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Market Report: political and economic instability drive down benchmark index 2.4 per cent
The EGX30 index falls 2.4 per cent to close at 6.910 points while turnover hit LE 1.655 billion on the back of investor uncertainty
Khaled Barakat , Monday 17 Jan 2011
A selling spree hit the Egyptian stock market after an Egyptian set himself on fire in Downtown Cairo driven by economic woes. The incident weighed on Egypt's benchmark EGX30 index, which fell 2.4 per cent to its lowest level since December 22, 2010.
Khaled Serry Siam Head of Egyptian Stock Exchange urged investors not to be misled by such events.
He added that the performance of the Egyptian economy, according to global indicators, are good, and the stock market is booming with no need for investors to panic.
Traders explain that the shift toward selling was instigated by foreign traders, mainly in the investment portfolios owned by Arabs.
”The situation calls for concern, the selling spree focuses on heavyweights' equity," says Mohsen Adel, managing director at Pioneers Investment Bank.
“The fear from the political condition is expected to dominate until the end of the week, the Egyptian pound also fell today to its lowest level against the dollar in almost six years, recording LE5.83," added Mohsen.
Foreign investors tended towards loading off their equities, selling twice as much as bought with a net worth of LE240.4 million.
Arabs and nationals tended to buy, with a net value of LE180 million and LE60 million respectively.
Most leading stocks ended in the negative territory, led by EFG-Hermes that fell 6.3 per cent to LE 31.8. Commercial International Bank (CIB) dropped 3.5 per cent to LE 41. 8. Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) dipped 1.7 per cent to LE 284.8.
Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH), however, rose almost 1 per cent after the announcement of Vimpelcom's board approval of a revised bid for Italy's Wind and Cairo-based Orascom Telecom, both owned by Naguib Sawiris. Telenor, one of the main stakeholders in Vimpelcom demanded its pre-emptive rights be safeguarded in the sale of new shares.
Nationals dominated 70 per cent of total trading and Retail investors controlled 54.6 per cent of total trading.
The EGX70 followed the same trend as the EGX30, dropping by 4.4 per cent to close at 743 points.
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[monday, september 09, 2019]
Development Update: Monday, September 9
Updates include: Hailee Steinfeld offered the role of Kate Bishop on "Hawkeye" at Disney+; Brad Paisley to star in comedy project for Amazon; Mark B. Perry to reboot "Dark Shadows" for The CW.
"Younger" Season Six Finale Draws 1.2 Million Total Viewers and Is Series' Top-Rated Season Finale Among W25-54
TV Land further spins the numbers for Wednesday, September 4.
CBS All Access Announces Guest Stars for Season Three of "No Activity"
Beth Behrs, Joe Keery, Keegan-Michael Key, Dylan McDermott and Paula Pell will be joined by returning faces Jake Johnson, Sunita Mani, Jason Mantzoukas, Amy Sedaris and J.K. Simmons.
TLC's "Outdaughtered" Returns with New Episodes Beginning Tuesday, October 1 at 8PM ET/PT
In a special, two-hour premiere, viewers will follow along as America's first all-female quintuplets celebrate their fourth birthday and big sister Blayke turns eight.
Grass-Roots Racing Memphis Style in the All-New Season of Discovery's "Street Outlaws: Memphis"
Look for a special two-hour premiere on Monday, September 30 at 8:00/7:00c.
Bravo Flips the Script with a New Limited Event Series "In a Man's World" Premiering Tuesday, October 1 at 10PM ET/PT
From Viola Davis and husband Julius Tennon's JuVee Productions and Lucky 8, the eye-opening series follows four dynamic women who embark on the journey of a lifetime as they transform into men to experience life from the opposite side.
Golden Globe(R) Award-Winning Actress Katey Sagal Returns in a Recurring Role on ABC's No. 1 Comedy, "The Conners," Premiering Tuesday, Sept. 24
Returning with Sagal are fan-favorite guest stars including Estelle Parsons as Beverly Harris, James Pickens Jr. as Chuck Mitchell and Jay R. Ferguson as Ben.
Lauren Ruggiero Promoted to Senior Vice President, Scripted Original Series, Paramount Network
Ruggiero joined Paramount Network in 2015 and most recently served as Vice President, Scripted Original Series.
HBO Renews Comedy Series "The Righteous Gemstones" for a Second Season
"Danny, Jody and David are among our favorite collaborators and we're thrilled that their take on a family comedy has been met with such enthusiasm," says Amy Gravitt.
BET Networks and Tyler Perry Studios to Debut BET+ Thursday, September 19
For $9.99 per month, BET+ will feature more than 1,000 hours of premium content, including exclusive new original programming and fan-favorite series, movies, and specials from BET Networks.
TV One's Hit Series "Uncensored" Returns with All New Episodes Exploring the Intimate Lives of Celebrities on Sunday, October 6 at 9 P.M./8C
The edgy docu-series explores the private lives of some of today's most notable personalities including singer/actress Tisha Campbell, supermodel Tyra Banks, actress LisaRaye McCoy, comedian/actress Niecy Nash, former NBA star Lamar Odom and more.
Amanda Peet and Christian Slater to Headline Season 2 of USA Network's Anthology Series "Dirty John"
This second installment will be based on another epic true tale of love gone wrong - a story that spans the 1960s to the '80s, through the breakdown of a marriage that Oprah deemed one of "America's messiest divorces" even before it ended in double homicide.
Comedy Central Unveils Show Title for Superstar Awkwafina's Upcoming Series, "Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens"
The project is a half-hour scripted comedy loosely based on Awkwafina's (Nora Lum) real life growing up in Flushing.
Sunday's Broadcast Ratings: "Sunday Night Football" Kicks Off on Top
NBC's NFL franchise formally opens on par with last year's numbers.
CBS Announces the 20 Castaways Competing on the Next Edition of "Survivor," Premiering Wednesday, Sept. 25
This edition features two legendary winners, Boston Rob Mariano and Sandra Diaz-Twine, who return to the game to serve as mentors to a group of 20 new castaways.
WGN America Unleashes "Dog's Most Wanted" - Fans Can Stream Premiere Episode Online
The premiere on Wednesday, September 4, attracted nearly 1.7 million total viewers and 726,000 adults 25-54 overall on premiere night.
Jenna Coleman, Billy Howle and Ellie Bamber Join "The Serpent" - An Astonishing Crime Drama for BBC One and Netflix
Filming has now begun on the Mammoth Screen-produced series, which as previously announced will co-star Tahar Rahim as Charles Sobrhaj, one of the most elusive criminals of the 20th century.
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC Rides College Football to Another Victory
The Alphabet easily wins the evening in total viewers and adults 18-49.
Friday's Broadcast Ratings: NBC Wins Demo Race; CBS Tops Viewers
The Peacock takes home the adults 18-49 crown while CBS is again the most-watched network.
Gillian Anderson Will Play Margaret Thatcher in "The Crown" Season Four, Now in Production
Netflix confirmed the news on social media this morning.
Development Update: Friday, September 6
Updates include: FX's "A Teacher" fills out ensemble cast; Jonathan Igla to spearhead "Hawkeye" TV series for Disney+; and Darren Criss joins Netflix's "Hollywood."
Video: USA Network Releases "The Purge" Season 2 Official Trailer & Key Art
The series returns Tuesday, October 15 at 9:00/8:00c on the cable channel.
Season Three of Disney Channel's "Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure" Premieres Monday, Oct. 7
Guest stars this season include Sean Giambrone, Khary Payton and Chris Diamantopoulos.
Revelations and Confrontations Take Center Stage on Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Potomac" Three-Part Reunion Beginning Sunday, September 15 at 8PM ET/PT
Gizelle Bryant, Karen Huger, Ashley Darby, Robyn Dixon, Monique Samuels, and Candiace Dillard Bassett will take a look at this season's most tumultuous moments.
Showtime(R) Releases All Nine Episodes of New Docuseries "Couples Therapy"
The series makes its linear premiere tonight at 10:00/9:00c on the pay channel.
Video: Lifetime Releases Official Trailer for Movie "The College Admissions Scandal" Premiering October 12
Penelope Ann Miller, Mia Kirshner and Michael Shanks star in the film which follows the story of over 50 wealthy and elite families that tried to cheat the college admissions system.
Naomi Ackie Cast in Season 2 of "The End of the F***ing World," Premiering This November
Netflix broke the news via social media this morning.
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: NFL Season Kicks Off on Top for NBC
Early results see the Peacock up from last season's debut in total viewers and adults 18-49.
Video: Amazon Prime Video Releases the Trailer of the Much Awaited Drama-Thriller and Amazon Original Series - "The Family Man"
The trailer invites viewers to take a peek into the life of Srikant Tiwari, a middle-class guy, who is also a world-class spy.
Development Update: Thursday, September 5
Updates include: Hulu shelves "The Grisham Universe"; Joseph Gordon-Levitt to lead "Mr. Corman" for Apple TV+; and Gary Sinise signs onto Netflix's "13 Reasons Why."
USA Network Announces New Limited Series "Evel" Starring Milo Ventimiglia
The project is based on the story of larger-than-life 70's daredevil Evel Knievel as he prepares for his greatest death-defying feat, the historic Snake River Canyon jump.
"Queer Eye: We're in Japan," A Four Episode Special, Premieres November 1
Plus: get a first look at the four-episode special.
Netflix Makes Series Deal with Writer, Director, and Producer Patty Jenkins
"I'm so excited to embark on a great journey of making the new world of television with a company and group of people I admire as much as Ted, Cindy, Channing, Peter and the team at Netflix," said Jenkins.
Comedy Central's "The Jim Jefferies Show" Returns on Tuesday, September 17 at 10:30 P.M. ET/PT
The Australian late-night host will take viewers to places around the world, including Hong Kong, Australia, Japan and South Africa, for segments that highlight unique and thought-provoking international experiences.
Oxygen's "A Wedding and a Murder" Returns Monday, September 9 at 9PM ET/PT
Each hour-long episode chronicles the emotional world of romances that quickly disintegrates into betrayal, devastation, and ultimately ends in murder.
"Wife Swap" Renewed for 20 New Episodes on Paramount Network
"'Wife Swap' is an iconic international hit that we knew would resonate with our Paramount Network audience," says Keith Cox.
Video: AMC Releases Official Trailer and Show Art for "Hip Hop: The Songs That Shook America"
Each of the six episodes focuses on a groundbreaking song pivotal to the evolution of American music and culture.
Spectrum Originals Limited Event Reunion Series "Mad About You" Produced by Sony Pictures Television to Debut November 20
The first six episodes drop ad-free exclusively on Spectrum's On Demand platform.
Chefs Must Have the Sweet Touch in New Tournament "Chopped: Sweets Showdown"
Guest judges for the stunt include Florian Bellanger, Valerie Bertinelli, Maneet Chauhan, Scott Conant, Amanda Freitag, Alex Guarnaschelli, Marc Murphy, Chris Santos, Martha Stewart, Sylvia Weinstock and Zac Young.
CBS Renews Hit Summer Series "Big Brother" for Its 22nd Season
Summer-to-date, the Thursday and Sunday episodes are tops in key demos among all broadcasts.
Amazon Prime Video Sets November 1 Debut for Second Season of Action-Thriller "Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan"
In the second season, after tracking a potentially suspicious shipment of illegal arms in the Venezuelan jungle, CIA Officer Jack Ryan heads down to South America to investigate.
Wednesday's Broadcast Ratings: NBC, "Got Talent" Win Tight Race
The Peacock takes home top honors in total viewers and adults 18-49.
Video: "Disenchantment" - Official Part 2 Trailer - Netflix
High-spirited Princess Bean walks through hell to save a friend, learns about a mystical destiny set for her, and helps restore her father's kingdom.
Wendie Malick, Alex Hirsch and Sarah-Nicole Robles to Star in Disney Channel's Animated Series "The Owl House," Premiering Early 2020
The animated series follows Luz (voiced by Robles), a self-assured teenage girl who stumbles upon a portal to a magical realm where she befriends rebellious witch Eda (voiced by Malick) and tiny warrior King (voiced by Hirsch).
Join the Thrill Ride to the Depths of the World's Greatest Mystery in the Two-Hour Global Premiere of "Loch Ness Monster: New Evidence"
The global premiere of the two-hour special premieres in the United States on Travel Channel on Sunday, September 15 at 8:00/7:00c.
Development Update: Wednesday, September 4
Updates include: TBS cancels "The Detour"; Will Poulter cast in Amazon's "The Lord of the Rings" TV series; and Hulu eyes sequel series for "The Handmaid's Tale."
Netflix Announces 10+ Original Series Made with Korea Creators at the 2019 Asia TV Drama Conference
Highlights include the second seasons of "Busted" and "Kingdom."
"Robot Chicken" Season 10 Premieres Sept. 29th on Adult Swim
The upcoming season will celebrate the 200th episode of the Emmy(R)-winning show.
Start Your Engines! Kevin James Heads Into the Pit in New Netflix Comedy Series "The Crew"
Set in a NASCAR garage, James will play the crew chief.
NBC's "Return to Downton Abbey: A Grand Event" Revisits Iconic Characters and Cast as Fans Head to Theaters This Fall for More Time with the Crawleys and Company
The film "Downton Abbey," which features the returning cast and a story highlighted by a visit from the King and Queen of England, opens in theaters September 20.
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April 29th, 2019, 18:14 Posted By: wraggster
Sega has reorganised its European operations to bring mobile studio Hardlight closer in line with its other developers.
The publisher's European arm operates a pillar structure that concentrates on the output of Creative Assembly, Sports Interactive, Relic Entertainment and Amplitude Studios. Now Sega Hardlight will become the fifth pillar.
The studio is best known for mobile titles such as Sonic Dash and Sonic Forces: Speed Battle. It is currently working on Sonic Racing, which will be released exclusively for the upcoming Apple Arcade subscription service.
Sega has emphasised that Hardlight will continue to primarily work on mobile games after this restructure, "with a view to the industry's emerging new platforms and services" -- which sounds like more Arcade titles, plus whatever other subscription or streaming services come to mobile.
This new position in Sega's company also means the Leamington-based team can "work across a whole range of... projects for Sega and its studios", suggesting potential collaborations with the other pillars.
To oversee this transition, Neall Jones is taking over Hardlight as studio director, stepping up from his role as development director. He has been at Hardlight for six years, prior to which he worked at Codemasters, Traveller's Tales and Eidos.
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...llar-structure
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ILLUSTRIOUS BITS WEEK 30: ANY CHARACTER CREATED BY ROB LIEFELD - DOMINO
It's been a while since I posted any sketches for Illustrious Bits. I've been crazy busy, but at the same time, the weeks for Illustrious Bits was moved from taking place over one week to letting everyone have two weeks to get their art in. So, I had a bit more time to get things done. Of course, lol, I didn't get done as much as I wanted. This week's theme is "any character created by Rob Liefield". I think this is an excellent subject and I actually have FIVE sketches pencilled out. But I've only gotten one done so far, Domino. Hopefully I can get the rest done by Sunday! I used to be in an apa (amatuer press association) called TitanTalk many years ago with Rob. I think I was about 12/13 and he was slightly older than me. He was doing some really fun stuff back then and some of his Titans related work even made it into what became Youngblood. Very cool!
Back to Domino though, she's an interesting character and a lot more dynamic than her Petey the dog look.
Domino (c) Marvel Comics
RECENT COMMISSION WORK
Here are some of the latest commissions I've done through conventions and deviantArt! Thanks to all who have commissioned me. I really appreciate the support!
ALANIS AND FIREBOMB FIGURINES ARE HERE!
FINALLY! I'm very proud to announce that we have received both of the first two figurines from Drumfish Productions SENTINELS and NEVERMINDS series. Alanis Munroe and Firebomb look AMAZING! Seriously, I wasn't quite sure how the mass produced figurines would look once they were made (I had fears of crossed eyes and missing feet) but the manufacturer did an unbelievable job on these. Thank you all for waiting patiently for the figurines! But now the wait is over and they are ready to ship! All of the preorders we received have gone or are going out this week! And I want to make everyone aware that we only did a limited run on these which we have already sold halfway out of. So, if anyone is considering buying them, don't wait!
Here's the details on ordering:
The figurines are $40 each. They come in their own individual box (as seen below) and each have their own stand (which is stamp with logo and character id). There is an added charge of $5 for shipping within the U.S.A. and oversea I have to check and get back to wherever is requested. Please note me here, on our Facebook page, or by email at sentinelsmail@aol.com. We accept money order, check and PayPal.
We already have the second set of figurines in development!!!
Harlee guards the figurines until they are all shipped out for orders!
ILLUSTRIOUS BITS WEEK 29: BLACK CANARY
I used to post my contributions on the first day of each week for Illustrious Bits, but lately, it's more on the last day, lol. Not sure what's up with that. Guess I've been kinda busy. Still, I was able to get this week's subject done! Here is Black Canary!!
Black Canary © DC Comics
INDIE CHARACTER SPOTLIGHT BY TRAVIS PERKINS
For some reason, Phazer from SENTINELS is getting a lot of love lately. In addition to appearing in the NY Times GLBT promo poster, Phazer was recently drawn by artist, Travis Perkins as part of his Indie Comic Team-Up pic! Travis is a follow artist on Deviant Art and submitted this picture to our Deviant group (or I wouldn't have seen it!). Here's what Travis had to say about the piece:
"My tribute to some of my favorite indy comics. After the last time I saw the Avengers movie, I though: How cool would it be to see a team-up of a bunch of small print/indy characters! And this is my shot at it. I really hope I did these guys justice."
The characters are, from left to right:
Karic (Mice Templar) - created by Bryan J. L. Glass and Michael Avon Oeming
Jack Fortune (Afterlife Inc.) - created by Jon Lock
Hope Sage, AKA Telepath (The Uniques) - created by Comfort Love and Adam Withers
Beatrice “Bea” Whaley (Dreamer) - created by Lora Innes
Phazer (Sentinels) - created by Rich Bernatovech and Luciano Vecchio
Raina (Rainbow In The Dark) - created by Comfort Love and Adam Withers
I really love when I get pleasant surprises like this and see that someone has noticed the hard work of independent comic creators! This is a great group of characters created by talented writers and artists. I'm honored to have my and Luciano Vecchio's character included along with them.
BIG SHOUT-OUT to Travis Perkins for doing this drawing! Not only do I like it because of Phazer's inclusion, but also because it's a darn amazing peice of art!!!!
Please check out more of Travis's art at http://www.travisthegeek.deviantart.com/ .
All characters (c) their respective owners!
PHAZER APPEARS ON NY TIMES GLBT POSTER
I mentioned a while back that Phazer from SENTINELS was chosen to appear in a promotional poster for the NY Times GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) Celebration. The poster features numerous gay and lesbian comic characters (Northstar, Mystique and Karma from Marvel Comics and Batwoman from DC Comics) and they wanted to include a lesser known independent comic character in the mix. Phazer was submitted to a commitee (without my knowledge) and chosen as the independent representation. I'm very proud to have him included in this group and help to promote acceptance and equality in the world and I'm also very happy that NEVERMINDS artist, Jamie Fay, was asked to do the art for all of the comic characters. His art looks amazing! When SENTINELS was first created, a very conscious decision was made to make a diverse team of characters that represented the people I surround myself with in life, so it's very cool to see this poster in the NY Times cafeteria for the entire month of June!
NEVERMINDS BY BILL ELLIS
This sketch of the three main members of the NEVERMINDS team was drawn by Bill Ellis at the 2012 WildPig Con! I really love Bill unique style and linework. He really puts his own twist on things the way he draws things. Please check out more of Bill's work here and read his webcomic "All New Issues" (along with Dani O'Brien) here.
ILLUSTRIOUS BITS WEEK 28: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES
Here we are on the last day of week 28 of Illustrious Bits with the subject being the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and I really wasn't sure I'd make it this week. I still have a few commissions to finish up, but I got them done too!
I decided to draw the entire team, because I never drew them before. I had fun doing them and have to admit that Ross Campbell's contributions this week made me HAVE to get this week's subject done. Kudos to Ross for doing so many sketches.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles © Viacom
ALANIS AND NINA BY ERICA HESSE
These beautiful renditions of Alanis and Nina from NEVERMINDS were drawn by Erica Hesse at the 2012 WildPig Con for Dan Nguyen. I was totally planning to commission something from Erica, but Dan had already beat me to her and even requested two of the ladies from NEVERMINDS! How cool is that! I love Erica's soft style and smooth linework. She also has her own webcomic called "The Key" that she works on with Chris Holt. I really enjoyed it and look forward to seeing where it goes. Check our more of Erica's work and her webcomic at http://www.hesse-art.com/ .
SAMANYA BY CORY SMITH
This sketch of Samanya from NEVERMINDS was drawn by the very talented, Cory Smith, at the 2012 Mocca Con. I was really impressed by Cory's work and attitude. Not only is his art amazing, but he's a very nice guy who draws extremely fast! He was done this sketch in no time and look at how amazing it is! Please check out Cory's blog here and Deviant Art page here to see more of his work. His 181 Days of Jack Kirby Characters will blow you away!
GOSPEL BY MICHELLE SCIUTO
This sketch of Gospel from SENTINELS was drawn by Michelle Sciuto! I love Michelle's style and think it's really cute. I also love the energy she gives every character she draws and puts so much detail into it too! Please check out more of Michelle's work at http://www.shoot-o.deviantart.com/ .
YEMENJA BY AYLA CHARIPAR
This sketch of Yemenja from NEVERMINDS was drawn by Ayla Charipar at the 2012 Wildpig Comicon. Ayla is the daughter of Andrew Charipar, who was the artist on Serpenta's story in the SENTINELS Anthology and is the creator/writer/artist of Tales from the Cornerstone. Andrew had a table at the conventions and Ayla was drawing a little bit at the show, so I asked her to sketch in my sketchbook. Ayla doesn't like to draw hands, but Yemenja's hands are different than normal hands, so she put them front and center in this sketch, lol. I thought that was pretty funny. I'm also amazed by the fact there are two generations of artists in the Charipar family that draw so well. Please check out more of Ayla's work here!
2012 WIZARD WORLD PHILLY REPORT
That pretty much sums up how the Wizard World Philly Con went for me this weekend. I shared a table with Neverminds artist, Jamie Fay, and we both had one of the best shows we ever had there! Seriously, I'm writing this after a looooong weekend when I should be in bed sleeping, but I had to thank all the amazing people we met there this year (and all of our old returning friends!). It was non-stop at the show. I sold more prints, books and art then I ever had and I did more commissions then I ever have at a show. I even have 6 more commissions to do at home! The commissioning thing is still new to me, but I have to say, I love it. On Friday (our first day there!) I almost sold out completely of all the Sentinels trades I brought! It was really crazy. We also got a LOT of interest in the first two Drumfish figurines that we are doing. Both Alanis Munroe (from Neverminds) and Firebomb (from Sentinels) were drolled over all weekend, lol. We are scheduled to get the figurines (FINALLY!!!) in about two weeks. So, for everyone that wrote me and pre-ordered the figurines, they will be here soon! I'll make a posting as soon as they arrive!!Thanks again to everyone who stopped by and supported us. It was amazing!!!!!
ILLUSTRIOUS BITS WEEK 30: ANY CHARACTER CREATED BY...
ILLUSTRIOUS BITS WEEK 28: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TUR...
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FNE Europa Cinemas - Cinema of the Month:Cinema House, Bulgaria
Cinema House, Sofia
FNE together with Europa Cinemas continues its Cinema of the Month series. In recognition of the hard work and excellence of European cinema operators we choose a cinema from each country covered by FNE each month. We look at the challenges and the successes faced by those cinemas with a special series of interviews that offer insights that other operators can benefit from and a platform for the exchange of ideas. This month we focus on Bulgaria and Vladimir Trifonov who is programme manager 0f the Cinema House in Sofia.
The Cinema House in Sofia is the leading art house cinema theater in Bulgaria. It is managed by Stefan Kitanov (director of Sofia International Film Festival; producer of 'The World Is Big and Salvation Lurks around the Corner' among other titles; distributor; manager of Art Fest) and Dimitar Gotchev (producer of 'Ave' among other films, TV serials, show programmes and advertisements; cinematographer; distributor; co-owner of Camera and Sia Advertising).
Vladimir Trifonov, Programme Manager: Cinema House
Vladimir Trifonov studied Bulgarian literature at Sofia University and has 18 years of experience in presenting, advertising and programming of film releases and film events. He began organizing cinematheque programs in 1993 in his home town of Varna. After 7 years as PR in the leading Bulgarian theatrical distributor Alexandra Films, he was responsible for programming of Euro Cinema (2001-2002), Cinema Center (2003-2006) and Cinema House (2008 - present). From 2005 he is also a programmer of Cinemania Fest. He has organized retrospectives of many classic directors - Ingmar Bergman, Francois Truffaut, Alfred Hitchcock, Federico Fellini, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Michelangelo Antonioni, Luchino Visconti.
1. What is the biggest challenge of running a cinema such as yours?
The biggest challenge in recent years is the changing habits of the viewers. Many of them prefer more and more to see the movies not in theatres, but to download them illegally. So, this motivates us to find different ways to lure audiences, especially the young ones, back into the cinema hall - through special educational screenings, showing them film classics, organising meetings with filmmakers and actors, etc.
2. What kinds of films do you prefer to screen and why?
The best from the releases in our country - not just art-house, but also good commercial cinema. Our special passion is the presentation of classics - this year we've organised a retrospective of Luchino Visconti and all the screenings have been from 35mm film prints.
3. The cinema is home to many festivals, events and film weeks. Why are these important and what do they achieve?
The Cinema House is the home of the main competition of The Sofia International Film Festival and most of the meetings with the guest filmmakers take place there. It is also one of the main cinemas for Cinemania, as well as smaller film events. These events are a unique chance to be show and see many important films from the festival circuit, which, sadly, are not popular enough to attract distributors.
4. What is role of Europa Cinemas for cinemas such as your cinema and why is it important?
The support of Europa Cinema is not just financial - it is more also moral. It is important to know that your efforts make you a part of a bigger family with similar problems and solutions, all of us pursuing our passion to share the pleasure of good cinema with the viewers.
5. How does a cinema like yours serve the local community?
A major part of our strategy is educational screenings, in which we present current strong films and chosen classics to school and university students for free. For us it is important also that we have a loyal audience of people over 40 years of age for whom Cinema House is the cinema theatre they traditionally attend. Part of that audience are the members of the Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers.
6. How does the cinema fulfill its role of cultural diversity - maybe you can give some examples such as programming of European films, films from countries outside MEDIA such as Asia, Latin American and in the Mediterranean region?
Our theatre is home to some very specific events, named FLOWERS OF THE QURAN and SATORI, dedicated respectively to the Mid-Eastern and Far-Eastern Asian cinema. These events have a loyal fan-base and we continue to prepare detailed presentations of interesting and less popular national film programmes. We also organise a number of thematic events and present programmes of films from many different countries.
7. Can you say something about your work with YOUNG Audiences?
We have a special programme called Sofia Film Fest for Students which is dedicated to scholars and university students. It presents films that are part of the main film events in the town introduced and discussed with the audience by well-known film director Georgy Djulgerov and the head of Bulgarian Guild of Film Critics, Antonia Kovacheva. This programme has been the focus of great interest from the young audience.
8. What about the upcoming digitalisation of cinemas?? How will it affect your work and you cinema??
The biggest effect will be in finding the respective funding. It is an upcoming issue which needs to be solved out ASAP. We all hope that digitalisation will give us the opportunity to more easily present not just some hot new art-house hits, but also classics.
More in this category: FNE Europa Cinemas: Cinema of the Month – Cinema House, Bulgaria »
Fact box Bulgaria
Population: 6,950,044 (2019)
GDP (nominal) per capita in EUR: 8,727 (2019)
Total admissions: 4,801,045 (2019)
Admissions per capita: 0.69 (2019)
Box office in EUR: 23,895,950 (2019)
National market share: 7.78 (2019)
Feature film production: 19 (2019)
Number of screens: 220 (2019)
Digital screens: 219 (2019)
Average ticket price in Euro: 4.98 (2019)
Annual state support for film industry: 7,515,991 EUR (2019)
Source: National Statistical Institute of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Bulgarian National Film Center
Animation Industry Profile BULGARIA CLICK HERE
Admissions Top Ten 2019
TITLE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN ADMISSIONS
The Lion King US 292,149
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Get up and get writing! We're in this together!
AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Angela Hartley, author of Copper Descent and other works
Tell me a about yourself. What got you started in writing?
When I was little, I found myself daydreaming more than I paid attention in school. This, of course annoyed most of my teachers, but some recognized me for what I was and encouraged me to pursue a career as a writer. I was also defiant, and it took me many years to decide they were right.
How and where do you write? Do you prefer a lap top or do you prefer writing freehand?
I prefer to work on a small net-book, though something can be said about freehand. A connection takes place when I write this way that typing can’t quite obtain.
What's your favorite part about writing? Your least favorite part about writing?
I love creating, I love revision, I love feeling the connection to fans, and every step in between. The toughest part for me is the rejection. But who in their right mind would enjoy that?
How do you come up with your characters? Why would readers want to get to know them?
My characters pretty much shout in my head, “NOTICE ME!!!!” Readers like them because they’re colorful, yet real. They have Daddy issues, make stupid decisions, yet still manage to find a piece deep inside that calls them to overcome.
What types of marketing do you do to promote your writing?
This year, I've tried all sorts of things. I spoke on panels, I visited schools, I ran book promotions, and presented at writers conferences. All of this builds readership, but it isn't going to matter if you don’t have time to write the next work. Right now I’m working on creating a balance between the two aspects.
How do you schedule your writing time? When do you write?
I take my writing very seriously, and block a section of time each day to some aspect of the craft. All of my children are older, and I find it is easiest to work while they’re in school. The house is quiet, and I can get lost for a little while.
What are you currently working on? Do you have a new book out?
Right now, I’m working on Iron Resolve. In this Urban Fantasy novel, we follow Myke Preston—a man with a weak disposition. He walks away from his family only to find his world literally crumbling beneath his feet. The only way back to his wife and child is through a maze where he relives his tragic past. I deal with some pretty heavy issues in this story, drugs, infidelity, and child abuse. I also have two other books available, Copper Descent, and I have a short story in an anthology releasing this month, Secrets and Doors called Room 517. I like to describe Copper Descent as Pocahontas meets Paradise Lost, but with demon rock stars, and the Sundance Film Festival. Room 517 is a comedy piece about a high-maintenance modern girl who unknowing travels back into medieval times. It turns into quite the adventure when she realizes her controlling ex is actually a wizard determined to keep her forever.
Get the book at Amazon
Get this short story collection at Amazon
Do you have a project on the back burner? Tell me about it.
I have a crime/horror novel named D-Brie. Adrienne Morris thinks she might be a serial killer, but after losing her identity and memory two years before, she can’t be certain. This novel has it all—sex, violence, hypnotherapy, and a woman who may or may not burn people to a crisp whenever the word ‘love’ is involved.
What would you tell a beginning writer who wants to publish but doesn't believe he/she has enough talent?
Get out while you still can! No, really. I’m serious. But if you find your feet dragging as you head for the door, know this: It is a hard road full of rejection. If you don’t have faith in your ability as a storyteller no one else will. It takes 10,000 hours to master any art. Are you willing to put in the time to become great, listen to critique, and grow? If the answer is ‘Yes’, you have a shot. Talent takes a back seat to hard work any day.
Thank you, Angela!
Learn more about Angela and her books at the following sites:
Copper Descent:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22399812-copper-descent
Blog: http://angelahartley.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Angela-Hartley-Author/267442633281341?ref_type=bookmark
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoldAngelHart
by Kathryn Elizabeth Jones at Monday, February 23, 2015
in angela hartley, author interview, copper descent, secrets and doors, short stories, urban fantasy
Great interview. I love the "hard work" quote. So true. Many very talented people waste it because they aren't willing to work.
Buy my books on Amazon
Kathryn is a lover of words and a bearer of mood swings. When she is feeling the need to inspire, she writes a Christian fiction book. If a mystery is waiting to be uncovered, she finds it. If something otherworldly is finding its way through her fingertips, she travels to it.
Kathryn has been a reader since she was a young child. Although she took classes in writing as a teen, it wasn't something she really thought would become her career until she was married. And even then, it took a few more years for something worthy enough to publish to manifest itself.
Kathryn's first book was published in 2002. Since then, many other books have found their way out of her head depending on the sort of day she is having. Kathryn is a journalist, a teacher, a mentor, an editor, a publisher, and a marketer.
Her greatest joy, other than writing her next book, is meeting with readers and authors who enjoy the craft of writing as much as she does.
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Chapter 12 – Page 2
└ Tags: Bandit, Syr'Nj
July 25, 2011, 12:03 am | # | Reply
“But the armor, well, let’s just say Berserkerboy owes me anything he rolls on for the next few dungeons.”
Acadian Bacon
July 25, 2011, 2:09 am | # | Reply
“We’ll make sure to let you take it up with him… the next time he’s berzerking.” :P
She wasn’t the only one in danger of being killed by Byron during his fit; none of them knew he’d become a raging murderous machine that would kill friend and foe. She just happened to have failed her perception check, which is pretty sad considering it’s supposed to be one of her strong points as a rogue. x3
Wow, the “quote” thingy I just posted goes AWESOME with the gravatar I got! For being random, they sure do end up being good coincidental visual aids. :3
“I jus’ woke up and was fine.”
…Riiiiiiiiiight.
Valdrax
Carol: “One day they woke me up, so I could live forever.”
SotiCoto
It’s such a shame the same will never happen to you.
MoodyDK
What? That’s what happened to me. Okay, there was the whole “consume the souls of the living and lay waste to the world in the name of the Lich King” thing, but I’m working on that.
Katlamos
Troll’s Blood: Curing everything since forever
If we consider Harky’s extra-potent blood against Bandit’s extra-small body… No. Still wouldn’t work that way. She’s lying… but why?
Karishi
…Because “I respawned” breaks the fourth wall, and that’s against the rules?
gangler
I don’t think she’s lying. I think she doesn’t know. There are forces at work here beyond our ken.
Robtimus
Like Shoryuken?
You must defeat Sheng Long to stand a chance.
July 25, 2011, 10:53 pm | # | Reply
YOU WIN!
Doop doop
I don’t see why it wouldn’t work if it’s really extra potent trolls blood.
Obviously troll blood in the Guilded Age universe is a panacea and in its diluted form is sold as potions for very minor injuries (papercuts, scrapes, etc). Actual trolls blood would be used to heal greater (but still minor) injuries, cuts, lesser stab wounds, blunt trauma.
Harky’s blood is concentrated troll blood that allows fixing of GAPING WOUNDS and HAVING YOUR ARMS TORN OFF. If you could then concentrate his extra potent troll blood, you have as close to immortality as possible.
Could be that the only way to effectively kill a supertroll like Harky would be to bleed him dry, burn him to death, or use some kind of disease/virus that kills off his body faster than he can heal.
Mainly it’s his gem in his belly that was enhancing his natural abilities. If his blood went on her, it would have most likely only had the normal effects, not the same effects that Harki gains from his magical enhancements.
TsunamiJane
So he’s a Treasure Troll?
Nah, he doesn’t turn to stone by the light of the sun. :3 Oh wait, that’s a Tolkien Troll. D:
centuriancode
All in favour of Ebola? It kills by exsanguination.
When are people ever /not/ in favor of Ebola!?
Hell, I was dying from cancer before I killed and devoured a guy who started a flame war on the internet. Now I’m fine! My doctor prescribes only the best cures!
Now, if you’ll excuse me, he’s invited me over to dinner. Wants me to bring some farva beans and a nice Chianti. Don’t know why anyone would want to eat farva beans, but the dude saved my life, so what do I care?
Strongholm
I know they say not to share needs for risk of disease, but what’s the rule of thumb on blood covered axes?
If a berserker comes at you with a blood-soaked axe, it is in your medical best interest to avoid sharing that blood.
Timelost
Pfffft, wuss.
They have a major risk of acting as a vector for hemorrhaging and other undesirable medical conditions.
This is why modern SCA reenactors insist on covering them with a rubber first.
“…But y’were nowheres. Where were you?”
Answered yer own question, there. They were nowheres.
Yes, I think thats not exactly credible. Sounds like the bullcrap it probably is. So, if Syrn’j acts like she believes, I say either she is playing along, or the party members lean toward believing anything that keeps the status quo of their world as it is (words from bandit, or words that explain somewhat their respawning, or whatever) despite common sense. Either of those is easier to believe than Syrn’j being simple minded.
Aydr
She’s suspicious but doesn’t have the ground to come up with other possibilites, so she’s kinda at an impasse. It sounds like a lie, but what IS the lie? And why? She can’t really answer those questions yet, so there’s no reason to press.
Oh sweet, I’ve got the best avatar ever.
Best knows how to make the background work for him.
The Best avatar!
Mr Ak
I don’t know. She’s obviously alive, after all. It’s pretty hard to come up with an alternate in-world explanation.
FoolishOwl
Bandit’s explanation is weak, and Syr’nj is suspicious of it, but tentatively accepts it. Our attention is drawn to both points.
At this point, I’m inclined to think that Bandit is Carol. I’m pretty sure she’s making an effort to keep hidden the facts that she knows that she’s in an MMORPG, and that she knows that Syr’nj and company don’t know it.
That’s exactly my thoughts on the matter. She’s real world, probably Carol, and can’t offer a better in-game explanation. “I dunno” is a pretty hard excuse to break, even if it is fishy.
I find myself distracted by Bandit’s cleavage in the second panel.
Then you should really check out the fanart thread in the forum.
Oh, wait, sorry. That thread was lost in the Script Kiddy Debacle.
So whatya gotta do is do a Google Image Search for “Bandit Keynes” dedalus and scroll down a few pages. You’ll know it when you see it.
(Safe search off)
That’s “Bandit Keynes” dedalus . Stupid unclosed code.
Well, thanks. That will kill off any sexy thoughts of Bandit forever.
Lestantes
Speak for yourself. I see nothing wrong with that picture. Reminds me of my usual friday nights.
Dusty668
Dockworkers need love too!
JarrysKid
I see what you did there. :-)
Jack Vermicelli
The RSS updated tonight with the previous comic. Links to this one, though.
Ok, just wanted to ask as I never read the comment section.
Everyone here already knows that bandit and Best are played by the same guy, right?
Currently up for debate as there are a few strips where they’re both seen at the same time.
There’re the alternate theories that allege Bandit is an NPC, and therefore we shouldn’t care about her (which is part of the Bandit versus Best argument), and that she is played by either Dedalus or Carol (his assistant). No-one actually knows anything, and this is all based on Bandit and Best seeming to tag-team as fifth member of the party, and Bandit wearing purple.
Damn dual boxers!
ZQFT
SQUARE! PRESS SQUARE! DOUBT IT AND SHE’LL CRACK!
Redo19
*snerk* The facial angles are a little reminiscent of LA Noire, aren’t they.
So, wait, seriously… what?
If Bandit is controlled by Daedalus (or his secretary, though I’m not a big believer in that sub-theory), why on Earth would “Bandit” play along with the idea that respawning is unusual? …Or is this one of those “hardcore” MMOs in which you legitimately can’t respawn normally?
OTOH, if Bandit is a normal NPC, then why would she revive? Harki’s blood being that strong is such an odd and unsatisfying explanation. Could she be alive simply because up to 4 of the 5 people shaping the world wanted her to be, and the world looked for some thin justification to allow it? Gah, this is a mind screw.
A passer-by
Perhaps whoever is her player dislikes breaking the fourth wall for some reason? Perhaps he/she is afraid that the players could get a bit mad if they found out that their created memories are just that and that alone?
Because the five don’t know that they’re in an MMO, that’s why. And, as I’ve said before, they’re likely tucked into their own private test server, so that Arag0rn_teh_Mighty can’t ruin what they’re trying to do.
Wait, which question was that “because” an answer to?
It doesn’t really fit as an explanation to any of them.
“If Bandit is controlled by Daedalus (or his secretary, though I’m not a big believer in that sub-theory), why on Earth would “Bandit” play along with the idea that respawning is unusual?”
Because the five don’t know they’re in an MMO. Returning from the dead should be unusual, even in most fantasy MMOs people don’t acknowledge just returning from the dead as something that happens every fifteen minutes.
I’ve played on two MMORPGs where many of the roleplayers did treat returning from the dead as a frequent occurrence. In Asheron’s Call, I don’t think the game developers anticipated it; roleplayers generally treated the process with suspicion, as if there was some subtle corrupting influence in the process. In EVE Online, it was more emphatically understood as part of a profound alienation the player characters experienced.
In both cases, it was played out that returning from the dead was dehumanizing, that coming back each time meant you were less human. In EVE Online, in particular, the roleplayers had the sense that player characters rapidly became inhuman monsters — making it very difficult to roleplay in a satisfying way.
Difference is, that’s the roleplaying crowd. Not the NPCs themselves.
August 4, 2013, 9:51 pm | # | Reply
But…but everybody who plays EVE Online for long enough becomes an inhuman monster.
ahdok
NPCs respawn all the time in MMOs though
Normal NPCs don’t act like they were ever dead. It’s like the event never happened.
I think it would actually make more sense for Bandit to play along if she’s really Dedalus or Carol. They’re the only ones who know the true nature of the adventuring party’s real life counterparts. I don’t think they’d just go shattering their worldview.
Hexabolic
Bandit could be Best’s alternate character. I mean, have we seen them together in the same scene?
Yes. Three times.
Mr John Sir… Did you mean to leave the last panel with a yellow background?
Yeah, I was wondering about that – is it supposed to represent Syr’nj’s shock or something?
Why’d she lie? I suppose saying, “We died and got rezzed by Tombdirt!” is too abrupt?
Her back is to the fireplace.
John Waltrip
That’s just some warm lamp light coming from the hallway behind Syr’Nj. Probably should’ve put a few wooden beams back there or something. It IS sort of a close-up shot, and the hallway was shown on the previous page, so… oh well.
Yeah, what he said.
Ah yes, I see. A beam would have helped me there :)
Bandit: I got a nine in playin’ dead!
Syr’nj: *Sigh*
Her lucky rabbits foot blocked the axes and when she woke up she assumed it was troll blood, well the rabbits’ foot and the bottle of Heinz ketchup she had stuffed down her jumper…
She was so paralysed with shock at the sight of all that ketchup that she passed her play dead roll until she could sneak off of course those trollkin that spotted her assumed she was a ghost or a ghoul infected with battle madness and decided to take the rest of the night off and drink themselves senseless…
Gillsing
Yeeeaaah, that’s what happened… That’s the ticket!
Chibimod3
Nah I’m pretty sure it’s a plot point. You know maybe they resurrected her and are controlling her actions? Or maybe she multi classed? Pointless conjecture aside I’m sure that it is in fact important.
I wonder if there’s a RP filter in place. You talk about something RL or in Leet and it translates it to something more appropriate. I used Eloquence on WoW for a while and it did something similar. A filter would translate a lot of Frigg’s comments and could logically make ‘I just rez’d’ into something like ‘A force beyond my ken brought me back.’
Or she’s playing along with the immersion.
If we had never found out about Sepia World, there would be mystery and tension. Now it’s just “Meh, a mod did it.”
I’m sure there’s supposed to be some good reason why we have been shown the action backstage in the middle of the play, but for now it’s acting like a huge momentum deadener and mood-killer. It’s like if you were watching Star Wars, and you saw several “dead” Stormtroopers get up, wander off-stage, and take a smoke break.
I may be gasping with delight later when the Big Reveal comes along and shows how it all fits together like a Chinese box, but for now, I’m relying on the quirky characters and fun banter to see me through. That, and the hope that Best is really gone for good.
I predict at least one of those hopes will be crushed. :P
Just realized there is only one hope mentioned in your post, I kinda extended the notion to your entire line of thought. I’ve no idea if you know what I mean but this is what you get without an edit/delete comment option.
The half-drunken ravings of a Picard wannabie.
I’m also a correct spelling *wannabe.
You are?
March 30, 2016, 9:28 am | # | Reply
Nah. Its totally fine. You’re just an insufferable whiner.
mightysmiley
I honestly think bandit is probably an npc made by Daedalus and i wonder if she can tell that Syr’Nj is lying
Troll’s blood might be good for minor injuries, but it doesn’t heal temporary-lack-of-eyes-disease.
Now I said it, you CAN’T UNSEE IT. Can you?
Da-Da DAAAA you’ve earned an achievement “can’t be unseen”
Hey, John let Slenderman draw that scene, don’t be cruel about it. You’ll hurt his feelings, the poor Eldritch Abomination.
Well, we wouldn’t want that, would we?
ZaLGo, hE cOMEs . . . bUt sLoWLy anD CAreFulLy bECaUse hE cAN’t sEE.
coldelectrons
What Byron’s axes taketh, they can also giveth away.
EatThePath
I find it odd that everyone jumps to the conclusion that it must be a player respawning or a ‘game master’ intervening that has Bandit back, or even that Bandit is making things up. Sure those are possibilities. Also possible is that some in-game force caused her to survive, she honestly doesn’t know what it is, and is grasping at straws. The true nature of her return will probably be important in any of these cases.
Also, I find the imprisonment line odd. Why not tell the truth? All I can think of is that she doesn’t trust bandit, possibly due to suspicion that Bandit is lying? Weird.
Syrnj is lying because they came back from the dead. That’s not something that happens. It’s crazy talk. You don’t just go telling people that you were dead and came back.
Naranth
If for no other reason than that then people keep asking you to rez them, and then you never get a quiet moment again
Didn’t anyone ever tell Gravedust? If you don’t bring enough resurrection for everyone, don’t bring any at all.
No you tell them you were mostly dead.
Or you felt a really strong need to “blaive”.
Not unless you want them throwing rotten fruit at you and /spitting on you in the street. For starters.
“Yeah I was trisected but some trollsblood got in the wound and thats probably how I survived having my arms hacked off. Sounds plausible anyway”
“Okay cool. We were dead, it seems our mystic healer had a get-out-of-death-free card, one time thing”
“NO WAY! You’re lying!”
Seems to me in a world such as the one we’ve seen so far, coming back from the dead might be taken a little better than it would be in reality.
Even in their world there’s things that are possible and things that are not. It follows its’ own rules.
Bandit survived a wound that should have been fatal. A premise that’s plausible even within our own world. These things happen. Within a setting where regeneration is a thing the notion that she grew back her lost limbs is also acceptable.
People don’t come back from the dead though. That’s been established as a very specific rule that they broke in this single instance basically because cosmic and unknowable forces were at work. “We were dead” would probably be met with at least a little skepticism.
Just because regeneration and resurrection are equally implausible to us does not make it so for the characters in this setting. Regeneration was just an improved application of an existing phenomenon. Something that might be described as “A remarkable recovery”. Resurrection was a moment in which the principle of gravity (or some similar absolute law of reality) ceased to apply.
Tiny problem on the archive page… The thumbnail is that of the last page of last chapter.
al_tech
It is the avatar of the president of the gaming corp.
dun-dun…..;-P
Khazzpah
I am surprised, ashamed, and slightly miffed that this has gone without puns for so long. I mean, there are none in the comments for this WHOLE PAGE! Get it together, people!
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AUSTIN, Texas , Oct. 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lumos Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:LUMO), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on therapeutics for rare diseases, today announced it will report its third quarter 2020 financial results after market close on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 .
Lumos Pharma to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conferences
AUSTIN, Texas , Aug. 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lumos Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:LUMO), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on therapeutics for rare diseases, announced that the company will present and host one-on-one meetings at the following virtual investor conferences to be held in
Lumos Pharma Reports Second Quarter 2020 Results and Provides Update on Clinical and Corporate Activities
Lumos Pharma sells Priority Review Voucher (PRV), valued at $100 million - Lumos Pharma to receive $60 million for its 60% interest in PRV Lumos Pharma reaffirms its expectation of the initiation of its Phase 2b LUM-201 trial in Pediatric Growth Hormone Deficiency (PGHD) prior to the end of 2020
CEO Update: Lumos Pharma’s COVID-19 Response and Clinical Progress
As CEO of Lumos Pharma, Inc. , I wanted to take this opportunity to update our shareholders on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the company’s policies addressing this pandemic, and our preparations for returning to a more normal work environment.
Lumos Pharma to Report Second Quarter 2020 Financial Results and Host a Conference Call on August 13, 2020
AUSTIN, Texas , July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lumos Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:LUMO), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on therapeutics for rare diseases, today announced it will report its second quarter 2020 financial results after market close on Thursday, August 13, 2020 .
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Washington Post says EPA, Interior to be transformed under Obama
EPA, Interior Dept. Chiefs Will Be Busy Erasing Bush's Mark
by: Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post
Few federal agencies are expected to undergo as radical a transformation under President-elect Barack Obama as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Interior Department, which have been at the epicenter of many of the Bush administration's most intense scientific and environmental controversies.
The agencies have different mandates - the EPA holds sway over air and water pollution, while Interior administers the nation's vast federal land holdings as well as the Endangered Species Act - but both deal with some of the country's most pressing environmental concerns, such as climate change. And over the past eight years, many career employees and rank-and-file scientists have clashed with Bush appointees over a number of those of issues, including whether the federal government should allow California to regulate tailpipe emissions from automobiles and how best to prevent imperiled species from disappearing altogether.
In June 2007, Obama told reporters in Reno, Nev., that he would not hesitate to reverse many of the environmental policies Bush has enacted by executive order.
"I think the slow chipping away against clean air and clean water has been deeply disturbing," Obama added. "Much of it hasn't gone through Congress. It was done by fiat. That is something that can be changed by an administration, in part by reinvigorating the EPA, which has been demoralized."
Global warming policies are expected to mark one of the sharpest breaks between the Obama and the Bush administrations.
EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson overruled his career advisers in deciding to deny California authority to control tailpipe emissions and rejecting their conclusion that global warming poses a threat to public welfare, and Obama is likely to reverse both of those policies shortly after taking office. This month, the president-elect told delegates to the Governors' Global Climate Summit that he would push for a federal cap-and-trade system designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and then to cut them an additional 80 percent by 2050, targets Bush has never embraced.
"Delay is no longer an option. Denial is no longer an acceptable response," Obama said in a videotaped message. "The stakes are too high, the consequences too serious."
Jamie Rappaport Clark, executive vice president of the advocacy group Defenders of Wildlife, said that together, the two agencies will help shape the government's response to climate change.
Clark, who headed the Fish and Wildlife Service under President Bill Clinton, is not a formal Obama adviser, but many of her former Clinton colleagues are helping the transition team, including David Hayes, a partner at Latham & Watkins; John Leshy, a professor at the University of California's Hastings College of the Law; and Robert Sussman, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress.
"EPA will play the lead role in crafting a regulatory response," Clark said. "Interior has a huge role to play in adaptation" -- the effort to cope with climate changes that are already happening, such as drought and more frequent wildfires.
EPA spokesman Jonathan Shradar said Wednesday that the agency is focused on finalizing policies on coal-fired power plants and other matters, but he would not speculate on the task the next administration faces: "We'll let the next team decide what their priorities will be when they get here."
With escalating responsibilities, both agencies will need more resources after years when their budgets shrank, relatively speaking. The EPA received $7.5 billion from Congress in 2008, down from $7.8 billion in 2001. Interior has fared slightly better, getting $11.1 billion compared with $10.4 billion in 2001, but that represents more than a 10 percent cut in inflation-adjusted dollars.
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), who as chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has feuded with both Johnson and Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne over global warming and other issues, said in an interview that she has high expectations of the people who will take their places.
"I'm expecting President-elect Obama to select people who really care about the issues they're in charge of, someone who believes in their mission and not someone who's going to undermine their mission," she said. "That's a sea change."
There is a long list of Democrats vying to take the helm of both agencies. The two leading contenders for EPA administrator are Mary Nichols, a favorite of Boxer's who chairs the California Air Resources Board, and Lisa Jackson, who is in the midst of switching from heading New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection to serving as chief of staff to New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine. Other possible nominees include Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty; Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles; former Sierra Club president and environmental activist Lisa Renstrom; and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Pace University law professor and chairman of the Waterkeeper Alliance, another advocacy group.
The list for Interior is almost as long. Two House Democrats, Raul M. Grijalva (Ariz.) and Mike Thompson (Calif.) are contenders, but Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, former Oregon governor John Kitzhaber, National Trust for Historic Preservation President Richard Moe, as well as three former Interior officials - David Hayes, John Leshy and Clark at Defenders of Wildlife - have all been mentioned.
Regardless of who takes over at the agencies, the new leaders will face impatient scrutiny from green groups eager to change the government's trajectory on the environment. Frank O'Donnell, who heads the advocacy group Clean Air Watch, ticked off 10 initiatives he expects the new EPA administrator to undertake, including changing rules on emissions from coal-fired power plants and monitoring airborne lead pollution more closely.
"The Bush administration has cut so many special deals for industry that it could be a Herculean effort reversing them all," O'Donnell said. "The new team is going to have to muck out the regulatory stables."
Staff researcher Madonna Lebling contributed to this report.
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By aubunique - November 29, 2008 No comments:
International Day to protect women from violence
OMNI NEWSLETTER: INTERNATIONAL DAY TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
From: Omnicenter Communications (omninews@listserv.uark.edu) on behalf of Dick Bennett (jbennet@uark.edu)
Sent: Mon 11/24/08 2:14 PM
To: OMNINEWS@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU
INTERNATIONAL DAY TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, NOVEMBER 25, Compiled by Dick Bennett for a Culture of Peace, November 24, 2008.
SENATOR LINCOLN (202) 224-4843 Fax: (202) 228-1371.
Fayetteville office: 251-1380; www.lincoln.senate.gov; http://www.lincoln.senate.gov/index.cfm; http://www.lincoln.senate.gov/webform.html
SENATOR Mark Pryor: Phone: (202) 224-2353 Fax: (202) 228-0908. www.pryor.senate.gov ; http://pryor.senate.gov/contact/
CONGRESSMAN Boozman: Lowell office: 479-725-0400.
DC address: 1708 Longworth House Office Bldng., Washington, DC 20515; 202-225-4301.
NWA Organizations vs. Violence
IDEVAW, What It Is
From the UN
Senate Bill 2279 For Action
NWA ORGANIZATIONS AGAINST VIOLENCE
ANTI-VIOLENCE ORGANIZATIONS NWA
Al-Islam: Muslim peace org. at UA, Prof. Hameed Naseem, Advisor
OMNI Center for Peace/Nonviolence, Justice, and Ecology: Gladys Tiffany, President, 973-9049.
--Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ACASA)
Helen Jane Brown, Exec. Dir.; 215 N. East Ave., Fayetteville 72701; 527-0900. "A statewide coalition of individuals and organizations working together toward the elimination of sexual violence. The Coalition advocates for victim-centered, equitable treatment of all sexual assault victims, provides resources and technical assistance to rape crisis centers, and provides public information on sexual violence issues. The Coalition's website, www.acasa.us, is a resource for sexual assault victims and others concerned with ending violence against women."
--Sexual Assault Recovery and Prevention Agency (SARPA). www.sarpa.us; hotline: 1-800-794-4175. Sexual assault nurse examiners, sexual assault victim advocacy, and community education.
--University of Arkansas:
A program of STAR Central known as RESPECT (Rape Education Services by Peers Encouraging Conscious Thought) uses student peers facilitate change through education with emphasis on sexual violence prevention and bystander intervention. Additional information can be found on-line at http://health.uark.edu/STARCentral/index.htm and http://respect.uark.edu/ or by contacting the Director of STAR Central, Mary A. Wyandt-Hiebert, PhD, CHES at (479) 575-7252, Pat Walker Health Center, University of Arkansas, 525 North Garland, Fayetteville, AR 72701
The weblink for the Arkansas Commission on Child Abuse, Rape, and Domestic Violence is http://www.accardv.uams.edu/ A comprehensive list of agencies that assist rape victims is linked on their site at http://www.accardv.uams.edu/centers.htm and a summary of programs related to domestic violence is at
http://www.accardv.uams.edu/centers-dv.htm
Shelters for Women and Children
--Benton County Women's Shelter
479-273-5702; bcws@cox-internet.com; www.bcws.org
Domestic violence victims and their children.
--Peace at Home
Services for victims of domestic violence both in the community and in the home. 24-hr crisis line: 479-442-9811. Shelter from abusive relationships, advocacy, support groups, follow-up services.
OMNI Human Rights Committee. Contact Mark Swaney, 575-7243.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women ...
By resolution 54/134 of 17 December 1999, the General Assembly designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women ...
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women .... to as "No Violence Against Women Day" and the "Day to End Violence Against Women". ...
Say No to Violence against Women!
Violence against women and girls is a universal problem of pandemic proportions. Perhaps the most pervasive human rights violation that we know today, ...
International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers - Home
December 17th is International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. ... " Violence against prostitutes is violence against women. ...
Other titles on violence against women from UNBISnet
[ UN ] | [ Non-UN ]
By resolution 54/134 of 17 December 1999, the General Assembly designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and invited governments, international organizations and NGOs to organize activities designated to raise public awareness of the problem on that day. Women's activists have marked 25 November as a day against violence since 1981. This date came from the brutal assassination in 1960, of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, on orders of Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).
On 20 December 1993 the General Assembly adopted Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (A/RES/48/104).
Links to UN and UN System sites:
Women Watch: UN Inter-agency Network on Women and Gender Equality
Gender Equality & the MDGs
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
UN Division for the Advancement of Women
SENATE BILL 2279
1) info: support S.2279 "Stop Violence Against Women" (by Senators Joe Biden (D-DE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN)
Imagine a world where women are free to thrive
ASK YOUR US SENATOR TO SUPPORT THE
International Violence Against Women Act (S. 2279)
--make a phone call, FAX a letter, mail it, AND sign the petition!
Congressional Switchboard: 202-225-3121; 202-224-3121
Sign the IVAWA petition!
Click on: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/840/t/4142/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=617
Be sure to enter your name and address to sign the petition (scroll down the page)
BACKGROUND !
On October 31, 2007 a bill that would help empower millions of women to escape violence and poverty, the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA, S.2279) was introduced in the U.S. Senate. Help make it a reality for women worldwide!
To learn more about the International Violence Against Women Act read the Sample letter below! Or go to: http://www.womensedge.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=366&Itemid=4
SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear Congressperson,
We call on you to support the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA), a groundbreaking piece of legislation that would incorporate and make consistent efforts to reduce violence against women and girls in U.S. foreign assistance programs.
Violence against women is a major cause of poverty and a huge barrier to women's economic opportunity - it can keep women from getting an education, working, and earning the income they need to lift their families out of poverty. Moreover, research has shown that giving women in poor countries economic opportunity empowers them to escape and prevent violent situations. In Kerala, India, for example, a study showed that only 7 percent of women who owned property suffered from physical violence, compared to 49 percent of women with no property. The United Nations Development Fund for Women estimates that one in three women around the world will be beaten or abused in her lifetime. If the U.S. wants its efforts to reduce poverty to be as effective as possible, this has got to stop.
By promoting women's economic opportunity, addressing violence against girls in school, encouraging legal reform, working to change public attitudes, and supporting health programs and survivor services, especially in crisis situations, the I-VAWA could have a huge impact on improving the effectiveness of our foreign assistance programs and reducing poverty.
Women in poor countries already face enough barriers to lifting their families out of poverty. Violence should not be one of them. Please join us in supporting women's opportunity worldwide by supporting the International Violence Against Women Act.
Patricia Burkhardt, Church Women United
UN RESOLUTIONS
Sam Cook, "New Resolution Tackles Sexual Violence in Conflict," Peace and Freedom: Magazine of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (Fall 2008). Article discusses 2 resolutions actually: 2000: Security Council Resolution 1325, and 2008: Security Council Resolution 1820. 1325 explains how ending violence against women requires a multidimensional response from many actors, of which the Security Council is one. See also the 2006 Secretary General's Study on Violence Against Women. SC Resolution 1820, the "new resolution" of the title, focuses on sexual violence. Also read in this no. of P&F "U.S. Global Duty: To Deter Violence Against Women" by Tzili Mor, supporting the International Violence Against Women Act and the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Go to: www.aiusa.org/ivawa. Contact our Arkansas congressional delegation. (Members of OMNI will want to be familiar with the WILPF, founded in 1915 by Emily Balch and Jane Addams to unite women worldwide in opposition to oppression and exploitation.) (Dick)
BOOKS (these are some of the books on women published in late 1980s and 1990s in OMNI's library)
--Bart, Pauline and Eileen Moran, eds. Violence Against Women: The Bloody Footprints. Sage, 1993.
--Bergen, Raquel. Wife Rape: Understanding the Response of Survivors and Service Providers. Sage, 1996.
--Coburn, Jennifer. Take Back Your Power: A Working Woman's Response to Sexual Harassment. ISM P, 1995.
--Del Mar, David. What Trouble I Have Seen: A History of Violence Against Wives. Harvard UP, 1996.
--Edleson, Jeffrey and Zvi Eisikovits, eds. Future Interventions with Battered Women and Their Families. Sage, 1996.
--French, Marilyn. The War Against Women. Summit Books, 1992.
--Gillespie, Cynthia. Justifiable Homicide: Battered Women, Self-Defense, and the Law. Ohio State UP, 1989.
--Katz, Montana and Veronica Vieland. Get Smart! What You Should Know (but won't learn in class) about Sexual Harassment and Sex Discrimination. Feminist P, CUNY, 1993.
--Loseke, Donileeen. The Battered Woman and Shelters: The Social Construction of Wife Abuse. SUNY, 1992.
--McBride, James. War, Battering, and Other Sports: The Gulf Between Men and Women. Humanities P, 1995.
--Meyers, Marian. News Coverage of Violence Against Women. Sage, 1997.
--Nelson, Mariah. The Stronger Women Get, The More Men Love Football; Sexism and the American Culture of Sports. Harcourt Brace, 1994.
--Paludi, Michele, ed. Ivory Power: Sexual Harassment on Campus. Suny, 1997.
--Skaine, Rosemarie. Power and Gender: Issues in Sexual Dominance and Harassment. McFarland, 1996.
--Stark, Evan and Anne Flitcraft. Women at Risk: Domestic Violence and Women's Health. Sage, 1996.
--Stockdale, Margaret, ed. Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. Sage, 1996.
--Thorne-Finch, Ron. Ending the Silence: The Origins and Treatment of Male Violence against Women. U of Toronto P, 1992.
--Walker, Lenore. Terrifying Love: Why Battered Women Kill and How Society Responds. Harper & Row, 1989.
--Wall, Edmund, ed. Sexual Harassment. Prometheus, 1992.
--Whalen, Mollie. Counseling to End Violence Against Women: A Subversive Model. Sage, 1996.
OMNI SEEKS A WORLD FREE OF VIOLENCE AND THE THREAT OF WAR, A SOCIETY WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERY PERSON'S POTENTIAL MAY BE FULFILLED, AN EARTH RESTORED. GRASSROOTS NONVIOLENCE, WORLD PEACE, HUMAN RIGHTS, CIVIL LIBERTIES, SOCIAL and ECONOMIC JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP PROTECTING SPECIES AND THE EARTH. These are some of OMNI's ideals. Read our brochure and our newsletters, attend our Steering Committee, become an active member of one or more of our committees, participate in our dozens of activities to see how these broad goals for building a Community of Peace are realized in action. There is nothing vague about Building a Community of Peace.
jbennet@uark.edu
Marsha Melnichak's passing leaves an empty spot in the hearts of Fayetteville residents
Please click on image to ENLARGE photo of Marsha Melnichak (right) and friends visiting the Fayetteville Farmer's Market on October 25, 2008.
Marsha Melnichak died in her sleep Thursday night November 20, 2008, or early this morning, at Washington Regional Hospital in Fayetteville, Arkansas, I was told.
Having visited her Wednesday night at the hospital, I knew her time was short. During the meeting of the Telecommunication Board on Tuesday night, several people spoke off camera of their sadness that she would likely never again attend such meetings and report on them with her clear sense of reality and highly developed ability to sort through the chaff and find the significant points of such city meetings. She earned universal respect from city workers, public officials and area residents who read her news stories.
Few people reach Marsha's high level of competence and integrity in reporting the news.
She covered the beginning of the mayoral campaign well, and it was clear in brief conversations in the weeks since she found herself unable to work that one of her concerns was not being able to continue her work and be on hand next Tuesday to report on the final chapter.
Maybe she realized that she would not be with us by this time. Most of us did not.
Her absence should be a reminder that, whatever goals we set, pursuing them with honesty, good humor and grace is as important as the result.
Clean Air Arkansas to meet November 19 in Fayetteville
Clean Air Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
Agenda & Notes
Welcome! Introductions
Review Turk Jr. Coal Plant, Hope, AR
No New Coal Rally
Shady Point II Plant, Shady Point, OK
Oklahoma City Meeting, Nov. 13, 2008
Roles of Organizations
Clean Air Arkansas
Audubon Arkansas
Ecological Conservation Organization
ARK-OKL Alliance (no name yet)
Repower Arkansas
Statewide No New Coal Day to Beebe?
Meet at City Hall
Dec. 8-15, weekday lunch hour?
EPA Ruling-What does this mean for coal?
League of Women Voters Issues Paper (CAA’s Role)-due Early January
Resources for the Arkansas Voter, Where to go for info on:
• Coal Plants
• GCGW recommendations
• Repower Arkansas
• Carbon Caps Task Force-PLANETwork
WHAT IS THE FATE OF CLEAN AIR ARKANSAS, FAYETTEVILLE?
EPA can no longer ignore pollution by coal-fired power plants
Welcome to the first day of our clean energy future.
The Sierra Club received word yesterday that we have won a major decision; the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) will no longer be able to ignore global warming pollution caused by coal-fired power plants [1].
This victory can be the turning point in our fight for clean energy.
We've stopped virtually all new coal plants dead in their tracks.
This ruling means new and proposed coal plants (over 150 have been proposed in the last two years) must now go back to the drawing board to address their carbon dioxide emissions.
This victory would not have been possible without your support. Will you help keep the clean energy momentum going by donating to the Sierra Club today?
With coal as the single largest cause of our nation's global warming pollution, this is a critical step to ensuring a clean energy future.
And it's just the beginning. The ruling gives us the framework we need to make real progress on replacing coal with new clean energy solutions that will repower our economy and help fight climate change.
We need your help now more than ever. We can seize upon this decision and make it the turning point in our fight for clean energy. Please consider donating to the Sierra Club today.
This major breakthrough will strengthen the efforts of Sierra Club activists from all over the country who have been engaged in fighting new coal plants. Our mandate to put an end to dirty coal has just gotten that much stronger.
This ruling opens a number of new doors to our fight. From giving the Obama administration a clean slate to regulate carbon emissions to fighting for the retirement of the fleet of existing, old, dirty coal plants, there is a lot of work to get started on.
Bruce Nilles
National Director, Sierra Club Coal Campaign
1 Bryan Walsh, "Environmentalists Win Big EPA Ruling on Coal Emissions", TIME, Thursday November 13, 2008. http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1859049,00.html
OMNI newsletter for Armistice, Veterans Day November 11, 2008
OMNI ARMISTICE/VETERANS DAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2008 NEWSLETTER, WE, THE PEOPLE BUILDING A CULTURE OF PEACE, November 11, 2008, Compiled by Dick Bennett
HONORING THE TROOPS AND ENDING WARS
The reason why preventing wars is so important is not only to prevent slaughter and chaos, but a war once started is immensely difficult to stop. For once the war begins, zealous patriotic nationalism transforms everything. The military-industrial/financial-presidential-congressional-mainstream media-war complex locks in. An upbringing in love and the Golden Rule is turned upside down into hate and defeating "enemies." Children raised to be constructive members of communities are turned into "troops" trained to kill. Supporting sons and daughters to be kind and nurturing toward others is twisted into the slogan, "support the troops," that continues the wars.
HOW PEACEMAKERS MIGHT CELEBRATE "VETERANS DAY" 2008
Listen to Nick Masullo's song, "Support the Troops: Bring Them Home." This song should, and I believe will, become nationally known and revered. And sing it yourself.
Ratchet up your support for Congressman Dennis Kucinich's DEPARTMENT OF PEACE legislation.
Participate in an historic citizen lobbying effort to create a U.S. Department of Peace. There is currently a bill before the U.S. House of Representatives (HR 808). This landmark measure will augment our current problem-solving options, providing practical, nonviolent solutions to the problems of domestic and international conflict. Produce a reading, staged performance or any portion of "The Gift of Peace," a play written to educate people about the Department of Peace and Nonviolence.
Support all politicians who genuinely strive for peace.
Begin or increase your commitment to the US Peace Memorial Foundation. Become a Founding Member or increase your donation. All contributions are cumulative, so you will be recognized for your total contributions to date. www.uspeacememorial.org/Donors
REMEMBER THE END OF WWI--ARMISTICE DAY—AND RESOLVE TO RESIST FUTURE WARS
Armistice Day or Remembrance Day is celebrated around the world on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.) The US day is now called Veterans Day, an annual holiday honoring all US military veterans. i
JOIN OMNI AND THE WORLD PEACE MOVEMENT IN PLANNING WAYS TO PREVENT WARS. Let's look ahead to ARMISTICE DAY/VETERANS DAY 2009.
VETERANS FOR PEACE Chapter 134, Tacoma,
Veterans Working Together for Peace & Justice Through Non-violence. ... Sat, 11/ 8/2008, Auburn Veterans Day Parade, 9:45 AM: Chapter 134 and other area
8: Veterans for Peace, Milwaukee Chapter 102, will sponsor a Veterans Day event at 10 a.m. in front of Milwaukee City Hall, 200 E. Wells, ...
2008 Veteran's Day Parade (VFP contingent)
Hartford's 2008 Veteran's Day Parade Veterans For Peace (VFP) Contingent. Sunday , November 2 - Hartford, CT. Peace Activists Are Welcome To March With VFP ...
1. ARLINGTON WEST SANTA MONICA, Calif.
In accordance with the Veterans For Peace Statement of Purpose, ... to be between $350 to $720 million per day with costs exceeding $12 billion per month. ...
2. Big Bend Gazette :: "Arlington Southwest" planned by Big Bend ...
Oct 1, 2007 ... The purpose of the Arlington Memorials is, according to the national Veterans for Peace organization, "to make the consequences of war real, ...
1. EXCLUDED VETS WILL MARCH IN 2008 VETERANS DAY PARADE | The ...
Members of the three veterans groups who were told they couldn't march in last year's 11th Annual Long Beach Veterans Day Parade because they didn't "fit.
1. Political Affairs Magazine - Veterans Day: A Day for Peace or A ...
Not by the way veterans who stand for peace are treated in Veterans Day ceremonies! ... PA Radio #44: Victory in the 2008 Elections Begins Today ...
2. Meadville Tribune - Veterans Day speaker: We must 'take care of ...
Many marchers wore "Veterans for Peace" armbands, jackets or hats. ... Dwight Eisenhower who changed the name of the holiday to Veterans Day in 1954, ...
Yoko Ono donates $10000 to veterans group peace scholarship fund ...
Oct 9, 2008 ... Browse by day posted:. Select a date, October 19, 2008, October 18, ... One of the missions of Veterans for Peace is to abolish war as an ...
ARLINGTON Miami on Veterans Day Weekend - Veterans for Peace ...
Join Veterans for Peace - South Florida Chapter 032. You'll get invited to our Meetups as ... 2008 Meetup Inc. Trademarks belong to their respective owners.
VAIW :: Veterans Against The Iraq War
Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan 2008 By Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans ... accurate account of what is really happening day in and day out, on the ground.
VETS SEEK TO DISPLAY REPLICA GRAVESTONES MADISON VETERANS FOR ...
Veterans Day by Madison Veterans for Peace, Clarence...walk bordering ... US Fed News Service, Including US State News; September 17, 2008 ; 193 words ...
A Pacifist Veteran Looks at Veterans Day | War Resisters League
Around the country, at least 20 Veterans for Peace chapters are leading lead their communities in Armistice/Veterans Day commemorations. ...
Vietnam Veterans Against the War
It all started in 1967, with six Vietnam veterans marching together in a peace demonstration. Now, forty-one years later, VVAW is still going strong-- ...
www.vvaw.org/ - 9k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Vietnam Veterans Against the War: History of the U.S. War in Vietnam
About the authors: Barry Romo and Peter Zastrow are members of the Chicago chapter of Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Joe Miller is a member of the ...
www.vvaw.org/about/warhistory.php - 22k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
We create political support for opposition to US intervention around the world and at home. We also distribute materials, expose the US war moves, ...
www.vvawai.org/ - 35k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Vietnam Veterans Against the War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) is a tax-exempt non-profit organization and corporation, originally created to oppose the Vietnam War. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_Veterans_Against_the_War - 86k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW)
Viet Nam Veterans Against the War was founded in 1967 and, at the height of its effectiveness in the late 1960s, claimed over 40000 members. ...
www2.iath.virginia.edu/sixties/HTML_docs/Resources/Primary/Winter_Soldier/VVAW_entry.html - 9k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
vvaw.htm
Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Inc. (VVAW, Inc.) is a national veterans organization that was founded in New York City in 1967 after six Vietnam vets ...
grunt.space.swri.edu/vvaw.htm - 4k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
The Turning: A History of Vietnam Veterans Against the War - Google Books Result
by Andrew Hunt - 2001 - History - 296 pages
" --Maurice Isserman, Hamilton College"For all kinds of veterans of the Sixties era, this book offers powerful testimony on the meaning of patriotism...
books.google.com/books?isbn=0814736351...
Articles, forum, news and events, and resources for veterans opposed to the war.
www.vaiw.org/ - 58k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
A Eugene Soldier Fights Killing
War's Total Cost Nearing ...
Frawley Blows Whistle On ...
More results from vaiw.org »
Veterans Against The Iraq War. ... Contribute to VAIW .... VAIW: Veterans Against The Iraq War Copyright © 2002 - 2008 VAIW.ORG URL of this page: www.vaiw .org.
Vaiw.org - AboutUs Wiki Page
From AboutUs: See what information we have on Vaiw.org and share your knowledge.
Gold Star Families For Peace
An organization of families who lost loved ones fighting in Iraq, who seek to have a speedy withdrawal of US military troops and have President Bush explain Gold Star Famillies For Peace : Search
By Section, 2006 Election Scorecard, Act for Change, Actions, Appeal for Redress , Camp Casey August 16th-Sept 2nd 2006, Camp Casey Peace Institute ...
Peace Mom: A Mother's Journey Through Heartache to Activism - Google Books Result by Cindy Sheehan - 2006 - Biography & Autobiography - 242 pages
"Writing this book is the second most difficult thing I have ever done, next to burying Casey.
September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows
Peaceful Tomorrows : Index
- Sep 5
Peaceful Tomorrows is an advocacy organization founded by family members of September Eleventh victims. Its mission is to seek effective nonviolent ...
www.peacefultomorrows.org/ - 26k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
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1. Peaceful Tomorrows : About Us
Peaceful Tomorrows is an organization founded by family members of those killed on September 11th who have united to turn our grief into action for peace. ...
www.peacefultomorrows.org/article.php?list=type&type=12 - 21k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
2. September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows - Wikipedia ...
September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, also known as 9/11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows or simply Peaceful Tomorrows, is an anti-war ...Democracy Now! | September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows ...
Nearly seven years ago, a group of family members of those killed on Sept. 11 united to advocate for a nonviolent response to the attacks on the World Trade ...
Amazon.com: September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows ...
Amazon.com: September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows: Turning Tragedy into Hope for a Better World: David Potorti: Books.
Peaceful Tomorrows : Resources
September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows is honored to share with our friends and allies the work of LaOnf - an extraordinary network of Iraqi peace ...
Peaceful Tomorrows | FORpeace
Aug 27, 2008 ... Over the past couple months, FOR has partnered with Peaceful Tomorrows (an organization that FOR fiscally sponsored, when it began in late
USATODAY.com - Bush accused of exploiting 9/11
"Our message to all politicians is, 'Keep your hands off Ground Zero,' " said David Potorti, of Cary, N.C., a member of Peaceful Tomorrows, ...
RABBI WASKOW, THE SHALOM CENTER
"A Prophetic Voice in Jewish, Multireligious, and American Life
Making Armistice Day/ Veterans Day Real"
Ninety years ago today, at 11 o'clock on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, World War I ended. It was supposed to be the "war to end all wars" - but see how we have worse than wasted those 90 years! For many years in the United States, November 11 was Armistice Day. Now it is Veterans Day, when we honor those who at the call of an American government, no matter how misguided the call, risked their lives and limbs and minds and even souls.
But we can truly honor them only when we stop creating new dead and maimed, new veterans -- when there are no more rockets' red glare, bombs bursting in air.
Two years ago, at the initiative of The Shalom Center, 85 rabbis and four cantors from all the branches of the Jewish religious tree signed A JEWISH CALL TO HEAL GOD'S WORLD BY WEAVING WORLD COMMUNITY......
Shalom, salaam, peace --- Arthur
A JEWISH CALL TO HEAL GOD'S WORLD
BY WEAVING WORLD COMMUNITY
The human race -- adam -- and the planet in which we live -- adamah -- are in the midst of a world-wide earthquake: political, economic, technological, military, religious, ecological.
One possible response is to try to control this earthquake through top-down, unaccountable power. Another is to try to reverse the history of the last several centuries and return to a remembered version of the pre-Modern world. A third is to reweave the web of life-forms and cultures into a richer planetary community in which power and decision-making begins at the grass-roots. Jewish tradition and our history warn us against an approach to controlling the world that depends upon top-down, unaccountable, arrogant power: the approach of Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Rome, the Inquisition, the Tsar.
Our tradition and our history also warn us against trying to restore the past, as we recall the Name God spoke to Moses at the crisis of the Burning Bush: "Ehyeh asher ehyeh, I Will Be Who I Will Be."
Jewish tradition and Jewish history teach us to seek the third alternative: to weave world community across boundaries of religion and nationality -- for the sake of the human race, which suffers deeply from war, and for the sake of healing our endangered planet and its wounded web of life.
Yet the present policies of the US government have done much to sever the threads of world community and to begin creating a pyramidal structure of top-down, unaccountable military and corporate power to control the world.
And in several religious communities, violence by national governments and terrorist groups has attempted to turn the calendar back to an imaginary earlier, world in which women, other communities, and the earth itself stayed in their "places" -- subordinate.
So we covenant with each other to draw from Jewish wisdom how to walk the path of healing into a just and compassionate future, to seek peace, justice, the healing of the earth, and a planetary community made up of richly diverse cultures. We call for specific changes that are rooted in this vision, and intend to keep growing and working together as the transformation of our world unfolds.
1. We call for an immediate decision by Congress to set a time-table to bring safely home all US troops, contractors, and mercenaries from Iraq, by a date certain not later than Rosh Hashanah 5768 -- September 2007 -- and to support the creation of a UN peacekeeping body that can swiftly midwife the achievement of self-determination by the Iraqi people
2. We call on the US government to insist on the convening of an Emergency International Conference on Peace in the Middle East, committed to achieve a full peace settlement among Israel, Palestine, all Arab states, and Iran, including mutual recognition of legitimate national rights of all the parties -- and in the pursuit of these goals, to carry on direct discussions with all the governments concerned.
3. We are profoundly concerned by the damage that human ignorance and arrogance are inflicting on God's creation of the web of life on earth. We especially call on the US government and on state and local governments, religious communities, businesses, labor unions, and universities to take all possible steps to avert the climate crisis of global scorching. We call on us all to maximize the use of sustainable, non-nuclear, non-polluting, non-CO2-producing sources of energy; to radically diminish the use of fossil fuels; and to provide public review and accountability for the present top-down, unaccountable power of Big Oil and Big Coal.
4. We call on the US government to ratify and carry out a series of existing and pending treaties to strengthen the fabric of world community. These include treaties to ban land mines, forbid the recruitment of children as soldiers, empower the International Criminal Court and accept its jurisdiction, define international terrorism as a war crime subject to ICC jurisdiction, and roll back carbon-dioxide emissions; to reaffirm, fully enforce, and open US courts to hear cases under the Geneva Conventions and other treaties against torture; and to modify "free trade" treaties and laws so as to protect workers, consumers, and the earth.
5. We call on the US government to commit 5% of the American Gross Domestic Product for each of the next twenty years to eliminating global poverty, homelessness, inadequate education, and inadequate health care; to assisting women and families throughout the world to make reproductive choices; and to encouraging grass-roots empowerment of people, throughout the world.
6. We call on the US government to make sure that all religious communities, majority and minority, are accorded the same legal and cultural freedom and respect. In response to specific contemporary dangers, we are especially concerned that Muslims and Muslim institutions be accorded legal freedom and cultural respect for their persons, their exercise of religious freedom, and their communal spaces and practices, as we have long asserted must be accorded Jews, Christians, and others.
7. We commit ourselves to speak out in public -- in the name of Torah and the values of the Jewish people -- against unethical and immoral actions by any government or politico-military group. We are especially concerned by acts that go beyond using violence in absolutely unavoidable self-defense,. We believe this standard must be used to measure the US government's occupation of Iraq and its willingness to use torture; the use of terror attacks against civilians by various Palestinian, Iraqi, Lebanese, and other groups; and the Israeli government's attacks on civilians and their vital infrastructure in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as aspects of the 39-year Israeli occupation of Palestinian land and people that may go far beyond self-defense.
8. We covenant with each other, with the Jewish community, and with the Holy One of Blessing to work together beyond this public statement to make its vision real.
9. And we commit ourselves to work with Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, and those of other religious, spiritual, and ethical communities not only for "interfaith dialogue" but for multireligious action to heal God's world and for multireligious affirmation of the Unity that calls us all together.
Rabbi Katy Z. Allen, et al.
Iraq War Veteran Joins Ranks of War Resisters
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/11/11-1
Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans Join the Homeless
BOOKS ABOUT US WARS AND VETERANS(a minute sample of the thousands of the books available to all who choose to know).
ILLUSIONS AND DECEITS
Paul Buchheit, ed. American Wars: Illusions and Realities. Clarity, 2008. I strongly recommend this book; it is sure to change Veterans Day for the better. Americans Value Honor. We Fight for the Right Reasons: Illusion 1: We fight for peace and democracy. Illusion 2: We fight to defend our personal freedoms. Americans Value Truthfulness. We Can Believe Our Decision-Makers. Illusion 3: Our Government Tells Us the Truth About Our Wars. Illusion 4: We Stay in Iraq to Prevent Further Bloodshed Among Iraqis. Illusion 5: The Mainstream Media Gives Us Balanced Reporting. Etc. for 19 Illusions. For related books see Buchheit's Endnotes.
THE WARS: HISTORY OF US INTERVENTIONS AND INVASIONS
Robert Kagan. Dangerous Nation: America's Place in the World from Its Earliest Days to the Dawn of the Twentieth Century. Knopf, 2006.
William Blum. Rogue State; Killing Hope. Each US intervention and invasion described.
Stephen Kinzer. Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq. Holt, 2006.
Andrew Bacevich. The New American Militarism: How Americans Are Seduced by War. Oxford UP, 2005.
James Carroll, House of War: The Pentagon and the Disastrous Rise of American Power. Houghton Mifflin, 2006.
Joseph Gerson, Empire and the Bomb: How the US Uses Nuclear Weapons to Dominate the World. Pluto, 2007.
Edward Wood, Jr. Worshipping the Myths of World War II: Reflections on America's Dedication to War. Potomac, 2006.
Daniel Hallock. Hell, Healing, and Resistance: Veterans Speak. Plough, ?
Saunders, Nancy. Combat by Trial: An Odyssey with 20th Century Winter Soldiers. iUniverse, 2008. "…the compelling personal story of a Vietnam War protester and her fellow activists. It is also a grim reminder of how intimidating the government can be when citizens dare to assert themselves in a righteous but radical cause."
IRAQ/AFGHAN WARS
Stiglitz and Bilmes. The Three Trillion Dollar War. Norton, 2008.
Wright and Dixon, eds. Dissent, Voices of Conscience: Government Insiders Speak Out Against the War in Iraq. Koa, 2008.
Patrick Cockburn. The Occupation: War and Resistance in Iraq. Verso, 2006.
REJECTING WARS
Murray Polner and Thomas Woods, Jr., eds. We Who Dared to Say No to War: American Antiwar Writing from 1812 to Now. Basic, 2008.
Walter Wink, ed. Peace Is the Way. Orbis, 2000.
Barry Miles. Peace: 50 Years of Protest. Readers Digest, 2008.
Ken Kolsbun. Peace: The Biography of a Symbol. National Geographic, 2008.
Stephen Halpert and Tom Murray, eds. Witness of the Berrigans. Doubleday, 1972.
Howard Zinn. You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train. Beacon, 1994. Part Two: War: "A Veteran Against War," etc. The Zinn Reader: Writings on Disobedience and Democracy. Seven Stories, 1997. Section III, War: "Just and Unjust War," etc.
David Krieger and Carah Ong, eds. Hold Hope, Wage Peace. Capra, 2005.
Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans, eds. Stop the Next War Now. Inner Ocean, 2005.
Michael Nagler, "Connecting the Dots—Nonviolently"; Stephen Zunes, "People Power and Regime Change: How Nonviolence Spreads Democracy": both in Consistently Opposing Killing, ed. Rachel Macnair and Stephen Zunes (Praeger, 2008).
A Force More Powerful: a book, PBS series, a game, www.aforcemorepowerful.org
International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, www.nonviolentconflict.org
OMNI SEEKS A WORLD FREE OF WAR AND THE THREAT OF WAR, A SOCIETY WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERY PERSON'S POTENTIAL MAY BE FULFILLED, AN EARTH RESTORED. GRASSROOTS NONVIOLENCE, WORLD PEACE, HUMAN RIGHTS, SOCIAL and ECONOMIC JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP PROTECTING SPECIES AND THE EARTH. These are OMNI's ideals. Read our brochure and our newsletters, attend our Steering Committee, become an active member of one or more of our committees, participate in our activities to see how these broad goals are realized in action. There is nothing vague about Building a Culture of Peace.
End of first OMNI Newsletter on Armistice/Veterans Day, 11-11-08.
Climate Project announces grant to RepowerArkansas
RepowerArkansas NEWS RELEASE
The Statewide Coalition RepowerArkansas Receives The First Grant Awarded from
National Organization: The Climate Project
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10 November 2008. ARKANSAS.
Robert McAfee, of Hackett, AR, one of the 1,000 trained by Al Gore, has been awarded the first ever grant from The Climate Project (TCP) (www.theclimateproject.org) to fund a statewide coalition Repower Arkansas. The coalition formed to promote awareness of the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, creating renewable power and green collar jobs. The strategy of the coalition is to develop a citizen alert network to inform the Arkansas General Assembly that the public wants the recommendations from the Arkansas Governor’s Commission to be adopted as law. By enacting these policy options many new green collar jobs can be created. This is a real opportunity for Arkansas to become a leader in repowering energy supplies with clean, renewable energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and others.
Robert is a climatologist and an environmental educator. Since December 2006 he has given over 50 presentations of Mr. Gore’s slide show. Four other Arkansas TCP presenters, Kevin Smith, of Helena, Brent Robinson, Fayetteville, Robert Huston, Van Buren, and Cindy Fribourgh of Little Rock will also work with the coalition. Robert and Kevin served on the Governor’s Commission on Global Warming. The final report of the commission was presented to Governor Beebe on October 31.
Over the next three months members of the coalition will travel to communities around the state to discuss the climate crisis with citizens and share the opportunity of green collar jobs for economic development. Green-collar jobs pay family wages and provide opportunities for advancement for a career with increasing skills and wages. While some green jobs require advanced technical skills, most are middle-skill jobs requiring more education than high school, but less than a four-year degree. Much of the work to green our economy involves transforming the places that we live and work, and the way we travel. Repower Arkansas will enlist the support of citizens to inform the General Assembly of the publics growing desire for clean energy and green jobs.
The first event will be November 18th at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, from 7-10pm. These presentations will incorporate the major themes of the Climate Project and The WE Can Solve It Campaign with Arkansas specific applications from the Global Warming Commission’s policy options.
Further information can be obtained at www.repowerarkansas.org.
CONTACTS: Robert McAfee Robert@repowerarkansas.org;
Joanna Pollock Planetworkscom@gmail.com;
Charlotte Wales walescharlotte@hotmail.com.
Carbon Caps Task Force meeting at 1:30 p.m. today at the Fayetteville, Arkansas, public library
Carbon Caps Task Force meeting at 1:30 p.m. today at the Fayetteville, Arkansas, public library.
Movie on the planet
http://www.linktv.org/programs/special_planet1
The Planet Part 1 - Watch Online!
This outstanding documentary series outlines the challenges faced by humanity in the grip of global environmental change, making a strong case for mankind's own contribution to this life threatening problem. Not limited to climate change, The Planet examines global changes brought about by overpopulation, the destruction of plants and animals, high levels of consumption, growing economies and industrialized farming. Swedish filmmakers Michael Stenberg, Linus Torell, Johan Söderberg take this serious material to the next level, using unconventional aerial photography, archived instructional films and a thriving soundtrack to bring a scientific subject into the realm of artistic, contemporary documentary. Environmental experts interviewed for the series include Pulitzer Prize and National Medal of Science winner Jared Diamond ("Guns, Germs and Steel"), author and Stanford professor Gretchen Daily, Herman Daly, Will Steffen, George Monbiot, Norman Myers and Lester Brown.
Part 1: Global Change
The first episode of The Planet attempts to correct our use of the term "climate change", arguing that what humanity really faces is change to all aspects of the biosphere, including the decimation of resources, ongoing damage to natural services such as pollination, and the widespread extinction of plants and animals. This is a global change – one that reaches beyond the climate. Because it's global, it's a marked example of our growing dependence on the behavior of other nations.
The first people to feel such global changes are often the most unlikely – Inuit hunters whose fish are suffering mutations from e-waste, Australian ranchers fighting raging bushfires, Portuguese farmers facing ceaseless droughts, year in year out. We all share the planet, and the decisions we make now will affect not only our own lives, but the future of the whole world.
Visit our pages for The Planet Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.
Reply Reply to all Forward
OMNI Book forum on U.S. capitalism
OMNI BOOK FORUM ON US CAPITALISM
Sent: Sat 11/01/08 6:34 PM
Reply-to: Dick Bennett (jbennet@uark.edu)
Please tell others.
CONTACT: Dick Bennett, 442-4600
FORUM ON U. S. CAPITALISM
SPONSORED BY OMNI CENTER FOR PEACE, JUSTICE AND ECOLOGY
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 6:30, NIGHTBIRD BOOKSTORE
6TH ST./HIGHWAY 62 AND S. SCHOOL/71B
A panel will discuss recent books that examine contemporary business in the U. S. and its impact on the citizens. The panel was arranged prior to the bailout of the banks, which made the subject even more urgent. $700 billion rescued banks without any guaranteed return to the public for its investment or any requirement that they use at least some of the money for the mortgage-burdened people. They were free to use the money to buy other banks, pay dividends to stockholders, or give executives a bonus. As of the end of October, almost four weeks after the bailout became law, officials were just beginning to talk about helping a few strapped homeowners to keep the foreclosure wolf from the door. How did this situation happen? How did US capitalism become so irresponsibly, powerfully rapacious, our recent Presidents so unconscionably cooperative, and our Congress so complicitly supine? These books give the historical background.
The Panelists are Claire Detels, UA Prof. Emer.; Max Greenwood (John Gray, Mayor of Greenland, was to have been a panelist, but he is recovering a motorcycle accident); John Rule, retired teacher, farmer; and Larry Woodall, retired businessman.
The books to be discussed are: Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins; Unequal Protection: The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights by Thom Hartmann; Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (And Stick You with the Bill) by Robert Johnston; Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein.
Claire Detels: Naomi Klein, SHOCK DOCTRINE : The Rise of Disaster Capitalism.
Max Greenwood, Thom Hartmann, UNEQUAL PROTECTION: The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights.
John Rule: Robert Johnston, FREE LUNCH: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense.
Larry Woodall: John Perkins, CONFESSIONS of an Economic Hitman.
RELATED RECOMMENDED BOOKS ON US CAPITALISM
--Batra ?. The Myth of Free Trade and Greenspan's Fraud. See John Gray's praise for both books in TMN (8-25-08).
--Alternative Radio : Noam Chomsky : Rollback: The Return of ...
Rollback: The Return of Predatory Capitalism (2 Tape Set) Noam Chomsky.
--The Globalization of Poverty and the New World Order by Michel Chossudovsky. 2008. In this new and expanded edition of Chossudovsky international best-seller, the author outlines the contours of a New World Order which feeds on human poverty and the destruction of the environment, generates social apartheid, encourages racism and ethnic strife and undermines the rights of women.
-- Fletcher, Bill and Gapasin?. Solidarity Divided: The Crisis in Organized Labor & a New Path Toward Social Justice. U of California P, 2008. Interv. Amy Goodman 9-19-08;
--Fraser, Steve. Wall Street. Also interv. by Moyers. Includes loss of democratic populism by Democratic Party. Cp. Twain's Golden Age about late 19th c. rapacity and inequality. Also "Inequality and the American Dream" in The Economist.
--Galbraith, James. The Predator State: How Conservatives Abandoned the Free Market and Why Liberals Should Too . http://www.amazon.com/Predator-State-Conservatives-Abandoned-Liberals/dp/141656683X
-- Thom Hartmann, UNEQUAL PROTECTION: The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights. (John Gray)
-- Hartmann, Thom. Screwed: The Undeclared War Against the Middle Class. Berret-Koehler, 2006;
--Robert Johnston, Free Lunch: How The Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves At Government Expense (and Stick you With the Bill). (John Rule)
--Naomi Klein, TheSHOCK DOCTRINE : The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. (Claire Detels)
--Perkins, John. Confessions of an Economic Hitman. (Larry Woodall)
--Phillips, Kevin. Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics, and the Global Crisis of American Capitalism. Viking, 2008.
--Jack Rasmus, The War at Home: The Corporate Offensive from Ronald Reagan to George W., Bush, Economic Class War in America
--Reich, Charles. Opposing the System.
--Robert Reich, Supercapitalism
-- Dean Ritz, ed. Defying Corporations, Defining Democracy, for POCLAD, Apex P, 2001 (Program on Corporations, Law, and Democracy);
--Sklar, Holly. Raise the Floor. Interviewed by Bill Moyers on Moyers' Journal 6-13-08.
-- Speth, James Gustave. The Bridge at the Edge of the World: Capitalism, the Environment, and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability. Yale UP, 2008. Blind faith in economic growth is ruining the planet. Rev. The Interdependent (Spring 2008) (UNA-USA magazine); "…my conclusion…is that most environmental deterioration is a result of systemic failures of the capitalism that we have today and that long-term solutions must seek transformative change in the key features of this contemporary capitalism."
----Big Think presents a short video of Columbia University economist Joseph Stiglitz explaining how foreign governments are buying America. See (with Linda Bilmes) his The Three Trillion Dollar War. http://www.boingboing.net/2008/09/16/joseph-stiglitz-how.html
--Waldman, Michael. Who Robbed America? A Citizen's Guide to the Savings and Loan Scandal.
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Washington Post says EPA, Interior to be transform...
Marsha Melnichak's passing leaves an empty spot in...
Clean Air Arkansas to meet November 19 in Fayettev...
EPA can no longer ignore pollution by coal-fired p...
OMNI newsletter for Armistice, Veterans Day Novemb...
Carbon Caps Task Force meeting at 1:30 p.m. today ...
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20 Things You Should Know About 롤대리
Hundreds of thousands of american citizens delight in movie game titles-for that adrenaline rush, the companionship, the Opposition, and the chance to be a conquering adventurer, not less than in a very virtual earth.
The excellent news is Individuals don’t have to interrupt the lender to Perform the movie video games they really like. Turner Broadcasting System’s GameTap is without doubt one of the newest and best selections for consumers to get their sport on and expertise all The nice items about games. The main of its kind broadband leisure community, GameTap (www.gametap.com) presents many the greatest video games throughout a number of platforms for A reasonable $14.95 per 30 days.
“Turner created GameTap as they wished players to possess lots of games-a Digital vault-that permits them to working 롤대리 experience every type of thrills which includes purpose-taking part http://edition.cnn.com/search/?text=롤대리 in, action, and puzzle games,” says Stuart Snyder, General Manager of GameTap.
But Along with staying pleasurable, can enjoying these video games truly encourage self-improvement? Keep on towards your controllers: some researchers and social critics are actually arguing that video clip gaming has its virtues. It may possibly speed reflexes, improve mental talents and even lessen violence. Though nobody is arguing for just a 24-hour diet regime of online video video games, numerous observers now see some concealed values.
Consider investigate accomplished on the University of Rochester in The big apple, which concluded that young Older people who often played video games can strengthen their “video attention.” In one experiment, for example, examination topics ended up requested to rapidly determine whether a certain form-a square or a diamond-appeared in just one of the 6 rings. Video avid gamers arrived out on leading. The scientists mentioned that video games pressure gamers to concurrently juggle an assortment tasks, for example detecting and monitoring enemies, and averting having damage. Those people match-enjoying expertise can translate into far more basic Visible techniques that apply to everyday life.
“We from time to time consider popular society as being a passive recreation, but there’s almost nothing passive about video games-they are quite possibly the most interactive, demanding entertainment medium at any time established,” mentioned Snyder. “When the GameTap staff of overachievers is any indication, video clip games are a terrific way to learn how to Assume with your feet.”
Simulation games, in which players layout every little thing from roller coasters to cities, could get Children interested in mechanical engineering and concrete preparing. Wrote writer Steven Johnson: “My nephew will be asleep in five seconds in case you popped him down in an city scientific tests classroom, but in some way one hour of participating in ‘Sim City’ taught him that prime tax rates in industrial locations can stifle growth.”
Johnson, the author of “Every little thing Undesirable Is nice For you personally: How Today’s Well known Society Is definitely Building Us Smarter,” has grown to be a well known defender of movie game titles. He has also entered the controversy in excess of irrespective of whether movie video games promote aggression, arguing that criminal offense amid teenagers and adolescents has dropped by Just about two-thirds considering the fact that 1975. Whether or not video clip games will take credit score is usually a subject of strong debate, but Johnson implies that video game titles may possibly work as a safety valve.
Video clip online games may possibly even have therapeutic worth. Mark Griffiths, a professor at Nottingham Trent College in England, argues that movie games can help distract small children undergoing chemotherapy and procedure for sickle mobile anemia. The video games could also perform as Actual physical therapy for arm injuries.
Like a lot of scientists, Griffiths advocates moderation in sport Participate in. GameTap’s Snyder agrees. “At GameTap, we love games, we’re immersed in them, and we’ve acquired hundreds to choose from. But we also know the importance of Placing the controller down. A virtual environment might be pleasurable, but there’s no substitute for the true detail.”
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The 10 Scariest Things About 롤듀오
Irrespective of whether 1 is really a university student or is working in some type of career, Anyone can utilize a split through the everyday stresses of lifetime. As such, A lot more folks are searhing for means to engage their minds in a little something in addition to just the normal escapes, like tv.
In this particular age of engineering, personal computers at the moment are a vital A part of numerous people today’s lives. Having said that, pcs can be utilized for thus considerably more than just typing papers or checking e-mail. In truth, personal computers are now good hobbies within them selves, and A lot of people are actually finding just how much entertaining it truly is to Participate in an internet position playing game titles.
A web based multiplayer video game is one which a gamer performs though remaining linked to the net, from or with other Net players. While actively playing you can also connect with 1000s of other gamers around the server in which the sport is hosted. Considering that these video games entail thousands of avid gamers enjoying simultaneously with one another http://www.bbc.co.uk/search?q=롤대리 in a large Digital earth, they are also named Massively Multiplayer On the web Game titles (MMOGs). These were being manufactured attainable only with The expansion of broadband Internet access. [Illustrations: World of Warcraft, Guild Wars]. In a few on the internet multiplayer games it is possible to communicate with only a few customers with whom you could group up [Examples: America’s Military, Counter Strike Source].
MMOGs are very large organization currently even though They're a comparatively new phenomenon. Their acceptance started off climbing from the late nineteen nineties when two video games – Everquest and Ultima Online – caught on in a big way. To start with-human being shooters such as Quake, Unreal Tournament, Counter Strike and Warcraft 3 are immensely well-liked online multiplayer games, but they don't seem to be MMOGs. Around recently, these games had been performed only on the pc. On the other hand, they are catching up speedy on consoles also. Remaining Fantasy XI and Everquest On the net Adventures are games which have been massive hits on video console circuit. On line gaming on cell phones has started far too, 롤대리 but it has yet to produce a mark because there are several technological limits as of now.
On-line purpose playing online games are getting to be more and more typical between the computer savvy. Nonetheless, there are still A lot of people who often use computers, yet do not know just what a web based function playing activity is.
Simply put, an internet based function playing match is very similar to video games from childhood, in that gamers turn out to be a particular character, and do the job with other gamers to create situations throughout the activity itself. The quantity of Artistic flexibility that players might have inside a lot of these online games is what helps make on the web function enjoying game titles so well known to begin with.
On the list of more popular on line position taking part in online games is a person via the identify of “Guild Wars.” With this game, a participant can elect to Enjoy towards other gamers, or Perform against the surroundings by itself. You can find four special figures that a participant can decide to become, and the moment which is founded, the participant can Select from the classes of Mesmer, Ranger, Monk, Elementalist, Necromancer, or Warrior.
Today a variety of kinds of massively multiplayer games can be obtained, like: (i) MMORPG (Massively multiplayer on the net part-actively playing video games). (ii) MMORTS (Massively multiplayer on the net serious-time tactic online games). (iii) MMOFPS (Massively multiplayer on-line initial-person shooter game titles)
On-line job taking part in online games are available on many various websites by using free of charge or paid obtain. It should be noted that no cost online games typically will not be as Superior as being the compensated game titles, so totally free game titles are a good idea for novices. For whoever has tolerance and so are intrigued by the thought of developing different realities, on the internet function actively playing game titles are in truth an interesting interest
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Games Can Tell Stories
by Maria Lacey | Jun 17, 2013 | Consoles, PC Games | 0 comments
On a panel at University of Southern California, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg had some interesting thoughts about the nature of video gaming, stating that video games can’t really have a plot and that players can’t really care about the video game characters.
I respectfully disagree.
Video games can be mindless fun, I know. Pac-Man doesn’t make me shed a tear, and there are tons of games that throw away the plot and simply focus on shooting and mayhem. But video games have evolved and there are some out there that are actually works of art. Some of the best video games are those that tell a great story and have great characters.
There are two games that automatically come to mind when I think of games with great stories: The Walking Dead Game (the TellTale one, not the disappointing new game where you play as Daryl) and Persona 3.
I know there are plenty of others, but these two games really stood out for me. I first got into the Persona series with Persona 3, and The Walking Dead is one of my favorite shows, and the video game doesn’t disappoint.
First off, The Walking Dead Game is based off the comics and follows a group of survivors of the zombie apocalypse. It’s basically an interactive story, where the player has to make quick decisions that affect the other characters and the plot. If you didn’t cry at that ending, I fear you have no heart.
The story is really about Lee, a man on his way to prison when the zombie outbreak begins, and Clementine, a little girl he finds alone shortly after. Clementine is the cutest girl ever and it is your job to play as Lee and protect and teach this little girl to survive.
Spoilers. Seriously, if you haven’t played The Walking Dead Game yet, leave now and go play it! For everyone else, please continue.
At the very end, your character, Lee, dies, and poor little Clementine is left to fend for herself. From the moment Lee gets bitten by the undead, you know it’s over for him, and the parting scene between him and Clementine is one of the saddest things I’ve ever seen. By the end you really feel for these characters, if only because of how involved you were in the decision-making.
That was expert story-telling, and that came from a video game. Not only was the story riveting, the characters were well crafted and you could see how the zombie outbreak and the mass destruction that followed affected all the characters. It had an intriguing story line that really focused on the characters, and your involvement with the decision-making made you care.
Another great game that directly contradicts this idea that games don’t have good storytelling or can’t make players care about characters is Persona 3.
I played the PSP version, and let me tell you, by the very end of that game, I was in tears. Full-on sobbing. In the ending I got, the screen simply faded to white and it’s unclear what really happens to the other characters. I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone who hasn’t played it yet, but basically you and your friends fight to save the world. The ending I witnessed was one of the most heartfelt scenes I’d ever seen. I had to take a break from playing games just to deal with the emotions that that game stirred.
Those are only TWO games out of the many out there, so I know there’s more. Looks like Spielberg and Lucas don’t know what they’re talking about, but I know my fellow gamers do.
Video games can be works of art – they can be about the story and the character, they can make players feel true emotion – it’s not just about shooting stuff and having mindless fun, although there’s nothing wrong with that. There are games that make players care, so by saying that video games don’t have good stories or can’t make players feel a connection to a character only shows how little Spielberg and Lucas know about video games.
Related Articles from GameSync:
Can Video Games Be Art?
Turning Video Games Into Movies
A Brief History of Final Fantasy
The Zombie Apocalypse In Video Games
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Cinco Claves para Superar el Miedo a Volar
noviembre 13, 2018 4:16 pm
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No todos los asientos son iguales
Si optas por asientos más próximos a la cabina de vuelo, en la parte delantera, tu mente tendrá una sensación de mayor amplitud y seguridad, ya que inconscientemente lo asociará con el control y la confianza de estar cerca de profesionales con experiencia capaces de dirigir la situación.
Asimismo, los asientos en la salida de emergencia también son ideales, ya que hay más espacio y disminuyen la impresión de claustrofobia. Por otro lado, las plazas de la parte trasera son menos recomendables para las personas que padecen esta fobia, ya que la visión del aeroplano a la hora de despegar es mucho más inclinada y resta la percepción de horizontalidad, más relacionada con la estabilidad. Por último, los asientos en ventanilla tampoco son recomendables para personas con vértigo y, en cambio, los de pasillo nos pondrán crear un efecto de estar en otro medio de transporte, como, por ejemplo, un autobús.
Oferta de entretenimiento
Dicen que la música amansa las fieras y también nuestros pensamientos negativos. La oferta de entretenimiento de los aviones te ayudará a mantener tu mente despejada, pero tendrás que hacer una buena selección. Para la música, elige canciones con energía y dinamismo; títulos que te recuerden a una experiencia personal en la que te encontrabas feliz o incluso cantantes cuya vida signifique un ejemplo de superación. Estas pistas te ayudarán a evadirte y sentirte fuera del espacio en el que tienes miedo. Para las películas, puedes optar por comedias o ciencia ficción. No hay nada mejor que superar la irritabilidad con algo de risa o incluso con un poco de magia, la misma por la que mucha gente piensa que los aviones vuelan. Evita los dramones, películas de acción o con mucha violencia. Lo ideal es que la oferta de entretenimiento te ayude a relajarte y no a aumentar tu angustia.
Auxiliares de vuelo
Viajar de forma acompañada te dará mayor seguridad e inhibirá tus niveles de estrés, sobre todo si tus acompañantes tienen menos miedo que tú. También es aconsejable evitar estar cerca de niños que lloran o personas ruidosas, ya que pueden interrumpir tu capacidad de concentración. Pero si hay grandes aliados para acabar con tu pánico a volar son los azafatos y azafatas, ya que prestar atención a patrones de referencia es una buena técnica para adquirir sus roles. Fijarse en su comportamiento, sus expresiones faciales y gestos de normalidad nos ayudan a confiar más en que estamos en buenas manos. Ellos llevan muchas horas de vuelo, no están allí por vacaciones u otros motivos adicionales, sino porque es su forma de trabajo. No se juegan la vida cada vez que están allí, sino que en algunos casos venden hasta loterías. ¿Crees que alguna profesión de riesgo vendería perfumes con descuento a sus clientes? ¿Hay alguna razón real para estar preocupados?
Las cifras no engañan
El primer consejo básico es evitar leer noticias de accidentes aéreos, vídeos sobre turbulencias, etc. Pero si ya es demasiado tarde para esto, puedes remediarlo con las matemáticas. ¿Cuántos accidentes de tráfico has visto en el último año? Enuméralos y represéntalos gráficamente comparándolos con los de avión. Sí, es cierto que el volumen de pasajeros de un avión es mayor que el de coche. ¿Es por este motivo por lo que dejarías de ir a un parque de atracciones y te quedarías en un parque normal con columpios? ¿Estarías dispuesto a renunciar a los grandes centros comerciales por la misma tienda del barrio siempre?
Cuidado con las comidas
Las comidas copiosas no permiten dormir de forma placentera y podrían provocar pesadillas. Se aconseja tomar una dieta equilibrada reduciendo los alimentos energéticos, así como los ricos en fibra o diuréticos que nos puedan obligar ir varias veces al baño, otro de los lugares más complicados para las personas que sufren miedo a volar. Para beber, evitar los productos con cafeína y hay quienes piden siempre una botellita de vino porque les ayuda a dormir. Otros prefieren hacer uso de pastillas sedantes, aunque en este caso se aconseja tomar las más suaves, ya que su efecto dura bastante y no podrían ser beneficiosas una vez que hayamos aterrizado y necesitemos estar más activos. Los remedios naturales siempre son los más oportunos, sobre todo, el agua de azahar.
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LIVE.ORG.AU
Locals Into Victoria's Environment
Posted on 12 December 2018 by David Robinson
Hi subscribers to LIVE postings.
The email below from http://www.caha.org.au/about asks climate activists to send an email to the Senior Labor Shadow Ministers who are meeting this weekend.
It asks that you send one email to them imploring them to finally act on climate change.
After the federal election In 2019 hopefully they will be able to actually do something.
DavidIRobinson
Convenor – LIVE
Website: www.live.org.au
Email: david.robinson@live.org.au
Twitter – Facebook – Donate
Dear David —
This Friday and Saturday (14-15 December), the Australian Labor Party will be holding their national conference in Adelaide to finalise their policy platform in the lead up to the federal election.
As you may know, the ALP has committed to implement a National Plan on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia in government, based on the Framework the Climate and Health Alliance and Our Climate Our Health supporting organisations have developed.
See here for the announcement by Shadow Ministers Mark Butler and Catherine King: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvyJ-lnyu9k&feature=youtu.be
We’re looking for your help to encourage all the ALP Leadership and Shadow Cabinet to make this a top priority!
Many positive benefits for health and well-being are available – if a comprehensive policy suite, like our world-leading Framework for a National Strategy, is implemented.
As we know, climate policy has been a fraught issue in our federal parliament.
Please ask Labor leaders to make National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia a top priority in their National Policy Platform!
That’s why we need you to take action now to email the ALP leadership and Shadow Cabinet ahead of this week’s meeting to let them know the Australian community is behind strong climate policy that addresses the twin challenges of climate change and health simultaneously.
Please email the ALP leadership and Shadow Cabinet now to share your concerns about climate change and health and urge them to make a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia a top priority in their National Policy Platform.
We are at a critical juncture in our campaign for a comprehensive climate and health policy suite – that will reduce carbon emissions, improve health and well-being and help stabilise our changing climate.
We don’t have much time. Please act now to secure a good outcome for climate and health in Australia.
Please use the link below to email ALP leaders Bill Shorten and Tanya Plibersek and the Shadow Cabinet to let them know you support the policy.
STEP 1: Please click here for some text for your email to ALP Leaders. Click on the email addresses to create a new email.
STEP 2: Paste the subject provided into the Subject line; the text provided into the body of the email; and ensure the email addresses are in the To: field. Please cc campaigns@caha.org.au
STEP 3:Press Send!
We’ve been working with parliamentarians from all political parties and in the states and territories to support the National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia.
NEXT: Once you’ve emailed the ALP, will your email your own MP to ask them the same thing? We need politicians from all sides of the parliament to work together on this issue.
Please use the following link to email your elected representative – and let them know this will be an issue for you when you vote in the upcoming election. Just enter your postcode – the email program will do the rest!
STEP 4: Click here to email your MP now.
The Climate and Health Alliance Team www.caha.org.au and the Our Climate Our Health campaign www.ourclimate-ourhealth.org.au
IN CASE THE LINKS ABOVE ARE NOT WORKING, HERE’S THE TEXT FOR YOUR EMAIL
Subject: Please make a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being a top priority in your National Policy Platform!
Bill.Shorten.MP@aph.gov.au,tanya.plibersek.mp@aph.gov.au,mark.dreyfus.mp@aph.gov.au,senator.collins@aph.gov.au,chris.bowen.mp@aph.gov.au,Mark.Butler.MP@aph.gov.au,catherine.king.mp@aph.gov.au,senator.wong@aph.gov.au,tony.burke.mp@aph.gov.au,julie.collins.mp@aph.gov.au,michelle.rowland.mp@aph.gov.au,richard.marles.mp@aph.gov.au,senator.farrell@aph.gov.au,Amanda.Rishworth.MP@aph.gov.au,jason.clare.mp@aph.gov.au,senator.carr@aph.gov.au,Linda.Burney.MP@aph.gov.au,shayne.neumann.mp@aph.gov.au,brendan.o’connor.mp@aph.gov.au,jim.chalmers.mp@aph.gov.au,a.albanese.mp@aph.gov.au,Joel.Fitzgibbon.MP@aph.gov.au
Dear ALP Leaders and Shadow Cabinet,
I write to you out of concern for the health and well-being of the Australian community in relation to climate change.
We are already experiencing significant impacts from climate change in Australia and this is adversely affecting the health of the community and impacting on the health care system.
We know that current Australian and international carbon reduction commitments are inadequate to limit global warming to a safe level.
Action to urgently reduce the production of greenhouse gases and shift to clean renewable low emissions energy sources is needed.
We should be redirecting existing subsidies from fossil fuels to clean, safe, renewable energy resources and technologies.
The protection of the health and wellbeing of the community must be paramount.
The Paris Agreement obliges the Australian Government to consider its citizen’s ‘right to health’ in its national climate change response.
A National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being is needed. Health groups from across Australia have developed a Framework for a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia – available here: http://www.caha.org.au/national-strategy-climate-health-wellbeing
I call on you to commit to developing and implementing this Strategy as a top priority in the next Parliament. This will be a core issue for me when it comes to voting in the next federal election.
I ask that you personally champion the development of this Strategy and ensure that Labor makes it a top policy priority in its National Policy Platform.
I would be grateful if you could advise what steps you take to address the above. Yours sincerely,
Our Climate, Our Health
http://www.caha.org.au/
Climate and Health Alliance · PO Box 343, Clifton Hill, Victoria 3068, Australia
This email was sent to david.robinson@live.org.au. To stop receiving emails, click here.
You can also keep up with Our Climate, Our Health on Twitter or Facebook.
Created with NationBuilder, software for leaders.
This entry was posted in NEWS by David Robinson. Bookmark the permalink.
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HOMENEWSREVIEWS »Albums »Singles »Live »Classic Albums »Audiovisual »BooksINTERVIEWSCOLUMNS
Tweets by @musosguide
Bronski Beat Remaster The Age Of Consent
Written by Marky Edison
Thirty five years ago, on September 12 1983, Bronski Beat, the standard bearers for an out and proud generation played an era-defining gig at legendary club venue and haven for gay Londoners, Heaven. September 12 2018 and London Records announce the release of a new and enhanced version of the band’s groundbreaking debut, The Age Of Consent, re-mastered from the original analogue tapes and available as a two CD set and picture disc. With the iconic artwork files long since lost London Records turned to Bruce Gill, whose father created the original designs, and along with his Dad redrew the album text and worked on a new layout for CD, vinyl and picture disc
Pop’s New Testament for British Gay Pride, The Age Of Consent arrived at a time when gay men were not just the foresworn enemies of the state but in the grip of a devastating new health pandemic, too. Its release in 1984 was the same year US Secretary of State for Health Margaret Heckler identified the HIV virus as the cause of AIDS.
