaty emotional conflict to play out alongside exciting battle sequences. Except it doesn’t, because most of the parents don’t have any powers.
You read that right. Even though most of the kids have special powers or fancy tech, their parents don’t have the same. Marvel, the company that can’t resist ending every movie with a fight between characters sporting the same power, decided to pass on that premise the one time they had a setup that actually supported it.
This creates a serious problem: how are parents without powers supposed to be a credible threat to kids who do have powers? Runaways doesn’t have an answer. At first, the show delays by making the first few episodes about the kids investigating their parents’ evil secrets, but that only lasts for so long. Then the writers try to use corrupt cops as the parents’ minions, but said cops don’t have any real connection to the heroes, so they’re dispatched fairly quickly. The show’s original big bad does at least have his own powers, but he’s just one character who can’t be everywhere at once.
Finally, the show tries leaning on the one parent who does have powers, but then she gives her powers up so her daughter can have them. This decision is absolutely baffling and only makes the problem worse. After that, we have several scenes where the parents try to physically overpower their children, and they’re easily defeated each time. It’s a little sad to watch because the writers put so much work into establishing the emotional conflict, but it’s all short-circuited by the parents having no ability to threaten the kids.
Eventually, the writers try to fix this by having the parents get possessed by aliens, and that does help, but a season and a half was already gone by then. That’s a long time to spend with villains we’re not at all worried about.
3. Lursa and B’etor: Star Trek VII: Generations
Hey look, a second Star Trek entry on this list. What a weird coincidence that has nothing to do with my viewing habits. No, YOU watch too much Star Trek.
Anyway, Lursa and B’etor are some no good, very bad Klingons who want to take over the empire, declare war on the Federation, and probably over-steep Picard’s tea. You know, standard Star Trek villain stuff. When they first appeared in TNG’s fourth season, they were okay villains, mainly serving as cover for the more threatening Romulans.* Then they showed up as minor antagonists on Deep Space Nine, where they were also fine.
It wasn’t until TNG’s first feature film, Generations, that things went wrong. In that movie, the sisters form half of a villain tag team, and their job is primarily to threaten the Enterprise while Picard has a solo adventure with the film’s other villain. That shouldn’t be a problem, except their ship is just not up to the task.
Lursa and B’etor fly the classic Bird of Prey. Though the exact capabilities of this craft are a little hazy, it’s usually described as a small scout ship, whereas the Enterprise is among Starfleet’s most powerful vessels. Even within the film, they make a point of noting that the sisters’ ship is no match for a Galaxy-class starship. Naturally, when these mismatched opponents come to blows, the battle… ends in a draw? With both ships destroyed? Hang on, that doesn’t sound right.
To the writers’ credit, they do have the Klingons find a way to neutralize the Enterprise’s shields, but that isn’t enough. Even without shields, it feels like the Enterprise should be able unleash its entire arsenal and overwhelm the much smaller Bird of Prey. This isn’t based on any technical schematics or other background material, but we know the Enterprise has a powerful array of weapons at its disposal from watching seven seasons of TNG.
Instead, the Enterprise gets off one or two shots and then tries to flee until the characters can come up with a technobabble solution. It really makes Riker look like an incompetent commander in what should have been his moment of triumph on the big screen. Having the Enterprise actually destroyed by such an underwhelming opponent just adds insult to injury.
The fix for this problem is simply to give Lursa and B’etor a more powerful ship. It didn’t need to be an unstoppable dreadnought, just something that the Enterprise couldn’t easily overwhelm with one volley. Then, the shield-defeating plot would have turned an evenly matched situation into a desperate one.
4. Hazel and Cha-Cha: Umbrella Academy
We move on from space opera to a superhero show about dysfunctional family drama. A second superhero show about dysfunctional family drama, I mean. Umbrella Academy’s first major villains are Cha-Cha and Hazel, a pair of jaded assassins from the future who complain about incompetent bosses, shrinking budgets, and joint pains. So relatable! If deadpan sarcasm was all you needed to be threatening, these two would be set.
Unfortunately, in an action-oriented story like Umbrella Academy, villains also need to pose a physical danger. In that capacity, Hazel and Cha-Cha are a strange contradiction, both too powerful and not powerful enough. The first part of that comes from the fact that they use machine guns, and none of the heroes are bulletproof. In any rational scenario, the assassins should auto-win any time they have surprise, which they usually do.
But it wouldn’t work for the characters to all end up dead in the third episode, so the show’s solution is to make Cha-Cha and Hazel really bad shots. At least, that’s the only way I can explain how they manage to constantly miss, even at close range with no cover. Once they ditch their useless guns, the second problem becomes clear: they have no powers.
Our protagonists are a group of superheroes. One can teleport, another can hit anything with throwing knives, and the third is super strong.* Against this setup, the assassins should have no chance. They both know how to fight, and Hazel is really big, but otherwise they’re just normal humans as far as I can tell. Their first fight should have ended with the teleporter getting behind them and stabbing them to death like he does everyone else, the knife thrower putting blades through their hearts, or super-strength dude just ripping them in half.
None of that happens. Instead, the teleporter just doesn’t use his power very much against them,* knife man throws two knives at the one armored place on the assassins’ bodies before giving up, and Hazel is somehow able to overpower a guy who is explicitly stronger than a human can be. The only way to reconcile this power mismatch was for the show to mostly forget how the heroes’ powers work.
The solution here was clearly to give Hazel and Cha-Cha some powers of their own, or maybe some future tech that would put them on even footing with the heroes. Guns don’t work for this, since they’re so powerful that they destroy the chance for interesting fights. That means they can’t be allowed to work. Instead, something that mimics super strength or enhanced reflexes would have done wonders. It might not match the source material, but adaptations make that kind of change all the time.
5. The White Witch: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
For our final entry, we’re going old school, to the magical land of Narnia where the eternal winter holds sway and the White Witch reigns. That’s our villain, and at first glance, she seems plenty powerful. The Witch has a wand of petrification and Turkish Delight of mind control at her disposal, plus a nasty stone knife that she’s no slouch with. How could this not be enough when the heroes of this book are all school children?
The twist is that she isn’t actually facing off against Peter, Suzan, Edmund, and Lucy. They just happen to be along for the ride. The real leader of team good in this book is Lion-Jesus, also known as Aslan. His mere appearance in Narnia is enough to destroy the Witch’s spells, and it’s made clear none of her powers will work on him. In fact it’s heavily implied that Aslan is just invincible and can destroy the Witch’s entire army on his own.
So how does the book not just immediately end if Aslan is that much more powerful? Aside from filler scenes of the characters eating delicious fantasy food, I mean? It’s because the Witch suddenly acts more like a protagonist than the actual protagonists. She plots and schemes until she comes up with a clever plan for defeating a more powerful opponent. Granted, her plan is a little contrived as it relies on previously unknown “deep magic,” but we can forgive her a faux pas because of the circumstances.
Of course the Witch’s plan doesn’t actually work, and eventually Aslan comes back via even deeper magic.* From there any tension the story might have had is lost as Aslan can not only defeat the Witch but also un-petrify her victims. But for a brief moment, it seemed like the Witch might succeed through cunning and guile, which actually makes us want to cheer for her as if she were the protagonist.
Audiences automatically sympathize with the underdog in any conflict because their victory is the more interesting outcome. If Goliath wins, it’s boring. Everyone expected Goliath to win, so why are you telling me this story? We want David to win because it’s more satisfying. This dynamic holds true even when the underdog is evil like the White Witch, to the point that we actually take more satisfaction from her short-lived victory than we do when the heroes finally triumph.
I’m not sure if this could have been fixed while retaining the religious metaphor that Lewis placed so much importance on. What I do know is that beings who are all-good and all-powerful rarely make good heroes, since they don’t have to struggle for anything. Worse, they end up making us cheer for the outmatched villain, and after that there’s no way to give the story a satisfying ending.
It’s a simple fact that audiences like a powerful villain. Weak, ineffectual villains rarely get the job done, and the few who do usually have extenuating circumstances. Even so, it’s not difficult to make an underpowered villain by accident. If you do, there isn’t any satisfaction when your heroes win the day, and it’ll be simply unbelievable if you go for a villain victory. Keep that in mind when designing your next antagonist, so your heroes will be properly afraid.
P.S. Our bills are paid by our wonderful patrons. Could you chip in?
Read more about Villains
Though the seduction scene with Worf is both sexist and, frankly, embarrassing.
There’s also a guy who talks to dead people, and one who has mind control power but has sworn not to use it.
There’s a shot where it looks like he stabs Cha-Cha in the neck, but apparently it was the shoulder.
I was honestly hoping the Witch would pull out some triple deep magic, but alas.
Dvärghundspossen
This might be nitpicking, but I don’t think Aslan should be called an allegory or metaphor for Jesus. The whole thing takes place in a multiverse where God incarnates in different forms in different universes. Aslan in Narnia, Jesus in our universe, and probably other beings in other places.
Reply to Dvärghundspossen
See Lewis’s letter that he wrote in 1958 about Aslan: “He is an invention giving an imaginary answer to the question, ‘What might Christ become like if there really were a world like Narnia, and He chose to be incarnate and die and rise again in that world as He actually has done in ours?'”
In 1961 Lewis wrote: “Since Narnia is a world of Talking Beasts, I thought He [Christ] would become a Talking Beast there, as He became a man here. I pictured Him becoming a lion there because (a) the lion is supposed to be the king of beasts; (b) Christ is called “The Lion of Judah” in the Bible; (c) I’d been having strange dreams about lions when I began writing the work. The whole series works out like this.”
So it’s okay for Oren to say “Lion-Jesus” because #primarysources.
Reply to Adam
Yeah but… my point is that it’s not really an allegory; it’s LITERAL. In-universe, Aslan is LITERALLY Narnia’s version of Christ.
Oren Ashkenazi
Just for the record, while it’s clear from documentation like Adam is mentioning that Lewis’ intent was for Aslan to be either a stand-in for Jesus, or just Jesus himself, that’s not what I base my interpretation on.
I am a firm advocate that the Author Is Dead. I call Aslan Lion-Jesus based on what I see in the text. I feel the evidence there speaks for itself, so I won’t get into it here.
Reply to Oren Ashkenazi
Jenn H
I would still say Aslan is a metaphor/allegory for Jesus, as Jesus is not Lewis’ OC. Other Christians have a very different view of Jesus than Lewis did.
Reply to Jenn H
Agree on Hazel and Cha Cha. I was certain Hazel was meant to have super strength after that fight with Luther… Diego throwing his knives on their HELMETS made zero sense, and they’re the worst shots in the history of mankind!
Sam Victors
You wouldn’t say that about Jadis had you read the Magician’s Nephew. She was a genocidal, power-hungry tyrant (it runs in her family) who destroyed her own planet and species so her sister couldn’t with the civil war for the throne, and Jadis still blames her sister for making her destroy the world.
Jadis also had other terrifying powers in MN, like super strength, telepathy, and turning things into dust.
Reply to Sam Victors
I have in fact read Magician’s Nephew, but it doesn’t change what happens in Wardrobe.
SunlessNick
Audiences automatically sympathize with the underdog in any conflict because their victory is the more interesting outcome.
That’s why I always roll my eyes at stories where Batman uses Kryptonite the defeat Superman being held up as great triumphs of humanity against the godlike alien. The whole point of Kryptonite is to make Superman the underdog this time round, so the interesting story would be one where his powers are countered by the green rock, but he defeats Batman *anyway* via ingenuity (where Batman is clearly the Goliath).
Reply to SunlessNick
This is particularly true if the story is written by someone like Frank Miller, who’s got such an enormous hard-on for Batman.
What’s baffling about the Runaways show is that in the original comic the parents were superpowered, whether by alien/mutant genes, magic, tech, time travel, or just money and connections. So making the parents normal in the show makes no sense.
Reply to Innocent Bystander
That is a very strange choice. I haven’t read the comics, but that’s cool to know!
JackbeThimble
I loved the Umbrella academy so I made up a headcanon that Hazel and Cha cha have minor superpowers from some unidentified source. There’s a couple places where they survive things that no normal human should plausibly be able to survive but I really just have no idea what the writers were thinking here. It would have been so easy to just have a scene where they explain that all the evil organizations assassins receive cybernetic modifications that make them super-durable and increase their reflexes and that would have made it all kosher (though they should also have fleshed out the hero’s powers a bit to give them reasons why they wouldn’t just be easily shot- maybe Diego has stupid-fast reflexes and Luther is actually bullet proof). As it is there’s actually a scene where Hazel and Cha Cha are both completely unarmed and yet Diego and Luther run away from them for no discernable reason despite having already established that, even armed, the two are barely a match for the superheroes.
Reply to JackbeThimble
Rose Embolism
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe works better if you change the genre from fantasy to horror. The entire world was created by Aslan, so every awful thing that happens is due to his will. In this perspective, the White Witch is a desperate if ruthless fredom fighter, futily trying to break the horrifying reality Aslan created. It just needs a very interpretive reading of the text.
Reply to Rose Embolism
I am always here for headcanons where the White Witch is the hero.
SPOILERS ahead on Umbrella Academy (2019), Guardians of the Galaxy volume 2 (2017) and Rick and Morty (2013-present):
Hazel and Cha Cha are an exception.
First, because the serie’s creators needed them to become, at the very least likeable, as Hazel will become a deuteragonist whose antagonist is Cha Cha herself (a tenser arc);
Secondly, because the teleporter has a bug in his ability at that specific moment (diablo ex machina) and needs to keep his love interest safe (his own weak point); — LEAST ACCURATE SCENARIO
Then, because the strong-man has lost proper control of his body, losing to Hazel’s technique who leaves the scene to regroup. Failure frightened both villains, unused to such; — MOST ACCURATE SCENARIO
Finally, because this show is a comedy, whose purpose is to show how toxic families can make the most useful powers useless, since:
a) they don’t miss their necromancer SIBLING absent (never cared about him — a worse case than Gamora and Nebula in MCU);
b) their disconection constantly mislead them;
c) Diego’s a lousy detective, because he forgets of the “child” in a crime scene and eventually gets his former partner killed because of his indiference towards his brother (cited in point a); — DIEGO’S THE WORST ASSHOLE
d) They don’t even solve the plot, since they need to “reset” — travel to the past, creating another dimension, a la Rick and Morty;
Proving their major antagonist were themselves as a family.
The rules of Mythcreants can usually be bent by comedy.
Reply to Nite
Sorry for the “freak”, I lacked words then.
“What I do know is that beings who are all-good and all-powerful rarely make good heroes, since they don’t have to struggle for anything.”
What do you think of Captain Marvel (2019)?
That’s okay, I edited your comment slightly to remove it.
We thought it was quite good. Marvel style fighting has gotten pretty old for us, but it’s not any worse than most MCU movies in that regard, and better than many.
The dialogue and character interactions are excellent though, Brie Larson is a delight, and she has great chemistry with Jackson. Also the cat is cute.
While I agree with most of what you said, I think Carol Denver is too overpowered. I did the same criticism on Thanos. Many heroes on that movie had conditions to defeat him (and didn’t because plot) whereas nobody had a chance against Captain Marvel.
SPOILER on Captain Marvel:
She didn’t have any internal weakness to be used either. The amnesia was just a minor setback, an external one. I think the third act ruined the movie because of this.
About Nick Fury, I think he was a wasted opportunity. Although Sam and Brie worked well together (I can’t believe haters criticized her acting), his character lost the groundness he had in earlier movies. Fury could easily be exchanged by Coulson and it wouldn’t make much of a difference, which I consider an inconsistence, given both characters are essentially different — in the movies, I didn’t watch Agents of Shield (2013-present).
Since Captain Marvel is set in the 90s, doesn’t that mean Fury is a good deal younger than in the other movies? Can’t that be a reason for him being less grounded?
Fury isn’t much in AoS, it’s a TV production which can’t afford an actor like Samuel L. Jackson long-term.
Spoilers to The Avengers (2008):
Although Fury’s younger, he’s still a senior to Coulson, meaning he has baggage enough to look less newbie than he does. By grounded, I mean, more serious, more stoic which was pretty much the base for the character.
I thought so about Fury being little in AoS, but I meant about Coulson. As I don’t watch the series and this character is a great deal there, I may not grasp the changes he’s been through since “dying” in The Avengers.
Well, Coulson has been through a lot in the course of AoS. In the first two seasons alone, he lost his job (when Hydra took over SHIELD), learned he was only alive because of icky alien DNA, lost his hand to an axe (although, admittedly, the other option would have been turning to stone completely), and became acting head of SHIELD. He also had to start figuring out the whole inhuman topic when Skye/Daisy/Quake got her powers.
I meant to comment on the part about the White Witch days ago, but I was busy and had to figure out whether to watch The Good Place or Steven Universe first. But now I’m ready to ramble! It’s storytime.
When I was little, I loved the Narnia books. During winter, I looked for tunnels in the snow to Narnia, hoping to go on magical adventures. But…it’d be the understatement of the decade to say that all the religious allegory flew over my head like a dragon. It was years and years before I finally looked back at the books and realized, ‘this is what it’s supposed to be?’ I felt…I don’t know…cheated isn’t really the best word. Betrayed, maybe?
Yet even back then when I was little, these tiny, often subtle things about it bothered me, even though I didn’t understand it or wasn’t really aware of it. Since I’m a list-y sort of person, I made a list of all thirteen.
1) The fact that Santa Claus, of all people, gives weapons to children, and how the children basically become child soldiers like it’s some kind of crusade. Plus the line ‘wars are ugly when women fight’. Ergh.
2) Oren’s mention of the ‘deep and deeper magic’ made me remember how I was both bemused by it and frustrated that it was never explained nor mentioned beforehand.
3) More importantly, I did not understand Aslan’s death in the first book at all, or, more to the point, what it represented. I’m not sure if my mum ever did try to explain it, but I’m kind of thinking she didn’t. Either way, something about it felt so…off…to me. I read it over and over again, trying to figure it out.
4) The way Alsan excludes the children one by one as they grow older, and to me it was like he was saying, ‘you can never again be innocent, or act like a child–that door is closed forever’. Likewise, the realization that from Susan’s perspective, her entire family died, leaving her alone, to face all the pressures of society, hit me so hard. The fact that it’s left ambiguous whether she “made it” to Narnia/Heaven makes it so much worse.
5) Aslan brutally clawing a girl’s back in The Horse in His Boy. When people do that sort of thing, they get called ‘sick’, ‘twisted’, and other names. When Aslan does that, it’s because of…reasons, I guess. Omniscient Morality Licensing 101? But joking aside, this is one, if not the biggest reason why I’m not a follower of religion–I can’t willingly believe in a god who’s followers say it’s wrong to do certain things, but it’s okay for him/his followers to do so, claiming to be merciful and loving, all while displaying angry, wrathful, cruel, and sadistic traits. [I’m not atheist or agnostic, either, but that’s another story for another day.]
6) The implication that there are animals in Narnia who are not as intelligent as the talking ones, and that it somehow makes it okay to eat them.
7) Never fully explaining why the White Witch wanted eternal winter, or where she came from, or anything.
The whole ‘Garden of Eden’ and witch = snake mess in The Magician’s Nephew, and snakes = bad. Also, wolves = bad. I happen to like both a lot, especially in my favourite mythological stories. Speaking of snakes, the Green Witch from The Silver Chair–her motives, or lack thereof, always bothered me.
9) Speaking of The Silver Chair, Aslan acting like some kind of CIA monitor, and getting angry at/frightening the children for disobeying him, puzzled me exceedingly when I was small.
10) All of the implications of how Narnia time’ works, from the protagonists from the first book being sent back to their world without warning, mentally adults while stuck in child bodies and having years and years of memories to boot, to how every time they go back to Narnia, all their friends have been dead for centuries.
11) The fact that the…ahem…’Middle Eastern mash-up’ Calormenes’ are the bad guys, racist overtones and all. But even worse is that the children are not only expected, but encouraged to kill them, and do so. It’s so disturbing, I’m writhing inside while writing this.
12) The Calormenes’ god, Tash, is basically intended to be a Satanic figure. Little me looked at the illustrations of that raven headed four armed creature in my copy of The Last Battle, and thought, ‘wow, that looks awesome. I want to find out more.’ Then I read the book, and in my continual confusion, thought, ‘What is it, and why is everyone so afraid of it?’ I had no idea of the concept of cosmic evil until much later, and it makes just as little sense to me now. Fun fact: When I was little and back in the days when I went to church, I mixed up Satan with satin, and when I saw a box marked something like ‘Purple Satin’, I was terribly confused. I never told anyone about that until now.
13) Building on that, pretty much everything about The Last Battle, from Aslan only preserving the “good bits” of Narnia and only accepting/resurrecting those who love him into new Narnia/Heaven, then letting all the rest be destroyed, to the points I mentioned above, to me wondering whether Susan’s insistence that Narnia wasn’t real was her simply trying to cope. What kind of a god is this?
To say that I have a complicated relationship with these books is yet another huge understatement. Ironically, when I read The Dark Materials, I had similar problems with those books, too, despite them apparently supposed to be a direct counterattack to Narnia [according to the author]…and have similar sexist and class-ist parts, if not more. I found an interesting little review on the subject: http://reason.com/archives/2008/02/26/a-secular-fantasy
Still, having a daemon would be awesome.
I guess if I learned one thing from the Narnia books, it was: ‘don’t write books just to shove your personal views at people’. But, of course, that’s far easier said than done.
Now I’m off to watch The Good Place.
Reply to Tifa
The Good Place is indeed a wonderful show, excellent choice!
I can’t say even I thought about the Narnia books that thoroughly when I was a kid, although I found Aslan’s death really confusing. Like, I didn’t get why he had to do it, or how he came back. Now I get it, I just don’t like it.
It really amazes me when people say this of the Narnia books. I mean, I guess it’s not ACTUALLY weird. It’s just that when I read them as a little kid, I went to Sunday school every week, and although my family wasn’t that religious, my friends’ families at the time were dedicated baptists… So it was 100 % OBVIOUS to me on reading them that OK, Aslan is another incarnation of God, obvs he’s got to die for people’s sins in Narnia as well as on Earth (so note my comment above: I don’t object to Aslan being Christ, I just thought it was an in-universe LITERAL thing rather than an allegory).
I was surprised to first realize that other kids apparently read this books and they’re like “how weird that this lion had to die”, and then, EVENTUALLY, “WTF are these books religious? I feel so cheated!”
Not everyone is deep in Christianity, though, and not everyone would immediately connect some kids books to the bible.
I didn’t have any Sunday school and my parents and other relatives (or family friends) weren’t religious, so apart from two hours of religion class in school (here in Germany), I had no easy reference to Christianity. It’s quite likely a lot of kids who read the books (and parents who read them to their kids pre-internet age) wouldn’t have spotted the connection. And, thus, have wondered about Aslan.
Yeah I didn’t mean that kids who don’t get it are stupid or anything, since obviously people grow up with very different frames of reference. I was just surprised to realize that there are, maybe TONS of kids, for whom a) the whole dying-and-coming-back-thing was just strange, and also b) felt cheated when they understood the books are religious.
Particularly the “feeling cheated” part is something I’ve actually heard from a bunch of people (although maybe not on this particular site).
Although I realize now that I often didn’t get socialist allegory as a kid (we had tons of this in Swedish children entertainment). Like I had this children’s book about mice working hard in a mouse trap factory owned by a cat. Stuff like that. I just thought it was a weird story.
I forgot to mention that I didn’t learn the story of Jesus’ death [most of it at Bible Camp, with rather graphic descriptions] until quite awhile after I read the Narnia books, if I recall correctly.
In a rather interesting twist of synchronicity, I just finished watching the movie of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe fifteen minutes ago. In spite of all my problems with the overall story, I still had fun watching it.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3368
|
__label__wiki
| 0.716134
| 0.716134
|
by nationscoops 11th January 2021, 10:57 AM 190 Views
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, reportedly lost a total of $900 million within 24 hours on Friday, January 8, after his company Dangote Industries Limited emerged the biggest loser at the end of trading on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dangote’s wealth reportedly fell from $18.4bn on Thursday to $17.5bn on Friday, making him the 114th wealthiest man in the world, down from 106th the previous day.
The report also showed that Dangote’s net worth had risen from $15.5bn on December 13 to close the year 2020 at $17.8bn. He further gained $600 million within the first week of 2021 but lost all of it and more last Friday.
The share price of Dangote Cement Plc, the country’s biggest listed company, and Africa’s largest cement producer, reportedly tumbled by 8.13 percent to close at N225 on Friday from N244.90 on Thursday.
Despite the loss, Dangote still maintained a place among the list of 500 billionaires across the world at No. 114 and retained his position as Africa’s richest person as of Friday.
“The majority of Dangote’s fortune is derived from his 86 per cent stake in publicly-traded Dangote Cement. He holds the shares in the company directly and through his conglomerate, Dangote Industries,” Bloomberg said.
His most valuable closely held asset is a fertiliser plant with capacity to produce up to 2.8 million tonnes of urea annually, according to the international news agency.
“A $12bn oil refinery that is currently being developed in Nigeria isn’t included in the valuation because it’s not yet operational and construction costs are calculated to outweigh its current value,” it said.
Previous article Parler social network drops offline after Amazon pulls support
Written by nationscoops
↯Nation Scoops specializes in reporting on global news stories—including politics, entertainment, faith, business
Parler social network drops offline after Amazon pulls support
Pelosi says House will call on Pence to invoke 25th Amendment before proceeding with impeachment
in America, News
President-elect Biden pushes for $2000 ‘stimulus checks’ for Americans
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un elected as general secretary of ruling party
in Web
Any pastor who wants first fruit should go and plant it — OAP Daddy Freeze
More From: Business
by nationscoops 10th January 2021, 9:58 AM
Elon Musk says that the riots were the result of a ‘domino effect’ stemming from the social network’s creation
by nationscoops 9th January 2021, 10:48 AM
Elon Musk dethrones Jeff Bezos as the world’s richest person
Alibaba’s Jack Ma loses $11 billion in two months amid Chinese crackdown
We still don’t understand why COVID-19 numbers rank so low in Africa
by nationscoops 26th December 2020, 9:47 AM
Why hell is so horrible – Man who spent 23 minutes in hell shares his story
by nationscoops 3rd January 2021, 1:43 PM
Dangote’s alleged ex-sidechick gets called out by another lady claiming she’s dating the billionaire
by nationscoops 2nd January 2021, 9:36 AM
Rapper Mase returns to pulpit as new senior pastor of The Gathering Oasis Church
Hip Hop rapper Mase returned to the pulpit to lead a church organisation called The Gathering Oasis Church in Atlanta. Mason Betha was pastoring El Elyon International Church in Atlanta more than a decade ago before leaving to attempt a rap comeback. In 2014 he then left the church after his long-suffering wife Twyla Betha‘s divorce filing angered […] More
in End Times, Faith
23 Minutes in Hell: One Man’s Story About What He Saw, Heard, and Felt in Hell. More
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3371
|
__label__wiki
| 0.566814
| 0.566814
|
Spermatozoal Sensitivity
Our paper published in Nature Communications describes the impacts that experimental heatwave conditions have on reproductive biology in a model insect system. Here, I provide some additional background to the research, outline the main findings, and add thoughts for future work.
Matthew Gage
Professor, University of East Anglia
The paper in Nature Communications is here: go.nature.com/2DDvQit
Reproductive biologists have long known that male fertility and sperm function can be extra-sensitive to temperature. Evolution wouldn’t allow important organs producing such vital cells in so many species to hang so vulnerably if there wasn’t a significant benefit to their externalization. In fact, a wealth of research since the start of last Century, mainly on warm-blooded mammals (including humans), has shown that environmental or experimental warming by even a few degrees can cause declines in sperm quality and male ability to fertilise. We don’t really know why sperm cells are so vulnerable to temperature, but their highly specialized function probably has a lot to do with it: not many eukaryotic cells have to individually navigate through a non-self (and sometimes hazardous) environment and transport a perfectly-packaged code for new life to the ovum –often in competition with rival sperm.
Despite the wealth of work on fertility in warm-blooded species, which can buffer their body temperatures against environmental variation, scant attention has been paid to the impacts of thermal variation on reproduction in ‘cold-blooded’ ectotherms. Drosophila fruit flies are the exception: fly-flippers are well aware that the upper temperature when populations become non-viable is also the point at which males also become sterile. This lack of knowledge for ectothermic taxa seems an important gap: most of life on Earth is cold blooded – and most terrestrial species are insects.
Given this knowledge on heat and male fertility but neglect for ectotherms, it also seems relevant to explore how temperature affects reproduction in cold-blooded species because Earth’s climate is changing at an unnaturally fast rate, and heatwave events are predicted to be more frequent and extreme. We know that biodiversity is responding to climate change, with thousands of studies confirming this in one way or another, and we know that insect numbers are crashing, but we understand remarkably little about the particular mechanisms driving population declines. This isn’t too surprising, because the natural environment, especially when it’s changing unnaturally, is a very complex place. We therefore decided to examine in detail how heatwaves affected reproduction through an experimental approach under controlled conditions in the laboratory, and using a model insect system to inform us about what might be going on in nature. Insects are critical players in almost every terrestrial ecosystem, and ‘To a rough approximation, and setting aside vertebrate chauvinism, it can be said that essentially all organisms are insects.’ (Robert May (1988) Science).
Red flour beetle adults
The red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum is a truly tractable lab model, which has taught us a lot about reproduction. The beauty of the Tribolium system is that it is very amenable to very well replicated and tightly controlled experiments, and many protocols are established for measuring the dynamics of mating behaviour, reproductive fitness, paternity, egg count and hatch, sperm count and viability, and sperm migration in vivo through the female tract.
Our basic approach was to expose mature adult beetles to experimental heatwaves lasting five days at temperatures 5 to 7oC above this species’ optimum for reproduction, and then examine subsequent impacts on offspring output and reproductive biology. Since the thermal optimum for T. castaneum is 35oC, heatwaves ran at 40 to 42oC. It’s worth noting that these temperatures have been exceeded in the natural environment in half the world’s countries over recent years. The study ran across a number of years as we ran different assays through a strong and collaborative research team to build up a picture of how heatwaves impacted on reproduction in our model system.
Kris Sales and Ram Vasudeva starting an experiment
Our findings consistently showed that heatwaves damaged male reproductive potential, but not female. After a 42oC heatwave, male reproductive performance (including sperm competitiveness) halved, while female offspring output remained unchanged. Following a second heatwave, males became almost completely sterile. Although female offspring production was unaffected per se, we found that inseminated sperm within the female tract storage sites were vulnerable and damaged by heatwave conditions, reducing a female’s subsequent fertility by a third.
Further in vivo and in vitro measures confirmed that the decline in male reproductive performance was sperm-specific. Although male mating frequency decreased following a heatwave, males still mated at a rate that we know is normally sufficient to give females full fertility, and all matings resulted in some sperm transfer. However, egg laying and hatch rate following mating with heatwave-exposed males were greatly reduced. The number of sperm ejaculated within each spermatophore decreased by 75% following male heatwave exposure and, of these fewer sperm inseminated, less than one third were still alive. Finally, in vivo measures within the female using males from a strain modified to carry green fluorescence in their sperm chromatin (GFP beetles generously provided by colleagues at Syracuse University), revealed that heatwave exposure limited sperm migration in the female tract and entry into the fertilization set. The female reproductive tracts illustrated here show one following a normal mating, and the other (on the right) after the female has mated with a male previously exposed to a heatwave.
GFP sperm within the female reproductive tract following mating with control (left) and heatwaved (right) male
We therefore found detailed evidence for how experimental heatwaves damage sperm function and fertility in an ectotherm system. However, on top of these direct impacts on reproductive output, we also found some unexpected transgenerational effects. Offspring from fathers – or sperm stored in females – that had previously experienced heatwaves, showed reductions in lifespan by about 20%. And sons whose fathers – or fertilizing sperm - had experienced heatwaves, also showed lower reproductive ability, achieving fewer matings and paternity when given access to receptive females, compared with non-heatwaved fathers or sperm.
An individual spermatozoon of T. castaneum
This work reveals that sperm are very sensitive to heat: environmentally-relevant experimental heatwaves damage sperm function, leading to reduced fertility and a decline in offspring performance. Although we do not yet know how this sensitivity affects population viability in nature, damage to such an important fitness trait provides one possible explanation for declines in natural populations as they struggle to survive and reproduce in the face of rapid environmental change and degradation.
What more do we need to know about this spermatozoal sensitivity? Although our beetle represents huge numbers of tropical insects, we’d like to know whether this sensitivity exists in other insect systems like butterflies and key pollinators, and more broadly across other invertebrates and into ‘cold blooded’ vertebrates like fish. And we’d also like to know whether temperate taxa are more sensitive than our tropical model?
Mechanistically, we’d like to know more about the timespan of fertility damage following heatwave conditions, and whether different developmental stages (such as through metamorphosis when major gametogenesis rearrangements can occur) are more or less sensitive
Evolutionarily, we need to measure how quickly and far populations can adapt to novel thermal regimes, so we are using experimental evolution to answer this question. We’d especially like to understand more about the transgenerational impacts we see following heatwave exposure to spermatozoa, and whether this arises though DNA damage, with possible consequences for our own species?
And environmentally, we want to measure the longer-term population consequences of this fertility sensitivity, both in the lab and natural environment. We’d like to explore how reproductive damage interacts with other stressors such as habitat degradation, inbreeding, interspecific competition and disease. Funded PhD opportunities exist right now in our group at UEA to tackle some of these questions. Contact us at m.gage@uea.ac.uk
Team Tribolium on a campus walk
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3374
|
__label__wiki
| 0.569244
| 0.569244
|
Publications of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2004 to 2008
Antennas, quantum optics and near-field microscopy
Vahid Sandoghdar, Mario Agio, Xue-Wen Chen, Stephan Götzinger, Kwang-Geol Lee
Optical Antennas 100-121 (2013) | Book Chapter
The atom is the most elementary constituent of any model that describes the quantum nature of light–matter interaction. Because atoms emit and absorb light at well-defined frequencies, nineteenth century scientists thought of them as collections of harmonically oscillating electric dipole moments or EHDs. In the language of modern physics, the latter represent dipolar transitions among the various quantum mechanical states of an atom. In a strict definition, the field of quantum optics deals with problems that not only require the quantization of matter but also of the electromagnetic field, with examples such as (i) generation of squeezed light or Fock states, (ii) strong coupling of an atom and a photon, (iii) entanglement of a photon with an atom and (iv) Casimir and van der Waals forces. There are also many other important topics that have been discussed within the quantum optics community but do not necessarily require a full quantum electrodynamic (QED) treatment. Examples are (i) cooling and trapping of atoms, (ii) precision spectroscopy and (iii) modification of spontaneous emission. The simple picture of a TLS as an EHD remains very insightful and valuable to this day. Indeed, much of what we discuss in this chapter has to do with the interplay between the quantum and classical mechanical characters of dipolar oscillators. For instance, the extinction cross-section of a TLS, given by 3λ2/2π, can be derived just as well using quantum mechanics [70] or classical optics [234]. Another example, albeit more subtle, concerns the spontaneous emission rate.
