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https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/826-765.jpg826-765https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/826-765/hadrians-wall-runs-across-walltown-crags-landscape-northumberland/
826-765 - Hadrian's Wall runs across Walltown Crags, through the landscape of Northumberland National Park, in Northumberland, England.
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1241-329.jpg1241-329https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1241-329/glacial-mountain-river-runs-spruce-forest-winter-banff/
1241-329 - A glacial mountain river runs through a spruce forest in Winter, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1350-5127.jpg1350-5127https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1350-5127/skirmish-team-women-perform-precision-equestrian-displays-riding/
1350-5127 - The skirmish is a team of women who perform precision equestrian displays riding sidesaddle and garbed in Adelita dress, Slide and stop,
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1350-5100.jpg1350-5100https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1350-5100/charro-rides-alongside-left-side-bull-wraps-tail/
1350-5100 - The charro rides alongside the left side of the bull, wraps its tail around his right leg, and tries to bring the bull down in a roll as he rides past it
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1350-5261.jpg1350-5261https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1350-5261/smoke-result-heat-generated-rope-wound-saddle-horn/
1350-5261 - That smoke is the result of heat generated by the rope wound around the saddle horn actually burning through the horn,
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1350-5244.jpg1350-5244https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1350-5244/charro-rides-bull-unitl-stop-bucking/
1350-5244 - A charro rides a bull unitl it stop bucking,
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1350-5121.jpg1350-5121https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1350-5121/participants-charreada-wear-traditional-charro-clothing-including-closely/
1350-5121 - The participants in the charreada wear traditional charro clothing, including a closely fitted suit, chaps, boots, and a wide brim sombrero,
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1350-5094.jpg1350-5094https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1350-5094/riding-arena/
1350-5094 - Riding around the arena,
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1350-5208.jpg1350-5208https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1350-5208/ready-ride-bull/
1350-5208 - Getting ready to ride a Bull,
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1350-5274.jpg1350-5274https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1350-5274/two-charros-greeting/
1350-5274 - Two charros greeting each other,
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1350-5250.jpg1350-5250https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1350-5250/roxy-pro-biarritz-event-female-surfing-world-tour/
1350-5250 - Roxy Pro Biarritz 2012, event of the female surfing world tour,
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1350-5167.jpg1350-5167https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1350-5167/charreada-mexico/
1350-5167 - The Charreada in Mexico
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1350-5141.jpg1350-5141https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1350-5141/horse-spins-hind-legs/
1350-5141 - The horse spins on its hind legs
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/746-90066.jpg746-90066https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/746-90066/night-photo-bridge-runs-via-vincenzo-giuffrida-catania/
746-90066 - Night photo, on the bridge that runs along via Vincenzo Giuffrida Catania, Italy, Europe
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1350-5090.jpg1350-5090https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1350-5090/charro-twirls-rope-fancy-patterns-waitswithout-watchingfor-mare/
1350-5090 - The charro twirls the rope in fancy patterns while he waits--without watching--for the mare,
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/832-394632.jpg832-394632https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/832-394632/wiping-picture-running-domestic-sheep-ovis-aries-sheep/
832-394632 - Wiping picture, running Domestic sheep (Ovis aries), sheep drive or rettir, Kirkjubaejarklaustur, Skaftarhreppur, Suourland, Iceland, Europe
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/VERTICAL/832-394476.jpg832-394476https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/832-394476/spanish-palomino-stallion-gallop-andalusia-spain-europe/
832-394476 - Spanish Palomino stallion at a gallop, Andalusia, Spain, Europe
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/MI/HORIZONTAL/1174-10730.jpg1174-10730https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1174-10730/two-lion-cubs-panthera-leo-run-dirt-track/
1174-10730 - Two lion cubs, Panthera leo, run on a dirt track through dry grass, Londolozi Wildlife Reserve, Sabi Sands, South Africa
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/VERTICAL/832-394404.jpg832-394404https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/832-394404/german-shepherd-domestic-dog-canis-lupus-familiaris-adult/
832-394404 - German shepherd Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris), adult, male, running, frontal, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, Europe
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/VERTICAL/1348-3775.jpg1348-3775https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1348-3775/david-mucangi-mbogoh-showing-tea-leaves-runs-farm/
1348-3775 - David Mucangi Mbogoh (showing tea leaves) runs a farm financed by a loan from BIMAS microcredit. He has been a client since 2002 and is currently servicing a loan of 1 million Kenyan shillings
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1348-2741.jpg1348-2741https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1348-2741/seekuh-ocean-clean-up-run-charity-one-earth/
1348-2741 - Seekuh on an Ocean clean up run by the charity One Earth One Ocean, Hong Kong, China
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1348-3769.jpg1348-3769https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1348-3769/children-school/
1348-3769 - Children going to school.
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/VERTICAL/1348-3772.jpg1348-3772https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1348-3772/ovc-orphans-vulnerable-children-feeding-program-run-wofak/
1348-3772 - OVC (orphans & vulnerable children) feeding program run by WOFAK (Women Fighting Aids in Kenya)
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1348-3099.jpg1348-3099https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1348-3099/color-satellite-image-wuhan-china-yangtze-river-runs/
1348-3099 - Color satellite image of Wuhan, China. The Yangtze river runs through the city. Image collected on April 15, 2017 by Sentinel-2 satellites.
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/VERTICAL/1348-3068.jpg1348-3068https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1348-3068/color-satellite-image-san-francisco-los-angeles-california/
1348-3068 - Color satellite image of San Francisco to Los Angeles, California, United States. The Sierra Nevada runs north to south parallel to the coast. It is home to three national parks, i.e. Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks. Image collected on May 1, 2017 by Sentinel-2 satellites.
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1116-51994.jpg1116-51994https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51994/siberian-tiger-panthera-tigris-altaica-running-snow-czech/
1116-51994 - Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) running in snow; Czech Republic
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/VERTICAL/1116-51451.jpg1116-51451https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51451/woman-running-track-wellington-new-zealand/
1116-51451 - Woman running on a track; Wellington, New Zealand
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1116-51996.jpg1116-51996https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51996/red-fox-vulpes-vulpes-stalking-snow-europe/
1116-51996 - Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) stalking in snow; Europe
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/VERTICAL/1116-51449.jpg1116-51449https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51449/woman-kneels-tie-running-shoe-prepare-running-track/
1116-51449 - Woman kneels to tie her running shoe to prepare for running on a track; Wellington, New Zealand
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1116-51447.jpg1116-51447https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51447/woman-sits-stretch-leg-muscles-prepare-running-track/
1116-51447 - Woman sits to stretch her leg muscles to prepare for running on a track; Wellington, New Zealand
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1116-52000.jpg1116-52000https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-52000/red-fox-vulpes-vulpes-running-snow-europe/
1116-52000 - Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) running in snow; Europe
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1116-51986.jpg1116-51986https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51986/siberian-tiger-panthera-tigris-altaica-winter-czech-republic/
1116-51986 - Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) in winter; Czech Republic
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/VERTICAL/1116-51458.jpg1116-51458https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51458/woman-working-out-treadmill-wellington-new-zealand/
1116-51458 - Woman working out on a treadmill; Wellington, New Zealand
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1116-51448.jpg1116-51448https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51448/woman-ties-shoelace-prepare-running-track-wellington-new/
1116-51448 - Woman ties her shoelace to prepare for running on a track; Wellington, New Zealand
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1116-51985.jpg1116-51985https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51985/siberian-tiger-panthera-tigris-altaica-running-snow-winter/
1116-51985 - Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) running in the snow in winter; Czech Republic
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1116-51450.jpg1116-51450https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51450/woman-starting-position-running-track-wellington-new-zealand/
1116-51450 - Woman in a starting position for running on a track; Wellington, New Zealand
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/VERTICAL/1116-51331.jpg1116-51331https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51331/two-young-girls-running-golden-wheat-field-alberta/
1116-51331 - Two young girls running in a golden wheat field; Alberta, Canada
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1116-51932.jpg1116-51932https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51932/spotted-hyena-crocuta-crocuta-running-across-grassland-sunshine/
1116-51932 - Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) running across the grassland in the sunshine at the Etosha National Park; Otavi, Oshikoto, Namibia
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1116-51169.jpg1116-51169https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51169/german-shepherd-running-jumping-seashore-sainteannedesmonts-quebec-canada/
1116-51169 - German shepherd running and jumping on the seashore; Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Quebec, Canada
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1116-51168.jpg1116-51168https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51168/german-shepherd-running-seashore-wooden-stick-mouth-sainteannedesmonts/
1116-51168 - German shepherd running on the seashore with a wooden stick in the mouth; Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Quebec, Canada
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1116-51445.jpg1116-51445https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1116-51445/woman-sits-lane-running-track-wellington-new-zealand/
1116-51445 - Woman sits on a lane of a running track; Wellington, New Zealand
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1113-107275.jpg1113-107275https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-107275/woman-running-bikni-over-beach-evening-portugal-vacation/
1113-107275 - Woman running in bikni over the beach in the evening, Portugal, vacation
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1113-107043.jpg1113-107043https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-107043/camels-runs-road-desert-near-arabian-nights-village/
1113-107043 - Camels runs along road through the desert, near Arabian Nights Village, Razeen Area of Al Khatim, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Middle East
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1113-107003.jpg1113-107003https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-107003/runners-empty-path-morning-hours-running-sports-general/
1113-107003 - Runners on an empty path in the morning hours, running, sports, general
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1113-107127.jpg1113-107127https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-107127/young-woman-runs-evening-mood-falkenstein-allgu-bavaria/
1113-107127 - Young woman runs in the evening mood at Falkenstein, Allgäu, Bavaria, Germany
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1113-107152.jpg1113-107152https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-107152/surfer-runs-sea-sunset-portugal-surfing-vacation/
1113-107152 - Surfer runs to the sea in sunset, Portugal, surfing, vacation
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1113-106960.jpg1113-106960https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-106960/old-watermills-bodental-carinthia-austria/
1113-106960 - old watermills, Bodental, Carinthia, Austria
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/VERTICAL/1113-107117.jpg1113-107117https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-107117/young-woman-runs-evening-mood-falkenstein-allgu-bavaria/
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1113-107291.jpg1113-107291https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-107291/runners-empty-street-morning-hours-running-sports-allgu/
1113-107291 - Runners on an empty street in the morning hours, running, sports, allgäu
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/VERTICAL/1113-106797.jpg1113-106797https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-106797/young-woman-runs-date-palm-lined-path-al/
1113-106797 - Young woman runs along a date palm lined path in the Al Ain Oasis, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Middle East
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1113-106842.jpg1113-106842https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-106842/runner-enjoys-sunrise-morning-hours-running-sports-allgu/
1113-106842 - Runner enjoys the sunrise in the morning hours, running, sports, allgäu
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1113-106826.jpg1113-106826https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-106826/runner-stepped-street-running-sports-street/
1113-106826 - Runner stepped on a street, running, sports, street
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/VERTICAL/1113-107047.jpg1113-107047https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-107047/two-arab-men-walk-running-path-louvre-abu/
1113-107047 - Two Arab men walk running along path outside the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Middle East
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1113-106881.jpg1113-106881https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-106881/three-camels-run-sand-dune-desert-near-arabian/
1113-106881 - Three camels run on sand dune in the desert, near Arabian Nights Village, Razeen Area of Al Khatim, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Middle East
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1113-106952.jpg1113-106952https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-106952/woman-runner-runs-road-sunset-sport-forest/
1113-106952 - Woman runner runs on road in sunset, sport, forest
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1113-107131.jpg1113-107131https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-107131/runner-runs-forest-running-sport-forest/
1113-107131 - Runner runs through forest, running, sport, forest
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/1113-107084.jpg1113-107084https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-107084/runner-enjoys-sunrise-morning-hours-running-sports-allg/
1113-107084 - Runner enjoys the sunrise in the morning hours, running, sports, allg? U
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/MI/HORIZONTAL/1174-10703.jpg1174-10703https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1174-10703/wild-dog-lycaon-pictus-runs-grass-motion-blur/
1174-10703 - A wild dog, Lycaon pictus, runs through grass, motion blur
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1113-106623.jpg1113-106623https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-106623/barefoot-monks-collect-early-morning-food-drink-alms/
1113-106623 - Barefoot monks collect early morning food and drink alms (sai bat), Luang Prabang, Luang Prabang Province, Laos, Asia
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1113-106266.jpg1113-106266https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-106266/outdoor-shot-outdoor-shot-europe-field-domestic-animal/
1113-106266 - Outside; Outside; Outdoor shot; Outdoor shot; Europe; Field; Domestic animal; Dog; Puppy; Young animal; Labrador; Nobody; Portrait; Retriever; Mammal; Mammal; Watch; Looking; Black; Animal; Water; River; River; Splash; Dynamics; Summer; Bath; Leap; Leap;
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/HORIZONTAL/1113-105958.jpg1113-105958https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-105958/ranger-guide-hiking-group-run-lush-jungle-during/
1113-105958 - Ranger guide and hiking group run through lush jungle during a chimpanzee discovery hike in Cyamudongo Forest, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Western Province, Rwanda, Africa
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/VERTICAL/1113-105714.jpg1113-105714https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-105714/spouts-water-cascading-interior-pool-decorated-mosaics-columns/
1113-105714 - Spouts of water cascading into an interior pool decorated with mosaics and columns. Bath, United Kingdom
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/VERTICAL/1113-106624.jpg1113-106624https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-106624/barefoot-monks-collect-early-morning-food-drink-alms/
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RM/RH/VERTICAL/1113-106688.jpg1113-106688https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/1113-106688/highway-runs-lonely-heat-outback-kununurra-western-australia/
1113-106688 - The highway runs lonely in the heat through the outback, Kununurra, Western Australia, Australia
https://images.robertharding.com/zoom/RF/RH_RF/HORIZONTAL/832-393420.jpg832-393420https://www.robertharding.com/licenses-explained/https://www.robertharding.com/preview/832-393420/samoyed-domestic-dog-canis-lupus-familiaris-running-across/
832-393420 - Samoyed Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris), running across a meadow, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, Europe
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860-290318 - Pine marten (Martes martes) exploring its territory in foggy weather on a Loire beach, Loire Valley, France
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860-290309 - Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa ) piglet was part of a group of 5 running on a dry arm of the Loire River, Loire Valley, France
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860-289672 - Wild boars run across a path, Sus scrofa, Female with young, Germany, Europe
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860-289777 - A Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) on the frozen lakes of Hokkaido, Japan.
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860-290317 - Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) male crossing an arm of the Loire River, Loire Valley, France
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860-290308 - Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa ) piglets were part of a group of 5 running on a dry arm of the Loire River, Loire Valley, France
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832-392403 - Cat (Felis catus), European shorthair, cat, tricolour, tortoiseshell cat, running in the grass, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, Europe
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1348-2367 - Man jogging.
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Alex Griffin, GRM Daily
GRM Daily's chief scribe on the state of grime at the back end of 2017 and what’s in store for the genre as we head into 2018…
By Anita Awbi
‘When Stormzy went to number one in the charts with an album that predominantly had a grime sound… it showed that the barriers to the charts have really been knocked down this year,’ says GRM Daily editor-in-chief Alex Griffin.
Helming editorial for one of the UK’s leading urban music platforms, he’s watched the story of grime unfold over recent years to become both a headline attraction and mainstream mainstay.
In 2017, pushed forward by the likes of J Hus, Nines, Giggs and of course Stormzy, it’s taken its biggest share of Spotify plays ever, says Alex – up from 89 million streams in August 2016 to 206 million streams by August 2017.
Testament to the music’s growing stature is the development of GRM Daily’s flagship Rated Awards, which returns for its third edition tomorrow (Tuesday).
Sponsored by PRS for Music among others, it gathers UK urban music’s brightest stars together to recognise the best acts currently on the scene, as voted by the public.
With this year’s accolades more hotly contested than ever, Alex lets us in on the state of grime at the back end of 2017 and what’s in store for the genre as we head into 2018…
How did you first get involved with GRM Daily?
I started at GRM while I was studying at university, just writing the odd interview or video write-up. I made a nuisance of myself enough for them to bring me on eventually, progressing to my current role as editor-in-chief.
How is grime reaching new audiences this year?
Obviously the internet plays a massive part in how people digest and discover music nowadays, not just in grime, but in all genres. Streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify have been right behind grime and UK rap this year which I think has given it a big push. Spotify reported that in August 2016 they had 89 million streams of grime music; now in 2017 at the same time of year they’ve had 206 million streams.
What major developments have you noticed over the last six months?
Stormzy went to number one in the charts with an album that predominantly had a grime sound, making his mark on UK music history. It showed that the barriers to the charts have really been knocked down; rap artists like J Hus, Nines and Giggs have all had a huge impact on them this year too. Boy Better Know took over the entire O2 Arena space and brought grime to its biggest stage yet. People from overseas are paying attention to slew of artists from this side of the pond. There’s been plenty of developments this year.
How do you see the sound maturing?
This year, afrobeats and bashment - or a style that blends the two with rap that’s now being called afrobashment or afroswing - was the sound that really took over the streets and the clubs of the UK, so who knows where it’s heading again in the next year or so?
Do you think there are still barriers for artists in terms of mainstream recognition?
Of course, there always are barriers, but it’s certainly a lot easier than it used to be. There are still a number of obstacles for artists to overcome, but the pathways are there now.
Can the industry to do more to help new grime artists coming through?
Everybody is playing their part and I know countless people that dedicate their lives to putting grime and rap music onto a pedestal and pushing it forward. There’s always work to be done though, so there will always be new ways created to help artists break through.
Which new artists should we be keeping an eye on?
These kind of questions are bound to get me in trouble if I leave anybody out! There’s literally countless names I could give you right now… Obviously everybody nominated for Best Breakthrough at the Rated Awards this year earns a special shout-out.
What’s the thinking behind the Rated Awards and what’s in store for this year’s show?
The Rated Awards were established in 2015 to do something that wasn't already happening: celebrate diversity and a culture that deserved celebrating. I can’t give away too much about this year’s show, but it’s the closest year yet. We’ve had a huge increase in the numbers of voters and even I don’t know who’s taking home what yet. Every vote counts quite literally this year!
Read the full list of Rated Awards 2017 nominees.
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The Hardest Person to Forgive
Many roads to contentment begin with self-forgiveness. It is among the most difficult—and most important—steps one can take.
3 Signs You Need a Lifestyle Change
7 Easy Ways to Become More Likable
ADHD Is All About Power, Paradox, and Pain
Wounded Again: How Past Trauma Can Upend a Relationship
5 Symptoms of Repressed Anger
When Is Retirement a Blessing? And When Is It a Curse?
Are Couples More Likely to Break Up on Valentine’s Day?
Jeffrey Epstein’s Long Shadow
Shauna H Springer Ph.D.
Free-Range Psychology
Documentary Explores a Range of New Treatments for PTSD
A conversation with filmmaker Michael Gier about his new release.
Posted February 3, 2021 | Reviewed by Hara Estroff Marano
A new documentary, Wounded Heroes, by filmmaker Michael Gier, profiles several innovative treatments for post-traumatic stress. I believe it is a film everyone involved in mental health care should know about. I recently sat down with Gier (via Zoom) and interviewed him to learn more, to help others in the field learn about his work. (Spoiler alert: I was interviewed as part of the film.)
Tell us about your latest film project—Wounded Heroes—and what led you to pursue it?
I had a theatrical feature film project I was working on, and we were interviewing military brass and veterans. One of the veterans I interviewed was named Carl. He was a medic and tried to take his life by suicide because of the tremendous guilt he felt for every life he couldn’t save on the battlefield. I was shocked to find out that he was on 16 different prescription medications, down from 18. He said they weren’t helping, that they were just a Band-aid. I thought there had to be other options out there that would do more to solve the problem of post-traumtic stress (PTS), and that set me on a three-year journey in the hope of finding better options.
You have described this project as a quest that has taken you across the country. What did you learn that was most surprising to you?
When I started this project, I didn’t know anything about PTS. I thought it was something that only our military dealt with, but I soon found out that PTS can affect anyone who has experienced a traumatic event. Veterans, firefighters, police officers, and other first responders not only deal with PTS but they also have extremely high suicide rates. Although I launched this project to help veterans, this film and the treatments featured help all our heroes, and anyone battling PTS.
What are the main themes that your film participants spoke to?
It’s surprising how many times I heard that after a 15-minute consultation, they were diagnosed with PTSD and given a handful of prescriptions; some with black box warnings, which are the strictest labeling requirements that the FDA mandates for prescription drugs.
Over and over, I heard the outrage from what they felt was over drugging, that the drugs didn’t help but instead made things worse because of the horrific side effects. Thinking this was all that life had to offer them caused many of them to lose hope and to contemplate suicide. However, every one of the veterans I interviewed found an alternative treatment that changed their life and is now PTS-drug-free with their life back.
What are some of your favorite success stories that you heard during the many interviews?
Antonio Zavala, a veteran I interviewed who was part of the Warfighter Advance program, talks in detail about how the drugs prescribed almost killed him. He couldn’t walk or eat. He was crying in bed and pulling his hair out. He had lost the spark of life, and, feeling dead inside, he became suicidal. He had a goal of someday becoming drug-free and moving his family to Spain. Well today because of Warfighter Advance, a program featured in our film, he is drug-free and lives in Spain with his family, fulfilling that dream.
I also interviewed Myrna Molinari, who talked about one of her patients, a Vietnam veteran a judge forced to see her because of his many DUIs. He told her, “I’m only here because the judge is forcing me. There’s nothing you can do to stop me from drinking. It’s the only thing that helps me and allows me to get a little sleep.” His trauma was watching his friend die right in front of him because he was a few seconds too late. He carried his friend over his shoulder for three days through the jungle because he was NOT going to leave him behind. Molinari told him that he’s been carrying him for over 40 years. After doing just one session with her, this soldier slept through the entire night, the first time in 40-plus years, and told her that she had changed his life.
There are treatments and programs that work and that give anyone battling PTS their life back, and this film is full of such stories.
Can the families of those struggling with PTS benefit from this film?
Absolutely! It’s hard for those struggling to put into words what they’re going through. I had a Veteran tell me that he couldn’t wait for the film to come out so that his family could watch it and understand what he hasn’t been able to explain.
There are many people struggling who may not be in a place where they can watch the film, but their family and friends can watch the film, learn about the different options available, and present those options to their loved one.
What is your hope in bringing this film to the public? Who is it directed to and what do you hope to achieve?
My hope is that this film will help lower the suicide rate among our veterans, first responders, and anyone battling PTS. Wounded Heroes highlights a range of effective treatments and programs. It shows options that are more than just a Band-aid, options that actually give people their lives back and help them get off most, if not all, of their PTS medications.
Unfortunately, many struggling with PTS have given up. They’ve tried several options that looked very promising but which didn’t make a difference in the end. The excitement of potentially finding a solution and then the extreme disappointment of it not helping was devastating. For some, it took many months to be willing to try something else. Some had decided to stop looking for options that may help because they don’t want to experience the extreme disappointment again.
I talked to many who were in that very spot but now have their lives back because of the options featured in the film. I’ll never forget one veteran who said, “This saved my life.”
Can you share any key take-aways from the film?
The film presents many options that are life-changing, but, in addition, it was important to me to clearly explain the next steps. As you know, you were one of the featured experts in the film, and what you shared was incredibly helpful in explaining a path for success. One, healing and growth require commitment over time. However, combining effective approaches can bring relief more efficiently. Two, don’t fight the battle alone. As you put it, “Find a new tribe; people you can take your armor off with and be yourself and talk about what’s really going on inside without fear.” And third, find a new mission.
When will it be released and where can people find out more about the film?
The film will be available for rent and for purchase on Friday March 5th, 2021 on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, VUDU, and Vimeo on Demand.
For more information, visit the Wounded Heroes film website.
Shauna Springer, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist, relationship and lifestyle researcher, and author of Marriage, for Equals: The Successful Joint (Ad)Ventures of Well-Educated Couples.
Doc Shauna Springer's webpage, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter
3 Phrases Helping Professionals Should Avoid
Two Types of Providers: "Doctors" and "Docs"
"Surf Therapy" and Being in the Ocean Can Alleviate PTSD
How to Support Those Who Protect Us
Wounds That Outlast War
Dogs on the Inside: Must See Documentary on Dogs and Inmates
Military Personnel and Veterans Deserve Respect
Thank You! Parisian PhD Candidate Ludvig Levasseur!
Putting Things into Spiritual Perspective
City or Zip
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The St. Joe Company Announces Commencement of Development of Watersound® West Bay Center, a Lifestyle Shopping Center Adjacent to the Latitude Margaritaville Watersound Community in Panama City Beach, Florida
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE) (“St. Joe”) today announces commencement of development of Watersound West Bay Center, a lifestyle shopping center adjacent to the Latitude Margaritaville Watersound community in Panama City Beach, Florida. Plans call for the center, which has the potential to include approximately 350,000 square feet of leasable space at build out, to feature a mix of retail, restaurant, office and medical space.
The center is planned for an approximately 110-acre site located near the intersection of State Road 79 and West Bay Parkway at the entrance to the Latitude Margaritaville Watersound community. This active adult community, which is planned to include 3,500 homesites, welcomed its first residents in late 2021. Since home sales began in June 2021, more than 450 homes have been placed under contract. St. Joe plans to design the lifestyle shopping center with golf cart and pedestrian connectivity to the residential community. The State Road 79 corridor serves as one of the main arteries for vacationers visiting the area by car or via the nearby Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. Just minutes from the planned Watersound West Bay Center, St. Joe has started site work on another large, multi-phase residential community and has plans for a hospital and medical campus.
“Watersound West Bay Center is being designed to serve not only the residents of the growing Latitude Margaritaville Watersound community, but the region at large,” said Dan Velazquez, Senior Vice President of Commercial Real Estate for St. Joe. “We intend to create a welcoming environment for visitors whether they come for a quick shopping trip, or to spend a day shopping and dining. Current plans include mixed-use buildings featuring first floor shopping and dining options and second floor office space as well as a grocery store and pharmacy.”
“This announcement comes at a time of tremendous growth in Northwest Florida,” continued Velazquez. “In addition to the initial success of the Latitude Margaritaville Watersound community, the region’s population growth is among the highest in the state and Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport served more passengers in 2021 than any other year in its history. With these market conditions and the center’s ideal location, we are excited to move forward with Watersound West Bay Center.”
St. Joe’s existing commercial portfolio includes nearly one million square feet of leasable space in Northwest Florida, of which 87% is currently leased. Site work on Watersound West Bay Center is underway and St. Joe intends to begin vertical construction in fall 2022.
Important Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements,” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Exchange Act, including statements regarding the proposed Watersound West Bay Center. These forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by cautionary statements and risk factors set forth in St. Joe’s filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and subsequent filings, as well as the following: (1) the ability of St. Joe to complete the proposed Watersound West Bay Center and (2) and the interest of prospective tenants and customers in a lifestyle shopping center in Panama City Beach, Florida.
About The St. Joe Company
The St. Joe Company is a real estate development, asset management and operating company with real estate assets and operations in Northwest Florida. The Company intends to use existing assets for residential, hospitality and commercial ventures. St. Joe has significant residential and commercial land-use entitlements. The Company actively seeks higher and better uses for its real estate assets through a range of development activities. More information about the Company can be found on its website at www.joe.com. On a regular basis, the Company releases a video showing progress on projects in development or under construction. See https://www.joe.com/video-gallery for more information.
©2022 The St Joe Company. “St. Joe®”, “JOE®”, the “Taking Flight” Design®, “St. Joe (and Taking Flight Design) ®”and “Watersound®“, are registered service marks of The St. Joe Company or its affiliates.
St. Joe Investor Relations Contact:
Marek Bakun
St. Joe Media Relations Contact:
Mike Kerrigan
Corporate Director of Marketing
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首頁-企業資訊-新聞-Kwansei Gakuin University uses Raman microscopy to study crystallographic defects in SiC wafers
Kwansei Gakuin University uses Raman microscopy to study crystallographic defects in silicon carbide wafers
Kwansei Gakuin University is situated in the Hyogo prefecture in the Japanese cities of Nishinomiya and Sanda. Professor Noboru Ohtani is a member of the Department of Nanotechnology for Sustainable Energy in the School of Science and Technology. His major fields of research are the study of wide band gap semiconductors and crystallographic defects.
Crystallographic defects in 4H-SiC epitaxial wafers, such as dislocations and stacking faults, limit the commercialisation of SiC devices and must therefore be eliminated or reduced to levels lower than some critical density. The department's research goal is to establish SiC crystal growth processes that can produce large, ultra-high quality SiC epitaxial wafers. To achieve this, they try to clarify the cause and formation mechanism of crystallographic defects in SiC bulk crystal and epitaxial film.
Crystallographic defects give rise to residual stresses in the crystals. The stresses can occur through a variety of mechanisms in 4H-SiC crystals. For example, temperature gradients in the grown crystals, which are a primary driving force for crystal growth, lead to plastic deformation of the crystals during the growth and/or cooling process. This deformation results in residual stresses when the crystals are cooled to room temperature. The spatial variation of stresses in the crystals can be measured using Renishaw's inVia confocal Raman microscope. These measurements provide valuable information about the formation of defects during physical vapour transport (PVT) growth and chemical vapour deposition (CVD) processes. This information is used to improve the crystal growth process.
Professor Noboru Ohtani, Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan
Image of Professor Noboru Ohtani from Kwansei Gakuin University, Hyogo, Japan, with his inVia confocal Raman microscope.
For more images, videos or information on Renishaw and its products, visit our mediahub.
Professor Ohtani's laboratory also uses high resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) to characterise stress distribution. Raman microscopy provides complementary information to the HRXRD data but with much higher spatial resolution. When asked why the inVia was chosen for the lab, Professor Ohtani said: “The key benefit is the ultra-high speed data acquisition system, which results in a higher sensitivity to measuring stresses in the materials compared to other Raman systems.”
Professor Ohtani and his colleagues recently published a paper with the Materials Science Forum describing the ‘structural and electrical characterization of the initial stage of physical vapour transport growth of 4H-SiC crystals.'1 It illustrates the power of micro Raman imaging to help show the influence of heavily-doped nitrogen donors on the defect formation in SiC crystals.
Please visit www.renishaw.com/invia for further details of Renishaw's inVia confocal Raman microscope.
Image: Professor Noboru Ohtani of the Department of Nanotechnology for Sustainable Energy, School of Science and Technology at Kwansei Gakuin University with his Renishaw inVia Raman Microscope.
Reference 1Structural and electrical characterization of the initial stage of physical vapour transport growth of 4H-SiC crystals, Materials Science Forum Vols 821-823 (2015) pp 90-95. www.scientific.net/MSF.821-823.90, T Takahashi et al.
About Renishaw
Renishaw is one of the world's leading engineering and scientific technology companies, with expertise in precision measurement and healthcare. The company supplies products and services used in applications as diverse as jet engine and wind turbine manufacture, through to dentistry and brain surgery. It is also a world leader in the field of additive manufacturing (also referred to as 3D printing), where it is the only UK business that designs and makes industrial machines which ‘print' parts from metal powder.
The Renishaw Group currently has more than 70 offices in 33 countries, with around 4,000 employees, of which 2,600 people are employed within the UK. The majority of the company's R&D and manufacturing is carried out in the UK and for the year ended June 2015 Renishaw achieved sales of £494.7 million of which 95% was due to exports. The company's largest markets are the USA, China, Germany and Japan.
The Company's success has been recognised with numerous international awards, including eighteen Queen's Awards recognising achievements in technology, export and innovation. Renishaw received a Queen's Award for Enterprise 2014, in the Innovations category, for the continuous development of the inVia confocal Raman microscope. For more information visit www.renishaw.com
Renishaw Raman system used to study SiC at KGU in Japan [45kB]
Renishaw Raman system used to study SiC at KGU in Japan
Kwansei Gakuin University in Hyogo, Japan, uses Raman microscopy to study crystallographic defects in silicon carbide wafers
Professor Noboru Ohtani, Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan [1.3MB]
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Foothills Solar Array kicks off with…
Foothills Solar Array kicks off with ribbon-cutting ceremony
Steve Roalstad /Special to the Reporter Herald
Loveland City Manager Steve Adams and Mayor Pro Tem John Fogle use ceremonial shears to cut the ribbon at the Foothills Solar Array and Substation grand opening while CEO of Platte River Power Authority Jason Frisbie, project manager Brieana Reed-Harmel, project manager Gretchen Stanford were among those looking on.
Namasté Solar / Special to the Loveland Reporter-Herald
Aerial photos of Loveland's new solar farm near Mehaffey Park in January 2017.
By Julia Rentsch | jrentsch@prairiemountainmedia.com | Loveland Reporter-Herald
Under sunny skies and before a field of shiny photovoltaic panels Friday morning, city officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the very first electricity-generating facility in the United States to be federally funded though the FEMA Alternate Project process.
Amid food trucks, balloons and jubilant city staff members, the memories of the devastation following the Big Thompson River flood of 2013 could not be further out of mind. But, it was precisely that event that brought the opportunity for the city of Loveland to transform an aging source of renewable power into something new.
The Foothills Solar Array and Substation at North Mehaffey Park in Loveland replaces the Idylwilde hydroelectric facility as a source of renewable energy for Platte River Power Authority, which provides the city’s electricity through a portfolio of both renewable and non-renewable sources.
Following an introduction by Mayor Pro Tem John Fogle, the crowd heard comments from the Loveland City Manager Steve Adams, Director of Water and Power Joe Bernosky, and project managers Gretchen Stanford and Brieana Reed-Harmel. Stanford is the project’s customer relations manager and Reed-Harmel is a senior electrical engineer.
“We wanted something good to come out of the flood, and I can’t think of something better,” Stanford said.
The project is located on 52 acres purchased by the City Power Department in April 2015. The property was rezoned in November of that year and went under special review for solar field and substation use.
