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Someone is trying to sell the stolen Razer triple-screen laptop prototypes
By Joel Hruska on January 13, 2017 at 4:36 pm
Last week at CES, Razer unveiled its most recent prototype, a three-screen laptop. As we discussed, this has become something of a CES tradition for the peripheral manufacturer, so we weren’t surprised to see the company showing off an unusual piece of kit. What was unusual was that someone walked off with both laptop prototypes at some point towards the end of the show. Razer has offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of the laptops, but we haven’t seen any public announcements about a culprit since. Now, it seems that whoever walked off with the laptops is trying to unload them.
There is no possible way this could go wrong.
Geek.com reports that the laptops have been listed on the Chinese website Taobao, where the thief is offering the laptops for the not-at-all crazy price of $21,733. It’s not clear what Razer can do from here — presumably Taobao has its own terms of service prohibiting the sale of stolen goods, and we doubt the e-commerce company wants any part of a comparatively high-profile theft. If you need a laptop with support for multiple displays, there are small portable displays designed to run over USB3 or that use existing standards like HDMI, VGA, or DisplayPort. These panels tend to be small and they don’t offer 4K (1366×768 or 1920×1080 are common resolutions), but they also don’t cost five figures. As an added bonus, you can carry them around without worrying that someone will notice you’re carrying one of two prototype laptops stolen from a major trade show that you probably didn’t get from an authorized source.
Razer hasn’t said yet if it will commercialize Project Valerie. But between the initial unveil and the thefts, the company has gotten more than enough press to determine whether there’s demand for the concept. The idea isn’t trivial — a triple-screen laptop will, by necessity, be significantly heavier and more power-hungry than a standard design. That will limit the platform to certain markets, though it’s possible that Razer could further modify the idea by making the screens detachable, or allowing the user to power certain displays at certain times without compromising the laptop design.
There are also some practical design elements to consider — how much wear and tear can the screen extension and retraction mechanism take, and what are the damage pitfalls associated with having a laptop that much wider than an ordinary system? These are the kinds of small issues that can collectively turn a product from a must-have into a flawed take on a good idea. Razer will need to figure them out before deciding if a workstation-class triple system is worth the cost to bring it to market.
project valerie
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Good News, Bad News For Apple Inc.'s Watch in 2016
The iEverything maker’s new Watch didn’t quite have the impact some expected, but that could change in 2016. Or, maybe not.
Tim Brugger
(timbrugger)
Follow @@FoolInvesting
If the pundits' expectations prove correct, 2016 could be the year that smartwatches finally go mainstream, led by the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) Watch. The reasons why we say it "could" be the year of the smartwatches rather than "will" be is that the predictions depend on which estimate investors choose to believe, as well as whether device makers can overcome consumer concerns.
Apple has kept mum on the specific sales numbers for its new-ish wearable device, but that hasn't prevented multiple research firms from taking their best shots at guesstimating sales.
One thing is fairly certain: The Apple Watch didn't have the kind of impact on sales of other wearable devices in 2015 -- particularly Fitbit's (NYSE:FIT) market leading fitness trackers -- as industry insiders had expected. That said, Gartner (NYSE:IT) is one of many research firms expecting big things for smartwatches in 2016. But there could be a roadblock on the route to the industry reaching Gartner's lofty smartwatch growth numbers this year and beyond: consumers' willingness to open their wallets.
Image courtesy of Apple
Gartner's data suggests there were slightly more than 30 million smartwatches sold in 2015, of which some believe about 50% were Apple devices. It should be noted that Gartner's estimates for 2015 were considerably higher than those of Juniper Research, which pegged sales at 17.1 million units last year. However, both firms agree that the jump in smartwatch adoption was largely due to Apple, and both expect it to be a primary driver of growth moving forward.
On the high end, according to Gartner, 2016 could deliver a 67% jump in smartwatch sales to over 50 million units. And that figure is expected to grow to 66.7 million smartwatches in 2017. Assuming Apple is able to maintain its sizable market share lead, Watch sales meaningfully contributing to the company's top and bottom lines could become a recurring theme.
As it stands, iPhones continue to be the single biggest driver of Apple's results, but the Watch could prove to answer to the question of where its next burst of growth will come from. Regardless, it's safe to say the best is yet to come for the Watch, assuming Apple and other smartwatch manufacturers are able to overcome what appear to be significant barriers to entry for consumers.
A survey was conducted of 1,000 Internet users to determine what their reasons were for not buying a smartwatch. An overwhelming 69% responded that the cost was prohibitive, and at least for now, it's easy to see why. Compared to around $100 for a Fitbit device, which is more than adequate to meet the needs of health conscious consumers looking for a metabolic fitness tracker -- a use that is the primary driver of wearable sales -- an Apple Watch is a fairly big leap, expense-wise.
The second biggest hurdle to smartwatch adoption, according to nearly 40% of those surveyed, was that there simply aren't enough reasons to spend about $250 (it was nearly $350 until the recent price cut-for an entry-level Apple Watch) let alone more than twice that for a higher -end device.
Apple's wildly successful iPhone line-up is at least partly to blame for the blasé attitude toward existing smartwatch iteration. The message notification feature of smartwatches, perhaps their biggest differentiator from Fitbit's fitness trackers, is already addressed by the widespread use of smartphones, which seem to be surgically attached to many of the world's mobile consumers.
Folks on the go have become so accustomed to using their smartphones for everything from communication to desktop-like computing functions, today's Watch seems redundant.
The big event Apple has scheduled for March 15 is expected to include the introduction of its new iPhone 5se. Given the recent price drops at some retailers, some have speculated the second-generation Watch will also be unveiled next month.
For investors with an eye toward the Watch as a means to jump-start growth for Apple, consumers have spoken. As it stands, many prospective smartwatch buyers love the concept, but Apple has a couple of hurdles to overcome before it goes mainstream.
NYSE:IT
NYSE:FIT
Good News, Bad News For Apple Inc.'s Watch in 2016 @themotleyfool #stocks $IT $AAPL $FIT Next Article
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MLB dads dish on when they knew their sons would be stars
400dRobert Sanchez and Anna Katherine Clemmons
MLB dads Jeff Trout, Mike Bryant, Manny Upton and more on when they knew their sons would be stars
"Any time he wanted to hit or play catch, I did it," Jeff Trout, right, said of son Mike. "But I didn't go to him. I didn't wake him up to go hit. And if he wanted to go fishing that day instead, we went fishing." Courtesy of MLB Productions
Robert Sanchez and Anna Katherine Clemmons
Fathers of five MLB All-Stars -- Mike Trout, Kris Bryant, Max Scherzer, Nolan Arenado and Justin Upton -- reveal the moments they realized their sons had what it takes to make it as pro ballplayers.
Jeff Trout, father of Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike:
When Mike was 7 years old, he was playing tee ball. The kids all run toward the ball at that age. It's a mess. Mike was playing shortstop, and a big kid came to the plate. The kid hit a sharp line drive like you'd see hit off of a tee, and Mike moved two or three steps to his left and dove for it. He was actually parallel to the ground as he caught the ball. It was the kind of play that Andrelton Simmons, the shortstop for the Angels, would make now. I looked at my wife, and she said, "Did anyone get that on video?" Nobody did, but after the game, I just told Mike, "Hey, nice catch, pal." It was incredible, but I didn't make a big deal out of it.
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I'd been around enough players and kids and sports in my day to know that even at that age, Mike was a cut above his peers athletically. He was a little faster, a little more agile, had better hand-eye coordination and great instincts. But I also knew that there's already so much built-in pressure to the game itself. You don't need parents basing their day on how well their kid played in Little League.
Mike was dunking a basketball when he was 5-foot-9 in ninth grade. At such an early age, he was doing things athletically that kind of made me think, "He may be a special kind of kid."
Even though Mike was talented, he was exposed to all types of things and never pigeon-holed growing up, and I think it has made him a better person and a better player. He's the youngest of our three kids. My daughter is a Realtor. My other son is an attorney and owns his own consulting business. Mike is the baby. Three successful kids in their own right.
I was not one of these parents who said, "Hey, keep working on going to the big leagues." It was always about college and education -- that was our focus. I think that took a lot of pressure off of Mike. My wife and I just wanted him to play and enjoy the game. And then we thought that maybe one day, it will help pay for a college education. We're both teachers, so we focused on that.
Our mentality was, let's go fishing or go get an ice cream after the game. People are so astonished by that because you see how talented and refined Mike is as an athlete, and you'd think he spent 90 percent of his days playing baseball. But not even close. He played all sports, he did art classes, he golfed, he hunted. Too many parents these days push, push, push their kids into sports.
We gave him the opportunities and tools to be the best that he could as an athlete, as a player. Any time he wanted to hit or play catch, I did it. But I didn't go to him. I didn't wake him up to go hit. And if he wanted to go fishing that day instead, we went fishing. -- As told to Anna Katherine Clemmons
Kris Bryant, left, provided a glimpse of his future hitting prowess when he tagged along to brother Nick's practice. Courtesy Bryant Family
Mike Bryant, father of Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris:
When Kris was 5 years old, he wanted to hit after one of my older boy's practices. We were playing coach-pitch. So I took all the younger siblings onto the field so I could throw some pitches to them.
Everybody is doing their thing -- not squaring up, hitting weak ground balls. Then Kris comes up. He's like 45 pounds. He's got this huge, 31-ounce bat in his hands. The first pitch I throw to him, boom! He launches it 140 feet into the outfield. He just drops the bat head behind him and, instead of chopping down, he elevates it. I look back to see where the ball landed and think: Holy Christ, my kid can hit.
Then he rips a half-dozen more high fly balls into the outfield. They look like major league popups. By the time he's 7, he's launching balls into the outfield during games. By 8, he's knocking them over the fence.
At 12, he hit 23 home runs in 67 at-bats. He had 20 walks. At this point, I could tell he was pretty good. I told him, "Don't tell anybody. I won't either. Just keep doing this." So then Kris started dreaming about what could happen. My son became good enough to dream. -- As told to Robert Sanchez
"From an early age, he was coachable," Brad Scherzer said of son Max. "He was curious. He liked to learn. You could offer a suggestion, and you could see him thinking, 'Gee whiz, that's a good formula.'" Courtesy The Scherzer Family
Brad Scherzer, father of Washington Nationals pitcher Max:
When he was little, Max said, "I want to be a major league baseball player." But at one point he also wanted to be a firefighter or a police officer. In high school, he never was about being a pro ballplayer. There was never that one instant when I knew this would work out for him. Baseball is full of potholes. Some bad things can happen. I always preached to him about taking things one step at a time.
Sure, I saw something in Max's eyes -- his enthusiasm for sports, especially baseball. When he was 2, I'd come home from work and find him already downstairs in the basement, waiting for me so we could play.
Max was the cliché. From an early age, he was coachable. He was curious. He liked to learn. You could offer a suggestion, and you could see him thinking, 'Gee whiz, that's a good formula.' Back in the Little League days, you'd see those parents who were overinflated with their kids' accomplishments. They had short-term goals. I'd point that out to Max. I'd say, "These parents are so worried about how their kid is going to do in sixth grade and how they're going to fit in high school." Max saw it too. They had the wrong priorities.
Succeeding at this sport is so much about the right spot and the right training, and Max understood that. You have to say, "What are the steps I need to follow? What kind of training? What do I need to learn?" Max never worried about an entire season. He was concerned with the game right in front of him.
Even when he'd have success, I never got ahead of myself. Neither did Max. He was always looking at the next step. I'm sure there eventually was a realistic goal about becoming a major league baseball player, but that was never a discussion we had back then. He knew getting there meant going through innumerable steps first. Have lofty goals but be realistic about the steps it will take to achieve them. You don't go from sixth-grade star directly to the majors.
Max had a sore shoulder at one point during his junior year of high school. I was never worried because he had a strong academic background too. When he was growing up, we told him that school helps sports and sports helps school. Even after the St. Louis Cardinals drafted him out of high school, Max was set on going to college. He needed an education first. Even back then, he was creating a life where baseball would be one of his alternatives, not his only alternative. That took a lot of pressure off of him. -- Sanchez
"I knew he had certain skills that other kids didn't have, even if they might have been getting more attention," Fernando Arenado said of son Nolan. "He didn't brag about it. But I knew in my heart that Nolan had something special." Courtesy The Arenado Family
Fernando Arenado, father of Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan:
I knew Nolan had it his junior year of high school. His team won a [state] championship. His travel team was playing all over California. He got to go to the Area Code Games. He got to go to Georgia and to Florida, and his team won a big wood-bat tournament. You could see everything coming together.
People thought he was chubby back then, so he wanted show he was prepared to play at a high level. He showed he could compete every day. He could hit and throw, but it was his hitting that got attention. He was finally getting noticed. Good things were happening. His mom and I started hearing rumors that Nolan could get drafted. It was humbling and exciting, but Nolan realized he couldn't get ahead of himself. He never did.
That whole year, he kept showing up and proving he could play against anyone. He was never overwhelmed. The added pressure of having people watching him was no problem. I knew he had certain skills that other kids didn't have, even if they might have been getting more attention. He didn't brag about it. But I knew in my heart that Nolan had something special. -- Sanchez
"Very few kids get drafted, and here I had the No. 2 pick in 2002 and then the No. 1 in 2005," says Manny Upton, right, with, from left, B.J., Justin and wife Yvonne. "That's a blessing. How can you not get excited about that?" Courtesy the Upton family
Manny Upton, father of Angels left fielder Justin:
I saw it in Justin when he was 14. He had just finished his freshman year in high school. We were heading out to Long Beach, California, for the Area Code Games with Justin's brother, B.J., who had been drafted [No. 2 overall by the Tampa Bay Rays]. I was scouting with the Chicago White Sox, so I asked the White Sox guys if they could let Justin play for their team, maybe give him a little time. [Teams are named for major league franchises, with each representing an area of the country.]
Traditionally, the players in the Area Code Games are the ones who will get drafted the following year. But the White Sox team put Justin at shortstop. He was 14, playing short with that kind of talent around him.
Justin wasn't intimidated at all. He was holding his own. He would take whatever opportunity he was given; he just loved to play. You have to remember that he'd already been working out with his brother and David Wright for several years. He tagged along with them back home in Virginia. Ever since Justin was in the seventh grade, he'd been hitting with them every morning before school. He'd seen those guys come through -- along with Mike Cuddyer -- so Justin had maturity most kids his age didn't have. He wasn't overwhelmed when he got to the Area Codes because he was already practicing at a high level.
He ended up playing with two teams. The Area Code team from Virginia hadn't invited Justin to its tryout earlier because he was just 14. The Red Sox were running that team, and I guess the guy saw Justin and said he should be playing for them. To keep everyone happy, Justin played on both teams. He was playing two games a day. By the end of the week, he was worn out.
I never wanted to put pressure on either of my boys to play pro ball. I didn't put my scouting hat on with them. I had my dad hat on. So when we were in California, I told Justin, "Just go out and play and have fun."
I know quite a few guys who were either scouting directors or assistant directors. Duane Shaffer was the scouting director for the White Sox, and Danny Montgomery of the Colorado Rockies was also there. I knew both of them well, so I told them they needed to be honest with me: Did they see something with Justin? I'll never forget their responses. They both said that Justin had a legitimate chance at making it. They said he was one of the best players there, and I was like, "OK. Here I am, and my scouting buddies are saying Justin could get drafted."
I was just as excited with Justin as I was when I heard that about B.J. [who now goes by his given name, Melvin]. I can tell you, it doesn't get old. Very few kids get drafted, and here I had the No. 2 pick in 2002 and then the No. 1 in 2005 [when Justin was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks]. That's a blessing. How can you not get excited about that? -- Sanchez
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Schlabach: Texas A&M still catching up in SEC
2293dMark Schlabach
Always a steep climb in SEC West
Mark SchlabachESPN Senior Writer
Senior college football writer
Author of seven books on college football
Graduate of the University of Georgia
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- By all accounts, Texas A&M's maiden voyage through the SEC West was better than almost anyone outside of College Station expected.
The Aggies finished 11-2 overall and 6-2 in the SEC, including a 29-24 upset of No. 1 Alabama on the road on Nov. 10. Quarterback Johnny Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, and the Aggies capped their breakthrough season by blasting former Big 12 rival Oklahoma 41-13 in the AT&T Cotton Bowl.
Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel didn't have much success against LSU last season. Thomas Campbell/US Presswire
With Manziel coming back to lead a team that finished No. 5 in the country last season, the Aggies have to be the team to beat in the SEC West in 2013, right?
The previous time Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin checked the SEC West standings, the Aggies were still staring up at LSU and two-time defending BCS national champion Alabama.
"It's funny to me that people say we'll have a target on our backs," Sumlin said. "We finished third in the SEC West. Alabama has won three out of the last four national championships. We had a great experience at the Cotton Bowl, but we didn't play in a BCS bowl. How do we have a target on our backs? We're still playing catch-up."
As always, the Aggies face a pretty steep climb in the rugged division. Alabama likely will be ranked No. 1 in most preseason polls heading into the 2013 season. The Crimson Tide have to rebuild their offensive line, but quarterback AJ McCarron is back after leading the country in pass efficiency last season.
LSU, which won a BCS national championship in 2008, finished 10-3 last season, including a 24-19 victory over the Aggies in College Station. The Tigers have won 10 games or more in six of coach Les Miles' eight seasons at the school.
Until the Aggies can win consistently as the Crimson Tide and Tigers have in the past eight seasons, they'll still be considered the third-best team in their own division.
"It's kind of hard to have a target on your back when you finished third in your own division," Texas A&M running back Ben Malena said. "I think the reason people would say that [we've got a target on us] is because we had unexpected success. But we're trying to go from third to first. I don't think there's a target on our backs at all. We've still got two teams that finished ahead of us. I think the target would be on their backs more than ours."
At least the Aggies proved they weren't going to be a pushover in the SEC West in their first season in the league. Sumlin said it didn't take him long to realize his team could compete in college football's toughest division. After a 20-17 loss to Florida in their 2013 opener (an Aug. 30 home game against Louisiana Tech was postponed because of Hurricane Isaac), Sumlin knew the Aggies were physical enough and tough enough to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Alabama and LSU.
"I think without a doubt, the SEC is a line of scrimmage league," Sumlin said. "I thought speed-wise we were going to be OK. We have pretty good team speed here. The concern was, could we hold up on the front and could we handle the physical nature of the league?"
Even though the Gators came back from a 17-7 deficit and shut out the Aggies in the second half, Sumlin was impressed with his team's effort. Not only was Manziel playing his first college game, he also was playing in Sumlin's fast-paced offense for the first time.
"As difficult as the Florida game was for us, we felt like we held up against Florida in a pretty physical game," Sumlin said. "We didn't push Florida around, but we didn't feel like we were manhandled. We were able to take confidence out of a loss, as hard as that is to do."
This season, the Aggies will have to do without All-America offensive tackle Luke Joeckel and defensive end Damontre Moore, who left school to enter the NFL draft. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury also left to become Texas Tech's new coach.
Teams like Auburn and Arkansas, which hired Bret Bielema, are ready to rebound in 2013. AP Photo/April L. Brown
Nobody else is standing idle in the SEC West, either. Arkansas, which went 4-8 under interim coach John L Smith last season, hired former Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema, who guided the Badgers to three consecutive Rose Bowl games.
Auburn, which went 3-9 last season, fired Gene Chizik and replaced him with former Arkansas State coach Gus Malzahn, who was the Tigers' offensive coordinator during their BCS national championship season in 2011.
Ole Miss landed one of the country's best recruiting classes after going 7-6 in coach Hugh Freeze's first season, and Mississippi State has enjoyed three consecutive winning seasons under coach Dan Mullen.
If anything, the SEC West only figures to get more difficult once Malzahn and Bielema establish their programs.
"It is as advertised," Malena said. "We play in the best conference and best division in college football. You have to bring your A-game every week. If you don't, you're going to risk losing, no matter who you're playing."
The Aggies might end up being a more difficult out than anyone expected.
"It's not one of those conferences that's untouchable," Manziel said. "It's the best conference in the country, no doubt. But we came in with a new staff and a new attitude and had some success. That was the biggest thing for us."
Sumlin will begin to find out how much the Aggies learned from their first season in the SEC when they play the Crimson Tide in College Station on Sept. 14.
"We haven't arrived in this league," Sumlin said. "We're starting to get some respect in this league, but the teams we're behind have been doing this for the last eight years."
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Christopher Wray Signifies America's Thirst for Normalcy
Or what passes for it, on both sides of the aisle.
At one point, Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, called Christopher Wray, "pal," as in, "You're gonna be director of the FBI, pal." This is about as tough as things got during Wray's confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. This is also about as memorable as that hearing got as well. This was a bipartisan exercise in rebuilding "confidence in our institutions" and in trying to make sure that the FBI can be pried free of the influence of the plague ship currently d/b/a the executive branch.
Everybody got what they wanted. The Republicans got a nominee who likely will be confirmed, perhaps even overwhelmingly. The Democrats got Wray on the record as supporting Robert Mueller's investigation, as promising to be loyal to the Constitution and to the rule of law to the point of resigning if asked to do something untoward by the president*, and as not being a guy who drinks vodka with a guy named Boris, to borrow a phrase from Congressman Trey Gowdy, the lopheaded Javert of Benghazi. Even Gowdy is completely fed up with the kazatsky around the truth that the denizens of Camp Runamuck have been doing. After the hearing, chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa said he wanted Paul Manafort under oath before the committee in one quick hurry.
That was the acknowledged bipartisan subtext behind Wray's hearing. Please be honest. Please give us something to believe in. Please don't be a tool of the band of thieves and boobs that the country installed in the White House. There was something child-like and adorable about the whole business, and I will grant you that Not Being Corrupt is setting the bar for an FBI director somewhere deep in the planet's mantle, but these folks will take anything they can get. Only someone who's been asleep since 1933 would take seriously the notion of the FBI as the bulwark guardian of constitutional government. Politicization of the FBI has been a bipartisan project for decades. But, again, these are not normal times. The president* who is the subject of an FBI investigation is getting to appoint the guy to replace the FBI director he fired because the previous director was getting too close on "the Russia thing." You take what you can get and you hope for the best.
Nobody was more plaintive than Young Ben Sasse, Republican of Nebraska. He's already on the record a number of times as being Very Troubled by the shenanigans of the family Trump. On Wednesday, he was Very Concerned about how the country has lost faith in its institutions.
"There's a crisis in public trust in this country, obviously. This institution has about a 12 percent approval rating. Over the last four decades, we've gone from a net average of 50 percent public support from most of our institutions to about 30. If you're confirmed, you'll have an important responsibility to help rebuild public trust in the Bureau."
Four decades of deteriorating public trust in our government institutions, you say? That brings us back to, say, 1980, when a president in his first inaugural address told the nation that government wasn't the solution, it was the problem, and everybody cheered. Ever since, one of our two major political parties has made dinner out of that notion—that government is an alien entity, that government is a repository of everything that's corrupt and incompetent about the country, and that government is Them and not Us. Of course, last November, that view of the country came to its final apotheosis when the voters installed the president* whose antics have so Seriously Troubled the young senator from Nebraska that he practically was begging Christopher Wray to bail out his fragile faith in our public institution.
(On Tuesday, Joe Scarborough made a big noise about leaving the Republican Party which, he said, was no longer the Party Of Reagan. Come on, Joe. Covert meetings with the country's adversaries? Straight Reagan. At least Junior didn't sell Russia any missiles.)
I don't have a particular problem with Wray, except that he's been out of law-enforcement for quite a while and I wonder if he truly understands the buzzsaw into which he's about to walk. I was more taken by the senators, especially the Republicans, and their naked desire to find some kind of a redeemer somewhere, and who are offering up a little prayer that they'll never have to realize that the same country that elected them elected Donald Trump.
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Home Tennis Kei Nishikori Reveals Plan to Beat Djokovic
Kei Nishikori Reveals Plan to Beat Djokovic
Japanese star Kei Nishikori stunned Djokovic at the US Open four years ago to become the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam final.
That was the last of only two wins for Nishikori against Djokovic – and he plans on watching a replay of it in a bid to inspire him to victory. The two meet in the last four on Friday.
Nishikori, who lost to Marin Cilic in the final that year, said: “Maybe I will try to watch that match again and get more confidence.
“It’s always a good memory. It was a tough battle against Novak but for sure it’s going to give me good confidence.
“I don’t have great record against Novak. I have seen a chance but haven’t been able to make the last step. But I’m always excited to play Novak because it’s great challenge for me. It’s always exciting to play him.
“He’s very solid from baseline and doesn’t have many weakness. He has a great backhand and forehand. He can be aggressive and serve. In fact, he’s got everything!”
Nishikori beat Cilic in a five-set thriller to reach the last four where he will face Djokovic, who overcame John Millman 6-3 6-4 6-4.
The Serb said it was like playing in a “sauna” and added: “I have never sweat as much as I have here.
“I have to take at least 10 shirts for every match. It’s literally after two games you’re soaking. Roger mentioned it and he never sweats that much.
“I asked the chair umpire whether they are using some form of ventilation or air conditioning down at the court level side and he said he’s not aware of it other than what comes through the hallway type of thing.
“This tournament needs to address this because whether it’s night or day, we just don’t have air down there. It feels like sauna.
“The roof is fantastic and as players we are grateful that we have the roof because then the rain will not interrupt the matches and matches will go on on two courts.
“But so man players retired in the first couple of days and were struggling to breathe as there is no circulation of the air at all, especially court level.”
Despite his success against Nishikori, Djokovic will use that defeat as a reminder of what the Japanese ace is capable of in New York.
He added: “I lost probably the biggest match against Kei in 2014 and he loves playing here.
“He’s got one of the best two-handed backhands in the game and is arguably the quickest player on tour. He has phenomenal footwork.
“I have played him recently in quarters of Wimbledon and it was a tough first couple of sets then after that I felt like third and fourth I played very well.
“He had a tough quarter final against Cilic and managed to pull that out which was quite impressive. He’s a very disciplined guy and he’s got Michael Chang in his corner.
“He was challenged a lot with injuries throughout his career and that hasn’t helped him but when he’s on, he’s definitely a top five player.”
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Roger Federer – Biggest Grand Slam Losses Ever
Simona Halep Appreciates Advice Given by Roger Federer
Roger Federer Says He’s Fine With Wimbledon Championships 2019 Fifth Set Tiebreaker Rule
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Experts Say US in No Danger of Falling Behind Due to Huawei Ban
Jay Richardson March 7, 2019 0
The United States has come down hard on Chinese tech giant Huawei after levelling charges that the company’s telecom equipment is used to spy on other countries by the Chinese government. Needless to say, Huawei is now banned from supplying telecom equipment in the US and the US has also informed key allies that they should also ban the use of Huawei telecom equipment. That being said, Huawei is the biggest telecom equipment supplier in the world and are expected to be heavily involved in supplying equipment for 5G networks all over the world. Following the ban, many have started to question whether the US will fall behind other countries regarding the launch of 5G networks in the country. However, experts who spoke to CNBC, have confirmed that there is no such fear.
Huawei and the media in China have maintained that banning the company from supplying 5G equipment will not only damage competition but also result in cost escalations when it comes to building the network. However, experts have rubbished those fears. Vinod Nair, who is a partner at the investment firm Delta Partners stated that Huawei’s competitors have the ability to scale up and ensure that 5G is launched smoothly in the country. He said, “Even if Huawei was permanently excluded from the U.S., its competitors like Nokia, Ericsson, Verizon and AT&T, to name a handful, have the scale to ensure that the U.S. is fully catered for. Qualities like speed are unlikely to suffer in the U.S. in this scenario.”
Over the years, Huawei has pretty much built up a monopoly in several countries and is now firmly ranked as the biggest telecom gear supplier in the world. However, political pressure from the US has forced many countries into ditching Huawei, and it seems that the company’s main rivals like Ericsson and Nokia have risen to the task. According to reports, the rival companies have picked up contracts to build 5G networks in those countries where Huawei is not involved, and that probably points to the fact that the US will have no problem with building its own network. Samsung, Ericsson and Nokia are going to be the main gear suppliers in the US. Shaun Collins, who is the head of CCS Insight stated, “Samsung Networks has increased market share in wake of the challenges to Huawei. It has a deep and valuable set of customers in Korea for its 5G Infrastructure and is a significant beneficiary in the USA.”
Jay Richardson
BBC and ITV Collaborate for BritBox Streaming Service
GE CEO says Cash Flow Will be Negative This Year, Shares Tank
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Is it still safe to fly?
On behalf of Park Avenue Law LLC posted in airplane crashes on Wednesday, May 15, 2019.
Recent airplane accidents, such as the charter flight that overshot a Florida runway and landed in a river, are raising new concerns about the safety of air travel. Worldwide, more than 750 people have died in airplane crashes over the past two years. About half of those deaths were the result of Boeing 737 Max jet crashes that occurred in Ethiopia and Indonesia. In each case, it is believed that an automated system inadvertently forced the nose of the plane down.
There seems to be no direct correlation, though, between those crashes and a Russian flight that caught fire attempting to land in Moscow. That accident, which claimed the lives of more than 40 people, raises questions about the wisdom of attempting to land a plane that just took off and is full of fuel. Also of concern are reports that passengers took enough time to retrieve their carry-on luggage before evacuating the plane.
Lightning is another threat to air safety. On average, planes are struck by lightning about once per year. This makes it critical that planes are designed and constructed to shield passengers from dangerous voltages. Sophisticated surge suppression systems are necessary to protect the plane's electronic navigation system during intense lightning storms. Fuel tanks must also be shielded to prevent fires.
When a plane crash does happen, it usually results in serious injuries or death. If an airline has breached industry standards or acted in another manner that could be considered negligent, it may be possible for a victim or their family to receive compensation by filing a claim. However, most airlines will fight such claims, and a victim may need to rely on the services of a law firm with experience in airplane crashes in order to prevail.
Related Posts: Small plane crash kills one, injures two, Small plane crashes: three dead, cause unknown, Plane crashes cause panic around the world, Plane grounded after two fatal crashes
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Found in the world’s largest graveyard of ancient ships
The Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology reveals details of a hitherto unexplored ship from Thonis-Heracleion
Over 70 ancient vessels have been discovered in the sunken port-city of Thonis-Heracleion, Egypt, by the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology (IEASM). That makes it the largest graveyard of ancient ships worldwide.
Oxford University’s Centre for Maritime Archaeology (OCMA) has now...
TV documentary on Thonis-Heracleion
Available online until Friday
The documentary "Ägyptens versunkene Hafenstadt/Cités engloutis – Thônis-Héracléion en Egypt" will re-air on arte 9 December at 12.20h (Germany) and 15.50h (France).
The documentary is also available online with English subtitles until 7 December:
https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/045744-000-A/egypt-s-s...</b>
Exhibition opening in Minneapolis
Minneapolis Institute of Art to host Egypt's Sunken Cities
This fall, the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) will host the Sunken Cities exhibition. The exhibition opens November 4, 2018, and is on view for an extended six-month run through April 14, 2019. It was recently shown at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, the British Museum in London, the...
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Academic Programs and Departments
Clerc Center/KDES/MSSD
Offices/Programs
Department of Counseling
The Department of Counseling at Gallaudet University offers graduate programs for deaf and hard of hearing, and hearing students. Programs include M.A. degrees in mental health counseling and school counseling. A summers and online option is available in school counseling.
M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling M.A. in School Counseling Faculty and Staff
Success Stories Resources Program Outcomes
Chair: Dr. Kendra Smith
Contact: Mr. David Spillers
Fowler Hall (FH) 107
The Education Department at Gallaudet University offers a variety of undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate programs to prepare teachers to work with all ages of deaf and hard of hearing children in various kinds of educational programs and settings.
Undergraduate Programs Graduate Programs Faculty and Staff
Dr. Maribel Gárate Ph.D.
Tramell Henson
(202) 651-5530 (tty)
The Gallaudet University Department of English offers deaf and hard of hearing students a major in English with flexibility that allows them to focus in areas such as writing, teaching, or literature. The Department also offers two minors in English and Journalism.
English Faculty and Staff Success Stories
Jennifer Nelson Ph.D.
Hall Memorial Building (HMB) W-212
Department of Government and Public Affairs
The Government and Public Affairs Department offers undergraduate programs in Government, a Pre-Law Program, and a Master of Public Administration program for professionals working or aspiring to work in local, state, or federal government agencies or non-profit agencies.
Government Major Pre-Law Master of Public Administration
Success Stories Beyond the Classroom Facilities and Resources
Faculty and Staff Dr. Marta Vrbetic
Chair: David Penna, Ph.D.
Contact: Leslie Southwell
202-651-5474 (V)
202-250-2325 (VP)
leslie.southwell@gallaudet.edu
Hall Memorial Building (HMB) S235
Department of Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences
The Department of Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences at Gallaudet University offers Au.D. and Ph.D. degrees in Audiology and M.S. degrees in Speech-Language Pathology and HSLS. The focus is on serving deaf and hard of hearing individuals.
Department Mission / Strategic Plan Department Announcement Graduate Programs
Research Faculty / Staff Current Students
Frequently Asked Questions Hearing & Speech Center
Dr. Larry Medwetsky, Ph.D.
Au.D. Program Director:
Dr. Chizuko Tamaki, Au.D., Ph.D.
Speech-Language Pathology Program Director:
Dr. Brenda Seal, Ph.D.
Ph.D. Program Director:
Dr. Karen Garrido-Nag, Ph.D.
Ms. Daun Duvall
Sorenson Language and Communication Center (SLCC) 3110
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Senate OKs bill allowing tinted windows for some
May 23, 2007 at 12:01 AM May 23, 2007 at 10:00 PM
May 22 legislative briefs
GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
SPRINGFIELD -- People with any type of sun-sensitive medical condition would be allowed to drive or ride in vehicles with tinted windshields under legislation that is on its way to Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
With no debate, the Senate Tuesday voted 57-0 for House Bill 536, which expands on a 2005 law granting the same permission to people with lupus or albinism. Tinted windshields and front windows on autos generally are illegal in Illinois.
The House approved HB536 in March.
A message left with Blagojevich’s press office was not returned Tuesday, but his spokespeople typically say he must review a bill before deciding whether to sign it.
Rep. David Leitch, R-Peoria, introduced the legislation after he heard from Wendy Marquis, a Dunlap resident who has a skin condition called disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis. Reddish spots appear on her arms, legs and face when they are exposed to the sun.
Marquis told Leitch that a police officer had ticketed her for driving a vehicle with tinted windows, even though she showed the officer a doctor’s letter explaining her medical situation.
Leitch, who sponsored the 2005 measure, said that until he spoke with Marquis, he hadn’t realized there were other conditions — besides lupus and albinism — aggravated by exposure to sunlight.
HB536 expands the 2005 law to cover anyone with a medical illness, ailment or disease that “would require that person to be shielded from the direct rays of the sun.”
Sen. David Koehler, D-Peoria, sponsored the legislation in the Senate, and Sen. Dale Risinger, R-Peoria, was a co-sponsor.
Motorists would have to keep at least 3 feet away from a bicyclist sharing the same roadway under legislation approved in the House.
Senate Bill 80 already cleared the Senate and will go to Blagojevich for consideration.
Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-Northbrook, sponsored the legislation, saying it would improve bicycle safety.
Another part of the bill would change the hand signal that cyclists use to indicate they are making a right-hand turn. At present, the hand signal involves holding up the left arm in an “L” shape. The new hand signal would be to hold the right arm straight out, pointing toward the right.
One opponent of the bill, Rep. Shane Cultra, R-Onarga, said the new hand signal could confuse motorists.
The House voted 115-0 for legislation intended to help people with autism.
Senate Bill 51, sponsored by Republican Rep. Aaron Schock of Peoria, earlier won Senate approval and now will go to the governor’s desk.
The measure will guarantee “more extensive services” for people with autism through the Illinois Department of Human Services, Schock said.
Peoria airport
On a 73-42 vote, the House approved a measure that would expand the Greater Peoria Regional Airport’s taxing district to include all of Peoria County.
The taxing district’s boundaries have not changed since 1950, and the district presently includes Bartonville, Peoria Heights, West Peoria and parts of the city of Peoria. Supporters of the legislation say it unfairly taxes only a small portion of the county and that the expansion would generate extra money that could be used for capital improvements and to leverage more federal dollars.
There was no House floor debate Tuesday on Senate Bill 263, sponsored by Schock.
Even though the Senate already approved a previous version of the legislation, the measure has to go to the Senate a second time because of a revision made in the House.
The revision, sought by Rep. Roger Eddy, R-Hutsonville, would grant the Crawford County Airport Authority in southeastern the same ability to expand its boundaries.
If the Senate goes along with that change, the bill would head to Blagojevich.
Tele-counseling
Legislation that passed the House would require state government to pay psychiatrists who counsel Medicaid patients over the telephone or use other electronic means.
Senate Bill 6 is aimed at helping rural or other residents who do not have access to nearby psychiatrists, said its House sponsor, Rep. Patti Bellock, R-Hinsdale.
It was sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Deanna Demuzio, D-Carlinville, who testified during a committee hearing that a patient in her district had to wait three to four hours before being admitted into a mental facility because no psychiatrist was available to review the case.
The bill passed unanimously in both legislative chambers and now goes to the governor.
Salvia divinorum
The Senate voted to classify an over-the-counter hallucinogen among the most dangerous drugs and sent legislation to do that to the governor for his signature.
House Bill 457 would make Salvia divinorum a Schedule 1 controlled substance — the same legal category as heroin or cocaine. It also would ban possession of the plant or its seeds or extract.
A member of the mint family, Salvia divinorum grows naturally in a small region of Mexico, although it can be cultivated elsewhere. It is said to cause hallucinations and is marketed over the Internet and in some retail outlets.
Sen. John Millner, R-Carol Stream, and Rep. Dennis Reboletti, R-Addison, said they were asked to sponsor the legislation after a child of a DuPage County sheriff’s employee suffered severe depression after using the substance.
The legislation passed unanimously in the House and Senate.
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chris cohen
free music friday
free music friday belated edition
free music weekend
Free Music Friday (Belated Edition)! Weekend, Woods, People Get Ready, Chris Cohen, PAWS
MP3: "Sirens" (Rough Mix) - http://weekendtheband.tumblr.com/
Weekend's post-punk stylings take the spirit of noise punk rock and drop it into a smoky cloud of reverb and feedback that still allows rays of golden melody to shine through. This, their first show since switching coasts, celebrates the arrival of an intriguing new member in the homegrown NYC post-punk landscape; one that connects with what has been done in the past, but boldly presses on into the unknown future of newly created musical spectra.
https://www.facebook.com/weekendtheband
MP3: "Give Your Light Off" - https://soundcloud.com/woodsist/woods-give-your-light-off/
Woods shares the B-side of the recently released 7" single for "Cali In a Cup," "Give Your Light Off" which you can give a listen to here. Also, two weeks ago, the band premiered the first video from the album , the Adarsha Benjamin-directed "Cali In a Cup," filmed on Super 8 at and around this year's Woodsist Festival in Big Sur, CA.
http://www.facebook.com/woodsfamilyband
MP3: "Windy City" - http://soundcloud.com/brassland/people-get-ready-windy-cindy
One quality that makes People Get Ready distinct IS their unique ability to re-define what a band is -- to blur boundaries and forge continuing creative bonds with the formidable list of artists whose paths they've crossed: Robert Wilson (co-creator of Philip Glass's Einstein on the Beach), Julie Mehretu (the painter who created the cover art) and Greg Saunier (Deerhoof) just to name a few.
http://www.facebook.com/pplgtrdy
STREAM: "Overgrown Path" - http://soundcloud.com/capturedtracks/sets/chris-cohen-overgrown-path
Chris Cohen is proud to share his excellent debut solo album with you. Overgrown Path is released via Captured Tracks. Chris Cohen is a 37-year-old native of Los Angeles currently residing in the farmlands of Vermont. He is the child of a former music business executive and a former Broadway actress.
http://capturedtracks.com/artists/chris-cohen/
MP3: "Sore Tummy" - http://soundcloud.com/fatcatrecords/sets/paws-sore-tummy-single
"Sore Tummy" (guest vocals by Alice Costelloe of Big Deal) is taken from PAWS debut album Cokefloat and is backed by a brand new track "Salem." Check out both tracks over at Soundcloud.
http://www.wehavepaws.com/
Labels: chris cohen free free music free music friday free music friday belated edition free music weekend PAWS people get ready weekend woods
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'Mystery, Alaska' - Movie Review
tags: Movies Reviews
"Mystery, Alaska" is both the name of the movie, and the name of the fictional town that the characters live in. Much of the town lives for hockey, in the form of the "Saturday Game," a four-on-four game of pond hockey that happens every week and is watched by nearly everyone. All of which is shaken up when a former resident, now a writer (Hank Azaria) has an article published about the town and their game in Sports Illustrated. This eventually leads to the New York Rangers coming to Mystery to play the Mystery team.
Most of the comedy is about the characters in the small town of Mystery, and the critics seemed particularly disappointed that there wasn't enough hockey (and too many characters). The story is also painfully predictable, I'll give them that. But when I watched it, I expected a "comedy" rather than a "hockey comedy" (a distinction that seems to have hung up the majority of the critics), and I found a lot of humour in the movie. The characters are amazingly well drawn: they're all flawed but mostly charming people. And - a thing I was very happy to see - there's very little of the characters stepping outside their own behaviour to make something funny happen. It's funny because of who they already are and what's going on between them.
So it appears the moral of the story is "don't expect a HOCKEY comedy or a surprising plot, and you'll enjoy it." In my case, you'll enjoy it a great deal.
Prev: PC-BSD Package Management Next: Expedia.ca's Advertising Partners
http://www.gilesorr.com/blog/mystery-alaska.html
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Help This Band Scam Spotify So They Can Go on Tour
By Mario Aguilar on at
Los Angeles funk band Vulfpeck wants to go on tour, but they're going to need your help to raise the money. This isn't some Kickstarter: they've made an entirely silent album designed specifically for the purpose of siphoning cash away from Spotify's treasury. Its a clever stunt, and it just might work.
Here's the deal: the band released a 10 track record called Sleepify on Spotify. Each song is just over 30 seconds long, and they're all completely silent. The idea is that you can leave the record playing while you sleep and they will rack up a few quid overnight. What's more, the band will check the statistics and take the show on the road to the places where people are listening to Sleepify the most. I didn't even know it was possible to get that information from Spotify, but sure!
Could the band have just asked you to play their music on mute while you sleep? Yes, but because the Sleepify tracks are super short, the band will rack up the cash faster this way.
Moreover, you have to admire the ingenuity of the whole project. People are always telling musicians that they need to adapt to the realities of digital music by finding creative ways to make money. That's exactly what Vulfpeck is doing, hilariously.
It doesn't seem to be against any rules, but that might change once Spotify catches on to what's going on. But it'll be interesting to see how much money these guys can make before anybody wises up. Also, check out Vulfpeck's actual music. They've got some pretty damn smooth jams. And maybe, just maybe, getting you to do that was their plan all along. [Sleepify]
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Kaizer Chiefs reportedly monitoring Teko Modise's situation at Sundowns
Ernest Makhaya
Backpagepix
Mamelodi Sundowns
Amakhosi could be tempted to sign to Modise if he becomes available on July 1, 2017, but the club is yet to confirm their interest in the midfielder
Kaizer Chiefs could reportedly enter the race to sign Teko Modise ahead of next season.
The 34-year-old midfielder announced earlier this year that he will not renew his contract with Mamelodi Sundowns beyond June 2017.
At the time, Modise confirmed that he wanted to play for two more seasons before retiring from professional football.
Now, according to media reports, Amakhosi have been monitoring the midfielder's situation with interest since the day the story broke.
If Modise eventually leaves the Brazilians at the end of the current campaign, he would be eligible to sign with a club of his choice on a free transfer.
His coach at Sundowns, Pitso Mosimane has already indicated that he won't stand in Modise's way if he wants to leave the club for greener pastures.
However, Mosimane revealed that he would like the veteran midfielder to stay and possibly retire at Chloorkop.
Mosimane gave Modise his first professional contract at SuperSport United over a decade ago.
The player went on to become a household name in the PSL, winning several individual accolades during his time at Orlando Pirates.
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'Nobody will make it easy' - David Luiz warns Chelsea still have long way to go in title race
Stefan Coerts
Stoke City v Chelsea
A 2-1 win over Stoke City extended the Blues' lead at the summit of the Premier League, but their Brazilian defender feels they could still be caught
David Luiz has warned his Chelsea team-mates they cannot afford to let up as the race for the Premier League title has not yet been won.
Antonio Conte's men beat Stoke City 2-1 on Saturday to move another step closer to domestic glory and need 21 points from their remaining 10 games to be guaranteed top spot.
But with Tottenham, Manchester City and Liverpool giving chase, David Luiz is eager to guard against complacency.
Kante: I don't feel like the best
"It is still a long way to win the title," the Brazilian told the club's official website. "Nobody makes it easy.
"It is always difficult to play at Stoke. They are a strong and physical team. It was a typical Premier League game, we are happy with the victory.
"We played a good game, kept calm and had the opportunity to score the second goal. We had to believe."
The centre-back has been key to Chelsea's fine form in this campaign following his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain and he is determined to keep pushing in the remainder of the season.
"I try to improve every day. This is my goal," the 29-year-old added.
Unstoppable! Chelsea kill off title race
"Everybody can see my football, the team is doing very well. The results are coming.
"As a defender they do not talk about the good things you do, they talk about the mistakes, so I am trying to play the best football I can to help my team. Sometimes you have to give them more security, defend to get a positive result.
"It is important to understand my role in the team [but] it is not just me, it is Diego Costa, Eden Hazard, everybody. Everybody understands what they need to do."
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Home > Teachings > FFI Newsletter > FFI - 2012 > 10/01/2012 - Mount Hermon and the year 2012
10/01/2012 - Mount Hermon and the year 2012
12/01/2012 - The Prophetic Year 2013
11/01/2012 - The Law of Victim’s Rights
10/01/2012 - Cover Letter For October FFI
09/01/2012 - The Six Days of Creation
08/01/2012 - Separating Land and Sea
07/01/2012 - Present Business: Repair the Breach
06/01/2012 - What is our Father’s Business?
05/01/2012 - Being about our Father’s Business
04/01/2012 - The Spirit of Amalek
03/01/2012 - The Science of God—Part 3
Mount Hermon and the year 2012
In the third chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses mentioned Mount Hermon in verse 8 while talking about Israel’s conquest of Og, king of Bashan, and Sihon, king of Heshbon. These were both giants, and at least one ancient account tells us that they were brothers. Sihon’s bed frame was said to be 4 x 9 cubits (vs. 11), or about 15 feet long.
The territory of these two kings was on the east side of Mount Hermon. Bashan extended from Gilead in the south to Mount Hermon in the north. Heshbon was just south of Bashan in the land of Moab.
In studying the book of Deuteronomy, I found an interesting connection between these giants and Mount Hermon. It is even more interesting to see how this connects with “the days of Noah” and the year 2012.
Let us start by quoting Deuteronomy 3:8 and 9,
8 Thus we took the land at that time from the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, from the valley of Arnon to Mount Hermon. 9 (Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir).
Verse 9 appears to be one of Ezra's editorial notes, explaining the various names by which Mount Hermon was known by the fifth century B.C. Sirion means “breastplate,” and also Senir, “coat of mail.”
Another name was Sion, for Deut. 4:48 says Israel conquered Bashan “as far as Mount Sion (that is, Hermon).” Sion appears to be a shortened form of Sirion. At any rate, the Hebrew spelling of Sion is different from Zion. Sion is spelled with a shin, while Zion is spelled with a tsadik. Sion means “lofty,” while Zion means “parched place.”
Sion was also the Greek Septuagint spelling of the Old Testament Zion, a hill in Jerusalem. This makes it somewhat confusing, because this means that there are two mountains called Sion. A dispute has thus arisen over which mountain is meant in Heb. 12:22,
22 But you have come to Mount Sion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels.
Jesus was transfigured on Mount Hermon after visiting Caesarea Philippi, which was located at its base (Matt. 16:13; 17:1). This adds credence to the view that Mount Hermon had become the symbol of the New Jerusalem. The old Mount Zion was part of the old Jerusalem that God's presence had forsaken in Ezekiel 10 and 11, and so the place of God's presence was symbolically represented by Mount Hermon—the new Mount Sion.
The Angels that Sinned on Mount Hermon
While the biblical account of “the angels that sinned” is quite limited in detail, ancient traditions claim to know much more information. Whether these traditions are true or not can hardly be established today, but it might be helpful to piece some of those traditions together in order to understand what men believed in times past.
The Book of Jubilees 4:15 tells us:
15 And in the second week of the tenth jubilee Malalel [i.e., Mahalaleel] took unto himself as wife Sina, the daughter of Barakhel, the daughter of the sister of his father, and she bore him a son in the third week, in the sixth year, and he called his name Jared; for in his days the angels of the Lord descended upon the earth, those that are called Watchers, that they should teach the children of men to do justice and right over the earth.
Jared’s birth took place in the year 460. The tenth Jubilee dates from 441-490 (years from Adam). Jared was born in the sixth year of the third week of the Jubilee. This agrees with the dating of the Masoretic text of Genesis, and shows also that a Jubilee cycle was just 49 years, with the 50th year serving also as the first year of the next Jubilee cycle.
The traditions tell us that some of these “watchers” [eir, “guard, watcher”] desired to take some of the earthly women as wives. From then on, there were said to be both good and evil watchers. Daniel 4:13 thus tells us “a Watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven” commanded that the Babylonian “tree” should be cut down. This is thought to imply the existence of unholy watchers, as the Bible appears to make this careful distinction.
The circumstance of the unholy watchers’ plot is the subject of chapter 13 of the Book of Enoch:
1 And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto 2 them beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: “Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men 3 and beget us children.” And Semjaza, who was their leader, said unto them: “I fear ye will not 4 indeed agree to do this deed, and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin.” And they all answered him and said: “Let us all swear an oath, and all bind ourselves by mutual imprecations 5 not to abandon this plan but to do this thing.” Then sware they all together and bound themselves 6 by mutual imprecations upon it. And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn 7 and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And these are the names of their leaders: Samlazaz, their leader, Araklba, Rameel, Kokablel, Tamlel, Ramlel, Danel, Ezeqeel, Baraqijal, 8 Asael, Armaros, Batarel, Ananel, Zaq1el, Samsapeel, Satarel, Turel, Jomjael, Sariel. These are their chiefs of tens.
The leader of the fallen watchers is named Semjaza. It is said that his fellow conspirators descended upon one of the three summits of Mount Hermon in the days of Jared. We are not told specifically if these watchers hatched their plot prior to their arrival on Mount Hermon, or if upon their arrival they saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and then conceived their plot.
The Book of Jubilees tells us that the watchers sinned in the days of Jared, the father of Enoch. Both the Book of Enoch and the Book of Jubilees tell us that Enoch himself was the one who reprimanded these watchers and their Nephilim offspring—the giants. Enoch was born in 622, when his father Jared was 62, so these unlawful marriages are said to have taken place in that general time frame.
Since the flood took place in the year 1656, the problem continued in the earth for over a thousand years before they were destroyed by the flood.
The Nephilim Problem Continues
But Gen. 6:4 tells us that in some way the problem occurred again after the flood, resulting in the Nephilim throughout the region in the days of Moses and even in the time of David.
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them.
The point is that it was believed that the event of Gen. 6:4 occurred on Mount Hermon. Its close proximity to Bashan and Heshbon may lend support to this tradition.
The False Manifestation of the Sons of God
This could be seen as an early attempt to thwart or to usurp the prophecy of Christ’s transfiguration on the same mountain in Matthew 17. Christ’s transfiguration was the occasion of a divine decree establishing the TRUE Son of God, as opposed to these false “sons of God,” as they are called in Gen. 6:4.
Likewise, if we have come to Mount Sion of the heavenly Jerusalem, as Hebrews tells us, then we are the true sons of God. Whatever happened in Genesis 6:4 was a counterfeit sonship movement. Somehow, they knew long ago that Jesus Christ would be glorified on Mount Hermon (Sion), and that it was the earthly symbol of the heavenly Jerusalem—so they decided to try to fulfill the prophecy in their own unlawful manner. Most likely, they were motivated also by the knowledge that the sons of God were destined to rule the earth, so they attempted to usurp that position as “sons of God.”
In Matt. 17:5 God says, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” When we understand that there was a false group called “the sons of God” in Genesis 6:4, we can see that the divine pronouncement was meant in part to identify the TRUE Son of God, the Heir of the world.
Peter also testifies of that day in 1 Peter 1:16-18,
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”— 18 and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the mount.
John was there as well, testifying in John 1:14,
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
In other words, if the false “sons of God” came down on Mount Hermon as a counterfeit Sonship movement, then it would make sense that the true Son of God would go to the same location to be transfigured and to receive His commendation from the heavenly Father.
The Hebrew root of the name Hermon is charam, which means “seclude or devote.” Jericho was a city that was “devoted” to God. This meant that ownership of Jericho and its wealth had been usurped by false gods to build false kingdoms, but that the Israelites were to put all of it back under the jurisdiction of God to be used for Kingdom purposes.
So also Mount Hermon. It had been “devoted” to the watchers who sinned, but Jesus went there to reclaim it as the place of true Sonship in a picture of the manifestation of the true sons of God.
Mount Hermon and the Phoenix
Mount Hermon is located on the border of Syria and Lebanon. It is the main source of water for the whole area, supplying even the water for the Jordan River and for Lebanon. In ancient times this whole area was known as Phoenicia, or “land of the Phoenix.”
The occultists usually look to Phoenicia and Mount Hermon as their source of religious, philosophical, and technical knowledge or illumination. The Greek alphabet was copied from Phoenician. Many of the English letters are also copied from Phoenician. The Hebrew prophets themselves wrote their books in “Phoenician Hebrew” prior to the Babylonian captivity, when their alphabet was changed to the Aramaic letters of Babylon.
Phonetics is the study of the sounds of speech. The word itself is derived from Phoenician.
The phoenix itself was the main symbol of Phoenicia and, by extension, the watchers who descended upon Mount Hermon. When the flood destroyed them, they were able to rise again somehow, as Gen. 6:4 says. This is encompassed in the symbol of the Phoenix rising up out of its ashes.
The Nephilim survived at least to the time of David, and it is believed by occultists that not all of them were destroyed. Some lived, though because of continual interbreeding, they no longer appear as giants. Nonetheless, the present world rulers of Babylon (at the top) believe that they have Nephilim blood and that this is the secret of their spiritual power.
The Olympic Closing Ceremony
The occultists think of the American eagle as the symbol of the Phoenix, and at the London Olympics of 2012 the closing ceremony portrayed the rise of a Phoenix out of the flames of the nations. This sent a message that these modern Nephilim, who call themselves Olympians, intend soon to complete their long rise out of the destruction of the flood.
From complete destruction, they slowly gained secret power in “Mystery” Babylon, but their pride demands recognition. For this reason, they plan to emerge from the shadows of secret rule to open acceptance by all the nations in the world as the saviors of the world.
Of course, God has a different idea. The biblical sons of God are the overcomers who recognize Jesus Christ as the rightful Heir and King of the earth. The Nephilim are the unlawful usurpers.
Occult Freemasonry
In the occultism of Freemasonry, the numbers 3 and 33 are very prominent. Hence, the three-sided triangle is basic to the study of trigonometry, made famous by Pythagoras. He was a famous Greek mathematician who was schooled in Sidonia, the biblical Sidon, which was one of the main cities of Phoenicia.
Freemasonry has 33 degrees in its hierarchy, although they claim that the 33rd degree is purely honorary. The question is: Why 33 degrees? The answer is seen in the fact Mount Hermon is located at 33.33 degrees north, 33.33 degrees east. (This is based on the Paris 0 meridian, which is 2.2 degrees east of Greenwich.)
Furthermore, 33.33 degrees represents 2012.9 nautical miles. Hence, Mount Hermon is located 2012 nautical miles from the equator and 2012 nautical miles from the prime meridian. The occultists thus believe that the end of 2012 will culminate their long quest for power since being destroyed first by the flood and later by the Israelites.
Will they succeed? No, they will fail just as surely as the original Nephilim failed as “sons of God” to secure authority over the earth. Occultists have a long history of searching for hidden knowledge and divine truth, so that they can try to fulfill the prophecies by carnal means. They actually believe in God, and they know the laws of God, but they do not want to comply with the path that God has set forth in Scripture about how to become a lawful son of God.
One would think that if they were so intelligent, they would just accept Jesus Christ as their King, for then they could become legitimate sons of God. But they do not want Jesus Christ to rule the earth. Their motive is to usurp His place and to make Jesus just one of their “ascended masters,” but not THE MASTER of the Universe.
But Jesus Christ was the only one who was willing to die for us, and He was also the only one who was eligible to die for us, being without sin. None of the usurpers were willing to die for the sin of the world. They all wanted others to die for them.
The point is that the year 2012 is very important in the upper degrees of Freemasonry and other occult groups. They see it as the window of opportunity for them to become the manifested sons of God.
It is again “as the days of Noah” (Matt. 24:37).
The Mayan Calendar
It is said that the Mayan calendar ends on Dec. 21, 2012. Some place the date in October of 2011, but what is important is that certain occultists believe that 2012 is their window of opportunity. This belief is what motivates them to establish their New World Order by the end of 2012.
Right now they are desperate, because they are behind schedule.
Report from Lindsey Williams
On September 4, 2012 Lindsey Williams reported in a radio interview that he had received an email from an executive for one of the major oil companies, who he befriended in the 1970’s as chaplain during the construction of the Alaska pipeline.
This friend told him that the oil companies had a plan to raise the price of oil to $150 per barrel. This is to consolidate their positions of wealth and power in the New World Order.
He said that their plans were eight months behind schedule. Back in September 2001 General Wesley Clark was told some “classified” information that America was going to make war on Iraq and seven Middle Eastern nations, including Egypt, Libya, Syria, and Iran. The purpose for this was first to overthrow the dictators which America had previously supported (and set up). The result of this would be to disrupt oil supplies, so that the price of oil would go up to $150 per barrel.
Williams’ friend then told him that they were eight months behind schedule, because Colonel Ghaddafy of Libya had resisted them for two months, and now President Assad of Syria has put them back another six months.
Assad was able to put them behind schedule, because of his support from Russia. But as of August 29, 2012 Russia has begun to withdraw its support from Syria. Assad is thus a dead man walking, and it is only a matter of time before his rule ends. Of course, we will have to see if he will go out with both guns blazing, or if he will die quietly.
It is important for these Babylonian leaders to overthrow Syria before they attack Iran.
Iran seems to be the main target. Iran is also ancient Persia, the nation which overthrew Babylon in the days of Daniel. I have long believed that Iran is the key nation that God will again use in the overthrow of Mystery Babylon.
Hence, we seem to be drawing near to the final act of Babylon. Their attempt to overthrow Iran and to secure $150 per barrel oil prices will signal the beginning of the end for them. They think that if they destroy the current economic system, they will be able to replace it with their New World Order. What they do not realize is that God is using them to overthrow the existing order in order to establish the Kingdom of God.
Cyrus of Persia was a “Messiah”
Two centuries before Cyrus was born, God called him a “messiah,” or anointed one (Isaiah 45:1). This is the classic biblical chapter establishing the sovereignty of God. It is established by the fact that God could use a Persian king for His purposes even though that king did not even know God (Isaiah 45:4).
So there were two things going on at the same time. Persia was the second of the beast empires destined to rule. But at the same time, it was a type of the Kingdom of God at a later period when the last beast empire had run its course. That is the point in history where we now stand. It looks like another beast system is coming, but God has other plans. Do you believe He is sovereign enough to fulfill that prophecy? If so, your faith will sustain you.
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Gold 104.3 Melbourne
Christian O'Connell
Most Popular Baby Boy Names For The Royal Baby
Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, speaks to members of the media at Windsor Castle in Windsor, west of London on May 6, 2019, following the announcement that his wife, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has given birth to a son. - Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, gave birth on Monday to a "very healthy" boy, Prince Harry announced. "We're delighted to announce that Meghan and myself had a baby boy early this morning -- a very healthy boy," a beaming Prince Harry said. (Photo by Steve Parsons / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read STEVE PARSONS/AFP/Getty Images)
This morning people across Australia are waking up to the exciting news that the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has given birth to a baby boy with Prince Harry.
The news was announced in a truly 21st century way – through a post to the Sussex Royal Instagram account.
The original post said that both Meghan and the royal baby were healthy and doing well.
“We are pleased to announce that Their Royal Highness The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their firstborn child in the early morning on May 6th 2019. Their Royal Highnesses’ son weighs 7;bs 30z,” the post read.
We are pleased to announce that Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their firstborn child in the early morning on May 6th, 2019. Their Royal Highnesses’ son weighs 7lbs. 3oz. The Duchess and baby are both healthy and well, and the couple thank members of the public for their shared excitement and support during this very special time in their lives. More details will be shared in the forthcoming days.
A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on May 6, 2019 at 6:37am PDT
Now that we know the royal baby is a little boy, the waiting game continues as we await the announcement of a name.
Speaking in a video also posted to the royal Instagram account, Prince Harry addressed the media, absolutely gushing about Meghan and his son.
After thanking everyone for their support throughout the pregnancy, Prince Harry said that the couple was “thinking about names but, the baby is a little overdue so we’ve had a little bit of time to think about it.”
This afternoon, His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex shared the news of the arrival of his and the Duchess’ first born child. Their son was born early morning on the 6th of May, 2019 and weighs 7lbs and 3oz. Their Royal Highnesses thank you for your support and kindness during this exceptionally joyful time in their lives as they welcome their baby boy.
But the royals aren’t the only ones thinking about names! All bets are off for what people think the latest royal bub will be called.
According to the odds on Sportsbet here in Australia, the most popular name for the baby boy is Alexander, coming in at 4.80, followed closely by James at 5.20 and Arthur and 6.00.
The traditional names seem to be very popular with Spencer coming in next at 9.20, Philip, after the baby’s great grandfather at 10.20 and Charles after his grandfather at 11.50.
Albert, Edward and Oliver (which is currently the most popular name for a boy in Australia) are also amongst the mix.
But what’s almost more interesting is when you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the bets, you find the names that are incredibly unlikely but nonetheless names that people have legitimately put money on.
And some of them are seriously INSANE.
All coming in at 501.00, which incase you’re not a betting person is incredibly unlikely odds, we have names like Buddha, Euron, Ganesha, Genghis, Boris and Aegon.
Some people have taken a very religious approach with some of the names with Jesus and Muhammad amongst the mix at these unlikely odds.
Others have taken inspiration from the highest grossing movie at the moment – Avengers: Endgame – with Thanos and Thor suggested at the 501.00 odds.
Of course you’d be laughing if one of these names actually WAS chosen by Meghan and Harry and you’d placed $50 on it… But we wouldn’t be holding our breath for that to happen!
Our money’s definitely on something more traditional. But we guess we’ll just have to wait and see!
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Home › John Schembri
John Schembri
jschembri@gtlaw.com.au
John is recognised by Best Lawyers (Australia) as Lawyer of the Year (Asset Finance Law) in 2019 and Lawyer of the Year (Banking & Finance) in 2020.
Best Lawyers (Australia) 2020 recognises John for Asset Finance Law, Aviation Law, Banking & Finance Law, Distressed Investing & Debt Trading, Equipment Finance Law, Insolvency & Reorganization Law, Leveraged Buyouts, Private Equity Law, Project Finance and Development, Structured Finance Law and Trade & Finance Law.
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2019 ranks John in Band 1 for Banking & Finance: Acquisition Finance and for Corporate Finance, and also recognises him the Project Finance category.
Chambers Global 2019 ranks John in Band 1 for Banking & Finance: Acquisition Finance.
Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2019 ranks John as a Leading Individual in the Project Finance and Banking and Finance categories.
Asialaw 2018 afford John Leading Lawyer status for Banking & Finance, Energy & Natural Resources, Private Equity, Projects & Infrastructure and Restructuring & Insolvency.
John is recognised as a Leading Lawyer in the IFLR1000 Financial and Corporate guide 2018.
John is the lead partner for Gilbert + Tobin's Banking and Infrastructure group.
His major areas of practice are structured and project financing and leveraged financing. He also has experience in various other areas including the financing of construction and resources projects, property, acquisition and general corporate financing.
John has worked with arrangers, lenders, equity investors, end-users and credit enhancers on various tax-based structured products, including R&D syndications, lease-tail transactions, foreign tax credit structures and the use of limited partnerships.
John's experience also extends to corporate debt and leveraged finance transactions, including the financing of specific asset acquisitions as well as funding general working capital requirements. In this area, he has acted for both lenders and borrowers and in secured, unsecured, syndicated and club loan arrangements.
John is recognised as a leading banking and project finance lawyer in numerous publications including leading directories such as Chambers, the Legal 500, Best Lawyers and IFLR1000. John led the TransGrid team, which was awarded 2015 M&A deal of the year by Project Finance International.
John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Bachelor of Laws degree with first class honours and a Master of Taxation degree from the University of Sydney. He is admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the High Court of Australia and has also been admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in England & Wales and as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England & Wales.
Trish Hyde
thyde@gtlaw.com.au
John's Areas of Expertise
John's Insights
Green Project Bonds: Why Project Bonds will be a bigger part of Australia’s Infrastructure Future
News Mentions
G+T’s Banking + Infrastructure practice welcomes new special counsel
The Banking + Infrastructure group is extending its practice by recruiting a new hire at a senior level. Nicola Clayton, formerly special counsel at MinterEllison, has joined as special counsel in the Sydney office.
G+T advises ANZ and Mizuho on the refinancing of Capella Parking’s A$141m Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre carpark
G+T advises KKR on $2 billion acquisition of MYOB
G+T has advised Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co L.P. (together with its affiliates, KKR) on its $2 billion acquisition of MYOB Group Limited (MYOB).
Gilbert + Tobin assists Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and Natixis in AirTrunk debt financing
Gilbert + Tobin (G+T) has assisted global financial institutions Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and Natixis in the S$450 million syndicated debt financing to AirTrunk – a leading provider of hyperscale data centres in the Asia-Pacific region – to fund its expansion across Asia and to build the largest neutral data centre in Singapore (at 60 megawatts).
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A Lidl bit bigger - Scheme for controversial Todmorden site goes into planners
Disused land on Halifax Road, Todmorden.
Derelict land in Todmorden which has been subject of numerous controversial supermarket developments could see a new store built - if the latest proposals are approved.
Lidl is the latest food retailer to submit a plan for the land off Hope Street and Halifax Road - a key “gateway” site in Todmorden - to open a new store, replacing the company’s existing outlet 200 metres away.
For the last half decade the site, one of a number of “eyesore” sites around the town centre for which a solution has been sought, has been subject to a number of planning applications by supermarket giants including Sainsbury’s and Asda, reaching as far as a public inquiry before permission was rejected.
Full planning permission is being sought by Lidl for a mixed-use development comprising a 2,779sqm foodstore alongside a 929sqm unit which could be used for bulky goods, offices, health care provision or trade counter.
The development as a whole will see a total of 201 parking spaces, including 10 mobility impaired and 10 parent and child spaces, together with secure cycle parking. Planning agents Plan A (North West) Limited said in their proposals: “The site is derelict and detracts from the visual amenity of the area as a result of its scale, low visual value and the visual contrast it presents with neighbouring uses.
“The design of the proposed retail store has evolved through a process that has taken site specific factors into detailed consideration alongside operational needs and corporate requirements.
“This process ensures that the most efficient, practical and suitable development proposal is progressed.
“The proposed development will make a significant positive contribution to the character of the locality by creating an attractive, inclusive and high quality environment and utilise energy efficient technologies, sustainable materials and construction techniques.”
Lidl say the site is accessible by a variety of modes of transport, ensuring that customers and staff can visit the site by non-car modes of transport and there will be no more than three 16.5 metre articulated vehicles per day.
The replacement Lidl store’s opening hours will be 7am to 10pm Monday to Saturdays and for six hours between 10am and 5pm on Sundays.
Lidl are proposing that an additional 22 new jobs will be created with existing staff moving to the store, if the new plans are approved.
The land has been subject to previous planning applications from other supermarket chains including Sainsburys and Asda, who had their plans rejected from 2012.
In 2010 more than 3,000 people signed a ‘Stop The Supermarket’ petition relating to the then Sainsbury’s application amid fears a big supermarket on the site would take shoppers away from Todmorden Market and nearby town centre shops.
In a public inquiry which rejected the Asda plans for the site, it was claimed by an expert witness for Calderdale Council, who had opposed supermarket development there, that £1 million of revenue could be drawn away from the town centre.
At the time the inquiry heard development would also have implications for the derelict Abraham Ormerod Medical Centre/Olympia Cinema site which Asda owned then and now and the smaller existing Lidl.It currently has permission to develop a smaller supermarket on that site, on the Burnley Road section of the town centre. - .
The former Hope Street Mill occupied the site before demolition 10 years ago and the site has been vacant since. It was purchased prior to an auction two years ago when it would have appeared at the London sale room for a guide price of around £450,000. The buyer was Batley-based Spring Petroleum Company Ltd.
Earlier this year Calderdale Council used its powers to compel owners of a number of eyesore sites, including this one, to tidy them up.
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What is the Masoretic Text?
Question: "What is the Masoretic Text?"
Answer: The Hebrew text of the Old Testament is called the Masoretic Text because in its present form it is based upon the Masora—the Hebrew, textual tradition of the Jewish scholars known as the Masoretes (or Masorites). The Masoretes were rabbis who made it their special work to correct the faults that had crept into the text of the Old Testament during the Babylonian captivity, and to prevent, for the future, its being corrupted by any alteration. They first separated the apocryphal from the canonical books, and divided the latter into twenty-two books, being the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Then they divided each book into sections and verses.
There is a great difference of opinion as to when the Masoretic Text was written, but it was probably accomplished in the 10th -11th century. Several editions existed, varying considerably, but the received and authoritative text is that of Jacob ben-chayim ibn Adonijah, who carefully sifted and arranged the previous works on the subject. It was published in 1524.
Although the existing copies of the Masoretic Text date back only to the tenth century, two other important textual evidences bolster the confidence of textual critics that it is accurate. The first is the successive discoveries of manuscripts at Qumran by the Dead Sea since 1947. These revealed portions of manuscripts several centuries older than any previously known. The second is the comparison of the Masoretic text to the Greek translation called the Septuagint (or LXX), which was written around 200-150 B.C. The oldest existing manuscripts date back to the fourth century A.D. Both the Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls reveal an amazing consistency with the Masoretic Text, assuring us that God was indeed divinely and sovereignly protecting His Word through thousands of years of copying and translating.
Recommended Resource: The Text of the Old Testament: An Introduction to the Biblia Hebraica by Ernst Wurthwein
More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!
What is the Majority Text?
What is the Textus Receptus?
What are the Dead Sea Scrolls and why are they important?
Textual criticism - what is it?
How and when was the canon of the Bible put together?
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/ NEWS / Grayling Shortlisted as Eastern Europe PR Consultancy of the Year
Grayling Shortlisted as Eastern Europe PR Consultancy of the Year
Grayling has made the SABRE Awards EMEA shortlist as Eastern Europe PR Consultancy of the Year 2018. The SABREs are the world’s most high-profile PR awards. The shortlisting is recognition of Grayling’s unique network of 10 offices and 145 consultants across Eastern Europe and the fact that the consultancy has successfully expanded into new areas, from employer branding to consumer marketing. Grayling was also shortlisted for four further EMEA SABRE Awards.
Grayling was one of the pioneers of PR in Central & Eastern Europe and has the most comprehensive footprint of any communications agency across the region. Originally best known for public affairs and crisis communications work, Grayling is continuously adding new services to its offer.
“We continue to thrive in a very competitive environment and are proud of the fact that we have managed to win the trust of a long list of major brands over the past twelve months, including Ahold, Dacia, McDonalds, Nokia, Skanska and Tetra Pak– in addition to our existing client list that includes multimarket mandates for Diageo, eBay, Google, HP, Hilton, IBM, PokerStars and Visa” – said Jan Simunek, CEO of Grayling Continental Europe.
The EMEA SABRE Awards recognize Superior Achievement in Branding Reputation & Engagement and are some of the most prestigious international awards in the PR industry. Winners will be unveiled at the EMEA SABRE Awards in Amsterdam on 23 May 2018. The awards are presented by the Holmes Group, a leading global PR and publishing operation specializing in research and trend monitoring in public relations.
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Saint Leo University’s school mascot is the Lion.
Degree Programs at Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University appears in our ranking of the Top 10 Great Deals: Bachelor’s in Theology and Christian Studies Degrees Online.
Saint Leo University offers nearly 50 degree programs for undergrads today. Many of these programs allow students to pick a major in one area and a concentration in a related area. Psychology majors can enroll in a general program and learn about different areas of the social sciences, but they can also pick a concentration in experimental, developmental or clinical and counseling psychology. The clinical and counseling program includes an internship option, while the other programs allow students to do more research work.
The university established social work degree programs as a way to help students meet the needs of those living in local communities. It has a Bachelor of Social Work program that includes courses such as Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Methods of Social Research and Social Welfare Policy. Undergrads can also do internships in a social work agency. Graduate students who already have a BSW can get a Master of Social Work from the university in several ways. The university offers its advanced standing program for both full-time and part-time students. There is also a full-time three-year MSW program for students who do not have any social work experience. Those students will do more internships and field work than advanced standing students do.
Saint Leo University offers a number of online graduate and undergrad programs for students today. They can study emergency and disaster management, criminal justice, marketing, project management, middle grades education, computer science, biology or religion.
Saint Leo University is a major private university in Florida. A local man and former judge developed a small colony in Saint Leo, Texas that welcomed practicing Roman Catholics. As this area grew in size, the Benedictine Order sent a group of priests to the colony. Those priests would establish a new college that they named Saint Leo College in 1889. The college would later move to Florida and become the first college in the state to accept black students. Citing the educational needs of high school students, the college became a prep school called St. Leo College Preparatory School and St. Leo College. It changed names several times before establishing itself as a full college in the 1950s. Saint Leo College became Saint Leo University in 1999.
Often called Saint Leo, the university now has a strong reputation for its online programs that allow military students and working adults to earn their degrees. Military Times named the university one of the best schools for vets in 2017, and Military Education and Advanced Transition called it one of the top schools for vets and active military students. U.S. News and World Report ranks Saint Leo as one of the best online schools for bachelor’s students and one of the top colleges in the south.
Saint Leo University Accreditation Details
Though Saint Leo offers a number of online degree programs, each one has the same accreditation that is on-campus programs do. The university has regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), which is important because it lets students know that they can transfer their credits to and from this school. To maintain its accreditation, Saint Leo created a review committee that monitors the university and looks for any potential problems that might affect its accreditation. The university’s social work, business, and radiology programs have accreditation too.
Saint Leo University Application Requirements
Incoming freshmen and those applying to an undergrad program must make sure that they meet all of the university’s application requirements. Saint Leo looks favorably at those who completed a college prep program that includes Algebra I and II and one full year of another math class. Students should also take two years of life and health science, three years of social science and history and four years of English classes. The university asks that students have a C average in two years of a foreign language also. Prospective undergrads can submit a paper application, use the university’s own application or go through the Common Application. Though Saint Leo requires high school transcripts, it recommends that students also submit their official test scores and one letter of recommendation.
Any student applying to an online program must meet some similar requirements. They will submit the application, which has a $45 application fee and provide transcripts that show they have their high school diplomas. The university will accept GED proof in lieu of transcripts. Students can also submit proof of any career or professional training programs that they completed. The university may award them some credit based on the credentials and training that they have. Most of the university’s graduate programs that are available online require that students submit their college transcripts and test scores too.
Saint Leo University has a good reputation as being one of the most affordable private colleges in the south. Tuition for undergrads starts at $11,200 for on-campus students. Those students pay around $6,500 a semester for room and board and university fees, though they can choose from different meal plans and dormitories to save money. Saint Leo Worldwide charges a tuition rate based on credit hours. Most students pay $360 per credit hour as undergrads, but those who are on active duty status pay only $250 per credit hour. Undergrads enrolled in an online certificate program pay $240 per credit hour. All graduate students pay a Saint Leo Worldwide rate. This rate starts at $495 per credit hour for education and social work majors and climbs to $720 per credit hour for those in the MBA or eMBA program.
The university accepts scholarships that students receive from other sources and has some scholarships of its own. Those with a GPA of 2.0 or higher who have an associate degree or will earn one of those degrees can qualify for a grant that cuts their overall costs in half. Incoming freshmen who meet all admissions requirements may receive a scholarship of between $5,000 and $13,000. The university will determine how much they get based on their test scores and grades. Both federal and state aid is also available, but to get any of that aid, students must file the FAFSA. Students in any Saint Leo University degree programs can get both government financial aid and university scholarships.
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Soaring Over Purpose Gaps with Incredible Company Culture
By Ed Frauenheim
Over the last several years, researchers and companies have proved that a sense of purpose affects performance. It feeds peoples' desire to be part of something bigger than themselves, and inspires new inventions and better ways of doing things. But creating purpose that connects with everyone across an entire organization is easier said than done. Our research discovered that a barrier to innovation that trips up even well meaning organizations has to do with front-line folks experiencing much less purpose than others higher up in the company. And if employees feel they're not sharing in the company's mission and excitement, they quickly feel excluded from innovation as well.
We see this all the time in employee comment data. Employees are much more likely to innovate if they feel they are part of something incredible. We mean that literally. Highly engaged employees used phrases like "incredibly hardworking environment," "incredible energy that is motivating" and "incredible company journey."
Unfortunately, those on the front line often don’t experience the same level of awesomeness. Employees in roles like sales associate, customer service representative and field service technician can feel left out because they're missing out on rewards due to their personal background or their position, or based on day-to-day negative experiences.
Unfair rewards, in particular, can undermine purpose and inspiration on the front lines. Consider this employee comment:
"When the rate of pay goes up and someone has been here for 8 years and a new person who has been here a year is then getting almost the same rate of pay as the person who has been working her for 8 years. That is not right. The people who have been here much longer should also get a substantial increase to make it fair. It really burns the people who have been here a long time to know that someone brand new with not a lot of experience is making almost the same pay."
The picture here is of people whose energy is going into burning anger and resentment, rather than flashes of insight for how to move the organization forward. Perceived inequities in pay or perks, in other words, can prevent people in the trenches from tapping into the deeper purpose of the organization, and therefore dampen their creativity and commitment.
We also found that employees with certain characteristics and roles are at risk for feeling marginalized. These include long-tenured employees and remote workers. Employees with 16-20 years of tenure are 20% less likely to have meaningful opportunities for innovation than employees at the organization for less than two years. As this statistic suggests, it’s easy for leaders to take their long-standing staffers for granted, or to give up on keeping those folks fired up.
It’s also easy to lose sight of employees who are physically out of sight. People that mention being remote or in the field are 56% more likely to feel excluded from innovation. You can hear the sense of being neglected in this employee’s comment:
"The company is growing and changing very rapidly… My hope is that management doesn't forget the fact that the field personnel that work here have a large combined amount of years of knowledge, that needs to be called upon when making decisions that affect matters in the field."