Observation of acoustically induced modulation instability in a Brillouin photonic crystal fiber laser
Birgit Stiller, Thibaut Sylvestre
OPTICS LETTERS 38(9) 1570-1572 (2013) | Journal
We report the experimental observation of self-induced modulation instability (MI) in a Brillouin fiber laser made with a solid-core photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with strong anomalous dispersion. We identify this MI as the result of parametric amplification of optical sidebands generated by guided acoustic modes within the core of the PCF. It is further shown that MI leads to passive harmonic mode locking and to the generation of a picosecond pulse train at a repetition rate of 1.15 GHz which matches the acoustic frequency of the fundamental acoustic mode of the PCF. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America
Experimental Observation of Discrete Solitons in a Temporal Photonic Lattice
Martin Wimmer, Alois Regensburger, Christoph Bersch, Mohammad-Ali Miri, Georgy Onishchukov, Demetrios N. Christodoulides, Ulf Peschel
Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (2013)
We report the first experimental observation of solitons propagating in discrete steps through a temporal photonic lattice, which is implemented in a fiber-loop setup. Stable propagation over fifty coupling lengths is achieved.
Scalar and vector modulational instability induced by parametric resonance in periodically tapered PCFs
Andrea Armaroli, Maxime Droques, Arnaud Mussot, Alexandre Kudlinski, Fabio Biancalana
We analyze the modulational instability process induced by periodic variations of the parameters of a PCF along the propagation direction, induced by an analogue of the parametric resonance in mechanics. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America
Diffractive resonant radiation by spatial solitons in waveguide arrays
Truong X. Tran, Fabio Biancalana
2013 CONFERENCE ON AND INTERNATIONAL QUANTUM ELECTRONICS CONFERENCE LASERS AND ELECTRO-OPTICS EUROPE (CLEO EUROPE/IQEC) (2013)
Two techniques for temporal pulse compression in gas-filled hollow-core kagome photonic crystal fiber
K. F. Mak, J. C. Travers, N. Y. Joly, A. Abdolvand, P. St. J. Russell
OPTICS LETTERS 38(18) 3592-3595 (2013) | Journal
We demonstrate temporal pulse compression in gas-filled kagome hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (PCF) using two different approaches: fiber-mirror compression based on self-phase modulation under normal dispersion, and soliton effect self-compression under anomalous dispersion with a decreasing pressure gradient. In the first, efficient compression to near-transform-limited pulses from 103 to 10.6 fs was achieved at output energies of 10.3 mu J. In the second, compression from 24 to 6.8 fs was achieved at output energies of 6.6 mu J, also with near-transform-limited pulse shapes. The results illustrate the potential of kagome-PCF for postprocessing the output of fiber lasers. We also show that, using a negative pressure gradient, ultrashort pulses can be delivered directly into vacuum. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America
Amplification of realistic Schrodinger-cat-state-like states by homodyne heralding
Amine Laghaout, Jonas S. Neergaard-Nielsen, Ioannes Rigas, Christian Kragh, Anders Tipsmark, Ulrik L. Andersen
PHYSICAL REVIEW A 87(4) 043826 (2013) | Journal
We present a scheme for the amplification of Schrodinger cat states that collapses two smaller states onto their constructive interference via a homodyne projection. We analyze the performance of the amplification in terms of fidelity and success rate when the input consists of either exact coherent state superpositions or of photon-subtracted squeezed vacua. The impact of imprecise homodyne detection and of impure squeezing is quantified. We also assess the scalability of iterated amplifications. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.87.043826
The photonic wheel - demonstration of a state of light with purely transverse angular momentum
P. Banzer, M. Neugebauer, A. Aiello, C. Marquardt, N. Lindlein, T. Bauer, G. Leuchs
JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN OPTICAL SOCIETY-RAPID PUBLICATIONS 8 13032 (2013) | Journal
In classical mechanics, a system may possess angular momentum which can be either transverse (e.g. in a spinning wheel) or longitudinal (e.g. for a spiraling seed falling from a tree) with respect to the direction of motion. However, for light, a typical massless wave system, the situation is less versatile. Photons are well-known to exhibit intrinsic angular momentum which is longitudinal only: the spin angular momentum defining the polarization and the orbital angular momentum associated with a spiraling phase front. Here we show that it is possible to generate a novel state of the light field that contains purely transverse angular momentum, the analogue of a spinning mechanical wheel. We realize this state by tight focusing of a polarization tailored light beam and measure it using an optical nano-probing technique. Such a novel state of the light field can find applications in optical tweezers and spanners where it allows for additional rotational degree of freedom not achievable in single-beam configurations so far.
A Simplified Implementation of the Bubble Analysis of Biopolymer Network Pores
Stefan Muenster, Ben Fabry
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL 104(12) 2774-2775 (2013) | Journal
Nonlinear intermodal interactions in gas-filled hollow-core photonic crystal fibre
Francesco Tani, John C. Travers, Philip St. J. Russell
The emission of pressure-tunable ultra-violet dispersive waves into higher-order modes of a gas-filled kagome-PCF is experimentally and numerically demonstrated. Numerical evidence of a balance between Kerr-driven self-focusing and plasma-defocusing is also presented.
Chekhova Research Group
Del'Haye Research Group
Fattahi Research Group
Genes Research Group
C. Marquardt Research Group
Singh Research Group
Stiller Research Group
Viola-Kusminskiy Research Group
TDSU 2 - Optical Technologies
TDSU 3 - Fibre Fabrication
TDSU 3 - Glass Studio
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3375
|
__label__wiki
| 0.878366
| 0.878366
|
Nigeria: People on the move in Borno
Nearly two million people have been displaced by the conflict between Boko Haram and the Nigerian armed forces in the northeast of the country. Some of them have already lived for years in their temporary homes. Others are on the move from one place to another. The situation is concerning and the vulnerable areas are more widespread in enclaves beyond Borno state’s capital, Maiduguri, in towns such as Banisheikh and Pulka, where our teams are running projects. The current major needs for internally displaced people and returnees in some of these towns are water and shelter.
Nigerian women and children displaced by the conflict between Boko Haram and the Nigerian armed forces fetch water in the town of Banisheikh. © Igor Barbero / MSF
An MSF worker feeds a child in an outpatient therapeutic feeding centre in the northeastern Nigerian town of Banisheikh. © Igor Barbero / MSF
An MSF staff member briefs women who have brought their children to the outpatient therapeutic feeding centre in the northeastern Nigerian town of Banisheikh. © Igor Barbero / MSF
A mother with her two children at a camp for internally displaced people in the northeastern Nigerian town of Pulka. © Igor Barbero / MSF
Displaced people arrive in the town of Pulka, in the northeast of Nigeria. © Igor Barbero / MSF
Eric Boon
Borno State, Nigeria: Part 1 – Simple infrastructure in the combat of preventable disease
Boko Haram fighting displaces millions in Nigeria's Borno state
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3377
|
__label__wiki
| 0.514473
| 0.514473
|
EXPLORE OUR ONE-OF-A-KIND TRAILS
Our trails have become our signature attraction and we are currently working on expanding our offerings, with a goal of ultimately presenting a combined distance of 31km. Like us on Facebook for updates on the opening of our upcoming Hoggs-Hollow, Kennaway, Core and Scorch Trails.
The White Oak Trail The Hawthorne Trail FAT BIKE RENTALS
The White Oak Trail
Suitable for: All ages, including children and active seniors.
Trail conditions: Wide and well-maintained, with hardened smooth surfaces. Excellent/extensive signage and trail markings.
Type of terrain: mostly flat with some gentle hills
Distance, duration and elevation: 1.6 km with some moderate elevation.
The Hawthorne Trail
Suitable for: Fit teens / adults
Trail conditions: Mostly wide, but somewhat more rugged. Mostly firm and stable surfaces. Moderate signage and trail markings.
Type of terrain: flat/hilly
Distance, duration and elevation: 3.1 km, significant elevation.
FAT BIKE RENTALS
There’s no better way to get around the area than on a bike. Speak to your guest attendant to inquire about renting one of our durable all-terrain fat bikes.
Two Hour Ride $30.00
Extended: $15.00/hr
Full day: $65.00
The southern gateway to Algonquin Park is only a short 3km drive away, while its core can be reached in less than 40 minutes. Here, in Canada’s oldest provincial park, you can enjoy the rugged beauty and tranquility of nature that has inspired the likes of Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven to produce some of Canada’s most iconic works of art. Among the most beautiful green spaces on earth, travelers return to Algonquin year after year to experience its inexhaustible wonders.
The park offers explorers over 2,000 crystal clear lakes, 1200km of streams to canoe, 17 interpretive hiking trails through dense forests, challenging mountain-biking paths, excellent fishing, and endless opportunities to view wildlife. It’s not unusual to encounter moose, deer, fox, beaver and a multitude of birds in their own environment. Bring your camera on your trip; you’ll be amazed at the beauty that unfolds. (And be sure to walk the new Tall Pines Trail, a virgin forest of white pines reaching over 100ft high!)
In the heart of Algonquin you’ll find the Visitor’s Centre, which includes educational museums, an artists’ gallery, book and gift store, cafeteria and film screenings on the history of the park. Outside there is a viewing platform with a spectacular panoramic view of the park. At the park’s east gate is the Pioneer Logging Exhibit. A 1.5km walking path, the exhibit is a unique experience of the ingenuity of our fathers and fore fathers.
Meanwhile, at the west end of the park there is an art museum that regularly highlights work by members of the Group of Seven. We recommend the Sunday Creek Cafe at the art museum for a cappuccino!
Just a five minute drive up the road from Nomi Resort you’ll the High Falls Trail. The path follows an old road through a red pine plantation. It then becomes a footpath northward through hardwood forests on the west side of the York River. The trail connects with the first portage on the river, then branches off to a rock point north of High Falls. From the end of the trail, you have a view of the top of the rapids upstream of High Falls, and a view downstream from the falls!
CANOE OR KAYAK
BY WATER
Explore the water edges, sight seeing or just relaxing.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3390
|
__label__wiki
| 0.50947
| 0.50947
|
norfolkgal
Living my best life
TV and Theatre, Uncategorized
Drag Queens rock
February 11, 2016 February 18, 2016 norfolkgal
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
This week we went to Norwich Theatre Royal to see Priscilla Queen of the Desert obviously based on the amazing film made way back when in 1994! I’ve always loved the film, I mean, what’s not to love! Drag queens, colour, music, great costumes and a great cast of Hugo Weaving, Terrance Stamp and the wonder of Guy Pearce. I say wonder because if you’ve seen the film, he makes a phenomenol drag queen.
Priscilla theatre curtain
We had high hopes for the theatre production which on most levels it lived up to. The big name in the show we saw was Jason Donovan playing the main character of Mitz ( Hugo Weaving’s character ). I’d only bought seats upstairs in the circle so we got there in good time because I can’t stand climbing over people to get to your seats. There was a great backdrop of a map on the stage fronted by a giant pink lipstick……and so the show began. The choices of songs were brilliant, many taken from the film but instead of all the references to Abba, these were replaced by Kylie, a more modern choice and a humerous nod to the Jason and Kylie connection. As in the film, Felicia was fantastic, uber sharp and uber camp but unlike the film, Bernadette far surpassed Terrance Stamp’s somewhat stilted performance. I really thought Jason Donovan would knock this performance out of the park but he was so lack lustre, it just didn’t seem like he could be bothered with it. For the main character, he should have stolen the show but he was acted off the stage by every other person which was such a shame. We actually wondered if he was ill or something had happened as it seemed so obvious. He wasn’t in to it. The people sat behind us were talking about leaving in the interval!
Initially I couldn’t get in to it, some bits were quite crude and far more sexual than the film and there’s my problem, I’ve seen the film so many times, I’m too attached to it. All in all though the show was amazing, the second half far more so than the first as the energy level ramped up.
The costumes were AMAZING!!!! Seriously amazing, I mean the film had won an Oscar for Best Costume Design and the theatre production did the original proud, they were just stunning and kept to the authenticity of the film far more than I anticipated. Now obviously, when you’re at the theatre, you are asked to turn off your phones and not take photos, so the following I have nicked off Google!
Despite Mr Donovan’s performance, (we’ll put it down as an off day), I would highly recommend going to see this production as it makes for a great night out and I would definitely go and see it again.
🎤 I’ve been to paradise, but I’ve never been to me🎤
IF you’ve never seen the film, check out the clip below….enjoy!
Published by norfolkgal
View all posts by norfolkgal
Previous postDown in the dumps
Next postSo it’s been a while…
View Catherine Kercher’s profile on Facebook
View Norfolkgal1’s profile on Twitter
View Norfolkgal’s profile on Instagram
View catherine4637’s profile on Pinterest
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3392
|
__label__wiki
| 0.969083
| 0.969083
|
Masks Available
COVID-19 Vulnerable Communities Data Tool
About the ACH
Medicaid Transformation Project
Apply to Join the Board
Tribal Alignment Committee
ACH Partners
Partner Learning Sessions & Convenings
Tribes of the Salish Sea
Tribal Learning
Tribal Health Webinar Series
Regional & State Resources
Health Aides
Care Coordination Agencies
ACH Publications
Data & Evaluation Reports
Outside Data Resources
Opioids & Substance Use Disorder
Documents for Tribal Learning
Youth Sponsorship Program
Home > Uncategorized > Youth Sponsorship Program
Christian and Jewish leaders from the United States have committed to “developing an effective and ongoing national dialogue” during a March 27 summit in New York City.
Among the Christian leaders were the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, former ELCA presiding bishop who co-convened the summit along with Rabbi Steve Gutow, president and CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs.
In a mutually agreed-upon statement, leaders at the summit discussed strategies to strengthen and maintain relationships “even in the face of significant disagreements.”
“We affirm a strong commitment to continue working together on domestic and international issues of common concern. We will aspire to genuine and ongoing dialogue related to Israeli-Palestinian issues, seeking to identify and discuss, in respect and humility, areas of real or potential disagreement and of real and potential cooperation.
“As people of faith we enter the holy season of Easter and Passover to celebrate the gift of our renewed relationship and look to the future to enhance our closeness and our commitment to serve the common good.”
The Jewish and Christian leaders who met today committed to meeting at least annually and to “reconstituting the traditional Jewish-Christian roundtables” suspended in October 2012, after an Oct. 5, 2012 letter by Christin groups calling on Congress to investigate Israel’s use of U.S. military aid.
Other Jewish leaders in attendance were:
Abraham Foxman, national director, Anti-Defamation League
David Harris, executive director, American Jewish Committee
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president, Union of Reform Judaism
Daniel S. Mariaschin, executive vice president, B’nai B’rith International
Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, executive vice president, Rabbinical Assembly
Rabbi Steven C. Wernick, chief executive officer, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Rabbi David Saperstein, director and counsel, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Other Christian leaders were:
The Rev. Geoffrey A. Black, general minister and president, United Church of Christ
The Rev. Gradye Parsons, stated clerk, General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, ecumenical office, Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church
Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins, general minister and president, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada
March 28, 2018 at 1:44 pm Liz Baxter Uncategorized Share via:
North Sound ACH
Address: 1204 Railroad Ave., Suite 200 Bellingham WA 98225
E-mail: info@NorthSoundACH.org
HUB Care Coordination Systems (CCS)
Copyright © 2021. All rights reserved. Designed by WPlook Studio
FOR COVID-19 UPDATES & RESOURCESCLICK HERE
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3394
|
__label__wiki
| 0.782454
| 0.782454
|
Viking Venus, In Search of the Northern Lights from Bergen, February 2, 2021
February 2, 2020 fjord Cruises from Bergen, Northern Europe Cruises 2021, Norwegian Fjords Cruises 2021, Viking Ocean Cruises
AltaBergen February 2021BodøFebruary 2021London TilburyNarvikNortern Lights Cruise NorwayStavangerTromsoViking Cruises Bergen
13-day In Search of the Northern Lights from Bergen to Tilbury on board Viking Venus
Cruising from: Bergen, Norway;
Departure Date: February 2, 2021;
Cruise Line: Viking Ocean Cruises;
Cruise Ship: Viking Venus;
Duration: 13 days;
Ports of Call: Bergen, Narvik, Alta, Tromso, Bodo, Stavanger, London (Tilbury);
Discover the best of Norway and UK with Viking Cruises
Bergen tourist attractions. Bergen is a popular cruise destination and the leading cruise port in Norway, with around 330 cruise ship calls bringing more than 450,000 cruise passengers per year. Cruise ships dock at Skolten, Vagen Harbor, Bergen. Most ships dock[…]
Day 2 – At Sea cruising
Cruising aboard Viking Venus elevates fun at sea to an art form. Viking Venus demonstrates a true mastery of the craft with an onboard collage of fun entertainment for you to enjoy.
Cruising to Narvik, Norway
Narvik tourist attractions. Narvik or Áhkanjárga is the third-largest town and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population, located on the shores of the Ofotfjorden. Narvik is a compact city which is easy to navigate. Tourist info office is on[…]
Cruising to Alta, Norway
Alta tourist attractions. Alta is largest town in Norway’s Finnmark offers winter adventures, northern lights, midnight sun, mountains, Sami culture, reindeer and World heritage rock carvings. Halfway between the grim, barren mountain plateau and the wet, stormy coast, Alta offers[…]
Cruising to Tromso, Norway
Tromso tourist attractions. Tromsø, a city in Norway, is a major cultural hub 350 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. It’s famed as a viewing point for colorful Northern Lights, with a season that last from September throughout March. From 20 May[…]
Cruising to Bodø, Norway
Bodø tourist attractions. Bodø is a town and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Salten and it is the capital of Nordland county. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town[…]
There are plenty of daily activities on board Viking Ocean Cruises to keep you busy. Viking Venus has everything a discerning cruiser could want, bars, sports venues and shops.
Cruising to Stavanger, Norway
Stavanger tourist attractions. Stavanger is the gateway to the Norwegian fjords. The city centre of Stavanger is quite compact, with original dockside warehouses and pretty 18th-century streets climbing up from a bustling harbour, which makes it easy to reach most attractions[…]
Day 11 – At Sea cruising
Each cruise line has their own unique way to pamper you and indulge your senses. There is always something to do onboard Viking cruise ship.
London Tilbury Port, UK
London cruise terminal in Tilbury The London Cruise Terminal at Tilbury is located on the River Thames at Tilbury in Essex, England just 25 miles east of London. The London Cruise Terminal at Tilbury is London’s only deep water purpose-built[…]
Join Viking Ocean Cruises on this cruise In Search of the Northern Lights from Bergen to London Greenwich on board Viking Venus. Visit Bergen, Narvik, Alta, Tromso, Bodo, Stavanger and disembark at London (Tilbury). Viking Venus leaving Bergen, Norway for 13 days from February 2, 2021.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3395
|
__label__wiki
| 0.595198
| 0.595198
|
Thanks for Joining the Newsletter
SELECT NEWSLETTERS AND SUBMIT CONTACT DETAILS…
New chapters Thursdays
Nautilus publishes a new chapter of feature stories on its monthly theme, every Thursday.
Sign up to this list to stay up to date on the latest and greatest.
Editor's picks Sundays
Read about the Nautilus stories and blogs we've been thinking about over the past week.
The Amazing Brain
Something Green
Panpsychism
The Unspoken
In Our Nature
Big Bangs
See Issue Library
Science Practice
Does Theranos Mark the Peak of the Silicon Valley Bubble?
The Smaller the Theater, the Faster the Music
What Time Feels Like When You’re Improvising
A New View of Time
She’ll Text Me, She’ll Text Me Not
When Bad Things Happen in Slow Motion
How I Taught My Computer to Write Its Own Music
Is Artificial Intelligence Permanently Inscrutable?
We Need to Save Ignorance From AI
The Trouble with Theories of Everything
The Strange Brain of the World’s Greatest Solo Climber
Why You Feel the Urge to Jump
Resume Reading — We Need Insects More Than They Need Us
You've read 1 of 2 free monthly articles. Learn More.
Biology Insects
We Need Insects More Than They Need Us
Inside the world of plastic-eating worms, dung-rolling beetles, and agricultural ants..
Kevin Dupzyk By Kevin Dupzyk July 4, 2019
The interconnection of the world is a wonder. Consider the United States Declaration of Independence, says Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson,…By Kevin Dupzyk
The interconnection of the world is a wonder. Consider the United States Declaration of Independence, says Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson, a conservation biologist. It was written with the help of a wasp.
In July, 1776, when Timothy Matlack, a clerk with stately penmanship, copied the bold resolution on parchment, he dipped his pen in ink derived from tannins inside galls, tiny pods or growths, formed on trees. Normally trees produce tannins, an astringent chemical, to help fight infection by invading bacteria. The sour tannins also discourage predators from eating a tree’s fruit. Opportunistic wasps land on trees and secrete chemicals that induce the tree to produce a gall. The wasps then use the galls to shelter their larvae until they hatch. Centuries ago, ingenious human chemists came along and discovered that tannins inside tree galls, mixed with iron sulfates and Arabic gum, produced an ink that penetrated paper and wasn’t easily washed away by moisture like previous inks derived from lamp soot.
“The fact that we have all these writings, drawings, and musical sheets—everything from Bedouin writing to Shakespeare to Beethoven symphonies—written in ink induced by a tiny wasp that most people have never seen and never thought of, is really quite amazing,” says Sverdrup-Thygeson.
The tale of gall wasps is one of the many splendors in Buzz, Sting, Bite: Why We Need Insects, a new book by Sverdrup-Thygeson, a professor of conservation biology at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. It arrives at an auspicious time, as scientists and writers are increasingly drawing attention to the potential for a collapse of insect populations around the world. Sverdrup-Thygeson illuminates the ecological role of insects and challenges the common notion that some insects are useful and the rest are pests. She studied history before biology and brings a historian’s eye to her work.
“History is not so different from ecology because it’s all about seeing the system,” Sverdrup-Thygeson says. “Seeing the connections between the details, the small things, like the species in ecology or the single events in history; and the big picture—the web of life, or how history is developing across continents and across time.”
A BUG LIFE: “When I was a kid, we had a simple cabin in the countryside,” says Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson (above). “No electricity, no water, no TV, no other kids to play with. Whatever I did, there were bugs. If I was reading, there would be insects flying and crawling around me. They just seemed to be a natural part of life, how you’re supposed to grow up.”Courtesy of Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson
I recently caught up with Sverdrup-Thygeson over Skype. She was sitting in one of her daughters’ bedrooms. A Hunger Games T-shirt hung on the wall—appropriate décor for a conversation about the variety of adaptations insects use to compete and survive. Sverdrup-Thygeson listened to my questions with anticipation and eagerness, as if they were rocks on a loamy patch of ground, just begging to be turned over.
In Buzz, Sting, Bite you quote E.O. Wilson: “The truth is that we need invertebrates but they don’t need us. If human beings were to disappear tomorrow, the world would go on with little change… But if invertebrates were to disappear, I doubt that the human species could live more than a few months.” What did Wilson mean?
If all insects were to disappear from today to tomorrow, if they were all gone when you wake up tomorrow, we would all be in big trouble. But the good thing is that insects have been here for 479 million years. They predated the dinosaurs by a wide margin. They were the sole flying creatures for 150 million years. They have survived five mass extinctions already. It’s not like we were going to kill them off, anyway. It’s not like that is something that is at all realistic. Of course, if we blow the entire planet to pieces, they will go, but then we definitely will, too. So they will be here long after we are gone, I think.
The experiment showed females can control what sperm they will later use to fertilize their eggs.
The fact that insects may be going extinct has surfaced in the mainstream press. Not long ago, The New York Times Magazine did an ominous story on it. Does your research point to widespread insect extinction?
There are lots of studies from different places that show dramatic decline, like in Germany and Puerto Rico. We lack the global overview, though, because we only have point data from here and there, and we have very few data that is over time. But it’s pretty sure that they are declining.
I should add that less than 1 percent of the insects that we know have been evaluated for any red list, international or regional. Which means that we really have no idea. If you look at the national red lists, the proportion of threatened insects can be pretty high—30 percent, 40 percent in some cases. A global report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) that came out in May took a very conservative outlook and said at least 10 percent of insects are globally threatened. Well, that’s still more than half a million species!
Remind us why insect extinction is a problem.
When species go extinct, there are two arguments for why that’s a problem. One, of course, is the argument that all species should have a right to living out their strange life potentials, even if they do not have soft hair or big brown eyes or look anything familiar to us at all. I think we are so lucky to be in this one spot in the universe where we know there is life. I think that gives us some sort of responsibility for the other 10 million species remaining on this planet, to actually sort of step down a little so there will also be room for them. And this is, of course, all about ethics and morals, something that each person will have to decide for him or herself.
But then even if you don’t care about that argument, I think it is strange more people don’t care about insects. They are so common—there are between 1 and 10 trillion individuals out there—and they are such an important part of all sorts of ecological processes that go on. A decline in insects that leads to a decline in birds, fish, small game, would certainly influence us. A paper from 2006—old now—estimated the annual value of the ecosystem services of recreation and wildlife watching, provided by primarily native insects in the United States, to be worth $50 billion. And there are other ecosystem services. According to the IPBES, the abundance and species diversity of wild pollinating species are declining, even as the cultivation of crops that require pollination has tripled in the last 40 years.
So if a lot of them disappear, if we have large changes in their population or their communities, it is pretty sure that that will have knock-on effects on larger species, including us.
You call insects “strange, beautiful, and bizarre.” Tell us about their beauty.
If you look at insects close up, they’re amazing. If you look at the scales on the wing of a butterfly, it’s just incredible. You have these tiny beetles or wasps that are really metallic, colorful, like little jewels. And these things fly around you! But there’s a lot of beauty in the way insects are built and the way they live their lives. A strange beauty. The fact that a fly can live for several days without its head. That’s sort of a brutal beauty, maybe, but it’s incredibly fascinating that they have tiny brains throughout their body, or in several parts of their body, so that several functions can work if they are beheaded. Insects have so many weird and wonderful ways to live: Ears on their legs, like the bush crickets; the fact that some butterflies, some moths, have ears in their mouths to better be able to detect bats. Once you get up close to all these strange adaptations, you will see a lot of beauty.
BEAUTIFUL CREATURES: “Insects are incredibly beautiful,” says Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson. A species of jewel bug, Chrysocoris stollii (above), found throughout Southeast Asia, are a perfect example, she says. “You have these metallic little jewels flying around you! I think there’s also a strange beauty in the way insects are built and the way they live their lives.”Digital Images Studio / Shutterstock
Do you focus on a specific species?
My pure research is with deadwood insects: Insects that live in dead trees and hollow trees. Right now we are looking into how fungi and insects cooperate in this sort of janitor work that they’re doing out in nature, decomposing deadwood. The fungi have spores that will be blown by the wind in all directions—they don’t have any sort of directional dispersal—so they gain a lot by hitchhiking with a beetle, getting stuck on their side or in the gut. The beetle flies to a new and recently dead tree, which is right where this fungi wants to be, too. And that’s actually an advantage to the beetle, also, to have fungi along, because the fungi can break down some of these compounds that the insects have a hard time breaking down themselves. It’s a win-win thing, is our hypothesis.
Why is decomposing deadwood significant?
Otherwise, all those nutrients would be locked up in that dead biomass, especially in a forest. With trees being big plants, they have a lot of nutrients locked in. That’s the reason why, at least in the forests over here in Norway—and it’s probably not that different in other places—you will find almost one-third of all the species that live in the forest in the deadwood. A bit more than 20,000 species, and 6,000 or 7,000 of them are associated with deadwood. That’s not just insects, that’s fungi as well. And the rest of them, pretty much, are in the soil. So that’s really where you find the diversity: In the brown food web, in the decomposing organic material.
Honeybees can recognize human faces, even though their brains are the size of a sesame seed.
This sounds like a remarkable example of cooperation in nature—survival of the cooperative. Can you give us another example of cooperation that involves insects and benefits an ecosystem?
Well, 5 percent of all plants on this planet have their seeds dispersed by insects. And it’s usually ants. But the coolest example would be this bush from the southern hemisphere, from the African continent. It produces seeds that both look like and smell like the dung of an antelope, one of these animals that live in the same area. That is sort of a strange thing, because normally you would think that smelly seeds are a bad idea. You don’t really want to advertise, “Here are my seeds!” So researchers studied this, and they figured it would be a rodent or something that would come for these seeds. But it actually turned out it was a dung beetle, one of these big beetles that you see rolling dung along. And the thing is, it seems like the dung beetles are actually fooled into believing the seeds are dung. So they come and start rolling the seeds away, just like they would with antelope dung. And they actually also start digging a hole in the ground and put the seed into it. If it was dung, they would then lay eggs into it. But researchers found they didn’t do that! So probably the beetle realizes that she has been fooled, so she doesn’t lay eggs on it and she doesn’t eat it. But the plant has achieved what it really wants, which is to get the seed carried away a certain distance from the mother plant—and even planted!
What experiment has struck you as particularly ingenious in helping us to understand insects?
There was an experiment done by a female entomologist to look into the fight between the sexes when it comes to who has the upper hand during mating. Males can have these really weird looking male organs that are sometimes meant to hurt the female so that she won’t be able to mate with more males; they often stay attached so that she can’t go off and mate with anyone else. And for a long time—and maybe because it was mostly males who were entomologists, as with all researchers—all this research into the sexual selection and reproduction in insects were focused on that perspective.
Then this female entomologist came along and designed this brutal but ingenious experiment with mealworms—males and females, two groups. She split both of those groups in two. Half of the males, she starved, so they would look like genetically bad individuals—not very attractive for having as a dad for your kids. And the others were normal. And then with the females, half she did nothing with, and the other half she killed. Then she put these males and the females together in equal ratios. The beetles mated in equal proportion—the males will mate with the dead females just as well as the living females.
You would expect that in the females, you would find equal amounts of sperm from strong and sexy males and from the weak, unwanted males, right? That’s what they found in the dead females. But in the living females, they found a much higher proportion of the sperm from the good fathers, the strong males. So in insects, the female actually keeps the sperm in an internal sperm bank for a while, and then uses it later to fertilize. And the experiment showed that females can actually control what sperm they will use later to fertilize their eggs! This is called “cryptic choice,” and for good reason—because it is cryptic.
The ecosystem services provided by insects in the United States alone is valued at $50 billion.
Many animals “play” in nature, for various evolutionary purposes. Do insects play?
There are some flies that will catch another insect and wrap it up and give it to the female. It’s really courtship behavior, but you could definitely anthropomorphize it into something playful, or romantic, even. Then you have lekking behavior: Males gather in a swarm, in the case of insects, and females come and choose which of the males she will mate with. That’s one of many ways you can have courtship behavior in insects, and there are definitely species that have elaborate rituals. If you look at it, we could interpret it as playful—but I don’t think it is play.
I think playing would demand a higher sort of consciousness than what we can say these creatures have. Although we might be wrong about that! But the life of an insect is pretty much governed by these basic things: eating, reproducing, and avoiding being eaten before you do the other two. So I don’t they would have time for play, just for fun. Everything pretty much has meaning.
The specter of extinction forms a shadow narrative to Buzz Sting Bite. You write about a slide toward “ecological homogeneity.” To be human-centered for a moment, how does that homogeneity affect us?
One example is a poisonous frog from Columbia that the medical industry was very interested in. It had painkiller potential that was really unheard of. Researchers realized when they removed the frog from its habitat that it stopped being poisonous because it was really poisonous because of its diet, because of these beetles that it ate. And this is a beetle and a frog living in the rainforest, and the rainforest is not doing that well in most parts of the world. This frog is pretty much almost extinct already. So we might be losing really interesting potential for medicine.
But sometimes we are so quick at separating species into those that are useful and those that we call pest species. Mealworms lived in my flour in my student flat! These are a really common species. And we call them pest species because we don’t like them. But then it turns out they can digest plastic, which we definitely like. So I think we shouldn’t be so quick to say that these species are useful and these are not. Because that all depends on the perspective. Take ants, for instance. Our agricultural revolution is 10,000 years old. They’ve been doing this for 50 to 100 million years!
Also in Insects
The Philosopher King of the Hoverflies
By Fredrik Sjöberg
As I now live on an island in the sea and am not an expert on anything but hoverflies, we will simply have to start there. In short, my artistic sense remained relatively undeveloped, and my past, as always, caught...READ MORE
How does ant agriculture work?
In different ways. And they do similar stuff—they protect their cows from predators. They’ll chase away ladybugs, because they’d eat the aphids, just like we would chase away the wolf from our sheep. Ants can actually bite off aphids’ wings so they can’t fly away, just like we would do with our geese. And there are even ants that will take the aphids into their anthills in winter to keep them safe through the cold period, take care of them, and then when spring comes they place them out again, on a nearby bush.
Then you have ants and termites that actually grow fungi where they live. You know the leaf-cutter ants? Those are the ones you always see in nature films, that carry little pieces of leaves back to where they live. They don’t eat those leaves. What they do is to chew them up and put them out in their fungal gardens, and then take small pieces of fungi from the old part of the garden to the new part, so that the fungi can grow on these leaves they’ve chewed up. Then the fungi sprouts these specific structures that look a little bit like yarn, and that is food for these leaf-cutter ants. That’s what the entire colony, with millions of individuals, lives from. And they protect this fungi. That’s why ants can be really interesting for us to look to for antibiotics: If another fungi comes in on the surface of an ant, that could easily spread through the entire colony, and it could kill their food fungi, which would be really bad.
So ants are doing amazing things within the agricultural business—things we can definitely learn from. They are able to grow these monocultures—this one fungi! This one species! And that works, and that’s worked for 50 million years! While we humans, we have a problem with our monocultural crops. It doesn’t work too good for us.
Right. Insects are able to do so much that we ourselves cannot. Which begs the question: How much remains unknown?
Oh, lots of things are unknown. This stuff with plastic-eating bugs is completely new. We’ve learned that honeybees can actually recognize human faces, even though their brains are the size of a sesame seed—neurobiologists thought that was impossible with that few cells, and that few synapses between the cells. We don’t really even understand how metamorphosis actually works. That is really quite a mystery. That this larvae changes, turns into this pupa or chrysalis, and then everything is just rebuilt inside there? It’s like if kids were playing with LEGO bricks, took those LEGO bricks and put them into the box, shook it, and then a completely new figure was inside when you opened it up.
Kevin Dupzyk is a writer and editor based in Brooklyn, New York.