Idylwilde was originally built in 1925 and was significantly damaged during both the 1976 and the 2013 Big Thompson River floods. In 2013, the dam sustained structural damage, the nearby reservoir was filled with silt and sediment, about 2,000 feet of piping was destroyed, and the powerhouse was flooded.
Jason Frisbie, chief executive officer of Platte River Power Authority, said it had been clear that there would be problems rebuilding the hydroelectric facility, and that seizing the opportunity to build solar has enabled PRPA to further diversify its energy portfolio.
“We were excited about this project because we thought it’d be a great opportunity to get solar in the community,” Frisbie said. “We’re talking about adding more community solar, and more wind is next.”
Idylwilde had a capacity to generate 900 kilowatts -— about 0.9 megawatts -— of hydroelectric power at its peak. The solar field produces nearly four times the power at peak operation, outputting 3.5 megawatts collectively from its 10,332 panels.
The Foothills project is the first electric-generating facility in the United States to go through the Federal Emergency Management Agency Alternate Project approval process.
The FEMA Alternate Project process is used when an applicant, such as the city of Loveland, deems that the public welfare would not best be served be restoring a facility damaged by a disaster back to the way it was.
The city may apply for federal funding from FEMA to build a different project, as opposed to rebuilding the damaged facility. Cases utilizing the FEMA Alternate Project fund must demonstrate that the project will benefit the general public in the same general area as the first project.
Loveland’s department of water and power received $9.1 million from FEMA to complete the project, and the city put up another $800,000 in order to expand the solar field’s production capacity — the amount produced at the peak of summer — from 3 megawatts to 3.5 megawatts.
Construction of the project began in April 2016 and officially concluded Sept. 14, 2017.
The solar panels began commercially operating in December 2016, and at that time the city reported that they were producing 10 percent more energy than anticipated in winter, or about 2 megawatts.
In August 2017, the substation began operation. The substation transforms the photovoltaic power collected in the solar field to a higher voltage suitable for efficient delivery to homes.
As the project’s customer relations manager, Stanford said that a key component to the construction was getting feedback from residents who live nearby.
“The biggest thing for me was to work with the surrounding neighborhoods,” Stanford said. “There’s been so much growth on this side of town.”
Stanford said the city held nine public meetings and received feedback from the community on project elements like proposed landscaping, the appearance of the fence surrounding the field, and the level of noise occurring during construction.
The Colorado Renewable Energy Standard applies to utilities serving more than 40,000 customers and requires 10 percent renewable energy by 2020. With fewer than 40,000 customers, Loveland is not mandated by the RES, but the city will voluntarily be above the RES at 12.8 percent renewable energy this year.
Platte River Power Authority, which also serves the cities of Estes Park, Fort Collins and Longmont, generates more than two-thirds of its total energy from coal. An additional 20 percent comes from natural gas.
Frisbie said PRPA prioritizes reliability, cost and environmental sustainability equally in its energy portfolio.
Other sources of Loveland’s renewable energy besides the Foothills field are the Rawhide Solar Flats and the Spring Canyon Wind Energy Center.
Rawhide has 190 acres dedicated to solar — 10 times that of the Foothills field — producing about 30 megawatts of power, equivalent to the power used by 8,000 homes in a year.
Spring Canyon, located about 25 miles northeast of Sterling, provides 60 megawatts of wind energy to PRPA.
Julia Rentsch: 970-699-5404, jrentsch@reporter-herald.com
Julia Rentsch | Reporter
Julia Rentsch is the city reporter at the Loveland Reporter-Herald. She has covered local government since 2017, the year she graduated from Colorado State University. Previously, she served as editor-in-chief of the CSU student newspaper.
jrentsch@prairiemountainmedia.com
Follow Julia Rentsch @julia_rentsch
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Heather Knight hopeful Women’s Ashes will not be disrupted by more Covid cases
Heather Knight has her “fingers crossed” there will be no more Covid-19 cases in the England Women’s Ashes camp after a member of the support staff tested positive.
The multi-format Ashes series was brought forward by a week and will start with three Twenty20 matches at the Adelaide Oval, commencing on January 20.
The staff member has been in isolation in accordance with Covid management guidelines since the result of the test and will remain in Canberra when the group travel to Adelaide, the England and Wales Cricket Board has announced.
“I guess we’re prepared for this, I think it was pretty naive to think we wouldn’t be affected by it,” said Knight.
Putting in that work 💪 @VilliersMady LOVES fielding practice! pic.twitter.com/l6FIBw2Tcc
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 13, 2022
“There’s obviously concern and anxieties from the group, but we’ve had to live under pretty strict protocols once we’ve arrived.
“We’ve only been allowed to socialise outdoors for exactly this reason to limit the spread, so it’s going to be a nervous 24 and 48 hours but the PCR tests we’ve all done already have all come back negative so fingers crossed.
“It was always going to be affected by Covid. We’ve already been affected by Covid in our preparations, we’ve had to safe-live for two weeks in the UK from Christmas pretty much just to get out here.
“It’s been a colossal effort from the players, from the staff and from all the households, and from every single player as well.”
A further round of routine PCR tests will be undertaken before the team fly by charter to Adelaide on January 17.
England have travelled to Australia looking to become the first team to beat Meg Lanning’s side in any series since the 2013-14 Ashes.
Welcome to Australia! 🌧️ pic.twitter.com/T6Slxb8zUy
However, the team’s preparation has been dented by the mandatory 10-day quarantine in New Zealand ahead of the World Cup, causing the Ashes to be brought forward by seven days, and Knight admits it has been challenging.
“Of course there’s a frustration there, but it’s the times that we’re living in at the moment,” she said.
“It’s very challenging to tour with Covid around at the moment and the restrictions that we’ve been under have changed as well so just being adaptable to that as a player has been quite tricky, because as soon as you’ve got your head around something, something else changes.
“But we’ve got no other option but to try and make the most of it and do the best we can and maybe it will take the pressure off, we’ve just got to find a way to free up, go out there and just throw caution to the wind a little bit and see what we can do.
“Mentally it’s going to be tough but we’re doing everything we can to try and get ourselves prepped and be ready for that first game.”
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Joel Osteen’s megachurch confirms stash of…
Joel Osteen’s megachurch confirms stash of money found in bathroom wall
2005 photo: At the grand opening of the Lakewood Church’s new facility in Houston. (AP Photo/Jessica Kourkounis)
By Bay Area News Group | |
PUBLISHED: December 3, 2021 at 8:14 a.m. | UPDATED: December 7, 2021 at 3:14 p.m.
Seven years after an estimated $600,000 was stolen from a safe at Joel Osteen’s Houston megachurch, envelopes full of money were found hidden in a bathroom wall there, the church has confirmed.
Update: Plumber to get $20,000 for finding cash stashed in wall of Joel Osteen’s church
The story of the Nov. 10 discovery came to light Thursday when a man identifying himself as a plumber called the Morning Bullpen radio show at Houston’s KILT, “The Bull.”
He described the events that occurred while he was making a plumbing repair at Lakewood Church: “There was a loose toilet in the wall, and we removed the tile,” the caller said. “We went to go remove the toilet, and I moved some insulation away and about 500 envelopes fell out of the wall, and I was like, ‘Oh wow!’”
He said they ended up pulling out about 3,000 envelopes containing cash and checks. He did not estimate how much was found, and the church’s statement didn’t, either.
Neither the church nor the Houston police addressed whether the discovery was related to the highly publicized theft in March 2014.
About $200,000 in cash and $400,000 in checks — the take from collections at one weekend’s services — disappeared from a safe sometime between a Sunday afternoon and the following morning.
It was never recovered.
At the time, a $25,000 reward was offered for information leading to an arrest in the case. On Thursday, Houston TV station KPRC asked Crime Stoppers, the group offering the award, whether the plumber would get any of the reward.
Its spokesperson said he would not — that the reward was only for information about the culprit, and that the statute of limitations for that crime has expired.
Lakewood is one of the nation’s largest churches, drawing more than 50,000 people a week before the pandemic. Since 2005, it has been housed in an arena that was the former home of the Houston Rockets. Joel Osteen became its lead pastor in 1999.
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U.S. Reaches Milestone Of Delivering 200 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses To The World
By RTTNews Staff Writer ✉ | Published: 10/22/2021 10:43 AM ET
The United States on Thursday reached an important milestone in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
The U.S. Government, which committed to donate 1.2 billion vaccine doses along with lifesaving assistance to countries in need to enhance their ability to get shots into arms, has so far donated and delivered 200 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the rest of the world.
Providing this data at a press briefing, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre urged all WTO members to support an intellectual property waiver and every company to act ambitiously and urgently to expand Covid vaccine manufacturing.
As per the latest data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 189,924,447 people in the United States, or 57.2 percent of the population, have been fully vaccinated against the deadly virus.
219,624,445 people, or 66.2 percent, have received at least one dose.
11,607,334 people, which accounts for 6.1 percent of the U.S. population, were administered a booster vaccine.
With 80,072 new cases reported on Thursday, the total number of Covid infections in the country rose to 45,302,004, as per the latest data from Johns Hopkins University.
California reported the most number of cases - 7,427 - while Texas - 224 - reported the most COVID-related deaths.
The seven-day average of Covid cases is 75,498, which shows a 24 percent decline in the last fortnight, as per data compiled by the New York Times.
An additional 1,903 Covid deaths on Thursday took the total number of people who died due to the pandemic to 733,226.
The number of people admitted in hospitals in the country with coronavirus infection has come down by 19 percent to 56,759 within the last two weeks.
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RX-Info Rx-info secondary care medicines data now informing CQC and NICE
Secondary care medicines data supplied to the NHS by Rx-info has been used by both the CQC and NICE for the first time.
A full national picture on the quantities and costs of controlled drugs prescribed in secondary care in England has been published by the Care Quality Commission using Rx-info data.
Previously the CQC relied on data relating only to the number of prescriptions issued which was obtained via FP10 NHS prescription forms, rather than the amount and cost of the drugs prescribed.
Now it can use the Secondary Care Medicines Data which Rx-info supplies to the NHS in England through the NHS Business Services Authority.
In its annual update on the safer management of controlled drugs, the CQC says: “The data we present relates to the aggregated costs and actual quantities of controlled drugs held across secondary care settings, as opposed to individual numbers of prescription items.
“This also includes controlled drugs held before they are supplied to other organisations, such as a prison or a private provider through a service level agreement. In this report, we refer to this as ‘stockholding’. Although this means the data is not directly comparable with primary care, it does help to provide a more rounded view of the use of controlled drugs across health and care settings.
“Recent trends in the data must be viewed in the context of Covid-19, and the different needs of patients who were treated. This included a reduction in the number of routine operations and procedures, but also a large increase in number of patients who needed intensive care, sometimes for long periods.”
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has used the same Secondary Care Medicines Data to improve its “Innovation Scorecard” of Technology Appraisals in the NHS in England.
The scorecard reports on the use of medicines and medical technologies in the NHS in England which have been positively appraised by NICE.
The latest report says: “This publication introduces the use of the Secondary Care Medicines Data that is supplied by Rx-info and now published by the NHS BSA through their open data portal to provide a richer source of data down to hospital Trust level.”
Rx-info Director Jonathan Kerr said: “Rx-info has been helping secondary care trusts across the country understand more about their own medicines usage, track budgets, and flag any unexpected trends for many years, with a range of software packages including Define, Refine, and ADIoS.
“We are very pleased that the nationwide data we are able to supply to the NHS BSA has helped the CQC in its work ensuring a safe environment for the management and use of controlled drugs in England.
“NICE has also recognised that the data supplied by Rx-info has helped give it a clearer picture of how medicines are being used across a range of settings.”
Having analysed Rx-info’s prescribing data for the years 2017-2020, the CQC noted:
In 2020, the cost of controlled drugs in hospitals in England was £72,609,854, an increase of 6% compared with 2019. During the three-year period 2017 to 2020, the cost of all controlled drugs reduced by 3%.
The cost increase for schedule 5 controlled drugs is substantial. Cannabidiol accounted for 49% of the costs of Schedule 5 controlled drugs in 2020 with costs of £4,494,317 compared with £3,109 in 2019.
In 2020, there was a reduction in stockholding for a significant number of controlled drugs, compared with 2019:
Gabapentin (Schedule 3) – down by 26%
Lisdexamfetamine (Schedule 2) – down by 26%
Pregabalin (Schedule 3) – down by 25%
Tramadol (Schedule 3) – down by 23%
Temazepam (Schedule 3) – down by 22%
Codeine (Schedule 5) – down by 21%
At the same time, there was an increase in stockholding for:
Cannabidiol (Schedule 5) – up by 8,430%
Alfentanil (Schedule 2) – up by 51%
Midazolam (Schedule 3) – up by 28%.
Mr Kerr said: “Recently the status of some of these controlled drugs has changed, meaning alternatives may have been used in their place – it’s interesting to see the effects of those changes in the type of drugs prescribed in secondary care.
“Cannabidiol has not been licenced for very long so it is no surprise to see such an apparently huge percentage increase.”
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Saab will deliver Prison Security Technology to New Zealand
Defence and security company, Saab has received an order from SecureFuture to provide the security management system for a new prison at Wiri, South Auckland in New Zealand. The order amount is SEK 290 million.
“We are proud that SecureFuture has selected us as the security management system contractor for the new prison atWiri,New Zealand. We are happy to follow up the success of the Queensland Correctional Facility near Gatton inAustralia” said Gunilla Fransson, Head of Business Area Security and Defence Solutions.
Saab’s contract covers design, construction and facility maintenance of the security management system at Wiri. Approximately one third of the contract value refers to design and construction which will take place between 2012 and 2015. The remaining contract value refers to the 25 year facility maintenance period which begins thereafter.
“It was the high standard of integration and the assurance of full control over all aspects of the site that convinced the SecureFuture consortium of the readiness of Saab to meet the required security standards and quality of service.” said Dean Rosenfield, Director of Saab SDS New Zealand.
SecureFuture is made up of Fletcher Construction, who will design and construct the prison, Serco, who will operate it, Spotless Facility Services, responsible for maintenance, along with equity participants John Laing, InfraRed and The Accident Compensation Corporation.
Saab Press Centre, +46 (0)734 180 018, presscentre@saabgroup.com
Mark Proctor, Marketing Manager, Saab Technologies, Australia, +61 0 413 893 446
The information is that which Saab AB is required to declare by the Securities Business Act and/or the Financial instruments Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication on September 13 at 16:30.
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Bud Norris apologizes for ‘culture’ comments
San Diego Padres relief pitcher Bud Norris points to the dugout as he walks off the mound after getting a strike out to end the St. Louis Cardinals threat in the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
(The Associated Press)
By Dennis Lin
After remarks he made in a USA Today report about brawls caused widespread backlash on social media, Padres reliever Bud Norris clarified his position before Wednesday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The report, published earlier in the day, found that of the 67 bench-clearing incidents in Major League Baseball over the past five seasons, the main participants came from different ethnic backgrounds 87 percent of the time. Multiple players were interviewed for the story, but it was Norris who drew the heaviest fire for his comments.
“I think it’s a culture shock,” Norris said in the story. “This is America’s game. This is America’s pastime, and over the last 10-15 years we’ve seen a very big world influence in this game, which we as a union and as players appreciate. We’re opening this game to everyone that can play. However, if you’re going to come into our country and make our American dollars, you need to respect a game that has been here for over a hundred years, and I think sometimes that can be misconstrued. There are some players that have antics, that have done things over the years that we don’t necessarily agree with.
“I understand you want to say it’s a cultural thing or an upbringing thing. But by the time you get to the big leagues, you better have a pretty good understanding of what this league is and how long it’s been around.”
Wednesday afternoon, Norris said he was surprised to see his words in print while also expressing remorse.
“It was a quick conversation after a game, and I was getting dressed to go see my family,” Norris told the Union-Tribune. “I feel my words were definitely miscontrued, but that’s beside the point.
“I want to apologize for how it came out and the words that were taken out of context in passing. I apologize to anyone I might have offended. I love this game and admire everyone who plays this game with all the passion that I do.”
According to the USA Today report, Norris praised the talent of Houston outfielder Carlos Gomez while also mentioning that some of the Dominican-born player’s actions are disrespectful.
“Actually in reading the article, I learned a lot more out of his point of view,” Norris said. “I never had the opportunity to play winter ball in a foreign country, and I guess a lot of players have said that they’ve learned some things about how they play the game. There’s things that culturally I don’t understand and haven’t seen with my own eyes. I don’t think I offended (Gomez) in any way, but we all come from different walks of life. Whether I was born in California and taught the game this way or in Mississippi or the Dominican or Japan or anywhere, we all come from different cultural backgrounds and we love this game, and that should be the No. 1 focus.”
Norris, 30, was in fact born in California. He played parts of seven seasons with Houston and Baltimore before signing with the Padres in August.
“I was taught differently, and I think that’s what I’m trying to portray,” Norris said. “I was not trying to light a fire under the other team’s behind, I wasn’t trying to give them more reason to try to beat me, and you’re never trying to show up the other team, the other players. That was the way I was taught and brought up in the Astros organization, to really mind your P’s and Q’s, mind your emotions.
“I’ve been known to wear my emotions on my sleeve at times,” acknowledged Norris, who ironically has been known to be demonstrative on the mound. “In Baltimore, I know a lot of the fanbase enjoyed that and appreciated that about me because they knew how much this game means to me. So I think that can help you at times, but that can also hurt you at times. So ‘antics’ probably weren’t the right word. I just think you have to mind your emotions and not allow your emotions to get the best of you.”
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Padres spring training primer: Catchers
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Sizing up the Padres’ 40-man roster heading into the 2022 season: Drew Pomeranz was effective when healthy, but he wasn’t healthy much in 2021
Padres roster review: Austin Nola
Sizing up the Padres’ 40-man roster heading into the 2022 season: Catcher Austin Nola spent most of the 2021 season on the injured list
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Sizing up the Padres’ 40-man roster heading into the 2022 season: Luis Campusano, after an underwhelming start in the majors, hit his way into the All-Star Futures Game as the NL’s starting catcher
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(Ismailciydem/iStock)
Fertility Rates Are Now Falling in Half The World's Countries
People just aren't making babies like they used to.
This week, The Lancet published a new report on global fertility rates from 1950 to 2017.
Based on their research, people across the globe are giving birth to fewer children than they did in the past — and the impact on society could be catastrophic.
According to the report, the average woman in 1950 gave birth to 4.7 children over the course of their lifetime. Last year, that figure was just 2.4 children.
Those dropping fertility rates mean half the world's nations are now on the cusp of a "baby bust" — meaning their residents aren't giving birth to the number of children needed to maintain the population.
"On current trends, there will be very few children and lots of people over the age of 65, and that's very difficult to sustain global society," report author Christopher Murray told the BBC.
"Think of all the profound social and economic consequences of a society structured like that with more grandparents than grandchildren."
Mr Brightside
In some respects, though, the declining fertility rate is a sign of progress. More children are living to adulthood, so a person needn't give birth as frequently to have the family they always wanted.
Increased access to contraception, employment, and educational opportunities also give women options beyond motherhood, which they might not have had in 1950.
This decline in fertility rates could also benefit the environment. While the global rate of births per woman would need to drop below 2.1 for the population to decrease, a lower fertility rate could at least translate into slowed population growth, which could buy us time as we try to address such issues as climate change and global hunger.
This article was originally published by Futurism.
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All Scripps Hospitals Recognized for Excellent Stroke Care
Awards given for meeting high treatment standards
All five Scripps Health hospital campuses – Scripps Mercy San Diego, Scripps Mercy Chula Vista, Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas and Scripps Green Hospital – have earned the Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for delivering high-quality, life-saving stroke care, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association announced recently.
The awards, which are part of the AHA/ASA’s Get With The Guidelines stroke program, recognize hospitals across the United States that consistently comply with patient management quality measures that are embedded in the program.
“Timely, high-quality care is essential for saving lives and minimizing disability from stroke,” said Mary Kalafut, MD, a Scripps Health stroke director and vascular neurologist. “These awards confirm that patients receive top-level stroke care from an integrated teams of physicians, nurses, technicians and staff members when they arrive at any of Scripps’ hospitals.”
To win the gold awards, each Scripps hospital consistently achieved a series of AHA/ASA program performance measures for 24 or more consecutive months.
Additionally, all four Scripps hospital campuses with emergency rooms – Scripps Memorial La Jolla, Scripps Memorial Encinitas, Scripps Mercy San Diego and Scripps Mercy Chula Vista – were named to the AHA/ASA’s Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll, which recognizes hospitals that deliver thrombolytic therapy (a medication called intravenous tissue plasminogen activator) to eligible patients within one hour of hospital arrival at least 75 percent of the time.
A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is cut off due to a blocked or ruptured vessel, killing brain cells and potentially causing disability or death. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, and about 795,000 people have a stroke each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Scripps has long been a leader in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients who suffer a stroke.
Scripps Memorial La Jolla was among the first U.S. hospitals to earn the prestigious Comprehensive Stroke Center designation by The Joint Commission and AHA/ASA in 2012. The designation recognizes the highly-specialized stroke care available at the hospital, which includes advanced imaging capabilities, the availability of round-the-clock specialized treatments, and a staff that employs the highest levels of education and skill in the care of complex stroke patients.
Additionally, Scripps Memorial Encinitas, Scripps Mercy San Diego and Scripps Mercy Chula Vista are certified by The Joint Commission and AHA/ASA as Primary Stroke Centers for demonstrating their compliance with the organizations’ stroke-related standards and requirements.
Learn more about Scripps Health, a nonprofit integrated health system in San Diego, Calif.
Keith Darce
darce.keith@scrippshealth.org
Follow me: @KeithDarce
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Pell verdict paves way for inquiry reports
A royal commission's findings about Cardinal George Pell's handling of child sexual abuse complaints won't be released for weeks.
The High Court's decision to overturn Cardinal Pell's criminal convictions paves the way for blacked-out sections of two reports from the child abuse royal commission to be released.
Federal Attorney-General Christian Porter said the reports should be released without redactions where possible.
He said his office first needed to check with Victorian authorities to ensure the information would not prejudice any future investigations or prosecutions.
"That could take a number of weeks," Mr Porter told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.
"But my strong preference is to have as much of the information that has been redacted, tabled with less redaction.
"There is a process now for me to go through with Victorian authorities to determine whether those redactions can be lifted or modified without doing any prejudice to any future proceedings."
Redacted versions of the royal commission's reports into the Catholic Church's handling of child abuse allegations in the Melbourne archdiocese and Ballarat diocese were released in December 2017.
The inquiry's findings will not relate to abuse allegations against Cardinal Pell himself, but rather his knowledge of complaints against pedophile priests during his time in Ballarat and Melbourne.
Cardinal Pell, a former Sydney and Melbourne archbishop, was a priest in Ballarat and auxiliary bishop in Melbourne.
Chrissie Foster, a long-time campaigner for child abuse victims after two-of-her-three daughters were raped by a Melbourne priest, was among those calling for the royal com...
Read the rest of the story here.
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Exeter finance whiz aspires to become Hollywood stunt driver
Alex LaCasse
alacasse@seacoastonline.com
EXETER — On the clock, Erik Potts is the mild-mannered president of Exeter’s Panorama Wealth Strategies.
Off the clock, Potts is a speed demon behind the steering wheel of his rally car, a blue Subaru BRZ, which he has piloted to multiple American Rally Association (ARA) and Canadian Rally Championship (CRC) race victories. Now Potts said he has his sights set on a new venture – stunt driving in Hollywood.
“Stunt driving is not about the fame because a lot of people don’t know who the stunt driver is for a certain movie,” said Potts, a Stratham resident. “It’d just be another way for me to challenge my skills and have fun driving. I like to travel so stunt driving would give me another excuse to go places.”
Potts said he was recently in talks with producers of an upcoming movie starring Mark Wahlberg, which was being filmed in Utah. However, he was unable to make the casting call because he was living in New Hampshire and was asked to be on set in Utah the day after getting the call.
For now, Potts said his stunt driving aspirations are temporarily on hold because he is not yet a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and he said except for limited instances, all stunt drivers are members of SAG. He said he is in the process of trying to become SAG eligible.
“It’s a kind of a ridiculous process because in order to get a stunt driving job, you need to be part of SAG, but in order to be SAG eligible you need to get credits through on-screen work,” Potts said. “There are a few jobs I’m looking at and I have some more time to look into them now that race season is over.”
Whenever he begins his stunt driving career, Potts will still be competing on the North American rally racing circuit. This year, Potts took home ARA’s national championship in October for his open two-wheel drive class. He also placed first in CRC’s Charlevoix earlier this year and between the points he earned from his American and Canadian rally victories, he also won the North American Rally Cup for open two-wheel drive.
Rally races take place on 100, 200-mile courses over multiple days along routes that can be residential streets closed to traffic, gravel roads, and even old logging trails - sometimes at night. Drivers must negotiate obstacles like trees, boulders and sometimes other racers’ car parts. Potts said races are time trial-based and drivers start one minute apart. Before the race, Potts and his co-driver get to drive the course and take comprehensive notes on every turn.
Potts said rally racing is a widely popular sport around the world, especially in Canada and Europe. In 2011, he said he borrowed a rally car from a friend and entered a race for fun and ended finishing second. From that point, he said he was hooked.
“The speed gets my adrenaline pumping and I love it,” Potts said. “I like when I’m driving sideways, power-sliding around turns at 120 miles per hour.”
On the rally circuit, a common phrase used by drivers is they “ran out of talent” when their car crashes, breaks down or driver error. To avoid this fate, Potts said as much seat time as possible is crucial. For him, he said whether he's on a practice course, zipping up Mount Washington at over 100 mph during the tri-annual “Climb to the Clouds” or perhaps one day helping a movie star look like a total ace in the driver’s seat; all help refine his rally skills.
“You get better every time you race,” Potts said. “Half the battle is finishing.”
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Professional Movers.com opens 4-person office downtown
Professional Movers.com is opening an office in downtown Detroit's Dime building, a move that bring four new jobs to the 23-story skyscraper with the promise of more.
"We have always been pro Detroit," says Andrew Androff, co-owner & director of sales & marketing for Professional Movers.com. "We started in Detroit in the 1970s. With everything that is going on in downtown Detroit, we decided six months ago that we want to be a part of that."
Professional Movers.com is a moving company that focuses on relocation and moving services in both the U.S. and internationally. The 33-year-old firm employs 55 people, including four people at its new downtown Detroit office. Androff expects the staff of that office to add another two or three people by the end of this year.
The Walled Lake-based company is the latest suburban tenant score by Dan Gilbert's entrepreneurial family of companies. Other suburban companies to take up office space in Gilbert's growing portfolio of downtown office buildings include Are You a Human (Ann Arbor), Skidmore Studio (Royal Oak) and Ludlow Ventures (Southfield), among others.
Professional Movers.com is also taking an interest in developing more work in the Motor City by offering discounted services to people and business looking to relocate to Detroit. More information here.
"It really makes sense for us to be down here because that's where all the work is," Androff says. "That's where all the action is."
Source: Andrew Androff, co-owner & director of sales & marketing for Professional Movers.com
Writer: Jon Zemke
Professional Movers.com
719 Griswold
Detroit, MI 48226 Website
Professional Movers.com provides local, long distance, and international relocation services for families and businesses. It has offices in Walled Lake and downtown Detroit.
Family-owned consulting firm moves to bigger office downtown to accommodate growth
LoVasco got its start in 2013 as a small, family-owned consulting firm starting out in a small space in the Buhl Building in downtown Detroit. Today it has grown to a point where it needed to move.
Jolly Pumpkin to add restaurant to Dexter facility and taproom
Local chip-maker expands its operations
Online Tech aims to hit 100-employee mark by 2018
DataFactZ turns big data analytics into big growth spurt
Michigan Angel Fund hits 100 members, invests in local startups
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What does the name Madagascar mean?
Is Madagascar Indian or African?
When did the first people come to Madagascar?
What is the capital of the Republic of Madagascar?
What are the facts about the island Madagascar?
Where is Madagascar located in the Indian Ocean?
In 1885, Alfred Grandidier, a naturalist and French explorer, arrived in Madagascar, and devoted his life to the study of the island. Though to date, no concrete origin for the term ‘Madagascar’ has been found, many know it as the country of ‘moramora,’ meaning ‘no hurry’.
Destination Madagascar, the big red island. Madagascar is the largest African island situated in the Indian Ocean, about 450 km (280 mi) east of the coast of Mozambique. The fourth largest island in the world has been isolated for about 88 million years and many of its plants and animals are unique to the island.
Early history. Archaeological investigations in the 20th century indicated that human settlers reached Madagascar about 700 ce. Although the huge island lies geographically close to Bantu -speaking Africa, its language, Malagasy, belongs to the distant Western Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family.
Fast Facts: Madagascar Official Name: Republic of Madagascar Capital: Antananarivo Population: 25,683,610 (2018) Official Languages: French, Malagasy Currency: Malagasy ariary (MGA) Form of Government: Semi-presidential republic Climate: Tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
Fast Facts: Madagascar 1 Official Name: 2 Capital: 3 Population: 4 Official Languages: 5 Currency: 6 Form of Government: 7 Climate: 8 Total Area: 9 Highest Point: 10 Lowest Point: It is believed that Madagascar was uninhabited until the 1st century CE when sailors from Indonesia arrived on the island.
Madagascar is a large island nation located in the Indian Ocean east of Africa and the country Mozambique. It is the fourth largest island in the world and it is an African country.
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China Marks Party Centenary With Celebrations Full of National Pride
The centenary event in the capital Beijing was attended by 70,000 party members, including past and present political leaders.
Thousands of people gathered at the historic Tiananmen Square in Beijing to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Sitting in striking formation, they listened to President Xi Jinping deliver a speech underscoring the goal of “building a great modern socialist country.”
“It is certain that with the firm leadership of the Party and the great unity of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, we will achieve the goal of building a great modern socialist country in all respects and fulfill the Chinese Dream of great national rejuvenation,” Xi said.
China’s political leaders, including former president Hu Jintao and ex-premier Wen Jiabao, attended the anniversary on Thursday morning. An estimated 70,000 party members also attended the event, which included the firing of cannons, a flag-raising ceremony, and flyovers by fighter jets and helicopters.
In his 60-minute speech, Xi paid tribute to former Communist leaders — including Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Deng Xiaoping — and referred to the Chinese people as “true heroes.”
Xi also said the country must “accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces.” He added that China will “never allow foreign bullying, oppression, or subjugation.”
The CPC was founded in 1921 in Shanghai by some 50 party members, leading to the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Currently, there are over 95 million Chinese Communist Party members, Xi said during his speech.
Xi stated the party will uphold its values and is “determined to make great achievements” for the country and its people.
“The Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will surely be realized,” he said.
(Header image: A snapshot from the celebrations to mark the centenary of the Communist Party of China at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, July 1, 2021. Xinhua)
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Beauty of the Brain
Stunning new images reveal the marvelous and mysterious world inside our heads
Laura Helmuth
Under the right conditions, patterns emerge from the brain's monumental complexity.
Is the human brain, with all its problem-solving prowess and creative ability, powerful enough to understand itself? Nothing in the known universe (with the exception of the universe itself) is more complex; the brain contains about 100 billion nerve cells, or neurons, each of which can communicate with thousands of other brain cells.
Because we primates are primarily visual creatures, perhaps the best way for us to make sense of the brain is to see it clearly. That has been the goal for 125 years, since the Spanish scientist Santiago Ramón y Cajal began using a stain that marked individual neurons. He peered through a microscope at the stained cells and the branchlike projections with which they connected to other neurons. “Here everything was simple, clear and unconfused,” he wrote of his observations, the beginning of modern neuroscience.
Scientists have since devised methods for determining the specific tasks in which different brain regions specialize—for example, some neurons, devoted to processing sight, detect only horizontal lines, while others sense danger or produce speech. Researchers have created maps delineating how brain regions not adjacent to one another are connected by long tracts of cellular projections called axons. The newest microscope techniques reveal neurons changing shape in response to experience—potentially recording a memory. The ability to see the brain in a fresh light has given rise to a wealth of insights in the past few decades.
Now scientists’ forays into this universe are being put to a different use—as art objects. Carl Schoonover, a neuroscientist in training at Columbia University, has collected intriguing images of the brain for a new book, Portraits of the Mind (Abrams). “They are real data, not artists’ renditions,” he says. “This is what neuroscientists are looking at in their microscopes, MRI machines or electrophysiology systems. Neuroscience exists because of these techniques.”
By borrowing a gene from fluorescent jellyfish and inserting it into the DNA of worms or mice in the lab, scientists have made neurons glow. Cajal’s staining technique worked only on post-mortem tissue, and it marked neurons randomly, but the new dyes have enabled scientists to “study neurons in living animals and tissues,” Joshua Sanes of Harvard University notes in an essay in the book.
One of the newest methods relies on a gene that makes algae sensitive to light. Shining a light on neurons containing the gene can change their behavior. “The advances allow us to manipulate the activities of individual cells and cell types using beams of light,” writes Terrence Sejnowski of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
The brain remains mysterious, but the patterns in these images—rich whorls of neural connections, unexpected symmetries and layers of structure—encourage scientists to believe they will yet decipher it. For his part, Schoonover hopes to “make readers think it’s worth trying to figure out what the images are and why they are so beautiful.”
Laura Helmuth is a senior editor for Smithsonian.
Photographs are from Portrait of the Mind: Visualizing the Brain from Antiquity to the 21st Century by Carl Schoonover, published by Abrams.
The richly layered hippocampus is where memories are made. The three main components of the hippocampus in this mouse brain are lettered.
Under the right conditions, patterns emerge from the brain's monumental complexity. One of the newest applications of magnetic resonance imaging tracks the flow of water within cells, revealing neural tracts that make long-distance connections within the brain. In this image of a brain, blue tracts go between the top and bottom, red between right and left, and green between front and back.