The most successful organizations overcome leader blind spots and connect everyone to the mission. And, as a result, they see innovation levels take off. We found that when employees say their work has “special meaning,” rather than being “just a job,” they are 56% more likely to experience a lot of innovation opportunities. Similarly, when people feel they “make a difference” at work, they are 64% more likely to be engaged in high levels of innovation.
The Gospel of Good Food at Wegmans
In a previous blog post we shared the story of Jody Wood, who helped bring cauliflower rice to Wegmans. It's clear that she, and Wegmans, soar right over the purpose gap. For Wood, the grocery chain’s mantra of serving customers and helping them live healthier lives is like manna from heaven. She eats it up, even as she helps others cook up new vegetarian dishes.
She explains, “The customers are just really happy. I have them come back all the time and tell me they tried something new with their family and their family absolutely loved it, and they’re making it every week and they thank me, and it’s very satisfying because I absolutely love to help people.”
In fact, Wood sees her work at Wegmans as a kind of ministry. Prior to coming to the store, she earned a master’s degree at the New Brunswick Theological Seminary. She didn’t pursue a traditional chaplain job but sees spreading the gospel of good food in the same light. “I feel like I’m doing chaplaincy,” she says. “Not with the Bible and God. I’m serving the needs of others by helping them become healthy.”
As this comment suggests, purpose is palpable from the Wegmans C-suite to the meal station at which Jody Wood works. And because meaning is shared equally, Wood and Wegmans were able to bring a powerful new product to the company and its customers.
For more, read the whole story in our paper, The Five Hidden Barriers of Innovation.
Ed Frauenheim
Ed Frauenheim is Senior Director of Content at Great Place to Work®. He provides insights and shares stories about how great workplaces are better for business, better for people and better for the world. He has spoken at numerous events, published articles in Fortune, Wired and Inc. and co-written three books, including A Great Place to Work For All.
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Hardy & Juba, LLC
About Our Firm/
Meet Our Attorneys/
Criminal Defense/
Organizations/
Michael Juba co-wrote an article with Hannah Proff entitled, "Evolving the Standards of Decency", which was published in the March issue of the Colorado Lawyer, by the Colorado Bar Association.
Read about 'How the Eighth Amendment Reduces the Prosecution of Children as Adults' here:
http://www.cobar.org/Portals/COBAR/Repository/TCL/March2018/FEATURES_JUVENILE_LAW.pdf
Housing a prisoner now costs more than a year at Harvard
“The price for each inmate has doubled since 2005, even as court orders related to overcrowding have reduced the population by about one-quarter. Salaries and benefits for prison guards and medical providers drove much of the increase.”
The result is a per-inmate cost that is the nation’s highest — and $2,000 above tuition, fees, room and board, and other expenses to attend Harvard.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-prison-costs-20170604-htmlstory.html
No child deserves a life sentence. But try telling a prosecutor that.
“This is happening not because our prisons are full of unrepentant juvenile offenders who can never be rehabilitated, but because of a racist structure of perverse incentives that encourages prosecutors to pursue mass incarceration instead of justice.
For decades, prosecutors have sought high conviction rates and long sentences in the belief that appearing tough on crime would advance their careers. Indeed, prosecutors in any given local district or state attorney’s office, from the most junior rookie to the top elected official, tend to view their career prospects through the lens of average sentence length.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/10/opinion/life-sentence-children-prosecutors.html
A criminal defense law firm that specializes in juvenile defense, representing clients with charges ranging from traffic violations to homicide in the Denver area.
We charge an hourly rate for our cases. The rate is determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the severity of charges and other case factors. The first consultation is always free.
Follow us on social media for more updates!
Hardy & Juba, LLC | 675 N. Grant Street, Denver, CO 80203 | 303.974.1080
Photography donated by the courtesy of John Griffin
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Peripheral artery disease resources
Check out these resources for more information about peripheral artery disease. (Locked) More »
Bone mineral density testing: How often?
Research on bone mineral density testing suggests that older women with good bone density test scores may need less frequent testing. (Locked) More »
Treating pelvic organ prolapse
Pelvic relaxation is weakness or laxity in the supporting structures of the pelvic region. Bladder, urethral, rectal, or uterine tissue may then bulge into or out of the vagina. This is called pelvic organ prolapse. It's not a dangerous condition, and it doesn't necessarily worsen over time, but it can drastically affect a woman's quality of life by causing discomfort and embarrassment and limiting sexual and physical activity. Treatment options range from doing nothing to surgical repair. (Locked) More »
When atherosclerotic plaque and blood clots reduce blood flow to the legs or, less often, to the arms, the condition is called peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD makes walking painful and slows injury healing. In the worst cases, it can result in the loss of a toe, foot, or leg — or even death. Women who develop peripheral artery disease tend to do so a decade later than men, by which time other conditions may mask the symptoms, delaying diagnosis. More »
An emergency contraceptive pill helps treat fibroids
Every year, hundreds of thousands of women in the United States are treated for fibroids — noncancerous growths in the uterine wall. Fibroids don't always cause problems, but when they do, the most common complaint is heavy menstrual bleeding, often accompanied by iron-deficiency anemia. Medications called gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists can help shrink fibroids. However, their use is limited by side effects such as bone loss, hot flashes, and depression. Now, researchers have found that an oral drug with fewer side effects is highly effective in shrinking fibroids and reducing bleeding. (Locked) More »
Spinal manipulation and exercise trump drugs for neck pain
Today's computer-dominated workplace is especially tough on necks, because we sit so long with our shoulders slumped and heads extended toward monitors. People often recover from an episode of neck pain within a year, but relapses are common, and pain may come and go indefinitely. A comparison of treatments for neck pain found that both spinal manipulation and a program of exercises were more effective than medication. (Locked) More »
Severe sleep apnea is linked to cardiovascular death in women
Obstructive sleep apnea causes pauses in breathing during sleep, with symptoms that include snoring and daytime sleepiness. Women with this sleep disorder may be at increased risk of dying from a cardiovascular event such as a stroke or heart attack, and treatment with a therapy called continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, may reduce that risk. These are the findings of the first study to examine the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular death exclusively in women. Obstructive sleep apnea causes pauses in breathing during sleep, with symptoms that include snoring and daytime sleepiness. Studies have shown that severe apnea raises the risk of fatal cardiovascular events in men, and that CPAP is protective, but until now, data on women have been lacking. (Locked) More »
Ask the doctor: What can I do about an anal fissure?
I had pain and some bleeding during bowel movements. My doctor says it's an anal fissure. What is that, and what's the best way to treat it? (Locked) More »
Ask the doctor: Are generic drugs the same as brand-name drugs?
I recently switched from Prilosec to its generic form, omeprazole, and it doesn't relieve my heartburn as well as Prilosec. Aren't generics supposed to be the same as the brand-name drugs? (Locked) More »
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2018 Conference Speakers & Participants
Keith Amemiya
Senior Vice-President of Island Holdings, Inc.
Keith Amemiya is an attorney and the Senior Vice-President of Island Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Island Insurance and four other local subsidiaries. He is the Chairman of the Board for two of the subsidiaries, Atlas Insurance Agency and Pacxa (IT company). He has also served as the Executive Director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (“HHSAA”) and as the Executive Administrator and Secretary to the Board of Regents at the University of Hawaiʻi.
Brother Noland
Musician, singer, author
Brother Noland has deeply influenced contemporary Hawaiian music and is widely considered as the Father of Jawaiian Music. Fluid in both slack key and standard guitar tunings, Brother Noland goes wherever the music carries him.
Caoli Cano
Songwriter, Sake Brewer and Founder Over the Rainbow Foundation
Caoli Cano is a songwriter, sake brewer and the Founder and Representative Director of Over the Rainbow Foundation, where she launched “One Song Project,” which sends dying people special songs that they want to listen to at the end of their life.
Kamana’opono M. Crabbe
Ka Pouhana/Chief Executive Officer of Office of Hawaiian Affairs
Dr. Kamanaʻopono Crabbe has been the CEO (Ka Pouhana) at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) since January 2012, a semi-autonomous state agency whose primary charge is to empower Hawaiians and strengthen Hawaiʻi. His leadership priorities include restoring OHA’s integrity in the Native Hawaiian community. He remains focused on nurturing a sense of leadership commitment to Hawaiʻi by uplifting the “mana” and “mauli ola” of the Hawaiian community while collaborating with decision-makers across sectors.
Yunji de Nies
Host of Insights on PBS Hawaiʻi
Yunji de Nies hosts Insights on PBS Hawaiʻi and anchors daily news videos for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Digital Billboard Network. For five years, she anchored the evening news on KITV and before that worked as a White House and National Correspondent for ABC News, based in Washington D.C. and Atlanta, GA.
Ted Dintersmith
Executive producer of “Most Likely to Succeed”
Ted Dintersmith is one of the nation’s leading voices on innovation and education. His four-decade career spans technology, business, public policy, and education philanthropy. He was the executive producer of the acclaimed documentary, “Most Likely to Succeed,” as well as the author, along with Tony Wagner, of the book, Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for the Innovation Era. His newly released book, What School Could Be: Insights and Inspiration from Teachers Across America has just gone into its second printing. His background includes a PhD in Engineering from Stanford; running a start-up micro-chip business; two decades in venture capital (ranked as the top-performing U.S. investor for 1995-1999); and representing the U.S. at the United Nations General Assembly in 2012.
Dave Eadie
Senior Vice President of Entitlement and Development of Kennedy Wilson
Dave Eadie is the Senior Vice President of Entitlement and Development for Kennedy Wilson, a global real estate investment company. For the past 15 years, Eadie has worked closely with the Hawaiian community on the visioning, planning and development of Kennedy Wilson’s two projects on Hawaiʻi Island’s Kona Coast, Kohanaiki and Kona Village Resort. Early in his career, Eadie worked in the planning departments of some of the fastest growing cities in the United States before transitioning into real estate development, where he has spent over 50 years creating and implementing responsible development plans.
Jenny Johnson
President and COO of Franklin Templeton Investments
Jenny Johnson is president and chief operating officer of Franklin Resources, Inc. Johnson oversees the majority of investment management and all related investment management support services. She is also responsible for Franklin Templeton’s global retail and institutional distribution efforts, including product development. In addition, Johnson oversees client service, fund administration, global technology, and the company’s high net worth business, Fiduciary Trust Company International. She is also a member of Franklin Resources’ executive committee, a small group of the company’s top leaders responsible for shaping the firm’s overall strategy.
Janice Hansen Zakin
Co-proprietor of Zakin Family Vineyards
Janice Hansen Zakin, is a physician and, along with her husband, co-proprietor of Zakin Family Vineyards situated on 150 acres in St Helena, California. The Zakin Estate Wines have quickly garnered favorable reviews and popularity among Cabernet wine lovers. In reviewing the 2014 Zakin Estate wine expert Antonio Galloni, in Vinous described the 2014 Estate wine as “…one of the most impressive debuts I have seen in Napa Valley in some time.”
Pualani Kanakaʻole Kanahele
President of Edith Kanaka’ole Foundation
Like her ancestors, Dr. Pualani Kanakaʻole Kanahele epitomizes cultural brilliance, beauty and power. A renowned scholar and author who is steeped in the hula tradition, she currently leads a team of researchers in reestablishing an ancient Hawaiian system of cultural intelligence. Her vast reservoir of knowledge ranges from ethno astronomy to volcanism.
Micah Kāne
President and CEO of Hawaiʻi Community Foundation
Micah A. Kāne is the CEO and President of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) — the state’s largest and oldest Foundation that works with individuals, families, foundations, government agencies, and organizations to transform lives and improve our communities.
Andy Karsner
Managing Partner of Emerson Collective
Andy Karsner is Managing Partner of the Emerson Collective, where he leads investments and champions the values of Emerson Collective to prioritize the needs of humanity in concert with nature. He is also a Senior Strategist and Space Cowboy at Google X and Precourt Energy Scholar at Stanford University.
Earl Kawaʻa
Hawaiian Resource Specialist of Kamehameha Schools
Earl Kawa’a is one of five children raised on a taro farm in Halawa Valley, Molokaʻi. With a Master’s in Social Work, he has worked at Queen Lili’uokalani Children’s Center, the Department of Human Services, Waimanalo Health Cernter, and is currently a Hawaiian Resource Specialist at Kamehameha Schools. Kawaʻa, who is called Uncle Earl or kumu by many of his more than 5,000 students, is one of only 28 living mānaleo or native speakers left in Hawaiʻi.
Christina Kishimoto
Superintendent of Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Christina M. Kishimoto began a three-year contract as superintendent on Aug. 1, 2017. She is responsible for efficiently and effectively administering the Hawaiʻi public school system in accordance with law and educational policies adopted by the Board of Education.
Yasunobu Kyogoku 京極 康信
Founding Partner of Innovation Global Capital
Mr. Yasunobu Kyogoku is the Founding Partner of Innovation Global Capital, a venture capital firm that builds transformative early stage companies disrupting consumer industries through technology and innovation. Funds managed by Innovation Global are investors in rapidly growing disruptive brands such as Rothys and Buck Mason, as well as enterprise technology companies such as Hero and GameOn. Mr. Kyogoku is also an advisor to ItoEn Co. Ltd., the $4 Billion revenue beverage company.
Dawn Lippert
Chief Executive Officer of Elemental Excelerator
As CEO of Elemental Excelerator, Dawn Lippert oversees the strategic direction of the organization and execution of its mission. She also serves as the Director of Innovation and Community at Emerson Elemental, the platform of Emerson Collective committed to strengthening the relationship between humanity and nature through scalable, equitable and innovative solutions. Lippert has been funding and investing in startups since 2009.
Joan Obra
Partner of Rusty’s Hawaiian
Joan Obra is a partner in Rusty’s Hawaiian, a lauded coffee farm, mill, and roastery founded by her parents in the Kaʻu District of Hawaiʻi Island. Called one of “the world’s most celebrated farms” by the New York Times, Rusty’s has supplied competition coffee used by two national champions: Pete Licata, the 2011 US Barista Champion and Asli Yaman, the 2014 Turkish Brewers Cup Champion. Rusty’s raw coffee is prized by leading roasters such as Blue Bottle, which featured the Obra family in its book, The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee. Here in Hawaiʻi, Rusty’s roasts its own beans for chefs such as Alan Wong and stores such as Whole Foods.
Steve Petranik
Editor of Hawaii Business
Steve Petranik has been an editor and reporter for almost four decades and now is the editor of Hawaii Business. Before joining the magazine in 2009, he spent 18 years as an editor at the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and five years at the Honolulu Advertiser. He’s reported from six countries on three continents and his stories have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times.
ʻUkulele Virtuoso & Composer
Almost everyone in Hawai’i has strummed an ʻukulele at one time or another. But at the age of 14, Jake Shimabukuro realized that he was doing something a little different with the four-stringed instrument — OK, a lot different. Shimabukuro’s wholly unique approach to the ʻukulele started early. As a youngster growing up in Honolulu, Shimabukuro started playing the instrument at the age of four, learning the basics from his mother, Carol, and then developing his craft further by studying the likes of musical masters such as Eddie Kamae, Ohta-San and Peter Moon. As he matured, Shimabukuro also found inspiration from guitar players, drummers, pianists and singers. Even athletes helped fuel the intensity of his artistic fire.
Yasuo Tanabe
Special Representative for External Relations of Hitachi, Ltd.
Yasuo Tanabe is the Special Representative for External Relations at Hitachi, Ltd. He previously worked as Hitachi’s Senior Vice President and Executive Officer, and Corporate Officer for the International Strategy Division. Tanabe’s background includes more than two decades of experience serving as the Deputy Director — General for the Economic Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and as Director for several divisions within the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (formerly known as the Ministry of International Trade and Industry).
Nainoa Thompson
President of Polynesian Voyaging Society
As an explorer, environmentalist, master navigator, cultural revivalist, educator and storyteller, Nainoa Thompson has led the rediscovery and revival of the ancient Polynesian art of navigation. Through his voyaging, teaching and engagement, he has opened a global, multigenerational dialogue on the importance of sustaining ocean resources and maritime heritage. He has dedicated his life to exploring the ocean; maintaining the health of the planet; and ensuring that the ancient marine heritage and culture of Polynesia remain vibrant into the future.
David Weinreb
Chief Executive Officer of The Howard Hughes Corporation
David R. Weinreb is the Chief Executive Officer and a Member of the Board of Directors of The Howard Hughes Corporation. Known for his passion, tenacity and entrepreneurial spirit, Weinreb has directed the company’s efforts since its emergence in 2010, building a portfolio of some of the most sought-after real estate in the country.
Kip Wilborn
Kip Wilborn has enjoyed a career as a leading tenor with opera companies and symphonies around the world in cities including, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, London, Dublin, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Taipei. He has also enjoyed success in film and music theater. He starred as Sam Kaplan in the musical film, “Street Scene,” which was awarded the Best Musical Film award at the International Wide Screen Awards in Amsterdam.
Jack Wong
Chief Executive Officer of Kamehameha Schools
Livingston “Jack” Wong was named the chief executive officer of Kamehameha Schools in September, 2014. Guided by the vision of its Trustees, and under Jack’s leadership, Kamehameha Schools embarked in 2015 on a bold, exciting voyage that envisions, in one generation, a thriving Lāhui in which all Hawaiian learners achieve post-secondary educational success, enabling good life and career choices.
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History of West Michigan African Americans talk at HDL
Sentinel Staff
West Michigan is proud of its strong Dutch ancestry, but there are others who have helped to build the area, who helped it become what it is, professor Fred Johnson III said.
“While we are celebrating Dutch history, there are other histories that need to be elevated for similar celebration (such as African American history),” Johnson said. “For all of the trouble that we have been dealing with historically on issues of class, race and ethnicity, we are still the world’s largest multi-ethnic, multi-religious, pluralistic democracy. People from all over the world are making that work. West Michigan is a good example of that.”
Johnson will present the program "History of African Americans in West Michigan" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26 in Herrick District Library’s Hazel B. Hayes Auditorium, 300 S. River Ave.
From their courageous journeys to freedom on the Underground Railroad to helping defeat the Axis Powers during World War II, African Americans have forged a proud history in West Michigan. That tradition of accomplishment, innovation and leadership has continued into 21st century and is celebrated during Black History Month 2019.
Johnson has taught history at Hope College for nearly 20 years. Prior to becoming an educator, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 12 years and worked for Packard and Con-Tel Page Telecommunications.
His primary focus of study has been the Civil War, but his other areas of expertise are 20th century history, the U.S. military and Africa.
No registration is required. Herrick District Library is at 300 S. River Ave. For details, call 616-355-3100 or visit herrickdl.org.
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What Dinner at Home Was Like 50 Years Ago
What Dinne...
According to a 1966 Los Angeles Times reader survey, the 10 tools most likely to be found in a kitchen of the time were a toaster, a coffee maker, a skillet, a waffle iron, a can opener, a hand mixer, a blender, a counter-top mixer, a knife sharpener and a carving knife. Even though countertop microwaves were introduced in 1967, only 1 percent of households owned one by 1971. Ranges, both electric and gas, didn't look drastically different from how they do now, but the ovens tended to be smaller.
If a first course was served before dinner, it was most likely going to be a relatively simple salad, most likely made with iceberg lettuce (romaine didn't really catch on until the late '70s), sliced tomatoes and maybe another vegetable or two. French, Russian, blue cheese and Italian dressings were the most popular dressings of the day; Kraft and Wish-Bone were the most popular brands.
If a pre-meal cocktail was in order, it would most likely have been a Gibson, a dry martini, a Manhattan, a Rob Roy, a daiquiri, a sidecar or a Champagne cocktail. Coke and Pepsi were already overwhelmingly popular, but diet colas were also becoming common; Diet Rite, the first diet cola, was introduced in 1963 and TaB was introduced by Coca-Cola in 1967. After dinner, some freeze-dried instant coffee from Maxim, Taster's Choice or Sanka might have ended the meal.
Popular products in 1969 included Green Giant frozen peas, frozen bread dough, frozen pie crusts, Chiffon margarine, Seven Seas salad dressing and Spaghetti-O's and Shake n' Bake (both introduced in 1965). Capri Sun, Charms Blow Pops, Manwich, Funyuns, Frosted Mini-Wheats, Nutter Butter, Orville Redenbacher's popcorn and Tic Tacs first hit shelves in 1969.
Pot roast, meatloaf, mac and cheese, tuna noodle casserole, chicken or turkey Tetrazzini (a creamy casserole of poultry, noodles, and mushrooms), Salisbury steak, pan-fried pork chops with applesauce, beef Stroganoff, shepherd's pie, burgers and hot dogs were among the most common home-cooked dinners of the day (possibly served with some defrosted rolls on the side). Corning Ware (with its "cornflower" pattern) and Pyrex were popular vessels for both cooking and serving. Leftovers could be stored in Ziploc bags, brand-new in 1969.
Popular Boxed / Canned Foods
If a from-scratch dinner wasn't in order, quick options included Kraft's Egg Noodle with Chicken Dinner, Macaroni and Cheese and Spaghetti Dinner; Chef Boy-Ar-Dee (either canned pasta or a pizza kit); and, of course, Swanson's frozen dinners, in varieties ranging from the common (fried chicken, meatloaf, Salisbury steak, spaghetti and meatballs) to the less common (beans and franks, corned beef hash, sweet and sour "Polynesian-style" chicken and pork in orange sauce).
If you didn't want to cook at all, your best options were probably dropping by a fast-food joint and picking up dinner. Leading fast-food chains of the time included McDonald's (which rolled out the Big Mac nationwide in 1968, for 49 cents), Domino's (which began franchising in 1967), KFC, Burger King and the now-defunct Burger Chef. The first Wendy's opened in 1969 as well. Today, fast food joints sell salads, vegan patties and seriously over-the-top menu items. Adding more than burgers and fries is just one of the many ways fast food has changed since you were a kid.
Grilling was all the rage in late-'60s suburbia, and, as today, the most popular foods for grilling included steaks, burgers, hot dogs, and chicken (shish kebabs were also much more popular for grilling back then than now). Foil meals (in which all the ingredients would be wrapped in aluminum foil and cooked on the grill) were also very popular, thanks to marketing efforts by Reynolds.
What were people chatting about in 1969? The moon landing and Woodstock are perhaps the best-remembered events of the year, but the final year of the 60s was chock-full of historial events. Both the Concorde and the 747 were rolled out, Charles Manson's cult murders shocked the country, Ted Kennedy drove off a bridge and killed a campaign strategist on Chappaquiddick Island, The Beatles released Abbey Road, the Stonewall riots launched the Gay Rights Movement, Nixon was elected President by the "silent majority," rising inflation was a worldwide problem and Sesame Street made its debut.
NASA / Handout
What Was on TV
NBC, ABC, and CBS were basically the only options in 1969 for those who preferred to watch TV during dinner; the most popular primetime shows of the year were (in descending order) Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Mayberry R.F.D., Family Affair, Here's Lucy, The Red Skelton Hour, Marcus Welby, M.D., and Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color.
NBC Televison/Wikimedia Commons
The most popular homemade desserts of 1969 included the Tunnel of Fudge Cake (which become incredibly popular after winning the 1966 Pillsbury Bake-Off), Jell-O Whip n' Chill, pineapple upside-down cake, Junket custard, ambrosia and grasshopper pie. Boxed cake mixes (especially from Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker, Royal, and Pillsbury) were also super-popular, as were Jell-O molds, one of the most peculiar cooking trends of all time.
More from The Daily Meal:
The Best Discontinued Snack Foods From the Decade You Were Born
What Were the Most Popular Breakfasts in the Decade You Were Born?
If You Grew Up in the '60s, You'll Definitely Remember These Foods
Butcher-Approved Grilling Recipes
The Best Special Occasion Restaurant in Every State
Countries With the Happiest Travelers
10 Thanksgiving Dishes You Should Just Buy at the Store Gallery
The wackiest things that are banned in the US
19 Health Myths You Should Stop Believing Right Now
These Are the Ways Summer Can Make You Sick
Once-Popular Vacation Spots People Don't Visit Like They Used To
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Boston Bruins July 30, 2018 July 30, 2018
Style as well official his rebellious nature box the field
He battled injuries throughout the 2014 campaign before eventually being put on injured reserve with a groin injury, forcing him to the team’s run to the AFC Championship Game.His catch was one of the top practice plays this offseason, even topping the highlight-reel catch Brandon made on Wednesday.The Bears promoted Dunn from the practice squad a corresponding move.BOTTOM LINE: There are some players who come out of high school as five- recruits but have to adapt their games at the college level when grouped with the number of McDonald’s All-Americans a place like Kansas typically accrues.
Penn State had a pair of representatives on hand for the event playing against one another on opposing teams.Whatever offensive utopia the Kings had prior to Webber’s arrival was destroyed.The league and the union agreed on changes to drug policy 2014, which included a higher threshold for a positive test for weed.
Mr Harding said.No kicker left has been the league longer than , the balding, 15-year veteran for the Atlanta Falcons.However over the past three seasons, the vast majority of snaps had as a standup linebacker at the line of scrimmage on the edge.Just watch someone you respect and grab his coattails, Mathis said.And their promotion hopes were given a massive boost when they were able to get a 2 win over QPR.Watkins, according to Alderson, told the first baseman that rest and rehab should be enough.
Gorgui Dieng can play minutes to spell Karl- Towns, and the Wolves signed the surprisingly effective Aldrich as a free agent.WR Peoples-Jones, Michigan Harbaugh’s success his first two seasons at his alma mater mostly has been based on a suffocating defense and sturdy offensive line.Without comment from members of the 1993 Canadiens, his accusation is just that accusation.Confronting it face-to-face, risking that you’ll uncover something you’d prefer buried, is much less so.The team was led by Shaquaya Matthews, Ayanna Mazyck, Malika and Nahiemah who all played for Mastery Charter North’s team that played the Public League finals.I didn’t him go down, but did him struggle to get up and actually get a push from Tuukka Rask to help him to the bench.
So far the preseason, he’s looked like more Keaton than a viable successor.addition, spending time serving on special teams Iowa is likely to be far better for ‘s development than grinding out 9 minutes a night the NHL.I did good I mean, no sacks, Brown said after the game.
Illinois with acrobatic interception the final minute …2 tight end under Kubiak , catching 49 balls for the 2013 Texans before Kubiak’s ouster.the field, he was a steady presence center.They’re right, Foles says.After a rough Week 5, fantasy owners have dropped Brate, as the Buccaneers headed into their bye.When you’re on skates, there’s nowhere for your knee to go.
But schedule is going to be really busy after pro day.Given the opportunity, Vachon went with it and over the next eight won seven , only lost one, with a miniscule goals against average of 1.Would he agree to join a Laker team with such a young core?He won the and Hart Trophies that while the Sharks made a run to the Conference Finals.1 the Western Conference by four over San .
Throwing hit have 201 ABs shoulder put up 42
He had good reasons for the high use of painkillers, but says: I quit all that cold turkey and I moved out to Arizona and I got medical marijuana license.Back when I was first diagnosed, you had to urinate on a small stick to tell you if your blood sugar was up.That’s crazy how we use the words ‘old ,’ said.was a key defender at Kyabram Bombers and then walked away from what would be the club’s perfect to take a punt on a career as NFL punter with a scholarship to a college the US.News app is available for download at both the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.
I think there’s a sense that guard is the best position for Collins to utilize his power, where he doesn’t have to be space as much.The game ended seconds later, when McDavid flipped a backhand through the legs of Buffalo goalie Lehner to end a brilliant rush.Sources say he wasn’t offered NHL contract after practice.I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia’s Terms and Conditions with respect to use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia’s Privacy Statement.
I would probably argue that Semin’s salary sends a bigger, contradictory message to the other players on the team about the importance of effort vis-à-vis talent.It was good to him.Everyone said Clowney would be absolute at the NFL but he can’t rush the passer, teams passed on and he’s beating All Pro LTs at 38.
was also excused from Wednesday’s practice for undisclosed reason, leaving Jacquizz Rodgers, Peyton Barber, and Hansbrough as the Bucs’ active running backs.Bit it’s not a bad deal now let the right 100 .On 20, Holt signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the New England Patriots.1976, was the first basketball league to adopt it.Too places are dealing with water main breaks, leaks, contaminated drinking water and other problems that can result public health threats, property damage or inconvenience for residents and businesses.extra credit given for attendance.
We’re doing that for some of the injured players, Kubiak said.Be Truthful.Not only is he playing well enough for us to win, but he’s one of the biggest parts of our offense.it was a fair deal that worked out for both teams.
scored 23 points on 10-of-15 from the floor at Colgate …Moody officiating.Stepan is the class below that, as a solid center who can be any team’s 1C.The running game is where Minnesota hangs its hat and tail back Smith has been efficient.
Even though Duensing got the first out of the 11th, there’s just a different mentality coming into the middle of a frame, and Showalter has been around enough to know this.At the time made sense to go this route with Watkins’ foot.If there was any indication it would have happened earlier, the Red Sox were probably the only team at that time.This roster is not overly talented but effort is not a talent issue.
That’s only been exaggerated by the loss of Pro Bowl running back , who has been out since Week 3 with a hamstring injury.However, he’s a very good one and he’s integral to what the Chiefs do on defense.That’s how you can get back into things.It’s highly unlikely that any transaction today reach the heights of P.K.
Made 66 really tough shots which is middling innings
‘s limited exposure to the game helps explain why he’s still making strides at age 29.I am a proud Jaysker by following both Nebraska football and Creighton basketball.He is currently attending Rockford University the MBA program, and is captain of the Men’s Basketball team.WR Cam is a must-have, while I’ve already touched on Lawless and .What offseason?
Rosales, a pitcher, is the younger brother of Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Rosales.TV Radio: MASN 105 The Fan Hardy back, Jones out Shortstop J.J.Vereen hasn’t played since since Week 3 against the Washington Redskins when he suffered a triceps injury.
Buy with confidence as this is authenticated Niekro autograph.Even though the game didn’t mean much, was not given the task of hitting with the bases loaded.He could return to the rotation after that, but it’s more likely he would go out for a rehab start, then come back.Easley is always injury concern the other three you list are backups only.just 39 , he had a .329 batting average, .374 on-base percentage, and a .540 slugging percentage.
That just seems wrong.Hendricks said, ‘You want to know what’s on the other side?’ And honest to God as I’m sitting here, he turned around and punched the fence, and the whole section fell over.Berhe was projected to be drafted the fourth or fifth round of the draft.He loves baseball, he loves being a Yankee, and he loves living the life of a leaguer, the friend said.But we had incredible tight end Eifert, and I was just a freshman, I wasn’t about to go making demands or suggestions on where I was going to play.
I’m starting to let the ball travel a little bit and putting the ball play a little bit more.
New Jersey averages nearly $1 million per day in bets
The state that helped open the floodgates for nationwide sports betting launched its betting program on June 14. From then through the end of the month, New Jersey took $16.4 million in bets during the 17 days from the 14th through the end of the month, via ESPN.com.
The house won slightly under $3.5 million, equating two a hold percentage of 7.8 percent. The betting generated just under $300,000 in tax revenue, per the report.
Those numbers will only increase once football season begins. And it’s a clear indication as to the money that could be earned if other states choose to take advantage of the two-month-old ability to maintain sports betting programs.
And now for our second-best quarterback in the state of Texas—who also happens to play for a team in a Group of Five conference. Hicks was a sophomore in 2017, and he passed for 3,569 yards and 33 touchdowns. This season will be a transition for the quarterback; the Mustangs lost coach Chad Morris to Arkansas, and they’re adjusting to new coach Sonny Dykes’s Air Raid offense. It’s reasonable to expect SMU to miss a beat without Morris, but reports out of Dallas are that Hicks is taking well to the new scheme.
Romo, who had five birdies Sunday, scored 71 points to beat Mark Mulder by three points. The former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher won the previous three American Century Championships.
There are also options for facing unusual offensive looks like four-receiver sets and wildcat. Plus there are 10-12 red zone packages and 18 end-of-game packages.
Many of these categories can be mixed and matched in different ways. And those mixings and matchings present different wrinkles. All assistant coaches must know not just the various wrinkles and base concepts, but how to teach them to players. The variables are infinite—trying to go over each one, Guenther says, would be like trying to pinpoint every place along a fairway and rough that a golf ball might land.
Absent a multi-year contract, Bell (who currently is unsigned) can sign only a one-year deal through the end of the regular season. By then, Bell likely will be inclined to let it ride, forcing the Steelers to choose between tagging him a third time (and paying him the quarterback franchise tender of roughly $25 million for 2019) or finally letting the open market determine his value.
In his Fourth Season with the Falcons, Grady Jarrett Insists It’s Only the Beginning
You know what was cool? Quinn said. Back in November, the team got together and said, ‘How do we go from where we are and go make a difference?’ I was proud to be part of this group this spring. We took action on nine different initiatives in the offseason, one a week, that we wanted to take on as a team. And so what we did in the offseason was take on some of the issues that were really important to players.
A lot of that involved the team’s influence and the police side of things, so we dove head-first into those two things with ridealongs, and trips to boys and girls clubs, a lot of things back-and-forth with the police and the community. So that’s really what we decided on as a team.
The program flies soldiers in for games, and Quinn expanded it over the last few years where players would wear decals of soldiers’ initials on their helmets—they needed to get league approval for it—during Salute to Service month. In some cases, those soldiers meet with the players wearing their names while in town on Quinn’s Corps trips.
I knew there could be this natural connection, going for something at the highest level, and the accountability to the person right next to you, through the years they have nailed that in every way, Quinn said. So if we could learn from them, then I thought, ‘How can we apply it to our team?’
Fitzgerald wants the ball in his hands, sure, but he also won’t miss those Sundays when his body sometimes ached so badly he could not lift himself out of bed without help.
A lot less hitting my head up the middle against a wall, Fitzgerald says. You can only take 30 carries a game for so long.
His pre-snap assignments are changing, too. He’ll have less to do, fewer checks at the line, but the secondary reads may become more complicated. It’s as much about coverage identification than it is physically throwing the ball in the place it needs to be, Moorhead says.
Breiner is making what he terms slight changes to Fitzgerald’s mechanics, like opening his front toe more, keeping his upper body closed longer and developing a more consistent arm angle. These should allow his hips to move more freely and, just maybe, increase a career completion percentage (55.4) that falls below Moorhead’s preference. His last four starters, at Penn State and Fordham, have combined to complete about 65% of their passes. I think he’s got a very high ceiling as a passer, Moorhead says. We saw glimpses of that this spring.
Rams offensive lineman Jamon Brown suspended 2 games
We’ve got five guys that have been in this offense, that really know what we’re trying to get done when you look at Robert, you look at Cooper, Josh, Mike and Pharoh, McVay said. You feel really good about them.
Los Angeles is among the favorites to make a Super Bowl run this season after returning to the playoffs in 2017.
There’s no question the Browns are confident with their wide receiver room this offseason.
Jarvis Landry said in May that he is the best wide receiver in the NFL while Josh Gordon added to that notion saying the Browns have the best group of receivers in the league after the additions of Antonio Callaway and Landry.
Landry got a glimpse of what his new teammate Gordon can do on the field and he added to the theme of confidence surrounding the Browns’ wideouts, calling Gordon unstoppable.
The size that he has and his ability to be able to get in and out of cuts, I think that’s one of the most impressive things I’ve recognized and noticed about him, Landry said on The Jim Rowe Show, via Pro Football Talk.
The more he continues to hone in on that and grow as far as in route running, listen, the kid’s unstoppable.
When baseball started, they set players up in the positions they did because that’s where they thought the ball was going to be hit. You had the first baseman and the third basemen at the corners, the middle infielders and three outfielders. There was no rule that you had to have five guys on the dirt, a catcher and three outfielders. They just set it up that way because they said, ‘Hey, this is where we think we’re going to hit the ball.’ It’s the same thing that’s being done now.
The question everybody has to ask themselves is, ‘Why are we playing the game? What is the goal of the game?’ I think it’s to score more runs than the other team. That seems to be what organizations are trying to do. They’re going to set guys up there because they think, ‘This is going to help us prevent runs’ and ‘We’re going to try and attack the baseball in this way because we think it’s going to help us score runs.’ That’s the name of the game. I think this has been a long time in the making. It’s actually been quite impressive to watch how quickly teams have adapted to the data they’ve got.
The reason they shift you in the places they do is because that’s what your batted ball data says. I heard Joe Maddon say, ‘You have three choices: You can try to hit it and beat the shift. That’s going to give you a single, but now you’re doing something against what you’re best at, so the defense wins. You can hit into the shift, and the defense wins. Or you can try not to let the infielders catch the batted ball. No ground balls and no popups. Try to stand on second base.’ That’s Option C.
It happens so many times now, where a ball would have been in the 4-hole [between first and second base], but that isn’t there anymore. Or you hit a line drive up the middle, and the guy is standing there. It’s kind of the new norm.
LeBron James couldn’t beat the Warriors.
I once said in print that the XFL was going to be awesome. I don’t often reflect on the many things I put down in newspapers during my career in print sports writing. Sports happen so fast and so often that many events just get overwritten in my mind.
Unfortunately, there are a few times in which something I put down in print has come back to haunt me in my idle thoughts. Like the time a headline read XFL will be a hard, fast hit and had my smiling mug under it. I was working at the Kenai Peninsula-Clarion in Alaska at the time. My sports editor, Jeff Helminiak, probably could have stopped me. He probably SHOULD have stopped me. But, then I couldn’t be adding it to this list of really, really bad takes.
Despite very different personas, Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick have a lot in common. The two oldest coaches in the league are both Super Bowl-winning leaders with long, storied careers in the game. They’ve both earned paychecks signed by Patriots owner Robert Kraft. And, in the past week or so, they’ve both drawn criticism from former players.
He was aging, and Safeco Field was a notorious soul-sucker of a ballpark. Rereading this debacle of a prediction, I can’t fault the logic. But Cruz ended up being one of the best DHs the Mariners have ever had.
Heck, I’ll go so far to predict that Cruz will end his career as the best DH the Mariners have ever had.
I thought Virginia would beat UMBC in the first round of the 2018 NCAA tournament. [silent weeping] — Caroline Darney
Michigan State would win the 2016 national championship. I make instant NCAA tournament predictions minutes after the bracket drops for this fine website every single year. Sometimes it works out OK, like when I picked Villanova to win it all this past March. Sometimes it does not, as anyone who saw my 2016 bracket predictions will tell you.
Last year Dwayne Harris had a LTBE incentive that would have paid him if he finished the season with a punt return average of 10.0 yards or better.
For example, hitting a certain number of receptions or receiving yards, or playing in a specific percentage of the snaps are various LTBE incentives. If the player fails to meet such incentives, the team ends up with a year-end cap credit that is applied to the following year.
As we all know, Harris suffered a season-ending injury in Week 5, falling way short of that incentive. Hence, the Giants received a credit for that particular incentive since it was not earned at the end of the 2017 season which rolled into the 2018 cap.
There are also performance escalators which are put in place such as if a player ends up playing in a certain percentage of snaps.
When the current CBA was being negotiated, there was a concern that veterans who were maybe nearing the end of their careers might be squeezed out prematurely.
I honestly don’t think we were what our record was last year and I know it’s tough to understand that. Going 3-13, I think what we were, you would expect guys to come back down on themselves. That was just a humbling season for everybody. So, if anybody was on their high horse, they have no choice but to get down now and get back to the drawing board and work all over again, which is a good thing to see.
Harrison appears to be excited in this early stage of the offseason program with an optimistic look on much of what was going on, including a glowing review of rookie B.J. Hill.
It’s also important to note Harrison’s response to playing in the 3-4 scheme. He did play under Todd Bowles, who was the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals in 2013 and 2014 with James Bettcher as the linebackers coach. Bettcher moved up to defensive coordinator when Bowles left to take the head gig with the Jets in 2015. Bettcher then adapted Bowles’s attacking 3-4 and made it even more aggressive. Harrison’s best season came with the Giants and not under Bowles, but he was still a force on the defensive line with the Jets. That familiarity and Bettcher’s ability to adjust to players could make Harrison even more dangerous in the middle of the line, which should keep the happy vibes going and would be a nightmare for opposing offenses.
Boston Bruins July 6, 2018 July 6, 2018
Orlando Scandrick would love to play with Dez Bryant again
Wide receiver Dez Bryant said recently that the last problem he has is finding a team for the 2018 season, but the veteran remains unsigned since being released by the Cowboys this offseason.
Cornerback Orlando Scandrick, one of his former teammates in Dallas, said he’s a little bit surprised that Bryant hasn’t landed with a new team yet and suggested his current team when asked where he thinks Bryant would be a good fit.
Earning All-NBA honors this season will leave Damian Lillard waiting another year to become super max eligible. Lillard will need to be selected All-NBA again to be eligible for a $185 million extension in 2019, as opposed to two extra seasons now for a total of $80 million.
Despite the change in the 2017 collective bargaining agreement that saw rookie free-agent cap holds increase across the board, teams most likely will still play the waiting game when it comes to rookie extensions this summer. The 2015 draft class is still operating under the 2011 CBA, so the free-agent hold for a player like Devin Booker next offseason will be only $9.9 million. Had Booker been a first-round pick in 2017, his cap hold would be $15.9 million, costing the Suns a significant amount of cap room.
Sanders missed four games last year and caught 44 passes, which marked his lowest output since the 2012 season. The hope is that his productivity will rise with Case Keenum now at quarterback and that would certainly help Sanders’ efforts to prove his worth inside and outside of Denver.
Kershaw made only one start between May 2 and June 22. He initially went on the DL because of biceps tendinitis, then rejoined the rotation on May 31 and went right back on the DL because of a lower back strain the following day, making this the third straight year that his back has forced him to miss time.
In lieu of a traditional minor league rehab start, Kershaw pitched against the New York Mets at Citi Field on Saturday and gave up a couple of runs in three innings, expressing good health thereafter. On Thursday, he averaged 91.7 mph with his fastball — standard for this season — and generated 10 swinging strikes.
Davis is expected to return to the closer role Sunday.
Hernandez’s home run gave the Dodgers 55 in the month of June, to increase their franchise record for a month. The previous record of 53 was set in June of last season.
Rockies right-hander Chad Bettis (5-1, 5.07 ERA) will be back on the road where he excels, as his five road victories were tied for third in the National League at the start of play Saturday. Dodgers right-hander Ross Stripling (6-2, 1.98) has a loss and a no-decision in his past two starts following a six-start win streak.
Rodriguez’s performance came a night after Andrew Suarez allowed one run in six innings during San Francisco’s 2-1 series-opening victory. The NL West-leading Diamondbacks have managed just one run in the last 18 innings.
It’s big, Rodriguez said. They’re leading our division and we come in and shut them down. That’s big for our team and our pitching staff, gives us some momentum.
Brandon Crawford, Andrew McCutchen and Joe Panik homered on another rough night for Shelby Miller, who struggled in his second start since returning from Tommy John surgery.
Panik’s homer, off reliever Jimmie Sherfy in the eighth, was his first since April 3, a span of 162 at-bats.
Ainge said the team is looking at all possible upgrades this summer but doesn’t feel a need to find a specific type of player.
It’s easier when you have three [star] guys already that you’ve gotten from the years before and you got some budding stars in younger players that are progressing. So … we don’t really have a need. We have really good players.
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Posted by Luke Hickman - December 1, 2014
Weekend Box Office: Hungry for Seconds
As expected, ‘The Hunger Games’ repeated its box office victory for a second weekend over the Thanksgiving holiday. However, the film is still not living up to the success of its predecessor.
‘Mockingjay, Part 1‘ remained atop the charts even after dropping 53%, which is just about on par with the last installment (‘Catching Fire‘). The movie’s $56.8 million three-day weekend brought its ten-day domestic run up to $225.6 million. Overseas, ‘Mockingjay’ has earned $254.4 million, placing its worldwide total just $20 million away from the $500 million mark.
DreamWorks Animation suffered yet another blow with the debut of its new spin-off ‘Penguins of Madagascar‘. The $25.8 million ($36 million five-day total when you take into account Wednesday and Thursday) opening continues the studio’s downward trend of disappointments. To give those numbers some meaning, the prior ‘Madagascar’ movies respectively opened to $47.2 million, $63.1 million and $60.3 million. ‘Penguins’ isn’t off to a very good start.
With some of its thunder stolen away, ‘Big Hero 6‘ dropped to third place – but only after slipping a mere 6% in attendance. Its $18.7 million fourth weekend brings the film’s domestic run up to $167.2 million. Oddly, ‘Big Hero’ has yet to roll out the bulk of its international release.
Fourth place went to ‘Interstellar‘, which is also in its fourth week. Surprisingly, its take went up 3% in attendance by pulling in $15.8 million. To date, the space epic has grossed $147 million domestically and $395.2 million overseas.
Rounding out the Top 5 was the sequel ‘Horrible Bosses 2‘. Like ‘Penguins of Madagascar’, this franchise installment failed to live up to its series’ heights. The original ‘Horrible Bosses’ opened to $28.3 million, but the sequel was only able to earn slightly more than half that with $15.7 million ($23 million counting Wednesday and Thursday). I doubt we’ll see the trio back for a third.
As ‘The Theory of Everything‘ expanded to wide status, it climbed into the #7 spot with a very impressive $5 million from just 802 locations. As buzz for it continues, it’ll be fun to see how far the film can go.
Impressing even further was ‘The Imitation Game‘, which pulled in $482,000 on just four screens. The whopping $120,500 per-screen average is the second-best for 2014, only behind Wes Anderson’s ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’.
1. ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1’ (Lionsgate) – $56,875,000
2. ‘Penguins of Madagascar’ (Fox) – $25,800,000
3. ‘Big Hero 6’ (Buena Vista) – $18,770,000
4. ‘Interstellar’ (Paramount) – $15,800,000
5. ‘Horrible Bosses 2’ (Warner Bros.) – $15,700,000
6. ‘Dumb and Dumber To’ (Universal) – $8,295,000
7. ‘The Theory of Everything’ (Focus) – $5,082,000
8. ‘Gone Girl’ (Fox) – $2,470,000
9. ‘Birdman’ (Fox Searchlight) – $1,880,000
10. ‘St. Vincent’ (Weinstein) – $1,773,000
TagsBig Hero 6 Box Office Horrible Bosses Hunger Games Imitation Game Interstellar Penguins of Madagascar Thanksgiving Theory of Everything
About Luke Hickman
From a young age, Luke has been obsessed with film. He studied film at Utah Valley University from 2005-08 and he reviewed movies for the weekly student publication "The College Times"/"UVU Review." Luke critiques films for "The Stubbs Show" on 101.5FM KEGA and on The Reel Place, a website that he co-created with fellow High-Def Digest writer Aaron Peck.
View all posts by Luke Hickman →
One Man’s Trash: ThanksKilling
Weekend Box Office: On a High Note
Weekend Box Office: Keeping Quiet
Weekend Box Office: Let’s Get Rocked
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Posted by Josh Zyber - July 5, 2017
Off the Shelf: The Driver
Among the many car chase classics that Edgar Wright’s surprise hit ‘Baby Driver’ references and owes a notable debt to is Walter Hill’s 1978 heist thriller ‘The Driver’. The movie was released on Blu-ray by Twilight Time back in 2013. That limited edition disc has unfortunately since sold out and gone out of print, but I gave my copy a spin in preparation for watching Wright’s new film.
‘The Driver‘
Theatrical Release Date: July 28, 1978
Blu-ray Release Date: June 11, 2013 (Out of Print)
Directed by: Walter Hill
Starring: Ryan O’Neal, Bruce Dern, Isabelle Adjani
Budget: $4 million
Box Office Gross: $2.5 million
Blu-ray Special Features: Alternate opening, isolated score, theatrical trailer
Ryan O’Neal stars as the title character. He’s given no other name beyond “The Driver”… well, technically, the dogged cop on his trail sometimes calls him “Cowboy” too. Regardless, the point is that driving is both what he does and who he is. A renowned bank robbery getaway driver, he’s incredibly competent at his job, and expects the criminals he works with to be as capable and professional as he is. Unfortunately, not all meet that standard. He’s a man of few words with nerves of steel, and his ability to dodge the police after a job goes down is unparalleled. For the purposes of this movie’s plot, we don’t need to know any more about him than that, and we certainly aren’t given any more.
Bruce Dern is The Detective. (None of the characters in the movie have formal names.) He knows The Driver well and has an unhealthy obsession with bringing him down, but has been unable to find solid evidence or make any charges stick. Nonetheless, he’s cocksure that his own skills will eventually outmatch the Driver’s. In his mind, it’s only a matter of time. His unconventional methods and arrogant swagger make him unpopular with the other cops assigned to work for him.
By design, the film is a minimalist B-movie that clocks in at a brisk 91 minutes, and doesn’t waste a single one of them with unessential subplots or character building. Like its hero, the movie gets right to business and has no time for doddering around. Although Isabelle Adjani appears as a card dealer who gets wrapped up with The Driver following a heist on the casino where she works, no effort is expended developing a half-assed love story between the two characters. She’s only as important to him as what function or service she can offer him.
This was Walter Hill’s second feature film, and cemented his no-bullshit style of storytelling and directing. The movie has several car chases, all critical to the plot, none thrown in just for the sake of an action beat. They’re all efficiently staged and remarkably suspenseful without any unnecessarily fancy camera tricks or arty pretense.
At the time of the movie’s release, Ryan O’Neal was largely considered a pretty-boy actor of limited depth, best known for 1970’s schmaltzy ‘Love Story’. As a result, critics of the day accused him of being miscast as a tough guy action hero. The film’s deliberately minimal dialogue and character development probably didn’t help in that regard. Four decades of distance from some of that baggage puts his performance in a better context, and shows that O’Neal actually did a quite good job of delivering what Hill asked of him. His character is a cool customer who, by the necessity of his career, remains collected and unflappable no matter the circumstances thrown at him. The movie compensates for his lack of character depth by making Dern’s detective a much more colorful and quirky screen presence.
With only a limited theatrical release and no support from critics, ‘The Driver’ was a box office failure in its day. However, it found a cult audience among B-movie aficionados, especially after the home video revolution hit, and has proven very influential. Quentin Tarantino has cited it as one of his favorite movies. Edgar Wright uses it as a reference point with a few winks and nods in ‘Baby Driver’.
One of the movie’s biggest fans is Nicolas Winding Refn, who overtly copied large chunks of it (including the extended dialogue-free car chase that opens the picture) for his overrated 2011 ‘Drive‘. I was not a fan of that film. Like everything Refn does, it’s a superficial facsimile of other movies the director doesn’t particularly understand beyond thinking they’re “cool.” ‘Drive’ is a pretentious knockoff. Although not without its own influences (Jean-Pierre Melville’s ‘Le samouraï‘ is a clear one), within the first few minutes of screen time it’s obvious that ‘The Driver’ is the real deal.
The Blu-ray
Licensed from 20th Century Fox, Twilight Time’s Blu-ray for ‘The Driver’ features a satisfying video transfer all things considered. It may not be the type of eye candy you pull out to demo your home theater to friends, but the image (mildly letterboxed to 1.85:1) has pretty good detail and contrast for a low-budget film from the late 1970s. Much of the low-light photography is grainy and colors are a little flat. Many of the nighttime scenes have a green tint that may have been tealified a little. None of these are deal-breakers. It looks nice.
The soundtrack is DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 mono. It has limited dynamic range and some of the sound effects are a little shrill or dated (gunshots in particular sound canned), but the sound design of tires squealing and sirens blaring through the city at night is very evocative.
Extras consist of an alternate opening that was too talky and didn’t work at all, a trailer, an isolated score track (in stereo, and much louder and richer than the music in the movie’s soundtrack), and one of Twilight Time’s standard essays by Julie Kirgo.
Sadly, the Twilight Time disc is out of print and, at the time of this writing, I haven’t seen any sign of another distributor picking up the rights to the movie. I did a quick search for streaming options and didn’t find it at Netflix, VUDU or Amazon.
If all else fails, ‘The Driver’ was released on Blu-ray in the UK by Studio Canal. Some reviews I read suggest that the disc is largely similar to the Twilight Time copy. However, note that it’s locked to Region B playback. If you have a Blu-ray player that can handle that, the disc can be purchased at Amazon UK.
TagsBruce Dern From Silents to the Seventies Isabelle Adjani Off the Shelf Ryan O'Neal The Driver Twilight Time Walter Hill
About Josh Zyber
Josh Zyber is a veteran movie and video disc reviewer from Laserdisc to DVD and beyond. He's previously written for DVDFile.com, DVDTalk.com and Home Theater magazine. These days, he wastes most of his free time managing this blog and writing the occasional Blu-ray review for High-Def Digest.
View all posts by Josh Zyber →
Nineties Noir: The Last Seduction
Blu-ray Highlights: Week of July 14th, 2019 – Sol...
From Silents to the Seventies: Three Coins in the Fount...
The Crazy Eighties: Body Heat
Chris B
July 5, 2017 at 2:19 pm - Reply
I liked the car chases in The Driver but I found Drive to be a far more entertaining movie overall.
Timcharger
If you thought Josh is harsh on me, I made the mistake of pointing out some rationality against his arguments of hatred for Drive. Now you’ll know Josh’s wrath. Delete your pro-Drive comments. Save yourself.
photogdave
DVD is still available. I wonder how that looks?
July 6, 2017 at 5:00 am - Reply
I have the standard def DVD. It does the job. But those screenshots from the TT blu ray in this article look amazing.
Arturo Lugo
July 7, 2017 at 10:10 am - Reply
Drive is amazing. And while “The Driver” influence is there by all accounts (practically on the whole opening sequence), Refn doesn’t even try to hide it, so he’s very straightforward with that. Still, Drive offers much richer performances, a more engaging conundrum, a more realized vision, and don’t get me started on the soundtrack, which was the exploding point for a whole new generation of synthwave music. If it wasn’t for Drive, acts like Perturbator, Carpenter Brut, Dynatron, S U R V I V E, GoSt, and many many more would’ve never got released.
I may watch The Driver soon again, just to better catch those references in Baby Driver described in the article. But I don’t know when I’ll be doing it again. Drive, on the other hand, I’ll watch it every now and then, as a friend you like to visit as often as possible.
“Drive, on the other hand, I’ll watch it every now and then, as a friend you like to visit as often as possible.”
For a short visit from a “friend,” I like this clip.
http://forums.highdefdigest.com/blu-ray-software-general-discussion/122858-drive-high-def-digest-review-13.html#post2598791
July 10, 2017 at 7:10 am - Reply
The Driver is very good but Drive is better. I am not sure why the writer hates Drive so much when Drive is clearly one of the best films of the last 10 years. I am really not a fan of Only God Forgives or The Neon Demon though.
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Equatorial Guinea, with an estimated population of approximately one million, is nominally a multiparty constitutional republic. All branches of government were dominated by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has ruled since seizing power in a military coup in 1979, along with his clan from the majority Fang ethnic group and his political party the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE). On November 29, President Obiang was reelected with 95.37 percent of votes cast. The lopsided results and weak independent monitoring of the electoral process raised suspicions of systematic vote fraud. Foreign diplomatic observers noted numerous irregularities and the presence of military personnel at all voting stations. While civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of security forces, there were instances in which elements of the security forces acted independently.
The following human rights problems were reported: limited ability of citizens to change their government; unlawful killings by security forces; torture of detainees and prisoners by security forces; life-threatening conditions in prisons and detention facilities; official impunity; arbitrary arrest, detention, and incommunicado detention; harassment and deportation of foreign residents with limited due process; judicial corruption and lack of due process; restrictions on the right to privacy; restrictions on freedoms of speech, press, assembly, association, and movement; government corruption; violence and discrimination against women; suspected trafficking in persons; discrimination against ethnic minorities; and restrictions on labor rights.
Following a February 17 armed attack on the presidential palace, which was later blamed on a Nigerian rebel group, the government rounded up, arbitrarily arrested without warrant, and held without charge numerous persons, one of whom died from beatings during interrogation and two of whom were tortured.
There were no reports of government agents committing politically motivated killings; however, security forces committed arbitrary or unlawful killings during the year.
On February 17, eight Nigerian fishermen were detained for questioning regarding an armed assault on the Presidential Palace in Malabo the same day. Security officials also detained Afiong Etim, the wife of one of the fisherman, who subsequently died from beatings administered during interrogation. The eight fishermen were being held in Black Beach Prison awaiting trial at year's end. Two of 10 Equatoguineans also arrested in connection with the attack were being held in Black Beach Prison awaiting trial at year's end; the other eight were out on bail.
On September 15, four off-duty police officers beat to death Akeem Jimoh, a Nigerian legal resident, who reportedly refused to pay a bribe. Jimoh, who was on his way home from work, was stopped by three policemen who requested his identification papers. Jimoh telephoned a friend to bring the papers and subsequently presented them to the police, who became verbally abusive and demanded a bribe of 50,000 CFA francs ($115). After the friend's departure, Jimoh's body was found near the center of Malabo with a severe contusion to the head. Government officials claimed no witnesses had come forward to substantiate the beating but admitted the officers had attempted to extort money from a legal resident. The four officers, who claimed Jimoh was found unconscious at another location after running from police, were suspended from service and awaiting the results of an investigation at year's end.
There were no further developments in the following 2008 security force killings: the January police killing of an alleged illegal immigrant; the March death in detention of Ncogo Mbomio, a member of a banned political party, whose death Amnesty International (AI) claimed was a result of torture; the May police killing of a Malian citizen; and the December killing of a Cameroonian fisherman.
No further information was available on the 2007 torture death of Salvador Ndong Nguema, a member of the opposition Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS) party; the two security force members detained in connection with the killing were released and reassigned.
Disappearance
There were no reports of politically motivated disappearances during the year.
Former army colonel Cipriano Nguema Mba, who was abducted from Cameroon in October 2008 and secretly transported to Black Beach Prison in Malabo, remained in prison at year's end (see section 1.e.).
Florencio Ela Bibang, Antimo Edu Nchama, and Felipe Esono Ntutumu, all of whom were kidnapped in 2005 from foreign countries where they had refugee status, were confirmed by government sources as being held at Black Beach Prison at year's end (see section 1.e.).
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
The law prohibits such practices; however, security officials abused and tortured persons during the year. AI reported on May 28 that "suspected criminals continued to be tortured or otherwise ill treated with impunity in police stations." In September 2008 a government official told a foreign diplomat that despite efforts by a government human rights center to monitor detention facilities, beatings in jails across the country were a common occurrence due to a lack of training and political will to address the problem.
Following his November 2008 mission to the country to assess the use of torture in the penal system, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Manfred Nowak said police employed the "systematic use of torture" on detainees, including political prisoners and suspects of common crimes. Nowak, who observed a fully equipped torture room in the basement of the Bata Central Police Station, documented police abuse, corroborated by a medical expert, including beatings to the soles of the feet and buttocks with batons, solid rubberized cables, and wooden bars; electric shocks with starter cables attached to different parts of the body with alligator clips; and various forms of suspension with hands and feet tied together for prolonged periods while security officials beat victims as they swung back and forth.
Nowak underlined the inhuman treatment of political prisoners in Black Beach Prison, where he stated they had been held in solitary confinement for up to four years without being allowed the one hour of exercise per day required by international minimum standards. Political prisoners generally were held in leg irons for almost the entire duration of their imprisonment. The UN mission led by Nowak also found immigrants ran an increased risk of physical abuse in police cells.
Following a February armed attack on the presidential palace, the government rounded up, arbitrarily arrested without warrant, and held without charge 10 Popular Union (UP) members, at least two of whom were tortured. Eight were later released, but two remained in Black Beach Prison awaiting trial at year's end.
Foreigners, primarily illegal immigrants from other African countries, were harassed, intimidated, and arbitrarily arrested and detained (see section 1.d.). Foreign diplomats, primarily those from African countries, also complained police harassed, abused, and assaulted them and their family members, even after victims displayed their diplomatic documents. In one case a foreign diplomat reported when he came to the aid of his wife, who was being arrested by police, he was beaten with the butt of a rifle. The government had not responded to formal protests against such incidents filed by foreign diplomats by year's end.
No action was taken during the year against officials at the Malabo Central Police Station who in 2008 reportedly beat at least two former members of the banned opposition Progress Party of Equatorial Guinea (PPGE) to force confessions.
According to government officials and a private foreign firm working closely with the military on training programs, during the year a military court convicted at least one member of the security forces in connection with the torture of Jaime Ndong Edu, a CPDS member, by deputy police commissioner Donato Abogo Menden in 2007.
During the year the 12 police officers suspended as a result of their role in assaulting and looting Cameroonian immigrants following a 2007 bank robbery in Bata were dismissed. In 2007 security forces and citizens assaulted and looted the possessions of up to 8,000 Cameroonian immigrants, hundreds of whom sought refuge in the Cameroonian Embassy in Malabo and the consulate in Bata. The Cameroonian Government was forced to airlift several of their nationals out of the country. The government had not responded to requests for financial compensation filed by Cameroonian nationals impacted by the looting by year's end.
Prisons did not meet international standards, although there were some improvements during the year. Following his November 2008 mission to the country to assess the use of torture in the penal system, UN Special Rapporteur Manfred Nowak noted the use of prolonged solitary confinement, insufficient food, and poor sanitary conditions.
With the exception of the newly renovated jails in Bata and Malabo, conditions in police station jails and other detention centers were harsh and sometimes life threatening. Holding cells were overcrowded and dirty, and detainees very rarely had access to medical care, exercise, or mattresses. Diseases, including malaria and HIV/AIDS, were serious problems. Food was usually provided by detainees' families or fellow detainees, and access to potable water was severely restricted. Most detainees had no access to toilets and resorted to plastic bottles or plastic bags instead.
Detained illegal immigrants pending deportation were held in police cells without food or water for lengthy periods since most had no relatives nearby. In February 2008 the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which visited the country in 2007, expressed concern over the lengthy arbitrary detentions of illegal immigrants and recommended the government make significant efforts to ensure foreigners received access to consular officials and establish reasonable periods of maximum detention; however, foreign embassies reported conditions for illegal detainees remained the same during the year.
Unlike in the previous year, female prisoners were generally separated from male prisoners, and juveniles were generally separated from adults; however, there were exceptions. For example, in April a foreign woman detained in the Bata jail claimed she was held with male, female, and juvenile inmates. Pretrial detainees were held together with convicted prisoners.
Neither the judicial system nor the police had an adequate, effective system to register cases or track prisoners.
The government sometimes permitted independent monitoring of conditions in the country's three prisons, 12 jails, and numerous holding cells in smaller localities. According to government officials, meetings were held during the year with representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to discuss reopening an ICRC office in the country. However, authorities regularly prevented monitoring of certain parts of prisons and other detention facilities, particularly military detention facilities.
Government officials confirmed two ICRC officials were allowed to visit Malabo's Black Beach Prison on June 18 and 19; the ICRC closed its Bata office and suspended such visits in March 2008 after the government refused to grant access to some prisoners.
In November 2008 government authorities denied the team of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture access to military detention facilities at the Cogo and Ela military camps, effectively preventing investigation into allegations of torture and secret detentions; follow-up access to the central police stations in Malabo and Bata was also denied. According to Nowak, during the UN monitoring mission, security force members threatened and intimidated UN monitoring officials, pointing guns at them as they tried to gain access to detention facilities. In a January 22 letter in response to the Nowak accusations, the government said it regretted the lack of cooperation it had shown to Nowak during his visit.
During the year the government made efforts to improve prison conditions. As a result of renovations completed in July, prisoner cells and the exercise yard at the Malabo city jail--which was singled out for criticism by Nowak--were larger and better ventilated. The government also hung antitorture posters at airports and border crossings. Minister of National Security Obama Schama also met with all police commissioners to underscore the illegality of mistreating prisoners.
The law prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention; however, security forces frequently arrested or detained persons arbitrarily and without due legal process. A February 2008 report by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention expressed concern both police and gendarmes frequently ordered arrests and detentions without legal authorization. Secret detentions reportedly occurred.
The police are generally responsible for security in the cities, while gendarmes are responsible for security outside the cities and for special events; both report to the minister of national security. Military personnel, who report to the minister of defense, also fulfilled police functions in border areas, sensitive sites, and high-traffic areas. In addition there were police elements within the ministries of Interior (border and traffic police), Finance (customs police), and Justice (investigative/prosecuting police). Presidential security officials also exercised police functions in the vicinity of the president and presidential facilities. Foreign contractors continued to work with the government to consolidate and organize security structures within the country.
Police remained under funded and poorly trained, and corruption and impunity were problems, although less so than in previous years. Security forces continued to extort money from citizens and immigrants, although the number of such incidents significantly decreased during the year. There was no internal investigation unit within the police, and mechanisms to investigate allegations of abuse were poorly developed.
The government recognized the need for professional improvement of the police and continued to support a broad training program. A foreign contractor continued to train police officers and their leaders on human rights, prevention of trafficking in persons, rule of law, appropriate use of force, and a code of ethics. Evidence and feedback from expatriates, citizens, and community leaders indicated improvement in performance in human rights and professional conduct, particularly among younger officers who received training.
The constitution requires arrest warrants, except in cases in which a suspect is caught committing a crime. Unlike in previous years, there were no reports some persons were taken into custody on the verbal orders of officials. A detainee has the right to a judicial determination of the legality of the detention within 72 hours of arrest, excluding weekends and holidays; however, such detentions were often longer, occasionally several months. The law provides for detainees to be promptly informed of the charges against them; however, authorities did not respect this right in practice. Some foreign detainees complained they were detained and subsequently deported without knowledge of the charges against them. Although a bail system and public defenders--supplied by the bar association, which receives funding from the government--were available upon request, the public was largely unaware of either, and neither system operated effectively.
The law provides for family visits and prohibits incommunicado detention; however, use of incommunicado detention and denial of family visits were serious problems (see section 1.c.). According to the February 2008 report by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, lawyers did not have access to police stations and could not contact detainees while they were held there; police superintendents interviewed by the working group stated they did not see the need for or advisability of such access.
Police periodically raided immigrant ghettoes, local stores, and restaurants to apprehend illegal immigrants; however, reliable sources reported that many legal, as well as illegal, immigrants were abused, extorted, or detained during such raids. Police often used excessive force to detain and deport detainees, and almost all foreign embassies in the country criticized the government during the year for its harassment, abuse, extortion, and detention without representation of foreign nationals. Many detainees complained about the bribes required for release from detention.
The government arbitrarily arrested a journalist during the year (see section 2.a.).
Lengthy pretrial detention remained a problem, and a significant number of those incarcerated were pretrial detainees; however, the number of pretrial detainees was unavailable due to poor record keeping. Inefficient judicial procedures, corruption, lack of monitoring, and inadequate staffing contributed to the problem.
On November 3, the president pardoned Simon Mann (see section 1.e.).
The constitution and law provide for an independent judiciary; however, the government did not respect this provision in practice, and the judiciary was not independent, according to UN officials and local and international human rights advocates. Judges serve at the pleasure of the president and were appointed, transferred, and dismissed for political as well as competency reasons. Judicial corruption was widely reported, and cases were sometimes decided on political grounds.
The court system is composed of lower provincial courts, two appeals courts, a military tribunal, and the Supreme Court. The president appoints the members of the Supreme Court, who reportedly took instructions from him. The Supreme Council of the Judicial Power appoints and controls judges. President Obiang is president of the Supreme Council, and the president of the Supreme Court is the vice president of the Supreme Council.
The military justice system did not provide defendants with the same rights as the civil criminal court system. The code of military justice states persons who disobey a military authority, or are alleged to have committed an offense considered to be a "crime against the state," should be judged by a military tribunal, with limited due process and procedural safeguards, regardless of whether the defendant is civilian or military. A defendant may be tried without being present, and the defense does not have a guaranteed right to cross-examine an accuser. Such proceedings are not public, and the defendants do not have a right of appeal to a higher court. According to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, "judges and defenders in military courts were not lawyers or jurists, but military officials with no legal training."
Tribal elders adjudicated civil claims and minor criminal matters in traditional courts in the countryside. These adjudications were conducted according to tradition and did not afford the same rights and privileges as the formal system. Those dissatisfied with traditional judgments could appeal to the civil court system.
By law a defendant enjoys the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Many trials for ordinary crimes are public, but juries were seldom used. Defendants have the right to be present at their trials but rarely were able to consult promptly with attorneys, unless they could afford private counsel. An accused person who cannot afford a lawyer is entitled to ask the government to provide one, but only if the accused is summoned to appear in court, and defendants were not routinely advised of this right. The country's bar association was available to defend indigent defendants; however, there remained a serious shortage of lawyers, and there continued to be no effective system of court-appointed representation. The law provides for defendants to confront and question witnesses and present their own witnesses and evidence; however, this right was seldom enforced in practice. By law the accused has the right to appeal; however, legal appeals were not common due to lack of adequate legal representation and ignorance of constitutional rights.
It was difficult to estimate the number of persons detained or imprisoned for exercising their political rights, in part because authorities did not maintain reliable prisoner lists or allow comprehensive independent monitoring of detention facilities.
At the end of 2008, 39 persons were incarcerated for offenses relating to the exercise of political rights; all were members of opposition parties, mainly banned parties, or persons the government accused of involvement in alleged coup attempts. Of those convicted, most were charged with "crimes against the state." Some were convicted by military courts without respect for due process, and some were tried summarily without the right to appeal their sentences, according to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
Following the February 17 attack on the Presidential Palace in Malabo, 10 members of the UP party were arrested and detained. Eight of the 10 were released on bail, but UP members Marcelino Nguema and Santiago Asumu remained in Black Beach Prison awaiting trial at year's end.
Former army colonel Cipriano Nguema Mba, who in October 2008 was abducted from Cameroon where he was recognized as a refugee and secretly transported to Black Beach Prison in Malabo, remained in prison at year's end. In a 2004 military trial, Nguema was convicted of treason in absentia and sentenced to 30 years' imprisonment for allegedly plotting a coup and leaving the country with government funds. In addition the government continued to detain other political prisoners whom government agents had kidnapped from neighboring countries in recent years, according to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention recommended in February 2008 the adoption by the government of necessary measures to put an immediate end to secret detentions. In addition to Juan Ondo Abaga, who was released from Black Beach Prison in June 2008, the group cited the continuing secret detentions of Florencio Ela Bibang, Felipe Esono Ntumu, and Antimo Edu Nchama, all of whom were kidnapped in foreign countries where they had refugee status, tortured, and convicted of treason in a military tribunal. Bibang, Ntumu, and Nchama were believed to remain in Black Beach Prison, where they were denied access to lawyers or their families.
In July 2008 a court convicted and sentenced to six years' imprisonment five former members of the banned PPGE political party--Cruz Obiang Ebele, Emiliano Esono Micha, Gerardo Angue Mangue, Gumersindo Ramirez Faustino, and Juan Ecomo Ndong--on charges of belonging to a banned party, holding illegal meetings, attempting to overthrow the government, and arms smuggling. Police arbitrarily arrested the five individuals in March 2008, along with another former PPGE member, Bonifacio Nguema Ndong, who the court absolved after the discovery of weapons in the trunk of a car being imported to the country from Spain. According to AI, authorities arrested the five without warrant, forced them to sign statements they had not made, beat at least two of the men, held them incommunicado without access to a lawyer until five days before the trial, and failed to produce evidence they had been in possession of the weapons.
The five men were found guilty in the same trial as Simon Mann, although the charges against them were unrelated to the events for which Mann was tried. Mann, a British citizen who pled guilty to plotting a coup in 2004, was pardoned by the president on November 2 and released.
In February 2008 the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention recommended the government draft a new criminal code; establish an independent judiciary; prompt judges and law officers to make periodic visits to prisons and police detention centers; limit the jurisdiction of military courts to military offenses committed by armed forces personnel; extend human rights training to judges, law officers of all grades, security force members, and the Office of the Attorney General; guarantee lawyers free access to police stations and prisons; and guarantee the resources for the effective functioning of the judiciary, prison, and police detention system. The government stated it lacked the internal capacity to institute such changes.
Civil matters can be settled out of court, and in some cases tribal elders adjudicated local disputes. Courts were increasingly engaged in ruling on civil cases brought before them, some of which involved human rights complaints. Many international companies doing business in the country operated with mediation clauses, which were occasionally activated. Resulting resolutions were generally respected.
The constitution and law prohibit such actions, but the government often did not respect these prohibitions in practice. Security forces violated homes and arrested suspected dissidents, criminals, foreign nationals, and others--often without judicial orders, which are not required for certain officials to enter and search homes--and confiscated their property with impunity.
Government informers reportedly monitored opposition members, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and journalists. Most residents and journalists believed the government monitored telephone calls.
The law provides for restitution or compensation for the taking of private property; however, the government seldom provided equitable compensation or alternate housing when it forced persons from their homes or land. Individuals may hold property title to pieces of land, but the state has full power of eminent domain, which it often exercised in the interests of development. During the year regeneration of the main cities continued to result in forced evictions. Scores of families were forcibly evicted from their homes to make room for roads and luxury housing developments, especially in Malabo and Bata. The local Red Cross, Catholic Church, human rights lawyers, and opposition members expressed concerns about the displacement of poor communities.
The constitution and law provide for freedom of speech and press; however, the Law on the Press, Publishing, and Audiovisual Media grants extensive powers to authorities to restrict the activities of the media, and the government continued to limit these rights in practice.
While criticism of government policies was allowed, individuals could not criticize the president, his family, other high-ranking officials, or the security forces without fear of reprisal, and the government reportedly attempted to impede criticism by continuing to monitor the activities of the political opposition, journalists, and others. Since 2007 some journalists have covered topics previously considered to be off limits, including mild criticism of institutions for lack of progress on economic development issues and government inefficiency, but the country's media remained weak and under government influence or control, and journalists practiced self-censorship.
Government publications included Ebano, a biweekly newspaper published by the Ministry of Information, Tourism and Culture, and the monthly La Gaceta de Guinea Ecuatorial newspaper. Independent publications included the bimonthly newspaper El Correo, opposition newspapers La Opinion and El Tiempo, and privately owned publications El Sol, La Nacion, Hola, Ceiba, El Ape, La Verdad, and La Voz Del Pueblo.
Starting a new periodical requires a complicated process governed by an ambiguous law and was often inhibited by government bureaucracy. In addition accreditation is cumbersome for both local and foreign journalists, who must register with the Ministry of Information.
Only one international news agency had a regular stringer present in the country, and government agents reportedly followed and surveilled stringers for foreign media. Some international media were not able to operate freely in the country during the year, and the government refused to issue visas to Spanish journalists from major media organizations prior to the November 29 presidential election (see section 3). International newspapers or news magazines were generally not available in rural markets due, at least in part, to their high price and the low rate of literacy in rural areas; however, international magazines and newspapers were increasingly being sold in a number of grocery stores in Malabo and Bata.
On July 17, police arrested Rodrigo Angue Nguema, the Malabo correspondent of Agence France-Presse and Radio France Internationale, for defamation and reporting false information. Nguema had written an article accusing Mamadou Jaye, the executive head of the national airline Ceiba, of embezzling 3.5 billion CFA francs ($7.64 million) and fleeing the country, a story he subsequently retracted after learning that his source had provided false information. Despite publishing a retraction, Nguema was tried on September 1 for defamation; on October 15, he was released after serving nearly four months in prison. Jaye, the airline executive who brought the case, sued Nguema for 5 million euros ($7.06 million), the amount he was alleged to have embezzled in Nguema's retracted report. Reporters without Borders (RSF) called the detention "disproportionate punishment" for defamation and called for authorities to amend legislation to prevent sentences of such severity.
The law allows the government considerable authority to restrict press activities through official prepublication censorship. The law also establishes criminal, civil, and administrative penalties for violation of its provisions, in particular when it comes to violations of the 19 "publishing principles" in Article 2 of the Law on the Press, Publishing, and Audiovisual Media.
Many of the legal and administrative obstacles criticized by international press freedom advocacy groups continued to pose significant problems for the country's media. For example there continued to be a lack of adequate government investment in infrastructure necessary for the development of strong independent media, including printing presses and newspaper retailers, and there was little evidence the government encouraged--on a nondiscriminatory basis--public advertising in locally printed media. During 2008 one journalist, a member of the National Press Association, equated this lack of investment by the government to "economic censorship" and expressed deep concern over the lack of training opportunities for local journalists, despite the country's recent exceptional economic growth.
The government owned a national radio and television broadcast system, RTVGE. The president's eldest son owned the only private broadcast media. Satellite broadcasts increasingly were available.
In the absence of any independent radio or television, coverage of the presidential campaign for the November 29 election was largely one-sided. Noting the low level of of attention state media paid to opposition activities, RSF said the president was "expected to get close to 100 percent of the vote, which is about the same as the share of media coverage he received." The state radio and TV broadcaster RTVGE organized no debate and covered only a few opposition activities or meetings.
On January 12, Deputy Information Minister Purita Opo Berila announced the dismissal of journalists David Ndong, Miguel Eson Ona, Cirilo Nsue, and Casiano Ndong, who were employed by RTVGE, for "insubordination" and "lack of enthusiasm." Citing local sources, RSF claimed the dismissals were due to the four journalists failing to praise the government's "merits." The organization noted state media employees were expected to relay government propaganda, were regarded as state employees, and had no legal protection or union representation to defend their actions or represent them in a disagreement with the government.
The Catholic Church applied to establish a radio station in 2007, but the government had not granted authorization by year's end.
Foreign channels were not censored, were broadcast throughout the country, and included Radio France International, BBC, and Radio Exterior, the international short-wave service from Spain.
There were no government restrictions on access to the Internet or reports the government monitored e-mail or Internet chat rooms. Individuals and groups could engage in the peaceful expression of views via the Internet, including by e-mail. Most overt criticism of the government came from the country's community in exile, and the Internet had replaced broadcast media as the primary way opposition views were expressed and disseminated. Exiled citizens' sites were not blocked. According to International Telecommunication Union statistics for 2008, approximately 1.8 percent of the country's inhabitants used the Internet.
There were no official restrictions on academic freedom or cultural events; however, in past years some qualified professionals lost their teaching positions because of their political affiliation or critical statements reported to government officials by students in their classes. Most professors reportedly practiced self-censorship to avoid problems. Cultural events required coordination with the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.
Members of opposition political parties and faculty members complained of government interference in the hiring of teachers, continued employment of unqualified teachers, and pressure to give passing grades to failing students with connections. Teachers with political connections but no experience or accreditation were hired, even though they seldom appeared at the classes they purportedly taught. No teacher's union existed to defend the rights of teachers, and teaching positions were available only to PDGE members.
The constitution and law provide for the right of assembly; however, the government restricted this right, largely through limits on freedom of association, which made it difficult for organizations that had not gained legal authorization to operate and hold meetings legally. Although the government formally abolished permit requirements for political party meetings within party buildings, opposition parties were expected to inform authorities if they wished to hold gatherings outside of their headquarters. The government required notification for public events such as meetings or marches. According to foreign donors and members of local civil society groups, in light of coup attempts in recent years, the government continued to view some informal meetings by associations as security threats.
Local officials impeded opposition attempts to campaign in regions loyal to the president (see section 3).