Illustrations by Tuva Sverdrup-Thygeson
Lead image: MyStocks / Shutterstock
Insects We Need Insects More Than They Need Us
Health Raising the American Weakling
Psychology Why We’re Patriotic
Raising the American Weakling
By Justin Nobel
Is the Modern Mass Extinction Overrated?
By Kevin Berger
If Bugs Are Sentient, Should We Eat Them?
By Barbara J. King
Nautilus uses cookies to manage your digital subscription and show you your reading progress. It's just not the same without them.
Please sign in to Nautilus Prime or turn your cookies on to continue reading.
Awards and Press
Contact / Work with Us
NAUTILUS: SCIENCE CONNECTED
Nautilus is a different kind of science magazine. We deliver big-picture science by reporting on a single monthly topic from multiple perspectives. Read a new chapter in the story every Thursday.
Get Nautilus Editor's Picks and new articles right to your inbox!
© 2021 NautilusThink Inc, All rights reserved. Matter, Biology, Numbers, Ideas, Culture, Connected
Site by Code and Theory
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3398
|
__label__wiki
| 0.690768
| 0.690768
|
NealsPaper
All Things Entertaining and Cultural
What NealsPaper Strives to Do
Theater Previews
News from the Avenue
Spine– Inis Nua at Lou Bluver Theatre in the Drake
Amy, the narrator and sole character of Clara Brennan’s “Spine,” is one of those late teens that is too cool for her own good.
Observant and expressive, she sees through every flaw, fault, foible, and finagle her family or the world can throw at her. She even comments on her own shortcomings. In that funny manner of the smart kid who doesn’t give a hoot for much, thinks it’s all bollocks anyhow, and just wants to hang out, possibly strung out.
With her rebellious nature, flippant tone, and disdain for all and sundry, Amy is asked to leave places she doesn’t want to be anyway. These include the home where her mother lives with a bloke Amy doesn’t approve of doesn’t totally hate and the hairdresser’s where she worked, mostly sweeping up the hair others cut.
For all of her smarts, Amy is in continuously dire straits. She doesn’t have a home and sleeps in abandoned houses she also pillages. She doesn’t have a partner and refers to her one sexual experience as being so foul, she doesn’t want to copulate again until she’s age 26. She likes robbing convenience stores to get cigarettes and other amenities. She doesn’t a drug or two. Her main occupation is thievery and surviving by her wits.
Brennan paints Amy as the intelligence disenfranchised. The problem is she is sure of her intelligence without having confidence in it or the discipline and tolerance to ply it in exchange for a useful wage. Listening to Amy is entertaining, but Brennan covers ground British and Irish playwrights have mined for decades. We enjoy meeting this sharp-eyed, articulate waif, but she doesn’t seem that original as a dramatic creation, or even in her insights.
“Spine” is enjoyable to a point. Although its lead at Inis Nua, Emily R. Johnson, has a musical voice and knows how and when to break her recitation for emphasis, or to accentuate Amy’s snarky, cynical personality, “Spine” registers more as a narrated story than as a play. Even one grand revelation, promulgated more by Meghan Jones’s set than Brennan’s text, can’t elevate a good shaggy-dog tale into a work of theater.
Brennan certainly provides enough story, and Johnson establishes a character and presents it well but “Spine” remains an exercise in listening to an extended yarn. Its development and dramatic high points are those of prose. Its structure is that of a good short story, one that chronicles a character’s transition and contains some amusing and maturing episodes but doesn’t quite have the movement or wondrous effect of a play.
Narrative drama is tricky. The same monologue can soar in one production and remain leaden in another. Brian Friel’s “The Faith Healer” and several pieces by Conor McPherson have been glories to behold on some occasions and a relentless squirm-a-thon in less skilled hands.
“Spine” doesn’t seem to come up to the level of Friel and McPherson, who can be spellbinders with the right actor intoning their words.
But it’s interesting enough, and Johnson keeps it engaging. You like Amy’s bratlike way of thinking her impression of situations is the only point of view one can go on to understand them. And you like what happens to Amy, whether you’re learning it from a story or experiencing it via theater. Brennan does have a keen way of phrasing, and Johnson is energetic and fluid in relating Amy’s saga. Even if you tune out from the barrage of verbiage here and there, a trick in Johnson’s voice or some portion Amy is eager to tell will bring you back.
For all the grousing and disparaging Amy does at the beginning of “Spine,” Brennan’s tale is less about cultivating an sardonic world view and more about a young person finding herself in a situation that surprisingly suits her and fosters her personal growth in ways home, schools, jobs, and guys gave her license to resist.
Amy is unusual, and the unusual attracts her, even the tame unusual so different from her life on the scuffle, breaking and entering to stay sheltered and burglarizing to obtain the basics.
The unusual comes in the form of Glenda, an unseen character — What else would you expect in a monologue? — who has a larcenous streak herself, if for a noble purpose, and is at an age when clarity and comprehension are deserting her. Glenda is fading away from detail and exactitude as Amy is learning the value of them.
Amy’s intentions when she encounters Glenda are the worst. The girl spies a large house, woefully untended, realizes it’s inhabited by a fairly helpless elderly woman, and elects to rob it, even if it means roughing up the old pensioner a bit.
Glenda doesn’t need sharp wit to thwart Amy. She has a better weapon, senility. When Amy knocks on Glenda’s door to save herself the trouble of breaking in, the old lady thinks she’s come to inquire about a room she has to let on an upper floor. Her first reaction is to fiddle for keys, offer Amy a cup of tea, and take her on a tour of the house and to the room.
Amy is not appreciative of Glenda’s graciousness, but she’s in the house she wants to rob, has little else to do, doesn’t mind escaping some foul English weather, and believes Glenda a pushover. Why not humor the old bird and have some tea with her and act like a renter for a bit? Perhaps an extended bit.
Amy does not rob Glenda. She moves in the apartment allegedly available for rent and becomes comfortable there.
Amy is not exactly ambitious. In fact, she gives slacking a new dimension. So nesting in her own room within Glenda’s dilapidating but large house is a treat. And Glenda, while lucid, is good company. Her life as had purpose. She has been active in making existence fairer for women and participated in protests and other events. She encourages Amy to be strong and not to let anyone denigrate her for being a woman.
She also taps into Amy’s interest in acquiring information. Amy may not have been the most attentive or enthusiastic student in her school years, but she doesn’t mind delving into literature and history on her own. Set designer Jones has been careful to place stacks of books in the room in Glenda’s house that is the place from which Amy tells her story.
Books are readily available at Glenda’s, more than Amy could imagine. I mentioned Glenda’s thefts. They are involved books, library books that were going to moved or destroyed by Her Majesty’s government when the local library was closed.
Glenda and her neighbors agree each of them will take and store as many books as their creaky old houses could hold. Amy has all of these volumes at her disposal.
Brennan becomes political in a predictable, polemic, kneejerk way when she has Amy talk about libraries and the British government’s systematic defunding of cultural education and institutions. Public support of culture is obviously a theme on both sides of the Atlantic, and Brennan puts in her rallying cry. It’s too typical and clichéd to have much effect in “Spine,” but the cause to preserve literature and easy access to it spurs Amy. More than that, it invigorates her and gives her purpose. She can craft the story she delivers to us because she is at relative peace and has useful, valuable work to do. One more rebel reformed by becoming middle class and respectable! Ha cha!
As someone who might, with no guilt or regret, be called a hoarder because of all the books and theater programs in his house — I can be totally content sitting and reading all day, as the undone laundry can attest. — I understand the pleasure Amy finds following in Glenda’s wake and being the caretaker of so much literature. It seems like a divine fate.
“Spine” has grit followed by uplift. Johnson make you like Amy even when she is at her most contrary and opinionated. It’s a story you enjoy hearing and advocates a purpose avid theatergoers can support. Whether you judge it a story or a play, it’s worth one’s while to spend today’s standard 90 minutes with it.
Claire Moyer keeps Johnson moving from chair to chair in Amy’s apartment. She also has a good time revealing Glenda’s purloined books.
Meghan Jones’s set is cozy and right for its time and place. Amy has decorated in a Spartan but neat way, so the room has character that is added to by some period molding and similar niceties. The library, once revealed, is tempting. I was hoping when the play ended, I could go to the shelves and see if there’s anything on which I’d like to make an offer. (I do that. I once went to shop for furniture and came home with a book that sitting on a nightstand. The salesman was so astounded, he didn’t know what to charge me. I offered $2. He took it. Had he given it to me
for free, I may have come back for a chair.)
“Spine” runs through Sunday, March 6, is an Inis Nua production at the Lou Bluver Theatre in the Drake, Hicks and Spruce Streets, in Philadelphia. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets range from $30 to $25 and can be obtained by calling 215-454-9776 or by visiting www.inisnuatheatre.org. Grade: B
This entry was posted on March 3, 2016 by nzoren in Theater Reviews and tagged Claire Moyer, Clara Brennan, Drama with comic overtones, Emily R. Johnson, Inis Nua, Lou Bluver Theatre at the Drake, Mrghan Jones, Philadelphia Theater, Solo, Spine.
https://wp.me/p3S9A9-KRR
Fool For Love — EgoPo; Words for Snow — Inis Nua; Outside Mullingar — Delaware Theatre Company February 17, 2020
Midwives — George Street Playhouse; The Vertical Hour — Lantern Theater February 13, 2020
My General Tubman — Arden Theatre; A Woman of No Importance — Walnut Street Theatre February 12, 2020
Soprano, Describe, Eleanor, Alice, Lear, Man of God, Rachel February 11, 2020
2019 Philadelphia Theater Critic’s Awards — The Recipients January 28, 2020
nzoren on A to M in ’18 — Co…
Lance Knickerbocker on A to M in ’18 — Co…
Toby Zinman on 2017-2018 Season To Date…
Toby Zinman on Helen and Morris Zoren 2015-20…
Linda on Qualifiers — Helen and M…
TelevisionReviews
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3400
|
__label__cc
| 0.611959
| 0.388041
|
Forum | Q & A
Search for Product, Service, Vendor, Exporter, Manufacturer, Trader around the world
List your Business, Profession, Products or Services for free
3d printers in
Best 3d printers in is one of the millions of the businesses listed on NearMeTrade and is a city in state with hundreds of leads per day. There are 12 listings of 3d printers in with many other important keywords and 40 listings of 3d printers in and overall there are 80 business listings of 3d printers around the world on NearMeTrade for global presence and marketing with very easy process to list any type of business just like 3d printers Near Me in , on world’s fastest growing this business portal.
Just like 3d printers in , there are thousands of businesses listed on NearMeTrade for Local and Global leads and promotions. For example, 3d printers in Jaipur, 3d printers in Mumbai, 3d printers in Dubai, 3d printers in London, 3d printers in New York, 3d printers in Ahmedabad, 3d printers in Chennai, 3d printers in Bangalore, 3d printers in Noida, 3d printers in Delhi, 3d printers in Washington, 3d printers in Chandigarh, 3d printers in Coimbatore, 3d printers in Ernakulam, 3d printers in Goa, 3d printers in Hyderabad, 3d printers in Indore, 3d printers in Mysore, 3d printers in Nagpur, 3d printers in Nashik, 3d printers in Pune, 3d printers in Surat, 3d printers in Vadodara, 3d printers in Vizag, 3d printers in Melbourne, 3d printers in Cape Town, 3d printers in Manila, 3d printers in Pune, 3d printers in Ludhiana and so on all around the world.
Recent Question
Which are Construction Machinery and Equipment Suppliers?
Which is good website designing services in Delhi?
Immigration Consultants in Dubai
Quality Inspection and Audit Services
How to sync Orbi router to satellite using orbilogin.com?
Recent Business
Grand Indian Weddings
Chin Chin Celebration
Zealocity Inc
DESTINATION VIVAH
Aica Events
© Near Me Trade . All Rights Reserved.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3401
|
__label__wiki
| 0.727256
| 0.727256
|
Revisiting One of The Best Jason Kidd Games As A Net
Brooklyn Nets, Nets Analysis
Jason Kidd is heading to the Hall of Fame. The man who donned a New Jersey Nets jersey from 2001-2008, who made five All-Star rosters during that time and six appearances on the All-Defensive first or second team during his tenure, is a Hall of Famer. The last man to coach a Nets team to victory in a playoff round is a Hall of Famer.
This is obviously a time to rejoice, but it’s also a time to revisit some of Kidd’s best moments, especially when all his time as a Nets player happened in the New Jersey days. There are probably diehard Nets fans who didn’t watch Kidd play for the team, who don’t know what they’re missing out on.
I decided one of the best ways to help y’all appreciate Jason Kidd would be to look back on one of his best games as a Net. With the help of Google and Basketball-Reference, I settled on Kidd’s 38/14/14 game against the Suns from December 2006. The Nets lost that game in double overtime 161-157, but Kidd played great basketball. (Also, this is a game that I was able to find a video of, so that factored into the selection of it.)
So, let’s get started. I’ll be re-watching the game and providing commentary on Kidd’s performance. You can find the entire game here and can find some of Nets Republic’s highlights from it here.
The First Quarter
Kidd running the floor well early, but a lot of offensive possessions are ending up in the hands of Nenad Krstic, which is not the ideal way for a Nets offensive possession to end.
Kidd already getting exposed defensively against Steve Nash. Kidd was a great defensive player, but how could anyone be expected to defend Nash?
Kidd makes a great pass around the 8: 00-minute mark of the first to Krstic in the paint. Krstic misses the shot, but man — Kidd could make some tough passes.
Kidd gets on the board for the first time with a smooth jumper from the baseline. Misses a tough layup on his next shot.
There was a lot of variability in Kidd’s three-point shooting over the years. His last year in Phoenix, Kidd shot 29.7% from deep, but by the 2009-2010 season in Dallas, he was shooting 42.5%. His New Jersey seasons most featured him hovering in the low-to-mid 30s. I hadn’t watched much of Kidd since I started taking basketball seriously, but his jumper looks to have a weird little lean in it as he’s getting ready to release. I wonder if that contributed to some of the inconsistency.
The Second Quarter
Kidd sits for the final four minutes of the first and the first three minutes of the second. It’s 20-15 Suns when he leaves and 36-36 when he comes back in.
I am being told that Boris Diaw has a brother who played at Georgia Tech am I am not upset we were deprived of having two Diaws in the NBA.
Kidd hits another mid-range jumper.
7:24 left in the second and Kidd swings a wild and perfect pass from under the basket out to an open Antoine Wright behind the arc. Watching Jason Kidd pass the basketball is my new favorite thing.
I’m also wildly impressed by Kidd’s ability to go from dribbling to shooting in an instant.
Eddie House feeds Kidd under the basket and Kidd responds less than a minute later by hitting House on the fastbreak. House three. Nets had just allowed a run by the Suns, but this cuts the lead back down to seven.
We’ve got us a bit of an assist run here by Kidd, who picks up an assist on five consecutive made baskets for the Nets and then caps it off with New Jersey’s last made bucket of the half. The fast break is a big reason why this stretch happens, as the Nets get out and push the pace on each play. The Nets ranked just 16th in pace that season, which seems silly and bad for a team with an elite point guard in Kidd and Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson in their primes.
Kidd opens the second half with a made three off a Krstic assist. I’ll tell y’all what — if you’d told me anytime before I decided to write this that I would be writing about Nenad Krstic in 2018, I would not have believed you. (By the way, with 6:48 left in the half Kidd has another magical pass that leads to a long two by Krstic. JASON KIDD IS MAGIC, PEOPLE.)
Kidd doesn’t really have much of a third quarter. Five points, two assists, with most of that coming right at the start of the quarter, let’s just skip to the fourth.
Kidd checks back in. There is 10:35 left in the fourth. Just 10 seconds later, he’ll dish an assist to Vince Carter, but in-between these two things there will be a commercial break and upon returning, Ian Eagle will talk some trash about Mark Jackson getting dunked on.
That assist makes this the 78th triple-double of Kidd’s career. That puts him in a tie for third-most ever with Wilt Chamberlain. Kidd ended his career with 107, passing Chamberlain but never moving higher on the list. He’ll likely be passed very early this upcoming season by Russell Westbrook, who sits at 104, but it’ll be a long time before anyone else passes him. LeBron is at 73 and has a chance, maybe? (Also, shouts to Fat Lever, who is eighth all-time in triple-doubles.)
With 9:19 left in the quarter, Kidd scores inside. On that possession, he dribbled in, retreated, reassessed the defense, and then attacked again.
Later on, Kidd inbounds, waits at the three-point line, and when Nash makes the bad decision to double in the paint, the ball is kicked out for an open Kidd three. It gives the Nets the lead.
Kidd hits a pair of free throws with four seconds left to give New Jersey a three-point lead. This comes after Vince Carter fouls out — he had 31 points — to send Diaw to the line for two. That’s smart because it prevents the Suns from getting off a three with five seconds to play. It also eventually comes back to bite them as they play two overtimes without him.
Look, Jason Kidd was an offensive mastermind in this game, but there were times when Steve Nash roasted him. Kidd couldn’t stay with Nash on the inbounds play, letting him get a cushion and hit the game-tying three.
TIME FOR OVERTIME.
3:24 to go in the first overtime, Kidd crosses over and hits a mid-range jumper.
Kidd’s first overtime is mostly just free throw shooting. 4-for-4 from the line.
Kidd gets a good look at the buzzer, but the jumper rims out. Double overtime coming up.
A free throw line jumper early in the second overtime drops. Kidd was taking — and making — a lot of mid-range shots in this one.
Some more of Kidd’s passing magic in the second overtime as well. A great assist to get the ball to Jefferson in the paint, followed by quick decision to pass up a three of his own on the next possession to get Jefferson a three.
With 33 seconds left, gets the one-on-one he wants against Shawn Marion. Drives in, gets the bucket, gets the foul. TIE GAME.
And that’ll be it for Kidd. He turns the ball over with 10 seconds to play, misses a three at the end of the game. But that doesn’t detract from the fact that he spent this entire game throwing the ball around the court like a wizard and hitting anything he wanted in the mid-range.
Brooklyn Nets vs Phoenix SunsHall of FameJason KiddNew Jersey Nets
Justin Carter is the editor for Nets Republic. In addition to writing about the Nets and Liberty for this site, Justin's words about the NBA, WNBA, and NFL can be found at RotoBaller, Liberty Ballers, and Winsidr. Justin has a PhD in English and currently teaches at a university in Texas. Find him on Twitter at @juscarts
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3408
|
__label__wiki
| 0.814089
| 0.814089
|
Herzog, Cage to team up on Bad Lieutenant remake
Scott Tobias
In what could be the most brilliant idea for a remake or the most insane (or both?), director Werner Herzog and Nicolas Cage are teaming up for an unlikely redo of Abel Ferrara's provocative 1992 cop drama Bad Lieutenant. The project was officially announced at Cannes this week and will begin shooting in late summer. Cage will take on the Harvey Keitel role as a hard-living New York City detective who's into such hopeless dead-ends as heroin use, binge-drinking, and gambling on the Darryl Strawberry's Mets. In the original film, Keitel is also a lapsed Catholic who experiences a reawakening of sorts when a gang-raped nun actually forgives her attackers—an act of grace that he sends him into such a downward spiral that he experiences a religious vision in which he calls Jesus Christ a "cocksucker." The original film was rated NC-17 (and later slashed to a dreadful R-rated version for video that also cut out Schooly D.'s "Signifying Rapper"), and was thematically particular to Ferrara's own Catholic roots. How far Herzog and Cage stray from the original remains to be seen, but on the off chance they try shot-for-shot, audiences should prepare to see something from Cage that they've never seen before. And can't unsee…
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3413
|
__label__wiki
| 0.52304
| 0.52304
|
La ROSE MINING COMPANY - Lawsuits
Porcupine Advance, 5 Jul 1912, Section 1, p. 1 ...
McCHESNEY AND SONS LUMBER MILL - Loses cases on power company's responsibility for flood damage
Porcupine Advance, 25 Jul 1923, Section 1, p. 1 ...
NIMIAN, LYDIA MARY - To sue John Dalton and John Cunningham in the death of her husband
Porcupine Advance, 25 Nov 1926, Section 2, p. 3 ...
NORTHERN CANADA POWER COMPANY - Judge dismissed action by McChesney & Son on flooding responsibility
Porcupine Advance, 25 Jul 1923, p. 1 ...
NORTHERN CANADA POWER COMPANY - Litigation with Hollinger Mine
Porcupine Advance, 7 Nov 1923, p. 1 ...
DAVIDSON TISDALE GOLD MINES LIMITED - Clear of litigation, re: Crown Chartered Mining Company
IVANCHUK, JOHN - $500 raised to defend Ivanchuk in homicide case
Porcupine Advance, 23 May 1929, Section 2, p. 7 ...
KAPUSKASING - S. Alexander loses case against Canadian National Railway
Porcupine Advance, 27 Feb 1930, Section 1, p. 7 ...
MATHESON - Fire claims against Temiskaming and Northern Ontario; Great Fire of 1916
Porcupine Advance, 27 Dec 1920, Section 1, p. 2 ...
ALEXANDER, S. - Enters legal action vs. Canadian National Railways for the third time for loss of leg (Kapuskasing)
Porcupine Advance, 14 Mar 1929, p. 8 See also October 02, 1930, Sec. 2, P.4 and October 16, 1930, Sec. 2, P.8...
Porcupine Advance, 14 Mar 1929, p. 8 See also October 02, 1930, Sec. 2, P.4 and October 16, 1930, ...
ALEXANDER, S. - Court case vs. Canadian National Railway for loss of leg (Kapuskasing)
Porcupine Advance, 2 Oct 1930, Section 2, p. 4 See also: March 14, 1929, Sec. 1, P.8 and October 16, 1930, Sec. 2, P.8...
Porcupine Advance, 2 Oct 1930, Section 2, p. 4 See also: March 14, 1929, Sec. 1, P.8 and October 16, 1930, ...
ALEXANDER, S. - Loses case against Canadian National Railway for loss of leg (Kapuskasing)
Porcupine Advance, 16 Oct 1930, Section 2, p. 8 See also: March 14,1929, Sec. 1, P.8 and October 02, 1930, Sec. 2, P.4.
Porcupine Advance, 16 Oct 1930, Section 2, p. 8 See also: March 14,1929, Sec. 1, P.8 and October 02, 1930, Sec. ...
IVANCHUK, JOHN - Appeal
SCHAFFNER, WILLIAM - Damages against townships of Dack and Evanturel settled for son's death
Porcupine Advance, 4 Dec 1930, Section 2, p. 1 ...
Porcupine Advance (14)
Actions & defenses (14)
Canadian National Railway (4)
Kapuskasing (Ont.) (4)
CNR (3)
Accidents -- Fatalities (2)
Accidents--Amputation (2)
Accidents--Industrial (2)
Cochrane (Ont.) (2)
Homicides (2)
Judicial proceedings (2)
Northern Canada Power Company (2)
Ontario Provincial Police (2)
Accidents -- Rail (1)
Accidents--Industrial; Accidents--Amputation (1)
Cobalt (Ont.) (1)
Dack Township (1)
Davidson Consolidated Gold Mines (1)
Englehart (Ont.) (1)
Evanturel (Ont. : Township)--History (1)
Gold mines and mining (1)
Great Fire of 1916 (1)
Hollinger Gold Mine (1)
Hydroelectric power (1)
Lumber Mills (1)
Matheson (Ont.) (1)
McChesney and Sons Lumber Mill (1)
Railroad accidents (1)
Runaway horses (1)
Silver mines and mining (1)
Temiskaming District (1)
Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway (1)
Timmins (Ont.) (1)
Tisdale Township (1)
Wounds and injuries (1)
Funding for this digitization project provided by the Government of Ontario.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3415
|
__label__wiki
| 0.53367
| 0.53367
|
Newhouse students design award-winning ad campaign for Cafe Abroad
Friday, February 20, 2009, By News Staff
Newhouse students design award-winning ad campaign for Cafe AbroadFebruary 20, 2009Wendy S. Loughlinwsloughl@syr.edu
A group of students from The NewHouse, a student-run advertising firm in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, recently placed first in the 2008 Campaigns Competition sponsored by Cafe Abroad.
Cafe Abroad is a student-driven enterprise that comprises a weekly online newsmagazine, a quarterly print publication distributed to more than 320 study abroad offices, and a global community of thousands of study abroad students. The NewHouse students developed a yearlong communications plan to drive traffic to the website and increase membership in the social network. The campaign included advertising, promotions, PR events, interactive marketing and a makeover of the website.
Cafe Abroad will begin implementation of the campaign in September 2009.
Students on the winning team included: Catherine Borod, project director; Dan Hubsher, Katelin DeStefano and Eric Cleckner, graphic designers; Greg Rozmus, Dan Kelly, Pete Ceran, Maria Sinopoli and Paul Savaiano, from The NewHouse management team; and additional students Katie Stirn, Elyssa Byck, Joanna Rozansky, Leslie Fines, Lauren Hansen, Adam Rubin and Alyssa Hennessey. Ed Russell, assistant professor of advertising, is faculty advisor to The NewHouse.
“Catherine and her team did an incredible job,” says Dan Schwartzman, owner of Cafe Abroad. “The NewHouse Campaign is one of the finest pieces of work to have been produced since I founded Cafe Abroad.”
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3416
|
__label__wiki
| 0.747306
| 0.747306
|
Hollywood A is Born timeless proves stories some are for a Star reason
Be that as it may, even given that long history, couple of motion pictures emerge for the sheer number of changes like A Star is Born. An anecdote around a trying youthful female performer who experiences passionate feelings for a male star whose vocation is on the decrease, the movie has been changed four times, with Janet Gaynor (1937), Judy Garland (1954), Barbra Streisand (1976), and now Lady Gaga in Bradley Cooper’s coordinating presentation.
It’s a romantic tale. It’s a clothes to newfound wealth wish-satisfaction dream. It’s a disastrous show about enslavement. Yet, more than whatever else, Cooper’s A Star is Born resembles a biggest hits arrangement of each past cycle of the story. There are beats pulled from each earlier manifestation to the point where A Star is Born begins to feel like its own particular abnormal subgenre.
The following day, Jackson flies Ally to one of his gigs and welcomes her to sing with him in front of an audience. The group of onlookers cherishes them together, and soon, Ally joins Jackson on visit. The two rapidly begin to look all starry eyed at as Ally cuts her teeth singing as a component of Jackson’s band. Before long, she signs with a supervisor and begins assembling her own vocation.
Cooper’s film doesn’t make any bones about it: this is a motion picture about habit and the devastating impacts the infection has not simply on the someone who is addicted, but rather on anyone in their circle. At the point when Ally meets Jackson, he’s as of now been a dipsomaniac for a lot of his life, a quality he appears to have acquired from his dad, who was additionally a substantial consumer. Everything about his stone n move way of life has empowered him to nourish that mammoth, regardless of the cost. Everybody empowers him, from his sibling to his driver, and just when Ally enters the photo does he consider that he may really have an issue.
In the meantime, Cooper the movie producer is likewise keen on investigating how fundamental help structures are in empowering constructive development in individuals. Jackson is a smashed, but at the same time he’s Ally’s coach and greatest team promoter, and when they meet, he’s ready to persuade her to set aside long stretches of reasoning that she isn’t adequate to impart her gifts to the world. Partner has grown up with a dad who was a trying vocalist and persuaded himself that he was similarly as gifted as Frank Sinatra, however he simply didn’t have that impalpable “it” factor that could have made him a star. Partner has disguised that reason as long as she can remember, however Jackson persuades her that her voice and masterful perspective will influence her work to emerge. When she chooses to possess that, she ends up relentless, yet she probably won’t have ever had the certainty without Jackson, which makes the developing detach in their relationship simply more excruciating.
Partner, then again, is loaded up with fear. She can put on an all out show singing “La Vie En Rose” when she’s among companions in the drag club, however place her in a circumstance where she needs to sing her own tunes, and she about drops into a frenzy. Watching her change into a confident powerhouse so rapidly may not exactly be practical, but rather Gaga’s guaranteed execution makes everything feel genuine and grounded. She gives Ally a steely inner center, and keeping in mind that it might be something Ally needs to find as an entertainer, it’s something she has naturally with regards to her own connections, regardless of whether she’s confronting her dad or requesting better from Jackson.
Additionally key to the film’s prosperity is the manner in which it completely declines to recoil when Ally and Jackson confront genuine strife and his enslavement starts to have genuine repercussions. Given the clothes to newfound wealth nature of Ally’s storyline, it would be simple for the film to delicate pedal the darker parts of their relationship, however rather, A Star is Born inclines toward them without reservation. It works nearly as a sensational goad and switch: drawing the gathering of people in with the optimistic story before hitting them with the significantly more alarming development of Ally and Jackson’s relationship.
It’s difficult to watch Jackson’s storyline without being helped to remember the battles of incalculable artists and big names over the previous decade — or of simply regular, standard individuals who are battling habit. It gives the film an auspicious layer of reverberation that influences it to appear to be significantly more fundamental, its elevating minutes more triumphant, and its snapshot of haziness considerably all the more crushing. Cooper’s A Star is Born is obviously a film resulting from our present period and current battles with enslavement. In that way, it fills in as a powerful update that even the most well-known stories can be utilized to look at the issues and worries of a given minute.
Appropriate from the begin, the film is outwardly strong. Executive of photography Matthew Libatique (Black Swan) puts the camera up in front of an audience with Jackson from the get-go in the film, setting up a cinéma vérité feel that gives the story’s operatic nature a coarseness and authenticity that it clutches all through. Under most conditions, the numerous melodic numbers would likewise add to the old-school Hollywood-dream feel. In any case, here, the on-screen characters to a great extent shun lip-synchronizing for live exhibitions. Woman Gaga’s capacity as an artist is as of now settled, yet Cooper spends a great part of the film singing and playing guitar also. On the off chance that the crowd doesn’t trust that part of his execution as Jackson, everything else would go into disrepair, and it’s amazingly that Jackson feels so true.
Partner’s medium-term achievement and rocket to fame is inalienably gooey. It’s unadulterated Hollywood wish satisfaction, which would typically tend to influence this whole undertaking to feel somewhat unstable and dispensable. In any case, Cooper can conquer that with a film that is unbelievably passionate and boldly dim when required. A great deal of it boils down to two exhibitions: Cooper and Lady Gaga have amazing science as Jackson and Ally, and he conveys a world-exhaustion to his depiction that influences it to appear as though Jackson is a very long time past the final turning point, despite the fact that he hasn’t exactly acknowledged it.
Be that as it may, when circumstances become difficult, similar individuals who helped and ensured Jackson endure the worst part of the aftermath. He accuses his sibling for things he doesn’t recall that; he openly humiliates Ally at key minutes since he can’t remain calm. Now and again, the film is horrifying, and Cooper’s execution zeroes in on the tension and dread Jackson feels as he endeavors to ponder an existence and an issue that have swung fiercely out of his control.
Be that as it may, as Ally’s vocation starts to take off, Jackson winds up on the decrease. His sibling and street administrator (Sam Elliott) abandons him, and keeping in mind that Ally moves Jackson to get calm in fits and spurts, he all things considered continues tumbling off the wagon even from a pessimistic standpoint conceivable minutes. He cannot adapt to his compulsion and Ally’s rocket dispatch achievement, and their part inversion starts to add additionally strain to their once-unspoiled relationship.
Jackson Maine (Cooper) is an artist battling with addictions to pills and alcohol and trying to claim ignorance about his continuous hearing misfortune. Following a show one night, his driver takes him to a drag club, where he sees Ally (Lady Gaga) perform, and he is in a split second taken by her voice. The match talks throughout the night, and Jackson urges her to begin composing and singing her own tunes, as that is the one thing that will make her interesting as a craftsman. She’s hesitant to make herself that defenseless, having been told since youth that she’s not lovely enough to truly make it — a thought strengthened by her good natured yet unhelpful dad Lorenzo (a fabulous execution by Andrew Dice Clay).
It’s legitimate to ask whether a motion picture should be made a fourth time, yet Cooper’s awesome, passionate film exhibits how execution, style, and a cutting edge perspective can make even the most recognizable story crisp once more. A Star is Born isn’t simply evidence that Lady Gaga is an insidiously capable film star (however it proves that) or that Cooper is an enormously skilled author and chief (it demonstrates that, as well). It’s an update that a few stories are really immortal and enable us to look at parts of the human condition regardless of what decade they’re made in.
Categories FILM Post navigation
King is bid a purposeful filmmaking but for empty Netflix’s Outlaw legitimacy
Halloween more Cards of and House
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3417
|
__label__wiki
| 0.763173
| 0.763173
|
Home Health NGO Donates to in-patients at Sekyere East Health facilities
NGO Donates to in-patients at Sekyere East Health facilities
Ghana News Agency
The Pinasol Foundation, a community-based Child- centered Non- Governmental Organization in the Sekyere East District, has donated food items to in-patients of some hospitals in the District.
The items included cooked food packages, soft drinks, pastries and confectioneries among others, were donated to the in-patients within three health institutions at Effiduase and Asokore.
The health facilities are the Effiduase Government Hospital, Divine Hospital and the Ahmaddiyya Government Hospital.
Dr. Kwame Sefah, the Principal Scientist of Roche Molecular Systems in the USA, a Philanthropist and donor to the Foundation, who funded the donation, in a brief speech at the presentation ceremony held at the premises of the Effiduase Government Hospital, said it was most pertinent to give utmost care to the poor and needy in society.
Apostle Solomon Asiamah Okyere, the Executive Director, said the gesture was to focus community attention to the care of the sick and those admitted at the health facilities receiving treatment for different ailments, especially the poor and needy who feel rejected during their moments of hospitalization.
He said the exercise which begun last year, would be sustained as an annual programme aimed at complementing the already established programmes for mutual care and support for humanity.
Apostle Okyere said it was necessary for churches and corporate bodies to employ such initiatives as part of their corporate social responsibilities.
He said though there was the existence of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to cater for patients at the various health centers, a little support in terms of cash or kind, from religious and various corporate bodies, was necessary for the psychological healing and wellbeing of the sick, especially those who were hospitalised.
He called on churches to establish foundations to care for the poor, needy and the sick in the society, to enhance the welfare of all persons locally and globally.
Effiduase
Gideon D. Ebbah
Pinasol Foundation
Sekyere East District
Sekyere East Health
Previous articleLet’s prioritise peace in this election year – Methodist Bishop
Next articleAhmadis donate over 2000 pints of blood during the 88th annual convention
http://www.ghananewsagency.org/
The Ghana news Agency (GNA) was established on March 5, 1957, i.e. on the eve of Ghana's independence and charged with the "dissemination of truthful unbiased news". It was the first news agency to be established in Sub-Saharan Africa. GNA was part of a comprehensive communication policy that sought to harness the information arm of the state to build a viable, united and cohesive nation-state. GNA has therefore been operating in the unique role of mobilizing the citizens for nation building, economic and social development, national unity and integration.