Brain imaging has progressed from gross anatomy to complex circuits. In this first known neuroscience diagram, by Ibn al-Haytham, circa 1027, the eyes and optic nerves are illustrated.
Santiago Ramón y Cajal's 1914 drawing of a plump neuron body entwined by tendrils from other neurons.
The form that a neuron takes is determined by its function, as is the way a group of neurons is organized. Shown here are bright oblong clusters in a part of the mouse brain sensitive to touch; each processes neural signals from a different whisker.
Fueling all this brain activity, and the basis for some imaging techniques, is a dense network of delicate blood vessels.
This isn’t abstract art—it’s a representation of neural activity in a monkey’s brain. This part of the brain, called the visual cortex, is one of the first parts of the brain to receive information from the eyes. The visual cortex is tuned to simple shapes, like straight lines. The monkey was shown lines at different orientations, and the different colors represent bits of cortex that are particularly interested in a given type of line. Neuron clusters highlighted in green, for instance, are active when the monkey sees a vertical line; yellow neuron clusters are tuned to horizontal lines.
When the brain is working well, the different parts are connected by long fibers called axons (see photo 2). But when the brain is damaged (as in this image from a patient who suffered a stroke in a part of the brain called the thalamus), the connections break down.
Neurons communicate with one another by releasing chemicals, such as dopamine, from pouches called vesicles. The vesicles, seen here in a fibroblast cell, have a geodesic outer coating that eventually pops through the side of the cell and releases its chemical message to be detected by the cell’s neighbors.
Our cells are surrounded by a scaffold of proteins that maintains a cell’s shape. Under an electron microscope, protein fibers called actin filaments look like braided ropes.
The hippocampus is the seat of memory. If it is damaged, you can remember things that happened long before the injury but you won’t be able to make new memories.
Thank the cerebellum—the convoluted lobe of tissue at the back and bottom of the brain—for your ability to dance or ride a bike. It’s all about motor coordination. In this stained slice of cerebellar tissue, support cells called glia are in blue, and cells called Purkinje neurons are in green. Purkinje neurons are some of the largest neurons in the brain and have extensive branching networks of projections called dendrites.
A few years ago, neuroscientists figured out how to take two fluorescent proteins that glowed in green or red and turn them into a rainbow of different colors that can be incorporated into individual neurons. Here the technique is used to stain cells in the cerebellum. The result? A “brainbow.”
The densely layered hippocampus, which turns out to be crucial for memory, was the subject of this 1895 drawing by Joseph Jules Dejerine.
Carl Schoonover’s book includes essays by some of the world’s leading neuroscientists.
[×] CLOSE
VIDEO: Brain Tricks - This Is How Your Brain Works
Laura Helmuth | | READ MORE
Laura Helmuth is the science and health editor at Slate. Previously, she was a senior science editor at Smithsonian magazine.
Brain Photography
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Search United States Space Force: Search
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Roth, Brown, Raymond present Air & Space Forces priorities to Congress
By Charles Pope, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs / Published May 07, 2021
Acting Secretary of the Air Force John P. Roth (center), Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. (left) and Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond prepare to answer questions during the House Appropriations Committee on Defense during a virtual hearing at the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., May 7, 2021. Committee members raised topics that included confronting new and emerging threats, air and space superiority, and nuclear deterrence. (U.S. Air Force photo by Wayne Clark)
Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. �Jay� Raymond answers questions during the House Appropriations Committee on Defense during a virtual hearing at the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., May 7, 2021. Committee members raised topics that included confronting new and emerging threats, air and space superiority, and nuclear deterrence. (U.S. Air Force photo by Wayne Clark)
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --
Acting Secretary of the Air Force John Roth told a congressional subcommittee Friday that both the Air and Space forces are moving decisively to confront new and emerging threats, including those from China and Russia, while also devoting resources “to rid our ranks of corrosive elements and injustices.”
Appearing alongside Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., and Chief of Space Operations, Gen. John Raymond, Roth told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense that the Air and Space Forces continue to recalibrate their practices, personnel and policies to address “peer adversaries” after years focusing primarily on terrorism.
“Long-term strategic competition with China and Russia demands that we focus on the capabilities we need today to win tomorrow,” Roth told the subcommittee in his opening statement. “Our Nation’s competitive strategic advantage relies on air and space superiority, which is underpinned by rapid technological advancement and the extension of space as a warfighting domain.”
Testifying before the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee is the first and one of the most important steps in determining how much funding the Air and Space Forces will receive in the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. But because Congress has not yet received detailed spending proposals from any federal agency, the questions during Friday’s two-hour session were more general than in a typical year.
They spanned topics ranging from how the Air Force is responding to its pilot shortage, to questions about readiness and detecting “space junk,” to an assessment of China’s influence in Latin America and the Department’s view on modernizing the aging Minuteman III ground-based nuclear missile system.
When asked, “In the event you got more money, where would the focus be, what would be the top priority?” Roth acknowledged there would be difficult trade-offs.
“We’re going to have to make some hard choices and some difficult decisions concerning trying to invest in the future versus continuing to support some of our legacy systems,” he said. “My sense is the budget you’ll see is a balanced budget that can support the national security strategy with some reasonable risk.”
At the same time, he emphasized, “We need to continue investing in technology for the future.”
When asked about nuclear modernization, Brown said the case is strong for moving ahead with a new system known as the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent.
“What you will get is something that is more safe, more secure, and more reliable and also outpaces the threat we’re up against,” Brown said. “So it’s important that we do modernize that part of our nuclear portfolio,” he continued, noting that the current frontline system, the Minuteman III, is more than 40 years old.
With the Space Force entering its second year in existence, Raymond received a number of questions about fiscal discipline, acquisition programs and this: “Why do we need a Space Force? Why is not the regular Air Force program just as effective if not more so?”
Raymond expanded on his opening statement in which he said the United States remained preeminent in space, but there are now more nations operating with more sophistication and with differing motivations than ever before.
“The capability gap is shrinking between us and our closest competitors,” Raymond said in response to the question. “They are catching up.”
The nation’s leaders decided, he said, “To stand up a service that was purpose built for this domain. We’ve already seen the benefits of that elevation. We’re attracting greater talent. We’ve got a strong voice on requirements. We have a strong voice with our allies and partners. … So across the board we have seen a critical elevation of capability since we’ve established the Space Force.”
Answers by Roth, Brown and Raymond throughout the hearing reflected the Department’s overarching priorities. The practices and priorities, they said, include a mixture of imperatives such as modernizing the nation’s air and land-based nuclear deterrent, ensuring continued “air superiority,” nurturing strong and capable leaders, and continuing to lock arms with allies and partners.
It means continuing to rollout F-35 aircraft into the fleet. The F-35, according to Air Force senior leaders, “is the cornerstone of our future fighter force and air superiority.” It means continuing to introduce the KC-46 tanker into the fleet, while also continuing to revamp the service’s “career field” categories to match personnel and leadership philosophies to the needs of national security and modern warfare.
They also said it requires a new focus, fresh thinking and speed.
“The strategic environment has rapidly evolved and we haven’t changed fast enough to keep pace,” Brown told the subcommittee, noting that prior to becoming Chief of Staff he was the Air Force’s senior military official in the Indo-Pacific.
Brown added, “If we continue on a path of incremental change, our advantage erodes and losing becomes a distinct possibility.” That possibility he said, is why he released a document entitled, “Accelerate Change or Lose” soon after becoming Chief of Staff.
Along with emphasizing speed, the three leaders said another major priority is ensuring that the U.S. Space Force continues to build on its achievements. The nation’s newest military service came into being on Dec. 20, 2019, and in its second year is focused on integrating with partners at every level.
“Now that we have built this service, we are moving at speed to capitalize on its creation,” Raymond told the subcommittee in describing the Space Force’s near term priorities.
“We have set conditions to outpace emerging and dynamic threats and create new military options, working with the joint force, interagency, industry, and our partners and allies. These partnerships will allow us to move at speed without breaking our national treasury,” he said.
Like Roth and Brown, who specified emerging threats in blunt terms, Raymond detailed the way space is evolving into a more complex and challenging environment.
“These threats include robust jamming of GPS and communications satellites; directed energy systems that can blind, disrupt or damage our satellites; anti-satellite weapons in space or from the ground that
are designed to destroy US satellites; and cyber capabilities that can deny our access to the domain,” Raymond said.
Like Raymond, Brown and Roth also offered clear rationales for why the Air Force’s capabilities and readiness are crucial to the larger national security effort.
“Our Air Force is the only Service that provides our joint partners and allies the assurance of Air Superiority, the advantage of Global Strike, and the agility of Rapid Global Mobility through a range of capabilities most requested by today’s combatant commanders.”
Although confronted with an array of threats present in the air and space domains, Roth reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to its mission. “Our Airmen and Guardians stand ready, willing, and able to meet responsibilities to our Nation,” he said. “From 300 feet to 300 miles off the ground, we protect the homeland, we project power, and we defend democracy.”
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Home › CAN-SPAM Act of 2003
Bill text (PDF)
The enrolled (final) text of S. 877 as it was passed by the Senate on November 25, 2003, and agreed to by the House of Representatives on December 8, 2003, appears below (also available in PDF). The bill was signed by the President on December 16, 2003, and took effect on January 1, 2004. It was assigned Public Law number 108-187, was published in the session laws at 117 Stat. 2699, and has been codified at 15 U.S.C. §§ 7701-7713 and 18 U.S.C. § 1037.
The final text of the bill is very similar to that approved by the House of Representatives on November 22, 2003 (available here), with relatively minor technical corrections. The version of the bill that was approved by the Senate on October 22, 2003, is available here, and the original text of the bill as it was introduced on April 10, 2003, is here.
One Hundred Eighth Congress
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the seventh day of January, two thousand and three
An Act
To regulate interstate commerce by imposing limitations and penalties on the transmission of unsolicited commercial electronic mail via the Internet.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the 'Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003', or the 'CAN-SPAM Act of 2003'.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS AND POLICY.
(a) FINDINGS- The Congress finds the following:
(1) Electronic mail has become an extremely important and popular means of communication, relied on by millions of Americans on a daily basis for personal and commercial purposes. Its low cost and global reach make it extremely convenient and efficient, and offer unique opportunities for the development and growth of frictionless commerce.
(2) The convenience and efficiency of electronic mail are threatened by the extremely rapid growth in the volume of unsolicited commercial electronic mail. Unsolicited commercial electronic mail is currently estimated to account for over half of all electronic mail traffic, up from an estimated 7 percent in 2001, and the volume continues to rise. Most of these messages are fraudulent or deceptive in one or more respects.
(3) The receipt of unsolicited commercial electronic mail may result in costs to recipients who cannot refuse to accept such mail and who incur costs for the storage of such mail, or for the time spent accessing, reviewing, and discarding such mail, or for both.
(4) The receipt of a large number of unwanted messages also decreases the convenience of electronic mail and creates a risk that wanted electronic mail messages, both commercial and noncommercial, will be lost, overlooked, or discarded amidst the larger volume of unwanted messages, thus reducing the reliability and usefulness of electronic mail to the recipient.
(5) Some commercial electronic mail contains material that many recipients may consider vulgar or pornographic in nature.
(6) The growth in unsolicited commercial electronic mail imposes significant monetary costs on providers of Internet access services, businesses, and educational and nonprofit institutions that carry and receive such mail, as there is a finite volume of mail that such providers, businesses, and institutions can handle without further investment in infrastructure.
(7) Many senders of unsolicited commercial electronic mail purposefully disguise the source of such mail.
(8) Many senders of unsolicited commercial electronic mail purposefully include misleading information in the messages' subject lines in order to induce the recipients to view the messages.
(9) While some senders of commercial electronic mail messages provide simple and reliable ways for recipients to reject (or 'opt-out' of) receipt of commercial electronic mail from such senders in the future, other senders provide no such 'opt-out' mechanism, or refuse to honor the requests of recipients not to receive electronic mail from such senders in the future, or both.
(10) Many senders of bulk unsolicited commercial electronic mail use computer programs to gather large numbers of electronic mail addresses on an automated basis from Internet websites or online services where users must post their addresses in order to make full use of the website or service.
(11) Many States have enacted legislation intended to regulate or reduce unsolicited commercial electronic mail, but these statutes impose different standards and requirements. As a result, they do not appear to have been successful in addressing the problems associated with unsolicited commercial electronic mail, in part because, since an electronic mail address does not specify a geographic location, it can be extremely difficult for law-abiding businesses to know with which of these disparate statutes they are required to comply.
(12) The problems associated with the rapid growth and abuse of unsolicited commercial electronic mail cannot be solved by Federal legislation alone. The development and adoption of technological approaches and the pursuit of cooperative efforts with other countries will be necessary as well.
(b) CONGRESSIONAL DETERMINATION OF PUBLIC POLICY- On the basis of the findings in subsection (a), the Congress determines that--
(1) there is a substantial government interest in regulation of commercial electronic mail on a nationwide basis;
(2) senders of commercial electronic mail should not mislead recipients as to the source or content of such mail; and
(3) recipients of commercial electronic mail have a right to decline to receive additional commercial electronic mail from the same source.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT- The term 'affirmative consent', when used with respect to a commercial electronic mail message, means that--
(A) the recipient expressly consented to receive the message, either in response to a clear and conspicuous request for such consent or at the recipient's own initiative; and
(B) if the message is from a party other than the party to which the recipient communicated such consent, the recipient was given clear and conspicuous notice at the time the consent was communicated that the recipient's electronic mail address could be transferred to such other party for the purpose of initiating commercial electronic mail messages.
(2) Commercial electronic mail message-
(A) IN GENERAL- The term 'commercial electronic mail message' means any electronic mail message the primary purpose of which is the commercial advertisement or promotion of a commercial product or service (including content on an Internet website operated for a commercial purpose).
(B) TRANSACTIONAL OR RELATIONSHIP MESSAGES- The term 'commercial electronic mail message' does not include a transactional or relationship message.
(C) REGULATIONS REGARDING PRIMARY PURPOSE- Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall issue regulations pursuant to section 13 defining the relevant criteria to facilitate the determination of the primary purpose of an electronic mail message.
(D) REFERENCE TO COMPANY OR WEBSITE- The inclusion of a reference to a commercial entity or a link to the website of a commercial entity in an electronic mail message does not, by itself, cause such message to be treated as a commercial electronic mail message for purposes of this Act if the contents or circumstances of the message indicate a primary purpose other than commercial advertisement or promotion of a commercial product or service.
(3) COMMISSION- The term 'Commission' means the Federal Trade Commission.
(4) DOMAIN NAME- The term 'domain name' means any alphanumeric designation which is registered with or assigned by any domain name registrar, domain name registry, or other domain name registration authority as part of an electronic address on the Internet.
(5) ELECTRONIC MAIL ADDRESS- The term 'electronic mail address' means a destination, commonly expressed as a string of characters, consisting of a unique user name or mailbox (commonly referred to as the 'local part') and a reference to an Internet domain (commonly referred to as the 'domain part'), whether or not displayed, to which an electronic mail message can be sent or delivered.
(6) ELECTRONIC MAIL MESSAGE- The term 'electronic mail message' means a message sent to a unique electronic mail address.
(7) FTC ACT- The term 'FTC Act' means the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.).
(8) HEADER INFORMATION- The term 'header information' means the source, destination, and routing information attached to an electronic mail message, including the originating domain name and originating electronic mail address, and any other information that appears in the line identifying, or purporting to identify, a person initiating the message.
(9) INITIATE- The term 'initiate', when used with respect to a commercial electronic mail message, means to originate or transmit such message or to procure the origination or transmission of such message, but shall not include actions that constitute routine conveyance of such message. For purposes of this paragraph, more than one person may be considered to have initiated a message.
(10) INTERNET- The term 'Internet' has the meaning given that term in the Internet Tax Freedom Act (47 U.S.C. 151 nt).
(11) INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE- The term 'Internet access service' has the meaning given that term in section 231(e)(4) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 231(e)(4)).
(12) PROCURE- The term 'procure', when used with respect to the initiation of a commercial electronic mail message, means intentionally to pay or provide other consideration to, or induce, another person to initiate such a message on one's behalf.
(13) PROTECTED COMPUTER- The term 'protected computer' has the meaning given that term in section 1030(e)(2)(B) of title 18, United States Code.
(14) RECIPIENT- The term 'recipient', when used with respect to a commercial electronic mail message, means an authorized user of the electronic mail address to which the message was sent or delivered. If a recipient of a commercial electronic mail message has one or more electronic mail addresses in addition to the address to which the message was sent or delivered, the recipient shall be treated as a separate recipient with respect to each such address. If an electronic mail address is reassigned to a new user, the new user shall not be treated as a recipient of any commercial electronic mail message sent or delivered to that address before it was reassigned.
(15) ROUTINE CONVEYANCE- The term 'routine conveyance' means the transmission, routing, relaying, handling, or storing, through an automatic technical process, of an electronic mail message for which another person has identified the recipients or provided the recipient addresses.
(16) SENDER-
(A) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term 'sender', when used with respect to a commercial electronic mail message, means a person who initiates such a message and whose product, service, or Internet web site is advertised or promoted by the message.
(B) SEPARATE LINES OF BUSINESS OR DIVISIONS- If an entity operates through separate lines of business or divisions and holds itself out to the recipient throughout the message as that particular line of business or division rather than as the entity of which such line of business or division is a part, then the line of business or the division shall be treated as the sender of such message for purposes of this Act.
(17) Transactional or relationship message-
(A) IN GENERAL- The term 'transactional or relationship message' means an electronic mail message the primary purpose of which is--
(i) to facilitate, complete, or confirm a commercial transaction that the recipient has previously agreed to enter into with the sender;
(ii) to provide warranty information, product recall information, or safety or security information with respect to a commercial product or service used or purchased by the recipient;
(iii) to provide--
(I) notification concerning a change in the terms or features of;
(II) notification of a change in the recipient's standing or status with respect to; or
(III) at regular periodic intervals, account balance information or other type of account statement with respect to,
a subscription, membership, account, loan, or comparable ongoing commercial relationship involving the ongoing purchase or use by the recipient of products or services offered by the sender;
(iv) to provide information directly related to an employment relationship or related benefit plan in which the recipient is currently involved, participating, or enrolled; or
(v) to deliver goods or services, including product updates or upgrades, that the recipient is entitled to receive under the terms of a transaction that the recipient has previously agreed to enter into with the sender.
(B) MODIFICATION OF DEFINITION- The Commission by regulation pursuant to section 13 may modify the definition in subparagraph (A) to expand or contract the categories of messages that are treated as transactional or relationship messages for purposes of this Act to the extent that such modification is necessary to accommodate changes in electronic mail technology or practices and accomplish the purposes of this Act.
SEC. 4. PROHIBITION AGAINST PREDATORY AND ABUSIVE COMMERCIAL E-MAIL.
(a) OFFENSE-
(1) IN GENERAL- Chapter 47 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
'Sec. 1037. Fraud and related activity in connection with electronic mail
'(a) IN GENERAL- Whoever, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, knowingly--
'(1) accesses a protected computer without authorization, and intentionally initiates the transmission of multiple commercial electronic mail messages from or through such computer,
'(2) uses a protected computer to relay or retransmit multiple commercial electronic mail messages, with the intent to deceive or mislead recipients, or any Internet access service, as to the origin of such messages,
'(3) materially falsifies header information in multiple commercial electronic mail messages and intentionally initiates the transmission of such messages,
'(4) registers, using information that materially falsifies the identity of the actual registrant, for five or more electronic mail accounts or online user accounts or two or more domain names, and intentionally initiates the transmission of multiple commercial electronic mail messages from any combination of such accounts or domain names, or
'(5) falsely represents oneself to be the registrant or the legitimate successor in interest to the registrant of 5 or more Internet Protocol addresses, and intentionally initiates the transmission of multiple commercial electronic mail messages from such addresses,
or conspires to do so, shall be punished as provided in subsection (b).
'(b) PENALTIES- The punishment for an offense under subsection (a) is--
'(1) a fine under this title, imprisonment for not more than 5 years, or both, if--
'(A) the offense is committed in furtherance of any felony under the laws of the United States or of any State; or
'(B) the defendant has previously been convicted under this section or section 1030, or under the law of any State for conduct involving the transmission of multiple commercial electronic mail messages or unauthorized access to a computer system;
'(A) the offense is an offense under subsection (a)(1);
'(B) the offense is an offense under subsection (a)(4) and involved 20 or more falsified electronic mail or online user account registrations, or 10 or more falsified domain name registrations;
'(C) the volume of electronic mail messages transmitted in furtherance of the offense exceeded 2,500 during any 24-hour period, 25,000 during any 30-day period, or 250,000 during any 1-year period;
'(D) the offense caused loss to one or more persons aggregating $5,000 or more in value during any 1-year period;
'(E) as a result of the offense any individual committing the offense obtained anything of value aggregating $5,000 or more during any 1-year period; or
'(F) the offense was undertaken by the defendant in concert with three or more other persons with respect to whom the defendant occupied a position of organizer or leader; and
'(3) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or both, in any other case.
'(c) FORFEITURE-
'(1) IN GENERAL- The court, in imposing sentence on a person who is convicted of an offense under this section, shall order that the defendant forfeit to the United States--
'(A) any property, real or personal, constituting or traceable to gross proceeds obtained from such offense; and
'(B) any equipment, software, or other technology used or intended to be used to commit or to facilitate the commission of such offense.
'(2) PROCEDURES- The procedures set forth in section 413 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 853), other than subsection (d) of that section, and in Rule 32.2 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall apply to all stages of a criminal forfeiture proceeding under this section.
'(d) DEFINITIONS- In this section:
'(1) LOSS- The term 'loss' has the meaning given that term in section 1030(e) of this title.
'(2) MATERIALLY- For purposes of paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (a), header information or registration information is materially falsified if it is altered or concealed in a manner that would impair the ability of a recipient of the message, an Internet access service processing the message on behalf of a recipient, a person alleging a violation of this section, or a law enforcement agency to identify, locate, or respond to a person who initiated the electronic mail message or to investigate the alleged violation.
'(3) MULTIPLE- The term 'multiple' means more than 100 electronic mail messages during a 24-hour period, more than 1,000 electronic mail messages during a 30-day period, or more than 10,000 electronic mail messages during a 1-year period.
'(4) OTHER TERMS- Any other term has the meaning given that term by section 3 of the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003.'.
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- The chapter analysis for chapter 47 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
'Sec.
'1037. Fraud and related activity in connection with electronic mail.'.
(b) UNITED STATES SENTENCING COMMISSION-
(1) DIRECTIVE- Pursuant to its authority under section 994(p) of title 28, United States Code, and in accordance with this section, the United States Sentencing Commission shall review and, as appropriate, amend the sentencing guidelines and policy statements to provide appropriate penalties for violations of section 1037 of title 18, United States Code, as added by this section, and other offenses that may be facilitated by the sending of large quantities of unsolicited electronic mail.
(2) REQUIREMENTS- In carrying out this subsection, the Sentencing Commission shall consider providing sentencing enhancements for--
(A) those convicted under section 1037 of title 18, United States Code, who--
(i) obtained electronic mail addresses through improper means, including--
(I) harvesting electronic mail addresses of the users of a website, proprietary service, or other online public forum operated by another person, without the authorization of such person; and
(II) randomly generating electronic mail addresses by computer; or
(ii) knew that the commercial electronic mail messages involved in the offense contained or advertised an Internet domain for which the registrant of the domain had provided false registration information; and
(B) those convicted of other offenses, including offenses involving fraud, identity theft, obscenity, child pornography, and the sexual exploitation of children, if such offenses involved the sending of large quantities of electronic mail.
(c) SENSE OF CONGRESS- It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) Spam has become the method of choice for those who distribute pornography, perpetrate fraudulent schemes, and introduce viruses, worms, and Trojan horses into personal and business computer systems; and
(2) the Department of Justice should use all existing law enforcement tools to investigate and prosecute those who send bulk commercial e-mail to facilitate the commission of Federal crimes, including the tools contained in chapters 47 and 63 of title 18, United States Code (relating to fraud and false statements); chapter 71 of title 18, United States Code (relating to obscenity); chapter 110 of title 18, United States Code (relating to the sexual exploitation of children); and chapter 95 of title 18, United States Code (relating to racketeering), as appropriate.
SEC. 5. OTHER PROTECTIONS FOR USERS OF COMMERCIAL ELECTRONIC MAIL.
(a) REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSMISSION OF MESSAGES-
(1) PROHIBITION OF FALSE OR MISLEADING TRANSMISSION INFORMATION- It is unlawful for any person to initiate the transmission, to a protected computer, of a commercial electronic mail message, or a transactional or relationship message, that contains, or is accompanied by, header information that is materially false or materially misleading. For purposes of this paragraph--
(A) header information that is technically accurate but includes an originating electronic mail address, domain name, or Internet Protocol address the access to which for purposes of initiating the message was obtained by means of false or fraudulent pretenses or representations shall be considered materially misleading;
(B) a 'from' line (the line identifying or purporting to identify a person initiating the message) that accurately identifies any person who initiated the message shall not be considered materially false or materially misleading; and
(C) header information shall be considered materially misleading if it fails to identify accurately a protected computer used to initiate the message because the person initiating the message knowingly uses another protected computer to relay or retransmit the message for purposes of disguising its origin.
(2) PROHIBITION OF DECEPTIVE SUBJECT HEADINGS- It is unlawful for any person to initiate the transmission to a protected computer of a commercial electronic mail message if such person has actual knowledge, or knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances, that a subject heading of the message would be likely to mislead a recipient, acting reasonably under the circumstances, about a material fact regarding the contents or subject matter of the message (consistent with the criteria used in enforcement of section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45)).
(3) Inclusion of return address or comparable mechanism in commercial electronic mail-
(A) IN GENERAL- It is unlawful for any person to initiate the transmission to a protected computer of a commercial electronic mail message that does not contain a functioning return electronic mail address or other Internet-based mechanism, clearly and conspicuously displayed, that--
(i) a recipient may use to submit, in a manner specified in the message, a reply electronic mail message or other form of Internet-based communication requesting not to receive future commercial electronic mail messages from that sender at the electronic mail address where the message was received; and
(ii) remains capable of receiving such messages or communications for no less than 30 days after the transmission of the original message.
(B) MORE DETAILED OPTIONS POSSIBLE- The person initiating a commercial electronic mail message may comply with subparagraph (A)(i) by providing the recipient a list or menu from which the recipient may choose the specific types of commercial electronic mail messages the recipient wants to receive or does not want to receive from the sender, if the list or menu includes an option under which the recipient may choose not to receive any commercial electronic mail messages from the sender.
(C) TEMPORARY INABILITY TO RECEIVE MESSAGES OR PROCESS REQUESTS- A return electronic mail address or other mechanism does not fail to satisfy the requirements of subparagraph (A) if it is unexpectedly and temporarily unable to receive messages or process requests due to a technical problem beyond the control of the sender if the problem is corrected within a reasonable time period.
(4) PROHIBITION OF TRANSMISSION OF COMMERCIAL ELECTRONIC MAIL AFTER OBJECTION-
(A) IN GENERAL- If a recipient makes a request using a mechanism provided pursuant to paragraph (3) not to receive some or any commercial electronic mail messages from such sender, then it is unlawful--
(i) for the sender to initiate the transmission to the recipient, more than 10 business days after the receipt of such request, of a commercial electronic mail message that falls within the scope of the request;
(ii) for any person acting on behalf of the sender to initiate the transmission to the recipient, more than 10 business days after the receipt of such request, of a commercial electronic mail message with actual knowledge, or knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances, that such message falls within the scope of the request;
(iii) for any person acting on behalf of the sender to assist in initiating the transmission to the recipient, through the provision or selection of addresses to which the message will be sent, of a commercial electronic mail message with actual knowledge, or knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances, that such message would violate clause (i) or (ii); or
(iv) for the sender, or any other person who knows that the recipient has made such a request, to sell, lease, exchange, or otherwise transfer or release the electronic mail address of the recipient (including through any transaction or other transfer involving mailing lists bearing the electronic mail address of the recipient) for any purpose other than compliance with this Act or other provision of law.
(B) SUBSEQUENT AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT- A prohibition in subparagraph (A) does not apply if there is affirmative consent by the recipient subsequent to the request under subparagraph (A).
(5) INCLUSION OF IDENTIFIER, OPT-OUT, AND PHYSICAL ADDRESS IN COMMERCIAL ELECTRONIC MAIL- (A) It is unlawful for any person to initiate the transmission of any commercial electronic mail message to a protected computer unless the message provides--
(i) clear and conspicuous identification that the message is an advertisement or solicitation;
(ii) clear and conspicuous notice of the opportunity under paragraph (3) to decline to receive further commercial electronic mail messages from the sender; and
(iii) a valid physical postal address of the sender.
(B) Subparagraph (A)(i) does not apply to the transmission of a commercial electronic mail message if the recipient has given prior affirmative consent to receipt of the message.
(6) MATERIALLY- For purposes of paragraph (1), the term 'materially', when used with respect to false or misleading header information, includes the alteration or concealment of header information in a manner that would impair the ability of an Internet access service processing the message on behalf of a recipient, a person alleging a violation of this section, or a law enforcement agency to identify, locate, or respond to a person who initiated the electronic mail message or to investigate the alleged violation, or the ability of a recipient of the message to respond to a person who initiated the electronic message.
(b) Aggravated Violations Relating to Commercial Electronic Mail-
(1) Address harvesting and dictionary attacks-
(A) IN GENERAL- It is unlawful for any person to initiate the transmission, to a protected computer, of a commercial electronic mail message that is unlawful under subsection (a), or to assist in the origination of such message through the provision or selection of addresses to which the message will be transmitted, if such person had actual knowledge, or knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances, that--
(i) the electronic mail address of the recipient was obtained using an automated means from an Internet website or proprietary online service operated by another person, and such website or online service included, at the time the address was obtained, a notice stating that the operator of such website or online service will not give, sell, or otherwise transfer addresses maintained by such website or online service to any other party for the purposes of initiating, or enabling others to initiate, electronic mail messages; or
(ii) the electronic mail address of the recipient was obtained using an automated means that generates possible electronic mail addresses by combining names, letters, or numbers into numerous permutations.
(B) DISCLAIMER- Nothing in this paragraph creates an ownership or proprietary interest in such electronic mail addresses.
(2) AUTOMATED CREATION OF MULTIPLE ELECTRONIC MAIL ACCOUNTS- It is unlawful for any person to use scripts or other automated means to register for multiple electronic mail accounts or online user accounts from which to transmit to a protected computer, or enable another person to transmit to a protected computer, a commercial electronic mail message that is unlawful under subsection (a).
(3) RELAY OR RETRANSMISSION THROUGH UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS- It is unlawful for any person knowingly to relay or retransmit a commercial electronic mail message that is unlawful under subsection (a) from a protected computer or computer network that such person has accessed without authorization.
(c) SUPPLEMENTARY RULEMAKING AUTHORITY- The Commission shall by regulation, pursuant to section 13--
(1) modify the 10-business-day period under subsection (a)(4)(A) or subsection (a)(4)(B), or both, if the Commission determines that a different period would be more reasonable after taking into account--
(A) the purposes of subsection (a);
(B) the interests of recipients of commercial electronic mail; and
(C) the burdens imposed on senders of lawful commercial electronic mail; and
(2) specify additional activities or practices to which subsection (b) applies if the Commission determines that those activities or practices are contributing substantially to the proliferation of commercial electronic mail messages that are unlawful under subsection (a).
(d) REQUIREMENT TO PLACE WARNING LABELS ON COMMERCIAL ELECTRONIC MAIL CONTAINING SEXUALLY ORIENTED MATERIAL-
(1) IN GENERAL- No person may initiate in or affecting interstate commerce the transmission, to a protected computer, of any commercial electronic mail message that includes sexually oriented material and--
(A) fail to include in subject heading for the electronic mail message the marks or notices prescribed by the Commission under this subsection; or
(B) fail to provide that the matter in the message that is initially viewable to the recipient, when the message is opened by any recipient and absent any further actions by the recipient, includes only--
(i) to the extent required or authorized pursuant to paragraph (2), any such marks or notices;
(ii) the information required to be included in the message pursuant to subsection (a)(5); and
(iii) instructions on how to access, or a mechanism to access, the sexually oriented material.
(2) PRIOR AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT- Paragraph (1) does not apply to the transmission of an electronic mail message if the recipient has given prior affirmative consent to receipt of the message.
(3) PRESCRIPTION OF MARKS AND NOTICES- Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission in consultation with the Attorney General shall prescribe clearly identifiable marks or notices to be included in or associated with commercial electronic mail that contains sexually oriented material, in order to inform the recipient of that fact and to facilitate filtering of such electronic mail. The Commission shall publish in the Federal Register and provide notice to the public of the marks or notices prescribed under this paragraph.
(4) DEFINITION- In this subsection, the term 'sexually oriented material' means any material that depicts sexually explicit conduct (as that term is defined in section 2256 of title 18, United States Code), unless the depiction constitutes a small and insignificant part of the whole, the remainder of which is not primarily devoted to sexual matters.
(5) PENALTY- Whoever knowingly violates paragraph (1) shall be fined under title 18, United States Code, or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
SEC. 6. BUSINESSES KNOWINGLY PROMOTED BY ELECTRONIC MAIL WITH FALSE OR MISLEADING TRANSMISSION INFORMATION.
(a) IN GENERAL- It is unlawful for a person to promote, or allow the promotion of, that person's trade or business, or goods, products, property, or services sold, offered for sale, leased or offered for lease, or otherwise made available through that trade or business, in a commercial electronic mail message the transmission of which is in violation of section 5(a)(1) if that person--
(1) knows, or should have known in the ordinary course of that person's trade or business, that the goods, products, property, or services sold, offered for sale, leased or offered for lease, or otherwise made available through that trade or business were being promoted in such a message;
(2) received or expected to receive an economic benefit from such promotion; and
(3) took no reasonable action--
(A) to prevent the transmission; or
(B) to detect the transmission and report it to the Commission.