The constitution and law provide for freedom of association, but the government significantly restricted this right in practice. All political parties, labor unions, and other associations must register with the government. To date only one labor organization had been registered. The law prohibits the formation of political parties along ethnic lines, and several political parties remained banned (see section 3). The registration process for NGOs was costly, burdensome, opaque, and sometimes took years to complete (see section 4). During the year foreign donors continued to urge the government to review and reform the legal regime governing the establishment of NGOs. Many associations, including several women's groups focused on economic development, were unable to gain authorization or registered status from the government.
The constitution and law provide for freedom of religion, and the government generally respected this right. There were no reports government officials monitored religious services.
The law gives official preference to the Catholic Church and the Reform Church of Equatorial Guinea because of their traditional roots and historical influence in social and cultural life. A Roman Catholic Mass was normally part of any major ceremonial function or holiday. Long-established Catholic schools received the same benefits from the state as public schools.
A religious organization must be formally registered with the Ministry of Justice, Religion, and Penal Institutions to operate. Approval could take several years, due primarily to bureaucratic slowness rather than policy; however, the lack of clearly defined registration procedures remained an issue.
Religious study was optional in public schools but required in parochial schools and was usually, but not exclusively, Catholic.
The Jewish community was extremely small; there were no reports of anti-Semitic acts.
For a more detailed discussion, see the 2009 International Religious Freedom Report at www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf.
The law provides for freedom of movement within the country, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation. However, the government restricted these rights in practice.
During the year there were no cases in which the government cooperated with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, which had no local office, or other humanitarian organizations in assisting refugees and asylum seekers.
Police at roadblocks routinely checked passing travelers and occasionally engaged in petty extortion, although reports of such practices declined during the year. Observers attributed the decline to increased training and to the hiring of younger, better educated officers. Frequent roundups of illegal immigrants also occurred at roadblocks. The government claimed roadblocks impeded illegal immigration, mercenary activities, and attempted coups; however, roadblocks also restricted travel.
The law prohibits forced internal or external exile; however, the government did not respect this in practice. Following the granting of pardons to political prisoners in June 2008, the government required several of them to return to and remain in their villages of origin. Several members of banned political parties remained in self-imposed exile.
The country is a party to the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 protocol, as well as to the 1969 African Union Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of the Refugee Problem in Africa; however, the government has not established a system for providing protection to refugees.
In practice the government provided some protection against the expulsion or return of persons to countries where their lives or freedom would be threatened. However, in October 2008 Cameroonian police officers reportedly illegally arrested former Equatoguinean army colonel Cipriano Nguema Mba in Cameroon, where he was recognized as a refugee, and handed him over to the country's embassy in Cameroon, from where he was secretly transported to Black Beach Prison (see section 1.e.).
The government provided temporary humanitarian protection to individuals who may not qualify as refugees under the 1951 convention and its 1967 protocol.
The constitution and law provide citizens the right to change their government peacefully; however, despite continued improvements in the electoral process during the year, this right continued to be extremely limited, partly as a result of the dominance of the ruling PDGE party.
On November 29, President Obiang was reelected, winning 95.37 percent of votes cast; opposition candidate Placido Mico of the CPDS won 3.55 percent of the vote. The lopsided results and weak independent monitoring of the electoral process raised the suspicion of systematic voting fraud. Few international election observers monitored the country's 1,289 polling stations as a result of the government's insistence on coordinating their movement, prohibition on criticism, and control of media access. Procedural irregularities at some polling stations included multiple voting, failure to respect secrecy of the vote, and the absence of a posted list of registered candidates. At some stations voters were allowed to vote for family members, unregistered voters were allowed to vote, and ballot boxes were unsealed. Soldiers were deployed to all polling stations.
On October 16, President Obiang announced the election would be on November 29, with campaigning to begin officially on November 5; according to the constitution, a presidential election should be called at least 45 days before the end of the president's term of 30 days thereafter. According to Human Rights Watch, the tight election timetable and the government's refusal to make the voter rolls public severely limited the opposition's ability to campaign and win support. The voter registration process, an important part of the preparations for elections in the country, was seriously flawed. The registration committee was composed primarily of PDGE members and routinely decided issues in favor of the PDGE. When registering a PDGE member, the committee registered all members of the family as PDGE voters, including children. Persons who were dead, underage, or living abroad were included as PDGE registrants.
No independent and impartial body existed to oversee the electoral process or consider election-related complaints. The National Electoral Commission, which was separate from the voter registration committee and charged with ensuring the fairness of the elections and handling formal post-election complaints, was controlled by the ruling party and headed by the interior minister, a prominent member of the party. While its membership included a representative of each political party that fielded candidates, it also included representatives from the government, lacked civil society representation, and a majority of its members were ruling party officials. The opposition CPSD party claimed one of its electoral officials was forced with a pistol held to his head to sign off on a vote count.
Opposition party members and candidates operated at a significant disadvantage when attempting to gain voter support. On the whole, opposition parties and their candidates were poorly organized, poorly financed, and lacked public support. Because of quasi-mandatory collection of dues and other contributions, the ruling party had greatly disproportionate funding available, including for gifts to potential voters. Several peaceful political parties banned in recent years were not allowed to participate in the elections. The government denied the opposition equal access to the media. Opposition members and leaders also claimed the government monitored their activities.
Unlike in the previous year, no opposition members were arbitrarily arrested, detained, or tortured; however, opposition candidates were harassed and intimidated during the presidential campaign.
For example, on November 14, a parish priest in the town of Ayene stopped CPDS candidate Placido Mico from holding a rally in the town square in front of the church because, according to the priest, the square was owned by the church. The local chief of police interceded on the priest's behalf and ordered the candidate and his supporters out of the square. The police chief also reportedly ordered local youths to strip campaign posters from the party's own vehicle and brandished a gun while threatening Mico and his supporters. CPDS officials claimed PDGE members assaulted CPDS members.
On November 19, in the town of Aconibe, in President Obiang's home province of Wele-Nzas, security forces, PDGE members, and villagers assaulted supporters of the opposition UP party and its presidential candidate Archivaldo Montero Biribe. Police officials reportedly told UP supporters they were not welcome to rally in the town because all of its inhabitants supported President Obiang. UP party president Daniel Martinez, who sought the intervention of Interior Minister Clemente Nguema, reported he was told "this is Africa, what else do you expect and what do you expect me to do about it?" After receiving the same treatment in the adjacent town of Nsork, UP leaders stopped campaigning in the province. CPDS leaders and the Popular Action Party reported similar treatment in the province, where they also ceased campaigning.
The ruling PDGE party ruled through a complex arrangement built around family, clan, and ethnic loyalties. Indirect pressure for public employees to join the PDGE continued. Opposition party members continued to report they had been discriminated against in hiring, job retention, scholarships, and obtaining business licenses. During the year individuals contended government pressure precluded opposition members from obtaining jobs with foreign companies. Opposition party members claimed businesses found to have hired employees with direct links to families, individuals, parties, or groups out of favor with the government were often forced to dismiss employees or face recrimination.
During the year the government reportedly warned the spouse of an opposition party leader to join the PDGE (presumably to embarrass the opposition leader) or lose her position. The spouse refused to join the PDGE and was fired.
The three legal opposition parties faced restrictions on freedoms of speech, association, and assembly (see sections 2.a. and 2.b.). Some political parties that existed before the 1992 law establishing procedures to legalize political parties remained banned, generally for "supporting terrorism."
During the year the CPDS stated it had no plans to restart a radio station, but it reserved the right to do so in the future. In August 2008, after informing the government in writing of its intention to set up a radio station, the opposition CPDS party began testing its equipment. The government subsequently ordered the CPDS to cease transmitting, raided the station, and seized materials.
The president, who may serve an unlimited number of six-year terms, exercised strong powers as head of state, commander of the armed forces, head of the judiciary, and founder and head of the ruling party. In general leadership positions within government were restricted to the president's party or the coalition of "loyal opposition" parties. Because the ruling party overwhelmingly dominated the commissions established to review electoral practices and recommend reforms, few changes were made. The minister of the interior was appointed to act as president of the national electoral commission.
The government did not overtly limit participation of minorities in politics; however, the predominant Fang ethnic group, estimated to constitute more than 85 percent of the population, continued to exercise strong political and economic power.
Laws provide severe criminal penalties for official corruption; however, the government did not implement these laws effectively, and officials frequently engaged in corrupt practices with impunity. Corruption continued to be a severe problem. No corruption cases were prosecuted during the year.
The president and members of his inner circle continued to amass huge personal profits from the oil windfall. According to Human Rights Watch, Teodorin Obiang, the president's son, spent more on luxury goods during 2004-2007 than the government's 2005 budget for education; purchases included a $35 million mansion, a $37 million jet, and luxury cars worth at least $2.6 million. President Obiang claimed information on oil revenues was a "state secret" and resisted calls for transparency and accountability. According to international NGO Global Witness, the government has not disclosed the location of more than two billion dollars in public funds.
In December 2008 anticorruption activist groups, including the French chapter of AI, filed a lawsuit in Paris against President Obiang and two other African heads of state, accusing them of acquiring luxury homes in France with embezzled public funds. The plaintiffs stated there was "no doubt that these assets could not have been acquired solely with the salaries and benefits of these heads of state."
Also in December 2008, a Spanish human rights group filed a formal complaint with anticorruption public prosecutors in Spain, claiming members of President Obiang's family and high-ranking political officials close to the president had illegally embezzled 12.7 billion CFA francs ($27.73 million) from a state petrol company to buy homes in Spain and had laundered these public funds between 2000 and 2003 in foreign banks. According to media reports, Spain's anticorruption prosecutor had begun investigating allegations against these individuals at year's end.
Officials by law must declare their assets, although no declarations were published publicly. There was no requirement for officials to divest themselves of business interests in potential conflict with official responsibilities, and no law prohibiting conflict of interest. Most ministers continued to moonlight and conduct businesses they conflated with their government responsibilities. For example, the minister of justice had his own private law firm, and the minister of transport and communications was director of the board and owned shares in the parastatal airline and the national telephone company.
The presidency and Prime Minister's Office were the lead agencies for anticorruption efforts. A number of ministers were reportedly replaced following the May 2008 elections as a result of corrupt practices.
During the year the government made additional progress toward meeting objectives required to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a multinational civil society initiative to encourage transparency and accountability in extractive industries, developing an approved work plan and achieving candidate status. However, there remained significant challenges in meeting EITI requirements concerning the development of civil society, and there continued to be lack of transparency in the extractive industries.
In October 2008 the government began disbursing funds for social projects under the social development fund (SDF), a mechanism developed jointly with a foreign donor designed to enhance the transparency of social spending in line with international development norms. Irregularities in handling the funds occurred during the year. For example, funds for selected projects were deposited in the purported bank accounts of various ministries; however, critics charged the accounts actually belonged to the ministers who headed those ministries, thus placing the funds under their direct personal control. One minister reportedly ignored the bids of companies responding to an open solicitation and selected a company he owned, although his company had not submitted a bid; the minister claimed his company was eligible to accept SDF money from the account he controlled.
The law did not provide for public access to government information, and citizens and noncitizens, including foreign media, were generally unable to access government information. A lack of organized record keeping, archiving, and public libraries also limited access.
The law restricts NGO activity, and the few existing domestic human rights NGOs focused on development issues involving social and economic rights, such as health and elder care. Although the law includes human rights among the areas in which NGOs may operate, no NGO reported publicly on the abuse of civil or political rights by the government or on official corruption. In 2008 the government met with domestic NGO representatives to enhance cooperation on efforts to adhere to the transparency principles of EITI. Despite this increased cooperation, the government's attitude toward domestic and international NGOs working in or reporting on the country generally remained "not friendly," according to a foreign diplomat charged with evaluating the status of civil society in the country. Government restrictions, including burdensome registration requirements and lack of capacity to manage and provide the public with information, continued to impede the activities and development of domestic civil society. There were few international human rights NGOs resident in the country, and they generally focused on social and economic rights, not civil and political rights.
The government cooperated to varying degrees with international organizations such as the ICRC and the UN. According to government officials, meetings were held during the year with representatives of the ICRC to discuss reopening an ICRC office in the country. The ICRC had suspended prison visits in March 2008 after the government refused to grant access to some prisoners (see section 1.c.).
During the year the government categorically rejected the 2008 report on detention facilities by UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Manfred Novak. Novak reported torture appeared to reflect a state-endorsed method of obtaining evidence and confessions, and a culture of total impunity allowed torture to continue unabated (see section 1.c.). Nowak noted not one conviction for torture could be found in court records and officers known for resorting to torture were able to establish successful careers in the security forces. He also cited "the non-functioning of the administration of justice and, therefore, the absence of the rule of law." Nowak recommended the government undertake "profound reform" of its laws, penal system, and judicial and law enforcement institutions. He also recommended the government establish effective monitoring and accountability mechanisms to combat torture and foreign diplomats in Malabo conduct regular monitoring visits to detention facilities. UN officials also recommended the international community, including transnational corporations, ensure they were not complicit in human rights abuses in their business practices and development activities.
The primary organization with some responsibility for human rights, the National Commission for Human Rights (CNDH), was dependent on and heavily influenced by the government and suffered serious funding, staff, and institutional limitations. It did not investigate human rights complaints or keep statistics on them. The president appointed the members of the CNDH.
The parliamentary committee for complaints and petitions provided a forum for the public to register concerns and was increasingly active during the year. The committee accepted complaints and petitions whenever the parliament was in session.
The constitution and law prohibit discrimination based on race, gender, religion, disability, language, or social status; however, the government did not enforce these provisions effectively. Nonetheless, numerous public outreach efforts were undertaken to improve public awareness of the issues associated with violence and discrimination against women and children, discrimination against ethnic minorities, and discrimination against those with HIV/AIDS.
Rape is illegal, but spousal rape is not specified in the law. The government did not enforce the law effectively. Reporting rape was considered shameful to families involved. Several prosecutions came before the courts during the year, but the exact number was not known.
Domestic violence was a problem. Violence against women, including spousal abuse, is illegal, but the government did not enforce the law effectively. The police and judiciary were reluctant to prosecute domestic violence cases. In conjunction with international organizations, the government conducted public awareness campaigns on women's rights and domestic violence.
Prostitution is illegal, and the government continued to enforce the law against businesses and pimps; however, prostitution occurred, particularly in the two major cities of Malabo and Bata. Acting on orders of the ministries of interior and national security, police raided places of prostitution during the year.
Sexual harassment is illegal; its extent was unknown. There were no known cases brought before the courts.
The government did not interfere with the basic right of couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing, and timing of their children, and to have the information and means to do so free from discrimination, coercion, and violence. Women were equally diagnosed and treated for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
The law provides for equal rights for women and men, including rights under family law, property law, and in the judicial system; however, rights of women were limited in practice. According to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the prevalence of negative stereotypes and the "deep-rooted adverse cultural norms, customs, and traditions, including forced and early marriage, and levirate marriage (the practice by which a man may be required to marry his brother's widow) discriminated against women. Lack of legislation regulating customary marriages and other aspects of family law also discriminated against women, particularly with respect to polygyny, inheritance, and child custody.
In rural areas, women largely were confined by custom to traditional roles. In urban settings women with equal qualifications rarely suffered overt discrimination. However, the country maintained a conservative culture in which societal bias against women persisted. Women sometimes experienced discrimination in access to employment, credit, and equal pay for substantially similar work.
During the year the government provided courses, seminars, conferences, and media programs to sensitize the population and government agencies to the needs and rights of women. For example, on February 15, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Promotion of Women conducted a seminar for members of the judiciary on cultural practices that violate the rights of women, including physical abuse, forced marriage, levirate marriage, and the use of dowry. On May 15, the ministry conducted a similar conference for members of parliament, and in November the ministry held a women's rights seminar for the 68 members of the executive branch.
A foreign development fund, as part of its program to support civil society, dedicated one of its forums to the rights of women. The dominant topics were polygyny and traditional attitudes discriminatory against women.
Citizenship is derived from one's parents. Registration of births is the responsibility of the parents, and failure to do so can result in the denial of public services.
Education was free and compulsory until 13 years of age. The overwhelming majority of children attended school at least through primary grades. Boys were generally expected by their families either to complete an additional seven years of secondary school or to finish a program of vocational study after primary education. For many girls in rural settings, however, early pregnancy or the need to assist at home limited educational opportunities, and women generally attained lower educational levels than men. During the year the government continued to partner with a foreign oil company to undertake a multimillion dollar school renovation program and continued to work with a foreign country to reform outdated curriculum materials.
Abuse of minors is illegal; however, the government did not enforce the law effectively, and child abuse occurred. Physical punishment was the culturally accepted method of discipline. During the year a small number of cases in which child abuse was alleged came before the courts.
The law does not address child prostitution or child pornography. There was little evidence children engaged in prostitution for survival without third party involvement. The minimum age for sexual consent is 18.
The law prohibits trafficking in persons; however, some trafficking through and to the country was suspected. There were no reliable figures on the number of trafficking victims. The country has been primarily a destination for children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and possibly for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Children were believed to be trafficked from nearby countries, primarily Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, and Gabon for domestic servitude, market labor, ambulant vending, and other forms of forced labor, such as carrying water and washing laundry. Most victims were believed to be trafficked to Malabo and Bata, where a burgeoning oil industry created demand for labor and commercial exploitation. Women may also have been trafficked to the country from Cameroon, Benin, other neighboring countries, and China for labor or sexual exploitation. In the last year there was a report women of Equatoguinean extraction were also trafficked to Iceland for commercial sexual exploitation.
In the past traffickers generally crossed the border with false documents and children they falsely claimed were their own. However, removal of economic incentives for such activity apparently reduced trafficking to a small number of cases.
The penalties for trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation or other exploitation are imprisonment for 10 to 15 years and a fine of not less than approximately 50 million CFA francs ($109,000).
When pressed by embassies of identified trafficking victims, the government cooperated with other governments, international organizations, and NGOs to aid victims and assist in their repatriation. However, foreign diplomatic missions confirmed many of their citizens were shipped out of the country before the embassies became aware of a problem.
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for combating trafficking in persons, and the minister of justice was president of the interinstitutional commission on illegal trafficking of migrants and trafficking of persons. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Promotion of Women is responsible for addressing issues related to protection of trafficking victims.
The government provided limited protection or assistance to victims or witnesses. During a February 2-6 visit to the country, a consultant from the International Organization of Migration noted there were no shelters to house victims of trafficking or other vulnerable populations for a temporary period. The government generally asked the embassies of victims' countries of origin, if present, to assume care of victims until they could be repatriated. However, the government had no procedure in place to even notify embassies if one of their nationals had been identified as a trafficking victim. There were few NGOs in the country to assist victims.
The government, through the National Action Plan to Fight Against Trafficking in Persons and Child Labor, continued to fund a program to educate the public against trafficking, assist victims, and punish offenders.
During the year the government continued to provide antitrafficking training to security forces; more than 800 security officials have received such training since 2007.
State Department's annual Trafficking in Persons Report can be found at http://www.state.gov/g/tip.
The law does not provide protection for persons with disabilities from discrimination in employment, education, or the provision of other state services, nor does it mandate access to buildings for persons with disabilities.
Educational services for the mentally or physically handicapped were limited. The local Red Cross, with financial support from the government, managed the country's school for deaf children. The government and Catholic Church worked together to provide care for the mentally handicapped in the Virgin Madre Maria Africa facility.
The ministries of education and health have primary responsibility for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. Public service announcements regarding rights of persons with disabilities continued to be broadcast.
Discrimination against ethnic or racial minorities was illegal; however, societal discrimination, security force harassment, and political marginalization of minorities were problems. Foreigners were often victimized. Illegal residents from Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, Togo, Gabon, and other African countries represented a significant portion of the labor force and continued to grow, despite police attempts to enforce immigration laws. Foreign workers from West Africa and elsewhere were attracted to the country by its growing oil-based economy.
Societal stigmatization and discrimination against homosexual persons was strong, and the government made little effort to combat it.
Other Societal Violence and Discrimination
Despite frequent public statements and radio campaigns advocating nondiscrimination, persons with HIV/AIDS continued to be victims of societal stigmatization, which led them to keep their illness hidden. The government provided free HIV/AIDS testing and treatment and supported public information campaigns to increase awareness.
The law provides workers the right to establish unions and affiliate with unions of their choice, without previous authorization or excessive requirements; however, the government placed practical obstacles before groups wishing to organize. Most often, those seeking to organize were co-opted into existing party structures by means of pressure and incentives. The Union Organization of Small Farmers continued to be the only legal operational labor union. According to the International Trade Union Confederation, authorities continued to refuse to register the Equatorial Guinea Trade Union. The law stipulates a union must have at least 50 members from a specific workplace to register; this rule effectively blocked union formation. Authorities refused to legalize the Independent Syndicated Services, a public sector union, despite its having met the requirements of the law.
Workers rarely exercised their right to strike, in part because they feared losing their jobs and possible harm to themselves or their families. On rare occasions workers engaged in temporary protests or "go slows" (work slowdowns and planned absences).
Unlike in the previous year, there were no reports security forces killed strikers. No action was taken against police responsible for the 2008 killing of two Chinese strikers.
The law allows unions to conduct activities without interference, but the government did not protect this right in practice.
The law provides for representatives of government, employers, and workers to meet biannually to review and set minimum wages; however, worker representation was limited. There were few reports of organized, collective bargaining by any group; however, the Ministry of Labor sometimes mediated labor disputes. Dismissed workers, for example, could appeal to the ministry, first through their regional delegate; however, there was little trust in the fairness of the system. Citizens had a right to appeal Labor Ministry decisions to a special standing committee of the parliament established to hear citizen complaints regarding decisions by any government agency.
There is no law prohibiting antiunion discrimination, but there were no reports it occurred.
The law prohibits forced or compulsory labor and slavery,
including by children; however, children were trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation (see section 6).
The law prohibits children under the age of 14 from working and provides that persons found guilty of illegally forcing a minor to work may be punished with a fine from approximately 50,000 to 250,000 CFA francs ($109 to $545); however, child labor occurred. The law prohibits children from working as street vendors or car washers; however, children performed such activities. Children also worked in local markets and were involved in domestic servitude.
Law enforcement officials were often stationed in market places, where they enforced laws prohibiting minors from working there. Vendors who violated these laws were forced to close down their stalls, were heavily fined, or deported; however, no vendors were prosecuted during the year. The government provided no social services to children found to be working in markets.
The Ministry of Labor is responsible for enforcing child labor laws.
Enforcement of labor laws and ratified international labor agreements was not effective, resulting in poor working conditions. While the government paid more attention to such issues during the year, safety codes, for example, were not generally enforced. Most petroleum companies, on the other hand, exceeded minimum international safety standards.
On April 25, the government issued Public Decree 60/2009, which establishes a monthly minimum wage of 95,400 CFA (approximately $205) for all workers in the country, including farmers; however, the minimum wage did not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family in Malabo or Bata. In the rest of the country, the minimum wage provided a minimally adequate income. Many formal sector companies paid more than this, but many workers (e.g., farmers) were not covered under the minimum wage law. By law hydrocarbon industry workers received salaries many times higher than those in other sectors, creating disparities within society and fueling inflation for some goods and services. The Ministry of Labor is responsible for enforcing minimum wage rules.
The law prescribes a standard 35-hour workweek and a 48-hour weekly rest period; these requirements were generally observed in the formal economy. Exceptions were made for some jobs, such as those in offshore oil industry work. Premium pay for overtime was required, but the requirement was not effectively enforced.
The law provides for protection for workers from occupational hazards, but the government did not effectively enforce this provision. During the year the government hired an additional 100 labor inspectors to oversee the industry. The law does not provide workers with the right to remove themselves from situations that endangered health or safety without jeopardizing their continued employment.
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WWE News: Veteran Superstar Appears To Be Teasing New Gimmick On Social Media
Lorenzo Tanos
In a WWE career that has spanned more than two decades — with stints in other companies in between — Matt Hardy has worked a number of gimmicks. Most recently, the 44-year-old in-ring veteran reunited with his younger brother Jeff and briefly held the SmackDown Tag Team Championships, while seemingly moving away from the “Woken” gimmick he had used in the months prior. But with Jeff Hardy expected to miss a considerable amount of time with a leg injury, it appears that Matt is testing out a brand new gimmick on social media that seems to focus on the first four letters of his surname.
According to a report from Wrestling Inc., the older Hardy took to his social media accounts this week to post a new video that hinted at the new creative direction his character could be taking. In the clip — which was captioned “YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT IS TO BE MATT HARDY” in all-caps — the multiple-time tag team champion enumerates the various things pro wrestlers need to do as part of their job, complaining as well about how difficult it is to perform these tasks.
“I’ve been at work since 11 AM this morning,” Matt says in the video, as quoted by Wrestling Inc.
“I can’t even begin to describe how challenging today has been! At work, I was tasked with fulfilling two intricate, detailed, compelling segments of live television. I can’t put in to words how difficult that is. I don’t even think the Authors of Pain could be the authors of my pain. You don’t understand how hard it is to be Matt Hardy.”
It looks like we could be about to see ANOTHER Matt Hardy gimmick:https://t.co/6jwlm1c2cA
— WrestleTalk (@WrestleTalk_TV) June 19, 2019
Per Wrestling Inc., the gimmick seems to be in its infancy, but there are some “obvious” word associations at work, given that the first four letters of Matt Hardy’s last name spell the word “hard.” It was separately noted by Sportskeeda that Hardy had posted a number of similar videos in previous days, which could possibly hint that his new gimmick will be that of a “spoilt, obnoxious rich guy” who still finds time to complain about things.
As further pointed out, this isn’t the first time this year that Hardy has used social media to tease the debut of a new character. In March, the wrestler posted a video of himself playing a variety of previous characters, including his “Woken” and “Big Money” gimmicks from earlier this decade and his Matt Hardy V1 character from the early 2000s. This was supposed to herald his repackaging as “The Multifarious” Matt Hardy, but this never came to pass as the new character apparently didn’t catch on as expected.
Miley Cyrus Goes Fully Nude, Twerks & Spreads Legs Eating Pizza In Outrageous New Video July 18, 2019
Camila Cabello Sizzles In Daisy Dukes July 18, 2019
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Rigging the Rule of Law
Download this report in Spanish
Download this report in English
Judicial Independence Under Siege in Venezuela
I. Summary
When Venezuelan President Hugo Chvez Fras faced a coup d'tat in April 2002, advocates of democracy in Venezuela and abroad roundly condemned the assault on the country's constitutional order.Today Venezuela faces another constitutional crisis that could severely impair its already fragile democracy.This time, though, the threat comes from the government itself.
Over the past year, President Chvez and his allies have taken steps to control the country's judicial branch, undermining the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary in ways that violate basic principles of Venezuela's constitution and international human rights law.
The most brazen of these steps is a law passed last month that expands the Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo de Justicia) from twenty to thirty-two members.The National Assembly will choose the new justices by a simple majority vote.With the new Organic Law of the Supreme Court (Ley Orgnica del Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, LOTSJ), the governing coalition will be able to use its slim majority in the legislature to obtain an overwhelming majority of seats on the Supreme Court.It will also have the power to nullify existing justices' appointments to the bench.It will, in short, be able to both pack and purge the country's highest court.
A political takeover of the Supreme Court will only compound the damage already done to judicial independence by policies pursued by the Court itself.The Supreme Court, which has administrative control over the judiciary, has suspended a program that would reduce the large number of judges who do not have security of tenure.It has fired judges after they decided politically controversial cases.And it has allowed the country's second highest court to shut down by failing to resolve the legal appeals of its dismissed judges.Depriving judges of the security of tenure and allowing them to be summarily fired or prevented from exercising their due process rights violates basic principles of the Venezuelan constitution and international human rights law.
Human Rights Watch conducted research in Venezuela in May 2004, interviewing current and former judges and justices, justice officials, jurists, legislators, journalists and foreign observers about the legal and practical implications of these practices, as well as the justifications that might exist for pursuing them.
The president of the Supreme Court, the attorney general and a pro-Chvez legislator all sought to assuage our concerns about diminishing judicial independence by insisting that those wielding authority over judges and justices would show restraint and respect for the rule of law.Such assurances are beside the point, however.A rule of law that relies on the self-restraint of those with power is not in fact the rule of law.
Several officials stressed the need to understand the attitude of President Chvez's opponents, many of whom-they argued-are unwilling to engage in meaningful compromise or subject themselves to the rule of law.They insisted that judges and even Supreme Court justices decide cases based on their political convictions rather than the dictates of the law.As examples they cited the Supreme Court's failure to convict alleged participants in the 2002 coup and the failure of lower court judges to address allegedly illegal activities carried out as part of the general strike in 2003 that cost the country billions of dollars in oil revenue and did enormous harm to the economy.
It is true that some sectors of the opposition have subverted the rule of law in their efforts to bring down President Chvez.It might also be true that some opposition judges allow their political convictions to interfere with their application of the law.But rather than take steps to strengthen the rule of law, Chvez's allies and supporters have instead moved to rig the system to favor their own interests.
We have seen similar efforts before elsewhere in the region.During the 1990s, President Carlos Menem in Argentina and President Alberto Fujimori in Peru succeeded in remaking their judiciaries to serve their own interests.The changes ensured their influence over the courts and contributed to a climate of lawlessness that would facilitate the forms of corruption for which both former presidents face criminal charges today.
What makes the developments in Venezuela even more alarming is their potential impact on the country's already explosive political situation.Tensions have been mounting for months as President Chvez's opponents have sought a recall referendum to end his presidency.When the country's National Electoral Council (CNE) disqualified hundreds of thousands of signatures on a petition to authorize the referendum, thousands of people joined street protests, which culminated in violent confrontations with state security forces that left thirteen people dead, scores wounded, and hundreds more in police detention.
Whether the current crisis is resolved peacefully and lawfully will depend in large part on the country's judiciary.It is the courts that must ultimately determine whether the CNE's decisions are valid-as well as whether the actions of Chvez's supporters and opponents, in the streets and elsewhere, are legally permissible.It is, in other words, the courts that must ultimately ensure that the political conflict does not result in the trampling of people's freedom of expression and association, due process guarantees, and other basic human rights.To do so effectively, it is imperative that judges and justices be able to act with the independence and impartiality that are mandated by the Venezuelan constitution and international human rights law.
Main Recommendations
The future of Venezuela's judiciary is now largely in the hands of its highest court.To salvage the autonomy of the judicial branch, the Supreme Court should strike down, on constitutional grounds, the provisions of the court-packing law that subject the court to the political agenda of the governing coalition.To promote the independence of judges, the Supreme Court, in its administrative capacity, should reactivate the suspended program that would create judgeships with security of tenure and ensure full and prompt due process for judges facing dismissal, especially those accused of mishandling politically sensitive cases.
The international community can help.In recent years, the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank have supported projects aimed at improving the administration of justice in Venezuela-from training prosecutors and police to developing court infrastructure.The most urgent improvement needed now is the strengthening of judicial independence and autonomy.Without that, other improvements may only help a fundamentally flawed system function more efficiently.To encourage progress where it is most needed, all future international assistance aimed at improving the Venezuelan justice system should be made contingent upon Venezuela taking immediate and concrete steps to shore up the independence of its judges and the autonomy of its highest court.
The Organization of American States (OAS) also has a vital role to play.The Inter-American Democratic Charter, signed in 2001 by foreign ministers of Venezuela and thirty-threeother democracies, authorizes the OAS to respond actively to threats to the democratic order of its member states.It was this commitment to defending democracy that led the OAS to denounce the aborted coup against President Chvez in April 2002.Today Venezuela's democratic order is threatened in a different way, as the judiciary's increasing vulnerability to political manipulation undermines the country's rule of law.Unless concrete steps are taken immediately in Venezuela to reverse this course, the secretary general of the OAS should use his authority under Article 18 of the Charter to take actions, with the prior consent of the Venezuelan government, to assess the situation and possibly seek a collective response from the OAS.
The ultimate responsibility for the crisis in Venezuela's judiciary lies with President Chvez and his governing coalition.To prevent further erosion of the country's separation of powers, the president should instruct his supporters in the National Assembly to suspend implementation of the new court-packing law immediately and promote legislation that would modify those provisions that undermine the independence of the judiciary.The president should also be prepared to welcome and collaborate actively with the secretary general of the OAS, should the organization seek ways to help Venezuela address the crisis facing its judiciary.
II. International Norms on Judicial Independence
The OAS and the Inter-American Democratic Charter
Democracy is indispensable for human rights, and an independent judiciary is indispensable for democracy.The thirty-four foreign ministers of the Organization of American States (OAS) recognized these propositions when they adopted the Inter-American Democratic Charter in 2001.[1]The Charter defines the "[e]ssential elements of representative democracy" to include "access to and the exercise of power in accordance with the rule of law" and "the separation of powers and independence of the branches of government."[2]
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights emphasized this link between judicial independence and democratic rule of law in its 2003 report on Venezuela:
The observance of rights and freedoms in a democracy requires a legal and institutional order in which the laws prevail over the will of the rulers, and in which there is judicial review of the constitutionality and legality of the acts of public power, i.e., it presupposes respect for the rule of law.Judiciaries are established to ensure compliance with laws; they are clearly the fundamental organs for preventing the abuse of power and protecting human rights.To fulfill this function, they must be independent and impartial.[3]
It is important to note that the definition of democracy found in the Inter-American Charter and in the findings of the Inter-American Commission was informed in large part by recent history.During the 1990s, several countries in the region saw democratically-elected presidents pursue policies that undermined the separation of powers and rule of law, and thereby degraded their own democracies.In Argentina, President Carlos Menem pushed a court-backing law through congress in 1990, expanding the Supreme Court from five to nine members, and managed to get the new openings filled by his allies.The move assured him an "automatic majority"-as it came to be known in Argentina-that ruled regularly in his favor, often using highly dubious legal reasoning.
In Peru, President Alberto Fujimori undercut the independence of the country's judges through mass firings and the denial of tenure, as well as the passage of laws that circumvented constitutional provisions aimed at guaranteeing judicial autonomy and restricting executive power.Fujimori justified these policies as efforts to combat corruption and inefficiency.But what he succeeded in doing-to an even greater extent than Menem-was to ensure his own influence over the courts.The resulting climate of lawlessness in both countries facilitated the forms of corruption for which both former presidents face criminal charges today.
Venezuela is currently pursuing both a court-packing scheme, similar to that of Menem, and an assault on judicial independence, similar in spirit (if not in scope) to that of Fujimori.As the experiences of Argentina and Peru demonstrate, these efforts do not bode well for Venezuela's democracy.
International Human Rights Treaties
In addition to its commitment to democracy under the Inter-American Charter, Venezuela is party to human rights treaties-including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the American Convention on Human Rights-that require it to safeguard the independence of its judiciary.[4]What that obligation entails is made clear by a series of "basic principles" on the independence of the judiciary endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly.[5]These principles include:
Any method of judicial selection shall safeguard against judicial appointments for improper motives.[6]
The term of office of judges, their independence, security, adequate remuneration, conditions of service, pensions and the age of retirement shall be adequately secured by law.[7]
Judges, whether appointed or elected, shall have guaranteed tenure until a mandatory retirement age or the conclusion of their term of office, where such exists.[8]
A charge or complaint made against a judge in his/her judicial and professional capacity shall be processed expeditiously and fairly under an appropriate procedure. The judge shall have the right to a fair hearing . . . .[9]
Judges shall be subject to suspension or removal only for reasons of incapacity or behaviour that renders them unfit to discharge their duties.[10]
All disciplinary, suspension or removal proceedings shall be determined in accordance with established standards of judicial conduct.[11]
As this report shows, Venezuela is currently in contravention of all of these principles.In doing so, it undermines its rule of law and severely degrades its democracy.
III. Background
The Judiciary's Disreputable Past
When President Chvez became president in 1999, he inherited a judiciary that had been plagued for years by influence-peddling, political interference, and, above all, corruption.In interviews with Human Rights Watch, lawyers from across the political spectrum described a system in which justice had often been for sale to the highest bidder.Attorney General Isaas Rodrguez recalled how the country's top administrative court in the past actually established set fees for resolving different kinds of cases.[12]
A 1996 report on the Venezuelan justice system by the Lawyer's Committee for Human Rights painted a grim portrait of the judiciary:
Rather than serving the constitutional role of defender of the rule of law and protector of the human rights of Venezuelan citizens against the government, the courts had often become highly politicized adjuncts of the parties. They were manipulated by groups of lawyers, judges, political and business actors for private economic gain. And court procedures had become so slow, cumbersome and unreliable that disputants avoided them at all costs.[13]
In terms of public credibility, the system was bankrupt.A 1998 survey by the United Nations Development Program found that only 0.8 percent of the population had confidence in the judiciary.[14]That distrust translated into public outrage, and in the presidential election of that year, candidates across the political spectrum-including Hugo Chvez Fras-promised to clean up the system.
Declaring a Judicial Emergency
Once in office, President Chvez launched an ambitious effort to reform the Venezuelan state that included holding a referendum to convene a National Constituent Assembly, which then drafted a new constitution that went into effect in December 1999. Due to the overwhelming public consensus that judicial reform was needed, the Chvez administration initially found support for its efforts in this area even among its political adversaries.
One of the first acts of the National Constituent Assembly was to declare that the judiciary was in a state of emergency.It suspended the tenure of judges and created an emergency commission which it empowered to suspend judges who faced seven or more complaints or any type of criminal investigation, or who showed signs of wealth incommensurate with their salaried income.In the following months, the emergency commission removed hundreds of judges from their posts.[15]
Political Polarization under Chvez
The consensus around judicial reforms has largely dissolved as the country has grown increasingly polarized in response to President Chvez's policies and style of governance.Over the past three years the mounting political tensions have erupted into violence on several occasions and there have been three concerted efforts by sectors of the opposition to remove President Chvez from office: an aborted coup d'tat in April 2002, a national strike that lasted from December 2002 through February 2003 (and had an enormously negative impact on the country's economy), and a petition drive held in December 2003 to authorize a referendum.
The polarization, which pervades Venezuelan society, has found its way into the Supreme Court as well.All twenty sitting justices were selected by the National Constituent Assembly in March 2000 through a 2/3 majority vote, which would suggest they had support from people across the political spectrum.Today, however, it is common wisdom within the legal community that the Court is deeply divided between opponents and allies of President Chvez.It is an even, ten-ten split, with each camp controlling some of the Court's six chambers.The opposition camp is said to have a majority of seats in the electoral chamber.The pro-Chvez camp has a majority in the constitutional chamber, as well as on the six-member Judicial Commission that handles many of the Court's administrative affairs.Supreme Court President Ivan Rincn Urdaneta, who is a member of both the constitutional chamber and the Judicial Commission, is viewed as an ally of President Chvez.
IV. Disposable Judges
Provisional Judgeships
Venezuela denies its judges one of the most basic safeguards of judicial independence: security of tenure.While this problem existed long before President Chvez came to office, it has become particularly acute as the country has become politically polarized over the last few years.The vast majority of the country's judges hold provisional or temporary appointments.The tenuousness of their postings makes them more vulnerable to external pressures aimed at influencing their application of the law.
The Venezuelan constitution safeguards judicial independence by requiring that judges be selected through public competitions and removed only through legally sanctioned procedures.[16]The constitution requires that these procedures provide the judges with due process (including the right to be heard).[17]The laws regulating the procedures for removal require that it be motivated by misconduct on the part of the judge.[18]
Yet only 20 percent of the country's 1732 judges currently hold permanent appointments and enjoy the rights established in the constitution.The remaining 80 percent hold positions as "provisional" judges (52 percent), "temporary" judges (26 percent), or other non-permanent postings (2 percent).[19]The provisional judges hold their posts until a public competition is held to select the judges who will fill them on a permanent basis.Temporary judges are appointed to fill temporary openings, such as those created when a sitting judge takes a parental or sick leave.
The Judicial Commission of the Supreme Court, made up of six justices including the Supreme Court president, is in charge of appointing and removing these non-tenured judges.The commission maintains that it can summarily dismiss temporary judges, without cause and without the due process protections afforded permanent judges.[20]Provisional judges, by contrast, are entitled to the same security of tenure as permanent judges, at least until the public competition are held to fill their posts.Yet, as described below, the Judicial Commission has also summarily fired provisional judges.
International human rights monitors have repeatedly criticized Venezuela's reliance on provisional judges.In 2001, the United Nations Human Rights Committee expressed its concern that, under the current system, Venezuelan judges could be removed for merely fulfilling their judicial duties.[21]In 2003, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights echoed this concern, observing that "having a high percentage of provisional judges has a serious detrimental impact on citizens' right to proper justice and on the judges' right to stability in their positions as a guarantee of judicial independence and autonomy."[22]
Venezuelan justice officials, judges and jurists of all political stripes also acknowledge the problem.In interviews with Human Rights Watch, the Supreme Court president, other Supreme Court justices, the attorney general, the ombudsman, and current and former judges all conceded that the prevalence of provisional and temporary appointments undermines judicial independence.
A major obstacle toward translating this consensus into real change has been, ironically, the constitutional requirement that judges be selected through public competitions.When the constitution came into effect in 1999 there were already a large number of provisional judges in the country.Figures from 1997 show only 40 percent of judges holding permanent appointments.[23]The number of provisional judges increased considerably after the judicial emergency declared in 1999 led to large numbers of dismissals.(And it has increased further since then as the judiciary has opened new courts in an effort to increase access to justice.)Turning this large-and growing-number of provisional judgeships into permanent ones requires holding public competitions for each one.
Toward that end, the judiciary launched a program of public competitions for judgeships in November 2000.It was the most ambitious program of its sort that Venezuela had seen, and produced over 200 permanent judges over the next two years.[24]This addressed only a fraction of the provisional judgeships, however, and in order to make a real difference, the program should have been expanded and accelerated.
Instead, in March 2003, the program was suspended.Human Rights Watch received contradictory explanations for what prompted the suspension.Supreme Court President Ivan Rincn Urdaneta said it was because the evaluation system had broken down due to a variety of factors, including efforts by powerful law firms to control some evaluation committees and the decision of numerous evaluators to abandon the program.[25]Others involved in the program dispute this account.Ren Molina, a former Inspector General of the Judiciary who helped design the competition program, insists that the "double-blind" procedure for selecting evaluators and administering the competitions made it virtually impossible for special interests to take over the committees.[26](Molina further recalled receiving pressure from government officials to rig the competitions in favor of specific candidates.)The Network of Watchers (Red de Veedores), a nongovernmental organization that monitored the program, did report instances of possible collusion between participants and jurors and various administrative irregularities, but nothing that would justify suspending the program.[27]
Critics of the government have suggested that the real motive for suspending the program was the desire of Judicial Commission members to continue naming and removing judges at their own discretion.Whatever the true motive might be, the outcome has been precisely that: the Judicial Commission continues to exercise virtually unchecked authority to appoint and remove judges.
Judges Summarily Fired
The danger of denying judges secure tenure was apparent earlier this year when three judges were summarily fired after releasing people detained during anti-government protests.The firings occurred on March 2, when Venezuela was in the midst of the most serious unrest it had seen since the attempted coup against the government in April 2002.An opposition demonstration on February 27 had turned violent as civilians clashed with units of the National Guard in central Caracas.Street protests and confrontations continued through the next week, leaving thirteenpeople dead and over 100 wounded.Government forces detained hundreds of people and, after violently abusing some of them, sought court orders for their prolonged detention pending prosecution.
Three Caracas judges who received such cases were Miguel Luna, Petra Jimnez and Maria Trastoy.Luna received the case of two detained opposition legislators on Saturday, February 28; Jimnez received the case of a detained man on Monday, March 1; and Trastoy received the case of six other detainees at the end of that same day.
All three judges ruled that the public prosecutors had not presented sufficient evidence to warrant ongoing detention of the suspects and ordered their immediate and unconditional release.[28]Their rulings would all be upheld subsequently by appellate courts.[29]
All three were dismissed from their posts on Tuesday, March 2. They received notices from the Supreme Court President Ivan Rincn Urdaneta informing them that the Supreme Court's Judicial Commission had decided that morning to nullify their appointments "due to observations that were presented before this office."[30]The notices did not reveal what the "observations" had been, nor why they might have warranted their dismissal.
When asked about the three judges, Rincn told Human Rights Watch that they had been temporary judges, who had been in their posts for a short period, and were not entitled to the administrative procedures afforded permanent and provisional judges.He insisted, however, that this did not mean that they had been denied their due process rights, as they were entitled to challenge the decision through an "appeal for reconsideration" (recurso de reconsideracin) to the Commission.Only one of the judges had chosen to do so, he said, and that one had been reinstated.The other two had chosen instead to take their claims to the press.He said they were working with an opposition political party and were "just doing politics."[31]
Rincn's account was inaccurate on several levels.None of the judges had temporary appointments.Two were provisional judges and therefore, by his own admission, entitled to the normal disciplinary procedure.[32]The third judge, Petra Jimnez, who had an appointment as a "special substitute" (suplente especial), had been serving as a judge continuously for almost three years.
All three judges did in fact challenge their dismissals through "appeals for reconsideration" to the Judicial Commission.One of them, Luna, was indeed reinstated, (though he has since been summarily fired once again.)The other two, Trastoy and Jimnez, report receiving no response to their appeals.[33]
The recourse provided by the appeal process does not change the fact that these judges were fired without a hearing.They may be able to present a defense, ex post facto, through the appeals process.However, this right to appeal is largely meaningless so long as they are not informed of the reasons for their dismissals (since it requires them to guess the charges they must defend themselves against)-and so long as the commission maintains that its decision is entirely discretionary.
Human Rights Watch obtained a copy of a ruling issued by the Judicial Commission in response to an "appeal for reconsideration" submitted by another judge who had been summarily fired under questionable circumstances.Mercedes Chocrn was removed from her post as a temporary judge in January 2003 after she attempted to carry a judicial inspection of a military base where a general was being held on charges of alleged crimes committed in the context of anti-government activity.(The purpose of the inspection was to ensure that the government was complying with precautionary measures ordered by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.)The Judicial Commission's ruling did not address the reasons for Chocrn's dismissal but merely provided a legal basis for its claim to complete discretion in removing temporary judges, arguing that this faculty has "no substantive limit whatsoever" and that its reasons "cannot be questioned or subject to review."[34]
Second Highest Court Shut Down
The problem of due process for dismissed judges is not limited to those who are summarily fired by the Judicial Commission.In one case from 2003, a court was effectively shut down after its judges were dismissed and the Supreme Court neglected to review their appeals.
Under existing procedures, permanent and provisional judges may be dismissed by an administrative body within the judicial branch, known as the Commission of Functioning and Restructuring of the Justice System, based on charges brought by the Inspector General of the Judiciary.The judges have an opportunity to defend their record before the commission.They are allowed five days to prepare their written defense, and the commission ten days to make its determination.[35](The commission sometimes grants the judges more than their allotted time, and itself often takes more than its allotted time.)The judges may appeal the commission's decision to the Supreme Court, but in contrast with the hasty dismissal proceedings, the appeal process can drag out indefinitely, leaving the dismissed judges in limbo and the validity of their dismissals in doubt.[36]The resulting uncertainty is especially problematic when it involves judges who have handled controversial cases.
The most notorious case of this sort is that of three judges who were dismissed from the First Administrative Court (Corte Primera de lo Contencioso Administrativo, CPCA) in October 2003.The CPCA is the second highest court in Venezuela and has national jurisdiction over cases involving challenges to administrative actions by the government (with the exception of those taken by cabinet-level officials, which are reviewed directly by the Supreme Court).In the year prior to their dismissal, the CPCA judges had granted numerous appeals challenging policies and programs of the Chvez government.In several cases the court ruled on behalf of municipal governments (run by opposition mayors) who challenged military interference with their own police forces.In another notable case, in August 2003, it ruled that hundreds of Cuban doctors sent by the Cuban government to work as volunteers in poor communities could not practice medicine in Venezuela without being certified by the Venezuelan medical association.[37]
President Chvez publicly denounced the court and its judges on several occasions.After the August 2003 decision on the Cuban doctors, for instance, he referred to them as "judges who shouldn't be judges," and said:
I'm not telling them what I'd like to because we're in front of the country.But the people are saying it.Go take you're decision where you want, you can carry it out in your home if you want . . . . Do you think the Venezuelan people are going to pay attention to an unconstitutional decision, well they're not going to pay attention to it.[38]
In September, in a highly unusual move, members of the Directorate of Services of Intelligence and Prevention (DISIP) arrested the driver of one of the judges as he was delivering a court document to someone outside the courthouse.The driver's action violated regulations on the handling of court documents, though the Supreme Court would rule (after the driver had spent 35 days in jail) that he had not committed a crime and order his release.[39]Two days after the arrest, President Chvez spoke out against the court, reportedly calling its chief judge a "criminal."[40]Three days later, a public prosecutor accompanied by police, reportedly armed with high-power weapons, conducted a surprise search of the CPCA courthouse.
Two weeks later, the Inspector General of the Judiciary submitted a recommendation to the Commission of Functioning and Restructuring of the Judicial System that the five CPCA judges be dismissed on the basis of an entirely unrelated issue: a determination by the Supreme Court the previous May that that the CPCA had committed an "inexcusable error" in a decision rendered in 2002.After reviewing the charge and the judges' defense, the commission ordered the dismissal of four of the judges (the fifth had already retired and therefore was not subject to sanction).[41]
Three of the judges appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, filing two appeals the following month.Venezuelan law obligated the Supreme Court to respond to each type of appeal within specified periods of time.A "hierarchical appeal" (recurso jerrquico), which they filed on November 13, warranted a ruling within 90 days.[42]And the "nullification appeal" (recurso de nulidad) filed on November 27 warranted a ruling within three days.[43]
Over half a year later, the Supreme Court has failed to rule on either of the appeals.When asked why not, Supreme Court President Ivan Rincn Urdaneta told Human Rights Watch that it was because these cases were "not a high priority."[44]
There are several reasons, however, why the Supreme Court should consider these appeals to be of highest priority.First is the simple matter of the due process rights of the dismissed judges.A second is the fact that, lacking a quorum of judges, the country's second highest court has ceased to function, leaving a huge backload of unresolved cases (by one estimate as many as 2000 cases, all involving challenges to administrative actions by the government).While Supreme Court President Rincn said the Court intends to fill the vacancies with new judges, they have yet to do so after over half a year.Moreover, it is unclear what would happen to the new appointees if the dismissed judges were to win their appeals.
A final reason the appeals should be treated as high priority is the extremely controversial nature of the case-and specifically the perception created by President Chvez's public comments, as well as the unusually aggressive police actions against the CPCA, that the dismissal reflected the will of the executive rather than the application of the law.This perception, which was shared by many of the people Human Rights Watch interviewed, has only been reinforced by the Supreme Court's failure to review the legality of the dismissals.
V. Separation of Powers Under Assault
The National Assembly passed a law in May 2004 that severely undermines the independence of the country's judicial branch.The new Organic Law of the Supreme Court (Ley Orgnica del Tribunal Supremo de Justicia) changes the composition of the country's highest court, as well as its relationship to the other branches of government.
The manner in which the law was passed was highly questionable.The Venezuelan constitution seeks to safeguard the autonomy of state institutions-including the judiciary-by requiring a 2/3 majority vote to approve any modification of the legislation (known as "organic laws") that govern their structure and operation.[45]The National Assembly appears to have violated this provision with the passage of the new law.The governing coalition disregarded the requirement that such laws must be passed with a super-majority of 2/3, passing instead with a simple majority.Moreover, that majority engaged in irregular parliamentary maneuvers, which appear to violate the spirit and perhaps even the letter of the constitution, such as making substantive changes to the law's text after it had been voted on, and fusing multiple articles to avoid a full discussion of each one.
Power to pack the court
The new court-packing law increases the Supreme Court from twenty to thirty-two justices, adding two justices to each of the court's six chambers.[46]The new justices can be designated with a simple majority vote of the National Assembly: a nominee who fails to receive a 2/3 majority in the first three votes can be designated by a simple majority on the fourth vote.[47]In contrast, the twenty current members of the Supreme Court also received at least a 2/3 majority confirmation vote.[48]
Proponents of the law have justified this increase as a measure for alleviating the justices' current workload.[49]This justification is dubious, at best.The four justices (as well as one ex-justice) who spoke to Human Rights Watch all agreed that only two or three of the chambers have any difficulty keeping up with their caseloads (the constitutional chamber and the "political administrative" chamber).[50]According to Supreme Court President Ivan Rincn Urdaneta, the only justification for increasing the number of justices in the other chambers is to help them handle administrative tasks.However, it is not difficult to imagine other means to alleviate the administrative responsibilities of the justices by delegating the work to their staff.Nor, for that matter, is it difficult to imagine ways to alleviate the caseload of those chambers with more cases, such as assigning them more clerks or creating adjunct tribunals to handle cases in which the jurisprudence is already clearly established.
Whatever the justification, however, the impact of the increase on the judiciary's independence is unmistakable.It will allow the majority coalition in the National Assembly to radically alter the balance of power within the country's highest court, ensuring that each of its chambers is controlled by justices sympathetic to its own political agenda.
Power to purge the court
The Venezuelan Constitution seeks to guarantee the independence of justices by granting them a single twelve-year term and establishing an impeachment process that requires a 2/3 majority vote by the National Assembly, after the "citizen branch" (which consists of the attorney general, the ombudsman, and the comptroller) has determined that the justice has committed a "serious offense" (falta grave).[51]
The new law eliminates this guarantee.While the impeachment of justices still requires a 2/3 majority vote, the law creates two new mechanisms for removing justices that do not share this requirement.One entails suspending justices pending an impeachment vote, the other entails nullifying their appointments.
The first mechanism is found in a new provision which establishes that, when the "citizen branch" determines that a justice has committed a serious offense, and unanimously recommends the justice's dismissal, then the justice will be automatically suspended pending an impeachment vote by the National Assembly.[52]The law requires that the president of the assembly call for a hearing and an impeachment vote within ten days.However, such deadlines are habitually disregarded by the assembly, and there is no effective mechanism for enforcing them.Consequently, if the president of the assembly chooses not to bring the issue to a vote, the justice could remain suspended indefinitely.
The definition of "serious offense" for justices is broad and includes highly subjective categories such as "threaten or damage public ethics or administrative morale" and "made decisions that threaten or damage the interests of the Nation."[53]
The National Assembly has also bestowed upon itself the power to nullify justices' appointments by a simple majority vote in one of three circumstances: the justice provided false information at the time of his or her selection to the court; the justice's "public attitude . . . undermines the majesty or prestige of the Supreme Court" or of any of its members; or the justice "undermines the functioning" of the judiciary.[54]
This provision is a clear ploy to circumvent the constitutional requirement that justices can be removed with a 2/3 majority vote of the National Assembly.Calling this action the "nullification of appointment" cannot disguise the fact that it entails firing the justice.
What makes the provision particularly dangerous is the fact that two of the three criteria for "nullification" are entirely subjective and will, therefore, allow the assembly's majority to persecute justices identified with the political opposition.In fact, one member of the governing party of President Chvez, Iris Valera, has explicitly acknowledged this as the law's intent, saying "the 10 coup-backing justices (magistrados golpistas) who supported the de facto government of Pedro Carmona Estanda, should be off the Supreme Court and the new law passed in the National Assembly will achieve this goal."[55]
Implications for the referendum
The packing and purging provisions of the new law-which would be objectionable under any circumstances-are particularly troubling given the current political context.
The prime target of any packing and purging efforts is likely to be the electoral chamber of the Supreme Court that, under the Venezuelan constitution, has jurisdiction over all legal disputes surrounding electoral activity.The chamber currently contains two members (out of three) who are identified with the opposition and voted to order the CNE to count the disqualified signatures on the referendum petition.By appointing two new justices to the chamber, the governing coalition will be able to tip the balance its own way.(The electoral chamber handles the fewest cases and, by all accounts has the least need for additional justices-which may explain the insistence on expanding the number of justices in all the court's chambers.)
Simultaneously, justices who fall into disfavor with the governing coalition could be subject to removal.The attorney general has already opened investigations into the electoral chamber's handling of the referendum case.It is unclear whether or not the suspension provision of the new law would be applicable should the "citizen branch" determine that the justices had committed a "serious offense."The attorney general told Human Rights Watch that he believed that the new sanction could not be applied retroactively.[56]In any case, the fact that the justices are under investigation for their rulings on the referendum issues sends a clear message that they will face similar scrutiny-and possible sanction-for any future decisions on this controversial topic.
VI. Recommendations
To President Hugo Chvez Fras:
It is critically important that the issues here not be reduced to partisan wrangling and that the criticisms offered here not be mischaracterized as partisan attack.Human Rights Watch does not take a stand on the political conflict currently underway in Venezuela.When sectors of the opposition launched a coup d'tat in April 2002, we denounced their actions forcefully-just as we denounce any actions that jeopardize respect for fundamental human rights anywhere in the world, regardless of the political persuasion of their perpetrators.
Today the gravest threat to human rights in Venezuela is the potential political takeover of the Supreme Court made possible by the new court-packing law.It is not too late, however, for Venezuela to reverse course and salvage the independence and autonomy of its judiciary.Toward that end, the president should:
instruct his supporters within the National Assembly to suspend implementation of the new court-packing law immediately;
promote legislation that would modify those provisions of the new law that undermine the independence of the judiciary;
collaborate actively with the secretary general of the OAS, should the organization seek ways to help Venezuela address the crisis facing its judiciary (as described below).
To the Supreme Court:
The Venezuelan Supreme Court still has an opportunity to fix the aspects of the court-packing law that threaten its autonomy.Since the law was passed last month, the court has received several appeals that challenge the constitutionality of its most harmful provisions.The Supreme Court should:
act quickly to review these appeals, paying particularly close attention to the provisions of the court-packing law that allow for justices to be removed or suspended without the 2/3 majority vote required by article 265 of the Constitution.
The Supreme Court should take steps to strengthen the independence of judges.Specifically, it should:
reactivate the program of public competitions for selecting permanent judges;
cease from dismissing judges without cause and without due process, regardless of the nature of their appointment;
make it a priority to provide a prompt and impartial review of the appeals from judges who have been dismissed after handling controversial cases.
To international lending agencies:
The World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank can play a significant role in strengthening Venezuela's justice system, as is clear from their involvement in the country to date.The Inter-American Development Bank provided a loan for $75 million in 2001 for projects in the Attorney General's Office and Ministry of the Interior and Justice aimed at improving the efficiency, professionalism and equity of the criminal justice system.
The World Bank has supported the Venezuelan judiciary in recent years with a $30 million loan for a project (authorized in 1993 and completed after multiple delays in 2003) that aimed to modernize the infrastructure of the judiciary, as well as a $4.7 million loan for a project (authorized in 1997 and completed in 2000) that aimed to improve the functioning of the Supreme Court.The Venezuelan judiciary has since developed a proposal for a third loan from the Bank.
The most pressing issue facing the Venezuelan justice system now is the threats to its independence and autonomy.Until these threats are addressed, improvements in other areas may only help a fundamentally flawed system function more efficiently.
Therefore, international lending agencies interested in supporting the Venezuelan judiciary should:
direct aid toward efforts to strengthen the independence of its judges and autonomy of its courts.
suspend all future assistance for justice sector projects until Venezuela takes concrete steps to address the threats to judicial independence documented in this report.
To the Organization of American States:
The Inter-American Democratic Charter, adopted by the thirty-four foreign ministers of the OAS in 2001, recognizes that "one of the purposes of the OAS is to promote and consolidate representative democracy," and reasserts the proposition (originally articulated in the Declaration of Managua for the Promotion of Democracy and Development) that the organization's mission is not limited to the defense of democracy wherever its fundamental values and principles have collapsed, but also calls for ongoing and creative work to consolidate democracy as well as a continuing effort to prevent and anticipate the very causes of the problems that affect the democratic system of government.[57]
Toward that end, article 18 of the Charter establishes that "[w]hen situations arise in a member state that may affect the development of its democratic political institutional process or the legitimate exercise of power," the secretary general and the Permanent Council of the OAS may take steps to investigate and respond to the situation, "with prior consent of the government concerned."[58]
The current crisis facing the Venezuelan judiciary threatens to have a profoundly negative affect on the country's democracy.Unless Venezuelan government takes concrete steps immediately to reverse this course, the secretary general of the OAS:
should use his authority under Article 18 of the Charter to engage with the Venezuelan government to address the threats to its judicial independence that affect the country's democratic system of government.
VII. Acknowledgements
Daniel Wilkinson, counsel for Human Rights Watch's Americas Division, wrote this report. Joanne Mariner, deputy director of the Americas Division, Wilder Tayler, Human Rights Watch's Legal and Policy Director, and Joseph Saunders, Deputy Program Director, edited it.Americas Division associates Ximena Casas and Jennifer Nagle helped with the production.Intern Martin Austermuhle provided invaluable research support.
Human Rights Watch would like to thank the numerous organizations, government officials and individuals that contributed to this report.In particular, we would like to thank Supreme Court President Ivan Rincn Urdaneta, Attorney General Isaas Rodrguez, Ombudsman Germn Mundarain, and other officials who met with us in the course of our investigation.
[1] Art. 7, Inter-American Democratic Charter."Democracy is indispensable for the effective exercise of fundamental freedoms and human rights in their universality, indivisibility and interdependence, embodied in the respective constitutions of states and in inter-American and international human rights instruments."
[2] Art. 3, Inter-American Democratic Charter. "Essential elements of representative democracy include, inter alia, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, access to and the exercise of power in accordance with the rule of law, the holding of periodic, free, and fair elections based on secret balloting and universal suffrage as an expression of the sovereignty of the people, the pluralistic system of political parties and organizations, and the separation of powers and independence of the branches of government." (Emphasis added.)
[3] Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Venezuela, December 29, 2003, paras. 150-1.
[4] The American Convention on Human Rights (provides that:"Every person has the right to a hearing, with due guarantees and within a reasonable time, by a competent, independent, and impartial tribunal, previously established by law, in the substantiation of any accusation of a criminal nature made against him or for the determination of his rights and obligations of (. . .) any other nature."(Emphasis added.) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (art. 14, para. 1) also indicates the importance of the independence of the judiciary by establishing that: "All persons shall be equal before the courts and tribunals. In the determination of any criminal charge against him, or of his rights and obligations in a suit at law, everyone shall be entitled to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law . . . ."(Emphasis added.)
[5] Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, endorsed by United Nations General Assembly resolutions 40/32 of 29 November 1985 and 40/146 of 13 December 1985.
[6] Ibid., art. 10.
[10] Ibid., art. 18.
[12] Human Rights Watch interview with Attorney General Isaas Rodrguez, Caracas, May 14, 2004.
[13]"Halfway to Reform: The World Bank and the Venezuelan Justice System,"A Joint Report by The Lawyers Committee for Human Rights and The Venezuelan Program for Human Rights Education and Action," 1996, available at http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/pubs/descriptions/halfway.htm.
[14] United Nations Development Program, Justicia y gobernabilidad. Venezuela: una reforma judicial en marcha. Caracas: Editorial Nueva Sociedad, 1998, p. 143.Cited in Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, Direccin Ejecutiva de la Magistratura, Unidad Coordinadora del Proyecto de Modernizacin del Poder Judicial, "Proyecto para la Mejora de la Administracin de Justicia en el Contexto de la Resolucin de Conflictos en Venezuela,"p. 8.
[15] Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, Direccin Ejecutiva de la Magistratura, Unidad Coordinadora del Proyecto de Modernizacin del Poder Judicial, "Proyecto para la Mejora de la Administracin de Justicia en el Contexto de la Resolucin de Conflictos en Venezuela,"p. 23.
[16] Art. 255, Constitution of the BolivarianRepublic of Venezuela. "Appointment to a judicial position and the promotion of judges shall be carried out by means of public competitions, to ensure the capability and excellence of the participants and those selected by the juries of the judicial circuits, in such manner and on such terms as may be established by law. The appointment and swearing in of judges shall be the responsibility of the Supreme Court of Justice. Citizen participation in the process of selecting and designating judges shall be guaranteed by law. Judges may only be removed or suspended from office through the procedures expressly provided for by law."(Emphasis added.)
[17] Art. 49, Constitution of the BolivarianRepublic of Venezuela. "Due process will be provided in all judicial and administrative proceedings; consequently . . . . 2) Every person has the right to be heard in any type of proceeding, with the proper guarantees and within a reasonable time determined by law, by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established previously. . . . ."
[18] Art. 3, Ley de Carrera Judicial (1998):"Judges will have the benefit of security of tenure in the fulfillment of their office.Consequently, they will only be subject to removal or suspension in the exercise of their function in the situations and through the process determined by this law." Art. 40:"Without prejudice to the criminal and civil penalties that might be applicable, judges will be dismissed from their posts, after receiving due process, for the following causes: . . ." (The article then lists types of conduct that provide cause for dismissal.)
[19] Information provided through e-mail correspondence with Executive Director of the Magistracy, Supreme Tribunal of Justice, Ricardo Jimnez Dan, May 20, 2004.
[20] The Judicial Commission of the Supreme Court has asserted this authority explicitly in written responses to appeals filed by judges it has summarily fired.See note 37 below.
[21]Concluding observations by the Human Rights Committee: Venezuela, 26/04/2001."An extended reform process threatens the independence of the judiciary, given the possibility that judges could be removed as a result of the performance of their duties, thus infringing art. 2, paragraph 3, and art. 14 of the Covenant."
[22] Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, "Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Venezuela," December 29, 2003, paras. 159-177.
[23] Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, Direccin Ejecutiva de la Magistratura, Unidad Coordinadora del Proyecto de Modernizacin del Poder Judicial, "Proyecto para la Mejora de la Administracin de Justicia en el Contexto de la Resolucin de Conflictos en Venezuela," p. 22.
[24] Ibid, p. 23.
[25] Human Rights Watch interview with Supreme Court President Ivan Rincn Urdaneta, Caracas, May 13, 2004.
[26] Human Rights Watch interview with Rene Molina, Caracas, May 14, 2004.
[27] Red de Veedores, "Poder Judicial y Sistema de Justicia en Venezuela 2002-3."Available at http://veedores.org/nodos/veejudicial/informes/observacionpoderjudicial.htm.
[28] Human Rights Watch telephone interviews with Maria Trastoy and Miguel Luna, May 18, 2004.
[29] Ibid.Corte de Apelaciones del Circuito Judicial Penal de la Circunscripcin Judicial del Area Metropolitana de Caracas Sala Quinta, Actuacin No. SA-5-04-1442, Caracas, April 12, 2004 (upholding ruling by Petra Jimnez).Corte de Apelaciones del Circuito Judicial Penal de la Circunscripcin Judicial del Area Metropolitana de Caracas Sala Quinta Accidental, Actuacin No. SA-5-04-1436, Caracas, April 14, 2004 (upholding ruling by Mara Trastoy).
[30] (". . . en razn de las observaciones que fueron formuladas por ante este Despacho.")Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, Sala Plena, Documents No. TPE-04-0231, Caracas, March 2, 2004 (notification to Mara del Carmen Tratoy Hombre); Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, Sala Plena, Oficio No. TPE-04-0231, Caracas, March 2, 2004 (notification to Petra Margarita Jimnez Ortega).
[32]Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, Direccin Ejecutiva de la Magistratura, "Designacin del Martes, 02 de Marzo de 2004."Available at http://www.tsj.gov.ve/designaciones/designacion.asp?fecha_id=93.
[33] Human Rights Watch telephone interview with Mara Trastoy, May 18, 2004
[34] Comisin Judicial, El Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, Magistrado Ponente: Luis Martnez Hernndez, Exp. No. CJ-2003-0015, 16 de junio de 2003): "Given that the petitioner does not enjoy security of tenure [estabilidad] in her post, it is evident that the [Judicial Commission] . . . . can freely revoke [her] appointment, which entails the exercise of a broad and discretional faculty for which there is no substantive limit whatsoever, since she is not protected by the limits of security of tenure of a judicial officer.From this perspective the revocation of the appointment of the petitioner established by the Judicial Commission cannot be considered a disciplinary act, that is, it does not consist of the application of a penalty based on an offense, but rather it consists of an action based on discretionary concerns; concerns which, consequently, cannot be questioned or subjected to review." (Emphasis added.)
[35] Human Rights Watch interview with member of Commission of Functioning and Restructuring of the Justice System, Laurence Quijada, Caracas, May 13, 2004.
[36] One provisional judge, Luis Enrique Ortega Ruiz, filed an appeal in September 2002 and has yet to receive a response over a year and a half later.Another provisional judge, Mara Cristina Reveron, who filed an appeal in April 2002, has yet to receive a response over two years later.
[37]"Corte Venezuela ordena dejar de ejercer mdicos Cuba en Caracas," Reuters, August 21, 2003.
[38] Unofficial transcript of radio and television program, "Al Presidente," No. 161, Aug. 24, 2003, pp. 22 24.
[39]Human Rights Watch interview with IGHTn RightsMagistrate 3)na can carry it out in your home if you want...Supreme Court Justice Blanca Rosa Mrmol de Len, Caracas, May 13, 2004.
[40] Unofficial transcript of address by President Chvez, September 20, 2003.
[41] Gaceta Oficial de la Repblica Bolivariana de Venezuela, Caracas, November 4, 2003, p. 330, 848.
[42] Art. 91, Ley Orgnica de Procedimientos Administrativos.
[43] Art. 10, Cdigo de Procedimiento Civil.
[45] Art. 203, Constitution of the BolivarianRepublic of Venezuela.
[46] Art. 2, Ley Orgnica del Tribunal Supremo de Justicia.
[48] While there is disagreement among Venezuelan jurists as to whether this 2/3 majority was or is actually required by the former or current Constitution, most agreed that Supreme Court nominees generally did receive such a vote.
[49] Human Rights Watch telephone interview with National Assembly member Calixto Ortega, May 6, 2004.Human Rights Watch interview with Supreme Court President Ivan Rincn Urdaneta, Caracas, May 13, 2004.
[50] Human Rights Watch interviews with Supreme Court President Ivan Rincn Urdaneta, Caracas, May 13, 2004, Juan Rafael Perdomo, Caracas, May 13, 2004, Supreme Court Justice Blanca Rosa Marmol, Caracas, May 13, 2004, Supreme Court Justice Carlos Martini, Caracas, May 14, 2004.Human Rights Watch telephone interview with former Supreme Court Justice Carlos Escarr, May 16, 2004.
[51]Articles 264-5, Constitution of the BolivarianRepublic of Venezuela.Article 265 states: "Supreme Court Justices will be subject to removal by the National Assembly by a super-majority of two-thirds of its members, after a hearing is granted the affected party, in cases of serious offenses found by the Citizen Branch, in accordance with the law."
[52] Art. 23, Number 3, Ley Orgnica del Tribunal Supremo de Justicia. "Supreme Court Justices will be subject to suspension or removal from their responsibilities, in cases of serious offenses, by the National Assembly, following the petition and determination of offenses by the Citizen Branch.In case of removal, the [decision] must be approved by a super majority of two thirds (2/3) of the members of the National Assembly, following a hearing for the Justice.At the moment that the Citizen Branch determines that an offense is serious and unanimously seeks removal, the Justice will be suspended from his or her post, until the definitive decision of the National Assembly.Likewise, [the Justice] will be suspended if the Supreme Court declares that there are grounds to prosecute him or her; in which case, this measure is different from the suspension sanction established by the Organic Law of the Citizen Branch."
[53] Art. 11, Ley Orgnica del Poder Ciudadano."The following are considered a serious offense on the part of Supreme Court Justices: 1. When they attempt to harm [atenten], threaten, or damage the public ethics and the administrative morale established in the present Law . . . . 4.When they adopt decisions that attempt to harm [atenten] or damage the interests of the Nation."
[54] Art. 23, Number 4, Ley Orgnica del Tribunal Supremo de Justicia: The National Assembly, by a simple majority, will be able to annul the administrative act by which a Justice is appointed, principal or substitute, when this person has supplied false information at the time and for the purposes of his or her nomination, which prevented or distorted the fulfillment of the requirements established in this Law and in the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; or when the public attitude of these, which [sic.] aims to harm [atente contra] the majesty or prestige of the Supreme Court, of any one of its Chambers, of the Justices of Judicial Branch [sic.]; or when it aims to harm [atente contra] the functioning of the Supreme Court, one of its Chambers, or the Judicial Branch."(Emphasis added.)
[55] National Assembly member Iris Varela, quoted by government news agency, Venpres, May 3, 2004.("[L]os 10 magistrados golpistas que apoyaron al gobierno de facto de Pedro Carmona Estanga, deben quedar fuera del Tribunal Supremo de Justicia y la nueva Ley aprobada en la Asamblea Nacional, servir para lograr ese propsito.")
[57] Preamble, Inter-American Democratic Charter.
[58] Art. 18, Inter-American Democratic Charter."When situations arise in a member state that may affect the development of its democratic political institutional process or the legitimate exercise of power, the secretary general or the Permanent Council may, with prior consent of the government concerned, arrange for visits or other actions in order to analyze the situation. The secretary general will submit a report to the Permanent Council, which will undertake a collective assessment of the situation and, where necessary, may adopt decisions for the preservation of the democratic system and its strengthening."
The Inter-American Charter also authorizes the OAS to act without obtaining prior consent of the member state "[i]n the event of an unconstitutional alteration of the constitutional regime that seriously impairs the democratic order" of that state (art. 20).Under such circumstances the secretary general or any other member state "may request the immediate convocation of the Permanent Council to undertake a collective assessment of the situation and to take such decisions as it deems appropriate."
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Parts Console Nintendo 3DS XL 2015 DC-In Boards
Nintendo 3DS XL 2015 DC-In Boards
Don't know your model? ID Your Console
Parts that work with Nintendo 3DS XL 2015:
Nintendo 3DS XL (2015) Midframe & Digitizer
This part is the midframe and digitizer assembly for the Nintendo 3DS XL (2015).
Nintendo 3DS XL (2015) D-Pad Board
Replace the physical D-pad buttons that connect to the motherboard in the Nintendo 3DS XL (2015).
Nintendo 3DS XL (2015) Joystick
Replace a broken or damaged joystick for your Nintendo 3DS XL (2015) portable game console with this part. This is a used, OEM part.
Nintendo 3DS XL (2015) D-Pad Button
Replace the external D-Pad Button face and its grommet.
Nintendo 3DS XL (2015) Action Buttons Board
This part is the circuit board with physical action buttons for the Nintendo 3DS XL (2015).
Nintendo 3DS XL (2015) SD Card Port
Replace the SD card reader for the Nintendo 3DS XL (2015).
Nintendo 3DS XL (2015) Depth Slider Switch
This part is the slider switch that adjusts the depth setting for the Nintendo 3DS XL (2015).
Nintendo 3DS XL (2015) Speaker Assembly
This part is the speaker assembly for the Nintendo 3DS XL (2015).
Nintendo 3DS XL (2015) Upper Display Glass
This part is the upper display glass only, not the LCD, for the Nintendo 3DS XL (2015).
Nintendo 3DS XL (2015) Front-Facing Cameras
This part is the pair of front facing, 3D capable, cameras for the Nintendo 3DS XL (2015).
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The Nintendo 3DS XL 2015, also marketed as the New Nintendo 3DS XL, was released October 11, 2014 in Japan and February 13, 2015 in North America.
The 3DS XL 2015 comes with two distinctive additions to its model: the C stick (nub joystick) placed above the right button pad and ZL/ZR buttons. The camera’s new facial tracking feature allows the top screen’s 3D display to be viewed from a wider range of angles, and the CPU has been improved for performance, optimizing loading times and visuals.
As with the previous version, the console allows for the transferring of files with a microSDHC card or via a wireless network. The screen sizes are the same as the original 3DS XL, measuring 4.88 inches (12.395 cm) diagonal for the top screen and 4.18 inches (10.617 cm) diagonal on the bottom.
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chemical-engineering+any
University of Technology, Sydney Partnership
This young, tech-infused, design-savvy institution, located in the hub of Sydney's start up community, is a comprehensive university with a great reputation for excellence in STEM subjects and Communications. Here you will enjoy a truly international experience in a hands-on, career-focused atmosphere.
University College Dublin Partnership
There is something for everyone at UCD - Ireland's largest and most international campus. Spring into the humanities, sharpen your global business knowledge, conduct scientific research in cutting-edge facilities, and dig into pre-professional programs. Immerse yourself in a new culture as you traverse an exciting new academic setting!
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú Partnership
Peru is a melting pot of people, world-recognized cuisine, music and dance from Africa, Asia and Europe, combined with local indigenous populations. Want to get involved in social, economic and political issues through community service and research? Our community-based learning component gives you firsthand experience by working with NGOs.
University of Oxford, St. Edmund Hall Partnership
St. Edmund Hall claims to be the oldest educational establishment in Oxford - it was founded in 1236! You'll find that Teddy Hall, as it is affectionately known, has always had a history of independent thought. Join in that history as you present and defend your ideas with your tutor.
University of Limerick Partnership
Resting on the River Shannon, the University of Limerick is renowned for innovative teaching, a prestigious music and dance school and top-notch sporting. Known as 'Ireland's Sports Campus,' when you study abroad at UL you can work out at the Sport Arena, watch a soccer match on the outdoor pitch, go kayaking on the shore of Lough Derg, or try to catch a glimpse of the Munster Rugby team while they train on campus!
The University of Adelaide is located right in the heart of the city of Adelaide, which was recently called "Australia's best kept secret" thanks to its great weather, never-ending festivals, food and wine culture and affordability. The university is one of Australia's oldest, with "Harry Potter style" sandstone buildings with abundant STEM offerings.
Universidad Nacional Partnership
Nestled between mountains, Heredia offers a unique Latin American experience. You'll find great academic opportunities at top-ranked Universidad Nacional, all within the reach of ecological sites, national parks, beautiful beaches, and nearby hiking trails. So, sit back and enjoy a fresh cup of Costa Rican coffee as you embrace the Pura Vida.
4 semesters of university level or equivalent
James Cook University Partnership, Cairns campus
Cairns, Australia
Dig deeper into ecology, photography, or marine biology while surrounded by the spectacular rainforests of the Wet Tropics, the dry savannahs and the iconic Great Barrier Reef. IFSA will help you thrive while at this unique and diverse top-ranked tropical research institution. And just imagine what you'll do on your weekends!
University of Canterbury Partnership
Established in 1873 by scholars of Oxford and Cambridge, the University of Canterbury is ranked amongst the top 3% of universities in the world. If you are interested in hiking, snow sports, rock-climbing or pretty much anything outdoors, prepare for Canterbury to steal your heart and fill up your Instagram feed.
University of New South Wales Partnership
Just a stone's throw from the stunning Coogee Beach and the historically beautiful Coogee to Bondi walk, this modern university has an outstanding academic reputation and fantastic facilities. Most students live in residential colleges with vibrant social and inter sports programs, and only 20 minutes by bus to Downtown Sydney.
University College London Partnership
If you believe in taking an informed and innovative approach to problem solving, you'll find your home at UCL. You can tackle global issues from multiple perspectives in your classes, whether that's by creating art, studying citizenship, or preparing for a career in global health.
