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__label__wiki	0.593381	0.593381	Lectures and Media Store and Donations Real Futurists Support The Automatic Earth in 2019! Changes in the media landscape have become an immediate threat to the survival of The Automatic Earth. Please Support Us! Make a one-time and/or recurring Donation. Our Paypal widget is in the top left corner of this site (bottom of page on mobile). The address for checks and money orders is on our Store and Donations page. NEW: you can now also support us on Patreon.com/AutomaticEarth. Debt Rattle September 1 2017 September 1, 2017 Posted by Raúl Ilargi Meijer at 9:40 am Finance Tagged with: blockchain, debt, Harvey, Irma, pensions, Putin, stimulus, Trump, wages, Wells Fargo Vincent van Gogh Seine with Pont de Clichy 1887 • Monetary Stimulus: How Much Is Too Much? (Lebowitz) • Yes, You Should Be Concerned With Consumer Debt (Roberts) • Why We’re Doomed: Stagnant Wages (CHS) • US Fuel Shortages From Harvey To Hamper Labor Day Travel (R.) • Wells Fargo Says 3.5 Million Accounts Involved In Scandal (AP) • World’s Biggest Wealth Fund Reveals Bleak View on Global Trade (BBG) • New Math Deals Minnesota’s Pensions the Biggest Hit in the US (BBG) • Six Big Banks To Create A Blockchain-Based Cash System (R.) • Putin Warns Of ‘Major Conflict’ Over North Korea, Urges Talks (AFP) • Trump, Nuclear War And Climate Change Among Gravest Threats To Humanity (PA) • Greece Doesn’t Want Any More Rescues – But It Does Need Something Else (CNBC) • Hurricane Irma Turning Into Monster (ZH) Take their power away or else. The amount of monetary stimulus increasingly imposed on the financial system creates false signals about the economy’s true growth rate, causing a vast misallocation of capital, impaired productivity and weakened economic activity. To help quantify the amount of stimulus, please consider the graph. Federal Reserve (Fed) monetary stimulus comes in two forms. First in the form of targeting the Fed Funds interest rate at a rate below the nominal rate of economic growth (blue). Second, it stems from the large scale asset purchases QE) by the Fed (orange). When these two metrics are quantified, it yields an estimate of the average amount of monetary stimulus (red) applied during each post-recession period since 1980. It has been almost ten years since the 2008 financial crisis and the Fed is applying the equivalent of 5.25% of interest rate stimulus to the economy, dwarfing that of prior periods. The graph highlights that the Fed has been increasingly aggressive in both the amount of stimulus employed as well as the amount of time that such monetary stimulus remains outstanding. Amazingly few investors seem to comprehend that despite the massive level of monetary stimulus, economic growth is trending well below recoveries of years past. Additionally, as witnessed by historically high valuations, the rise in the prices of many financial assets is not based on improving economic fundamentals but simply the stimulative effect that QE and low interest rates have on investor confidence and financial leverage. Now consider the ramifications of a Fed that continues to increase the Fed Funds rate and moves forward with plans to slowly remove QE. America: the House that Debt Built. First, the calculation of disposable personal income, income less taxes, is largely a guess and very inaccurate due to the variability of income taxes paid by households. Secondly, but most importantly, the measure is heavily skewed by the top 20% of income earners, needless to say, the top 5%. As shown in the chart below, those in the top 20% have seen substantially larger median wage growth versus the bottom 80%. Lastly, disposable incomes and discretionary incomes are two very different animals. Discretionary income is what is left of disposable incomes after you pay for all of the mandatory spending like rent, food, utilities, health care premiums, insurance, etc. According to a Gallup survey, it requires about $53,000 a year to maintain a family of four in the United States. For 80% of Americans, this is a problem even on a GROSS income basis. This is why record levels of consumer debt is a problem. There is simply a limit to how much “debt” each household can carry even at historically low interest rates. It is also the primary reason why we can not have a replay of the 1980-90’s. “Beginning 1983, the secular bull market of the 80-90’s began. Driven by falling rates of inflation, interest rates, and the deregulation of the banking industry, the debt-induced ramp up of the 90’s gained traction as consumers levered their way into a higher standard of living.” “While the Internet boom did cause an increase in productivity, it also had a very deleterious effect on the economy. As shown in the chart above, the rise in personal debt was used to offset the declines in personal income and savings rates. This plunge into indebtedness supported the ‘consumption function’ of the economy. The ‘borrowing and spending like mad’ provided a false sense of economic prosperity. During the boom market of the 1980’s and 90’s consumption, as a%age of the economy, grew from roughly 61% to 68% currently. The increase in consumption was largely built upon a falling interest rate environment, lower borrowing costs, and relaxation of lending standards. (Think mortgage, auto, student and sub-prime loans.) In 1980, household credit market debt stood at $1.3 Trillion. To move consumption, as a% of the economy, from 61% to 67% by the year 2000 it required an increase of $5.6 Trillion in debt. Since 2000, consumption as a% of the economy has risen by just 2% over the last 17 years, however, that increase required more than a $6 Trillion in debt. Doomed growth projections. Despite all the happy talk about “recovery” and higher growth, wages have gone nowhere since 2000–and for the bottom 20% of workers, they’ve gone nowhere since the 1970s. GDP has risen smartly since 2000, but the share of GDP going to wages and salaries has plummeted: this is simply an extension of a 47-year downtrend. [..] .. our system requires ever-higher household incomes to function–not just in the top 5%, but in the top 80%. Our federal social programs–Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid–are pay-as-you-go: all the expenditures this year are paid by taxes collected this year. As I have detailed many times, the so-called “Trust Funds” are fictions; when Social Security runs a deficit, the difference between receipts and expenses are filled by selling Treasury bonds in the open market–the exact same mechanism ther government uses to fund any other deficit. The demographics of the nation have changed in the past two generations. The Baby Boom is retiring en masse, expanding the number of beneficiaries of these programs, while the number of full-time workers to retirees is down from 10-to-1 in the good old days to 2-to-1: there are 60 million beneficiaries of Social Security and Medicare and about 120 million full-time workers in the U.S. Meanwhile, medical expenses per person are soaring. Profiteering by healthcare cartels, new and ever-more costly treatments, the rise of chronic lifestyle illnesses–there are many drivers of this trend. There is absolutely no evidence to support the fantasy that this trend will magically reverse. Costs are skyrocketing and the number of retirees is ballooning, but wages are going nowhere. Do you see the problem? All pay-as-you-go programs are based on the assumption that the number of workers and the wages they earn will both rise at a rate that is above the underlying rate of inflation and equal to the rate of increase in pay-as-you-go programs. If 95% of the households are earning less money when adjusted for inflation, and their wealth has also declined or stagnated, then how can we pay for programs which expand by 6% or more every year? The short answer is you can’t. Are we going to add this to the cost of Harvey? Travelers and fuel suppliers across the United States braced for higher prices and shortages ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend as the country’s biggest fuel pipelines and refineries curb operations after Hurricane Harvey. Just six days after Harvey slammed into the heart of the U.S. energy industry in Texas, the effects are being felt not just in Houston, but also in Chicago and New York, and prices at the pump nationwide have hit a high for the year. Supply shortages have developed even though there are nearly a quarter of a billion barrels of gasoline stockpiled in the United States. But much of it is held in places where it cannot be accessed due to massive floods, or too far away from the places it is needed. Some of it is unfinished, meaning it needs to be blended before it can go to gas stations. Harvey has highlighted another weakness in the system: pipeline terminals typically only have a five-day supply in storage to load into the lines. Some of the biggest pipelines in the United States, supplying the northeast market and the Chicago area, have already shut down or reduced operations because they have no fuel to pump. “Gasoline is very much a ‘just-in-time’ fuel, for as many million barrels as they think we have,” said Patrick DeHaan, petroleum analyst at GasBuddy. “Sure, they are somewhere, but they still have to be mixed and blended together.” At least two East Coast refiners, including Philadelphia Energy Solutions and Irving Oil, have already run out of gasoline for immediate delivery as they have rushed to send supplies to the U.S. Southeast, Caribbean, Mexico and South America to offset the lack of exports since Harvey. Lock them up! The scope of Wells Fargo’s fake accounts scandal grew significantly on Thursday, with the bank now saying that 3.5 million accounts were potentially opened without customers’ permission between 2009 and 2016. That’s up from 2.1 million accounts that the bank had cited in September 2016, when it acknowledged that employees under pressure to meet aggressive sales targets had opened accounts that customers might not have even been aware existed. People may have had different kinds of accounts in their names, so the number of customers affected may differ from the account total. Wells Fargo said Thursday that about half a million of the newly discovered accounts were missed during the original review, which covered the years 2011 to 2015. After Wells Fargo acknowledged the fake accounts last year, evidence quickly appeared that the sales practices problems dated back even further. So Wells Fargo hired an outside consulting firm to analyze 165 million retail bank accounts opened between 2009 and 2016. Wells said the firm found that, along with the 2.1 million accounts originally disclosed, 981,000 more accounts were found in the expanded timeline. And roughly 450,000 accounts were found in the original window. The scandal was the biggest in Wells Fargo’s history. It cost then-CEO John Stumpf his job, and the bank’s once-sterling industry reputation was in tatters. The company ended up paying $185 million to regulators and settled a class-action suit for $142 million. New managers have been trying to amends with customers, politicians and the public. But it’s been tough, as new revelations keep coming. Wells Fargo said last month that roughly 570,000 customers were signed up for and billed for car insurance that they didn’t need or necessarily know about. Many couldn’t afford the extra costs and fell behind in their payments, and in about 20,000 cases, cars were repossessed. Other customers have filed lawsuits against Wells Fargo saying they were victims of unfair overdraft practices. Wells Fargo is also still under several investigations for its sales practices problems, including a congressional inquiry and one by the Justice Department. Wells Fargo said Thursday that of the 3.5 million accounts potentially opened without permission, 190,000 of those incurred fees and charges. That’s up from 130,000 that the bank originally said. Wells Fargo will refund $2.8 million to customers, in addition to the $3.3 million it already agreed to pay. Yngve Slyngstad, chief executive officer of Norges Bank Investment Management, as the fund is known, says the heyday of cross-border trade is probably behind us. “The question investors are asking themselves is if the easy wins already have been made,” Slyngstad said in an Aug. 29 interview from his office on the top floor of Norway’s central bank in Oslo. “The global supply chains have in a way had a one-time gain primarily through outsourcing of multinationals to China.” Norway’s wealth fund owns 1.3% of globally listed stocks, spread out over almost 80 countries. And with interest rates at record lows, the investor has cut its long-term return expectations to about 3% from 4%, even after winning approval from parliament to raise its share of equities to 70% from 60%. Slyngstad, who became CEO in 2008 just as the global economy was sinking into the worst crisis since the Great Depression, noted that back then the fund rode out the turmoil by dumping bonds and buying stocks. “I don’t expect that we will act differently in any similar crisis in the future,” he said. During a recent conference on globalization, the fund’s chief strategist, Bjorn Erik Orskaug, suggested the world might be at an “inflection point” in trade, with shallower value chains and less cross-border production. And then there’s the protectionist agenda some governments are pursuing. “Is there also a political situation that could make it more challenging?” Slyngstad said. “Time will tell, but there’s of course a risk on the horizon.” He says the wealth fund’s extremely long-term investment timeline allows it to look past the noise coming from governments that come and go. The fund will probably stay over-weighted in Europe, where it’s more of an active investor. But the only two economies that really matter are the U.S. and China, Slyngstad said. [..] As the fund approaches $1 trillion in value, its stated goal is to safeguard today’s oil wealth for future generations of Norwegians. It has surged in size since its inception two decades ago, generating an annual nominal return of 5.89%. Norway’s government last year started taking cash out of the fund for the first time, to make up for lower oil revenue. Withdrawals are set to hit about 72 billion kroner ($9.3 billion) in 2017, and remain at that level in coming years amid stricter fiscal rules. Once the creative accounting is removed, there won’t be much left. Minnesota’s debt to its workers’ retirement system has soared by $33.4 billion, or $6,000 for every resident, courtesy of accounting rules. The jump caused the finances of Minnesota’s pensions to erode more than any other state’s last year as accounting standards seek to prevent governments from using overly optimistic assumptions to minimize what they owe public employees decades from now. Because of changes in actuarial math, Minnesota in 2016 reported having just 53% of what it needed to cover promised benefits, down from 80% a year earlier, transforming it from one of the best funded state systems to the seventh worst, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. “It’s a crisis,” said Susan Lenczewski, executive director of the state’s Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement. The latest reckoning won’t force Minnesota to pump more taxpayer money into its pensions, nor does it put retirees’ pension checks in any jeopardy. But it underscores the long-term financial pressure facing governments such as Minnesota, New Jersey and Illinois that have been left with massive shortfalls after years of failing to make adequate contributions to their retirement systems. The Governmental Accounting Standards Board’s rules, ushered in after the last recession, were intended to address concern that state and city pensions were understating the scale of their obligations by counting on steady investment gains even after they run out of cash – and no longer have money to invest. Pensions use the expected rate of return on their investments to calculate in today’s dollars, or discount, the value of pension checks that won’t be paid out for decades. Everybody wants their share of the pie. Six new banks have joined a UBS-led effort to create a digital cash system that would allow financial markets to make payments and settle transactions quickly via blockchain technology. The group aims to launch the system late next year. Barclays, Credit Suisse, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, HSBC, MUFG and State Street have joined the group developing the “utility settlement coin” (USC), a digital cash equivalent of each of the major currencies backed by central banks, UBS said on Thursday. The group is in discussions with central banks and regulators and is aiming for a “limited ’go live’” in the latter part of 2018, UBS’s head of strategic investment and fintech innovation told the Financial Times. The Swiss bank first launched the concept in September 2015 with London-based blockchain company Clearmatics, and was later joined on the project by BNY Mellon, Deutsche Bank, Santander and brokerage ICAP. The USC would be convertible at parity with a bank deposit in the corresponding currency, making it fully backed by cash assets at a central bank. Spending a USC would be the same as spending the real currency it is paired with. Blockchain works as a tamper-proof shared ledger that can automatically process and settle transactions using computer algorithms, with no need for third-party verification. Because it does not require manual processing, nor authentication through intermediaries, the technology can make payments faster, more reliable and easier to audit. Better talk with him. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Friday of a “major conflict” looming on the Korean Peninsula, calling for talks to alleviate the crisis after Pyongyang fired a missile over Japan this week. “The problems in the region will only be solved via direct dialogue between all concerned parties, without preconditions,” Putin said. “Threats, pressure and insulting and militant rhetoric are a dead end,” a statement from his office said, adding that heaping additional pressure on North Korea in a bid to curb its nuclear programme was “wrong and futile.” Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest point in years after a series of missile tests by Pyongyang. Early on Tuesday, the reclusive state fired an intermediate-range Hwasong-12 over Japan, prompting US President Donald Trump to insist that “all options” were on the table in an implied threat of pre-emptive military action. The UN Security Council denounced North Korea’s latest missile test, unanimously demanding that Pyongyang halt the programme. US heavy bombers and stealth jet fighters took part in a joint live fire drill in South Korea on Thursday, intended as a show of force against the North, Seoul said. Putin said he feared the peninsula was “on the verge of a major conflict” and called for all sides to sign up to a mediation programme drawn up by Moscow and Beijing. He echoed comments by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who in a Wednesday telephone call with US counterpart Rex Tillerson “underscored… the need to refrain from any military steps that could have unpredictable consequences.” Prime candidate for worst report ever. The Independent tweeetd: “12 Nobel Prize winners just warned Trump is one of the gravest threats to humanity “. But that’s not what the article by the Press Association says. It says two. Nobel Prize winners consider nuclear war and US President Donald Trump as among the gravest threats to humanity, a survey has found. More than a third (34%) said environmental issues including over-population and climate change posed the greatest risk to mankind, according to the poll by Times Higher Education and Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings. But amid rising tensions between the US and North Korea, almost a quarter (23%) said nuclear war was the most serious threat. Of the 50 living Nobel Prize winners canvassed, 6% said the ignorance of political leaders was their greatest concern – with two naming Mr Trump as a particular problem. Peter Agre, who won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 2003, described the US President as “extraordinarily uninformed and bad-natured”. He told Times Higher Education: “Trump could play a villain in a Batman movie – everything he does is wicked or selfish.” Laureates for chemistry, physics, physiology, medicine and economics took part in the survey, with some highlighting more than one threat. Peace Prize and Literature Prize recipients were not canvassed. Infectious diseases and drug resistance were considered the gravest threats to humankind by 8% of respondents, while 8% cited selfishness and dishonesty and 6% cited terrorism and fundamentalism. Another 6% spoke of the dangers of “ignorance and the distortion of truth”. Despite high-profile figures Elon Musk and Professor Stephen Hawking expressing concern about the dangers associated with artificial intelligence, just two of those surveyed identified it as among the biggest threats facing humans. John Gill, editor of Times Higher Education, said the survey offers “a unique insight into the issues that keep the world’s greatest scientific minds awake at night”. He said: “There is a consensus that heading off these dangers requires political will and action, the prioritisation of education on a global scale, and above all avoiding the risk of inaction through complacency.” Stockholm Syndrome? Greece wants nothing more than to avoid another bailout — which means it needs debt relief. And so far, that’s the sticking point. “There is now light at the end of the tunnel,” Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos said hopefully in June. After months of wrangling, the European Union and International Monetary Fund had just agreed to release more rescue funds to the perennially troubled nation, bringing the total from its third bailout alone to €40.2 billion ($47.75 billion). Euro zone finance ministers took very light steps toward debt relief at that time — they said they were willing to keep deferring interest on financial assistance Greece had already received — but those measures fell short of the relief Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was pressing for. The current bailout program is set to end in September of next year. Greece has been wracked by perennial financial crises since 2010, and it even appeared at risk of leaving the euro zone altogether in 2015. Tsipras’s objective is to re-gain full market access to international bond markets and to leave institutional help behind, so the subject of long-term debt is one that will continue to dominate discussions as it draws closer to September 2018. In July, Greece dipped into bond markets after a 3-year hiatus, issuing 5-year debt at an average yield of 4.66%. Greece is expected to return to the market again in the next 12 months. But Greece’s debt isn’t manageable in the long-run without being either extended or forgiven, according to the IMF, which is pressing for easier budgetary targets for Greece while simultaneously undertaking reforms. Its European creditors currently require it to achieve a primary surplus before debt service of 3.5% of gross domestic product. The ECB has also been emphatic that it will not include Greek government bonds in its own debt-buying mechanism, the Public Sector Purchase Program. In a June letter, ECB President Mario Draghi ruled out that possibility, saying the central bank’s staff wasn’t in a position to fully analyze Greece’s public debt. Analysts at Barclays have estimated that the inclusion of Greek debt into ECB’s bond-buying program would entail monthly purchases of around 115 million euros ($136.5 million). Not looking good. Hurricane Irma continues to strengthen much faster than pretty much any computer model predicted as of yesterday or even this morning. Per the National Hurricane Center’s (NHC) latest update, Irma is currently a Cat-3 storm with sustained winds of 115 mph but is expected to strengthen to a devastating Cat-5 with winds that could top out at 180 mph or more. Longer term computer models still vary widely but suggest that Irma will make landfall in the U.S. either in the Gulf of Mexico or Florida. Meteorological Scientist Michael Ventrice of the Weather Channel is forecasting windspeeds of up to 180 mph, which he described as the “highest windspeed forecasts I’ve ever seen in my 10 yrs of Atlantic hurricane forecasting.” In a separate tweet, Ventrice had the following troubling comment: “Wow, a number of ECMWF EPS members show a maximum-sustained windspeed of 180+mph for #Irma, rivaling Hurricane #Allen (1980) for record wind”. The Weather Channel meteorologist also calculated the odds for a landfall along the eastern seaboard at 30%. Meanwhile, the Weather Channel has the “most likely” path of Irma passing directly over Antigua, Puerto Rico and Domincan Republic toward the middle of next week. Home › Forums › Debt Rattle September 1 2017 This topic contains 5 replies, has 6 voices, and was last updated by tabarnick 1 year, 10 months ago. September 1, 2017 at 9:40 am #35730 Raúl Ilargi Meijer Vincent van Gogh Seine with Pont de Clichy 1887 • Monetary Stimulus: How Much Is Too Much? (Lebowitz) • Yes, You Should Be Concerned With Consu [See the full post at: Debt Rattle September 1 2017] September 1, 2017 at 1:52 pm #35731 Dr. Diablo The nation’s 4th largest city was destroyed, the largest refinery is down, no one has insurance, and the banking collateral for 150,000 homes is now worthless. “Party on, Wayne! Can you believe those shoes?” I’ve run out of words. V. Arnold ^ Ditto… olo530 “Six Big Banks To Create A Blockchain-Based Cash System (R.)” Distributed ledgers and digital currencies are two separate concepts. Digital currencies use distributed ledgers. Distributed ledgers can be used for any number of things having nothing to do with digital currencies. In this case it is used to settle transactions in government fiat money between banks. No new “cash” is created. Think of it as a SWIFT replacement. The Guardian’s title “Victory for Assad looks increasingly likely as world loses interest in Syria ” Should really have been “Victory for Assad looks increasingly likely as West loses in Syria ” The Israelis are in a total panic. Their 9/11 chicks are coming home to roost. Before 9/11, they only had Hizbollah to worry about. Israel invaded Lebanon twice and occupied it once for 12 years. The second invasion resulted in them being kicked out in a few months – by Hizbollah. Now, they have a resurrected Syrian Army, Hizbollah, Iran plus Russia on their borders. Even the Jordanians and Turks are trying to switch to the winning side. I sincerely hope Syria gets back the Golan. A lot of smart Israelis are getting out – largely because Israel as a concept is not at all what they were sold on some while back. It seems that Albert Einstein is being proved correct: “N.Y. Times Publishes Letter by Einstein, Other Jews Accusing Menachem Begin of Fascism” https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/this-day-in-jewish-history/.premium-1.629813 tabarnick Stagnant wages. It’s actually worse than that. The article has a graph of stagnating household incomes from the 40s to the present. But the graph makes no attempt to correct for an additional variable. In the 60s and 70s (and even 80s), there were many more women staying at home. Nowadays women work almost as much as men, and in better paying jobs than they used to have. Families have conscripted moms into the workforce, and, in spite of a second salary, their income barely did more than stay in place. 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__label__cc	0.685921	0.314079	Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA Moislinger Allee 53/55, Lübeck, 23542, Germany https://www.draeger.com/en_in/Home Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA Overview: Dräger is an international leader in the fields of medical and safety technology. The family-owned company was founded in Lübeck, Germany, in 1889. Over the past five generations, Dräger has evolved into a publicly traded, worldwide group. The company's long-term success is based on the four key strengths of its value-driven culture: customer intimacy, professional employees, continuous innovation and a commitment to outstanding quality. "Technology for Life" is the guiding philosophy. Whether in clinical applications, industry, mining or fire and emergency services, Dräger products protect, support and save lives. The safety division offers customers products and services for an integrated hazard management, especially for personal and facility protection. The current portfolio comprises stationary and mobile gas detection systems, respiratory protection equipment, fire training systems, professional diving equipment as well as alcohol and drug detection units. The current product range of the medical division includes anesthesia workstations, ventilators for emergency, critical and home care as well as warming therapy for premature infants. Patient monitoring, IT solutions, accessories and consumables, ceiling supply units, light systems and central supply systems for medical gases complete the portfolio. Dräger has about 10,000 employees worldwide and is currently present in more than 190 countries. The company has sales and service subsidiaries in over 40 countries. Its development and production facilities are based in Germany, Great Britain, Sweden, the Netherlands, South Africa, the USA and China. Detection apparatusEscape equipmenyBreathing apparatusBody protection Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA news What’s New For 2019 At FDIC International, The Largest U.S. Fire Event North America’s largest fire event, FDIC International, brings together more than 34,000 fire industry professionals this month (April 8-13) at the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. First constructed in 1928, FDIC continues today in its original tradition of providing a forum for networking about the most vexing issues and sharing the most promising solutions to concerns that face the fire service. FDIC provides opportunities to learn new techniques, train alongside world-class leaders, and advance discussions among the most influential firefighters in the industry. FDIC allows practitioners and those who support the industry an opportunity to discuss frankly the latest developments in equipment and support and collaborate on how those new advancements can be best used. 27 Interactive H.O.T Sessions FDIC offers many opportunities for learning and training, starting with its 27 interactive Hands-on Training (H.O.T) sessions“FDIC is steadfastly dedicated to its fundamental principle of providing a non-ideological, non-affiliated and openly inclusive environment for sharing and collaborating among all members interested in the mission of the fire service,” says Chief Bobby Halton, Editorial Director, Clarion Fire Rescue Group, and Educational Director, FDIC International. “Whether their interests lie in operations, medical or fire, in administration, in the production and distribution of equipment, or the advancement of codes and standards, all opinions and worldviews are accepted and debated with the utmost respect and dignity.” FDIC offers many opportunities for learning and training, starting with its 27 interactive Hands-on Training (H.O.T) sessions, 78 pre-conference workshops and more than 200 conference sessions. FDIC’s immersive learning experience extends to the exhibit hall floor and outdoor demonstration area where attendees can see and try the latest products, equipment, services and technology from over 800 exhibiting companies. “FDIC is more important than ever to the fire service industry because it is now and will always be of the firefighters, for the firefighters, and about the firefighters,” says Halton. Events Co-Located With FDIC New this year, iWomen is co-locating their event at FDIC, which includes 14 timely classroom sessions spread over two days, as well as networking events geared at sharing challenges and insights in a supportive environment. Also, the Institution of Fire Engineers United States of America Branch is co-locating their AGM annual meeting and educational update at FDIC. And the National Fire Heritage Center has partnered with FDIC to promote the center, conduct its annual meeting and introduce the annual inductees into the Hall of Legends. FDIC is more important than ever to the fire service industry because it is now and will always be of the firefighters, for the firefighters, and about the firefighters FDIC’s new MATCH! Program is a customized meeting experience that connects attending decision makers, who have an immediacy to purchase, with exhibitors whose products or services match their sourcing needs and interests. These VIP attendees can make the most efficient use of their time by accessing innovative matchmaking technology and a personal program manager to assist them with meeting scheduling and recommendations. Exhibitors At The Event FDIC’s Mobile App is a visitor’s guide to searching the exhibitor list, navigating the exhibit hall and seeing a full schedule of sessions and events. FDIC’s new parking partner, Gate Ten Events and Parking, allows visitors to reserve their parking space ahead of time. Large exhibitors headlining the Exhibit Hall include Pierce; Rev Fire Group, E-ONE, KME, Ferrara and REV Ambulance; 3M Scott Fire and Safety; and HME Ahrens-Fox. Other large exhibitors include Honeywell First Responder Products, Drager, Globe by MSA, Rosenbauer and Spartan Motors. Here are some of the timely themes covered at this year’s conference: Current updates on the development and implementation of science-based strategy and tactics Information and practices on mental health and wellness Leading advances in firefighting technology and managing an integration of technology into the decision-making process during operations Review of recent sentinel events in the fire service from actual participants Analysis of accident investigation from members of NIOSH and the CDC Updates on current research into toxicity in the environment and equipment Current thoughts on decontamination procedures presented by researchers and practitioners The value of belongingness as a tool for health and wellness, suicide prevention, a detailed examination of the sociotechnical interface and firefighting’s role going forward The complex political and operational dilemmas faced in the wildland urban interface Recruitment and retention for the volunteer fire service Networking Opportunities Abound The event takes over the city, and there are chances to network with peers everywhere they turnAt FDIC, networking starts the moment attendees arrive in town. The event takes over the city, and there are chances to network with peers everywhere they turn. Formal networking events are also organized, including the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, Courage and Valor 5K Fun Run, Comedy vs. Cancer, IFD Open House and Pumper Pull, Stop Drop Rock ‘n’ Roll and more. “We want individuals to walk away feeling inspired by new ideas, tools or techniques they’ve learned in sessions or new products or services they’ve sourced on the show floor that ultimately keep them and their communities safe,” says Halton. Intersec 2019 To Focus On Government Regulations And Infrastructure Investment As Key Drivers For Fire Safety Industry The Middle East’s US$1.9 billion fire safety systems and equipment market will see solid growth over the next six years, with new government regulations around life safety and fire protection along with large-scale infrastructure investment among the key market drivers. A November 2018 report by analysts 6Wresearch estimates the Middle East market for firefighting systems, fire detection & alarm systems, and emergency exit & lighting, will be worth US$3 billion by 2024, growing at a compound annual growth rate of nearly eight percent. The report stated the regional market witnessed a slight decline during 2014-2016, however from 2017 demand has picked up, aided by recovering oil prices and government economic diversification initiatives aimed at reviving the construction sector. Passive fire-rated products Fire & Rescue is the second largest of seven show sections at the annual three-day event Additionally, revised fire and life safety codes, such as those rolled out by the UAE Civil Defence in 2016, has helped growth in passive fire-rated products in new buildings and infrastructure, while adding further impetus to the retrofitting segment, where newer systems in line with current regulations are replacing older systems. 6Wresearch’s report was published ahead of the Intersec exhibition, the world’s leading trade fair for security, safety, and fire protection, taking place from 20-22 January 2019 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Fire & Rescue exhibitors Fire & Rescue is the second largest of seven show sections at the annual three-day event, where more than 1,300 exhibitors from 59 countries are set to take part in the show’s 21st edition early next year. More than 350 of those will be in the Fire & Rescue section, including the biggest names in the global fire and life safety business such as UAE-based powerhouses NAFFCO and Concorde Corodex Group, Honeywell from the USA, Japanese-headquartered Hochiki, Drager from Germany, and Turkish fire truck manufacturer, Volkan. Future fire safety trends All those involved in the construction process are placing greater importance of meeting, and exceeding, the standards set out" Eaton Corporation is another headline exhibitor in the Fire & Rescue section and is one of many companies at Intersec 2019 positive about the current and future fire safety trends in the regional market. Frank Ackland, Eaton’s Middle East Managing Director said the regulations set out by the UAE Civil Defence for example, offer a much higher standard of regulation than has ever been seen before: “Eaton provides emergency lighting and fire detection systems for buildings and we’ve noted an increase in the levels of regulation that are being adhered to – not only to the set standard but also above in many cases." "All those involved in the construction process are placing greater importance of meeting, and exceeding, the standards set out. That doesn’t mean there isn’t more work to be done, and this is where we see a significant investment in retrofitting also taking place in the UAE, in order to make older buildings safer and in line with current regulations.” Fire and emergency lighting Eaton will showcase a wide range of products from its fire and emergency lighting divisions at Intersec 2019, including its adaptive evacuation exit luminaires which provide commercial buildings with the potential to redirect occupants to safety by adjusting the directions displayed according to the threat. Our uninterrupted power systems (UPS), provide vital peace of mind to buildings such as hospitals and military bases" Ackland said all Eaton’s solutions are designed with safety at the core, adding, “This is not limited to our life safety division products, and we’ve have noticed there’s a much greater emphasis placed on how power solutions can keep a building safe and mitigate risks caused by power fault or failure." "Our uninterrupted power systems (UPS), for example, provide vital peace of mind to buildings, specifically those where critical power is a necessity such as in hospitals and military bases. They also to ensure the continual safety of data and information that can be lost to public cyberspace within a split second of a power failure.” Emergency mobile solutions Concorde Corodex Group is another regular Intersec exhibitor and will showcase in 2019 its UAE-made emergency mobile solutions, such as fire trucks, ambulances, special vehicles, and hydraulic platforms, along with its static fire equipment, including pumps, cabinet extinguishers and fixed suppression equipment. Starting out as a two-man show with big ideas and a lot of hard work in 1974, the company now has two factories in the UAE with 1,500 people and is widely regarded as one of the world’s most trusted exporters of life safety and fire protection solutions. Intersec Future Security Summit will be raising key issues on artificial intelligence, security integration, emergency preparedness and response, data protection, IoT and much more Life safety and fire protection Mohanned Awad, Concorde Corodex’s Regional Director for Business Development, said much of this is thanks to its UAE roots, “In the UAE, the natural status of our customers and partners is to be early adopters,” said Awad. “Our partners always request to think ahead of the curve; they don’t want to just solve the problem but to be able to prevent the problem and be two or three steps ahead of the problem." "We’re very fortunate to have such demanding requirements locally, because we’ve been able to take that know-how and expand it through other markets that we serve, such as Asia, MENA and the CIS. It’s forced us to think out of the box and put considerable investment in research and development capabilities and to bring on board many key people who have experience.” Concorde Corodex Group, and its brand Bristol, plan to showcase at Intersec 2019 something that’s never been seen before in the UAE Awad said Concorde Corodex Group, and its brand Bristol, plan to showcase at Intersec 2019 something that’s never been seen before in the UAE – if it arrives on time: “It’s a new technology that may have been seen in other places but not in the UAE, and will take up a big footprint outside the fairgrounds,” he said. “It will definitely be an eyebrow raiser.” Commercial and hospitality sectors Intersec 2019 is organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East and returns with key government supporters such as Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence, Dubai Police Academy, Dubai Municipality, and the Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA). Andreas Rex, Intersec’s show director, said the commercial and hospitality sectors are other key verticals driving demand for fire safety systems and equipment, adding, “The big growth, particularly in the UAE will come over the next two years as delivery of the Dubai Expo 2020 looms, while throughout the Gulf region, large scale infrastructure investment will steer the market toward solid growth." Intersec, situated at the heart of it all in Dubai, presents the ideal opportunity to access these markets" "Intersec, situated at the heart of it all in Dubai, presents the ideal opportunity to access these markets and beyond, where thousands of engineers, system integrators, contractors, industry professionals and decision makers will seek solutions for their various projects.” Fire Safety and Protection Conference Intersec’s other show sections comprise Commercial Security, Safety & Health, Homeland Security & Policing, Physical & Perimeter Security, Information Security, and Smart Home & Building Automation. The annual showpiece returns next year with a revamped conference line-up, including a three-day Intersec Future Security Summit raising key issues on artificial intelligence, security integration, emergency preparedness and response, data protection, IoT and much more. Fire Safety and Protection Conference will involve authorities, fire chiefs, engineers, fire fighters and emergency response professionals Returning is the SIRA (Security Industry Regulatory Agency) Forum, with the latest updates in security law and industry regulations in Dubai, while a one-day Fire Safety and Protection Conference will involve authorities, fire chiefs, engineers, fire fighters and emergency response professionals. Popular event features Returning popular features in 2019 include the Drone Zone, an Outdoor Demo Area, a Smart Home Pavilion and the Safety Design in Buildings Pavilion. More than 150 exhibitors will be participating for the first time, while Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, UK, and the USA comprise the 15 country pavilions. Intersec 2019 is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and supported by the Dubai Police, Dubai Police Academy, Dubai Civil Defence, SIRA, and the Dubai Municipality. Dräger Provides PARAT 5550 Fire Escape Hood To Protect Victims From Toxic Smoke Standards are being set with fire and rescue services in the UK adopting escape hoods to protect trapped and injured people from toxic smoke during evacuation at fires. Latest figures show in the year 2017/2018 firefighters attended 717,890 incidents in the UK, with 213,464 being fires. Fire related fatalities totalled 401 and there were 5113 non-fatal fire related casualties requiring hospital treatment. The London Fire Brigade is the first in the UK to carry the PARAT 5550 to protect members of the public from toxic smoke at fires. The fire service will be rolling out approximately 600 fire escape hoods across 102 fire stations in London over the next few months. Fire Escape Hoods Assistant Commissioner Richard Mills from the London Fire Brigade said: “Smoke from fires is extremely toxic and can render people unconscious within a few breaths. These hoods filter out four of the most dangerous gases, including what we call the ‘toxic twins’ of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide.” Fire escape hoods will provide firefighters with vital extra time to consider their priorities “Rather than having to carry out every rescue as fast as possible, fire escape hoods will provide firefighters with vital extra time to consider their priorities and plan the safest exit route. We’ve worked closely with the Fire Brigades Union to introduce these fire escape hoods as part of fire fighting kit.” Fire-Related Gases With standards being set in the London region, Dräger is committed to assisting fire brigades around the UK and Ireland with adoption of fire escape hoods. The PARAT 5550 from Dräger is a fire escape hood packaged in a flame-retardant holster that has been specially designed to be carried without restricting freedom of movement of the firefighter and ready to be used whenever it is needed. The fire escape hood offers people who are trapped in fires protection from toxic fire-related gases as well as particles and vapours for a minimum of 15 minutes. Latest Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA products Draeger Flame 1300 Draeger Flame 5000 - Colour Imaging Based Flame Detector Draeger Panorama Nova RA Full Face Protective Mask Draeger FPS 7000 Draeger FPS-COM Radio Communication System Draeger PSS 7000 w/Bodyguard 7000 - SCBA with Monitoring Unit Draeger PSS 100 Twinpack Draeger PSS 90 Draeger Talisman Elite Lite Draeger UCF 3200 Draeger NBC Master 9x90 single-piece chemical protective suit Draeger CPS 7900 for excellent protection Draeger CPS 5900	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19122
__label__wiki	0.513635	0.513635	You are reading: 15 Worst Concept Cars From The Past Decade 15 Worst Concept Cars From The Past Decade Chris Flynn Aug 19, 2017 Auto, Tech blog.caranddriver.com A concept car, also known as a prototype, is a car designed in order to showcase something new in the world of the automobile industry. It is made to test people’s reaction to the new designs, styling, and technology. It all started in 1938 with Harley Earl, the General Motors designer, who first came up with this idea and introduced Buick Y-Job to the world. During the 1950s, the popularity of traveling automobile shows really exploded, and they’ve been popular ever since. Millions of people visit these kinds of shows every year, where they have an exclusive opportunity to see all the latest innovations in the automobile industry. While on one hand it can be very interesting to see new designs, features, engines, and other innovations, on the other hand, sometimes the whole idea can just go terribly wrong, and that has been the case with some of the worst concept cars in the history. While some people love thinking outside of the box, sometimes they take the whole thing just one step too far, to the point where the idea is no longer appealing. Here are 15 worst concept cars from the past decade: 15. Mercedes-Benz Vision Tokyo Concept This is one of the newest examples of concept cars gone wrong. Vision Tokyo was supposed to be an homage to the urban Generation Z, which basically are people born after 1995. However, it seemed more like an homage to an oversized, weirdly shaped toaster. And when we say “oversized”, we mean that quite literally because this concept was indeed impressively large. But its size wasn’t really that big of an issue. It’s the other things that make it maybe just a tiny bit too futuristic. Passengers enter the car by opening the left side of the vehicle, which swings open in an unconventional way. Giant wheels with light effect seem like something that would look great on a spaceship, and the windows are coated. If you look inside, you’ll see nothing like conventional front/rear seats since it was replaced by a couch wrapped around a central area. Altogether, this fantasy machine seems like a bit too much. 14. Lexus LF-SA Lexus has chosen an interesting way of celebrating their 25th anniversary by making something new and controversial, and that’s how LF-SA was created. It was presented at the 2015 Geneva motor show and the opinions were divided; some people loved it, but most of the people hated it. The idea behind it was to make something small and stylish for the European roads with tight parking spots. Being only 11.3 feet long and about half that wide, we must admit that it indeed is a small and compact car. But the “stylish” part is up for discussion since it’s hard to see anything stylish about it. It actually resembles something that belongs to the Star Wars set. The interesting thing to wrap your head around is actually the fact that it is a two-plus-two. The driver’s seat is fixed in place, but you can adjust the steering wheel and the pedals while looking at the hologram-style digital instrument panel in front of you. 13. Bentley EXP 9 F People have been describing this car as vulgar and baroque, and the name Iron Man was also mentioned more than once. EXP 9 F has some similarities to 2012 Bentley Mulsanne, such as headlights and the blocky rear haunches. Mulsanne’s fans probably find this concept interesting and pretty; the others – not so much. The interior can also be described as quite heavy-handed. There is a bunch of wood lines, leather draping, as well as some chrome and aluminum details. You will also find a full picnic set in the rear compartment if you’re in the mood for some futuristic kind of a camping trip. There’s also a TFT gauge-cluster screen, topped up with touch-sensitive controls, as well as a motorized widescreen infotainment display. There’s a cool compartment for drinks to go with all of that. The powertrain on this car is yet to be determined, but Bentley says that they’re planning on setting new benchmarks for the SUV cars. We’ll have to wait and see. 12. Suzuki Regina Suzuki is quite successful in producing small vehicles that have been very popular in global markets lately. However, there have been some concepts that made people doubt the quality of the idea behind them. Suzuki Regina has some elements of NSU Prinz 4 and the Citroën DS but is nowhere near that cool. This blob-like car is a combination of all dorky elements that could come to one’s mind. From a frowning fascia, to lights resembling flirty girls’ eyes, to rear-wheel spats… It’s all crammed into the design of this little vehicle. The original idea behind it might be good, but yet again, it has been taken just a little bit too far to be cool. However, in all fairness, Regina has some good sides too; for example, the fuel economy (75 mpg on gasoline), as well as impressive weight claims (1609 pounds). Unfortunately, the good things about Regina weren’t able to outweigh the bad ones. 11. Suzuki Q Concept Just like Regina, the Q Concept was another one of Suzuki’s 2011 effort, but if Regina was bad, Q Concept was definitely worse. There is one word that could describe this car perfectly and that word is a “fishbowl”. If you look at it from another angle, it looks sort of like an oversized portable CD player. With a range of just about 6 miles, it’s hard to really call the Q Concept a car. It is actually a combination of a car and a motorcycle. Since the cabin is completely see-through, you’ll have no privacy in it at all. Longer exposure to sunlight could also be a problem since you’d probably fry inside that fishbowl. The only good thing about this concept is its size. Since it’s only 2.5 meters long, it is super compact, and yet more practical and comfortable than a motorcycle. That is if you like to drive up and down your street because you won’t get much further with it. 10. Tang Hua Book of Songs/ Detroit Fish/ Strip of Cloud i.kinja-img.com Tang Hua is a Chinese company that presented 3 super bizarre concepts at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show: Book of Songs, Detroit Fish, and Strip of Clouds. It’s impossible to choose the worst one. The whole idea behind them is just unfortunate. It’s just a bunch of yellow, weirdly shaped fiberglass. They all look like magnified children’s toys, but with an engine. Detroit Fish was actually the only amphibious crossover at the Detroit Auto Show, which makes the name at least little bit more logical. Tang Hua’s marketing team stated at the time that they would like to sell one of these “fishes” to the former U.S. president George W. Bush, believing that he would find a good use for it on his Texas ranch. It is hard to determine if this was a serious idea or the whole thing was just a giant joke. However, it somehow makes the people behind Tang Hua likable, even though this concept trio was a complete catastrophe. 9. Chrysler Imperial It seems like this concept has been a part of some kind of contest of who can come up with the largest and the most impractical car possible. If stretching a car was a competing category, Chrysler Imperial concept would be a winner. If you thought Chrysler 300’s 120-inch wheelbase was already stretched enough, it might come to you as a surprise that Chrysler decided to take it one step further and the Imperial’s wheelbase was stretched three inches over that. The overall length is actually 17 over the 300’s. Not only was it longer, it was also nearly 6 inches taller. In their defense, Chrysler claimed that this concept was inspired by Imperial sedans of the 1930s and 1950s. It’s kind of hard to see that though. If you look at it closely, you could easily see some elements of Rolls Royce Phantom’s design, such as center-opening doors and upright grille. 8. Peugeot Moovie blog.autopartswarehouse.com Around 10 years ago, Peugeot decided to organize a so-called Peugeot Design competition, so they invited enthusiasts of automotive styling from all over the world to design a car of their dreams. It was supposed to be a design for the near future. It could go both ways; it could either be very interesting in a good way or in a bad one. Unfortunately, it was the second one. André Costa, a Portuguese designer, was a winner. His Peugeot Moovie had something in common with a movie indeed. The movie The Fifth Element to be specific, since it looked like something Bruce Willis would ride in that role. However, it would be very difficult to imagine placing something like this on today’s world’s roads. But Peugeot really liked the idea and they turned it into a concept car. Other people find it a bit too futuristic to begin with and they have a problem wrapping their heads around this sort of a design. 7. Ford SYNus supercars.net Ford SYNus concept was basically one big metal square of a car. It was based on the European Ford Fiesta and it was actually an SUV-type vehicle with kind of an armory look to it. Truth be told, it looked like a huge metal safe on wheels since the tailgate was completely windowless, and it even had a four-spoke spin handle. Although this concept seemed pretty massive, it was actually designed to fit an urban environment. However, it would be hard to imagine somebody using it to pick up kids from school or to go to buy groceries at the nearest store. It really looked like something that would belong to a bank, police, or army, rather than an urban housewife. On the inside, it was actually quite comfortable. There was a large flat-screen TV in the tailgate, and there was enough space back there to make it into a small, portable movie theater. 6. Aston Martin Lagonda sub5zero.com Aston Martin Lagonda concept was despicable simply because that car looked downright evil. It was hard to define what was wrong with Lagonda 2009 concept, but it seemed like some kind of a monster was about to rise from the headlights. It was presented at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show and the designer Marek Reichman said that he believed that nothing like this had ever been made before. “Luckily”, one might add. Generally speaking, this concept was loathed by every other designer who spoke about it in public. It was said to be brutal and blocky. It seemed that no one out there liked it at the moment. The Lagonda was designed mainly for Russian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern markets where privacy is quite an important thing. That explains some details such as the slit of a rear window, as well as a high belt-line at the back. 5. Mercedes-Benz SLS E-Cell Mercedes managed to make a fully electric version of its gullwing SLS and it actually worked pretty well, too. So how did this car find its way to this list of 15 worst concept cars from the past decade? Well, this is a great example of how one detail can completely ruin the whole idea. In this case, it was a thing that usually isn’t really that important when we talk about cars, but it made all the difference here. We’re, of course, talking about that neon green color that they used for this concept. It just seemed like too obvious a way of shooting for the headlines by drawing all of the attention to that “eco” color. It’s like the car is screaming: “Look at me! I’m eco! I’m green! I’m from the future!” If something makes your eyes hurt while looking at it, that doesn’t really make it futuristic. It just makes it badly executed. 4. Suzuki Mobile Terrace To put it simply, this concept is just wrong. Everything about it looks wrong. It was presented at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show and it seemed sort of like a greenhouse on wheels, slightly resembling something like the world’s strangest glass microbus with the bifurcated doors in the middle. When you look at it, it is kind of hard to tell in which direction it’s supposed to be driven. It looks like it could go both ways. There are six seats in three rows that can face forward for the classic glass microbus look, or you can rearrange the seats, along with the dashboard that can be converted to some sort of a table, to get something like a bedroom/terrace effect, not to mention the shag carpet in the middle. Now add the glass all around that and you have your new Mobile Terrace. Altogether, the whole thing is completely bizarre. 3. Acura Advanced Sedan media.caranddriver.com When you think of futuristic cars, most people think of bright, colorful, small, compact concepts. On the other hand, there are people who think of cars like the famous Batmobile. Acura goes under the second category, with added rough and dark features to make it even more terrifying. If the goal of the futuristic approach was to scare people, Acura Advanced Sedan would be the absolute number one. According to Dave Marek, the head of Acura’s Advanced Design Studio, the idea behind this concept was to create a luxury sedan that could compete with cars like Bentley and Maybach in the near future. Unfortunately, the concept itself is quite off-putting simply because it is hard to look at since it makes you slightly uncomfortable because of how brutal it seems. Like some of the previous concepts, this car, too, looks like something evil that wants to attack you as soon as it gets a chance. 2. Scion Hako The Scion Hako was a concept car presented by the automaker Scion, Toyota’s youth brand, at the 2008 New York International Auto Show. Scion is actually quite hip with the kids but a thing can only be so edgy before it goes over the edge, and that is what happened with this particular concept. Everything seems to be too much. The box is too boxy, straight lines are too straight, the robotic look to it looks overly robotic, etc. It has been said that the inspiration behind this car was the growing popularity of American vintage style between young Japanese trendsetters. However, in reality, this is really hard to see. The interior is a little bit more fortunate than the exterior, but it still goes slightly over the top with all the futuristic details. There are screens everywhere; the passenger has 2 LCD screens, there are displays in the back, connected to video cameras placed on the outside of the car. Who needs all of that? 1. Trabant NT There are some things that have been popular at some point in time, but no one would really like to go back to them. One of those things, for sure, is the Trabant. It was basically a plastic little car from former East Germany and no one really missed it too much over the last years. However, a model car maker from Germany Herpa Miniaturmodelle GmbH presented a concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show called the New Trabant, and it wasn’t cheap, nor was it easy to make. The new concept has a 64-horsepower electric motor and it can achieve speeds of 80 miles per hour, with a range up to 155 miles. Nevertheless, some things are better left in the past, and while some level of nostalgia isn’t necessarily a bad thing, remaking an old plastic car that was a horrible concept to begin with, might not be the best idea.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19123
__label__wiki	0.807508	0.807508	Commentary — Anti-abortion or pro-life? by Jeanette Strong — In recent months, the anti-abortion movement has been gaining strength, passing restrictive laws in several states and claiming they are fighting for the unborn. It’s easy to be anti-abortion. All you have to do is say you are against abortion, wave a few signs, harass women who are seeking help, and… Opinion — Assemblywoman Robin Titus With the Nevada Legislature reaching a historic landmark by having the first female majority in the Legislature, the eyes of the nation are on Carson City. There have been a number articles penned on this subject but none did as much disservice to this achievement as one in the Washington Post . This article showed… Commentary — Thoughts on Abortion The new abortion bill from the Nevada legislature is now on its way to the Governor for his expected signature. The Governor of New York signed a bill into law that seems to allow for abortion up to the due date. The legislature and the crowd of people who gathered for the signing cheered and… by Senator Ben Kieckhefer — With our superheated national political scene, it’s all too easy to forget that much of the work of the Nevada Senate represents small, step-by-step measures to help make this a better state. Much of the legislation that we review is anything but exciting, but it improves daily life and fine-tunes… Blockchain Technology for Government Efficiencies by Senator Ben Kieckhefer — Efficient government operations are supported by all Nevadans, and they should expect that the state will be a leader in the adoption of technology that makes government even more efficient. We can — and we must — take the major steps toward efficiency provided by the use of blockchain technology.… Commentary — Electoral College by Joe Dahl — Electoral College On March 14th a bill that will effectively do away with the Electoral College, passed out of committee at the Nevada Legislature. The way it started was that the original states were reluctant to give power to a central government. They would each send representatives to congress and senators… National Anthem Day On March 3, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed a congressional resolution designating “The Star Spangled Banner” as the nation anthem of the United States. We celebrate March 3rd as National Anthem Day and in honor of this national treasure, the following column is presented for your consideration, along with links to a couple of our… Behind the Scenes of the Nevada Legislature’s 120-Day Sprint By Ben Kieckhefer — Nevada knows how to get things done. Of course, in the legislature we really don’t have a choice. We are currently in session and have only 120 days to get a couple years’ worth of legislative work done. As we do every other year, we are bringing our best ideas, focus… Is Hate Speech Free Speech? By Tom Riggins — The news seems to report almost daily of someone who is engaging in “hate speech.” Likewise, many if not most college campuses have “safe spaces” or something similar where students can retreat to an area where verbalization of something that might potentially offend someone else is forbidden. The question is then,… What is Impeachment? By Tom Riggins — We are bombarded constantly from politicians and reporters about impeaching Trump. For example, California hedge fund billionaire Tom Steyer has launched an attempt to impeach Trump. You may have seen his television ads on local TV channels. It is evident to me that those any of these entities either do not…	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19126
__label__wiki	0.695078	0.695078	How Native Americans kept or lost their lands through treaties, war, and negotiations. What it meant to walk the Trail of Tears and the impact of removal on tribal nations. The impact of lesser-known activists such as Hunkpapa Gall, the Oglala Crazy Horse, and the Northern Cheyenne Wooden Leg. The contemporary struggle, including gaming, repatriation, religious freedom, federal recognition, self-government, legal jurisdiction, and resource development. History, for all its facts and figures, names and dates, is ultimately subjective. You learn the points of view your teachers provide, the perspectives that books offer, and the conclusions you draw yourself based on the facts you were given. Hearing different angles on historical events gives you a more insightful, more accurate, and more rewarding understanding of events – especially when a new viewpoint challenges the story you thought you knew. Now, The Great Courses has partnered with Smithsonian to bring you a course that will greatly expand your understanding of American history. This course, Native Peoples of North America, pairs the unmatched resources and expertise of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian with the unparalleled knowledge of Professor Daniel M. Cobb of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to provide a multidisciplinary view of American history, revealing new perspectives on the historical and contemporary experiences of Indigenous peoples, and their significant impact on the history of our country. Professor Cobb brings his experience as an author and teacher to recount an absolutely fascinating, larger-than-life story across a timespan of more than 500 years. This insightful and unique 24-lecture course is filled with images and rare artifacts from Smithsonian’s famed collections, and informed by fascinating insights from Smithsonian historians. The National Museum of the American Indian, headquartered on the National Mall and visited by millions of Americans every year, is dedicated to the life, languages, literature, history, and arts of the Native Americans of the Western Hemisphere. Museum input into this course—both in helping to shape the riveting curriculum as allowing use of their spectacular collections—has allowed us create a truly engaging course that will thoroughly change your understanding of American history. Unlearn What You Thought You Knew One of the first myths Professor Cobb dispels is the Eurocentric view of the “Old World” and the “New World.” Noting that this terminology is the root of many narrow views, he proceeds to challenge stereotypical representations of American Indian history in each lecture. Many of the topics he shares will initially appear familiar until he presents the components and perspectives you were likely not taught. Showcasing rare, historic artifacts and images from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, National Anthropological Archives, National Portrait Gallery, American Art Museum and Smithsonian Institution Archives, every lecture of this fascinating course helps disprove myths and stereotypes that many people take as fact. Narrating along with these dazzling visuals, you’ll hear Professor Cobb present a different account—or some new perspectives on—the Seven Years’ War, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, Cherokee removal, the Civil War, and the Indian Wars. You’ll delve into the seemingly familiar story of Westward Expansion—the pioneer trails, the Gold Rush, the Transcontinental Railroad—to discover the stories of the American Indian people who fought and negotiated to preserve their ancestral lands. Professor Cobb debunks many of the myths that you’ve taken as fact by providing the alternative side of the story: You’ll learn that the impression many of us were given about European “discoverers” conquering and controlling the Native Americans was grossly exaggerated. Native Americans remained in positions of power from the beginning and through succeeding centuries. You’ll hear the truth behind the many-times misinterpreted story of Pocahontas. She did not save John Smith’s life, nor did she and John Smith fall in love (and it is unclear whether she fell in love with her colonial husband John Rolfe). Professor Cobb dismisses these fairy tale versions and provides the (much more interesting) true story behind this supposedly well-known Native American heroine. You’ll explore how Native Americans viewed, participated in, and used the Revolutionary War to form strategic alliances. Thought to be simply a clash between colonists and the British, Native American nations pushed back against a peace treaty that didn’t involve them in order to have a seat at the table. The Impact of Colonization The early colonial period introduced the Columbian Exchange, which created “new worlds for all” by transforming the lives of Indigenous peoples and Europeans alike. The Columbian Exchange refers to the transference of plants, animals, and diseases between the Americas and Eurasia and Africa that began with Christopher Columbus. It is quite an understatement to say the Columbian Exchange changed everything. In fact, the processes and consequences of this convergence are overwhelming in their complexity and their ramifications can still be felt today. Consider the following: Coffee, pears, bananas, flour, queso, pilsners, peaches, apples, and cream are just a few of the staples we take for granted that wouldn’t become part of the modern American diet until they were introduced from abroad as a result of the Columbian Exchange. On the flip side, Native Americans introduced colonials (and thus the world) to maize or corn, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and manioc or cassava, as well as peanuts, tomatoes, cocoa, squash and pumpkins, pineapples, papaya, and avocados. These commodities then helped define the cuisines of other countries. As Professor Cobb asks, can you imagine Italian food without tomatoes? Dandelions, sow thistle, shepherd’s purse, clover, and turf grass wouldn’t exist in North America unless the colonials had brought them. Without turf grass, football, soccer, and baseball and America’s lawns would be quite different. When Columbus returned to the new world in 1493, he brought a host of animals that Indigenous people had never seen before, including donkeys, goats, sheep, chickens, pigs, cattle, and horses – none of which would exist in America otherwise. It may be surprising to discover that “Horse Nations,” such as the Lakota, Comanche, and Apache—portrayed as the stereotypical horse-riding Indians of the Plains—were a product of the Columbian Exchange. This period of exchange was responsible for much of what we consider staple foods of America, as well as introducing the rest of the world to commodities they would never have accessed otherwise. As you journey through this course, you’ll be introduced to the many ramifications—both positive and negative—of a myriad of historical events that have long been told from only one side. Discover the Unsung Heroes There are countless stories of Native Americans whose achievements, sacrifices, or contributions have long been unacknowledged. With Professor Cobb’s knowledge and gift for storytelling, and aided by the hundreds of historical artworks and artifacts provided by the Smithsonian, you’ll get to know dozens of names and stories that previously went unrecognized. You’ll see that one of the marines in the iconic image of the American flag being lifted over Iwo Jima was Native American. The Carlisle Indian Industrial School was a dominant football team by the early 20th century, routinely crushing such big-school opponents as Army, Navy, Penn, Harvard, Chicago, and Yale. The Choctaws used their language to great effect during the final campaign of World War I, creating an unbreakable code for military communications. Twenty-nine Navajo men were recruited to devise a way to send and receive coded messages, creating an unbreakable codebook of 200 Navajo words used during combat in World War II. Throughout this course, your eyes will be opened to legendary historical figures such as Pontiac, Tecumseh, John Ross, Black Kettle, Sitting Bull, and Geronimo—individuals you may already be familiar with, but may be surprised to find out what you didn’t know as Professor Cobb delivers their detailed biographies. You’ll also hear about lesser-known Native Americans who made significant contributions to the America we know today, such as Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa, or artists such as Wohaw and Fritz Scholder. And explore the role of women throughout Native American history, looking at the contributions of Laura Cornelius Kellogg, Sarah Winnemucca, Wilma Mankiller, Lili‘uokalani, Alberta Schenck, and Zitkala-Ša. Going Beyond Wounded Knee Native American history is often treated as though it ended in the late 19th century. Professor Cobb remedies this misconception by dedicating a full third of the course to the challenges and achievements of Native Americans in the late 19th and 20th centuries, as well as current events. Together, with evocative items and information straight from the collections and archives of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, you’ll hear the story of modern Native Americans, the people, challenges, and diverse cultures that came out of the 20th century and beyond. Professor Cobb unpacks well-known events and practices such as Wounded Knee and the Ghost Dance while also delving into the implications of lesser known incidents. For example, you’ll investigate the impact of World War I and World War II, reform movements such as the New Deal, and also many persistent issues including repatriation, gaming, religious rights, tribal jurisdiction, and more. You’ll discover how in the 1960s and 1970s, Native American activism mirrored the mainstream protest movements of the era, first finding expression in literature, music, art, and higher education, and eventually making real change through legislative and judicial reform. Calling again on the Smithsonian’s exclusive archive of art, portraits, and artifacts, you’ll see key examples of how the counterculture both reflected and influenced the struggle for Native American recognition and rights. Through these dazzling visuals, and Professor Cobb’s narration, you will come to understand that we are still in the midst of an era of Indigenous recovery and revitalization—one that has tested the limits of individual rights and tribal sovereignty. He’ll outline a few of the critical sites of contemporary struggle, including gaming, which has been the single most successful means of promoting economic development in reservation communities since it took off in the late 1980s. The first Native American operated casino opened in 1979 and shortly thereafter more than 120 tribes had followed suit. Although state governments reacted defensively, the concept of tribal sovereignty emerged victorious, which has not only helped the infrastructure of the Native American communities to grow and thrive, but has helped to revitalize depressed economies by providing jobs, business opportunities, and development. Native Peoples of North America recounts an epic story of resistance and accommodation, persistence and adaption, extraordinary hardship and survival across more than 500 years of colonial encounter. As the Smithsonian curators stated, “The past never changes. But the way we understand it, learn about it, and know about it changes all the time.” Be prepared – this course is going to change how you understand American history. And no matter how much you know about this subject, at the conclusion, you will be surprised at how much you’ve learned. Native America: A Story of Survival You'll begin by comparing the commonly held views of Native Americans to the realities of what was, and still is, a tapestry of rich and vibrant cultures. Professor Cobb will explain the pitfalls that occur when history doesn't provide this crucial viewpoint, and will break down the fallacies that result from the common mistake of consigning Native Americans to the past. x The Columbian Exchange: New Worlds for All Explore the how the misleading dichotomy of Old World" and "New World" has impacted perceptions of Native Americans for decades. Delve into the "Columbian Exchange," which is the crux behind the creation of "new worlds for all" and learn about the enduring ramifications these processes had in shaping everything from the fauna and flora to the cuisines of the world." x The Native South and Southwest in the 1600s You'll examine the cultures that existed prior to the Spanish Invasion, the struggle for power through Hernando de Soto's entrada through the Southeast, and the Pueblo War for Independence in the Southwest. Dr. Cobb introduces the Native American worlds that were born in the aftermath of these transformative events. x Werowocomoco and Montaup in the 1600s Using common material objects as examples, Dr. Cobb demonstrates how connections were forged between Native Americans and newcomers as they incorporated each other into their worlds. In doing so, both cultures were transformed. You'll examine specific examples across the Northeastern Woodlands down to Werowocomoco, in present-day Virginia, to understand how the search for common ground began at first contact and still exists today. x Iroquoia and Wendake in the 1600s Once Europeans arrived, the Native peoples of the Northeast were determined to maintain their autonomy, despite becoming more integrated with the newcomers. Focusing on the strategies and experiences of the Wendat and Iroquois, you'll understand how Native Americans transformed the European colonial project while preserving a measured separatism. x Indian-European Encounters, 1700-1750 Through an exploration of the Iroquois Confederacy and the Lenape-or Delaware-people in the Northeast, the Great Lakes region-called by the French the pays d'en haut-- and the Southeast, you'll learn how Native Americans kept or lost their lands through treaties, war, and negotiations. In many cases, the repercussions of these conflicts sometimes went beyond relocation, resulting in enslavement or near annihilation. x The Seven Years' War in Indian Country The French and Indian War is often portrayed in history as a crucial turning point for Native nations in the East. In some cases, that is true. For some, it served as a victory, for others a defeat. And for a greater number still it had no immediate impact on their lives. This lecture will change the storyline you've heard by exploring the perspectives of Native people who experienced the era quite differently-tribal nations that deployed both time-tested and innovative strategies to survive between Europe's would-be empires. x The American Revolution through Native Eyes Examine three ways Native Americans experienced the American Revolution: as allies, as participants in their own civil wars, and as neutral parties. For many Native Americans, the resolution of the American Revolution held little meaning: there would be no liberty for them under the rule of the colonists or the Crown. It was also a period that resulted in treaties and conflicts between Native American nations as different groups allied with or fought against the enemy. x Indian Resistance in the Ohio Country Explore how the 1783 Treaty of Paris-which settled the American Revolutionary War between England and the colonists-brought no peace to Native Americans. Programs that were instituted during this period to help Native nations become self-sufficient-such as "expansion with honor" or establishing reservations-ultimately had the opposite effect. x Indian Removal: Many Trails, Many Tears One of the most well-known and dramatic stories in American history is that of the Cherokee nation and the Trail of Tears. Professor Cobb reveals the story behind the story-one of two nations emerging and transforming, during which legal battles, political manipulations, and a clash between the ill-defined limits of federal and state jurisdiction and tribal sovereignty that eventually reached the United States Supreme Court. He'll share insights into what it meant to walk the Trail of Tears and the impact of removal on tribal nations. x Native Transformations on the Great Plains From John Wayne to Dances with Wolves, we are presented a very distinct view of Native Americans in the West. Professor Cobb presents a profoundly different perspective on this story. From Lewis and Clark's discovery" of a West that was an established home for thousands of indigenous people to the three factors that drove more change than anything else in the transformation of Plains cultures-guns, horses, and disease-you'll hear a vastly different history than what is commonly understood." x Indians, Manifest Destiny, and Uncivil Wars The Civil War is a turning point in American history, upholding the Constitutional promises of freedom for... some. One of the pivotal components of the decades leading up to the Civil War was expansion into the West under the doctrine of Manifest Destiny, which drew non-Indians into the West and sparked innumerable conflicts with Native nations. Examine the role Native Americans played in the years leading up to the Civil War, the controversial war itself, and the repercussions of the conflict on Native nations. x Native Resistance in the West, 1850s-1870s Delve deeper into the struggle for lands in the Plains between the 1850s and the 1870s. You'll meet the fighters you've heard of, such as Sitting Bull, as well as those you may not have heard about, such as the Hunkpapa Gall, the Oglala Crazy Horse, and the Northern Cheyenne Wooden Leg, who led successful battles and defeated General Custer. You'll also see the negative repercussions of the 1869 completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. x The Last Indian Wars? Focusing on the Far West, Southwest, and Plateau regions, Professor Cobb examines early laws put in place in California to control" Native Americans during the gold rush, including state funding to kill or enslave Native Americans. You'll also meet the "real" Geronimo and learn how he came to symbolize the Chiricahua Apache struggle to maintain independence, as well as Chief Joseph of the Nimi'ipuu or Nez Perce and his fight to preserve a home for his people on their ancestral lands." x Challenging Assimilation and Allotment Reveal how Native Americans adjusted to or refused to give in to the extraordinary challenges and changes they faced during the late 19th and early 20th centuries-specifically the federal government's deliberate and multifaceted effort to dismantle tribal lands and obliterate tribal cultures through allotment and assimilation. Instead, Native people adopted innovative strategies that allowed them to determine their own futures on their own terms. x American Indians and the Law, 1883-1903 Violence and war were not the only options. Even after the alleged last Indian wars," Native Americans continued to fight for their rights and lands through the same legal system that had worked towards displacing them. You'll review three critical court cases, and meet leaders such as Standing Bear and Lone Wolf who stood up against "the courts of the conqueror" and continued to seek justice and defend tribal sovereignty." x The Ghost Dance and the Peyote Road Professor Cobb explores how many Native people took matters into their own hands and gained a renewed sense of place, harmony, and balance through two religious movements: The Ghost Dance-often misperceived as the last gasp of resistance before the Indians' final vanishing act, and the Peyote Road-a critically important pathway to peace, reconciliation, and belonging. x Native America in the Early 1900s Discover how Native Americans confounded the late 19th- and early 20th-century predictions about their inevitable disappearance by getting involved in very public arenas, becoming political actors and writers, artists, and athletes. Professor Cobb tells the stories of Native Americans who broke out of the stereotypes and examines their actions through four concepts: expectation, anomaly, the unexpected, and authenticity. x American Indians and World War I Explore Native Americans' involvement in World War One and how it changed the meaning of citizenship and sovereignty in the beginning of the 20th century. Examine why Native soldiers fought in all of the major offensives after America's entry into the war, defending a country that was hostile to tribal sovereignty and also reluctant to extend U.S. citizenship to Native people. x Making a New Deal in Native America Uncover some of the hidden histories of the period between the late 1920s and early 1940s as you learn how Native Americans set about making a New Deal for themselves and their communities during an era of uncertainty and convulsive change for the nation at large. You'll also get an introduction to the Indian New Deal, which helped open the door to greater self-government, economic development, and the protection of property rights. x American Indians and World War II Move from World War I and the turbulent 30s to World War II to learn how the war and onset of the atomic age transformed the lives of Native Americans. While the challenges and opportunities faced by Native Americans paralleled the ones faced by many other Americans, you'll learn how the outcomes proved to be vastly different. And you'll discover Native American heroes of the War, often uncelebrated for their sacrifices to the country. x Indian Termination or Self-Determination? Explore American Indian experiences during the early Cold War period, when loyalties were often questioned. Native Americans used the politics of the Cold War era to define freedom through the 1950s and 1960s. Nationalism and decolonization then surfaced as conflicts over fishing rights brought the struggle over Native American treaty rights back into the foreground of American consciousness. x Native Radicalism and Reform, 1969-1978 The late 1960s and early 1970s saw the efflorescence of American Indian militancy, beginning with the occupation of Alcatraz Island in 1969, through to the Trail of Broken Treaties in November 1972 and the Wounded Knee occupation in 1973. Professor Cobb will demonstrate how Native American activism intersected with the mainstream movements of the era through literature, music, art, and higher education, eventually making its way to legislative and judicial reforms. x Reasserting Rights and Tribal Sovereignty Professor Cobb will reveal how tribal nations haven't settled for survival alone. We are still in the midst of an era of recovery and revitalization-one that has tested the limits of individual rights and tribal sovereignty. He'll follow a few of the critical sites of contemporary struggle, including gaming, repatriation, religious freedom, federal recognition, self-government, legal jurisdiction, and resource development. x CD Includes: 24 Lectures on 12 CDs Illustrations and photographs Daniel M. Cobb, Ph.D. Daniel Cobb is an Associate Professor of American Studies at The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He achieved a B.A. in History with a Sociology minor from Messiah College, where he graduated cum laude; a M.A. in History from the University of Wyoming; and a Ph.D. in History from the University of Oklahoma. He served as the assistant director of the Newberry Library’s D’Arcy McNickle Center for American Indians... (Set) Native Peoples of North America & Maya to Aztec (Set) Native Peoples of North America & Lost Worlds of South America (Set) Native Peoples of North America & Before 1776 (Set) Native Peoples of North America & History’s Greatest Voyages of Exploration (Set) Native Peoples of North America & Great Mythologies of the World (Set) The American West & Native Peoples of North America (Set) Ancient Civilizations of North America & Native Peoples of North America Native Peoples of North America is rated 3.7 out of 5 by 117. Rated 5 out of 5 by who are you from Very enlightening information! i bought this to use in teaching US history. This exposes the fallacies taught in our schools about interactions of the Native Americans and the white European immigrants Rated 5 out of 5 by Bikerbill from Professor Daniel M. Cobb really knows the history of the Native People of North America. He is an excellent teacher. His lectures are very interesting and he shows many picures and art work to help explain what he is talking about. Rated 5 out of 5 by Stan21 from Excellent This is an excellent presentation. I've had to deal with native activists and radicals so I found Professor Cobb's approach fairly moderate. It's a history that I didn't have the opportunity to learn as a youngster. We must bear in mind that individual's attitudes and experiences may differ. The course is called Native Peoples of North America but its focus is primarily American history. More content about the indigenous peoples in Canada after the War of 1812 would have been helpful. Rated 5 out of 5 by Buzz sawyer from Native Peoples of North America Here in Oklahoma there is available, a tremendous amount of Native American History. Thus far this title seems to add a little to the other sources I have experienced. Having them gives me an additional source of information. Which I can refer to at my leisure. I find myself selecting only those title that have CDs and the course guidebook..!! SUGGESTION: Offer either or CD or DVD, at a price somewhere between the current price of the two; along with the guidebook. The two items (CD and guidebook) are a combination that complete the subject. Rated 2 out of 5 by Bill L07110 from Disappointing This course was very disappointing to me. It's not what I thought it would be. The course focused on European and American oppression of the native Americans. I thought I was going to learn about the cultures and accomplishments of the First Americans. The professor although accomplished definitely had an anti American agenda. However what he said cannot be denied. The First Americans were treated poorly. Rated 4 out of 5 by jprw from Misleading This course is more political than I was looking for. But interesting. I have only watched 3 lectures. I'll probably watch the rest. Rated 3 out of 5 by Walt B from Comprehensive and enlightening, slightly flawed. Very valuable for anyone wanting to understand American history in its entirety. My one complaint is that Cobb does not treat the atrocities and excesses very fairly. Both sides were guilty of terrible acts, and although the actions of the settlers and their governments richly deserve the lion's share of the blame, neither side was angelic. Rated 3 out of 5 by AN ANTISNOWFLAKE from THE PROFESSOR OBVIOUSLY HAS A POLITICAL AGENDA. I ONLY WISHED TO LEARN ABOUT THE ENDOGENOUS INHABITANTS OF AMERICA. I AM NOT A SNOWFLAKE STUDENT AND DO NOT WANT TO BE CONTINUOUSLY INDOCTRINATED IN LEFT WING QUILT THAT MY EVIL EUROPEAN CHRISTIAN ANCESTORS WERE MASS MURDERERS.. I HAVE ALWAYS ADMIRED NATIVE AMERICANS AND THEIR CULTURE BUT TO NOT NEED TO BE LECTURED ON GENOCIDE. I FEEL THAT YOUR COURSES SHOULD BE FREE OF ANY IDEOLOGY WHICH I KNOW IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE IN TODAY’S CENTERS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. Native Peoples of North America Reviews - page 2 Lost Worlds of South America The Mysterious Etruscans Steven L. Tuck The Barbarian Empires of the Steppes The World's Greatest Geological Wonders: 36 Spectacular Sites Michael E. Wysession Understanding Imperial China: Dynasties, Life, and Culture Andrew R. Wilson The National Geographic Guide to Birding in North America James Currie Cities of the Ancient World Essentials of Tai Chi and Qigong David-Dorian Ross King Arthur: History and Legend Great Mythologies of the World Taught By Multiple Professors Buy together as a Set Save Up To $411.00 Maya to Aztec: Ancient Mesoamerica Revealed Choose a Set Format Instant Video	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19127
__label__cc	0.617276	0.382724	https://www.thehour.com/business/article/Stocks-widely-mixed-after-Friday-s-sell-off-8244874.php Stocks widely mixed after Friday's sell-off Published 8:00 pm EDT, Monday, June 9, 2008 NEW YORK -- Stocks closed mixed Monday, with Wall Street exhausted from last week's swoon and still nervous about the effect of bank losses and energy costs on the economy. A pullback in crude oil prices provided only limited relief to investors, who largely stuck to the stocks of large companies. Blue chips are are regarded as safer assets during times of economic uncertainty. "It's hard for anyone to jump in whole hog after Friday," said Thomas J. Lee, equities analyst at JPMorgan. Soaring energy prices, as well as a huge jump in the unemployment rate, sent the Dow Jones industrial average plunging nearly 400 points on Friday. "I think everyone's going to watch oil, and I think it's going to paralyze us for a while," Lee said. Crude prices dipped more than $4 to settle at $134.35 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange Monday, but only after Friday's $11-a-barrel surge to a new record. With U.S. gasoline topping $4 a gallon, consumers' ballooning energy bills could force them to keep paring back spending on other items. The financial sector was particularly weak Monday, after Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. posted an unexpectedly large quarterly loss of $2.8 billion -- the investment bank's first since it spun off from American Express Co. in 1994. The poor performance added to uncertainty about how long it will take banks to recover from the mortgage market's near collapse. According to preliminary calculations, the Dow rose 70.51, or 0.58 percent, to 12,280.32 after Friday's rout, which was the worst tumble on Wall Street in 15 months. During trading Monday, the blue chip index rose more than 100 points, fell briefly into negative territory, and then rebounded again. Broader stock indicators finished mixed. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 1.08, or 0.08 percent, to 1,361.76, while the Nasdaq composite index fell 15.10, or 0.61 percent, to 2,459.46. Declining issues outnumbered advancers by about 2 to 1 on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume amounted to 1.35 billion shares.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19131
__label__cc	0.619245	0.380755	Katie was taken into care at a young age but is not sure exactly why. She says she felt well‑loved by her family but remembers her mother forgetting to pick her up from school a couple of times, having been drinking. Katie describes the next six years of her life in children’s homes as ‘hell on earth’. She was subjected to sexual abuse, violent assault, emotional abuse and neglect. On one occasion she believes she nearly died – she had a serious illness, but care staff did not believe she was ill and would not seek medical help. She recalls being strip searched, having her underwear removed and a male member of staff coming into the shower with her, claiming it was to wash her back. She fought back and as he chased her she fell, causing a scar on her body. In another children’s home Katie says she fought back against an abusive member of staff and as a consequence she received a juvenile conviction. She says: ‘The judge said I was a violent out-of-control child, whose parents didn’t even want her. That was not true … I was trying to defend myself.’ Katie describes one children’s home: ‘It was like a whore house, we were encouraged to dress skimpily.’ She says she was controlled by two men and was put on the contraceptive pill at a young age. She regularly ran away to escape the sexual abuse, only to be returned, but was never asked why she had run away. She says: ‘I was running away, trying not to get raped. I had a single room; the night staff would come in and I would scream and shout.’ She recalls some of the other children tried to protect her. Katie had no trust in the police. On one occasion, when she had run away, she says she was put in a dog kennel by police officers. She adds: ‘One police officer said if I didn’t shut up I would end up in the Thames like X [another missing child in care].’ To stop her trying to run to her parents’ home, Katie was moved to a children’s home many miles away and had no contact with her family. The cruel and abusive conditions continued until her father died, when Katie’s mother collected her from care and she did not return. Katie is aware that some of the people who sexually abused her have been investigated for other child abuse offences, one receiving a 20-year sentence. Looking back, Katie identifies many people she knew in care who have died due to suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, or have gone missing, and she believes this is a direct consequence of the abuse they suffered. She asks how the local police could not have questioned the number of children repeatedly running away. She says that 90% of what police say is believed and she does not think that the police have changed since she was young. Katie says that inaccurate labels about her in her care file, such as ‘promiscuous’, stigmatised her and identified her as vulnerable, so everyone ‘tried it on with me’. She says the sexual abuse she suffered pushed her into self-destruct mode, abusing alcohol and drugs for a couple of years. She expresses how much she hates ‘lying and bullshit’, has no respect for the police and has a quick temper on occasions. Katie has never had counselling and feels she has not dealt with what happened to her. She describes herself as a solitary person, saying: ‘I work long hours … I don’t give myself time to think … I exist, I don’t live.’ Katie is still considering how to take forward the abusive experiences she had in childhood; she is angry about what happened to her and that she was not protected. She says: ‘I want a “sorry” and for someone to take responsibility. I don’t do good “victim” … I want to unburden myself.' For the future, Katie says that records should be accurate and transparent and there should be recognition that labels follow you around and alter perceptions of you. She has applied for her care records many times but has been ignored. Because she works she cannot access legal funding to take this further, and she feels this is not right and should be changed.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19133
__label__wiki	0.649238	0.649238	AHRI Honors Trane’s Darryl Denton and Stephen Lind With 2018 Richard C. Schulze Award Sound whiz and certification guru accept awards at Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) Inaugural Leadership Forum DAVIDSON, N.C., Nov. 13, 2018 – Product certification expert Darryl Denton and Acoustics expert Stephen Lind took home the 2018 Richard C. Schulze Award at the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) leadership forum in Tucson, AZ, yesterday. Both seasoned engineers have made a mark on their respective fields, and both work for Trane®, a brand of Ingersoll Rand. The award winners earned the distinction through decades of service to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) industry. Darryl established the Lab Evaluation and Adjustment Plan (LEAP) program to standardize third-party HVAC testing, and Stephen’s sound modeling and predictions have helped countless customers design building HVAC systems with acoustics in mind. “Darryl and Stephen have made a difference to our profession through their outstanding contributions to AHRI and the entire HVAC community,” said Stephen Yurek, president and CEO of AHRI, who noted it’s rare for professionals from the same company to take home the award in consecutive years, let alone in the same year. “Their knowledge and commitment to excellence represent the high standards of this organization On behalf of AHRI, we thank them for their combined 40 years of service to our industry.” Darryl Denton – Mentor and Innovator Darryl Denton, Trane systems engineer, in Tyler, TX, has helped countless HVAC professionals through his mentorship. His innovative thinking and technical expertise also make him a go-to resource for air-conditioning assessment testing and instrumentation. “Trane’s success comes through Darryl’s passion,” said Matthew Pereira, vice president of engineering and technology for Trane’s residential business. “The HVAC industry is constantly evolving, and accurate test data is vital. Darryl’s expertise and contributions are invaluable to our company and our customers.” Since the early 1990s, Darryl has been a voting member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard Project Committee 37. Darryl, who has been with Trane since 1999, developed the LEAP program for standardized testing. He remains active on multiple AHRI committees including the compliance, technical and engineering committees. Stephen Lind – Acoustics Expert and Active Committee Member Stephen is an acoustic engineer for Trane Commercial in La Crosse, Wis. He develops Trane products that meet the AHRI acoustic standards and measures the sound the product emits. Trane utilizes the data when recommending products to clients. Stephen has been with Trane since 1998 and is active on the AHRI Technical Committee on Sound since 2001. He currently serves as deputy chair for the committee. He is also the chair of multiple sub-committees within AHRI, and a member of the Acoustical Society of America and a board-certified member of the Institute of Noise Control Engineering. “Trane customers heavily consider acoustics during HVAC installations and Stephen’s expertise helps Trane exceed customer’s expectations,” said Ken Schoeneck, vice president of engineering for Trane’s commercial business. “Stephen predicts and models sound to help Trane customers design buildings with acoustics in mind.” About Ingersoll Rand and Trane Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) is a world leader in creating and sustaining safe, comfortable and efficient environments in commercial, residential and industrial markets. Our people and our family of brands — including Club Car®, Ingersoll Rand®, Thermo King® and Trane® — work together to enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and buildings, transport and protect food and perishables, and increase industrial productivity and efficiency. Trane solutions optimize indoor environments with a broad portfolio of energy efficient heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, building and contracting services, parts support and advanced control. Ingersoll Rand is a $14 billion global business committed to sustainable business practices within our company and for our customers. For more information, visit www.ingersollrand.com or www.trane.com. AHRI is the trade association representing manufacturers of air conditioning, heating, commercial refrigeration and water heating equipment. An internationally recognized advocate for the industry, AHRI develops standards for and certifies the performance of many of these products. Heidi McGuire heidi.mcguire@irco.com View All Archive	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19134
__label__cc	0.522044	0.477956	Search Our Site by Keyword Any Cities in Andalucia Towns & Villages Attractions in Andalucia Museums & Galleries Birdwatching in Andalucia Cycling in Andalucia Days Out in Andalucia Walking in Andalucia Parks in Andalucia This article has been visited 4,433 times San Roque Municipality in Cádiz Province Andalucia By Nick Nutter \| 5 Nov 2018 San Roque is undoubtedly one of the most interesting towns in the Gibraltar area due to its unique historical background and its well-kept Andalucian architecture. Since 1704 the town has been known as ‘Gibraltar in the Fields of San Roque’, due to the fact that most of the Spanish inhabitants who left the Rock in that year during the British invasion settled there. In 1706 King Phillip V of Spain made San Roque the official ‘City of Gibraltar in Exile’. The whitewashed old quarter of town was declared a Collection of Listed Historical Buildings in 1975. Old San Roque is full of notable monuments and museums, as well as typical picturesque Andalucian streets and squares. All the relics, records and iconography the Spanish Gibraltarians retrieved from Gibraltar are kept here, such as many statues in the Church. Another strong tradition is local gastronomy, the city is famous for its excellent tapa bars, where you can sample the most delicious local dishes. San Roque also has one of the most proactive tourist information offices and an excellent way to see the city for the first time is via a guided tour. The tour includes The Governor’s Palace, an early 18th century, neoclassical structure that also houses a museum in which are artefacts from the nearby Roman site of Carteia, the old Military Command HQ that contains two museums and the Standard of Gibraltar and Saint Mary the Crowned Parish Church built in 1735 in a Tuscan and Baroque style. The church was built on the site of the original shrine of Saint Roque that dated back to 1508. The church also contains priceless statues smuggled out of Gibraltar between the15th and 18th centuries. You will also visit the collection of listed historical buildings in the old quarter of San Roque: Calle San Felipe, Church Square, Plaza de Armas (where modern bullfighting, the so-called ‘Red Cape and Sword Technique’, was invented in 1720), Mirador Poeta Domingo de Mena, Calle Historiador Montero, Calle San Nicolás and Alameda Alfonso XI Square. The tour continues to the bull ring and bullfighting museum. Built in 1853 the bullring is the oldest in the province of Cádiz and one of the oldest in Andalucia. Finally you visit Carteia, an archaeological site dating back to 700 BC. Carteia was a major Phoenician and Roman city. The Borough Tourist Office (tel: 956 694 005) offers free guided sightseeing tours (weekdays, mornings afternoons and weekends). The tours can be arranged for groups of 8 or more persons in English, Spanish and Italian. The only necessary requirement is to book one week in advance. Although not part of the tour you are likely to be drawn to Plaza de Andalucia Square, the focal point of the city. Part of the film, ‘The Running Man’ was filmed there in 1963. San Roque is actually full of hidden gems. In Simon Susarte Park you will find a statue of a goatherd of the same name. In 1704 a combined Anglo Dutch force occupied Gibraltar. A goatherd, Simon Susarte, knew of a concealed path up the precipitous eastern side of the rock and led 500 Spanish troops to Europa Advance and killed the guard. They moved to the Upper Rock and spent the night in St Michael’s Cave. The next morning they attacked the Signal Station but the alarm was raised and the English counter-attacked. 160 prisoners were taken including a colonel and thirty other officers; the rest were killed trying to escape. Whilst trecking around the town you may well have quenched your thirst at the María España Drinking Fountain. This 18th century drinking fountain is one of San Roque’s timeless symbols. The name appears in old songs and legends. The vision of the fountain is linked to old-fashioned water carriers who would put their water pitchers brimming with fresh spring water on their donkeys’ backs and supply it to the inhabitants of the City of San Roque. The fountain has always been a recreational area for the locals, a resting place for walkers and the inhabitants of the Arca Mountains when they came to the town centre. The town folk, who identify with the fountain, were the ones who give the plaza its name, against the wishes of the Mayor who had wanted his name to be used. Find on the map We Welcome Your Comments Please enter your comment Please add together 5 + 6 = Support our Businesses You may also enjoy reading ..... Sotogrande and Torreguadiaro Carteia, A Roman Town Subscribe to our mailing list to receive our Newsletters If you liked this article you may be interested in .... The Rock from Bottom to Top by Nick Nutter & Julie Evans Buy NOW on Mr Henderson’s Railway The Road to Manilva The Sherry Triangle	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19138
__label__cc	0.737552	0.262448	About Valley Forge Chorus Valley Forge Chorus ("VFC") has been entertaining audiences in the Philadelphia area for 54 years with four-part a cappella harmonies and stunning visual performances. As a premier competing chorus, we have honorably earned two international gold medals and numerous first place regional medals, including Division A Champions in May 2019. We combine thrilling harmonies with energetic choreography to create an unforgettable audience experience. Our inspirational repertoire includes show tunes, patriotic, and sacred music, along with gospel, pop, barbershop and jazz. We thoroughly enjoy performing within the community and are availabile to sing at your next upcoming function or event. For more information, please visit our "Hire Us" page. In addition to sharing our music with others, another great passion of ours is learning more about the art of a cappella singing. Vocal instruction is a regular part of chorus rehearsals and is a very important component of the chorus experience. Throughout the year, we're coached by visiting Master Directors who demonstrate the art of four part harmonizing and teach us the fabulous tricks of the trade. Each spring Valley Forge Chorus participates in the Atlantic Bay-Mountain Region 19 quartet and chorus competition(s). This is a special time for our quartets and chorus members to come together with other performers to compete and gain valuable feedback from a panel of judges. The winners of the regional competition(s) are invited to represent our region in the Sweet Adelines International Competition, which is held in the fall. Click here to learn more. QUARTET(S) Choruses often have members who form vocal quartets in addition to singing with the chorus. The Valley Forge Chorus is currently home to two wonderful quartet(s), Boomerang and Audacious, which we are extremely proud! See our Quartet page to learn more about them. Valley Forge Chorus creates a Barbershop Blog to keep our friends, supporters and followers up-to-date with the activities and events of the Chorus. Valley Forge Chorus is a chapter of Sweet Adeline International. Founded in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1945, Sweet Adelines started as a small group of women who loved to sing. Since then, it has evolved into an organization of nearly 21,000 singers in 525 choruses and over 900 quartets, connecting women around the world in one sisterhood. They’re dedicated to preserving the unique sound of a cappella barbershop harmony, sharing their passion for music and empowering women in every area of their lives.