As Paul Flynn, journalist - and author of Good As You: From Prejudice to Pride – 30 Years Of Gay Britain - captures so articulately in the album’s revised sleeve notes - “The Age of Consent is a journeyman record, indivisible for the fight for British gay equality. It is every bit as brave and war-torn as Bruce Springsteen in all his blue-collar drag. It is a working-class record, a kitchen sink vignette, a sloganeering button badge, a protest banner at the front of a march and a pair of disco hot-pants rollerblading under the open legs of its enemy.”
Bronski Beat aka Jimmy Somerville, Steve Bronski and the late Larry Steinbachek were a new template for pop action. Calling their album The Age Of Consent – which was 21 in 1984 – was a statement of intent and debut single ‘Small Town Boy’, a huge global hit, continues to resonate with today’s LGBT+ generation and remains a dance-floor staple. Follow up ‘Why?’ and the line ‘You and me together fighting for our love,’ summarized the album’s entire, noble intent and by listing the ages of consent in every country around the world on the inside jacket, Bronski Beat took a skillful sideswipe at the body politic.
The Age Of Consent is a rarity in musical history – a body of work that challenged the status quo and defined a generation. As Jimmy Somerville writes in his contribution to the sleeve notes – “I’m proud of this album, very, very proud and also humbled by the power it still has to affect change in someone’s life. So it wasn’t us that changed people’s lives, it was honesty.” Bronski Beat have launched a Mini-Website for fans to share their stories and memories of 'Smalltown Boy.’ Inspired by the many anecdotes shared on their social media pages the quotes will be used to make a video piece about the track. Please visit: bronskibeat.co.uk
CD1 Remastered Album and Bonus Tracks
1. Why? (Remastered)
2. It Ain’t Necessarily So (Remastered)
3. Screaming (Remastered)
4. No More War (Remastered)
5. Love & Money (Remastered)
6. Smalltown Boy (Remastered)
7. Heatwave (Remastered)
8. Junk (Remastered)
9. Need A Man Blues (Remastered)
10. I Feel Love/Johnny Remember Me (Remastered)
11. Why? (12” Version)
12. Smalltown Boy (12” Version)
13. It Ain’t Necessarily So (12” Version)
14. I Feel Love/Johnny Remember Me (12” Version)
CD2 Rare And Unreleased Tracks
1. It Ain’t Necessarily So (Kid Jenson BBC Session)
2. Memories (Kid Jenson BBC Session)
3. Crazy Maraquitta (Kid Jenson BBC Session)
4. Why? (Kid Jenson BBC Session)
5. No More War (Demo)
6. Up and Down (Instrumental demo)
7. Heatwave (Demo)
8. Ultra Clone (Instrumental Demo)
9. Junk (Demo)
10. The Other Side Of The Tracks (Demo)
11. I Feel Love/Johnny Remember Me (Rough Mix)
12. Smalltown Boy (Reprise 2014)
13. Why? (Live at Stella Polaris)
14. Smalltown Boy (Arnaud Rebotini Remix)
15. Why? (Wax Wings Remix)
16. Smalltown Boy (KDA Pink Triangle Remix)
Marky Edison
Latest from Marky Edison
Refused Release The Malignant Fire
Random Chains Halloween Vid
Belle & Sebastian Double Live Album
The Paranoyds Visit The Pet Cemetery
Hot Chip Get Straight To The Morning
Bronski Beat – The Age Of Consent (Remastered)
Bronski Beat New Album, The Age Of Reason, Out 28 July
More in this category: « Angertea Release 'An Acoustic Act To Eradicate Torture' Thumper Get Down »
Classic Albums1
MUSO'S GUIDE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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How to invest in gaming #1: Paradox Interactive
No Comments on How to invest in gaming #1: Paradox Interactive
While researching investment opportunities within the gaming industry, I decided it would be fun to create a series of articles with my notes. This is the first article, and dives into one of my favorite gaming companies – Paradox Interactive.
Paradox Interactive (PDX – Sweden)
Stock price as of this writing: 239.80 SEK
Company valued at: 3 057 680 000 USD (25.8 mrd SEK)
This swedish game developer and publisher became my most lucrative investment last year, with a 114% ROI. Paradox are primarily focused on the grand strategy genre, where they are a big player with games like Europa Universalis, Stellaris, Cities: Skylines, Hearts of Iron, Crusader Kings, Age of Wonders and Magicka. They also acquired the popular title Prison Architect last year, and are a successfull publisher for a variety of great titles: Steel Division, Tyranny, Surviving the Aftermath, Empire of Sin and Pillars of Eternity to mention some.
Game Studios
Paradox currently owns several different development studios in addition to their original Paradox Development Studio and its siblings:
Harebrained Schemes: Battletech, Necropolis, Shadowrun series, Golem Arcana, Strikefleet Omega, Crimson: Steam Pirates
Iceflake Studios: Surviving the Aftermath, Ice Lakes, Race Arcade, Premium Pool Arena, Target Horizon, Pirates don’t run
Triumph Studios: Age Of Wonders
Playrion Game Studio: Airlines Manager
Strengths and opportunities
Replayability & DLCs
One of the biggest strengths of Paradox is their ability to deliver deep, complex games with hundreds or thousands of hours of replayability, and then churn out DLCs. One of their main titles, Europa Universalis IV, currently have 33 DLCs, costing about 290$ combined. That means that a loyal fan of the game may leave about 320$ for the entirety of the DLCs plus the base game. This would be the closest thing you can come to a subscription based model without actually being one.
Churning out regular DLCs also ensures the games feel fresh and updated, and makes sure that players stick around for several years.
It’s not unusual to see Steam reviews from players with thousands of hours on Paradox titles
One of Paradox’s strength is that they have a overall theme: Strategy games. While a lot of the biggest companies dabbles in pretty much every genre, Paradox focuses mainly on strategy games, particularly grand strategy. This gives them the ability to be focused both in development, acquisition and talent.
Mobile and consoles
Grand strategy games involves a lot of clicking and reading, working best on desktop. That said, there’s obviously a big potential if they manage to successfully enter these platforms. Titles like Stellaris has already been ported to Xbox, and the acquisition of mobile game developer Playrion seems to signal that they want to take this seriously in the future.
Crusader Kings III was released this autumn, 8 years after the second installment in the series. Being a very similar series with the latest game released one year after Crusader Kings II, Europa Universalis V will probably not be too far away. Having hit the mark with Crusader Kings III (93% positive Steam reviews as of this writing and 1 million copies sold), it’s a promising foundation to build on for Paradox. Both Cities: Skylines (2015) and Stellaris (2016) will also eventually get a new addition.
In addition to having a bunch of great titles to upgrade regurarly, hopefully they’ll be able to conjure up some brand new stuff as well. The acquisition of Prison Architect is also interesting to expand upon, with different kinds of architect games being a logical expansion.
Another kind of game that would be very exciting to see would be some kind of a strategy MMO. Although the DLC model makes each title very lucrative, it does have a maximum limit for what a player is able to spend on each game, unlike MMOs or games that heavy utilizes micro transactions like FIFA or Counter Strike.
Paradox has also announced that they are going to develop several of their digital games into board games, which could be another nice revenue stream. Crusader Kings and Magicka Mayhem are first out.
Weaknesses & threats
Grand strategy games are certainly not for everyone. One of the downsides of deep and complex games is that they have a big and sometimes unforgiving learning curve. This may throw a lot of potential customers off, especially those new to the genre. I believe the probability of Paradox launching an insane worldwide bestseller like Counter Strike, PUBG or Fortnite is pretty low.
Perhaps not as crazy as the learning curve of EVE Online, but Paradox titles are not for the casual gamer.
Games as platforms
To sell 30+ DLCs for 300$ for a game, you need players who really, really enjoyes the game. While a lot of games can sell big on hype and call it a day, Paradox is in it for the long term. A big hit can become a very big hit, but a big miss may be a very big miss.
Mobile and console
While being an opportunity, focusing on mobile and console games may simply be a dead end, at least for most of Paradox’s titles. Grand strategy games are best played on desktop, period.
Tags gaming, investing, paradox interactive
By Eirik Nereng
Nevermind me, just sharing my notes and thoughts on stuff
← 8 email signup strategies from a industry leader
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Emory partners with Mexican Consulate in Atlanta to address COVID-19 disparities in Latinx community
Woodruff Health Sciences Center | Aug. 4, 2020
Catherine Morrow
camorro@emory.edu
Emory has partnered with the Mexican Consulate of Atlanta.
Emory team brings COVID-19 testing, education to poultry workers in rural Ga. July 1, 2020
Emory experts available to discuss COVID-19
Health, School of Medicine, School of Public Health, Woodruff Health Sciences Center, Emory in Atlanta, Coronavirus, Infectious Diseases, Health Disparities / Health Equity and Inclusion
Fueled by disparities in COVID-19 outcomes in the Latino community, a team of researchers at Emory University has partnered with the Mexican Consulate of Atlanta to test members of the Hispanic community for COVID-19.
Led by Jodie Guest, PhD, MPH, vice chair of Rollins’ department of epidemiology, the partnership will test up to 600 people, including consulate employees, and will take place on August 8-9 at the Consulate, located at 1700 Chantilly Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30324.
“With rates of COVID-19 more than three times higher than the state average, testing in the Latino population in Georgia is critical,” says Guest. “Emory is thrilled to continue this important collaboration with the Mexican Consulate of Atlanta to offer testing events.”
“Offering COVID-19 testing, in partnership with Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health, will help to ensure access to Mexicans and other Latinos across metro Atlanta,” says Javier Díaz de León, Consul General of Mexico in Atlanta. “We are at a critical point in this pandemic and need to ensure that everyone is tested.”
The Consulate General of Mexico in Atlanta will continue to work with Emory to maintain these services on a regular basis during the pandemic.
Other testing events for the Latinx community will take place in Cumming and Warner Robins. These events will be led by Valeria Cantos, MD, and Paulina Rebolledo, MD, assistant professors in the division of infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine:
Cumming, Georgia:
Iglesia Más que Vendedores
Iglesia Remanso de Paz
1715 Elberta Rd
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Weather , 0°C
Tech News Point
Schneider Electric has unveiled end-to-end digital solutions for building ‘Future Ready’, energy efficient airports through their IoT enabled platform EcoStruxure for airports
Offers solutions to build safe, energy and cost efficient, reliable and sustainable airport operation to ensure seamless traveler experience
In line with the government of India’s vision to create world-class airports in the country, Schneider Electric has unveiled end-to-end digital solutions for building ‘Future Ready’, energy efficient airports throughtheir IoT enabled platform EcoStruxure for airports.
It is an enterprise level integration system enabling a holistic view, quicker decision-making, better controls, improved operating efficiency and the opportunity to offer travellers an enhanced experience. Aimed at creating sustainable airports by reducing carbon footprint, it allows airports to dramatically reduce costs by improving energy quality and achieving environmental targets.
EcoStruxure for airport platform provides a collaborative environment for secure, efficient, reliable and sustainable airport service. Digitising the entire value chain of airport infrastructure management, it helps them to operate effectively, safely and in a cost-efficient manner.
Cost optimisation can be achieved with better management of BMS systems with advanced analytics working on top of it. Lighting management systems with intelligent sensors add to additional savings. Needless to say that with increased automation there’s less need for human intervention. With integrated command and control system, land side intervention can be bought in with new revenue streams.
The enterprise-level integration framework, which is a “System of System” solution. This integrated structure offers the unified version of truth that enables airports to view all aspects holistically, make faster decisions, improve controls, improve operational effectiveness and provide passengers with a seamless experience.
Airports focused on sustainability and reducing their carbon footprint benefit from significant cost savings from improved energy usage, besides achieving environmental goals.With a strong focus on sustainability and carbon footprint reduction, Schneider Electric airport solutions enable airports to substantially reduce costs by improving energy efficiency and achieving environmental objectives.
A collaborative environment for safe effective, reliable and sustainable airport service is created by the EcoStruxure for the airport platform. Airports are now an intelligent city where nearly all operations are digitised. The presence on the land side is therefore becoming increasingly necessary for airport operators who call for Smart City Vision.
The government envisions to create a self-reliant aviation sector in India. As 100 airports and 1000 routes have been proposed by 2024, the government has called for more investment by the private sector under the PPP model.
Optimistic of the opportunities in the Indian aviation sector, Schneider Electric has enhanced its capabilities in the airports segment. The company has recently acquired RIB Software SE, an innovator in building and construction industry that creates, develops and offers cutting-edge digital technologies for construction enterprises and projects across various industries worldwide.
Through RIB’s superior tools, the company plans to facilitate the interdisciplinary and increasingly seamless collaboration for airport construction. iTWO 4.0, RIB’s flagship cloud-based platform, provides the world’s first enterprise cloud technology based on 5D BIM with AI integration for construction companies, industrial companies, developers and project owners, etc.
By leveraging digital twin technology, the airports can become future ready thereby helping engineers predict the good and bad outcomes of the entire infrastructure. This is where RIB software comes into the picture. RIB can enable companies automate their entire construction process right from the conceptualization and design phase.
This helps to build an architecture using analytics, which can enable airports to visualize the entire process, thereby saving time and cost and increase energy efficiency of the infrastructure.
About Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is leading the Digital Transformation of Energy Management and Automation in Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries. With global presence in over 100 countries, Schneider is the undisputable leader in Power Management – Medium Voltage, Low Voltage and Secure Power, and in Automation Systems. We provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation and software. In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with the largest Partner, Integrator and Developer Community on our Open Platform to deliver real-time control and operational efficiency. We believe that great people and partners make Schneider a great company and that our commitment to Innovation, Diversity and Sustainability ensures that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone and at every moment.
#SchneiderElectric #SchneiderNews #Schneider
Company Name: ABC Private Limited
Website: https://www.se.com/in/en/
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Predicteform
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Alabama Stakes (08/15/20)
Saratoga, Race 9
The Grade 1 Alabama Stakes from Saratoga sends sophomore fillies 10 furlongs. Every runner here will be stretching out at least an extra 1/8 mile from what they've seen so far in the early stages of their careers.
#1 Envoutante 8/1
Really solid foundation with nice form development over both dirt and turf over the young career so far. Built off a COMP dirt debut to score in start #3 then ran a 62/73 TDL on the turf. TDL is a powerful indicator of a horse that's figured out how to reserve energy for late burst which we then seen in the switch to dirt scoring a 60/73 win. Last out popped to 73/77 DTOP and while this is generally a regression angle, younger horses can move through these DTOPs as their ceiling is still unknown. The 73/77 were not substantial from other dirt numbers we've seen from this runner either so another strong performance could be in the cards. My upset pick.
#2 Spice Is Nice 3/1
Another runner coming off a DTOP, however, this one took quite a substantial jump to 70/78 off a weaker foundation of running 70 Final Figures. This DTOP falls much more in line with expected regression than what we seen from the #1.
#4 Bonny South 8/1
Figured herself out after the break debuting this year to a 68/73 REV. The REV pattern indicates a “reversal” where a runner has posted a higher Final Figure than 4F Figure for the first time. Bonny continued that late energy type form to a 66/76 win next out. Last out's 72/76 showed a boost to pace running with tougher. This also tough spot probably requires her to relax a bit off that pace move last out in order to boost her Final Figure late. This can happen, but we'll be reliant on a set up so I'd need to be offered good odds to see all of that unfold.
#5 Swiss Skydiver 1/1
Bad news for those that want to beat the favorite, her 6.5-point advantage in the field's Last 4F Figures is a massive advantage on dirt at any distance. We actually consider any 2-point advantage in 4F Figure a threat to wire the field. If she happens to lock up in a hot duel, we do have several options that can run on late here though.
#7 Fire Coral 30/1
She's had 3 starts since her 65/73 REV to show us her ceiling since that meaningful form cycle move and hasn't broke through a 73 Final. Looks to be in over her head with this entry.
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Osaka Prefecture
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Attractions of Osaka and Japan
Osaka Prefectural attractions and points of interest include Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, Sōji-ji, Ghibli Museum, Tōdai-ji, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, Meiji Shrine, Tokyo National Museum, Engaku-ji, Izu Islands, Sanjūsangen-dō, Byōdō-in, Tokyo Tower, Harajuku, Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Ryōan-ji, Yakushi-ji, Tokyo DisneySea, Rishiri Island, Universal Studios Japan, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Daian-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, Tenryū-ji, Fuji Five Lakes, Saidai-ji, Nanzen-ji, Saihō-ji, Awaji Island, Kenchō-ji, Yakushima, Tōshōdai-ji, Ninna-ji, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tō-ji, Myōshin-ji, Hase-dera, Enryaku-ji, Shōdo Island, Gangō-ji, Amami Ōshima, Shinjuku Gyoen, Hōryū-ji, Lake Suwa, Eihei-ji, Kinkaku-ji, Kōfuku-ji, Manpuku-ji, Osaka Castle, Sensō-ji, Lake Ashi, Tokyo Disneyland, Itsukushima, Ginkaku-ji, Kōtoku-in, Arashiyama, Mount Fuji, and more.
Osaka Prefectural Government oversees its cities Izumisano, Ōsakasayama, Izumi, Osaka, Kishiwada, Minoh, Kashiwara, Takatsuki, Suita, Matsubara, Hirakata, Daitō, Sakai, Tondabayashi, Kawachinagano, Yao, Takaishi, Neyagawa, Sennan, Toyonaka, Shijōnawate, Fujiidera, Ikeda, Kadoma, Hannan, Ibaraki, Moriguchi, Settsu, Kaizuka, Habikino, Katano, Higashiōsaka, Izumiōtsu, .
Osaka neighbors other major cities such as Akita, Nagano, Nagoya, Ōita, Sapporo, Takamatsu, Niigata, Yokosuka, Asahikawa, Machida, Toyohashi, Shizuoka, Iwaki, Tokorozawa, Kōriyama, Yokohama, Fujisawa, Hamamatsu, Kurashiki, Okayama, Wakayama, Sendai, Kanazawa, Ichikawa, Tokyo, Chiba, Nara, Kashiwa, Ōta, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Kobe, Gifu, Kōchi, Kawagoe, Edogawa, Suginami, Saitama, Katsushika, Setagaya, Kita, Nerima, Toyama, Matsuyama, Kawasaki, Okazaki, Fukuoka, Himeji, Kawaguchi, Adachi, Hiroshima, Takasaki, Kagoshima, Sagamihara, Kumamoto, Toyota, Koto, Fukuyama, Shinagawa, Nishinomiya, Funabashi, Amagasaki, Utsunomiya, Kyoto, Kitakyūshū, Ōtsu, Ichinomiya, Itabashi, Matsudo, Hachiōji, .
Japan's prefectures are Saitama, Ishikawa, Nagasaki, Akita, Kagawa, Hiroshima, Tochigi, Miyagi, Yamanashi, Tottori, Kōchi, Saga, Kyōto, Ōsaka, Gunma, Ehime, Iwate, Okinawa, Toyama, Ōita, Fukui, Fukushima, Yamaguchi, Gifu, Ibaraki, Shiga, Tōkyō, Aichi, Miyazaki, Wakayama, Shimane, Aomori, Shizuoka, Chiba, Kagoshima, Tokushima, Fukuoka, Yamagata, Kanagawa, Nara, Okayama, Hokkaidō, Niigata, Hyōgo, Kumamoto, Mie, Nagano, .
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Margvelashvili wins Georgia’s presidential election, but all eyes are on Ivanishvili
October 28, 2013 Kevin Lees Leave a comment
It wasn’t a surprise that Giorgi Margvelashvili won such an overwhelming first-round victory in Georgia’s Sunday presidential election.
Preliminary results showed that Margvelashvili, a relatively little-known academic and most recently Georgia’s minister of education and science, won 63.82% of the vote — an incredibly strong result for Margvelashvili and the coalition he represents, Georgian Dream (ქართული ოცნება).
But the real transition of power won’t be from outgoing president Mikheil Saakashvili to Margvelashvili — rather, it will be from the office of the presidency to the office of the prime minister.
Under constitutional reforms adopted two years ago, Margvelashvili will hold a vastly less powerful presidency. When Saakashvili leaves office, many of the duties of the presidency will pass instead to the head of government — prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili and the Georgian Dream coalition, which took power after winning the October 2012 parliamentary elections. Georgian Dream won 85 of the unicameral parliament’s 150 seats, and it’s won over a few more Saakashvili supporters in the past year.
That means that the result of the presidential election isn’t as important as the fact that, upon Margvelashvili’s inauguration, Georgia will essentially transform from a presidential republic into more of a parliamentary republic. While Ivanishvili and Saakashvili have held power jointly for the past year with a divided government, Ivanishvili will now control Georgia’s government in its entirety.
But it doesn’t mean Margvelashvili’s victory is meaningless — it’s a vote of confidence in Ivanishvili and the current government. Georgian Dream won 54.97% of the national vote last year, so its win in the presidential election is a significant increase in voter support.
The bottom line is that the real transition from the Saakashvili era to the Ivanishvili era is only about to begin — and no one really knows what that entails, because there are more questions than answers at this point.
The first question is whether Ivanishvili will actually stay on as prime minister — he’s indicated that he would prefer to step down and appoint another individual to succeed him. Ivanishvili is Georgia’s wealthiest businessman, and he came to frontline politics only last year after falling out with Saakashvili. But if he steps down, he would do so at exactly the moment when the office of the prime minister is set to become the most important office in Georgia, and it’s hard to believe he would do so unless he could install a relatively pliable replacement. There seems to be little doubt that Ivanishvili will continue calling the shots, either as prime minister or behind the scenes, and he will remain by far the most important political figure in Georgia due to his massive wealth and his role in founding Georgian Dream.
The second question is whether Georgian Dream can truly govern as a united force. The coalition is an unwieldy melange of nationalists, liberals and populists and it includes both pro-Western and pro-Russian forces. During the 2012 campaign, and even over the past year in parliament, opposition to Saakashvili was sufficient to keep its disparate elements mostly united. But when Saakashvili is no longer in power, and Georgian Dream is responsible for coherent policymaking, it may prove more difficult to maintain that unity. That could be especially difficult if Ivanishvili steps down as prime minister. Continue reading Margvelashvili wins Georgia’s presidential election, but all eyes are on Ivanishvili →
abkhaziabakradzeburjanadzecaucasusENMgeorgiageorgian dreamivanishvilimargvelashvilimerabishviliNATOputinrose revolutionrussiasaakashvilisouth ossetiatbilisiunited national movementusupashvili
Ivanishvili set to consolidate power in Georgia with presidential election
October 24, 2013 Kevin Lees 1 Comment
Georgians go to the polls on October 27 to elect their new president — almost exactly one decade after the ‘Rose Revolution’ swept Mikheil Saakashvili to power.
But while everyone expects the candidate of the Georgian Dream (ქართული ოცნება) coalition, former education and science minister Giorgi Margvelashvili, to become Georgia’s next president, Georgian are really waiting to hear the next move of Georgian Dream’s leader and Georgia’s prime minister, Bidzina Ivanishvili (pictured above, with Margvelashvili in background).
That’s because under the reforms passed by Saakashvili in 2010, many of the significant powers of Georgia’s presidency will be transferred to Georgia’s parliament. So when Saakashvili hands over power to his successor, his successor will be more of a figurehead and the prime minister will become the key figure in Georgia’s government.
That will give Ivanishvili political control over Georgia’s government, ending the divided government that’s ensued since the October 2012 parliamentary elections, when Georgian Dream won 85 seats to just 65 seats for Saakashvili’s United National Movement (ENM, ერთიანი ნაციონალური მოძრაობა) in the 150-unicameral Georgian parliament. (In addition, 13 deputies have bolted the ENM since last year, leaving the ENM with just 52 seats today).
Over the past year, Saakashvili retained the power of the executive branch (the new reforms don’t take hold until after the new president is sworn in), while Ivanishvili has controlled Georgia’s parliament. Though one of the highlights of Saakashvili’s decade in power was his graceful concession that his party had lost the 2012 legislative elections, Ivanishvili called on Saakashvili to resign shortly after the election, establishing the tit-for-tat aggression between the two leaders that’s dominated the past 12 months.
Ivanishvili, Georgia’s richest businessman, long ago supported Saakashvili. But a falling-out between the two led Ivanishvili to create his own opposition coalition in 2012 and even Ivanishvili’s dominant win in last year’s election hasn’t brought much in the way of reconciliation between the two. Earlier this week, Ivanishvili said that Saakashvili may be prosecuted after he leaves office — it’s a real possibility, especially considering the imprisonment of Ukraine’s former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko in recent years.
In the best-case instance, the past year would have provided Saakashvili and Ivanishvili time to coordinate the full transfer of power that will take place following this weekend’s presidential election. But the poor personal relations between the two leader means that Georgia’s transition hasn’t gone as smoothly as possible.
The race for the presidency
Margvelashvili, like Ivanishvili, was a newcomer to high-level Georgian politics in 2012. Margvelashvili came to government from the academic and nonprofit sector. With a doctorate in philosophy from Tbilisi State University in 1998, Margvelashvili served twice as the rector of the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs, a joint Georgian-American institute, from 2000 to 2006 and from 2010 to 2012, after five years with the well-known US-based National Democratic Institute. Saakashvili, missing no opportunity for a snide remark, compared Margvelashvili’s to Caligula’s horse (of all things!) in May:
“I will say nothing specifically about this candidacy [of Margvelashvili], but generally speaking, when the Roman Emperor decided to demonstrate his dominance over the Roman society, he appointed his horse to the senate,” Saakashvili told journalists in Poti where he attended opening of a new Orthodox church.
Recently, Margvelashvili (and Ivanishvili) has claimed that he will end his candidacy if the election goes to a second round (i.e., if no candidate wins a 50% majority of the votes). As Bret Barrowman at The Monkey Cage explains, that seems like less of a sacrosanct promise than either an idle threat or bluster meant to to maximize Margvelashvili’s support.
One helpful goalpost is the previous 2012 election, when the Georgian Dream coalition won 54.97% of the vote nationwide.
While polling in Georgia remains somewhat imprecise, a September NDI poll shows Margvelashvili with a wide lead of 39% to 18% over the UNM’s candidate, Davit Bakradze, a Saakashvili ally and a former foreign minister in 2008 who tried to negotiate a settlement with the breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia before the situation escalated into confrontation with Russia. Bakradze subsequently served as speaker of Georgia’s parliament from 2008 to 2012. In third place with 7% is Nino Burjanadze, a former Saakashvili ally who served as speaker of the Georgian parliament from 2001 to 2008, when she formed her own opposition party.
Whither Ivanishvili?
But a more baffling question is why Ivanishvili has been talking about stepping down as prime minister shortly after the presidential election — it’s all the more baffling given that after the presidential election, the prime minister will have most of the powers previously held by Saakashvili: Continue reading Ivanishvili set to consolidate power in Georgia with presidential election →
abkhaziaalasaniabakradzeburjanadzecaucasusENMgeorgiageorgian dreamivanishvilimargvelashvilimerabishviliNATOputinrose revolutionrussiasaakashvilisouth ossetiatbilisiunited national movementusupashvili
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About Suffragio
Suffragio attempts to bring thoughtful analysis to the political, economic and other policy issues that are central to countries outside of the US -- to make world politics less foreign to the US audience. Suffragio focuses, in particular, on those countries and regions with upcoming or recent elections.
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We're Belfast now https://t.co/KNPckQANPW 02:24:15 AM January 17, 2021 from Twitter for Android
Is it possible to be angry at the perpetrators of the January 6 riot but also see that 20k troops and full lockdown… https://t.co/GfTrsD5qL1 02:05:15 AM January 17, 2021 from Twitter for Android
RT @AlexCTaliadoros: Who is dying: Who is vaccinated: https://t.co/VOEWzaaXwX 11:53:30 AM January 16, 2021 from Twitter for Android
RT @JuddLegum: I understand the intentions but what's happened to downtown DC the last couple of days is deeply upsetting. This is where I… 12:56:48 AM January 16, 2021 from Twitter for Android
RT @mattyglesias: I keep wanting to read more about the Johnson & Johnson one shot vaccine. Doesn't this seem like a big deal? Are plans be… 08:50:43 PM January 15, 2021 from Twitter for Android
Wow. Trump disapproval now above Carter-at-the-end territory. You wonder just how much higher that will go in five… https://t.co/N0hfXiUTUz 11:35:32 AM January 15, 2021 from Twitter for Android
RT @mattyglesias: https://t.co/rrFfFQs0Lr 10:27:30 PM January 14, 2021 from Twitter for Android
This is all very, very good stuff. https://t.co/4Yh6n4LryU 05:50:47 PM January 14, 2021 from Twitter for Android
I know there are good reasons, but this makes me incredibly sad. https://t.co/IjR2CLAhja 01:12:32 PM January 14, 2021 from Twitter for Android
RT @DavidUberti: Correction of the day https://t.co/UyvQmRCNXl 01:11:54 PM January 14, 2021 from Twitter for Android
RT @ceptional: Founder of Moderna explains that it's fortunate they weren't in academia - they would have had a tough time publishing their… 12:31:46 AM January 14, 2021 from Twitter for Android
So will DC residents even be able to go to the MLK monument on MLK Day? Disgraceful. Even if necessary, a disgrace… https://t.co/IZdliYIaC7 12:29:19 AM January 14, 2021 from Twitter for Android
RT @misstessowen: My fiancé got me this book https://t.co/n1IMg6NVPZ 11:15:17 PM January 13, 2021 from Twitter for Android
RT @Forrest4Trees: "Rio Grande River" sighting in the New York Times https://t.co/PNbXcJKW31 04:10:54 PM January 13, 2021 from Twitter for Android
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MAKING WORLD POLITICS LESS FOREIGN
Who is the most impressive foreign policy / security official (so far) in the Trump administration?
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
Secretary of Defense James Mattis
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Clothing & Fashion Fashion Magazine Make Up Women
Canadian Rock Band Crown Lands Talk Hair, Music and Identity
ASNF December 30, 2020
Photography: Travis Shinn
This Canadian rock band’s glorious manes aren’t the only things turning heads. Their socially conscious lyrics shine a spotlight on First Nations.
Natasha Bruno
Buoyant, shoulder-grazing tresses are a prominent feature of Crown Lands, the genre- bending psych-blues rock band comprising Cody Bowles and Kevin Comeau. “They’ve definitely become part of our identity, for sure,” comments Comeau. “Our hair is important to the band and what it represents.”
The pair, who hail from Oshawa, Ont., began their joint hair journeys six years ago, back when Bowles (vocals, drums) and Comeau (guitar, bass, keys) first met and quickly bonded over their shared obsession with Canadian progressive rock band Rush. Their look developed out of necessity rather than an active decision, shares Comeau. “It was more about the fact that I had spent all of my money on guitars, so I didn’t have
Miss Universe Canada 2020 Winner Nova Stevens on Modelling & Activism
Photographer: Peter Tamlin. Fashion: Brandon Laughton. Makeup: Lou Swinden-Payne. Hair: Adrian Carew. Production: MGMode.
“Canada’s a land of immigrants and it’s our diversity that makes us so beautiful. But I find that often times in certain industries—a lot of industries—it’s always one face that’s being shown as the face of Canada and I’m tired of it.”
Pahull Bains
Nova Stevens’ path to her current career as a model and actress hasn’t come easy. She was born in Kenya to parents who, fleeing the civil war in South Sudan, decided to send her to Canada at the age of six with the hope of providing her a better life and more opportunities. She hasn’t seen her parents in 22 years but lived with various other family members in Alberta and Ontario until the age of 15, when she decided to move out and live on her
Meet the Curl Boss Behind Canadian Haircare Line LUS Brands
Photo courtesy of LUS Brands. Design by Danielle Campbell.
This is Texture Talk, a weekly column that deep dives into the dynamic world of curly hair, from crowns of curls that are free flowing to strands that are tucked away in a protective style.
Frizz: The unwelcome F-word in beauty that has been tossed around for decades when it comes to hair. Something that’s seen as needing to be tamed, dealt with and, whether overt or veiled, a word that has long been directed at curly hair. Just Google synonyms for frizz and, bam: every curl type (wave, curl, coil and kink) shows up.
The beauty industry’s stance on fighting frizzy curls has softened as of late thanks to more and more curly-haired folks learning to except and embrace their natural textures, but when Toronto-based Sahar Saidi got the idea to start her
The Zara x Jo Loves Collection Is Now Available in Canada
Victoria DiPlacido
Gifting a fragrance, in my opinion, is tricky territory. Is it presumptuous to offer someone a scent you like and hope they’d wear it? Are you insinuating they smell bad? Perhaps I’m overthinking this, but unless it’s re-purchasing a scent someone already wears, I usually avoid it all together. This is a mistake, Jo Malone, CBE, tells me.
Malone, founder of the fragrance line Jo Loves, is synonymous with perfume (note: she is no longer associated with the brand that bears her name, “Jo Malone”). Her three-years and running partnership with Zara is available for the first time in Canada, and the collection of affordable candles and fragrances is perfectly giftable, she says. Read on for her thoughts on gifting fragrance and the best-smell items from the Zara x Jo Loves collection.
Do you think gifting fragrance is a good idea? Are
Set the Tone For Your Day With Luxe Lingerie From Australia’s Sevigne
This new lingerie brand believes a pretty foundation is key to feeling good in your skin.
D’Loraine Miranda
Created for Sevigne
If there was one major takeaway from this year’s hottest fashion trends (tie dye, elevated loungewear, fuzzy slippers, etc.), it’s that dressing for yourself and being comfortable is—and will most likely remain—a big priority.
But just because you’ve been opting for cozier, more laid-back pieces these days (sherpa and cashmere, anyone?) doesn’t mean you shouldn’t aim for elevated and elegant underneath. Enter: Sevigne, a new luxury lingerie brand that’s making the case for dressing up for yourself—and only yourself—starting with your intimates.
The female-owned Australian brand, which launched in Canada this month, was founded on the philosophy that lingerie should be refined, fit well and enhance your natural shape. Likewise, what you wear beneath your clothing is just as important as the
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The invisible hand of monopolies
By BENJIE OLIVEROS
The law of classical economics dictates that when demand exceeds supply, prices go up and dampens demand until it reaches equilibrium with the supply. On the other hand, when demand is low and supply exceeds it, prices would go down until demand increases and achieves equilibrium with supply. This is called the invisible hand of the market. This is the logic of neoclassical or neoliberal economics, thus, the push for limiting government intervention in the economy through deregulation, liberalization and privatization.
However, stagflation hit the world economy in the 1970s and this baffled economists. Stagflation, or stagnation coupled with inflation, should not have occurred because in a stagnant economy, unemployment is high and demand is low so why do prices increase? The response of economists and governments of advanced capitalist countries is to push for more deregulation, liberalization and privatization plus controlling inflation through raising or lowering interest rates. But still, this did not solve the problem of rising prices even during these times when the world is suffering from a Great Recession, which progressives say is more aptly described as a Great Depression comparable to what the world experienced in 1929.
So what is wrong with the world economy?.... MORE
URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/02/27/the-invisible-hand-of-monopolies/
A dose of their own medicine EDITORIAL 03/11/2012
A dose of their own medicine
Not only are Noynoy and his allies complaining about Chief Justice Renato Corona’s personal visits to media outfits to make his defense against the muckraking operations launched against him but are now appear to be shaking in their boots as Corona starts to lay down his cards on the table.
The whole frontline team of Noynoy in the Senate is being exposed one by one as key parts of the oust-Corona crusade and what is emerging is that it has nothing to do with cleaning up the judiciary but more to control the Supreme Court (SC) by appointing a Noynoy-favored justice in it. And this appears important, as it has also been shown that Noynoy did try to lobby for the passage of his Truth Commission with the Chief Justice, who rebuffed him, which then made Noynoy see red, and start his campaign to oust Corona.
Corona had confirmed the long talked about term-sharing agreement with Senior Justice Antonio Carpio during his media swings and many more underhanded moves of Noynoy and his allies..... MORE
FBI wouldn’t exclude extrajudicial killings in the US
United States Attorney General Eric Holder recently explained how the president can order the assassination of his own citizens abroad. But did his rationalization justify executions within the US? Apparently, the FBI wouldn’t exclude it.
Responding to a congressional inquiry this week on the rationale of assassinating Americans, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Robert Mueller affirmed that he himself isn’t too clear on the what Holder explained.
The attorney general addressed an audience at Northwestern University in Chicago this week with an explanation for US President Barack Obama’s killing of three American citizens overseas last year..... MORE
URL: http://rt.com/usa/news/fbi-mueller-assassination-holder-193/
Syrian stalemate hampers Annan peace talks (w/ Video)
Syrian stalemate hampers Annan peace talks
The UN delegation led by Kofi Annan is holding its second round of talks with Syrian President Assad. But with both the opposition and the regime flatly refusing to open dialogue until violence has ended, the likelihood of progress seems slim.
Former UN chief Kofi Annan’s first round of talks failed to reach any tangible resolution on the conflict. President Assad made it clear on Saturday that negotiations would not be open while “armed terrorist groups were still operating in the country.”.... MORE
URL: http://rt.com/news/un-annan-ceasefire-talks-293/
Quake enigma: The more it shakes, the less it shows
The 9.0 magnitude earthquake and the subsequent tsunami that devastated Japan’s east coast exactly one year ago were not supposed to happen. At least if seismic hazard maps are not cheating. But can modern science really predict such disasters?
As Joel Achenbach noted quite rightly in his Washington Post article, Earth paid no heed to scientific orthodoxy. And while geologists were theorizing, a massive slab of our planet’s crust moved 55 meters (180 feet) eastwards. It lifted the ocean bed almost 5 meters up (15 feet), and that brought all the might of the waters of the Pacific upon Japan’s eastern coast..... MORE
URL: http://rt.com/news/earthquake-maps-tsunami-japan-279/
‘So this is what dying is like’: Japan remembers disaster (w/ Video)
‘So this is what dying is like’: Japan remembers disaster
A year ago to the day, Japan was hit by a 9.0 earthquake and a resulting tsunami that led to the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. Thousands lost their lives but the question is: if it all happened again, would things turn out any differently?
Sixteen thousand candles: one for each victim of the disaster. With the names of the dead etched on them, all were lit at a Buddhist memorial service in Osaka on Saturday.
Five hundred bodies remain unidentified. More than 3,000 are still missing..... MORE
URL: http://rt.com/news/japan-tsunami-fukushima-anniversary-277/
Just thinking VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 03/11/2012
Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz
The ongoing impeachment trial has been receiving not only national interest and attention but also various perceptions on the part of Filipinos as to its cause (How come?) as well as its nature (What?) and finality (Why?).
How come there is such a distinct and even unfamiliar process altogether financed by public funds? What does it mean for the people who have been long in need and waiting for a better life? Why is it undertaken to judge on but one person when graft and corruption are still a composite living institutional practice in the different agencies of government?
There can be many answers to the many questions thus raised about the more and more interesting impeachment process. Both the questions thereon and the answers thereto can be as the varied different groups of individuals who respond thereto — depending on such factors as the following: The political loyalties of those playing a direct active role therein..... MORE
Statistics on various crimes against women alarming – CWR
“Sins against Filipino women are being committed on a daily basis.”
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, March 8, the Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) said that despite the existence and supposed enforcement of 37 Philippine laws, executive orders, resolutions that are supposed to protect and serve the welfare and development of women, violence against them continues.
The group defines violence against women as “an act or series of acts that involves coercion, intimidation, threat, and/or deception. It causes physical, sexual or psychological harm. The CWR also explained that violence against women also includes the neglect of women’s interests, needs, and welfare.
Victims of political repression
Listing what it said were “sins” being committed against Filipino women on a daily basis, the CWR said the Benigno Aquino III administration has yet to prove that it is genuinely pro-women. It also said the armed forces of the government are using violence against women as a means of political repression.
From July 2010 to December 2011, six women fell victim to extra-judicial killings that were politically-motivated. There are currently 35 women political prisoners in different jails in the country. Detained women are more vulnerable to sexual abuse and torture as seen in the cases of former political detainee and now Selda secretary general Angie Ipong and the women belonging to the Morong 43.
Out of the government’s 23 women detainees, 16 reported being subjected to torture.
Apart from the serious implications of political repression, counted among the more serious violations being perpetrated against women is the act of rape. Based on data from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Women’s Crisis and Child Protection Center (WCCPC) , there were 14,201 recorded cases of rape (76.56 percent of all crimes committed against women of a sexual nature), attempted rape (18.68 percent) and incestuous rape (5.74 percent) from January 2000 to August 2011..... MORE
URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/03/09/statistics-on-various-crimes-against-women-alarming-%E2%80%93-cwr/
Groups investigate militarization reports at Hacienda Luisita 03/11/2012
Groups investigate militarization reports at Hacienda Luisita
Possible military abuse had reared its ugly head anew at Hacienda Luisita, which is owned by President Aquino’s relatives and subject of a Supreme Court order for land distribution, as representatives of cause-oriented groups went to the vast Cojuangco-Aquino estate to conduct a fact-finding mission on the situation of its farm workers amid reports of militarization and harassment by military and private security groups.
The Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala) said in a statement that the Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon, Karapatan, Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, Luisita Peasants’ and Peoples’ Alliance, and other organizations will join the fact-finding mission that covers the barangays (villages) of Balete, Mapalacsiao, Lourdes, Cutcut and Asturias in Tarlac City; Motrico and Bantog in La Paz; and Mabilog, Pando, and Parang all in Concepcion..... MORE
Defense to focus on hands behind Corona impeach 03/11/2012
DEFECTS OF HOUSE COMPLAINT ALSO IN AGENDA
Defense to focus on hands behind Corona impeach
The lawyers of impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona yesterday bared their defense strategy focusing on unmasking the forces behind the effort at the House of Representatives to ram through the impeachment complaint and the defects of the charges against Corona after it failed to go through the proper legislative procedures.
In contrast to the prosecution panel’s amateurish performance at the impeachment trial, the defense lawyers promised a clear-cut and structured defense presentation at the resumption of the impeachment trial tomorrow.
“We will show on the first day that there were invisible hands moving to have the impeachment complaint immediately filed at the Senate. Next, we will prove our initial comments about the verified complaint not going through the proper process at the House,” defense spokesman Rico Quicho said..... MORE
UPLB slay case solved with arrest of 3rd suspect By Gina Peralta-Elorde and Efren B. Chavez 03/11/2012
UPLB slay case solved with arrest of 3rd suspect
By Gina Peralta-Elorde and Efren B. Chavez 03/11/2012
Task Force Penaranda yesterday announced that the killing of University of the Philippines Los Baos (UPLB) agriculture student Ray Bernard Pearanda was considered solved following the arrest of the third suspect during a police pursuit operation against him in Bicol region.
Police Regional Office 4 Dir. James Andres Melad said the task force teams have captured Carl Dactil de Guzman, 27, the third and last suspect in the murder of Pearanda.
De Guzman was apprehended in Barangay Tagas, Daraga, Albay before 2 p.m. on Friday following hot pursuit operations. He said de Guzman went into hiding in his relatives home there..... MORE
Pope sends condolences on death of Cardinal Sanchez 03/11/2012
Pope sends condolences on death of Cardinal Sanchez
Pope Benedict XVI has conveyed his condolences on the death of Cardinal Jose Sanchez in a telegram sent to Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, archbishop emeritus of Cebu.
According to the Vatican’s Information Service, the text of the pope’s telegram gratefully recalls “the late cardinal’s dedicated service to the Lord as a priest and bishop in his native country, as well as our service together in the Roman Curia during the pontificate of Blessed John Paul II.”
The Holy Father commends Cardinal Sanchez’s “noble soul” to the Lord and prays “that his witness will inspire others to dedicate their lives to the service of the Lord and His Holy Church, especially in the priesthood.”.... MORE
Former NBI chief asks DoJ: Defer proceedings against me By Benjamin B. Pulta 03/11/2012
Former NBI chief asks DoJ: Defer proceedings against me
Former National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Magtanggol Gatdula has asked the Department of Justice (DoJ) to defer its proceedings against him, citing the pending case before the courts he filed against his persecutors.
In a petition, Gatdula through his lawyer Abraham Espejo asked the DoJ to “suspend (the) proceedings” against him.
Gatdula had been accused of abduction and extortion by a Japanese woman, Noriyo Ohara, who claimed NBI operatives demanded P6 million from her for her protection.
Gatdula who denied Ohara’s claim pointed out that the DoJ proceedings should be set aside in the meantime..... MORE
Palace mouthpiece says call for increase in workers’ pay ‘premature’ 03/11/2012
Palace mouthpiece says call for increase in workers’ pay ‘premature’
A top Palace official yesterday described the call for the government to consider increasing the salaries of the Filipino workers as “premature.”
Deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said in a radio briefing that aside from being premature, petitions for wage adjustments should not be directed to Malacañang but to the regional wage boards.
She added the regional wage boards should discuss calls from some groups for a wage hike to help workers cope with rising costs of living.
“It (the call for a wage hike) is something that should be entertained by the regional wage board,” Valte said on government-run radio station..... MORE
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Alexei Navalny: EU and US demand release of poisoned Putin critic - Alexei Navalny returned to Moscow from Germany months after a nerve agent attack nearly killed him.
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Destroyer (Re-scheduled) Mar 20 @ 8:00PM | Vogue Theatre | Vancouver
Destroyer | Nap Eyes
Advance: $29.50.
All Ages.
This show has been postponed due to concerns regarding the continued COVID-19 outbreak.
Concert has passed. See More Great Concerts Here!
Check Out Our Vogue Theatre Venue Profile
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Destroyer / Nap Eyes Opera House, Toronto ON, March 4
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Welcome to Tollywood
YAMADONGA making up as UNIQUE and STYLISH film
Yamadonga, one of the most eagerly awaited premium product of Tollywood is all set to come before the audience very shortly. This film is by far the costliest movie made so far in the Telugu film industry.
Biggest indoor set so far
This film boasts of the biggest indoor set erected so far in the whole of Asia and incidentally is the costliest individual set. This Yamalokam set was erected over a period of 90 days with 300 workers working on the set day and night. The magnitude of the set was so much that it took almost another one and half month to dismantle the same. This set was erected in Ramoji film city and the number of shooting days in this set was 42. Apart from this the other sets erected for four songs, the set of the hero house and the heroine house are also done with lot of richness and grand taste. Added to these grandeur sets, the graphics of this film are also bound to a visual treat to the eyes of the audience. The producers of this film have ensured qualities of high standard and are very confident that the film will be on par with Hollywood standards and they are confident that this film will be watched even by the foreigners and Hindi speaking audience too, purely because of the fact that the plot is a very interesting one in the form of a socio fantasy subject.
Daler Mahendi song
Daler Mehandi's song, NTR's song, biggest set, 7 heroines are just a few highlights in YAMADONGA.
The production house has not compromised on any issues and wants to make a mark in the international market. The highlights of the film are far too many with music being the first amongst them. The audio of this film comprises of 6 songs and 4 bit songs and is getting release in the 1st week of July. One of the song is sung by Daler Mehendi and one of them by NTR and Mamata Mohandas.
Superior graphics work
A team of 80 professionals spread over three outsourcing houses spearheaded the EFX are working on the graphics and the production house is confident of coming out with the most impressive visuals. Some of the work was handled by Mr. Adel Eddelli a professional from Iran who has contributed heavily in the Hollywood films too.
Songs with 7 heroines
Another highlight of the film is that it is hatrick combinatino of director S.S.Rajamouli and NTR whose two earlier films Student No.1 and Simhadri were big blockbusters in Tollywood. Also the film by far has a large starcast in the form of biggest names in Tollywood. Padmasri Dr. M.Mohan Babu is playing an equally important role as the hero and is bound to create waves with his performance as lord Yama. Apart from this, the film has seven heroines namely Kushboo, Priyamani, Mamata Mohandas, Rambha, Preeti Jhingania, Navneeth Kaur and Archana. Probably this the only film in telugu where the hero shakes a leg with all the above heroines (excluding Kushboo) which is bound to bring variety and spice to this film. The other important stars are Brahmanandam, Ali, MS Narayana, Raghu babu, Jayaprakash, Naresh, Rajeev Kanakala etc. The role of the villain is donned by Narendra Jha who played the role of Baji rao in Chatrapati.
Excellent lighting by Senthilkumar
The excellent art work by popular art director Mr Anand Sai is well complimented by the cinematographer KK Senthil Kumar who has been given a free hand by the production house and the director to light up the sets in a very tasteful way. And though the cost of the film had gone up substantially because of his excellent lighting schemes, the producers have no qualms about it as it is finally enhancing the richness of the film.
Director SS Rajamouli who has given 5 successive blockbusters, carries a major responsibility on his shoulders as he has to ensure that this film has to be better than all his previous films. The expectations are very high and the entire team of Yamadonga has no doubts that he will deliver it in style. This film is bound to satisfy one and all as it has universal appeal with lot of entertainment stuffed into it.
This film is presently by Rama Rajamouli and produced by Cheri and Urmila under the banner of Viswamitra Creations which happens to be the own banner of SS Rajamouli.
Labels: Tollywood News
posted by At TollyWood at 8:01 AM
Tollywood News,Telugu Online Movies,Telugu Movie Download,Telugu Movie Reviews.
Name: At TollyWood
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Full Results From AFFIRM-AHF Study Show Ferinject® Significantly Reduces Hospitalizations After Acute Heart Failure in Patients With Iron Deficiency
• Ferinject® significantly reduced the incidence of heart failure hospitalizations in patients with iron deficiency after acute heart failure
• Results of the AFFIRM-AHF trial support the use of Ferinject® in patients after AHF with concomitant iron deficiency and with a LVEF1≤ 50%
• Simultaneously the peer-reviewed AFFIRM-AHF study results have been published in The Lancet
Regulatory News:
Vifor Pharma today presented the full results from the AFFIRM-AHF study at the 2020 American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions virtual congress. Simultaneously, results were published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet. The study evaluated the effect of Ferinject® (intravenous ferric carboxymaltose) on heart failure (HF) hospitalizations and cardiovascular (CV) mortality in iron deficient patients after hospital stabilization for acute heart failure (AHF).
The study demonstrated there were significantly fewer hospital readmissions due to HF among patients treated with Ferinject® compared to placebo. After 52 weeks, patients who received iron supplementation were 26% less likely to be re-admitted to the hospital for HF compared to placebo, after only one or two injections [RR 0.74; 95% CI 0.58-0.94; p=0.013].
“This is the first study demonstrating the benefits of iron supplementation initiated in stabilized patients hospitalized for AHF,” said Prof Piotr Ponikowski, Principle Investigator and Head of the Department of Heart Diseases, Wroclaw Medical University in Wroclaw, Poland. “The study showed that administration of Ferinject® in stabilized AHF patients with iron deficiency significantly reduces the risk of subsequent HF hospitalizations, and highlights the need for AHF patients to be more frequently screened for iron deficiency.”
“We are delighted to have presented full data from the AFFIRM-AHF study at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions congress. This important data strengthens the evidence previously generated in large studies such as FAIR-HF and CONFIRM-HF,” said Dr Klaus Henning Jensen, Chief Medical Officer Vifor Pharma. “Iron deficiency is a frequent, yet often unrecognized co-morbidity in heart failure, and this trial makes a significant contribution to the growing body of evidence showing the importance of detecting and managing iron deficiency in patients after heart failure.”
On September 24, 2020 Vifor Pharma announced that overall AFFIRM-AHF narrowly missed the conventional 5% statistical significance on the primary composite endpoint, but numerically reduced total CV death and HF re-hospitalization events by 21% [RR 0.79; 95% CI 0.62-1.01; p=0.059]. Ferinject® was well tolerated and without unexpected safety findings. No increase in mortality was seen and death from cardiovascular (CV) causes was similar between groups [RR 0.96; 95% CI 0.70-1.32].
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant disruption to the healthcare systems, with a 40% reduction in HF hospitalizations in Europe between March and June 20202. HF patients are particularly at risk when suffering COVID-19. Therefore prior to study completion, COVID-19 sensitivity analysis was pre-specified which excluded subjects reporting from the date of the outbreak in each country. Adjusted for COVID-19 impact the composite endpoint was more robust and significant [RR 0.75; 95% CI 0.59-0.96; p=0.024].
Additional significant results were seen with several secondary outcomes, including treatment benefits with Ferinject® observed seen on the time to first HF hospitalization or CV death (p=0.030) and days lost due to HF hospitalizations and CV death (p=0.035). These effects were more pronounced in the pre-COVID-19 analyses.
AFFIRM-AHF is the first of three ongoing mortality and morbidity trials including FAIR-HF2 and HEART-FID to understand the full potential of Ferinject® for those suffering from heart failure and iron deficiency. The study was a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial with 1,108 patients in 15 countries, designed to evaluate the effect of Ferinject® or placebo administered prior to and subsequent to discharge in patients after AHF and iron deficiency on recurrent HF hospitalizations and CV death at 52 weeks after randomization.
Iron deficiency is present in approximately 80% of patients after AHF and indicates poor prognosis. It is associated with poor quality of life and increased risk for hospitalization and mortality, regardless of the presence or absence of anemia. Hospitalization due to AHF represents a growing health care problem that is associated with a higher risk of adverse clinical outcomes and huge economic burden.
Vifor Pharma Group is a global pharmaceuticals company. It aims to become the global leader in iron deficiency, nephrology and cardio-renal therapies. The company is a partner of choice for pharmaceuticals and innovative patient-focused solutions. Vifor Pharma Group strives to help patients around the world with severe and chronic diseases lead better, healthier lives. The company develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products for precision patient care. Vifor Pharma Group holds a leading position in all its core business activities and consists of the following companies: Vifor Pharma and Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma (a joint company with Fresenius Medical Care). Vifor Pharma Group is headquartered in Switzerland, and listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange (SIX Swiss Exchange, VIFN, ISIN: CH0364749348).
For more information, please visit viforpharma.com
About AFFIRM-AHF
The AFFIRM-AHF study is a multi-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, comparing the effect of Intravenous Ferric Carboxymaltose (FCM) on hospitalizations and mortality in iron deficient patients admitted for Acute Heart Failure (AHF). AFFIRM-AHF is the first study that evaluates the benefit of Ferinject® on hospitalizations and mortality in a very high risk population with iron deficiency and admitted in hospital for an episode of acute heart failure.
1 Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)
2 Sokolski M, Gajewski P, Zymlinski R, et al. Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak on acute admissions at the emergency and cardiology departments across Europe. Am J Med. 2020 Sep 30:S0002-9343(20)30825-1. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2020.08.043. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33010226; PMCID: PMC7526639.
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soundworks
ONOME EKEH
FUTUREZOO
fiction / memoir / short story
Before I discovered the little East Village Fragrance Shop, I had opted for the clean citrus-y notes of Dior’s Fahrenheit for Men. It suited me and few women wore it, at least none that I knew of. The store was owned by Lalita who was Thai —and kept the staff that way. It was a small bountiful boutique crammed with creams, soaps, and spa treatments: candles, face masks, face scrubs, pore cleansers, herbal soaks…
Behind the counter were hundreds of pure oils and essences, with the help of Lalita or her fellow Thai personnel, you could engineer your own precise scent. Over time, I refined a signature base of dark amber and Egyptian musk, depending on the season, the mid notes would be green tea, Persian musk, or chocolate, coffee, or spicy wood or lavender, grapefruit… usually topped off with vanilla or black pepper. Despite it’s devotional attributes, I was allergic to sandalwood. The florals— jasmine, ylang ylang, jungle gardenia and rose were a “no no” for me—no one knew this better than Gregoire, who worked behind the counter in the late fall, usually October to the early Christmas rush—then he was gone for the rest of the year— in which time he traveled, picking up work as a make up artist or set dresser on film sets and photo shoots. Occasionally he modeled. He liked to party hard in Frankfurt, London and Amsterdam, then go home to Thailand to recoup. Then hit the road again—
“Like a holy man” I say, he tosses an exquisitely bald head back and laughs,
On this day he sashays up and down the length of the small shop in an elaborately wrought corset. A few passersby peer through the window dressings to take in the spectacle then hustle along in the East Village cold. The corset is from a Dublin photo shoot and he plans to wear it for his Halloween get up as Elizabeth I of England.
I explain that I had met her once in a dream:
“She was giving an address, but I couldn’t really see her because it was a college of priestesses and we were all seated behind, sort of like a choir…”
Later, a high-ranking nobleman—a friend, guided me through the crowded hotel lobby to meet her. She sat in a frosted phone booth, a kindly, luminous Vivienne Westwood, her head aflame in short red curls…
“Like yours?” interjects Gregoire, noting that I too have short red hair—
“Of course—It’s important to live out one’s dreams…”
jungle gardenia
Gregoire tries to convince me once of the benefits of Jungle Gardenia—feminine, broadcast sex appeal, exotic… I demure, it’s the sort of heady morass a Joan Crawford type might relish… A woman walks in, Gregoire looks up and gives her the trademark, Hello! Take a look around and let me know if you need any help— then returns to me, proselytizing. A minute later, we fall into instinctive hush, looking up to meet the glare of the new customer.
“Did you need some help ma’am?”
“Oh never mind, why don’t you just carry on chatting—”
“Ma’am, if you need something, all you need to do is ask—”
The glare intensifies, the other customers in the store look questioningly at Gregoire—we exchange glances, shrug and return to our discourse: glamour, men, sex, power…
“That’s really not how we do business in this country.” Up close, her face is pinched contortions. Gregoire pauses and gathers—
“Leave.”
“Take your attitude and leave this store.”
“I’d like to speak to the Manager!”
“I am the Manager. Please leave.”
She wants to say more, but Gregoire motions his hand into Halt:
“Your behavior is useless. Where I come from, someone your age would be preparing for death. Your actions only hinder you in your next life.”
The small boutique is silent, save the buzzing transistor TV set Lalita keeps in the back. A game show laugh track, Gregoire’s visage blazing, the mundane world strips away. We all see him…
Time suspension slowly thaws with the departure of the customer. The rest is a blur; I don’t recall the conversation after that. The winter scent we settle on is simple: dark amber, Persian musk and white tea.
rain lily
The next year Gregoire didn’t show up till late November. All season I had been itching to tell him about my new project:
“Actually, you inspired it—remember that dream you had when your brother died?”
He frowns—no, he did not recall.
“Remember you told me about it— this time last year. The night your brother passed, you had a dream were you were sleeping in your grandmother’s hut and then you heard your brother’s voice outside. You step outside, but no one’s there—and suddenly there’s star fire falling all around you like rain…”
He smiles, “I like the dream. But it’s not mine.”
“You don’t remember telling me?”
“I couldn’t have, my brother died last January—and I saw you before that, in November. But I like the dream.”
I don’t press the matter and we slip into the business of fragrance. He sneaks in something floral, rain lily, I have no way of stopping him, I am lost pondering his brother’s dream.
Saddam Hussein’s execution was open for public viewing on the internet. I watched it about eight times and pored over the transcripts. My boyfriend, unnerved with my fascination with the clip—left the matter alone. He did mention it however, when we were at dinner with our friend Ryan. It was New Year’s Eve and a heady one, our relationship was newly minted and the coming year rife with possibilities,
“You look great,” pronounced Ryan “and you smell fantastic—“
“It’s A-Men, Thierry Mugler—“
It was true, but I said it mostly for Ryan’s benefit, he had been in a tryst with said designer and still savored the afterglow. For my part, I had spent time away from New York and no longer frequented the little East Village Fragrance shop—in my travels I had rediscovered designer fragrances, if you sweat distinctively enough, you make them your own…
“So what’s so fascinating about Saddam Hussein dying?”
“It’s not about Saddam Hussein. How many times do we actually get to witness the passage from this life to the next? Actually the cell phone footage doesn’t show much—I actually read the transcript over and over—what he wore, the exchange with the guards, the two official witnesses in the background speaking quietly and having a cigarette…”
“I just wanted to see someone shape their own bardo. He was belligerent till the end and suddenly he found God in the last minutes and then he started to bless Prophet Mohammed and his descendants—“
This part had piqued my curiosity. Once I heard a great great great grandson of said Prophet on the radio. He was a British author and he’d written an account of moving his family to Casablanca on a whim, because he was tired of living in an apartment in London. He purchased a derelict former residence of a Caliph and then a comedy of errors (and terror) ensued when he attempted renovations. Granted you hear similar stories about renovating property in Queens or the Bronx, but this involved djinn, marabouts and contracting whirling dervishes to establish order on the construction site. I wondered what this writer/descendant of Mohammed had thought of Saddam’s blessing upon him and his family.
“I’m just curious about the moment of one’s passing—do you shape what happens next by how you choose to go out?”
“I don’t think Saddam chose to be hung, that was an American decision-“
“Yes but within the context he still made certain choices, to be calm or irate, to be well dressed or elicit sympathy, to engage with the taunting guards—or not…”
Saddam Hussein died with curses pouring from his mouth, I had wanted to pursue the thrust of his defiance down the rabbit hole, see where it brought him… Other people arrived at our table and the mood lifted into general New Year’s bonhomie. I returned to the general excitement, experienced one year slide into the next, wondered briefly if a passage in time could be revisited on a space-time grid, then succumbed to the general vodka of festivity — the evening blurred into vivid gaiety.
New Year’s Day was bright, groggy — the phone ringing intermittently with voice mails of glad tidings and goodwill. When I finally mustered the resolve to pick up, it was a friend, who had long moved out to California,
“So I had to call, I had this intense dream about you last night…”
“Oh? Do tell…”
She told me the dream was set in Las Vegas and I was being executed, but the punishment far exceeded the crime—
“But you were very excited and full of light, and when the time came, you sat in the electric chair in the midst of the desert and all the lights of Las Vegas glowed softly…”
I liked the dream and told her so. The conversation turned to other dreams and then our significant others, travel plans, friends who had moved away and those who returned. I return to marvel at the scene of her vision—
In what distant deeps or skies
burnt the fire of thine eyes…
My mind flows out into the neon desert: blazing stars fall from an electric heaven, surround me, gentle piercing flames—
Important to live out one’s dreams.
25pc.com
© 2018 the memorexe. all rights reserved.
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Monday, January 18th, 2021 We believe in Two great powers: the power of Nature and the power within one´s self.
Home Food Science Health Sciences Mind & Body Concepts Sick Care Systems Plant Sciences Alchemy Center Back
⌊Life (Life Sciences)
⌊Ecosystems of Life
⌊Intracorporeal Ecosystems
⌊Body Proper (corpus humanum)
⌊Body Systems (Organ Systems)
⌊Nervous Systems
⌊Central Nervous System (CNS)
⌊Brain (Encephalon)
⌊Prosencephalon (Forebrain)
⌊Telencephalon
⌊Cerebrum
⌊ Basal Ganglia
⌊ Cerebral Cortex
⌊ Insular Cortex
⌊ Cerebral Lobes
Telencephalon
⌊ Diagonal Band of Broca
⌊ Internal Capsule
See Also ↔
Welltrients Guide
Fitness (Physical Fitness)
Cleanses & Detoxifying
In our body's, brain, the Cerebrum, is paired structure derived from the embryonic telencephalon, composed of a right and a left cerebral hemisphere with four lobes on each side, which lies above the tentorium cerebelli taking up most of the intracranial cavity and with about 85% of the total weight of the brain.
In our body's, brain, the Cerebrum, as part of the forebrain (prosencephalon), is responsible for the highest mental functions, that includes the cerebral cortex.
In our body's, brain, the cerebrum is composed of the following sub-regions:
cerebral cortex, (cortices of the cerebral hemispheres)
basal ganglia (basal nuclei)
limbic system
Corpus Callosum (Colossal Commissure)
Brain's Voluntary Actions
Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus (Superior Longitudinal Fascicle)
In our body's, brain the Cerebral Cortex is a thin outer layer of gray matter in the cerebrum.
In our body's, brain the cerebral cortex is a sheet of neural tissue, outermost to the cerebrum consists mainly of neuronal cell bodies and dendrites on the surface of the cerebral hemisphere that developed from the telencephalon and folds into gyri (gyrus).
Examples of cerebral cortex related structures include:
Frontal Lobe +
Hippocampus +
Limbic Lobe +
Occipital Lobe +
Parietal Lobe +
Temporal Lobe +
Neocortex
sensorimotor area (sensorimotor cortex)
auditory cortex
olfactory cortex
Basal Forebrain +
Entorhinal Cortex
Olfactory Tubercle +
Piriform Cortex
somatosensory cortex
primary somatosensory cortex
secondary somatosensory cortex
In our body's brain, the Corpus Callosum (Colossal Commissure), a broad plate of dense myelinated fibers that reciprocally interconnect regions of the cerebral cortex in all lobes with corresponding regions of the opposite hemisphere, is a wide flat tightly bundled nerve fibers with approximately 200 million axons, that connect the right and left hemispheres of the cerebrum (telencephalon).
In our body's brain, the Corpus Callosum lies beneath the cerebral cortex at the longitudinal fissure.
In our body's brain, the the Cerebrum (Telencephalon) controls all voluntary actions in the body, assisted by the cerebellum.
Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus
In our body's, brain, Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus (Superior Longitudinal Fascicle) is a pair of long major fiber pathways of bi-directional bundles of neurons connecting the front and the back of the cerebrum, specifically the supramarginal gyrus of the parietal lobe with the middle frontal gyrus/dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
In our body's, brain, the Telencephalon refers to the embryonic structure, from which the mature cerebrum develops.
In our body's, brain the Telencephalon is the anterior subdivision of the embryonic forebrain (prosencephalon) or the corresponding part of the adult forebrain that includes the cerebrum and associated structures.
Examples of related structures of the telencephalon includes:
Amygdala +
Corpus Striatum +
Substantia Innominata +
sensorimotor area (sensorimotor cortex) +
Basal Forebrain
diagonal band of broca
External Capsule
Telencephalic Commissures
Anterior Cerebellar Commissure
Internal Capsule
septal nuclear complex (septal nuclei)
septum pellucidum
In our body, the largest and most obvious portion of the brain is the cerebrum, which is divided by a deep longitudinal fissure into two cerebral hemispheres. The two hemispheres are two separate entities but are connected by an arching band of white fibers, called the cerebrum that provides a communication pathway between the two halves.
Cerebral Hemisphere
In our body, the each Cerebral Hemisphere is divided into five lobes, four of which have the same name as the bone over them: the Fontal Lobe, the Parietal Lobe, the Occipital Lobe, and the Temporal Lobe. A fifth lobe, the Insula or Island of Reil, lies deep within the Lateral Sulcus.
Bilg�var K. et al "Whole-exome sequencing identifies recessive WDR62 mutations in severe brain malformations" Nature. 2010 Sep 9;467(7312):207-10
Martorana A. et al "Homotaurine induces measurable changes of short latency afferent inhibition in a group of mild cognitive impairment individuals" Front Aging Neurosci. 2014 Sep 23;6:254
Bridgman MW. "Facial emotion recognition in agenesis of the corpus callosum" J Neurodev Disord. 2014;6(1):32
Bennett MR. et al "Fiber pathway pathology, synapse loss and decline of cortical function in schizophrenia" PLoS One. 2013 Apr 8;8(4):e60518
�The statements on this Web site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). And are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. The information presented is not intended to replace medical advice or treatment from your own doctor or healthcare provider. Nothing presented here is intended as a substitute for prescription medication or any other medical treatment prescribed by your doctor.
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Vanguard Way Blog
Find all details including maps, at www.vanguardway.org.uk
The Vanguard Way Blog has been started to complement the Vanguard Way official website: http://www.vanguardway.org.uk/ The Vanguard Way is a 66 mile, long distance footpath between East Croydon (South London) and the South Coast port of Newhaven.
Primarily we hope to record interesting sightings along the Vanguard Way with an emphasis on flora and fauna and other 'natural' phenomena. To offer a contribution, please email vanguardwayblog@gmail.com We will be interested to receive details of what has been sighted, where and when, together with a photo if available.
Good news about The Vanguard Way. Colin has taken part in a podcast, one of a series produced for the Sussex Coast Series of Love Sussex. Click: http://bit.ly/2Xg3hhK
The video is 11m 33s and Colin is featured prominently in this episode and can be seen near the start of the clip after the section in Newhaven, the end of the Vanguard Way. We hope you enjoy the clip.
Posted by Pam Van at 12:24 No comments:
We have two ramblers who have completed the Vanguards Way recently. Congratulations to both John and Jeff
John completed the final section of the Vanguard way despite the adverse weather conditions of rain, wind and probably storm! John thanks us and makes very positive comments about route directions, waymarking, the use of the ‘helpful and comprehensive’ and the ‘absolutely brilliant’ commentary that developed his knowledge of the surrounding area and, in conjunction with OS Explorer maps, developed his knowledge of what he sees away from the path, which also lets him know where the main road is.
Jeff has been walking The Vanguards Way since 2014, finally completing in 2019. He is also a solo walker and confirmed that the directions were most helpful and that he was unlikely ‘to have undertaken the walk without the detailed directions given on the website’. As he says ‘I am particularly impressed that directions are given for both north to south and south to north, something that most authors omit (not even pointing out potential problems when walking in the ‘wrong’ direction)’.
On moving back to Kent following a career that became increasingly sedentary, Jeff set out to walk as a way of getting exercise. He came across the Explore Kent programme, in particular the award of a certificate on completion. As he says, it was ‘an incentive to complete the walk, which I felt I needed’. Since then he says he has looked to complete walks with similar ‘rewards’, including The Capitol Ring and The Vanguard way. Jeff says he is a fair weather walker and since the death of his mother may spend more time exploring other aspects of the Vanguards way. His favourite places were Cuckmere Haven and Ashdown Forest but he will check the walk descriptions before he starts.
The VGW got a good write-up on the My London website on 12 October. If you wish to read it, click here and scroll down to ‘The Vanguard Way’. It also provides a link to the route description for Section 1.
From MYLondon
East Croydon Station Cuckmere Haven
Latest News on Route problems and amendments
Please check with the main Vanguard Way website. http://www.vanguardway.org.uk
Our Vanguard Way blog has been set up by members of the Vanguard Rambling Club to gather details of interesting items of nature, spotted by users of the Vanguard Way anywhere along its length, including link routes.
Please email details of sightings to vanguardwayblog@gmail.com
Everything else you could possibly wish to know about the Vanguard Way can be found on www.vanguardway.org.uk
Happy walking!
November 2019Hello allGood news about The Vanguard...
October and November 2019We have two ramblers who ...
All material copyright Vanguards Rambling Club unless otherwise acknowledged. Watermark theme. Powered by Blogger.
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Hope for Change in Syria
May 9, 2013 10:01 pm / Victor Davis Hanson
Once again, Obama has proven more of an idealist than an implementer.
by Victor Davis Hanson
Remember when President Obama used to warn Syria’s Bashar al-Assad to stop his mass killing and step down?
Moammar Qaddafi’s dictatorship had just collapsed under Western bombing. The murders of Americans in Benghazi and the subsequent postwar tribal mess in Libya were still in the future. In those heady days of 2011, the rage was “lead from behind,” as the Arab Spring was blooming and social-media types were calling for democracy in the streets of Cairo.
The Muslim Brotherhood was proclaimed to be largely “secular.” Echoing the pseudo-disavowals of Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini years earlier, the American-educated Mohamed Morsi insisted that his Islamist movement was not interested in running Egypt.
Now comes a depressing Arab Winter of chaos and growing Islamic authoritarianism. Egypt is a mess, with a wrecked economy and wide-scale persecution of Coptic minorities. No one yet knows exactly what happened in Benghazi. More than ever, the stubborn Assad clings to power. He calculates that killing 70,000 of his own is far better than sharing the fate of deposed Arab dictators such as Qaddafi, Saddam Hussein, and Hosni Mubarak.
The result is that Obama’s threats about Syrian use of weapons of mass destruction are now contextualized and internationalized. We sorta, kinda want the United Nations, our allies, or maybe the Arab League first to certify Assad guilty of using weapons of mass destruction. Then we can eventually, at some time in the future, organize a coalition to address the problem.
The president finds himself in a terrible dilemma with Syria — partly of his own making, partly due to the lose-lose nature of the Middle East. Obama rightly understands that to remove repugnant Arab dictators tottering amid insurrection is not difficult, given overwhelming American airpower. But he also realizes that the freewheeling tribal and sectarian mess that usually follows can be almost as odious as the authoritarian police state that has crumbled.
The third alternative — fostering a postwar democracy, as in Iraq — requires a multi-year investment of American blood and treasure of the sort that then-senator and presidential candidate Barack Obama damned as foolhardy. He remembers how Iraq imploded during the second term of the George W. Bush presidency. Without that unpopular war, fierce antiwar critic but otherwise relatively unknown and untried Barack Obama might have never won the Democratic presidential nomination.
Obama, better than anyone else, also knows the rules of today’s political opportunism. Currently, liberal hawks are calling for intervention in Syria on humanitarian grounds. They are echoed by many conservatives who see intervention as a way of hurting enemies such as Iran and Hezbollah while helping friends such as Arab reformers and Israel.
Yet, put Americans on the ground in Syria, fighting both the Assad regime and al-Qaeda, with rising costs in blood and treasure at a time of near national insolvency, and yesterday’s assorted zealots will quickly become today’s “I told you so” critics.
Obama must remember the fiery 2002 speeches in the Senate by Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, and Harry Reid in favor of authorizing the Iraq War. He would have read the impassioned pro-war columns in the New York Times and Washington Post. So he must also recall that all such interventionist zealotry soon turned from “my brilliant three-week victory over Saddam” into “your botched multi-year occupation” once the Iraq insurgency took off, American costs skyrocketed, and the 2004 elections loomed.
Without a credible follow-up of using force, Obama’s once-soaring warnings have become stale and no longer earn any deterrence. Even a Nobel Peace Prize laureate can thunder only so many times about “red lines” and “game changers.”
After serial but inconsequential deadlines to cease their nuclear enrichment, the Iranians now snooze when lectured. Assad bets that the danger of American retaliation for crossing the WMD red line is far smaller than the danger of losing his rule — and his life.
North Korea looks at the latest Obama remonstration to act responsibly in the same way most Americans regard his erstwhile promises to close Guantanamo within a year or to dismantle the Bush-Cheney antiterrorism protocols: mellifluous idealism not necessarily followed by unpleasant implementation.
China increasingly believes that the U.S. president is more interested in reducing our stockpile of deployable nuclear warheads than in warning aggressive People’s Liberation Army generals that Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are firmly protected under the American nuclear umbrella.
In the end, we are left only with hope for change. Maybe Iran and North Korea will come to their senses and behave. Maybe Assad will finally fall. Maybe the Syrian insurgents will prove to be pro-American democrats after all. And maybe opportunistic senators and journalists will not play politics by one day abandoning the very policies that they once urged their president to adopt.
And then again, maybe not.
Victor Davis Hanson is a classicist and historian at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. His new book,The Savior Generals, will appear later this month from Bloomsbury Press. You can reach him by e-mailingauthor@victorhanson.com.
© 2013 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
Posted in: Syria, Benghazi, Nuclear Warfare / Tagged: Arab Spring, Barack Obama, Benghazi, Cario, Democracy, Egypt, Lead From Behind, Mainstream Media, Mohammed Morsi, Qaddafi, Syria, The Middle East, WMD
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< Minnesota Twins
Full topic ›
A Movie That Stand’s On Its Own. Revisiting a Baseball Classic: A League Of Their Own
by Chris Spicer
The Shortstop factory
by mikelink45
Ranking Twins' Offseason Targets on the Fun Meter
by Allen Post
Twins Blogosphere
Are you sure you want to spend big money on the bullpen?
Rival Roundup, Vol. 13: Gimme Hendriks
Which White Sox hitters are primed for regression?
Twinkie Town Prospect Vote 2021: Round 1
Gabbing w/ Gamble: Which player’s departure hit you the hardest?
The winter of our discontent? Or the winter of our complete disinterest
The Show Must Go On: Checking In at the Quarter Point
Apr 05 2020 07:03 PM | Nick Nelson in Minnesota Twins
With 40 games in the books, we're almost exactly one-fourth of the way through our interactive simulated 2020 Twins season. Let's zoom out to take a look at how everyone's performing, and where we can improve as we try to chase down the world-beating Cleveland Indians in the standings.
Image courtesy of MLB The Show 20, Sony
To get caught up on what we're doing here, you can check out the introductory post in the series for an explanation of the premise and setup. But the quick version is this: We're playing a progressive simulated Twins season on MLB The Show 20 on PS4, and y'all are helping guide the ship. In each installment I'll update you on what's happened since the last, and put at least one key decision up for vote.
Date In Game: 5/11/20
Team Record: 23-17
Leading OPS: Miguel Sano (1.023 in 127 AB)
Leading ERA (SP): Kenta Maeda (2.54 in 49.2 IP)
Leading ERA (RP): Taylor Rogers (1.47 in 18.1 IP)
Gm 31 @ LAD: W 6-2 (Donaldson HR, 3 RBI)
Gm 32 @ LAA: W 5-2 (Maeda 8 IP, 0 ER, W)
Gm 33 @ LAA: W 8-1 (Bailey 6.1 IP, 1 ER, W)
Gm 34 @ LAA: L 6-5 (Dobnak 2.2 IP, 4 ER)
Gm 35 vs SF: W 8-7 (Kepler 4-for-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI)
Gm 36 vs SF: W 2-1 (Odorizzi 8 IP, 1 ER)
Gm 37 vs SF: L 4-2 (Cruz 4-for-4, HR)
Gm 38 vs KC: L 15-2 (Bailey 2.2 IP, 6 ER)
Gm 39 vs KC: L 9-4 (Dobnak 4.2 IP, 8 R, 4 ER)
Gm 40 vs KC: W 4-3 (Berrios 7 IP, 2 ER, W)
AL CENTRAL STANDINGS
Last time, commenters overwhelmingly voted for Randy Dobnak as the choice to replace Rich Hill as fifth starter, so we made it happen. Runner-up Devin Smeltzer was called up to fill Dobnak's long relief role in the bullpen.
To his credit, Hill took the news of being DFA'ed quite well. After passing through waivers, he in fact accepted an assignment to the minors. At 40, the man is keeping his dream alive and you've gotta respect it. Should he turn things around in Rochester, he could factor as a late-inning reinforcement for the rotation.
With about 25% of our season in the books, we're six games above .500 but still trailing the Indians by 5 1/2 in the Central. Cleveland's solid play since an 11-0 start to the season is keeping them well ahead of the pack with MLB's best record (30-13).
On our end, the most noteworthy storyline is our team's impeccable run of good health; we've not used the Injured List once through six weeks. Personally, I credit the manager's routine of steady rest and careful pitcher workload management. But that's just me.
At this milestone juncture of the season, it felt fitting to give everyone a big-picture view of how the roster's faring. Here the numbers so far for our starting lineup:
Max Kepler, RF: 161 PA, .317/.379/.510, 6 HR, 21 RBI, 32 R
Josh Donaldson, 3B: 181 PA, .294/.376/.550, 12 HR, 30 RBI, 27 R
Nelson Cruz, DH: 169 PA, .322/.391/.530, 8 HR, 31 RBI, 18 R
Eddie Rosario, LF: 157 PA, .290/.325/.510, 7 HR, 29 RBI, 22 R
Miguel Sano, 1B: 153 PA, .315/.425/.598, 10 HR, 29 RBI, 18 R
Jorge Polanco, SS: 156 PA, .274/.372/.407, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 19 R
Mitch Garver: C: 118 PA, .263/.398/.453, 5 HR, 12 RBI, 15 R
Luis Arraez, 2B: 133 PA, .307/.406/.500, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 22 R
Byron Buxton, CF: 134 PA, .193/.260/.235, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 11 R
And the bench...
Marwin Gonzalez, UTIL: 87 PA, .269/.345/.487, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 10 R
Alex Avila, C: 60 PA, .269/.367/.596, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 7 R
Willians Astudillo, C: 47 PA, .256/.304/.279, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 5 R
Jimmy Kerrigan, OF: 25 PA, .130/.200/.217, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2 R
Here are the numbers for our rotation, including the newly added Dobnak...
Jose Berrios: 52.2 IP, 4-3, 4.61 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 37-to-22 K/BB
Jake Odorizzi: 53.2 IP, 4-3, 2.68 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 54-to-15 K/BB
Kenta Maeda: 49.2 IP, 5-0, 2.54 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 48-to-29 K/BB
Homer Bailey: 40.0 IP, 4-1, 4.95 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 33-to-17 K/BB
Randy Dobnak: 23.2 IP, 1-1, 4.18 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 10-to-11 K/BB
And the bullpen, listed basically in order of the leverage hierarchy I've been using...
Taylor Rogers: 18.1 IP, 1.47 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 16-to-3 K/BB, 10/11 SV
Tyler Duffey: 17.0 IP, 2.12 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 20-to-9 K/BB
Trevor May: 16.1 IP, 3.31 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 20-to-8 K/BB
Tyler Clippard: 17.0 IP, 2.12 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 13-to-10 K/BB
Sergio Romo: 14.1 IP, 4.40 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 13-to-3 K/BB
Zack Littell: 14.0 IP, 2.57 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 9-to-4 K/BB
Jordan Balazovic: 19.1 IP, 8.84 ERA, 2.17 WHIP, 18-to-7 K/BB
Devin Smeltzer: 5.1 IP, 8.44 ERA, 2.81 WHIP, 1-to-5 K/BB
I'll share a few general notes and thoughts, then we'll dissect some decisions that lie ahead of us as we look to gear up for key stretches in the schedule.
Much like last year, offensive dominance has come in a holistic fashion. Everyone in the lineup (save Buxton) has been very good, and the team ranks second in the majors in runs scored (213), but no individual player's been out-of-this world. As such, the Twins aren't leading All-Star voting at any position position. (Miguel Sano and Max Kepler have the third-most votes at first base and right field.)
May Day? More like Maeda Day. On May 1st, I ran into my most controversial decision of the season. Kenta Maeda was through eight innings against the Angels with zero hits allowed. He had, however, issued six walks and run up a fairly high pitch count, with this stamina teetering on the brink of depletion. Rather than strain our best starter in pursuit of the no-hitter, I turned to the bullpen with a 5-0 lead. Zack Littell gave up a couple runs before Taylor Rogers came in for a cheapy one-out save. Maeda's been a steady force atop the rotation with his 5-0 record and 2.54 ERA. (If you're curious, Brusdar Graterol has a 7.33 ERA in the rotation for the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate.)
My favorite game of this set: Maeda's no-no flirtation was a fun one, of course, but four days later we came out on top of an 11-inning thriller against the Giants with a Target Field walk-off. A game log snapshot of the ending is below, and I'm presenting it mainly just to pat myself on the back for a great pinch-running decision. (Kepler was on the bench due to a planned rest day.)
Dobnak's transition to the rotation has been rocky. His first start came in Anaheim against the Angels, and things didn't go well. A first-inning homer by Mike Trout set the tone in a tough outing that lasted only 2 2/3 frames, with the Halos scoring four times on six hits and a walk. Zero strikeouts. Dobnak's next turn at home against the Royals didn't go swimmingly either (4.2 IP, 8 R, 4 ER), although a costly Marwin Gonzalez error hurt him, as evidenced by half of the runs charged against him being unearned. Dobnak has allowed eight earned runs in 7 1/3 innings as a starter after allowing three in 16 1/3 innings as a long reliever.
Incredible performances in the American League. It won't likely come as a surprise that the league-pacing Indians have two familiar contenders in the MVP race – Jose Ramirez has a 1.168 OPS and Francisco Lindor is scantly behind him at 1.055. But the talk of the league through early May, without question, is Boston's J.D. Martinez, who is unconscionably slashing .363/.414/.819 with 19 home runs and 46 RBIs through 39 games. Those totals put him on pace to finish with 77 homers and 186 RBIs. Martinez is either gonna cool down at some point or re-write the modern record books.
The two Martinezes and Lindor have their teams (Cleveland and Boston) in first place, with the two best records in the AL. How can our Twins get to this level? Time for some tweaking.
DECISION TIME: HOW CAN WE GET BETTER?
We've been playing pretty well, but need to keep pushing hard in order to close the gap against Cleveland. While there are no glaring needs necessarily demanding our immediate attention, I see a few different opportunities to proactively shake things up and address some trouble spots.
I'm gonna let you guys choose where we take action. Here are three ideas.
Option #1: Move Jordan Balazovic into the starting rotation
This probably seems counterintuitive and perhaps even moronic on the surface. Balazovic is struggling as a long reliever in the bullpen, with a ghastly 8.84 ERA and 2.17 WHIP in 19 1/3 innings. However, I will submit he's pitched than the numbers show. He has a higher overall rating (74) than Dobnak (73) or Homer Bailey (73). And here's the thing, that rating could theoretically be a lot higher.
MLB The Show 20's Franchise Mode has a player morale system, which actually has a meaningful impact on outcomes. The idea is that if a player is unhappy, he'll play worse. Balazovic has the lowest morale on the team, and it's dragging down his overall rating by a whopping five points, from 79 to 74. This is partially because he's getting crushed, and partially because he's not in his desired role.
What if we give him a shot in the rotation and see if it gets things moving in the right direction? Production could hardly be worse than we've received from Hill or Dobnak in that spot, and Balazovic offers more achievable upside than anyone else in this mix. I'll admit, though, it's a hasty plug-pull on Dobnak.
Option #2: Call up Brent Rooker to replace Jimmy Kerrigan
Kerrigan's a reasonably functional bench piece, but he hasn't been any kind of difference-maker in a month seeing being called up. If we want to swap him out, we could aim a little higher. In 25 games at Rochester, Rooker is hitting .282/.384/.565 with a team-leading six home runs for the Red Wings.
My thinking is that we can rotate Rooker through left field semi-frequently, with Rosario going to right and Kepler to center. Buxton still hasn't been able to get anything going at the plate, so a reduction in playing time is as warranted as the opportunity for Rooker.
Option #3: Call up Fernando Romero for the bullpen
Remember him? He's pitching well through 12 appearances (one start) at Triple-A, with a 3.45 ERA and 29-to-8 K/BB ratio through 28 2/3 innings. His high stamina rating (75) would make him a nice fit as replacement for Devin Smeltzer, who's been a complete mess since joining the big-league bullpen (5 BB, 1 K in 5.1 IP).
Decisions loom large, with a series in Cleveland coming up on the next road trip and no off days in the next two weeks. What should we do? Sound off in the comments to voice your preference. Feel free to vote multiple times on this one if you're so inclined, since they're non-exclusive.
5/11: @ DET
5/15: @ CLE
5/18: vs BAL
PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS
Part 1: We Can Build This Thing Together (0-0)
Part 2: 10 Games In, 6 Games Back (4-6)
Part 3: Roaring Back (11-9)
Part 4: Over the Hill (17-13)
MORE FROM TWINS DAILY
— Latest Twins coverage from our writers
— Recent Twins discussion in our forums
— Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email
Option 1: Press "Like This" on this comment if you want us to move Jordan Balazovic into the rotation with hopes of jumpstarting his game, and providing some stability in the fifth spot.
Steve Lein, bradyhern, USNMCPO and 3 others like this
Option 2: Press "Like This" on this comment if you want us to call up Brent Rooker from Triple-A, so his potent and MLB-ready bat can factor into the big-league team's fortunes.
ashbury, Steve Lein, bradyhern and 9 others like this
Option 3: Press "Like This" on this comment if you want us to call up Fernando Romero and his big heater for the MLB bullpen.
Steve Lein, glunn, dcswede and 9 others like this
HrbieFan
I can't like or reply to comments, so my vote goes to bringing Romero up. Let's see if you can figure out how to settle that arm of his down
Nick Nelson and Matthew Taylor like this
Steve Lein
Mix it up and do all three, they make sense on the videogame surface to me
whitsbrain
I guess I'd bring Balazovic into the rotation.That 5-point drop is large. It's worth a shot.What you really need is for Berrios and Bailey to get going.Buxton will likely start heating up, but offense isn't the issue.
Nick Nelson likes this
I'd send Balazovic down. Having an unhappy camper on the team for whatever reason could bring the whole teams morale down. Send him down and put him into the starting role down there. Bring Romero up and either put him in the bullpen or spot start him just like in Rochester, so as to infuse some newness into the staff.
Wookiee of the Year likes this
Luckyd
I like moving Balazovic into the rotation. And even in a video game world, I am holding Romero's customs issue against him and saying he is still stuck in the Dominican Republic. Have we found out what he was trying to bring into the country that got him sent back, yet?
As for Rooker, I like the idea, but let's let Buxton try to get on track a bit longer, and if he doesn't in, say a month,then pull the trigger.
→ Articles
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Three norse sailors at 72° 57′ N :
the runic stone from the 13th century found at Kingittorsuaq
In 1434, the Portuguese navigators doubled the dreaded Cape Bojador, just close to home, then they soon connected the Atlantic to the Indian ocean round the Cape of Good Hope and found the route to India ; right, fine, but norse Viking sailors, at least three of them, sailed round cape Farvel (Uummannarsuaq) at 60º N , circumnavigating Greenland by the south end, and reached Kingittorsuaq, a small islet facing the settlement of Upernavik.
And at the time they were yet ... in the Middle Ages (13th century).
That is brave !
They sailed and rowed up to 72° 57′ N. Seventy three degrees north. Something almost unthinkable (The arctic circle is at 63º N).
This was probably the longest distance the Vikings reached northerly bound, in fragile little sail boats (fast though), through an harder Ocean than the South Atlantic - a frozen sea of ice floes and icebergs.
And on they went, until the mythical Helluland told in the Sagas - we know now it was big Baffin Island, already in North America.
The Viking navigators reached further north than was thought, sailing through the Davis Strait, on the West coast of Greenland.
The late 12th century 'Historia Norvegiae' tells us of one of the first encounters of norse hunters with eskimo people in east Greenland:
'On the other side of Greenland, toward the North, hunters have found some little people whom they call skraeling; (...) they have no iron at all; they use missiles made of walrus tusks and sharp stone for knives.'
The Runestone of Kingittorsuaq dates likely from the mid-13th century. It was found in 1824 at the highest point of the island, a group of three piles of stones (cairns) forming an equilateral triangle.
Kingittorsuaq island is no more than an uninhabited rock in Northwest Greenland, on the banks of the Upernavik fjord, near its estuary's opening to Baffin Bay.
The dating of the runestone has varied between 1135 and 1314. It is an almost flat stone with three lines of the Norse characters. Vikings used these inscriptions for various purposes: a memorial to the dead, the marking of territory, or to describe major events (such as travels).
National Museum, Copenhagen
In Greenland alone more than 100 runestones were found. Contrary to some beliefs, none of these testimonies of Norse presence was arguably found in American territory.
So, this is how it was: sometime, by the 13th century, three Viking sailors were on Kingittorsuaq by early spring, having most certainly wintered there. And before departing they left a message, a silent testimony on stone, worked with hands burned and calloused from the intense cold.
And the inscription says:
«Erlingur Sigvatsson, Bjarni Thordarson and Enridi Oddsson erected here three cairns on a Saturday before Rogation day»
[25 April, day of St. Mark in the Christian calendar - an important holiday in medieval times]
On Upernavik, I've posted before here
Three norse sailors at 72° 57′ N :the runic stone ...
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A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter - a passionate arctic novel
I should have read this book when I was a kid, at the age when I read about Byrd in Antarctica or Darwin in South America. But Christiane Ritter is adult - serious and authentic - in this report of her foolish adventurous stay in the freezing subpolar desert: it's finely written with precious and stunning descriptions, sometimes as if she is doing fascinated paintings, or poems. The book had great success when it was published and is a classic of Arctic literature.
The year is 1930, between the two wars, and then Europe was confused, depressed, unpleasant and dangerous. The crash and the long American depression put an end to the brief democratic years, and dictators went sprawling. Christiane Ritter, a 36-year-old Austrian housewife, was invited by her husband, a fur trapper in Northern Spitsbergen - the largest island of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago - to visit him for a whole year, so she can update long overdue readings and sleep to her content.
Gråhuken (Grey Hook), by the Woodfjord, is the location of the cabin where she lived.
The invitation was tempting, yet the desolation of the long Arctic night could frighten: Christiane was to live in a tiny and rough wood hut, on the shore of the Woodfjord, at about 80° northern latitude, under -40º C up to -15º C in the Summer. Only a long journey on the rugged ice may allow contact with other hunters huts - often deserted but still cozy.
Christiane will suffer moments of deep solitude, enclosed in the small cabin during long and windy storms, or wandering the Arctic night without horizons or references; on the other hand, she will live the experience of floating in an unreal world, with fantastic luminescence through blackness, starry skies never before seen, and when fairylike boreal aurora lights up, an intense feast for all senses.
- White shadows -
"The world is in deep twilight, a perpetual twilight from which it can no longer emerge. There is no wind, and a transparent mist carries the waves of the last dying light. Everything, near and far, is unreal, without spatial dimension. The frozen mountains soar up into the dark grey sky like white shadows. Weightlessly, they seem to sway.
With a soft musical note, the dark water nestles in the round white bays and in the river estuaries, and glides in the calm obscurity over to the broad sea, which in the distance seems to melt into the grey of the sky.
The scene has nothing earthly in it. Withdrawn, it seems to lead its own contained life. It is like the dream of a world that is visible before it takes shape as a reality."
- The shining rhythm of the spheres -
"It is as though we are on another planet, somewhere else in universal space, where in nameless peace bright mountains rest and the light speaks with a mute eloquence.
We go out into he bright land. In the valley the wind howls, over the plain the snow is driven like a glistening river, but calm and unmoved the mountains soar into the star-glittering heavens.
Bright veils detach themselves from the sky. As though stirred by the gentlest breath of wind they float in ever bright and broader waves across the whole heaven. We watch the shining rhythm of the spheres until the veils disappear, and come to ourselves, small beings struggling forward mute and heavy through the storm on the earth."
- Dissolving in moonlight -
"It is full moon. No central European can have any idea of what this means on the smooth frozen surface of the earth. It as though we were dissolving in moonlight, as though the moonlight were eating us up. It makes no difference when we go back into the hut under the snow after a moonlight trip. The light seems to follow us everywhere. One's entire counsciousness is penetrated by the brightness; it is as though we were being drawn into the moon itself.
... what I would like best of all is to stand all day on the shore, where in the water the rocking ice floes catch and break the light and throw it back to the moon."
- A red desert -
"I can scarcely believe my eyes. A radiant red dawn illuminates a land that is itself red. Red is the sea, red the rocks, red the beach, and the square driftwood hut is tinged with red.
(...) meantime Karl, who does not allow himself to be bewildered either by colours or by geological images, has been in the pink hut, making some glaring red cocoa. "I had to make the cocoa so thick," he says apologetically, "so that you would not see how red and sandy the water was that I had to make it with".
[ In the Woodjefjord there is a vulcanic area covered by red sandstone mud rich in iron ]
Perhaps the psychological dimension is missing, and entering deeper into human feelings and relations - there were three sleeping in the cabin, the couple and a younger hunter, a friend of her husband. But Christiane Ritter devoted herself totally to the emptiness of the irresistible surrounding world, and as her husband, she preferred the contemplative silence - this is the testimony that she left in her book.
A Woman in the Polar night
Christiane Ritter
Greystone Books, UApress Alaska
A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter - ...
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Toe Jam's Top Tips: December 2001
Author:Joseph Robbie, Issue: December 2001, Topic: Advice
I. Like steak? Having tried most of the area's steak houses, my Top Tip goes to the Cook Barn. It's just off the Tsuchiura Gaukuen Line on the right as you approach Tsuchiura from Tsukuba (before the Rt. #6 overpass, across the street from 7-11, next to the Chimney Italian restaurant). The Cook Barn offers American Western decor with comfortable seating and friendly service. They even have a country & western live band twice a month.
As for the food, it's great!!! You can choose between Japanese Kobe steak and American Texas steak. I found that the Kobe steak, while significantly more expensive, included about * inedible fat around the edges. Since one pays by the weight of the cut, my verdict is: guilty, of excessive cost, yet exceedingly delicious.
If you're an English teacher, low-grade researcher, or illegal alien, you're probably interested in the best value for the money (since you don't have it to burn, neh?). In that case, and my own, the American steak set is the way to go. I recommend the most expensive and largest American cut (I forget what it's called). It's a perfect steak - no gristle, bones, fatty edges or chewing gum texture. It's big, it's juicy, and it's affordable at about 1800 yen for the set (which includes bread/rice, soup, salad and veggies - and perhaps a soft drink). Enjoy!!!
II. Taira and Live Talk: New in town? Want to know what's going on or engage in intellectual, moral, scientific or technological bickering? Then these local internet bulletin boards are for YOU.
Taira is supposed to be a forum for local international researchers, but they let pretty much anyone on (even me). It's main purpose is information exchange, which in practice consists largely of sayonara sales, car sales, announcements of local interest (Hash House Harriers events, for instance), gaijin bar plugs, and occasional lengthy arguments about anything controversial from love hotels to used car prices to mad cow disease to computer virus protection methods. To subscribe: send to majordomo[at]eve..bk.tsukuba.ac.jp and say 'subscribe' in the text.
Live Talk is really the place for lengthy arguments though. This is a less uptight forum with few rules and wide ranging topics. Political opinions, personal attacks, jokes (from rude to crude to brilliant), and even attachments may be found here. Access details through Taira.
III. New Blowfish Place Blows - Like to live dangerously? Then blowfish might be for you. This expensive delicacy is well-loved among Japanese who want to splurge now and again. It must be prepared by specially trained and licensed chefs to avoid the deadly poison which can bring death in minutes. Now, if this sounds like a fun evening out to you, go for it. However, I would avoid the new place on the left side of Tsuchiura Gakuen Line, about halfway to Tsuchiura with the sign showing a picture of a blowfish. There was recently an incident in which a staff member was suspected of stealing 60,000 yen which had been collected and set aside to pay the bill. Police were called, but when they arrived claimed that they couldn't really take any action. So the dinner party ended up paying double Y120,000 yen. Ouch!!!
IV. Mom's Cafe is a hole in the wall that's worth finding for a good deal on lunch. Tim Boyle, AT editor in chief, turned me on to this place. Highly recommended!!!
It's open daily from 11:30 am to 3 pm. Address: Takezono 2 chome 6-10, tel. 55-1533
good food with lots of volume at cheap prices. Lunch only. Example: a nice big steak with eggs, noodles, rice (or bread) salad and drink Y800. Similar lunch with teriyaki chicken Y650
<< Outdoor Daruma Market: December 2001 | Master Index | Hash House Harriers: Christmas Event >>
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Office 365 stops billions of phishing emails
Sending phishing emails is the most common method hackers use to distribute malware and steal information. In fact, there are billions of phishing emails sent every year, and millions of people keep falling for them. However, if you’re subscribed to Office 365 there’s a good chance that you won’t see harmful messages in your inbox, and here’s why.
Effective anti-phishing solutions must be able to recognize the key elements of a phishing attack, which includes spoofed (or forged) emails, compromised accounts, unsafe links, and harmful attachments. In April 2018, Microsoft upgraded Office 365’s Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) features so it can better detect these elements and prevent a wide variety of phishing scams. These enhancements include:
Anti-impersonation measures – ATP will now look for potential phishing indicators in an email, including the sender’s address, name, and links, to identify whether the user is being impersonated. You can specify high-profile targets within your organization, such as managers and C-level executives, so Office 365 can protect these users from email impersonation. Office 365 also utilizes machine learning to analyze a user’s email patterns and flag suspicious contacts that have had no prior correspondence with your company.
Anti-spoofing technology – This feature reviews and blocks senders that disguise their true email address. You can even enable safety tips that flag certain email domains that have strange characters. For instance, if your real domain is Acme.com, a spoofed domain could be Acḿe.com.
Email link scanning – Office 365 launched Safe Links, which scans emails for fraudulent links and redirects users to a safe page in case it does contain harmful materials. This feature also applies to email attachments, ensuring you’re protected against all types of phishing scams.
Due to these improvements, Office 365 had the lowest phish rate among other well-known email services between May 1 and September 16, 2018. The company has stopped over five billion phishing attempts and protected users against seven billion potentially malicious links. If you’re looking for a secure email platform, Office 365 is the best option for your business.
That said, it’s not a substitute for good security awareness. No matter how secure Office 365 is, employees still need to be adequately trained to recognize a phishing email when they see one. Hackers are constantly changing their tactics to evade Office 365’s detection systems, so it’s important that everyone is alert at all times.
If you need a well-fortified email service, we can implement and manage Office 365 for you. We even offer practical security advice to make sure your business, employees, and assets are safe and sound. Contact us now.
Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
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✰✰BOOK BLITZ✰✰ Book Title: Moments of Joy (Moments to Remember, Book 1) by Ysa Arcangel Contemporary Romance Release Date: April 25, 2017
Book Title: Moments of Joy (Moments to Remember, Book 1) Author: Ysa Arcangel Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: April 25, 2017 Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
With her family history of Alzheimer's and at great risk of acquiring the disease, Brandy Curtis always plays safe. She had always avoided commitments like the plague. However, everything changed when she met Ivo, a gorgeous doctor with irresistible charm. He was just supposed to be another hookup, but he quickly became so much more. It started as a one night stand which was followed by another, and another. The more nights they spent together, the more Brandy felt that life had given her something to live for. The timing couldn't be worse. As her heart gets closer to Ivo, her memories begin to fade. Will Brandy be able to actually have moments of joy with Ivo against the odds of losing herself into the recesses of her tangled brain?
Ysa Arcangel, in real life, is a Spanish speaking GDS Consultant and mother to three amazing kids ages twelve, nine and six. Her alter ego is an attention seeking and a hopeless romantic author who melts over a tattooed hero with 6-pack abs. Underneath her rhino skin exterior lies layers of insecurities. She is a perpetual doubter of her own creation but extremely proud of her works. Her alter ego is extrovert and a social media junkie. And just like in real life a coffee addict. She is the author of Underneath It All and Love at First Sit. She has also written an urban fantasy novella, “Nexus Series Book 1: Anathema”. She is a Filipino author based in Manila and a loving partner to a very talented chef. She is also a tattoo fan, giant dog lover and an extreme sports enthusiast.
Release blitz: all of me, all of you.
Book Title: All of Me, All of You
Author: Vanessa M. Thibeault
Genre: New Adult
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
Neither Emily nor Anika expected to fall in love at this point in their lives: young children, messy marriages and exhausting work loads kept these two friends busy and tired. After a failed attempt to spice up Anika’s marriage and Emily struggling to gain the dedication she needed from her own husband, the two women found the love and support they had been craving. Both women had become so caught up in creating the family they lacked growing up, they pushed aside their needs to fill the emptiness that still haunted them. All of Me, All of You touches on the very real fight that everyday women have between their true desires and who society expects them to be.
Vanessa is a mother of two intelligent little girls who keep her on her toes daily. She is working towards her bachelor of arts degree through Thompson Rivers University with a major in English. She currently runs a daycare from her home as well as facilitates 0-6 programs in her community. Vanessa spends her days reading and gardening; making memories with her children. Vanessa spends many of her evenings with close friends enjoying good wine and conversation. She would like to travel and explore the world one day. She currently resides in Southern British Columbia where she enjoys warm summers and mild winters, where she can enjoy the outdoors. Vanessa also has a published piece in Transcendent Publishing’s The Peacemakers: Restoring Love in the World through Stories of Compassion and Wisdom (2016).
Join me for the danger with love book blitz
The Danger With Love
Amanda Siegrist
A beautiful wedding. An exquisite dress. A night to remember. If only she were the bride. Sarafina just wants her fairytale ending like all her friends, but she seems doomed to always be the bridesmaid. Until she runs into him—the groomsman walking her down the aisle. She might be attracted to him, but he screams nothing but trouble.
Special Agent Dax Delcroy never wanted this assignment. Being old college roommates with the groom meant the case was his anyway. Get in and get out. Get the information to take down the bride’s father, the most ruthless mobster in the city. It should all be so easy. Except nothing is easy the minute he meets her.
Sitting next to this woman and listening to her aggravating laugh was enough to want to put a bullet through his head. The minute Lora Chilani slid up to him, wrapping her arms around him, he knew he had a great opening into the affairs of the Chilani family. A quick glance at Sarafina had him hesitating, but only for a moment.
He was here to do a job, not fall in love. Sarafina did not register on his scale of priorities, even if he wanted to send her to the top.
Snuggling Lora closer to his body as he laughed at her flirting that did nothing for him, he reinforced the decision to do his job without further distractions.
Because that’s what Sarafina was. A simple distraction. He couldn’t afford even a small one. The tiniest distraction could get him killed. That was the last thing he wanted to do today. He wasn’t ready to die.
But that damn distraction was sitting right next to him, bundled so close to his body, it was difficult not to turn and mold her more perfectly to his frame. And she smelled delicious. A sweet scent of vanilla and lavender. Perhaps her shampoo. Or maybe some sort of hairspray as her hair look coiled to perfection. Or his favorite, a lovely fragrance from a perfume bottle. He always loved a woman wearing a light, airy perfume that enticed him to come closer.
That’s exactly what her scent was doing to him. He wanted to get so close it would be indecent in front of everyone.
“So, what do you do, Dax? With all the crazy details with the wedding, Ryan barely had a chance to tell us more about you,” Lora crooned.
“Business. I work on Wall Street. The details are rather boring and tedious. I’d rather hear more about you.” After speaking that lie, he touched the tip of her nose delicately as if he really wanted to know more about her.
Sarafina shivered next to him. Damn, was she still cold? It would be okay to give her his coat now, except he had this other horrid woman hanging off him. She was either cold, like she claimed before, or her body struggled to keep up with the craziness of the day. Did she really eat like she said she did?
Focus. She is not your concern.
I love anything that has to do with romance. As long as there's a happy ending, I'm a happy camper. I love baseball (Go Twins!) and creating awesome crafts. I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice, working in that field for several years before I became a stay-at-home mom. When I'm not hanging out with my wonderful family, I'm writing a sweet contemporary romance or a romantic suspense that keeps you guessing until the end. I have a few more amazing stories in the works. If you would like to connect with me or see important news, head to my website at http://www.amandasiegrist.com. Or you can also check out my Facebook Page or follow me on Twitter (@amanda_siegrist). Thanks for reading!
IT'S RELEASE DAY FOR THE BOY FRIEND BY MIKA JOLIE!
Get your copy now at Amazon.com.
The Boy Friend by Mika Jolie
Date of Publication: March 23, 2017
According to the law of attraction, women and men can't be friends.
Contrary to this myth, my friendship with Coriander Phillips does not rest on unrequited love or un-actualized lust. We've been inseparable since the day I pulled one of her pigtails and she punched me in the gut.
She's hilarious, fun to hang out with. Together, we're like peanut butter and jelly, spaghetti and meatballs, wings and beer. A match made in heaven.
She's the bomb.
Did I mention she's smokin' hot? I've checked her out…maybe once or twice. Hey, I'm a guy.
Seriously, no awkwardness, no secret yearning for our relationship to escalate beyond the purely platonic. I'm the boy friend—the loyal shoulder she cries on, the dispenser of coffee, sympathy, hugs, advice, and affection with no expectations.
Until the invisible line between friends and lovers became blurry.
Now I want more. I want her.
All I have to do is convince her we can be more than friends.
If only it were that easy.
About Mika Jolie
Mika Jolie lives in New Jersey with her Happy Chaos—her husband and their energizer bunnies. A sports fanatic and a wine aficionado, she's determined to balance it all and still write about life experiences and matters of the heart. Let's face it, people are complicated and love can be messy. When she's not weaving life and romance into evocative tales, you can find her on a hiking adventure, apple picking, or whatever her three men can conjure up.
She loves to hear from readers. Connect with Mika on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and Amazon.
Find Mika Jolie Online
Website Mailing List Goodreads Amazon Facebook Twitter Instagram
join me for sharon cooper's love under contract blog tour. for sumeera and nick, timing is everything.
Book Title: Love Under Contract
Author: Sharon C. Cooper
Sumeera Robinson refuses to settle for less than she desires, even if what she craves is the sexy, smart, and charming Nicolas Jenkins-Moore. At her age, she wants marriage and a family, not the empty promises Nick offers. Yet, there is just something about the man that makes moving on nearly impossible.
As the new senior manager of Jenkins & Sons Construction, Nick’s five-year plan is on track with marriage and starting a family at the bottom of the list. Sumeera is as beautiful inside as she is on the outside, but not even she can entice him to abandon his carefully plotted road to success. That is until she walks away without looking back, leaving him yearning for her presence in his life.
Nick is determined to convince Sumeera that he wants the same things she wants. But will an unexpected development keep them from the life they desire? Or will fate bring them closer than they’ve ever been before?
“It changes everything!” He leaped up. “And for the record, we didn’t agree that we didn’t want the same things. That was all you. Baby, I want what you want, but I have a plan…well had a plan.”
Nick rubbed his hand down his face folding his thick arms across his chest. His arms were one of her favorite parts of his body. Hell, who was she kidding? Physically, he was male perfection, stirring a lustful sensation inside her without even trying. Still taking in his upper body, she tapped her fingers against her thigh, fighting the urge to run her hands up his flat abs and over his rock-hard pecs. But gone were the days when she could take such liberties.
“I’ve made it clear that I’m crazy about you, Meera.” He paced in front of her, his hands shoved into the front pockets of his jeans. “I don’t know what else you want me to do to show you just how much. Maybe I should have explained myself better while we were dating, but there were certain areas of my life that I wanted to be better prepared for before considering marriage. My plan included being financially stable, having a home and ensuring that Jenkins & Sons is on course to expand. I never said I didn’t want to get married and have a family. I just said that I wasn’t ready…at the time.”
Sumeera stood slowly. “What are you saying?”
Copyright © March 2017 by Sharon C. Cooper
Award-winning and bestselling author, Sharon C. Cooper, is a romance-a-holic - loving anything that involves romance with a happily-ever-after, whether in books, movies, or real life. Sharon writes contemporary romance, as well as romantic suspense and enjoys rainy days, carpet picnics, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She’s been nominated for numerous awards and is the recipient of an Emma Award for Romantic Suspense of the Year 2015 (Truth or Consequences), Emma Award - Interracial Romance of the Year 2015 (All You’ll Ever Need), and BRAB (book club) Award -Breakout Author of the Year 2014. When Sharon is not writing or working, she’s hanging out with her amazing husband, doing volunteer work or reading a good book (a romance of course). To read more about Sharon and her novels, visitwww.sharoncooper.net
Don't miss our "A love for romance" pre-order blitz. get 8 free books when you pre-order!
Book Title: A Love For Romance
Authors: Kahlen Aymes, Debra Presley, Micalea Smeltzer, Amber Garza, Magan Vernon, Amber Garr, Freya Barker, W. Ferraro, R.C. Stephens, Elizabeth Hayes, Ashlee Taylor, Elison Grace, Sammi Starlight, Misha Elliott, & Ashlee Sinn
Genre: Contemporary Romance | Suspense | Young Adult |Paranormal | Erotica | New Adult
Trading Yesterday by USA Today Bestselling Author Kahlen Aymes
"Professional soccer superstar, Chase (Ace) Forrester, receives a test message from the one woman who broke his heart. His life is on a fast track now, and after years of trying to forget Teagan Tesler, he can finally breathe without wanting to rip his heart from his chest.
Faced with a dilemma that threatens to screw up everything he's worked for, Chase must decide if seeing Teagan will give him the closure he needs, or crack him open all over again. His head tells him to shut off his phone and ignore the six words screaming from the screen, but his heart tells him to get on a plane, no questions asked.
The Break (Breaking Free, Part 1) by USA Today Bestselling Author Debra Presley
Rachelle wants nothing more than to be free of her husband, Dr. Trey Wellington III.
After one terrible night, she decides it’s time to break free from his abusive, controlling ways. However, her plan goes astray and she finds herself in the fight of her life.
Will Rachelle be able to break away? Or will Trey keep her captive in the hell she’s been living?
Always Too Late by Micalea Smeltzer
Mathias Wade may be the lead singer of Willow Creek, but he didn’t start out that way.
Once upon a time, he was simply a boy that loved a girl, but their story ended in tragedy.
This is the beginning.
Until Stars Forget To Shine by Amber Garza
Sequel to UNTIL THE SUN BURNS OUT.
Mina was only a teenager when her first love Austin died tragically. Now she’s an adult back in Inland Cove. And she’s just met the incredibly sexy man who now lives in Austin’s beach house.
The Only Chance by Magan Vernon
Nobody meets their spouse when they're four-years-old unless they're living a fairytale.
Veronica "Roni"Chapman and Patrick "Trigg"Chapman thought they were living the ultimate fairytale, then life happened.
With divorce papers served, they thought their relationship was over.
But a tragedy brings them back together.
The only chance they may have to get back together may just happen once upon a dream.
Awakened: A Leila Marx World Novella by Amber Garr
The backstory highlighting the unusual romance between a medium (Elise) and a vampire (Gallus) who are key characters in TOUCHING EVIL.
Do You Mind? by Freya Barker
A chance meeting during a routine airport layover holds a hint of excitement.
A casual lunch hints at the promise of unexplored fantasies.
A leap into the unknown has life changing consequences.
Cock-Blocked by W. Ferraro
“She’s gorgeous.”
“She’s perfect.”
"She’s so damn sexy.”
She’s my best friend’s little sister.
What Happens on Spring Break by R.C. Stephens
Uptight Princeton student Sasha Landstone doesn’t mean to fall in love with the laid-back bartender Chris while vacationing in Florida on Spring Break. He’s completely not her type. He’s covered in tattoos, piercings, a man bun, and has an arrogant, condescending personality. But once they kiss it’s electric and all reason escapes them like the waves crashing along the Floridian shore. Too bad she’s his future stepsister...
Always There by Elizabeth Hayes
Taylor and Gabe were best friends. When Taylor and her fiancé get into a fight it’s Gabe who she calls. Gabe is tired of seeing Taylor hurt, he decides that it’s time to tell her how he really feels. But will Taylor feel the same way or will she run back to her fiancé.
Falling For Lindy by Ashlee Taylor
Bad boy Clinton Delaney falls for a girl he’s never noticed before, Rosalind Flannery’s newfound attention from the hottest guy in school leaves a lot to be desired. Although it feels good to have the popular jock making a fool of himself for her attention, is it worth the hassle dealing with the girls who think she’ll never be good enough for him.
Burning the Midnight Oil by Elison Grace
Chloe just landed her dream job.
While out celebrating she may have met her dream man.
Gunnar Midnight’s job on the oil rig kept him too busy for love.
Until he set eyes on Chloe.
Will their chance encounter turn out to be destiny or disaster?
Babysitting for the Biker by Sammi Starlight
Willow thought this was just another babysitting job. She gets a big surprise when she finds out it’s for one of the most notorious and sexy bikers in town.
Chasing Love by Misha Elliott
Catherine Love has had her share of heartbreak and loss. Ready to start over she moved away and swore to herself she would never again let herself be hurt.
Pierce Repic never had a persuade a woman to get into his bed. He’s not into the romance of wooing a woman.
As soon as he lays eyes on his grandmother’s neighbor he changes his mind. Before he knows it he’s on a mission chasing Ms. Love.
Spellbound by Ashlee Sinn
Bo Callaghan has finally met his mate in Kenzie. As a witch in a clan of grizzlies, she can certainly hold her own. But when a particular problem requires her special skills, she quickly realizes just how much they all need each other.
A Love for Romance
by Debra Presley
Giveaway ends May 13, 2017. See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
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Iron Maiden – Somewhere in Time (1986)
by Staff on May 14, 2016
Article by David Rosales.