James Cook University Partnership, Townsville campus
Townsville, Australia
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Save our parks and our homes - Invest in public transport
Posted by Illawarra Greens 323sc on June 14, 2017
Greens MP and Environment & Transport Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC has slammed today’s reports that the Government is planning to build the F6 toll road either through the Royal National Park or straight through more than 400 homes. She has said this will be a disaster and the Government should be investing in improving the South Coast line.
Read the full Media Release here
Dr Faruqi said:
“I cannot believe that in 2017, even this Liberal-National NSW Government who has shown little care for our environment, is seriously considering building a dirty toll road right through Australia’s oldest National Park.
“The community love the Royal, it’s the second most visited National Park in NSW and they simply won’t accept this crazy plan just to satisfy this government’s insatiable appetite for toll roads.
“The Government is pitching a false dichotomy between building in a National Park and hundreds of people losing their homes. The reality is that the F6 will be a disaster either way. We know there is another way to improve people’s commute by upgrading the train line which is more effective, less destructive and cheaper.
“Under no circumstances can we allow the loss of our National Parks. If the Government dares bring this plan to revoke parts of the Royal National Park to Parliament the Greens will unequivocally oppose it in the strongest possible way.
“The Government has decided not to pursue the Royal National Park for World Heritage status and with this news it is becoming increasingly clear why.
“With the disastrous environmental impacts of this Government’s land clearing laws, we thought National Parks were the only places still protected from clearing, but even that’s not true anymore. It’ll be an environmental catastrophe if the Government starts clearing the Royal National Park.
“We knew that Transport for NSW was explicitly instructed by the Government to not look at rail options when considering the F6, and now we know what an environmental and community tragedy this motorway will be. These kinds of decisions really beg the question whose interests the Government has at heart, the community or the toll road lobby?” she concluded.
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EU referendum: £9.3m of taxpayers\' money being spent to print leaflets on Brexit risks
By Ananya Roy
April 7, 2016 08:08 BST
The UK government is spending taxpayers\' money to explain them the risks of Brexit Francois Lenoir/Reuters
Prime Minister David Cameron's government is spending £9.3m ($13.1m) of taxpayers' money to warn them about the dangers of leaving the European Union ahead of the 23 June referendum. The government is printing leaflets carrying the warning, which will be sent to 27 million homes in the country. The move has evoked strong criticism from Brexit campaigners who see it as a waste of public money.
Taking a dig at the leaflets, London Mayor Boris Johnson said they were a "complete waste of money" and carried a "biased and hysterical warning". "It's crazy to use quite so much taxpayers' money on stuff that is basically intended to scare people and to stampede people in one direction. I think what we want is a proper, informed debate and if you are going to use taxpayers' money, you should allow people to put the other side of the case as well," Johnson was quoted as saying by the Telegraph.
The government leaflet reportedly claims that Brexit can trigger an "economic shock" that would "put pressure on the value of the pound"; more than three million jobs losses; surge in prices of some household goods and mobile roaming charges when travelling; and would deprive people of access to cheap flights and cheaper healthcare on holiday. The leaflets also claim that staying in the EU is vital in "controlling immigration and securing our borders" and keeping Britain safe from terrorists. The leaflet warns that a Brexit could "result in 10 years of uncertainty".
Justice Secretary Michael Gove, who chairs Vote Leave, called the leaflet campaign a "disgraceful" use of public money and accused the government of using the leaflets to distract people "from accusations over David Cameron's tax affairs". Gove and his allies also accused the prime minister of breaking a promise made in 2015 of not issuing leaflets.
Tory MP Peter Bone, who co-founded the Grassroots Out campaign, reportedly termed the leaflets "immoral, undemocratic and against what the government has promised". Calling the government's move legally questionable and morally wrong, Ukip leader Nigel Farage noted that "the document is jammed full of lies and inaccuracies including the claim that we currently control our borders".
However, Environment Secretary Liz Truss defended the leaflet campaign, saying it was "crucial" for the people to get "clear and accessible information" about the referendum. "The document makes clear why EU membership brings economic security, peace and stability. It also sets out that if the UK voted to leave, the resulting economic shock would put pressure on the value of the pound, which would risk higher prices of some household goods," she was quoted as saying.
In addition to criticising the expenditure on leaflets, Brexit campaigners are also complaining about the financial edge the "In" campaigners have with a budget of £26.6m, which includes the £7m officially allocated sum for Remain campaign and contributions from different political parties and businesses. The Leave campaigners have only £11.7m at their disposal.
The government leaflet reportedly claims Brexit can trigger an "economic shock" that would "put pressure on the value of the pound"; more than three million jobs losses; surge in prices of some household goods and mobile roaming charges when travelling; and would deprive people of access to cheap flights and cheaper healthcare on holiday. The leaflet also claim that staying in the EU is vital in "controlling immigration and securing our borders" and keeping Britain safe from terrorists. It warns that a Brexit could "result in 10 years of uncertainty".
Panama Papers: 2013 letter shows David Cameron sought softer curbs for offshore trusts
More than 100 medical groups urge Congress to restore funding for research on gun violence
Barclays sells stake in Texon that supplies footwear parts to Nike, Adidas and Timberland
Panama Papers: Iceland coalition names Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson as new prime minister
Related topics : EU Referendum
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Apple's healthy CareKit revolution
Posted by Ryan Faas
on April 15 2016
Around three years ago, I was talking with the CIO of a regional hospital about how mobile apps could improve hospital and post-discharge experiences for patients. The conversation came up largely because of the Affordable Care Act, which included new rules to lower Medicare reimbursements to hospitals with high rates of readmissions for people with specific conditions. The goal: Encourage better discharge and follow-up care that would mean healthier patients and lower medical costs. We specifically talked about how a discharge app could be a major improvement in the discharge process and ensure better follow-ups for patients.
Anyone who's ever been, or has had a loved one, discharged from a hospital (surgery or not), can relate. The do's and don'ts, the packet of prescriptions and lists of providers for follow-up care can be daunting for even the most simple of hospital stays. An app is a great option to improve medical outcomes.
I remembered that conversation earlier this month as I watched Apple introduce CareKit and the Postsurgical care app created with it by Texas Medical Center. The app is similar to what that regional hospital had hoped to create, but had never been able to build from scratch.
Apple COO Jeff Williams spelled out why CareKit and the apps it will enable are important at the same March 21 event during which Apple unveiled the new iPhone SE.
[ Further reading: Optical research that could supercharge the Internet ]
"One of the most important things affecting the outcome of surgery is what you do in the recovery process, yet we go from being monitored by a team of highly trained specialists using leading-edge technology to being discharged with a single sheet of paper," Williams said. "This is your list of things to do, not to do, which days to do them on. Adherence to this is notoriously very poor."
Apple COO Jeff Williams.
CareKit provides a solid framework for any healthcare organization to build upon. Apps are based around a series of modules -- four at present -- designed by Apple. Developers can start with these modules and build off them, customizing the data collected as needed. (This is very similar to how ResearchKit apps are developed.) The apps can get data from the sensors in an iPhone and/or Apple Watch as well as from connected devices like blood pressure cuffs, but they can also acquire information much more simply from user input.
This modular approach means that developers don't have to reinvent the wheel for common tasks or functions, reducing the resources required to create care-related apps. (Not surprisingly, the hospital officials I was talking to in 2013 are planning to take a serious look at CareKit.)
That tactic not only provides a level of consistency across CareKit apps, but also allows them to exchange information with each other or with ResearchKit apps and means they can interact with HealthKit data -- as long as Apple ensures that users allow such data sharing.
CareKit's four modules
CareKit offers developers just four modules for now. That may seem like a small number, but there is significant flexibility in how they can be used individually and integrated together. Although all four modules are available, it appears that Apple is allowing the use of only one or two if that's all that's needed for an app to accomplish its mission.
The Care Card module is essentially a treatment plan or medical to-do list. It can serve as a reminder to take meds, perform physical therapy, change bandages, perform self-tests (such as measuring heart rate/blood pressure, check range of motion, etc.), record information about conditions and let users note they've performed the tasks. It can also provide additional information like warning signs or things like food, medication or activities to avoid. Data in the Care Card module can also be updated by healthcare providers during an office visit or based on data shared by the app itself. This is a major component of Texas Medical Center's Postsurgical care app.
Think of the Care Card module as essentially a medical to-do list.
The Symptom and Measurement Tracker does exactly what its name implies: It allows users to record information about symptoms and other metrics related to a given condition. That's a broad description, but tracking different conditions can mean tracking very different things, including mood for users with depression; range of motion for those recovering from surgery or musculoskeletal injures; pain levels; vital signs like blood pressure or lung function; body temperature; and even photos of wounds or skin abnormalities. Additional relevant data could also be captured, either by being manually entered or recorded on an iPhone. (An asthma or COPD-related app could, for example, automatically record air quality data based on a user's location.)
Capturing this data allows users and healthcare providers to see trends over time and to build a much more accurate picture of a person's progress than you'd get from just periodic office visits.
The Insight Dashboard is probably the most significant module because it makes sense of the data recorded by the first two modules. At its most effective, it can combine those data sets and provide a better understanding of how treatment is working. The act of tracking adherence to a treatment plan or to medication needs is helpful in its own right. So is the act of tracking symptoms. Put them together and you can get a much fuller picture of the effectiveness of treatment and/or medication. Is a given pain med providing relief? Do the prescribed physical therapy exercises improve movement and/or relieve pain? Is an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication actually effective?
Finally, the Connect module provides simple but key functionalities; it shares the information the app collects. Typically, this will be with a healthcare provider or care team, but it can also include a partner or spouse, parents, or anyone else a person trusts and who needs to know how that person is doing.
CareKit and HealthKit
Like Apple's HealthKit and ResearchKit, CareKit isn't a product in itself. It's a set of frameworks that enables a clear and consistent approach to tracking and managing data related to specific conditions. HealthKit, however, offers a single dashboard -- the Health app -- where users can track all the data collected by HealthKit-enabled apps and devices.
Although CareKit apps will almost certainly be able to read and write data from the Health app, Apple doesn't appear to be creating a single dashboard for CareKit-related information. This makes sense given that each CareKit app can, and almost certainly will, contain its own Insight Dashboard module specific to the conditions and metrics it tracks.
One advantage of HealthKit is that it facilitates information sharing with healthcare providers' systems. That's largely because of HealthKit support in apps from various manufacturers of electronic medical records systems and/or patient portals. They allow HealthKit data (once authorized by a user) to be passed through an app to the associated system where it becomes part of a user's medical record. (Data can also be passed from such apps into the Health app.)
It isn't clear how much data, particularly Insight data, will be shared this way, though any data a CareKit app writes into the Health app could be shared automatically. Exactly what level of automatic sharing is allowed and whether it's processed through HealthKit or directly communicated to a provider's systems remains to be seen; it will likely vary from app to app.
Provider vs. third-party commercial apps
One of the interesting things about CareKit is that apps will be created by two broad categories of organizations. The first is healthcare providers themselves -- hospitals, medical groups, insurance companies, physician practices, etc. Texas Medical Center's Postsurgical care app is an excellent example (as is that discharge app concept I discussed early on). And then there are third-party developers, companies that produce health-related apps for the general public but aren't associated with a specific provider. Both will provide value, but there will be some notable differences.
Apps developed by a provider will more likely allow a user to share data with and receive updates from a care team. Since these apps will be designed to work with a specific hospital, medical group or practice, they will tie into the backend systems used by those providers (including, but not limited to, electronic health records, patient portals and internal communications systems). The shared data will also likely be mapped to a provider's clinical workflows, meaning that doctors, nurses and others will be expecting to receive the data, have processes in place to review it and have a plan for how to respond if needed.
These apps will prove to be immensely valuable to users and clinicians because they will be tailored to a provider's processes, specialties and the needs of patients. And healthcare interactions will be richer and more useful because the apps are more tailored to specific needs based on patient conditions or the specialties of the providers.
They will, however, have a narrower focus because the data and interactions will be centered around specific health issues. Sharing data with other providers (such as a primary care physician) may not be as easy as with the hospital-based care team or specialty practice. The audience for these apps will also be limited to the patients of a specific provider.
Apps developed for more general use will obviously have a broader audience since they're designed for a mass market, available to anyone that needs or wants to track a given condition. This makes them more accessible, but it also means that more user setup will be needed to customize the app for specific needs and treatment plans. There will likely also be less direct interaction with a provider or care team, meaning it will be up to users to get more involved in their own care. That could involve simply printing out the data generated by an app; some existing health-tracking apps that are planning to integrate CareKit already rely on this method for sharing data.
This won't make these apps any less useful. In fact, broad availability could be an advantage since individual medical practices or doctors in smaller healthcare groups will be able to suggest apps to a range of patients and may even be able to walk them through initial setup during an office visit. The mass market could also allow apps to be tailored tightly to specific conditions, particularly rarer ones, than provider-generated apps.
Obviously, broad availability also means that individuals will be able to select and use the apps without input from any healthcare provider while still offering useful data and insights that can be shared as needed (and with any/all healthcare professionals rather than just a subset). That process, however, will likely be less automated and directed more by the user than by a physician or care team.
CareKit's challenge -- making use of the data
Without a doubt, CareKit provides a lot of insight into a user's health and conditions, particularly those that are chronic or progressive. It offers a simple way to take a wide swath of information from a variety of sources, correlate it and present it in easy-to-digest formats. In short, it makes all this data meaningful. The trick is making it actionable. That's where the ability to share data and discuss it with clinicians is key.
The challenge here is that physicians and other providers need to be ready and willing to go over these insights with patients. For apps developed by a healthcare provider, this is pretty much assumed. For mass-market apps, this may not be the case. There remains a debate in the healthcare community about the value of patient-generated data as well as concerns about being able to absorb and analyze large sets of data.
The brilliance of CareKit is that it is designed to ensure accuracy by relying on sensors and connected devices to record data and to make that data meaningful by correlating multiple sets of information, including subjective information like how a patient feels. This provides more useful information than multiple separate sets of raw data.
An overall challenge will be getting healthcare providers to actually use those insights beyond simply looking at the data itself. This may very well be an area where patients need to educate healthcare professionals about what CareKit is, the apps available related to their specific needs and the insights these apps can provide. Sharing the information from an app's Insight Dashboard during an office visit would be a very good starting point.
Why CareKit is revolutionary
One of the remarkable things about CareKit is that it provides a consistent, template-based approach to creating apps that eases the development process and offers users an extremely shallow learning curve -- figure out how to use one CareKit app, and you'll likely find others familiar and accessible.
Another is that the framework allows for immense versatility. Some of the apps already announced use the framework to track a wide range of health issues, from postsurgical care to depression (focusing on the effectiveness of various treatments), pregnancy, diabetes, Parkinson's Disease and other chronic conditions. It's hard to imagine any physical or mental healthcare issue that CareKit couldn't help monitor and manage.
A third important point is that CareKit, like HealthKit and ResearchKit, isn't limited to just patient responses to questions or reminders. It has access to the various sensors of an iPhone as well as connected devices and additional apps that are HealthKit-enabled. That provides a great range of objective data as well as subjective data. By being able to track and correlate this data over time, CareKit apps provide a unique living view of a person's health, progress and issues that impact a given condition.
Ultimately CareKit is one of the most revolutionary technologies introduced for the overall health ecosystem because it enables developers to connect so many sources of information and make sense of them. Broadly adopted, it will allow many people greater understanding of their unique health issues and needs, particularly those with chronic or difficult-to-treat conditions. It offers an accessible path to more personalized medicine by building on Apple's existing health initiatives and the work of a disparate range of developers, device makers and healthcare providers.
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[DevLog] EverEnding
By Problem Machine, October 2, 2016 in Game Development
Problem Machine
I've been working on a game called EverEnding for like five years now, give or take. Most of this time has been taken by developing the base code for the game alongside the editors necessary for developing its content -- the room editor (tile data), map editor (arrangements of rooms), entity editor (all interactive data in a room), and detail editor (all non-interactive data in a room). This may have been a bit of an ass-backwards way to work -- I am still a while away from having a vertical slice -- but I did things the best way I could figure by myself.
I've realized that's a problem though. Doing things by myself is an extremely inefficient way of doing things. And I'm not talking about getting other people to work on the game, which I couldn't afford to hire for and wouldn't feel comfortable asking people to volunteer for, but being willing to open up my process in a way that lets me give and receive advice and generally participate in a development community outside of my own brain.
Let's talk about the game. EverEnding is a story-focused 2d platformer, somewhat in the vein of Cave Story. I don't want to give everything away, since a big part of the game will be discovering what's going on as you go, but it takes place in a surreal post-apocalyptic setting. The player controls some sort of angelic character named Eve (the original title of the game, which I changed for reasons both numerous and obvious), tasked with collecting all of the stray souls left behind after the end of the world. Many of these are just lost, but as the game progresses those who remain become increasingly warped and malignant.
The project is being developed in Haxe and compiled to AIR. This is subject to change, as one of the reasons I chose to switch to Haxe from AS3 was the flexibility in compile target, but for now AIR is suitable to my needs and from my brief experimentation with OpenFL (an open-source project that mimics the behavior of Flash's built-in classes) I would have to completely rewrite the rendering code to match or improve upon the current AIR performance. I'm targeting a 960x540 resolution with the intent that it will look nicely crunchily pixely at standard 1920x1080 resolution, and though I have no particular restrictions in the art pipeline I am attempting to minimalize the color palette within each asset. The hope is to capture the restrained abstraction of pixel art without hewing too closely to any particular era of retro gaming. As will become obvious, I'm not shying away from using certain non-retro effects, such as transparencies and blending layers, but want to maintain the tooth and style of the pixel while I do so.
This is Eve, and one of the few pieces of concept art I've made and which I made four years ago:
And here's a little look at what the project looks like right now:
Here's a little bit of music that is probably going to be in the game:
Falling Angel
The current state of the project is that most of the basic programming is done and I'm working on getting some good art assets made for the game: Final character animations, final tile sets, and soon extra details and particle effects. Once this stuff gets a bit further along I'll be making the enemy entities, which all the groundwork is laid for (including pathfinding, a notably tricky challenge) but which still need a lot of work to be finalized. Once the character animations, tilesets, details, and enemies are done, I'll have everything I need to construct the first chapter of the game -- well, everything except for some special effects programming and the first boss, which I expect to be a task beyond the scope of the enemy entities, who will hopefully be old-hat by then. I'd say realistically that's probably a goal I can aim to achieve by the end of next year, if everything goes very smoothly.
I've been posting regular progress DevBlogs on my blog for the last four years or so, and am now going to start mirror-posting them in this thread as well. Thanks for taking the time to check my project out!
Gorbles
The crouch and crouch-turn animation is simply exquisite. I don't have any word that doesn't sound pretentious for it, haha. The movement seems like it's a bit "floaty" right now but I think you've absolutely nailed the crouching bit.
Loving the concept art, too. Is the weapon meant to be based on a khopesh or more of a sickle?
I want the movement to feel a BIT floaty/ethereal, so I'm fine with that. The weapon is a sickle -- the overall design is kind of a take on the grim reaper, which is a super trite design archetype but I feel like I've got a fairly fresh approach to it here
(This is the first crossposted devlog entry from my personal blog. I'll be posting these updates monthly from now on)
EverEnding DevBlog, October 2016: Schedule
This was an eventful month! Following my devblog post last month, I started sharing the project on a couple of game dev forums, and through a logical process which eludes me now 30 days later determined that a: I wanted to have the first chapter of the game complete by the end of 2017 and b: that in order to do this I should create a complete task-list and schedule for the project up to that point. This ended up taking me a few days, but I really feel like it was worth it. I now have, printed across 12 pages, a fairly comprehensive list of work that needs to be done in order to complete the first chapter of the game. There's going to be four chapters total, so a lot of work will remain to complete the game even after all this, but the scope of the work will be determined and I'll know how much time and effort it takes to create finished content for the game. All major gameplay bugs should get eliminated through this process, and all fundamental design code will be firmly in place.
I broke the schedule up into a total of five three-month blocks, one for the rest of this year and four others for next year. Currently, for this year's block, I have 24/53 tasks completed or otherwise resolved. I also have a few tasks which I had to add to the list which aren't accounted for there, as well as a few that are partially complete, but it's still good progress and I'm proud of how quickly I'm getting the work done. Now, I expect some future tasks to be quite a bit trickier, and I also expect many unforeseen tasks to crop up, but that's why I'm trying to get ahead of schedule now – as well as acknowledging that December is likely to be so busy with other stuff that I'll probably only be able to work for half of it.
The biggest task accomplished over this month is the attack animations. All right-facing attack animations are complete – well, except for the occasional mistake or two still to be fixed, a few of which I'm noticing as I watch the attack montage play below. About half of the left-facing attacks are complete as well, and they should progress more quickly on average now that I have the right-facing attacks to use as template and I've got so much sprite creation practice. There were a few big sticking points: I realized after mostly completing them that the original standing attack animation was a) boring and functionally redundant with the running attack animation. I've since replaced the former with the latter, but fortunately not all was lost: I was able to use the standing attack frames to resolve another issue that had cropped up. When I changed the crouching position of the right arm some time ago, I invalidated the entire swing arc of the primary crouching attack animation prototype. However, the new arm position made perfect sense for the motion of the unused standing attack animation, so I just pulled the torso from those frames into the crouch animation. I still had to redo the leg positions from scratch, but it was a nice shortcut into creating a good expressive attack.
I've also been working on the music for the game. The first few areas largely have completed music tracks already, since I created music concurrent with them to figure out the tone I was going for, but as I made that music like five years ago there's a lot of rough edges in those old tracks and they're not necessarily well set up to work with the systems I want to have in place for the game. That is to say, I'm not planning on just creating a loop for each area, but having some degree of adaptive music based on where specifically the player is in an area and what the game state of that area is. Thus, I've been remastering the old tracks, making small composition tweaks, and rearranging the parts to make jumping between them work better. Fortunately, I found that by setting timers and jump points, I could very elegantly skip between segments of an adaptive track to switch playback to a new section. Less fortunately, I discovered that a track with tempo changes and heavy use of delay effects is probably the least optimal type of track to feed into such a system. Still, it's functional for now, even if some of the track transitions sound a bit odd. I've at least proven out the basic concept and built the architecture: If I need to change things up a bit later to resolve these issues, it should be quite feasible.
I've also been working on tilesets and backgrounds here and there. I made this background very desaturated to create a clear delineation between background areas and gameplay areas, and also to reinforce the misty feel I was going for, but I worry a bit about how well it will work with the extremely vivid and saturated caves background I made before. I really love playing with color in unexpected ways, like I did with making the distance in the caves background a dark vivid red, but consistency is important as well. In the end, that's something I can only figure out by getting the assets into the game and playing around with them and seeing what works. Really, though, changing palettes is incredibly easy compared to creating new assets, so it probably won't be a big deal at any rate.
In addition to the backgrounds, I've created a number of the transitional tilesets necessary to blend different tilesets together. Now I can have grass tiles next to stone tiles next to dirt tiles without them looking like artificial grid-based garbage. There's still some gaps in there, tiles that I'll need to create that I haven't noticed I'll need to create, but I can build out most of the environments I want to now, at least at a degree of rough detail.
Over November I plan to finish out all of the character animations and start creating detail assets for the first section of the first chapter – Mostly just different kinds of grass and stone to start with but, again, in many of these cases I won't know what I've forgotten until I get there and find I don't have it. Still, finishing this game, as distant a goal as it remains, feels more concrete and feasible now than it has in a long time.
Scared of Old Canadian Cartoons
Everything is looking really nice! I like the character design and the way she moves. It all looks very graceful.
CEJ
I agree with everything above, great character and animation!
So, I've been super remiss about keeping this thread up-to-date, so here are the last two months DevBlog posts. I'll try to be a bit more on-the-ball in the future.
Everending DevBlog, November 2016: Octopus
(posted December 5th)
This post is a few days late, and there's several reasons for that. I mean, first, I just forgot for a couple of days, but there's actually a good reason too. Over the past couple of weeks I've been participating in the Idle Thumbs Wizard Jam, a 2-week game creation event. For the early days I was just working on my project concurrently with all of the stuff I normally work on, but near the end I was really hammering on the project. Anyway, it's a small project but I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. You can check it out here. New versions may be forthcoming once I recover from the last few days, but in the meanwhile I need to take a break and catch up on other work.
I may actually start doing these a bit later in the month as actual policy rather than accident. Ends of months tend to be rather congested – I may start just scheduling these updates for the 5th of each month instead of the 1st.
Anyway, I still got plenty of work done before the Jam and during its early days. While I'm not as ahead of schedule as I'd hoped to be, I think I'm still comfortably within the parameters I've set, with 34/51 tasks done for this three-month block and 8 preemptively done for the next three-month block. At this point, all of the right-facing animations are complete, and I'm well on my way to finishing the left-facing animations, with just the hit stun, defeat, and harvest animations left to complete. Also, a few new animations were created when I noticed the motion seemed less than fluid, such as an animation for landing from a jump or completing a rising attack. I foresee no difficulties finishing the player character animations this month, though I do expect to have to spend a few days polishing up the animations and fixing minor continuity errors once I have them mostly done. Aside from that animation work, most of what needs to be done to keep on schedule is creating a couple more simple tilesets and building out some of the early levels at finished quality.
EverEnding DevBlog, December 2016: Animated
(posted January 5th)
It's been a bit of a slow month for work on the EverEnding project for reasons which are largely obvious. About 10 days of the last 30 were taken up with a big holiday trip, under which circumstances I wasn't really able to find the time and energy to work on the project – and, what's more, left me tired and inert enough that I didn't get much done for a while after either. That being said, progress is starting to be made, and certain foundational parts of the game are coming together.
So, to start with: The main character animations for chapter 1 are pretty much all done. I say 'pretty much' because I'm confident that as time passes I will notice improvements that need to be made, possibly even new animations that need to be created. However, for the time being that all-important part of the project is complete.
Once I achieved that, I turned my attention towards various outstanding programming tasks that have been on my to-do list for some time. I finally found and fixed a very annoying bug that was causing entities to self-replicate when I saved a level I was editing, which was causing massive slowdown since the entire lighting system was getting duplicated several times over. I found and fixed another bug which was causing the background layer of levels to not match the size of the foreground layer, and also created a player profile system, which should be able to handle saving and loading all the necessary information for game progression alongside all of the player's controller/keyboard binding information. Somewhere in the midst of all this, I built a bunch of assets for the early areas of the game – mostly pretty simple ones, which makes them excellent test cases for the kinds of improvements I'll need to make to the details system to get levels looking the way I want them to.
I'm noticing something strange now that I've finished the main character animations: Even though I frequently found the work tedious, having something straightforward, relatively brain-dead, and indisputably important to the core of the game to work on was actually incredibly useful. When I was feeling tired or dull or confused it was still totally feasible to get good work done just by focusing on creating animations. That is not to say that animating is easy or stupid work, but I'd already planned out all the animations such that easy and stupid work was mostly the only kind left to do on them to complete them. Now that I don't have these animation tasks to rely upon, I feel a bit cast adrift on the gigantic task list that is this project.
Oh well, I'm sure I'll hit a new rhythm soon enough. I think building out the levels may be similarly straightforward and rewarding, though the level editing tools may need a bit of improvement before I can dedicate myself fully to that work. Perhaps those improvements should be my first priority, then, after I get the core game systems I'm currently focused on up and running.
EverEnding Devblog, January 2017
(posted February 8th)
It's been kind of a strange month for the project. I've made next to no progress on the task list I've created for the game, but I'm still largely satisfied with the work I've done. That is to say, I've been putting a lot of time in on things that it hadn't previously occurred to me I would need, so I can't really cross anything off a list when I get it done, but nevertheless the tasks I've done needed doing.
So, what are these tasks?
Created a system to modify hue/saturation/brightness of animations, and implemented controls for this into existing particle systems and associated editors, as well as creating a similar system for modifying tileset colors
Fixed up the detail editor to make it more flexible and easy to use, including the ability to modify multiple details at once
Created a seeded random number generator so particle systems that use random numbers will generate consistently from one play to the next
Created a simple collision system for particles, which can be used to make them only spawn on top of tiles or perform special behaviors when they collide with tiles
Added the ability to have particle behaviors that only trigger once on spawn rather than updating continuously
Collision improvements and implementation of water tiles and combination platform/slope tiles
Fixed the way perspective is calculated on details to center the vanishing point rather than have it locked to the upper left
Stripped out a non-functional zoom in/out system in favor of a much simpler one that actually works
With all these color controls I have a lot more ability to customize areas without creating all-new assets
On top of that I've been building levels out, which is on the list but also takes a long time to make progress on. It's really difficult to say much about the process of building levels, because 90% of it is just spent on making sure tile boundaries line up and making tiny aesthetic tweaks. In that way it's a lot like working on the animations after I created prototype animations: All of the concept is mostly there, I just need to elevate it to finished quality.
I'm getting close to the end of my ad-hoc list of unexpected and unscheduled problems/improvements, so I ought to be getting back to the game schedule soon. Worst case scenario is I'm a month behind of where I wanted to be: Best case scenario is that I end up making up the time I lost by leveraging some of the improvements I've made. We'll see. In any case, I'm probably going to be spending the coming month or two getting early-game enemies fully animated and operational. The first couple of enemies will be the most difficult by far, I believe – after those are complete I should be able to copy and paste from them for almost everything I'll ever need an enemy to do.
Go To Topic Listing Game Development
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We’re altering the climate so severely that we’ll soon face apocalyptic repercussions. Sucking carbon dioxide out of the air could save us.
Reuters/Hazir Reka
The Earth is warming so rapidly that most experts agree we'll need to suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere in order to avoid the worst consequences of climate change.
A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine lays out a range of options for how to do that.
But the authors say developing these negative-emissions technologies requires large-scale investment from the government — and the funding has to come immediately.
Deadly hurricanes seem to be becoming more frequent, 12 of the 15 largest wildfires in California history have occurred in the last two decades, and cities like Cape Town, South Africa are facing severe water shortages.
This isn't a coincidence.
These kinds of dangerous weather events are linked to carbon-dioxide emissions. In human history, the atmosphere has never had as much CO2 in it as it does today. Burning fossil fuels for energy, clearing forests, and demolishing wetlands all contribute to the problem.
CO2 stops heat from leaving the planet, which is why Earth's average temperature is a degree Celsius higher than it used to be. Now we're on track to see so much warming over the next several decades that apocalyptic repercussions could result.
A recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that just another half-degree temperature rise — which is predicted to happen by the year 2040 — will lead to severe drought, even more intense hurricanes, and the death of most coral reefs. These changes could trigger huge migrations of people and mass extinctions of animals.
There are two ways to deal with this problem. The first is to make big changes to the ways we power our lives and grow food in order to stop putting greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. The second is to suck carbon dioxide back out of the air then store it away or turn it into new products or fuels.
A comprehensive new report looks at that second approach.
The study, written by scientists from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS), suggests a plan for developing so-called "negative-emissions technologies" (a term for ways to remove CO2 from the atmosphere) and highlights options that have essentially unlimited capacity for reducing carbon levels in the atmosphere, but aren't yet ready for prime time.
Researching and developing those technologies requires substantial investment from the US government — and the report's authors say that money needs to start flowing soon, or we could soon cross dangerous climate tipping points.
How to capture and store carbon dioxide
People make their way through heavy smog on an extremely polluted day with red alert issued, in Shengfang, China.
According to the recent IPCC report and most other models of our climate future, cutting CO2 emissions over the next few decades won't be enough to fully stop climate change, since the effects are already being felt.
"It's not a question of 'Maybe we'll need negative emissions technologies or maybe we can prevent more CO2 from going into the air'" Erin Burns, a senior policy advisor at the think tank Third Way, told Business Insider. "We are at a point where we need all of those things."
That's why the NAS took a thorough look at potential negative-emissions technologies.
"Most climate mitigation efforts are intended to decrease the rate at which people add carbon from fossil fuel reservoirs to the atmosphere. We focused on the reverse - technologies that take carbon out of the air and put it back into ecosystems and the land," Stephen Pacala, a professor at Princeton University and chair of the committee behind the report, said in a statement.
The authors looked at a variety of strategies. As Kate Gordon, a fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, described it, the approaches range "from literally planting trees and agricultural practices that help keep carbon in the ground, all the way to engineered technological solutions that actually take carbon directly out of the atmosphere through machines."
On the simpler end of the spectrum are options like re-foresting areas that have been logged and using no-till farming practices that keep more carbon in soil. Then there are ways to burn biological material (which traps carbon as it grows) to create energy and catch the CO2 they emit before it gets into the air.
Cattle graze in a deforested area of the Peten jungle in Guatemala, near the border with Belize, on November 23, 2007.
Reuters/Daniel LeClair
But according to the new report — funded by the US Department of Energy, EPA, NOAA, and the US Geological Survey, along with several foundations — those approaches require a lot more research to be scaled up, and there's no way those methods alone could ever capture enough carbon to keep Earth's temperature from rising another degree.
"Uncertain research breakthroughs will be required before those NETs [negative emissions technologies] can provide even the minority share of the solution," the authors wrote.
A more promising option, they said, is to invest in technologies that essentially filter out CO2 molecules from the air around us. These technologies are still in early development stages, but usually involve materials that naturally attract and bind with carbon.
"It's like draining a bathtub — like pulling the plug and letting a little bit of the water out. It's actually not that sophisticated or crazy," Gordon told Business Insider.
That carbon would then get concentrated and stored, perhaps by injecting it into pores in deep underground rock, which is essentially where it came from in the first place. There's not much limit to how much CO2 these potential technologies could capture and store.
We need this kind of intervention immediately, according to the authors.
"We need to be committed to it today, because we know from all the modeling that's happening that this is not an if question, it's a when question," Gordon said.
Like any new technology, research and development takes money
To give these carbon-sucking technologies the boost they need to become a reality soon, the researchers said the US must start investing in research and development now.
Doing so would help improve the simpler carbon-capture solutions that already exist, and make progress on the more advanced ones that could eventually make the biggest impact.
The report even lists potential research projects and their estimated costs.
"They are amounts of money that are less than we've spent on plenty of other really, really important technologies," Burns said.
There's a growing interest in these technologies in the private sector, too — a company called Climeworks is developing ways to suck CO2 out of the air, and the accelerator Y Combinator recently announced it is looking to support startups focusing on negative-emissions technologies.
A facility made by Climeworks AG to capture CO2 from the air is seen on the roof of a waste incinerating plant in Hinwil, Switzerland.
Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters
But Burns said government support will be key, as it was for solar power (which started out as a NASA invention) and nuclear energy.
Experts think it would be money well spent
Beyond helping to stabilize the climate and prevent future disasters, the report says, investing in these technologies would help the US economically, since there will be even greater need for carbon capture in the future. The first countries and companies to develop scalable, cost-effective CO2-filtering technology will benefit as demand for that intellectual property rises.
"This is where markets are going. This is the new set of technologies that people are starting to pay attention to, and we need to keep our competitive innovation position," Gordon said, citing American leadership in the clean-tech sector. "Otherwise we'll be buying it from somebody else, because someone's going to do it."
Smog in Beijing.
Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
Because of that, Burns said, she's seeing more congressional support for funding research and development of these technologies than there is for other climate-change solutions. There are other reasons for that bipartisan interest as well: carbon-capture technology could help fossil-fuel companies in the long run too, and funding research gives politicians a way to make progress on the climate issue without levying new taxes or asking people to immediately change the ways they live.
"One of the nice things about carbon capture and removal and use is that even if you don't care about climate change, you can really like these technologies and see the opportunity in them," she said.
NOW WATCH: 6 major US cities could be underwater within 80 years — here are the disturbing ‘after’ images
More: Climate Change Carbon Dioxide carbon capture National Academies of Sciences
negative emissions
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HSAs give asset managers distribution outlet for in-house funds
Employers aren't beholden to ERISA with respect to monitoring HSA funds as they are with 401(k) plans
Jan 30, 2019 @ 2:35 pm
By Greg Iacurci
Health savings accounts are getting more popular, and it's no surprise asset managers and retirement plan record keepers are debuting products to jump on the bandwagon.
Voya Financial Inc. launched its first HSA platform last week, following on Vanguard Group's debut in November. Empower Retirement and Fidelity Investments have had such products for a few years.
These firms not only gain first-mover advantage among peers but also appeal to advisers looking to simplify services for retirement-plan clients by bundling 401(k) and HSA administration. But there's an additional benefit: using their platforms to distribute proprietary investment funds.
"Anytime there's a new account, especially one growing as fast as HSAs are, I think there's opportunity for providers to do [that]," said Matt Cosgriff, head of the retirement plan solutions group at BerganKDV Wealth Management.
The early days of 401(k) plans saw a similar evolution, as record keepers populated investment lineups almost exclusively with their own mutual funds and employers were largely unaware of their duty to monitor 401(k) investments. This gave providers a healthy revenue stream from both administration and asset management.
HSAs don't appear to rely as heavily on in-house funds, advisers said. Vanguard Group, for example, offers a platform populated solely with Vanguard funds but also gives employers the choice of using the same funds as in their 401(k) plans.
Voya Investment Management provides the fund manager selection and oversight of its platform, which includes both Voya-managed funds and those of other asset managers. A spokeswoman declined to identify the proportion of Voya funds to others.
The dynamic is similar for Empower and Fidelity — both offer investments managed by affiliated investment firms (Putnam Investments, in the case of Empower) as well as access to other firms' products.
Unlike with 401(k) plans, employers generally do not have a fiduciary duty under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 for HSA investments. Absent that liability, advisers said, employers may not feel the need to review HSA investments as closely. And many advisers who would otherwise help with fund selection remain on the sidelines, trying to assess how to fit HSA consulting into their broader business model, advisers said.
Most providers are developing more open-architecture platforms allowing employers to choose from a broad universe of mutual funds — similar to how 401(k) plans have evolved — in addition to platforms that allow employers to "mirror" HSA funds with those in their 401(k) plan, said Matt Clarkin, president of Access Point HSA.
But the threat of lawsuits, which have proliferated in the 401(k) realm, seems to have kept some employers from amending their HSA investment lineups. Paul Sommerstad, a senior consultant at Blue Prairie Group, said he's found this dynamic among some larger clients who are hesitant to customize a vendor's pre-set fund menu.
"Some clients are hyper-conscious of litigation," he said.
Health savings accounts, which are triple-tax-advantaged accounts, have grown more popular as a greater share of employers have shifted to high-deductible health plans. (HSAs may only be used in conjunction with a high-deductible plan.) HSA assets are projected to reach $75 billion by the end of 2020, up from $10 billion a decade earlier, according to Devenir, a consulting firm.
The majority of money in health savings accounts is held in a checking-like account and isn't invested in mutual funds for long-term saving. Devenir estimates that only 20% of the $54 billion held in HSAs at the end of 2018 was invested, but projects that share to increase to 22% by the end of 2020.
Providers often require a minimum amount of money — maybe $1,000 or $2,000 — be held in an HSA before allowing participants to invest in funds. That varies from firm to firm. Fidelity, for example, recently removed its minimum-balance restriction on investing.
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Iran Rejects Nuclear Plan as Imbalanced, Europe Is Told
New York Times: Iran on Sunday rejected a proposal by Britain, Germany and France to suspend its uranium enrichment program and urged those countries to offer a "more balanced" proposal. During a meeting on Thursday in Vienna, the three European countries asked Iran to give up its uranium enrichment program in return for a guarantee to help Iran build a light-water power reactor and to provide a supply of reactor fuel.
By NAZILA FATHI
TEHRAN - Iran on Sunday rejected a proposal by Britain, Germany and France to suspend its uranium enrichment program and urged those countries to offer a "more balanced" proposal.
During a meeting on Thursday in Vienna, the three European countries asked Iran to give up its uranium enrichment program in return for a guarantee to help Iran build a light-water power reactor and to provide a supply of reactor fuel.
"The European proposal is their preliminary proposition and is not definitive, but it is unbalanced," said Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Hamid Reza Assefi.
"We need to reach a balanced agreement, one that would eliminate Europeans' worries, if there are any, and one that would recognize our rights within the nonproliferation treaty.''
Mr. Assefi said Iran was negotiating with other countries over its nuclear program. "Each country has its role and power," he said. "We have not limited our negotiations to the three European countries, and we are and will be using diplomacy in the future with other countries."
But he said that negotiations with Britain, Germany and France would continue and that Iran would have its own counterproposal at its next meeting on Wednesday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has told Iran that it must halt its uranium enrichment program before Nov. 25, when the agency would make a determination whether it is cooperating.
The United States says Iran is hiding a nuclear weapon plan and has urged the I.A.E.A., the United Nations' monitoring agency, to send the case to the United Nations Security Council, where Iran could face sanctions.
Enriched uranium can be used to make nuclear bombs as well as fuel for nuclear reactors. Iran has contended that it plans to make only fuel.
Mr. Assefi said that the Europeans had not asked for a permanent suspension of enrichment, but that if they did, it would be out of question.
Hossein Moussavian, one of Iran's top negotiators, told state-run television on Sunday that the Europeans' offer was positive but that Iran could not give up its enrichment program.
"The Islamic Republic cannot rely on the fuel the Europeans are offering, because they might withdraw it any time there are differences in relations," he said. "We need to become independent in providing our own fuel."
Western diplomats in Tehran say Iran is confident that imposing sanctions will not be easy even if its case is sent to the Security Council.
"They know that imposing oil and gas sanctions will drive oil prices even higher, which is a matter most countries on the council would want to avoid," a diplomat in Tehran said.
The diplomat pointed to China's and Russia's dependence on Iran's oil and gas, and the likelihood that they would block any attempt in the Security Council to impose sanctions on Iran.
In a brief political analysis, the local Radio Payam said Wednesday that China could face a crisis if it stopped importing oil from Iran.
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The Netherlands Pre-Election Watch: March 15, 2017
Home > The Netherlands Pre-Election Watch: March 15, 2017
On March 15, Dutch citizens will go to the polls to vote in parliamentary elections, against a backdrop of rising populism and anti-EU sentiment.
CURRENT CONTEXT
This election is taking place against a backdrop of historically high negativity and controversy over migration from Muslim countries. Populists are capitalizing on a tide of anti-elite sentiment around the world, epitomized in Europe by the British referendum vote to leave the European Union in June 2016.
The PVV has capitalized on these sentiments, and polling indicates the party is disproportionately attractive to young voters. VVD leader Rutte has attempted to court this voting bloc by calling on migrants and other minority groups to embrace Dutch values or leave the country.
Wilders has emerged as an intensely polarizing figure due to his anti-Islamic and anti-immigrant sentiment, and has struck a chord with sections of the population who feel unrepresented by mainstream politicians. Wilders suspended campaign activities in February after receiving numerous death threats. He remains under tight security but will participate in the final debate on March 13.
ELECTION OUTLOOK
Polling indicates an incredibly fragmented electorate, with no single party likely to receive more than 20 percent of the vote. As a result, The Netherlands is likely to face protracted negotiations to form a coalition government. A particularly strong performance by the PVV would further complicate matters, as almost every other party has ruled out a coalition arrangement with the PVV. The only alternative would be to form a tenuous coalition of up to six parties, some of which are diametrically opposed on fundamental issues. If one of the other major parties were to relent and form a coalition with the PVV, it has the potential to disrupt Europe’s political status quo if a government resulting from such a coalition pursues the anti-EU and anti-migrant agenda Wilders has promised.
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Stormtroopers of Death, known as S.O.D., was a crossover thrash band formed in New York in 1985. They are credited as being among the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal into a style sometimes called crossover thrash. The song "March of the S.O.D.," from their 1985 debut album, was the Headbanger's Ball intro anthem for many y… Read More
Biography from Wikipedia
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From S.O.D.
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The Crackhead Song
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News > Auto Accident
Man Dies in Fort Worth Pedestrian Accident
Police have launched an investigation into a Texas pedestrian accident after a man was found dead in a ditch next to a road in south Fort Worth on Monday.
According to the Star-Telegram, Fort Worth police were called on Monday at 6:30 p.m. by a woman who said that she struck an object with her side-view mirror. Officers soon found a body in a ditch on the side of the road that was taken to the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office.
The victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene of the auto-pedestrian accident, was identified as 60-year-old Floyd Jones. The man was walking on Garden Acres Drive near the intersection of Deer Creek Drive at the time of the collision.
The woman who is believed to have struck Jones told authorities that she slowed down to drive over a speed bump on the road when she “saw a flash of red” and then hit an object with her side mirror. It is not clear if she received any traffic citations, but police say that no criminal charges are pending against the driver.
The Dallas lawyers at Rasansky Law Firm extend their condolences to the loved ones of Floyd Jones as we keep him in our thoughts and prayers.
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New Gold Reports Fourth Quarter and Year-End Financial Results
Reserves & Resources
TSX: NGD
www.newgold.com
Mr. Renaud Adams reports:
Provides Updated Reserves and Resources
TORONTO, Feb. 14, 2019 /CNW/ - New Gold Inc. ("New Gold" or the "Company") (TSX and NYSE American: NGD) reports fourth quarter and year-end results for the Company and provides updated Mineral Reserves and Resources as of December 31, 2018. (All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
A conference call and webcast will follow to discuss these results at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. A technical discussion of the Company's 2019 guidance outlook will follow the presentation of the fourth quarter and year-end financial results (details are provided at the end of this press release).
(For detailed information, please refer to the Company's Fourth Quarter and Year-End Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) and Financial Statements that are available on the Company's website at www.newgold.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial performance measures throughout this press release. Please refer to the "Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures" section of this press release and in the MD&A.)
Fourth Quarter and Year-End Highlights (Continuing Operations)
The Company reported gold production of 97,428 ounces (84,421 ounces sold) for the quarter at an average realized gold price of $1,230 per ounce. Annual gold production was 315,483 ounces (298,002 ounces sold), at an average realized gold price of $1,263 per ounce.
The Company produced 20.8 million pounds of copper (19.7 million pounds sold) for the quarter at an average realized copper price of $2.96 per pound and 85.1 million pounds (81.1 million pounds sold) for the year at an average realized copper price of $3.06 per pound.
Revenues for the quarter were $157.4 million and $604.5 million for the year.
Operating expense per gold ounce was $568 for the quarter and $648 for the year. Operating expense per copper pound was $1.37 for the quarter and $1.57 for the year.
All-in sustaining costs (AISC)1 per gold ounce were $688 for the quarter and $961 for the year. AISC per gold ounce on a co-product basis were $857 for the quarter and $1,051 for the year.
Net loss from continuing operations was $727.7 million ($1.26 per share) for the quarter, which includes a $671.1 million ($1.16 per share) impairment loss related to the Rainy River Mine ($452.9 million) and the Blackwater project ($218.2 million). Net loss from continuing operations for the year was $1,070.8 million ($1.85 per share), which includes a $953.2 million ($1.65 per share) after tax impairment loss related to the Rainy River Mine ($735.0 million) and the Blackwater project ($218.2 million).
Adjusted net earnings from continuing operations for the quarter, which excludes the impairment loss noted above, was $22.7million ($0.04 per share) and adjusted net loss for the year from continuing operations was $10.6 million ($0.02 per share).
For the fourth quarter, operating cash flow was $57.8 million ($0.10 per share) and $193.0 million ($0.33 per share) for the year. Operating cash flow, before changes in working capital, was $74.8 million ($0.13 per share) and $264.6 million ($0.47 per share) for the year.
The Company's current available liquidity of $392.9 million secures the implementation of the Company's 2019 operational plan.
In late 2018, the Company implemented a hedging strategy whereby it entered into gold and copper price option contracts to reduce exposure to fluctuations in gold and copper prices in 2019.
1. Refer to the "Non-GAAP Performance Measures section of this press release.
"The fourth quarter was a turning point for the Company as operations at Rainy River continued to improve as part of our short-term operational strategy to establish this asset for efficient and sustainable mining. Combined with the solid performance from the New Afton Mine, the Company reported a fourth quarter that delivered very encouraging results and we will build on that momentum in 2019," stated Renaud Adams, President and CEO. "Our liquidity position will support the execution of our operational plan in 2019, which includes the completion of all remaining construction and mill upgrades at Rainy River that will position the asset for profitable operations beginning in 2020. We begin 2019 with a renewed vision for the future of the Company that is supported by a renewed focus on driving profitable mining at all our operations that will create sustainable value for shareholders."
Continuing Operations1
Year-end 2018
Revenues from mining operations
Net earnings (loss), per share
Adj. net earnings (loss)2, per share
Operating cash flow, per share
Adj. operating cash flow2,3, per share
Total Operations3
1. Continuing operations are the Rainy River, New Afton and Cerro San Pedro Mines.
2. Refer to the "Non-GAAP Performance Measures section of this press release. Operating cash flow before changes in working capital.
3. Total operations include continuing operations and the Mesquite and Peak Mines that were sold in 2018 and presented as Discontinued Operations.
Revenue from continuing operations increased by $33.9 million, or 27%, for the quarter and $215.8 million, or 56%, for the year due to the increase in sales volumes from Rainy River.
Impairment loss recorded during the quarter was $452.9 million relating to Rainy River and $218.2 million relating to Blackwater. For the year, the Company recorded impairment losses of $836.6 million at Rainy River and $218.2 million at Blackwater, totaling $1,054.8 million pre-tax ($953.2 million after-tax). There was no tax recovery associated with the impairment losses at Rainy River and Blackwater recorded during the fourth quarter of 2018 as the Company has not recognized any deferred tax assets as at December 31, 2018. Refer to the consolidated financial statements for further information.
For the quarter and year, the net loss was impacted by the impairment loss at Rainy River and Blackwater, an inventory write-down at Cerro San Pedro, an increase in depreciation and depletion expenses and finance costs, which were partially offset by a higher operating margin when compared to the prior period.
Adjusted net earnings from continuing operations for the quarter increased compared to the prior-year quarter as the increase in operating margin and tax recovery was only partially offset by an increase in finance costs less finance income, depreciation and depletion expenses and exploration, business development, and corporate general and administrative expenses.
Adjusted net loss for the year decreased when compared to the prior year primarily due to an increase in the operating margin, a decrease in exploration, business development, and corporate general and administrative expenses, and an increase in income tax recovery when compared to the prior year. This was partially offset by an increase in depreciation and depletion expenses and an increase in finance costs less finance income, as the Company ceased capitalization of interest to its qualifying development property due to the commencement of commercial production at Rainy River.
The Company's December 31, 2018 cash balance of $103.7 million, together with the $114.2 million available for drawdown under its credit facility at December 31, 2018, provided the Company with approximately $217.9 million of liquidity. The liquidity increased to $392.9 million with $175 million of additional Credit Facility availability upon the perfection of the Rainy River security in February 2019.
Gold production (ounces)
Copper production (Mlbs)
Average realized gold price, per ounce2
Average realized copper price, per pound2
Operating expense, per gold ounce
Operating expense, per copper pound
Total cash costs, per gold ounce2
AISC, per gold ounce2
AISC, per gold ounce2 (co-product)
Sustaining capital ($M)2
Growth capital ($M)2
Total Operations
1. Continuing operations include the Rainy River, New Afton and Cerro San Pedro Mines.
2. Refer to the "Non-GAAP Performance Measures section of this press release. Total operations include continuing operations and the Mesquite and Peak Mines that were sold in 2018
and presented as Discontinued Operations.
Rainy River Highlights
Rainy River Mine
Gold produced (ounces)
Gold sold (ounces)
Tonnes mined per day (ore and waste)
Ore tonnes mined per day
Strip ratio (waste:ore)
Tonnes milled per calendar day
Tonnes milled run rate1
Gold grade milled (g/t)
Gold recovery (%)
Mill availability (%)
Gold production (oz)
1. Run rate is defined by (total tonnes milled / mill availability) / calendar days.
In the first full year of operations, Rainy River's safety performance continued to improve throughout the year with the mine reporting a 0.93 Total Reported Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) by the end of the year, as compared to 2.94 in 2017.
The Rainy River Mine reported continued improvement in operational performance and delivered the best ever quarterly gold production of 77,202 ounces (66,123 sold), and 227,284 ounces (214,814 sold) for the year, achieving revised annual guidance of between 210,000 and 250,000 gold ounces.
Operating expense per gold ounce was $648 for the quarter and $826 for the year, higher than revised annual guidance of between $730 and $770 per ounce, primarily due to the impact of start-up challenges and unplanned maintenance related to the mill facility impacting both production and costs. Operating expense per gold ounce for the quarter declined by 15% over the prior quarter, primarily driven by the improved operational performance achieved during the quarter.
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) per gold ounce were $1,054 for the quarter and $1,501 for the year, which included costs related to the mill upgrade, and $71.6 million ($333 per ounce) of construction costs that have been categorized as sustaining capital1. Excluding construction, AISC for the year were $1,168 per ounce. AISC for the year were lower than revised guidance of between $1,600 and $1700 per ounce, due to lower than planned sustaining capital expenditures incurred during the year. AISC is expected to be higher in 2019 as sustaining capital requirements increase in order to complete remaining construction and mill upgrades.
Growth capital1 for the quarter was $6.1 million, and $28.5 million for the year, primarily related to the underground project and the payment of working capital related to project development (pre-commercial production).
The mill run-rate averaged 25,835 tonnes per day for the quarter, the first full quarter in which the mill averaged a daily run rate above the target 24,000 tonnes per day. Milling operations were suspended for approximately 10 days during the quarter in order to repair the Semi-Autogenous Grinding (SAG) mill starter and to address the ball mill trunnion, which was replaced during the first quarter of 2019.
Mill gold recovery for the quarter was 89%. During the quarter, considerable efforts were deployed to improve the carbon regeneration and stripping circuits, allowing for an improved overall recovery of more than 90% during the second half of December. Mill recoveries are expected to continue to improve over the next two quarters as ongoing mill upgrades and the optimization of the grinding circuit are completed.
A total of 10.3 million tonnes were mined during the quarter, for an average of 111,507 tonnes per day, including 2.53 million tonnes of medium and high-grade ore.
Grade reconciliation for the quarter continued to be in line with the resource and dig-shape models, providing additional confidence in the deposit.
Consistent with the renewed vision of repositioning the Rainy River Mine for long-term success, the Company has adopted a disciplined approach to capital allocation as well as mine life optimization. Accordingly, management has deferred the 2019 underground mine development plan to 2020. During 2019, the Company will launch a comprehensive review that includes alternative underground mining scenarios with the overall objective of reducing capital and improving the return on investment for the underground portion of the life of mine.
New Afton Highlights
New Afton Mine
Copper produced (Mlbs)
Copper sold (Mlbs)
Total cash costs, per gold ounce (co-product)1
Total cash costs, per copper pound (co-product)1
AISC, per gold ounce (co-product)1
AISC, per copper pound (co-product)1
Underground mine tpd
Copper grade milled (%)
Copper recovery (%)
The New Afton Mine achieved a significant safety milestone in late December reaching one million person-hours without lost-time injury.
The New Afton Mine produced 18,778 gold ounces for the quarter and 77,329 ounces for the year, exceeding the high end of annual guidance of between 55,000 and 65,000 gold ounces. Copper production for the quarter was 20.8 million pounds and 85.1 million pounds for the year, reaching the high end of annual guidance of between 75 and 85 million pounds of copper.
Operating expense per gold ounce was $375 for the quarter and $384 for the year, 16% lower than annual guidance of between $455 and $495 per gold ounce. Operating expense per copper pound for the quarter was $0.90 and $0.93 for the year, 15% lower than annual guidance of between $1.10 to $1.30 per copper pound.
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) per gold ounce for the quarter were ($1,306) for the quarter and ($1,147) for the year, 12% lower than annual guidance of between ($1,020) and ($980) per gold ounce.
Sustaining capital for the quarter was $5.0 million and $32.6 million for the year, primarily related to tailings dam raises, equipment purchases and mill upgrades.
Growth capital for the quarter was $1.0 million and $3.3 million for the year, primarily related to the New Afton C-zone.
An ore segregation strategy commenced during the quarter and was further enhanced with the recent commissioning of an ore scanner, which is expected to increase overall mill grade.
The initial phase of a two-phase mill upgrade to address supergene ore recovery was completed on time and on budget during the quarter, which included the installation of pressure jigs and a magnetic separator with commissioning currently underway. The second phase of the planned upgrade will be launched during the first quarter of 2019 with commissioning scheduled for the third quarter.
An internally funded development strategy (assuming a $1,300 gold and $2.75 copper price and a foreign exchange rate of 1.30 Canadian dollars to 1 U.S. dollar) for the New Afton C-zone has been launched. The development of the C-zone would provide mine life extension to 2030 with robust economics.
Recent Corporate Highlights
The sale of the Mesquite Mine was completed in the quarter for gross proceeds of $158 million, with net working capital adjustments of $4 million anticipated to be received in February.
Mr. Rob Chausse was appointed as Chief Financial Officer effective November 5, 2018. Mr. Chausse brings more than 25 years of international finance experience exclusively in the mining sector that enhances the collective experience of the leadership team.
On December 11, 2018, the Company announced a restructuring of the senior leadership team to better align the corporate structure with the smaller asset base of two operating assets, the Rainy River and New Afton Mines, as well as the Blackwater project.
Mineral Reserves and Resources (as of December 31, 2018)
As at December 31, 2018, New Gold is reporting Mineral Reserves and Resources for the Company as summarized in the table below. Detailed Mineral Reserve and Resource tables follow at the end of this press release.
Mineral Reserves and Resources Summary1
As at December 31, 2018
Gold koz
Silver koz
Copper Mlbs
Proven and Probable Reserves
Rainy River
New Afton
Total Proven and Probable
Measured and Indicated resources
(exclusive of reserves)(1)
Inferred resources(1)
1. Refer to the detailed mineral reserve and mineral resource tables follow at the end of this press release.
Consolidated gold reserves decreased by approximately 35,000 ounces as compared to year-end 2017 (mid-year 2018 for the Rainy River Mine). This decrease includes approximately 218,000 ounces of mining depletion at Rainy River during Q3 and Q4 and approximately 79,000 ounces of mining depletion at the New Afton Mine. Mining depletion was partially offset by approximately 262,000 ounces of positive resource-to-reserve conversions from updated mining designs and operational plans.
Measured and Indicated resources decreased marginally due to the resource to reserve conversion at New Afton. Measured and Indicated resources at Rainy River and Blackwater remain materially unchanged as compared to previously reported Measured and Indicated resources.
Inferred resources were relatively unchanged from the prior year.
Participants may listen to the webcast by registering on our website at www.newgold.com.
Participants may also listen to the conference call by calling toll free 1-888-231-8191, or 1-647-427-7450 outside of the U.S. and Canada.
A recorded playback of the conference call will be available until March 14, 2019 by calling toll free 1-855-859-2056, or 1-416-849-0833 outside of the U.S. and Canada, passcode 3178625. An archived webcast will also be available until May 14, 2019 at www.newgold.com.
About New Gold Inc.
New Gold is a Canadian-focused intermediate gold mining company. The Company has a portfolio of two core producing assets, the Rainy River and New Afton Mines in Canada. The Company also operates the Cerro San Pedro Mine in Mexico (which transitioned to residual leaching in 2016). In addition, New Gold owns 100% of the Blackwater project located in Canada. New Gold's objective is to be a leading intermediate gold producer, focused on the environment and social responsibility. For further information on the Company, please visit www.newgold.com.
Mineral Reserves Statement
Metal grade
Contained metal
g/t
Mlbs
Direct processing reserves
Open Pit P&P (direct proc.)
Underground P&P (direct proc.)
Low grade reserves
Open Pit P&P (low grade)
Surface Stockpiles
Open Pit P&P (stockpile)
Combined P&P
Total Rainy River P&P
A&B Zones
Total New Afton P&P
P&P (direct proc.)
P&P (low grade)
Combined Direct proc. & Low grade
Total Blackwater P&P
TOTAL PROVEN & PROBABLE RESERVES
Measured & Indicated (exclusive of Reserves)
Direct processing resources
Open Pit M&I (direct proc.)
Underground M&I (direct proc.)
Low grade resources
Open Pit M&I (low grade)
Combined M&I
Total Rainy River M&I
A&B Zone M&I
C-zone M&I
HW Lens
HW Lens M&I
Total New Afton M&I
M&I (direct proc.)
M&I (low grade)
Total Blackwater M&I
Total M&I RESOURCES
Inferred Mineral Resources
Direct processing
Total Direct Processing
Rainy River Inferred
New Afton Inferred
Blackwater Inferred
TOTAL INFERRED
Notes to Mineral Reserve and Resource Estimates
1. New Gold's Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources have been estimated in accordance with the CIM Standards, which are incorporated by reference in NI 43-101.
2. All Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates for New Gold's properties and projects are effective December 31, 2018.
3. New Gold's year-end 2018 Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources have been estimated based on the following metal prices and foreign exchange (FX) rate criteria:
$/ounce
$/pound
CAD:USD
Mineral Reserves
4. Lower cut-offs for the Company's Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources are outlined in the following table:
Mineral Property
Lower cut-off
O/P direct processing:
0.30 – 0.50 g/t AuEq
O/P low grade material:
0.30 g/t AuEq
U/G direct processing:
Main Zone – B1 & B2 Blocks:
C$ 17.00/t
All Resources: 0.40% CuEq
B3 Block & C-zone:
All Resources: 0.40 g/t AuEq
5. New Gold reports its measured and indicated mineral resources exclusive of mineral reserves. Measured and indicated mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Inferred mineral resources have a greater amount of uncertainty as to their existence and technical feasibility, do not have demonstrated economic viability, and are likewise exclusive of mineral reserves. Numbers may not add due to rounding.
6. Mineral resources are classified as measured, indicated and inferred based on relative levels of confidence in their estimation and on technical and economic parameters consistent with the methods considered to be most suitable to their potential commercial extraction. The designators 'open pit' and 'underground' may be used to indicate the envisioned mining method for different portions of a resource. Similarly the designators 'direct processing' and 'lower grade material' may be applied to differentiate material envisioned to be mined and processed directly from material to be mined and stored separately for future processing. Mineral reserves and mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing and other risks and relevant issues. Additional details regarding mineral reserve and mineral resource estimation, classification, reporting parameters, key assumptions and associated risks for each of New Gold's material properties are provided in the respective NI 43-101 Technical Reports, which are available at www.sedar.com.
7. The preparation of New Gold's consolidated statement and estimation of mineral reserves has been completed under the oversight and review of Mr. Nicholas Kwong, Director of Technical Services for the Company. Mr. Kwong is a Professional Engineer and member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario. Preparation of the New Gold's consolidated statement and estimation of mineral resources has been completed under the oversight and review of Mr. Mark Petersen, a consultant to New Gold and former Vice President, Exploration for the Company. Mr. Petersen is an SME Registered Member, AIPG Certified Professional Geologist. Messrs. Kwong and Petersen are "Qualified Persons" as defined by NI 43-101.
Certain information contained in this news release, including any information relating to New Gold's future financial or operating performance are "forward looking". All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, which address events, results, outcomes or developments that New Gold expects to occur are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "targeted", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "projects", "potential", "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation of such terms. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements with respect to: mineral resources and mineral reserve estimates; completion of construction capital and mill upgrade at Rainy River, expectations with respect to mill recoveries; the launch in 2019 of a comprehensive review of alternative underground mining scenarios as well as potential operational and cost efficiencies at Rainy River; timing of the second phase of the planned mill upgrade at New Afton; the expectations with respect to extending mine life at New-Afton as a result of the development of the C-zone; and the sources of funding and potential financial performance of the New Afton C-zone.
All forward-looking statements in this news release are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and are subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond New Gold's ability to control or predict. Certain material assumptions regarding such forward-looking statements are discussed in this news release, New Gold's latest annual management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A"), Annual Information Form and Technical Reports filed at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. In addition to, and subject to, such assumptions discussed in more detail elsewhere, the forward-looking statements in this news release are also subject to the following assumptions: (1) there being no significant disruptions affecting New Gold's operations; (2) political and legal developments in jurisdictions where New Gold operates, or may in the future operate, being consistent with New Gold's current expectations; (3) the accuracy of New Gold's current mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates; (4) the exchange rate between the Canadian dollar and U.S. dollar, and to a lesser extent, the Mexican Peso, being approximately consistent with current levels; (5) prices for diesel, natural gas, fuel oil, electricity and other key supplies being approximately consistent with current levels; (6) equipment, labour and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with New Gold's current expectations; (7) arrangements with First Nations and other Aboriginal groups in respect of the Rainy River mine and Blackwater project being consistent with New Gold's current expectations; and (8) all required permits, licenses and authorizations being obtained from the relevant governments and other relevant stakeholders within the expected timelines and the absence of material negative comments during the applicable regulatory processes; (9) the result of feasibility studies and other studies being realized, and (10) metals and other commodity prices and exchange rates being consistent with those estimated for the purposes of 2019 guidance.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation: significant capital requirements and the availability and management of capital resources; additional funding requirements; price volatility in the spot and forward markets for metals and other commodities; fluctuations in the international currency markets and in the rates of exchange of the currencies of Canada, the United States and, to a lesser extent, Mexico; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, between actual and estimated mineral reserves and mineral resources and between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; risks related to early production at the Rainy River Mine, including failure of equipment, machinery, the process circuit or other processes to perform as designed or intended; fluctuation in treatment and refining charges; changes in national and local government legislation in Canada, the United States and, to a lesser extent, Mexico or any other country in which New Gold currently or may in the future carry on business; taxation; controls, regulations and political or economic developments in the countries in which New Gold does or may carry on business; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of obtaining and maintaining the validity and enforceability of the necessary licenses and permits and complying with the permitting requirements of each jurisdiction in which New Gold operates, the lack of certainty with respect to foreign legal systems, which may not be immune from the influence of political pressure, corruption or other factors that are inconsistent with the rule of law; the uncertainties inherent to current and future legal challenges New Gold is or may become a party to; diminishing quantities or grades of mineral reserves and mineral resources; competition; loss of key employees; rising costs of labour, supplies, fuel and equipment; actual results of current exploration or reclamation activities; uncertainties inherent to mining economic studies; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents; labour disputes; defective title to mineral claims or property or contests over claims to mineral properties; unexpected delays and costs inherent to consulting and accommodating rights of Indigenous groups; risks, uncertainties and unanticipated delays associated with obtaining and maintaining necessary licenses, permits and authorizations and complying with permitting requirements. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental events and hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion losses and risks associated with a mine with relatively limited history of commercial production, such as Rainy River, (and the risk of inadequate insurance or inability to obtain insurance to cover these risks) as well as "Risk Factors" included in New Gold's Annual Information Form, MD&A and other disclosure documents filed on and available at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results and future events could materially differ from those anticipated in such statements. All of the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements. New Gold expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
The scientific and technical information relating to mineral reserves and mineral resources estimate contained herein has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Mark A. Petersen, a consultant to New Gold and its former Vice President, Exploration. All other scientific and technical information has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Nicholas Kwong, Director, Business Improvement of New Gold. Mr. Petersen is an SME Registered Member and AIPG Certified Professional Geologist. Mr. Kwong is a Professional Engineer and a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia. Messrs. Petersen and Kwong are "Qualified Persons" for the purposes of NI 43-101.
Cautionary Note to U.S. Readers Concerning Estimates of Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources
Information concerning the properties and operations of New Gold has been prepared in accordance with Canadian standards under applicable Canadian securities laws, and may not be comparable to similar information for United States companies. The terms "Mineral Resource", "Measured Mineral Resource", "Indicated Mineral Resource" and "Inferred Mineral Resource" used in this news release are Canadian mining terms as defined in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves adopted by CIM Council on May 10, 2014 and incorporated by reference in National Instrument 43-101. While the terms "Mineral Resource", "Measured Mineral Resource", "Indicated Mineral Resource" and "Inferred Mineral Resource" are recognized and required by Canadian securities regulations, they are not defined terms under standards of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. As such, certain information contained in this news release concerning descriptions of mineralization and mineral resources under Canadian standards is not comparable to similar information made public by United States companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
An "Inferred Mineral Resource" has a great amount of uncertainty as to its existence and as to its economic and legal feasibility. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "Inferred Mineral Resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher confidence category. Readers are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an "Inferred Mineral Resource" exists or is economically or legally mineable.
Under United States standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "Reserve" unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve estimation is made. Readers are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of the measured or indicated mineral resources will ever be converted into mineral reserves. In addition, the definitions of "Proven Mineral Reserves" and "Probable Mineral Reserves" under CIM standards differ in certain respects from the standards of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures
Cash costs per gold ounce, all-in sustaining costs (AISC) per gold ounce, sustaining capital and growth capital are non-GAAP financial measures that do not have a standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other mining companies. It should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The Company believes that these measures, together with measures determined in accordance with IFRS, provide investors with an improved ability to evaluate the underlying performance of the Company. In addition, certain non-GAAP measures are utilized, along with other measures, in the Company scorecard to set incentive compensation goals and assess performance of its executives.
All-In Sustaining Costs
"All-in sustaining costs" per ounce is a non-GAAP financial measure. Consistent with guidance announced in 2013 by the World Gold Council, an association of various gold mining companies from around the world of which New Gold is a member, New Gold defines "all-in sustaining costs" per ounce as the sum of total cash costs, capital expenditures that are sustaining in nature, corporate general and administrative costs, capitalized and expensed exploration that is sustaining in nature and environmental reclamation costs, all divided by the ounces of gold sold to arrive at a per ounce figure. New Gold believes this non-GAAP financial measure provides further transparency into costs associated with producing gold and assists analysts, investors and other stakeholders of the Company in assessing the Company's operating performance, its ability to generate free cash flow from current operations and its overall value. This data is furnished to provide additional information and is a non-GAAP financial measure. All-in sustaining costs presented do not have a standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other mining companies. It should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS and is not necessarily indicative of cash flow from operations under IFRS or operating costs presented under IFRS.
"Sustaining costs" is a non-GAAP financial measure. New Gold defines sustaining costs as the difference between all-in sustaining costs and total cash costs, being the sum of net capital expenditures that are sustaining in nature, corporate general and administrative costs, capitalized and expensed exploration that is sustaining in nature, and environmental reclamation costs. New Gold terms non-sustaining capital costs to be "growth capital". Management uses sustaining costs to understand the aggregate net result of the drivers of all-in sustaining costs other than total cash costs. The line items between cash costs and all-in sustaining costs in the tables below break down the components of sustaining costs. Sustaining costs is intended to provide additional information only, does not have any standardized meaning under IFRS, and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other mining companies. It should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.
Total Cash Costs
"Total cash costs" per ounce is a non-GAAP financial measure which is calculated in accordance with a standard developed by The Gold Institute, a worldwide association of suppliers of gold and gold products that ceased operations in 2002. Adoption of the standard is voluntary and the cost measures presented may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. New Gold reports total cash costs on a sales basis. The Company believes that certain investors use this information to evaluate the Company's performance and ability to generate liquidity through operating cash flow to fund future capital expenditures and working capital needs. This measure, along with sales, is considered to be a key indicator of the Company's ability to generate operating earnings and cash flow from its mining operations. Total cash costs include mine site operating costs such as mining, processing and administration costs, royalties, production taxes, and realized gains and losses on fuel contracts, but are exclusive of amortization, reclamation, capital and exploration costs and net of by-product sales. Total cash costs are then divided by ounces of gold sold to arrive at a per ounce figure. Co-product cash costs remove the impact of other metal sales that are produced as a by-product of gold production and apportion the cash costs to each metal produced on a percentage of revenue basis, and subsequently divides the amount by the total ounces of gold or silver or pounds of copper sold, as the case may be, to arrive at per ounce or per pound figures. Unless otherwise indicated, all total cash cost information in this news release is net of by-product sales. This data is furnished to provide additional information and is a non-GAAP financial measure. Total cash costs and co-product cash costs presented do not have a standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other mining companies. It should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS and is not necessarily indicative of cash flow from operations under IFRS or operating costs presented under GAAP.
Adjusted Net Earnings/(Loss)
"Adjusted net earnings/(loss)" and "adjusted net earnings/(loss) per share" are non-GAAP financial measures. Net earnings/(loss) have been adjusted and tax affected for the group of costs in "Other gains and losses", impairment losses, inventory write-downs and certain non-recurring items on the condensed consolidated income statement. The adjusted entries are also impacted for tax to the extent that the underlying entries are impacted for tax in the unadjusted net earnings/(loss) from continuing operations. The Company uses this measure for its own internal purposes. Management's internal budgets and forecasts and public guidance do not reflect fair value changes on senior notes and non-hedged derivatives, foreign currency translation and fair value through profit or loss and financial asset gains/losses. Consequently, the presentation of adjusted net earnings and adjusted net earnings per share enables investors and analysts to better understand the underlying operating performance of our core mining business through the eyes of management. Management periodically evaluates the components of adjusted net earnings and adjusted net earnings per share based on an internal assessment of performance measures that are useful for evaluating the operating performance of our business and a review of the non-GAAP measures used by mining industry analysts and other mining companies. Adjusted net (loss)/earnings and adjusted net (loss)/earnings per share are intended to provide additional information only and do not have any standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. They should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The measures are not necessarily indicative of operating profit or cash flows from operations as determined under IFRS.
Average Realized Price
"Average realized price per ounce or pound sold" is a non-GAAP financial measure with no standard meaning under IFRS. Management uses this measure to better understand the price realized in each reporting period for gold, silver, and copper sales. Average realized price is intended to provide additional information only and does not have any standardized definition under IFRS; it should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Other companies may calculate this measure differently and this measure is unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies.
For additional information with respect to the non-GAAP measures used by the Company, including reconciliation to the nearest IFRS measures, refer to the detailed Non-GAAP performance measure disclosure in the Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2018 filed at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov.
New Gold
Daily Change: -0.11 -5.64
Daily Volume: 5,576,889
Market Cap: C$1.070B
New Gold Provides Notice of Release of Second Quarter 2019 Results
New Gold Reports In-Line Production for the Second Quarter Reaffirms Annual Production Guidance; Liquidity Maintained
New Gold Hosts Rainy River Site Tours
New Gold Provides Update on Delineation and Exploration Programs at New Afton and Rainy River Operations
New Gold Appoints Nicholas Chirekos to the Board of Directors
New Gold: Rainy River Milling Operations Restarted Ahead of Schedule
New Gold Provides Update on Rainy River
New Gold Announces Results of Vote for Election of Board of Directors
New Gold Reports First Quarter Financial Results
New Gold Provides Notice of Annual General Meeting of Shareholders and Release of First Quarter 2019 Financial Results
New Gold Reports First Quarter Production On Track to Meet Annual Guidance
New Gold Provides 2019 Operational Outlook
Condor Gold
Condor Gold is revitalizing the historic La India gold mining district in Nicaragua. To date the company has produced a global N.I. 43-101 mineral resource totaling 2.32 million ounces of high grade gold, including open pit resources of over 1 million ounces grading 3.5 g/t gold. The December 2014 N.I. 43-101 Pre-Feasibility Study demonstrated an open pit mineral reserve of 675,000 ounces of gold that could produce 80,000 ounces annually over 7 years at all-in sustaining cash costs under US$700 per ounce... LEARN MORE
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(360) Reviews
Guitar Hero 5 Review
Another year, another Guitar Hero. What started off as a very inventive and fun new type of party game, has become one of the most over milked franchises in the industry. Guitar Hero 5 is the latest in the series and has some nice new features such integration of the XBOX 360’s Avatar into the game.
When a Guitar Hero game comes out we know what to expect, so in this review, I’ll simply cover the new features in the HOT and NOT segments. This only covers the Playstation 3 and XBOX 360 platforms.
360 ONLY – Avatar Integration
Both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of this game are similar, so similar that they are identical. However, the 360 does have one exclusive stand out feature, avatar integration. The ability to place your avatar on stage is cool and adds a personal touch to the game, after all, the avatars are modeled after the player. From the instruments to the clothing of your avatar, everything can be bought and unlocked within the game or purchased on the Avatar Marketplace.
Just like past Guitar Hero titles, there’s a career mode. The game features 14 unique venues and each venue is unlocked by completing different set lists. Each song you play has a bonus challenge that you can do to unlock extra goodies to use with your character or avatar such as instruments and clothing.
Importing tracks from Guitar Hero World Tour is be done by acquiring the ID that you have in World Tour. An update can also be downloaded within the game and this will be required if you want to import songs from your collection in World Tour. If you have World Tour, this is a great feature!
GH Studio
Guitar Hero Studio is included in Guitar Hero 5. Guitar Hero Studio gives the player the opportunity to create you’re their own tracks, import them, and play them online. With GH Tunes, you can publish it online and allow others to download and play it as well.
Same game but new songs…
Guitar Hero 5 is similar to the past Guitar Hero games in which it’s essentially the same game but with new songs and minor graphical enhancements. The use of party mode is fun but you will feel repetitiveness as you keep on playing them and I easily got bored with it.
Feels like Rock Band…
Being able to use a microphone and drums is awesome, it’s so awesome in fact that it was completely lifted from another game. Up to four people can play in a band using each one of the different instruments. You can go to XBOX Live or Playstation Network to compete with other people.
Pay to Download Music
No shocker here, extra music costs extra money. Just like with past games, there will be a weekly update that players can download for a small fee. You can download them individually, or in track packs. I don’t think I really need to explain this any further.
Overall, Guitar Hero 5 is the same as Guitar Hero World Tour or Rock Band except on the XBOX 360, you can use the Avatar as your character. The GH Studio, Weekly DLC, and the ability to use four instruments are already in World Tour, but the new songs is what keeps people coming back for more.
I can’t honestly recommend this title for anyone who isn’t a hardcore fan. If you love Guitar Hero and you want to rock out with the new songs or create your own play list, this is a must get but for me, I was disappointed.
[Editor’s Note: Guitar Hero 5 was reviewed on a Xbox 360 platform.]
Guitar Hero 5 Review, 3.0 out of 10 based on 1 rating
Red Octane
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The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC coming to Steam and PSN
XSEED Games is pleased to announce today that the award winning sequel of the hit The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky (FC) First Chapter will be coming to PSN and Steam in 2014.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky (SC) Second Chapter is scheduled for release in 2014 for both PSP (compatible with the PS Vita) and PC through Steam. No exact release date has been revealed yet, but fans can expect it in 2014 nonetheless. In addition, XSEED Games will also re-release the first game (First Chapter) through PC via Steam as well.
“We are pleased to finally give the fans what they have been requesting so fervently for over two years,” said Ken Berry, Executive Vice President of XSEED Games. “There’s been a constant demand ever since we released the original The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, and we are extremely grateful for our partnership with the passionate localizers at Carpe Fulgur to finally make it a reality.”
Releasing the Second Chapter in North America was made possible thanks to the recent partnership of XSEED Games with Carpe Fulgur LLC.
“This is something we’ve had an interest in doing since practically the formation of the company,” added Andrew Dice, Project Director for Carpe Fulgur. “If you talk about or work with ‘PC gaming from Japan’, as we do, you can’t really ignore Falcom’s huge presence over the past three decades. Trails in the Sky is particularly special, and I’d wanted to work on it ever since the day we started business. I’m thrilled that we will finally be able to bring the game to English-speaking audiences, in partnership with XSEED.”
Check back with us next year for more information of the game’s second chapter
The Legend of Heroes: Trail in the Sky
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Posts 101 to 150 of 150
Why no new standards?