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19145
__label__cc	0.747865	0.252135	Wrongful death claim filed against Young Jeezy On behalf of Susan Roe of The Veen Firm, PC posted in Wrongful Death on Monday, April 24, 2017. The fact that one individual causes another to lose his or her life is not always considered a criminal act. Sometimes, the death is the result of an accident. Other times, it is the result of a negligent or reckless act that ended in the wrongful death of a California resident. In 2014, Eric Johnson, a concert promoter, was shot while backstage during a Young Jeezy and Wiz Khalifa concert. A witness to this event claims that the individual who shot Johnson had a similar appearance to Jeezy; this same witness later identified Jeezy from a photo lineup. A second witness to the event also described the shooter to a police sketch artist. Apparently, the artist's rendering appeared to look similar to Jeezy. In spite of these two witnesses, Jeezy was not charged in this incident. In addition to the emotional turmoil associated with the loss of their father, Johnson's children also incurred financial losses. They had to pay for funeral expenses as well as suffer the loss of his income. His children have now filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Jeezy. A civil claim for wrongful death is different from murder, which is a crime. When one's negligent or reckless actions cause the death of another, it is likely that grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit exist. Regardless of whether the individual is charged with the death in criminal court, it is possible that a claim can be filed by the family in California's civil justice system. An experienced attorney can help guide the family through the process. Source: tv3.ie, "Young Jeezy named in wrongful death lawsuit", April 21, 2017 Tags: Wrongful Death Related Posts: Bus driver charges in wrongful death of 4 passengers, Wrongful death or wrongful injury? It could make a big difference, When a manufacturer's mistake turns into a wrongful death claim, Wrongful death claim against tennis star Venus Williams Ask the Expert (1) Legal Updates (1) bike accidents (6) car accidents (8) work-related deaths (1) Bus driver charges in wrongful death of 4 passengers Wrongful death or wrongful injury? It could make a big difference When a manufacturer's mistake turns into a wrongful death claim Wrongful death claim against tennis star Venus Williams © 2019 by The Veen Firm, PC. All rights reserved. Disclaimer	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19146
__label__wiki	0.547048	0.547048	Health Canada OK with herbicide By: Laura Rance Posted: 01/19/2019 3:00 AM \| Comments: Health Canada had conducted a regular review of data pertaining to the herbicide in 2017, concluding that it did not pose undue risk. (Jeff Roberson / Canadian Press files) Health Canada has delivered some reassuring news for people worried about glyphosate in their food and the environment in the wake of some of controversial reports and court rulings last year. The much-publicized jury ruling in favour of a California plaintiff claiming long-term exposure to the weed killer caused his cancer, has touched off a storm of conjecture about what is arguably the most heavily used herbicide in modern agriculture. Health Canada had conducted a regular review of data pertaining to the herbicide in 2017, concluding that it did not pose undue risk. It reopened the file last year in light of the stir created by the court’s consideration of the so-called “Monsanto papers,” which reportedly document how the company underhandedly tried to influence regulators and public opinion. (Monsanto brought glyphosate to the market in 1974 under the trade name Roundup.) As well, eight individuals or groups protested the 2017 ruling, arguing that federal scientists with the department’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) either didn’t look at the right data or didn’t give appropriate weight to the concerns that were raised. Health Canada had conducted a regular review of data pertaining to the herbicide in 2017, concluding that it did not pose undue risk. It reopened the file last year in light of the stir created by the court’s consideration of the so-called "Monsanto papers," which reportedly document how the company underhandedly tried to influence regulators and public opinion. (Monsanto brought glyphosate to the market in 1974 under the trade name Roundup.) "Health Canada scientists reviewed the information provided in these notices, and assessed the validity of any studies in question, to determine whether any of the issues raised would influence the results of the assessment and the associated regulatory decision," it said in a statement issued Jan. 11. Health Canada says it reviewed publicly available data, as well as data from manufacturers. It used 20 of its own scientists who were not involved in the 2017 re-evaluation of the product to carry out this latest review. It also reviewed the scientific reports referred to in the so-called "Monsanto papers." "After a thorough scientific review, we have concluded that the concerns raised by the objectors could not be scientifically supported when considering the entire body of relevant data," it says, noting no pesticide regulatory agency in the world currently considers glyphosate a cancer risk. That doesn’t mean we start adding a shot of it to our morning orange juice. Nor does it preclude new data in the context of changing use patterns from future assessments making a different call. As with all scientific assessments, the conclusions you reach depend on the questions you ask. The decision by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2015 that glyphosate is a "probable carcinogen" (in a category that also includes wood smoke and processed red meat) has created an aura around the herbicide that has been hard for manufacturers and farmers who rely on the herbicide to shake. The California ruling is just one of more than 9,000 lawsuits making similar claims before the courts. And just this week, a French tribunal ruled that country’s regulatory agency failed to properly weigh the risks posed by a newly introduced formulation of the product. Its approval was immediately revoked while the case is appealed. The fear is, the ban could be applied to all glyphosate products in that country. So given all this, why should we believe the PMRA assurances that things are OK, really? There are a few reasons. For one, the PMRA falls under Health Canada’s mandate, not Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC), which is where some in the agricultural community would like it to live. AAFC’s mandate is to promote the agricultural industry and support this country’s bid to be a global food exporter. Health Canada’s mandate is to protect and promote the health of Canadians. Secondly, while farm groups and industry applauded the results of this latest assessment, the groups and individuals who appealed the 2017 decision are up in arms. However, farmers and the industry weren’t so happy with the agency a few months ago when it proposed a ban on the commonly used neonicotinoid pesticides because of their risk to aquatic insects. Environmental lobbyists were celebrating that time. If you are in the regulatory business — or the reporting business, for that matter — and you can manage to get both sides mad at you within the space of a year, you are probably doing your job. Laura Rance is editorial director at Glacier FarmMedia. She can be reached at lrance@farmmedia.com Laura Rance Laura Rance is editorial director at Farm Business Communications.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19158
__label__wiki	0.727849	0.727849	3XN Staying ahead of the curve Nick Myall 3XN has designed the curving La Tour Residential Tower in Aarhus as low cost, high quality housing suitable for young people and families 3XN Architects has designed a new residential tower in Aarhus, Denmark's second largest city. The 22,500 sq m building's distinctive semi-circular design embraces an existing historic brick water tower, contains almost 300 apartments and rises to a height 95m. 3XN has been working on this site for a decade and created two previous schemes, which they re-envisioned through the development process. Aarhus' city council has granted preliminary approval for the project, which is now open for public comment. 3XN anticipates final approval for the 31-storey tower, which will be the tallest residential building in the city, by summer. "La Tour responds to its specific location and will contribute to the surrounding neighbourhood on many levels and in a positive way," said 3XN Founder and Creative Director Kim Herforth Nielsen. "We paid particular attention to the building scale, so that it is both distinctive and visible in the city, but also embraces the local environment in one fluid motion. La Tour will forge an identity in the urban context. Visible in the distance from many parts of the city, it will become a part of the city skyline, serving as a point of orientation." 3XN designed La Tour as low cost, high quality housing suitable for young people and families. Additional value is brought to the building through its unique expression and identity which stand out on the city skyline of Aarhus. The distinctive shape uses terracing to transition from the large flat volumes in the local area to the urban high rise-typology. The building design takes particular care to respect the historical water tower, ensuring it does not disappear behind the new tower, but instead retains its character as a fixed point of reference, remaining a worthy partner in the local area’s skyline. Thus the project embraces the city and the neighbourhood’s special character while simultaneously giving citizens of Aarhus a unique opportunity to live in functional apartments showcasing stunning views over the city. Project Category: Residential Keywords: 3XN architects La Tour Residential Tower Aarhus 3XN	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19162
__label__wiki	0.767271	0.767271	Rwanda says it backs Ethiopia's dam construction Ambassador Joseph Nsengimana said Egypt's position toward Ethiopia's Renaissance Dam harms the interests of East African countries, which seeks to buy electricity to be generated by the dam in the future. Rwanda's ambassador in Addis Ababa on Thursday said that his country backed Ethiopia's construction of a multibillion hydroelectric dam on the Nile River, a project that Egypt fears will affect its main source of water. He was quoted by the official Ethiopian news agency as saying that Egypt wants to benefit alone from the Nile water, which, according to him, cannot be done in the 21st century. Nsengimana added that his country and other East African states eagerly wait for the Renaissance Dam to be completed, pinning hopes on the project to contribute to their development. He also pointed out to a previously-signed memorandum of understanding between Rwanda and Ethiopia for the purchase of 400 megawatts of electricity after the completion of the Renaissance Dam. He said Rwanda understands Ethiopia's motivations for constructing the dam, saying it also pins hopes on the project to get its people out of the cycle of poverty. Relations between Egypt and Ethiopia soured over the latter's construction of the $6.4-billion hydroelectric dam on the upper reaches of the Nile River. The project has raised alarm bells in Egypt, which relies on the river for almost all of its water needs. Water distribution among Nile Basin states has long been regulated by a 1959 treaty that gives Egypt and Sudan the lion's share of river water. Ethiopia, for its part, says it has never recognized the treaty. #Egypt, #Ethiopia, #Grand Renaissance Dam, #rwanda, #Renaissance Dam Sudan protesters start general strike after crackdown Saudi Arabia and UAE provide $3 billion to Sudan Al-Bashir reportedly moved to prison in Khartoum '1,000 terrorists returned to Tunisia in 7 years' Suicide bombing in Egypt's capital leaves two dead	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19163
__label__cc	0.685766	0.314234	EMERGING AFRICA At the end of World War II, Africa had already been exposed to over half a century of colonial rule. Although many Europeans complacently assumed that colonialism was a necessary evil in the process of introducing civilization to the backward peoples of Africa and Asia, to some African intellectuals, the Western drive for economic profit and political hegemony was a plague that threatened ultimately to destroy civilization. It was the obligation of Africans to use their own humanistic and spiritual qualities to help save the human race. The Ghanaian official Michael Francis Dei-Anang agreed. In Whither Bound Africa, written in 1946, he scathingly unmasked the pretensions of Western superiority: Forward! To what? The Slums, where man is dumped upon man, Where penury And misery Have made their hapless homes, And all is dark and drear? Forward! To what? The factory To grind hard hours In an inhuman mill, In one long ceaseless spell? Forward! To what? To the reeking round Of medieval crimes, Where the greedy hawks of Aryan stock Prey with bombs and guns On men of lesser breed? Forward to CIVILIZATION.1 To Africans like Dei-Anang, the new Africa that emerged from imperialist rule had a duty to seek new ways of resolving the problems of humanity. In the three decades following the end of World War II, the peoples of Africa were gradually liberated from the formal trappings of European colonialism. The creation of independent states in Africa began in the late 1950s and proceeded gradually until the last colonial regimes were finally dismantled. But the transition to independence has not been an unalloyed success. The legacy of colonialism in the form of political inexperience and continued European economic domination has combined with overpopulation and climatic disasters to frustrate the new states’ ability to achieve political stability and economic prosperity. At the same time, arbitrary boundaries imposed by the colonial powers and ethnic and religious divisions within the African countries have led to bitter conflicts, which have posed a severe obstacle to the dream of continental solidarity and cooperation in forging a common destiny. Today, the continent of Africa, although blessed with enormous potential, is one of the most volatile and conflict-ridden areas of the world. Michael Dei-Anang’s dream of a unique African road has not yet been realized. •	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19164
__label__wiki	0.985261	0.985261	York Unlimited Expert Reaction: Notre Dame Cathedral fire Experts in archaeology, music, history, history of art, and medieval studies at the University of York give their reactions to the Notre Dame Cathedral fire in Paris. Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was damaged by a large fire on 15 April 2019 Dr Kate Giles, from the University of York's Department of Archaeology, said: "Historic buildings are no strangers to fires, especially when building or restoration work is underway. "A cathedral like York Minster has experienced a series of devastating fires, not just in 1984 when the South Transept was destroyed by lightning, but in 1840 when a candle was left burning by a clockmaker carrying out repairs in the South West Tower and the nave roof burned, and in 1829, when the choir was deliberately set slight, with similarly devastating consequences. "Disasters such as this have a huge impact not only on those who work and worship in a church, but also the wider community for whom the building is a symbol of identity and something far harder to capture, linking people to a deep sense of the past and to a sense of spirituality, whether they are religious or not. "We saw last night how local residents, visitors and the international community shared a sense of anguish at the fate of this internationally-significant Gothic building. Experts needed "But cathedrals have a millennium of expertise behind them, and Notre Dame will be able to draw on colleagues from across the world, including the University of York's Art History and Archaeology departments and York Minster's Glaziers' Trust and Stoneyard, to assist with its rebuilding and restoration. "Early phases of the work will include assessment of the structural stability of the surviving masonry and the archaeological recording of surviving fragments of timber, stone and artworks. "This will enable the Notre Dame team to salvage what can be re-used and provide crucial evidence for the design of new fabric in the building. The restoration designs are likely to be the subject of debate. Restoration debate "Should Notre Dame be reconstructed as it was on the eve of the fire, including elements of later schemes of restoration and repair, or should new architectural details be included, creating a lasting legacy of the craftsmanship of the 21st century? "As at York and Windsor, the fire may well reveal new secrets about the medieval cathedral, so the involvement of experts at this early stage of the project will be crucial. "One thing is certain from the York experience. A disaster such as this has the potential to bring communities together in new ways, providing opportunities for community cohesion and training the next generation of engineers, craftspeople and scholars who will continue to care for these buildings in the future. And perhaps that will be the lasting legacy of the Notre Dame fire." Gothic technique Dr Emma Wells, from the University of York’s Centre for Lifelong Learning, said: “Notre Dame de Paris is a touchstone of not only France’s but Europe’s history. “Crusaders prayed here before leaving on their holy wars; polyphonic music developed within its walls; Mary Queen of Scots married here; Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine were crowned here; and it was pillaged during the French revolution. And these are just a handful of the cultural-historic events. “In architectural terms, it is an icon of the Gothic style - a giant exemplar showcasing some of the most innovative techniques of the 12th and 13th century. “It was the first cathedral to feature four storeys thereby requiring the vast 15 metre flying buttresses as well as the innovation we know as the rib vault. “Together these helped to support the roof and walls, but above all, they allowed for modernity; for the Gothic style, with its cage-like stone structures which replaced the heavy Romanesque columnar buildings of the previous centuries. The walls could be filled with vast stained glass windows, allowing the stories of the bible to be conveyed to all. These were literal representations of Heaven on Earth. “Our cathedrals are stone phoenixes - reminders that out of adversity we may be reborn. And from the ashes they may be recreated, renovated, altered and changed as they have been over the centuries by hundreds, even thousands, of men and women into the cultural and heritage icons we know and love today. They will resurrect.” Stone vaults Professor Tim Ayers, at the University of York’s Department of History of Art, said: “In the history of architecture, Notre Dame is famous for its great stone vaults, rising over 100 feet, and supported by flying buttresses. “This was one of the most impressive achievements of early Gothic architecture, a prodigious feat of engineering, built to the glory of God. But stone vaults were also partly a response to the danger of fire in wood roofs. “York Minster has lost three of its four medieval wood roofs to fire. It remains to be seen how well the Notre Dame vaults have done their job, but preliminary pictures suggest that they have survived, at least in part, protecting the interior.” Dr Jez Wells, from the University of York’s Department of Music, said: “I remember when first working as a recording engineer, capturing chant in Notre Dame Cathedral and noting its incredible reverberation. The building's reverberation, its own response to sounds made within it, is so strong and rich that it really seemed as if the ghosts of its past were coming out of the walls and singing along. "It was a light bulb moment in my appreciation and grasp of sound and recording. The fire damage to the roof of the building means that it can no longer make those same responses to sound that it has been making for over 800 years, which is tragic indeed. "Sound reverberation could be considered a niche topic, but when you listen to the sounds that Notre Dame makes, you realise the power in its audible rendition of space, geometry, fabric and time. "It is literally the sound that a building makes in concert with its occupants, a sound that it has been making for a very long time. That capability is now profoundly altered, but hopefully not permanently." Dr Geoff Cubitt, from the University of York’s Department of History, said: “Situated on the Île de la Cité in the historic heart of Paris, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame has been a key feature on the Parisian skyline since the thirteenth century, when its great twin towers and famous windows were first constructed. "The spire, the most conspicuous casualty of yesterday’s fire, is a nineteenth-century addition by Viollet-le-Duc, replacing an earlier spire demolished in the eighteenth century. “Besides its architectural beauties, and spiritual significance as the city’s prime historic site of Christian worship, the Cathedral has long established itself as a visual icon of Parisian identity, rivalling the late nineteenth century Eiffel Tower in the visual imaginations of tourists and Parisians alike. “The fact that, despite depredations during the Revolutionary period, the church has retained its dominant form across the centuries, has made Notre-Dame a kind of emblem of endurance and continuity across the city’s – and France’s – turbulent history. “The sight of the cathedral in flames, and the devastating damage done, can only have a profound emotional impact, though it is still too early to tell just how far the damage extends, and what the future will hold.” Professor Sarah Rees Jones, Director of the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of York, said: “The cathedral of Notre Dame is a monument to the creativity and ambition of medieval artists and craftsmen and is one of the most perfect expressions of new styles of gothic architecture developing across Europe in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. “The continuing appeal of medieval cathedrals, such as Notre Dame, to modern visitors and tourists today is powerful evidence of the importance of deep history even as cities and societies constantly change. City identity “The cathedral of Notre Dame contains unique relics and art works from the medieval period – and it is a great relief to hear that not all are lost.” Luke Giraudet, PhD student, at the University of York’s Centre for Medieval Studies, said: "Since the thirteenth century Notre-Dame has stood at the heart of Paris as an enduring and empowering symbol of the city’s identity. “The iconic Gothic monument has borne witness to key moments in France’s turbulent history and its permanence, despite the risks of Revolution and war, encapsulates the city's own resilience and unity over time. "Besides its awe-inspiring appearance, the cathedral is home to many invaluable medieval artefacts and relics, not least of them the Crown of Thorns brought to the city by Louis IX in 1239. While it is a great relief to hear that these have been rescued, it remains to be seen what damage will have been inflicted upon more substantial treasures, such as the wonderfully sculpted fourteenth-century choir screen. "The sight of Notre-Dame in flames has rocked France and provoked an immediate and profound emotional response consonant with its historical importance. The support offered from around the world in response to this tragedy is a magnificent testament to the continuing place that medieval history and architecture hold in our modern cities." Samantha Martin Deputy Head of Media Relations s.martin@york.ac.uk Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us YouTube Modify \| Direct Edit	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19167
__label__wiki	0.958528	0.958528	Netflix Kevin Hart: Irresponsible Following Netflix’s renowned documentaries like Gaga: Five Foot Two, Ellen: Relatable, and Taylor Swift Reputation Stadium Tour comes Kevin Hart: Irresponsible. The stand-up comedian gets to have his very own documentary filmed by the online streaming legend, which follows iconic performers too. Irresponsible is filmed in an audience packed stadium with a square stage in the middle of the whole arena. Hart stands in the middle, with the audience surrounding him. It’s an accumulation of the tour that he did just last year. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, he says that “It’s a little raunchy. I would definitely say Rated-R plus R.” As usual, Hart brings in the intense energy and quick shift from one topic to another. He starts his set with introducing the title: “The name is Irresponsible for a lot of reasons — we’ll get into all those reasons as the show goes on.” It is important to note that Hart’s material for the special will not cover anything about the controversies about his homophobic tendencies towards his jokes that got him fired from hosting the Oscars. Although, this would have been a great avenue to address them if they were indeed false allegations. Back to the show, initially, his jokes start with stories revolving around his kids and family. Eventually, he starts talking about his kid catching him and his wife doing sex, then sends out a flurry of jokes about how a person can reason to a kid about what they were doing and a few long sentences about sex positions, that’s how this special would be R-rated. It’s a strong start. But as the show goes on, you’ll notice that Hart starts to joke about his insecurities. He mainly talks about it from a very light perspective with his infectious lively energy, but are rooted from very emotional circumstances. In this documentary, we are getting a very raw and vulnerable side of the comedian in this one-hour special. “Honesty and authenticity are what people respond to. You want to laugh at what you can relate to and what you believe,” Hart says to Jimmy Kimmel. “Nothing is malicious. It’s all done from my point of view. So it’s the way I see myself in certain situations.” He introduces topics about being a short man and feeling down when he saw his wife’s porn search history only to find that she’s looking for ‘bigness.’ In an interview he shared about a random conversation about his wife, “She showed me. It really hurt me. It did a number,” Hart said. “It was so different from what I am. Everything was big. Everybody was tall. I got mad.” It will also develop into him getting caught in a cheating incident, which he will stitch together with him trying to gain back a level of trust and sense of security that was lost. The topics of his material, at some points, will get deep. But, he will shift you back and forth with the same enthusiastic energy he has in the beginning that, as a live audience, you wouldn’t notice and will laugh along. Overall, Hart would undeniably show how well he would command an audience. He would keep the entire audience’s attention for a solid hour without rest. Even though his height is an often joked-about topic, he stands tall in the middle of the audience; he compensates with enthusiasm and infectious energy that would carry the whole crown during the entirety of the show. Kevin Hart: Irresponsible is the kind of comedy show that you would pay to watch and gladly spend your time laughing along. However, if you’re watching it from a TV or your laptop, the whole performance would seem like a dud. It’s titled ‘Irresponsible,’ but nothing of what he does in the entire documentary would resemble the word. You also don’t pick up the same energy in the room as when you’re watching it live. Yes, they’re quick and quirky jokes that would bounce off from one to the next, but they don’t stick and give you a genuinely satisfying laugh. Whatever the case, Hart definitely is a force to be reckoned with on live shows. His level of determination and ease to keep people’s attention is unmatched in his generation of stand-up comedians. Kevin Hart: Irresponsible is available for streaming on Netflix. Hulu TV Shows, Movies, Recommendations Coming This April 2019 Netflix’s Our Planet Is Something You Haven’t Seen Before Gossip Girl Is Making A Comeback Series Manhattan’s teenage elites better watch their backs, Gossip Girl is officially announced to make a return on HBO’s upcoming streaming service. Photo: Cecilia Saia \| Flickr \| CC BY 2.0 Hey Upper East Siders, Gossip Girl is officially back. The freakishly omnipresent blogger is making a comeback in 2020 to watch over the lives of Manhattans’ elites. WarnerMedia has sent to order the series for ten new hour-long episodes from the popular tv show for its upcoming streaming service, HBO Max. The original Gossip Girl creators — the team of Joshua Safran, Stephanie Savage, and Josh Schwartz — are all returning to work on the new episodes that will loom over the lives of New York City’s teenage elites. There are also reports speculating a new Gossip Girl. “It’s something we’ve been talking about — Josh, Stephanie and I — for a little bit, just in terms of, ‘Is this something we want to explore?’ We’re all so in love with the original and had such an incredible time working on it, and it’s such a big part of our lives,” Safran told THR. “Then the stars aligned and we had availability to jump, and Warners, obviously, it’s something they’re very passionate about. It seemed like the best time and also the best way to do it.” As of the moment, there aren’t any reports if any of the formerly loved cast (Serena, Dan, Blair, Chuck, and Nate) would also be making a comeback in the upcoming Gossip Girl series. But one thing’s for sure: it will be a sequel to the original and will take on new characters with new drama all the while living the “elite problems” background. The new series logline “Eight years after the original website went dark, a new generation of New York private school teens are introduced to the social surveillance of Gossip Girl. The prestige series will address just how much social media — and the landscape of New York itself — has changed in the intervening years.” If any of you Gossip Girl fans could remember, social media was pretty much in its earlier phase during the series. It is quite interesting that the new series will be focusing on how social media will shape the 2020 version, given that it is the gut of the entire series. According to Zoe Fox of Mashable, the show popularized social media networks and mobile communication, becoming “a pioneer in its use of mobile.” “It’s just a new look at this particular society in New York, the idea being that society changes constantly,” Safran said. “So how has this world changed, how has social media and its effect changed? All of those things allow us to look at the world 12 years on as opposed to just redoing the story. None of us are interested in just redoing a story.” Initially, Gossip Girl was a CW series. Its president, Mark Pedowitz, claimed at the Television Critics Association that talks were happening for potential reboot months ago but only if the trio — Safran, Savage, and Schwartz — signed on. And luckily, they did. Gossip Girl originally aired for six seasons from 2007 to 2012 with 121 dramatic episodes that were based on the YA novel series by Cecily von Ziegesar. Quite significantly, the 5-year series launched the careers of Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, Chace Crawford, Ed Westwick, and Taylor Momsen. At the moment, none of the original cast is announced to be on board, but based on previous interviews, super fans can at least hold out hope. On July, Crawford told that he’s not opposing the idea. “I don’t know what it would look like with us being in our 30s now, but I always say, because it was such a big part of my life, I’m open to anything,” he told Digital Spy. “It would have to be really right, and really specific, and with TV and the golden age of the TV streaming service, maybe an eight-episode season.” In May, Meester said that no one has ever seriously asked her to return to the iconic role of Blair Waldorf. “No one’s ever talked to me about it except for in interviews, and I always say the same: I never say never, so I don’t know. No one’s sent me that information,” she told E! News at the time. As for a looming new Gossip Girl, initially voiced by Kristen Bell, we’ll also have to find out. As she says in the show: “And who am I? That’s one secret I’ll never tell! You know you love me… XOXO, Gossip Girl.” Taika Waititi Confirmed To Direct Thor 4 Thor 4 is a go now that Taika Waititi is reported to take the helm as director again. Thor 4 \| Source: ABS-CBN News After the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s glorious end to Phase 3 with Avengers: Infinity War, details have been meek regarding the future of our beloved original Avengers cast. Fortunately, it is recently confirmed that Taika Waititi will be directing and writing the upcoming Thor 4 movie. For quite a while, since Infinity War, the only thing sure about the original avengers was solely about the upcoming Black Widow movie that is set to be Natasha Romanoff’s (played by Scarlett Johansson) origin story. Additionally, the other sequels continuing are no-brainers like Black Panther 2, Doctor Strange 2, and Guardians of the Galaxy 3. A fourth standalone Thor film was unheard of since MCU has never done it before with Robert Downey Jr.’s and Chris Evans’ portrayals of their MCU characters with only three standalone films each. Thor 4 will mark the first time any single character has gone that far. Now, with Waititi confirmed to return to the Thor franchise, fans can start looking forward to seeing Thor back in the big screen. Significantly, Waititi was the director behind 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, which was a blockbuster hit and saw great success by earning a whopping $854 million worldwide while critics’ raves put the movie at 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. The move also rejuvenated what had been a rare declining franchise performer for Marvel. At the time, the two middling outings for the God of Thunder in Kenneth Branagh’s Thor and Alan Taylor’s Thor: The Dark World did not see the same high earnings as other avengers stand-alone films such as Iron Man and Captain America. It was only during Waititi’s take over of the franchise had it delivered the most well-received installment in Thor‘s solo series. Furthermore, Waititi was involved more than directing Thor: Ragnarok and even played a character called Korg, who was Thor‘s companion while being imprisoned in the garbage planet of Sakaar. Fans well-received Korg with his dumb wit and overall humorous character. It would be a no-brainer to bring Waititi back in the Thor franchise and see Korg again in Thor 4. In other news, the golden hero of Asgaard, Thor, is presumably set to return to the franchise despite him saying in the past that he is done playing the character with the sole exception when there’s “another great script that comes along.” How the untitled Thor 4 will pan out is still very much in the dark along with most of the movies slated in the MCU’s Phase 4. Particularly, the last time we saw Thor was in Avengers: Endgame, helping his fellow original members of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes defeat Thanos once and for all. The film ended with Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy setting off on a quest to find Gamora, indicating Hemsworth’s character may appear in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Based on how Spider-Man: Far From Home closed the book on Phase 3, we can expect that Thor 4 will pick up after the events of Endgame. According to Screen Rant, “Thor 4 may be ready to hit theaters by 2021, or 2022 at the latest unless Marvel prioritizes other movies first – which is a possibility. It’s also unclear whether Thor 4 would take place before or after Guardians 3, depending on how soon after the events of Endgame that movie picks up.” Fans, for now, will have to wait until the weekend during Marvel Studios’ 90-minute panel at the San Diego Comic Convention this weekend. On the other hand, The Holywood Reporter said that with Waititi’s upcoming involvement in the Thor 4 movie, his work with Warner Brother’s long in development movie, Akira, will have to be pushed back. Akira is Warner Brother’s supposed to be an adaptation from the Japanese Manga, which Waititi was also set to direct. It was penciled for a May 21, 2021 release with Waititi already on a worldwide search for its casting but got eventually delayed due to script-writing difficulties. Now that Waititi’s two projects are brushing too close with another in shooting dates, the director is forced to take priority and Thor 4 will take Waititi’s number 1 spot. Warners’ next step for Akira is unclear. Several sources have said that Warners is keen on keeping Waititi involved for the long-term and hopes to see him pick up Akira after Thor 4, THR says. For 2019, we can expect Fox Searchlight’s Jojo Rabbit, from the direction of Waititi, which is a satire about a young boy whose mother houses a Jewish girl to hide her from Nazis. Waititi plays the boy’s imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler and is set to release on Oct. 18. Disney’s The Little Mermaid: Musical-Focused With Harry Styles As Prince Eric Harry Styles in tandem with Halle Bailey is a musical waiting to happen on the big screen Disney's The Little Mermaid: Musical-Focused With Harry Styles As Prince Eric \| Z6Mag Harry Styles is in early talks of playing the iconic Prince Eric role in the upcoming Disney live-action remake of the 1989 original classic, The Little Mermaid. And people over Twitter could not contain their excitement even though none of this is final as of the moment. Seemingly, Disney is taking on a more musical-centric route for the movie. Styles is a former member of the world-renowned band One Direction who disbanded a couple of years back to their fans’ dismay; but all five members of which struck out to have solo singing careers. Zayn Malik, who is another of Styles’ former band member, performed the latest rendition to Aladin 2019’s A Whole New World along with Zhavia. Quite interestingly for Styles, however, is that he also ventured into the realm of acting with his debut in Dunkirk, Christopher Nolan’s World War II drama that grossed over $526 million worldwide and earned several Oscars awards. The budding actor had been rumored to have been looking for a new acting bit for quite some time now after his success in Dunkirk and even auditioned for the lead in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic. That part went to Austin Butler earlier this week. Nevertheless, the British singer and actor have captivated his fans through his talented singing career and charismatic acting on the big screen (all on top of his prince charming good looks) that quickly convinced people on Twitter that he would be an excellent Prince Eric. LMFAO ok if harry styles is cast in a live action of the little mermaid I apologize to everyone in the theater who’s going to have to hear me groan every five minutes muttering “he’s so hot” — brandy (@brandaliine) July 16, 2019 GIVE HARRY STYLES THAT DAMN ROLE I DESERVE TO SEE THAT — rabia (@sincerelyrabia) July 16, 2019 In contrast, in the 1989 original animated movie, Prince Eric voiced then by Christopher Daniel Barnes, didn’t have any musical moments. Prince Eric was the man Ariel decided to fall love in first sight with after saving him from drowning. Furthermore, he was simply Ariel’s prince charming who she deliberately bargained her excellent voice and tale with Ursula in exchange for legs to meet and spend time. However, the prince does make a key role in defeating Ursula in the end. Related: Will Melissa McCarthy Play Ursula In ‘The Little Mermaid’ Live Re-Make? Styles’ imminent casting for the role says otherwise for how Prince Eric will be seen in the upcoming live-action remake. Primarily, Disney has already announced its cast for Ariel with Halle Bailey, who’s a protege of Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as a member of R&B duo Chloe x Halle. In other words, Disney is seemingly taking a more musical-focused direction with The Little Mermaid soon. Add that to the fact that Disney’s favorite musical genius will again lead the musical scores in The Little Mermaid, Alan Menken, who has produced some of the classics such as Be Our Guest, Belle from Beauty and the Beast (1991), A Whole New World, and Friend Like Me from Aladdin (1992). Recently, Menken collaborated on the remakes live-action songs. Reportedly, he will also give new twists with his songs for The Little Mermaid live-action movie such as Oscar-winning Under the Sea, Part of Your World, and Kiss the Girl. Also, helping Menken with the songs (and probably new songs) is Lin-Manuel Miranda and La La Land producer Marc Platt. There is a significant possibility that Prince Eric finally gets to sing in the live remake version and who knows, Menken might probably make new songs to suit the singing Prince Eric-Ariel tandem. Can’t wait to hear the soundtrack for #TheLittleMermaid if @Harry_Styles styles is casted as Prince Eric and confirmed Ariel @HalleBailey it’s gonna be amazing pic.twitter.com/eqLp1l9XKk — princess  (@princesspucker) July 16, 2019 I’m personally not a fan of the Disney remakes but the thought of seeing halle bailey and harry styles together as ariel and eric makes me so fucking excited — Madisen (@frenchietoth) July 16, 2019 Rob Marshall will be taking the helm of the live-action movie as the director. The director is not new to working with Walt Disney Studios movies as he also directed Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Into the Woods. Meanwhile, David Magee wrote the latest script for the reboot after Jane Goldman. The Little Mermaid live-action movie follows after Disney’s latest move with other classics such as the recently-released Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo, and most recently, The Lion King which stars Donald Glover as Simba and Beyoncé as Nala.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19171
__label__wiki	0.963165	0.963165	Sydney Water CIO tells his story Sydney Water chief information officer Tim Catley tells ZDNet.com.au in an in-depth interview how he restored the credibility of the organisation's IT department and exorcised its tech demons with strong governance and a simple 100-day plan. By Liam Tung \| November 27, 2008 -- 05:22 GMT (21:22 PST) \| Topic: CXO When Tim Catley joined Sydney Water Corporation as its new chief information officer back in 2005, he had $17 million to 'keep the lights on' — the group's board was reeling from a failed billing system implementation in 2001. Today, armed with a $60 million budget, Catley is taking on transformation again, only this time with strong governance. Catley joined the state-owned corporation during a tough period for its IT department. "The credibility of the business was at an all-time low," Catley recently told delegates at Gartner's 2008 Symposium in Sydney, where he detailed Sydney Water's three-year IT makeover. "There was no confidence that we could deliver. And there was no trust between the business and IT. So [the relationship] was not quite toxic, but not great either," he says. That lack of trust was what was behind Sydney Water's paltry IT budget of $8.4 million in 2003. By 2005 the budget had doubled to $17.2 million, reflecting some growth in confidence. But this year, Catley has $60 million to work with; mostly to remediate what he says was a decade of underinvestment, which left the organisation littered with small contracts and a raft of ageing applications. We built a simple 100-day plan that everyone could subscribe to and we started to execute on it. We focused on building confidence that we could deliver, so that we could extend beyond keeping the lights on. Sydney Water CIO Tim Catley "We should have been spending around $25 million to $30 million a year," Catley explains to ZDNet.com.au. "We had been really under-spending for around 10 years and so we have had a significant amount of remediation to do." A culture of poor governance and planning for IT projects had culminated in a highly publicised failed billing system implementation in 2001, which not only spooked Sydney Water's view of IT, but sent ripples across the entire state government. Under a deal signed-off by then director of Sydney Water, Michael Costa, PriceWaterhouseCoopers had been contracted to build its Customer Information and Billing System (CIBS). The project was estimated to cost $38 million, but blew out to $138 million and ended up with Sydney Water deflecting blame to PWC as it wrote off $61 million. "We walked away from a multi-million dollar investment," Catley says of the billing system project. "That rocked confidence from the board down." "We really didn't have much of a strategy. Planning, at best, was year to year. Because we had no discipline, priorities changed all the time. It was really hard to get good delivery. And we were pretty inefficient," he says. Having entered such an environment, Catley understandably wanted to change the board's perception that IT could not deliver. "We built a simple 100-day plan that everyone could subscribe to and we started to execute on it," he says. "We focused on building confidence that we could deliver, so that we could extend beyond keeping the lights on." Sydney Water's IT dept has weathered some storms. (Credit: Weather warning sign by Kriss Szkurlatowski, Royalty free) To reinforce the idea that IT could do more than keep the lights on, Catley turned the department's approach to intellectual property on its head. "Pre-2005 we used to outsource our really IP-intensive processes," he says. "What we've done over the last couple of years is in-source those high valued-add tasks. We moved very much to an organisation model that tried to create intellectual property within IT." This has meant shaping the department's capabilities around Sydney Water's business process groups: asset control, such as maintenance scheduling; customer management and billing systems; and corporate processes, such as human resources and finance. "That allowed us to build IP and knowledge about those processes and business units," he says. "That means our solutions architects really understand the application road map in their areas — how the applications connect with each other and how they interact with infrastructure." Catley admits, however, that change hasn't been all smooth sailing. Some staff dissatisfied at the changes had left, while the tight labour market in 2006 foiled Catley's plan to fill senior roles first, which, if it had worked, would have allowed them to shape the team around them. The department has largely moved past this phase now, and consists of around 180 staff, many of which come from Sydney Water's IT service providers, Fujitsu and Oakton. The joint workforce has three core units: projects, IT services, and the help desk. Recent user and customer surveys still show there is room for improvement, but by and large feedback has indicated a growing confidence in the IT department's ability to deliver projects and services, according to Catley. An indication that confidence has returned is that today the majority of expenditure is discretionary, says Catley. A case in point is the this year's rollout of IBM's Maximo scheduling system for maintenance staff, which came with around 600 new rugged notebooks for remote access. "The majority of investment now is actually discretionary investment — around improving the business, and making us more efficient. That's been a really important to the transformation. It's a validation that IT can deliver," he says. Governance now the focus The shift toward discretionary investment has forced Catley to show his hand on the issue of project governance. It had been a key point of failure in the CIBS project, which auditors had noted lacked adequate documentation of processes and actions taken throughout the project. "Now governance is the big focus. We're better at delivery, we've created an investment road map and a new set of governance processes over the top of it. The challenge, now that we have grown, is that we are still doing the right things," he says. Now governance is the big focus. We're better at delivery, we've created an investment road map and a new set of governance processes over the top of it. Catley's approach to governance over the next 12 months will be critical as the board sweats over the possibility of another CIBS. One of the biggest tasks for the year is ahead in the coming week as he and the board select an integrator to implement Sydney Water's Siebel-based CRM system. "Probably the biggest decision I need to make is to pick someone to help us get our CRM system up and running," he says. The Siebel system will replace a raft of ageing applications which have been used to manage customer services. The new system is planned to improve customers' self-service options, as well as feed data back into its business intelligence platform that Catley's team have worked on since 2006. The CRM system is also part of Sydney Water's attempt to reduce the number of "atomised" vendor relationships it has maintained over the years, which had caused it problems in the past, particularly around defining responsibilities when something went wrong. "We've tended to have lots of small relationships, which was really hard to manage," says Catley. "And there is still the challenge of rolling those contracts into larger contracts, which will move us from 15 atomised contracts to around three contracts." While he will attempt to simplify those contracts Catley said he would never rely on a single outsourcing partner. As a state-owned regulated entity, Sydney Water's funding is guaranteed, which means it can escape much of the turmoil related to the global economy that is currently affecting businesses. It has been argued that an economic downturn could make open source software more appealing, however that is unlikely in the case of Sydney Water, according to Catley, who said that Microsoft was far too entrenched to even consider open source alternatives. "Look, we haven't done much in open source at the moment. It's not something we have perceived there is a lot of value in at the moment," he said. "And while we have more than enough Windows servers to keep us happy, it's because we have to have Windows, because we have products that want to run there. We're definitely not going down the path of loading OpenOffice at the desktop level. Microsoft will remain there for a while," said Catley. (Credit: Larry Ewing and The GIMP, Free to use) Also off the cards for Sydney Water is Windows Vista. "I think we might ... wait for 7 to come along," he said. "I don't think the threat of hardware vendors pulling support for XP is going to eventuate because now that they've announced 7 the heat will go out of it. And for us, you get some benefits out of Vista, like network roaming and better power management, but it's not really enough for us to make the move." However the weak Australian dollar has already impacted the bottom line, said Catley, and could spell a change in how the business treats expenditure on hardware. "What we are experiencing is that people who are based in the US are putting their costs up. So we might get less for our dollar. Because of the way the dollar has gone Cisco have just done a 12 per cent price rise across the board, while Sun has done 9 per cent," he said, adding that it could see Sydney Water capitalising its hardware expenditure in the future. But while hardware prices give a clear indication of future costs, the labour market, which hampered his top-down recruitment strategy, has been harder to judge. "I can't figure out the labour market at the moment," said Catley. "I know some organisations are letting people go, but I'm not getting any consistent feedback. I'll talk to some agents who say that it hasn't come off at all and I'll talk to others who say something different. My general view, regardless if the market is really tight or has a lot of stock on it, it's still really hard to get really good people." Catley's story is not unusual in government circles; IT projects gone wrong have spooked plenty into taking a cautious approach to IT. But it does emphasise the importance of strong governance in ensuring IT departments are run well in future. Dell Digital Transformation Innovation Thought Leadership Tech Industry The rising tide of ransomware requires a commitment to best practices How fiscal responsibility and ransomware are impacting the market. Digital transformation: How one bank is using AI, big data and chatbots to create new services Two key executives at banking giant NatWest explain how the firm tests and launches innovative services that meet fast-changing customer expectations. How digital and marketing executives are taking charge of digital transformation Spreading responsibility for digital transformation beyond the safe confines of the IT department creates benefits for your business and its customers. ... How much do influencers really earn? That depends on gender, among other factors If you think you are an influencer – and want to earn cash for your efforts - be warned. You might not earn as much as you expect. Firefox 68 is out: New dark reader view, better extensions, enterprise IT controls Firefox 68 ushers in Mozilla's new recommended add-on program.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19172
__label__cc	0.61029	0.38971	When an education provider experienced problems with their reporting Deloitte Analytics taught them a clear and consolidated way to manage their data How analytics helped The member firm client, an education provider, was experiencing problems with their reporting systems. They were required to comply with a number of reporting requirements, both from a statutory and a governance point of view. The current reporting system was basic and spreadsheet-based. It was carried out in a manual, ad-hoc manner with each faculty and school contributing through their own reporting function, which resulted in duplication and overlapping of material. Individual KPI’s and dashboards were created which did not align with those of the central planning function, the faculties or the schools. The member firm client wanted a team to develop and implement an information management system to help them organize, manage and deliver information in a more effective and efficient manner. The aim was to take what was a fragmented process, which collected information and data from a range of sources, consolidate the view, and align it more closely to key business needs. The challenge was to provide the member firm client with a robust and reliable view of their operations, overcoming prior inefficiencies such as: low level of confidence with reported information no standard report format slow and tedious reporting bottlenecks in information supply affecting timeliness and information availability many small source systems in different formats across HR, Finance, and Student departments, with time wasted in locating accurate data duplication of data, issues with maintaining consistency and validating data. There was already a business intelligence and performance management software tool in use, but they needed to have a system in place which provided accurate, consistent, and reliable data. They required better access to the data in order to increase efficiency and productivity, enabling them to make better and faster decisions and giving them an ability to meet student needs more quickly and at a lower cost. The member firm team captured a detailed view of the information requirements, current landscape architecture, information use, and the structure of the organization, working to build an information management system that better suited their needs. An Enterprise Information Management (EIM) strategy was developed which took into consideration ‘people, process, and technology’, providing an assessment of the information management capabilities against best practice and developing a roadmap for implementation of the enterprise data warehouse. Regular progress meetings were held to show them what to expect when the project was complete. A future reporting structure was built that cut out many unnecessary steps, simplifying the process, making it consistent and providing a ‘single source of truth’. A new organization structure was built to outline the roles and responsibilities of the users so that it was clear to see who was responsible for each reporting task. New models were then implemented and deployed for the client, with training provided to the key users to ensure they understood the new systems and their role. Using a solid understanding of the requirements, a tailored approach was crafted using an Enterprise Information Management (EIM) methodology, which incorporates leading industry practices across multiple dimensions of the implementation lifecycle. The team helped the client to organize, manage, and deliver enterprise information. The methodology provided a structured approach to deliver on the key disciplines of EIM including: Information Management Strategy Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing Data Quality Management. The specific tailored approach focused on delivering the requirements through a holistic Management Information Strategy, by providing a strategic view across these domains. This ensured a focus on the specific requirements for user self-service, centralized data repository and modelling capability, an implementation roadmap, and governance. The delivery of the solution, including the governance and supporting delivery framework, has provided the opportunity to further expand the solution and integrate more analytical functionality and capability. Perspectives from Deloitte people Deloitte Analytics	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19173
__label__wiki	0.685906	0.685906	Malin Persson Giolito was born in Stockholm in 1969, and grew up in Djursholm, Sweden. She holds a degree in law from Uppsala University and has worked as a lawyer for the biggest law firm in the Nordic region and as an official for the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium. She is now a full-time writer and has written four novels, including QUICKSAND, her English debut. Persson Giolito lives with her husband and three daughters in Brussels. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/malin.perssongiolito Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malinperssongiolito/ Books by Malin Persson Giolito Beyond All Reasonable Doubt written by Malin Persson Giolito, translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles - Fiction, Suspense, Thriller Thirteen years ago, a 15-year-old girl was murdered. Doctor Stig Ahlin was sentenced to life in prison. But no one has forgotten the brutal crime. Ahlin is known as one of the most ruthless criminals. When Sophia Weber discovers critical flaws in the murder investigation, she decides to help Ahlin. But Sophia doing her utmost to get her client exonerated arouses many people's disgust. And the more she learns, the more difficult her job becomes. What kind of man is her client really? What has he done? And will she ever know the truth? A mass shooting has taken place at a prep school in Stockholm’s wealthiest suburb. Eighteen-year-old Maja Norberg is charged for her involvement in the massacre that left her boyfriend and her best friend dead. She has spent nine months in jail awaiting trial. Now the time has come for her to enter the courtroom. How did Maja --- popular, privileged and a top student --- become a cold-blooded killer in the eyes of the public? What did Maja do? Or is it what she failed to do that brought her here?	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19179
__label__cc	0.57486	0.42514	Was whitney dating ray j before she died no pay online dating sites Houston and Ray-J were a romantic item, dating from 2007 to 2009, and had recently been photographed together. They were seen dining at West Hollywood eatery Le Petit Four just last Saturday, according to BET. Her publicist, Kristen Foster, confirmed to media outlets that the singer died Saturday afternoon. Her body was found at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. This will certainly be one birthday that Brandy will never forget. The singer celebrated her birthday at Ne-Yo's 4th Annual Midnight Brunch at the Supper Club in West Hollywood, which just happened to be the same night Whitney Houston died. She and her brother Ray J had the small celebration after attending the Clive Davis pre-Grammy event and yes, it was a melancholy event for everybody. She just completed filming a role in Sparkle, a film loosely based on The Supremes due in theaters on Aug. Russell Simmons shared his condolences, saying he was deeply saddened by the death of Whitney Houston. Stacy hit headlines for having an argument with Whitney Houston at a pre-Grammy event just days before she died. Ray J, who was rumoured to be dating Houston at the time, was also there. When people in America tried to make me out to be something I wasn’t, he never stood up for me. When Whitney Houston’s sister Pat went on the Oprah show and said I was stalking Whitney Houston in the club, I was not, we were all standing there talking and having a good time, he knows that, he knows the events of the whole night. I’ve known Ray and his family over 15 years; he never came to bat for me. Houston was expected to party with the likes of Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Akon, Cee Lo Green, Miley Cyrus, Sean Puffy Combs, Jennifer Hudson, Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello and Diana Krall at the Grammy fete. Whitney Houston, at just 48-years-old, had a dazzling music career and was one of the most beloved pop singers of all time. speed dating ithaca ny Free webcam girls no credit card Cams and chats for voyeurs non reg Adult web cam show archives dating site adina profile Anonymous webcam sex chats ps2 dating No credit usa sex chat	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19180
__label__wiki	0.672937	0.672937	Children are Targets of Violence in Northern Uganda People of Uganda, a country in eastern Africa, have experienced a troubled political history. Current President Yoweri Museveni came to power in 1986 following a coup that overthrew former president Milton Obote, upsetting supporters of Obote’s government. In 1989, 25-year-old Joseph Kony led an armed struggle against President Museveni’s government and Uganda’s military, forming the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Initially gaining sympathy from local people, Kony’s brutal tactics eventually isolated him from his base of support. To gain recruits to his cause, he resorted to abducting children, forcing them to commit atrocities against each other and their families, and brainwashing them into believing that he is a messenger of God. To date, the LRA has abducted over 25,000 children who comprise the vast majority of the LRA’s fighting forces. The LRA’s nighttime attacks on rural villages have forced children to seek refuge nightly in the security of town centers. These “night commuters” walk up to ten kilometers every day to sleep on sidewalks, and in hospitals, tents, and parks, waking before dawn to return to their homes and schools. The government of Uganda has responded to this crisis by forcing the region’s population of 1.8 million people into hastily-erected camps, where they are more easily protected from LRA attacks. But the military has been consistently overrun by LRA, and camps remain vulnerable to attack. Moreover, conditions in the camps are appalling; recent mortality reports estimate that 1000 people are dying weekly due to poor health and sanitation provisions. The local population is thus trapped between the diabolic LRA and the criminal neglect of the government of Uganda. International support is urgently needed to bolster efforts at peace mediation, improve camp protection, and to investigate sources of LRA support. See AFJN’s response, the Uganda-CAN Campaign (now Resolve Uganda ), for in-depth resources and advocacy opportunities!	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19182
__label__wiki	0.508072	0.508072	non-Western Southern Baroque Winking in Art Pieter Bruegel the Elder, detail of “Netherlandish Proverbs,” 1559. Image courtesy Wikipedia. This afternoon my students and I were discussing some of the proverbs that are referenced in Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s complex painting Netherlandish Proverbs (1559). One student pointed out one particular detail on the wall of the house that I had never noticed before: a pair of open scissors with an eye placed above. I wasn’t familiar with a proverb or a reference to this detail in the painting, so I looked it up afterward. It turns out that these two symbols are a reference to winking! This image is a play off of the words “Een knip oog,” which means “snip-eye,” or a wink.1 Scholar Alan Dundes, who wrote about the appearance of this symbol in Pieter Bruegel the Younger’s copy of his father’s painting, explained that through this symbol “Bruegel the artist is winking at his audience and he expects the viewer to understand that what he has painted in a huge put-on.”2 Learning about this fun detail made me wonder about the history of winking and whether other winks (either literal or symbolic) appear in art. I haven’t been able to find any scholarly information on the cultural history of winking (if anyone does find something, please let me know!), but I have noticed that obvious references to or depictions of winking appear in examples of art from the Renaissance and onward. (I also realized that it is futile to determine if ancient figures in the composite pose are winking: if the head is in profile view, then only one eye is visible to the viewer, which makes it impossible to ascertain whether a second eye would be open or closed! Ha! I like the thought that Egyptians are actually winking in all of their art, but we just can’t tell.) I was also interested to see that references to winking appear in both Western and non-Western art. Here are a few examples I came across: Giuseppe Maria Crespi, “The Courted Singer,” 1700s. Oil on canvas, 58 x 46 cm, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence. Image courtesy the Web Gallery of Art. In this painting by Crespi, The Courted Singer (shown above), the winking figure of on the left reminds the viewer that the scene, which depicts a singer being courted, is not inherently gallant or noble. Instead, this singer and her affections are essentially being “bought” with the jewelry and riches offered to her. Simon Vouet, “The Fortune Teller,” c. 1618. Oil on canvas, 120 x 170 cm, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Image courtesy the Web Gallery of Art. Winking was also used between characters within works of art, so that the viewer could understand when a figure was sly or involved in trickery. In this painting by Vouet, a man on the right of the canvas steals the purse from a gypsy woman (who is reading the palm of the woman on the far left). This thief winks to a male accomplice, who looks to me like he might be winking in return. Master of the Winking Eyes, “Madonna and Child,” ca. 1450. National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington DC. Although the winking in this picture may be an aesthetic effect rather than an actual part of the subject matter, I still wanted to include this painting by the so-called “Master of the Winking Eyes.” This piece is included in a current exhibition dedicated to representations of the Virgin Mary in art, which includes a section on representations of her as a wife and mother. This painting, among another in the show, prompted one writer to publish this article: “Did the Virgin Mary Tickle the Baby Jesus?” Huang Yongyu, Owl, 1973. Image courtesy Wikiart Huang Yongu’s Owl is an interesting depiction which caused a lot of controversy. Some interpreted Yongyu’s painting as a self-portrait of the artist who expressing a critique of socialism, and the painting was officially condemned as blasphemous by the Ministry of Culture in March 1974.3 The winking eye in this instance was thought by some to imply, on a basic level, a critique of the socialist system (e.g. officials were turning a blind eye to incorrect behavior). Others did not agree with this interpretation. Even Chairman Mao, who was frustrated with the extent of censorship happening at the time, said with exasperation, “An owl habitually keeps one eye open and one eye closed. The artist does possess the common knowledge, doesn’t he?”4 Yongu created other versions of the winking owl after this 1973 fiasco, such as this 1977 version and 1978 version. Of course, to end this list, I have to include a .gif of the Nefertiti bust winking. (Since she has an unfinished eye, she does look a little like she could be winking today.) Do you know of other representations of winking in art? I’m sure there are lots of .gifs with winking works of art too, and feel free to also share those in the comments below! 1 Eric Nicholson, “Et in Arcadia the Dirty Brides,” in Transnational Mobilities in Early Modern Theater, by Professor Robert Henke and Dr. Eric Nicolson, eds (Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing Company, 2014, p. 99. 2 Alan Dundes, “‘How Far Does the Apple Fall from the Tree?': Pieter Bruegel the Younger’s Netherlandish Proverbs” in The Netherlandish Proverbs: An International Symposium on the Pieter Brueg(h)els, ed., Wolfgang Mieder (Burlington: University of Vermont Press, 2004): 20. Citation also found online HERE. 3 The painting was subsequently put on display in a Black Paintings Exhibition, in order for its subversive content to be publicly shamed. Eugene W. Wang, “The Winking Owl: Visual Effect and Its Art Historical Thick Description,” in Critical Inquiry 26, no. 3 (Spring 2000): 435. Article available online HERE. 4 Ibid., 436. My friend Ben shared this painting by Murillo from the Kimbell Art Museum, which depicts a figure deliberately winking at the viewer: https://www.kimbellart.org/collection-object/four-figures-step This wink almost seems like a squint or a smirk (or the result of facial paralysis!), but I think that it must be a wink since it is directed at the viewer. Ben also pointed out that Michael Fried would have a lot to say about theatricality and winking! Ha! It’s true.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19187
__label__wiki	0.781688	0.781688	Of Men and Angels Michael Arditti God’s vengeance on the wicked city of Sodom is a perennial source of fascination and horror. Michael Arditti’s passionate and enthralling new novel explores the enduring power of the myth in five momentous epochs. A young Judean exile transcribes the Acts of Abraham and Lot in ancient Babylon; the Guild of Salters presents a mystery play of Lot’s Wife in medieval York; Botticelli paints the Destruction of Sodom for a court in Renaissance Florence; a bereaved rector searches for the Cities of the Plain in nineteenth century Palestine; a closeted gay movie star portrays Lot in a controversial biblical epic in 1980s Hollywood. With its interrelated narratives and interwoven documents, Of Men and Angels is both formally inventive and imaginatively rich. Abounding in characters as vivid as they are varied, from temple prostitutes and palace eunuchs, through fanatical friars and humanist poets, to Bedouin tribesmen, Russian exiles and, of course, angels, this is a novel of breathtaking scope, penetrating insight and profound human sympathy. ‘Anyone who is afraid that the English novel is sliding into a backwater of domestic anecdote should find their anxieties assuaged by the writing of Michael Arditti.’ The Times ‘A Graham Greene for our time’ The Spectator ‘Arditti succeeds in creating fiction that is morally serious, moving and intense.’ TLS 'Arditti is a master storyteller who uses his theological literacy sparingly to deliver a challenging but enthralling read.' The Guardian Michael Arditti is a novelist, short story writer and critic. His novels are The Celibate (1993), Pagan and her Parents (Pagan’s Father in the USA) (1996), Easter (2000), Unity (2005), A Sea Change (2006), The Enemy of the Good (2009), Jubilate (2011), The Breath of Night (2013), Widows and Orphans (2016) and Of Men and Angels (2018). His short story collection, Good Clean Fun was published in 2004. He was awarded a Harold Hyam Wingate scholarship in 2000, a Royal Literary Fund fellowship in 2001, an Oppenheim-John Downes memorial award in 2003 and Arts Council awards in 2004 and 2007. He was the Leverhulme artist in residence at the Freud museum in 2008. His novels have been short- and long-listed for several literary awards and Easter won the inaugural Waterstone’s Mardi Gras award. In 2012 he was awarded an Honorary DLitt by the University of Chester. He is currently theatre critic of the Sunday Express. Titles by Michael Arditti	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19190
__label__cc	0.534364	0.465636	Home / ICT / GoDaddy Make The World You Want Short-Haired Blonde Girl Commercial – Feat. Lyn Slater, Ayesha Curry & More GoDaddy has launched a new TV ad campaign, titled “Make The World You Want” and aimed at inspiring people to pursue their dreams and turn their ideas into reality, against all odds. The campaign, which is also celebrating makers who stopped at nothing to reach their goals, stars 65-year-old Lyn Slater, a NYC professor who became the fashion world’s “Accidental Icon”, Canadian-American actress Ayesha Curry (wife of Golden State Warriors Basketball player Steph Curry), who is also a celebrity cook, cookbook author and television personality, Tyson Toussant, co-founder and CEO at Bionic Yarn, which creates yarns and fabrics made from recycled plastic, Dan Peterson, who enlists artists to transform run-down basketball courts into beautiful and safe community spaces, Miami-based floral visionary Paloma Teppa, founder and creative force behind the Wynwood institution Plant the Future, an art and design studio, and LA-based electropop recording artist Elohim, who uses her domain to open the lines of communication on mental illness. They are all real GoDaddy customers and they are all featured in a main 60-second anthem commercial, carrying the #maketheworldyouwant hashtag, that debuted on February 8 on E! and on digital channels. “The world isn’t black and white. There’s no set path. No way you have to be. So why not do what you’ve been dreaming of? When you’re stuck in someone else’s story, write your own. When they want you to be quiet, say it louder. When you create change in society – make it happen. Don’t listen to self doubt. Don’t stop for people who don’t understand your vision. Whether it’s big or small, just go full steam ahead. You’ve got the power, we’ve got the tools. Make the world you want, and share it with everyone. Make your own way,” the voiceover says. Footage of a short-haired blonde woman who grabs a laptop and starts creating a website at the end of the video is juxtaposed with relevant captures of the six above mentioned entrepreneurs. The campaign, created by GoDaddy’s internal team, also includes six different ads, dedicated to each of the entrepreneurs. The spots are set to roll over the next six months, tied to relevant big-ticket moments, such as the New York Fashion Week, the Grammys, and more. Tags: GoDaddy Commercial, GoDaddy Girl Previous: Aldi Valentine’s Day Deals Advert Next: Saga Holidays Mongol with Eagle Dancing Advert	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19194
__label__wiki	0.797423	0.797423	Pioneers and Visionaries: Houston Chamber Choir’s 22nd Season Sherry Cheng July 24, 2017 HoustonMusic Houston Chamber Choir. Photos by Jeff Grass Photography. Stephen Foster, dubbed “the father of American music,” laid the foundational stones of the American Songbook with beloved folksongs like “Beautiful Dreamer.” Charles Ives was a total American original who freely jaunted between polytonality, borrowed tunes, crashing dissonance, and folk simplicity. Steve Reich was part of a group of American composers who pioneered minimalism, opening up new sonic vistas with layered repetition and limitless dynamism. Caroline Shaw, the youngest ever Pulitzer-winning composer and Rice Shepherd School alumnus, playfully deconstructs traditional musical elements and reassembles the parts into something completely fresh. These are just some of the trailblazers in American music who Robert Simpson, founder and artistic director of Houston Chamber Choir, will spotlight in the opening concert of the 2017-2018 season, “This American Voice” (Sept. 24). “This is an ensemble that loves to tackle new and exciting things as well as preserve treasures from the past,” Simpson says of his beloved chamber choir, “It’s going to be wonderful to look at a few of the individuals who have made an impact during the course of music history where things have taken a new direction thanks to their inventiveness, or in some cases even their resistance to the current flow.” That resistance, represented by the Romantic classicist Johannes Brahms in the 19th century and the unabashedly lyrical Samuel Barber in the 20th, will be on full display in “Conservative Backlash” (Nov. 18). Combating Wagnerian excess with clarity of form and transparency of texture, Brahms’s Neue Liebeslieder Waltzes embodied a more pure Romantic aesthetic; while Barber, against dissonant cries heralding the death of tonality, set down the most lyrical, and unapologetically tonal, melodies. Who has not been moved by the elegiac strains of Barber’s Adagio for Strings, an anthem for humanity’s collective sorrow? The chamber choir will sing the composer’s own setting of this poignant piece to the Latin text “Agnus Dei.” Pianist Brian Connelly will be joining the choir on a 19th-century Bösendorfer piano, an instrument that would have been familiar to Brahms. Houston Chamber Choir founder and artistic director Robert Simpson. Each season, Simpson invites a prominent guest conductor to work with the choir on an area of his or her expertise. This season, he has engaged Alexander Blachly, founder and director of the renowned New York based early music vocal ensemble Pomerium, to lead the chamber choir in his “ideal concert.” Simpson believes it is important for his choir to “explore the specialties of the choral field with a master.” In the cleverly titled program “Mind Craft: Gamesmanship, Eloquence, and Surprise in the Renaissance” (Feb. 24), the musical pioneers and rebels of the period find fantastic ways to devise their works like puzzles and games. From Josquin to Isaac, Dufay to Gesualdo, “each piece on the program,” Simpson promises, “will help all of us become aware of the fact that there is nothing old or oldie about music from this period—it was very engaging, mind-expanding, and crafty.” David Lang, Pulitzer-winning composer of The Little Match Girl Passion, has worked with the choir previously on this starkly powerful piece, inspired by his love of Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion and Hans Christian Andersen’s heartbreaking eponymous tale. Simpson recalls that Lang had asked the ensemble to “further reduce the emotional element of the music so that it was at an almost machine-like indifference. It seemed counterintuitive. But in fact the less we tried to emote, the more powerful the music became—cold, steel, unfeeling—one comes away shattered.” Other pieces on “Just Imagine” (April 14) will take the audience on encounters with Alice in Wonderland as well as the real and mythical creatures of a Medieval bestiary through the wondrous works of Irving Fine and Murray Schafer. Simpson intends to explore “the whole field of imagination and creativity through the combination of text and music.” What better way to celebrate American musical legend Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday than inviting his daughter Jamie Bernstein to Houston to share Lenny stories as host of “Lenny@100” (May 12). “There are so many Lenny stories only his child could possibly know. She’s going to give us the inside look at the great man,” says Simpson. This celebratory concert will showcase the full range of Bernstein’s visionary genius with selections from West Side Story, Candide, On the Town, and the rarely performed sacred work Hashkiveinu. The ensemble will celebrate the 90th birthday of the American musical on Broadway with a free concert at Miller Outdoor Theater (Oct. 28), showcasing its versatility with classics from Show Boat (1927), considered by many as the first true American musical, to current mega-hit Hamilton. The magical Villa de Matel provides the perfect setting for one of the most anticipated events of the holiday season, as the Houston Chamber Choir sings Christmas music that span the centuries in five performances (Dec. 8-10). The 26 members of the Houston Chamber Choir devote their artistry to the voice. With a new recording in the finishing stages (the complete choral works of Maurice Duruflé, the choir’s fifth commercial release) and new Executive Director Aileen Roberts joining the team, Simpson is excited about the future. “We are the oldest and most established professional choir in town, and Houston has fertile soil for growing a professional choir.”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19198
__label__cc	0.743781	0.256219	ALLEN S. LEFOHN Complete Publication Listing Lefohn, A.S. (ed.) 1992. Surface-level Ozone Exposures and Their Effects on Vegetation. Published by Lewis Publishers, Inc., Chelsea, MI. 366 pp. Lefohn, A.S. and S.V. Krupa (eds.) 1991. Proceedings of the A&WMA International Conference on the Scientific Evaluation of NAPAP's Integrated Assessment Report on Acidic Precipitation. Meeting held December 4-6, 1990. Published by Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA. 412 pp. Olson, R. and A.S. Lefohn (eds.) 1989. Transactions of the Symposium on the Effects of Air Pollution on Western Forests. Meeting held June 29-30, 1989, Anaheim, CA. Published by Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA. 577 pp. Lefohn, A.S. and S.V. Krupa (eds.) 1988. Proceedings of the APCA International Conference on Acidic Precipitation: A Technical Amplification of NAPAP's Findings. Meeting held January 26-28, 1988. Published by Air Pollution Control Association, Pittsburgh, PA. 239 pp. Neufeld, H.S., Sullins, A., Sive, B.C., Lefohn, A.S. 2019. Spatial and temporal patterns of ozone at Great Smoky Mountains National Park and implications for plant responses. Atmospheric Environment - X 2, 100023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeaoa.2019.100023 Dai, L., Feng, Z., Pan, X., Xu, Y., Li, P., Lefohn, A.S., Harmons, H., Kobayashi, K. 2019. The detoxification by apoplastic antioxidants is insufficient to remove the harmful effects of elevated ozone in tobacco, soybean and poplar. Environ. Pollut. 245: 380-388. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.11.030 Lefohn, A.S., Malley, C.S., Smith, L., Wells, B., Hazucha, M., Simon, H., Naik, V., Mills, G., Schultz, M.G., Paoletti, E., De Marco, A., Xu, X., Zhang, L., Wang, T., Neufeld, H.S., Musselman, R.C., Tarasick, T., Brauer, M., Feng, Z., Tang, T., Kobayashi, K., Sicard, P., Solberg, S., and Gerosa. G. 2018. Tropospheric ozone assessment report: global ozone metrics for climate change, human health, and crop/ecosystem research. Elem Sci Anth. 2018;6(1):28. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.279. Fleming, Z.L., Doherty, R.M., von Schneidemesser, E., Malley, C.S., Cooper, O.R., Pinto, J.P., Colette, A., Xu, X., Simpson, D., Schultz, M.G., Lefohn, A.S., Hamad, S., Moolla, R., Solberg, S., Feng, Z., 2018. Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report: Present day ozone distribution and trends relevant to human health. Elem Sci Anth. 2018;6(1):12. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.273. Lefohn, A.S., Malley, C.S., Simon, H., Wells. B., Xu, X., Zhang, L., Wang, T., 2017. Responses of human health and vegetation exposure metrics to changes in ozone concentration distributions in the European Union, United States, and China. Atmospheric Environment 152: 123-145. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2016.12.025. Lefohn, A.S., Cooper, O.R., 2015. Introduction to the special issue on observations and source attribution of ozone in rural regions of the western United States. Atmospheric Environment, 109: 279-281. Lefohn, A.S., Emery, C., Shadwick, D., Wernli, H., Jung, J., Oltmans, S.J., 2014. Estimates of Background Surface Ozone Concentrations in the United States Based on Model-Derived Source Apportionment. Atmospheric Environment. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2013.11.033. 84:275-288. Oltmans, S.J., Lefohn, A.S., Shadwick, D., Harris, J.M., Scheel, H.-E., Galbally, I., Tarasick, D.A., Johnson, B.J., Brunke, E., Claude, H., Zeng, G., Nichol, S., Schmidlin, F., Redondas, A., Cuevas, E., Nakano, T., Kawasato, T., 2013. Recent Tropospheric Ozone Changes - A Pattern Dominated by Slow or No Growth. Atmospheric Environment. 67:331-351. Lefohn, A.S., Wernli, H., Shadwick, D., Oltmans, S.J., Shapiro, M., 2012. Quantifying the Importance of Stratospheric-Tropospheric Transport on Surface Ozone Concentrations at High- and Low-Elevation Monitoring Sites in the United States. Atmospheric Environment. 62:646-656. McDonald-Buller, E.C., Allen, D.T., Brown, N., Jacob, D.J., Jaffe, D., Kolb, C.E., Lefohn, A.S., Oltmans, S., Parrish, D.D., Yarwood, G., Zhang, L., 2011. Establishing Policy Relevant Background (PRB) Ozone Concentrations in the United States. Environmental Science & Technology. 45(22):9484-97. Lefohn, A.S., Wernli, H., Shadwick, D., Limbach, S., Oltmans, S.J., Shapiro, M. 2011. The Importance of Stratospheric-Tropospheric Transport in Affecting Surface Ozone Concentrations in the Western and Northern Tier of the United States. Atmospheric Environment. 45:4845-4857. Lefohn, A.S., Shadwick, D., Oltmans, S.J. 2010. Characterizing Changes of Surface Ozone Levels in Metropolitan and Rural Areas in the United States for 1980-2008 and 1994-2008. Atmospheric Environment. 44:5199-5210. Lefohn, A.S., Hazucha, M.J., Shadwick, D., Adams, W.C. 2010. An Alternative Form and Level of the Human Health Ozone Standard. Inhalation Toxicology. 22:999-1011. Oltmans, S.J., Lefohn, A.S., Harris, J.M., Tarasick, DW., Thompson, AM., Wernli, H., Johnson, B.J., Novelli, P.C., Montzka, S.A., Ray, J.D., Patrick, L.C., Sweeney, C., Jefferson, A., Dann, T., Davies, J., Shapiro, M., and Holben, B.N. 2010. Enhanced ozone over western North America from biomass burning in Eurasia during April 2008 as seen in surface and profile observations. Atmospheric Environment. 44:4497-4509. Heath R.L., Lefohn A.S., and Musselman R.C. 2009. Temporal processes that contribute to nonlinearity in vegetation responses to ozone exposure and dose. Atmospheric Environment. 43:2919-2928. Lefohn A.S., Shadwick D., and Oltmans, S.J. 2008. Characterizing long-term changes in surface ozone levels in the United States (1980-2005). Atmospheric Environment. 42:8252-8262. Oltmans S.J., Lefohn A.S., Harris J.M., and Shadwick D. 2008. Background ozone levels of air entering the west coast of the U.S. and assessment of longer-term changes. Atmospheric Environment. 42:6020-6038. Hazucha M.J. and Lefohn A.S. 2007. Nonlinearity in human health response to ozone: Experimental laboratory considerations. Atmospheric Environment. 41:4559-4570. Musselman R.C. and Lefohn A.S. 2007. The use of critical levels for determining plant response to ozone in Europe and in North America. Short Communication. Proceedings: Impacts of Air Pollution and Climate Change on Forest Ecosystems. TheScientificWorldJOURNAL 7(S1), 1521. ISSN 1537-744X; DOI 10.1100/tsw.2007.24. www.thescientificworld.com. Oltmans S.J., Lefohn A.S., Harris J.M., Galbally I., Scheel H.E., Bodeker G., Brunke E., Claude H., Tarasick D., Johnson B.J., Simmonds P., Shadwick D., Anlauf K., Hayden K., Schmidlin F., Fujimoto T., Akagi K., Meyer C., Nichol S., Davies J., Redondas A., and Cuevas E. 2006. Long-term changes in tropospheric ozone. Atmospheric Environment. 40:3156-3173. Musselman, R.C., A.S. Lefohn, W.J. Massman, and R.L. Heath. 2006. A critical review and analysis of the use of exposure- and flux-based ozone indices for predicting vegetation effects. Atmospheric Environment. 40:1869-1888. Cooper, O.R., A. Stohl, G. Hübler, E.Y. Hsie, D.D. Parrish, A.F. Tuck, G.N. Kiladis, S.J. Oltmans, B.J. Johnson, M. Shapiro, J.L. Moody, and A.S. Lefohn. 2005. Direct transport of mid-latitude stratospheric ozone into the lower troposphere and marine boundary layer of the tropical Pacific Ocean. J. Geophys. Res., 110, D23310, doi:10.1029/2005JD005783. Pinto, J.P., A.S. Lefohn, and D.S. Shadwick. 2004. Spatial variability of PM2.5 in urban areas in the United States. J. Air & Waste Management Association. 54:440-449. Lefohn, A.S., S.J. Oltmans, T. Dann, and H.B. Singh. 2001. Present-day variability of background ozone in the lower troposphere. J. Geophys. Res., 106(D9):9945-9958. Lefohn, A.S. and D.S. Shadwick. 2000. Differences in Trending Estimates in the United States Using Several Ozone Metrics. Proceedings of the 93rd Annual Meeting of the Air & Waste Management Association, Salt Lake City, Utah. Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA. Paper AS 1d-645. Massman, W.J., R.C. Musselman, and A.S. Lefohn. 2000. A Conceptual Ozone Dose-Response Model to Develop a Standard to Protect Vegetation. Atmospheric Environment. 34(5):745-759. Lefohn, A.S. 2000. Developing Realistic Air Pollution Exposure/Dose Criteria for Ecological Risk Assessments. In: Integrated Assessment of Ecosystem Health. K. Scow, G. Fogg, D. Hinton, M. Johnson (eds.). Published by Lewis Publishers, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. pp. 307-320. Lefohn, A.S., J. D. Husar, and R. B. Husar. 1999. Estimating Historical Anthropogenic Global Sulfur Emission Patterns for the Period 1850-1990. Atmospheric Environment. 33(21):3435-3444. Lefohn, A.S., D.S. Shadwick, and S.D. Ziman. 1999. The Establishment of a New 8-Hour Average Ozone Standard in the United States. Proceedings of the Atmospheric Sciences and Applications to Air Quality 6th International Conference. State Environmental Protection Administration. Beijing, China. Lefohn, A.S., D.S. Shadwick, and S.D. Ziman. 1998. The Difficult Challenge of Attaining EPA's New Ozone Standard. Environmental Science and Technology. 32(11):276A-282A. Oltmans, S.J., Lefohn, A.S., Scheel, H.E., Harris, J.M., Levy, H. II, Galbally, I.E. , Brunke, E.G., Meyer, C.P., Lathrop, J.A., Johnson, B.J., Shadwick, D.S., Cuevas, E., Schmidlin, F.J., Tarasick, D.W., Claude, H., Kerr, J.B., Uchino, O., Mohnen, and V. 1998. Trends of Ozone in the Troposphere. Geophysical Research Letters. 25:139-142. Lefohn, A.S. 1997. New Directions: A New Ozone Standard in the United States. Atmospheric Environment. 31(22):3851-3852. Lefohn, A.S. 1997. Science, Uncertainty, and EPA's New Ozone Standards. Environmental Science and Technology. 31(6):280A-284A. Lefohn, A.S., W. Jackson, D.S. Shadwick, and H.P. Knudsen. 1997. Effect of Surface Ozone Exposures on Vegetation Grown in the Southern Appalachian Mountains: Identification of Possible Areas of Concern. Atmospheric Environment. 31(11):1695-1708. Altshuller, A.P. and A.S. Lefohn. 1996. Background Ozone in the Planetary Boundary Layer Over the United States. J. Air Waste Manag. Assoc. 46:134-141. Musselman, R.C., P.M. McCool, and A.S. Lefohn. 1996. The Form and Function of the Ozone Standard to Protect Vegetation. In: Proceedings of Special Conference, Tropospheric Ozone: Critical Issues in the Regulatory Process. Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA., pp. 277-285. Lefohn, A.S. and W.J. Manning. 1995. Ozone Exposures Near Wilderness Areas in Northern New England. Atmospheric Environment. 29(5):601-606. Musselman, R.C., P.M. McCool, and A.S. Lefohn. 1994. Ozone Descriptors for an Air Quality Standard to Protect Vegetation. J. Air Waste Manag. Assoc. 44 (12):1383-1390. Lefohn, A.S., P.J. Edwards, and M.B. Adams. 1994. The Characterization of Ozone Exposures in Rural West Virginia and Virginia. J. Air Waste Manag. Assoc. 44 (11):1276-1283. Lefohn, A.S. 1994. Selecting an Exposure Index to Protect Vegetation. In: Critical Levels for Ozone-A UN-ECE Workshop Report (J. Fuhrer and B. Achermann, Editors). Proceedings of the UN-ECE Workshop on Critical Levels for Ozone, Bern, Switzerland, November 1-4, 1993. pp. 138-166. Published by the Swiss Federal Research Station for Agricultural Chemistry and Environmental Hygiene CH-3097 Liebefeld-Bern, Switzerland. Pedersen, U. and A.S. Lefohn. 1994. Characterizing Surface Ozone Concentrations in Norway. Atmospheric Environment. 28(1):89-102. Lefohn, A.S., J.K. Foley, and B.E. Tilton. 1993. Changes in Ozone Concentration Regimes as a Function of Change in Site Attainment Status. In: Transactions of the Tropospheric Ozone, Nonattainment and Design Value Issues Specialty Conference. Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA., pp. 477-488. Lefohn, A.S. 1993. Protecting Vegetation from Ozone Exposures: The Form and Function of the Secondary Standard. In: Transactions of the Tropospheric Ozone, Nonattainment and Design Value Issues Specialty Conference. Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA., pp. 49-52. Lefohn, A.S., R.B. Flagler, J.E. Miller, B. Hale, and J.M. Skelly. 1993. The Identification of Ambient Levels of Ozone that Will Protect Vegetation. In: Transactions of the Tropospheric Ozone, Nonattainment and Design Value Issues Specialty Conference. Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA., pp. 493-509. Lefohn, A.S., J.K. Foley, D.S. Shadwick, and B.E. Tilton. 1993. Changes in Diurnal Patterns Related to Changes in Ozone Levels. J. Air Waste Manag. Assoc. 43:(11):1472-1478. Lefohn, A.S. 1993. Realistic Concerns for Establishing a Secondary Standard to Protect Vegetation. Proceedings of the 86th Annual Meeting of the Air & Waste Management Association, Denver, Colorado. Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA. Lefohn, A.S. and J.K. Foley. 1993. Establishing Ozone Standards to Protect Human Health and Vegetation: Exposure/Dose-Response Considerations. J. Air Waste Manag. Assoc. 43(2):106-112. Lefohn, A.S., L.R. McEvoy, Jr., D.T. Tingey, J.L. Sebaugh, and W.E. Hogsett. 1993. Potential Bias from Non-continuous Monitoring of Ambient Ozone Concentrations for Characterizing Hourly and Daily 7- and 12-Hour Average Concentrations. Atmospheric Environment. 27A(2):145-152. Lefohn, A.S. and J.K. Foley. 1992. NCLAN Results and Their Application to the Standard-Setting Process: Protecting Vegetation from Surface Ozone Exposures. J. Air Waste Manag. Assoc. 42(8):1046-1052. Lefohn, A.S. 1992. Exposure Indices and the Standard-Setting Process: Protecting Vegetation from Surface Ozone Exposures. In: Proceedings of the 9th World Clean Air Congress and Exhibition, Montreal, Canada. Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA. Lefohn, A.S., J.K. Foley, J. Spence, and D.S. Shadwick. 1992. Linking Surface-Level Ozone Exposures in the United States with Potential Vegetation Effects. In: Transactions of the Tropospheric Ozone and the Environment Specialty Conference II. (R.L. Berglund, editor). Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA, pp. 473-488. Lefohn, A.S., H.P. Knudsen, D.S. Shadwick, and K.A. Hermann. 1992. Surface Ozone Exposures in the Eastern United States (1985-1989). In: Transactions of the Response of Southern Commercial Forests to Air Pollution Specialty Conference (R.B. Flagler, editor). Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA. pp. 81-93. Lefohn, A.S., D.S. Shadwick, U. Feister, and V.A. Mohnen. 1992. Surface-Level Ozone: Climate Change and Evidence for Trends. J. Air Waste Manag. Assoc. 42(2):136-144. Lefohn, A.S. 1992. The Characterization of Ambient Ozone Exposures. Chapter 3, pp. 39-92. In: Surface-Level Ozone Exposures and Their Effects on Vegetation. A.S. Lefohn (ed.). Published by Lewis Publishers, Inc., Chelsea, MI. Lefohn, A.S. 1992. Ozone Standards and Their Relevance for Protecting Vegetation. Chapter 8, pp. 325-359. In: Surface-Level Ozone Exposures and Their Effects on Vegetation. A.S. Lefohn (ed.). Published by Lewis Publishers, Inc., Chelsea, MI. Lefohn, A.S., D.S. Shadwick, M.C. Somerville, A.H. Chappelka, B.G. Lockaby, and R.S. Meldahl. 1992. The Characterization and Comparison of Ozone Exposure Indices Used in Assessing the Response of Loblolly Pine to Ozone. Atmospheric Environment. 26A(2):287-298. Smith, L.A. and A.S. Lefohn. 1991. Co-Occurrence of Ozone and Wet Deposited Hydrogen Ion in the United States. Atmospheric Environment. 25A:2707-2716. Lefohn, A.S. and J.K. Foley. 1991. Estimated Surface-level Ozone Exposures in Selected Class I Areas in the United States. Proceedings of the 84th Annual Meeting of the Air & Waste Management Association, Vancouver, British Columbia. Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA. Lefohn, A.S and A.A. Lucier. 1991. Spatial and Temporal Variability of Ozone Exposure in Forested Areas of the United States and Canada: 1978-1988. J. Air Waste Manage. Assoc. 41(5):694-701. Lefohn, A.S., D.S. Shadwick, and J.K. Foley. 1991. The Quantification of Surface Level Ozone Exposures Across the United States, pp. 197-224. In: Transactions of the Tropospheric Ozone and the Environment Specialty Conference. Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA. Lefohn, A.S. and D.S. Shadwick. 1991. Ozone, Sulfur Dioxide, and Nitrogen Dioxide Trends at Rural Sites Located in the United States. Atmospheric Environment. 25A(2):491-501. Lefohn, A.S., D.S. Shadwick, and V.A. Mohnen. 1990. The Characterization of Ozone Concentrations at a Select Set of High-Elevation Sites in the Eastern United States. Environmental Pollution. 67:147-178. Lefohn, A.S. and C.M. Benkovitz. 1990. Air Quality Measurements and Characterizations for Vegetation Effects Research. Proceedings of the 83rd Annual Meeting of the Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA. Krug, E.C. and A.S. Lefohn. 1990. The Importance of Natural Processes in Understanding Ecosystem Change: A Case Study of Limed Lakes. J. Air Waste Manag. Assoc. 40:846-854. Lefohn, A.S., C.M. Benkovitz, R.L. Tanner, D.S. Shadwick, and L.A. Smith. 1990. Air Quality Measurements and Characterization for Terrestrial Effects Research. Report 7, In: NAPAP State of Science and State of Technology. National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program, Washington, DC. September, 1990. Lefohn, A.S., S.V. Krupa, and D. Winstanley. 1990. Surface Ozone Exposures Measured at Clean Locations Around the World. Environmental Pollution. 63(3):189-224. Legge, A.H., M. Nosal, E. Peake, M. Strosher, M. Hansen, and A.S. Lefohn. 1990. Air Quality of an Area Proximal to Anthropogenic Emissions, pp. 249-345. In: Acidic Deposition: Sulphur and Nitrogen Oxides. A.H. Legge and S.V. Krupa (eds). Lewis Publishers, Inc., Chelsea, MI. Mohnen, V.A. and A.S. Lefohn. 1989. Temporal Development of the Pollution Load of Reactive Trace Gases in Forested Areas in the United States. In: Proceedings of the International Congress on Forest Decline Research: State of Knowledge and Perspectives. Friedrichshafen, Lake Constance, Federal Republic of Germany. October 2-6, 1989. Winner, W.E., A.S. Lefohn, I.S. Cotter, C.S. Greitner, J. Nellessen, L.R. McEvoy, Jr., R.L. Olson, C.J. Atkinson, and L.D. Moore. 1989. Plant Responses to Elevational Gradients of O3 Exposures in Virginia. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:8828-8832. Lefohn, A.S., V.C. Runeckles, S.V. Krupa, and D.S. Shadwick. 1989. Important Considerations for Establishing A Secondary Ozone Standard to Protect Vegetation. JAPCA. 39(8):1039-1045. Lefohn, A.S. and J.E. Pinkerton. 1988. High Resolution Characterization of Ozone Data for Sites Located in Forested Areas of the United States. JAPCA. 38(12):1504-1511. Lefohn, A.S. and S.V. Krupa. 1988. Acidic Precipitation: A Technical Amplification of NAPAP's Findings. JAPCA. 38(6):766-776. Lefohn, A.S. and P.M. Irving. 1988. Characterizing Ambient Ozone Exposure Regimes in Agricultural Areas. In: Proceedings of the 81st Annual Meeting of the Air Pollution Control Association in Dallas, TX, June 21-24, 1988. Pittsburgh, PA. Marx, D.H., A.S. Lefohn, H.P. Knudsen, R.B. Husar, J. Paul, J.K. Forbus, J. Jorgensen, C. Wells, K. Ludovici, R. Beltz, H.D. Brown, R.L. Anderson, W. Clerke, R.J. Uhler, and C. Dull. 1988. Southern Forest Atlas Project. In: Proceedings of the 81st Annual Meeting of the Air Pollution Control Association in Dallas, TX, June 21-24, 1988. Pittsburgh, PA. Knudsen, H.P. and A.S. Lefohn. 1988. The Use of Spatial Statistics to Characterize Regional Ozone Exposures, pp 91-105. In: Assessment of Crop Loss from Air Pollutants. W.W. Heck, O.C. Taylor, D.T. Tingey (eds). Elsevier Applied Science Publishing, London, U.K. Lefohn, A.S., H.P. Knudsen, and L.R. McEvoy, Jr. 1988. The Use of Kriging to Estimate Monthly Ozone Exposure Parameters for the Southeastern United States. Environmental Pollution. 53:27-42. Lefohn, A.S. 1988. Reply to comments by M.R. Ashmore and M.A.J. Parry and W. Day concerning the paper: A Comparison of Indices that Describe the Relationship Between Exposure to Ozone and Reduction in the Yield of Agricultural Crops. Atmospheric Environment. 22(9):2057-2064. Lefohn, A.S., J.A. Laurence, and R.J. Kohut. 1988. Reply to comments by V.C. Runeckles concerning the paper: A Comparison of Indices that Describe the Relationship Between Exposure to Ozone and Reduction in the Yield of Agricultural Crops. Atmospheric Environment. 22(6):1241-1243. Lefohn, A.S., J.A. Laurence, and R.J. Kohut. 1988. A Comparison of Indices that Describe the Relationship Between Exposure to Ozone and Reduction in the Yield of Agricultural Crops. Atmospheric Environment. 22(6):1229-1240. Lefohn, A.S., C.E. Davis, C.K. Jones, D.T. Tingey, and W.E. Hogsett. 1988. Reply to comments by Marie and Ormrod concerning the paper: Co-Occurrence Patterns of Gaseous Air Pollutant Pairs at Different Minimum Concentrations in the United States. Atmospheric Environment. 22(6):1243. Lefohn, A.S. and S.V. Krupa. 1988. The Relationship between Hydrogen and Sulfate Ions in Precipitation - A Numerical Analysis of Rain and Snowfall Chemistry. Environmental Pollution. 49:289-311. Lefohn, A.S., C.E. Davis, C.K. Jones, D.T. Tingey, and W.E. Hogsett. 1987. Co-Occurrence Patterns of Gaseous Air Pollutant Pairs at Different Minimum Concentrations in the United States. Atmospheric Environment. 21(11):2435-2444. Lefohn, A.S. and L.R. McEvoy, Jr. 1987. The Possible Effects of Acidic Deposition on Agricultural Crops. In: Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Pittsburgh Coal Conference. Pittsburgh, PA., September 28-October 2, 1987. Pinkerton, J.E. and A.S. Lefohn. 1987. The Characterization of Ozone Data for Sites Located in Forested Areas of the Eastern United States. JAPCA. 37(9):1005-1010. Pinkerton, J.E. and A.S. Lefohn. 1987. An Examination of Ozone Levels in Selected Forested Areas of the Eastern United States. In: Proceedings of the North American Oxidant Symposium. Quebec, February 25-27, 1987. Published by Quebec Ministry of the Environment, Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada.. Lefohn, A.S., H.P. Knudsen, J.L. Logan, J. Simpson, and C. Bhumralkar. 1987. An Evaluation of the Kriging Method To Predict 7-Hr Seasonal Mean Ozone Concentrations for Estimating Crop Losses. JAPCA. 37(5):595-602. Lefohn, A.S. and V.C. Runeckles. 1987. Establishing a Standard to Protect Vegetation - Ozone Exposure/Dose Considerations. Atmospheric Environment. 21(3):561-568. Lefohn, A.S., W.E. Hogsett, and D.T. Tingey. 1987. The Development of Sulfur Dioxide and Ozone Exposure Profiles that Mimic Ambient Conditions in the Rural Southeastern United States. Atmospheric Environment. 21(3):659-669. Lefohn, A.S. and V.A. Mohnen. 1986. The Characterization of Ozone, Sulfur Dioxide, and Nitrogen Dioxide For Selected Monitoring Sites in the Federal Republic of Germany. JAPCA. 36(12):1329-1337. Lefohn, A.S. and C.K. Jones. 1986. The Characterization of Ozone and Sulfur Dioxide Air Quality Data for Assessing Possible Vegetation Effects. JAPCA. 36(10):1123-1129. Lefohn, A.S. and C.K. Jones. 1986. The Characterization of Air Quality Data for Biological Assessment Purposes. In: Proceedings of the 79th Annual Meeting of the Air Pollution Control Association in Minneapolis, MN, June 22-27, 1986. Pittsburgh, PA. Lefohn, A.S., W.E. Hogsett, and D.T. Tingey. 1986. A Method for Developing Ozone Exposures that Mimic Ambient Conditions in Agricultural Areas. Atmospheric Environment. 20(2):361-366. Pinkerton, J.E. and A.S. Lefohn. 1986. Characterization of Ambient Ozone Concentrations in Commercial Timberlands Using Available Monitoring Data. Tappi Journal. 69(4):58-62. Lefohn, A.S. and H.M. Benedict. 1985. Exposure Considerations Associated with Characterizing Ozone Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Data. In: Evaluation of the Scientific Basis for Ozone/Oxidants Standards. Air Pollution Control Association. Pittsburgh, PA. pp. 17-31. Lefohn, A.S. and G.O. Klock. 1985. Possible Importance of Forest Soil Processes in Defining Surface Water pH Depressions. JAPCA. 35:632-637. Lefohn, A.S. and D.T. Tingey. 1985. Comments on Atmospheric Environment Paper: Injury Response of Phaseolus Vulgaris to Ozone Flux Density. Atmospheric Environment. 19(1):206-208. Lefohn, A.S. and D.T. Tingey. 1984. The Co-Occurrence of Potentially Phytotoxic Concentrations of Various Gaseous Air Pollutants. Atmospheric Environment. 18(11):2521-2526. Lefohn, A.S. and R.W. Brocksen. 1984. Acid Rain Effects Research - A Status Report. JAPCA. 34(10):1005-1013. Lefohn, A.S. 1984. A Comparison of Ambient Ozone Exposures for Selected Nonurban Sites. In: Proceedings of the 77th Annual Meeting of the Air Pollution Control Association in San Francisco, California, June 24-29, 1984. Air Pollution Control Association. Pittsburgh, PA. Lefohn, A.S. and R.W. Brocksen. 1984. Acid Rain Effects Research--A Status Report. In: Proceedings of the 77th Annual Meeting of the Air Pollution Control Association in San Francisco, California, June 24-29, 1984. Air Pollution Control Association. Pittsburgh, PA. Lefohn, A.S. and D.T. Tingey. 1984. The Co-Occurrence of Potentially Phytotoxic Concentrations of Various Gaseous Air Pollutants. In: Proceedings of the 77th Annual Meeting of the Air Pollution Control Association in San Francisco, California, June 24-29, 1984. Air Pollution Control Association. Pittsburgh, PA. Lefohn, A.S. 1983. The Availability and Analysis of Ozone Air Quality Data. In: Proceedings of the Symposium on Air Pollution and the Productivity of the Forest. Izaak Walton League of America. Lefohn, A.S. and H.M. Benedict. 1983. The Potential for the Interaction of Acidic Precipitation and Ozone Pollutant Doses Affecting Agricultural Crops. In: Proceedings of the 76th Annual Meeting of the Air Pollution Control Association, Atlanta, GA. Air Pollution Control Association. Pittsburgh, PA. Lefohn, A.S. and R.W. Brocksen. 1983. A Status Report: What is Currently Known About the Effects of Acid Rain on the Environment. Presented at the Forty-Third Annual Meeting of the Montana Academy of Sciences, Bozeman, Montana, April 8-9, 1983. Brocksen, R.W. and A.S. Lefohn. 1983. Lake Acidification: Sources of Surface Water Acidification--Anthropogenic and Natural. In: Proceedings of the AIAA 21st Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Reno, NV, January 10-13, 1983. Lefohn, A.S. 1983. Dose Response Considerations Associated with Acid Precipitation Effects on Vegetation. Published in the Proceedings of the Second National Symposium on Acid Rain, Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, Pittsburgh, PA, October 6-7, 1982. Lefohn, A.S. and H.M. Benedict. 1982. Development of a Mathematical Index that Describes Ozone Concentration, Frequency, and Duration. Atmospheric Environment. 16(10):2529-2532. Lefohn, A.S. 1982. Acid Rain - Uncertainties in the Data Base and Its Application. In: Proceedings of the 63rd Annual Meeting Pacific Division, American Association for the Advancement of Science. Lefohn, A.S. 1980. An Alternative Use of the Environmental Impact Statement, EIS: Digest of Environmental Impact Statements. Vol. 4, No. 5, May 1980. Abstract Nos. 80-0348-80-0426. Lefohn, A.S. 1979. The Transfer of Energy Information Beyond Washington, ASIS Bulletin. Vol. 6, No. 2, December, 1979. Lefohn, A.S. and K. Collins. 1979. New Trends in Energy Information Transfer. In: Proceedings of the 1979 National Conference on Technology for Energy Conservation, pp. 483-486. Lefohn, A.S. 1979. Networking - A Way of Marketing Information, In: Proceedings of the State Energy Audit Impact '79 Conference, Dallas, Texas. Lefohn, A.S. 1978. An Approach Toward Transferring Energy Information. In: Proceedings of the 1978 National Conference on Technology for Energy Conservation, pp. 726-728. Lefohn, A.S. 1978. An Experiment in Cooperation. In: Proceedings of the 1978 Fall Meeting of the Federal Laboratory Consortium, Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, California. Lefohn, A.S. 1978. Western Information Network on Energy, Solar Greenhouse Digest, Vol.1, No. 2, pp. 20-21. Lewis, R.A., A.S. Lefohn, and N.R. Glass. 1975. An Investigation of the Bioenvironmental Effects of a Coal-Fired Power Plant. In: Proceedings of the Fort Union Coal Field Symposium. 5:531-536. Lefohn, A.S., R.A. Lewis, and N.R. Glass. 1974. An Approach to the Investigation of the Bioenvironmental Impact of Air Pollution from Fossil Fuel Power Plants. Air Pollution Control Association. Preprint. 77-206, pp.1-22. Hanst, P.L., A.S. Lefohn, and B.W. Gay, Jr. 1973. Detection of Atmospheric Pollutants at Parts-per-Billion Levels by Infrared Spectroscopy. Applied Spectroscopy. 27:188-198. Lefohn, A.S., P.L. Hanst, and R.K. Patterson. 1972. Application of Fourier Spectroscopy for Air Pollution Measurements. Proceedings of Annual Pittsburgh Conference. Lefohn, A.S. and W.T. Sayers. 1972. Remote Sensors and Their Application to Oceanographic Monitoring. Proceedings of the Means of Acquisition and Communication of Ocean Data. Lefohn, A.S. and G.C. Pimentel. 1971. Infrared Spectrum of Gaseous CF by Rapid Scan Spectroscopy. The Journal of Chemical Physics. 20:1213-1217. I-San, Lin R., C.S. Garner, and A.S. Lefohn. 1967. The Chemical Effects of Neutron Capture in CIS- and TRANS-Dichloro-bis (ethylene-diamine) Chromium (III) Nitrate. J. Inorganic Chem. 29:1553-1557. McCullough, J.D. and A.S. Lefohn. 1966. Improved Methods for the Synthesis of the Cyclis Selinides, Selenacyclopentane. Inorganic Chemistry. 5:150. Lefohn, A.S. 1984. Lost in the Wilderness. QST. January 1984. Lefohn, A.S., W. Standing, and P. Bondurant. 1979. The Solar Eclipse Net. QST. LXIII - 7, pp. 12-14. Home Page \| News \| Corporation \| Maps \| Publications \| Table of Contents \| Multimedia Center Copyright &COPY; 1995-2019 A.S.L. & Associates. All rights reserved.