Released after Iron Maiden’s golden era, Somewhere in Time is touted by fans of heavy and power metal as a crown jewel of the band, exemplifying perfected expression and streamlined efficiency. This is not immediately convincing for metal hessians. Rightly so as the music became more sterile, hence, less credible. There is definitely a sense of “upgradedness” in both the production and the choice of stylistic voicings, allowing an inclusion of 80s pop coloration into the palette. This unclear, semi-sellout move demanded accountability, while at the same time the band boasted of accumulated experience fructifying the transformation, masterfully avoiding the typical degeneration that could be expected after the climax and summary of their original sound in 1985’s Live After Death.
Although the album is not part of what we consider the underground of metal, it is not without its redeeming qualities. The contributions individual instruments make to the whole are more focused than ever before or after. This goes for the voice as an instrument as well. As paradoxical as it may seem, this evidently more mainstream album depends less on the vocal theatrics of Bruce Dickinson than the prior ones. Iron Maiden’s characteristic guitar mannerisms are focused into themes rather than riffs, which were never strong in Iron Maiden’s work.
This purposeful though perhaps unnecessary trade off had game-changing consequences. Chord-and-melody composition is easier to control than more counterpoint-oriented methods. This may have been a prudent measure to ensure the stability of exploitable components in the music. The drums are understated but tastefully functional, providing basic needs while staying aloof from immature bragging. The creative, moving bass of Steve Harris is still the heart of the music and never tires; the whole of the instrumentation seems to have been wound around it so that the rhythms, hooks, and simple but iconic melodic harmonizations strengthened at the same time as the foundations narrowed.
On the down side, Somewhere in Time lacks the depth of expression we find in Angel Witch‘s eponymous LP, whose technical variability, use of silence and phrasal darkness with a solid backbone is approached by Iron Maiden only in certain moments, e.g. “Where Eagles Dare” and “Phantom of the Opera”. Following this lead, we seem to not only discover the weaknesses of Somewhere in Time alone but of the band’s overall songwriting. Maiden never found themselves at home in their earlier period characterized by a certain proximity to the raw, doomy NWOBHM sound. At first appears to reveal a weakness is in reality a deliberate move by self-aware artists playing to their strengths and discarding the areas where they lagged behind their peers.
What stares us in the face is an album that appeals to musicians and writers of music in particular. The timing for phrasings for maximum effect, subtle use of harmony to emphasize switches and transitions, percussive perfection, and an all-round superlative competence in musicianship in the service of a final product gives us Iron Maiden’s most professional contribution to the metal canon. The issue of intentionality nonetheless remains a crucial aspect for those of us looking beyond the dopamine kick that results from unprocessed impressions that activate the amygdala. In this case, Iron Maiden proved unable to adequately impart the gravitas of authentic metal strongly enough even though the lyrical themes make that a necessity. Almost every mainstream metal album can be accused of this by no means insignificant blunder. Despite that, Somewhere in Time is somewhat counter-intuitively, a gem hidden in the mainstream.
Tags: 1986, Heavy Metal, iron maiden, mainstream metal, NWOBHM, progressive metal, review, somewhere in time
34 thoughts on “Iron Maiden – Somewhere in Time (1986)”
canadaspaceman says:
As a teenager, I was disappointed with Iron Maiden’s Somewhere in Time album. It had a few immediate grabbers, like “Wasted Years” and “Deja-Vu”.
“Deja-Vu” was awesome, it felt like they were re-visiting the same feeling/atmosphere captured with the song “Still Life” (Piece of Mind album).
Most of Somewhere in Time I confuse with the next LP, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. All that synth mixed with metal…. i definitely did NOT want to hear that back then.
I was on the fence if keyboards were cool or not, when used by bands like Deep Purple, Rainbow, Dio, etc.
I used to replay the audio tape I made of the “Maiden Poland 1984 documentary” off MuchMusic, and for years be amazed how nobody else remembered or cared the total about-face they later pulled.
Polish musician tells Bruce Dickinson he wants to combine synths with metal.
” Naw, you can’t play heavy metal with synthesizers”
” yeah? I want ! ”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubO3FchTKl8
trystero says:
Not without its redeeming qualities? Lacks the depth of expression in Angel Witch? This is probably their best album. Its mainstream-ness should not be assessed from a point of view post-extreme metal. Nor should its intentionality detract from its depth of expression, which is at best only partially predicated on intentionality.
Is this really a more mainstream offering than say, Number of the Beast?
Go back and listen to Killers.
ssszzzzmmm says:
I agree with most of what you say. NotB is a more obvious effort to reach a wider audience compared to what preceded it.
Angel Witch, 1980, underground british heavy metal.
The same as Iron Maiden before ‘The Number of the Beast’.
In general, Angel Witch > Iron Maiden.
Killers is more underground than the Angel Witch debut which already added more poppy elements compared to their demos.
True. But the darkness is there. You can feel it even with the added poppisms.
And that art cover! incredibly suggestive…
But the way to go with Angel Witch for a hessian is definitely the demos, as you say.
You need to pick up Sinister History or the recent, definitive 2x CD Sanctuary reissue that sounds great (better than the original LP).
David Rosales says:
I like how obvious it is that you never finish reading articles.
Not only in this case and especially when you do not agree with statements early in the articles.
I like this album quite a bit, especially compared to some of the stinkers on Number of the Beast (Gangland, Total Eclipse, Invaders) and Powerslave (Back in the Village and those two songs in a row about fucking fencing), but HOLY FUCK Heaven Can Wait has to be the worst Iron Maiden song from back when they were good. That song in particular exemplifies why I’ll always like Angel Witch, Satan, and Priest way more than Maiden. That chorus can go suck a dick.
Iron Maiden shit out some stinkers for sure. Priest did even more. Unleashed in the East is considered the overall best Priest LP for good reason.
Priest were incredibly consistent up through and including Stained Class. Every album is good from beginning to end, and they seem to have put a lot of work into making the songs flow together like a journey. Even the softer stuff like “Last Rose of Summer” and “Epitaph” works well because of the songs that come before and after.
Hell Bent for Leather is when they started to go commercial, though there aren’t any real stink-bombs on that one either. British Steel drops off massively in the second half, and even the good songs are disappointingly simple compared to something like “Run of the Mill” or “White Heat Red Hot.” That pattern holds for most of their ’80s stuff: quality openers followed by a lot of boredom, and even the good stuff isn’t much compared to the best of their ’70s output.
Painkiller is probably the best comeback album in metal history though.
Belano says:
I’m not sure to describe both songs as “stink-bombs”, but I think “Evening Star” and “Take On The World” are pretty bad. The chorus on both songs are too cheesy for my taste, and also the second one has always sounded to me a little to similar to “We Will Rock You”.
Poser Patrol says:
You honestly think Rocka Rolla is good? Please explain.
I’ll always like Angel Witch, Satan, and Priest way more than Maiden.
Maiden had a good run in the 80s but most of those albums were padded out with less than stellar songs. The same could be said of Priest’s 80s output except they had even more filler. However Priest reached heights in their late 70s output that hasn’t been equaled in heavy metal before or since. And Painkiller was awesome too.
Angel Witch and Satan are harder to compare as they don’t have the same volume of releases, but both of their debuts and comebacks outclass Maiden easily.
The last Satan album was a Megadeth and Mercyful Fate rehash.
Atom by Atom was garbage, yes. My post was confusingly worded but I was only referencing Satan’s debut and comeback, ie Court in the Act and Life Sentence.
Ludvig B.B (vOddy) says:
Iron Maiden has some great songs, on some less than great albums.
Ever since I’ve started listening more to whole albums and less to individual songs, I’ve listened to “Piece of Mind” less and less, the only Iron Maiden album that I own.
“Where Eagles Dare” and “The Trooper” are two great tracks, but then there are some rather dull stinkers.
I know that I can download before I buy, and I probably will with Iron Maiden’s other albums eventually, but I am slow about trying new music.
McDonald's AIDS says:
The best death metal and black metal > other metal regardless of genre
I’d rather listen to Iron Maiden than the majority of black or death metal that’s come out post-96 (I’m looking at you, Blaspherian and Dead Congregation), and I’m not even that big of an Iron Maiden fan.
Matt Risnes says:
Every single Iron Maiden album is akin to dumping a 5 gallon pail of Stacy Keach’s diarrhea in your ears. Who likes this lame, galloping, soaring melody vocal line swill?
hypocrite says:
I do and apparently the author of this article does as well. That’s two against one.
2 against one, so that makes you guys right. I guess people who like Drake are right cause there’s more of them then us metal heads. All I’m saying is Iron Maiden stinks like chipotle farts.
You’re pretty bad at trolling.
You’re still replying, aren’t you?
No you’re mistaken
…says that man who will probably “grow out” of metal within five years. I’ve met your type before, though I’d love to be proven wrong.
I saw and hated Maiden on their Fear of the Dark tour with COC and Testament in 92 and was already listening to metal pretty much exclusively for 4 years or so by then and now a year shy of 40 I still love the music and go to shows regularly. But yeah, maybe another 5 years and I’ll grow out of it. I mean, you have met my type (which you surmised from one troll comment) before.
Unlike you, I like some Iron Maiden.
But the quality of logic being thrown at you is shit, and I sympathize with you having to endure that.
You saw them at their worst period (bar the Blaze years).
Twisted Frank says:
Fear of the Dark was ok. I seen them the previous tour (1990 or 91) and they were just as good as when they toured in the 1980s, so how could they have changed so much in 2 years? Maybe you just weren’t in the mood ?
I wish there was a professional recording of this show btw. They have released 10 DVDs in the last 10 years but there is none from the SiT tour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDuNbmZ2vv4
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April 26, 2018 • no comments
Difference Between Firestick and Fire TV
Amazon’s All-New Fire TV and Firestick offer an affordable streaming palette to add smart signals to the TV. It allow access to most major movie, television and music streaming services, while Alexa’s assistant is a wonderful add-on. This compact design comes at an affordable price.
What is Firestick?
The Amazon Prime Video Services Global Broadcasting Strategy spread all over the world a year ago. Fire Stick is a product complementary to this service, but it also offers more than that.
In addition to watching the movies and series from the Amazon bundle, it’s also possible to connect to other video services, such as Netflix, YouTube or Hulu, with its help on a regular TV (with HDMI connector). Various applications such as playing games or listening to music are available on Fire Sticks, and unlike the very popular Chromecast, this streaming device comes with a special remote control (Chromecast takes over the function from Chromecast).
Amazon Fire TV Stick comes in its basic version without the built-in virtual assistant Alexa. The new Amazon Fire TV with Alexa Voice Remote looks just the same as before: A USB key that actually enters the HDMI port on the TV. It also comes with a remote control with two one-time batteries, plus a USB cable and a network adapter to turn on the Fire TV Stick.
If one cannot simply push the stick into the spare HDMI port because of the way the TV is mounted or what, no worries. Amazon gives a HDMI-HDMI cable that can be fastened to the port first. In this connection, the new Fire TV Stick connects to the power cord and is ready.
This is so easy – connect to a Wi-Fi network, log in to your Amazon account, and be ready to dive into the mainstream. While the original Vat TV Stick remotely looked like an inexpensive plastic plate, this new Blaster has a sporty attractive curve and you can feel it’s nicer in your hand.
What is Fire TV?
Amazon has introduced a new platform called Fire TV launched in New York via Android, which allows for simpler and faster streaming for home cinema.
The slim black box also features 2 GB of RAM, which allows this device to better connect with smartphones. Amazon video archive is now much easier to do thanks to this device.
In addition to the keyboard, content can be selected by voice dialing. Amazon has announced that users of this device will also have access to thousands of video games. After Apple and Google, Fire TV is Amazon’s Internet access solution through the television.
The rise of television as a media enters a new phase. Fire TV is Amazon’s Internet access solution through the television. A small black box carries a promise that viewers can comfortably watch their favorite series, movies or documentaries whenever they want.
Amazon Fire TV is a small box that opens up a large space. Like Apple TV, Google Chromecast or Roku, Fire TV has Internet access. Unlike the competition, this console is similar to Sonny’s PlayStation and this could be a key advantage. Devices like Amazon’s television content have become more accessible than ever, and watchers are increasingly using them.
The number of Americans paying television service to cable or satellite operators fell by 250,000 only last year, a trend that is being led by younger generations of adults over the Internet. Of course, it is difficult to predict what viewers will look at in the future, but Amazon is just one of the list of growing companies that put their stake in watching television.
Physical appearance of Firestick and Fire TV
The design of Firestick is pretty simple, nothing to revolutionary. It is pretty regular stick, slightly larger than a USB stick. It contains a HDMI port on one of its sides through which is connected to a TV. On the other side there is a USB port for powering up. Fire TV is a small square-like box with HDMI. The remote functions as a navigation pad with Enter button in the center. The microphone enables connecting to the Alexa voice feature. It is a very easy and learnable platform.
Features of Firestick and Fire TV
The Amazon Fire TV Stick has a slightly less powerful processor at 1.3GHz. It has RAM at 1GB and 8GB of storage. Its resolution is 1080P HD. It allows Wifi and Bluetooth connections, same as the Fire TV. The Fire TV contains a powerful ARM Cortex-A53 1.5GHz quad-core processor from Amlogic. It has 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. Finally, the device has a Mali450 GPU which enables playing 4K videos at 60 frames per second as well as HDR video.
OS of Firestick and Fire TV
The Fire TV Stick operates on an older version of Fire OS, version 5. The Amazon Fire TV runs a modified version of Android called Fire OS 6.
Gaming of Firestick and Fire TV
The Firestick contains around 1300 games. The Fire TV provides access to over 1700 games.
Price for Firestick and Fire TV
This is probably the biggest difference. The Fire TV is sold for around $70, while the Fire TV Stick costs $40.
Firestick vs. Fire TV : Cmparison Table
Summary of Firestick and Fire TV
Firestick and Fire TV are Amazons’ version of interactive televisioning – allowing watching series, movies and videos from various platforms. They offer gaming abilities, and one of their characteristic features is the voice support called Alexa.
Emilija Angelovska
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MOVIE REVIEW: Titanic in 3D
This movie review for Titanic in 3D was written by guest blogger Liz Parker...
I have been obsessed with both the actual story of the Titanic and the movie Titanic since the film premiered in December 1997, when I was almost eleven years old, and to see it again on the big screen was definitely a treat. Titanic's proof of success is that it reigned at the box office as the highest grossing film ever until, ironically, James Cameron's Avatar beat its record in 2009. The real question with the re-release of Titanic in 3D, as with most of these re-releases, then, is: should you pay to see it again in 3D?
In 1912, Titanic, aka "The Unsinkable Ship," is about to set sail for her maiden voyage, and everyone is excited to board it; everyone except Rose Dewitt Bukater (Kate Winslet, Contagion), that is, who calls it a "slave ship" that will take her back to America and to a life of privilege with her fiance, Cal Hockley (Billy Zane, The Confidant). Meanwhile, Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar) and his friend Fabrizio win a Third Class ticket onto the Titanic in a game of poker five minutes before the ship is to depart, and they run through the crowded English streets trying to catch the ship before it leaves. Rose ends up making Jack's acquaintance in an unusual situation once on-board, and even Cal and his henchman (David Warner, Planet of the Apes) cannot tear them apart. The romance is tested, of course, when the ship hits an iceberg and it is revealed by the ship's architect Mr. Andrews (Victor Garber, TV's Alias) that Titanic will be at the bottom of the ocean within two hours.
The story starts out, however, with a crew led by Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton, Haywire) searching through the Titanic's remains, for one specific artifact: the Heart of the Ocean necklace, rumored to be one of the most expensive diamonds in the world. They find an old safe in the remnants of what was Cal Hockley's suite, and are excited, thinking that the necklace will be there - only to find nothing of value in the safe except for an old sketch. The twist, however, is that the woman in the sketch is wearing the necklace. Rose (Gloria Stuart, The Million Dollar Hotel), now almost 101 years old, sees an interview with Lovett and the drawing, and immediately places a phone call to him; she is the model in the drawing, and she hasn't seen it for the past 85 years.
Definitely see this film. Even though Titanic weighs in at a lengthy 3 hours at 14 minutes, the film still manages to keep you captivated the entire time. This is probably due to the fact, among others, that it mixes many genres: there's the classic rich girl/poor boy romance, the disaster movie theme, the fact that it's based on a real event, and the dynamics between the rich (First Class) and poor (Third Class), and this is why, fifteen years later, it's still able to fascinate us.
James Cameron built an almost exact replica of the Titanic and was obsessed with historical accuracy, and these details really shine through in the movie; the love story is obviously fictional, but the rest of the movie is gorgeously historically accurate, down to the entrance to the First Class dining room to the staterooms and the ship itself. James Cameron decided that if he was going to make a movie about the Titanic, he would also use real footage from the wreck, as seen when a present-day Rose sees the footage on the computer screen. The acting, too, is phenomenal, and really boosted the careers of Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, two actors that are still very much in the public eye today; there's also some nice acting by Frances Fisher (Sedona), playing Winslet's mother, and Kathy Bates (TV's Harry's Law), in the role of Molly Brown, one of the only First Class people to still have a conscience, since she is from "new money." The classical score by James Horner, too, is very subtle but overall manages to enhance the film.
As for the 3D, I was overall impressed with it, but it was a bit shaky in some parts, noticeably so when there was a close-up of a person or in scenes when Rose and/or Jack are running through crowds or the ship. The 3D is more of the type that brings you into the scenes themselves than the kind where things "pop out" at you, and this was really nice; I felt like I was actually on the Titanic, which of course was fantastic until the ship started to sink. This film definitely didn't need the 3D to begin with, but it will most likely do well at the box office - people who haven't seen it will want to, and those that have already seen it will want to see it again. Titanic is one of my favorite movies, though I only watch it every five years or so because of its runtime, and I am hoping that with this re-release, a new generation of moviegoers will be encouraged to see it.
Titanic 3D is rated PG-13 with a runtime of 194 minutes, and is in theaters today, April 4th.
Story: 5 out of 5 stars
3D: 3.5 out of 5 stars
=========================================================
Liz Parker is a 2009 graduate of the University of Michigan. She currently works as an Assistant Medical Editor for a pathology website. Visit her at her movie blog Yes/No Films
Labels: April, Movie Review, Movies
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Outrage in Johnson County
HEADQUARTERS NORTHERN SUB-DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS,
Harrisburg, Poinsett County, April 12, 1865.
Major-General Reynolds, U.S. Army, Commanding U.S. Forces in Arkansas, Little Rock, Ark.
General�The inclosed papers in reference to outrages committed by the Federal troops in the neighborhood of Clarksville, Ark., have been sent to me from district headquarters, with instructions to take action to bring the perpetrators of such infamy to justice. It might be useless to make demands of the immediate officers of such men, and therefore I hope you will pardon me for sending the charges direct to your headquarters and requesting you to issue such orders in the premises as will wipe out this stain from your flag. I will not presume to make suggestions, but leave the matter entirely to your sense of justice and humanity, for such horrid crimes as are related in the inclosed statements will surely sicken the heart and rouse the indignation of every gentleman in your army, and if the guilty parties can be discovered I feel assured that you will properly punish such fiends or turn them over to me for punishment. I would be pleased to know your action in the matter, that I may know whether other steps will be necessary to carry out the instructions from my superior officers.
I have the honor to be, yours, most respectfully, &c.,
M. JEFF. THOMPSON,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
[Inclosure No. 1.]
OFFICE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL, DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS,
Col. E. P. Turner, Assistant Adjutant-General.
Colonel�I have just finished reading a letter from Mrs. Swagerty, of Johnson County, Ark., to her husband, Major Swagerty, of McNair�s brigade. The lady is personally known to me, and I put implicit faith in her statement. She describes the conduct of the Federals in the neighborhood of Clarksville since Brooks fired on the boats as perfectly fiendish. Even the persons of the ladies are outraged. I made this extract from her letter, and while it is modestly said, it has its terrible significance:
Mr. Harris escaped being killed, and has gone south. Tell him his wife was greatly abused, but will recover; Mrs. Major Thompson, it is thought, will not. These things are too horrible to write or think of. Colonel Waugh is in command at Clarksville, with about 600 men�negroes, Kansans, and Arkansans. These outrages are committed by his command, and took place about the 18th ultimo. The letter is dated the 25th of January. This command say they will stay where they are until April. The letter was brought out by hand, as well as others, all concurring, I am told, in describing wrongs to our helpless women committed indifferently by black and white.
I hardly know why I write this to you; but yet I have some hope that steps may be taken to secure the helpless women from further wrong, and that some retribution may be devised that may reach the guilty. Wrongs such as are so delicately alluded to in the extract ask prevention and avengers.
I am, colonel, respectfully, &c.,
D. PROVENCE,
Provost-Marshal-General, District of Arkansas.
OFFICE CHIEF PROVOST-MARSHAL, FIRST DISTRICT,
Center Point, Ark., March 8, 1865.
Major-General Fagan.
General�Having just returned from Johnson County I write you in order to give you some knowledge of the ill treatment of some of your old friends, outrages committed by the Federal soldiery. After being robbed of all their household, wearing apparel, and subsistence, they are then a subject of search for money. Not being satisfied on searching their persons, they are taken from their beds and placed upon beds of fire and tortured for the purpose of getting money. Aunt Tish (Mrs. Howel) was taken from her bed and burned so severely that there is but little hope of her recovery. All the flesh from below the knee of one leg has dropped off. Mrs. Susan Willis at the same time burned severely on the feet. Mrs. Wiley Harris burned by placing her head in the fire, and then whipped almost lifeless. Mrs. Major Thompson burned on head, arms, and hands. I must yet tell you that Isabell, my wife, was taken from her bed and placed upon coals of fire, and after being burned severely was made to go in the damp of night some 400 yards to get money, and made to walk a part of the way with her feet all in a crisp, Isabell�s mother remaining at the house suffering with like punishment. Notwithstanding these outrages, that of still deeper infamy is now the suffering pangs at heart of some of the helpless ladies of Johnson.
Oh, general, the story is true, sad, and sickening. May God avenge their wrongs. These outrages cannot be placed upon any other than the U.S. soldiery. The deserters from the Federal army occupied the county some time previous to the Federals holding post, and did not commit these outrages.
Shall we suffer all this? Have we no spirit to avenge their wrong? I hope the soldiery of Johnson County will not forget the Federal Second Arkansas Regiment, Second Kansas, Fourteenth Kansas, Col. G. M. Waugh, and Colonel Stephenson, that they may, if ever chance offers, mete out to them like reward.
Hoping that some measures may be adopted that will avert any further outrages, I am, general, as ever, your friend and obedient servant,
L. N. C. SWAGERTY.
[First indorsement ]
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS,
Lewisville, February 17, 1865.
Respectfully forwarded to Major-General Magruder, at Shreveport, La., for his information and necessary action.
ED. P. TURNER,
[Second indorsement.]
Lewisville, Ark., March 6, 1865.
Respectfully referred to Brig. Gen. M. Jeff. Thompson, commanding Northern Sub-District of Arkansas, who will take such measures as he may deem necessary to have the perpetrators of these outrages brought to justice. He will communicate with the Federal commander at Clarksville and demand the men who are guilty of such inhuman outrages.
By command of Major-General Magruder,
M. M. KIMMEL,
Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.
[Third indorsement.]
HEADQUARTERS, NORTHERN SUB-DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS,
Harrisburg, April 12, 1865.
Respectfully forwarded to the commanding officer of the Federal forces in Arkansas at Little Rock, with a request that he either punish these fiends or turn them over to the C.S. military authorities for punishment.
Re: Outrage in Johnson County
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The Lumberjacks have managed 65.6 points on the offensive end, while allowing 67.9 points per contest. Although Rader is the only active player taller than 6 0 on the NAU roster, the Lumberjacks own a commanding plus 5.7 team rebounding margin. However, their team turnover margin is minus 1.7.
Clever use of low compression ratios for the SKYACTIV G petrol and SKYACTIV D diesel engines means that ignition takes longer, ensuring a better mixture of air and fuel. This approach also enables the engines to run with less mechanical stress, which allows the use of lighter weight materials, in turn meaning that the finished vehicle will need less energy to move through the air. And no energy at all of course when it comes to a temporary stop, say at the lights or in traffic.
Wasn familiar with Friends of the Children as an organization, but I spent some time with Jan this week and reviewed the website, and it a pretty unique, very compelling way to go about reaching young people and making sure they have positive influences in their lives for the duration of their school years, he said. A big job, putting together the finances to tackle this, but I think it a very worth it effort to see what we can get going in Highland County It one of the only mentoring programs I known that utilizes employed mentors that are well trained in order to work with the children for 12 years. Founder Duncan Campbell, who grew up in poverty in Portland, Ore., overcame his circumstances and eventually became a successful businessman, then decided to apply his business experience to helping children, according to the FOTC website..
Wtva sports director jim holder was in starkville and has this recap. Jim: ‘after years of watching other teams win championships, the confetti finally dropped for vic schaefer and mississippi state’s women’s basketball team. The bulldogs are the sec regular season champions for the first time in program history.
The brother sister tandem of Luca and Daniela Connor (featured in the Jan. 20 edition of the Madison Weekly News) of James Clemens were the top individual bowlers. Luca, a freshman, rolled a 652 in the individual competition held in the first day of the two day competition while Daniela, a senior, edged Nicole Gilbert of Sparkman 577 569 to earn top honors in the girls’ division..
Market Segmentation Chapter 3. Research Methodology 3.1 Research Process 3.2 Primary Research 3.3 Secondary Research 3.4 Market Size Estimation 3.5 Forecast Model Chapter 4. Market Dynamics 4.1 Drivers 4.2 Restraints 4.3 Opportunities 4.4 Mega Trends 4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators Chapter 5.
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Dalton Norris, a 15 year old defenceman, played on the Oakland Junior Grizzlies U15 team in Michigan last season. Coale Norris, the oldest of the lot at 20, suited up for the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL, the top junior league in the United States, last season. He is committed to play for Ferris State University..
With double doors to A separate dining room. (this dining room could easily be converted to A fourth bedroom, if required). The kitchen is also A good size and well fitted. Connie Brown is responsible for coordinating all of the team travel and accommodations Post 43 takes several overnight road trips, including out of state trips every summer. She runs both baseball and softball tournaments at Duke Park and currently serves as second vice president on the National Amateur Baseball Federation Board. In a few years, she likely become the first ever female president of the NABF..
For those households that qualify for free or reduced price meals based on income, an adult in the household must fill out free and reduced price meal application and return it to Food Service Office Manager at 800 N. O Rd., Irving, TX. 75061. Plants do not have to go out and find food; they make their own food. Growth). Excess sugar is stored for later use.
As research findings are disseminated, the public has begun to clamor for increased access to Montessori methods. No longer the sole domain of private schools, select teaching techniques may now be found in public school settings. Based on early results, one can expect that Montessori methods will continue to make their way further and further into mainstream education..
QUINCY, Ill. (WGEM) Adams County EMA Director John Simon says the Hawaii incident shows the need for good communication and coordination. He said Adams County has a plan and tests its emergency alert system every month.”Should a mistake such as that happen or a false warning go out that we are able to quickly send the same type of message that says that it was a false activation,” said Simon.
Good for the joints, it not too strenuous, said Pardoel. You out there running, it hard on the knees, but fencing is not. It a great way of keeping in shape, meeting new people and learning a new skill, which is necessary for people. Started getting into gardening a few years ago, and that when I saw these things (terrariums) getting popular, said Diandra Escamilla, a 28 year old Boston resident who attended Plant Nite. Was seeing them everywhere, on social media my friends started having them, so I started to get interested. Are hot.
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Kevin Threadgold from Taverham exemplified the spirit of the games by being awarded the gold medal with an inspiring solo performance in a wheelchair race. After all the other participants pulled out, Kevin, 30, completed the course alone and his determination brought the stadium to its feet as everyone cheered him over the finish line. At the closing ceremony, Kevin who also won silver in the mini javelin and bronze in softball throw was presented with one of three special awards for sportsmanship..
“Developing software for a small spacecraft presents many challenges,” commented OpenOrbiter Small Spacecraft Development Initiative director Jeremy Straub. “You have limited computing capabilities and a need to develop optimized code, as the when the processing is running its consuming very valuable power resources that could be used to power other parts of the satellite. It’s not like programming for a desktop, where in many cases you have far more resources that you need for an application it drives you to make the best possible use of the resources.”.
From then on, taking out the garbage became an important part of my day. By December, the woman developed a loyal clientele of modern socialists. They huddled around her display of salvaged trash and haggled over the American’s Levis, the American’s North Face T shirt, the American’s Texas Rangers baseball hat, the American’s Ray Ban sunglasses, the American’s Adidas shorts..
Dr. Rabin believes that this is Bellevue’s time to shine, “Realize where we are. Few moments in history and lets the future in. Or you can fillet the fish from the dorsal fin down on either side of the body andpeel them off. The ribs of a burbot come to the skin, and this leaves only a back fillet on each side. Burbot backstraps! Generally, the fillet is then cut into sugar cube sized squares.
No man worthy of this girl would put up with that. Many men are too scared to actually approach these girls and be something more. They actually think they can “work it from the inside” by being the nice guy and that somehow the girl will fall in love with them and do all their work for them.
Hunter was named the B1G Setter of the Week on Aug. 31 and Nebraska Invitational MVP on opening weekend. Hunter has notched 50 or more assists four times this season.. The first thing you notice upon entering the house of a family with 14 children is not surprisingly the presence of 14 children. There was Jonah, jiggling around delightedly in his Deluxe ExerSaucer, staring up at me with big brown eyes and smiling with a cleft lip. Nariyah squirmed languidly in a second ExerSaucer next to the fake fireplace, drowsily listing to one side.
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Purchasing personal or business checks has become easier than ever. There are so many different ways and places to order checks that consumers really have the power to choose. There are so many choices that you can find the exact type of check you want, how much you want to pay, and from whom you wish to purchase your checks..
Joseph was nominated for a 2008 Academy Award in the Best Song category for his contributions to the song It Up performed by IMPACT Repertory Theatre and Jamia Nash in the 2007 film August Rush. His formal education in psychology and leadership provides the foundation for his work in youth development and community resilience. Specifically, Milliken focuses on fostering lasting lifelong connections with youth who have faced family hardship and displacement in the Inland Northwest.
Healthy smoothies are rich source for antioxidants which makes it a good natural detoxifing agent, owing to extra health benefits. These drinks are useful in maintaing body cholesterol, hypertension and other body disorders. Is expected to show a higher growth rate in the healthy smoothies market over the forecast period 2017 2023.
An active DXer and contester who recently earned her Extra Class license, Katie entered the world of amateur radio as the ARRL’s Membership Manager in the 2000s, earning her first ham license under the guidance of other League staff members. She then sparked an effort to revitalize the ARRL staff radio club and station, W1HQ, both of which had fallen into inactivity, and helped move ham radio into the world of multimedia by producing and posting various operating videos on You Tube. She currently lives in Sundance, Wyoming with her husband, Dwayne, WY7FD..
Irma has been classified as a Category 5 storm with maximum winds of 175 mph, and states of emergency have been declared in Florida and Puerto Rico. Virgin Islands to deliver key response capabilities ahead of the storm’s anticipated arrival. The C 130 stopped en route in Colorado to pick up a National Guard Bureau joint enabling team, which coordinates support to areas affected by natural disasters or other emergencies through advanced communications equipment and experts in disaster response operations, intelligence, logistics, personnel and public affairs..
The guitarists, who will hook up in different combinations, include Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Cesar Rosas and David Hidalgo of Los Lobos, locally connected Jonny Lang, South Dakota’s Mato Nanji of Indigenous, Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford, the Black Crowes’ Rich Robinson, Dweezil Zappa, Texan Doyle Bramhall II, and Henri Brown, Jimi’s cousin. Finally there’s Dani Robinson and Stan Skibby, Americans who play in Hendrix tribute bands in the Czech Republic and Poland, respectively, proving that purple haze knows no temporal or national borders. Rick Mason.
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Remember when Grandpa used to enjoy his pipe smoking moments in those lazy afternoon days and you wonder why he enjoys breathing in and puffing out those oddly scented clouds? Well, that tradition dates back even before the European settlement, which is normally for ceremonial purposes. Its mysterious properties as a substance makes it a perfect tool to smoke tobacco and at the same time, a work of art that is worthy to be displayed on prestigious museums. In fact, it is a pipe highly recognized by the Connoisseur and beginning smoker alike.
27 test confirmed she contracted the disease.Dr. John Barnsdale, chief of staff at Sutter Auburn Faith, said Thursday that he is unaware of any positive tests from the roughly 750 people contacted.?We feel pretty confident that no one was infected this way,? he said. ?Hepatitis C is hard to get.?A test for hepatitis can find that a person has the disease, Barnsdale said.
Other companies have tried to stay out of the debate. Some gun sellers haven’t responded to requests for comment, including Bass Pro Shops, which owns Cabela’s, or Camping World Holdings, which owns Gander Outdoors. The Outdoor Industry Association hasn’t responded to requests for comment.
Electronic finding aids are available for all the MVF Files. Click on the MVF number in the status column to access the MVF File’s electronic finding aid.To perform a word search of the page press the F3 key and enter the term being searched. The Green family was a pioneer family in the African American community of Bear Creek.MVF 20 07 (PDF)Akins, SamSam Akins Collection: U.
Water paired with a banana, orange or clementine is undeniably a better choice than any sports drink. These fruits are higher in potassium and many other minerals and vitamins than commercial drinks. The natural sugars in these fruits travel into the bloodstream at a steady rate, unlike a manufactured sports drink that causes blood sugar and insulin levels to skyrocket or that delivers a dose of an unhealthy artificial sweetener.
Providing massage and touch therapy is within the scope of practice of many health care providers including physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, physical therapists and occupational therapists. However, massage is not frequently practiced by these practitioners because of time constraints or lack of comfort with providing massage therapy. Qualified practitioners, who practice massage therapy for pediatric clients, and patients, provide numerous benefits to the child and improve their family’s satisfaction with the care their child receives.
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I don know why you doing this to me. Someone lying.” “Whatever. I love you so much, but I want you to be a baby boy. That includes traditional communication channels. On the night of Istanbul’s airport attack, it wasn’t immediately clear whether the terrorists got past the first security area. Turkish officials said “no”; eye witnesses said “yes.” But since Turkish officials have a history of impeding accurate reporting by throwing some reporters in prison and locking others out of their newsrooms, it can be difficult to trust their accounts.
The Grassmere and Skylab recording studios have achieved a fine blend of instruments and voices, a benchmark for sound engineers to live up to in future with this band. Vincent Street is a beautiful clean recording that allows each performer to be individually heard and appreciated. Although the studio recording slightly reduces the immediate excitement experienced during the live performances, it enables the listener to hear the band intricate and harmonious arrangements.
There are only so many hours to a day, and so many things you love to get done. Take a good look at what you need to do, want to do and don really need to do, and you can find ways to feel a little less overwhelmed most of the time. You go through times where there just aren enough hours in the day even when you know your priorities, but you can cut down on the less important stuff and relieve a lot of your stress..
Sophomore Travis Lakins is scheduled to start for the Buckeyes on Saturday. In nine starts this season, he is 1 2 with a 3.83 ERA in 54.0 innings of work. During league play, Lakins has worked 18.0 innings over three starts and has a 1 0 record with a 3.00 ERA.
ElAtacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array(ALMA), una instalacin astronmica internacional, es una asociacin entre el Observatorio Europeo Austral (ESO), la Fundacin Nacional de Ciencia de EE. UU. (NSF) y los Institutos Nacionales de Ciencias Naturales de Japn (NINS) en cooperacin con la Repblica de Chile.
Imitation pays the compliment not only of flattery, but of admiration. Jaguar’s chief designer, Ian Callum, says certain seminal models have had such a profound impact that they influence all the cars that come later. “The Porsche 911 was one, of course,” he said.
Granted, I am going to reveal my own hopelessly nerd ish tendencies here, but word origin dictionaries are just cool. They provide the history of every word, and often show how similar all the European languages are. With frequent use, these dictionaries can actually teach us how to identify, on our own, the meanings of words by sight, simply by breaking them down into their essential parts..
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As a healthcare worker, I agree that patients should ask their caregivers if they have performed hand hygiene. But this is a 2 way street the patient and his family and visitors washed their hands? If visitors who are out in the community come to the hospital they bring whatever bacteria they have come in contact with to the hospital. They touch elevator buttons, siderails, the patients..
Setter Kelly Hunter guides the Husker attack with 11.41 assists per set. The sophomore had a career high 57 assists and nine kills in the comeback win against Oregon on Sept. 5. Scholars believe a scribe copied them onto the goatskin parchment from the original Greek scrolls.Three centuries later, a monk scrubbed off the Archimedes text and used the parchment to write prayers at a time when the Greek mathematician work was less appreciated. In the early 20th century, forgers tried to boost the manuscript value by painting religious imagery on some of the pages.In 1998, an anonymous private collector paid $2 million for the manuscript at an auction, then loaned it to the Walter Arts Museum for safekeeping and study.Over the past eight years, researchers have used ultraviolet and infrared filters, as well as digital cameras and processing techniques, to reveal most of the buried text, but some pages were still unreadable.”We will never recover all of it,” Noel said. “We are just getting as much as we can, and we are going to the ends of the earth to get it.”DPS identifies driver killed in Upshur County wreckDPS identifies driver killed in Upshur County wreckUpdated:Thursday, March 22 2018 9:46 AM EDT2018 03 22 13:46:22 GMTDPS: At approximately 7:37 AM yesterday, Troopers responded to a two vehicle fatal crash on SH 300 in Upshur County, 4.5 miles SE of the city of Gilmer.
Best Prices for Big Packs! Certified Canadian Pharmacy. Order online. Order online. “That’s where she was found. That was the last place she was probably alive. The cross there means a lot because it wasn’t just a place. Families have had to take rabies shots when sato dogs where brought in and adopted without any quarantine. Those dogs that were brought back to the US during the Olympics some of them had rabies. 12 million people seek to replace our buy a new pet each year.
The effort was there, and we played better offensively than we did last night. We finished better. I still like to see us go to the foul line more than that. Si se determina que estas bajas temperaturas del polvo son una caracterstica normal de los discos protoplanetarios, esto podra tener muchas consecuencias para la comprensin de cmo stos se forman y evolucionan. En la parte meridional de esta constelacin hay una espectacular zona de nubes oscuras y brillantes que forman parte de una regin de formacin estelar. Este mapa, que muestra todas las estrellas que pueden observarse a simple vista en una noche oscura y despejada, muestra la ubicacin de Rho Ophiuchi, la estrella ms brillante de la regin.
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The Eagles have had 20 first round picks since 1991 and 16 of them have gone toward drafting a linemen. Those 20 picks have turned into nine defensive linemen, seven offensive linemen, two receivers, one corner and one quarterback. Of the nine defensive linemen, only Corey Simon made a Pro Bowl, although three of the seven offensive linemen did [Jermane Mayberry, Tra Thomas, Shawn Andrews], along with the corner [Lito Sheppard] and the quarterback [Donovan McNabb].
Haslam, who had previously raised concerns about another bill restricting transgender students to bathrooms and locker facilities matching the sex listed on their birth certificates, said the legislation provided proper safeguards. The new law says a therapist can reject would be patients in a crisis situation. And they have to make appropriate recommendations to other mental health professionals..
Sadly, it unrequited. They feel jilted. They watch with envy as you lavish liberals with love, but treat conservatives like party crashers. Washington Post spokeswoman Kris Coratti says the allegations are false. She adds that the paper has explicit policy that prohibits paying sources. Is part of The Associated Press ongoing effort to fact check misinformation that is shared widely online, including work with Facebook to identify and reduce the circulation of false stories on the platform..
The event serves as a way for people to spend money on themselves and on others at the same time. Guests were treated to both live and silent auctions, dinner and live musical performances by Trinity Bradshaw and the evening headlining act, Washboard Union.As Tammy Bradley, president of Karma Concerts explained, the event success was in large part thanks to the support they received from the community.extremely humbled and very grateful for the amazing support, Bradley said.not possible to put on an event of that calibre without the community support. The $40,000 raised by this year show was split up between a variety of charities, including $12,500 for Snack Attack Leduc Food Bank, $12,500 for the Boys Girls Club Leduc, $10,000 for MusiCounts, $2,500 to Kids Help Phone and $2,500 for Lakedell 4H Lighthorse Club.Coming into this year show, Bradley said the goal lofty as it may have seemed was to hit that $100,000 mark.we really grateful to say that we have, she said.As Bradley explained, Karma Concerts was first created as a way to put on a show for people, while also being a way to raise money for those in need.reason we created Karma was to have that platform where people can be entertained in a concert setting but knowing that they also contributing and giving back to local kids, she said.the end of the day that really what it about.all for the heart of it to see our goal come to light that the reward for us, Bradley said.This year event included a couple of new features, such as a game of bingo that revolved around a chicken and its digestive tract.
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Interment will immediately follow at St. Prior to the service at the funeral home. Box 484, Amsterdam, NY 12010 or Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, 113 Holland Avenue (135), Albany, NY 12208.. A., Glendale Community College; Russell, Donna, Glendale Board of Education; Schlif, Michael, Glendale Community College; Stark, Andrea, Glendale Community College; West, IRA J., Clark Magnet High School; Andrade, Virginia; Balta, Sharon K., teacher; Brennan Valentine, Jacolyn R., third grade teacher; Bughdorf, Marilyn, Crescenta Valley High; Colegate, Kristie P., Lincoln Elementary; Daly, William G. Thomas Jefferson Senior High; Danilov, Nicole V. Elementary school teacher; Edmond, Linda N., Glendale Unified School District; Ewing, Margo A., teacher; Fried, Louis H., educator; Gazzilli, Marianne M., fourth fifth grade teacher; Gillan, Patrick M.
The standings after last weekend’s race in Charlotte remain Matt Kenseth on top, Jimmie Johnson in second (4 behind Kenseth) and Kevin Harvick ( 29 points). All three of those top drivers finished in the top six in Charlotte. I still feel the race at Talladega will determine a lot of what will happen the remainder of the Chase..
Researchers involved in this collaboration include: Maria Bergemann, Branimir Sesar. Laporte (Columbia University); Adrian M. Price Whelan (Princeton University); Allyson Sheffield (City University of New York); Judith G. People who work in home based commission sales actually have an advantage over those who work in an office. If you work at home, you can make your own hours. You are not bound by an office’s schedule, and can therefore work extended hours from the comfort of your home, if you so choose.
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Pulled up in front of the school to take the boys to a game and Gene Cook, the principal, he came out and said, going to have wait a little bit, Mount laughed. Mr. Cook sent Andy uptown to get a haircut before we left. The showboating for a winless team drew some criticism. “Look, Jackson said. “If that means those guys are going to keep scoring touchdowns, I will buy them some Ray Ban glasses.”.
Laguna, ranked third in CIF Southern Section Division 1, was coming off an impressive showing at last week’s Irvine Southern California Championships, where the Breakers went 4 1 and finished in third place among 32 teams. They defeated Long Beach Poly (15 1) and Montebello (14 7) on Feb. 2 and Los Alamitos (9 8) on Feb.
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It’s very sort of high end fashion on the show, so I’m constantly wearing labels and very expensive dresses. At first I think I was a little uncomfortable with it . Just tight dresses constantly in a 12 hour day. Beautification Council party The Laguna Beach Beautification Council held its annual summer party at the home of Harry and Zehide Lawrence. Members enjoyed the ocean view and a barbecue. On the first Monday of the month at City Hall, 505 Forest Ave.
The complicator accrual. Although Indiana law may be clear as to when the limitation period ends (six years), the more difficult issue surrounds when the limitation period begins. What event, date, etc. National 4 H Council and Tractor Supply have worked closely together to provide 4 H members with the tools they need for success. Their partnership has yielded more than $11 million to support 4 H programming since 2010. Earlier this year, the Spring 2017 Paper Clover Campaign raised nearly $825,000, resulting in 16,301 scholarships awarded to youth attending camps or other leadership experiences..
Eventually, Terrace pulled the plug on his nurture versus nature study and arranged for Nim to return to Dr William Lemmon’s IPS facility, where he became the charge of Bob Ingersoll and Alyce Moore. A keen fan of The Grateful Dead, the former bonded instantly with the beast and even shared the occasional joint with him. However, a shortage of funding led to Lemmon selling his apes to the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates at New York University and it was only through a rights case brought by Ingersoll and lawyer Henry Hermann that Dr James Mahoney was able to spare the grim fate of his LEMSIP neighbours and eventually transfer him to the Black Beauty Ranch for retired animals run by Cleveland Amory and his assistant Marion Probst, where he died of a heart attack in March 2000..
(a dinner theatre for children) Palace Theatre, Broadway. Cost: Children $12.00, Adults $15.00, (includes HST). TNL’s youth theatre along with Louis Gee’s presents a lunch of pizza and a look at the early days of Leif staunch defender of all Corner Brook winter mirth, who wasn’t always so lucky.
Why it’s ridiculous: According to a November 1993 Washington Post interview with bass player D’arcy Wretzky, even the band thinks Smashing Pumpkins “is a stupid name, a dumb bad joke and a bad idea,” which should tell you something. These days, they claim the name doesn’t even have anything to do with pummeling squash fruit, in that “smashing” was meant to imply “great” (as in the British slang), like that somehow makes it less stupid. It’d be like accidentally crapping yourself on a bus, then telling everyone it’s okay, because you meant to: Nobody cares why you did it, Shitty Pants..
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Sponsors & Mentors
George Hacks Receives a Donation from the Neilom Foundation
georgehacks
Categories: In the News, Sponsors & Mentors
George Hacks is honored to have received a donation from the Neilon Foundation for our team’s collaborative effort during this pandemic. The donation was specifically given for our work in COVID related projects as well as our virtual engagement with our audience to promote our events and projects.
The Neilom Foundation was founded in 2013 by GW alumnus Davinder Anand, a Mechanical Engineering Professor Emeritus and Director of the Center of Engineering Concepts Development (CECD) at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP). Their mission is “To support a new generation of enthusiastic scientists and engineers creating positive social impact using technology.”
The foundation supports their mission by fostering a community for engineers and scientists alike for the purpose of creating significant social impact. They do this in one of three ways;
Each year the Neilom Foundation hosts The Fresh Approach using Science and Technology video competition (FAST) for UMD students
Hiring science and engineering Neilom Interns to work on social impact projects
“Awarding prizes and fellows to recognize and encourage outstanding contributions.”
Since its establishment, the Neilom Foundation has reached over 11,000 people, of which several individuals have been awarded. Among these awardees were George Hacks Former and Current Directors, Caitlyn Pratt and Karen Rius respectively, both of whom were awarded the Neilom Prize for Social Impact for their work during their undergraduate careers. In addition to individuals, the Neilom Foundation has also awarded 40 grants to Nonprofit organizations, George Hacks being one of them.
Upon this donation George Hacks would like to thank the Neilson Foundation for their support as well as all of our partners, sponsors, GW faculty, and participants without which we would not have been able to develop into the organization we are now.
George Hacks Former and Current Directors, Caitlyn Pratt and Karen Rius, Receive the Neilom Prize for Social Impact
Categories: Sponsors & Mentors, Student Highlights
George Hacks is proud to congratulate the GW Class of 2020! Each graduate has worked tirelessly to achieve his or her degree and leave a lasting legacy here at GW. Today and always, we celebrate how their dedication to learning and a passion to make a difference in the world have culminated into one outstanding achievement that foreshadows a promising future for society.
Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic, GW graduates were not able to celebrate their long-awaited commencement ceremony on the National Mall this year. Invited instead to join the 2021 GW Commencement the following year, seniors and graduates were still recognized virtually through a series of videos that aired from May 14th to 17th.
The GW School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) recognized their own seniors in a SEAS Commencement Celebration on May 15th. At the ceremony, faculty members presented awards to recognize students that have made a significant impact on the SEAS community whether academically, socially, or otherwise. Among these awardees were George Hacks Former and Current Directors, Caitlyn Pratt and Karen Rius respectively, both of whom received the Neilom Prize for Social Impact.
The Neilom Foundation was founded in 2013 by GW alumnus Davinder Anand, a Mechanical Engineering Professor Emeritus and Director of the Center of Engineering Concepts Development (CECD) at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP). Last year, Professor Anand was inducted into the GW Engineering Hall of Fame for his positive contributions to society, one of which is his own Neilom Foundation established in memory of his son Dilip Anand. The foundation’s mission: “To leverage the transformative power of mentoring and education through awards and grants that recognize, encourage and empower young people to generate and explore meaningful ideas and engage in activities with positive social impact that would lead to a better life.” Thus awards given to students from this foundation are in recognition of those who have made a positive social impact and change.
This year marks the inaugural appearance of The Neilom Prize for Social Impact Award at GW. According to the Celebration Program for the 2020 SEAS Commencement Celebration, the award “is given to a junior or senior with a clear and articulated interest in the application of engineering to a particular area of social change.” With Caitlyn and Karen both actively involved in aiding SEAS’s response to the influx of COVID-19 related projects received by the school, we cannot think of any two individuals more deserving. We are proud of their dedication to these initiatives and their commitment to bestowing a positive social impact on the DC community even during this challenging time.
At the end of yet another academic year, George Hacks would like to close by thanking all the students that participated in Kogan Makerspace and our annual Medical Solutions Hackathon. We are also thankful to each of our partners, sponsors, and GW faculty for their continued support of our mission to promote an impact-driven healthcare innovation at GW. It is most certainly because of everyone’s support that George Hacks is the student organization it is today.
George Hacks Responds to COVID-19 Needs
Categories: In the News, Sponsors & Mentors, Student Highlights
During the worldwide pandemic known as COVID-19, many organizations across the GW campus have assumed a role to help the local DC community combat the crisis. Several interdisciplinary groups have teamed up with first responders to ideate innovative solutions ranging from 3D printing PPE to designing informative websites. Surpassing the ambition of these initiatives is the ability for project teams to collaboratively create these impactful designs with limited in-person contact. Some of these teams, in fact, have never met in person.
Several GW students and faculty have been actively working on fabricating 3D printed masks and face shields for medical personnel. This project emerged as a response to the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) that numerous health care facilities across the nation have been facing. As more people test positive in recent months, the demand for PPE has significantly increased across hospitals across the world. When the GW Hospital experienced such a shortage, members from the GW School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), GW Hospital, GW Innovation Center (GWIC), George Hacks, and others pooled resources to work on addressing the need. Leading the 3D printing farm is Mr. Huckenpahler, a digital lab professor from the GW Corcoran School of Art and Design, who along with his team was able to “produce 200 face shields for GW Hospital staff in just under a week” according to an article by GW Today. This monumental task was achieved by twelve 3D printers provided by the GW Corcoran School of the Arts & Design along with an additional six owned by George Hacks and GWIC.
The same article mentions two other projects that students and faculty are working on to assist first responders. One of these projects is the production of N95 comparable respirators with “removable and replaceable units, some of which can be sanitized and reused unlike most N95 respirators.” This design was approved by the hospital’s own quality tests and is now being standardized, scaled to different sizes, and manufactured in bulk.
Another team of students and faculty led by David Lee and Carl Wick, former SEAS professors, is developing a touch-less hospital screening system. Their kiosk design provides a foot-pedal answering system for pre-screening questionnaires and allows one’s temperature to be measured from a distance, appropriately sending staff to the correct waiting areas. Doing so facilitates separation between people with and without fevers in order to vet those who are most likely to test positive for COVID-19.
Team members on this project include George Hacks Co-Founders, Konstantin Mitic and Caitlyn Pratt; former Technical Director, Matt Taylor; and George Hacks Director Karen Rius. With most of the GW campus closed down to the public, Matt transported the project to his apartment located only a few blocks from the GW Hospital. There he created a full workshop in his lounge, allowing him to seamlessly continue contributing to the kiosk project. His proximity to the hospital also provided Matt the convenience to test the kiosk on volunteers in person. Hence, he was able to observe and fix calibration errors in the thermometer before finalizing the systems.
Matt Taylor using the kiosk to measure his temperature.
Konstantin Mitic (left) and Matt Taylor (right) at the GW Hospital.
Aside from the shortage of PPE and lack of contact-free hospital screening methods, another issue that has drastically impacted the work environment of all medical professionals is the lack of a single compilation of latest COVID-19 medical and public health information relevant to their roles as first responders. In response to this need, Jordan Selzer of the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences Lance Hoffman, a GW computer science professor, recruited a group of SEAS and George Hacks students to design a website named Disaster Consult. According to another GW Today article, this website aims to “give care providers quick, digestible information about best practices in the face of various emergencies,” which is especially valuable for small medical facilities in rural areas at risk of being flooded with numerous patients in a short time. As these types of hospitals typically lack a trauma center, staff with specialized disaster training, and a protocol for dealing with large numbers of patients, it is imperative they have access to reliable updates on the evolving pandemic without having to digest lengthy academic papers.
After the website design had been finalized, more than 50 third and fourth year medical student volunteers, who were unable to conduct their usual hospital rounds due to restrictions imposed by the pandemic, redirected their time towards compiling the content for the website. The tremendous assistance provided by these students allowed the website to be fully functional in under a month. Of course, the website is constantly undergoing development and improvement. Possible translation to a mobile application is expected.
George Hacks is proud to continue supporting the GW community in its endeavors to combat COVID-19. To get involved in some of these initiatives, visit the ‘Projects’ page of our website, or feel free to contact us with questions.
George Hacks Wishes Dr. David Lee the Best as He Retires from GW
Categories: Sponsors & Mentors
This year, the George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) is saying goodbye to one of its own faculty members, Dr. David Lee. After coming to teach at GW in 2015, Professor Lee is retiring following the impactful legacy he has left with the school.
Five years ago, Lee became the Associate Professor of Practice in the Biomedical Engineering Department here at GW. Here, he taught biomedical engineering as the primary faculty advisor of the BME senior capstone course. Additionally, he taught BME undergraduates across all years, providing all of his students with valuable insights into the field of engineering as seen in practice. Professor Lee constantly demonstrated his passion for education and strove to tailor learning curriculums towards guaranteeing the success of future engineers.
Specifically for George Hacks, Professor Lee’s long standing support will forever be cherished. Alongside Professor Zara, he has consistently been an invaluable mentor to our team. During his time here, he was also an active volunteer at each of our three annual Medical Solutions Hackathons to date. Not only did he encourage his students to participate in these events, but he also assisted numerous participants in idea formation and design optimization in person at the event. Without his unconditional support, George Hacks wouldn’t be the organization that it is today.
Students and past participants had this to say about Professor Lee;
It was an honor to be an LA for Professor Lee’s freshman seminar class this past semester. His dedication shows both in and out of the classroom, and his focus on a well-rounded engineering education with an emphasis on human centered design encouraged me to explore unique applications of biomedical engineering.
Giavanna Corazza, SEAS ‘22, Past Participant & George Hacks Team Member
Professor Lee always challenged me in unique ways in his freshman BME 1020 course and for that I am forever grateful. He helped me develop an engineering mindset and that it is okay to think outside the box. It was a pleasure to have Dr.Lee as a professor and to work alongside him as a teaching assistant this past spring semester. Thank you Professor Lee for all your words of encouragement and advice. You will truly be missed.
Justina Pruski, SEAS ‘21, Past Participant
Thank you Professor Lee for continuing to guide the BME class from our first BME 1010 course all the way through Capstone. You have taught us valuable lessons and have shaped our attitude, mentality, and the way we think to be better engineers. Best of luck in your future adventures and enjoy your well-deserved retirement!
Camille Daszynski, SEAS ‘20, Past Participant
George Hacks will miss Professor David Lee greatly as he moves forward from GW. Not only has he been a key advisor and supporter of our organization, but he also fulfilled an integral role in our SEAS community. During his time here, he passionately taught students the engineering mindset and was a mentor to many. He truly exemplified what it means to lead by example and we wish him all the best in all his future endeavors.
We are so grateful for the time, commitment, and mentorship Dr. Lee has shown the George Hacks team and participants. He has come to every one of our events since the very first George Hacks medical hackathon, and we look forward to inviting him back to GW for all our future events.
Caitlyn Pratt, SEAS ’20, Former Director of George Hacks
George Hacks Faculty Advisor, Dr. Jason Zara, Is Awarded the 2020 Oscar and Shoshana Trachtenberg Prize for Teaching Excellence
This year the George Washington University celebrated its Tenth Annual Faculty Honors Ceremony. Every year, notable faculty members are selected from a variety of schools for their “extraordinary dedication to teaching, scholarship, and the university.” Hosted by the office of the Provost and the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, this ceremony aims to honor remarkable faculty members at GW. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic, live celebrations have been postponed, but award winners will still be recognized virtually.
Several faculty members from the GW School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) won awards during the virtual ceremony, including the Oscar and Shoshana Trachtenberg Prize for Teaching Excellence. Established in 1990 by President Emeritus Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, it is presented to a faculty member who demonstrates excellence in teaching, defined as “the accurate and effective communication to undergraduate students of important cultural, historical, or scientific material, as well as current scholarship and scholarly debates in the fields involved.” The award is presented to a professor nominated and endorsed by undergraduate students and their department respectively.
This year, George Hacks is proud to congratulate Professor Jason Zara for winning this award. As a devoted member in the SEAS community, he has exemplified remarkable dedication to both GW and his students. An accomplished engineer, Professor Zara has won numerous other awards, founded two start-ups, and holds seven U.S patents. Additionally, he has worked for the last 18 years in developing medical imaging technology for detection of “epithelial cancers, epilepsy, and other human diseases”. Nonetheless, Professor Zara remains an integral member of SEAS, taking the time to mentor students and strengthen the GW Department of Biomedical Engineering.
Recap | George Hacks Third Annual Medical Solutions Hackathon
Categories: Events, In the News, Sponsors & Mentors, Student Highlights
The George Hacks Third Annual Medical Solutions Hackathon commenced on the morning of Saturday, January 25th. Beginning at noon, 18 teams worked to devise a solution to one of 12 problem statements pitched by a local healthcare organization. Only twenty-four hours later, teams demonstrated and pitched their solutions for the chance to win prizes.
George Hacks Medical Solutions 2020 Recap Video
The event began with Opening Ceremonies featuring Rob Jones, a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran whose inspirational journey as a double-above-the-knee amputee led him to submit an innovation challenge at the 2019 Medical Solutions Hackathon. Following his keynote speech, representatives of various DMV healthcare organizations presented their problem statements to participants. Soon after, participants formed teams of up to four students and decided upon the challenge they wanted to pursue over the next 24 hours.
Rob Jones | Opening Ceremonies Keynote Speaker
In working through their challenges, students were able to consult with experienced mentors, utilize technical materials, and attend workshops relevant to their projects. Arduino, Raspberry-Pi, 3D Modeling with Fusion 360, and Application Development Workshops allowed teams to integrate a technical aspect into their solutions while a How-to-Pitch-Your-Idea Workshop provided tips on effective communication of those solutions to in a typical entrepreneurial setting.
Arduino Workshop by GW Innovation Center
Raspberry Pi Workshop by SEAS Computing Facility
3D Modeling Workshop by GW Innovation Center
App Development Workshop
by Tuhina Dasgupta (GW CS ’21)
How-to-Pitch-Your-Idea Workshop
by Michael Ready (George Hacks)
As the event proceeded into the night, participants found opportunities to break from their projects, including networking with pitch presenters and mentors, grabbing free food from the snack table, attending a free yoga session, and destressing through a midnight nerf gun tournament! A few persistent teams stayed the night adding the final few finishing details to their projects in preparation for the next morning.
Snack Table
Nerf Gun Tournament
Early on Sunday, January 26th, teams prepared for two rounds of judging. The first round was a demo round, in which students were tasked to demonstrate their prototype and/or explain the technicalities of their methods to solve their selected problem statement. Closely following the first judging round was the pitch round, which focused more heavily on the marketability and business plan of each team’s venture. Based on the scores from both rounds, teams were now in the run to win big.
Demo Round
Pitch Round
Closing ceremonies saw the presentation of awards to the three highest overall scores as well as two spot prizes, one for Best Implementation of Hardware and another for Best Pitch. GW President Thomas Leblanc delivered closing remarks followed by final comments from the GW Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, GW Technology Commercialization Office, and the GW Innovation Center.
President LeBlanc | Closing Remarks
George Hacks would like to acknowledge our event sponsors and partners as well as our judges, mentors, and volunteers for their time and support. Thank you also to our participants who made our event a resounding success. We look forward to seeing you again next year at the George Hacks Fourth Annual Medical Solutions Hackathon in 2021!
Special thank you to our Medical Solutions 2020 sponsors & partners!
For a more detailed event summary, feel free to download our post-event booklet below!
Download our Post-Event Booklet!
George Hacks Faculty Advisor, Dr. Jason Zara, awarded $25,000 grant from the KEEN Foundation
Our faculty advisor, Jason Zara, was awarded a $25,000 grant from the KEEN Foundation for a project titled “Engineering for the Public Good.” Dr. Zara will work with Annamaria Konya Tannon (GW Innovation Center) and GW Engineering to develop community engagement projects that focus on the development of an entrepreneurial engineering mindset.
KEEN consists of a network of universities that focus on developing an entrepreneurial mindset in engineering undergraduates. KEEN strives to help students learn how to be curious about the problems surrounding them, make connections between multiple areas of information, and create value for the world by developing engineering solutions to important problems. GW joined KEEN in the fall of 2018.
We are very proud of Professor Zara’s work to improve our undergraduate students education!
Dr. Jason Zara (BME) and Dr. Vesna Zderic (BME) attended the KEEN National Conference, held January 3-5 in Dallas, TX.
George Hacks partners with the Veterans Health Administration
Last month, the Veterans Health Administration became an official partner of George Hacks. We are proud to join the VHA to highlight the many areas in which students can improve the lives of U.S. Veterans living with a wide range of disabilities incurred while serving our country.
At the 2019 Medical Solutions Hackathon, attending local veterans gave students the unique opportunity to address their personal medical needs, ranging from prosthetic adaptations for outdoor activities to medical examination accessibility.
We are incredibly grateful to be able to give our competitors the opportunity to improve the lives of those who dedicated their lives to improving ours, and we look forward to broadening our impact in continuing our engagement with the veteran population in future events.
© George Hacks 2019 - 2020
Developed by Nam Tran.
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Our 2005 Newsletter
By Dhemz 12:22 AM // 1 comment
Lainy said...
Good thing I clicked on the link, Dhemz. This is history at its best. At least I now have a clear glimpse of how you and Greg started out as a couple, your adjustments acclimatizing in the USofA and many more. I wasn't a blogger yet when you and Greg wrote this so it's something refreshing. From reading through, Akesha was the most beautiful thing that ever happened in both your lives.
It was a nice read on a Saturday morning.
LAINY
LAINY'S MUSINGS
OUR JOURNEY TO FOREVER
THE CERTIFIED FASHIONABLE CHIC
KUERDAS
Email: gregdemcy@gmail.com
When traveling as a family it can be tempting to purchase a timeshare for the extra space and amenities. If you bought a timeshare that you no longer want, a timeshare termination company like Omni Ellis can help you get rid of the timeshare.
Hey y'all! Welcome to my page. My name is Demcy also known as Dhemz. I'm the author behind Dias Family Adventures, FILIPINO-AMERICAN, military wife & mother, crafter, wannabe chef, savvy shopper, product reviewer, traveler, adventure seeker...I pretty much think I can do anything! Learn more about me and my family HERE
Cuisine Study Blog
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Related Webpages
Newport 1750-1914
More images: Health in Newport 1750-1914
Health in Newport 1750-1914
Market Hall, High Street, Newport [+]
Since the Middle Ages water had been supplied free from wells in Church Aston; now defined by Wallshead Way, originally 'Wellshead'. It was conveyed by two inch (6mm) pipes to four cisterns (tanks) on the High Street. These were at the Talbot Inn (now the Literary Institute), the market square, the Church and church square, which is opposite the Grammar School gates. It is recorded that these cisterns were polluted by dead dogs, urine and the washing of clothes and unsavoury items such as 'calves bellies' . The water was, therefore, unwholesome and it discharged slowly from the lead pipes. High Street properties, being built on sandstone, sometimes had their own wells but these too were often polluted by local effluent. In 1843 using £1,000 from the sale of land to the canal company, the burgesses sank new wells, called 'Baddelys Wells', which are still in use in the Springfields area. They also built a fire reservoir, now Millwood Mere, and put in new mains. They removed the cisterns, and replaced them with hydrants (stand pipes) at various points around the streets. There was also mess from the cattle market on the High Street, horse dung, slaughter houses & tanners and the smell from the overcrowded churchyard. There were no sewers - everything was swept into the street and then eventually into the drains.
Little Gullet, Newport [+]
This is typical working class yard housing
In 1801 the population of Newport was 2,307 and, while nationally the population doubled by 1851, Newport's population had risen by only 600. This included a massive influx of Irish. Nearly everyone lived on or near the High Street: an area confined by Beaumaris Road to the east and Audley Road to the west. People lived over the businesses with their family, servants and apprentices and also down the yards and alleys off the High Street in crowded cottages. Sometimes these were called 'Courts'. Yards such as Cock Yard and Bellmans Yard also contained horses, cows and pigs. Rich and poor lived next to each other, just as they had since the Middle Ages.
Last dustcart, Newport [+]
From 1850 with increased prosperity the town was improved. The High Street was re-paved with granite setts. Cattle was moved off the High street to a new livestock market behind the new Market Hall (1860), called the Smithfield. The churchyard was closed and a new cemetery opened up in 1858. Report after report shows Newport with no sewage system and crowded yards with 13/15 people in one bedroomed homes. In Cock Yard alley in 1861, 19 families had their homes. Half were families from Ireland. Pollution was worse than before. Cesspits, tanneries and new industrial businesses drained into the Marsh Brook (Audley Road area) in the east and the River Strine to the north. These were in effect open sewers; the smell was reported as reaching as far as Longford. In 1875 elected District Boards were set up with wide powers over health, water, housing, disease and highways, and in 1894 these in turn were replaced by the modern system of District Councils. Dustcarts now took rubbish away weekly to a tip – today this is Norbroom Park. There was strong opposition to improvement in sanitation and water supply, and it was not until 1904 that a completely new system was installed with a new sewage works, which is still used today. Much of these changes were due to the work of local doctors. Newport was served by a dynasty of doctors for over 200 years beginning with Doctor Baddeley and then the Elkington family. Ernest Elkington had studied in Paris under Pasteur and understood about germs and infected water even if local people did not.
Avenue Road, Newport [+]
By 1901 the population was 3,241. This was really a decrease because poverty had forced many people to emigrate. Since 1850 the better off had left the High Street to live in Station Road, Wellington Road, Chetwynd End and Avenue Road; leaving the workers in overcrowded, decaying houses off the High Street.
By 1900 there was still no hospital; just a small isolation hospital on Shuker Close. A Hospital Sunday Committee raised money to send people for treatment at Stafford or Shrewsbury. In 1894 Mary Roddam set up a system of district nurses based at Roddam House on the High Street. They dealt particularly with infant welfare, but people had to pay a weekly subscription.
A full album of images relating to this theme can be found by clicking on 'More Images: Health in Newport 1750-1914' on the side menu.
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Jon Gliddon
Camborne School of Mines
CSM Authors
Break in Communication
Porthcurno Telegraph Station
Mud, Blood and Bayonet
My second novel, The Forbidden Zone, an action thriller set in the build up to WW2:
In the build up to WW2 diamonds were essential for the precision manufacture of military equipment. Britain, Nazi Germany, Europe, America and Japan were all gearing up for war. But most of the diamond mines in the world had been closed since the Wall Street crash of 1929 and there was a critical shortage. In 1939 the scramble for smuggled and illicitly mined diamonds was unprecedented, particularly from Africa. Britain and the Union of South Africa were at the forefront of protecting the mines and breaking the smuggling rings supplying Nazi Germany. It became violent, bloody and personal. It was a race against time.
The key protagonist is Harvey Tremayne, a Cornish mining engineer from Camborne School of Mines, working for the worlds largest diamond mining company in former German South West Africa. He's on a journey of personal revenge and finds himself drawn into a British Secret Intelligence operation to thwart an imminent theft of diamonds by the Nazis.
"Clandestine danger from an old adversary lurks at every corner in the aromatic wonder of pre-war Tangiers while commandos plan a daring raid in South West Africa as a U-Boat lurks beneath the waves among the Great White sharks of the forbidden zone. Soon-to-be enemies clash, vendettas between nations and men igniting the searing desert in flames. Intense. Gripping. Classic war time action." Dav Baulch, author of Fortune's Turmoil
“A cracking story, brought alive by a vibrant backdrop and warts-and-all characters, this fast-paced action thriller delivers from the start until its startling and dramatic finale.” Meg Humphries.
* See the review of 'The Forbidden Zone' by Seven Circumstances at:
sevencircumstances.com/2020/11/14/the-forbidden-zone-by-jon-gliddon/
Order book here
© COPYRIGHT Jon Gliddon 2017 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | Web Design by ALS MArketing
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Home Entertainment This is Why All the Terminators Look Like Arnold Schwarzenegger
This is Why All the Terminators Look Like Arnold Schwarzenegger
If you’ve ever wondered why Skynet decided that all of its kill-bots had to look like Austrian body builders with accents to match, well it’s explained in a deleted scene in the third movie and the reason is exactly as stupid as you’d expect.
According to the scene, which you can find here, in the early days of the murder robot building business, Cyber Research Systems decided they wanted their eventual bipedal robots to have a face. We’d just like to point out that at this point in the movie it’s clearly established that the most cutting edge Terminator the military currently has is the T-1, which for those of you who haven’t seen the third movie, looks like this.
Pictured: “cutting edge”
Cyber Research Systems doesn’t even have robots that can walk yet and they’re already planning the face they want to attach to a T-800. They’re planning 799 moves in advance, holy shit, there are chess playing super-computers who don’t have the ability to plan that far into the future and they’re only concerned with annihilating one person. How the hell did Cyber Research Systems plan to explain the millions of dollars they’d sunk into moulding a perfect human face for the robot they’re hoping to build after they’ve built exactly 799 others to their investors?
Anyway, Cyber Research Systems eventually settle on using the man mountain that is Chief Master Sergeant William Candy (played by, Schwarzenegger) as the face and body of this purely theoretical robot. Again, they have no actual plans, or even the technology to build a T-800 yet, but for some reason they’ve already picked out the face for it. That’d be like planning the alibi for drunken hit and run 3 years before getting your driving license.
Now you’ll notice that this doesn’t make sense on almost any level, why would Cyber Research Systems invest millions into creating indestructible killer robots if they’re just going to make them look human? Do they think an opposing army is more afraid of 200 identical looking soldiers with Austrian accents or 200 INDESTRUCTIBLE KILLER ROBOTS!
You could argue that they’re proposing this future robot as a means of infiltrating enemy ranks, which makes sense, but is completely negated by the fact that during the scene, someone says they don’t like Candy’s voice even though during the scene Schwarzenegger’s voice is dubbed over with the voice of Samuel L. Jackson! in response a tech head replies in Schwarzenegger’s actual voice with “we can fix it”. Suggesting that after they paid Sergeant Candy millions for exclusive right to have his image and likeness kill thousands of people in future wars, they then paid some dumbass intern for the rights to his voice instead of using SAMUEL L. JACKSON’s voice! Were they exclusively planning on attacking Austria or did they just think the world would instantly freeze due to the coolness if they made more than one robot with that voice?
This scene also raises another fairly valid point, it suggests that it wasn’t Skynet who came up with the idea of making the Terminators look human, but Cyber Research Systems. Which means that prior to the world going to shit, Cyber Research Systems had this random guy with Schwarzenegger’s voice sit down and record every conceivable line of dialogue possible. How else would Skynet upload it into every Terminator they send back to kill Sarah Connor?
Unsurprisingly, this scene has remained cut from every release of the movie to date and according to some, it’s not considered official canon because of that. Which is a nice thought, but then again, how can something involving Arnold Schwarzenegger wearing this hat, not be considered canon?
SOURCEWilliam Candy
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29. L. Li, Z. Peng, J. Zhang, Y. Li, Y. Ji, C. Gao, Q. Zhong, Y. Yang, H. Fei, G. Ruan, J. M. Tour. High-Performance Pseudocapacitive Microsupercapacitors from Laser-Induced Graphene. Advanced Materials 2016, 28, 838. (Highly Cited Paper)
28. Y. Ji, Y. Yang, S. Lee, G. Ruan, T. Kim, H. Fei, S. Lee, D. Kim, J. Yoon, J. M. Tour. Flexible Nanoporous WO3-x Nonvolatile Memory Device. ACS Nano 2016, 10, 7598.
27. B. Volosskiy, H. Fei, Z. Zhao, X. Duan. Tuning the Catalytic Activity of a Metal-Organic Framework Derived Copper and Nitrogen Co-Doped Carbon Composite for Oxygen Reduction Reaction. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2016, 8, 26769.
26. Y. Li, G. Ruan, A. S. Jalilov, Y. R. Tarkunde, H. Fei, and James M. Tour. Biochar as a Renewable Source for High-Performance CO2 Sorbent. Carbon
2016, 107, 344.
25. L. Li, C. Gao, A. Kovalchuk, Z. Peng, G. Ruan, Y. Yang, H. Fei, Q. Zhong, Y. Li, J. M. Tour. Sandwich Structured Graphene-Wrapped FeS-Graphene Nanoribbons
with Improved Cycling Stability for Lithium Ion Batteries. Nano Research 2016, 9, 2904.
24. L. Li, Q. Zhong, G. Ruan, Y. Yang, C. Gao, H. Fei, Y. Li, Y. Ji, J. M. Tour. Nitrogen-Doped Carbonized Cotton for Highly
Flexible Supercapacitors. Carbon 2016, 105, 260.
23. H. Fei, J. Dong, M. J. Arellano-Jiménez, G. Ye, N. D. Kim, E. L. G. Samuel, Z. Peng, Z. Zhu, F. Qin, J. Bao, M. J. Yacaman, P. M. Ajayan, D. Chen, J. M. Tour. Atomic Cobalt on Nitrogen-Doped Graphene for Hydrogen Generation. Nature Communications 2015, 6, 8668.
22. Y. Yang#, H. Fei#, G Ruan, J. M. Tour. Porous Co-Based Thin-Film as a Bifunctional Catalyst for Hydrogen Generation and Oxygen Generation. Advanced
Materials 2015, 27, 3175.
21. Y. Gong#, H. Fei#, X. Zou#, W. Zhou, S. Yang, G. Ye, Z. Liu, Z. Peng, J. Lou, R. Vajtai, B. I. Yakobson, J. M. Tour, P. M. Ajayan. Boron- and Nitrogen-SubstitutedGraphene Nanoribbons as Efficient Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction. Chemistry of Materials 2015, 27, 1181.
20. H. Fei, Y. Yang, X. Fan, G. Wang, G. Ruan, J. M. Tour. Tungsten-Based Porous Thin-Films for Electrocatalytic Hydrogen
Generation. Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2015, 3, 5798.
19. H. Fei, Y. Yang, Z. Peng, G. Ruan, Q. Zhong, L. Li, E. L. G. Samuel, J. M. Tour. Cobalt Nanoparticles Embedded in Nitrogen-Doped Carbon for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2015, 7, 8083.
18. Y. Yang, H. Fei, G. Ruan, J. M. Tour. Vertically Aligned WS2 Nanosheets for Water Splitting. Advanced Functional Materials 2015, 25, 6199.
17. L. Li, A. Kovalchuk, H. Fei, Z. Peng, Y. Li, N. D. Kim, C. Xiang, Y. Yang, G. Ruan, J. M. Tour. Enhanced Cycling Stability of Lithium Ion Batteries Using Graphene-Wrapped Fe3O4-Graphene Nanoribbons as Anode Materials. Advanced Energy Materials 2015, 5, 1500171.
16. Z. Y. Alireza, H. Fei, R. Ye, G. Wang, J. M. Tour. Boron/Nitrogen Co-Doped Helically Unzipped Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes as Efficient Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2015, 7, 7786.
15. Y. Yang, H. Fei, G. Ruan, L. Li, G. Wang, N. D. Kim, J. M. Tour. Carbon-Free Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction and Oxygen Evolution Reactions. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2015, 7, 20607.
14. H. Huang, G. Ye, S. Yang, H. Fei, C. S. Tiwary, Y. Gong, R. Vajtai, J. M. Tour, X. Wang, P. M. Ajayan. Nanosized Pt Anchored onto 3D Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Nanoribbons towards Efficient Methanol Electrooxidation. Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2015, 3, 19696.
13. S. Jalilov, G. Ruan, C. Hwang, D. E. Schipper, J. J. Tour, Y. Li, H. Fei, E. L. G. Samuel, J. M. Tour. Asphalt-Derived High Surface Area Activated Porous Carbons for Carbon Dioxide Capture. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2015, 7, 1376.
12. Gao, L. Li, A. Kovalchuk, G. Ruan, Z, Peng, Q. Zhong, H. Fei, Y. He, N. D. Kim, Q. Zhong, E. Xie, J. M. Tour. Tin Disulfide Nanoplates on Graphene Nanoribbons for Full Lithium Ion Batteries. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2015, 7, 26549.
11. H. Fei, Z. Peng, L. Li, Y. Yang, W. Lu, E. L. G. Samuel, X. Fan, J. M. Tour. Preparation of Carbon-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Dispersed on Graphene Sheets and Applications as Advanced Anod Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries. Nano Research 2014, 7, 1.
10. Y. Yang, L. Li, G. Ruan, H. Fei, C. Xiang, X. Fan, J. M. Tour. Hydrothermally Formed Three-Dimensional Nanoporous Ni(OH)2 Thin-Film Supercapacitors. ACS Nano 2014, 8, 9622.
9. Y. Yang, Z. Peng, G. Wang, G. Ruan, X. Fan, L. Li, H. Fei, R. H. Hauge, J. M. Tour. Three-Dimensional Thin Film for Lithium-Ion Batteries and Supercapacitors. ACS Nano 2014, 8, 7279.
8. G. Wang, Y. Yang, J. Lee, V. Abramova, H. Fei, G. Ruan, E. L. Thomas, J. M. Tour. Nanoporous Silicon Oxide Memory. Nano Letters 2014, 14, 4694.
7. H. Fei, R. Ye, G. Ye, Y. Gong, Z. Peng, X. Fan, E. L. G. Samuel, P. M. Ajayan, J. M. Tour. Boron- and Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Quantum Dots/Graphene Hybrid Nanoplatelets as Efficient Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction. ACS Nano 2014, 8, 10837.
6. Y. Yang#, H. Fei#, G. Ruan, C. Xiang, J. M. Tour. Efficient Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution on Amorphous Nickel–Cobalt Binary Oxide Nanoporous Layers. ACS Nano 2014, 8, 9518.
5. Y. Yang#, H. Fei#, G. Ruan, C. Xiang, J. M. Tour, Edge-Oriented MoS2 Nanoporous Films as Flexible Electrodes for Hydrogen Evolution Reactions and Supercapacitor Devices. Advanced Materials 2014, 26, 8163.
4. H. Fei, Z. Peng, Y. Yang, L. Li, A. R. Raji, E. L. G. Samuel, J. M. Tour. LiFePO4 Nanoparticles Encapsulated in Graphene Nanoshells for High-Performance
Lithium-Ion Battery Cathodes. Chemical Communications 2014, 50, 7117.
3. Y. Yang, L. Li, H. Fei, Z. Peng, G. Ruan, J. M. Tour. Graphene Nanoribbon/V2O5 Cathodes in Lithium-Ion
Batteries. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2014, 6, 9590.
2. L. Li, G. Ruan, Z. Peng, Y. Yang, H. Fei, A. R. O. Raji, E. L. G. Samuel, J. M. Tour. Enhanced Cycling Stability of Lithium Sulfur Batteries Using Sulfur–Polyaniline–Graphene Nanoribbon Composite Cathodes. ACS Applie Materials and Interfaces 2014, 6, 15033.
1. L. Li, A. R. O. Raji, H. Fei, Y. Yang, E. L. G. Samuel, J. M. Tour. Nanocomposite of Polyaniline Nanorods Grown on Graphene Nanoribbons for Highly Capacitive Pseudocapacitors. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2013, 5, 6622.
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Kenny Florian: The Journey & The Destination
By On Mar 30, 2010
Kenny Florian is in a curious spot. After a loss against BJ Penn last August—his second title shot since joining the UFC in 2005—Florian broke from longtime trainer and Muay Thai specialist Mark Dellagrotte. Nonetheless, after submitting Clay Guida last December, Florian still finds himself among the promotion’s 155-pound elite. Now, backed by a transnational training camp headed by brother Keith and Tristar Gym’s Firas Zahabi, the Boston resident is on the cusp of another title shot. But life as a fighter is about the journey, he says—the training, the competing, becoming the best fighter he can possibly be—and not necessarily the destination. “With BJ Penn, he didn’t get a title around his waist until the third try,” Florian says. “Maybe it will take me three times as well.”
On March 31, Florian faces Takanori Gomi in the former Pride star’s first Octagon appearance. “I think [the UFC thinks] if Gomi gets by me, it marks him as a challenger to BJ Penn’s belt, and if I win, maybe not immediately, but down the line, it’d be a good win on my resume to get a title shot,” he says. A third title shot is a very real possibility, Florian says, and regardless of the opponent, he expects the outcome to be vastly different than the last time out in which he succumbed to a fourth-round rear-naked choke. “I can sit here and start listing excuses. But BJ goes into it with the same types of obstacles and the same types of challenges that I face, and it really comes down to who’s better that night,” Florian says. “BJ was better that night.”
The upcoming bout with Gomi is Florian’s second since his failed title bid against Penn and the subsequent split with Dellagrotte and Sityodtong Muay Thai Academy, whom Florian had been affiliated since 2004 and who also trained him for his 2006 title shot against Sean Sherk. Florian only addresses the split with Sityodtong obliquely: “I think the choices I’ve made [since the split] have really been huge steps in me improving as a fighter. All the coaches I have on board right now are guys who really put in a tremendous amount of work and interest in me becoming a better fighter. There’s no egos, there’s no other concern except having me become a better fighter.” On his present relationship with Dellagrotte, Florian says, “I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to him in a long time.”
For his part, Dellagrotte says he wishes Florian well and that the new training camp has invigorated him. “He’s with some great people and he’s going to excel. I’m sure he’s going to do very well against Gomi,” Dellagrotte says. Still, he says he knew the split was coming even before the Penn fight: Despite bringing a Muay Thai coach over from Thailand, Florian trained at Sityodtong just twice in the three weeks prior to the fight and spent most of his camp with Zahabi at the Tristar Gym in Montreal.
Friction between Dellagrotte and Kenny’s brother Keith, whom Florian named as head coach in late 2008, was a driving force behind the split. The two were constantly butting heads over strategy and control of Florian’s training throughout his time at Sityodtong, Dellagrotte says. Their problems came to a head in the Penn fight; Dellagrotte says that at one point while shouting instructions to Kenny, Keith told him to be quiet. “For me, being the coach I am and having the resume I have, to be told on pay-per-view in a title fight to be quiet and not do my job, I was about to grab the bucket and walk back to the locker room,” Dellagrotte says. Though he initially remained quiet about the details of the split, Dellagrotte felt slighted after the Florians unfairly pinned the failure of the Penn strategy on him. “Mark Dellagrotte’s game plan is never to wrestle anybody,” he says.
Florian is steadfastly loyal to his brother. “Since I first started training to when I started my mixed martial arts career, Keith put in more work than anybody. He always has, and he’s always kind of been the guy that’s gotten the least amount of credit for a long time,” Florian says. And Dellagrotte says the thought of issuing a him-or-me ultimatum to Florian never crossed his mind. “Blood is thicker than water. I’m a hardcore Italian guy, family is family, and I would actually have less respect for Kenny if he didn’t include his brother in his training camps and stuff like that.”
In an era when many fighters find the majority of their training needs fulfilled under one roof, Florian’s camp spans three cities. Though he bases his training in Boston out of his Florian Martial Arts Center in Brookline, Florian says he’s taken three separate three-to-five-day trips to train in New York City with fighters like Kurt Pellegrino and Frankie Edgar (“While BJ will definitely be the favorite, Frankie is deserving of that title shot. He’s a very, very tough fighter, and I think he’ll do very well,” Florian says), and three lengthy trips to Montreal for workouts with Georges St. Pierre and company at Tristar Gym as well as the Montreal Wrestling Club. Florian’s longtime boxing coach, Peter Welch of South Boston, is still in the fold. When he’s in New York, Florian trains with John Danaher, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Renzo Gracie, and he has employed Jonathan Chaimberg, St-Pierre’s strength and conditioning coach.
The change of teammates “has really given me a whole new ceiling of where I can go with my MMA game,” Florian says. Training sessions are videotaped, notes are logged, and the workouts emblematize what Florian considers an evolved, scientific approach to mixed martial arts fighting. “The different training methodologies I’m using today are vastly different than what I was using before,” Florian says.
Six days a week of two-to-three workouts a day have led to improved wrestling, better boxing, and tighter jiu-jitsu, he says. The latter two were on display at UFC 107, when Florian dropped Guida in the second round with a right hook before sinking a rear-naked choke. It was an emphatic victory that validated his new handlers, but Florian still finds flaws in how he fought: his elbows flared in the first round, he started slow, he lost his balance throwing a kick. After every fight, Florian consults his trainers and does his own analyses to determine what skills he needs to develop. “There’s no such thing as a perfect fight,” Florian says. “For me, I always feel there’s something I need to improve upon. I always try to make it as clean and as beautiful as possible.”
Despite having prepared for 17 mixed martial arts bouts, Florian says he hasn’t become jaded. Training, he says, is a spiritual experience: the martial arts still hold a wealth of knowledge waiting to be gleaned, and bumps and bruises are no deterrent. “I love the process of learning and getting better and trying to perfect a certain skill or technique,” Florian says. “That’s what gets me up, that’s what gets me excited to drive or fly wherever I’m going: It’s that real possibility that I’m going to get better for going there.”
FIGHT! Magazinekenny florianMark Dellagrottemixed martial artsMMASidyodtongTakanori GomiTristar Gym
Pearson Wants To Be “That Guy”
FIGHT! Picks: Ultimate Fight Night 21
Frank Mir talks about growing up a loner and finding his path.
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Tuesday, March 29, 2005, Vol. 7, No. 61
AQUILA INC.: KS Judge Dismisses Shareholder Suits Over UtiliCorp
BIOGEN IDEC: Securities, Derivative Suits Filed Over Drug Recall
CALIFORNIA: Judge Dismisses Cedar Fire Lawsuit, Allows Re-filing
CALIFORNIA: Judge Finalizes Settlement For ACLU's Williams Case
CATHOLIC CHURCH: KY Diocese, Plaintiffs Move Back To Negotiation
CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS: Consumers Launch Antitrust Suits in PA, NJ
DST SYSTEMS: Faces Lawsuit Over Joint Venture in AL State Court
ENTERGY CORPORATION: Appeal of Council Resolution on Suit Heard
ENTERGY CORPORATION: Plaintiffs Appeal Customer Suit Dismissal
ENTERGY CORPORATION: Plaintiffs Appeal Suit Certification Denial
ENTERGY LOUISIANA: LA Appeals Court Hears Certification Appeal
ENTERGY LOUISIANA: Appeals Trial Court Ruling in LA Injury Suit
ENTERGY LOUISIANA: Abandonment Evaluated For LA Ratepayers Suit
ENTERGY NEW: Bifurcated Ratepayer Suit Proceedings Set June 2005
HEWLETT-PACKARD: Consumers Launch Fraud Suits in TX, OK Courts
HEWLETT-PACKARD: IL Court Refuses To Dismiss Consumer Lawsuits
HEWLETT-PACKARD: Consumers Launch CA Lawsuits V. "Smart Chips"
HEWLETT-PACKARD: Parties Seek Transfer of Stock Suit To CA Court
HEXCEL CORPORATION: CA Court Approves Antitrust Suit Settlement
ILLINOIS: I-LAW Launches Campaign To Revive Tort Reform Bills
ILLINOIS: Judge Rules 1995 Chicago Fire Exam As Discriminatory
JSC SURGUT: Denies Payment To Harvard College, Shareholders
MERCK & CO.: Vioxx Product Liability Lawsuits Coordinated in LA
MERCK & CO.: Shareholder Fraud Lawsuits Coordinated in NJ Court
MERCK & CO.: Newbury Resident Lodges NH's First Suit V. Vioxx
NORTH CAROLINA: AG Cooper Proposes Legislation V. Identity Theft
OM GROUP: Reaches Agreement To Settles 2002 Shareholder Lawsuits
OM GROUP: Settles Detroit P&F's Securities Complaint For $82.5M
PENNSYLVANIA: New Hearing On Document Copying Fees Case Ordered
SECURITY CAPITAL: DE Court Orders Shareholder Suits Consolidated
ST. JUDE: Working To Resolve Litigation Against Silzone Devices
ST. JUDE: Faces Symmetry Device Litigation in TN, MN, AR and PA
SYMBOL TECHNOLOGIES: NY Court Okays Securities Suit Settlement
UNITED STATES: FAA Employees Officially Lodge Age-Bias Complaint
VODAFONE GROUP: Securities Settlement Hearing Set June 22, 2005
BRADLEY PHARMACEUTICALS: Stull Stull Files Securities Suit in NJ
CELL THERAPEUTICS: Keller Rohrback Lodges Securities Suit in WA
CHOICEPOINT INC.: Milberg Weiss Lodges GA Securities Fraud Suit
DELPHI CORPORATION: Berger & Montague Lodges MI Securities Suit
DELPHI CORPORATION: Mager White Lodges Stock Fraud Lawsuit in NY
ELAN CORPORATION: Milberg Weiss Lodges NY Securities Fraud Suit
FOREST LABORATORIES: Stull Stull Lodges Securities Suit in NY
ORANGE 21: Lerach Coughlin Lodges Securities Fraud Suit in CA
TEXTAINER FINANCIAL: Chimicles Tikellis Lodges Stock Suit in CA
VEECO INSTRUMENTS: Alfred G. Yates Lodges Securities Suit in NY
VIISAGE INC.: Berman Devalerio Files Securities Fraud Suit in MA
VIISAGE TECHNOLOGY: Lerach Coughlin Lodges Securities Suit in MA
U.S. District Judge Fernando Gaitan Jr. threw out a class action
lawsuit alleging that Aquila Inc. cheated shareholders when the
utility, then known as UtiliCorp United Inc., bought back 20
percent of its energy-trading arm in January 2002, The Kansas
City Star reports. The judge granted summary judgment to Aquila
after finding that the plaintiffs were unable to show that
alleged misrepresentations made by the Company caused them
damages.
The ruling was a major legal victory for the Kansas City-based
utility, which currently faces a host of copycat actions seeking
damages of at least $174 million. The suits were consolidated
into one action, and Judge Gaitan's order rids the Company of
all the lawsuits. Court documents revealed that the suits
focused on UtiliCorp's failure to form an independent audit
committee after it spun off 20 percent of its energy trading
subsidiary's stock in April 2001. The companies recombined nine
months later, when UtiliCorp officials decided the subsidiary
needed the help of UtiliCorp's balance sheet and UtiliCorp
reacquired the shares. UtiliCorp then changed its name to
Aquila, which had been the name of the subsidiary.
The lawsuits had alleged that the failure to form an audit
committee allowed UtiliCorp to buy back the stock at a non-
negotiated and less than optimum price per share. Between the
spinoff and Aquila's disclosure more than four months later that
it had not formed the committee, Aquila's stock price fell below
the spinoff price of $24. The stock's decline came amid a drop
in energy prices and energy trader Enron Corp.'s spectacular
tumble into bankruptcy.
In addition, the consolidated lawsuits alleged that UtiliCorp
sought to take advantage of its energy trading arm's depressed
stock price by offering to reacquire the shares for 0.6896
shares of UtiliCorp stock -- or $20.68 per share -- when the
offer was made, and $18 per share when the exchange was
commenced.
However, in ruling in the Company's favor, Judge Gaitan found
that the plaintiffs' damages expert had failed to take into
account other possible reasons for the stock's decline,
including Enron's troubles and overall trends in the energy
To prevail, the plaintiffs needed to prove that Aquila's alleged
misrepresentation in essence its unfulfilled pledge to appoint
an audit committee led to the stock's decline after the
misrepresentation was revealed. Judge Gaitan noted that there
was no decline in the stock's price after Aquila disclosed on
December 3, 2001, the day after Enron filed for bankruptcy that
it had not appointed the committee.
Aquila's lawyer, Michael J. Thompson of Blackwell Sanders Peper
Martin, told the City Star "Yes, the price declined before
UtiliCorp bought back the stock, but our expert said the decline
was fallout from Enron and had nothing to do with what the
plaintiffs were claiming was fraud."
Commenting on the decision, Aquila's interim general counsel,
Chris Reitz told the City Star "Following months of discovery by
the plaintiffs, Judge Gaitan agreed with us that the claims
asserted by the class-action lawyers should be dismissed."
An attorney for the plaintiffs, Robert Wallner of Milberg Weiss
Bershad & Schulman in New York, said he had not had a chance to
read Judge Gaitan's order and thus declined to comment, the City
Star reports.
Judge Gaitan's ruling came a day after the Kansas Corporation
Commission released part of a report concluding that Aquila
would have to sell most or all of the Company to reduce its debt
to an acceptable level. The Company said it disagreed with the
findings and would file a response on March 31.
Biogen Idec faces a class action suit in Massachusetts Federal
Court, alleging the Company's senior management misled investors
about the safety of its recalled drug Tysabri, the MarketWatch
According to its most recent regulatory filing, the suit names
Chairman William Rastetter and Chief Executive James Mullen as
defendants and was brought on behalf of shareholders who
purchased Biogen stock from February 18 to February 25. The
Company also added in its filing that a similar class action
suit had been filed in Massachusetts on March 10. The
Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Company though also stated in the
same filing, "The Company believes that the actions are without
merit and intends to contest them vigorously."
Court documents reveal that Biogen had shocked the biotechnology
world on February 28 when it announced its newly approved drug
Tysabri, hailed by some as a breakthrough in the treatment of
multiple sclerosis, was being pulled from the market. The
Company reasoned that it decided to pull out the drug after a
patient in a Phase III clinical trial testing a combination
therapy of Tysabri and Avonex, Biogen's other MS treatment, had
contracted a potentially deadly brain infection called
multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML, with a second case
suspected. The second case was confirmed several days later by
that time the first PML patient has since died. Because PML is
extremely rare, the Company elected to suspend all sales and
clinical trials of Tysabri until it can determine what triggered
the disease.
On February 17, Biogen reported that a Phase III clinical trial
testing Tysabri as a solo therapy yielded promising results in
MS patients, with few serious side effects. The next day
however, top executives say they were told about Tysabri's
troubles. Since Tysabri's withdrawal, the Company has had
several shareholder suits filed against it, whose statuses were
recently updated after the filing. The Company also stated that
on March 4, a shareholder derivative action was filed in a
Delaware state court charging, amongst other things, that the
Company's officers breached their fiduciary duties to
shareholders and improperly awarded bonuses to upper management.
The suit also charges Mr. Rastetter, a Biogen director, and
Biogen former general counsel, Thomas Bucknum, with insider
trading. In addition, a similar case was also filed in the same
court on March 14, according to Biogen. The Company also
stated that it is also facing two other derivative shareholder
suits in California State Court, naming the Company, its board
and its chief financial officer as defendants.
Superior Court Judge Lillian Lim threw out half of the claims in
a lawsuit alleging the county and California's Department of
Forestry were negligent in their handling of the Cedar Fire, but
the judge did leave door open for re-filing, the 10News.com
The judge threw out a portion of the suit that alleged the CDF
didn't properly staff the Ramona Airport facility where its
firefighting tanker planes are based. Nathan Northup, chief
deputy county counsel, told 10News.com Judge Lim also dismissed
the part of the suit that claimed firefighters should have
doused the flames more quickly. Under state law, the county and
firefighters have immunity from liability when battling a
disaster. The Cedar Fire, the state's largest-ever wildfire
killed 15 people, burned more than 2,200 homes and resulted in
more than $400 million in damages.
In dismissing the suit, Judge Lim told attorneys for the
plaintiffs that they could re-file their negligence claims
within 14 days, if they could present a legal argument that
would overcome the barring of liability claims against public
The suit also alleged that the county's 911 dispatcher promised
but failed to send emergency personnel during the earliest hours
of the fire. An attorney for the plaintiffs, Mark Grotefeld,
told 10News that there was "coordination that didn't take place
with respect to some of the turf wars that were occurring at the
early stages of the fire."
A judge finalized the historic settlement in a class action
education lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union
and other organizations.
Advocates say that the lawsuit is a critical first step toward
ensuring all California public schools have the means to provide
equitable learning conditions for all students.
Judge Peter J. Busch commended all parties involved in the case
and said it was "valiantly fought." "I hope it ended up, as I
believe it has, to be a benefit for the state and the schools
and I hope this is beginning of better days," Judge Busch adds.
Williams v. California, which was originally filed in May 2000,
charged the state with reneging on its constitutional obligation
to provide students with the bare essentials necessary for
education including sufficient instructional materials, adequate
learning facilities and qualified teachers.
"This is the final judgment in a truly historic case," commented
Catherine Lhamon, an attorney for the ACLU of Southern
California. "The courage of the students involved will lead to
tremendous improvements in our public schools. It is an
invaluable first step to improving the educational system in
California."
Both the lead plaintiff Eli Williams, who is now a senior at
Balboa High School in San Francisco, and his father, Pastor
Sweetie Williams, stood by as the judge finalized the
"It's an honor to be part of this," said Pastor Williams. "After
seeing the conditions in my son's school, I decided to get
involved and it's about time we take a real solution to a real
problem."
The settlement also established a statewide accountability
system to ensure that students have access to adequate
materials, safe classrooms and trained teachers. Additional
funding was established to begin to accomplish these goals,
(1) $800 million over four years to make emergency repairs
in the lowest performing schools (those ranked in the
bottom 3 deciles under the statewide Academic
Performance Index [API]);
(2) nearly $139 million for new instructional materials for
students attending schools in the bottom two API
deciles;
(3) $20 million to inventory facilities needs in the
lowest performing schools, and
(4) $30 million to build county superintendents' capacity
to oversee low performing schools and fund emergency
repairs in those schools next year.
More information is available at http://www.decentschools.com.
In a recently concluded hearing, Special Judge John Potter, the
overseer of the class action lawsuit that accuses the Diocese of
Covington of covering up a half-century of priestly sexual abuse
has ordered both sides back to the bargaining table, The
Kentucky Post reports. The judge told the diocese to bring
representatives of both its insurance carriers to the next
settlement negotiations. He said that both sides should have a
"representative authorized to settle."
Some legal observers point out that Judge Potter's comments at
the end of a 90-minute hearing were the first indication that
all may not be well with negotiations, which is being mediated
by Kenneth Feinberg, the special master for the September 11th
Victims Compensation Fund. In documents recently filed in the
lawsuit, attorneys on both sides had indicated that they were
close to a settlement, thus they asked Judge Potter to delay the
trial scheduled for April 11.
"While there are issues that remain to be resolved, the parties
believe that those issues ultimately can be resolved, and that a
settlement will be accomplished with some additional work," said
the document, signed by attorneys Carrie Huff for the diocese
and Robert Steinberg for plaintiffs.
In the hearing Judge Potter indicated that the talks might be on
the verge of breaking up. According to him, he has stayed away
from the negotiations, hoping the issues could be settled
without him, and because of Mr. Feinberg's reputation in
mediating hard cases, the Post reports.
One of the problems, the judge pointed out is that neither side
knows exactly how many people may have a claim against the
diocese. Mr. Steinberg even said, "There could be thousands;
there could be hundreds."
Mr. Steinberg has objected to an exact counting now, saying to
do so could violate the rights of those who have a stake but may
not be willing to come forward until a settlement is reached.
Anyway, he insisted, "I don't think that's a factor in what's
holding up a settlement."
At one point in the hearing, Judge Potter asked if Mr. Feinberg
should attend the next negotiating session, or whether a new
mediator should be brought in. He ordered Mr. Steinberg to call
Mr. Feinberg to determine his schedule. After a recess and a
private phone call, Mr. Steinberg told Judge Potter that Mr.
Feinberg was willing to attend the next session, but only if
both sides had confidence in him. Mr. Steinburg added he had
confidence that Mr. Feinberg was a fair an impartial mediator,
the Kentucky Post reported.
The key claim in the lawsuit is that bishops knew that priests
and other employees of the diocese were sexually assaulting
children, teenagers and others, but allowed it to happen and
then helped cover it up. The diocese denies the cover-up claim
and maintains it was simply handling the situation according to
the dictates of the times. More recently though the diocese has
stated that it wanted to reach individual settlements with the
victims.
Before he stepped down from the bench and the case, former Boone
Circuit Judge Jay Bamberger granted the class-action status over
the strenuous objections of the diocese. It is the first of its
kind class-action lawsuit in the country. The "class" in the
class action is defined as anyone, who was sexually abused or
mistreated by priests or other representatives of the Covington
diocese from 1956 until the present. After Judge Bamberger's
retirement, Judge Potter, a retired circuit judge from
Louisville who works as a special judge, was assigned to the
case. The next hearing is set for April 8.
Checkpoint Systems, Inc. faces several class actions filed in
connection with the jury decision in the ID Security Systems
Canada Inc. litigation. The purported class action complaints
generally allege a claim of monopolization and are substantially
based upon the same allegations as contained in the ID Security
Systems Canada Inc. case (Civil Action No. 99-CV-577).
On August 1, 2004, the Company and ID Security Systems Canada
Inc. entered into a settlement agreement effective July 30,
2004, pursuant to which the Company agreed to pay $19.95
million, in full and final settlement of the claims covered by
the litigation. This settlement was accrued in the second
quarter of 2004. Payment in full was made on August 5, 2004.
On August 1, 2002, a civil action was filed in United States
District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,
designated as Civil Action No. 02-6379(ER) by plaintiff Diane
Furs, Inc. t/a Diane Furs against Checkpoint Systems, Inc. and
served on August 21, 2002. On August 21, 2002, a Notice of
Substitution of Plaintiff and Filing of Amended Complaint was
filed by the plaintiff, and the named plaintiff was changed to
Medi-Care Pharmacy, Inc.
On August 2, 2002, a civil action was filed in the United States
District Court, District of New Jersey (Camden) designated as
Docket No. 02-CV-3730(JEI) by plaintiff Club Sports
International, Inc., d/b/a Soccer CSI against Checkpoint
Systems, Inc. and served on August 26, 2002.
On October 2, 2002, a civil action was filed in the United
States District Court, District of New Jersey (Camden)
designated as Docket No. 02-CV-4777(JBS) by plaintiff Baby Mika,
Inc. against Checkpoint Systems, Inc. and served on October 7,
On October 23, 2002, a civil action was filed in the United
designated as Docket No. 02-CV-5001(JEI) by plaintiff Washington
Square Pharmacy, Inc. against Checkpoint Systems, Inc. and
served on November 1, 2002. On October 18, 2002, The United
States District, District of New Jersey (Camden) entered an
Order staying the proceedings in the Club Sports International,
Inc. and Baby Mika, Inc. cases referred to above. In accordance
with the Order, the Stay will also apply to the Washington
Square Pharmacy, Inc. case referred to above. In addition, the
Medi-Care Pharmacy, Inc. case, referred to above, will be
voluntarily dismissed, and it has been re-filed in New Jersey
and is included in the Stay Order. As a result of the
settlement of the litigation with ID Security Systems Canada
Inc. described above, an application can be made to the Court to
dissolve the Stay Order at this time.
On November 13, 2002, a civil action was filed in the United
designated as Docket No. 02-CV-5319(JEI) by plaintiff 1700
Pharmacy, Inc. against Checkpoint Systems, Inc. and served on
On December 30, 2002, a civil action was filed in the United
designated as Docket No. 02-CV-6131(JEI) by plaintiff Medi-Care
Both the 1700 Pharmacy, Inc. case and the Medi-Care Pharmacy,
Inc. case were consolidated with the previously mentioned cases
and are included in the October 18, 2002 Stay Order referred to
DST Systems, Inc., one of its corporate joint venture
affiliates, and the co-owner of the venture face a class action
lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama.
The complaint alleges that amounts due from the joint venture
affiliate to the plaintiff and any other parties that may
eventually join the putative class action were incorrectly
calculated. The complaint does not identify the extent of the
alleged monetary damages for the named plaintiff or the class as
a whole. The Company is not a party to the joint venture
affiliate's customer contracts.
The Orleans Parish State Court in Louisiana heard oral arguments
on plaintiffs' appeal of the New Orleans City Council resolution
on the complaint filed against Entergy Corporation, Entergy New
Orleans, Entergy Services and Entergy Power on behalf of all
Entergy New Orleans ratepayers.
In April 1999, a group of ratepayers filed the complaint, which
seeks treble damages for alleged injuries arising from the
defendants' alleged violations of Louisiana's antitrust laws in
connection with certain costs passed on to ratepayers in Entergy
New Orleans' fuel adjustment filings with the City Council. In
particular, plaintiffs allege that Entergy New Orleans
improperly included certain costs in the calculation of fuel
charges and that Entergy New Orleans imprudently purchased high-
cost fuel from other Entergy affiliates. Plaintiffs allege that
Entergy New Orleans and the other defendant Entergy companies
conspired to make these purchases to the detriment of Entergy
New Orleans' ratepayers and to the benefit of Entergy's
shareholders, in violation of Louisiana's antitrust laws.
Plaintiffs also seek to recover interest and attorneys' fees.
Entergy filed exceptions to the plaintiffs' allegations,
asserting, among other things, that jurisdiction over these
issues rests with the City Council and FERC. In March 2004, the
plaintiffs supplemented and amended their petition. If
necessary, at the appropriate time, Entergy will also raise its
defenses to the antitrust claims. The suit in state court has
been stayed by stipulation of the parties pending a decision by
the City Council in the proceeding discussed in the next
Plaintiffs also filed this complaint with the City Council in
order to initiate a review by the City Council of the
plaintiffs' allegations and to force restitution to ratepayers
of all costs they allege were improperly and imprudently
included in the fuel adjustment filings. Testimony was filed on
behalf of the plaintiffs in this proceeding asserting, among
other things, that Entergy New Orleans and other defendants have
engaged in fuel procurement and power purchasing practices and
included costs in Entergy New Orleans' fuel adjustment that
could have resulted in Entergy New Orleans customers being
overcharged by more than $100 million over a period of years.
Hearings were held in February and March 2002.
In February 2004, the City Council approved a resolution that
resulted in a refund to customers of $11.3 million, including
interest, during the months of June through September 2004. The
resolution concludes, among other things, that the record does
not support an allegation that Entergy New Orleans' actions or
inactions, either alone or in concert with Entergy or any of its
affiliates, constituted a misrepresentation or a suppression of
the truth made in order to obtain an unjust advantage of Entergy
New Orleans, or to cause loss, inconvenience or harm to its
ratepayers. The plaintiffs have appealed the City Council
resolution to the state court in Orleans Parish.
Plaintiffs appealed the District Court of Chambers County,
Texas's dismissal of a class action filed against Entergy
Corporation by Texas residents on behalf of a purported class
apparently of the Texas retail customers of Entergy Gulf States
who were billed and paid for electric power from January 1, 1994
to the present. The other named defendants are:
(1) Entergy Services,
(2) Entergy Power,
(3) Entergy Power Marketing Corporation,
(4) Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation and
(5) Entergy Arkansas
Entergy Gulf States is not a named defendant, but is alleged to
be a co-conspirator. The court has granted the request of
Entergy Gulf States to intervene in the lawsuit to protect its
Plaintiffs allege that the defendants implemented a "price
gouging accounting scheme" to sell to plaintiffs and similarly
situated utility customers higher priced power generated by the
defendants while rejecting and/or reselling to off-system
utilities, less expensive power offered and/or purchased from
off-system suppliers and/or generated by the Entergy system. In
particular, plaintiffs allege that the defendants manipulated
and continue to manipulate the dispatch of generation so that
power is purchased from affiliated expensive resources instead
of buying cheaper off-system power.
Plaintiffs estimate that customers in Texas were charged at
least $57 million above prevailing market prices for power.
Plaintiffs seek actual, consequential and exemplary damages,
costs and attorneys' fees, and disgorgement of profits. In
September 2003, the Entergy defendants removed the lawsuit to
the federal court in Galveston, and in October 2003, filed a
pleading seeking dismissal of the plaintiffs' claims. In
October 2003, the plaintiffs filed a motion to remand the case
to state court. In January 2004, the federal court determined
that it did not have jurisdiction over the subject matter of the
lawsuit, and remanded the case to the state district court in
Chambers County. In November 2004, the state district court
dismissed the case based on a lack of jurisdiction. The
plaintiffs have initiated appellate proceedings in the Court of
Appeals.
Plaintiffs appealed the state court in Beaumont County, Texas'
denial of class certification for a lawsuit filed against
Entergy Corporation, Entergy Gulf States, Entergy Services and
Entergy Technology Holding Company (together "Entergy").
In 1998, a group of property owners initially filed a class
action suit in the state court in Jefferson County state court
in Texas on behalf of all property owners in each of the states
throughout the Entergy service area who have conveyed easements
to the defendants. The lawsuit alleged that Entergy installed
fiber optic cable across their property without obtaining
appropriate easements. The plaintiffs sought actual damages for
the use of the land and a share of the profits made through use
of the fiber optic cables and punitive damages.
The state court petition was voluntarily dismissed, and the
plaintiffs commenced a class action suit with the same claims in
the United States District Court in Beaumont, Texas. Both sides
have filed motions for summary judgment, which were heard by the
court in late 2001. In 2003, the district judge ruled that as a
matter of law, all of the Texas easements permit Entergy to
utilize the fiber for their own communications. Further, the
court ruled that approximately two-thirds of the Texas easements
allow Entergy to use the fiber for external or third party
communications. Entergy believes that any damages suffered by
the remaining one-third plaintiff landowners are negligible and
that there is no basis for the claim seeking a share of profits,
the Company said in a disclosure to the Securities and Exchange
In April 2004, the trial court entered an order denying the
plaintiffs' request that this case be certified as a class. The
plaintiffs have appealed this ruling to the United States Court
of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
The Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals held oral arguments
on Entergy Louisiana's appeal of class certification for the
lawsuit filed against it, Entergy Services, Entergy Technology
Holding Company and Entergy Technology Company, by several
property owners in the state court in St. James Parish,
Louisiana.
The suit, filed on behalf of all property owners in Louisiana
who have conveyed easements to the defendants, alleges that
Entergy installed fiber optic cable across their property
without obtaining appropriate easements. The plaintiffs seek
actual damages for the use of the land and a share of the
profits made through use of the fiber optic cables and punitive
damages. Entergy removed the case to federal court in New
Orleans; however, the District Court remanded the case back to
state court.
Entergy appealed this ruling but the United States Court of
Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently denied this appeal. In
December 2003, the trial court held a hearing to determine if a
class should be certified. On February 18, 2004, the trial
court entered an order certifying this matter as a class.
Entergy Louisiana appealed a trial court's judgment finding it
responsible for 40% of the $8.8 million settlement for the
consolidated class action filed against it and Murphy Oil
Residents located near the Murphy Oil Refinery in Meraux,
Louisiana filed several lawsuits in state court in St. Bernard
Parish, Louisiana against Murphy Oil, the Company, and others
for injuries they allegedly suffered as a result of an explosion
at the refinery in June 1995. The lawsuits were consolidated
and a class of plaintiffs was certified.
Plaintiffs alleged, among other things, that an electrical fault
at an Entergy Louisiana substation contributed to causing the
explosion. Murphy Oil filed a cross-claim against Entergy
Louisiana based on the same allegation, in which Murphy Oil
seeks recovery of any damages it has paid to the plaintiffs.
Claiborne P. Deming, who became a director of Entergy
Corporation in 2002, is the President and Chief Executive
Officer of Murphy Oil.
Murphy Oil and other defendants settled with the plaintiffs for
$8.8 million, but the Company did not participate in the
settlement. After trial for the remaining parties in the
proceeding, the judge issued a decision finding the Company 40%
responsible and awarding monetary damages, which total
approximately $11 million with interest against it. The Company
appealed the judgment to the Court of Appeals.
Abandonment issues are being evaluated in a complaint filed
against Entergy Louisiana in the State Court in East Baton Rouge
Parish by a group of ratepayers.
The complaint was filed in May 1998 on behalf of all Entergy
Louisiana ratepayers. The plaintiffs allege that the formula
ratemaking plan authorized by the LPSC has allowed Entergy
Louisiana to earn amounts in excess of a fair return. The
plaintiffs seek, among other things, a declaratory judgment that
the formula ratemaking plan is an improper ratemaking practice;
and a refund of the amounts allegedly charged in excess of
proper ratemaking practices. This case has not been active.
Hearing on the first part of the bifurcated proceeding in the
ratepayer complaint against Entergy New Orleans is set for June
2005 in the Orleans Parish State Court in Louisiana.
In April 1998, a group of residential and business ratepayers
filed a complaint against the Company on behalf of all
ratepayers in New Orleans. The plaintiffs allege that Entergy
New Orleans overcharged ratepayers by at least $300 million
since 1975 in violation of limits on Entergy New Orleans' rate
of return that the plaintiffs allege were established by
ordinances passed by the Council in 1922. The plaintiffs seek,
among other things, a declaratory judgment that such franchise
ordinances have been violated; and a remand to the Council for
the establishment of the amount of overcharges plus interest.
The Company denied the charges in a filing with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. The Company asserted that it has
charged only those rates authorized by the City Council in
accordance with applicable law. In May 2000, a court of appeal
granted the Company's exception to jurisdiction in the case and
dismissed the proceeding. The Louisiana Supreme Court denied
the plaintiff's request for a writ of certiorari. The
plaintiffs then commenced a similar proceeding before the
The plaintiffs and the advisors for the Council each filed their
first round of testimony in January 2002. In their testimony,
the plaintiffs allege that Entergy New Orleans earned in excess
of the legally authorized rate of return during the period 1979
to 2000 and that Entergy New Orleans should be required to
refund between $240 million and $825 million to its ratepayers.
In the testimony submitted by the Council advisors, the advisors
allege that Entergy New Orleans has not earned in excess of its
authorized rate of return for the period at issue and that no
refund is therefore warranted. A hearing scheduled in June 2002
was canceled.
In December 2003, the Council Advisors filed a motion in the
Council proceedings to bifurcate the hearing in this matter,
such that the effect of the provision of the 1922 Ordinance in
setting lawful rates would be considered first. Only if it is
determined that this provision establishes a limitation, would
the remaining issues be reached. The motion to bifurcate was
granted by the City Council in April 2004, and a hearing on the
first part of the bifurcated proceeding is currently scheduled
to begin in June 2005.
Hewlett-Packard Company continues to face several class actions
filed in various Texas and Oklahoma state courts, alleging that
the Company and Compaq Corporation sold computers containing
floppy disk controllers that fail to alert the user to certain
floppy disk controller errors.
One suit, styled "Alvis v. HP," is a nationwide defective
product consumer class action that was filed in state court in
Jefferson County, Texas by a resident of Eastern Texas in April
2001. In February 2000, a similar suit captioned "LaPray v.
Compaq" was filed in state court in Jefferson County, Texas.
The suits alleged that the Company's failure to alert consumers
to defects in computers with floppy disk controllers caused
their computers to incur data loss or data corruption. Both
suits seek injunctive relief, declaratory relief, unspecified
damages and attorneys' fees.