Tal_175
Yeah, really good interview. Thanks Christian for the link.
I'm not too crazy about the jazz content of Rick Beato videos and the way he covers them. But I have to give it to him, he is as good an interviewer as it gets. His questions, the way he interacts with Gary Burton, his laid back vibe was just perfect. Not just the questions he asks but questions he does not ask shows good judgement. Classy.
Last edited by Tal_175; 06-01-2019 at 10:30 PM.
pauln
Karl Latham is trying... I like it!
Had To Cry Today
"Bent my ear to hear the tune and closed my eyes to see."
christianm77
Interesting definition on new people have
www.christianmillerguitar.com
Litterick
Originally Posted by pauln
I tried Cinnamon Girl. It lacked everything I like about the original. Besides, there is a fine line between instrumental version and lobby music.
docsteve
Why doesn't anybody play the jazz standards anymore that actually preceded the Great American Song Book? When did you last hear „Rhythm King“, „Coal Black Shine“, „Long, Deep and Wide“, "Up jumped you with Love“, "Who (Stole My Heart Away)", "The Sheik of Araby", "San", or even "Sweet Georgia Brown" by any other than a Dixie band?
See. Repertoire seems to be a function of style.
Originally Posted by docsteve
The only reason tradders play that stuff is to get one over on the filthy modernists. They’d all rather be playing GASB tunes once the boppers are out the way.
SWB works great in 7.
San is a cool tune.
Actually in seriousness and as someone who does know early jazz specialists - a friend of mine has completed recording the Jelly Roll Morton ouvre - an interesting thing is that the authentic popular music of the 1920's can be pretty unfamiliar to a modern audience. People are going to recognise things like Ain't Misbehaving but beyond that there are many tunes that have just dropped out of rep. Not that many people actually listen to 20s music except devotees....
Even the UK trad jazz fans actually want the '50s version - Midnight in Moscow etc - not the real, recreated thing.
Which is where the seemingly endless Prohibition parties are funny, because the punters never want 20s music... maybe for 5 minutes. Then they want something much more like this:
(Gunhild BTW is a legit actual early jazz stylist)
Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo
There would have to be an active jazz community for a song to become a standard nowadays, it's too scattered to have a consensus anymore.
I think this is right. I would add "large" and aslo note that lots of "jazz standards" appeal to people who are not primarily jazz fans. A standard should have appeal beyond the cognescenti.
Bach5G
Bobby Broom
Spook410
This reads like a 'jazz is for jazz musicians' thread. Given the current size of the jazz audience I guess that may be about it. Putting that aside for the moment..
There have been several albums based on Beatles songs. I like DiMeola's "All Your Life" and Connie Evingson's "Let It Be Jazz". And there is a lot going on in Joni Mitchell tunes. Herbie Hancock got a mainstream Grammy Album of the Year for "River: The Joni Letters". Of course, even that music is old now.
There is a Gershwin quote: "True music must repeat the thought and inspirations of the people and the time". Jazz has to adapt to current music. As awful as many may find current music to be. That may mean sifting through the ashes of the last decade and making arrangements people want to hear. It may mean innovation and creation. Not just blowing over stuff nobody cares about any more.
Hell is full of musical amateurs - George Bernard Shaw
I was looking at a Jerry Coker book the other day ("Hearin' the Changes" IIRC) and two tunes he mentioned were by Billy Joel: "Just The Way You Are" and "New York State of Mind."
Not new, but interesting in that they are pop songs that some jazz musicians play. (Donald Fagen has written his share of these too.)
JCat
Originally Posted by Spook410
If a musician thinks he plays "Jazz", but the audience thinks he plays something else...who's right and does it matter? Would it depend on the musician's relationship with the audience? Are listeners entitled to have reasonable expectations? When a Jazz musician knows his standards he knows what's Jazz and what's not. He's done his homework and stands on a solid foundation. He can then expand on that legacy and play jazz no one heard before.
-What If the audience think that a musician plays Jazz, but the musician is confident he's playing something else?
It's just a matter of expectations. If you care, If you have a contract with the audience.
As much as I like Gershwin, he never had monopoly to define what's "true music" and what's not. I consider his music true, even though it hardly reflects our time.
A long time ago "Jazz" was "pop". If you want to make and play contemporary pop, old pop, Rock or R&B, great. -Why would you have to call it Jazz?
-Why do people play jazz if they don't like it? (I can play hip-hop on my archtop if that's my thing, but it obviously won't be jazz. And it won't be Jazz just because it's unplugged or instrumental or becasue there are real instruments.)
ragman1
I'd have thought a 'standard' was a tune of long-established popularity. So when we say 'new' standard how long must it have been around to qualify? Is, say, Yesterday a standard?
Is Happy Birthday a standard???
I think of a standard as a song that musicians will know and could be expected to play without much help.
Rhythmisking
To get back to the OP question...
Originally "Jazz" wasn't a separate genre of music. It was a style of playing that was imposed on popular songs. There were no 'jazz' songs; only songs that had been 'jazzed up'. And it was often considered by critics as an obnoxious thing to do to a perfectly good song. Jazz players were less concerned with a beautiful execution of a great song than their own extrapolation of it, and so developed a style of playing the head of the tune as it was written and getting it out of the way as quickly as possible, in order to get to the good part: Extended improvisations over the changes.
There are probably other examples, but I'll single out Coleman Hawkins' version of Johnny Green's Body and Soul. His version mostly ignored the melody of the song and instead imposed vertical (change-based) improvisation over the changes, and his version of the tune became more popular than the original, much to Johnny Greene's chagrin. I'll bet many people here are more familiar with his 'melody' than Greene's original one, and some who probably think Hawkins' improv IS the original melody.
The reason this particular song is important is because it was a statement that, for jazz players, the song itself was less significant, less important than their improvisations were. HUGE change, and an unprecedented one. As 'jazz' musicians stared composing 'jazz' songs, the focus was not on songwriting in the conventional, historical sense, but on crafting interesting frameworks to improvise over. Composition became far less important than execution.
If you look at a jazz standard like "Autumn in New York", and compare it to a jazz standard like "So What" you can observe the movement that happened in 'jazz' composition as a result of the sea-change where improvisation -what a player did with a song- became more important than the song itself. "Autumn in New York" is a beautiful, expertly crafted song that stands on it's own no matter how it is played stylistically, because it's a beautiful song. "So What" is just a lick -barely a lick- over changes, and was never intended to be anything more than a vehicle for improvisation. It does not stand on it's own as a beautiful song. Without improv, it's simplistic and boring. You can go through the Real Book and see all those standards fall into two distinct categories: Songs written to be songs, and songs primarily intended as improv vehicles.
A good song can be a good vehicle for improv, but a good vehicle for improv isn't automatically a good song.
For a while audiences went along with this, but as jazz 'songs' became less and less song-like, and their purpose, their reason to exist was not to be a good song but simply a good vehicle, and new 'jazz songs' increasingly became more obtuse and the melodies more abstract, "jazz"; now a separate musical genre, was well on it's way to being something akin to papers on particle physics; Scholarly and deep, but also increasingly difficult for a person not intimately familiar with the subject to appreciate.
Jazz went from being an illegitimate interpretive style, to it's own musical genre, to a musical orthodoxy which can now be studied academically alongside classical music at the Doctorate level. If Jazz Studies students spent more time studying great songwriting, and a lot less time scrutinizing, analyzing and emulating the improvisations of The Great Jazz Icons of Yesteryear, there might be a different understanding of why jazz is no longer popular music.
Just my opinion....
Last edited by Rhythmisking; 06-13-2019 at 07:35 PM. Reason: typos
Originally Posted by Litterick
Like Happy Birthday :-)
Originally Posted by Rhythmisking
Now that was excellent. Quite right. I do like things that make sense.
Like "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC, "Mustang Sally" or "Sweet Home Alabama" etc? All cover-band standards.
When somebody plays Hoagy Carmichael's "Skylark", you'll never hear them being described as a cover band.
Or maybe by "without much help" you mean "could be played solo on a piano or a guitar without vocals"? In that case I agree. It's one of several criterias for a "Jazz standard"
Agreed 100%
Yeah I agree with this analysis except historically you are not accurate.
There were originally such things as jazz tunes and jazz composers. Jelly Roll Morton wrote quite a few of them for instance. Of course today we tend to start with Louis Armstrong’s late 20s revolution of playing on pop songs because not many professional jazz musicians will be expected to know involved march form early jazz tunes like, say, High Society, King Porter Stomp or Fidgety Feet unless they are trad or early jazz specialists.
So composition was always part of the tradition. More familiar to most jazzers is of course Ellington. The tradition of writing jazz originals can be found throughout the swing era and also of course, the bop era and beyond.
However I do feel that what this era had was jazz compositions that fundamentally set up a dialog with the popular music of the time, if not forming a part of it. Swing era tunes were often bluesy riff tunes, bop tunes were sardonic and subversive takes on popular swing jam session tunes (drawn from popular music) and so on...
Contemporary jazz musicians have done this - EST spring mind as a band that referenced the rock and dance music of the time without actually playing pop tunes. And then there are bands like Knower who seem to straddle genres and play both reworked covers and originals.
So this whole jazz is a verb not a noun thing is a little ahistorical. It’s a useful perspective though I think.
Originally Posted by christianm77
...composition was always part of the tradition. More familiar to most jazzers is of course Ellington. The tradition of writing jazz originals can be found throughout the swing era and also of course, the bop era and beyond.
Absolutely. The pseudo-historical timeline I laid out wasn't intended to be absolute or even historically accurate, but to describe a general movement through time of the relationship of jazz players and audiences and the often overlooked/underappreciated role of composition.
There was a time period where jazz was popular, and jazz music was a part of popular music. But my point is that compositions such as the Ellington/Strayhorn tunes; indisputably "jazz songs", were first and foremost beautiful compositions. The compositional intention was primarily to create a beautiful song, not quickly dash off a framework to blow over with melody almost as an afterthought.
Great iconic jazz musicians from the bop era forward were and are celebrated (and studied) for their improvisations first, and their compositions second -if at all. Certainly exceptions (Ellington) abound; no doubt. But I'm of the opinion that the evolution of jazz as a genre ended up in the weeds (as far as it being popular music) when the importance of song composition fell away under the dazzle and sparkle of expertly executed vertical improvisation.
I believe a large part of the reason iconic masters such as Parker, Hawkins, Young, etc are perceived as being as great as they are is because their work took place at the overlap of horizontal and vertical improv styles. They grew up and were influenced by players whose improvisations were based on a song's melody and tended to be thematic melody-like lines that moved through changes. As they started formulating their lines referencing the changes more strongly, they still had the foundation of the primacy of a cohesive melodic thread guiding them. As newer, contemporary players study them, they concentrate largely on the chord/scale elements of their playing and also view their own improvisation primarily in terms of scalar relationships to chords, and my assumption is that this is the emphasis of what is generally taught academically in jazz studies: Use the correct patterns over the individual chords as quickly and accurately as possible and bingo, you're playing jazz!
There's a quote I really like from Herb Alpert in the June issue of Jazz Times. He's talking about his foundation and the selection process for giving out grants. He says "There are two kinds of musicians: first, the guys who play the right notes, who know where they're going and are very precise. You listen to them and you stare out the window because nothing's really happening.Then there are those other guys who are searching for the right notes. The artists we choose are not the beat of the week; they're the ones who took the road less traveled."
Jazz became about chord charts, rather than songs.
Well put, I think you are spot on.
Maybe we could highlight the relationship "composition" vs "execution".
I've said it before; the best composer is seldom the best instrumentalist even though there are exceptions (or used to be exceptions). The obvious reason being time. We tend to improve in the fields we practice. The more time I spend composing, the less time I have left to practice certain techniques. Also, the more time a person practice scales and patterns, the less time is left to learn new songs or write new songs. The more time I play with the DAW, mixing sounds, the better I become at certain elements of production, but the less time is left for making music as opposed to sound. It's gone so far, people can no longer distinguish sound from music. And people are producing sounds without having any instrument skills. State of the art is actually more about finding new sounds, than about writing music. And as we've already talked about in this thread; A sound can't be a standard (at least not in the context of this thread, but quite possibly in a different meaning).
For a long, long time, the music industry has relied on specialized roles for different tasks. It was practically never a one man show. A musician has to find his niche, do his thing; Compose, arrange, play, produce etc. If I spread myself to thin, I may not get the edge required, still each and everyone is wearing all these different hats on and off...It helps us see the bigger picture. And I obviously have to develop instrument skills and learn music written by others and study theory in order to develop my own writing.
Now what if the composer don't get paid for intellectual property? What if the only way to make a living is to execute, to perform on stage or to become some demon producer? What if composition of popular music in the 21st century is synonymous to production, where the producer is using seeds from random singer song writers to get embryos for hooks and where the ultimate goal is to produce a sound?
What If I have to run my own independent label and wear all hats?...Then there won't be any new standards.
Last edited by JCat; 06-15-2019 at 06:11 AM.
Originally Posted by JCat
A covers band attempts to recreate the sound the original band makes on the record. Playing a new solo or introducing new instruments probably would not be accepted by the audience, which would expect fidelity to the original. Highway to Hell is guitar music; play it on another instrument at your peril. Skylark, first published as sheet music, has had a long life independent of any one recording: Wikipedia lists twenty-nine 'charted versions'. A musician could be expected to play this song because it is part of the repertoire, it is relatively simple and it does not require specific instruments.
I am not sure whether "could be played solo on a piano or a guitar without vocals" is one of the criteria for a jazz standard. I expect all standards could be played solo on a piano or guitar without vocals, but equally they could be played on a bassoon or a harp, or sung in Japanese or Czech. Their adaptability helps make them standards, but does not guarantee their success. Other songs, which were just as adaptable, did not catch on.
Besides, I do not think criteria were ever established. Songs became standards because many people played them. They were published in fake books and recorded by stars, which encouraged more people to play them. Most came from Tin Pan Alley, Broadway, Hollywood or the Brill Building. Almost all are American. I doubt whether Autumn Leaves, (written by Joseph Kosma with original lyrics by Jacques Prévert as Les Feuilles mortes for a 1946 French film, Les Portes de la nuit) would have become a standard, had neither Johnny Mercer written lyrics in English, nor Bing Crosby recorded Mercer's version (Roger Williams recorded a 1955 piano version, the only piano instrumental to reach number one on the Billboard chart, so it also meets your rule).
On Radio New Zealand National, right now, Karen Carpenter is singing Ticket to Ride, accompanied by her brother and an orchestra, one of those covers which is very different from the original and so challenges my theory of standards.
Well isn’t that basically what Mark Ronson did with Version and everyone flipped out?
Yeah the progression from song to sound design, sums it up.
There are probably other examples, but I'll single out Coleman Hawkins' version of Johnny Green's Body and Soul.
That is indeed a great example. Huge record and Hawkins didn't play the melody straight at all. (He ignored the orchestra behind him too!) But Coleman Hawkins was one of THE greats and not even he was capable of this great a performance every time out.
I think it was a mistake for most jazz players to think that people would be more interested in their handling of the changes of a standard---"There Will Never Be Another You", ATTYA, whatever---than they would be in hearing the tune played with feeling, followed by a solo that keep that developed that feeling without losing it.
Here is the seminal Hawkins recording, followed by a straighter take from Monty Alexander, Herb Ellis, and Ray Brown.
Most that frequent this forum probably share a common view of what a jazz standard is. They reside in our Real Books and some even know which ones tend to be called. That's if you live in a very large city where there are hidden venues where this still has any relevance.
I'm more interested in the question of why jazz is not obviously evolving. As the OP asked.. why do jazz players persist in a repertoire that matters to such a small audience? There is a musical space for performers and listeners that resides beyond rock and blues bands. Is it the arrogance of jazz musicians? The need for jazz musicians to perform without rehearsal or arrangements so it's standards or nothing? Venues that eschew anything but classic rock and country bands? I don't think musicianship is dead. Nor is music creativity. And I do think millennial's want to hear it. Musical creativity and jazz improvisation should be commonplace even outside of NYC and LA.
Some seem to think that if music involves the jazz musician, it must involve the jazz standard. But as a quick scan of the local paper's entertainment section reveals, there isn't much out there. So if there's not a sustainable market for jazz standards why are we not adapting by applying jazz skills and sensibilities in a way that engages our potential audience?
benrosow
I have long bemoaned the fact that the jazz repertoire has not evolved. I don't think it's because jazzed don't want to add new material. I have seen creative additions on individual albums since the 1980's. But they don't get traction with the jazz community because there is no mainstream outlet that is common to most players. In the 1950s New York, there was jazz radio and an big scene where all the style setters moved in a common pool. Nothing like that exists today. So it's hard for a new tune to be universally adopted because it is virtually impossible to spread the gospel.
Yes, there has been Billy Joel's Just the Way You Are and then That's the Tme I Feel Like Making Love have more or less made it onto the standard list, but those are outliers. Jazz drew in the past from pop radio. Face it, most pop radio today does not lend itself to improvisation over chord changes. On the other hand, there has been a LOT of music released over the last 40 years and one would think that there are some gems in that pool. I would think that some Nirvana stuff could be used by creative jazzers. Arturo Sandoval released a record of modern Americana with Al Green and Miami Sound Machine tunes on it.
So my take is that jazzers really need to look to music they normally don't listen to so that they can refresh the idiom. Who knows what might be found in the Christina Aguilera or Link in Park catalogs?
You got my point regarding the cover band standards, and I think you're right about "playing solo"; I would accept most chord playing instruments (even a Czech barbershop quarted)... but I'm a bit ambivalent about the bassoon... I'm afraid Cole Porter's "Ev'ry Time We say Goodbye" on solo Bassoon won't fly, but I would be thrilled hearing an attempt on "Four Brothers"
I'm listening to Karen Carpenter's version of the Beatles' "Ticket To Ride" right now, beautiful arrangement and performance raised above the cover clichés. The Beatles' catalogue is great, plenty of Beatles standards that will still be played in 50 years. And it can be played on a solo archtop, and "Yellow Submarine" even on solo Bassoon. It's not Jazz though (if that would be of any importance).
It's just a guess, but don't you think guitar music runs in the veins of most people frequenting this forum, that most of us started out playing guitar music? I have played rock, blues, soul and funk and I like it. And many, many listeners like it. That's my generation, my back yard. But I have also played and listened to Jazz since childhood because I like it. Classical music too.
Ever since the days of Bill Haley & the Comets, teenagers have been the target for pop production. The funny thing is that many people that grew up listening to AC/DC, still listen to the same music 40+ years later. For as long as I remember, artists have kept on servicing a loyal fan base, growing old with the fans, playing the same music year after year. There's just this little problem with live arena rock; one needs to fill an arena....
When the visual image of an act gets too much attention, does the actual music still speak to the audience? If the power of the music equals the length of the hair cut, what is the guitarist supposed to do when he develops the look of Joe Pass or Jim Hall? He could wear the usual wig or a bandana, but he doesn't have to play Jazz if he doesn't like it.
I do rearrangements of the following Beatles tunes (or they're on my to do list) in a soul jazz vein, think Nat Adderly Work Song or Turrentine:
Can't buy me Love in slow straight 8the
Oh Darlin
Yesterday (see Ray Charles version, and a great chord change for a horn player)
All My Lovin' (contains a chord change descending in 3rds just not found in jazz tunes)
Here there and Everywhere (great in an organ trio)
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite (on my list to arrange)
Cry Baby Cry (imagine Earl Klugh or Metheny playing it)
Geo. Benson did A Day In the Life
Don't Let Me Down (imagine King Curtis rocking this one)
Fixing a Home
Got to Get you into my Life
I Want You (She's so Heavy) pure soul jazz
Rocky Racoon (awaiting an big band arrangements)
Glass Onion
Good day Sunshine
Sexy Sadie
You Never Give Me Your Money
She's Leaving Home
I'm so tired
The catalog is like a mini Real book!
Last edited by benrosow; 06-16-2019 at 07:28 AM. Reason: Typo
Add: George Benson's THE OTHER SIDE OF ABBEY ROAD on CTI.
A great point and I fall in that trap of thinking sometimes. We think that way because so much of the jazz repertoire came from covering pop songs. In the '30s to '50s, ALL performers covered poptunes because, just like today, that's what their audiences wanted to hear. You don't think people didn't come up to Dizzy and say, "Can you play Buckle Down Win Sockie?" From the birth of jazz, once it went uptown, jazz players have had to balance their artistic goals vs the reality of their audiences. Do we really think a 1928 audience was more sophisticated or appreciated the improvisation of the day any more than today? Ellington was paddling upstream right out of the gate. Kenton fought to get heard once his Balboa days were over.
Covering current hits was a way to buy your audience's attention and favor. Jazz fans aside, it ain't a typical audience's job to know what's hip. Garden variety audiences want to hear 1) what is current & 2) what they know...It's got a nice tune and I can tap my foot to it. it's never been any different. A successful jazz musician knows how to drive that road.
So because jazz musicians of the golden age survived by playing covers, we have lots of popular dance numbers in the real book, along side Fables of Phoebus. The beboppers were experimental and raised the musicianship to high art, never a prescription for popularity. Most of them said, "Fuck Chatenooga Choo Choo." They turned their backs on dance Music. And that's fine for what they were up to. The problem comes with us, the following generations, who worship Bird and Miles, and Coltrane and expect success doing that bag.
I say we find current tunes that offer something we can make MUSIC with, something we can actually add to. Go where the music is and there will be some success.
Originally Posted by benrosow
Cool, lots of 50 year old songs
If you ever say that in Barry Harris’s presence you get a very dirty look. Actually according to him boppers frequently played for dancers and he first heard Bird in a Detroit dance hall for instance.
Dizzy was a good enough amateur dancer to get free entry to the Savoy on a Saturday night. He was always keen to involve dance in his music.
The idea that the boppers didn’t want to play for dancers is bollocks really - the ‘no dancing’ signs were from a change in club licensing.
Or perhaps, more fairly put, a it's a take from a certain perspective. Norma Miller's perspective, or whatever...
That bop ended up being probably not good music for social dancing might be down to a number of reasons. Things may have played out differently.
Lots of convenient histories of jazz out there. Problem is they are all too convenient. Reality is messy, but also I think more interesting.
Last edited by christianm77; 06-16-2019 at 08:54 AM.
Re: this first point, I agree.... But it was a lot harder to say 'this is where jazz ends and this is where pop begins.' If we go back to the 20s and 30s there's a difference between 'sweet music' (i.e. dance band pop) and 'hot music' (i.e. black jazz) but there's overlap.
Anyway, pick out a copy of Downbeat from the '30s and it's like reading a pop music magazine. Beefs, rivalries, gossip. Not a lot on the music itself.
Easy to imagine audiences of earlier generations were more cultured. They weren't.
Ever since the days of Bill Haley & the Comets, teenagers have been the target for pop production. The funny thing is that many people that grew up listening to AC/DC, still listen to the same music 40+ years later. For as long as I remember, artists have kept on servicing a loyal fan base, growing old with the fans, playing the same music year after year. There's just this little problem with live arena rock; one needs to fill an arena...
Sandals and a jazz festival t-shirt from 1993. That's how we do it here.
Yeah, I think there's a relationship between the process of guitar music and the way it gets covered as opposed to jazz.
I mean, in jazz we have a song written on the piano with melody and chords. Two hands, right? Pianists are massive dweebs and know all the names of the notes and so on, and like to come with arrangements etc.
If I learn the riff to Back in Black, that's how the guitar part goes. You can do that - learn loads of riffs, write your own, and so on - and never really deal with adapting pre-existing material. It's either the song as recorded or it's an original.
It's quite strange. When I was teaching some university guitar students selecting pieces for their final recitals, it was always stuff played by other guitarists. The idea of coming up with an instrumental version of a song they liked was FOREIGN. It was more like - let's play the exact thing Jimmy Herring or Mike Landau played. One student wanted to Beatles- Day in the Life. But it was the Jeff Beck version.
So I reckon this culture has a lot to do with it.
I'm more interested in the question of why jazz is not obviously evolving. As the OP asked.. why do jazz players persist in a repertoire that matters to such a small audience?
I couldn't help but think of this scene:
For me, I like the standard rep and it's what I want to be able to play well. I enjoy that. I'm not looking to go somewhere else.
whiskey02
In regards to “new” songs; I spoke with a friend who has played for over 25 years in a bar band that plays mainly classic rock along with a healthy dose of current FM hits. He has always been very aware of the need to stay current and be aware of what is new, and mix that into the sets. I spoke with him a few days ago and he informed me that they no longer add new songs because the shelf life of pop tunes is now about 6 weeks, then (perhaps due to millennials persistent consumption) it’s old. They just don’t have time to learn and rehearse a song that will be “over “ two weeks after they get to it.
Ignorance is agony.
My son compiled several CDs for he and his brother (ages 21 and 26) to listen to when they’re out in my van. Most of it would seem to fall into the categories of hip hop and new soul.
Once you get past the lyrics- the only words you can consistently make out from song to song would get you arrested or assaulted- I hear a melting pot - a bitch’s brew - of blues, jazz, soul and funk. Rather than the Beatles, it would seem that Sly and late Miles are the influences. The lyrics aren’t Bob Dylan, but if Bob was a millennial born and raised in Compton...
I like some tunes more than others. Several that I liked turned out to be by Anderson Paak. (Check out Malibu). I suspect a bunch on the most recent CD are off his latest album. One tune sounds like a take on the Temptations (if they were millennials, born and raised in Compton).
But no, nothing that the Real Bookers are likely to sink their teeth into. Music is disposable now.
Well said Mark and at an individual level, this sentiment certainly applies to a lot of talented musicians.
Thing is.. I feel like I'm missing something. Music is a live and evolving thing. Music styles come and go. Or, evolve out and evolve in over time. Where do we see the jazz song book going? It may not be called jazz anymore but it will have creativity, lots of room for improvisation, and appeal to the things in the human spirit that jazz touched upon when it was a lot more popular. And still does for those that listen to it. Of course there's the cynical argument about tech and music and going the way of conversational Latin.. but I really don't think that's it. Too many people still like to listen to local guitar slingers in a dive bar burning away on Allman Bros tunes. They draw a crowd if they're good. And that's just a hair away from jazz.
Yes, mine as well, and I think most of us. I don't know of any published writer who has really addressed the place of the guitar in jazz: that it plays chords, does not quite fit with the rest of the band, that it has a strong Italian-American heritage.
I think of rock music as a form of musical theatre. I suspect that is why the British bands succeeded in America: we have a tradition of theatricality. Some have aged better than others.
Originally Posted by Bach5G
Yes, I was listening to Paak the other day. Also a great drummer BTW, obviously very much a scholar of music... And able to do his thing while drumming too:
Best not to sing along tho lol
It is very much 'music that sounds like music' though. I'm old enough to remember when Public Enemy landed lol. Probably the Beatles of my generation, though I hated it at the time.
I find the same thing with Tom Misch or any of these things, who I liked before I realised the things I liked about his music were things taken from his record collection (good guitar player though!)... Or Vulfpeck who I loved before I realised all their songs are half finished (you only need half a song for youtube). And it's all music that sounds like music, meaning you can tell it's quality music because it references stuff that came before. Obviously sampling culture is important here, but I also think Spotify and streaming has reinforced a sense of recreating a 'classic sound.'
Here are a band I think are genuinely quite original. I'd recognise them anywhere:
Like a sort of asian and west african tinged Meters meets Morricone meets Dub... Or something? They sound vaguely 'classic', of the past, but not exactly like anything, and they are essentially instrumental (there are vocals, but not really lyrics) which is VERY unusual - the guitar is centre stage. I think this is a direction jazz could go in, too.
One things for sure, no shortage of great instrumentalists around today.
Precisely, and by breaking free from guitar music the ears grow bigger as the hair get shorter (picture this..)
But I think it's inevitable; every musician copies his influences in quest of an expression. Some stuff is repeated note by note as part of a learning process. Our role models did it too.
The challange, when it comes to the Great American Song Book, is that for a majority of the songs the guitar seldom had a leading role. This music is not guitar music, which means we have to approach it differently. Someone's vision may be "horn-like", another approach could be "piano-like" or we could copy some famous guitar player known for strong interpretations of GASB material; like Jim and Joe.
For me personally, it has meant switching role models from performing musicians to the actual composers. My heroes are the guys that wrote the music I love. I also like to do transcriptions from piano to guitar, working out my own finger setting arrangements, finding my own expression.
I think we can also basically blame Miles for the destruction of the jazz standard. There's no need to focus our fire on pop musicians. Miles as much as anyone either prefigured or directly influenced a lot of later music (depending on who you listen to.)
And later on of course Miles carried on playing things he liked that he heard on the radio. It was the Young Lions that turned their back on that stuff...
The dissolution of classic song writing is of course influenced by many influences, but the move away from functional harmony is a big part of it. If we can follow an influence of Trane's music along with modal folk music onto Acid Rock in the late 60s on one hand, or the (hidden) influence Miles had on James Brown (at least Nicholas Peyton thinks so) - you have two of the big seminal influences on music that still echo today.
In his book on Kind of Blue, Ashley Kahn argues that this has equipped jazz to be able to do is diversify and become super eclectic and combine with musics all over the world, perhaps somewhat at the cost of it being able to maintain a common repertoire of up to date pop songs that people could improvise on on gigs. ECM of course expanded these horizons, Surman playing Dowland, uncategorisable music that could be termed 'world jazz' from the likes of Anouar Brahem and so on...
OTOH, the label 'jazz' has increasingly become home to musics that have little obviously to do with the jazz of the 1960s.... This is, I think, necessary, but not without issues. Where jazz festivals simply become a home to pop acts, it's pretty depressing. OTOH, a lot of pop music does owe much to jazz. Putting Chic on at a jazz festival does not feel that wrong to me, because Nile will tell you straight up he came out of Van Eps and the swing tradition.
And I have to say the idea of genre is basically odd to me anyway.
I have no idea how to categorise the music of my band Balagan Cafe Band, but most people seem to hear it as a form of Gypsy Jazz. Which is interesting, because while we do play that music, only 3 or 4 of the tunes on the 12 track album actually fall into the genre, and they are themselves hardly purist takes on the music.
But I think Gypsy Jazz is kind of like truffle oil haha....
There are tunes that Shirley (our cellist) plays, like the Algerian tune Ticharaca Tchoub, or the unknown 'Balkan Tune' that have basically become her standards, and standards for people that play with her. Other tunes we often play on gigs such as Lamma Bada or Foq Al-Nachal are kind of Middle Eastern standards - the repertoire you will learn if you study the Oud. As a surprisingly large number of jazz guitarists seem to have some knowledge of the Oud, these tunes do kind of end up in the jazz repertoire. NYC seems to be home to a lot of Middle Eastern/Jazz crossover too.
Having spent 10 years playing in Jerusalem alongside musicians of all backgrounds, Shirley notes that the music that was understood to be jazz in Israel is here in London termed 'world music.' So that's quite interesting, and also annoying to her, because as soon as you go into 'world music' it becomes about purism, authenticity and so on, which I don't think Shirley is interested in at all.
Obviously Israeli musicians have made a big impact on the NYC scene...
As much as I like Miles, and in particular "Kind of Blue", I think the only universal bread and butter standards from the iconic album are "All Blues" (3/4 beat, #248 on Jazzstandards.com) and "So What" (bass & drums, #435). (They may fall outside GASB, if that would be of any importance).
I do like Modal Jazz, in particular work by Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock that also gave birth to a few standards outside GASB. But I honestly don't think we'll see any new modal standards of reasons covered in length in this fascinating thread. Modal is simply where parts of the audience get left behind. Fortunately a small group of skilled musicians will continue to serve a small discerning audience with great (modal) jazz, It could still be a good niche.
I've seen Nile and Chic live at a Jazz festival a couple of years back. Awesome performance and I'm grateful. Nile's got the harmonies, the melodies and the groove...What's there not to like? It was actually the main act...Jazz or not, a huge crowd enjoyed the show and they got a double page of cred in the paper the day after.
I do like Modal Jazz, in particular work by Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock that also gave birth to a few standards outside GASB. But I honestly don't think we'll see any new modal standards of reasons covered in length in this fascinating thread. Modal is simply where parts of the audience get left behind. Fortunately a small group of skilled musicians will continue to serve a small discerning audience with great (modal) jazz, It could still be a good niche
I think Pat Metheny’s music for instance is very much a self aware reaction against this. His songs are songs, with changes. He did ok out of it.
But - modal itself is a nothing term. Middle Eastern music, Indian music, European medieval music and so on are all forms of modal music, but that tells you little about them.OTOH the modal jazz revolution allows jazz to collaborate with musicians of these traditions. See ECM catalogue for details...
Even within jazz on that other thread with Irez asking about the grammar of modal jazz brings in discussions of many different approaches to playing that music, from Cannonball to McCoy to Henderson ..... And Miles did some business out of it didn’t he? So you can’t really say it left people behind.
And now we have Kamasi etc. Most of the new London stuff that gets hyped is based on vamps and grooves to my ears. That stuff is popular with the young.
True, true,
Pat Metheny is one of the greatest players in our time. Untouchable in a way. It takes some confidence to call a Metheny song... "Better Days Ahead" from the album "Letter from Home" clearly has qualities I see in a standard. It became a radio hit over here in the 80s, unusual for the genre, but also a long time ago.
"Always and Forever" from the 1992 album "Secret Story" is a wonderful ballad, straight descending from GASB, influenced by Hoagy Carmichaels "Skylark". This is as close to a standard you'll get. It's not "guitaristic" and one of few Metheny songs that could also be played solo.
Vamps are indeed common elements in modal jazz, but maybe not a criteria? And what about Chic's "At last I'm Free", an 11 min vamp, not commonly referred to as a modal song (even though it is). Maybe it's about what we play during these vamps, if there is a strong melody, and how we make use of it.
Bbmaj7#5#9
Sweden.
Originally Posted by Tal_175
This is more a history question perhaps. Why is it that the tradition of basing jazz tunes on contemporary popular music ended after 20's and 30's?
I get that jazz lost interest in being the music of dance halls (or may be the other way around*), but bebop and hard bop players (and beyond) continued to play these standards. It seems like since the bebop era, jazz musicians are expected to write their originals and play the standards more out of respect for tradition. Of course new standards were added after the 30's but they are almost always originals of jazz greats like Giant Steps, So What or Full House, not popular music of the time.
Why don't people use tunes like Smells like teen spirit or Another brick in the wall or Creep as vehicles for improvisation?
Copyrights?
I think that would be one way of expanding the jazz audience and create more gigs.
* I read in an interview with Barry Harris that bebop players never intended their music not be danced to. He said he actually would regularly go hear Charlie Parker in dance halls.
Hi Tal_175! I’m a bit late to this thread but will however give you my answer on the question .
Why no new standards? Well, I’ll say it’s rooted in the contemporary harmonies and influences. For example, how long ago was it you last time heard a maj7 chord in a pop or rock hit?
Even if much of the contemporary music is originated in both blues and jazz, the influences from the last one are more and more disappeared in the eternity. Of course many jazz guitarists today are incorporating triadic concepts from pop and rock, but not in the opposite way that pop and rock are incorporating advanced harmonic concepts from jazz. Therefore it’s possible that the contemporary pop and rock music is going to be drained in the future, because there are no influences from original art forms (blues, jazz, classical music etc.) in the end.
Have I found it yet? I said that but I didn’t knew it. Did I knew that I had found it yet? No, it wasn’t what I was looking for. Nevermind. Ok.
-Pataphysical monologue based on Cartesian theory
Quick Navigation The Songs Top
solid state twin reverb didnt work the first time cbs fender tried it either.. back in '69....whats that "doomed to repeat it" thing??...haha a twin reverb is all about warm 6L6's cheers
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HISTORY, Aug. 5: Marilyn Monroe, 36, found dead in L.A. home
Today is Sunday, Aug. 5, the 217th day of 2018. There are 148 days left in the year.
Today's Highlight in History:
On August 5, 1962, South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was arrested on charges of leaving the country without a passport and inciting workers to strike; it was the beginning of 27 years of imprisonment.
On this date:
In 1864, during the Civil War, Union Adm. David G. Farragut led his fleet to victory in the Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama.
In 1884, the cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty's pedestal was laid on Bedloe's Island in New York Harbor.
In 1921, a baseball game was broadcast for the first time as KDKA radio announcer Harold Arlin described the action between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Philadelphia Phillies from Forbes Field. (The Pirates won, 8-5.)
In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the National Labor Board, which was later replaced with the National Labor Relations Board.
In 1936, Jesse Owens of the United States won the 200-meter dash at the Berlin Olympics, collecting the third of his four gold medals.
In 1953, Operation Big Switch began as remaining prisoners taken during the Korean War were exchanged at Panmunjom.
In 1957, the teenage dance show "American Bandstand," hosted by Dick Clark, made its network debut on ABC-TV.
In 1962, actress Marilyn Monroe, 36, was found dead in her Los Angeles home; her death was ruled a probable suicide from "acute barbiturate poisoning."
In 1967, the U.S. space probe Mariner 7 flew by Mars, sending back photographs and scientific data.
In 1974, the White House released transcripts of subpoenaed tape recordings showing that President Richard Nixon and his chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman, had discussed a plan in June 1972 to use the CIA to thwart the FBI's Watergate investigation; revelation of the tape sparked Nixon's resignation.
In 1981, the federal government began firing air traffic controllers who had gone out on strike.
In 1984, actor Richard Burton died in Geneva, Switzerland, at age 58.
In 1991, Democratic congressional leaders formally launched an investigation into whether the 1980 Reagan-Bush campaign had secretly conspired with Iran to delay release of American hostages until after the presidential election, thereby preventing an "October surprise" that supposedly would have benefited President Jimmy Carter. (A task force later concluded there was "no credible evidence" of such a deal.)
Ten years ago: President George W. Bush arrived in South Korea to begin a three-country Asia tour. Seven firefighters and two pilots were killed when their helicopter crashed on takeoff while ferrying the crew members from fire lines in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in Northern California. Jose Medellin, a Mexican-born condemned killer, was executed by the state of Texas for his part in the gang rape and murder of two teenage girls, Elizabeth Pena and Jennifer Ertman, in 1993.
Five years ago: A gunman opened fire at a municipal meeting in Ross Township, Pennsylvania, killing three people before he was tackled and shot with his own gun; authorities say the shooting stemmed from a dispute over living conditions at his ramshackle, trash-filled property. (Rockne Newell pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.) Alex Rodriguez was suspended through 2014 and All-Stars Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta and Everth Cabrera were banned 50 games apiece as Major League Baseball disciplined 13 players in a drug case.
One year ago: The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved tough new sanctions against North Korea for its escalating nuclear and missile programs. Eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt finished third in the 100-meter dash at the world track championships in London, which marked his farewell from the sport; the winner was American Justin Gatlin.
Today's Birthdays: Actor John Saxon is 82. College Football Hall of Famer and former NFL player Roman Gabriel is 78. Country songwriter Bobby Braddock is 78. Actress Loni Anderson is 73. Actress Erika Slezak is 72. Rock singer Rick Derringer is 71. Actress Holly Palance is 68. Rock musician Eddie Ojeda (Twisted Sister) is 63. Actress-singer Maureen McCormick is 62. Rock musician Pat Smear is 59. Author David Baldacci is 58. Actress Tawney Kitaen is 57. Actress Janet McTeer is 57. Country musician Mark O'Connor is 57. Basketball Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing is 56. Actor Mark Strong is 55. Director-screenwriter James Gunn is 52. Actor Jonathan Silverman is 52. Country singer Terri Clark is 50. Retired MLB All-Star John Olerud is 50. Rock musician Eicca Toppinen (EYE'-kah TAH'-pihn-nehn) (Apocalyptica) is 43. Country musician Will Sellers (Old Dominion) is 40. Actor Jesse Williams is 38. Actor Brendon Ryan Barrett is 32. Actress Meegan Warner (TV: "TURN: Washington's Spies") is 27. Actress/singer Olivia Holt is 21. Actor Albert Tsai is 14.
Thought for Today: "If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking." — Gen. George S. Patton (1885-1945).
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Carteret community mourns loss of K-9 Nala
CARTERET COUNTY – She left her mark on the heart of the community in the short time she served as a search and rescue dog with her firefighter partner.
Nala, a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois, died June 30 after apparently being hit by a car, according to her partner and handler Josh Young.
“She was my whole life,” Young said. “If I was around, my dog was sure to follow.”
A ceremony with honors will be held for Nala Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Cape Carteret Baptist Church. A visitation/celebration will be held from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Young, a live-in volunteer with the Western Carteret Fire & EMS department, got Nala as a puppy and they completed training to serve as a K-9 team for search and rescue. As a working dog, Nala was an asset for the whole county and not just the fire department.
“The premise was to have a dog that could deploy quickly when needed anywhere in the county for tracking and search and rescue,” Young said.
And she loved her job.
“You could see a difference in how she acted. She loved to work. You had to tell her to lay down or she wouldn’t stop.”
Nala was officially certified in March and was called out for her first search to assist the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office on May 9 and successfully locate a patient after a domestic violence call.
“She did phenomenal,” Young said.
Young said Nala also stayed busy training with agencies in the community and visiting schools and other places.
“She was very involved in the community. We would go to schools and we just did a lot of training with the Coast Guard,” Young said. “Nala loved being around kids.”
Young is also a volunteer with Newport Fire Department and his first day is Monday working with the fire department at Cherry Point, where there were already talks of using Nala’s search and rescue skills there.
Young, a former Marine who is also a member of Army National Guard, said he had Army training and Nala was being boarded at a kennel when she got out.
The fire department chief contacted Young when he thought he saw her on the side of road near intersection of N.C. 58 and West Fire Tower Road. Young said that is an area where they trained and he thinks Nala had gotten out and was looking for him.
Young said he has heard from many people in the community since Nala’s death and many have left flowers and dog toys at the site where she was hit.
Each gesture has meant a lot to Young, who raised Nala since she was nine weeks old.
“It has really filled my heart to see how much the community cares,” he said.
Reporter Jannette Pippin can be reached at 910-382-2557 or Jannette.Pippin@jdnews.com.
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Going Wilde
On my most recent trip to Nashville, I took Laila to see Tennessee Repertory Theatre's The Importance of Being Earnest. And by "took Laila to see," I mean we were fortunate to be guests of the theatre for the final preview as part of my taking part in the Ingram New Works playlab.
Rather than blogging here about it, I'm going to direct you to hop over to the The Rep's blog where you can read my response to Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, or as I call it "Wait, That's the One with the Hedge Mazes and the Hunting Party, Right?"
For each of The Rep's mainstage shows, one of us Ingram New Works lab playwrights is penning a creative response to the play. Previously, Andrew Kramer responded to Nate Eppler's Larries. By the end of the season, there will be four responses, for Larries, The Importance of Being Earnest, Red, and Company.
The point of the guest blogging is to create discussion and help The Rep's regular patrons get to know the Ingram playwrights over the course of the year as we build up to the new works festival in the Spring. Bonus, it gives us a chance to engage with the online audience and create more awareness for theatre.
Would love for you to read my Earnest response, share it on social media, and comment if you're so inclined. Thanks!
What would Diedrich Knickerbocker say?
It's here! Tonight's the night --- the curtain rises on the premiere of my new play ICHABOD: MISSING IN SLEEPY HOLLOW at Street Theatre Company in Nashville, TN. While The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is considered one of early America's most enduring fictions (remember, it was published before the United States turned 50), the way that it has endured has evolved over the years. Washington Irving attributed the story to the papers of (fictional) historian Diedrich Knickerbocker, and I have to wonder what he would think of all the adaptations that have befallen his work over the last 193 years. And I kind of have to think that, because I took I upon myself to create one of those adaptations. Why did I decide to do that? Well...
That's me, in the photo to the left, headless at eight years old. It's one of my favorite Halloween costumes (and yes, I could totally see where I was going). Clearly, even in the late 1980s, I was already enamored by the spooky tale.
Twenty-six years after that photo was taken, 2013 is fast becoming the year of the headless horseman. At least, it is in my experience. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has been around in print since 1820, but the the legends that inspired Irving to craft the tale of lonely school teacher Ichabod Crane are far older.
Whether in Ireland (where the fairie dullahan marked people for death), or in Germany, tales of headless riders existed in Europe long before Sleepy Hollow. In fact, it's said that it was on a trip across the globe that Mr. Irving was inspired to write one of his most long-standing stories. Since the Knickerbocker account is basically an adaptation, he's probably okay with creative liberty.
Of course, I had NO IDEA just how many other people THIS YEAR ALONE have taken those liberties. Of course, there have been iterations over the years. My first introduction to this story was the Disney version narrated by Mr. Bing Crosby (one of my favorite people --- you know, if I'd been lucky enough to know him). The big recent redux was the Tim Burton version which transformed Ichabod Crane from bumbling schoolteach to eccentric New York constable.
Right now, they're airing a Snickers commercial featuring both the Headless Horseman and maybe my new favorite Halloween costume ever, the Horseless Headsman. And even the Smurfs are getting in on the action this year, releasing their own take with The Legend of Smurfy Hollow.
Smurfs. Candy bars. Cartoons. It doesn't stop there. And the thing is, everyone tells it a little differently. Disney was pretty faithful to the original (you know, except for turning it into a Bing Crosby sing-a-long) and if you'd only seen Tim Burton's version and picked up the Irving tale on your e-reader, you'd be pretty surprised. And yet, even with these (and many) versions still in pop culture, there seems to be a renewal of interest in this old story.
If you follow me on twitter or Like my Facebook page, then you know that as much as I have been touting my own version of Sleepy Hollow, I have been gushing over the new FOX drama of the same name. There's something oddly affirming to be working on a project that pulls its inspiration from the same source as a big budget TV drama that, yesterday, got a pick-up for a second season. Hearing that stories set in Sleepy Hollow can pull ratings warms my heart a bit (and reassures this artist that his version could find its own life beyond this initial stage run). What is awesome to me is that while my play "Ichabod" might be cut from the same cloth as "Sleepy Hollow", we cut from wildly different sides of that cloth. Both are re-imaginings, both have an Ichabod, and both have a female lead (with a strikingly similar name by pure coincidence). Otherwise, the team at Fox and myself have written completely different stories. Mine's a lot less apocalyptic. And while I cannot speak for those writers, the fact that we came up with incredibly differing stories speaks to one of the main reasons I decided to write this play. There was a story in the story that I thought hadn't been told yet.
My tale is closer to the original, in that it's set in 1790 Sleepy Hollow, though I still like to call mine a "re-imagining" of Washington Irving's classic tale because it's not a play-by-play of the original. Sure, the traditional characters are there: Katrina, Brom, Baltus, Van Ripper, the Hessian, and of course ol' Ichabod; but there are also several NEW characters and a new adventure waiting to be had in that sleepy little hollow north of Tarry Town. Here's the run-down on my play:
Ichabod: Missing in Sleepy Hollow picks up right after the Washington Irving story "ends". Shortly after Ichabod disappears, his students, led by the fearless Hanna, meet their new school teacher, Abigail Seymour. While none of the grown-ups seem concerned about what happened to Ichabod, Hanna is determined to find out the truth and she tries to enlist her new teacher to help solve the mystery. Abigail is more focused on teaching than chasing ghosts---that is until she has her own run-in with the headless horseman! Worried that Abigail might befall the same fate as Ichabod, the students race to retrace Ichabod's final night in Sleepy Hollow before the headless horseman returns! Along with the new characters, we learn some new revelations, gain clues on who the Headless Horseman could be and meet all the original Irving characters. This spooky tale is perfect for the whole family!
When Street Theatre Company and Playhouse Nashville announced they were looking for a new adaptation of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, I knew right away that I didn't want to write a direct page to stage version. Many people have done that and they've done it well. However, I also didn't want to negate the original legend; so Ichabod would remain a school teacher. It would take place in 1790. The original characters would be left intact. And I asked myself, why do I like this story? The parts of the original tale that intrigued me the most centered around what really happened to Ichabod. Irving's tale is more about life in the Dutch communities in the countryside of 1790s New York more than scary tales. The horseman story pops up throughout, but mainly is only featured in the last few pages of the story. Ichabod's life in Sleepy Hollow is the predominant part of the tale, and yet what has endured is the mystery of his disappearance. Anyone who knows the story knows that it was never quite clear if the horseman took him, or if he simply ran away. There was also the matter of what he and Katrina spoke about at the Van Tassel party just before he took off into the night never to be seen again. Those two things tugged at me. So I thought, why start at the beginning when I'm so enamored with the end.
That's why I decided to write this story. We are intrigued by the unknown. Those things that haunt the woods and create the basis for our nightmares. We like to tell each other stories about these mysteries. We like to explore. We like to imagine. Sometimes we write books, sometimes we write plays or make films or TV shows. Sometimes we still sit around in the dark and share legends with strangers. To the left there, that's a picture a a headless rider who will be featured at the South Jersey Pumpkin Show this year. My aunt runs that show and they're doing a reading of the classic tale with the rider slated to appear at the appropriate scary moment. We were delighted when we discovered we were working on separate Sleepy Hollow projects. So if you're in Nashville, you can see my tale. If you're in New Jersey, check out hers. That's why I love storytelling; there are so many ways to go about it and so much fun to be had with it. And while we're only two of many people tackling tales of the headless horseman this Halloween, it's clear we won't be the last.
At some point long before me or my aunt or those guys from Star Trek or the Smurfs or Washington Irving (and his various pseudonyms) told this story, people talked about headless specters wandering the woods. Over campfires. Around the dinner table. In countries all over the world. Irving simply wrote down his version of the tale, adapted from the legends and stories he was told. He figured out what about that tale intrigued him and wrote a story about a man named Ichabod. I did the same thing. And I wrote about Ichabod too, and a woman named Abigail, and a girl named Hanna. And one day, two hundred years from now, if I'm very lucky, someone will build from my story and make it their own. In two hundred years... you know, far from now, after my version has been seen and enjoyed by generations. After all, that's why we tell stories... so people will hear them and share them.
I'm glad to have the opportunity to share this one with you.
Ichabod: Missing in Sleepy Hollow runs October 4-12 at Street Theatre Company in Nashville, TN. Directed by Elaina McKnight Shaver. Tickets are $7 and this show is spooky fun for the whole family. You can find more information at STC's website or by calling 615.554.7414.
STC Releases Teaser Trailer for ICHABOD!
I posted this on Facebook and Twitter the other day, but it should be added here because of how awesome it is. A teaser trailer for the my play, Ichabod: Missing in Sleepy Hollow! The young lady in the video is Quinn Cooke, who plays Abigail Seymour, Sleepy Hollow school's new Headmistress, who arrives shortly after the strange disappearance of Ichabod Crane. She's quick to dismiss talk of the Headless Horseman as stories, but soon discovers that the Horseman isn't done claiming heads, and her's might be next!
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The Kavelman Group
Rohit Burman
Affiliated Senior Consultant
Rohit Burman is a senior philanthropic leader with over 20 years of global experience in foundation and nonprofit management, corporate social responsibility and sustainability. He is recognized for his expertise in grantmaking strategy, program development, communications and stakeholder engagement, employee engagement programs and change management.
Among Rohit’s focus areas are arts and culture, youth development, the environment and public health. He has overseen the creation of significant global corporate responsibility programs and foundations that achieved long-lasting impact on four continents. At the Kavelman Group, he provides client services in the areas of grantmaking strategy and special project development.
Rohit began his career as a Program Fellow at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. He went on to hold senior positions at J.P. Morgan’s Philanthropic Services Group, MetLife Foundation, M•A•C AIDS Fund and The Estée Lauder Companies.
Prior to joining The Kavelman Group, Rohit served as Vice President, Global Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability at The Estée Lauder Companies, where he launched The Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation. In this role, he designed and implemented global strategy and programs for the company, encompassing all philanthropic, brand purpose initiative, employee engagement, product donation and sustainability efforts.
Previously Rohit held the position of Executive Director, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) for the M•A•C AIDS Fund, where his responsibilities included developing and overseeing the fund’s $20 million portfolio. Committed to making a global impact, Rohit spearheaded programs across U.K and Ireland, Eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, and India. He also served a critical role in the design and launch of the Fund’s rigorous metrics and evaluation processes.
Rohit also held the position of Director at MetLife Foundation, where he oversaw a $12 million grants portfolio. Before joining MetLife, he oversaw the management of 15 client foundations at J.P. Morgan's Philanthropic Services Group.
He has served on a number of philanthropic boards, including Boards of Directors of Philanthropy New York; Grantmakers in the Arts; Funders for LGBTQ Issues; and the Steering Committee of the Africa Grantmakers’ Affinity Group. In addition, he was a member of the Leadership Council of the Support Center for Nonprofit Management and the Education Committee of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Early in his career, Rohit co-chaired the Board of Directors of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy.
Rohit received his Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University, where he was awarded a merit-based University Scholarship. He holds a B.A. in Economics from The College of Wooster and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In addition to English, he is fluent in Hindi and Bengali.
Support Us Today
© 2019 The Kavelman Group Philanthropic Advisors LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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Baby dies after found unresponsive at daycare
It's unclear how Michael Carter died, and the Medical Examiner's office says it could be months before they can determine the cause of death.
Author: Adi Guajardo
Updated: 5:09 PM CDT July 25, 2018
An investigation is underway into the sudden death of a seven-month-old boy found unresponsive at a local daycare.
It’s unclear how Michael Carter died, and the Medical Examiner’s office says it could be months before they can determine the cause of death.
On Monday, parents dropped off Carter at Our Little Hopes & Dreams Christian Learning Center on Callaghan Road. Carter was in his crib when daycare workers checked on him just before 2 p.m. and found he wasn't breathing. Employees tried to revive him and called 911, according to the police report filed by the San Antonio Police Department, but it was too late. Carter was pronounced dead at Methodists Children's Hospital.
Crystal Sandoval, a close family friend, says just two weeks ago Carter’s family enrolled him at the learning center.
We reached out to the family, but they did not want to go on camera; Richard Donnell, the boy's father, did inform us that he met with Texas Childcare investigators Wednesday morning.
The daycare owner said she is devastated and they are praying for the family, but did not release any more information. She said they are cooperating with police.
Records show Our Little Hopes & Dreams Christian Learning Center received their permit in 2015. Since then, the daycare has undergone 17 inspections. The most recent inspection was in July and no violations were reported but the report is pending.
A Gofundme has been set-up for Carter’s family to help with funeral expenses. His funeral is set for Sunday at the Castillo Mission Funeral Home.
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Renaissance Silver
The era we call the Renaissance conventionally runs from 1500 to 1600 but as a style the Renaissance has it’s origin at the end of the 13th century in Northern Italy. Trade with the Levant intensified over the last two centuries of the Middle Ages. The European population recovered after its decimation by the plague and there was an expansion of trade centers in the Northern coastal areas like the Netherlands. Here a large middle class developed and cities grew exponentially.
The Byzantine empire fell in 1453, and many exiles from the areas now controlled by the Ottoman Turks flee to Europe, bringing knowledge that had been forgotten through the Middle Ages. Italy became the center for many developments, having the wealth from trade with Asia and Europe, as well as the power of the Church.
Following the discovery of America, a great age of exploration followed. Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French, and English explorers fought to claim the world for their countries. Christopher Columbus led Spain into the forefront of world exploration when her claimed his landfall in the Americas for Spain. Portugal and Spain are the front-runners in the New World for this century, which includes Pizarro’s subjugation of the Incas and Cortez’s similar conquest of the Aztecs. Silver mines provided vast amounts of silver for trade from 1546 on when significant deposits found in modern day Mexico. Some of this went directly from South America to China, to secure Asian items.1
Silver working techniques remained the same as in medieval times, the big difference with the preceding era was the availability of silver which was brought to Europe in large quantities from the Americas. With a growing population and level of prosperity in Europe, this was a welcome event which allowed silver to remain to be used as a currency and (relatively) affordable as a precious metal for jewelry.
Early to Mid 16th Century Silver and Silver Gilt Badges.
© The Trustees of the British Museum.
Early 17th Century Locket.
Brooch, c.1600.
Reliquary Pendant, South American Silver, c.1600.
Silver Medal with Bust of Elizabeth, 1588.
Rubylane Hubpages, adapted
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Showing posts with label Ancient Art. Show all posts
Poseidon of Melos
We just learned about the Statue of Zeus at Olympia.
Another sculpture from the Hellenistic Art time is the Poseidon of Melos.
Poseidon in Greek mythology was a god of the sea.
The statue is made of marble, and is over 8 feet tall.
The statue's right arm is lifted up to hold a trident that was lost.
He is looking into the distance with a strong powerful pose.
(from: wikipedia - poseidon of melos)
Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Charing Cross Bridge - Derain
Labels: Ancient Art, Art, Hellenistic Art, Sculpture
Elgin Marbles
We just learned about the ancient sculpture of the Jockey of Artemision.
Another ancient sculpture from the Classical Period is the Elgin Marbles also known as the Parthenon Marbles.
These are marble sculptures that were once in the large building known as the Parthenon.
They were made by a team of sculptors that worked for the famous Greek Sculptor named Phidias.
(from: wikipedia - elgin marbles)
Kid Facts - Blast from the past: The Basket of Apples - Cézanne
Labels: Ancient Art, Art, Classical Art, Sculpture
Jockey of Artemision
We just learned about the sculpture the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
Another sculpture from ancient Greece is the Jockey of Artemision.
This is a big bronze statue of a young boy riding a horse, made over 2000 years ago.
There are not a lot of statues from this time and place, because so many of the statues were melted down for the bronze.
This statue was not melted down because it was on a ship that crashed and sank, and was found around 100 years ago.
It is the size of an actual horse, over 6 feet tall and over 9 feet long.
The artist made it in pieces using the lost wax process and then the pieces were welded together.
They sculpted it to look like the horse is in the middle of galloping in a race.
(from: wikipedia - jockey of artemision)
Kid Facts - Blast from the past: First Abstract Watercolor - Kandinsky
Moschophoros
We just learned about the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
Another ancient Greek statue is Moschophoros.
This is a statue of someone holding a cow carrying it to a sacrifice.
(from: wikipedia - moschophoros)
Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Primavera Botticelli
Charioteer of Delphi
We just learned about the ancient Egyptian sculpture the Block Statue of Pa-Ankh-Ra.
The ancient Greeks were also very famous for their sculptures.
One famous sculpture that has survived through the years is the Charioteer of Delphi.
It is a bronze sculpture of a man on a chariot, made to honor someone after they had won a race in a competition like the Olympics.
It was made to look like the person at the end of the race after winning, calm, confident and happy.
The statue has lost it's arm, and it used to have horses with it also.
It still has it's glass eyes, but it is missing its silver eyelashes and headband.
Many bronze statues were melted down for the metal long after they were made, but this statue had been buried under a building that had collapsed, so it survived and was found hundreds of years later.
Statues like this were usually made in a few different pieces and then put together when they were all sculpted.
(from: wikipedia - charioteer of delphi)
Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Detroit Industry Murals - Diego Rivera
Labels: Ancient Art, Art, Egyptian Art, Sculpture
Tutankhamun's Mask
We just learned about Statue of Gudea.
Another ancient sculpture is Tutankhamun's Mask.
The mask is made of gold and weighs 22 lbs.
The face of the mask is a sculpture of the pharaoh's face.
It has inlays of colored glass and gems made of lapis lazuli, quartz, obsidian, carnelian, feldspar, turquoise, amazonite, faience and others.
The beard is inlaid with lapis lazuli.
On the back and shoulders are ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs that write out what was thought of as a protective spell in ancient Egypt.
(from: wikipedia - tutankhamun's mask)
Kid Facts - Blast from the past: The Thinker - Auguste Rodin
Statue of Gudea
We just learned about the Cylinder Seal sculptures.
Another set of sculptures are the many statues of Gudea.
Gudea was a king in the land of Mesopotamia thousands of years ago.
The people he ruled over made many statues of him, and many of them survived for thousands of years.
The statues were made of different types of stone called alabaster or diorite.
(from: wikipedia - statues of gudea)
Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Charles IV of Spain and His Family - Francisco Goya
Labels: Ancient Art, Art, Middle Eastern Art, Sculpture
We just learned about the sculpture the Lyres of Ur.
Other famous sculptures are the ancient Cylinder Seals.
Around 3,500 years ago, people would take stone, metal or even jewels and carve them into a cylinder shape.
Then they would carve a hole through the middle so they were like a tube.
On the outside of the tube they would carve pictures that would tell a story, send a message, or maybe be like a signature for someone.
Then they would roll the cylinder along some wet soft clay, and it would leave a print on clay.
The clay dried and they would have a picture.
(from: wikipedia - cylinder seal)
Kid Facts - Blast from the past: No. 5, 1948 - Jackson Pollock
Lyres of Ur
We just learned about the Copper Bull sculpture.
Another ancient sculpture is the Bull's Lyre, a bull's head sculpture that was part of three ancient lyres (also known as harps) discovered that were over 4,000 years old.
These lyres are believed to be the oldest stringed instruments still intact.
The sculpture of the bull's head is made of gold, with eyes made of mother-of-pearl and lapis lazuli.
Other parts of the bull's body were made of wood but they did not survive after the thousands of years it was buried.
(from: wikipedia - lyres of ur)
Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Little Dancer of Fourteen Years
Copper Bull
We just learned about the ancient sculpture Ram in a Thicket.
Another ancient sculpture is the Copper Bull.
This sculpture was discovered in 1923 in the country of Iraq, and it was made over 4,000 years ago.
The sculpture was made of wood covered in sticky black bitumen (also known as asphalt), and then copper plates were nailed to the outside of it.
(from: wikipedia - copper bull)
Kid Facts - Blast from the past: The Snail - Henri Matisse
Ram in a Thicket
We just learned about the ancient sculpture the Trundholm Sun Chariot.
Another ancient sculpture is called Ram in a Thicket.
This is a sculpture of a ram that is caught in some sort of a bush. There were two of these sculptures found, and they seem to be a pair that stood across from each other.
The person that found them named them ram in a thicket after the story of Abraham where God provided a ram for him to sacrifice.
Since it was very old and had been buried under a lot of dirt, some parts of the statue were rotten and had to be remade to try and make it look like it did long ago.
This sculpture has a wooden middle, that was carved for the face and legs.
The head and legs are covered in gold leaf hammered to the wood and stuck there with a sticky black gooey oil called bitumen or asphalt.
The ears are made of copper which has turned green.
The ram's horns and fleece on it's shoulders are made of lapis lazuli.
The fleece on the body is made of shells stuck to bituman.
It's belly is made of silver plate.
The tree or bush is covered in gold leaf and gold flowers.
It is standing on a small rectangle covered in shells, red limestone and lapis lazuli.
There used to be small silver chains around the ram and trees, but those were too old to recover.
(from: wikipedia - ram in a thicket)
Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Relativity - M.C. Escher
Guennol Lioness
We just learned about the swimming reindeer prehistoric art.
Some ancient art from an area known as Mesopotamia is called the Guennol Lioness.
It is a sculpture of a woman mixed with a lion.
(from: wikipedia - guennol lioness)
Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Guernica
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Five Questions for Christine Campbell
1. Hi and welcome to Wanderings! Our audience is dying to get to know you, so tell us a little bit about yourself!
Thank you for having me. It’s nice to be here.
I’m what would qualify as a ‘lady of mature years’, having raised five children, unofficially adopted another, who between them have brought twelve gorgeous grandchildren into my life, two of whom are now married. It’s rather disconcerting to also be mother to a grandfather, since we now have a great-grandchild. Yikes! Where did the time go? And here I am, only 26 years old! The upshot of all that is that I have loads of life experience to bring to my writing, as you can perhaps imagine.
I’ve always been a writer. It captured my heart as soon as I realised I could express myself that way, and I used to love essay writing at school. I wrote articles for the Women’s Page in a local newspaper when my children were young. Then progressed to short stories for magazines. And now, I write Contemporary Women’s Fiction, and have 9 published novels sitting on my bookshelves.
I’m currently enjoying a bit of a departure out of my comfort zone and have a historical romantic strand in my contemporary work in progress. It’s still in the early stages, but I’m thoroughly enjoying the research I’m having to do and the adjustments I have to make to my writing style to invoke a different era.
Although I was born in London, England, I have lived most of my life in Scotland - ten miles outside Edinburgh for the past forty or so years and my novels are all set in and around Edinburgh, though some of them wander elsewhere in Scotland in the unfolding. I love going ‘on location’, checking out the settings and making sure of my facts.
2. What inspires your writing?
Stories! I have so many stories buzzing around in my head all the time. It’s great to have a way to record them. I’m a ‘people person’, sociable and interested in people of all sorts. A ‘people watcher’ too, making up stories about the man running for the bus, the woman in the checkout queue ahead of me who has rather a lot of wine in her basket, or the teenager looking round furtively as she walks along the street. My novels are very much character-based as a result. There’s always a story, but it’s people who inspire me.
3. What inspired you to write Gold Plated?
My latest release, Gold Plated, was inspired while I was on holiday in 2016.
My husband and I were walking on a beach in the North of Scotland. Often, walking is a great time to chat, sharing thoughts and dreams, decisions and schemes, but today we were silent. There was a heavy mist on the North Sea and the horizon was hiding, taking our words with it. There was something about the haar: it silenced birds, the wind, the whisper of long grass as well as our words - but it couldn’t silence the continuous rolling waves as they broke onto the beach - and it couldn’t silence our thoughts.
Often, thoughts would tumble out of our silence and we would share them. There was no reason not to today - yet we didn’t. We were enjoying a world shrouded in a soft, white veil, from which rays of sunshine struggled to break free while the sea, ruthless, relentless, ripped through to crash on the shore.
I didn’t ask what he was thinking, but concentrated on the story that was forming in my mind.
We were here on vacation with our family and there, set like a pearl in the middle of the two weeks in 2016, was our anniversary. Forty-nine years of married bliss.
But that’s never true, is it?
No-one is perfect, so no two imperfect people can forge a perfect marriage - not even us. We’d had ups and downs - never ins and outs - and some years were better than others - but we’d never not wanted to be married to one another.
Our children had asked what we wanted to do to celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary the following year, 2017.
The conversation still swirled in my mind as my husband and I walked in our misty, magical silence.
Then, in a sudden rush of gold, the sun won the struggle to light the world, compelling us to pause to take a few photographs.
I stood at the water’s edge.
Wave after wave of water rolling in, breaking with cold white froth over the landscape of the beach - year after year of life rolling in, breaking with warm love over the landscape of our marriage.
But what if?
What if it had been different?
So I wrote a story about a very different couple who had a very different fifty-year marriage from ours.
4. What is your new book about?
Gold Plated is about a couple, Rosanna and Paul, who are celebrating fifty years of marriage. When the story starts, their daughter, Heather, is helping Rosanna plan a Golden Wedding Anniversary party, and it looks like being a wonderful night: sixties music, all their friends and family present, good food and a beautiful location. Rosanna has been wresting with what to get the man who has everything, but has now bought the perfect golden gift for Paul:
“I can already feel the glow in my cheeks at his surprise in my choice. I think he assumes I’ll be getting him solid gold cufflinks or something.”
When an uninvited guest shows up at the party, Rosanna’s world is shaken and she is forced to look back over their fifty golden years and see them as they were.
Were they golden? Or just gold-plated?
So this book traces the ups and downs and drama of a love affair that lasts more than fifty years, surviving against all odds - but has it? And will it continue to survive?
5. Romance is the best! Which classic couple is your favorite: Elizabeth and Darcy? Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester? Romeo and Juliet? Or do you have another favorite and if so, what makes them the best?
Of the ones you mention, I’d have to say Elizabeth and Darcy. I think theirs would be a love that would last. They were both mature and made their decision to marry based on a love so deep it was able to overcome the constraints of the era.
I don’t usually write romance novels as such, though there is always some romance in the course of telling the story. I write about life, relationships, family - and romance is certainly part of that, just not always the main story line in my novels.
Having said that, this latest one, Gold Plated, is a love story so plenty romance in it. In fact, it is Contemporary Romantic Fiction.
All of my books, including Gold Plated, are ‘clean reads’ with no sex, swearing or gratuitous violence. I find it’s possible to allow the reader to feel romance and emotion without being graphic, by using a few well-chosen words and phrases. Like Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice, it is possible to show passion in your writing while still keeping the book family friendly.
Bonus Question: So, you’ve just written a book: what’s next?
Another book of course. Set in Scotland again, this time partly contemporary and partly set in the early years of the 20th Century. And I’m having a great time writing it.
Check Out All of Christine's Links Here!
Amazon author page: http://author.to/ChristineCampbell
Blog: http://cicampbellblog.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WriteWhereYouAre
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Campbama
Instagram: https://instagram.com/christine_writes/
Facebook Group: Christine’s Kist Of Stories: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199853890760414/
YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/Cw0Dyt1Yeq4
Trailer for The Reluctant Detective Series: https://youtu.be/kg8HIhMszg4
Christine Campbell link
Thank you, Killarney, it was a pleasure and an honour to be interviewed by you.
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Pathos Definition
Pathos Examples
Pathos Function
Pathos Resources
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DefinitionPathos
ExamplesPathos
FunctionPathos
What is pathos? Here’s a quick and simple definition:
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Pathos is an argument that appeals to an audience's emotions. When a speaker tells a personal story, presents an audience with a powerful visual image, or appeals to an audience's sense of duty or purpose in order to influence listeners' emotions in favor of adopting the speaker's point of view, he or she is using pathos .
Some additional key details about pathos:
You may also hear the word "pathos" used to mean "a quality that invokes sadness or pity," as in the statement, "The actor's performance was full of pathos." However, this guide focuses specifically on the rhetorical technique of pathos used in literature and public speaking to persuade readers and listeners through an appeal to emotion.
The three "modes of persuasion"—pathos, logos, and ethos—were originally defined by Aristotle.
In contrast to pathos, which appeals to the listener's emotions, logos appeals to the audience's sense of reason, while ethos appeals to the audience based on the speaker's authority.
Although Aristotle developed the concept of pathos in the context of oratory and speechmaking, authors, poets, and advertisers also use pathos frequently.
Pathos Pronunciation
Here's how to pronounce pathos: pay-thos
Pathos in Depth
Aristotle (the ancient Greek philosopher and scientist) first defined pathos, along with logos and ethos, in his treatise on rhetoric, Ars Rhetorica. Together, he referred to pathos, logos, and ethos as the three modes of persuasion, or sometimes simply as "the appeals." Aristotle defined pathos as "putting the audience in a certain frame of mind," and argued that to achieve this task a speaker must truly know and understand his or her audience. For instance, in Ars Rhetorica, Aristotle describes the information a speaker needs to rile up a feeling of anger in his or her audience:
Take, for instance, the emotion of anger: here we must discover (1) what the state of mind of angry people is, (2) who the people are with whom they usually get angry, and (3) on what grounds they get angry with them. It is not enough to know one or even two of these points; unless we know all three, we shall be unable to arouse anger in any one.
Here, Aristotle articulates that it's not enough to know the dominant emotions that move one's listeners: you also need to have a deeper understanding of the listeners' values, and how these values motivate their emotional responses to specific individuals and behaviors.
Pathos vs Logos and Ethos
Pathos is often criticized as being the least substantial or legitimate of the three persuasive modest. Arguments using logos appeal to listeners' sense of reason through the presentation of facts and a well-structured argument. Meanwhile, arguments using ethos generally try to achieve credibility by relying on the speaker's credentials and reputation. Therefore, both logos and ethos may seem more concrete—in the sense of being more evidence-based—than pathos, which "merely" appeals to listeners' emotions. But people often forget that facts, statistics, credentials, and personal history can be easily manipulated or fabricated in order to win the confidence of an audience, while people at the same time underestimate the power and importance of being able to expertly direct the emotional current of an audience to win their allegiance or sympathy.
Pathos in Literature
Characters in literature often use pathos to convince one another, or themselves, of a certain viewpoint. It's important to remember that pathos, perhaps more than the other modes of persuasion, relies not only on the content of what is said, but also on the tone and expressiveness of the delivery. For that reason, depictions of characters using pathos can be dramatic and revealing of character.
Pathos in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
In this example from Chapter 16 of Pride and Prejudice, George Wickham describes the history of his relationship with Mr. Darcy to Elizabeth Bennet—or at least, he describes his version of their shared history. Wickham's goal is to endear himself to Elizabeth, turn her against Mr. Darcy, and cover up the truth. (Wickham actually squanders his inheritance from Mr. Darcy's father and, out of laziness, turns down Darcy Senior's offer help him obtain a "living" as a clergyman.)
"The church ought to have been my profession...had it pleased [Mr. Darcy]... Yes—the late Mr. Darcy bequeathed me the next presentation of the best living in his gift. He was my godfather, and excessively attached to me. I cannot do justice to his kindness. He meant to provide for me amply, and thought he had done it; but when the living fell it was given elsewhere...There was just such an informality in the terms of the bequest as to give me no hope from law. A man of honor could not have doubted the intention, but Mr. Darcy chose to doubt it—or to treat it as a merely conditional recommendation, and to assert that I had forfeited all claim to it by extravagance, imprudence, in short any thing or nothing. Certain it is, that the living became vacant two years ago, exactly as I was of an age to hold it, and that it was given to another man; and no less certain is it, that I cannot accuse myself of having really done anything to deserve to lose it. I have a warm, unguarded temper, and I may perhaps have sometimes spoken my opinion of him, and to him, too freely. I can recall nothing worse. But the fact is, that we are very different sort of men, and that he hates me."
"This is quite shocking!—he deserves to be publicly disgraced."
"Some time or other he will be—but it shall not be by me. Till I can forget his father, I can never defy or expose him."
Elizabeth honored him for such feelings, and thought him handsomer than ever as he expressed them.
Here, Wickham claims that Darcy robbed him of his intended profession out of greed, and that he, Wickham, is too virtuous to reveal Mr. Darcy's "true" nature with respect to this issue. By doing so, Wickham successfully uses pathos in the form of a personal story, inspiring Elizabeth to feel sympathy, admiration, and romantic interest towards him. In this example, Wickham's use of pathos indicates a shifty, manipulative character and lack of substance.
Pathos in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne tells the story of Hester Prynne, a young woman living in seventeenth-century Boston. As punishment for committing the sin of adultery, she is sentenced to public humiliation on the scaffold, and forced to wear the scarlet letter "A" on her clothing for the rest of her life. Even though Hester's punishment exposes her before the community, she refuses to reveal the identity of the man she slept with. In the following passage from Chapter 3, two reverends—first, Arthur Dimmesdale and then John Wilson—urge her to reveal the name of her partner:
"What can thy silence do for him, except it tempt him—yea, compel him, as it were—to add hypocrisy to sin? Heaven hath granted thee an open ignominy, that thereby thou mayest work out an open triumph over the evil within thee and the sorrow without. Take heed how thou deniest to him—who, perchance, hath not the courage to grasp it for himself—the bitter, but wholesome, cup that is now presented to thy lips!’
The young pastor’s voice was tremulously sweet, rich, deep, and broken. The feeling that it so evidently manifested, rather than the direct purport of the words, caused it to vibrate within all hearts, and brought the listeners into one accord of sympathy. Even the poor baby at Hester’s bosom was affected by the same influence, for it directed its hitherto vacant gaze towards Mr. Dimmesdale, and held up its little arms with a half-pleased, half-plaintive murmur...
"Woman, transgress not beyond the limits of Heaven’s mercy!’ cried the Reverend Mr. Wilson, more harshly than before. ‘That little babe hath been gifted with a voice, to second and confirm the counsel which thou hast heard. Speak out the name! That, and thy repentance, may avail to take the scarlet letter off thy breast."
The reverends call upon Hester's love for the father of her child—the same love they are condemning—to convince her to reveal his identity. Their attempts to move her by appealing to her sense of duty, compassion and morality are examples of pathos. Once again, this example of pathos reveals a lack of moral fiber in the reverends who are attempting to manipulate Hester by appealing to her emotions, particularly since (spoiler alert!) Reverend Dimmesdale is in fact the father.
Pathos in Dylan Thomas' "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night"
In "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night," Thomas urges his dying father to cling to life and his love of it. The poem is a villanelle, a specific form of verse that originated as a ballad or "country song" and is known for its repetition. Thomas' selection of the repetitive villanelle form contributes to the pathos of his insistent message to his father—his appeal to his father's inner strength:
It's worth noting that, in this poem, pathos is not in any way connected to a lack of morals or inner strength. Quite the opposite, the appeal to emotion is connected to a profound love—the poet's own love for his father.
Pathos in Political Speeches
Politicians understand the power of emotion, and successful politicians are adept at harnessing people's emotions to curry favor for themselves, as well as their policies and ideologies.
Pathos in Barack Obama's 2013 Address to the Nation on Syria
In August 2013, the Syrian government, led by Bashar al-Assad, used chemical weapons against Syrians who opposed his regime, causing several countries—including the United States—to consider military intervention in the conflict. Obama's tragic descriptions of civilians who died as a result of the attack are an example of pathos: they provoke an emotional response and help him mobilize American sentiment in favor of U.S. intervention.
Over the past two years, what began as a series of peaceful protests against the oppressive regime of Bashar al-Assad has turned into a brutal civil war. Over 100,000 people have been killed. Millions have fled the country...The situation profoundly changed, though, on August 21st, when Assad’s government gassed to death over 1,000 people, including hundreds of children. The images from this massacre are sickening: men, women, children lying in rows, killed by poison gas, others foaming at the mouth, gasping for breath, a father clutching his dead children, imploring them to get up and walk.
Pathos in Ronald Reagan's 1987 "Tear Down This Wall!" Speech
In 1987, the Berlin Wall divided Communist East Berlin from Democratic West Berlin. The Wall was a symbol of the divide between the communist Soviet Union, or Eastern Bloc, and the Western Bloc which included the United States, NATO and its allies. The wall also split Berlin in two, obstructing one of Berlin's most famous landmarks: the Brandenburg Gate.
Reagan's speech, delivered to a crowd in front of the Brandenburg Gate, contains many examples of pathos:
Behind me stands a wall that encircles the free sectors of this city, part of a vast system of barriers that divides the entire continent of Europe...Yet it is here in Berlin where the wall emerges most clearly...Every man is a Berliner, forced to look upon a scar...
General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!
Reagan moves his listeners to feel outrage at the Wall's existence by calling it a "scar." He assures Germans that the world is invested in the city's problems by telling the crowd that "Every man is a Berliner." Finally, he excites and invigorates the listener by boldly daring Gorbachev, president of the Soviet Union, to "tear down this wall!"
Pathos in Advertising
Few appreciate the complexity of pathos better than advertisers. Consider all the ads you've seen in the past week. Whether you're thinking of billboards, magazine ads, or TV commercials, its almost a guarantee that the ones you remember contained very little specific information about the product, and were instead designed to create an emotional association with the brand. Advertisers spend incredible amounts of money trying to understand exactly what Aristotle describes as the building blocks of pathos: the emotional "who, what, and why" of their target audience. Take a look at this advertisement for the watch company, Rolex, featuring David Beckham:
Notice that the ad doesn't convey anything specific about the watch itself to make someone think it's a high quality or useful product. Instead, the ad caters to Rolex's target audience of successful male professionals by causing them to associate the Rolex brand with soccer player David Beckham, a celebrity who embodies the values of the advertisement's target audience: physical fitness and attractiveness, style, charisma, and good hair.