Ghana records 175 new COVID-19 cases
Vodafone Foundation donates PPE to Accra Regional Hospital
Koforidua Regional hospital offers free cataract surgery
Covid-19: Media urged to strengthen advocacy on preventive measures
COVID-19: Ashanti Regional Health Directorate issues guidelines as schools reopen
Booming vaccine cooperation between China, developing world
COVID-19 affects more Zimbabwean families as cases continue to surge
Tarkwa Municipal Hospital gets Breast Care Unit
African countries so far have conducted over 28.3 million COVID-19 tests
Ghanaian Weightlifter Christian Amoah – ranked 4th in Commonwealth
Pupils clean up schools on the first day
Schools Inspectorate Authority to monitor adherence to COVID-19 protocols
TMA cleans filth generated by satellite markets in schools
Prof Benneh’s murder case: police to correct defects in charge sheet
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3418
|
__label__wiki
| 0.871953
| 0.871953
|
Home Entertainment Will Hollywood indie films fade to black after Harvey Weinstein’s sexual scandal...
Will Hollywood indie films fade to black after Harvey Weinstein’s sexual scandal exposure?
There is widespread speculation in the Hollywood film industry that the fall of Hollywood kingmaker, Harvey Weinstein, and the slow decline of The Weinstein Company (TWC) as generative forces in the independent film world may well spell the demise of the indie film industry as a whole.
Hollywood was startled last weekend by the sex scandal exposure on Harvey Weinstein, TWC’s contentious co-chairman and co-founder.
The abrasive New Yorker reigned virtually uncontested for decades as the self-styled king of indies and, from the 90s on, helped to propel independent cinema into the mainstream with box office hits and awards galore.
Taking a page from Bill Feldman and Harry Clein’s winning publicity playbook – the team that created the first successful indie award campaign to garner Oscar attention for “Kiss of the Spider Woman” and “The Trip to Bountiful” – Weinstein ran with it and added a few twists of his own.
His effective, award-season combo of celebrity-studded galas, ubiquitous screeners, and bare-knuckle brawling managed to net Miramax a legendary and unparalleled number of Academy Award nominations and wins: 249 Oscar Nominations and 60 wins in just 15 years.
In fact, when Vocativ.com published a survey in 2015 canvasing Academy Award acceptance speeches, they determined that that Harvey Weinstein was thanked more often than God.
But can the cash-strapped Weinstein Company carry on effectively without Harvey?
The LA Times expressed timely questions about the future of TWC: “Will A-list actors and directors worried about their public image refuse to work for the company? Will audiences shun future releases? Will business partners give it the cold shoulder?”
They quoted Danny Deraney, a prominent, Los Angeles-based public relations expert with clients in the entertainment industry, predicting, “The dominos are going to start falling right now. Awards season is where you will probably see the biggest effect, because people won’t want to be associated with an act that would be poison for their careers,” Deraney said.
So, can that powerful promotional engine for indies be replaced by other companies or will the entire indie industry suffer as it runs out of gas?
Yannis Tzioumakis of The Conversation predicts that the recent prominence and success of indie films is illusory and transitory at best. He contends that an increasing number of the “so-called’independent films'” are being “financed, produced and distributed by companies that belong to the same entertainment conglomerates as the major studios. They tightly control cinema on a global scale.”
But others have a more positive outlook for indies: The Independent Film and Television Alliance, responsible for hosting the American Film Market, one of the most profitable film markets in the world, is bullish on indies: “Independents produce at least 500 films and countless hours of television programming each year generating more than 4 billion U.S. dollars in revenues annually. The number of independent productions each year – more than 70 percent of film production in the United States alone – creates considerably more job opportunities worldwide than the majors.”
Lynda Obst, a successful industry veteran and the high-profile producer of the Academy Award-winning, “Interstellar,” has produced both studio and indie movies. She feels the concern for the future of indies is unwarranted.
“The Weinstein Company hasn’t released the top award-winning indie movies for the last two or three years anyway,” Obst told Xinhua. “A24 had last year’s Oscar-winning ‘Moonlight.’ Annapurna Pictures is doing excellent films, Sony Classics, Fox Searchlight put out great indies too.”
There seems to be plenty of top companies ready, willing and able to step into Weinstein’s shoes.
A24 rounded the bases at the 2017 Academy Awards, scoring an impressive eight Oscar nominations for “Moonlight,” and another two noms for “20th Century Women” and “The Lobster.” Moonlight slid home to snag the top honors of “Best Picture,” “Best Supporting Actor” and “Best Adapted Screenplay.” And Annapurna Pictures is the odds on favorite for 2018 Oscar predictions, swinging for the fences with “Detroit,” “Phantom Thread,” and “Downsizing” in Academy contention.
Amazon, Netflix, Oddlot Entertainment, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, Open Road, FilmNation, 21 Laps, Lava Bear, and Black Label Media and others have also all recently fielded Award contenders, while studio subsidiaries, Fox Searchlight and Sony Classics pitch-hit for the indie team as well.
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, prolific, Emmy Award-winning film and television producer, Jeff Most, took a positive view.
He told Xinhua, “Though Harvey Weinstein helped put independent cinema on the map, no one individual controls the destiny of independent film world. As long as there are film fans in the world looking for groundbreaking cinema, there is going to be a robust market for independent films.”
As for the prospects for Award Season, he predicted, “The bulk of prestige films in Hollywood that make up the Oscar runners for “Best Picture,” “Best Director,” and “Best Actor” will continue to come from the realm of “independent producers and production companies.”
IndieWire’s Tom Bruggemann recently postulated an unlikely savior for the indie film industry- should it need one: Netflix. Bruggermann pointed out: “Netflix’s dominance of streaming platforms is game changing… Netflix has become a – if not the – leading force in shaping the future of narrative visual storytelling. Their massive and global audience means there’s interest in a significant variety of niche titles. Netflix’s commitment to film can allow producers to argue for niche-audience titles that might struggle within the theatrical model.”
Consequenceofsound.net, concurred. “Ever look at the lineup of a film festival and lament all the movies you’ll miss, either because you can’t go or a decent number of them will never see a wide release after that point? Well, Amazon has taken a big step toward bridging that gap, by cutting out a substantial number of middlemen and bringing those releases to audiences directly.”
Jeff Most told Xinhua, “Although the (indie film) distribution model may change, it doesn’t mean the business of providing the more mindful entertainment of independent films will not continue to thrive.”
“There will always be indies as long as indie filmmakers get to make the films they want to make,” Obst concluded to Xinhua. Enditem
Source: Julia Pierrepont III, Xinhua/NewsGhana.com.gh
Hollywood indie films
Julia Pierrepont III
sexual scandal
Previous articleBusiness entities challenged to adopt customer centric approach in their operations
Next articleChaz Bono On Cher: “She’s A Down-To-Earth Mom”
https://www.newsghana.com.gh/
News Ghana is a premier news source that covers daily news of Ghana, Africa and the World over.
DStv Customers to receive new exciting upgrade offer; till March 2021
NottyNW’s ‘Fine Boy’ video to be premiered on January 15
TopStar commended for partnering with Zambian media
Meet Ghana’s Youngest News Anchor
Kaisha Lee releases “Got Somebody”
Naa Agyeman Composes Tribute Song In Memory Of J.J Rawlings
Santrofi’s ‘Alewa’ adjudged one of the Biggest Albums in 2020
Bulldog granted GH¢70k bail
Opanka confirms release date for “Elevation” EP
Trump to fly to U.S. Florida state shortly before Biden’s inauguration: reports
ILO launches International Year to end child labour
Uganda’s Museveni maintains lead in provisional results of presidential polls
South Sudan keen to strengthen developmental ties with Ethiopia
More than 1,100 Ethiopian rebels arrested, killed: official
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3419
|
__label__cc
| 0.731678
| 0.268322
|
Warren Buffett Reveals Top 3 Criteria For His ‘Marriage-Like’ Acquisition
By Sissi Cao • 02/24/20 2:57pm
Warren Buffett, Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. Ankit Agrawal/Mint via Getty Images
For over a year now, investing legend Warren Buffett has been looking to buy something “the size of an elephant” with $128 billion of cash sitting on his investment firm Berkshire Hathaway’s balance sheet. He hasn’t found it yet, and the potential mega-size acquisition has captured the interest of Wall Street investors and casual billionaire watchers alike.
In his 2019 letter to Berkshire shareholders, an annual document religiously read by professional investors, released on Saturday, Buffett reaffirmed his intention for the big purchase spelled out his three criteria for the ideal target.
SEE ALSO: Warren Buffett’s On-Again, Off-Again Lunch Date Finally Showed Up—For Dinner
“First, they must earn good returns on the net tangible capital required in their operation,” the Berkshire chairman wrote. “Second, they must be run by able and honest managers. Finally, they must be available at a sensible price.”
While these sound like basic and reasonable asks for a business deal that could be worth billions of dollars, Buffett confessed that companies that actually meet all three criteria seem impossible to find. “When we spot such businesses, our preference would be to buy 100 percent of them,” he wrote. “But the opportunities to make major acquisitions possessing our required attributes are rare.”
Over the past year, several companies have floated by those familiar with Buffett’s investing habits as potential choices for Berkshire. Those included FedEx, Tiffany & Co. (which ended up being acquired by LVMH in October) and software distributor Tech Data Corp.
“In reviewing my uneven record, I’ve concluded that acquisitions are similar to marriage,” the 89-year-old investor reflected on his 50-year track record in the M&A space, ever so wittily. “They start, of course, with a joyful wedding—but then reality tends to diverge from pre-nuptial expectations. Sometimes, wonderfully, the new union delivers bliss beyond either party’s hopes. In other cases, disillusionment is swift. Applying those images to corporate acquisitions, I’d have to say it is usually the buyer who encounters unpleasant surprises. It’s easy to get dreamy-eyed during corporate courtships.”
“Pursuing that analogy, I would say that our marital record remains largely acceptable,” he added, “with all parties happy with the decisions they made long ago. Some of our tie-ups have been positively idyllic. A meaningful number, however, have caused me all too quickly to wonder what I was thinking when I proposed.”
Elsewhere in the 14-page letter to shareholders, Buffett discussed in detail Berkshire’s financial performance in insurance, energy, other non-insurance industries, as well as common stock investments, including its highly publicized stakes in Apple, American Express and Coca-Cola.
In the final section, Buffett and his longtime right-hand man, Charlier Munger, 96, touched on another subject deeply concerning shareholders: what will happen to Berkshire when Buffett and Munger are no longer around?
“Charlie and I long ago entered the urgent zone [regarding age]. That’s not exactly great news for us. But Berkshire shareholders need not worry: Your company is 100 percent prepared for our departure,” Buffett assured investors, stressing that both his and Munger’s families are almost fully invested in the company on an eternal basis.
“The Mungers have Berkshire holdings that dwarf any of the family’s other investments, and I have a full 99 percent of my net worth lodged in Berkshire stock,” he wrote. “I have never sold any shares and have no plans to do so…Today, my will specifically directs its executors—as well as the trustees who will succeed them in administering my estate after the will is closed—not to sell any Berkshire shares.”
Filed Under: Innovation, Economy, Warren Buffett, berkshire hathaway, Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett investment, Warren Buffett shareholder letter, Berkshire Hathaway earnings, Warren Buffett 2019 shareholder letter
SEE ALSO: The Best Gaming Chairs of 2021: Budget and Quality
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3424
|
__label__wiki
| 0.951481
| 0.951481
|
2019–20 coronavirus outbreak
35 more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number of cases to 56.
Comments? Discuss on Twitter
Eighteen more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number of cases to 39. 2020-02-22 13:02:57 (First version)
34 more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number of cases to 55. 2020-02-22 17:03:01 (Update)
35 more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number of cases to 56. (Current version)
2020-02-22 Italy confirms that a 78-year-old Italian man in Padua, Veneto, and a woman in her 70s in Codogno, Lombardy, have died after contracting the virus. These are the first two virus-related deaths in Italy. 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak
2020-02-22 South Korea confirms that 229 more people have contracted the coronavirus in the country, raising the total number to 433. 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak
2020-02-22 The United States reports 34 confirmed cases of the illness and expects more. 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak
2020-02-21 Israel and Lebanon report their first cases of 2019-nCoV coronavirus. 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak
2020-02-21 Italy confirms 18 more coronavirus cases in the country, bringing the confirmed cases to twenty-one. All eighteen are Italian citizens. 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak
2020-02-21 North Korea cancels this year's Pyongyang Marathon due to concerns about coronavirus. 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak
2020-02-20 South Korea reports its first death from COVID-19. 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak
2020-02-20 Two Japanese passengers who were on board of the "Diamond Princess" cruise ship have died from the disease. Both, a man and a woman in their 80s, had underlying health conditions. 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak
2020-02-18 Chinese state media reports that the director of the central Wuhan Wuchang Hospital has died from the virus. 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak
2020-02-18 Russia says it will temporarily block Chinese citizens beginning on February 20 from entering its territory as authorities look to stem the spread of the deadly coronavirus outbreak. 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak
© Offstream. Made in Cyberspace. Made for Better Internet.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3428
|
__label__wiki
| 0.589576
| 0.589576
|
By Editor-in-Chief
Journal Staff Editorial Board The Founders
Editorial board How to submit
Rules and Conditions Requirements Peer Review
New issue Archive To subscribe
For individuals For legal entities
Catalog How to publish In work
Our conferences Calendar Conference reports Press-releases
By Editor-in-Chief Historical literature Historical articles Multimedia archive
Articles Catalog To subscribe
/ Journal
/ Архив
/ July
The efficient method of water content determination in low-permeable rocks of Bazhenov formation (Western Siberia)
UDK: 553.98.556.3
DOI: 10.24887/0028-2448-2019-7-73-78
Key words: Bazhenov formation, shale reservoirs, Dean-Stark method, evaporation method, water content, pore water
Authors: E.S. Kazak (Lomonosov Moscow State University, RF, Moscow; Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, RF, Moscow), A.V. Kazak (Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, RF, Moscow), Ya.V. Sorokoumova (Lomonosov Moscow State University, RF, Moscow), A.D. Alekseev (Gazprom Neft NTC LLC, RF, Saint-Petersburg)
Hydrocarbon resource assessment and estimation oil and gas reserves source-rock reservoirs within the Bazhenov formation of Western Siberia require a comprehensive study of their water content. So far, the petroleum industry has been using known laboratory methods for direct determination of water content for low-permeable shale Bazhenov formation rocks. However, the question of data validity and quality remains open since the legacy methods have been developed for conventional reservoirs. The article presents a new laboratory method for measuring the water content, explicitly designed for shale rocks with initially low water content (less than 5% wt.). The proposed evaporation method allows determining the amount of free and physically bound water in rock samples with a mass of 25-70 g within 1-3 h. The error in determining the mass water content for in evaporation method depends on the initial water content and is 0.2-6.8% wt.
Testing of the evaporation method included a target collection of whole core samples with the maximum preserved natural water content, taken from five wells of various fields within the Bazhenov formation interval. The study reveals the temperature ranges for extracting free (121°C) and physically bound water (250°C). The measured water content of the Bazhenov formation rocks samples is 0.28-4.27 wt.% with the free water content from 0.04 to 2.53% wt. Water content decreases in carbonate interlayers and increases in the clay-rich units. We experimentally studied the effect of storage conditions and sample size on the results of water content determination. We also established that reliable water content data requires fragmenting a core sample into pieces with specific dimensions of at least 5-7 cm immediately after opening the protective shell. Comparison of water content data obtained using the Dean – Stark method and the evaporation method showed that the latter delivers much more accurate results for the oil and gas source Bazhenov formation.
1. Dandekar A.Y., Petroleum reservoir rock and fluid properties, Boca Raton: CRC Press; Taylor & Francis Group, 2013, 502 p.
2. Recommended practices for core analysis, Second Edition, Dallas: STEP, 1998, 220 р.
3. Kazak E.S. et al., Quantification of residual pore water content and analysis of water extract of the Bazhenov formation samples (Western Siberia) (In Russ.), Neftyanoe khozyaystvo = Oil Industry, 2017, no. 4, pp. 48–52, DOI: 10.24887/0028-2448-2017-4-48-52.
4. Manual of petroleum measurement standards (MPMS), Baltimore: ASTM International, 2010, pp. 86–91.
5. Handwerger D.A. et al., Improved petrophysical core measurements on tight shale reservoirs using retort and crushed samples, SPE 147456, 2011.
6. Hensel W.M.J., An improved summation-of-fluids porosity technique, SPE 9376-PA, 1982.
7. Mackenzie R.C., Differential thermal analysis, London and New York City: Academic Press Inc., 1970, Part 1.
8. Handwerger D.A. et al., Reconciling retort versus Dean Stark measurements on tight shales, SPE 159976-MS, 2012.
9. Nutting P.G., Some standard thermal dehydration curves of minerals, Shorter contributions to general geology, 1941–1942, pp. 197–216.
10. Sondergeld C.H. et al., Petrophysical considerations in evaluating and producing shale gas resources, SPE 131768-MS, 2010.
11. Suarez-Rivera R. et al., Understanding permeability measurements in tight shales promotes enhanced determination of reservoir quality, SPE 162816-MS, 2012.
12. Wood J.M., Crushed-rock versus full-diameter core samples for water-saturation determination in a tight-gas siltstone play, SPE 174548-PA, 2015.
13. E Kazak.S. et al., Quantity and composition of residual pore water extracted from samples of the Bazhenov source rock of West Siberia, Russian Federation, Proceedings of 17th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2017, 29 June – 5 July, Albena: 2017,pp. 829–841.
Attention! To buy the complete text of article (a format - PDF) or to read the material which is in open access only the authorized visitors of the website can. .
Read our magazine on mobile devices
You want to see the article in the magazine?
Get acquainted with publication conditions
Copyright © 2001-2020, «Нефтяное хозяйство»
Тел: +7(495) 231-10-90/91
E-mail: mail@oil-industry.ru
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3431
|
__label__wiki
| 0.551538
| 0.551538
|
Harrison Burton Continues a Strong Rookie Season Heading to Daytona
Tim Disspain August 26, 2020
LAT Images
Harrison Burton and the NASCAR Xfinity Series return to the track this weekend at Daytona International Speedway for their second visit of the 2020 season to the 2.5-mile high banks. In his previous start at the famed speedway, Burton started eighth and finished second in the season opening race back in February.
· Dover Doubleheader Recap: The NASCAR Xfinity Series ran a doubleheader last weekend at Dover International Speedway with Burton and his DEX Imaging team finishing fifth in race once, securing their 10th top-five finish of the 2020 season. In race number two on Sunday, Burton started 11th, was a mainstay inside the top-10 for most of the race, and came home in 11th after 200 laps were complete at the concrete oval.
· Starting Spot Secured: Based on their performance on Sunday afternoon in Dover, Burton and his DEX Imaging team will start 11th on Friday evening in Daytona.
· JGR at Daytona: In combined 97 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Daytona International Speedway, JGR has earned four wins, 24 top-five finishes, 39 top-10s and seven pole starting positions. The team has led 637 laps, with an average start of 10.5 and an average finish of 16.9.
· Points Update: Following the doubleheader weekend at Dover, Burton currently sits sixth in the driver points standings and continues to lead the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings heading into Daytona.
· DEX IMAGING: DEX Imaging returns as a full-time sponsor of Burton and the No. 20 team this season. DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions in the industry, such as Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and HP. What makes DEX unique is its people, whose combined knowledge of cutting-edge business technologies and depth of service experience is unmatched. DEX Imaging’s success is directly tied to its mission: to help customers of all sizes drive down document-related expenses while improving productivity.
· RACE INFO: The Coca Cola 250 at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled for Friday, August 28, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast on NBCSN, MRN Radio and SIRIUS XM Channel 90.
Burton’s Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats at Daytona International Speedway:
Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10 Poles Laps Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish
1 0 1 1 0 9 8.0 2.0
Burton’s 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats:
21 2 10 114 0 175 7.1 10.0
Burton’s Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats:
30 2 11 19 0 175 7.7 12.1
From the Cockpit:
Harrison Burton:
“I’m looking forward to getting to back to Daytona and racing under the lights on Friday night. We seem to always bring fast Toyota’s with us down there, so I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do over 100 laps. Working in the draft and a little luck is always the key to success at Daytona. I’m looking forward to working teammates and hopefully going out and having another good run in our DEX Imaging Supra on Friday night.”
JGR PR
Miguel Paludo Returns to NASCAR Xfinity Series with JRM
Mason Massey Returning to BJ McLeod Motorsports in 2021
Stefan Parsons to Run at BJ McLeod Motorsports for Multiple Races in 2021
Printville Partners with JD Motorsports For 2021 Season
Mike Harmon Racing Secures 2021 Season Partnership
PREVIOUS POST Previous post: Regular Season Goal Achieved Heading to Daytona for Aric Almirola
NEXT POST Next post: Erik Jones Making His Final Start at Daytona with Joe Gibbs Racing
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3439
|
__label__wiki
| 0.64188
| 0.64188
|
Jacinda Wong
DID: 68275579
Email: jacinda.wong@pkw.com.sg
Lawyer’s Profile
Jacinda’s practice areas encompass mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, corporate restructurings and general corporate advisory work. She has broad transaction experience across industries and jurisdictions, and her clients span local and foreign individuals, private and public companies and multinational corporations. She was previously appointed company secretary of an SGX Mainboard listed company. Jacinda was called to the Singapore bar in 2007, and was a partner at one of the large law firms in Singapore prior to joining the firm in 2016.
Significant Matters:
Acted in the merger of five distributors in the beverage industry and related joint venture and master distributorship between the consolidated distributor and brewery
Acted as purchaser’s counsel to a Luxembourg-headquartered laboratory group on its local and regional transactions as part of its growth track in Asia, including the acquisitions of Singapore targets in the clinical, pharmaceutical and chemical testing industries
Acted as vendor’s counsel on the sale of a Singapore target to a Japanese group, involving statutory amalgamation, communications with local authorities and the sale and purchase transaction
Acted as vendor’s counsel on the sale of a Singapore target to a Singapore public listed company, involving the prior restructuring of shareholding and Indonesia land holding structures and land transfer
Acted as issuer’s counsel in Reverse Take-Overs, including a RTO involving the acquisition of Indonesian coal mining assets and a RTO involving the acquisition of Chinese medical assets
Acted as issuer’s counsel on initial public offerings, including the IPO of a specialist engineering group and the IPO and spin-off listing of a marble resource group on the SGX
Acted in the rights issues of shares or warrants, private placements, capital reductions, share buybacks and other corporate actions of Singapore public listed companies
Restructuring, Projects, General Corporate and Commercial
Regularly acts on multi-jurisdictional and cross border projects such as global restructurings, reorganizations and cross border project management, working with legal, tax and finance teams from the UK, Netherlands, Sweden, France and ASEAN particularly Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam
Regularly acts on joint ventures, shareholders’ agreements and private equity investments, and regularly provides general legal and corporate support services including advising on compliance matters and corporate secretarial services. Has experience with transfer pricing matters, working across service lines for the tax benchmarking analysis and formulation of intercompany agreements
Dedicated to quality service without exception
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3440
|
__label__wiki
| 0.547988
| 0.547988
|
Community Engagement and Organizing
Media Advocacy
Training Events Intro
Support Gateway
chme-team-Eduardo-Sanchez
February 07, 2019 Tim Bobo
chme-team-Eduardo-Sanchez.jpg
Uncategorized. permalink.
Search Field Search Submit
Campaign Organizing and Leadership Institute, February 2021
02/16/21 @ 8:00 am - 02/18/21 @ 5:00 pm PST
The California Tobacco Endgame Center for Organizing & Engagement is a project of the American Heart Association. Funded by the California Department of Public Health, Grant Number: 19-10090 California Tobacco Endgame Center for Organizing & Engagement/American Heart Association 2007 O Street, Sacramento, CA 95816 (916) 446-6505
© Copyright. American Heart Association, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | Copyright | Ethics Policy | Conflict of Interest Policy | Linking Policy
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3442
|
__label__cc
| 0.682003
| 0.317997
|
Otherside Picnic Episode 3 Release Date, Preview, and Where to Watch Online?
The Reseacher
Nishina corners Sorao like she wants to kiss her, and Sorao got scared, thinking that Nishina is getting bad ideas. Nishina told Sorao to stay like that, and he touches her chin, which makes Sorao start trembling. Nishin said, so beautiful and Sorao asks Nishina that what’s got into her. Nishina took her cellphone and took a picture, and said Sorao’s right eye is so blue.
She gave her a cellphone to check it on the picture, and she is relieved that what was happening is not what she was thinking. After Sorao looks at the picture, Nishina shows her glowing hand, and you can see the other side of you is looking at it from the front. Sorao said it is translucent, and she asks where dis Nishina get that. Nishina replies that she did not do it on purpose, and it happened earlier when they were hunting wiggle-waggle.
Otherside Picnic Episode 3 Release Date and Recap
Otherside Picnic Episode 3 will be released on Monday, 18 January 2021, at 11:30 PM JST. Stream or watch the anime officially on AnimeLab and Funimation or visit its official website at othersidepicnic.com. You can check other development here on this link: Anime. Let’s move to the latest updates below.
Previously on Otherside Picnic Episode 2
Earlier the two went to the other side and defeated the wiggle-waggle monsters. The two use salt and Sorao ideas to defeat them, but Nishin’s idea is to go there since they will make a fortune. Sorao realizes that they encountered the monster 3 days ago. She also realizes that the wiggle-waggle urban legend is well known on the net. They are said to be creatures that drive you mad just by looking at them.
Mirror Cubes:
Sarao said she belive her right eye had turned blue because she looks at one of the waggle-wiggle for too long. That has also make Nishina’s hand turn translucent when she tried to remove the saliva of wiggle-waggle on Sorao’s forehead. Nishin suggests that they can have an expert look at her hand. She said that she knows someone who is a researcher who specializes in the other side.
Nishin said that the researcher wants the mirror cubes that the wiggle-waggles drop. Sorao can’t believe that they have to go again for the third time to that dangerous world known as the other side. Later the two board on a train, and Saroa asks if Nishina is not ripping off that researcher. Nishina replies that she is just sending mirror cubes to the other side. The researcher is paying tons of money, and that is called business.
Nishin said maybe she is the one getting ripped off, and Saroa just looked down, thinking the opposite. After a long trip, the two arrive at the Otherside, and Sorao realizes that they are in front of the building where the kids say it is haunted. Nishina ignores what Sorai is saying, and hs opens the gate. They both enter inside with Nishina calling if there is someone. Nishina opens the house door, and they get inside.
Th Fourth Kind:
The met with the researcher, who asks how much did she pay Sorao to come with her. Nishina replies that Sorao is free, and she tells Sorao that she is the one she was talking about. Her name is Kozakura, who conducts research related to cognitive science and thinks that happens on the Otherside. Kozakura asked Nishina why is she revealing the truth about her. Since Saro is a stranger and Nishina replies that she just said Kozakura was an expert.
They both sit down, and Nishina shows Kozakura her hand and tells her to look at Sorao’s eye. Kozakura looked at Nishina’s hand and Sorao’s eye and said that it is a real eye. She then asks what has happened, and Sarao narrates the story of wiggle-waggle urban legend. She explained everything in detail and said they ended like that after defeating one of the wiggle-waggle. Kozakura is surprised that the two had a close encounter of the fourth kind.
Nishin asks what the fourth kind is, and Kozakura reveals that contact events with UFOs are classified as close encounters of the first, second, and third kind in ufology. She said she had applied a similar scale to contact events with the Otherside. The fourth kind has a physical impact on the body—the closer the contact with the Otherside, the greater the danger. The Otherside enthralls some contacts, it becomes an addiction, and there never return. Nishina comments that it is just like Satsuki, and she reveals the incident that happened to Satsuki.
Otherside Picnic Episode 3 Preview
That’s how we conclude this week’s post with all of the above updates. Let’s meet again next time when a new episode is released. If you miss the previous episode, you can try it here: Otherside Picnic Episode 2.
Previous Boruto Anime Introduces all Kara Members
Next Song Joon Ki’s New Movie “Space Sweepers” To Release On Netflix In February 2021.
Best Stoner Flick Movies You Need to Watch in 2021
Top 10 K-Dramas Adapted From Webtoons
Anime Review – Black Clover Episode 159
Anime Like Cowboy Bebop That You Should Try
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3443
|
__label__wiki
| 0.922409
| 0.922409
|
Anyone speak Russian? The whole article is on the bottom:)
Penguin Eggs Magazine
Moondancer (Independent)
This husband-and-wife duo have created an album that’s almost as charming as their Alberta foothills home. It’s no wonder that you can virtually feel the love.
Craig Bignell and Suzanne Levesque met a few years ago at the Calgary home of actor/musician Tom Jackson. Bignell, who was playing drums for the Huron Carol, was shy about singing a song at an after-dinner jam, but Levesque stepped in and rescued him with her bass and harmony vocals. The two instantly clicked, both musically and personally.
Their first CD, recorded at their ranch in Longview, is a breath of fresh air in these troubled times. Their voices blend like a fine Canadian whisky, and the added accompaniment by musical friends never gets in the way of the organic feel. Bignell and Levesque show a great deal of versatility, from the old-time feel of House on the Hill to the swing of Over the Moon, which Stephane Grapelli would have loved to accompany. Turtle Mountain, which is about the Frank Slide disaster in Crowsnest Pass, has a truly menacing feel.
No fewer than three songs have the word moon in them, including the title song, which was given to them by fellow rancher Ian Tyson. They’re doing a fine job of continuing the southern Alberta musical tradition established by their legendary neighbour.
– By Mike Sadava
Fatea Magazine U.K.
Album: Moon Dancer
Label: Self Released
Website: http://www.overthemoonband.com
'Moondancer' is the debut album from Canadian Roots-Swing duo 'Over The Moon'. Mostly written and recorded in their ranch set square in the foothills of Alberta's Rocky Mountains, the songs range from 40's western swing, Appalachian, old time country blues and contemporary Americana.
'Over The Moon' are Suzanne Levesque, vocals and bass, and Craig Bignell, vocals, banjo, guitar and percussion. Mutual friends adding extra guitar, accordion, fiddle, violin, Rhodes, lap steel, Wurlitzer and clarinet across the tracks compliment the sound.
The ten songs themselves are a mix of the duo's originals, co writes and a few covers, all arranged and produced by Craig Bignell and mixed and mastered by Aaron Young.
Opening track 'Strangers We Meet', written by Ray Hughes, ambles in on an acoustic guitar strum and banjo part before the arrival of Suzanne and Craig's unison vocals. Together, their voices have a timeless quality that suits this earthy music perfectly, weaving in and out of one another seamlessly as they swap lead lines. Bass, percussion and a little electric guitar subtly fills out the track, all beautifully arranged and recorded and it's a great introduction for the listener.
'House On The Hill' follows and is an 'Over The Moon' original and feels very autobiographical with its opening lines "Built in 1932 a little house for me and you, to start our family". Suzanne takes the lead vocal and puts me in mind of Rosanne Cash in both tone and narrative delivery of the song, which again is subtly dressed with clever instrumentation and accordion to the fore.
The third number in this opening trio of fine songs is perhaps the strongest on the album, 'Turtle Mountain', and is another 'Over The Moon' original. Telling the tale of the 1903 Crowsnest Pass disaster, known as the Frank Slide, the song enters on an ominous, archetypal banjo riff as befits this doom-laden story. Suzanne also delivers her finest, most strident vocal in my view, over a chugging, seesaw rhythm pushed along by the accordion and fiddle. Suzanne and Craig's voices join for the chorus, almost chanting the words out and the song then exits into a great fiddle solo, mirrored by a fiery acoustic guitar piece later in the song before building again to something of an ensemble finale. Both musically and stylistically, this track conjures up England's Folk-Rock legends, Fairport Convention and their evergreen version of the traditional 'Matty Groves'. Everything about 'Turtle Mountain' is just 'right',
'Over The Moon' breaks the spell and makes a stylistic change over into jazzy, swing territory and features some sweet vocal and instrumental interchanges, whilst title track 'Moondancer' nods more towards contemporary country balladry.
'You Don't Even Know' is back to swing territory before the rootsy, earthy 'By The Mark' appears. I imagine most people who are listening to the album will also be familiar with this David Rawlings & Gillian Welch song and 'Over The Moon' do a beautifully faithful version here - slightly less austere than the original but still intense and moving.
Craig Bignell takes lead vocals for the reflective 'The Hills Of Grey County', swingy 'Alberta Moon' and final track 'That's How I Learned To Sing The Blues' which somehow manages to infuse country blues with Parisian sounding accordion and Gypsy jazz guitar!
'Moondancer' does all that can be asked of a first album in showcasing 'Over The Moon's' song writing, singing and playing credentials. All of this is beautifully recorded, the songs are cleverly arranged, guest musicians are outstanding and the piece is wedded as a whole with the melding of Suzanne Levesque's and Craig Bicknell's voices.
More generally, I think the record struggles to maintain the impact of the opening three songs and whilst the scope of music covered again serves as a fine introduction to the duo, I prefer their more Americana/Roots sound to that of the lighter, swing numbers. However, as always, this sort of thing is always going to be down to personal listening taste and preference
So, all in all, 'Moondancer' is a real success and its home-grown, organic feel has the effect of whetting the appetite for their live show, where I imagine these songs will really sparkle.
Paul Jackson,
FATEA Magazine UK
Elmore Blue and Roots Magazine, New York City
Moondancer
Album Reviews | July 12th, 2017
Artist: Over the Moon
Album: Moondancer
BUY PHYSICAL
We caught husband-and-wife duo Over the Moon at Folk Alliance International and knew we were on to something special—we just didn’t know we’d have to wait for a CD. Turns out it’s been worth it.
Real-life ranchers Craig Bignell and Suzanne Levesque had never recorded together before, but they’ve been doing something right, up there in the hills of Alberta. Bignell, a session drummer, picked up banjo and guitar fairly recently, apparently much of it from osmosis, because he sounds like he’s been playing his whole life. The two met at an impromptu songfest, when Levesque stepped in to support Bignell on his vocals. Cut to the chase: they got married.
The two play a wide variety of acoustic instruments, but the real treat here is their tight harmonies and the profound feelings they share through these songs. Weaving in and out of the melody, the first cut, Ray Hughes’ “Strangers We Meet,” sets up the tone for the album: gentle and deep.
Punctuated by toe-tapping Texas swing (some written by the duo), and folk-y takes on blues like “That’s How I Learned to Sing the Blues,” most of Over the Moon’s own songs—like many of the best songs anywhere—stem from their own lives, expanded to be universal. Ian Tyson, one half of Ian and Sylvia and “Four Strong Winds” writer, penned the title track, and it does stand out, even in a truly lovely album.