(b) Limited Enforcement Against Third Parties-
(1) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in paragraph (2), a person (hereinafter referred to as the 'third party') that provides goods, products, property, or services to another person that violates subsection (a) shall not be held liable for such violation.
(2) EXCEPTION- Liability for a violation of subsection (a) shall be imputed to a third party that provides goods, products, property, or services to another person that violates subsection (a) if that third party--
(A) owns, or has a greater than 50 percent ownership or economic interest in, the trade or business of the person that violated subsection (a); or
(B)(i) has actual knowledge that goods, products, property, or services are promoted in a commercial electronic mail message the transmission of which is in violation of section 5(a)(1); and
(ii) receives, or expects to receive, an economic benefit from such promotion.
(c) EXCLUSIVE ENFORCEMENT BY FTC- Subsections (f) and (g) of section 7 do not apply to violations of this section.
(d) SAVINGS PROVISION- Except as provided in section 7(f)(8), nothing in this section may be construed to limit or prevent any action that may be taken under this Act with respect to any violation of any other section of this Act.
SEC. 7. ENFORCEMENT GENERALLY.
(a) VIOLATION IS UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACT OR PRACTICE- Except as provided in subsection (b), this Act shall be enforced by the Commission as if the violation of this Act were an unfair or deceptive act or practice proscribed under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)).
(b) ENFORCEMENT BY CERTAIN OTHER AGENCIES- Compliance with this Act shall be enforced--
(1) under section 8 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1818), in the case of--
(A) national banks, and Federal branches and Federal agencies of foreign banks, by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency;
(B) member banks of the Federal Reserve System (other than national banks), branches and agencies of foreign banks (other than Federal branches, Federal agencies, and insured State branches of foreign banks), commercial lending companies owned or controlled by foreign banks, organizations operating under section 25 or 25A of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 601 and 611), and bank holding companies, by the Board;
(C) banks insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (other than members of the Federal Reserve System) and insured State branches of foreign banks, by the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; and
(D) savings associations the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, by the Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision;
(2) under the Federal Credit Union Act (12 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) by the Board of the National Credit Union Administration with respect to any Federally insured credit union;
(3) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.) by the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to any broker or dealer;
(4) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.) by the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to investment companies;
(5) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-1 et seq.) by the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to investment advisers registered under that Act;
(6) under State insurance law in the case of any person engaged in providing insurance, by the applicable State insurance authority of the State in which the person is domiciled, subject to section 104 of the Gramm-Bliley-Leach Act (15 U.S.C. 6701), except that in any State in which the State insurance authority elects not to exercise this power, the enforcement authority pursuant to this Act shall be exercised by the Commission in accordance with subsection (a);
(7) under part A of subtitle VII of title 49, United States Code, by the Secretary of Transportation with respect to any air carrier or foreign air carrier subject to that part;
(8) under the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 (7 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) (except as provided in section 406 of that Act (7 U.S.C. 226, 227)), by the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to any activities subject to that Act;
(9) under the Farm Credit Act of 1971 (12 U.S.C. 2001 et seq.) by the Farm Credit Administration with respect to any Federal land bank, Federal land bank association, Federal intermediate credit bank, or production credit association; and
(10) under the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) by the Federal Communications Commission with respect to any person subject to the provisions of that Act.
(c) EXERCISE OF CERTAIN POWERS- For the purpose of the exercise by any agency referred to in subsection (b) of its powers under any Act referred to in that subsection, a violation of this Act is deemed to be a violation of a Federal Trade Commission trade regulation rule. In addition to its powers under any provision of law specifically referred to in subsection (b), each of the agencies referred to in that subsection may exercise, for the purpose of enforcing compliance with any requirement imposed under this Act, any other authority conferred on it by law.
(d) ACTIONS BY THE COMMISSION- The Commission shall prevent any person from violating this Act in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and made a part of this Act. Any entity that violates any provision of that subtitle is subject to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and immunities provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, power, and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act were incorporated into and made a part of that subtitle.
(e) AVAILABILITY OF CEASE-AND-DESIST ORDERS AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF WITHOUT SHOWING OF KNOWLEDGE- Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, in any proceeding or action pursuant to subsection (a), (b), (c), or (d) of this section to enforce compliance, through an order to cease and desist or an injunction, with section 5(a)(1)(C), section 5(a)(2), clause (ii), (iii), or (iv) of section 5(a)(4)(A), section 5(b)(1)(A), or section 5(b)(3), neither the Commission nor the Federal Communications Commission shall be required to allege or prove the state of mind required by such section or subparagraph.
(f) Enforcement by States-
(1) CIVIL ACTION- In any case in which the attorney general of a State, or an official or agency of a State, has reason to believe that an interest of the residents of that State has been or is threatened or adversely affected by any person who violates paragraph (1) or (2) of section 5(a), who violates section 5(d), or who engages in a pattern or practice that violates paragraph (3), (4), or (5) of section 5(a), of this Act, the attorney general, official, or agency of the State, as parens patriae, may bring a civil action on behalf of the residents of the State in a district court of the United States of appropriate jurisdiction--
(A) to enjoin further violation of section 5 of this Act by the defendant; or
(B) to obtain damages on behalf of residents of the State, in an amount equal to the greater of--
(i) the actual monetary loss suffered by such residents; or
(ii) the amount determined under paragraph (3).
(2) AVAILABILITY OF INJUNCTIVE RELIEF WITHOUT SHOWING OF KNOWLEDGE- Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, in a civil action under paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection, the attorney general, official, or agency of the State shall not be required to allege or prove the state of mind required by section 5(a)(1)(C), section 5(a)(2), clause (ii), (iii), or (iv) of section 5(a)(4)(A), section 5(b)(1)(A), or section 5(b)(3).
(3) Statutory damages-
(A) IN GENERAL- For purposes of paragraph (1)(B)(ii), the amount determined under this paragraph is the amount calculated by multiplying the number of violations (with each separately addressed unlawful message received by or addressed to such residents treated as a separate violation) by up to $250.
(B) LIMITATION- For any violation of section 5 (other than section 5(a)(1)), the amount determined under subparagraph (A) may not exceed $2,000,000.
(C) AGGRAVATED DAMAGES- The court may increase a damage award to an amount equal to not more than three times the amount otherwise available under this paragraph if--
(i) the court determines that the defendant committed the violation willfully and knowingly; or
(ii) the defendant's unlawful activity included one or more of the aggravating violations set forth in section 5(b).
(D) REDUCTION OF DAMAGES- In assessing damages under subparagraph (A), the court may consider whether--
(i) the defendant has established and implemented, with due care, commercially reasonable practices and procedures designed to effectively prevent such violations; or
(ii) the violation occurred despite commercially reasonable efforts to maintain compliance the practices and procedures to which reference is made in clause (i).
(4) ATTORNEY FEES- In the case of any successful action under paragraph (1), the court, in its discretion, may award the costs of the action and reasonable attorney fees to the State.
(5) RIGHTS OF FEDERAL REGULATORS- The State shall serve prior written notice of any action under paragraph (1) upon the Federal Trade Commission or the appropriate Federal regulator determined under subsection (b) and provide the Commission or appropriate Federal regulator with a copy of its complaint, except in any case in which such prior notice is not feasible, in which case the State shall serve such notice immediately upon instituting such action. The Federal Trade Commission or appropriate Federal regulator shall have the right--
(A) to intervene in the action;
(B) upon so intervening, to be heard on all matters arising therein;
(C) to remove the action to the appropriate United States district court; and
(D) to file petitions for appeal.
(6) CONSTRUCTION- For purposes of bringing any civil action under paragraph (1), nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent an attorney general of a State from exercising the powers conferred on the attorney general by the laws of that State to--
(A) conduct investigations;
(B) administer oaths or affirmations; or
(C) compel the attendance of witnesses or the production of documentary and other evidence.
(7) VENUE; SERVICE OF PROCESS-
(A) VENUE- Any action brought under paragraph (1) may be brought in the district court of the United States that meets applicable requirements relating to venue under section 1391 of title 28, United States Code.
(B) SERVICE OF PROCESS- In an action brought under paragraph (1), process may be served in any district in which the defendant--
(i) is an inhabitant; or
(ii) maintains a physical place of business.
(8) LIMITATION ON STATE ACTION WHILE FEDERAL ACTION IS PENDING- If the Commission, or other appropriate Federal agency under subsection (b), has instituted a civil action or an administrative action for violation of this Act, no State attorney general, or official or agency of a State, may bring an action under this subsection during the pendency of that action against any defendant named in the complaint of the Commission or the other agency for any violation of this Act alleged in the complaint.
(9) REQUISITE SCIENTER FOR CERTAIN CIVIL ACTIONS- Except as provided in section 5(a)(1)(C), section 5(a)(2), clause (ii), (iii), or (iv) of section 5(a)(4)(A), section 5(b)(1)(A), or section 5(b)(3), in a civil action brought by a State attorney general, or an official or agency of a State, to recover monetary damages for a violation of this Act, the court shall not grant the relief sought unless the attorney general, official, or agency establishes that the defendant acted with actual knowledge, or knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances, of the act or omission that constitutes the violation.
(g) Action by Provider of Internet Access Service-
(1) ACTION AUTHORIZED- A provider of Internet access service adversely affected by a violation of section 5(a)(1), 5(b), or 5(d), or a pattern or practice that violates paragraph (2), (3), (4), or (5) of section 5(a), may bring a civil action in any district court of the United States with jurisdiction over the defendant--
(A) to enjoin further violation by the defendant; or
(B) to recover damages in an amount equal to the greater of--
(i) actual monetary loss incurred by the provider of Internet access service as a result of such violation; or
(2) SPECIAL DEFINITION OF 'PROCURE'- In any action brought under paragraph (1), this Act shall be applied as if the definition of the term 'procure' in section 3(12) contained, after 'behalf' the words 'with actual knowledge, or by consciously avoiding knowing, whether such person is engaging, or will engage, in a pattern or practice that violates this Act'.
(A) IN GENERAL- For purposes of paragraph (1)(B)(ii), the amount determined under this paragraph is the amount calculated by multiplying the number of violations (with each separately addressed unlawful message that is transmitted or attempted to be transmitted over the facilities of the provider of Internet access service, or that is transmitted or attempted to be transmitted to an electronic mail address obtained from the provider of Internet access service in violation of section 5(b)(1)(A)(i), treated as a separate violation) by--
(i) up to $100, in the case of a violation of section 5(a)(1); or
(ii) up to $25, in the case of any other violation of section 5.
(ii) the defendant's unlawful activity included one or more of the aggravated violations set forth in section 5(b).
(ii) the violation occurred despite commercially reasonable efforts to maintain compliance with the practices and procedures to which reference is made in clause (i).
(4) ATTORNEY FEES- In any action brought pursuant to paragraph (1), the court may, in its discretion, require an undertaking for the payment of the costs of such action, and assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees, against any party.
SEC. 8. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.
(a) FEDERAL LAW- (1) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to impair the enforcement of section 223 or 231 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 223 or 231, respectively), chapter 71 (relating to obscenity) or 110 (relating to sexual exploitation of children) of title 18, United States Code, or any other Federal criminal statute.
(2) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect in any way the Commission's authority to bring enforcement actions under FTC Act for materially false or deceptive representations or unfair practices in commercial electronic mail messages.
(b) STATE LAW-
(1) IN GENERAL- This Act supersedes any statute, regulation, or rule of a State or political subdivision of a State that expressly regulates the use of electronic mail to send commercial messages, except to the extent that any such statute, regulation, or rule prohibits falsity or deception in any portion of a commercial electronic mail message or information attached thereto.
(2) STATE LAW NOT SPECIFIC TO ELECTRONIC MAIL- This Act shall not be construed to preempt the applicability of--
(A) State laws that are not specific to electronic mail, including State trespass, contract, or tort law; or
(B) other State laws to the extent that those laws relate to acts of fraud or computer crime.
(c) NO EFFECT ON POLICIES OF PROVIDERS OF INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to have any effect on the lawfulness or unlawfulness, under any other provision of law, of the adoption, implementation, or enforcement by a provider of Internet access service of a policy of declining to transmit, route, relay, handle, or store certain types of electronic mail messages.
SEC. 9. DO-NOT-E-MAIL REGISTRY.
(a) IN GENERAL- Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall transmit to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce a report that--
(1) sets forth a plan and timetable for establishing a nationwide marketing Do-Not-E-Mail registry;
(2) includes an explanation of any practical, technical, security, privacy, enforceability, or other concerns that the Commission has regarding such a registry; and
(3) includes an explanation of how the registry would be applied with respect to children with e-mail accounts.
(b) AUTHORIZATION TO IMPLEMENT- The Commission may establish and implement the plan, but not earlier than 9 months after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 10. STUDY OF EFFECTS OF COMMERCIAL ELECTRONIC MAIL.
(a) IN GENERAL- Not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission, in consultation with the Department of Justice and other appropriate agencies, shall submit a report to the Congress that provides a detailed analysis of the effectiveness and enforcement of the provisions of this Act and the need (if any) for the Congress to modify such provisions.
(b) REQUIRED ANALYSIS- The Commission shall include in the report required by subsection (a)--
(1) an analysis of the extent to which technological and marketplace developments, including changes in the nature of the devices through which consumers access their electronic mail messages, may affect the practicality and effectiveness of the provisions of this Act;
(2) analysis and recommendations concerning how to address commercial electronic mail that originates in or is transmitted through or to facilities or computers in other nations, including initiatives or policy positions that the Federal Government could pursue through international negotiations, fora, organizations, or institutions; and
(3) analysis and recommendations concerning options for protecting consumers, including children, from the receipt and viewing of commercial electronic mail that is obscene or pornographic.
SEC. 11. IMPROVING ENFORCEMENT BY PROVIDING REWARDS FOR INFORMATION ABOUT VIOLATIONS; LABELING.
The Commission shall transmit to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce--
(1) a report, within 9 months after the date of enactment of this Act, that sets forth a system for rewarding those who supply information about violations of this Act, including--
(A) procedures for the Commission to grant a reward of not less than 20 percent of the total civil penalty collected for a violation of this Act to the first person that--
(i) identifies the person in violation of this Act; and
(ii) supplies information that leads to the successful collection of a civil penalty by the Commission; and
(B) procedures to minimize the burden of submitting a complaint to the Commission concerning violations of this Act, including procedures to allow the electronic submission of complaints to the Commission; and
(2) a report, within 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, that sets forth a plan for requiring commercial electronic mail to be identifiable from its subject line, by means of compliance with Internet Engineering Task Force Standards, the use of the characters 'ADV' in the subject line, or other comparable identifier, or an explanation of any concerns the Commission has that cause the Commission to recommend against the plan.
SEC. 12. RESTRICTIONS ON OTHER TRANSMISSIONS.
Section 227(b)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 227(b)(1)) is amended, in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting ', or any person outside the United States if the recipient is within the United States' after 'United States'.
SEC. 13. REGULATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL- The Commission may issue regulations to implement the provisions of this Act (not including the amendments made by sections 4 and 12). Any such regulations shall be issued in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code.
(b) LIMITATION- Subsection (a) may not be construed to authorize the Commission to establish a requirement pursuant to section 5(a)(5)(A) to include any specific words, characters, marks, or labels in a commercial electronic mail message, or to include the identification required by section 5(a)(5)(A) in any particular part of such a mail message (such as the subject line or body).
SEC. 14. APPLICATION TO WIRELESS.
(a) EFFECT ON OTHER LAW- Nothing in this Act shall be interpreted to preclude or override the applicability of section 227 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 227) or the rules prescribed under section 3 of the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act (15 U.S.C. 6102).
(b) FCC RULEMAKING- The Federal Communications Commission, in consultation with the Federal Trade Commission, shall promulgate rules within 270 days to protect consumers from unwanted mobile service commercial messages. The Federal Communications Commission, in promulgating the rules, shall, to the extent consistent with subsection (c)--
(1) provide subscribers to commercial mobile services the ability to avoid receiving mobile service commercial messages unless the subscriber has provided express prior authorization to the sender, except as provided in paragraph (3);
(2) allow recipients of mobile service commercial messages to indicate electronically a desire not to receive future mobile service commercial messages from the sender;
(3) take into consideration, in determining whether to subject providers of commercial mobile services to paragraph (1), the relationship that exists between providers of such services and their subscribers, but if the Commission determines that such providers should not be subject to paragraph (1), the rules shall require such providers, in addition to complying with the other provisions of this Act, to allow subscribers to indicate a desire not to receive future mobile service commercial messages from the provider--
(A) at the time of subscribing to such service; and
(B) in any billing mechanism; and
(4) determine how a sender of mobile service commercial messages may comply with the provisions of this Act, considering the unique technical aspects, including the functional and character limitations, of devices that receive such messages.
(c) OTHER FACTORS CONSIDERED- The Federal Communications Commission shall consider the ability of a sender of a commercial electronic mail message to reasonably determine that the message is a mobile service commercial message.
(d) MOBILE SERVICE COMMERCIAL MESSAGE DEFINED- In this section, the term 'mobile service commercial message' means a commercial electronic mail message that is transmitted directly to a wireless device that is utilized by a subscriber of commercial mobile service (as such term is defined in section 332(d) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 332(d))) in connection with such service.
SEC. 15. SEPARABILITY.
If any provision of this Act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this Act and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected.
SEC. 16. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The provisions of this Act, other than section 9, shall take effect on January 1, 2004.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.
You can protect your computer from viruses without expensive software. Instead, follow these simple tips:
Stay up-to-date on all system updates.
Don't download any email attachments you weren't expecting.
Avoid freeware and peer-to-peer sharing sites.
Use alternative web browsers and email software.
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Cathedral of the Nativity
Suzdal, Russia
The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Suzdal is one of the eight White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal. One of the most complex monuments of Russian medieval architecture. It was originally constructed during the reign of Vladimir II Monomakh during the late 11th century.
The Cathedral of the Nativity is surrounded by a ring of earthen walls in an oxbow of Kamenka River. It is notable for being the first city cathedral not built for the exclusive use of the knyaz or his relatives. The cathedral contains the remains of a son of Yuri Dolgoruki, knyazes of the Shuisky family and others.
The cathedral was originally built during the reign of Vladimir II Monomakh in 1102. In 1222, on the orders of Yuri II of Vladimir the dilapidated building was taken down and replaced by a new one built of white stone. Thus it remained until 1528, when the white stone walls above the arcade are replaced by brick. In the 17th century, the previously three-domed cathedral was given five domes and the interior was partially repainted. Thus the cathedral survives to this day with numerous changes throughout its history, both in the exterior, and the interior, where the wall frescoes are of 13th-, 15th- and 17th-century origin. The cathedral has also endured fire several times.
Cathedrals in Russia
White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Russia
Religious sites in Russia
Kremlyovskaya ulitsa 10, Suzdal, Russia
See all sites in Suzdal
Category: Religious sites in Russia
wikimapia.org
whc.unesco.org
5/5 (based on Google user reviews)
Suzdal Kremlin (0,1 km)
Saint Euthymius Monastery (1,9 km)
Church of Boris and Gleb (5,3 km)
Dormition Cathedral (32,2 km)
Cathedral of Saint Demetrius (32 km)
Golden Gate (32,3 km)
Bogolyubovo (25,2 km)
Oleg Naumov (2 years ago)
Archiereus Chambers built in the end of XV century as the residence of local Metropolitan is on the left and Church of the Holy Nativity of Virgin Mary the Mother of God built in 1222-1225 is on the right. Church saw Mongolian invasion and was looted when Mongols captured Suzdal in February of 1238. You are going to find golden gates inside of this church. Visitors are allowed to take non commercial photo without flash light and tripod.
Anthony Bachtiar (2 years ago)
Рождественский Собор In English, it is called the Cathedral of the Nativity. This is a historic building that was originally used as a cathedral of Orthodox Catholics. This building is located within the church building complex and other buildings. Located in the city of Suzdal, which can be reached via the city of Vladimir by the city bus for 45 minutes. The rest in the city you can visit this place on foot or use the Yandex online taxi service. Note: To be able to order a taxi online Yandex you can download the application on your cell phone. This place is now a beautiful museum with high art paintings on the walls and ceiling. At a glance from the front of this building looks like an ordinary old building with white paint that sometimes looks dull but beauty lies behind the dull wall. To get inside you have 2 ticket options, just walk around the complex and see the building from the outside yard, including the wooden museum. Or you want to buy an all-access ticket to enter the building. There is also a clean toilet inside the complex but you have to pay to enter and there is also a souvenir shop.
Nenad Obradovic (4 years ago)
Suzdal it's an incredible place...
Dea Foxtrot (4 years ago)
Beautiful panorama
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By James D. Davis Religion Editor
Lights, fireworks and prayers abound on Divali, one of the biggest dates for Hindus. But others share the holiday, too.
Divali, falling on Tuesday, is also when Sikhs celebrate the release of a revered leader from prison. And the world's Jains remember it as the time a holy man achieved spiritual liberation.
The festival has become a spiritual gathering for everyone from India.
"It is no longer for one religion; it's become a national festival," said Dr. Naren R. Upadhyaya religious chairman at the South Florida Hindu Temple in Southwest Ranches.
"Whether we're in big countries or on small islands, Divali is an inherent part of our nationality and culture."
Coming at the darkest time of the year, Divali represents a Festival of Lights, much like Hanukkah, the Jewish wintertime festival.
The South Florida Hindu Temple will celebrate Sunday, with fireworks and devotion to the goddess Lakshmi. On Nov. 1, the temple will present Annakut, an offering meaning "Mountain of Food."
At Boynton Beach's Shree Swaminarayan Mandir temple, Devang Kamdar and his young volunteers have been painting stars, planets and constellations onto 2,500 square feet of black cloth on the temple walls. They're also building props and sets for a play on how a temple helps careers as well as spirituality.
All this has taken up to 10 people working four nights a week for a month. But Kamdar says it's worth the work.
"The whole temple is like a big family for us," he said.
"And this is one of the ways we give back."
Family is also important at Shiva Mandir in Oakland Park, where on Saturday about 150 children will perform a play written by dance teacher Shalini Persad. The script tells of the hero Lakshman, who was wounded with an arrow. The story has the god Hanuman trying to find a curative herb in the mountains. Unsure which plant to pick, Hanuman simply brings a whole mountain and saves Lakshman's life.
But for Persad, the main part of Divali is home, where families bathe a small statue of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, with milk and water.
"When I think of Divali, I think of being together," she said. "And I pray for the upcoming year, for well-being for myself and my family."
Divali also draws 500-plus people from Jupiter to Key West to the Sikh Society of Florida in southwest Broward. They celebrate it as Bandi Chorh Diwas, the Day of Release for a guru nearly four centuries ago.
As the story goes, a king in 1619 offered to free Hargobind Ji from prison, but the holy man said he would leave only with others unjustly jailed. The king allowed it only if they could hold on to Hargobind Ji's cloak. The guru then made a cloak with enough loose threads to allow 52 others to hold on to it for their release.
"That's one of the things about the Sikh religion: We don't just look out for ourselves, but for everyone around us," said Simranjit Kaur, an international relations student at Florida International University and cousin to head priest Makhanjit Singh.
For Divali, the Sikhs sing hymns from their scriptures, known as the Guru Granth Sahib. And they join other Indians in lighting fireworks and candles for the return of Hargobind Ji to his people.
"It's a joyous occasion," Kaur said.
Meanwhile, South Florida's tiny Jain community sees Divali as the time in the sixth century B.C. that the sage Mahavira achieved moksha, or release from the cycle of death and reincarnation.
In his honor, followers will pray before an image of Mahavira. They'll also eat only a meal or two for 24 hours.
"We chant and pray all day to him," said Dr. Mayur Maniar, chairman of the Weston-based Jain Center of South Florida. "We'll praise him and say we would like to achieve the same thing by following his path."
Food, fireworks and fashion will mark Divali celebrations in South Florida. See a list of local temples that are hosting festivities. Page 2
Local events to celebrate Divali
Here are some public celebrations:
Shiva Mandir, 3000 NW 20th Ave., Oakland Park: Cultural program from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday. Dances, hymns, instrumentals, fashion show, Divali-themed drama, dinner. Free.
South Florida Hindu Temple, 13010 Griffin Road, Southwest Ranches: 7 p.m. Sunday, Lakshmi puja, fireworks and dinner. Free. On Nov. 2, Annakut (food display), 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with Aarti devotional ceremonies at 12:30 p.m., festive dinner at 1 p.m. Free.
Florida International University, Graham Center ballroom, 1200 SW Eighth St., Miami: Seminar, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, on "Nonviolence in Business." Speakers: Dipak Jain, dean of Kellogg School of Management; Samani Charitra Prajna, Jain nun and visiting professor of religious studies at FIU. Jain vegetarian dinner. Free, but RSVP at 305-220-5339.
Shiva Vishnu Temple of South Florida, 5661 SW 160th Ave., Southwest Ranches: Lakshmi puja at 7 p.m. Tuesday, followed by sweets and fireworks. $25. Shivavishnu.org.
Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, 541 SE 18th Ave., Boynton Beach: Fireworks at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, with Mahaprasad (food offering to God) at 9 p.m. On Nov. 1: Annakut, with Aarti at noon, 2, 4 and 6 p.m. Mahaprasad at 6:30 p.m.
James D. Davis
Welcome to Florida: The road rules are different here. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
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Differing approach between business and government
Posted on July 21, 2020 by Sunny South News
There is a stark contrast between the approach private businesses have taken during COVID-19 and that of government.
Private businesses had to adapt to new requirements and protective measures for staff and customers seemingly overnight while continuing to serve customers.
For government it appears there was no urgency to continue serving the public -they could wait.
Wait they would have to do because there is no competition or opposition where you could take your business instead.
Earlier this month, a Canadian Press story announced that the federal government now has plans to “gradually” reopen 90 Service Canada centres across the country.
These are offices that were closed in March. In the last “few weeks” the government has been working on putting up clear barriers at counters, signs to encourage physical distancing and reduce the number of seats in waiting areas, the story said.
Put yourself in the shoes of all the people who desperately needed help from the Service Canada office since March.
There are people who have been waiting for passports. If you think there is no need to travel currently, think about people who have loved ones living in other parts of the world and may need to reach in an emergency.
There are even husbands and wives separated while they wait.
Way back in March these offices could have continued operating by providing telephone assistance at the very least. Government offices should have had Plexiglas barriers in place within weeks on the lockdown and continued to provide service.
There is a big difference though -motivation.
Private businesses know if they are not open there will be no revenue and staff will be laid off or permanently lose their jobs.
In government, the taxpayer continues to pay staff and the business will never stop because the public can’t take their business anywhere else.
It is sad that this fact appears to have influenced the lack of urgency that has been demonstrated by those in power making the decisions.
On another note: Does a COVID death mean the symptoms of COVID caused the death? The public is talking a lot about the number of deaths apparently due to COVID-19. A high percentage had at least one other, and up to three other, health issues.
So was the death was caused by COVID or one of the other health issues? We know that some people who tested positive for COVID in fact had no symptoms.
In the U.S. there are reports of physicians being asked to list COVID as the cause of death in such cases.
There are no reports of this happening in Canada, that the News is aware of. However, Alberta Health is reporting a death as a “COVID-19 death” if the patient was positive -even if the cause of death was something like heart failure, cancer or anything else.
It is worth keeping this in mind when you look at the COVID-19 death rate.
This editorial originated in the Medicine Hat News.
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Lan Shui, (BBM)
MUSIC DIRECTOR (1997 - JANUARY 2019)
CONDUCTOR LAUREATE (FROM FEBRUARY 2019)
Lan Shui is renowned for his abilities as an orchestral builder and for his passion in commissioning, premiering and recording new works by leading Asian composers. As Music Director of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra from 1997 to Jan 2019, American Record Guide noted that Shui has “turned a good regional orchestra into a world-class ensemble that plays its heart out at every concert”. Together they have made several acclaimed tours to Europe, Asia and the United States and appeared for the first time at the BBC Proms in September 2014. Lan Shui is currently the SSO's Conductor Laureate.
Lan Shui held the position of Chief Conductor of the Copenhagen Phil from 2007 to 2015, and from 2016 he became their Conductor Laureate. He recently concluded a four-year period as Artistic Advisor of the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. As a guest conductor, Shui has worked with many orchestras. In the United States he has appeared with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, and Baltimore and Detroit symphony orchestras. In Europe he has performed with Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, hr-Sinfonieorchester, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, Gothenburg Symphony, Tampere Philharmonic and Orchestre National de Lille. In Asia he has conducted the Hong Kong, Malaysian and Japan Philharmonic orchestras and maintains a close relationship with the China Philharmonic and Shanghai Symphony.
Since 1998 Shui has recorded over 20 CDs for BIS – including a Rachmaninoff series, a "Seascapes" disc and the first-ever complete cycle of Tcherepnin’s symphonies with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra – and also music by Arnold and Hindemith with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra, which has received two Grammy nominations.
Lan Shui is the recipient of several international awards from the Beijing Arts Festival and the New York Tcherepnin Society, the 37th Besançon Conductors’ Competition in France and Boston University (Distinguished Alumni Award) as well as the Cultural Medallion – Singapore’s highest accolade in the arts. In 2019, he was awarded the Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Star, or BBM) by the Singapore government.
Born in Hangzhou, China, Shui studied composition at the Shanghai Conservatory and graduated from The Beijing Central Conservatory. He continued his graduate studies at Boston University while at the same time working closely with Leonard Bernstein at the Tanglewood Music Festival. He has worked together with David Zinman as Conducting Affiliate of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, as Associate Conductor to Neeme Järvi at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and with Kurt Masur at the New York Philharmonic and Pierre Boulez at The Cleveland Orchestra.
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Quantum computing: A cheat sheet
IBM, Honeywell, and Intel are just three companies leading the way in building quantum machines as well as the algorithms and controls to run them. Learn about possible business use cases for quantum.
Quantum computing–considered to be the next generation of high-performance computing–is a rapidly-changing field that receives equal parts attention in academia and in enterprise research labs. Honeywell, IBM, and Intel are independently developing their own implementations of quantum systems, as are startups such as D-Wave Systems. In late 2018, President Donald Trump signed the National Quantum Initiative Act that provides $1.2 billion for quantum research and development.
TechRepublic’s cheat sheet for quantum computing is positioned both as an easily digestible introduction to a new paradigm of computing, as well as a living guide that will be updated periodically to keep IT leaders informed on advances in the science and commercialization of quantum computing.
SEE: The CIO’s guide to quantum computing (ZDNet/TechRepublic special feature) | Download the free PDF version (TechRepublic)
What is quantum computing? Quantum computing is a developing technology that scientists anticipate will provide faster computational solutions to problems currently handled by supercomputers.
Why does quantum computing matter? Theoretically, quantum computers could be used to crack RSA cryptography, which is commonly used across the internet. Quantum computing also has the potential to solve problems that were previously considered unsolvable.
Who does quantum computing affect? Primarily researchers working in quantum physics, though advances in quantum computing are anticipated to influence other “fuzzy logic” disciplines, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
What are the business opportunities related to quantum computing? All industries will benefit through different use cases because quantum computing allows data to be consumed and processed faster while using less energy.
Which companies are leading the quantum computing race? AWS, Google, Honeywell, IBM, and Microsoft are developing quantum computing capabilities and services. Intel is building quantum processors. Smaller companies including 1QBit, D-Wave, IonQ, and Rigetti Computing are also working on quantum computing, including quantum devices and quantum services.
What is quantum computing as a service? Both large tech companies and startups working in the quantum world have turned to the “as a service” model to make this new compute power available to a broader audience.
When will quantum computers be released? Systems limited to a specific type of quantum computation called digital annealing are commercially available, though there is not yet a clear benefit compared to traditional computers.
How do I get a quantum computer? Several vendors offer cloud-based access to quantum computers. Even though purchasing a system outright is possible, it is likely cost prohibitive, as current systems are only useful for specialized workloads.
SEE: All of TechRepublic’s cheat sheets and smart person’s guides
Quantum computing is an emerging technology that attempts to overcome limitations inherent to traditional, transistor-based computers. Transistor-based computers rely on the encoding of data in binary bits–either 0 or 1. Quantum computers utilize qubits, which have different operational properties. While it is possible to encode binary data in a qubit, the natural state of a qubit is essentially superposition. This property allows qubits to have values of 0 and 1 (or values between 0 and 1) simultaneously. Likewise, because of the properties of quantum physics, multiple measurements of qubits in identical states will not return identical results. Qubits can also contain up to two bits of binary data as part of a process called superdense coding.
Using quantum computation, mathematically complex tasks that are at present typically handled by supercomputers–protein folding, for example–can theoretically be performed by quantum computers at a lower energy cost than transistor-based supercomputers. While current quantum machines are essentially proof-of-concept devices, the algorithms which would be used on production-ready machines are being tested presently, to ensure that the results are predictable and reproducible. At the current stage of development, a given problem can be solved by both quantum and traditional (binary) computers. As manufacturing processes used to build quantum computers is refined, it is anticipated that they will become faster at computational tasks than traditional, binary computers.
Further, quantum supremacy is the threshold at which quantum computers are theorized to be capable of solving problems, which traditional computers would not (practically) be able to solve. Practically speaking, quantum supremacy would provide a superpolynomial speed increase over the best known (or possible) algorithm designed for traditional computers. Theoretically, this can be demonstrated using Shor’s algorithm for prime factorization, which would provide such a speed increase when performed on a quantum computer, as factoring is thought to be generally hard with traditional computers (though, this is not proven, in the scientific sense of “proof”).