In July 2001, a nationwide class was certified in the LaPray
case, which the Beaumont Court of Appeals affirmed in
June 2002. In May 2004, the Texas Supreme Court reversed the
certification of the nationwide class in the LaPray case and
remanded the case to the trial court. The trial court has not
set a new class certification hearing. A class certification
hearing was held on July 1, 2003 in the Alvis case, and the
court granted plaintiffs' motion to certify a nationwide class
action. The Company filed an appeal of that certification with
the 9th Court of Appeals in Beaumont, Texas, which heard oral
arguments on the Company's appeal and received a supplemental
briefing based upon the LaPray opinion from the Texas Supreme
Court. On August 31, 2004, the 9th Court of Appeals in Texas
reversed the lower court's decision certifying a nationwide
class and remanded the case to the trial court. A class
certification hearing was held on January 6, 2005. On January
12, 2005 the court notified the parties that it will certify a
Texas-wide class action for injunctive relief only.
On June 4, 2003, two suits, styled "Barrett v. HP" and "Grider
v. Compaq" were each filed in state court in Cleveland County,
Oklahoma, with factual allegations similar to those in Alvis and
LaPray. The newer complaints seek, among other things, specific
performance, declaratory relief, unspecified damages and
attorneys' fees. On November 5, 2003, the court heard HP's
motion to dismiss "Barrett v. HP," and "Grider v. Compaq," which
motion was subsequently denied. On December 22, 2003, the court
entered an order staying Barrett and Grider cases until the
conclusions of the Alvis and LaPray actions. On July 28, 2004,
the court lifted the stay in Grider, but took under advisement
the plaintiff's motion to lift the stay in Barrett. A class
certification hearing in Grider is currently scheduled for April
On November 5, 2004, "Scott v. HP" > was filed in state court in
San Joaquin County, California, with factual allegations similar
to those in LaPray, and on January 27, 2005, "Jurado v. HP" was
filed in state court in San Joaquin County, California, with
factual allegations similar to those in Alvis. The complaints
in Scott and Jurado seek a California-only class certification,
injunctive relief, unspecified damages (including punitive
damages), restitution, costs and attorneys' fees. In addition,
the Civil Division of the Department of Justice, the General
Services Administration Office of Inspector General and other
Federal agencies are conducting an investigation of allegations
that HP and Compaq made or caused to be made false claims for
payment to the United States for computers known by HP and
Compaq to contain defective parts or otherwise to perform in a
defective manner relating to the same alleged floppy disk
controller errors. HP agreed with the Department of Justice to
extend the statute of limitations on its investigation until
June 6, 2005. HP is cooperating fully with this investigation.
The State Court of Madison County, Illinois refused to dismiss
two class actions filed against Hewlett-Packard Company, Compaq
Corporation and Intel Corporation, styled "Neubauer, et al. v.
Intel Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Company, et al., and
"Neubauer, et al. v. Compaq Computer Corporation."
The suits allege that the defendants misled the public by
suppressing and concealing the alleged material fact that
systems that use the Intel Pentium 4 processor are less powerful
and slower than systems using the Intel Pentium III processor
and processors made by a competitor of Intel. The court in the
HP action has certified an Illinois class as to Intel but denied
a nationwide class, and proceedings have been stayed pending
resolution of plaintiffs' appeal of this decision. The
plaintiffs seek unspecified damages, restitution, attorneys'
fees and costs and certification of a nationwide class against
the Company and Compaq. The class action certification against
Compaq has been postponed. In each action, the Company and
Compaq have filed motions to dismiss the cases, which the court
has denied. The Company and Compaq also have filed forum non
conveniens motions, which are pending.
Another suit, styled "Skold, et al. v. Intel Corporation and
Hewlett-Packard Company," was initially filed in state court in
Alameda County, California to which the Company was joined on
June 14, 2004, based upon factual allegations similar to those
in the Neubauer suits. On February 22, 2005, the parties
stipulated to transfer this case to state court in Santa Clara
County, California. The plaintiffs seek unspecified damages,
restitution, attorneys' fees and cost and certification of
nationwide class.
Hewlett-Packard Company faces two lawsuits filed in California
State Courts, over the Company's use of "smart chips" that
allegedly signal to the customer that certain inkjet printer
cartridges need to be replaced before they are really empty, and
include an expiration date that is allegedly not documented in
marketing materials provided to consumers.
The first suit, styled "Tyler v. HP," was filed in state court
in Santa Clara, California on February 17, 2005, alleging that
the Company engaged in wrongful business practices (including
unfair competition, deceptive advertising, fraud and breach of
warranty) relating to its use of "smart chips." On February 22,
2005, a lawsuit captioned "Obi v. HP," was filed in state court
in Los Angeles, California with similar allegations. These
actions seek class certification (nationwide, California or
both), restitution, damages (including enhanced damages),
injunctive relief, interest, costs and attorneys' fees.
Parties sought to transfer the securities class action filed
against Hewlett-Packard Company and its former Chairman and
Chief executive officer Carleton Fiornia to the United States
District Court in California.
The suit, styled "Hanrahan v. Hewlett-Packard Company and
Carleton Fiorina," was filed on November 3, 2003, in the United
States District Court for the District of Connecticut on behalf
of a putative class of persons who sold common stock of the
Company during the period from September 4, 2001 through
November 5, 2001. An amended complaint was filed on March 7,
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and generally alleges that
the Company and Ms. Fiorina violated the federal securities laws
by making statements during this period which were misleading in
failing to disclose that Walter B. Hewlett would oppose the
proposed acquisition of Compaq by the Company prior to Mr.
Hewlett's disclosure of his opposition to the proposed
transaction. A motion to transfer the action to federal court
in California is pending, and no lead plaintiff has yet been
The United States District Court for the Central District of
California, Western Division approved the settlement for the
class action filed against Hexcel Corporation and others, styled
"Thomas & Thomas Rodmakers v. Newport Adhesives and Composites,
Case No. CV-99-07796-GHK (CTx)."
Similar purported class action lawsuits were filed on behalf of
purchasers (excluding government purchasers) of carbon fiber and
carbon prepreg in the United States from the named defendants
from January 1, 1993 through January 31, 1999. The lawsuits
were brought following published reports of a Los Angeles
federal grand jury investigation of the carbon fiber and carbon
prepreg industries, an earlier Class Action Reporter story
(April 1,2004) reports.
In these lawsuits, plaintiffs allege violations of Section 1 of
the Sherman Antitrust Act for alleged price-fixing. In
September 1999, these lawsuits were consolidated by the Court
into a case captioned "with all related cases ordered dismissed.
On August 26, 2004, the Company entered into a stipulation of
settlement with the plaintiffs in the suit for $7.0 million.
The settlement was court-approved on January 31, 2005 and the
Company has paid the settlement amount in full.
In the wake of the state senate's failure to move a package of
tort reform bills out of committee on March 17, the Illinois
Lawsuit Abuse Watch (I-LAW) has launched a statewide campaign to
resuscitate attention on a package of dying tort reform bills,
the Madison County Record reports.
Steve Schoeffel, I-LAW executive director told the County
Record, "We're making it clear today to all legislators that
Illinoisans are sick of lawsuits and we will be watching very
closely in the weeks ahead." He further states that his efforts
would stretch into northern Illinois where reform has met
resistance among Democratic lawmakers and that in addition he
would also encourage concerned citizens to demand passage of
reform bills from their legislators.
He added, "The lawsuit epidemic that is getting worse in
Illinois has created a healthcare crisis that harms patients,
drives away doctors and limits access to healthcare services in
too many parts of our state. We're going to be watching what
goes on (in Springfield) for the rest of the session."
Without a promised committee vote, medical malpractice and class
action reform bills were swept from the Senate Judiciary
Committee into the Executive Committee by Sen. Emil Jones (D-
Chicago) signaling the Democrat Party's unwillingness to pass
reform. Among the casualties was Senate Bill 150, which would
cap non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases at
$250,000 and limit claims against hospitals to $500,000.
Mr. Schoeffel told the County Record that Metro-East
legislators, including Sens. Bill Haine (D-Alton), James
Clayborne (D-Belleville), State Reps. Jay Hoffman (D-
Collinsville) and Dan Beiser (D-Alton), will be "watched
closely" to see if they push for reform. "We also need our
lawmakers to pass class action reform legislation because
personal injury lawyers are abusing class action lawsuits as a
way to make big money for themselves. Personal injury lawyers
recruit unharmed plaintiffs to create massive class action
lawsuits in an attempt to win big money," he said.
Mr. Schoeffel also expressed his desire to send out action
alerts, putting up billboards, organizing rallies and airing
radio ads. He also told the County Record, "These legislators
are in a position to have a significant impact on the passage of
meaningful reform this year."
In a ruling that opens the door for more than 6,000 plaintiffs
to seek damages from the city of Chicago, a federal judge has
ruled that a 1995 firefighter entrance exam discriminated
against black applicants, the Associated Press reports.
Filed by black applicants, the lawsuit had alleged that the
exam's cutoff point for "well-qualified" applicants created a
pool of 1,782 candidates that had five times more whites than
blacks.
In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Joan Gottschall stated that
the city knew the cutoff point was meaningless and would
disproportionately exclude blacks from the pool of candidates
most likely to be hired. She further stated that the test "could
not distinguish between those who were qualified for the
position of (firefighter) and those who were not." Judge
Gottschall has scheduled a status hearing for April 26 for the
next phase of the case, which will determine damages for the
more than 6,000 class-action plaintiffs.
Clyde Murphy, attorney for the plaintiffs, told AP that the
verdict was an important victory for the applicants who scored
between 65 and 88 and fell in the "qualified" category. The city
has been hiring candidates in that category for the Fire Academy
since 2002, when it ran out of "well-qualified" applicants who
scored 89 and above. According to Judge Gottschall, that fact
by itself ultimately invalidated the test, the cutoff score and
the city's defense.
Mr. Murphy also told AP that he would seek damages on behalf of
the qualified black applicants, including millions of dollars in
back pay that would have gone to the 132 firefighting positions
that would have gone to blacks in a fair system.
Jennifer Hoyle of Chicago's law department told AP officials
were disappointed with the judge's decision. She also said, "We
said all along the test was related to job performance, and it
was a valid measure of job performance, which was a conclusion
the judge disagreed with."
The African American Firefighters League originally filed the
lawsuit in 1998, after two rulings from the U.S. Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission said the city was twice as
likely to hire white applicants than black applicants. More
importantly the EEOC also said in those rulings that the 1995
exam was an example of discrimination. Although the creator of
the exam recommended the city set the cutoff at 65 to decrease
the disparity against black applicants, the city argued it
selected the cutoff score to fulfill its staffing needs for the
next three to five years.
Judge Gottschall cited in her ruling that the city knew the
cutoff would disproportionately exclude blacks from the
selection pool but did so anyway for "administrative
convenience." She also pointed out that the city failed to prove
that the test measured skills necessary to train firefighters,
Sowood Capital Management LP, which oversees an international
class action arbitration against Russian oil and gas Company JSC
Surgutneftegaz ("Surgut") commenced in June 2004 by President
and Fellows of Harvard College, Provided the following comments
on the decision by Surgut's Board of Directors to recommend
payment of only a portion of the 2004 dividend to which holders
of its preferred shares are entitled:
"Although this dividend is larger than that paid in the past,
Surgut continues to avoid its full contractual obligations."
said Jeff Larson, managing director of Sowood Capital Management
LP. "We demand that Surgut pay the full dividend due preferred
shareholders and compensate them immediately for past dividends
owed to them."
"There is no legitimate reason for Surgut's continued and
blatant disregard of its obligations to pay dividends to
preferred shareholders, particularly in light of the Company's
strong performance, its substantial cash position and the
sustained high price of oil. Arbitration against Surgut appears
to be the only way to retrieve the full amount of dividends owed
to Harvard and other preferred shareholder class members," said
Robert Skinner, a partner of Ropes & Gray LLP who represents
Harvard in the arbitration.
On June 29, 2004, President and Fellows of Harvard College filed
a demand with the American Arbitration Association in New York
on behalf of holders of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs)
representing Surgut preferred shares. The demand alleges that,
for at least each of the previous six years, Surgut
intentionally declared dividends far below the amount mandated
by the Company charter, and the prospectus used in offering its
securities. Surgut has done so by manufacturing an artificially
low "net profit" figure unrelated to the Company's actual net
profits that it recognized and reported for tax and accounting
Surgut has challenged Harvard's right to pursue arbitration,
despite a contractual term in the ADRs providing this right.
This issue is currently pending before a federal judge in New
York. If the arbitration proceeds, a three-person international
panel will arbitrate Harvard's claims. The panel's ruling will
be enforceable in courts of more than 100 countries through an
international treaty, the Convention on the Recognition and
Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards.
Harvard's investment in Surgut was made through Harvard
Management Company, the principal investment advisor to the
Harvard University Endowment. In July 2004, the team that has
overseen Harvard's investment in Surgut formed Sowood Capital
Management LP. Sowood continues to act on Harvard's behalf in
this matter.
For more details, contact Todd Fogarty of Kekst and Company by
Phone: +1-212-521-4854 or by E-mail: todd-fogarty@kekst.com.
Merck & Co., Inc. faces litigation coordinated in the United
States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana,
involving product liability claims against the Company's Vioxx
On September 30, 2004, the Company announced a voluntary
worldwide withdrawal of Vioxx, its arthritis and acute pain
medication. The Company's decision, which was effective
immediately, was based on new three-year data from a
prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial,
APPROVe (Adenomatous Polyp Prevention on Vioxx). The trial,
which was stopped, was designed to evaluate the efficacy of
Vioxx 25 mg in preventing the recurrence of colorectal polyps in
patients with a history of colorectal adenomas and to further
assess the cardiovascular safety of Vioxx. In this study, there
was an increased relative risk for confirmed cardiovascular
events, such as heart attack and stroke, beginning after 18
months of treatment in the patients taking Vioxx compared to
those taking placebo.
As a result, federal and state product liability lawsuits
involving individual claims, as well as several putative class
actions have been filed against the Company with respect to
Vioxx. As of January 31, 2005, the Company has been served or
is aware that it has been named as a defendant in approximately
850 lawsuits, which include approximately 2,425 plaintiff groups
alleging personal injuries resulting from the use of Vioxx.
Certain of these lawsuits include allegations regarding
gastrointestinal bleeding, cardiovascular events, thrombotic
events or kidney damage. The Company has also been named as a
defendant in approximately 90 putative class actions alleging
personal injuries or seeking:
(1) medical monitoring as a result of the putative class
members' use of Vioxx,
(2) disgorgement of certain profits under common law unjust
enrichment theories, and/or
(3) various remedies under state consumer fraud and fair
business practice statutes, including recovering the
cost of Vioxx purchased by individuals and third-party
payors such as union health plans
All of the actions are collectively referred to as the "Vioxx
Product Liability Lawsuits." The actions filed in the state
courts of California and New Jersey, respectively, have been
transferred to a single judge in each state for coordinated
proceedings. In addition, the Company filed a motion with the
Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPMDL) seeking to
transfer to a single federal judge and coordinate for pretrial
purposes all federal cases alleging personal injury and/or
economic loss relating to the purchase or use of Vioxx; several
plaintiffs in certain Vioxx Product Liability Lawsuits pending
in federal court have made similar requests.
On February 16, 2005, the JPMDL granted the motions to transfer
all Vioxx Product Liability Lawsuits pending in federal courts
nationwide into one Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) for
coordinated pre-trial proceedings. The MDL has been transferred
to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of
Louisiana before District Judge Eldon E. Fallon.
The next monthly pretrial status conference shall be held on
Thursday, April 28, 2005, at 9:00 a.m. in the Courtroom of Judge
Eldon E. Fallon in the United States District Court Eastern
District of Louisiana, 500 Poydras Street, Room C-456, New
Orleans, LA 70130, Phone: (504) 589-7545, Fax: (504) 589-6966
The suit is styled "In re Vioxx Product Liability Litigation,
MDL 1657." Representing the plaintiffs is Russ M. Herman,
Herman, Herman, Katz & Cotlar, LLP, 820 O'Keefe Ave., Suite 100
New Orleans, LA 70113, Phone: 504-581-4892, Fax: 504-561-6024,
E-mail: rherman@hhkc.com. Representing the defendants is
Phillip Wittmann, Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann, LLC, 546
Carondelet St., New Orleans, LA 70130, Phone: 504-581-3200, Fax:
504-581-3361 E-mail: pwittmann@stonepigman.com
Merck & Co., Inc. faces various shareholder class actions, now
coordinated in the United States District Court for the District
of New Jersey, styled "In re Vioxx Shareholder Litigation,"
under Judge Stanley R. Chesler.
A number of purported class action lawsuits were filed in late
2003 and early 2004 by several shareholders in the United States
District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana naming as
defendants the Company and several current or former officers
and directors of the Company. These cases have been
consolidated. After the announcement of the withdrawal of
Vioxx, the Company was named as a defendant in additional
purported securities class action lawsuits filed in federal
courts in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Louisiana.
These actions allege that the defendants made false and
misleading statements regarding Vioxx in violation of Sections
10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
including with respect to the withdrawal of Vioxx, and seek
unspecified compensatory damages and the costs of suit,
including attorneys' fees. Plaintiffs request certification of
a class of purchasers of Company stock during various periods
between May 21, 1999 and October 29, 2004.
In addition, two shareholders filed an individual securities
action in the United States District Court for the Central
District of Illinois seeking compensatory damages and costs.
Certain complaints include allegations under Sections 11, 12 and
15 of the Securities Act of 1933 that certain officers and
directors made incomplete and misleading statements in a
registration statement and certain prospectuses filed in
connection with the Merck Stock Investment Plan, a dividend
reinvestment plan. All of the actions discussed in this
paragraph are collectively referred to as the "Vioxx Securities
Lawsuits." Several plaintiffs have dismissed their complaints
without prejudice. As of January 31, 2005, a total of 14 Vioxx
Securities Lawsuits were pending in various federal courts.
In addition to these shareholder actions, since the announcement
of the withdrawal of Vioxx, putative class actions have been
filed against the Company in the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Louisiana and in the United States
District Court for the District of New Jersey (the "Vioxx ERISA
Lawsuits" and, together with the "Vioxx Securities Lawsuits,"
the "Vioxx Shareholder Lawsuits") on behalf of certain of the
Company's current and former employees who are participants in
certain of the Company's retirement plans asserting claims under
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The
lawsuits make similar allegations to the allegations contained
in the Vioxx Securities Lawsuits. As of January 31, 2005, a
total of 11 Vioxx ERISA Lawsuits were pending.
In October 2004, the plaintiff in one of the Vioxx ERISA
Lawsuits filed a motion with the JPML to transfer to a single
federal judge and coordinate for pretrial purposes all of the
Vioxx ERISA Lawsuits. In November 2004, the Company responded
to that motion and filed its own motion seeking coordination of
all of the Vioxx Shareholder Lawsuits. On February 23, 2005,
the JPML granted the motions to transfer all "Vioxx Shareholder
Lawsuits" pending in federal courts nationwide into one MDL for
coordinated pre-trial proceedings.
The suit is styled "Merck & Co., Inc., Securities Derivative and
ERISA Litigation, case no. 3:05-cv-01151-SRC-TJB," filed in the
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
under Judge Stanley R. Chesler. Representing the Company is
Edward Cerasia II, PROSKAUER ROSE LLP, One Newark Center, 18th
floor, Newark NJ 07102-5211, Phone: 973 274-3200, E-mail:
ecerasia@proskauer.com; and John N. Poulous HUGHES HUBBARD &
REED LLP, 101 Hudson St. Suite 3601, Jersey City, NJ 07302-3918,
Phone: (201) 536-9220, E-mail: poulos@hugheshubbard.com.
Representing the plaintiffs is Irma Lois Bradley-Klein,
LEMMON LAW FIRM, LLC, 650 Poydras St. Suite 2335, New Orleans,
LA 70130, Phone: (985) 783-6789, Fax: (985) 783-1333.
Joyce DiMauro, a Newbury resident has filed what appears to be
New Hampshire's first lawsuit against the withdrawn pain-
relieving drug Vioxx, the Associated Press reports. The suit
was filed against Merck & Co. Inc., in U.S. District Court. Ms.
DiMauro, however has asked that the case be transferred to a
federal court in New Orleans, where a judge has been assigned to
handle hundreds of individual and class-action suits filed over
the once-popular prescription pain relieving drug.
As previously reported in the October 4, 2004 edition of the
Class Action Reporter, Merck & Co. withdrew its Vioxx arthritis
pain medicine because of an increased risk of heart attack and
stroke. In withdrawing the drug, Merck stated that new data from
a three-year clinical trial revealed that patients taking Vioxx
for more than 18 months have double the risk of heart attack and
stroke, compared to those taking a placebo.
Merck also said that the data showing the increased risk of
cardiovascular complications began 18 months after patients
began taking Vioxx at a 25-milligram dose once daily. Peter S.
Kim, president of Merck research labs, even said at a recent
press conference that 7.5 patients out of 1,000 taking the
placebo had a heart attack or stroke after 18 months, while 15
patients out of 1,000 taking Vioxx had a heart attack or stroke
during the same 18 months.
Ms. DiMauro along with other plaintiffs allege that Merck
learned through such studies that Vioxx seemed to raise risks of
heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke, but kept quiet and
later downplayed the findings. According to court documents,
Ms. DiMauro was prescribed Vioxx for back and neck pain, though
it doesn't specify when. She took 50 milligrams daily until
suffering a heart attack on March 21, 2002, the suit adds, AP
Meanwhile, in New Orleans, U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon
presided over the first pretrial hearing on the Vioxx lawsuits
and began by urging lawyers for both sides to think about a
settlement. Judge Fallon's first task will be to appoint a
"plaintiffs steering committee" of lawyers, which will take
depositions and gather documents for evidence. Judge Fallon said
he plans to appoint the committee before the next hearing on
April 28. Drug industry experts' estimates of Merck's potential
liability in the Vioxx cases range between $4 billion and $30
North Carolinians will have more protection from identity
thieves if a bill proposed today by state legislators becomes
law, Attorney General Roy Cooper said in a statement.
"All an identity thief needs are a few key pieces of information
about you to steal your identity, ruin your credit and even get
you arrested," said Attorney General Cooper. "We must make it
harder for thieves to get their hands on this sensitive personal
information in the first place."
A measure introduced by Senator Dan Clodfelter and backed by the
Attorney General would continue the fight against identity theft
by strengthening safeguards for personal information, requiring
businesses and government to better protect sensitive financial
information about people, and giving consumers more tools to
fight theft of their information. Other sponsors of the bill
include Senators Alberston, Dannelly, Dalton, Garrou, Graham,
Hagan, Hoyle, Purcell, Rand, Soles, Swindell, Thomas and
Weinstein.
"Identity theft happens when a criminal steals some piece of
personal information about you, such as your social security
number or date of birth, and uses it to commit financial fraud
in your name. Some identity thieves even give their victim's
name to police where they're arrested for committing crimes,
causing innocent people to be charged with crimes they didn't
commit," he said in a statement.
Approximately 286,000 North Carolinians have their identity
stolen each year. A typical identity theft victim spends on
average $800 and 175 hours over 23 months to clean up his or her
credit and erase $18,000 in fraudulent charges. The national
cost of identity theft annually is $55 billion, including
billions of dollars in losses to businesses, the statement
To cut down on identity theft in North Carolina, the proposed
law would:
(1) Minimize the use of Social Security Numbers as
identification numbers and restrict the sale and
display of SSNs;
(2) Give consumers the right to place a security "freeze"
on their credit reports. Placing a security freeze on
your report would prohibit credit reporting agencies
from releasing any information about you to new
creditors without your approval, making it difficult
for an identity thief to open an account or obtain
credit in your name;
(3) Provide protection for credit header information. The
term "credit header" refers to the personal identifying
information in a consumer's credit file, including a
consumer's name, address, telephone number, Social
Security Number, mother's maiden name, and birth date.
The unrestricted use and sharing of this information
can put consumers at serious risk of identity theft;
(4) Make sure that businesses that collect personal
identifying information about their customers dispose
of records properly, so that identity thieves can't
retrieve information from discarded files that have
been carelessly thrown away;
(5) Require businesses to notify their customers if a
security breach may have compromised their personal
information and placed them at risk of identity theft,
such as what occurred recently at ChoicePoint and
LexisNexis;
(6) Make sure that state and local governments collect
personal identifying information, especially Social
Security Numbers, only when essential and that they do
a better job of safeguarding the information that they
collect. The measure would prohibit government
agencies from unnecessarily collecting or sharing
people's Social Security Numbers.
The Identity Theft Protection Act of 2005 marks the latest
effort in a comprehensive attack the Attorney General first
launched against identity theft two years ago, which has
included more help and training for law enforcement, a campaign
to raise public awareness of this growing crime, and working
with business to protect private information and fight fraud.
Attorney General Cooper's three-pronged attack has been lauded
by the Federal Trade Commission as a national model.
At his urging, North Carolina has previously taken steps to beef
up its laws against identity theft, making the crime a higher-
class felony and outlawing trafficking in stolen identities. A
measure that became law last year and will apply to all
retailers by July 1 requires businesses to stop printing the
entire credit card numbers on consumers' receipts, making the
receipts worthless to identity thieves.
"Identity thieves are robbing more people of their good names
and costing businesses and consumers billions of dollars each
year," said Attorney General Cooper. "We've made strides in
fighting this crime, and this bill will give us more ways to
thwart ID thieves."
For more details, contact Noelle Talley, Public Information
Officer, N.C. Department of Justice, Phone: (919) 716-6484 or
(919) 716-6413, Fax: (919) 716-0803, E-mail: ntalley@ncdoj.com.
OM Group, Inc. (NYSE: OMG) reached an agreement in principle to
settle the shareholder class-action lawsuits filed in November
2002 relating to the decline in the Company's stock price after
the third-quarter 2002 earnings announcement.
Final settlement is subject to execution of a definitive
agreement between the Company and the lead plaintiff as well as
court approval. The Company recorded a reserve of $84.5 million
at December 31, 2003 with respect to these lawsuits and related
shareholder derivative lawsuits, which is proposed to be payable
$76 million in cash and $8.5 million in common stock of the
Company. The Company expects that up to $30 million of insurance
proceeds will be available for contribution to the resolution of
the cases, but no insurance proceeds will be recorded by the
Company until received. Included in the $84.5 million reserve is
$2 million for legal costs associated with the pending
derivative litigation.
The Company also confirmed that it is on track to file its 2003
Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission before
March 31, 2005. The Company provided an update on the decrease
in retained earnings resulting from the previously announced
restatement of its financial statements. The overall decrease in
retained earnings as of September 30, 2003 is expected to be
approximately $63 million, which is higher than the previous
estimate due to finalization of income tax adjustments for the
restatement periods. In its last update on February 28, 2005,
the Company indicated that its $35 million estimate was subject
to final tax adjustments. The pre-tax restatement adjustments
have changed by only approximately $1 million since that time.
R. Louis Schneeberger, chief financial officer, stated, "This
change is due primarily to two factors. First, the tax benefits
for the restatement adjustments applicable to the Company's U.S.
subsidiaries cannot be recognized. Second, the tax expense
related to discontinued operations was higher than expected. The
tax changes do not impact the Company's cash position or its
future cash flows."
Commenting on the pending filing of the Company's 2003 Form 10-K
and the agreement to settle the class-action lawsuits, Frank E.
Butler, interim chief executive officer, said, "By resolving
these two critical issues, we can now focus solely on providing
superior products and services to our customers while creating
steadily increasing value for our stockholders. Likewise, we
remove two topics of conversation that have been part of our
discussions with chief executive officer candidates and
prospective new members of our board of directors."
The Company also revealed that it has scheduled a conference
call and live audio broadcast on the Web for 10 a.m. (ET) on
April 5, 2005. At that time, management will discuss the
litigation settlement agreement, its 2003 Form 10-K filing and
provide a review of its 2004 fourth quarter and full year
unaudited financial results, which will be released before the
market opens on April 5th. Investors may access the live audio
broadcast by logging on to
http://www.omgi.com/investorrelations/webcasts.htm.
The law firm of Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP
("BLB&G"), and its client the Policemen and Firemen Retirement
System of the City of Detroit ("Detroit P&F") revealed that the
OM Group, Inc. ("OMG" or "The Company") and certain of its
former officers have agreed to settle all claims against them in
In re OM Group, Inc. Securities Litigation. Under the
settlement, OMG will pay $82.5 million, $74 million of which
will be paid in cash and $8.5 million of which will be paid in
unrestricted stock.
The case continues to be prosecuted against Ernst & Young LLP
("E&Y"), who were OMG's outside auditors during the Class
Period. Trial in this action against E&Y is scheduled to begin
on November 15, 2005.
On March 28, 2003, the Court appointed the Detroit P&F as Lead
Plaintiff in the class action and BLB&G and Climaco, Lefkowitz,
Peca, Wilcox & Garofoli Co., L.P.A. as Co-Lead Counsel for the
Class. Lead Plaintiff filed a Consolidated Amended Class Action
Complaint on behalf of the Class on April 4, 2003.
This securities fraud class action was brought on behalf of
purchasers of the common stock of OM Group, Inc. during the
period January 27, 2000 through and including October 30, 2002
and is currently pending in the United States District Court for
the Northern District of Ohio, before the Honorable Donald C.
Nugent, U.S. District Court Judge and the Honorable Nancy A.
Vecchiarelli, U.S. Magistrate Judge.
In July 2003, the Court denied in full Defendants' Motion to
Dismiss the action. Lead Plaintiff subsequently conducted
extensive fact discovery and, on June 30, 2004, filed a Second
Amended Consolidated Class Action Complaint. The Second Amended
Complaint extended the Class Period by approximately two years,
named E&Y as a defendant, and added substantive new allegations
against Defendants OMG, OMG's former CEO and Chairman James P.
Mooney, OMG's former CFO James M. Materna and OMG's former CFO
Thomas R. Miklich. Defendants OMG, Materna and Mooney answered
the Complaint while Defendants Miklich and E&Y moved to dismiss
the Complaint. On October 25, 2004, the Court denied in part and
granted in part Defendant Miklich's Motion to Dismiss. On
January 14, 2005, the Court denied in full Defendant E&Y's
Motion to Dismiss.
OMG is a self-described "international producer and marketer of
value-added, metal-based specialty chemicals" and has been "the
global cobalt leader for more than 50 years." OMG refines,
manufacturers and sells the metals in the Company's inventory.
As such, its metals inventory is critical to the Company's
business. In particular, cobalt is one of the principal metals
used in OMG's products and is therefore an important component
of the Company's inventory.
"Our client and we are very pleased that we were able to obtain
this very substantial recovery for injured shareholders, after a
long, hard fight. We look forward to recovering additional
monies from OMG's auditors," said BLB&G partner Daniel Berger,
lead trial attorney for the Class.
Pennsylvania's Superior Court appellate division recently told a
judge that he must get involved in deciding whether the
Burlington County Clerk's office is charging too much for
citizens to make copies of official documents, the Burlington
County Times reports.
The recently released decision states that Superior Court
Assignment Judge John A. Sweeney must hold a hearing to decide
whether Eastampton builder Joseph Dugan is right when he argues
the county clerk's fee of 50 cents a copy is too high. Mr.
Dugan, who had filed his suit in 2003 as a class action, also
challenged the $1 fee charged at the Camden County Clerk's
Office. He is currently seeking a refund of alleged overcharges.
Mr. Dugan's lawyer, Donald M. Doherty Jr. told the Burlington
County Times, Mr. Dugan regularly makes large numbers of copies
of records kept at clerks' offices. The clerks in Burlington and
Camden counties are the only ones in the state who charge more
than 25 cents at their self-service copiers, he alleges.
Burlington County Assignment Judge John A. Sweeney originally
dismissed the case early last year, but the appellate division
decided to hear arguments in Mr. Dugan's appeal. Also contained
in the decision is an opinion by Judge Joseph Lisa, which said
that the case must be returned to Judge Sweeney to determine a
proper fee when the copy is made by a citizen and not by the
clerk. The opinion further states that the state's Open Public
Records Act and a resident's general common law right to access
may both apply to the records kept at the clerks' offices.
The state's Open Public Records Act establishes a fee schedule
for copying government records that allows a charge of 75 cents
per page for up to 10 copies, 50 cents per page for 11 to 20
copies and 25 cents per page for more than 20 copies. However,
The fee levied at the Burlington County Clerk's Office is 50
cents for every page copied regardless of the number of pages.
Court papers indicated that the common law right to access
government records calls for a copying fee equal to only the
actual cost of providing the copy, which would be well below 25
cents at the clerk's offices.
The defendants argued though that the state law that governs
clerks' offices allows them to set a copying fee as high as $2.
At the end of the hearing of the opinion, Mr. Doherty praised
the appellate division's decision to return the case to Judge
Sweeney.
The Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, in and for New
Castle County ordered consolidated three class actions filed
against Security Capital Corporation, and the members of its
board of directors, in connection with an offer made by Brian
Fitzgerald, the Company's Chairman of the Board, President and
Chief Executive Officer and the controlling person of the
Company's majority stockholder, CP Acquisition, L.P. No. 1 (CP-
1) to acquire by merger all of the outstanding Class A Common
Stock and Common Stock, other than shares held by Mr.
Fitzgerald, CP-1 and certain other persons, at a price of $10.60
per share.<
Each of the complaints alleges that the defendants breached
their fiduciary duties to the putative class and that the then
proposed CP-1 offer was unfair, inadequate and not the result of
arm's-length negotiations. Each complaint seeks an injunction
against the proposed merger or, if the merger is consummated,
the rescission of the merger, as well as money damages,
attorneys' fees, expenses and other relief. Plaintiffs have
submitted their first request for the production of documents.
St. Jude Medical, Inc. is working to resolve all litigation
relating to its January 2000 recall of its Silzone devices,
after receiving information from a clinical study that patients
with a Silzone valve had a small, but statistically significant,
increased incidence of explant due to paravalvular leak compared
to patients in that clinical study with non-Silzone heart
valves.
Subsequent to the Company's voluntary recall, the Company has
been sued in various jurisdictions and now has cases pending in
the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and
France by some patients who received a Silzone device. Some of
these claims allege bodily injuries as a result of an explant or
other complications, which they attribute to the Silzone
devices. Others, who have not had their device explanted, seek
compensation for past and future costs of special monitoring
they allege they need over and above the medical monitoring all
replacement heart valve patients receive. Some of the lawsuits
seeking the cost of monitoring have been initiated by patients
who are asymptomatic and who have no apparent clinical injury to
date. Some of the cases involving Silzone products have been
settled, some have been dismissed and others are on going. Some
of these cases, both in the United States and Canada, are
seeking class-action status.
Eight original class-action complaints have been consolidated
into one case seeking certification of two separate classes.
The litigation is now pending in the United States District
Court for the District of Minnesota. The first complaint
seeking class-action status was served upon the Company on April
27, 2000 and all eight original complaints seeking class-action
status were consolidated into one case on October 22, 2001. One
proposed class in the consolidated complaint seeks injunctive
relief in the form of medical monitoring. A second class in the
consolidated complaint seeks an unspecified amount of monetary
damages. A third class in the consolidated complaint seeks an
unspecified amount of monetary damages under Minnesota's
Consumer Protection Statutes.
Eighteen individual cases are pending as of February
25, 2005 in the multidistrict litigation (MDL). The first
individual complaint that was transferred to the MDL court was
served upon the Company on November 28, 2000, and the most
recent individual complaint that was transferred to the MDL
court was served upon the Company on September 15, 2004. The
complaints in these cases each request damages ranging from $10
thousand to $120.5 million and, in some cases, seek an
unspecified amount.
Twenty-six individual state court suits involving 34 patients
are pending as of February 25, 2005. The cases are venued in the
following states: Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, Texas and
Wyoming. The first individual state court complaint was served
upon the Company on March 1, 2000 and the most recent individual
state court complaint was served upon the Company on January 13,
2005. The complaints in these cases each request damages ranging
from $50 thousand to $100 thousand and, in some cases, seek an
A lawsuit seeking a class action for all persons residing in the
European Economic Union member jurisdictions who have had a
heart valve replacement and/or repair procedure using a product
with Silzone coating was filed in Minnesota state court and
served upon the Company on February 11, 2004. The complaint
seeks damages in an unspecified amount for the class, and in
excess of $50 thousand for the representative plaintiff
individually. The complaint also seeks injunctive relief in the
form of medical monitoring. The Company has filed motions in the
state court seeking to have the claims dismissed, and these
motions are presently under consideration by the judge handling
this and other Silzone cases in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
Two cases involving 70 patients were dismissed in Texas by the
trial court on April 25, 2002 and February 14, 2003,
respectively; the plaintiffs in these two cases have appealed.
The first of these cases was served upon the Company on October
29, 2001, and the second case was served upon the Company on
November 8, 2002. The complaints in these cases request damages
in an unspecified amount.
Four class-action cases involving five named plaintiffs and one
individual case involving two named plaintiffs are pending as of
February 25, 2005 (cases are venued in the provinces of British
Columbia, Ontario and Quebec); in Ontario and Quebec the courts
have certified class actions. The first complaint in Canada was
served upon the Company on August 18, 2000, and the most recent
Canadian complaint was served upon the Company on March 14,
from 1.5 million to 500 million Canadian dollars.
One case involving one plaintiff is pending as of February 25,
2005 and the Particulars of Claim in this case was served on
December 21, 2004. The plaintiff in this case requests damages
of approximately $365 thousand. One case involving one
plaintiff is pending as of February 25, 2005. The complaint in
this case was served on December 30, 2004, and seeks an
unspecified amount in damages. One case involving one plaintiff
is pending as of February 25, 2005. This case was initiated by
way of an Injunctive Summons to Appear that was served on
November 3, 2004. The plaintiff in this case is requesting
damages in excess of 3 million Euros.
In 2001, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation
ruled that certain lawsuits filed in U.S. federal district court
involving products with Silzone coating should be part of Multi-
District Litigation proceedings under the supervision of U.S.
District Court Judge John Tunheim in Minnesota. As a result,
actions in federal court involving products with Silzone coating
have been and will likely continue to be transferred to Judge
Tunheim for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings.
Judge Tunheim ruled against the Company on the issue of
preemption and found that the plaintiffs' causes of action were
not preempted by the U.S. Food and Drug Act. The Company sought
to appeal this ruling, but the Appellate Court determined that
it would not review the ruling at this point in the proceedings.
Certain plaintiffs have requested Judge Tunheim to allow some
cases to proceed as class actions. In response these requests,
Judge Tunheim has issued several rulings concerning class action
certification. Although more detail is set forth in the orders
issued by the court, the result of these rulings is that Judge
Tunheim declined to grant class-action status to personal injury
claims, but granted class-action status for claimants from
seventeen states to proceed with medical monitoring claims, so
long as they do not have a clinical injury. The court also
indicated that a class action could proceed under Minnesota's
The Company has sought appeal of Judge Tunheim's s class
certification decisions, and in a September 2, 2004, order, the
appellate court indicated it would accept the appeal of Judge
Tunheim's certification orders. The issues have been briefed and
the parties are awaiting a date for oral argument concerning
this appeal. It is not expected that the appellate court will
complete its review and issue a decision concerning the appeal
of Judge Tunheim's rulings regarding class certification until
sometime in 2006.
In the meantime, the cases involving Silzone products not
seeking class-action status which are consolidated before Judge
Tunheim are proceeding in accordance with the scheduling orders
he has rendered. There are also other actions involving
products with Silzone coating in various state courts in the
United States that may or may not be coordinated with the
matters presently before Judge Tunheim.
On January 16, 2004, the court in Ontario, Canada, issued
further rulings certifying a class of Silzone patients in a
class-action suit against the Company. The Company sought leave
to appeal the Court's decision in this regard, but in a decision
issued on January 28, 2005, the request to appeal was rejected.
As a result, the class action in Ontario will proceed pursuant
to further scheduling orders that will be issued by the Ontario
court. The Court in the Province of Quebec has also certified a
class action in that jurisdiction.
The multidistrict litigation is styled "In re St. Jude Medical
Inc. Silzone Heart Valve Products Liability Litigation, case no.
0:01-md-01396-JRT-FLN," filed in the United States District
Court in Minnesota, under Judge John R Tunheim.
(1) Steven E. Angstreich, Carolyn Lindheim, Levy Angstreich
Finney Baldante, Rubenstein & Coren, 10 Melrose Ave Ste
100, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003, Phone: 856-795-0303, Fax:
18567957447, E-mail: sangstreich@levyangstreich.com,
clindheim@levyangstreich.com
(2) James T. Capretz, Capretz & Associates, 5000 Birch St
Ste 2500, Newport Beach, CA 92660, Phone: 949-724-3000,
Fax: 949-757-2635, E-mail: jcapretz@capretz.com
(3) Joe D. Jacobson, Green Schaaf & Jacobson, PC, 7733
Forsyth Blvd Ste 700, St Louis, MO 63105, Phone: 314-
862-6800, Fax: 314-862-1606, E-mail:
jacobson@stlouislaw.com;
(4) Steven M. Kohn, Reed Smith - Oakland, 1999 Harrison St
Ste 2400, Oakland, CA 94612, Phone: 510-763-2000, Fax:
15102738832, E-mail: skohn@reedsmith.com
(5) Patrick Murphy, Murphy Law Office, 844 E Sahara Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89104, Phone: 702-259-4600, Fax:
(6) Michael T. Nilan, Halleland Lewis Nilan Sipkins &
Johnson, 220 6th St S Ste 600 Mpls, MN 55402, Phone:
(612) 338-1838, Fax: 6123387858, E-mail:
mnilan@halleland.com
Representing the plaintiffs are J Gordon Rudd, Jr. of Zimmerman
Reed, 651 Nicollet Mall Ste 501, Mpls, MN 55402-4123, Phone:
(612) 341-0400, E-mail: jgr@zimmreed.com; and David E Stanley
Reed Smith - LA, 355 Grand Ave S Ste 2900, Los Angeles, CA
90071, Phone: 213-457-8000, Fax: 12134578080, E-mail:
dstanley@reedsmith.com.
St. Jude Medical, Inc. faces litigation related to its Symmetry
Bypass System Aortic Connector, alleging that the device causes
bodily injury or might cause bodily injury. As of February 25,
2005, sixteen lawsuits are pending against the Company. In
addition, a number of persons have made a claim against the
Company involving the Symmetry device without filing a lawsuit.
The first lawsuit involving the Symmetry device as filed against
the Company on August 5, 2003, in the United States District
Court for the Western District of Tennessee, and the most
recently initiated lawsuit was served upon the Company on
September 24, 2004. The sixteen cases are venued in state court
in Minnesota, federal court for the District of Minnesota,
federal court in the Western District of Tennessee, federal
court in the Eastern District of Arkansas and federal court for
the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Each of the complaints in
these cases request damages ranging from $50 thousand to $100
thousand and, in some cases, seek an unspecified amount.
Four of the sixteen cases are seeking class-action status. One
of the cases seeking class-action status has been dismissed, but
the dismissal is being appealed by the plaintiff. In a second
case seeking class action status, a Magistrate Judge has
recommended that the matter not proceed as a class action, and
the parties are presently awaiting the court to review the
Magistrate's decision. A third case seeking class action status
has been indefinitely stayed by the court, and is presently
inactive. It appears that the plaintiffs in those cases seeking
class-action status seek or will seek damages for injuries and
monitoring costs.
The Company's Symmetry device was cleared through a 510(K)
submission to the FDA, and therefore, is not eligible for the
defense under the doctrine of federal preemption that such suits
are prohibited. Given the Company's self-insured retention
levels under its product liability insurance policies, the
Company expects that it will be solely responsible for these
lawsuits, including any costs of defense, settlements and
judgments. During the third quarter of 2004, the number of
lawsuits involving the Symmetry device increased, and the number
of persons asserting claims outside of litigation increased as
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New
York granted final approval to the settlement of the three
securities class actions filed against Symbol Technologies, Inc.
and certain of its former and current officers and directors.
One suit, styled "Pinkowitz v. Symbol Technologies, Inc., et
al.," was filed on behalf of purchasers of the Company's common
stock between October 19, 2000 and February 13, 2002, inclusive,
against the Company and certain members of its former management
and its former board of directors. The complaint alleged that
the defendants violated the federal securities laws by issuing
materially false and misleading statements throughout the class
period that had the effect of artificially inflating the market
price of the Company's securities.
Two other suits, styled "Hoyle v. Symbol Technologies, Inc., et
al." and "Salerno v. Symbol Technologies, Inc., et al.," were
filed in the same court against the Company and certain members
of the Company's former management and its former board of
directors. The Hoyle and Salerno complaints were brought on
behalf of a class of former shareholders of Telxon Corporation
("Telxon") who obtained the Company's common stock in exchange
for their Telxon stock in connection with the Company's
acquisition of Telxon in November 2000. The complaint alleges
that the defendants violated the federal securities laws by
issuing a Registration Statement and Joint Proxy Statement/
Prospectus in connection with the Telxon acquisition that
contained materially false and misleading statements that had
the effect of artificially inflating the market price of the
Company's securities.
On June 3, 2004, the Company announced its settlement of the
Pinkowitz, Hoyle and Salerno class action lawsuits. Under the
settlement, the Company agreed to pay to the class members an
aggregate of $1.75 million in cash and an aggregate number of
shares of common stock having a market value of $96.25 million,
subject to a minimum and maximum number of shares based upon the
volume-weighted moving average trading price of the Company's
common stock for the five day period immediately prior to the
Company's payment of the common stock to the class ("Determined
Price"). If the Determined Price is greater than $16.41 per
share, then the Company will issue 5,865.3 shares of its common
stock to the class. If the Determined Price is between $16.41
per share and $11.49 per share, then the Company will issue to
the class the number of shares of common stock equal to a market
value of $96.25 million divided by the Determined Price. If the
Determined Price is less than $11.49 per share, the Company will
issue 8,376.8 shares of its common stock to the class. The
settlement also provides that the Company has the right to pay
up to an additional $6.0 million in cash to reduce the number of
shares of its common stock that it is required to deliver in an
amount equal to the amount of additional cash divided by the
Determined Price. If there occurs any event that would lead to
the de-listing of the Company's common stock or its board of
directors recommends the approval of a tender offer or the
purchase of a majority of our common stock or the Determined
Price is less than $11.90 per share, then the lead counsel for
the plaintiffs can require the Company to place into escrow the
number of shares that would otherwise be payable to the class
and would have the right to sell all or any portion of the
escrowed shares and invest such proceeds until distribution to
the class. If the Company does not deliver its common stock as
required by the settlement agreement within the ten days of such
requirement, the lead counsel for the plaintiffs may terminate
the settlement agreement.
The court held a fairness hearing regarding the settlement on
October 4, 2004 and approved the fairness of the settlement by
an order entered on October 20, 2004. On November 17, 2004, the
Company delivered 586,500 shares, or 10% of the settlement
amount (at $16.41 per share), as satisfaction of the plaintiffs'
attorneys' fees, pursuant to the court's order. The Company
expects to deliver the balance of the shares required issued
under the settlement of 5,278.8 shares in the first half of
Disgruntled Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees have
officially filed an administrative complaint against the agency
alleging age discrimination, the Government Executive reports.
According to the employees' lawyer, Sarah Starrett, Tim O'Hara,
an agency employee and leader of the group of employees, is one
of the two "class agents" that are named in the complaint.
As previously reported in the January 4, 2005 edition of the
Class Action Reporter, under FAA's performance pay system, more
than 800 long-term employees are at the top of their pay band
and are not eligible for base salary increases. Those employees,
however, can receive annual awards for good performance.
Thousands of other FAA employees including air traffic
controllers are exempt from this rule because of union
agreements, or they already were above the maximum pay limit
when the rule on pay caps went into effect. Employees with
frozen base salaries called the different compensation
regulations unfair, and said they are losing thousands of
dollars in retirement benefits, locality pay increases and
overtime pay.
In a January 14 agency wide e-mail, however, FAA Administrator
Marion Blakey said she wants "compensation policies to be as
consistent as possible," but the agency will not take action on
the pay bands, because market surveys show that FAA workers are
paid more than their counterparts in the aviation industry, the
Government Executive reports.
For the past year, disgruntled workers have been represented and
organized by Mark Lash, an FAA manager in Oklahoma City. But Mr.
Lash has grown tired of the intense research and communications
work and he is passing his leadership role on to Tim O'Hara, a
FAA manager in Washington. In an earlier interview with the
Government Executive, Mr. Lash stated, "My hope had always been
that through increased awareness and pressure, the agency would
make the adjustments necessary to fix the inequity ... that
wasn't the case. This is a relay race, and I was ready to hand
off the baton."
Upon assuming the role, Mr. O'Hara had told the Government
Executive in an earlier interview that the affected employees
will file a class action suit against FAA, and he is planning to
issue a public call on February 1 for workers who are interested
in taking part in the legal action.
Mr. O'Hara, who has worked for the FAA for two decades, further
told the Government Executive that he "never expected to see my
name in a newspaper," or "bring a complaint against the agency."
He added, however, that the disparity in pay regulations angered
him and he doesn't believe the situation will be resolved unless
employees resort to legal action. Mr. O'Hara has already
received commitments from about 40 FAA employees.
Just recently, the issue has taken on extra importance as the
Defense and the Homeland Security departments adopt performance
pay and pay banding systems. Mr. O'Hara has said that personnel
officials should study the FAA's situation before designing
their own. According to him, he and other employees are seeking
back pay adjustments for this year and the two previous fiscal
years, adjustments to employees' retirement accounts,
compensation for lost interest as well as reimbursement for
money and effort used to start the legal proceedings.
Though expressing their understanding to the decision to file
the complaint, FAA would rather work toward extending the hard
capped pay bands to all employees, instead of unfreezing
salaries for the affected workers. Ms. Starrett said she
attached to the complaint a statement from FAA Administrator
Marion Blakey, which indicated that the agency would not
unfreeze the employees' salaries.
Mr. O'Hara further told the Government Executive that he did not
rule out the possibility of dialogue with the agency, but he
said is not overly hopeful. "We are in the administrative court
process; we can reconcile at any point, but so far, they've
shown no inclination to do so," he adds.
The law firms of Milberg Weiss Bershad & Schulman LLP, Weiss &
Lurie, and Schiffrin & Barroway, LLP reports that pursuant to
Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and an Order of
the Court, that the case known as In re Vodafone Group, Plc
Securities Litigation, 02 Civ. 7592 (AKH) has been certified as
a class action and that a settlement for $24,500,000 has been
proposed.
The suit was brought on behalf of a class consisting of "all
persons who purchased or otherwise acquired Vodafone Group PLC
ADSs (symbol: VOD US, CUSIP 92857W100) during the period between
March 7, 2001 and May 28, 2002, inclusive (the "Class").
A hearing will be held before the Honorable Alvin K. Hellerstein
in the United States Courthouse for the Southern District of New
York, 500 Pearl Street, New York, New York 10007, at 4:00 p.m.,
on June 22, 2005, to determine whether the proposed settlement
should be approved by the Court as fair, reasonable, and
adequate, and to consider the application of Plaintiffs' Counsel
for attorneys' fees and reimbursement of expenses.
For more details, contact Vodafone Securities Litigation
Settlement c/o Berdon Claims Administration LLC by Mail: P.O.
Box 9014, Jericho, NY 11753-8914 by Phone: (800) 766-3330 by
Fax: (516) 931-0810 or visit their Web site:
http://www.berdonllp.com/claimsOR William P. Fredericks, Esq.
of MILBERG WEISS BERSHAD & SCHULMAN LLP by Mail: One
Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10119-0165 by Phone:
(212) 594-5300 OR James E. Tullman, Esq. of WEISS & LURIE by
Mail: 551 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10176 by Phone:
(212) 682-3025 OR Stuart L. Berman, Esq. of SCHIFFRIN &
BARROWAY, LLP by Mail: Three Bala Plaza East, Suite 400, Bala
Cynwyd, PA 19004 by Phone: (610) 667-7706.
The law firm of Stull, Stull & Brody initiated a class action
lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of
New Jersey, against Bradley Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Bradley" or
the "Company") (NYSE:BDY), on behalf of purchasers of Bradley
securities between October 8, 2003 and February 25, 2005,
inclusive (the "Class Period"). Also included are all those who
acquired Bradley's shares in its December 10, 2003 equity
offering and/or its October 10, 2003 debt offering.
The complaint alleges that Bradley violated federal securities
laws by issuing false or misleading information. Specifically,
the Complaint alleges that Bradley was materially overstating
its financial results by engaging in improper accounting
practices. On February 28, 2005, Bradley announced that the
staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") is
conducting an informal inquiry to determine whether there have
been violations of the federal securities laws. In connection
with the inquiry, the SEC staff requested that Bradley provide
it with certain information and documents concerning issues
related to revenue recognition and capitalization of certain
payments. In light of the ongoing SEC staff inquiry and separate
counsel's review, Bradley announced that it will be delaying the
release of its 2004 earnings. In response to this disclosure,
Bradley stock fell from a close of $13.25 per share on February
25, 2005, to close at $9.75 per share on February 28, 2005, the
next trading day.
For more details, contact Tzivia Brody, Esq. of Stull, Stull &
Brody by Phone: 1-800-337-4983 by Fax: 212/490-2022 by E-mail
SSBNY@aol.com.
The law firm of Keller Rohrback L.L.P. initiated a securities
fraud case in the United States District Court for the Western
District of Washington, on behalf of purchasers of Cell
Therapeutics Inc. ("CTI" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:CTIC)
securities between June 7, 2004 and March 4, 2005 (the "Class
Period") (the "Class Period").
Shareholders allege that CTI and certain of its officers and
directors issued a series of false and misleading statements
concerning two of the Company's cancer treatment products,
STELLAR 3 and XYOTAX, which caused the stock of CTI to trade at
inflated prices throughout the Class Period.
Specifically, Plaintiffs allege that Defendants CTI, Max Link,
the Company's Chairman, and James Bianco, the Company's
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director, with violations
of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder. The Complaint
charges that the Company failed to disclose and misrepresented
these material adverse facts known to or recklessly disregarded
by the Defendants:
(1) that contrary to the Defendants' express and repeated
representations, the results of the STELLAR 3 trail
were not encouraging;
(2) that XYOTAX failed to boost survival for non-small cell
lung cancer;
(3) that XYOTAX failed to show greater survival benefit
than Taxol, the leading drug on the market; and
(4) that based on the results of the trial, the Company
would not be able to begin pre-launch activities and to
position itself to submit a new drug application for
XYOTAX.
For more details, contact Jen Veitengruber, Desper Leland or
Elizabeth Leland by Phone: 800/776-6044 by E-mail:
investor@kellerrohrback.com or visit their Web site:
http://www.SeattleClassAction.com.
The law firm of Milberg Weiss Bershad & Schulman LLP initiated a
securities fraud class action complaint in the United States
District Court for the Northern District of Georgia against
ChoicePoint, Inc. ("ChoicePoint" or the "Company"), Derek Smith,
Doug Curling, and Darryl Lemecha on behalf of purchasers of
ChoicePoint common stock (NYSE: CPS) between November 24, 2003
through March 3, 2005, inclusive (the "Class Period").
The Complaint alleges that defendants violated Sections 10(b)
and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Rule 10b-5
promulgated thereunder. Unbeknownst to the market until February
15, 2005, from approximately October 2003 through October 2004
criminals using "low-tech" methods had been able to access
thousands of records containing personal information maintained
by ChoicePoint. Throughout the Class Period, the Defendants made
material misrepresentations and/or omitted to make material
disclosures by falsely claiming that ChoicePoint had unique
capabilities and systems in place to enable the responsible use
of information while ensuring the protection of personal
privacy. Defendants also falsely claimed during the Class Period
that the theft of consumer data they recently announced was
unprecedented and that the Company welcomes national discussion
on how to ensure that information is used responsibly.
As the market learned in February 2005, ChoicePoint did not have
adequate controls in place to protect the privacy of the
information it compiled and sold. Defendants became aware of the
criminals' access of the Company's records in October of 2004.
Despite knowing of this serious threat to consumer privacy and
despite knowing that their representations about the security of
ChoicePoint's data were inaccurate, Defendants waited until
February 15 of this year to disclose any information about the
breach in Company security. As the market learned on March 2,
2005, a similar incident occurred five years ago resulting in
the disclosure of 7,000 records. Notwithstanding their
nondisclosure and misstatements, Defendants Smith and Curling
sold over eighteen million dollars of stock between the time
they discovered the criminals' access and their initial
disclosure of the breach of their system in February.
When Defendants belatedly acknowledged that the security of
ChoicePoint's database had been breached and when the truth
about Defendants' prior conduct and misrepresentations began to
emerge, the market's reaction to the disclosures was swift and
severe. Following these disclosures, the market price of
ChoicePoint's common stock dropped from a high of $47.95 per
share during the Class Period to as low as $37.65 per share on
For more details, contact Steven G. Schulman by Mail: One
Pennsylvania Plaza, 49th fl., New York, NY, 10119-0165 by Phone:
(800) 320-5081 or by E-mail: sfeerick@milbergweiss.com OR Maya
Saxena or Joseph E. White III by Mail: 5200 Town Center Circle,
Suite 600, Boca Raton, FL 33486 by Phone: (561) 361-5000 by E-
mail: msaxena@milbergweiss.com or jwhite@milbergweiss.com or
visit their Web site: http://www.milbergweiss.com.
The law firm of Berger & Montague, P.C. initiated a class action
suit against Delphi Corporation ("Delphi" or the "Company")
(NYSE: DPH) and certain of its officers, in the United States
District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on behalf of
all persons or entities who purchased Delphi securities from
April 12, 2000 through March 3, 2005 (the "Class Period").
and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5
promulgated thereunder by the Securities and Exchange
Specifically, the complaint alleges that throughout the Class
Period the Company failed to disclose and misrepresented the
following material adverse facts, among others:
(1) that the Company's improper accounting for off-balance
sheet transactions in the amount of $200 million, and
financing activities of $20 million in 2000, caused the
Company to overstate cash flow by 82%, requiring a $220
million restatement;
(2) pre-tax income for 2000 was overstated by approximately
$100 million as a result of 'round trip' transactions
whereby the Company bought and sold inventory to the
same third party in an effort to "smooth" or manipulate
earnings; and
(3) the Company improperly accounted for Rebate
Transactions in 2001 causing it to overstate income by
$61 million.
Delphi is the target of two SEC investigations. As announced on
March 4, 2005, an internal investigation undertaken by Delphi in
response to these SEC investigations has uncovered serious
accounting failures at Delphi that resulted in the reporting of
materially false financial statements throughout the Class
Period. The Company's Audit Committee has now cautioned
investors that they cannot rely on any of Delphi's financial
statements for the last four years and that financial statements
will have to be restated.
On March 4, 2005, the Company concluded in essence that, based
on its preliminary findings, Delphi executives used 'roundtrip'
transactions or sham sales of assets, improper deferral of
expenses, and other improper accounting maneuvers to inflate
reported pretax earnings by a combined total of $166 million for
the years 1999 to 2001 and increase cash flow from operations by
a total of $446.5 million for 1999 through 2003. In 2000, Delphi
reported cash flow from operations that it now admits was
inflated by $220 million, or nearly 82%. As a result of the
multitude and magnitude of the restatements, the Audit Committee
announced that it had "lost confidence" in Vice Chairman and
Chief Financial Officer Alan Dawes and accepted his immediate
resignation. Immediately following the Company's March 4, 2004
release, Delphi's stock plummeted, on usually high trading
volume of 24.5 million shares, from its closing price of $6.37
on March 3, 2005, to a closing price of $5.46 on March 4, 2005 -
- a one-day drop of over 14 percent.
For more details, contact Berger & Montague, P.C. by Mail: 1622
Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 by Phone: 800-424-6690by
Fax: 215-875-4604 or by E-mail: info@bm.net.
The law firm of Mager White & Goldstein, LLP initiated a class
action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the
Southern District of New York on behalf of all persons who
purchased Delphi Corporation securities ("Delphi") (NYSE:DPH)
between April 12, 2000 and March 3, 2005 (the "Class Period").
The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, Delphi and
certain of its officers issued false and misleading statements
in which Delphi's financial results were materially overstated.
According to the lawsuit, these statements were based on
Delphi's improper financial practices involving vendor rebates
and off-balance sheet financing and other practices still being
investigated by Delphi. The statements had the effect of
artificially inflating the market price of Delphi securities,
which rose as high as $17.40 per share during the Class Period.
Delphi benefited from this artificial inflation by selling $400
million in preferred securities and $500 million in 6.5%
unsecured notes.
On March 4, 2005, Delphi announced the resignation of CFO Alan
Dawes. As a result of Delphi and certain officers engaging in
fraudulent accounting practices, the Company's Audit Committee
warned that Delphi's financial statements for the last four
years could not be relied upon, and would have to be restated.
Preliminary findings by the Company revealed that Delphi
executives used roundtrip transactions or sham sales of assets,
improper expense deferrals and other violations of generally
accepted accounting practices to inflate their 1999-2001
reported pretax earnings by $166 million, and to increase their
1999-2003 cash flow from operations by $446.5 million.
Upon this disclosure, Delphi's stock fell to $5.41 per share
before closing at $5.46 on March 4, 2005, 68% below the high of
$17.40 during the Class Period, and representing a one-day drop
of 14%.
Jayne Arnold Goldstein of Mager White & Goldstein by Mail: 2825
University Drive - Suite 350, Coral Springs, Florida 33065 by
Phone: 954-341-0844 or 866-274-8258 by Fax: 954-341-0855 or by
E-mail: jgoldstein@mwg-law.com.
class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of the securities
of Elan Corp. plc ("Elan" or the "Company") (NYSE: ELN) between
February 18, 2004 and February 28, 2005, inclusive, (the "Class
Period"), seeking to pursue remedies under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act").
The action is pending in the United States District Court for
the Southern District of New York against defendants Elan, G.
Kelly Martin (CEO, President) and Shane Cooke (CFO).
The complaint alleges that Elan is a pharmaceutical Company that
is collaborating with Biogen IDEC Inc. ("Biogen") on the
development and marketing of Tysabri. These claims arise out of
defendants' false and misleading statements and omissions
concerning the safety of Tysabri for use in the treatment of
multiple sclerosis ("MS"). The complaint alleges that defendants
knew or recklessly disregarded and failed to disclose the
(1) animal and human studies of Tysabri showed a
significant risk of negative adverse effects resulting
from its suppression of the immune system;
(2) the clinical trials of Tysabri and Tysabri in
combination with Biogen's existing MS drug, Avonex,
failed to include the full range of medical tests
required to detect the type of adverse side effects
likely to result from extended treatment with Tysabri,
including PML ("Progressive Multifocal
Leukoencephalopathy"), a frequently fatal disease of
the central nervous system; and
(3) the potentially fatal side effects of Tysabri were
cumulative such that there was a significant
possibility that they would not become apparent after
only a year or even two years of clinical trials.
The complaint further alleges that by at least as early as
February 7, 2005 defendants knew or recklessly disregarded that
at least one subject of the clinical trials who had received
Tysabri in combination with Avonex had become seriously ill,
with symptoms of PML, such that the subject required
hospitalization. By at least as early as February 18, 2005,
defendants knew or recklessly disregarded that another clinical
trial subject, also receiving Tysabri in combination with
Avonex, had contracted what appeared to be PML. On February 24,
2005, one of the two clinical trial subjects died from PML.
However, it was not until February 28, 2005, at least 21 days
after the first PML-related hospitalization, that defendants
disclosed to the investing public that anything was amiss ----
much less that two clinical trial subjects had contracted PML
that one of them had already died of the disease, and that
Tysabri was likely the cause. On that date, defendants also
announced that they were suspending sales of Tysabri. On this
news, Elan fell 13.81 euros, or 68 percent, to 6.49 euros at the
close of trading in Dublin. In the United States, Elan ADRS
closed on February 25, 2005 at $26.90 and, following the
announcement on February 28, 2005, lost 70% of their value
falling to a low of $7.90 before closing the day at $8.00.
For more details, contact Steven G. Schulman Peter E. Seidman or
Andrei V. Rado by Mail: One Pennsylvania Plaza, 49th fl., New
York, NY, 10119-0165 by Phone: (800) 320-5081 by E-mail:
sfeerick@milbergweiss.com or visit their Web site:
http://www.milbergweiss.com.
lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern
District of New York, against Forest Laboratories, Inc. ("Forest
Labs" or the "Company") (NYSE:FRX) on behalf of purchasers of
Forest Labs securities between August 15, 2002 and September 1,
2004, inclusive (the "Class Period").
The complaint charges that Forest Labs violated federal
securities laws by issuing false or misleading public
statements. Specifically, the Complaint alleges that Forest Labs
concealed deficiencies with its Celexa/Lexapro drugs in treating
adolescent depression and when Forest Labs ultimately disclosed
an agreement with the New York State Attorney General to make
available summaries of previously undisclosed studies on the
drugs, the price of Forest Labs stock dropped to as low as $36
The law firm of Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins
LLP ("Lerach Coughlin") initiated a class action in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of California on
behalf of those who acquired Orange 21, Inc. ("Orange 21")
(NASDAQ:ORNG) common stock pursuant to the Company's
Registration Statement and Prospectus (collectively,
"Registration Statement") issued in connection with its initial
public offering ("IPO") on December 14, 2004.
The complaint charges Orange 21 and certain of its officers and
directors with violations of the Securities Act of 1933. Orange
21 designs, develops and markets premium products for the action
sports and youth lifestyle markets. Its principal products,
sunglasses and goggles, are marketed under the brand Spy Optic.
The complaint alleges that on December 14, 2004, Orange 21
accomplished its IPO of 3.48 million shares at $8.75 per share
(including 2.48 million shares sold by Orange 21 and 1 million
shares sold by No Fear, Inc.) for net proceeds of $20.2 million
to Orange 21 and $8.1 million to No Fear, pursuant to the
Registration Statement. The Registration Statement failed to
disclose that Orange 21 was engaging in copyright infringement
and that its European operations were underperforming and would
have to be restructured, which costs would adversely affect 2005
On February 17, 2005, Orange 21 announced reduced earnings
expectations for 2005 due in part to changes in its European
infrastructure. On this news, Orange 21's stock price collapsed
to around $6.00 per share. Subsequently on March 7, 2005, Orange
21 disclosed it had received a cease-and-desist letter from
Oakley, Inc. In response, the Company would be required to make
changes based on the alleged infringements.
According to the complaint, the Registration Statement omitted
(1) the Company's European operations were underperforming
and lacked the requisite infrastructure necessary to
perform consistent with defendants' representations and
expectations and that as a result the Company would
need to restructure these operations and incur material
costs, thereby materially adversely affecting the
Company's operating performance for 2005;
(2) the Company was violating patents and trademarks
associated with its key product, fashion frames, and
that the Company would halt the production of certain
products, including the New Meteor New Espador and 42
fashion frames; and
(3) the Company was modifying its distribution policies
which necessarily would increase the Company's cost
structure and erode the Company's margins and net
income by $700,000 for FY 2005.
For more details, contact William Lerach or Darren Robbins of
Lerach Coughlin by Phone: 800/449-4900 or 619/231-1058 by E-
mail: wsl@lerachlaw.com or visit their Web site:
http://www.lerachlaw.com/cases/orange21/.
The law firm of Chimicles & Tikellis LLP initiated a securities
class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the
Northern District of California (Civil Action No. C 05-01146
CRB) against Textainer Financial Services Corporation
("Textainer Financial"), Textainer Equipment Management Limited,
Textainer Limited, Textainer Capital Corporation, Textainer
Group Holdings Limited, John A. Maccarone, and RFH, Ltd. The
action was brought on behalf of all persons (the "Class") who
held limited partnership interests in TCC Equipment Income Fund,
a California Limited Partnership, Textainer Equipment Income
Fund II, L.P., Textainer Equipment Income Fund III, L.P.,
Textainer Equipment Income Fund IV, L.P., Textainer Equipment
Income Fund V, L.P., and Textainer Equipment Income Fund VI,
L.P. (collectively, the "Textainer Partnerships") on January 20,
2005, and their assignees and other successors in interest. The
Textainer Partnerships purchase, own, operate, lease and sell
steel cargo containers used by international shipping lines, and
are currently the subject of a proposal to sell all of their
assets to defendant RFH, Ltd. (the "Sale").
The Complaint charges defendants with violations of the federal
securities laws, specifically Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 14a-9 promulgated thereunder. The
Complaint alleges that the defendants have issued materially
misleading proxy statements (the "Proxy Statements") to the
limited partners of the Textainer Partnerships requesting that
the limited partners grant proxies to be voted in favor of the
Sale and related proposals. In the action, the plaintiff alleges
(1) the Proxy Statements failed to appropriately disclose
that the prices at which the assets of the Partnerships
were to be sold were materially lower than current
market conditions would dictate;
(2) the Proxy Statements omitted to state that there was a
risk that the Partnership's Assets were being sold at a
value below the market because Textainer Financial and
its affiliates had required any bidder agree Textainer
Equipment Management Limited be retained to manage the
assets of the Partnerships after they were sold, a
condition which effectively eliminated other container
leasing companies from the bidding process or
artificially capped the amount that they would bid,
adjustments made to the pricing of the Sale did not
account for the increasing value of containers; and
(3) the Proxy Statements omitted to state other material
facts that an investor would consider important in
deciding whether to grant their proxies to be voted in
favor of the Sale and the related proposals.
This action seeks injunctive relief and damages on behalf of the
Class including nullifying all approvals given by shareholders
to Textainer Financial and its management in response to the
materially false and misleading Proxy Statements. In addition to
the claims under the federal securities laws, the complaint
alleges claims for breach of fiduciary duty under applicable
state law. The complaint names the Textainer Partnerships as
nominal defendants to assure that the Court may afford complete
relief to the Class.
For more details, contact James R. Malone, Jr. or Kimberly M.
Donaldson of CHIMICLES & TIKELLIS LLP by Mail: One Haverford
Centre, 361 West Lancaster Ave., Haverford, PA 19041 by Phone:
866-399-2487 by E-mail: jamesmalone@chimicles.com or
kimdonaldson@chimicles.com.
The Law Office of Alfred G. Yates Jr., PC initiated a class
action lawsuit on behalf of persons who purchased or otherwise
acquired publicly traded securities of Veeco Instruments, Inc.
("Veeco" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:VECO) between November 3,
2003 and February 10, 2005, inclusive, (the "Class Period").
The action, numbered 2:05-cv-01552-LDW-ETB, is pending in the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New
York against defendants Veeco, Edward H. Braun and John F. Rein
Jr. ("Defendants").
The complaint alleges that Defendants violated Section 10(b) and
20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5
promulgated thereunder. Specifically the complaint alleges that
Defendants materially misled the investing public by issuing
false and misleading statements regarding the business and
financial results of Veeco. More specifically, the complaint
alleges that the Company's statements were false and misleading
because Defendants knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose
that it had improperly valued the inventory and accounts payable
at its TurboDisc division in order to make the acquisition look
more attractive to the market, that it falsely recognized
revenue at TurboDisc during the class period, and that it
improperly overvalued its deferred tax assets.
On February 11, 2005, Veeco announced that it was postponing the
results of its financial results for the fourth quarter and full
year 2004 pending completion of an internal investigation of
improper accounting transactions at its TurboDisc division. The
Company further expects that the investigation will lead to
adjustments of the financial statements previously issued for
the quarterly periods and nine-months ended September 2004.
Shares of Veeco reacted negatively to the news, falling $1.83
per share, or approximately 10%, to $16.96 per share.
For more details, contact Alfred G. Yates, Jr. by Phone:
1-800-391-5164 or by E-mail: yateslaw@aol.com.
The law firm of Berman DeValerio Pease Tabacco Burt & Pucillo
initiated class action in the U.S. District Court for the
District of Massachusetts. The lawsuit seeks damages for
violations of federal securities laws on behalf of all investors
who bought Viisage publicly traded securities during the period
of July 22, 2004 through and including March 2, 2005 (the "Class
Period").
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") Rule 10b-5.
According to the complaint, Viisage portrayed itself during the
Class Period as a turn around Company in the high growth sector
of secure identity solutions. In reality however,
(1) Viisage engaged in improper conduct with respect to a
$20 million contract;
(2) the Company improperly inflated its reported revenues
in the third and fourth quarters of 2004; and
(3) Viisage's internal accounting controls were so flawed
that the Company qualified as a having "material
weakness" under the accounting standards set by the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
As a result of misleading financial statements issued during the
Class Period, the Company's stock soared to $9.64 per share on
December 23, 2004, up from $6.95 per share on July 22, 2004, a
38.7% increase in just six months.
Then, on February 7, 2005, Viisage announced that the Company
would not meet its previously issued earnings guidance for 2004.
In addition, rather than report a $1.5 loss as previously
projected, Viisage anticipated a loss of approximately $7-8
The market's reaction was immediate. On February 8, 2005,
Viisage's shares plunged as much as 24.3% -- from $7.27 to a low
of $5.85.
On March 2, 2005, Viisage again shocked the market by announcing
that the Company's auditor would "issue an adverse opinion with
respect to the effectiveness of the Company's internal controls
over financial reporting." In addition, Viisage announced that
revenues for the first quarter 2005 would be between $15-$17
million -- well below expectations of $19.7-$21 million.
On this news, Viisage's shares plunged as much as 27.2% on March
3, 2005 to a low of $4.30 -- down from the close of $5.47 the
previous day.
For more details, contact Jeffrey C. Block, Esq. or Leslie R.
Stern, Esq. by Mail: One Liberty Square, Boston, MA 02109 by
Phone: (800) 516-9926 by E-mail: law@bermanesq.com or visit
their Web site: http://www.bermanesq.com/pdf/Viisage-Cplt.pdf.
LLP ("Lerach Coughlin") initiated a class action lawsuit in the
United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
on behalf of purchasers of Viisage Technology, Inc. ("Viisage"
or the "Company") (NASDAQ: VISG) publicly traded securities
during the period between May 3, 2004 and March 2, 2005 (the
"Class Period").
The complaint charges Viisage and certain of its officers and
1934. Viisage delivers technology identity solutions for
governments, law enforcement agencies and businesses concerned
with enhancing security, reducing identity theft, providing
access control and protecting personal privacy.
The complaint alleges that, during the Class Period, defendants
issued materially false and misleading statements regarding the
Company's increasing financial performance and future prospects.
As alleged in the complaint, these statements were materially
false and misleading because they failed to disclose and/or
misrepresented the following adverse facts, among others, which
were known to defendants, or recklessly disregarded by them, at
all relevant times:
(1) that the Company lacked requisite internal controls,
and, as a result, the Company's projections and
reported results were based upon defective assumptions
and/or manipulated facts;
(2) that contrary to defendants' claims of profitability
for the fourth quarter of 2004, the Company was
actually on track to report losses;
(3) that the Company's information technology systems were
materially compromised, which also materially impacted
the Company's ability to issue accurate financial
statements and projections;
(4) that defendants concealed these deficiencies for
multiple quarters in order to delay the cost of
implementing the proper system controls and thereby
temporarily inflate the Company's net income and to
provide defendants with a pliable system that would
allow them to cause the Company to report financial
results irrespective of their accuracy; and
(5) that as a result of (a)-(d) above, the Company's
projections for fiscal year ("FY") 2004 were grossly
inflated.
As a result of the defendants' false statements, Viisage's stock
traded at artificially inflated levels during the Class Period,
which allowed the Company and its top officers and directors to
sell more than $39 million worth of Company shares in Viisage's
July 2004 Offering. However, after the above revelations seeped
into the market, the Company's shares were hammered by massive
sales of the Company's shares sending them down 60% from their
Class Period high. In all, defendants' scheme caused hundreds of
millions of dollars in lost market capitalization. This dramatic
decline in share price was followed by an immediate outcry from
Wall Street analysts who collectively downgraded the Company's
shares.
http://www.lerachlaw.com/cases/viisage/.
USA. Glenn Ruel Senorin, Aurora Fatima Antonio and Lyndsey
Resnick, Editors.
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Friday, May 25, 2007, Vol. 9, No. 103
40/40 CLUB: Former Waitress Files Suit to Claim Unpaid Overtime
AAFES: Recalls Toys Due to Paint Peeling, High Lead Content
ALIGN TECHNOLOGY: Sued by OrthoClear Settlement Class Members
ALLTEL CORP: Ark. Lawsuit Challenges $27.5BB TPG Merger Deal
AMERICAN EXPRESS: June Hearing Set in $100M Securities Suit Deal
BASF CORP: Fairness Hearing for $62.5M POAST Suit Deal Set June
CANADA: Saskatoon Condo Buyers Sue Developer for Failed Project
CATHOLIC CHURCH: Suit Against Archdiocese of Portland Dismissed
CROCUS INVESTMENT: Moves to Dismiss Parts of Investors' Suit
CVS RX: Fla. Pharmacists Sue to Claim Unpaid Overtime Wages
DAIMLERCHRYSLER MOTORS: Tex. Suit Claims Firms Tamper Odometers
DOLLAR FINANCIAL: Accused of Charging Illegal Payday Loan Rates
FIELDSTONE INVESTMENT: Faces Investor Suit Over Sale to C-BASS
GLAXOSMITHKLINE PLC: Court Approves $64M Paxil Suit Settlement
HOMEBRIDGE MORTGAGE: Lawsuit Filed in Fla. Aims to Collect Wages
KENTUCKY: Work Program for Retired Judges Runs Until 2009
KTM NORTH: Recalls Motorcycles Posing Chemical Burn, Fire Risks
LOUISIANA: City Sued for Allegedly Overbilling Utility Customers
MASSACHUSETTS: Suit Seeks Better Care for Brain-injured Persons
MAURITANIA: Ex-Pres. Sued in N.Y. Over Human Rights Violations
MBIA INC: Plaintiffs Appeal Dismissal of N.Y. Securities Lawsuit
MEDPLANS PARTNERS: Ky. Suit Claims Overtime Compensation Denial
METLIFE LIFE: Court Reverses Class Certification in "Macomber"
METROPOLITAN INSURANCE: Still Faces Tenants' Litigation in N.Y.
METROPOLITAN LIFE: Still Faces Suits Over Policies in Canada
METROPOLITAN LIFE: Appeals Court Sides with Firm in "Brubaker"
MICROSOFT CORP: $179M Antitrust Suit Settlement Gets Initial OK
NASHUA CORP: Plaintiffs Fail to Refile Claim in Cerion IPO Suit
NEW CENTURY: Loan Officers to Pursue Claim for Overtime Pay
NEW CENTURY: Chapter 11 Cases Include WARN Act Violation Claim
ORACLE CORP: Court to Rule on Letting British Author Testify
PETCO ANIMAL: Faces N.Y. Litigation Over Greenies Dog Chews
PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL: Faces Ill. Suit Over Mutual Fund Kickbacks
REFCO COMMODITY: Moves to Lift Stay to Pursue Dismissal Request
REFCO INC: Lift Stay Order in Sunstate Investors' Suit Expanded
SIRVA INC: Parties Seek to Settle Ill. Securities Fraud Lawsuit
SMART & FINAL: Settles Calif. Suit Over Sharp Merger Agreement
TB ISLE: Fla. Lawsuit Alleges Denial of Overtime Compensation
TIMOTHY J. BROPHY: Wis. Court Okays Settlement with Tenants
TRI-STAR INTERNATIONAL: Recalls Rattles with Detachable Parts
U.S. ENGINEERING: Fla. Lawsuit Aims to Collect Unpaid Wages
U.S. RECOVERY: Student in Bounty Hunter Class Files Fraud Suit
W.R. GRACE: Opposes Anderson Memorial's Access to Privilege Log
Asbestos Alert
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Foster Wheeler Has $401.6M Liability in 1Q
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Foster Wheeler Ltd. Has 135,260 U.S. Claims
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Foster Wheeler Has 326 U.K. Claims at 1Q07
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Everest Re Reserves $517.9M for A&E Losses
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Cases v. Celanese Units Rise to 658 in 1Q07
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Ashland Inc. Records 145T Open Claims in 1Q
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Albany Int'l. Faces 19,120 Pending Claims
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Open Claims v. Brandon Drying Drop to 9,089
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Albany Int'l. Still Faces Mt. Vernon Cases
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Magnetek Faces Actions from Old Businesses
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Suits v. IntriCon Corp. Remain at 122 in 1Q
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Entrx Reserves $7.75M for Liability Claims
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Lawsuits v. Entrx Corp. Drop to 375 in 1Q07
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Metalclad Still Faces Suit by ACE, Insurers
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Ballantyne Faces Stehman Suit in California
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Congoleum Records $10.37M Liabilities in 1Q
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Court Affirms $9.2M Settlement to Congoleum
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Norcross Safety Has 95 Exposure Suits in 1Q
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Reunion Industries Opens 109 Cases in 1Q07
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: IPALCO Unit Faces 115 Pending Suits in 1Q07
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Duke Energy Ohio Faces Fewer than 10 Suits
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Duke Energy Indiana Faces 120 Pending Suits
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: BJ Services Faces Exposure Actions in Miss.
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: American Biltrite Has 1,381 Claims in 1Q07
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Sensus Metering Still Faces 3rd Party Suits
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: BMCA Continues to Face G-I Holdings Claims
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Building Materials Has 1,900 Injury Claims
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Empire State Still Faces Staniszek Lawsuit
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Amerex Accrues $768T for Cleanup Liability
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Colonial Commercial Has 101 Hilco Claimants
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Intermountain Recognizes $11T for Cleanup
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Ruling Reached in Phase I of Congoleum Case
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Two Firms Fined CDN175T for Removal Breach
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: W.R. Grace Asks Court to Bar Suits v. BNSF
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Pa. Worker's Kin Sues 44 Firms in Illinois
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Action Filed v. 43 Companies in Tex. Court
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Widow Files Suit v. 16 Firms in W.Va. Court
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Ironworker Sues 55 Companies in W.Va. Court
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: HSE Warns of Dangers of Working with Hazard
ASBESTOS ALERT: Meruelo Maddux Sued for Illegal Waste Disposal
XINHUA FINANCE: Bernstein Files Securities Fraud Suit in N.Y.
The 40/40 club owned by rapper Shawn Carter a.k.a. Jay-Z in W.
25th St. in New York is facing a class action filed by a former
waitress alleging she wasn't paid for overtime, New York Posts'
Daily News reports.
Celeste Williams filed the suit in Manhattan Federal court on
May 22. She is seeking class-action status for the suit on
behalf of bartenders, table clearers and waiters. She claims
the club doesn't pay minimum wage and takes a portion of their
tips. Named defendants are: Shawn Carter, Twenty Ones dba The
40/40 Club, club co-owner Juan Perez and Desiree Gonzales.
Ms. Williams is seeking unspecified damages in her suit on
behalf of more than 100 staffers.
40/40 says it hasn't been served with any papers. Ms. Williams
allegedly worked at the club for only four days.
Ms. Williams' lawyer is:
Maimon Kirschenbaum, Esq.
Joseph & Herzfeld, LLP
E-mail: maimon@jhllp.com
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with
AAFES (Army & Air Force Exchange Service) of Dallas, Texas, is
voluntarily recalling about 3,000 Invincibles Transport
Converters Toy Sets.
The firm said surface paints on the toy action figures contain
high levels of lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young
children and can cause adverse health effects.
AAFES has not received any injury or incident reports.
This recall involves toy sets with multiple action figures and
vehicles. The model number (88931), Universal Product Code (6
98567 88931 4) and Soldier Bear logo are printed on the
product's packaging. The backs of the action figures are marked
with letters "TC-ST."
Toy Century Industrial Ltd. of Hong Kong manufactured these
products, which were sold at AAFES stores worldwide from August
2006 through April 2007 for about $20.
Click the link to view the photo:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07193.html
Consumers should immediately take the toys away from children
and return the product to the nearest AAFES store for full
refund.
For additional information, call AAFES at (800) 866-3605 anytime
or visit the firm's Web site at http://www.aafes.com.
Align Technology, Inc. was notified of a purported class-action
complaint that was filed against it, OrthoClear Inc., and
OrthoClear Holdings, Inc., d/b/a OrthoClear, Inc. in the U.S.
District Court for the Northern District of New York on May 18,
The Complaint, filed on behalf of Debra A. Weber and all others
similarly situated, alleges that orthodontic treatments of the
plaintiff dental patients "were interrupted, unduly prolonged or
terminated as a result of defendants' unlawful conduct" relating
to the OrthoClear settlement.
Following the OrthoClear settlement, Align Technology launched
the Patients First Program to provide new Invisalign treatment
to former OrthoClear patients at no charge to patients or their
doctors.
The Complaint alleges two causes of action against the
OrthoClear defendants and one cause of action against Align
Technology for breach of contract. The cause of action against
Align Technology references Align's agreement to make Invisalign
treatment available to OrthoClear patients, alleging that Align
failed "to provide the promised treatment to Plaintiff or any of
the Class Members."
As of May 21, 2007, Align had shipped approximately 23,400 of
the 24,700 cases submitted under the Patients First Program,
including all Invisalign aligners for the named Plaintiff. The
remaining in-process cases are expected to ship in the second
quarter of 2007, as previously reported by the Company.
Align Technology has reviewed the allegations contained in the
Complaint and believes they are without merit. It intends to
vigorously defend itself against the Complaint.
The suit is "Weber v. Align Technology, Inc. et al., Case No.
5:07-cv-00535-NAM-GJD," filed in the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of New York, under Judge Norman A. Mordue,
with referral to Judge Gustave J. DiBianco.
Mark J. Schulte, Esq.
Daniel B. Berman, Esq.
Maureen E. Maney, Esq.
Zachary M. Mattison, Esq.
Hancock, Estabrook Law Firm
1500 MONY Tower I
Syracuse, NY 13221-4976
Fax: 315-471-3167 or 315-233-4312
E-mail: mschulte@hancocklaw.com or
dberman@hancocklaw.com or
mmaney@hancocklaw.com or
zmattison@hancocklaw.com
Emerson Poynter LLP, a national law firm with offices in Little
Rock, Arkansas and Houston, Texas, filed a class action in the
Pulaski County (Ark.) Circuit Court on behalf of holders of
Alltel Corp. (AT) Common Stock. The case is CV 2007 006406.
The suit, filed against Alltel and its directors, alleges that
certain Alltel insiders and directors were provided with
preferential treatment in connection with their efforts to
complete the sale of Alltel to TPG Capital, formally Texas
Pacific Group and GS Capital Partners, a subsidiary of Goldman
Sachs in a transaction valued at approximately $27.5 billion.
Under the terms of the merger agreement, TPG Capital and GSCP
will acquire all of the outstanding common stock of Alltel for
$71.50 per share in cash. The purchase price per share
represents a 23% premium over Alltel's closing share price prior
to media reports of a potential transaction published on Dec.
The Arkansas complaint further alleges that Alltel and its
directors breached their fiduciary duties by placing their own
interests ahead of the company's public shareholders by agreeing
to a merger, which will offer a meager premium to shareholders
but will enrich the directors significantly upon consummation of
the "change of control" transaction.
Scott E. Poynter, Esq.
Emerson Poynter LLP
500 President Clinton Ave, Suite 305
E-mail: alltelcase@emersonpoynter.com
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
will hold a final fairness hearing on June 4 at 10:00 a.m. for a
proposed settlement in the matter, "In re American Express
Financial Advisors Securities Litigation, Master File No. 04
Civ. 1773 (DAB)."
The hearing will be held before Judge Deborah A. Batts of the
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in the
Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse, 500 Pearl St., Room
24B, New York, NY 10007.
The settlement covers all persons and entities who, at any time
from and including March 10, 1999 through and including April 1,
-- paid a fee for financial advisory services as described
in the American Express or Ameriprise Financial
Advisory Services Brochure and the Financial Advisory
Service Agreement;
-- purchased through American Express Financial Advisors
(now Ameriprise) any mutual fund in the American
Express or Ameriprise Preferred Provider Program,
Select Group Program, or other similar program;
any mutual fund sold under the American Express, AXP,
or RiverSource brand;
-- paid a fee for financial advice, financial planning, or
other financial advisory services rendered in
connection with the American Express or Ameriprise
Strategic Portfolio Service program, Wealth Management
Service program, or Separately Managed Account program.
Generally, plaintiffs in the consolidated action, assert claims
against Defendants under Sections 12(a)(2) and 15 of the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933; Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Rules
10b-5(a)-(c) and 10b-10 promulgated thereunder; Section 20(a) of
the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934; the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940, 15 U.S.C. Sections 80b-5, 80b-6; the
Minnesota Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act; Minnesota
Consumer Fraud Act; Minnesota False Advertisement Act; Minnesota
Unlawful Trade Practices Act; and for breach of fiduciary duty
and unjust enrichment.
In October 2005, a comprehensive settlement was reached
regarding the consolidated securities class action filed against
the company, its former parent and affiliates in October 2004.
The settlement, under which the company denies any liability,
includes a one-time payment of $100 million to the class
On Feb. 14, the court preliminarily approved the settlement and
set a final fairness hearing for June 4.
Objections or exclusions to and from the settlement were due May
7. Deadline for submission of claim forms is July 10.
For more information, contact AEFA Securities Litigation
Settlement c/o The Garden City Group, Inc., P.O. Box 9089,
Dublin, OH 43017-0989, Phone: 1-888-212-5605, Web site:
http://www.financialfeesettlement.com.
The suit is "In Re American Express Financial Advisors
Securities Litigation, Case No. 1:04-cv-01773-DAB," filed in the
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York under
Judge Deborah A. Batts.
(1) Jules Brody, Aaron Lee Brody, Stull, Stull & Brody, 6
East 45th Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10017, Phone:
(212) 687-7230, Fax: (212) 490-2022, E-mail:
ssbny@aol.com;
(2) Sharon M. Lee, Andrei V. Rado, Michael Robert Reese,
Steven G. Schulman and Peter Edward Seidman, Milberg,
Weiss, Bershad, Hynes & Lerach, L.L.P., One
Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10119, Phone: (212)
594-5300, E-mail: mreese@milberg.com,
sschulman@milbergweiss.com, pseidman@milberg.com; and
(3) Jonathan K. Levine, Girard, Gibbs & De Bartolomeo,
L.L.P., 601 California Street Suite 1400, San
Francisco, CA 94108, Phone: (415) 981-4800, Fax: (415)
981-4846, E-mail: jkl@girardgibbs.com.
Representing the company is Peter Kristian Vigeland of Wilmer,
Cutler & Pickering (NYC), 399 Park Avenue, 30th Floor, New York,
NY 10022, Phone: 212-230-8800, Fax: 212-230-8888, E-mail:
Peter.Vigeland@wilmer.com.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota will hold
a Final Approval Hearing on June 5, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. for a
$62.5 million nationwide settlement of a suit filed by farmers
who purchased BASF Corp.'s herbicide POAST(R).
The lawsuit was filed in 1997 in Norman County District Court,
Ada, Minnesota by 11 farmers who accused New Jersey-based BASF
Corp. of fraudulently marketing the same herbicide as different
products -- POAST and POAST Plus -- at different prices.
The lawsuit claimed that this marketing was intended to obtain
inflated prices for the same herbicide from minor crop farmers.
Minor crop farmers are growers of sugarbeets, sunflowers,
potatoes, field beans, fruits and vegetables, and flowers.
After a trial and numerous appeals, the farmers prevailed.
On Nov. 17, 2006, BASF paid $62.5 million into the Farmers'
Common Fund, an interest-bearing bank account approved by the
court, to hold farmers' money until distribution.
The jury found that the herbicides were essentially the same,
but that BASF charged more for Poast (Class Action Reporter,
Nov. 15, 2006).
Farmers who bought Poast herbicide from 1992 to 1996 are
eligible to share in the judgment. Plaintiffs' attorney Douglas
Nill estimated that several thousand farmers are eligible. The
distribution will be pro rata.
Objections and claim filing were due May 9 and May 16,
The class action on the Net: http://www.poastclassaction.com/.
The suit is "Peterson v. BASF Corp., Case No. C2-97-295," filed
in Norman County District Court, Ada, Minnesota.
Class Counsel is Douglas J. Nill, P.A., 1100 One Financial
Plaza, 120 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55402-1801,
Phone: 1-866-573-3669 (Toll-free), Website:
http://www.FarmLaw.com.
A group of angry would-be homeowners in Saskatoon, Canada, have
filed a class action against Jastek Master Builder, CBC News
Jastek Master Builder, a home developer, signed contracts for
condominium development with about 50 individuals sometime in
January.
Some months later, these people received letters saying Jastek
was canceling the development because it was unable to secure a
development permit.
The lawsuit alleges the company breached the contract. It seeks
to have the company either honor the agreement or compensate the
people involved for the deposits they made.
One of the plaintiffs, Gina Smith, found the whole situation
devastating and said she can no longer afford a house in
Saskatoon because the housing prices have increased
considerably.
Jastek has 20 days to file its defense argument.
George Green of Sakskatoon, Saskatchewan is representing the
plaintiffs.
Parties in a class action against the Archdiocese of Portland in
Oregon agreed to dismiss the suit after the Honorable Elizabeth
L. Perris approved a settlement under the archdiocese's Chapter
11 case.
Judge Perris overruled all objections to the Class Action
Settlement. Subsequently, the Archdiocese of Portland in
Oregon, the Official Committee of Tort Claimants, and other
parties, in an approved stipulated order, agree to dismiss the
case with prejudice and without costs to any party (Catholic
Church Bankruptcy News, Issue No. 92).
Several parties tried to block approval of the Settlement,
specifically (i) AbiJah Shachag (ii) the Class Counsel and the
Committee of Catholic Parishes, Parishioners and Other
Interested Parties, (iii)) Ray Jordan, a certified public
accountant, and (iv) Charles E. Wagner of Hillsboro, Oregon.
The parties argued, among other things, that the restructuring
of the Archdiocese should be agreed to in all respects before
the Settlement is approved.
The Class Action Settlement relates to a defendant class action
(Adversary Proceeding No. 04-03292-elp filed in the Bankruptcy
Case).
Under the Class Action Settlement, in consideration for the
Debtor's payment in full of the allowed amount of all claims
under the Second Amended and Restated Joint Plan of
Reorganization:
(1) the lawsuit will be dismissed with prejudice on the
Effective Date of the Plan;
(2) if the court approves the plan, the Debtor, the
Parishes and Schools will receive a discharge from
liability for all claims that arose prior to the
Effective Date of the Plan. Thereafter, those with
claims that arose prior to the Effective Date may seek
recovery only under the terms of the Plan;
(3) the Parishes, Schools and the Debtor will be
restructured under civil law in the 12 months following
the Effective Date of the Plan, among other things, to
make clear under civil law the ownership interests
effective under ecclesiastical law; and
(4) the Disclosure Statement states:
"It is anticipated that no Parish or School
property will be used to pay Claims or serve as
collateral for any loans, and that the Reorganized
Debtor will be able to provide the necessary
funding to pay Claims without increasing the
Parish assessments."
The Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon filed for chapter 11
protection (Bankr. Ore. Case No. 04-37154) on July 6, 2004.
On July 22, 2005, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order in a
lawsuit certifying parishes and parishioners as a class of
At issue in the lawsuit is whether Catholic parishes, schools
and certain funds are available to the Archdiocese to pay
settlements of tort claims and to other creditors.
The main issues in the Lawsuit are whether Parishes, Schools and
certain funds are unrestricted assets belonging to the Debtor
and available to creditors of the Debtor.
The Debtor, the Parishes and Schools contend, among other
things, that such assets are restricted and are not available to
pay creditors of the Debtor.
The Tort Claimants Committee contends that such property is the
unrestricted property of the Debtor and is available to pay
creditors of the Debtor.
The Committee of Parishioners - Western Oregon on the Net:
http://www.parishionerscommittee.org/
The suit is "In Re: Roman Catholic Archbishop of Portland in
Oregon, and successors, a corporation sole, dba the Archdiocese
of Portland in Oregon, Debtor, Case No. 04-37154-elp11."
Class Counsel is Douglas R. Pahl of Perkins Coie LLP, 1120 N.W.
Couch Street, Tenth Floor, Portland, OR 97209-4128, Phone: (503)
727-2121, Fax: (503) 727-2222, E-mail:
parishclass@perkinscoie.com.
Crocus Investment lawyers presented to a Winnipeg court motions
to dismiss portions of a suit filed by fund investors, CJOB
Investors filed the CAN$200M suit in 2005 after the labor-
sponsored fund failed.
The suit alleges, among others, that the province "did not
properly enforce the Crocus Act," and that provincial officials
"deliberately ignored multiple warning signs regarding the
management of the Crocus Fund" (Class Action Reporter, Nov 22,
Lead plaintiffs, GrowthWorks Canadian Fund Ltd. and Bernie
Bellan, have proposed a $1 million settlement for the suit.
Defendants in the suit are:
- Crocus Investment;
- Manitoba Securities Commission;
- 17 individuals that include past senior officers and
members of the fund's board of directors; and
- Manitoba province.
Hearing for class certification is set on September.
Lead attorney for the investors is:
David Klein, Esq.
David Klein, Klein Lyons
Suite 1100 - 1333 West Broadway
Vancouver, B.C. V6H 4C1
CVS RX Services, Inc. is facing a class-action complaint filed
May 21 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of
Florida alleging Labor Code violations.
Named plaintiff Jeffrey Charron brings this action for unpaid
overtime compensation, declaratory relief and other relief under
the Fair Labor Standards Act, as amended, 29 U.S.C. Section
216(b).
Mr. Charron files this complaint on behalf of all pharmacists
who worked for CVS Rx at any time within the past three years
and who performed services for defendants for which no
provisions were made to properly pay them for those hours worked
in excess of 40 within a work week.
The complaint claims that during plaintiffs' employment, they
were not paid time and one-half their regular rate of pay for
all hours worked in excess of 40 per work week during one or
more work weeks. Instead, plaintiffs were paid "straight time"
for their hours in excess of 40 within the work week.
According to the complaint, as a result of defendants'
intentional, willful, and unlawful acts in refusing to pay
plaintiff time and one-half his regular rate of pay for each
hour worked in excess of 40 per work week in one or more work
weeks, plaintiff has suffered damages plus incurring reasonable
attorneys' fees and costs.
Plaintiff demands judgment against defendants for the payment of
all overtime hours at one and one-half the regular rate of pay
for the hours worked by them for which defendant did not
properly compensate them, liquidated damages, reasonable
attorneys' fees and costs incurred in this action, declaratory
relief and for such other and further relief the court deems
just and proper.
A copy of the complaint is available free of charge at:
http://ResearchArchives.com/t/s?2017
The suit is "Charron v. CVS RX Services, Inc. et al., Case No.
2:07-cv-00327-JES-DNF," filed in the U.S. District Court for the
Middle District of Florida under Judge John E. Steele with
referral to Judge Douglas N. Frazier.
Carlos V. Leach, Esq.
Morgan & Morgan, PA
20 N Orange Ave - Ste 1600
E-mail: cleach@forthepeople.com
DaimlerChrysler Motors Co., LLC and DaimlerChrylser Corp. are
facing a class-action complaint in the U.S. District Court for
the Eastern District of Texas accusing it of tampering with
odometers.
Named plaintiff Kimberlee Jarrell claims that on or about May
27, 2005, she purchased a 2005 Dodge Durango, designed,
manufactured and marketed by DaimlerChrysler Corp. and/or
DaimlerChrysler Motors. She further purchased a basic warranty
against all manufacturing defects for a period of three years or
36,000 miles. She had also purchased warranties of varying
duration on a number of components of the Durango.
The suit claims that in connection with the sale of the vehicle
and these warranties, DaimlerChrysler impliedly represented to
Ms. Jarrell that the vehicle's odometer would accurately record
the miles actually driven by the vehicle. Allegedly, however,
DaimlerChrysler had purposefully designed the vehicle's odometer
to inflate the mileage driven by the vehicle by a factor not
less than 3% under nominal conditions, Ms. Jarrell's suit
claims.
The complaint alleges DaimlerChrysler achieved this over-
registration by installing a computer software device in the
vehicle that altered the odometer's performance by an amount
that exceeds the odometer manufacturer's design tolerance.
Plaintiff alleges that DaimlerChrysler adopted a uniform, biased
odometer performance standard that purposefully accelerated the
odometers of all DaimlerChrysler vehicles in the U.S.
Ms. Jarrell specifically alleges that DaimlerChrysler altered
the odometer of her vehicle with the intent to defraud.
Ms. Jarrell seeks to represent all persons and entities
who/which purchased, leased or otherwise acquired an automobile
designed or manufactured by Daimlerchrysler anywhere in the U.S.
since May 22, 2005.
She brings this action as a Plaintiff Class Action under Fed. R.
Civ. P. 23(a)(3), asking:
(a) if DaimlerChrysler adopted a uniform odometer
performance standard for all its vehicles;
(b) if DaimlerChrysler installed a computer device to alter
the performance of the odometer in violation of federal
law;
(c) if the odometer performance standard adopted by
DaimlerChrysler causes errors of odometer over-
registration;
(d) if the installation of the computer device causes
errors of odometer over-registration;
(e) if such odometer over-registration was the result of
DaimlerChrysler's intent to defraud;
(f) the measure of actual damages;
(g) the availabitlity of the statutory penalties; and
(h) attorney's fees and costs.
Ms. Jarrell prays that upon final trial, she obtain judgment as
-- certifying the case as a class action and appointing her
and her counsel to represent the interests of the class;
-- adjudging that DaimlerChrysler violated the federal
prohibition against odometer tampering and that it did so
with the intent to defraud American consumers;
-- awarding her and the class their actual damages in an
amount sufficient to restore to them the benefit of
their bargain;
-- awarding her and the class treble their actual damages
or not less than $1,500 for each class vehicle delivered
in the U.S. in the last two years;
-- awarding her and the class their reasonable attorneys'
fees incurred at trial and, if necessary, on appeal;
-- taxing all costs of court and the expenses of
maintaining this suit (including class member
notification expenses) against DaimlerChrysler; and
-- awarding her and the class all pre-judgment and post-
judgment interests as may be allowed under law at the
highest respective lawful rates.
http://ResearchArchives.com/t/s?200d
The suit is "Jarrell v. DaimlerChrysler Motors Co., LLC et al.,
Case No. 2:07-cv-00205-TJW-CE," filed in the U.S. District Court
for the Eastern District of Texas under Judge T. John Ward with
referral to Judge Charles Everingham.
James Andrew Holmes, Esq.
605 South Main, Suite 203
Henderson, TX 75654
E-mail: jh@jamesholmeslaw.com
David Brian Miller, Esq.
Law Offices of David B Miller
4350 Beltway Dr
E-mail: david@schneidlaw.com
Robert Stephen Woodfin, Esq.
Law Office of R. Stephen Woodfin
E-mail: stephenwoodfin@sydcom.net
Dollar Financial Corp. is facing a class-action complaint in
Alameda County Court accusing it of charging unconscionable and
illegal rates for "payday loans," CourtHouse News Service
Named plaintiff, Amy Baille, claims she borrowed $300 and paid
$977 in interest over five months, and the defendant claims she
still owes it $430.
According to the complaint, co-defendant Dollar Financial Group,
made more than $300 million in fiscal years 2005-2006 from its
more than 100 "financial service stores in California."
Ms. Baille seeks accounting, restitution for usury and unjust
enrichment and an injunction.
Representing Ms. Baille is:
Harold M. Jaffe, Esq.
Stephen H. Cornet A Professional Corporation
Dollar Financial (NASDAQ (GS): DLLR) -- http://www.dfg.com--
through its subsidiary Dollar Financial Group, operates more
than 1,250 check-cashing stores (about 40% are franchises) in
the US, Canada, and the UK. In addition to check cashing, the
stores offer payday lending, money wires, transfers, electronic
tax filing, and reloadable Visa debit cards.
A shareholder class action has been filed in Howard County
Circuit Court, seeking to block the acquisition of Fieldstone
Investment Corp. by Credit-Based Asset Servicing and
Securitization LLC, Baltimore Sun reports.
The New York firm C-BASS, which collects mortgage payments and
buys troubled loans, acquired some of Fieldstone Investment's
assets sometime in February to keep it buoyant.
The agreement indicates that Fieldstone shareholders would get
$4 in cash per share. Most of the shareholders who voted in
person or proxy were in favor of the deal held at a recent
special shareholders meeting.
The suit alleges that mortgage banker Michael J. Sonnenfeld,
founder of Fieldstone, and other directors failed to do their
fiduciary duty by not lobbying for a higher stock price.
C-BASS lawyer Edward J. Fuhr expects that the lawsuit will be
dismissed. For him, the transaction was in favor of the
shareholder. He added that the suit was chiefly aimed to
"enjoin the shareholders from voting on the proposed
transaction, and it wholly failed in that effort."
In the first quarter, Fieldstone declared it lost $69 million
and had $416 million in loans that were more than three months
past due. It announced about a month ago that it would close
down some of its branches and lay off employees.
For more information about the case, contact:
Edward J. Fuhr, Esq.
Hunton & Williams LLP
Riverfront Plaza, East Tower
951 East Byrd Street
Web Site: http://www.hunton.com
Madison County Associate Judge Ralph Mendelsohn granted final
approval to a $64 million settlement of a suit over
GlaxoSmithKline plc's anti-depressant drug Paxil, The Associated
Press reports.
The suit accuses GlaxoSmithKline of promoting the drug for use
by children and adolescents while withholding negative
information about the medication's safety and effectiveness.
The class consists of all U.S. residents who bought Paxil and
Paxil CR, a controlled-release version of the drug.
Judge Mendelsohn approved on Oct. 6 and unsealed on Oct. 27 the
$63.8 million settlement (Class Action Reporter, Nov. 7, 2006).
Under the deal, announced in April and granted final approval
last week, parents with proof that they bought GlaxoSmithKline
Paxil and Paxil CR for their children can recoup out-of-pocket
expenses.
Under the new settlement, anyone who purchased Paxil for someone
under 18 will get 100 percent of their out-of-pocket expenses
reimbursed if they have proof and file a claim by Aug. 31.
Anyone who does not have proof of purchase is still entitled to
receive up to $100 if the claim is supported by an affidavit
swearing that Paxil was purchased.
Plaintiffs' attorneys can claim more than $16 million in fees,
which will be deducted from the settlement fund, with the
remaining money available for payments to consumers.
Any money left over in the settlement fund is to be returned to
GlaxoSmithKline.
The Settlement on the Net:
http://www.paxilpediatricsettlement.com
http://www.paxilprogress.org
http://www.baumhedlundlaw.com
Contact information for class attorney Stephen Tillery Mr. --
http://www.carrkorein.com/-- Belleville, Illinois (St. Clair
Co.).
Homebridge Mortgage Bankers, Corp. a/k/a Refinance.com is facing
a class-action complaint filed May 22 in the U.S. District Court
for the Southern District of Florida alleging Labor Code
violations.
Named plaintiffs -- Kenneth Saunders, Craig Feit, Diego Montoya,
Bruce Nazzaro, Sheldon Rosenburg, Sean Barnes and Anthony Wong -
- bring this action to recover unpaid overtime compensation,
liquidated damages, unlawfully withheld wages, statutory
penalties, other damages and attorneys' fees owed to plaintiffs
and all other similarly situated persons employed or formerly
employed by defendants.
Plaintiffs were non-exempt mortgage consultants who were not
paid overtime indirect violation of the Fair Labor Standards
Act, 29 U.S.C. Section 201 et seq. within the past three years.
Defendants were obligated to compensate plaintiffs for all hours
worked in excess of 40 hours per week at the statutory rate of
one and one-half times their regular rate, the suit says.
Defendants were also obligated to compensate plaintiffs at least
minimum wage for all hours worked.
By failing to pay compensation due under the FLSA, defendants
willfully and knowingly violated provisions of the FLSA which
require overtime compensation be paid to all non-exempt
employees.
As a result of defendants' willful and unlawful practice of
paying less than the required rate and amount, plaintiffs have
been damaged.
Plaintiffs request that the court award them compensatory
damages, including all compensation (minimum wage and overtime)
owed, all interest on all compensation accruing from the date
such amount were due, liquidated damages in an amount equal to
the compensation shown to be owed pursuant to 29 U.S.C. Section
216(b), attorneys' fees under the Fair Labor Standards Act and
pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 448.08 against defendants,
and such other monetary and equitable relief as the court deems
The suit is "Saunders et al v. Homebridge Mortgage Bankers,
Corp. et al., Case No. 9:07-cv-80442-KLR," filed in the U.S.
District Court for the Southern District of Florida under Judge
Kenneth L. Ryskamp with referral to Judge Ann E. Vitunac.
Miguel Armenteros, Esq.
Damian & Valori LLP
1000 Brickell Avenue, Suite 1020
E-mail: marmenteros@dvllp.com
Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate ruled that a senior status
program for judges does not expire until Jan. 31, 2009, Brandon
Ortiz of Kentucky.com reports.
The ruling is made in a class action involving all active judges
in Kentucky who were seeking to clarify the terms of the
program. Some fear it may expire on June 30.
The program allows retired judges to work clearing case backlogs
in exchange for a significantly enhanced retirement benefit. It
was created in 2000 and amended in 2002.
It is clear from statements made surrounding the 2002 passage of
the amendment that the General Assembly intended to extend the
program to 2009, Judge Wingate said, according to the report.
The suit was field by judges Messer, Steve D. Hurt and Doughlas
M. George. They were represented by James E. Keller, a retired
Supreme Court justice, and Donald Cetrulo, a former director of
the Administrative Office of the Courts.
The lawsuit names as respondents the Board of Trustees of the
Kentucky Judicial Form Retirement System and Chief Justice
Joseph Lambert.
Representing the plaintiffs were Donald Cetrulo, a former
director of the Administrative Office of the Courts and:
James E. Keller, Esq.
Gess Mattingly & Atchison, P.S.C.
201 West Short Street
Lexington, Kentucky 40507-1269
Web Site: http://www.gmalaw.com
KTM North America Inc., of Amherst, Ohio, is voluntarily
recalling about 20,000 Off-Road Motorcycles.
According to KTM, the seal around the fuel tank can loosen
allowing fuel to leak, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
KTM has received 5,114 reports of leaking fuel tanks. CPSC has
received one report of a minor chemical burn due to fuel coming
into contact with a consumer's skin.
This recall involves KTM off-road motorcycles. KTM is printed
on the side of the orange and black motorcycles along with the
model. Model numbers included in the recall are:
Model Year 2005 250SX-F;
Model Year 2006 200XC, 200XC-W, 250XC-W, 250SX-F,
250XCF-W, 300XC, 300XC-W, 400EXC-G,
450XC-G, 450EXC-G, and 525EXC-G;
Model Year 2007 125SX, 144SX, 250SX, 250SX-F, 450SX-F,
505SX-F, 200XC, 250XC, 300XC, 450XC,
200XCW, 250XCW, 300XCW, 400XCW, 450XCW,
525XCW, 250XC-F, and 250XCF-W.
These off-road motorcycles, which were manufactured in Austria,
were sold at KTM dealers nationwide from November 2004 through
April 2007 for between $5,400 and $7,800.
Photo of the motorcycle subject for recall:
Consumers should stop using these vehicles immediately and
contact their local KTM dealer to schedule an appointment for a
free repair. Consumers with the recalled vehicles are being
sent direct notices from KTM.
For more information, contact KTM at (888) 985-6090 between 8
a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's
Web site at http://www.ktmnorthamerica.com
The city of Alexandria in Louisiana has been served with a
purported class action that claims it has been overbilling
utility customers for a decade, The Associated Press reports.
The petition for a class action was filed in state District
Court by Shreveport attorney Larry English on behalf of eight
people identified as Alexandria ratepayers. It contends that
Alexandria has defrauded ratepayers since 1997.
Mr. English told The Associated Press that he expects to add
more names to the lawsuit this week.
City Council President Everett Hobbs told The Associated Press
that he would like to research how the city reads fuel
adjustment costs for electricity, which Mr. English alleges have
been miscalculated.
According to the suit, the plaintiffs are seeking an unspecified
amount of damages in addition to a refund of alleged overcharges
to all affected ratepayers.
Larry English, Esq.
401 Edwards Street, Suite 826
Brain-injured people in Worcester, Mass. filed a class action
charging the state with denying them access to community
settings, Richard Nangle of Telegram & Gazette Staff reports.
The suit, similar to "Rosie D. v. Romney," also known as the
"stuck kids" case that had the state move institutionalized
mentally ill patients into residential facilities, alleges the
state violated the Americans With Disabilities Act and some
federal laws by institutionalizing brain-injured people.
It claims that even some of the institutionalized are not
receiving necessary services, including assistance with personal
care, speech, occupational and physical therapy; medical and
nursing services; vocational training or day rehabilitation
programs; medical equipment, transportation; and integrated
social and recreational activities.
According to the plaintiffs' lawyer, Richard Johnston, there are
about 8,200 individuals with brain injuries residing in nursing
and rehabilitation facilities in Massachusetts.
One of the lead plaintiffs, 57-year old Glen Jones, has spent 21
years in Worcester Skilled Care Center after a motor vehicle
accident left him in a coma for weeks.
He has not received the services necessary for his release into
the general population because efforts to identify existing
residential programs were unsuccessful, the suit states.
The suit also states that because the Brain Injury Statewide
Specialized Community is inadequately funded, applicants are
forced to wait for several years without receiving the services
they need.
In a written statement, lead plaintiff Cathy Hutchinson,
indicated she has lived in a nursing home for almost 11 years
after a stroke, leaving her a mute quadriplegic.
The complaint claims that the state only provides community
residential services to people who have suffered a traumatic
brain injury, which is not the result of a medical condition
such as a stroke.
Lawyer for the Center for Public Representation Steven Schwartz
said the state has refused to apply for federal funding to help
pay for the transitioning of such people from institutions into
the community.
The suit asks that the state place about 2,000 similarly injured
people into a community setting that could help them live better
within 5 years.
Defendants are:
-- Gov. Deval L. Patrick;
-- JudyAnn Bigby, secretary of the Executive Office of
Health and Human Services;
-- Leslie A. Kirwan, secretary of the Executive Office of
Administration and Finance;
-- Thomas Dehner, acting director of MassHealth; and
-- Elmer C. Bartels, commissioner of the Massachusetts
Rehabilitation Commission.
The case is "Hutchinson et al. v. Patrick et al., Case No. 3:07-
cv-30084-KPN," filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield
with Judge Kenneth P. Neiman presiding.
Richard A. Johnston, Esq.
E-mail: richard.johnston@wilmerhale.com
Steven Schwartz, Esq.
Center for Public Representation
E-mail: sschwartz@cpr-ma.org
Web Site: http://www.centerforpublicrep.org
Former president Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya of Mauritania is
facing a class action brought by exiled Mauritanians living in
New York, Christine Kearney of Monsters and Critics.com reports.
The civil class action was filed in U.S. District Court in
Manhattan. It charges President Taya, now exiled in Qatar, of
torture and gross human rights violations committed from 1989 to
1991. It says there were thousands of black Mauritanians under
the Taya administration who became subjects to ethnic cleansing,
which included cold-blooded torture and killings.
The suit further alleges that Mauritania courts denied the
plaintiffs' pleas for justice.
Complainants in the lawsuit are:
-- Abdarahmane Wone, beaten and tortured by the Mauritanian
government when he was only 15, leaving him a permanent
deaf;
-- Mohamed Mansour Kane, former lieutenant in the
Mauritanian army, suffered sickening torture and
witnessed others being killed mercilessly; and
-- family of Ousumane Wele, seized and murdered by
Mauritanian military while the family was forced to
leave the country.
Besides jury trial, the suit also seeks compensatory and
punitive damages prescribed in international law.
Under U.S. federal laws plus the Torture Victim Protection Act,
the case can be heard in the U.S., the suit claims.