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19200
__label__wiki	0.793265	0.793265	Bismarck Library Foundation Support a new Burleigh County Bookmobile - Pledge Card The Library Foundation, Inc. was established in 1975 to support the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library. Our mission is to enrich publicly-funded Library services by raising private funds to enhance collections, resources and facilities. Foundation highlights: Completed $430,000 fundraising campaign for new Teen Center Spearheaded the $643,000 Children's Library Renovation, completed in 2009 Raised the funds to construct library coffee shop in 2007 Established Endowment Fund, which has grown to over $1.24 million since 2001 Raised over $300,000 to complete the new building in the late 1980s Makes annual contributions for children's and teen programming, books, computer equipment and much more Bismarck Public Library was established in 1917 in a building funded by Andrew Carnegie at 6th Street and Thayer Avenue. In 1963, a modern building was erected at 6th Street and Avenue A to provide more space. The new Veterans Memorial Public Library honored World War II and Korean War veterans. It was about 17,000 square feet. A major library expansion was completed in 1989, giving the library 70,000 square feet of space and a new name: Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library. The facility occupies the block between 5th and 6th streets north of Avenue A. Today the library has more than 7,000 visitors each week. More than 44,000 people have library cards. Amber Schatz Foundation Executive Director Kristi Simenson Foundation Administrative Assistant Bookmobile Campaign Foundation Board & Staff Members N.D. Tax Credit "The Limited Edition" Newsletter	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19209
__label__wiki	0.881145	0.881145	Home Tags Posts tagged with "Rihanna" FilmNewsFeatured The tide has turned and it’s a whole new “Ocean’s” when eight women plan and execute a heist in New York. Oscar winner Sandra Bullock stars in the title role, alongside Oscar winners Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, with Rihanna and Oscar nominee Helena Bonham Carter. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Gary Ross is directing. Ross directs from a screenplay he wrote with Olivia Milch (upcoming “Dude”), with Steven Soderbergh and Jon Kilik producing, Michael Tadross, Susan Ekins, Sandra Bullock, Diana Alvarez and Bruce Berman executive producing, and Milch co-producing. Filming is taking place in and around New York City. Collaborating with Ross behind the scenes are director of photography Eigil Bryld (“In Bruges,” “Not Fade Away”), production designer Alex DiGerlando (“Beasts of the Southern Wild,” HBO’s “True Detective”), editor Juliette Welfling (“Free State of Jones,” “The Hunger Games”), costume designer Sarah Edwards (“Tower Heist,” Showtime’s “Billions”), and composer Nicholas Britell (“The Big Short,” “Free State of Jones”). Ocean’s Eight is set for release in Summer 2018 and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures. Ocean’s Eight Begins Production was last modified: November 4th, 2016 by David Griffiths	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19213
__label__cc	0.684477	0.315523	Battery Optimization: Working Smarter, Not Harder We’re often told that we use only a small part of our brains – easily demonstrated in your editor’s case. What if we’re only using a small part of the battery power that’s available to us? Fixing that would lead to smaller batteries working more efficiently, a significant step toward lighter power packages. Hybridcars.com shares this kind of thinking in two recent postings, the first about a $4 million contract beween PARC, a Xerox company, its partner LG Chem Power and the U. S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy (ARPA-E) as part of the Advanced Management and Protection of Energy Storage Devices (AMPED) program. PARC-LG smart battery management system (BMS) According to hybridcars’ Philippe Crowe, the partners will, “Develop a fiber optic monitoring system capable of providing detailed information about the internal condition of batteries. The end goal is to allow batteries to perform better in applications such as electric vehicles (EVs). This smart system will perform on-the-job training, learning the optimized paths for electrons in a battery pack as collected by its “compact wavelength-shift detection technology and machine learning/sensor network,” and which will, “ enable effective real-time performance management and optimized battery design.” This smart battery management system (BMS) will monitor what’s going on inside the battery pack and infer the remaining charge, cell state and health, and predict remaining battery life. Rob McHenry, PARC’s Energy Technology program manager, explains that since component material in batteries prevent internal monitoring, we must examine battery state from outside measurements. Because of this second-level monitoring, we make batteries bigger than they need to be for given applications to ensure reliability and safety. PARC’s fiber optic sensing system can change that by measuring internal conditions with unprecedented accuracy, allowing designers to more fully use a battery’s true capabilities while simultaneously improving safety.” The ARPA-E funded project will integrate “hair-thin optical fibers into battery cells and pack,” an output measuring unit, and algorithms to interpret the signals and control the battery pack. ARPA-E Program Director Ilan Gur hopes the project will, “allow us to unlock enormous untapped potential in the performance, safety, and lifetime of today’s commercial battery systems.” Researchers at the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego have developed algorithms with similar aims, to help lithium-ion batteries run more efficiently, reduce their cost by 25 percent, and cut charging times in half, as low as 15 minutes in one case, although the report did not indicate pack size. Professor Miroslav Krstic and UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellow Scott Moura in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Jacobs School gleaned a $460,000 ARPA-E grant, part of a $9.6 million grant shared with Bosch and battery maker Cobasys. UC-San Diego professor Miroslav Krstic and Mouras examine graphic representation of algorithms they hope will enable lighter, more powerful battery packs Krstic told Hybridcars.com, “This research is bringing the promise that, with advanced estimation algorithms that are based on mathematical models, batteries can be charged faster and can run more powerful electric motors.” As with the PARC/LG research, Krstic and Moura are taking a unique approach to making lithium-ion batteries more effective. Instead of monitoring voltage and current, they have designed sophisticated algorithms that can estimate what is physically going on inside the lithium-ion battery. “We have the unique ability to address the difficulties in estimating the battery’s state of charge heads-on, at the electrochemical level,” said Krstic, noting the “crude measures” used to monitor battery performance currently. Such crudeness leads to heavy, inefficient, expensive vehicles, and is partly to blame for Toyota cancelling mass production of their eQ electric car. Reuters reports that Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota’s vice chairman and the engineer who oversees vehicle development, told reporters on Monday that, “The current capabilities of electric vehicles do not meet society’s needs, whether it may be the distance the cars can run, or the costs, or how it takes a long time to charge,” said, Uchiyamada, who spearheaded Toyota’s development of the Prius hybrid in the 1990s.” Krstic and Moura’s approach to tackling these inadequacies is to monitor ion movement within the anode. Such movement from the anode to the cathode power devices connected to the battery. Moura likens that movement to patrons moving into a theater and filling the available seats. Measurements now are like the usher collecting tickets, but not being able to tell which seats the patrons will take. Ushering theater patrons between theaters – a problem similar to shuffling ions between anode and cathode Krstic and Moura’s algorithms, “Allow researchers to estimate where the particles are. So the movie theater can now be filled to capacity safety and efficiently. The model can also estimate how the health of the battery evolves over time – the equivalent of which seats are breaking down in the theater and need to be fixed or replaced.” The grant will allow researchers to refine the algorithms and to test them on actual batteries on test beds developed by Bosch and Cobasys. They will estimate the charge distribution within the battery. Then they will estimate its state of health. Finally researchers will devise a strategy to find optimal rates of charging and discharging batteries. The researchers will test their models on real EVs, gaining confidence that their algorithms will enable “filling the seats in the theater” in the most efficient way, and without causing damage that overcharging or overdriving the battery would cause. Their papers, “PDE Estimation Techniques for Advanced Battery Management Systems -I; and Part II: SOH Identiﬁcation,” written with co-author N. A. Chaturvedi, are available online. Both teams are taking a software approach to a hardware problem, but that promises being able to use existing battery technology in a more efficient, safer and long-lived way. Next post: Solar Impulse on 60 Minutes Previous post: A “New” Electric Canard – Thirty Years Later	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19215
__label__cc	0.71336	0.28664	This is the ‘gold standard’ of Cambridge and is accepted as an entry qualification by universities of the European Union and elsewhere around the world. These exams are usually taken after 13 years of education and are based on approximately 360 hours of guided learning per subject, normally over a two year period. Our students typically take three subjects at A level, although occasionally exceptional students take four or five. Typically, UK university entrance requirements insist on three passes at grade C for academic courses in established universities. Very popular courses often require higher grades with medical schools asking for grades of AAB and the highly selective universities of Cambridge and Oxford requesting at least AAA. Good A Level grades can also be a key for our students to be eligible for admission to all the world's major universities. Some of our students go on to study in the USA and Canada, where entrance to university takes place after 12 years of education. Good grades in carefully chosen A Level subjects can result in our students receiving up to one full year of credit. Further up-to-date information on universities that recognise Cambridge International AS and A Levels for entry to undergraduate programmes is available from the CAIE website. The subject content of each of the A Level syllabuses has been subdivided into two parts: the AS syllabus content, which is expected to be covered in the first half of the course, and part two of the syllabus commonly referred to as ‘A2’. This flexible approach enables students to choose from three options: Take all A Level components in the same examination session at the end of a course of study, usually at the end of the second year (Year 13) Follow a staged assessment to an A Level by taking the AS qualification in one examination session, and the A2 assessment in a subsequent session Take the AS qualification only – either at the end of a one-year or two-year course. NOTE: The A2 examination cannot be taken as a standalone qualification. AS Levels may be taken as a freestanding qualification and are accepted in all UK universities. They carry half the weight of an A Level so, for example, students may be admitted with suitable grades in two A Levels and two AS Levels. Details of the tariff operated by the UK Universities are given on the UCAS website. In addition to information provided on the Cambridge Assessment web site, students and parents are provided with ongoing information and advice from CIS Armenia teachers regarding course requirements and career options. » Cambridge International AS&A Levels » Cambridge International AS&A Level subjects » Cambridge International AS&A Level recognition » UCAS website	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19220
__label__cc	0.533577	0.466423	Practical AI – Episode #43 When AI meets quantum mechanics with Shohini Ghose from Wilfrid Laurier University & Marcus Edwards from the University of Waterloo Play Discuss Subscribe Direct (RSS) Can AI help quantum physicists? Can quantum physicists help the AI community? The answers are yes and yes! Dr. Shohini Ghose from Wilfrid Laurier University and Marcus Edwards from the University of Waterloo join us to discuss ML/AI’s impact on physics and quantum computing potential for ML/AI. Download (89MB) AI (Artificial Intelligence) Shohini Ghose – Website Marcus Edwards – Twitter, GitHub, LinkedIn, Website Chris Benson – Twitter, GitHub, LinkedIn, Website Daniel Whitenack – Twitter, GitHub, Website DigitalOcean – Check out DigitalOcean’s dedicated vCPU Droplets with dedicated vCPU threads. Get started for free with a $100 credit. Learn more at do.co/changelog. Discover.bot – A digital space for bot developers and enthusiasts of all skill levels to learn from one another, share stories, and move the bot conversation forward. Want to learn more about building bots? Get started with their Guide to Bot Building Frameworks. strongDM – Manage access to any database, server, and environment. strongDM makes it easy for DevOps to enforce the controls InfoSec teams require. Fastly – Our bandwidth partner. Fastly powers fast, secure, and scalable digital experiences. Move beyond your content delivery network to their powerful edge cloud platform. Learn more at fastly.com. Notes & Links Quantum Emulation project (email marcus@quantumemulation.com/) Efforts to use Quantum Computing to accelerate ML/AI: from IBM Xanadu: a dedicated ML platform for quantum computers OpenQASM Rigetti Quantum open source foundation TED talk from Dr. Ghose Daniel Whitenack Welcome to Practical AI. This is Daniel Whitenack. I’m a data scientist with SIL International, and I’m joined here by Chris Benson, who is a chief AI strategist at Lockheed Martin. How are you doing, Chris? Chris Benson Doing great, Daniel. How’s it going today? It’s going good. It’s allergy and mowing season, and I finally got peer-pressured enough into mowing my lawn last night, so you know, I’m feeling that a little bit… But all around good. Otherwise, models are training and having fun. I’m doing fine. Also, mowing the lawn you just take a giant Ziploc bag and jump into it and zip it up, and go out there and push it around. Try to avoid the pollen that way. Yeah, exactly. I’m really excited today… As our listeners know, my background is originally in computational physics, so I always love when we have guests that overlap with that area. It kind of brings me back to my grad school days. Today, the topic that we’re gonna talk about is pretty exciting; we’re gonna talk about quantum computing and how that overlaps with machine learning and AI, how machine learning and AI are impacting quantum computing, and then some related things. Today we’re joined by Marcus Edwards, who is a graduate student at the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo, and Dr. Shohini Ghose, who is a professor at the Wilfrid Laurier University. Welcome, thank you guys for joining. Thank you for having us. Shohini Ghose Thanks for having us. It would be great to hear just a little bit of background from each of you - how you got into physics and quantum computing, how you got interested maybe in related things, like AI and those sorts of things. Maybe Dr. Ghose, if you wanna start us out with that? I’ve been interested in physics, and more generally science, for a long time… And yes, I was one of those nerdy kids who loved Star Trek back when I was a kid. There’s nothing wrong with that. [00:04:01.12] Right?! But other than the Sci-Fi kind of astronauts, I was also inspired by real astronauts. When I was a kid in India, one of my heroes was Rakesh Sharma, who was the first Indian to go to space. I always dreamed of following him into space, and that’s not something that’s happened as yet, but hopefully… You never know. You have time left. Exactly, right?! Exactly. So in the meantime I thought I’d do something that’s almost as exciting, which is physics, of course. That’s what brought me into physics. When I was an undergrad, I was lucky because I got to do a summer research project on quantum physics. That was my first real taste of this very bizarre world, and I kind of liked it. From there, I went to grad school in the U.S, at the University of New Mexico. Back then, that was one of the first research groups in this brand new area called quantum information science, which is basically the broad area that includes quantum computing, quantum communication and everything else we hear about today. So I feel like I got in on the ground floor. It was exciting times, and I’ve seen the whole field grow and evolve to what it is today. It’s been a great, wonderful journey. Kind of like a Star Trek exploration journey. I think it’s going well so far… That’s my story. I’ve gotta say, any bio that can bring Star Trek into it as part of your bio, that works for me. Marcus, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? I certainly can. Actually, my link to quantum physics and quantum computing really is Dr. Ghose. I attended Wilfrid Laurier University in my undergrad, in a double major in computer science and physics. I originally joined that program just because of the interest in the fundamental problem of information science and computing, and wanting to get into the physics of it. In that exploration, quantum mechanics was the most interesting facet, and it sort of felt like that’s where people were asking the most fundamental and ground-breaking questions… So I started working with Dr. Ghose in my undergrad, doing a directed research study, and getting involved that way. It was actually Dr. Ghose who encouraged me to continue on with it, and that’s why largely I’m at the Institute for Quantum Computing now, doing my grad studies. I guess I also am a bit of a technologist, so I’m currently a front-end team lead at DelphX Capital Markets Inc. where I’m doing full-stack software development. So having some of that more practical technology experience and bringing that together with the quantum physics is really exciting to me; that’s sort of where quantum machine learning comes into it… And we’ll go from there. Awesome. That’s super-exciting. I’m really excited to hear about your passion for merging that practical side of software engineering with the quantum physics. I really appreciated that in our previous conversations. On Practical AI we’re talking a lot of times about GPUs and other ways to accelerate computing, and a lot of our listeners might have heard of quantum computing, but not really understand how it fits into the wider scheme of “Is it a way to accelerate regular computers? Is it something different?” So if one of you could describe in general what quantum computing is and how it fits into that scheme of accelerating computing… That would be awesome. Sure. Dr. Ghose, why don’t you take a shot at this first, and I’ll add anything. [00:07:46.22] Quantum computing - yes, it does offer the promise of super-fast speed-up for certain types of problems… But this is not just yet another faster computer. So it’s not just about how you read in the news all the time, “Oh, now we have yet another faster processor from Intel, or AMD, or whatever.” That’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about an entirely different technology. It’s kind of the difference between, for example, transportation via horse and carriage versus transportation by cars. It’s not like you can just build better and better horses and make a car. You can’t. So in that sense, it’s a completely different technology, because it’s harnessing different laws of physics than what we use to build current computers. And the laws that we are talking about are the laws of physics that govern the behavior of individual particles like electrons, and photons, and so on… And those tend to be rather peculiar laws. One of the things probably a lot of people have heard of is this idea of quantum uncertainty, or they may have heard about the idea of superposition, where a particular particle can have two different properties at the same time. In the language of computing, that translates into a bit or some piece of information; a quantum bit doesn’t have to be just 0 or 1, but could have a superposition of 0 and 1, which means it has a probability of being 0 and a probability of 1. That may seem like that would lead to more uncertainty in computing, which is true, sure, but if you’re smart about it, then you can actually harness this uncertainty to do actually better computing, and build new types of applications. One of the very first such applications was to realize that uncertainty can lead to information security, in the sense of encryption, and hiding information. From there, we explored new types of algorithms for other kinds of applications, such as encryption… And not just encryption, but cryptography, and mathematical tasks such as factoring large numbers is another big example, doing searches more efficiently… And all of these come from realizing that all these strange quantum properties essentially give us new math to work with. And when we have more rules to work with, then we can combine the rules in more clever ways. It’s like taking the rules of chess, for example, and then saying “Hey, what if we could play 3D chess, like in Star Trek?” And then you can make a lot more moves, and you can play a much more interesting game. So that’s for me broadly what quantum computing is all about. Yeah, thank you so much. So if I’m understanding right, there’s kind of a basic set of operations and hardware that have powered - even if they’re faster computers over time - classical, normal sort of computers that people think of over time, that are really built around maybe things like transistors, or other things that have a certain state, like 1 or 0. So am I right in saying that in a quantum computer there’s not necessarily the idea of a transistor, but something that has maybe not just 1 or 0, but a certain number of states, and because you have more possibilities, there’s fundamentally new things that you can do that are a different space of operations than what was enabled on the other hardware… Is that right? That’s exactly right. A quantum processor would involve gates that are not just flipping of a bit from 0 to 1, or just multiplying OR and AND gates, which we are very familiar with in regular, classical hardware processors. For quantum processors we are allowed to build even more gates, that we couldn’t do before, because as you correctly said, there are many more different types of potential manipulations you can do… Because you’re not just restricted to two things, 0 and 1. [00:11:57.05] Yes. Can I just say that I think it’s awesome that quantum information science is a field that lets you sort of go back and design at the level of the comparative transistor… Like, who’s going to let you redesign the transistor in any other field, right? Yeah, it’s kind of like going back to a golden age, almost… It is, especially if you’re really interested in that technology-focused research. So I love that comparison to the transistor and designing at that level, and thinking about things in different ways. I also really like that comparison with 3D chess, actually… Because yeah, there are models of quantum information science that are being developed, and some that have been developed to quite a far extent, and experimentally tested, experimentally demonstrated. These models are enabling us to do computation despite not fully understanding the underlying physics of what’s going on necessarily. I don’t necessarily think anyone truly understands quantum mechanics, which is kind of fun how it fits with the 3D chess analogy… We can model quantum mechanical interactions in many-body physics using high-dimensional vector spaces, and tensor mathematics etc. which ends up leading us to the fact that actually quantum mechanics and quantum computing has a lot of analogs that fit well with machine learning, and other fields that deal with high-dimensional mathematics. I’m wondering - we’re always hearing in the news about quantum computing/quantum computers, but I don’t know that in my own mind I understand what the current state of practical quantum computers, just like I might work on a traditional computer or classical computer – where are they at this point? Is this something that we’re expecting to be available any time soon? Are people gonna have access to them? And if not, what is the roadmap to get there? Sure. I suspect that you may know this, but in 2010 Lockheed Martin actually became the first customer of one of the first companies providing commercially-available quantum computing devices. The company I’m talking about is D-Wave, and they don’t provide quantum computers per se, not universal quantum computing, but computational devices that make use of quantum physics, for sure. That was really exciting, because Lockheed Martin was able to demonstrate one of the first practical uses of what’s called a quantum annealing machine - which is what D-Wave provides - debugging a chunk of 30-year-old code from an F-16 aircraft. It was just a cool story, and I thought it was a cool connection. So that’s one example. There are these sort of almost application-specific quantum devices that are actually now available, though there aren’t too many in the world… And we also see other companies like IBM, Google, Intel, all working on their own quantum computing projects. Microsoft actually has one, too. These are all at varying levels, and focusing on different technologies, because there are many different formulations and approaches to implementing quantum computing. One of the most notable ones, just because of how far they’ve come and how well they’re doing with marketing and getting researchers on board, is IBM. IBM announced this year their system called IBM Quantum One. What it is - it’s a 20 qubit quantum computer, and it is that sort of universal quantum computer which application-specific devices like D-Waves are not. It’s exciting, because it’s commercially available; it’s also available to research… Researchers like myself use it for just asking interesting questions about physics and seeing what actually happens, and if it matches our expectations. It’s kind of like a lab that you can access through the cloud. It’s cool. [00:15:55.01] Now, these computers, though you may suspect, aren’t changing the world yet. These are at this point sort of toy machines, and they’re really expensive toys. They’re several million dollars of parts and work going into each one… But they’re still at the point where even if they have a large number of qubits, like 20, that’s not really enough to get us to the point where we’re doing any sort of large-scale optimization problems, or really enhancing machine learning yet, largely due to just the challenges in engineering that come along with it. Once you’re trying to maintain a large quantum system, that becomes very difficult. As a follow-up to that, I’m gonna ask both of you for an answer, if you’ll put on your super-prediction hat and magically look into your crystal ball - do you think there’s a point in the future here where quantum computers become as ubiquitous as our classical computers are? Or do you think they’re always gonna be specialized? And if so, just pulling a number out of the air, how long do you think that we are from that? Okay, I’ll go first, I’ll jump in… …although, of course, it’s very dangerous to ever make predictions about technology, because we never, ever get it right; that’s the only prediction I can make for certain, that I will be wrong… But that being said, currently I don’t see any evidence that we are going to have desktops or laptops that are quantum computer-based, because – for one thing, we don’t need them. It’s a bit of an overkill to use a quantum computer to do e-mails, for example. You’re never, ever going to need that. That’s not what quantum computing technology is all about. I don’t know, I think I might need one to run all my Chrome tabs… Your quantum Chrome, yeah… [laughter] I’d say in the near future there’s going to be definitely specific applications, as I said, perhaps either in encryption, or in things like what we call quantum simulations, so using a quantum computer to try to simulate other quantum systems, like small molecules perhaps, that could be used for drug development, and things like this. Those would happen in the small scale, in the relatively near term; maybe we’re talking about the next decade or so. But I think in the longer term, and even now, I think what we’re doing now is envisioning more of a hybrid system, where there’ll be perhaps a front-end, which is familiar to users today, which looks no different than what we’re using now, and then in the back-end maybe there will be some layers of either quantum communication happening, or some kind of quantum processing happening, that we may not even see. As Marcus described, our first access right now to any kind of quantum device, which is the IBM device, is through the cloud. So that might become the way forward, where most of this will be cloud-based, where we don’t have it in our homes all the time necessarily, but it’ll be there in the background. I guess I’ll leave it at that. Yeah, not many people have like a TPU pod from Google sitting in their closet to run their neural nets either, so it seems like a similar model. I’m just bumming; apparently, I’m not gonna have a MacBook Pro Quantum version anytime soon… [laughter] Well, it’s unlikely. I will say though that one thing that really excites me is bringing this sort of cooperation closer together between classical and quantum computing, and sort of optimizing that as much as possible. While it’s certainly less likely that we’ll ever have a quantum processing unit or something alongside our CPU and our laptops, I don’t think it’s impossible. My prediction would be that, of course, the first access that becomes “ubiquitous”, if it gets that far, to quantum computing, would be through the cloud. That would be similar to what we have now, that IBM is providing. Other companies are starting to look at that as well. There’s Rigetti at Google, and Xanadu actually all have their own software portals now, that they intend to continue to market and develop and optimize for quantum computing, and enabling that communication. [00:20:19.07] Now, of course, communicating with a quantum process is interesting, because it becomes a bottleneck when you wrap a quantum process in classical processes on either end. However, having a completely quantum computer to me would be probably the most useless computer that exists, just because as humans we expect to have interpretable information coming out at us and going into the computing from us… So I think that we will always have that sort of classical interface at least, and where quantum will actually be useful is in - as Dr. Ghose said - the back-end, whether that’s a chip or a remote database somewhere that’s been implemented using quantum physics, or a remote processor doing particular pieces of hybrid algorithms. Some of the most exciting hybrid algorithms are in machine learning, and there’s work being done here in Waterloo at IQC and at the Perimeter Institute on creating these hybrid algorithms and optimizing them for cooperation between CPUs and QPUs. That’s really exciting stuff. [00:21:36.23] I really appreciate the explanation that both of you gave on the front of what quantum computing is and the current state of it, maybe some things that are coming in the future… One question that I have in my mind - I played a little bit around with systems like Rigetti, and others… But I’m wondering, from your perspective, could you just describe what does it look like to program a quantum computer? Do I just pull up a Jupyter notebook and use Python to say “Pandas read from quantum computer”, or something? What’s the interface currently, and what type of different thinking and different sorts of practical operations are you dealing with when you’re programming a quantum computer? This is a very fun question, and one that’s very exciting, because again, when it comes to quantum information science, you’re free to reimagine and rethink every layer of the stack. For example, what sort of language do we use to program a quantum computer at the low level? There are a few different takes at this, but it’s all in the very early stages, and almost all open source, so that anyone who is interested can actually start learning how people are thinking about implementing assembly languages for quantum computers. IBM has OpenQASM they call it, it’s Quantum Assembly Language. It’s open source. [00:24:06.10] For example, I have the source on my laptop here on my Mac, and I’m able to play with that a lot. Now, sort of an interesting question is “Do we want our language (even our low-level language, our quantum assembly language) to be opinionated and limit the scope of what a quantum physicist can describe?” Because quantum physics is very complex, and the gate model is what’s typically used to describe quantum computing processes… But it’s certainly not the only model for quantum physics and even quantum computing. There are plenty of different types of devices even. You might say “We want to use a continuous variable quantum computer, or an adiabatic quantum computer.” And if we wanna do that, because for some reason there’s some appeal to practically implement one of those in the future, maybe IBM’s QASM is no longer relevant in that case, because it was designed to express its particular type of quantum computing. So there’s sort of a bit of an emerging open source community around quantum computing, which is very interesting. It’s largely centered around IBM and what they’re doing, but there’s alternatives, like what Xanadu is offering, which is around a different type of quantum computing, called continuous variable quantum computing. I’ve been a contributor to Xanadu’s Strawberry Fields library, which is a Python library, for about five months. It’s trying to define basically the TensorFlow of quantum computing… Which is a Python library that - yes, allows you to define these sort of gate-level operations, and express quantum computing processes in that way, but also provide these more abstracted tools, sort of like you’d expect from a package like TensorFlow. So if you want to implement a machine learning process that uses quantum physics in the background, you may use their package Strawberry Fields or PennyLane to actually do that in a more expressive way… And it’s just really fun seeing all this stuff getting built and imagined for the first time. It’s an open area of research, honestly, to define these languages well, and work is going on in that area at IQC, and in companies like Xanadu. It’s really cool. I appreciate that, Marcus. That’s a great explanation. Dr. Ghose, how do you see – you have the existing AI and machine learning community that’s out there, and you have these quantum communities that are in development… How are those communities similar and different, how do they look at each other, and how might they go about collaborating? This idea that Marcus mentioned about kind of the TensorFlow of quantum computing - how does that come into being where it’s actually utilized in the community? That’s a really exciting question to explore right now. This whole area of quantum machine learning, as we call it now, is rapidly growing. As Marcus mentioned, Waterloo is a big hub for this kind of work, as is Toronto of course in AI in general. I think both quantum can benefit from AI and machine learning, and machine learning can benefit from quantum, too. What I mean is – if you look at the level of the mathematical structures of quantum theory, and the mathematical structures of machine learning, there’s a lot in common. [00:27:56.10] One thing that people have been exploring is, given that we don’t actually have existing large-scale quantum computers today, we still have to rely on our current regular computers to be modeling and analyzing quantum systems, right? And what happens is that it’s a very challenging problem, because every time you add one more quantum bit to your system to try to model it, you double the computational space that you need. That’s a huge challenge, and in fact it prevents us, for example, even from modeling molecules of a few hundred atoms, for example. That’s where we get stuck. Even the world’s best super-computers can’t handle it. However, if you look at the best ways to map that kind of information into classical computers, it turns out the sort of mathematical frameworks like the tensor network structure and so on, that you also use for machines, and the neural networks – so the tensor network from quantum maps onto the neural network structure that’s being used right now for machine learning. So there’s a lot of work in trying to explore how can we efficiently explore quantum physics using the same kind of structures and approaches that are being used in machine learning. There have been some initial successes for doing things like, for example, looking at the magnetic properties of different materials, and so on. Those are very exciting, because it means that there are actual benefits to be had from using the mathematics of machine learning to also analyze quantum theory… But it can also go the other way, because we can also think about what happens when we do have working quantum computers at a scale large enough to do something interesting. The question then becomes “Can we take some of the machine learning algorithms that are existing today and build quantum versions of those algorithms that are much more efficient?” What I mean by that, for example – this is not a machine learning example, but one of the first math problems that was shown to be much better if you run it on a quantum computer is this idea of factoring a large number. And this is very useful, of course, because this is in fact what would enable us to hack into current encryption like RSA. What we know is that there’s a quantum version of factoring that can run much faster if we had a quantum computer… So then the question is are there quantum versions of current machine learning algorithms that would learn much faster once we have a quantum computer? There’s a lot of work on that end. As we build more of those and have them ready to go, and at the same time develop a good software and language that we can use to program future quantum computers, then we might be able to do all these exciting new kinds of problems that we can’t do today. That’s what we call quantum advantage… That’s where I see that field. I’m curious, from a very practical standpoint, with deep learning now being dominated by the linear algebra and derivatives that we’re always taking as we are training models, is that going to be superseded by different quantum techniques? In other words, would the current math and quantum be somehow working together, or are you essentially going to replace the current mathematics with a quantum variant of that, to get better performance where you wanna go on that? Quantum mathematics is essentially linear algebra, but in a particular space, which we call Hilbert space. This essentially means that you have complex numbers, and vectors, and there are certain properties on the space. It’s basically, as I said, a larger set of mathematical rules that we can use. And again, if you have more rules to a game, then you can figure out different ways to win the game. That’s really what I mean by using quantum to do – I mean, the task remains the same, but the way you solve the task changes, because you’re allowed to use these different rules. [00:32:12.17] Yes, and one of the interesting things that we get to do as researchers is actually recast problems that are currently being solved by AI and solved by classical algorithms into the Hilbert space and into quantum problems. So if we can do this recasting of the problem and come up with a quantum solution, it’s often very interesting to see what kind of advantage that quantum solution provides over the classical one. We already see some companies actually providing services - not too many, but… There’s 1QBit, for example, which does actually provide sort of a consulting service, and as a part of that, recasts problems into quantum problems, and it attempts to find solutions to that. So I imagine if quantum computing explodes and everything’s great, that more people would start to do that type of work. One thing to mention too is that not only is it going to be advantageous to recast AI problems into quantum AI problems, but classical AI also is helping us to understand what’s fundamentally different and interesting about quantum physics… Because if we can sort of go backwards and take a quantum problem and turn it into an AI problem, and it’s sort of solved, and we can do it today, then maybe that’s not as interesting a problem to physicists anymore, right? And that does happen. Actually, one interesting phenomena is that as quantum physicists come up with more interesting things about quantum computing and what could happen, classical computational scientists and data scientists are coming up with analogs or solutions, and getting a little bit better in order to keep up with quantum, in some ways… So I think there will always be a collaboration between the two, and we’ll have classical and quantum computing sort of helping each other out as we go forward. Yeah, it’s interesting to come full circle on this… When I was in grad school I was working on computational physics, and Dr. Ghose, as you said, a lot of these brute force techniques will get you to maybe modeling a hundred or a few hundred atoms or molecules… And I remember at the time when I was in school, it was kind of the first time I had seen – at the end of my grad school people started to apply machine learning techniques to figure out the energy functionals and things that we were trying to figure out just from scratch by writing good equations, and instantly out-performed everything that we were doing, and it was kind of a shock to all of us… But it illustrates, as you were saying, Marcus, the power that you can achieve in certain cases by reimagining a problem as an AI or as a machine learning problem. I was browsing around, as you were talking, on the Xanadu website and a couple others, and I see certain phrases like “Machine learning toolbox for quantum computing powered by TensorFlow” and other things… Is that more on the side of, say, using TensorFlow, using AI to learn more about quantum computing? Or are those things more on the side of creating a quantum computing module for TensorFlow? [00:35:58.05] Yeah, one thing that’s being done by Xanadu, and that I’m playing around too with in my research, is using tools that exist - and are inherently classical, of course - like TensorFlow, and TPUs and GPUs, and looking at all the different classical technology that exists, and seeing what can be done to emulate, simulate or predict the outcomes of quantum computations. So yes, what Xanadu is doing is actually using TensorFlow as a back-end. When you are using PennyLane or Strawberry Fields to express a quantum experiment and you choose to use the TensorFlow back-end, what it’s doing is using TensorFlow to actually simulate that quantum process. So it’s kind of helping you learn about how the experiment might go. Is that a way to put it, or…? Sure, yeah. It’s implementing the mathematics of the model. If you have TensorFlow as your back-end, then it’s possible that you could actually express gate-level quantum computations and get them sort of compiled down to – well, not compiled, but sort of interpreted and changed into TensorFlow code, which is Python, that’s creating matrices, doing matrix multiplications, defining a tensor network, and then that can get sent off to Google, who then implements that on a TPU, and gives you results through the Google Cloud (I think they’re calling it Anthos now, or whatever). So it’s using it as a simulator back-end to help physicists learn and inform themselves, and also demonstrate theories. There is certainly power in the classical infrastructure that exists; what’s really cool is how the machine learning infrastructure is getting used now to simulate many-body physics, and TensorFlow is just one example. Earlier I know that you had mentioned the quantum emulation project that you are working on. Could you describe that a bit more? Sure. This is one of my research projects with Dr. Ghose, through the IQC. The quantum emulation project is sort of the umbrella for all of our research into quantum emulation. This is sort of the research that has led me to get involved with Xanadu, contributing to their library for Python… It also encapsulates my thinking about how can hardware potentially emulate quantum physics. So the project itself is multi-faceted. And as you explain that, could you also define what quantum emulation would be? Oh, sure. Yeah, interesting word choices - emulation versus simulation, right? Yeah, I’m thinking of the Nintendo games I play on my Raspberry Pi. Yeah, okay… [laughs] It’s not that, but related. When I say “emulation”, what I’m referring to is a physical system that more closely behaves like a quantum physical system, rather than a software simulation. So it’s a very nitpicky sort of difference between simulation and emulation, but when I’m talking about an emulator, it would be something implemented in hardware, that’s designed from physics to behave more like quantum physics… Whereas if I was talking about a simulation, I would probably just be talking about something I wrote in Python. Okay, and the pieces of hardware in this emulation - what are those? Are those pieces of classical hardware, that are kind of bolted together, along with certain software elements to do this emulation? What are those pieces? Are those like nodes on the cloud, or what are we talking about there? When I’m talking about a quantum emulator, there’s actually a bunch of research around emulation of quantum computing. There have been papers about doing this with FPGAs, there’s been a paper about how rough and hard it is to do this with analog computing elements, like [unintelligible 00:42:20.08] and such. But yeah, I’m sort of looking at the whole spread of options, taking a look at what can be done with FPGAs, what can be done with analog, how can this be orchestrated efficiently to work with the machine learning tools that exist, which are mostly accessible through the cloud… One of the questions that I wanna answer with the research is what can be done to take this to the next level? We have stuff like what Xanadu is producing, which is awesome, expressive Python; they’re also working on a specific type of back-end hardware, which is continuous variable quantum computing; we have IBM, and we have all these cloud tools as well… Can we bring them together, and what would be missing to make this a viable system? And is there something I can do to add that secret sauce, or whatever is missing? Dr. Ghose, what does success look like, from your perspective? Where should the project be heading and what kinds of things are you hoping to see come out of the project? You mean Marcus’ project, or [unintelligible 00:43:27.07] I’m sorry, I was thinking that both of you were participating in that… I can turn to either one of you, whichever one would like to take a stab at it. Well, what Marcus is working on is part of a broader research program in my team, which is why I want to clarify whether you’re talking about our research in general. So research success is basically exploring something that nobody has ever done before, and figuring out, whether or not you actually build something new that is useful or not, you learn something. That’s the definition of research. So in that sense, this is a great area to be in, because nobody knows anything about anything. [laughs] So that’s really how we approach it. It’s almost like playing - here’s this unexplored territory, kind of like a new planet in Star Trek… [laughter] [00:44:23.27] There you go, you did make it…! [laughs] So we beamed out on this planet and we start exploring. And part of that is to say, well, given our current tools - we have some access to toy quantum computers as of now - and we have this huge, powerful, new toolset offered through AI and machine learning, and we have our current hardware, which are super-computers, and whatever is the latest processor today. Given what we have today, what’s the best we can do, and what can we learn about what can and cannot be done? For example, in Marcus’ project, which if it comes down to it, is going to be limited by the fact that we don’t have a real quantum computer, so we’re gonna try to, as he said, emulate it, using what hardware we can build now, for example… And the reason to do that is not because we expect to somehow replace an actual quantum computer, but it is to explore what is the actual power of a full quantum computer; where is that transition happening, what is that special fuel that we will not be able to emulate? In this sense, success is almost not succeeding at a certain task, right? As in, “Here’s where we would really need a quantum computer.” So that’s what we should focus on. That’s kind of how we approach this project, and research in general. I don’t know if that is very clear, but… You know, research by definition is just a lot of going down blind alleys, and failing a lot, and then finding some unexpected discovery, and then taking it from there. Yeah, I have maybe a practical question from my perspective as being previously in Academia, and also now viewing – like you were saying, Dr. Ghose, the powerful tools that are available right now in TensorFlow and AI… And I’m just thinking back to when I was in grad school, I think a lot of that in some ways would be overwhelming for me to take in, in addition to quantum physics and all of the other things… So I was wondering, Marcus, maybe from your perspective, or Dr. Ghose, from your perspective as a team in a research group in general, how have you found the process of looking at the problem set that’s in front of you, deciding to use AI and TensorFlow and those sorts of things, and figuring out how to apply TensorFlow to your research problem? Do you have any tips for those out there that are maybe doing some sort of research, whether that’s in R&D in industry, or in Academia, or elsewhere, and they see the power of what maybe they could achieve with AI, but it seems overwhelming for them… Do you have any tips as far as them getting into this and starting to apply these sorts of techniques in their research? Absolutely, yeah. I think one of the best things was just getting involved in the open source stuff that’s out there, and the Slacks that are available… There’s a great Slack that’s hosted by Xanadu where people are discussing this stuff. I think it’s awesome that these communities are starting to emerge, because there’s really smart people thinking about really interesting things that you can have discussions with, whether it’s in-person or not. [00:48:05.28] The other thing is just to read a ton. Dr. Ghose will have more to say too, but my strategies have been get involved and ask questions of people who are experts, and read a lot. I read a lot of papers, and that’s sort of what I do when I’m done working for the day. Just to build on that broadly, research seems to be not so well-defined when you start, and I think especially for students, that’s hard to get into… But there’s actually a method to all that we do; as Marcus alluded to it, we have to get up to speed. We have to do the background legwork, and try to understand where the field is currently. Pick a particular topic, and then try to read up on it to whatever level you’re comfortable with. And as you read something and try to learn a field, you will automatically find that there are some pieces you don’t understand; sometimes that’s about you just being confused, so then you have to go and read up a little more on that… But sometimes it’s because that just happens to be an open question in the field. That’s how you can identify new questions that you can go and do research in. That’s a technique that – just like everything else, you have to practice it and get used to it. Then it becomes more natural, to the point where you don’t even know you’re doing it… But every time you look at a new area, you sort of scan the field, you do almost a survey, and then you identify parts that have been unexplored. Then you try to think “Okay, this has not been explored. Let me go and find out who else is working on it; maybe I can work with them.” If nobody else is working on it, then either it’s really hard, or you’ve found something interesting to work and you should go ahead and try to find an approach to attack that problem, if that’s something you’re interested in. That’s broadly the method. [00:49:59.23] Yeah, I appreciate that. Over time, I’ve learned that the people that I feel like are able to adapt very quickly and really advance quickly are those that are willing to just ask a lot of questions and be willing to not be prideful and say “Oh, I feel like I should know this.” But really, if you don’t know, be willing to ask, be willing to research. I’ve learned over time that people’s individual spheres of knowledge are much smaller than I originally envisioned; no one has all of the pieces of information to do a lot of these sorts of problems, so it involves a lot of being willing to discuss and ask questions… So I appreciate that perspective. Maybe to bring us to a little bit of a close here, regarding quantum computing in general - and I know that Marcus you’ve mentioned quite a few things (and open source things) to start with… If people want to start and get exposed to quantum computing – maybe they’re software engineers, but they’re really interested in quantum computing, maybe even contributing to open source projects… Where might be a good place for them to start to learn the basics of quantum computing, and then maybe start building something? Sure. There are a few places to go. There is something called The Quantum Open Source Foundation, and they have a collection of great projects. But in terms of getting involved from the ground up, I think the best place for software developers to start is with IBM, just because their focus is really on introducing quantum computing to the world, especially from a software perspective. They have really great tutorials, they have a fantastic Python library called Qiskit, which enables you to learn through tutorials and through expressive programming how quantum computing might work… And as I mentioned, they have lots of open source stuff, too. So I think that’s a great starting point. Once you’ve sort of mastered what you’re doing there, then you can branch off to more exotic flavors of quantum computing, like continuous variable, which is Xanadu’s – and they have fantastic documentation, by the way. I think the world opens up once you’ve learned it in one place, and IBM is really great at onboarding, I think. Awesome. Well, thank you both for taking time out of your busy schedules and out of your attempts to explore this whole new world of computing… I really appreciate you taking time to chat with us. It’s been a great conversation. We’ll definitely put links in our show notes to all of those things that we’ve talked about, and I’m really excited for our listeners to explore those, and for me to explore them myself as well. Thank you so much for taking the time. Awesome, thank you very much. Our transcripts are open source on GitHub. Improvements are welcome. 💚	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19223
__label__wiki	0.588591	0.588591	Open The Door (Song For Judith) Judith Marjorie “Judy” Collins (born May 1, 1939) is an American singer and songwriter known for her eclectic tastes in the material she records (which has included folk, show tunes, pop, rock and roll and standards) and for her social activism. Collins’ debut album A Maid of Constant Sorrow was released in 1961, but it was her cover of Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides, Now, released on her 1967 album Wildflowers, that gave Collins international prominence. The single hit the Top 10 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart , and won Collins her first Grammy Award for Best Folk Performance. She enjoyed further success with her covers of Someday Soon, Chelsea Morning, Amazing Grace, and Cook With Honey. Collins experienced the biggest success of her career with her cover of Stephen... Read on... More songs by Judy Collins (See Charts): First Boy I Loved, Who Knows Where The Time Goes, Hard Lovin' Loser, Hard Times For Lovers, It's Gonna Be One Of Those Nights, Farewell To Tarwathie, Send In The Clowns, Since You've Asked, Priests, and Someday Soon. Popular in Techno (See Charts): Sandstorm, 3 Tage Wach, Infinity 2008, Simply Being Loved, Kernkraft 400, Heater, Around The World, Weekend, Boten Anna, and Highway To Love (Love Parade 2008).	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19225
__label__cc	0.595373	0.404627	Musings of an Intellectually Shell-Shocked Kansan willpowerful@hotmail.com. Catalyst for my Contemplation Life in Kansas can be as surreal as the landscape of a Salvador Dali painting. Critical thinking is a scarce commodity. "Scopes II" provided me with ample evidence that Kansans are proudly waving the banner of anti-intellectualism. Last week, the 6-4 conservative Christian majority on the Kansas State School Board contrived a 21st Century reenactment of the Monkey Trial of 1925 to "prove" that Evolution is a flawed theory. How did my home state time warp past the Age of Reason? Farcical would be a generous description "Scopes II". Three moderate school board members and the entire mainstream scientific community boycotted the charade. John Calvert, a conservative Christian who leads the Intelligent Design Network of Kansas, stood in for William Jennings Bryan. Calvert questioned "expert witnesses" in a quest to disprove Evolution. Many of the witnesses, whose purpose was to validate the board's desire to introduce Intelligent Design into the school curriculum, were from the Discovery Institute (http://www.discovery.org/). Founded and funded by Christian fundamentalists, the Discovery Institute is a think-tank created to advance the concept of Intelligent Design. Intelligent Design essentially says that in merely observing the complexity of the world, one cannot help but conclude that there was an intelligent designer. Evidence, research, and peer review are irrelevant to the purveyors of the ID "theory", a thinly veiled form of Creationism. For more on the hypocrisy of Discovery and their ID "theory", see (http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/2437/wedge.html). Pedro Irigonegaray, Clarence Darrow's counterpart in "Scopes II", is a Topeka defense attorney who generously donated his time to the support of the Theory of Evolution. He questioned the "experts" with a tenacity that revealed their true agenda. He also exposed the fact that most of them had not even read the science standards proposed to the board. He so effectively embarrassed the opposition that his antagonist, John Calvert, refused to shake hands at the end of the proceedings. Later this summer, the board will vote on potential changes to the science standards in Kansas Public Schools. Holding the majority, it is a foregone conclusion that the conservative Christians will decide to accept the recommendations of John Calvert and his group. Employing their infinite Biblical wisdom, the board will introduce Intelligent Design into the classroom, de-emphasize Evolution (which has withstood rigorous scientific scrutiny since 1859), and introduce its own definition of science. As a parent with a child in a Kansas public school, I simultaneously experienced perplexity, bewilderment, and frustration as this insane scenario came to a close. Only a Symptom As I pondered, it dawned on me that "Scopes II" is merely a symptom of a much deeper disease gripping our nation. As Thomas Frank concluded in What's the Matter with Kansas?, American voters have been brain-washed into voting against their own economic interests in an obsessive drive to legislate "Christian values" into our nation. "Scopes II" validates his point. Contemplating the conclusions of Mr. Frank, integrating the observations of others, and infusing my own analysis, I surmised that the root of America's decay is the insatiable lust for power and money by the ruling class. Our republic is crumbling while our standing in the world community has disintegrated to the point that America is the object of global fear and hatred. During the Gilded Age, America experienced a similar period of laissez-faire capitalism, inequitable distribution of wealth, and imperialistic endeavors. However, the government of that era lacked the propaganda machine to sustain the over-indulgence of the elite. Today's government media empire has the capacity to lull our citizenry into surrendering their individual freedoms in exchange for the comfort of the protective bosom of Big Brother. Will the real George Bush please stand up? Who is George Bush? Does the "aw shucks, just listen to how I say the word nucular", folksy persona he projects square with the real man? Is our beloved "W" truly a man of the people, as he would like Americans to believe? Old Hickory is probably turning in his grave. Strolling through life with at least $9 million in inherited wealth, our president could not begin to fathom the plight of the working or middle class, let alone the poor. He has failed or underperformed at virtually every endeavor of his life, but that is not a problem. Wealthy friends and family have been there to bail him out nearly every step of the way. His alleged empathy for the plight of the common man is a fraud. With his MBA from Harvard, I am betting that "W" is not nearly as ignorant as he portrays himself to be. He is strong and resolute in his beliefs, but given his power, money, and support network, how difficult is it to be "strong and resolute”? While it was his strength and resolution that captured the hearts and minds of many American voters after 9/11 rattled their psyches, what they failed to realize was that Bush would use those very qualities to advance a cause that under-mined many aspects of their well-being. Middle and working class Americans who support George Bush need to awaken from their intellectual slumber. Jozef Hand-Boniakowski has much more to say about this at (http://www.metaphoria.org/ac4t0505.html). George Bush exists to advance the interests of the rich and the elite. Early in his reign, the events of 9/11 shattered the security of many Americans. Seizing upon this opportunity, which they may have actually master-minded and perpetrated (http://www.newtopiamagazine.net/articles/47), Bush and his henchmen employed this powerful tool to manipulate many Americans. Preying upon America's deep sense of fear, Karl Rove, the Minister of Truth and a man who could take Joseph Goebbels to school, forged the image of George Bush as God's chosen savior to America and to the "free world". He nurtured the notion that America was under constant threat of attack by a murky enemy called Terrorism. Such an abstract enemy enabled Bush and Rove to keep the American people in a perpetual state of war and insecurity. The new paradigm of the "good" US against the "evil" Terrorists, laid the foundation for Bush's long coveted invasion of Iraq. As the administration rushed the Patriot Act through Congress, few Congressmen had time to even read the legislation before rubber-stamping it for fear of being branded "unpatriotic" by John Ashcroft, America's newly anointed Minister of Love. Bush’s reign Over three years have passed since 9/11, yet many Americans still dangle from the marionette strings of The Ministry of Truth. Rove's propagandists and the mainstream media have enabled "W" to propel the United States into an illegal, imperialistic invasion of Iraq to perpetuate corporate and big oil interests. Tax cuts for the wealthy have shifted the tax burden to the middle and working class, whose numbers are dwindling thanks to corporate overseas job outsourcing. Under a crushing national debt of $7.5 trillion, America is now the reigning king of Debtor Nations, a title once arrogantly bestowed upon developing nations. How can we saddle our children and grandchildren with that burden? At the rate America is going, future generations will become the indentured servants of China and Japan. Social welfare benefits for the poor are substantially diminishing. Government-endorsed discrimination against gays is increasing. The line between church and state delineated by our Constitution is disappearing. Chasm is the new word to describe the gap between the rich and the poor. Inconceivably, many Americans still adore "W", somehow managing to disregard a mountain of evidence of his incompetence, disregard for the working class, and deceit. If one whispers a sweet little lie to oneself long enough, one starts to believe it. Repeat after me: George Bush is a good president and represents my best interests ....George Bush is a good president and represents my best interest....George Bush is a good president and represents my best interest.... Is it working? Have you slapped a “W” sticker on the back of your forty foot SUV yet? You are in BUSH country now, partner. Tell the terrorists to “bring it on”! Social Security, the Judicial Branch of the government, and the filibuster in the Senate are now targets of the Bush machine. America is on the precipice of unbridled tyranny. As many Americans passively watch, while others actively participate, what is left of our republic is completing its ugly metamorphosis into oligarchy, possibly under the guise of a theocracy since Bush has leveraged so much support from the Religious Right. Rich Man, Poor Man While the poor, middle and working class, continue swallowing the fiction of the "American Dream", the rich and elite, whom I will call the Oligarchs, own and manipulate the media machine, which continues to propagate the Horatio Alger myth. What the Ministry of Truth does not tell us is that for every Bill Gates "rags to riches" story, there are millions of Americans who put their hearts and souls into success and stay mired in the quicksand of perpetual poverty. True social mobility is rare in America, and the Oligarchs under Bush aim to make it rarer still. They understand the truth of the maxim that "he who has the gold makes the rules". Oligarchs have most of the gold, and they are strengthening their capacities to make the rules. Media perpetuation of hubris, xenophobia, and homophobia enable the Oligarchs to convince Americans that despite genocidal acts against Native Americans, enslavement of the black race, the internment of American citizens of Japanese descent during World War II, imperialistic policies in the Middle East since the end of World War II, and ongoing discrimination against women and minorities, that we are morally superior to the rest of the world. Despite creating 25% of the carbon dioxide responsible for the Greenhouse Effect, denying its existence, and withdrawing from the Kyoto Treaty; defying the UN and preparing to send an antagonistic war-monger as our new ambassador; and hoarding 35% of the world's wealth when we represent 4% of the world's population, the Oligarchs somehow convince Americans that we were innocent victims in 9/11. America has infuriated much of the world population for years, and someone finally struck back. Rather than taking the rational steps of changing our narcissistic and imperialistic behavior, and taking reasonable steps to defend ourselves, the Oligarchs continue with imperialistic actions that fan the flames of hostility. Perpetuating this cycle of violence creates America's dependence on the Oligarchs’ cash cows: the military industrial complex and big oil. They want the whole world in their hands..... Bush and the Oligarchs will not be satisfied with absolute power in America. Their ambitions extend far beyond our borders. One need look no further than the Project for the New American Century (http://www.newamericancentury.org/), and its statement of principles (http://www.newamericancentury.org/statementofprinciples.htm) to see that world domination by the American military industrial complex is their ultimate goal. Several of the signers of the statement of principles are now serving in high level positions in the Bush administration, including Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, and Paul Wolfowitz. Americans who support Bush have passively handed the keys of the kingdom to a pack of ravenous Oligarchs bent on world domination. Much to the delight of Bush and company, fear and the media/propaganda machine are not the only factors keeping the working classes from breaking free of their economic and psychological shackles. Ongoing "cultural wars" over issues like abortion distract ordinary Americans from important economic and foreign policy decisions, leaving the Oligarchs to their own devices. Convinced that their choices lie within dichotomous, false constructs, many Americans choose one of the false dichotomies and expend their energy fighting one another rather than aspiring to individual freedom, working to develop their potential as human beings, and allowing others to do the same. Trap of the false dichotomy In Bush's America, if you are not for the "war on terrorism", you are not a patriot. In this 1984-like atmosphere, it is no coincidence that a law that gives the federal government unchecked power to violate our civil liberties is called the Patriot Act. In Bush's vision of the "New American Century", whether you are American or not, you are either for or against the United States. There is no room for constructive dissent or challenge to the almighty "W". Bush’s loyal subjects see the world in black and white, and support the illegal war in Iraq because they are terrified of being unpatriotic. Unwittingly, they pledge their allegiance to an ideology that enables the rich to maintain dominion over the poor and middle classes. Perverse use of the concept of "patriotism" ensures a steady supply of tax dollars and warm bodies to feed the war machine. With numerous states having passed constitutional amendments banning gay marriage, and Bush pushing for an amendment to the US Constitution, gay rights in America are under siege. Under the Oligarchs, you are either "straight" or "gay", and if you are "gay" you are not entitled to Constitutionally-guaranteed civil liberties. Hitler had the Jewish people and Pol Pot had intellectuals. In homosexuals, the Oligarchs have found the scapegoat on which a successful tyranny depends. Offering their minions a group to blame for the moral decay of society provides a powerful cause around which the Oligarchs can mobilize their faithful to rally. For a serious laugh, consider the notion that Americans have a real choice when they go to the polls to elect a president. Dominated by two monolithic parties, both of which are beholden to corporations and wealthy campaign contributors, the political arena allows scant room for meaningful participation by the poor or working class. Despite the superficial differences between the Republican and Democratic parties on some issues, the two parties share the common goal of perpetuating the Oligarchy. While the poor and working class have historically fared better under Democratic rule, there is little evidence that there is an appreciable difference between the two parties. In the end, the Oligarchy still rules, whether they don the guise of an elephant or of a jackass. Are you a liberal or a conservative? Political pundits, pollsters, and the Oligarchs thrive on people defining themselves as one or the other. Their objective is to pigeonhole people into narrowly defined groups. Having accomplished this, their powerful media machine sows seeds of discord that draw that people into a perpetual ideological battle between fictitious groups. The reality is that no human being fits neatly into either category. People fall on a spectrum somewhere between liberal and conservative. Their views on some issues may tend toward liberal, and move towards conservative on others. Yet the Oligarchs successfully manipulate many Americans to a choose side, and battle it out with the other side, regardless of what their individual views might be if they stepped out of their liberal or conservative “box.” Perpetual bickering amongst the working class gives the Oligarch plenty of cover for their malfeasance.. Secularism versus the Religious Right is King George's favorite aspect of the cultural war. Representing "W" as an Evangelical Christian, the Oligarchs mobilized a coalition of conservative Christians known as the Religious Right, whose leaders are as power hungry as the Oligarchs, and whose followers, fueled by feelings of victimization for their beliefs, vindictively pursue their agenda. Riding the Right to re-election, in spite of the obvious incompetence and criminal nature of his first term, Bush was rewarded with another four years to commit crimes against humanity, and to boost the fortunes of the Oligarchs still further. Employing a classic "divide and conquer" strategy, the Oligarchs promote ideological clashes like “Scopes II”. While their subjects squabble over the validity of Evolution and argue about the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, the Oligarchy counts the stacks of cash in its counting room. Freedom and a modicum of justice are within our grasp I am not despairing. In fact, I am very hopeful for the future. History reveals that the working class is not helpless before the might of the elite. We are not destined to victimization at the hands of the Oligarchy. Mother Jones, Eugene Debs, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the millions who rallied behind them forced the Oligarchy of their time to give the people a degree of human rights, freedoms, and economic justice. Awareness is the first step in the journey toward reform. The human spirit is not easily crushed or caged for prolonged periods, and we have the means at our disposal to challenge those in power. To begin this renaissance of humanity and reverse the ugly dehumanization of the ruling elite, more Americans need to abandon the Oligarchy-controlled mainstream media and fortify their minds with information from Internet sources, many of which remain uncorrupted by the money of the elite. Activist writing, letters to the editor, and correspondence to elected officials are powerful means to inform and persuade others, and to hold public officials accountable. To counter their “divide and conquer” strategy, we need to join groups and organizations like the ACLU, the People for the American Way, the Human Rights Campaign, and the NAACP. These groups champion human rights and challenge the tyranny perpetrated by the Oligarchy. The working class needs to wage a powerful campaign to re-unionize America, where union membership has dwindled to a pitiful 9% of the workforce. Impossible as it may sound, groups as deeply divided as secularists and members of the Religious Right need to find enough common ground to unite in opposition to the Oligarchs. Protests, boycotts, marches, and civil disobedience have been effective means of diminishing the power of the Oligarchy in the past, and can be again. Corruption, greed, and malfeasance are rampant in the American government, and we need to use virtually all peaceable means at our disposal to curtail the power of the Oligarchy. Richard Nixon, one of the most corrupt Oligarchs in the history of the United States, lost his tenacious grip on power through impeachment. American citizens deserve better than they are getting, and the members of Congress who have not sold out to the Oligarchy need to seriously consider impeachment proceedings against George Bush. How long do we abide an incompetent, avaricious war criminal? The buck stopped on Harry Truman’s desk, but not on Bush’s. The money spigot for his military industrial complex is wide open as the flow of tax dollars to the poor is reduced to a trickle. It is unconscionable that a man with his arrogance, disregard for human rights, inability to tell the truth, and lack of capacity to negotiate or tolerate dissent remains in office. How long will it be before enough Americans wake up and we impeach George W. Bush? Just for the record: According to Finley Peter Dunne, the purpose of journalism is “to comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.” As usual, I hope this piece leaves the afflicted comforted and the comfortable afflicted. Posted by Unknown at Tuesday, May 17, 2005 31 comments: IRAQ: REAL NEWS FROM THE BATTLEFIELD I long ago stopped believing anything our government told us about Iraq. Now, like millions of other Americans, I have stopped believing what our mainstream media tells us about Iraq. What has become a substitute for a credible and holistic picture of what is really happening in this tortured country is a pair of bookends: at one end, endless images of car bombs exploding, with commentary from journalists who are mostly unable to leave their Baghdad hotels; at the other end, the feelgood press releases from the White House and the Pentagon. So now I get my news from a few knowledgeable Iraqi and other bloggers and from the emails I receive from trusted friends who work there. Below is the email I received this week (names and locations have been deleted to protect their safety): This new government has proven nothing thus far except its own incompetence. From my exile in (Iraqi city deleted), a distant but well-connected vantage point, two things about this government are noteworthy. First it is unable to control security. The bickering and backstabbing that went into cabinet selection gave new life to the insurgency, demoralizing the population at large and the security forces in particular. Al-Jaafari, the Prime Minister and the head of the more moderate portion of the Sistani group, promoted for Defense Minister Sunni politicians and former military people who had legitimacy amongst large sections of the Sunni Arab population. All his nominations were vetoed by the more hard-line Shiites of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq. The real power in Iraq right now lies with Abdel Aziz Al-Hakim, the turbaned head of SCIRI and Sistani. Some Iraqis disagree with me. They would say that SCIRI's power derives from Iran, and it is that country that is really controlling (or not controlling) the country. But the important final question is, if the security forces fight, who are they fighting for? A united Iraq, or a derivative of Iran? This is an important point, and it could be one reason that Iraqi forces' performance has deteriorated in recent weeks. Second, if you cannot keep the country safe, you may as well have a witch-hunt. With Ahmed Chalabi in the lead, that oh so honest and pure politician from Nasariya, the new government has decided to prevent all former ministers from traveling pending investigations into corruption. All of us know who was corrupt in Allawi's government -Transport, Defense, Electricity, Interior and others. But this new government is determined to intimidate and harass all who were associated with Allawi. For example, on Wednesday, eight armored vehicles filled with armed police officers drove up to the home of a former minister (name withheld), with the intent of making an arrest. The former minister told them emphatically, "get out, you will have to kill me to take me from my home". They backed down, the former minister made some phone calls and the episode ended. The allegation was that the former minister did not properly nominate ministry staff for international delegations. The allegation could very well be true, but what is all the fuss? I have met the former minister several times and doubt that this person would be capable of deliberate malicious intent, but as a bureaucrat with little experience, I do not doubt that things could have gone awry. The Baathist purge office has been reactivated, again under the guidance of Chalabi, and this cannot accomplish anything except make the insurgency worse. The average Iraqi does not care about mid-level Baathists, they care about peace, and if peace is contingent upon keeping or hiring a few Baathists with ties to Saddam, that is an acceptable contingency. The two elements to the witch-hunt, the first against Allawi and the second against Baathists, make for palatable unease on the street (we have to remember that in general people liked Allawi, but they could not vote for him over Sistani). Combine the witch-hunt with suicide bombers and the optimism of the last months is gone. I am now at my most pessimistic. Never did I think it would get this bad. Below is yet another desperate email message (in broken English) from one of the NGOs we work with. (Name withheld) was suppose to meet with us yesterday, but there was a bomb in his neighborhood, yet again at a recruitment center, the day before. hi (recipient withheld). I want to inform you that an distortion and pumb explosion happent in Hawija today cause to kill many young men from my region and my village and some of them were from my cosion that was made by terrors and I was closer from the event. I want to say you that I am so sad for 100 young men from hawija city whom came to produce themself to thier country by our device. Finally, all (Arabain, Kurdish, Turkmen amd other) cry for this work and declare our sadness in this dark day. our greeting for (name withheld) and other staff in your org. accept my regards Boss of (organization deleted) I receive these types of messages every two or three days. By now one would think that I could read them with dispassion, that I would not react with tears in my eyes. I cannot. You can read about this bomb in Hawija on CNN, but read these few humble sentences, understand it, and weep. And yet, we keep going. This week I had my teams from (locations deleted) come for a work planning session. Their commitment to improving the lives of Iraqis is beyond my expectations. We will involve 500 farmers in maize wok this summer and several hundred in Najaf and Diwaniyah in rice. And that is just the start. We have plans for livestock, tomato, cucumber, apples, dates, extension, integrated pest management, and tractor repair (I hope to sign a $9 million contract with the local distributor of (manufacturer’s name deleted) this week). My guys are thrilled that we have plenty of resources for them to use to do just about anything that helps agriculture. Their smiles and optimism in the face of undeniable risks is almost incomprehensible to me, and it helps to restore somewhat my faith in the future of Iraq. If we could get the politicians to be as committed to development and progress as my guys the country would be in much better shape. But alas, we have Chalabi, the crook, and Al-Jaafari, the weak, a recipe for nothing good. It would be a good idea to remember this message next time Mssrs. Bush and Rumsfeld tell us how we’re winning this war. Posted by Unknown at Tuesday, May 17, 2005 No comments:	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19226
__label__wiki	0.879409	0.879409	WHISTLEBLOWERS CHARGE RETALIATION, SEEK ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS Career Federal employees who report waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government agencies are routinely subjected to career-ending retaliation, humiliation, and legal costs – despite laws that are supposed to protect them, and repeated assurances from the White House, many government agencies, and congress that they maintain a policy of zero tolerance for retaliation. These are some of the conclusions of public interest organizations that monitor the Federal bureaucracy. They say the incidence of retaliation has increased exponentially during the administration of President George W. Bush, and are calling on Congress to strengthen legal protections for whistleblowers. As more than 40 public interest groups marked “Washington Whistleblowers Week” -- a week-long gathering of whistleblowers from throughout the country in Washington, D.C., to share their stories with Congress and the public – Joan Claybrook, president of advocacy group Public Citizen, said, “Whistleblowers are crucial to the health of democracy and need stronger protections from Congress against retaliation.” Some of the victims of retaliation for whistleblowing are well known. Perhaps the most highly publicized is Sibel Edmonds. Ms. Edmonds began working for the FBI shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, translating top-secret documents pertaining to suspected terrorists. She was fired in the spring of 2002 after reporting concerns about sabotage, intimidation, corruption and incompetence to superiors. The Department of Justice Inspector General agreed with Edmunds’ charges. But in October 2002, at the request of FBI Director Robert Mueller, then Attorney General John Ashcroft imposed a gag order on Edmonds, citing possible damage to diplomatic relations or national security. Edmonds sued the FBI, but the government invoked the so-called “state secrets privilege” – a previously rarely used legal maneuver that has been used numerous times during the Bush Administration. Edmunds appealed her case all the way to the Supreme Court. But the high court agreed with lower courts that trying her case would compromise “state secrets”. Edmunds organized an advocacy group, The National Security Whistleblowers Coalition, to lobby for greater protections for employees in agencies dealing with national security (www.nswbc.org/). Other whistleblowers who have paid a high price for coming forward are less well known. Bunnatine H. "Bunny" Greenhouse, the senior contracting officer for the Army Corps of Engineers, who objected - first, internally, then publicly - to a multi-billion dollar, no-bid contract with the Halliburton Company for work in Iraq. She was removed from the senior executive service, the top rank of civilian government employees, because of “poor performance reviews.” But Green says the performance review "was conducted by the very subjects" of her allegations. Greenhouse went public with her concerns over the volume of Iraq-related work given to Halliburton by the Army Corps of Engineers without competition. Previously, her complaints within the agency having been ignored, she started giving interviews to national publications, and testified before a Democrat-sponsored Capitol Hill event on contracting in Iraq. Army Specialist Samuel Provance said he was demoted and humiliated after telling a general investigating the Abu Ghraib scandal that senior officers had covered up detainee abuses at Abu Ghraib. He said he tried to tell the general “things he didn’t want to hear”, adding, "Young soldiers were scapegoated while superiors misrepresented what had happened and tried to misdirect attention away from what was really going on". Provance lost his security clearance, was placed under a “gag order”, and is now stationed in Germany, where his responsibilities consist of "picking up trash and guard duty.” Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer was among the first to disclose the Pentagon's “Able Danger” data-mining program. He said he believes that the program identified Mohammed Atta before he became the lead hijacker in the 2001 terrorist attacks, though a Pentagon review found no evidence to support that conclusion. Shaffer’s security clearance was revoked. Russell Tice, a former intelligence officer at the National Security Agency (NSA), charged that there were "illegalities and unconstitutional activity" in the agency’s so-called ‘special-access programs’ but was advised that he could not discuss them even with members of the Senate and House Intelligence Committees in closed session. He told the Committee the Defense Department’s harassment of him included spreading rumors that he suffers from bipolar disease. Mike German resigned as an FBI agent after reporting that other agents and managers mishandled a major counterterrorism case in 2002 and falsified records. The Justice Department inspector general confirmed German's allegations, and that he was retaliated against – his security clearance was revoked. Richard Levernier's job as a senior Department of Energy nuclear security specialist was to test how well prepared America's nuclear weapons sites were to defend against a terrorist attack. He testified that the tests he supervised showed a 50 percent failure rate. When he reported this to his superiors, he was demoted and his security clearance revoked. He says he was forced into early retirement. During the Bush Administration, the suppression or manipulation of science for political or ideological reasons has become a frequent whistleblower complaint. For example, earlier this month the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) (www.ucsusa.org/) told Congress that politics was trumping science at the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), part of the Interior Department (DI). Their allegation came on the heels of a scathing report from the DI’s Interior Inspector General that chastised former Deputy Assistant Secretary Julie MacDonald for distorting FWS scientific documents to prevent the protection of several highly imperiled species. MacDonald resigned her post last week. Francesca Grifo, director of the UCS Scientific Integrity Program, is quick to point out that MacDonald's case is just one of many. The misuse of science at Interior has been reported on issues as diverse as mountaintop removal, cattle grazing, and the protection of trumpeter swans. She called on Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to “send a clear message to all Interior political appointees that substituting opinions for fact is unacceptable." Grifo testified that political interference in science “has become epidemic—not only at FWS, but at agencies throughout the federal government.” While there have been a number of whistleblower complaints from career government scientists, many have been intimidated into silence, and others have quietly left the public sector. Agencies that deal with the climate change issue have been under extraordinary scrutiny by public interest groups who charge that the findings of government scientists have been routinely suppressed or distorted by Bush Administration political appointees. The Government Accountability Project (GAP), (www.whistleblower.org/) a public interest group, recently issued a report – “Redacting the Science of Climate Change” -- on the findings of a year-long investigation into political interference at federal climate science agencies. GAP says the report “demonstrates how policies and practices have increasingly restricted the flow of scientific information emerging from publicly-funded climate change research. This has negatively affected the media’s ability to report objectively on scientific issues, public officials’ capacity to respond with appropriate policies, and full public understanding of environmental concerns." Science relating to public health issues has also been under severe scrutiny. Emblematic of this problem was the resignation of Dr. Susan Wood, who quit her post as assistant commissioner of women's health at the Food and Drug Administration in protest against the FDA’s long delay in approving the so-called Plan B emergency contraception medication for over-the-counter sale despite the recommendations of agency scientists and outside review panels. Dr. Wood chose to resign after repeated unsuccessful attempts to make her objections heard within the FDA. Dr. Wood charges that federal health agencies “seem increasingly unable to operate independently and that this lack of independence compromises their mission of promoting public health and welfare.” She added, “Whether it is the environment, energy policy, science education or public health, the American public expects our government to make the best decisions based on the best available evidence.” “Having spent 15 years working for the federal government, nearly five of which were at the FDA, I care deeply about what's happening in the federal agencies, particularly our health agencies. Nearly 25 cents of every consumer dollar is spent on products regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. We count on the FDA for the safety and effectiveness of our medicines, vaccines and medical devices, and for the safety of the blood and food supply. The American public does not want to -- nor should it -- have to think twice about the quality and reliability of information it is getting from the FDA. Its reputation as the international gold standard for regulatory agencies, and as a body that sets the bar very high when it comes to scientific evidence and integrity, is being put at risk over adult access to contraception. Why would the administration risk such a reputation over this?” Many federal employees say they have often found the protections theoretically afforded to them within the Executive Branch of government to be inadequate. These protections are intended to include statements to their immediate supervisors, the Inspectors General that reside within virtually all government departments, and the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), an independent agency dedicated to ensuring that whistleblowers do not suffer retaliation. But the OSC, led by Bush political appointee Scott Bloch, has itself come under heavy fire from public interest groups, not only for failing to protect whistleblowers from a variety of Federal agencies, but practicing retaliation against its own employees. Since 2005, Bloch has been under investigation by the Inspector General of the White House Office of Personnel Management (OPM), at the behest of the President’s Office of Management and Budget. OPM’s investigation centers on charges that Bloch retaliated against whistleblowers who complained they were being transferred out of Washington for political reasons because they disagreed with Bloch’s policies. That investigation is reportedly reaching its final stages. The Administration’s investigation of Bloch comes as a result of a complaint filed by his own staff members and whistleblower groups alleging a host of misconduct charges against Bloch. Bloch insists that the ‘forced removals’ were part of a reorganization that sent 12 career OSC employees to new assignments in other cities “to improve performance, not punish any employees.” The OPM Inspector General’s investigation is the third probe into Bloch’s operation after less than two years in office. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) and a US Senate subcommittee both have ongoing investigations into mass dismissal of hundreds of whistleblower cases, crony hires, and Bloch’s targeting of gay employees for removal while refusing to investigate cases involving discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The allegation was made by in 2005 by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), (www.peer.org/), which said figures released by Bloch reveal that in the previous year OSC dismissed or otherwise disposed of 600 whistleblower disclosures where civil servants have reported waste, fraud, threats to public safety and violations of law, and “made 470 claims of retaliation disappear”. PEER’S Jeff Ruch says, “The 600 disclosure cases that Bloch has admitted were dismissed are all instances where civil servants came forward to report waste, fraud and abuse, yet OSC decided that there was no need to investigate.” He added, “Dismissing all 600 cases and deciding that not one deserved investigation (because, in the words of the OSC spokesperson they were all ("minor matters or issues previously investigated") stretches credulity.” “Bloch has yet to announce a single case where he has ordered an investigation into the employee’s charges”, PEER charges. The organization says, “in not one of these cases did Bloch’s office affirmatively represent a whistleblower to obtain relief before the civil service court system”, called the Merit Systems Protection Board. PEER says, “In order to speed dismissals, Bloch instituted a rule forbidding his staff from contacting a whistleblower if their disclosure was deemed incomplete or ambiguous. Instead, OSC would simply dismiss the matter. As a result, hundreds of whistleblowers never had a chance to justify why their cases had merit.” Whistleblowers are supposed to be protected by the 1989 Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA). But a series of court rulings since 1994 has weakened the safeguards Congress intended in making it extremely difficult for whistleblowers to protect themselves when they speak out to protect the public. Public Citizen’s Claybrook is calling for support of bills currently in Congress that would remedy the situation by strengthening whistleblower protections. On March 14, the US House of Representatives passed, 331 to 94, essential reforms to the WPA, H.R. 985, the "Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act." The bill extends protections to federal employees who work in national security, including those at the FBI and intelligence agencies, as well as to federally-funded contractors. It also protects all federal employees who disclose wrongdoing in the performance of official duties. The bill provides federal employees and contractors with a right to jury trials in federal court to challenge reprisals. A similar bill is under consideration in the Senate, S. 274, the "Federal Employee Protection of Disclosures Act." If the House bill were to become law, it would negate a 2006 US Supreme Court ruling that limited the rights of employee-whistleblowers. In 2006, Public Citizen argued Garcetti v. Ceballos in the Supreme Court on behalf of a Los Angeles County prosecutor, Richard Ceballos, who was retaliated against after telling his supervisors of his belief that police falsified an affidavit to obtain a search warrant. The Court ruled that the disclosure was made in the course of his official job duties, holding that he was entitled to no protection, not even his First Amendment right to freedom of speech. "Conscientious civil servants deserve strong statutory protections - not bureaucratic intimidation," said Claybrook. "Federal employees should not have to sacrifice their careers and livelihoods to do the right thing by disclosing information to protect public health, reduce fiscal abuse or secure the nation." Whistleblowers have a number of champions in Congress. In the Senate, the most outspoken is Republican Chuck Grassley of Iowa, now ranking member of the Finance Committee. Grassley has advocated on behalf of individual whistleblowers for more than 20 years and co-authored laws to empower and protect whistleblowers, including the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989, the 1986 whistleblower amendments to the False Claims Act, and the 2002 whistleblower amendment to the Sarbanes-Oxley corporate reform legislation. Along with Republican Senator Norm Coleman of Minnesota, he has also called for the extension of whistleblower protections to staff at the World Bank, after receiving accounts of retaliation against whistleblowers. In the House, arguably the most vocal champion of whistleblowers is Rep. Henry Waxman, Democrat of California, who is the author of the recently-passed Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act. Says Waxman, “A key component of accountability is whistleblower protection. Federal employees are on the inside. They see when taxpayer dollars are wasted. They are often the first to see the signals of corrupt or incompetent management. Yet without adequate protections, they cannot step forward to blow the whistle.” Waxman adds, “There are many federal government workers who deserve whistleblower protection, but perhaps none more than national security officials. These are federal government employees who have undergone extensive background investigations, obtained security clearances, and handled classified information on a routine basis. Our own government has concluded that they can be trusted to work on the most sensitive law enforcement and intelligence projects. Yet these officials receive no protection when come forward to identify abuses that are undermining our national security.” Posted by Unknown at Tuesday, May 15, 2007 2 comments: WHISTLEBLOWERS CHARGE RETALIATION, SEEK ADDITIONAL...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19227
__label__cc	0.609342	0.390658	A Muslim Spiritual Perspective on Palestine/Israel (with a dash of Obama) The article below is by Omid Safi, a friend and professor of Islamic studies at the University of North Carolina. Omid is one of the leading Muslim public intellectuals in the country, and is committed to social justice, compassion,and pluralism. This article, written for Tikkun magazine, presents an unconventional view of the future of Israel and of the Palestinian people. By Omid Safi I begin my reflections on the 60th anniversary of the establishing of the modern nation-state of Israel, alongside with the events commemorated by Palestinians as the Nakba (The Catastrophe), with a reminder of an event that at first sight might seem to be unrelated: the March 2008 speech by Barack Obama on the need to address racial issues in the United States in order to form a More Perfect Union. In this speech, Barack Obama a Christian spiritual progressive who would surely find a home among many committed to the Tikkun ideals, spoke about how there is no way for us to immediately and magically get beyond our racial divisions. There is, however, a way for us to begin addressing issues of racial justice by confronting systematic injustices inflicted upon black communities as well as the real economic anxieties of white communities. Obama stressed that we can “address our past without becoming victims of our past.” It is in this spirit that I wish to address the Palestinian Israel situation/tragedy. Jews have historically been persecuted and marginalized as few other communities in the history of the West have been. The rise of Zionism in many ways was a response to this persecution. While Zionism did begin with European Jews, it is in many ways part and parcel of the same milieu that saw the rise of other nationalist movements. For many Jews, the desire to return to what they have seen as their ancestral homeland is also real, and was a joyous cause for celebration after centuries of exile. Furthermore, there is little doubt that the establishing of the state of Israel has had a positive impact on the survival of Judaism—and Jews—in the Western world that for far too long had attempted to eradicate them. Furthermore, the concerns of the Israeli civilian community for genuine and meaningful security are real, and must also be addressed. And yet part of our attempts to see with two eyes, hear with two ears, and yet feel with one heart is to recognize and remember that the same establishing of Israel is remembered differently, radically differently, by Palestinians. Going back to the 1917 Balfour Declaration, there has been a history of colonial support for the creation of Israel that remains for many Arabs and Muslims a painful reminder of centuries of oppressive foreign occupation and domination. The establishing of Israel in 1948 involved the forceful and violent ethnic cleansing of some 750,000 Palestinians from their ancestral homelands.[1] The homes and lands of these indigenous Arab inhabitants of Palestine were confiscated and handed over to Jewish immigrants. In a matter of two generations, Palestinians who had made up 90% of the inhabitants of Palestine were forced to become a persecuted minority in their own homeland, or perpetually homeless exiles, much as Jews themselves had been for centuries before. The other major act of injustice on behalf of Israel has been the forty-year occupation of West Bank and Gaza, combined with draconian measures that inflict collective punishments upon Palestinians, in both the Occupied Territories and inside Israel itself. These systematic injustices too are real, and the sub-human condition that many Palestinians live in must be addressed if words like justice are to rise above being hollow mockeries of their lofty reality. All of the above is too well-known to need documentation at this point. And yet our point is quite simple: if we are to have a common future for all of us in this sacred land, there must be a just and compassionate way to atone for these atrocious realities of the past and the present. I write these words not as a nationalist, but as a person of faith who remains convinced that the Divine qualities of al-Rahman and al-Rahim, the Compassionate and the Forgiving Merciful, are the two greatest Divine qualities that human beings can and should embody. I write as one of many who are certain that forgiveness and reconciliation are indeed possible, as they were in South Africa, so long as the reconciliation is an exercise in Truth and Reconciliation.[2] The truth must be told, as bitter as it might be to some of us, and as unpleasant to hear about it as it is associated with the very events that bring joy to others. I also write these words as a religious humanist, and a historian, whose issue is not with the existence of Jews, or Muslims, or Christians in this holy land, but with the notion that the state somehow belongs to one ethnic or religious group. It is that arrogance of nationalism that I reject in favor of a pluralistic and historically more accurate vision. I remember that a thousand years ago, over 85% of all Jews lived among Muslims of Arab and Persian backgrounds. I remember that Jews achieved their “Golden Age” in Andalucia, ruled by Muslims. I remember that it was the Muslims who received the majority of the Jewish exiles from Andalucia. I remember that it was the Muslim Ottomans who provided by the welfare and security of the Jewish community, to the point of voluntarily settling Jewish families in the region, including in Jerusalem. We have lived together in the past, and can live together again. The problem, therefore, is not that of presence of Jews in the Holy Land, the issue is an unjust interpretation of Zionism that has sought and seeks to rid the land of Palestine and Israel of its Arab inhabitants, and render them second-class citizens in their own ancestral homeland. Only after addressing these issues can there be hope to realize the creation of a community where Jews, Christians, and Muslims can live side by side with one another in full dignity and equality. Speaking on behalf of all those resonate with the dream of such a new Israel, such a new Palestine, that I say the following: We too dare to dream, we dream of a place, of land, a land of place, where Muslim, Christian, and Jew live side by side, where Jerusalem becomes once again the Holy city, the Sacred City, simultaneously al-Quds and Zion.[3] We too have the audacity to hope and dream that God’s love encompass all of God’s children, Jewish and Muslim, Christian, and others. In that dream, we reject the notion, any notion, that this land belong exclusively to one people, or that others are at best tolerated guests. Rights, if they are meaningful, belong to all, otherwise they are nothing more than privileges guaranteed to a chosen few, which effectively work as frameworks for oppression. There are some Jews and some Arabs who if given a chance would no doubt wish to purge the land of the other. We see this hateful wish written into the charters of movements like HAMAS, which has responded to the Israeli occupation with its own injustice, by inflicting violence upon Israeli society. And as many Palestinians have mournfully reminded us, the creation of Israel has involved the destruction of their own society not as an abstract dream but as an all too vivid reality. It is vital for us to address these past and present realities, and yet we remain hopeful that by addressing them we can avoid the situation of forever remaining their victim. We dare to dream of a place where the majority of people want to live together, to co-exist, perhaps initially uncomfortably—but we have no choice today other than learning to live together. And We remain convinced that God creates us in love, that love is natural to our state, and it is in fact hate and mistrust that are un-natural. We are taught to hate one another, and if we have been taught hatred, we can un-teach hatred and replace it with an inclusive love. Our hearts are big enough for all of us. Martin Luther King taught us that we have a choice: nonviolent coexistence or violent co-annihilation.[4] We have gone down the path of attempting to violently annihilate one another, and it has gotten us nowhere but down this vortex of pain and destruction. It is time to try the higher path of nonviolent coexistence, illuminated by love. We dream of a day where our children, Jewish children and Arab children, go to school together, live in the same communities, and work the same fields together. That day is possible, and our co-existence is possible, but only if we dare to rise above our own worst fears, and reach out to others who wish to co-exist with us. Martin was right: we are all bound up in an inescapable network of mutuality. Buber was right: we achieve our full humanity when the I is projected into the Thou. Jesus and Muhammad were right: that which we do to the least of humanity we do to one another. May it be that when the 100th anniversary of Israel is celebrated, it is also a celebration of how the dreams of multiple communities became realized, not one at the expense of another. It is to that common humanity that we appeal. May the path to Truth and Reconciliation begin with each of us, today. [1] Ilan Pappe, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, (Oxford: Oneworld: 2006); [2] For a spiritual perspective, see Desmond Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness, (New York: Image, 1999). [3] There are many who share this dream, including Christians like Elias Chacour, the many Israeli peace organizations, and members of the Jerusalem Peace Makers such as Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bukhari. [4] Martin Luther King, Jr. and James M. Washington, A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. (HarperCollins, 1986, 1991). A Muslim Spiritual Perspective on Palestine/Israel...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19228
__label__wiki	0.931806	0.931806	“Torture Memos” an “Ethical Trainwreck” “An ethical train wreck” was the phrase used by one witness to describe the legal reasoning behind the Justice Department’s recently released memos justifying the use of waterboarding and other forms of “enhanced interrogation techniques.” The phrase came during the testimony of David Luban, a law professor at Georgetown University, before a panel on administrative oversight and the courts subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee today. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, chaired the hearing. Whitehouse said the administration of former President George W. Bush inundated the American public in a "near avalanche of falsehood" on the subject of detainee treatment. "We were told that waterboarding was determined to be legal, but were not told how badly the law was ignored, bastardized and manipulated by the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel nor were we told how furiously government and military lawyers rejected the defective OLC opinions," Whitehouse said. The panel also heard from Bush-era State Department counselor Philip Zelikow, who testified that he unsuccessfully dissented from the Justice Department view that harsh interrogation practices were either legal or moral. He told the subcommittee – the first congressional panel to address allegations of torture -- that Bush administration officials engaged in a "collective failure" on detention and interrogation of suspected terrorists. He added that the issue was one that senior Bush Administration officials did not wish to discuss. He told the panel that he was ordered to rescind a dissenting memorandum he had written on the interrogation issue and to find and destroy all copies of it. Zelikow, who served as executive director of the 9/11 Committee that investigated the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, said that Justice Department memos on “enhanced interrogation techniques” were "unsound, even unreasonable." He called for a "thorough public inquiry" into the issue. "The U.S. government adopted an unprecedented program of coolly calculated dehumanizing abuse and physical torment to extract information," Zelikow said. "This was a mistake, perhaps a disastrous one. It was a collective failure,” he said. The panel also heard from a retired special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Ali Soufan, who interrogated some suspected al-Qaeda detainees in the U.S. embassy bombings in East Africa, testified from behind a screen to hide his identity. Soufan said he gained valuable intelligence by using traditional non-coercive FBI interrogation techniques when questioning suspected al Qaeda prisoners. He said he was replaced at the insistence of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which he said was using inexperienced contractors, not CIA operatives, to conduct interrogations. Soufan told senators that so-called enhanced interrogation techniques were ineffective and unreliable, and "as a result harmful to our efforts to defeat al-Qaeda." "It was one of the worst and most harmful decisions made in our efforts against al Qaeda," he said. A cautious counterpoint was provided throughout the hearing by Senator Lindsey Graham, a conservative Republican from South Carolina, who has served for many years as a military lawyer in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. Graham repeatedly made the point that those who pressed for more aggressive interrogation techniques were not “evil” people, but simply those who were trying to protect the American people from the next terrorist attack on the U.S. He said it should come as no surprise that responsible lawyers can look at the same facts and come to honestly different conclusions. Prof. Luban disagreed with that reasoning. He told the committee he thought it “impossible that lawyers of such great talent and intelligence could have written these memos in the good faith belief that they accurately state the law." He added that Justice Department lawyers had a special responsibility not to "rubber stamp administration policies" or "provide cover for illegal actions." Luban concluded that memos written by Justice Department lawyers in the administration of former president George W. Bush "cherry pick" legal precedents and fail to consider or mention a 1983 case in which Texas law enforcement officers were prosecuted and jailed for waterboarding prisoners to make them confess. "A legal adviser must use independent judgment and give candid, unvarnished advice," Luban said. Three Bush-era lawyers, all working in the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel, are the authors of a series of controversial memos recently released by the Obama Administration. The so-called “torture memos” were written by JohnYoo, now a law professor in California, Jay Bybee, now a federal appeals court judge, and their successor in the office, Steven G. Bradbury. The Office of Legal Counsel is the DOJ unit that provides the president and other senior government officials with definitive opinions on a wide range of issues. Its views traditionally carry great weight. Today’s testimony came amid calls for these lawyers – and their superiors – to be criminally prosecuted, disbarred, or investigated in depth as part of a wider Congressional probe of former government officials and contractors for their activities during the Bush war on terror. The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, has proposed a “truth commission” to investigate potential Bush-era war crimes. Others, including many human rights groups, have pressed for appointment of a special prosecutor by the Department of Justice. An investigation is currently being carried out by the Senate Intelligence Committee. However, most of the testimony in that probe will be secret because of the classified material involved, and it will be many months before the investigation is completed. President Obama’s reaction to these and other approaches has ranged from lukewarm to ambivalent. While noting that “no one is above the law,” he has said repeatedly that his inclination is to look forward, not backward. BACK TO MILITARY COMMISSIONS? Human rights advocates and legal scholars fear that the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama may resurrect the Military Commissions designed by their predecessor to try Guantanamo detainees after Obama’s 120-day moratorium on proceedings expires on May 20. That possibility appeared to moved a step closer to reality when Guantanamo’s chief judge refused to delay a May 27 pre-trial hearing for Ahmed Al-Darbi, 34, a Saudi Arabian accused of providing material support for terrorism and participating in a conspiracy to commit murder and other crimes. Military authorities also allege that he conspired with al Qaeda in a never-realized 2000-2002 plot to bomb vessels at sea in the Straits of Hormuz. He has been a U.S. prisoner since 2002, first at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan, and since 2003 at Guantanamo. Darbi’s hearing will be the first commission session since President Obama took office and ordered the freeze on war court proceedings. The Guantanamo judge, Army Col. James Pohl, ruled that defense lawyers had ample notice to prepare for the one-day hearing. Judge Pohl’s ruling ordering the May 27 hearing noted that “There has been no change in the statutory or regulatory scheme governing military commissions." In setting that date, Pohl said he was "not trying to influence the Administration's review" and would consider adjusting or canceling the hearing if there "are changes between now and May 27.” The major issue at the al-Darbi hearing is how much evidence might be presented at his military trial in a bid to show that he was tortured into confessing crimes he now denies. Darbi's lawyer, Ramzi Kassem of the Yale University law school, is trying to prevent Pentagon prosecutors from using as trial evidence dozens of the Saudi's self-incriminating statements, which the lawyer claims were obtained through brutal treatment during interrogations at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan and at Guantanamo Bay. Darbi's attorney has requested that two documentary films describing a climate of abuse at the time of Darbi's interrogations be introduced as evidence. During his first week in office, President Obama ordered a case-by-case review of all detainees held at Guantanamo. Al-Darbi’s lawyer told us he doesn’t know if Darbi’s case has been reviewed by Obama Administration. But he was certain that his client could not find justice at a Military Commission trial, whether it was held in Guantanamo or in the U.S. He told us, “The (George W.) Bush administration decided on using the Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba because they considered it a law-free zone, but the courts decided otherwise. Now that the Obama Administration has pledged to close the base, they seem to be thinking of moving the Military Commissions to the U.S. mainland, perhaps with a few detainee protections added.” However, he added, “There is no amount of tinkering that will make Military Commissions ‘better’. This is a system designed to produce convictions, not justice.” Kassem also said, “There is no reason to revert to this failed system. We already have a proven criminal justice system in the U.S. That system has demonstrated over 120 times that it is well equipped to try people accused of terrorism and to deal with national security matters. Why should we need to invent another system?” Al-Darbi has also filed a habeas corpus petition in federal court in Washington, D.C. The Defense Department says Darbi is the brother-in-law of one of the 9/11 hijackers aboard American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon. While Darbi is not accused of involvement in 9/11, military authorities say he conspired with al Qaeda in a never-realized 2000-2002 plot to bomb vessels at sea in the Straits of Hormuz. He also allegedly met Osama bin Laden and trained in an Afghan al Qaeda camp. The Bush-era Military Commissions have had a bumpy history. In a series of orders in 2001 and 2002, the Bush administration created a system of tribunals that specifically did not adhere to the standards set out in the Geneva Convention, arguing that as "non-state actors'' the suspects were not entitled to that kind of protection; the system was also declared to be beyond review by federal courts. The government then established a prison camp at Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba to hold these prisoners away from federal court jurisdiction, arguing that the right of habeas corpus — the fundamental right, centuries old, to ask a judge for release from unjust imprisonment -- did not apply to foreigners being held outside the U.S. as enemy combatants. But, in 2004, the Supreme Court disagreed, in a case known as Rasul v. Bush. And in another decision in June 2006, Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, the high court struck down military tribunals that the Bush administration had established shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks. The court ruled that the tribunals violated the Constitution and the Geneva Conventions. In response, the Bush Administration and Congress effectively rewrote the law, by passing the Military Commissions Act of 2006. The measure broadened the definition of enemy combatants beyond the traditional definition used in wartime, to include non-citizens living legally in the United States as well as those in foreign countries and anyone determined to be an enemy combatant under criteria defined by the president or secretary of defense. In place of habeas proceedings, it said detainees could challenge their imprisonment only through hearings known as combatant status review trials. It allowed evidence seized in the U.S. or abroad without a search warrant to be admitted in trials. And while the bill barred the admission of evidence obtained by cruel and inhuman treatment, it made an exception for any obtained before Dec. 30, 2005, when Congress enacted the Detainee Treatment Act banning torture. But, in a June 2008 decision in the case of Boumediene v. Bush, the Supreme Court overturned those portions of the law, finding that foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantánamo Bay have constitutional rights to challenge their detention in United States courts. In a harsh rebuke of the Bush administration, the Court rejected the administration’s argument that the individual protections provided by the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 and the Military Commissions Act of 2006 were more than adequate. Meanwhile, human rights groups continue to oppose trials under the Military Commissions Act. Amnesty International says, “Any trials of Guantánamo detainees should be conducted before US federal civilian courts in trials that meet international standards.” The organization called on the Obama administration to abandon the commissions altogether, withdraw all charges under the Military Commissions Act (MCA), and transfer to the U.S. mainland any Guantánamo detainee who was to be charged, bring him before a civilian judicial authority, and promptly charge him with specific offences under applicable federal law. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) expressed a similar view. Its executive director, Anthony D. Romero, said, "The Obama administration's purported plans to resuscitate the Guantanamo military commissions and ship them onto American soil is fatally flawed. The military commissions are built on unconstitutional premises and designed to ensure convictions, not provide fair trials. Reducing some but not all of the flaws of the tribunals so that they are 'less offensive' is not acceptable; there is no such thing as 'due process light.' Our justice system depends upon basic principles of fairness and transparency and once they are compromised even a little, they are rendered meaningless”.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19229
__label__wiki	0.542807	0.542807	Dartmouth Business Journal Covering Business at Dartmouth and Beyond Uber: Work For Me At A Distance By James Handal '19 December 1, 2015 December 1, 2015 In the mid 1900’s, an individual was solely employed by a company and classified as an employee with a corresponding salary and appropriate benefits. People worked for a single company their entire life and retire with a pension plan and medical benefits. That scenario, however, has changed drastically since the arrival of the technological revolution, rapid growth of globalization and the introduction of the Internet. Highly skilled professionals and self-starters are now part of a freelance society since the landscape of work has changed over time. New innovative tech start-ups such as UBER implement this independent contractor model into their way of doing business in the marketplace. Also significant toward this shift away from lifetime employment was the terrible financial crisis of 2008. During the crisis, profits were hard to come by and executives began to think of cost-cutting measures to improve profitability. Unfortunately, the employees bore the burden of such measures. There were massive layoffs during this crisis, and numerous companies began to see the advantages of converting future workers into an independent contractor status. It was a win-win for the company. Employees would no longer receive fixed salaries and benefits, and instead, be treated as independent contractors, possibly paid at an hourly rate with no benefits and under the condition that any expenses incurred may or may not be paid by the corporation. The Internet and cellphone have transformed the way business is done in the world. For example, UBER is a ride-sharing “taxi” company. UBER hires independent contractors to drive for them in the ride-sharing process. Uber drivers are free to work when they want, are responsible for their expenses and are paid a percentage of the fare by UBER. The company would obtain a tremendous savings because benefits and perks for employees are substantial expenses and these savings, in turn, would make the company more profitable. Workers would be free, though, to choose the hours they worked and could also find additional work, if needed. This possibility may hinder the company employing an independent contractor model because it has given up some type of control over their employees. It remains to be seen whether the financial savings from using independent contractors outweighs the lack of control and direction of the contractors as such a lack of control could hamper the company’s customer service record. An employee in a traditional work contract can be told what to do directly but independent contractors may lack discipline. Recently, a worker in California challenged UBER with the Labor Commission stating that she was owed expenses for gas and tolls. UBER disagreed and stated that she was not an employee but the California Labor Commission disagreed and awarded her the judgment, highlighting the blurry distinction between employee and contractor. The Labor Board had a multifactor test of determining an employee from a contractor, a decision will have huge ramifications throughout the business world because companies will think twice about hiring workers as independent contractors versus employees. There has recently been a focus on strong customer service by companies along with the various states throughout the country raising the minimum wage. These two factors have changed the battleground regarding employees versus independent contractors. Enjoy, a tech start-up by Ron Johnson in the Silicon Valley in California, sends employees to companies to help with tech set-up to provide a more personal service. According to Diane Burton, professor of human resources at Cornell University, “When people are your source of competitive advantage, it is clear that a long-term employment relationship and what we would call a ‘good job’ is good for the workers and good for the companies.” This shift into looking at the corporation as one entity and not two halves – the corporate headquarters and independent contractors – is taking place before our eyes. As a result, solid positive feedback from the company’s customer base should improve dramatically. Through centuries, there have always been shifts in sentiment regarding employees and how they should be treated in the workplace. It remains to be seen if the cost of hiring a company employee with salary and benefits outweighs the lesser cost of an independent contractor from a customer service benefit. As we have seen from the above example with UBER and the California ruling, there is uncertainty whether or not one is an employee or independent contractor. A corporation is in business to make a profit and the key component of making a profit is satisfying the customer. The recent court ruling and state-by-state shift to a higher minimum wage all point toward examining whether the independent contractor model will be sustainable for corporate profits and excellent customer service or whether a company should hire future employees with benefits and have total control over the entire operational system known as the corporation. The future of this model remains unclear. Whether employees want full-time work or the freedom of working on their own time must be considered. The independent employee might just be the vision of the future as companies try to best figure out how to improve their brand recognition throughout the world with their workforce. contractUberworkplace Previous storyThe Pharmaceutical Price Gouging Dilemma Next storyThe Hidden Cost of Fast Fashion James Handal '19 James is from Malibu, California and is interested in studying economics and government. In addition to DBJ, he is a writer for the Dartmouth and a member of the varsity soccer team. In his free time, James like to work out and read about careers in the sports and finance worlds. He is very interested in sports analytics and how the use of statistics has changed the way sports are being played and how it measures a player's performance. Face to Face with a Robot By DBJ Japan’s Rising Sun San Francisco’s Housing: Where Does It Go From Here? By James Baumann Inside the Business Genius of iPhone By Jason Wei '20 Foreign Direct Investment in Nigeria May 30, 2012 September 8, 2016 Singapore’s Market-Model Healthcare System September 1, 2012 November 28, 2015 The Smartwatch – the Next “It” Item? August 23, 2013 November 28, 2015 Automation: The End of the Middle Class? By Jeremy Washam '19 August 8, 2016 September 5, 2016 Cutco: Schemers or Success Story? By Jack Smul '19 South America’s Newest Trade Bloc and America By Mac Zech '18 Is Crude Drilling South or Barreling North? By Jackson Baur '20 Africa: A New Ground for Social Entrepreneurship By Sandra Aka '19 Hulu Plus: Freemium Gone Wrong A Fresh Look into Hydraulic Fracturing By Annie Sun '16 What’s the Deal with Amazon’s HQ2? By Sonal Butala '22 The (Unusually) Long Road to Recovery By Christopher Leech '16 Copyright 2016 © Dartmouth Business Journal	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19232
__label__cc	0.602515	0.397485	The Monitor’s reports are prepared to keep you – the public – informed of Credit Suisse’s progress and consumer relief activities under the settlement. Download the Latest Report Monitor's Fourth Report The Monitor’s Fourth Report describes the Monitor’s review of 3,249 completed principal forgiveness and principal forbearance loan modifications submitted by Credit Suisse to the Monitor for consumer relief credit. The Fourth Report also provides an update on Credit Suisse’s efforts to comply with other requirements of the settlement, including a discussion of the third borrower outreach event held by Credit Suisse in 2018. Download the Monitor’s Report Monitor's Third Report The Monitor’s Third Report describes the Monitor’s review of an initial sample of 100 completed principal forgiveness and principal forbearance loan modifications submitted by Credit Suisse, and sets forth the Monitor’s conclusion that all 100 of those modifications are eligible for credit in the amounts claimed by Credit Suisse. The Third Report also provides an update on Credit Suisse’s efforts to comply with other requirements of the settlement, including a discussion of the first two borrower outreach events held by Credit Suisse in 2018. Monitor's Second Report The Monitor’s Second Report provides an update on Credit Suisse’s efforts to earn consumer relief credit since the publication of the Monitor’s Initial Report, including a discussion of Credit Suisse’s borrower outreach event in Carle Place, New York. Monitor’s Initial Report The Monitor’s Initial Report outlines Credit Suisse’s plan to fulfill its obligation under the settlement to earn $2.8 billion in consumer relief credit by modifying home mortgage loans and providing funding for affordable housing. To help borrowers understand the settlement and how it could benefit them, the report explains how RMBS work and provides straightforward descriptions of the types of loan modifications Credit Suisse plans to provide to borrowers, illustrated by examples of how these loan modifications will work in practice. This is the website of the independent Monitor appointed under the Settlement Agreement between the United States Department of Justice and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and its current and former U.S. subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively, “Credit Suisse”), dated January 18, 2017. The Monitor does not represent any of the settling parties and cannot represent, or provide legal or tax advice to, individual homeowners. Homeowners considering mortgage modifications may wish to obtain legal or tax advice from a lawyer or tax advisor of their own selection. Individual homeowners who desire such assistance but who do not know where to obtain it or cannot afford it may visit the Resources page. This website is owned and maintained by the Monitor and is not owned by, or affiliated with, Credit Suisse. The Monitor may be reached by email at creditsuisse.monitor@rmbsmonitor.com By mail addressed to: Neil M. Barofsky	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19234
__label__wiki	0.767026	0.767026	Educating About Immigration \| Home \| \| About this Site \| FAQ \| LESSONS FOR TEACHERS \| FOR STUDENTS \| RESOURCE LIST \| TIMELINE \| POLL \| Proposed Legislation Supreme Court Summaries Head Money Cases (1884) U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark (1898) Perez v. Brownell (1958) Afroyim v. Rusk (1967) Lau v. Nichols (1974) Plyler v. Doe (1982) Chadha (1983) Nguyen v. INS (2001) Medellin v. Texas (2008) Immigration in U.S. History Student Action Register to Add Story Register to access Teacher Resources Facts: Afroyim was born in Poland in 1893, immigrated to the United States in 1912, and became a naturalized American citizen in 1926. He went to Israel in 1950 and voted in an election for the Israeli Knesset (the Israeli legislature) in 1951. According to Section 401(e) of the 1940 Nationality Act, citizens of the United States forfeit their citizenship when they vote in a foreign country's political elections. Therefore, when Afroyim tried to renew his U.S. passport in 1960, the State Department denied his application and informed him that he had forfeited his U.S. citizenship. Afroyim challenged the constitutionality of that part of the Nationality Act, but on the basis of the Perez v. Brownell case, the lower federal court judged in favor of Secretary of State Dean Rusk. A Court of Appeal affirmed that decision. Issue: Does Congress violate either the Fifth Amendment or 14th Amendment to the Constitution when it removes a person's U.S. citizenship? Holding: Yes. The 14th Amendment states, "all persons born or naturalized in the United States...are citizens of the United States...." Congress has no "general power, express or implied, to take away an American's citizen's citizenship without his assent." The Constitution gives Congress no express power (in the actual words of the Constitution) to strip people of their citizenship. There is also no implied power (assumed power) to do so in the regulation of foreign affairs. In fact, in the many years before the ratification of the 14th Amendment, Congress rejected three proposals to enact laws that would give Congress the power to determine when it could take away someone's citizenship. The only way a person may "lose" their citizenship is to voluntarily renounce it. Therefore, the court's prior decision in the Perez case is overturned. CRF-USA.ORG home \| EDUCATING ABOUT IMMIGRATION home \| Privacy Policy\| Terms of Use DISCLAIMER: This site is for educational purposes only. Constitutional Rights Foundation is not a legal advocacy organization and does not provide legal advice. If you have a question about a particular immigration issue, CRF encourages you to talk to a legal professional with a specialty in immigration law. This web resource was made possible by a generous grant from the Weingart Foundation, with additional support from the Ford Foundation. © 2018 Constitutional Rights Foundation, 601 South Kingsley Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90005, 213.487.5590	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19235
__label__cc	0.6638	0.3362	Postal Address: 1 Grigore Vieru Avenue, MD-2005, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova Contact us each working day between the hours of 8:15 to 11:45 and 12:30 to 5:00 p.m. Official exchange rate of Moldovan Leu: + 373 22 822 566 (voice mail 24/24); + 373 22 822 606, official@bnm.md; Green Line / Hotline: Complaints against foreign exchange entities: Acquisitions: Human resources: Public Relations and Mass Media: Calling days and hours of the governing body of the National Bank of Moldova for citizens. Octavian Armașu, Governor of the National Bank of Moldova 1st Monday of the month: 14.00-17.00; Appointment: +373 22 822 606; Vladimir Munteanu, First Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Moldova 2nd Monday of the month: 14.00-17.00; Cristina Harea, Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Moldova 3rd Monday of the month: 14.00-17.00; Ion Sturzu, Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Moldova 4th Monday of the month: 14.00-17.00; Appointment: +373 22 822 607. Please, note the requirements for receiving and examining petitions to the National Bank of Moldova ! Welcome to the official website of the National Bank of Moldova! Presentation of the information Information filtering Customization of the informational content of the page Marking the information Submission of proposals on the drafts of normative acts published for public consultation Access of interactive database with dynamically represented statistics If you want to send a message (question or suggestion) on-line, go to section "Feedback" from the main menu at the top of the website. 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National Bank and the members of its decision-making bodies shall be independent in exercising the tasks conferred upon them by law, and shall neither seek nor take instructions from public authorities or from any other authority. 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Annual inflation Annual rate of inflation Inflation forecast Inflation evolution Medium-term strategy on monetary policy Standing facilities Open market operations Required reserves Interest rates on long-term loans extended by the NBM Publications and Press releases Inflation rate evolution Monetary indicators evolution Schedule of monetary policy meetings Inflation report publication schedule for 2019 Calendar (schedule) of monetary policy operations Data dissemination calendar National Bank shall have the exclusive right to issue on the territory of the Republic of Moldova banknotes and coins as legal tender, as well as commemorative and jubilee banknotes and coins as legal tender and for numismatic purposes. About the national currency Structure and volume of cash into circulation Security features of upgraded banknotes Press releases on the national currencies Commemorative coins and banknotes About commemorative coins Commemorative coins catalogue Commemorative coins grouped in chronological order Commemorative coins grouped by series Virtual currency and its associated risks National Bank is exclusively responsible for the licencing, supervision and regulation of financial institutions activity. 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Law on the National Bank of Moldova no.548-XIII of 21 July 1995 LAW ON BANKS’ ACTIVITY no. 202 of 06 October 2017 Law on supplementary supervision of banks, insurers/reinsurers and investment firms in a financial conglomerate no. 250 of December 1, 2017 (in force on March 29, 2018) Law on Foreign Exchange Regulation no.62-XVI of 21 March 2008 Law on Payment Services and Electronic Money, no. 114 of 18 May05.2012 National Bank shall inform the public on the monetary policy strategy on the results of the macroeconomic analysis, the evolution of the financial market and on statistics, including with regard to monetary supply, crediting, balance of payments and the state of the foreign exchange market. NBM publications Press releases on monetary policy Monetary indicators Credits and deposits market Press releases on foreign exchange market Publications on international accounts of the Republic of Moldova International investment position of the Republic of Moldova External debt of the Republic of Moldova Press releases on banking sector National Bank of Moldova is responsable for the compilation of the balance of payments, international investment position and the statistics of the external debt of the Republic of Moldova. Statistical reports generator Statistics update Seasonally Adjusted Statistical Series Methodological explanations International accounts: compilation methodology and data sources CDIS - Metadata Frequent used statistics Weighted average interest rates on new loans and deposits attracted and associated volumes Structure of deposits of the banking sector Structure of credit portofolio of the banking sector (on branches) Advance Release Calendar (ARC) Summary of Observance (SOO) Annual Observance Reports Expand Hide Bank Supervision Priorities of the National Bank of Moldova for 2019 The National Bank of Moldova is the competent authority for the licensed banks of the Republic of Moldova and holds the major role in banking supervision and regulation activities, promoting constantly high standards of independence, professionalism and ethics. The National Bank of Moldova expects that banks properly implement the new regulations (Basel III), invest in the development of the information technology sector and focus more on financing the real economy. As during the previous year, in 2019, the National Bank of Moldova will continue to reform the domestic regulatory and banking supervision framework. The reforms in banking supervision (Basel III) are aimed at consolidating the banking sector as a whole, as well as of each bank – preconditions for resumption of real sector financing and for ensuring the sustainable economic growth in the country. These reforms are aimed mainly at ensuring a sound corporate governance, transparency of the domestic banking sector in order to attract potential investors and creditors, as well as maintaining a solid banking sector. Following the assessment of the main risks and challenges related to banking activities, taking into account the amendments to banking regulation and supervision in the context of the Association Agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, the most recent economic evolution as well as actions agreed with the International Monetary Fund, there have been established the main fields on which the banking supervision process will focus on in 2019: I. Quality and transparency of shareholders; II. Bank’s internal governance, risk management and the internal process of assessing capital adequacy to risks (ICAAP) III. Crediting activity, credit risk and exposures to affiliated persons; IV. Risk associated with information and communication technologies (ICT); V. Anti-money laundering and terrorist financing. I. Quality and transparency of shareholders A priority in exerting banking supervision by the National Bank remains the assessment of shareholders’ quality and transparency to ensure the development of a sound corporate governance in the banking sector and to attract investors that meet high quality requirements. Following the measures taken by the National Bank of Moldova for non-transparent shareholders that do not meet the quality criteria, currently more than 70% of banking assets are managed by internationally reputable financial groups. Thus, during the year 2018, new strategic shareholders came to the domestic banking market: Banca Transilvania S.A. of Romania, with the support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), has become an indirect shareholder in B.C. “VICTORIABANK” S.A.; Intesa Sanpaolo of Italy – single shareholder in B.C. “EXIMBANK” S.A., the bank becoming part of Intesa Sanpaolo Group. Also, the single share package of 41.09% of BC “MOLDOVA-AGROINBANK” S.A. was purchased by a consortium of investors formed by the EBRD, Invalda INVL and Horizon Capital. At the same time, in order to permanently ensure a transparent banking sector, during 2018, the National Bank applied sanctions and other sanctioning measures to small bank shareholders, due to the non-compliance with the appropriate fit and proper quality criteria established by the legislation and to the failure to provide the necessary information for their evaluation. In 2019, the National Bank will continue the process of transparency and follow the compliance with the quality criteria of shareholders in the banking sector in order to comply with the best practices of corporate governance, including the fulfillment of the commitments undertaken by the Republic of Moldova towards the development partners and will take the necessary measures of the breaches found in the bank's shareholding. II. Bank’s internal governance, risk management and ICAAP a) Verification the compliance of banks’ activity with prudential requirements and ensuring a qualitative error-free reporting On 30 July 2018, the new regulations under Basel III came into force, according to which banks calculate their capital ratio by correlating it with credit risk exposures, market risk and operational risk. The new regulations also set the size of capital buffers that will mitigate the impact on own funds in the event of macroeconomic shocks. At the same time, the National Bank of Moldova will continue to develop normative acts for the exhaustive implementation of the provisions of Law on banks’ activity no.202 / 2017, during 2019 regulations on some prudential requirements related to large exposures, affiliated persons, liquidity, etc. will be approved or improved. In this context, within the framework of on-site and off-site inspections, the NBM will check compliance of banks' activities with the existing prudential requirements and those that will enter into force in 2019. In addition, the National Bank, as a supervisory authority, will always carry out an activity to ensure accurate and timely financial and prudential reporting by banks. In order to ensure qualitative and error-free reporting, the National Bank will check whether the reports submitted by the banks are true, complete and correct in accordance with the normative acts; b) Assessment of the bank’s internal governance and risk management In 2019, at the request of the National Bank, the banks will continue to provide information on the activity of their governing bodies, the internal audit, the subdivisions related to the risk management functions, the compliance, the results of the stress tests carried out and the measures taken by the management, etc. In performing on-site and off-site supervision, the National Bank will verify the internal governance framework, strategies, processes and mechanisms implemented by each bank to comply with current legislation and ensure adequate risk management. The National Bank of Moldova will also monitor the work of the specialized committees of the banks in view of transparency and independence of the members of these committees as well as the impact on the bank's internal governance; c) Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP) The Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process is a component of the bank's management process and its decision-making culture that enables the management body to continually assess the bank's risk profile and the adequacy of internal capital in the report with it. In 2019, banks shall submit the first reports on the Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP). The National Bank will check the way in which banks: a) identify, measure, diminish and report the risks to which they are or may be exposed, assess and calculate the needs for internal capital; b) plan and maintain the sources of internal capital necessary to achieve capital adequacy in the bank's risk profile. Checking the quality of the Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP) will become a core component of the Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process (SREP); d) Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process (SREP) In 2019, the NBM will perform for the first time the supervisory review and evaluation process (SREP) for each bank, in order to determine the extent to which the bank's management framework, strategies, processes and mechanisms, own funds, and its liquidity ensures prudent management and adequate risk coverage in rapport with the bank's risk profile. At the same time, the National Bank will: assess all significant risks of the bank; review and evaluate ICAAPs and stress tests; review and evaluate compliance with the prudential requirements provided by Law no. 202/2017 and the provisions of normative acts issued by the National Bank; identify the current and potential problems, bank vulnerabilities and shortcomings in the bank’s activity management and risk management framework. Following the outcome of the SREP general assessment, as the case may be, the National Bank of Moldova will apply supervisory measures provided by the legislation. III. Crediting activity, credit risk and exposures to affiliated persons Within the assets’ structure, the largest share belongs to the loan portfolio, which as at 31 December 2017 constituted 42.6%. The relatively small share of the loan portfolio in the banking sector's assets denotes that banks have excessive liquidity, which reduces their profitability. A larger focus of banks on the financing of the real economy will allow them to obtain higher incomes. During 2018, both non-performing loans and the loan portfolio had a positive trend. Thus, the balance of non-performing loans decreased by 27.7%, accounting for 12.5% of the loan portfolio, and the loan portfolio increased by 5.9%. Nevertheless, the share of non-performing loans in total loans remains high, credit risk, as during previous years, will continue to be a priority area of the supervisory function in 2019. In this respect, increased attention will be given to the decrease the level of non-performing loans, the modalities for their repayment, as well as the quality of the secondary loan repayment source and the value of credit insurance. At the same time, banks will intensify their efforts to reduce the non-performing loans rate by implementing reduction strategies for non-performing loans, the sale of pledges, the assignment of loans to the third parties etc. The NBM will also continue to monitor groups of persons/affiliated persons, for real reporting of exposures and their compliance with the prudential limits set. IV. Risk associated with information and communication technologies (ICT) In the field of ICT risks, in 2018 the Regulation on Minimum Requirements for Information and Communication Systems of Banks was approved, being initiated the assessment of licensed banks during the on-site inspections, under the newly approved regulation, prescribing the measures to be taken by banks to remedy the identified risks. In 2019, the National Bank of Moldova will continue to assess the banks in accordance with the above-mentioned regulation. At the same time, the Risk Assessment Guide for the ICT sector, which will be public for banks, will be developed to keep them abreast of the methodologies applied by the National Bank of Moldova’s inspectors in assessing the risks associated with ICT during on-site inspections. Also, the National Bank will transpose into the legislation of the Republic of Moldova the normative acts issued by the European Central Bank related to the assessment and management of ICT risks (e.g. ICT outsourcing risks, cloud services). V. Anti-money laundering and terrorist financing Significant efforts were made in 2018 to strengthen the area of prevention and combating money laundering and terrorist financing (PCSBFT) through: a) improving the regulatory framework for the area in the activity of reporting entities supervised by NBM; b) ensuring that a complex external audit in the field of PCSBFT is carried out at all licensed banks, which will allow to assess the adequacy of banks' compliance with the rules in the field and to determine the additional measures that need to be taken to comply with the PCSBFT requirements; c) the initiation by banks of a new process of identifying and assessing the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing and approving action plans to minimize the vulnerabilities and identified threats. The National Bank of Moldova will continue to take measures aimed to prevent and limit the risk associated with preventing and combating money laundering and terrorist financing by supervising the reporting entities in the planned inspections and will contribute to the improvement of the internal procedures and the off-site supervisory mechanism, by implementing an IT solution, to determine and ensure the capability of supervised entities to adequately identify and assess the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing. At the same time, the National Bank of Moldova will combine its efforts and prepare the necessary materials to support the MONEYVAL Evaluation Report and the efficient subsequent implementation of the recommendations in the report. It will also undertake appropriate measures to supervise the proper implementation of the requirements for the prevention and combating of money laundering and terrorist financing in the context of the voluntary declaration and tax incentive process. Thanks to the support provided by the European Union through the TWINNING project in the field of combating money laundering and terrorist financing, the National Bank will strengthen and develop the supervision mechanism of the reporting entities, taking into account the new requirements of the normative acts, including the implementation of robust internal procedures, assessing the risks to which entities are exposed, through continuous training and information on new trends and typologies in the area. Press releases and publications Projects for public consultation About National Bank An international financial institution and two foreign direct investment funds expressed their intention to acquire jointly the Moldova-Agroindbank’ shares The National Bank of Moldova set the capital buffers rates Regulation on the treatment of banks’ credit risk using standardised approach Bank Supervision Priorities priorities of the NBM supervision national bank supervision 1 Grigore Vieru Avenue, MD-2005, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. © 2019 National Bank of Moldova	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19239
__label__wiki	0.71613	0.71613	Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver , Brendan Gleeson, Cherry Jones, Celia Weston, John Christopher Jones Run. The truce is ending. The Village depicts the thrilling tale of an isolated town confronting the astonishing truth that lies just outside its borders. At first glance, this village seems picture perfect, but this close-knit community lives with the frightening knowledge that creatures reside in the surrounding woods. The evil and foreboding force is so unnerving that none dare venture beyond the borders of the village and into the woods. But when curious, headstrong Lucius Hunt plans to step beyond the boundaries of the town and into the unknown, his bold move threatens to forever change the future of the village. $60 million. $50.746 million on 3730 screens. $114.195 million. English Dolby Digital 5.1 EX French Dolby Digital 5.1 EX • “Deconstructing The Village” Documentary • “Bryce’s Diary” Featurette • “M. Night’s Home Movie” • Production Photo Gallery • Sneak Peeks • THX Optimizer The Village (2004) Many folks know about the “even/odd” curse that allegedly affects Star Trek movies. Maybe the same hex sits over the head of director M. Night Shyamalan. In 1999, his first major movie - The Sixth Sense - emerged as a major sensation and heralded the young filmmaker as a notable talent. He followed it up with 2000’s Unbreakable, a flick that fell far short of its predecessor’s level of success. While Sense raked in a remarkable $293 million, Unbreakable mustered a less impressive $94 million, and much of that was front-loaded. The movie made most of its money in its first couple of weeks – it snared nearly a third of its gross in its opening weekend - and didn’t maintain strong legs. Shyamalan rebounded with 2002’s Signs. No, it didn’t prove as big a smash as Sense, but it came as close as anyone might hope. It got a better audience response than Unbreakable and pulled in a very satisfying $227 million. With his fourth film, 2004’s The Village, Shyamalan returned to the pattern seen with Unbreakable. Largely due to the director’s reputation, it scored well right out of the box, but apparently moviegoers didn’t think a lot of it, as it sputtered fairly quickly. It ended up with a gross of $114 million, almost half of which entered the coffers opening weekend; that’s another pretty good haul, but it didn’t live up to expectations. Perhaps that’s because The Village itself fell short of expectations. Warning: my discussion of the film will include some potential spoilers. I prefer to avoid such material, but it’s tough to discuss a movie like this and not reveal plot points. If you’d like to skip them, jump to the technical section now. The Village takes place in a small secluded town in an unestablished time period that seems no more recent than the late 19th century. The villagers keep themselves far removed from outsiders, apparently because of a monstrous menace that lurks in the bordering woods. We hear that creatures referred to as “Those We Don’t Speak” of reside there and they’ll slaughter any humans who enter. The two sides seem to have maintained a truce for some time now, however. Without modern amenities, some villagers die unnecessarily. After the son of “elder” August Nicholson (Brendan Gleeson) passes due to illness, Lucius Hunt (Joaquin Phoenix) wants to travel through the forbidden woods and go to the nearest town to retrieve medicine to prevent similar tragedy in the future. The elders - who also include Edward Walker (William Hurt) and his mother Alice - decline this request, as they think it’s unwise for anyone to venture out of their boundaries. Despite the apparent truce between the two sides, some weird occurrences start to happen. Small animals turn up skinned, and eventually we see that one of Those crosses the borders and puts red stripes on the doors to some homes. A few addition incursions take place and leave the villagers scared. In the meantime, we get to know some of the characters better. Blind Ivy Walker (Bryce Dallas Howard) falls for Lucius, and once her older sister Kitty (Judy Greer) gets herself a man, Ivy’s free to snare Lucius. The pair engage in a rather low-key romance that bothers her friend, village idiot Noah Percy (Adrien Brody). He becomes jealous and takes it out on Lucius. The mentally-incapacitated Noah stabs Lucius and leaves him near death. Ivy pleads to be allowed to head toward town to get medicine to save Lucius, and her father eventually agrees without the consent or knowledge of the other elders. The rest of the film examines the twists and turns that accompany her quest. After four movies, Shyamalan risks turning into a one-trick pony. With The Sixth Sense, he set himself up as the director who startles the audience with an unexpected surprise at some point during the flick. This restricts his ability to shock since we always expect such an event to occur. Perhaps to subvert these expectations, Village utilizes two separate major twists. Actually, one of these counts as an “un-twist”, for it deflates certain audience expectations. The other comes as a more impressive surprise. The movie may offer some clues, but I didn’t see it coming. Unfortunately, all the turns act as too little, too late. The “un-twist” really does puncture the movie, partially due to expectations caused by promotion. We’re caused to see that the movie will follow a certain path and genre, so when it doesn’t, we feel let down and misled. I suppose I can’t blame Shyamalan for the advertising related to his movie, though I’m sure he signs off on it. Nonetheless, even if I try to view The Village outside of that context, it fails to turn into anything very interesting. I get the sense that Shyamalan has become trapped by his success. He’s so well-known as the guy with the major twists that it’s tough for him to make a movie without any. In the case of The Village, this leads to events that don’t meld naturally with the story. The interpersonal relationships are its main component, and I feel like Shyamalan really wants to make a movie in that vein but he can’t break away from expectations. He’s turned into a brand name with all the requirements that go along with such a status. That’s good in that it gives him much more clout than one might expect from a still relatively inexperienced director, but it’s bad because it pigeonholes him. The Village leaves the impression that Shyamalan needs the gimmicks because he can’t tell a compelling character-based story. That may be unfair; Sixth Sense and Signs succeeded for reasons not solely connected to their twists. However, both offered intriguing plots, something largely absent from The Village. Sure, the concept of the town surrounded by monsters sounds cool, but the movie does exceedingly little to explore the subject. Instead we focus on the characters, almost all of whom seem uninteresting. Ivy fares the best, and Howard makes her quirky enough to stand out from the crowd. She does a bad job at playing blind - I never believed that she couldn’t see - but Howard manages to make her slightly more than two-dimensional. Unfortunately, despite a cast with two Oscar winners and two others who’ve received nominations, the rest of the actors don’t bring much life to their roles. I suspect the blame remains with Shyalaman, since he’s not great with the character elements of his movies. He can move a plot along nicely and create an intriguing mystery, but when he attempts to tell a human drama, I want to pull out a pillow and nap. I got that impression much too frequently with The Village. It promises thrills it fails to deliver, and it lacks the depth to allow it to prosper as a drama. The twists in its third act aren’t enough to redeem this slow-paced film. The DVD Grades: Picture B+/ Audio B+/ Bonus C+ The Village appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.85:1 on this single-sided, double-layered DVD; the image has been enhanced for 16X9 televisions. The movie failed to provide an exemplary transfer, but it usually appeared good. For the most part, sharpness looked positive. Some wider spots displayed a smidgen of softness, but nothing terrible occurred. Instead, the flick mostly came across with nice definition and clarity. While I saw no issues with jagged edges or moiré effects, mild to moderate edge enhancement popped up during the movie. No source flaws occurred. A little grain crept into the image, which was to be expected in the darker shots. That was it, as no defects were visible. The story required a restricted palette, and the movie delivered one. Reds appeared only during specific times, as more somber hues dominated. Yellows and greens came to the forefront and looked very good. The occasional examples of reds or other tones also worked well, as the colors seemed distinctive and lively. Blacks looked dense and dark, while shadows were appropriately opaque but not too thick. Without the sharpness and edge enhancement issues, this would have been an excellent transfer. Given the film’s lack of much action, the Dolby Digital 5.1 EX soundtrack remained subdued most of the time. The mix emphasized general atmosphere and only occasionally kicked into higher gear. The movie’s scares brought out the best in the track, as they added some dimensionality to the proceedings. These didn’t occur frequently, though, so don’t expect much in the way of showy audio. The surrounds usually just supported matters and didn’t contribute much unique material. In the front, we got a nice sense of environment, however, and the mix blended well. It didn’t dazzle, but it created a reasonably effective setting for the story. Normally that wouldn’t be enough for a “B+” rating, but the quality of the audio impressed me enough to warrant that grade. Speech consistently came across as natural and crisp, with no signs of edginess or issues connected to intelligibility. Effects sounded concise and accurate, and they boasted nice depth when appropriately. The most impressive elements came from the score. It seemed unusually robust and bold, as the music played an active and dynamic role in the proceedings. Although the soundfield never becomes very aggressive, the track worked well enough as a whole to get a “B+”. As we launch into the DVD’s extras, we start with Deconstructing The Village. In this 25-minute and eight-second documentary, we see movie snippets, shots from the set, and interviews. We get notes from writer/producer/director M. Night Shyamalan, costume designer Ann Roth, producer Sam Mercer, associate producer Jose L. Rodriguez, re-recording mixers Robert Fernandez and Michael Semanick, supervising sound editors Steve Boeddeker and Frank Eulner, editor Christopher Tellefson, creature designer Crash McCreery, composer James Newton Howard, and actors William Hurt, Celia Weston, Brendan Gleeson, Bryce Dallas Howard, Cherry Jones, Judy Greer, Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, and Sigourney Weaver. We learn about the movie’s genesis and development, the choice of time period and setting, finding a location and creating the sets, the flick’s visual design and cinematography, working with the actors and bonding on the set, the costumes, problems with the weather, shooting in the woods, casting, the actors’ “boot camp”, editing and storyboards, audio design, the score, and the movie’s creatures. ”Deconstructing” follows the production in a rather jagged manner. It flits from topic to topic without much logic and occasionally comes across like a series of loosely connected featurettes. It tosses out some good information at times, and the elements from the set offer nice insight. It’s cool to see what Howard went through on the set, such as when they dumped mud all over her. I like the part about “boot camp”, as it shows the background training for the actors. The final component that shows the various designs for the creatures also works well. However, the lack of coherence combines with too much fluff and happy talk to make this a mediocre documentary. After this comes a collection of four deleted scenes. When viewed via the “Play All” function, these fill 11 minutes and three seconds. These include “The Drill”, “August’s Story”, “Pre-Wedding”, and “Pipes”. All of them come with introductions from Shyamalan as he tells us about the sequences and why he cut them. These mostly consist of additional character moments, though the first shows us preparations for creature attacks and the last adds to the climactic sequence. Given the movie’s slowness, I don’t miss any of these. An interesting component appears via Bryce’s Diary. In this four-minute and 59-second piece, we hear excerpts from the actor’s journal. She reads these snippets that give us a look at her perspective on her experiences related to the movie. A lot of these comments tend toward general fluff, such as when she praises her costars or babbles about her excitement. There’s not a lot of content on display here. For the final video feature, we get M. Night’s Home Movie. We’ve seen similar elements on prior Shyamalan DVDs, as the three-minute and five-second snippet gives us a look at one of the director’s childhood works. Here we see an amusingly cheesy take on Raiders of the Lost Ark. A Production Photo Gallery presents 38 pictures. They mix shots from the set and some promotional images. We also get a look at a few sets on their own. Nothing exciting pops up here. A few ads open the DVD. We get promos for The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Ladder 49, and Mr. 3000. These also appear in the package’s Sneak Peeks domain along with a trailer for National Treasure. Lastly, we find the THX Optimizer program. It purports to help you set up your home theater to best present the movie on the disc in question. Apparently the Optimizer is unique for each DVD on which it’s included; unlike programs such as Video Essentials, the Optimizer should tweak your set-up differently every time. Frankly, I’ve been very happy with my already-established calibration and I’m afraid to muck with it, so I’ve never tried the Optimizer or the Optimode. If you lack calibration from Video Essentials or a similar program, or if you’re just more adventurous than I, the Optimizer could be a helpful addition. Hopefully director M. Night Shyamalan will rebound with his fifth film. Unfortunately, his fourth, 2004’s The Village, stands as his worst effort. The movie lacks a coherent feel and relies too much on its twists to satisfy the audience. The DVD presents generally strong picture and audio plus an unexceptional smattering of extras. I didn’t think much of The Village, as it’s a disappointment from the generally reliable Shyamalan.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19243
__label__cc	0.58492	0.41508	Detroit Lions Club Detroit, Texas - United States District 2-X2 1st & 3rd Monday at 6:30 P.M. Martin Memorial U.M.C,. 270 West Latimer, Detroit, Texas 75436 Lions meet the needs of local communities and the world every day because they share a core belief - to serve their community. Lions have a dynamic history. Founded in 1917, we are best known for fighting blindness, but we also volunteer for many different kinds of community projects - including caring for the environment, feeding the hungry and aiding seniors and the disabled. Lions give sight. By conducting vision screenings, equipping hospitals and clinics, distributing medicine and raising awareness of eye disease, Lions work toward their mission of providing vision for all. We have extended our commitment to sight conservation through countless local efforts and through our international SightFirst Program, which works to eradicate blindness. Lions serve youth. Our community projects often support local children and schools through scholarships, recreation and mentoring. Internationally, we offer many programs, including the Peace Poster Contest, Youth Camps and Exchange and Lions Quest. Our Leo Program provides the youth of the world with an opportunity for personal development through volunteering. There are approximately 144,000 Leos and 5,700 Leo clubs in more than 140 countries worldwide. Lions award grants. Since 1968, the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) has awarded more than US$700 million in grants to support Lions humanitarian projects around the world. LCIF was also ranked the number one nongovernmental organization in a 2007 study by The Financial Times. Lions help during disasters. Together, our Foundation and Lions are helping communities following natural disasters by providing for immediate needs such as food, water, clothing and medical supplies – and aiding in long-term reconstruction. Lions are active. Our motto is "We Serve." Lions are part of a global service network, doing whatever is necessary to help our local communities. For more about Lions Clubs, go to www.lionsclubs.org Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service club organization with more than 1.4 million members in approximately 46,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world. Lions Clubs International News ©2019 This site is the property of Detroit Lions Club - Detroit - United States	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19244
__label__wiki	0.865723	0.865723	South Belfast News February 3, 2012 Expert on union and politics on what the Scots’ referendum could mean for the north A question of independence By Scott Jamison Last week, Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond announced his intention for the country to face a referendum in 2014 in which the Scottish people would choose whether to remain part of the UK or become fully independent. The issue has long been debated but has emerged as a pressing matter since Salmond’s Scottish National Party took a majority in the Scottish parliamentary elections last May. Last Wednesday (January 25), Salmond announced the question posed on the ballot paper would be ‘Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?’ saying the question was “short, straightforward and clear”. Away from the glare of Scotland, some have asked what independence would mean for Northern Ireland, its place in the UK and unionists who have made it their lives to maintain that link. Professor Graham Walker of Queen’s University’s Irish Politics Centre is an expert in the contemporary politics of both Scotland and the north, with a special focus on unionism. A Scotsman himself, Prof Walker said there is still a debate over whether the motion to make Scotland independent would gain the requisite amount of backing to pass in the current political climate. “Salmond’s intention all along was to hold the referendum in the second half of the parliament but the Westminster government thought there was an advantage to them in trying to bring it forward. That meant he was able to depict them as interfering and they had to back down on that issue. “The result really depends on a number of factors. But if the questions remains as a simple yes or no then my belief is it would be a narrow victory for no. I base that on current evidence which suggests independence has the backing of only around a third of the electorate. “However, that gap is going to narrow because I don’t think there will be any economic improvement in the UK as a whole by then and Salmond is quite persuasive in the view of presenting a new independent Scotland as having a vibrant economy. “He can play the card of having oil reserves and although there are a lot of imponderables when it comes to economics, what he is effectively asking is do people want to carry on in a UK that is toiling economically or do they want to take the chance and have a new start to build growth? I think he can paint quite an attractive picture around that.” Prof Walker said if, hypothetically speaking, the independence motion passed, if could have serious ramifications here. “The first thing is it won’t happen immediately. There would be all sorts of negotiations about Scotland’s share of the national debt and the assets of the state, not to mention the debate over defence, those debates will be long and torturous. “But assuming the vote is decisively in favour, what is left is a very odd entity – the United Kingdom of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. That is going to pose a lot of soul searching for people here in particular. It’s the outcome unionists most dread because they have invested a lot in recent years in a relationship with Scotland. “It’s been quite central to their notion, so Scotland leaving the union leaves them adrift. The cultural links would still be there but being part of the same political structure is very important to unionists. “I think they would have a feeling that they are somewhat isolated because within unionism there is a long-standing perception the central government in London does not understand them and that would be intensified in that case. You could see the unionist position being a lot shakier in a truncated UK because England could then see the UK enterprise isn’t worth maintaining and Northern Ireland isn’t worth maintaining.” However, Prof Walker said he didn’t believe that situation would “kill off” unionism as a political belief. “Looking at it economically, I don’t see the Republic being in any position to be attractive to unionists. Of course because of pragmatic politics you will get a few takers for a united Ireland because of the continuing economic downturn. “But the Republic would have to take on the welfare spending that Westminster currently reluctantly provides and that would not happen. So I don’t see an end to the union and therefore I don’t see an end to unionism. “But it would lead to an identity crisis for unionists because so much of their self-image is built around close relationship with the rest of the UK, especially Scotland.” There has been talk suggesting a successful yes vote would lead to a growth of support for a referendum concerning the future of this state. “It is possible that that would happen but you would have to have the people who think there is a point to it and who would lobby for constitutional change for a united Ireland or indeed an independent Northern Ireland. I just don’t see the groundswell at this moment for either. “There is a pragmatic acceptance that a united Ireland is still someway off if it is ever going to happen, whereas an independent Northern Ireland fills people with the jitters for all sorts of reasons – the economic viability and also that it could reopen a lot of political instability. “There is also a possibility that people here might start to go down the road Scotland has been on for the last few years in terms of getting greater powers. That would require devolution here to be a bit more purposeful but if the parties can show agreement on tackling difficult issues like the 11 Plus, the growing confidence from that will result in demands for greater powers and there could be further developments there.” “Nothing will remain the same after this referendum and although I predict it will not result in independence, I do think it is going to lead to a lot of hard thinking about the shape the UK should take.” No matter the outcome of the referendum, Prof Walker says there will be changes to the political structures we currently operate under. “That could be in terms of a federal direction and maybe feed into other issues that have been on the agenda for some time such as reform of the House of Lords. We could have parts of the UK having autonomy to a certain point and the upper house in Westminster being where everyone is represented, while the House of Commons is a purely English parliament. “As the Scottish question intensifies in the next two or three years, more people will think about these issues more widely and connect them up, saying we have to think hard about how we run this quite complex entity.” Tags: independence, referendum, Scottish Holyland meeting ‘last chance’ for locals to influence outcome First win of the year for ’Duff	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19245
__label__wiki	0.798991	0.798991	Andersonstown News March 9, 2012 Duo on a real high as they take in the view from Divis Tower Terry and Oorlagh bring Oscar home By Gráinne Brinkley TWINBROOK Oscar-winner Terry George made a return visit to his native West Belfast this week after picking up the coveted award for his short film ‘The Shore’. Terry and daughter Oorlagh, who produced the film, braved the heights of Divis Tower with the Andersonstown News to give their Oscar statuettes a panoramic view of the place where it all began. Speaking a week after scooping the top prize in the Best Live Action Short Film category of the 84th Annual Academy Awards, Terry said there was still “an unreality about it”. “It’s great to come back here as people are much more grounded, so it doesn’t take long to get back to something resembling normality,” he said. “Everywhere you go people tell you how proud they are and that’s kind of humbling actually, particularly this part of the trip to West Belfast.” The Shore was shot in Killough, County Down, where most of the George family now live. “Most of my extended family featured in the film and others like Michael [a community worker for the Colin Neighbourhood Partnership] came down from Belfast,” said Terry. “The cemetery in the film is the one where my mum and dad are both buried, which was a deliberate move on my part.” Oorlagh George said she was glad to bring the Oscar back home to her family. “It’s been really lovely to share this with everyone and make the film here. The reception has been unbelievable since we got back,” she said. “When we went up to collect the Oscar you are just so worried about falling on the way to that stage – that bit was very nerve-racking. But we were relaxed as we made an agreement just to enjoy being nominated and so it was a nice surprise to win, much better than we anticipated winning the award would be.” Divis Tower resident Frank Hutchinson had the honour of hosting the Oscar-winners in his home. “This is absolutely an honour for me,” said Frank, who has been living in the Tower since 2001. “I’m a member of staff here too, so I was more than happy for them to come up. To have an Oscar-winning director in your home checking out the view is something else. I’m all made-up!” Terry returns to America on Saturday, but not before meeting with First and deputy First Ministers Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness today (Thursday) followed by engagement with Taoiseach Enda Kenny in Dublin on Friday. “I’ve got to go back to New York and get back to work, so at some point reality has to set in,” said Terry. “My next project is a feature called ‘Whole Lotta Soul’, a black comedy shot in Belfast and Downpatrick featuring Colm Meaney, Brendan Fraser, Martin McCann and Frankie McCafferty. That will be coming out at the Belfast Film Festival in six weeks time. I’m very proud of it and I think it will get a great reception here.” Tags: Divis Tower, front, Oscar, The Shore, West Belfast A merry dance over teen disco Shooting ‘achieved nothing’	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19246
__label__cc	0.735963	0.264037	Cheese God ® Where Satire Goes To Die Family Guy Joke Generator That time Dick Van Dyke Was Saved By Dolphins January 7, 2019 by cheesegod / 0 Dick Van Dyke is still going at the age of 93, dancing up a storm in Mary Poppins Returns and appearing at the 2019 Golden Globes, but that might not have been the case if it wasn’t some lifesaving porpoises. Once when surfing once Mr. Van Dyke fell asleep on his surfboard and woke up only floating far from shore. “I woke up out of sight of land,” he told Craig Ferguson during a 2010 interview. “I started paddling with the swells and I started seeing fins swimming around me and I thought ‘I’m dead!’” But, as we saw when Mr. Van Dyke danced with penguins in the original Mary Poppins, nonhuman creatures are his friend. “They turned out to be porpoises and they pushed me all the way to shore. I’m not kidding.” Besides appearing in one of 2018’s hottest movies, he also made some headlines recently when it was reported that the tired jokes about Dick Van Dykes’s name came became too real. It seems cable company Comcast’s voice search wouldn’t let its users search for the actor deeming his name offensive. The “bug” has since been fixed and I assume all of their customers can now go back to enjoying his classic comedy antics. Category: True But Dumb Tag: comcast, dick van dyke, dolphins, mary poppinsLeave a comment Previous PostColumbus Fun Facts Columbus Fun Facts Be the Taco Bell of the Ball Thanks Obama Shower or Die David Bowie Can't Juggle The Past Select Month January 2019 October 2017 September 2017 January 2017 January 2016 May 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 January 2014 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 June 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 November 2011 October 2011 July 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 December 2010 October 2010 August 2010 July 2010 May 2010 April 2010 February 2010 January 2010 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 January 2003 November 2000 March 2000 © 2019 Cheese God ® / Powered by WordPress / Theme by Design Lab	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19249
__label__cc	0.627976	0.372024	Posts Tagged ‘generation definition’ no Millennials Gen Z Gen X categories: digital immigrants, digital naitives Can We Please Stop Talking About Generations as if They Are a Thing? Millennials are not all narcissists and boomers are not inherently selfish. The research on generations is flawed. DAVID COSTANZA SIVA VAIDHYANATHAN, 2008. https://www.chronicle.com/article/Generational-Myth/32491 Generational Myth My note: Siva raised this issue from a sociologist point of view as soon as in 2008. Before him, Prensky’s “digitally natives” ideas was already criticized. Howe and Strauss; Millennials books contributed to the overgeneralizations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss%E2%80%93Howe_generational_theory We spend a lot of time debating the characteristics of generations—are baby boomers really selfish and entitled, are millennials really narcissists, and the latest, has the next generation (whatever it is going to be called) already been ruined by cellphones? Many academics—and many consultants—argue that generations are distinct and that organizations, educators, and even parents need to accommodate them. These classifications are often met with resistance from those they supposedly represent, as most people dislike being represented by overgeneralizations, and these disputes only fuel the debate around this contentious topic. In short, the science shows that generations are not a thing. It is important to be clear what not a thing means. It does not mean that people today are the same as people 80 years ago or that anything else is static. Times change and so do people. However, the idea that distinct generations capture and represent these changes is unsupported. What is a generation? Those who promote the concept define it as a group of people who are roughly the same age and who were influenced by a set of significant events. These experiences supposedly create commonalities, making those in the group more similar to each other and more different from other groups now and from groups of the same age in the past. In line with the definition, there is a commonly held perception that people growing up around the same time and in the same place must have some sort of universally shared set of experiences and characteristics. It helps that the idea of generations intuitively makes sense. But the science does not support it. In fact, most of the research findings showing distinct generations are explained by other causes, have serious scientific flaws, or both. For example, millennials score lower on job satisfaction than Gen Xers, but are millennials really a less satisfied generation? Early in their careers, Xers were also less satisfied than baby boomers. Numerous books, articles, and pundits have claimed that millennials are much more narcissistic than young people in the past. on average, millennials are no more narcissistic now than Xers or boomers were when they were in their 20s, and one study has even found they might be less so than generations past. While millennials today may be more narcissistic than Xers or boomers are today, that is because young people are pretty narcissistic regardless of when they are young. This too is an age effect. Final example. Research shows that millennials joining the Army now show more pride in their service than boomers or Xers did when they joined 20-plus years ago. Is this a generational effect? Nope. Everyone in the military now shows more pride on average than 20 years ago because of 9/11. The terrorist attack increased military pride across the board. This is known as a period effect and it doesn’t have anything to do with generations. Another problem—identifying true generational effects is methodologically very hard. The only way to do it would be to collect data from multiple longitudinal panels. Individuals in the first panel would be measured at the start of the study and then in subsequent years with new panels added every year thereafter, allowing assessment of whether people were changing because they were getting older (age effects), because of what was happening around them (period effects), or because of their generation (cohort effects). Unfortunately, such data sets pretty much do not exist. Thus, we’re never really able to determine why a change occurred. According to one national-culture model, people from the United States are, on average, relatively individualistic, indulgent, and uncomfortable with hierarchical order. My note: RIchard Nisbett sides with Hofstede and Minkov: http://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2016/06/14/cultural-differences/ Conversely, people from China are generally group-oriented, restrained, and comfortable with hierarchy. However, these countries are so large and diverse that they each have millions of individuals who are more similar to the “averages” of the other country than to their own. Given these design and data issues, it is not surprising that researchers have tried a variety of different statistical techniques to massage (aka torture) the data in an attempt to find generational differences. Studies showing generational differences have used statistical techniques like analysis of variance (ANOVA) and cross-temporal meta-analysis (CTMA), neither of which is capable of actually attributing the differences to generations. The statistical challenge derives from the problem we have already raised—generations (i.e., cohorts) are defined by age and period. As such, mathematically separating age, period, and cohort effects is very difficult because they are inherently confounded with one another. Their linear dependency creates what is known as an identification problem, and unless one has access to multiple longitudinal panels like I described above, it is impossible to statistically isolate the unique effect of any one factor. Are some millennials narcissistic? Are some boomers selfish? Sure, but there are many who are not and whose profiles mirror other generations. First, relying on flawed generational science leads to poor advice and bad decisions. An analogy: Women live longer than men, on average. Why? They engage in fewer risky behaviors, take better care of themselves, and have two X chromosomes, giving them backups in case of mutations. But if you are a man and you go to the doctor and ask how to live longer, she doesn’t tell you, “Be a woman.” She says eat better, exercise, and don’t do stupid stuff. Knowing the why guides the recommendation. Now imagine you are a manager trying to retain your supposedly job-hopping, commitment-averse millennial employees and you know that Xers and boomers are less likely to leave their jobs. If you are that manager, you wouldn’t tell your millennial employees to “be a boomer” or “grow older” (nor would you decide to hire boomers or Xers rather than millennials—remember that individuals vary within populations). Instead, you should focus on addressing benefits, work conditions, and other factors that are reasons for leaving. Second, this focus on generational distinctions wastes resources. Take the millennials-as-commitment-averse-job-hoppers stereotype. Based on this belief, consultants sell businesses on how to recruit and retain this mercurial generation. But are all (or even most) millennials job-hopping commitment avoiders? Survey research shows that millennials and Xers at the same point in their careers are equally likely to stay with their current employer for five or more years (22 percent v. 21.8 percent). It makes no sense for organizations to spend time and money changing HR policies when employees are just as likely to stick around today as they were 15 years ago. Third, generations perpetuate stereotyping. Ask millennials if they are narcissistic job-hoppers and most of them will rightly be offended. Treat boomers like materialistic achievement seekers and see how it affects their work quality and commitment. We finally are starting to recognize that those within any specific group of people are varied individuals, and we should remember those same principles in this context too. We are (mostly) past it being acceptable to stereotype and discriminate against women, minorities, and the disabled. Why is it OK to do so to millennials or boomers? The solutions are fairly straightforward, albeit challenging, to implement. To start, we need to focus on the why when talking about whether groups of people differ. The reasons why any generation should be different have only been generally discussed, and the theoretical mechanism that supposedly creates generations has not been fully fleshed out. Next, we need to quit using these nonsensical generations labels, because they don’t mean anything. The start and end years are somewhat arbitrary anyway. The original conceptualization of social generations started with a biological generational interval of about 20 years, which historians, sociologists and demographers (for one example, see Strauss and Howe, 1991) then retrofitted with various significant historical events that defined the period. The problem with this is twofold. First, such events do not occur in nice, neat 20-year intervals. Second, not everyone agrees on what the key events were for each generation, so the start and end dates also move around depending on what people think they were. One review found that start and end dates for boomers, Xers, and millennials varied by as many as nine years, and often four to five, depending on the study and the researcher. As with the statistical problem, how can distinct generations be a thing if simply defining when they start and when they end varies so much from study to study? In the end, the core scientific problem is that the pop press, consultants, and even some academics who are committed to generations don’t focus on the whys. They have a vested interest in selling the whats (Generation Me has reportedly sold more than 115,000 copies, and Google “generations consultants” and see how many firms are dedicated to promulgating these distinctions), but without the science behind them, any prescriptions are worthless or even harmful David Costanza is an associate professor of organizational sciences at George Washington University and a senior consortium fellow for the U.S. Army Research Institute. He researches, teaches, and consults in the areas of generations, leadership, culture, and organizational performance. +++++++++++++++++++++ more on the topic in this IMS blog http://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=millennials	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19254
__label__wiki	0.713021	0.713021	Education Week's blogs > Education and the Media See more News Coverage Mark Walsh is a contributing writer to Education Week and author of The School Law Blog. He has covered education issues for more than two decades and now looks at how schools are covered in the general news media and in the popular culture. « A 'Jeopardy!' Jab at Common-Core Math? \| Main \| 'Frontline' Digital Special Examines an Issue of Juvenile Justice » New Outlet Covering Education in New York, City and State By Mark Walsh on December 11, 2014 9:03 AM \| No comments There are eight million stories in the Naked City, as they said in the movies. Are there enough school stories in New York City to sustain another specialized education publication? The online publication Capital thinks so. The Gotham outlet, part of the thriving Politico empire based in Washington, this week launched a daily newsletter about education in New York—the city and the state. Capital Education arrives in subscribers' email inboxes by 5:45 a.m., the publication promises. The free (at least for now) newsletter is in the style of Politico Morning Education, the chatty newsletter with a federal education bent that also carries some general education news and links to other outlets' stories. The Politico organization moved into New York City in 2013 with the launch of Capital, which focuses heavily on New York (city and state) politics and media, but has been providing at least some coverage of education from the beginning. The new Capital Education newsletter, and an education channel collecting the publication's longer stories in the field, are a statement that the larger publication values education as a core topic, Capital co-editor Josh Benson said in an interview. "What we're doing in education is a continuation of what we're doing across the site," he said. "This is a way for us to formalize coverage by creating a newsletter to get it in front of more people." Wednesday's newsletter led with a summary of a longer Capital story about New York City charter school advocate and operator Eva Moskowitz. That story was by Eliza Shapiro, who covers New York City schools. The education staff also includes reporter Jessica Bakeman in Albany and higher education reporter Conor Skelding. Bakeman was busy later Wednesday with the breaking news that New York State Education Commissioner John King would be heading to Washington to become a senior adviser to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Of course, Capital Education hardly has the city and state education beat to itself. Chalkbeat New York is one of the most comprehensive and aggressive of the local, online-only education publications that have arisen in recent years. And there is the SchoolBook blog of WNYC radio, not to mention publications that have been covering education for more than a century, such as The New York Times and the New York Post. "It's a really competitive arena," Benson said. "If you not up for that, then you shouldn't do this." Capital Education (and some other topical "verticals," or channels, such as real estate, media, and health care) will be following Politico's "pro" model, which means some content is free and some will be behind a subscription paywall. Benson declined to say what the subscription price is. "It's explicitly part of the deal that some of the stuff we write is only going to be interesting to people deeply, deeply involved in education," Benson said. "But we don't want to just be niche." Alaska Reporter Will Study Rural Education as 2nd Chronister Fellowship Recipient More Parkland Documentaries, on Football and the Scene Inside Building 12 HBO's 'Song of Parkland' Spotlights the 'Theater Kids' of Stoneman Douglas High Parkland Parents Call for Top Journalism Prize for Sun-Sentinel Coverage ABC's 'Schooled,' a Spinoff of 'The Goldbergs,' Centers on Teachers Select a Month... February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19258
__label__wiki	0.68957	0.68957	Review: Twice Dead (1988) Submitted by Kevin Nickelson on Sun, 2010-11-21 22:16 With the boom of the Beta/VHS industry in the early 80's, there was a need for lots of film product to fill video rental store shelves. Video distributors filled the quota with cinema that either had a limited theatrical release or were made straight-to-video. While this meant a lot of titles for consumers to choose from, it was often a dice roll as to level of quality. For every gem, there were ten films that were such mis-fires they were best left collecting dust bunnies on the shelf. One such dirt magnet is Twice Dead, a film replete with a two dollar budget, amateurish direction and even worse acting. (read more...) Cold Reads: Vampire Junction by S. P. Somtow Submitted by Jose Cruz on Thu, 2010-11-18 09:44 By all appearances, Vampire Junction looks to be just another addition in a tirelessly long line of mediocre paperback fare that was spewed forth by both talented and hack writers alike during the 1980s. It's hard to go into a tale detailing the trials and tribulations of immortality with a straight face when the cover to the book shows the powdered face of a young boy (looking somewhat similar to Justin Bieber) singing his undead heart out while wearing a velvet cape and baring his fangs. But somehow author S. P. Somtow manages to downplay the ridiculous notion of a vampiric teeny-bopper singer and delve into some fertile ground that explores the deeper psychological themes surrounding the vampire myth. (read more...) Review: Altered States (1980) Submitted by Bradley Richter on Sun, 2010-11-14 23:07 What does it mean to be human? The question turns out to be far more interesting than the answer in Altered States, written by Paddy Chayefsky (Network) and directed by Ken Russell (Tommy). On a technical level, Altered States is a well-made "body horror" film, replete with some of Ken Russell's finest psychedelic sequences, but ultimately the movie fails to deliver satisfying answers to its own tantalizing questions and a lapse into Hollywood-drenched heteronormativity in the final act reduces an intellectually engrossing setup into a mundane resolution.(read more...) The Fruit Cellar: "All My Power… All My Beauty… All My Life" Submitted by Missy Yearian on Tue, 2010-11-09 23:56 It's a traditional criticism of the modern horror film that the world represented is sexist in nature. It's a simplistic argument, but one that a surface-level analysis of most horror films would confirm. After all, don't most depict women in peril -- from Halloween to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre to Suspiria? While it might seem like the most obvious of possible assessments, what this criticism fails to recognize are the areas in which the horror genre upends conventional depictions of women as victims.(read more...) Review: Silent Night, Bloody Night (1974) Submitted by Nathan Sturm on Mon, 2010-11-08 12:50 Silent Night, Bloody Night is an eerie and disturbing little proto-slasher. Filmed in 1972 and arriving in 1974, it predates even Black Christmas, yet features several elements that have become familiar today: the holiday setting, the menacing phone calls, the nebulous identity of the killer, the "final girl". At the same time, its Gothic-style focus on the tragic history of a big, creepy house places it at the intersection of classic and modern approaches to the horror genre. At worst, it's a curiosity; at best, it's a forgotten minor classic. (read more...) The Disused Fane: Night and Day of the Dead Submitted by Nathan Sturm on Wed, 2010-11-03 00:01 One Halloween night when I was a teenager a friend and I decided to walk to the cemetery a quarter mile from my mom's apartment and wander around. It was pretty spooky. The cemetery in question was huge, with a dead gnarled tree near the entrance, and odd little stone steps - we imagined that they were perhaps gateways to Hell - leading from the pathways to the fields where hundreds of gravestones sprawled. One almost expected to see Colin Clive and Dwight Frye skulking about with shovel and lantern. Another friend of ours had declined to come. He was quite religious, and what we were doing he found both offensive and frightening, regarding it disrespectful of the dead and vaguely "evil" as well. As the two of us got increasingly creeped out I suggested that we should have forced the third guy to come with us - if we were attacked by angry specters, I said, we could have ritualistically sacrificed him to placate them.(read more...) Review: Zontar: The Thing from Venus (1966) Submitted by Bill Dan Courtney on Mon, 2010-11-01 10:50 We're still a bit tired from our long month of covering all things Texas Chainsaw Massacre, so enjoy this guest review from The Uranium Cafe's Bill Dan Courtney. By the mid-1960s, American-International Pictures, once a struggling outfit that churned out low-budget but profitable movies for drive-in movie theaters, had become perhaps the most successful and powerful of the independent film companies in Hollywood. A logical step it seemed was to move into the now lucrative syndicated television market and so AIP-TV was formed. One of the projects AIP-TV took on was to remake a handful of AIP's earlier film and release them in color to a new generation of movie viewers. They hired legendary Z-movie shlockmeister Larry Buchanan, who made movies with a bare minimum of money and talent, yet still managed to at least break even if not turn a small profit. Buchanan produced eight films for AIP-TV with his Azalea Pictures company based out of Dallas, Texas. Zontar: The Thing from Venus, a remake of Roger Corman's It Conquered the World, is considered by many to be the best of his AIP-TV productions and even has B-movie icon John Agar in the role played by Peter Graves in the original film. Of course one can hardly say that the best Larry Buchanan film is anything that is going to excite the masses; they are films for the cognoscenti of camp and cheese only and rise to the quality of an Al Adamson movie at best.(read more...) Review: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) Submitted by Robert Ring on Sat, 2010-10-30 22:44 Texas Chainsaw Massacre Month. I was a late bloomer in my appreciation of horror cinema. Aside from sporadic outings to see mass-market horror films, I did not discover the true joys of the genre until I was in college. As I journeyed through classics like Alien, Halloween, and Rosemary's Baby, I was occasionally frightened or unsettled in various ways, but it was all enjoyable horror, the kind that can be intense but that ultimately leaves the psyche unscarred. Then I saw The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. As I watched this film, a deep-seated, almost unidentifiable anxiety began to build within me from the opening scenes - scenes which contain very little horror. Then, as I watched the characters experience physical and psychological torment later in the film, that building anxiety exploded into outright dismay. I was so disturbed by this movie that it would be six years before I watched it again, and even then it retained a potent effect. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is not so much creative in its approach to instilling horror as it is merciless, breaking down viewers' defenses before hitting them on all sides with unimaginable terror. This is one of the most horrifying films ever made.(read more...) Texas Chainsaw Video Jukebox Submitted by Nate Yapp on Sat, 2010-10-30 13:21 Texas Chainsaw Massacre Month. When you're thinking about something all the time, as we have been thinking about The Texas Chainsaw Massacre series this month, you start seeing it everywhere. I started noticing a lot more Texas Chainsaw related videos on Youtube lately. They've always been there, I guess, but they were just waiting for me to notice them. Most of them were, frankly, awful, but I picked a smattering that amused me, along with trailers for all six Texas Chainsaw films. You can view what I came up with after the cut. (read more...) Marilyn Burns ("Texas Chain Saw Massacre") Interview Texas Chainsaw Massacre Month. Last year at the International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival in Phoenix, I had the great opportunity to chat with Marilyn Burns, who played final girl Sally Hardesty in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Our talk focused exclusively on her career in the 1970s and resulted in some great stories about the Texas film industry, the dangers of making a Charles Manson biopic, and why Eaten Alive may not be the film to take home to mother and father.(read more...) Baron Blood (1972)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19261
__label__cc	0.634371	0.365629	Flying Offsets by Michael Morrison Joe Romm claimed that the real name for carbon offsets is “carbon rip-offsets” because they are all rip-offs. But the high energy-to-weight and rapid-fueling requirements for aviation fuel means that there are currently no usable substitutes, and there is very little we can do to reduce the carbon emissions of flying other than to not fly. Isn’t there some way we can confidently mitigate our air travel emissions? Ultimately, a true offset will either put carbon back into the ground in a long-lasting form such as coal, oil, or charcoal; or it will reduce the amount of carbon that would otherwise have been dug-up and burned. The first is hard to do, and the second is hard to verify. But M. Sanjayan suggested an approach that makes good sense to me: giving away energy efficient lighting on his trips. The bulbs offset carbon by reducing the energy used to provide light, increasing what I call “energy performance”; providing the same energy services but with less energy. He suggested CFL’s, but LEDs are now in mainstream production and offer an even better solution. I wondered, how many LEDs would I have to buy and give away to offset a given flight? The amount of carbon dioxide produced in the generation of electricity varies around the world, but in the USA the EPA tells us we average about 0.55 kg per kWh. On a visit to my local hardware store this week, I found 60 watt replacement LEDs for $13. These use only 9.5 watts of electricity and produce the same light as a 60 watt incandescent bulb. They are rated to last 25,000 hours. We see that over 25,000 hours, a 60 watt bulb will use 1,500 kWh of electricity and the 9.5 watt LED will use 238; a difference of 1,262 kWh. Using the U.S. average of 0.55 kg per kWh, this means that replacing a 60 watt incandescent bulb with this LED will reduce electric power carbon dioxide emissions by 694 kg. How much carbon dioxide do I emit on a flight? Terrapass, a seller of “offsets”, provides a calculator to estimate this number. They indicate that for a Los Angeles / New York roundtrip, each passenger creates 873 kg of carbon dioxide emissions. It looks like I can offset my carbon emissions from a round-trip cross-country flight by buying and giving away two 9.5 watt, 60 watt replacement, LEDs to someone who will use them to replace incandescents. A significant virtue of this approach is that it is verifiable to me: I know I bought the bulbs; I know I gave them to someone who installed them; and I know they will reduce electric power consumption while providing the recipient with the same energy service (lighting) that they previously enjoyed and saving on electric bills in the bargain. I don’t have to worry about whether the offset company is honest, or how much of my donation is actually going towards an offset, or whether it is really an offset. And, as Sanjayan says, it’s a fun way to make friends at your destination.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19263
__label__cc	0.610169	0.389831	About CSLN Climate Resources & Events Resiliency Assessment Framework Emerging Research Policy & Economic News Climate Newsfeed You are here: Home / Blog / Bulletins / Forest Pests and Climate Change Forest Pests and Climate Change August 31, 2015 /in Bulletins /by Admin (Click to download a pdf of this full article or a one-page synopsis) By Jennifer Hushaw Part 1: Overview of Climate-Pest Interactions Among the many potential impacts of climate change, changes in insect and disease populations rise to the top as the most immediate and possibly significant impact on our forests. This is because of the destructive potential of forest pests and the direct link between climate and pest survival or spread. In particular, climate influences: Frequency and intensity of outbreaks Spatial patterns, size, and geographical range of outbreaks Life cycles, range shifts, range expansions or contractions Being ectothermic, insects are particularly sensitive to temperature, as it directly influences their metabolic rate, consumption, development, and the timing of life history stages. Water availability is also an important factor determining the interaction between plants and insects. Forest pathogens are similarly sensitive to temperature and moisture conditions. As a result of this sensitivity, these organisms will be directly affected by changing climate, in addition to being indirectly influenced via climate change impacts on other organisms, such as their host species. Forest insects and pathogens have a number of characteristics that will allow them to rapidly respond to climate change, including: (1) physiological sensitivity to temperature, (2) high mobility, (3) short generation times, and (4) high reproductive potential. Direct Climate Impacts A number of climate change-related variables will have direct impacts on the population dynamics of forest insects and pathogens: High overall temperatures, especially milder winters Greater over-winter survival Increased spore production and infectiousness Decreases in insect populations at a certain level of warming, as most insects are susceptible to heat stress between 82 and 90⁰F Longer and warmer growing season Lengthening of reproductive season Accelerated life cycles; increase in number of generations per year Earlier appearance in spring Changing snow pack Affecting overwinter survival Affecting performance and survival Indirect Climate Impacts Pests will experience the indirect effects of climate change through the following avenues: Host plants Distribution of primary (or alternate) host plants Reduced/shifting habitat suitability may result in the loss of suitable host plants for some pest species within their preferred climate niche Changing habitat suitability may also cause tree stress and increased susceptibility to attack Nutritional quality Elevated CO2 and temperature typically increases the concentration of leaf carbohydrates and decreases nitrogen content, lowering nutritional value This can lead to increased herbivory from “compensatory feeding” – herbivores consume more low-quality food to meet their nutrient needs Plant resistance Little is known about the mechanisms by which increased CO2 and temperature affect plant production of secondary metabolites (defense chemicals), which deter feeding – at this time, we only have observational data that indicates climate-induced changes vary by species and context Conditions that promote increased plant growth may be a double-edged sword because they are often associated with declines in plant production of defense compounds, which is a benefit for certain insects Accelerating phenology due to warming temperatures can lead to a mismatch between plants and associated organisms, which can be positive or negative for plant life – negative when it leads to a misalignment between plants and their pollinators (this is especially an issue for specialist plant-pollinator interactions) and positive when it reduces the frequency or severity of insect/pathogen attacks Rate of plant development When the rate of plant development shifts relative to insect development, it can amplify or minimize consequences of herbivory Community interactions with: Natural enemies (predators, parasitoids, pathogens), e.g. shifting bird populations may increase predation on arthropods in some areas, increasing the strength of top-down control on those pest populations Mutualists Abiotic damage that increases tree stress and makes hosts more susceptible to attack, such as: (1) Storm Damage, (2) Drought, and (3) Extreme heat events. Note: Pests can generally be divided into two categories: primary pests that can typically attack healthy trees and secondary pests that tend to attack trees that are already weakened by a predisposing factor like drought, water-logging, or injury (e.g. ambrosia or ips engraver beetles). It is likely that the biggest impacts from abiotic damage will come from these secondary pests. Part 2: Summary of Anticipated Impacts As with projections of tree response to climate change, we expect the response of insects and pathogens to be species-specific, or at least to vary depending on host type and feeding guild (e.g. defoliators, gall makers, wood borers, etc.). However, there are some general predictions that can be made: Asynchrony/Ecological Mismatches It is likely that projected changes in seasonality will lead to instances where the life cycle or developmental stages of host species and pests are no longer aligned, which could exacerbate or alleviate pest impacts, depending on the species involved. For example, insects that typically feed on young, nutrient rich foliage may be negatively impacted if the growing season begins earlier and causes faster leaf maturation after budbreak, especially if the timing of their spring emergence does not change. Likewise, the timing of spore release by pathogens can be an important determinant of disease incidence and severity, but changing climate conditions are likely to change those interactions. These issues of synchronicity are at the heart of many complex species interactions that may be disrupted by climate change because pests, hosts, and predators may all have different sensitivities to changing climate and varying levels of tolerance and/or plasticity to deal with those changes. Therefore, it is likely that in the future the rate or timing of development may no longer be in alignment among species that have historically been tightly linked. Range Shifts/Redistribution In addition to being misaligned in time (as described above), hosts and pests may become misaligned geographically due to climatically-driven changes in species ranges. Generalist pest species tolerate a wide range of climate conditions, are highly mobile, and use a variety of host species, so they will likely fare better as their ranges expand into northern regions. Whereas, more specialized species, such as those commonly found in tropical areas, are likely to see their ranges shift entirely, or contract in instances where migrating populations encounter hard (e.g. continental edges) or soft (e.g. soil moisture) range boundaries. These shifts may be good or bad for forest ecosystems, depending on the species and region in question. In a general sense, we expect to see the following trends in pest distribution: Expanded northern ranges Invasion of new habitat and forest types Range shifts toward poles and higher elevations (most shifts in temperate regions) Better survival and increased impact from poleward populations Note: In some cases, poleward populations may be locally adapted to colder temperatures, so there may not be as much of an advantage conferred by warmer temperatures in those regions. Changing Pest Populations and Outbreak Frequency Some research suggests that a warmer world doesn’t necessarily mean more forest pest impacts because we may mostly see distribution shifts toward higher latitudes and altitudes, rather than an increase in the overall incidence of pest outbreaks. However, climate change is also likely to amplify abiotic stressors, such as drought, extreme heat, and increased storm strength, which creates conditions that are favorable to more frequent and intense outbreaks. Herbivorous insects will generally fare well because warmer temperatures will increase winter survival, promote faster development rates, and sometimes allow their populations to grow faster than normal because they can complete more life cycles in a season. That last characteristic (increased voltinism, i.e. number of generations per year) is particularly troubling because it will lead to more herbivory. Multiple generations of herbivores can do significant damage in a single season, especially for long-lived plants (increased likelihood of mortality and impacts on future growth and reproduction) and conifers (they don’t typically releaf and their resin defenses can be over-ridden by large numbers of attackers). In fact, there is evidence that a similar increase in herbivory happened in North America during a past period of global warming known as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum approximately 55.8 million years ago. Increased Pathogen Infectiousness Evidence suggests that pathogens, including those that affect tree species, are likely to increase their infection rate under increased humidity and temperature conditions associated with climate change. These organisms are also generally able to evolve, adapt, and migrate more quickly than their long-lived hosts, so their role in forest disturbance regimes will probably increase. An increase in pathogen development and survival rates, disease transmission, and host susceptibility will have deleterious effects on forest ecosystems, but there will also be some subset of pathogens that actually decline with warming and lead to improved conditions for their host species. Increased Vulnerability in Water-Stressed Regions Some of the most obvious and immediate pest-related impacts will occur in regions with reduced precipitation and more frequent or severe drought conditions. This is particularly true for insect groups and pathogens that typically affect water-stressed hosts – the increased bark beetle activity coincident with drought in the western U.S. is a prime example. Drought conditions create physiological stress for trees that increases their susceptibility to attack and reduces their ability to survive and/or recover. A recent meta-analysis (Jactel et al 2012) of drought effects on damage by forest insects and pathogens found that primary damaging agents (i.e. insect or fungal species that can develop on healthy trees) living in wood caused lower damage than those living on foliage, indicating that the type of feeding substrate was very important for the level of pest damage. Part 3: Regional Pest Highlights The following section contains several regional examples of forest pests and pathogens that are likely to be influenced by climate change, including a brief, high-level overview of how climate is anticipated to impact each species. Current research on the effects of climate change on eastern spruce budworm (SBW) suggests that there will be an increase in its range at higher latitudes and higher altitudes. This is because SBW is limited primarily by cool summer temperatures, which prevents the eggs from hatching before winter and does not give the larvae sufficient time to find winter shelter. Warmer summer temperatures will allow the pest to move into new territory and that has already been seen at unusually high latitudes on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec (c. 2009). Hemlock Woolly Adelgid The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) is vulnerable to low temperatures and its continued spread is primarily limited by minimum winter temperatures, rather than hemlock abundance. In particular, studies have found that an average winter temperature of 23⁰F (-5⁰C) is limiting, which historically meant that about half of the Northeast region was too cold for HWA (including upstate New York and most of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine). However, warming temperatures will allow for HWA range expansion – by mid-century half of the area that is currently temperature-limited will become suitable and by the end of the century (under the higher emissions scenario) the entire Northeast will have average winter temperatures above 23⁰F. HWA is an example of a pest that will be directly influenced by climate change, with temperature conditions becoming progressively more suitable for its migration northward and into higher elevation areas. Gypsy moth is another example of an insect that is limited by cold in the northern portions of its range. A number of studies indicate that increasing temperatures will lead to an increase in defoliated area and an expansion of gypsy moth populations into new regions. However, precipitation changes are also important, as evidence suggests that a warmer and drier climate will actually decrease defoliated area. Drier conditions can also reduce the buildup of Entomophaga maimaiga, a lethal fungus that thrives during wet spring weather and was introduced from the gypsy moth’s native range in Japan in the early 1900’s as a way to control its population in the U.S. Southern Pine Beetle Model projections and observed changes of Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) populations generally indicate that rising temperatures lead to more outbreaks. Winter minimum temperatures below 6.8⁰F (-14⁰C) cause population declines, but in recent years warming temperatures have allowed these insects to move north into areas where cold was once limiting, including the New Jersey pinelands, Long Island, and, most recently, Connecticut. Although, seasonal changes in temperature are also relevant because increases in winter and spring temperature are projected to increase outbreaks, while increases in fall temperatures will tend to ease outbreaks. The intensity and area of outbreak is also related to precipitation levels, with more precipitation being beneficial for the insects, although it is a less important factor than temperature. On a positive note, there is evidence that extremely hot summer temperatures are lethal for SPB, leading to increased mortality, reduced activity, and hindered flight. Therefore, it is possible that future increases in extreme heat events in the southeastern U.S. will provide a benefit in terms of SPB population control. Whereas, pine stands in the northern stretches of the beetles’ range will likely see the greatest increase in beetle activity and impact. Ips Engraver Beetles Ips engraver species can be cold-limited in the sense that low temperatures disrupt egg development and synchronized flight activities. These species can also see a reduction in the number of generations per year when cold temperatures persist over a long winter. In this way, climate warming may directly benefit ips by increasing their reproductive rates. In fact, several studies of Ips species in Scandinavia have indicated that higher temperatures will lead to an increase in the frequency and length of late summer swarming events in those regions, as well as an increase in the number of generations per year. Ips rarely attack healthy trees and instead tend to target trees that are under stress, a condition that is likely to increase in prevalence as various climate stressors interact to increase physiological stress on trees. Drought stress is one example of a condition that increases the risk of ips attack and there is some evidence that decreased precipitation, and the consequent reduction in host tree resistance, contributed to ips outbreaks in the southwest U.S. in the early 2000’s. Projections of increased drought stress under future precipitation patterns may contribute to an increased risk of ips attack. Fusiform Rust A number of climate-related factors influence the extent and severity of fusiform rust infection, including temperature, humidity, and late winter/early spring weather. However, the disease is already widely distributed throughout the host range, so it is likely that climate change will not directly cause an expansion of the affected area. Instead, experts expect this disease to experience indirect climate impacts via changes in the distribution of its host species as a result of rising temperatures, e.g. increased planting of loblolly pine in northern regions or migration of pine (and alternatively, oak) hosts from coastal areas into the Appalachian Mountains. As with many other North American forest pests, the latitudinal and elevational limits of the Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) range are delineated by climatic conditions related to average annual minimum temperature. The beetles generally cannot survive to complete successful brood development in places where this average minimum is less than -40⁰F (-40⁰C). Given that the range of potential hosts is far more extensive, there is significant potential for MPB to expand under the right climate conditions. Warmer winters in British Colombia with an absence of cold snaps sufficient to kill MPB (a week or more of temperatures at or below -31⁰F) have already allowed the insect to have outbreaks in more northerly areas. Studies conducted to date generally predict MPB will continue to expand northward, eastward, and toward higher elevations, with the potential for a reduction at lower elevations in the northwestern region of the U.S. due to future climate-related losses of suitable host species in those areas. Sudden Oak Death Sudden Oak Death (SOD) is caused by a fungus-like water mold called Phytophthora ramorum, which produces spores that spread easily in warm, wet conditions, e.g. it is often transmitted when rainwater splashes the spores onto susceptible plants. Extreme weather events contribute to mortality from SOD – heavy rains and extended wet weather create optimal conditions for infection and mortality results when this is followed by extended dry periods, because infected trees are not able to manage water as effectively. Unfortunately, researchers expect climate change, particularly increases in temperature and coastal fog, to exacerbate the effects of this pathogen and shift the at-risk area northward. Alternate hosts include a variety of woody species, especially bay laurel in California. Notably, several studies have highlighted the potential for this pathogen to colonize the southeastern U.S., given the climatic conditions and distribution of potential host species in that region. Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) have very low supercooling points (the temperature far below freezing that insects can survive through physical and chemical changes in their bodies), but exposure to temperatures at or below 32⁰F (-30⁰C) can cause overwintering mortality and help keep their populations in-check. In this sense, warming temperatures are likely to increase the rate of overwinter survival and potentially allow EAB to colonize previously unsuitable areas. However, these insect do express some phenotypic plasticity in terms of their cold tolerance – while they can successfully acclimate after being exposed to colder temperatures over several months, they will lose that cold tolerance (i.e. deacclimate) if they experience warm mid-winter temperature fluctuations, and it is not reversible. This means that a mid-winter warm spell may cause EAB to deacclimate and then suffer mortality during the next cold snap because they have lost their cold tolerance. A potential opportunity, in terms of EAB population control, is the projected increase in the likelihood of extreme warm winter events associated with climate change. There are hundreds of pests and pathogens, both native and introduced, which interact with the forest ecosystems we manage. A challenge is that there are widely varying levels of knowledge about the physiology, life cycle, and climate niche from one organism to the next. The list of species for which researchers have specifically addressed the question of climate impacts is fewer still. The pests and pathogens highlighted in Part 3 are some examples of higher-profile biotic threats for which we have some of this information. Although, there are many others where there is a weak climate link (especially in cases where climate is not the dominant limiting factor) or there is a lack of literature discussing the pest specifically in the context of climate change. Examples include: Asian Longhorned Beetle, Oak Wilt Disease, Dogwood Anthracnose, Pear Thrip, and many others. There is also the practically inevitable reality that new species will continue to be introduced from abroad for which we will have very little initial information. Given the lack of complete information about climate change impacts on the catalogue of forest pests and diseases, it is useful to take a general, high-level view of pest-climate interactions, such as that presented in Part 1 and 2 of this bulletin. The best strategy is often to identify the life cycle characteristics or physiological limits of a particular pest that are most likely to be impacted by changing climate; for example, a need for synchronicity with budbreak of a particular species, level of cold tolerance, vulnerability to mortality from climate variability and temperature extremes, or a high degree of host specificity. This is where local knowledge and personal experience with a particular pest and forest type becomes really valuable for anticipating how climate, pest, and host may interact in novel ways in the future. Additionally, the importance of monitoring for detecting early changes in pest behavior or abundance cannot be overstated, so it is beneficial to proactively have those monitoring systems in place on your land. However, staying alert to new information is also key, especially in terms of looking beyond your ownership and being aware of pests that may potentially move into your area from other regions as a result of climatic shifts. This bulletin will act as a foundational document on the subject of forest pest-climate interactions and, going forward, the Climate Smart Land Network will continue to monitor and highlight newly documented links between changes in regional climate and important forest pests and pathogens. So what can land managers do now? Insects and disease have always been recognized as serious threats to forests and as a result they have received significant research and communication funding. This includes town tree wardens, university, state, and federal funding and support. The whole wood product transport quarantine system is designed to address these issues. But things are changing rapidly and we need all the eyes and ears we can get. 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Liebhold. 1995. “Forest Defoliators and Climatic Change: Potential Changes in Spatial Distribution of Outbreaks of Western Spruce Budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae).” Environmental Entomology 24 (1). doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ee/24.1.1. Williams, D. and Liebhold, A. (2002). Climate change and the outbreak ranges of two North American bark beetles. Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 4(2): 87-99. ———. 2015. “Fusiform Rust Never Sleeps.” CompassLive – USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station. May 5. http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/compass/2015/05/05/fusiform-rust-never-sleeps/. Eric Walberg Manomet, MA 02345 ewalberg@manomet.org The Climate Smart Land Network is a voluntary network of forestland owners and managers who seek to reduce material risk to their forestland from climate change. © Copyright 2014. Climate Smart Land Network © Copyright 2014. 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__label__cc	0.656623	0.343377	Tours Offered Ecotourism in Vietnam Posted on 23 January, 2016 20 February, 2016 by ecofriendly Tourism has so far brought great benefits to the economy, but it has also contributed to environmental degradation, especially biodiversity deterioration. Thus, the concept of “sustainable development” – development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs – must be factored into tourism development. This consideration is reflected in the term “ecotourism,” which is referred to variously as ecological or environmental tourism, nature or green tourism, sustainable or responsible tourism. Ecotourism in Vietnam: Potential and Reality By: Phan Nguyen Hong, Quan Thi Quynh Dao, Le Kim Thoa With 13,000 floral species and over 15,000 faunal species, three newly discovered big animal species, and a ratio of country/world species of 6.3%, Vietnam has enormous tourism—particularly ecotourism—potential. In fact, since 1986, when Doi Moi (renovation reforms) began the shift from a centrally planned to a socialist-oriented market, or multi-sectoral, economy, tourism has been an sector of primary concern to the government. In May 1995, the prime minister of Vietnam approved a master plan of tourism development for the period 1995-2010. In February 1999, the state decree on tourism was part of the socio-economic development strategy for the period 2001-2010 approved at the IX National Congress of the Party: “Tourism development has become a spearhead economic industry indeed. It is necessary to improve the quality and effectiveness of tourism activities, bringing into full play the natural conditions, and cultural and historical tradition to meet the domestic and international demand for tourism and to catch up with tourism development in the region” (Document of the IX National Congress 2001). Tourism has so far brought great benefits to the economy, but it has also contributed to environmental degradation, especially biodiversity deterioration. Thus, the concept of “sustainable development”—development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs—must be factored into tourism development. This consideration is reflected in the term “ecotourism,” which is referred to variously as ecological or environmental tourism, nature or green tourism, sustainable or responsible tourism. Ecotourism involves travel to relatively undisturbed natural areas with the specific object of studying, admiring, and enjoying scenery, plants, and animals, as well as any cultural features found in these areas. It is distinguished from mass or resort tourism by its lower impact on the environment, lower infrastructure requirements, and its role in educating tourists about natural environments and cultural values. Fully aware of its significance, the government of Vietnam has prioritized ecotourism in its strategy for tourism development to ensure both sustainability and economic benefits. Though ecotourism in Vietnam is at a beginning stage of development, it is expected to grow strongly through support from government and international organizations. Natural resources potential Vietnam is both a “cradle” of native species and a transitional area of organisms from the biota of the north (Himalaya-south China), the south (Malaysia-Indonesia) and the west (India-Myanmar) (Khanh 1999). Moreover, due to its diversity of topography and climatic conditions, Vietnam is rich in floral and faunal species, of which 10 percent and 11 percent, respectively, are endemic. The three big animal species that have been recently discovered in Vietnam are “Sao la” (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) in 1992, “Mang lon” (Megamuntiacus vuquangensis) in 1993, and “Mang Truong Son” (Muntiacus truongsonensis) in 1996. Indeed, Vietnam is considered one of sixteen countries with the highest biodiversity in a wide range of ecosystems (WCMC 1962)—a very favorable condition for ecotourism development. Coastal ecosystems: Vietnam’s 3260 km of coastline hosts a variety of coastal ecosystems. The number of seagrass species inVietnam ranks second only to the Philippines within ASEAN. Seagrass beds are increasingly abundant from north to south and are home to 125 benthic species and 158 seaweed species (Tien 2000). Sea cow (Dugong dugong or manatee)—an animal species in danger of extinction—can be found in the Con Dao seagrass bed. Coral reef ecosystems are already attractive to ecotourists, with resorts established at Cat Ba Island, Co To, Bach Long Vi, Con Co, Hon Son Tra-Hai Van, Con Dao, Phu Quoc, and islands in Khanh Hoa province. Divers can observe colorful coral reefs with a wide range of flora and fauna. Coral reef samples are exploited for tourist souvenirs in the provinces of Quang Ninh, Nha Trang, and Con Dao (Tien 2000). Species composition is rich: about 95 species of 35 genera in Northern coastal areas and 255 species of 69 genera in Southern coastal areas. These include 180 phytoplankton, 97 zooplankton, 70 seaweed, 78 polychaeta, 208 mollusk, 76 crustacean, and 157 fish species (Yet 1998, cited in Tuan 2000). The National Environment Agency of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (2000) lists 79 wetland areas of national importance (Hughes et al. (eds.) 2001). Among them are lagoon ecosystems, found only in Central Vietnam (Tam Giang-Cau Hai, Tra O, Truong Giang, O Loan, Thuy Trieu, Thi Nai, and Nuoc Ngot). Lagoons are very high in biodiversity with a high level of nutrition. As one of the biggest lagoons in the world, Tam Giang-Cau Hai Lagoon (21,000 ha) has as many as 55 species of seaweed. Fish, shrimp, and crabs of economic value include Mugil cephalus, Siganus guttatus, Penaeus monodon, Scylla serrata, and Portunus pelagicus. Hundreds of tons of mollusks are harvested annually (Hoi et al. 1995, 1996). Lagoons in Vietnam also contain mineral resources of high value, help regulate the local climate, and can become ideal tourist destinations. Wetland areas of obvious tourist interest are coastal sandy ecosystems. The total area of sandy beaches in Vietnam is 170 km2. According to Mai Sy Tuan (2000), flora found here are not rich in species composition, mainly shrubs and succulent grass such asPandanus tectorius, Agave americana, Euphorbia antiquorum, Opuntia sp., Sesuvium porlulacastrum, and Casuarina equisetifolia. There is a globe-shaped grass species, Spinifex littoreus, with infruitescence resembling a porcupine, which, when ripe, roll along sandy beaches to the delight of children. On hot sunny days, you can lie on hammocks under the Casuarina equisetifolia forest listening to the wind singing or eat seafood such as squid, blue crabs, mud crabs, and banana shrimps. Other marine species commonly found are uca, mollusks, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. Most notably, this ecosystem provides a breeding ground for some turtle species in danger of extinction. Among the many beautiful sandy beaches in Vietnam are Cat Ba Island, Tra Co, Bai Chay (Quang Ninh Province), Do Son (Hai Phong City), Dong Chau (Thai Binh), Hai Thinh (Nam Dinh Province), Sam Son (Thanh Hoa Province), Cua Lo (Nghe An Province), Thien Cam (Ha Tinh Province), Lang Co (Thua Thien Hue Province), Ngu Hanh Son (Da Nang City), Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa), Phan Thiet (Ninh Thuan), and Vung Tau. Vietnam’s diversified mangrove forests suffered greatly during the two Indochina wars. In recent years, mangrove reforestation efforts have been made by many groups, ranging from central and local governments to NGOs and other international organizations. A typical example is Can Gio Mangroves (described in the case study below), designated by UNESCO as the first Biosphere Reserve in Vietnam on 21 January 2000 and included in the world network of Biosphere Reserves. Ca Mau mangrove forest in the extreme south features houses of built in traditional Tay Nguyen style and seven other simple Nypa palm (a mangrove species) thatched huts and a small pathway leading to the mangroves. Though infrastructure is still poor, the area attracts 3,000 tourists per month (People’s Newspaper, 11 September 2002). The Xuan Thuy Ramsar Convention Nature Reserve supports a great variety of faunal and floral species, including nine threatened and near-threatened bird species. Most notably, 26 percent of the world’s black-faced spoonbill and 2 percent of the Larus saudersi can be seen here (Birdlife 2001). Limestone ecosystems: Limestone mountains are distributed mostly from the north to Quang Binh. These mountains of evergreen forests have vivid fauna and flora species. They are also home to the distinctive cultures represented by some of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities. Vo Tri Chung (2002) stated that limestone mountains contain many historical vestiges of human civilization, social development, and protection of the country. Visitors can hike in limestone mountains in the Cat Ba, Ba Be, and Cuc Phuong National Parks and the Phong Nha-Ke Bang and Paco-Hangkia Nature Reserves. Special use forest system: According to the Tourism Development Research Institute, the special use forest system includes eleven national parks of 259,797 ha; sixty-one nature reserves of 1,692,351 ha; and thirty-four environmental, historical, and cultural forests of 147,886 ha. The total area of special use forests in Vietnam is 3,100,034 ha, accounting for 28.4 percent of total forest land (10,915,592 ha). Some national parks are located in remote areas, such as the Pu Mat and the Ben En national parks; others lie along national roads or near big cities with convenient transportation suitable for ecotourism development. They are Ba Vi national park (Ha Tay province), Cuc Phuong national park (Ninh Binh province), Cat Ba national park (Hai Phong province), Tam Dao national park (Vinh Phuc province), Bach Ma national park (Thua Thien Hue province), and Nam Cat Yien national park (Dong Nai Province). In recent years, the government of Vietnam has invested in improving infrastructure and investigating the floral, faunal, geological, and geomorphological characteristics of national parks. These areas have become research sites for the maintenance of biodiversity samples. Therefore many universities and research institutions have organized visits for students, cadres, and foreigners. We hope the open door policy of sustainable tourism development will continue to channel appropriate investment to national parks in order to welcome nature reseachers to Vietnam. Since 1987, the establishment of special use forests increased thanks to interest from the central to local levels, the cooperation of scientists and researchers, and the coordination and assistance of international organizations and NGOs. It is in these forests that ecotourism should continue to be developed for both their natural and their cultural value. Fruit gardens: Lying in the tropical region, Vietnam has many varieties of fruit trees, especially in the Mekong river delta, where warm weather favors year-round tree growth. After hard-working days in noisy urban areas, visitors can walk in gardens of diversified fruits of many colors and sample the simple, peaceful life closely associated with the river. One newly emerged ecotourist village is My Khanh village, about 10 km from Can Tho City in the southwest. It is a fruit garden located on 40,000 m2 with many canals and creeks, floating markets, traditional (“rong”) style guesthouses, and stocked lakes for fishing and boating. It is a good place for visitors interested in culinary culture, local fruit specialties, traditional production of noodles, wine, young sticky rice, mat weaving, and rice grinding (Sai Gon Economics Time 2002). Cultural integrity potential Vietnam is rich in culture identity, with fifty-four peoples whose indigenous knowledge should also be accessible to visitors. One of the principles of ecotourism is to preserve cultural integrity because human value cannot be separated from natural value. As most potential ecotourist sites are inhabited by ethnic minorities, the principle of “encouraging community participation in ecotourism activities” should both create income and help maintain cultural identity. These communities have a deep understanding of traditional festivals, cultivation and land use customs, culinary culture, traditional lifestyle and handicrafts, and historical places. A trip to the limestone mountain of Cao Bang-Bac Kan, for example, is valuable not only for the natural Ba Be Lake, but for the opportunity to learn about cultivation customs, dying practices using endemic plants to produce brocading (Cham weaving), and traditional handmade boats of precious timber collected in the forest. Cultural value is also represented in Vietnam’s approximately 100 traditional festivals. The Nghinh Ong Festival—to worship “Whale”—is the biggest festival of coastal fishermen in Vietnam (Canh 2002). Other distinctive celebrations are the “Spring” festival of Thai and Muong ethnic minorities and elephant racing and buffalo festivals in Tay Nguyen. The reality of ecotourism in Vietnam today According to Nguyen Van De (2002), there was a 7.1-fold increase in international tourist visits from 300,000 in 1991 to 2.14 million in 2000; domestic tourism experienced a 7.5 fold rise, from 1.5 million to 11.3 million visits. This is a high rate of increase compared to other countries in the region, bringing international tourism in Vietnam to a near equal level with the Philippines and to about one quarter of that of Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Those referred to as ecotourists account for over 30% of international and nearly 50% of domestic tourists (Luong 1999). Tam DaoNational Park receives 120,000-150,000 visitors every year (Tien 2002). Tourism in Nam Cat Tien is restricted, but still some thousands of mostly young people visit this area. Meanwhile, ecotourists to Ha Long Bay number 400,000. Ecotourism has been increasing in recent years, with domestic visitors rising more rapidly than international ones, accounting for up to 9.5 million people in 1998 (Luong 2000). Most ecotourists are adventurous young people and researchers who focus on national parks and nature reserves. Type of ecotourism activity Domestic tourists International tourists Study tour x x Forest walk x x Mountain climbing x x Visit to ethnic minority villages x x Sea diving x Rafting x Adventure trip x Bird watching x Visit to fruit garden x x Boating x x Camping x Fishing and hunting x Source: Luong 2000 Because ecotourism is important for environmental education, maintenance of indigenous culture, and local economic development, both investment and government encouragement are required. Fillion et al. (1992, cited in Ceballos-Lascurain 1996, cited in Le Van Lanh 1999) estimated that international ecotourism generated USD 93-233 billion in 1988, and in fact, most nature reserves in the world are dependent on ecotourism revenues. But ecotourism also needs investment in human resources (especially tourist guides), management, and fundamental research and planning focused on the natural environment of proposed ecotourism sites. Investors at home and abroad have preferred to focus on infrastructure like hotels and restaurants. What investment does exist goes mainly to national parks and nature reserves and comes from the state budget through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and from international organizations like WWF and the governments of the Netherlands, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Total capital investment in national parks and nature reserves from 1994 to 1999 was VND 71.1 billion (USD 1.1 million today). According to the Institute of Tourism Research and Development’s 1999 investigation, visitor entrance fees generated VND 386.2 (USD 25,150) million for reinvestment in infrastructure, conservation, and forestry development (Luong 2000). Poor and uncoordinated management and organization of ecotourism have limited the development of this sector. Most resorts—beaches and other popular sites—are under the management of provincial tourism departments. In nature reserves and national parks, there is coordination between management boards and tourism corporations, which make investments in infrastructure and enjoy partial profits collected from fees. But there are often too many overlapping jurisdictions. For example, special use forests are managed by the forestry sector. The management boards of National Parks are under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; those of Nature Reserves and Cultural, Historical and Environmental Forests are under Provincial and City People’s Committees. In Con Dao National Park, the local units involved in tourism are the district government, Con Dao National Park, tourism managers, military units, and local fishermen. According to new regulations governing the management of special use forests promulgated according to Decision No. 08/2001/QD-TTg by the prime minister (November 11, 2001), the Ministry of Culture and Information in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is responsible for establishing and managing Cultural, Historical and Environmental Forests. This tangled web of oversight has yielded no national strategy for ecotourism in Vietnam. And although tourist routes have been set up, no zoning plans have clearly delineated areas for ecotourism activites in national parks and nature reserves. Is it really ecotourism? Vietnam’s natural and cultural potential for ecotourism is well established. However, based on the following principles of ecotourism (Luong 1999), the economic activity occurring in Vietnam is only a type of nature-based tourism. Principle 1: “Educating tourists on the natural environment to raise their awareness and get them involved in conservation work.” Who is responsible for environmental education? The tourist guides, managers, and other ecotourism staff. But in fact, most of these people do not have sufficient environmental training or indigenous knowledge to engage in education work. Research by Pham Trung Luong (2000) shows that 90 percent of ecotourist guides lack environmental knowledge (80 percent about flora and fauna species, 80 percent about natural resources typical in their area), and 88 percent would benefit from ecotourism guidebooks written especially for them. An illustration of wasted potential caused by this lack of training is Ha Long Bay, a world heritage site with immense environmental value—coral reefs, limestone mountains, thousands of flora and fauna species of high biodiversity—and rich cultural identity. But tourists in Ha Long Bay are presently visiting only the Bay and some caves, not accessing environmental information or local cultural activities. In general, the full potential of ecotourism has not yet been reached. Principle 2: “Protecting the environment and maintaining vulnerable ecosystems.” Ecotourism should be associated with sustainable development, human love for nature, and protection of the environment. Nevertheless, much tourism is still spontaneous and lacking in management and visitor regulations. Some tourists are not fully aware of environmental protection and reluctant to pay conservation fees. If they throw rubbish or cut tree branches, they are not fined. As a result, some tourist areas have suffered serious environmental degradation, such as Huong Pagoda (Ha Tay province). And since there have been few Environmental Impact Assessments, the consequences of ecotourist activities are not clearly understood. Principles 3 and 4: “Maintaining and promoting cultural identity and involving local communities in ecotourism.” International vistors toVietnam often like to visit ethnic minority villages to observe the culture, meet local people, and participate in traditional activities. The ethnic minorities who live in or near nature reserves maintain distinctive lifestyles, cultural identities, and traditional customs. These features are part of the real value of ecotourism. However, local people are not much involved in ecotourism, and most tourist guides have poor knowledge of the indigenous culture. Therefore, ecotourists get no exposure to Vietnam’s diverse cultural identities. This is a limitation that must be overcome. In addition, local people still live in poverty, their life closely associated with natural resources. The economic benefits of ecotourism need to be shared with them, but this will not happen without community participation. China provides a positive example: a questionnaire survey by Dr. Li Wenjun (2002) showed that most residents in Jiuzhaigou Biosphere Reserve, China, have been involved in the tourist business and its relevant jobs. Participation includes operating a family hotel, restaurant, or gift shop; renting yaks, sheep, and traditional ethnic dress to visitors for photographs; working for hotels, restaurants, or tour companies; and collecting garbage in tourist areas. The family hotel business is the main income source for residents. Case Study: Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve (CGMBR) is a rehabilitated mangrove area located within Can Gio district in the Southeast. It covers 73,000 ha including nearly 40,000 ha of mangroves. This area was largely destroyed during the war, particularly in the period 1962-1970. Restoration was begun in 1978 by the government of Ho Chi Minh City with labor provided by local people and city organizations. It became a biosphere reserve recognized by MAB/UNESCO in 2000. Located only 40 km from downtown Ho Chi Minh City, with the great diversity of fauna and flora typical of tropical mangrove ecosystems, and with great historical and cultural traditions, Can Gio is becoming a favorite recreation/tourism destination for residents of the Ho Chi Minh City area. Natural and social background: Can Gio is uniquely valuable for its diversity—72 mangrove plant species, including 30 true and 42 associate mangrove species belonging to 10 main plant communities occupying newly formed mudflats along rivers, firm mudflats flooded by spring tides, highland sandy clay, abandoned salt pans, and brackish water areas. Some of the mangrove are rare species listed in the Vietnam Red Book, such as Lumnizera littorea and Aegiceras florida (Tuan et al. 2002). The 440 fauna species (Hong et al. 1996; Nhuong 2000, cited in Tri et al. 2000:14-15) include 118 invertebrate macro benthic, 134 fish, 9 amphibian, 30 reptile, 130 bird, and 19 mammal species (Hong et al. 2000). All of these are located in a complex and beautiful network of natural rivers and canals. Can Gio also has a remarkable history. Archaeological evidence indicates that a relatively developed socio-economic life existed in this area in the first millennium BCE related to offshore shipping and trade with other regions. During the war years (1968-1975), this area was well known as a resistance base; the Special Water Task Force was responsible for famous victories costing the enemy great losses in war equipment and soldiers on Long Tau river. The fishing community in Can Gio also has a yearly festival to welcome the “king-fish,” a day of reunion for all local people. Tourism in Can Gio: Recreational visits to Can Gio started spontaneously in the mid-1990s as students from the city came to visit the beach and see monkeys on the weekends. There were neither entrance fees nor services. In 2000, a new bridge was completed across the Dan Xay river, facilitating transport from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Gio town, and the Forest Park was handed over to Sai Gon tourist company. Since then, tourism in the area has been highly promoted to city residents. There are three main tourist features in Can Gio. The Forest Park is home to a mischievous 600-member natural monkey troupe, a semi-natural crocodile pool, a historical museum, and a newly restored model of a Vietnamese army base. Visitors enjoy walking under the cool mangrove canopy and playing with the monkeys or sitting in the former army base recalling battles against enemies. Food and drink are available in the park-owned restaurant. The Vam Sat site includes a bat sanctuary in the flooded Rhizophora area and a bird sanctuary containing over 10 species listed in the Red Book. Here visitors and scientists can find a diverse three-level fauna system: birds at the top, mammals in the middle, and aquatic organisms, including sea and brackish water species, at the lower level. A 58m observation tower helps visitors enjoy the whole scene. The April 30th Beach is located in the transition zone near Can Gio town. Although the long beach is not of high quality, it is near the city and features cheap local seafood, which can be enjoyed under the canopy of a nice stretch of casuarina trees. In the town itself, people can visit the mausoleum/tomb of General-Fish, a respectable traditional character of the Can Gio fishing community. Tourism in Can Gio is in the process of transformation from a spontaneous to a professional format. Visitors are mainly residents of Ho Chi Minh City seeking relaxation, fresh air, and a natural environment as a respite from work in the busy city. Most go to the Forest Parkand the beach, the numbers rising quickly from 27,213 in 1997 (Sinh 1999) to almost 230,000 in 2001. It is estimated that around 80 percent come from Ho Chi Minh City, 5 percent from the local area, 1 percent from abroad, and the remainder from other nearby provinces. As at many other nature-tourist sites in Vietnam, educational activities are limited. Vam Sat provides visitors with basic knowledge of the ecosystem of mangrove fauna and flora, and has therefore attracted a good number of scientists and true eco-tourists. But this site has not attracted a lot of casual visitors because its lack of large car parks and long travel time by boat makes its travel cost relatively higher than the other Can Gio sites. Can Gio district, together with city’s Department of Tourism, is planning to increase tourist sites in Can Gio in both quantity and area to make tourism the leading economic sector of the district and a strong point of the city. Tentative additions include ecological training tours, a picnic site for the city’s young people, the Sac Forest naval site, orchards, and historical sites (Department of Tourism 2002). Management of tourism in Can Gio: The management of tourism in Can Gio is rather complex, involving both public and private parties. Two big tourist companies based in Ho Chi Minh City operate in the area—the Sai Gon Tourist Cooperation (SGT) and Phu Tho Tourist. The district’s trading company and some private enterprises operate restaurants, guest houses, and private car parks. At least 100 local families operate seafood shops, souvenir shops, drinks stands, and chair rentals. Businesses related to transportation along the main road from Ho Chi Minh City—motorcycles, buses, the ferry, and shops—also benefit from tourism development. The management board for Can Gio protected mangrove forests, some forestry plantations, and the district’s organisations in Can Gio are planning tourist businesses of various types. And the newly established management board for April 30th Beach (under the district People’s Committee) controls the operation of shops and security there. The impact of tourism: At the moment and in general, the impact of tourism on the local economy and society is positive. Some local community members have seen their income increase and their living standards improve through employment in beach services, in businesses along the main road, or in the big tourist companies. The most visible and general benefit to the local community is improvement in the local infrastructure. The new bridge, good roads, and electricity which support tourism also improve the life of local people. But eco-tourism in Can Gio is also having some negative impact on the environment and the community. With the number of visitors increasingly rapidly, beach pollution is becoming a problem. Waste is collected each morning; for the rest of the day, refuse from food and drink shops are thrown into the beach creating unhygienic conditions. The operation of shops and services by local people who lack knowledge of tourism and business practices has led to unfair competition among the food sellers and chair renters and to social evils such as fighting. To make this sector socially healthy and sustainable, local people involved in tourism and tourist company employees should be reorganized and given training in sustainable eco-tourism. A good management board should also be established to control the activities of all stakeholders and ensure their activities do not go beyond the permitted level. There are four main areas that deserve priority in improving eco-tourism in Vietnam: Concerned bodies from the local to the central levels should coordinate planning, ecotourism policy-making, the compilation of guidebooks, and the conservation of vulnerable ecosystems, wild life, and cultural integrity. Baseline studies of the natural environment of potential ecotourism areas should be carried out. These include Environmental Impact Assessments of ecotourism activities and research into carrying capacity to avoid overconcentration of tourists, too many hotels, and a level of noise and transportation that would seriously affect local life and natural environments. Ecotourist guides should undergo compulsory training at colleges or universities. Staff, especially managers, should be equipped with professional skills and basic knowledge of ecotourist practices at home and abroad. Local communities should be engaged in ecotourism—not only in generating greater income, but also in conservation work. This may require the development of special schemes. Phan Nguyen Hong, Quan Thi Quynh Dao and Le Kim Thoa work at the Mangrove Ecosystem Research Division, Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. The case study presented in this paper is an initial finding from the project funded by the MAB/UNESCO within the Young MAB Scientist Award Programme 2002, and was undertaken with Le Kim Thoa. The author would like to express great gratitude to MAB/UNESCO for this support. Big success has been achieved for the pollution problem in Ha Long bay OUR DUTY MORE TOURS Perfume pagoda Hanoi city tour Hoi An countryside cycling tour + My Son Northwest and Northeast Adventure ONLINE CONTACT Eco Friendly Vietnam: How to get from Hanoi to Cat Ba island? How to get visa on arrival (VOA) to Vietnam? Typhoon check Weather forecast 1 ECO FRIENDLY VIETNAM Hanoi office: No 10A Alley 118 Ai Mo street - Bo De - Long Bien - Hanoi Hotline: (+84)983465078- 0983465078 (English) TEL: (+84) 24.66804950 - FAX:(+84) 24.38729612 Email: contact@ecofriendlyvietnam.com Website: www.ecofriendlyvietnam.com Cat Ba office: No. 215 - 1/4 Road - Cat Ba island - Hai Phong Copyright © 2019 Eco Friendly Vietnam Design by webbachthang	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19266
__label__cc	0.607863	0.392137	Equities and Basel III's Liquidity Requirements Last night, Bloomberg reported that the Basel Committee was considering revising Basel III's new Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) to allow banks to use equities in their liquidity pools. This would be a relatively major change, and one which I consider ill-advised. (For background, I've written about the LCR several times before.) From Bloomberg: "The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, which coordinates regulations for 27 countries, may let banks use equities and more corporate debt, in addition to cash and sovereign bonds, to satisfy new short-term liquidity standards, said two people with direct knowledge of the plans who requested anonymity because the talks are private." At a Senate Banking hearing today, Fed Governor Dan Tarullo confirmed this report. He also indicated that the Fed would support expanding the list of assets that are eligible for the LCR's liquidity pool. Here's Tarullo after being asked about the Bloomberg report (from the CQ transcript of the hearing): We — which is to say the Federal Reserve — was one of the entities which asked internationally to take another look at liquidity coverage ratio. And one of the — one of the precepts, I think, for the — for the renewed look was just the point that you were making, that if you're worried about the liquidity of a firm, what you're really asking is, how well is the liabilities and the assets of that firm matched so that in a period of stress it can cover its needs in a — over some period of time so that it has a plan for — it can develop a plan for longer run survival. And what I have thought was that the 2008 period gave us a very good real life experiment to test what kinds of instruments actually do remain liquid even during a period of stress like that. For example, highly traded equities of large companies. So that is in fact one of the motivations for the rethink, and I believe that once the international group at the Basel Committee that's looking at the LCR has finished its evaluation next year, that you will see some changes in things like what qualifies in assumed run rates and the like, to try to conform the requirements somewhat more closely to the experience we actually had in late [2008]. Tarullo, therefore, seems to be willing to allow banks to use certain large-cap equities in their liquidity pools. (Basel III's LCR requires banks to maintain large liquidity pools, which must be made up of "high quality liquid assets," so technically what Tarullo is saying is that certain large-cap equities should be included in the definition of "high quality liquid assets.") Two points here. First, there's a reason that most banks don't currently include equities in their liquidity pools, and that the Fed applies higher haircuts to equities in its emergency lending operations. The reason is that equities are typically more volatile than other instruments (e.g., fixed-income). Allowing banks to use equities in their liquidity pools increases the risk that a bank will have a large shortfall in its liquidity pool on a given day. Presumably, if the Basel Committee makes this change, equities would be categorized as "Level 2" high quality liquid assets (which I explained here), which means a 15% haircut would be applied. But does anyone honestly believe that a 15% haircut is enough for equities — especially given the wild swings in the equity markets that we witnessed even in 2008? I'm not at all convinced that there's a large class of equities that would be truly liquid in a crisis, and certainly not a large enough class to justify the inclusion of equities in banks' liquidity pools. Second, I'm disappointed to see Tarullo endorse the argument that we can determine which assets are truly liquid by looking at how they fared in the 2008 crisis. As I've noted before, this is a really stupid argument. It may be true that certain large-cap equities maintained their liquidity throughout the 2008 crisis, but there were also massive government bailouts in 2008 — not to mention the extraordinary amounts of liquidity that the Fed pumped into the financial system. How much did those large-cap equities that Tarullo refers to rely on the Fed's extraordinary lending programs (directly and indirectly) to maintain their liquidity? The point of the LCR is to ensure that banks can survive a funding crisis without massive government bailouts. Contra Tarullo, 2008 is NOT a very good — or even an appropriate — guide. Regulators will simply have to accept that determining which assets are likely to remain liquid in a TARP-free crisis will require the application of judgment on their part. This is a development worth watching.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19267
__label__cc	0.646817	0.353183	Kevin Murphy, June 7, 2019, 08:25:10 (UTC), Domain Registrars India’s largest independent registrar has been found insolvent by a local court, after failing to pay back $28 million in bank loans. Net 4 India has now also had its right to sell gTLD domains suspended by ICANN as a result. Judging by legal papers (pdf) buried on Net4’s web site, the insolvency relates to a series of loans the company took out with the State Bank of India between 2002 and 2012. After the company failed to pay those loans back, in 2014 the debt was acquired from SBI by Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction, which specializes in buying debt cheap then recovering it through the courts. Edelweiss sued Net4 to get its money back a couple of years ago and, in March this year after what appears to have been a slam-dunk, won its case. The ruling states that the outstanding debt in 2017 was almost two billion rupees — Rs 1,940,860,284, which works out to just short of $28 million at today’s rates. Having learned about the insolvency in April, ICANN set about trying to contact Net4’s management to see if the company was coming back into compliance. ICANN’s Registrar Accreditation Agreement says ICANN can terminate registrars’ contracts if they are in insolvency proceedings for more than 30 days. After the company failed to show it was compliant, this week its RAA was suspended from June 21 to September 19. During that period, Net4 will not be able to sell new domain registrations or accept incoming transfers. It will also have to display a notice on its web site to that effect. If it has not demonstrated compliance by August 28, ICANN may start its termination process. Net4 is the largest ICANN-accredited registrar based in India, as measured by number of registered gTLD domains (excluding Public Domain Registry, LogicBoxes, and several affiliated dummy accreditations, which are all owned by US-based Endurance International). It had over 100,000 gTLD domains under management at the end of February — almost all in .com and other legacy gTLDs — but its DUM had been shrinking hard for many months. At some point, Net4 appears to have been listed on both India’s National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange, but was delisted about a year ago. Korean registrar suspended Rogue registrar suspended over “stolen” domain Small registrar suspended by ICANN Tagged: edelweiss, ICANN, insolvency, net 4 india, net4, suspension, termination	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19268
__label__wiki	0.814909	0.814909	The Outer Banks and Hampton Roads could be impacted by Hurricane Maria Oct 01 , 2017 Hurricane Maria , after slamming Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, could threaten the U.S. East Coast later in the week. The storm hit Dominica and Puerto Rico last week, causing widespread destruction . The hurricane was headed northwest and expected to bring a storm surge - ocean water pushed inland - of as much as 12 feet (3.7 meters) above normal tide levels to parts of the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Search for Geetha's family continues, Sushma announces Rs 1 lakh reward The external affairs minister also announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh to whosoever helps in reuniting Geeta with her parents. I promise them that she will never be a burden for them. Stuck in Pakistan for 14 years, the news came to light after the release of Salman Khan starrer Bajrangi Bhaijaan. The External Affairs Minister, who had played a key role in ensuring the girl's return from Pakistan, said she had indicated that her real name is Guddi and that the name Geeta was given to her by the ... Coast Guard to hold news conference releasing El Faro investigation report The Coast Guard also managed to listen to 26 hours of voice recordings of the captain and crew from the El Faro's voyage data recorder - similar to the so-called black boxes carried by airlines - that was retrieved from the ship's broken corpse, 15,000 feet deep in the ocean. North Korea is reportedly moving more missiles And he warned the UK's nuclear deterrent was the only way to fend off Pyongyang's military ambitions. A United Nations spokesman said fiery talk could lead to fatal misunderstandings. The regime spends up to 24 percent of its GDP on military expenditures according to most recent numbers by the U.S. Department of State. The North has tested around two dozen missiles this year, including a variety of new missiles, and the regime is pursuing a more aggressive and provocative testing ... Negotiating With North Korea A Waste Of Time, Says Trump Xi said that China-U.S. ties have been generally stable, and that Chinese and U.S. teams should implement the consensuses reached by the two heads of state, grasp the direction of bilateral relationship, respect each other, and focus on cooperation while dealing with differences properly. S.Korea expects more provocative acts by N.Korea in mid-October North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong Un, are certainly being threatened by our country. The growing tension between North Korea and the U.S. is not only expressed in statements made by the two countries' respective leaders, but can also be felt on the ground. Latest Analysts Research Reports About Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Kimco Realty Corporation (KIM) The real estate investment trust reported $0.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.40 by $0.01. The stock increased 1.27% or $2.14 on September 29, reaching $170.87. Therefore 31% are positive. Aareal Bank had 87 analyst reports since July 24, 2015 according to SRatingsIntel. Kimco Realty Corporation (NYSE: KIM ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 26th. CM asks Centre to put Metro fare hike on hold Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has requested the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri to direct the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to withhold the unjustified fare hike, till its decision is jointly reviewed by the Central and Delhi governments. Apple Inc. (AAPL) Given a $146.00 Price Target by Barclays PLC Analysts Corporate insiders own 0.08% of the company's stock. About 2.09 million shares traded. The correct version of this piece of content can be viewed at https://stocknewstimes.com/2017/10/01/first-premier-bank-raises-position-in-apple-inc-aapl.html. 3 dead, 2 injured when shots fired in large crowd in Lawrence Once they found the scene, they encountered a large crowd and found several victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Soukup says he saw two victims lying on the sidewalk, he tried to find a defibrillator to help but paramedics arrived quickly. Syrian Observatory: Islamic State captures town from government After heavy fighting for about 48 hours, the army and its allies, supported by Russian and Syrian aviation, succeeded to repel the attack and secure the important road again. It counted 207 children among the civilian dead, along with some 790 pro-government fighters, more than 700 from so-called Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda affiliates, and some 550 rebels. Tillerson says United States in contact with N. Korea over possible nuclear talks The acting U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asia, Susan Thornton, told sceptical USA lawmakers ahead of Tillerson's trip that China appears to be on board with the plan to squeeze Pyongyang. China argues that sanctions alone can not solve the impasse, and has urged Washington to cool its rhetoric and open a dialogue with North Korea . Kim reacted by saying he would tame the rationally unsettled USA dotard with flame. Marseille train station attack: Knife-wielding man reportedly shot dead after stabbing French police said in a tweet Sunday around 2:30 p.m. local time that they had responded to an incident at the train station. The French interior ministry says one of the two people killed in the attack at the Saint-Charles train station was a woman. United States in direct contact with N.Korea Tillerson said the USA was testing North Korea's ability to talk and required a quieting of the circumstance on the #korean peninsula; no elaboration about those channels or the substance of any dialogue originated from Tillerson , who met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other best authorities in Beijing . National Football League protests are disrespectful It's more focused and probably at its worse perhaps in America. He added: "For me, it's just about doing the best I can to help this team and show unity about what we're trying to accomplish in this country". But as John Milton , whom I also admire, might say, "that strain.is of a higher mood", too high for reality. So what does it say when the entire league unites to send a strong message right back to him? "The old mentality of "A racing driver has to be like this or like that" is ... Rescuers search for survivors amid rubble of collapsed school in Mexico City Three survivors were found at around midnight as volunteer rescue team members, known as "moles", crawled deep under the rubble. Rescue teams initially reported that a 12-year-old child may be sheltering under a table, but now they say they believe it is an adult. India, China turn over new leaf Zhaohui said the message from the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Xiamen, China, was one of "reconciliation" and "cooperation". We should never forget their contribution and legacies. The history could do a considerable measure of things. "Standing on their shoulders, we should do more today", Luo said. WONG: Aggressive rhetoric about North Korea is unnecessary North Korea has conducted a series of ballistic missile launches this year, including two launches over Japan in recent weeks, in defiance of global pressure. Malaysia banned citizens from travelling to North Korea, citing the escalating tension on the Korean peninsula. Korea's conservative opposition parties have said that the handover could weaken the bond between Seoul and Washington, lessen the resources the United States spends on its Asian ally, and further embolden Pyongyang. North Korea seen moving missiles from development centre Furthermore, Faris also said that there are problems within the current US leadership. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il meets with Chung Ju-yung, the founder of Hyundai Group, during his visit to Pyongyang for discussions on tourism and other business ventures in the communist country. Tropical Storm Maria's run is nearly done, hurricane center says But a third weather system from Canada is carrying the worst of the wind and rain to warning zones in the United Kingdom on Sunday and Monday. We will have the very latest news in one place, updated throughout the day and night until the storms have passed. Trump Going to South Korea, Part of 12-Day Asia Trip South Korean President Moon Jae-in is among the leaders President Trump will meet on his Asia tour. Trump's trip will last 12 days, making it his longest foray overseas yet since taking office. North Korea responded with pledges to take the "highest-level" action against the United States and warned that it might conduct the "most powerful" atmospheric hydrogen bomb test in the Pacific Ocean. Nasrallah accuses Israel of violating global law, planting bombs along border Israel does not know where such a conflict would be fought, or who would take part, he added. Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech Sunday that Netanyahu is working with U.S. In June, Nasrallah said a future Israeli war against Syria or Lebanon could draw thousands of fighters from countries such as Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and Pakistan. Mumbai stampede: Raj Thackeray says no bullet trains till present infrastructure improves He added that he would lead a morcha on 5 October to the Western Railway headquarters in Mumbai at Churchgate and demand answers. Raj Thackeray also claimed that Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu was replaced by Piyush Goyal only to push through the Bullet Train project. PKL: Pune edge past UP in thrilling tie Skipper Ajay's raid in the 14th minute helped Thalaivas level their opponents at 11 points apiece. The next few minutes of the first half was keenly contested with both teams level at 11-11 after 15 minutes. Narwal got a raid point in the 39th minute as his team trailed by just two pointsm but Gujarat just managed to edge past by a point in the end. Even Jaipur Pink Panthers and Tamil Thalaivas fought hard and it was only in the last minute that a Jaipur win became certain. Trump visiting PH, Asia in November for summits Leaders of the nine other ASEAN member states which include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam are expected to attend the meetings in November, as well as heads of state from dialogue partners like Russia, Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea. « Back 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 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Bastille Day- July 14 Teen Nearly Decapitated by Boyfriend Who Posted Graphic Photos to Social Media No charges against NY police in 2014 choking death of black man India halts historic moon mission at final hour India to Launch Chandrayaan-2 Moon Lander Mission July 22 Twelve arrested in Ayia Napa 'over alleged rape of British woman' Saravana Bhavan case: The obsession that destroyed ‘dosa king’ Rajagopal Japan fire: Suspected arson attack on animation studio leaves many dead, injured Peter Thiel says FBI, CIA should investigate if Chinese intelligence infiltrated Google It's also facing multiple wrongful death suits that it's expected to settle to the tune of $1 billion U.S. , according to an estimate from the Bloomberg Intelligence report. To facilitate the distribution of funds, Boeing has hired attorney Kenneth Feinberg and his colleague, Camille Biros, to come up with a formula to determine who gets how much money. Trump says US Navy 'destroyed' Iranian drone in Strait of Hormuz The drone was threatening the safety of the USA ship and its crew, Trump said. Trump ordered a retaliatory military strike but called it off at the last moment, saying the risk of casualties was disproportionate to the shootdown by Iran , which did not cost any U.S. Japan trade minister blasts South Korea for `mistaken` explanation after bilateral meeting The sign reads "Mitsubishi Heavy Industries should compensate and apologize to victims of forced labor". Such an approval would likely fan antagonisms between with Tokyo at a time when relations are already at their worst in decades. Japan says preferential export licensing arrangements for the three materials subject to its export control measure can only available to "trustworthy" trading partners. Actually playing through the chaos and rancor would be tasteless, so ShinZante wisely made a decision to present their recreation as a camera moving through still-life scenes. A spokesperson for the U.S. Air Force told several media outlets that they are aware of the plans to "raid" Area 51 - and are staunchly against them. Trump complains at rally about 4 congresswomen US President Donald Trump has intensified his attacks against four liberal Congresswomen and verbally attacked Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota as the crowd chanted: "Send her back!" I'm glad you spoke up.' I have others that call in and say: "'Who are you to tell the president what he should and shouldn't say'". OSU Reviewing Donations From Epstein The assets were revealed during a bail hearing on Monday and prompted Judge Richard Berman to order Epstein to remain in prison at the Manhattan Correctional Centre until a bail hearing scheduled for Thursday. Represented by world famous attorneys Kenneth Starr (remembered from Clinton's impeachment trial) and Alan Dershowitz (Harvard constitutional law professor), Epstein pled guilty to state felony prostitution. Earlier in the day, a Turkish diplomat, who was serving at Turkey's Consulate General in Erbil, was martyred in an armed attack at a restaurant, the Turkish Foreign Ministry confirmed in a statement. According to the restaurant owner, the attacker - in plainclothes and carrying two guns - targeted the Turkish diplomats dining in a restaurant in Erbil.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19272
__label__cc	0.667537	0.332463	Tag: Context Model Deriving a workable entropy-encoding scheme, based on the official explanation of CABAC. One of the subjects which I recently blogged about, is that when encoding video-streams, some Codecs use 8×8 sample Discrete Cosine Transforms, but as with many DCTs, the coefficients produced tend to be values, which would take up too much space to store, in a fixed-length format. And so a family of techniques which gets applied, is loosely referred to as ‘Entropy Encoding’, with the key idea being, that the Entropy Encoding used for compressed video, is different again, from the Entropy Encoding used for compressed audio. And the scheme used for video has as advantage, that the encoding itself is lossless. Apparently, there are two variants actually used with H.264-encoded videos, which some people group together as MPEG-4: An unspecified form of variable-length encoding, CABAC, The latter of which promises better compression, at the cost of greater CPU-power required, both to encode and to decode. I’m going to focus on ‘CABAC’ in this posting. There is an official explanation for how CABAC works, which I will refer to. In order to understand my posting here, the reader will need to have read the documentation I just linked to. From first impressions – yesterday evening was the first day on which I examined CABAC – I’d say that the official explanation contains an error. And I’ll explain why, by offering a version of Entropy-Encoding, which I know can work, based on the link above, but different from it: Integers are meant to be encoded, that are “Binarized”. The probability with which the first “Bin” has become (1) instead of (0) can be analyzed as described, resulting in a Context Model of one out of (0, 1, 2), as described. The next four Bins may not have individual probabilities computed, only resulting in Context Models (3, 4, 5, 6) when they are (1) instead of (0), which override the Context Model that the first Bin would generate. The resulting, one Context Model could be averaged over the previous Values. Using As a Pair of values, the Context Model (from the previous values) which was just computed, And the (present) Integer Value, a look-up can take place in a 2-dimensional table, of which sequence of bits to use, to encode (both). Because the decoder has chosen the integer value out of a known row in the same look-up table, it can also update the Context Model being used, so that future look-ups when decoding remain unambiguous. The main problem I see with the official explanation is, that because up to 6 Context Models can be computed, each of which supposedly has its own probability, based on that, the lookup-table in which binary values (entropy encodings) are to be found, would effectively need to be a 6-dimensional table ! Officially, all the Context-Models found, have equal meaning. Software is much-more probable, which uses a 2D table, than software which uses a 6-dimensional table, although according to Theoretical Math, 6-dimensional tables are also possible. But then, a property of Variable Length Coding which has been observed for some time, was that small integers, such as (0), (1) and (2), were assigned very short bit-sequences to be recognized, while larger integers, such as (16) or (17), were assigned recognizable bit-sequences, which would sometimes have been impractically long, and which resulted in poor compression, when the probability of the integer actually being (0), (1) or (2) decreased. So, because we know that we can have at least one Context-Model, based on the actual, local probabilities, when the probabilities of very small integers become smaller, a series of entropy-encodings can be selected in the table, the bit-length of which can be made more-uniform, resulting in smaller encodings overall, than what straight Variable-Length Encoding would have generated, CABAC instead being adapted to probable, larger integers. The fact will remain, that the smaller integers will require fewer bits to encode, in general, than the larger integers. But when the smallest integers become very improbable, the bit-lengths for all the integers can be evened out. This will still result in longer streams overall, as larger integers become more-probable, but in shorter streams than the streams that would result, if the encodings for the smallest integers remained the shortest they could be. Continue reading Deriving a workable entropy-encoding scheme, based on the official explanation of CABAC. Posted on July 22, 2018 July 30, 2018 Tags CABAC, Context Model, DCT, Entropy Encoding, H.264, Lossless, Lossless Compression, Variable-Length, Video CODEC1 Comment	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19274
__label__cc	0.705302	0.294698	Site index > Search result > Keywords: "IOSs", Viewing items: 1 - 2 of 2 Literature Review of Information Technology Adoption Models at Firm Level pp110-121 Tiago Oliveira, Maria Fraga Martins Today, information technology (IT) is universally regarded as an essential tool in enhancing the competitiveness of the economy of a country. There is consensus that IT has significant effects on the productivity of firms. These effects will only be realized if, and when, IT are widely spread and used. It is essential to understand the determinants of IT adoption. Consequently it is necessary to know the theoretical models. There are few reviews in the literature about the comparison of IT adoption models at the individual level, and to the best of our knowledge there are even fewer at the firm level. This review will fill this gap. In this study, we review theories for adoption models at the firm level used in information systems literature and discuss two prominent models: diffusion on innovation (DOI) theory, and the technology, organization, and environment (TOE) framework. The DOI found that individual characteristics, internal characteristics of organizational structure, and external characteristics of the organization are important antecedents to organizational innovativeness. The TOE framework identifies three aspects of an enterprise's context that influence the process by which it adopts and implements a technological innovation: technological context, organizational context, and environmental context. We made a thorough analysis of the TOE framework, analysing the studies that used only this theory and the studies that combine the TOE framework with other theories such as: DOI, institutional theory, and the Iacovou, Benbasat, and Dexter model. The institutional theory helps us to understand the factors that influence the adoption of interorganizational systems (IOSs); it postulates that mimetic, coercive, and normative institutional pressures existing in an institutionalized environment may influence the organization’s predisposition toward an IT‑based interorganizational system. The Iacovou, Benbasat, and Dexter model, analyses IOSs characteristics that influence firms to adopt IT innovations. It is based on three contexts: perceived benefits, organizational readiness, and external pressure. The analysis of these models takes into account the empirical literature, and the difference between independent and dependent variables. The paper also makes recommendations for future research. Keywords: information technology, diffusion of innovations, DOI, theory, technology-organization-environment, TOE, framework, interorganizational systems, IOSs, institutional theory Volume 14 Issue 1, ECIME 2010 Special Issue / Jan 2011 pp1‑166 Editor: Miguel de Castro Neto Dr Miguel de Castro Neto is presently Associate Dean at the Instituto Superior de Estatística e Gestão de Informação of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ISEGI‑UNL), where he is Invited Assistant Professor. He is editor of the Journal of Information Technology in Agriculture (JITAg), member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Online Information Review journal, and Scientific Advisor of the Revista Brasileira de Agroinformática. Miguel de Castro Neto holds a PhD in Agronomic Engineering (Universidade Técnica de Lisboa) in the field of Internet‑based agricultural information systems, a Masters degree in Agricultural Economics (Universidade de Évora), a Masters degree extension in Statistics and Information Management (Universidade Nova de Lisboa) and a degree in Agricultural Engineering (Universidade de Évora).His research interests include Business Intelligence, Knowledge management and Social Computing. This special edition of the EJISE includes thirteen selected papers presented at the 4th European Conference on Information Management and Evaluation ‑ ECIME 2010 which were considered the most important contributions to the advances in the information systems evaluation field of study. The conference was held at Instituto Superior de Estatística e Gestão from the Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ISEGI‑UNL), Lisbon, Portugal, and the broad topics proposed to be addressed by ECIME 2010 included: evaluation topics; management topics; e‑Government topics; new technologies, innovation and infrastructures; development topics; ethics and philosophy topics; and general topics. These topics where covered by the presentation in the conference of 47 Papers, 4 PhD Research Papers, and 4 Work in Progress with participants coming from 25 different countries splitted in the following streams: Managing Information; Evaluation of Records and Documents; Business Intelligence; ICT issues as they specifically affect SMEs; Logistics, Supply Chain and Process Improvement; Performance assessment and measurement; Web Tools; Health Information Systems; Evaluation Issues; Health Information Systems Issues; Quality and Service Level; and IS professionals. The 13 ECIME 2010 selected papers for publishing in this EJISE special issue cover a very wide range of interesting and up to date research areas giving us important insights and new perspectives in future developments in the field and I hope it can became an important contribution to the dynamics in the information systems evaluation research area. Keywords: action research, adopter categories, adoption, adoption determinants, alliances, architectural principles, BAN, business architecture, business value, CDSS, COBIT, community, computing, consumer goods, decision-making, diffusion of innovations (DOI) theory, digital divide, disadvantaged networks, early warning scorecard, eCommerce, enterprise architecture, evidence-based protocols, factors, GDS (Global Data Synchronization), geobrowser, georeference, GIS (Geographical Information System), GLN (Global Location Numbering), global standards, GoogleEarth, GTIN (Global Trade Items Numbering), GUSI (Global Upstream Supply Initiative), health informatics and body area networks, health information management, hospital information systems, information alignment, information management, information quality, information quality, information systems, information systems architecture, information technology, institutional theory, integrated suppliers, interorganizational systems (IOSs), interpretiv	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19276
__label__wiki	0.525573	0.525573	Over 7,330 active registrations as of 21 September 2013 Remains the UAE’s fastest growing Free Zone with 200 new companies joining each month 94% retention rate Planned 107,000 sq/m business park will add 50% of commercial space World’s tallest commercial tower to be constructed within the business park Site for Uthman Ibn Affan (Dhun-Nurayn) Masjid has been confirmed as Cluster M2 in JLT Dubai, UAE; 22 September 2013: The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (‘DMCC’) Free Zone is now the UAE’s largest Free Zone with over 7,330 active registrations. With an average of 200 companies choosing to join DMCC each month and a 94% retention rate, DMCC also remains the UAE’s fastest growing free zone. “We are now the UAE’s largest and fastest growing free zone with over 7,330 active member companies – we remain committed to further growth in order to cement Dubai as the global hub for commodities trade and enterprise. We are well on our way to achieving our target of 10,000 companies by 2015, at which point we anticipate to be almost at capacity. Our expansion plans, including the DMCC business park and the world’s tallest commercial tower, will cater to large corporations looking to access new markets and will be the next phase in DMCC’s and Dubai’s growth.” As the demand for commercial space within the DMCC Free Zone continues to grow, with over 74% of the development already occupied, DMCC recently announced plans to build the world’s tallest commercial tower in order to cater to this continued demand. The construction of the tower and 107,000 square metre business park will add an additional 50% of commercial space or 743,224 square metres to the existing 2.9 million square metres of built up area. “We continue to innovate and complement key trading hubs across the globe to further support Dubai’s ambitious economic development programme. Currently, we are concentrating on serving markets along the new Silk Route and have become a strong facilitator of trade for producing countries in African and consuming nations in Asia, Asean, Europe, South America and the US”, Bin Sulayem added. Since its establishment in 2002, DMCC has welcomed a range of companies from all sectors across the globe, including: Clarkson, Louis Dreyfus, Debeers Diamdel, Conoco Phillips, Rio Tinto Alcan, LVMH, Harley Davidson and Nutricia Danone. In terms of member demographics, a third of DMCC member companies are from South Asia, a third from the Middle East (including the UAE), and a third from Western Europe and North America respectively. Gautam Sashittal, Chief Operating Officer, DMCC, added:“This year, over 95% of the companies that have chosen to operate from the DMCC Free Zone are new to Dubai, which further demonstrates DMCC’s and Dubai’s continuous appeal as a business destination where SMEs and multi-nationals alike can utilise our full-service toolkit, trade with confidence and grow their business. Due to its unique offering, strategic location, modern infrastructure and customer focus, the DMCC Free Zone enjoys a 94% retention rate.” With 65 mixed-use commercial and residential towers and over 220 retail outlets in operation, there are currently over 75,000 people working and living within Jumeirah Lakes Towers. The transformation of one of its lakes into a 55,000 square metre community park and the road networks within the development are due to be completed by the end of this year. Click here to download Infographic (PDF)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19282
__label__wiki	0.533271	0.533271	Barcelona Airport Reviews By FlightsNation · On October 4, 2016 Barcelona Airport, also known as Barcelona–El Prat Airport; is an international airport located 12 kilometres southwest of the centre of Barcelona Spain, lying in the municipalities of El Prat de Llobregat, Viladecans and Sant Boi. Barcelona Airport is the main airport of Catalonia, the second largest in Spain behind Madrid Barajas Airport and one of the busiest in the world. Barcelona Airport is the main hub for Spanish Airlines, mainly: Vueling, Iberia or Air Europa; as well as the Irish low-cost giant—Ryanair and the Scandinavian carrier: Norwegian Air Shuttle. The airport mainly serves domestic European destinations, they also offer flights to North America, South America, Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Reviews – What People Are Saying In terms of customer’s reviews, Barcelona Airport seems to have given their customers the best offers and accommodations, as these reviews were posted throughout the internet: “Adios BCN! This has got to be one of my favorite airports. Modern, manageable size, efficient. Always a pleasure to fly in or out of here. Loads of shopping, just look up and read the signs and you will have access to everything that’s available at this airport. Airport personnel do conduct spontaneous extra security screenings, but if you’re name is called and you ask the questions, they will let you know what’s going on. Easy access to/from the airport via metro, taxi, Aerobus, and close to the main touristic areas of Barcelona. Wish more airports were like this one.” —Gianna A (Boynton Beach, United States) “Good airport overall, the business lounge here offers barely any food, but lots of soft and alcoholic drinks. There is a lot of construction going on so it was very dusty. They have personnel walking around and doing surveys in the airport, which is positive since they are looking to improve.” —Neluta G (Anaheim, United States) “This is a very nice airport. It doesn’t particularly stands out if you compare it with other big airports in Europe like the Madrid or Paris one. But it is very convenient. They have free wifi, nice places to eat and there is a transportation service called aerobus that goes from the airport to Plaza Cataluñya. That bus is only €5.90.” —Valeska F (Orlando, United States) Barcelona Airport has three runways; two parallel runways and a cross runway. There are 2 terminals mainly called as T1 and T2; T2 is the sum of the previous terminals A, B and C and is located on the north side of the airport. T1 on the other hand, is located on the west side; opened on 2009. T1 is considered the fifth largest terminal in the world, with an area of 5,9000,000 sq ft, an aircraft ramp of 6,5000,000 sq ft, 13 new parking lots and 45 new fingers expandable into 60. This terminal is also capable to embrace large aircrafts such as the Airbus A380-800 or Boeing 747-81. Barcelona Airport offers hundreds of check-in counters, 15 baggage carousels, 24,000 parking spaces in addition to 12,000 that is added to terminal 2. They also offers various shopping stores and different food stalls and bars that will help every traveler to relax while waiting for their next flight. Location – Traffic – Service There are different ways to reach Barcelona Airport. As Barcelona Airport, especially T2; offers its own, Rodalies Barcelona commuter train station on the line R2, which runs from Macanet-Massanes station every 30 mins, with major stops at Barcelona Sants railway station and the fairly central Passeig Gracia railway station to provide transfer to the Barcelona Metro system in Clot. Passengers from T1 must take a connecting bus from 2B(Terminal 2) to Terminal 1. If you are using a car, you can take the C-32B highway in which this highway connects the airport to a main traffic interchange, between Barcelona’s Ronda de Dalt beltway and major motorways. If you are going to take the bus, you might as well aboard the Transport Metropolitans de Barcelona public bus line 46, or the airport’s Aerobus which offers direct transfer from T1 and T2 to the city center at Placa Catalunya. Airport Code: IATA: BCN — ICAO: LEBL Phone number: +34 91 321 1000 or 902 404 704 Website URL: http://www.barcelona-airport.com/ Email: bcninformacion@aena.es Address: : Barcelona Airport, Viladecans, Catalonia, 08820, Spain In conclusion to this Barcelona Airport reviews, I think it’s safe to say that to airport offers and give its customers the convenience of staying within their vicinity. With their fantastic architectural designs and various numbers of souvenir shops and restaurants, and with the assistance of their friendly staff, getting to Barcelona Airport is sure something to look forward to. airportAirport ReviewsAirportsreviews Alexandroupolis Democritus International Airport Reviews 2017 Geneva Airport Reviews Montreal Airport Reviews	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19283
__label__wiki	0.761006	0.761006	Indonesians Discouraged From Valentine Indonesian scholars have urged Muslims not to celebrate Valentine’s Day, saying the celebration leads to immoral practices that run counter to Islamic teachings. "We don't want to completely ban Valentine's Day but it's not for teenagers," Raden Salamun Adiningrat, secretary of Nahdlatul Ulama, the country’s largest Muslim group, in Depok in West Java told Agence France-Presse (AFP). "Teenagers see it as a time to express love and affection and they often end up in sex parties, like in the West.” Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14, by many people throughout the world. In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their feelings for each others. "It's Western culture and immoral so it's ironic Muslims celebrate it," said Habib Idrus Al Gahdri, the head of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) in Depok. Islam does recognize happy occasions that bring people closer to one another, and add spice to their lives. However, Islam goes against blindly imitating the West regarding a special occasion such as Valentine’s Day. Hence, commemorating the Valentine’s Day is an innovation or bid`ah (innovation) that has no religious backing. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim state with Muslims making up around 85 percent of its 237-million population. Christians, both Protestants and Catholics, make up nearly 12 percent of the country’s population. Hundreds of Indonesian students have also taken to the streets in central Java to protest against Valentine’s Day celebrations. “We took the students to join the rally in a bid to remind them not to fall into Valentine’s Day moments,” Setiyatno, a teacher, told The Jakarta Post. He lamented that celebrating the western custom turns into immoral practices, especially among youth. “What we see in reality is that youths increasingly have no limits when celebrating Valentine’s Day,” said Setiyatno who teaches Islam at Al-Fattah Islamic elementary school. He said the march was a reminder for students to avoid practices that run counter against Islamic teachings. “We deliberately give them an early warning so that they will not be plunged into non-Islamic traditions in the future.” The calls against Valentine’s Day celebration have won support From the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). “Valentine’s Day celebrations have led to the channeling of lust between unmarried couples,” local MUI chairman Ilyas Husti said. “The impact will not just be on them but also on the whole community.” Indonesians Discouraged From Valentine - Asia-Pacific - News - OnIslam.net... Indonesians Discouraged From Valentine discouraged indonesians valentine discouraged, indonesians, valentine « The First Tatar Attack C \| Who Invented Valentine's Day? »	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19285
__label__wiki	0.755005	0.755005	Hindu Mosque Festival Raises India Tension A new controversy is brewing in india over celebrations of a hindu festival at an ancient mosque in the central city of Dhar, which coincides with the weekly Friday prayers on February 15. “Our effort is to find an amicable solution to the problem,” Dhar Collector CB Singh told OnIslam.net. “We have deployed security at the place and hope that Friday will pass off peacefully without any problem.” Hindus will be celebrating the day of Vasant Panchmi, a festival devoted to Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of knowledge and arts, on Friday, February 15. The festival will be held at the Kamal Maula Mosque, which Hindus consider as a temple. Hindu groups have called for banning Muslims from the place at the time in order to celebrate their festival. “Muslims should not be allowed to offer namaz (prayers) on Friday,” Ashok Jain, President of the Hindu Jagran Manch group, told OnIslam.net. “It is a temple and it should be handed over to Hindus.” The Kamal Maula Mosque was built in the 11th century by King Bhoj, the most celebrated ruler of the Paramara dynasty in central India. Hindus believe the place was an ancient seat of learning and belongs to them. The place, which is under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), has been a source of controversy between Hindus and Muslims in the past. Under a previous agreement between the two sides, Muslims are allowed to pray at the site on Fridays from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Hindus are free to offer prayers at the place on Tuesdays and on the day of Vasant Panchmi. A similar situation occurred in 2006. At the time, the government converted the area into a fortress by deploying large police forces and allocated separate time to Hindus and Muslims to offer prayers. But Muslims insist on their right to perform their weekly prayers at the mosque. “There was an agreement between Hindus and Muslims on April 23, 1995 for the place, but later Hindus violated the agreement,” Mujeeb Qureshi, former district president of the Congress Party, told OnIslam.net. Despite the controversy, some Muslims believe that a solution will be reached soon. “Both Muslims and Hindus in Dhar are peace-loving people. They don’t want any dispute,” said senior advocate Nisar Mohammed. “But people, who have come from outside, want to take political mileage through this controversy.” ASI has proposed a solution to resolve the dispute. Under the proposal, Hindu devotees will be permitted to the site to offer puja (prayers) on the day of Vasant Panchmi on February 14 and 15 from morning till evening. Muslims will be allowed to perform prayers at the mosque from 12 noon to 3.30 p.m. Hindus can take with them “a flower or two and a few grains of rice” to offer puja at the site. But the proposal is not accepted by the Hindus. “We are ready to face any situation,” said Jain, of the Jagran Manch group. “We want to perform puja for the whole day on Feb 15. Vasant Panchmi is on Feb 15 and not on Feb 14. “It is up to the administration to decide about Muslims. We are not concerned about them.” Muslims account for 160 million in Hindu-majority India, the world's third-largest Muslim population after those of Indonesia and Pakistan. Hindu Mosque Festival Raises India Tension - Asia-Pacific - News - OnIslam.net... Hindu Mosque Festival Raises India Tension festival hindu india mosque raises tension festival, hindu, india, mosque, raises, tension « Sri Lanka Slams Anti-Muslim Hatred \| Warning against militant secularization »	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19286
__label__cc	0.564216	0.435784	Book sale this weekend @ library...SAVE date: JOB SEMINAR (Nov 8)...RFP for Westhelp posted on web ANNUAL BOOK SALE SPONSORED BY THE FRIENDS OF THE GREENBURGH LIBRARY: FRIDAY, October 12th - Members ONLY Preview from 6 PM to 8 PM SATURDAY, October 13th - 10 AM to 5 PM SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14th - 12 Noon to 4:30 PM MONDAY, OCTOBER 15th - 10 AM to 5 PM Save the date: Thursday, November 8 10:30 AM to noon, Greenburgh library—new job opportunities in Westchester program—designed to help you find employment. Speaker: Larry Gottlieb, director of Economic Development for the county. Larry will present a snapshot of new business development in the county, where the jobs are, where they will be, what the present and future growth industries are, how your skills can fit and how the county is retaining existing business. The following RFP for the WESTHELP property is posted on the town website. We are actively looking for proposals to manage the property. Please share with friends, colleagues. If you are in the business of managing affordable housing – we invite you to submit a bid! TOWN of GREENBURGH 177 Hillside Avenue Greenburgh, New York 10607 FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF EXISTING APARTMENTS OR FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE 108 UNIT FACILITY ON THE SIX-ACRE FORMER WESTHELP PROPERTY, WHICH IS LOCATED AT THE KNOLLWOOD GATE ENTRANCE TO WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR A PERIOD OF AT LEAST 20 YEARS. THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER IS THE OWNER OF THE SIX-ACRE PARCEL AND WOULD PREFER THAT THE EXISTING APARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION/SCHOOL BUILDING BE MAINTAINED. THE TOWN WILL ENTERTAIN PROPOSALS THAT COULD INCLUDE REHABILITATION OR REDEVELOPMENT OF EXISTING BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES IF SUCH REDEVELOPMENT PROPERTY WOULD ENHANCE THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER’S AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVE. The Town of Greenburgh will be considering proposals for the management of existing apartments or for the redevelopment of the 108 unit facility on the six-acre former WestHELP complex, which is located at the Knollwood Gate entrance to Westchester Community College, for a period of at least 20 years. The County of Westchester is the owner of the six-acre parcel and would prefer that the existing apartments and administration/school building be maintained. The Town will entertain proposals that could include rehabilitation or redevelopment of existing buildings and structures if such redevelopment property would enhance the County of Westchester’s affordable housing initiative. Redevelopment (including demolishment or significant alterations of the existing buildings) will be considered if the redevelopment proposals would generate more revenue to the Town than usage of existing buildings and provide better affordable housing options for tenants. The Town of Greenburgh is located in the south central portion of Westchester County in New York State and includes 31 square miles of land between the Hudson River on the west and the Bronx River on the east. It contains five (5) major highways and parkways (I-87, I-287, the Bronx River, Sprain Brook and Saw Mill Parkways), and three major commercial corridors (Central Park Avenue, Route 119 and Route 9A). The Town is bounded on the north by the Town of Mount Pleasant and on the south by the City of Yonkers. East of the Bronx River are the Town of North Castle, the City of White Plains and the Village/Town of Scarsdale. There are six incorporated villages within the Town: Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington and Tarrytown. The unincorporated area of the Town of Greenburgh, hereinafter referred to as “Unincorporated Greenburgh,” is the subject of this Request for Proposal (RFP). Unincorporated Greenburgh is approximately 18 square miles and includes numerous neighborhoods. It is serviced by three fire districts, seven fire protection districts and nine separate school districts. Unincorporated Greenburgh’s population can be characterized as ethnically, racially and economically diverse. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2010, the Unincorporated Greenburgh has a total population of 42,863. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007, the median income in the Town of Greenburgh is $97,147 per household versus the Westchester County average of $77,856 per household. The Town is seeking qualified management and/or development proposals for the vacant facility located on an approximately six acre property which has a property address of One WestHELP Drive in the Town. The subject property was formerly subleased by the Town to a homeless housing nonprofit organization known as “WestHELP” which provided emergency homeless housing and related services to families with young children. WestHELP previously operated the 108 unit facility comprising of a portion of Sheet 18, Parcel 128 of the Assessment Map of the Town, formerly known as “Hartford Estate”, pursuant to a ten year Sublease Agreement with the Town which expired on September 30, 2011. The County of Westchester is the owner of the six acre parcel, which is located adjacent to the Westchester Community College campus in the Town and more particularly described in Exhibit A annexed hereto. By a lease dated April 26, 1990, (the “Town Master Lease”), the County of Westchester leased the Premises to the Town for a period of thirty (30) years, commencing upon the expiration of a separate lease, dated April 24, 1990, (the “WestHELP Lease”) between the County and WestHELP, a New York not-for-profit corporation . By a three-party agreement among the County, the Town and WestHELP, dated September 18, 2001, (1) the WestHELP Lease was deemed to have expired on September 17, 2001, (2) the Town Master Lease was acknowledged as having commenced as of September 18, 2001, and (3) the Town agreed to sublease the Premises to WestHELP (the “WestHELP Sublease”) for the period commencing on September 18, 2001 and continuing through September 30, 2011. The WestHELP Sublease has now expired and the subject property and facility are controlled by the Town until at least September 30, 2031. The Town Master Lease Agreement with the County of Westchester contemplated a use of the property for low to moderate income rental housing at the end of the WestHELP lease term. The Town is now seeking to have the property managed, developed or redeveloped in a manner that complies with Westchester County’s requirement that the property be used for low to moderate income housing. While the Town will entertain all offers to manage, develop or re-develop the property, the County will be a party to any sublease agreement and has expressed a desire that existing property improvements and infrastructure be preserved to the greatest extent possible. The County of Westchester has also indicated that it would consider entering into a long term lease with an approved manager or developer, at the expiration of the Town’s Master Lease on September 20, 2031 and that such developer would have the right and option to renew the Lease for five (5) additional periods of ten (10) years each, subject to and on all of the terms and conditions contained in any Agreement. The subject property is located between Knollwood Road to the west, Hillside Avenue (Route 100B) to the east, Hartford Lane and Payne Road to the north, and Old Tarrytown Road to the south. A portion of the site is currently developed and is zoned as Residential (R-30), although the Town would consider proposals that include applications to rezone the property which would also be subject to County approval. The former facility operated at the Site was designed and built to make the same suitable for use as permanent housing and includes off-site improvements reasonably necessary for the operation of the facility (i.e. roads, utilities etc.). RFP SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS The Town Board invites proposed property developers and/or operators, or representatives on their behalf, to provide information as to the firm’s qualifications and experience in developing properties and/or operating facilities related to municipal owned properties. Listed below are areas of specific importance that should be addressed; however, responders are encouraged to provide any additional information that would assist the Board in making their selection: The years of experience your company or firm has in developing properties. The years of experience in providing services to local New York municipal governments. The size of the firm’s practice, the names, education and experience of the partner(s) or principals and primary staff that would be developing the property or operating the facility. A brief narrative of the services that have been provided to private or municipal clients over the last five years. A list of at least three municipalities that your firm is currently developing properties in, operating facilities at, or providing services to, including the name of the municipality, number of years operating and the name of a contact person and their telephone number. The rate structure or fees charged for services provided if any. Please provide the above information by December 1, 2012. The Town Board will select a principal from firms that respond to this request. Each proposal in response to this RFP must be formatted as a single bound volume and must be submitted at or before the time and date set forth in this RFP. The Town of Greenburgh Town Board (the “Town”) may, in its sole discretion, reject any submission filed after the deadline. Responses shall remain valid, active and firm for a period of 180 days from the due date. Each Respondent must submit the information requested in standard letter size format for their proposal to be complete (fold out documents will be accepted). The outside of the package containing a proposal should be clearly marked with “"PROPOSAL FOR ONE WESTHELP DRIVE SITE".” All submittals must include a minimum of the elements as described in i through vii below. Although the Town is not obligated to evaluate incomplete submittals or to accept additional and supplemental materials, it may choose to do so. All submittals should be concise and address the Town’s goals and objectives as listed in this RFP and relevant support documents: Cover Letter and Executive Summary The submittal must include a cover letter with a statement that the individual signing the letter is authorized to obligate the entity to proceed with negotiation of a “Development Agreement” should the entity be tentatively designated as the developer for the property. The proposal must also include an executive summary of the principal elements of the submittal, including a project description and schedule, as well as the development team’s approach to the development, mix of uses, open space, financing, environmental processing, and terms. PLEASE NOTE, the Town is will enter into a sublease for property with the selected developer. Development Team, Relationships and References The Town seeks sufficient information about the redevelopment team to make an informed judgment as to how well the team could perform in the role of developer of the proposed plan and to compare the qualifications of the development teams associated with the proposals submitted. Respondents are free to present this information in a format and a degree of detail that, in their judgment, is adequate for these purposes. The following is a suggested format for consideration: • The redevelopment team description shall include the corporation, joint venture or other entity that would serve as the Designated Redeveloper of the proposed development and would be party to the Redevelopment Agreement with the Town. If the entity is a subsidiary of, or otherwise affiliated with another organization, the Respondent shall indicate such a relationship. • Identify all participants in the Respondent’s development team including those members responsible for the building design, landscape and site design, land use planning, engineering, permitting, legal and financial analysis, and community relations, as well as investors and proposed lending institutions. This information should include, but not be limited to, company profiles of firms on the proposed team and individual resumes of key personnel who would be assigned to the project. Brochures detailing the individual team members’ qualifications may be included as an appendix. • Submit an organizational chart showing all team members, the responsibility of each team member, and the proposed interrelationships of the team with the Town during the design, development and operation of the project. • For each company/individual involved in the development, construction or operation of the redevelopment, identify the company or individual involved, including the name, address, telephone and fax numbers and primary contact person for each listing. The list of companies and individuals shall include at least the following: Architect(s) (site, buildings, landscape) Land Use/Environmental Planner (if known) Engineer(s) (geo-technical, traffic, structural, etc., if known) Attorney(s) (if known) Lender(s) (if known) General Contractor (if known) • For each member of the Respondent’s team noted above, identify the names of all principals who will be responsible for the redevelopment, construction and operation of the proposed redevelopment and provide professional resumes for each such principal. • The proposal shall identify the persons responsible for each activity related to the permitting, design, financing and construction of the project. The proposal shall identify one or more individuals who have full power and authority on behalf of the Respondent’s team to negotiate and execute the Agreement, if the Respondent is chosen for negotiation of the Agreement. • Three (3) references are required that can specifically address the capability of the Respondent to undertake similar development projects. References should include name, title, addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers, and email addresses and a brief description of the relationship to the development entity in regard to previous experience. In addition, the proposal should identify any potential conflicts that the individual team members or firms may have because of current or prior relationships with the Town of Greenburgh, Town of Greenburgh related boards and individuals, or its consultants. The Town reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to request additional information on potential conflicts of interest and to limit or prohibit the part the participation of any team member or firm due to any such conflict of interest. To the extent that public disclosure laws may be applicable, participants in the development team shall be responsible for complying with all applicable requirements. The Town is seeking sufficient information regarding the Respondent’s project experience to make a judgment as to how well the team could perform in the role of redeveloper of the project site, and to compare with the experience of other redevelopment teams. The following information is suggested to meet this requirement. Respondents are free to present this information in a degree of detail that in their judgment is adequate for these purposes: All individuals listed as contacts on existing projects may be contacted and should be available to assess the Respondent’s record relating to the project(s). In addition, the Town may consult references familiar with the Respondent or members of the Respondent’s team regarding past experience, qualifications, performance, or other matters, regardless of whether the specific individuals are identified in the proposal. The proposal should demonstrate that all of the team members have experience in the redevelopment of similar size and scope projects in a comparable suburban setting. To the extent that a developer cannot demonstrate the proper strength in a particular area, the developer will be required to hire or joint venture with an entity that has strength in that particular area. The developer must provide the names of the persons on the development team and the corporate structure to be responsible for the planning and implementation of the project. iv) Understanding of the Redevelopment Process The proposal should clearly demonstrate an understanding of the scope and tasks required for the design, permitting, financing, construction and leasing/sale of the proposed redevelopment and the challenges to successful completion of such a project in accordance with the project schedule. The Respondent should demonstrate an understanding of the challenges of undertaking and completing the project in Unincorporated Greenburgh by including in its proposal, among other things, a detailed plan schedule for meetings and dealing with all relevant constituencies and organizations. With respect to project financing, each Respondent should demonstrate its approach to the financing, the risks and issues involved and how the Respondent will mitigate these financial risks and address the issues. v) Project Schedule The respondent shall describe the proposed project schedule including key steps in, permitting, financing, design, construction (including start and completion), and leasing/sale and occupancy. vi) Proposed Management/Redevelopment Program Each proposal should include a program description reflecting the contemplated building design. Submissions of conceptual site plans with representative building elevations are encouraged. The program description should include, at a minimum, the following: (1) The proposed development shall include a preliminary concept plan indicating the proposed use, grading, drainage, circulation, parking, views, street tree planting along street frontages, fences and walls, if any, landscaping, screening, the exterior design of the building, structures and any signs. (2) A rendering of the site and building (s). (3) Identify views to and from the area of the proposed development from surrounding roads and properties. Utilizing photographs, cross sections, sketches and photo simulations of the proposed development, and the visual impact the proposed development will create from all surrounding vantage points, as appropriate. (4) A detailed account of proposed terms. (5) A statement that the Respondent’s will hold the Town harmless for any material or condition found on the property. (6) An affirmative statement that the Respondent will not require any financial assistance from the Town. (7) Time periods for commencing and completing construction, and opening for business. (8) Estimated development cost, and verifiable evidence of financial capability. (9) A primary contact name and numbers including phone, fax, and email. (10) An affirmative statement that the Town will not be required to pay any closing costs, inspection fees or professional fees. (11) An expeditious planning and construction schedule that would meet or beat the following time periods for each phase of development: A. Submit application for site plan approval not later than 45 days after Town approval of development agreement. B. Commence construction not later than 180 days after site plan approval. C. Complete construction not later than 365 days after commencing construction. D. Open for business and have a certificate of occupancy not later than 30 days after completing construction. Each proposal should also provide information on employment generation (construction and permanent jobs), secondary spending on and off-site, as well as property taxes to be generated. vii) Proposed Project Cost and Capital Structure; Financial Capacity The proposal shall contain, with sufficient detail, the key financial components of the respondent’s proposal, including rental terms, price point projections, revenue projections, and the Respondent’s financing strategy. At a minimum, the Statement of Proposed Financial Terms and Assumptions should include the following (draft development pro formas are encouraged): (1) Respondents should describe their plans for funding all required improvements, including identifying sources of funds. Such description should include the proportion of equity to debt financing, and identify any special restrictions or conditions associated with the financing plan. Respondents should also include evidence of financing resources and their concurrence with the proposed development program. A financial statement, at delivery of Proposal, or prior to short-listing, supporting the Respondent’s capability of undertaking this project including company operating revenues and expenses, history of debt repayments, and letters of credit. (2) Identify any local, state or federal financial assistance that will be required to implement the project. Although it is recognized that public monies may be needed to bring this project to completion, the greater the respondent relies upon on subsidies the less favorably the proposal will be evaluated. To the extent the Respondent intends to utilize grant or other public funds, describe the source of such funds and the status of any commitments from the granting agency, and the Respondent’s experience in obtaining such funds; (3) Respondents are expected to conduct their own market research/study to identify potential demand, along with any other research necessary to justify any assumptions and projections that they may make. viii) Other Factors Although there is no obligation to do so, each Respondent should feel free to provide a description of other factors not accounted for in the RFP that the Respondent believes underscore the Respondent’s qualifications to undertake the project and what is “unique” about its development concept. SELECTION PROCESS OVERVIEW AND SELECTION CRITERIA a) Process Overview On or before the time specified in this RFP, each Respondent will submit a proposal in response to this RFP. The Town will evaluate the proposals based upon responsiveness to items listed in Part 4 of this RFP. The Town may develop a short list from the RFP’s reviewed. If so, the Town will conduct interviews. Project teams selected to appear for an interview will be notified in writing, by mail, facsimile transmission, or otherwise, of the time and place of the interview. Respondents may be asked to answer written questions based upon their first and best final proposals until the Town has made a final selection. In addition, further information and detail about proposals may be requested. Such information may include pre-schematic architectural drawings, a more comprehensive project financing package, a final list of team members and further explanation of the development program. The Town may, in order to facilitate the selection or ranking of the Respondents, visit the offices of each Respondent, upon reasonable prior notice, to observe the office facilities and conduct further interviews, or conduct site visits to observe one or more of the developments identified by a Respondent. Once a team is selected, the Town will begin negotiations with one or more of the selected teams that will ultimately result in a developer’s designation by the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh and the execution of a redeveloper’s agreement. If the Town believes that an agreement cannot be reached with the selected teams, the Town at its sole option may terminate negotiations. The Town may, at this time, choose to entertain proposals from other teams that may be on a short list. The Town will evaluate all proposals based upon the criteria and procedures identified in this RFP. The Town reserves the right in its discretion to make a selection based directly on the proposals submitted or to negotiate further with one or more of the Respondents. The Respondent selected under this RFP will be chosen on the basis of ability to best meet the overall objectives of the Town, as determined by the Town in its sole and absolute discretion. In the event that the applicant seeks to demolish existing buildings or come up with a proposal that differs from the terms of the lease the Town has with the County, the proposal may have to be submitted to the Westchester County Executive and Board of Legislators for approval. The criteria described below will be employed in assessing the merits of each qualified proposal received by the Town: i) Experience and Qualifications of Respondent • Whether the Respondent has sufficient and proven experience and capabilities to perform all aspects of the project as outlined in this RFP, as well as, the developers demonstrated capabilities in executing projects of this type and magnitude; • Experience and qualifications of Respondent and key personnel related to consistent quality management, maintenance, and operation of the type of project and uses proposed. Relevant factors will include experience and qualifications specifically related to (i) ability to implement complex development projects effectively, (ii) demonstrated success working cooperatively with public agencies, (iii) developer’s team operational approach, including the proposed timeline for development; and (iv) other special qualifications that may be relevant to the successful implementation of the project; • Financial capacity of the Respondent to cover initial capital expenditures and operating cost: including: (i) ability to raise capital for the project, either through equity capital and unsubordinated debt financing, and/or private charitable funds and governmental grant funds; (ii) strength of current relationships with funding sources, including financial institutions; and (iii) overall financial track record. ii) Experience and Qualifications of Respondent’s Quality of Proposal • Quality of developer's approach to the project, the extent to which the project meets the Town’s objectives to create a high quality development; • Potential social and economic contributions to the Town; and • The extent to which the Plan demonstrates Respondent’s commitment to create or retain jobs for Greenburgh residents, especially economically disadvantaged persons, and to provide minority and women-owned business enterprises with an equal opportunity to compete for, and participate, in project development and operations. iii) Cost and Time Effectiveness • Feasibility of Respondent’s proposal, Proposals with definite funding sources will be rated more favorably than those with indefinite funding sources; • Proposals that have no or minimal reliance on direct Town funding will be more favorably rated; • Reasonableness of Respondent’s underlying assumptions, including proposed terms of rent; • A project schedule that effectively and efficiently achieves a successful development in a relatively short timeframe; and • Other factors, as appropriate. iv) Project Innovation – Sustainable Design • The developer must provide a narrative, along with samples or a model outlining the use of innovative techniques that are significantly superior to what is typical in such development. Demonstrated capability in project design and sensitivity to environmental issues and adjacent land uses, including architectural design, landscape design, building massing, sustainable development strategies, creative design and construction. • The extent by which the proposal contains environmental performance, energy efficiency, and quality living spaces, if applicable, as well as innovative green design and building technologies. PROPOSAL PACKAGE Please submit ten (10) copies of the Proposal and one (1) electronic copy on CD or flash drive in .PDF format. Proposals should be marked "PROPOSAL FOR SIX-ACRE PARCEL OF LAND LOCATED AT THE KNOLLWOOD GATE ENTRANCE TO WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE” and delivered: (1) By hand, courier, USPS, FEDEX, UPS or recognized overnight courier to the Town of Greenburgh, Town Attorney’s Office, 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY, 10607. DEADLINE 5:00 P.M. LOCAL TIME DATE Proposals received after the specified time and date will not be considered. The Town will not be responsible for failure of the United States Postal Service, private courier, or any other delivery means to deliver a proposal to the appointed place at the specified time in order to be considered. (1) Issue/advertise Request for Proposal ………….