SEE: Research: Quantum computing in the enterprise; key vendors, anticipated benefits, and impact (TechRepublic Premium)
Researchers use the NISQ (Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum Computing) label to describe all the quantum machines operating currently; this means the machines don’t have full-blown error correction. Researchers can submit their quantum queries to cloud-based services to gain experience with what quantum computers can do.
A research paper published in Science in October 2018 titled “Quantum advantage with shallow circuits” tested a variant of the Bernstein-Vazirani problem, in which researchers proved that a quantum computer with a fixed circuit depth will outperform a classical computer used to compute the same problem. While this does not itself establish quantum supremacy, it does demonstrate the potential of quantum computers as refined designs increase the number of qubits, and the length of quantum coherence, allowing for more complex calculations to be performed.
Quantum volume is another way to measure the progress of the industry, as Paul Smith-Goodson explained for Forbes. Quantum volume measures several components of a quantum computer’s performance, including coherence, calibration errors, crosstalk, spectator errors, gate fidelity, measurement, and fidelity. The calculation also takes into account design elements of each machine. A quantum volume score indicates the complexity of a problem that the computer can solve.
IBM announced in August 2020 that it has achieved a quantum volume of 64 with a 27-qubit client-deployed system. Honeywell reported in June 2020 that it had reached a quantum volume of 64 with a 6-qubit system.
The next milestone that is still some years in the future is quantum advantage. When quantum computers hit that milestone, the machines will be able to solve real-world problems that classical computers can’t crack.
Why does quantum computing matter?
Theoretically, advancements in quantum computing would lead to a breakthrough in integer factorization. If integer factorization became trivial to perform, the integrity of commonly used encryption systems would be shattered, allowing any individual, organization, or government with access to quantum computers the ability to brute-force decryption keys, with which locked devices or encrypted archives can be made accessible. Because of concerns in the cybersecurity community about the viability of quantum computers in breaking encryption, research into lattice-based cryptography–which is thought to not be susceptible to being broken by quantum computers–has increased.
To that end, in January 2014, reports indicated that the NSA has spent $79.7 million on a program titled “Penetrating Hard Targets.” As part of this program, research was conducted to build “a cryptologically useful quantum computer.” The documents cited in this report indicate that the NSA has not been appreciably more successful than other researchers. Likewise, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) published a request in December 2016 asking for public input on how to protect computers from the threat of quantum computers being used to crack encryption.
There is no consensus on when quantum computers will be capable of cracking encryption. In a May 2018 interview with TechRepublic, Bob Sutor, IBM Research’s vice president of cognitive, blockchain, and quantum solutions, estimated that quantum computers are 30-40 years away from breaking traditional cryptographic algorithms. The same month, IBM’s then research director and current chief executive officer Arvind Krishna warned that “Anyone that wants to make sure that their data is protected for longer than 10 years should move to alternate forms of encryption now.”
SEE: Quantum encryption: How it works (TechRepublic)
Quantum computing is also anticipated to have other meaningful impacts outside of the field of cryptography. Because of the nature of quantum computation, they are uniquely well suited to so-called “optimization problems,” where an exponential number of permutations to evaluate exist. In an interview with TechRepublic, Andy Stanford Clark, IBM CTO for UK and Ireland provided an example: “If… you’re optimizing the lengths of aircraft routes, or optimizing the layout of spare parts for a rail network, something where there’s 2n possibilities and you’ve got to try each out in order to find the optimal solution. If you had a 2100 problem, which would be basically impossible to solve on a classical computer, with a 100-qubit quantum computer, you’d be able to solve it in one operation.”
Who does quantum computing affect?
Research into quantum computing is driving a great deal of investment from universities, IT companies, and venture capital. Multiple public-private partnerships have sprung up as businesses work with research departments in universities to find use cases where quantum computing can be applied to existing business operations.
The IBM Q Network is the largest of these, with participating universities including North Carolina State University, Melbourne University, Oxford University, and Keio University, and participating companies including Samsung, JPMorgan Chase, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Mizuho Financial Group, and Mitsubishi Chemical.
Others include a collaboration between the Australian firm Silicon Quantum Computing, and France’s national research and development (R&D) organization, the Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA).
In December 2018, Trump signed into law the National Quantum Initiative Act. This established the National Quantum Initiative Program, which will devise a 10-year plan to speed up the development of quantum information science and technology. The act also directed the National Science and Technology Council, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy to support the effort with related initiatives. The White House announced the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee in August 2020, which includes individuals from the University of Chicago, Intel, Google, Sandia National Laboratories, Microsoft Research, Harvard University, Duke University, and other universities and research institutes.
Also in August 2020, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Department of Energy announced funding up to $625 million over five years to support five quantum research centers at national labs around the country.
What are the business opportunities related to quantum computing?
Quantum computing has the potential to solve complex problems in every industry–some of the first use cases will be in finance, chemistry, pharmaceutical research, and logistics. Quantum computers will be able to analyze an almost infinite number of possible solutions to find the most promising ones. With logistics, for example, a quantum algorithm could analyze delivery routes or transportation schedules to identify the most efficient or fastest routes. An airline that used a quantum computer for route planning could develop a strategic advantage over another that didn’t. Denise Ruffner, the head of business development at IonQ, said that the industry is nearing the end of the early adopter phase. Now is the time to understand the potential of quantum computing and its business applications.
JPMorgan Chase has been doing just that–the banking company was one of the early customers for IBM’s quantum computer. The company also has been exploring the “quantum culture” and giving senior engineer Constantin Gonciulea time to prepare the company for the quantum future. He expects quantum computing to be fully commercialized in five to 10 years and is laying the groundwork for JPMorgan Chase to be ready to take advantage of that computing power–this means reading research papers and meeting with other engineers to discuss the possibilities. The financial services company is planning a Quantum Computing Summer Associates program for 2021 to build a pipeline of employees familiar with the technology.
IBM’s research director Dario Gil said at CES 2020 that the promise of quantum computing is the power to model natural processes and understand how they work. “Quantum is the only technology we know that alters the equation of what is possible to solve versus impossible to solve,” he said.
Jeannette Garcia, senior manager for quantum applications algorithms and theory at IBM Research, shared some of the real-world problems that the company is working on:
Improved nitrogen-fixation process for creating ammonia-based fertilizer
New classes of antibiotics to counter multidrug-resistant bacteria
New polymers that could replace steel-based component
Garcia’s focus is battery research, which is also the topic of a new IBM partnership with Daimler. She said researchers are using quantum computing to figure out quantum chemistry.
Gil said that the “quantum ready” era started in 2016 and the next phase will start when the technology improves enough to achieve “quantum advantage.”
“First, a whole generation of developers is going to need to learn how to program these computers,” he said. “Then when we hit quantum advantage, we’ll be able to solve real-world problems, and it’s absolutely going to happen this decade.”
Which companies are leading the quantum computing race?
IBM gets the most attention for its work in the sector to build quantum machines and to create a community around quantum computing. IBM’s quantum work has three focus areas: Accelerate research, develop commercial applications, and educate and prepare. The company’s Q Network includes Fortune 500 companies, national research labs, universities, and startups. IBM set out a quantum roadmap in September 2020 with plans for a 1,121-qubit system in 2023.
Microsoft is developing a full-stack quantum ecosystem as well as a quantum network with partners that include businesses, researchers, academics, and developers. The company’s quantum development kit includes an open-source toolkit, development environments, and an open-source community.
Honeywell has applied its deep experience with systems control to develop a quantum computer. The company uses a trapped ion model for its quantum computing service. This model uses atomic ions trapped in a vacuum and cooled with lasers as qubits. IBM and Google use superconducting qubits in their quantum computers.
Intel’s work in quantum computing covers the full stack from qubits and algorithms development to control electronics and interconnects. Jim Clarke is the director of the quantum hardware research group within Intel and a member of the National Quantum Advisory Committee. In late 2019, Intel released a cryogenic control chip called “Horse Ridge,” after one of the coldest regions in Oregon; the company claimed this will speed up development of full-stack quantum systems in part by making it easier to control multiple qubits at once. Clarke wrote at the time that a lack of research and development focused on controls technology is going to limit progress toward a large-scale quantum system. Simplifying the control cabling required to work with thousands of qubits at a time “could take quantum practicality to the finish line much faster than is currently possible,” as Clarke wrote. Intel is working with researchers in the Netherlands to build these controls.
Google is developing quantum processors and algorithms to solve theoretical and practical problems–the focus areas are superconducting qubit processors, qubit meteorology, quantum simulation, quantum assisted optimization, and quantum neural networks. Google has built two open-source frameworks to support quantum computing: Cirq and OpenFermion. In October 2019, Google announced that its 53-qubit Sycamore quantum computer completed a calculation that couldn’t be done with a classical computer. Other scientists said the calculation was chosen to build on the strengths of a quantum computer and the weaknesses of a traditional computer. In September 2020, Google announced that a 12-qubit version of its Sycamore computer had simulated a simple chemical reaction.
In 2018, IBM held an event for quantum computing startups. Denise Ruffner was working there at the time and said it was a struggle to find 10 companies–now there are more than 650 young companies working in the sector, she said.
D-Wave, 1Qbit, IonQ, Q-CTRL, Strangeworks, Xanadu, and Zapata Computing are all taking on a different challenge in quantum computing. On ZDNet, Esther Shein rounded up eight leading quantum computing companies to watch.
Cambridge Quantum Computing is another member of the quantum ecosystem. With IBM, the company announced in September 2020 that it had built a random number generator that uses quantum computing.
What is quantum computing as a service?
Both large tech companies and startups working in the quantum world have turned to the “as a service” model to make this new compute power available to a broader audience.
As of April 2020, IBM reported that 225,000 people are using the company’s Quantum Experience cloud service. More than 100 companies are paying for its IBM Q premium service to have access to the company’s subject matter experts in addition to its hardware.
Rigetti launched its Quantum Cloud Services in 2018. The company uses a hybrid quantum-classical approach with its cloud services to support ultra-low latency connectivity between a customer’s hardware and Rigetti’s quantum computers. Rigetti’s network APIs provide access to core quantum operating system functions such as user authentication, system service authorization, circuit submission, circuit scheduling, memory management, and concurrency.
Microsoft also offers access to quantum computing via the cloud and Azure.
Amazon launched its quantum service, Braket, in August 2020. Amazon Braket lets customers experiment with quantum computing hardware to gain hands-on experience with the technology. It’s is a single development environment for building quantum algorithms, testing them on simulated quantum computers, and trying them on several quantum hardware architectures. The platform includes systems from D-Wave, IonQ, and Rigetti. Amazon also is exploring mass-produced quantum computers through its new Center for Quantum Computing.
When will quantum computers be available?
There are two answers to this question: Now, and substantially far in the future. The Canadian company D-Wave Systems sells a 5,000-qubit Advantage system, which Los Alamos National Laboratory planned to install this year. D-Wave’s machine is a quantum annealer. Quantum annealing is the best approach for problems that have multiple “good enough solutions,” as opposed to problems that have one ideal answer. D-Wave’s approach will not be able to break modern cryptology but it will be able to find ways to make planes fly faster.
Fujitsu offers a “quantum inspired” digital annealer, which is a traditional transistor-based computer designed for quantum annealing tasks. However, Fujitsu does not market this system as a true quantum computer, as the traditional transistor-based design allows it to operate at room temperature without requiring helium-based cooling solutions, as well as making it resistant to noise and environmental conditions which impact performance in quantum computers.
In a general sense, it is possible that quantum computing may be a viable alternative in the future to current transistor-based solutions, though non-trivial encumbrances in fabrication and mass-manufacturing must be addressed for this to become a viable technology for mass industry adoption. Among these encumbrances are the difficulty of building computers which scale to multiple qubits, the ability to initialize qubits to a predictable value, and easing the means by which qubits can be read.
How do I get a quantum computer?
A quantum computer is not something you will find at your local big-box store. Quantum computing resources are widely available via cloud services with vendor-specific frameworks. Offerings are available from IBM Q (via Qiskit), while Google has introduced the Cirq framework, though it does not presently have a cloud offering in general availability. D-Wave Leap allows approved developers to conduct quantum experiments for free on its Leap Quantum Development Environment. Similarly, Fujitsu offers cloud access to its digital annealer system.
For buying systems outright, D-Wave’s 2000Q system costs $15 million (notable buyers include Volkswagen Group and Virginia Tech). If your workloads are more general, building and buying a POWER9 deployment is likely a better value. Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s SUMMIT supercomputer is a POWER9 and NVIDIA Volta-driven system planned at 4600 nodes, with a computational performance in excess of 40 teraflops per node.
Editor’s note: This article was updated by Veronica Combs.
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Stack Overflow: Developers are fans of blockchain but most haven't used it much at work
IBM report: Four things that will never be the same post-pandemic
AT&T bails on RSA: How the coronavirus is disrupting tech conferences worldwide
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Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams acquired by The Stephens Group
On December 17, 2014, The Mitchell Gold Co. d/b/a Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, formerly a portfolio company of Wafra Partners, was acquired by The Stephens Group, LLC. The Stephens Group has partnered with the company’s co-founders, Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, who fully maintained their significant ownership position in the business. Mitchell Gold will continue to serve as chairman and chief executive officer of the company. Bob Williams will continue as president of design. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Since founding the company in 1989, Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams have built one of the most exciting brands in home furnishings. Under their leadership, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams has transformed its business from a predominately wholesale model focused on servicing national specialty retail accounts to a retail-focused model with a comprehensive home furnishings product offering that is well-positioned for accelerated growth through the continued rollout of signature stores and further development of a multi-channel model. Over the last 25 years, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams has developed a proven track record of design expertise, operational excellence, retail execution and financial stability and growth, becoming a marquee name in the home furnishings retail space with 25 stores located in the leading retail centers in North America.
“It’s been a remarkable year for us as we celebrated our 25th Anniversary and found a new partner in The Stephens Group. We are excited to partner with The Stephens Group as we expand into new markets and continue to grow our retail and multichannel presence,” said Mitchell Gold, founder and chief executive officer of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. “The Stephens Group’s stable capital, proven history of backing management teams that have a solid vision, and its experience helping companies grow over the long term are important resources to us as we continue to expand our business nationally.”
Kent Sorrells, managing director at The Stephens Group, said, “Our investment in Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams fits perfectly with The Stephens Group’s investment criteria: owner/entrepreneurs who have strong alignment with us through their ownership stake; a compelling opportunity to substantially grow the business; differentiation through industry leadership; and a strong commitment to their employees and customers. Mitchell, Bob and the leadership team are in a stage of dramatically expanding their brand and physical presence. We look forward to supporting them with our capital and experience.”
Piper Jaffray acted as exclusive financial advisors to Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe served as legal counsel. Locke Lord served as legal counsel to The Stephens Group.
ABOUT MITCHELL GOLD + BOB WILLIAMS
Headquartered in Taylorville, North Carolina, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams is an internationally acclaimed home furnishings luxury brand offering upholstery, casegoods, lighting, rugs and accessories designed to make people comfortable. The company sells its products in a growing chain of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Signature stores, national specialty retailers and fine independent home furnishings retailers nationwide, as well as through its website and from its catalog.
ABOUT THE STEPHENS GROUP
The Stephens Group is a private, family-owned firm investing its capital in companies with exceptional management teams and high returns on invested capital in growing industries. The Stephens Group has a long history of successfully investing in both minority and control positions across multiple industries. The Stephens Group, through its affiliates, has or has had significant positions in consumer and specialty retail; telecom, media and technology; communications; energy services and gas exploration and production; manufacturing; and other industries.
ABOUT PIPER JAFFRAY
Piper Jaffray is a leading investment bank and asset management firm serving clients in the U.S. and internationally. Our proven advisory teams combine deep industry, product and sector expertise with ready access to capital. Founded in 1895, the firm is headquartered in Minneapolis and has offices across the United States and in London and Zurich.
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Tom Joyner, Adora Obi Nweze receive honorary doctorates from FAMU
Byron Dobson
Retired radio personality and philanthropist Tom Joyner and Adora Obi Nweze, president of the Florida State Conference of the NAACP, received honorary doctorates from Florida A&M University.
The presentations was made during the 6 p.m. Friday commencement exercise at the Lawson Center.
Monica Rainge, deputy assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, delivered the keynote address for all 2021 summer graduates.
Joyner’s son Oscar, a graduate of the FAMU School of Business & Industry, was to accept the award on behalf of his father.
Joyner, who retired as host of the popular Tom Joyner Morning Show, is a legendary media personality and philanthropist. Through the Tom Joyner Foundation, he has raised more than $65 million for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities. FAMU alone has received $645,000 for scholarships.
The Tuskegee University graduate lives in Miami’s Golden Beach community.
Nweze earned her bachelor’s degree from Fayetteville State University and her master’s degree from the University of Miami. She is a retired Miami-Dade Public Schools administrator.
She has been a staunch advocate for human rights and equality in Florida. She was elected president of the Florida State Conference of the NAACP in 2000. She also sits on the civil rights organization’s national board.
Each ceremony was streamed live on FAMU social media platforms Facebook, FAMUTube1887, and Instagram.
More noted speakers:Ben Crump among three commencement speakers at FAMU; Thrasher addressing FSU grads
More:FAMU hosting forum in Quincy for Black and minority farmers on federal debt relief
Contact senior writer Byron Dobson at bdobson@tallahassee.com or on Twitter @byrondobson.
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UK economic output reduces to 31% as result of coronavirus lockdown
Research published by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) has revealed that UK economic output has reduced to 31% as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown.
The CEBR warned that the lockdown has 'extremely severe economic consequences' for the UK. According to the research, the manufacturing sector is set to see the highest fall in output in absolute terms as a result of workers who produce goods being unable to do so remotely from home. The CEBR estimates that this will cost the UK economy £500 million a day, with production in the sector reduced to 69%.
The Centre also stated that the accommodation and food services sector is likely to be 'disproportionately impacted'. However, the UK services sector is less likely to be adversely affected, as employees in this sector have greater ability to work remotely.
According to the CEBR, the COVID-19 lockdown is costing the UK £2.4 billion per day.
Douglas McWilliams, Deputy Chairman of the CEBR, said: 'These results show that the manufacturing sector, as well as the more obvious sectors such as retail and leisure, is one of the more badly hit by the virus and economic slowdown.
'Many of the government measures do little to help capital intensive sectors like manufacturing, which benefits relatively less from furloughing employees and is essentially excluded from rate relief.'
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On 20 December 2021, the Welsh government outlined a Budget to 'build a stronger, fairer and greener Wales'.
The Welsh government unveiled a £116 million package of funding to aid with the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be combined with existing permanent relief schemes that see over 85,000 properties continue to receive support. The scheme will be capped at £110,000 per business.
Many firms had been receiving 100% off their rates, which helps to pay for services provided by local government, but previous COVID-19 business rate schemes have come to an end.
A further £35 million has been set aside to freeze the non-domestic rates multiplier for 2022/23, so there will be no increase in the amount of rates businesses are paying.
Meanwhile, an additional £1.3 billion in funding will be supplied to the NHS in Wales to help provide effective, high quality and sustainable healthcare following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Budget also tackles inequality and invests in future generations through an additional £320 million to continue a long-term programme of learning and education reform.
Welsh government Finance Minister, Rebecca Evans, said:
'The UK government's Spending Review did not deliver for Wales and this Budget is delivered in that context. While there are tough choices ahead, we have been able to provide funding that will allow Wales to rise to the challenges we face, grounded in the distinctively Welsh values of environmental, social and economic justice.'
Internet link: GOV.WALES
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FAQ Vendor FAQ Copyright Release Notes BB codes Trophies Terms of Use Privacy Policy Business Terms of Service Contact Us
Reporting Claims of Copyright Infringement
VerticalScope Inc., its subsidiaries and corporate affiliates (collectively, “our,” “us” or “we”) operate websites (“Websites”) and provide products and services through mobile and other applications that are governed, as applicable, by our terms of use (our “TOU”). Certain terms used in this document have the meanings set forth in our TOU. This copyright policy (this “Policy”) applies to our sites and services and are incorporated into our TOU. If there is any conflict between this Policy and our TOU, this Policy will control. By using our sites and services, you are a “user” and you accept and agree to our TOU and this Policy as a legal contract between you and us.
In accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (“DMCA”), the text of which can be found on the U.S. Copyright Office website at: http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf, we will respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement that comply with applicable law, are committed using our sites and services and are properly reported to our Copyright Agent identified below.
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Upon receiving a counter-notice we will forward it to the complaining party and tell them we will restore your content within 10 business days. If that party does not notify us that they have filed an action to enjoin your use of that content on our Website before that period passes, we will consider restoring your user content to the site.
It is our policy to close the accounts of users we identify as repeat infringers. We apply this policy at our discretion and in appropriate circumstances, such as when a user has repeatedly been charged with infringing the copyrights or other intellectual property rights of others.
We may disclose any communications concerning DMCA Notices or other complaints of rights violations with third parties, including the affected users, the rights holders, and third party databases that collect information on DMCA Notices.
StormTrakForum.com is an independent Ford enthusiast website owned and operated by VerticalScope Inc. Content on StormTrakForum.com is generated by its users. StormTrakForum.com is not in any way affiliated with Ford Motor Company
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Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible
Sermon Bible Commentary
This chapter proceeds in the history of Hezekiah. Here is, I. His sickness, and the sentence of death he received within himself, Isaiah 38:1. II. His prayer in his sickness, Isaiah 38:2; Isaiah 38:3. III. The answer of peace which God gave to that prayer, assuring him that he should recover, that he should live fifteen years yet, that Jerusalem should be delivered from the king of Assyria, and that, for a sign to confirm his faith herein, the sun should go back ten degrees, Isaiah 38:4-23.38.8. And this we read and opened before, 2 Kings 20:1, c. But, IV. Here is Hezekiah's thanksgiving for his recovery, which we had not before, Isaiah 38:9-23.38.20. To which are added the means used (Isaiah 38:21), and the end the good man aimed at in desiring to recover, Isaiah 38:22. This is a chapter which will entertain the thoughts, direct the devotions, and encourage the faith and hopes of those that are confined by bodily distempers it visits those that are visited with sickness.
Hezekiah's Sickness. B. C. 710.
1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, 3 And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. 4 Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, 5 Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. 6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city. 7 And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken; 8 Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.
We may hence observe, among others, these good lessons:-- 1. That neither men's greatness nor their goodness will exempt them from the arrests of sickness and death. Hezekiah, a mighty potentate on earth and a mighty favourite of Heaven, is struck with a disease, which, without a miracle, will certainly be mortal; and this in the midst of his days, his comforts, and usefulness. Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. It should seem, this sickness seized him when he was in the midst of his triumphs over the ruined army of the Assyrians, to teach us always to rejoice with trembling. 2. It concerns us to prepare when we see death approaching: "Set thy house in order, and thy heart especially; put both thy affections and thy affairs into the best posture thou canst, that, when thy Lord comes, thou mayest be found of him in peace with God, with thy own conscience, and with all men, and mayest have nothing else to do but to die." Our being ready for death will make it come never the sooner, but much the easier: and those that are fit to die are most fit to live. 3. Is any afflicted with sickness? Let him pray,James 5:13. Prayer is a salve for every sore, personal or public. When Hezekiah was distressed by his enemies he prayed; now that he was sick he prayed. Whither should the child go, when any thing ails him, but to his Father? Afflictions are sent to bring us to our Bibles and to our knees. When Hezekiah was in health he went up to the house of the Lord to pray, for that was then the house of prayer. When he was sick in bed he turned his face towards the wall, probably towards the temple, which was a type of Christ, to whom we must look by faith in every prayer. 4. The testimony of our consciences for us that by the grace of God we have lived a good life, and have walked closely and humbly with God, will be a great support and comfort to us when we come to look death in the face. And though we may not depend upon it as our righteousness, by which to be justified before God, yet we may humbly plead it as an evidence of our interest in the righteousness of the Mediator. Hezekiah does not demand a reward from God for his good services, but modestly begs that God would remembers, not how he had reformed the kingdom, taken away the high places, cleansed the temple, and revived neglected ordinances, but, which was better than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices, how he had approved himself to God with a single eye and an honest heart, not only in these eminent performances, but in an even regular course of holy living: I have walked before thee in truth and sincerity, and with a perfect, that is, an upright, heart; for uprightness is our gospel perfection. 5. God has a gracious ear open to the prayers of his afflicted people. The same prophet that was sent to Hezekiah with warning to prepare for death is sent to him with a promise that he shall not only recover, but be restored to a confirmed state of health and live fifteen years yet. As Jerusalem was distressed, so Hezekiah was diseased, that God might have the glory of the deliverance of both, and that prayer too might have the honour of being instrumental in the deliverance. When we pray in our sickness, though God send not to us such an answer as he here sent to Hezekiah, yet, if by his Spirit he bids us be of good cheer, assures us that our sins are forgiven us, that his grace shall be sufficient for us, and that, whether we live or die, we shall be his, we have no reason to say that we pray in vain. God answers us if he strengthens us with strength in our souls, though not with bodily strength, Psalms 138:3. 6. A good man cannot take much comfort in his own health and prosperity unless withal he see the welfare and prosperity of the church of God. Therefore God, knowing what lay near Hezekiah's heart, promised him not only that he should live, but that he should see the good of Jerusalem all the days of his life (Psalms 128:5), otherwise he cannot live comfortably. Jerusalem, which is now delivered, shall still be defended from the Assyrians, who perhaps threatened to rally again and renew the attack. Thus does God graciously provide to make Hezekiah upon all accounts easy. 7. God is willing to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, that they may have an unshaken faith in it, and therewith a strong consolation. God had given Hezekiah repeated assurances of his favour; and yet, as if all were thought too little, that he might expect from him uncommon favours, a sign is given him, an uncommon sign. None that we know of having had an absolute promise of living a certain number of years to come, as Hezekiah had, God thought fit to confirm this unprecedented favour with a miracle. The sign was the going back of the shadow upon the sun-dial. The sun is a faithful measurer of time, and rejoices as a strong man to run a race; but he that set that clock a going can set it back when he pleases, and make it to return; for the Father of all lights is the director of them.
Hezekiah's Thanksgiving. B. C. 710.
9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness: 10 I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years. 11 I said, I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. 12 Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. 13 I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. 14 Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me. 15 What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul. 16 O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live. 17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. 18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. 19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. 20 The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD. 21 For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover. 22 Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?
We have here Hezekiah's thanksgiving-song, which he penned, by divine direction, after his recovery. He might have taken some of the psalms of his father David, and made use of them for his purpose; he might have found many very pertinent ones. He appointed the Levites to praise the Lord with the words of David,2 Chronicles 29:30. But the occasion here was extraordinary, and, his heart being full of devout affections, he would not confine himself to the compositions he had, though of divine inspiration, but would offer up his affections in his own words, which is most natural and genuine. He put this thanksgiving in writing, that he might review it himself afterwards, for the reviving of the good impressions made upon him by the providence, and that it might be recommended to others also for their use upon the like occasion. Note, There are writings which it is proper for us to draw up after we have been sick and have recovered. It is good to write a memorial of the affliction, and of the frame of our hearts under it,--to keep a record of the thoughts we had of things when we were sick, the affections that were then working in us,--to write a memorial of the mercies of a sick bed, and of our release from it, that they may never be forgotten,--to write a thanksgiving to God, write a sure covenant with him, and seal it,--to give it under our hands that we will never return again to folly. It is an excellent writing which Hezekiah here left, upon his recovery; and yet we find (2 Chronicles 32:25) that he rendered not again according to the benefit done to him. The impressions, one would think, should never have worn off, and yet, it seems, they did. Thanksgiving is good, but thanksliving is better. Now in this writing he preserves upon record,
I. The deplorable condition he was in when his disease prevailed, and his despair of recovery, Isaiah 38:10-23.38.13; Isaiah 38:10-23.38.13.
1. He tells us what his thoughts were of himself when he was at the worst; and these he keeps in remembrance, (1.) As blaming himself for his despondency, and that he gave up himself for gone; whereas while there is life there is hope, and room for our prayer and God's mercy. Though it is good to consider sickness as a summons to the grave, so as thereby to be quickened in our preparations for another world, yet we ought not to make the worse of our case, nor to think that every sick man must needs be a dead man presently. He that brings low can raise up. Or, (2.) As reminding himself of the apprehensions he had of death approaching, that he might always know and consider his own frailty and mortality, and that, though he had a reprieve for fifteen years, it was but a reprieve, and the fatal stroke he had now such a dread of would certainly come at last. Or, (3.) As magnifying the power of God in restoring him when his case was desperate, and his goodness in being so much better to him than his own fears. Thus David sometimes, when he was delivered out of trouble, reflected upon the black and melancholy conclusions he had made upon his own case when he was in trouble, and what he had then said in his haste, as Psalms 31:22; Psalms 77:7-19.77.9.
2. Let us see what Hezekiah's thoughts of himself were.
(1.) He reckoned that the number of his months was cut off in the midst. He was now about thirty-nine or forty years of age, and when he had a fair prospect of many years and happy ones, very happy, very many, before him. This distemper that suddenly seized him he concluded would be the cutting off of his days, that he should now be deprived of the residue of his years, which in a course of nature he might have lived (not which he could command as a debt due to him, but which he had reason to expect, considering the strength of his constitution), and with them he should be deprived not only of the comforts of life, but of all the opportunities he had of serving God and his generation. To the same purport (Isaiah 38:12; Isaiah 38:12), "My age has departed and gone, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent, out of which I am forcibly dislodged by the pulling of it down in an instant." Our present residence is but like that of a shepherd in his tent, a poor, mean, and cold lodging, where we are upon duty, and with a trust committed to our charge, as the shepherd has, of which we must give an account, and which will easily be taken down by the drawing of one pin or two. But observe, It is not the final period of our age, but only the removal of it to another world, where the tents of Kedar that are taken down, coarse, black, and weather-beaten, shall be set up again in the New Jerusalem, comely as the curtains of Solomon. He adds another similitude: I have cut off, like a weaver, my life. Not that he did by any act of his own cut off the thread of his life; but, being told that he must needs die, he was forced to cut off all his designs and projects, his purposes were broken off, even the thoughts of his heart, as Job's were, Job 17:11; Job 17:11. Our days are compared to the weaver's shuttle (Job 7:6), passing and repassing very swiftly, every throw leaving a thread behind it; and, when they are finished, the thread is cut off, and the piece taken out of the loom, and shown to our Master, to be judged of whether it be well woven or no, that we may receive according to the things done in the body. But as the weaver, when he has cut off his thread, has done his work, and the toil is over, so a good man, when his life is cut off, his cares and fatigues are cut off with it, and he rests from his labours. "But did I say, I have cut off my life? No, my times are not in my own hand; they are in God's hand, and it is he that will cut me off from the thrum (so the margin reads it); he has appointed what shall be the length of the piece, and, when it comes to that length, he will cut it off."
(2.) He reckoned that he should go to the gates of the grave--to the grave, the gates of which are always open; for it is still crying, Give, give. The grave is here put not only for the sepulchre of his fathers, in which his body would be deposited with a great deal of pomp and magnificence (for he was buried in the chief of the sepulchres of the kings, and all Judah did him honour at his death,2 Chronicles 32:33), which yet he himself took no care of, nor gave any order about, when he was sick; but for the state of the dead, that is, the sheol, the hades, the invisible world, to which he saw his soul going.
(3.) He reckoned that he was deprived of all the opportunities he might have had of worshipping God and doing good in the world (Isaiah 38:1; Isaiah 38:1): "I said," [1.] "I shall not see the Lord, as he manifests himself in his temple, in his oracles and ordinances, even the Lord here in the land of the living." He hopes to see him on the other side death, but he despairs of seeing him any more on this side death, as he had seen him in the sanctuary, Psalms 63:2. He shall no more see (that is, serve) the Lord in the land of the living, the land of conflict between his kingdom and the kingdom of Satan, this seat of war. He dwells much upon this: I shall no more see the Lord, even the Lord; for a good man wishes not to live for any other end than that he may serve God and have communion with him. [2.] "I shall see man no more." He shall see his subjects no more, whom he may protect and administer justice to, shall see no more objects of charity, whom he may relieve, shall see his friends no more, who were often sharpened by his countenance, as iron is by iron. Death puts an end to conversation, and removes our acquaintance into darkness, Psalms 88:18.
(4.) He reckoned that the agonies of death would be very sharp and severe: "He will cut me off with pining sickness, which will waste me, and wear me off, quickly." The distemper increased so fast, without intermission or remission, either day or night, morning or evening, that he concluded it would soon come to a crisis and make an end of him--that God, whose servants all diseases are, would by them, as a lion, break all his bones with grinding pain, Isaiah 38:13; Isaiah 38:13. He thought that next morning was the utmost he could expect to live in such pain and misery; when he had outlived the first day's illness the second day he repeated his fears, and concluded that this must needs be his last night: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. When we are sick we are very apt to be thus calculating our time, and, after all, we are still at uncertainty. It should be more our care how we shall get safely to another world than how long we are likely to live in this world.