Plaintiffs' lawyer prays that the court would at least grant
legal recognition for the crimes the Taya administration
committed. Claims for monetary damages would almost be
impossible because Mr. Taya does not reside in the U.S., he
Plaintiffs in "In re MBIA Inc. Securities Litigation," are
appealing the dismissal of their case before the U.S. District
Court for the Southern District of New York.
Initially, several class actions were filed in the U.S. District
Court for the Southern District of New York against MBIA Inc.
and certain of its officers and directors (Class Action
Reporter, Sept. 20, 2005).
The suits were:
-- "Anthony Capone v. MBIA Inc., et al." (Case No. 05 CV
3514) (filed April 4, 2005);
-- "Thomas Cassady v. MBIA Inc., et al." (Case No. 05 CV
3730; S.D.N.Y.) (filed April 7, 2005);
-- "Todd Simon v. MBIA Inc., et al." (Case No. 05 CV 3636;
S.D.N.Y.) (filed April 8, 2005);
-- "Mariss Partners, LLP v. MBIA Inc., et al." (Case No.
05 CV 3709; S.D.N.Y) (filed April 11, 2005); and
-- "Alan D. Sadowsky and Barbara S. Katvin v. MBIA Inc.,
et al." (Case No. 05 CV 4150; S.D.N.Y.) (filed April
The suits named as defendants Joseph W. Brown, the company's
chairman and former chief executive officer; Gary C. Dunton, the
company's chief executive officer; Nicholas Ferreri, the
company's chief financial officer; Neil G. Budnick, a vice
president of the company and the company's former chief
financial officer; and Douglas C. Hamilton, the company's
The plaintiffs in these cases assert claims under Section 10(b)
of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Rule 10b-5
promulgated thereunder, and Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act.
Plaintiffs in these lawsuits seek to act as representatives for
a putative class consisting of purchasers of the company's stock
during the period from August 5, 2003 to March 30, 2005.
Although the individual lawsuits vary, the allegations include,
among other things, violations of the federal securities laws
arising out of the company's allegedly false and misleading
statements about its financial condition and the defendant's
failure "to disclose or indicate" these alleged facts:
-- that the company, during the class period,
overleveraged itself, deeply under-reserved against
possible credit defaults, and overly exposed to
guaranteeing risky structured financings;
-- that MBIA accelerated its recognition of current income
by classifying many of its upfront guarantee fees as
advisory fees taken at closing, rather than accounted
for over the life of the bonds insured;
-- that MBIA improperly booked a $70 million payment
received from Converium Re (then called Zurich
Reinsurance North America) in 1998, which at the time
was depicted as a loss-reducing reinsurance recovery
for MBIA, but was, in substance, a loan;
-- that as result, MBIA financial statements were
materially overstated by $60 million;
-- that MBIA artificially inflated premium income and
portfolio credit quality by insuring bonds in the
secondary market that were attracting prices lower than
their stale credit ratings would dictate;
-- that MBIA's low loss ratios resulted from the company's
practice to defer recognizing problems rather than
providing layers of excess collateral, other
underwriting protection, and its self-proclaimed
prowess at restructurings;
-- that MBIA set forth an illegal scheme of covering the
loss, from the failed Allegheny Health, Education and
Research Foundation (Aherf) bond issuance, with a
retroactive reinsurance policy, giving it a reinsurance
recovery of $170 million to cover the present value of
the future Aherf interest and principal payments, which
resulted in MBIA showing a better than 40% jump in
pretax income that year - $565 million over what the
income figure would have been without resort to the
reinsurance;
-- that MBIA was dumping on Channel Reinsurance Ltd., a
Bermuda reinsurer where MBIA owns a 17.4% interest,
performing but troubled policies from its existing
portfolio, with the provision that it could make up any
quality problems later so that MBIA could buy time by
getting potential workout loans off its balance sheet
in order to make its financial results appear better;
condition of the Company.
The plaintiffs allege that, as a result of these misleading
statements or omissions, the company's stock traded at
artificially inflated prices.
These lawsuits seek unspecified compensatory damages in
connection with purchases by members of the putative class of
the company's stock at such allegedly inflated prices during the
class period.
On July 25, 2005, the presiding judge issued an order
consolidating these five cases into one action under the
caption, "In re MBIA Securities Litigation, Case No. 05 CV
3514," and named as lead plaintiffs in the case:
-- the Southwest Carpenters Pension Trust, and
-- the City of Pontiac General Employees' Retirement
The defendants, including the company, filed motions to dismiss
this lawsuit on various grounds. On Feb. 13, 2007, the Court
granted those motions, and dismissed the lawsuit in its
entirety, on the grounds that these claims are barred by the
applicable statute of limitations.
The Court did not reach the other grounds for dismissal argued
by the Company and the other defendants. The plaintiffs filed a
notice of appeal on March 14, 2007, according to the company's
May 4, 2007 Form 10-Q filing with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission for the quarterly period ended March 31,
The suit is "In re MBIA Inc. Securities Litigation, Case No.
1:05-cv-03514-LLS," filed in the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of New York, under Judge Louis L. Stanton.
David Avi Rosenfeld, Esq.
Lerach, Coughlin, Stoia, Geller, Rudman & Robbins, LLP
200 Broadhollow Road, Ste. 406
E-mail: drosenfeld@lerachlaw.com
Peter Edward Seidman, Esq.
Milberg Weiss Bershad & Schulman LLP
One Pennsylvania Plaza
E-mail: pseidman@milberg.com
Medplans Partners, Inc. is facing a class action filed May 21 in
the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
alleging Labor Code violations.
Insurance Claims Examiners of Medplans purport to bring this
action for legal relief to redress unlawful violations of
plaintiffs' rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938,
29 U.S.C. Sections 201, et. seq., and the collective action
provision of the Act found at Section 216(b), to remedy
violations of the wage provisions of the FLSA. These violations
have allegedly deprived plaintiffs of their lawful wages.
Named plaintiffs in the complaint:
-- Pamela Adams
-- Melody R. Bateman
-- Bureen Frankenberger
-- Susan E. Brown
-- Melissa Durbin
-- Kathrin a. England
-- Amy J. Frank
-- Leonard D. Frank
-- Patricia Gill
-- Tammy Harrison
-- Tisha Porter
This suit is brought to recover unpaid hourly and overtime
compensation owed to plaintiffs and all current and former
employees of Medplans, pursuant to the FLSA and the Kentucky
Wages and Hours Act.
Plaintiffs bring this action on behalf of all present and former
Claims Examiners of MedPlans, who were not paid overtime
compensation for time worked in excess of 40 hours per work week
or were not compensated for time worked.
Plaintiffs claim that during their employment as Claims
Examiners, they consistently worked more than 40 horus per week,
but were not paid overtime compensation.
They were allegedly required to be present at work, but were
taken "off the clock" at various time and not paid for such off-
the-clock work, the complaint alleges. In addition, upon
information and belief, MedPlans has allegedly failed to
compensate Claims Examiners for additional work performed on the
company's behalf.
As a result of defendant's violations of the FLSA, plaintiffs
have allegedly suffered damages by failing to receive wages for
hours worked and overtime wages in accordance with Sections 206
and 207 of the FLSA, the suit claims.
Plaintiffs, pursuant to Section 216(b) of the FLSA, and the
Kentucky Wages and Hours Act, pray for the following relief:
-- that pursuant to 29 U.S.C. Section 216(b), at the
earliest possible time, they be allowed to give notice,
or that the court issue such notice, to all persons who
are presently, or have at any time during the three
years immediately preceding the filing of this suit, up
through and including the date of the court's issuance
of court-supervised notice, been employed as a Claims
Examiner by MedPlans. Such notice shall inform them that
this action has been filed and of their right to opt in
to this lawsuit if they were not paid compensation for
time worked and/or overtime compensation for time worked
in excess of 40 hours per week;
-- certification of a class pursuant to Rule 23 as defined;
-- that plaintiffs and the class and collective action
members be awarded damages in the amount of their
respective unpaid compensation, plus an equal amount of
liquidated damages and/or prejudgment interest;
-- reasonable attorneys' fees;
-- the costs and expenses of this action; and
-- such other, further legal and equitable relief,
including but not limited to, any injunctive and/or
declaratory relief, to which they may be entitled.
http://ResearchArchives.com/t/s?200f
The suit is "Adams et al. v. Medplans Partners, Inc et al., Case
No. 3:07-cv-00259-TBR," filed in the U.S. District Court for the
Western District of Kentucky under Judge Thomas B. Russell.
Mark K. Gray, Esq.
Doris A. Kim, Esq.
Matthew L. White, Esq.
Gray & White
500 W. Jefferson Street,
Suite 1200 PNC Plaza
E-mail: mkgrayatty@aol.com or DKimGW@aol.com or
mattwhiteatty@aol.com
Garry R. Adams, Jr., Esq.
Mary Ann Palmer, Esq.
Clay, Kenealy, Wagner & Adams PLLC
462 S. Fourth Avenue, 1730 Meidinger Tower
E-mail: gadams@tclaylaw.com or
palmer.maryann@gmail.com
The Connecticut Supreme Court reversed a trial court's
certification of a class in the case, "Macomber, et al. v.
Travelers Property Casualty Corp., et al.," which was filed in
Connecticut Superior Court on April 7, 1999.
An amended putative class action complaint was filed against The
Travelers Life and Annuity Co., now known as MetLife Life and
Annuity Company of Connecticut (MLAC), Travelers Equity Sales,
Inc. and certain former affiliates.
The amended complaint alleged Travelers Property Casualty Corp.,
a former MLAC affiliate, purchased structured settlement
annuities from MLAC and spent less on the purchase of those
structured settlement annuities than agreed with claimants, and
that commissions paid to brokers for the structured settlement
annuities, including an affiliate of MLAC, were paid in part to
Travelers Property Casualty Corp.
On May 26, 2004, the Connecticut Superior Court certified a
nationwide class action involving the following claims against
MLAC: violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practice
Statute, unjust enrichment, and civil conspiracy.
On June 15, 2004, the defendants appealed the class
certification order.
In March 2006, the Connecticut Supreme Court reversed the trial
court's certification of a class, according to the company's May
4, 2007 Form 10-Q filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2007.
MetLife, Inc. -- http://www.metlife.com-- is a provider of
insurance and other financial services with operations
throughout the U.S. and the regions of Latin America, Europe,
and Asia Pacific. Through its domestic and international
subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife offers life insurance,
annuities, automobile and homeowners insurance, retail banking
and other financial services to individuals, as well as group
insurance, reinsurance and retirement & savings products, and
services to corporations and other institutions.
Metropolitan Insurance and Annuity Co. continues to face a
consolidated class action in New York filed by tenants at
Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village who are challenging a
rent increase.
The complex, which previously owned by Metropolitan Life, was
later sold to Tishman Speyer, which bought it for a record $5.4
billion in 2006 (Class Action Reporter, Jan. 29, 2007).
The tenants, who are represented by attorney Stuart M. Saft, are
seeking are roll back of their rents, claiming that the
complex's owners illegally charged market-rate rents for more
than 3,000 apartments in the complexes while benefiting from tax
breaks that should have precluded them from doing so.
One the suits filed is "Roberts, et al. v. Tishman Speyer
Properties, et al. (Sup. Ct., N.Y. County, filed Jan. 22,
2007)." The suit also names Metropolitan Insurance and Annuity
Metropolitan Life was initially a named defendant but the action
has been discontinued as to Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
since it did not own the properties during the time period in
This group of tenants claim that the MetLife entities, and since
the sale of the properties, Tishman Speyer as current owner,
improperly charged market rents when only lower regulated rents
were permitted.
The allegations are based on the impact of so-called J-51 tax
abatements. The lawsuit seeks declaratory relief and damages.
A second purported class action, originally titled, "Carroll v.
Tishman Speyer Properties, et. al (Sup. Ct., N.Y. County, filed
Feb. 14, 2007)," was filed against the same defendants alleging
similar claims as in the Roberts case and, in addition, includes
a claim of unjust enrichment and purported violation of New York
General Business Law Section 349.
The Carroll action was consolidated into the Roberts action,
according to the company's May 4, 2007 Form 10-Q filing with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the quarterly period
ended March 31, 2007.
Stuart M. Saft, Esq.
Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz, LLP
Web site: http://www.whafh.com
Metropolitan Life in Canada continues to face two putative class
actions, alleging improper marketing and sales of individual
life insurance policies or annuities, according to the company's
In "Jacynthe Evoy-Larouche v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co. (Que.
Super. Ct., filed March 1998)," plaintiff alleges
misrepresentations regarding dividends and future payments for
life insurance policies and seeks unspecified damages.
In "Ace Quan v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co. (Ont. Gen. Div.,
filed April 1997)," plaintiff alleges breach of contract and
negligent misrepresentations relating to, among other things,
life insurance premium payments and seeks damages, including
punitive damages.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
affirmed the decision by the U.S. District Court for the
District of Columbia in the purported class action, "Brubaker,
et al. v. Metropolitan Life, et al., Case No. 1:00-cv-02511-
EGS," which was filed by former employees of Metropolitan Life
Insurance Co.
A putative class action, which commenced in October 2000,
accuses the company of denying certain ad hoc pension increases
awarded to retirees under the Metropolitan Life retirement plan.
The ad hoc pension increases were awarded only to retirees
(i.e., individuals who were entitled to an immediate retirement
benefit upon their termination of employment) and not available
to individuals like these plaintiffs whose employment, or whose
spouses' employment, had terminated before they became eligible
for an immediate retirement benefit.
The plaintiffs seek to represent a class consisting of former
Metropolitan Life employees, or their surviving spouses, who are
receiving deferred vested annuity payments under the retirement
plan and who were allegedly eligible to receive the ad hoc
pension increases.
In September 2005, Metropolitan Life's motion for summary
judgment was granted. Plaintiffs' motion for reconsideration
was denied. Plaintiffs appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the District of Columbia Circuit.
The Court of Appeals issued its decision on April 10, 2007,
affirming the district court's grant of summary judgment in
Metropolitan Life's favor, according to the company's May 4,
2007 Form 10-Q filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
The suit is "Brubaker, et al. v. Metropolitan Life, et al., Case
No. 1:00-cv-02511-EGS," filed in the U.S. District Court for the
District of Columbia under Judge Emmet G. Sullivan.
Tas Coroneos, Esq.
5801 Highland Drive
Chevy Chase, MD 20815-5531
Emmett Boaz Lewis, Esq.
Mark J. Rochon, Esq.
Anthony F. Shelley, Esq.
Miller & Chevalier
655 Fifteenth Street, NW, Suite 900
E-mail: elewis@milchev.com
mrochon@milchev.com
ashelley@milchev.com
A Polk County District Court has granted preliminary approval to
a $179.95 million settlement reached on behalf of persons and
entities that purchased certain Microsoft software, or a
computer on which Microsoft products were installed for use in
Iowa.
"While Microsoft believes it has sold its products at fair and
reasonable prices that give customers great value, we are
pleased to be providing significant long-term benefits to rural
and disadvantaged Iowa schools as part of this settlement," said
Rich Wallis, associate general counsel for Microsoft.
"We have worked to make the claims process as simple as possible
so that class members can get their cash or vouchers quickly and
without difficulty," explained Roxanne Conlin, co-lead counsel
for the class.
Plaintiffs claim that Microsoft violated Iowa antitrust laws.
Because of this, the lawsuit claims that consumers and
businesses paid more for Microsoft Software. Microsoft denies
the claims and says it developed and sold high quality software
products at fair and reasonable prices.
The class includes all individuals and businesses that purchased
a license for Microsoft software for use in Iowa from someone
other than Microsoft between May 18, 1994, and June 30, 2006.
The class also includes Iowa State and its local governments
that purchased a license for Microsoft software for use in Iowa
from someone other than Microsoft between July 1, 2002 and June
Microsoft has agreed to provide benefits totaling more than $179
million to the class. Class members are entitled to receive:
- $16 for each copy of Windows or MS-DOS;
- $25 for each copy of Microsoft Excel;
- $29 for each copy of Microsoft Office; and
- $10 for each copy of Microsoft Word, Works and Home
Essential software.
Payment will be in the form of cash or vouchers that can be used
towards the purchase of computers, peripheral computer hardware,
and software from any manufacturer, not just Microsoft.
Half of any funds that are not claimed will be provided as
vouchers for hardware, software and technology services to Iowa
public schools. One hundred percent of the volume license
vouchers claimed but not redeemed will also be provided to Iowa
public schools.
Lead plaintiffs in the suit are Joe Comes of Riley Paint Inc.,
an Iowa Corporation, Skeffington's Formal Wear of Iowa Inc., and
Patricia Anne Larsen.
The case is "Joe Comes, et al. v. Microsoft Corp., Case No.
CL82311" filed in Iowa District for Polk County.
Deadline for mailing of claims is December 14, 2007 or 30 days
after the court grants final approval of the settlement,
whichever comes later. .
Claims may also be mailed to this address:
Settlement Claims Administrator
Microsoft - Iowa Settlement
Objections to the settlement must be mailed and received by the
court no later than July 30, 2007. Objections may also be
mailed to the class and defense counsels or to the court:
Attn: CL82311
Polk County Courthouse
Fairness hearing and the hearing for final approval of
settlement are scheduled at 9:00 a.m. on August 31, 2007, at the
Polk County Courthouse.
For more information regarding the class action settlement and
the legal rights of class members, including how to make a claim
and to make a claim online, visit
http://www.IowaMicrosoftCase.com
Plaintiffs' lawyer information:
Roxanne B. Conlin
Roxanne B. Conlin and Associates, P.C.
319 7th Street, Suite 600
Web Site: http://www.roxanneconlinlaw.com
David B. Tulchin, Esq.
Sullivan and Cromwell LLP
Web Site: http://www.sullcrom.com
Plaintiffs failed to refile a claim with the Illinois Supreme
Court with regards to a consolidated class action filed against
Nashua Corp. on behalf of all persons who purchased the common
stock of Cerion Technologies between May 24, 1996 and July 9,
Initially, two individual plaintiffs filed suits in August and
September 1996 in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.
The suits were later consolidated.
The suit was filed against the company, Cerion Technologies,
Inc., certain directors and officers of Cerion, and the
company's underwriter.
In March 1997, the same individual plaintiffs joined by a third
plaintiff in filing a consolidated amended class action
The consolidated complaint alleged that, in connection with
Cerion's initial public offering, the defendants issued
materially false and misleading statements and omitted the
disclosure of material facts regarding, in particular, certain
significant customer relationships.
In October 1997, the Circuit Court, on motion by the defendants,
dismissed the consolidated complaint.
The plaintiffs filed a second amended consolidated complaint
alleging similar claims as the first consolidated complaint
seeking damages and injunctive relief.
On May 6, 1998, the Circuit Court, on motion by the defendants,
dismissed with prejudice the Second amended consolidated
complaint. The plaintiffs filed with the Appellate Court an
appeal of the Circuit Court's ruling.
On Nov. 19, 1999, the Appellate Court reversed the Circuit
Court's ruling that dismissed the second amended consolidated
complaint. The Appellate Court ruled that the second amended
consolidated complaint represented a valid claim and sent the
case back to the Circuit Court for further proceedings.
On Dec. 27, 1999, the company filed a petition with the Supreme
Court of Illinois. In that petition, the company asked the
Supreme Court of Illinois to determine whether the Circuit Court
or the Appellate Court is correct. That petition was denied and
the case was sent to the Circuit Court for trial.
On Oct. 8, 2003, the Circuit Court heard motions on a summary
judgment motion and a class action certification motion. On
Aug. 16, 2005, the Circuit Court issued an order granting the
defendants' motion for summary judgment and dismissed the
plaintiffs' complaint. On Sept. 15, 2005, the plaintiffs
appealed the Circuit Court's grant of summary judgment with the
Appeals Court.
On June 30, 2006, the Appellate Court dismissed the plaintiffs'
appeal of the Aug. 16, 2005 order by the Circuit Court, which
granted the defendants' motion for Summary Judgment.
On Aug. 4, 2006, the plaintiffs filed a petition with the
Supreme Court of Illinois for Leave to Appeal the Appellate
Court's order.
On Nov. 29, 2006, the Illinois Supreme Court declined to hear
the plaintiffs' appeal and notice was sent to the Appellate
Court effective Jan. 4, 2007.
The plaintiffs had until January 24, 2007 to refile their claim
with the Supreme Court. Since there was no claim filed, the
matter is now favorably ruled in the company's favor, according
to Nashua's May 4, 2007 Form 10-Q filing with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission for the quarterly period
Nashua Corp. -- http://www.nashua.com/-- is a manufacturer,
converter and marketer of labels and specialty papers. The
Company's primary products include thermal and other coated
papers, wide-format papers, pressure-sensitive labels, tags, and
transaction and financial receipts. It has two operating
segments: Label Products, which converts, prints and sells
pressure-sensitive labels, radio frequency identification labels
and tickets and tags, and Specialty Paper Products, which coats,
converts, prints and sells papers and films.
Daniel J. Rubio, John Hicks and David Vizcarra ask the Court to
lift an automatic stay so they may continue to litigate and
liquidate their claims against New Century Financial Corp.
(Debtor) in a pending civil action before the U.S. District
Court for the Central District of California.
Rubio, et al. initiated a class action in March 2005 to recover
unpaid overtime wages and compensation for failure to provide
statutorily mandated meal and rest periods. Rubio, et al.
brought the class action on behalf of 1,600 loan officers
employed by New Century Mortgage Corporation in California.
Rubio, et al. had pursued extensive discovery in the Federal
Court Action prior to the Petition Date. U.S. District Judge
Cormac J. Carney also has made dispositive rulings regarding the
application of the California Labor Code to Rubio, et al.'s
Rubio, et al. have filed a fifth amended complaint to add New
Century Financial Corp., Home123 Corp. and five executive and
officers of the Debtors as defendants.
The Debtors possess liability insurance that is sufficient to
cover the claims to the extent the Debtors or the Management
Defendants are adjudged liable in the Federal Court Action,
Rubio, et al. tell Judge Carey. If permitted to proceed with
the Federal Court Action in federal court, Rubio, et al. will
satisfy the Claim from available insurance proceeds first.
Rubio, et al. are not seeking to continue with the prosecution
of the Federal Court Action to circumvent the Debtors'
bankruptcy proceedings, Marc J. Phillips, Esq., at Connolly Bove
Lodge & Hutz LLP, in Wilmington, Delaware, clarifies. Allowing
Rubio, et al. to liquidate their claims in the Federal Court
Action will benefit the orderly and efficient administration of
the bankruptcy proceedings, Mr. Phillips says.
(New Century Bankruptcy News, Issue No. 11; Bankruptcy
Creditors' Service, Inc., http://bankrupt.com/newsstand/or
215/945-7000)
A class action relating to alleged violation of the Worker
Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, 29 U.S.C. Section
2101 et. seq. and California Civil Code Section 1400, et. seq.,
of New Century Financial Corp. (together with affiliates,
Debtors) was filed on April 17, 2007 in the company's Chapter 11
The WARN Class Action relates to various prepetition employee
terminations, and the plaintiffs seek allowance of a claim for
60 days of wages and benefits for each employee terminated, and
attorney's fees and costs, on an administrative priority claim
basis.
Monika L. McCarthy, the Debtors' senior vice president and
assistant general counsel, relates that in addition to the
defense of the WARN Class Action, the Debtors are in need of
advice relating to possible additional employee terminations.
The Debtors have requested that Irell & Manella LLP provide
advice relative to certain insurance matters that arise from
time to time. The Debtors also asked Irell & Manella to
represent them in employee benefit matters, including with
respect to the wind-up of the Debtors' benefit plans, and issues
concerning their Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
obligations.
Irell & Manella performed an insurance policy review for certain
of the Debtors in early 2005. Since January 6, 2006, the firm
has not performed any services for the Debtors. The Debtors
timely paid Irell & Manella for its services.
Ms. McCarthy tells the Court that Irell & Manella has experience
in virtually all aspects of the law that may arise in connection
with the proposed representation. It has served as counsel in
other large class action litigation matters, including Broadcom
Securities Class Action, Cheesecake Factory Securities Class
Action, and Charter Communications Securities Class Action.
Irell & Manella has also served as litigation counsel, insurance
litigation counsel and bankruptcy counsel for First Alliance
Mortgage Company and Imperial Credit Industries, Inc., among
others. Recently, the firm has also provided assistance in
matters concerning employee benefit plans for First Alliance,
Chevys, and Furrs Supermarkets.
In accordance with the terms in the retainer agreement between
the firm and the Debtors, Irell & Manella will provide, ordinary
and necessary legal services, in connection with:
-- the WARN Class Action;
-- insurance matters; and
-- employee benefit matters, including issues relating to
the wind down of the Debtors' benefit plans and their
COBRA obligations.
The Debtors do not intend for Irell & Manella to be responsible
for the provision of substantive legal advice outside the areas
of expertise for which it is being retained. The firm is also
not required to devote attention to, form professional opinions
as to, or advise the Debtors with respect to their disclosure
obligations under federal or state securities or other non-
bankruptcy laws or agreements.
The firm will be paid according to its customary hourly rates,
which are adjusted periodically, typically on January 1 of each
Attorneys $275 - $805
Litigation Support, Legal $110 - $350
Assistants, Paralegals
The Debtors will reimburse Irell & Manella according to its
customary reimbursement policies.
Jeffrey M. Reisner, Esq., a partner at Irell & Manella, has
advised the Debtors that the firm has not, does not, and will
not represent any parties-in-interest with respect to matters
related to their Chapter 11 cases. He adds that neither the
firm nor any of the attorneys employed by it have any material
connection with the Debtors, their creditors, the Official
Committee of Unsecured Creditors, the Office of the U.S.
Trustee, any other party with an actual or potential interest in
these cases, or their attorneys or accountants.
Mr. Reisner discloses that the firm currently represents
affiliates of certain creditors, including UBS Real Estate
Group, Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corporation, and J.P.
Morgan Chase & Co., in matters unrelated to these cases.
Irell & Manella represents no interest adverse to the Debtors in
the matters for which the firm is to be retained, Mr. Reisner
tells the Court.
The Debtors seek the Court's authority to employ Irell & Manella
as their special litigation, employee benefits and insurance
counsel, nunc pro tunc to April 20, 2007.
U.S. District Judge Martin Jenkins heard arguments on a request
to allow an editor with The Economist in London to testify in a
shareholder suit against Oracle Corp., Justin Scheck of The
Recorder reports.
The issue before Judge Jenkins centers on a British author's
audio files of interviews with Oracle chief executive Larry
Ellison for "Softwar: An Intimate Portrait of Larry Ellison and
Oracle" that now seem to be missing.
In a deposition held in March, British author Matthew Symonds,
who was not a party to the case, asserted a Fifth Amendment
right not to testify about allegedly destroyed audio files of
his interviews with Mr. Ellison.
Mr. Symonds made two statements about how the files were
destroyed. His third statement was redacted from court papers
under a sealing order.
Attorney Mark Solomon of Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman &
Robbins LLP in San Diego challenged Mr. Symonds' right to claim
a Fifth Amendment privilege as a non-American living outside the
U.S. He also wanted to force Mr. Symonds to discuss whether
Oracle had a role in any evidence destruction.
In a sworn statement filed on March 30, Mr. Symonds denied
receiving from Mr. Ellison any document for the book.
Judge Jenkins is to decide whether Mr. Ellison can be compelled
to testify, or be allowed Fifth Amendment right not to discuss
what happened to the files, according to The National Law
Journal (Class Action Reporter, April 20, 2007).
The suit raises the issue of whether a party to a suit has an
obligation to alert nonparties to save evidence, Robert
Brownstone, an intellectual property attorney in Mountain View,
Calif.-based Fenwick & West's San Francisco office told The
National Law Journal.
According to the report, for third parties, new amendments to
the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure on electronic discovery
that took effect on Dec. 1, 2006, do not have as strict a
standard. Electronic data is subject to discovery only if they
are relevant and not too burdensome to produce.
The securities fraud suit accuses Oracle, Mr. Ellison and other
top executives of falsifying software sales to mislead investors
during the 2000 to 2001 period of the dot-com bubble burst.
It accuses Mr. Ellison of selling $900 million of his own stock
before bad news hit the market.
The digital recordings in the center of the suit were made
during the very period of class claims.
The suit is "In Re: Oracle Corp. Securities Litigation, Case No.
01-CV-0988," filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of California under Judge Martin J. Jenkins.
The class period is Dec. 14, 2000 to March 1, 2001.
Plaintiff Firms Named in Complaint are:
(1) Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbin (San
Francisco) 100 Pine Street, Suite 2600, San Francisco,
CA, 94111, Phone: 415.288.4545, Fax: 415.288.4534, E-
mail: info@lerachlaw.com; and
(2) Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach LLP (San Diego,
CA) 600 West Broadway, 1800 One America Plaza, San
Diego, CA, 92101, Phone: 800.449.4900, Fax:
support@milberg.com.
Petco Animal Supplies Inc. and its pet food distributor, Pet
Food Experts Inc., are facing a class action in state court over
Greenies dog chews, teeth-cleaning product for dogs claimed to
hurt or even killed dogs, The Kansas City Star reports.
In 2005, the popular dog treat sold under the name "Greenies"
became the subject of a lawsuit filed with the Supreme Court of
the State of New York.
The complaint contends that the product, manufactured by S&M
NuTec, is unsafe, inadequately labeled, and ultimately caused
the death of the plaintiff's 4-year old dog, named Burt.
S&M NuTec, then, made claims that Greenies are "highly
digestible," and the product comes with packaging statements
such as "100% edible" and "veterinarian approved!"
In April 2006, a group of 10 pet owners from eight states filed
a federal suit against S&M NuTec, accusing the company of
knowing the dangers of Greenies, but refused to adequately warn
consumers or recall the product (Class Action Reporter, April
13, 2006). The lawsuit wants S&M NuTec to change the packaging
of and pay unspecified damages.
In October, S&M NuTec officials said they had been working on a
new formula for their dog treat Greenies Dog Chews, in a move to
reshape and reformulate the treat (Class Action Reporter, Oct.
According to Kristy Vetter, consumer care strategy coordinator
for S&M NuTec, "We know there are perception issues out there
about the original Greenies." She adds though that the revamp
on the product will give pet owners confidence about what
they're giving their dogs and help their dogs maintain happy,
healthy lives.
But plaintiffs in the recent suit against Petco are asking for
reimbursement on their purchases of the "original" Greenies
dental chews for dogs between June 2001 and May 22, 2007.
Greenies are hard, dark green treats shaped like a bone on one
end and a toothbrush on the other. Greenies manufacturer S&M
NuTec claims the treats help scrub the dog's teeth, preventing
periodontal disease and freshening the animal's breath.
Principal Life Insurance Co., a subsidiary of Principal
Financial Group, is seeking the transfer of a purported class
action filed by the trustee of Fairmount Park Inc. Retirement
Savings Plan over allegations that the company received secret
kickbacks from mutual funds.
The putative class action was filed in the U.S. District Court
for the Southern District of Illinois on Nov. 8, 2006. It
alleges, among other things, that Principal Life breached its
alleged fiduciary duties while performing services to 401(k)
plans by failing to disclose, or adequately disclose, to
employers or plan participants the fact that Principal Life
Plaintiff further alleges that these acts constitute prohibited
transactions under Employee Retirement Income Security Act.
Plaintiff seeks to certify a class of all retirement plans to
which Principal Life was a service provider and for which
mutual funds. Plaintiff seeks declaratory, injunctive and
Principal Life has filed its Answer and a Motion to Transfer and
is aggressively defending the lawsuit, according to the
company's May 2, 2007 Form 10-Q filing with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission for the quarterly period ended March 31,
The suit is "Ruppert v. Principal Life Insurance Co., Case No.
3:06-cv-00903-DRH-PMF," filed in the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of New York under Judge David R. Herndon with
referral to Judge Philip M. Frazier.
Klint L. Bruno, Esq.
E-mail: kbruno@koreintillery.com
Joel S. Feldman, Esq.
E-mail: jfeldman@sidley.com
Refco Commodity Management Inc. asked Judge Robert D. Drain of
the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York
to lift an automatic stay established upon the commencement of
RCMI's Chapter 11 case in order to pursue a motion to dismiss a
putative class action filed by investors in two investment funds
the company jointly administered with IDS Futures Corp.
RCMI is a defendant in a putative class action filed in June
2006 by Gary L. Franzen, on behalf of himself and other
similarly situated parties, against RCMI and IDS Futures. The
Plaintiffs filed an Amended Complaint in September 2006. The
lawsuit is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of Illinois, Eastern Division, under Civil Case No. 06
C-3012.
In March 2007, the Illinois District Court entered a final order
approving a settlement between IDS and the Plaintiffs. IDS was
also dismissed from the action, thus, leaving RCMI as the sole
defendant of the Complaint.
Under the Settlement, IDS agreed to make an offer that fully
compensated potential plaintiffs for their losses attributable
to the management of two investment funds, which were jointly
administered by IDS and RCMI. IDS also agreed to pay the
plaintiffs nearly $400,000 in legal fees.
RCMI subsequently sought to dismiss the Complaint on the grounds
that:
-- certain of the Plaintiffs' claims were rendered moot by
the Settlement; and
-- the Plaintiffs lacked standing to bring their remaining
Richard B. Levin, Esq., at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
LLP, relates that in the Plaintiffs' response, they argued that
the Litigation is stayed as to RCMI, and adjudication of the
Motion to Dismiss cannot proceed due to the "automatic stay"
established upon the commencement of RCMI's Chapter 11 case.
Accordingly, to ensure that the Motion to Dismiss is adjudicated
on its merits and prevent further delay in the Litigation, RCMI
asks the Bankruptcy Court to lift the automatic stay imposed
under Section 362 of the Bankruptcy Code to:
(a) permit RCMI to prosecute the Motion to Dismiss to full
and final adjudication, and oppose an appeal, if any,
from a final order of the District Court granting the
Motion to Dismiss;
(b) allow the Plaintiffs to oppose the Motion to Dismiss on
the basis of any filed response or as permitted by the
District Court, and to prosecute an Appeal; and
(c) permit the District Court and the Appellate Court to
fully and finally adjudicate the Motion to Dismiss or an
Appeal, if any.
RCMI will inform the District Court regarding the filing of its
Lift Stay Motion and, thereafter, will advise the District Court
regarding the progress and resolution of the Motion, including
any ruling the Bankruptcy Court may enter with respect to the
Motion.
(Refco Bankruptcy News, Issue No. 63; Bankruptcy
In relation to a putative class action filed in April 2003 by
Sunstate FX, Inc. investors, Judge Robert D. Drain of the U.S.
Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York expanded
a Lift Stay Order to allow Refco Group Ltd., LLC, one of several
defendants, to pursue its Dismissal Motion at a time and date
convenient to the Circuit Court of Palm Beach County, Florida,
and the parties to the Litigation.
In July 2006, the Florida Circuit Court dismissed the case with
prejudice. The Plaintiffs subsequently filed their notice of
appeal in the District Court of Appeal for the 4th District,
State of Florida.
Pursuant to Rule 9.110(f) of Florida Rules of Appellate
Procedure, the Plaintiffs filed their initial appellate brief,
which was duly answered by Refco Group.
Steven R. Griffin, Esq., at Beggs & Lane, in Pensacola, Florida,
states that the Plaintiffs are now in the process of finalizing
their reply brief. They have requested oral argument, and are
anticipating to receive a ruling from the appellate court within
Accordingly, at the Plaintiffs' request, the Court expands the
Lift Stay Order to allow the parties to participate in the
pending appeal.
Parties in the consolidated securities fraud class action,
"Central Lab PenFd v. Sirva Inc., et al., Case No. 1:04-cv-
07644," which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of Illinois, entered into settlement
discussions in a bid to conclude the matter.
Initially, two securities suits were filed in November 2004
against SIRVA, Inc. and certain of its current and former
officers and directors. They are:
-- "Central Laborers' Pension Fund v. SIRVA Inc., et al.,
No.04-CV-7644," and
-- "Hiatt v. SIRVA,Inc., et al., No.04-CV-7532."
Both complaints purported to be brought on behalf of all persons
who acquired the company's common stock between Nov. 25, 2003
and Nov. 9, 2004.
On Jan. 25, 2005, the plaintiff in "Hiatt" voluntarily dismissed
his suit. On March 29, 2005, the court appointed Central
Laborers' Pension Fund as lead plaintiff in the remaining case,
and approved its choice of counsel, Milberg Weiss Bershad &
Schulman LLP, as lead plaintiff's counsel.
On May 13, 2005, plaintiff filed a "corrected" complaint,
retaining the same class period, and alleging, among other
things, that defendants had made false and misleading statements
in certain SEC filings, including the prospectuses to the
company's initial and secondary public offerings, and press
The statements subject to the complaint generally relate to the
Company's insurance claims reserves, European operations, and
restatement accounts and are said to constitute violations of
Sections 11, 12(a)(2), and 15 of the U.S. Securities Act of
1933, as well as Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the U.S. Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. Plaintiff seeks unspecified damages.
On Oct. 11, 2005, plaintiff filed its consolidated amended class
action complaint, a corrected version of which was filed on Oct.
The amended complaint adds ten new defendants, including an
additional director, the seven underwriters which participated
in the initial and secondary public offerings, the company's
independent auditor and its controlling shareholder.
It also extends the class period, purporting to be brought on
behalf of all those who acquired the Company's common stock
between Nov. 25, 2003 and Jan. 31, 2005.
The amended complaint also contained allegations relating to the
following areas: the company's restatement of financial
statements and accounting errors for years 2000 through 2003 and
the first nine months of 2004, problems in the company's
European operations, insurance reserves, financial forecasting,
and internal controls.
The statements subject to the amended complaint are alleged to
violate Sections 11, 12(a)(2), and 15 of the U.S. Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, as well as Sections 10(b), 20(a), and 20A
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The
plaintiff seeks unspecified damages.
On Jan. 3, 2006, the company and all other defendants moved to
dismiss the amended complaint for failure to state a claim upon
which relief can be granted.
On Sept. 22, 2006, the court granted in part and denied in part
that motion. It dismissed in full, without prejudice, the claim
under Section 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act, as well as various
allegations underlying the other claims, and granted plaintiff
30 days to amend its complaint.
On Oct. 23, 2006, plaintiff filed its consolidated second
amended class action complaint in order to replead claims that
the court dismissed without prejudice.
On Nov. 14, 2006, the company and all other defendants filed the
their answer to the second amended complaint. On Nov. 15, 2006,
the company and certain of the other defendants moved in part to
dismiss the second amended complaint.
The parties have entered into settlement discussions, according
to the company's May 4, 2007 Form 10-Q filing with the U.S.
ended Sept. 30, 2006.
The suit is "Central Lab PenFd v. Sirva Inc., et al., case no.
1:04-cv-07644," filed in the U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of Illinois under Judge Ronald A. Guzman.
Steven G. Schulman, Esq.
One Pennsylvania Plaza, 49th Floor
Tara Kocheran Charnes, Esq.
Richard Bradshaw Kapnick, Esq.
Matthew Brian Kilby, Esq.
Catherine Rosen, Esq.
Sidley Austin LLP
One South Dearborn Street
E-mail: rkapnick@sidley.com
mkilby@sidley.com
crosen@sidley.com
Smart & Final, Inc. has entered into an agreement to settle a
class action filed in California with regards to its February
2007 Agreement and Plan of Merger with Sharp Holdings Corp., and
Sharp Acquisition Corp.
On Feb. 21, 2007 and Feb. 26, 2007, putative class actions were
filed against the company and members of its board of directors
in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los
Angeles. They are:
-- "City of Ann Arbor Employees' Retirement System v.
Smart & Final Inc., et al.," and
-- "Call 4U, Ltd. vs. Smart & Final Inc., et al."
The named respective plaintiffs propose to represent a class of
stockholders and claim that, among other things, a proposed
merger by and among Sharp Holdings Corp. and Sharp Acquisition
Corp. is the product of alleged breaches of duty and self-
dealing by the board of directors.
Along with other relief, the complaints seek an injunction
against the closing of the proposed merger.
On April 27, 2007 the company and members of its board of
directors through counsel entered into a memorandum of
understanding with counsel for the plaintiffs in the City of Ann
Arbor and Call 4U, Ltd. actions under which, subject to court
approval, the two actions would be dismissed with prejudice.
Smart & Final, Inc. -- http://www.smartandfinal.com/-- is
engaged primarily in the business of providing food and related
non-food items in bulk sizes and quantities. The company sells
food, foodservice products and culinary equipment through non-
membership warehouse stores and wholesale stores. Its product
selection includes grocery, frozen and refrigerated foods,
delicatessen products, fresh produce and meat, paper products,
janitorial supplies, restaurant equipment, candy, snacks,
beverages and party supplies.
TB Isle Resort LP is facing a class-action complaint filed May
17 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of
Named plaintiff Hugoberto Richardson brings this action to
recover unpaid wages and other relief under the Fair Labor
Standards Act, as amended, 29 U.S.C. Section 201 et. seq.
Mr. Richardson claims he worked for defendants as a non-exempt
employee paid at various hourly rates depending upon whether he
was assigned as a bartender, waiter or foodrunner, and depending
upon where he was assigned, including the Pool Bar, Veranda Bar,
Veranda Dining Room, Grill Bar, Banquets, or the Ocean Club.
During one or more workweeks, plaintiff worked more than 40
hours, but was not paid one and one-half his regular hourly rate
of pay for overtime hours, the complaint alleges.
Plaintiff further claims he was paid less than the applicable
minimum wage when he worked as a bartender at banquets,
receiving, however, a portion of the service charge that
defendants charged to the banquet customer.
To the extent that defendants paid plaintiff less than the
minimum wage because the tip credit provisions of the FLSA,
plaintiff submits that defendants cannot properly avail itself
of the tip credit provisions because:
(a) the service charge does not qualify as a tip within the
meaning of the FLSA; and
(b) even if the service charge qualified as a tip, the tip
pooling arrangement was invalid given that unauthorized
person, including managers and supervisors, share in
the money.
Defendants' failure to pay plaintiff at least the minimum wage
for all hours worked constitutes a violation of the overtime
provisions of the FLSA, according to the complaint. By reason
of the intentional, willful and unlawful acts of defendants,
plaintiff has suffered damages, including liquidated damages,
and will continue to incur costs, expenses and attorneys' fees.
Plaintiff demands judgment against defendants for all damages,
including liquidated damages, and relief, including attorneys'
fees and costs, in addition to all other equitable, injunctive
and all other relief the court deems just and proper.
http://ResearchArchives.com/t/s?201b
The suit is "Richardson v. TB Isle Resort LP, et al., Case No.
1:07-cv-21289-KMM," filed in the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of Florida under Judge K. Michael Moore.
Todd William Shulby, Esq.
Suite 270, 12555 Orange Drive
E-mail: shulbylaw@comcast.net
The Honorable David A. Hansher of the Circuit Court for
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, has preliminarily approved a
settlement on behalf of residential tenants who rented
properties from Timothy J. Brophy between March 30, 2000 to May
In 2006, a lawsuit entitled "Wineberg v. Brophy, Case No. 06-CV-
003064," was filed in Wisconsin state court on behalf of two
proposed classes of persons who from March 30, 2000 to the
(a) paid security deposits or made rent payments to
Defendant, Timothy J. Brophy, Jr., during
the Class Period for properties owned by Brophy where
there were uncorrected housing and building code
violations that Brophy failed to disclose; or
(b) did not receive from Brophy the return of security
deposits that they paid him, or a written explanation
of the reasons why any such amounts were being
withheld, within twenty-one (21) days.
On January 26, 2007, the Court entered an order determining that
this lawsuit was appropriate for class action treatment and
certifying these two classes of persons.
On March 15, 2007, the Court held a hearing and determined that
damages should be awarded to Class members. The Court has not
entered a final judgment in the case and the distribution of
damages will be contingent, among other things, on the
collection of damages from Brophy.
Under the settlement, Brophy has agreed to make a cash payment
in the sum of $300,000, which will be used for purposes of
(a) a cash payment, on a pro rata basis, to all Class
members who timely submit claim forms; and
(b) attorneys' fees and costs and an incentive award. In
addition, pursuant to the settlement, Brophy is
prohibited from:
(i) renting any properties that have outstanding
building code violations, and
(ii) failing to comply with applicable law regarding the
return of security deposits to tenants.
Brophy has consented to the Court's jurisdiction to enforce the
injunction, to enter any necessary contempt findings and to
award counsel for any petitioning party reasonable attorneys'
fees and costs in connection with obtaining any relief for a
violation of the injunction.
Furthermore, Brophy must provide new and existing tenants an
agreed-upon notice of the tenants' rights under the statutes and
administrative code sections under which this lawsuit was
instituted.
Class Counsel is:
Douglas P. Dehler, Esq.
Shepherd, Finkelman, Miller & Shah, LLC
Media, Pennsylvania 19063
Phone: (877) 891-9880 or +1-414-226-9900
E-mail: ddehler@sfmslaw.com
Website: http://www.sfmslaw.com
Tri-Star International Inc., of Newark, Calif., in cooperation
with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, is conducting
a voluntary recall nearly 2,000 Ball Rattles, Wrist Rattles,
Wind-Up Toys.
The firm said these toys contain small parts, posing a choking
hazard to young children.
No incidents or injuries have been reported.
The recall involves three different types of toys. The ball
rattle is a multi-colored, 3-inch ball with oval openings and a
small hexagon opening at each end. The wrist rattle toy is a
white plastic wristband toy with six multi-colored balls with
small bells inside. The wind-up toy is a 7.5-inch pink giraffe
with yellow legs and a green wind-up knob below the tail of the
giraffe.
These toys were manufactured in China and were sold at Dollar
stores in California from January 2005 through May 2007 for
about $1.
Just click on the link for the photo of these toys:
Consumers should immediately take these toys away from children
and return them to the store where purchased for a refund.
For additional information, contact Tri-Star at (510) 856-8785
anytime or CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 between 8 a.m. and 5
p.m. ET Monday through Friday.
U.S. Engineering Contractors Corp. is facing a class-action
complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District
of Florida alleging Labor Code violations.
Named plaintiff Soctt Gochenouer brings this action for
compensation and other relief under the Fair Labor Standards
Act, as amended, 29 U.S.C. Section 201 et. seq.
This action is brought to recover unpaid overtime compensation,
liquidated damages, costs and reasonable attorneys' fees, as
well as for declaratory and injunctive relief, under the
provisions of the FLSA, 29 U.S.C. Section 201, et. seq. and
specifically under 29 U.S.C. Section 216(b).
The complaint alleges defendants failed to comply with 29 U.S.C.
Sections 201-19 in that plaintiff, while employed with
defendants performed hours of service in excess of 40 during one
or more work weeks, for which defendants failed to properly pay
additional overtime compensation.
Plaintiff claims he is entitled to be paid time and one-half for
each hour worked in excess of 40 per work week and to have such
overtime calculated in accordance with Federal Regulations, to
include commission/bonus payments earned in the appropriate
workweek in the calculation of the regular rate for the purposes
of determining overtime entitlement.
Plaintiff demands judgment against defendant for the wages and
overtime payments due him for hours worked by him for which he
has not been properly compensated, liquidated damages,
reasonable attorneys' fees and costs of suit, and for all other
The suit is "Gochenouer v. U.S. Engineering Contractors Corp. et
al., Case No. 9:07-cv-80437-KAM," filed in the U.S. District
Court for the Southern District of Florida under Judge Kenneth
A. Marra.
Robin Ilene Cohen, Esq.
Daniel R. Levine, Esq.
Shapiro Blasi Wasserman & Gora PA
7777 Glades Road, Suite 400
E-mail: ricohen@sbwlawfirm.com or
drlevine@sbwlawfirm.com
The U.S. Recovery Bureau, Inc. is facing a purported consumer
class action in New Jersey that accuses it of defrauding
students by falsely promising it could make them bounty hunters
because the state does not license the profession.
William Smith filed the suit on May 7, 2007 in the Superior
Court of New Jersey, Bergen County, saying that he paid $425 for
the Bounty Hunter training classes.
Specifically, the plaintiff alleges that U.S. Recovery
advertised and sold to him and other members of the class
training, classes to become a Bounty Hunter by affirmatively
misrepresenting that New Jersey has no Bounty Hunter Licensing
Act (N.J.S.A. 45:19-28, et. seq.) when, in fact, it does and
that the plaintiffs and other members of the class would be
eligible to become Bounty Hunters in New Jersey after completion
of the training program when in fact, they would not.
Mr. Smith pointed out that the defendant offered 30 hours of
classes, but state law requires, among other things, that bounty
hunters have at least five years experience in law enforcement
or private investigations.
The suit, which seeks class-action status, was brought on behalf
of New Jersey consumers who purchased Bounty Hunter Training
Classes also referred to as Bail Enforcement Training Classes,
from defendant subsequent to Jan. 12, 2006, the date of approval
of the New Jersey Bounty Hunter Licensing Act.
The alleges two counts of violations:
-- Violation of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act; and
-- Common Law Fraud.
Plaintiff is demanding damages and an injunction against the
defendants. He is also seeking for a jury trial.
Jeffrey W. Herrmann
Cohn Lifland Pearlman Herrmann & Knopf LLP
Park 80 Plaza West-One
Web site: http://www.clphk-njlawfirm.com
W.R. Grace & Co. (together with its affiliates, Debtors) asserts
that Anderson Memorial Hospital and its counsel, Speights &
Runyan, cannot meet Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure, thus they are not entitled to the privilege log of
the Debtors' in-house and outside counsel.
Timothy P. Cairns, Esq., at Pachulski Stang Ziehl Young Jones &
Weintraub, LLP, in Wilmington, Delaware, argues that Anderson
Memorial wants the privilege logs for a purpose that the Court
has already recognized is improper -- to probe privileged
settlement communications and analyses in the Debtors' in-house
and outside counsel files related to the Anderson lawsuit.
The settlement communications, analysis and evaluations are
protected from discovery by Rule 408 of the Federal Rule of
Evidence, Mr. Cairns says. Thus, Anderson Memorial's request
for the privilege log should be denied (W.R. Grace Bankruptcy
News, Issue No. 130; Bankruptcy Creditors' Service, Inc.,
http://bankrupt.com/newsstand/or 215/945-7000).
In a Feb. 23, 2007 issue of Class Action Reporter, it was stated
that James E. O'Neill, Esq., at Pachulski Stang Ziehl Young
Jones & Weintraub LLP, in Wilmington, Delaware told Judith
Fitzgerald of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the District of
Delaware that Speights & Runyan has requested deposition
testimony and "all documents" regarding:
(i) Anderson's South Carolina lawsuit, Anderson's request to
certify in South Carolina, the certification hearing, any
purported efforts to delay the same, and circumstances
surrounding the South Carolina Circuit Court's
certification of a statewide class as to W.R. Grace &
Co.;
(ii) members or potential members of the putative Anderson
(iii) damage estimates of Anderson's individual and class
claims;
(iv) any position the Debtors took with respect to Anderson's
request to be included on the Official Committee of
Asbestos Property Damage Claimants;
(v) any evaluation of Anderson's individual or class claims
before the Debtors' Petition Date; and
(vi) the Debtors' knowledge before Sept. 1, 2005, of
Anderson's individual and class proofs of claim.
Speights & Runyan also requested "all documents" relating to:
-- the identity of any asbestos-containing surface treatment
in any building owned or operated by Anderson and
potential membership of Anderson's putative class,
including buildings located in South Carolina and outside
of South Carolina;
-- communications with witnesses involving any issues in
Anderson's efforts to obtain class certification;
-- the Debtors' knowledge concerning the facts or factual
assertions relating to Anderson's putative class action;
-- any amount that could or should be set aside for the
resolution of Anderson's claim, including any insurance
reserve;
-- communications between the Debtors and insurers relating
to Anderson's claims; and
-- communications with any building owners regarding the
Anderson proofs of claim.
Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, W.R. Grace & Co. (NYSE:GRA)
-- http://www.grace.com/-- supplies catalysts and silica
products, especially construction chemicals and building
materials, and container products globally. The company and its
debtor-affiliates filed for chapter 11 protection on April 2,
2001 (Bankr. D. Del. Case No. 01-01139).
Foster Wheeler Ltd.'s current asbestos-related liability, as of
March 30, 2007, amounted to US$401,659,000, compared with
US$424,628,000 as of Dec. 29, 2006, according to the Company's
quarterly report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission on May 9, 2007.
As of March 30, 2007, the Company's current asbestos-related
insurance recovery receivable amounted to US$339,047,000,
compared with US$424,628,000 as of Dec. 29, 2006.
Some of the Company's U.S. and U.K. subsidiaries face asbestos-
related lawsuits and out-of-court informal claims pending in the
U.S. and U.K.
Plaintiffs claim damages for personal injury alleged to have
arisen from exposure to or use of asbestos in connection with
work allegedly performed by the subsidiaries during the 1970s
and earlier.
Clinton, N.J.-based Foster Wheeler Ltd. builds business process
and power generating facilities. The Company operates through
two business groups. The Engineering & Construction group
designs and builds facilities for the oil and gas, chemical,
pharmaceutical, and other industrial markets. The Global Power
Group makes steam-generating units and related equipment for
power and industrial plants, including fluidized-bed and
conventional boilers.
Foster Wheeler Ltd., for the three months ended March 30, 2007,
recorded 135,260 open asbestos claims filed against its U.S.
subsidiaries, compared with 164,240 claims for the three months
ended March 31, 2006, according to the Company's quarterly
report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on
For the three months ended March 30, 2007, the Company noted
1,640 new claims and 2,270 claims resolved. For the three months
ended March 31, 2006, the Company noted 2,740 new claims and
3,320 claims resolved.
For the year ended Dec. 29, 2006, the Company recorded 135,890
asbestos-related claims filed against its U.S. subsidiaries,
compared with 164,820 claims for the year ended Dec. 30, 2005.
(Class Action Reporter, March 9, 2007)
As of March 30, 2007, the U.S. subsidiaries' asbestos-related
As of March 30, 2007, the U.S. subsidiaries' total asbestos-
related assets amounted to US$350,700,000, compared with
US$363,700,000, as of Dec. 29, 2006.
related liabilities amounted to US$442,400,000, compared with
US$466,000,000 as of Dec. 29, 2006.
The amount spent on asbestos litigation, defense and case
resolution was US$23,600,000 for the three months ended March
30, 2007 and US$18,400,000 for the three months ended March 31,
2006. The Company funded US$10,600,000 of the payments made
during the three months ended March 30, 2007, while all
remaining amounts were paid from insurance proceeds.
Through March 30, 2007, total cumulative indemnity costs paid
were about US$588,500,000 and total cumulative defense costs
paid were about US$222,200,000.
As of March 30, 2007, total asbestos-related liabilities were
comprised of an estimated liability of US$179,900,000 relating
to open (outstanding) claims being valued and an estimated
liability of US$262,500,000 relating to future unasserted claims
through year-end 2021.
As of March 30, 2007, the Company estimated the value of its
asbestos insurance asset contested by its subsidiaries' insurers
in ongoing litigation in New York state court as US$32,700,000.
The litigation relates to the amounts of insurance coverage
available for asbestos-related claims and the proper allocation
of the coverage among the Company subsidiaries' various insurers
and the Company subsidiaries as self-insurers.
In 2006, the Company was successful in its appeal of a New York
state trial court decision that previously had held that New
York, rather than New Jersey, law applies in the above coverage
litigation with the Company subsidiaries' insurers, and as a
result, the Company increased its insurance asset and recorded a
gain of US$19,500,000. On Feb. 13, 2007, the subsidiaries'
insurers were granted permission by the appellate court to
appeal the decision in the Company's favor to the New York Court
of Appeals.
The Company has funded US$10,600,000 of the asbestos liability
indemnity payments and defense costs from its cash flow in the
first three months of 2007, net of the cash received from
insurance settlements. The Company expects to fund US$32,300,000
of the asbestos liability indemnity and defense costs from its
cash flow in fiscal year 2007, net of the cash expected to be
received from existing insurance settlements.
Foster Wheeler Ltd. says that 829 asbestos-related claims to
date have been filed against it U.K. subsidiaries of which 326
remained open as of March 30, 2007, according to the Company's
The Company said that 824 asbestos-related claims have been
brought against its U.K. subsidiaries, of which 330 remained
open as of Dec. 29, 2006. (Class Action Reporter, March 9, 2007)
Some of the Company's subsidiaries in the United Kingdom have
received claims alleging personal injury arising from exposure
to asbestos.
As of March 30, 2007, the Company had recorded total liabilities
of US$36,500,000 comprised of an estimated liability relating to
open (outstanding) claims of US$7,100,000 and an estimated
liability relating to future unasserted claims through year-end
2021 of US$29,400,000.
Of the total, US$2,200,000 was recorded in accrued expenses and
US$34,300,000 was recorded in asbestos-related liability on the
condensed consolidated balance sheet. An asset in an equal
amount was recorded for the expected U.K. asbestos-related
insurance recoveries, of which US$2,200,000 was recorded in
accounts and notes receivable-other and US$34,300,000 was
recorded as asbestos-related insurance recovery receivable on
the condensed consolidated balance sheet.
The liability and asset estimates are based on a U.K. court of
appeal ruling that pleural plaque claims do not amount to a
compensable injury and accordingly, the Company has reduced its
liability assessment.
Should this ruling be reversed, the asbestos liability and the
related asset recorded in the U.K. would be about US$57,600,000.
Everest Re Group Ltd.'s net asbestos and environmental loss
reserves, for the three months ended March 31, 2007, amounted to
US$517,910,000, compared with US$461,235,000 for the three
months ended March 31, 2006, according to the Company's
For the year ended Dec. 31, 2006, the Company reserved a net of
US$511.4 million for A&E losses, compared with US$450.5 million
for the year ended Dec. 31, 2005. (Class Action Reporter, March
30, 2007)
For the three months ended March 31, 2007, the Company's gross
A&E loss reserves amounted to US$632,239,000, compared with
US$639,635,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2006.
For the year ended Dec. 31, 2006, the Company reserved a gross
of US$650.1 million for A&E losses, compared with US$649.5
million for the year ended Dec. 31, 2005. (Class Action
Reporter, March 30, 2007)
The Company's asbestos claims involve potential liability for
bodily injury from exposure to asbestos or for property damage
resulting from asbestos or products containing asbestos.
In connection with the acquisition of Mt. McKinley, which has
significant exposure to A&E claims, LM Property and Casualty
Insurance Co. provided reinsurance to Mt. McKinley covering 80
percent (US$160 million) of the first US$200 million of any
adverse development of Mt. McKinley's reserves as of Sept. 19,
2000 and The Prudential guaranteed LM's obligations to Mt.
McKinley.
At March 31, 2007, the Company had gross asbestos loss reserves
of US$563.7 million, of which US$309.8 million was for assumed
business and US$253.9 million was for direct excess business.
At March 31, 2007, the gross reserves for A&E losses were
comprised of US$141.2 million representing case reserves
reported by ceding companies, US$135.4 million representing
additional case reserves established by the Company on assumed
reinsurance claims, US$208.4 million representing case reserves
established by the Company on direct excess insurance claims,
including Mt. McKinley, and US$147.2 million representing
incurred but not reported reserves.
The Company's net three-year survival ratio on its asbestos
exposures was 4.4 years for the period ended March 31, 2007.
Hamilton, Bermuda-based Everest Re Group Ltd. is the holding
company for Everest Reinsurance Co., an underwriter of property
& casualty reinsurance and insurance. The Company offers
specialized underwriting in several areas, including property &
casualty, marine, aviation, and surety, as well as medical
malpractice, directors and officers liability, and professional
errors and omissions liability.
Celanese Ltd. and CNA Holdings Inc., as of March 31, 2007, are
defendants in about 658 asbestos-related cases, according to
Celanese Corp.'s quarterly report filed with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2007.
Celanese Ltd. and CNA Holdings are both U.S. subsidiaries of
Celanese Corp.
Celanese Ltd. and CNA Holdings, as of Dec. 31, 2006, faced about
647 asbestos-related cases. (Class Action Reporter, March 2,
During the three months ended March 31, 2007, 26 new cases were
filed against the Company and 15 cases were resolved.
Because many of these cases involve numerous plaintiffs, the
Company is subject to claims significantly in excess of the
number of actual cases. The Company has reserves for defense
costs related to claims arising from these matters.
Dallas-based Celanese Corp., with its subsidiaries, is an
integrated global hybrid chemical company. The Company's
business involves processing chemical raw materials, like
methanol, carbon monoxide and ethylene, and natural products,
including wood pulp, into value-added chemicals, thermoplastic
polymers and other chemical-based products.
Ashland Inc., for the six months ended March 31, 2007, recorded
145,000 open asbestos-related claims, compared with 174,000
claims for the six months ended March 31, 2006, according to the
Company's quarterly report filed with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission on May 9, 2007.
For the six months ended March 31, 2007, the Company noted:
3,000 new claims filed; 1,000 claims settled; and 19,000 claims
dismissed. For the six months ended March 31, 2007, the Company
noted: 3,000 new claims filed; 2,000 claims settled; and 11,000
claims dismissed.
The Company is subject to liabilities from claims alleging
personal injury caused by exposure to asbestos. Those claims
result from indemnification obligations undertaken in 1990 in
connection with the sale of Riley Stoker Corp., a former
subsidiary.
While Riley was neither a producer nor a manufacturer of
asbestos, its industrial boilers contained some asbestos-
containing components provided by other companies.
Since Oct. 1, 2003, Riley has been dismissed as a defendant in
83 percent of the resolved claims. Amounts spent on litigation
defense and claim settlements averaged US$812 per claim resolved
in the six months ended March 31, 2007, compared with US$1,594
in the six months ended March 31, 2006, and annual averages of
US$1,428 in 2006 and US$1,985 in 2005.
Most lawsuits filed involve multiple plaintiffs and multiple
defendants, with the number of defendants in many cases
exceeding 100.
Plaintiffs have asserted specific dollar claims for damages in
about five percent of the 49,500 active suits pending as of
March 31, 2007. In these active suits, about 0.4 percent of the
active suits involve claims between US$0 and US$100,000.
About 1.6 percent of the active suits involve claims between
US$100,000 and US$1 million. Less than one percent of the active
suits involve claims between US$1 million and US$5 million. Less
than 0.1 percent of the active suits involve claims between US$5
million and US$10 million.
Less than two percent of the active suits involve claims between
US$10 million and US$15 million. Less than .02 percent of the
active suits involve claims between US$15 million and US$100
For the six months ended March 31, 2007, the Company's asbestos-
related reserve amounted to US$619 million, compared with US$550
million for the six months ended March 31, 2006.
At March 31, 2007, the Company's receivable for recoveries of
litigation defense and claim settlement costs from insurers
amounted to US479 million, of which US$83 million relates to
costs previously paid. Receivables from insurers amounted to
US$474 million at Sept. 30, 2006 and US$375 million at March 31,
Covington, Ky.-based Ashland Inc. is a diversified, global
chemical company. The Company operates through four divisions:
Ashland Performance Materials, Ashland Distribution, Valvoline,
and Ashland Water Technologies.
Albany International Corp., as of April 27, 2007, was defending
against 19,120 asbestos-related claims, compared with 19,388
claims as of Feb. 16, 2007, and 19,416 claims as of Dec. 31,
2006, according to the Company's quarterly report filed with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2007.
The Company faces suits brought in various U.S. courts by
plaintiffs who allege that they have suffered personal injury
from exposure to asbestos-containing products made by the
The Company produced asbestos-containing paper machine clothing
synthetic dryer fabrics marketed during the period from 1967 to
1976 and used in certain paper mills. Those fabrics generally
had a useful life of three to 12 months.
These suits allege a variety of lung and other diseases based on
alleged exposure to products previously made by the Company.
As of April 27, 2007, about 12,709 of the claims pending against
the Company are pending in Mississippi. Of these, about 12,042
are in federal court, at the multidistrict litigation panel,
either through removal or original jurisdiction.
In addition to the 12,042 Mississippi claims pending against the
Company at the MDL, there are about 850 claims pending against
the Company at the MDL removed from various U.S. District Courts
in other states.
As of April 27, 2007, the Company had resolved, by means of
settlement or dismissal, 21,231 claims. The total cost of
resolving all claims was US$6,691,000. Of this amount,
US$6,656,000, or 99 percent, was paid by the Company's insurance
carrier.
The Company has about US$130 million in confirmed insurance
coverage that should be available with respect to current and
future asbestos claims, as well as additional insurance coverage
that it should be able to access.
Albany, N.Y.-based Albany International Corp. makes paper
machine clothing, which are custom-made fabric belts that move
paper stock through each phase of production. The Company makes
around 35 percent of the monofilament yarn used in its paper
machine clothing and relies on suppliers for the rest.
Albany International Inc.'s affiliate, Brandon Drying Fabrics
Inc., as of April 27, 2007, faced 9,089 asbestos-related claims,
compared with 9,189 claims as of Feb. 16, 2007, and 9,114 claims
as of Dec. 31, 2006, according to the Company's quarterly report
filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9,
Brandon Drying, a subsidiary of Geschmay Corp., which is a
Company subsidiary, is also a separate defendant in many of the
asbestos cases in which the Company is named as a defendant. The
Company acquired Geschmay, formerly known as Wangner Systems
Corp., in 1999. Brandon is a wholly owned Geschmay subsidiary.
In 1978, Brandon acquired certain assets from Abney Mills, a
South Carolina textile manufacturer. Among the assets acquired
by Brandon from Abney were assets of Abney's wholly owned
subsidiary, Brandon Sales Inc., which had sold dryer fabrics
with asbestos made by its parent, Abney.
Although Brandon made and sold dryer fabrics under its own name
after the asset purchase, none of those fabrics had asbestos.
Under the terms of the Assets Purchase Agreement between Brandon
and Abney, Abney agreed to indemnify, defend, and hold Brandon
harmless from any actions or claims on account of products made
by Abney and its related corporations before the date of the
As of April 27, 2007, Brandon has resolved, by means of
settlement or dismissal, 8,463 claims for a total of US$152,499.
Brandon's insurance carriers initially agreed to pay 88.2
percent of the total indemnification and defense costs related
to these proceedings. The remaining 11.8 percent of the costs
had been borne directly by Brandon.
In 2004, Brandon's insurance carriers agreed to cover 100
percent of indemnification and defense costs, subject to policy
limits and the standard reservation of rights, and to reimburse
Brandon for all indemnity and defense costs paid directly by
Brandon related to these proceedings.
Albany International Inc., in several asbestos-related cases,
continues to be named both as a direct defendant and as the
"successor in interest" to Mount Vernon Mills, according to the
The Company acquired certain assets from Mount Vernon in 1993.
Certain plaintiffs allege injury caused by asbestos-containing
products allegedly sold by Mount Vernon years before the
acquisition.
Mount Vernon is contractually obligated to indemnify the Company
against any liability arising out of those products. The Company
denies any liability for products sold by Mount Vernon before
the acquisition of the Mount Vernon assets.
Under its contractual indemnification obligations, Mount Vernon
has assumed the defense of these claims.
On this basis, the Company has successfully moved for dismissal
in a number of actions.
Magnetek Inc. continues to face asbestos-related lawsuits
associated with business operations previously acquired by the
Company, but which are no longer owned.
During the Company's ownership, none of the businesses produced
or sold asbestos-containing products, according to the Company's
Commission on May 11, 2007.
With respect to these claims, the Company is either
contractually indemnified against liability for asbestos-related
claims or said it believes that it has no liability for those
claims. The Company seeks dismissal from these proceedings, and
has also tendered the defense of these cases to the insurers of
the previously acquired businesses and is awaiting their
The Company has also filed a late claim amounting to US$2.5
million in the Federal-Mogul Corp. bankruptcy proceedings to
recover attorney's fee paid for the defense of these claims,
which the Company said it believes is an obligation of Federal
Mogul although the claim is subject to challenge.
Costs associated with other previously owned businesses were
amounted to US$300,000 for the three months ended April 1, 2007.
These costs have historically included charges for an
arbitration award in a patent infringement claim and related
legal fees, as well as certain expenses for product liability
claims, environmental issues, and asbestos claims.
Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based Magnetek Inc.'s Power Control
Systems Group makes programmable motion control and power
conditioning systems, including variable-frequency motor drives
uses in overhead cranes and elevators, power conditioners for
stationary fuel cells, and telecommunications power plants.
Asbestos-related lawsuits against IntriCon Corp., as of March
31, 2007, remain at about 122, according to the Company's
As of Dec. 21, 2006 and Dec. 31, 2005, the Company faced 122
asbestos-related cases. (Class Action Reporter, March 23, 2007)
These suits allege that plaintiffs have or may have contracted
asbestos-related diseases as a result of exposure to asbestos
products or equipment containing asbestos sold by one or more
named defendants.
Due to the non-informative nature of the complaints, the Company
does not know whether any of the complaints state valid claims
against it.
Certain insurance carriers have informed the Company that the
primary policies for the period Aug. 1, 1970 to Aug. 1, 1973,
have been exhausted and that the carriers will no longer provide
a defense under those policies. The Company has requested that
the carriers substantiate this situation.
The Company said it believes it has more policies available for
other years, which have been ignored by the carriers.
As settlement payments are applied to all years a litigant was
deemed to have been exposed to asbestos, the Company said it
believes when settlement payments are applied to these
additional policies, the Company will have availability under
the years deemed exhausted.
Arden Hills, Minn.-based IntriCon Corp., f/k/a Selas Corp. of
America, designs, develops, engineers, and manufactures micro-
miniature medical and electronic products. The Company supplies
micro-miniaturized components, systems and molded plastic parts,
primarily to the hearing instrument manufacturing industry, as
well as the computer, electronics, telecommunications and
medical equipment industries.
Entrx Corp.'s current reserve for asbestos liability claims, as
of March 31, 2007, amounted to US$7,750,000, according to the
Exchange Commission on May 11, 2007.
This compares to US$8 million as of Dec. 31, 2006.
As of March 31, 2007, the Company's long-term reserve for
asbestos liability claims amounted to US$33,500,000, compared
with US$35 million as of Dec. 31, 2006.
Minneapolis-based Entrx Corp. provides insulation and asbestos
abatement services through Metalclad Insulation Corp. The
Company installs insulation on pipes, ducts, furnaces, boilers,
and other industrial equipment. The Company also maintains and
removes insulation and sells specialty insulation products.
Entrx Corp. was originally established as Metalclad Corp. in
Entrx Corp., mainly its subsidiary Metalclad Insulation Corp.,
at March 31, 2007, recorded 375 pending asbestos-related cases,
which are defended and covered by insurance, according to the
Metalclad, for the year ended Dec. 31, 2006, recorded 404
pending asbestos-related cases, compared with 507 pending cases
for the year ended Dec. 31, 2005. (Class Action Reporter, April
Metalclad continues to be engaged in suits involving asbestos-
related injury or potential injury claims. In the first three
months of 2007, 37 new claims were made, compared with 68 in the
first three months of 2006.
At Dec. 31, 2006, the Company's total estimated future asbestos-
related liability amounted to US$43 million.
As of Dec. 31, 2006, the Company projected that about 186 new
asbestos-related claims would be commenced, and about 237 cases
would be resolved, in 2007, resulting in an estimated 353 cases
pending at Dec. 31, 2007.
Since the Company projected that an aggregate of 924 new cases
would be commenced after Dec. 31, 2006, and that 186 of these
cases would be commenced in 2007, the Company estimated that an
aggregate of 738 new cases would be commenced after Dec. 31,
2007. Accordingly, the cases pending and projected to be
commenced in the future at Dec. 31, 2007, would be 1,091 cases.
In the three months ended March 31, 2007, the Company expended
defense costs of US$107,000 to administer the asbestos claims,
compared with US$215,000 in 2006.
On its March 31, 2007 balance sheet, the Company included
US$41,250,000 of insurance coverage as an asset, compared with
US$43 million on its Dec. 31, 2006 balance sheet.
Entrx Corp.'s subsidiary, Metalclad Insulation Corp., and
several other liability insurers continue to face an asbestos-
related declaratory relief action filed by ACE Property &
Casualty Co., Central National Insurance Co. of Omaha, and
Industrial Underwriters Insurance Co.
On Feb. 23, 2005, ACE, Central National, and Industrial
Underwriters, which are all related entities, sued Metalclad and
a number of Metalclad's other liability insurers, in the
Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los
Angeles.
ACE, Central National and Industrial Underwriters issued
umbrella and excess policies to Metalclad, which has sought and
obtained from the plaintiffs both defense and indemnity under
these policies for the asbestos lawsuits brought against
Metalclad during the last four to five years.
The ACE Law seeks declarations regarding various coverage
issues, but is centrally focused on issues involving whether
historical and pending asbestos suits brought against Metalclad
are subject to either an "aggregate" limits of liability or
separate "per occurrence" limits of liability.
The ACE suit also seeks to determine the effect of the
settlement agreement between the Company and Allstate Insurance
Co. on the insurance obligations of various other insurers of
Metalclad, and the effect of the "asbestos exclusion" in the
Allstate policy.
The ACE suit does not seek any monetary recovery from Metalclad.
Allstate, in a cross-complaint filed against Metalclad in
October 2005, asked the court to determine the Company's
obligation to assume and pay for the defense of Allstate in the
ACE suit under the Company's indemnification obligations in the
Settlement Agreement.
Ballantyne of Omaha Inc. faces an asbestos-related case, filed
on Dec. 8, 2006, and pending in the Superior Court of the State
of California, County of San Francisco, according to the
The suit is styled Larry C. Stehman and Leila Stehman v.
Asbestos Corp. Ltd. and Ballantyne of Omaha Inc. individually
and as successor in interest to Strong International, Strong
Electric Corp. and Century Projector Corp., et al.
The plaintiffs have made no monetary demand upon the Company.
In March 2006, the Company settled an asbestos case entitled
Bercu v. BICC Cables Corp., et al., originally filed June 27,
2003 in the Supreme Court of the State of New York.
Administrative costs rose to US$1.4 million or 11 percent of
revenue, compared with US$1.2 million or 9.5 percent a year ago.
The increase was primarily due to employee severance costs
incurred as a result of planned workforce reductions as well as
for legal expenses to settle the Company's remaining asbestos
lawsuit.
Omaha, Nebr.-based Ballantyne of Omaha Inc., with its wholly
owned subsidiary Strong Westrex Inc., Strong Technical Services
Inc., and Design & Manufacturing Inc., designs, develops,
manufactures, services, and distributes theatre and lighting
equipment. The Company's products are distributed to movie
exhibition companies, sports arenas, auditoriums, amusement
parks and special venues.
Congoleum Corp.'s current asbestos-related liabilities, as of
March 31, 2007, amounted to US$10,372,000, compared with
US$13,950,000 as of Dec. 31, 2006, according to the Company's
In 2003, the Company was one of many defendants in about 22,000
pending lawsuits (including workers' compensation cases)
involving about 106,000 individuals, alleging personal injury or
death from exposure to asbestos or asbestos-containing products.
Nearly all asbestos-related claims that have been brought
against the Company to date allege that various diseases were
caused by exposure to asbestos-containing products, including
resilient sheet vinyl and tile made by the Company (or, in the
workers' compensation cases, exposure to asbestos in the course
of employment with the Company).
The Company discontinued the manufacture of asbestos-containing
sheet products in 1983 and asbestos-containing tile products in
Claims involving about 80,000 individuals were settled under the
Claimant Agreement and the Bankruptcy Code stayed litigation
related to unsettled or new claims. The Company expects
unsettled and future claims to be handled in accordance with the
terms of a plan of reorganization and a Plan Trust.
In December 2005, the Company commenced the Avoidance Actions
seeking to void the security interest granted to the Collateral
Trust and settlements. In March 2006, the Company filed a motion
for summary judgment in the Avoidance Actions seeking to avoid
the Claimant Agreement settlements and liens under various
bankruptcy theories, which motion was denied in June 2006.
In April 2007, the Company filed a new motion for summary
judgment in the Avoidance Actions, seeking to avoid the security
interests in insurance allegedly securing the Claimant Agreement
settlements. A hearing on this summary judgment motion is set
for June 4, 2007.
Mercerville, N.J.-based Congoleum Corp. makes flooring products
for residential and commercial use. Company products include
resilient sheet flooring (linoleum or vinyl flooring), do-it-
yourself vinyl tile, and commercial flooring. American Biltrite
Inc. owns about 66 percent of the Company.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court, in April 2007, approved a settlement
agreement where law firm Gilbert Heintz & Randolph would pay
Congoleum Corp. about US$9.2 million for asbestos-related
insurance matters, according to the Company's quarterly report
filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May
Under the terms of the Claimant Agreement, the Company's claims
processing agent processed 79,630 claims meeting the
requirements of the Claimant Agreement with a settlement value
in excess of US$466 million. In addition, Pre-Existing
Settlement Agreements and Trial-Listed Settlement Agreements
with claims secured by the Collateral Trust total about US$25
As a result of tabulating ballots on its Fourth Plan, the
Company is also aware of claims by claimants whose claims were
not determined under the Claimant Agreement but who have
submitted claims with a value of about US$512 million based on
the settlement values applicable in the Sixth Plan.
The Company's gross liability of in excess of US$491 million for
these settlements and contingent liability for the about US$512
million in unsettled claims is substantially in excess of the
total assets of the Company.
In February 2006, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court ordered GHR to
disgorge all fees and certain expenses it was paid by the
Company. The amount of the disgorgement is about US$9.6 million.
In October 2006, the Company and GHR entered into the agreement
in full satisfaction of the disgorgement order. The payment
would be secured by assets of GHR and would be made over time
according to a formula based on GHR's earnings.
Treatment of funds received pursuant to the GHR
Settlement under a future amended plan of reorganization may
differ from the treatment accorded by any prior plans.
The Company recorded charges aggregating about US$51.3 million
in prior years, and is not yet able to determine the amount of
the additional cost that will be required to complete its
reorganization.
Norcross Safety Products LLC, as of March 31, 2007, recorded
about 636 product liability lawsuits, of which 15 percent, or
about 95 suits, is asbestos-related, according to the Company's
As of Dec. 31, 2006, the Company had about 644 product liability
lawsuits, of which 15 percent, or about 96 suits, is asbestos-
related. (Class Action Reporter, April 13, 2007)
Most of the suits and claims the Company faces are product
liability matters that arise out of the use of respiratory
product lines made by its North Safety Products subsidiary.
As of March 31, 2007, North Safety Products, along with its
predecessors and the former owners of such business were named
as defendants in about 624 suits involving respirators allegedly
made and sold by it or its predecessors.
The Company also monitors an additional 12 suits in which it
says it feels that North Safety Products, its predecessors and
the former owners of such businesses may be named as defendants.
Collectively, these 636 suits represent about 8,434, excluding
spousal claims, plaintiffs.
About 85 percent of these suits involve plaintiffs alleging
injury resulting from exposure to silica dust.
These suits allege that the purported injuries resulted in part
from respirators that were negligently designed and made. The
defendants in these suits are often numerous, and include, in
addition to respirator manufacturers, employers of the
plaintiffs and manufacturers of sand (used in sand blasting) and
asbestos.
The Company acquired North Safety Products on Oct. 2, 1998 from
Siebe plc. In connection with the acquisition, Siebe, which was
subsequently merged with BTR plc (now known as "Invensys plc"),
contractually agreed to indemnify the Company for any losses,
including costs of defending claims, resulting from respiratory
products made or sold before its acquisition of North Safety
Products in October 1998.
Oak Brook, Ill.-based Norcross Safety Products LLC makes
protective equipment (boots, clothing, eyewear, hats, hearing
protection aids, and respiratory devices) for the agricultural,
fire service, industrial, and utility markets. Odyssey
Investment Partners LLC owns 75 percent of the Company.
Reunion Industries Inc. says that, since the end of 2006, 109
new asbestos-related cases have been opened, according to the
Since the end of 2006, 128 cases have been dismissed and 47
cases have been settled for a net reduction of 66 cases during
the 2007-1st quarter.
The gross cost of the 47 case settlements was US$48,000 and the
gross amount of legal fees and costs incurred during the 2007-
1st quarter were US$212,000.
The Company's insurance carriers cover the significant majority
of these costs and the Company's total share of these settlement
and other costs in the 2007-1st quarter was US$37,000.
Pittsburgh-based Reunion Industries Inc. makes machined and
fabricated industrial products like fluid power cylinders,
gratings, and steel pressure vessels. The Company serves
customers in the transportation, power generation, chemicals,
metals, and electronics industries.
IPALCO Enterprises Inc.'s subsidiary Indianapolis Power & Light
Co., as of March 31, 2007, faced about 115 pending asbestos-
related lawsuits, compared with 114 suits as of March 31, 2006,
according to the Company's quarterly report filed with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission on May 15, 2007.
These suits allege personal injury or wrongful death stemming
from exposure to asbestos and asbestos containing products
formerly located in IPL power plants.
As of Dec. 31, 2006, IPL faced about 114 pending asbestos-
related lawsuits, compared with about 109 suits as of Dec. 31,
2005. (Class Action Reporter, April 20, 2007)
IPL has been named as a "premises defendant" in that IPL did not
mine, manufacture, distribute or install asbestos or asbestos
containing products. These suits have been brought on behalf of
persons who worked for contractors or subcontractors hired by
IPL.
IPL has insurance, which may cover some portions of these
claims. Counsel, retained by various insurers who wrote policies
applicable to the period of time during which much of the
exposure has been alleged, is defending these cases.
Historically, settlements paid on IPL's behalf have been
comprised of proceeds from one or more insurers along with
comparatively smaller contributions by IPL.
Indianapolis-based IPALCO Enterprises Inc., through regulated
unit Indianapolis Power & Light, generates, transmits, and
distributes electricity to more than 465,000 customers in
central Indiana. The Company is a subsidiary of The AES Corp.
Duke Energy Ohio Inc. faces lawsuits related to asbestos at its
electric generating stations, in which there are fewer than 10
pending suits, according to the Company's quarterly report filed
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May 15,
The Company is a subsidiary of Duke Energy Corp.
In these suits, plaintiffs claim to have been exposed to
asbestos-containing products in the course of their work as
outside contractors.
The plaintiffs further claim that as the property owner of the
generating stations, the Company should be held liable for their
injuries and illnesses based on an alleged duty to warn and
protect them from any asbestos exposure.
As it has been named in fewer than 10 cases, the Company has
virtually no settlement history for asbestos cases.
Charlotte, N.C.-based Duke Energy Ohio Inc. distributes
electricity and natural gas in Cincinnati and surrounding areas,
including portions of Indiana and Kentucky. The Company has
680,000 power and 420,000 gas customers. The Company also
operates fossil-fueled power plants with more than 5,200 MW of
generating capacity.
Duke Energy Indiana Inc. faces lawsuits related to asbestos at
their electric generating stations, of which about 120 suits are
pending, according to the Company's quarterly report filed with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May 15, 2007.
Of these suits, one case filed against the Company has been
tried to verdict. The jury returned a verdict against the
Company on a negligence claim and a verdict for the Company on
The Company appealed this decision up to the Indiana Supreme
Court. In October 2005, the Indiana Supreme Court upheld the
jury's verdict. The Company paid the judgment of about
US$630,000 in the 2005-4th quarter.
In addition, the Company has settled over 150 other claims for
amounts, which neither individually nor in the aggregate, were
material to its operations.
The Company estimates that the range of reasonably possible
exposure in existing and future suits over the next 50 years
could range from an immaterial amount to about US$60 million.
Plainfield, Ind.-based Duke Energy Indiana Inc. transmits and
distributes electricity to 69 of Indiana's 92 counties (about
766,000 customers). The utility also owns power plants (7,275 MW
of primarily fossil-fueled capacity), which are operated by Duke
Energy Corp.'s merchant energy division.
BJ Services Co. and certain of its predecessors continue to face
asbestos-related lawsuits filed in the Circuit Court of Jones
and Smith Counties in Mississippi, according to the Company's
Filed in August 2004, these four suits included 118 individual
plaintiffs alleging that they suffer various illnesses from
exposure to asbestos and seeking damages. The suits assert
claims of unseaworthiness, negligence, and strict liability, all
based upon the status of the Company's predecessors as Jones Act
employers.
About 25 plaintiffs have identified the Company or its
predecessors as their employer. Four individuals filed amended
suits against the Company and the remainder of the original
claims (114) were dismissed.
Of these four suits, three failed to name the Company as an
employer or manufacturer of asbestos containing products so it
was dismissed. Subsequently an individual from one of these
suits brought his own action against the Company.
As a result, the Company is named as an employer in two of the
Mississippi suits.
In addition to the Jones Act cases, the Company has been named
in a small number of additional asbestos cases. The allegations
in these cases vary, but generally include claims that the
Company provided some unspecified product or service, which
contained or utilized asbestos.
Some of the allegations involve claims that the Company is a
successor to the Byron Jackson Co.
To date, the Company has been successful in obtaining dismissals
of such cases without any payment in settlements or judgments.
Houston-based BJ Services Co. provides pressure-pumping services
used to protect oil formation. The Company's oilfield services
include casing and tubular services, process and pipeline
services, production chemicals, completion tools and completion
fluids services.
American Biltrite Inc., as of March 31, 2007, is a co-defendant
in about 1,381 pending asbestos-related claims involving about
1,967 individuals, according to the Company's quarterly report
filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission May 14,
The claimants allege personal injury or death from exposure to
asbestos or asbestos-containing products.
As of Dec. 31, 2006, the Company faced about 1,332 pending
asbestos-related claims involving about 1,918 individuals,
compared with 1,703 claims as of Dec. 31, 2005. (Class Action
Reporter, April 13, 2007)
For the three months ended March 31, 2007, the Company recorded
164 new claims filed, three settlements, and 112 dismissals. For
the year ended Dec. 31, 2006, the Company recorded 625 new
claims filed, 30 settlements, and 966 dismissals.
The total indemnity costs incurred to settle claims during the
three months ended March 31, 2007 amounted to US$19,000,
compared with US$3.1 million during the year ended Dec. 31,
The amounts were paid by the Company's insurance carriers under
the Company's applicable insurance policies, as were the related
defense costs.
The average indemnity cost per resolved claim was about US$200
for the three months ended March 31, 2007, compared with
US$3,000 for the year ended Dec. 31, 2006.
At Dec. 31, 2006, the estimated range of liability for
settlement of current claims pending and claims anticipated to
be filed through 2012 was US$10.3 million to US$35.3 million.
The Company recorded the minimum liability estimate of US$10.3
million in its consolidated financial statements at Dec. 31,
At March 31, 2007, the Company has recorded US$10.4 million for
the estimated minimum liability. The Company said it believes
that corresponding amount of insurance probable of recovery is
US$9.3 million at March 31, 2007 and Dec. 31, 2006.
Wellesley Hills, Mass.-based American Biltrite Inc. produces
Congoleum-brand vinyl tile flooring and sheet-vinyl floors, and
it distributes fashion jewelry through its K&M Associates
supplier. The Company also makes industrial products like
adhesive-coated, pressure-sensitive tapes used to protect
materials during handling and for varied applications. The
Company owns 66 percent of Congoleum Corp.
Sensus Metering Systems Inc. and other third parties continue to
face several lawsuits related to illnesses from exposure to
asbestos or asbestos-containing products, according to the
Company's annual report filed with the U.S. Securities and
The complaints did not specify which plaintiffs allegedly were
involved with the Company's products.
Since the cases are in its initial stages, it is uncertain
whether any plaintiffs have asbestos-related illnesses or dealt
with the Company's products, much less whether any plaintiffs
were exposed to an asbestos-containing component part of the
Company's product or whether that part could have been a
substantial contributing factor to the alleged illness.
Although the Company is entitled to indemnification for legal
and indemnity costs for asbestos claims related to these
products from certain Invensys plc subsidiaries, under the stock
purchase agreement under which the Company acquired Invensys
Metering Systems, those indemnities are limited to the purchase
price paid by the Company in connection with the acquisition of
Invensys Metering Systems.
The Company is unable to estimate the amount of its exposure, if
any, related to these claims at this time.
Raleigh, N.C.-based Sensus Metering Systems Inc. provides
metering and related communications solutions to the utility
industry. The Company makes water, gas, heat, and electric
meters. The Company was formed on Dec. 17, 2003 through the
acquisition of the metering systems and certain other businesses
of Invensys plc.
Building Materials Corp. of America continues to face asbestos-
related liabilities of its indirect parent, G-I Holdings Inc.,
which filed for bankruptcy in January 2001.
In connection with its formation, the Company contractually
assumed and agreed to pay the first US$204.4 million of
liabilities for asbestos-related bodily injury claims relating
to the inhalation of asbestos fiber of G-I Holdings. As of March
30, 1997, the Company paid all of its assumed asbestos-related
In January 2001, G-I Holdings filed for reorganization under
Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code due to Asbestos Claims.
Most asbestos claims do not specify the amount of damages
On Feb. 2, 2001, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of
New Jersey issued a temporary restraining order enjoining any
existing or future claimant from bringing or prosecuting an
Asbestos Claim against the Company.
By oral opinion on June 22, 2001, and written order entered Feb.
22, 2002, the Bankruptcy Court converted the temporary
restraints into a preliminary injunction, prohibiting the
bringing or prosecution of any Asbestos Claim against the
On Feb. 7, 2001, G-I Holdings filed an action in the U.S.
Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey seeking a
declaratory judgment that the Company has no successor liability
for Asbestos Claims against G-I Holdings and that it is not the
alter ego of G-I Holdings (the "BMCA Action").
One of the parties to this matter, the Official Committee of
Asbestos Claimants (the "creditors' committee"), subsequently
filed a counterclaim against the Company seeking a declaration
that the Company has successor liability for Asbestos Claims
against G-I Holdings and that it is the alter ego of G-I
Holdings.
On May 13, 2003 the U.S. District Court for the District of New
Jersey overseeing the G-I Holdings' Bankruptcy Court withdrew
the reference of the BMCA Action from the Bankruptcy Court, and
this matter will therefore be heard by the District Court.
On or about Feb. 8, 2001, the creditors' committee filed a
complaint in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey
against G-I Holdings and the Company. The complaint requests
substantive consolidation of the Company with G-I Holdings or an
order directing G-I Holdings to cause the Company to file for
bankruptcy protection.
The plaintiffs also filed for interim relief absent the granting
of their requested relief. On March 21, 2001, the Bankruptcy
Court denied plaintiffs' application for interim relief.
In November 2002, the creditors' committee, joined in by the
legal representative of future demand holders, filed a motion
for appointment of a trustee in the G-I Holdings' bankruptcy. In
December 2002, the Bankruptcy Court denied the motion. The
creditors' committee appealed the ruling to the U.S. District
Court, which denied the appeal on June 27, 2003.
The creditors' committee appealed the denial to the 3rd Circuit
Court of Appeals, which denied the appeal on Sept. 24, 2004. The
creditors' committee filed a petition with the 3rd Circuit Court
of Appeals for a rehearing of its denial of the creditors'
committee's appeal, which was denied by the Court of Appeals on
On July 7, 2004, the Bankruptcy Court authorized the creditors'
committee to commence an adversary proceeding against the
Company and others challenging, as a fraudulent conveyance,
certain transactions entered into in connection with the
Company's formation in 1994, in which G-I Holdings caused to be
transferred to the Company all of its roofing business and
assets and in which the Company assumed certain liabilities
relating to those assets, including a specified amount of
asbestos liabilities (the "1994 transaction").
On July 20, 2004, the creditors' committee appealed certain
aspects of the Bankruptcy Court's order (and a June 8, 2004
decision upon which the order was based). G-I Holdings, the
holders of the Company's bank and bond debt and the Company
cross-appealed. The District Court entered an order on June 21,
2006 affirming in part and vacating in part the Bankruptcy
Court's July 7, 2004 order.
In March 2007, after participating in a mediation, which
resulted in the parties agreeing to an outline of the principal
terms of a settlement of the G-I Holdings bankruptcy and all
related litigations, the parties agreed to a stay of proceedings
pending the completion of their negotiations.
The judges presiding over the G-I Holdings bankruptcy proceeding
and the related litigations, including the BMCA action and the
fraudulent conveyance action, have each entered stipulated
orders dated March 22, 2007, March 23, 2007, and April 4, 2007,
implementing the stay.
Wayne, N.J.-based Building Materials Corp. of America makes and
markets asphalt and polymer based roofing products and
accessories for the residential and commercial roofing markets.
The Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of BMCA Holdings Corp.,
which is a wholly owned subsidiary of G-I Holdings Inc.
Building Materials Corp. of America, as of April 1, 2007, had
about 1,900 alleged asbestos-related bodily injury claims
pending against it, according to the Company's quarterly report
These claims relate to the inhalation of asbestos fiber.
Empire State Building Associates LLC and other New York City
Building owners continue to face an asbestos-related action
styled Stanislawa Staniszek v. A.C.&S. Inc., et al., according
to the Company's annual report filed with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission on May 17, 2007.
The action is part of the New York City Asbestos Litigation
pending before the New York State Supreme Court.
It is alleged that Mr. Staniszek, now deceased, suffered from
mesothelioma and other related conditions as a result of being
exposed to asbestos and asbestos-related products while employed
as a project supervisor at various locations, including the
Empire State Building.
New York-based Empire State Building Associates LLC, an investor
group led by New York real estate expert Peter Malkin, holds the
master lease on the Empire State Building through 2076.
Amerex Group Inc., at March 31, 2007, recorded US$768,101 as
accrued remediation liability for the removal of asbestos that
exists at its Pryor, Okla., facility, according to the Company's
At March 31, 2007, the Company had current liabilities amounting
to US$13,092,169, which is comprised of the current portion of
long term debt, accounts and notes payable, accrued expenses,
the Company's accounts receivable line of credit, and accrued
share-based liabilities.
At Dec. 31, 2006, the Company's current liabilities were
US$12,838,806.
Amerex Group Inc.
512 7th Ave., 9th Fl.
http://www.amerexgroup.com
The Company makes outerwear for men, women, and children.
Established in 1946, the Company has licensing agreements with
brands like Jones New York, London Fog, OshKosh, and Mudd. The
Company also sells outerwear under its own labels and sports-
oriented outdoor wear through subsidiary Gerry.
Colonial Commercial Corp. faces asbestos-related personal injury
lawsuits, with 101 plaintiffs, from predecessor Hilco Inc., in
the Superior Court of New Jersey in Middlesex County.
The Company has never sold any asbestos related products.
Of the existing plaintiffs, 11 filed actions in 2007, seven
filed actions in 2006, 15 filed actions in 2005, 42 filed
actions in 2004, 23 filed actions in 2003, and three filed
actions in 2002.
There are 110 other plaintiffs that have had their actions
dismissed and nine other plaintiffs that have settled as of
March 31, 2007 for a total of US$3,325,500. There has been no
judgment against Hilco.
The Company's Universal Supply Group Inc. subsidiary was named
by 35 plaintiffs. Of these, two filed actions in 1999, one filed
an action in 2000, five filed actions in 2001, 11 filed actions
in 2005, six filed actions in 2006 and 10 filed actions in 2007.
Six plaintiffs naming Universal have had their actions dismissed
and, of the total US$3,325,500 of settled actions, two
plaintiffs naming Universal have settled for US$26,500. No money
was paid by Universal in connection with any settlement. After
these dismissed and settled actions, there exist 27 plaintiffs
that name Universal.
The Company has been indemnified against asbestos-based claims,
and insurance companies are defending the interests of Hilco and
the Company in these cases.
The Company said it believes that none of the litigation that
was brought against the Company's Universal subsidiary through
March 31, 2007 is material, and that the only material
litigation that was brought against Hilco through that date was
Rhodes v. A.O. Smith Corp., filed on April 26, 2004 in the
Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Middlesex County,
Docket Number MID-L-2979-04AS.
The Company was advised that the Rhodes case was settled for
US$3,250,000 ("Settlement") under an agreement reached in
connection with a US$10 million jury verdict that was rendered
on Aug. 5, 2005. The Company was not a defendant in the Rhodes
On April 29, 2005, before the Rhodes case trial, Hilco filed a
third party complaint against Sid Harvey Industries ("Third
Party Complaint") in an action demanding contributor payment in
connection with the Settlement. Sid Harvey Industries moved
successfully for summary judgment.
Hilco filed an appeal as to the dismissal of its Third Party
Complaint. In a decision dated Dec. 29, 2006, the Superior Court
of New Jersey, Appellate Division, reversed the dismissal of
Hilco's Third Party Complaint and remanded the matter for
further proceedings as to Predecessor's claim for contribution.
Hawthorne, N.J.-based Colonial Commercial Corp., through
subsidiaries Universal Supply Group, RAL Supply Group, and
American/Universal Supply, supplies HVAC products, climate-
control systems, and plumbing fixtures to some 6,000 customers
(mostly builders and HVAC contractors) in New York and New
Intermountain Refining Co. Inc., 1n 2007, recognized US$11,141
from the salvage of metals from asbestos-containing equipment
being dismantled in its Fredonia, Ariz., facility, compared with
US$29,505 in 2006, according to the Company's annual report
In April, 2005, the Company began the process of dismantling the
portions of its refining equipment at its Fredonia facility that
are no longer used for ongoing operations and were not expected
to be used in the future.
As part of the dismantling process, the Company identified
asbestos containing materials in portions of the equipment being
dismantled. The Company engaged a consultant to evaluate the
extent of asbestos present on the site and to prepare a plan for
the abatement and removal of the material.
During the year ended Feb. 28, 2006, the Company incurred
US$276,212 in consulting and abatement costs associated with the
removal of the material.
The Company said it believes that abatement and disposal of the
asbestos containing materials had been completed as of Feb. 28,
2006, and does not expect to incur any material abatement costs
Farmington, N.M.-based Intermountain Refining Co. Inc. produces
natural gas, manufactures and stores asphalt-paving products.
The Company also provides management and consulting services.
Congoleum Corp. said that a court decision was issued in Phase I
of the trial addressing disputes regarding insurance coverage
for asbestos liabilities, according to a Company press release
dated May 23, 2007.
The decision found that the Company's insurers were not
obligated to provide coverage for the settlement agreement
covering numerous claimants with asbestos claims against the
Company. The settlement had been reached in 2003, before the
Company's Chapter 11 filing.
Roger S. Marcus, Chairman of the Board, commented, "The judge
presiding over our reorganization proceedings has already made
it clear that she would not confirm a plan that honored the
terms of the settlement agreement addressed by this state court
"This decision further confirms the issues created by that
agreement, and provides additional guidance on the steps we can
take to comply with the bankruptcy court's rulings and
decisions. We are proceeding with those steps so we can move
ahead with a plan that complies with all necessary legal
requirements and enables us to complete our reorganization."
On Dec. 31, 2003, the Company filed a voluntary petition with
the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey (Case
No. 03-51524) seeking relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S.
Bankruptcy Code as a means to resolve claims asserted against it
related to the use of asbestos in its products decades ago.
Mercerville, N.J.-based Congoleum Corp. makes resilient
flooring, serving both residential and commercial markets. The
Company's sheet, tile and plank products are available in a wide
variety of designs and colors, and are used in remodeling,
manufactured housing, new construction and commercial
Suncor Energy Products Inc. and Tornado Insulation Ltd. were
issued a total penalty of CDN175,000, two years after workers
were exposed to asbestos during an insulation-removal job at an
ethanol refinery in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, Canadian
Occupational Health & Safety News reports.
Suncor Energy was fined CDN125,000 for two asbestos-related
violations and Tornado Insulation was fined CDN50,000 for one
violation.
Suncor Energy was fined CDN25,000 on the first count and
CDN100,000 on the second count. Tornado Insulation, for their
part, pleaded guilty to one charge identical to Suncor Energy's
second count.
The fines follow incidents between March 9, 2005 and March 12,
2005, during which workers from both firms were removing
insulation and other materials from heat exchangers and from a
large chemical vessel, known as a stripper change drum,
according to a Ministry of Labor press release.
However, on March 11, 2005, when concern was raised that
material on the stripper change drum contained asbestos, Suncor
Energy sent the material to a testing facility in London,
Ontario, which confirmed that the materials contained asbestos.
However, Suncor Energy did not notify the MoL of the presence of
asbestos, and both companies failed to ensure workers wore
appropriate personal protective equipment when removing the
materials both after the asbestos was discovered and after it
was confirmed, the MoL said.
On May 14, 2007, Suncor Energy pleaded guilty to failing to
ensure that the friable material discovered during the work,
that was not referred to in a previously prepared asbestos
report, was reported orally and in a written report to the MoL.
Suncor Energy also pleaded guilty to failing to ensure workers
were provided with protective equipment that included a
respirator with supplied air, positive pressure full-facepiece
respirator for a Type 3 asbestos removal.
W.R. Grace & Co. asked U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Judith K.
Fitzgerald to bar asbestos-related lawsuits against Burlington
Northern Santa Fe Railway Co. over the railroad's objections to
the legal protection, Bloomberg News reports.
Grace's effort to resolve more than 100,000 asbestos claims it
faces would be more difficult if BNSF starts defending itself
against 113 suits involving the railroad's transportation of
vermiculite ore in Libby, Mont., Grace attorney David M. Bernick
said in court.
Grace faces federal criminal charges and civil suits related to
its former vermiculite ore mine outside Libby, where town
residents claim the Company is responsible for exposing them to
asbestos. BNSF transported vermiculite from Grace's mine until
1990, when the mine was shut down, according to court documents.
While Grace is in bankruptcy protection, none of the civil
asbestos cases against the Company can go forward. The criminal
case is on hold pending legal appeals. Grace has proposed
settling all the suits as part of its plan to exit bankruptcy.
About 600 town residents and former railroad workers sued BNSF,
claiming the railroad's transportation of vermiculite ore
exposed them to asbestos, which is linked to lung diseases,
including cancer.
Grace argued that the plaintiffs in the BNSF case will
eventually sue Grace. The BNSF cases would give plaintiffs'
attorneys the chance to collect evidence that would later be
used as leverage against Grace in negotiations, Mr. Bernick told
Judge Fitzgerald.
Judge Fitzgerald agreed to sign an order allowing BNSF to pursue
legal claims against its insurers.
Columbia, Md.-based W.R. Grace & Co., through its subsidiaries,
engages in specialty chemicals and specialty materials
businesses through two operating segments: "Grace Davison,"
which includes silica- and alumina-based catalysts and
materials; and "Grace Performance Chemicals," which includes
specialty chemicals and materials.
Elsie Eberhard, representing her mother Barbara Clarke, on May
16, 2007, sued 44 defendant corporations in an asbestos-related
lawsuit filed in Madison County Circuit Court, The Madison St.
Clair Record reports.
The suit, which states that Mrs. Clark resided in Pennsylvania,
claims that she was exposed to asbestos while employed as a
production worker, machinist, and engineering draftsman from
Several defendants include Bondex Inc., Cooper Industries Ltd.,
Ford Motor Co., General Electric Co., General Motors Corp., John
Crane Inc., Kelly-Moore Paint Co. Inc., and Thyssenkrupp AG.
The suit states that Mrs. Clarke was diagnosed with mesothelioma
on Jan. 26, 2005, and died on May 25, 2005.
Ms. Eberhard claims her mother was also exposed to asbestos
during non-occupational work projects including home and
automotive repairs, maintenance and remodeling.
The complaint alleges that defendants failed to require and
advise their employees of hygiene practices designed to reduce
or prevent carrying asbestos fibers home.
Ms. Eberhard claims the defendants included asbestos in their
products when they knew asbestos fibers would have a highly
deleterious effect on the health of people absorbing them,
included asbestos in their products when adequate substitutes
were available. She claims the defendants failed to provide any
warnings to people working with or around asbestos and failed to
conduct tests on asbestos-containing products in order to
determine the hazards to workers.
As a result of the alleged negligence, Ms. Eberhard claims Mrs.
Clarke was exposed to fibers with asbestos and developed a
disease caused only by asbestos which disabled and disfigured
Ms. Eberhard claims that she has sought, but has been unable to
obtain, full disclosure of relevant documents and information
from the defendants leading her to believe the defendants
destroyed documents related to asbestos.
Ms. Eberhard claims that as a result of each defendant breaching
its duty to preserve material evidence by destroying documents
and information she has been prejudiced and impaired in proving
claims against all potential parties.
Ms. Eberhard claims that, before her death, Mrs. Clarke
experienced great pain and mental anguish, became liable for
medical expenses and lost large sums of money she otherwise
would have earned.
Ms. Eberhard seeks damages in excess of US$700,000, plus
punitive damages in an amount to punish the defendants for their
alleged misconduct.
Case No. 07 L 452 has been assigned to Circuit Judge Daniel
Stack.
Maren Roberts, for her husband Henry Joe Roberts, sued the A.O.
Smith Corp., along with 42 other major corporations, for
distributing products throughout Jefferson County, Tex., The
Southeast Texas Record reports.
Mrs. Roberts filed the suit with the Jefferson County District
Court on May 18, 2007. Judge Donald Floyd, 172nd Judicial
District, will preside over the case.
This is the eighth case of its kind filed by Attorney Bryan
Blevins of Provost Umphrey in the last two months.
Mrs. Roberts is blaming corporations like Lockheed Martin Corp.
and Zurn Industries Inc. for manufacturing and distributing
asbestos laced products.
The petition does not state Mr. Roberts' age when he passed away
or the nature of his illness. The suit only says he was exposed
to asbestos while working as an electrician.
However, a separate suit against E.I. Du Pont De Nemours filed
by Mrs. Roberts, says Mr. Roberts died from an asbestos related
disease on May 18, 2005. Provost Umphery is also representing
Mrs. Roberts in the separate suit (case No. A179-324).
The second suit says Mr. Roberts was a former employee of the
Beaumont refinery.
In the first suit, the petition says the 43 defendants in Mr.
Roberts' suit were negligent, failing to adequately test their
asbestos-laced products before flooding the market with
dangerous goods.
In addition, the petition faults Minnesota Mining and
Manufacturing Corp. (3M Corp.) and American Optical Corp. for
producing defective masks that failed to "provide respiratory
In Case No. E179-325, Mrs. Robersts is suing for physical pain
and suffering in the past and future, mental anguish in the past
and future, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, disfigurement
in the past and future, physical impairment in the past and
future, and past and future medical expenses.
Mary Ellen Burns and Patricia Ann Rollins, on May 1, 2007, sued
16 corporations, for the death of Willard Harold Burns from
asbestos-related diseases, in Kanawha Circuit Court, W.Va., The
West Virginia Record reports.
The suit was filed through Attorney James A. McKowen. Ms.
Rollins is the executrix of Mr. Burns' estate.
According to the suit, Mr. Burns died Feb. 3, 2007, of
asbestosis and mesothelioma. He worked for Union Carbide Corp.
as an operator, boilermaker and welder, from 1943 to 1977.
The suit says Mr. Burns breathed asbestos and other harmful
dusts and developed mesothelioma.
According to the suit, the defendants are responsible for Mr.
Burns' illness and subsequently, his death, by neglecting to
inform him of the dangers associated with asbestos.
Mrs. Burns and Ms. Rollins seek full compensation and punitive
damages, in the nine-count suit.
Kanawha Circuit Court Case No. 07-C-813 will be assigned to a
visiting judge.
Jerry Mayo Sr., on May 4, 2007, filed an asbestos lawsuit
against 55 companies in Kanawha Circuit Court, W.Va., The West
Virginia Record reports.
Mr. Mayo, of Cabell County, claims the defendants' negligence
with asbestos-containing materials caused him to contract lung
Gladys Mayo, Mr. Mayo's wife, is also named as plaintiff.
Mr. Mayo was an ironworker for several mills and plants in West
Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky from 1970 to 1993. During that time,
he claims he was forced to breath asbestos and other harmful
dusts, which caused his cancer.
In the 12-count suit filed through Attorney Samuel D. Elswick,
the Mayos seek compensatory and punitive damages.
The United Kingdom's Health and Safety Executive issued warnings
to firms to take extra care when demolishing buildings
containing asbestos cement sheets, Azobuild.com reports.
The warning came after Wye Valley Demolition Ltd. of St.
Weonards, Hereford, on May 18, 2007, was fined GBP6,000 and
asked to pay costs of GBP13,621.49 at Hereford Magistrates'
Court after the release of asbestos during the demolition of a
former grain store building in Bodenham.
HSE Principal Inspector for Construction, Joy Jones, said,
"People working in the construction industry need to exercise
caution when working in areas that may contain asbestos.
Asbestos should not be treated lightly as it causes 3,500 deaths
in Britain each year, with annual numbers predicted to go on
rising into the next decade.
"All people working in areas that may contain asbestos need to
be aware of the dangers to others and the financial penalties
imposed if asbestos is mishandled. The risks from asbestos
cement are lower than from other asbestos materials but
contractors still need to take proper precautions."
This prosecution followed an incident between June 25, 2004 and
June 29, 2004 during the demolition of a former grain store
building at Chapel Lane, Bodenham.
The building contained asbestos cement sheets which should have
been removed under controlled conditions but which instead were
smashed to the ground by a machine then spread over the
demolition site.
Wye Valley Demolition Ltd. pleaded guilty to breaches of
Regulation 10(1) and Regulation 15 of the Control of Asbestos at
Work Regulations 2002.
The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office, on April 3, 2007, filed
a misdemeanor complaint against Meruelo Maddux Properties Inc.,
alleging illegal disposal of hazardous waste, according to the
Regarding its project at Vignes Village, the Company has been
notified that the South Coast Air Quality Management District
was investigating compliance with regulations and laws relating
to demolition of structures with asbestos-containing materials,
but that no claim had been asserted yet by the agency.
Since the date of the disclosure, the Los Angeles City
Attorney's Office, upon referral by SCAQMD, filed the complaint
in the Superior Court of the County of Los Angeles against the
company, the subsidiary of the company that owns the property,
and employees of the company or its subsidiaries, alleging
illegal disposal of hazardous waste.
The arraignment is not scheduled until July 2007.
Meruelo Maddux Properties Inc.
761 Terminal St. Bldg. 1, 2nd Fl.
Los Angeles, Calif. 90021
http://www.meruelomaddux.com
Fiscal Year-End: December
2006 Sales (mil.): US$23.5
1-Year Sales Growth: 30.9 percent
2006 Net Income (mil.): (US$17.1 million)
2005 Employees: 91
The Company is a self-managed, full-service real estate company
that develops, redevelops and owns commercial and residential
properties located in downtown Los Angeles and other densely
populated urban areas in California that are undergoing
demographic or economic changes.
A securities class action was commenced in the U.S. District
Court for the Southern District of New York, on behalf of all
persons who purchased or acquired American Depositary Shares of
Xinhua Finance Media Ltd. pursuant or traceable to Xinhua's
initial public offering, dated March 8, 2007.
The lawsuit is also on behalf of all persons who purchased or
acquired ADSs of Xinhua between March 8, 2007 and May 21, 2007,
inclusive.
The complaint charges that defendants:
- Xinhua;
- Fredy Bush;
- Shelly Singhal;
- J.P. Morgan Securities Inc;
- UBS AG, CIBC World Markets Corp.; and
- WR Hambrecht & Co., LLC
made, or facilitated, misleading statements in the company's
March 8, 2007 prospectus, issued in connection with the offering
of 23,076,932 ADSs, representing 46,153,846 common shares at $13
The complaint alleges that the prospectus failed to disclose
material information that since April 2006, prior to the
company's IPO, Shelly Singhal, the company's CFO at the time of
the IPO, was simultaneously an investment banker and stockbroker
in charge of Bedrock Securities. Since April 2006, prior to the
company's IPO, Bedrock had been under a Nasdaq cease-and-desist
order for violating SEC regulations. Moreover, reports also
surfaced that Singhal had been fighting a private civil
racketeering lawsuit in California and had previously been a
major investor in AremisSoft and ACLN, companies previously sued
for fraud by the SEC. This information was never disclosed in
the prospectus.
Plaintiff seeks to recover damages on behalf of all those who
purchased or otherwise acquired Xinhua ADSs during the class
Interested parties may move the court no later than July 23,
2007, for appointment as lead plaintiff.
For more information about the case or to obtain a copy of the
complaint, contact:
Sandy A. Liebhard, Esq.
Gregory M. Egleston, Esq.
Bernstein Liebhard & Lifshitz, LLP
E-mail: XFML@bernlieb.com
Web Site: http://www.bernlieb.com
USA. Glenn Ruel Senorin, Ma. Cristina Canson, and Janice
Mendoza, and Mary Grace Durana, Editors.
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Tuesday, March 4, 2008, Vol. 10, No. 45
ALLCO FINANCE: Lawsuit Over Millions of Undisclosed Debts Looms
ALLOS THERAPEUTICS: Reaches $2M Settlement in CO Securities Suit
ARIZONA: Legislators Seek to Extend Looming Deadline in ELL Suit
AURORA DAIRY: MDL Panel Sends Organic Milk Suits to St. Louis
AVISTA CORP: Wash. Court Approves $9.5M Securities Settlement
AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES: Faces Del. Suit Over Sumitomo TakeOver Bid
CANADA: Faces Suit Over Abuse of Aboriginal Students
CHINESE DAILY: $5.19-Million Award Granted in Overtime Lawsuit
ENDOSCOPY CENTER: NV Suit Accuses Clinic of Using Dirty Syringes
FAMILY DOLLAR: Recalls Magnetic Dart Boards Posing Risks to Kids
FORMFACTOR INC: Faces Calif. Consolidated Securities Fraud Suit
FORMFACTOR INC: Faces Stockholder Derivative Litigation in Del.
GLAXOSMITHKLINE: Faces Lawsuit Over Anti-Depressant Medication
HERCULES OFFSHORE: Still Faces Texas Lawsuit Over TODCO Purchase
MASTERCARD: 30 Million Credit Card Users Get Offer to Join Suit
MUNIRE FURNITURE: Recalls Cribs Failing Safety Standards
ONEOK INC: Kans. Court Favors Defendants in Appeal of Nev. Suits
ONEOK PARTNERS: Court Mulls Class Certification in Price I, II
PFIZER INC: N.Y. Court Dismisses Torcetrapib-Related Litigation
PFIZER INC: Throws Questions About Celebrex and Bextra RX Bills
PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL: Still Faces ERISA Violations Suit in Iowa
PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL: Seeks Dismissal of Remaining Suit in Iowa
R&G FINANCIAL: Settles Securities, Derivative Litigation in N.Y.
SILICON IMAGE: Ninth Circuit Hears Appeal in Calif. Litigation
SOLUTIA INC: Class Certified in Consolidated Pension Plan Case
SOLUTIA INC: Parties Settle N.Y. Lawsuits Over SIP Plan
SPRINT NEXTEL: Faces N.Y. Suit Over Billing for Roaming Charges
T-MOBILE USA: Faces Calif. Suit Over $18 "Upgrade Fee" Charges
VISHAY INTERTECHNOLOGY: Ninth Circuit Mulls Appeal in "Proctor"
WORLDCOM INC: Carbon County Gets $49,000 as Settlement for Suit
YAHOO! INC: Still Faces Securities Fraud Lawsuits in California
YAHOO! INC: Faces Calif. Stockholder Suits Over Microsoft Offer
YAHOO! INC: Faces Del. Stockholder Lawsuits Over Microsoft Offer
AMBAC FINANCIAL: Lockridge Grindal Files Securities Fraud Suit
SIRF TECHNOLOGY: Schiffrin Barroway Files Securities Fraud Suit
SUNOPTA INC: Scott+Scott Files Securities Fraud Lawsuit in N.Y.
SUPERIOR OFFSHORE: Eric J. O'Bell Files LA Securities Fraud Suit
A potential class action is looming against Allco Finance Group
after it failed to disclose multi-millions of dollars in
current liabilities, Sky Net Online reports.