Why Do Writers Use Pathos?
The philosopher and psychologist William James once said, “The emotions aren’t always immediately subject to reason, but they are always immediately subject to action.” Pathos is a powerful tool, enabling speakers to galvanize their listeners into action, or persuade them to support a desired cause. Speechwriters, politicians, and advertisers use pathos for precisely this reason: to influence their audience to a desired belief or action.
The use of pathos in literature is often different than in public speeches, since it's less common for authors to try to directly influence their readers in the way politicians might try to influence their audiences. Rather, authors often employ pathos by having a character make use of it in their own speech. In doing so, the author may be giving the reader some insight into a character's values, motives, or their perception of another character.
Consider the above example from The Scarlet Letter. The clergymen in Hester's town punish her by publicly humiliating her in front of the community and holding her up as an example of sin for conceiving a child outside of marriage. The reverends make an effort to get Hester to tell them the name of her child's father by making a dramatic appeal to a sense of shame that Hester plainly does not feel over her sin. As a result, this use of pathos only serves to expose the the manipulative intent of the reverends, offering readers some insight into their moral character as well as that of Puritan society at large. Ultimately, it's a good example of an ineffective use of pathos, since what the reverends lack is the key to eliciting the response they want: a strong grasp of what their listener values.
Other Helpful Pathos Resources
The Wikipedia Page on Pathos: A detailed explanation which covers Aristotle's original ideas on pathos and discusses how the term's meaning has changed over time.
The Dictionary Definition of Pathos: A definition and etymology of the term, which comes from the Greek pàthos, meaning "suffering or sensation."
Pathos on Youtube
An excellent video from TED-Ed about the three modes of persuasion.
A pathos-laden recording of Dylan Thomas reading his poem "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night"
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Scopa, Sally. "Pathos." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 5 May 2017. Web. 18 Jul 2019.
Scopa, Sally. "Pathos." LitCharts LLC, May 5, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2019. https://www.litcharts.com/literary-devices-and-terms/pathos.
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Forro in the Dark
Website: www.forrointhedark.com
Social: Facebook Twitter
One of the most exciting bands to come out of the two decade strong and wild late night Nublu scene in the East Village of New York City, Forró in the Dark combines the driving dance rhythms of forró from Northeastern Brazil with a melting pot of rock, jazz, reggae, psychedelia, folk and more. Together since 2002, the collective of New York based Brazilian ex-pats Mauro Refosco (percussion), Guilherme Monteiro (guitar) and Jorge Continentino (pífanos, flutes, saxophones) have collaborated and performed with a wide variety of artists including David Byrne, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Thom Yorke’s Atoms for Peace, Bebel Gilberto, Gal Costa and many others.
After releasing two albums of original material, Bonfires of Sao Joao (2006) and Light A Candle (2009), and Forro Zinho (2015’s cover record of the famous American avant-garde composer John Zorn) the time was ripe for the band to take a new approach to songwriting, recording, and collaboration. They set up shop at the Rio de Janeiro studio of producer Kassin, whose unique perspective and more radical methodology was a perfect match to capture the hot and humid vibe and flavor palette of Brazil in the summertime. Throw in the mixing expertise of multi-Grammy Award winner Mario Caldato (best known for his work as producer of the Beastie Boys), mastering by Robert Carranza (Seu Jorge, Mars Volta, Jack Johnson, Los Lobos), and a wide array of special guest musicians and lyricists - and their new album Sandcastle, released April 21, 2017 on Nacional Records, was birthed from this tireless effort of creative energy and spirit.
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To provide you with the best options and optimal outcomes requires a talented team with broad skills. From the front office staff, to our nurses, aestheticians and operating room staff, to our committed manager, we are proud of our Larrabee Center community.
Our surgical center staff are experienced and dedicated to providing a safe, confidential, and supportive environment for your surgical procedure. Our front office and management team provide essential services for our patients in a confidential, friendly, and efficient manner.
Surgical Center Team
Erin Vernon, R.N.
Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) Nurse
Erin graduated from Seattle Pacific University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. While at SPU, she was given the opportunity to complete her Senior Internship in the Intensive Care Unit.
After graduation and with the help of the internship, Erin was accepted into an RN position in Critical Care—rare for a new graduate! She has since worked in the ICU/CCU setting for more than seven years and gained a CCRN (Critical Care RN) certification along with valuable skills caring for the sickest patients and supporting their families.
With a growing family of her own, Erin recently made the change to join the team at Larrabee Center in order to work part-time and continue to use her critical thinking skills (that’s a nursing joke) to make the recovery process a smooth one for surgical patients.
Kendi Locknane, R.N.
Kendi Locknane graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1993. Kendi has a wealth of experience which includes working in the operating room, intensive care unit, and in the post-anesthesia care unit.
Kendi has been a part of the Larrabee Center team since 2001 and has had the privilege of traveling to China with Dr. Larrabee for a Smile China cleft lip and palate medical mission. Kendi and her husband Tim live in Bothell and are raising four beautiful children.
Joy Gilmore, R.N.
Circulating Surgical Nurse
After teaching elementary school and then raising her two daughters, Joy returned to school to fulfill her little girl dream of being a nurse. She has experience in women’s health, GI endoscopic procedures and most recently as an OR nurse. In 2013 she retired to spend more time with her loves-family and friends, her home and garden, fly fishing, being outdoors and travel near and far. Joy came to us in 2014 saying “I am missing my patients.” We see her on Mondays and she says “I have the best of both worlds…I am lucky.”
Lori Ruiz, R.N.
Lori Ruiz graduated from University of Portland Oregon with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1984. Lori has extensive experience in Intensive Care Units and Post Anesthesia Care Units.
Lori has been a part of The Larrabee Center team since 2013. She and her husband Tony have raised three beautiful daughters. Lori’s interests include cooking, traveling, and volunteers in many areas of her community.
Rachel Boswell, R.N.,BSN
Rachel graduated from Gonzaga University with a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Nursing. While at Gonzaga, she was the director and choreographer of the Gonzaga University Dance Team performing at the nationally ranked Bulldog basketball games, athletic events and community appearances. Go Zags!
After graduation, Rachel moved back home and was accepted into the Perioperative program at Harborview Medical Center- a rare opportunity for a new graduate at a Level 1 trauma center. The past few years, Rachel has specialized mainly in Neurosurgery, becoming the assistant to the manager of the service and a lead preceptor for new trainees. With the vast trauma that Harborview comes in to contact with, Rachel has become comfortable functioning in chaos and seeing the “worst of the worst”.
Rachel joined the Larrabee Center in order to tackle a change of pace. Instead of surgery being an emergent or experience from trauma, it’s an elective and exciting experience for everyone- especially the patient!
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Company Town
Shake-up at the MPAA. Hollywood’s chief lobbyist, Chris Dodd, to be replaced by Charles Rivkin
Motion Picture Assn. of America Chief Executive Christopher Dodd is stepping down.
(Jessica Hill / Associated Press)
By Ryan FaughnderStaff Writer
Christopher Dodd will step down as chairman of the Motion Picture Assn. of America after six years as the head of the lobbying arm of major Hollywood studios, the industry trade group said Friday after The Times first reported the shake-up.
Charles Rivkin, former assistant secretary of State for economic and business affairs under President Obama, will succeed Dodd as head of the 95-year-old organization, effective Sept. 5.
The decision was mutual, and Dodd, who is turning 73 in May, was ready to retire, said a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment on Dodd’s exit. However, some studio executives were unhappy with his performance and had questioned the effectiveness of the MPAA under his leadership. In 2015, Dodd extended his contract through 2018.
Dodd, a former Democratic senator from Connecticut, was recruited by the six major studios to lead the organization in 2011 after a 36-year career in Congress. At the time of his hiring, the studios hoped that he would restore some of the clout the organization enjoyed when it was led by Jack Valenti, who ran the group for nearly four decades.
But the entertainment industry has changed dramatically since then, and so has the role of the MPAA. The priorities of the major studios — Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Co., 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. — have become increasingly disparate because their respective corporate owners don’t always see eye to eye on key issues. Universal Pictures owner Comcast Corp., a cable giant, has strategic interests that diverge from Japanese-owned Sony, for example.
The agendas include how to shorten the time-honored gap between a movie’s theatrical release and its availability in the home, a debate that clouded the industry’s recent CinemaCon conference in Las Vegas. Dodd was conspicuously absent from the March event, where he has consistently served as the industry’s cheerleader. The MPAA said he had a prior family commitment.
“The studios are so different,” said an entertainment industry executive who did not want to be named discussing Dodd’s departure. “There’s very few things they want to come together on.”
Under Dodd, the MPAA ramped up its spending on lobbying, new hires and salaries. But he faced growing competition from Silicon Valley during his tenure. The trade association took a major black eye from Google and other tech giants in 2012 because of the Internet companies’ successful campaign against the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act, known as SOPA, which the MPAA backed.
The MPAA faced another crisis over its handling of the 2014 cyberattack on Sony Pictures that crippled the studio and exposed a trove of sensitive documents. Dodd had tried to craft a letter of solidarity for Sony, but many executives balked. Sony Pictures Entertainment Chief Executive Michael Lynton threatened to exit the organization and the MPAA’s board briefly considered scrapping its long-standing practice of making decisions by consensus.
The MPAA under Dodd’s leadership is credited with expanding Hollywood’s presence in China with agreements in 2012 and 2015 that opened the film market there and increased the share of revenue American studios collect in China.
Dodd also had some success battling online piracy, which remains a priority for the industry. The trade organization in recent years has waged successful efforts to shut down such infringing sites as MegaUpload and KickassTorrents.
“Protecting copyright is the hallmark of Chris’ leadership at MPAA and he helped create a fully integrated, global online antipiracy operation,” said Stacey Snider, Chairman of film studio 20th Century Fox, in a statement provided by the MPAA.
Free trade and immigration also remain key. The group last year supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, from which President Trump formally withdrew in January. It also expressed “concern” about the potential impact of Trump’s travel ban in January.
The group is also in charge of doling out parental guidance ratings for Hollywood movies, a practice that still courts some controversy from time to time. The Weinstein Co. this month protested the R rating given to its LGBTQ-themed upcoming movie titled “3 Generations.” The two sides on Thursday reached a compromise to get the film a PG-13 rating.
“I’m honored to have led the MPAA for more than six years and extremely proud of what we accomplished,” Dodd said in a statement.
Dodd was well compensated for his efforts. He earned $3.3 million in 2013, well above the $1.1 million paid to his predecessor, Dan Glickman in 2010, tax records show.
Rivkin is well regarded because of his connections in Washington and Hollywood.
He formerly ran Jim Henson Co., creator of the Muppets and “Sesame Street.” Before serving as assistant secretary of State for economic and business affairs, Rivkin was the U.S. ambassador to France and Monaco from 2009 to 2013, also under the Obama administration.
“Charlie Rivkin is an excellent choice to lead MPAA into the future, and I look forward to working with him for a smooth and successful transition,” Dodd said in a statement.
ryan.faughnder@latimes.com
@rfaughnder
Times staff writer Meg James contributed to this report.
4:30 p.m.: This article was updated with additional reaction to Dodd’s resignation.
This article was originally published at 2:20 p.m.
Ryan Faughnder
Ryan Faughnder is a film business reporter for the Los Angeles Times’ Company Town, covering the major Hollywood studios, including Walt Disney Co.
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Convention Center District News & Updates
Get the most up-to-date coverage on what's happening with the Convention Center District
LVCCD Articles
LVCVA Unveils Design for the Las Vegas Convention Center Expansion
LAS VEGAS - Today, architects presented design drawings for the iconic expansion to the Las Vegas Convention Center to the Board of Directors of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). The drawings provide a glimpse of the vibrant new look of the nearly 60-year-old facility.
“This is one of the most important days in the history of the LVCVA. These drawings show a modern, innovative design that is as iconic as our vibrant city,” said Rossi Ralenkotter LVCVA chief executive officer. “Southern Nevada’s economy is driven by tourism and this expansion will propel our convention center forward to enable us to maintain our status as the number one trade show destination in North America.
Last month, Geotechnical & Environmental Services, Inc (GES) began drilling for all footing locations. GES is doing subsurface explorations to determine soil properties and assist with engineering recommendations. For example, they are marking out the depths they hit caliche, ground water, and past structures that may have been buried in the lots. They are also sending core samples to the lab for environmental impacts on the site.
The LVCCD’s Phase Two is an $935 million expansion project that will add 1.4 million square feet to the current convention center facility, including at least 600,000 square feet of new, leasable exhibit space. The expansion is slated for completion in time to welcome CES in 2021. Late last year, the LVCVA’s Board of Directors finalized the selection of tvsdesign / Design Las Vegas to provide design services for the expansion project.
“Our biggest goal was to give Las Vegas a convention center that will be iconic, with a design that nods to all of the very unique architecture in the city’s history, while also providing contemporary, cohesive design aesthetic across the entire property,” said Rob Svedberg, principal, tvsdesign. “Being iconic in Las Vegas is different than being iconic in other places, and we really want this building to be unique in the marketplace and provide something no other convention center can, while also having a strong identity, so that when someone sees it, they immediately know that it’s the Las Vegas Convention Center.”
Phase Three will be the complete renovation of the existing 3.2 million-square-foot facility, with a projected completion date of 2023. The phased approach will ensure that no business will be displaced during the construction and renovation. LVCVA staff worked in partnership with Cordell Corporation principal Terry Miller, the agency’s contracted owner’s representative, to develop the vision for the expansion and renovation project.
Each year, Las Vegas hosts approximately 22,000 meetings, conventions and trade shows, which directly support an estimated 54,800 jobs paying $2.3 billion in wages and salaries. In 2017, the Las Vegas Convention Center hosted 21 percent of convention attendees traveling to southern Nevada, which directly supported approximately 8,600 jobs, paying $375 million in wages and salaries. Including indirect and induced impacts, the Las Vegas Convention Center’s attendees generated $2.1 billion in economic impact throughout the local economy.
The LVCC District Expansion (Phase Two) and Renovation (Phase Three) are expected to support nearly 14,000 construction jobs and nearly 7,800 full-time permanent jobs upon completion. The project will generate an additional $2.1 billion in economic activity during construction and upon completion will have an annual incremental economic impact of $810 million while attracting more than 600,000 additional visitors each year.
Overall, the tourism industry continues to be crucial to Southern Nevada’s economy generating $60 billion in total economic impact, supporting 407,000 jobs and $16.9 billion in local wages and salaries. These jobs represent 44-percent of Southern Nevada’s total workforce.
The project will allow the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to pursue new business opportunities while also growing the shows currently taking place in the destination.
For a gallery of design images, please click here.
Las Vegas as a Business Destination
- Las Vegas hosts approximately 22,000 meetings, conventions and trade shows each year.
- The destination boasts more than 11 million square feet of meeting space in addition to a wide array of event, dining and entertainment venues that are also used for group business.
- Trade Show News Network recently recognized Las Vegas as the No. 1 trade show destination in the country for the 24th consecutive year.
- The Las Vegas Convention Center supports 18,400 local jobs and $2.7 billion in local economic impact.
ABOUT THE LVCVA
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center. With nearly 150,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and more than 11 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting ever increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area. Download the virtual reality app, Vegas VR, to experience Las Vegas from your iPhone or Android by visiting www.vrtv.vegas. For more information, go to www.lvcva.com or www.visitlasvegas.com.
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"I consider it an honor and certainly a privilege to serve the citizens of Madison as mayor. I have no agenda but to do my best to make informed decisions that will have an overall positive impact on this great city." - Damon Welch, Mayor
Mayor Damon Welch
Mayor Welch is a native of Madison and a 1971 Graduate of Madison Consolidated High School. He obtained his BBA in 1975 from the University of Kentucky. Mayor Welch served in the United States Air Force and attained the rank of Captain.
He owned and operated Damon's Restaurant for nine years and worked in the hearing health industry for 20 years. Before being elected as mayor in November 2011, Welch was a city councilman and a member of the Plan Commission. He is an elder and worship leader at North Madison Christian Church. Damon has been married to Ginny (Kelly) Welch for 38 years and has three wonderful children: Gaeli, Kirsty, and Collin, along with three grandchildren.
Mayor's Minute Video Messages
Hear directly from Mayor Welch in his "Mayor's Minute" videos hosted by WKM News. Find older videos on the City's YouTube page.
Mayor's Proclamations
Proclamations will be available after the meeting.
Most Recent Proclamation | View All Proclamations
Previous Mayors
To find out who the previous mayors of Madison were, please visit the List of Mayor's page.
Damon Welch
Email Mayor Welch
Term: January 2012 to present
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May 30, 2019 @10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Seniors Information Fair
A free event being held at Le Moyne College will showcase interesting and fun experiences available in the Central New York region for those who are 55+. The senior information fair will take place on Thursday, May 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the James Commons/Curtin Special Events Room, located in Le Moyne’s Campus Center. It is sponsored by the Center for Aging Resources and Enrichment (CARE) at Le Moyne and Community Living Advocates.
"This fair is a wonderful opportunity to explore the wide range of activities and services available for those 55 and older," said Kate Tovar, director of Le Moyne's CARE program. "We are excited to bring together a wide array of vendors to help individuals learn about all the region has to offer."
All baby boomer seniors and caregivers are invited to learn more about the multitude of activities available throughout the region. More than 20 vendors from around the region will be at the event, including representative from local libraries and motor coach tours. There will also be food trucks available.
Several breakout sessions are scheduled:
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. - "Creativity with Art" Jewish Family Services - Corcoran Lounge, Campus Center
10:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. - General Fitness Class- Greater Syracuse YMCA - Marren Studio, W. Carroll Coyne Center for the Performing Arts
11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. - Percussion Party -The Power of Play and Drum Fun- Jimbo Talbot, DrumQuest - Marren Studio, W. Carroll Coyne Center for the Performing Arts Register
12 p.m. to 1 p.m. - Yoga with Suzanne- Peaceful Places with Suzanne Masters - Corcoran Lounge, Campus Center Register
12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. - Dancing with Gino - Performing Arts Dance Studio, W. Carroll Coyne Center for the Performing Arts
Register for the event and learn more here. Contact CARE at 315-445-5445 or mcmartkm@lemoyne.edu with any questions. Other sponsors are Onondaga Oasis Lifelong Adventure (major stage), Onondaga Coach Tours and the YMCA (event sponsors), and The Chicken Bandit and Carvel in DeWitt (food sponsors).
Location : Curtin Special Events Room (Campus Center)
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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC -- Gary Garrison may coach baseball for a living, but baseball is not the main event for him.
It never is.
Garrison - the head coach of the MBU Sabercats Baseball Team - recently returned from his 11th trip to the Dominican Republic, where he has done the same thing each time: use the game of baseball to connect with local boys with the end goal of telling them about Jesus Christ.
A Perfect Fit
The gospel is the main event. Not the sport. And to take baseball to the Dominican Republic is a perfect fit because the Dominican people live and breathe the game. This country, which is half the size of Indiana, has produced top baseball talent at a rate that is anomalous for its size.*
"For many of them, [baseball] is daily life," Garrison said. "I don't know how to put it into words what [baseball] means to the average Dominican boy."
So to know baseball makes you fit in. But to be an American makes you stand out. Garrison and four other men from the ¡PlayBall! Organization made an immediate impact.
"They love Americans," Garrison said. "If you're an American that can coach baseball and spend time on the field with them, it's like, 'all hail'. So when we go down there, we use baseball as an opportunity for them to lend us their ear."
Advanced Instruction
This time, the sessions were exclusive and advanced. In past trips, Garrison and his co-ops conducted clinics for over a hundred boys at a time. This time, the clinic was limited to 24 gifted young boys. Former and current pro players Gabino and Rafael Mejia joined the ¡PlayBall! staff, lending their expertise to the advanced coaching. Brent Casteel - Garrison's friend and former Single-A ballplayer - conducted a hitting station while Garrison taught baserunning.
To Garrison, honing his baseball skill opens new doors to impact boys on a deeper level. And making the impact demands a blend of technical knowledge and quality time spent.
"We want to offer quality baseball instruction," Garrison noted. "And not everyone can do that, so it's a matter of using what you've been gifted with. These boys know baseball, but what makes the real difference to these boys is spending time on the field with them - that's the difference."
The group of 24 boys finished each session by listening to a clear biblical lesson, which culminated with a straightforward gospel message on the final day. AKA the "main event".
"Baseball gives us a platform," Garrison said. "It's a platform to do what we really came to do, and that's to present Christ."
As a leader, Garrison sets the example by getting involved with missions. Over his 11 trips, Garrison has seen the Lord work, estimating that some 1,000 boys have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ as a result of the clinics.
And one of the best parts for him is bringing the MBU student-athletes along. For the third time since 2011, Garrison will visit the D.R. with the team, and the trip is set for March of 2019. Garrison brings the team down every four years.
Why every four years? It's Garrison's way of ensuring that anyone that comes through the program for four seasons will be guaranteed the opportunity to go. Garrison's goal is that each young man that puts on an MBU ballcap will have the chance to use baseball to share Jesus Christ.
After all, that's the main event.
*1 in 10 MLB players and 1 in 5 minor-league players are from the Dominican Republic.
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Home > News > McGeorge Student Gish Selected as Rudin Scholarship Winner
McGeorge Student Gish Selected as Rudin Scholarship Winner
Mayor Anne Rudin presented the scholarship to Michele Gish, '17
McGeorge student Michele Gish, '17, was awarded the League of Women Voters of Sacramento 2016 Anne Rudin Scholarship at a reception in October.
The Anne Rudin Scholarship Fund commemorates the accomplishments of former Sacramento Mayor Anne Rudin, and enables other women to pursue higher education in the fields of public administration and public policy. Rudin served both as President of the League of Women Voters of Sacramento and the League of Women Voters of California. She then became a member of the Sacramento City Council for 12 years and Mayor of Sacramento from 1983 to 1992. Mayor Rudin was the first woman elected to be Sacramento's mayor. Mayor Rudin presented the 2016 scholarship award to Michele.
The scholarship committee shared with Michele why she was selected: "Your extraordinary commitment and active involvement in serving and advocating for those most needing assistance is inspiring. You have also maintained an impressive academic record at McGeorge School of Law, which your professors have affirmed with enthusiasm."
"I am very grateful for the mentorship and support I've received from my professors at McGeorge. I wouldn't have qualified for this scholarship without their encouragement and guidance," said Michele. "Meeting Mayor Rudin was a great honor. She told the story of how she became mayor. I left the reception energized and inspired."
Michele is currently a legal intern at the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, where she performs legal research and case analysis for client's seeking asylum in the United States. This past summer, Michele interned with the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights in Arusha, Tanzania. During summer 2015, she served as a legal intern with Amnesty International in Dublin, Ireland, where she focused on Ireland's Refugee and Immigration Law.
Prior to entering law school, Michele enjoyed a successful 15-year career in finance, with roles ranging from staff accountant to controller. She graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Magna Cum Laude.
Tags: 2016, student-life, business-community, externships
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Two distinct brain regions have independent influence on decision-making
Published Friday 1 September 2017 Published Fri 1 Sep 2017
Adapted Media Release
Often when we make a decision, we calculate its "expected value," by multiplying the value of something (how much we want or need it) with the probability that we might be able to obtain it, a concept first introduced by 17th-century mathematician Blaise Pascal.
Now, research conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published in the journal Neuron is showing for the first time in monkeys which parts of the brain are involved in the two-pronged decision-making process that determines this expected value.
"For a long time, we thought that representations of value and probability were being evaluated in the same, single part of the brain," says Peter Rudebeck, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience and Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and lead author of the new study. "What's exciting here is that we're showing that it's being done in two different parts of the brain, which are separate both functionally and anatomically."
Mount Sinai researchers focused on two areas of the brain, the orbital frontal cortex (OFC) and the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC). While previous research has indicated that people whose OFC was damaged by injury or disease have impaired decision-making abilities, little was previously known about their precise roles in the decision-making process.
"Depression and anxiety disorders are characterized by changes in the way that people process rewards and make decisions. In some cases, changes in decision-making can be so extreme that individuals are unable to lead normal lives," says Dr. Rudebeck. "Determining which parts of the brain help us to make decisions based on the subjective value and probability is therefore a critical step in understanding how these debilitating disorders are caused."
To explore the specializations of the OFC and VLPFC, the research team conducted two experiments. In the first, monkeys were tasked to play a sort of slot machine game, in which they were shown images on a touch screen and had to determine which image was most likely to get them a reward - a banana-flavored pellet. The researchers periodically changed the probability and found that the control monkeys were able to adjust their choices accordingly, pressing images most likely to get them a reward. The monkeys with OFC lesions performed the same as the control animals, but the monkeys with VLPFC lesions lost the ability to track reward probability.
In the second set of experiments, the monkeys played a different game where they had a choice between two rewards: peanuts or M&Ms. These rewards were hidden under objects, and the monkeys had previously learned which objects went with which food rewards. Because monkeys generally like peanuts and M&Ms equally, they normally turn over objects overlying the peanuts and M&Ms at the same rate. But to shift the value in favor of the peanuts, the monkeys were given M&Ms immediately before the experiment. Having already had their fill of M&Ms, the control monkeys favored the objects overlying peanuts, as expected. Those with VLPFC had the same inclination as the control group, but the monkeys with OFC lesions showed a preference for objects overlying the M&Ms.
"We've known for a long time that these two parts of the brain are highly interconnected," says Dr. Rudebeck. "Previous research indicates that both send connections to another area of the frontal lobe called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) and functional magnetic resonance imaging suggests that the VMPFC may be where choices ultimately get made."
The investigators tested whether VMPFC is involved in comparing different values in a separate set of experiments, where they induced lesions in that area. The animals were able to make a decision based on probability or value alone, but when they had to compare values, they were less able to do that.
"This data lines up with and extends what we've seen in humans, because we know that people who have brain damage in that area also have trouble with making decisions," concludes Dr. Rudebeck. "The information ascertained through our research could potentially aid in the development of novel treatment interventions for the many people who suffer from depression and anxiety."
Article: Specialized Representations of Value in the Orbital and Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex: Desirability versus Availability of Outcomes, Peter Rudebeck et al., Neuron, doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.07.042, published 30 August 2017.
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Mental Health Anxiety / Stress Depression
Source: Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Additional source: EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society
Visit our Neurology / Neuroscience category page for the latest news on this subject, or sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest updates on Neurology / Neuroscience.
Mount Sinai School of Medicine. "Two distinct brain regions have independent influence on decision-making." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 1 Sep. 2017. Web.
18 Jul. 2019. <https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/319241.php>
Mount Sinai School of Medicine. (2017, September 1). "Two distinct brain regions have independent influence on decision-making." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/319241.php.
Popular in: Neurology / Neuroscience
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Quetiapine 150 mg Film-coated Tablets
Sandoz Limited contact details
quetiapine fumarate
Last updated on eMC: 31 May 2019
Each film-coated tablet contains 150 mg quetiapine (as fumarate)
Excipient with known effect:
Each film-coated tablet contains 32.6 mg lactose (as monohydrate).
For the full list of excipients, see section 6.1.
Film-coated tablet
Cream coloured, round (approx. 10.5 mm diameter) film-coated tablets with score line on one side.
The tablet can be divided into two equal doses.
Quetiapine is indicated for :
• treatment of schizophrenia
• treatment of bipolar disorder:
- for the treatment of moderate to severe manic episodes in bipolar disorder
- for the treatment of major depressive episodes in bipolar disorder
- for the prevention of recurrence of manic or depressed episodes in patients with bipolar disorder who previously responded to quetiapine treatment.
Different dosing schedules exist for each indication. It must therefore be ensured that patients receive clear information on the appropriate dose for their condition.
For the treatment of schizophrenia:
For the treatment of schizophrenia, [invented name] should be administered twice a day. The total daily dose for the first 4 days of therapy is 50 mg (day 1), 100 mg (day 2), 200 mg (day 3) and 300 mg (day 4).
From day 4 onwards, the dose should be titrated to the usual effective dose range of 300 to 450 mg per day. Depending on the clinical response and tolerability of the individual patient, the dose may be adjusted within the range of 150 to 750 mg per day.
For the treatment of moderate to severe manic episodes in bipolar disorder:
For the treatment of manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder, quetiapine should be administered twice a day. The total daily dose for the first four days of therapy is 100 mg (day 1), 200 mg (day 2), 300 mg (day 3) and 400 mg(day 4). Further dose adjustments up to 800 mg per day by day 6 should be in increments of no greater than 200 mg per day.
The dose may be adjusted depending on clinical response and tolerability of the individual patient, within the range of 200 to 800 mg per day. The usual effective dose is in the range of 400 to 800 mg per day.
For the treatment of major depressive episodes in bipolar disorder:
Quetiapine should be administered once daily at bedtime. The total daily dose for the first four days of therapy is 50 mg (day 1), 100 mg (day 2), 200 mg (day 3) and 300 mg (day 4). The recommended daily dose is 300 mg .
In clinical trials, no additional benefit was seen in the 600 mg group compared to the 300 mg group (see section 5.1). Individual patients may benefit from a 600 mg dose. Doses greater than 300 mg should be initiated by physicians experienced in treating bipolar disorder. In individual patients, in the event of tolerance concerns, clinical trials have indicated that dose reduction to a minimum of 200 mg could be considered.
For preventing recurrence in bipolar disorder:
For preventing recurrence of manic, mixed or depressive episodes in bipolar disorder, patients who have responded to quetiapine for acute treatment of bipolar disorder should continue therapy at the same dose. The dose may be adjusted depending on clinical response and tolerability of the individual patient, within the range of 300 to 800 mg per day administered twice daily. It is important that the lowest effective dose is used for maintenance therapy.
As with other antipsychotics, quetiapine should be used with caution in the elderly, especially during the initial dosing period. The rate of dose titration may need to be slower, and the daily therapeutic dose lower, than that used in younger patients, depending on the clinical response and tolerability of the individual patient. The mean plasma clearance of quetiapine was reduced by 30 - 50% in elderly subjects when compared to younger patients.
Efficacy and safety has not been evaluated in patients over 65 years with depressive episodes in the framework of bipolar disorder.
Renal impairment
Dosage adjustment is not necessary in patients with renal impairment.
Hepatic impairment
Quetiapine is extensively metabolised by the liver. Therefore, quetiapine should be used with caution in patients with known hepatic impairment, especially during the initial dosing period. Patients with known hepatic impairment should be started with 25 mg per day. The dose should be increased daily with increments of 25 - 50 mg per day until an effective dose, depending on the clinical response and tolerability of the individual patient.
Paediatric population
Quetiapine is not recommended for use in children and adolescents below 18 years of age, due to a lack of data to support use in this age group. The available evidence from placebo-controlled clinical trials is presented in sections 4.4, 4.8, 5.1 and 5.2.
For doses not realizable/practicable with these medicinal products other quetiapine containing products with lower strengths are available.
Quetiapine can be administered with or without food.
Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1.
Concomitant administration of cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibitors such as HIV protease inhibitors, azole-antifungal agents, erythromycin, clarithromycin and nefazodone, is contraindicated (see also section 4.5).
As quetiapine has several indications, the safety profile should be considered with respect to the individual patient's diagnosis and the dose being administered.
Quetiapine is not recommended for use in children and adolescents below 18 years of age, due to a lack of data to support use in this age group. Clinical trials with quetiapine have shown that in addition to the known safety profile identified in adults (see section 4.8), certain adverse events occurred at a higher frequency in children and adolescents compared to adults (increased appetite, elevations in serum prolactin, vomiting, rhinitis and syncope) or may have different implications for children and adolescents (extrapyramidal symptoms and irritability) and one was identified that has not been previously seen in adult studies (increases in blood pressure). Changes in thyroid function tests have also been observed in children and adolescents.
Furthermore, the long-term safety implications of treatment with quetiapine on growth and maturation have not been studied beyond 26 weeks. Long-term implications for cognitive and behavioural development are not known.
In placebo-controlled clinical trials with children and adolescent patients, quetiapine was associated with an increased incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) compared to placebo in patients treated for schizophrenia, bipolar mania and bipolar depression (see section 4.8).
Suicide/suicidal thoughts or clinical worsening
Depression in bipolar disorder is associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts, self-harm and suicide (suicide-related events). This risk persists until significant remission occurs. As improvement may not occur during the first few weeks or more of treatment, patients should be closely monitored until such improvement occurs. It is general clinical experience that the risk of suicide may increase in the early stages of recovery.
In addition, physicians should consider the potential risk of suicide-related events after abrupt cessation of quetiapine treatment, due to the known risk factors for the disease being treated.
Other psychiatric conditions for which quetiapine is prescribed can also be associated with an increased risk of suicide related events. In addition, these conditions may be co-morbid with major depressive episodes. The same precautions observed when treating patients with major depressive episodes should therefore be observed when treating patients with other psychiatric disorders.
Patients with a history of suicide related events, or those exhibiting a significant degree of suicidal ideation prior to commencement of treatment are known to be at greater risk of suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts, and should receive careful monitoring during treatment. A meta-analysis of placebo controlled clinical trials of antidepressant drugs in adult patients with psychiatric disorders showed an increased risk of suicidal behaviour with antidepressants compared to placebo in patients less than 25 years old.
Close supervision of patients and in particular those at high risk should accompany drug therapy especially in early treatment and following dose changes. Patients (and caregivers of patients) should be alerted about the need to monitor for any clinical worsening, suicidal behaviour or thoughts and unusual changes in behaviour and to seek medical advice immediately if these symptoms present.
In shorter-term placebo controlled clinical studies of patients with major depressive episodes in bipolar disorder an increased risk of suicide-related events was observed in young adult patients (younger than 25 years of age) who were treated with quetiapine as compared to those treated with placebo (3.0% vs. 0%, respectively). A population-based retrospective study of quetiapine for the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder showed an increased risk of self-harm and suicide in patients aged 25 to 64 years without a history of self-harm during use of quetiapine with other antidepressants.
Metabolic risk
Given the observed risk for worsening of their metabolic profile, including changes in weight, blood glucose (see hyperglycemia) and lipids, which was seen in clinical studies, patients' metabolic parameters should be assessed at the time of treatment initiation and changes in these parameters should be regularly controlled for during the course of treatment. Worsening in these parameters should be managed as clinically appropriate (see also section 4.8).
Extrapyramidal symptoms
In placebo controlled clinical trials of adult patients quetiapine was associated with an increased incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) compared to placebo in patients treated for major depressive episodes in bipolar disorder (see sections 4.8 and 5.1).
The use of quetiapine has been associated with the development of akathisia, characterised by a subjectively unpleasant or distressing restlessness and need to move often accompanied by an inability to sit or stand still. This is most likely to occur within the first few weeks of treatment. In patients who develop these symptoms, increasing the dose may be detrimental.
Tardive dyskinesia
If signs and symptoms of tardive dyskinesia appear, dose reduction or discontinuation of quetiapine should be considered. The symptoms of tardive dyskinesia can worsen or even arise after discontinuation of treatment (see section 4.8).
Somnolence and dizziness
Quetiapine treatment has been associated with somnolence and related symptoms, such as sedation (see section 4.8). In clinical trials for treatment of patients with bipolar depression, onset was usually within the first 3 days of treatment and was predominantly of mild to moderate intensity. Patients experiencing somnolence of severe intensity may require more frequent contact for a minimum of 2 weeks from onset of somnolence, or until symptoms improve and treatment discontinuation may need to be considered.
Quetiapine treatment has been associated with orthostatic hypotension and related dizziness (see section 4.8) which, like somnolence has onset usually during the initial dose-titration period. This could increase the occurrence of accidental injury (fall), especially in the elderly population. Therefore, patients should be advised to exercise caution until they are familiar with the potential effects of the medication.
Quetiapine should be used with caution in patients with known cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, or other conditions predisposing to hypotension. Dose reduction or more gradual titration should be considered if orthostatic hypotension occurs, especially in patients with underlying cardiovascular disease.
Sleep apnoea syndrome
Sleep apnoea syndrome has been reported in patients using quetiapine. In patients receiving concomitant central nervous system depressants and who have a history of or are at risk for sleep apnoea, such as those who are overweight/obese or are male, quetiapine should be used with caution.
In controlled clinical trials there was no difference in the incidence of seizures in patients treated with quetiapine or placebo. No data is available about the incidence of seizures in patients with a history of seizure disorder. As with other antipsychotics, caution is recommended when treating patients with a history of seizures (see section 4.8).
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome has been associated with antipsychotic treatment, including quetiapine (see section 4.8). Clinical manifestations include hyperthermia, altered mental status, muscular rigidity, autonomic instability, and increased creatine phosphokinase. In such an event, quetiapine should be discontinued and appropriate medical treatment given.
Severe neutropenia and agranulocytosis
Severe neutropenia (neutrophil count <0.5 x 109/L) has been reported in quetiapine clinical trials. Most cases of severe neutropenia have occurred within a couple of months of starting therapy with quetiapine. There was no apparent dose relationship. During post-marketing experience, some cases were fatal. Possible risk factors for neutropenia include pre-existing low white blood cell count (WBC) and history of drug induced neutropenia. However, some cases occurred in patients without pre-existing risk factors. Quetiapine should be discontinued in patients with a neutrophil count <1.0 x 109/L. Patients should be observed for signs and symptoms of infection and neutrophil counts followed (until they exceed 1.5 x 109/L). (See section 5.1).
Neutropenia should be considered in patients presenting with infection or fever, particularly in the absence of obvious predisposing factor(s), and should be managed as clinically appropriate.
Patients should be advised to immediately report the appearance of signs/symptoms consistent with agranulocytosis or infection (e.g. fever, weakness, lethargy, or sore throat) at any time during quetiapine therapy. Such patients should have a WBC count and an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) performed promptly, especially in the absence of predisposing factors.
Anti-cholinergic (muscarinic) effects
Norquetiapine, an active metabolite of quetiapine, has moderate to strong affinity for several muscarinic receptor subtypes. This contributes to ADRs reflecting anti-cholinergic effects when quetiapine is used at recommended doses, when used concomitantly with other medications having anti-cholinergic effects, and in the setting of overdose.
Quetiapine should be used with caution in patients receiving medications having anti-cholinergic (muscarinic) effects. Quetiapine should be used with caution in patients with a current diagnosis or prior history of urinary retention, clinically significant prostatic hypertrophy, intestinal obstruction or related conditions, increased intraocular pressure or narrow angle glaucoma. (See sections 4.5, 4.8, 5.1 and 4.9.)
See section 4.5.
Concomitant use of quetiapine with a strong hepatic enzyme inducer such as carbamazepine or phenytoin substantially decreases quetiapine plasma concentrations, which could affect the efficacy of quetiapine therapy. In patients receiving a hepatic enzyme inducer, initiation of quetiapine treatment should only occur if the physician considers that the benefits of quetiapine outweigh the risks of removing the hepatic enzyme inducer. It is important that any change in the inducer is gradual, and if required, replaced with a non-inducer (e.g. sodium valproate).
Weight gain has been reported in patients who have been treated with quetiapine, and should be monitored and managed as clinically appropriate as in accordance with utilized antipsychotic guidelines (see sections 4.8 and 5.1).
Hyperglycaemia
Hyperglycaemia and/or development or exacerbation of diabetes occasionally associated with ketoacidosis or coma has been reported rarely, including some fatal cases (see section 4.8). In some cases, a prior increase in body weight has been reported which may be a predisposing factor. Appropriate clinical monitoring is advisable in accordance with utilised antipsychotic guidelines. Patients treated with any antipsychotic agent including quetiapine, should be observed for signs and symptoms of hyperglycaemia, (such as polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia and weakness) and patients with diabetes mellitus or with risk factors for diabetes mellitus should be monitored regularly for worsening of glucose control. Weight should be monitored regularly.
Increases in triglycerides, LDL and total cholesterol, and decreases in HDL cholesterol have been observed in clinical trials with quetiapine (see section 4.8). Lipid changes should be managed as clinically appropriate.
QT prolongation
In clinical trials and use in accordance with the SPC, quetiapine was not associated with a persistent increase in absolute QT intervals. In post-marketing QT prolongation was reported with quetiapine at the therapeutic doses (see section 4.8) and in overdose (see section 4.9). As with other antipsychotics, caution should be exercised when quetiapine is prescribed in patients with cardiovascular disease or family history of QT prolongation. Also caution should be exercised when quetiapine is prescribed either with medicines known to increase QT interval, or with concomitant antipsychotics, especially in the elderly, in patients with congenital long QT syndrome, congestive heart failure, heart hypertrophy, hypokalaemia or hypomagnesaemia (see section 4.5).
Cardiomyopathy and myocarditis
Cardiomyopathy and myocarditis have been reported in clinical trials and during the post-marketing experience, however, a causal relationship to quetiapine has not been established. Treatment with quetiapine should be reassessed in patients with suspected cardiomyopathy or myocarditis.
Acute withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, nausea, headache, diarrhoea, vomiting, dizziness and irritability have been described after abrupt cessation of quetiapine. Gradual withdrawal over a period of at least one to two weeks is advisable (see section 4.8).
Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis
Quetiapine is not approved for the treatment of dementia-related psychosis.
An approximately 3-fold increased risk of cerebrovascular adverse events has been seen in randomised placebo controlled trials in the dementia population with some atypical antipsychotics. The mechanism for this increased risk is not known. An increased risk cannot be excluded for other antipsychotics or other patient populations. Quetiapine should be used with caution in patients with risk factors for stroke.
In a meta-analysis of atypical antipsychotics, it has been reported that elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis are at an increased risk of death compared to placebo. In two 10-week placebo-controlled quetiapine studies in the same patient population (n=710; mean age: 83 years; range: 56-99 years) the incidence of mortality in quetiapine treated patients was 5.5% versus 3.2% in the placebo group. The patients in these trials died from a variety of causes that were consistent with expectations for this population.
Elderly patients with Parkinson's disease (PD)/parkinsonism
A population-based retrospective study of quetiapine for the treatment of patients with MDD, showed an increased risk of death during use of quetiapine in patients aged >65 years. This association was not present when patients with PD were removed from the analysis. Caution should be exercised if quetiapine is prescribed to elderly patients with PD.
Dysphagia (see section 4.8) has been reported with quetiapine. Quetiapine should be used with caution in patients at risk for aspiration pneumonia.
Constipation and intestinal obstruction
Constipation represents a risk factor for intestinal obstruction. Constipation and intestinal obstruction have been reported with quetiapine (see section 4.8). This includes fatal reports in patients who are at higher risk of intestinal obstruction, including those that are receiving multiple concomitant medications that decrease intestinal motility and/or may not report symptoms of constipation. Patients with intestinal obstruction/ileus should be managed with close monitoring and urgent care.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE)
Cases of venous thromboembolism (VTE) have been reported with antipsychotic drugs. Since patients treated with antipsychotics often present with acquired risk factors for VTE, all possible risk factors for VTE should be identified before and during treatment with quetiapine and preventive measures undertaken.
Pancreatitis has been reported in clinical trials and during post marketing experience. Among post marketing reports, while not all cases were confounded by risk factors, many patients had factors which are known to be associated with pancreatitis such as increased triglycerides (see section 4.4), gallstones, and alcohol consumption.
Quetiapine data in combination with divalproex or lithium in acute moderate to severe manic episodes is limited; however, combination therapy was well tolerated (see sections 4.8 and 5.1). The data showed an additive effect at week 3.
Quetiapine film-coated tablets contain lactose. Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, total lactase deficiency or glucose galactose malabsorption should not take this medicineal product.
Misuse and abuse
Cases of misuse and abuse have been reported. Caution may be needed when prescribing quetiapine to patients with a history of alcohol or drug abuse.
Given the primary central nervous system effects of quetiapine, quetiapine should be used with caution in combination with other centrally acting medicinal products and alcohol.
Caution should be exercised treating patients receiving other medications having anti-cholinergic (muscarinic) effects (see section 4.4).
Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 is the enzyme that is primarily responsible for the cytochrome P450 mediated metabolism of quetiapine. In an interaction study in healthy volunteers, concomitant administration of quetiapine (dose of 25 mg) with ketoconazole, a CYP3A4 inhibitor, caused a 5- to 8-fold increase in the AUC of quetiapine. On the basis of this, concomitant use of quetiapine with CYP3A4 inhibitors is contraindicated. It is also not recommended to consume grapefruit juice while on quetiapine therapy.
In a multiple dose trial in patients to assess the pharmacokinetics of quetiapine given before and during treatment with carbamazepine (a known hepatic enzyme inducer), co-administration of carbamazepine significantly increased the clearance of quetiapine. This increase in clearance reduced systemic quetiapine exposure (as measured by AUC) to an average of 13% of the exposure during administration of quetiapine alone; although a greater effect was seen in some patients. As a consequence of this interaction, lower plasma concentrations can occur, which could affect the efficacy of quetiapine therapy. Co-administration of quetiapine and phenytoin (another microsomal enzyme inducer) caused a greatly increased clearance of quetiapine by approx. 450%. In patients receiving a hepatic enzyme inducer, initiation of quetiapine treatment should only occur if the physician considers that the benefits of quetiapine outweigh the risks of removing the hepatic enzyme inducer. It is important that any change in the inducer is gradual, and if required, replaced with a non-inducer (e.g. sodium valproate) (see section 4.4).
The pharmacokinetics of quetiapine were not significantly altered by co-administration of the antidepressants imipramine (a known CYP 2D6 inhibitor) or fluoxetine (a known CYP 3A4 and CYP 2D6 inhibitor).
The pharmacokinetics of quetiapine were not significantly altered by co-administration of the antipsychotics risperidone or haloperidol. Concomitant use of quetiapine and thioridazine caused an increased clearance of quetiapine with approx. 70%.
The pharmacokinetics of quetiapine were not altered following co-administration with cimetidine.
The pharmacokinetics of lithium were not altered when co-administered with quetiapine.
In a 6-week, randomised, study of lithium and quetiapine prolonged release versus placebo and quetiapine prolonged release in adult patients with acute mania, a higher incidence of extrapyramidal related events (in particular tremor), somnolence, and weight gain were observed in the lithium add-on group compared to the placebo add-on group (see section 5.1).
The pharmacokinetics of sodium valproate and quetiapine were not altered to a clinically relevant extent when co-administered. A retrospective study of children and adolescents who received valproate, quetiapine, or both, found a higher incidence of leucopenia and neutropenia in the combination group versus the monotherapy groups.
Formal interaction studies with commonly used cardiovascular medicinal products have not been performed.
Caution should be exercised when quetiapine is used concomitantly with medicinal products known to cause electrolyte imbalance or to increase QT interval.
There have been reports of false positive results in enzyme immunoassays for methadone and tricyclic antidepressants in patients who have taken quetiapine. Confirmation of questionable immunoassay screening results by an appropriate chromatographic technique is recommended.
The moderate amount of published data from exposed pregnancies (i.e. between 300-1000 pregnancy outcomes), including individual reports and some observational studies do not suggest an increased risk of malformations due to treatment. However, based on all available data, a definite conclusion cannot be drawn. Animal studies have shown reproductive toxicity (see section 5.3). Therefore, quetiapine should only be used during pregnancy if the benefits justify the potential risks.
Neonates exposed to antipsychotics (including quetiapine) during the third trimester of pregnancy are at risk of adverse reactions including extrapyramidal and/or withdrawal symptoms that may vary in severity and duration following delivery. There have been reports of agitation, hypertonia, hypotonia, tremor, somnolence, respiratory distress, or feeding disorder. Consequently, newborns should be monitored carefully.
Based on very limited data from published reports on quetiapine excretion into human breast milk, excretion of quetiapine at therapeutic doses appears to be inconsistent. Due to lack of robust data, a decision must be made whether to discontinue breast-feeding or to discontinue quetiapine therapy taking into account the benefit of breast-feeding for the child and the benefit of therapy for the woman.
The effects of quetiapine on human fertility have not been assessed. Effects related to elevated prolactin levels were seen in rats, although these are not directly relevant to humans (see section 5.3).
Given its primary central nervous system effects, quetiapine may interfere with activities requiring mental alertness. Therefore, patients should be advised not to drive or operate machinery, until individual susceptibility to this is known.
Summary of the safety profile
The most commonly reported Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) with quetiapine (≧10%) are somnolence, dizziness, headache, dry mouth, withdrawal (discontinuation) symptoms, elevations in serum triglyceride levels, elevations in total cholesterol (predominantly LDL cholesterol), decreases in HDL cholesterol, weight gain, decreased haemoglobin and extrapyramidal symptoms.
Tabulated list of adverse reactions
The incidences of ADRs associated with quetiapine therapy, are tabulated below (Table 1) according to the format recommended by the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS III Working Group 1995).
Table 1: ADRs associated with quetiapine therapy
The following frequency estimates are used in assessing adverse events:
Very common:
(≥1/10)
Common:
(≥1/100 to <1/10)
Uncommon:
(≥1/1,000 to <1/100)
Rare:
(≥1/10,000 to <1/1,000)
Very rare:
(<1/10,000)
Not known:
(cannot be estimated from the available data)
Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) by System Organ Class and Frequency
MedDRA
System Organ Class
Blood and lymphatic system disorders
Very common
Decreased haemoglobin22
Leucopenia1, 28, Decreased neutrophil count, Eosinophils increased27
Neutropenia1, Thrombocytopenia, Anaemia, Platelet count decreased13
Agranulocytosis26
Hypersensitivity (including allergic skin reactions)
Anaphylactic reaction5
Hyperprolactinaemia15, Decreases in total T424, Decreases in free T424, Decreases in total T324, Increases in TSH24
Decreases in free T324, hypothyroidism21
Inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion
Metabolism and nutrition disorders
Elevations in serum triglyceride levels10, 30, Elevations in total cholesterol (predominantly LDL cholesterol)11, 30, Decreases in HDL cholesterol17, 30, Weight gain8, 30
Increased appetite, Blood glucose increased to hyperglycaemic levels6, 30
Hyponatraemia19, Diabetes mellitus1, 5 Exacerbation of pre-existing diabetes
Metabolic syndrome29
Abnormal dreams and nightmares, Suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviour20
Somnambulism and related reactions such as sleep talking and sleep related eating disorder
Dizziness4, 16, Somnolence2, 16, Headache, Extrapyramidal symptoms1, 21
Dysarthria
Seizure1, Restless legs syndrome, Tardive dyskinesia1, 5, Syncope4, 16
Vision blurred
Cardiac disorders
Tachycardia4, Palpitations23
QT prolongation1, 12, 18, Bradycardia32
Vascular disorders
Orthostatic hypotension4, 16
Venous thromboembolism1
Not known
Stroke33
Dyspnoea23
Constipation, Dyspepsia, Vomiting25
Dysphagia7
Pancreatitis1, Intestinal obstruction/Ileus
Hepatobiliary disorders
Elevations in serum alanine aminotransaminase (ALT)3, Elevations in gamma-GT levels3
Elevations in serum aspartate transaminase (AST)3
Jaundice5, Hepatitis
Angioedema5, Stevens-Johnson syndrome5
Toxic epidermal necrolysis, Erythema multiforme, Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS)
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Rhabdomyolysis
Renal and urinary disorders
Pregnancy, puerperium and perinatal conditions
Drug withdrawal syndrome neonatal31
Reproductive system and breast disorders
Priapism, Galactorrhoea, Breast swelling, Menstrual disorder
General disorders and administration site conditions
Withdrawal (discontinuation) symptoms1, 9
Mild asthenia, Peripheral oedema, Irritability, Pyrexia
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome1, hypothermia
Elevations in blood creatine phosphokinase14
(1) See section 4.4
(2) Somnolence may occur, usually during the first two weeks of treatment and generally resolves with the continued administration of quetiapine.
(3) Asymptomatic elevations (shift from normal to > 3x ULN at any time) in serum transaminase (ALT, AST) or gamma-GT-levels have been observed in some patients administered quetiapine. These elevations were usually reversible on continued quetiapine treatment.
(4) As with other antipsychotics with alpha1 adrenergic blocking activity, quetiapine may commonly induce orthostatic hypotension, associated with dizziness, tachycardia and, in some patients, syncope, especially during the initial dose-titration period (see section 4.4).
(5) Calculation of frequency for these ADRs has been taken from post-marketing data only.
(6) Fasting blood glucose ≥126mg/dL (≥7.0 mmol/L) or a non-fasting blood glucose ≥200mg/dL (≥11.1 mmol/L) on at least one occasion.
(7) An increase in the rate of dysphagia with quetiapine vs. placebo was only observed in the clinical trials in bipolar depression.
(8) Based on >7% increase in body weight from baseline. Occurs predominantly during the early weeks of treatment in adults.
(9) The following withdrawal symptoms have been observed most frequently in acute placebo-controlled, monotherapy clinical trials, which evaluated discontinuation symptoms: insomnia, nausea, headache, diarrhoea, vomiting, dizziness, and irritability. The incidence of these reactions had decreased significantly after 1 week post-discontinuation.
(10) Triglycerides ≥200mg/dL (≥2.258 mmol/L) (patients ≥18 years of age) or ≥150 mg/dL (≥1.694 mmol/L) (patients <18 years of age) on at least one occasion.
(11) Cholesterol ≥240mg/dL (≥6.2064 mmol/L) (patients ≥18 years of age) or ≥200 mg/dL (≥5.172 mmol/L) (patients <18 years of age) on at least one occasion. An increase in LDL cholesterol of ≥30 mg/dL (≥0.769 mmol/L) has been very commonly observed. Mean change among patients who had this increase was 41.7 mg/dL (≥1.07 mmol/L).
(12) See text below.
(13) Platelets ≤100 x 109/L on at least one occasion.
(14) Based on clinical trial adverse event reports of blood creatine phosphokinase increase not associated with neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
(15) Prolactin levels (patients>18 years of age): >20 µg/L (>869.56 pmol/L) males; >30 µg/L (>1304.34 pmol/L) females at any time.
(16) May lead to falls.
(17) HDL cholesterol: <40 mg/dL (1.025 mmol/L) males; <50 mg/dL (1.282 mmol/L) females at any time.
(18) Incidence of patients who have a QTc shift from <450 msec to ≥450 msec with a ≥30 msec increase. In placebo-controlled trials with quetiapine the mean change and the incidence of patients who have a shift to a clinically significant level is similar between quetiapine and placebo.
(19) Shift from >132 mmol/L to ≤132 mmol/L on at least one occasion.
(20) Cases of suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviours have been reported during quetiapine therapy or early after treatment discontinuation (see sections 4.4 and 5.1).
(21) See section 5.1
(22) Decreased haemoglobin to ≤13 g/dL (8.07 mmol/L) males, ≤12 g/dL (7.45 mmol/L) females on at least one occasion occurred in 11% of quetiapine patients in all trials including open label extensions. For these patients, the mean maximum decrease in hemoglobin at any time was -1.50 g/dL.
(23) These reports often occurred in the setting of tachycardia, dizziness, orthostatic hypotension, and/or underlying cardiac/respiratory disease.
(24) Based on shifts from normal baseline to potentially clinically important value at any time post-baseline in all trials. Shifts in total T4, free T4, total T3 and free T3 are defined as <0.8 x LLN (pmol/L) and shift in TSH is >5 mIU/L at any time.
(25) Based upon the increased rate of vomiting in elderly patients (≥65 years of age).
(26) Based on shift in neutrophils from >=1.5 x 109/L at baseline to <0.5 x 109/L at any time during treatment and based on patients with severe neutropenia (<0.5 x 109/L) and infection during all quetiapine clinical trials (see section 4.4).
(27) Based on shifts from normal baseline to potentially clinically important value at any time post-baseline in all trials. Shifts in eosinophils are defined as >1 x 109 cells/L at any time.
(28) Based on shifts from normal baseline to potentially clinically important value at any time post-baseline in all trials. Shifts in WBCs are defined as ≤ 3 x 109 cells/L at any time.
(29) Based on adverse event reports of metabolic syndrome from all clinical trials with quetiapine.
(30) In some patients, a worsening of more than one of the metabolic factors of weight, blood glucose and lipids was observed in clinical studies (see section 4.4).
(31) See section 4.6.
(32) May occur at or near initiation of treatment and be associated with hypotension and/or syncope. Frequency based on adverse event reports of bradycardia and related events in all clinical trials with quetiapine.
(33) Based on one retrospective non-randomised epidemiological study.
Cases of QT-prolongation, ventricular arrhythmia, sudden unexplained death, cardiac arrest and Torsades de Pointes have been reported with the use of antipsychotics and are considered class effects.
Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs), including Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) have been reported in association with quetiapine treatment.
The same ADRs described above for adults should be considered for children and adolescents. The following table (Table 2) summarises ADRs that occur in a higher frequency category in children and adolescent patients (10-17 years of age) than in the adult population or ADRs that have not been identified in the adult population.
Table 2: ADRs in children and adolescents associated with quetiapine therapy that occur in a higher frequency than in adults, or not identified in the adult population
Elevations in prolactin1
Extrapyramidal symptoms3,4
Increases in blood pressure2
Irritability3
(1) Prolactin levels (patients <18 years of age): >20 ug/L (>869.56 pmol/L) males; >26 ug/L (>1130.428 pmol/L) females at any time. Less than 1% of patients had an increase to a prolactin level >100 ug/L.
(2) Based on shifts above clinically significant thresholds (adapted from the National Institutes of Health criteria) or increases >20 mm Hg for systolic or >10 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure at any time in two acute (3-6 weeks) placebo-controlled trials in children and adolescents.
(3) Note: The frequency is consistent to that observed in adults, but might be associated with different clinical implications in children and adolescents as compared to adults.
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via Yellow Card Scheme: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in Google play or Apple App store.
In general, reported signs and symptoms were those resulting from an exaggeration of the active substance's known pharmacological effects, i.e., drowsiness and sedation, tachycardia, hypotension and anti-cholinergic effects.
Overdose could lead to QT-prolongation, seizures, status epilepticus, rhabdomyolysis, respiratory depression, urinary retention, confusion, delirium, and/or agitation, coma and death. Patients with pre-existing severe cardiovascular disease may be at an increased risk of the effects of overdose. (See section 4.4: Orthostatic hypotension).
There is no specific antidote to quetiapine. In cases of severe signs, the possibility of multiple drug involvement should be considered, and intensive care procedures are recommended, including establishing and maintaining a patent airway, ensuring adequate oxygenation and ventilation, and monitoring and support of the cardiovascular system.
Based on public literature, patients with delirium and agitation and a clear anticholinergic syndrome may be treated with physostigmine, 1-2 mg (under continuous ECG monitoring). This is not recommended as standard treatment, because of potential negative effect of physostigmine on cardiac conductance. Physostigmine may be used if there are no ECG aberrations. Do not use physostigmine in case of dysrhythmias, any degree of heart block or QRS-widening.
Whilst the prevention of absorption in overdose has not been investigated, gastric lavage can be indicated in severe poisonings and if possible to perform within one hour of ingestion. The administration of activated charcoal should be considered.
In cases of quetiapine overdose, refractory hypotension should be treated with appropriate measures such as intravenous fluids and/or sympathomimetic agents. Epinephrine and dopamine should be avoided, since beta stimulation may worsen hypotension in the setting of quetiapine-induced alpha blockade.
Close medical supervision and monitoring should be continued until the patient recovers.
Pharmacotherapeutic group: Antipsychotics; Diazepines, oxazepines and thiazepines
ATC code: N05A H04
Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic agent. Quetiapine and the active human plasma metabolite, norquetiapine interact with a broad range of neurotransmitter receptors. Quetiapine and norquetiapine exhibit affinity for brain serotonin (5HT2) and dopamine D1- and D2- receptors. It is this combination of receptor antagonism with a higher selectivity for 5HT2 relative to D2- receptors, which is believed to contribute to the clinical antipsychotic properties and low extrapyramidal side effect (EPS) liability of quetiapine compared to typical antipsychotics. Quetiapine and norquetiapine have no appreciable affinity at benzodiazepine receptors but high affinity at histaminergic and adrenergic alpha1 receptors and moderate affinity at adrenergic alpha2 receptors Quetiapine also has low or no affinity for muscarinic receptors, while norquetiapine has moderate to high affinity at several muscarinic receptors, which may explain anti-cholinergic (muscarinic) effects.Inhibition of NET and partial agonist action at 5HT1A sites by norquetiapine may contribute to quetiapine's therapeutic efficacy as an antidepressant.
Quetiapine is active in tests for antipsychotic activity, such as conditioned avoidance. It also blocks the action of dopamine agonists, measured either behaviourally or electrophysiologically, and elevates dopamine metabolite concentrations, a neurochemical index of D2-receptor blockade.
In pre-clinical tests predictive of EPS, quetiapine is unlike typical antipsychotics and has an atypical profile. Quetiapine does not produce dopamine D2-receptor supersensitivity after chronic administration. Quetiapine produces only weak catalepsy at effective dopamine D2-receptor blocking doses. Quetiapine demonstrates selectivity for the limbic system by producing depolarisation blockade of the mesolimbic but not the nigrostriatal dopamine-containing neurones following chronic administration. Quetiapine exhibits minimal dystonic liability in haloperidol-sensitised or drug-naive Cebus monkeys after acute and chronic administration (see section 4.8).
In three placebo-controlled clinical trials, in patients with schizophrenia, using variable doses of quetiapine, there were no differences between the quetiapine and placebo treatment groups in the incidence of EPS or concomitant use of anticholinergics. A placebo-controlled trial evaluating fixed doses of quetiapine across the range of 75 to 750 mg/day showed no evidence of an increase in EPS or the use of concomitant anticholinergics. The long-term efficacy of quetiapine immediate release in prevention of schizophrenic relapses has not been verified in blinded clinical trials. In open label trials, in patients with schizophrenia, quetiapine was effective in maintaining the clinical improvement during continuation therapy in patients who showed an initial treatment response, suggesting some long-term efficacy.
In four placebo-controlled clinical trials, evaluating doses of quetiapine up to 800 mg/day for the treatment of moderate to severe manic episodes, two each in monotherapy and as combination therapy to lithium or divalproex, there were no differences between the quetiapine and placebo treatment groups in the incidence of EPS or concomitant use of anticholinergics.
In the treatment of moderate to severe manic episodes, quetiapine demonstrated superior efficacy to placebo in reduction of manic symptoms at 3 and 12 weeks, in two monotherapy trials. There are no data from long-term studies to demonstrate quetiapine's effectiveness in preventing subsequent manic or depressive episodes. Quetiapine data in combination with divalproex or lithium in acute moderate to severe manic episodes at 3 and 6 weeks is limited; however, combination therapy was well tolerated. The data showed an additive effect at week 3. A second study did not demonstrate an additive effect at week 6.
The mean last week median dose of quetiapine in responders was approximately 600 mg/day and approximately 85% of the responders were in the dose range of 400 to 800 mg/day.
In 4 clinical trials with a duration of 8 weeks in patients with moderate to severe depressive episodes in bipolar I or bipolar II disorder, quetiapine immediate release 300 mg and 600 mg was significantly superior to placebo treated patients for the relevant outcome measures: mean improvement on the MADRS and for response defined as at least a 50% improvement in MADRS total score from baseline. There was no difference in magnitude of effect between the patients who received 300 mg quetiapine immediate release and those who received 600 mg dose.
In the continuation phase in two of these studies, it was demonstrated that long-term treatment, of patients who responded on quetiapine immediate release 300 mg or 600 mg, was efficacious compared to placebo treatment with respect to depressive symptoms, but not with regard to manic symptoms.
In two recurrence prevention studies evaluating quetiapine in combination with mood stabilizers, in patients with manic, depressed or mixed mood episodes, the combination with quetiapine was superior to mood stabilizers monotherapy in increasing the time to recurrence of any mood event ( manic, mixed or depressed). Quetiapine was administered twice-daily totalling 400 mg to 800 mg a day as combination therapy to lithium or valproate.
In a 6-week, randomised, study of lithium and quetiapine prolonged release versus placebo and quetiapine prolonged release in adult patients with acute mania, the difference in YMRS mean improvement between the lithium add-on group and the placebo add-on group was 2.8 points and the difference in % responders (defined as 50% improvement from baseline on the YMRS) was 11% (79% in the lithium add-on group vs. 68% in the placebo add-on group).
In one long-term study (up to 2 years treatment) evaluating recurrence prevention in patients with manic, depressed or mixed mood episodes quetiapine was superior to placebo in increasing the time to recurrence of any mood event (manic, mixed or depressed), in patients with bipolar I disorder. The number of patients with a mood event was 91 (22.5%) in the quetiapine group, 208 (51.5%) in the placebo group and 95 (26.1%) in the lithium treatment groups respectively. In patients who responded to quetiapine, when comparing continued treatment with quetiapine to switching to lithium, the results indicated that a switch to lithium treatment does not appear to be associated with an increased time to recurrence of a mood event.
Clinical trials have demonstrated that quetiapine is effective in schizophrenia and mania when given twice a day, although quetiapine has a pharmacokinetic half-life of approximately 7 hours. This is further supported by the data from a positron emission tomography (PET) study, which identified that for quetiapine, 5HT2- and D2-receptor occupancy are maintained for up to 12 hours. The safety and efficacy of doses greater than 800 mg/day have not been evaluated.
Clinical safety
In short-term, placebo-controlled clinical trials in schizophrenia and bipolar mania the aggregated incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms was similar to placebo (schizophrenia: 7.8% for quetiapine and 8.0% for placebo; bipolar mania: 11.2% for quetiapine and 11.4% for placebo). Higher rates of extrapyramidal symptoms were seen in quetiapine treated patients compared to those treated with placebo in short-term, placebo-controlled clinical trials in major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar depression. In short-term, placebo-controlled bipolar depression trials the aggregated incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms was 8.9% for quetiapine compared to 3.8% for placebo. In short-term, placebo-controlled monotherapy clinical trials in major depressive disorder the aggregated incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms was 5.4% for quetiapine prolonged release and 3.2% for placebo. In a short-term placebo-controlled monotherapy trial in elderly patients with major depressive disorder, the aggregated incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms was 9.0% for quetiapine prolonged release and 2.3% for placebo. In both bipolar depression and MDD, the incidence of the individual adverse events (e.g. akathisia, extrapyramidal disorder, tremor, dyskinesia, dystonia, restlessness, muscle contractions involuntary, psychomotor hyperactivity and muscle rigidity) did not exceed 4% in any treatment group.
In short term, fixed dose (50mg/d to 800 mg/d), placebo-controlled studies (ranging from 3 to 8 weeks), the mean weight gain for quetiapine-treated patients ranged from 0.8 kg for the 50 mg daily dose to 1.4 kg for the 600 mg daily dose (with lower gain for the 800 mg daily dose), compared to 0.2 kg for the placebo treated patients. The percentage of quetiapine treated patients who gained ≥7% of body weight ranged from 5.3% for the 50 mg daily dose to 15.5% for the 400 mg daily dose (with lower gain for the 600 and 800 mg daily doses), compared to 3.7% for placebo treated patients.
A 6-week, randomised, study of lithium and quetiapine prolonged release versus placebo and quetiapine prolonged release in adult patients with acute mania indicated that the combination of quetiapine prolonged release with lithium leads to more adverse events (63% versus 48% in quetiapine prolonged release in combination with placebo). The safety results showed a higher incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms reported in 16.8% of patients in the lithium add-on group and 6.6% in the placebo add-on group, the majority of which consisted of tremor, reported in 15.6% of the patients in the lithium add-on group and 4.9% in the placebo add-on group. The incidence of somnolence was higher in the quetiapine prolonged release with lithium add-on group (12.7%) compared to the quetiapine prolonged release with the placebo add-on group (5.5%). In addition, a higher percentage of patients treated in the lithium add on group (8.0%) had weight gain (≥7%) at the end of treatment compared to patients in the placebo add-on group (4.7%).
Longer term relapse prevention trials had an open label period (ranging from 4 to 36 weeks) during which patients were treated with quetiapine, followed by a randomized withdrawal period during which patients were randomized to quetiapine or placebo. For patients who were randomized to quetiapine, the mean weight gain during the open label period was 2.56 kg, and by week 48 of the randomized period, the mean weight gain was 3.22 kg, compared to open label baseline. For patients who were randomized to placebo, the mean weight gain during the open label period was 2.39 kg, and by week 48 of the randomized period the mean weight gain was 0.89 kg, compared to open label baseline.
In placebo-controlled studies in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis, the incidence of cerebrovascular adverse events per 100 patient years was not higher in quetiapine-treated patients than in placebo-treated patients.
In all short-term placebo-controlled monotherapy trials in patients with a baseline neutrophil count ≥ 1.5 x 109/L, the incidence of at least one occurrence of a shift to neutrophil count < 1.5 x 109/L, was 1.9% in patients treated with quetiapine compared to 1.5% in placebo-treated patients. The incidence of shifts to >0.5-<1.0 x 109/L was the same (0.2%) in patients treated with quetiapine as with placebo-treated patients. In all clinical trials (placebo-controlled, open-label, active comparator) in patients with a baseline neutrophil count ≥1.5 x 109/L, the incidence of at least one occurrence of a shift to neutrophil count <1.5 x 109/L was 2.9% and to <0.5 x 109/L was 0.21% in patients treated with quetiapine.
Quetiapine treatment was associated with dose-related decreases in thyroid hormone levels. The incidences of shifts in TSH was 3.2 % for quetiapine versus 2.7 % for placebo. The incidence of reciprocal, potentially clinically significant shifts of both T3 or T4 and TSH in these trials were rare, and the observed changes in thyroid hormone levels were not associated with clinically symptomatic hypothyroidism.
The reduction in total and free T4 was maximal within the first six weeks of quetiapine treatment, with no further reduction during long-term treatment. For about 2/3 of all cases, cessation of quetiapine treatment was associated with a reversal of the effects on total and free T4, irrespective of the duration of treatment.
Cataracts/lens opacities
In a clinical trial to evaluate the cataractogenic potential of quetiapine (200-800 mg/day) versus risperidone (2-8 mg/day) in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, the percentage of patients with increased lens opacity grade was not higher in quetiapine (4%) compared with risperidone (10%), for patients with at least 21 months of exposure.
The efficacy and safety of quetiapine was studied in a 3-week placebo controlled study for the treatment of mania (n= 284 patients from the US, aged 10-17). About 45% of the patient population had an additional diagnosis of ADHD. In addition, a 6-week placebo controlled study for the treatment of schizophrenia (n = 222 patients, aged 13-17) was performed. In both studies, patients with known lack of response to quetiapine were excluded. Treatment with quetiapine was initiated at 50 mg/day and on day 2 increased to 100 mg/day; subsequently the dose was titrated to a target dose (mania 400-600 mg/day; schizophrenia 400-800 mg/day) using increments of 100 mg/day given two or three times daily.
In the mania study, the difference in LS mean change from baseline in YMRS total score (active minus placebo) was –5.21 for quetiapine 400 mg/day and –6.56 for quetiapine 600 mg/day. Responder rates (YMRS improvement ≥50%) were 64% for quetiapine 400 mg/day, 58% for 600 mg/day and 37% in the placebo arm.
In the schizophrenia study, the difference in LS mean change from baseline in PANSS total score (active minus placebo) was –8.16 for quetiapine 400 mg/day and –9.29 for quetiapine 800 mg/day. Neither low dose (400 mg/day) nor high dose regimen (800 mg/day) quetiapine was superior to placebo with respect to the percentage of patients achieving response, defined as ≥30% reduction from baseline in PANSS total score. Both in mania and schizophrenia higher doses resulted in numerically lower response rates.
In a third short-term placebo-controlled monotherapy trial with quetiapine prolonged release in children and adolescent patients (10-17 years of age) with bipolar depression, efficacy was not demonstrated.
No data are available on maintenance of effect or recurrence prevention in this age group.
In the short-term pediatric trials with quetiapine described above, the rates of EPS in the active arm vs. placebo were 12.9% vs. 5.3% in the schizophrenia trial, 3.6% vs. 1.1% in the bipolar mania trial, and 1.1% vs. 0% in the bipolar depression trial. The rates of weight gain ≥7% of baseline body weight in the active arm vs. placebo were 17% vs. 2.5% in the schizophrenia and bipolar mania trials, and 113.7% vs. 6.8% in the bipolar depression trial. The rates of suicide related events in the active arm vs. placebo were 1.4% vs. 1.3% in the schizophrenia trial, 1.0% vs. 0% in the bipolar mania trial, and 1.1% vs. 0% in the bipolar depression trial. During an extended post-treatment follow-up phase of the bipolar depression trial, there were two additional suicide related events in two patients; one of these patients was on quetiapine at the time of the event.
Long-term safety
A 26-week open-label extension to the acute trials (n= 380 patients), with quetiapine flexibly dosed at 400-800 mg/day, provided additional safety data. Increases in blood pressure were reported in children and adolescents and increased appetite, extrapyramidal symptoms and elevations in serum prolactin were reported with higher frequency in children and adolescents than in adult patients (see sections 4.4 and 4.8). With respect to weight gain, when adjusting for normal growth over the longer term, an increase of at least 0.5 standard deviation from baseline in Body Mass Index (BMI) was used as a measure of a clinically significant change; 18.3% of patients who were treated with quetiapine for at least 26 weeks met this criterion.
Quetiapine is well absorbed and extensively metabolised following oral administration. The bioavailability of quetiapine is not significantly affected by administration with food. Steady-state peak molar concentrations of the active metabolite norquetiapine are 35% of that observed for quetiapine.
The pharmacokinetics of quetiapine and norquetiapine are linear across the approved dosing range.
Quetiapine is approximately 83% bound to plasma proteins.
Biotransformation
Quetiapine is extensively metabolised by the liver, with parent compound accounting for less than 5% of unchanged drug-related material in the urine or faeces, following the administration of radiolabelled quetiapine. In vitro investigations established that CYP3A4 is the primary enzyme responsible for cytochrome P450 mediated metabolism of quetiapine. Norquetiapine is primarily formed and eliminated via CYP3A4.
Approximately 73% of the radioactivity is excreted in the urine and 21% in the faeces.
Quetiapine and several of its metabolites (including norquetiapine) were found to be weak inhibitors of human cytochrome P450 1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6 and 3A4 activities in vitro. In vitro CYP inhibition is observed only at concentrations approximately 5 to 50 fold higher than those observed at a dose range of 300 to 800 mg/day in humans. Based on these in vitro results, it is unlikely that co-administration of quetiapine with other drugs will result in clinically significant drug inhibition of cytochrome P450 mediated metabolism of the other drug. From animal studies it appears that quetiapine can induce cytochrome P450 enzymes. In a specific interaction study in psychotic patients, however, no increase in the cytochrome P450 activity was found after administration of quetiapine.
The elimination half-lives of quetiapine and norquetiapine are approximately 7 and 12 hours, respectively. The average molar dose fraction of free quetiapine and the active human plasma metabolite norquetiapine is <5% excreted in the urine.
The kinetics of quetiapine do not differ between men and women.
The mean clearance of quetiapine in the elderly is approximately 30 to 50% lower than that seen in adults aged 18 to 65 years.
The mean plasma clearance of quetiapine was reduced by approximately 25% in subjects with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance less than 30 ml/min/1.73m2), but the individual clearance values are within the range for normal subjects.
The mean quetiapine plasma clearance decreases with approx. 25% in persons with known hepatic impairment (stable alcohol cirrhosis). As quetiapine is extensively metabolised by the liver, elevated plasma levels are expected in the population with hepatic impairment. Dose adjustments may be necessary in these patients (see section 4.2).
Pharmacokinetic data were sampled in 9 children aged 10-12 years old and 12 adolescents, who were on steady-state treatment with 400 mg quetiapine twice daily. At steady-state, the dose-normalised plasma levels of the parent compound, quetiapine, in children and adolescents (10-17 years of age) were in general similar to adults, though Cmax in children was at the higher end of the range observed in adults. The AUC and Cmax for the active metabolite, norquetiapine, were higher, approximately 62% and 49% in children (10-12 years), respectively and 28% and 14% in adolescents (13-17 years), respectively, compared to adults.
There was no evidence of genotoxicity in a series of in vitro and in vivo genotoxicity studies. In laboratory animals at a clinically relevant exposure level the following deviations were seen, which as yet have not been confirmed in long-term clinical research:
In rats, pigment deposition in the thyroid gland has been observed; in cynomolgus monkeys thyroid follicular cell hypertrophy, a lowering in plasma T3 levels, decreased haemoglobin concentration and a decrease of red and white blood cell count have been observed; and in dogs lens opacity and cataracts. (For cataracts/lens opacities see section 5.1).
In an embryofoetal toxicity study in rabbits the foetal incidence of carpal/tarsal flexure was increased. This effect occurred in the presence of overt maternal effects such as reduced body weight gain. These effects were apparent at maternal exposure levels similar or slightly above those in humans at the maximal therapeutic dose. The relevance of this finding for humans is unknown.
In a fertility study in rats, marginal reduction in male fertility and pseudopregnancy, protracted periods of diestrus, increased precoital interval and reduced pregnancy rate were seen. These effects are related to elevated prolactin levels and not directly relevant to humans because of species differences in hormonal control of reproduction.
Tablet core:
Calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate
Cellulose, microcrystalline
Povidone (K 29/32)
Silica colloidal hydrated
Sodium starch glycolate, type A
Tablet coat:
Macrogol 4000
Titanium dioxide (E 171)
Iron oxide yellow (E 172)
Shelf life after first opening of the bottle:
6 months after first opening of the HDPE-bottle
This medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.
The film-coated tablets are packed in PVC/COC/PVDC/ALU, PVC/PVDC/Aluminium or PVC/PE/PVDC/Aluminium blister and inserted in a carton or packed in a HDPE-bottle with PP or PE screw caps with desiccant (silica gel).
Blister: 6, 10, 20, 30, 50, 60, 90, 100, 100 x 1 (perforated unit dose blister), 120 or 180 film-coated tablets
Bottles: 100, 250 or 500 film-coated tablets
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Any unused medicinal product or waste material should be disposed of in accordance with local requirements.
Sandoz Ltd
Frimley Business Park
GU16 7SR
Date of first authorisation: 28 October 2009
Date of latest renewal: 27 March 2013
Sandoz Limited
200 Frimley Business Park, Frimley, Camberley, Surrey, GU16 7SR, UK
http://www.sandoz.com
Adverse event reporting email
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:: Mehul R Shah, M.D.
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Home » Patient Info » Sports Medicine » Femoral or Tibial Osteotomy
Femoral or Tibial Osteotomy
Indication and Procedure Description
This procedure is indicated as the treatment of early osteoarthritis in those patients who are relatively young and active. The aim of the procedure is to correct mal-alignment of the leg where it has become either excessively bowed or knock-kneed due to osteoarthritis. An osteotomy is where the bone is cut, so that the leg can be straightened into a more normal position. The osteotomy is then secured with plate and screws to maintain the correction. This procedure is more commonly performed for patients who are bow-legged, where the medial (inner) part of the knee is involved in osteoarthritis. This procedure is called a medial opening wedge osteotomy and in it, the knee is corrected to a slightly knock-kneed position, therefore shifting the weight through the preserved lateral (outer) part of the knee. Less commonly, it is performed on knock-kneed patients where the osteotomy is performed through the lateral part of the femur and the leg is corrected to a straight position, therefore the weight bearing will be shifted to the preserved medial side.