Word has it the duo are already writing for their next record, and I, for one, look forward to it. At least there’s Moondancer to listen to while we wait.
SPREAD THE NEWS!
—Suzanne Cadgène
Elmore Magazine, New York
Canadian Beats Media
Alberta based band, Over The Moon has just released their debut album entitled "Moondancer". The acoustic duo is made up of married, and award-winning vocal and multi-instrumentalists Suzanne Levesque and Craig Bignell, and "Moondancer" is definitely something worth talking about.
The ten-track recording was fittingly recorded on their ranch in Alberta, but without knowing that, the listen would take you there anyways. The simplistic songwriting and tone of this album will have you pushing repeat.
Moondancer opens with a track entitled "Strangers We Meet" and right away you will notice that these two were meant to sing together, their harmonies are absolute perfection. The album moves through wholesome stories that will take you back in time. Not only that, but it seems to completely defy all expectations of a set genre. The songs gracefully parade through hints of roots, swing, old-style country, and folk. Another track, "By The Mark" even touches on gospel. Moving through the album you come upon a track called "Old Alberta Moon", in this song they sing an ode to their home and the beauty that is Alberta.
Moondancer is a charming album from start to finish. It brings back the simplicity and beauty of songwriting, of storytelling through music, taking you somewhere else entirely, somewhere beautiful...
Northern Sky Magazine U.K.
Over the Moon - Moondancer
Over The Moon are a Canadian Roots/Swing duo. MOONDANCER, their debut album was recorded in their ranch in the foothills of Alberta's Rocky Mountains and just oozes with integrity and charm. The album packaging features an atmospheric photograph of Over The Moon with Suzanne Levesque and Craig Bignell, against the landscape of their home. They are holding their instruments, faces set like frontier pioneer farmers in a hand coloured 19th-century photograph. Over The Moon don't look like soft musos on a dude ranch, they look like they live the life they write about or write about the life they lead. From Strangers We Meet and tracks like By The Mark, the interplay of Craig and Suzannes voices, harmonising, alternating lines or creating syncopation are simply glorious. Instruments like Craigs Banjo and Aaron Young’s electric guitar help paint the picture, but the voices are the star. House On The Hill is a less sentimental take on Graham Nash’s ‘Our House’. Feels like a Kathrine Edwards track with that Country ballad feel. Turtle Mountain is an anthemic song, documenting the 1903 Crowsnest Pass disaster. Suzanne's vocal is powerful and chilling on this band composition, a folk standard in the making. Again Aaron Young’s acoustic picking is fine around Craig's banjo. The bursts of Dents Dufresne's violin and the tune give this a sense of Fairport's Matty Groves.
Over The Moon and Alberta Moon are feel good tunes with that loose warm feeling of Western Swing and the best of Leon Redbone a Canadian by association. Accordion and Clarinet on Alberta Moon slide by beautifully. Moondancer by Canadian legend Ian Tyson, himself a chronicler of the rural life and a neighbour to Over The Moon, is an album highlight, with the feel of an early Eagles track. Again Suzanne's vocal, against washes of steel guitar and accordion, is just a joy. By The Mark is a considered and heartfelt reading of the David Rawlings and Gillian Welch song. The less is more approach really works here with space given to the wonderful harmonies. The Hills of Grey County, dealing with ecological concerns and the perils of distant big business is another Folk song in the making. Over The Moon's reading of Henry Hipkens' That's How I Learned To Sing The Blues is warmer than Hipken's empty bottle drawl, but theirs has a New Orleans French Mardi Gras swagger. This is a love gone cold song you can dance to, rather than cry into your whisky to. Rob Loree's atmospheric character sketches on the cover, from the hapless troubadour about to get bucked to the reflective banjo player inside, have a Grant Wood folksy charm, but I am not sure they do the band or the music justice. There is grit, integrity and a power in these tracks, sometimes raw, sometimes charming with a sense of place and honesty that just shines through. The characters in the booklet raise a wry smile but the music leaves a much stronger lasting and deeper impression of warmth and a real life being lived.
Marc Higgins
Maverick Magazine U.K.
SOOTHING FOR THE SOUL AND A GLIMPSE INTO THE ETHEREAL!
Moondancer captures the very essence of traditional Country-Folk at it's finest and most compelling. The moment " By The Mark" began playing, I was immediately transported to an open campfire, a starry canopy and the mesmerizing feel of being brought back to nature- it's a vibe that's insatiable. The guitar and banjo playing on the track is essentially minimalist, bringing out the harmonies of Suzanne Levesque and Craig Bignell, perfectly. At the same time, the use of imagery in a number of songs brings to life a storytelling element. "The Hills Of Grey County" is one example of this, the lyrics focus on the seizure of the hill, and alludes to troops plundering the place. Again, the piece embodies the impression of nature as being harmonious.
"Moondancer" is another imaginative track that tells the story of a young woman who has waited longingly for her beloved Moondancer, the accordion is a welcome element that blends nicely with the other instruments and vocalists.
Adopting a slightly different feel, "Over The Moon" is summery and uplifting. I thoroughly enjoyed the song, which certainly showcases Craig Bignell's vocals; nevertheless, it has a more theatrical feel, continued by the jazzy feel of "Over The Moon"
Both Levesque and Bignell are award winning vocal and instrumental artists who have already been on the receiving end of rave reviews. Their two part harmony style is characteristic of the two, as are the broad range of acoustic instruments that Over The Moon delivers. Most of the songs are original and tell the stories of life lived in Southern Alberta's ranching country. An interesting fact to note is that the title song "Moondancer" was given to them by their artist/rancher neighbor Ian Tyson! My track of choice was Turtle Mountain owning to the beautiful harmonies and the powerful sound produced by the bass.
If one of your delights is the thought of walking amongst the spruces in fresh, open air, you will love this. I for one certainly did.
EDITOR Maverick Magazine U.K.
American Roots U.K.
2017 - Self Released
This is the debut album by a talented Canadian duo who have such a natural feel for rural music as perhaps we should expect from people who live on a farm in the foothills of Alberta's Rocky Mountains, in fact this album was recorded on that very same farm! The duo consists of the husband and wife team of award winning vocalists and multi-instrumentalists, Suzanne Levesque and Craig Bignell, although listeners can be forgiven for thinking they are siblings, such is the quality of their harmonies.
There is a lovely mix of styles on this excellent recording that ranges from high lonesome, western swing, old country, even an occasional bluesiness and much more besides all beautifully blended into a quite addictive debut album. Both Suzanne and Craig are blessed with vocal styles that possess great warmth and the ability to express myriad emotions and believability, be it in an Appalachian style or a hybrid western swing. Their voices blend as if they were born to sing together whether on their excellent self penned songs or those borrowed from others. Actually 'borrowed' sells them short because some of those songs are virtually made their own with their ability to stamp their own style on them.
If the purpose of this recording had been to put their own compositions up against some well known high quality writers to prove their own abilities, which it most definitely wasn't, their case would have been proven anyway! Of the ten songs five were written by the duo and the title song, Moondancer was actually given to them by close neighbour Ian Tyson, a man who has had a long career in rootsy country music and their version of the Rawlings/Welch composition By the mark is quite stunning.
The album opener is Ray Hughes excellent composition Strangers we meet, getting underway with a nice high lonesome banjo and guitar intro soon joined by the two beautifully blended and strong voices getting the album off to a flying start. It is an excellent exercise in sparse country music and the power two excellent voices have in evoking a story and a feeling much more efficiently than some of the over produced music that is currently prevalent in 'country music.' A haunting banjo and fiddle are soon joined by Suzanne's strong lead vocal on Turtle Mountain, a song that has a slightly eerie 'old timey' feel. There is a lovely flow to the song and a few changes that lift the performance never allowing the dramatic intensity to slacken. A lovely melodic jazzy guitar and fiddle are soon joined by Craig's excellent vocal on Over the moon, a stripped down western 'swinger.' It soon becomes apparent this is a duet with the couple exchanging verses and then coming together on the chorus and there are some lovely guitar and fiddle breaks on this song that could easily become a modern day stylistic template. Final mention is of the title track Moondancer led in by acoustic guitar, steel guitar and the accordion, soon joined by Suzanne's beautiful lead vocal with Craig coming in on harmonies. It is a song that has an old 'country and western' feel but with a strong 'high lonesome' element, with the instrumentation being just about perfect for the song. It's a beautifully mellow tale but one that has so much character there is no chance of it being labeled 'bland.'
There is a warm easy going style to every performance on this exceptional ten song recording; the sound always having a mellow feel but the excellence of the writing, the varied instrumentation mixes and the tremendous arrangements always bring more than enough to the recording to keep it interesting and entertaining, but when you add the lead and harmony vocals to the equation the whole album is lifted way above most of their peers!
Mike Morrison,
Country Music People Magazine U.K.
Americana UK Magazine
Namaskar Magazine, Saint Petersburg Russia
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3444
|
__label__wiki
| 0.760077
| 0.760077
|
Tag Archives: The Cricket Show TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday
CBS #1 Saturday in the U.S. BBC One #1in the UK. Seven #1 in Australia.
‘It’s All About Screens.’ This is the Daily Diary of Screens. On Saturday, August 22, 2015, CBS finished #1 as ‘’48 Hours’‘ was the top program. BBC One in the UK as ‘Casual+y’ was the top program. Seven finished #1 … Continue reading →
Posted in Audience Analysis, Audience Behavior, Audience Management, Broadcast TV Ratings in Australia, Broadcast TV Ratings in the UK, Broadcast TV Ratings in US, Cable TV Ratings, Cinema, Daily Broadcast Ratings, Data, Digital, Direct, Hispanic TV Ratings, Late Night TV Ratings, Media, Media Analysis, Media Management, Mobile, Music To Read By, Music To Read overtheshouldermedia by, Saturday Night TV Ratings, Television Program Renewals, Television Ratings, Today In TV History, Uncategorized, Weekend Box Office | Tagged 'Casual+y' #1 program in the UK on Saturday, 'Seven News Saturday' #1 program in Australia on Saturday, 'The Voice Australia' TV Ratings in Australia on Sunday, 48 Hours TV Ratings on Saturday, 60 Minutes TV Ratings in Australia on Sunday, ABC News Saturday TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, ABC News Sunday TV Ratings in Australia on Sunday, ABC TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, ABC TV Ratings on Saturday, ABC TV Ratings on Sunday in Australia, America's Funniest Home Video TV Ratings on Saturday, Aquarius TV Ratings on Saturday, BBC One TV Ratings in the UK on Saturday, BBC Two TV Ratings in the UK on Saturday, Beyond The Tank TV Ratings on Saturday, Boston EMS TV Ratings on Saturday, Bullseye TV Ratings on Saturday, CBS #1 Saturday in the U.S., CBS TV Ratings on Saturday, Channel 4 TV Ratings in the UK on Saturday, Channel 5 TV Ratings on Saturday, FOX TV Ratings on Saturday, Gardening Australia TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, GEM Network TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, GEM Network TV Ratings on Sunday, Grand Design Revisited TV Ratings in Australia on Sunday, Hannibal TV Ratings on Saturday, Home Free TV Ratings on Saturday, ITV 3 TV Ratings in the UK on Saturday, ITV TV Ratings in the UK on Saturday, Last Tango in Halifax TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, NBC TV Ratings on Saturday, Network Nine TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, New Tricks TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Nine #1 in Australia on Sunday, Nine News Saturday TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Nine News Sunday #1 program in Australia on Sunday, Nine News Sunday TV Ratings in Australia on Sunday, Nine TV Ratings in Australia on Sunday, Running Wild with Bear Grylls TV Ratings on Saturday, SBS TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, SBS TV Ratings in Australia on Sunday, Scorpion TV Ratings on Saturday, Seven #1 in Australia on Saturday, Seven Sunday News TV Ratings in Australia on Sunday, Seven TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Seven TV Ratings in Australia on Sunday, Sunday Night TV Ratings in Australia on Sunday, Ten TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Ten TV Ratings in Australia on Sunday, The Ashes 2015 TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, The Cricket Show TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, The Mid-Year Ashes: Fifth Test-England vs Australia Session 1 D3 TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, The Mid-Year Ashes: Fifth Test-England vs Australia Session 1 D4 TV Ratings in Australia on Sunday, The Mid-Year Ashes: Fifth Test-England vs Australia Session 2 D3 TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Vera TV Ratings in Australia on Sunday | Leave a comment
CBS #1 Friday in the U.S. BBC One #1 in the UK. Nine #1 in Australia.
‘It’s All About Screens.’ This is the Daily Diary of Screens. On Friday, July 17, 2015, CBS finished #1 as ‘‘Blue Bloods’‘ was the top program. BBC One finished #1 in the UK as ‘‘Celebrity MasterChef’‘ was the top program. … Continue reading →
Posted in Audience Analysis, Audience Behavior, Audience Management, Broadcast TV Ratings in Australia, Broadcast TV Ratings in the UK, Broadcast TV Ratings in US, Cable TV Ratings, Cinema, Daily Broadcast Ratings, Data, Digital, Direct, Friday Night TV Ratings, Hispanic TV Ratings, Late Night TV Ratings, Media, Media Analysis, Media Management, Mobile, Music To Read By, Music To Read overtheshouldermedia by, Television Program Renewals, Television Ratings, Today In TV History, Uncategorized, Weekend Box Office | Tagged 'Seven News Saturday' #1 program in Australia on Saturday, 20/20 TV Ratings on Friday, 8 out of 10 Cates Does Countdown Ratings on Friday, A Current Affair TV Ratings in Australia on Friday, ABC News Saturday TV Ratings in Australia, ABC News TV Ratings in Australia on Friday, ABC TV Ratings in Australia on Friday, ABC TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, ABC TV Ratings on Friday, America's Got Talent TV Ratings on Friday, BBC Four TV Ratings in the UK on Friday, BBC One #1 in the UK on Friday, BBC One TV Ratings in the UK on Friday, BBC Two TV Ratings in the UK on Friday, Blue Bloods #1 in TV Ratings on Friday, Blue Bloods TV Ratings on Friday, CBS #1 On Friday, CBS TV Ratings on Friday, Celebrity MasterChef #1 in the UK on Friday, Channel 4 TV Ratings in the UK on Friday, Channel 5 TV Ratings in the UK on Friday, Dateline TV Ratings on Friday, Elementary TV Ratings on Friday, First Night at the Proms TV Ratings on Friday, FOX TV Ratings on Friday, Gotham TV Ratings on Friday, Hawaii Five-0 TV Ratings on Friday, ITV TV Ratings in the UK on Friday, MasterChef TV Ratings on Friday, Masters of Ilusion TV Ratings on Friday, Network Nine #1 Saturday in Australia, Network Nine TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Nine #1 in Australia on Friday, Nine News #1 Program in Australia on Friday, Nine News 6:30 TV Ratings in Australia on Friday, SBS TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Seven News TV Ratings in Australia on Friday, Seven News/Today Tonight TV Ratings in Australia on Friday, Seven TV Ratings in Australia on Friday, Seven TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Shark Tank TV Ratings on Friday, Telemundo TV Ratings on Friday, Ten Eyewitness News First At Five TV Ratings in Australia on Friday, Ten TV Ratings in Australia on Friday, Ten TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, The Cricket Show TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, The CW TV Ratings on Friday, The Messengers TV Ratings on Friday, The Mid-Year Ashes: Second Test England vs Australia Session 1 TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, The Mid-Year Ashes: Second Test England vs Australia Session 2 TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Univision TV Ratings on Friday, What Would You Do? TV Ratings on Friday, Whose Line Is It Anyway? TV Ratings on Friday | Leave a comment
FOX #1 on Saturday in the U.S. BBC One #1 in the UK. Network Nine #1 in Australia.
Posted on January 11, 2015 by overtheshouldermlb
Ratings for Sunday in the U.S. have been delayed. They will be posted as soon as they are available. Today, traditional TV still accounts for the lion’s share of video viewing, but online and mobile are where the growth is. … Continue reading →
Posted in Audience Analysis, Audience Management, Broadcast TV Ratings in Australia, Broadcast TV Ratings in the UK, Broadcast TV Ratings in US, Cable TV Ratings, Daily Broadcast Ratings, Hispanic TV Ratings, Late Night TV Ratings, Media Management, Music To Read By, Music To Read overtheshouldermedia by, Saturday Night TV Ratings, Television Program Renewals, Television Ratings, Today In TV History, Uncategorized, Weekend Box Office | Tagged ABC News Saturday TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, ABC Ratings on Saturday, ABC TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Audience Analysis, Audience Behavior, Audience Measurement, Australian TV Ratings on Saturday, BBC One #1 in the UK on Saturday, BBC One TV Ratings in the UK on Saturday, BBC Two TV Ratings in the UK on Saturday, CBS TV Ratings on Saturday, Channel 4 TV Ratings in the UK on Saturday, Channel 5 TV Ratings in the UK on Saturday, CNA|SOPHIS, Cricket: T20 Big Bash League Game 22 – Post-Game TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Cricket: T20 Big Bash League Game 22 – Session 2' TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Data, Death In Paradise TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Digital, Direct, Fourth Test-Australia vs India Session 1 TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Fourth Test-Australia vs India Session 2 Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Fourth Test-Australia vs India Session 3 #1 on TV in Australia on Saturday, Fourth Test-Australia vs India Session 3 TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, FOX #1 on Saturday, FOX TV Ratings on Saturday, ITV 3 TV Ratings in the UK on Saturday, ITV TV Ratings in the UK on Saturday, Lance Hanish, Media, Media Analysis, Media Management, Mobile, Network Nine #1 on TV in Australia on Saturday, Network Nine TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Nine News Saturday TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Post Season Playoff Football #1 on Saturday, SBS TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Seattle vs Carolina TV Ratings on Saturday, Seven News Saturday TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Seven TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, Sunday TV Ratings in Australia, Sunday TV Ratings in the UK, Ten TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, The Cricket Show TV Ratings in Australia on Saturday, The Voice UK #1 In The UK on Saturday, UK TV Ratings on Saturday, Wycliffe Gordon | Leave a comment
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3445
|
__label__cc
| 0.713276
| 0.286724
|
You are here: Home / News / Nicolaus Lorenz hands over to Kaspar Wyss
Swiss TPH The SCIH is delighted to announce the appointment of Prof. Kaspar Wyss as the new head of SCIH as of 1 July 2015. He will succeed Dr Nicolaus Lorenz who founded the SCIH in 1996 and headed the department since then, leading it to an internationally renowned institution for health systems improvement with a wide range of expertise in all fields related to international health.
Kaspar Wyss was selected after careful consideration of a strong field of well-qualified candidates. He previously held the roles of the head of the Health Systems Support Unit (SYSU) and deputy head of the SCIH department and brings excellent leadership capabilities together with profound technical expertise and deep experience in the day to day management of SCIH’s global operations. Kaspar Wyss is a public health specialist and titular professor of epidemiology at the University of Basel, with a strong focus on health systems development, including research, monitoring and assessment activities.
Until his full retirement Nicolaus Lorenz will remain closely connected to the department as a consultant in various mandates. (Photo: Nicolaus Lorenz)
www.swisstph.ch
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3452
|
__label__cc
| 0.706238
| 0.293762
|
Can I change the boarding station of a booked ticket?
Posted on February 26, 2019 by Team
IRCTC provides its passengers with a lot of facilities and one such facility that the passengers have is they can change the boarding station of a booked ticket.
Yes, you can change the tickets that you have booked online through IRCTC. E-Tickets booked through IRCTC can be changed to any station that falls between your already booked source and destination station.
If there falls a station between your already booked source and destination station, you can change your boarding point to that station.
This can be done 24 hours before the departure of the scheduled train. You can change your boarding station to any station that comes between your source and destination station 24 hours before the departure of the train.
This facility of changing the boarding station is available for tickets which are booked through IRCTC (e-tickets). If your ticket is an “i-ticket” then this is not applicable as this facility is not available for i-tickets.
Every Passenger is allowed to change his/her boarding point once and after the person has changed the boarding station, he won’t be able to change it again to the original station or to any other station.
If a passenger changes the boarding station for his journey then he will lose all of the rights to board the train from the original boarding station and can’t board the train from the original station. He can only board the train from the newly selected boarding station.
← How Often to Check PNR Status?
What does RAC status mean? →
Disclaimer: We are not affiliated with Indian Railways. All contents are personal opinions; written for information/educational purpose only.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3454
|
__label__cc
| 0.672047
| 0.327953
|
Home Series Update Tarasha Season 2 Episode 71
Tarasha Season 2
Tarasha Season 2 Episode 71
Time: 5:53am
‘Damn!’ Chief Elvis cursed as he pulled the trigger twice in a frustrating manner without any bullet coming out.
‘Sir, there’s no bullet in it. You asked me to remove them,’ Chief Rikau said to the Vice President who had forgotten his instruction out of anger.
Chief Elvis flashed a look at Rikau, panting angrily. ‘Please give me one that has bullets,’ he said, turning to the other men standing by the sides.
‘I’ll work with you,’ a soft voice spoke.
Chief Rikau froze and turned to Tarasha without receiving the gun which was being offered to him by an officer.
‘But I’ve got two conditions,’ Tarasha added in a weak voice.
‘What are your conditions?’ the Vice President squinted and swallowed in. ‘Get me a seat,’ he shouted quickly at the men while he waited for Tarasha to respond.
Tarasha breathed in air heavily. She closed her eyes and shook her head briefly to ease off the rising headache. She knew there was going to be no deal between her and Chief Elvis and suspected that even the man wanted no deal with her, he must have an ulterior motive for offering her a job with him or why would he want her to work with him when he had an assassin like Rex already on his side.
‘I would work with you if Henry E.G is still alive and only if you allow the abducted parents of my men to go untouched.’ Tarasha said.
‘Henry E.G? I don’t know about Henry E.G, I don’t even know if he’s alive or dead.’ the Vice President replied. He paused to sit on the short chair brought for him. ‘And your men’s parents; I had nothing to do with them.’
Tarasha close her eyes briefly and shook her head weakly. ‘I won’t like to work with one who lies,’ she said as she opened her eyes and stared into his. Chief Elvis’ look narrowed as he wondered if she was referring to him as a liar.
A rod hit Tarasha’s mouth from the left, sending blood spilling to the other side. The Vice President flashed a quick and angry look at the person who struck.
‘I instructed him to,’ Chief Rikau spoke in support of the man. The Vice President gaze turned to him. ‘She was calling you a liar,’ he quickly added.
‘Just leave the two of us,’ Chief Elvis said with a warning look at Rikau and turned back to Tarasha.
For the first time since he began to work with the Vice President, Chief Rikau felt like striking Chief Elvis on the head from behind. He had done that to so many others for Chief Elvis, but now that Chief Elvis was ridiculing him before junior officers, he felt like doing the same to him.
‘Listen Kimberly, I truly do not know about your men’s parents. All I heard was that the police rescued them from you when you tried to kill them.’
Tarasha took some time to reply. Her tongue’s movement in her mouth could be seen and soon she spat out blood down beside her. ‘You know that isn’t true, besides the police has them in custody now. I would like for them to be released to anyone I tell you.’
‘That’s fine,’ Chief Elvis agreed.
‘And Henry E.G was with that man you sent to me,’ Tarasha said. Her voice was sounding weaker.
‘Which one?’
‘Rex, he probably brought me to you.’
‘Hmm… Rex. I’ll find out from him and ask him to allow Henry go,’ Chief Elvis replied. There was silence for forty seconds. ‘So, what’s your second condition?’
There was silence again, this time longer than the first. Tarasha seemed weaker and was taking time to muster strength to talk.
‘I’ll tell you the second condition when we get halfway the job,’ she said.
‘Halfway?’
‘Yes, it’s not something difficult.’ she replied, moving her gaze to Chief Rikau’s face.
‘Hmm… I hope you’re saying the truth.’ he said as she moved her gaze back to him.
‘I don’t break deals,’ she said almost in whispers
‘Okay then, together we are.’ the Vice President said and put on a fake smile. He leaned forward and stretched his hand towards her for a handshake, pretending to forget that she was tied. ‘Oh!’ he took quick glances at the ropes at both sides as he withdrew his hand. ‘I’ll ask them to take these ropes off as soon as possible but I’ve got some few questions to ask you now.’ he said as he leaned backward.
Tarasha raised up her head to look directly into his eyes.
‘Can you give me some brief details about our new enemy? I mean the person who sent you that I’m sending you back to kill now, so that I can have a little idea of who I’m dealing with.’
Tarasha closed her eyes briefly and opened again. It was exactly what she expected. There was no deal, Chief Elvis only wanted to extract some information from her in a deceptive way by making her think they were on the same side instead of going through the method of torturing her which may not yield results.
‘You can only have the details when the deal starts,’ she replied.
‘When the deal starts?’ Chief Elvis frowned. ‘The deal has started already.’
Tarasha remained quiet but only glanced at the two sides she was tied to.
‘Oh! The ropes? I’m gonna ask then to cut it off immediately after this conversation.’
‘I’m sorry, I don’t start deals when I’m tied up like this. I’m sure you know it’s improper too.’
Chief Elvis sighed and got up slowly from the seat, supporting himself with the walking stick. ‘Kimberly, we know you are the daughter of Doctor Danjuma. Your brother told our men before his death,’ he said and paused to see her reaction.
There was a sudden rush of blood through her body as her parent’s pictures flashed through her mind and then the picture of Jeffery on the day of his death. The adrenaline rush in her was strong but wasn’t enough to give strength for her to make any move. She was too weak, even to make a facial expression.
Chief Elvis stared at her face for a while but wasn’t able to detect anything from her expression. ‘Your parents were very good people before they were killed by Boko Haram, and I don’t want a situation where you, the only surviving family member dies too. That’s why I’m giving you a second chance.’
Tarasha forced herself not to make any movement and she could sense the uncertainty in his voice and knew he was trying to confirm facts from her.
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she said in low tones, shaking her head slowly for emphasis.
‘Your…’ Chief Rikau tried to speak but the Vice President stopped him by raising a hand.
‘Your brother was killed in your house, after your attempt to take my life. You remember now?’
Tarasha stared blankly at him for a while. ‘You killed Mallam Jefa, a cook I employed. He was one of my favorites in Nigeria.’ she said.
The Vice President and Inspector General flashed quick looks at each other. ‘He called you his sister,’ Chief Rikau spoke.
‘I picked him from the slum, he regards me as his elder sister and even addresses me as Tara, name of his dead sister. I only have one family and that’s the Nefary Clan in Russia. Another assassin is coming for you once my failure to kill you is announced to the clan by the client.’ she said facing the Vice President.
The Vice President was visibly shaken at the sound of her words but he tried to hold himself down. ‘We’ll be back Kimberly, we’ll be back.’ he said and turned towards the door. The Inspector General followed immediately. And one after the other, the remaining men began to walk out of the place. The last one turned off the light before closing the door leaving Tarasha in utter darkness and total silence.
‘We’ve been here for more than fifteen minutes, when are we going to make a move?’ Henry asked impatiently..
‘Shhh…’ Cole hushed him. ‘Be patient, we can’t make any move until we get a clear view of what is happening,’ he said in whispers.
‘That means we’ll have to wait till it’s bright.’
‘Just shut up!’ Cole slammed in low tones. Both stood behind a parked lorry, having left their car some distance behind to avoid being noticed. Cole had a schoolbag strapped to his back and Henry the same too.
‘I can’t go now with those men at the gate, I may not be able to take them out completely.’ Cole Said.
Henry sighed.
‘That girl isn’t ready to budge,’ Chief Elvis thought aloud. He sat on a leather chair in the room while Chief sat on a plastic stool.
‘I just think we shouldn’t waste any more time by keeping her,’ Chief Rikau added.
‘I don’t want to keep her either but it’s important we find out who her sponsor is before giving permission for her death.’ Chief Elvis replied.
‘But I don’t think that girl is going to ever tell us anything,’ Chief Rikau said.
‘We’ll crack her, she’ll yield under serious torture and if she doesn’t yield easily, we can invite Rex to force it out from her.’
‘Good idea, I’ll say we should start right now.’ Chief Rikau suggested.
‘Sure, let’s get the boys to work.’ Chief Elvis said and both rose simultaneously.
Location – NIS Underground Facility
‘Information gathered from sources revealed that the motorist yesterday could be Samantha Osman and the case has been transferred from Inspector Dakolo to Agent Tim.’ a man reported to agent David as they both walked down a corridor.
‘I would have loved Inspector Dakolo to continue with the case, Agent Tim does not work clean. Anyway, it’s only a matter of time before we expose and flush some of them out of the system.’ Agent David replied.
They turned to a door by the left and the other man swiped his access card into it, he typed in a four digits code and the door gave way. He waited for Dave to enter before he followed.
The place looked like a dressing room, there was a line of three swivels arranged neatly before a large mirror. The mirror had an open shelf underneath which had some makeup kits and hair making tools in it.
‘Have you called her already?’ Dave asked as he proceeded to one of the chairs in front of the mirror.
‘Yes, she’s around already and will be here in no time.’ the man replied, taking a seat on a long bench which was far at the wall end.
A minute later, a tall lady entered, carrying a first aid box with her. She was putting on a white cleavage revealing blouse and a very short black skirt.
‘Good morning Dan,’ she greeted the Agent sitting on the bench at the back and proceeded towards Dave. ‘Dave, where the hell have you been?’ she asked all smiles as she leaned towards him, placing her palms on the two armrests of the swivel, her face on same level with his.
Dave smiled. Her face was close to his and her nose almost touching his, he could see her breasts through the cleavage and feel her breath on his face. ‘Lizzy, you were trained to seduce people to extract information from them not to seduce Agents like yourself. I wonder what you want to extract from me this morning, you will succeed very easily because I’ll do anything to get under this skirt of yours.’ Dave said jokingly and received a hard spank on his nose.
‘Stupid boy, when will you stop being naughty?’ she turned and picked the white box, she dropped it on the shelf and opened it. ‘Why do you need wounds on your face?’ she asked, turning back to him with a serious look.
‘For work, I’ve been away for sometime.’ Dave replied briefly.
‘When are you resuming?’
‘Today, this morning.’
‘What time are you supposed to resume?’
‘Normal working time, eight o’clock.’
‘Okay,’ she turned back to the mirror and brought down a piece of cloth and hung it around his neck. ‘Let’s see what we can do with fifteen minutes.’
Kindly like our Facebook Page POBSONLINE.COM for more amazing stories
‘Are you sure that rod is not soft?’ the Vice President asked one of the men carrying out the torture process.
‘Yes, it is harder than the previous ones we’ve been using.’ the man answered.
Three of them were dragging up Tarasha by her hands and one holding an iron rod. The Inspector General and Vice President stood about two metres at the front watching and mocking.
Tarasha’s face had turned unrecognizable from the impact of the blows and weapons on her face. Her mouth and nose were running with blood and her hair was scattered, some strands were spattered on her face and the blood made them stuck on it.
‘Let me have it,’ Chief Elvis demanded for the iron rod from the man holding it and stepped forward. The Inspector General took some steps backwards to give Chief Rikau more space. Chief Elvis examined the rod after collecting it, it was about two metres long.
He signalled for the Inspector General to move some more steps backwards and for the men holding her to pull her up. His eyes met with her blood stained eyes as he dropped his walking stick and positioned his legs carefully. Then with all strength he could muster, he raised the rod up and struck her belly hard.
She gave a loud groan and her head dropped weakly.
‘Would you tell us who your boss is before we finish you off?’ he stopped to ask.
She didn’t talk or move, neither was she strong enough to raise up her head again. With her head still bowed weakly and the men supporting her hands, she could see the shadow of the rod being raised again.
The day was gradually getting brighter and the men in front of the gate entered into their cars to wait for their bosses. The street was quiet and without much activities, only few personal cars and cabs were seen passing the two lane road and more of pedestrians walking past with their bags and some waiting to get cabs.
A tall man putting on an oversized leather sweater and an old school cap was walking towards the gate in front of which the two cars were parked. He stopped behind the first car and stopped to check the plate number, then he proceeded to behind the second car to do the same.
Three of the men in the cars – one of the one at the left and two from the right- had come out before he could finish behind the second car.
‘Yes? What do you want?’ one of the men who had come out of the car barked angrily. He stood close to the gate at the bonnet of the left car while the other two began to walk towards the intruder. The man putting on the oversized jacket refused to be intimidated and proceeded towards the men approaching him.
‘I want to see the Vice President,’ he said with boldness.
The men at his front flashed a quick look at themselves and then one of them glanced to the one at the back to see if he was listening. Another man from the car at the left was stepping out.
‘Does this place look like Aso Rock to you?’ a hefty man standing in front shouted at him. The day was getting brighter and one could see that all the men were dressed in all black shirts and trousers.
‘My name is Ben and I really want to see him for something urgent,’ the oversized sweater man replied back, unwavering at their intimidating looks and responses.
‘Are you drunk so early? Why are you searching for the Vice President here?’ one of the men said.
‘The guy must be one of the jobless nonentities who smokes weed every morning,’ another man said from behind.
‘Now get lost,’ the hefty man in front of him gestured for him to leave immediately.
‘I have to see the Vice President today and I won’t leave here till I see him.’ the oversized sweater man insisted calmly. He now had both hands in the pockets of the sweater.
There was tension in the atmosphere. Cole could sense that he had gotten the men angry and from the looks on their faces, they were ready to pounce on him.
‘I’m gonna tear this dude into pieces,’ the hefty man threatened, looking backwards to the other men to get their support to continue.
‘No, don’t cause a scene here. Remember we were warned against attracting attention here,’ the first man who spoke said. He began to walk towards them from beside the bonnet where he stood.
He got to them and they gave way for him to stand right in front of the man. ‘Just disappear silently now, you’re not going to like it if we apply force.’ he said to the man in very low tones.
‘I only want to see the Vice President, I don’t want to make any noise,’ the man also replied in low tones.
‘If you want to see him, then make your way to Aso Rock, that’s where the Vice President stays and not in a beer storage place.’
‘I’m not going anywhere, I saw the Vice President here and I’m not leaving until I speak with him.’ the man replied stubbornly.
The man turned to his colleagues who stood by his both sides, ‘This madman must have seen the Vice President with us. Pick him up and take him inside as quietly as possible, cover his mouth with a handkerchief. We can do all we want to do inside with him.’ he said and began to walk slowly back to the gate.
Cole’s eyes met with the eyes of the men who had been instructed to carry him, he could see the anger in their eyes.
The reason for the act was to make them unsuspicious of the fact that he came for Tarasha, then they will try as much as possible to kill him immediately or probably give announcements for those inside to move Tarasha to somewhere else. But now that they thought he was only a crazy intruder, they were taking him inside to deal with him for just being an annoying person and not a major enemy.