II. The complaints he made in this condition (Isaiah 38:14; Isaiah 38:14): "Like a crane, or swallow, so did I chatter; I made a noise as those birds do when they are frightened." See what a change sickness makes in a little time; he that, but the other day, spoke with so much freedom and majesty, nor, through the extremity of pain or deficiency of spirits, chatters like a crane or a swallow. Some think he refers to his praying in his affliction; it was so broken and interrupted with groanings which could not be uttered that it was more like the chattering of a crane or a swallow than what it used to be. Such mean thoughts had he of his own prayers, which yet were acceptable to God, and successful. He mourned like a dove, sadly, but silently and patiently. He had found God so ready to answer his prayers at other times that he could not but look upwards, in expectation of some relief now, but in vain: his eyes failed, and he saw no hopeful symptom, nor felt any abatement of his distemper; and therefore he prays, "I am oppressed, quite overpowered and ready to sink; Lord, undertake for me; bail me out of the hands of the serjeant that has arrested me; be surety for thy servant for good,Psalms 119:122. Come between me and the gates of the grave, to which I am ready to be hurried." When we recover from sickness, the divine pity does, as it were, beg a day for us, and undertakes we shall be forthcoming another time and answer the debt in full. And, when we receive the sentence of death within ourselves, we are undone if the divine grace do not undertake for us to carry us through the valley of the shadow of death, and to preserve us blameless to the heavenly kingdom on the other side of it--if Christ do not undertake for us, to bring us off in judgment, and present us to his Father, and to do all that for us which we need, and cannot do for ourselves. I am oppressed, ease me (so some read it); for, when we are agitated by a sense of guilt and the fear of wrath, nothing will make us easy but Christ's undertaking for us.
III. The grateful acknowledgment he makes of God's goodness to him in his recovery. He begins this part of the writing as one at a stand how to express himself (Isaiah 38:15; Isaiah 38:15): "What shall I say? Why should I say so much by way of complaint when this is enough to silence all my complaints--He has spoken unto me; he has sent his prophet to tell me that I shall recover and live fifteen years yet; and he himself has done it: it is as sure to be done as if it were done already. What God has spoken he will himself do, for no word of his shall fall to the ground." God having spoken it, he is sure of it (Isaiah 38:16; Isaiah 38:16): "Thou wilt restore me, and make me to live; not only restore me from this illness, but make me to live through the years assigned me." And, having this hope,
1. He promises himself always to retain the impressions of his affliction (Isaiah 38:15; Isaiah 38:15): "I will go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul, as one in sorrow for my sinful distrusts and murmurings under my affliction, as one in care to make suitable returns for God's favour to me and to make it appear that I have got good by the providences I have been under. I will go softly, gravely and considerately, and with thought and deliberation, not as many, who, when they have recovered, live as carelessly and as much at large as ever." Or, "I will go pleasantly" (so some understand it); "when God has delivered me I will walk cheerfully with him in all holy conversation, as having tasted that he is gracious." Or, "I will go softly, even after the bitterness of my soul" (so it may be read); "when the trouble is over I will endeavour to retain the impression of it, and to have the same thoughts of things that I had then."
2. He will encourage himself and others with the experiences he had had of the goodness of God (Isaiah 38:16; Isaiah 38:16): "By these things which thou hast done for me they live, the kingdom lives" (for the life of such a king was the life of the kingdom); "all that hear of it shall live and be comforted; by the same power and goodness that have restored me all men have their souls held in life, and they ought to acknowledge it. In all these things is the life of my spirit, my spiritual life, that is supported and maintained by what God has done for the preservation of my natural life." The more we taste of the loving-kindness of God in every providence the more will our hearts be enlarged to love him and live to him, and that will be the life of our spirit. Thus our souls live, and they shall praise him.
3. He magnifies the mercy of his recovery, on several accounts.
(1.) That he was raised up from great extremity (Isaiah 38:17; Isaiah 38:17): Behold, for peace I had great bitterness. When, upon the defeat of Sennacherib, he expected nothing but an uninterrupted peace to himself and his government, he was suddenly seized with sickness, which embittered all his comforts to him, and went to such a height that it seemed to be the bitterness of death itself--bitterness, bitterness, nothing but gall and wormwood. This was his condition when God sent him seasonable relief.
(2.) That it came from the love of God, from love to his soul. Some are spared and reprieved in wrath, that they may be reserved for some greater judgment when they have filled up the measure of their iniquities; but temporal mercies are sweet indeed to us when we can taste the love of God in them. He delivered me because he delighted in me (Psalms 18:19); and the word here signifies a very affectionate love: Thou hast loved my soul from the pit of corruption; so it runs in the original. God's love is sufficient to bring a soul from the pit of corruption. This is applicable to our redemption by Christ; it was in love to our souls, our poor perishing souls, that he delivered them from the bottomless pit, snatched them as brands out of everlasting burnings. In his love and in his pity he redeemed us. And the preservation of our bodies, as well as the provision made for them, is doubly comfortable when it is in love to our souls--when God repairs the house because he has a kindness for the inhabitant.
(3.) That it was the effect of the pardon of sin: "For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back, and thereby hast delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, in love to it." Note, [1.] When God pardons sin he casts it behind his back, as not designing to look upon it with an eye of justice and jealousy. He remembers it no more, to visit for it. The pardon does not make the sin not to have been, or not to have been sin, but not to be punished as it deserves. When we cast our sins behind our back, and take no care to repent of them, God sets them before his face, and is ready to reckon for them; but when we set them before our face in true repentance, as David did when his sin was ever before him, God casts them behind his back. [2.] When God pardons sins he pardons all, casts them all behind his back, though they have been as scarlet and crimson. [3.] The pardoning of the sin is the delivering of the soul from the pit of corruption. [4.] It is pleasant indeed to think of our recoveries from sickness when we see them flowing from the remission of sin; then the cause is removed, and then it is in love to the soul.
(4.) That it was the lengthening out of his opportunity to glorify God in this world, which he made the business, and pleasure, and end of life. [1.] If this sickness had been his death, it would have put a period to that course of service for the glory of God and the good of the church which he was now pursuing, Isaiah 38:18; Isaiah 38:18. Heaven indeed praises God, and the souls of the faithful, when at death they remove thither, do that work of heaven as the angels, and with the angels, there; but what is this world the better for that? What does that contribute to the support and advancement of God's kingdom among men in this state of struggle? The grave cannot praise God, nor the dead bodies that lie there. Death cannot celebrate him, cannot proclaim his perfections and favours, to invite others into his service. Those who go down to the pit, being no longer in a state of probation, nor living by faith in his promises, cannot give him honour by hoping for his truth. Those that lie rotting in the grave, as they are not capable of receiving any further mercy from God, so neither are they capable of offering any more praises to him, till they shall be raised at the last day, and then they shall both receive and give glory. [2.] Having recovered from it, he resolves not only to proceed, but to abound, in praising and serving God (Isaiah 38:19; Isaiah 38:19): The living, the living, he shall praise thee. They may do it; they have an opportunity of praising God, and that is the main thing that makes life valuable and desirable to a good man. Hezekiah was therefore glad to live, not that he might continue to enjoy his royal dignity and the honour and pleasure of his late successes, but that he might continue to praise God. The living must praise God; they live in vain if they do not. Those that have been dying and yet are living, whose life is from the dead, are in a special manner obliged to praise God, as being most sensibly affected with his goodness. Hezekiah, for his part, having recovered from this sickness, will make it his business to praise God: "I do it this day; let others do it in like manner." Those that give good exhortations should set good examples, and do themselves what they expect from others. "For my part," says Hezekiah, "the Lord was ready to save me; he not only did save me, but he was ready to do it just then when I was in the greatest extremity; his help came in seasonably; he showed himself willing and forward to save me. The Lord was to save me, was at hand to do it, saved me a the first word; and therefore," First, "I will publish and proclaim his praises. I and my family, I and my friends, I and my people, will have a concert of praise to his glory: We will sing my songs to the stringed instruments, that others may attend to them, and be affected with them, when they are in the most devout and serious frame in the house of the Lord." It is for the honour of God, and the edification of his church, that special mercies should be acknowledged in public praises, especially mercies to public persons, Psalms 116:18; Psalms 116:19. Secondly, "I will proceed and persevere in his praises." We should do so all the days of our life, because every day of our life is itself a fresh mercy and brings many fresh mercies along with it; and, as renewed mercies call for renewed praises, so former eminent mercies call for repeated praises. It is by the mercy of God that we live, and therefore, as long as we live, we must continue to praise him, while we have breath, nay, while we have being. Thirdly, "I will propagate and perpetuate his praises." We should not only praise him all the days of our life, but the father to the children should make known his truth, that the ages to come may give God the glory of his truth by trusting to it. It is the duty of parents to possess their children with a confidence in the truth of God, which will go far towards keeping them close to the ways of God. Hezekiah, doubtless, did this himself, and yet Manasseh his son walked not in his steps. Parents may give their children many good things, good instructions, good examples, good books, but they cannot give them grace.
IV. In the Isaiah 38:21; Isaiah 38:22 of this chapter we have two passages relating to this story which were omitted in the narrative of it here, but which we had 2 Kings 20:1-12.20.21, and therefore shall here only observe two lessons from them:-- 1. That God's promises are intended not to supersede, but to quicken and encourage, the use of means. Hezekiah is sure to recover, and yet he must take a lump of figs and lay it on the boil,Isaiah 38:21; Isaiah 38:21. We do not trust God, but tempt him, if, when we pray to him for help, we do not second our prayers with our endeavours. We must not put physicians, or physic, in the place of God, but make use of them in subordination to God and to his providence; help thyself and God will help thee. 2. That the chief end we should aim at, in desiring life and health, is that we may glorify God, and do good, and improve ourselves in knowledge, and grace, and meetness for heaven. Hezekiah, when he meant, What is the sign that I shall recover? asked, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord, there to honour God, to keep up acquaintance and communion with him, and to encourage others to serve him? Isaiah 38:22; Isaiah 38:22. It is taken for granted that if God would restore him to health he would immediately go up to the temple with his thank-offerings. There Christ found the impotent man whom he had healed, John 5:14. The exercises of religion are so much the business and delight of a good man that to be restrained from them is the greatest grievance of his afflictions, and to be restored to them is the greatest comfort of his deliverances. Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee.
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that is available on the Christian Classics Ethereal Library Website.
Henry, Matthew. "Complete Commentary on Isaiah 38". "Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/mhm/isaiah-38.html. 1706.
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Maidenhead Town Centre to Reading Town Centre via Twyford, Sonning, Woodley
To Reading Town Centre Sat, 15th Jan
To Reading Town Centre
To Wokingham Town Centre (Maidenhead Town Centre - Sat Only)
Wokingham, Broad Street
Winnersh Crossroads
School Road South
Burton Close
Maidenhead, Bridge Avenue
Frascati Way
Shire Horse PH
Knowl Hill (Bath Road)
Upper Wargrave, Highfield Park
Twyford, Crossroads
Charvil, Wee Waif
Sonning, adj Fire Station
Woodley, Chequers
London Rd - The Drive
Reading, Friar Street
Timetable for Wokingham Town Centre - Reading Town Centre, via Twyford, Sonning & Woodley, Saturday only this service operates between Reading Town Centre & Maidenhead Town Centre
- 08:23 09:23 - 11:23 - 13:23 - 15:30 - 17:00 -
07:40 08:40 09:40 - 11:40 - 13:40 - 15:47 - 17:17 -
- - - 10:13 - 12:13 - 14:13 - 16:20 - 17:45
07:48 08:48 09:48 10:48 11:48 12:48 13:48 14:48 15:55 16:55 17:23 18:20
07:52 08:52 09:52 10:52 11:52 12:52 13:52 14:52 15:59 16:59 - -
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So Who Exactly Is the Archetypal Long Island Voter?
By Jeffrey Goldberg
I had completely forgotten about a 2007 piece I wrote for Talk of the Town about Chuck Schumer until Dylan Byers at Politico kindly resurrected it in advance of tonight's debate at Hofstra, on Long Island. For the piece, I took Schumer to the dumpy Chinese restaurant on Capitol Hill he prefers, and it was there that he told me about his imaginary friends, the Baileys, who, to his mind, are the perfect expression of Long Island middle-classness:
Schumer says that he is accompanied everywhere he goes by two imaginary middle-class friends, who advise him on all manner of middle-class concerns. Their names, until recently, were Joe and Eileen O'Reilly. "For the book's sake, we wanted them to be more national," Schumer said, "so they became the Baileys." The Baileys live in Massapequa, in Nassau County, a town that is invariably known on Long Island as "Matzoh-Pizza."
The Baileys are both forty-five years old: Joe works for an insurance company, Eileen is a part-time employee at a doctor's office. They worry about terrorism, and about values, and they are patriots--"Joe takes off his cap and sings along with the national anthem before the occasional Islanders game," Schumer wrote. He elaborated, "They're not ideologues. They're worried about property taxes. It's the tax they hate. And that's what Democrats don't get." He has also drafted the Baileys in defending the C.I.A.'s human-intelligence program: "Had Joe and Eileen been in the room after the hum-int screwup, they would not have indulged in the blame game, gutted the human-intelligence program, or weakened America."
The Baileys, Schumer said, sometimes dine out--not often, because of the cost--and they like Chinese. Which raised the question: What would the Baileys eat, if they were here at Hunan Dynasty? "The more conventional stuff," Schumer said, "but they're with it."
They're with it?
"I mean, they're not not with it." Schumer looked at a plate of steamed chicken and vegetables, and said, "They wouldn't order that. They would order kung pao chicken."
It was suggested to Schumer that he is a little bit weird. He acknowledged this to be true. "They're real for me," he said. "I love the Baileys."
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Main page | About | Blog | Image Galleries | Published Work
Libya_odyssey_dawn
Beginning 15 February 2011, a series of protests and confrontations took place in the North African state of Libya against Muammar Gaddafi's 42-year rule with protesters calling for his ousting and for immediate democratic elections. By the end of February, it had escalated into an armed conflict with rebels controlling Benghazi and other cities in much of the eastern part of the country, with Gaddafi controlling Tripoli in the west and with fighting and casualties fast-approaching the scale of a civil war. In early March, Gaddafi's forces, greatly outnumbering and out-powering the rebel ranks, rallied and were victorious at several coastal cities.
On 17 March 2011, the Security Council voted by ten votes to none to approve a no-fly zone through Resolution 1973. There were five abstentions: Brazil, Russia, India, China and Germany. Coerced by international pressure, Gaddafi declared a cease-fire on March 18, though they continued to bomb and shell the rebels and on March 19 began an attack on Benghazi. Hours after Gaddafi's unilateral cease-fire declaration, the United Nations endorsed multinational military intervention against Gaddafi and launched a series of raids on regime military targets.
AKROTIRI, CYPRUS - MARCH 20: An RAF Tristar tanker lands at the British RAF Akrotiri airbase on March 20, 2011 in Cyprus. Defence analysts said the sovereign military airfield at Akrotiri could be used by the RAF to help enforce a no-fly zone over Libya against Col Gaddafi's offensive against outgunned Libyan rebels. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
ConflictHumanInterestWar
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Indian PM Tells Police Chiefs Of Concern Over “Deteriorating” Communal Relations
New Delhi, 08-September, 2012 (PM’s Office) – Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has sounded a warning about a deterioration of communal relations in India, and rued the role of SMS text messages in exacerbating the situation. In an address to the Annual Conference of National Police Chiefs, Dr Singh noted that communal tensions would only add to the already present security threats facing the country from left-wing extremists and terrorists.
Following is the full text of Dr Singh’s speech:
“It is more than 150 years since the Police Act came into force. The story of our police forces during this period is marked by countless examples of courage, valour, and sacrifice. Thousands of our policemen and women have laid down their lives in the performance of the duty. I join you all in paying homage to all these gallant persons.
I am happy to announce that to mark the completion of 150 years of policing in India, a commemorative medal will be awarded to all policemen who were on duty between March 2011 and February 2012.
Let me also take this opportunity to congratulate all those who have been awarded medals today. I hope to see their high standards emulated in large numbers in the future.
Today is the concluding day of this very important conference. I am sure you have had useful and productive discussion on many issues that critically concern the police forces of our country. I would add to your deliberations by flagging some points that I feel you should consider carefully.
The ethnic, religious and cultural diversity in our country is a source of strength and vitality to India. We must therefore, continue to strengthen the thread of unity running through our variegated societal landscape. It is in this context that the increase in the communal incidents in the country in the past few months and the revival of ethnic tensions in the North East in recent weeks have been particular causes of concern to all of us. The ethnic disturbances of the North East assumed a national dimension with the flight of people belonging to the North East from various towns of South and Western India. This further strained the communal situation in the country, which was already showing some signs of deterioration, particularly in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala.
The erosion in inter-community relations is something that should worry us all. The capacity of the administrative set-up to check such deterioration seems to have weakened. This would be true of the police administration as well. There is, therefore, a case for re-orienting our police forces to effectively track the sentiments of the people and inter-community tensions as they rise. Advance identification of potential trouble makers, timely use of preventive sections of the law, alongside seeking cooperation of the community for maintaining peace should be the first instruments to be deployed, well before the situation deteriorates.
It is particularly important to obtain assistance of saner elements of the society to marginalise those who are overtly intolerant and aggressive. We must train our police personnel to develop these soft skills. The grassroots information and intelligence collection systems that have traditionally been a part of policing have languished in some places. The role of a vigilant and effective beat constable can be vital in detecting communal tensions. I hope you would pay adequate attention to these aspects of policing.
The use of bulk SMSes and social media to aggravate the communal situation is a new challenge that the recent disturbances have thrown before us. We need to fully understand how these new media are used by miscreants. We also need to devise strategies to counter the propaganda that is carried out by these new means. Any measure to control the use of such media must be carefully weighed against the need for the freedom to express and communicate. I am sure that in the coming months our police forces would be able to work out effective strategies to deal with these tendencies.
The ability of Left wing extremists to gradually increase their numbers, enhance their ‘military potential’, and entrench themselves in some areas of the seven affected States in the country is and should be a cause of worry. Acquisition of indigenous capacity for fabrication of hardware and the ability to ideologically sway sections of society into raising a clamour about violation of human rights only adds to the complexity of the situation. The Para-Military Forces have to play an important role in minimising the loss of lives due to the use of Improvised Explosive Devices and preventing the exploitation of inter-State boundaries by Left Wing Extremists. The State police forces on their part must ensure that Left Wing Extremists that are apprehended are prosecuted quickly and effectively.
The Left Wing Extremists affected States also need to improve the police-population ratio, strengthen police infrastructure and equip their police forces with better weapons, better communication systems and better training.
In Jammu and Kashmir, we are beginning to see increasing infiltration attempts, across the Line of Control and even the International Border. There are also indications about terrorist groups maintaining their ability to use the sea route. Vigilance, therefore, needs to be exercised not only on our land borders but along the coast line as well. The comprehensive scheme of Maritime Domain Awareness to be led by the Navy would help strengthen coastal vigilance, whereas deployment of more permanent border obstacles and better sensors could improve the situation along the land borders.
Notwithstanding recent pressure for infiltration into Jammu & Kashmir, the collaborative efforts of Police and Security Forces have led to a significant decline in the number of operating terrorists as also in terrorist violence in the State of the Jammu and Kashmir. Improvement in the security environment resulted in a successful Amarnath Yatra this year and in a record number of tourists visiting the state. The State has also successfully conducted the Panchayat elections and is now poised to take up the responsibility of conducting elections to the Urban Local Bodies.
But the threat from terrorism in the hinterland continues to be a cause for worry. Although 19 interdictions have taken place, terrorists were able to strike in Mumbai and Delhi last year and in Pune this year. Investigations in these cases are yet to conclude. We are still in the process of developing capabilities to take pre-emptive action in respect of terrorist threats. Realignment of operational approaches, training of police personnel and more effective collaboration among States and between States and the Centre should form part of our overall strategy of dealing with the menace of terrorism.
While addressing this conference on earlier occasions, I had emphasized upon the need for filling up all existing vacancies in our police forces and their adequate training. It is in this context that I am happy to know that 3.9 lakh Police and Central Armed Police Forces personnel have been recruited in the last 30 months and 6.35 lakh have been trained. But more efforts need to be made by the States to fill the vacancies.
Police leaders should also dedicate themselves to planned technological upgradation of their forces. There are many emerging areas where our police forces need to develop new expertise. I have already mentioned the use of new media by miscreants to spread rumours and falsehood. Another such area is our cyber-security. Our country’s vulnerability to cyber crime is escalating as our economy and critical infrastructure become increasingly reliant on interdependent computer networks and the internet. Large-scale computer attacks on our critical infrastructure and economy can have potentially devastating results. The Government is working on a robust cyber security structure that addresses threat management and mitigation, assurance and certification, specially building capacity and enhancing research. To this end, we need to build partnerships between Government, academia and the private sector.
There is a feeling that violence against women and the elderly is growing in the metropolitan cities. I have touched on the subject in my addresses in the preceding years as well. Maintaining a secure environment in our cities requires special skills built around our knowledge of technology, economics and sociology. Therefore, policing the metropolitan areas, especially controlling the organized crime and protecting the vulnerable in these areas requires the focused attention of our police forces.
These are a few thoughts which I wish to share with you. I wish you all the very best in your efforts for ensuring the Rule of Law in our country and a safe, secure and peaceful environment for all our citizens.
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The Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) announced today 1,680 new COVID-19 cases and 29 deaths. The total number of cases in the state is 223,470 in 102 counties, with a total of 7,917 deaths. IDPH says that in the past 24 hours, 40,859 test specimens have been processed, with a positivity rate of 4.1%. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity rate from August 18 to August 24 is 4.1%. Statewide COVID-19 hospitalizations in the past 24 hours increased from 1,529 patients to 1,549 patients. Of that figure, 345 patients were in the ICU, with 135 patients on ventilators.
Today’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) figures show more than 5.7 million confirmed and presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., with more than 176,600 deaths.
Today’s WHO Coronavirus Disease Dashboard shows more than 23.5 million COVID-19 cases globally, with more than 810,000 deaths. The Region of the Americas (includes the U.S.) continues to lead the world with more than 12.5 million cases and more than 444,000 deaths.
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Men's 110 Hurdles Post-Race Interview | Track & Field U.S. Olympic Team Trials 2021
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Joey Mantia 1500 Meter Interview | Long Track Speedskating U.S. Olympic Team Trials
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Stocks and property will be turned into NFTs, venture capitalist says
Company stocks and real estate will be among the many things that get turned into non-fungible tokens in the future, according to venture capitalist Bill Tai.
The tech investor told CNBC’s Arjun Kharpal on Wednesday that “it’s going to happen” and it’s “not even a question.”
Instead, it is simply a matter of when it will happen at scale, Tai said at the Crypto Finance Conference in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
NFTs are “one-of-a-kind” assets in the digital world that can be bought and sold over the internet. They’re designed to show that someone has ownership of a unique virtual item, such as online pictures and videos or even sports trading cards. It’s currently unclear why anyone would want to own an NFT of a stock or what they would be able to do with it.
Over the last year, the number of items being turned into NFTs has grown rapidly. Everything from the source code of the world wide web to Jack Dorsey’s first tweet has been sold as NFTs.
But some people are confused as to why these non-tangible assets are being sold for so much money. In March, South Carolina-based graphic designer Beeple, whose real name is Mike Winkelmann, sold an NFT for a record $69 million at a Christie’s auction. In June, an NFT of the web’s source code sold for $5.4 million.
Data from market tracker DappRadar published Tuesday shows total NFT sales hit $25 billion in 2021 as the speculative crypto-asset boomed in popularity. Some of the world’s best-known companies including Coca-Cola and Gucci have also sold NFTs.
While some are concerned there’s an NFT bubble, Tai, who has invested in start-ups like Zoom and Scribd, said he expects more and more things to be turned into NFTs as the internet moves from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0.
“Web 1.0 was read-only,” he said. “Web 2.0 is read-write. Web 3.0 is the instantiation of a wrapper around everything that’s coming in and out of that screen so that it can move around. So it’s an internet of assets.”
“You can put land titles on there, real estate, art, drawings, anything,” he added, explaining that everything can have an address that allows people to find it through a marketplace. “It’s the most efficient way over time to assign ownership of really any asset.”
Like many other NFT advocates, Tai is also interested in cryptocurrencies. He described the latest crypto collapse that saw bitcoin’s value briefly fall to less than $40,000 on Monday as “yet another wobble” but he’s optimistic it will bounce back.
“I don’t know when it’s going to go back up, but it’s going to go back up,” he said, adding that cryptocurrencies are at the crux of institutional acceptance.
Elsewhere, Seba Bank CEO told CNBC that bitcoin’s price could nearly double to $75,000 this year as more institutional investors start to embrace it.
“Our internal valuation models indicate a price right now between $50,000 and $75,000,” said the boss of the regulated Swiss bank which has a focus on cryptocurrencies. “I’m quite confident we are going to see that level. The question is always timing.”
Source: CNBC
Tech & Innovation January 17, 2022
Understanding sympathy and solidarity in games
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Africa Mozambique Agriculture Environmental Sustainability
Progress Chisenga is a former TechnoServe Fellow who worked in Mozambique in late 2019 through early 2020.
During her fellowship, she worked on a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation project supporting Agriculture Technology Demonstration Centers (ATDC) in Mozambique. Her role entailed developing the brand for the ATDC and ensuring brand visibility awareness to encourage rice and vegetable farmers to take their farms to the next level.
In this Q&A, Progress shares what her experience was like on the ground and how it impacted her views on development.
Q: What project(s) did you work on?
A: I was a Fellow in Maputo, Mozambique. I worked with the TechnoServe team on a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation project supporting agricultural technology institutions helping rice and vegetable farmers. When I arrived in Mozambique, there was limited external awareness about what the institutions could offer. They were supposed to help smallholder farmers learn new ways to grow crops, use agricultural equipment, and understand what types of crops would grow based on their farm’s soil.
Progress Chisenga, TechnoServe Fellow in Mozambique
My role was to assist with the development of the brand identity, and build awareness and visibility using an integrated communications approach. The objective was to ensure the targeted communities and individuals could reach out to the institution for support. Basically, I put together all the communication elements, reviewed research results, and shared those with key stakeholders. I was delighted to take stakeholders through the marketing process and was overjoyed when the project lead shared the logo on a flyer months after my fellowship ended. That is something that is very close to my heart even today.
I am passionate about agriculture and marketing now. I know marketing is like a rose flower: it needs someone to tend it, so it can blossom fully. I saw the TechnoServe project as a flower that needed a marketing person to help it blossom to the fullest, so people can get to appreciate what it has to offer. It helped the smallholder farmers we worked with get their projects to the next level.
Read more about TechnoServe’s work in Mozambique.
Q: What was it like when you arrived on the ground in Mozambique?
A: I think the most interesting part of my fellowship was that I had never been to Mozambique before. It was an opportunity that I still cherish. I am not a Portuguese speaker, so that was another challenge. I told myself that I needed to know how to greet people, say goodbye, say I was lost.
That was something exciting; I love languages.
The team I worked with was very supportive, especially when it came to helping me get around, figuring out where to go, and ensuring that I had all the things I needed. The team made it easy to carry out the Fellowship program without missing home, which I’m grateful for even today.
Q: How has seeing TechnoServe’s work firsthand impacted your views on philanthropy?
A: I think the impact was very positive. Previously, I’d always worked for private companies and never for organizations alleviating poverty in the development sector. It was very inspiring because the team worked as a family, and I admired this greatly.
Although they came from various backgrounds, they knew they were on one mission: to alleviate poverty through various initiatives. It made it easier for me to fit in, because I felt a part of that family.
Learn more about TechnoServe’s approach to poverty alleviation.
Q: How has the TechnoServe Fellows Program impacted you and your career path?
A: My experience in Mozambique brought farming closer to me, and it will live with me forever. Unfortunately during the program, I lost my dad. He left a family project for us, as he had a farm in the central part of Zambia. The Fellow experience helped me want to further improve farming. I knew that when I got home, I would help my mother ensure that she held onto that farming project.
I’ve continued using the tools and the insights that I got from my experience as a Fellow in Mozambique. In terms of what I’m doing now, I’m a co-founder of my family’s gym. I’m using the communications and marketing skills that I used with TechnoServe to bring the gym to life, so that customers can hear about an inviting place.
Q: What advice do you have for someone thinking about becoming a Fellow?
A: I would tell them to go for it, regardless of what stage they are in their career. As human beings, we have to keep on learning. Being in such a program will be an opportunity to learn about various aspects of life—the way to relate to others, the way to embrace diversity, the way to learn about different cultures. Also, being a Fellow provides the opportunity to learn more about TechnoServe and development in a practical setting instead of just reading about it.
Learn more about the TechnoServe Fellows Program and how you can apply today.
The TechnoServe Fellows program is a highly competitive fellowship where business professionals contribute their skills to help change the lives of those living in poverty. Since 1996, TechnoServe has engaged over 1,000 Fellows on three- to twelve-month projects throughout Africa, India, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
How Climate-Smart Cashews Nourish Gender Equity and Environmental Sustainability
Climate change threatens to reshape our world, but its effects will not be distributed equally. Read more from Agrilinks.
How Does Quality Control in East Africa Help Bring Your Favorite Coffee From Crop to Cup? Part 3: Cupping
In the final installment of this three-part series, Crop to Cup, learn how coffee processing – cupping, in particular – in East Africa affects the taste of your coffee and the prices that farmers receive.
Creating Change Through Cocoa in Ghana: Q&A With Former Fellow Yash Mehta
Yash Mehta is a former TechnoServe Fellow who worked remotely in Ghana earlier this year, where he helped a cocoa processing company improve its business plan and support smallholder farmers to increase their yields and incomes. In this Q&A, Yash shares what his remote fellowship experience was like and how it positively impacted his career path.
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British Library blocks online access to 'violent' Hamlet
An author who tried to access an online copy of Hamlet at the British Library was denied access to the Shakespeare classic because the text was considered 'too violent'.
By Alice Philipson 14 August 2013 • 4:43pm
A statue of William Shakespeare's Hamlet in Stratford-upon-Avon
Mark Forsyth was attempting to check a line from the play over the library's Wi-Fi network when he discovered he could not view the famous text.
The British Library said the fault was caused by a newly installed Wi-Fi service, which automatically came with an "overly sensitive" filter.
Civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch described the block as "absurd" and said the incident illustrated how easy it is to block access to information online.
Activists fear the banned pages could expand to include sites that should be readily available.
Director Nick Pickles said: “For the British Library’s Wi-Fi to block access to one of the greatest pieces of English literature on child protection grounds is absurd.
"This is a striking example of how filtering can catch legal content in far beyond what was intended and in a way that seriously impacts on our ability to access information online.
“Who knows what other content is still being blocked until someone tries to access it. Were it not for the media attention in this case, Hamlet might still be blocked now.
“The British Library needs to urgently investigate how this came to happen and to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in future. Blaming technology is not an acceptable long-term strategy.”
The British Library said access to Hamlet was unblocked within ten minutes.
A spokesman added: "We have recently introduced a free Wi-Fi service, and have got a new internet provider.
"An automatic filter came with that provider which was overly sensitive and it judged Hamlet to be too violent.
"It was a technical error that was rectified within 10 minutes."
She added that the library wanted to protect children visiting the building from certain online content, such as pornography and gambling websites.
By Alan Tyers 17 Jan 2022, 9:45am
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The best statement cardigans and jumpers to keep you warm this winter
By Raven Saunt 17 Jan 2022, 9:33am
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Spinal Cord Injuries in the News
Soccer fans may have seen something exciting during the opening ceremonies of the World Cup in June- a paralyzed teenager, outfitted in a brain controlled exoskeleton and looking robotic, performed the first kick of the tournament. The exoskeleton, designed by a team at Duke University led by neuroscientist Miguel Nicolens as part of an international Walk Again Project (http://virtualreality.duke.edu/project/walk-again-project/) was controlled by a computer that was worn in a back pack. The computer is part of a “brain-machine interface” (BMI) that receives information from electrodes placed on the brain to control the joints of the exoskeleton. The electrodes, embedded in a cap, are precisely located to pick up information from areas of the cortex that initiate voluntary movement.
The thought of a particular movement, in this case the plan to kick the soccer ball, caused electrical activity in areas of the brain that would control the trunk and leg movement necessary for the kick. Because of the teenager’s spinal cord injury the messages from the brain could not be relayed to the correct levels of the spinal cord to communicate with motor neurons that would innervate muscles needed for the movement. Instead, these electrical signals were relayed to the computer, which was programmed to move the exoskeleton in the proper sequence to allow the kick to occur.
In addition to allowing the movement, the device is designed to relay sensory information about joint position and movement back to the brain to establish a feedback loop to ensure smooth and effective movement. Although heavy, bulky, and still in the clinical research stage, mind controlled devices like this one seen by millions of World Cup fans may one day help people with spinal cord injuries regain some function of their arms and legs, thus improving their independence.
Amy Van Dyken-Rouen, an Olympic gold medal swimmer who injured her spinal cord in an all-terrain vehicle accident in June is also using an exoskeleton as part of her rehabilitation. Her device, an Indego (www.indego.com) differs than the mind controlled device as it is activated via hand controls and a remote control and senses weight shifting to accelerate of decelerate movements. The Indego exoskeleton is still in clinical trials and is showing promising results in improving mobility of people with paraplegia.
The TRF looks forward to learning more about the use of exoskeletons as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program for people with spinal cord injuries and we are excited about the collaboration between neuroscience, computer science, biomedical
Two recent items in the news have captivated the world of spinal cord injury research and recovery; first, the ATV accident that left Olympic swimmer Amy Van Dyken-Rouen with a severed spine at the beginning of June, and the ceremonious kickoff of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, which featured the first steps of a wheelchair-bound teen with a spinal cord injury, just one week later.
Amy’s story reminds us that, unfortunately, spinal cord injuries can happen at any time, to anyone. The six-time gold medalist has undergone surgery for a severed T11 vertebra and is in the very early stages of her recovery from the ATV accident that occurred in early June. Doctors say it is “difficult to imagine” that she will ever be able to walk again. You can read an update here.
However, the advancements in treatment and recovery of spinal cord injured persons have not gone unnoticed. The scientific vision that allowed a SCI person to wear an exoskeleton controlled by the brain in order to move limbs is – quite literally – a giant step forward for SCI research. This was made possible by the Walk Again Project, a group of researchers who focuses on using technology to help people with paralysis walk again.
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Wiffle ball game raises money for paralysis research
By Alex Corddry, 7 News
Published: Saturday, June 20, 2015
View the original article here.