The purpose of the procedure is to allow young people to remain active without the concerns of wearing out a knee replacement. The osteotomy will slow down the wear of the knee and buy time for the knee and delay a knee replacement.
Preparation for Surgery
Prior to surgery, the patient will have X-rays of both knees to determine the amount of correction that will be required. This can be calculated from the X-rays and will also be fine-tuned intra-operatively.
On the day of surgery, the patient will have his/her leg marked. General anesthetic is usually required and is supplemented by a femoral nerve block which will control the pain post-surgery. After the surgery, the leg will be placed in a straight knee brace which will be removed for exercises by the physiotherapist on the first day after surgery. The larger bandages will also be removed to allow movement. A drain will have been placed in the knee during surgery and this will be removed on the first day following the surgery. The patient will begin mobilizing on day 1 following the surgery, with the aid of the physiotherapist. The patient will be allowed to weight bear as tolerated through the leg. Crutches will be required for six weeks. This allows sufficient time for the osteotomy to heal. Most patients are able to go home two to three days following surgery. Upon discharge, the patient will be seen again within the first two weeks, to assess the wound. A further appointment will be made for six weeks, three months and one year following the surgery. Further X-Rays will be obtained on each occasion.
A knee brace will be required until the patient can comfortably straight leg raise which will occur within the first two weeks following surgery. Once this has been achieved, the brace will no longer be required. However the brace will be removed by the physiotherapist for the initial exercises.
Weight Bearing
Weight bearing will be as tolerated for the first six weeks with the aid of crutches. After six weeks, if X-rays show that healing is satisfactory, the use of crutches can be discontinued.
Physiotherapy is begun early. This is initially directed at quadriceps and hamstring exercises.
Range of motion is slowly built up over the period of the first two to four weeks and full movement will be achieved within that time.
As the patient progresses with physiotherapy, functional exercises will begin with the aim of fast walking by three months, and running and return to sporting activities after six months.
Return to work for those patients who do desk based work is approximately two to four weeks, and for those patients who do manual work, the time for return to work is up to three months.
© Mehul R Shah, M.D. Orthopaedic Surgeon Sports Medicine Arthroscopic New York NY
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Meridian Announces New Manufacturing Leadership
Aberdeen, NC – October 17, 2018 – Meridian, an industry leading kiosk manufacturer and software developer, recently welcomed two new key leaders to their engineering and production teams. Eric Frank will serve as Meridian’s new Engineering Manager and Ricardo Sotomayor will serve as Production Manager. Together, the two bring more than 30 years of combined experience in design and engineering.
Frank, who comes to Meridian from Longview Texas, has spent the past 10 years of his career with Longview-based Micrometl Corporation as both a Design Engineer and Engineering Manager. He is certified in SolidWorks—with advanced specialties in sheet metal, drawing, and surfacing—AutoCad, and lean manufacturing. “I am excited to join a growing company that is always striving to be the leader in the industry, in design and innovation. I look forward to bringing my manufacturing and design experience to the team,” said Frank. As Engineering Manager, Frank will be responsible for leading the engineering and design team and collaborating with sales, manufacturing, and quality assurance to create new designs and improve upon existing ones.
Sotomayor joins Meridian from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico where he spent 12 years in renewable solutions engineering and 7 years with technology-giant, Hewlett Packard, where he carried numerous titles, including Tooling Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, and Process Engineer. Sotomayor also holds certifications in SolidWorks, AutoCad, and Lean Six-Sigma troubleshooting methodologies. As Production Manager, Sotomayor’s main focus will be on optimizing processes and efficiencies in manufacturing as Meridian continues to scale up production to meet increased demand for their products and services. “What I’m most looking forward to in my new challenge at Meridian is the family-based work culture, it fits perfectly with my style and the way I work,” said Sotomayor.
In addition to onboarding Frank and Sotomayor, Meridian’s Senior Project Manager, Amanda Jordan, was promoted to Operations Director. In her new role, Jordan will be responsible for driving processes and procedures to deliver quality products on time. Similarly to Frank and Sotomayor, Jordan is excited about her new role. “I’m looking forward to being more involved in people management, it’s truly our greatest resource,” Jordan said.
Jordan emphasized that this restructuring change is good for Meridian. “In order to meet our increasing volume we need to invest in our structure and resources. This change will enhance and further drive our ambition to be our customers’ first choice in a complete solution kiosk manufacturer.”
The new leadership structure demonstrates Meridian’s ongoing commitment to working as a team to provide the most innovative and highest quality self-service solutions. “With the emphasis on teamwork and collaboration, it gives our people the chance to make a more direct, positive impact on our product and end customer,” said Jordan.
Melissa Tally
October 17, 2018 in News
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Regents discuss Union renovations, divestment in March meeting
Thursday, March 16, 2017 - 10:23pm
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Alexis Rankin/Daily
Jennifer Meer
Matt Harmon
The University of Michigan’s Dearborn campus hosted the year’s second Board of Regents Meeting on Thursday afternoon.
Central to the meeting were talks of renovations to the Michigan Union and divestment from Israel — a topic that was not on the agenda. All regents were in attendance except Regent Denise Ilitch (D), who phoned in.
Union renovations
The regents unanimously approved the estimated $85,200,000 budget proposal for the Michigan Union Renovation Project during the financial segment of the agenda. The construction project itself was approved at the July 2016 meeting.
Originally constructed in 1919, the Union has been a University landmark for many generations of students and faculty. The building’s infrastructural renovations include the general improvement of Union facilities, such as electrical and mechanical work, as well as architectural restoration.
Larger projects in design schematics involve the enclosure of the courtyard for a student space, improved accessibility for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the construction of gender-neutral bathrooms, new CAPS expansion and new student organization space.
Charles Lewis, senior vice president of Integrated Design Solutions, the company being used for the planning of the renovations, presented a slideshow outlining the blueprints and graphics, showcasing what the new Union will look like after the renovations are completed in an estimated three years.
One component Lewis presented that received some questions from Regent Katherine White (D) and other regents was the physical renovation to the North Entrance, on the side of the Union. The current schematics plan replaces the brick awning over the entrance with a glass canopy, allowing more light to reach the entrance. White was concerned about specifics of this renovation. Lewis said this modification would give a better aesthetic impression.
“The North entry is the most heavily used entrance of the Union, in some ways, it’s a front door to the University for visitors, students, staff, faculty, alumni and currently is very dark, hard to find and not very welcoming," White said. "This canopy will create a more appropriate and inviting entry for everyone to come and enjoy the renewed place we call the Michigan Union.”
Prior to the presentation, University alum Alan Knaus, a member of Friends of the Michigan Union, expressed his dissatisfaction with the renovation of certain spaces in the Union for student activities. He said the renovation catered to students over alumni, and eliminated elements of the Union he loves, such as the Billiards Room.
“I was not happy with (the elimination of the Billiards Room) and the alumni that were there were also not very happy about that,” he said. “From my perspective, the Office of Student Life does not belong in the Michigan Union. Essentially it’s supporting 1,400 special interest groups.”
In response to Knaus’s comments, E. Royster Harper, vice president for student life, said the renovated student spaces will help clubs and organizations, not lobbyist groups like Knaus mentioned.
“The 1,400 student organizations that are in the Union, that we are trying to serve, are not special interest organizations,” she said. “They are actually student organizations. Everything from Central Student Government to Dance Marathon. There are a full range of student organizations.”
In addition to the approval of the Union budget, the Board also approved a $35,000,000 budget to increase the square footage of the first floor of the LSA building and improve the Opportunity Hub office.
Sale of the Inglis House
The Board approved the sale of the Inglis House and 9.1 acres of land to cut maintenance costs. Elizabeth Inglis donated the house to the University in 1951, which was used for small meetings and overnight housing for guests until 2012.
After the original action request was approved, the regents proposed the proceeds from the sale be channeled into a scholarship for students in the Inglis family name. A vote on the proposal was held and it passed unanimously. The amount of the scholarship will be announced after the sale of the land.
The board unanimously voted to present an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree to Shirley Stancato, president and CEO of New Detroit, at UM-Dearborn’s Spring 2017 commencement.
Formed during the civil rights movement in 1967, New Detroit organizes programs and works to improve race relations in southeast Michigan. It is reportedly the nation’s largest and oldest urban coalition. Stancato received her bachelor's and master's degrees from Wayne State University.
Divestment from Israel debate
Fiana Arbab, UM-Dearborn Student Government President, began an unanticipated discussion over a resolution to divest from Israeli companies — a topic of contention on both campuses.
In her address reflecting on what she called a successful year in Dearborn Student Government, Arbab noted last week, the assembly unanimously voted in favor of a resolution to divest from businesses and companies that allegedly violate Palestinian rights.
“While the topic at hand has historically been quite a contentious issue, I am so humbled and proud to have witnessed such rigorous conversation (that addressed) potential interpersonal conflicts, systemic marginalization, and institutional implications that may have transnational impact,” she said.
Similar resolutions proposed to UM-Ann Arbor’s Central Student Government by Palestinian advocacy group Students Allied for Freedom and Equality have failed to pass in the last three years.
Arbab said she would be following up with a packet of information about the resolutions the assembly has passed. She encouraged the regents to promote the “principles of equality and justice.”
Regent Mark Bernstein (D) thanked Arbab for her work, but spoke in defense of Israel, citing his position against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement campaign.
“I want to be crystal clear — very clear — about my own unwavering, deeply held position on anything related to BDS,” he said. “I believe it is an intellectually bankrupt, morally repugnant expression of anti-Semitism.”
He pointed to the “3-D Test of Anti-Semitism,” a set of criteria created by an Israeli politician used to differentiate between constructive criticism of Israel and anti-Semitism, standing for the double standards subjecting Israel, as well as delegitimization and demonization of Israel. The double standard, Bernstein said, refers to “singling out Israel for criticism while ignoring the egregious behavior of other major human rights abusers.” Demonization, he said, occurs by way of distorting Israel’s actions and making false comparisons to the Nazi state, among other things. Delegitimization causes Israel’s fundamental right to exist to be denied.
“Beyond the merits of BDS specific terms, it is in many respects perhaps more important observation about the role of universities in society, because I do believe it betrays that in two significant ways,” he said.
First, he said, at an institutional level, great universities must engage the world, and this proposal seeks to remove the University from that engagement. Second, he said, at the individual level, students and faculty must approach problems with an appreciation for the complexity and context of the situation and this resolution ignores the profoundly complicated political issues that are central to the conflict.
Many student groups, including SAFE and Dearborn’s Students for Justice in Palestine, distinguish themselves from the larger BDS movement — often, opposing members call for the “D (divestment), without the BS (boycott and sanction).”
We're asking for the D without the BS #UMDivest
— 〽️ (@PapaMassi) April 1, 2015
In the public comments portion of the meeting, the topic arose again.
Dearborn junior Susan Jenin defended the student government’s resolution, and asked the board to reconsider forming a divestment committee to investigate investments by the University that may violate Palestinian rights.
“The University of Michigan strives to be a leader in inclusion and diversity, while for Palestinians, that hasn’t been the case,” she said. “Our threat of inclusion is our investments. As I pursue my education here, the investments are going to the funding of illegal settlements, of legal occupation of my own village in Palestine. When we asked to end this funding of human rights violations against our families, we are told we must consider the feelings of privileged student on campus whom this would have no impact on.”
Through petitions, she has helped gather between 800 and 900 signatures, to support the resolution — more votes, she said, than in the entire student government election.
“As allies in the University of Michigan system, I am concerned about the student experience of all fellow Palestinian and minority students of a whole,” she said.
She went on to point out that members of SAFE and SJP have been targeted and harassed en masse online. She asked the larger campus community to foster inclusion for Palestinians by condemning organizations that target and harass Palestinians, working to remove students from blacklists and divesting from companies that facilitate human rights violations against Palestinians.
She specifically called out Bernstein for having said he would “never divest,” stating his personal interest and stakes in Israel are “well-documented.” She also asked the regents in general to recognize the issue is larger than any one person’s connection, and is a matter of human rights.
After her comment, Bernstein asked what “documentation” Jinen was referring to, claiming the meeting marked the first time he had spoken publicly on the matter. Dearborn senior Hossean Alziyadi asked if he could speak to the issue, which Bernstein permitted.
Alziyadi claimed Berstein was not supportive of Palestinians as he supported the University's investments in companies that allegedly enable Israeli suppression of Palestinians.
“It doesn’t make sense why we are funding these illegal activities,” Alziyadi said. “Earlier in the year, the UN stated that what Israel is doing is against international law and you come out here and you say you would never divest. If these investigations of the UN have decided to launch go into it further and prove that what is going on in Israel is against human rights, and you will stand and say that you will never divest … (that) speaks for your personal interest in the matter.”
Alziyadi said he hoped the regents he voted into office would see the matter is serious to both Palestinians and non-Palestinians alike.
Bernstein suggested it seemed the speakers had made the inference that, because he was Jewish, he was unable to view the situation objectively.
Dearborn junior Nader Dawoud also spoke, noting that the resolution is against the Israeli government, not the people.
“I’ve heard the argument plenty of times that this resolution has anti-Semitic rhetoric and is isolating the Jewish students on campus,” he said. “Let me be clear that this is an anti-Israeli-government bill, not the people of Israel. The very thought of Israel and Judaism being one entity is a very dangerous idea. To think like this, you’re doing a great disservice to humanity. You are essentially giving free reign to a country to do as they please and you are discrediting all criticism as hateful. We have condemned all forms of anti-Semitism, and I am proud to say we have the support of the Jewish Voice for Peace.”
Then and now: The struggle of divestment at the University
Dearborn student government pushes 'U' to divest funds from Israel
Dearborn student gov't demands divestment
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Do dancing and going to concerts lead to greater happiness? Maybe, says new study
Psychologist Melissa Weinberg and music professor Dawn Joseph found that the survey participants who actively engaged in music tended to report a higher level of general happiness than those who didn’t.
Are you going to a live music event this weekend?
Maybe you should. For a new study from Australia has found that people who go dancing or to other live musical events tend to report higher levels of something psychologists call subjective well-being, but which the rest of us generally refer to as plain ol’ happiness.
Yes, yes. I realize this finding may be pretty obvious (“duh!”), but I thought it interesting, nevertheless. Psychologists (and others) are trying to figure out how music can be best used to treat depression, anxiety and other mood-related disorders.
And, hey, maybe you’ll be able to use this study’s findings to persuade your spouse, partner or friends to go with you to, say, the Square Lake Film and Music Festival in Stillwater this weekend.
It’s worth a try.
Detailed questions
For the study, researchers from Deakin University near Sydney, Australia — psychologist Melissa Weinberg and music professor Dawn Joseph — analyzed data collected from 1,000 people who participated in the 2014 Australian Unity Wellbeing Index, an ongoing study that’s designed to monitor the subjective well-being of the Australian population.
Each year, the survey focuses on a “special topic,” and in 2014 that topic was how people engage with music.
So, in addition to responding to questions that assessed their satisfaction with life and their level of personal well-being, participants were asked a series of yes/no questions about how involved they were in musical pursuits — whether or not they listened to music, played an instrument, sang, danced, created or composed music, and/or attended musical concerts, theater or events.
If the participants sang, danced or played an instrument, they were also asked if they typically did so alone or in the company of others.
After crunching all that data, Weinberg and Joseph found that the survey participants who actively engaged in music — particularly through dancing and attending concerts — tended to report a higher level of general happiness than those who didn’t.
People who hit the dance floor or went to concerts regularly were, for example, more likely to be satisfied with their achievements in life, their relationships and their community than their peers who did neither of those things.
The dancers were also more likely than non-dancers to be happy about their health — not surprising, perhaps, given that dancing involves a physical component that may lead to a better perception of health.
In addition, the concertgoers expressed greater satisfaction than non-concertgoers about their standard of living. That finding is also not surprising. As Weinberg and Joseph note, “In Australia, attending musical events is costly, and may be a privilege afforded to those who earn a higher income.”
The data also suggested that the communal aspect of music seems to be a major factor in its positive effect on happiness.
People who said they sang or danced with others scored higher on many aspects of subjective well-being than those who reported engaging in those musical activities alone. Interestingly, this was not true for people who played a musical instrument. Whether performing alone or with others, their general happiness scores remained the same.
The study comes with all sorts of caveats. To begin with, it was an observational study, so it doesn’t prove that active engagement with music — in any form — improves happiness. Other factors may explain the results: For example, people who dance and go to concerts may be healthier than their peers, and that better health, not the music, may explain their greater satisfaction with life. The study also didn’t collect data on the frequency of the participants’ musical experiences. Nor did it differentiate between people who are musically talented and those who aren’t.
Still, the study adds to a great deal of existing research that has found that people use music as a way of regulating their emotions and mood.
“The insight gained from these findings can be used to inform future interventions and to better understand how music is involved in emotional regulation,” write Weinberg and Joseph.
In the meantime, you might want to take that old advice from British pop idol Cliff Richard (now Sir Cliff Richard) and “put on your dancing shoes.”
FMI: The study was published in the journal Psychology of Music, and can be read in full online.
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Vitamin E and selenium supplements do not prevent dementia, study finds
CC/Flickr/Frederic Poirot
The men who took supplements of vitamin E, selenium or both developed dementia at the same rate — 4.4 percent — as those who took a placebo.
Taking supplements of vitamin E and selenium, either separately or together, does not prevent the onset of dementia in older men, according to a study published Monday in the journal JAMA Neurology.
This finding is yet another blow to the idea that vitamin and mineral supplements can help protect against major age-related chronic diseases.
Indeed, the participants in this study were among 7,540 men aged 60 and older who took part in a clinical trial that was designed to examine whether vitamin E and selenium reduced the risk of developing another age-related disease, prostrate cancer. That study (the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial, or SELECT) was halted prematurely in 2009 (after six years) when researchers became concerned that the supplements were doing more harm than good — that they might actually raise the risk of prostate cancer.
More than half of the men in that study — 3,786 — agreed to be followed for another six years after they went off the supplements as part of the dementia study.
But the findings for that study — known as the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease by Vitamin E and Selenium, or PREADViSE — were equally disappointing. The men who took supplements of vitamin E (400 IU daily), selenium (200 μg daily) or both developed dementia at the same rate — 4.4 percent — as those who took a placebo.
No progress in search for treatment
More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, a number that is expected to grow substantially in coming years as the U.S. population ages.
There’s been no progress so far in finding a treatment for this devastating illness, so researchers have been trying to identify successful approaches to prevention. Antioxidants, such as vitamin E and selenium, have been considered a possibility because some research has suggested that cell-damaging oxidative stress — a process that accelerates with age — may be involved in the formation of the disease.
Previous research — mostly observational studies — that investigated the effects of vitamin E and selenium on Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia have produced mixed results. The current study — a randomized clinical trial, considered the gold standard of research studies — was designed to provide more definitive answers.
Limitations and implications
The study has several limitations. The researchers lost about half of their participants when the SELECT study ended. Furthermore, most of the participants were in their 60s, a decade when the incidence of dementia is quite low. Also, the screening test used to identify dementia may have missed individuals in the early stages of the disease, say the researchers.
Still, the study’s authors are clear about their findings: “The supplemental use of vitamin E and selenium did not forestall dementia and are not recommended as preventive agents.”
“For consumers specifically concerned about brain health and cognition, they should be aware that no scientifically rigorous studies have identified any supplement as an effective treatment or prevention for dementia,” said study co-author Frederick Schmitt, a professor of neurology at the University of Kentucky, in an interview with HealthDay reporter Alan Mozes.
For people who want to do something, he added, “regular physical activity, such as walking, and a heart-healthy diet have much more evidence supporting their effectiveness for reducing dementia risk.”
The study was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Aging.
FMI: You can read the study on the JAMA Neurology website.
Exercise is best ‘youth pill’ around, but 80% — including Minnesotans — fall far short
Only about one in five Americans are meeting the minimum federal guidelines for both aerobic and anaerobic (muscle-strengthening) activity.
Submitted by Ron Gotzman on 03/21/2017 - 04:14 pm.
evidence or opinion?
“regular physical activity, such as walking, and a heart-healthy diet have much more evidence supporting their effectiveness for reducing dementia risk.”
Was this conclusion part of the study?
Submitted by Sheila Ehrich on 03/21/2017 - 04:27 pm.
start younger
I know that to do a “gold standard” study for an extended period of time is difficult, but maybe scientists should start with men AND WOMEN in their forties so that their exposure to preventatives is over a longer period of time.
NRCC credibility plunges with identical, serial charges of 29 Dems being ‘deranged’ (16)
‘The Point’ on why Trump needs to brand Dems with the S-word (12)
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Milton Keynes Education Trust (MKET) was the first multi-academy trust (MAT) and Department for Education sponsor of both primary and secondary schools to be established in Milton Keynes (2011).
Our aim is to improve education provision by creating and developing a mutually beneficial partnership between academy schools (sponsored or converter) and free schools. Since its foundation, MKET has been building its capacity to support an increasing number of partner schools through the creation of a highly effective Executive Team, excellent professional development and the provision of high quality central services.
Walton High, Walnut Tree, Milton Keynes was the founding member of MKET. It is a large 11-19 secondary school with a fully comprehensive intake. In November 2016, Walton High opened a second campus nearby under Milton Keynes Council’s Expanding the Best programme. By 2022 Walton High will grow to be one of the largest schools in the country with 3,000 students over two campuses.
New Chapter Primary School, Coffee Hall, Milton Keynes was the second school to join MKET in January 2013. New Chapter Primary School was sponsored by the Trust in response to a request from the Local Authority. New Chapter is a primary school with about 300 children in Reception through to Year 6 and serves one of the most deprived areas in Milton Keynes.
Heronsgate School, Walnut Tree, Milton Keynes joined the Trust in April 2013 and is a large junior school with children in Year 3 to Year 6. Half the school’s intake transfers from Kents Hills School which is also part of MKET.
Kents Hill School, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes is the most recent school to join the Trust in September 2014. As a two form entry infant school, Kents Hill School benefits significantly from being part of a larger partnership of schools.
Alternative Provision
Walton High
New Chapter Primary
Kents Hill School
Heronsgate
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Top high-school prospects begin Dream Series
TEMPE, AZ - JANUARY 13: during the second annual Dream Series at Tempe Diablo Major League Complex on Saturday, January, 13, 2018 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/MLB Photos via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** (Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
By Jesse Sanchez
PHOENIX -- It's been a year since he first heard the words on the back fields outside Tempe Diablo Stadium, but when Christian Little closes his eyes, he can still hear Junior Spivey's voice."This sport takes time and dedication," Spivey told the teenager last January. "You're good at this, but
PHOENIX -- It's been a year since he first heard the words on the back fields outside Tempe Diablo Stadium, but when Christian Little closes his eyes, he can still hear Junior Spivey's voice.
"This sport takes time and dedication," Spivey told the teenager last January. "You're good at this, but you're going to have to dedicate yourself to it to be great."
Little, a high-school sophomore pitcher from Missouri, is back in Arizona for the third annual Dream Series and he's ready to build on the lessons learned from Spivey and others at last year's camp. The five-day Dream Series, an initiative from Major League Baseball and USA Baseball that features a diverse group of some of the nation's top high-school pitching and catching prospects, begins Thursday with a welcome dinner and continues through Monday at the Spring Training home of the Angels.
The Dream Series, which runs in connection with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, is designed to develop the more than 60 participating athletes for a future in baseball, and diversify the future talent pool.
"Our focus is creating opportunities for the underserved and give training to a group of players that might not get it elsewhere," said Tony Reagins, MLB's Executive Vice President of Baseball and Softball Development. "We feel like the staff we put together and the other components of the initiative will give the access and experience that they might not get. We are very proud that the program continues to grow, and that the talent level continues to grow, too."
In addition to hands-on coaching, the Dream Series will provide the participants information on baseball career opportunities on the professional and collegiate level with daily presentations from former Major Leaguers, scouts, college administrators, and MLB umpires Kerwin Danley and Adrian Johnson. Reds pitcher Amir Garrett is also scheduled to visit.
The Dream Series will also offer athletic assessments, including measurement of agility, movement and cognitive speed, and sports-vision screening, through Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) screenings. A large number of college recruiters and pro scouts were expected to attend to evaluate players.
"They give us notebooks at the beginning, and I would advise every player to write down all of the information and learn it," said Little, who is committed to play collegiately at Vanderbilt. "They give us a lot of good things to use that you wouldn't think you'd be able to use, but when the situation pops up, it's good to have the answers."
Joining Little this week are a number of players who also have committed to elite college programs. The list includes right-handers DJ Jefferson (USC), Trey Faltine (Texas), Michael Braswell (South Carolina), Irving Carter (Miami), Daniel Corona Jr. (Wake Forest), Chris Moore (Tennessee) and Aaron Roberts (University of California, Berkeley) along with catchers Darius Perry (UCLA), Ian Moller (LSU) and Tre Richardson (Houston).
Coaches at this year's Dream Series include former MLB stars Tom "Flash" Gordon, Charles Johnson, Kenny Hill, Spivey, LaTroy Hawkins, Darren Oliver, Marvin Freeman, Gerald Laird, Lenny Webster, Darrell Miller and Sergio Santos. Former MLB manager Jerry Manuel and former MLB front-office executive and scout Reggie Waller will also serve as instructors.
"There are a lot of people at the Dream Series who played in the big leagues a long, long time, and they just have different knowledge about the game, and share different things that worked for them," said Faltine, 18, who attended the Dream Series in 2018. "The coaches really had a big influence on me as far as how you go about your work, the preparation toward a start or relief appearance and the different mindsets of each one. They showed me how to get your body physically and mentally ready to perform at the highest level."
The Dream Series is the first of several events throughout the year designed to create opportunities for players. The Breakthrough Series, The Hank Aaron Invitational, States Play, and numerous amateur tournaments also are scheduled for 2019.
"What we are finding is that the programs are becoming more popular and there is a lot of interest in them," Reagins said. "We are excited about being able to provide these opportunities and looking for ways to expand."
Jesse Sanchez, who has been writing for MLB.com since 2001, is a national reporter based in Phoenix. Follow him on Twitter @JesseSanchezMLB and Facebook.
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Mets sign LHP Justin Wilson
The New York Mets announced today that the club has signed LHP Justin Wilson to a two-year contract. To make room for Wilson on the 40-man roster, the Mets designated infielder Gavin Cecchini for assignment.
The New York Mets announced today that the club has signed LHP Justin Wilson to a two-year contract. To make room for Wilson on the 40-man roster, the Mets designated infielder Gavin Cecchini for assignment.Wilson, 31, stranded 34 of 37 inherited runners with the Chicago Cubs last season, the best
Wilson, 31, stranded 34 of 37 inherited runners with the Chicago Cubs last season, the best rate in the National League and the second-best percentage (91.9%) in the Majors. He has made 346 appearances since 2014, the second-most among left-handed pitchers.
"Justin has had tremendous success vs. left-handers and right-handers," Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen said. "He's a power arm and makes our bullpen much deeper."
He held left-handed batters to a .190 (15-79) average and a .342 slugging mark last year. The 6-2, 205-pounder racked up 69 strikeouts in 54.2 innings over 71 games in 2018.
Wilson has held left-handers to a .241 (116-481) career batting average and right-handers to a .211 (188-889) mark.
He went 5-0 with a 3.10 ERA (21 earned runs/61.0 innings) and 66 strikeouts in 74 games with the Yankees in 2015. The Anaheim, CA native collected a career-high 13 saves in 2017 with Detroit.
Wilson is 26-19 with 14 saves, 110 holds, 407 strikeouts and a 3.33 ERA (137 earned runs/370.2 innings) in 412 Major League games with the Pirates, Yankees, Tigers and Cubs.
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A New Obamacare Mystery: How Many Uninsured People Signed Up For New Coverage?
The fine folks at HHS released some new data on Obamacare signups today. Quick stats: 8 million people signed up; 34 percent are under age 35; and 54 percent are female. But here’s the head scratcher:
Of the 5.45 million people who selected a Marketplace plan through the [federal exchange]….5.18 million (95 percent) applied for financial assistance and were required to answer a question about their health insurance coverage. Of these 5.18 million who applied for financial assistance and selected in a plan, 695,011
(13 percent) indicated that they had coverage at the time of application.
So this means that on the federal exchange, about 4.5 million people signed up who were previously uninsured. If we figure a somewhat lower rate for the 2.6 million who signed up via state exchanges, you can add about 2 million to that number.
In other words, in total, the exchanges signed up about 6.5 million people who were previously uninsured. This is far, far higher than previous estimates of about 3 million or so. I’m not sure what to make of this given the amount of survey data that produced the smaller figure. Perhaps it’s a difference in what counts as uninsured? Or a difference in how people respond to pollsters vs. how they respond to an official question on an application. Hard to say. The full HHS report is here, and it acknowledges the different estimates but provides no guesses about why they vary so widely.
For now, just take this as a bit of a mystery. In a month or two we’ll probably have much firmer data on all this stuff.
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I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
***1/2
DVD review by Marty Mapes
One could argue that I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang is dated. Some of the specific conventions used just aren’t done anymore. Pages fall from a wall calendar to show the passage of time. The camera pans across a map to show changes in locale. But deep down, the movie is still vibrant, engaging, tense, and suspenseful. It’s one of the reasons people do — and should — watch classic cinema.
Nominated for 1932’s Best Picture Oscar, I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang stars Paul Muni (nominated for Best Actor). He stars as James Allen, a man just back from the Great War. His old job awaits him, but having been an Army engineer, he wants to build bridges, and not just while away his life at the shoe factory. He sets out across the country looking for construction jobs.
Somewhere in the south (the movie carefully avoids incriminating a specific state), he falls in with a decent-seeming fellow who knows where to beg a burger. When the last patron leaves, his “friend” all of a sudden pulls a gun on the proprietor. Allen is quickly caught, and as the crook’s “accomplice” he is sentenced to ten years on a chain gang.
One of the reasons people do — and should — watch classic cinema
Movie credits
Paul Muni
Helen Vinson
Based on a book by
Movie facts
MPAA rating
Audio commentary by professor Richard Jewell
Short subject musical comedy
DVD scorecard
Picture: ***
Sound: ***
Extras: ***1/2
Overall: ***1/2
Written for TCM
Call Northside 777
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Greg Harrison: November director on grief and structure
The Best of Youth
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Mike Binder: Director/actor walks the line between indie and studio
Over the course of a year, Allen makes plans to escape. For later chain gang movies, this is often the extent of the conflict. But I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, based on a true story, has much more ground to cover. Allen escapes up north, where he makes a new name for himself in construction, working his way up from laborer to foreman, from management to tycoon.
The film’s final conflict kicks in when representatives from the southern state track him down in Chicago and demand his extradition to serve out his term. Chicago refuses, but Allen, wanting to free his conscience, agrees to go, with the promise that after 90 days he will be pardoned. But the state, outrageously, breaks its promise and Allen must try yet another escape, knowing that he’ll be watched even more closely if he manages to get away.
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang is a roller coaster of both plot and emotion, and Muni, a trained stage actor who came to Hollywood when the sound era began, conveys they highs and lows to us through his swarthy good looks and everyman charisma.
I Am a Fugitive is available on DVD for the first time as part of Warner Home Video’s Controversial Classics collection. This DVD offers three special features, most notably an audio commentary by USC film professor Richard Jewell.
While Jewell’s audio commentary is not as densely informative as some, nor as conversationally engaging as others, he is well prepared and provides plenty of pertinent information about the movie and the stories behind it.
As “James Allen’s” story unfolds, Jewell fills us in on the true story of Robert Burns, who wrote the autobiography I Am a Fugitive from a Georgia Chain Gang, and who worked as a consultant on the film. As Jewell points out, the studio removed the name of the state so as not to alienate southern moviegoers. Nevertheless, the cruelty of the chain gang system as presented in the film is accurate. “Warners really did not exaggerate the conditions in these camps,” says Jewell, which is probably one reason the movie is still fascinating today.
Burns really was a veteran of the Great War, but he wasn’t the hero that “James Allen” was. He was more of a shell-shocked drifter, according to Jewell, and that’s why he had trouble holding on to a job. But the depression-era movie audience would have surely sympathized with “James Allen,” who simply couldn’t find a job because there was no work to be had.
Today’s audiences have one advantage over contemporary audiences. We get to know what happened to Robert Burns after the movie was released. I Am a Fugitive was a popular film, seen by millions of Americans. The release of the movie emboldened Burns, who even showed up at some of the movie’s screenings in his home state of New Jersey to speak out against the chain gang system. What happened next is a fascinating story, as told by Jewell, although I won’t give away the specifics here.
The DVD also includes a short subject film called “20,000 Cheers for the Chain Gang.” If you don’t know in advance that it’s a musical comedy, you’ll be shocked at how glib the film is about life on a chain gang, especially if you’ve just watched the harrowing feature film. (“This is bizarre,” said a friend as we watched.) But when the “bloodhounds” are unleashed on our comedic heroes, and they stumble upon an ad-hoc musical tribute to soda pop, you’ll understand the nature of the short.
The final DVD feature is a theatrical trailer (“56 other important players! More than 2000 extras!”), presumably from 1932. And while nearly everyone would agree that the trailer is dated, I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang is still a gripping and suspenseful film, more than 70 years after its initial release.
Republished by permission of Turner Classic Movies
John Currie: I remember seeing this movie on Turner Classis Movies more than a year ago, and I remember late in the movie after his 2nd escape that he writes a book about his experiences and delivers it to a publisher friend. In the same movie I watched last week on TCM there was no scene of Muni delivering a manuscript to the publisher.TCM tells me they did not cut the movie and do not know of the scene I am talking about. Did I dream this scene? Any info you may have would be appreciated. thanks. jc September 16, 2006 reply
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Our Catalog Genre for Featured Categories Horror
The Twilight Zone: The Complete Definitive Collection
The Twilight Zone: The Complete Definitive Collection by Paramount at Movi Ki. MPN: 80. Hurry! Limited time offer. Offer valid only while supplies last. For the first time ever, find all 156 complete episodes of Rod Serling's groundbreaking series in one box set, packed with exciting extras! Travel to another dimension of sight and sound again and again through these stellar remastered high-definition film transfers. Extras include the fascinating Serling bio-documentary Submitted for Your Approval, compelling interviews with the show's writers, the series' unaired pilot, audio commentaries with Martin Landau, Leonard Nimoy, Cliff Robertson and
For the first time ever, find all 156 complete episodes of Rod Serling's groundbreaking series in one box set, packed with exciting extras! Travel to another dimension of sight and sound again and again through these stellar remastered high-definition film transfers. Extras include the fascinating Serling bio-documentary Submitted for Your Approval, compelling interviews with the show's writers, the series' unaired pilot, audio commentaries with Martin Landau, Leonard Nimoy, Cliff Robertson and much, much more! The Twilight Zone - Season 1 (The Definitive Edition) Submitted for your approval: The Twilight Zone's inaugural season, all 36 episodes complete with Rod Serling's original promos for the following week's episode, not seen since their original broadcast. To discuss television's greatest anthology series whose title has become pop culture shorthand for the bizarre and supernatural is to immediately become like Albert Brooks and Dan Aykroyd in Twilight Zone: The Movie; a can-you-top-this recall of famous shocks and favorite twists. Several essential episodes hail from this season, among them, "Time Enough at Last" starring Burgess Meredith as a bespectacled bookworm who is the lone survivor of an atomic blast; "The After-Hours" starring Anne Francis as a department store shopper haunted by mannequins; and the profoundly disturbing "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street," in which fear and prejudice turns neighbor against neighbor (and, by the by, whose alien observers inspired Kang and Kodos on The Simpsons). From an unsettlingly persistent hitchhiker to a malevolent slot machine, The Twilight Zone's first season did plumb "the pit of man's fears." One forgets how moving the series could be. Three of this season's most memorable and enduring episodes are the poignant and primal "stop-the-world-I-want-to-get-off fantasies, "Walking Distance," "A Stop at Willougby" and "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine," in which desperate characters seek refuge in a simpler past. Serling's few stabs at comedy ("Mr. Bevis," "The Mighty Casey") have not aged well, but the series finale, "A World of His Own," starring Keenan Wynn as a playwright whose fictional characters come to life, has a brilliant capper. The episodes are more deliberately paced than one might remember. Less patient younger viewers might be anxious to get to the payoffs, but once they settle into the rhythm, they will savor the literate writing and the performances by such veteran actors as Ed Wynn, Everett Sloan, and Ida Lupino, and newcomers such as Jack Klugman. The extras, including the unaired version of the pilot episode, "Where is Everybody?", audio commentaries and recollections, and a Serling college lecture, truly take this six-disc set to another dimension. --Donald Liebenson The Twilight Zone - Season 2 (The Definitive Edition) The middle ground between light and shadow just became a whole lot sharper and detailed with this stellar five-disc set, which compiles the entire second season of Rod Serling's classic television series, The Twilight Zone, and gilds the whole package by including a treasure trove of supplemental material. TZ's second season (1960-61) is a stand-out in the series' history thanks to its sheer number of memorable stories; among the episodes that have achieved pop culture landmark status are the chilling "Eye of the Beholder" (a disfigured woman undergoes surgery to appear more "normal") and "The Silence" (Franchot Tone wagers that Liam Sullivan cannot silent for a year); "The Invaders" (Agnes Moorhead is pitted against tiny space travelers), "Long Distance Call" (Lost in Space's Billy Mumy converses with a deceased relative on his toy phone), and the more light-hearted "Night of the Meek," in which department store Santa Claus Art Carney gets a chance to fulfill the real St. Nick's duties. As always, the combination of sharp, intelligent scripting (mostly by Serling, but with notable contributions by Charles Beaumont, Richard Matheson, and George Clayton Johnson) and superb casting (guest stars include Cliff Robertson, Dennis Weaver, Burgess Meredith, William Shatner, John Carradine, and Don Rickles) produces television that remains as thought-provoking and entertaining today as it was over 40 years ago. Though The Twilight Zone has received numerous home video releases over the years, the aptly titled Definitive Edition is arguably the finest presentation of this series to date. Each of the episodes have been digitally remastered from original camera negatives (even the episodes filmed on videotape look good) and magnetic soundtracks; Serling's previews for upcoming episodes and advertising "billboards" (sponsor spots) have also been included, as have commentaries by Rickles, Weaver, Robertson, Shelly Berman, and other performers. Clips of Serling on The Jack Benny Show and in conversation with Mike Wallace, audio interviews with cast and crew members by Twilight Zone Companion author Marc Scott Zicree, radio adaptations of classic episodes, and even the script for "Twenty-Two," complete with Serling's notes, round out the set, which belongs in the collection of anyone who's ever been enthralled by this landmark series. Now, if only the same treatment could be afforded to Serling's other anthology program, Night Gallery… --Paul Gaita The Twilight Zone - Season 4 (The Definitive Edition) Despite major changes in personnel and the ill-advised switch to a full-hour format, Twilight Zone (with "The" removed from its title) began its fourth season on a promising note. Written by series veteran Charles Beaumont, the premiere episode "In His Image" maintained the high standards that Rod Serling had established throughout the first three seasons, and the story--about a man (George Grizzard) who builds an exact robot replica of himself, with dire consequences--fit well into the hour-long format that Serling reluctantly went along with. Twilight Zone struggled with its expanded length, resulting in some episodes that lack the consistent punch of earlier half-hour episodes. Exhausted by three seasons of prodigious creativity, Serling and Buck Houghton vacated their roles as producers (with Serling's involvement limited to script feedback, writing nearly half of the season's episodes, and on-screen hosting), and TV veteran Herbert Hirschman became the new show-runner (departing mid-season, he was replaced by Bert Granet), promising not to tinker with the series' proven success. But Twilight Zone was inevitably becoming a shadow of its former self, and the involvement of proven TZ writers like Richard Matheson, Earl Hamner, Jr., and Beaumont could not entirely compensate for Serling's growing detachment. Still, these 18 episodes include some fine examples of enduring quality, such as Matheson's "Death Ship," starring Jack Klugman and Ross Martin in a recurring nightmare scenario, and featuring the same spaceship model used in the 1956 sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet. Beaumont's "Miniature," starring Robert Duvall, was the only hour-long episode pulled from initial syndication (due to a plagiarism lawsuit that was ultimately dismissed), so its inclusion here (along with color scenes from its eventual syndication) is a welcome treat. Serling lampoons the medium of television with "The Bard" (with an early appearance by Burt Reynolds), and his teleplay for "On Thursday We Leave for Home" is the season's highlight, ranking among Twilight Zone's finest science-fiction episodes. It remained clear, however, that Twilight Zone was past its prime, and when the series was renewed for a fifth season in the spring of 1963, a return to its original half-hour format was a belated step in the right direction. Of course, season 4's overall strengths and weaknesses won't matter to collectors of The Definitive Edition DVD sets, and a wealth of archival bonus features make this a must-have addition to anyone's TZ collection. Image Entertainment and features producer Paul Browstein deserve extra credit for their diligent assembly of supplements that render all previous TZ releases virtually obsolete. Nothing has been overlooked, from the commentary (on "Death Ship") and interview clips by acclaimed TZ expert Mark Scott Zicree to the inclusion of a vintage TZ spoof from Saturday Night Live, radio-show adaptations starring Blair Underwood, Jason Alexander, Lou Diamond Phillips and others, and a vintage Twilight Zone comic book, accessible on computers with Adobe reader installed. There's even a brief Rod Serling blooper taken from a scratchy 16-millimeter print, proving that no stone was left unturned in making this a truly definitive TZ collection. --Jeff Shannon
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
Brand: Paramount
Part Number: 80
Publisher: Image Entertainment
Studio: Image Entertainment
MPN: 80
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Grimm: The Complete Collection
By Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
The classic Grimms' fairytales come to life with Grimm: The Complete Collection. Portland homicide detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) discovers he's descended from a long line of Grimms, who are charged with keeping balance between humanity and the creatures of myth. With newly awoken abilities to detect the evil lurking among us, Nick tackles gruesome and bizarre crimes linked to creatures of lore. As even more dangerous Wesen make their way to the great northwest, it's going to take
Tales from the Crypt: The Complete Seasons 1-7 (7-Pack)
By Warner
Tales from the Crypt: The Complete Seasons 1-7 (7-Pack)]]>Tales from the Crypt: The Complete First Season Based on the legendary and gruesome EC Comics from publisher William Gaines, this horror anthology featured stories of murder, the super natural, gore and humor and always had a twist ending of sorts. Some of Hollywood's biggest names took part, either working in front or behind the camera. Hosting duties fell to everyone's favorite decaying.
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PUBLIC NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR BOND RELEASE FOR SURFACE COAL MINING AND RECLAMATION PERMIT
Published on 12 November 2009
PUBLIC NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR BOND RELEASE FOR SURFACE COAL MINING AND RECLAMATION PERMIT MONTICELLO WINFIELD MINE, PERMIT NO. 34E LUMINANT MINING COMPANY LLC DOCKET NO. C10-0007-SC-34-F, 2,135.0 ACRES
Pursuant to Section 134.128 - .134 of the Texas Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act, TEX. NAT. RES. CODE ANN. (Vernon 2009) and Section 12.312 - .313 of the Coal Mining Regulations, Tex. R.R. Comm’n, 16 TEX. ADMIN. CODE Ch. 12 (West 2009), Luminant Mining Company LLC, 500 N. Akard Street, Dallas, Texas 75201, has submitted its application to the Railroad Commission of Texas for Phase I (749.6 acres); Phases I, II, and III (150.4 acres); and Phases II and III (1,235.0 acres); release of reclamation performance bond obligations for a portion of its Monticello Winfield Mine Permit No. 34E in Titus and Franklin Counties, Texas. The Monticello Winfield Mine permit area is located in Titus and Franklin Counties, Texas, approximately two miles north of Mount Pleasant, Texas. Permit No. 34E was approved on October 23, 2007.
The applicant requests a release of Phases I, II, & III (100%) reclamation obligations on 150.4 acres; Phases II & III (40%) reclamation obligations on 1,235.0 acres; and Phase I (60%) reclamation obligations on 749.6 acres. The areas requested are shown on the map printed with this public notice. Mining operations were conducted on the 2,135.0 acres in 1981–2004. Final grading was accomplished on these areas in 1981-2004, and vegetation was planted in 1982–2007. The approved postmine land use for this acreage is pastureland (483.6 acres), fish and wildlife habitat (551.2 acres), developed water resources (83.5 acres), Industrial/Commercial (12.4 acres), and forestry (1,004.3 acres). These areas were accepted by the Commission into the five year extended responsibility period from 1998–2008.
The following structures are located within the boundaries of this release area: 10 permanent impoundments, 15 permanent roads, 8 permanent diversions, and 49 drop structures.
A portion of the area requested for release was used as a disposal site for Class III waste in accordance with Railroad Commission and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulations.
The accepted bond for Permit No. 34E is $87,000,000. The applicant does not seek adjustment to the approved bond as a result of this application; however, an eligible bond reduction amount may be determined.
Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on the application within thirty days after the last date of publication of this notice in a local newspaper. All written comments, objections or requests for public hearing or informal conference on the application should be directed to:
Mr. John E. Caudle, Director
Surface Mining and Reclamation Division
Railroad Commission of Texas
A copy of the complete application may be inspected at the main office of the Railroad Commission of Texas at 1701 North Congress, William B. Travis Building, Austin, Texas; at the Commission’s Regional Office located at 2202 Old Henderson Highway, Tyler, Texas 75702, in the office of the Franklin County Clerk, 200 North Kaufman Street, Mount Vernon, TX 75457 and in the office of the Titus County Clerk, 100 West First Street, Suite 204, Mount Pleasant, TX 75455. The application may be supplemented and should be reviewed periodically.
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https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/State-must-recognize-agriculture-as-economic-12652234.php
State must recognize agriculture as economic powerhouse
Published 12:00 am CST, Sunday, December 29, 2013
From a purely simplistic view, farming would seem like something so steeped in tradition that nothing ever changes.
That’s far from the reality, and lawmakers need to start recognizing the need to restore efforts to plan now for the growing demands placed on agriculture.
Unfortunately, in such a suburban-controlled state as Illinois, people lose sight of the fact that there has been an explosion of technological and agriculture methods threatening to fade away because of a lack of funding.
Those of us in central and southern Illinois are well-aware of the cultural and economic impact of farming on our communities. But for the sake of those in the places where fields turn to asphalt and skyscrapers, there are a few things worth remembering: Illlinois is the center of soybean and corn production and ranks fourth in hog production and the state is in the top five nationwide for agriculture output.
Illinois agriculture accounts for almost 1.5 million jobs — that’s about a quarter of the state’s employment — and a fourth of its exported products.
Given those numbers, it would seem there would be some sort of plan for ensuring the continued existence and even growth of the industry.
There really isn’t, though.
What those involved in agribusiness need is an idea of how this vibrant sector of Illinois’ economy can be strengthened and where farmers can turn to be informed about and implement some of the advances being made. It’s also important everyone involved in the chain — from growers to family farms and processors — have resources available to help them parse rapid-fire changes that could both help and hinder them.
Things such as how to work with the government, or how to tap into foreign markets or even just how to best manage their land are quite real issues for farmers today.
If farming were, say, nano-science, there would be plenty of opportunities available to keep them up to date. There would also be grants available for studies and assistance.
In farming, there is little such help. Instead, the money made available for agricultural pursuits has been sifted and drained.
In 2000, a grant program called Agri-First tried to fill that void. Now, it is essentially empty. At one point the state was giving $15 million to the Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research. Now there is nothing.
Times are tough and money is tight right now, but this is an investment the state cannot allow to wither away. Growers need to speak out and make certain their voices are heard.
And the quarter of the state’s population that realizes the importance of agriculture needs to make sure the others understand just how crucial it is to Illinois’ physical and financial future.
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Grad finds purpose in the personal support worker field
Submitted by meaghan.drury on Thu, 07/19/2018 - 12:36
“Mohawk will always have a place in my heart because it helped me find my calling.”
A calling – this is how Miranda Ferrier ’06 describes what led her to become the founder and president of the Ontario Personal Support Workers Association and the current president of the Canadian Support Workers Association.
Back in 2005, while working in her father’s bakery, Miranda first learned of the Personal Support Worker (PSW) field when an older gentleman came into the shop with his PSW by his side. Miranda had to know what career would allow her to work with and help elderly people. The PSW responded and the following fall, Miranda was enrolled in Mohawk’s Personal Support Worker program.
It was the intense eight-month program that Miranda credits as the foundation to her success. At Mohawk, she gained both the knowledge and support she still relies upon today. In fact, she still considers many of her former instructors valued mentors who continue to help guide her along her career.
Before even graduating, Miranda was hired by a long-term care facility in Paris, Ontario, where she worked hard to make a difference in the lives of the residents in her care. She would also do what she could to advocate on behalf of herself and her co-workers to improve working conditions.
One day, while searching for information online about supports for PSWs, Miranda discovered there was actually little to be found. This led to humble beginnings with the creation of the Facebook group, “Personal Support Workers Unite” where she invited her fellow Mohawk PSW grads to discuss the many aspects of their field. Within a week, the group grew to 700 members. Miranda had identified an obvious need in her beloved field.
This led her to the Canadian Support Workers Association (formerly, PSW Canada) where with the help of her Mohawk teachers and mentors, Sandra Hanna, and Ellen Corsini-Chappel, she created the Ontario chapter known today as the Ontario Personal Support Workers Association (OPSWA). Miranda is currently the president of both associations.
With a passion for the issues surrounding PSWs both province and country-wide, she soon became the go-to voice of her profession. After an undercover report by the Toronto Star and a feature by Maclean’s magazine, the government took notice. Since then, she has worked hard to bring more regulations to the field of PSWs and has lobbied to make self-regulation a priority with the new PC government.
As of 2018, OPSWA has over 33,000 members who are all verified graduates of accredited programs. It is known as the only PSW association in Ontario that verifies its members as personal support workers – since PSW is not a protected title, anyone can call themselves one. OPSWA provides a database of background-checked workers that can be verified by anyone in the public hiring a PSW.
When looking back on her education with fellow classmates, Miranda shares, “the one thing that Mohawk gave us was a passion for the field. We never once felt we were any less than a nurse.” She goes on, “We felt that we did – and do, play a vital part in the healthcare team. They instilled that confidence in us. They made us feel important for becoming a PSW.”
To the future students and graduates of the program, Miranda affirms, “it’s an honour to be a PSW. We serve those that cannot serve themselves. You are choosing the most important job on the front-line of Ontario healthcare and you are desperately needed.”
When planning security around the RBC Canadian Open golf championship at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in June, Hamilton Police Service put a new spin on the definition of high-tech security.
They incorporated new technology to detect and track drones in the area.
Working with airspace security company Dedrone, Hamilton…
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Why Some Museums have Charm
In which Rachel asks why some museums have charm
What I’ve learnt from Fictional Museums
Making Post-Museum Art
Lost Worlds And Pennies From Heaven
The Charismatic Ghost Of Enid Porter
Be the first to hear about our latest articles
The Museum Of Marco Polo
We hope you’ve enjoyed the Museum of Marco Polo and that it’s got you thinking about Time, Memory, Stories and the role of Imagination and Creativity in museums, whether they are real, lightly fictional or utterly imaginary. We hope it’s also got you wondering why some museums are so poetic and how it is that such solidly three-dimensional things should be as much about ideas as they are about artefacts.
But now museums are going through hard times. They are under severe financial pressure, and maybe because of this they are turning experimental. They are bringing in theatre-makers, inviting communities to co-create their exhibitions, and questioning their own stories.
At the same time novelists, poets, film-makers and artists like Mark Dion and Michael Rakowitz are falling in love with the language of museums.
There’s a feeling that we’ve come to the end of one way of making museums; also that museums are no longer the sole owners of their content and stories.
And so we’ve launched this new version of the Museum of Marco Polo to understand and celebrate the role of Imagination and Innovation in museum-making.
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'It broke our hearts' customers upset that O'Charley's closed in Brentwood
By: Alexandra Koehn
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (WTVF) — Loyal O'Charley's Restaurant & Bar customers were shocked and upset to hear that the restaurant in Brentwood has closed its doors for good.
Jesilee Northington thought it would be the perfect lunch spot on Thursday.
"I was in the area, had a coupon, and they're closed," she said.
Ron Dix said he was devastated over the closure. He's been going to the restaurant for happy hour for decades.
"It broke our hearts," said Dix. "A group of us guys and girls came here and over the years we called ourselves the 'dog asses' haha.”
He said their 'club' hasn't found a new meeting spot.
Dix said, "They can pop in, pop out, and I would come here around 5:30p.m. have a couple adult beverages, and then go home, and my wife always knew where I was... staying out of trouble, being a good boy."
According to the company's CEO, they decided to not renew the lease. They issued a statement, it said in part:
"The lease terms for our Brentwood and Spring Hill locations expired in November. As with any closings, we appreciate our guests and the many friends we made over the years. We are also grateful to our team members who so capably served our guests. We have assisted our team members in transition to other area stores or new employment. Going forward, we extend a warm welcome for our guests to join us at our neighboring O’Charley's restaurants in Franklin and on White Bridge Road in Nashville. As part of an ongoing commitment to the nation’s active and veteran military service members, we donated a portion of sales from the Brentwood location’s final days of operation (November 11-14) to the Folded Flag Foundation. O’Charley’s offers a 10% discount to members of the military all year long, a free meal on Veteran’s Day, and we raised more than $170,000 in 2018 for an aggregate amount raised in the last three years of more than $390,000 for Folded Flag Foundation. Folded Flag is a non-profit organization that provides educational scholarships and support grants to families of our nation’s fallen service members."
Now, the fate of the former O'Charley's property remains unknown.
Dix said, "I understand they're going to build office complexes here in this location."
Dix would prefer it be an O'Charley's restaurant or at least another restaurant.
Dix said, "This is a stomping ground, I mean the place we love so dear."
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Did The World's Oldest Person Ever Lie About Her Age? A Russian Mathematician Thinks So
By Donica Phifer On 1/5/19 at 11:25 PM EST
A French woman's world record as the world's oldest person was allegedly obtained via fraud, a Russian mathematician has claimed.
According to a report from the Washington Post, Jeanne Calment, who died in 1997 at the age of 122, could have actually been her daughter, Yvonne. Calment was named by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest person ever, living 122 years and 164 days.
Mathematician Nikolay Zak released a report that states he believes that Yvonne assumed her mother's identity to avoid inheritance taxes in the 1930s. In the report, Zak presents a theory that Jean's death was reported as Yvonne's in 1934. If Yvonne assumed her mother's identity, she would have been 99 at the time of her death.
Zak's evidence includes interviews given by Calment where she frequently confuses her husband and her father, as well as several physical discrepancies including a different eye color listed on a passport from the 1930s compared to eye color later in life, and changes to Calment's chin and forehead.
Other evidence proposed by Zak includes Calment ordering a family friend to burn all photos of herself and her family after the archive in her hometown of Arles, France asked that she send some photographs.
"In 1994, shortly before the new year, Madame Bigonnet, a cousin of her grandson and heiress of Jeanne Calment, said: "When she says something to you, it is impossible to disobey. One day, she told me to burn all her old photos. I had to obey, reluctantly." Luckily, Madame Bigonné managed to save some photos from the fire. Apparently, Jeanne decided to destroy the photos and other documents when she was requested to send them to the archives of Arles. Being in the nursing home and not being able to destroy the documents herself, Jeanne resorted to the help of a distant relative. Most likely, it was a result of cold calculation and acute necessity instead of an emotional act," Zak writes.
While Zak's report has created headlines and controversy, scientist Jean-Marie Robine, who validated Calment's age and wrote a book about her life, dismissed the allegation.
"Can you imagine how many people would have lied? Overnight, Fernand Calment [Jeanne's husband] would have passed his daughter for his wife and everyone would have kept silent? It is staggering," Robine said to Smithsonian Magazine.
Guinness World Records has also dismissed the claim, saying via spokeswoman Rachel Gluck: "Extensive research is performed for every oldest person record title we verify, which is led by experts in the gerontology field, and they have been notified of the current situation."
Zak told the Post that he began looking into Calment's life in September 2018 after studying mortality rates in people over age 105.
"I funded the work myself, it was a fascinating detective story in front of me. Those who criticize my work heavily are those who have a huge conflict of interest or those who didn't read it," Zak said.
However, Zak told Reuters that he did not have "cast-iron proof" that Calment had lied.
Did The World's Oldest Person Ever Lie About Her Age? A Russian Mathematician Thinks So | U.S.
World's Oldest Person Chiyo Miyako Dies at 117
Is This the Real Oldest Person in the World?
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What was Craig Mack's Cause of Death? 'Flava in Ya Ear' Rapper and Diddy Protege Dead at 46
By Tufayel Ahmed On 3/13/18 at 6:54 AM EDT
Culture Music
Rapper Craig Mack, best known for the song "Flava in Ya Ear," has died aged 46.
The musician died of heart failure at a hospital near his home in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Monday, reports the New York Daily News. They cited music producer Alvin Toney, who was behind Mack's debut album Project: Funk da World.
"God bless my friend. He was a good friend of mine," Toney told the newspaper.
Toney said that Mack had been ill for some time.
"He was prepared for whatever comes, to go home to the Lord. He was prepared to do that. He wasn't scared. He was ready," said the music producer.
Craig Mack in 'Flava in Ya Ear' music video. Bad Boy Entertainment
Toney noted that Mack is survived by a wife and two adult children.
Mack was a protégé of Diddy, who signed him to his Bad Boy Entertainment record label. He released his summer hit, "Flava in Ya Ear," in 1994. The song peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Mack's debut album, Project: Funk da World, was released in September 1994. It reached No. 21 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
Mack's Bad Boy career was eventually eclipsed by another rapper on the same label: The Notorious B.I.G., whose debut album Ready to Die was also released in September 1994 was eventually certified four-times platinum.
With the spotlight shifting to Biggie, Mack departed Bad Boy. He released just one other album, Operation: Get Down, in 1997. That record was less successful than his debut, peaking at No. 46.
Mack left the music industry shortly thereafter and resurfaced in 2012 when he espoused his religious beliefs in a YouTube video upon joining the Overcomer Ministry church in Walterboro.
DJ Funkmaster Flex was among those to pay tribute to Mack on social media:
Rest In Peace! Good brother... #CraigMack .... Alvin Toney love my brother...
A post shared by FunkFlex (@funkflex) on Mar 12, 2018 at 11:15pm PDT
Rest in Peace CRAIG MACK. Long Island's own. We were proud of Craig when he came out with the little indie song as MC EZ & TROUP. Then a few years later he went on to make one of the biggest most iconic songs in Hip Hop history. Rest EZ. Never forgotten. We love ya bro
— R.A. the Rugged Man (@RAtheRuggedMan) March 13, 2018
RIP Craig Mack, Bad Boy's first album artist. He had two perfect singles and the platonic rap remix. That's more than most. May he kick that ol' robotic, futuristic, George Jetson crazy shit in the infinite. pic.twitter.com/yjoHjIH00Z
— Otto Von Biz Markie (@Passionweiss) March 13, 2018
What was Craig Mack's Cause of Death? 'Flava in Ya Ear' Rapper and Diddy Protege Dead at 46 | Culture
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Clerk in Meek Mill's Prison Sentence Hearing Fired
The Grammy for 'Album of the Year' Finally Embraces Rap
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Marco Rubio’s Reboot for the Trump Era
And what it tells us about when Republican senators break with Trump.
Rubio’s strategy, like that of so many other senators, has been to engage Trump where he can and fight him where he can’t. When will he stop engaging and start fighting?
Photograph by Eric Thayer / NYT / Redux
A little more than a week ago, Senator Jeff Flake gave a scathing graduation speech to the Harvard Law School class of 2018. Flake is one of just a handful of Republicans on Capitol Hill who have emerged as consistent public critics of President Trump. Now that he’s leaving the Senate rather than seeking reëlection, Flake has also become increasingly brutal in his assessment of his colleagues. His fellow-Republicans on the Hill are “willing accomplices” to the daily “calamity” that is Trump, Flake said. Instead of doing its job, he concluded, Congress under the leadership of his party today “is utterly supine in the face of the moral vandalism that flows from the White House daily.”
A few hours after this speech, I went up to Capitol Hill to speak with one of Flake’s colleagues, the man whom Flake had endorsed over Trump in the 2016 Republican primaries, the Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio. During the primaries, Rubio, like Flake, called Trump a liar who was destroying the Republican Party (one with unsettlingly small hands, to boot). Yet Trump eviscerated Rubio in the race for the nomination, trashing him as “Little Marco” and beating him in sixty-six of sixty-seven counties in Florida, his home turf. Last year, as Trump became President, Rubio, still just forty-five years old, returned to the Senate with an uncertain future.
An optimist who had sold himself as a child-of-immigrants success story from a swing state and embraced the Republican Party’s traditional hawkish internationalism, Rubio seemed out of step with the G.O.P.’s Trumpian new politics of immigrant-bashing and America First-ism. But Rubio hesitated to join Flake in outright opposition to Trump, and generally kept his head down through much of the President’s tumultuous first year. In recent weeks, he’s been more visible, and, when we met in his Senate office, I asked Rubio what he made of the tough words from his friend Flake. Rubio responded with a long and angsty disquisition on what it means to be a Republican senator in the age of Trump, trapped in a “daily outrage cycle” that the President is expert at manipulating, and forced into confronting the choice that politicians hate to make, between their ability to influence the Administration and their need to speak out.
“Everyone is trying to figure out how can we do our job in this environment,” Rubio told me in an interview for The New Yorker Radio Hour. Flake and others, he said, “believe that their job is just to be a consistent critic of the things the President’s doing wrong, and I respect that decision.” As for himself, “Yes, there are issues that will cross the line, and you’ve got to speak out, but you’ve also got a job to do on a regular basis, and it’s just that if we spend all day just responding to the daily outrage cycle, we don’t have time to do the rest of our job. And so everyone’s found a different way forward. I found, if there are lines that are crossed, I’m going to speak out strongly.”
In recent weeks, Rubio has been doing just that, tweeting pointed criticism at Trump on his trade dealings with China, voicing skepticism on the Sunday shows about whether North Korea will really enter into an agreement to give up its nuclear weapons after a summit Trump is pushing. But Rubio is no Flake, and he knows it. He’s also managed to stay on Trump’s good side personally, and is one of many Republicans on Capitol Hill whom the President calls at all hours of the day and night for advice and counsel. Many see Rubio as an architect of the Administration’s hawkish new approach to Cuba and Venezuela, and he said he is working with the White House on those and other issues. “When I disagree with what the President’s doing, I’m going to try to change his mind. And, if I can’t change his mind, then I’m going to vote against it or stand up against it,” Rubio told me. “And I think you can do that and still be true to yourself. But everyone’s got to find their own way here, and everyone comes at it in a different way.”
The dance of the fifty-one Senate Republicans as they find that way forward with Trump has been an awkward thing to behold. Like Rubio and Flake, many loathed Donald Trump during 2016 and worked hard to oppose him during the Republican primaries. Even after he won the G.O.P. nomination, most of them endorsed him with palpable reluctance. Many said, as the Idaho conservative Jim Risch did, in October, 2016, that Trump was a “distasteful” choice, and then headed to the polls to vote for him. More than a year into Trump’s Presidency, most have made their peace with Trump, or at least a public truce. A few are out-and-out cheerleaders for Trump, like another 2016 also-ran, the Texas Republican Ted Cruz, and some, like Arkansas’s Tom Cotton and South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham, have become influential Trump advisers despite their substantive and stylistic differences with the President.
Many other senators remain in the uncomfortable middle, members of an unofficial He Is What He Is Caucus, willing to censure rude Presidential rhetoric when forced but generally supportive on policy matters. A cable-TV interview the other day, of Senator Jim Lankford, of Oklahoma, was an example. Asked about Flake’s Harvard commencement speech, Lankford said he didn’t want Trump “to be a role model for my kids,” chiding him for everything from “life-style issues” to how the President treats his staff. But Lankford said he had to “balance this out with policy,” and concluded his moral indictment of the President by saying he still endorses Trump for reëlection in 2020.
Rubio is a more interesting senatorial case study than most, especially because he is young enough—he just turned forty-seven this week—to envision a long political future after Trump, and already Rubio has spent much of the time since his devastating 2016 loss thinking about how to retool his message for today’s angrier era of politics. That reboot—The Economist recently called it “Marco’s makeover”—suggests how Rubio and other Republican establishment types may soon be trying to woo the unsettled voters who opted for Trumpian disruption over the Party’s old orthodoxies.
In our interview, Rubio said he had not given up his former faith in Reagan-era Republican principles such as free trade, limited government, and Russia skepticism, but called the process he’s been undertaking a “modernizing,” akin to the updating the software on his iPhone. “Our instincts are right. Free enterprise, limited government is the right approach, but that has to be melded with the reality of everyday life. So, as an example, I have always supported the idea of free and fair trade. And I still do. What perhaps people like me have not done enough of in the past is recognize that, even if free trade creates fifty new jobs, it destroyed thirty,” Rubio said. “We didn’t talk about them enough.”
Rubio pledged to “reinvigorate a national American conservatism” in a recent, somewhat vague National Review manifesto. What that means, in practical terms, is Rubio sounding a lot like a “reformicon,” trying to speak to economically anxious Trump voters with proposals on things like paid family leave and child tax credits.
Mostly, though, the new Rubio seems to spend more time talking about the threats posed by a rising China, and he acknowledged he’s doing so with a somewhat different focus than the pre-Trump Rubio. “I was always concerned about elements of China, in essence, their military expansion in the South China Sea, their human-rights record. But only in the last year and a half have I been able to kind of sit there and view it in its totality,” Rubio said, before listing off a range of ways, from unfair trade practices to “how they use the U.S. immigration system against us,” that China poses a “dangerous” threat. “This is an all-out effort to change the world order, to displace the United States as the world’s most influential and powerful country and make China that.”
The new Rubio, in other words, can sound at times as much like Steve Bannon, the China-obsessed ideologist of Trump’s 2016 bid, as like the old Rubio, at least when it comes to the economic dislocations caused by China. The Trump-era Rubio can also sound at times suspiciously like Trump himself, especially on Twitter, where the senator has been particularly active of late—tweeting out critiques of Trump’s policy toward China.
In the days before our interview, Rubio had taken an uncharacteristically public line of attack, tweeting his dismay at Trump over his China trade talks as Trump’s advisers publicly feuded among themselves and the President veered between inflammatory rhetoric and accommodating action. “Sadly,” Rubio tweeted, “#China is out-negotiating the administration & winning the trade talks right now.” Trump, he concluded, was “#NotWinning.” By mid-afternoon last Wednesday, the Washington Post had published a story headlined “Senator Rubio Emerges as One of Trump Administration’s Loudest Critics on China.”
Soon after that, the Administration dispatched two Cabinet secretaries, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, to Capitol Hill, to meet with Rubio and a small handful of other G.O.P. senators who had been complaining about what they saw as Trump’s concession to the Chinese over a sanctioned telecom company, ZTE, that the President was now promising to bail out, apparently at the personal request of Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
When Rubio emerged from his meeting with the Cabinet secretaries Wednesday evening, he told me that influencing Trump was part of the reason for his stepped-up public attacks. “He has people in the Administration that agree with me, and he has people that don’t. And so that debate is going on internally, and we are just one additional voice trying to weigh in on one side of that debate and hopefully influence the outcome.”
But if influence was his goal, days of additional lobbying by Rubio, including a half-hour phone call with Trump himself on Friday night, produced modest results at best. This week, Rubio was still talking about congressional action by a veto-proof majority to stop Trump from helping ZTE, and Ross was headed back to China for yet another round of trade talks. “Wilbur Ross, it seems like, is going forward with the kind of deal the senator has been critical of,” a source familiar with Rubio’s thinking told me. “There still seems to be pretty substantial distance between where the senator is at and where the President is at.”
Rubio’s strategy, like that of so many other senators, has been to engage Trump where he can and fight him where he can’t. So, given where things stand with Trump and China, will he stop engaging and start fighting now? Well, Marco Rubio isn’t about to turn into Jeff Flake. Rubio and Flake may privately agree on a lot, including their critique of the volatile President from their party. But Rubio is staying in the Senate, and he has always evaded—and often infuriated—those who try to put him in a box. “I get it,” Rubio told me. “In today’s political culture, where politics is covered as a sport, people want us to fight all the time. But you are capable in this process—both with Democrats and with people in your own party—of working together on one thing while disagreeing on something else.”
A previous version of this post misidentified the state Jim Risch represents.
Susan B. Glasser is a staff writer at The New Yorker, where she writes a weekly column on life in Trump’s Washington.
Sign up for our daily newsletter and get the best of The New Yorker in your in-box.
Q. & A.
The Pelosi-Versus-Squad Paradigm
By Isaac Chotiner
The Housing Project Plagued by Police Corruption
In the mid-aughts, the police sergeant Ronald Watts knew how to exploit the lawlessness of the Ida B. Wells Homes. The Exoneration Project believes that he and his officers wrongly arrested hundreds of people.
President Trump Is a Better Dealbreaker Than Dealmaker
Sixteen months into the Trump Presidency, there are no deals, and there are increasingly unlikely to be.
Is Trump the Second Coming of Reagan?
Bret Baier, the chief political anchor of Fox News, says that Donald Trump is a Reagan for our times.
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Redmond O'Neal Sentenced To One Year Of In-Patient Rehab Over Recent Arrest
By Access Hollywood
Redmond O'Neal pleaded no contest to felony possession of heroin and being in possession of a firearm.
Redmond O'Neal is heading back to rehab.
The son of actor Ryan O'Neal and the late Farrah Fawcett pleaded no contest to felony possession of heroin and being in possession of a firearm on Wednesday morning in Los Angeles, Access Hollywood has confirmed.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Mug Shot Mania
As a result, a judge sentenced Redmond to a one-year, in-patient rehab program and five years of probation, the District Attorney's office confirmed to Access Hollywood.
"Redmond is grateful for the opportunity to receive additional intensive treatment," his lawyer, Richard Pintal, told Radar Online, which first reported the news.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Farrah Fawcett: From 'Angel' To Icon
As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, Redmond was arrested on Aug. 2 in Santa Monica.
A spokesperson for the Santa Monica Police Department previously confirmed to Access that Redmond was pulled over at 8:45 AM on Aug. 2, for failing to stop at a red left turn arrow at Lincoln and Olympic.
Redmond was pulled over at the 600 block of Olympic Drive, not too far from the police department.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Farrah Fawcett TV & Filmography
A motor officer determined O'Neal was on probation, and therefore he had consent to search him and the vehicle he was driving, the spokesperson told Access.
The officer found a controlled substance believed to be heroin in the car.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Farrah Fawcett & Ryan O'Neal: A Love Story
Prosecutors charged Redmond days later with felony heroin possession. He was also charged with being a felon, in possession of a firearm.
Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: Redmond O'Neal Gets Charged With Felony Possession Of Heroin
PLAY IT NOW: Ryan O'Neal Discusses How Farrah Fawcett Came Between Him & His Daughter, Tatum O'Neal
More from Access: [ Redmond O'NealFarrah FawcettRyan O'Neal ]
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School Headlines
Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks Advance to NEAC Baseball Championship Game
AURORA, N.Y. – Penn State Abington and Penn State Berks are the final two teams left standing after three close games on Saturday at the 2019 North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Baseball tournament. The championship game is scheduled for Sunday at 10 a.m. and will be held at the Wells College Turf Field in Aurora, N.Y.
Penn State Abington, Wells College Earn Wins in Day One of NEAC Baseball Tournament
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. – Penn State Abington and Wells College move on to the winner’s bracket with victories in day one of the 2019 North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Baseball tournament. The double-elimination tournament will resume on Saturday morning.
Penn State Berks, Wells College Advance to NEAC Baseball Final Four
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. – Penn State Berks and Wells College won their respective North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) First Round Baseball games on Tuesday to advance to the Final Four. The double-elimination tournament will begin on Thursday.
Vertoske, Strait Receive Final NEAC Baseball Weekly Awards of 2019
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced Brooks Vertoske and Jared Strait as its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in baseball for the week ending May 5. Today’s honors mark the final weekly awards of the 2018-19 academic year.
Maloney, Dulniak Named NEAC Women's Lacrosse Student-Athletes of the Week
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced Mackenzie Maloney and Megan Dulniak as its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in women’s lacrosse for the week ending April 28. This week marks the final set of awards of the 2019 season for women’s lacrosse.
Welk, Kemp Receive NEAC Baseball Weekly Awards
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced Toby Welk and Zach Kemp as its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in baseball for the week ending April 21.
Wells College Rallies to Win First NEAC Men's Volleyball Championship
LANCASTER, Pa. – Down 0-2 with its back against the wall, Wells College staged a thrilling comeback to defeat top-seeded Lancaster Bible in five sets to win its first North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Championship on Sunday at the Horst Athletic Center.
Lancaster Bible, Wells College Advance to NEAC Men's Volleyball Championship Match
LANCASTER, Pa. – Lancaster Bible and Wells College won their respective semifinal matches on Saturday at the 2019 North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Men’s Volleyball Final Four to set up a rematch of last season’s conference final. This weekend’s tournament is being hosted at Lancaster Bible’s Horst Athletic Center.
Wells Duo Sweeps Final NEAC Men's Volleyball Weekly Awards of 2019
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced Caden O'Loughlin and Robert Patzer as its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in men’s volleyball for the week ending April 7. This week marks the final weekly awards in men's volleyball of the 2019 season.
Defending Champion Lancaster Bible Set to Host 2019 NEAC Men's Volleyball Tournament
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. – After posting a perfect 10-0 conference record, Lancaster Bible has claimed its second consecutive North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Men’s Volleyball Regular Season Championship and enters the postseason as the No. 1 seed. The NEAC has also announced the four teams that will compete in the 2019 Men’s Volleyball Tournament.
Ansell, Patzer Receive NEAC Men's Volleyball Weekly Awards
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced Kaleb Ansell and Robert Patzer as its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in men’s volleyball for the week ending March 31.
Prosinski, Bozeat Receive NEAC Women's Lacrosse Weekly Honors
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced Kayla Prosinski and Anna Bozeat as its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in women's lacrosse for the week ending March 31.
Wells Duo Sweeps NEAC Men's Volleyball Weekly Awards
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced Robert Patzer and Caden O'Loughlin as its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in men’s volleyball for the week ending March 17.
Maloney, Riedel Selected for NEAC Women's Lacrosse Weekly Awards
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced Mackenzie Maloney and Riley Riedel as its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in women's lacrosse for the week ending March 17.
Undari, Welker Named NEAC Men's Volleyball Student-Athletes of the Week
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in men’s volleyball for the week ending March 3. This week’s honorees include student-athletes from Wells College and Keuka College.
NEAC Senior Spotlight: Charles Iwuoha, Wells College
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - Each week throughout the spring semester, the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) will highlight a senior student-athlete from one of the conference's member institutions by asking each student-athlete to reflect on their collegiate career by sharing "A Letter to My Freshman Self." This week our senior spotlights resume with a letter from Wells College's Charles Iwuoha.
NEAC Names Student-Athletes of the Week for Men's Volleyball
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in men’s volleyball for the week ending Feb. 24. This week’s awards include a pair of honorees from Wells College.
Miller, O'Loughlin Selected as NEAC Men's Volleyball Student-Athletes of the Week
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in men’s volleyball for the week ending Feb. 17. This week’s awards include honorees from Lancaster Bible and Wells College.
Cazenovia College Women, Wells College Men Maintain Lead After NEAC Swimming & Diving Championship Day Two
CAZENOVIA, N.Y. – With the second day of competition complete, the Cazenovia College women and the Wells College men remain the team leaders at the 2018-19 North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Swimming & Diving Championships at Cazenovia College’s Schneeweiss Athletic Complex.
Cazenovia College, Wells College Lead Day One of 2019 NEAC Swimming & Diving Championship
CAZENOVIA, N.Y. – The Cazenovia College women’s team and the Wells College men’s team finished in first place at the conclusion of day one of the 2018-19 North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Swimming & Diving Championships at Cazenovia College’s Schneeweiss Athletic Complex.
O'Loughlin, Russo Named NEAC Men's Volleyball Student-Athletes of the Week
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced Caden O'Loughlin and Matthew Russo as its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in men’s volleyball for the week ending Feb. 3.
Miller, O'Loughlin Earn First NEAC Men's Volleyball Weekly Awards of 2019
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced Nate Miller and Caden O'Loughlin as its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in men’s volleyball for the week ending Jan. 27. This week marks the first set of weekly awards for men’s volleyball in the 2019 season.
Connolly, Miller-Notestone Named NEAC Swimming & Diving Student-Athletes of the Week
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced Aaron Connolly and Julia Miller-Notestone as its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in men’s and women’s swimming and diving for the week ending Jan. 27.
Shewbridge, Ryan Named NEAC Men's & Women's Basketball Student-Athletes of the Week
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in men’s and women’s basketball for the week ending Jan. 6. The first weekly awards of 2019 include student-athletes from Wells College and Lancaster Bible.
Sealts, Cloutier Receive Second NEAC Swimming & Diving Weekly Awards
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in men’s and women’s swimming and diving for the week ending Nov. 11. This week’s awards go to two-time honorees from Gallaudet University and Wells College.
Mullen, Cloutier Named NEAC Swimming & Diving Student-Athletes of the Week
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced Dan Mullen and Courtney Cloutier as its Student-Athlete of the Week selections in swimming and diving for the week ending Oct. 28.
Gallaudet University, Wells College Round Out NEAC Women's Volleyball Final Four
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. – A pair of 3-1 decisions in Tuesday’s first round matches resulted in Gallaudet University and Wells College claiming the final two spots in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Women’s Volleyball Final Four. The semifinal and final round of the tournament will be hosted by NEAC Regular Season Champion and top-seeded Morrisville State on Nov. 3-4.
NEAC Student-Athlete Spotlight: Antonio D'Arpino, Wells College
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - Each week throughout the fall semester, the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) will highlight student-athletes from one of the conference's member institutions through a brief Q & A. Female student-athletes will be featured each Thursday followed by a male student-athlete spotlight each Friday. Today, we meet Antonio D'Arpino from Wells College.
NEAC Student-Athlete Spotlight: Ivy Cromp, Wells College
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. - Each week throughout the fall semester, the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) will highlight student-athletes from one of the conference's member institutions through a brief Q & A. Female student-athletes will be featured each Thursday followed by a male student-athlete spotlight each Friday. Today, we get to know Ivy Cromp from Wells College.
Keuka College, Wells College Set for NEAC Field Hockey Championship Game
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. – With an undefeated 3-0 mark in league play, Keuka College claimed its first North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Field Hockey Regular Season Championship. The Wolves will serve as the host for the North Eastern Division Championship game next Saturday against Wells College.
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INTRUST SUPER PREMIERSHIP
Knights Sign JJ Felise
NSWRL
Wed 27 Jun 2018, 01:25 PM
Intrust Super NSW Residents prop JJ Felise has signed with the Newcastle Knights after being released by the Wests Tigers effective immediately.