According to Sky Net, shares in Allco Finance have continued to
tumble after the company announced that it has $3.5 billion in
liabilities coming due this year. Sky Net notes that this
figure is around half of Allco's total borrowings.
Allco's 2007 annual report only reflected $200 million in
Lawyers say investors may be able to take legal action, given
that the proper level of debt had not been disclosed, as is
required by the Corporations Act.
About Allco Finance
Allco Finance Group Ltd. is an integrated global financial
services business, specializing in asset origination, funds
creation and funds management. The Company is a fund manager of
alternative assets in its core asset classes, which include
aviation, rail, shipping, infrastructure, property, private
equity and financial assets. Its primary focus is on commercial
property, predominately completed office buildings and select
development opportunities. It also purchases new and existing
commercial passenger and cargo aircraft for lease to commercial
airlines.
Allos Therapeutics Inc. reached a $2-million settlement in a
securities class action filed in Colorado against the company
and one of its former officers, according to the company's
Feb. 27, 2008 form 10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2007.
The suit was filed with the U.S. District Court for the District
of Colorado in May 2004. The complaint was then amended in
The lawsuit was brought on behalf of a purported class of
purchasers of the company's securities during the period from
May 29, 2003 to April 29, 2004. It sought unspecified damages
relating to the issuance of allegedly false and misleading
statements regarding the cancer drug EFAPROXYN during this
period and subsequent declines in the company's stock price.
On Oct. 20, 2005, the District Court granted the defendants'
motion to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice. In an opinion
dated Oct. 20, 2005, the District Court concluded that the
plaintiffs' complaint failed to meet the legal requirements
applicable to its alleged claims.
On Nov. 20, 2005, the plaintiffs appealed the District Court's
decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.
In October 2006, the parties held talks to settle the matter,
and on Feb. 6, 2008, they signed a stipulation of settlement,
resolving the case for $2,000,000.
The Court of Appeals accordingly has remanded the case to the
District Court for consideration of the settlement. The
settlement is subject to various conditions, including without
limitation approval of the District Court.
The suit is "Noble Asset Mgmt LLC v. Allos Therapeutics, et al.,
Case No. 1:04-cv-01030-RPM," filed with the U.S. District Court
for the District of Colorado, Judge Richard P. Matsch presiding.
Jeffrey Allen Berens, Esq. (jberens@dyershuman.com)
Dyer & Shuman, LLP
Representing the defendants are:
Tara L. Acton, Esq. (tacton@bw-legal.com)
Berenbaum, Weinshienk & Eason, P.C.
370 - 17th Street, Republic Plaza #4800
Paul Howard Schwartz, Esq. (schwartzph@cooley.com)
Cooley Godward, LLP
380 Interlocken, Crescent #900
Broomfield, CO 80021-8023
As reported in the Class Action Reporter on July 25, 2007, Tim
Hogan, Esq., filed a motion asking a federal judge to fine the
Arizona Legislature and declare it in contempt of a court order
to spend more on English language programs.
Mr. Hogan proposes a daily fine on the Legislature's failure to
adequately fund programs that teach English to Arizona students
who speak it as a second language. The fine would be $500,000 a
day for the first month that it fails to act, $1 million a day
for the next month, $1.5 million a day for the next month, and
According to the Associated Press, U.S. District Judge Raner C.
Collins had set a March 4, 2008 deadline for lawmakers to
increase funding for instruction of students learning English.
The judge ruled in October 2007 that the 2006 law revamping
English Language Learning programs to use new instruction models
does not do enough to satisfy federal mandates for equal
opportunities in education. He also ruled that several
provisions violate federal laws.
Judge Collins, AP notes, has threatened to impose unspecified
sanctions if the Legislature does not meet the deadline he set
in the 16-year-old class-action case challenging the adequacy of
Arizona's ELL programs. He previously imposed $21 million of
daily fines against the state in the same case, though the fines
later were erased on appeal.
Against this backdrop, the legislative leaders asked Judge
Collins to extend for six weeks -- until April 18 -- the looming
deadline. This after a federal appeals court upheld Judge
Collins' October Order.
"The relatively brief extension is necessary because of delays
caused by a number of school districts that submitted inflated
and incomplete funding requests," the extension motion stated.
"Moreover, at least half of the requests were submitted at the
last possible minute, congesting the review process."
The state Department of Education is still processing 247
funding requests and has not told the Legislature how much
additional funding that districts and charter schools should get
to implement the new models, the motion said. That means the
Legislature won't know how much money is needed before the March
4 deadline, the motion said. The delays were outside the
control of the legislative leaders and "were unforeseen" when
Judge Collins issued his October Order, the motion further
However, Mr. Hogan said that the six-week extension requested is
too much time and is unfounded because state Superintendent of
Public Instruction Tom Horne has already estimated that the cost
figure will range between $30 million to $50 million.
"So they're in a position to comply with the court order. It's
not impossible. If that's his estimate, then appropriate the
money and they reconcile it after all the I's are dotted and the
T's are crossed," Mr. Hogan asserted.
Mr. Hogan also said the lawmakers were aware of circumstances
surrounding the late development of the models and the Feb. 8
deadline for districts to submit funding request.
Mr. Hogan said he was willing to accept only a two-week delay.
"The issue is getting the money out there so that school
districts can hire teachers to implement these models," he said.
"That has to be done as quickly as possible."
AP points out that consideration of the ELL funding issue comes
at a tough time for lawmakers because the state faces a revenue
shortfall approaching $1.2 billion in the current $10.6 billion
budget and an even larger projected deficit in the next
fiscal year, which starts July 1.
The state was ordered to improve its offering to students
learning English after Judge Collin's predecessor ruled in 2000
that the state's programs for approximately 150,000 students
were inadequately funded. The order was part of a ruling in a
class action, which was originally filed in 1992 and led by
Mr. Hogan on behalf of Nogales Unified students and parents.
The deficiency was declared a violation of a federal law that
guarantees equal opportunities in education. The state was
fined $500,000 in January 2006 for missing a deadline to draft
ways to improve the program. The fine was increased to
$1 million, resulting to a $21 million in total fines. The
fines were stopped when the latest version of a Republican bill
seeking to revamp the English learning programs was passed into
law in March 2006.
In April 2006, Judge Collins ruled that the law still does not
adequately fund English-learning programs, fails to spell out
the costs of providing those programs, and does not explain the
basis for funding that it does provide.
The 9th Circuit panel heard arguments in the case in San
Francisco on July 25, 2006. In August 2006, it vacated orders
by Judge Collins, blocked the distribution of the fines to
public schools, and allowed the state to return the money to the
general fund.
The circuit court ordered Judge Collins to review whether the
state has made improvements to its programs in light of changes
in education funding and related circumstances since the
original 2000 ruling.
The August 2006 ruling of the appellate court did not rule
directly on the latest law regarding the program.
Judge Collins finished on Jan. 25, 2007, a hearing to determine
whether the state has already improved the program. In March
2007, he issued a ruling stating that the system is still
deficient. He ordered lawmakers to resolve the issue by the end
of their current session.
Meanwhile, the Legislature adjourned in 2007 without any
discussion of revamping English language learning to comply with
Judge Collins' judgment. Instead, Republican lawmakers and the
state schools chief asked the 9th Circuit to put Judge Collins'
ruling on hold.
The appeals court rejected that request on June 25, 2007, saying
Judge Collins has not yet found the Legislature in contempt for
ignoring his earlier ruling to boost the programs.
The class action is "Flores, et al. v. Arizona, State of, et
al., Case No. 4:92-cv-00596-RCC," filed with the U.S. District
Court for the District of Arizona under Judge Raner C. Collins.
Timothy Michael Hogan, Esq. (thogan@aclpi.org)
Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest
202 E. McDowell Rd., Ste. 153
Lynne Christensen Adams, Esq. (ladams@lrlaw.com)
Jose A. Cardenas, Esq. (jcardenas@lrlaw.com)
Lewis & Roca, LLP
40 N. Central Ave., Phoenix
AZ 85004-4429
The Judicial Panel of Multi-District Litigation decided that at
least 15 lawsuits accusing Aurora Dairy Corp. and retailers of
selling milk mislabeled as organic will be grouped together in a
federal court in St. Louis, AZ Central relates.
The report explains that Target Corp., Costco Wholesale Corp.,
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Safeway Inc., and Whole Foods Market Inc.
are alleged to have sold milk produced by closely held Aurora
Dairy that did not meet organic standards set by the United
States Department of Agriculture. The suits seek for damages
and an injunction not to sell milk mislabeled as organic.
As of December last year, the Class Action Reporter stated on
Dec. 14, 2007, five lawsuits against the retailers have been
filed so far. And law firms based in Seattle, St. Louis, New
York and other cities have filed at least eight lawsuits against
Aurora, representing plaintiffs in over 30 states.
The MDL Panel decided on Feb. 20 to assign all the litigation to
Judge E. Richard Webber of the Eastern District of Missouri
after lawyers argued last month over the appropriate court for
the lawsuits.
"Given the geographic dispersal of the constituent actions and
the potential tag-along actions, the Eastern District of
Missouri offers a relatively convenient forum for this
litigation," the judges said in their ruling. The
panel, AZ Central explains, oversees case consolidations when a
company is sued in different U.S. federal courts over the same
"We argued for the cases to be consolidated in Denver because we
are based here, but the location has no bearing on the outcome
of the case," Aurora's spokeswoman, Sonja Tuitele, told AZ
Central in a telephone interview.
AZ Central points out that in order for dairy milk to get USDA
organic certification, the cows must have access to pasture,
their feed must be pesticide-free and they must not be
given bovine-growth hormones or antibiotics, according to
federal legislation enacted in 1990. However, the plaintiffs
say that Aurora claimed its milk was organic after willfully
violating federal certification requirements.
The USDA notified Aurora in April 2007 that the company was
found to have violated the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990,
according to a letter from USDA National Organic Program
Associate Deputy Administrator Mark A. Bradley.
AZ Central recounts that the agency entered into a consent
agreement with Aurora in August addressing inconsistencies in
regulations between state and federal agencies. Aurora agreed
to make eight specific changes to its organic system plans and
address all the issues raised by the agency, according to the
consent agreement.
At the end of the one-year review period, Aurora must verify
that it has made all the changes, the report relates. The USDA
may withdraw from the consent agreement if the terms of the
agreement are not reasonably met.
"The cornerstone of our defense is the fact that the USDA has
confirmed that our milk has been produced under continuous valid
organic certifications," Ms. Tuitele said. "That means our milk
has been properly labeled with the USDA organic seal."
Aurora's violations were inconsistencies in interpretations of
USDA regulations and not done willfully, she said.
Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, Aurora Dairy Corporation --
http://www.auroraorganic.com/-- provides milk that is sold as
organic and packaged as store-brand products for many of the
nation's biggest chains. Besides Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, and
Safeway, Aurora serves as supplier to 15 other national and
regional chains.
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
gave final approval to the proposed $9.5-million settlement of
the lawsuit titled, "The Hackett Group, et al. v. Avista Corp.,
et al., Case No. 2:00-cv-00262-RHW."
Several class action complaints were filed in September through
November 2002 with the same court against the company, its
former chairman of the board, president and chief executive
officer, current chairman of the board and chief executive
officer; and former senior vice president and chief financial
officer (Class Action Reporter, Oct. 23, 2007).
In February 2003, the court issued an order consolidating the
suits and in August 2003, the plaintiffs filed a consolidated
amended class action complaint.
On Oct. 19, 2005, at the company's request, the court dismissed
the amended complaint. The dismissal order was issued without
prejudice, and allowed the plaintiffs to amend their complaint.
The second amended complaint, which was filed on Nov. 10, 2005,
alleged approximately $2.6 billion in damages due to the
decrease in the total market value of the company's common stock
during the class period. These alleged losses stemmed from
violations of federal securities laws through alleged
misstatements and omissions of material facts with respect to
the company's energy trading practices in western power markets.
The plaintiffs asserted that alleged misstatements and omissions
regarding these matters were made in the company's filings with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and other
information made publicly available by the company, including
The class action asserted claims on behalf of all persons who
purchased, converted, exchanged or otherwise acquired the
company's common stock between Nov. 23, 1999, and Aug. 13, 2002.
In January 2006, the company again requested to have the second
amended class action dismissed, asserting deficiencies in it,
including the plaintiffs' failure to adequately allege loss
On June 2, 2006, the District Court entered an order denying the
company's dismissal motion. Settlement negotiations
subsequently began and the sides made progress with a federal
mediator in January 2007.
A second round of mediation in April 2007 led to an agreement in
principle to settle the suit. During the time period in
question, Messrs. Matthews, Ely and Eliassen were not trading
large amounts of stock, according to court records, a factor
that showed the executives did not enrich themselves by cashing
in before the stock price tanked.
On June 1, 2007, Avista entered into a $9.5-million settlement
agreement with respect to the class action . That settlement
agreement was filed submitted to the U.S. District Court for the
Eastern District of Washington on June 4, 2007.
In January 2008, the Court granted final approval of the
settlement agreement, and entered an order certifying the class
and dismissing the claims in the lawsuit with prejudice,
according to the company's Feb. 27, 2008 form 10-K filing with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year
ended Dec. 31, 2007.
The suit is "The Hackett Group, et al. v. Avista Corp., et al.,
Case No. 2:00-cv-00262-RHW," filed in the U.S. District Court
for the Eastern District of Washington, Judge Robert H. Whaley
presiding.
Karl P. Barth, Esq. (kbarth@lmbllp.com)
Lovell Mitchell & Barth LLP
11542 NE 21st Street
Steve W Berman, Esq. (steve@hbsslaw.com)
Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP
1301 Fifth Avenue
David M. Jacobson, Esq. (jacobson.david@dorsey.com)
Dorsey & Whitney LLP - SEA
U.S. Bank Center
Louis David Peterson, Esq. (ldp@hcmp.com)
Hillis Clark Martin & Peterson
Axcelis Technologies Inc. is facing a class-action complaint
filed with the Delaware Chancery Court in Wilmington claiming
that the company's directors breached their fiduciary duty by
rejecting a $532-million takeover bid from Japanese firm
Sumimoto Heavy Industries Ltd, various reports say.
Reuters recounts that Sumitomo, earlier this month, made an
unsolicited bid to buy Axcelis, which had rebuffed requests for
merger talks for about 18 months. U.S. private equity firm TPG
Group [TPG.UL] would be a minority partner with Sumitomo in
making the bid.
Bloomberg News cites Axcelis -- based in Beverly, Mass. -- as
saying that it rejected Sumitomo's offer because it undervalues
the company and its prospects for reclaiming market share. The
deal was not in the best interests of the company and its
shareholders, Axcelis said in a statement. Axcelis' revenue
declined 27% from its peak in the fourth quarter of 2006 and the
company recorded losses in the past two quarters.
Shareholders then filed a class action lawsuit against the
company, alleging that it did not act in the best interest of
shareholders when it rejected the merger bid, the Boston
Business Journal says.
The lawsuit seeks a court order to force Axcelis "to engage in a
proper process to maximize value for the class and enjoin
defendants from unlawfully entrenching themselves in their
positions of control."
"In addition to painting Sumitomo as a predator seeking to take
advantage of the company's vulnerable position . . . (Axcelis
Chairman Mary) Puma reiterated the company's bright future
prospects as an excuse for the board's entrenchment," the
complaint says.
Axcelis and its board "have not and are not exercising
independent, fully informed business judgment and have acted and
are acting to the detriment" of shareholders, the lawsuit
contends.
The lawsuit was filed by Axcelis shareholder Shirley Simon. The
suit, however, did not detail how many shares Ms. Simon owns.
A lawsuit has been commenced against the Canadian federal
government based on allegations of abuse of Aboriginal students
at a residential school in Labrador, The Western Star reports.
The lawsuit is seeking class action status.
The lawsuit was filed with the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and
Labrador by the firm Kiosk Minsky of Toronto as lead counsel,
the report notes. Ches Crosbie Barristers is acting as local
counsel.
According to Western Star, the statement of claims targets Yale
School in Northwest River which was established in 1948 and
ceased operation as a residential school in 1979. The class
action, however, extends to 1996. The school accommodated
aboriginal children aged six to 16.
"During the class period, children at the school were subjected
to systemic child abuse, neglect and maltreatment. They were
forcibly confined in the school and were systematically deprived
of the essential components of a healthy childhood," the
statement of claim alleges. "They were subjected to physical,
emotional, psychological, cultural, spiritual and sexual abuse
by those who were responsible for their well being."
The claim further alleges that the Canadian government not only
failed to respond appropriately or at all to disclosure of
abuses, but "conspired" with the operators to suppress
information about the abuses taking place at the school.
"Canada knew, or ought to have known, that as a consequence of
its mistreatment of children at the school, these plaintiffs and
class members would suffer significant mental, emotional,
psychological and spiritual harm which would adversely affect
their relationships with the families and their communities,"
the statement of claim asserts.
The complaint contends that the accommodations were crowded,
cold and sub-standard and the children underfed and forbidden to
speak their native language. The lawyers also say that the
federal government failed to inspect or audit the school
adequately or at all.
"The funding provided by Canada was inadequate to meet the costs
of operating and maintaining the school, and in particular, to
meet the daily and educational needs of the students at the
school," the complaint states. It also alleges that children
were removed from their homes without the permission of their
parents. The lawyers further assert that staff at the school
were unskilled and unsuitable for dealing with children.
The complaint, according to Western Star, named two students --
one attended the school from 1972-76 and the other, from 1969-77
-- who were not only abused physically and verbally, but were
"repeatedly sexually abuse[d] by dorm supervisors, supposed
caregivers and other students."
The action seeks payment of more than $700 million in damages
and seeks compensation for family members.
Judge Consuelo B. Marshall of the U.S. District Court for the
Central District of California ordered The Chinese Daily News
to pay an aggregate of $5.19 million to 200 employees who were
denied years of overtime pay and subjected to other labor law
violations, Rebecca Cathcart writes for The New York Times.
NY Times recounts that employees at the Chinese Daily News have
been fighting for fairness and a union voice since 2001 but had
been blocked by a long management campaign of intimidation,
illegal firings and other fear tactics.
In 2004, the employees brought the class-action lawsuit charging
that the paper withheld overtime pay and denied workers rest and
meal breaks during shifts of 12 hours and longer.
According to the employees' lawyer Randy Renick, Esq., the paper
owes its employees overtime wages dating to 2000, adding that
many employees who joined the suit "have either been fired or
forced to quit."
The NY Times explains that the $5.19-million award includes
penalties for violating labor laws as well as 10% interest on
the original $2.5-million award, which was granted by a jury in
As reported in the Class Action Reporter on Jan. 15, 2007, the
jury in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of
California awarded a minimum of $2.5 million to the workers at
Chinese Daily News in Monterey Park, California, in relation to
the newspaper's willful violations of federal and state wage and
hour laws. The jury verdict in the class action suit found that
Chinese Daily News violated California provisions on overtime
pay and meal and rest periods, as well as the federal Fair Labor
Standards Act.
The suit is "Lynne Wang et al. v. Chinese Daily News Inc et al.,
Case No. 2:04-cv-01498-CBM-JWJ," filed with the U.S. District
Court for the Central District of California under Judge
Consuelo B. Marshall, with referral to Judge Jeffrey W. Johnson.
Representing defendants are:
Steven D. Atkinson, Esq. (satkinson@aalrr.com)
Scott K. Dauscher, Esq. (sdauscher@aalrr.com)
Thomas A. Lenz, Esq. (tlenz@aalrr.com)
Mark T. Palin, Esq. (mpalin@aalrr.com)
Atkinson Andelson Loya Ruud & Romo
17871 Park Plaza Dr, Ste 200
Cerritos, CA 90703-8597
Randall R. Renick, Esq.
Randall R Renick Law Offices
128 N Fair Oaks Avenue, Suite 204
The Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada is facing a class-action
complaint filed on Feb. 28, 2008, with the District Court in
Clark County, Nevada, accusing it of potentially exposing as
many as 40,000 patients to HIV and hepatitis by treating them
with used syringes over a four-year period, CourtHouse News
Service reports.
Named plaintiffs Michael Cordero and Richard Taylor claim that
during the period from March 2004 until Jan. 11, 2008, Endo
Center treated class members with dirty syringes that were
previously exposed to unknown persons.
A used syringe or dirty syringe is a defective product that is
unfit for its intended use because the dirty syringe exposes
persons to communicable disease from the prior person that the
dirty syringe was used upon, the report notes.
The plaintiffs bring the class action on behalf of of all other
persons who were treated with dirty syringes previously used for
unknown persons at the Endo Center during the time period. They
want the court to rule on:
(a) whether Endo Center had a common practice during the
time periods March 2004 through Jan. 11, 2008, to re-
use syringes for persons receiving needle injections;
(b) whether a "dirty syringe" is a defective product; and
(c) whether Endo Center distributed "dirty syringes."
The plaintiffs ask the court to enter an order:
-- directing payment of costs to be tested for Hepatitis B,
Hepatitis C and HIV antibody;
-- directing payment of general damages in excess of
$10,000;
-- directing payment of special damages in excess of
-- directing payment of punitive damages in an amount to be
determined at trial;
-- directing payment of reasonable attorneys' fees; and
-- directing payment of costs of suit.
The suit is "Michael Cordero et al v. Endoscopy Center of
Southern Nevada, LLC, Case No. A558091," filed with the District
Court of Clark County, Nevada.
Will Kemp, Esq. (hkj@hkj-law.com)
Harrison, Kemp, Jones & Coulthard, LLP
3800 Howard Hughes Parkway
Seventeenth Floor
Family Dollar, of Charlotte, N.C., in cooperation with the U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission, is recalling about 250,000
FUN 'N SAFE Magnetic Dart Boards.
The company said small magnets at the ends of the darts can
detach. Magnets found by young children can be swallowed or
aspirated. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets
can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or
blockages, which can be fatal. No injuries have been reported.
The magnetic dart board is about 15 inches wide with a black,
white, green, and red bulls eye checkered design and was sold
with six 4-inch long magnetic darts. The darts magnetically
adhere to the dart board when thrown. "Made in China" is
embossed on the back of the board.
These recalled dart boards were made in China and were being
sold exclusively at Family Dollar stores nationwide from January
2001 through January 2008 for about $5.
A picture of the recalled dart board is found at:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08201.jpg
Consumers are advised to immediately take the recalled toys away
from children and return the board and all of the darts to a
Family Dollar store for a refund.
For additional information, contact Family Dollar at (800) 547-
0359 between 8:30 a.m. And 5:00 p.m. PT Monday through Friday,
or visit the firm's Web site: http://www.familydollar.com
FormFactor, Inc., is facing a consolidated securities fraud
class action lawsuit filed with the U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of California, according to the company's
The purported stockholder class action, titled "Danny McCasland,
Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated v.
FormFactor, Inc., Igor Y. Khandros, Ronald C. Foster and Richard
M. Freeman," was filed on Oct. 31, 2007, and names the company
and certain of its current officers, including one officer who
is a director, as defendants.
Subsequently, the plaintiffs filed two other purported
stockholder class actions with the United States District Court
for the Northern District of California under the captions:
-- "Yuk Ling Lui, on Behalf of Herself and All Others
Similarly Situated v. FormFactor, Inc., Igor Y.
Khandros, Ronald C. Foster and Richard M. Freeman,"
-- "Victor Albertazzi, Individually and on Behalf of All
Others Similarly Situated v. FormFactor, Inc., Igor Y.
Khandros, Ronald C. Foster and Richard M. Freeman."
The plaintiffs filed these actions following the Company's
restatement of its financial statements for the fiscal year
ended Dec. 30, 2006, for each of the fiscal quarters for that
year, and for the fiscal quarters ended March 31 and June 30,
The plaintiffs claim violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a), and
Rule 10b-5 of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, alleging
that the defendants knowingly issued materially false and
misleading statements regarding the Company's business and
financial results prior to the restatements.
The plaintiffs seek to recover unspecified monetary damages,
equitable relief and attorneys' fees and costs.
The three actions have been consolidated.
The consolidated suit is "McCasland v. Formfactor, Inc., Case
No. 3:07-cv-05545-SI," filed with the U.S. District Court for
the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California,
Judge Susan Illston presiding.
Shawn A. Williams, Esq. (shawnw@csgrr.com)
Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP
100 Pine Street Suite 2600
Alan R. Plutzik, Esq. (aplutzik@bramsonplutzik.com)
Bramson, Plutzik, Mahler & Birkhaeuser, LLP
2125 Oak Grove Road, Suite 120
Arthur L. Shingler, III, Esq.
(ashingler@scott-scott.com)
Scott + Scott, LLC
600 B. Street, Suite 1500
Robert P. Varian, Esq. (rvarian@orrick.com)
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
405 Howard Street
FormFactor, Inc., is facing stockholder derivative lawsuits
filed with the the Superior Court of the State of California for
the County of Alameda.
The purported stockholder derivative action was filed on
Nov. 19, 2007, and names the Company as a nominal defendant and
certain of its directors and officers as defendants. The suit
is captioned, "John King, Derivatively on Behalf of Nominal
Defendant FormFactor, Inc. v. Dr. Igor Y. Khandros, Dr. Homa
Bahrami, Dr. Thomas J. Campbell, G. Carl Everett, Jr., Lothar
Maier, James A. Prestridge, Harvey A. Wagner, Ronald C. Foster
and Richard M. Freeman, and FormFactor, Inc."
Subsequently, another plaintiff filed a second purported
stockholder class action under the caption, "Joseph Priestley,
Derivatively on Behalf of FormFactor, Inc. v. Igor Y. Khandros,
Mario Ruscev, James A. Prestridge, Thomas J. Campbell, Harvey A.
Wagner, G. Carl Everett, Jr., Homa Bahrami, Lothar Maier,
William H. Davidow and Joseph R. Bronson, and FormFactor, Inc."
The plaintiffs filed the actions following the Company's
The plaintiffs allege that the defendants breached their
fiduciary duties and violated applicable law by issuing, and
permitting the Company to issue, materially false, and
The plaintiffs seek to recover monetary damages, and attorneys'
fees and costs, according to the company's Feb. 27, 2008 form
10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for
the fiscal year ended Dec. 29, 2007.
FormFactor, Inc. -- http://www.formfactor.com/-- designs,
develops, manufactures, sells and supports precision
semiconductor wafer probe cards. Semiconductor manufacturers
use the Company�s wafer probe cards to perform wafer probe test
on the whole wafer in the front end of the semiconductor
manufacturing process. FormFactor offers products and solutions
that are custom designed for semiconductor manufacturers� wafer
Faith Gibson, a Surrey, Canada resident, launched a class-action
lawsuit against GlaxoSmithKline PLC, which manufactures Paxil, a
commonly-used anti-depressant medication, CKNW reports.
Ms. Gibson claims, in court documents, that she had been
prescribed Paxil during and after her pregnancy, which resulted
to her daughter Meah born with cardiovascular birth defects.
The suit alleges Glaxo-Smith-Kline failed to notify pregnant
women about the risks associated with the drug and suggests the
company targeted pregnant women, who are often susceptible to
Based in Middlesex, England, GlaxoSmithKline plc creates and
discovers, develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical
products, including vaccines, over-the-counter medicines and
health-related consumer products.
Hercules Offshore, Inc., continues to face a consolidated
lawsuit filed with the 270th Judicial District Court of Harris
County, Texas, in relation to TODCO's proposed acquisition of
On March 19-20, 2007, two stockholder lawsuits were filed in
the District Court of Harris County, Texas, both alleging that
the board of directors of TODCO breached their fiduciary duties
in approving the proposed acquisition of TODCO by Hercules
Offshore, Inc.
The first suit, pending in the 333rd Judicial District Court of
Harris County, Texas, Cause No. 2007-16397, is a purported
stockholder class action against the TODCO directors, and
contains claims for breach of fiduciary duty.
The second suit, pending in the 269th Judicial District Court of
Harris County, Texas, Cause No. 2007-16357, is a stockholder
derivative action purportedly filed on behalf of TODCO against
the TODCO directors and the company, and contains:
-- claims for breach of fiduciary duties of loyalty, due
care, candor, good faith and/or fair dealing;
-- corporate waste;
-- unlawful self dealing; and
-- claims that the defendants conspired, aided and abetted
and assisted one another in a common plan to breach
these fiduciary duties.
Both complaints allege, among other things, that the TODCO
directors engaged in self-dealing in approving the proposed
acquisition by the Company by advancing their own personal
interests or those of TODCO's senior management at the expense
of the stockholders of TODCO, utilized a defective sales process
not designed to maximize stockholder value, and failed to
consider any value maximizing alternatives, thus causing TODCO
stockholders to receive an unfair price for their shares of
TODCO common stock.
The second suit also alleges that the Company conspired, aided
and abetted or assisted in these violations.
The complaints seek, among other things, an injunction
preventing the completion of the acquisition by the company,
rescission if the acquisition is consummated, imposition of a
constructive trust in favor of plaintiffs upon any benefits
improperly received by the defendants, attorneys' fees and
expenses associated with the lawsuit and any other equitable
On Aug. 29, 2007, the two lawsuits were consolidated and
transferred to the 270th Judicial District Court of Harris
County, Texas.
The company reported no development in the matter in its
Hercules Offshore, Inc. -- http://www.herculesoffshore.com--
provides shallow-water drilling and liftboat services to the oil
and natural gas exploration and production industry in the Gulf
of Mexico, and internationally.
About 30 million credit card users have gotten a class action
lawsuit offer in the mail, WQAD says.
The class action offer first got plenty of people confused over
its legitimacy because it requested credit card information,
according to the report. However, the Better Business Bureau
clarified that the offer is legitimate.
According to WQAD, the offer stems from a lawsuit claiming that
Mastercard, Visa and Diner's Club charged millions of people
hidden fees when they used their credit card overseas or bought
something from another country. Those people could now be
eligible for money back if a settlement is approved.
Anyone who used one of the credit cards overseas between 1996
and 2006 could get a refund of $25 or more, the report notes.
For more information, log in to the settlement administrator Web
site http://www.ccfsettlement.com/or call 1-800-954-9890.
Munire Furniture Inc., of Piscataway, N.J., in cooperation with
the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, is recalling about
24,000 Majestic Curved Top and Flat Top Cribs, Essex Cribs,
Brighton/Sussex Cribs and Captiva Cribs.
The company said the cribs fail to meet the federal safety
standards for cribs. The four support brackets on the mattress
support spring are too long. The brackets prevent the spring
from lowering to the full 26 inch minimum height in its lowest
position, allowing children inside to crawl over the railing,
posing a fall hazard. No injuries have been reported.
The cribs are wooden. The recalled cribs include:
-- Majestic Curved Top cribs with model number 9500;
-- Majestic Flat Top cribs with model number 9000;
-- Essex cribs with model number 7100;
-- Brighton/Sussex cribs with model number 9100 and
-- Captiva cribs with model number 5100.
Only cribs with manufacture dates between November 1, 2005, and
November 1, 2007 are included in the recall. The crib model
number is printed on the white label on the bottom inside of the
right side rail. The crib manufacture date is printed on either
the white label near the model number or on the white label
located on the bottom of the headboard. Cribs with a green
sticker on the mattress frame are not included in the recall.
These recalled cribs were manufactured in Indonesia and were
being sold at specialty juvenile product stores nationwide from
November 2005 through November 2007 for between $400 and $600.
Pictures of the recalled cribs are found at:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08202a.jpg
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08202b.jpg
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08202c.jpg
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08202d.jpg
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08202e.jpg
Consumers are advised to stop using the recalled cribs and
contact Munire Furniture to receive replacement spring brackets.
For additional information, contact Munire Furniture Inc. at
(866) 586-9639 between 8:00 a.m. And 6:00 p.m. ET or visit the
firm's Web site: http://www.munirefurniture.com
The Kansas Supreme Court has ruled in favor of ONEOK, Inc. and
several of its subsidiaries on an appeal in two separate class
actions filed against them by owners of residential real estate
in Reno County, Kansas relating to certain gas explosions in
Hutchinson, Kansas.
In early 2001, two separate class actions were filed against
the defendants in connection to gas explosions in Hutchinson,
The suits, which were both filed with the District Court of Reno
County, Kansas, are:
-- "Loyd Smith, et al v. Kansas Gas Service Company,
Inc., ONEOK, Inc., Western Resources, Inc., Mid
Continent Market Center, Inc., ONEOK Gas Storage,
L.L.C., ONEOK Gas Storage Holdings, Inc., and ONEOK
Gas Transportation, L.L.C., Case No. 01-C-0029," and
-- "Gilley et al. v. Kansas Gas Service Company, Western
Resources, Inc., ONEOK, Inc., ONEOK Gas Storage,
L.L.C., ONEOK Gas Storage Holdings, Inc., ONEOK Gas
Transportation L.L.C. and Mid Continent Market Center,
Inc., Case No. 01-C-0057."
The court certified two separate classes of claimants, which
included all owners of residential real estate in Reno County,
Kansas, whose property had allegedly declined in value, and
owners of businesses in Reno County whose income had allegedly
suffered.
Both cases were adjudicated in September 2004 and resulted in
jury verdicts.
In the class action relating to the residential claimants, the
jury awarded $5 million in actual damages, which was covered by
insurance. In the business owners' class action, the jury
rendered a defense verdict awarding no actual damages. The jury
rejected claims for punitive damages in both cases.
In a separate hearing on the plaintiffs' attorneys' fees, the
court awarded $2,047,406 in fees and $646,090.78 in expenses,
which was also covered by insurance.
On April 11, 2005, the court denied the plaintiffs' motion for a
new trial and denied a post-trial motion filed by the
The business-class plaintiffs and residential-class plaintiffs
filed notices of appeal.
The company filed a notice of appeal of the residential class
action verdict and the attorney fee award. The cases were
transferred to the Kansas Supreme Court.
On Oct. 26, 2007, the Kansas Supreme Court issued unanimous
opinions on the appeals of the class action verdicts. The
-- affirmed the no-damage verdict in favor of defendants
in the Gilley business class, and
-- reversed the $5 million actual damage verdict and $2.6
million attorneys fees and costs awarded to the Smith
residential class, with instructions to enter judgment
in favor of defendants.
The plaintiffs' rights to file a motion for a rehearing expired
without them taking any action, and the Court's judgment was
entered as directed on Dec. 20, 2007.
This case and all other cases regarding the gas explosions have
been fully resolved, according to ONEOK, Inc.'s Feb. 27, 2008
form 10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2007.
ONEOK, Inc. -- http://www.oneok.com-- purchases, gathers,
processes, transports, stores and distributes natural gas. The
Company�s largest distribution markets are Oklahoma City and
Tulsa, Oklahoma; Kansas City, Wichita, and Topeka, Kansas, and
Austin and El Paso, Texas. Its energy services operation is
engaged in wholesale and retail natural gas marketing and
trading activities, and provides services to customers in many
states and Canada. The Company is the sole general partner and
owns 45.7% of ONEOK Partners, L.P., a limited partnership, which
gathers, processes, stores, and transports natural gas in the
U.S., and owns a natural gas liquids (NGLs) system that connects
much of the NGL supply in the Mid-Continent region with key
market centers. The Company has four business segments: ONEOK
Partners, Distribution, Energy Services and Other.
The 26th Judicial District, District Court of Stevens County,
Kansas has yet to rule on the certification of a class in a
consolidated lawsuit against several subsidiaries of ONEOK
Partners, L.P., according to ONEOK, Inc.'s Feb. 27, 2008 form
The consolidated suits are:
-- "Will Price, et al. v. Gas Pipelines, et al., Case No.
Case No. 99C30 (Price I) (f/k/a Quinque Operating
Company, et al. v. Gas Pipelines, et al.);" and
-- "Will Price and Stixon Petroleum, et al. v. Gas
Pipelines, et al., 26th Judicial District, District
Court of Stevens County, Kansas, Civil Department, Case
No. 03C232 (Price II)."
The plaintiffs in Price I brought the suit on May 28, 1999,
against MidContinent Market Center, Inc., ONEOK Field Services
Co., ONEOK WesTex Transmission, L.P., and ONEOK Hydrocarbon,
L.P., formerly Koch Hydrocarbon, LP -- all of which were
recently acquired by the company -- as well as approximately 225
other defendants.
The plaintiffs sought class certification for their claims that
the defendants had underpaid gas producers and royalty owners
throughout the U.S. by intentionally understating both the
volume and the heating content of purchased gas.
After extensive briefing and a hearing, the court refused to
certify the class sought by the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs then
filed an amended petition limiting the purported class to gas
producers and royalty owners in Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming and
limiting the claim to under measurement of volumes. They are
seeking an unspecified amount of damages.
Oral argument was conducted on April 1, 2005, on the plaintiffs'
motion to certify the suit as a class action. The court has not
yet ruled on the class certification issue.
The plaintiffs filed Price II on May 12, 2003, after the court
denied class status in Price I. The plaintiffs claim that 21
groups of defendants, including MidContinent Market Center,
ONEOK Field Services, ONEOK WesTex Transmission, and ONEOK
Hydrocarbon, intentionally underpaid gas producers and royalty
owners by understating the heating content of purchased gas in
Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming.
Price II has been consolidated with Price I for the
determination of whether either or both cases may properly be
certified as class actions. The plaintiffs in this suit are
also seeking an unspecified amount of damages.
Like Price I, oral argument was conducted on April 1, 2005, in
relation to the plaintiffs' motion to certify the suit as a
class action. The court has not yet ruled on the class
certification issue.
ONEOK Partners, L.P., -- http://www.oneok.com� formerly
Northern Border Partners L.P., owns and manages natural gas
gathering, processing, storage, interstate and intrastate
pipeline assets, natural gas liquids (NGLs) gathering and
distribution pipelines, and storage and fractionators,
connecting much of the natural gas and NGL supply in the Mid-
Continent region with various market centers. The Company
operates through four segments: Gathering and Processing
segment, Natural Gas Liquids segment, Pipelines and Storage
segment and Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines segment.
Judge Lewis Kaplan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern
District of New York dismissed a class-action securities
complaint against Pfizer Inc., whose share price dropped by 11
percent after it suspended testing of its anti-cholesterol drug
torcetrapib late in 2006, CourtHouse News Service reports.
According to court documents, on Dec. 26, 2006, Pfizer announced
that it was halting clinical trials of the developmental drug
torcetrapib. By close of the next trading day, the price of
Pfizer common stock had declined by 10.62%. The plaintiffs then
brought a class action against Pfizer and three of its current
and former officers and directors. They seek recovery against
defendants under Section 10(b) of the Securities and Exchange
Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder.
Recently, Judge Kaplan found that the lead plaintiffs -- the
Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association Accrual Fund -- "have not
pleaded with particularity facts sufficient to support their
allegation that defendants' statements were materially
misleading."
The suit is "In Re: Pfizer, Inc. Securities Litigation, Case No.
06 Civ. 14199(LAK)," filed with the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of New York.
Pfizer Inc. last month asked Madison County Associate Judge
Ralph Mendelsohn to compel plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit
against the company to provide answers to certain questions
relating to the prescription of painkillers Celebrex and Bextra,
The Madison St. Clair Record recounts.
However, class action attorney Stephen Tillery, Esq., won't tell
Pfizer who prescribed the pills for his clients or who paid for
the pills.
"Complete pharmacy records are vital to discovering the details
of plaintiffs' use of Celebrex and Bextra and are relevant to
plaintiffs' claim that they have been injured due to the
prescription and purchase of Celebrex and Bextra," Pfizer's
attorney, Robert Shultz, Esq., wrote.
According to Mr. Shultz, Mr. Tillery has refused to produce
information about how much the plaintiffs or their insurers paid
for the pills. Mr. Tillery also has not produced records of the
doses that doctors prescribed or the number of pills the
plaintiffs took, as well as did not divulge whether any client
sought a refund or received one.
Madison Record recounts that Mr. Tillery sued Pfizer in 2005, on
behalf of Ricky Lott, Gerald Sumner, Sandy Becker and Mike
Baldwin. He alleged that Pfizer deceptively promoted Celebrex
and Bextra as superior to other non steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs. The plaintiffs, Madison Record notes, claim economic
injury. They seek damages equal to the difference between what
they paid and what they would have paid if they had known the
truth about the drugs.
Pfizer served questions on the plaintiffs in September and
requested production of documents.
In December, Mr. Shultz wrote, Mr. Tillery objected to most of
the requests and provided less than 20 pages of heavily redacted
pharmacy records. Mr. Tillery claimed physician-patient
privilege and a constitutional right to privacy.
However, Mr. Shultz responded in his motion that the right to
privacy "does not protect against disclosure of medical
information relevant to a plaintiff's claim." He said that
"Pfizer is entitled to investigate the decisions of plaintiffs'
prescribing physicians in order to respond to plaintiffs'
claims. . ."
Noting that Mr. Tillery alleges deception in advertising, Mr.
Shultz argued that the influence of advertising on physicians
was directly relevant. "Plaintiffs have not completely answered
whether they or their physician saw any allegedly misleading
advertisements or promotional materials . . . Plaintiffs merely
state that they 'recall seeing' advertisements either in
television or magazines, but fail to describe the date and
substance of any advertising and fail to state how they were
misled in any way," Mr. Schultz wrote.
According to Madison Record, Mr. Shultz seeks to learn about
reasons why doctors prescribed Celebrex and Bextra, the
responses of the patients, and other medicines they took. He
also wants to know what physicians told patients about the
pills.
The report notes that Judge Mendelsohn has tentatively set an
April 22 hearing on Mr. Tillery's motion to certify a class
action. But first, the judge will hold hearings on a Pfizer
motion to transfer the case to Cook County and a motion to
dismiss the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs are represented by:
Stephen Tillery, Esq. (stillery@koreintillery.com)
Korein Tillery LLC
Gateway on the Mall, 701 Market Street, Suite 300
The defendant is represented by:
Robert H. Shultz, Jr. (rshultz@hrva.com)
Heyl Royster Voelker & Allen PC
103 West Vandalia, Suite 100, P.O. Box 467
Principal Life Insurance Co., a unit of Principal Financial
Group, Inc., continues to a face a purported class action filed
with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa,
alleging violations of Employee Retirement Income Security Act,
A trustee of Fairmount Park Inc. Retirement Savings Plan filed
the purported class action over allegations that the company
received secret kickbacks from mutual funds.
Originally, the putative class action was filed in the U.S.
District Court for the Southern District of Illinois on Nov. 8,
The suit alleges, among other things, that Principal Life
breached its alleged fiduciary duties while performing services
to 401(k) plans by failing to disclose, or adequately disclose,
to employers or plan participants the fact that Principal Life
The plaintiff further alleges that these acts constitute
prohibited transactions under Employee Retirement Income
Security Act.
The plaintiff seeks to certify a class of all retirement plans
to which Principal Life was a service provider and for which
mutual funds. The plaintiff seeks declaratory, injunctive and
Principal Life's Motion to Transfer Venue to the U.S. District
Court for the Southern District of Iowa was granted. It is
aggressively defending the lawsuit.
The suit is "Ruppert v. Principal Life Insurance Company, Case
No. 4:07-cv-00344-HDV-TJS," filed with the U.S. District Court
for the Southern District of Iowa, Judge Harold D. Vietor
Klint L. Bruno, Esq. (kbruno@koreintillery.com)
Joel S. Feldman, Esq. (jfeldman@sidley.com)
Principal Financial Group, Inc., and Princor Financial Services
Corp. are seeking for the dismissal of sole remaining lawsuit
that was filed against them in Iowa.
Initially, two purported class actions -- one alleging
violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, the other alleging violations of the U.S. Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and the Securities Act of 1933 -- were
filed against the defendants.
On Aug. 28, 2007, two plaintiffs filed two putative class
actions in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of
Iowa against the company and Princor Financial (Principal
Defendants).
One of the lawsuits alleges that the Principal Defendants
breached alleged fiduciary duties to participants in employer-
sponsored 401(k) plans who were retiring or leaving their
respective plans, including providing misleading information and
failing to act solely in the interests of the participants,
resulting in alleged violations of ERISA.
The second suit is based upon the same facts and alleges
violations of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the
Securities Act of 1933.
The allegations of the second suit include alleged omissions and
misrepresentations by the Principal Defendants related to mutual
fund shares purchased by plan participants rolling out of
employer-sponsored retirement plans.
The Plaintiffs dismissed the second suit which was based upon
the same facts and alleged violations of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 and the Securities Act of 1933.
The defendants have filed a request to dismiss the remaining
lawsuit, according to the company's Feb. 27, 2008 form 10-K
filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the
fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2007.
Principal Financial Group, Inc. -- http://www.principal.com--
is a provider of retirement savings, investment and insurance
products and services.
R&G Financial Corporation has reached an agreement in principle
to settle all claims with the lead plaintiffs in a shareholder
class action originally filed in 2005.
Under the terms of the settlement, which is subject to notice
being provided to the class and final approval by the United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York, the
Company and the other settling defendants will pay the
plaintiffs an aggregate of $39 million.
The Company also announced that it has reached an agreement in
principle to settle all claims in the shareholder derivative
litigation filed against the Company in 2005. The derivative
settlement is also subject to notice and approval from the
United States District Court for the Southern District of New
In connection with these settlements, the Company agreed to
certain corporate governance enhancements which will, among
other things, impose additional director independence
requirements. As part of the global settlement, the Company
will pay approximately $29 million and the Company's insurers
and certain individual defendants will pay an aggregate of
approximately $11 million.
"I am pleased with the settlement that we reached with the
plaintiffs," said Rolando Rodriguez, President and Chief
Executive Officer of the Company. "Today is another significant
step in our efforts to fully address our pending legal and
regulatory matters."
The Company had been in discussions, led by a mediator, with the
lead plaintiffs and the derivative plaintiffs regarding a
On May 26, 2005, investors sued R&G Financial claiming that the
financial holding company issued false and misleading financial
statements to the investing public.
The class action was filed in the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of New York seeking damages for violations of
federal securities laws on behalf of all investors who purchased
R&G common stock from April 21, 2003, through and including
Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b-5.
According to the complaint, R&G's financial statements were
materially false and misleading when made because defendants
failed to disclose:
-- that the company's earnings quality had been
significantly weakened by the company's use of more
aggressive assumptions to generate gain on sale income,
as well as to the value it retained in its interest only
residuals in securitization transactions;
-- that R&G's methodology used to calculate the fair value
of its IO residual interests was incorrect and caused
the company to overstate its financial results by at
least $50 million;
-- that the company's financial statements were not
prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles;
condition of the company; and
-- that as a result, the value of the company's net income
and financial results were materially overstated at all
relevant times.
On April 25, 2005, after the close of trading, R&G shocked the
investing public when it announced that it would restate its
earnings for 2003 and 2004.
On this news, R&G stock fell $8.14 per share, or 35 percent, to
close at $15.04 on April 26, 2005, a two-year low.
On June 27, 2005, competing motions for the appointment of lead
plaintiff and lead counsel were filed with court. Judge John
Sprizzo heard oral arguments on July 25, 2005 and, on July 26,
2005 signed an Order consolidating all related cases into one
class action, as "In re R&G Financial Corporation Securities
Litigation, Master File No. 05 Civ. 4186 (JES)," and appointing
lead plaintiffs and lead counsel, according to an update posted
by at the Web site of Berman DeValerio Pease Tabacco Burt &
Pucillo (Class Action Reporter, Oct. 24, 2006).
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit continues to
hear an appeal in connection with the dismissal of the fourth
consolidated amended securities fraud complaint in a purported
class action against Silicon Image, Inc.
The lawsuit, "Curry v. Silicon Image, Inc., Steve Tirado, and
Robert Gargus," was filed on Jan. 31, 2005, with the U.S.
District Court for the Northern District of California. The
case was filed on behalf of purchasers of the company's common
stock from Oct. 19, 2004 to Jan. 24, 2005.
The suit asserts that the company and certain of its officers
and directors made alleged misstatements of material facts and
violated certain provisions of Sections 20(a) and 10(b) of the
U.S. Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder.
On April 27, 2005, the court issued an order appointing a lead
plaintiff and approving the selection of lead counsel. In July
2005, the plaintiffs filed a consolidated amended complaint,
which dropped Robert Gargus, but added Dr. David Lee as
individual defendant.
The consolidated amended complaint also expanded the class
period from June 25, 2004 to April 22, 2005. The defendants
filed a motion to dismiss the consolidated amended complaint in
On Dec. 8, 2005, the plaintiffs filed a second consolidated
amended complaint, which extended the end of the class period
from April 22, 2005, to Oct. 13, 2005, and added additional
factual allegations under the same causes of action against the
company, Mr. Tirado and Dr. Lee. The complaint also added a new
plaintiff, James D. Smallwood.
The defendants, on Feb. 9, 2006, filed a motion to dismiss the
second consolidated amended complaint. This request was granted
by the court on June 21, 2006, with leave to amend.
The plaintiffs subsequently filed a third consolidated amended
complaint (by the court established deadline of July 21, 2006),
which the defendants again sought to be dismissed.
Subsequently, on Feb. 23, 2007, the court granted the
defendants' motion to dismiss the third amended complaint with
leave to amend.
The plaintiffs filed a fourth consolidated amended complaint,
which was again dismissed by the court at the defendants'
behest, without further leave to amend. Final judgment was
entered in favor of the defendants on Sept. 25, 2007.
On Oct. 19, 2007, the plaintiffs filed notice of appeal of the
court's final judgment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
Ninth Circuit.
The appellants' opening brief was due on Feb. 28, 2008, and the
company's answer is due on or before April 14, 2008, according
to the company's Feb. 27, 2008 form 10-K filing with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended
The suit is "In Re Silicon Image, Inc. Securities Litigation,
Case No. 3:05-cv-00456-MMC," filed with the U.S. District Court
for the Northern District of California, Judge Judge Maxine M.
Chesney.
Aaron H. Darsky Esq. (adarsky@schubert-reed.com)
Schubert & Reed, LLP
Three Embarcadero Center, Suite 1650
Merrick Scott Rayle, Esq. (mrayle@lshllp.com)
Lovell Stewart Halebian, LLP
212 Wood Street
Pacific Grove, CA 93950-3227
Richard A. Speirs, Esq. (rspeirs@zsz.com)
Zwerling, Schachter & Zwerling, LLP
41 Madison Avenue, 32nd Floor
Emmett C. Stanton, Esq. (estanton@fenwick.com)
Fenwick & West, LLP
Silicon Valley Center, 801 California Street
Mountain View, CA 94041-2008
A class was certified in a consolidated lawsuit that claims
Solutia Inc. Employees' Pension Plan discriminated against
employees on the basis of their age, according to the company's
Since October 2005, current or former participants in the
Solutia Inc. Employees' Pension Plan have filed three class
actions alleging that the Pension Plan is discriminatory based
upon age and that the lump sum values of individual account
balances in the Pension Plan have been, and continue to be,
miscalculated.
Two of these cases are:
-- "Davis, et al. v. Solutia, Inc. Employees' Pension
Plan," and
-- "Hammond, et al. v. Solutia, Inc. Employees' Pension
Plan."
The two are still pending with the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of Illinois.
Those two cases have been consolidated with similar cases
against Monsanto Co., and Monsanto Company Pension Plan, and
Pharmacia Cash Balance Pension Plan, Pharmacia Corp., Pharmacia
and Upjohn, Inc., and Pfizer Inc.
Those two cases that were consolidated with the Solutia suits
-- "Walker et al. v. The Monsanto Pension Plan, et al."
-- "Donaldson v. Pharmacia Cash Balance Pension Plan, et
al."
The plaintiffs seek to obtain injunctive and other equitable
relief (including money damages awarded by the creation of a
common fund) on behalf of themselves and the nationwide putative
class of similarly situated current and former participants in
the Pension Plan.
A Consolidated Class Action Complaint was filed by all of the
plaintiffs in the consolidated case on Sept. 4, 2006.
The Complaint alleged three separate causes of action against
the Pension Plan:
-- the Pension Plan violates the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act by terminating interest credits on
prior plan accounts at the age of 55;
-- the Pension Plan is improperly backloaded in violation
of ERISA; and
-- the Pension Plan is discriminatory on the basis of
In September 2007, the second and third of these claims were
dismissed by the court.
By consent of the parties, the court certified a class in
September 2007 with respect to the Pension Plan on the
plaintiffs' claim that the Pension Plan discriminated against
employees on the basis of their age by only providing interest
credits on prior plan accounts through age 55.
Solutia, Inc. -- http://www.solutia.com/-- together with its
subsidiaries is a global manufacturer and marketer of a variety
of high-performance, chemical-based materials, which are used in
a range of consumer and industrial applications. Solutia has
two segments. The Performance Products segment manufactures
performance films for laminated safety glass and after-market
applications and specialties, such as water treatment chemicals,
heat transfer fluids and aviation hydraulic fluid. The
Integrated Nylon segment consists of an integrated family of
nylon products, including high-performance polymers and fibers.
Solutia sells its products directly to end users in various
industries, principally by using its own sales force, and, to a
lesser extent, by using distributors.
Parties in two purported class actions against current and
former officials of Solutia Inc. have reached a settlement in
the cases, according to the company's Feb. 27, 2008 form 10-K
Two companion purported class actions were filed with the U.S.
District Court for the Southern District of New York. The suits
-- "Dickerson v. Feldman et al., Case No. 1:04-cv-
07935-LAP," filed in October 2004; and
-- "Reiff v. Metz, Case No. 07-06011," filed in June
The suits were filed against a number of defendants, including
Solutia's former officers and employees and the Solutia Employee
Benefits Plans Committee and Pension and Savings Funds
The company was not named as a defendant.
The actions alleged breach of fiduciary duty under ERISA and
sought to recover alleged losses to the Solutia Inc. Savings and
Investment Plan during the period December 16, 1998, to the date
the action was filed.
The plaintiffs in both cases alleged the investment of SIP Plan
assets in our common stock was imprudent, and the actions sought
monetary payment to the SIP Plan to recover the losses resulting
from the alleged breach of fiduciary duties, as well as
injunctive and other appropriate equitable relief, reasonable
attorneys' fees and expenses, costs and interest.
In addition, the plaintiffs in these actions filed a proof of
claim for $269 million against the company.
In December 2007, the company, the named defendants, and the
plaintiffs reached a global settlement in principle which would
resolve the Dickerson and Reiff lawsuits on a class wide basis.
Sprint Nextel Corporation is facing a class-action complaint
filed on Feb. 28 with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern
District of New York accusing it of billing for roaming charges
despite promising that subscribers to its PCS International Plan
would not incur those charges, CourtHouse News Service reports.
Named plaintiff Andrey Torkiver claims that the defendant failed
to disclose to consumers that Sprint customers who subscribed to
Sprint PCS International would incur substantial roaming charges
while traveling internationally.
This civil action is brought as a class action pursuant to
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 23(a), (b) and (c)(4)(b) and
case law thereunder, on behalf of all wireless subscribers to
Sprint PCS International Plans, from inception of these plans to
present, who were charged and paid international roaming fees.
The plaintiff wants the court to rule on:
(a) whether defendant breached its contracts with the class
members by charging their standard international
roaming fees despite their express representation that
Sprint PCS International Plan was to minimize these
charges substantially;
(b) whether defendant violated Section 349 of the New York
General Business Law, in that they engaged in deceptive
acts or practices in the conduct of their business;
(c) whether defendant violated Gen. Bus. L., Section 350 by
engaging in false advertising in the conduct of their
businesses;
(d) whether defendant engaged in unfair, deceptive and/or
misleading practices when it concealed the fact that
the class members would incur international roaming
charges for calls made outside of the Sprint network
notwithstanding their enrollment in Sprint PCS
International Plans;
(e) whether defendant was unjustly enriched at the expense
of plaintiff and the class;
(f) whether defendant acted negligently, as alleged;
(g) whether plaintiff and the class are entitled to
restitution of all monies acquired by defendant from
plaintiff and the class and the general public as a
result of defendant's unlawful conduct, and if so, the
appropriate measure of damages;
(h) the appropriate form of injunctive, declaratory and
The plaintiff demands judgment as follows:
-- compensatory damages in an amount to be determined at
trial, together with interest;
-- punitive damages in an amount to be determined at trial;
-- for an order awarding plaintiff and the class
plaintiff, the class, and the general public, as a
result of defendant's wrongful practices;
-- for an order awarding the plaintiff and the class pre-
judgment and post-judgment interest, as well as their
reasonable attorneys' and experts' witness fees and
other costs;
-- for an order imposing a constructive trust upon all
monies and assets defendant has acquired from plaintiffs
and the class as a result of defendant's unlawful,
unfair, fraudulent and deceptive practices;
-- for an order awarding plaintiffs and the class equitable
and declaratory relief, as the court deems appropriate;
-- for an order awarding such other and further relief as
the court may deem just and proper.
The suit is "Andrey Torkiver et al v. Sprint Nextel Corporation
et al., Case No. 08 852," filed with the U.S. District Court for
the Eastern District of New York.
Marina Trubitsky, Esq.
Marina Trubitsky & Associates, PLLC
T-Mobile USA, Inc., is facing a class-action complaint filed
with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of
California alleging it charges customers an $18 "upgrade fee"
for new wireless phones, without disclosing it until the next
bill comes, CourtHouse News Service reports.
Named plaintiff Philip Martinet claims that the fee:
(i) was not disclosed by T-Mobile's sales representatives
at the time the subscribers obtain new phones or
handsets;
(ii) was not charged at the time of the sale; and
(iii) appears as a line item charge on the customer's next T-
Mobile invoice.
The Plaintiff brings the action pursuant to Rule 23 on behalf of
T-Mobile subscribers in the United States assessed an $18
"upgrade fee" for obtaining new wireless telephones and
handsets.
(a) whether T-Mobile breached its contracts with the
members of the class;
(b) whether T-Mobile charged class members fees in
violation of the contracts between T-Mobile and the
members of the class; and
(c) whether T-Mobile violated California Civil Code Section
1750 et seq., California Business and Professions Code
Section 17200 et seq. and Section 17500 et seq., and
similar consumer statutes in other states as alleged.
The plaintiff seeks:
-- an order certifying the action as a class action on
behalf of the class;
-- restitution and disgorgement of all amounts
wrongfully charged to plaintiff and members of the
-- damages according to proof;
-- costs of suit;
-- both pre- and post-judgment interest on any and all
amounts awarded;
-- an award of treble or punitive damages under
applicable law;
-- an award of attorney's fees appropriate pursuant to
the provisions of the California Consumer Legal Remedies
Act, and other similar states' statutory provisions; and
-- declaratory judgment and injunctive relief declaring
any and all mandatory arbitration clauses and class
action waiver of rights to participation in contracts
and terms and conditions of service as
unconstitutional, unconscionable and unenforceable and
enjoining enforcement thereof.
The suit is "Philip Martinet et al v. T-Mobile USA, Inc., Case
No. 08CV381," filed with the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of California.
Joseph G. Dicks, Esq. (jdicks@dicks-workmanlaw.com)
Linda G. Workman, Esq. (lworkman@dicks-workmanlaw.com)
Dicks & Workman, APC
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has yet to rule
on an appeal in the purported class action captioned "Proctor et
al v. Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. et al., Case No. 5:06-cv-
04134-JF," in connection with a permanent injunction restraining
the plaintiffs from prosecuting the case.
Following Vishay's Feb. 22, 2001 announcement of a proposed
tender offer for the publicly-held shares of Siliconix, 12
separate class and derivative actions were filed with California
and Delaware state courts against Vishay, Siliconix, and various
officers and directors of both companies.
In August 2002, purported shareholder Rebecca Proctor filed a
complaint with the California Superior Court against, among
others, the Vishay Defendants. The complaint purported to bring
direct and derivative causes of action solely based on Vishay's
supposed misappropriation of Siliconix sales subsidiaries.
In January 2005, an amended class action complaint was filed
with the Superior Court of California on behalf of all non-
Vishay stockholders of Siliconix against Vishay, Ernst & Young
LLP (the independent registered public accounting firm that
audits the Company's financial statements), Dr. Felix Zandman,
Executive Chairman and Chief Technical and Business Development
Officer of Vishay, and as a nominal defendant, Siliconix.
The suit made various claims against Vishay and the other
defendants for actions allegedly taken in respect of Siliconix
during the period when Vishay owned an 80.4% interest in
Siliconix. It sought injunctive relief and unspecified damages.
In May 2005, Vishay successfully completed a tender offer to
acquire all shares of Siliconix that were not already owned by
Vishay.
Following the announcement of Vishay's intent to make the tender
offer, several purported class-action complaints were filed with
the Delaware Court of Chancery.
These actions were consolidated into a single class action and a
settlement agreement was reached with the plaintiffs, who
effectively represented all non-Vishay stockholders of
Siliconix. The settlement agreement was approved by the
Delaware Court of Chancery in October 2005.
The Proctor plaintiffs filed an amended complaint with the
Superior Court of California in November 2005. In June 2006,
the Delaware Court of Chancery issued a permanent injunction
restraining the Proctor plaintiffs from prosecuting the Proctor
action. An appeal of the injunction order brought by a former
stockholder of Siliconix was dismissed by the Delaware Supreme
Court in January 2007.
Also in June 2006, the Proctor litigation was removed from the
Superior Court of California to federal District Court there.
The District Court granted a motion by Ernst & Young to dismiss
the complaint and a motion by Vishay for summary judgment,
effective Oct. 15, 2007.
The Proctor plaintiffs thereafter filed a Notice of Appeal to
the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which is
pending, according to the company's Feb. 27, 2008 form 10-K
The suit is "Proctor et al v. Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. et
al., Case No. 5:06-cv-04134-JF," filed with the U.S. District
Court for the Northern District of California Judge Jeremy Fogel
Joseph H. C. Wood, Esq. (jhcwlaw@yahoo.com)
Nineteenth Floor
Daniel H. Bookin, Esq. (dbookin@omm.com)
275 Battery Street, 25th Floor
Alan R. Friedman, Esq. (afriedman@kramerlevin.com)
Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Patrick Edward Gibbs, Esq. (patrick.gibbs@lw.com)
140 Scott Drive
Carbon County's lawsuit against WorldCom Inc. has been settled
for $49,000, The Morning Call says.
Commissioners at a county Retirement Board meeting were told by
county Controller Robert Crampsie that Carbon got a $49,000
settlement from the class action lawsuit against WorldCom as a
result of stock losses associated with what Mr. Crampsie called
the largest corporate fraud scandal in the United States.
Morning Call points out that a total of $6.1 billion was awarded
to thousands who joined the suit. However, Mr. Crampsie said,
the county's award amounts to just 5% of what the county
lost as a result of the stocks.
According to the report, Carbon County officials had initially
aimed to regain $970,000 in retirement funds lost to the
WorldCom accounting scandal. Authorities said that WorldCom
executives inflated revenue. Carbon County's pension plans had
held stock in the company.
Carbon was among public entities that in 2003 asked the federal
government to help them recoup the money, but were told they
would have to sue on their own, Morning Call recounts. The same
year, the collapse of Texas energy trading company Enron cost
the county $327,000.
Yahoo! Inc. continues to face two purported securities fraud
class actions that were filed with the U.S. District Court for
the Central District of California.
On May 11, 2007, the first of two purported securities class
actions was filed against Yahoo! and certain of its officers and
members of the board of directors. The lawsuit was filed with
the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
by plaintiff Ellen Rosenthal Brodsky, under the caption, "Ellen
Rosenthal Brodsky v. Yahoo! Inc. et al., Case No.
2:2007cv03125."
The second lawsuit was filed with the U.S. District Court for
the Central District of California by plaintiff Manfred Hacker,
under the caption, "Manfred Hacker v. Yahoo! Inc et al., Case
No. 2:2007cv03902."
The plaintiffs in both cases allege, among other things,
violation of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 sections
10(b) and 20(a), as well as Rule 10b-5. The plaintiffs
generally claim that Yahoo! issued false, deceptive or
misleading statements concerning its advertising business,
financial results, and sales and growth potential between
April 8, 2004, and July 18, 2006.
The complaints seek unspecified compensatory damages, injunctive
relief, costs and attorneys' fees, according to the company's
Yahoo! Inc. -- http://www.yahoo.com-- is a global Internet
brand. To its global users, it provides owned and operated
online properties and services. To its advertisers, it
provides tools and marketing solutions. Many of Yahoo!'s
services are free to its users.
Yahoo! Inc. faces several purported class actions that were
filed with the California Superior Court, Santa Clara County in
connection to Microsoft Corp.'s unsolicited proposal to acquire
the company, according to the company's Feb. 27, 2008 form 10-K
Since Feb. 1, 2008, four separate shareholder lawsuits have been
filed against Yahoo!, members of the Board of Directors and
selected former officers by plaintiffs Edward Fritsche, the
Thomas Stone Trust, Tom Turberg and the Congregation Beth Aaron.
The plaintiffs in the California Lawsuits purport to assert
class claims on behalf of all Yahoo! stockholders, except
defendants and their affiliates. In addition, certain of the
plaintiffs in the lawsuits purport to assert shareholder
derivative claims on behalf of Yahoo!.
The complaints allege that the Yahoo! Board of Directors
breached fiduciary duties in connection with Microsoft Corp.'s
unsolicited proposal to acquire Yahoo!.
The plaintiffs in two of the lawsuits allege that Microsoft's
Feb. 1, 2008 unsolicited proposal to acquire Yahoo! is
inadequate and that the Yahoo! Board of Directors breached
fiduciary duties by favoring Microsoft's unsolicited proposal.
The plaintiffs in the other Lawsuits allege that the Yahoo!
Board of Directors breached fiduciary duties by, among other
things, failing to negotiate a transaction with Microsoft or
other potential bidders in the past and presently.
The complaints in the California Lawsuits seek declaratory and
injunctive relief, as well as an award of plaintiffs' attorneys'
fees and costs.
filed with the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in
Since Feb. 11, 2008, three separate shareholder lawsuits have
been filed against Yahoo! Inc., and the members of the company's
Board of Directors by these plaintiffs:
-- The Wayne County Employees' Retirement System,
-- Ronald Dicke, and
-- The Police and Fire Retirement System of the City of
Detroit along with The General Retirement System of the
City of Detroit.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuits purport to assert class claims on
behalf of all Yahoo! stockholders, except defendants and their
The plaintiffs generally allege that defendants breached
fiduciary duties by rejecting Microsoft Corp.'s Feb. 1, 2008
unsolicited offer to acquire Yahoo! Inc. without fully informing
themselves whether Microsoft would offer additional
consideration and that defendants are not acting in the best
interests of shareholders and are seeking to entrench
One of the Delaware Lawsuits alleges that the Board of Directors
have pursued various blocking transactions, adopted an employee
severance plan, and a shareholder rights plan in violation of
fiduciary duties.
The complaints in the Delaware Lawsuits seek unspecified
damages, declaratory relief and injunctive relief, as well as an
award of plaintiffs' attorneys' fees and costs.
Lockridge Grindal Nauen P.L.L.P. filed a class action suit in
the United States District Court for the Southern District of
New York on behalf of all persons who purchased the securities
of Ambac Financial Group, Inc. between October 19, 2005, and
January 15, 2008, inclusive against Ambac and certain of its
officers and directors for violations of the Securities Exchange
The Complaint alleges that during the Class Period the Company
issued materially false and misleading statements about Ambac's
business and financial results and materially misrepresented,
inter alia, its exposure to collateralized debt obligations and
subprime mortgages. It is also alleged that defendants failed
to mark down the Company's CDO and other mortgage-backed
security assets in a timely manner, resulting in the Company
issuing materially false and misleading financial statements and
results. Moreover, it is alleged that certain executives of the
Company reaped millions of dollars in proceeds from the sale of
Ambac shares during the Class Period at artificially inflated
It is also alleged that on January 16, 2008, Ambac announced its
preliminary fourth quarter 2007 results which included an
estimated net loss of $3.4 billion for the fourth quarter,
including an approximate $1.1 billion loss that was attributed
to CDOs backed by subprime mortgages. As a result, it is
alleged the price of Ambac stock plummeted on January 16, 2008,
to close at $12.97 per share, a 38% decline from the prior day
If you are a member of the proposed Class, you may move the
court no later than March 17, 2008 to serve as a lead plaintiff
for the Class. You need not seek to become a lead plaintiff in
order to share in any possible recovery.
The plaintiff seeks to recover damages on behalf of the Class.
Karen H. Riebel, Esq. (khriebel@locklaw.com)
Lockridge Grindal Nauen P.L.L.P.
100 Washington Avenue South, Suite 2200
The law firm of Schiffrin Barroway Topaz & Kessler, LLP filed a
class action with the United States District Court for the
Northern District of California, on behalf of all purchasers of
securities of SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. between October 30,
2007, and February 4, 2008, inclusive.
The Complaint charges SiRF and certain of its officers and
SiRF develops and markets semiconductor and software products
that are designed to enable location- awareness utilizing Global
Positioning System and other location technologies.
The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period,
defendants failed to disclose material adverse facts about the
Company's financial well-being, business relationships, and
prospects. Specifically, the defendants failed to disclose or
indicate:
(1) that there were not sufficient amounts of orders by
major customers to meet the targets set by the Company;
(2) that SiRF's acquisition of Centrality Communications,
Inc. and its system- on-chip product line would result
in overall lower margins and would adversely affect
SiRF's existing product line, resulting in lower gross
margins for the Company's products;
(3) that SiRF was not adequately equipped to deal with
competition from other companies offering superior
technology, specifically with regard to cellular-
enabled products;
(4) that SiRF was being forced to decrease prices due to
market pressures, which would adversely affect earnings
and lead to lower gross margins going forward;
(5) that the Company lacked adequate internal and financial
controls; and
(6) that, as a result of the foregoing, the Company's
statements about its financial well-being and future
business prospects were lacking in any reasonable basis
when made.
On February 4, 2008, the Company shocked investors when it
announced an 89% year over year decrease in fourth quarter
profits. For fourth quarter 2007, the Company reported net
income of $0.7 million, as compared to $9.1 million in net
income for fourth quarter 2006. Further, the Company stated
that its net loss for fiscal 2007 was $10.4 million, as compared
to net income of $2.4 million for fiscal 2006. Additionally,
the Company gave a "miserable outcome" for the first quarter,
predicting a loss of 4 cents per share. Upon the release of
this news, the Company's shares fell $8.91 per share, or 54.76
percent, to close on February 5, 2008 at $7.36 per share, on
unusually heavy trading volume.
The plaintiff seeks to recover damages on behalf of class
Darren J. Check, Esq. (dcheck@sbtklaw.com)
Richard A. Maniskas, Esq. (rmaniskas@sbtklaw.com)
Schiffrin Barroway Topaz & Kessler, LLP
Radnor, PA 19087
Phone: 1-888-299-7706 (toll free) or 1-610-667-7706
e-mail: info@sbtklaw.com
Scott+Scott LLP filed a class action against SunOpta Inc. and
certain officers and directors with the U.S. District Court for
the Southern District of New York.
The action is on behalf of those purchasing SunOpta common stock
during the period beginning August 8, 2007, to January 25, 2008,
inclusive, for violations of the Securities Exchange Act of
The complaint alleges that defendants made false and misleading
statements and material omissions regarding the Company's
reported earnings and that, as a result, the price of the
Company's securities was inflated during the Class Period,
thereby harming investors.
According to the complaint, during the Class Period, defendants
made false and misleading statements and omissions regarding the
Company's reported earnings. In addition, among other things,
defendants falsely stated that the Company's internal controls
were adequate and that the Company's financial statements were
prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles.
As a result, on January 24, 2008, Defendants informed
shareholders that "significant issues" would cause the Company
to write down $12 to $14 million pre-tax. In addition,
Defendants' disclosed that the Company's quarterly and annual
financial statements for the fiscal year 2007 could no longer be
relied upon and that it would likely be required to restate its
financial statements for previous quarters.
Interested parties may move the court no later than March 28,
2008 for lead plaintiff appointment.
Scott+Scott, LLP
e-mail: scottlaw@scott-scott.com
The Law Offices of Eric J. O'Bell, LLC filed a class action
lawsuit against Superior Offshore International Inc. in the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of
Louisiana, on behalf of shareholders who purchased the common
stock of the Company in connection with Superior Offshore's
Initial Public Offering on or about April 20, 2007, or who
purchased shares thereafter through January 9, 2008.
The complaint charges the Company and certain of its officers
and directors with making a series of materially false and
misleading statements in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus issued in connection with the IPO, violation of the
Interested parties may move the court no later than April 28,
Eric J. O'Bell, Esq. (ejo@obelllawfirm.com)
Law Offices of Eric J. O'Bell, LLC
3500 North Hullen Street
Metairie, Louisiana 70002
USA. Glenn Ruel Senorin, Janice Mendoza, Freya Natasha Dy, and
Peter Chapman, Editors.
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Oxford-Cambridge Expressway: Information to support why the S2 route should not be selected
Following the recent meeting in Horton-cum-Studley Village Hall, we have put together some information to help you to write to your local Councillors and MPs about the proposed S2 route for the Oxford-Cambridge Expressway, near Oxford. Please do write to as many as you can. Their names and address are at the end of the letter. If you know any other influential people, please do try to involve them as well.
We have concentrated on the implications of the S2 route for wildlife. The information we provide is not exclusive and we encourage you to investigate further.
Please try to do this before April 12th, which we believe is the deadline for the decision on the preferred route.
Fran Ashcroft and David Rogers
frances.ashcroft@dpag.ox.ac.uk
david.rogers@zoo.ox.ac.uk
Information to support why the S2 route should not be selected.
Wildlife – reserves and SSSI
Several fragile and important nature reserves,
Otmoor – RSPB bird reserve
BBOWT Asham Mead
BBOWT Whitecross Wood
BBOWT Bernwood Meadows
More information on them:-
Otmoor RSPB Reserve
It is a haven for wildlife. Among the rare birds that nest/visit are:
Turtle Dove (Red List species of conservation concern in the UK; and Biodiversity Action Plan species). These are in decline and numbers are halving every six years
Bittern. Numbers dramatically declined and almost extinct in UK, but numbers slowly increasing but at very low levels. Present at Otmoor.
Rare birds of prey - Hen Harrier and Marsh Harrier
There are many other rate and unusual birds that breed or visit here. Information about birds and animals seen (including harriers and bitterns) can be found here: http://otmoorbirding.blogspot.co.uk
Asham Meads BBOWT Reserve
Ancient fields that harbour rare communities of national and local botanical gems, including maroon-flowered great burnet, meadow fox-tail grass and tubular water-dropwort and very uncommon green winged orchids. Rare black and brown hairstreak butterflies.
Whitecross Green Wood BBOWT Reserve
Fragile ancient woodland. Known for nightingales
Bernwood Meadows BBOWT Reserve
Ancient fields with rare green-winged orchids, rare black and brown hairstreak butterflies
Otmoor, in general
More generally, Otmoor is host to many uncommon species e.g. Brown hares, cuckoos, skylarks etc. Importantly the area is also full of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) (which can be seen on this map)
http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271000916%27
SSSIs are the highest category of land that is considered to be special for wildlife.
Crucially, most of Otmoor is an SSSI. Additional nearby SSSI sites include:
Arnott Bridge meadows
Murcott meadows
Waterperry Wood
Holton Wood
Holly Wood
Stanton Great Wood
Wendelbury Mead and Mansmoor Closes
It is doubtful that it would be possible to build a road that avoids all of these sites. Even if the Expressway were to be directed around the actual nature reserves and SSSIs, the noise would be very damaging to such fragile communities. For example, it would disturb nesting birds. It would also much reduce people’s enjoyment of the peaceful and tranquil region that is currently Otmoor.
The corridor for noise pollution can be seen by the size of that for the M40 here http://www.extrium.co.uk/noiseviewer.html
It extends to approximately 1 mile from the road at a level of 55 decibels (equivalent to fridge or air conditioner hum).
The road would also have a negative impact on important architectural assets such as Beckley Park, a Grade 1 listed building of national historic interest. The moats are also listed and it has a famous topiary garden.
Woodperry House is also a Grade 1 listed building.
Fog would also be a problem, given the low-lying nature of the land. Likely to be worse than on the foggy bits of the M40.
People to write to
We could not find a Government list. So you will need to Google
Parish council ‘name of parish’.
Here you can find details of the Horton-cum-Studley one http://horton-cum-studley.org.uk/community/parish_council
https://www.gov.uk/find-your-local-councillors
There seem to be 3 of them for the Launton and Otmoor Ward
Councillor David Hughes, Lesbra House, Main Street, Grendon Underwood, Aylesbury, HP18 0SW, cllr.david.hughes@cherwell-dc.gov.uk
Councillor Timothy Hallchurch MBE, Paddock Cottage, Thrupp, Oxford, OX5 1JY, cllr.timothy.hallchurch@cherwell-dc.gov.uk
Councillor Simon Holland, East Wing, Kirtlington Park, Kirtlington, OX5 3JD, cllr.simon.holland@cherwell-dc.gov.uk
To find your County Councillor try: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/content/your-county-councillor. For many of us this will be: Councillor Dan Sames, 27 Shearwater Drive, Bicester, Oxon, OX26 6YR, Phone: (01869) 249768, Mobile: 07771 857088, Email: dan.sames@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Also worth thinking about is the Oxfordshire County Cabinet of Councillors: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/content/cabinet
Your Member of Parliament
http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/. For most of us this will be: The Rt Hon John Howell MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA, Tel: 020 7219 6676, Email: howelljm@parliament.uk
Secretary of State for Transport
We suggest: The Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
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Vol. XXIX No. 19, January 15-31, 2020
ARISE: India’s First Standing Wheelchair by IIT Madras
by Varsha Venugopal
Arguably the crown jewel of Chennai’s educational identity, IIT Madras remains highly respected for its work in academic and research projects. Last year alone, the institute announced multiple breakthroughs that show promise of a better, sustainable future. It developed the world’s first iron-ion battery, a low-cost, stable alternative to the present lithium-ion battery; designed an ‘agricopter’ that helps farmers automate pesticide spraying and keep a tab on crop health with an imaging camera; and devised an AI-based disaster management solution called ‘Eye in the Sky’ that utilizes drones to collect and analyze data in real time, to give a few examples.
IIT Madras also houses the Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) Lab that focuses on research related to human movement, with the aim of designing solutions to support the differently-abled. Headed by Prof. Sujatha Srinivasan of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the Lab hit a noteworthy milestone with its maiden product launch in 2019 – it unveiled ‘Arise’, India’s first prototype of a standing wheelchair.
‘Arise’ – India’s first prototype of a standing wheelchair.
Standing wheelchairs are assistive technology that make life better for users of conventional wheelchairs, who struggle with a host of health problems due to the prolonged seating position they’re forced to adopt – poor blood circulation, urinary tract infections, joint stiffness and pressure sores are common complaints. Standing wheelchairs, therefore, present a significant advantage – by enabling users to stand, it not only mitigates these problems, but also helps strengthen bone density by allowing the legs to bear weight. Apart from physical benefits, standing wheelchairs also improve the user’s self-esteem and sense of well-being, thanks to the improved independence of mobility and the opportunity to interact with people at eye-level.
While standing wheelchairs are not new as a concept, Arise is notable as the first indigenously developed standing wheelchair from India. Its biggest strength is perhaps its novel mechanical design (patented in India) which allows it to be priced modestly unlike its competitors in the market.
Arise is a manual standing wheelchair designed with a hand-operated, linkage-based mechanism to achieve standing functionality. It uses a gas-spring (adjustable to the user’s weight) to reduce manual effort and enable a smooth transition to the standing position. The product is built with an interlocking mechanism which acts as a safety feature; it secures the wheelchair in a locked state if the knee block is not in position. With a one-time custom fitting session, users are expected to operate the device as easily as they propel their wheelchairs.
The R2D2 Lab from IIT-M partnered with NGOs, hospitals, rehabilitation centres, individual users and clinicians to test the product, incorporating their inputs to further enhance its design. Rigorous mechanical testing was conducted to ensure that the device is rugged and suitable for outdoor use, even in uneven terrain. Arise has reportedly received positive feedback from initial trials with users who sustained spinal injuries.
With commercialization supported by the UK-based foundation Wellcome Trust, Arise will be manufactured and marketed by Phoenix Medical Systems, a company founded by IIT-M alumnus Mr. Sashi Kumar.
Speaking to the future goals of the R2D2 Lab, Prof. Sujatha Srinivasan said, “We have learned a lot during our Arise development journey – the importance of flexible funding focused on impact, the need for a like-minded industry partner and the merit in involving users and the rehabilitation community in the development. We are applying these learnings to our other projects.”
From right: Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Institute Professor, IIT-Madras; Sujatha Srinivasan, Founder and Head of TTK Centre for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development; and Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot, watch a demo of the standing wheelchair.
8168When Kolam-s Carry a Message
When Kolam-s Carry a Message
8170The Pope and the Price of the Fish
The Pope and the Price of the Fish
8207Playwright/Novelist/Travel Writer/Cartoonist – Marina Remembered
Playwright/Novelist/Travel Writer/Cartoonist – Marina Remembered
8228Awakened India – A Forgotten Magazine from Madras
Awakened India – A Forgotten Magazine from Madras
8231Nani Palkhivala in Madras
Nani Palkhivala in Madras
8240When Keith Miller Played at Chepauk
When Keith Miller Played at Chepauk
8204Lost Landmarks of Chennai
Lost Landmarks of Chennai
8236Thank You, Donors
Thank You, Donors
8195Short ’N’ Snappy
Short ’N’ Snappy
8198Our Readers Write
8226Quizzin’ with Ram’nan
Quizzin’ with Ram’nan
8172Heritage Watch
Heritage Watch
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MarkD60's Third Time
Third Site For My First (and only) Blog!
about MarkD60
Earth Coolmap
Earth View
Comical Clevage Clamp Commercial
Posted on March 31, 2011 by markd60
This video is hilarious. Listen to the sound it makes every time they pull the strings! And check out the disapproving way they look down at their small boobs. Small boobs bad…..Pull the strings! Yeay! Happy BIG boobs! Pull String-Instant Happy! I think the theory is it also squishes your belly fat up into your boobs!
Have you read this book?
I read a book a long time ago, and I’m looking for it again. I remember it was good, but I can’t remember the plot. The book was written through the eyes of an insane person. What I remember most was the crazy guy’s logic as to why you should never date women with fancy manicured fingernails. There was page after page of damn good reasons to not date a woman with fancy fingernails. I remember reading this book thinking, “How could anyone write this? This is brilliant!”
Does this ring a bell for anyone? I would like to read this book again.
Coral Closeups
These are some closeup shots of coral from yesterday. Click on the images to see them full sized. They make surprisingly good wallpapers for your computer desktop.
Sunday Burnout
Image depicting the way I feel right now. It’s not bad… but…
Last night I went to bed at about 10:30 PM. This morning, for some reason, the dawgs didn’t wake me up, and aside from getting up at 4:30 for a while, I slept till 8:15, which is unprecedented. Now I feel like I need coffee and a shower, except I already had coffee and a shower. Burnout. I think the only cure is a snorkel in the cold cold Caribbean Sea,
Texas beauty queen wins ‘fat’ case
Normally I don’t give a rats ass about this crap. but I read about this when the whole thing started and they took Domoniques crown away, I thought it was wrong then. I am glad the jury decided as it did, but am surprised it took them so long to reach a verdict.
US beauty contest winner Domonique Ramirez, who claimed she was stripped of her crown because she had gained weight has won her courtroom fight to regain the title.
Seventeen-year-old Domonique Ramirez claimed pageant officials in Texas had told her to “get off the tacos”.
Organisers of the Miss San Antonio contest said she was dismissed because she had breached her contract.
After nearly 12 hours of deliberation, jurors in Bexar County, Texas, ruled in favour of Ms Ramirez.
Judge Barbara Nellermoe said she didn’t “have any choice but to reinstate Domonique Ramirez as Miss San Antonio 2011”.
“This is about principle, this is about what’s right,” the 5ft 8in (173cm), 129lb (58.5kg) Ms Ramirez said after the verdict on Thursday.
Organisers took away the teenager’s crown in January, saying she had arrived late to events and failed to conduct herself in a way befitting a beauty queen.
During the week-long trial, pageant director Linda Woods said the teenager had turned up to a bikini shoot overweight, making the pictures “unusable”.
Ms Ramirez told the court that pageant bosses had said she “needed to lay off the tacos and the junk food”.
Ms Woods described the verdict as an “injustice for the city of San Antonio”.
Jury foreman Jesse Sanchez told the local newspaper, the Express-News, that the verdict was a “a hard decision”. She declined to divulge what damages and fees were awarded to Ms Ramirez.
Now that she has her title back, Ms Ramirez is eligible to compete for the titles of Miss Texas and Miss America.
But, one complication remains. During her dismissal period, another Miss San Antonio, Ashley Dixon, was crowned.
“I don’t plan on taking the crown away from Ashley. I’m hoping that we’ll be able to share and she can go to Miss Texas as well as Miss Bexar County, and we can both share the crown,” Ms Ramirez said.
From the BBC article, HERE
I think it’s very noble of Domonique to offer to share her crown, Ashley Dixon now needs to be compensated for her ordeal, and mean old Linda Woods needs a reprimand. She forgets she is dealing with children, (if only legally and not technically).
Drug use brain damage
I have a terrible time remembering names. I meet someone and get their name, and I instantly forget it. Or, if I try real hard, and pay attention, and think “That’s a common name, I can remember that”, then a few minutes later, I realize it is gone.
We’ve been watching the TV show “Bones”. I don’t know any of the characters names, except Bones, whose real name is Temperance, and Sweets, the Psychologist. When I hear the name on the show, the name instantly transfers to the picture of their face, and the name is rejected.
Back when I was a kid, I did a lot of drugs, I mean a lot. I wonder if this is related to those days.
Books are different, I read a name of a character, and automatically form a picture in my mind. Then I read the name again, and refer to the picture. Sometimes I get confused if there are too many characters in the book, but friends always say I describe books I read to them like a movie, and they seem impressed and I think it is a good thing.
There are several friends whose names I don’t know. I meet them, hear their name, forget it, and never hear it again. The longer I know someone whose name I don’t know, the harder it is to ask. Imagine a friend of yours, you’ve been friends for years, and all of a sudden one day, your friend asks your name, and says he never knew it all these years, wouldn’t that be weird?
The Wife wants a flower bed, the Wife gets a flower bed. I did the concrete work myself! My first plaster job! I could have put an extra block over there on the left, but it seemed so …. redundant!
Capitalism to blame for lack of life on Mars
Chavez says capitalism may have ended life on Mars
(Reuters) – Capitalism may be to blame for the lack of life on the planet Mars, Venezuela’s socialist President Hugo Chavez said on Tuesday.
“I have always said, heard, that it would not be strange that there had been civilization on Mars, but maybe capitalism arrived there, imperialism arrived and finished off the planet,” Chavez said in speech to mark World Water Day.
Well, That explains a lot. This is probably what happened on the Moon too. I’ve been wondering what happened to all the Martians and those little green Moon Men. When were our scientists were going to tell us this? Driven to extinction for the dollar! Dangit!
A few pics from yesterday
Welcome To Rivendell, Mr Anderson
I stole this from YouTube. I think it is funny as…..
(Insert something funny here)_____________
It made me laugh out loud unexpectedly, which is always good!
Monkeytail
You’re Not A Taco
markd60 on Monkeytail
Christina Harvey on Monkeytail
Mike on Monkeytail
markd60 on Betrayed
Lois Evensen on Betrayed
Artificial reef
Ashy the cat
bikini girls
by far my weirdest post
Damon E Grim
L.I.M.E.
Nikon S9100 freezes
personal memory
Pirates Week
ship sink
Stupid News
Too Stupid To Post
Travlin' Tim
UPS VS FedEx
USS Kittiwake
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« Roundup: Apple still hasn't cleaned up its MobileMess
NFL will stream select live games over Web for first time »
Weekly wrapup, 21-25 July 2008
by Steve O'Hear
July 27th, 2008 | Posted in last100 weekly wrapup | No Comments
Here’s a summary of the week’s digital lifestyle action on last100. Note that you can subscribe to the weekly wrapups, either via the special weekly wrapup RSS feed or by email.
Internet TV news
How big of an impact is Internet-delivered video making in consumer living rooms?
Dan Rayburn, the EVP of StreamingMedia.com, crunched the numbers this week and decided that the impact is not nearly as large as we think. “While it is good to see more content options coming to consumers, adding up all of the install numbers for these devices gives a stark picture of just how small the install base really is,” Rayburn wrote. “The market is still too fragmented, with too many different devices, all limited by a lack of premium content.”
Verizon bringing Internet TV to its set-top boxes
Another major player enters the PC to TV space. Verizon is currently beta testing web video on their set-top boxes. Unsurprisingly, the content looks like it will be mostly user-generated or that which has been created specifically for the web, and therefore won’t compete directly with the telco’s own video-on-demand offering. Initial “marketing partners” to include Veoh, Blip.tv, Break.com, and YouTube.
Report: 100,000 Roku Netflix set-top boxes sold
According to a report, the Netflix player by Roku has sold close to 100,000, and will soon overtake sales of the AppleTV.
Video: Netflix streaming on XBox 360
Initial impressions: the UI is slick, and the integration between the XBox 360’s newly designed dashboard and Netflix.com, where you still manage your Watch Now cue, works as expected.
Q&A: Nicolas Gramlich of anddev.org talks Android, Google’s developer relations, and more
In a short Q&A with last100, Nicolas Gramlich, founder of anddev.org, an online community for Android developers, discussed the slow progress Google appears to making in updating the Android SDK, the company’s relationship with the developer community, competition from iPhone, and more.
Interview: Eventful attracts new users through iPhone app, not just Web site
In less than two weeks, Brian Dear, the founder of the event discovery Web site Eventful, has seen “a whole new wave of users coming in” — so much so that he predicts that “in the very long term, everybody will be going mobile and the Web will be secondary.”
Don’t buy a Netbook pleads PC industry
Steve O’Hear: It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of the Netbook, an emerging new product category of low-cost and ultra-portable notebooks. But it seems many in the PC industry aren’t.
Roundup: Apple still hasn’t cleaned up its MobileMess
Not only has it been a rough two weeks since the disastrous introduction of MobileMe July 10-11, it’s been a miserable last three days for Apple and its “Exchange for the rest of us” product.
TechCrunch interested in developing own web tablet — with your help
TechCrunch this week announced interest in building its own Web tablet using open source everything. As TechCruch founder Michael Arrington wrote, the basic idea is the “machine is as thin as possible, runs low end hardware and has a single button for powering it on and off, headphone jacks, a built in camera for video, low end speakers, and a microphone.”
MySpace Music is reportedly set to launch in September as music store, subscription service
According to a report, MySpace’s music store will launch in September with three of the four major labels providing content. The lone holdout, EMI, is expected to give in soon. Chris DeWolfe, CEO of MySpace, told TechCrunch co-editor Erick Schonfeld that MySpace Music will be a music store and subscription service, with unlimited playbacks of full tracks for free.
Sky offers subscription-based music service
Rupert Murdoch’s Sky announced this week that they are launching a new music service in the UK, that offers both streaming and downloads of tracks for a monthly subscription. Downloads will be in the mp3 format, compatible with any digital music player including iPods. According to the press release, “a range of subscription options will be available, offering different download packages tailored to customers’ needs”, suggesting that downloads will be limited per month depending on how much you pay, but streaming maybe unlimited.
That’s a wrap for the week. Enjoy the rest of the weekend — thanks for reading folks!
last100 is edited by Steve O'Hear. Aside from founding last100, Steve is co-founder and CEO of Beepl and a freelance journalist who has written for numerous publications, including TechCrunch, The Guardian, ZDNet, ReadWriteWeb and Macworld, and also wrote and directed the Silicon Valley documentary, In Search of the Valley. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
Napster: DRM is dead, long live DRM
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The inside scoop on Jelly W-argh! *choke* Circulation: 192,828,868 Issue: 663 | 3rd day of Collecting, Y16
Home | Archives Articles | Editorial | Short Stories | Comics | New Series | Continued Series
The Misunderstood MSP Poogle
by lily_death
I shuffled over to the ramshackle farm land just outside of Altador, clinging my fingers into my sweaty palms. I didn't know what to expect. I only heard rumors about the average sweet plushie Poogle whose personality transformed over night.
Coos turned into cackles. Gentle thuds into grass became pounces so rough that every landing of every leap crumbled the grass and dirt beneath her feet. She always smiled, I heard. A sunny grin sharpened over the course of a single and frightful night, like the razor teeth she bore. It scared the locals enough to draw everyone, including myself, here. But no one dared enter that gray house on top of the hill where she remained, alone and howling into the night.
Her owner had no idea how it happened. I asked. Her only answer was held in her shaking lips as her glass of tea vibrated in her hand, spilling carelessly all over the floor. She told me one thing. She would approach Shontriel if she only knew it was safe to do it. I think she wanted to love Shontriel, really. She was so close to her once, they were thick as thieves. But she feared her change. Judging by her own fears, I started to get a little nervous.
What did she do to make the town so afraid?
I reflected on her owner's odd behavior as I approached the fence. The cool wind picked up, blowing stalks of hay loosely standing nearby. There was nothing here except a freshly painted gray house, illuminated by the afternoon sun.
My hand quivered as I pushed the gate open. My heart raced heavily in my chest. I curled my lips and took a deep breath as I walked through the grassy pasture up to the home.
When I reached the door, I knocked, lightly. My hands were so shaken that they could barely move, let alone have the strength to rap on the door and face my fears.
There was no answer.
"Hello?" I said, quietly. The whistling sound of the wind raised in my ear.
Should I have had the brashness to walk in? It was only... a Poogle. Harmless, right? For all I know, something could have been wrong. I had to go in.
I turned the brass knob with ease as I shoved the door ajar. For the brief moment, I smiled widely and sighed.
I pushed the door open as the sound of its creaks vibrated in my ear. I was surrounded by pitch black darkness. It didn't make me feel better. In fact, it only brought back to reality exactly what I could be dealing with.
"Is anyone here?" I said, aloud. My lips curled inward.
"DON'T SAY THAT! WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT?!" I shouted inside my head, as I crossed my arms.
A shuffling of hay on the ground stirred every hair on my body. It grew closer.
I heard heavy breathing, like the sound of rolling gravel, move towards me from behind.
I admit, a single tear rolled down my cheek as I told myself to turn around and run, but I couldn't move. I clenched my eyes shut so I wouldn't see it, even though it was already so dark I shouldn't have been able to spot the hand in front of my face. Why did I do this? Why did I come here? This was not normal! No wonder people stayed away. It's terrifying, it's heart pounding, it's---
Something rough and soft brushed back and forth across the hand at my side.
I took several quick breaths as I slowly unclenched my eyes. The sensation continued. It's just a Kadoatie or something, isn't it? Just some little pet pet that has come up to touch my hand. Of course it is. What was I think--
I looked down. Two large red eyes illuminated the yellow cotton fabric skin of the msp. I half-seized a gasp as I watched this gentle creature run her head against my hand, bearing her sharp toothy grin widely.
I sighed with relief as I knelt down and held her. She was softer than a cloud as she laid, with acceptance, in my arms.
Her insides vibrated as she purred, making the sounds of rolling gravel I heard earlier. Then they slowed as she lulled into a soft sleep.
I didn't get the experience the locals feared but I did get to lay her down on a large pile of hay and watch as her thick tummy rose and fell with serenity. Her red eyes closed and darkened the area around her. Her soft head tossed and turned as she whistled through her nose, as if to snore. She seemed so peaceful. Two paws clutched a torn blue Knight Moehog plushie, like a child. Her pet pet Mazzew curled up at her feet and purred in her sleep.
At the same time, I pitied her. Because of her change on the outside, everyone, including myself, feared her. Yet, inside she was the same sweet Poogle she always had been. She must have been so lonely these past few months.
I had every intention of coming back. And if anyone had any more doubts about what she is, I'd tell them to read this story.
As I left the gate, Farmer Cortes, the blue Kacheek who worked these lands, approached me with a wide smile. He shook his head.
"I haven't been in there since it happened," he said. "There's been a lot of stuff I need up at that house and can't get to it because---well, let's just say I'm glad you're here."
"Why?" I said.
"You've come to take her away, haven't you?" he asked.
My eyes hardened a little as I took a step back. I looked back at the house and thought about the lonely MSP in there, longing to be cared for.
"Yeah," I said, "I have. You oughta know something else."
"What's that?" he said.
"If you knew what an amazing and sweet pet she was... is and always will be, you would never want her gone. Even if you won't miss her, I know she's gonna miss you."
His mouth hung open, unable to speak.
"Excuse me," I said, as I walked past him with a thin smile on my face.
"That should put him in his place," I thought, proudly. I looked back to see him stare up at the house, his hand on his hips as he gazed up. My heart softened, wondering if he was pondering the words I said.
"Would you like to say goodbye?" I said, placing my hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah," he said, gulping as a tear came down his face, "I would."
I knocked on the owner's door and waited. No longer shivering with fear and nerves, but excitement and anticipation.
She readily opened the door and invited me in.
"What did you find out?" she asked.
"She's barely changed," I said, as I sat down with a hot up of Borovan.
She didn't move, stunned. "How can that be?" she asked.
I said, "Outwardly, we both know she is no ordinary Poogle. She's special now. Brilliant, even. I honestly never met a kinder neopet in my life."
Her mouth still hung open. She said, "But how can that be? She's--"
"An MSP," I said, "Yes, I know. I don't care how she got that way but she is... who she is now and I wouldn't change it for anything."
She smiled warmly.
"I will be forward," I said. "If you feel comfortable enough, you can keep her and visit her as often as possible. But if you are still unsure, let me take her and give her a real home."
"I think you've changed my mind. You're known for your honesty, too," she said. "But anyone who loves her as much as you do deserves her. She deserves you."
On that day, I wrestled her up in my arms, as she laid asleep, and took her home.
Instead of a pile of straw, she lies, with her Mazzew and her torn blue Knight Moehog Plushie, on a soft fur rug by a warm fireplace. Every day we play fetch, travel, and read stories along with her brothers and sisters here at home. She's simply... happy.
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Free Screening BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA
Win tickets to the Irish premiere of BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA for you, a friend and a dog.
It’s already licked the top spot at the American box office, and now Irish audiences have a chance to see the doggy sensation. The Irish premiere takes place in Movies @ Dundrum cinema next Sunday, January 11th at 1pm sharp. You can win tickets for you and a friend. Guests are invited to bring small dogs along to the screening for a special doggie treat.
In the Disney comedy, BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA, a pampered Beverly Hills Chihuahua named Chloe (voice of DREW BARRYMORE) finds herself accidentally lost in the mean streets of Mexico without a day spa or Rodeo Drive boutique anywhere in sight.
Now alone for the first time in her spoiled life, she must rely on some unexpected new friends – including a street-hardened German Shepherd named Delgado (voice of ANDY GARCIA) and an amorous pup named Papi (voice of GEORGE LOPEZ) – to lend her a paw and help her to find her inner strength on their incredible journey back home.Walt Disney Pictures presents BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA, directed by Raja Gosnell (Scooby Doo), written by Jeff Bushell and Analisa LaBianco and starring an all-star cast including Piper Perabo, Manolo Cardona and Jamie Lee Curtis with the voices of Andy Garcia, Plácido Domingo, George Lopez, Salma Hayek, Edward James Olmos, Paul Rodriguez, Cheech Marin and Drew Barrymore.
BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA opens in Irish Cinemas January 16th 2009
Cert: GEN Running Time: 91 mins
For More Info visit: http://www.beverlyhillschihuahua.ie/
HOW TO WIN TICKETS
To win a pair of tickets to this screening just answer the following question.
Q: Who provides the voice of Chloe in BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA? (clue – the answer is in the synopsis above)
Submit your answer by clicking here.
Don’t forget to include your contact details.
Bill & Ted Face the Music – A 69 Second Recap
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A QUIET PLACE PART II Featurette Introduces Cillian Murphy’s Character
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In Good Health – Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper
Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper
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Attack of the artery cloggers
What is cholesterol? Does it really even matter?
By Barbara Pierce
Zawko
It’s confusing and hard to make sense of our cholesterol numbers. And you wonder does it really matter?
Yes, it does really matter, said Pat Zawko, director of quality resources, risk management and corporate compliance, Little Falls Hospital.
She said there’s a clear association between your cholesterol levels and your chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
“Your life depends on knowing your numbers,” she said. “Yes, it’s confusing; we’re exposed to a lot of misleading, conflicting, even false information.”
What is clear is the link between high cholesterol in your blood and serious heart problems.
“Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the blood stream and in all your body’s cells,” she explained. “Your body needs cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs.”
Some cholesterol is “good” and some cholesterol is “bad.”
HDL (high-density lipoprotein), or “good” cholesterol, is considered good because it removes the bad cholesterol from your arteries, said Zawko.
The higher the level of HDL, the better. Sixty milligrams per deciliter and above is healthy and protects you against heart disease and stroke.
LDL (low-density lipoprotein), or “bad” cholesterol, makes up most of your body’s cholesterol. When your body has too much LDL cholesterol, it can clog your arteries and eventually choke off the supply of blood to your heart. When the blood flow to your heart is blocked, it can cause chest pain or a heart attack. LDL cholesterol levels should be less than 100 mg/dL.
“You want your total cholesterol level to be less than 200,” Zawko said. Your total cholesterol is a measure of HDL and LDL.
Many factors, including genetics, can play a role in your cholesterol levels. If a close relative has high cholesterol, you’re more likely to have it. However, many lifestyle factors, particularly diet and exercise, also affect levels of cholesterol.
Zawko has the following suggestions to lower your numbers and lower your risk of heart attack or stroke:
— Eat a heart-healthy diet: Eat more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean poultry and fish, and avoid excess sodium and sugar.
Labels are revealing
Too much sugar raises cholesterol. Read the labels. “Anything ending in ‘ose’ (fructose, maltose, glucose, sucrose) or syrups (corn syrup, rice syrup, malt syrup), and even “natural sweeteners” (agave nectar, coconut sugar, date sugar, honey, fruit juice concentrates) are all forms of added sugar which should be avoided. This is especially true if they are listed toward the top of the list of ingredients, said Zawko.
Avoid saturated fats and trans fat: Saturated fats are common in our diet. They are solid at room temperature — think cooled bacon grease. Common sources of saturated fat include red meat, whole milk and whole milk dairy foods, cheese, coconut oil, and many baked goods. A diet rich in saturated fats drives up total cholesterol, and tips the balance toward more harmful LDL cholesterol.
The worst type of dietary fat is the kind known as trans fat. As trans fats have no known health benefits and there is no safe level of consumption, they have been officially banned in the U.S.
As trans fats give foods a desirable taste and texture, many restaurants and fast-food outlets use trans fats to deep-fry foods. Trans fats are found in many foods — doughnuts, cakes, pie crust, biscuits, frozen pizza, cookies, crackers, and stick margarines.
To spot trans fats, look for the ingredient referred to as “partially hydrogenated oils.”
“Look for foods low in saturated, trans fats, and cholesterol to help reduce the risk of heart disease. Most of the fats that you eat should be polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, such as those found in fish, nuts and vegetable oils,” Zawko said.
— Get regular physical activity: Move more. Get up and move throughout the day, choose the stairs over the elevator, and take short walks. Even walking around the mall in winter months can do the trick. Aim for at least two and a half hours of exercise every week, say experts.
— Avoid tobacco smoke: Even second-hand smoke is bad. Smoke raises levels of LDL and lowers HDL. “Cigarette smoking harms nearly every organ of your body, causes many diseases and reduces the health of smokers in general,” said Zawko. “Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.”
— Limit alcohol to no more than one drink per day for women and two for men. Drinking more than this raises your levels.
— Maintain a healthy weight.
— Take prescription medication, if necessary: “Medication can be a supplement to lifestyle changes,” said Zawko. “There are several types of cholesterol medications available, including statins. Each works differently with different side effects. If one doesn’t work, try another. Your health care provider is the best person for you to discuss the need for medication.”
Keep your goal in front of you. Every day remind yourself that you are committed to your heart health.
Heart-to-heart talk can save lives
PTSD renders victims powerless
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Sexual Chemistry (1999) Mike Sedan
Labels : 90's , Comedy , Erotic , Mike Sedan , USA , 0 com
Sexual Chemistry (1999)
aka Dr. Jeckyl and PMS
Genre: Comedy | Sci-Fi | Softcore
Country: USA | Director: Mike Sedan
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1 | Length: 97mn
Dvdrip Xvid Avi - 640x480 - 23.976fps - 1.09gb
Robert, an overworked chemist experimenting with new sex-enhancing drug, uses himself as a human guinea pig in order to make an impending deadline. His new drug works wonders on his libido, but has an unexpected side-effect: it turns Robert into a Roberta! Now he/she must find a way to become a man again, and get in touch with his feminine side, before it's too late.
http://nitroflare.com/view/5B65DC0884502F8/SeChe99.part1.rar
http://nitroflare.com/view/09F1E8C5D3D7FA4/SeChe99.part2.rar
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The Black Gestapo (1975) Lee Frost
I Saw What You Did (1965) William Castle
Transfer Student (1982) Nobuhiko Ôbayashi
The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock (1959) Sidney Miller
Crimes of Passion (1984) Ken Russell
The Hypnotic Eye (1960) George Blair
Road (1987) Alan Clarke
Baby Doll (1988) Jon Bang Carlsen
Doctor Glas (1968) Mai Zetterling
Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman (1...
Women in Cellblock 9 (1977) Jess Franco
The Crook (1970) Claude Lelouch
Five Desperate Women (1971) Ted Post
Fatal Images (1989) Dennis Devine
A Matter of WHO (1961) Don Chaffey
Visions of Ecstasy (1989) Nigel Wingrove
The Last Chase (1981) Martyn Burke
Stick It In Your Ear (1970) Charles Morgan
The Secrets of Isis (1975-76) Complete Series
Under the Blossoming Cherry Trees (1975) Masahiro ...
Surviving the Game (1994) Ernest R. Dickerson
Chronicle of a Homicide (1972) Mauro Bolognini
The Mother and the Whore (1973) Jean Eustache
Rodan (1956) Ishirô Honda
Gloria mundi (1976) Nikos Papatakis
Sex, Lies and Death (2011) Ramiro Meneses
La Otra Virginidad (1975) Juan Manuel Torres
Ninja: The Final Duel (1986) Robert Tai
What? (1972) Roman Polanski
Purani Haveli (1989) Shyam Ramsay & Tulsi Ramsay
The Haunted Castle (1969) Tokuzô Tanaka
I Want What I Want (1972) John Dexter
In Praise of Older Women (1997) Manuel Lombardero
The Arrival of Wang (2011) Antonio Manetti & Marco...
Space Freaks from Planet Mutoid (1995) Dionysius Z...
Historias de Amor y Masacre (1979) Jorge Amorós
Hearts of Fire (1987) Richard Marquand
Curiosity & the Cat (1999) Christian Alvart
Tender and Perverse Emanuelle (1973) Jess Franco
Jack the Giant Killer (1962) Nathan Juran
Isola: Multiple Personality Girl (2000) Toshiyuki ...
The Gingerdead Man (2005) Charles Band
Yume de aimasho wonderland (1996) Hisayasu Sato
Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time (1991) S...
Crocodile (1996) Kim Ki-duk
Three Men to Kill (1980) Jacques Deray
Prayer of the Rollerboys (1991) Rick King
Track 29 (1988) Nicolas Roeg
Turtle Vision (1991) Hisayasu Sato
The Eye of the Monocle (1962) Georges Lautner
Rendezvous in Hell (1971) James E. Myers
Twilight's Last Gleaming (1977) Robert Aldrich
Belphegor (1927) Henri Desfontaines
Nowhere (1997) Gregg Araki
Karate Cop (1991) Alan Roberts
Lost Horizon (1937) Frank Capra
Assmonster: The Making of a Horror Movie (2006) Bi...
Starman (1984) John Carpenter
Mahakaal (1993) Shyam Ramsay & Tulsi Ramsay
The Stepfather (1987) Joseph Ruben
Forbidden Games (1995) Edward Holzman
Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics (1994) ...
Alien 2: On Earth (1980) Ciro Ippolito
Den-Sen (2006) Shozin Fukui
I Viaggiatori Della Sera (1979) Ugo Tognazzi
The Seventh Sign (1988) Carl Schultz
Godmonster of Indian Flats (1973) Fredric Hobbs
Persona (1966) Ingmar Bergman
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Revision as of 12:43, 8 November 2016 by Poslfit (talk | contribs) (removed NSA link)
Please obey the following rules in this style guide when editing content at this web site. For issues not discussed below, consult the Wikipedia Manual of Style.
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Wave and tidal power standards
The draft marine energy device standards range from setting out water depth, current and wave behaviour criteria, to meteorological recording, power measurement instrumentation and reporting regimes.
EMEC: European Marine Energy Centre
Global standards for wave and tidal power devices are being developed by the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC).
The wave and tidal power device standards will be reviewed in May by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), which sets global standards to improve industrial efficiency, safety, environmental protection and world trade.
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EMEC says over 4000 copies of the wave and tidal power device standards proposal have been distributed worldwide. They are already in use in many places, and EMEC is collating feedback as the industry develops.
John Griffith, Standards Project Director at EMEC, says: “It is vitally important that the marine energy industry develops standards that provide international credibility and these documents are an important step forward.
“A standard is simply an agreed, repeatable method and EMEC wants to help grow the industry by sharing experience. Agreed assessment standards and guidelines are essential for consistent and accurate industry approaches and will improve the reliability and effectiveness of what we do.”
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Mega Modifications
BGT-WeiDU
Started by agris, Mar 06 2015 12:50 PM
#21 K4thos
K4thos
Yeah, the water issue doesn't hold the release now thanks to Argent's tile2ee tool that can extract PVRZ files. 1 more beta run with full NPC party that also has content in BG2 would be welcomed to test recent changes in code, just to be sure that there are no regressions (PM me if anyone is interested). If there won't be any problems with the way NPC join and post dialogue files work now (they are no longer appended) than the current release could be official one without need for open beta. Feel free to download current version, but read the F.A.Q. in readme file first.
Edited by K4thos, 13 March 2016 - 11:57 AM.
#22 Bill Bisco
Bill Bisco
Player of Mods
Very glad that you'll be in the Beta K4thos. Wonder when they'll start it.
"Real Sharpness Comes Without Effort"
#23 Blash2
Blash2
@K4thos I look forward to playing EET! I am really grateful for the great work you're doing.
Isn't there a dedicated topic? I searched to no avail.
#24 The Imp
Not good, see EVIL is better. You'll LIVE.
That will come when the mod is officially released... and that's after the BG:Siege of the Dragonspear is released. Likely at least.
See K4thos hasn't actually officially said where he will release the mod. The non SoD version is available in the EET Github, but it's still been adjusted slitely, and so there's no official v1 yet. The BGSotDs version is there hidden, so K4thos can works on both of them at the same time.
And as you can see, the above linked feature request has been answered, I don't know how, but I am sure it will have a good result. Or at least a workaround that won't cause a the BG2 to think it's at chapter 13 at the start without the other parts knowing that it starts at chapter 13. 13 being just a number I randomly picked.
Edited by The Imp, 22 August 2015 - 08:59 AM.
Yep, Jarno Mikkola. my Mega Mod FAQ. Use of the BWS, and how to use it(scroll down that post a bit).
OK, desert dweller, welcome to the sanity, you are free to search for the limit, it's out there, we drew it in the sand. Ouh, actually it was still snow then.. but anyways.
#25 Sai
just a note - it's not a public beta yet, unless you want to deal with broken water. And yes, Adventure Y is meant to be used for the EET BG1->BG2 transition (currently transition starts right after killing Sarevok, but once Adv Y is released I will try to merge it in).
Wonderful initiative, this 'EET' !
Is there any news on EET ?
Edited by Sai, 24 October 2015 - 03:22 PM.
well, the news is what The Imp said and what is written on the main page. It will be released day-and-date with next BG2:EE patch (it is needed for the new journal system mentioned in the link), which also means close to Siege of Dragonspear release.
Other than this I've finished implementing IWD:EE inside EET which allows you to travel to Eastheaven anytime and start doing that questline with your BG party, if you wish. The mod comes with additional 30 optional components which allows you to bring BG2:EE much closer to IWD:EE rules. I'm also planning to expand it with some IWD2 content (mostly first worldmap from IWD2 as later the story would clash with IWD1). The mod is called IWD-in-EET and works similarly to EET (supports mods installed on IWD:EE previous to installing the mod on BG2:EE). The mod currently sits on private repository.
Currently I'm also considering fully integrating Black Pits I and II into BG storyline (normal versions would be still available from the main menu as it is now) via optional component, although no decision has been made about it yet.
Edited by K4thos, 24 October 2015 - 11:51 PM.
#27 Fiann of the Silver Hand
Fiann of the Silver Hand
For those like me, who are only familiar with the BG series, could you give a synopsis of the IWD stuff? My very uninformed opinion is that IWD was much more hack-n-slash, and thus, not of great interest to those who were drawn to BG for its plot(s) and NPCs.
fiannofthesilverhand
Fiann, if you're looking for IWD content review than I suggest checking some reviews. They usually highlight differences between the game and Baldur's Gate series. It's indeed far more hack-n-slash than BG, but compared to mega mods (other than NEJ obviously) it's still a lot more enjoyable experience in my opinion. As for the joinable NPCs - in IWD there aren't any. You could optionally install Kuylok's mod (also supported by IWD-in-EET), to add 5 of them although not sure about their quality as I never played with them.
Edited by K4thos, 25 October 2015 - 12:28 AM.
It'd be fun to integrate all the IE games into one megamod.
More like one mega game... under one engine. Aka, you install the compilation, start the .exe and choose to play which ever "game" under that engine.
Which can then be megamodified by installing the BWSEE........... uuhhg bbrraaaiinns.
Edited by The Imp, 25 October 2015 - 02:14 AM.
Really?! So if I have Icewind Dale installed as well, it's also available? That's pretty dandy (I never much liked the Icewind Dale interface, it kept me from playing it). That's pretty neat. The EE people should perhaps offer you some compensation, I reckon this will lead to additional sales
@K4thos, did I understand correctly? It will be possible to integrate IWDEE in the EET installation? That means that I will be able to travel back and forth to BGEE, BG2EE and IWDEE as if they were one game? I'm amazed!
Since we're already here, I have another question to ask you. I noticed, reading BWS code on Bitbucket, that EET Tweaks has a "Protagonist can die" component. I remember activating it via .ini file some months ago on a BGT installation, but it worked quite crappy (for example, the main character generated a corpse on the ground that got carried over area transition), and I was told that that component was there for modding reasons only (for example cutscenes) and it had to be handled with care.
Will it now work flawlessly? Main character's death will be handled as any other's?
I also noticed there is an "Ironman mode" component. As I always play "no-reload" games, I'm really curious about it. Could you tell us more?
Thanks for all you're doing
did I understand correctly? It will be possible to integrate IWDEE in the EET installation? That means that I will be able to travel back and forth to BGEE, BG2EE and IWDEE as if they were one game?
yes. Glad you like it. IWD2 content (Targos, other areas from the first worldmap and the quest to solve the monsters problem) will be also available like this.
I'm not aware about ini tweak for vanilla engine but "Protagonist can die" from EET_Tweaks indeed should work as advertised - after installing it Player1 is treated exactly the same as any other party member when it comes to death. Keep in mind that currently it works only on BG2:EE and EET. BG1:EE version is not available yet because the engine is not on par with others (although it will be after next patch).
I'm not aware about ini tweak for vanilla engine ...