7News Boston WHDH-TV – Local athletes hit the field at Boston University for the fifth annual Boston Wiffle Ball Challenge to raise money for a good cause.
Eighteen teams participated, featuring athletes like former Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield and Boston University’s star hockey player and Hobey Baker winner Jack Eichel.
“It’s pretty cool to see what started as two or three teams, now there’s a mass amount of teams to support the Franciscan Hospital for Children,” said Wakefield.
Eichel’s participation was especially appropriate, as the game was benefiting the Travis Roy Foundation and the Franciscan Hospital for Children. Roy, a former Terrier hockey player, had his college career cut short when an injury left him paralyzed. His foundation funds paralysis research.
“It’s hard to keep an event going for five years,” said Roy. “So it means a lot. We’ve got a great group of teams out here.”
The Franciscan Hospital for Children provides care to more than 10,000 children each year with special health needs. Saturday’s wiffle ball games took in $100,000 for the foundation and the hospital.
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For anyone that knows her, it's no real surprise when I say that my child is a drama queen. That is, everything in her world is over the top. If it's good news, then she's bouncing off the wall. If it's bad news, then there is wailing and gnashing of teeth. There is very little in our world that any sane person would consider normal, mundane or middle of the road.
So, when I mentioned (in an extremely offhand kind of way) that I was working on some basic blocking and choreography for my class, and then mentioned (in that same offhand kind of way) that it was this part of the class that was the most difficult and took me the longest, she catapulted out of her seat as she yelled, "OOOOOOOOO LET ME! I'LL DO IT!"
She spent the next hour Alvin Ailey-ing herself across the living room floor -- the happiest child on earth. I sat on the couch watching this spectacle, both amused and annoyed, because I have to admit, it wasn't half bad.
She asked if she could come with me to class.
I said no.
She begged if she could miss school JUST THIS ONCE to come to class.
Seeing she was getting nowhere fast, she pleaded with me to speak to all my students and ask what skills they have and what might be a challenge -- because she wanted to STRETCH them so they could reach their full potential.
She actually said that. And she's 10.
Meanwhile, she is also suffering the a-go-ny of a busy schedule. Her latest tragedy has been the inability to squeeze in a single night to see the Broadway touring company production of "Little Shop of Horrors." This disaster has only been compounded because a couple of months ago she missed seeing the local high school production of the same show due to her immediate lock down after acting like a heathen in school.
For a long time she would refuse to mention the name of the show, and when asked, would just sigh and say in her usual overly dramatic fashion, "I just don't want to talk about it."
Fine by me.
But her head nearly exploded when she saw a billboard advertising the upcoming show. It was her golden opportunity for redemption and her LAST CHANCE EVER (MOM I'LL NEVER EVER BE ABLE TO SEE IT!) to see that which shall not be spoken that she missed the last time around because it was her own dumb fault.
"MOMMMMM! CAN WE GO????"
Sadly, the bulk of the performances happen while she is in New York City. While the 10 year old is cavorting in New York City, seeing Phantom on Broadway, going to the Ringling Brothers Circus at Madison Square Garden, and oh yeah -- singing in Carnegie Hall. Little conflicts.
I explained that no, we couldn't go. Opening night she has a dress rehearsal. Night number two is the night before she leaves, and then she is gone for the rest of the week. Our rule of thumb for all such activities is they have to pass a three-stage test: money, time and behavior. Unfortunately, time just wasn't on our side.
So she's been gnashing her teeth in a very suffering for her art kind of way. She's back to "I just don't want to talk about it" in hushed tones. Over the weekend her choir premiered a piece in the same hall where THAT SHOW is going to be. As we were leaving, she covered her eyes saying she "couldn't bear to look at THAT poster" and then wailed when she saw its reflection in the mirror.
Such a drama queen.
So, what do you suppose she's going to do on Wednesday, March 30th, when she is picked up from ballet, taken to a celebratory night-before-NYC dinner and surprised with those tickets?
(((((*Shhhhhhhh* Don't. Tell.)))))
Never underestimate the power of GreenTuna and GramTuna.
We can out-drama the Drama Queen any day of the week.
bozoette said...
That is most excellently evil! I'm sure she'll pop!
August95 said...
You Rock Green Tuna. That is the coolest thing ever. Wish we could be there for her acceptance speech, it should be a good one.
Mensch71 said...
Damn. Call me so I can hear the shrieks of joy when you tell her. Only 1 week and 2 days until NYC!
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Photo: Flash90
Hate speech targets Israeli journalists
May 26, 2021 -- News Tags: 2021 Operation Guardian of the Walls, Anti-Semitism, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Facebook, Gaza Strip, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Hamas, Hate Speech, IDF Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza, Incitement to Violence, Israel, Israel News, Israel Now, Israel-Palestinian conflict, Israeli Journalism, Palestinian Rocket Fire, Palestinian Terror, Social Media, Twitter, US President Joe Biden
A rising tide of anti-Semitism in the wake of Operation Guardian of the Walls has targeted Jewish communities worldwide, including Israeli reporters and websites – including TV7.
A group of 14 top Israeli television stations, newspapers, radio channels and other news outlets are now calling that social media giants Facebook and Twitter take significant steps to counter increasing online threats and incitement to violence against journalists.
Hate speech, misinformation and calls for violence surged on social media platforms during about Israel’s 11-day retaliatory campaign against the firing of over 4,000 missiles by Palestinian terrorists in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip during the 10-21 May fighting.
Attorney Noga Rubinstein, who represents the Israeli media group, wrote to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his Twitter counterpart Jack Dorsey, stressing that her clients “all share a sense of urgency regarding the level of danger posed by these tweets and posts and the need for all concerned to take a decisive action in this matter.”
Documentation of Facebook and Twitter feeds show calls advocating of physical assault of Israeli journalists, including deliberate attacks on staffers during the course of reporting.
The Israeli media outlets are demanding that both organizations “take appropriate and decisive steps to remove the posts, and do whatever else is necessary in order to prevent the incitement from spreading and intensifying,” wrote Rubinstein.
Facebook announced yesterday that it had established a special operations center earlier this month, assigned with dealing with content posted on its platform about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The team includes real time response by Hebrew and Arabic speakers, who take swift action against inciteful activity and encourage users to report any harmful content.
“We don’t want anyone to feel threatened or harassed on our apps,” a spokesman for Facebook said, adding: “While we allow criticism of public figures, such as journalists, we don’t allow people to threaten or harass them, and we remove this content whenever we become aware of it.”
Twitter also issued a statement in support of journalists, while insisting that it enforces policies that bans users from issuing violent threats against others, engaging in abusive behavior or hateful conduct.
“Where we identify clear violations, we will take robust enforcement action,” said a Twitter spokesperson, adding that, “This work is constantly evolving as new challenges emerge and we recognize we have to work hard to stay ahead of those who intend to undermine the public conversation.”
The Israeli media outlets cited the 6 January storming of the United States Capitol as evidence that incitement to violence on social media can lead to physical violence and death.
“We are certain that Facebook and Twitter would prefer to take reasonable measures now in order to prevent further violence, rather than do nothing and allow for incitement to escalate and lead to physical harm,” Rubinstein wrote.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) recorded what it said was “a drastic surge” in anti-Semitic language in online comments, verbal confrontations, and physical assaults in the US. Pro-Palestinian individuals and mobs attacked Jews in New York City, Los Angeles and south Florida, and a synagogue was vandalized in Tucson, Arizona. The ADL also reported that 17,000 tweets between 7-14 May included variations of the words: “Hitler was right.”
US President Joe Biden denounced the recent spate of anti-Semitic attacks as “despicable” acts that “must stop.” On Monday, the American leader tweeted, “I condemn this hateful behavior at home and abroad — it’s up to all of us to give hate no safe harbor.”
Following a fivefold rise in anti-Jewish acts in London since 8 May, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday there is no place for anti-Semitism in society and that British Jews should not have to endure “shameful racism.”
After several pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Germany turned violent, German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared during her weekly podcast that, “Those who bear hatred towards Jews in the street, those who incite racial hatred put themselves outside our Basic Law,” adding that “Such acts must be punished severely,” she insisted.
German police made some 60 arrests last Saturday while some 100 officers were injured during an anti-Israel rally in Berlin. More than a dozen men in three cities were detained on 12 May by German police on suspicion of damaging a synagogue, burning Israeli flags and starting a fire at a Jewish memorial site.
“Our democracy cannot tolerate such displays of anti-Semitism,” said Merkel.
During Operation Guardian of the Walls, official spokesman Steffen Seibert said Merkel’s government “condemns these incessant rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip against Israeli cities in the strongest terms” and that they “could not be justified.”
“Israel has the right to self-defense against these attacks,” said the German spokesperson.
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Murdoch-Owned New York Post Calls for Assault Weapons Ban
After two mass shootings in 24 hours, the paper’s front page demands we ”ban weapons of war“
Lindsey Ellefson | August 5, 2019 @ 5:46 AM
The Murdoch-owned New York Post led its Monday edition with a timely editorial calling to “ban weapons of war” after the latest spate of mass shootings in the U.S.
The paper specifically called for a restoration of the 1994 federal ban on assault-style weapons like the one used in El Paso, Texas, on Sunday; a previous prohibition on that class of guns expired in 2004 and was not renewed by the Republican-led Congress at the time.
“Yes, we know the president regularly praises the Second Amendment and received the National Rifle Association’s support in the 2016 race,” the paper wrote. “But the Second Amendment leaves ample room for regulating gun rights, just as every other constitutional right has its limits.”
Also Read: Will El Paso and Dayton Become More Mass Shootings We Forget?
The Post editorial also referenced a tweet from President Donald Trump: “God bless the people of El Paso, Texas. God bless the people of Dayton, Ohio.”
Then, the Post responded: “God save us all, sir. People all across the nation are scared; many feel like the country is spinning out of control. They’re looking to their leaders for more than prayers.”
It goes on to appeal directly to Trump to “[c]ome up with answers. Now. Beginning with the return of an assault-weapons ban.”
Also Read: 8Chan Founder Says Online Message Board Should Be Shut Down After El Paso Massacre
The editorial comes after the U.S. was struck by two deadly mass shootings in less than 24 hours that killed at least 30 people and injured dozens more — first at an El Paso Walmart and mall, where 20 people died, and then early Sunday morning outside a nightclub in Dayton, Ohio, which claimed another 10 lives, including the suspect’s.
It also comes one week after a deadly multiple shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California that killed three people.
The Post joins a growing list of activists and celebrities speaking out after the week’s attacks.
Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2019 (Photos)
Here's a list of some of the notable celebrities and industry professionals in film, TV, music and sports who have passed away in 2019.
Joe Stapleton
The New England broadcaster who appeared in several Oscar-winning films like "Spotlight" and "Mystic River," died Jan. 1. Stapleton was 55.
Photo: Kenneth Dolin / IMDb
Daryl Dragon
One half of pop duo Captain and Tennille died Jan. 2 of renal failure, according to Reuters. He was 76.
Gene Okurland
The famed WWE announcer, who frequently interviewed the likes of Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant at their peak, died Jan. 2. Okurland was 76.
Bob Einstein
The "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Arrested Development" actor (and brother of actor-filmmaker Albert Brooks) died Jan. 2. Einstein was 76.
Verna Bloom
The "Animal House" and “The Last Temptation of Christ" actress died Jan. 9. A family spokesperson told USA Today that Bloom died from complications from dementia. Bloom was 80.
Mark Urman
The veteran indie film distributer, who was most recently president and CEO of New York-based Paladin Films, died Jan. 12 following a bout with cancer. He was 66.
Carol Channing
The legendary Broadway and musical actress ("Hello Dolly," "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes") died Jan. 15. Channing was 97.
Photo: Allen Warren
Lorna Doom
The German bassist and founding member of the seminal Los Angeles-based punk band The Germs, died Jan. 17. She was 61.
John Coughlin
The former champion figure skater died by suicide on Jan. 18. The news came days after Coughlin was suspended from the sport over a pending grievance. He was 33.
Andy Vajna
The Hungarian producer who worked with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone on some of their most popular films, including "Rambo" and "Total Recall," died at his home in Budapest on Jan. 20. He was 74.
Rambo: Yoni S.Hamenahem; Vajna: Getty Images
Russell Baker
A two-time Pulitzer-winning writer and longtime host of PBS’ “Masterpiece Theatre,” Baker died Jan. 21 in his Lessburg, Virginia, home. Baker was 93.
The director of “The Muppet Movie” and the show “The Monkees,” died on Jan. 22 at his home in Indian Wells, California. He was 82.
Kevin Barnett
The comic and co-creator of "Rel," the Lil' Rel Howery-led sitcom on Fox, died Jan. 22 due to a hemorrhage. Barnett was 32.
The French composer who won three Oscars for his songs ("The Windmills of Your Mind") and film scores ("Summer of '42," "Yentl") died Jan. 26. Legrand was 86.
James Ingram
The singer and songwriter whose hits included “I Don’t Have the Heart,” died Jan. 29. According to TMZ, Ingram died following a battle with brain cancer. He was 66.
Louisa Moritz
The “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” actress who was one of the numerous women who accused comedian Bill Cosby of sexual misconduct, died of natural causes on Jan. 30. Moritz was 72.
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Neal James
"The Banjo Man" on Animal Planet’s “Call of the Wildman,” died on Feb. 1 in Kentucky. He was 55.
The actress known for playing the damsel in distress in the 1954 monster movie “Creature From the Black Lagoon,” died Feb. 3. She was 92.
Kristoff St. John
The actor who played the character Neil Winters on the CBS daytime soap opera “The Young and the Restless” since 1991, died on Feb. 3. He was 52.
The British Oscar-nominated actor who starred in “Tom Jones,” “Erin Brockovich” and the “Bourne” movies, died on Feb. 8. He was 82.
Mondadori Publishers
The former president and CEO of The Walt Disney Company and son-in-law of company founder Walt Disney, died on Feb. 9. He was age 85.
Jan-Michael Vincent
The actor, who starred in the TV series “Airwolf” and movies like “The Mechanic,” died on Feb. 10 at the age of 74 in North Carolina. According to CBS, the actor died of cardiac arrest.
Photo by American International Pictures/Getty Images
Pedro Morales
The WWE announced on Feb. 12 that the company's first-ever “Triple Crown” Champion died. The Puerto Rico native was 76.
Bruno Ganz
The Swiss actor whose work ranged from “Wings of Desire” to the much-memed “Downfall,” died on Feb. 15. He was 77
The legendary fashion designer who served as longtime creative director of major brands such as Chanel and Fendi died on Feb. 19. He was 85
Stanley Donen
The director of classic musical films like “On the Town” and “Singin’ in the Rain," died on Feb. 23. He was 94.
Katherine Helmond
The character actress who rose to fame in the 1970s and ’80s with roles on the sitcoms “Soap” and “Who’s the Boss?” and appeared in such films as Terry Gilliam's "Brazil," died on Feb. 23 at age 89.
Beverley Owen
The actress who played the original Marilyn Munster on the iconic 1960s sitcom “The Munsters,” died on Feb. 24. She was 81.
CBS/Public Domain
Lisa Sheridan
The actress who appeared on a numerous top TV shows including “Halt and Catch Fire,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” and “Invasion,” died on Feb. 25. She was 44.
The lead singer for the 1980s rock band Talk Talk died on Feb. 26. He was 64.
Jeraldine Saunders
The creator of the iconic ABC series “The Love Boat” died on Feb. 26. She was 96.
Courtesy of Edward Lozzi
The German-American, Oscar-winning musician and composer who worked on the music for 1965’s Best Picture winner “My Fair Lady,” died on Feb. 28. He was 89.
Andrew Berends
The documentary filmmaker who worked as a cameraman on the Oscar-winning doc "Free Solo" died on March 3. He was 46.
The lead singer of the pioneering 1990s British electronica band The Prodigy, was found dead on March 4. He was 49
Luke Perry
The "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Riverdale" actor died on March 5 after suffering a stroke. He was 52.
King Kong Bundy
The wrestling legend whose real name was Christopher Alan Pallies died on March 5. He was 61.
Sidney Sheinberg
The longtime president and chief operating officer of MCA and Universal Studios who is also credited with discovering and nurturing the career of Stephen Spielberg, died on March 7. He was 84.
Jed Allan
Soap opera veteran Jed Allan, best known for playing Don Craig on "Days of Our Lives," C.C. Capwell on "Santa Barbara" and Rush Sanders on "Beverly Hills, 90210," died on March 9. He was 84.
Richard Erdman
Known by millennials for his work on “Community” as Greendale’s smart-alecky Leonard Rodriguez died Saturday, March 13. He was 93.
Jim Raman
Dr. James “Jim” Raman, an orthodontist who competed on Season 25 contestant of CBS’ “The Amazing Race,” died Monday, March 15. He was 42.
Michael Lynne
The Hollywood producer who helped transform New Line Cinema into a powerhouse and served as an executive producer on Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, died Sunday, March 21. He was 77.
Agnes Varda
The pioneering French film director who emerged in the New Wave movement of the 1960s and continued to direct influential work including 2017’s Oscar-nominated documentary “Faces Places,” died Thursday, March 28. She was 90.
Shane Rimmer
The Canadian actor known for his leading voice role as a pilot on the series “Thunderbirds” and appeared in multiple James Bond movies, died Friday, March 29. He was 89.
The Grammy-nominated rapper who appeared in Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s semi-autobiographical film “I Tried," died Sunday, March 31. He was 33.
Tania Mallet
The actress who played Tilly Masterson in the 1964 James Bond movie “Goldfinger,” died in late March. She was 77.
Nadja Regin
The actress who starred in two James Bond films opposite Sean Connery, died at age 87.
Seymour Cassel
The Academy Award-nominated actor who regularly collaborated with Wes Anderson and John Cassavetes died Sunday, April 7. He was 84.
Charles Van Doren
The disgraced ’50s-era quiz show contestant who was found to have received the answers in advance, died Tuesday, April 9. He was 93.
Soni Methu
The Kenyan journalist and the former host of CNN’s show “Inside Africa,” died on Thursday, April 11. She was 34.
Bibi Andersson
The Swedish actress, known for her roles in “The Seventh Seal” and “Persona,” died on Sunday, April 14. She was 83.
Nationaal Archief Fotocollectie Anefo
Georgia Engel
The actress who starred as Georgette Franklin on the “Mary Tyler Moore Show” between 1972 and 1977, died Friday, April 12 at the age of 70,
Bradley Welsh
The former boxer who made his acting debut in 2017 in Danny Boyle’s “T2 Trainspotting,” died Wednesday, April 17. He was 42.
Chet Coppock
The Chicago-based sports broadcaster known locally as “The Godfather of Sports” in the 1980s, died Wednesday, April 17. He was 70.
Lorraine Warren
The famed investigator of paranormal activity who researched the “Amityville Horror” hauntings and was the subject of James Wan’s film “The Conjuring,” died Thursday, April 18. She was 92.
Steve Golin
The Oscar-winning film and TV producer of “Spotlight” and founder-CEO of Anonymous Content, died after a battle with cancer Sunday, April 21.
Photo by Christian Alminana/Getty Images
Terry Rawlings
The British film and sound editor who was an Oscar nominee for his work on Best Picture winner “Chariots of Fire” died Tuesday, April 23.
Stefanie Sherk
The Canadian model and actress known for work on “CSI: Cyber” and in the rom-com “Valentine’s Day,” died Saturday, April 20. She was 43.
John Singleton
The Oscar-nominated director of “Boyz N the Hood,” the 2000 remake of “Shaft” and “2 Fast 2 Furious,” died Monday, April 29. He was 51.
Peter Mayhew
The 7-foot-2-inch tall actor who portrayed Chewbacca in five “Star Wars” films, died Tuesday, April 30. He was 74.
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Alvin Sargent
The storied screenwriter best known for his Academy Award-winning script for “Ordinary People” and his Oscar-nominated “Paper Moon,” died Thursday, May 9. He was 92.
Courtesy of Pam Williams
Peggy Lipton
The star of the iconic TV series “The Mod Squad” and part of the ensemble cast of “Twin Peaks” has died at age 72, her daughters Rashida and Kidada Jones told the Los Angeles Times on May 11.
The actress in popular 1950s and ’60s movies such as “Pillow Talk,” Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Man Who Knew Too Much” and “Move Over, Darling" died Monday, May 13. She was 97.
Tim Conway
The Emmy-winning comedian and actor who memorably starred in “McHale’s Navy” in the 1960s and “The Carol Burnett Show” in the ’70s, died Tuesday, May 14. He was 85.
Tom Jennings
The former Hollywood talent agent and casting director, died on Thursday, April 18, his family announced. He was 81.
Courtesy Jennings family
Ashley Massaro
The former WWE Superstar died on Thursday, May 16 at the age of 39.
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The cat whose perpetually sad expression launched a thousand memes, died on May 17 at the age of 7.
Sammy Shore
Sammy Shore, the legendary stand-up comedian and co-founder of the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, died on May 18. He was 92.
Courtesy of Suzanne Shore
Gabriel Diniz
Gabriel Diniz, a Brazilian pop star, died in a plane crash on May 27. He was 28.
Carmine Caridi
Carmine Caridi, the actor who appeared in a key role in “The Godfather: Part II” as well as “The Godfather: Part III,” died on May 29. He was 85.
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Johnnie Planco
Johnnie Planco, the former WME agent and co-founder of management/production company Parseghian Planco, died on June 2.
Todd Tongen
Todd Tongen, a longtime anchor and reporter at Florida's WPLG, died on June 3. He was 56.
WPLG
The legendary New Orleans-based musician who collaborated with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Christina Aguilera and The Black Keys died on Thursday, June 6. He was 77.
Max Saines
On Saturday, June 8 it was announced that the Endeavor Content TV exec died from a pre-existing heart condition. He was 28.
The two-time Oscar nominee for supporting roles in the Best Picture winner “Midnight Cowboy” and “Farewell, My Lovely” died on Wednesday, June 12. She was 94.
Edith Gonzalez
The Mexican telenovela star died early Thursday, June 13, according to reports. She was 54.
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The two-time Oscar nominee best known for his 1968 big-screen version of “Romeo and Juliet,” died on Saturday, June 15. He was 96.
Katherine Textor
The longtime “60 Minutes” producer who worked closely with Morley Safer during his final years, died Friday, June 14 following a battle with cancer. She was 45.
The fashion designer, actress, heiress, artist and socialite died on Monday, June 17 from "very advanced" cancer in her stomach. She was 95.
Milton Quon
One of the last surviving members of the animation team during the Walt Disney Studios golden age, died on Tuesday, June 18. He was 105.
Mike Quon
Elliot Roberts
The music manager who shepherded the careers of iconic artists including Joni Mitchell and Neil Young died on Friday, June 21. He was 76.
Beth Chapman, the wife of Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” died on Wednesday, June 26 after suffering from throat and lung cancer. She was 51.
The actor who played Frank Nitti in Brian De Palma’s “The Untouchables” died in Los Angeles on Monday, June 24 from complications of a stroke. He was 73
Ben Barenholtz
The producer-distributor who helped launch the careers of David Lynch and the Coen Brothers, died on Wednesday, June 26 in Prague. He was 83.
Martin Charnin
The Emmy-, Tony- and Peabody Award winner best known as the creator, lyricist and director of the musical “Annie,” died on Wednesday, July 3. He was 84.
Arte Johnson
The writer who won an Emmy for his work on “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” died Wednesday, July 3. He was 90.
Cameron Boyce
The actor best known for his roles in the Disney Channel series “Jessie” and the “Descendants” TV movie franchise died Saturday, July 6. He was 20.
Eddie Jones
The veteran actor of film, TV and theater best known for his long-running role as Jonathan Kent in the series “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” died on Saturday, July 7. He was 84.
Denise Nickerson
The child actress best known for playing Violet Beauregarde in the 1971 classic “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” died late Wednesday, July 10. She was 62.
Stewart the Dog
The corgi who played Captain Raymond Holt’s dog Cheddar on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” died Monday, July 8. He was 13.
NBC/FOX
Emily Hartridge
The YouTube personality died Friday, July 12. She was 35.
Stephen Verona
The producer, co-writer and co-director of “The Lords of Flatbush,” died Saturday, July 13. He was 78.
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The actor who was best known for his work in two James Bond films and on the series “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,” died Thursday, July 18. He was 92.
The Dutch actor best known for portraying the tragic villain Roy Batty in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic “Blade Runner,” died Wednesday, July 24. He was 75.
The voice actor behind the Disney icon Minnie Mouse in hundreds of projects over the last three decades, died on Saturday, July 27. Taylor was 75.
Walt Disney Co.
Richard A. Fox
The owner of Fox Theaters and the last volunteer president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, died Wednesday, July 28. He was 90.
Harold Prince
The producer and director associated with many of the 20th century's most successful Broadway musical productions died at age 91. As a frequent collaborator with both Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber, Prince garnered 21 Tony Awards, more than any other individual, over the course of his career. In a traditional gesture, marquee lights on Broadway were dimmed on the night of his death on July 31.
Harley Race
The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee and eight-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion died of lung cancer Aug. 1 at the age of 76.
The prolific documentary filmmaker and chronicler of 1960s counterculture died on Aug. 1 at the age of 94.
The novelist, essayist and teacher died from complications of pneumonia at age 88 on Aug. 5. Morrison's 11 novels earned her a Pulitzer Prize in 1988, a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993 and a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.
Timothy Greenfield-Sanders/Magnolia
The two-time, Oscar-nominated star of “Easy Rider” and more recently films such as “Ulee’s Gold” died on Friday, Aug. 16. He was 79.
The Oscar-winning animator best known for creating Roger Rabbit died on Friday, Aug. 16. He was 86.
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Kip Addotta
The comedian who frequently appeared on “The Tonight Show” died the week of Aug. 12. He was 75.
Dick Clark Productions
The billionaire industrialist and philanthropist whose family empire has wielded significant political influence in conservative circles died Friday, Aug. 23. He was 79.
Astrid Stawiarz / Getty Images
Isabel Toledo
The fashion designer who outfitted former first lady Michelle Obama for President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration died Monday, Aug. 26 at the age of 59 from breast cancer.
The former “Mythbusters” star and professional race car driver died on Tuesday, Aug. 27 while attempting to break her own land-speed record. She was 36.
Valerie Harper
The actress and feminist activist best known for playing groundbreaking sitcom character Rhoda Morgenstern from 1970 to 1978 on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and its spinoff "Rhoda," died Friday, Aug. 30 at 80.
Gordon Bressack
The Emmy-winning writer best known for his work on ’90s animated classics “Tiny Toon Adventures,” “Pinky and the Brain” and “Animaniacs,” died on Aug. 30. He was 68.
Franco Columbu
The man Arnold Schwarzenegger called “my best friend,” died on Aug. 30 in Sardinia, Italy. He was 78.
The German-born fashion photographer famed for his black-and-white shots of ’90s supermodels such as Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and Linda Evangelista, died on Sept. 4. He was 74.
Chris March
The popular fashion designer who appeared on the Bravo series “Project Runway” and crafted costumes for artists including Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Beyonce died Thursday, Sept. 5. He was 56.
Chris March/GoFundMe
Robert Axelrod
The veteran character actor best known for voicing Lord Zedd and Finster in the long-running kids TV show “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,” died Saturday, Sept. 7. He was 70.
The actor who had guest roles on shows like “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Frasier” and “The Jamie Foxx Show” died on Sept. 7. He was 72.
JohnWesley.com
Mardik Martin
Mardik Martin, the longtime friend and collaborator of Martin Scorsese whose writing credits included “Mean Streets,” “New York, New York,” and “Raging Bull,” died on Sept. 11. He was 84.
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The "Take Me Home Tonight" singer-songwriter who burst on the music stage in the late ’70s when he charted with singles “Baby Hold On” and “Two Tickets to Paradise," died on Sept. 13. He was 70.
The lead vocalist of The Cars, which had numerous hits from 1978 to 1988, including “My Best Friend’s Girl,” “Just What I Needed,” “You Might Think,” “Magic” and “Tonight She Comes," died on Sept. 15. He was 75.
Brian Turk
The actor who appeared in HBO’s “Carnivale," “Saved by the Bell: The New Class" and “Beverly Hills, 90210" among others died on Sept. 13. He was 49.
Suzanne Whang
The host of HGTV's “House Hunters” from 1999 to 2011 and spinoff “House Hunters International” from 2009 to 2012, died on Sept. 17. She was 56.
Cokie Roberts
Longtime NPR and ABC News journalist died on Sept. 17 after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 75.
The Grateful Dead lyricist, who also penned songs for Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello and more, died on Sept. 17. He was 78.
Larry Busacca/Getty Images
Jack Gilardi
The longtime ICM Partners agent who represented Hollywood legends such as Burt Reynolds, Sylvester Stallone, Jerry Lewis, Shirley MacLaine and Charlton Heston, died on Sept. 19. He was 88.
Chelsea Lauren
Jessye Norman
Opera legend Jessye Norman, one of the great sopranos of the last five decades, died Sept. 30 from complications from a spinal injury. She was 74.
Wayne Fitzgerald
The prolific Hollywood title designer, whose notable works included “The Godfather” sequels, “Total Recall” and “Dick Tracy," died on Sept. 30. He had over 460 listed credits to his name. He was 89.
Kim Shattuck
The lead singer and songwriter for seminal 90s pop punk band The Muffs died Oct. 2 after a long battle with ALS. Her music was featured on film soundtracks like "Clueless" and "Angus," and she inspired a character on the HBO sketch comedy series "Mr. Show."
Paul LeBlanc
Oscar-winning hair stylist Paul LeBlanc, who styled Carrie Fisher's braids in "Return of the Jedi" and Javier Bardem's bowl cut in "No Country for Old Men" died Oct. 2. He was 73.
Kevin Winter
Diahann Caroll
The first African American woman to star in a non-servant role on a network TV series died Oct. 4 from cancer. She was 84.
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Ginger Baker, the celebrated drummer and co-founder of the British powerhouse rock band Cream, died Oct. 6. He was 80.
Rip Taylor
Rip Taylor, the flamboyant confetti-throwing comedian who was the host of "The $1.98 Beauty Show," died Oct. 6. He was 84.
Robert Forster, the character actor best known for “Twin Peaks” and his Oscar-nominated performance in Quentin Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown, died Oct. 11. He was 78.
Sam Bobrick
Sam Bobrick, creator of NBC comedy series “Saved By the Bell” and writer for “The Andy Griffith Show,” died Oct. 11. He was 87.
Television Academy
Scotty Bowers
Scotty Bowers, who was the subject of the documentary "Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood" and was famous for secretly procuring gay sex workers for Tinseltown's biggest stars in the 1940s, died on Oct. 13. He was 96.
John Clarke, who starred on the NBC soap opera "Days of Our Lives" for 39 years and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award from the Daytime Emmys in 2005, died of pneumonia on Oct. 16. He was 88.
Courtesy of John Clarke's family
Bill Macy
Bill Macy, who starred as Bea Arthur’s husband Walter Findlay on the 1970s sitcom “Maude” and appeared alongside Steve Martin in "The Jerk," died on Oct. 17. He was 97.
Elijah Cummings
Rep. Elijah Cummings, a sitting democratic congressman from Baltimore for 23 years and a civil rights advocate early in his life and career, died on Oct. 17. He was 68.
Robert Evans
Robert Evans, the legendary producer of "Chinatown" and "The Godfather" and the former head of production at Paramount, died on Oct. 26 at the age of 89.
John Witherspoon, a prolific character actor best known for a run of comedic turns in acclaimed films and cult classics like "Hollywood Shuffle" and the "Friday" franchise, died on Oct. 29 at the age of 77.
Bernard Slade
Bernard Slade, an Oscar-nominated writer and playwright and the creator of "The Partridge Family," died on Oct. 30 from complications from body dementia. He was 89.
JAG PR
Rudy Boesch
Rudy Boesch, one of the finalists on the original season of "Survivor," died on Nov. 2 following a battle with Alzheimer's disease at the age of 91. He was a former Navy SEAL, and at 72, was one of the show's oldest contestants.
Brian Tarantina
Brian Tarantina, who appeared as a character actor on "Gilmore Girls," "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "Heroes," "Law & Order" and "The Good Wife," was found dead by New York City police on Nov. 2. He was 60.
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
Virginia Leith
Virginia Leith, an actress who appeared in Stanley Kubrick's first film, "Fear and Desire," and was the lead in Joseph Green's "The Brain That Wouldn't Die," died on Nov. 4 following a brief illness. She was 94.
Photo by Film Favorites/Getty Images
Laurel Griggs
Laurel Griggs, a 13-year-old actress who starred in the Broadway musical "Once" and also appeared in several "Saturday Night Live" sketches, died on Nov. 5 after suffering a severe asthma attack.
NBC/SNL
William Wintersole
William Wintersole, an actor who starred on the soap opera "The Young and the Restless" as attorney Mitchell Sherman for 25 years until 2011, died on Nov. 5. He was 88.
Kathy Hutchins/Hutchins Photo
Rick Ludwin
Rick Ludwin, a former NBC executive and the head of the company's late-night division, died on Nov. 10 following a brief illness. Ludwin was best known for championing "Seinfeld" and helping it become one of the most successful sitcoms of all time. He was 71.
Lawrence G. Paull
Lawrence G. Paull, an Oscar-nominated production designer on films such as "Blade Runner" and "Back to the Future," died in La Jolla, California on Nov. 10. He was 81.
Photo courtesy of Spooky Stevens
Michael J. Pollard
Michael J. Pollard, an Oscar-nominee for his breakout role in "Bonnie and Clyde," and also a star of films including "House of 1000 Corpses," "Dirty Little Billy" and "Scrooged," died on Nov. 22. He was 80.
Harry Morton, restaurateur and founder of the Los Angeles Mexican food restaurant chain Pink Taco, died Nov. 23. He was 38.