………………….........………..October 15 (2) Last day for questions………………………….……………………………...... October 30 (3) Proposals due by 5:00 P.M…………………………………………………….. December 1 (4) Selection of Developer…...……………………………….…………………...December 20 (5) Finalized development agreement ...................................................not later than January 15 The Town shall review all qualified proposals and the proposal selected, if any, that is determined to be in the public interest for uses, will be presented at a Town Board work session for consideration. Subsequent to the award, a finalized development agreement between the Town and the Respondent must be approved by the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh. INQUIRIES AND QUESTIONS All inquiries, questions, requests for interpretation, or clarification must be submitted in writing, either by e-mail or by facsimile and shall arrive not later than 5:00 PM, DATE. TOWN CONTACT Timothy W. Lewis, Town Attorney, Town of Greenburgh at (914) 993-1546 or by FAX (914) 993-1656, or by email to tlewis@greenburghny.com. Additional information and copies of this RFP may be downloaded at www.greenburghny.com TOWN RESERVATIONS The Town reserves the right to: a) Modify, waive, or otherwise vary the terms and conditions of this RFP at any time, including but not limited to, deadlines for submission and proposal requirements. b) Select one or more proposals to develop the entire site or a portion thereof; or award the developments rights for the site to more than one developer. c) Waive irregularities in the proposals. d) Reject or refuse any or all proposals. e) Cancel and withdraw this RFP at any time. f) Negotiate with any or all Respondents in order to obtain terms most beneficial to the Town. g) Accept the proposal which, in its sole and absolute discretion, best serves the interest of the Town. a) Information contained in this RFP regarding the site is believed to be reliable; however, interested parties should rely on their own experts for counsel. b) All proposals submitted to the Town are subject to public disclosure pursuant to Public Officers Law, Article 6 Freedom of Information Law. An exception may be made for submitted information by the Respondent, pursuant to FOIL. REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19290
__label__wiki	0.678355	0.678355	Green activists set out to reclaim the streets from cars By Bashir Barrage Special to The Daily Star Civic group says that the 1.2 million vehicles clogging the country’s roads are wasting our time and money, and destroying the environment Sustainable transportation as a viable alternative to automobiles is economically imperative as the country’s commuters waste nearly $144 million each year, according to a leading Lebanese environmental group. Green Line, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that embraces the principle of environmentally sound development in Lebanon , has kicked its sustainable transport campaign into high gear. The campaign is funded by the German Heinrich Boel Foundation. Firas Abi Ghanem, Green Line campaign coordinator, has lately been visiting students around the nation and placing bicycle stands at universities to raise awareness on the issue of adopting sustainable transport. The campaign aims at confronting the civic entities responsible for the public transport sector, as well as doing work on the ground to promote awareness with the general public. Lectures, bike tours, competitions, and even a television documentary are tools Green Line hopes will coax people into expanding their sustainable transport horizons. The design of an efficient public transportation system that gives an alternative to one’s car involves the use of buses, bicycles and our own legs to bring about a decrease in automobile emissions, a reduction in time spent stuck in traffic and increased national savings in petrol and miscellaneous automobile expenses. The environmental watchdog is working towards the placement of bike stands in major public areas and eventually will start lobbying for bicycle lanes on all major roads to give the general public a viable alternative to the automobile. Green Line has already begun taking action by placing two bicycle stands at the Saint Joseph University Faculty of Medicine and at the Beirut Arab University , with eight more planned for various universities around the nation. More bicycle stands are planned for installation at various schools, places of work and public areas such as gardens and squares. The car ownership rate in Lebanon is one for every three people, according to Green Line, which is one of the highest in the world even among developed countries. With a total estimated population of 3.73 million, that is roughly 1.2 million cars contributing to Lebanon ‘s environmental degradation. According to the Youth Association for Social Awareness, there are around 550 deaths and 5000 injuries per year due to motor vehicle accidents; that is about 1.5 deaths and 18 injuries per day. In an interview with The Daily Star, Wael Hmaidan, Greenpeace campaign coordinator for Lebanon , said: “The transportation sector is the main contributor to air pollution and is the least managed in the country.” He added: “It causes significant environmental and socioeconomic problems, which negatively affect our health.” In addition to road deaths, injuries, noise pollution, increasing traffic and health related problems, the lack of a viable national sustainable transportation alternative will only make matters worse. If the average person spends about an hour of each working day in traffic, then by the end of the year that person would have wasted a total of 10 days waiting in traffic. Considering the average person earns $2 an hour in Lebanon , that is $480 per person of productive income lost annually due to traffic. Multiply that by the number of commuters stuck in traffic each day in Beirut , roughly 300,000 people, and the nationwide figure of income lost due to traffic equals an incredible $144 million. In an interview with The Daily Star, Abi Ghanem said: “This is income that’s indirectly lost and, since people don’t actually see this money being squandered, they don’t think it’s a problem, but it is real money and time that is being wasted.” “The campaign is trying to solve these issues, yet there is no single, universal solution,” he added. “We need to change peoples’ perceptions on how they use their cars … and since you have to induce change within people in order to produce change nationwide, it takes time,” Abi Ghanem explained. A good example of the difficulties Green Line faces in challenging the public’s general perceptions of alternative means of transport is the word commonly used in Arabic for riding a bicycle: bilaab or playing. So bicycles are not a means of transport in the common Lebanese psyche, but a toy. To illustrate this reality, Abi Ghanem asked a random passerby in Hamra about the possibility of biking as an alternate means of transport. “What?” the man exclaimed, “Who’s crazy enough to play on a bike in Hamra traffic?” he asked, adding: “I couldn’t even imagine a person going to work by bike.” According to the Green Line campaign coordinator, it comes down to confronting the public’s perception of bicycles as “playthings.” Likewise, he added, there is a distorted perception among the people that public buses are “beneath them” and used only by the poor. These are just a few of the challenges that Green Line must confront on a day-to-day basis in its campaign, he said. Another example which highlights the gap between perception and reality when it comes to implementing public transport solutions is the peoples’ over-dependence on their cars. For example, many students at local universities who live within walking distance of the campus insist on driving their cars. During a Green Line lecture at the Lebanese American University (LAU), a young girl explained how she drove 50 meters to class every morning from her apartment. According to Abi Ghanem, who was giving the lecture: “She insisted on using her car, which always involved getting stuck for 10 to 15 minutes in traffic, before finally reaching the LAU parking lot and walking to class … all this for 50 meters” He added that the student explained her situation in front of the entire class, which did not find her story the least bit absurd. To make a positive impact on national policy, Green Line has had a number of meetings with concerned public institutions to lobby its position on transportation. According to Abi Ghanem: “We have had two or three meetings with the major stakeholders, namely Beirut MP Mohammed Qabbani, director-general of the Environment Ministry, Berj Hadjian, and vice-president Ahmad Zantout from the Lebanese Commuting Company.” But, he added, getting interviews can sometimes be very frustrating when it comes to environmental issues. One example was an attempt to hold a video interview at the Public Works and Transport Ministry for Green Line’s upcoming television documentary on sustainable transportation, something that according to Abi Ghanem proved to be impossible. The environmental NGO was however able to secure an interview with director-general Berj Hadjian from the Environment Ministry. Green Line should be broadcasting its sustainable transport documentary on local television stations in around two weeks. This documentary is the first of its kind in the country. “Although people are aware of the problems, they don’t take them seriously unless it is seen on television,” Abi Ghanem said. Walk or ride your bike when you can If you have to go somewhere close consider riding your bike or walking there instead of your car. It is better on the environment and healthier.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19291
__label__cc	0.63069	0.36931	Grits And Growls Thoughts and opinions with a Southern flavor Thoughts and opinions with a Southern point of view Posted by BudLite on 19 May 2016, 12:48 am Good morning, y’all. The rain is upon us. It’s fine, it’s appreciated. In fact, I’d be real disappointed if everything I planted this year died for lack of water. It’s just that I’m on a strict budget. When the water bill gets up in the triple digits I get a haughty memo from the executors of the TackyToo estate. “No, they don’t want the plants to die, no they don’t want me to have to re-buy and plant everything, no they don’t want the park to erode into craters of red clay like Copperhill, Tennessee.” “They just want me to honor the spirit of my Daddy’s conservative values”. Well, as previously pointed out, Daddy’s conservative values are best encapsulated in the phrase, “he wouldn’t pay a nickel to watch Jesus on a trampoline”. Daddy’s “conservative values” were a direct result of his willingness to throw it all away on the roll of a die, or the arm of a pitcher or quarterback. The more he “saved”, the more he had to bet. The closer we lived to poverty, the less he had to worry about maintaining a standard of living. Daddy’s gambling prevented him from recognizing his full potential, and who knows, perhaps being happy. Gambling is every bit as destructive as drinking or drugging, don’t let anyone tell you different. Sorry about that little trip down memory lane. What got me pointed in that direction was listening to the radio in the office of the Rec room while I waited out a rain storm. I was listening to WNCW out of Spindale, and they were doing a Doc Watson special. You really can’t think of Doc Watson too much without thinking of his son Merle and their relationship. I guess that got the whole “father and son” thing going, and me longing for something better than I had. Where would we all be now if my Daddy and I had been able to work together on something positive like Doc and Merle did? Certainly not where we are today. It is easy for me to romanticize the Watson’s lives as being charmed, even though Doc was blind and Merle died at the age of thirty six. Arthel, or “Doc” as he would later become, lost his sight before his first birthday. He attended North Carolina’s school for the visually impaired and grew up on a farm outside of Deep Gap, North Carolina. He used his first earnings to buy a cheap guitar from Sears, which he learned to be proficient enough on to busk on street corners with his brother. Doc had “skills” as they say, and proceeded to become one of the best flatpickers of all time. Displaying a great diversity, Doc taught himself songs that were traditionally fiddle tunes to play on his electric guitar. He played piano and the banjo, and often accompanied himself on a harmonica while he sang. Doc could do it all musically, and passed it down to his son Eddy Merle. Merle, was named after Doc’s two favorite singers, Eddy Arnold and Merle Haggard. Doc’s son Merle played on Doc’s first solo album, recorded in 1964 when Merle was just fifteen. Doc and Merle added a bass guitarist and began playing as a trio in 1974. The “Watson” trio toured around the world during the late seventies and early eighties. During this time they recorded fifteen albums and brought their unique style of country bluegrass folk acoustic music to millions of fans. In 1985, Merle died in a tractor accident on his family farm. The details of Merle’s death are like one of those insurance commercials were they portray a chain of events that seem implausible when held up separately. The gruesome details can be found here. Two years after Merle’s death, “Merle Fest” was inaugurated by Doc in remembrance of his son. It is a country bluegrass folk alternative music extravaganza held each year at the Wilkes County Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Last year’s attendance was over 70,000 fans even though both of the headliners are now gone. It is an amazing legacy to a father son team of fabulous musicians. Through the miracle of YouTube, we can experience Doc and Merle together again doing Doc’s most famous hit, “Tennessee Stud”. That’s Merle on the other acoustic guitar. \| Tagged All \| Comment \| Permalink « Ignorance Is Not A Virtue Thousands Standing Around » Send An Invite An “Act of Political Terrorism” Stop Whining – The Rich Boy’s Lament Education Is The Key Same Song Second Verse Fair And Balanced – Why? Login • Register • Password • Terms of Service • FAQS • Privacy • Contact Us Copyright © 2007 Grits And Growls	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19293
__label__wiki	0.925155	0.925155	U.K. Thrashers ACID REIGN Announce First Album In 29 Years, 'The Age Of Entitlement' - Metal News - (07/10/2019) Reactivated U.K. thrashers ACID REIGN will release their first full-length album in 29 years, "The Age Of Entitlement", on September 27 via Dissonance Productions. The cover artwork for the disc was created by renowned artist Mark Wilkinson, who has previously worked with IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST and MARILLION. Commented vocalist Howard "H" Smith: "I was introduced to Mark by Al Barnes (ex-VENOM) last year in Bloodstock VIP and jokingly said if he ever fancied doing our cover art, I'd let him. Fast forward months later and amazingly he agreed to do it! We are thrilled to have such legendary figure involved with our album. For me, as a huge old-school MARILLION fan, it's the icing on the cake." As for the album, Smith had this to say: "We started recording on August 1st last year with Jayce Lewis and he has been amazing. He was badgering me to do this for months. We had two other bigger names telling us they would love to do it, but Jayce showed us when recording 'The Man Who Became Himself' that he would go above and beyond to get the best out of what was a very difficult session. So just think what we could achieve when we are in a much better place. The results are stunning. You have an old-school thrash album with a contemporary twist and a production that honours that. He continued: "I've had the title for a long time. Straight off the bat, it had an album-title ring to it and speaks to a world view that the entire band shares, which is important. Then Mark came up with the artwork, which he really knocked out of the park. We are all itching to get this out and now you know when you'll be able to get hold of it. Not long now. Single coming soon."	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19297
__label__wiki	0.959165	0.959165	[1] Robert T. Michael, et al., Sex in America: a Definitive Survey,p. 172. Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., 1994. [2] Lynn Scherr, “Lesbian Leader Loves a Man,” ABCNews.com, April 17, 1998. [3] “Former Lesbian Anne Heche Engaged to Cameraman,” ABCNews.com, June 1, 2001 (emphasis added), reprinted at www.gaywired.com/index.cfm?linkPage=/storydetail.cf m&Section=68&ID=5304. [4] “The Facts: Anne Heche,” Eonline.msn, April 1, 2002, www.eonline.com/Facts/People/Bio/0,128,31319,00.html. [5] “Sinead O’Connor to Marry a Man,” Reuters, June 27, 2000, www.q.co.za/2001.2001.06.27-sinead.html. [6] “Sinead Drops out of Wotapalava Tour,” JAM! Music, May 31, 2001, www.canoe.ca/JamMusicArtistsO/oconnor_ sinead.html. [7] John Stoltenberg, “Living with Andrea Dworkin,” Lambda Book Report, May/June 1994, reprinted at www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/dworkin/LivingWithAnd rea.html. [8] Julie Robotham, “Safe sex by arrangement as gay men reject condoms,” The Sydney Morning Herald, June 7, 2001. Data source: “2000 Male Out Survey,” National Centre in HIV Social Research, Australia. [9] Michael, et al., p. 172. [10] Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, et al., The social organization of sexuality: Sexual practices in the United States, p. 293, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994; Michael, et al., p. 176; David Forman and Clair Chilvers, “Sexual Behavior of Young and Middle-Aged Men in England and Wales,” British Medical Journal, 298: 1137-1142 (1989); and Gary Remafedi, et al., “Demography of Sexual Orientation in Adolescents,” Pediatrics, 89: 714-721 (1992). [1]Throckmorton W. “Attempts to Modify Sexual Orientation: A Review of Outcome Literature and Ethical Issues.” Journal of Mental Health. Vol 20, October 1998 (pp.283-304). http://www.narth.com/docs/attemptstomodify.html (accessed 3/18/10). [1] Hallman, J. The Heart of Female Same-Sex Attraction: A Comprehensive Counseling Resource. Intervarsity Press, 2008. Female Homosexual Behavior [1] Michael, et al., p. 176 (“about 1.4 percent of women said they thought of themselves as homosexual or bisexual and about 2.8% of the men identified themselves in this way”). [2] See Appendix A. [3] Skinner, et al., Abstract; Ferris, et al. p. 581; James Price, et al., p. 90; see Appendix A. [4] Katherine Fethers, et al., “Sexually transmitted infections and risk behaviours in women who have sex with women,” Sexually Transmitted Infections, 76(5): 345-349, p. 348 (2000). [9] Ibid., p. 347, Table 1; Susan D. Cochran, et al., “Cancer- Related Risk Indicators and Preventive Screening Behaviors Among Lesbians and Bisexual Women,” American Journal of Public Health, 91(4): 591-597 (April 2001); Juliet Richters, Sara Lubowitz, et al., “HIV risks among women in contact with Sydney’s gay and lesbian community,” Venereology, 11(3): 35-38 (1998); Juliet Richters, Sarah Bergin, et al., “Women in Contact with the Gay and Lesbian Community: Sydney Women and Sexual Health Survey 1996 and 1998,” National Centre in HIV Social Research, University of New South Wales, 1999. [10] Fethers, et al., p. 347 and Table 1. [11] Barbara Berger, Shelley Kolton, et al., “Bacterial vaginosis in lesbians: a sexually transmitted disease,” Clinical Infectious Diseases, 21: 1402-1405 (1995). [12] E. H. Koumans, et al., “Preventing adverse sequelae of Bacterial Vaginosis: a Public Health Program and Research Agenda,” Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 28(5): 292-297 (May 2001); R. L. Sweet, “Gynecologic Conditions and Bacterial Vaginosis: Implications for the Non-Pregnant Patient,” Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 8(3): 184-190 (2000). [13] Kathleen M. Morrow, Ph.D., et al., “Sexual Risk in Lesbians and Bisexual Women,” Journal of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, 4(4): 159-165, p. 161 (2000). [14] Ibid., p. 159. [1] Becky Birtha, “Gay Parents and the Adoption Option,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 04, 2002, ; Grant Pick, “Make Room for Daddy – and Poppa,” The Chicago Tribune Internet Edition, March 24, 2002. [2] Ellen C. Perrin, et al., “Technical Report: Coparent or Second-Parent Adoption by Same-Sex Parents,” Pediatrics, 109(2): 341-344 (2002). [1] Historic Gay Advocate Now Believes Change is Possible, National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality, 2001:May. http://www.narth.com/docs/spitzer3.html (accessed 3/18/10). [2] National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) Scientific Advisory Committee (2009). What Research Shows: NARTH’s Response to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Claims on Homosexuality. Journal of Human Sexuality, 1, 1-128.: cf. http://www.narth.com/docs/journalsummary.html (accessed 3/18/10) for a summary of this peer-reviewed monograph. [3] Rekers GA, Oram KB. Child and adolescent therapy for precursors to adulthood homosexual tendancies. Chapter 7 in Julie Harren Hamilton and Philip J. Henry (Eds.), Handbook of Therapy for Unwanted Homosexual Attractions: A Guide for Treatment. Palm Beach, FL: Xulon Press, 2009, pages 247-320. Homosexuality 101 [1]Anastasia, T. (1995). New evidence of a gay gene. Time 146, 43. [2]Byrd, A. D., & Nicolosi, J (2002). A meta-analytic review of the treatment of homosexuality. Psychological Reports, 90, 1139-1152. [3]LeVay, S. (1996). Queer Science, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. [4]Nicolosi, J. & Nicolosi, L. A. (2001). Preventing homosexuality in today’s youth. InterVarsity Press. [5]Satinover, J. (1996). The gay gene? The Journal of Human Sexuality. [6]Spitzer, R. L. (2003). Can some gay men and lesbians change their sexual orientation? 200 participants reporting a change from homosexual to heterosexual orientation. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 32:5, 403-417. [7]Whitehead, N. & Whitehead, B. (1999). My genes made me do it: A scientific look at sexual orientation. Lafayette, LA: Huntington House Publishers. [8]Archives of Sexual Behavior, Vol. 32, No. 5, October 2003, pp. 403-417 [1]R. S. Hogg, S. A. Strathdee, et al., “Modeling the Impact of HIV Disease on Mortality in Gay and Bisexual Men,” International Journal of Epidemiology, 26(3): 657-661, p. 659 (1997). Death as the result of HIV infection has dropped significantly since 1996. “Life Expectancy Hits New High in 2000; Mortality Declines for Several Leading Causes of Death,” CDC News Release, October 10, 2001, www.cdc.gov/nchs/releases/01news/mort2k.htm. Nevertheless, it remains a significant factor in shortened life expectancy for homosexual practitioners. [2]Press Release, Smoking costs nation $150 billion each year in health costs, lost productivity, CDC, Office of Communication, April 12, 2002, www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/ pressrel/r020412.htm. [3]Hogg, et al., p. 660. [4]Ibid. [5]”Hepatitis A vaccination of men who have sex with men — Atlanta, Georgia, 1996-1997,” Morbidity and Mortality Report, CDC, 47(34): 708-711 (September 4, 1998). Male Homosexual Behavior [1] The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) recently published a press release entitled “Ten Things Gay Men Should Discuss with Their Health Care Providers” (July 17, 2002), (accessed 3/18/10). The list includes: HIV/AIDS (Safe Sex), Substance Use, Depression/ Anxiety, Hepatitis Immunization, STDs, Prostate/ Testicular/Colon Cancer, Alcohol, Tobacco, Fitness and Anal Papilloma. [2] R. R. Wilcox, “Sexual Behaviour and Sexually Transmitted Disease Patterns in Male Homosexuals,” British Journal of Venereal Diseases, 57(3): 167-169, 167 (1981). [3] Robert T. Michael, et al., Sex in America: a Definitive Survey, pp. 140-141, Table 11, Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., 1994; Rotello, pp. 75-76. [4] Rotello, p. 92. [5] Jon M. Richards, J. Michael Bedford, and Steven S. Witkin, “Rectal Insemination Modifies Immune Responses in Rabbits,” Science, 27(224): 390-392 (1984). [6] S. S. Witkin and J. Sonnabend, “Immune Responses to Spermatozoa in Homosexual Men,” Fertility and Sterility, 39(3): 337-342, pp. 340-341 (1983). [7] Anne Rompalo, “Sexually Transmitted Causes of Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Homosexual Men,” Medical Clinics of North America, 74(6): 1633-1645 (November 1990); “Anal Health for Men and Women,” LGBTHealthChannel, http://lgbthealth.healthcommunities.com/analhealth/index.shtml (accessed 3/18/10); “Safer Sex (MSM) for Men who Have Sex with Men,” LGBTHealthChannel, www.gayhealthchannel.com/stdmsm/ (accessed 3/18/10). [8] “Resurgent Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Disease Among Men Who Have Sex With Men — King County, Washington, 1997-1999,” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC, 48(35): 773-777 (September 10, 1999). [26] Heredia, “Big spike in cases of syphilis in S.F.: Gay, bisexual men affected most.” [9] “Changing Patterns of Groups at High Risk for Hepatitis B in the United States,” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC, 37(28): 429-432, p. 437 (July 22, 1988). Hepatitis B and C are viral diseases of the liver. [10]Centers for Disease Control. CDC Analysis Provides New Look at Disproportionate Impact of HIV and Syphilis among U.S. Gay and Bisexual Men. Press Release. Wednesday, March 10, 2010. [11] Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, et al., The social organization of sexuality: Sexual practices in the United States, p. 293, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994; Michael, et al., p. 176; David Forman and Clair Chilvers, “Sexual Behavior of Young and Middle-Aged Men in England and Wales,” British Medical Journal, 298: 1137-1142 (1989); and Gary Remafedi, et al., “Demography of Sexual Orientation in Adolescents,” Pediatrics, 89: 714-721 (1992). See appendix A. [12] Mads Melbye, Charles Rabkin, et al., “Changing patterns of anal cancer incidence in the United States, 1940-1989,” American Journal of Epidemiology, 139: 772-780, p. 779, Table 2 (1994). [13] James Goedert, et al., for the AIDS-Cancer Match Study Group, “Spectrum of AIDS-associated malignant disorders,” The Lancet, 351: 1833-1839, p. 1836 (June 20, 1998). [14] “Anal Health for Men and Women,” LGBTHealthChannel, http://lgbthealth.healthcommunities.com/analhealth/index.shtml (accessed 3/18/10); J. E. Barone, et al., “Management of Foreign Bodies and Trauma of the Rectum,” Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics, 156(4): 453-457 (April 1983). [15] Henry Kazal, et al., “The gay bowel syndrome: Clinicopathologic correlation in 260 cases,” Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science, 6(2): 184-192 (1976). [16] Glen E. Hastings and Richard Weber, “Use of the term ‘Gay Bowel Syndrome,'” reply to a letter to the editor, American Family Physician, 49(3): 582 (1994). [17] Ibid.; E. K. Markell, et al., “Intestinal Parasitic Infections in Homosexual Men at a San Francisco Health Fair,” Western Journal of Medicine, 139(2): 177-178 (August, 1983). [18] “Hepatitis A among Homosexual Men — United States, Canada, and Australia,” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC, 41(09): 155, 161-164 (March 06, 1992). [19] Rompalo, p. 1640. [20] H. Naher, B. Lenhard, et al., “Detection of Epstein-Barr virus DNA in anal scrapings from HIV-positive homosexual men,” Archives of Dermatological Research, 287(6): 608- 611, Abstract (1995). [21] B. L. Carlson, N. J. Fiumara, et al., “Isolation of Neisseria meningitidis from anogenital specimens from homosexual men,” Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 7(2): 71-73 (April 1980). [22] P. Paulet and G. Stoffels, “Maladies anorectales sexuellement transmissibles” [“Sexually-Transmissible Anorectal Diseases”], Revue Medicale Bruxelles, 10(8): 327-334, Abstract (October 10, 1989). [25] C. M. Thorpe and G. T. Keutsch, “Enteric bacterial pathogens: Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter,” in K. K. Holmes, P. A. Mardh, et al., (Eds.), Sexually Transmitted Diseases (3rd edition), p. 549, New York: McGraw-Hill Health Professionals Division, 1999. [26] Tim Bonfield, “Typhoid traced to sex encounters,” Cincinnati Enquirer, April 26, 2001; Erin McClam, “Health Officials Document First Sexual Transmission of Typhoid in U.S.,” Associated Press, April 25, 2001. A representative of the Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases at the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia, confirmed this report and provided a link to the AP story on October 4, 2002. [27] Jeffrey Martin, et al., “Sexual Transmission and the Natural History of Human Herpes Virus 8 Infection,” New England Journal of Medicine, 338(14): 948-954, p. 952 (1998). [28] Alexandra M. Levine, “Kaposi’s Sarcoma: Far From Gone,” paper presented at 5th International AIDS Malignancy Conference, April 23-25, 2001, Bethesda, Maryland. [29] “Paraphilias,” Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, p. 576, Washington: American Psychiatric Association, 2000; Karla Jay and Allen Young, The Gay Report: Lesbians and Gay Men Speak Out About Sexual Experiences and Lifestyles, pp. 554-555, New York: Summit Books (1979). [30] Jay and Young, pp. 554-555. [31] Sade, Marquis de, Justine or Good Conduct Well Chastised (1791), New York: Grove Press (1965). [32] Michigan Rope internet advertisement for “Bondage and Beyond,” which was scheduled for February 9-10, 2002, near Detroit, Michigan. The explicit nature of the advertisement was changed following unexpected publicity, and the hotel where the conference was scheduled ultimately canceled it. Marsha Low, “Hotel Ties Noose Around 2-Day Bondage Meeting,” Detroit Free Press, January 25, 2002. [33] Allyson Smith, “Ramada to host ‘Vicious Valentine’ Event,” WorldNet Daily, February 14, 2002, http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=26453 (accessed 3/18/10); “Vicious Valentine 5 Celebrates Mardi Gras, Feb 15-17, 2002,” www.leatherquest.com/events/vv2002.htm. [34] The sadistic rape of 13-year-old Jesse Dirkhising on September 26, 1999, left him dead. See Andrew Sullivan, “The Death of Jesse Dirkhising,” The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 1, 2001. [36] Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, “MSM: Clinician’s Guide to Incorporating Sexual Risk Assessment in Routine Visits,” http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/psych-training/seminars/msm_assessment.pdf (accessed 3/18/10). [37] S. Bygdeman, “Gonorrhea in men with homosexual contacts. Serogroups of isolated gonococcal strains related to antibiotic susceptibility, site of infection, and symptoms,” British Journal of Venereal Diseases, 57(5): 320-324, Abstract (October 1981). [38] As of January 1, 1999, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimated the cancer prevalence in the United States to be 8.9 million. “Estimated US Cancer Prevalence Counts: Who Are Our Cancer Survivors in the US?,” Cancer Control & Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, April 2002. In 1999, the American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated 1,221,800 new cancer cases in the US and an estimated 563,100 cancer related deaths, “Cancer Facts and Figures 1999,” p. 4, American Cancer Society, Inc., 1999; in 2000, the ACS estimated 1,220,100 new cancer cases and 552,200 deaths from cancer, “Cancer Facts and Figures 2000,” p. 4, American Cancer Society, Inc., 2000; in 2001, the ACS estimated a total number of 1,268,000 new cases of cancer and 553,400 deaths, “Cancer Facts and Figures 2001,” p. 5, American Cancer Society, Inc., 2001. This results in an estimated growth of 2,041,200 new cancer cases over the past three years and an estimated 10,941,200 people with cancer as of January 1, 2002. In 2001 there were 793,025 reported AIDS cases. “Basic Statistics,” CDC — Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, June 2001. [39] The federal spending for AIDS research in 2001 was $2,247,000,000, while the spending for cancer research was not even double that at $4,376,400,000. “Funding For Research Areas of Interest,” National Institute of Health, 2002. [40] Ibid.; “Fast Stats Ato Z: Diabetes,” CDC — National Center for Health Statistics, June 04, 2002; “Fast Stats A to Z: Heart Disease,” CDC — National Center for Health Statistics, June 06, 2002. [1] For example, Judith Bradford, Caitlin Ryan, and Esther D. Rothblum, “National Lesbian Health Care Survey: Implications for Mental Health Care,” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62(2): 228-242 (1994); Richard C. Pillard, “Sexual orientation and mental disorder,” Psychiatric Annals, 18(1): 52-56 (1988); see also Mubarak S. Dahir, “The Gay Community’s New Epidemic,” Daily News (June 5, 2000). [2] Katherine A. O’Hanlan, M.D., et al., “Homophobia As a Health Hazard,” Report of the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association, pp. 3, 5; Laura Dean, et al., “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health: Findings & Concerns,” Journal of the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association, 4(3): 102-151, pp. 102, 116 (2000). [3] “Netherlands Ends Discrimination in Civil Marriage: Gays to Wed,” Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund Press Release, March 30, 2001. [4] Theo Sandfort, Ron de Graaf, et al., “Same-sex Sexual Behavior and Psychiatric Disorders,” Archives of General Psychiatry, 58(1): 85-91, p. 89 and Table 2 (January 2001). [7] Ibid., p. 90 (emphasis added). [9] Erica Goode, “With Fears Fading, More Gays Spurn Old Preventive Message,” New York Times, August 19, 2001. [13] “Officials Voice Alarm Over Halt in AIDS Decline,” New York Times, August 14, 2001. [14] “A uniform definition of a circuit party does not exist, partly because such parties continue to evolve. However, a circuit party tends to be a multi-event weekend that occurs each year at around the same time and in the same town . . . .” Gordon Mansergh, Grant Colfax, et al., “The Circuit Party Men’s Health Survey: Findings and Implications for Gay and Bisexual Men,” American Journal of Public Health, 91(6): 953-958, p. 953 (June 2001). [17] Ibid., pp. 956-957, Tables 2 & 3. [18] Ibid., pp. 956-957. [19]Ibid., p. 957. The authors’ recommendation was more education. [19] Julie Robotham, “Safe sex by arrangement as gay men reject condoms,” Sydney Morning Herald, June 7, 2001. Data source: 2000 Male Out Survey, National Centre in HIV Social Research, Australia. [1]Robert T. Michael, et al., p. 89. [2]Ibid., p. 101. [3]Camille Paglia, “I’ll take religion over gay culture,” Salon.com online magazine, June 1998, www.frontpagemag.com/archives/guest_column/ paglia/gayculture.htm. [4]Gordon Mansergh, Grant Colfax, et al., p. 955. [5]Joseph Harry, Gay Couples, p. 116, New York: Praeger Books, 1984. [6]Marcel T. Saghir, M.D. and Eli Robins, M.D., Male and Female Homosexuality: A Comprehensive Investigation, p. 57 Table 4.13, p. 225 Table 12.10, Baltimore: The Williams & Wilkins Company, 1973. [40] Gay and Lesbian Medical Association Press Release, “Ten Things Lesbians Should Discuss with Their Health Care Providers” (July 17, 2002), http://www.publichealth.pitt.edu/docs/10things_lesbi.pdf (accessed 3/18/10). The list includes Breast Cancer, Depression/Anxiety, Gynecological Cancer, Fitness, Substance Use, Tobacco, Alcohol, Domestic Violence, Osteoporosis and Heart Health. [41] Michael, et al., p. 176 (“about 1.4 percent of women said they thought of themselves as homosexual or bisexual and about 2.8% of the men identified themselves in this way”). [42] See Appendix A. [43] Skinner, et al., Abstract; Ferris, et al. p. 581; James Price, et al., p. 90; see Appendix A. [44] Katherine Fethers, et al., “Sexually transmitted infections and risk behaviours in women who have sex with women,” Sexually Transmitted Infections, 76(5): 345-349, p. 348 (2000). [49] Ibid., p. 347, Table 1; Susan D. Cochran, et al., “Cancer- Related Risk Indicators and Preventive Screening Behaviors Among Lesbians and Bisexual Women,” American Journal of Public Health, 91(4): 591-597 (April 2001); Juliet Richters, Sara Lubowitz, et al., “HIV risks among women in contact with Sydney’s gay and lesbian community,” Venereology, 11(3): 35-38 (1998); Juliet Richters, Sarah Bergin, et al., “Women in Contact with the Gay and Lesbian Community: Sydney Women and Sexual Health Survey 1996 and 1998,” National Centre in HIV Social Research, University of New South Wales, 1999. Promiscuity [1] Gabriel Rotello, <em>Sexual Ecology: AIDS and the Destiny of Gay Men</em>, p. 112, New York: Penguin Group, 1998 (quoting gay writer Michael Lynch). [2] Alan P. Bell and Martin S. Weinberg, Homosexualities: A study of Diversity Among Men and Women, p. 308, Table 7, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1978. [3] Leon McKusick, et al., “Reported Changes in the Sexual Behavior of Men at Risk for AIDS, San Francisco, 1982-84 — the AIDS Behavioral Research Project,” <em>Public Health Reports</em>, 100(6): 622-629, p. 625, Table 1 (November- December 1985). In 1982 respondents reported an average of 4.7 <em>new</em> partners in the prior month; in 1984, respondents reported an average of 2.5 <em>new</em> partners in the prior month. [4] “Increases in Unsafe Sex and Rectal Gonorrhea among Men Who Have Sex with Men — San Francisco, California, 1994-1997,” <em>Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report</em>, CDC, 48(03): 45-48, p. 45 (January 29, 1999). [5] This was evident by the late 80’s and early 90’s. Jeffrey A. Kelly, PhD, et al., “Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/ Human Immunodeficiency Virus Risk Behavior Among Gay Men in Small Cities,” <em>Archives of Internal Medicine</em>, 152: 2293-2297, pp. 2295-2296 (November 1992); Donald R. Hoover, et al., “Estimating the 1978-1990 and Future Spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 in Subgroups of Homosexual Men,” <em>American Journal of Epidemiology</em>, 134(10): 1190-1205, p. 1203 (1991). [6]Woods, et al., Public Policy Regulating Private and Public Space in Gay Bathhouses, JAIDS <em>Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.</em>Vol.32(4). April 2003 (pp 417-423). [7]Lampinen, Et al., Sexual risk behavior of Canadian participants in the first efficacy trial of a preventive HIV-1 Vaccine. – Canadian Medical Associaitoion CMAJ Vol. 172(4) Feb 2005 (pp 479-83). [8]Xiridou, et al., The contribution of steady and casual partnerships to the incidence of HIV infection among homosexual men in Amsterdam. AIDS Vol. 17 2003 (pp 1029-1038). [9] A lesbian pastor made this assertion during a question and answer session that followed a presentation the author made on homosexual health risks at the Chatauqua Institute in Western New York, summer 2001. [10] Paul Van de Ven, et al., “Facts & Figures: 2000 Male Out Survey,” p. 20 & Table 20, monograph published by National Centre in HIV Social Research Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, The University of New South Wales, February 2001. [11] Rotello, pp. 43-46.<em> </em> [13] Hoover, et al., Figure 3. [14] “Basic Statistics,” CDC — Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, June 2001, www.cdc.gov/hiv/stats.htm. (Nearly 8% (50,066) of men with AIDS had sex with men and used intravenous drugs. These men are included in the 64% figure (411,933) of 649,186 men who have been diagnosed with AIDS.) [15] Figures from a study presented at the Infectious Diseases Society of America meeting in San Francisco and reported by Christopher Heredia, “Big spike in cases of syphilis in S.F.: Gay, bisexual men affected most,” <em>San Francisco Chronicle</em>, October 26, 2001, <a href=”www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/ article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/10/26/MN7489 3.DTL” target=”_blank”>www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/ article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/10/26/MN7489 3.DTL</a> (accessed 3/18/10). [16] Catherine Hutchinson, et al., “Characteristics of Patients with Syphilis Attending Baltimore STD Clinics,” <em>Archives of Internal Medicine</em>, 151: 511-516, p. 513 (1991). [17] Katherine Fethers, Caron Marks, et al., “Sexually transmitted infections and risk behaviours in women who have sex with women,” <em>Sexually Transmitted Infections</em>, 76(5): 345- 349, p. 347 (October 2000). [18] James Price, et al., “Perceptions of cervical cancer and pap smear screening behavior by Women’s Sexual Orientation,” <em>Journal of Community Health</em>, 21(2): 89-105 (1996); Daron Ferris, et al., “A Neglected Lesbian Health Concern: Cervical Neoplasia,” <em>The Journal of Family Practice</em>, 43(6): 581-584, p. 581 (December 1996); C. Skinner, J. Stokes, et al., “A Case-Controlled Study of the Sexual Health Needs of Lesbians,” <em>Sexually Transmitted Infections</em>, 72(4): 277-280, Abstract (1996). [1]Langstrom N, Rahman Q, Carlstrom E, & Lichtenstein P (2008). Genetic and environmental effects on same-sex sexual behavior: A population study of twins in Sweden. Archives of Sexual Behavior, DOI 10.1007/s10508-008-9386- [2]Santilla P, Sandnabba NK, Harlaar N, Varjonen M, Alanko K, von der Pahlen B. Potential for homosexual response is prevalent and genetic. Biological Psychology, 2008:77,102-105. [3]Bailey JM, Dunne MP, & Martin NG. Genetic and environmental influences on sexual orientation and its correlates in an Australian twin sample. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2002:78(3), 524-536. [4]Bearman PS, Bruckner H. Opposite-sex twins and adolescent same-sex attraction. American Journal of Sociology, 2002:107(5), 1179-1205. [5] Frisch M & Hviid A . Childhood family correlates of heterosexual and homosexual marriages: A national cohort study to two million Danes. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2006:35,533-547. [6] Straunch, B. The Primal Teen-What the New Discoveries About the Teenage Brain Tell Us About Our Kids. Doubleday, 2003. [7] Byrd, D. “Homosexuality Is Not Hardwired,” Concludes Dr. Francis S.Collins, Head of The Human Genome Project. http://www.narth.com/docs/nothardwired.html (accessed 3/18/10). [1] Langstrom N, Rahman Q, Carlstrom E, & Lichtenstein P (2008). Genetic and environmental effects on same-sex sexual behavior: A population study of twins in Sweden. Archives of Sexual Behavior, DOI 10.1007/s10508-008-9386- What You Should Know About Sexual Orientation of Youth as a School Official [1] Collins F. The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief. New York. Free Press. 2007.p.260 and p.263. [2] Langstrom, N, Rahman Q, Carlstrom, E, Lichtenstein, P. (2008). Genetic and environmental effects on same-sexual behavior: A population study of twins in Sweden. Archives of Sexual Behavior, DOI 10.1007/s10508-008-9386-1. [3] Santilla P, Sandnabba NK, Harlaar N, Varjonen M, Alanko K, von der Pahlen B. (2008). Potential for homosexual response is prevalent and genetic. Biological Psychology, 77, 102-105. [4] Bailey, J.M., Dunne, M.P., & Martin, N.G. (2000). Genetic and environmental influences on sexual orientation and its correlates in an Australian twin sample. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78 (3), 524-536. [5] Bearman, P.S., & Bruckner, H. (2002). Opposite-sex twins and adolescent same-sex attraction. American Journal of Sociology, 107 (5), 1179-1205. [6] Frisch, M. & Hviid, A. (2006). Childhood family correlates of heterosexual and homosexual marriages: A national cohort study to two million Danes. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 35, 533-547. [7] Remafedi G, Resnick M, Blum R, Harris L. Demography of sexual orientation in adolescents. Pediatrics. 1992.89:714-721. [8] Urdy, J.R. & Chantala, K. (2005). Risk factors differ according to same-sex and opposite-sex interest. Journal of Biosocial Science, 37, 481-497. [9] Silenzio, V.M.B., Pena, J.B., Duberstein, P.R., Cerel, J., & Knox, K.L. (2007). Sexual orientation and risk factors for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adolescents and young adults. American Journal of Public Health, 97 (11), 2017-2019. [10] Balsam, K.F., Rothblum, E.D., & Beauchaine, T.P. (2005). Victimization over the life span: A comparison of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and heterosexual siblings. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73 (3), 477-487. [11] Nurses Health Study II available at www.gaydata.org. [12] Hogg, R.S., Strathdee, S.A., Craib, K.J.P., OShaughnessy, M.V., Montaner, J.S.G., & Schechter, M.T. (1997). Modeling the impact of HIV disease on mortality in gay and bisexual men. [13] Valanis, B.G., Bowen, D.J., Bassford, T., Whitlock, E., Charney, P., & Carter, R.A. (2000). Sexual Orientation and health. Archives of Family Medicine, 9, 843-853. [14] Remafedi G, Farrow JA, Deisher RW, (1991) Risk factors for attempted suicide in gay and bisexual youth. Pediatrics 87:869-875. [15] Zucker K, Bradley S. Gender Identity Disorder and Psychosexual Problems in Children and Adolescents, The Guilford Press, New York, NY 10012, 1995 (p. 283). [16] National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality. Report: What Research Shows: NARTH’s Response to the APA Claims on Homosexuality. For the summary see http://narth.com/docs/journalsummary.html (accessed 3/3/10). pdf e kitap indir sohbet siteler online radyo en iyi yabancı diziler canlı dizi izle guncelkonu.tk	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19298
__label__cc	0.727814	0.272186	-About Susanna Lauer About > Vocal Artists > Susanna Lauer Susanna Lauer - Soprano Dramatic Soprano, Susanna R. Lauer is a native of Washington, D.C. Critics have hailed Ms. Lauer for her, “inspiring and powerful voice.” Ms. Lauer holds Music degrees from The Catholic University of America and West Virginia University. She recently relocated with her family to Fort Wayne, Indiana after living, singing and teaching overseas for the last six years in Dubai. Ms. Lauer lectures to professional and children's choirs in the Middle-East and holds vocal Masterclasses for professional musical productions on proper singing technique, emphasizing the importance of vocal health. Former students are now attending some of the top conservatories and university programs in the United States for music. Ms. Lauer’s international singing career has lead her to performances on stages in Austria, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. I believe that anyone can learn to sing! My approach to vocal pedagogy is rooted in both physiological science and psychology. My teaching combines traditional methods from the Italian School of Bel Canto singing with the unique heart, mind and body each student singer brings to the lesson. Both elements lead student singers as artists and individuals to connect emotionally to music. Each singer has a distinctive instrument. As a teacher, I aim to help each student find his or her own voice, each one different from any other person on the planet. At the same time, I give students the scientific knowledge to understand proper vocal functions—body alignment, breathing technique, diction, and tongue and jaw tension—so they can define and reach their goals. Because the vocal cords are some of the most delicate muscles in our bodies, I stress vocal health, especially for young singers. In short, I coordinate the science of singing and proper technique with each student’s distinctive personality, physical characteristics and musical tastes. See and Hear Susanna! Check Back for Audio and Video Soon! Vocal Cords Warmed Up? Heartland Sings Music in our schools Mozart Requiem Educators Lux Aeterna by Lucas Marshall Smith	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19299
__label__wiki	0.590994	0.590994	Careers \| Contact Us \| Search 100 North Broadway, Suite 950 Committed to your successes. Our clients value our creative, pragmatic, timely and cost effective solutions. Home › Professionals › Attorneys › Tracie R. England Tracie R. England \| Partner T 316-265-7741F 316-267-7803E england@hitefanning.com Tracie England is a partner in the firm of Hite, Fanning & Honeyman L.L.P., focusing her practice in the areas of: Medical, nursing, nursing home and dental malpractice/negligence defense Professional licensing and certfication defense for physicians, nurses, nurses aids, dentists, pharmacy professionals, physical and occupational therapists, mental health professionals, group boarding homes and long term care facilities. Tracie completed the elite International Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy in 2007. She received her B.A., magna cum laude, in Psychology, with a Minor in Criminal Justice, from Wichita State University, and her J.D., with honors, from Washburn University School of Law. She was an intern for the U.S. District Attorney and clerked for a large Kansas law firm, prior to serving a clerkship at Hite, Fanning & Honeyman L.L.P., where she now enjoys the practice of law. Tracie joined Hite, Fanning & Honeyman L.L.P. in 2001, and has served as the firm's Legal Assistant Supervisor and Associate Training Coordinator. She is active in her community and church, and has provided pro bono services involving administrative actions, debt collection, tax collection, estate planning and landlord/tenant issues. Tracie is an active volunteer in the schools of her children, including significant involvement in the Wildcat Booster Club. She married her husband in 1990, and together they raise their three children with the same principles Tracie employs in her legal career - respect, ethics, hard work and diligence. Tracie has experience defending health care providers against allegations of EMTALA violations, both in litigation and at the state and federal administrative levels. Tracie also represents clinical staff and facilities in matters pending before the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Sevices, Kansas Department for Children and Families, and Kansas Department of Health and Environment. She is admitted to practice in Kansas state courts and the U.S. District Court, District of Kansas. Tracie was selected for inclusion in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers® - Rising Stars Edition, 2010-2011. Tracie's clients include: Physical and Occupational Therapists Surgical Centers Therapy Clinics Physician Clinics Paramedics and EMTs Long Term Care Facilities Certified Nurses Aides Group Boarding Homes Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities She provides thorough assessments of her clients' legal matters in a cost-effective, efficient and timely fashion. Tracie is a competent, hard-working trial lawyer who values the relationships she builds with her clients. Tracie recognizes the fact that her clients' lives may be significantly impacted by the litigation process, and she strives to involve her clients in case strategy decisions. She has built an excellent reputation in the legal profession by being diligent, respectful and ethical. Tracie prides herself on practicing law by the "Golden Rule." Medical, Nursing and Dental Malpractice/Negligence Defense. In her medical malpractice/negligence defense practice, Tracie provides quality representation for her clients in lawsuits and liability claims. She has obtained dismissals of lawsuits or defense verdicts in multiple medical malpractice and personal injury cases, as well as reasonable settlements and/or verdicts in cases where the plaintiffs have prevailed. Professional Licensing Defense. Tracie handles matters involving regulatory boards' investigations and/or licensing disciplinary action matters. Her clients include licensed individuals and facilities of multiple disciplines, such as physicians, nurses, dentists, mental health professionals, group boarding homes and home plus facilities. She has been successful in obtaining closure/dismissal of multiple administrative agency investigations on behalf of her clients. Medical, Nursing and Dental Malpractice Defense Administrative Agency Licensing Matters Professional Licensing Defense Represented a hospital sued by the heirs of a patient who fell and broke her hip, while a patient on a skilled nursing unit. The patient died from respiratory and cardiac failure while awaiting hip surgery. The plaintiffs alleged the hospital staff failed to appropriately monitor the patient to prevent the fall. The case went to trial, and resulted in a verdict for the defendant hospital. The plaintiffs appealed, claiming jury misconduct and erroneous evidentiary rulings on the part of the trial court. The Kansas Court of Appeals held no jury misconduct occurred and upheld the trial court's evidentiary rulings. The jury's verdict in favor of the defendant was allowed to stand. Represented an otolaryngologist sued by a patient in relation to a biopsy of a mass in the patient's neck. It was claimed that the physician's negligent biopsy resulted in an erroneous diagnosis of metastatic cancer. The plaintiff underwent cancer treatment, including the removal of her disease-free thyroid. The case went to trial, and resulted in a verdict for the defendant physician. The jury found that his biopsy was not negligent, and removal of plaintiff's thyroid was appropriate under the circumstances. Administrative Licensing Actions Represented a registered nurse in a Kansas State Board of Nursing action, in which it was alleged the nurse committed unprofessional conduct, in willful violation of the Kansas Nurse Practice Act. The Board sought revocation of her nursing license, claiming the nurse sought renewal of her license without first completing the 30 hours of continued nursing education required by the Act. Tracie, on behalf of the nurse, filed a motion for summary judgment, alleging, among other things, that she completed the required number of continuing education hours prior to her license expiring and needing to be renewed. The Presiding officer granted the nurse's motion. The Board ordered the Presiding Officer's rulings reviewed. Ultimately, the Board determined that the nurse made no attempt to deceive the Board by her actions, and no discipline was warranted against her license. Her nursing license was deemed to be in good standing. Represented a family practice physician in an investigative matter before the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts. A complaint was submitted to the Board by a patient, alleging the physician failed to diagnose mononucleosis, instead making a complex diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, fatigue and possible sinusitis. Evidence was presented that the physician's diagnoses were reasonable, although ultimately incorrect. The Board agreed, and the investigation was closed with no further action taken against the physician's license. Represented a dentist in an investigative matter before the Kansas Dental Board. A complaint was submitted to the Board by a patient, alleging the dentist failed to properly treat her for cracked tooth syndrome, including refusing to remove the crown that had been placed on her tooth. On behalf of the dentist, Tracie responded that the removal of the crown, as the patient wanted, was contrary to the standard of care and ADA Fractured (Cracked) Tooth Treatment Parameters, and an endodontist’s examination was needed before consideration should be given to removing the crown. Plus, premature removal of the crown would have put the patient at increased risk of further tooth damage and significant pain. The Kansas Dental Board agreed with the dentist’s professional judgment and treatment of the patient, and closed the investigation without taking disciplinary action against his license. Represented a Home Plus facility where a hold was place on new admissions due to a staff nurse stealing and using a resident's narcotic pain medication without the knowledge of the facility operator. Once the nurse's actions were discovered, she was fired. The Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services sought to revoke the facility's license due to the actions of the nurse. Tracie worked withe the operator of the facility to develop a plan of action, implement that plan of action and maintain a checks and balances system. Tracie was able to secure a settlement with KDADS, the hold on admissions was lifted and the facility was allowed to resume caring for residents. U.S. District Court, District of Kansas, 2001 Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers - Rising Stars Edition, 2010-2011 Wichita Bar Association (WBA) (Member: 2001-Present); Civil Practice Committee (2006-Present); Medical/Legal Practice Committee (2010-present) Kansas Bar Association (KBA) (Member: 2001-Present) American Bar Association (ABA) (Member: 2001-Present) Defense Research Institute (DRI) (Member: 2008-Present) Kansas Association of Defense Counsel (Member: 2003-Present; Board: 2012-2013, 2017-Present) American Health Lawyers Association (Member: 2010-Present) Kansas Association of Hospital Attorneys (2013-Present) Christian Legal Society (2017- Present) American Association of Nurse Attorneys (2014-Present) Completion of International Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy (2007) Wichita State University, B.A., magna cum laude, Psychology, Minor in Criminal Justice, 1993 Washburn University School of Law, J.D., with honors, 2001 The Kansas Bar Association named F. James Robinson the 2017 recipient of the Phil Lewis Medal of Distinction. He was also presented with the 2017 Kahrs Lifetime Achievement Award by the Kansas Association of Defense Counsel. The Kansas Association of Defense Counsel presented F. James Robinson with the Kahrs Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is the KADC’s highest honor, given only to those individuals with a distinguished legal and public service career. Aside from being a highly regarded attorney, Jim serves as a leader in the educating others of the role of an independent judiciary. The award was presented during the KADC's annual conference in December 2017. Court Rules Against Proposed Wind Farm in Northern Sumner County On September 21, a Sumner County judge issued a ruling in a zoning appeal case that blocks the construction of a proposed wind farm in northern Sumner County. Recognized as 2017 Highly Recommended Local Litigation Firm Hite Fanning & Honeyman is one of only two Kansas law firms “Highly Recommended” by Benchmark Litigation 2017. Benchmark Litigation is described as the definitive guide to America’s leading firms and attorneys in the area of commercial litigation. Benchmark Litigation also specifically profiled Richard Hite, Richard Honeyman and Jim Robinson as standouts among Kansas litigation attorneys. A special congratulations to them! This is the fifth year that these HFH attorneys have been highlighted. https://www.benchmarklitigation.com/ Home \| Professionals \| Practices & Industries \| Our Firm \| Resources \| News & Events \| Careers \| Contact Us \| Site Map \| Terms of Use © Hite, Fanning & Honeyman L.L.P., 2013 \| 100 North Broadway, Suite 950 \| Wichita, Kansas 67202 \| 316.265.7741 \| 877.633.7741 Interactive Agency: Howerton+White	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19301
__label__wiki	0.559778	0.559778	THE SUBMERGING--MARKET THREAT / PROJECT SYNDICATE \| Etiquetas: Economics, Emerging Markets, World Economic And Political The Submerging-Market Threat Anders Åslund WASHINGTON, DC – It is time to put the rise of the emerging economies in perspective. The rapid economic growth in much of the developing world since the beginning of the century was fueled by a commodity boom and an overextension of credit. But, because the emerging-market boom was not accompanied by sufficient structural reforms, it was not sustainable. Today, most of the major emerging economies have experienced a severe reversal of fortune. Russia and Brazil have plunged into severe crises, with double-digit inflation accompanying a 4% contraction in GDP last year. South Africa is barely growing. China’s phenomenal rate of expansion has slowed to below 7%. Unsurprisingly, Goldman Sachs has closed its money-losing BRIC fund for investment in Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Indeed, the future of the BRICS (including South Africa) – and that of other emerging markets – looks gloomy. Outside of Asia, most developing economies are principally commodity exporters, and thus are highly exposed to price shocks. Plunging oil prices have cut the value of the Russian ruble by more than half against the US dollar, and further declines appear likely – especially if the US Federal Reserve continues to hike interest rates. Commodity prices are likely to stay low for one or two decades, as they did in the 1980s and 1990s. When it comes to oil, for example, shale gas, tight oil, liquefied natural gas, and increasingly competitive solar and wind energy are boosting energy supply, even as a decade of high prices has spurred conservation and reduced demand. The commodity crunch is likely to prove painful to people in emerging markets, who often measure their income in US dollars. As exchange rates fall, they will quickly feel much poorer. Governments will suffer, too, as their foreign debt – boosted by fiscal and monetary expansion that yielded little growth – becomes much more burdensome, while the export stimulus from lower exchange rates will be small, owing to the absence of new capacity outside the commodity sectors. As countries come under pressure to make payments, multiple emerging-market debt crises are likely. In the short term, Brazil arouses the most worry, given its large public debt and its vast budget deficit. In the medium term, however, China appears even more frightening. As a rule of thumb, an emerging economy’s total private- and public-sector debt should not exceed 100% of GDP. China’s total debt is now more than 250% of GDP. The BRICS countries’ critical shortcoming is poor governance. On its corruption perception index of 175 countries, Transparency International ranks South Africa 61st, Brazil and India 76th, China 83rd, and Russia 119th. Poor governance limits a country’s ability to create lasting wealth and productive capacity – even if the shortcomings become evident and damaging only when booms turn to busts. As Warren Buffet has put it, “You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.” To combat corruption effectively, people need to oust corrupt leaders, which is why democracy is vital. The regime changes in Ukraine and Argentina, and the opposition’s victory in Venezuela’s recent parliamentary election, are harbingers of what is to come. Brazil may be next. The emerging markets may rise again, if and when improved governance and structural reforms are implemented to boost potential growth. But that will take time. We should not be surprised to see two decades of slow global growth. The West cannot afford to be complacent. After having focused too much on demand management, Europe should be trying to reduce the fiscal and regulatory burden of the state, so that its economies can start growing again. It should also open up stunted markets for labor, services, capital, and digital products. The West needs to work together to set global standards while it still can. Democracy, the rule of law, and market-based economies are all worth fighting for. Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and the wars in North Africa and the Middle East have demonstrated why NATO should be strengthened, and that Europe must become serious about defending itself – rather than simply continuing to depend on the United States. In coordinating Western sanctions against Russia, the G7 has already achieved renewed significance. This should be followed by efforts to manage the coming stagnation. The Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership are both important initiatives in this regard. Western-led organizations and institutional arrangements will become especially important as international organizations struggle to remain relevant. The United Nations, in particular, will likely be crippled by Russian and Chinese vetoes in the Security Council. Only the International Monetary Fund can be expected to rise in prominence, as major emerging economies – most likely Venezuela, Argentina, and Brazil – end up as its wards. Economics aside, China and Russia are likely to pose the biggest challenge. These two large emerging countries are still led by authoritarian governments, headed by ruling elites who – given how much wealth they have amassed – may be the most corrupt in history. As they come under pressure, their transformations are unlikely to be peaceful. The Kremlin has already shown, with its wars in Ukraine and Syria, that it is ready to counter domestic malaise with external aggression. That is unlikely to change unless something is done to stop it. The fall of the emerging economies could have a far more lasting impact than their rise. Read more at https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/emerging-economies-stability-necessary-by-anders-aslund-2016-02#d8JE4W8joFs7Siyb.99 RIGGING PERU´S ELECTION / THE ECONOMIST \| Etiquetas: Peru Rigging Peru’s election A court puts Julio Guzmán’s presidential campaign on ice. Bad idea A COUPLE of years ago Julio Guzmán decided he wanted to run for president of Peru. On the face of things, that was implausible. He had never been a candidate for political office before. His experience of government was confined to two short stints as a deputy minister in the administration of the current president, Ollanta Humala. An economist, he had spent much of his working life abroad as an official at the Inter-American Development Bank. A small and dormant political party called Everyone for Peru (TPP in Spanish) agreed to field him as its candidate. For months he made no perceptible impact on the campaign for the election due on April 10th. But by street leafleting and through social media he gained support, especially among young people. This year he has surged in the opinion polls to 17%, behind only the long-standing front-runner, Keiko Fujimori (35%). In a run-off ballot, which would take place in June, he is the only candidate who might come close to beating Ms Fujimori. So it matters greatly that on February 16th the electoral court in effect stalled Mr Guzmán’s campaign. By three votes to two, it refused his appeal against an administrative ruling that TPP had broken its own statutes in the way that it organised the meeting in October that chose him as its candidate. Confusingly, the court’s decision does not in itself annul his candidacy: a separate tribunal must now decide on that. But in practice the court has disabled it. Unless the court quickly reverses itself, weeks of legal argument may lie ahead. “It’s the political system [uniting] against a new option,” declared Mr Guzmán, though he insisted he would carry on campaigning. It is part of his pitch that he represents a middle-class insurgency against an entrenched reactionary “establishment”, a word he uses a lot. The court’s majority deployed pettifogging legalism, giving more value to secondary regulation than to Mr Guzmán’s constitutional right to run and the right of the people to choose whomever they please—the essence of democracy. Even in narrow terms, the decision is questionable: the dissenting two pointed out that TPP later held a congress which endorsed the choice of Mr Guzmán and that no party member had complained. The underlying problem is that Peru is a democracy in which hardly any of the 25 registered political parties is worthy of the name. “They are shells,” says Fernando Tuesta, a political scientist and former electoral official. “No party conducts an internal election as it should be done.” César Acuña, the owner of three private universities who is accused of serial plagiarism and vote-buying (which he denies), remains in the race. The absence of parties is both a cause and an effect of the general contempt in which Peruvians hold their politicians. It injects unpredictability into elections and explains why Mr Guzmán could come from nowhere. Aged 45, he is slim, short, articulate and relaxed. He presents himself as a post-ideological candidate situated firmly in the political centre. “What’s demanded today is accountability, authenticity and effectiveness,” he told Bello earlier this month. He reeled off his priorities for government: pre-school education, promoting innovation and a higher-tech economy, reform of the state and so on. He stresses policies to help the middle class. Many of these are sensible but not especially novel, as he admits. He gives the sense of making some things up as he goes along, and sometimes contradicts himself. That hasn’t halted his surge. For it is Mr Guzmán himself, as a fresh face and political outsider, who provides the novelty that Peruvians crave. Peru has fared well for most of the past 15 years, as faster economic growth has slashed poverty and paid for social progress. But growth has slowed, crime has risen and corruption scandals have proliferated. Peruvian democracy has been held together not so much by parties as by economic success and a consensus that the government should be run by technocrats (such as Mr Guzmán). But are these still enough? It is ironic that the only semi-serious party is that of Ms Fujimori, whose father spurned political parties when he ruled the country as an autocrat in the 1990s. To her credit, she has been firmer than other rivals in defending Mr Guzmán’s right to run. In the short term, she may be the main beneficiary if he is disqualified: she might then win without a run-off. But it is in no one’s interest that the electoral court has disrupted Peru’s election and potentially undermined the legitimacy of its eventual winner. GOLD´S MACROCOSM: THE PLANETS ALIGN / SEEKING ALPHA Gold's Macrocosm: The Planets Align By: Gary Tanashian We introduced the graphical view of the preferred counter-cyclical environment for gold and especially the gold stock sector in July: Macrocosm. We have updated the view several times since at NFTRH.com, with the macro backdrop getting more and more supportive of the gold sector over the last half a year. Now that the world knows gold is bullish and those pumping gold for the wrong reasons are finally right anyway, let's take each of these macro indicators one by one. We will start with the little planets and work our way up. "Chindia Love Trade": This has little to do with gold's rise. China demand, Indian weddings and manipulative capers on the COMEX for that matter were pumped throughout the bear market, and the price kept dropping like a stone. Overt Inflationary Effects: This may yet come into play, but gold has not been rising on readily observable inflation or inflationary fears. Indeed, we are at peak deflation anxiety although I expect a transition out ahead. Watch silver vs. gold among other indicators. Gold Community Throws in the Towel: Some people are still waiting for that event, but I think this cycle is much like the 1999-2001 bottoming cycle. It was a process and gold bugs in my opinion have long since thrown in the towel when some of their most staunch members got in line behind a forecaster and his computer (which just lately seems to have altered its code, by the way). The gold "community" may have been ground to a pulp as opposed to making a final puke. Gold Rises vs. Commodities: This is actually an important planet and should be larger (but what are ya gonna do?). Since gold has been rising vs. commodities for years it has been an indicator of global economic contraction and deflation. It has been a 'steady as she goes' indicator and continues to indicate the right environment for the birth of a gold sector bull market (although when silver takes over leadership from gold later on, the dynamics are going to change as an 'inflation trade' whips up). Gold Rises vs. Currencies: This one has been in process. I have marveled at how desperately millions of market participants have clung to their confidence in monetary authorities who routinely tramp out paper and digital money units. That is now cracking and recently we have introduced a new indicator, risk 'off' metal (gold) vs. risk 'off' currency (Swiss Franc) and gold has broken out vs. Swissy, indicating a waning confidence in paper/digital money. Yield Spreads Rise: The 30yr-5yr yield spread has been making a very bearish signal for the US stock market. See this post: The Scariest Stock Market Chart in the World. It is potentially bottom making, but not conclusively. The 10yr-2yr is bouncing a bit but has not made any definitive signal yet. This remains a holdout fundamental to gold's case. Confidence Declines: Confidence is declining the world over. See ECB jawbone QE, see market bounce and drop. Same thing with BoJ NIRP policy. This week Janet Yellen both stood firm behind the Fed's rate hikes and openly pondered the prospects of NIRP in the US. One big chink in the formerly impenetrable armor around the Federal Reserve. Economic Contraction: We got on this first with the gold vs. commodities ratios' bull market and then with palladium dumping vs. gold in June. We then added multiple posts showing machine tools decelerating (Machine Tools Fading, in July) and finally, a new downtrend in Semiconductor equipment bookings and billings. Okay, I think we can rest our case. As for declining confidence in monetary authorities, see this Biiwii post for more on Yellen, in which she finally indicates that "there's a chance of a downturn ahead." Unbelievable, 6 months too late for that admission, I'd say. Gold Out Performs Stock Markets: The big one, and it is the reason that our Macrocosm theme got rammed front and center over the last couple of weeks, going from the realm of the theoretical and likely to the probable and proven (to paraphrase a term from our friends, the miners :-). Here is gold vs. S&P 500. It is getting repelled a bit today with the stock market bounce we anticipated, but which sure tested my patience. Stocks probably need to relieve some of the short-term pressure. Sentiment had become a Tinder Box again, and the bounce was on. That folks, is a trend being changed. The implications will be that traditional money managers (instead of just we lowly gold bugs) will be moving into the gold mining sector because their mandate is to herd into what is working. For years now NFTRH has noted that it is the counter-cycle (h/t Bob Hoye) that is going to bring on the right environment for the gold sector, not the widespread hallucinations about inflation and Asian demand in the face of global deflation. That comes later, and it will come sooner or later as the deflation play gets... played out. For now, gold and the miners are doing exactly what they are supposed to do at the start of a new cycle. With that knowledge in hand, I am finally able to manage the sector for subscribers not in the defensive way of the last several years, but an offensive way. The pullbacks will come and they look to be opportunities. We have our fundamentals coming into place, finally. Well Hallelujah! LATIN AMERICAN CURRENCIES: BORDER BAZZAR / THE ECONOMIST \| Etiquetas: Currencies, Latin America Economic And Political Latin American currencies Border bazaar The weak peso draws Ecuadorean shoppers to Colombia LA HORMIGA, COLOMBIA THE backwater Colombian town of La Hormiga near the border with Ecuador has experienced many booms and busts. In the 1990s there was coca, the raw material for cocaine. That frenzy ended when herbicide-spraying aeroplanes destroyed the crops. In the 2000s a pyramid scheme made many townsfolk rich, then ruined them. The government shut it down in 2008. Today La Hormiga, a sweltering town surrounded by pasture in the department of Putumayo, is experiencing a somewhat more salubrious sort of boom. Merchants are cashing in on the sharp depreciation of the Colombian peso against the United States dollar, which Ecuador uses as its currency. The peso lost a quarter of its value in 2015 and continues to slide this year. This has been a windfall for Ecuadorean shoppers living near—and sometimes not so near—the border, and for Colombian shopkeepers who serve them. “We can buy things 50% cheaper here than at home,” says Juan Carlos Andrade, who on a recent weekend drove for four hours from Coca in Ecuador to Putumayo with his family. They returned in a car laden with clothes and nappies for their two small boys. In Ecuador a pack of 50 Huggies nappies costs $18; the Andrades bought one in La Hormiga for the equivalent of $7. As well as selling more, merchants in La Hormiga are charging higher prices. The price of clothes has doubled over the past year while that of fruit and vegetables has risen by 30-40%, according to Fernando Palacios, the town’s mayor. Shops and bakeries are diversifying by providing pop-up currency-exchange services. A ticket seller at a roadside bus terminal moonlights as a money changer, buying dollars at 2,800 pesos and selling them to banks at a rate of around 3,200, making a handsome profit for little effort. Not everyone is happy. Residents of La Hormiga accuse shopkeepers of price-gouging. Mr Palacios has urged local merchants to show restraint. “I told them that if they keep raising prices the Ecuadoreans will shop elsewhere and locals will, too,” he says. Retail tourism is also a worry for Ecuador’s government. The country adopted the dollar as its currency in 2000 to escape from hyperinflation. Its current strength, along with weak productivity and low prices for oil, Ecuador’s biggest export, helped make the economy contract by an estimated 0.6% in 2015. Colombia, by contrast, grew by around 3% last year and should grow by more than 2% in 2016 despite the oil slump, in part because its weaker currency is expected to boost non-oil exports. To fight the downturn, Ecuador’s government is calling on its citizens to shop at home. “Prefer what’s ours,” pleaded a government statement issued in September. As long as the dollar is strong, many Ecuadorean shoppers will prefer Putumayo. UNSOUND BANKING: WHY MOST OF THE WORLD´S BANKS ARE HEADED FOR COLLAPSE / CASEY RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL MAN \| Etiquetas: Banks And Banking, Currencies, FDIC Unsound Banking: Why Most of the World’s Banks Are Headed for Collapse by Doug Casey You’re likely thinking that a discussion of “sound banking” will be a bit boring. Well, banking should be boring. And we’re sure officials at central banks all over the world today—many of whom have trouble sleeping—wish it were. This brief article will explain why the world’s banking system is unsound, and what differentiates a sound from an unsound bank. I suspect not one person in 1,000 actually understands the difference. As a result, the world’s economy is now based upon unsound banks dealing in unsound currencies. Both have degenerated considerably from their origins. Modern banking emerged from the goldsmithing trade of the Middle Ages. Being a goldsmith required a working inventory of precious metal, and managing that inventory profitably required expertise in buying and selling metal and storing it securely. Those capacities segued easily into the business of lending and borrowing gold, which is to say the business of lending and borrowing money. Most people today are only dimly aware that until the early 1930s, gold coins were used in everyday commerce by the general public. In addition, gold backed most national currencies at a fixed rate of convertibility. Banks were just another business—nothing special. They were distinguished from other enterprises only by the fact they stored, lent, and borrowed gold coins, not as a sideline but as a primary business. Bankers had become goldsmiths without the hammers. Bank deposits, until quite recently, fell strictly into two classes, depending on the preference of the depositor and the terms offered by banks: time deposits, and demand deposits. Although the distinction between them has been lost in recent years, respecting the difference is a critical element of sound banking practice. Time Deposits. With a time deposit—a savings account, in essence—a customer contracts to leave his money with the banker for a specified period. In return, he receives a specified fee (interest) for his risk, for his inconvenience, and as consideration for allowing the banker the use of the depositor’s money. The banker, secure in knowing he has a specific amount of gold for a specific amount of time, is able to lend it; he’ll do so at an interest rate high enough to cover expenses (including the interest promised to the depositor), fund a loan-loss reserve, and if all goes according to plan, make a profit. A time deposit entails a commitment by both parties. The depositor is locked in until the due date. How could a sound banker promise to give a time depositor his money back on demand and without penalty when he’s planning to lend it out? In the business of accepting time deposits, a banker is a dealer in credit, acting as an intermediary between lenders and borrowers. To avoid loss, bankers customarily preferred to lend on productive assets, whose earnings offered assurance that the borrower could cover the interest as it came due. And they were willing to lend only a fraction of the value of a pledged asset, to ensure a margin of safety for the principal. And only for a limited time—such as against the harvest of a crop or the sale of an inventory. And finally, only to people of known good character—the first line of defense against fraud. Long-term loans were the province of bond syndicators. That’s time deposits. Demand deposits were a completely different matter. Demand Deposits. Demand deposits were so called because, unlike time deposits, they were payable to the customer on demand. These are the basis of checking accounts. The banker doesn’t pay interest on the money, because he supposedly never has the use of it; to the contrary, he necessarily charged the depositor a fee for: 1. Assuming the responsibility of keeping the money safe, available for immediate withdrawal, and 2. Administering the transfer of the money if the depositor so chooses by either writing a check or passing along a warehouse receipt that represents the gold on deposit. An honest banker should no more lend out demand deposit money than Allied Van and Storage should lend out the furniture you’ve paid it to store. The warehouse receipts for gold were called banknotes. When a government issued them, they were called currency. Gold bullion, gold coinage, banknotes, and currency together constituted the society’s supply of transaction media. But its amount was strictly limited by the amount of gold actually available to people. Sound principles of banking are identical to sound principles of warehousing any kind of merchandise, whether it’s autos, potatoes, or books. Or money. There’s nothing mysterious about sound banking. But banking all over the world has been fundamentally unsound since government-sponsored central banks came to dominate the financial system. Central banks are a linchpin of today’s world financial system. By purchasing government debt, banks can allow the state—for a while—to finance its activities without taxation. On the surface, this appears to be a “free lunch.” But it’s actually quite pernicious and is the engine of currency debasement. Central banks may seem like a permanent part of the cosmic landscape, but in fact they are a recent invention. The US Federal Reserve, for instance, didn’t exist before 1913. Unsound Banking Fraud can creep into any business. A banker, seeing other people’s gold sitting idle in his vault, might think, “What is the point of taking gold out of the ground from a mine, only to put it back into the ground in a vault?” People are writing checks against it and using his banknotes. But the gold itself seldom moves. A restless banker might conclude that, even though it might be a fraud on depositors (depending on exactly what the bank has promised them), he could easily create lots more banknotes and lend them out, and keep 100% of the interest for himself. Left solely to their own devices, some bankers would try that. But most would be careful not to go too far, since the game would end abruptly if any doubt emerged about the bank’s ability to hand over gold on demand. The arrival of central banks eased that fear by introducing a lender of last resort. Because the central bank is always standing by with credit, bankers are free to make promises they know they might not be able to keep on their own. How Banking Works Today In the past, when a bank created too much currency out of nothing, people eventually would notice, and a “bank run” would materialize. But when a central bank authorizes all banks to do the same thing, that’s less likely—unless it becomes known that an individual bank has made some really foolish loans. Central banks were originally justified—especially the creation of the Federal Reserve in the US—as a device for economic stability. The occasional chastisement of imprudent bankers and their foolish customers was an excuse to get government into the banking business. As has happened in so many cases, an occasional and local problem was “solved” by making it systemic and housing it in a national institution. It’s loosely analogous to the way the government handles the problem of forest fires: extinguishing them quickly provides an immediate and visible benefit. But the delayed and forgotten consequence of doing so is that it allows decades of deadwood to accumulate. Now when a fire starts, it can be a once-in-a-century conflagration. Banking all over the world now operates on a “fractional reserve” system. In our earlier example, our sound banker kept a 100% reserve against demand deposits: he held one ounce of gold in his vault for every one-ounce banknote he issued. And he could only lend the proceeds of time deposits, not demand deposits. A “fractional reserve” system can’t work in a free market; it has to be legislated. And it can’t work where banknotes are redeemable in a commodity, such as gold; the banknotes have to be “legal tender” or strictly paper money that can be created by fiat. The fractional reserve system is why banking is more profitable than normal businesses. In any industry, rich average returns attract competition, which reduces returns. A banker can lend out a dollar, which a businessman might use to buy a widget. When that seller of the widget re-deposits the dollar, a banker can lend it out at interest again. The good news for the banker is that his earnings are compounded several times over. The bad news is that, because of the pyramided leverage, a default can cascade. In each country, the central bank periodically changes the percentage reserve (theoretically, from 100% down to 0% of deposits) that banks must keep with it, according to how the bureaucrats in charge perceive the state of the economy. In any event, in the US (and actually most everywhere in the world), protection against runs on banks isn’t provided by sound practices, but by laws. In 1934, to restore confidence in commercial banks, the US government instituted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) deposit insurance in the amount of $2,500 per depositor per bank, eventually raising coverage to today’s $250,000. In Europe, €100,000 is the amount guaranteed by the state. FDIC insurance covers about $9.3 trillion of deposits, but the institution has assets of only $25 billion. That’s less than one cent on the dollar. I’ll be surprised if the FDIC doesn’t go bust and need to be recapitalized by the government. That money—many billions—will likely be created out of thin air by selling Treasury debt to the Fed. The fractional reserve banking system, with all of its unfortunate attributes, is critical to the world’s financial system as it is currently structured. You can plan your life around the fact the world’s governments and central banks will do everything they can to maintain confidence in the financial system. To do so, they must prevent a deflation at all costs. And to do that, they will continue printing up more dollars, pounds, euros, yen, and what-have-you. Editor’s Note: Most people have no idea what really happens when the banking system collapses, let alone how to prepare… Owning gold is essential. Gold is a commodity like coffee, copper, or aluminum. But unlike other commodities, gold is money. It’s held its value for thousands of years. Gold has preserved wealth through every kind of crisis imaginable. It will preserve wealth during the next crisis, too. Gold is also the key to making triple-digit investment gains possible. The Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX), which tracks large gold miners, is up around 20% this year. Gold miners offer leverage to the price of gold. For example, a 10% rise in the price of gold can cause gold stocks to rise 30% or more. GDX has surged around 21% over the last two weeks. It was one of the fund’s best week since December 2008, during the global financial crisis. GDX is trading near its highest level since July. This is a very bullish sign for gold miners. During gold’s last bull market, gold stocks soared 273%. During the gold bull market before that, gold stocks soared 206%. And gold stocks soared 602% during the gold bull market from 2000 to 2003. We think gold stocks could surge as much or more during the next rally… To make the biggest gains, you need to own the best mining companies… A fund like GDX owns both low-quality and high-quality miners. It will likely gain at least 200% in the next gold bull market…but the best gold stocks will go much higher. THE U.S. DOLLAR IS A CROWDED TRADE -- WHY THIS MATTERS FOR GOLD / SPROTT ASSET MANAGEMENT \| Etiquetas: Currencies, Gold, The Dollar The U.S. Dollar is a Crowded Trade – Why this Matters for Gold By Sprott US Media In a recent report by Sprott Senior Portfolio Manager Trey Reik, he points out several reasons why gold remains not only an important portfolio diversification tool, but also an asset class ripe for a rebound. In his full length report, available here Trey notes that one of the reasons to look to gold is the current state of the U.S. dollar: “U.S. dollar sentiment among western investors has become close to unanimously bullish.” We examine the impact of this on gold. A strengthening dollar is good for American consumers. We are able to buy more goods at a lower price than the rest of the world. However, for American producers who export, a strengthening dollar means fewer international customers are able to buy our goods, and quantity demanded often declines in such an environment. That’s where Economics 101 ends and Trey begins. Trey cites a CFTC chart that shows the combined net speculative long and short trades of the euro, the Yen, and the pound against the dollar. Take a look at 2015. After a big jump throughout the first half of the year, there has been somewhat of a reversal, indicating that speculative traders would now rather have yen, euros or pounds than U.S. dollars. This is a signal that the U.S. dollar has potentially already topped in value, relative to the currencies of other developed nations. But how does this relate to gold? Trey’s chart shows the combined speculative demand for USD relative to other currencies. To show a bit more detail, we also broke out the different currencies, and marked the foreign exchange rates of the yen, the euro, and the Canadian dollar to zero as of January 1, 2010. While the above graph combines all CTFC (a.k.a. futures traders’ expectations), this chart shows the spot (actual) Price movement of the currencies over the last four years. Gold is often considered a corollary currency, so we’ve added in the spot gold price (like the forex rates, gold is denominated in USD. The line is marked in red). This chart illustrates not only the strengthening of the USD over the other currencies, but also gold’s resilience during an inflationary environment. While gold prices have certainly declined as the USD rises, it might be small comfort to see that gold loses less value than other currencies, it also appears to recover more quickly. This chart also shows that gold behaves like a currency, but one that is not easily manipulated by central bank policy. Gold mitigates some deflationary risks. Trey speculates that the USD is as strong as it will get in this current market cycle, and we may be looking at the top of the market for the USD. Indeed, his next chart, titled “Net Foreign Purchases of Treasuries” demonstrates that foreign buyers are now net sellers of U.S. Treasuries (in reality, this is an indication that they have nothing left to sell, or that everything else that they hold is marked below cost. They don’t want to take a loss any more than you do!) BRITAIN, BETTER OFF OUT OF EUROPE / THE NEW YORK TIMES OP EDITORIAL \| Etiquetas: Economics, Europe Economic and Political, United Kingdom Britain, Better Off Out of Europe By LOUISE MENSCH Photo Credit Kelly Blair Valentine’s Day is the traditional feast of love. But this February, Britons are more fixated on a political divorce. &amp;amp;amp;lt;strong&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/strong&amp;amp;amp;gt; “Brexit,” the shorthand term for a British exit from the European Union, is finally on the table. For many of my compatriots, the idea is not a negative one; indeed, an escape from the ever greater encroachment of the European superstate on our national sovereignty is a goal we have devoutly wished for since Prime Minister John Major signed the Maastricht Treaty back in 1992. Today, at last, we are positively giddy at the thought of freedom. The Conservative prime minister, David Cameron, is delivering on his election promise of a referendum on membership in the union, with a vote due by the end of 2017. It will probably be held sooner, in June or September. Mr. Cameron would prefer Britain to stay in the union. Polls indicate that he is likely to be disappointed. Earlier this month, he returned from Brussels with a package of proposals so weak that Britain’s newspapers united against it. His so-called brake on welfare benefits for European immigrants, for example, would require the agreement of other countries, would not be applied for more than a year and would eventually be phased out. Mr. Cameron also failed in his attempt to prevent child benefits being sent abroad for workers in Britain with dependents elsewhere in Europe. After these terms were announced, the pro-exit camp’s lead in polls soared to nine points. One recent survey of Conservative Party members found that more than 70 percent supported Brexit. The European summit meeting next week could be Mr. Cameron’s last chance to improve his deal. But with the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, touring Britain and helpfully telling us that he would reverse any British gains, Mr. Cameron’s prospects are not promising. The mood of the country, though, is optimistic. An amicable divorce, many consider, is better than a bad marriage. Brexit campaigners are excited by the possibilities of an independent future in the world. We believe that this vision is better not just for Britain, but also for our European allies. Brexit offers Britons more money, more control, free trade and planned immigration. First, the cash. Britain sends about £55 million, or about $80 million, per day to Brussels. To place that in context, Daniel Hannan, a Conservative member of the European Parliament, calculated that all the austerity cuts that the chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, made during the last Parliament, amounted to £36 billion, while Britain’s contribution to the European Union in the same period was £87 billion. Mr. Osborne could reverse every cut in public spending and still pay the deficit down faster if Britain were outside the European Union. Of course, it is not quite that simple. The European Union returns some of that money through spending in Britain, though not nearly the amount it takes out. In 2015, Britain’s net contribution was £8.5 billion; in 2016, it is forecast to top £11 billion. If we ended these payments, we could end our austerity measures. The second issue is the wave of illegal immigrants effectively invited into Europe by Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel. A growing proportion of Britons believes their country should accept fewer refugees; Turkey, where a majority of these migrants have come from, is already a safe destination. We also note that many are young men, of fighting age, who appear to have abandoned their families; the recent sexual assaults on women in Cologne, Germany, by marauding groups of migrants have confirmed the fears of many in Britain. With no curbs on the free movement of migrants under Europe’s Schengen Agreement, British voters expect a wave of unwanted immigration once these migrants are given asylum elsewhere in Europe. We are unwilling to close our eyes to this, and we want our borders back. Brexit was never a left-right issue. In the 1970s and ’80s, it was supported by both Margaret Thatcher and the left-wing politician Tony Benn. The Labour member of Parliament Kate Hoey told me she believes the European Union stands for big business and tramples down British workers’ wages even as it exploits Eastern European ones. Ms. Hoey’s view is supported by the left-wing labor union R.M.T. The fact that Conservative budget cuts are dwarfed by payments to the European Union is also not lost on liberal voters. On the right, Conservative cabinet ministers likely to lead the “out” campaign are the business secretary, Sajid Javid, son of a bus driver from Pakistan, and Priti Patel, the employment minister, daughter of Indian immigrants from Uganda (they became shopkeepers, as Mrs. Thatcher’s parents were). Facing such campaigners, the bien-pensant pro-European left will have a hard time stigmatizing the Brexit coalition as anti-business “Little Englanders.” The case for leaving the union is, indeed, a positive one. Britain is the world’s fifth largest economy, with deep cultural and economic ties to the English-speaking world. We are not anti-immigrant; rather, we wish to manage our own immigration policy. We are pro-free trade, and as the European Union’s chief export market, we will not need to pay for access to its markets; and we want more freedom to trade with India, China and the rest of the world. Continue reading the main story Write A Comment The pro-European camp used to tell us that joining the euro was a good idea, and that to stay outside presaged disaster; instead, we’ve seen a meltdown in Greece. The sky did not fall in Britain because we kept the pound and prospered. We do not plan to cut off our European allies. Britain’s treaty with Portugal is the oldest formal alliance in the world. Post-Brexit, we would continue to trade with our European friends as we have for a thousand years. The European Union, however, is a relic of the ’70s — about as relevant as bell-bottom jeans. Indeed, the last time Britons were consulted on membership was 1975, when I was 4 years old. Europe is our past and future. We don’t want to leave the Continent, just a failing bureaucracy. Louise Mensch, a columnist for The Sun on Sunday and the author, most recently, of the novel “Career Game,” was a Conservative member of Parliament from 2010 to 2012. GOLD´S MACROCOSM: THE PLANETS ALIGN / SEEKING ALPH... LATIN AMERICAN CURRENCIES: BORDER BAZZAR / THE ECO... UNSOUND BANKING: WHY MOST OF THE WORLD´S BANKS ARE... THE U.S. DOLLAR IS A CROWDED TRADE -- WHY THIS MAT... BRITAIN, BETTER OFF OUT OF EUROPE / THE NEW YORK T...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19302
__label__cc	0.571934	0.428066	Education needs assessment The Pakistan Education Task Force (PETF) has now been constituted and we have been told that it is a short-term body that has been created to address the issue of access to and quality of school education. Shehnaz Wazir Ali, the co-chairperson — the other is Sir Michael Barber, the British education consultant — has said that the PETF will identify clear goals for improving the school system. Ms Wazir Ali has indicated that the tenure of this body will be 18 months. One wonders how in this short span of time the PETF will determine its goals, when we have not even identified the problems and their solutions. The education policy announced last year is not very clear or comprehensive on this count. One may speak in general terms about improving quality, but one needs to be clearer about the changes one is looking for if targets are to be set. The most positive aspect of the task force is that it is to focus on school education only. If public-sector institutions can be visibly improved a momentum will be created for reforms in education at all levels. Even the low-fee private schools that are not up to the mark will be compelled to upgrade themselves in terms of quality — or perish. Logically, their enrolment could fall when students have the option of schooling in free government institutions that start performing. There was a time when government schools were ranked as the best. In support of this claim, Dr Parween Hasan, who was director, educational research, Karachi Board of Secondary Education, drew my attention to two publications of the board evaluating the performance of schools and students who appeared for their SSC examinations in 1974-87. This is an interesting period which saw the full impact of the nationalisation-denationalisation-privatisation policy in the country. An analysis of the merit scholarship holders establishes two significant trends which the education task force would do well to examine. First, in 1975 more than a quarter of the top positions were taken by students of government schools (excluding the nationalised ones). If the nationalised schools (that were mostly low-fee institutions comparable to government schools) were included the ratio went up to nearly 75 per cent. It was only after the quality of public-sector schools declined sharply in the 1970s that high-fee private schools came to the forefront and their students grabbed over 80 per cent of the merit positions in 1987. The second trend to emerge was that children from Urdu-medium schools were performing better initially — in 1975, 80 per cent of the positions went to them. In 1987 this trend was reversed and English-medium schools took 90 per cent of the positions in the SSL examinations. This should provide some food for thought to our planners who have been focusing on the private sector and English as the medium of instruction — thus junking the government institutions. It would also be helpful to the task force to look into the findings of various studies that have been carried out recently, most notably the Learning and Educational Achievement in Punjab Schools (LEAPS). Testing children close to completing the third grade, the study found that in mathematics most children had the competency set by the education ministry for first-graders. In English only 29 per cent were able to fill in correctly a single blank letter to form a word. The students fared equally badly in Urdu, indicating the poor state of language teaching. These were random tests but their findings were confirmed by the four cycles of tests conducted by the National Education Assessment System (NEAS) in 2005-08. NEAS was introduced as a five-year project by the government with funding from the World Bank and the UK’s Department for International Development. NEAS developed a national testing system with the idea of “measuring learning outcomes and thus improve the quality and effectiveness of programmed interventions”. Students of grades four and eight were examined in mathematics, science, social studies and language. Marking on a scale of one to 1000 and keeping 500 as the desirable score, NEAS found the average score in maths to be 421 and 369 in Urdu in the tests held in 2005. Private schools participated in the exercise only in 2008 but their scores were not incorporated in the overall results. Professionally done, the sampling was pretty representative. Most importantly much effort was invested in collecting background data that is needed to correlate the various inputs in education to the outcomes. Comprehensive questionnaires were given to students and parents, head teachers and teachers to identify the factors associated with student achievement. They sought information on the socio-economic background of students, home environment, the teaching process, school climate, teaching aids and so on. The idea of such an assessment system is to provide guidelines to policymakers on curricula, textbooks, pedagogy and parents’ involvement to achieve optimal competency. In fact a checklist can even be developed on that basis for supervisors to monitor when they visit schools. The follow-up to NEAS did not take place and the National Education Policy 2009 was drawn up without heeding NEAS findings. Countries which have such testing systems in place use it as an ongoing tool to monitor school education not with the idea of testing students to determine quality but as a research facility to decide what is good and what is not. Tests held every year also help to show if a strategy is producing desired results. Therefore all schools — whether private or public — must participate in this exercise. It was therefore encouraging to learn that the government has decided to restart NEAS. This is being described as the second phase. Is it to be temporary? A testing system should be an inbuilt, institutionalised, permanent mechanism to monitor how students and schools are faring. Only then can any fall in competency be investigated right away and corrected. How else can the education ministry “maintain education standards” as it is legally obliged to under the act of parliament of 1976? zubeidam2@gmail.com Talisem Ho Sherba Aik Sigrate Duniya Ka Mezloom	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19304
__label__wiki	0.61376	0.61376	Special Events in Harford County — Regular Meetings — Club and Central Committee Meetings — Contribute — Register to Vote — General Inquiries Club and Central Committee Meetings The documents listed below are the foundational documents of Liberty & self-government in Western civilization & Anglo-American civilization in particular. They are the “DNA” of the American experiment in self-governance. A study of these documents will illuminate the source of the awesome inheritance of Liberty & limited Constitutional government by which we have been blessed. Documents of Freedom When representatives of the young republic of the United States gathered to draft a constitution, they turned to the legal system they knew and admired–English common law as evolved from Magna Carta. The conceptual debt to the great charter is particularly obvious: the American Constitution is “the Supreme Law of the Land,” just as the rights granted by Magna Carta were not to be arbitrarily canceled by subsequent English laws. Magna Carta’s American Legacy Before penning the Declaration of Independence–the first of the American Charters of Freedom–in 1776, the Founding Fathers searched for a historical precedent for asserting their rightful liberties from King George III and the English Parliament. They found it in a gathering that took place 561 years earlier on the plains of Runnymede, not far from where Windsor Castle stands today. There, on June 15, 1215, an assembly of barons confronted a despotic and cash-strapped King John and demanded that traditional rights be recognized, written down, confirmed with the royal seal, and sent to each of the counties to be read to all freemen. The result was Magna Carta–a momentous achievement for the English barons and, nearly six centuries later, an inspiration for angry American colonists. Magna Carta (text) Mayflower Compact The Mayflower Compact is a written agreement composed by a consensus of the new Settlers arriving at New Plymouth in November of 1620. They had traveled across the ocean on the ship Mayflower which was anchored in what is now Provincetown Harbor near Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The Mayflower Compact was drawn up with fair and equal laws, for the general good of the settlement and with the will of the majority. The Mayflower’s passengers knew that the New World’s earlier settlers failed due to a lack of government. They hashed out the content and eventually composed the Compact for the sake of their own survival. Declaration of Independence Background The Declaration of Independence is seen as that document that established the new nation of the United States. The date of its formal acceptance by the Continental Congress, July 4, 1776, is celebrated each year in the U.S. with fireworks, parties, citizenship ceremonies, and baseball games. 