It's a ToBEx .ini tweak made available by this mod, the reasoning is that it's a bit more than just an .ini tweak that changes the whole game, as I understand it(which is vague as they come). But without that mod, you should not go and edit the .ini file because of reasons that should be quite obvious including the mentioned body thing etc. Duh.
Did I ever say that I really appreciate the work you K4thos put in all this ? Well, I really do. Just so you know.
Yes! That was ToBEx! I didn't remember. As for the "game over only on party dead" mod, I didn't know it was related to that tweak, since that mod made so that the protagonist fell unconscious instead of dying. It worked quite differently from the ToBEx tweak, and was quite buggy too, since someone reported that it might happen that the protagonist didn't get up.
Anyway, that's great news!!!
When BGEE and BGIIEE patches will be out (and the thought of the time to wait is painful, knowing Beamodog), will it be possible to apply the mod to the whole installation and not to a single game? I'm talking about Big World Setup, of course.
As for the IWDEE inclusion, well, man, "EET" is no longer the right name, as long as you're putting together six games XD
Can you tell us something about how ironman mode will be handled? :-)
Edited by Blash2, 25 October 2015 - 07:58 AM.
well, it needs this engine bug to be fixed to start working as advertised in the readme (which part of the readme description should I clarify?). It's already officially considered a bug for some time now, so there is a chance that it will be fixed in the next patch.
- if by single installation you mean EET (which merges BG:EE and BG2:EE using BG2:EE engine) than it already works for whole game.
- if you mean standalone BG:EE when playing without EET than it will start working with it after next BG:EE patch.
- if you mean when EET_Tweaks will be selectable from Big World Setup - probably soon, as ALIEN has been adding support for it recently (although you can install it manually even now).
- if you mean when EET will be included in Big World Setup - right after official release.
As you can see I don't really know what you meant
And here's yet another interpretation...
...will it be possible to apply the mod to the whole installation and not to a single game?
If K4thos makes it a single engine game that covers the stories with just different starting points, you are likely to only have the option to apply a mod to every incarnation or none at all, no micro installs, just like with the BGT-weidu that had a start point for BG1, SoA and ToB starts, this just has a few more, and the stories are not just a single continuous one, but multiple.
True, but I'd say that if the mod is made to work with every single game, Big World Setup might let the user make a choice like "apply the mod for the whole game" and then manage the micro-installations for every single game without the user realizing it.
In this case I think it would be crucial, since it would be a mess to remember "in this game the protagonist can die, in this other game I have to avoid it".
Say, K4thos, does EET come with version numbers? The depository (https://github.com/K4thos/EET) doesn't mention any, and I've begun taking snapshots.
Is the current version considered released 'enough' to be playable or is it just a test version? How useful would some testing be to you? I do not mind trying a playthrough with it installed.
(I got 'beta 0.9' from the .tp2 file at least)
Edited by Sai, 25 October 2015 - 09:04 AM.
In that case, K4thos is likely to just not have the protagonist to be crucial at all. In any of the starts, yes, starts, see the story be whatever, the point of origin can't really be what dictate the mechanisms. Of course it could look funny to play the BG1->SoA->ToB from the perspective of Imoen when the Bhallspawn dies at the start of the game. But you might want to load the save all the same... I never played the Icewind Dale either if one of my chars died permanently, but in this you could do so... of course being at ToB and getting another level 1 NPC to get a cleric ... is likely to get everyone dead, anyways.
Sai, well the version is:
VERSION ~beta 0.9~
From the .tp2 ... of course that's actually a bit of a lie at least, cause I have seen too many updates for this to be the actual truth. But it's a github project, so we should give it a little room here. --- got so ninjaed.
Anyways K4thos has said that it's playable 'enough' to finish, and yes, testing would surely be appreciated.
Back to BGT-WeiDU
→ Modding
→ Mega Modifications
→ BGT-WeiDU
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OtherGENOME ANALYSIS
Transcriptional Similarities, Dissimilarities, and Conservation of cis-Elements in Duplicated Genes of Arabidopsis
Georg Haberer, Tobias Hindemitt, Blake C. Meyers, Klaus F.X. Mayer
Georg Haberer
Tobias Hindemitt
Blake C. Meyers
Klaus F.X. Mayer
Published October 2004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.104.046466
© 2004 American Society of Plant Biologists
In plants, duplication of individual genes, long chromosomal regions, and complete genomes provides a major source for evolutionary innovation. We investigated two different types of duplications, tandem and segmental duplications, in Arabidopsis for correlation, conservation, and differences of expression characteristics by making use of large genome-wide expression data as measured by the massively parallel signature sequencing method. Our analysis indicates that large fractions of duplicated gene pairs still share transcriptional characteristics. However, our results also indicate that expression divergence occurs frequently between duplicated gene pairs, a process which frequently might be employed for the retention of sequence redundant gene pairs. Preserved overall similarity between promoters of duplicated genes as well as preservation of individual cis-elements within the respective promoters indicates that the process of transcriptional neo- and subfunctionalization is restricted to only a fraction of cis-elements. We show that sequence similarities and shared regulatory properties within duplicated promoters provide a powerful means to undertake large-scale cis-regulatory element identification by applying an intragenomic phylogenetic footprinting approach. Our work lays a foundation for future comparative studies to elucidate the molecular manifestation of regulatory similarities and dissimilarities of duplicated genes.
Plant genomes are rich in duplicated genes. Various mechanisms can lead to duplication of individual genes or longer chromosomal regions. In addition to the duplication of individual chromosomal regions, polyploidization, and subsequent reorganization of the genome, tandem duplication and the generation of dispersed, duplicated genes account for the generation of sequence redundant copies. Within Arabidopsis, the evolutionary history of the modern genome structure has been exhaustively analyzed. Large fractions of the genome are derived from ancient polyploidization events, and as much as 17% of the genome reportedly is composed of tandemly repeated genes (The Arabidopsis Genome Initiative, 2000; Vision et al., 2000; Simillion et al., 2002; Bowers et al., 2003).
Gene duplications are regarded as a major source for the generation of evolutionary novelties (Ohno, 1970). Paralogous gene pairs may acquire different fates: (1) evolution of one copy to a nonfunctional pseudogene, (2) functional divergence of the two copies in which one of the two copies acquires a new function (neofunctionalization), (3) simultaneous reduction of the activity of both copies by maintaining the total capacity of the ancestral gene (subfunctionalization), and (4) the functional preservation of both copies to increase the robustness of the genetic network (Force et al., 1999; Gu et al., 2003). In principle, the first three fates can be realized by mutations both within the coding regions and within regulatory regions of the respective genes. Whereas changes within the coding region of the gene eventually result in altered biochemical properties of the protein, mutational changes within the regulatory sequences potentially alter the temporal and/or spatial expression patterns or transcriptional responses to internal and external stimuli.
Effects and consequences of mutations within the coding portion of genes have been exhaustively studied (Lynch and Conery, 2000; Parenicova et al., 2003). A comprehensive study of the evolutionary fate of duplicated genes in six eukaryotic genomes revealed a high rate of duplication, illustrating the importance of duplications for the evolution and speciation of genomes (Lynch and Conery, 2000). Although there is an ongoing debate on to what extent duplicated genes become silenced, pseudogenization likely is a significant evolutionary fate for duplicated gene pairs (Lynch and Conery, 2000; Long and Thornton, 2001; Zhang et al., 2001). In yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), a genome-wide survey on the phenotypic effects of single-gene deletion mutants has been carried out. The analysis revealed that at least one-quarter of mutants with no phenotype is compensated by duplicated loci (Gu et al., 2003). This indicates that a substantial part of duplications in yeast has become at least partially redundant units and suggests that genetic redundancy increases the robustness of the genetic network.
The retention rate of duplicates within many eukaryotic genomes is significantly higher than expected from predictions by classical models (Prince and Pickett, 2002). To explain the striking discrepancies between empirical and expected retention rates for duplicated genes, the duplication-degeneration-complementation (DDC) model has been proposed (Force et al., 1999; Prince and Pickett, 2002). The model requires multifunctionality of the ancestral unit, and the function of the ancestral locus is presumed to have consisted of several discrete, independently mutable subfunctions. After a duplication event, the two copies acquire complementary amorphic or hypomorphic mutations in two separable subfunctions. Thus, both copies are required to provide the full functionality of the ancestral function and will be retained by selective pressure.
Mutable subfunctions of a duplicated pair potentially affect various sites governing the functional characteristics of the respective gene. Besides protein domains, splice sites or cis-regulatory elements can be affected. Evolution of transcriptional regulation as a crucial contributor to evolutionary changes and speciation has long been hypothesized (Britten and Davidson, 1969; Ohno, 1971; Doebley and Lukens, 1998; Carroll, 2000; Prince and Pickett, 2002). Due to their short, degenerated sequence characteristics and their combinatorial mode of action, in particular transcription factor binding sites potentially represent appropriate targets for the DDC process. Transcriptional subfunctionalization can potentially result in at least partially altered expression patterns and characteristics and might represent an important evolutionary mechanism for the retention of duplicated genes.
In contrast to exhaustive studies on the divergence of duplicated genes and their encoded proteins, little is known about how changes in gene expression affect the evolutionary fates of duplicated pairs (Wray et al., 2003). Most of our knowledge is derived from the analysis of individual genes or from well-characterized gene families, like the HOX genes in vertebrates or the MADS box genes in higher plants (e.g. Parenicova et al., 2003).
At least partial redundancy has been reported for several double or triple mutants of homologous genes, like the floral meristem identity genes AP1/CAULIFLOWER/FRUITFUL and the SHATTERPROOF genes which regulate fruit dehiscence (Ferrandiz et al., 2000; Liljegren et al., 2000; Pinyopich et al., 2003). Divergent expression patterns and putative silencing of duplicated genes were found in an expression analysis of 105 MADS box genes in Arabidopsis (Kofuji et al., 2003).
Using microarray expression data, studies in yeast have estimated the extent to which changes in gene expression contribute to the evolutionary fates of duplications (Wagner, 2000; Gu et al., 2002). Only a small fraction of duplicated gene pairs showed no or little variance, while most duplicated genes quickly diverged in their expression patterns. Expression of duplicated genes seems to be initially coupled and subsequently diverges rapidly, suggesting rapid neo- and/or subfunctionalization (Gu et al., 2002).
In higher eukaryotes (including plants), expression divergence of duplicated genes thus far has only been studied on selected examples, and genome-scale analyses haven't been reported to date. In this study, we investigate the correlation of expression of duplicated gene pairs in Arabidopsis, with an emphasis on the transcriptional characteristics of tandem and segmental duplications. We analyzed the transcriptional fate of duplicated genes by making use of genome-wide expression data derived by massively parallel signature sequencing (MPSS; Brenner et al., 2000b; http://mpss.udel.edu/at). Our results indicate that a significant portion of segmentally and tandemly duplicated genes are highly similar in their expression characteristics. However, more than two-thirds of duplicated genes exhibit divergence in their expression characteristics. By applying an intragenomic phylogenetic footprinting strategy, we demonstrate that duplicated genes still share cis-regulatory elements. These characteristics of duplicated genes can be exploited for genome-scale cis-element detection and in the future might give insights into the molecular events leading to transcriptional sub- and neofunctionalization and the mechanism by which gene duplications are stabilized.
Identification of Tandemly and Segmentally Duplicated Genes in Arabidopsis
To analyze similarities and dissimilarities in transcriptional characteristics of duplicated genes in Arabidopsis, we selected appropriate duplicated gene groups from the Arabidopsis genome (see “Materials and Methods”). These groups were either within segmental duplications stemming from an ancient polyploidization event that took place approximately 38 to 70 million years ago (Simillion et al., 2002; Blanc et al., 2003; Bowers et al., 2003) or genes that are organized in tandem arrays. Duplicated genes were selected using stringent similarity thresholds. For segmentally duplicated groups, we restricted our analysis to pairs that have one member in each of the respective segments (1:1 relations). This minimizes potential artifacts caused by expanded gene families not arranged in a colinear order.
We selected 2,399 groups of genes comprising 7,425 genes from previously identified segmentally duplicated regions (The Arabidopsis Genome Initiative, 2000). Most of the groups (1,680) show clear 1:1 duplicate relations, and only these were analyzed further. For the tandemly repeated duplicates, we obtained 1,564 groups comprising 4,176 genes. Most of the tandem groups (1,096) consist of two members; however, we also identified groups with up to 22 members (see supplemental material, available at www.plantphysiol.org).
To gain insight into the evolutionary relationship and the duplication age of the selected duplicated genes, the synonymous substitution rate (KS) was calculated for the corresponding gene pairs (Fig. 1). For the selected segmentally duplicated genes, the frequency distribution showed a clear peak for KS values of 0.7 to 0.8 as well as a Gaussian distribution. This confirmed that our filters successfully identified duplicated gene pairs originating from the most recent polyploidization event during the evolution of Arabidopsis (Vision et al., 2000; Simillion et al., 2002; Bowers et al., 2003). These observations are consistent with previously reported findings and date the duplication event to approximately 38 to 70 million years ago (Vision et al., 2000; Simillion et al., 2002; Blanc et al., 2003; Bowers et al., 2003). Duplicate pairs derived from earlier polyploidization events (Simillion et al., 2002; Bowers et al., 2003) were removed from the dataset.
KS distributions for tandemly and segmentally duplicated genes. Divergence KS of coding sequences were determined for 1:1 segmental and tandemly repeated genes in Arabidopsis and sorted into bins of width KS = 0.1. Relative abundance of each bin is shown on the y axis.
For tandemly duplicated genes, we computed KS for all pairwise combinations of each group. For groups containing more than two members, this might impose a bias toward an overrepresentation of older pairs. To address this problem, we separately analyzed the distribution of tandem groups consisting of two genes. However, there was no striking difference between the distributions of KS between these datasets (data not shown). In both analyses, the average age of duplicates is significantly lower than that of segmentally duplicated genes. We found a pronounced peak for KS values between 0.3 and 0.4. Thus, the average age of tandem duplications is approximately one-half the age of the segmental duplications.
Expression of Duplicated Genes in Arabidopsis
For expression measurements, we made use of data generated by MPSS (Brenner et al., 2000a, 2000b; http://mpss.udel.edu/at). MPSS data from five different tissues (callus, leaf, flower, root, and silique) were used. Tag-based methods for quantifying gene expression, like MPSS, have the advantage of avoiding problems often faced in microarray analysis like cross-hybridization or low signal strength (Brenner et al., 2000a). We assigned tags to specific genes to associate them with expression abundance. Analysis was restricted to genes and tags that met high quality criteria.
The positions of all MPSS tags matching within the Arabidopsis genome were determined, and these tags were associated with annotated genes from the MAtDB (Schoof et al., 2004). To correctly map the tags to genes, cDNA information was integrated where possible (see “Materials and Methods”). Unambiguous expression data for 12,352 genes were obtained. This dataset encompasses 1,529 genes assigned to tandem groups and 2,195 grouped as segmental duplicates. Expression for 1,460 genes could not be resolved due to ambiguous tags, and 590 of these genes belonged to tandem groups. The pronounced decrease of informative tags for tandemly repeated genes largely resulted from the high similarity of their transcripts and illustrates the necessity of the strict quality criteria imposed.
For each pair of tandemly and segmentally duplicated genes with diagnostic and informative tags, the Pearson correlation r of their expression was computed. Application of our quality criteria restricted the analysis to 849 pairwise comparisons for tandemly duplicated and 777 pairwise comparisons for the segmentally duplicated genes. Negative control experiments consisted of gene pairs obtained by randomly shuffling sets of evolutionarily unrelated genes containing appropriate tags. Ten random shuffles were generated, each equal in size to the duplicated datasets. These sets represent the background level of correlated expression expected to be observed by chance. The distribution of the two duplicate classes is significantly different from the random shuffles as tested by the χ2 test (χ2 > 60, P < 10−6 for segmental pairs and χ2 > 120, P < 10−9 for tandem pairs at 19 degrees of freedom; Fig. 2). For both classes of duplicated genes, a considerable fraction showed highly similar expression characteristics (Fig. 2; Pearson correlation r > 0.8) significantly deviating from the control dataset. Approximately 26% of pairwise correlations for duplicated genes organized in tandem arrays and about 19% of segmentally duplicated gene pairs are associated with a Pearson coefficient of 0.8 or higher. Consequently, the degree of duplicated gene pairs with negatively correlated expression that had highly dissimilar expression patterns is less pronounced than expected from random associations (Fig. 2; −0.9 < r < −0.5). It is noteworthy that the distributions are similar for both classes, despite an approximately 2-fold difference in divergence time. As pairwise correlation analysis of tandem groups containing more than two members potentially bias the distribution, we additionally analyzed the expression correlations for tandem groups consisting of two genes. However, distributions between these selected and all tandem genes were highly similar (data not shown).
Significant portions of tandemly and segmentally duplicated genes exhibit highly similar expression characteristics. MPSS expression data were correlated between tandemly and segmentally duplicated pairs and were compared against background distributions of random shuffled pairs. Left side of figure shows distribution for tandem, right side for segmental pairs, each in comparison to randomized sets of equal size. χ2 tests showed highly significant differences of the observed distributions against the randomized dataset. Pearson correlations r on the x axis were grouped into 20 bins of width r = 0.1, and relative abundance of each bin is indicated on the y axis.
Tandemly and Segmentally Duplicated Genes Exhibit Significant Similarities within Their Promoters
Gene duplication most likely is not restricted to the coding or transcribed portion of genes but also comprises the respective promoters. Our observations on the significant transcriptional similarities between large portions of duplicated gene pairs prompted us to undertake a systematic analysis of promoters associated to duplicated genes.
Therefore, we determined the average similarity of promoters associated with duplicated genes. This analysis was performed by aligning the promoter sequences and comparing these alignments to the expected background, obtained by the analysis of a negative control set. To avoid alignments between 5′ untranslated regions (UTRs), which frequently exhibit a high degree of similarity for duplications (G. Haberer and K.F.X. Mayer, unpublished data), we restricted our analysis to promoter pairs for which both genes have associated full-length cDNA information. Alignments of promoter sets of variable lengths were computed using DiAlign2-1 (Morgenstern, 1999). Similarity was measured as the proportion of aligned nucleotides to the total promoter length (see “Materials and Methods”). Mean similarities of tandem and segmental promoters were significantly higher than randomly selected promoters (Fig. 3). These results indicate that the similarity between promoters of duplicated genes is significantly larger than expected by chance.
Tandemly and segmentally duplicated genes show significant conservation within their promoters. Means of promoter similarities for tandemly, segmentally, and randomly shuffled pairs were determined using DiAlign2. Promoter similarity was defined as length of alignable regions divided by total promoter length. Length of promoters was restricted to a maximum of 600 bp upstream of cDNA start site. Means are indicated on the y axis, and error bars represent ses.
Promoter and Protein Divergence Correlate within Tandem Duplications
To test whether promoter evolution is coupled with coding sequence divergence, we correlated the promoter similarities and the KS. To exclude potential pseudogenes and 5′ UTRs from our analysis, we restricted the dataset to pairs of genes with associated full-length cDNA information. We analyzed for potential correlations between the age of a duplicated pair measured as KS and the divergence of the respective promoters as defined by the promoter similarities (Fig. 4). As segmental duplications likely arose from an ancient polyploidization event, a time-dependent correlation can't be expected. This is confirmed by our findings of only a weak positive correlation of low significance (r = 0.095; α < 5% and no significance at the level of α ≤ 2% by Spearman rank correlation testing; Fig. 4).
Promoter similarity is coupled to divergence time for tandemly repeated genes. Divergence time KS was plotted on the x axis versus promoter similarity (measured as described in Fig. 3 and “Materials and Methods”). Correlation coefficients as determined by Spearman rank correlation were highly significant for tandem genes (r = −0.45, P < 10−6) but not significant for segmentally duplicated genes at the 1% significance level (r = 0.095, P < 0.05).
In contrast to segmental duplications, divergence times of tandemly repeated genes are distributed over a larger time range. Reflective of this, we found a highly significant, strong negative correlation between protein and promoter divergence (r = −0.45, P < 10−6) for tandemly repeated gene pairs.
These findings underpin that functional selection constraints on coding sequences are more pronounced than on promoter regions and that on average more mutations within coding sequences are eliminated by negative selection than is the case for promoter regions. This is consistent with the specific structural features of cis-elements and promoters as a whole, e.g. the degenerate nature of cis-elements and the only small fraction of nucleotides constituting cis-elements within the entire promoter region.
Promoter Similarity and Expression Characteristics of Tandemly Duplicated Genes Are Correlated
As shown above, promoters associated with duplicated genes still share significant similarity. In addition, Pearson correlation of tandemly and segmentally duplicated genes revealed gene pairs that showed pronounced similarities in their expression characteristics. To test whether promoter relationships (as measured by the extent of alignable regions) correlate with expression characteristics, we plotted promoter similarity versus the Pearson coefficient r for the respective duplicated gene pairs (Fig. 5). Correlation coefficients are r = 0.17 (P < 0.01) for tandem and r = 0.12 for segmental genes (P < 0.05; Fig. 5). While the probability for segmentally duplicated genes implies only a nonsignificant correlation, we find a weak, yet significant positive correlation for tandemly duplicated pairs. This indicates that for tandemly duplicated genes, similarities in expression characteristics correlate with the similarities detected within the promoter regions, an observation which is not supported for segmentally duplicated genes. This might be attributable to the on average shorter evolutionary distance and point toward an ongoing degeneration process within promoters of tandemly duplicated genes.
Promoter similarity is coupled to expression correlations for tandem genes. Expression correlation (Pearson r on the x axis) was plotted versus the promoter similarity within tandemly and segmentally duplicated genes. Maximum promoter length was 600 bp, and an alignment stringency threshold of 3 was used. Spearman rank correlation was found to be significant for tandemly repeated genes (r = 0.17, P < 0.01). Segmental duplications did not reveal a significant correlation (r = 0.12, 0.01 < P < 0.05) at the 1% significance level.
Divergence Time and Expression Characteristics Are Not Correlated in Tandemly and Segmentally Duplicated Genes
Similarity within promoters of tandemly repeated genes was found to be correlated to both the divergence time as well as to expression similarities. This suggests a continuous divergence of expression characteristics between duplicated genes. To verify this, we plotted KS against the Pearson correlation (Fig. 6). For both datasets, pronounced scattering was observed, and no significant correlation was found for both tandemly (r = −0.09, P < 0.05) as well as segmentally (r = 0.05, P < 0.2) duplicated pairs. Thus, from the divergence time of duplicated genes, conclusions on coherent expression characteristics between duplicated gene pairs cannot be derived.
Expression divergence of tandemly and segmentally duplicated gene pairs is uncoupled to divergence time. Divergence time KS of tandemly and segmentally duplicated genes is plotted against the expression similarity/divergence measured as the Pearson correlation of the MPSS data. Black circles indicate value pairs derived from segmentally duplicated pairs (right); white triangles represent data from tandem genes (left). No significant correlation tested by Spearman rank correlation test was detected for both tandemly repeated (r = −0.09, 0.01 < P < 0.05) and segmentally duplicated genes (r = 0.05, P < 0.2).
cis-Regulatory Element Detection by Intragenomic Footprinting
cis-Regulatory elements are the major constituents driving gene expression. Although not restricted to these regions, these elements are predominantly located within the 5′ upstream sequence, and, consequently, analytical approaches predominantly focus on surveying these regions.
Our analysis demonstrates that duplicated promoters show both significant similarity and significant expression correlation between duplicated genes. To analyze this in more detail, we undertook several case studies, selecting duplicated pairs for which experimentally verified cis-regulatory elements have been reported. We carried out a phylogenetic footprinting analysis for the respective gene pairs. The selected promoters were subjected to an analysis by (1) detecting conserved (e.g. alignable) regions and (2) searching for statistically overrepresented sequence elements by a Gibbs sampling-based method to identify potential cis-regulatory elements (Thijs et al., 2001, 2002). We analyzed promoters of the duplicated gene pairs for histone H4 (At3g46320 and At5g59690), three copies of Rubisco (At5g38410, At5g38420, and At5g38430), and the duplicated OPR1 and OPR2 genes (At1g78680 and At1g78690; Green et al., 1988; Donald and Cashmore, 1990; Chaubet et al., 1996; Biesgen and Weiler, 1999; He and Gan, 2001). Histone H4 duplicate genes are found in segmental duplications, whereas the Rubisco and OPR1/OPR2 copies are organized in tandem arrays. The phylogenetic footprinting analysis detected the G-box and several I-boxes within the Rubisco promoters (Fig. 7B). Combination of these elements has previously been shown to be essential for the light induction of Rubisco genes in many higher plants (Green et al., 1988; Donald and Cashmore, 1990). The histone H4 gene At5g59690 has been experimentally analyzed by DNAseI footprinting, and several protected sites could be identified which previously have been reported as functional elements in maize (Zea mays; Chaubet et al., 1996). Four out of five sites were detected, indicating a conservation of these elements in duplicated promoters (Fig. 7A). The promoters of OPR1/OPR2 harbor two cis-regulatory elements involved in senescence and in response to jasmonic acid (He and Gan, 2001). Within our analysis, both elements give clear signals against the background (Fig. 7C).
Detection of experimentally verified cis-regulatory elements within promoters of tandemly and segmentally duplicated genes. Promoters of the respective genes are displayed as blue horizontal bars; scale indicates bp upstream of transcriptional start site as defined by corresponding cDNA. Alignments were generated by DiAlign (threshold 3), and are shown as purple horizontal bars. Results of 100 runs of MotifSampler3 are summarized below. Height of the vertical bars indicates the number of reported motifs for the respective bp. Number of hits is also color coded (gray, < 5% of all motifs; blue, <10%; green, <20%; and red, >20%). The locations of experimentally verified elements are highlighted as red boxes. A, Results for histone H4. B, Results for three tandemly arranged Rubisco genes. C, Results for the tandemly duplicated OPR1 and 2 genes. Further details are described in the text.
We next asked the question of whether the Pearson correlation of transcriptional characteristics influences the performance of the intragenomic phylogenetic footprinting analysis. We selected duplicated gene pairs with high (KIN1 and COR6.6; r = 0.96), moderate (COR15a and COR15b; r = 0.56), and low (SCARECROW-like; r = −0.48) transcriptional correlation and subjected the respective promoters to a phylogenetic footprinting analysis (Fig. 8). Again, duplicated pairs were organized either in tandem arrays (KIN1 and COR6.6; COR15a and COR15b) or within segmental duplications (SCARECROW-like). KIN1 and COR6.6 are both up-regulated by cold treatment and abscisic acid (ABA) application. Promoters of both genes harbor sites that match consensus sequences of known cis-regulatory elements conferring ABA- and cold-responsiveness (CRT; Baker et al., 1994). The CRT-element (C-repeat; Baker et al., 1994) is found within many promoters of cold-induced genes, including COR15a/b (Thomashow, 1999). In addition to these elements, several additional elements were detected between these gene pairs (Fig. 8, A and B). Furthermore, several conserved candidate cis-regulatory elements were identified for the SCARECROW-like gene pair, yet no correlation in expression patterns was observed in the MPSS data (Fig. 8C). These results suggest that duplicate promoters harbor conserved transcription factor binding sites and that intragenomic footprinting provides a powerful tool to identify regulatory elements conserved between duplicated promoters.
Intragenomic phylogenetic footprinting detects de novo candidate cis-regulatory elements in promoters of tandemly and segmentally duplicated genes. Three duplications covering a wide range of expression correlation as analyzed by the MPSS data were subjected to an intragenomic phylogenetic footprinting as described in the text. Results are presented as described in the legend of Figure 7. Locations of the ABRE (ABA responsive element, within the promoters of KIN1/COR6.6) and the cold-responsive CRT elements (within the promoters of KIN1/COR6.6 and COR15a/b) are indicated as red boxes below the MotifSampler results.
Duplication of individual genes, large genomic segments, or complete genomes provides a mechanism to introduce functional innovation and novelty into genomes. However, fixation of duplicated loci within the respective genome requires sub- or neofunctionalization of the respective loci. Besides evolution of the protein sequence and change of the biochemical properties of the protein, changes in the transcriptional regulation of duplicated genes have long been hypothesized to play an important role for the fixation of duplicated genes (Britten and Davidson, 1969; Ohno, 1971; Doebley and Lukens, 1998; Carroll, 2000). In fact, genome-wide studies in yeast revealed a rapid divergence of expression patterns of duplicated genes (Gu et al., 2002). Although expansions of gene families and both local and global duplications in plants are highly pronounced, genome-scale studies on the conservation and divergence of expression characteristics of duplicated genes have not been reported thus far. In this study, we investigated transcriptional similarities and dissimilarities among two distinct types of gene duplications, tandem and segmental duplications. The evolutionary origins of the two classes are distinct from each other. Tandemly repeated genes are located in close physical vicinity to each other and most likely are generated by illegitimate recombination. The second type of duplicated gene pairs is constituted from gene pairs located within segmental duplications, and these are most likely the remnants of an ancient polyploidization event with subsequent reorganization of the genome (The Arabidopsis Genome Initiative, 2000; Vision et al., 2000; Simillion et al., 2002; Blanc et al., 2003). We restricted our analysis to segmentally duplicated gene pairs originating from the most recent genome duplication event within Arabidopsis, approximately 38 to 70 million years ago (Vision et al., 2000; Simillion et al., 2002; Blanc et al., 2003).
Most duplicated gene pairs located within segmental duplications originated from a duplication event at a defined time point during the evolution of the Arabidopsis genome. Consistent with findings by other research groups, the age distribution within the segmentally duplicated genes shows a Gaussian distribution with a pronounced peak at KS in the range of 0.7 to 0.8 (Vision et al., 2000; Blanc et al., 2003). By contrast, genes arranged as tandem arrays exhibited a significantly lower average divergence time with a broader distribution of KS values. Surprisingly, the tandem duplications exhibited a distribution similar to the segmental duplications, with a maximum peak for KS values of 0.3 to 0.4, corresponding to approximately 20 to 40 million years ago. Assuming a continuous death and birth process for tandemly duplicated genes, an exponential decay, rather than a Gaussian distribution with a peak at a particular evolutionary time point, would be expected. As we found a similar distribution for tandem genes of groups consisting of two members, we exclude a bias potentially caused by pairwise combinations of all members of expanded tandem groups. A recent decline in the rate of generation of tandem arrays or, alternatively, an evolutionary time span (indicated by the peak at KS = 0.3–0.4) with above-average generation of tandemly duplicated genes could explain this observation. However, to our knowledge, there is no report supporting one or the other possibility to date. The causes leading to the unexpected KS distribution for tandemly duplicated genes therefore remain to be elucidated in future studies.
The tandemly repeated genes we analyzed circumvent a broad range of divergence times. We made use of MPSS data generated from five different libraries representing different plant tissues. The MPSS method measures relative expression values on a genome scale (Brenner et al., 2000a, 2000b). MPSS sequence tags were mapped to the respective loci within the Arabidopsis genome. Due to the high sequence similarity of transcripts from duplicated genes, a precise assignment of tags to matching genes is crucial for the analysis. The disproportionate loss of informative tags for the tandem and segmental duplications emphasizes the importance of this analysis step. However, one advantage of the sequence-based MPSS tags is that interference caused by sequence similarities is readily detected and, thus, noisy data can be excluded, unlike poorly characterized cross-hybridization on microarrays.
The analysis of MPSS expression data shows that a significant portion of duplicated genes retained a high degree of highly similar expression characteristics. Correlations against a negative control set are substantially different: 26.3% (20.1%) of the tandem repeats and 19.4% (12.4%) of genes located within segmental duplications revealed a Pearson correlation of above 0.8 (above 0.9). It is noteworthy that the degree of duplicated genes with highly unrelated expression, i.e. negative Pearson coefficients (close to −1.0), is significantly lower than expected from a random distribution (Fig. 2), indicating that highly dissimilar expression patterns are underrepresented between duplicated genes. These observations suggest a significant conservation of expression characteristics between duplicated pairs. However, our findings also indicate that the majority of duplicated genes already experienced a significant divergence in their expression characterization. This is consistent with expectations implied by the DDC model (Force et al., 1999).
Our study has been carried out by using MPSS data derived from particular tissues. These data describe only a few dimensions of regulatory complexity and, for example, expression differences at the cellular level or in response to internal and external stimuli are not captured and reflected within the dataset. Thus, any subfunctionalization caused by such cues would necessarily escape detection.
The DDC model proposes partitioning of ancient subfunctions as a major mechanism to retain duplicated genes in a genome. Although not limited to the subfunctionalization of regulatory regions, due to their short sequences and modular organization, cis-regulatory elements are particularly well-suited candidates for mechanisms predicted by the DDC model. Thus, expression divergence potentially is a major constituent driving a degeneration and complementation process. Repeated rounds of this process potentially generate increasingly divergent expression patterns, and these would ultimately lead to neofunctionalization on a transcriptional level. Consequently, sub-, neo-, and nonfunctionalization of duplicated gene pairs are time-dependent processes. The average divergence time or evolutionary distance among tandemly repeated genes is lower compared to duplicate gene pairs residing within segmental duplications. Supportive of a time-dependent increase in expression divergence, the proportion of highly correlated pairs is significantly larger in tandemly repeated genes in comparison to segmental duplications. However, correlation analysis between divergence time KS and expression similarity measured by the Pearson coefficient revealed no correlation for duplicated genes at a significance level α < 1%. This is in contrast to findings in yeast and human, where a significant correlation between expression and protein divergence for duplicated pairs has been found (Gu et al., 2002; Makova and Li, 2003). Several reasons might account for the differing findings in Arabidopsis. The correlation of evolutionary distance and conservation of transcriptional characteristics in yeast has been drawn for duplicated gene pairs over a range of KS = 0 to KS = 1.5, including a significant portion with KS ≤ 0.3. Most of the duplicated gene pairs used in our analysis show KS values well above 0.3 and might therefore show only weak or no correlations. An alternative hypothesis is that, in contrast to yeast, expression divergence for duplicated genes might occur more rapidly in Arabidopsis.
Several observations suggest continuous degeneration within regulatory regions and are consistent to the DDC model. Repeated cycles of degeneration and complementation should lead to an increasing divergence within regulatory regions and consequently to an increase in expression divergence. On the other hand, recent duplicate promoter pairs will still share significant similarity within their regulatory regions. Both aspects are reflected in our analysis results. We analyzed promoters from duplicated genes with respect to the degree of similarity that is still retained. We found significantly higher similarities between promoters from both tandemly and segmentally duplicated gene pairs in comparison to random expectations. This supports the hypothesis that duplicated genes share common regions within their regulatory sequences. In addition, promoter similarities between tandemly duplicated genes showed a highly significant negative correlation against the divergence time of the proteins. This suggests a continuous degeneration within regulatory regions. A very weak positive correlation has been detected between promoter similarities of tandemly duplicated genes and their expression characteristics. These findings are not unexpected as many genes within the dataset exhibit divergence times above KS ≥ 0.3. Additionally, as we selected for functional gene pairs, our dataset likely contains those duplicated gene pairs that have undergone purifying selection and were thus retained within the genome. A recent study that investigated the evolutionary fate of three very recent duplicated pairs in Arabidopsis (KS < 0.02) is supportive of these findings (Moore and Purugganan, 2003). Although the pairs still showed a highly correlated expression, different patterns were detected, indicating that positive selection can rapidly lead to changes in expression characteristics.
In Arabidopsis, partial redundancy and overlapping functionality for duplicated genes (e.g. SHATTERPROOF 1 and 2, AP1/CAULIFLOWER, PHOT1 and 2) have been reported (Ferrandiz et al., 2000; Liljegren et al., 2000; Kinoshita et al., 2001; Pinyopich et al., 2003). These reports as well as our observations indicate that for numerous gene pairs, besides at least overlapping biochemical properties of the respective proteins, a significant overlap in regulatory characteristics still exists. To analyze this in more detail, we asked whether shared cis-regulatory elements are conserved between duplicated genes.
We subjected duplicated gene pairs to a phylogenetic footprinting analysis. Both colinearity criteria as well as heuristic criteria were used for their detection (Morgenstern, 1999; Thijs et al., 2001). For the analysis, gene pairs were selected for which previously particular cis-elements have been experimentally confirmed. For all evaluated examples that we tested (histone H4, Rubisco, OPR1/OPR2), the individually confirmed cis-elements correspond to pronounced signals (Fig. 7, A–C).
To test the applicability of the approach to duplicated gene pairs with similar transcriptional characteristics (e.g. high Pearson correlation) and duplicated gene pairs with dissimilar transcriptional characteristics (low Pearson coefficient), we selected duplicated gene pairs over a range of Pearson correlation coefficients. For all examples, clear and pronounced signals that depict potential conserved cis-elements have been found. Again for these examples, at least in part, individual cis-elements have already been described. The respective elements proved to be conserved, along with numerous additional conserved cis-elements. High-scoring candidate cis-elements are not restricted to housekeeping genes like histone H4 or Rubisco but are also apparent in duplicated genes responding to specific stimuli like cold-inducible COR15a/b and KIN1/COR6.6.
Phylogenetic footprinting of orthologous genes has been proven to be a powerful tool for the detection of cis-regulatory elements (Wasserman et al., 2000; Guo and Moose, 2003). However, in the absence of a second suitable plant genome for phylogenetic footprinting and given the complications in assigning clear orthologous relationships arising from the highly duplicated nature of plant genomes, intragenomic phylogenetic footprinting represents a powerful strategy that is complementary to classical intergenomic phylogenetic footprinting. Due to potential acquisition and loss of individual cis-elements between duplicated promoters, detection of the full complement of cis-elements is not feasible by this approach. However, our analysis results demonstrate that intragenomic phylogenetic footprinting represents a powerful means to detect cis-regulatory elements on a genome scale. Thus, apart from insights into the evolution of transcriptional characteristics of duplicated genes, our study also delineates an analytical outline for the detection of plant cis-elements, which exceeds the currently available resources by far. With the availability of complete and high-quality plant genome sequences in the foreseeable future, the opportunity to undertake classical intergenomic phylogenetic footprinting is emerging. However, the inherent duplication dynamics of plant genomes often hampers clear orthology assignment. Thus, a combination of inter- and intragenomic footprinting bears the potential to circumvent this constraint and to identify regulatory sub- and/or neofunctionalization processes on a molecular level. This will enable, on one hand, analysis for cis-elements on a genome scale and, on the other, detection and definition of the birth and death of cis-elements and the molecular evolution of transcriptional characteristics.
Computational Methods
Computations were performed on an IBM workstation with a 2.4 GHz Pentium 4 processor running on a LINUX operating system. Python scripts (http://www.python.org) were used for all analysis and can be obtained on request. Images for the motif detection were obtained with the Python Imaging Library, the residual figures with the python module PYCHART.
Computational Selection of Tandem and Segmental Duplications
Genome annotation data stored within the Munich Information Center for Protein Sequence (MIPS) Arabidopsis database (MAtDB) were used for the analysis (Schoof et al., 2004). FASTA3 as global alignment tool was used to avoid duplications reported due to a high-scoring but localized hit of a local alignment tool (Pearson and Lipman, 1988). Default parameter settings have been used. As stringent similarity threshold, the FASTA ratio (opt score divided by self score) ≥ 0.3 was used (The Arabidopsis Genome Initiative, 2000). Duplicated pairs exceeding the given threshold and separated by less than three intermediate unrelated genes were counted as tandemly repeated gene pairs. Along with the homology criteria, location within previously described segmental duplications (The Arabidopsis Genome Initiative, 2000) was decisive to detect and assign segmentally duplicated gene pairs. To minimize potential artifacts caused by expanded gene families not arranged in a colinear order, the analysis was limited to 1:1 relations, i.e. members of one pair are present as single copies within the respective segment. A list of the selected MAtDB codes is provided in the supplemental material.
The synonymous (KS) and nonsynonymous substitution (KN) rates for the selected tandem and segmental pairs were computed using the PAML program package (Yang, 1997). Proteins were aligned using DiAlign2-1 (Morgenstern, 1999) and subsequently transformed into corresponding nucleotide alignments. Due to restrictions in accuracy and reliability for rate estimation caused by the increasing number of reversions or multiple substitutions, substitution rates above 1.5 were excluded from the analysis.
MPSS Data Generation
We used MPSS data from five different untreated organs or tissues, including untreated silique, callus, leaves, roots, and inflorescence. All plant material was from Arabidopsis, ecotype Col-0. Callus was initiated from seeds grown on media containing 0.5× Murashige and Skoog salts, 3% Suc in presence of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (0.5 mg/L), indole-3-acetic acid (2 mg/L), and kinetin (0.1 mg/L). Floral buds (up to Stage 11/12) were harvested from plants grown under 16 h of light for 5 weeks. Developing siliques (Stage 16/17) were harvested from plants grown under conditions identical to the floral library. For the leaf and root libraries, plants were grown in 16 h of light for 21 d under sterile conditions in vermiculite and perlite. For each library, total RNA was isolated using TRIzol (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA). For tissues derived from whole plants, samples were taken approximately 2 h after dark.
MPSS was performed as described by Brenner et al. (2000b). For the five libraries, a total of 12,273,934 signatures were obtained in multiple sequencing runs and in two sequencing frames. The abundance for each signature was normalized to transcripts per million (TPM) to facilitate comparisons across libraries. The merging of the sequencing runs and the normalization steps are described in more detail by Meyers et al. (2004).
MPSS Tag Mapping/Quality Determination
MPSS tags were anchored to the Arabidopsis genome and mapped to the transcribed part of the genome. In addition to the coding region, 5′ and 3′ UTRs were included into the assignment. Based on full-length cDNA information for 46.6% (12,314 out of 26,444) of all annotated genes, a 3′ UTR was determined. For genes with no or only incomplete cDNA information, a default length of 200 bp has been used. For genes lacking cDNA information for the 5′ UTR, the default length used was 100 bp. Tags matching more than one gene were treated as ambiguous, while uniquely occurring tags were regarded as diagnostic. According to technical aspects of the MPSS method (Brenner et al., 2000b), tags located closest to the 3′ end of the gene were treated as informative, while residual matching tags were counted as noninformative tags. To lower the background noise, both a total minimal abundance of greater than 10 TPM over all MPSS libraries and greater than 5 TPM in at least one of the MPSS libraries was required to consider a tag as informative.
Expression Correlation
To determine the similarities and dissimilarities between expression characteristics of duplicated genes, only pairs for which both members had an informative, diagnostic tag were considered. The correlation of expression between the respective gene pairs was determined using Pearson's coefficient r:
with X,Y representing expression data vectors of x1,x2,…xN, y1,y2,…yN respectively and N representing the number of cDNA libraries.
To compare the results against the background expectation, we analyzed negative control sets consisting of pairwise comparisons of randomly selected expression profiles from all Arabidopsis genes associated with an informative tag. Random shuffles with gene pairs overlapping with the datasets of tandemly and segmentally duplicated genes were excluded. Expression correlations were analyzed in analogous manner for 10 different random sets of equal size to the datasets of tandemly and segmentally duplicated genes.
Significance was tested using the χ2 test. χ2 values for both tandem and segmental duplications exhibited highly significant differences compared to the background distributions (χ2 > 60, P < 10−6 for segmental pairs and χ2 > 120, P < 10−9 for tandem pairs at 19 degrees of freedom; see supplemental material for details on the statistical analysis).
Promoter Alignments
Pairwise alignments of promoters from tandem and segmental duplications were computed using DiAlign2 (Morgenstern, 1999). To avoid alignments of 5′ UTRs, which generally exhibit a higher degree of similarity between duplicated pairs (G. Haberer, unpublished data), we restricted our analysis to duplicated gene pairs with associated full-length cDNA information. These criteria confined the analyses to 655 pairwise alignments for the tandemly duplicated and to 663 segmentally duplicated gene pairs. Promoter regions analyzed circumvent a 1-kb 5′ nontranscribed sequence or were delimited by the transcriptional start or stop of the previous gene. As a negative control, we used pairwise alignments of randomly shuffled promoter pairs. For each pairwise alignment, we computed the promoter similarity between two promoters as the length of aligned regions divided by their total length (see supplemental material).
As it can't be assumed that the promoter similarities follow a normal distribution, we carried out a nonparametric ranking test (Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test) to evaluate differences between means. Ties between ranks were resolved as midranks. For large data sizes (as analyzed in this study), the distribution of the ranks is approximately normally distributed (Bickel and Doksum, 1977). Significance levels P were highly significant (P ≪ 10−6) for all analyzed promoter lengths above a DiAlign2 threshold >1 (details on the statistical analysis are given within the supplemental material).
Statistical Analysis of Correlations
Two-dimensional samples were tested for correlations determining the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Significance levels for each tested correlations are given in the text. Details about the tests are provided in the supplemental material.
Intragenomic Phylogenetic Footprinting of Duplicated Genes
A literature survey identified several tandemly and segmentally duplicated genes for which functional regulatory elements have been reported. Consensus sequences or the respective sites were extracted from these reports, and their positions were determined within the respective promoters. DiAlign2-1 (Morgenstern, 1999) and MotifSampler3 (Thijs et al., 2001, 2002) were used to detect candidate cis-regulatory elements and conserved promoter regions shared by duplicated promoters. Promoters were selected as described above. DiAlign2-1 was run with default settings. To exclude nonspecific alignments within promoter regions, a stringent threshold parameter of 3 has been used. MotifSampler3 is based on a heuristic algorithm which can converge to local optima. To avoid problems arising from this potential bias, results from 100 runs (50 runs with octamer and decamer motif length setting each) were sampled, and the reported motifs per site were counted. Default values were used as residual parameter settings with a maximum of five reported motifs per run. A background model of order 3, which has been determined from a large set of promoters derived from genes with full-length cDNA information, has been used for the analysis.
We thank Shin-Han Shiu and Michael Mader for comments and critical reading of the manuscript.
www.plantphysiol.org/cgi/doi/10.1104/pp.104.046466.
↵1 This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (grant no. MA 2522/1–1 to K.F.X.M.) and by the National Science Foundation Plant Genome Research Program (DBI–0110528 to B.C.M.).
↵[w] The online version of this article contains Web-only data.
Received May 14, 2004.
Revised July 28, 2004.
Accepted July 29, 2004.
Published October 15, 2004.
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Plant Physiology Oct 2004, 136 (2) 3009-3022; DOI: 10.1104/pp.104.046466
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Sequential Drawings by Richard McGuire
by Jeff Alford · December 1, 2016
Pantheon Books, 2016
You’ve probably seen “spot illustratings” before but not known what to call them. They’re the “unsung toiler of the magazine page,” illustrations tucked into margins and quietly placed after an article’s paragraphs in what would otherwise be dead space. The substance of these drawings tends to border on the cutely innocuous: a parking meter, a birdcage, maybe a bottle of ketchup at a diner. In his introduction to Richard McGuire’s wonderful Sequential Drawings, Luc Sante describes them as “missed by many insistent readers as they chase the progress of a story across columns and ads,” and explains that their “inherent modesty has thus far kept [the format] a cult favorite.”
Richard McGuire’s spot illustrations have appeared in The New Yorker since 2005, and are compiled here in a pocket-sized hardcover. Delightfully, McGuire’s spot drawings form miniature stories when read in order. Considering how not all readers of The New Yorker pore through their issues cover-to-cover, this compilation allows McGuire’s adorable sequences, like “Gossiping Objects”, “Taxi”, and “Noise Upstairs” to finally be appreciated in their complete, miniature arcs.
McGuire is an exceptional cartoonist (as well as the bassist for the band Liquid Liquid), and 2014’s Here (which was finally completed after first appearing in RAW magazine in 1989) is an essential work of genius and creativity within the comics medium. Sequential Drawings, alternatively, is just a nice little book: its strips read like animated shorts between Sesame Street bits, or something you’d find before a family-friendly feature at an art-house movie theatre.
While that may sound dull to some, the desire to consider these works like animations is a testament to their fine construction. McGuire’s lines are geometrically flawless and the scenes they build read to be almost mathematically coded. In “Elevator Love”, a man is enamored with a woman who gets lost, tragically, in a subsequent floor’s hub-bub. Cute, but look at that scene: the elevator car is a perfect rectangle, its two, sub-set rectangular doors efficiently portraying a feel of depth. Two rows of buttons on the right are balanced in turn by the opening doors, showing the outside horizon of the floor. Characters enter and leave on the diagonal, upturning the scene with subtle spatial dramatics. Or, take a look at the incrementally built spider’s web in “Spider”, or the abstract, optical illusions of “Architecture”, in which unlivable but visually arresting buildings are composed out of a tangle of compass-traced vectors. In “Taxi”, a rider grows increasingly carsick during a trip while the taxi itself loses the rigidity of its lines. By the end of the sequence, car and rider are a jumble of shapes: the car’s headlights are traced over its front fender, the steering wheel somewhere beyond the windshield, and the rider is reduced to a geometric pile on the sidewalk.
Sequential Drawings is great for what it is: a small, focused look at a relatively overlooked craft. Further, its holiday season publication will do wonders for sales: Sequential Drawings will fit into even the most modestly-sized stocking and alleviate any anxieties about the office Secret Santa. This is not the next Here by any means but a delightful and surprisingly rewarding footnote to a great cartoonist’s career.
Jeff Alford
Jeff Alford is a critic and book collector based in Denver, CO. He is a contributor to Kirkus Reviews, Rain Taxi Review of Books and the New Orleans Review and author of the now-retired rare books and small press blog www.theoxenofthesun.com.
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Tres Ceviches from Oceana
Come holiday season and it seems that everything on our plates is filled with butter, cream, big carbs, and big meats. And, yes, we love it. But how about adding something to your holiday buffet that's a little lighter, a little fresher, and--okay--healthier. And yet still packed with flavor and bright festive color!
Yup, I'm talking ceviche. Fresh seafood married with acid to cure it and mixed together with fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices. Irresistible, right? Absolutely. We tend to think of ceviche as a summer dish because it's so light. But there's no reason not to serve it over the holidays.
I visited the new Oceana Coastal Kitchen at the Catamaran in Pacific Beach recently and got a marvelous tutorial from executive chef Steven Riemer. Riemer doesn't have the high profile of many of San Diego's chefs, but his 25 years as a chef include working with Jeff Jackson at A.R. Valentien at The Lodge at Torrey Pines, as well as 11 years at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, which included representing the culinary team at the James Beard House in New York.
It was Riemer's idea to teach me his ceviche dishes. He loves the versatility and creativity that are part of making ceviches--not to mention that it's a dish that can take full advantage of leftover parts of a fish that don't lend themselves to other dishes. So, ceviche is a bit of a sustainable dish, if you will.
Riemer selected three different ceviches to prepare for me: a shrimp ceviche with cherry tomatoes, cilantro, red onion, pineapple, and jalapeño; a seabass ceviche with mango, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and aguachile onions; and a scallop ceviche with grapefruit slices, and a marinated vegetable medley. All were festive in their colors and offered power-packed bites accompanied by thick, house-made tortilla chips.
If you've never made ceviche and have even been a little wary of doing so, I have to tell you that as long as you have very fresh ingredients, you have nothing to worry about (marinating in acid cures the fish and kills bacteria) and everything to enjoy about the process--which takes little time given the amount of flavor you get in return.
Riemer gave me some tips for how to do it well:
Marinate your seafood in a combination of lime juice and salt; that combination gives both a great flavor and kills bacteria.
Considering using vinegar instead of lime? Riemer isn't a big fan of this. He finds that it can be so acidic that it can be too strong in flavor and that it will cure the exterior of the proteins faster than the inside. So, stick lime juice and salt.
Avoid mussels for ceviches; Riemer says they just don't work well. Clams, however, are a great choice.
Also avoid oily fish, like mackerel, sardines, and salmon. They don't tend to look as good following a marinade in lime juice and their flavors are too strong. You can, instead, use them in an escabeche, which is like ceviche in that you marinate them in lime or lemon juice, but then you'll also sauté them in olive oil.
The secret to a great shrimp ceviche is to chop the shrimp into bite-sized pieces so they cure more quickly and evenly. Don't leave the shrimp whole. If you want to use cooked bay shrimp, don't turn it into a ceviche. Instead mix the shrimp with salsa.
Be creative with the vegetables and fruits you include in your ceviche. Riemer suggests including everything from spicy pickled asparagus and jicama to avocado cubes.
Be sure to drain most of the liquid from the cured seafood when you're ready to mix it with other ingredients. This drier version will make it easier for your guests to lift it up with chips.
From Steven Riemer of Oceana Coastal Kitchen
For marinade:
12 ounces raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
Fresh lime juice to cover—approximately 2 cups
½ jalapeño, minced seeds and veins removed. Unless you really like the heat.
12 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
½ bunch cilantro, rough chopped
3 teaspoons red onion, minced
1/3 cup fresh pineapple, diced
Slice the shrimp into ½-inch pieces. Place in bowl and add lime juice and salt. Marinate for two hours. Drain the shrimp. Mix in a non-reactive bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Serve in a single bowl or individual dishes with tortilla chips or place on crispy tostada and top with Mexican crema.
Seabass Ceviche
12 ounces raw seabass diced into ½” pieces
1/3 cup fresh mango, diced
10 drops of toasted sesame oil, more or less
½ cup mango puree
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup lime juice
1 teaspoon white and black toasted sesame seeds
½ serrano chile, shaved
Slice the seabass into bite-sized pieces. Place in non-reactive bowl and add lime juice and salt. Marinate for two hours. Drain the seabass. Mix in a bowl with the cilantro, mango, and sesame oil.
Combine the red onion and lime juice to marinate so it pickles—about 20 minutes. Drain the onions. This is your aguachile onion mixture.
To plate, place a dollop of the mango puree into a margarita glass. Add the ceviche. Top with slices of pickled red onion, a sprinkling of sesame seeds, and a few slices of the shaved serrano chile.
8 ounces raw scallops
1 Oro Blanco grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1 Pink grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
For the lime-cured garnish:
½ small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 small carrots, shaved
2 Japanese cucumbers, sliced into thin rounds
¼ cup poblano chile, shaved
¼ cup sweet red and green chiles, shaved
Slice the scallops into bite-sized pieces. Place in non-reactive bowl and add lime juice and salt. Marinate about 45 minutes, then drain.
Prepare the onions by marinating them in half the lime juice and salt for about 20 minutes. Combine them with the carrots, cucumber slices, and chiles. Add remaining lime juice and marinate for another 20 minutes. Drain.
Combine the scallops, pickled vegetables, and grapefruit in a serving bowl or individual dishes. If you want, you can dice some avocado and add that to the ceviche and then serve it inside avocado halves.
Oceana Coastal Kitchen is located inside the Catamaran Hotel at 3999 Mission Blvd. in Pacific Beach.
Posted by carondg at 7:13 AM
Labels: A.R. Valentien, Catamaran, James Beard House, Jeff Jackson, Oceana Coasta Kitchen, Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, scallop ceviche, seabass ceviche, shrimp ceviche, Steven Riemer
See Ya, 2015!
The Soul of a Grove: La Vigne Organics
Vom Fass: Oils and Vinegars and Spirits--Oh My
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Over the past decade Mario Botta has focused his prolific creativity on a series of public “events” of great significance, in locations far and wide - from Japan to Bolivia, from Tel Aviv to the Swiss Canton of Ticino - and addressing dissimilar functions.
Present throughout the Swiss architect’s reflection, the theme of the public building has led him to undertake a series of architectural works where symbols and planning options operate on several levels, resulting in designs that are both original and closely linked to the surroundings and their specific background. These eleven public buildings, erected between the early Nineties and today, are a statement of his artistic conception as well as of the evolution of his constant research over the years, where the expert practise of geometry, the overseeing of the construction work and materials, and a subtle interpretation of the “immanent” values of architecture itself, exemplify a new phase of Botta’s architecture.
In this volume, conceived as a real “artist’s book“ Pino Musi’s colour and black-and-white images and the pictures of the superb wooden models provide a refined illustration of all eleven works. Essays by Werner Oechslin, Cesare De Seta, Benedetto Gravagnuolo, Gabriele Cappellato and Botta himself form an introduction to the precise representation of the works, that include the new synagogue in Tel Aviv, a monument for La Paz, the Tinguely Museum in Basle, an art Gallery in Tokyo, the San Francisco MOCA, the cathedral of Evry, the church of San Giovanni at Mogno, the two parish churches of Pordenone and Sartirana di Merate, as well as the mobile theatre for the celebration of the nine-hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Swiss Federation.
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Travel guideHistorySightsMap
Bahawalpur History, Pakistan
Travel Guides > Asia > Pakistan > Bahawalpur History
Bahawalpur is situated near Cholistan desert in the south of Punjab province. It is also known as a princely state of Pakistan. The city of Bahawalpur is stretching to the banks of Satluj and Indus River. Nawab Bahawal Khan Abbasi I was the founder of Bahawalpur. The state of Bahawalpur became a part of Pakistan after independence. It was merged in Pakistan in 1954.
The state of Bahawalpur was ruled by the Abbasi family for more than 200 years. The rulers of Bahawalpur were also called Amir later the title change to Nawab. Amirs were also assisted by the Prime Ministers. Archeological findings indicate that this area has a very long history.
The ruling family of Bahawalpur came from Sindh and claims to be the descent from the Abbasid Khalifs. Nawab Muhammad Bahawalpur Khan II opened a mint in Bahawalpur with the permission of Shah Mahmud of Kabul.
Bahawalpur has a history to be ruled by Nawabs. In the British Raj, the Nawab of Bahawalpur handed over the whole state of Bahawalpur in the British Hands.
The misgovernment and cruelty of Nawabs led to the insurrections in 1863 against Nawabs. The rebellion against nawabs was crushed by the armed forces. But in 1866, Nawab of Bahawalpur died out of having been poisoned. After his death, his son Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan IV succeeded him and took control of the whole state of Bahawalpur.
The city of Bahawalpur is home to many historical monuments and buildings. Bahawalpur Museum features an array of objects and collectibles from different ages and Empire. These objects and antiques reflect the history of Bahawalpur. The main objective of Bahawalpur museum is to preserve Socio-Cultural Heritage.
Bahawalpur museum features a number of galleries including archeological gallery, regional cultural gallery, Cholistan gallery, Quran gallery, Coin gallery, Pakistan movement gallery, coin gallery and Quran gallery. Bahawalpur museum is a must see place for those who want to explore the history and culture of Bahawalpur. Bahawalpur museum features historical photographs. These photos reflect the history and culture of Mughal Empire, British and Sikhs Raj.
After independence Bahawalpur played an important role in the development of country. Many small and big agricultural and industrial units were established there. Most of the people were involved in the Agricultural industry. Now people are having jobs in a variety of industries. Textile, chemicals and agriculture are amongst the most popular industries of the city.
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Travel My Way For Less
Asia India Travel
Top Ten Eco-Tour Destinations in India – At Pace With Nature
November 15, 2013 admin 0 Comments Best destination to travel in India, Eco friendly destinations in India, Top destinations to travel India
India — the land of demographic diversities and monuments act as tourist magnet round the globe. It is our tourist’s responsibility to preserve nature’s treasure trove and our duty to provide guests — A clean green India. Let’s take a quick look of leading eco- tourism spots in India.
1. Kerala
God’s Own Country blessed with coconut and palm trees, lagoons, backwaters, hill stations, hosts a lot of eco-tourism sites. Dense green cover in Thenmala shelters animals, diverse plant species is a popular halt. Konni, is a part of green project too which offers elephant ride and feeding. Poovar offers a spectacular view of backwaters, with boating, swimming watersports. Water taxis escort tourists to mainland
2. Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
This is one of the top eco-tourism spot in India. No vehicles are allowed in and around Taj premises to keep it off pollution. The white marble has to be taken care of, given rising carbon extracts from motors. Cultural tours are arranged to relate the history of Taj and its surroundings.
3. Sariska Tiger Reserve
Previously a hunter’s paradise, Sariska has now taken measure to conserve its predator population. Hunting has been banned and wildlife enthusiasts are allowed to undertake safari trips to watch tigers on prowl.
4. Ajanta and Ellora Caves
The caves formed out of volcanic lava are flocked by thousands owing to it’s exquisite architecture and history. Lord Buddha’s journey finds place in the intricate carvings inside the cave. These religious inscriptions appeal to tourists for their beauty. The richness of Indian culture is portrayed through the carvings.
5. Dandeli
Better known as ‘Mini India’ in Karnataka is famous for adventure trail. Dandeli houses wildlife, which is now visible in open jeep safaris. Tigers, leopards, elephants,antelopes avian species and crocodiles dominate the sanctuary. Trained guides guide tourists through dense forests. White water rafting are also encouraged for eco-friendly tourists. Adventure treks to hills at a distance offers spectacular view of surrounding greenery and pristine water of Supa Dam.
6. Corbett
The authorities of this national park have taken every measure to shelter the tiger and elephant population here. With a wide variety of flora and fauna, the park is one of the most sought after sanctuaries in India. Jeep safaris with a naturist guide are arranged to escort tourists into the sanctuary.
7. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Boasting of flora and fauna, these islands come with a wide variety of options for tourists. Be it water sports, scuba diving, deep sea diving, snorkeling with elephants. Tourists can explore the rain forests on local boats. If you want to venture into the land of primitive tribes, which are another highlight of these island, you need a special permit from local administration.
8. Nanda Devi and Valley of National Flowers Park
This national park is famous for picturesque surroundings, Nanda Devi being a major highlight. Himalayan musk deer and snow leopards, red fox and diverse variety of flora dwell in this uninhabited area. The valley of flowers shelter endangered plant soecies including medicinal herbs. Tourists can now see the area under regulated guidelines designed to preserve the environment.
9. Elephanta Caves
Built off the shore of Arabian Sea, Elephanta caves wear the crown of World Heritage Site. The architecture of the cave gives you a taste of rich Hindu culture. Mythology has it, Lord Shiva dwelt in these caves. The caves were told to be destroyed by Portugese. These caves give you an overview of Hindu architecture fused with Buddhism. Tourists can explore the caves, without causing any destruction to the epitome of ancient culture.
10. Keoladeo National Park
Bird watcher’s paradise. Also known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, the park shelters over 300 variety of chrpies, namely flycatchers, ducks, eagles, stints, wagtails, larks, wild pigeons among hundred others. Over 350 rare variety of plant species are sheltered here. Migratory birds are spotted here during winters. Tourists can visit the sanctuary on foot. Rickshaw and bike are also allowed inside the park.
Varied topography encourages diverse eco-tours from rock climbing, trekking, river rafting to scuba diving. This is the best way to discover the magic of nature without harming it. Nature-friendly tourism is the call of the hour. Think clean, think Green!
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Maldives- An Ideal Coastal Paradise For Your Dream Holiday! →
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20 Most Amazing Trekking Destinations in the World | Trekking Destination on 20 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Europe in November
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Top 20 Most Places to in January around the World on 48 hours in Dubai – What to do in Dubai on short stays
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PRODUC – Keep Swinging Til You Hit Something
December 19, 2018 • •Blog
PRODUC is a really talented artist with a stunning creative approach. His music instantly makes me think of fellow artists the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, and J. Cole, even though it falls under its own category and definitely feels quite unique.
Recently, he unleashed an exciting new album titled “Keep Swinging Til You Hit Something.” The release is filled with great tracks, combining excellent production aesthetics with in-your-face energy and a lot of grit. At the same time, the lyrical flow is actually intelligent and thought-provoking, making for a really unique compromise between entertaining music and songs that will actually make you think.
“Keep Swinging Til You Hit Something” is a really perfect example of the artist’s creative vision and musical aesthetics, really hitting the mark with a fantastic tone and a really huge sounding production. The mixes are warm and balanced, allowing each element to sit in its right space, and in particular, letting the vocals stand out in a very pleasing way. The vocal performances really are the cherry on top here. The artist has a very direct voice, which exudes energy and vibe, yet at the same time, it can be up close and personal, revealing multiple sides to this performer. This is totally not a black and white release. It’s in full color, and if sound could be described with images, this would be close to a Jackson Pollock painting! I really love the sense of artistic freedom I get when listening to this song, and you can really tell that the artist took many creative chances when coming up with this one!
Find out more about PRODUC, and don’t miss out on this excellent release!
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Private Tutoring, including by Skype
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The sound doesn't work!
Most of our audio clips use Windows Media Format (WMA); please make sure you have the latest Windows Media Player installed. Note that there is a version for the Mac, and you must install it to hear our files. Windows Media Player can be obtained for free from Microsoft here.
To test your ability to play WMA files, click here.
If you cannot hear this file, then you'll have to address a problem with your computer configuration; this website is not at fault.
If you can hear the WMA file, and are still having problems, then please click here to experiment with the audio settings in the site control panel (your browser must have cookies enabled to use this feature). In the control panel, select "External" for the Audio Link Method, and then click Sumbit Changes at the bottom of the control panel page.
Some of the sounds are distored
The newest set of sounds (May 2007) on this site were encoded with the Windows Media 9 Speech codec and there seems to be a problem with playback on older installations of Media Player. If you are having this problem, please contact me so I can assess its extent.
Please send me the Thai for [word]. I want to get it tattooed.
This is the most common e-mail request that I get. I am not a Thai native so you wouldn't want to trust my limited knowledge for something as permanent as a tattoo. Although I have good confidence in the accuracy of the 30,000+ entries in the thai-language.com dictionary and it is constantly improving, I cannot be responsible for errors that appear on this site and you should consult additional, expert sources before tattooing anything you find here. I will not respond to e-mailed tattoo inquiries. You may wish to post your translation request on this site's message board, where some of our native Thai members may assist you.
Although there are great copy artists out there, it only makes sense for Thai writing to be inked by a native Thai artist, don't you think?
Be sure to consider all your options; for example, instead of Thai text, you might prefer an image in a Thai style. Consult with a Thai tattoo artist about this. What a great excuse for a trip to Thailand!
If you have a word, phrase, or name you'd like to see represented in Thai script, you must first decide if you want it translated, written in phonemic transcription or (for certain names) as a transcription pun.
If the word or phrase you wish to render has a meaning, you can use a translation. Search for the word in our online dictionary. So for example, lion could be represented as สิงโต /singR dto:hM/, because that is the Thai word for "lion."
Please keep in mind that often, a literal or "word for word" translation of a saying or motto from English to Thai will end up completely out of context or nonsensical in Thai. We've all seen those Japanese T-shirts with gibberish English on them—well the reverse situation is just as likely if you translate word by word. Cultural differences can be vast, so check your final translation with a native Thai to be sure it actually makes sense.
If the word doesn't have a meaning (such as a name) then usually it must be phonemically transcribed. Since Thai uses a phonemic alphabet (like English), it is possible to render words which have no meaning into an approximate Thai pronunciation. It's important to note the word approximate here, because the English language has many phones (sounds) which are impossible to represent in Thai. (There are also phones in Thai which never occur in English, although this is not important for the current discussion.)
For example, my name Glenn happens to have a fairly accurate representation in Thai; เกล็น would be pronounced /glen/ by a Thai person. This is my good luck that the consonant cluster กล corresponding to the "gl" sound is valid for the beginning of a syllable in Thai. The word milk, however, has no good phonemic transcription, because there is no syllable-ending "lk" sound in Thai. If a Thai person were to say this word it would come out sounding like "mew," the utterance of a small kitten.
A common transcription problem is due to the fact that there is no way to indicate a syllable ending with an "L" sound. Remember that the Thai letter ล, which is pronounced very "L-like" at the beginning of a syllable, has an "N" sound when this letter appears at the end of a syllable. There are conventions for spelling foreign words which may allow skilled Thai speakers to recognize them as foreign and then pronounce them correctly. The silence marker, or การันต์ , is often used to indicate the presence of final consonants which do not normally appear in Thai; so it can sometimes be a clue that you're looking at a foreign word. The name, "Hal", for example, might be written ฮาล์ [Thanks to site visitor Frank for improvements to this section]
You can browse the names category to get an idea of how foreign names might be pronounced "in Thai," which is to say, by a native Thai person. Compare the name to the phonemic approximation shown, or listen to the native Thai speaker on the audio clip, if available. Many names are sound fairly close to your native language, while a few are hardly recognizable.
Since transcriptions are inherently approximate, there may be several possible transcriptions of your phrase for you to choose from. Some may use different Thai letters (technically, "graphemes") and some may sound slightly different when spoken. Be sure to investigate these options. For example, if you are presented with a choice of different letters, you may wish to research the letters' unique histories and associations—personalities, if you will. The use of the การันต์ /gaaM ranM/ is also highly variable in transcriptions. The lexical tone of a Thai word (rising, falling, high, low, or mid) is determined by the spelling so you have a choice here too and you'll want to pay attention to this detail.
There is a standard procedure for transcribing English words into Thai, and we are pleased to offer a translation of this official document: Rules for Transcribing English Words (into Thai). Be sure to check out the two tables referenced at the top of the document.
For a certain few foreign names, there may be another option for rendering Thai, and this would be to choose a Thai word whose pronunciation sounds close to the name. For example, the name John would usually be phonemically transcribed as จอห์น /jaawnM/, but if you're a smaller person, you might choose the word จ้อน /jaawnF/ which sounds similar and which can mean miniscule. You're creating a pun. With the same name, if you have distinctive sideburns, you've created a pun by choosing the spelling จอน /jaawnM/. Another spelling would be จร /jaawnM/, which means 'to wander.'
Finally, there are many styles of Thai writing to choose from for your tattoo. You can browse a selection of writing styles here.
How do I write my name in Thai?
Check the names category for a list of common English names. If your name is not listed, ask on the message board. If your message is answered there, then it will probably also be added to the category.
If your name is not a common one then you should also provide an idea of how it is pronounced, perhaps by supplying well-known word that rhymes (be careful of rhyme words that have British versus American pronunciations), or posting an audio clip of yourself saying it. There is more information about transcribing a name into Thai in the section immediately above this on tattoos.
Can I use your dictionary to send e-mail or correspondence in Thai? How can I get a letter translated?
Microsoft Bing and Google both offer automatic translation between Thai and English. These sites use statistical machine translation to provide approximate translations, but please be aware that statistical machine translation is an area of much research and the results for languages like Thai suffer from a shortage of training sources. We are far from the point where machine translation can replace the services of a professional human translator.
If you have a letter entered as Thai text in your computer, our bulk lookup page might help you piece together a rough translation.
Where can I study Thai?
Check Where To Take Thai Classes on the message board to look for classes or post your inquiry.
The transliteration/romanization/transcription is incorrect.
The phonemic transcription system used throughout this website is explained here.
In some cases, the programatically-generated transcription is not correct due to inadequacies of our algorithm. Like most languages, Thai has many irregularities which have not yet been tagged in our database. Furthermore, some of the pronunciation rules are not codified in our algorithm. For entries with audio pronounciation, the audio gives the correct pronounciation in any case where there is a difference with the romanization.
Please feel welcome to submit corrections to erroneous romanizations by using the correction link at the bottom of every dictionary page. However, please realize that romanization accuracy is a goal which is secondary to our other development activities, such as recording additional new audio clips. Most users agree with the prioritizations we have set. We have several ways that we correct transcriptions in our system: syllabification assistance; so-called xlit flags which tag certain prescribed situations; manual override entry; and modifications to the C++ source code for the engine. If your correction can be accomplished within one of the easier of these modes, it has a better chance of being effected in a timely manner.
We encourage all students of the Thai langauge, even beginners, to try to learn reading Thai script. Our philosophy with regard to phonemic transcriptions is that they are a low-priority, provided as additional assistance with the caveat that many are incorrect. In fact, the earlier versions of this site did not have transcription. We added the feature only when our users indicated that a crude offering (such as we now have) is better than having no romanization at all.
A top priority is on having the correct Thai script (spelling), and we will immediately fix any reported misspellings in Thai script.
What is "phonemic transcription?" What's the difference between "phonemic" and "phonetic?"
The writing systems of nearly all languages are considered "phonemic" because they do not—without calling upon supplemental cultural background information—specify the exact acoustic properties of the sounds of the language. The native alphabet of a language generally only needs to differentiate amongst its phonemes, or the set of sounds which are meaningful in that language. A true "phonetic" written representation of ethnological speech may not, in fact, be possible; the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) aspires to this lofty ambition and is the most developed effort in this regard.
As a general example, phonemic transcription is the process of writing a Thai word with the English alphabet, or writing an English word with the Thai alphabet. In some pedagogies, the availability of such transcriptions is believed to help the beginning student of a foreign language become acclimated. However, we caution against the overuse of phonemic transcription for reasons outlined here. Some sources use the term "transliteration," instead of "phonemic transcription," but this is technically incorrect as the former refers to a system that maps the writing of one language directly to the writing of another without consideration for the phonetics or phonemics of either language.
Can I buy this site on a CD?
Due to contractual agreements regarding some of the data sources that we use, I'm sorry that we cannot release it on CD at this time. Also, our current server technology is not designed with a CD in mind. Developing for dual platforms (Internet and CD) would strain the resources of this effort—remember, this free site is created and maintained with donations and by volunteers.
Additionally, when you use the site live on the Internet, you always see our latest data. A CD snapshot of our data would not benefit from the many corrections and enhancements that we are constantly uploading. The database was last updated 16.59 days ago. Of course, the CD product could be updatable, but this would be yet another sizable design and development effort.
I want to give my cat a Thai name
click here for Bryan's suggestions.
When is the best time of year to visit Thailand?
November to February has the most pleasant weather. If you'll be traveling during Thai national holidays, make sure to book well in advance, since Thai domestic tourists fill up the resort areas during these times. Also watch out for Songkran, the Thai New Year, which is in mid-April. May through August is very hot and muggy, so many foreigners stay away. If you don't mind the heat and appreciate good walk-in rates at hotels, you may want to travel during this time.
Are there other computer-based learning programs for Thai language?
I recommend the Thai Interactive Learning System CD-ROM from Courage Software. New version 2 released in 2004.
Also check out the links page for links to additional Thai-language web sites.
I met a special friend on my trip to Thailand and I'd like to write to him or her:
Please check our phrases section, or search for the phrase in the online dictionary. Also, Letter from a Thai girlfriend.
The Thai characters don't show up properly.
This web site uses the language auto-select mechanism in your web browser. If you are using a compliant browser, the Thai character support should automatically install when you first visit thai-language.com.
If there is a problem, go to the "View" menu, and check the "Encoding" to ensure that its on "Auto-Select," or manually select the "Thai - Windows (874)" encoding.
What's TIS-620? What's Unicode?
In order to use Thai characters on your computer, you should understand a bit about character encoding. Computers represent alphabetic characters (text) using numbers, one for each letter. The most common way to do this is the system called ASCII. Officially, ASCII uses seven bits (a bit is simply zero or one) of memory to represent the upper- and lower-case letters from A-Z, digits from 0-9, and various symbols and punctuation marks. With seven bits, 27, which equals 128 possible characters can be represented.
Computers process and store eight-bit chunks of data called bytes. With one byte (eight bits) of memory, 28, which equals 256 possible characters can be represented, so beyond the 128 ASCII characters, another additional 128 characters are available. A system called ANSI uses these extra characters to represent western characters with diacritical marks (various types of accents).
TIS-620 is a standard way of using those additional characters to instead represent all the characters of the Thai alphabet. Minor variations on this mapping are known as Codepage 874 or ISO-8859-11
Before Windows supported Unicode, this was the only way to represent Thai on a computer. You would have to install a TIS-620 font (such as "DB ThaiText") and it was your responsibility to make sure that this font was selected whenever you wanted to display Thai. Essentially, it was the end user's responsibility to coordinate things, which isn't a very user-friendly paradigm.
Unicode is a system for using two bytes (16 bits) of memory to represent each character. With this system, 216, or 65536, characters can be represented. With Unicode, the Thai letters do not need to share their assignments with any other characters (such as accented characters) and you can easily mix characters from many languages in a single document with no fuss. You can copy-paste text between programs with no problems. Although a Unicode text file may be twice as big as an ANSI text file, this is a small price to pay for not having to worry about which character set is used where.
All the latest versions of Windows support Unicode (the older Windows 98 has partial support for Unicode in order to allow the Internet Explorer browser to work). Text displayed in the Internet Explorer browser is always ultimately displayed in Unicode, even if the underlying web page is authored with an 8-bit character set such as TIS-620 (which is usually the case, in order to save on download time). The browser converts from the eight-bit character set to Unicode using a mapping specified by the <meta> directive hidden at the top of the web page (and/or the encoding hidden in the web page's HTTP header). These hidden directives are specified by the web site author.
These days, you should not have to install or worry about an old TIS-620 font. Your best bet is to use an up-to-date operating system and install the Thai input locale and Thai support using the control panel's Regional and Language Options settings. On the Languages tab, check "Install files for complex script". Then click the "Details..." button and add the Thai Kedmanee input support. Now you can switch between English and Thai typing by selecting near the tray area of your screen. There are some illustrated instructions here.
Copy/Pasting problems between applications
...However, problems can occur when you try to copy-paste TIS-620 text (from certain types of email, or certain old Thai applications) into modern Unicode applications. That's because the Windows clipboard (which stores the text temporarily during the copy/paste operation) has no way to store the following fact: "the current (text) contents require/presume the TIS-620 character mapping" (re-read the previous sentence if neccessary).
So, when the receiving application converts the 8-bit text to Unicode, it uses a default character mapping, which renders Thai characters as various accented Roman characters. The best solution to this problem is to not start with TIS-620 text in the first place. If this is impossible because the source of the text is beyond your control, then you have two choices. 1.) convert the text to Unicdoe explicitly using my crude converter program. or 2.) keep the text as 8-bit TIS-620 in the target application, and manually apply a TIS-620 font (DBTT) to it.
Modern operating systems which support alternate input locales, do not support creating 8-bit text with a TIS-620 mapping. If you still feel like you need to do this, you can use our "Crude Thai typing program".
How do I create a webpage in Thai?
If you want to display Thai on a web page, you have three choices for encoding your HTML file: TIS-620, Unicode UTF-8, or Unicode UTF-16. Most editors, including Windows "notepad.exe" allow you to use any one of these.
TIS-620, as discussed above, is a convention for representing the Thai characters in the upper half of an 8-bit (1 byte) character space. This is the system used by thai-language.com. The advantage of this choice is that the HTML file size is smaller, since each character uses only 1 byte, and smaller HTML files consume less bandwidth, transmitting faster. One disadvantage is that many accented roman alphabet glyphs are only available through an HTML escape sequence, such as é for é.
Another disadvantage of using TIS-620 to author a web page with Thai is that it may be a nuisance to get the Thai to display in your editor. For this, you can either manually select a TIS-620 font for display, or use an editor that supports selecting the character encoding. Microsoft Visual Studio source editor is one such editor. When using the Visual Studio editor with an encoding, your file is edited in Unicode mode and converted back to TIS-620 upon saving.
Finally, this choice of "codepage" is not self-identifying, which means that an out-of-band mechanism must be used to tell the browser what's going on. There are two ways to do this; one seems more important than the other. The most important thing is to include the following at the top of your HTML file:
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=tis-620">
You should also modify the HTTP header that's sent with the file, although this may require configuration access to the web server. If you're using ASPX server scripting, all you have to do is something like the following before your first call to Response.Write (C# code shown):
Response.Charset = "tis-620";
If you choose one of the Unicode formats, you shouldn't have to worry about these tags. UTF-8 if self-identifying since files start with the Byte Order Mark EF BB BF, and UTF-16 uses BOM of FF FE (or FE FF, click here for details). A Unicode editor should display everything properly with fewer hassles, assuming your Unicode font contains the glyphs for the language(s) you're using.
UTF-8 is an 8-bit stream that is able to "escape" out for extended characters; it's a good choice for documents which consist of mostly Roman characters with a sprinkling of extended alphabets. UTF-16 will use 16 bits for every character, which can double the size of an HTML file. Use it when your page has many languages used in roughly equal parts.
Could you explain that again?
There are two recommended ways to author a web page in Thai (and numerous not-recommended ones).
Use Unicode to write a mixture of Thai, English, and other language characters in your HTML file and then save it as a Unicode text file, using a Unicode text format, such as UTF-8 or UTF-16. If you are using Windows 2000/XP, the notepad accessory program is Unicode-aware, so there are appropriate options in the "save..." dialog box. This method has the advantage that you can see both the Thai and English properly when editing the raw HTML. However, the HTML file may be larger (and thus take longer to transmit), particularly if you select UTF-16. This concern can be mitigated by enabling compression in your web server software.
Use TIS-620 values in your HTML file. TIS-620 maps all the Thai characters to the upper region of the 8-bit character table, as can be seen in the old font "DB ThaiText," for example. The HTML file does not need to be saved as a Unicode file since all these character values are 8-bit, however, you must put a charset directive at the top of your file, inside the <head> block:
Depending on your web server software, you may need to take additional steps if you wish to have the TIS-620 encoding request appear in the HTTP headers as well. For example, with Microsoft IIS, you would use the following ASP directive:
Response.Charset = "tis-620"
Most browsers do not require this HTTP header information to be present, however; the <head> block code appears to be the essential ingredient.
How do I send e-mail in Thai?
To type an e-mail in Thai, install the Thai input locale as shown here.
With most modern standalone mail programs you can select the desired message encoding from a menu—i.e. "Thai (Windows)" for 8-bit transmission or "Unicode" for 16-bit. Note that you're actually always typing your e-mail in Unicode (with keyboard/input support being provided by the operating system), and the mapping to 8-bit (if desired) is performed for transmission. If for some reason you really must use TIS-620 to compose the message, then you'll have to use to another method for typing, such as my simple Thai typing program.
As of this writing (February 2005) I could not get Hotmail to work properly. It semms to send an 8-bit message, but does not insert the character set header, so it may be difficult to convince a receiving program (such as Outlook) to interpret the 8-bit stream as using one of the 8-bit Thai encodings.
I got an e-mail that's supposed to be in Thai but looks like garbage characters
We now offer an online utility that can fix many such problems. Click here to give it a try. If you wish to know why misencoded text happens, read on.
Normally, simple plain-text e-mail can only use 8-bit characters. This means that email containing Thai must ultimately use the 8-bit Thai character mapping, TIS-620. Then, of course, your message will also need to tell the recipient that this character set is being used. Technically speaking, this means that you need an e-mail cient program that can put the following (or something similar) into your outgoing SMTP message header:
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="TIS-620"
This system is functional and preferred if you wish to keep things simple. However it has a few problems:
you can't use mutually-exclusive characters from other 8-bit character sets (such as Korean, Arabic, etc.) in the same message
it requires the mail originator (you) to get involved with specifying which encoding the email program should use.
If you receive such a message—a message that's supposed to be in Thai but looks like garbage characters—you can try manually switching the "Encoding." How to do this depends on the email program you're using.
For Microsoft Outlook 2007, the Encoding option is on the "Other Actions" menu for the message.
For web-based email such as Hotmail, try switching the page encoding under Internet Explorer's "Page" menu.
If your email program still won't interpret it as Thai, you might be able to manually apply the 'DB ThaiText' font to the message or web page.
To address the problems with TIS-620 mail, many mail programs elect to send Unicode (16-bit) mail. They wrap up a block of Unicode and make it suitable for transfer. Behind-the-scenes, this is a more complicated system, but one which hopes to make the whole process easier for the user. It requires the mail receiving program to be able to deal with the elaborate "mime" schemes that were used to package the message, so your message may not be readable by some recipients.
If none of these methods enable you to see the message, then download my XTIS620 program and copy/paste the garbage text into the program. For this program to work, you'll have to have the DBTT.TTF font installed. See here for details.
Downloading the online dictionary for local use
The online dictionary at www.thai-language.com has been designed from the ground up as an Internet application. Although you could possibly use a site-ripper or leacher program to copy the whole site, the search function wouldn't work any more if you did this (browsing might still work). That's because the search is dynamically processed by our servers, and includes searching on "hidden" keywords which are never exposed on the web. Also, we're constantly adding new words and corrections to the dictionary, so you'd miss out on these. The site was last updated 16.59 days ago.
Our priority is to support interactive online users. Site-ripping software sometimes consumes too much of our bandwidth, inhibiting interactive users from using the site effectively. If this is happening, we may occasionally disable your site ripper or your IP address from accessing our site. This is usually temporary and you can regain access a few hours later.
Apple Macintosh/G3/etc.
Please click here to see a comprehensive overview of using Thai on the Macintosh, posted by one of our users on the message boards.
The web pages appear to have layout problems
This web site is tested with the latest Microsoft Internet Explorer and Firefox web browsers. I do not test with Opera or other browsers, or on other platforms such as Linux, Mac, or iPhone. I apologize that I don't have the resources to test with these other platforms.
If you have a specific request for how this site's HTML could better support another platform, please send it to me and I will do my best to incorporate it. Requests of this nature must include details of exact HTML which is proposed to be changed, and in what cases.
How can I type (using the standard Thai keyboard layout) in Thai on my computer?
If you use Windows 2000/XP, go to the Control Panel/Regional Options, and select the "Input Locales" section. From here you can add the Thai keyboard and configure a hot key for switching between multiple input languages.
If you are using an different Windows product, try one of my "Crude Thai Typewriter" programs. To use these, you'll have to install the DBTT.TTF font first. The first program, ThaiNP.exe is just an edit control which remaps your keyboard for the Thai layout.
Click here for a color-coded image of the standard Thai keyboard layout. You can print this out and refer to it when using the ThaiNP program.
How can I get on the Internet while I'm traveling in Thailand?
There are numerous "Internet cafes" available throughout the country and in every major city where you can surf for a very reasonable hourly rate.
If you will be spending a lot of time in Thailand with a laptop computer, you may prefer to get your own month-to-month dial-up service. It can be arranged through KSC with a recurring charge to your credit card. Send in the application a couple weeks before you arrive in Thailand so the service will be activated by the time you arrive.
I hear the roads are dangerous in Thailand. Will my trip be safe?
Road travel in Thailand is dangerous. Annual traffic fatalities for 2013 were about 26,000. Reputable tour companies escorting foreigners will use safe drivers and equipment, but these precautions cannot always account for the other drivers on the road. However, this should not discourage a trip to Thailand. Heightened awareness of the issue may be enough to protect your family. If you are on a bus that is driving unsafely, ask the driver to drive more carefully or ask to be let out. Most fataility accidents in Bangkok involve motorcycles. If you are still concerned, consider using domestic air travel within Thailand or long-distance trains to get around rather than roads—this may ease your mind a bit.
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§55-7F-1. Short title.
§55-7F-2. Findings and purpose.
§55-7F-3. Definitions.
§55-7F-4. Required disclosures by plaintiff.
§55-7F-5. Discovery; use of materials.
§55-7F-6. Scheduling trial; stay of action.
§55-7F-7. Identification of additional or alternative asbestos trusts by defendant.
§55-7F-8. Valuation of asbestos trust claims; judicial notice.
§55-7F-9. Setoff; credit.
§55-7F-10. Failure to provide information; sanctions.
§55-7F-11. Application.
This article shall be known and may be cited as the Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Claims Transparency Act.
(a) The West Virginia Legislature finds that:
(1) The United States Supreme Court in Amchem Prods., Inc. v. Windsor, 521 U.S. 591, 598 (1997) described the asbestos litigation as a crisis;
(2) Approximately one hundred employers have declared bankruptcy at least partially due to asbestos-related liability;
(3) These bankruptcies have resulted in a search for more solvent companies, resulting in over eight thousand five hundred companies being named as asbestos defendants, including many small- and medium-sized companies, in industries that cover eighty-five percent of the United States economy;
(4) Scores of trusts have been established in asbestos-related bankruptcy proceedings to form a multibillion dollar asbestos bankruptcy trust compensation system outside of the tort system, and new asbestos trusts continue to be formed;
(5) Asbestos claimants often seek compensation for alleged asbestos-related conditions from solvent defendants in civil actions and from trusts or claims facilities formed in asbestos bankruptcy proceedings;
(6) There is limited coordination and transparency between these two paths to recovery;
(7) An absence of transparency between the asbestos bankruptcy trust claim system and the civil court systems has resulted in the suppression of evidence in asbestos actions and potential fraud;
(8) West Virginia's Mass Litigation Panel has previously entered cases management orders that apply substantive transparency provisions requiring plaintiffs to disclose, among other things, any claims that may exist against asbestos bankruptcy trusts; and
(9) It is in the interest of justice that there be transparency for claims made in the asbestos bankruptcy trust claim system and for claims made in civil asbestos litigation.
(b) It is the purpose of this article to:
(1) Provide transparency for claims made in the asbestos bankruptcy trust claim system and for claims made in civil asbestos litigation; and
(2) Reduce the opportunity for fraud or suppression of evidence in asbestos actions.
For the purpose of this article:
(1) "Asbestos action" means a claim for damages or other civil or equitable relief presented in a civil action arising out of, based on or related to the health effects of exposure to asbestos, including loss of consortium, wrongful death, mental or emotional injury, risk or fear of disease or other injury, costs of medical monitoring or surveillance and any other derivative claim made by or on behalf of a person exposed to asbestos or a representative, spouse, parent, child or other relative of that person. The term does not include a claim for compensatory benefits pursuant to workers' compensation law or for veterans' benefits as defined by article seven-f of this chapter.
(2) "Asbestos trust" means a government-approved or court-approved trust, qualified settlement fund, compensation fund or claims facility created as a result of an administrative or legal action, a court-approved bankruptcy, or pursuant to 11 U. S. C. §524(g) or 11 U. S. C. §1121(a) or other applicable provision of law, that is intended to provide compensation to claimants arising out of, based on or related to the health effects of exposure to asbestos.
(3) "Plaintiff" means a person asserting an asbestos action, a decedent if the action is brought through or on behalf of an estate, or a parent or guardian if the action is brought through or on behalf of a minor or incompetent.
(4) "Trust claims materials" means a final executed proof of claim and all other documents and information related to a claim against an asbestos trust, including claims forms and supplementary materials, affidavits, depositions and trial testimony, work history, medical and health records, documents reflecting the status of a claim against an asbestos trust, and if the asbestos trust claim has settled, all documents relating to the settlement of the asbestos trust claim.
(5) "Trust governance documents" means all documents that relate to eligibility and payment levels, including claims payment matrices, trust distribution procedures or plans for reorganization, for an asbestos trust.
(a) For each asbestos action filed in this state, the plaintiff shall provide all parties with a sworn statement identifying all asbestos trust claims that have been filed by the plaintiff or by anyone on the plaintiff's behalf, including claims with respect to asbestos-related conditions other than those that are the basis for the asbestos action or that potentially could be filed by the plaintiff against an asbestos trust. The sworn statement shall be provided no later than one hundred twenty days prior to the date set for trial for the asbestos action. For each asbestos trust claim or potential asbestos trust claim identified in the sworn statement, the statement shall include the name, address and contact information for the asbestos trust, the amount claimed or to be claimed by the plaintiff, the date the plaintiff filed the claim, the disposition of the claim and whether there has been a request to defer, delay, suspend or toll the claim. The sworn statement shall include an attestation from the plaintiff, under penalties of perjury, that the sworn statement is complete and is based on a good faith investigation of all potential claims against asbestos trusts.
(b) The plaintiff shall make available to all parties all trust claims materials for each asbestos trust claim that has been filed by the plaintiff or by anyone on the plaintiff's behalf against an asbestos trust, including any asbestos-related disease.
(c) The plaintiff shall supplement the information and materials provided pursuant to this section within ninety days after the plaintiff files an additional asbestos trust claim, supplements an existing asbestos trust claim or receives additional information or materials related to any claim or potential claim against an asbestos trust.
(d) Failure by the plaintiff to make available to all parties all trust claims materials as required by this article shall constitute grounds for the court to extend the trial date in an asbestos action.
(a) Trust claims materials and trust governance documents are presumed to be relevant and authentic and are admissible in evidence. No claims of privilege apply to any trust claims materials or trust governance documents.
(b) A defendant in an asbestos action may seek discovery from an asbestos trust. The plaintiff may not claim privilege or confidentiality to bar discovery and shall provide consent or other expression of permission that may be required by the asbestos trust to release information and materials sought by a defendant.
(a) A court shall stay an asbestos action if the court finds that the plaintiff has failed to make the disclosures required under section four of this article within one hundred twenty days prior to the trial date.
(b) If, in the disclosures required by section four of this article, a plaintiff identifies a potential asbestos trust claim, the judge shall have the discretion to stay the asbestos action until the plaintiff files the asbestos trust claim and provides all parties with all trust claims materials for the claim. The plaintiff shall also state whether there has been a request to defer, delay, suspend or toll the claim against the asbestos trust.
(a) Not less than ninety days before trial, if a defendant identifies an asbestos trust claim not previously identified by the plaintiff that the defendant reasonably believes the plaintiff can file, the defendant shall meet and confer with plaintiff to discuss why defendant believes plaintiff has an additional asbestos trust claim, and thereafter the defendant may move the court for an order to require the plaintiff to file the asbestos trust claim. The defendant shall produce or describe the documentation it possesses or is aware of in support of the motion.
(b) Within ten days of receiving the defendant's motion under subsection (a) of this section, the plaintiff shall, for each asbestos trust claim identified by the defendant, make one of the following responses:
(1) File the asbestos trust claim;
(2) File a written response with the court setting forth the reasons why there is insufficient evidence for the plaintiff to file the asbestos trust claim; or
(3) File a written response with the court requesting a determination that the plaintiff's expenses or attorney's fees and expenses to prepare and file the asbestos trust claim identified in the defendant's motion exceed the plaintiff's reasonably anticipated recovery from the trust.
(c) (1) If the court determines that there is a sufficient basis for the plaintiff to file the asbestos trust claim identified by a defendant, the court shall order the plaintiff to file the asbestos trust claim and shall stay the asbestos action until the plaintiff files the asbestos trust claim and provides all parties with all trust claims materials no later than thirty days before trial.
(2) If the court determines that the plaintiff's expenses or attorney's fees and expenses to prepare and file the asbestos trust claim identified in the defendant's motion exceed the plaintiff's reasonably anticipated recovery from the asbestos trust, the court shall stay the asbestos action until the plaintiff files with the court and provides all parties with a verified statement of the plaintiff's history of exposure, usage or other connection to asbestos covered by the asbestos trust.
(d) Not less than thirty days prior to trial in an asbestos action, the court shall enter into the record a trust claims document that identifies each claim the plaintiff has made against an asbestos trust.
(a) If a plaintiff proceeds to trial in an asbestos action before an asbestos trust claim is resolved, the filing of the asbestos trust claim may be considered as relevant and admissible evidence.
(b) Trust claim materials that are sufficient to entitle a claim to consideration for payment under the applicable trust governance documents may be sufficient to support a jury finding that the plaintiff may have been exposed to products for which the asbestos trust was established to provide compensation and that such exposure may be a substantial factor in causing the plaintiff's injury that is at issue in the asbestos action.
In any asbestos action in which damages are awarded, a defendant is entitled to a setoff or credit in the amount of the valuation established under the applicable trust governance documents, including payment percentages for asbestos trust claims pending at trial and any amount the plaintiff has been awarded from an asbestos trust claim that has been identified at the time of trial. If multiple defendants are found liable for damages, the court shall distribute the amount of setoff or credit proportionally between the defendants, according to the liability of each defendant.
A plaintiff who fails to provide all of the information required under this article is subject to sanctions as provided in the West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure and any other relief for the defendants that the court considers just and proper.
The provisions of this article apply to all asbestos actions filed on or after the effective date of this article.
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13_pines —
13_pines ( 13_pines) wrote,
13_pines
Mood: silly
Music: vampire weekend - diplomat's son
The folks over at TV Guide gave Bradley Whitford a "cheers" for his role as Dan Stark on Fox's The Good Guys. Here's what they had to say:
"Cheers to Bradley Whitford for his full-throttle comedic performance as dissolute Dallas cop Dan Stark on Fox's new action hoot The Good Guys. It's hard to imagine a character more starkly opposed to Whitford's breakthrough role as hyperverbal White House staffer Josh Lyman on The West Wing. With his well-combed porn-stache, retreating hairline, fashion-crime wardrobe and penchant for booze, broads and busting punks, he's like a Southern-fried Sipowicz, only played for belly laughs. You've gotta admire an actor who's so willing to sacrifice his vanity for the sake of his odd-couple chemistry with buttoned-down partner Jack Bailey (Colin Hanks). It's too bad the title Turner & Hooch was taken by Colin's dad, because you can practically smell the sour mash on Dan's breath."
I have to say, I liked the second episode better than the first. There were a few laugh-out-loud moments for me, especially whenever Dan called the laptop "the computer machine." (*winks at gatsbyfan *) I thought I was going to miss sexy Brad, but funny Brad is not a terrible trade-off.
Tags: bradley whitford, television, the good guys
Pines likes this.*
The Social Network (2010) Screenplay by: Aaron Sorkin (based on the book The Accidental Millionaires by Ben Mezrich) Directed by: David Fincher…
It's about to get Real. Real funny.*
Hot Fuzz (2007) Written by: Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg Directed by: Edgar Wright Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton,…
Iconic Icon is Iconic
In case you hadn't noticed, I'm trying very hard not to spam my f-list with Gary Oldman-related posts, but this is something that I simply cannot…
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113 GBX -0.88%
Ted Baker says 38% of global retail sales hit by coronavirus
Troubled fashion retailer Ted Baker Plc said on Friday it has shut businesses that accounted for about 38% of its global retail sales in 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak.
It has closed 197 retail stores and concessions out of 416 locations globally with full shutdown in the United States, Canada, France, Spain, Germany, Portugal and Belgium.
In other markets, the retailer said it was facing reduced trading hours, but added it was too early to provide a guidance for financial year 2020.
However, the fashion retailer said it has seen very less supply chain disruption so far from the outbreak and that the majority of its factories in China are now operational.
Ted Baker said its "inventory levels are sufficient", but it was suspending all non-essential capital expenditure and restricting travel to reduce costs and shore up cashflow.
Last month, the company decided to cut 102 jobs to reduce costs. The retailer suffered a string of setbacks last year, including profit warnings, inventory overstatement, suspension of dividend payments and management changes following misconduct allegations against founder and top shareholder Ray Kelvin, who has denied them.
Separately, the company said it has entered into a deal with a British Airways Pension Trustees unit to sell the entire issued share capital of its unit Big Lobster for a sale consideration of 78.75 million pounds ($91.23 million).
(Reporting by Sabahatjahan Contractor in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)
INTERNATIONAL CONSOLIDATED AIRLINES GROUP, S.A. 0.46% 162.25 1.53%
NEXT PLC 0.68% 8018 13.15%
TED BAKER PLC -0.26% 114 -1.81%
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jazzoLOG: American History: The Bush Family Legacy
American History: The Bush Family Legacy 27 comments
24 Aug 2007 @ 07:29, by Richard Carlson
You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait. Do not even wait, be quite still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice. It will roll in ecstasy at your feet.
---Franz Kafka
To learn the way it is important to be sharp and inconspicuous. When you are sharp, you are not confused by people. When you are inconspicuous, you do not contend with people. Not being confused by people, you are empty and spiritual. Not contending with people, you are serene and subtle.
---Liao-An
The best things in life are nearest. Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you.
---Robert Louis Stevenson
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. Portrait of Napoléon on the Imperial Throne. 1806.
Oil on canvas. Musée de l'Armée, Paris, France.
In the past few years, many of us on the American Left have found ourselves looking for understanding to the writings of historian Juan Cole. Born in Albuquerque in 1952, John "Juan" Ricardo I. Cole is professor of modern Middle Eastern and South Asian history at the University of Michigan. Not only does he have a new book entitled Napoleon's Egypt: Invading the Middle East, but he also translates works in both Arabic and Persian, and maintains a popular weblog called Informed Comment [link] .
The other day Juan Cole posted an entry in which he offered notions of historical comparison that he couldn't help thinking about the Bush involvements in the Middle East, given what he'd learned about Napoleon. While I strongly believe the species' survival depends on learning at least something from history, I also think historical comparisons are a tricky business. Nevertheless the current Bush asked for it in his big speech the other day when he invoked Viet Nam as his latest scare tactic. If he wants comparisons, then let us hear Professor Cole's.
Yesterday Tom Englehardt posted the essay at his site, and Juan Cole is requesting any citation of it be linked to TomGram, so I'll do that. He'll be discussing his perspective this afternoon at the New America Foundation in Washington, DC. Supposedly C-Span will be televising it live at 12:15 PM, and giving it an hour and a half.
Pitching the Imperial Republic
Bonaparte and Bush on Deck
French Egypt and American Iraq can be considered bookends on the history of modern imperialism in the Middle East. The Bush administration's already failed version of the conquest of Iraq is, of course, on everyone's mind; while the French conquest of Egypt, now more than two centuries past, is all too little remembered, despite having been led by Napoleon Bonaparte, whose career has otherwise hardly languished in obscurity. There are many eerily familiar resonances between the two misadventures, not least among them that both began with supreme arrogance and ended as fiascoes. Above all, the leaders of both occupations employed the same basic political vocabulary and rhetorical flimflammery, invoking the spirit of liberty, security, and democracy while largely ignoring the substance of these concepts.
The French general and the American president do not much resemble one another -- except perhaps in the way the prospect of conquest in the Middle East appears to have put fire in their veins and in their unappealing tendency to believe their own propaganda (or at least to keep repeating it long after it became completely implausible). Both leaders invaded and occupied a major Arabic-speaking Muslim country; both harbored dreams of a "Greater Middle East"; both were surprised to find themselves enmeshed in long, bitter, debilitating guerrilla wars. Neither genuinely cared about grassroots democracy, but both found its symbols easy to invoke for gullible domestic publics. Substantial numbers of their new subjects quickly saw, however, that they faced occupations, not liberations.
My own work on Bonaparte's lost year in Egypt began in the mid-1990s, and I had completed about half of Napoleon's Egypt: Invading the Middle East before September 11, 2001. I had no way of knowing then that a book on such a distant, scholarly subject would prove an allegory for Bush's Iraq War. Nor did I guess that the United States would give old-style colonialism in the Middle East one last try, despite clear signs that the formerly colonized would no longer put up with such acts and had, in the years since World War II, gained the means to resist them.
The Republic Militant Goes to War
In June of 1798, as his enormous flotilla -- 36,000 soldiers, thousands of sailors, and hundreds of scientists on 12 ships of the line -- swept inexorably toward the Egyptian coast, the young General Napoleon Bonaparte issued a grandiose communiqué to the bewildered and seasick troops he was about to march into the desert without canteens or reasonable supplies of water. He declared, "Soldiers! You are about to undertake a conquest, the effects of which on civilization and commerce are incalculable."
The prediction was as tragically inaccurate in its own way as the pronouncement George W. Bush issued some two centuries later, on May 1, 2003, also from the deck of a great ship of the line, the aircraft carrier the USS Abraham Lincoln. "Today," he said, "we have the greater power to free a nation by breaking a dangerous and aggressive regime. With new tactics and precision weapons, we can achieve military objectives without directing violence against civilians."
Both men were convinced that their invasions were announcing new epochs in human history. Of the military vassals of the Ottoman Empire who then ruled Egypt, Bonaparte predicted: "The Mameluke Beys who favor exclusively English commerce, whose extortions oppress our merchants, and who tyrannize over the unfortunate inhabitants of the Nile, a few days after our arrival will no longer exist."
Bonaparte's laundry list of grievances about them consisted of three charges. First, the beys were, in essence, enablers of France's primary enemy at that time, the British monarchy which sought to strangle the young French republic in its cradle. Second, the rulers of Egypt were damaging France's own commerce by extorting taxes and bribes from its merchants in Cairo and Alexandria. Third, the Mamluks ruled tyrannically, having never been elected, and oppressed their subjects whom Bonaparte intended to liberate.
This holy trinity of justifications for imperialism -- that the targeted state is collaborating with an enemy of the republic, is endangering the positive interests of the nation, and lacks legitimacy because its rule is despotic -- would all be trotted out over the subsequent two centuries by a succession of European and American leaders whenever they wanted to go on the attack. One implication of these familiar rhetorical turns of phrase has all along been that democracies have a license to invade any country they please, assuming it has the misfortune to have an authoritarian regime.
George W. Bush, of course, hit the same highlights in his "mission accomplished" speech, while announcing on the Abraham Lincoln that "major combat operations" in Iraq "had ended." "The liberation of Iraq," he proclaimed, "is a crucial advance in the campaign against terror. We've removed an ally of al Qaeda, and cut off a source of terrorist funding." He put Saddam Hussein's secular, Arab nationalist Baath regime and the radical Muslim terrorists of al-Qaeda under the sign of September 11th, insinuating that Iraq was allied with the primary enemy of the United States and so posed an urgent menace to its security. (In fact, captured Baath Party documents show that Saddam's fretting security forces, on hearing that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had entered Iraq, put out an all points bulletin on him, imagining -- not entirely correctly -- that he had al-Qaeda links.) Likewise, Bush promised that Iraq's alleged "weapons of mass destruction" (which existed only in his own fevered imagination) would be tracked down, again implying that Iraq posed a threat to the interests and security of the U.S., just as Bonaparte had claimed that the Mamluks menaced France.
According to the president, Saddam's overthrown government had lacked legitimacy, while the new Iraqi government, to be established by a foreign power, would truly represent the conquered population. "We're helping to rebuild Iraq, where the dictator built palaces for himself, instead of hospitals and schools. And we will stand with the new leaders of Iraq," Bush pledged, "as they establish a government of, by, and for the Iraqi people." Bonaparte, too, established governing councils at the provincial and national level, staffing them primarily with Sunni clergymen, declaring them more representative of the Egyptian people than the beys and emirs of the slave soldiery who had formerly ruled that province of the Ottoman Empire.
Liberty as Tyranny
For a democracy to conduct a brutal military occupation against another country in the name of liberty seems, on the face of it, too contradictory to elicit more than hoots of derision at the hypocrisy of it all. Yet, the militant republic, ready to launch aggressive war in the name of "democracy," is everywhere in modern history, despite the myth that democracies do not typically wage wars of aggression. Ironically, some absolutist regimes, like those of modern Iran, were remarkably peaceable, if left alone by their neighbors. In contrast, republican France invaded Belgium, Holland, Spain, Germany, Italy, and Egypt in its first decade (though it went on the offensive in part in response to Austrian and Prussian moves to invade France). The United States attacked Mexico, the Seminoles and other Native polities, Hawaii, the Spanish Empire, the Philippines, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic in just the seven-plus decades from 1845 to the eve of the U.S. entry into World War I.
Freedom and authoritarianism are nowadays taken to be stark antonyms, the provinces of heroes and monsters. Those closer to the birth of modern republics were comforted by no such moral clarity. In Danton's Death, the young Romantic playwright Georg Büchner depicted the radical French revolutionary and proponent of executing enemies of the Republic, Maximilien Robespierre, whipping up a Parisian crowd with the phrase, "The revolutionary regime is the despotism of liberty against tyranny." And nowhere has liberty proved more oppressive than when deployed against a dictatorship abroad; for, as Büchner also had that famed "incorruptible" devotee of state terror observe, "In a Republic only republicans are citizens; Royalists and foreigners are enemies."
That sunlit May afternoon on the USS Abraham Lincoln, President Bush seconded Büchner's Robespierre. "Because of you," he exhorted the listening sailors of an aircraft carrier whose planes had just dropped 1.6 million pounds of ordnance on Iraq, "our nation is more secure. Because of you, the tyrant has fallen, and Iraq is free."
Security for the republic had already proved ample justification to launch a war the previous March, even though Iraq was a poor, weak, ramshackle Third World country, debilitated by a decade of sanctions imposed by the United Nations and the United States, without so much as potable drinking water or an air force. Similarly, the Mamluks of Egypt -- despite the sky-high taxes and bribes they demanded of some French merchants -- hardly constituted a threat to French security.
The overthrow of a tyrannical regime and the liberation of an oppressed people were constant refrains in the shipboard addresses of both the general and the president, who felt that the liberated owed them a debt of gratitude. Bonaparte lamented that the beys "tyrannize over the unfortunate inhabitants of the Nile"; or, as one of his officers, Captain Horace Say, opined, "The people of Egypt were most wretched. How will they not cherish the liberty we are bringing them?" Similarly, Bush insisted, "Men and women in every culture need liberty like they need food and water and air. Everywhere that freedom arrives, humanity rejoices; and everywhere that freedom stirs, let tyrants fear."
Not surprisingly, expectations that the newly conquered would exhibit gratitude to their foreign occupiers cropped up repeatedly in the dispatches and letters of men on the spot who advocated a colonial forward policy. President Bush put this dramatically in 2007, long after matters had not proceeded as expected: "We liberated that country from a tyrant. I think the Iraqi people owe the American people a huge debt of gratitude. That's the problem here in America: They wonder whether or not there is a gratitude level that's significant enough in Iraq."
Liberty in this two-century old rhetorical tradition, moreover, was more than just a matter of rights and the rule of law. Proponents of various forms of liberal imperialism saw tyranny as a source of poverty, since arbitrary rulers could just usurp property at will and so make economic activity risky, as well as opening the public to crushing and arbitrary taxes that held back commerce. The French quartermaster Francois Bernoyer wrote of the Egyptian peasantry: "Their dwellings are adobe huts, which prosperity, the daughter of liberty, will now allow them to abandon." Bush took up the same theme on the Abraham Lincoln: "Where freedom takes hold, hatred gives way to hope. When freedom takes hold, men and women turn to the peaceful pursuit of a better life."
"Heads Must Roll"
In both eighteenth century Egypt and twenty-first century Iraq, the dreary reality on the ground stood as a reproach to, if not a wicked satire upon, these high-minded pronouncements. The French landed at the port of Alexandria on July 1, 1798. Two and a half weeks later, as the French army advanced along the Nile toward Cairo, a unit of Gen. Jean Reynier's division met opposition from 1,800 villagers, many armed with muskets. Sgt. Charles Francois recalled a typical scene. After scaling the village walls and "firing into those crowds," killing "about 900 men," the French confiscated the villagers' livestock -- "camels, donkeys, horses, eggs, cows, sheep" -- then "finished burning the rest of the houses, or rather the huts, so as to provide a terrible object lesson to these half-savage and barbarous people."
On July 24, Bonaparte's Army of the Orient entered Cairo and he began reorganizing his new subjects. He grandiosely established an Egyptian Institute for the advancement of science and gave thought to reforming police, courts, and law. But terror lurked behind everything he did. He wrote Gen. Jacques Menou, who commanded the garrison at the Mediterranean port of Rosetta, saying, "The Turks [Egyptians] can only be led by the greatest severity. Every day I cut off five or six heads in the streets of Cairo.... [T]o obey, for them, is to fear." (Mounting severed heads on poles for viewing by terrified passers-by was another method the French used in Egypt...)
That August, the Delta city of Mansura rose up against a small French garrison of about 120 men, chasing them into the countryside, tracking the blue coats down, and methodically killing all but two of them. In early September, the Delta village of Sonbat, inhabited in part by Bedouin of the western Dirn tribe, also rose up against the Europeans. Bonaparte instructed one of his generals, "Burn that village! Make a terrifying example of it." After the French army had indeed crushed the rebellious peasants and chased away the Bedouin, Gen. Jean-Antoine Verdier reported back to Bonaparte with regard to Sonbat, "You ordered me to destroy this lair. Very well, it no longer exists."
The most dangerous uprisings confronting the French were, however, in Cairo. In October, much of the city mobilized to attack the more than 20,000 French troops occupying the capital. The revolt was especially fierce in the al-Husayn district, where the ancient al-Azhar madrassa (or seminary) trained 14,000 students, where the city's most sacred mosque stood, and where wealth was concentrated in the merchants and guilds of the Khan al-Khalili bazaar. At the same time, the peasants and Bedouin of the countryside around Cairo rose in rebellion, attacking the small garrisons that had been deployed to pacify them.
Bonaparte put down this Egyptian "revolution" with the utmost brutality, subjecting urban crowds to artillery barrages. He may have had as many rebels executed in the aftermath as were killed in the fighting. In the countryside, his officers' launched concerted campaigns to decimate insurgent villages. At one point, the French are said to have brought 900 heads of slain insurgents to Cairo in bags and ostentatiously dumped them out before a crowd in one of that city's major squares to instill Cairenes with terror. (Two centuries later, the American public would come to associate decapitations by Muslim terrorists in Iraq with the ultimate in barbarism, but even then hundreds such beheadings were not carried out at once.)
The American deployment of terror against the Iraqi population has, of course, dwarfed anything the French accomplished in Egypt by orders of magnitude. After four mercenaries, one a South African, were killed in Falluja in March of 2004 and their bodies desecrated, President Bush is alleged to have said "heads must roll" in retribution.
An initial attack on the city faltered when much of the Iraqi government threatened to resign and it was clear major civilian casualties would result. The crushing of the city was, however, simply put off until after the American presidential election in November. When the assault, involving air power and artillery, came, it was devastating, damaging two-thirds of the city's buildings and turning much of its population into refugees. (As a result, thousands of Fallujans still live in the desert in tent villages with no access to clean water.)
Bush must have been satisfied. Heads had rolled. More often, faced with opposition, the U.S. Air Force simply bombed already-occupied cities, a technology Bonaparte (mercifully) lacked. The strategy of ruling by terror and swift, draconian punishment for acts of resistance was, however, the same in both cases.
The British sank much of the French fleet on August 1, 1798, marooning Bonaparte and his troops in their newly conquered land. In the spring of 1799, the French army tried -- and failed -- to break out through Syria; after which Bonaparte himself chose the better part of valor. He slipped out of Egypt late that summer, returning to France. There, he would swiftly stage a coup and come to power as First Consul, giving him the opportunity to hone his practice of bringing freedom to other countries -- this time in Europe. By 1801, joint British-Ottoman forces had defeated the French in Egypt, who were transported back to their country on British vessels. This first Western invasion of the Middle East in modern times had ended in serial disasters that Bonaparte would misrepresent to the French public as a series of glorious triumphs.
Ending the Era of Liberal Imperialism
Between 1801 and 2003 stretched endless decades in which colonialism proved a plausible strategy for European powers in the Middle East, including the French enterprise in Algeria (1830-1962) and the British veiled protectorate over Egypt (1882-1922). In these years, European militaries and their weaponry were so advanced, and the means of resistance to which Arab peasants had access so limited, that colonial governments could be imposed.
That imperial moment passed with celerity after World War II, in part because the masses of the Third World joined political parties, learned to read, and -- with how-to-do-it examples all around them -- began to mount political resistance to foreign occupations of every sort. While the twenty-first century American arsenal has many fancy, exceedingly destructive toys in it, nothing has changed with regard to the ability of colonized peoples to network socially and, sooner or later, push any foreign occupying force out.
Bonaparte and Bush failed because both launched their operations at moments when Western military and technological superiority was not assured. While Bonaparte's army had better artillery and muskets, the Egyptians had a superb cavalry and their old muskets were serviceable enough for purposes of sniping at the enemy. They also had an ally with advanced weaponry and the desire to use it -- the British Navy.
In 2007, the high-tech U.S. military -- as had been true in Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s, as was true for the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 1980s -- is still vulnerable to guerrilla tactics and effective low-tech weapons of resistance such as roadside bombs. Even more effective has been the guerrillas' social warfare, their success in making Iraq ungovernable through the promotion of clan and sectarian feuds, through targeted bombings and other attacks, and through sabotage of the Iraqi infrastructure.
From the time of Bonaparte to that of Bush, the use of the rhetoric of liberty versus tyranny, of uplift versus decadence, appears to have been a constant among imperialists from republics -- and has remained domestically effective in rallying support for colonial wars. The despotism (but also the weakness) of the Mamluks and of Saddam Hussein proved sirens practically calling out for Western interventions. According to the rhetoric of liberal imperialism, tyrannical regimes are always at least potentially threats to the Republic, and so can always be fruitfully overthrown in favor of rule by a Western military. After all, that military is invariably imagined as closer to liberty since it serves an elected government. (Intervention is even easier to justify if the despots can be portrayed, however implausibly, as allied with an enemy of the republic.)