‘Hey!’ the man who had given them the instruction suddenly turned back and stopped them as his men attempted to make a move for Cole. He walked back towards them smiling, ‘I think we should just let him in, he means no harm, he just wants to see the Vice President.’ he said and stretched his hand towards Cole for a handshake.
Cole smiled and took the man’s handshake, following the man’s gesture for him to proceed forward. He glanced at the two men who wanted to carry him and eyed them like the crazy person they thought he was.
Previous articleTarasha Season 2 Episode 70
Next articleTarasha Season 2 Episode 72
All In A Circle Episode 53
In The Dark-Season 2 Episode 25
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3455
|
__label__wiki
| 0.608843
| 0.608843
|
ETV panel discusses SC education system
Photo by: Christina Xan
Jasmin Mitchell, Staff Writer
The South Carolina Education Television (ETV) held its television broadcast, the Carolina Classroom panel, at Chapman Auditorium in the McNair Science Building on Oct. 22.
The panel consisted of Molly Spearman, South Carolina state superintendent of education; Sen. Gerald Malloy; Dr. Helena Tillar, Marlboro County superintendent; Dr. Eddie Ingram, Darlington County superintendent; and Dr. Roy Jones, director of “Call Me MISTER” at Clemson University. The guests discussed the problems faced in education systems including funding, poverty within the community and the lack of early education teachers.
Eight different school districts in South Carolina agreed in the ‘80s that the state was not meeting requirements needed to help children who are in poverty receive a more decent education, which hinders them from receiving the same opportunities given to other students in different communities. The districts took the matter to court in Abbeville County School District v. the state of South Carolina. After 21 years, the case was decided in November 2014.
Molly Spearman saiditistimeto nda solution to the problem, with or without the court’s ruling. She said a good way to push the state to enforce the ruling for more funding is for working bodies with the right expertise to work together. Rural areas want to gain more, but they do not have the means to get there.
“It’s not just to legislators who play a part in making a difference; it is the community,” Spearman said.
Tillar said she is hopeful about the change that is coming and that they are taking a step in the right direction. She said the poverty issues are very real, and there are also transportation issues, facility issues and literacy needs.
Ingram said that the poverty rate in Darlington, S.C. is 82 percent. Darlington County is short two fth grade teachers and a fourth grade teacher. He said it is hard to employ teachers in the area because of the perception of poverty in the area. There has to be support for teachers and principals as well as for the students if anyone wants to see improvement. Ingram said the community is capable to make change happen.
Junior mass communication major Diamond Hunter to the event at 1:30 p.m. to volunteer to help set up, but instead she was asked to operate one of the cameras. The original cameraman had to leave suddenly. Hunter said it was a scary experience, but it was very fun at the same time.
FMU mobilizes votes
Students gather for “CarnEvil”
FMU hosts its third annual FM A’Glow
YGB performs for Harrison
Students prepare for virtual NMUN next semester
Students and faculty analyze racial tension
HOSA informs students about healthcare opportunities
FMU explores history of race relations within Florence
Students explore cultures
FMU’s Got Talent brings in special guests
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3456
|
__label__cc
| 0.539813
| 0.460187
|
Tag Archives: failure
Another day, another hotel quarantine fail. So what can Australia learn from other countries?
Maximilian de Courten, Victoria University; Bo Klepac Pogrmilovic, Victoria University; Deborah Zion, Victoria University, and Jaimie-Lee Maple, Victoria University
This week, we heard how conditions at a Sydney quarantine hotel were so bad almost 400 returned travellers had to be moved to another one.
Before that, we heard from Victoria’s inquiry into hotel quarantine. We learned the bulk of cases during the state’s second wave could be tracked down to a family of four returned travellers staying at a single quarantine hotel.
But Australia isn’t the only country to have quarantine issues. Some countries don’t use hotel quarantine at all. And others have turned to technology to keep track of returned travellers.
So what can we learn from other countries’ successes and failures?
A short trip around the world
The Mediterranean island of Cyprus also uses hotel quarantine for international arrivals. But rather than “hotel quarantine hell”, hotels in Cyprus are said to have a “holiday vibe”, despite not being able to leave your room.
Travellers praised Cyprus for its luxury and positive hotel quarantine experience. Some have even said they would return for a (real) holiday.
Hotel quarantine, Cyprus style.
Cyprus recorded a peak in daily cases of only 58, in early April, and now has an average of new cases a day in the teens.
Returned travellers must give Canadian authorities a plan for how they intend to spend their mandatory 14-day quarantine. This doesn’t have to be in a hotel; it can be at home. You have to monitor your own symptoms, and police will check up on you.
However, violations can result in large fines of up to C$750,000 (A$788,000) or six months in jail.
Taiwan introduced 14-day hotel quarantine for returned travellers who didn’t have a single room with a separate bathroom or who lived with vulnerable people.
Since late June, business travellers from low-risk countries can visit Taiwan and spend only five days in quarantine. But they need to take a COVID-19 test before leaving quarantine.
Taiwan has 18 active COVID-19 cases.
After flattening the curve, Singapore decided to relax its 14-day hotel quarantine to seven days self-quarantine for travellers arriving from specific countries.
But all travellers over the age of 12 not staying in a quarantine facility have to wear an electronic tracking wristband. Authorities are alerted if people go outside or tamper with the device.
Hong Kong and South Korea have also introduced wristbands to track people’s movements upon arrival and to check people comply with quarantine regulations.
Travellers arriving in Poland have to install a home quarantine phone app developed by the Polish government.
For 14 days, the app uses facial recognition and geolocation algorithms to monitor people. It also prompts people to take selfies at random times during the day.
Individuals have 20 minutes to respond to these prompts, otherwise they risk police knocking on their door.
A major “quarantine failure” was the UK’s experience at the start of the pandemic, when 10,000 travellers spread the virus across the country.
Members of parliament accused the responsible ministers of making errors, such as having no border checks, no specific quarantine arrangements, and lifting self-isolation regulations.
This eventually led to the UK dealing with a total of 328,846 cases and 41,465 COVID-19-related deaths.
The UK has since tightened its quarantine arrangements.
These ideas are worth adopting in Australia…
More than 70,000 returned travellers have been quarantined in Australian hotels since it became mandatory in late March. We don’t know exactly how many of these people have gone on to test positive. But about one in five of Australia’s cases were acquired overseas.
Is aggressive hotel isolation worth the cost to fight COVID-19? The answer depends on family size
As the headlines show, we can clearly do better in how we manage our quarantine system.
Adopting a “Cyprus-style” model of luxury hotel quarantine is simply beyond reach in Australia given the sheer number of people requiring quarantine facilities. However, improving the quality of facilities, ensuring a safe environment, and supervising staff is vital. This includes training both staff and travellers on infection control measures.
People in quarantine also need access to health care as well as to financial, social and psychosocial support, to ensure their safety and mental health.
…but we need to be careful about electronic tags
We would be particularly concerned about the human rights implications of returned travellers having to wear electronic monitoring devices.
Although we might be familiar with electronic monitoring devices in the criminal justice system, when used in the context of infection they could stigmatise people for simply being at higher risk of disease.
Lockdown returns: how far can coronavirus measures go before they infringe on human rights?
They go against the presumption that all persons will be law-abiding and perform their civic duty, with no evidence to the contrary.
There are also potential privacy concerns. There is no guarantee data collected through electronic monitoring — especially when using smartphone apps — will not be used for purposes other than monitoring pandemics.
No system is perfect
Even if we implement a world best quarantine system for returned travellers, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can still slip in.
That’s because people can still be infectious before feeling sick, before being diagnosed, or before being directed to quarantine. This becomes more likely the more people are kept under quarantine.
Maximilian de Courten, Health Policy Lead and Professor in Global Public Health at the Mitchell Institute, Victoria University; Bo Klepac Pogrmilovic, Research Fellow in Health Policy at the Mitchell Institute for Education and Health Policy, Victoria University; Deborah Zion, Associate Professor and Chair, Victoria University Human Research Ethics Committee, Victoria University, and Jaimie-Lee Maple, Research Assistant and Policy Analyst, Mitchell Institute, Victoria University
Posted in Australia, Health and Fitness, New South Wales, news, Victoria | Tagged article, Australia, coronavirus, failure, health, Hotel, New South Wales, news, NSW, quarantine, Victoria | Leave a comment
Vital Signs: Victoria’s privatised quarantine arrangements were destined to fail
Posted on July 26, 2020 by particularkev
Richard Holden, UNSW
Most people agree there are services government should pay for. Primary and secondary education, a dignified level of health care, emergency services and the military come to mind.
What is less clear is what services government should directly provide, and what it can safely contract out.
Past experiments in privatisation include the running of prisons and detention centres, and hiring private military contractors to guard embassies.
We have just witnessed a real-time experiment with the Victoria government’s hotel quarantine debacle.
Melbourne’s hotel quarantine bungle is disappointing but not surprising. It was overseen by a flawed security industry
This week an inquiry headed by former Family Court of Australia judge Jennifer Coates began into failures in Victoria’s hotel quarantine system, believed to be responsible for Melbourne’s second-wave viral outbreaks.
But what can economics tells us about why this happened?
Thanks to the literature on “incomplete contracts” that led to a Nobel Prize for Harvard University economist Oliver Hart, quite a bit.
Using private contractors for hotel quarantine was destined to fail. It all boils down to a trade-off between costs and quality.
Using private providers is a good option when keeping costs low is more important than high quality. This was not such a case.
Incomplete contracts
Hart’s classic 1997 paper on “The Proper Scope of Government” (co-authored with Andrei Shleifer and Robert Vishny) mostly considers privatisation in theoretical terms, with some discussion of prisons, garbage collection, schools, health care, policing and a few other things.
The animating idea behind the “incomplete contracts” approach is that there are some contingencies that contracts, no matter how detailed, can’t cover.
This could be because parties can’t conceive of all future contingencies. Or perhaps they understand what’s at issue but it is hard to codify that in a way a non-specialist court could understand.
For instance, a famous legal case concerned the definition of a chicken, with the judge writing:
The issue is, what is chicken? Plaintiff says ‘chicken’ means a young chicken, suitable for broiling and frying. Defendant says ‘chicken’ means any bird of that genus that meets contract specifications on weight and quality …
Philippe Aghion and I expanded on incomplete contracts and prisons as well as many other applications in the Journal of Economic Perspectives in 2011.
To keep things simple, imagine there are two things someone running a prison can put effort into: reducing costs or improving quality.
Improvements in quality could involve increasing rehabilitation rates, reducing violent incidents and or minimising escape risks. Lower costs lead to lower quality. For example, employing fewer guards might result in more escape attempts or prisoner-on-prisoner violence.
People have lost faith in privatisation and it’s easy to see why
Cost versus quality
When the government owns the prison and employs a warden to run it, it doesn’t have to rely just on an written contract to get what it wants in terms of investment in quality. It can tell the warden what to do, and replace them if they don’t produce the goods.
If it’s serious about quality, though, the government will likely have to provide more resources. Quality costs.
When a prison is privatised, the government’s control over how the operator acts is limited to its contract.
In a perfect contract, the government could stipulate how much the private contractor is allowed to reduce costs and how much it must improve quality.
But these things are difficult to write into contracts. Wherever there are gaps, any contractor providing a fixed-price service will look to cut costs instead of improving quality.
So that’s the trade-off. When low cost is very important, private contracting is best. But when quality is more important, government ownership is optimal.
The Victorian quarantine
What’s more important in hotel quarantine during a pandemic: cost or quality?
The Hart-Shelifer-Vishny rationale tells us the Melbourne hotels should not have been policed by private security contractors, because the highest possible standards were paramount.
Moreover, even if one could write a complete contract, it doesn’t really matter. There’s no real recourse in this case for a breach of contract. The cost is billions of dollars in damage to the economy already. What good is a contract with a bankrupt contractor?
Victorian COVID crisis to deliver $3.3 billion hit to nation’s growth in September quarter
Of course, police (and other public servants) aren’t always perfect either. But at least there is more training, a code of conduct, a sense of duty and a whole apparatus for disciplining misbehaviour.
The Coate inquiry may uncover valuable details about where and how the quarantine system failed, but economics can already point us to why it was destined to fail.
When high quality matters more than low cost, governments shouldn’t outsource unless absolutely necessary.
The choice for hotel quarantine should have been clear.
Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW
Posted in Australia, Health and Fitness, news, Victoria | Tagged arrangements, article, Australia, coronavirus, failure, health, news, privatised, quarantine, Victoria | Leave a comment
Scott Morrison’s biggest failure in the bushfire crisis: an inability to deliver collective action
Posted on January 10, 2020 by particularkev
Morrison has been too timorous to take the tough decisions needed to prepare for the bushfire season, including confronting rancorous dissenters in his own ranks.
James Ross/AAP
James Walter, Monash University
With the mega-fires consuming enormous tracts of country Australia, we are witnessing not only a national disaster, but also a failure of national leadership.
In a federal system, much responsibility for local services, and local emergencies, devolves to the states. But fires observe no boundaries.
It is a situation that was foreseen by experienced fire chiefs last April. Indeed, fire chiefs had made a case for more federal resources two years ago. But their calls for national leadership and national coordination were ignored.
Now that what they feared has come to pass, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his team have handled matters poorly. They have been laggards in their response, reactive rather than proactive, more preoccupied with image management and partisan messaging than the job at hand. They have also responded inappropriately to criticism.
As a result, commentators have weighed in on Morrison’s lack of political authority, judgement and feel for public opinion – and whether the “miracle man” of the 2019 election can regain his footing.
How Morrison compares to other leaders
We can gain a surer sense of how this might play out by asking: how should effective national leadership operate in times like these?
Consider other examples of how leaders have reacted to similar situations. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern’s ability to act immediately, reach out compassionately and connect inclusively in response to last year’s Christchurch massacre provides one measure against which Morrison fails to measure up.
Jacinda Ardern’s response to the Christchurch shootings has been memorialised very differently in New Zealand.
Former PM John Howard’s brave pursuit of gun control, and willingness to face down opposition within his own ranks, after the Port Arthur massacre is another.
Morrison, confronted by distressed representatives of the small towns and regions who delivered his slim election victory, could not summon the humility to listen to their concerns. He walked away from questions from victims in Cobargo, and the outrage of these no longer “quiet Australians” attracted national and international attention.
Morrison’s reiteration of carbon reduction policies that are manifestly inadequate and his unwillingness to deal with the climate change realities presented to him by fire chiefs – but disputed by some Coalition colleagues – have also shown a lack fortitude.
Listen to your people Scott Morrison: the bushfires demand a climate policy reboot
A failure of collective action
More significant, though, is Morrison’s inability to facilitate collective action.
A national crisis in a federal state demands strong and decisive leadership. But it also requires collective action. This means a willingness to seek and listen to the best sources of advice and an ability to generate bipartisan consensus to confront an unusual challenge. It also means the capacity to orchestrate different levels of government, a variety of agencies, relevant NGOs, relevant branches of the public service, and in this case, the Australian Defence Force.
We know the Coalition, and Morrison himself, have been advised about the likelihood of worsening bushfires – and their inextricable link with global heating – for a considerable time.
Mr Morrison, I lost my home to bushfire. Your thoughts and prayers are not enough
Climate change could not be avoided in discussion of the ill-fated National Energy Guarantee. The risk factors of intensifying natural hazards, such as bushfires, cyclones and flooding, and the need for climate adaptation were front and centre in the Home Affairs Department’s National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework in 2018.
It beggars belief that Morrison’s departmental secretary until last August, Martin Parkinson, would not have given him an unvarnished evaluation of policy directions, given his lament for a decade of climate change inaction shortly after leaving office.
And, as noted, fire experts called for more federal resources two years ago and warned of what was to come last April.
Yet Morrison, far from the strong leader, has been too timorous to take the tough decisions needed, including confronting rancorous dissenters in his own ranks when the “miracle” win had given him the authority to do so.
Partisan attacks instead of real leadership
The failings are compounded by the tendency of the Coalition government to treat even issues related to national emergencies as “political”, when what matters on the ground is survival.
This is the antithesis of what is needed to promote collective action. Morrison has struggled throughout the crisis to put the national interest above party interests. Too often, image management has prevailed over action – until the more resolute state leaders, Gladys Berejiklian and Daniel Andrews, showed him up.
There’s no evidence ‘greenies’ block bushfire hazard reduction but here’s a controlled burn idea worth trying
Critics have been devalued as greenies who are said to have impeded necessary hazard reduction strategies. Fire authorities have debunked this canard, suggesting it to be a deflection from the real issue of the government’s failure to consult and its lack of preparedness.
It follows, then, that using the PM’s office to issue a social media post on the military mobilisation authorised by Morrison, with a Liberal Party header, was bound to be seen as a political act. The conventional route for such information has been via the national broadcaster, the ABC, to whom most turn for emergency alerts. But the ABC is seen as suspect by this government.
From the start of the crisis, the Morrison government disregarded the conventional means for crisis management: adequate consultation with state agencies, the expected channels for disseminating information, and drawing people together effectively to work jointly on what is a collective action problem.
Only at the end, after the significance of so many missteps had dawned, did Morrison open the cheque book for measures that might have been initiated well before the fire season.
One might hope the belated launch of a National Bushfire Recovery Agency will prove a learning experience, illuminating when troublesome colleagues within the Coalition should be firmly managed and partisanship must be put aside in the interests of collective action.
This was never a problem Morrison could expect to manage alone.
James Walter, Professor of Political Science, Monash University
Posted in Australia, bushfires, news, Politics, Scott Morrison | Tagged action, article, Australia, bushfire, bushfires, collective, deliver, failure, news, Politics, Scott Morrison | Leave a comment
There’s no airport border ‘crisis’, only management failure of the Home Affairs department
Posted on October 14, 2019 by particularkev
Regina Jefferies, UNSW and Daniel Ghezelbash, Macquarie University
In the past five years, more than 95,000 people who arrived by plane have lodged a claim for asylum in Australia, new statistics show.
Labor’s Immigration Spokesperson, Senator Kristina Keneally, has labelled this a “crisis”, stating:
Peter Dutton’s incompetence and recklessness has allowed people smugglers to run riot and traffic record-breaking numbers of people by aeroplane to Australia.
But the “crisis” is not that visa-holding travellers are flying to Australia, then later lodging a claim for asylum. It’s not unprecedented for tourists or students to later lodge a claim for asylum due to circumstances beyond their control.
Peter Dutton is whipping up fear on the medevac law, but it defies logic and compassion
In 1989, for example, after events in Tiananmen Square, Australia provided refuge to thousands of Chinese students who had entered Australia with visas.
Instead, the “crisis” is the Australian government’s failure to properly manage the refugee-processing system. It gutted the ranks of experienced decision-makers and made organisational changes that undermine the quality of decisions, contributing to long processing delays and backlogs.
These organisational failures may have contributed to the increase in asylum applications over the last five years.
High staff turn-over
Protection visa decisions are highly complex. They must examine a variety of factors, including country-specific conditions and individual circumstances.
Yet, as the Australian National Audit Office noted in 2018, the Home Affairs department experienced a significant loss of “corporate memory” due to staff turn-over, “with almost half of SES officers present in July 2015 no longer in the department at July 2017”.
In a Senate Estimates hearing last year, Home Affairs officials said the average processing time for permanent protection visas, from lodgement to primary decision (not including appeals), was 257 days, or 8.5 months.
And the department’s training deficiencies are well-documented. The most recent Australian Public Service Employee Census put the department’s organisational management problems into stark relief: only 35% of employees said the department inspired them to do their best work, while two-thirds of respondents said they did not consider department senior executives to be of “high quality”.
These publicised problems raise important questions about the quality of decision-making at the primary level.
Stacking the AAT with political allies
Poor decision-making at the primary level can lead to higher numbers of appeals. So it’s perhaps unsurprising that appeals to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) from people who arrived by plane are also experiencing significant blowouts.
The number of active refugee cases to the AAT has ballooned from 8,370 two years ago, to 23,063 in 2019.
Cruel, and no deterrent: why Australia’s policy on asylum seekers must change
This results in a backlog. In 2017, the tribunal made 5,153 decisions on refugee claims, and so far this financial year, only 815 claims have been concluded.
In part, these worrying figures are due to the federal government appointing people with Liberal Party ties to the AAT over the last couple of years.
The Attorney-General recognised these problems in the 2019 Report on the Statutory Review of the Tribunal, which pointed to “competencies of members” as a key contributor to complications in the operation of the tribunal.
Stacking the AAT with political allies, many of whom are not lawyers and who are not appointed on merit, has removed independent expertise from the tribunal, risking errors and further delays.
How the Biloela Tamil family deportation case highlights the failures of our refugee system
And with more errors come further appeals in the courts. This not only places a heavy burden on the resources of the Federal Circuit Court and Federal Court, but also leads to more delays and backlogs in the AAT, where the court sends matters which were unlawfully decided for re-determination.
Address organisational failures
The solution is in proper organisational management. Instead of blaming refugees for fleeing persecution by safe means, the government must address the failures of its refugee processing system.
To this end, an urgent review of the Department of Home Affairs policies and organisational failures is needed. A review could find out whether there’s a management culture stopping Home Affairs from attracting and retaining staff who can make reasoned and well-supported decisions in an environment they can be proud of.
‘Stop playing politics’: refugees stuck in Indonesia rally against UNHCR for chronic waiting
Similarly, there must be a transparent and independent system for appointing AAT members that prioritises skills and experience over politics – exactly what was recommended by the Attorney-General’s recent review.
If people seeking asylum can have their claims assessed quickly and fairly, then those who are not refugees can be sent home, while those needing safety could receive it.
Without the chance to remain in Australia for years while their claims are assessed, there would be no loophole for traffickers and others to exploit.
In turn, the number of non-genuine claims will go down, allowing decision-makers to focus on those who are actually fearing persecution.
Yes, Peter Dutton has a lot of power, but a strong Home Affairs is actually a good thing for Australia
We should be supporting refugees to access safety by air. If people fleeing persecution can access a flight to Australia, they won’t risk a dangerous journey by boat to find safety.
This is not an airport border “crisis”, it’s a management failure that can be fixed with more staffing, better resourcing, and transparent and meritorious appointments of decision makers.
Correction: A previous version of the article stated 815 refugee claims were concluded this year. This has been updated to clarify that 815 of claims were concluded during this financial year.
Regina Jefferies, Affiliate, Andrew and Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW and Daniel Ghezelbash, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie Law School, Macquarie University
Posted in Australia, news, Peter Dutton, Politics, Refugees | Tagged airport, article, asylum seekers, Australia, border, crisis, department, failure, home affairs, management, news, Peter Dutton, Politics, refugees | Leave a comment
Why Tony Abbott’s appointment as Indigenous envoy was a diplomatic blunder and policy failure
Posted on December 1, 2018 by particularkev
Abbott’s previous policies on Indigenous issues were characterised by funding cuts, exclusions and silencing – all of which makes his role as envoy highly questionable to Indigenous communities.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Alison Holland, Macquarie University
This piece is part of a series on race and racism in Australia. The series examines this complex and incendiary topic, and the role it plays in contemporary Australia. You can read the rest of the series here
When Indigenous Referendum Council member Megan Davis stood on the red sands close to Uluru and read the Uluru Statement from the Heart in May 2017, she was enacting a tradition steeped in Indigenous cultural and political significance.
It was not just a response to politicians’ requests to consult the Indigenous community on constitutional recognition, it was a powerful political act, enshrined in a message carried by elders and subsequently inscribed in art.
Following substantial months-long consultations, Davis, as envoy of the people, delivered a message to the nation concerning the resetting of “inter-tribal” relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Australia. The Uluru Statement from the Heart was an act of Indigenous diplomacy solemnised in song, dance and ceremony.
Megan Davis has called the government’s rejection of constitutional recognition ‘gutting’.
Peter Eve/Yothu Yindi Foundation handout
The history of Indigenous envoys
Historically, such ambassadorial moments were the glue of politics and negotiations between Indigenous peoples. They built cohesion and peace, facilitated inter-community exchanges and allowed for the settling of disputes.
As messengers, envoys were critical to this diplomatic mesh. Carefully selected, they were highly respected members of their tribes. They often possessed the ability to speak different dialects and were skilled negotiators. They were the bearers of important information, such as the deaths of leaders, appointments of successors and important gatherings and ceremonies like marriages, burials, corroborrees and initiations.
Indigenous recognition in our Constitution matters – and will need greater political will to achieve
Given their significance, it is little wonder that many Indigenous peoples described former Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s recent appointment as special envoy in Indigenous affairs as deeply disrespectful.
On every level this was an act of egregious political misjudgement, as many Indigenous people have been quick to note.
Why Abbott’s appointment was controversial
Not only was Abbott’s appointment hasty, ill-planned and unsolicited, it lacked a key requirement for the role – the wider support of his own community.
Beyond lacking all merit, Abbott’s previous policies on Indigenous issues had been characterised by funding cuts, exclusions and silencing. His Indigenous Advancement Strategy was criticised for its destructive consequences to governance within Indigenous communities. Someone who had caused such injury and grief in the past, stripped communities of their capacity for self-determination and seemed so lacking of respect in their own community was largely unwelcome.
There were some, however, who were willing to give Abbott the benefit of the doubt and saw an opportunity in his role.
For them, his task was clear. In accordance with tradition, he needed to come with models and messages of agreement-making and considered responses to the Indigenous peoples’ own message, as conveyed by the Uluru Statement. He needed to bring news of progress on constitutional recognition and the Makaratta Commission – the Indigenous-inspired body to facilitate agreement-making and help reset relations.
A new way to recognise an Indigenous nation in Australia
He needed to engage in dialogue, be open to consultations, and most importantly, listen.
As Dennis Walker, the Ngarrindjeri Regional Authority chair, believed, Abbott would come to listen to Ngarrindjeri about their concerns: economic development, stable governance and developing better relationships with non-Indigenous political leaders. For Jeffrey Newchurch, the Kaurna Nation Cultural Heritage chair, Abbott’s visit presented an opportunity to discuss important issues affecting them, like burials, social cohesion and how to build good intergovernmental relationships.
Yet, this is not how Abbott saw his job. Disregarding cultural protocols, he arrived with dictates and outsider rules, and a specific agenda aimed at improving school attendance and performance in remote communities.
Even in this, his apparent lack of knowledge, a critical trait of the position, was apparent.
Over a decade’s worth of reports into remote schooling have overwhelmingly stressed the connection between education, language and culture, and the importance of family and community involvement for children. Education programs succeed when Aboriginal people are the architects of their own policies and services. Partnerships between the people and governments must be based on local priorities, and these must be mutually understood.
The proposals Abbott arrived with – more police in the communities and learning in English – only demonstrated his ignorance.
Abbott’s ignorance was compounded by the impropriety of another white elder of his tribe. Earlier this month, news broke of Indigenous Affairs minister Nigel Scullion’s approval of grants to a fishing industry lobby group from a fund intended to address disadvantage in Indigenous communities.
Scullion transferred significant sums to the Northern Territory Amateur Fisherman’s Association to pay their legal fees in disputes over Aboriginal land claims.
As the former Indigenous affairs minister, Dr Jak Ah Kit, said, this was totally against the rules. Aboriginal elders are skilled negotiators of their resources, particularly their fisheries. There had been no consultations or efforts to negotiate with them.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion has defended his dispersal of grant money to a fishing lobbying group.
Chloe Erlich/AAP
Diplomatic blunder and policy failure
Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s appointment of Abbott as special envoy was more than a diplomatic faux pas. It was a diplomatic blunder and a policy failure.
In foreign policy parlance, a diplomatic blunder results from a judgement blinded by bias and ignorance, while a policy failure is caused by behaviour that is both costly and has undesirable and unanticipated consequences.
Abbott is quietly failing on his ‘PM for Aboriginal affairs’ promise
Abbott’s bias and ignorance are palpable and demonstrable. And the policies he pushed — more police in the communities and learning in English — would be costly in the human and economic sense. Investing in policies that aren’t wanted and don’t work will do nothing to reset intergovernmental relations.
Abbott and the federal government would do well to learn from the examples of deliberative and democratic governance demonstrated by the Indigenous political negotiations leading up to the Uluru Statement.
These negotiations demonstrated how politically astute Indigenous elders are. The network of regional dialogues were not about political platitudes of the sort Abbott said to the Anangu – “thanks for putting up with the invasion” — but a recipe for action.
Abbott could also learn from the likes of Megan Davis, whose diplomatic credentials, by contrast, are impeccable.
Alison Holland, Senior Lecturer in Australian History, Macquarie University
Posted in Aborigines, Australia, Liberal Party, National Party, news, Politics, Scott Morrison, Tony Abbott | Tagged Aborigines, article, Australia, blunder, Coalition, failure, Indigenous Envoy, Liberal Party, National Party, news, policy, Politics, Scott Morrison, Tony Abbott | Leave a comment
A high price for policy failure: the ten-year story of spiralling electricity bills
David Blowers, Grattan Institute
Politicians are told never to waste a good crisis. Australia’s electricity sector is in crisis, or something close to it. The nation’s first-ever statewide blackout, in South Australia in September 2016, was followed by electricity shortages in several states last summer. More shortages are anticipated over coming summers.
But for most Australians, the most visible impact of this crisis has been their ever-increasing electricity bills. Electricity prices have become a political hot potato, and the blame game has been running unchecked for more than a year.
Read more: A year since the SA blackout, who’s winning the high-wattage power play?
Electricity retailers find fault with governments, and renewable energy advocates point the finger at the nasty old fossil-fuel generators. The right-wing commentariat blames renewables, while the federal government blames everyone but itself.
The truth is there is no silver bullet. No single factor or decision is responsible for the electricity prices we endure today. Rather, it is the confluence of many different policies and pressures at every step of the electricity supply chain.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), retail customers in the National Electricity Market (which excludes Western Australia and the Northern Territory) now pay 44% more in real terms for electricity than we did ten years ago.
Four components make up your electricity bill. Each has contributed to this increase.
How your rising power bills stack up.
ACCC, Author provided
The biggest culprit has been the network component – the cost of transporting the electricity. Next comes the retail component – the cost of billing and servicing the customer. Then there is the wholesale component – the cost of generating the electricity. And finally, the government policy component – the cost of environmental schemes that we pay for through our electricity bills.
Each component has a different tale, told differently in every state. But ultimately, this is a story about a decade of policy failure.
Network costs form the biggest part of your electricity bill. Australia is a big country, and moving electricity around it is expensive. As the graph above shows, network costs have contributed 40% of the total price increase over the past decade.
The reason we now pay so much for the network is simply that we have built an awful lot more stuff over the past decade. It’s also because it was agreed – through the industry regulator – that network businesses could build more network infrastructure and that we all have to pay for it, regardless of whether it is really needed.
Network businesses are heavily regulated. Their costs, charges and profits all have to be ticked off. This is supposed to keep costs down and prevent consumers being charged too much.
That’s the theory. But the fact is costs have spiralled. Between 2005 and 2016 the total value of the National Electricity Market (NEM) distribution network increased from A$42 billion to A$72 billion – a whopping 70%. During that time there has been little change in the number of customers using the network or the amount of electricity they used. The result: every unit of electricity we consume costs much more than it used to.
There are several reasons for this expensive overbuild. First, forecasts of electricity demand were wrong – badly wrong. Instead of ever-increasing consumption, the amount of electricity we used started to decline in 2009. A whole lot of network infrastructure was built to meet demand that never eventuated.
Second, governments in New South Wales and Queensland imposed strict reliability settings – designed to avoid blackouts – on the networks in the mid-2000s. To meet these reliability settings, the network businesses had to spend a lot more money reinforcing their networks than they otherwise would have.
Third, the way in which network businesses are regulated encourages extra spending on infrastructure. In an industry where you are guaranteed a 10% return on investment, virtually risk-free – as network businesses were between 2009 and 2014 – you are inclined to build, build, build.
The blame for this “gold-plating” of network assets is spread widely. Governments have been accused of panicking and setting reliability standards too high. The regulator has copped its share for allowing businesses too much capital spend and too high a return. Privatisation has also been criticised, which is slightly bizarre given that the worst offenders have been state-owned businesses.
Retail rollercoaster
The second biggest increase in your bill has been the amount we pay for the services provided to us by retailers. Across the NEM, 26% of the price increase over the past decade has been due to retail margins.
This increase in the retail component was never supposed to happen. To understand why, you must go back to the rationale for opening the retail sector to competition. Back in the 1990s, it was felt that retail energy was ripe for competition, which would deliver lower prices and more innovative products for consumers.
In theory, where competition exists, firms seek to reduce their costs to maximise their profits, in turn allowing them to reduce prices so as to grab as many customers as possible. The more they cut their costs, the more they can cut prices. Theoretically, costs are minimised and profits are squeezed. If competition works as it’s supposed to, the retail component should go down, not up.
But the exact opposite has happened in the electricity sector. In Victoria, the state that in 2009 became the first to completely deregulate its retail electricity market, the retail component of the bill has contributed to 36% of the price increase over the past decade.
On average, Victorians pay almost A$400 a year to retailers, more than any other mainland state in the NEM. This is consistent with the Grattan Institute’s Price Shock report, which showed that rising profits are causing pain for Victorian electricity consumers. Many customers remain on expensive deals, and do not switch to cheaper offers because the market is so complicated. These “sticky” customers have been cited as the cause of “excessive” profits to retailers.
But the new figures provided by the ACCC, which come directly from retailers, paint a different picture. The ACCC finds that the increase in margins in Victoria is wholly down to the increasing costs of retailers doing business.
There are reasons why competition might drive prices up, not down. Retailers now spend money on marketing to recruit and retain customers. And the existence of multiple retailers leads to duplications in costs that would not exist if a single retailer ran the market.
But these increases should be offset by retailers finding savings elsewhere, and this doesn’t seem to have happened. History may judge the introduction of competition to the retail electricity market as an expensive mistake.
Generational problems
So far, we have accounted for 65% of the bill increase of the past decade, and neither renewables nor coal have been mentioned once. Nor were they ever likely to be. The actual generation of electricity has only ever formed a minor portion of your electricity bill – the ACCC report shows that in 2015-16 the wholesale component constituted only 22% of the typical bill.
In the past year, however, wholesale prices have really increased. In 2015-16, households paid on average A$341 a year for the generation of electricity – far less than they were paying in 2006-07. But in the past year, that is estimated to have increased to A$530 a year.
Generators, particularly in Queensland, have been engaging in questionable behaviour, but it is the fundamental change in the supply and demand balance that means higher prices are here to stay for at least the next few years.
The truth is the cost of generating electricity has been exceptionally low in most parts of Australia for most of the past two decades. When the NEM was created in 1998, there was arguably more generation capacity in the system than was needed to meet demand. And in economics, more supply than demand equals low prices.
Over the years our politicians have been particularly good at ensuring overcapacity in the system. Most of the investment in generation in the NEM since its creation has been driven by either taxpayers’ money, or government schemes and incentives – not by market forces. The result has been oversupply.