1976, the two-hundredth anniversary of that date, was a giant party, the bicentennial, with a special quarter minted that year to help celebrate. The Declaration (text) The Virginia Declaration of Rights This was the precursor of The Bill of Rights. It was penned by George Washington’s neighbor, George Mason with assistance of James Madison in 1776. There is conjecture that the Virginia Declaration of Rights also served as a model of the French Revolution’s Declaration of the Rights of Man & the Citizen. The Articles of Confederation The first constitution in our nation’s history was the U.S. Articles of Confederation. Under the U.S. Articles of Confederation we took “baby steps” as a nation. The government conducted the affairs of the country during the last two years of the Revolutionary War, helped to negotiate the Treaty of Paris in 1783, and produced two monumental pieces of legislation in the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. While the U.S. Articles of Confederation was a plan of government based upon the principles fought for in the American Revolutionary War, it contained crucial flaws. It had no power of national taxation, no power to control trade, and it provided for a comparatively weak executive. Therefore, it could not enforce legislation. It was a “league of friendship” which was opposed to any type of national authority. The Articles of Confederation’s greatest weakness, however, was that it had no direct origin in the people themselves–it knew only state sovereignty. Each state, therefore, had the power to collect its own taxes, issue currency, and provide for its own militia. The government could not govern efficiently because of a general lack of power to compel states to honor national obligations. The government’s main activity was to control foreign policy and conclude treaties. It would have been very difficult for our country to have created a stronger second constitution without learning from the mistakes of the first. The Articles of Confederation served as a “transition” between the Revolutionary War and the Constitution The conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added. Additional Amendments The Principles of ’98 – The Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions of 1798 – A Statement of Limited Government Conspicuously absent from the list of universally revered charters are Thomas Jefferson’s and James Madison’s Kentucky and Virginia resolutions. For their lucid reasoning and peerless prose, they merit inclusion as much as the Constitution itself. Unfortunately, the Resolves of 1798, lest they be tempted to reclaim the decentralized republic of the Constitution’s framers. Though much has changed since Jefferson and Madison penned the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions, the nature of power remains the same — power can be checked only by power. The Resolves point to the states as the natural depository of the power to check the national government. Madison came to that realization long before he wrote the Virginia resolution. In Federalist 51, he described the horizontal and vertical checks and balances established by the Constitution and plainly stated that the state and national governments “will controul each other; at the same time each will be controulled by itself (Madison, Hamilton, and Jay [1788] 1982, 264). If the American people are once again to gain control of the national government, it will be through the states. No new theories are needed; the intellectual giants of the founding era have done the work for us. Maryland Constitution Which Assembled at the City of Annapolis on the Eighth Day of May, Eighteen Hundred and Sixty-seven, and Adjourned on the Seventeenth Day of August, Eighteen Hundred and Sixty-seven, and was Ratified by the People on the Eighteenth Day of September, Eighteen Hundred and Sixty-seven, with Amendments through Two Thousand and Eight (including amendments proposed by the General Assembly and ratified by the voters through November 4, 2008) George Washington’s Farewell Address: The address is by all accounts the most famous and best-known of Washington’s speeches, it was never actually delivered orally by Washington. By his own arrangement it first appeared in a newspaper at Philadelphia. It was published seven days later in The Independent Chronicle. In it he Stresses the importance of religion and morality, stable public credit, avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt. He also warns against permanent foreign alliances & to beware of an over-powerful military establishment. In saying farewell to the new nation he helped create, Washington pointed out that “the name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism.” John Quincy Adams Address to Congress July 4th, 1821 On the occasion of the reading of the Declaration of Independence to the Congress in 1821, John Quincy Adams, then a diplomat, gave this definitive vision of American foreign policy. The Bush Declaration aka The Harford Declaration The Bush Declaration was the first Declaration of Independence made by any representative body in Americ Essential Liberty Sites Blue Ridge Forum Conservatives & Culture in Maryland & Virginia Every politician on every issue….. To restore the republic through limited, constitutional government, individual liberty, free markets & sound money through education & political activism Advancing the scholarship of Liberty Individual Liberty, Free Markets, Peace… Conservative principles & leadership for America. Patriot Post The Voice of Essential Liberty A thought provoking anti-statist, pro-market site VDARE.com Conservative Potpourri America’s Public Square The Patrick Henry Center For Individual Liberty Ayn Rand Center A Centre of Reason The Philosophy of Liberty Who Are The Best Keeper’s of the People’s Liberties? – James Madison A quick quiz courtesy of Mr. Madison. Are you a small “r” republican or a Statist? Points to ponder…. Harford County GOP	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19309
__label__cc	0.567379	0.432621	Habitat and Ecological Niche Posted on February 14, 2019 February 14, 2019 by BMAD9lkubf The habitat – that is, the space where an organism lives – and the biotic and abiotic factors that make possible their survival are the ecological niche of this living being. The habitat The concept of a species’ habitat may be broad, such as the open ocean or coniferous forests of the Northern Hemisphere, as it may also be limited, such as the sebaceous glands of the skin of a mammal, in which certain species of mites live. Each living being has a number of characteristics that allow it to occupy a particular habitat. Thus, for example, otters (a South American rodent species also known as a paddock) have a set of adaptations (claw feet, insulation skin, hydrodynamic body, prolonged diving capacity) that make rivers be their ideal habitat. The ecological niche The ecological niche of a living being is not only the physical space in which it lives, but rather that space and the biotic factors that work there: its prey, its predators, the places where it takes shelter and where it procreates. – In a way, the ecological niche corresponds to the role played by the living being in nature, including its relations with the other species that occupy that same habitat Following the example of otters, it can be said that the ecological niche of these animals corresponds to that of a carnivore that lives associated with a watercourse, catches fish and requires clean water. Of course, this carnivore competes with other animals that also feed on fish, like certain aquatic snakes. In the same space, it is preferable not to coexist two species with the same ecological niche. They must always differ in some respect, otherwise the species would compete with each other and one would lead to the exclusion of the other. The Niche and Adaptation In a community, each species specializes in order to obtain what it needs for its survival; thus, each organism uses the environment in a specific way in relation to the other species that make up the community. This specialization reduces or eliminates competition among them, allowing the coexistence of several species in the same community. The concept of ecological niche is useful to describe the differences of adaptation that exist between the diverse species. Lamarck (1744-1829) and Darwin 1809-1882) were two scientists who studied the formation of living species and their adaptation to the environment, each of them elaborating their own theories. The Niche and Specialization According to the level of specialization, two types of species are distinguished: Specialist species: are those specialized in the use of a particular resource; therefore, are vulnerable to any change that occurs in relation to this resource. Specialist species are declining because they can not adapt to changes introduced by humans in the environment. Ex: The tropical butterfly Heliconius melpomene lays its eggs only on passionflower leaves; When eggs hatch, the larvae have their only food in these leaves. Generalist species: they are less specialized ones, which have wider niches and are not so skillful, but adapt more easily to new situations. Generalist species are present in different habitats and are adapted to relatively different conditions. Ex: Gull-Common is a species of abundant and widely distributed seabird. Their food includes everything from fish and marine invertebrates, eggs, insects and roundworms to carrion or even organic remains found in the trash produced by humans. The burnings and their consequences Treacher Collins Syndrome ©2019 Health Tips DIY All rights reserved \| Powered By Crunchy Facts	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19311
__label__cc	0.519011	0.480989	AmerisourceBergen and Kindred Healthcare Name Gregory S. Weishar as CEO of their Combined Institutional Pharmacy Businesses Companies Also Announce Name of New Company Will Be PharMerica Corporation, Headquarters to be in Louisville, KY, and Receipt of IRS Private Letter Ruling VALLEY FORGE, Pa. & LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 22, 2007--AmerisourceBergen Corporation (NYSE:ABC) and Kindred Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:KND) today announced that Gregory "Greg" S. Weishar, currently Chief Executive Officer and President of PharmaCare Management Services, Inc., a subsidiary of CVS Corporation (NYSE:CVS), has agreed to become Chief Executive Officer of a new company to be formed by the proposed combination of their respective institutional pharmacy businesses, PharMerica Long-Term Care ("PharMerica LTC") and Kindred Pharmacy Services ("KPS"), into a new, independent, publicly traded company. AmerisourceBergen and Kindred also announced the new company will be named "PharMerica Corporation," and the new company's headquarters will be in Louisville, Kentucky, with a major customer support center in Tampa, Florida. In addition, the two companies have each received a private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service affirming the tax-free nature of each company's spin off of its institutional pharmacy business as well as the tax-free status of the subsequent combination creating the new company. CEO Named "We are extremely fortunate to have an executive with Greg's experience and knowledge to lead the new company," said R. David Yost, AmerisourceBergen Chief Executive Officer. "He understands the pharmacy business and how to build a successful organization." "Greg brings the right skills needed to lead the new company," said Paul J. Diaz, Kindred President and Chief Executive Officer. "He has a strong customer service and pharmacy operations background that will be essential to the new company." "I am excited to have the opportunity to lead the new PharMerica," Mr. Weishar said. "We will leverage the strengths of both companies to build an industry leading organization with meaningful growth prospects." Mr. Weishar is currently Chief Executive Officer and President of PharmaCare Management Services, a pharmacy benefit management, mail order and specialty pharmacy services subsidiary of CVS Corporation. He founded PharmaCare in 1994 and through his leadership PharmaCare has grown into the fourth largest operation in its industry with revenues in excess of $3 billion. New Company to be Named PharMerica Corporation AmerisourceBergen and Kindred also announced that the name of the new company will be PharMerica Corporation. The new company will be the second largest in the institutional pharmacy services market with revenues of approximately $1.9 billion and a customer base of approximately 330,000 licensed beds in 41 states. The new name was selected because it clearly identifies the services to be provided and market capabilities of the new company and is well recognized in the marketplace. In addition, the companies announced that the new PharMerica Corporation's headquarters will be in Louisville, Kentucky, with a major customer support center in Tampa, Florida. The Louisville headquarters, which is expected to employ as many as 250 to 350 people, was selected because the new PharMerica received an $8 million incentive package from the State of Kentucky. In addition, Kindred, which is also headquartered in Louisville, will be providing information technology and administrative support to the new company. "We want to thank officials from the state of Kentucky and the city of Louisville for putting together an aggressive incentive package. We think Louisville is an optimal site for the new company and are excited about creating new growth and employment opportunities for the city," Mr. Diaz said. The site for the headquarters in Louisville has not been determined. Summary of Proposed Transaction: The combination is structured to be a tax-free transaction which will result in AmerisourceBergen and Kindred shareholders each holding 50 percent of the shares of the new company. In connection with the transaction, PharMerica LTC and KPS will each make a one-time cash distribution, intended to be tax-free, of up to $150 million to their respective parent companies, subject to potential adjustments at the closing of the proposed transaction. PharMerica LTC and KPS will fund the distributions by borrowing up to $150 million each for a total of $300 million of new debt. The new company will assume this debt as part of the proposed merger. This new debt would be the only long-term debt the new company assumes from the parent companies, leaving it with significant financial flexibility. After the cash distributions, each of the institutional pharmacy businesses would be separately spun off to AmerisourceBergen and Kindred shareholders, to be followed immediately by a stock-for-stock merger which would result in AmerisourceBergen and Kindred shareholders each owning 50 percent of the new company. AmerisourceBergen currently provides pharmaceutical distribution to both KPS and PharMerica LTC and under the definitive agreement will continue to provide those services to the new company. Kindred will provide information systems support and some administrative support services to the new company for a period of time. The transaction creating the new company is expected to be completed by the end of March 2007. In order to be completed, the proposed transaction still requires filing and clearance of a registration statement with the new company by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The proposed transaction also is subject to the satisfaction of several closing conditions, including obtaining financing for the new company. There can be no assurance that all conditions to completion of the transaction will be met. Kindred Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:KND) is a Fortune 500 healthcare services company, based in Louisville, Kentucky, with annualized revenues of $4.3 billion that provides services in over 500 locations in 39 states. Kindred through its subsidiaries operates long-term acute care hospitals, skilled nursing centers, institutional pharmacies and a contract rehabilitation services business, Peoplefirst Rehabilitation Services, across the United States. Kindred's 55,000 employees are committed to providing high quality patient care and outstanding customer service to become the most trusted and respected provider of healthcare services in every community we serve. For more information, go to www.kindredhealthcare.com AmerisourceBergen Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from the expectations contained in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in any forward-looking statements: competitive pressures; the loss of one or more key customer or supplier relationships; customer defaults or insolvencies; changes in customer mix; supplier defaults or insolvencies; changes in pharmaceutical manufacturers' pricing and distribution policies or practices; adverse resolution of any contract or other disputes with customers (including departments and agencies of the U.S. Government) or suppliers; regulatory changes (including increased government regulation of the pharmaceutical supply channel); changes in U.S. government policies (including reimbursement changes arising from federal legislation, including the Medicare Modernization Act and the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005); price inflation in branded pharmaceuticals and price deflation in generics; declines in the amounts of market share rebates offered by pharmaceutical manufacturers to the PharMerica Long-Term Care business, declines in the amounts of rebates that the PharMerica Long-Term Care business can retain, and/or the inability of the business to offset the rebate reductions that have already occurred or any rebate reductions that may occur in the future; any disruption to or other adverse effects upon the PharMerica Long-Term Care business caused by the announcement of the Company's agreement to combine the PharMerica Long-Term Care business with the institutional pharmacy business of Kindred Healthcare, Inc. into a new public company that will be owned 50% by the Company's shareholders (the "PharMerica LTC Transaction"); the inability of the Company to successfully complete the PharMerica LTC Transaction; fluctuations in market interest rates; operational or control issues arising from the Company's outsourcing of information technology activities; success of integration, restructuring or systems initiatives; fluctuations in the U.S. dollar - Canadian dollar exchange rate and other foreign exchange rates; economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory developments in Canada, the United Kingdom and elsewhere outside of the United States; acquisition of businesses that do not perform as we expect or that are difficult for us to integrate or control; changes in tax legislation or adverse resolution of challenges to our tax positions; and other economic, business, competitive, legal, tax, regulatory and/or operational factors affecting the business of the Company generally. Certain additional factors that management believes could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements are set forth (i) in Item 1A (Risk Factors) in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 and elsewhere in that report and (ii) in other reports filed by the Company pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Kindred Healthcare Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements regarding Kindred's expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, budgets, capital expenditures, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management and statements containing the words such as "anticipate," "approximate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "project," "could," "should," "will," "intend," "may" and other similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Statements in this press release concerning the new company's business outlook or future economic performance, anticipated profitability, revenues, expenses or other financial items, anticipated cost synergies, economies of scale and product or service line growth, together with other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements reflecting the best judgment of Kindred based upon currently available information. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and stockholders and other potential investors must recognize that actual results may differ materially from Kindred's expectations as a result of a variety of factors, including, without limitation, those discussed below. Such forward-looking statements are based upon management's current expectations and include known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which Kindred is unable to predict or control, that may cause Kindred's actual results or performance to differ materially from any future results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed below and detailed from time to time in Kindred's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition to the factors set forth above, other factors that may affect Kindred's plans or results include, without limitation, (a) Kindred's and AmerisourceBergen's ability to complete the proposed merger of their respective institutional pharmacy operations, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other closing conditions to the proposed transaction; (b) Kindred's ability to operate pursuant to the terms of its debt obligations and its master leases with Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR); (c) Kindred's ability to meet its rental and debt service obligations; (d) adverse developments with respect to Kindred's results of operations or liquidity; (e) Kindred's ability to attract and retain key executives and other healthcare personnel; (f) increased operating costs due to shortages in qualified nurses, therapists and other healthcare personnel; (g) the effects of healthcare reform and government regulations, interpretation of regulations and changes in the nature and enforcement of regulations governing the healthcare industry; (h) changes in the reimbursement rates or methods of payment from third party payors, including the Medicare and Medicaid programs, changes arising from and related to the Medicare prospective payment system for long-term acute care hospitals, including the final Medicare payment rules issued in May 2006, the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, and changes in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for Kindred's nursing centers; (i) national and regional economic conditions, including their effect on the availability and cost of labor, materials and other services; (j) Kindred's ability to control costs, particularly labor and employee benefit costs; (k) Kindred's ability to successfully pursue its development activities and successfully integrate new operations, including the realization of anticipated revenues, economies of scale, cost savings and productivity gains associated with such operations; (l) the increase in the costs of defending and insuring against alleged professional liability claims and Kindred's ability to predict the estimated costs related to such claims; (m) Kindred's ability to successfully reduce (by divestiture of operations or otherwise) its exposure to professional liability claims; (n) Kindred's ability to successfully dispose of unprofitable facilities; and (o) Kindred's ability to ensure and maintain an effective system of internal controls over financial reporting. Many of these factors are beyond Kindred's control. Kindred cautions investors that any forward-looking statements made by Kindred are not guarantees of future performance. Kindred disclaims any obligation to update any such factors or to announce publicly the results of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements to reflect future events or developments. Kindred Healthcare, Inc. Susan E. Moss, 502-596-7296	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19317
__label__cc	0.74401	0.25599	PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 6, 2018 TCG BDC, INC. (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter) No. 000-54899 (State or Other (Commission (IRS Employer Jurisdiction of File Number) Incorporation) (Zip Code) Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 813-4900 (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.) Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instructions A.2.): Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter). Emerging growth company If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. Item 5.07. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders. On June 6, 2018, TCG BDC, Inc. (the “Company”) held its 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”). The following three proposals were voted on at the Annual Meeting: (1) the election of Eliot P.S. Merrill and Nigel D.T. Andrews as directors, each to serve for a three-year term and until his successor is duly elected and qualified at the Company’s 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders or until his earlier death, resignation or removal; (2) the ratification of the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018; and (3) the approval of the application of a minimum asset coverage ratio of 150% to the Company (the “Asset Coverage Ratio Proposal”). As of April 23, 2018, the record date for the Annual Meeting, there were 62,568,659 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote. 37,156,911 shares of common stock of the Company were present or represented at the meeting, constituting a quorum. The final voting results for each of the proposals submitted to a vote of stockholders at the Annual Meeting are set forth below. Each proposal was approved by the requisite vote. Proposal 1. The election of Eliot P.S. Merrill and Nigel D.T. Andrews as directors, each to serve for a three-year term and until his successor is duly elected and qualified at the Company’s 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders or until his earlier death, resignation or removal: Director Nominee Withhold 1a. Eliot P.S. Merrill 1b. Nigel D.T. Andrews Proposal 2. The ratification of the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018: Abstain Broker Non-Votes Proposal 3. The Asset Coverage Ratio Proposal: Item 8.01. Other Events. As disclosed above under Item 5.07, the Asset Coverage Ratio Proposal was approved by stockholders. As a result, pursuant to Section 61(a)(2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and subject to the satisfaction of certain ongoing disclosure requirements, effective June 7, 2018, the minimum asset coverage ratio applicable to the Company is 150%. On June 7, 2018, the Company issued a press release regarding the foregoing. The press release is attached hereto as exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference. (d) Exhibits: Exhibit Number Description 99.1 Press Release, dated June 7, 2018 (Registrant) /s/ Erik Barrios Erik Barrios TCG BDC, Inc. Announces Stockholder Approval of the Asset Coverage Ratio Proposal and Other Results of its Annual Meeting of Stockholders NEW YORK, June 7, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TCG BDC, Inc. (“TCG BDC” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:CGBD) today announced that, at the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders held on June 6, 2018 (the “Annual Meeting”), its stockholders have approved the application to the Company of the 150% minimum asset coverage ratio set forth in Section 61(a)(2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). As a result, the minimum asset coverage ratio applicable to the Company will be reduced from 200% to 150%, effective today. Michael Hart, Chairman and CEO of TCG BDC, shared the following: “We are appreciative of the overwhelming support from our shareholders regarding the adoption of the revised minimum asset coverage ratio. The reduced asset coverage requirements provide immediate operational flexibility and present a further opportunity to increase returns to our shareholders while maintaining the same credit discipline and selectivity that we have exercised since our Company’s inception. I would like to thank both our Board and our Shareholders for each providing their support for the asset coverage ratio proposal, as well as for their ongoing support and long-term partnership.” The Company also announced today that at its Annual Meeting, Nigel D.T. Andrews and Eliot T.S. Merrill were re-elected to the Company’s Board of Directors and stockholders have ratified the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018. About TCG BDC, Inc. TCG BDC is an externally managed specialty finance company focused on lending to middle-market companies. TCG BDC is managed by Carlyle Global Credit Investment Management L.L.C., an SEC-registered investment adviser and a wholly owned subsidiary of The Carlyle Group L.P. Since it commenced investment operations in May 2013 through March 31, 2018, TCG BDC has invested approximately $3.8 billion in aggregate principal amount of debt and equity investments prior to any subsequent exits or repayments. TCG BDC’s investment objective is to generate current income and capital appreciation primarily through debt investments in U.S. middle market companies. TCG BDC has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Web: tcgbdc.com This press release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “will,” “should,” “may,” “plans,” “continue,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “would,” “could,” “targets,” “projects,” “outlook,” “potential,” “predicts” and variations of these words and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements include these words. You should read statements that contain these words carefully because they discuss our plans, strategies, prospects and expectations concerning our business, operating results, financial condition and other similar matters. We believe that it is important to communicate our future expectations to our investors. There may be events in the future, however, that we are not able to predict accurately or control. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which we make it. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ, possibly materially from our expectations, include, but are not limited to, the risks, uncertainties and other factors we identify in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and it is not possible for us to predict or identify all of them. We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Daniel Harris Elizabeth Gill daniel.harris@carlyle.com elizabeth.gill@carlyle.com	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19318
__label__wiki	0.811342	0.811342	1. Lina Medina, from Ticrapo in Peru, gave birth to a baby boy named Gerardo by caesarean section aged five years and seven months old in May 1939. Her parents thought she had a tumour but when she was taken to hospital, she was found to be seven months pregnant. 2. Yelizaveta "Liza" Gryshchenko had just turned six when she gave birth to a stillborn baby girl in the Soviet Union in August 1934. The infant’s father was Liza’s 69-year-old maternal grandfather. The family emigrated after the scandal. 3. A six-year-old girl, known only as ‘H’ gave birth to a daughter by caesarean section in June 1972 in Delhi, India. She was initially admitted to hospital with what was thought to be an abdominal tumour. 4. An unidentified Indian girl died during childbirth, along with her baby, in August 1933. She was just eight years old. 5. Griseldina Acuña, from Colombia, reportedly began menstruating at three and gave birth to a baby boy in September 1936, aged eight years and two months. The father is thought to have been a family friend. 6. Mum-Zi, from the island of Calabar in Nigeria, became a mother aged eight years and four months in August 1884. Her daughter also gave birth at a very young age, making Mum-Zi a grandmother aged 17. Both were part of Chief Akkiri’s harem. 7. A Colombian girl was found to be pregnant after a policeman spotted the girl’s swollen abdomen and suspected she was smuggling drugs. A scan revealed the girl was 32 weeks pregnant and she gave birth aged eight years and five months old in September 2004. 8. ‘Anna’ gave birth to her 13-year-old neighbour’s baby aged eight years and seven months old. The Muslim Chechen, from Russia, was the youngest mother in Eastern Europe for six decades after daughter Dasha was born in April 2000. 9. Hilda Trujillo, from Peru, welcomed daughter Maria del Rosario in December 1957 when she was eight years and seven months old. The baby’s father was a 22-year-iold cousin who raped her and was later arrested. 10. Zi, daughter of Mum-Zi (see number 6) gave birth aged eight years and eight months old in August 1893. Her child’s father was also Chief Akkiri. X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST - Official Trailer The ORIGINAL intent of carved pumpkins. " Vampire Bones " discovered	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19320
__label__cc	0.529241	0.470759	Motor Vehicle Act 1988 The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari tabled the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019, in Lok Sabha on July 15. The Bill seeks to amend the Motor Vehicles Bill, 1988 to address the issues The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2015 An Act further to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The objective of the Act is to further amend the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 and replace the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015. Battery Vehicles A Bill further to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. This Act may be called the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2015. Motorised Vehicles NGT blues for 10-yr-old vehicles on Manali-Rohtang Road MANALI: Acting on National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders, Himachal Pradesh government has started imposing a penalty of Rs 2,000 on vehicles older than 10 years if found plying Manali-Rohtang highway. Times of India (Chandigarh) Vehicular Pollution Pollution Under Control Certification Central Motor Vehicles (First Amendment) Rules, 2015 These rules may be called the Central Motor Vehicles (First Amendment) Rules, 2015. Rickshaws Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015 An Ordinance further to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. This Ordinance may be called the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 Commercial Law Publishers (India) Pvt Ltd Judgement of the Supreme Court of India on the issue whether the State Government while modifying the scheme under Section 102 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 is required to assign reasons while modifying the existing scheme, 18/12/2014 Judgement of the Supreme Court of India in the matter of B.A. Linga Reddy & Others Vs. Karnataka State Transport Authority & Others dated 18/12/2014 on the issue whether the State Government while modifying The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2014 was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 15, 2014 by the Minister of Road Transport and Highways. The Bill seeks to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Road Transport and Safety Bill-2014: Seeks to end bad road behavior The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has come up with Draft Road Transport and Safety Bill, 2014. Last month, the opportunity to suggest ideas came to an end, after it was introduced for Vehicular Safety Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding growing air pollution in Delhi, 26/11/2014 <p>The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has passed the order that all the petrol and diesel vehicles older than 15 years would not be permitted to ply on the national capital's road. </p> Urban Air Quality Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) Parking Policy CNG Buses Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19321
__label__wiki	0.600885	0.600885	Mike D'Agostino Proudly Serving Hamden, from Whitneyville to WestWoods Michael.DAgostino@cga.ct.gov Advocating for Workers Helping our workers History of the labor movement Protecting the right to organize Executive & Legislative Nominations Committee General Law Committee, Chair Planning & Development Committee Bill Halts Magnet Schools Tuition Billing The state House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation authored and introduced by State Representative Mike D’Agostino (D-Hamden) that would prevent municipalities with magnet schools from charging tuition to Hamden and neighboring towns for their out of district students. The bill (HB 5553) was prompted by the city of New Haven, where administrators indicated they may start charging tuition beginning with the 2016-17 school year after years of only collecting a state per pupil reimbursement. Rep. D’Agostino explained if implemented, Hamden could eventually receive tuition bills of up to $2,250 for each student attending New Haven’s inter-district magnet schools, for a potential total annual liability of exceeding $1.2 million. Hamden currently has about 570 students enrolled in New Haven magnets. "After 13 years on the Hamden Board of Education, I understand where both Hamden and New Haven are coming from on this issue," said Rep. D’Agostino, who led the floor debate in the House. "But if a host district is going to charge tuition when it has not previously done so, there needs to be some oversight and notice. I expect we will all continue the discussion on this issue next year as well." Hamden Mayor Curt Balzano Leng and Board of Education Chairman Adam Sendroff praised Rep. D’Agostino for introducing his legislation ,"This is a demonstration of Mike's consistent and strong representation of Hamden and in particular its public schools. As the former Board of Education Chairperson, Mike knows our schools cannot afford hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition payment to New Haven. He heard our concerns on this issue and led the fight to stop it." House Speaker Brendan Sharkey said “Rep. D’Agostino did a great job navigating this complex issue, and as a result, Hamden taxpayers will be spared a significant extra cost, and Hamden students will continue to be able to attend an area magnet school if they wish.” “Hundreds of Hamden students are currently enrolled in New Haven magnet schools and this bill allows them the opportunity to continue their academic studies without putting a financial burden on Hamden taxpayers,” Rep. Porter said. “I am pleased that the bill has passed the House and hope it will have a favorable review in the Senate.” The legislation does not impact towns that are already charging tuition. Bridgeport and New London are the only other host municipalities currently doing so. Magnet schools operated by Regional Education Service Centers (RESC) or those under the court-ordered Sheff v. O’Neill settlement are also not affected. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19323
__label__wiki	0.64519	0.64519	GREATER KASHMIR Friday, 19 July, 2019 \| Time: 6:08 AM Bharatiya Janata Party and Article 370 Bilal Ahmad Ganai Publish Date: Aug 17 2017 9:57PM Updated Date: Aug 17 2017 9:57PM Illustration by Suhail Naqshbandi/KI The Union versus J&K’s Unique Identity \| Why BJP sees Article 370 as a ‘baneful legacy’ of the Nehruvian past The Kashmir issue was born with the controversial accession of Jammu and Kashmir State to the dominion of India. Pakistani leaders maintain that the atmosphere was 'gamed' by the Indian leaders which led to the 'illegitimate' union of the Jammu and Kashmir state with the union of India. They believe that political dramas were choreographed to hoodwink the world over the issue. Both Indian and Pakistani governments used different measures for bolstering their respective stands on the Kashmir issue. Every tool was tested, every strategy calibrated. After the controversial accession of J&K to the dominion of India, debates and discussions over the nature of the relationship between the two gave rise to one prominent constitutional contrivance, which came to be known as Article 370. Article 370 constitutionalized the aspirations and anxieties of the Kashmiri leaders for the preservation of their unique identity within the Hindu-dominated India. It exempted the State from the provisions of the Indian constitution providing for the governance of the State. Jammu and Kashmir was allowed to have its own Constitution within the Indian Union. Parliament's legislative power over the State was restricted to three subjects – defence, external affairs and communications. A. G. Norooni, a brilliant constitution expert of India, believes that since Article 370 was enacted on 26 November 1949 as part of the Constitution of India by the Constituent Assembly of India, which was a sovereign body, he remarks, Article 35A "flows inexorably" from it. Article 35 A empowers the Jammu and Kashmir state's legislature to define and regulate the rights and privileges of the permanent residents of the state, especially in regard to the acquisition of immovable property, appointments to services, and other such matters. There is no doubt that the BJP-PDP coalition government has cost very dear to the PDP's electoral base in the Kashmir valley. Some people in Kashmir have developed an emotional attachment with these so-called "Quasi-Independence" measures. That is why sometimes slogans like these are popular in the valley: “Maje Hund Azzat, Bhene Hund Azzat Trehath Satehath (The honor of our Mothers, the honor of our sisters - Article 370). Accordingly, the state government machinery has unleashed all its firepower to defend these constitutional privileges of Jammu & Kashmir state which are no way exclusive as the Constitution of India is replete with special provisions which thus confer “special status” on certain States like Nagaland (371 A), Assam (371 B), Manipur (371 C) and Mizoram (371 G) to name a few. Even recently and, interestingly, People's Democratic Party (PDP), National Conference (NC) and even separatists (Hurriyat Conference) find themselves suddenly on the same page with regard to 35 A. “When it will come to scrapping the Article, you will see this mass of people rising. Don’t forget when Amarnath land row thing happened, people rose overnight. This Article 35-A will be far greater a revolt and I wonder whether they (government of India) will be able to contain it,” Farooq Abdullah told reporters on August 8, 2017. Perhaps no other issue has figured as regularly in the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) party resolutions and as many times as Jammu and Kashmir’s full integration into the union of India and the scrapping of article 370 (and, along with it, it's logical corollary, 35 A). Why are they doing this? The chief minister Mehbooba Mufti recently expressed her deep anguish over efforts to erode 35 A on the part of some political parties. She even said that with the scrapping of 35 A, “there will be nobody left in Kashmir for shouldering the flag of India.” The Bharatiya Janata Party's political existence is inherently in direct contrast with J&K state. The BJP's failure to make any breakthrough with regard to the J&K situation in terms of its normalization can be understood from this basic dilemma. It is this political dilemma of BJP which explains its ideological stand on article 370. It is again because of this dilemma that the coalition government of PDP and BJP was regarded by many as a coalition of “two unlikely partners”. Some historical analysis is imperative to decode BJP's 'incompatible' political existence with regard to special constitutional position of Jammu & Kashmir and contextualize the political controversies regarding Articles 370 & 35 A. Shyam Prasad Mookerjee launched Bharatiya Jana Sang, the earlier avatar of BJP, in 1951. It is Bharatiya Jana Sangh which later on got converted into Bharatiya Janata Party. As pointed out earlier, Kashmir's complete merger with the union of India has always been an issue for the BJP. The first national committee of the Jana Sang met from 21st October 1951, and the first manifesto announced a four-point programme for 'strengthening' the unity of India. The full integration of Jammu & Kashmir figured as one of the four points for strengthening the so-called unity of India: An educational system based on "Bharatiya Culture"; The use of Hindi in schools; The denial of any special privileges to minorities; Full integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the Indian Union The BJP traces the Kashmir problem to the Nehruvian past. In fact, it believes that Nehru created all problems in India, which also explains the deliberate omission of Jawaharlal Nehru from the inventory of prominent Indians listed by the BJP backed fourteenth president of India, Mr. Ram Nath Kovind. J. Nehru, according to BJP, yielding to pressure from Lord Mountbatten, agreed quite “unnecessarily” to refer the Kashmir issue to the United Nations Security Council on 1 Jan. 1948. The BJP believes that the very mention of 'plebiscite' and 'determination of the will of people' in the UN resolution by the Indian leadership which was led by Prime Minister Jawarlal Nehru was sufficient for both Pakistan as well as the separatist elements in J&K to carry on a vicious anti-India propaganda worldwide for decades. The party regards article 370 of the Indian constitution as a 'baneful legacy' of the Nehruvian past. Nehru is thought to have made the mistake of not using “effective methods” like Sardar Patel did with the Nizam to get the “errant” maharaja merge his state with India completely, unconditionally, and with no residual powers. His next mistake is thought to have been the agreement that the final decision of the accession would be ratified by the Constituent Assembly of the Jammu and Kashmir. It was a concession not given to any other princely state. The party maintains that there would have been no Kashmir problem today if only Patel had been given the full responsibility of securing Jammu and Kashmir’s accession. The party believes that although the union government has extended many of its powers over J&K since 1953, retention of article 370 has produced many 'negative consequences', both for the state as well as for India. It further states that like the demand for plebiscite, it has become a constituent source for nurturing the mindset of separatism among a section of Kashmir politicians, which it thinks is at the instigation of their patrons across the border. Under article 19 (1) (e) and (g) of the Indian constitution, a citizen of India is free to reside and settle permanently in any part of the country, and to practice any profession or carry on any occupation, trade or business. But article 370, the party holds, deprives Indians from other parts of the country the right to settle permanently in Jammu and Kashmir. The party believes that it is detrimental to the rights of women born and brought up in Jammu and Kashmir itself. If a women, who is a permanent citizen of the state, gets married to a man from outside the state, she loses her right to property. The party believes that she is deprived of even her ancestral property. The party believes that Congress and Communist parties think that repeal of article 370 would be an anti-Muslim act. The party alleges that they are more concerned about appeasing one section of the society rather than thinking of national interest. The Hindu nationalist party believes that the government of India should declare that it would not talk about Kashmir to anyone who refuses to accept the finality and irrevocability of the Instrument of Accession. One of the ideologues of the party, Deendhayal Upadhya maintains that “though the article 370 is an internal arrangement of ours, and does not in any way affect the fact that Kashmir is an integral part of India, it is certainly an exceptional provision which ought to be abrogated.” He further says that Kashmir is an indivisible part and parcel of India, and come what may, there was going to be no compromise about it. In this matter, they believe, there cannot be any intervention even by the UNO or any of its agency. Some people have been advocating even greater autonomy for Kashmir than it enjoys at present. The party states that the proposal is rooted in separatism and runs counter to national interest and constitution. The party believes that the Indian part of the Jammu and Kashmir was made an independent Sheikhdom by Sheikh Abdullah, with a separate constitution, separate flag and separate prime minister. The BJP's ideology stands on the two pillars of Hindutva and ‘Integral Humanism’. Hindutva is another name of BJP's Cultural Nationalism. The assimilationalist approach to nationalism, which BJP believes in, demands that for the success of the cultural nationalism or Hindutva, certain degree of homogeneity is a must. The party has adopted many strategies to achieve homogenization with a sort of missionary zeal. This, when operationalized, means the imposition of a dominant cultural setting on a society of different cultural character. This ‘Integral Humanism’ of BJP subscribes to MacDougal's Psychology – a new branch of Psychology called 'Group Mind'. The ‘Integral Humanism’ defines a nation as, ''a group of persons'', living, "with a goal", and which, "looks upon a particular place of land as motherland, this group constitutes a nation". Thus, Pundit Deendayal Upadhyaya, the profounder of ‘Integral Humanism’, believes that, ‘‘if we examine our constitution from the point of view of the growth of the nation, we find that our constitution needs amendment. We are one nation, one society. That is why we do not entertain of special rights on the basis of language, province, caste, religion etc. But gave everyone equal citizenship. There are separate states. There is no separate citizenship of state and Union. We are all citizens of Bharat. By the same token, we have denied the right to secede to individual states. Not only that the power to demarcate the boundaries of state and to choose their names, is rested in the parliament, and not in assemblies. This is as it should be; in tune with the nationalism and tradition of Bharat.'' The article 370 recognizes no idea of ''Bharat Mata''. Instead, it gives rise to a conflicting idea of 'Jammu and Kashmir Mata'. This, to the BJP, is ridiculous. It is so because they have thought of the provinces “as the limbs of Bharat Mata and not as the individual mother''. It is in this context that the party believes that the article 370 (which stands for a separate flag, constitution and citizenship for the Jammu and Kashmir state) poses a threat 'to the unity and indivisibility of Bharat'. That is why BJP's political existence is regarded as incompatible with the special constitutional position of Jammu & Kashmir Bilal Ahmad Ganai teaches Political Science in Central University of Kashmir. Feedback at bilalphilosophia@gmail.com Copyright © 2016 Greaterkashmir.com. GK Communications Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19327
__label__cc	0.653912	0.346088	When Wendy DeWitt, ex-pianist with Hank Ballard and Steve Freund and long time international boogie woogie favorite known for her power house left hand joined with the jazz trained force of nature veteran Norton Buffalo drummer Kirk Harwood, the two created a vision of a duo capable of holding its own on any stage with power, pizzaz and presence. When adding Steve Freund on guitar, Steve Evans on bass, or Nancy Wright on sax the combination is unstoppable. Wendy performed for four years with Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, and with Charlie Musselwhite, Otis Rush, Big Time Sarah, and Jimmy Thackery. She’s appeared at the Cincinnati Blues Fest, Boston Symphony Hall and the San Diego Museum of Art with Hadda Brooks in one of Hadda’s last performances. She’s also performed at the San Francisco Blues Festival, St.Croix Blues and Heritage Fest, Les Nuits de Boogie Woogie in Paris, and festivals in Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary and Belgium. Wendy produces the annual Queens of Boogie Woogie and San Francisco International Boogie Woogie Festival. In 2012 and 2014 Wendy and Kirk Harwood represented The Golden Gate Blues Society in the International Blues Challenge, Memphis, Tennessee, and are 2014 Finalists Brought to the blues at the age of 10 while growing up over a store in the rural town of Glen Ellen, California Wendy DeWitt’s passion for music lead her to Chicago Blues and Texas Boogie Woogie with influences ranging from Otis Spann, Memphis Slim, and Professor Longhair to Katie Webster and Bessie Smith. Drummer and vocalist Kirk Harwood worked with Norton Buffalo (Steve Miller), Huey Lewis and Roy Rogers before joining up with Wendy. The duo’s third album maximizes Kirk’s jazz and Big Band background creating a compelling mix of modern and traditional blues. Wendy teaches workshops at JazzSchool in Berkely, CA, and with Kirk and has inspired students at Centrum in Port Townsend, WA, Augusta Blues Week and in conjunction with the US Embassy, Budapest, Hungary.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19328
__label__cc	0.542816	0.457184	Over the decades, "Anata"(You) by Akiko Kosaka（小坂明子） has been played repeatedly on music retrospective programs and been sung once in a while by some of my past female colleagues at the karaoke boxes in Tokyo...those with the really high voices. Kosaka was born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1959 and attended the Osaka College of Music. In 1973, as a 16-year-old, she entered the Yamaha Music Festival with this song she composed and wrote, titled "Anata"....a bittersweet, wistful and proud story of a young girl whose beau had already passed away dreaming of what life would've been like had they gotten married. The last line was sung especially poignantly: "Anata ga ite hoshii"(あなたが居てほしい....I want you here with me). The plaintive way she sang "Anata"won me over, and millions more back then. The teenager ended up winning the Grand Prize for that festival and it was released in December 1973 as a single. It spent 7 weeks at the top of the charts and earned Kosaka an invitation to the 1974 Kohaku Utagassen. By the end of the year, it was the 2nd-ranked song and was a mega-hit with 2 million records sold. Since then, it was covered by her contemporaries at the time such as Saori Minami（南沙織）and Ayumi Ishida（石田あゆみ）, and then some decades later, singers such as Chara and Hideaki Tokunaga（徳永英明） have covered it. After such a beautiful song, it's hard to believe that this was Kosaka's only major hit. Labels: 1973, Akiko Kosaka, Pop, Single El Editor February 10, 2014 at 9:36 PM Thanks for the info, and i really love this song. I know it from the Seiko Matsuda cover...its very touching the performance of her. J-Canuck February 11, 2014 at 8:25 PM Hello, El Editor and thanks for your comments. "Anata" is one of those tunes that also has a special place in my memories as well. To return to one of my obsessions, Anata has also been covered by Hiromi Iwasaki, initially on her appearance on Star Tanjou, and on various occasions afterwards. Her performance in her 1975 recital concert had her tearing up at one point. It also appears in one of her Dear Friends albums, with piano accompaniment I think by Akiko Kosaka herself (the track says with Akiko Kosaka, but I can only hear Hiromi's voice). Here she is in a 1978 recital concert. http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTg0Nzc0Nzc2.html Dante Luzon March 5, 2014 at 8:18 AM I adore Akiko Kosaka.. J-Canuck March 8, 2014 at 10:13 PM Hello, Mr. Luzon. And thanks for your comment. Yes, I think Ms. Kosaka had a very special song in "Anata". Yuie-chan January 23, 2018 at 10:43 PM Whenever I see hear this song, it makes me sooo, sad. I don't know why. And to think it was written by a then teenager. What talent! Oh, nice to see Mr. Dante Luzon follow your blog! He was a popular broadcaster from my city back in the day. :) J-Canuck January 23, 2018 at 11:02 PM Hi again! I didn't know who Mr. Luzon was until I checked out YouTube. He's got quite the newscaster's voice! Wasn't aware that he was also into Japanese music. As for "Anata", the lyrics would probably have people crying since it's about a woman pining for an old boyfriend who passed away tragically. Kosaka delivers it with a wonderful combination of sadness and pride.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19329
__label__wiki	0.74321	0.74321	Home> New Energy> News detail Tesla announces establishment of technology innovation center in Beijing Shirley From Gasgoo\| July 13 , 2018 Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Tesla (Beijing) Science and Technology Innovation Center was established in Beijing, mainly specializing in the R&D of electric vehicle, parts and accessories, batteries, energy storage device as well as information technologies, according to Robin Ren, Tesla global vice general president. At the same time, Robin Ren introduced that China is the world's largest new energy vehicle market, while Beijing is Tesla's headquarter in China, Tesla's first stop to enter into China, and also one of Tesla's biggest markets in China. On Oct. 18, 2017, Tesla registered "Tesla (Beijing) New Energy Research and Development Co., Ltd." in Chaoyang District, Beijing, also known as "Tesla Beijing Science and Technology Innovation Center." According to Robin Ren, with the continuous growth of Tesla's business in China, Tesla established its first science and technology innovation center in Beijing, China in October 2017. As an important part of Tesla's global R&D system, the center mainly undertakes the R&D of new energy products. A wide variety of colleges and universities abound in Beijing, endowing Beijing with advantageous resources in talents and technologies. Thanks to these world-class universities and research institutions in Beijing, Tesla will be able to make full use of Beijing's advantages in talent and innovation, Robin Ren added. In the future, cooperation between Tesla China and the Beijing Municipal Government will mainly focus on such areas as talent, energy storage and new energy. As Tesla expands its footprint in China in the future, Tesla (Beijing) Technology Innovation Center will also gradually expand its scale. Robin Ren exposed that Tesla's products cover hardware, software, autopilot, energy storage of electric vehicles. Therefore, Tesla is actually a cross-border company, and its further cooperation with the Beijing Municipal Government will not be limited to new energy vehicles, energy storage and so on. It is learned that apart from the Tesla (Beijing) Science and Technology Innovation Center, Tesla China headquarters, operations center, settlement center, and sales company have already settled in Beijing. At the end of 2013, Tesla officially entered into the Chinese market. By far, seven experience centers and six service outlets have been established in Beijing. "We will not change Beijing's positioning as Tesla China's headquarters, which will play a comprehensive role in marketing, service, R&D and innovation." Robin Ren said. He also added that since China now is the largest electric vehicle market in the world and Tesla's largest overseas market outside the U.S., Tesla is eager to play its role as well as make its contribution in the world's largest electric vehicle market. У нашей организации популярный web-сайт , он рассказывает про дизайн дома https://www.tsoydesign.com.ua/interiors/interer-doma/ small cooler	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19332
__label__wiki	0.910202	0.910202	Tennessee Governors & the Path to the US Senate, XX By design on February 10, 2019 Comments Off on Tennessee Governors & the Path to the US Senate, XX By Ray Hill July of 1966 was hot and humid in Tennessee that year. Two veteran campaigners, Governor Frank Clement and Senator Ross Bass, were stumping the state for the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate. Both campaigned at a furious pace. The Nashville Tennessean reported one painter busy at work was so startled he quite nearly fell off his ladder when a hand shot out of a window and a voice boomed, “Hello. I’m Ross Bass. Help me get re-elected to the Senate.” The senator moved at a frenetic pace, so much so while traveling with his boyhood friend Ed Eslick, the two, followed by campaign aides and at least one newsman, were deep in conversation when Bass looked up and said, “Why, Ed, I believe we’re in Kentucky!” The senator had voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Bill and recalled how he could not find a single person to introduce him around Brownsville. In 1966, things had changed and Bass had a “small but enthusiastic group” working on behalf of his reelection campaign. “Race is no longer an issue,” Bass explained. It was left unsaid Clement had campaigned in 1964 against the law, which both of Tennessee’s U. S. senators had voted against, but now accepted it as the law. The Tennessean, which was profoundly opposed to Frank Clement, was naturally strongly supporting Ross Bass. Senator Bass was regularly receiving “glowing reports” from local county campaign managers. Still, even the Tennessean conceded more folks seemed interested in the heated race between former governor Buford Ellington and young John Jay Hooker for the gubernatorial nomination. Governor Clement changed his mode of campaigning in 1966. While he relied upon his famed oratorical gifts during the 1964 race, Clement was speaking once nightly, while relying more on personal contact with voters, shaking more hands and talking less. The governor moved rapidly, traveling by automobile during the day and campaigning in two or three counties and then flying to his last stop of the evening where he would make a speech. Clement refreshed himself with catnaps between stops while in the car. Forty-six years old in 1966, Clement enjoyed telling audiences, “You know, when I was the age of my boys, I thought a man 46 years old was indeed an elderly man, in the twilight of life and not long for this world. ‘But now that I am 46, I have changed my mind. I think that at the age of 46 I am in the prime of life and just the right age to be United States Senator.” When Clement opened I-40 from Nashville to Memphis, Senator Bass cried foul. “He couldn’t wait to finish it to dedicate it – – – that would have been after the election,” Bass fumed. Bass pointed out he had voted for the interstate highway bill as a member of Congress in 1957 and, “Now, nine years later, we have one highway in Tennessee that people can travel on.” Bass had driven over the eastern portion of the new interstate and found it replete with “chugholes”, high shoulders as well as being “improperly marked.” Bass considered it dangerous. “Sen. Albert Gore wrote the interstate bill, I voted for it, and the federal government paid for 90 per cent of the cost. But who dedicates it?” Bass thundered to a crowd of supporters. “Old Frank,” some in the crowd called back. “That’s right – – – the governor,” Bass snapped. Bass also whipsawed Clement on the governor’s record on education. Bass complained Clement had allowed Tennessee to fall “dead last” in per capita spending on education in the Volunteer State, yet the senator had also been critical of the taxes raised to support education in Tennessee by the Clement administration. “I do not believe any man who has ignored his responsibilities in the field of education should ask to go to Washington as your senator,” Bass cried. Speaking in Columbia, Tennessee, Bass used a Biblical phrase frequently employed by the governor. “My opponent has been going across the state and saying, ‘Take my hand and lead me on’, but he has taken the hands of school children of Tennessee and held them back,” Bass charged. “You have paid the taxes but the money has just been used to pile up in some banks so the governor could use it to help buy his way into the U. S. Senate.” Bass reminded his audiences the governor had called medical care for seniors “pie in the sky” during the 1964 campaign. “This senator believes the elderly citizens of this nation are important,” Bass thundered. “They can benefit this nation. I promise that I will work for further benefits under the Social Security system.” Finally, Ross Bass came down to the nub of it, saying the governor was “asking you to sacrifice seniority and 12 years’ experience so that he can have a political job.” As Ross Bass escalated his attacks on Frank Clement, the governor was touring new shopping centers, shaking hands and swearing he would never contract “Potomac fever.” Clement told his own audiences he would “vote the convictions of Tennesseans the best I understand them.” “You will be my bosses,” Clement said. “I intend to vote the way you the people want me to vote.” Bass bitterly refuted Clement’s accusations he had been a “rubber-stamp” senator for the Johnson administration. “I haven’t rubber-stamped anything,” Bass snarled, “but I’m glad he has rubber-stamped my platform. He has practically adopted my record as his platform.” The governor called for a complete “overhaul” of the foreign aid programs administered by the State Department. Clement was emphatically against what he termed “foreign giveaways,” while saying, “I’m not against foreign aid.” Clement complained of waste in the foreign aid program, a sentiment likely shared by tens of thousands of Tennesseans. “Some of these countries – – – when we are handing them a check with one hand, we’re having to pull a knife out of our back with the other.” A typical day of campaigning for Frank Clement was hectic. The governor visited a black community in Nashville, including the headquarters for the Davidson County Independent Political league, which had endorsed Ross Bass. Clement moved on to a friendlier headquarters, that of a joint Clement – Ellington organization where he visited with state senator Frank Gorrell. The governor began the day with a stop at the Farmer’s Market, hurried on to the stockyards, Tennessee A & I State University, the Davidson County Courthouse square, the fire and police departments, the Green Hills Shopping Center, and went from person to person at the Southern Bell Telephone Building. Governor Clement managed to squeeze in a stop to appear on WSM’s noontime television show hosted by Jud Collins. Governor Clement, who had promised not to “sling mud” during the campaign largely kept his promise; the governor campaigned on issues, oftentimes injecting a touch of personal feeling into his speechmaking. Referring to his political defeat in 1964, Clement told one crowd, “Instead of complaining, alibiing or making excuses” about certain “questionable things that went on in the latter part of that campaign, I promised you I would be the best governor in the history of the state of Tennessee.” Clement believed he had kept his promise. Governor Clement spoke of his love of Tennessee and love for the people of Tennessee, but chose not to “dwell on the past.” Clement did poke fun at Senator Bass. “My opponent has become upset and cried, and moaned and groaned from Bristol to Memphis that, ‘Frank Clement is trying to take my job away.’ “My, my what two short years can do to a man who has caught Potomac fever,” the governor clucked. “He has forgotten that seat doesn’t belong to him or to Frank Clement, but it belongs to you.” Much to the horror of many of the late Senator Estes Kefauver’s friends and supporters, Clement attempted to compare himself to Kefauver, whom he described as a “Democrat’s Democrat.” The governor thought Kefauver was “a fighting senator”, not ‘a rubber stamp for the White House”, ignoring the fact much of Kefauver’s tenure as a senator was under a Republican president. The governor used his office shrewdly during the primary campaign, drawing howls from Ross Bass that Clement was a “dedicator instead of an educator.” The governor, while dedicating a new district highway patrol center named for former U. S. senator Herbert S. Walters, who sat beside the governor on the platform, acknowledged Bass’ discomfort. “I think everything should be opened as soon as possible”, Governor Clement said. “If a man is not smart enough to dedicate these projects before the election, I don’t feel he is smart enough to be U. S. senator.” As the senatorial campaign for the Democratic nomination came down to the wire, it reflected the heated gubernatorial campaign between Buford Ellington and John Jay Hooker. Hooker, an attractive candidate, generated real excitement and enthusiasm among many Democrats, especially young Democrats. Congressmen Richard Fulton and William R. Anderson backed Hooker over former governor Ellington. Many of those supporting Ellington for governor supported Frank Clement for the United States Senate. Clement and Ellington clearly represented the old order, while Bass and Hooker especially represented a new day in Tennessee politics. Where before Clement had campaigned liberally sprinkling his speeches with tributes to “Cille and my fine three boys”, the governor rarely lapsed into his old-time oratory, although there were moments when he simply could not help himself, crying, “I’m the same Frank Clement I’ve always been.” After giving the last official speech of the primary campaign in his home of Pulaski, Bass traveled to Knoxville to meet with his state campaign manager. Senator Bass did not neglect the voters, making several stops throughout Knoxville. Introducing himself to one Knoxville woman, she blurted out, “Oh, yes, Big Mouth Bass!” The woman realized her mistake at once and quietly apologized, telling the senator she did not mean to be rude. Senator Bass sat down at the table with the woman and her friends and proceeded to make fun of his nickname as well, putting her at ease. Bass flew back the same evening to Jackson for a dinner with supporters. Bass felt good about his campaign as Election Day approached. Pointing out he had voted “yea or nay 227 times” during the most recent session of Congress, Bass said Governor Clement had not been critical of any of the votes he had cast. “His silence almost constitutes an endorsement of my record,” Senator Bass thought. The day before the election Ross Bass gleefully predicted a senatorial primary between Howard Baker and Ken Roberts would keep GOP voters busy so they could not render any help to Frank Clement. “The Republican primary is going to deprive the governor of the votes he might have received from grateful Republican leaders as a result of his selling out the Democratic party,” Bass said. “As a result, the governor will have to face Democrats at the polls, many of whom remember the trade he made with the opposition party vividly.” Nobody was more stunned than Ross Bass when the election returns began pouring in; Frank Clement squeaked by Bass in the Democratic primary, winning by little more than 18,000 votes. Frank Clement won 384,322 votes to 366,079 for Ross Bass. To his dying day, Ross Bass would insist his loss was the result of Republicans crossing over to vote for Clement because they believed he would be easier for Howard Baker to beat in a general election. The 1966 senatorial campaign effectively ended the political careers of both Frank Clement and Ross Bass. Howard Baker defeated Frank Clement in the general election and while Bass made two attempts at a political comeback, both were unsuccessful. Frank Clement’s path to the United States Senate as a sitting governor was filled with obstacles he could not overcome. Tennessee Governors & the Path to the US Senate, XX added by design on February 10, 2019 Tennessee Governors & the Path to the US Senate, IXX Tennessee Governors & the Path to the US Senate, XV Tennessee Governors & the Path to the US Senate, XVI	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19334
__label__wiki	0.66579	0.66579	Why We Must Return to the US-Russian Parity Principle Stephen F. Cohen Stephen F. Cohen is professor emeritus of Russian studies at New York University and professor emeritus of politics at Princeton University. (The text below is a somewhat expanded version of remarks I delivered at the annual US-Russia Forum in Washington, DC, held in the Hart Senate Office Building, on March 26. As a text, it first appeared in The Nation. ) When I spoke at this forum nine months ago, in June 2014, I warned that the Ukrainian crisis was the worst US-Russian confrontation in many decades. It had already plunged us into a new (or renewed) Cold War potentially even more perilous than its forty-year US-Soviet predecessor because the epicenter of this one was on Russia’s borders; because it lacked the stabilizing rules developed during the preceding Cold War; and because, unlike before, there was no significant opposition to it in the American political-media establishment. I also warned that we might soon be closer to actual war with Russia than we had been since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. I regret to say that today the crisis is even worse. The new Cold War has been deepened and institutionalized by transforming what began, in February last year, as essentially a Ukrainian civil war into a US/NATO-Russian proxy war; by a torrent of inflammatory misinformation out of Washington, Moscow, Kiev and Brussels; and by Western economic sanctions that are compelling Russia to retreat politically, as it did in the late 1940s, from the West. Still worse, both sides are again aggressively deploying their conventional and nuclear weapons and probing the other’s defenses in the air and at sea. Diplomacy between Washington and Moscow is being displaced by resurgent militarized thinking, while cooperative relationships nurtured over many decades, from trade, education, and science to arms control, are being shredded. And yet, despite this fateful crisis and its growing dangers, there is still no effective political opposition to the US policies that have contributed to it—not in the administration, Congress, mainstream media, think tanks, or on campuses—but instead mostly uncritical political, financial, and military boosterism for the increasingly authoritarian Kiev regime, hardly a bastion of “democracy and Western values.” Indeed, the current best hope to avert a larger war is being assailed by political forces, especially in Washington and in US-backed Kiev, that seem to want a military showdown with Russia’s unreasonably vilified president, Vladimir Putin. In February, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande brokered in Minsk a military and political agreement with Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko that, if implemented, would end the Ukrainian civil war. Powerful enemies of the Minsk accord—again, in both Washington and Kiev—are denouncing it as appeasement of Putin while demanding that President Obama send $3 billion of weapons to Kiev. Such a step would escalate the war in Ukraine, sabotage the ceasefire and political negotiations agreed upon in Minsk, and provoke a Russian military response with unpredictable consequences. While Europe is splitting over the crisis, and with it perhaps shattering the vaunted transatlantic alliance, this recklessness in Washington is fully bipartisan, urged on by four all-but-unanimous votes in Congress. (We must therefore honor the 48 House members who voted against the most recent warfare resolution on March 23, even if their dissent is too little, too late.) What more can I say today? I could use my limited time to point out that the primary cause of this fateful crisis has been US policy since the 1990s, not “Russian aggression.” But I did so here nine months ago and subsequently published those remarks (“Patriotic Heresy vs. The New Cold War,” September 15, 2014). Instead, I want to look back briefly to the US-Soviet Cold War, as well as ahead, in order to ask, perhaps quixotically: Even if negotiations over the Ukrainian civil war proceed, how do we sustain them and avoid another prolonged, more perilous Cold War with post-Soviet Russia? The answer is through a new détente between Washington and Moscow. For this, we must relearn a fundamental lesson from the history of the 40-year US-Soviet Cold War and how it ended, a history largely forgotten, distorted, or unknown to many younger Americans. Simply recalled, détente, as an idea and a policy, meant expanding elements of cooperation in US-Soviet relations while diminishing areas of dangerous conflict, particularly, though not only, in the existential realm of the nuclear arms race. In this regard, détente had a long, always embattled, often defeated but ultimately victorious history. Leaving aside the first détente of 1933, when Washington officially recognized Soviet Russia after fifteen years of diplomatic non-recognition (the first Cold War), latter-day détente began in the mid-1950s under President Dwight Eisenhower and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. It was soon disrupted by Cold War forces and events on both sides. The pattern continued for thirty years: under President John Kennedy and Khrushchev, after the Cuban Missile Crisis; under President Lyndon Johnson and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, in the growing shadow of Vietnam; under President Richard Nixon and Brezhnev in the 1970s, the most expansive era of détente; and briefly under Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, also with Brezhnev. Each time, détente was gravely undermined, intentionally and unintentionally, and abandoned as Washington policy, though not by its determined American proponents. (Having been among them in the 1970s and ’80s, I can testify on their behalf.) Then, in 1985, the seemingly most Cold War president ever, Ronald Reagan, began with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev a renewed détente so far-reaching that both men, as well as Reagan’s successor, President George H.W. Bush, believed they had ended the Cold War. How did détente, despite three decades of repeated defeats and political defamation, remain a vital and ultimately triumphant (as it seemed at the time to most observers) American policy? Above all, because Washington gradually acknowledged that Soviet Russia was a co-equal great power with comparable legitimate national interests in world affairs. This recognition was given a conceptual basis and a name: “parity.” It is true that “parity” began as a grudging recognition of the US-Soviet nuclear capacity for “mutually assured destruction” and that, due to their different systems (and “isms”) at home, the parity principle (as I termed it in 1981 in a New York Times op-ed) did not mean moral equivalence. It is also true that powerful American political forces never accepted the principle and relentlessly assailed it. Even so, the principle existed—like sex in Victorian England, acknowledged only obliquely in public but amply practiced—as reflected in the commonplace expression “the two superpowers,” without the modifier “nuclear.” Most important, every US president returned to it, from Eisenhower to Reagan. Thus, Jack Matlock Jr., a leading diplomatic participant in and historian of the Reagan-Gorbachev-Bush détente, tells us that for Reagan, “détente was based on several logical principles,” the first being “the countries would deal with each other as equals.” Three elements of US-Soviet parity were especially important. First, both sides had recognized spheres of influence, “red lines” that should not be directly challenged. This understanding was occasionally tested, even violated, as in Cuba in 1962, but it prevailed. Second, neither side should interfere excessively, apart from the mutual propaganda war, in the other’s internal politics. This too was tested—particularly in regard to Soviet Jewish emigration and political dissidents—but generally negotiated and observed. And third, Washington and Moscow had a shared responsibility for peace and mutual security in Europe, even while competing economically and militarily in what was called the Third World. This assumption was also tested by serious crises, but they did not negate the underlying parity principle. Those tenets of parity prevented a US-Soviet hot war during the long Cold War. They were the basis of détente’s great diplomatic successes, from symbolic bilateral leadership summits, arms control agreements, and the 1975 Helsinki Accords on European security, based on sovereign equality, to many other forms of cooperation now being discarded. And in 1985-89, they made possible what both sides declared to be the end of the Cold War. We are in a new Cold War with Russia today, and specifically over the Ukrainian confrontation, largely because Washington nullified the parity principle. Indeed, we know when, why, and how this happened. The three leaders who negotiated an end to the US-Soviet Cold War said repeatedly at the time, in 1988-90, that they did so “without any losers.” Both sides, they assured each other, were “winners.” But when the Soviet Union itself ended nearly two years later, in December 1991, Washington conflated the two historic events, leading the first President Bush to change his mind and declare, in his 1992 State of the Union address, “By the grace of God, America won the Cold War.” He added that there was now “one sole and pre-eminent power, the United States of America.” This dual rejection of parity and assertion of America’s pre-eminence in international relations became, and remains, a virtually sacred US policymaking axiom, one embodied in the formulation by President Bill Clinton’s secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, that “America is the world’s indispensable nation,” which was echoed in President Obama’s 2014 address to West Point cadets, in which he said, “The United States is and remains the one indispensable nation.” This official American triumphalist narrative is what we have told ourselves and taught our children for nearly twenty-five years. Rarely is it challenged by leading American politicians or commentators. It is a bipartisan orthodoxy that has led to many US foreign policy disasters, not least in regard to Russia. For more than two decades, Washington has perceived post-Soviet Russia as a defeated and thus lesser nation, presumably analogous to Germany and Japan after World War II, and therefore as a state without legitimate rights and interests comparable to America’s, either abroad or at home, even in its own region. Anti-parity thinking has shaped every major Washington policy toward Moscow, from the disastrous crusade to remake Russia in America’s image in the 1990s, ongoing expansion of NATO to Russia’s borders, non-reciprocal negotiations known as “selective cooperation,” double-standard conduct abroad, and broken promises to persistent “democracy-promotion” intrusions into Russia’s domestic politics. Two exceedingly dangerous examples are directly related to the Ukrainian crisis. For years, US leaders have repeatedly asserted that Russia is not entitled to any “sphere of influence,” even on its own borders, while at the same time enlarging the US sphere of influence, spearheaded by NATO, to those borders—by an estimated 400,000 square miles, probably the largest such “sphere” inflation ever in peacetime. Along the way, the US political-media establishment has vilified Putin personally in ways it never demonized Soviet Communist leaders, at least after Stalin, creating the impression of another policy orientation antithetical to parity—the delegitimization and overthrow of Russia’s government. Moscow has repeatedly protested this US sphere creep, loudly after it resulted in a previous proxy war in another former Soviet republic, Georgia, in 2008, but to deaf or defiant ears in Washington. Inexorably, it seems, Washington’s anti-parity principle led to today’s Ukrainian crisis, and Moscow reacted as it would have under any established national leader, and as any well-informed observer knew it would. Unless the idea of détente is fully rehabilitated, and with it the essential parity principle, the new Cold War will include a growing risk of actual war with nuclear Russia. We must therefore strive for a new détente. Time may not be on our side, but reason is. To those who say this is “appeasement” or “Putin apologetics,” we reply, no, it is American patriotism, not only because of the risk of a larger war but because real US national security on many vital issues and in many critical regions—from nuclear proliferation and international terrorism to the Middle East and Afghanistan—requires a partner in the Kremlin. To those who insist that an American president must never enter into such a partnership with the demonized Putin, we explain that his vilification is largely without facts or logic. We also point out that NATO expansion eastward since the 1990s willfully excluded Russia from Europe’s post-Soviet “security order,” which Putin is now accused of betraying, while that expansion betrayed the West’s earlier promise to Moscow of a “Common European Home.” To those triumphalists who insist that Russia is not entitled to any “sphere of influence,” we answer that the issue is not nineteenth-century imperialism but a reasonable zone of security on its borders free of US or NATO military power—in Ukraine and Georgia, to take the most pressing examples. And we ask: If the United States is entitled to such zones of security not only in Canada and Mexico but throughout the Western Hemisphere, according to Washington’s Monroe Doctrine, why is not Russia so entitled regarding its neighbors? (To those who answer that any country that formally qualifies has a right to NATO membership, we say, no, NATO is a security organization, not a charity or the AARP, and indiscriminate NATO expansion has not truly enhanced any nation’s security but only discouraged diplomacy, as the Ukrainian crisis demonstrates.) To those who say Russia lacks such equal entitlements because Moscow lost the 40-year Cold War, we explain how it actually ended. And to those who maintain that America must pursue “democracy promotion,” even regime change, in today’s Russia, we answer, as I did in Congressional testimony in 1977: “We do not have the wisdom or the power, or the right, to try directly to shape change inside the Soviet Union. Any foreign government that becomes deeply involved in Soviet internal politics…will do itself and others more harm than good. What the United States can and should do is influence Soviet liberalization indirectly by developing a long-term American foreign policy, and thereby an international environment, that will strengthen reformist trends and undermine reactionary ones inside the Soviet Union.… In short, détente.” That truth was confirmed by events less than a decade later, and then forgotten. It is no less applicable to Russia, and to US-Russian relations, today, beginning with the application of the parity principle to Ukraine. This means both sides agreeing to an independent but militarily non-aligned Ukraine with a fair degree of home rule for those regions fighting to preserve their historical affinities with Russia and for those seeking fuller relations with the West. Implementing the embattled Minsk accords would be a major step in this direction, as its enemies understand. Others say it is too late for such a détente, that too much blood has been shed in Ukraine. But consider the alternatives. Tags: Angela Merkel, Bill Clinton, Brussels, Congress, Cuba, Diplomatic Relations, Europe, George H.W. Bush, Georgia, Germany, Government of the Soviet Union, Jack F. Matlock, Jack Matlock Jr., Jimmy Carter, John Kennedy, Kiev, Leonid Brezhnev, Lyndon Johnson, Madeleine Albright, Mikhail Gorbachev, Minsk, Monroe Doctrine, Moscow, New York Times, Nikita Khrushchev, Obama, Petro Poroshenko, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Soviet Russia, Stalin, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, Washington	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19335
__label__cc	0.697942	0.302058	← They Matter Let our people grow → “Stop the coal train!” an activist yells as dozens of arms come up in a mock blockade of a coal train. It’s June 22nd 2013 at the Fremont Solstice Parade in Seattle. It’s hot, there are thousands of people in the parade in various states of dress and undress and I and another filmmaker are embedded with group of activists putting on the “Procession for Our Future” and the “Sing for Our Future” singalong. The activists hope to engage more people in the problems of exporting coal and climate change. We’ll be interviewing a handful of young people involved with them as they will have to live with the choices that adults make today. One young lady almost out of her teens said: “My mom grew up in Kentucky and talked about how the coal trains there made it hard to breath. And I don’t want that happening to the Pacific Northwest.” Coal as transported via train is generally done in open containers, allowing coal dust to escape along the route. It’s not as bad as smoking, but in an area that has significant appeal for it’s clean air it seems short-sighted to allow something that might impact that. Another teenager reports thatÂ “If we burn this coal now we don’t get to go back, and they don’t get to have a future. Not one anything like what the regulators have had.” Conversations about climate change are frequently discouraging. Either about whether or not there is a scientific debate about it’s existence or potential for catastropheÂ (there isn’t), or with people that agree that it’s a problem, but aren’t willing to do much about it besides sorting recycling and compost, or perhaps buying a Prius instead of a Subaru. These young people will likely live to the 2070s and if we do nothing they will see in their lifetimes temperature increases of 5Â°CÂ from the start of the industrial revolution. This is a massive debt to put onto them, their children and their grandchildren. So they’re doing what they can now, despite in many cases being too young to even vote. Later we cover the singalong. They’re performingÂ Do it now: “We’re on a planet; that has a problem;Â We’ve got to solve it, get involved, and do it now, now, now!” Afterwards we wrap up and have a conversation with one of the organizers from the Backbone Campaign about how to make videos that get people to actually take action. Â It’s hard. Everybody has a life and responsibilities and things that have to happen. Some problems just look too big for one person to deal with and it’s easy to imagine there is some group somewhere that’s going to fix everything. Asking people to share a video is one thing; What about actually calling their legislators or changing their lifestyles in some way? How do you actually get people to make a difference? The unfortunately reality is that we’re all we’ve got. The media has no interest in communicating the facts of the problem and there are armies of people paid to spread falsehoods to good people that might otherwise demand action. It’s up to citizens to make this happen for our children, and their children and their children.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19337
__label__wiki	0.827144	0.827144	UNIFIL HEAD CHAIRS FIRST TRIPARTITE MEETING OF 2019 WITH LAF AND IDF OFFICIALS UNIFIL's Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Stefano Del Col today chaired the first regular Tripartite meeting of 2019 with senior officers from the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) at the UN position in Ras Al Naqoura, with a focus on discussions regarding tunnels and ongoing engineering works near the Blue Line. Today's meeting offered a forum to hear perspectives from both sides, especially regarding activities near the Blue Line, with the UNIFIL Head of Mission reiterating his call to the parties to continue to work through UNIFIL's coordination mechanisms to maintain the overall stability. "I again call on the parties to make full use of UNIFIL's liaison and coordination arrangements," said Major General Del Col. "Any activity close to the Blue Line should be predictable, with sufficient prior notification to allow UNIFIL to duly inform the other party and so that coordinated security arrangements could be put in place to prevent incidents or violations." The parties were updated about UNIFIL's independent investigation that had confirmed the existence of four tunnels, of which two crossed the Blue Line in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006). UNIFIL remains closely engaged with both sides in this regard as the operations continue. Looking back at 2018, the UNIFIL head noted that despite the challenges there had been many successes, and commended the parties for their continued commitment to resolution 1701. "Going forward, there is a need to build on these achievements and work towards more sustainable solutions to long standing problems along the Blue Line," he added. Tripartite discussions also touched on air and ground violations, as well as other issues within the scope of resolution 1701 and related Security Council resolutions. Tripartite meetings have been held regularly under the auspices of UNIFIL since the end of the 2006 war in south Lebanon as an essential conflict management and confidence building mechanism. UNIFIL currently has around 10,300 peacekeepers who carry out some 14,500 operational activities monthly in the area of operation south of the Litani River and at sea. The mission also has more than 800 civilian staff. posted by DELTA BLOG at 10:39 PM Secretary-General Appoints Ján Kubiš of Slovakia Special Coordinator for Lebanon SG/A/1848-BIO/5169 United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Ján Kubiš of Slovakia as his Special Coordinator for Lebanon. Mr. Kubiš succeeds Acting Special Coordinator Pernille Dahler Kardel of Denmark, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedication and leadership of the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon. Mr. Kubiš, who served as Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), from 2015 to 2018, brings with him many years of experience in diplomacy, foreign security policy, and international economic relations, both internationally and in his own country. Mr. Kubiš served as Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) from 2011 to 2015, as the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) from 2009 to 2011, as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Slovakia from 2006 to 2009, as Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe from 2007 to 2008, and as Secretary-General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) from 1999 to 2005. Mr. Kubiš also served as the European Union's Special Representative for Central Asia with the office in Brussels and as the Personal Representative of the Chairman-in-Office of OSCE for Central Asia, as well as the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Tajikistan and Head of the United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan from 1998 to 1999. He was previously the Director of OSCE's Conflict Prevention Centre. Mr. Kubiš worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the former Czechoslovakia from 1976 to 1992 and thereafter at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia. In 1993, he served as Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva. Mr. Kubiš is a graduate in international economic relations of the Moscow State Institute of International Affairs and speaks Slovak, Czech, English, Russian and basic French. Born in 1952, he is married and has one daughter.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19338
__label__wiki	0.839216	0.839216	A working class boy done good It’s unusual for a young boy from England to have an interest in classical music, especially when he’s not from a musical family. But young Liverpudlian Paul Lewis spent his free time at the library around the corner from his house, which was sto… ‘Soul Mate’ aims to give hope after Sewol “In a time in Korea when the whole public is witnessing hundreds of parents losing their beloved children and people losing their loved ones in the deep seas from the Sewol ferry disaster, we begin to notice the precious people around us and who our … Ludwig Trio brings Beethoven’s oeuvre to Seoul Beethoven fans can anticipate seeing the Ludwig Trio from Spain in concert, as they’re coming to Korea for the first time. Composed of brothers Abel Tomas on violin, Arnau Tomas on cello and Korean pianist Lim Hyo-sun, Ludwig Trio, as the name hints,… [NEW RELEASES]EXO-K Exo-K seems like it will reach momentum in the K-pop scene through its second mini-album, “Overdose,” as it hit yet another jackpot with the album’s release. This time, the six boys have grown out of their rebellious schoolboy image and put on their… [NEW RELEAESES]Wheesung For music fans who have been missing the original R&B sound of Wheesung, aka “realslow,” his new seven-track EP, “The Best Man,” should be the perfect choice. After spending nearly three years away from the stage, the vocalist returned to his roots a… [NEW RELEASES] MICHAEL JACKSON Michael Jackson was such a perfectionist about his music that he was notorious for releasing albums on a painfully slow timeline: His last album of new music was 2001’s “Invincible’’ - eight years before his death - and that record was a six-year wai… Diverse genres jazz up festival program Following the April 16 Sewol ferry tragedy, many of the country’s music festivals were either canceled or postponed. The country’s largest event of its kind, the Ansan Valley Rock Festival, had no choice but to cancel this year. The concert tak… Beyonce and Jay Z each put forward for 5 BET awards NEW YORK - The power couple of music Jay Z and Beyonce, and rapper Drake led the BET Awards nominations announced on Wednesday with five nods each, followed by R&B singer Pharrell Williams and hip-hop singer August Alsina with four. Jay Z and Drak… Music merges in ‘Syncrofusion’ These days, young people make endless neologisms, putting two words together to express situations or their feelings in a personal style. Singer Park Jung-hyun, also known as Lena Park, merged the words “synchro” and “fusion” for her newest ventur… To globalize trot, jazz critic escapes to deserted island Kim Jin-muk is a pioneer of the Korean jazz scene, having established himself as a critic and music director of the genre over the past three decades. But Kim is now focusing on re-establishing trot music, or traditional Korean pop ballads. … 1 ... 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 ... 103	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19340
__label__wiki	0.644602	0.644602	They Won't Forget I thought I had blogged about the film They Won't Forget before, but a Blogger search claims I haven't. It's airing tomorrow morning at 6:45 AM on TCM, and is an effective, underrated movie. The scene is a small southern city in the (then) present (the movie was released in 1937) celebrating Confederate Memorial Day, with a small number of veterans of the Civil War still around to remember those days. Everybody in town celebrates, with the exception of one teacher at the local business college (Edward Norris), who can't be bothered to celebrate because he's a northern transplant. The day is a half day for everybody, and Norris lets his secretarial students out, only for one of them (a young Lana Turner in one of her earliest roles) to return looking for a compact she accidentally left in the room. Unfortunately, she winds up dead at the bottom of the building's elevator shaft, discovered by the black janitor who is understandably terrified that the cops are going to suspect him. After all, this is the South with all its racist stereotypes of black people unable to get justice, especially not when a pretty girl has been killed. It doesn't help either that you've got a people braying for justice, and a district attorney (Claude Rains) who is politically ambitious and willing to do anything ot get ahead in his career. Thankfully for the janitor, though, there's a better suspect: Norris, the outsider who is also the last person known to have seen Turner alive. It's only in the past year that we've been through the media frenzy of the Casey Anthony trial and those in the media eager to pronounce the defendant guilty before there's even a trial, which shows that They Won't Forget is still a timely movie 75 years after its original release. And as with the trials of today, there's not only the ambitious prosecutor and a vengeful citizenry, but a media that's just as much out for blood; of course, 75 years earlier there was no live TV coverage of trials because there was pretty much no TV at all. But all the same factors were in place to ensure that it would be exceedingly difficult for the defendant to get justice. All this despite the strictures of the Production Code. Then again, one of the things helping all this get past the folks in the Code Office is that despite the standard boilerplate about all the characters being fictitious, with any semblance to real people being purely coincidental, They Won't Forget is generally considered by those who know Southern history to be based upon actual events that happened in the Atlanta area back in the early teens, with a few changes. In real life, the murder victim was 12 or 13; here she's supposed to be about 18. Perhaps more interestingly is the hapless defendant's being a northener in the film. You'd think that would make it harder to get good bookings for this film in the south. In the original case, the defendant was Jewish, and the bias was anti-Semitism. Perhaps Hollywood's disproportionately Jewish moguls didn't want any grumblings from a largely Christian viewing public about a prejudice that didn't affect them. As for the film itself, it's superb, thanks in no small part to Claude Rains' acting. (Well, aside from the southern accent, although Rains was just as good with a phony New York accent in They Made Me a Criminal.) Turner doesn't have much to do here since she gets killed off early; what she does have she does well. The defendant, and especially his wife (Gloria Dickson) are quite good; and then there's Elisha Cook, Jr., playing Turner's boyfriend. For some reason, he always comes across as creepy, even when he's supposed to be a reasonably good guy, as in Don't Bother To Knock. Finally, there are all the Warner Bros. values; they and director Mervyn LeRoy excelled at the sort of social commentary you'll see in this picture. They Won't Forget has gotten a DVD release courtesy of the Warner Archive, although to be honest, it probably deserves even better. Compare and contrast it with MGM's Fury. Labels: Claude Rains, Lana Turner They Won't Believe Me Louis Wolheim, 1880-1931 A few briefs about today's schedule Pair it with Under 18 Bette Davis meets Joan Crawford ten years early Worthy repeats, and a blogroll Bette Davis trespasses on Gloria Swanson's territo... Fort Clark Springs William Travilla, 1920-1990 Boomerang! My husband's dirty secret Guest Programmer: Jules Feiffer The Clue Club Dangerously They Live So that's where it went Oh dear, it's March 17 again Another question about trailers John Ford night The Hellstrom Chronicle Paul Stewart, 1908-1986 Carve Her Name With Pride Tough Barbara Stanwyck No, I don't mean Martha Ivers TV vs. movie remakes Ruby Gentry Robert Sherman, 1925-2012 Girl Missing March 2012 spotlight: British New Wave Paula Prentiss turns 74 A new season of The Essentials The end of 31 Days of Oscar This Woman Is Dangerous	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19345
__label__wiki	0.90112	0.90112	News Abroad tags: Scotland, fiction, Brexit, Braveheart by LuAnn McCracken Fletcher LuAnn McCracken Fletcher is Professor of English at Cedar Crest College, where she teaches courses in British literature, among other subjects. She has recently edited a collection of essays, Literary Tourism and the British Isles: History, Imagination, and the Politics of Place (Lexington Books, 2019), which explores literary tourism’s role in shaping how locations in the British-Irish Isles have been seen, historicized, and valued. A screenshot from Braveheart (1995) Premiering at the 2019 Edinburgh International Film Festival in advance of its general release on June 28, 2019, Robert the Bruce, directed by Richard Gray, will “boost support for Scottish independence,” if actor and independence activist Angus Macfadyen has his way. Macfadyen revisits his role as the titular Scottish leader, a role he first played in Braveheart (1995). That film, he believes, “led to a surge in Scottish nationalist confidence.” Coincidentally, within a few days of the premier of Robert the Bruce in Scotland, former UK prime minister Gordon Brown warned that “the unity of the United Kingdom has never been at greater risk,” due to the “hijacking of patriotism” by Conservative Party leaders and Brexit bulldogs Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage, and by the Scottish National party’s embrace of “a more extreme nationalism.” To many, the contribution of popular but historically inaccurate films—and literature—to Brexit and the evolution of a misguided patriotism that fails to take account of historical and political complexities seems obvious. Perhaps even more disturbing, however, is the synergy between politics, popular culture, and economics: as promoters of Scotland as a tourist destination continue to embrace “tartan heritage” in an effort to support Scotland’s important tourist industry, they unwittingly reinforce a version of history that serves the purpose of political propaganda, rather than disseminating a nuanced understanding of Scotland’s past. The case for Braveheart’s influence on Scottish politics has been made previously by other observers, including historian Robert Brent Toplin, who noted in a 2015 History News Network article that Scottish audiences gave the film standing ovations at screenings and began supporting the separatist movement in far greater numbers after its appearance. Toplin concluded that “Braveheart’s impact on the people of Scotland reveals the potential of film to shape public opinion and agitate national politics.” It’s important to keep in mind that films such as Braveheart and Robert the Bruce, and recent books such as Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series with its “wildly popular” Starz adaptation, are building upon a romantic vision of Scotland developed by eighteenth-century writers and Romantic visual artists and codified by the poetry and novels of Sir Walter Scott in the nineteenth century: their creative workestablished romantic Jacobitism as a dominant narrative of Scotland’s past. This narrative of history fostered the idea of Scotland as an “imagined community,” to use Benedict Anderson’s phrase, associated with a heroic but doomed rebellion against an indifferent, often unjust overlord, or, as it evolved over time, patriotic Scots against the cruel English colonizer. When the contemporary American novelist Diana Gabaldon came to choose the subject for her first novel, she tapped into a historical master-narrative of Scotland that already had an established set of associations and cultural values influenced by fiction. The truth of Scotland’s history is, of course, much more complex than the narrative of the past one finds in the realm of popular culture. Romantic artists erased the Gaelic population by visualizing Scotland as a picturesque landscape, sublime and largely empty of people, despite the presence of industry throughout the country in the eighteenth century and the rapid urbanization of Edinburgh and Glasgow. Romanticism’s promotion of Gaelic primitivism, now popularized by contemporary literature and film, has also overwritten the significant global contributions made by Scottish Enlightenment philosophers, statesmen, scientists, and innovators. Popular stories of the Jacobite Rising of 1745 typically narrate a conflict between heroic Highlanders and a better-equipped English army that overlooks the military successes and subsequent poor military decisions of Prince Charles’s army, as well as the presence of many Scots who fought and died alongside the English at Culloden. The history of the Highland Clearances is similarly more complicated than a nationalist narrative of ethnic cleansing by the English suggests. As author Madeleine Bunting has observed in her memoir Love of Country: A Journey through the Hebrides, “Racism, betrayal [by fellow Scots], and imperial exploitation: three toxic elements have been incorporated into different readings of the Clearances” (147). The fictional “history” of Scotland has and continues to receive reinforcement via the consumer website of Scotland’s national tourist board, which seeks to capitalize on the popularity of Braveheart and, now, Outlander by invoking that romantic narrative as it entices visitors and their pocketbooks to Scotland. In fact, just as the nineteenth-century tourist industry drew upon the popularity of Scott’s works to inspire readers to visit the locations he made famous, promoters of tourism today are quick to invite fans of Outlander to experience a version of Scotland that exists largely within the realm of the imaginary. One may ask why this matters: if fan tourism brings much needed money into the country, does it matter if those tourists are ill informed about history, so long as the inhabitants of the country know better? If historical fiction had no effect upon its citizens’ perceptions and political decision-making, the oversimplification of Scotland’s history by novelists and filmmakers in quest of a good story—and the reinforcement of that story by those seeking economic gain—would not matter. But, as noted above, fiction does inform life, in the case of Scotland’s independence movement: the popular story of Scotland told across print and media platforms, on screen, in books, and on websites, has become, for many Scots, the only story of their past known by those who get their history from popular culture. Comments about Culloden made by members of the popular Facebook page Outlander Series Books & TV reveal that this series has constructed the history that some believe is true. As one member commented, “Scotland is where I was born and raised. . . . I never knew anything about the battle of Culloden until I watched outlander [sic].” Pop culture derived “history” has been similarly on display during Scottish independence rallies since the 2014 referendum. Reporting on a 2015 rally in Glasgow, VICE correspondent Liam Turbett noted the expression of “dodgy pseudo-ethnic nationalism” which, while it resembled “a parody of everything people say to discredit the independence movement,” was cheered by those “along the fringes of the Yes movement.” Turbett supplemented his verdict of this “contortion of history” with a mention of a pro-Independence sign containing a quote attributed to William Wallace—but really made by “his fictional dad in the film Braveheart.” Whose responsibility is it to ensure that a more nuanced understanding of history is shared widely, especially among those who may lack the interest in or ability to access the scholarship of historians? The example of Scotland and the forces unleashed by Brexit and the current nationalist debate illuminate the importance of understanding how commercial and political entities use pseudo-historical narrative for self-promotion and the creation of an imagined community. However, it may be as important for serious writers and filmmakers to create historical fiction more thoughtfully. Knowing that literature and film can shape public opinion and beliefs about the past, writers and readers who crave a better-informed populace may need more often to use the power of the pen to avert the power of the sword.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19349
__label__wiki	0.544061	0.544061	Free one hour FCPX introduction tutorial from Michael Wohl, one of the original designers of Final Cut Pro How does a free one hour tutorial on FCPX to get you started sound? This offer comes from Michael Wohl who has announced his range of Final Cut Pro training videos. He also has some intersting comments about our new NLE. When you have the likes of Herbie Hancock and Pete Tong giving you testimonials on your website, then your products must be up to a pretty high standard. (ed- I'm still tinkering with Ableton) Michael Wohl has published an hour of free FCP tutorials online as an introduction to more detailed tutorials coming later. Watch Michael Wohl's free 1 hour Final Cur Pro X 101 overview and Quickstart. We are a bit puzzled by the tutorials as it says some of the sections are free, yet we can play all of them without registration. Maybe this might change so watch then quick! Michael also goes into detail about his thoughts on FCPX. "Well, it’s important to say that Final Cut Pro X is not a new version of Final Cut. To call it that is to misunderstand everything about it. It is a brand new piece of software. So much so that in my humble opinion, I think Apple would’ve had a better time of this if they just named it something completely new. And I think the audience reaction would be more uniformly great. Right now we’re seeing a very mixed reaction. Make no doubt about it, Final Cut Pro X is an amazing piece of software. There are tons of really cool features, and I’ll tell you a about a couple of specific ones in a second. I think that there is an expectation problem where people want to pick up right where Final Cut 7 left off and you’ve got to realize that was a 10-year-old piece of software that was never going to survive another 10 years. It needed to be reinvented. And I think they did a bold and difficult thing to do this complete reinvention. Inevitably there’s going to be a lot of disappointment along with a lot of excitement. That being said, I think there are quite a few really nice, new features in Final Cut Pro X. I’m not referring to the obvious, flashy ones, like the Magnetic Timeline—the way things move out of the way when you drag them around—I’m not really impressed with that. I mean it’s cool and it looks good and for some editors it’ll prevent a certain number of mistakes. But one feature I love to use in reality is Auditions, where you can skip through multiple versions of a single shot or multiple effects on a single shot and you can very easily swap those out right in the middle of an edit. Some of the audio effects that have been adopted from Logic and that are integrated into Final Cut Pro X are a big improvement. I also think the overall metadata architecture is great. I do have mixed feelings about it because there are certain aspects that are incredibly powerful and easy and will really improve the user experience. At the same time there are other aspects of it that are going to force users to do more work upfront. You know if you don’t enter a lot of metadata: notes, scene information and descriptions then it’s going to be a lot harder to work with your media in Final Cut Pro X, especially on large projects. But if you do enter all that data, things are going to be really nice and smooth. There’s certainly a lot of work that Apple’s going to need to do to bring this up to the feature list and user experience level of FCP 7. That really took up to 15 years (including development time) of refinement, tweaking and getting all the little nuances right and making the user experience unparalleled. FCP X doesn’t have all that yet, and it’s going to need some time to grow into that level. To put it another way, FCP X is going to be incredibly useful and is going to be everything you would want for a good 70% of the users out there. For people migrating from iMovie, people new to video editing, people working on simple projects where they need to quickly and easily get their editing done, this is going to be an amazing tool from Day One. For people doing more serious ‘professional’ projects, it’s still pretty close. You know, it’s not far away. But there are some real obstacles to it being up to the level of Final Cut Pro 7." Read the full interview with Micahel Wohl Presentations from the Faster Together Stage at NAB 2019 easyDCP Exports From Final Cut Pro X Now on a Pay-As-You-Go Basis VFX Nut Offers FCPX Plugin Mega Bundle at a Discount Watch Apple's Final Cut Pro X 10.4.4 Presentation from the January LACPUG Meeting Your Official Guide to Finding FCPX and Apple at NAB 2018 Speeding up the Creation of Subtitles in Final Cut Pro X With FCPXTRA Subtitle Testing Logickeyboard's Illuminated Final Cut Pro X Keyboard	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19352
__label__wiki	0.606223	0.606223	gNKMhevuSoNN 28.06.2019 20:06:10 What sort of music do you listen to? http://yuvututube.fun/ yuvutu videos The company, led by billionaire CEO and Chairman Pony Ma, last week released an update to WeChat, or Weixin, hoping the addition of games, paid-for emoticons, or stickers, and a mobile payment system will help it cash in on a client base of more than 300 million people. A jiffy bag http://imagefap.in.net/ fap pics A four-year postseason drought that included two of the sorriest Red Sox seasons in recent memory ended with a joyous, raucous and drenching celebration as the Red Sox let their beards down to celebrate their first AL East title in six years in front of 37,215 fans who look to be back in mad love with their team again. The Red Sox never trailed, holding on for a 6–3 victory over the Blue Jays. With the best record in baseball, the 94–61 Red Sox are in the driver’s seat for home-field advantage throughout the postseason. 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1017, 1018, 1019, 1020, 1021, 1022, 1023, 1024, 1025, 1026, 1027, 1028, 1029, 1030, 1031, 1032, 1033, 1034, 1035, 1036, 1037, 1038, 1039, 1040, 1041, 1042, 1043, 1044, 1045, 1046, 1047, 1048, 1049, 1050, 1051, 1052, 1053, 1054, 1055, 1056, 1057, 1058, 1059, 1060, 1061, 1062, 1063, 1064, 1065, 1066, 1067, 1068, 1069, 1070, 1071, 1072, 1073, 1074, 1075, 1076, 1077, 1078, 1079, 1080, 1081, 1082, 1083, 1084, 1085, 1086, 1087, 1088, 1089, 1090, 1091, 1092, 1093, 1094, 1095, 1096, 1097, 1098, 1099, 1100, 1101, 1102, 1103, 1104	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19354
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821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828, 829, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, 869, 870, 871, 872, 873, 874, 875, 876, 877, 878, 879, 880, 881, 882, 883, 884, 885, 886, 887, 888, 889, 890, 891, 892, 893, 894, 895, 896, 897, 898, 899, 900, 901, 902, 903, 904, 905, 906, 907, 908, 909, 910, 911, 912, 913, 914, 915, 916, 917, 918, 919, 920, 921, 922, 923, 924, 925, 926, 927, 928, 929, 930, 931, 932, 933, 934, 935, 936, 937, 938, 939, 940, 941, 942, 943, 944, 945, 946, 947, 948, 949, 950, 951, 952, 953, 954, 955, 956, 957, 958, 959, 960, 961, 962, 963, 964, 965, 966, 967, 968, 969, 970, 971, 972, 973, 974, 975, 976, 977, 978, 979, 980, 981, 982, 983, 984, 985, 986, 987, 988, 989, 990, 991, 992, 993, 994, 995, 996, 997, 998, 999, 1000, 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1008, 1009, 1010, 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1015, 1016, 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__label__cc	0.633742	0.366258	I opened the New York Times homepage this morning and saw photos of people standing in line in the dark to vote in make-shift tents that had no heat. Those pictures really moved me because I've lived in a country where people aren't allowed to vote; a country where people are at the mercy of their own dictator. Voting means so much to so many people around the world and it is a privilege many Americans take for granted. There is all this talk of voter fraud but let's be realistic about what's happening in this country. People aren't scamming the system to vote. Please. I believe "voter fraud" is a euphemism for targeted voter disenfranchisement. When people vote despite a multitude of obstacles, it sends a message that this right is important. I voted today and like last time, I took my six-year-old with me. She has learned so much about politics during this election that I wanted her to know that voting is her way to do something about the issues she cares about. Jude and Elie obviously don't understand much of it. They just know that we're supporting Obama and Jude was proud to wear her shirt: Although at dinner tonight, she jumped up from the table and said in a frenzied voice, "Oh no Mama! I forgot to vote!!!" Politics Turtle MandyE (Twin Trials and Triumphs) November 7, 2012 at 10:06 AM I love that shirt!!! And oh, happy day today!	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19356