For both Bush and Bonaparte, the genteel diction of liberation, rights, and prosperity served to obscure or justify a major invasion and occupation of a Middle Eastern land, involving the unleashing of slaughter and terror against its people. Military action would leave towns destroyed, families displaced, and countless dead. Given the ongoing carnage in Iraq, President Bush's boast that, with "new tactics and precision weapons, we can achieve military objectives without directing violence against civilians," now seems not just hollow but macabre. The equation of a foreign military occupation with liberty and prosperity is, in the cold light of day, no less bizarre than the promise of war with virtually no civilian casualties.
It is no accident that many of the rhetorical strategies employed by George W. Bush originated with Napoleon Bonaparte, a notorious spinmeister and confidence man. At least Bonaparte looked to the future, seeing clearly the coming breakup of the Ottoman Empire and the likelihood that European Powers would be able to colonize its provinces. Bonaparte's failure in Egypt did not forestall decades of French colonial success in Algeria and Indochina, even if that era of imperial triumph could not, in the end, be sustained in the face of the political and social awakening of the colonized. Bush's neocolonialism, on the other hand, swam against the tide of history, and its failure is all the more criminal for having been so predictable.
Copyright 2007 Juan Cole
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Category: Rumors
24 Aug 2007 @ 12:58 by vaxen : Failure?
What is the true objective of the so called "Bush" war? Take a deeper look Juan. SPP, NAU, the divying up of a once 'prosperous?,' America... is being accomplished as your glass menagerie of forgotten lore bricks up the horizon with comparisons which bear no relevance whatsoever to the facts...
Bush is still very much with us. Anti terror laws which should bring, and do, terror to the heart of every American - have been passed, a system of Fema prisons that are meant, not for Arab terrorists, but for regular American dissenters who see the insanity of the White House, per se, are secretly waiting and being filled silently in the middle of the night of horrors you've let come upon you - Americans.
Nice to be able to lay the blame at one mans feet, isn't it?
And what was wee Willy Clinton doing, and those who came before him? Your ivory tower, Juan Cole, smells of non involvement in other than what makes professors of history old and stale...
Bush isn't Bonapart and any comparison is puerile, at best, and amateurish. The value of this essay? Zilch...
Though it is true that asymetric warfare will win out over blanket bombing every time - nevertheless - Bush is not the puppet master here nor is Iraq the target.
But I suppose, Mr Cole, you are too puffed up on your own importance to be able to conduct any reasonable analysis, any useful analysis, of current events...
"But from another perspective and utilizing a different analysis, the motives are not irrational at all. When one considers how these unending wars and devastations affect the primary powers that drive them -- and that benefit from them -- they tragically make all too much sense, even if that "sense" is of a kind that some of us find contemptible and entirely loathsome. Once again, I offer Robert Higgs' comments on this issue. I think the title of my earlier post admirably conveys the point, "Chaos, War, Murder and Destruction Are What They Want." Higgs:
"As a general rule for understanding public policies, I insist that there are no persistent "failed" policies. Policies that do not achieve their desired outcomes for the actual powers-that-be are quickly changed. If you want to know why the U.S. policies have been what they have been for the past sixty years, you need only comply with that invaluable rule of inquiry in politics: follow the money..."
http://powerofnarrative.blogspot.com/2007/08/you-too-can-and-should-be-intelligence.html
"Some of the biggest men in the United States, in the field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it." - President Woodrow Wilson, The New Freedom (1913)
Baloney Mr Wilson, Baloney!
24 Aug 2007 @ 13:48 by vaxen : And...
Acquiescence in Executive war, [Fulbright] wrote, comes from the belief that the government possesses secret information that gives it special insight in determining policy. Not only was this questionable, but major policy decisions turn "not upon available facts but upon judgment," with which policy-makers are no better endowed than the intelligent citizen. Congress and citizens can judge "whether the massive deployment and destruction of their men and wealth seem to serve the overall interests as a nation."
The belief that government knows best was voiced just at this time by Governor Nelson Rockefeller, who said on resumption of the bombing, "We ought to all support the President. He is the man who has all the information and knowledge of what we are up against." This is a comforting assumption that relieves people from taking a stand. It is usually invalid, especially in foreign affairs. "Foreign policy decisions," concluded Gunnar Myrdal after two decades of study, "are in general much more influenced by irrational motives" than are domestic ones.
ibid. link above
24 Aug 2007 @ 17:57 by vaxen : HaHa!
Only two comments!? So much for...
Well, we know that old riff don't we?
So before I leave another faux pas,
Pas De Dieux,
And salubrious, galubrious,
Let me just say...
I'm off today...
Gonna go and baby sit a creature...
Blue eyed, blond haired, creature...
Of mine own invention. Gonna...
Get on a jet plane,
but I'll be back again,
To O Hi O...
Flooded in the cool mist,
Generated by...
The night of Pan.
Io, Pan, Io Pan,
Io. Io, Pan...
Io Pan, Io Pan...
Pan!
Afrighted?
You should be...
Flooded?
I hope not!
Severe thunderstorm?
Coming to me,
But, that's when I do,
My best flying...
And...I'll leave you with this
Loverly little poems' end by...
"The best things in life are nearest. Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you."
Happy week end, jazzolog.
And thanks,
For the "Kalen Dar."
This bud's for you,
Buddy...
It's S.C. Sugar Bud...
24 Aug 2007 @ 19:53 by a-d : Here. JAzzo.... whaddatiming!
click here to see (at least a part of) the Bush Family Tree!
[ http://www.rense.com/ ]
25 Aug 2007 @ 13:59 by vaxen : ;)
Hemp Industries Association
email: newsletter@thehia.org
web: http://www.hempindustries.org
I suppose I should write the lady and let her know how to get off the treadmill, eh? Education? Sure...
"When Iraq becomes strong enough in our opinion to stand alone, we shall be in a position to state that our task has been fulfilled, and that Iraq is an independent sovereign state. But this cannot be said while we are forced year after year to spend very large sums of money on helping the Iraqi government to defend itself and maintain order." : Winston Churchill - 1922
More War on the Horizon
By Paul Craig Roberts
08/23/07 "ICH" --- -- No pullout from Iraq while I’m president, declares George W. Bush.
On to Iran, declares Vice President Cheney.
Israel is a “peace-seeking state” that needs $30 billion of US taxpayers’ money for war, declares State Department official Nicholas Burns.
The Democratic Congress, if not fully behind the Iraqi war, at least no longer is in the way of it.
Nor are the Democrats in the way of the Bush regime’s build up for initiating war with Iran.
America's hegemonic hubris is a sickness. A country that tolerates a war criminal while he openly plans to attack yet another country is definitely not a light unto the world.
Following Churchill's Folly In Iraq
By Don Chapman
So what might this history mean for America and Iraq?
27 Aug 2007 @ 10:22 by vaxen : Deception
Finally, Bearden sums up the foregoing, starting with the things mentioned in the now famous statement by then Secretary of Defense William Cohen: the use of scalar weapons to induce earthquakes (2004 tsunami, Yellowstone) and volcanos (Cumbre Vieja, Toba supervolcano in Sumatra) and other possible target zones and weather engineering of hurricanes and droughts. Meanwhile, despite Cohen's rare statement, the Western governments appear not to have a clue.
At least publicly, this major change in the capabilities of the terrorists against the United States has not been analyzed or pursued by the conventional U.S. government agencies and their traditional support analysis agencies. Specifically, the U.S. Congress has not been adequately informed, particularly of the terrible mess that our decrepit old electrical engineering really is, and the consequences of not correcting it when our foes already have done so.
The secrecy of the so-called "secret government" of the United States has worked against it and nearly assured the total destruction of the West in the coming Scalar Wars http://prahlad.org/pub/bearden/scalar_wars.htm described in "Oblivion - America at the Brink." It appears too late to avoid all this for we are entering into the time window of the overt attack and the total corruption rampant in all three branches of government makes any real preventative measures impossible. Neither Congress nor the military is facing any of these issues, either from stupidity and ignorance, the vast secrecy, the power of the oil companies and energy cartels, or even the mental distortions and entrancements of the scalar weapons in psychoenergetics mode.
It is above all the secrecy which is leading to our destruction. That is why I consider Tom Bearden a true hero for risking to put all this information and the science of it out there on his website and in his books. I am rather pessimistic that we can avoid, if not Tom's scenario, then some similar scenario leading to all-out overt scalar wars which will signal mankind's current unworthiness to receive the incredible boon given by nature via the energy of the vacuum. The human "race" appears to be literally a race, a race between good and evil. Good and evil race each other through history to see who will get to this incredible technology first. If good gets there first then we have a chance to create a paradise on earth and a truly sustainable civilization. If evil gets there first then we inevitably destroy ourselves and go back to the beginning and are forced to start the race all over again. Was the mythical destruction Atlantis the ending of a previous occurence of this race? This human "race?"
[In the third and final part of this review we shall look at a few samples of the briefing slides which actually make up the main bulk of "Oblivion."]
http://prahlad.org/pub/bearden/scalar_wars.htm
28 Aug 2007 @ 15:38 by quinty : A note on Bush’s speech
Those of you who listen to rightwing talk radio (A deep and vicious swamp, I concede.) know that the far right talk jocks have been comparing Iraq to Vietnam for a long time. And some of Bush's talking points in his recent speech at the VFW merely echo that point of view.
That the spinmeisters have merely gotten together, coagulated, and offered a new heap. And that Bush’s arguments appear to have surprised some national observers merely reveals they have not been listening. Just go to Rush, Melanie and the crowd to find out what they are thinking.
Since we have a quagmire wrapped in a debacle sunk deep into a hole the topic of withdrawal from Iraq became inevitable. But the right, of course, has distorted the situation. Even worse than certain Democrats who are still seeking to appear wise and omniscient. (Hillary?)
Listening to the creatures of the night I was amazed to discover that there are still many Americans who believe we should have won the Vietnam War. I had thought that issue had been put to rest. That it was commonly accepted we involved ourselves in a senseless quagmire, a civil war fought by guerrillas which we could not possibly have won.
Unless, of course, we should have flattened the entire country, turning it into a “parking lot.” “Destroying the country in order to save it,” as we used to often say in those bygone days.
Which I suppose is what the far right thinks we should have done merely in order to save face, to avoid “defeat.” For defeat, to such mentalities, is worse than any other consequence. Even mass murder and total destruction. (Not to mention all the other reasons why we shouldn’t have stayed in Vietnam.)
So even if Bush has been avoiding comparisons to Vietnam - that war, quagmire, which we lost - he turned the argument on its head the other night, reiterating the rehtorical lead of numerous rightwing talk show hosts, by offering the specter of the “killing fields.” For the far right has credited the rise of Pol Pot to the US’s withdrawal from Vietnam. And predicts something similar for Iraq.
These Bushies are nothing if not lurid. I can still remember his 2003 State of the Union speech in which he sounded as if he were reading from “The Insidious Doctor Fu Manchu,” with his botulism, mushroom cloud, tanks of anthrax and other impending horrors. Though in Iraq we have chosen a monster to baby sit, while depending on a president who refuses to even begin to do the right thing. Such as prepare for our inevitable withdrawal.
Larry Beinhart on Cambodia
http://www.alternet.org/audits/60764/
Bush Gets Away with Lies, Lies and More Lies in History-Illiterate America
By Larry Beinhart, AlterNet. Posted August 27, 2007.
George Bush and other Iraq War supporters have argued that if we withdraw from Iraq the result will be like the killing fields of Cambodia -- an odd comparison considering that the US has direct responsibility for that holocaust.
• The killing fields were real. The genocide against their own people was committed by the Khmer Rouge.
• The Vietnamese -- the Communist Vietnamese -- were the people who went in and put a stop to it.
• The United States then supported the Khmer Rouge.
Here's how that came to happen.
The United States got involved in the war in Vietnam in an attempt to keep South Vietnam from going communist. Which it would have if nationwide elections had been held as promised.
Cambodia is next to Vietnam. It was ruled by Prince Sihanouk. He attempted to be neutral. Both sides abused that neutrality.
The North Vietnamese send arms, support and men through Cambodia on the "Ho Chi Minh Trail" to go around South Vietnamese and American forces. They also used Cambodian ports.
The United States, which was not at war with Cambodia, officially or unofficially, secretly sent armed forces into Cambodia to interrupt North Vietnamese use of that route. In 1969, Nixon began a campaign of carpet bombing sections of Cambodia. Ultimately about 750,000 Cambodians were killed by the bombings (though the numbers are hard to verify.)
In 1970, while Sihanouk was out of the country, visiting Europe, the USSR and China, Lon Nol took over the country in a right wing coup.
There are two stories about American involvement. The first is that we supported the coup, the second (in Tom Weiner's Legacy of Ashes, The History of the CIA) is that it took the CIA and the United States by surprise. Recently declassified documents support Weiner's view.
In either case, once Lon Nol took power, the US supported him. In return, Lon Nol ended the neutrality, closed the ports to the communists and demanded that the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese leave the country, and let US forces openly, though secretly, operate in Cambodia.
There was resistance to Lon Nol. Some of it was certainly a spontaneous matter of national sentiment. Some of it was certainly fomented by various communist interests.
Sihanouk, in China, then allied himself with the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia communists, which conferred new legitimacy on them.
Civil War broke out. Lon Nol was both corrupt and inept. In spite of American financial and military support, he lost.
America left Vietnam in 1973.
The Khmer Rouge took the capital of Cambodia in 1975. They were one of the most horrendous regimes in history. They practiced a kind of class genocide, "re-educating" and murdering anyone who educated or Westernized, as well as minority groups.
In 1978, Vietnam, by then fully Communist, invaded Cambodia to put a stop to the Khmer Rouge and drive them out. They installed a more moderate and sane regime.
The United States, the UK, and China then supported the remnants of the Khmer Rouge. With their help the conflict continued for another ten years.
When George Bush, or anyone else, uses the Cambodian holocaust as a warning of what might happen if America withdraws from Iraq, remember the facts.
1. Part of the holocaust in Cambodia is directly attributable to American bombing. The 750,000 dead. (Comparable to the number of Iraqis killed by American forces in this war.)
2. The civil war that led to the victory of the Khmer Rouge came about, at least in part, because of America's support of Lon Nol.
3. The "enemy," the Vietnamese Communists, were the ones who put a stop to the Khmer Rouge.
4. The United States supported the Khmer Rouge -- after their murders, after the genocide. That support helped a civil war continue for another decade. More death, more destruction.
Larry Beinhart is the author of Fog Facts: Searching for Truth in the Land of Spin. His novels include Wag the Dog, on which the film was based, and The Librarian which Rolling Stone described as "John Grisham meets Jon Stewart."
And, if you haven't had enough, here's Rosa Brooks on invading Vietnam
{link:http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-brooks24aug24,0,5259364.column?coll=la-util-opinion-commentary|Rosa Brooks}
Bush's next invasion: Vietnam?
Following the president's logic, our best move is to repeat a huge mistake.
Re-invade Vietnam!
Oh yes. You thought the Bush administration was fresh out of ideas? You thought that with Karl Rove leaving, the administration that brought us the war in Iraq and "Mission Accomplished" had no more tricks up its sleeve?
On Wednesday, speaking before a Veterans of Foreign Wars audience, President Bush did something he had previously avoided: He compared the Iraq war with the Vietnam War, agreeing that Vietnam does hold lessons for U.S. policy in Iraq.
Can't argue with that. For most Americans, the lessons of Vietnam were reasonably clear before we invaded Iraq and have been painfully reinforced by the ongoing disaster there:
Don't fight needless wars; don't go blundering around in countries where you don't know the language, history or culture; don't underestimate the power of nationalism, ethnicity and religion to bind together -- or tear apart -- people whose interests otherwise seem to diverge or converge; and, most of all, don't imagine that military force can solve fundamentally political problems.
But the president, who has his own very special set of history books, drew the public's attention to some entirely different lessons from Vietnam. To Bush, the "unmistakable legacy of Vietnam is that the price of America's withdrawal was paid by millions of innocent citizens."
Right! To Bush, the tragedy of the Vietnam War is that we didn't let it drag on for another decade or so.
Some might quibble with Bush's understanding of historical causation. Yes, many innocent civilians suffered in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam -- but it's more accurate to attribute their suffering to the prolongation of the war itself, rather than to the U.S. withdrawal as such.
It's hard to be precise (as is the case in Iraq today, no one kept careful count of Vietnamese civilian casualties, and all sides in the conflict had an incentive to fudge the true figures), but somewhere between 1 million and 4 million civilians died as the war needlessly dragged on, many killed by U.S. weapons. Millions more were displaced.
But those are details.
Bush went on to assert that "another price to our withdrawal from Vietnam" was the rise of "the enemy we face in today's struggle, those who came to our soil and killed thousands of citizens" on 9/11.
Yup -- it's so obvious! The U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam caused the rise of Al Qaeda -- and, by extension, "our withdrawal from Vietnam" ultimately turned Iraq into "the central front" in "the war on terror."
Once you're in the right frame of mind -- the Right frame of mind, I should say -- the logic becomes blindingly clear:
Step 1: In 1975, the Vietnam War ended and young Osama bin Laden, age 18, saw that the mighty U.S. could be brought low and that an unhappy citizenry could push a democratically elected government to end an unpopular war.
Step 2: Hmm. This step is a little tougher. Al Qaeda attacked the U.S. on 9/11. Then Bin Laden, bearing the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam constantly in mind, um . . . somehow tricked us into going to war in Iraq . . . where Al Qaeda had no presence prior to the U.S. invasion . . . because he knew we'd make a mess of things . . . and that Al Qaeda could move in while we were bogged down fighting insurgents . . . and bog us down even more?
And from there, we easily reach Step 3: We are stuck in a quagmire in Iraq, just as in Vietnam! Millions of civilians are paying the price for U.S. over-reaching -- just as in Vietnam! Our credibility is suffering -- just as in Vietnam! The American public has lost faith in the war -- just as in Vietnam! Bin Laden is happy to see us brought low -- just as in Vietnam! If we leave, more bad things may happen, and Bin Laden will also be happy -- just as in Vietnam!
Step 4. Therefore, as the president explained Wednesday, we must stay in Iraq forever, until every last terrorist or every last Iraqi civilian is dead, whichever comes first.
But Bush forgot to mention Step 5, which follows logically from Steps 1 to 4.
How can we show the innocent civilians of Southeast Asia that we haven't forgotten them and simultaneously send a message of resolve to the Iraqi people? How can we show Al Qaeda once and for all that the U.S. is not to be trifled with?
It's time for Step 5:
Re-invade Vietnam.
Because no matter what they say -- it's never too late to repeat the mistakes of the past.
rbrooks@latimescolumnists.com
28 Aug 2007 @ 15:53 by quinty : Now the American Legion
Bush does seem to love to speak before audiences in uniform. Or "by invitation only." A week ago it was the VFW. Now I understand he's going to talk to the American Legion today. This should remind us of Vietnam, since those two veterans groups would have gladly held on to the very end. No lack of "patriotism" there.
29 Aug 2007 @ 19:05 by quinty : And Bush found his audience!
"RENO (Thomson Financial) - US President George W Bush warned today that letting Iran acquire atomic weapons risked putting the Middle East 'under the shadow of a nuclear holocaust.'
"'Iran's active pursuit of technology that could lead to nuclear weapons threatens to put a region already known for instability and violence under the shadow of a nuclear holocaust,' he told a veterans group here.
"Bush's speech to the American Legion aimed to convince a war-weary US public that the war in Iraq was the central front in the fight against what he described as the Sunni Muslim extremism of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network and the Shiite extremism fuelled by Iran."
What Bush apparently didn't remark upon was Maliki and Ahmadinijad walking hand in hand with big smiles on their faces in Tehran a week or two ago.
30 Aug 2007 @ 07:45 by vaxen : Iran...
is "nuclear." The Pres., is whose mouthpiece? What he does and says matters little...therre are far worse weapons being utilised than anything in the nuclear arsenal...it is possible right now to dud every single nuike...worldwide. Go beyond Bush, he is not relevent at all, nor is what the media 'says.' Nor what Washington says...they are all obsolete.
7 Oct 2007 @ 11:16 by jazzolog : Angry Sunday Heat
With temperatures boiling up into the 90s again today in these October latitudes, any rain little more than a brief sweat rather than downpour, autumn leaves this year drying to a crisp on the twigs before they fall, people are even less in a mood to suffer fools, political or otherwise. The heavy weight of The Sunday New York Times this morning is ready to ignite with tension and rage. The supposed gray lady shows she still can mount a soapbox and let loose with indignation. We have an editorial about White House deceit surrounding its torture policies~~~
On Torture and American Values
Once upon a time, it was the United States that urged all nations to obey the letter and the spirit of international treaties and protect human rights and liberties. American leaders denounced secret prisons where people were held without charges, tortured and killed. And the people in much of the world, if not their governments, respected the United States for its values.
The Bush administration has dishonored that history and squandered that respect. As an article on this newspaper’s front page last week laid out in disturbing detail, President Bush and his aides have not only condoned torture and abuse at secret prisons, but they have conducted a systematic campaign to mislead Congress, the American people and the world about those policies.
After the attacks of 9/11, Mr. Bush authorized the creation of extralegal detention camps where Central Intelligence Agency operatives were told to extract information from prisoners who were captured and held in secret. Some of their methods — simulated drownings, extreme ranges of heat and cold, prolonged stress positions and isolation — had been classified as torture for decades by civilized nations. The administration clearly knew this; the C.I.A. modeled its techniques on the dungeons of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Soviet Union.
The White House could never acknowledge that. So its lawyers concocted documents that redefined “torture” to neatly exclude the things American jailers were doing and hid the papers from Congress and the American people. Under Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Mr. Bush’s loyal enabler, the Justice Department even declared that those acts did not violate the lower standard of “cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.”
That allowed the White House to claim that it did not condone torture, and to stampede Congress into passing laws that shielded the interrogators who abused prisoners, and the men who ordered them to do it, from any kind of legal accountability.
Mr. Bush and his aides were still clinging to their rationalizations at the end of last week. The president declared that Americans do not torture prisoners and that Congress had been fully briefed on his detention policies.
Neither statement was true — at least in what the White House once scorned as the “reality-based community” — and Senator John Rockefeller, chairman of the Intelligence Committee, was right to be furious. He demanded all of the “opinions of the Justice Department analyzing the legality” of detention and interrogation policies. Lawmakers, who for too long have been bullied and intimidated by the White House, should rewrite the Detainee Treatment Act and the Military Commissions Act to conform with actual American laws and values.
For the rest of the nation, there is an immediate question: Is this really who we are?
Is this the country whose president declared, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall,” and then managed the collapse of Communism with minimum bloodshed and maximum dignity in the twilight of the 20th century? Or is this a nation that tortures human beings and then concocts legal sophistries to confuse the world and avoid accountability before American voters?
Truly banning the use of torture would not jeopardize American lives; experts in these matters generally agree that torture produces false confessions. Restoring the rule of law to Guantánamo Bay would not set terrorists free; the truly guilty could be tried for their crimes in a way that does not mock American values.
Clinging to the administration’s policies will only cause further harm to America’s global image and to our legal system. It also will add immeasurably to the risk facing any man or woman captured while wearing America’s uniform or serving in its intelligence forces.
This is an easy choice.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/opinion/07sun1.html?th&emc=th
Both Frank Rich and Maureen Dowd go after the slimeball behaviors of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas today. I'll tell ya, I wouldn't want the two of them after me in print at the same time! At least the pitiful judge's book tour has reminded us of how Anita Hill is doing these days: teaching at Brandeis. Not bad!
Rich's article critiques Thomas' TV appearances and CBS for letting him get away with what he said about Professor Hill without broadcasting her reaction to it~~~
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/opinion/07rich.html?th&emc=th
while Dowd spends time on Justice Thomas' payback to the Bush plantation~~~
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/opinion/07dowd.html?th&emc=th
This is tough stuff to take with your Sunday toast, but the screws are tightening even in the Arts. We must needs prepare for a new Pinter screenplay opening Friday, a remake of Sleuth, with Michael Caine taking the Olivier part this time. Jude Law, who plays the young adulterer, managed to get Pinter to do the rewrite. Pinter never had seen the movie or the play, and just started from scratch. I posted the whole article at an entry I put up exactly 2 years ago, when Harold Pinter, then turning 75, won the Nobel Prize. If you'd like a little variation, you can read it here~~~
http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v63/__show_article/_a000063-000324.htm#com87186
Whew, and all this workout before church! I think a nap to Brahms will be in order this afternoon.
7 Oct 2007 @ 19:50 by Quinty @72.195.137.102 : Torture
There was a brief, interesting piece on CNN last week. The American covert ops who interrogated Nazis during World War Two finally opened up, discussing their activities for the first time. How did one of their top interrogators get information from Rudolph Hess? By playing chess with him.
These aging intelligence men were, naturally, appalled by the American practice of torture today, and claim they never used it. That playing chess with the Nazis in their custody was a far more effective method of obtaining information.
8 Oct 2007 @ 09:49 by jazzolog : Desperately Saving Conservatism
Op-Ed Columnist
Same Old Party
By PAUL KRUGMAN
There have been a number of articles recently that portray President Bush as someone who strayed from the path of true conservatism. Republicans, these articles say, need to return to their roots.
Well, I don’t know what true conservatism is, but while doing research for my forthcoming book I spent a lot of time studying the history of the American political movement that calls itself conservatism — and Mr. Bush hasn’t strayed from the path at all. On the contrary, he’s the very model of a modern movement conservative.
For example, people claim to be shocked that Mr. Bush cut taxes while waging an expensive war. But Ronald Reagan also cut taxes while embarking on a huge military buildup.
People claim to be shocked by Mr. Bush’s general fiscal irresponsibility. But conservative intellectuals, by their own account, abandoned fiscal responsibility 30 years ago. Here’s how Irving Kristol, then the editor of The Public Interest, explained his embrace of supply-side economics in the 1970s: He had a “rather cavalier attitude toward the budget deficit and other monetary or fiscal problems” because “the task, as I saw it, was to create a new majority, which evidently would mean a conservative majority, which came to mean, in turn, a Republican majority — so political effectiveness was the priority, not the accounting deficiencies of government.”
People claim to be shocked by the way the Bush administration outsourced key government functions to private contractors yet refused to exert effective oversight over these contractors, a process exemplified by the failed reconstruction of Iraq and the Blackwater affair.
But back in 1993, Jonathan Cohn, writing in The American Prospect, explained that “under Reagan and Bush, the ranks of public officials necessary to supervise contractors have been so thinned that the putative gains of contracting out have evaporated. Agencies have been left with the worst of both worlds — demoralized and disorganized public officials and unaccountable private contractors.”
People claim to be shocked by the Bush administration’s general incompetence. But disinterest in good government has long been a principle of modern conservatism. In “The Conscience of a Conservative,” published in 1960, Barry Goldwater wrote that “I have little interest in streamlining government or making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size.”
People claim to be shocked that the Bush Justice Department, making a mockery of the Constitution, issued a secret opinion authorizing torture despite instructions by Congress and the courts that the practice should stop. But remember Iran-Contra? The Reagan administration secretly sold weapons to Iran, violating a legal embargo, and used the proceeds to support the Nicaraguan contras, defying an explicit Congressional ban on such support.
Oh, and if you think Iran-Contra was a rogue operation, rather than something done with the full knowledge and approval of people at the top — who were then protected by a careful cover-up, including convenient presidential pardons — I’ve got a letter from Niger you might want to buy.
People claim to be shocked at the Bush administration’s efforts to disenfranchise minority groups, under the pretense of combating voting fraud. But Reagan opposed the Voting Rights Act, and as late as 1980 he described it as “humiliating to the South.”
People claim to be shocked at the Bush administration’s attempts — which, for a time, were all too successful — to intimidate the press. But this administration’s media tactics, and to a large extent the people implementing those tactics, come straight out of the Nixon administration. Dick Cheney wanted to search Seymour Hersh’s apartment, not last week, but in 1975. Roger Ailes, the president of Fox News, was Nixon’s media adviser.
People claim to be shocked at the Bush administration’s attempts to equate dissent with treason. But Goldwater — who, like Reagan, has been reinvented as an icon of conservative purity but was a much less attractive figure in real life — staunchly supported Joseph McCarthy, and was one of only 22 senators who voted against a motion censuring the demagogue.
Above all, people claim to be shocked by the Bush administration’s authoritarianism, its disdain for the rule of law. But a full half-century has passed since The National Review proclaimed that “the White community in the South is entitled to take such measures as are necessary to prevail,” and dismissed as irrelevant objections that might be raised after “consulting a catalogue of the rights of American citizens, born Equal” — presumably a reference to the document known as the Constitution of the United States.
Now, as they survey the wreckage of their cause, conservatives may ask themselves: “Well, how did we get here?” They may tell themselves: “This is not my beautiful Right.” They may ask themselves: “My God, what have we done?”
But their movement is the same as it ever was. And Mr. Bush is movement conservatism’s true, loyal heir.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/08/opinion/08krugman.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin
9 Oct 2007 @ 03:49 by vaxen : MEST Crackers
MP3s: The More You Sell http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/KF/mind/30_-_Studio_LaRoux_In_House_Announcer_-_The_More_You_Sell.mp3 (retail motivational training from The Happy Listener's Guide to Mind Control) and Kris Jensen's Torture http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/KF/Kris_Jensen_-_Torture.mp3 .
http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2005/04/the_happy_liste.html
Hi, I'm currently deployed to Iraq and recently discovered your program. Since then My tank crew and I listen whenever we get the chance.
The reason I'm writing is that we have been looking for anything we can find by happy flowers, not just because I think My Skin Covers My Body is the greatest record of all time, but also It's perfect for Psychological Warfare.
Well, the only song we have here is Charlie Got a Haircut and we've used it so much, we can't stand it. Basically I wanted to check if you know somewhere we can score some Happy Flowers we can then load onto an Ipod to use on the Iraqis. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
9 Oct 2007 @ 03:53 by vaxen : La Couchon:
Report: Cheney ordered nuking Iran
Sat, 06 Oct 2007 22:52:12
A new report has linked the mysterious flight of a nuclear armed B-52 bomber to the US Vice President's secret plan to attack Iran.
Earlier, news outlets revealed that, on August 30, a B-52 bomber loaded with six nuclear armed cruise missiles had flown for more than three hours over several states. The incident prompted an Air Force investigation and the firing of one commander.
The report by Webster Tarpley published on Rense website on Saturday claimed that many analysts believed those weapons were destined to be used in a nuclear blitz on Iran, which may have been scheduled for September 6, the day that Israel launched its own aerial attack on Syria.
The report adds " Even more heinous uses of these cruise missiles here inside the United States can also not be excluded, given the insistence of the Cheney Doctrine on a terrorist sect in the US to be blamed on Iran as the immediate pretext for the Iran war as Zbigniew Brzezinski told the Senate Foreign relations Committee on Feb. 1, 2007.”
Many sources (see Wayne Madsen Report, September 24) agree that the transfer of these nuclear weapons to Iran was blocked by US Air Force personnel, backed up by anti-Cheney factions in the intelligence community, who refused to obey an illegal order.
It is also important to note that some half dozen personnel linked to the Minot and Barksdale air bases have reportedly died under mysterious circumstances since July.
Elsewhere in his report, Tarpley quotes his sources as saying that "It is unlikely that a sneak attack on Iran could get through the normal channels of the US national security interagency process. The realization of Cheney's war plan depends upon an outside manufactured event, along the lines of 9/11, which could be used to engineer the typical neocon end run around the standard operating procedures and launch the wider war." Webster Griffin Tarpley is an author, lecturer, and critic of US foreign and domestic policy.
He maintains that the events of 9/11 were engineered by the military and arms industries. He envisions a model of false flag terror operated by a rogue network of independent operatives in the privatized military intelligence sector and corporate media.
PS: There are three major U.S. Dollar counterfeiting 'nations' in the world today. Iran, Syria, Mayanmar. Their counterfeit counterfeit (Federal Reserve Debt Notes) is the best in the world and virtually undetectable and there are trillions of them spread around 'untraceable!' Thought you, liberals, just might want to choke on that. ;)
9 Oct 2007 @ 09:54 by jazzolog : We Liberals
take pride in often doing without any money at all, as my family has found ourselves necessarily disciplining these past 2 weeks. We invested rather a lot in greening the house this summer, and now must pay the counterfeiter. You libertarians, on the other hand, kiss all your greenbacks good night and tuck them into bed. I dread to think what will happen if liberals ever get back into office and take a look in the treasury vaults.
http://www.bad-pete.com/images/pete_4.jpg
10 Oct 2007 @ 02:37 by vaxen : Ooooo...
does the 'status' woe need a reality check? A cashiers check will do, thankyou. Takes a long time to clear and by that time, why, I could be in Zimbabwe. The ancient Ab.Zu. Also simply translated as 'Abyss.'
"Electornic Colonialism" - Thomas McPhael 1987
Maybe the 'Moondog Madrigal Puppet Show' would be more to quinty sans' liking?
Jobs, reputation, funding. Ah yes... The idea is to indoctrinate not educate. Educational Institutions, gotta love em. Check out executive order 12356 and weep for General Stubblebine. Or don't.
Beware of the Pegasus Assassination Unit while driving to work especially if you're a liberal. But blood is blood.
It is one planet regardless of your belief system and who you think you are. Or should I say who you are behavior modded into being.
Our genes are, in fact, our cosmic connection. How few are not mind controlled and what is the Global Agenda? U.N. Agenda 21?
http://jimchannon.com/ is a cool site. Need a consultant?
10 Oct 2007 @ 09:32 by jazzolog : So Many Gurus, Too Many Shamans
but that's the least of our troubles. Of course Paul is right, and Vaxen is singing his variation. These guys actually agree with each other: nothing a fine bottle of wine shared in a half hour conversation couldn't settle.
Trying to imagine Moondog, street musician 1916-1999, singing a madrigal~~~
http://www.figureconcord.com/ublog/custom_graphics/moondog_01.jpg
10 Oct 2007 @ 18:03 by quinty : Moondog's
music was nuts. But oddly beautiful too. In a way standing out on a street corner of New York, mid summer or mid winter, consumed with the music of the spheres is a fitting and noble enterprise. That proud loneliness as all the rigid dark suits and office types pass by. Did Moondog feel their contempt? Did he care? Did he see the moon in broad daylight?
There’s the irony of life, one which you, as a Christian, should feel. (If you'll forgive my presumption?) We all admire Christ, but who wants to make the sacrifice? Anyway, Moondog would be nuts even in a sane world. One which saw dressing up like the sharks on their way to work in the morning as actually nuts. That the outsider contemplating a blade of grass working its way up through a cement crack is the sane and sensible one.
Moondog always brings up this contradiction. For, after all, we have to feed our children. And that may involve putting on a suit and tie. How many masks are there in offices all over the world?
God, seen from that perspective, the whole world is nuts. Anyone for Charles Bukowski?
As for Vax I get awfully tired of saying someone painted a big swastika on the wall and Vax coming along haughtily telling me someone painted a swastika on the wall. Though beyond that I’m not so sure how much in agreement I am with him..... But Vax is an individualist, and doesn't want to be placed in a box. I won't be presumptuous and argue with that......
11 Oct 2007 @ 08:08 by vaxen : And...
who said "we all admire Christ?" Not I said the serpent to the dove. Not even at X-Mas. Besides, Christ was only a hologram that we projected back to then from a thousand years in the future as a joke!
Actually it was me who painted the damned thing on the wall in the first place! Again, from a thousand years hence and, again, as a friggin joke! Some people just do not get it, ever! ;)
Thought I'd pop our jazzos LOG to the top as I see it's sinking a little in the overall mist of things NCN. Would you like to hear Moondoggies Madrigal? I've a link, somewhere (Was going to put it in here then forgot to...). to a whole bunch of interesting and downloadable funchkins. I'll look it up and save it as a wry comment when someone, anyone, gets serious again hereabouts. In the meantime...
"When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.": P. J. O'Rourke - (1947- ) US humorist, journalist, & political commentator
"The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the large centers has owned the government of the U.S. since the days of Andrew Jackson.": - Franklin D. Roosevelt - (1882-1945), 32nd US President November 21, 1933 - Source: in a letter written to Colonel E. Mandell House
"No truly sophisticated proponent of repression would be stupid enough to shatter the façade of democratic institutions.": Murray B. Levin Source: Political Hysteria in America, 1971
Brylcream, a little dab'll do ya, Brylcream, you'll look so debonaire...
At 46th and Vine as you stand there in the wind, waiting for a taxi, on Christmas day, and some rabbi saunters on by, with smuggled diamonds in his Tfilin, singing the song of the Volga boatmen - while whistling Dixie - to the tune of Robespierres' Sonnet, in C Sharp major, dressed as a libidinous clown and smelling like Mahalia Jackson after a concert at the Garden.
Kol Od Be Levav Pnee-ee-ee-ee-ma,
Nefesh Yehudee Ho-oh-mee-ee-ya.
Intelligence is broken down into three fundamental aspects: Collection, Interpretation, and Dissemination.
http://www.worldbusiness.org/
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Other entries in Rumors
1 Dec 2008 @ 11:01: Important Notice Of Change In Terms
14 Aug 2008 @ 11:20: The Republic Of Georgia: Hypocrisy
8 Apr 2008 @ 10:03: HopeDance And Waking Up
26 Jan 2008 @ 11:33: An Open Letter To Amy Goodman
1 Dec 2007 @ 10:42: Would You Invest In Green Technology Or Guns?
22 May 2007 @ 10:08: Who Is Davis Mac-Iyalla And Why Is He Here?
12 Mar 2007 @ 09:48: Halliburton: Why Dubai? Do Buy!
27 Jan 2007 @ 05:57: Here Come Da Chief!
5 Nov 2006 @ 12:11: Three Last Minute Thoughts
27 Jul 2006 @ 07:56: Khalid The Jihadi
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alexander cockburn • arts and entertainment channel • copyright, trademark, patent • cult awareness network (can) (earlier form, citizen's freedom foundation) • daniel a. leipold • david miscavige • dennis erlich • earle c. cooley • fair game • ford greene • germany • graham e. berry • harassment • internal revenue service (irs) • john travolta • jonathan "jon" caven-atack • judge john p. shook • judge ronald e. swearinger • lawrence "larry" wollersheim • lawsuit • michael j. "mike" rinder • monique e. yingling • private investigator(s) • robert vaughn young • strategic lawsuit against public participation (slapp)
8 matching items found between Jan 1995 and Dec 1999. Furthermore, there are 17 matching items for all time not shown.
Investigative Reports: Inside Scientology [Part 10 of 10] — Arts and Entertainment Channel
Source: Arts and Entertainment Channel
outside Celebrity Centre; newspaper article titled “Scientology–A Long Trail of Controversy”; another shot of Celebrity Centre; part of newspaper article title “struggle for credibility” VO: Over its rocky 45- year history, Scientology has driven for mainstream acceptance. DAVID MISCAVIGE (interview): People have been searching for thousands of years for spiritual release and freedom, and what we have in Scientology is the answer. How to achieve that. JOHN TRAVOLTA (on movie set in Army camouflage outfit): Ultimately, the whole purpose is to ...
Tag(s): Aron Mason • Arts and Entertainment Channel • California • David Miscavige • Dennis Erlich • Eric Sherman • Ford Greene • Germany • Graham E. Berry • Isaac Hayes • John Travolta • Jonathan "Jon" Caven-Atack • Membership • Michael J. "Mike" Rinder • Nadine Strossen • Nazi labelling • New Mexico • Real estate • Robert Vaughn Young • Tammy Terrenzi • Vault
Investigative Reports: Inside Scientology [Part 2 of 10] — Arts and Entertainment Channel
footage of hippies; picture of LRH with other Scienos VO: The United States of the early ’60s saw a new generation of Americans, suspicious of traditional authority. The atmosphere was ripe for L. Ron Hubbard, a sci-fi writer gone spiritual leader, to spread his promises of do-it-yourself healing to the people. L. RON HUBBARD (from video): We live in a world where, where, where, where we have governments and we have societies and so forth, who are desperately trying to help ...
Tag(s): Anti-psychiatry • Arts and Entertainment Channel • Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) • Dennis Erlich • Fair game • Ford Greene • Freedom (Scientology magazine) • Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) • Graham E. Berry • Greece • Internal Revenue Service (IRS) • Jonathan "Jon" Caven-Atack • LSD • Mary Sue (Whipp) Hubbard • Michael J. "Mike" Rinder • Office of Special Affairs (OSA) (formerly, Guardian's Office) • Operation Snow White • Portugal • Religious cloaking • Robert Vaughn Young • Sea Organization (Sea Org, SO) • Tax matter • Timothy Leary • United Kingdom (UK) • William C. "Bill" Walsh
pictures of FBI raid on Scn churches; newspaper article titled, “Secret probe sparks raid on Scientology” VO: On July 7, 1977, 134 FBI agents stormed into Scientology centers in Washington and Los Angeles. Washington Post newspaper article titled, “Scientologists Kept Files on ‘Enemies’ ROBERT VAUGHN YOUNG (voice of): We hit the front page of every newspaper in the country at that time. footage of Scn press conference; copy of “Alaska Mental Health Act”; newspaper article titled, “Woman Sees ‘Political Siberia’ In ...
Tag(s): Alaska Mental Health Enabling Act ("Siberia, U.S.A.") • Alexander Cockburn • Arts and Entertainment Channel • Bomb threat • City of Clearwater 1982 Hearings • Dead agenting (Black PR, smear campaign) • Dennis Erlich • Fair game • Ford Greene • Graham E. Berry • Infiltration • Jonathan "Jon" Caven-Atack • Mary Sue (Whipp) Hubbard • Michael J. "Mike" Rinder • Office of Special Affairs (OSA) (formerly, Guardian's Office) • Operation and Transport Corporation, Ltd. (OTC) • Operation Freakout • Operation Snow White • Overboarding • Paulette Cooper • Private investigator(s) • Raid • Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF) • Richard M. Nixon • Robert Vaughn Young • Russell Miller • Scott Mayer • The Scandal of Scientology (book) • William C. "Bill" Walsh
picture of LRH; pictures of books “L. Ron Hubbard, Messiah or Madman?”, “Bare-Faced Messiah] VO: Scientology lost its founder in 1986. And the news that Hubbard was no longer sparked a flurry of unofficial biographies. Russell Miller walking down road; picture of LRH RUSSELL MILLER (voice of and on camera): I knew that there was some question mark over L. Ron Hubbard’s background. The church presents a picture of L. Ron Hubbard as being a very extraordinary individual, and was almost ...
Tag(s): Alexander Cockburn • Anti-psychiatry • Aron Mason • Arts and Entertainment Channel • Bare-Faced Messiah: The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard (book) • Dead agenting (Black PR, smear campaign) • Eli Lilly • Eric Sherman • Fair game • Ford Greene • Fraud, lie, deceit, misrepresentation • Freedom (Scientology magazine) • Graham E. Berry • Harassment • Internal Revenue Service (IRS) • Jonathan "Jon" Caven-Atack • Joseph Mallia • L. Ron Hubbard's credentials • Lawsuit • Mark Ebner • Michael J. "Mike" Rinder • Mona Botros • Nadine Strossen • Private investigator(s) • Prozac (fluoxetine hydrochloride) • Richard Behar • Robert Vaughn Young • Russell Miller • Scientology: The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power (article) • Silencing criticism, censorship • TIME Magazine
“Operation Clambake” web page VO: The ’90s brought with it a new challenge for the Church of Scientology in the form of the Internet. newspaper article titled “Showdown in Cyberspace”; David Gerard’s web page; web page that says “Why I hate Scientology” GRAHAM BERRY (voice of and on camera): The Internet has been a disaster for Scientology. Netizens, or people who spend a lot of time on the net, have a particular wild west attitude towards the First Amendment. They believe ...
Tag(s): Alexander Cockburn • alt.religion.scientology • Arnaldo P. "Arnie" Lerma • Arts and Entertainment Channel • Copyright, trademark, patent • Dennis Erlich • Earle C. Cooley • Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) • Ford Greene • Graham E. Berry • Jeremiah Gutman • Mark Ebner • Michael J. "Mike" Rinder • Monique E. Yingling • Raid • Robert S. "Bob" Minton • Robert Vaughn Young • Silencing criticism, censorship • Tammy Terrenzi • Xenu (Operating Thetan level 3, OT 3, Wall of Fire) • xenu.net (aka Operation Clambake)
Hardball: When Scientology goes to court, it likes to play rough -- very rough. — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Author(s): Lucy Morgan
Tag(s): Arnaldo P. "Arnie" Lerma • Bankruptcy • Bob Penny • Boston Herald • Church of Scientology of California (CSC) • Copyright, trademark, patent • Cult Awareness Network (CAN) (earlier form, Citizen's Freedom Foundation) • Daniel A. Leipold • David Miscavige • Dennis Erlich • Elliot J. Abelson • FACTNet • Fair game • Ford Greene • Graham E. Berry • Internal Revenue Service (IRS) • Judge Edward Y. Kakita • Judge John J. Kane Jr. • Judge John P. Shook • Judge Leonie M. Brinkema • Judge Ronald E. Swearinger • Judge Ronald M. Whyte • Kendrick L. Moxon • Kennan G. "Ken" Dandar • Lawrence "Larry" Wollersheim • Lawsuit • Legal • Lisa McPherson • Lucy Morgan • Mark C. "Marty" Rathbun • Michael J. "Mike" Rinder • Monique E. Yingling • Private investigator(s) • Richard Behar • Robert S. "Bob" Minton • Samuel D. "Sandy" Rosen • Scientology: The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power (article) • St. Petersburg Times (Florida) • Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) • TIME Magazine
Item contributed by: Ron Sharp
Ex-Scientologist wins $6 million after 17-year fight — Daily Journal (Los Angeles, California)
Author(s): Kathy Kinsey
Source: Daily Journal (Los Angeles, California)
Type: Tort, intentional infliction of emotion distress, alter ego. Bench decision: Amendment of judgment - $6,025,857 ($4,649,328 renewed judgment plus $1,376,529 accrued interest). Case/Number: Larry Wollersheim v. Church of Scientology of California / C332027. Court/Date: L.A. Superior Central / Oct. 29, 1997. Judge: John P. Shook. Attorneys: Plaintiff - Craig J. Stein (Gartenberg, Jaffe, Gelfand & Stein, LLP, L.A.); Daniel A. Leipold, Cathy Shipe, Robert F. Donohue (Hagenbaugh & Murphy, Orange); Lita Schlosser (Encino); Ford Greene (Hub Law Offices, San Anselmo). ...
Tag(s): Auditing • Bankruptcy • Cathy Shipe • Celebrity Centre • Church of Scientology International (CSI) • Church of Scientology of California (CSC) • Church of Spiritual Technology (CST) (dba, L. Ron Hubbard Library) • Copyright, trademark, patent • Craig J. Stein • Cult Awareness Network (CAN) (earlier form, Citizen's Freedom Foundation) • Daily Journal (Los Angeles, California) • Daniel A. Leipold • David Miscavige • Destroying/hiding/falsifying evidences • Disconnection • Earle C. Cooley • Ethics (Scientology) • Fair game • False imprisonment • Field Staff Member (FSM) • Ford Greene • Gerald Chaleff • Germany • Graham E. Berry • Harassment • John Travolta • Judge James G. Kolts • Judge James M. Ideman • Judge John P. Shook • Judge Ronald E. Swearinger • Kathy Kinsey • Lawrence "Larry" Wollersheim • Lawsuit • Leta Schlosser • Mental illness • Monique E. Yingling • Operating Thetan (OT) • Oxford Capacity Analysis (aka, "free Scientology personality test" aka "U-Test" aka "Pape Test") • Recruitment • Religious cloaking • Religious Technology Center (RTC) • Robert Donohue • Sea Organization (Sea Org, SO) • Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) • Suppressive person (SP) • Tax matter • Training Routines (TRs) • William T. Drescher • World Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE) • [needtotag]
Decision: Church of Scientology v. Wollersheim (1996)
Type: Legal
Tag(s): Ford Greene • Lawrence "Larry" Wollersheim • [needtotag]
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Scientology library: “Judge Ronald E. Swearinger”
allen hubbert • auditing • catherine gewertz • charles b. o'reilly • chick corea • church of scientology of california (csc) • disconnection • earle c. cooley • fair game • fraud, lie, deceit, misrepresentation • gabriel "gabe" cazares • joel sappell • judge ronald e. swearinger • julie christofferson titchbourne • ken hoden • lawrence "larry" wollersheim • lawsuit • margaret thaler singer • medical claims • membership • mental illness • operation snow white • protest, picket • robert w. welkos • supernatural abilities (aka ot powers)
4 matching items found between Jul 1986 and Dec 1986. Furthermore, there are 20 matching items for all time not shown.
'Expert' turns bad trial into bad verdict — Journal-American
Author(s): Ron Arnold
Source: Journal-American
Why do I have to spend so much time defending religions I don't belong to? I didn't really want a scrapbook of columns sticking up for persecuted Jews, Evangelical Christians, Muslims, Taoists, Native American Shamanists, Moonies and Scientologists, among others. The question that troubles me most, though, is why do I have to defend them from our own government? The reason, of course, is that I don't want the First Amendment repealed. And a Los Angeles jury did just that July ...
Tag(s): Church of Scientology of California (CSC) • Cult Awareness Network (CAN) (earlier form, Citizen's Freedom Foundation) • Journal-American • Judge Ronald E. Swearinger • Lawrence "Larry" Wollersheim • Lawsuit • Margaret Thaler Singer • Ron Arnold • Ted Patrick • Thomas S. Szasz
Scientology members protest $30-million damage award to ex-follower — Los Angeles Times (California)
Author(s): Jerry Belcher
Source: Los Angeles Times (California)
Hundreds of Scientologists were alternately exhorted and entertained Wednesday in the Los Angeles Civic Center during a highly organized protest against a $30-million jury award, which they claimed threatens the freedom, not only of their church, but of all religions in this country. The daytime turnout for the protest peaked shortly before noon, with about 850 members of the Church of Scientology marching in front of the Los Angeles County Courthouse on North Hill Street, bearing signs such as "Religious Beliefs ...
Tag(s): Allen Hubbert • Charles B. O'Reilly • Chick Corea • Fair game • Jerry Belcher • Judge Ronald E. Swearinger • Ken Hoden • Lawrence "Larry" Wollersheim • Lawsuit • Leo Champion • Los Angeles Times (California) • Protest, picket
Man is awarded $30-million in lawsuit against Scientology — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
More: news.google.com
Author(s): Catherine Gewertz
Tag(s): Catherine Gewertz • Church of Scientology of California (CSC) • Earle C. Cooley • Gabriel "Gabe" Cazares • Judge Ronald E. Swearinger • Julie Christofferson Titchbourne • Ken Hoden • Lawrence "Larry" Wollersheim • Lawsuit • Membership • Operation Snow White • St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Scientologists must pay $30 million to critical ex-member — Los Angeles Times (California)
More: link, @L.A. Times, differs from scanned version
Author(s): Joel Sappell, Robert W. Welkos
A Los Angeles Superior Court jury Tuesday awarded $30 million in damages to a former member of the Church of Scientology who said the organization intentionally drove him to the edge of insanity and ruined him financially for criticizing the group. The 12-0 verdict in favor of Larry Wollersheim brought gasps from the Scientologists who packed Judge Ronald Swearinger's court-room, as they had throughout the bitterly contested five-month-long trial. Some sobbed. Wollersheim was awarded $5 million in compensatory damages and $25 ...
Tag(s): Auditing • Charles B. O'Reilly • Disconnection • Earle C. Cooley • Fair game • Fraud, lie, deceit, misrepresentation • Joel Sappell • Judge Ronald E. Swearinger • Lawrence "Larry" Wollersheim • Lawsuit • Los Angeles Times (California) • Margaret Thaler Singer • Medical claims • Mental illness • Robert W. Welkos • Supernatural abilities (aka OT powers)
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5LakesEnergy
5 Lakes Energy is a Michigan-based policy consulting firm dedicated to advancing policies and programs that promote clean energy and sound water policy for a resilient environment.
Time for Lansing to Catch, Not Ignore, the New-Tech Energy Wave
Time for Lansing to Catch,…
http://www.mlui.org/energy/news-views/news-views-articles/time-for-lansing-to-catch-not-ignore-the-new-tech-energy-wave.html#.VSU6EPnF-So
Employing new grid technologies can weave together renewable and storage energy sources large and small, reducing the need to build additional old-fashioned,centralized, fossil-fueled plants. (Graphic: Powertown)
Now that Governor Rick Snyder, state Senate and House Republicans, and Democrats in both chambers have each outlined their proposed next steps for Michigan’s energy future, it’s time for a serious conversation about the choices we’re facing, the assertions we’re hearing, and the best ways to deal with them.
Heard most around the Capitol is concern about a projected shortfall in reserve capacity—the standby power utilities must maintain in case a big power plant suddenly fails or legions of air conditioners push our power supply to the limit on hot days.
That alleged shortfall, said to roughly equal the power from three very large coal plants, has the attention of the Michigan Public Service Commission. The agency is looking closely at it—and the remedies the state’s two largest monopolies, DTE Energy and Consumers Energy, prefer. Both utilities filed briefs, and the public comment period for this very technical proceeding is now closed.
But the utilities’ filings—and the tenor of conversations among many Lansing lawmakers—indicate that the utilities want to build more big, centralized, gas-fired power plants. Yet given the remarkable technological progress that’s occurred in the industry since the last time Michigan fired up a new fuel-burning generation station, that is likely shortsighted.
Utilities, lawmakers, and regulators need to reduce their focus on “base load.” While many say the only way to build energy capacity is to build ever-more base load, that argument is fading because of how the grid actually works, how it is changing, and what it is rapidly becoming.
We’ll always need a rock-solid, unshakably constant supply of power. But today there are other ways to do that besides merely burning more fossil fuel.
New distributed energy technologies, new grid control systems, and new demand-side energy services should be part of what has been an under-informed, truncated conversation about meeting Michigan’s future electricity needs.
These long-touted technologies have arrived, are generally proving to be less expensive than predicted, and are changing the way electricity is generated, managed, marketed and distributed.
These technologies facilitate better management and balancing of ever-shifting energy demand—from homes, offices, stores and factories—with ever-shifting supply—from coal, gas, nuclear, hydro, wind and tiny amounts of solar. Operated in smart ways, these technologies can drastically cut the need for reserve capacity from pricey, new central power plants.
Building a new, gas-fired “peaker” plant that might operate 400 hours a year to keep the AC on for the hottest days is a crude, expensive and increasingly primitive approach. Worse, given the operational and technological changes many utilities are now deploying, new central plants would likely have a limited useful lifetime. That’s the worst kind of reserve capacity: expensive and unneeded.
New distributed technologies—energy sources within the grid itself, not at some central location—can smooth out energy demand peaks and valleys, steady the output of variable generators like solar and wind, provide the support needed to make sure the power is ultra-clean and steady, and make the grid more stable and resilient—two qualities we sometimes miss these days.
This new tech also protects ratepayers from paying twice for the same backup power—once when a plant is built and becomes part of the utility’s rate base; and again when it’s fired up and charges for its power at many times wholesale, even retail, rates.
Fortunately the capabilities, performance, and costs of the new, distributed technologies are quickly improving.
Energy storage—long thought too expensive because batteries were so pricey—is now more economical for meeting demand spikes than building and operating natural gas peaker plants, when counting the “extras” it provides—particularly the ability to power up instantly to meet a demand spike. With the steady improvements in battery technology; the steady fall in prices thanks to new, advanced manufacturing techniques and new chemistries; and the economies of scale as more companies manufacture more batteries; the economics of distributed energy storage will soon be compelling.
Note well: These are the same arguments proponents made for wind and solar power a decade ago—and those then-nascent technologies have since outperformed even the most optimistic proponents’ projections.
As more wind and solar generation come online, their variability—along with always-variable demand—will require new control systems and energy services to harmonize and smooth loads—something the transmission grid has done easily so far, with the current, relatively low amounts of both.
Of course, energy efficiency remains the proven, all-time champion for dealing with rising demand. It’s simple: the cheapest and most dependable energy is the energy a customer never needs or uses, and that’s exactly what efficiency measures provide—sometimes at less than one-third the cost of generated power.
The next step in efficiency—pro-active energy management systems, ranging from high-tech residential thermostats to campus micro grids—already help some smart utilities shift loads from heavy to light demand periods, eliminating the need for more peaker plants by getting rid of the peaks. Such “demand-side energy efficiency” is crucial for ratepayers, because it is the best, cheapest way to comply with EPA’s Clean Power Plan regulations, which will soon set emission reduction standards for Michigan’s overall electric system.
Recall that, in 2008, our utility sector was pressing hard to build no less than ten new coal-fired power plants in Michigan. But not a single one was built. As coal plant opponents repeatedly predicted, the projected growth in demand used to justify $15 or 20 billion worth of new coal plants never showed up.
What happened? Industry continued to figure out ways to use less energy; so did commercial operations and homeowners. Utility energy optimization programs, required by enlightened state lawmakers, accelerated the trend, producing better than three-to-one payoffs in lower utility costs. Those programs cost just a penny or two per kilowatt-hour saved—a quarter or third of the cost of generation.
At the same time, wind power’s price fell by more than half, making it very competitive with new gas plants. The same thing is now occurring with solar power, even in far-north, cloudy Michigan. Both demonstrate just how powerful renewable technology now is.
So, like it or not, our power system is evolving more quickly every day. New demand-side and supply-side technologies are, and increasingly will, allow grid operators to meet capacity requirements with more precision, less cost, and no need for a big build-out of new gas plants.
Failure to take these trends into account when making long-term investment decisions is irresponsible and imprudent, will likely push up energy prices unnecessarily, and could leave behind big, unused power plants, slowly rusting away at our expense.
Michigan can learn from other states that are focusing on distributed energy and demand management as the most cost-effective way to meet electricity demand. Those states are casting off old thinking, reforming their energy vision, and redesigning their power systems using planning collaboratives that bring the best energy expertise to the table to assess technologies, services and future trends.
Why can’t Michigan do the same?
Skip Pruss is a founding principal of 5 Lakes Energy, a Lansing-based energy consulting firm. Jim Dulzo is the Michigan Land Use Institute’s senior energy policy specialist; reach him at jimdulzo@mlui.org.
Categories: Blog, Press, UncategorizedBy Admin April 8, 2015
Tags: 5 Lakes Energyadvanced energyenergyenergy efficiencyrenewable energy
PreviousPrevious post:Wind gets cheaper, but energy for building turbines wanesNextNext post:Energy optimization and efficiency are vital to more secure, reliable energy future for Michigan
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The twins from 'Desperate Housewives' and 'Cheaper by the Dozen', Brent and Shane Kinsman, are all grown up
Nick Everard and Jenny Ky
Published: Thursday, 17 September 2020 11:39 AM
Brent and Shane Kinsman interview
Former child actors Brent and Shane Kinsman are all grown up.
Former child actors Brent and Shane Kinsman had their first role alongside Steve Martin and Hillary Duff in the family favourite, Cheaper by the Dozen.
And they’re still remembered by fans as the Scavo twins from Desperate Housewives.
Watch the full interview above
Now, the twins are all grown up.
And while they’ve taken a break from acting to focus on being regular young adults and getting their college degrees, they still look back fondly on their time on film and TV sets.
“People still think we’re six or seven-years-old,” Shane said.
The twins are all grown up. Credit: Seven Network
“They’re surprised that we grew up with them.”
“We were both four turning five in the first one, and seven turning eight in the second one,” Brent said.
“What you saw on camera was pretty much what you got off-camera - a bunch of kids you basically had to corral together and keep them disciplined and on-track at the same time.
Brent and Shane starred in both Cheaper by the Dozen films. Credit: 20th Century Fox
“The second film we filmed in Toronto, Canada - and we have a little bit more of a recollection of that experience.
“And there were even more kids, so it was a good experience.”
The twins spent four years on Desperate Housewives - and they admit the adult themes on the show went straight over their heads.
“Our parents, as well as the cast and crew, did such a great job of keeping us compartmentalised as kids while we were on the show,” Shane said.
“They protected us from the racy themes went on - and it was this summer when we started watching it.
“Our parents completely shielded us from all the bad stuff that went on in that show, because we were five, six, seven, growing up on that.”
What they’re doing now
Brent and Shane are now 22-years-old, and they’re hoping to get back in front of the camera once they’ve finished their studies.
More from 7NEWS.com.au
How Maggie Wheeler came up with Janice's iconic laugh
Adam Garcia spills on THAT iconic dance scene from 'Coyote Ugly'
“I just graduated, and Brent has one more quarter that he’s going to finish online,” Shane said.
“Come the New Year, our plan for a little while has been to get back on some auditions and get back into the industry as adults.”
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Managing a VP of Sales: It’s Not Supposed to be Easy
by Scott Weiss
Company Building 101
sales (& partnerships)
The most successful tech companies are typically led by their technical, product-oriented founder-CEOs who have very little experience in building a sales organization. Bringing on a sales leader and building a sales organization exercises a completely different muscle for most engineering-heavy startups.
And if you’ve hired right, managing a vice president of sales is meant to be tough work. That’s because the very best sales leaders are extremely demanding. They call out competitive weaknesses, constantly push for more feature velocity, and promise bug fixes or features that get crammed into every release. They stretch everyone to their limit. It will drive you and others in the company bananas.
But if your VP of sales is not periodically at odds with the VPs of product, engineering, operations, finance, etc., then he or she is probably not demanding enough. If done right, this role gives the entire company a reason to work harder as the sales VP reveals and strongly advocates for the customer struggle. That said, the CEO still needs to manage this person tightly. Because once the VP of sales unleashes her or his superpower — being a master negotiator/influencer — inside the company, it can create dysfunction across the team.
As it is it’s not easy for technical founders or engineering-centric startups to take on business management too. So how can they manage a difficult VP of sales?
When I was a CEO, I actually had not one but two high-powered VPs of sales, one for North America and the other for international. I’m not sure I’d recommend this configuration as it was atypical (both were both amazing so I wasn’t going to risk putting one under the other) and takes extra work. But one of the benefits of having two VP of sales at once was that I got a crash course in sales management. Here are some of the things we did that worked out well…
Embrace the conflict
As mentioned earlier, really great VPs of sales usually create organizational conflict. One of the important roles of the CEO, therefore, is to arbitrate those disagreements. But not begrudgingly. He or she has to be both available and even eager to help make the tough “51%-49%” calls: Should we jam in a “super important” customer-specific feature into the next release? Do we price a “sticky” new feature for broad adoption, or to maximize revenue?
These decisions — which involve overruling a very senior, intelligent, passionate member of the leadership team — are often ugly to manage. The CEO needs to carefully listen to everyone’s perspective and make a swift and fair judgment. In addition to making those decisions, it helps to be transparent with your reasoning. One of the things I did was paraphrase both sides of the arguments in my own words. This not only made it clear to everyone that their point of view was carefully considered, but my rationale revealed to them what I valued too.
Set goals that align the sales VP to the entire company — not just to the sales organization
Each sales VP agreed with me on three annual and three quarterly goals. One was usually about exceeding the topline number, and the other two were goals like “hire a Canadian country manager” and “secure five reference customers in financial services”.
By capturing both quantitative and qualitative goals (something that’s often overlooked when it comes to sales, especially in a fast-growing startup), the CEO helps set the tone for what’s important for the entire company — not just the sales organization. These frequent goal-setting negotiations also gave me the opportunity to push and probe on how my team could accomplish more with less.
Meet with them frequently, but don’t micromanage them
To help keep these goals on track, it helps to do frequent 1:1s. It’s also another mechanism, built into your calendar, for making sure the CEO is always available to resolve conflicts.
In my case, we held 1:1s about every two weeks; we’d sit down for 30 minutes or an hour and go over progress towards goals, recent decisions, and roadblocks. I’d have to mentally gear up for those sparring matches with my VPs of sales as it was a rare meeting when they didn’t come in to agitate for more resources, responsibility, or compensation for their teams. I often used these meetings to reinforce the “win/loss” decisions or to get them to empathize with their peers’ perspectives. Investing in this time up front also heads off conflicts and saves time later.
Don’t overlook or dismiss the value of performance reviews
The most pertinent feedback for the sales leaders usually came from the 360-degree comments I would collect from their peers on the management team as part of well-prepared semi-annual performance reviews. Most of the performance review discussions invariably focused on how to work more effectively with their peers since they were already hitting their numbers.
It’s one thing to tell someone they’re being “passive-aggressive”, but it’s way more impactful to hear it explained seven different ways by their peers… And remember, if the CEO doesn’t take performance reviews seriously, nobody else will.
Get out in the field more
It’s hard for a CEO to understand the selling environment, quality of the field teams, shortcomings in the product, or idiosyncrasies of particular customers or places without making frequent trips out of the office.
My rule of thumb was that at least 25% of my time should be spent with our customers and sales teams. Hearing the feedback directly from customers, watching them in front of those customers, riding in the car with the team and taking them to dinner gave me great insight into my VPs’ hiring, training, and the culture they were building in the field. It also gave me great product insight (that I then shared with the rest of the company through a “notes from the road” email on my flight back).
Give them enough room to independently operate
Our international team was set up with an innovative P&L structure that helped us to hire and groom far-flung regional managers to act like owners — with all the responsibilities. Essentially, they got paid commission after we subtracted their region-specific expenses like travel, office space, field marketing, and local team overhead. (We also stopped getting requests for fancy space “we need it for credibility with customers” when commission was taken out after those expenses; they got creative saving on travel as a result.)
Giving sales leaders a budget with an operating envelope to trade off resources will dramatically speed up decision-making, especially when you are managing across time zones. However, it’s also important to realize that independent decision making in operations doesn’t mean a complete lack of oversight.
Sales is process-heavy, repetitive, and very culturally different than engineering.
While hiring the right person is critical, it is only the beginning of a complex process of integrating them into the team and acclimating them to the company culture. This process must be owned and led by the CEO who must come up to speed on sales management quickly and find ways to blend and appreciate the cultural differences. The amount of time and effort spent here often determines the success or whether the body rejects the organ…or incorporates it into being the superpower it ought to be.
This article originally appeared in Forbes.
This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities or digital assets are for illustrative purposes only, and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by a16z. (An offering to invest in an a16z fund will be made only by the private placement memorandum, subscription agreement, and other relevant documentation of any such fund and should be read in their entirety.) Any investments or portfolio companies mentioned, referred to, or described are not representative of all investments in vehicles managed by a16z, and there can be no assurance that the investments will be profitable or that other investments made in the future will have similar characteristics or results. A list of investments made by funds managed by Andreessen Horowitz (excluding investments and certain publicly traded cryptocurrencies/ digital assets for which the issuer has not provided permission for a16z to disclose publicly) is available at https://a16z.com/investments/.
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by Sarah Wang and David George
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Home / Abell News / Abell Brief: Summer 2020
Baltimore's Digital Divide: Gaps in Internet Connectivity and the Impact on Low-income City Residents
This Abell Report documents the depths of Baltimore's digital divide, a systemic problem that is now urgent and acute as it creates barriers to remote learning, telehealth appointments, and applying for jobs and benefits.
Large numbers of Baltimore households lack two essential tools for getting online: wireline broadband service at home and access to a computer. According to the 2018 American Community Survey, 96,000 households in Baltimore (40.7%) did not have wireline internet service, such as cable, fiber, or digital subscriber line service. And some 75,000 Baltimore City households, or one in three, do not have either a desktop or laptop computer. Most of these households are lower income.
As services increasingly move online, this lack of access affects a growing number of essential activities– from homework to job searches to benefit applications. For many lower-income households and communities of color, the lack of internet or a computer is compounding gaps in educational attainment and financial security. While smartphone adoption is more widespread, smartphones are not an adequate substitute for a laptop or desktop computer – especially when it comes to education. In Baltimore City, nearly 20,000 households with children under the age of 17 do not have wireline broadband or computers at home.
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become clear that reliable internet access is now part of our social safety net. With large portions of society driven to cyberspace, new attention and urgency has come to gaps in Americans’ internet connectivity. Those on the wrong side of the digital divide are left out during a national crisis that in many ways necessitates online connectivity for accessing education, unemployment benefits, grocery delivery, and health care services.
In “Baltimore’s Digital Divide: Gaps in Internet Connectivity and the Impact on Low-Income City Residents,” technology expert John B. Horrigan, Ph.D., analyzes the latest data from the 2018 American Community Survey and compares Baltimore with 32 other American cities. The report finds that Baltimore lags behind most of these cities – ranking 29th for both home wireline broadband adoption and for having a laptop or desktop computer in the home.
The roots of these inequities are deep and systemic, but they are not insurmountable. While there are proposals to help increase home internet and computer access at the federal level, the report finds that there are number of things that Baltimore City can do to make increased access a reality. The recommendations include:
Develop a pipeline of device delivery to low-income households, prioritizing families with school-age children.
Enhance the capability of community anchor institutions such as libraries and neighborhood nonprofits to provide tech support and digital skills training.
Enlist a wide range of stakeholders to address digital inequality, e.g., deeper engagement among the business and university communities.
Build capacity in city government on digital access issues so that Baltimore’s city government can have a stronger leadership position on this issue.
See maps showing the scope of Baltimore's digital divide here.
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Baltimore's Digital Divide
This Abell Report explores prevention, intervention, and policy strategies to reduce the individual and societal costs associated with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) for children in Baltimore City.
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Proper Ventilation Reduces Roof Top Annual Operating Costs by $2,300 in a Small School
With funding from the Massachusetts Green Communities Grant Program, AEI studied a small 150,000ft2 middle school campus in Carlisle, MA to uncover energy savings opportunities through O&M changes that are no/low cost to the Town. The campus has several connected buildings, wild occupancy swings, and recently installed a thermal wheel as part of a major renovation to the largest building on the campus. The scope also includes building several years of baseline performance data for use when considering future capital projects.
By evaluating the Johnson Controls BAS data we uncovered several opportunities, one of which was an the outside air damper that was ~50% open during the heating season (NIST APAR Rule #2 Mode 1) when the Outside Air Damper Command was 10%. The CO2 levels in the space during this time period are rarely above 425ppm, indicating there is no reason for this excessive amount of ventilation. This would indicate that the outside air dampers are stuck, not operating smoothly, or are operating through a narrow range.
The introduction of excessive outside air was costing the school approximately $2,300 per year in fuel to condition the air. The data led us to the roof of the school where a disconnected actuator was found as the cause. The corrective action also saves the school approximately 1,565 therms (3.0 tons of landfill waste) in GHGe. We also recommended the installation of a VFD on the RTU to generate an additional savings of $1,509 and 10,800kWh (2.7 tons of landfill waste) from reduced electricity usage.
AEI Case Studies
Disaggregating Main Meter Interval Data for Discrete Load Identification
An Energy Review of Boston City Hall And Other Selected Facilities
Carlisle Gleason Library Prepares for Demand Charge Increases
LEED Silver Hotel in Boston Suffers from Comfort Complaints and $100,000 in Lost Energy
A Revised Control Strategy to Reduce CO2 in an Under-Ventilated Classroom
Carlisle Public School Develops Usage Baselines in Preparation for Demand Charge Increases
Proper Sequencing of Loads at a Large MA High School Reduces Summer Peak Demand Charges
Control of VFDs at UMass Dartmouth results in over $150,000 in annual energy savings
Visit this page often as AEI continues to develop specific case studies with each and every project we complete. In most cases, the case studies you see here are backed up with more in-depth reports that go into more detail, including the engineering and cost-to-operate models that lead to our conclusions.
Contact us to start a discussion on how these cases may apply to your situation.
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ARJ Musings
Media / Videos
Alison Rose Jefferson, Keynote Speaker, Santa Monica Conservancy Annual Meeting and Awards on Feb. 8, 2015
I have the honor of being the keynote speaker at the Santa Monica Conservancy’s Annual Meeting and Preservation Awards program on February 8. I will discuss the layered Santa Monica history of the meeting’s location at Casa Del Mar Hotel, once a historical, Jim Crow era leisure space of African Americans sometimes known as the Inkwell. I hope to see you at the meeting, and please feel free to pass this information on. See announcement below.
Santa Monica Conservancy’s Annual Meeting and Preservation Awards
Sunday, February 8th, noon to 2 pm
At the Historic Hotel Casa Del Mar
1910 Ocean Way, Santa Monica, CA 90405
We are pleased to invite you to our 2015 Annual Meeting and Preservation Awards, hosted by Hotel Casa Del Mar. In addition to presentation of the Preservation Awards, we will review the Conservancy’s successes in 2014 including an update on the Preservation Resource Center at the rehabilitated Shotgun House, and the election of the Board of Directors. Refreshments will include passed hors d’oeuvres and a no-host bar.
Photos from the Los Angeles Public Library collection taken at the “Inkwell”, left: ca 1920, center: ca 1924. Photo on right: Nick Gabaldon Day, June 1, 2013, Black Surfers Collective. (click to enlarge)
Our speaker will be historian Alison Rose Jefferson, who will discuss inclusiveness in cultural heritage conservation and interpretation in a talk on Diversity, Real Estate, and Remembrance in Santa Monica. She will describe her research and some innovative programming efforts at the “Inkwell,” the historical Jim Crow era, African-American beach site adjacent to the Casa del Mar which remained an important gathering place long after racial restriction attempts at public beaches were abandoned in 1927.
In 2008 the City of Santa Monica installed a monument at Bay Street and Oceanfront Walk officially recognizing the “Inkwell” and Nick Gabaldón, the first documented surfer of African- and Mexican-American descent. At this site Gabaldón and others challenged racism and class structures to enjoy beach public space, and contributed to opening up leisure and public spaces for all. Jefferson has initiated new partnerships with colleagues in ocean stewardship as well as in history, social action, surfing and aquatics, to share more diverse stories about our heritage with younger and broader audiences. The Conservancy frequently partners with Jefferson to provide an information booth and interpretive displays during these events.
The Annual Meeting is free. However, space is limited and advance reservations are advised by February 4. Register online, by sending email to rsvp@smconservancy.org or by leaving a message at (310) 496-3146.
Are you a current member of the Conservancy?
Your annual membership contributions support our work to preserve the architectural and cultural heritage of our city. You will receive our informative quarterly newsletter and discounts on tours and events – as well as complimentary admission to Saturday’s annual Holiday Party.
Join or renew now! You may join online as an Individual or Household Member or as a Business/Corporate Member. Or send a check to the address below.
Santa Monica Conservancy
Contact Name: Santa Monica Conservancy
http://www.smconservancy.org/events-programs/special-events/
Belmar History + Art, a Santa Monica Commemorative Justice Initiative Continues Rolling Out 2020–2021
Hello 2021 and ARJ News!
ARJ News – Fight the Power!
Rising Up: African American Sites of Conscience in Manhattan Beach and Santa Monica, CA
ARJ selected for a 2020 LACHS Award and the LA Times Festival of Books; Other News
BlackPast.org
Bruce's Beach
Intangible Heritage
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
Nick Gabaldon
Add me to your eNewsletter list:
Reach out for questions, comments, and bookings. I’d like to hear from you.
Copyright © 2021 Alison Rose Jefferson
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About ACEIoT
ACEIoT Brochure
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Home Background About ACEIoT
African Center of Excellence in Internet of Things(ACEIoT)
Despite remarkable growth in GDPs (6%) of Eastern and Southern African (ESA) low-income countries during the last decade, the region significantly lags behind developed economies in Science, Technology & Innovation (STI) capacity. Without a quantum leap in STI capacity, this region’s development challenges cannot be addressed effectively.
Hence, we propose an African Center of Excellence in Internet of Things (ACEIoT) to educate and train African researchers in the field of IoT, who will develop and deploy innovative IoT-enabled services, to address development challenges across all ESA high-priority domains. For example, (i) remote monitoring and diagnosis technology to provide rural populations with access to quality healthcare; (ii) wide-area networked sensors could be used for precision agriculture to improve yield; (iii) smart metering in African households, could regulate the power usage and increase energy efficiency.
ACEIoT’s objectives are to (i) build a critical mass of African scientists and engineers in IoT through higher education and research, and (ii) set up an IoT living lab in Rwanda for open innovation and co-creation of IoT4D. More specifically, ACEIoT’s aims to, develop curricula to promote cutting-edge research in the field of IoT; train high-level professionals and academics in the field of IoT through Master’s and PhD programmes in Wireless Intelligent Sensor Networks and Embedded Computing Systems; increase IoT applied research output with relevance to the ESA priority domains, focusing on innovative, low-cost, open and sustainable solutions, and excel as a focal point for regional and international research collaborations, by providing a forum for researchers to share ideas and results on IoT applications.
ACEIoT will build on UR-CST’s existing collaborations with the local and international partners, including Carnegie Mellon University in Rwanda, and the International Center for Theoretical Physics, Italy. The 2015 Global Information Technology Report by World Economic Forum ranked Rwanda first globally in government success in ICT promotion. Rwanda’s strong fiber backbone and its national broadband strategy of increasing access to innovative IT-enabled services to her citizens, with the target of achieving national broadband network coverage of 95% by 2018, via 4G-LTE, positions her to host the ACEIoT.
ACEIoT .All Rights Reserved
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Health, Education, and Welfare
Roe vs. Wade Under Attack
Women’s Health Round Table: A Vital Conversation on the Future of Roe v. Wade
Call Governor Rauner Now and Urge Him to Sign These Bills
Health Care Update: May, 2018
Campaign Promises and Presidential Propaganda—Trump’s Plan to lower drug prices
What Do Doctors Think of the Graham-Cassidy Bill to Replace the ACA?
Work Requirement for Medicaid—Will This Idea Fly in Illinois?
The Current State of Medicaid in Illinois
Another GOP effort to replace the Affordable Care Act
To Understand Betsy DeVos’s Educational Views, View Her Education
Meatless Mondays Initiative
The Equal Rights Amendment: Where It Stands Today
Update on Asylum Seekers and Family Reunification
ACE Position Statement on the Equal Rights Amendment
Campaigns and Candidates
How a Bill Becomes a Law in Illinois
Illinois Ballot Integrity Project Highlights Election Hacking
Contact state, federal, and local officials
ACE in the News
ACE Discusses Potential Illinois Fair Tax
Should the Electoral College Be Abolished?
One Year in Office: A Report
Talking Impeachment with Professor Michael Seng
Census 2020 and its Importance for Illinois
Renewable Energy: Developing a Plan Now for the Future
ACE Welcomes Youth Outlook and Naper Pride to Celebrate Pride Month
Grassroots Activists in Battle of Their Lives
Is Medicare for All Possible?
ACE Hosts Immigration and Reunification Panel
Ed Yohnka on the ACLU and the President
Dan Coy on Overturning Citizens United and Dark Money in Politics
Emma Vosicky on Current Trends in Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth
Cristobal Cavazos on Immigrant Rights
Rahul Nayak on The ACA and how to fix it
Dale Bryson on Slashing the EPA
Contact ACE
ACE-Naperville
Act. Connect. Engage.
By Janice Podolski
ACE Health, Education, and Welfare Team Member
The Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decision establishing a woman’s right to seek an abortion is under attack in several states.
The Louisiana “Unsafe Abortion Protection Act,” enacted in 2014, requires abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a hospital within a 30 mile radius of the abortion facility. Only 1 of 4 abortion practitioners in the state has the required admitting privileges.
In 2016, the SCOTUS ruled in a 5-4 decision that an almost identical bill from Texas was unconstitutional because it placed an undue burden on woman’s right to seek an abortion. In Texas, there were 10,000 requests for abortions per year. The law would have closed all but one clinic in the state.
In 2017, the Louisiana law was struck down using references to the SCOTUS decision in the Texas case. On appeal, the 5th Circuit Court reversed the lower court finding saying that, although only one provider would meet the admitting privileges requirement, the other three providers did not make good faith efforts to get those privileges. Admitting privileges at hospitals are easier to get in Louisiana than in Texas.
The recent SCOTUS (5-4) decision on the Louisiana law sent the case back to the 5th Circuit. In the Texas case, Justice Anthony Kennedy had joined the four liberal justices in finding the law unconstitutional, but he retired and Justice Brett Kavanaugh has taken his place. In this most recent decision on the Louisiana case, Kavanaugh wrote his own dissent again saying that the other three practitioners in Louisiana would be able to get admitting privileges. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch did not join his dissent. Justice John Roberts was the swing vote and joined the four liberal justices.
There are currently 16-20 more similar laws in several states pending appeal to the SCOTUS.
ACE Health, Education, and Welfare Team Member Janice Podolski is a retired faculty member from the Department of Pharmacology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. She was a registered nurse for fifty years and has a master’s degree in Nursing and Ph.D. in Physiology. She volunteers at Loaves & Fishes Community Services and with PADS in DuPage County.
SPEAK OUT RECENT POSTS
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A. D. K. Voltz
Moray Street (2017-18)
12min 3(pic).3(eh).3(b.cl).3(contra)/4.3.3.1/timp.6perc/2hp.cel/str
Premiered 20/08/18 by the Queensland Youth Symphony
Nearly a decade ago, I was given a book by Carmel Curro entitled Home Made Poems. I had already received many books from Carmel in my life, but this one was particularly special: she herself was the author. Within Home Made Poems, there are a plethora of stories, including whimsical observations of rainbows, shoes, coffee pots and fresh tomatoes.
A truly enjoyable read, like all of Carmel’s poetry, Home Made Poems became the foundation for Moray Street. To contextualise the title, the Curro family home stands proudly on Moray Street, New Farm. Many are of the opinion that this real-estate is the finest in all of Brisbane; a sign assures me Moray Street is Brisbane’s most liveable street.
Score EXCERPT
READ A REVIEW
Copyright © 2019. All rights reserved. Last updated January 2021. Best viewed on PC.
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Home Archives Cartoons About Search Login Subscribe Donate Rules/FAQ Contact Merchandise
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« Another media attack on Trump fails | It's starting to look ugly for Democrats »
| Comments | Print |
The New Dark Age beckons
By Eric Utter
Nineteen Eighty-Four has arrived, albeit a few decades later than Orwell suspected. Honesty is no longer a cardinal virtue; truth is shunned and covered up...not sought out and celebrated. Our history is, too.
Democrats like Nancy Pelosi, Dianne Feinstein, "the Squad," Adam Schiff, Kamala Harris, and Joe Biden — and their aiders and abettors in the mainstream media — refuse to acknowledge obvious truths, while demanding that the rest of us proclaim obvious falsehoods to be obvious truths. It is jarring, insane.
Democrats tried to impeach President Trump over a "quid pro quo" they claim he issued via a phone call to then–newly installed Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, a claim Zelensky himself flatly denied, yet Dems insisted there was no basis whatsoever for Trump's claim that Biden had bribed Ukrainian officials to fire the prosecutor investigating his son's company...even though Biden is on tape bragging about doing just that. The media are quick to bring up any dirt they think they have on Trump's children and family, often from "anonymous sources." Yet when credible evidence turns up that would reflect badly (to say the least) on Hunter Biden and his dad Joe, the media refuse to even broach the subject with the Democratic candidate for president of the United States. There are countless more examples of the media blatantly slandering and libeling the president while shamelessly shielding and protecting Biden from any accusations or accountability for his past actions. (When Biden comes out of his basement, the media effectively wrap him lovingly in a portable yet permanent "safe space," as if he were a college freshman, not a near-octogenarian who has been part of the swamp for 47 consecutive years.)
To leftists, truth is relative at best. Yet, if recognized by others, it can often prevent them from attaining their goals. Therefore, it must be obfuscated or obliterated. In the early stages of "the pandemic," experts such as Dr. Fauci were adamantly telling people that there was no need to wear a face mask for protection. Now some say they believe that wearing a mask is a better defense against the coronavirus than a vaccine would provide. They claim the only reason they told citizens there was no need to wear a mask early on was to prevent doctors and critical care staff from being deprived of them. So, essentially they're saying: "We were just lying when we told you it wasn't necessary to wear a mask. And, since we were lying only then, you can trust us now when we say you must wear them!"
Progressives/statists/leftists/socialists/Democrats...they are basically all one and the same now. To them, mask mandates are simply a necessary form of obedience training.
We are living in a time of hoaxes. First there was the man-caused global warming we're all going to die in less than 12 years hoax. Then came the Russian-collusion hoax. And now we are in the iron grip of the COVID-19 is the deadliest pandemic ever and the only way to deal with it is to lock you all down and make you wear masks hoax. (Unless you are protesting racism or celebrating an NBA championship.)
The left in this country now acts very much like the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), demanding 100% fealty and lashing out at the slightest instance of criticism or insufficient worship.
Democrats are furious at Dianne Feinstein for hugging Lindsey Graham and thanking him for a job well done after Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearings.
YouTube screen grab.
The CCP recently used one of its mouthpieces, China Central Television (CCTV), to essentially threaten anyone anywhere who dares to criticize it, though it was really targeted at people and entities in the United States. This is sinister and disgusting and should anger every American. True rebels and anyone in an actual "resistance" movement would naturally detest this aggressive bullying. This is the kind of tyrannical mindset that our founders pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to overcome. We must do no less. It is that serious. At the very least, in a moral world, we would all be flipping the literal and figurative finger to the CCP and its sycophants here in the U.S., posting our addresses and contact information publicly and telling them to "come and get us."
If Donald Trump does not win the upcoming election, options for maintaining our liberty will be few. Secession and civil war are two of the ugliest of them. (Sadly, in a sense, we have devolved and are back where we were 160 years ago, with fewer ties that bind us.)
There is an even worse option. As Churchill once cautioned, we could "sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science." ("Experts," Big Tech, artificial intelligence?)
It is time to stand up and be counted. It is time to act as though the future of our republic depends on what we do now.
Because it does.
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Aluminium Tents » Ibadan Nigeria Aluminium Tents for Sale » Aluminium Tents for Sale in Ibadan Nigeria
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antiquesandartireland.com
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antiquesandartireland.com » » A SUCCESSFUL SALE FOR THE YEATS FAMILY AT SOTHEBY’S
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ART ANTIQUES IRELAND
A SUCCESSFUL SALE FOR THE YEATS FAMILY AT SOTHEBY’S
W.B. Yeats’ writing bureau sold for £187,500.
Even though the two most expensively estimated lots failed to find buyers the sale of the Yeats family collection at Sotheby’s today must be seen as a howling success. Many lots sold for way above the top estimate and there was very keen bidding for the private collection of one of Ireland’s most internationally known families of the 20th century. The sale of more than 220 lots comprised the personal effects of John Butler Yeats and his four children, poet W.B., embroidery designer Lily, printing press pioneer Lolly and artist Jack.
Billed as the highlight an archive of 133 letters from WB to his life long friend and first lover Olivia Shakespear spanning over 40 years from 1894 to 1936 failed to sell. They had been estimated at £250,000-350,000. Similarly The Runaway Horse, the most expensively estimated of the paintings in the sale by Jack B. Yeats remained unsold. It had been estimated at £150,000-250,000.
Against this W.B’s writing bureau made a hammer price of £187,500 over a top estimate of £30,000, John Butler Yeats’ Self Portrait, New York sold for £87,500 over a top estimate of £50,000, a portrait of WB by his father made £30,000 over a top estimate of £5,000, a painting of Coole by WB made £43,750 over a top estimate of £10,000 and his painting of the library at Coole made £50,000 over a top estimate of £12,000. WB’s desk chair made £32,500 and the family dining table, bought with his Nobel Prize money, made £10,000 over a top estimate of £2,500. Even his metal deed box sold for £15,000. Scrapbooks and sketchbooks all made big money. A sketchbook by WB with sketches, notes and early drafts of The Island of the Statues made £35,000 over a top estimate of £8,000. The Sunset belongs to you by Jack B made £212,500 over a top estimate of £150,000 and The Captain by the same artist sold for £87,500.
(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for September 25, August 27 and August 19, 2017)
Tags: Jack Yeats, sotheby's, WB YEATS
This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 27th, 2017 at 1:52 pm and is filed under ART, AUCTIONS, COLLECTIBLES, FURNITURE. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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New year offers opportunity to organize
By CHRISTINE BARCIA
Mise en place is a French culinary term that means “putting in place.” For chefs, having ingredients prepared and arranged before the cooking process begins allows for greater organization and efficiency in executing a recipe. Applying that concept in everyday life can bring that same organization to almost any task.
“The ability to be organized has become increasingly more important because living in contemporary America, life has become very complex and multifaceted. We live in an age of specialization which creates more options and more decisions,” said Michael Osit, Ed.D., a psychologist, author and speaker from Warren.
Osit offers an example. Forty years ago, he said, one would go to the grocery store to buy orange juice and it was available fresh or frozen and came in either a frozen can or a glass bottle.
“I recently went to the local market and found 27 varieties of orange juice — pulp, no pulp, some pulp, concentrate, vitamin D, and it now comes in cartons, juice boxes, pouches, bottles, etc.,” Osit said. Such mundane decisions can overwhelm individuals and lead to an inability to focus, and in turn, to stay organized.
“To become organized takes a good deal of emotional control and focus,” said Michael Vito, Ph.D., a psychologist with offices in Morristown and Watchung.
To get (and stay) organized, individuals must be “convinced of the value of organization,” Vito said.
Organization, Vito said, leads to better mental health by creating a “less stressful and better functioning” state of mind.
“Organized individuals run their life instead of their life running them. They are in control, which optimizes positive outcomes and minimizes stress and crisis occurring in their life,” Osit said.
According to National Association of Professional Organizers Member Director, Lori Vande Krol, good organizational systems reduce stress and allow people to focus time and energy on what matters most.
“With the speed and volume of information and clutter in our lives today, it has become even more important to have the right systems in place to manage it all,” Vande Krol said.
Organized people, Osit said, can greatly reduce anxiety when life is relatively predictable and surprises are at a minimum.
“Organized people frequently have a plan B, so they do not feel trapped or victimized in specific situations,” Osit said.
The first step to getting organized, whether at home or at work, involves a commitment to putting in the work upfront.
“Employ a ‘work now, play later’ philosophy,” Osit said.
In other words, “become a list maker and prioritize items,” Osit said.
Other suggestions that Osit offers include the following: immediately enter appointments into either a mobile phone or calendar; promptly list items on a to-do list; leave buffer time for appointments and deadlines to account for unexpected events such as traffic or illness; and develop routines for daily tasks so they are automatically completed.
Although technology is often designed to help with getting organized, the opposite effect often occurs.
“Technological devices can be critical tools to help a person be organized in their life if used appropriately (calendar, reminders, to-do lists, alerts, etc.), but they are also a significant distraction from the task at hand, which can cause inefficiency,” Osit said.
The Internet, tablets and mobile phones, Osit said, have created a “tremendous distraction from the present moment.
“Even when people are not sending or receiving messages, a piece of their attention is on the device that could buzz or vibrate at any moment.” Osit said.
Simple advice, like make a plan and stick to it, can facilitate greater organization.
“Put the keys in the key spot and the junk in the junk spot,” Zito said.
In the last decade, the organization industry has experienced growth, as evidenced by the increase in membership in the National Association of Professional Organizers. In 2005, there were 2,945 members, and today there are nearly 4,000 members, about a 30 percent increase, Vande Krol said.
“Interestingly, I am seeing a revitalized interest in living a simpler lifestyle by downsizing space, possessions and activities,” Vande Krol said.
Heather Pierce, owner of House in Order, a professional organization company serving central New Jersey, said the most common request she receives is for help in organizing paperwork.
“Many people hold on to much more paper than they need to because they don’t know what to keep and what to get rid of,” Pierce said.
People often become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of paper that enters their home whether it’s via mail, their child’s backpack or shopping receipts, Pierce said.
“They do nothing to clear the paper clutter. The result is often cluttered kitchen counters, drawers or cabinets, overstuffed filing cabinets, bags and boxes of papers that get moved from place to place, but never sorted and dealt with,” Pierce said.
Pam of Toms River, a client of Pierce, said her “breaking point” with clutter came after she retired and was at home amidst years of accumulated items.
“I started feeling overwhelmed with my possessions,” Pam said.
With Pierce’s service, Pam was able to organize papers that had piled up for years.
“Now I follow a path that there is a place for everything. I’ve been able to break old habits,” Pam said.
When Pierce meets with clients, she discusses any fears or anxieties they may have about the reorganization process.
“Every client is different, so my plan for each client may be different — what works for one person does not work for all. It is important to set clear expectations as far as the desired outcome, projected time needed to complete an organization project, costs of completing a project and the roles each of us will play in the overall completion of the organization project, Pierce said.
It takes a great deal of courage for many people to reach out to a professional organizer for help, Pierce said.
“Many people feel shame, anxiety and embarrassment about the disorganization of their home or office,” according to Pierce.
By conquering the clutter, she said, clients are able to focus on the things that matter most to them.
“Generally, you first want to determine your vision. In other words, how would your ideal space or day look and feel?” Vande Krol said.
Seeing a revitalized interest in living a simpler lifestyle, Vande Krol said, has led to individuals downsizing space, possessions and activities.
Organization Strategies
Get Organized at Home
Some basic tips for better organization at home, according to www.webmd.com, include: find a place for every item; keep clutter out of the house; shop for containers after de-cluttering is complete; get rid of duplicates; de-clutter nostalgia, such as children’s artwork, by taking a picture of a child holding art work or crafts.
Get rid of old clothes using the 80:20 rule: we wear 20 percent of the clothes we own 80 percent of the time; look for simple solutions, like a key hook by the front door; and schedule de-cluttering for areas that need it daily, weekly and monthly.
Get Organized at Work
A focus on time, space and mindset is the key to organization at work, according to www.entrepreneur.com.
Concerning time, the website recommends that individuals start the day with structured time by sorting through email and responding to quick responses and referrals right away, deleting unimportant information and scheduling more essential tasks.
Space, which refers to physical and virtual space, is critical to productivity, the website stated.
The absence of office interruptions can improve concentration when writing or researching a topic, and this might be a task better completed away from the office, according to the website.
Switching off pop-up notifications on mobile devices and on computers, in addition to limiting the number of times email is checked, can result in greater organization of virtual space.
Finally, there is an individual’s mindset. To reduce the feeling of overload and the procrastination associated with taking on overwhelming jobs, divide large tasks into small chunks to better focus, according to the website.
Get Organized at School
It’s as easy as ABC to keep school-related tasks in order, according to www.scholastic.com.
First: “A” place for everything — keep a ready-to-use homework kit filled with school supplies. Next, “be” focused — studying needs to come first when scheduling time and planning activities. Finally, “calendars” posted in a central place at home can help students prioritize tasks, such as test dates and report due dates.
Children should keep a small, personal to-do list in order to get a better understanding of time management, according to the website.
For info, visit the National Association of Professional Organizers at www.napo.net.
Published December 31, 2015 By Greater Media
Categorized as Sentinel-EBS News
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Tegan O'Neil's posts
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REPORT: ISU QB Park To Transfer
Iowa State quarterback Jacob Park plans to transfer. The junior tells the Des Moines Register he's asked ISU to release him from his scholarship so he can transfer after the spring semester. Park has been on a leave of absence since October sixth, which the school announced at the time was due to personal health reasons. He says the leave stemmed from marijuana use, adding he hasn't communicated with head coach Matt Campbell since the second week of his leave. Park also says Iowa State fans "turned" on him. Campbell tells the Register he'll grant park's transfer request.
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Adelaide All Destinations
Things to do in Australia
Things to do in South Australia
Things to do in Adelaide
Kangaroo Island Tours From Adelaide
How to Spend 2 Days in Adelaide
How to Spend 1 Day in Adelaide
Murray River Cruises from Adelaide
Barossa Valley Tours From Adelaide
With its memorable name, endless sandy beaches, and abundance of wildlife, Kangaroo Island is the quintessential Aussie island and the ideal place for a back-to-nature experience. With daily flights and boat transfers to the island, Adelaide is the best starting point for Kangaroo Island tours—here are your options.
It’s possible to visit on a day tour, taking in highlights such as the Seal Bay Conservation Park, Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, Remarkable Rocks, and Admirals Arch. Take in the native animals, from Australian sea lions to kangaroos and wallabies. Most day tours include hotel pickup, lunch, and a choice of either round-trip ferry transport or flights from Adelaide, ensuring that you maximize your time.
A 2-day tour offers plenty of time to explore further and enjoy activities such as sandboarding on the Little Sahara sand dunes, a tasting at the Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery, or a 4WD safari through the Kelly Hill Conservation Park or Flinders Chase National Park. Get up close to raptors, penguins, kangaroos, and other native species. Tours often include accommodation, meals, and round-trip transport, ensuring a Kangaroo Island experience that’s hassle-free and all-inclusive.
Kangaroo Island is 13 kilometres (8 miles) off the coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia, around 125 miles (200 kilometers) southwest of Adelaide.
High-speed ferries take 45 minutes from Cape Jervis (around a 1.5-hour drive from Adelaide), or it’s a 30-minute flight from Adelaide Airport.
It’s possible to visit on a long day tour from Adelaide (typically about 16 hours), but the most popular choice is a 2-day Kangaroo Island tour including overnight accommodation on the island.
Cell phone coverage is scarce on the island, and Wi-Fi is rare.
3 Tours and Activities | All Adelaide Tours
Kangaroo Island in a Day Tour from Adelaide
Travel from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island, one of Australia’s most popular wildlife destinations, on this activity-filled day trip by ferry, flight or both—your choice. On the island, discover its natural attractions and local animals, from Vivonne Bay and Seal Bay Conservation Park to the Remarkable Rocks, Flinders Chase National Park, Admirals Arch and more. Spot wallabies, echidnas, fur seals, koalas and, of course, kangaroos. Lunch is included, and you may select from four transportation options from Adelaide when booking. Please note: Due to recent bushfires, a modified itinerary is in effect until Flinders Chase reopens.
Small-Group Kangaroo Island 4WD Tour from Adelaide
Discover one of South Australia’s wildlife hotspots on this full-day 4WD tour of Kangaroo Island, including round-trip transport from Adelaide by ferry or plane. Spot playful Australian sea lions at the Seal Bay Conservation Park; see echidnas, wallabies and koalas in their natural habitats; and get up close to cockatoos, Tamar wallabies and kangaroos on a guided bushwalk. This small-group tour has a maximum of 8 participants and includes a gourmet picnic lunch.
2-Day Kangaroo Island 4WD Small-Group Tour from Adelaide
Meet the weird and wonderful residents of Kangaroo Island on this action-packed 2-day 4WD adventure, including round-trip transport by ferry or plane from Adelaide. Spot colorful birds, echidnas and Tamar wallaby on guided bushwalks; get up close to Australian sea lions and long-nosed fur seals; and see koalas and kangaroos as you explore the Flinders Chase National Park and Kelly Hill Conservation Park. This small-group tour has a maximum of eight participants and includes hotel pick-up, overnight accommodation and some meals.
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Essays Database Essay Type Analysis Lennie analysis Essay
Lennie analysis Essay
Lennie, a character in the novel Of Mice and Men, was a timid good hearted man whose personality, appearance and nature set him apart from others while enabling unique friendships to flourish. Lennie’s humble personality helped him develop a number of these relationships on the ranch. Candy, “a tall stoop shouldered old man,” was the first person Lennie met on the farm. Candy always carried a “big push- broom in his left hand” and was a quiet soul, Just like Lennie. Lennie felt sympathy for Candy being that he had lost “his hand right here on this ranch. His “right hand” referred to is dog that had been shot the day Lennie had arrived on the ranch. In hopes of bringing up Candys spirits, Lennie invited Candy to Join him on the pursuit of a dream to buy “a little piece of land. ” The land signified freedom and a chance for a real home Lennie and Candy both. Crooks was “the negro stable buck” who had a crippled back “where a horse kicked him” while working on the ranch. Crooks wanted nothing more than to share in this dream with Lennie and Candy.
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Crooks even offered to “lend a hand” for nothing in return Just for the opportunity to share in this dream land. Lennie as a good listener which helped to build a relationship with Crooks; a relationship desperately needed by Crooks since he was considered somewhat of an outcast due nls color. one 0T tne otner rancn nanas, curley, naa a wlTe wno was DeautlTul wltn her “bright cotton dress” and her “little sausage curls” all in place around her head. She loved the thought of pursuing dreams too and even shared with Lennie how she “coulda made somethin’ of” herself.
Her dreams were slowly shattered being married since she “cant talk to nobody but Curley. ” Curly’s wife breaks the rules to talk to Lennie nyway because he is the only guy that will actually listen to her and be a friend. Lennie was benevolent, but similar to animals due to his below average intelligence and overpowering strength. Lennie resembled a bear with his incredible strength and his gangly presence which frightened people. Lennie was “a huge man” who walked “dragging his feet, the way a bear drags his paws. Although his presence could be alarming, his paws brought him happiness and protection as he “dabbled his big paw in the water” while entertaining himself or as he “covered his face ith huge paws and bleated with terror” when Curley was abusing him. Lennie Small could also be compared to a mouse with his absentminded behavior, his battles of helplessness and the inability to make decisions for himself. These behaviors are exhibited when Lennie doesn’t react to Curlers abusive blows until George says “get ‘Im Lennie. Lennie relies on George so much to make decisions for him that Lennie becomes uncomfortable when George is not around. Not sure of how to act for himself, Lennle squlrms “unaer tne 100K” ana moves “nls Teet nervously’ wnen otner people look at him or try to talk to him. Mice are skittish creatures that tend to avoid trouble and circumstances where they may feel threatened. Lennie is the same way as he avoids talking or even looking at people to refrain from getting in trouble. Unlike a bear and a mouse, a dog will obey his master and be eager to please.
George could be considered the master of Lennie as he tells him when he “ain’t gonna say nothin’,” or who he “ain’t gonna talk to. ” Most dogs have a short attention span as well which is closely related to Lennie’s character. Lennie’s brawny appearance and mental struggles set him apart from everyone lse on the ranch. Lennie’s mental disabilities were caused from lack of education and inexperience in learning to care for himself. Education wasn’t held in high importance so Lennie never had the opportunity to learn how to read or speak correctly.
READ: Essay In Satellites
Lennie’s speaking skills did not have a chance to form since George always seemed to answer for him in every situation. Lennie was also “a hell ofa good worker” who could “put up more grain alone than most pairs can. ” The other workers were laborers but did not have a strong desire to please like Lennie possessed. Lennie believed that if he worked eally hard, he could prove to George that he was responsible enough “to tend to the rabbits”; something that made Lennie very happy because he was obsessed with soft tnlngs.
Lennie usea to nave a piece 0T velvet tnat nls “own Aunt Clara” naa given to him but over time “he lost it. ” Lennie then moved onto bigger objects that were soft such puppies and even on to humans. People found him to be weird when he so badly wanted “to feel that girl’s dress” or started “stroking her hair” which ultimately made him an outcast of sorts. This obsession with soft things led to a sorrowful loss of innocence and the shameful demise of Lennie.
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Lennie; It Shows ThThe world in the 1930's was a very uncaring place. Due to the depression, many families were split up, so loneliness was running ramped. Ranch hands were thought of as the loneliest people in the world "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world" (page 15). Loneliness wasn't the only kind of sadness and suffering that was endured by the workers. Lost dreams, discrimination and being disabled were only some of the problems faced. But these were not only limited to workers, women also felt these kinds of sadness and suffering...
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More then just a storyteller, John Steinbeck was a social critic. His novel Of Mice and Men deals with many themes that reflect the time in which he lived and in which he wrote. One of the many themes in the novel is loneliness. Crooks, the black stable-hand, is always lonely. George and Lennie travel together and they are never lonely. Curley's wife also suffered from loneliness in the novel. Although Crooks is a good person he is separated from the other men on the ranch because of his color .Crooks color separates him into sleeping into the barn. However,...
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In the novel 'Of Mice and Men', by John Stienbeck, a mentally challenged man, Lennie, loses his innocence and his dream, of owning his own ranch with rabbits, when he accidentally breaks a woman's neck. In the novel 'Flowers or Algernon', by Daniel Keyes, another mentally challenged man, Charlie, loses his innocence and dreams, of being like everyone else, when, through the aid of an operation, realizes people were making fun of him rather than being his friends. Although, in both cases innocence and dreams were the loss, their innocence was also the underlying cause of the loss. Lennie is...
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In the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, there are many instances of foreshadowing. While they may not be noticed at first, they stick out like a sore thumb in the end. The main characters in the book are Lennie, a huge man with the mind of a young child, and George, a small man who had landed them a job on a ranch. Lennie is a man who doesn't think for himself, and relies on George for guidance. They travel together, forever chasing the dream of getting a piece of land to call their own. The ranch...
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Of Mice and Men is one of Steinbecks best novels. John Steinbeck, born in Salinas, CA he goes back to that setting for this novel. There are five to six characters that Steinbeck develops and opens up to the reader through the novel. Although George, Lennie, Crooks, Candy, and Curlys wife all seek a place to belong and someone to love as a cure to there loneliness, all their dreams for a better future are destroyed in the novel.George and Lennie are an unlikely pair of friends who are introduced in the beginning. George is small and quick, dark of...
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A guy goes nuts if he ain t got nobody. Don t matter no difference who the guy is long as he s with you. I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an he gets sick. A major theme in Steinbeck s novel, Of Mice and Men is how people suffer from loneliness. The characters, Crooks, Candy, and Curley s wife each suffers the severity of their own seclusion. Crooks, the stable buck, is a black man that experiences isolation in terms of racism. For example, he is forced to live alone in a separated room, in the barn....
Suggests an attractive, almost-princely appearance confirmed by Curley’s suspicions (that Slim is attractive to his wife) and how the men admire and look up to him. “Understanding beyond thought” He doesn’t need to think through to ‘get them’; he realises instinctively how George and Lennie get along, what Lennie is like, and why George had to kill Lennie. “There was gravity in his manner... all talk stopped when he spoke” He is respected and listened to; and what he has to say usually has ‘gravity’ – power and importance. “His hands, large and lean, were as delicate in their action...
Coursework (60) , Personal Essay (16) , Observation Essay (36) , Short Essay (5) , Definition Essay (11)
Topic: Lennie analysis Essay
Lennie, a character in the novel Of Mice and Men, was a timid good hearted man whose personality, appearance and nature set him apart from others while enabling unique friendships to flourish. Lennie's humble personality helped him develop a number of these relationships on the ranch. Candy, "a tall stoop shouldered old man," was the first person Lennie met on the farm. Candy always carried a "big push- broom in his left hand" and was a quiet soul, Just like Lennie. Lennie felt sympathy for Cand
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Life More Features 12 Aug 2020 Winning is a habit; don’t lose it says Grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna
Life, More Features
Winning is a habit; don’t lose it says Grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna
THE ASIAN AGE. | SASHIDHAR ADIVI
Published : Aug 12, 2020, 7:19 pm IST
Updated : Aug 12, 2020, 7:19 pm IST
Grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna reflects on his latest win and talks of his life after marriage
Pentala Harikrishna with Wife
India’s Grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna is back to his winning ways.
The Guntur-born, who started his winning streak with his India Under-8 win in 1993 and World Under-10 Champion-ship in 1996, and then went on to bag titles including the gold in the 15th Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, in 2006, and the silver in the 17th Asian TCC, in 2012 in Zaozhuang, China, recently won the Chess 960 event as a part of the recently concluded 53rd Biel Chess Festival in Switzerland.
The championship also had classical, rapid and blitz events.
“I feel glad to be back at playing chess over the board after five months. And to win it, especially during the pandemic, it feels great; that is like a double delight. That being said, I also believe that winning is a habit, so one should not lose it,”
expresses Harikrishna, sharing that missing chess all this while had pushed him to excel.
Harikrishna, one of the world’s elite grandmasters who finished 2nd in Grand Master Triathlon (a combination of classical, rapid and blitz), tells us that playing thirty-five games in two weeks was challenging.
“There were some tense moments, but all in all, it was an interesting experience,” he says, adding that he is satisfied with his overall performance in the championship.
With the pandemic and all the precautions and protocols set around it, the thirty-four-year-old Grandmaster admits that getting used to the ‘new normal’ was testing.
For instance, all the pieces, boards and chess clocks at the event were regularly sanitised after each game, like a reminder of the vulnerability of the moment and the virus one is exposed to.
“Now, you play the game with an apprehension about a possible virus outbreak,” explains Harikrishna. “Imagine what would happen if even one player contracts the virus? The whole tourney would have been cancelled. But all the players followed protocol, and thankfully, everything went well.”
The foreign connection
Harikrishna’s parents stay in Hyderabad, but not many know that the Grandmaster has been residing in Prague, in Czechoslovakia, for the last two years, visiting his parents in India thrice in a year. His reasons are simple. “Living in Prague helps me participate in more championships,” he says. “Additionally, I play for the Novy Bor Chess Club, which is my base in Europe.”
That was not all. In March 2018, Harikrishna married Serbian chess player Nadezda Stojanovic, who plays correspondence chess (Correspondence chess, is played by various forms of long-distance correspondences, often through a correspondence chess server, a public internet chess forum, email or the postal system).
Harikrishna and Nadezda live in Prague, and the Grandmaster claims that while married life has been great, marriage hasn’t really changed anything much for either of them. “In fact, I sometimes think it is good for a chess player to marry another chess player as the spouses understand the life of a chess player,” says Harikrishna. Then, with a chuckle, the Indian No.2 player adds, “On the flip side, Nadezda knows when I make mistakes.”
Then, talking about how the duo discusses chess and how Nadezda sometimes analyses where he has gone wrong, Harikrishna points out how she always offers constructive feedback. Incidentally, Nadezda also arbitrates for chess championships apart from being the captain for Novy Bor women’s team.
“After all, once a chess player, always a chess player,” says a smiling Harikrishna.
As we end our interaction, Harikrishna responds to our question about Nadezda’s liking for all things Indian. “Nadezda cooks Indian food very well,” he says with a smile. “And I haven’t taught her anything. It’s everything she has picked up on her own.”
Tags: world chess championship
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You are here: Home › Five cities bid for SEC Baseball Tournament
Five cities bid for SEC Baseball Tournament
By Kevin Reichard on February 25, 2016 in College Baseball, News
At least five cities have submitted bids to host the SEC Baseball Tournament in 2017 and beyond, as there’s a real chance one of the biggest events of the NCAA baseball season could end up at a Minor League Baseball ballpark.
The deadline for submitting bid for the tourney was yesterday, and the process of awarding the next contract is now underway. In recent years the tournament has been held at the Hoover Met in suburban Birmingham, and as the tournament has grown the 10,500-seat Hoover Met has been expanded and renovated to meet the tournament’s needs, especially with the departure of the Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) to a new downtown ballpark.
Now, somewhat ironically, the Hoover Met could lose the tournament officials have worked so hard to foster and expand. Crowds of over 10,000 aren’t uncommon for many tourney games — which didn’t happen often when the Hoover Met first hosted the event some 18 years ago — and SEC officials are very aware they have a hot property.
The four cities submitting bids, besides Hoover, are New Orleans, Memphis, Jacksonville and Nashville. All four bids are in association with a Minor League Baseball ballpark: Zephyr Field (New Orleans), AutoZone Park (Memphis), Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville (Jacksonville) and First Tennessee Park (Nashville). The SEC laid our criteria for the tournament: a ballpark seating at least 10,000, a certain number of available rooms, available RV parking, and we’d presume a minimum amount of suites and group-entertainment spaces. And, of course, a minimum financial guarantee.
In Louisiana, the state is financially backing the bid submitted by Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, with the Louisiana Legislature approving a plan to renovate Zephyr Field to meet SEC requests should the state land the tourney. Because it’s a no-lose situation — the money won’t be spent unless Zephyr Field is selected as the venue — Gov. John Bel Edwards is expected to sign a bill.
You can expect to hear more in coming months about SEC officials touring potential tourney homes, and at some point we’d expect coaches to be polled on their preferences as well.
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2017, autozone park, baseball grounds of jacksonville, first tennessee park, hoover met, sec baseball tournament, southeastern conference, zephyr field
In memoriam: Scott Miller
Everyone knows the Toronto Blue Jays need a new training facility. What will Mark Shapiro do?
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Mon ,Jan 18, 2021Mumbai Mirror|Pune Mirror
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Where citizens and media failed... Americans will make garbage disappear
Atul ChaturvediAtul Chaturvedi / Updated: Nov 20, 2013, 02:12 IST
After the bad press the civic agency got over city’s garbage crisis in the international media, a clean-up job awaits a US team arriving in Dec
Get ready for BBMP’s sleight of hand. Or should we say machines? Beginning December 1, trash will simply disappear from some city roads.
After the city’s garbage crisis raised a stink in the international media, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) head honchos have issued a diktat to on-field officials to ensure a clean sweep on select routes. This five-day façade on the BIA-Electronic city route via Vidhana Soudha is thanks to the upcoming visit of a civic delegation from San Francisco, beginning December 1.
Bangalore Mirror has accessed a copy of the letter sent to solid waste management engineers instructing them to ensure the roads are bereft of any garbage. Stating the San Francisco delegation is on a five-day tour of the city, the letter, issued at the behest of additional chief secretary M N Vidyashankar and BBMP commissioner M Lakshminarayana, has directed deployment of mechanical sweeping machines on the roads on which the foreign delegates will travel. “Hire sweeping machines by inviting tenders,” the letter directed.
On why so much significance was being attached to the San Francisco delegation’s visit, a senior official explained: “Bangalore has become a bit infamous on the global platform after being labelled as the garbage city. International media, including the New York Times, has highlighted Bangalore’s garbage crisis. We want the foreign delegates to see that Bangalore is not as dirty as projected in the media.”
Moreover, San Francisco has been declared Bangalore’s sister city following a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two cities in 2010. The MoU envisaged exchange of information on best practices related to health, education, tourism promotion and culture. “Since this is the first time that a delegation from San Francisco is visiting the city, it is our responsibility to project a cleaner city to them,” the official added.
According to the preliminary tour programme, the delegation will stay at a five-star hotel on Race Course Road and will visit various parts of the city. The delegation will meet senior officials and politicians at Vidhana Soudha. They will also visit Naryana Health in Electronic City. Other spots in Southern Bangalore may also be on the tour itinerary.
According to sources, preparations for hosting the delegation were outlined on November 11 at a meeting helmed by Vidyashankar and that’s when BBMP officials were issued directives to go the extra mile to keep the city’s eyesores out of the foreign delegation’s view.
“The garbage crisis that rocked Bangalore last year has taken a toll on the city’s brand image. It is natural that anyone visiting the city would want to know if the city continues to stink or if it’s clean, so we have directed everyone to clear mounds of garbage,” said an official.
One of the officers attached to the solid waste management department said, “We have been instructed to keep roads likely to be used by the delegates during their tour clean and tidy. The city’s pride should not get dented.”
When contacted, joint commissioner (health) Yatish Kumar confirmed procurement of mechanical sweeping machines on tender basis. “The roads have been identified and we will be getting a list from the public relation officer’s office. But since there’s not much time left for the foreign delegation’s visit, we cannot go ahead with the tendering process. Instead, we will hire the machines.”
Bangalore drowning in own waste, said NYT
“Bangalore, the capital of India’s modern economy and home to many of its high-tech workers, is drowning in its own waste... Some neighborhoods have not had trash pickups for nearly three weeks, and vast mounds of garbage are scattered through what is known in India as the Garden City.... Greater wealth has spawned more garbage, and the managers of the country’s pell-mell development have been unable to handle the load..Bangalore’s garbage crisis grew directly out of its stunning success.”
New York Times, October 27, 2012
Reort titled ‘India’s Plague, Trash, Drowns Its Garden City During Strike’
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