Up until the late 2000s the market kept chugging along. Then two things happened. First, consumers started using less electricity. And second, the Renewable Energy Target (RET) was ramped up, pushing more supply into the market.
Demand down and supply up meant even more oversupply, and continued low prices. But the combination of low prices and low demand put pressure on the finances of existing fossil fuel generators. Old generators were being asked to produce less electricity than before, for lower prices. Smaller power stations began to be mothballed or retired.
Something had to give, and it did when both Alinta and Engie decided it was no longer financially viable to keep their power stations running. Far from being oversupplied, the market is now struggling to meet demand on hot days when people use the most electricity. The result is very high prices.
A tight demand and supply balance with less coal-fired generation has meant that Australia increasingly relies on gas-fired generation, at a time when gas prices are astronomical, leading to accusations of price-gouging.
Put simply, Australia has failed to build enough new generation over recent years to reliably replace ageing coal plants when they leave the market.
Is it renewable energy’s fault that coal-fired power stations have closed? Yes, but this is what needs to happen if we are to reduce greenhouse emissions. Is it renewables’ fault that replacement generation has not been built? No. It’s the government’s fault for failing to provide the right environment for new investment.
The right investment climate is crucial.
Marcella Cheng/The Conversation, CC BY
The current predicament could have been avoided if we had a credible and comprehensive emissions reduction policy to drive investment in the sector. Such a policy would give investors the confidence to build generation with the knowledge about what carbon liabilities they may face in the future. But the carbon price was repealed in 2014 and replaced with nothing.
We’re still waiting for an alternative policy. We’re still waiting for enough generation capacity to be built. And we’re still paying sky-high wholesale prices for electricity.
Green and gold
Finally, we have the direct cost of government green schemes over the past decade: the RET; the household solar panel subsidies; and the energy-efficiency incentives for homes and businesses.
They represent 16% of the price increase over the past 10 years – but they are still only 6% of the average bill.
If the aim of these schemes has been to reduce emissions, they have not done a very good job. Rooftop solar panel subsidies have been expensive and inequitable. The RET is more effective as an industry subsidy than an emissions reduction or energy transition policy. And energy efficiency schemes have produced questionable results.
It hasn’t been a total waste of money, but far deeper emissions cuts could have been delivered if those funds had been channelled into a coherent policy.
_Read more: One day we won’t need a Renewable Energy Target, because we’ll have good climate policy
The story of Australia’s high electricity prices is not really one of private companies ripping off consumers. Nor is it a tale about the privatisation of an essential service. Rather, this is the story of a decade of policy drift and political failure.
Governments have been repeatedly warned about the need to tackle these problems, but have done very little.
Instead they have focused their energy on squabbling over climate policy. State governments have introduced inefficient schemes, scrapped them, and then introduced them again, while the federal government has discarded policies without even trying them.
There is a huge void where our sensible energy policy should be. Network overbuild and ballooning retailer margins both dwarf the impact of the carbon price, yet if you listen only to our politicians you’d be forgiven for thinking the opposite.
And still it goes on. The underlying causes of Australia’s electricity price headaches – the regulation of networks, ineffective retail market competition, and our barely coping generators – need immediate attention. But still the petty politicking prevails.
The Coalition has rejected the Clean Energy Target recommended by Chief Scientist Alan Finkel. Labor will give no guarantee of support for the government’s alternative policy, the National Energy Guarantee. Some politicians doubt the very idea that we need to act on climate change. Some states have given up on Canberra and are going it alone.
We’ve been here before and we know how this story ends. Crisis wasted.
David Blowers, Energy Fellow, Grattan Institute
Posted in Australia, economy, electricity, news, Politics | Tagged article, Australia, bills, economy, electricity, failure, high, news, policy, Politics, price | Leave a comment
The case of Michaelia Cash and her leaking adviser illustrates a failure of ministerial responsibility
Michaelia Cash has refused to resign over misleading parliament, claiming she was unaware of one of her staffer’s actions.
AAP/Lukas Coch
Yee-Fui Ng, RMIT University
The federal opposition is continuing to call for Employment Minister Michaelia Cash’s resignation, claiming she misled parliament this week after repeatedly telling a Senate estimates committee that neither she nor her office had any involvement in tipping off the media about a police raid.
Cash’s senior media adviser, David De Garis, later confessed he had leaked information about the raid on the Australian Workers Union’s offices to the press. Cash retracted her statements and De Garis resigned.
Labor frontbencher Tony Burke argued that “the wrong person has resigned”. But Cash has refused to resign, claiming she was unaware of her staffer’s actions. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has defended Cash, saying she acted properly.
Who are these advisers?
Ministerial advisers are partisan staff who are personally appointed by ministers and work out of the ministers’ private offices.
The number of Commonwealth ministerial staff has increased over the years from 155 in 1972 to 423 in 2015.
Ministerial advisers undertake a wide range of functions. Tony Nutt, a long-time former adviser, has said:
… a ministerial adviser deals with the press. A ministerial adviser handles the politics. A ministerial adviser talks to the union. All of that happens every day of the week, everywhere in Australia all the time. Including frankly, the odd bit of, you know, ancient Spanish practices and a bit of bastardry on the way through. That’s all the nature of politics.
The question is what happens if advisers overstep their roles?
Ministerial responsibility and political advisers
According to the doctrine of ministerial responsibility, ministers are responsible to parliament for the acts of their departments.
British academic Sir Ivor Jennings wrote that the “act of every civil servant is by convention regarded as the act of the minister”. And British MP Lord Morrison proclaimed that the “minister is responsible for every stamp stuck on an envelope”.
But it is doubtful that this principle has ever reflected reality. It is rare for ministers to resign or even accept responsibility for the actions of their department, where they were not personally involved.
Ministers should also technically take responsibility for the actions of advisers in their own offices, who are at an even higher level of direct ministerial control than departments.
Even more than public servants, advisers are seen to be acting as alter egos of their ministers. This means ministers should be accountable to parliament for the actions of their advisers – even those they did not authorise.
But what happens in reality is that ministers tend to use their advisers as scapegoats and blame them for controversial events. This is consistent with “public choice” theory, which predicts that politicians have the incentive to deflect all the blame that comes in their direction while accepting the credit for anything that goes right.
How are advisers regulated?
Australia has inadequate legal and political regulation of ministerial advisers. They are subject to a Statement of Standards, which sets out the standards they are supposed to meet in preforming their duties.
Sanctions under the standards are handled internally within the executive through the Prime Minister’s Office. This means any breaches of the standards by ministerial advisers would be handled behind closed doors, without the scrutiny of parliament or any external bodies.
Ministerial advisers have also refused to appear before parliamentary committees on their minister’s instruction. This has impeded the investigations of significant parliamentary committees, including the Children Overboard affair.
Australia thus has minimal legal and political regulation of ministerial advisers. This has led to an accountability deficit, where ministers have been able to utilise their advisers to escape responsibility for public controversies and scandals.
How can we fix the system?
Other Westminster jurisdictions have more stringent regulation of political advisers.
There are a few forms of regulation of advisers. The first is restrictions on the employment of advisers, either through a cap on the numbers of advisers, as in the UK, or a cap on the total budget for advisers, as in Canada.
Second, regulations can restrict the actions of advisers themselves. For example, in the UK, there is a prohibition on advisers leaking confidential or sensitive information, which would have been applicable in this scandal.
Canada has post-employment restrictions banning advisers from becoming lobbyists for five years after ceasing their employment.
Third, transparency measures also exist, such as requirements that departments disclose all meetings that advisers have with the media (as in the UK) and what hospitality these advisers receive (in the UK and Canada).
Ideally, the Australian regulatory framework should be reformed so it is policed externally from the core executive. In Canada, the conflict of interest and lobbying provisions are policed by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, who has been independent and ready to criticise the government.
And, in the UK, the rules provide for political advisers to appear before parliamentary committees. Similar guidelines could be drafted to facilitate the appearance of advisers before Australian parliamentary committees.
In the last 40 years, ministerial advisers have become an integral part of Australia’s system of government. But the law and rules have lagged behind, and our system should be reformed to ensure greater accountability.
Yee-Fui Ng, Lecturer, Graduate School of Business and Law, RMIT University
Posted in Australia, Liberal Party, Michaelia Cash, news, Politics | Tagged adviser, AFP, article, Australia, Australian Federal Police, Australian Workers Union, AWU, failure, leaking, Liberal Party, Michaelia Cash, minister, ministerial, news, Politics, responsibility | Leave a comment
USA Foreign Policy Failure in Afghanistan and Iraq?
Posted on October 4, 2015 by particularkev
Posted in Afghanistan, Iraq, ISIL - Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, Islam, news, Taliban, USA, video, War on Terror | Tagged Afghanistan, failure, foreign policy, Iraq, Is, ISIL, Isis, Islam, Islamic State, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, Muslim, muslims, news, policy, Taliban, USA, video, War on Terror | 1 Comment
Capitalism: Success or Failure?
Posted on July 3, 2013 by particularkev
Posted in economy, news, video | Tagged capitalism, economy, failure, news, success, video | Leave a comment
Italy: Failure to Form a Government
Posted on March 29, 2013 by particularkev
The link below is to an article that reports on the political crisis in Italy.
For more visit:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/28/italy-leader-bersani-unable-government
Posted in Italy, news, Politics | Tagged article, crisis, failure, form, government, Italy, news, political, Politics | Leave a comment
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3459
|
__label__wiki
| 0.906513
| 0.906513
|
Lady Viking basketball preview
Sports News | Published on January 13, 2021 at 9:28am CST | Author: Pelican Rapids Press
The Pelican Rapids High School girls basketball team is ready to take to the courts, with an unusual number of veteran players. The seven seniors are pictured here, from left, Vanassa Booth, Chloe Paulson, Allie Haiby, Greta Tollefson, Anna Stephenson, Rachael Guler and Mia Stewart.
“Wearing masks will be an adjustment, but we have the players who will adjust to it and keep working hard.”
Coach Brian Korf On COVID precautions
Pelican girls take home court Jan. 16, with COVID precations, limit on spectators
The 2020-21 girls’ basketball team started practice on January 4 and is coming off one of the most successful seasons in their program.
Last year’s team finished the season with a record of 30-1. Additionally, the team won the Heart O’ Lakes Conference, earned the Section 8AA Championship, and a 1-1 record at the girls basketball state tournament
Last March was an exciting time for the Vikings as they advanced to the Section 8AA championship game, after Maddie Guler drained a last second shot to defeat Fergus Falls and advanced to the state tournament. The Vikings lost to Waseca in the first round of the state tournament. Then, they defeated Concordia Academy in the semifinal game of the consolation bracket. With victory over Concordia Academy, the Vikings advanced to the state tournament consolation championship game but was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Three Vikes graduate
from state tourney team
Graduating from last year’s team include: Maddie Guler, Ryley Paulson and Abby Syverson. “We graduated three seniors who played key roles in our success last season,” commented coach Brian Korf. With the new season, the Vikings will be looking for others to step into their roles.
Due to COVID-19, there will be new protocols for players and fans to follow. Players will be expected to wear masks, at all times, to start the season.
“Wearing masks will be an adjustment, but we have the players who will adjust to it and keep working hard,” said Coach Korf.
To start the season, a maximum of 125 fans at games will be allowed.
The Vikings return the majority of their scoring and rebounding from last year’s team. “We return girls with a lot of varsity experience and girls who have a good work ethic,” commented head coach Brian Korf.
Seniors will provide
leadership, inspiration
This year’s team includes the following seniors: Vanassa Booth, Allie Haiby, Rachael Guler, Chloe Paulson, Anna Stephenson, Mia Stewart, and Greta Tollefson, “We expect our seven seniors to provide us with leadership and energy, by contributing in a lot of different areas, to help us be successful this season,” commented Coach Korf
Juniors returning are Sophia Paulson and Tori Stephenson who will help provide depth to the Vikings. Coach Korf commented, “Sophia and Tori have made nice improvements from last season and will help provide leadership on the team.”
Also returning with varsity or junior varsity experience are sophomores Kelsey Isaman, Zoe Kekeha, and Kia Nelson. “We will look for our sophomores to contribute on the junior varsity team and add depth to the varsity team,” commented Coach Korf.
The freshmen on the squad include Claudia Gurath, Kallie Hanson, Ashlee Mull, Thea Olson, Karma Rouleau, Ariana Villagomez, and Ellie Welch.
“I like the progress that our players have made over the off-season by working on their basketball skills,” said Coach Korf. The Vikings look to continue their tradition of solid defense and to continue improving throughout the season.
The Heart O’ Lakes conference and section 8AA looks to be very competitive this year with a number of teams returning players from last season.
Lady Vikings open on road,
play at home Jan. 16
The Vikings season opener is on the road against Badger-Greenbush-Middle River this Thursday, January 14 and then host Henning on Saturday, January 16 at home. The junior varsity game starts at 2 p.m. Varsity action is at 3:30 p.m.
“We start off the season with very tough matchups, so we will see where we are at early in the season,” said Coach Korf. BGMR advanced to the section championship last season and Henning advanced to the start tournament last season and won the first round game before the state tournament was cancelled.
The Vikings will be coached by Brian Korf, Cody Shaffer, Amanda Belz and Lance Roisum. Coaching junior high girls basketball are Andy Rarick and Doug Bruggeman.
After coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history, the Vikings will look to continue to build off the success from last season.
“We will need to play hard every night and be prepared in order to be successful. I feel we have a group of girls who want to compete at a high level. We will need to improve playing as a team on both ends of the court,” said Coach Korf.
Defining and accepting the roles will be a priority the next few weeks for the Vikings to be successful.
Bing Crosby: Misplaced and missing in action!
Explore the outdoors this winter
Season full of challenges concludes at Hawley for 2020 Lady Vikings
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3463
|
__label__cc
| 0.627392
| 0.372608
|
Perfect Daily Grind > Roastery Management > How to Improve Sustainability in The Coffee Roastery
How to Improve Sustainability in The Coffee Roastery
At every link of the supply chain, making the coffee trade more sustainable has become a pressing task. But too often, we focus just on the coffee farm and the coffee shop, forgetting about the roastery.
Roasting coffee can be fairly efficient in comparison with other stages, but it still uses a lot of energy and involves large quantities of solid waste. According to one study, the roasting, packaging, and distribution of coffee accounts for about 15% of its total carbon footprint on its journey from seed to cup.
Making your coffee roasting operation more environmentally sustainable doesn’t have to be difficult. Let’s review some practical ways roasters can address energy use and solid waste, with input from coffee professionals.
Lee este artículo en español Cómo Mejorar la Sostenibilidad en la Tostaduría de Café
GrainPro bags in use at Bella Vista Coffee, Guatemala. Credit: GrainPro
Cutting Down on Energy Use
The obvious starting point for any roaster who wants to use less energy is their machine. While overloading might result in quality control issues, think twice before underloading. Make sure you work toward the optimal batch size for your roaster and your roastery’s turnover.
Hopefully, you are already keeping your machine well-maintained and clean, which will help it function optimally. For larger roasting operations, it’s worth looking into a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO). While a typical afterburner will incinerate pollutants in the roaster’s exhaust air before releasing them into the atmosphere, an RTO recycles the heat at this stage back into the roaster, decreasing energy costs.
For smaller roasters, this kind of recirculating technology is available in roasters such as the Loring, while Diedrich’s infrared burners are known for their cleaner exhaust relative to traditional gas burners.
Peter Mark, Owner of Kuma Coffee in Seattle, tells me that he used to roast on a flame-heated 12 kg machine before upgrading to a 35 kg Loring. He says, “We currently use only 25% of the amount of gas we used to use, even though the machine is three times the size. It is drastically more efficient.”
At the end of the day, your business needs will dictate what you can immediately do about the roaster you work with. Until you’re at a point where it’s time to move onto a new machine, you can operate it as efficiently as possible. When it’s time to upgrade, you can then make energy efficiency one of your requirements.
You might also like Sustainability in Coffee: What Are The Main Issues?
Green and roasted beans in the coffee roastery. Credit: GrainPro
Reducing Single-Use Items
Even if you recycle your single-use items, they still have a large environmental footprint. From the manufacturing and transportation to recycling, all of this requires energy. The best thing you can do is try to find replacements for all your single-use products. Take earplugs: switch to over-the-ear headphones instead and you’ll significantly reduce your yearly waste.
That being said, sometimes there are single-use items we can’t simply replace. The best we can do is limit their number and then recycle them. Companies such as TerraCycle will take otherwise hard-to-recycle items, such as nitrile gloves.
Terracycle boxes for collecting GrainPro hermetic bags. Credit: Sustainable Harvest
Reusing Chaff & Burlap
Two types of solid waste that no roaster can avoid are chaff and burlap bags. However, they can find a second life in agriculture.
Chaff makes a fine addition to compost piles, adding fluff and texture as well as nitrogen.Make sure to turn it in well. If you don’t, it tends to clump together on the surface when watered, forming a hard crust that then prevents water from penetrating the soil in the future.
Burlap sacks are also ideal for farm use. They’re rugged, versatile, and perfect for hauling things around in.
The real problem with removing chaff and burlap from waste streams isn’t so much their lack of value as the fact that many roasters simply produce too much to handle by themselves. The solution, however, may be found in the community. Reach out to farmers and gardeners in your local area to see if they have a use for them. You may find it useful to set a specific day for public collections.
A burlap garden.
Recycling GrainPro Bags
Another waste stream roasters can tackle is used GrainPro bags. Unfortunately, the LDPE #4 plastic that makes it ideal for storing coffee is being accepted at fewer and fewer municipal recycling centers.
Ron Hitztaler, Operations Manager at specialty coffee distribution center The Green Room in Seattle, Washington, tells me, “Most facilities will not accept it… It has to be handled and broken down in a very special way, just because of the added components.”
Even when it is accepted, GrainPro President Jordan Dey tells me that “the minimum requirement for LDPE #4 [is] significant.” This has always been a problem for specialty coffee roasters.
Recently, however, GrainPro has partnered with The Green Room to create a solution. US-based roasters can now send their used GrainPro bags to The Green Room, who stores the used bags until they have enough to send them off to the recycling facility. Ron says, “You can go as small as a FedEx, or go with something huge, what they call Gaylord Boxes, on a pallet.” Large roasters, he adds, can send their bags multiple times a week if they need to.
Jordan says, “I am just so thankful to them for their generosity in offering their warehouse space and staff time to help gather the GrainPro bags. And then they’re adding a logistical solution as well. There’s the opportunity to mail the GrainPro bags in or there’s The Green Room truck to pick up if you’re in the Greater Seattle area.”
Green beans in a GrainPro bag. Credit: GrainPro
GrainPro has also introduced a recycling option with TerraCycle, which will accept 280–300 bags at a time. Alfonso Carmona, Chief Marketing Officer of Sustainable Harvest, tells me that Sustainable Harvest collects their customers’ used GrainPro bags and then sends them to TerraCycle for processing.
“Jute and GrainPro bags have been an ever-present source of waste for our customers. We are thrilled to offer a viable solution for coffee roasters in Portland. As the climate crisis continues to accelerate, every action we take to make the supply chain more sustainable counts, and this will be a necessary step in the right direction.”
A TerraCycle recycling box at Brio Coffeeworks in Vermont, USA. Credit: Brio Coffeeworks
Many of the systems and products that roasters use are designed for ease of use rather than reduced waste. This means that roasting with sustainability in mind can sometimes feel like swimming upstream.
Fortunately, though, the industry is slowly waking up to the need to reduce waste and emissions – meaning that more and more initiatives are being announced. So, sign up for recycling programs like TerraCycle and The Green Room. Cut out as many single-use items as possible. And work with your community to find new uses for solid waste items.
Enjoyed this? Read Sustainability in Coffee: What Are The Main Issues?
Please note: This article has been sponsored by GrainPro. You can find out more about GrainPro’s sustainability initiatives here.
Zach Latimore
Zach is a contributor based in the USA
Responding to Coffee Bean Weight Loss in Roasting
How And When to Clean Your Coffee Roaster
Where Is The Coffee Industry Going Next? Insights From WOC 2017
How Specialty Coffee Blends Have Evolved For Today's Market
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3464
|
__label__cc
| 0.562419
| 0.437581
|
Holder runs into roadblocks on off-the-record meetings on leaks
CNN Senior Producer Carol Cratty
Updated at 12:38 p.m. ET on Thursday 5/30
Washington (CNN) - Attorney General Eric Holder's plans to sit down with media representatives to discuss guidelines for handling investigations into leaks to the news media have run into trouble.
The Associated Press issued a statement Wednesday objecting to plans for the meetings to be off the record. "If it is not on the record, AP will not attend and instead will offer our views on how the regulations should be updated in an open letter," said Erin Madigan White, the AP's media relations manager.
The New York Times is taking the same position. "It isn't appropriate for us to attend an off-the-record meeting with the attorney general," executive editor Jill Abramson said in a statement.
Like the New York Times and the Associated Press, CNN will decline the invitation for an off-the-record meeting. A CNN spokesperson says if the meeting with the attorney general is on the record, CNN would plan to participate.
The Huffington Post's Washington bureau chief, Ryan Grim, also said he will not attend unless the meeting is on the record. "A conversation specifically about the freedom of the press should be an open one. We have a responsibility not to betray that," Grim told CNN.
But Politico posted an item on its website saying editor-in-chief John Harris plans to attend one of the meetings with Holder.
"As editor-in-chief, I routinely have off-the-record conversations with people who have questions or grievances about our coverage or our newsgathering practices," Harris said in the Politico item. "I feel anyone - whether an official or ordinary reader - should be able to have an unguarded conversation with someone in a position of accountability for a news organization when there is good reason."
Representatives for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post will both attend the meeting.
“I prefer that any meeting be on the record," said Washington Post executive editor Martin Baron. "That said, journalists routinely participate in off-the-record sessions, whether they prefer those conditions or not, and then continue to report on events. I am going to this meeting in order to represent our interests as journalists and to raise our concerns. I'll also listen to what the Attorney General has to say. I trust that our journalists will report on this as vigorously as they would any other subject.”
MORE: DOJ says e-mails, letter prove it notified Fox of subpoenas
A Justice Department official said Wednesday the sessions would be off the record to encourage a full exchange of ideas.
President Barack Obama directed the attorney general to review guidelines for investigations involving leaks to the media and said Holder would be meeting with journalists to get their views.
This comes in the wake of disclosures that the government obtained AP phone records after the news organization reported classified details of a thwarted 2012 plot in Yemen to try to blow up a plane with a bomb. The government also obtained e-mails and phone records for a Fox journalist who allegedly received a classified report on North Korea from a former State Department contractor.
A Justice Department official said Holder would hold his first meetings with the media on Thursday and Friday.
Kerry must answer Benghazi questions, House GOP says
The official said the attorney general has a "longstanding belief that protecting and defending the First Amendment is essential to our democracy."
The official said the sessions would include print, television, radio, wire services and online media.
–Jesse Solomon, Jim Acosta and Kevin Bohn contributed to this report.
MORE: 5 things about the controversy surrounding AG Eric Holder
Filed under: Eric Holder • Justice Department
TooScruffy
Off the record? So he can deny it later? Good for the news organizations for rejecting his proposal. Shame on those who cater to this dishonest person.
May 30, 2013 12:39 am at 12:39 am |
Holder doesn't want everyone to know what he is up to so he wants this off the record. What a surprise.
May 30, 2013 06:19 am at 6:19 am |
Marie MD
At least Holder is getting some TV face time considering less than 40% of Americans know or knew who he is.
As we know, a lot of those pesky people (fgaux news, limberger, beck) who call themselves journalists/entertainers (including the SMS) are above the law. NOT!
★FALCON★
It's about time they hold this lying tyrannical Administration accountable.
greggebhardt
I am PROUD OF THE PRESS!
J Hunt
Fox should send James Rosen.
Vote Lous
"But Politico posted an item on its website saying editor-in-chief John Harris plans to attend one of the meetings with Holder."
No surprise there... Politico is in the tank and corrupt tp the core!
Tin Can Sailor
'Off the record' basically means, "Come get your marching orders".
Jerell Strawn
I am at a loss as to exactly what about the 1st Amendment has to be updated.
Funny how after 9/11, when Bush and Cheney said that an investigation was not needed into why it happened, they eventually were able to testify, off the record, not under oath, behind closed doors, together...and their were no "roadblocks" from the press. .
jnobfan
Pack it up Eric
You have finally shamed the press into doing their jobs which if you didn't go to Law School that day is to inform the public about the governments activities.
Will CNN attend?
Well how dare the AP not allow the Government to tell them what and how to report the news. I'm glad they act as if they care anyway. I wonder how long this pretend front is going to last as everyone knows the press is in the tank for dear Leader.
Teaparty_man
And why wouldn't Politico attend. After all, like CNN, they're the administration's water boys.
NClaw441
I am amazed that there have been no responses to this story. Are responses being muzzled?
Any News organization that would agree to "off the record" discussions with a Government Official is not to be trusted, if that Offical does not want to be held to his word, that discussion has no merit and offers them an option to deny facts.
This is the same "off the record" behavior Obama's cabinet had with him about Bengahzi, Fast and Furious, IRS, AP and FOX. They want to have the ability to deny involvement by not recording or releasing comunications between them.
nnnnnnn
We're a constitutional republic
John Moynihan
Why would the media allow a public official to declare that something they say is off the record? Why not just report on any reportable thing he says?
dnhook
This is how a Gestapo operates. OTR press conferences are an oxymoron. The most transparent administration in history has become the Fourth Reich.
michael eldridge
Every one needs to talk when differences arise on or off record
eric in NJ
This faux indignation from the media is laughable- for 5+ years they unquestioningly covered any and all proclamations made by this regime and only after they are directly impacted by wrong doing are they finally woken from their passive state. No worries, they WANT to be cheerleaders for Obama et als. and soon enough they will get back into line and we will see the same old stories about Obama shooting hoops, Michelle telling us how fat we are (always ironic), or hit pieces on W.
Holder is running the DOJ like a political tool, not a justice department.
No mention on if CNN will be attending the OTR meeting with Holder?
Off the record is how Hitler did it.
dialogos68
This administration rule like Nazis!
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 Next »
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3471
|
__label__cc
| 0.660019
| 0.339981
|
5 tips for making documentation a priority in open source projects | Opensource.com
5 tips for making documentation a priority in open source projects
Documentation is as important as code, so make sure you treat it that way. Here's how.
06 Aug 2020 Ray Paik Feed Sofia Wallin Feed
Open source software is now mainstream; long gone are the days when open source projects attracted developers alone. Nowadays, users across numerous industries are active consumers of open source software, and you can't expect everyone to know how to use the software just by reading the code.
Even for developers (including those with plenty of experience in other open source projects), good documentation serves as a valuable onboarding tool when people join a community. People who are interested in contributing to a project often start by working on documentation to get familiar with the project, the community, and the community workflow.
Common challenges with documentation in open source
More Great Content
Free online course: RHEL technical overview
Learn Advanced Linux Commands
Download Cheat Sheets
Find an Open Source Alternative
Read Top Linux Content
Check out open source resources
Although everyone agrees that documentation is important and needs to be done, some of the ways we do it result in poor quality and lack of consistency across different parts of documentation in the project. For example, when developers are too focused on code, they don't start working on documentation until the last minute (e.g., right before the release). And all too often, documentation tasks are done by volunteers, people who have a hard time saying "no." To make things worse, people may forget about the documentation after the release, so they never change or improve it, and the vicious cycle repeats.
5 best practices
We have been involved in documentation in a number of open source projects at Linux Foundation Networking and GitLab over the past few years. Below, we're sharing some things we've learned that we hope will help make documentation a first-class citizen in your open source project.
Value contributions to documentation just as much as code contributions: A lot of the focus in many open source communities tends to be on code. One easy way to make sure documentation contributions are valued by everyone is to give equal credit to documentation and code in your community metrics. It should not matter whether a commit, merge request, or pull request is for code or documentation. In addition, when you do community recognition, include key accomplishments by the people who contribute to documentation.
Put documentation and code in the same project repo: We highly recommend that a project's code and documentation both reside in the same repository. (A good way is to make /doc or /docs a top-level directory in the repository.) For one, this makes documentation easy for anyone to find. More importantly, your documentation will be on equal footing as code and other project resources when everything is in the same repository.
Make documentation a requirement for a merge or release milestone: If your project has a lengthy release cycle (e.g., three to six months or more), we highly recommend having interim checkpoints for documentation (like this example from the ONAP community). This ensures documentation work is not put off until right before the release, and instead, everyone works on documentation throughout the release cycle. If it's feasible for your community, you could make documentation a required step for all code contributions that will impact users (see this example from GitLab).
Have a consistent contribution process for code and documentation: We also recommend having a consistent contribution process and using the same toolchains for code and documentation. As we noted earlier, many new community members start contributing by working on documentation, as you often don't need deep technical knowledge of the software to get started. It's good for new contributors to onboard in the community by getting familiar with the contribution workflow and meeting other community members. If these new contributors later want to get involved in other parts of the project (including code), you want the toolchains and contribution process to be familiar. Otherwise, they will need to go through another onboarding process, which creates an unnecessary hurdle for contributors. If your code and documentation have different contribution processes, you may risk creating an impression that documentation is less than a first-class citizen compared to code.
Have well-documented processes for contributing to documentation: This may seem obvious, but it's easy to neglect. Since documentation is a good entry point for new contributors, you want to lower the barrier to entry as much as possible. Having good documentation on the contribution workflow, how to get started, where to find issues to work on, how to get help, and more will go a long way to helping new contributors feel welcome and get involved in your community.
Do you have other tips for making documentation a first-class citizen in open source communities? If so, please share them in the comments.
This article is based on Ensuring that documentation Is a first-class citizen in open source projects presented at Open Source Summit North America in June 2020.
What is good documentation for software projects?
Mixing experienced tech writers with open source communities reveals new approaches for creating better docs.
Cameron Shorter
Why diagrams are critical to your open source project documentation
Learn about the importance of architecture and specifically about the importance of diagrams.
Mike Bursell (Red Hat, Correspondent)
Ray Paik - Ray is the Head of Community at Cube Dev where he is helping to grow the community of contributors to Cube.js. Prior to Cube Dev, Ray managed open source communities at GitLab and the Linux Foundation. He has over 15 years of experience in the high-tech industry in roles ranging from software engineer, product manager, program manager, and team lead at companies such as EDS, Intel, and Medallia. Ray lives in Sunnyvale, CA with his wife and daughter and all three are loyal season ticket holders...
Sofia Wallin - As part of the Ericsson Software Technology (EST) organization, Sofia is involved in driving open source engagements, supporting in establishing the EST business and act as an advocate for open source throughout Ericsson. She is the technical lead for documentation within Linux Foundation Networking and Community Manager for Nordix Foundation.
3 ways to improve your open hardware documentation
5 questions to ask yourself when writing project documentation
How to create a documentation site with Docsify and GitHub Pages
How to write effective documentation for your open source project
Greg Pittman on 06 Aug 2020 Permalink
I think it's important if not essential to have good communications between developers and those writing documentation. For one thing, this is the best way for documenters to keep up with new features, or perhaps old features that now work in a different way. In addition, the documenters can give feedback about something that doesn't work as designed, or could work more efficiently with a little change in code. So it's a two-way street.
Ray Paik on 10 Aug 2020 Permalink
Definitely agree. This is another reason why documentation work should NOT be siloed from development activities.
S4 Hosting on 13 Aug 2020 Permalink
This is so true and yet so many projects really neglect documentation.
'We have this great API' - That's wonderful but it would be good if we could know how to use it without hunting through the code!
Joel Barker on 19 Oct 2020 Permalink
Really wonderful to come across this article, Sofia and Ray. I agree completely. I appreciate that you identify the nuances of making contributing easy as possible and consistent. Also, valuing documentation contributions as equal to code.
I suggest adding that sponsors critique the underlying platform and information design of the documentation from the perspective of personas. That is an unlikely process for typical contributors to do, but possibly very eye-opening.
Sponsors need to be clear eyed about what contributors are equipped to do and what gaps are left.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3481
|
__label__wiki
| 0.880667
| 0.880667
|
Glory Road Parent Guide
Playing an all-black starting lineup in a college basketball team in Texas in the 60s has its risks.
In the 1960s, when coach Don Haskins (Josh Lucas) made the gutsy move to sign-up some African American players for his collage basketball team, all he intended to do was change the Texas Western Miners' losing streak -- instead he changed history.
Release date January 12, 2006
Violence B-
Profanity B-
Substance Use C
Why is Glory Road rated PG? The MPAA rated Glory Road PG for racial issues including violence and epithets, and momentary language.
by Kerry Bennett
Sports stories, especially ones about the underdog, are as common as corn in Kansas. Yet when they’re told with passion (and a great soundtrack), they are one of the movie industry’s most inspiring genres.
In Remember the Titans, producer Jerry Bruckheimer tackled the racial tensions that erupted on a Virginia football squad during the early era of school desegregation. Now in Glory Road, he hits the hardwood with a historical tale of black players integration into collegiate basketball. Based on events from the sport’s 1966 NCAA season, the story focuses on the gutsy moves one determined coach makes in leading his interracial team to the final championship against the country’s top-rated contenders at the University of Kentucky.
A position at Texas Western (now University of Texas at El Paso) looks like a promotion for Don Haskins (Josh Lucas), the former coach of a high school girls’ squad. But with little to no recruitment funds and a dismal winning record, his chances of signing any top players are minimal. Nevertheless, he accepts the challenge, relying on his tough-minded tenacity and formidable spirit.
After failing to catch the attention of any high scorers at a recruitment meet, Don approaches Bobby Joe Hill (Derek Luke), an African American player who has been passed over by the other schools. With nothing to promise, except a chance to play, Don ultimately convinces the boy to sign up. Then the coach and his assistant Ross More (Red West) hit the highway, stopping in black neighborhoods along the way to scout out potential players.
When the bus finally rolls back into El Paso with a line-up of African American hoopsters, a wave of worried whispers ripples through the school administration and community boosters. On the court, an uneasy and suspicious relationship develops between the players and their white teammates when the squad is threatened with a loss of school funding. Outside of the gym, the new recruits endure racial slurs and personal attacks from some of the locals.
However, Haskins doesn’t sit on the bench looking for approval from anyone. Demanding hard work, discipline and grit from all of his players, he knows the only way to overcome the swell of prejudice is with a cohesive and winning team. Setting down strict rules and harsh penalties for breaking them, the coach begins to mold the beleaguered Texas Western Miners into a respectable squad.
With only brief profanities, the biggest penalty in this script goes to the repeated portrayals of drinking by the young athletes who face relatively minor consequences for their infraction of this team rule.