Felise has played 13 NRL games and has been a standout for the Western Suburbs Magpies in the Intrust Super Premiership.
He hasn't featured in first grade this year, but a move to the Knights gives him the best opportunity to break into the NRL on a consistent basis.
"JJ is a player who provides us with depth," General Manager Football, Darren Mooney said to newcastleknights.com.au.
"It's no secret we're a little thin in the middle and JJ is seeking a pathway to first grade.
"He's been looking for an opportunity to showcase his skills and we'll give him every chance."
ISP TEAM OF THE WEEK | Rd 1
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Real Estate|Covering Its Tracks Paid Off Handsomely
Real Estate | Streetscapes | Grand Central
Covering Its Tracks Paid Off Handsomely
By CHRISTOPHER GRAY AUG. 19, 2010
IT’S a common hobby, searching for surviving pieces of the 1910 Pennsylvania Station, like ironwork, brass handrails and other fragments, amidst its vulgar replacement of the 1960s.
With Grand Central Terminal, opened in 1913, no such quest is necessary, but there is a network of fragments of what was conceived as Terminal City, a unified matrix of development atop the new real estate created when the tracks and railroad yards were covered. Much of Terminal City has fallen, although there is still enough left for the dedicated urban archaeologist.
In 1902, William J. Wilgus, an engineer for the New York Central Railroad, came up with the concept of roofing over the yards around Grand Central and building hotels, offices and apartment houses. Among the earliest concepts were a 20-story tower over the terminal itself, and an adjacent hotel, later erected as the Biltmore, from Vanderbilt to Madison Avenue, between 43rd and 44th Streets. In 1910, The New York Times published a design for a ceremonial Park Avenue showing tall, income-producing office buildings, but also new structures for the National Academy of Design and the Metropolitan Opera, their cultured imprimatur blunting the nakedness of the railroad’s commercial quest.
In the next 20 years, Mr. Wilgus’s plan remade the dozen or so blocks north of the terminal. The Biltmore was the best known, 26 stories high but set back along Vanderbilt Avenue to give the terminal breathing room. With no stores on Madison Avenue, a main dining room 120 feet long and a terrace on Vanderbilt, it was a particularly debonair work. Inside, the Palm Court had a timepiece on a wooden screen; “under the clock at the Biltmore” became a legendary meeting place.
Vanderbilt filled up with structures like the high-rise Yale Club, at 44th and Vanderbilt, and the Roosevelt Hotel, from 45th to 46th. Along Lexington, buildings included the giant Commodore Hotel at 42nd and the streamlined Graybar Building at 44th.
But it was the width of Park Avenue that offered the canvas for a much grander design, something really worthy of the name Terminal City. There were a few commercial buildings, like the New York Central Building, with its signature tower, spanning Park at 46th; and the crisp, cool Postum Building at 250 Park from 46th to 47th.
Office construction here was premature, though — the newly developed apartment house was in demand, as the well-to-do began to abandon town houses and pare their servant rosters.
Just north of the Postum Building rose 270 Park Avenue, with 3,000 rooms and, according to the magazine Buildings and Building Management in 1920, 100 millionaires. Its arcaded central courtyard, with triumphal arches, struck a particularly civilized note.
Directly opposite rose 277 Park Avenue, a colossal 12-section apartment house organized around a central court and 432 apartments.
The Hotel Chatham went up on Vanderbuilt Avenue, from 48th to 49th, with a delicious terra cotta frosting along the top stories. Opposite, at 299 Park, the discreet Park Lane opened in the mid-1920s, an apartment hotel whose central dining room had tapestries and a coffered ceiling. In 1924 Arts & Decoration magazine referred to these as “the new apartment buildings which now constitute the social background of New York.”
They were, it is true, enclaves of the rich and well born, with names like Aldrich, Betts, Dodge and Rutherfurd. But there were also those whose families and fortunes were newer, like the developer Charles Paterno, the actor Rudolph Valentino and Frederick T. Ley, who started work in construction at age 15 but later was the contractor for the Chrysler Building.. The development of the residential section of Terminal City continued up to 50th Street, and was matched by construction farther north.
Terminal City began to dissolve after World War II, when commerce swept the avenue almost clean of residential buildings. The construction along Lexington has survived, except for the old Commodore at 42nd Street, refaced around 1980 for a new Hyatt. But its original gritty black smokestack still juts up from its back corner.
On Vanderbilt Avenue, the Biltmore was gutted and refaced with red granite in the 1980s to create the present, hulking office tower at 335 Madison. Here the legacy of Terminal City strikes a few poignant notes. Along 44th, the sleek, modern facade is interrupted by a taxicab ramp, descending to the concourse level of the station. The connection is now walled up, and the area is only a garage, but it is still roofed with the Guastavino tile seen elsewhere in the station.
The Biltmore’s sleek interior carries only one trace of the grand design of Terminal City. Above the security desk is a vintage timepiece — the fabled clock. On a recent weekday there were two guards on duty. Asked if anyone still came to meet there, one first said no, but then thought and said, “Well, two people meet here every morning,” pointing to the other guard on duty and saying, “She and I do.”
Correction: September 19, 2010
The Streetscapes column on Aug. 22 about Terminal City, a development around Grand Central Terminal, misstated the location of the old Hotel Chatham. It was on Vanderbilt Avenue, between 48th and 49th Streets — not on Park Avenue.
E-mail: streetscapes@nytimes.com
A version of this article appears in print on August 22, 2010, on Page RE8 of the New York edition with the headline: Covering Its Tracks Paid Off Handsomely. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe
Streetscapes | Terminal City AUG. 19, 2010
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Business|Robots Can Manage Your Money. But Even They Need Humans.
Robots Can Manage Your Money. But Even They Need Humans.
Nick Holeman, left, a senior adviser on Betterment’s financial planning team, and Jon Stein, the company’s chief executive. A new Betterment service is built on the idea that people seek financial advice only when they really need it.CreditCreditAn Rong Xu for The New York Times
The robots may need some help from humans after all.
The rise of so-called roboadvisers has been among the most significant changes to how consumers obtain financial planning advice in the past several years. With low minimum investment requirements and reasonable fees, the automated services have popularized a new way of getting professional help. Customers answer simple questions online, creating investment portfolios that are set on autopilot — all without much interaction with a person.
But a growing number of these online services are adding warm-blooded financial planners to the mix, often at less than half the cost of what a traditional adviser charges.
Betterment, with $15 billion under management, is one of the more established firms in the category. (Others include Wealthfront and SigFig.) It began as digital only, then added human advisers last year. Now it is driving the cost of its inexpensive advice even lower with a set of financial-planning packages that range from the price of a pair of fancy jeans to the monthly payment on a modest new car.
“While we are strong believers in technology’s ability to provide financial advice, there are some areas that technology hasn’t been able to solve yet,” said Nick Holeman, a certified financial planner at Betterment who helps lead its advisory team. “Money is also an emotional thing.”
The company’s new product is built on the idea that we seek advice only when we really need it. For some people, it’s when they realize they are financial adults. For others, it may be with the birth of a child who will one day require a college education.
Until that moment arrives — whenever that is — “people are fundamentally lazy and don’t want to work on their finances,” said Jon Stein, Betterment’s chief executive, during an interview at the company’s offices in the Chelsea section of Manhattan. He added: “This is about making packages of advice available to anyone.”
Not all roboadvisers are adding a human touch. Wealthfront — with $11.3 billion in assets under management, the second-largest independent firm — is committed to remaining digital only.
For those who want guidance from a professional, the online options are multiplying. The big question that looms for roboadvisers, some analysts say, is whether they can make enough money by charging customers so little. In the past few years, several independent online advisers — including WorthFM, Hedgeable and, after Northwestern Mutual acquired it, LearnVest — have closed. Others, including Invessence, have switched to selling their technology to other money management firms.
Betterment’s New York offices. The company is among a growing number of so-called roboadvisers augmenting their services with warm-blooded financial professionals.CreditAn Rong Xu for The New York Times
[Breaking down the basics of services that combine technology and human professionals to deliver financial advice.]
Betterment, which has nearly 400,000 customers after eight years in business, says its economics are sound. The company’s new advice packages, which it introduced this week, are geared toward five distinct circumstances: “getting started” for $149; financial checkup or college planning ($199 apiece); marriage planning ($299); and retirement planning ($399). Even the company’s priciest package is less than a quarter of the cost of a full financial plan from a traditional adviser.
The plans differ slightly, but each includes at least one 45-minute phone call with a financial professional who is required to act in the customer’s best interest.
The newlywed package includes two 45-minute calls with a certified financial planner and a comprehensive financial plan delivered via email with an “action plan” for the couple to execute themselves. The retirement package includes a one-hour call and a month of email and chat access to a team of Betterment advisers.
Although Betterment doesn’t offer insurance, it can help customers determine what, if anything, they need, and has teamed up with the online insurance brokerage PolicyGenius to help them buy it.
The new product will potentially help Betterment sell more of its own investment accounts, but company executives said that wouldn’t get in the way of providing sound advice.
“As fiduciaries, we always put our customers’ interest ahead of our own, even if it means not investing with Betterment,” Mr. Holeman said. If, for example, paying off high-interest debt or maxing out a 401(k) before investing with Betterment makes the most sense, that is what Mr. Holeman and his colleagues recommend.
Last year, Betterment introduced a premium package for people who want advice on a continuing basis. It requires a minimum investment of $100,000, costs 0.40 percent of the assets being managed plus the cost of investing (0.10 percent of assets on average) and includes unlimited advice from a team of a dozen planners. By comparison, traditional advisers often charge 1 percent or more for such a service.
Its cheaper, digital-only service is still the preferred option for the typical Betterment customer, a man in his mid- to late 30s with roughly $120,000 in income and a $40,000 average balance. That costs 0.25 percent of the money managed (there’s also the cost of investments, which averages 0.10 percent) and includes access to the company’s online investing service and tools to help customers gauge whether they are on track to meet specific goals and what may be required to improve their chances of doing so.
A Betterment “action plan” for a hypothetical couple. The company charges $299 to advise couples.
How does Betterment compare with some of its online competitors that also offer input from advisers with a pulse? Each has a distinct personality and seems to attract a certain type of customer with specific needs. One hurdle, however, is that some of these services require higher minimum investments.
Vanguard’s Personal Advisor Services, which, with $112 billion in assets, is the heavyweight among roboadvisers, seems like the more experienced but less tech-savvy member of the group. Its website isn’t nearly as slick as its competitors’, but it has offered unlimited access to a human adviser since its 2015 inception. It is also tailored for retirement investors. (Full disclosure: I’m more than two decades from retirement, but I signed up for Vanguard’s service a while back because I already had a rollover I.R.A. and a 401(k) with the firm.)
The Vanguard service has limitations. When I asked whether it could also make specific investment recommendations for my employer’s Vanguard 401(k), the answer was … no. The company cited regulatory restrictions. That said, the assets in 401(k) accounts are factored into the overall Vanguard plan, as are what’s in outside accounts. It can also help establish plans geared toward other goals, like saving for college.
At a cost of 0.30 percent of assets (investing generally costs another 0.08 percent), it’s a solid service but not quite as comprehensive as the human independent adviser I visited after my son was born. It generally won’t recommend how much term insurance you might need or how expensive a home you can afford. I have, however, found all of the Vanguard planners to be professional and helpful within the confines of what the firm offers.
With most of its customers being over 50, Vanguard has plans to introduce a tool to help people better estimate their health care and long-term care costs in retirement. It is also testing other new features in areas where it is lacking, including a “What if?” tool that lets you see how various factors affect your savings.
Schwab, with $33 billion in assets, introduced its own digital service three years ago. The firm added an online service with a human financial planner last year; it costs 0.28 percent of assets, or about 0.42 percent of assets when the cost of investing is included. (Schwab’s advisers are salaried and act as fiduciaries, meaning they promise to put customers first.)
The tools are comprehensive: Planning for college? You can pull up the actual costs of a specific university, estimate what percentage you expect to pay and plan around that goal with a 529 account, even if it’s not held at Schwab. Selling your home in retirement? It can estimate how much you expect to clear, and how that might factor into your planning.
Schwab’s investment recommendations were criticized when the firm introduced its online service, in part because of its allocation to cash — a larger slice than many financial advisers recommend. The cash component makes money for Schwab, which earns revenue on the difference between the interest it pays to customers and what it can earn on that money invested elsewhere.
There are many others that provide distinctive services. Ellevest, which focuses on helping women and is run by the former Wall Street executive Sallie Krawcheck, now offers a premium service that goes as far as providing career coaches. Then there’s Wealthsimple, based in Canada but available to customers in the United States. Its premium “black level” service includes access to airport lounges. Rebalance provides advice largely for those over 45, while Personal Capital is an established player that describes itself as a “bionic adviser” — and carries higher fees as a result.
There are also, of course, the human-led practices, more of which offer advice with flexible price options, including monthly subscriptions. And if robots and humans can keep playing nicely, even more people who don’t have piles of money will be able to get affordable financial advice.
A version of this article appears in print on , Section B, Page 1 of the New York edition with the headline: Roboadvisers Get By With Help From Their (Human) Friends. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe
Roboadvisers (With Human Helpers)
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Opinion|Trump Fast-Forwards American Decline
Trump Fast-Forwards American Decline
The “savaging of American diplomacy,” as seen by one of the State Department’s finest.
By Roger Cohen
Opinion Columnist
President Trump with President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Friday at the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan.CreditCreditErin Schaff/The New York Times
So Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, has told The Financial Times, “The liberal idea has become obsolete.” It has, he says, “outlived its purpose.” President Trump finds him amusing. In Japan, at the G-20 summit meeting, he wags his finger at Putin and says, with a grin: “Don’t meddle in the election, President.”
It’s a measure of American decline over the past three decades that Putin’s claim, however objectionable, is no longer preposterous and Trump’s frivolity no longer surprising. Thirty years ago, the Berlin Wall fell. Two years later, the Soviet Union was gone. The liberal idea was triumphant, and American power virtually uncontested in “the unipolar moment.”
That moment was heady. Liberalism posited the indivisibility of freedom and human dignity, as well as the idea that the rule of law and democracy offered the best chance for human advancement, peace and prosperity. Its spread appeared inevitable and irreversible. Its guiding spirit was the United States.
The road from that high-water mark of the American idea to Trump’s autocrat-coddling indecency offers a story of squandered American opportunity and eroded American self-belief that Edward Gibbon would have qualified as “decline and fall.” All Democratic candidates should be asked what they intend to do about it.
I can think of no better guide for reflection than William Burns’s book, “The Back Channel,” his wonderful memoir of a life in diplomacy. Burns, a former deputy secretary of state and ambassador to Moscow, was, by general consensus, one of the finest Foreign Service officers of recent decades, a man of unusual judgment and prescience. Suffice to say that back in 1993, in a memo to the incoming Clinton administration, he wrote:
“Democratic societies that fail to produce the fruits of economic reform quickly, or fail to accommodate pressures for ethnic self-expression, may slide back into other ‘isms,’ including nationalism.”
Burns, now the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, attributes the loss of America’s “unrivaled position of strength” in part to inevitable geopolitical trends, including the rise of China and India in the “Pacific century.”
This was, however, compounded by what he calls “grievous missteps.” They included the post-9/11 “inversion of force and diplomacy” that saw a disoriented United States lurch onto a “road to war in Iraq” that “was distinctive for its intensity and indiscipline.”
In a debate on the legitimacy of going to war against Saddam Hussein, Burns listens to former Vice President Dick Cheney saying, “The only legitimacy we really need comes on the back of an M1A1 tank.” He makes clear his own objections to the war — the “wrong time to shift our focus from Afghanistan” — but calls not making a “hard stand against war altogether” his “biggest professional regret.” In a different context, I share that regret.
The unhappy sidelining and devaluation of diplomacy is a theme of the book. It has, for Burns, culminated in Trump’s “savaging of American diplomacy” that has left “our friends confused, our adversaries emboldened, and the foundations of the international system we built and preserved for seven decades alarmingly fragile.”
He writes of “unilateral diplomatic disarmament” under Trump, born of “equal parts ideological contempt and stubborn incompetence.” The president’s view of diplomacy is “narcissistic, not institutional,” Burns observes, full of “muscular posturing and fact-free assertions” that insult allies and indulge autocrats.
Remember, all this comes from a supremely measured man who dedicated his life to the proposition that what diplomacy is all about is “not perfect solutions, but outcomes that cost far less than war and leave everyone better off than they would otherwise have been.”
Among those imperfect but beneficial solutions was the Iran nuclear deal that Burns played a leading role in negotiating and that Trump called “the worst deal ever” before withdrawing from it. This, Burns writes, “was exactly the kind of risky, cocky, ill-considered bet that had shredded our influence before, and could easily do so again.”
He notes: “Walking away from imperfect agreements, however, is rarely better than addressing their imperfections over time.” Especially when that “walking away” leads the United States to the brink of an unnecessary war.
For Burns, the erosion of American power and influence long predates Trump. He regrets the loss of the extraordinary American cohesion that, at the end of the Cold War, secured the place of a united Germany in NATO. He notes the failure to perceive early enough how Russian “humiliation and wounded pride” would, under Putin, spur a Russian resurgence.
NATO expansion was, he suggests, “premature at best, and needlessly provocative at worst” — a debatable point in my view, given the need to secure and stabilize the liberation of more than 100 million long subjugated people in Central Europe and the Baltic States.
He thinks President Obama made a mistake by not upholding his “red line” against the Syrian regime’s use of chemical weapons. The Obama administration “had blinked” and, Burns notes, “it would leave an enduring mark.” Into that vacuum Putin strode.
Now the Russian president claims liberalism is obsolete. He is wrong. It is more necessary than ever even as Trump scoffs at it. But America’s ability to promote liberal democracy cannot be served by what Burns calls “a State Department in which officers are bludgeoned into timidity, or censor themselves, or are simply ignored.”
Opinion | William J. Burns
How to Save the Power of Diplomacy
The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And here’s our email: letters@nytimes.com.
Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram.
Roger Cohen has been a columnist for The Times since 2009. His columns appear Wednesday and Saturday. He joined The Times in 1990, and has served as a foreign correspondent and foreign editor. @NYTimesCohen
A version of this article appears in print on , Section A, Page 24 of the New York edition with the headline: Trump Fast-Forwards American Decline. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe
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A new recovery high school opens its doors in Monmouth County
BY Briana Vannozzi, Correspondent | January 11, 2018, 4PM EST
651446514465144A new recovery high school opens its doorsK.E.Y.S Academy in the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District opens its doors for students in recovery from addiction.2018-01-11 01:26 pmdisabled3008235337Oh-AM8L_X_strue
“Going back to regular high school would be a really big trigger for me,” said Jesse Musco.
So Jesse Musco isn’t going back to regular high school. The Monmouth County teen is instead one of the first students enrolled at the new K.E.Y.S Academy. It’s the latest high school for students in addiction recovery.
“We believe we have the supports here to make this a success, to give students a second chance to meet with success in life and give them the ability to earn their high school diploma and go out in the world and do whatever they want and be a success at whatever they want,” said Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District Superintendent Joseph Majka.
Monmouth is one of the top six counties in the state with residents suffering from recovery or co-dependency issues. K.E.Y.S. uses space at Brookdale Community College. With the help of $1.3 million in state grant funding, secured by the Christie administration, it provides wrap around services and traditional learning along with one-to-one counseling.
“Our students are going to be working in a blended learning model. Which it means having a curriculum tailored specifically for them. For example, right now we have a senior, so while he’s here with us he’s also taking college credits so by June he’ll graduate and also be in a curriculum with Brookdale,” said Jennise Nieves, a student assistance counselor at Matawan Regional High School.
“For a teenager who has no place else to go except back to the original place that caused the problem in the first place, it’s a disaster on every level. As a mother who is going through this in my own life right now, I think what you see here is hope,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno.
In tear-filled remarks today, Guadagno said mechanisms are in place to ensure the total $2.3 million grant transitions smoothly with the new administration. In a tenure marked with ribbon cuttings, this ribbon cutting was her last.
“It’s been a very big struggle,” said Craig Fusco, who’s the father of someone in recovery. “A lot of times I tried to explain to my daughter that while you’re using, we’re using. And it was a struggle. It was a struggle for all of us. But now with these programs in place, it really, it really gave us hope.”
With four students enrolled right now, the K.E.Y.S. program is equipped to hold up to 15. That’s a mark they expect to hit, with a commitment to education and a life beyond addiction.
TAGS: ADDICTION RECOVERY BROOKDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE K.E.Y.S ACADEMY KIM GUADAGNO MATAWAN-ABERDEEN MONMOUTH COUNTY
Reentry group announces partnership to provide addiction treatment
Program pairs nurses with pregnant women to improve maternal health
How a 1996 law is causing the state’s doctor shortage
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Chronicle of a Death Foretold (Hardcover)
By Gabriel García Márquez
Special Order (call or email to check availability)
"EXQUISITELY HARROWING . . . . Very strange and brilliantly conceived. . . . A sort of metaphysical murder mystery. . . . The murder will stand among the innumerable murders of modern literature as one of the best and most powerfully rendered."
A mysterious and haunting tale of romance and murder, that begins with the marriage of a man and a woman in love. But when he inexplicably mistreats his beloved on the night of the wedding, he is in turn murdered by her brothers, and we are left with a strange sense of inevitability and passions gone terribly awry.
From the Paperback edition.
“Exquisitely harrowing . . . very strange and brilliantly conceived . . .a sort of metaphysical murder mystery.”—The New York Times Book Review
“This investigation of an ancient murder takes on the quality of a hallucinatory exploration, a deep, groping search into the gathering darkness of human intentions for a truth that continually slithers away.” –The New York Review of Books
“Brilliant . . . A small masterpiece . . . we can almost see, smell and hear Garcia Marquez’s Caribbean backwater and its inhabitants.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“As pungent and memorable as a sharp spice, an examination of the nature of complicity and fate . . . an exquisite performance.” –The Christian Science Monitor
"A tour de force . . . In prose that is spare yet heavy with meaning, Garcia Marquez gives us not merely a chronicle but a portrait of the town and its collective psyche . . . not merely a family but an entire culture.” –The Washington Post Book World
Publisher: Knopf
Kobo eBook (October 15th, 2014): $10.99
Paperback (October 7th, 2003): $14.00
Prebound (October 2003): $25.75
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Ca-Ch
Lewis Carroll Biography
Born: January 27, 1832
Daresbury, Cheshire, England
Died: January 14, 1898
Guildford, Surrey, England
English church official, author, and mathematician
The English church official Lewis Carroll was the author of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, famous adventure stories for children that adults also enjoy. He was also a noted mathematician and photographer.
Lewis Carroll was born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson on January 27, 1832, the eldest son and third of eleven children born to Frances Jane Lutwidge and the Reverend Charles Dodgson. Carroll had a happy childhood. His mother was patient and gentle, and his father, despite his religious duties, tutored all of his children and raised them to be good people. Carroll frequently made up games and wrote stories and poems, some of which were similar to his later published works, for his seven sisters and three brothers.
Although his years at Rugby School (1846–49) were unhappy, he was recognized as a good student, and in 1850 he was admitted to further study at Christ Church, Oxford, England. He graduated in 1854, and in 1855 he became mathematical lecturer (more like a tutor) at the college. This permanent appointment, which not only recognized his academic skills but also paid him a decent sum, required Carroll to take holy orders in the Anglican Church and to remain unmarried. He agreed to these requirements and was made a deacon in 1861.
Photography and early publication
Among adults Carroll was reserved, but he did not avoid their company as some reports have stated. He attended the theater frequently and was absorbed by photography and writing. After taking up photography in 1856, he soon found that his favorite subjects were children and famous people, including English poet Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809–1892), Italian painter and poet D. G. Rossetti (1828–1882), and English painter John Millais (1829–1896). Helmut Gernsheim wrote of Carroll's photographs of children, "He achieves an excellence which in its way can find no peer." Though photography was mostly a hobby, Carroll spent a great deal of time on it until 1880.
In the mid-1850s Carroll also began writing both humorous and mathematical works. In 1856 he created the pseudonym (assumed writing name) "Lewis Carroll" by translating his first and middle names into Latin, reversing their order, then translating them back into English. His mathematical writing, however, appeared under his real name.
Alice books
In 1856 Carroll met Alice Liddell, the four-year-old daughter of the head of Christ Church. During the next few years Carroll often made up stories for Alice and her sisters. In July 1862, while on a picnic with the Liddell girls, Carroll recounted the adventures of a little girl who fell into a rabbit hole. Alice asked him to write the story out for her. He did so, calling it Alice's Adventures under Ground. After some changes, this work was published in 1865 as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland with illustrations by John Tenniel.
Encouraged by the book's success, Carroll wrote a second volume, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There (1872). Based on the chess games Carroll played with the Liddell children, it included material he had written before he knew them. The first section of "Jabberwocky," for example, was written in 1855. More of Carroll's famous Wonderland characters—such as Humpty Dumpty, the White Knight, and Tweedledum and Tweedledee—appear in this work than in Alice in Wonderland.
Unlike most of the children's books of the day, Alice and Through the Looking Glass did not attempt to convey obvious moral lessons. Nor did they contain what critics have tried to insist are there—hidden meanings relating to religion or politics. They are delightful adventure stories in which a normal, healthy, clearheaded little girl reacts to the "reality" of the adult world. Their appeal to adults as well as to children lies in Alice's intelligent response to ridiculous language and action.
Later publications
Carroll published several other nonsense works, including The Hunting of the Snark (1876), Sylvie and Bruno (1889), and Sylvie and Bruno Concluded (1893). He also wrote a number of pamphlets poking fun at university affairs, which appeared under a fake name or without any name at all, and he composed several works on mathematics under his true name. In 1881 Carroll gave up his lecturing to devote all of his time to writing. From 1882 to 1892, however, he was
Lewis Carroll.
curator of the common room (manager of the staff club) at Christ Church. After a short illness, he died on January 14, 1898.
Assessment of the man
The Reverend C. L. Dodgson was a reserved, fussy bachelor who refused to get wrapped up in the political and religious storms that troubled England during his lifetime. Lewis Carroll, however, was a delightful, lovable companion to the children for whom he created his nonsense stories and poems. Biographers and historians have long been confused that one man could have two completely different sides.
One solution is that he had two personalities: "Lewis Carroll" and "the Reverend Mr. Dodgson," with the problems that go along with having a split personality. There were peculiar things about him—he stammered ever since he was a child, he was extremely fussy about his possessions, and he walked as much as twenty miles a day. But another solution seems more nearly correct: "Dodgson" and "Carroll" were parts of one personality. This personality, because of happiness in childhood and unhappiness in the years thereafter, could blossom only in a world that resembled the happy one he knew while growing up.
Cohen, Morton N. Lewis Carroll: A Biography. New York: A. A. Knopf, 1995.
Greene, Carol. Lewis Carroll, Author of Alice in Wonderland. Chicago: Children's Press, 1992.
Stoffel, Stephanie Lovett. Lewis Carroll in Wonderland: The Life and Times of Alice and Her Creator. New York: H. N. Abrams, 1997.
Thomas, Donald S. Lewis Carroll: A Biography. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1999.
Wood, James P. The Snark Was a Boojum: A Life of Lewis Carroll. New York: Pantheon Books, 1966.
Lewis Carroll Biography forum
Carnegie, Andrew Carson, Johnny
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O Castro British School Christmas Concert
Just like every year, Early Years, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 have worked really hard to give an amazing Christmas concert for all the school community of O Castro British School.
Our students performed several Christmas carols and Christmas songs. It was a brilliant performance in which they surprised everybody with their own choreography. “Snowflake, Snowflake”, “Merry Christmas”, “Jingle Bell Rocks”, “Because it’s Christmas Time”, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, “I’m the Happiest Christmas Tree”, “I Wish it Could be Christmas every day” or the Spanish Christmas carol “Feliz Navidad” were some of the songs that they performed.
With these concerts, the school community of O Castro British School wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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Tag: Iran
On: June 21, 2019 By: Mark
Traditionally, starting a war is a pretty one good way for a president to get reelected. It worked for George W. Bush, but his Iraq war was kind of a sequel to his war with Afghanistan, seen by Americans as a justified war after 9/11. The complications of his invasion were not totally understood by voters when they gave him a second term in 2004; he essentially got the benefit of the doubt. Reagan did some gunboat diplomacy and it served him well in his reelection. We’ll never know if Kennedy’s Bay of Pigs invasion would have cost him the 1964 election. Teddy Roosevelt saw the Spanish American War as a good war, i.e. not too complicated, where America could flex its growing muscle and try the empire thing without too much cost. Much like our potential war with Iran, it didn’t have much in the way of plausible justification. Yet Teddy Roosevelt enjoyed great popularity.
The times though may be changing. Last night Donald Trump aborted three planned airstrikes on Iran while they were already in flight. Supposedly, this was because he was concerned about the reported 150 casualties that would have resulted from the strikes. (They didn’t brief him on this before authorizing the strike?) Most likely, Trump just got cold feet.
Or it could be someone on his staff looked at polling on the issue. For example, a May Reuters/Ipsos poll found that while half of Americans believe we will go to war with Iran within the next few years, 60% said the U.S. should not strike first. Also 61% of Americans still support the agreement negotiated between Iran, the Obama Administration, and many other countries to curb Iraq’s use of nuclear materials. Just 12% of Americans want us to strike first.
Iran recently shot down one of our drones near the Strait of Hormuz. It’s unclear whether it was done in international waters or not. Killing 150 people to avenge an attack on a bunch of metal does seem to be (forgive the pun) massive overkill.
It’s quite clear that Trump sees his 2020 reelection as essential and will do just about anything to achieve it. He’s already invited the Russians and other states (Norway?) to keep interfering in our elections, and Congressional Republicans seem not to care too. His reelection is literally do or die for Trump. If he can’t win reelection, then he may be charged for potential crimes documented in the Mueller report. But if he wins, the statute of limitations will pass, so at worst he’s charged for various state offenses. Starting a war with Iran is risky, but might be effective in ensuring his reelection.
Then maybe not so much. Trump is clearly no student of history, but it didn’t work well for George H.W. Bush, who ran a war against Iraq very successfully with a coalition of countries, yet still managed to lose reelection. If the 2004 elections had been held six months later, George W. Bush might not have won as the consequences of his botched Iraq war became more noticed and Americans turned decisively against it.
When it comes to armed conflict against a significant adversary, my bet is that Trump is mostly a paper tiger. He talks big about being ruthless with our enemies, but he seems to sense that running an actual war is something out of his league. To begin with, the senior leadership of his Department of Defense is largely gone. He has no Secretary of Defense, the acting one just quit and the acting-acting one is hardly the best person for the job. A president that actually managed his government would have filled these positions by now. Not Trump. He remains distracted and is unconcerned about tending to the mechanics of government. I think he senses that a conflict with Iran is better punted than acted on.
Why? Because he would actually be expected to manage the war and that’s hard and boring. It means convincing a reluctant Congress to fund it, which probably won’t happen. He would lose face and look weak. It’s much better, easier and most importantly less risky to punt on it, like he’s doing on North Korea, Venezuela or for that matter much of Central America. Many of his problems are caused by his neglect, i.e. refusal to actually govern. Governing a country at war is hard.
Reports suggest he’s already had open conflicts with John Bolton, his super-hawkish national security adviser who is openly salivating at the idea of a war with Iran. But when Trump acts on it, he’ll own it, not Bolton. Not that when it goes bad he won’t try to make others take the knee for it. But it paints a bad picture next year when he is running for reelection while this conflict likely becomes tit-for-tat actions instead. Any war or conflict with Iran will be a conflict of his own making. Remember that Trump belatedly called our Iraq War a mistake.
It’s much easier to tweet all day and make bullying noises, plus it avoids a lot of accountability. So I think he’s going to talk strong but ultimately do little in the way of a military response. I hope I’m right.
Category: Politics 2019 Tagged Bush, George H.W. Bush, Iran, Teddy Roosevelt, War Leave a comment/
Trump’s nuclear no-no
On: September 23, 2017 By: Mark
Oy! It was another week of bellicose theatrics from our president. Trump, ever eager for more attention, went places that no recent president would have ever dreamed of going. As usual Trump picked the worst location to threaten nuclear war: the United Nations, an organization we helped create to promote peace and understanding and reduce the likelihood of war through the promotion of civil dialog.
Trump’s target this time was North Korea, which keeps lobbing missiles over Japan and recently concluded a likely hydrogen bomb test. Trump’s implicit threat to utterly destroy North Korea is today only possible using our nuclear arsenal. This means, if it’s true, that Trump is considering proactively using our nuclear weapons. He’s also assuming it can be done in a way that won’t send a nuclear warhead at us or our allies, a dubious assumption at best.
Trump isn’t the first president to threaten North Korea with nukes. President Eisenhower did too, mostly out of frustration because the interminable peace talks at the time were going nowhere. We were basically the only nuclear power at the time, with the USSR just getting into the game, so it was a viable threat. The threat didn’t bring peace in 1953, but it did lead to a cessation of hostilities, making the 38th parallel a neutral zone and an exchange of prisoners.
All these years later we are still grappling with a way to bring true peace to the Korean peninsula. Trump’s strategy seems to be to try Eisenhower’s strategy again, as if you can still scare the North Korean government into submission. All it has done so far is ratchet up the tensions and lead to ever more bizarre and bellicose statements from the “leaders” of both sides. With each exchange of insults, these “leaders” look more puerile. If only the United Nations could take them out of the sandbox and give them long timeouts instead.
As for utterly destroying North Korea, that’s exactly what our air force did during the Korean War with conventional weapons. It wasn’t enough. We had total dominion over the Korean skies. Toward the end of the war North Korea looked pretty much like Dresden after World War Two. The Chinese helped of course by supplying soldiers and material. As the Vietcong also learned, there are ways to move militaries without being seen. North Korean and Chinese soldiers were very fast with their feet and traveled mostly at night. So total destruction did not mean winning the war. Nuking North Korea would not end this war either. It would also not necessarily destroy North Korea’s nuclear program or its arms caches, which are likely well underground. It would likely kill tens of millions, including millions of South Koreans, and at best provide the illusion of peace. It would leave a generational memory that would resurface again and again.
Not content with chastising just North Korea, Trump excoriated Iran during his U.N. speech too. He called our nuclear deal with Iran the worst deal ever. Yet even his administration agrees that Iran has fully complied with the terms of the agreement. If the United States were to cancel the deal, the effect would likely be disastrous. Iran would be free to continue to develop its nuclear stockpile and work on nuclear weapons. It’s understandable that Republicans would be upset by what the deal doesn’t do. It doesn’t keep Iran from developing long-range missiles, but it wasn’t designed to be comprehensive. It was designed to keep a new nuclear power from forming in the worst possible part of the world. So far it’s succeeding in those goals. The Trump administration could open talks on these other issues, probably multilateral talks like the Obama Administration used. Or we can start a war with Iran instead. Which is likelier achieve our aims?
Like it or not, the United States can no longer use military power to achieve its aims, at least not with countries beyond a certain size. Most use of military power like this is counterproductive both in the short and the long term. The conflicts we are dealing with are much more complex than they used to be. Today they are less nationalistic than ideologically driven, and that includes here in the United States where a great conflict of ideology is underway. With Republicans in charge, the bias is toward using the military to achieve its goals, which means there is a bias not just toward war, but also toward creating wars.
Because Republicans respect force, they think it is the solution to all these problems. While certainly Democratic administrations have had similar proclivities (Kennedy and Johnson in particular, although they inherited the Vietnam War), it’s been mainly Republicans that have proctored our involvement in new wars. Eisenhower proctored proxy wars in Iran and Guatemala that were covertly run by the CIA. Our meddling in Iran eventually saw the eviction of the Shah and the creation of a deeply anti-American Islamic Republic there. In essence our involvement caused the animus Iran now has toward us. Reagan’s meddling in El Salvador led to civil war and right wing death squads that continue to this day. It certainly did not lead to stability in Central American. Nixon’s secret war in Cambodia and Laos exposed a larger war but also proved ineffectual. George W. Bush’s war in Iraq has proven to be disastrous and also based on lies. It led to among other things the creation of the Islamic State and the collapse of Syria.
Trump seems almost eager to continue this Republican losing streak, perhaps reigniting the Korean War as well as setting off a potential war with Iraq. It’s really about showing American potency and relevance. It’s effectively being the muscular guy on the beach and taunting guys coming by so you can kick sand in their faces.
Solving these problems is going to be very hard and requires new thinking. It will require a bias toward multilateral solutions and diplomacy rather than force, in short using bodies like the United Nations more rather than less. It will mean dialog and engagement, particularly with those we find most difficult to engage with. It will take time and trust and verification. It will mean we will have to make concessions to affect a greater deal.
It’s painfully clear none of this will happen until not just Trump is gone, but Republicans no longer control the White House.
Category: Politics 2017 Tagged Bush, Eisenhower, Iran, Iraq War, Korean War, Multilateralism, North Korea, Nuclear war, Ronald Reagan, Trump, United Nations, Vietnam War Leave a comment/
Why do Republicans want to kill Planned Parenthood again?
On: August 3, 2015 By: Mark
It’s no longer news that Republicans aren’t tethered to reality. You might say they are the anti-reality party. Pretty much anything that is undeniable, they will deny it. They don’t believe climate change is happening. Evidence like increased carbon dioxide levels and steadily rising average temperatures won’t persuade them. Even rising sea levels that are already threatening Norfolk, Virginia won’t convince them.
They are a pretty reflexive party in that, like Pavlov’s dog, you know how they will react before they open their mouth. If President Obama says it’s good, for example, they will say it’s bad and therefore it must be opposed with all necessary force and vitriol. His multi-nation agreement with Iran to lift sanctions in exchange for closer monitoring of their nuclear activities must be voted down because Obama’s name is on it. The alternative to not having an agreement is likely the collapse of sanctions against Iran by major countries and the rapid enrichment of Iran’s current nuclear stockpile. Republicans would rather have war against Iran instead, and it’s all in the interest of our (and Israel’s) national security somehow. Note that most of the yahoos pushing this approach also voted or advocated for the Iraq War in 2002. They have a great track record!
Now, a highly doctored video showing representatives of Planned Parenthood suggesting they might be able to provide parts of aborted fetuses for research (which they already do in some cases) has Republicans in Congress racing to pass legislation taking away all federal funding for the organization. This is much more important than, say, passing a multi-year funding bill for the Highway Trust Fund or passing appropriations so the government won’t shut down again on October 1. The bill is necessary they say to show their disgust for Planned Parenthood in general and their abortions in particular. Never mind that federal law does not allow a dime of federal money to provide any abortion services by Planned Parenthood or any other organization. It’s been this way for more than a decade. In their pique they now want to make sure Planned Parenthood doesn’t use federal money for any activities, like providing birth control to poor people.
Obviously I’m not the brightest person on the planet but I’m pretty sure that if poor people can’t get contraceptives for free or at a reduced cost, they’re probably not going to embrace celibacy. Instead lots of poor women are going to get pregnant that would not have otherwise. And some of them will choose to get an abortion rather than carry the pregnancy to term. Since zero federal money is going to Planned Parenthood for abortions (and only 3% of their funds are used for abortion services) it’s likely many of these women will go to Planned Parenthood or other abortion clinics for abortions instead. This will mean that their actions will only increase abortions.
Moreover, to the extent that limited parts of fetuses (most are not much larger than a kidney bean) are provided for medical research now, because of these actions there will be more available in the future. Those women that don’t get abortions are more likely to raise poor children, who will probably need social services. Republicans clearly hate women, abortions and poor people, so it’s hard to imagine a more counterproductive act than this. However, given the way they reacted to the agreement with Iran, it’s just more par for their course.
In response to all of this, I am giving more money to Planned Parenthood. Maybe in doing so I can help keep some of these women from getting pregnant. Long ago while pondering the best use of the money I give to charity, Planned Parenthood went to the top. It’s hard to imagine a better use of my money. Consider:
It empowers women. By being able to get free or reduced birth control, they have greater freedom and control over their lives.
It strengthens families and relationships
It allows these people to have a higher standard of living
It reduces social services and costs borne by the taxpayers
It reduces infrastructure costs, reducing the need for new houses, roads, bridges, shopping malls, etc.
It’s environmentally friendly
Contraception prevents abortions in the first place. This should make both pro-life and pro-choice people happy because it supports their goals.
So Congress’s likely actions will wreak more havoc that will inescapably increase the number of abortions. It will unnecessarily add to our misery as a country. And it won’t retard the use of fetal tissues in medical research.
So nice going Congressional Republicans! You remain as consistent as always promoting your agenda. Your reflexive actions here offer us more of the same counterproductive results Americans have come to expect from you. It’s not surprising then that a recent Pew poll found the fewest number of Americans approving of the Republican Party in decades (just 32%).
It also sounds like you are going to get one hell of a karmic wallop come elections next year. Don’t tell me then that you didn’t see this coming.
Category: Politics 2015 Tagged Abortion, Iran, Iran accord, Iraq, Obama, Planned Parenthood, Republicans Leave a comment/
Obama demonstrates he is the real grown up in the room
On: July 15, 2015 July 16, 2015 By: Mark
Our national government currently resembles a three-ring circus. Between carbon copy Republicans running for president on a platform of mostly hot air, pabulum from the so-called leaders of the U.S. congress and the weird rulings and opinions from our Supreme Court justices, a whole lot of nothing meaningful is happening in Washington at your expense.
There is thankfully one exception: we’re getting a lot of leadership from President Obama. And yesterday, the president tentatively scored a major win: a negotiated agreement with Iran over its nuclear weapons program, in concert with four other major powers that participated in the talks. The agreement reduces Iran’s nuclear capabilities over the next ten years and Iran gets release from the crippling sanctions against the country. This will be done through unfettered inspections of its nuclear facilities and sealed commitments to reduce its uranium stockpiles.
I breathed a huge sigh of relief when the agreement was announced but I was also grinning. In his first presidential campaign, Obama had promised change we could believe in. It’s been hard to deliver a lot of this change given the relentless obstruction in Congress, but this agreement should it be realized certainly will be change I can believe in. This is the kind of change I voted for, and it’s meaningful change.
While Republicans fall over themselves to deny global warming, restrict a woman’s right to an abortion and make life increasingly miserable for the poor and the wretched, at least Obama has kept his focus long term. While CEOs do conniptions to show higher quarterly profits, our president has ignored the rhetoric of the moment and concentrated on what we paid him for: real leadership. And boy did he deliver yesterday!
Consider what would happen if “Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran” John McCain had been elected president instead of Barack Obama. It’s pretty clear what would have happened based on McCain’s own words then and over the last six and a half years. Negotiate with Iran? It would not have been an option. It would have been framed as negotiating with terrorists. It’s quite likely that instead we would now be hip deep in another long, ghastly and frighteningly expensive war with Iran. Bombs would be dropping. Our ships would be shelling Iran’s shores. Aircraft would be dropping bunker-busting bombs all over the country, and maybe outside of it. Our troops would be dying, and overstretched in the area, which is already rife with conflict. That region would be even more so with a major war in Iran and the Islamic State even more resurgent. Consider what would be giving up now if we were at war with Iran: support for the Iraqi government, and the Kurds and pretty much anyone else trying to contain the Islamic state, and that’s just for starters. Our attention on other threats in Asia and Africa would be largely nonexistent.
This new war, as awful as it would be, would be far more awful because it would set in motion a series of future wars. Rather than contain Iran’s nuclear might, it would unleash decades of future madness in that region. Iran, which already hates America, would find it hated us even more due to the war. It would be working that much harder to undermine our national security through its proxies. You don’t have to look far in the Middle East to see how the hate business propagates endlessly. Israel and Palestine are locked in an eternal war fought as lots of major skirmishes. Each action by Israel or proxies for the Palestinians simply set up the participants for the next one, and further inflames tensions, making it impossible for them to cool. There is no military solution to their problems, just as there is no military solution to the West’s conflict with Iran.
The difference is that unlike Israel’s relentless intransigence, the United States can affect real political change through diplomacy instead of war. Obama figured that out long before he was president. He realized that the most important thing was to stop the cycle of hate and paranoia, because this puts out the flames of war. He spoke openly to the Iranian people that change was possible. He said that Iran and the United States did not have to be eternal enemies. He said we could resolve our conflict through diplomacy, but only if both sides were earnest and passions could cool. To improve the odds he worked with an international coalition not just to maintain sanctions on Iran but also to work together to find a peaceful way to lift them through a comprehensive agreement. And amazingly with the help of two hard working secretaries of state (Hillary Clinton and John Kerry) and of course our international partners (which gave us credibility), they pulled off this agreement.
Of course there are no guarantees that Congress will approve this agreement. It will probably be rejected, but because it is not a treaty, Obama’s veto of their bill rejecting it probably means he will win. This is because Congress probably can’t muster two thirds majority in both chambers to overrule his veto. Of course it is fraught with lots of potential pitfalls. But it also significantly reduces Iran’s nuclear weapon making capability and brings Iran back into the international community. It eases tensions and allows time for Iran’s demographics to take hold. It is a country full of young people, and it’s likely as they age they will have much more liberal values than their current leaders. You can see this from the satellite dishes on pretty much every house of size in Iran today. Iranians are more than ready to embrace Western values. They are just waiting for the political climate to change.
You will hear the usual noise from the war hawks about why this agreement is actually a calamity and how we are selling out our values not to mention our national security. In reality, Obama is holding us to our values, showing that we are a nation that values peace and goodwill. This buys real national security because when people don’t have reason to hate you, something called real peace happens. Obama is showing that we can model what is best about our country to the rest of the world again, rather than assert what is worst about it. He is reminding us of a time in the late 1940s and early 1950s when this was the United States and we really were that shining city on the hill. We sponsored the United Nations. We rebuilt Europe. We built international coalitions to handle the Korean conflict. We fed much of the malnourished world. We were an awesome country back then.
To quote the late Hubert Humphrey, I’m as pleased as punch with our president. Obviously he is not a flawless president. I too have major concerns with some of his decisions as president. However, his focus on a long game and doing the intelligent thing rather than the emotional thing certainly garners not just my respect, but also my deep admiration and gratitude.
Thank you for being one of the few grown up leaders in our government, Mr. President.
Category: Politics 2015 Tagged Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Iran, Iran accord, John Kerry, John McCain, Republicans Leave a comment/
47 mutineers
On: March 15, 2015 By: Mark
I was hardly the only one shocked and more than a little dumfounded when 47 Republican U.S. senators sent an unsolicited letter to the Grand Ayatollah of Iran, Ali Khamenei last week. The letter said that any agreement between the United States, Iran, and all those other pesky countries (including China and Russia) working to keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons could easily be abrogated by the Congress, something that is simply not true.
Perhaps I should not have been surprised. We have a Congress in full mutiny over this thing called constitutional government because it is proving to be inconvenient. They are in mutiny because they hate the guy leading the executive branch because he has the audacity not to agree with them on everything. Just a week earlier House Speaker John Boehner made good on his unilateral decision to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress. Hitherto foreign policy, with the exception of treaties has been the purview of the executive because, well, it’s that’s what it says in the constitution. It must be very confusing to foreign leaders. Just who speaks for the United States government? It’s pretty clear in other governments, but not in our government, not anymore.
Only it’s not just the Congress. It’s also the Alabama Supreme Court. It started when its supreme justice Roy Moore told county clerks not to marry gay and lesbian couples, this after a federal court ruled they could marry. Subsequently the entire (Republican) state supreme court backed him up. Alabama is basically telling its court clerks that its decision nullifies the federal court’s decision. This is something close to treason. At the very least it is a conscious effort to ignore the supremacy clause of the U.S. constitution. We fought a three-year civil war to resolve the issue of states’ rights. One can understand the impulse not to want to accept these rulings, but a court is never supposed to do anything that obviously conflicts with the settled and unambiguous law of our land. Alvin Toffler would say this is a classic case of future shock. It’s clear that Republicans and southern states in general aren’t doing very well in dealing with the future that has already arrived and won’t follow constitutional processes to change things they don’t like.
Still, what these 47 mutinous Republican senators did reached a new level of arrogance and stupidity. New Arkansas senator Tom Cotton initiated the letter. I had two thoughts when I considered how this letter got started. First was that Cotton hadn’t bothered to run it by staff first. If he had they would have doubtless provided a sanity check and told him that this was a really bad, potentially career-ending act, not to mention factually wrong. The other alternative is even more mind-boggling: his staff told him it was a bad idea but he proceeded anyhow.
The even crazier part is that 47 out of 54 Republican senators signed it as well. This included their majority leader Mitch McConnell and John McCain, hitherto one of the rational Republicans. This wasn’t rocket science. The letter was wrong about how our constitution works. It suggests that 47 Republicans don’t even grasp the basic workings of our foreign policy and congress’s role in it. You could both see it and hear it in Secretary of State John Kerry’s testimony. It was basically: are you really this stupid? Did you not hear the words about swearing to uphold our constitution when you took your oath of office?
Some of the signers have belatedly suggested that maybe signing it wasn’t a smart move. Editorial boards across the country were virtually unanimous in condemning what these senators did. Some of the signers of course doubled down, particularly those who seem to be angling to run for president in 2016.
None of these senators should be trusted to so much as guard a roll of pennies again. It was a potentially criminal lapse of judgment, so much so that a petition calling for them to be tried for treason has garnered hundreds of thousands of signatures on whitehouse.gov. Their hatred for all things Obama and their obsessive pandering to the worst elements of their own party overruled common sense, decency and apparently clouded over basic knowledge of our federal system and constitution. These erstwhile champions of the constitution clearly didn’t bother to read it before they signed the letter.
This is another Mission Accomplished moment, something none of these 47 senators will be able to live down. For many their states are so red it won’t make much of a difference to their jobs, but they will forever be ridiculed, insulted and scorned for their mutinous act. Like Lady Macbeth, they will never be able to remove this damned bloody spot from their careers. It’s a mark of deep shame they will carry into death, to be ever recorded in major sections of their biography. The many good things many of these senators have done are likely to be overwhelmed by this egregious, mutinous and profoundly stupid act of putting their anger and partisanship ahead of statesmanship.
Category: Politics 2015 Tagged Alabama, Foreign policy, Gay Marriage, Iran, John Kerry, Senate, Supremacy Clause, Tom Cotton, U.S. Constitution Leave a comment/
Obama’s strategy is a pretty poor strategy
Dear President Obama,
Can we go back to a lack of strategy regarding the Islamic State? Of course you were ridiculed by much of the media (and naturally Republicans) when the Islamic State started beheading American (and now a British) journalists and you confessed the United States did not have a strategy. Now apparently we have one. I realize I am in a significant minority of Americans, most of whom overwhelmingly support us going to war with the Islamic State. But I’d really prefer a lack of a strategy compared with your current strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy the Islamic State.
It’s not that I object to the idea of getting rid of the Islamic State. It’s the methods that you are using that are unworkable. For the moment it involves a lot of American air power. Presumably dropping all these munitions is part of a “degrade” strategy. All I see is the tail wagging the dog. We are doing just what the Islamic State wants us to do.
It’s the same thing that Osama bin Laden wanted us to do after 9/11. He succeeded. It got our dander all up and before long we were invading Afghanistan and we compounded our mistake by also invading Iraq. Have we destroyed al Qaeda? Obviously not. Have we degraded it? Perhaps. Most obviously though we have not so much degraded it as fractured it. To cope, al Qaeda became a series of snakes rather than one snake. With no central leadership, it is now harder to kill. We’ve lobbed hundreds of cruise missiles at al Qaeda encampments in Yemen, Sudan, Pakistan and elsewhere. We even took out Osama bin Laden, an accomplishment for which you deserve praise. And yet despite hundreds of billions spent, and trillions in eventual costs, al Qaeda is very much alive. The Islamic State is basically an offshoot of al Qaeda. As far as al Qaeda is concerned, the Islamic State is too radical.
So apparently firepower alone, and even the presence of more than a hundred thousand U.S. troops in Iraq was not nearly enough to stop terrorism and sectarian violence. What our muscle does though is make us look like an Axis of Evil, fueling the recruitment of terrorists ready to fight and die for a holy mission, which is exactly what the Islamic State wants. Munitions can be replaced. They have the means to replace anything we blow up, and much of their money is actually coming from so-called friendly states like Saudi Arabia and Qatar. To grow and keep growing they need more recruits for the cause, and all the fighting is certainly doing that. Muslims across Europe and even here in the United States are going to join the mayhem, and plenty more in the immediate area are also anxious to wreak holy war. Had we not invaded Iraq it’s unlikely the Islamic State would even exist.
We invaded Iraq in order to stop non-existent collaboration between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda. By turning it into a lawless country, we allowed al Qaeda to establish a real foothold in the place. Ten years later it resulted in the Islamic State, which we now want to beat into submission using the same tactics that failed to work in the past. This is an effective strategy? No, it’s the failure to learn from past mistakes. It is folly.
Mr. President, I understand the pressure you are getting. Americans are seeing these grisly videos on YouTube, so cleverly produced by the Islamic state. They are carefully designed to outrage us and push our buttons. It worked. Americans want action. I was certainly revolted by the beheading of two American journalists. My instinctive reaction was the same as most Americans: let’s show them who’s boss by dropping some bombs. An eye for an eye. When I thought about it logically though, I looked at how great it is working out for Israel. That nation does not have peace. It has indefinite and increasingly painful warfare punctured by months or perhaps years of a pseudo-peace. Degrading and destroying the Islamic State the way we plan to do it is simply setting us up for future complex and increasingly worsening games of whack-a-mole. In the long term this does not make us safer, or make the world a more peaceful place. It worsens, not helps, our national security.
Any civilized person is going to think that beheading anyone is beyond outrageous and should not be tolerated. It is, of course, evil. And two Americans so far have suffered this grisly fate. What really bugs us though is that it happened to Americans. We were far less concerned about when Saddam Hussein’s police were doing it. If I had my option, I’d much rather be beheaded than suffer the fate Iraqis routinely experienced under Saddam Hussein. His torturers routinely cut off limbs, made people endure acid baths and even boiled people alive in acid baths. Sometimes this was done in front of their families. We’re not talking about a couple of people; we are talking tens of thousands, and likely a lot more. Only they were Iraqis, not Americans. At least with a beheading, death comes quickly.
While we find such punishments abhorrent (well, except for the Dick Cheney’s of the world, who are quite comfortable with waterboarding), this is par for the course in the Middle East. Beheadings happen regularly in Saudi Arabia. Syria tortures. Iran tortures. The new government of Iraq tortures, mostly Sunnis because the Shi’ites are now in charge. What’s unusual is finding a government in that region that does not torture. Like Americans venturing into North Korea, Americans who travel to these countries in the Middle East have to have some reasonable expectation that they will suffer fates like these too.
We cannot install civilization in this area. We cannot put sufficient forces on the ground to control this region, as we proved in Iraq. For all the current calls for retribution from Americans today, they won’t support a long-term occupation of this area and we can’t afford it.
I realize you are under pressure to show some results. Americans want instant results. We cannot win this fight, at least not like this. This is not a problem that can be controlled. America must give up the fantasy that we can order the world to suit our prejudices and predispositions. Trying to wage this war on the ground through proxies, which is how you want to proceed, is a strategy with virtually no chance of success. It’s a hopelessly tangled mess that we cannot and should not sort out.
Mr. President, part of the art of leadership is to candidly acknowledge what is possible and what is not possible. This is not possible. You should tell us American this bluntly. Let’s do what we can do to make things less miserable for those affected. Let’s make life better for the refugees. But please don’t think that we can solve this problem. We can’t and attempting to do so will only make things worse for us in the long term.
You of all people should understand this.
Stop it. Change course now. Tell America you have rethought your strategy. Let it be.
Category: Politics 2014 Tagged Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Iran, Iraq, Islamic State, Saddam Hussein, Syria Leave a comment/
The last debate
On: October 23, 2012 October 24, 2012 By: Mark
It’s probably a good thing that most Americans are geography impaired. Many Americans cannot tell you what their neighboring states are, let alone pick out Iran or Syria on a globe. Mitt Romney seems to fall into this category as well, since during yesterday’s presidential debate he came up with the preposterous claim that Iran needed to help Syria so it could have access to the world’s oceans. Maybe he confused the landlocked Afghanistan with Iran. In any event, Iran has plenty of access to the world’s oceans as the southern part of Iran presses up against the Persian Gulf, and it depends on access to it to export most of its oil.
Overall, yesterday’s debate with President Obama did not reflect well on Romney’s grasp of foreign policy. Worse, he could not draw clear distinctions between how his policies would vary from Obama’s. He either tacitly or explicitly agreed with most of Obama’s policies, the inescapable implication being that Obama was doing a good job as commander in chief. Moreover, he drew a lot of false conclusions. For example, he criticized the president for turmoil in the Middle East, as if it was his fault. Even the casual observer of the Middle East understands that revolution, particularly in that part of the world, requires turmoil. It’s an area where democracy is virtually unknown and despots are aplenty. His reasoning is also suspect because it suggests that we can actually control the political process underway across the Middle East. All we can really do is attempt to influence policy by reaching out to leaders, the opposition, and by working with other countries to affect jointly desirable outcomes, such as ending Iran’s nuclear program.
We have tried using force to get our way and it didn’t work in Iraq, although we did squander hundreds of billions of dollars before a wiser president than Bush got us out of Iraq. Sadly, I predict the same will be true in Afghanistan as proved true in Iraq. Yes, we will be out by the end of 2014. Even Romney wants that to occur. But Afghan troops will be no more ready to take control of their country than Iraqi troops were. Afghanistan is likely to look a lot like Iraq in 2015, likely with no clear winner but with a heavy and destabilizing Talibani influence but the government retaining control in most major cities. But we’ll be out of there and most importantly al Qaeda will not be coming back. They will wisely stay out of Afghanistan. The Taliban will not let them back in, as they lost power the last time they let them in. The Taliban knows that as long as they make mischief only within their borders that we will leave them alone. That’s the bottom line in Afghanistan that both sides know we will accept, just not state publicly.
President Obama demonstrated a firm grasp of these nuances, and rightly called Romney out on some of his more absurd statements, like his fretting that our navy had fewer ships than at any time since World War One. Aircraft carriers did not even exist then. One aircraft carrier today is the equivalent of dozens if not hundreds of navy ships in the World War One era. It’s actually much more than that since it allows us to project a large concentration of air power at trouble spots across the world.
Both Obama and Romney found plenty of reasons to talk about domestic policy, since most Americans yawn at foreign policy. As usual, the moderator Bob Schieffer of CBS Newswas caught in the middle and had trouble bringing their focus back to foreign policy. By this point in the campaign there was really nothing that either candidate could state that Americans had not heard before. Instead, the casual listener could only go with gut assessments of the candidate. Obama looked the image of the sober commander in chief he has been. Romney looked again like he was trying to imitate Ronald Reagan, not succeeding very well and seemed a bit trigger happy as well.
The sad fact for Republicans was that the debate was a sure loser for them. Americans overwhelmingly approve of Obama’s foreign policy. We are out of Iraq, and are getting out of Afghanistan. We are war weary, so Romney’s saber rattling fell flat. It was not surprising then that Romney was happy to turn the conversation to domestic policy, where he holds better cards. Overall, Americans see no compelling reason to spend lavishly on defense at this time, particularly when we are entering an era of austerity and the obvious foreign threats against us are diminishing. Moreover, it is astonishing to most of us who pay attention to foreign policy that Russia is our biggest national security threat, as Romney recently asserted. The Cold War is long over. Russia retains an impressive nuclear arsenal but does not appear to have any imperialistic desires at the moment. It has its hands full controlling its own population.
In short, Romney got pwned last night. By the end of the debate it seemed that Romney knew it as well.
Category: Politics 2012 Tagged Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Debates, Election 2012, Foreign policy, Iran, Mitt Romney Leave a comment/
Iran’s metamorphosis
On: June 21, 2009 June 29, 2009 By: Mark
Some of you may have been wondering when I was going to talk about the civil unrest underway in Iran. Like many of you, I have been too caught up in events there to give it much analysis. Moreover, I do not know that much about Iran other than what I know about it from watching the media. Unquestionably, the recent election was rigged. The massive street protests and the predictable crackdown underway are compelling and heart-wrenching to watch, even if the snippets we see are posted days or hours later and taken from hand held cell phone cameras.
I do not know if a new Iranian revolution is imminent or whether a harsh repression by Iran’s clerics will stifle dissent for a generation, such as what happened in Tiananmen Square in China some twenty years ago. I do know that theocracy is not a natural fit for a country that is so well educated and technologically advanced. This means that Iranian clerics, if they were wise, would be working toward measured political accommodation of the people rather than repression.
Unfortunately, when you live in a theocracy you tend to get stilted thinking rather than pragmatism. Just as Pope Benedict cannot see reason when it comes to contraception, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will not adjust his notion of pure Islam to accommodate the reality that is modern Iran.
Much of the unrest is a consequence of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s attempts to turn Iran into a modern state. You cannot build a great state when it rests on the foundation of uneducated minds. It takes engineers, scientists, academics and many learned people to get there. In short, you need a society where education is valued and where modern technology is embraced. Iranians have done a remarkable job of embracing technology. The third most used language on the social networking site Twitter is Persian. Pictures of the rallies in Tehran show a crowd where cell phones were as numerous as the hundreds of thousands of protestors.
It is likely that Shi’ite Islam (as Ayatollah Khamenei interprets it) is not compatible with 21st century technology. Yet, this technology is here to say. Satellite receivers are technically illegal in Iran, but are pervasive nonetheless. Attempts to disrupt unwanted communications only lead to clever ways to circumvent these limitations and, to the extent they succeed, breed anger, hatred and resentment.
There are some societies where the culture accepts a high level of government censorship and control. China appears to be one of them. I am betting that Iran is not one of these countries. Iran is also an overwhelmingly youthful country. For many Iranians, the Iranian revolution is at best a distant memory or happened long before they were born. However, they do understand the present and the power of what they have in front of them, and they like their Internet connections and cell phones. Moreover, Iranians are a very chatty nation, with reputedly the highest number of bloggers per capita in the world. If Khamenei were reading tealeaves, he would be wary, if not very afraid.
It may take a generation or two, but widespread higher education (which has been underway in Iran for a generation) opens minds, broadens perspectives and retards insularity. In the United States, if you look at where the most highly educated people live, you will also find fewer churchgoers and greater tolerance for different ideas, cultures and beliefs. I certainly see it here in the Washington Metropolitan region. We have long been a melting pot of various ethnicities and cultures. Our attitudes are correspondingly relatively progressive.
With this in mind, perhaps our foreign policy toward Iran needs to be rethought. During the last presidential campaign, Senator John McCain was caught on camera (obviously in an unscripted moment) singing “Bomb, bomb Iran”. The implication was that the country was so intrinsically evil that there was no reasoning with Iranians, so we might as well bomb them into submission. It should now be clear that such actions would prove counterproductive, alienating the educated and increasingly liberal components of Iran who are becoming a majority. I am willing to bet that should a new Iranian revolution succeed then the next government will be far less hostile toward Israel. Educated Iranians already understand that the purpose of Ahmadinejad’s fixation on Israel is to cover his own deficiencies as a leader.
Repression may work in Iran for a month, or a year or possibly even a decade. However, the forces that have been unleashed in Iran because of this clearly fraudulent election cannot be kept bottled forever. A newer, more pragmatic and more progressive government will emerge from Iran in time. The United States should practice patience. The Iranian people have come around. In time, so will its government.
Category: Politics 2009 Tagged Iran, Israel, Liberalism Leave a comment/
Delusional Paranoia on Iraq
On: March 4, 2007 June 13, 2009 By: Mark
While I was driving home from church today, I was listening to a rebroadcast of NBC’s Meet the Press on CSPAN Radio. NBC reporter Tim Russert was interviewing Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The topic, of course, was our War in Iraq and President Bush’s controversial strategy to add tens of thousands more American troops in Baghdad.
Senator Graham was strictly towing the party line. Of course, he thought President Bush’s strategy deserved a chance to succeed. He decried Congress for trying to micromanage the war. He kept reiterating the same points. If we leave Iraq now there will be a bloodbath. The Middle East will explode into a regional conflict. Al Qaeda will have a new base for the training and recruitment of terrorists. He also said Iraq would become a puppet regime for Iran, Turkey would invade Kurdistan and neighboring Sunni states would support the Sunnis cause in Iraq’s civil war. He implied that all this would lead to the same paranoid conclusion shared by President Bush and many on Capitol Hill: the terrorists would follow us home. They assert that failure to confront the terrorists today in Iraq could then mean goodbye United States of America and hello Islamic Republic of America. Goodbye internets, hello burkas.
Senator Graham needs a reality check. No one knows for sure what would happen if America precipitously withdrew from Iraq. I will grant you that a couple scenarios are more likely than not. If we withdrew, I think you could count on more Sunni vs. Shiite violence in the short term, although arguably there is plenty enough of it going on right now. The de facto partitioning of Iraq, already well underway, would accelerate dramatically. Many of the other scenarios he posed sound dubious at best. I would call some of them ludicrous and ultra paranoid.
With much of Iraq in turmoil and ungovernable, I doubt the Iranian army would want to join in the fray. I also doubt that if a Shiite state emerges from the civil war that it will want to be at any other nation’s beck and call. Iraqi Shiites have lusted for a nation of their own for too long. At best, their army could only partially protect the Shiites. In any event, there are many Shiites in Iraq and armed militias like the Mahdi Army have proven they can fight effectively. Like the United States, Iran has a finite number of soldiers available for messy occupations, and occupying a large part of Iraq would be a tall order. In addition, Iranians are Persians, and Shiite Iraqis are Arabs. Iraqi Shiites speak Arabic and Iranians speak Farsi. This introduces both language and ethnic differences. They may all seem like towel heads to us outsiders, but it is very unlikely that Shiite Iraq could ever successfully work as a client state of Iran. Iran and Iraqi Shiites have religion in common and not a whole lot else. In fact, there is likely quite a bit of animosity that still lingers. Twenty-five years ago, Iran and Iraq were engaged in a bloody war that killed at least 875,000 people.
Turkey could invade Kurdistan, but it would come at a great cost. First, they desperately want to become part of the European Union. Invading another country is not a great way to go about it, particularly since the invasion would be unprovoked. Second, the Kurds are hardly helpless. While the rest of Iraq has descended into anarchy, they have used their relative tranquility to increase their armed forces and readiness; an invasion would hardly be a cakewalk. If Turkey did try to occupy Kurdistan, it would probably devolve into a bloody occupation like the one we are seeing in Iraq. Third, even if American forces did leave Iraq, most likely they would relocate to Kurdistan anyhow. It makes a convenient base to keep track on elements of al Qaeda in Iraq, check Iran’s influence, and dissuade Turkey from invading. At least initially, the Kurds would welcome our presence as a stabilizing influence. In short it is hardly a given that our withdrawal would cause the whole region to explode into conflict.
Why do Senator Graham’s warnings sound so familiar? Tim Russert nailed it: this line of thought is peculiarly reminiscent of the Domino Theory so popular and proven so incredibly wrong that existed during the Cold War. The theory was that if we did not check communism in South Vietnam, it would creep all over South Asia. President Lyndon Johnson himself figured we might have to surrender the Pacific Ocean to the forces of communism if we failed to contain it in Vietnam.
Then as now, we got it mostly wrong. At least that is the opinion of the noted late historian Barbara Tuchman. I am in the final part of her book, The March of Folly (1984). It concludes with a long hard look at the waste of time, lives and resources trying to keep South Vietnam from falling to the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese Army. It is painful reading, and not just because tens of thousands of Americans needlessly lost their lives there. It is also painful because here we are forty years later and we are repeating the same stupid mistakes. Ironically, the people who put us in Iraq were the very same people who harbored so much resentment that we let Vietnam fall in the first place. Iraq became their ideological battlefield that would prove we could do a Vietnam situation again, only do it right this time.
Of course, many on the right will say that Iraq is not Vietnam. In some respects of course they are right. However, you do not have to get too far into this part of Tuchman’s book to realize that when it came to how the war was executed many of the same strategies were used. These included candid intelligence assessments that were ignored by politicians and trumped up incidents used to justify unilateral escalation of the conflict. Both conflicts also had numerous attempts by the U.N. to keep the solve the conflict before armed force was used, and in both cases we found we would rather fight and prove our manliness than use diplomacy. In both conflicts there was amply warning that we would be entering a Pandora’s Box, yet we let our fears and hubris dictate our actions. In both conflicts, we studiously chose to ignore the history of the region, assumed the best case and supported anemic and corrupt leaders on the assumption that it was better to support the devil you know.
In Vietnam, for example, Tuchman notes that China gave weak support to the Communist North Vietnamese government and the Vietcong. This was because historically the Vietnamese and the Chinese have not gotten along. The USSR’s support of North Vietnam was far more in the moral support area than in advisers and money. Vietnam was just one of many areas of influence around the world that interested them. (One of them was Iran, which led to our engagement in Iraq and providing Saddam Hussein with intelligence and munitions.) Moreover, communism in Vietnam was a logical response to the times. As Tuchman makes clear, France’s interest when Vietnam was its colony was simply to exploit its people and devour its natural resources. The French ruthlessly suppressed any dissent. Little thought was given to bridging the cultural differences between the western and eastern culture. Communism in Vietnam was a generally recognized pragmatic means by the residents of Vietnam to bring about their fondest goal: genuine Vietnamese nationalism and sovereignty.
The result of our hasty exit from Vietnam in 1975 was a united country that had been artificially split in two. The communist menace hardly leached across South Asia. It ended with Laos and Cambodia, and all our massive secret bombings failed to bring stem it. Today Vietnam, like China, is more communist in name than in ideology. Thirty years later, we have diplomatic relations with Vietnam. Cambodia is no longer communist. Laos remains a socialist state with a communist underpinning, yet remnants of the Hmong still wage occasional insurgent strikes to try to end the socialist state.
To me the lesson of Vietnam means we that should now exercise some perspective. Most likely, our worst fears are a result of our own paranoid delirium. For them to be realized depends on many really improbable ifs being executed. It allows for no possibility that other natural events and forces in the region might counteract these forces. It assumes, for example, that groups like al Qaeda can wield more power and influence than historic ethnic forces. Moreover, it assumes that by using our own force there that we can truly achieve our aims. One thing we should have learned to date from this conflict is that our presence (and in particular our use of armed forces) exacerbates the situation and provides much of the animus to keep the conflict going.
What is needed now is exactly what we should have done before we invaded Iraq: a cold, clinical and dispassionate assessment of the likelihood that our imagined risks will play out, as well as a comprehensive understanding of the historical forces at play in the region. Yes, I think further bloodshed is likely if we leave Iraq. I doubt strongly though that the terrorists will follow us home. As I mentioned in another entry we were the domino that fell on 9/11. We acted predictably and precisely the way that al Qaeda wanted us to act to effect a one time aim: inflame the Muslim world when we retaliated. At its heart, the violence underway today in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East is the result of the same thing that drove the conflict in Vietnam: the desire of a people to direct their societies consistent with their own culture and values. Instead, the Arab world is rife with oppression, hopelessness and poverty. “Moderate” states that we support like Egypt are actually secular states where human rights exist on paper, but not in practice. Al Qaeda is a sad example of the effects that extreme oppression can cause over many decades. Al Qaeda though is just one force at work. There are many others. They are already moving their chess pieces. The movement will continue whether we stay or go. It is folly to think that we can contain or redirect the energy of these forces. They must be expressed and they will be expressed whether we wish it or not.
Just as the USSR eventually collapsed under its own bloated weight, so must these oppressive Arab regimes. It is this oppression and not our occupation that is causing the kettle to boil. Our presence simply stirs the cauldron. I am convinced though that although the path to resolution of these feelings in the Middle East may be bloody and messy, it will be resolved most quickly and with the most finality when we come to our senses and allow these natural forces to play out.
Category: Politics 2007 Tagged Bush, Cold War, Iran, Iraq, Neoconservatism, Terrorism 1 Comment/
No Longer the Top Banana
On: August 25, 2006 By: Mark
We Americans are in denial. We assume that our country is a military superpower. The sad fact is that we no longer are one. We were demoted. The rest of the world largely understands this. The polite ones, like most of the European countries, feel it is kinder not to draw it to our attention. Like a once popular diva, they are content to let the realization slowly dawn on us. Eventually, after performing at enough half-empty concert halls, they know we will figure it out.
Other countries have been observing us warily. They have mostly coped by staying at the far edges of the gorilla cage hoping we would not notice them. Of all the gorillas in the cage though, we were the most fearsome. We looked like we weighed 800 pounds. We thumped our chests, howled and hissed a lot. We liked to kick those lesser gorillas who pouted or spat at us. However, often we would settle down. We could smile nicely and even share our bananas with our friends. Sometimes other gorillas tried to acquire favor by giving us some of their bananas. Occasionally they helped us beat up other obnoxious gorillas in the cage. Who though could predict when we would go through another manic phase? Therefore, most gorillas stayed out of our way. More than once, they looked at us with scorn. They wondered what was it about us that even though we had so many bananas, we could still be such a loose cannon. Now, after watching us get kicked hard in the ribs a few times, falling over and squealing in pain, we no longer look quite so fearsome. In fact, now that we are on the floor of the cage, some are working with the other gorillas to figure out a way to keep us there.
How can this be? The United States has the best-equipped, best-trained and most expensive military in the world. We can move our power anywhere in the world. Our aircraft can slip through radars. Our spy satellites can see basketballs on the ground from hundreds of miles away. Our intelligence services reputedly have computers than can sift through millions of calls per second.
The irony is we lost our superpower status in part by being too good at winning conventional wars. We have outthought and outspent our rivals. There is no nation left in the world, except perhaps foolhardy ones like North Korea that would directly attack the United States. In that sense, we have succeeded. Fear and intimidation may be crude methods of ensuring compliance, but they tend to be effective. Unfortunately, what we largely missed is that we failed to prepare sufficiently for unconventional wars. While we have the ability to defend our own borders from attack, we no longer have both the will and the means to require other regimes to bend to our will.
The recent war between Israel and Hezbollah is a textbook case for our changing times. Israel is the 600-pound gorilla in the Middle East part of the gorilla cage, thanks largely to the many bananas we have given it. If it chooses to do so, it is bye bye Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan or any country in that region that threatens its existence. It might come at the cost of using its nuclear weapons and give the country permanent ostracism from the world community. However, as long as it has its nuclear card and other Arab states do not then Israel can win any conventional war against any state in the Middle East.
Of course, these countries are no longer stupid enough to directly wage war against Israel. Instead, they use proxies. Why should Syria put its soldiers at harm when there are passionate paramilitary forces ready to do its dirty work? These forces have no expectation of realizing their ultimate goals in the short term, but they do have tenacity and unbelievable passion. Their method of success is to use the equivalent of Chinese water torture. They are realizing that modern wars are won through attrition. They are realistic and expect that this war will last generations. Yet they are also confident of ultimate success.
Unlike Israel, the United States does not have enemies on its doorsteps. If we had to defend our two thousand mile border with Canada against the threat of rockets, we would be as inept, if not more inept than the Israelis were against Hezbollah. We might even imitate some of their tactics, perhaps by leveling large parts of Montreal and Toronto. It is unlikely though that it would solve our problem. Even if Canada had the will to remove paramilitary groups from its border with us, it is unlikely they would have the means and the people to finish the job. This was the essence of Lebanon’s problem. Its military was too poorly equipped to ensure that Hezbollah could not attack Israel. Not all the Israeli air strikes in the world could coerce them to do something they were incapable of achieving. In fact, the air strikes made Lebanon less capable of restraining Hezbollah.
Fortunately, although Canadians will bitch about us Americans from time to time (and we about them) they do not hate us. We have cordial and even friendly relations. We have a mutually beneficial relationship based largely on trade.
Israel is now uncomfortably awake to its new reality. It is floundering to try to find a solution. It hopes that the presence of tens of thousands of international troops on its border with Lebanon will at least delay the problem. If there is a solution to Israel’s security problem, it cannot be won by arms. It can only happen through political discourse. Given the new dynamics, any viable solution would require significant and probably currently unacceptable conditions from Israel. There is no viable way to neutralize paramilitary forces like Hezbollah until the animus that causes it to work for Israel’s destruction goes away.
The United States was bitchslapped in Iraq. As I warned before the war, we could not succeed with less than half of the forces needed to do the job. While we could have brought sufficient forces to control Iraq, it would have been at the cost of something else. We would have had to leave volatile places like South Korea with a skeleton American presence. Otherwise, we would have had to reinstate the draft. The Bush administration though realized that the draft was not politically viable, since the war with Iraq was a war of choice, not of necessity. Even had we the 250,000 or more troops needed for the invasion of Iraq, it is still unclear whether the strife we are seeing there today could still have been restrained. Regardless, we would still be viewed as an occupying Christian army in a Muslim region of the world.
Apparently though our current administration refuses to acknowledge our karmic lesson in Iraq. It prefers delusion, which has had the consequence of immense folly. Worse, we are making noises that show we have learned nothing from our experience. Because now we are working hard to take punitive actions against Iran. We still suffer from the delusion that through coercion we can really keep Iran from having the nuclear program it wants. Naturally, our administration is straining at the leash to find punitive tools to use against Iran. Its bellicose words, which began with our president’s unwise decision to publicly label Iran as part of an “Axis of Evil”, have been consistently harsh. Now, since Iran has refused U.N. nuclear inspectors access to its facilities, we are pushing for economic sanctions and boycotts.
What a stupid and pointless thing for us to do. Not only will it not work, it would simply give Iran a reason to play its oil card. The oil card trumps any sanctions the world community can put in place. Even the most modest reductions in its oil exports are likely to cause enormous spikes in the price of oil. It is like those old Roadrunner cartoons. Iran is playing the roadrunner. We are the coyote. The anvil that we dropped to kill the roadrunner will instead hit us on the head.
You would think by this point we might have a clue. Yet a reduction in oil exports by Iran in response to sanctions is one of the better scenarios. Iran’s navy has convenient access to the Persian Gulf. It could easily put a stop to much of that region’s oil exports. We could of course use our military to try to stop it, but that would simply cause more tremors in the oil markets. It would also likely cause an all out war between the United States and Iran. Like it or not, the international community will accommodate Iran, not the other way around. Our short-term need for steady oil prices trumps any long term concerns about their potential nuclear capabilities. The United States may not like the idea of unconditional talks with Iran on its nuclear program, which Iran is proposing. However, if we were operating with our prefrontal cortex we would be accepting such talks. We simply delude ourselves if we think that tough talk will have any deterrent effect on Iran. Iran has the trump card and we have nothing to trump it.
This shows why we are no longer a superpower. If we were a real superpower, we would have figured out effective ways to counter these threats. We have not. The game has changed. We are just beginning to assess what it might take to deal with these new threats. The effect though is that America has lost its claim of being a military superpower. Arguably, we retain other superpower statuses, such as the world’s economic superpower. Unless, like the Cold War, we can develop effective tactics against these new military tactics, we will never be a military superpower again.
Category: Politics 2006 Tagged Iran, Iraq, Israel, Superpower 2 Comments/
Ashley Madison stupidly lets itself get pwned
Trump is playing his supporters for fools
New England is still calling me
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