__label__cc	0.619685	0.380315	Top types other → Cables Direct Children carnival costumes Clothing hangers Tie holders Foot baths Hair trimmers & clippers Makeup & manicure cases Personal paper products Hot beverage supplies Motor vehicle accessories & components Baby sleeping & bedding Bicycles & accessories Fitness, gymnastics & weight training Sport protective gear Target & table games Winter sports equipment Pet hair clippers Photography and Optics Video and TV accessories Download RAD Data comm Optimux-34 System information RADview/TDM Optimux-34 © 1994–2008 RAD Data Communications Publication 01/08 Optimux-34 Overview.................................................................................................1-1 RADview/TDM Optimux-34 Overview ..........................................................................1-1 Chapter 2. Installation and Operation Pre-configuring Optimux-34 for Network Management ...............................................2-1 Connecting Optimux-34 to the Management Station ..................................................2-1 Launching Optimux-34 ...............................................................................................2-1 Using the Graphical User Interface (GUI) .....................................................................2-2 Optimux-34 View Window .......................................................................................2-2 Title Bar .............................................................................................................2-3 Menu Bar ...........................................................................................................2-3 Toolbar ..............................................................................................................2-3 Status Bar ..........................................................................................................2-4 Optimux-34 System ................................................................................................2-4 RADview/TDM Optimux-34 Menu Maps....................................................................2-5 Selecting the System ..............................................................................................2-7 Discovering the Device .......................................................................................2-7 Selecting Ports........................................................................................................2-8 Optimux-34 Front Panel Connectors........................................................................2-8 Optimux-34 Indicators ............................................................................................2-9 Port Status Indicators.........................................................................................2-9 Agent Status Indicators ....................................................................................2-10 Power Supply LEDs and Indicators ....................................................................2-11 Optimux-34 LEDs .............................................................................................2-12 Chapter 3. Configuration Management Configuring Optimux-34 for Network Management .....................................................3-1 Viewing and Configuring System Information...........................................................3-1 Configuring System Parameters...............................................................................3-3 Configuring Operational Parameters ...........................................................................3-5 Viewing and Configuring Port Parameters ................................................................3-6 Viewing and Configuring Ethernet Port Parameters ..................................................3-6 Configuring V.35 Port Parameters .........................................................................3-10 Configuring E1 Channel Port Parameters ...............................................................3-11 Configuring E3 Link Parameters.............................................................................3-13 Additional Tasks.......................................................................................................3-14 Viewing System Interfaces ....................................................................................3-14 Resetting the System Hardware ............................................................................3-16 Resetting System Configuration ............................................................................3-16 Chapter 4. Configuring Typical Applications Applications ...............................................................................................................4-1 Backbone Data Network Application........................................................................4-1 E1 Fan-Out over Satellite Link Application ...............................................................4-2 Configuring Optimux-34 .............................................................................................4-2 Configuring System Information ..............................................................................4-2 Optimux-34 Ver. 2.81 Configuring SNMP ...................................................................................................4-6 Management Access...........................................................................................4-7 Configuring Port Parameters ...................................................................................4-7 Configuring Link Parameters..................................................................................4-12 Configuring Security Management ............................................................................4-14 Polling the Agent ..................................................................................................4-14 Configuration Sequence ...........................................................................................4-15 Chapter 5. Performance Management Introduction...............................................................................................................5-1 Polling the Agent .......................................................................................................5-1 Chapter 6. Security Management Configuring SNMP ......................................................................................................6-1 Configuring Management Access ................................................................................6-3 Chapter 7. Fault Management Managing System Alarms............................................................................................7-1 Handling Alarms and Traps .........................................................................................7-1 List of Alarms and Events........................................................................................7-2 Viewing All Active Alarms.........................................................................................7-2 Viewing System Alarms ...........................................................................................7-4 Viewing Alarm History in the System Alarm Buffer ...................................................7-6 Clearing Alarms in the Alarm Buffer .........................................................................7-8 Masking Alarms.......................................................................................................7-9 Managing Port Alarms ..............................................................................................7-11 Viewing Port Alarms ..............................................................................................7-11 Performing Loopback Tests ......................................................................................7-16 This chapter provides an overview for managing Optimux-34 using the RADview/TDM SNMP Optimux-34 management solution. It introduces the graphical user interface. It is assumed that you are familiar with basic RADview/TDM operations. For more information about basic RADview-NMS operations, refer to the RADview/TDM (PC) or (UNIX) User's Manual. Optimux-34 Overview Optimux-34 provides a simple, flexible, and cost-effective solution for transporting multiple E1 channels, high-speed, and Ethernet traffic over an E3 link to distances of up to 110 km (68 miles). The E3 link is available with multimode, single mode fiber, single mode over single fiber, or SFP-based interfaces. It supports redundant and modular main links and power supplies. Optimux-34 provides 16 E1 channels, high speed and Ethernet traffic, into one E3 copper or fiber optic link. Optimux-34 provides optional wide-range modular redundant power supplies. The optional second main link provides backup using automatic switchover upon link. The optional second power supply provides power redundancy for fail-safe Optimux-34 has various optical interfaces (based on SFP interfaces) available for both active and backup main link(s). Optimux-34 transmits the clock of each E1 channel independently. As a local device, Optimux-34 can be connected to an Optimux-34 device or to Optimux-XLE1. RADview/TDM Optimux-34 Overview This chapter explains the steps required to get the RADview/TDM SNMP management system for Optimux-34 version 1.0 up and running. It describes the graphical user interface, configurations, security and fault management. Specific tasks possible with RADview/TDM Optimux-34 are dealt with in the subsequent chapters in this manual. All the configurations and management support in this manual are tasks that can be performed with RADview only and not with the The RADview/TDM SNMP management system for Optimux-34 provides you with all the tools necessary to monitor the performance and configure the device parameters for its local and remote devices. The RADview/TDM management system for Optimux-34 local and remote units is accessed in two levels: System Level Port Level: E1 port E3 Link port MNG-ETH port USER-ETH port V.35 port. Table 1-1 presents the list of tasks that can be performed through the RADview/TDM Optimux-34 both in the system and the port levels. Table 1-1. RADview/TDM Optimux-34 System and Port Levels Tasks Task Description Configuring and viewing system information Configuring and viewing system parameters Configuring and viewing port parameters Viewing system interfaces Defining manager list Setting management access Polling agent Managing alarms Listing alarm history log Clearing alarm history log Masking alarms Performing loopback tests Resetting hardware Resetting hardware configuration Port Level (MNG-ETH, USER-ETH, V.35, E1, E3 Link) This chapter explains the installation and operation required to get the RADview/TDM system for Optimux-34 up and running. It also describes the RADview/TDM Optimux-34 graphic user interface (GUI) and how to select the system and its ports. This chapter covers the following tasks: Launching RADview/TDM Optimux-34 Using the RADview/TDM Optimux-34 View window. Pre-configuring Optimux-34 for Network For complete details on pre-configuring Optimux-34 for network management, refer to Chapter 3 of the Optimux-34 Installation and Operation Manual (hardware manual). Connecting Optimux-34 to the Management For complete details on how to connect Optimux-34 to a management station, refer to Interfaces and Connections under Section 2.5 of the Optimux-34 Installation and Operation Manual hardware manual. Launching Optimux-34 Begin using Optimux-34 by launching the Optimux-34 View window. To launch the Optimux-34 View window: On the map, select and double-click the Optimux-34 icon. The Optimux-34 View window opens. You can now perform configuration and monitoring functions in the entire Optimux-34 system. Chapter 2 Installation and Operation Using the Graphical User Interface (GUI) From the Optimux-34 View window, you can configure and monitor the entire Optimux-34 system elements. Optimux-34 View Window The RADview/TDM SNMP for Optimux-34 View window displays a dynamic graphical representation of a local Optimux-34 front panel and a connected remote Optimux-34 standalone front panel. The view includes the links/ports, their operational and communication status, and the device’s LED indicators’ status. • The IP Address of the Remote unit, which appears at the top of the screen, is shown similar to the address of the Local unit, although each unit has a different address. You can see different addresses only in the caption under a SNMPc (PC environment), after you have connected a link between the two relevant icons on the SNMPc map. • The remote device display will be according to the far-end type. If the far-end type is unknown, the NMS will display a box with only the word “Unmanaged” within it. • If the remote unit is disconnected, all remote device ports will not be selectable and the line icon connecting the local and remote devices will be “broken”, the display is zoomed with an “Unmanaged” message on it. • If the local unit is a card, then only the local unit appears in the Optimux-34 window. • If the local unit is a standalone, then the remote unit also appears in the Optimux-34 window. Figure 2-1. Optimux-34 View Window The Optimux-34 View window contains the following elements: Title bar Main menu bar Optimux devices Status bar. Figure 2-2. Title Bar The title bar (at the top of the View window) displays the name or IP address of the local Optimux-34 and the connection status between it and the remote device. “Connected” appears in the title bar (see Figure 2-2), if a connection exists between the Optimux-34 and the remote device. “Disconnected” appears in the title bar, if, there is no connection between the Optimux-34 and the remote device. Figure 2-3. Main Menu Bar The main menu bar has drop-down sub-menus. Click a menu to display all the items in that menu. The menu items allow you to perform operations related to the selected elements in the Optimux-34 system. The menus are context sensitive; menu items are enabled or disabled as applicable to the selected element. In addition to using the menu bar, operations related to specific elements can also be performed using pop-up menus activated by right-clicking the mouse over the selected element. E1 and E3 Port Toolbar MNG-ETH and USER-ETH Port Toolbar Figure 2-4. Toolbars Below the menu bar appears toolbar icons that allow you to perform specific Optimux-34 operations related to the selected elements in the Optimux-34 system with a single mouse-click. This toolbar is context sensitive; the icons displayed change depending on the Optimux-34 element currently selected. Table 2-1. Toolbar Buttons Displays system info Resets the system’s default settings Poll Agent Poll system or selected device Displays the parameters of the selected device Runs loopback test(s) on the selected device Figure 2-5. Optimux-34 Status Bar The Optimux-34 status bar appears at the bottom of the View window and indicates the current state of the system, as summarized in Table 2-2. Table 2-2. Status Types and Descriptions Connection to the device is in progress Waiting for connection to the device Interrupted Connection to the device failed (time-out) Connection to the device is successful Device polling is in progress. Optimux-34 System The main, central workspace of the View window is a dynamic graphical representation of the front panels of the local and remote Optimux-34 devices. In this workspace you can select links, ports, and ports to invoke specific menu commands to perform activities, such as system configuration and performance monitoring. Note that you can right-click the mouse over selected elements to invoke the relevant menu commands. When you perform certain activities, such as clicking the System Information button, a dialog box is displayed (in a secondary window) on top of the Optimux-34 View window. Figure 2-6. Optimux-34 System RADview/TDM Optimux-34 Menu Maps Figure 2-7. System Level Menu Map Figure 2-8. System Level Pop-Up Menu Map Figure 2-9. E1, E3, V.35 Ports and Links Menu Map Figure 2-10. E1, E3, V.35 Ports Pop-Up Menu Map Figure 2-11. MNG-ETH/USER-ETH Level Menu Map Figure 2-12. MNG-ETH/USER-ETH Pop-Up Menu Map Selecting the System Before you can perform system operations, you must first select the system in the Optimux-34 View window. Two types of elements may be selected: All other areas that are not ports represent the system and a frame around the panel is displayed. The default selection is the system. To select the system: Click inside the Optimux-34 View window without selecting a device. Ensure that no border surrounds any of the port or modem cards in the window. A blue border outlines both the Local and Remote Optimux-34 devices, indicating that the whole system is selected. Figure 2-13. Optimux-34 System Selected in the View Window The main view includes the local device and the remote device. Discovering the Device The Optimux-34 application opens with a specific IP address. The NMS discovers the device by: Recognizing the IP address it was designated Identifying the virtual modules, slots, and LEDs that exist Determines which device is the Remote device. Selecting Ports Before you can perform port operations, you must first select a port in the Optimux-34 View window (see Selecting the System on page 2-7 for available Optimux-34 ports). To select a port: In the Optimux-34 View window, click a port to select it. A blue border outlines the selected port, indicating it is selected. Figure 2-14. Optimux-34 Front Panel Optimux-34 Front Panel Connectors Table 2-3 lists the ports and connectors of Optimux-34. Table 2-3. Optimux-34 Ports and Connectors MNG-ETH USER-ETH E3 (Link) RJ-45 or 2 BNC The SFP connector looks different when an optic module exists. The agent receives a message when no connector exists at all. The following ordering options are available for Optimux-34: V.35 port One or two Uplinks Alarms connector. Optimux-34 Indicators This section provides lists and color/status descriptions of the Optimux-34 device LED indicators. The Optimux-34 View window uses the standard RAD color codes to indicate operational and communication status of the agent, links/ports and power supply. The first upper half of the system in the window contains the local LEDs and the second lower half contains the remote LEDs. The order of the LEDs in Optimux-34 unit is as follows: 1. Sync Loss Link A 2. Sync Loss Link B 3. System Flt 4. Power A 5. Power B 6. AIS Link A 7. AIS Link B 8. 100 MNG-ETH 9. Link/Act MNG-ETH 10. 100 User-ETH 11. Link/ACT USER-ETH 12. System-TST Port Status Indicators Operational status for ports will be indicated by color within the port itself. The port status is color-coded in gray, magenta, or blue. Table 2-4 lists and describes the port status colors. There is no indication for the Control and Alarm ports. Figure 2-15. Port Status (Blue) Table 2-4. Port Status Indicators Errors exist No errors exist and no tests are When line status experiences Loss of Signal or any other failure The loopback test is running. Gray (in all other cases) If the line status has no alarm When line status experiences no alarm E3 Link When a port may contain several statuses, only the most severe status color is displayed. (Magenta is most severe, then blue, then gray.) Agent Status Indicators The Optimux version name on the front panel of both Local and Remote devices are framed with a thin colored frame in green, white, or red. This frame indicates the agent status, as summarized in Table 2-5 below. Figure 2-16. Agent Status Indicator Table 2-5. Agent Status Indicators Local device No Connection Local Optimux only Power Supply LEDs and Indicators There are four power supply unit representations for both local and remote devices when both devices are present in the window. Figure 2-17. Power Supply Status LEDs and Indicators The LED colors and descriptions for both power supplies on both local and remote units are as shown in Table 2-6. Table 2-6. Power Supply Indicators Local Device Power A Power supply active Power supply fault Local Device Power B Remote Device Power A Remote Device Power B When power supply B is not available for the local unit (including its operating switch), then power supply B does not exist on the remote device. If the remote device is disconnected, the power supply LED colors are as last displayed. If it goes on for the first time, the color is green. Optimux-34 LEDs RADview/TDM for Optimux-34 displays LED indicators in real-time as they actually appear on the device. The LED indications describe communication and operation status of Optimux-34 and its links (see Table 2-7, below). Table 2-7. Optimux-34 LED Summary Power Supply A is active Power is Off on both Power Supplies A and B Power Supply A fault, or Power Supply is Off on both Power Supplies A and B Power Supply B is On and Power Supply A is Power Supply B is active Power Supply B fault, or Power Supply A is On and Power Supply B is System FLT System Fault (Self-test fail, Agent fault) System TST System on test (any kind of loop) Sync Loss A Signal Loss is detected on the main link AIS A If the following conditions occurs at the same time: Redundancy mode is defined as Manual Link A is defined as main link Link A is OK (No Signal Loss or AIS) Link B is active. AIS is detected on the Sync Loss B Signal Loss detected on the main link conditions occur at the AIS B main link. MNG-ETH: 100M mode 10M mode Link/Act Management Ethernet link is up link is down USER-ETH: User Ethernet link is up Data Ethernet link is Sync Loss on E1 ports on the respective E1 Port not in use or the port is not physically AIS on E1 AIS is detected on respective E1 port Link B is defined as the main link. Link B is OK (no Link A is active. link is up and the Rx/Tx frames are transmitted and Rx/Tx frames are transmitted This chapter discusses how to configure the Optimux-34 management system using RADview/TDM. Managing the system includes the following tasks: Viewing and modifying system configuration Viewing and modifying system parameters Configuring Ethernet, V.35, E1, and E3 Link, and port parameters Resetting system hardware Resetting system configuration. Configuring Optimux-34 for Network RADview/TDM allows you to view and modify Optimux-34 configuration. The Configuration menu provides access to system level configuration. Figure 3-1. System Level Configuration Menu Viewing and Configuring System Information The System Info command enables you to view and set physical information about the Optimux-34. To view and configure Optimux-34 system information: 1. In the Optimux-34 View window, select the system. Configuring Optimux-34 for Network Management Chapter 3 Configuration Management 2. On the menu bar, click Configuration > System Info. Figure 3-2. System Information Dialog Box 3. Fill in the fields, as described in Table 3-1. 4. Click <Set> to implement the changes. Table 3-1. System Information Dialog Box Parameters Possible Values / Remarks The description of the device, including the full name and version identification of the device’s hardware type and software operating-system. The system identification number Format: String (12 characters) Read-Write Name of the contact person for this system Physical location of the device System Up Time The length of time the system has been running. Format: d: days, hh:mm:ss Default Gateway The IP address of the default gateway Number of Interfaces The number of network interfaces present in the system. The System Information Name, Contact, and Location dialog box fields are enabled, regardless whether there is communication with the agent. Configuring System Parameters RADview/TDM allows you to view and configure the system parameters of both the local and the remote devices. To view and configure general Optimux-34 system parameters: 1. In the Optimux-34 View window, select the system (as described in Selecting the System in Chapter 2). 2. On the menu bar, click Configuration > System. The System Parameters dialog box appears. It contains configuration parameters for local and remote devices. The System Parameters dialog box is divided into two columns: the first column shows the local device and the second column shows the remote device. The parameter names are common to both columns. Figure 3-3. System Parameters Dialog Box Table 3-2. System Dialog Box Parameters (Local/Remote) Indicates the Optimux-34 device type. HW Version The hardware version number of the Optimux-34 device. SW Version The software version number of Optimux-34 device. Power Supply Main The operating status of the main power supply. Power Supply Backup The operating status of the backup power supply. The availability of redundancy on the local/remote device. Redundancy Mode The redundancy manner of operation: If the Redundancy Mode is set to ‘Manual’, you should manually request the SNMP agent to configure the optSelectLink to ‘Main’ or ‘Back’ after the link has switched from main to backup because when the Redundancy Mode is set to ‘Manual’ it means that there was a problem on the main that has been just fixed. Note: This parameter is available only when the device has two links and Redundancy is available. Default Main Link Link Active Clock Source Changing the Clock Source from Internal to LBT takes about 2 minutes. A confirmation message is displayed announcing “Changing Clock Source to LBT may take about 2 minutes”, click <OK> or <Cancel> to acknowledge. Read-Write for the Local device If the Remote device is disconnected, the fields concerning the remote device will be displayed as“ - - “ (N/A value). Configuring Operational Parameters This section discusses how to manage Optimux-34 ports for operation using RADview/TDM Optimux-34. Managing ports includes the following tasks: Selecting the port Viewing and modifying port parameters, including: E1 port parameters E3 Link port parameters MNG-ETH port parameters USER-ETH port parameters. Additional port operations are discussed in the following chapters: Managing port faults (see Managing Port Alarms in Chapter 7). Monitoring port performance and diagnostics (see Performance Monitoring in Chapter 6). Viewing and Configuring Port Parameters RADview/TDM allows you to view and modify Optimux-34 E1, E3 Link, and Ethernet port parameters. The Configuration menu provides port level configuration information. Figure 3-4. Port Level Configuration Menu Viewing and Configuring Ethernet Port Parameters You can view and configure Ethernet port parameters. The USER-ETH port is enabled only per valid license key. To view and modify Ethernet port parameters: 1. In the Optimux-34 View window, select an Ethernet port (MNG-ETH or USER-ETH) on the local or remote device. 2. On the menu bar, click Configuration > System Parameters. Figure 3-5. MNG-ETH Port Dialog Box Figure 3-6. USER-ETH Port Dialog Box Table 3-3. Ethernet Port Parameters Administrative Status Up, Down Port status Selecting Down disables the remaining fields in this dialog box and any changed values of RW fields will not be sent the agent Relevant only for USER-ETH port Ethernet port name, up to 15 characters Available: indicates that the link, light, or loopback is normal NotAvailable: indicates link loss, low light, or no loopback Auto Negotiation Enabled (checked) Disabled (unchecked) Auto Negotiation Status Ethernet Mode Half-Duplex Note: This field is Read-Write only if Autonegotiation is disabled. Rate (Mbps) Note: This field is enabled only if Autonegotiation is disabled. Read-Write/Read-Only Rate Limitations (Mbps) For E1 channels: 0, 8, 16, 24, 32 Rate limitation is configurable in multiples of 8Mbps. USER-ETH speed is dependent in the rate limitation configured Configuring V.35 Port Parameters You can view and configure parameters for V.35 ports. To view and configure V.35 port parameters: 1. In the Optimux-34 View window, select a V.35 port on the local or remote device. 2. On the menu bar, click Configuration > Parameters. Figure 3-7. V.35 Port Parameters Dialog Box Table 3-4. V.35 Port Parameters V.35 port name, up to 15 characters LBT (Default) ON (Default) Link OK Enable DTW Loop No (Default Configuring E1 Channel Port Parameters You can view and configure parameters for the E1 channels. To view and configure E1 port parameters: 1. In the Optimux-34 View window, select an E1 channel port (ports 1-16 from either the local or remote unit). Figure 3-8. E1 Channel Parameters Dialog Box If the User-ETH port has been configured to a rate > 0, the corresponding E1 ports fields will be all Read-Only, and the <Set> button will be disabled. Table 3-5. E1 Port Parameters Read-Write (Read-Only, see Note above) The name for the interface as specified by the network manager. String of up to 15 characters Unbalanced: 75Ω Balanced: 120Ω Configuring E3 Link Parameters You can view and configure parameters for the E3 link ports (Link A or Link B). To view and configure E3 link port parameters: 1. In the Optimux-34 View window, select an E3 link port (Link A or Link B) on the local or remote device. Figure 3-9. E3 Link Port Parameters Dialog Box Table 3-6. E3 (Link) Port Parameters For Coax: 2 Mini BNCs For Fiber: SFP (In) SFP (Out) Line Coding For Coax: HDB3 For Fiber: Other Additional Tasks RADview/TDM allows you to view details about the system interfaces of the local and remote Optimux-34 devices. To view system interfaces: 2. On the menu bar, click Configuration > Interfaces. Clicking on one of the column headings in the Interfaces dialog box sorts the entries according to that sort-method. Figure 3-10. Interfaces Dialog Box 3. Click <Refresh> to refresh the statistics or click <Close> to close the window. Table 3-7. Interfaces Dialog Box Parameters The link/port number in the Interface table The link/port type, such as DS1, Ethernet or SLIP The name and description of the interface The connection speed for this interface, in bytes Resetting the System Hardware RADview/TDM allows you to reset the Optimux-34 hardware configuration. Resetting the system hardware resets the Agent. To reset hardware configuration: Figure 3-11. System Level Configuration > Reset Menu 2. On the menu bar, click Configuration > Reset > Reset HW. A confirmation dialog box is displayed. Selecting this entry will enable the user to reset the agent’s hardware. Figure 3-12. Reset Agent Confirmation Message Dialog Box 3. Click <OK> to reset. Resetting System Configuration RADview/TDM allows you to reset the Optimux-34 parameters to default values. 2. On the menu bar, click Configuration > Reset > Reset Config. A confirmation message appears. Selecting this entry will enable you to reset the agent's configuration to its default values. Configuring Typical This chapter describes the procedure for the configuration of a typical application, which is performed after completing the physical installation of the units. This procedure is accomplished through the use of the RADview/TDM Optimux-34. The following sections describe typical Optimux-34 applications. Backbone Data Network Application In the application shown in the following figure, a coax link module is installed in the Optimux-34 unit that is physically close to the public network. The other Optimux-34 is equipped with a fiber optic link interface to extend its transmission range. The optical link is connected to a fiber optic modem (FOM) with an E3 interface, which is coupled to the public network via a coaxial cable. Figure 4-1. Optimux-34 Backbone Access Application Chapter 4 Configuring Typical Applications E1 Fan-Out over Satellite Link Application An E1 fan-out over satellite link application shown in Figure 4-2 is a satellite link connecting two Optimux-34 units. The Optimux-34 unit can be connected to a Megaplex-2100 unit and a network management service (NMS). A coax link module is installed in each of the Optimux-34 unit that is physically close to the satellite device. Figure 4-2. E1 Fan-Out over Satellite Link Application Configuring Optimux-34 You can use the following procedures to configure Optimux-34. Configuring System Information You can configure system information. To configure system information: 2. On the menu bar, click Configuration > System Info (see Figure 3-1). You can configure system parameters. To configure system parameters: 1. On the menu bar, click Configuration > System Parameters (see Figure 3-1). parameters for local and remote devices. The parameter names are common to both columns. Configuring SNMP You can configure SNMP settings to specify the management station(s) that can transmit or receive Optimux-34 traps. To configure SNMP: 1. On the menu bar, click Options > Manager List (see Figure 3-4). Figure 4-5. Manager List Dialog Box 2. Change the IP addresses, as required. 3. You can elect not to send traps to a selected address by clearing the relevant Send Traps check box adjacent to that address. 4. Click <Set> to implement the change. Management Access To enable/disable Telnet and Web management accesses: 1. On the menu bar, click Options > Management Access (see Figure 3-4). Figure 4-6. Management Access Dialog Box 2. Select Enable or Disable for Telnet Access, as required. 3. Select Enable or Disable for Web Access, as required. 4. Click <Set> to implement the change(s). You can perform the following parameters to connect Optimux-34 to the management station. Configuring Port Parameters You can configure Optimux-34 port parameters. To configure port parameters: 1. In the Optimux-34 View window, select an E1 (Ports 1-16), E3 Link (A or B)), or MNG-ETH, or USER-ETH port from either the local or remote unit. 2. On the menu bar, click Configuration > Parameters (see Figure 3-7). Connecting Optimux-34 to the Management Station The USER-ETH port is available/enabled only per valid license. If the USER-ETH port has been configured to a rate > 0, the corresponding E1 ports fields will be all Read-Only, and the <Set> button will be disabled. Unbalanced: 75 Balanced: 120 Configuring Link Parameters You can view and configure parameters for the link ports (Link A or Link B). To view and configure link port parameters: 1. In the Optimux-34 View window, select a link port (Link A or Link B) on the local or remote device. Figure 4-10. Link Port Parameters Dialog Box Configuring Security Management You can configure security management for RADview/TDM Optimux-34. To configure security management: 5. Add/Create users as required. For details on how to add users in Optimux-34, see Chapter 4, RADview Functions Security in the RADview-EMS/TDM (PC) 1. Change user Names as required. For details on how to change a user name in Optimux-34, see Chapter 4, RADview Functions Security in the RADview-EMS/TDM (PC) documentation. 2. Change passwords as required. For details on how to change passwords in Optimux-34, see Chapter 4, Polling the Agent You can poll the agent to update the Optimux-34 device status. To poll the agent: 1. In the Optimux -34 View window, select the Optimux-34 system. 2. On the menu bar, click Configuration > Poll Agent. The components are polled and their status is updated immediately. To reset hardware: 3. Click <OK> to reset the agent's hardware. To reset system configuration: 3. Click <OK> to reset the agent's configuration to its default values. Configuration Sequence The following describes the step-by-step configuration sequence for the Optimux-34 local and remote units through the RADview/TDM Optimux-34. Table 4-7. RADview/TDM Optimux-34 Configuration Sequence E1, Link) This chapter discusses how to monitor the performance of the Optimux-34 system using RADview/TDM Optimux-34. Polling the agent updates the Optimux-34 device status. You can execute either manual or automatic polling of the Optimux-34 system. Device components are automatically polled once every minute. However, you can also manually poll and update the status of the components. To manually poll the agent components: 1. In the Optimux-34 View window, select the Optimux-34 system (as described in Selecting the System in Chapter 2). Selecting this entry will cause immediate polling of the Agent. Chapter 5 Performance Management This chapter discusses how to manage security through assigning access authorizations for the Optimux-34 system using RADview/TDM. The basic tasks involved in security management or access authorization management are: Configuring Management Access. RADview/OV on Unix supports the Security feature. Security defines different types of users: Monitor. Each user type has different access permission(s) to the product's application data. Some of them have Read-Write access to all or part of the menus and dialog boxes; others have only Read-Only access to part of the menus/dialog boxes. The menu looks the same for all users. If you are a user that has only Read-Only access and attempts to enter a dialog box, select a menu entry that you do not have permission to, or to press the <Set> button (or a similar ReadWrite one), a message box will then be displayed stating that you have no access to the selected entry/dialog box/operation. When a Read-Write menu entry or a dialog box is allowed (to be <Set>) for a Technician, the paragraph detailing this entry/dialog box will include (T) at the When a Read-Write menu entry or dialog box is allowed (to be Set) for a Monitor, the paragraph detailing this entry/dialog box, will include at the end: (M). In this case, Technician is also allowed to perform Set. <Print> and <Refresh> are buttons that are enabled for Monitor users. RADview/TDM allows you to view and modify SNMP settings; enabling you to specify the management station(s) that can transmit or receive Optimux-34 traps. There may be between one to ten management stations defined. You cannot change the number of management stations, or the Manager IDs, but you can change the IP address/es. Chapter 6 Security Management To view or specify the management station IP address to which to send traps: Figure 6-1. Manager List and Management Access Sub-Menus 2. On the menu bar, click Options > Manager List. Configuring Management Access RADview/TDM Optimux-34 enables/disables you to access Telnet and Web management access. 2. On the menu bar, click Options > Management Access. Table 6-1. Management Access Parameters Telnet Access This chapter discusses how to manage faults for the entire Optimux-34 system using RADview/TDM Optimux-34. RADview/TDM allows you to manage Optimux-34 system and port alarms. Managing faults includes the following tasks: Managing system alarms Managing the following port alarms: V.35. Performing loopback tests. RADview/TDM allows you to manage Optimux-34 system alarms. Basic tasks include: Viewing all active alarms Viewing system alarms Viewing alarm history in the System Alarm Buffer Clearing alarms in the System Alarm Buffer Masking port alarms. Handling Alarms and Traps The Fault menu provides access to the system alarm options. You can view alarm severity as well as clear alarms. Chapter 7 Fault Management Figure 7-1. Fault Menu – System Level List of Alarms and Events The Optimux-34 alarms are described in Table 7-1. Table 7-1. Optimux-34 System Alarms Message on terminal PS A fail No voltage in power supply A. PS B fail No voltage in power supply B. Remote connection FAIL A managment connection could not be established with the remote device. Redundancy not Redundancy mode is set to AUTO or MANUAL but the second link is not installed. ETH Integrity fail Failure in Ethernet management port integrity or in the fast Ethernet integrity. ETH-MNG Signal loss detected on uplinks or Received AIS on the uplinks or the Signal Loss Rx AIS The Optimux-34 events are described in Table 7-2. Table 7-2. Optimux-34 Events Software process failed Failed to process software download. The event log buffer exceeded its maximum size and new events are written over the old ones. The All Active Alarms command enables you to view all active alarms of the local and remote devices in the system. To view all active alarms for the system: 1. In the RADview/TDM Optimux-34 window, select the system. 2. On the menu bar, click Fault > All Active Alarms. You can sort the Alarms by clicking any of the column headings. Figure 7-2. All Active Alarms Dialog Box Table 7-3. All Active Alarms Parameters System Level Alarms Local, Remote The Port column is relevant only for Port level. Alarm code Description of the alarm Major, Minor No, Yes Port Level Alarms Channel 1-4, 5-8, 9-12, 13-16 Link A, Active Alarm code Description of the active alarm [Done] Click <Done> to close the All Active Alarms Dialog Box [Print] Click <Print> to print the active alarms [Save To File] Click <Save To File> to save the active alarms. The Save dialog box appears. In the File Name field, enter the name of the file. In the File of type field, select Acrobat (pdf) or HTML (.htm). Click Save [Refresh] Click <Refresh> to update the active alarms RADview/TDM allows you to view all the active alarms of both the local and remote devices. The window displays a list of current Optimux-34 system alarms, their code and severity related to the system level. You can sort the alarm list by clicking on any column you wish to sort. To view system alarms: 2. On the menu bar, click Fault > Alarms. Figure 7-3. System Alarms Dialog Box 3. Do one of the following: Sort the alarm list by clicking on one of the columns on the list. It is possible to sort the list through each column. Optimux-34 sorts the alarms by location as a default; first local and then To send the active alarms to a printer, click <Print>. To save the active alarms to a file, click <Save File>, select a location where to save the file, then name the file and click <Save>. To exit this window, click <Close> or update the window by clicking <Refresh>. Table 7-4. System Alarm Parameters Indicates the location where the alarm occurred The code for the specific alarm The description of the alarm corresponding to the specified code The alarm severity Masks system alarms RADview/TDM Optimux-34 allows you to view a history log of all the alarms listed in the Optimux-34 System Alarm Buffer. The System Alarm Buffer contains all the unmasked alarms recorded for the whole device. To view the System Alarm Buffer List: 1. In the Optimux-34 window, select the system. 2. One the menu bar, click Fault > History Log > List. Figure 7-4. System Alarm Buffer List Sort the alarm buffer list by clicking on one of the columns on the list. You can sort each column independently. The System Alarm Buffer list is sorted according to the Date and Time column by default with the oldest shown on the first line. To send the alarm buffer to a printer, click <Print>. To save the alarm buffer to a file, click <Save File>, select a location to where to save the file, name the file and click <Save>. To update the list, click <Refresh> or exit the window by clicking <Close>. Table 7-5. System Alarm Buffer Parameters The code number for the alarm that occurred The device where the alarm ocurred Slot or link where the alarm occurred (if applicable) Indicates the port number this alarm refers to (if applicable) Channels 1-16 Indicates the alarm type Off: Disappearance of an alarm Event: Occurrence of an event Major: Appearance of a major problem Minor: Appearance of a minor problem The date and time the alarm occurred Date format: yyyy-mm-dd Time format: hh:mm:ss Clearing Alarms in the Alarm Buffer You can clear the alarm history log contained in the Optimux-34 Alarm Buffer. Selecting this entry will clear all the entries of the Alarm Buffer. To clear all alarms in the Alarm Buffer: On the menu bar, click Fault > History Log > Clear. The History Log is cleared. No user confirmation is provided. In the History Log List, only alarms that occurred after the Clear operation will be Figure 7-5. Alarm Buffer List after Clearing RADview/TDM Optimux-34 allows you to mask Optimux-34 port alarms. Masking port alarms prevents sending alarm traps to this slot. To mask a port alarm: 1. On the menu bar, click Fault > Mask Alarms. The Mask Alarms dialog box appears. After a few moments (when the dialog box status bar indicates “Working…”, a table of ports per slot appears. The Mask Alarms dialog box is divided into two groups: Local Device and Remote Device. The Remote Device area appears only if the remote device is connected. Figure 7-6. Mask Alarms Dialog Box 2. Select the relevant check boxes adjacent to the port slots for which you want to mask the alarms. Each port has a respective check box. When the check box is checked, you are selecting a port alarm to be masked and vice versa. 3. To select all check boxes, click <Select All> to select all check boxes. 4. To clear all check boxes, click <Clear All>. Click <Set> to implement the updated list of masks. Click <Cancel> to exit the Mask Alarms window or click <Refresh> to display an updated Mask Alarms window. 1. For each inactive port, its check box is disabled. The value displayed in the check box will be the last configured value. 2. The Remote Connection Fail is an alarm in System level. It exists only for Local devices. 3. The bit order defined above is independent on the existence of the USER-ETH port and/or a second link. That is, the bit order is permanent. Managing Port Alarms RADview/TDM allows you to manage Optimux-34 port alarms for selected ports E1 channel: RADview/TDM Optimux-34 has 16 E1 ports: (Ports 1 to 8 above and Ports 9 to 16 below) on each Local/Remote unit. E3 (Link: RADview/TDM Optimux-34 has two Link ports (ports A and B) on each Local/Remote unit. MNG-ETH: RADview/TDM Optimux-34 has one MNG-ETH port on each Local/Remote unit. USER-ETH: RADview/TDM Optimux-34 has one USER-ETH port on each V.35: RADview/TDM Optimux-34 has one V.35 port on each Local/Remote unit. Viewing Port Alarms RADview/TDM Optimux-34 allows you to view a list of current Optimux-34 port alarms, their codes and severities. To view port alarms: 1. In the Optimux-34 View window, select the relevant E1 (ports 1-16), V.35, Link (A or B), or Ethernet (MNG-ETH or USER-ETH) port in the local or remote 2. On the menu bar, click Fault > Alarms (see Figure 7-7). Note that the sub-menu changes according to the selected item. Figure 7-7. Fault Menu – Port Level The relevant Port Alarms dialog box appears, displaying whether the port alarm is masked (in the Mask field), and lists the current port alarms, codes, and severities. Figure 7-8. E1 Port Alarms Dialog Box Figure 7-9. Link Port Alarms Dialog Box Figure 7-10. USER-ETH Port Alarms Dialog Box 3. You can do one of the following: To save the active alarms to a desired file, click <Save File>, then drill down to the required file location on your computer and click <Save>. Table 7-6. Port Alarms Dialog Box Parameters The code for the specific alarm. The description of the alarm corresponding to the specified code. The alarm severity. Optimux-34 allows you to run local and remote diagnostic loopback testing for Monitoring performance in the Optimux-34 consists of performing diagnostics or loopback tests. You can perform loopback tests on Optimux-34 ports. The Diagnostics menu provides access to the port level diagnostic test options. You can run loopback tests for the following types of ports: E1 channel Figure 7-12. Port Level Diagnostics Menu The Loopback Test command enables you to: View all loopback tests that are currently running on the local and remote Run a loopback test on a link. You cannot run: A loopback test on a channel if a loopback test is already running on a link A loopback test on a link if a loopback test is already running on a channel A remote loopback test on a channel if a remote loopback test is already running at the opposite end of the channel. To run a loopback test: 1. In the Optimux-34 window, select the relevant (E1. Link, or V.35) port on the 2. On the menu bar, click Diagnostics > Loopback Test. The Loopback dialog box appears, showing the current loopback status of the selected port. Figure 7-13. Channel Loopback Test Dialog Box 3. In the Select Test drop down list, select the type of loopback test you want to run. Figure 7-14. Link Loopback Test Dialog Box 4. In the Test Duration field, type the test duration time (in minutes). 5. Click <Apply> to begin the loopback test on the port. The new loopback status of the port appears in the dialog box. This dialog will be updated by traps and polling while it is open. Only one loopback test at a time may exist on a specified port. Therefore, if a loopback test is already running on a specific port, you can select only No Loopback for this port. If the Administrative Status of the selected port is down, then no loopback will be available. A message will be displayed at the status bar saying “Diagnostics are not available for interface that its Administrative Status is Down.” Upon clicking <Apply>, the NMS checks if the value of Test Duration is within the valid range. If not, the following message will be displayed on Status Bar: "Test Duration (min.) value should be between 1 and 255" and the operation will not be performed. 6. Click <Close> to close the Port Loopback Test dialog box. authorization, 6-1 management, 6-3 permission, 6-1 Telnet, 6-3 Web, 6-3 Administrator, 6-1 configuration, 4-14, 5-1 polling, 4-14, 5-1 status, 2-11 link A, 2-9 link B, 2-9 active, 7-4 buffer, 7-8 code, 7-6 connector, 2-9 date, 7-8 history, 7-6 mask, 7-9 severity, 7-15 slot, 7-8 system, 7-1 time, 7-8 unmasked, 7-6 Alarms and Events, 7-2 AIS, 7-2 PS1 failure, 7-2 redundancy not available, 7-2 remote connection fail, 7-2 signal loss, 7-2 backbone data network, 4-1 E1 fan-out over satellite link, 4-2 Autonegotiation, 3-9, 4-9 Balanced, 3-12, 4-12 main menu, 2-3 title, 2-3 BNC, 2-8 E1, 1-1 Channel parameters configuring, 3-11, 4-11 Clock source, 3-5, 4-6 line, 3-14, 4-14 port level, 3-6 SNMP, 6-1 system level, 3-1 coax, 3-14, 4-14 fiber, 3-14, 4-14 RJ-45, 3-12, 4-12 type, 3-12, 4-12 Control, 2-8 DB9, 2-8 local, 3-3 remote, 3-3 configuration, 3-6 link level, 7-16 Discovery, 2-7 channel, 1-1 pop-up menu map, 2-6 port, 1-2 port parameters, 3-5, 3-11, 4-11 toolbar, 2-3 port parameters, 3-6, 3-13 mode, 3-9, 4-9 port parameters, 3-6 Flow control, 3-9, 4-9 FOM, 4-1 default, 3-3, 4-4 using, 2-2 view window, 2-2 configuration, 3-16 reset, 3-16, 4-15 log, 7-6 Index, 3-15 Indicators, 2-9 unbalanced, 3-12, 4-12 Introduction, 1-1 RADview/TDM Optimux-34, 2-1 LEDs, 2-7, 2-12 agent status, 2-10 color, 2-9 E1, 2-10 MNG-ETH, 2-10 power supply, 2-11 status, 2-9 User-ETH, 2-10 Link, 2-7 active, 3-5, 4-5 loopback test, 7-16 parameters, 4-12 port parameters, 4-13 sync loss, 2-9 Link level diagnostics, 7-16 tests, 7-16 link, 7-16 bar, 2-3 access, 6-3 alarm, 7-1 fault, 7-1 network, 2-1, 3-1 security, 6-1 station, 2-1, 4-7, 6-1 alarms, 7-9 Menu map MNG-ETH/USER-ETH, 2-6 V.35, 2-6 MNG-ETH/USER-ETH menu map, 2-6 Ethernet, 3-9, 4-9 redundancy, 3-5, 4-5 virtual, 2-7 Monitor, 6-1 user, 6-1 management, 2-1, 3-1 Object ID, 3-2, 4-3 Operational parameters configuring, 3-5 Operator, 6-1 Optimux-34, 1-1 E1 channel, 3-11, 4-11 E1 port, 3-5 operational, 3-5 system, 3-1, 4-2, 4-4 V.35 port, 3-10, 4-10 changing, 4-14 Polling, 2-4 agent, 4-14, 5-1 automatic, 5-1 manual, 5-1 Pop-up menu map inactive, 7-11 level, 1-2 links, 2-7 MNG-ETH, 1-2 operations, 3-6 parameters, 3-6, 4-7 selecting, 2-8 status, 3-9, 4-9 Port Alarms managing, 7-11 vewing, 7-11 LEDs, 2-9 Power supply, 3-4, 4-5 backup, 3-4, 4-5 Rate, 3-9, 4-9 limitation, 3-9, 4-9 Refresh, 3-15 Reset, 2-4 hardware, 3-16 system, 3-16 RJ-45, 2-8, 3-12, 4-12 feature, 6-1 management, 4-14 Severity, 7-6 SFP, 2-8, 3-14, 4-14 Slots, 2-7 Speed, 3-15 administrative, 3-12, 4-12, 7-17 alarm buffer, 7-6 information, 3-1 interfaces, 3-14 managing alarms, 7-1 configuring, 3-1, 4-2 faults, 7-1 Technician, 6-1 loopback, 7-1 User-ETH, 2-3 Traps, 6-1 Uplinks, 2-9 adding, 4-14 port, 3-12, 4-10, 4-12 port parameters, 3-10, 4-10 V.35 port parameters View window local device, 2-3 main menu bar, 2-3 remote device, 2-3 status bar, 2-3 title bar, 2-3 Virtual modules, 2-7 RAD Data comm Optimux-34 Specifications Very Large Telescope Paranal Science Operations RADview-PC/TDM Ver. 7.0 RADview-HPOV/ATM - RADProductsOnline Optimux-T3 Ring - RADProductsOnline UEC DSD 700 Specifications RAD Data comm Optimux-106 Specifications TR400 User Manual - Electro manualzilla.com © 2019	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19359
__label__wiki	0.519317	0.519317	Thousands forced to flee due t... ‘India needs to be proactive’ on Myanmar - Journalists By M Subhaschandra A team of journalists from Myanmar on a 10 day study tour in India’s Northern Eastern states bordering Saigang division in Myanmar said India should be proactive and take up similar initiatives to China which looking to various sectors in Myanmar to strengthen the relationship between the two countries. "China has been inviting various professionals from Myanmar to visit various parts of the country. So, India also should start such practices to strengthen the relationships between the two countries," says Aung Htun U, Advisory Board Member of Yangon Journalism School." Of Course, the Indian Embassy helped a lot in making the current study tour." Aung Htun U along with 12 other journalists from various parts of Myanmar toured Assam and Manipur and was also joined by Bertil Lintner, eminent Swedish journalist, author and strategic consultant who has been writing about Asia for nearly four decades. “Another group of journalists from Myanmar are on tour in China. For the first time we are seeing such cross-border training in India after our earlier cross-border training experience in Thailand,” he said. “Our country has many ethnic groups and minorities. So, we also want to know how the Indian government handles ethnic groups in their country. We have learnt a lot about North East India this time, and it is very interesting to visit places like Guwahati and Imphal,” Aung Htun U added. “This is an eye-opening but introductory trip." “Imphal is very important for Burmese because of battles between British and Japanese, and it even has a chapter in our books,” the visiting journalists said. Even though Myanmar has a new government, the journalists are still facing difficulties regarding collecting information as the military are still controlling things. After visiting Loktak Lake in Bishnupur district in Manipur, a team member said that Loktak is similar to Inle, a freshwater lake in Myanmar’s Shan state where the lake dwellers row their boats with their legs etc. On the other hand, journalists who write for business wanted to know more about the status of the Indo-Myanmar border trade which started in April 1995. They even asked their Manipur counterparts to share their personnel views and expectations from the trade once the Integrated Check Post which is currently under construction is completed. At the same time, journalists in Manipur also requested the visiting Myanmarese counterparts to share the issues of environment and other development activities in Myanmar. During their stay in Manipur, the Myanmar journalists also visited Ima Keithel, the largest women run market in Asia and Kangla Fort both located in Imphal town. They also visited Moreh located about 110 km south of Imphal bordering Myanmar's Tamu. Mizzima - Myanmar News - English Edition	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19365
__label__wiki	0.847561	0.847561	Indian CRM Firm Raises US$9m In Series B Funding Friday Dec 21st 2001 by Uday Lal Pai CustomerAsset gets US$2 million from US$45 million Jumpstartup Venture Fund, which makes its first investment in the CRM sector. India-headquartered CRM vendor CustomerAsset has ended its latest round of funding to come away with US$9 million, a figure triple the amount it received in its last funding round. CustomerAsset managed to raise US$5 million from U.K.-based Antfactory, and US$2 million each from e-Ventures (Rupert Murdoch's new media investing affiliate) and Jumpstartup Venture Fund, an early stage fund focused on the IT and technology-enabled sectors. This series B funding was generated to accelerate CustomerAsset's expansion of its offshore contact center operations in Bangalore, in addition to establishing its presence in Australia and ramping up its services in the U.S. and U.K. According to K. Ganesh, CustomerAsset's chief executive officer, the company expects to complete its second contact center facility in Bangalore by the first quarter of next fiscal year, increasing the total number of seats from 650 to 1,000. The US$9 million second-round funding brings the total amount CustomerAsset has generated to US$12.3 million. It is the first time Jumpstartup has made an investment in the CRM space; the US$45 million fund backed by financial institutional investors from Asia, Europe and the U.S. looking to invest in ventures based in India, as well as those that have an Indian affiliation. "We believe Jumpstartup will provide tremendous value to our operations through their excellent understanding of the CRM services segment. This investment further endorses our potential and will be a key driver in our growth phase," Ganesh said. He added that he envisions the current economic slowdown to drum up more business for India as more companies choose to outsource their CRM functions.	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19366
__label__wiki	0.893423	0.893423	2018 COSAFA Cup gets underway on Sunday Lesotho starts it 2018 COSAFA Cup in the quarterfinals against Swaziland... Southern Africa’s national teams will converge on Polokwane in the north of South Africa over the next two weeks to decide this year’s COSAFA Cup champion. In total 14 countries will battle it out at the regional championship which is again expected to be a tightly contested affair. Zimbabwe, who came through a gruelling schedule last year to win the tournament for a record fifth time, begin the defence of their title in the quarterfinals and are expected to be challenged closely by hosts South Africa and Zambia, who have both won the COSAFA Cup on four previous occasions. The COSAFA Cup starts with eight teams divided into two groups for the opening week of competition with the two group winners then advancing to the knockout stage where they are joined by the top six ranked nations. The tournament will kick-off on Sunday with a Group A clash between Madagascar and Mozambique, who have both threatened to upset the odds at recent tournaments, before an island derby between the Comoros Islands and Seychelles. Angola, who have won the competitions three times, head a strong field in Group B where they must get past Botswana and Malawi, both previous runners-ups, and Mauritius. The schedule is taxing one for the eight first round competitors who play a game every second day with only the group winner advancing. The tournament starts on Sunday with a clash between Mozambique and Madagascar There are two matches scheduled for every day from Sunday through to next Friday in the first round with the games played at both the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in the centre of Polokwane and the Seshego Stadium, on the outskirts of the city. The winner of Group A has been drawn against South Africa in the quarter-finals on next week Sunday (June 3) while Group B’s winner will take on Zimbabwe later on the same day. Before that the first two quarterfinals will take place next Saturday (June 2). They will see Zambia face the 2015 winners Namibia followed by Lesotho taking on Swaziland. It is the first time in 10 years that all 14-member nations are competing as the Comoros return to the field for the first time in 2008. “Looking at the squads selected, this promises to be a very tough competition,” said Timothy Shongwe, COSAFA’s chairman of competitions. “The countries are all coming with top teams and it is difficult to see who is going to come out on top.” Labels: COSAFA Cup, Lesotho, Likuena Moses Maliehe names Lesotho squad for 2018 COSAFA Cup Basia Makepe (left) returns to the Likuena squad after two years... Lesotho coach Moses Maliehe has named an experienced squad for the upcoming 2018 COSAFA Cup to be held in South Africa’s Limpopo province from May 27 to June 9. Maliehe’s 22-man squad includes Polish based Luciano Matsoso and Tshwarelo Bereng who was previously on the books of Chippa United in the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL). The two players will be playing at the regional tournament for the first time. Bereng earned his first cap for Lesotho in an international friendly against Namibia in March. Maliehe has also recalled experienced centrebacks Nkau Lerotholi and Basia Makepe. The LMPS pair returns to the national team for the first time in two years after a self-imposed exile from international football. The duo will bring valuable experience. Lerotholi captained Likuena at the 2015 edition of the COSAFA Cup and was a member of the Leslie Notši led side that reached the semi-finals in 2013 in Zambia. Makepe, on the other hand, captained Lesotho at the 2016 tournament in Namibia where Maliehe made his debut as Lesotho coach on a caretaker basis and took the team to the quarterfinals. Maliehe, however, will not be able to call on the services of Cambodian based attacker Jane ‘Sunny’ Tšotleho, after his club Phnom Penh Crown refused to release him for the regional showpiece. “We have all the players that we had planned to have in the team apart from Tšotleho which is obviously a disappointment for us,” Maliehe said. “His team was not willing to release him for the competition as it does not fall under the FIFA dates and we have made peace with that.” Maliehe said he is looking to have continuity with his squad with the COSAFA Cup giving Likuena a chance to prepare for their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Cape Verde in September. Maliehe added: “We will not be able to have friendly matches between the time we finish with the tournament and September as most of the players would be having their pre-season with their clubs. Nkau Lerotholi (left) also returns... “But we will go to the tournament and fight with what we have because the intention is to at least get to the final based on how well we have done in the previous two competitions. “There are a number of players that will be playing at the tournament for the first time and it’s a chance for them to show what they can do going forward after a good season at club level,” he said. There are younger faces in the squad with the in-form likes of Lebajoa Mosehlenyane, Lehlohonolo Fothoane and Monaheng Ramalefane included. Mosehlenyane has been rewarded for excellent form for since joining Matlama from Bantu in January. The young forward was named player of the tournament after inspiring Tse Putsoa to the LNIG Top 8 title in April and has been a revelation all year. He is joined by Matlama teammate Ramalefane who was named goalkeeper of the tournament at the COSAFA Under-20 Championships in December after his performances helped Lesotho reach the final. There are a few surprises in Maliehe’s squad with the main one being the exclusion of Bantu captain Thapelo Mokhehle. There is also no space for Lioli’s Tšoanelo Koetle or former captain Bokang Mothoana of Kick4Life. Likuena will kick-off their COSAFA Cup campaign with a quarterfinal tie against Swaziland on June 3 at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. Lesotho Squad: Goalkeepers: Likano Mphuthi (LDF), Sam Ketsekile (LCS), Monaheng Ramalefane (Matlama) Defenders: Nkau Lerotholi (LMPS), Basia Makepe (LMPS), Bokang Sello (Lioli), Mafa Moremoholo (Lioli), Kopano Tseka (Lioli) Midfielders: Tshwarelo Bereng (free agent), Hlompho Kalake (Bantu), Mabuti Potloane (Matlama), Kefuoe Mahula (Matlama), Mosiuoa Boseka (LCS), Lebajoa Mosehlenyane (Matlama), Tumelo Khutlang (Lioli), Litšepe Marabe (Bantu), Jane Thaba-Ntšo (Matlama), Luciano Matsoso (Oskar Przysucha, Poland), Lehlohonolo Fothoane (Bantu), Tšepo Toloane (LDF) Strikers: Motebang Sera (Matlama), Nkoto Masoabi (Kick4Life) COSAFA Cup Preview – A quick guide to the 2018 COSAFA Cup teams Lesotho will be one of 14 nations gunning for COSAFA Cup glory All 14 member nations of COSAFA will compete at the 2018 COSAFA Cup in South Africa’s Limpopo province from May 27 to June 9. It will be the first time all members of COSAFA take part in the regional showpiece. Zimbabwe will return as defending champions and will again be among the favourites to lift the trophy. Here is a quick guide to the teams that will take part in this year’s tournament. All-time record: P W D L GF GA Lesotho made the semi-finals last year where they were ousted in a thrilling 4-3 defeat to eventual champions Zimbabwe. Likuena were also runners-up to Zimbabwe in the 2000 edition of the southern African championship and have always been a difficult opponent. Angola are three-time winners of the COSAFA Cup but have not tasted success since 2004. In recent years they have opted to bring very young squads to the tournament as they use it to blood fresh talent for the World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations Cup qualifiers. They have qualified for the World Cup once before, in 2006, with their victory in the 2004 COSAFA Cup going some way to shaping that team. Botswana has been finalists as recently as 2016, where they lost 3-2 to South Africa’s Olympics-bound squad, but disappointed last year when they were eliminated by the same opposition in the Plate semi-finals. They also made the semi-finals in 2007, losing once again to the South Africans. The side is coached by veteran tactician David Bright. Comoros Islands return for their first COSAFA Cup since 2009 and for what will be only their third tournament over all. Their lone previous victory came against the Seychelles nine years ago, while they failed to score in any of their five other matches. The side is vastly improved since then though, as they have shown in recent continental qualifiers. Madagascar were ousted in the first round in 2017 despite taking seven points from their nine available, undone on goal-difference by eventual winners Zimbabwe. Their recent form has been excellent, with just two defeats in their last 12 COSAFA Cup matches, proving they will be no pushovers this year. The 2018 COSAFA Cup will get underway on May 27... Malawi have not perhaps lived up to their rich potential in recent times and are scoreless in their last four COSAFA Cup matches. They picked up just two points in 2017 and will hope for much better this time round under Belgian coach Ronny Van Geneugden. Malawi have been runners-up in two COSAFA Cup competitions, reaching the final for the first time in 2002 and then making the decider again the following year. Mauritius have perhaps not performed how they might have hoped in recent tournaments, and last year bowed out in the first round with two points. They caused arguably the biggest upset in COSAFA Cup history in 2004 when they beat South Africa, who had a full-strength team headed to the African Nations Cup finals in Tunisia, in the first round in Curepipe. But Club M are still seeking to get past the quarterfinal stage of the Southern African championship. Mozambique suffered to surprise, heavy defeats last year to Zimbabwe (0-4) and Madagascar (1-4) and will be hoping for much better this time round. They are led by flamboyant coach Abel Xavier, in his third COSAFA Cup tournament. Mozambique were semi-finalists in the 2004 and 2008 COSAFA Cup tournaments, and then went one better in 2015 when they lost 2-0 in the final to Namibia. Namibia were COSAFA Cup winners in 2015, won the Plate competition in 2016 and reached the final of the Plate again last year before losing to South Africa. Their trilling run to the major trophy three years ago was a huge personal triumph for coach Ricardo Mannetti, who remains in charge. They also made the final in 1999, but narrowly lost to Angola in extra-time in the second leg in Windhoek. Seychelles have just a single victory in 22 COSAFA Cup games, but that was a handsome 7-0 success over Mauritius in 2008 that remains the largest ever winning margin in the history of the tournament. Since they have battled, managing to score in only two of their previous 12 games and conceding 32 goals in that time. Four-time winners South Africa last tasted COSAFA Cup success in 2016, but have disappointed in recent tournaments, going out at the quarterfinal stage in two of the last three. South Africa are one of only two COSAFA member countries to have won the African Nations Cup title, doing so on home soil at their first attempt in 1996. Zambia joined them with their 2012 success. The final will be on June 9... Swaziland had a thrilling run in the 2016 COSAFA Cup when they claimed the bronze medal and have always been a difficult opponent at the tournament. They have reached the semi-finals of the COSAFA Cup on four occasions, proving their potential for upset results, but have yet to make that major leap into a final. Zambia are four-time winners of the COSAFA Cup but have been to nine finals in all, including last year when they were beaten 3-1 by Zimbabwe. Their previous title was in 2013 on home soil and they remain a real power of the region. Zambia won both first two editions of the COSAFA Cup in 1997 and 1998, but it took until 2006 for them to claim their third regional title. Zimbabwe are the most successful nation in the history of the COSAFA Cup, winning their fifth title in 2017. They have played the most matches, managed the most wins and scored the most goals to cement their place on the top of the pile. They have suffered disappointment too though with three runner-up finishes. Lesotho versus Swaziland COSAFA Cup quarterfinal set for June 3 Likuena will face Swaziland in the last eight of the COSAFA Cup... a win would book a date against Zambia or Namibia in the semis... Lesotho will face Swaziland in the quarterfinals of the 2018 COSAFA Cup and the tie will be played on June 3 at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa. Kick-off will be at 17:00. Likuena and Swaziland are both amongst the tournament’s six top ranked nations and, as a result, have avoided the group stage. If Likuena progress past Sihlangu they will face Zambia or Namibia in the semi-finals. The 2018 COSAFA Cup, which will be staged in South Africa’s Limpopo province from May 27 to June 9, will be the first in history in which all 14 member nations of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) will take part in the regional showpiece. This year’s event is also the 18th edition since the first tournament in 1997. Timothy Shongwe, COSAFA Executive Committee – Competitions, expressed delight that all member nations are competing in this year’s tournament. In recent years COSAFA has invited a guest nation to complete the 14-team competition field. Last year it was east African country Tanzania. “We are delighted that all of our members will take the opportunity to compete at the COSAFA Cup, which is not only a celebration of excellence in Southern African football, but also gives players, coaches and referees the chance to hone their skills in the international environment,” Shongwe said. For Lesotho the 2018 COSAFA Cup represents another chance to finally win an international trophy. Likuena coach Moses Maliehe acknowledged the draw could have been worse – with the side having avoided big guns Zambia, South Africa and defending champions Zimbabwe in the quarterfinals – but he insisted Likuena would not overlook Swaziland as they go in search of their first-ever international title. Swaziland is ranked 131st in the world by FIFA while Lesotho is 149th. “It is a good draw because it is fair, but you cannot underestimate Swaziland,” Maliehe said. “They are a very good team and even on the FIFA ranking they are above us.” Recent Lesotho v Swaziland head-to-head Lesotho 0-2 Swaziland COSAFA Cup Swaziland 1-2 Lesotho COSAFA Cup Draw: June 2 – 15:00 M13 Zambia v Namibia (Old Peter Mokaba Stadium) June 2 – 17:30 M14 South Africa v Winner Group A (Old Peter Mokaba Stadium) June 3 – 17:00 M15 Lesotho v Swaziland (Old Peter Mokaba Stadium) June 3 – 19:30 M16 Zimbabwe v Winner Group B (Old Peter Mokaba Stadium) Plate Semi-finals June 5 – 17:00 M17 Loser M13 v Loser M15 (Old Peter Mokaba Stadium) Cup Semi-finals June 6 – 17:00 M19 Winner M13 v Winner M15 (New Peter Mokaba Stadium) Plate Final Third-Place Playoff June 8 – 19:30 M22 Loser M19 v Loser M20 (New Peter Mokaba Stadium) Cup Final Moses Maliehe names Lesotho squad for 2018 COSAFA ... COSAFA Cup Preview – A quick guide to the 2018 COS... Lesotho versus Swaziland COSAFA Cup quarterfinal s...	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19367
__label__wiki	0.766197	0.766197	Hydrogen and FCEVs discussion thread Board index Non LEAF Discussions Business / Economy and Politics Re: Hydrogen and FCEVs discussion thread GRA wrote: SageBrush wrote: GRA wrote: And anyone else's isn't? Lots of forecasters recognize that the growth is geometric rather than linear. Location: East side of San Francisco Bay SageBrush wrote: Correct. Uh huh, both are far behind many forecasts of where they would be by now. Now that they are generally cost-effective, there's always the possibility that shortages of of raw materials or other issues will further disrupt/delay their "inevitable" exponential growth, just as has happened with every other energy source to date. You name it, oil, natural gas, hydro, nukes, biofuels, wind, solar, tidal, wave, OTEC, everything since coal replaced biomass as the dominant energy source has suffered such disruptions and made lies of the long-term forecasts. Guy [I have lots of experience designing/selling off-grid AE systems, some using EVs but don't own one. Local trips are by foot, bike and/or rapid transit]. The 'best' is the enemy of 'good enough'. Copper shot, not Silver bullets. GRA wrote: And ... Uh huh, both are far behind many forecasts of where they would be by now. And there is always someone fatter and someone over-optimistic. But both energy solutions have had geometric growth curves for a decade now while those agencies keep plotting linear growth. That is the point. Last edited by SageBrush on Thu Jun 20, 2019 6:25 pm, edited 1 time in total. SageBrush wrote: Wind and Solar That is the point. Sure they have had exponential growth just as other sources have, and they will until something disrupts them or they reach maturity and we see an S-curve), and the curve turns linear or flat for a while, until it starts climbing again (we assume, if nothing else develops to replace them). Who knows, maybe fusion will finally stop forever being 20 years in the future. I'm just glad they're now mostly cost-competitive with coal, and in some cases even NG. US, Europe and Japan to cooperate on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/06/20190621-h2.html On the sidelines of the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Energy Transitions and Global Environment for Sustainable Growth, US Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette; Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Hiroshige Seko; and European Union Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Cañete signed a joint statement of future cooperation on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. . . . GCR: The godfather of EVs in China has turned his attention to hydrogen cars https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1123693_the-godfather-of-evs-in-china-has-turned-his-attention-to-hydrogen-cars It's no accident that nearly half of the world's electric cars on the road today are in China. According to the International Energy Agency, of the 1.9 million battery electric vehicles on the road, 951 million are found in China. Wan Gang had a lot to do with that. The former Audi exec is now China's state science and technology chief and helped launch the country's aggressive push toward zero-emission vehicles after he delivered a report in 2000 outlining the country's need to develop an electric-car industry. China heavily subsidized that industry and helped push the world toward electrification. Now, Wan may have his sights set on hydrogen-powered vehicles. Wan told Bloomberg last week that the benefits of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles would benefit long-haul transportation: buses, trucks, etc. “We should look into establishing a hydrogen society,” he told Bloomberg. “We need to move further toward fuel cells.” His opinion carries more than its weight in mere words. Wan said the country may keep in place its subsidies for fuel-cell development, even if battery electric car incentives wane. China's nascent hydrogen fuel cell market is much smaller than Japan's, which leads the world in hydrogen adoption. But that may change if China's government can spur growth for hydrogen fuel cells through incentives the same way they have for EVs in the last 20 years. . . . According to the U.S. Department of Energy, China had 12 hydrogen refueling stations in operation in May 2018 compared to more than 100 in Japan who has stated that it aims to have roughly 200 by the end of next year. Wan says the country will move toward building more infrastructure to support hydrogen-powered vehicles. “We will sort out the factors that have been hindering the development of fuel-cell vehicles,” Wan told Bloomberg. If China's push toward hydrogen matches its push toward electrification that could net a seismic change for the industry within the next 15 years. Oils4AsphaultOnly Location: Arcadia, CA GRA wrote: GCR: Good luck with that! Sounds like non-committal promises in a land of technocrats. BYD already has a substantial product line in the BEV bus and trucks segment. Once China figures out the long term development and operating costs, you won't hear about it past the "development" phase. :: Model 3 LR :: acquired 9 May '18 :: Leaf S30 :: build date: Sep '16 :: purchased: Nov '16 100% Zero transportation emissions (except when I walk) and loving it! Oils4AsphaultOnly wrote: As has been noted in either this or the AFV commercial vehicles topics, Ballard has a major contract to supply stacks to a Chinese bus maker, and other companies are also moving into the field. GCC: France’s first refueling station for hydrogen buses opens https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/06/201090627-franceh2.html . . . The SMT-AG has attributed to ENGIE, via its subsidiary GNVERT, the design, supply, installation and maintenance of the Houdain-Divion hydrogen gas distribution station. It will enable the refueling of six hydrogen buses that will be deployed on the new BHNS (High Level Service Bus) bus line connecting Bruay-La-Buissière and Auchel. The project is equipped with McLyzer and McFilling technologies. Clean hydrogen will be produced on site by electrolysis, from renewable electricity of certified French origin, before being distributed by the station. Fifteen minutes of refueling will give the buses more than 300 km of autonomy. . . . In its current configuration, the McPhy station can produce and deliver more than 200 kg of clean hydrogen a day. Its capacity can be increased by 30% without changing the facility’s total surface area, if required by the SMT-AG’s future needs. OTOH, also GCC: Saudi Aramco and Air Products inaugurate Saudi Arabia’s first hydrogen fueling station https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/06/20190627-aramcoh2.html Saudi Aramco and Air Products recently inaugurated the first hydrogen fueling station in Saudi Arabia at Air Products’ new Technology Center in the Dhahran Techno Valley Science Park. The pilot station will fuel an initial fleet of six Toyota Mirai fuel cell electric vehicles with high-purity compressed hydrogen. This pilot project represents an exciting opportunity for Saudi Aramco and Air Products to demonstrate the potential of hydrogen in the transport sector and its viability as a sustainable fuel for the future. Today’s milestone is an important step in making oil-to-hydrogen a reality as Saudi Aramco continues to be focused on creating breakthrough technologies and solutions as part of our long term efforts to reduce carbon emissions and address climate concerns. — Amin H. Nasser, President and CEO of Saudi Aramco. . . . The data collected during the initial phase of this project will provide valuable information for the assessment of future applications of this emerging and diverse transport technology in the local environment. While getting hands-on experience is useful, unless the plan is to eventually produce H2 from renewables it's pretty pointless. The Saudis do say that they plan to move to renewables: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-energy-reforms/saudi-arabia-sees-domestic-energy-use-falling-plans-renewables-push-idUSKCN1P918N Bloom Energy announces hydrogen-powered energy servers to make always-on renewable electricity a reality https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/06/20190630-bloom.html Bloom Energy, a developer of solid oxide fuel cell power generators, announced the ability of its Energy Servers to operate on renewable hydrogen. Current Bloom Energy Servers generate electricity using natural gas or biogas as fuel. At peak times, some US states and countries already have more renewable power than their grids can handle. Despite those periods of excess wind and solar power, because the ability to store electricity for more than a few hours is lacking, dispatchable power from the combustion of fossil fuels continues to bridge gaps in supply. In areas with large amounts of wind and solar power, excess renewables can be used to produce hydrogen from water via electrolysis. Such renewable hydrogen is becoming cheaper to produce and more readily available, and can be stored indefinitely where it is produced, or in large storage and pipeline networks like the natural gas system. The ability to operate on renewable hydrogen means Bloom Energy Servers installed today to run on natural gas can be readily upgraded in situ to use renewable hydrogen in future. . . . Bloom Energy Servers can operate on pure hydrogen or a combination of natural gas and hydrogen. As the availability of renewable hydrogen increases, it could also be blended into the natural gas pipeline network. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has concluded that blending up to 15% hydrogen into the natural gas supply will not significantly impact household appliances, public safety, or the durability and integrity of the natural gas pipeline network. Bloom Energy anticipates early demand for hydrogen-powered fuel cells in Asia, where hydrogen production and utilization are being actively developed by countries including France, Japan, Korea and Australia. . . . Also GCC: Cummins to acquire fuel-cell provider Hydrogenics https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/06/20190629-cummins.html Cummins Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, all the issued and outstanding shares of fuel-cell systems provider Hydrogenics Corporation for US$15.00 per share in cash, other than shares already owned by The Hydrogen Company, representing an enterprise value of approximately $290 million. . . . As a part of the transaction, The Hydrogen Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of L’Air Liquide, S.A., and Hydrogenics’ current largest equity shareholder, will maintain its ownership in Hydrogenics. . . . Return to “Business / Economy and Politics”	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19371
__label__wiki	0.894063	0.894063	Title: Bohemian Rhapsody Director: Bryan Singer Actors: Rami Malek Lucy Boynton Joseph Mazzello Mike Myers Ben Hardy Aidan Gillen Gwilym Lee Tom Hollander Allen Leech Aaron McCusker Official Site: Fox Perfectly adequate but not particularly exceptional, this biopic of Queen front-man Freddie Mercury features some undeniably rousing musical moments – Live Aid, anyone? – but feels a bit lacking when it comes to painting a deeply compelling three-dimensional portrait of one of the music industry’s most iconic figures. It seems more like a skim than a deep dive. Rami Malek, sporting one helluva set of prosthetic dentures and an array of questionable wigs, stars as Mercury, who went from Heathrow baggage handler to rock god over the course of about two decades. Directed (mostly) by Bryan Singer, who was fired from the production late in the game and replaced with Dexter Fletcher, the film traces Mercury’s rise to fame and hits all the key notes: his teaming with Brian May (Gwilym Lee), Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) and John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello) to form Queen in 1970; his relationship with lifelong love Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton); his increasingly flamboyant and outrageous escapades; his substance abuse and estrangement from his bandmates; his sexuality; and his AIDS diagnosis in the mid-1980s. Bookended by Queen’s stadium-shaking now-legendary reunion performance at Live Aid in 1985, Bohemian Rhapsody is a pretty standard-issue biographical film that ticks all the requisite boxes and does shed some light on how – and, more interestingly, why – several of Queen’s biggest hits were created (perhaps most notably, “We Will Rock You”). There might not be a whole lot of new information in its 135-minute running time but, for anyone who grew up in the 1970s and ‘80s, what it lacks in revealing insights or previously unknown details it makes up for in nostalgia. I watched Live Aid at home when it was broadcast, and seeing it recreated in painstaking detail brought back all the feels. For his part, Malek does a decent job as Mercury, shining brightest when he slips into Mercury’s spectacular spandex and stage acrobatics, but comparatively weaker and less convincing in the offstage/personal-life sequences, which feel somewhat hollow. His previously mentioned curious coifs are sometimes distractingly bad, and I’m not sure the epic dentures, as much as they’re a necessity for the part, help much when it comes to effective and emotive line readings – it just looks and sounds like Malek is trying hard to get out his words. The actors playing the other members of Queen are all strong, but it’s supporting players such as Aidan Gillen (as the band’s manager), Tom Hollander (as their lawyer) and Downton Abbey’s Allen Leech (as Mercury’s de-facto manager/hanger-on/eventual betrayer) who really elevate the proceedings. Leech, especially, walks a brilliantly fine line between adoration and unhealthy obsession, making his Paul Prenter simultaneously worthy of pity and scorn. The Mike “Wayne Campbell” Myers cameo – as EMI exec Ray Foster, who hated the titular tune – is a little too on-the-nose/meta “WINK, WINK, GET IT?!?! HAHAHAHA!,” though. Despite its minor flaws, Rhapsody is nonetheless enjoyable overall – it’s just not the mind-blowing cinematic experience I hoped it would be. It is packed with amazing music and some solid performances, and it elicited tears from me more than once. And if you’re a child of the ‘80s, the chance to re-experience the extravaganza that was Live Aid on a big screen, especially after reliving the history leading up to Wembley Stadium erupting at the sight of Mercury taking the stage, might – MIGHT – alone be worth the price of admission. The Blu-ray release includes the full 20-minute Live Aid set, as re-created (emotional power intact) for the film (set list: “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Radio Ga Ga”, “Hammer to Fall”, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, “We Will Rock You”, “We Are the Champions”). There are also three behind-the-scenes featurettes, clocking in at roughly 20-minutes each: "Rami Malek: Becoming Freddie", "The Look and Sound of Queen", "Recreating Live Aid". Tidbits include a discussion of the many sets of prosthetic buck teeth that Malek had to go through (while still being able to act) until they found a set of chompers that worked; the fascinating re-creation of the Live Aid concert scene, where they had to deal with reviving the look of the old Wembley Stadium, the lights on the stage, and the trailers behind the scenes, plus generating a small crowd of extras to look like tens of thousands of people (computer magic!); plus there's plenty of the real Brian May and Roger Taylor, who were heavily involved with the film, including loaning some of their actual instruments and clothes for such scenes and the barn studio where the band recorded "Bohemian Rhapsody" among other songs. Singing and Singers Latest from Pie Pal Vickie Whitney (2018) More in this category: « Tomb Raider (2018) Ready Player One »	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19376
__label__wiki	0.952119	0.952119	You are here: Home George Belliveau plays to the world George Belliveau plays to the world Posted on July 20, 2010 by Ken Kelley \| After wowing audiences in Vancouver during the Winter Olympics in February, Acadian country artist George Belliveau is getting another shot at performing for an international audience later this week. He is one of a dozen artists and bands slated to play Downtown Moncton as a part of the Mosaiq Concert Series which starts on Thursday. Belliveau will be joining In-Flight Safety and HAJAMadagascar on the Atlantic Lottery Mainstage (in front of Moncton City Hall on Main Street) for a show on Friday July 23 starting at 7:30 pm. Belliveau makes no qualms about his love of performing live and is looking forward to using his upcoming Moncton show as an opportunity to win over some fans from many of the international countries who are in Moncton in conjunction with the IAAF. “Having the IAAF take place in Moncton is a great opportunity for people from outside of our community to see what the city has to offer. Plus, it is great for me to be a part of it and having the chance to perform, much like it was at the Olympics” Belliveau says. He goes on to say that the diversity of the crowd featured at events like the IAAF and the Olympics is truly great to see and that it is indeed a rarity to be able to share your music with so many different cultures. “There is no doubt that all of the artists who performed at the Olympics had the opportunity to score some good international exposure. While there, I played a show at Atlantic House, a 400-person capacity theatre that was packed each and every night. People were at the shows to party – it was a lot like the East Coast in that way,” he laughs. If you’re not already familiar with the George Belliveau name, he has been a star on the Acadian music scene for years now. As a part of the now defunct band Bois Joli, Belliveau and the group sold upwards of 20,000 copies of their four records, including the 2008 “Les Hits” release. Although Bois Joli’s debut record accounts for a large majority of their total album sales, the group decided to revise and re-record a number of the songs from their debut for “Les Hits”. “When we made our first record in 1998, we weren’t all as comfortable with the studio as we got to be later in our career. We felt there were a lot of good tracks on our debut that weren’t necessarily given the representation we would have liked to have seen. When it came time to put ‘Les Hits’ together, we thought it would be great to give some of our oldest songs a second chance to send the band off in a positive way.” Even though Bois Joli has no future plans to speak of, Belliveau is quick to acknowledge that the success of the group has undoubtedly helped his solo career to date: “My solo career is rooted in more of the American Country genre where Bois Joli was considerably more folk-oriented and traditional. But where I was the voice behind Bois Joli, I have been lucky to hold onto a lot of Bois Joli fans while also winning over new fans that might have been too young to remember Bois Joli as a band.” Aside from playing a number of shows over the remainder of the summer, Belliveau is also in the writing stages of his third solo record, the follow-up to “Prise 2” which was released in 2008. “I have the bulk of the songs written for a new record. Many of them are started but aren’t quite finished just yet. We have to look at adding lyrics to many of the tracks which I will be doing with the help of some co-writers,” he says. Owning your own recording studio is a plus for any musician and as Belliveau is one of those fortunate souls, he has deservedly given himself the summer “off” to ensure that he is prepared when it comes time to start the actual recording. “I don’t tend to work much in the summer time,” he laughs. “And for this summer, I had decided that playing shows and writing my new record would be my primary focus so that I don’t have a lot on my plate at once come the fall.” Article published in July 20, 2010 edition of the Times & Transcript Filed in: MusicNerd Features	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19379
__label__wiki	0.586882	0.586882	Resume Reading — The Mystery of Human Uniqueness Culture Neuroscience The Mystery of Human Uniqueness What, exactly, makes our biology special? Gary Marcus By Gary Marcus Illustration by John Hendrix May 2, 2019 If you dropped a dozen human toddlers on a beautiful Polynesian island with shelter and enough to eat, but no computers, no cell phones,…By Gary Marcus If you dropped a dozen human toddlers on a beautiful Polynesian island with shelter and enough to eat, but no computers, no cell phones, and no metal tools, would they grow up to be like humans we recognize or like other primates? Would they invent language? Without the magic sauce of culture and technology, would humans be that different from chimpanzees? Nobody knows. (Ethics bars the toddler test.) Since the early 1970s, scientists across the biological sciences keep stumbling on the same hint over and over again: we’re different but not nearly as different as we thought. Neuroscientists, geneticists, and anthropologists have all given the question of human uniqueness a go, seeking special brain regions, unique genes, and human-specific behaviors, and, instead, finding more evidence for common threads across species. In the old days, the main hypotheses were behavioral. “Humans are the only animals to use tools.” “Humans are the only animals to have culture.” “Humans are the only animals to teach their young.” But over time most of those guesses have turned out to be wrong. It’s become even more mysterious because almost everything we have found points in the opposite direction, toward what biologists call conservation—evolution’s tendency to use many of the same genes, neurotransmitters, and brain circuits, over and over again. Why has pinpointing the origins of human uniqueness proven so difficult? Consider, for example, the overall anatomy of the brain. As many people know, the human brain is divided into two hemispheres, left and right. Same for the chimpanzee. How about division into frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes? Yep, chimpanzees have that too. And so, for that matter, do horses, cats, and squirrels. The basic organization of the brain is something we share with all mammals. Could it be that which distinguishes us is the six-layer sheet that defines the wrinkly outer portion of the brain called the neocortex? Nope, chimps (and other mammals) have that too. How about Broca’s area, the part of the brain most associated with language? This, too, has a counterpart in the chimpanzee brain. Meanwhile, the organization of the human brain turns out to be far more complex than many anticipated; almost anything you might have read about brain organization a couple decades ago turns out to be radically oversimplified. Broca’s area, for instance, participates in language, just as everybody imagined, but it’s also used for muscle control, music, and perhaps even imitation. In fact, lots of other parts of the brain, like the prefrontal cortex and even the cerebellum play important roles in language. Language isn’t something that resides in a tiny, well-defined corner of the brain, but something distributed across a great deal of the brain. Also in Neuroscience Why Is the Human Brain So Efficient? By Liqun Luo The brain is complex; in humans it consists of about 100 billion neurons, making on the order of 100 trillion connections. It is often compared with another complex system that has enormous problem-solving power: the digital computer. Both the brain...READ MORE To add to the challenge, brain regions don’t wear name tags (“Hello, I am Broca”), and instead their nature and boundaries must be deduced based on a host of factors such as physical landmarks (such as the hills and valleys of folded cortical tissue), the shapes of their neurons, and the ways in which they respond to different chemical stains. Even with the most advanced technologies, it’s a tough business, sort of like trying to tell whether you are in Baltimore or Philadelphia by looking out the window of a moving train. Because the two cities were built out of similar raw materials over a similar time period, many of their parts look superficially similar. All of the neocortex (the part of the brain that only mammals have) is a six-layered sheet, so different areas of the outer brain (which makes up most of the brain’s volume) wind up looking more similar than different. Even under a microscope human brain tissue looks an awful lot like primate brain tissue. We have gone from expecting (but not finding) human-specific brain regions to searching for second-order differences. We ask questions like, “Might there be a greater degree of asymmetry between the left hemisphere and right hemisphere in human beings than chimpanzees in a part of the brain known as the planum temporale?” That’s sort of like saying that New York is different from Paris because we have more water towers on the roof. It might be true, but it’s not really getting at why the two cities feel so different. When we look at our genomes, the situation is no different. Back in the early 1970s, Mary-Claire King discovered that if you compared human and chimpanzee DNA, they were so similar that they must have been nearly identical to begin with. Now that our genomes have actually been sequenced, we know that King, who worked without the benefit of modern genomic equipment, was essentially right. Nearly every gene in the human genome has a counterpart in the chimpanzee genome, and vice versa. Even one look at the individual letters (nucleotides) reveals that our genomes are shockingly similar. Virtually every gene in our genomes—from genes for dopamine and serotonin to genes like BDNF and COMT that contribute to memory control—has a counterpart in the chimpanzee genome. And that’s true even for the gene FOXP2, that has been decisively linked to human language. Of the 715 amino acids that correspond to the part of the FOXP2 gene that codes for a protein, only two differ between human and chimpanzee versions. As of early 2013, we still don’t know which genes are vital to making us differ from chimpanzees. But we do know that genetically we are far more similar than different. Why, if our lives are so different, is our biology so similar? The first part of the answer is obvious: human beings and chimpanzees diverged from a common ancestor only 4 to 7 million years ago. Every bit of long evolutionary history before then—150 million previous years or so as mammals, a few billion as single-celled organisms—is shared. Seven million years is fairly short by the yardstick of evolutionary change. The second part of the answer develops from the first, and lies in the dynamics of how evolutionary change works. In principle, when an engineer builds something new, he or she has the luxury of starting from scratch, perhaps substituting a new material, like steel, for an older material, like wood, or replacing a gasoline-powered engine with an electric one—wholesale changes that can lead to radical improvements. Evolution never has that luxury. It can’t simply take a species offline while it waits to release Humans 2.0. Instead, each new development builds on top of ancestral forms; in the immortal words of the great biologist François Jacob, evolution is like “a tinkerer who does not know exactly what he is going to produce but uses whatever he finds around him whether it be pieces of string, fragments of wood, or old cardboards; in short it works like a tinkerer who uses everything at his disposal to produce some kind of workable object.” A human brain is a primate brain, tweaked. Not something wholly new, developed from scratch to fit the needs of our particular lifestyle. In short, humans may live very differently than chimpanzees, but the structural plans of our biology necessarily can represent only modest tinkerings to the genetic material that we inherited from our last common ancestors. Language, regardless of how it is instantiated in our brain, represents a comparatively tiny cognitive enhancement relative to the mental machinery we inherited from our last common ancestor. The same is true for the underlying biology of each of our cognitive innovations. If it seems like scientists trying to find the basis of human uniqueness in the brain are looking for a neural needle in a haystack, it’s because they are. Whatever makes us different is built on the bedrock of a billion years of common ancestry. Humans will never abandon the quest to prove that they are special. But nor can we escape the fact that our minds are a modest tweak on an ancient plan that originated millions of years before we came onto the scene. Gary Marcus is a professor of psychology and neural science at NYU. He contributes frequently to the New Yorker and The New York Times. He is the author of four books, including The Algebraic Mind, Kluge: The Haphazard Evolution of the Human Mind, and The New York Times bestseller, Guitar Zero. This article was originally published in our “What Makes You So Special” issue in May, 2013. Psychology Human Exceptionalism Stifles Progress Philosophy The Philosopher Who Says We Should Play God Neuroscience The Mystery of Human Uniqueness Are Animal Experiments Justified? By Grigori Guitchounts Dude, Where’s My Frontal Cortex? By Robert Sapolsky Why Happiness Is Hard to Find—in the Brain By Dean Burnett Why Neuroscientists Need to Study the Crow	cc/2019-30/en_head_0049.json.gz/line19380

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