Despite the hostile climate in the community and the overall unrest surrounding interracial integration in sports, these athletes rise above their mistrust of one another and work to build an unbeatable team. Focusing on skill and heart rather than color, they and their coach set out to win a season and end up changing history.
Directed by James Gartner. Starring Josh Lucas, Derek Luke, Jon Voight. Running time: 118 minutes. Theatrical release January 12, 2006. Updated April 13, 2020
Kerry Bennett
Kerry Bennett is interested in media from both a journalist and parent perspective. Along with authoring articles for several family-oriented publications, she has written for Parent Previews for over 15 years. As a parent herself, she believes parents play a powerful role in teaching media literacy in their homes.
Watch the trailer for Glory Road
Rating & Content Info
Why is Glory Road rated PG? Glory Road is rated PG by the MPAA for racial issues including violence and epithets, and momentary language.
Set in the turbulent 1960s, the script includes some offensive racial slurs, and brief depictions of violence against the black players, including one athlete who is beaten up. On a road trip, the boys find their hotel rooms vandalized and splattered with blood. Following the incident, the boys discuss taking retaliatory actions. Despite the rules, the team members sneak out of their dorm on several occasions and visit the local bar or house parties where they are shown drinking.
Page last updated April 13, 2020
Glory Road Parents' Guide
A local booster threatens to cut off his funding to the school when Coach Haskins recruits African Americans for the team. How does his attitude change during the film? What is behind his transformation?
What prejudices have to be overcome by the community? The Caucasian players? The African American players? What does Coach Haskins mean when he says, “Dignity is within you. Only you can give it away.”
Someone must make a stand in order to change history. What sacrifices do the coach and his family make? What fears do the players have to face? What other historical figures have taken simple but powerful positions?
Read a brief biography of Coach Haskins at the Basketball Hall of Fame site.
Loved this movie? Try these books…
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is a Newberry Medal and Coretta Scott King Award Honor winning book about two African-American brothers who find common ground in basketball. Written by real-life NBA pro Stephen Curry, The Boy Who Never Gave Up tells the story of a young boy who was determined to make basketball his life, in spite of all the voices telling him he was too small.
The most recent home video release of Glory Road movie is June 6, 2006. Here are some details…
Walt Disney Home Entertainment helps you enjoy this DVD trip down Glory Road with an audio commentary by director James Gartner and producer Jerry Bruckheimer, as well as screenwriters Christopher Cleveland and Bettina Gilois.
Learn just how important work ethic was for Coach Haskins and journey into the world of the team portrayed in the movie by watching More Than a Game: Legacy of the Bear (a featurette highlighting Coach Haskins’ 38-year-long career, with commentary by Don Haskins and Pat Riley), Surviving Practice (a look at Coach Haskins’ grueling four-hour per day practice schedule, with commentary by NBA star Tim Hardaway) and extended interviews with the real University of Texas El Paso basketball team members that have played for Coach Haskins.
Deleted scenes and a portion of a music video by Alicia Keys are also included. Available in either wide or full screen presentations, the DVD provides audio tacks in English (Dolby Digital 5.0), Spanish and French, with subtitles in Spanish and French.
Related home video titles:
In The Basket, basketball becomes a unifying force for a group of students when their teacher uses it as part of his program to help them overcome their prejudice toward two German refugees. Two documentaries follow aspiring athletes in their journey toward the NBA. Hoop Dreams focuses on two inner-city kids from Chicago and The Year of the Yao tracks China’s first citizen to play in the national league. For another sports drama about race in America, Remember the Titans tells the true story of an African-American football coach struggling to integrate a high school team.
Related news about Glory Road
5 Great Hoopster Movies for March Madness
18 Movies to Commemorate Black History Month
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3486
|
__label__wiki
| 0.859199
| 0.859199
|
For Oshiomhole, it’s not a requiem, By Patrick Obahiagbon
July 6, 2020 Promptnews Opinion 0
On Thursday, June 25, 2020, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) held in the bowel of Aso Rock Villa in Abuja. At the meeting, President Muhammadu Buhari, among other issues, recommended that the National Working Committee (NWC) be dissolved in the light of the many centrifugal forces pushing the party to several dangerous directions and precipices. That advice was carried and a caretaker committee was emplaced in its stead.
In the light of the chaotic and conflicted background leading up to the NEC meeting, foisted on the party by agents of revisionism and prebendalism, a red card for the NWC was not within my contemplation as an option; yet, who in that meeting could have suggested a contrary line of action to the President’s? You know, the President is the leader of the party and perhaps, largely, the only person that could be vouched for as neutral in the leadership intrigues and crisis. There were hidden masquerades everywhere.
To be fair to President Buhari, he had tried to rein in the revanchist and philistine forces whose conservative teeths were set on edges from day one by the reformist politics and policies by the enigmatic Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. As expected, the event has been interpreted in several perspectives. One, Senator Bola Tinubu and his rumoured presidential ambition have been dealt a seeming deathly blow. The assumption behind this reasoning is that the former party chairman, Comrade Oshiomhole, is a protégé of Tinubu.Two, that for Adams Oshiomhole, it was a disastrous crash that may have possibly sent him on an impromptu retirement from politics. Indeed, Senator Tinubu and his tendencies within the APC may have suffered a temporary setback but I dare pontificate that the man is too strategic and resilient to be wasted by a single masterstroke. Those who have followed his politics will readily admit that his adversaries are merely celebrating a pyrrhic victory. In short, the Jagaban can take care of himself!
Those who think that Oshiomhole has been disgraced out of office, perhaps, are also not good students of party politics in the country. They do not understand the eggs a national party chairman has to walk on every day to carry out his assignments. This might not have been how the Comrade had scripted his egress as the chairman of APC, but human beings can only wish. The forces that pushed Oshiomhole out are still the same forces that have been forcing out chairmen of the ruling party since the return of democracy in 1999. Once a national chairman emerges in any of the ruling parties, be it APC or PDP, such a chairman must learn to become a willing tool in the hands of two distinct but very powerful forces.
On one side of this divide are the governors and on the other side is the leviathan silhouette embedded in the presidency which may not necessarily be the president. The longevity of any chairman in office is largely determined by his ability to maintain a delicate balance between these two forces. Once a sizable number of the governors agree with that leviathan presidential silhouette on their discomfiture with any particular chairman, he begins to skate on thin ice. In his two-term tenure as president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo dethroned three party chairmen- Solomon Lar, Barnabas Gemade and Audu Ogbeh.
There was no way Comrade Oshiomhole was not going to have a dialectical roforofo with entrenched machiavellian and mephistophelian political forces given his Oto Von Bismarck determination to stamp democratic authority in the running of party affairs and thus wean it from the asphyxiating and expansionist ozone of entrenched forces. We ought to understand that remaining as party chairman is not dependent on his good performance alone. It also depends humongously on how other stakeholders are willing to drop their egoistic and megalomaniacal habiliments for the greater interest of the party and the nation but a majority of the governors, (certainly not all of them) on their part, in my opinion, have become the greatest impedimenta since 1999, to any democratic consolidation in the land. Once elected, they assume the powers of an emperor, deciding who can become anything in their states.
State governors appoint new state party chairmen if the ones they met are not malleable; they put members of the state assembly in their chest pockets; nominate ministers and other federal appointees; hand-pick candidates for all the elective positions in their parties; and if the national chairman of their party objects, then they congregate at the coven of their Governors’ Forum to table his matter.
Oshiomhole, being a former governor and particularly because he had genuine and coruscating intentions to cleanse the Augean stables, had perhaps, thought that his sincerity of purpose would be a leverage for him in dealing with his former colleagues; but not exactly so because he was living ahead of his time and age. Entrenched forces of conservatism were not yet ready for a gadfly and revolutionary party administrator in his mould, bent and predilection. Bamanga Tukur, a former PDP national chairman and others have also had their story to tell even though for varied factors. What has been a common denominator has been the misreading of the viciousness of this new power centre in Nigerian politics. Tukur, as a former governor and an elder statesman must have said to himself, “surely they will respect me if not for anything, my age”. So, he tried to clip their wings and started with Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State and the fire started.
Tukur forgot the unspoken code in the PDP, which is “don’t dare the governors”. In the PDP, as it were, if a governor complains that he wants to take your wife, the NWC will support him to take your wife and add your daughter as well. Turkur did not know this. Oshiomhole certinaly knew but he was single-minded to undertake the rescue mission in the APC without caring whose ox was gored. While for Tukur, it was their tragic flaw.; not so for Oshiomhole whose gravitas, recusancy, capacity to take up the gauntlet with the spirit of a practised salamander set him apart. But for the President, it would have taken Armageddon to displace him from the top of Mount Olympus where he was already sizing up the oppositional elements like a victorious conquistador. And talking about Oshiomhole’s performance, nobody will deny that he was a successful national chairman. Remember Oshiomhole inherited a faltering party. After the 2015 election, the leadership of the party lost itself in the frenzy of victory celebrations, forgetting it had a government to form. Thus, from underneath its armpit, the opposition party, PDP, stole the exalted position of the deputy senate president and ultimately the senate president and the speaker of the House of Representatives.
Even more scandalous was the fact that elected APC members who were in the majority in the National Assembly aligned with the opposition to torment the presidency. PDP did not have to do much as an opposition party as members of the ruling party helped out in the opposition business. But all that changed with the emergence of Oshiomhole as national chairman. He started in earnest to refocus APC as a ruling party by reintroducing party discipline and party supremacy.
Oshiomhole’s heat helped in quickening the exit of fifth columnists in the APC rank whose stratagem was to stay as long as possible to decapitate the party from within. It is to Oshiomhole’s credit that the APC was rejuvenated as a party going into the 2019 general election. And the result of the election has the full imprimatur of Oshiomhole’s ebullience and diligent planning; and, of course, together with other party men and women. So, if the main purpose of a political party is to win elections, nobody would deny Oshiomhole his place in history.
Even before the 2019 general election, with Oshiomhole leading the line, APC defeated Ayo Fayose-inspired PDP in Ekiti State to reclaim the state. He also led the party to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in Osun State. His sagacity in causing last-minute political realignments in Osun state was, perhaps, the masterstroke that turned a bad situation around for the APC. Although the Comrade delights more in winning Kwara State in 2019, denying PDP a foothold in the heart of the Southwest was, perhaps, a more devastating blow to the opposition party.
It has been interesting reading all manner of sneering remarks and analyses on the ouster of Comrade Oshiomhole as the national chairman of APC. Some of the comments have postulated, almost with vatic certainty, the end of the Comrade’s career as a politician. I find some of these conclusions derisory and infantile to say the least. Even if his career were to end as it is now, Oshiomhole has done well enough. From being a factory worker, the Comrade rose to lead the mass of Nigerian workers. From leading the Labour, he was elected governor twice and served his Edo State people for eight years and thereafter he stepped in the saddle as the national chairman of a ruling party. You cannot have it better than that!
Yet knowing the person Comrade is, what has happened to him may just be a temporary setback. He has all the qualities to bounce back and, indeed, he has started the process of recovery by accepting the decisions of his party’s NEC and pledging his loyalty to the President and his party. As one capable of laughing at himself, Oshiomhole will take all that has happened in his strides and, as usual, will find the strength he needs.
The game that played out leading to the dissolution of the NWC led by Oshiomhole is all geared towards 2023 permutations much more than the ranting of some elements in his home state. A lot more games will be played in the days ahead and those who are laughing now and clinking their glasses may have started their celebrations a bit too early because 2023 is still far off from now. And, to boot, Edo governorship is September 19, 2020.
•Hon. Obahiagbon contributed this piece from Benin City.
Stiffer penalty for Violators of Gender Based Laws – Fayemi
How Shehu Sani Collected $15,000 Bribe from Me, Victim Tells Court
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3500
|
__label__wiki
| 0.986108
| 0.986108
|
NBA and Unbnd announce immersive content partnership
SYDNEY – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Unbnd, an Australian creative technology company, today announced a content partnership to broadcast NBA TV – the league’s 24/7 dedicated linear channel – and game highlights in a Mixed Reality Theatre Experience to fans in Australia and Singapore.
Beginning with the 2019-20 NBA preseason, Unbnd will launch its new Missing in Action (MIA) content platform, which will allow users to experience live NBA games, highlights and original programming. The MIA platform will use mixed reality to enhance the NBA broadcast experience for fans, simulating a 360-degree virtual theatre environment that displays real-time game statistics and interactive branded content experiences.
“With the AR and VR industry set to reach a value of $20 billion in 2019, we know MIA will really appeal to fans and open doors for brands looking to attract and retain consumer attention,” said Antony Arena, CEO and Founder of Unbnd. “As a big fan of the game, this partnership with the NBA is a huge deal for me on a personal and professional level, and we’re excited to take fans from being spectators to actively engaging with the content in a meaningful, relevant and exciting way.”
“As content consumption continues to evolve, the NBA has been at the forefront of technological innovations that enrich the viewing experience, and this partnership with Unbnd will allow us to provide another next generation viewing option to our fans,” said Ramez Sheikh, NBA Asia Head of Global Content and Media Distribution. “By combining NBA content with Unbnd’s enhancements, we will deliver an immersive and unique experience to further engage fans of the NBA.”
The MIA app will be available before the start of the 2019-20 NBA season across iOS, Android and all compatible virtual reality headsets.
SiriusXM and NBA expand agreement to offer fans with streaming subscriptions access to NBA live-game audio
NBA and beIN SPORTS extend broadcast and digital partnership in France through 2024
Hotels.com® named Official Travel Partner of the NBA
NBA and La Française des Jeux announce multiyear partnership expansion in France
CarMax named official auto retailer of the NBA and WNBA
« Winners from 2019 NBA Awards presented by Kia on TNT
Voting results: 2018-19 NBA regular-season awards »
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3502
|
__label__cc
| 0.704516
| 0.295484
|
Montana License Plate Lookup
Buying a used car instead of new in Montana is a wise decision if you want to bag a bargain and save money in the process. Just make sure you do your homework well. If you have the license plate, you can get the full history including mileage, accidents, recalls, services, the number of owners. Simply enter the plate number to get records instantly. Don’t have the Plate number? Simply use the VIN Lookup tool on our website.
How to Lookup Any Montana License Plate Number
Montana License plate lookup will help you obtain all the information about the car you are searching. Under state law two license plates are required to be issued for most cars, vans and trucks. Trailers and Motorcycles require only one license plate. Every 8 years Montana has a law that requires the license plate design to change which must be easily distinguishable from the previous design.
If a license plate has been lost or stolen, a new or duplicate license plate and registration certificate will be issued by the Montana County Treasurer. Damaged license plates must be submitted to the Montana County Treasurer when you receive your new license plates.
By using our License plate lookup feature you can obtain information from the Montana Department of Transportation also known as the Montana DOT. You can get information related to vehicle specifications, ownership history, services history, title history, accident & damage checks, mileage records & recalls check. Each look up contains over 60 verifications covering every aspect of the vehicle. Simply enter the Montana license plate number into the field above and get instant results. At times, the license plate results in no results due to various reasons. Simply locate the VIN Number off the vehicle and use our VIN check tool to get the full history.
Montana DMV Resources
The website for the Montana DMV provides basic and crucial information that is beneficial for drivers and vital statistics for those who need to acquire important documents. The website itself is easy to navigate and has numerous services that are available to you right at the comfort of your own home.
There is so much more content that is shown on the Montana DMV website. As you go through the website you will find a great amount of information on how to get plates and tags for your car(s) and exact pricing for each service that is provided by the department of motor vehicles. Extra information is also there to assist you in understanding car insurance and tips for buying your first car. Forms are also uploaded for you to print depending on what application you specifically need. No information is unsaid on this website so you wouldn’t even need to call in.
Why should you run an Montana VIN Check?
To check and see if the vehicle has been stolen – the rates of stolen cars in Montana in the year 2016 were 31.2 cars stolen per day. By running a license plate search you are ensuring that you are not purchasing a stolen car or a car with stolen parts.
Accidents (Source: 2018 Montana Crash Report)
In 2016. Montana crash fatality rate was higher than the national crash fatality rate (1.56 vs 1.15 per hundred million vehicle miles).
In their lifetime, typical drivers in Montana have a greater than one-in-three chance of being in a crash resulting to injury or death.
Motor Vehicle Theft (Source: 2016 Crime in Montana Report)
Motor vehicle theft rate for Montana in 2016 was 234.5 thefts for every 100,000 inhabitants.
Montana ranks as 7th most disaster-prone state with 79 major disaster declarations from 1953 to 2017 (Source: NBC News report).
Check for Loans & Liens on a vehicle in Montana
Buying a used car in Montana?
Don’t make a costly mistake and end up with regrets. Run a License Plate Lookup on your Arizona -registered vehicle and get all the facts. Premium VIN check utilizes national databases, such as, the NMVTIS, Department of Motor Vehicles, Ministry of Transportation, car manufacturers’ databases, insurance companies, car auctions, car dealers, state records, inspections stations and includes over 60 checks on every report.
Uncover the complete history of your Arizona registered vehicle in seconds! Run an Arizona License Plate Lookup now by enter the details above.
Montana is a state in the Northwestern United States. Montana has several nicknames, although none are official, including “Big Sky Country” and “The Treasure State”, and slogans that include “Land of the Shining Mountains” and more recently “The Last Best Place”.
Montana is one of the 30 states that require a front license plate. Any person acquiring a new or used motor vehicle in Montana shall obtain a license plate within Sixty (60) calendar days from the date of acquisition.
Montana has a standard serial format having two letters and five numerical digits. This serial format can be found on plates of passenger vehicles. Montana requires two license plates for each vehicle: the front and the rear plates.
Types of Montana License Plates
Montana has Sixteen (16) types of plates available to choose from. Each type of license plate has different requirements and fees.
Government & Communities
Parks & Environment
Service Organizations & Associations
Wildlife & Other Animals
Antique Plates
Military Plates
Sponsored Plates
Montana Laws on License Plates
In most cases, a license plate can be transferred to another vehicle registered under the owner’s name.
Start your title application at a Montana county treasurer’s office near your place of residence. For vehicles that were titled previously in any other state, their out-of-state titles must be presented by the applicants. If it is not available, you should provide the state’s registration receipt as an alternative. Sorting out the paperwork of privately sold cars requires more effort from the owners, unlike dealership cars which are being serviced by a staff.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3504
|
__label__wiki
| 0.905586
| 0.905586
|
Buhari supporters defy rain, protest at AI for 6th day
Published August 7, 2019 August 7, 2019
Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja
Scores of President Muhammadu Buhari’s supporters on Wednesday defied the heavy rainfall and converged on the Maitama office of Amnesty International, Nigeria, to protest against the rights group for the 6th day running.
The supporters arrived at AI’s office on Colorado Close, asking AI to leave Nigeria for its harsh criticism of the Buhari government.
The protesters, who are alleged to have been sponsored by the government, accused AI of supporting the opposition and failing to support President Buhari’s war on corruption and insurgency.
It was learnt that the protest, which started around 10am, lasted for about an hour.
The protest has continued to hold despite a directive by the Nigeria Police Force that all demonstrations be confined to the Unity Fountain.
The National Human Rights Commission had in a statement on Tuesday asked the protesters to stop harassing AI even as it pleaded with the global rights group not to leave Nigeria.
AI’s spokesman, Isa Sanusi, confirmed to our correspondent on Wednesday that the protesters picketed the office of the agency.
Sanusi said the agency would continue to push for the protection of human rights which is its core mandate.
The agency has in the last four years criticised government agencies especially the military and the police, for unlawful detentions, extrajudicial killings and other forms of abuse.
Amnesty International buhari protest
COVID-19: Doctors raise the alarm as NYSC reopens camp
How I met Ulli Biere, Duro Ladipo —Ifa priest, Elebuibon
ICYMI: Why power should shift to South in 2023 — Borno gov, Zulum
US National Guard in high demand ahead of Biden inauguration
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3508
|
__label__wiki
| 0.786443
| 0.786443
|
Multidimensionality of parental involvement and children's mathematics achievement in Taiwan: Mediating effect of math self-efficacy
Hsin-Yi Kung, Ching Yi Lee
Graduate Institute of Education
The present study confirmed the multidimensional construct of Taiwanese parental involvement and examined the direct and indirect influences of parental involvement on students' mathematics achievement, that is, the mediating effects of math self-efficacy. Questionnaires were administered to 1286 seventh grade students in Central Taiwan, and structural equation modeling was utilized. The results indicated that the multidimensional model of parental involvement in mathematics contained three components: parental beliefs and expectations, managerial involvement (i.e., parental instruction), and structural involvement (i.e., resources parents provide for children). In addition, results suggested that parental involvement is indirectly associated with students' mathematics achievement through the mediating effects of math self-efficacy, either partially or completely. The conceptual framework and measures can contribute to future work on parenting, including research designed to map multidimensional constructs that describe parental involvement and studies that explore how parental involvement shapes school outcomes of early adolescents in mathematics through their math self-efficacy.
Learning and Individual Differences
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2016.02.004
10.1016/j.lindif.2016.02.004
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'Multidimensionality of parental involvement and children's mathematics achievement in Taiwan: Mediating effect of math self-efficacy'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Mathematics Medicine & Life Sciences
Self Efficacy Medicine & Life Sciences
Taiwan Medicine & Life Sciences
self-efficacy Social Sciences
mathematics Social Sciences
Students Medicine & Life Sciences
Latent Class Analysis Medicine & Life Sciences
Kung, H-Y., & Lee, C. Y. (2016). Multidimensionality of parental involvement and children's mathematics achievement in Taiwan: Mediating effect of math self-efficacy. Learning and Individual Differences, 47, 266-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2016.02.004
Kung, Hsin-Yi ; Lee, Ching Yi. / Multidimensionality of parental involvement and children's mathematics achievement in Taiwan : Mediating effect of math self-efficacy. In: Learning and Individual Differences. 2016 ; Vol. 47. pp. 266-273.
@article{65c46cf8948041a4891db5c7912acb1f,
title = "Multidimensionality of parental involvement and children's mathematics achievement in Taiwan: Mediating effect of math self-efficacy",
abstract = "The present study confirmed the multidimensional construct of Taiwanese parental involvement and examined the direct and indirect influences of parental involvement on students' mathematics achievement, that is, the mediating effects of math self-efficacy. Questionnaires were administered to 1286 seventh grade students in Central Taiwan, and structural equation modeling was utilized. The results indicated that the multidimensional model of parental involvement in mathematics contained three components: parental beliefs and expectations, managerial involvement (i.e., parental instruction), and structural involvement (i.e., resources parents provide for children). In addition, results suggested that parental involvement is indirectly associated with students' mathematics achievement through the mediating effects of math self-efficacy, either partially or completely. The conceptual framework and measures can contribute to future work on parenting, including research designed to map multidimensional constructs that describe parental involvement and studies that explore how parental involvement shapes school outcomes of early adolescents in mathematics through their math self-efficacy.",
author = "Hsin-Yi Kung and Lee, {Ching Yi}",
doi = "10.1016/j.lindif.2016.02.004",
journal = "Learning and Individual Differences",
publisher = "Elsevier BV",
Kung, H-Y & Lee, CY 2016, 'Multidimensionality of parental involvement and children's mathematics achievement in Taiwan: Mediating effect of math self-efficacy', Learning and Individual Differences, vol. 47, pp. 266-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2016.02.004
Multidimensionality of parental involvement and children's mathematics achievement in Taiwan : Mediating effect of math self-efficacy. / Kung, Hsin-Yi; Lee, Ching Yi.
In: Learning and Individual Differences, Vol. 47, 01.04.2016, p. 266-273.
T1 - Multidimensionality of parental involvement and children's mathematics achievement in Taiwan
T2 - Mediating effect of math self-efficacy
AU - Kung, Hsin-Yi
AU - Lee, Ching Yi
N2 - The present study confirmed the multidimensional construct of Taiwanese parental involvement and examined the direct and indirect influences of parental involvement on students' mathematics achievement, that is, the mediating effects of math self-efficacy. Questionnaires were administered to 1286 seventh grade students in Central Taiwan, and structural equation modeling was utilized. The results indicated that the multidimensional model of parental involvement in mathematics contained three components: parental beliefs and expectations, managerial involvement (i.e., parental instruction), and structural involvement (i.e., resources parents provide for children). In addition, results suggested that parental involvement is indirectly associated with students' mathematics achievement through the mediating effects of math self-efficacy, either partially or completely. The conceptual framework and measures can contribute to future work on parenting, including research designed to map multidimensional constructs that describe parental involvement and studies that explore how parental involvement shapes school outcomes of early adolescents in mathematics through their math self-efficacy.
AB - The present study confirmed the multidimensional construct of Taiwanese parental involvement and examined the direct and indirect influences of parental involvement on students' mathematics achievement, that is, the mediating effects of math self-efficacy. Questionnaires were administered to 1286 seventh grade students in Central Taiwan, and structural equation modeling was utilized. The results indicated that the multidimensional model of parental involvement in mathematics contained three components: parental beliefs and expectations, managerial involvement (i.e., parental instruction), and structural involvement (i.e., resources parents provide for children). In addition, results suggested that parental involvement is indirectly associated with students' mathematics achievement through the mediating effects of math self-efficacy, either partially or completely. The conceptual framework and measures can contribute to future work on parenting, including research designed to map multidimensional constructs that describe parental involvement and studies that explore how parental involvement shapes school outcomes of early adolescents in mathematics through their math self-efficacy.
U2 - 10.1016/j.lindif.2016.02.004
DO - 10.1016/j.lindif.2016.02.004
JO - Learning and Individual Differences
JF - Learning and Individual Differences
Kung H-Y, Lee CY. Multidimensionality of parental involvement and children's mathematics achievement in Taiwan: Mediating effect of math self-efficacy. Learning and Individual Differences. 2016 Apr 1;47:266-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2016.02.004
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3510
|
__label__wiki
| 0.935458
| 0.935458
|
"Low" - Miss Ohio's 2008 indie rock classic, now available...everywhere!
We are excited to celebrate the re-release day of "Low" by Miss Ohio, out now everywhere (Spotify, Itunes, Tidal, Apple Music, etc)! The record, originally released in 2008 is an indie rock classic, one of too many records that…
We are extremely excited to announce the re-release of Miss Ohio's "Low"!
We are extremely excited to announce the re-release of Miss Ohio's 2008 record "Low"! One of, if not the band's greatest work, has been available in only one spot (if you know where to look) online for years. On December…
New Scary Hours Video/Single & Record Premier!
We are stoked to share with you the video premier of "Worthwhile Victims" courtesy of Hardcore Worldwide, and below the record premier via The Big Takeover!
Click on pic to see whole premier, write up, lyrics and blurbs on each…
Scary Hours returns with “Margins” – an 8 song blistering hardcore punk attack - pre-order now!
Scary Hours returns with “Margins” – an 8 song blistering hardcore punk attack that is full of anger, intensity and acute awareness and articulation, showing Struck's evolution and grasp of the reality he lives in, his disgust for many aspects…
Tired Radio joins the PVR fam as we plan split label vinyl release with Engineer Records!
We are excited to announce that in conjunction with Engineer Records we will be releasing a Limited Edition pink vinyl LP of Tired Radio's debut album "Patterns"! We will have updates on this very soon, but for now, enjoy streaming…
Bug Martin returns with a new band and releases his best record to date!
From yonder in Pennsylvania comes BUG MARTIN & CO. with a new batch of tunes fixing to rile you up and set your soul to wander. Flanked by veterans of the PA folk scene DAN MULLIGAN and RENEE ‘RAY’ DREZNER…
The 65's return again with new single/video "Keep the Lights On"
Joe Pugsley spills some details about the track and video, revealing, “This song is structured around the idea of the loss of someone in your life (or the fear of such a loss), that you have a mutual love and…
Scary Hours Returns With His Most Blistering Single Yet!
LYRICS: I wear this skin to filter from the mirror the feigning of a grin We are forebearers of malignity We are the mortgagers of dignity We are the singers of a passive song You can use your own voice…
l'oceanic - Dave & Jim of Miss Ohio drop 2 EPs during quarantine
l’oceanic is a collaboration between Dave Wilson and Jim Kaznosky of Miss Ohio that originated in the midst of the isolation of the 2020 pandemic. Using drum loops, samples, and live and electronic instruments, the music of l’oceanic provides a…
The 65's drop "Never Say Never" EP with new video
The 65's return with 3 more songs and a new video. Check out the kind words by Mark Suppanz of Big Takeover and watch the video for "Broken Nose, Busted Knee" below. This is a split release between Mint 400…
Bug Martin's PVR debut "GUTTERBALL" gets the attention it deserves!
"As he sings of his woes over pedal steel sounds and tinkling banjo strums, Bug Martin draws us in, engaging us across campfire flames or under the lightning bug glow of a friendly front porch gathering. He tells the story…
Scary Hours full length debut "Live To Serve" gets tremendous press!
"Singer-songwriter Ryan Struck, who flies under the moniker of Scary Hours, creates witty and unsettling anti-folk, informed by his past in hardcore punk bands...Struck is keen to vocalize his compelling diatribes on various matters regarding the state of the world…
Galanos Return with "Three Songs" EP, premiered by Big Takeover
Kingston, New York-based art rock/postpunk band Galanos return with three songs about death, figurative) wolves, and work on their new Three Songs EP, which releases soon via Pyrrhic Victory Recordings and Mint 400 Records.
The members of Galanos (Netochka Nezvanova…
Voice of Doom unleashes "Saint Blaise" on 4/20
Quite the irony, the newest release from VOD was wrapped up on the date of February 3,
2020, which is the traditional celebration day of the patron saint of the throat, Saint Blaise.
The band in its inception, back in…
Out Now: "Personality Crisis" by The 65's
Our disgust with the current healthcare system in America knows no bounds. Even more so when we learned the sad news that New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain is suffering from cancer, and is seeking help from friends and fans…
Bug Martin joins the PVR roster!
We're really excited to announce that singer/songwriter Bug Martin has joined our roster! We'll be releasing his latest record later this summer. Check out the killer new single Dharma Blues below, and be sure to dig through his incredible self-released…
Scary Hours drops Elliott Smith cover "Angeles" in anticipation of album release
In anticipation of the upcoming album release slated for early spring, Scary Hours has dropped a sick punk-inspired version of the Elliott Smith classic "Angeles" as a free download! Please enjoy, share with friends if you dig, and check back…
The Strange Monsters return!
The Strange Monsters return with their second full-length album, Strange Monsters II Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Strange Monsters, due out 11/30/18. The title draws allusions to a famous film, and much like Dr. Strangelove…
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3511
|
__label__wiki
| 0.538589
| 0.538589
|
Home Q News Entertainment Dwayne Johnson adorably reveals he repeatedly sings “You’re Welcome” from ‘Moana’ for...
Dwayne Johnson adorably reveals he repeatedly sings “You’re Welcome” from ‘Moana’ for his daughter
ThursdayApr162020
Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — As parents finish up a fourth week sheltering at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some are realizing just how easy it is to keep their littlest ones entertained, even if it can be a little repetitive. Case in point, Dwayne Johnson.
"And for the 937th time today she wants daddy to sing along with Maui," Johnson captioned in the Wednesday video of him mouthing along the words to "You're Welcome" from Disney's Moana as his one-year-old Tiana Gia sits complacently on his lap.
Her eyes are glued to the screen as Johnson holds her arms and cycles them around as he sways along to the song. Eventually, he becomes so engrossed by the tune, he picks Tiana up and begins bouncing her on his lap, causing her to laugh and smile.
While Little Tiana, who turns two on Friday, doesn't have the lyrics down as well as her dad, she does adorably sing along during the parts she recognizes.
The Jumanji actor further revealed in the caption that his daughter's obsession with the character Maui, which he voices in the film, is purely coincidental. "She has no idea, we’re the same person," he remarked.
Beyond sharing an adorable daddy-daughter moment to his fans, Johnson revealed to his fellow parents that even he's starting to feel worn down by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
"I have no idea what day it is anymore, but I am sure it’s one that ends with Y," the 47-year-old admitted before giving his fans a little pep talk. "To all the mama and papa bears out there going thru it – we understand. 24hr parenting."
As for his recommendation as to how to stay sane, he hilariously remarked in closing, "Get your sleep and cocktails when you can."
Previous articleBen Affleck and Matt Damon raise $1.75 million for COVID-19 relief
Next articleMartha Stewart hilariously learns why drinking and Instagramming doesn’t mix
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3512
|
__label__cc
| 0.707712
| 0.292288
|
Responsible for the content of this website:
QCS-Quick Cargo Service GmbH
Kurhessenstrasse 3
Tel .: 06105/91 13-0
Fax: NO / NO
E-mail: info@quick-cargo-service.de
Internet: www.quick-cargo-service.com
Dieter Haltmayer
Stephan Haltmayer
Dr. Jennifer Melynk
Entry in commercial register
District Court Frankfurt am Main, HRB 14 554
VAT ID no. DE 114 202 533
We operate exclusively in accordance with the Allgemeine Deutsche Spediteurbedingungen 2016 („ADSp 2016“) (German Freight Forwarders‘ General Terms and Conditions 2016). Pursuant to clause 23 of ADSp 431, liability for loss and damage of goods, which is limited under Section 8,33 of the German Commercial Code (HGB) to 1 Special Drawing Right per Kilogram (SDR/kg), is further limited to the higher of Euro 2 Million and SDR/kg per claim provided that all claims per event are limited to the higher of Euro 2 Million and 2 SDR/kg; and where multimodal transport with sea carriage is involved to XNUMX SDR/kg.
QCS-Quick Cargo Service GmbH checks and updates the content of this website on a regular basis. But despite this there could be the possibility that data has changed since its publication. QCS-Quick Cargo Service GmbH does not take any responsibility for the correctness, the current actuality or completeness of the information provided. Furthermore QCS-Quick Cargo Service GmbH is not responsible for the content of websites that are connected to our website by links.
All rights reserved. Texts, images, graphics, page layout, source text and animations on this website are protected by copyright. The content of this website may not be copied, distributed or made available to third parties for commercial purposes.
No liability can be assumed for the content of the linked pages, not for illegal, incorrect or incomplete content and, in particular, not for damage resulting from the use or non-use of the information offered on the linked pages.
The owner of this website hereby expressly declares that at the time the links were set, no illegal content was recognizable on the linked pages. The author has no influence on the current and future design, content or authorship of the linked pages.
The dates mentioned on this website are carefully processed and checked. However, we do not assume any liability for the timeliness, correctness or completeness of the dates provided.
SeeLinks
In the case of direct or indirect links to external websites, QCS - Quick Cargo Service GmbH will only be liable when it would have been reasonable and technically possible to avoid the use in case of illegal content. For content going beyond this, and in particular for damage arising from the use or non-use of such a type of information, liability shall lie solely with the provider of the page to which the links refer and not with the party merely referring to such published material by means of links.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0059.json.gz/line3515
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.