John Simon
John Simon, a legendary theater, film and literary critic who spent more than 50 years gaining a reputation for stinging reviews and lively prose at New York magazine and other outlets, died Nov. 24. He was 94.
Regional News Network
Goo Hara
Goo Hara, the Korean pop singer best known for her work in the K-pop girl group Kara, died Nov. 24. She was 28.
Clive James, who was the president of ITV and also worked as a prolific poet and TV critic, died on Nov. 24 after a decade-long battle with cancer. He was 80.
Frank Biondi Jr.
Former HBO, Viacom and Universal Studios chief executive Frank Biondi Jr. died on Nov. 25. He was 74.
Gary Rhodes
Gary Rhodes, a celebrity chef who hosted TV shows including “MasterChef,” “MasterChef USA,” “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Rhodes Around Britain,” died on Nov. 26. He was 59.
Godfrey Gao
Godfrey Gao, the Taiwanese Canadian model-actor who broke stereotypes for Asian men in the worlds of fashion and entertainment, died on Nov. 27 while competing on a Chinese reality TV show. He was 35.
Shelley Morrison
Shelley Morrison, an actress best known for her work on "Will & Grace" but who also appeared in "Funny Girl," "Fools Rush In" and the sitcom "The Flying Nun," died on Dec. 1. She was 83.
D.C. Fontana
D.C. Fontana, a long-time writer on the original "Star Trek" series, as well as on future iterations of the show including "Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine," died on Dec. 2 following a short illness. She was 80.
Larry Nemecek/Wikimedia Commons
Cha In-ha
Cha In-ha, a South Korean actor who starred in the film "Love With Flaws," died on Dec. 3. The actor, whose real name was Lee Jae-ho, was 27.
Arirang K-Pop
Leonard Goldberg
Leonard Goldberg, a long-time TV executive who also served as president of 20th Century Fox for two years beginning in 1987, died on Dec. 4. He was 85.
Ron Leibman
Ron Leibman, a Tony winner for his 1993 performance in "Angels in America," an Emmy winner for his work on the show "Kaz" from 1979 and a regular on "Friends" as Rachel's father, died on Dec. 6. He was 82.
Caroll Spinney
Caroll Spinney, who played the beloved children's character Big Bird on "Sesame Street" for over 50 years, died on Dec. 8 at his Connecticut home. Spinney was also a more traditional puppeteer behind the trash can-dwelling monster Oscar the Grouch. He was 85.
The Chicago rapper Juice WRLD, real name Jarad Anthony Higgins, died on Dec. 8 after experiencing a seizure. The artist scored a No. 1 album with "Death Race for Love" earlier this year. He was 21.
René Auberjonois
René Auberjonois, an actor known for roles in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," Robert Altman's "M*A*S*H*" film, and the series "Benson," died on Dec. 8 after suffering from lung cancer. He was 79.
Marie Fredriksson, a Swedish singer with pop duo Roxette alongside Per Gessle, died on Dec. 9 following a 17-year battle with cancer. Fredriksson was behind the song "It Must Have Been Love," which was featured in the romantic comedy "Pretty Woman." Her band sold 80 million albums worldwide. She was 61.
Dimberg Jernberg Management
Philip McKeon
Philip McKeon, a child actor who appeared on the sitcom "Alice" as well as "CHiPS," "Fantasy Island" and "The Love Boat" before turning to a career in radio as an adult in both Los Angeles and Texas, died on Dec. 10. He was 55.
Danny Aiello, the Oscar-winning star of "Do the Right Thing" and "Moonstruck," as well as films such as "The Godfather Part II," "Once Upon a Time in America" and "The Purple Rose of Cairo," died on Dec. 12 after a brief illness. He was 86.
Anna Karina, the Danish star of French New Wave films by Jean-Luc Godard such as "A Woman Is a Woman," "Alphaville" and "Pierrot le Fou," died on Dec. 14. She was 79.
Chuy Bravo
Chelsea Handler's longtime sidekick on her E! late night talk show "Chelsea Lately," Chuy Bravo, died on Dec. 14. The Mexican-American actor was hospitalized with stomach pains while visiting his family in Mexico City. He was 63.
Claudine Auger
Claudine Auger, a former model named Miss France and French actress best known for playing the Bond girl Domino in "Thunderball," died on Dec. 18. She was 78.
Ram Dass (born Richard Alpert), an inspirational guru who was a face of the American counter cultural movement of the 1960s and '70s and who helped popularize LSD and other psychedelic drugs, died on Dec. 22 in Maui, Hawaii. He was 88.
"Ram Dass, Going Home"
David Foster, a prolific Hollywood producer behind films such as “The Getaway,” “McCabe and Mrs. Miller” and two versions of “The Thing” died on Dec. 23. Foster began his six decades in the industry as a publicist at Rogers and Cowan to stars such as Steve McQueen, Shirley MacLaine, Peter Sellers and Sonny and Cher. He was 90.
Ed Aschoff
Edward Aschoff, a college football reporter for ESPN since 2011, died on his 34th birthday after a battle with pneumonia on Dec. 24.
Allee Willis, a Grammy-winning songwriter and producer who worked with Earth, Wind & Fire, the Pointer Sisters and Dusty Springfield and also wrote the theme song to the sitcom "Friends," died on Dec. 24 of cardiac arrest. She was 72.
Ari Behn
Ari Behn, an author and playwright who was the ex-husband of Norwegian princess Martha Louise, died of suicide on Christmas Day. Behn also once accused actor Kevin Spacey of sexual assault. Behn was 47.
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Lee Mendelson
Lee Mendelson, a producer of the holiday TV specials "Peanuts" and "Garfield," died on Christmas day after a battle with lung cancer. He also wrote the lyrics to "Christmastime is Here" from the 1965 TV special "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Mendelson was 86.
Sue Lyon, who played the title role of "Lolita" in Stanley Kubrick's 1962 film at age 14, died on Dec. 26. She was 73.
Jerry Herman
Jerry Herman, a four-time Tony winning composer who wrote the music for Broadway productions of "Hello, Dolly!," "Mame" and "La Cage aux Folles," died on Dec. 26 in Miami of pulmonary conditions. He was 88.
Don Imus
Don Imus, a pioneering yet controversial figure in talk radio known for his long-running show "Imus in the Morning," died on Dec. 27. The shock jock was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1989. He was 79.
Jack Sheldon
Jack Sheldon, a jazz trumpeter who had a career as a TV performer in the 1960s and ’70s and sang classic “Schoolhouse Rock” tunes, died on Dec. 27 at age 88, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Neil Innes
Neil Innes, a British comic songwriter who played with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, The Rutles and was a frequent collaborator with Monty Python, died on Dec. 29 of natural causes. He was 75.
Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images
Syd Mead, a visual effects artist and American industrial designer who helped imagine the futuristic look of science fiction classics like “Blade Runner” and “Aliens,” died on Dec. 30 at age 86.
Sonny Mehta
Sonny Mehta, the longtime publisher of the Random House imprint Alfred A. Knopf, died on Dec. 30 of complications from pneumonia, the publisher announced. He was 77.
Tyler Gwozdz
The former "Bachelorette" contestant who briefly competed on Hannah Brown's season died on Jan. 22 of a suspected overdose, according to TMZ. He was 29.
Jim Lehrer
The longtime anchor of "PBS NewsHour," who held the role for nearly four decades, died on Jan. 23. He was 85.
A look at the stars in movies, TV, music, sports and media we lost this year
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Super Arrogant Michelle Obama Claims She’s America’s “Forever First Lady”, That’s When James Woods Crushes Her
Earlier this year, former First Lady Michelle Obama told a crowded room of students that she was America’s “forever First Lady.” As you likely are aware of by now, Conservative actor James Woods is somewhat of a stickler when it comes to liberals getting their daily dose of reality. He was quick to remind the former First Lady that she was just that… America’s former First Lady.
Breitbart News reported at the time that Mrs. Obama was visiting Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania when she was speaking to a room full of high school students on May 2. The students were preparing to go off to college, and were attending a College Signing Day event that Mrs. Obama and numerous other liberal celebrities attended. Breitbart wrote that “Robert De Niro, Rebel Wilson, Bradley Cooper, Karlie Kloss, Ciara, Janelle Monae and Zendaya” were all in attendance.
The event was meant to be about the students who would soon be transitioning into college, but the former First Lady had to make it all about herself. She took the stage and started building herself up.
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White House Says Despite Stock Market Volatility, Economy Is Doing Well
By Ari Shapiro
Published February 7, 2018 at 4:04 PM MST
The stock market swung dramatically Wednesday, ending about where it started the day â after record losses earlier in the week.
The stock market swung dramatically up and down on Wednesday, ending about where it started the day — after record losses earlier in the week. President Trump's top economic adviser says it's important to keep the volatility in context.
"The fact is that the fundamentals for the economy are very sound," Kevin Hassett says in an interview with NPR. "Wages are going up a lot. Even in the employment report that came out last week, we saw the highest rate of wage growth in about a decade."
He says the recent volatility is "not related to the fundamentals, which as the president notes, are very strong."
On whether the stock market turmoil was predictable
There have been times when we're pretty close to a recent recession where when we get positive job news, it's a real positive. There have been other times where we're as advanced as we are now into a recovery and when we get lots of positive news, like we're seeing, it's viewed by markets as good news as well, because the market has a lot of clarity about the future of interest rates and Federal Reserve policy.
On whether the tax law is playing a role in the market activity
A lot of the equity market movement from last year, clearly, was related to the fact that equity markets started out with some probability in their heads about whether the tax bill would pass. And along the way, as that was going on, equity markets were clearly heading up. Now that the tax bill has passed, then the market has factored in that change in the tax rate into prices and really what happens next is that the evolution of the economy, of earnings and interest rates will continue — as they always do — to affect valuations.
On whether, after taking credit for rising stock markets, President Trump should take blame for the recent losses
I think you're focusing right now, as one shouldn't, on day-to-day fluctuations. The fact is now that if we go back to the day he was elected. I'm guessing ... the medium-term trend of the market being up 35 percent. It's not up 35 percent because of mysterious factors. It's up 35 percent because of substantive policy changes.
There are going to be day-to-day fluctuations. Markets do that. But the fact is that there's been a very, very large trend upward since he was elected, that any economist who runs the math would tell you is what you would expect given the policy changes that we've seen.
On the low African-American unemployment rate Trump touted, which was then revised upward
(In his State of the Union address, Trump said he was very proud that African-American unemployment was at its lowest rate ever recorded. Three days later, the jobs report showed that black unemployment jumped from December's 6.8 percent to 7.7 percent in January.)
Last year was still the best year on record. You have to understand that the jobs report is based on a sample that has sampling variation that goes up and down every month. And there's a very positive trend for employment for people of all races and that blip really looked quite a bit different from the rest of the report and it's something that our statisticians think is related to the sampling properties of the jobs report and it'll be reversed in the next month or two.
The audio version of this story was produced by NPR's Christina Cala and edited by NPR's Selena Simmons-Duffin. NPR's Wynne Davis adapted it for Web.
See stories by Ari Shapiro
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A Brave Attempt to Rank 30 Years of Super Robot Wars Games
From the Game Boy to the Nintendo Switch, this is the best (and worst) Super Robot Wars has to offer.
List by Kat Bailey, Editor in Chief
From time to time, I'm asked by curious newcomers which Super Robot Wars game I would recommend as a starting point. I always struggle with this answer, because Super Robot Wars—or Super Robot Taisen, as it's sometimes known—is one of the most sprawling, complex, and downright confusing franchises in gaming history. Its roots go all the way back to the Game Boy, and everyone has a different opinion on which one is best.
The one thing they all have in common is their celebration of the mecha genre, which combines shows as disparate as Neon Genesis Evangelion, Voltron, and Macross into a weird, wonderful whole. At its best, Super Robot Wars can elevate the material it adapts, combining it in ways that improve the original story. At its worst, it can be a naked cash-in; an $80 advertisement for whatever show Bandai Namco wants to push at that moment.
If you're new to the series, it can frequently be difficult to discern one from the other, leading to much confusion. In putting together this ranking of the best Super Robot Wars games, my hope is to cut through the noise and point mecha enthusiasts toward the best the series has to offer.... or you can also just ignore this list and play Super Robot Wars L because you happen to love Linebarrels of Iron. Don't worry, I won't judge.
A few notes before I get started: I waffled on whether I should include games like the Super Robot Wars OG and Super Robot Compact, which ultimately received superior remakes, ultimately deciding to keep them because they're distinct games in their own right. I did not include weirdo spinoffs like Endless Frontier and that one real-time strategy game, as they have little to nothing to do with the series proper. I also left Super Robot Wars DD off the list because it's frankly hard to fit a mobile game on this list. OK, let's get started. Super Robot Wars Ranking! Switch On!
The Scrap Heap
49. Super Robot Wars Operation Extend [PSP, 2013]
48. Shin Super Robot Wars [PlayStation, 1996]
47. Super Robot Wars 64 [Nintendo 64, 1999]
46. Super Robot Wars EX [Super Famicom, 1994 / PlayStation, 2000]
45. Super Robot Wars GC / XO [GameCube, 2004 / Xbox 360, 2006]
44. Super Robot Wars Neo [Wii, 2009]
These entries are mostly very bad, with the possible exception of Super Robot Wars Neo for the Wii, which is fun enough to play but is hampered by an underwhelming series list. They are a collection of strange experiments, usually for less successful consoles like GameCube and Nintendo 64. Almost all of them discard the series's normally beautiful sprite art for blocky, featureless 3D graphics.
Super Robot Wars Operation Extended has the distinction of being the worst game in series history—a bizarre episodic experiment replete with terrible 3D graphics and wretched pacing. It's a genuine pity that it's one of the very few entries to include Heavy Metal L-Gaim, a classic mecha series by Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino that seems to have been lost to history. Here's hoping it makes an appearance in a more deserving entry so Operation Extend can be relegated to the scrap heap where it belongs.
The Lord of Elemental Tier
43. Super Robot Wars Lord of Elemental OG Saga: The Lord of Elemental 3 Pride of Justice [PlayStation 3 / Vita, 2013]
42. Super Robot Wars: The Lord of Elemental 2: Revelation of Evil God [PSP, 2012]
41. Super Robot Wars OG Saga: The Lord of Elemental F Coffin of the End [PlayStation 3, 2014]
40. Super Robot Wars Gaiden: The Lord of Elemental [Nintendo DS, 2010]
I can hear hardcore fans offering tsks of disapproval. Oh, you don't like the Masou Kishin games? I thought you were a real fan? Look, I know that Super Robot Gaiden is the first game to feature all original characters, and that the modern remakes and sequels have their merits. But they're very much their own thing, trading the distinctive super deformed versions of classic robots for their own unique style, and telling a story that's only tangentially connected to the better-known Original Generations games. They're also known for being really, really hard, especially Pride of Justice. Ultimately, Super Robot Wars OG Saga is an interesting footnote in the history of the series; a throwback to its earliest days. It's a fascinating rabbit hole for old-school fans to explore; for everyone else, it's little more than a curiosity.
Not So Super
39. 3rd Super Robot Wars Z: Tengoku-Hen [PlayStation 3 / Vita, 2015]
38. 3rd Super Robot Wars Z: Jigoku-Hen [PlayStation 3 / Vita, 2014]
37. Super Robot Wars [Game Boy, 1991 / Vita, 2014]
36. 2nd Super Robot Wars [Famicom, 1991 / Game Boy, 1995 / PlayStation, 1999]
35. Super Robot Wars L [Nintendo DS, 2011]
34. Super Robot Wars K [Nintendo DS, 2009]
33. Super Robot Wars Reversal [Game Boy Advance, 2002]
32. Super Robot Wars Original Generation: The Moon Dwellers [PlayStation 3, 2016]
We're now firmly into the mainline series, with a tier that features an odd mix of ancient entries (the original Super Robot Wars); disappointing standalone games (Super Robot Wars K), and peculiar follow-ups to otherwise strong entries. Moon Dwellers in particular tends to draw a lot of criticism because of its unbalanced difficulty that feels like a step down from its exemplary predecessor, 2nd Super Robot Wars: Original Generation, and due to how its English translation is basically incoherent. No seriously, it's really bad.
And then there's 3rd Super Robot Wars Z, which is the definition of diminishing returns. The second part of 3rd Super Robot Wars Z—yes, it's split into two full-priced entries—brings an otherwise strong subseries to a sputtering conclusion with glitches, recycled assets, and a multitude of licensed shows that are just sort of hanging around the story for want of anything to do. After spending hundreds of hours playing through the first five entries, I couldn't even bring myself to finish the second part of Super Robot Wars Z3, which says it all really.
Super Robot Wars Compact featured numerous innovations, including branching paths | Bandai Namco
The Tweeners
31. Super Robot Wars Compact [Wonderswan, 1999]
30: Super Robot War Wars Compact 2, Part 3 [Wonderswan, 2001]
27. Super Robot Wars Compact 3 [Wonderswan Color, 2003]
26. Super Robot Wars Advance [Game Boy Advance, 2001 / PlayStation Portable, 2008]
25. Super Robot Wars Destiny [Game Boy Advance, 2003]
24. 3rd Super Robot Wars [Super Famicom, 1993]
23. Super Robot Wars MX [PlayStation 2, 2004 / PSP, 2005]
22. Super Robot Wars W [Nintendo DS, 2007]
This tier features the entries that aren't exactly bad, but also don't quite reach the heights of other games in the series. It includes the likes of Super Robot Wars W and MX—a pair of breezy and enjoyable entries that nevertheless rely a little too heavily on recycled art, and are almost hilariously easy to boot.
On the other end of the spectrum is Super Robot Wars A Portable, a PSP remake that is both extremely punishing and suffers from long load times. All of these games have something to commend them—great OG characters, strong music, sharp mission design—but are dragged down by their flaws. Then again, this is the only SRW tier where you'll find Escaflowne and Voltron, and it has one of the most enjoyable renditions of Mobile Fighter G Gundam to boot in Super Robot Wars MX, so entries in this tier are worth checking out regardless.
Powering Up
21. Super Robot Wars: Original Generation 1 [Game Boy Advance, 2006 in North America]
19. Super Robot Wars T [PlayStation 4 / Nintendo Switch, 2019]
18. Super Robot Wars UX [Nintendo 3DS, 2013]
17. Super Robot Wars BX [Nintendo 3DS, 2015]
16. 2nd Super Robot Wars Z: Saisei-Hen [PlayStation Portable, 2012]
15. 2nd Super Robot Wars Z: Hakai-Hen [PlayStation Portable, 2011]
14. Super Robot Wars X [PlayStation 4 / Vita / Switch / PC, 2018]
This is the tier with two of the games that North American fans probably know best: Super Robot Wars X and T. Both make for strong entry points into the overall series, as they feature decent English translations, and are available on Nintendo Switch to boot. They also feature some unique licenses, including Gundam Reconguista in G, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, and Aura Battler Dunbine. The only ding against them is that they bear a little too much of a resemblance to Super Robot Wars V, which for my money is the best of the bunch (you may disagree).
As for the rest, I think Super Robot Wars: Original Generations 1 and 2 hold up very well on GBA, and unlike the PS2 game, have an official translation. 2nd Super Robot Wars Z gets a bad rap for compromises endemic to the PSP, but it's by far the best-looking SRW on that platform, and does a tremendous job of weaving together Gundam Wing, Code Geass, and Gundam 00. The 3DS games include well-regarded stories, but are difficult to obtain and recycle a good deal of older material (a constant with this series). Ultimately, they could probably fit into the tweeners tier just as well, but their surprising popularity pushes them just over the line.
Super Robot Wars V was the first of the traditional games to get an official English translation | Bandai Namco
The Historically Significant Entries
13. Super Robot Wars Impact [PlayStation 2, 2002]
12. Super Robot Wars Original Generation Gaiden [PlayStation 2, 2007]
11. Super Robot Wars Judgment [Game Boy Advance, 2005]
10. Super Robot Wars V [PlayStation 4 / Vita/ Switch / PC, 2017]
9. Super Robot Wars Alpha 3 [PlayStation 2, 2005]
These entries are broadly popular and offer something distinct to the franchise. Super Robot Wars Alpha 3 is perhaps the single biggest Super Robot Wars ever made—a sprawling epic with a huge number of series, multiple unique pathways, and some of the best graphics in the franchise's history. All that's really keeping it out of the next tier up is the fact that it features a multitude of shows that have already wrapped up their main stories, giving them little to do. It's also a bit broken, with Ideon being an absolutely unstoppable god capable of nuking pretty much the whole map.
Pretty much all of these games are very easy to recommend, with the caveat perhaps that you might need a modded PlayStation 2, or that you should play another game in the series first. They're showpiece entries, and many have fervent fans to this day. English speakers take note: Super Robot Wars V is available on Nintendo Switch in English and it features the outstanding Space Battleship Yamato 2199. A worthy pickup for sure.
2nd Super Super Robot Wars Alpha is in some ways the "real" conclusion to the Alpha subseries | PlayStation
8. Super Robot Wars Alpha [PlayStation, 2000]
7. 2nd Super Robot Wars Alpha [PlayStation, 2003]
6. Super Robot Wars F [Sega Saturn, 1997 / PlayStation, 1998]
5. Super Robot Wars F Final [Sega Saturn, 1998 / PlayStation, 1999]
4. Super Robot Wars Original Generation [PlayStation 2, 2007]
These are the classics; the entries that many of the old-school fans swear by most. This tier prominently features the PS2 remake of Super Robot Wars Original Generation, which helped to cement the popularity of the OG games with fans, and Super Robot Wars Alpha 2—a monumental entry featuring the best rendition of Char's Counterattack in the series. Indeed, more than a few fans consider Alpha 2 to be the "true ending" of the Alpha subseries owing to how many disparate story threads it brings to a graceful conclusion.
Its predecessor, Super Robot Wars Alpha, is similarly gigantic, if a bit more dated owing to its presence on the original PlayStation. It's famous for being the bright dividing line between the old-style SRW games and the new. Super Robot Wars F and F Final are similarly historic, representing the grand finale of the original "Divine Crusaders War" story arc that began with 2nd Super Robot Wars, in addition to being insanely hard. None of them are especially accessible, with only the original Alpha getting an English fan translation, but all are held in high esteem by Super Robot Wars fans to this day.
Super Robot Wars Alpha Gaiden is one of the most beloved games in the series. | Bandai Namco
3. 2nd Super Robot Wars Original Generation [PlayStation 3, 2012]
2. Super Robot Wars Alpha Gaiden [PlayStation, 2001]
1. Super Robot Wars Z [PlayStation 2, 2008]
Finally, we have what are broadly considered to be the best Super Robot Wars games ever made. Super Robot Wars Z is perhaps the most ambitious game in the series—a late PlayStation 2 entry featuring multiple story paths, high-quality OG units, and some of the best graphics the platform has to offer. It also famously saved the extremely flawed Gundam SEED Destiny, transforming prickly protagonist Shinn Asuka into a genuinely sympathetic hero in the process. Boasting a wide range of popular shows—including fan-favorites like The Big O—along with brand new graphics, no Super Robot Wars since has been as big as Super Robot Wars Z.
The other two games in this tier are no less excellent. Super Robot Wars Alpha Gaiden has a good deal in common with SRW Z, featuring as it does oddball shows like Turn A Gundam and Combat Mecha Xabungle, as well as probably the tightest and most entertaining story in the series. You can even play it in English thanks to a fan translation. Meanwhile, 2nd Super Robot Wars Original Generation is just beautiful, seamlessly melding 2D and 3D to create the best graphics in the series to date.
Sadly, the games in the top tier are among the least accessible in the series, whether because they're on old platforms or because they've never been officially translated. But if you have the courage—and some classic hardware—you should give them a shot. Super Robot Wars Z in particular is not to be missed.
So there you have it: A list of the best Super Robot Wars games ever made. Hopefully it can be useful in deciding which games to pursue and which games to avoid. If you're still in doubt, check out the series list for each game. Super Robot Wars T is probably the weakest entry in the current batch of games, but if you're a giant Harlock fan, it'll probably be your jam. Even lesser games like Super Robot Wars K can be pretty fun in the circumstances. With that in mind, I'd love to hear about your favorite Super Robot Wars games. Share them in the comments so we can remember this highly entertaining series together.
Screenshots from Let's Play Archive
More about Super Robot Wars T
Kat Bailey
Kat Bailey is a former freelance writer and contributor to publications including 1UP, IGN, GameSpot, GamesRadar, and EGM. Her fondest memories as a journalist are at GamePro, where she hosted RolePlayer's Realm and had legal access to the term "Protip." She is USgamer's resident mecha enthusiast, Pokemon Master, and Minnesota Vikings nut (skol).
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Shailene Woodley Shares Cryptic Message After Fiance Aaron Rodgers Reveals He’s Not Vaccinated
By Yana Grebenyuk
Shailene Woodley and Aaron Rodgers. Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP/Shutterstock; IPA/MEGA
Read between the lines. As Aaron Rodgers faces backlash after revealing that he didn’t get the COVID-19 vaccine, his fiancée, Shailene Woodley, seemingly had her own thoughts on the matter.
Aaron Rodgers and Shailene Woodley’s Relationship Timeline
Woodley, 29, shared a since-deleted quote via Instagram on Friday, November 5, that read, “Calm seas may bring you peace, but storms are where you’ll find your power,” according to Page Six.
The Big Little Lies alum’s alleged social media post comes amid Rodgers, 37, claiming that he “didn’t lie” about his vaccination status after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier this month.
“The league was fully aware of it upon my return to the Packers,” the quarterback explained during an episode of “The Pat McAfee Show” on Friday while addressing his one-game suspension.
Rodgers, who clarified that he is not “some sort of anti-vax, flat-Earther,” said he provided the NFL with “over 500 pages of research” to backup his decision not to get the vaccine. One of the reasons that stopped the football player from complying with the vaccination policy included an allergy to an ingredient in the shot.
“On the CDC’s own website, it says should you have an allergy to any of these ingredients, you should not get one of the mRNA vaccines,” he noted, adding that his only option was the Johnson & Johnson shot, which he was concerned about because of “some really difficult times and physical abnormalities” that he heard some patients experienced.
Rodgers, who announced in February that he was engaged to Woodley, referenced fatherhood as another reason why he couldn’t commit to getting the vaccine.
“The next great chapter of my life, I believe, is being a father and it’s something that I care about a lot,” he shared on Friday. “And to my knowledge, there’s been zero long-term studies around sterility or fertility issues around the vaccine, so that was definitely something that I was worried about and it went through my mind.”
Celebrity Health Scares
The couple initially sparked romance rumors in July 2020. Us Weekly confirmed that the pair were dating in February.
“They started off as friends, but things have turned romantic,” a source told Us at the time.
Days later, Rodgers revealed that they had reached a new milestone in their relationship.
“I got engaged and played some of the best football of my career,” he announced while accepting an award for the 2020 NFL football season.
Stars Who’ve Spoken Out About Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine
Four months later, the Divergent star discussed the speed with which their romance progressed because of the virus.
“Starting a relationship where you immediately move in with someone — because it’s a pandemic and you can’t just get on a plane and go back and forth on weekends — taught us a lot about each other very quickly,” Woodley explained to Shape Magazine in June. “We jumped in headfirst and got some of the sticky bits out of the way early.”
Listen to Us Weekly's Hot Hollywood as each week the editors of Us break down the hottest entertainment news stories!
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4.3 earthquake registered off the coast of Nayarit
This evening, July 22, 2021, at 6:43 local time, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.3 was recorded 120 km off the coast of Nayarit without any reports of perception or damage in the coastal areas of Nayarit or Puerto Vallarta.
According to authorities, the event did not warrant the activation of the seismic alert in the area.
On July 3, an earthquake of 5.6 was registered 87 km off the coast of Nayarit with tremors felt in Puerto Vallarta. There have been over 30 earthquakes off the Jalisco and Nayarit coast during the month of July. Some users of social networks reported having perceived the earthquake mildly on the Jalisco coast and in Nayarit on July 3, while several internet users said they had not noticed the earthquake.
Earthquake shaking tends to be amplified in soft soil conditions, according to John Ebel, the director of the Weston Observatory, which studies and monitors earthquakes. If you live near a landfill, you will likely feel shaking more strongly than if you live on rock formations, Ebel said.
Also, some buildings have a stronger tendency to shake more than others, Ebel said.
Human sensitivity to tremors is another factor that determines whether you will feel earthquake tremors, Ebel said. Humans have a natural sensitivity to feeling vibrations, but some are more sensitive than others, Ebel said.
Puerto Vallarta tide rises half a meter due to tsunami in Tonga The National Coordination of Civil Protection of the Government of Mexico reported that the tsunami in Tonga, caused by the eruption of an underwater volcano in that country, generated the increase in tide in nine ports in Mexico, including Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, where the level grew half a meter. The agency added through social networks…
Omicron makes up 90% of all new cases in Puerto Vallarta The municipalities of Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta lead the rebound in cases of COVID-19 in Jalisco and are the ones with the highest circulation of the omicron variant; explained the researcher Víctor Manuel González Romero, detailed that the behavior of greater circulation of the virus is maintained where there is a greater concentration of people.…
Puerto Vallarta sees a 1300% increase in COVID cases in January In the week from Monday, January 3 to Sunday, January 10, Puerto Vallarta accumulated 879 known cases of Covid-19, according to health authorities. Cases are only reported if the patient is symptomatic. This amount is much higher than the figures that had been reported in the last week of 2021, when the weekly cases were…
Puerto Vallarta will require proof of vaccination for bars, clubs, and casinos Puerto Vallarta businessmen announced that they will comply with the measure of requesting the vaccination certificate to those who intend to enter casinos, bars, and clubs starting on Friday. The State Government Health Board announced this measure to face the third wave of Covid 19 in the entity. In this regard, Fernando Pineda Trillo, president…
Mexico continues with new records of COVID-19 infections On Friday, January 14, the health authorities shared the daily technical report on the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the country. They confirmed the existence of 4,302,069 accumulated confirmed cases, as well as 30,107 unfortunate deaths since the start of the pandemic in the country. According to the figures, in the last 24 hours,…
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Jean Smart on Playing Watchmen’s Hard-Boiled Laurie Blake
She hasn’t finished reading the comic—yet.
By Sonia Saraiya
Courtesy of HBO.
This post contains plot details for the November 3 Watchmen episode "She Was Killed by Space Junk."
“She Was Killed by Space Junk” is the third episode of HBO’s Watchmen sequel series—and the first featuring Jean Smart as Laurie Blake, one of the central figures in the original graphic novel. Laurie was the former Silk Spectre, a costumed vigilante debuted by her glamorous mother Sally Jupiter. In the comic—which takes place 30 years before the series—Laurie’s romance with Dr. Manhattan, the most powerful man in the world, is upended by an affair with Dan Dreiberg, aka Nite Owl.
Neither man makes an appearance, exactly, in the new show. But “She Was Killed by Space Junk” is Watchmen’s closest engagement yet with its source material, drawing in Dr. Manhattan’s communications with earth, Nite Owl’s actual owl (Laurie feeds it a mouse, deadpanning that its name is Who), and with restrained characterization, sketching out how her character has spent the last three decades. Smart crackles from the minute she steps onscreen; twice, in just this episode, her crack shot aim fells an assailant before he can retaliate against innocents.
In the original Watchmen, writer Alan Moore seemed to not know what to do with Laurie outside of her romantic entanglements. She’s a young character—Malin Akerman played her in the 2009 film adaptation—and by the time she grows and changes, the story’s over. The new Watchmen introduces a markedly more competent woman in Smart’s Laurie—one who immediately butts heads with Angela (Regina King), who moonlights as Tulsa’s heroine Sister Night.
I spoke to Smart on the phone about her character’s first episode. Smart, who cackled with mirth throughout our phone call, assured me that she might not be able to answer all my questions. “I don’t have a clue” about the backstory, she laughed. But the show’s decision to turn real-life celeb Robert Redford into the nation’s latest celebrity president tickled her fancy. “Is that the Sundance Kid?” she recollected asking, seeing his grainy photo on set. “If he’d wanted,” she told me, he really could have been president. “But I’m sure he never did.”
Vanity Fair: Tell me a little bit about doing this role that was such a major one in the comic.
Jean Smart: You have a responsibility, you know, toward the source material and everything. But something like 34 years have gone by since we last saw her, so—she’s changed. She acts like she’s got everything under control—like she’s got the jump on everybody. It’s interesting to see how she’s dealt with this kind of lonely existence she has.
It’s fun to try to characterize that—someone who’s got that smart-ass sense of humor, but is often kind of using it as a way to keep people away.
She’s been through a lot…. She’s obviously got a lot of anger and pain. And you think, why on earth would she still be waiting for this man who’s kind of superhuman?
But she does miss Dr. Manhattan.
I mean, you never get over your first love. But, come on, Laurie!
The little pay-per-call phone booths to Mars were an incredible detail. As is, of course, that huge blue Dr. Manhattan dildo.
Oh, my god. They sent me the script and when they offered me the part and I’m reading, going “Oh, this is so fun—oh, my God! No, no, no, no, no, no, no.”
That was one of the first things I asked Damon [Lindelof, showrunner]: “Okay, what have you got in store for me?” He was like, No, no, don’t worry, don’t worry…. Then I thought, You know what? It’s a good thing my parents are gone. That’s all.
When I saw that thing I just about died. It’s one thing to read it, and then when they show it to you…. I’m sorry, the thought is painful.
Did you read the comic to prepare?
No, I had never heard of it. I didn’t have time to read it before we started shooting. But they gave me a copy of it and I started making my way through it on my way to New York last week—I went to Comic Con and did a press junket. I got it out again on the plane. It’s a lot. Where was that? Now, who said that?
I literally didn’t have time to read the book. But they gave me as much background as they could, and I met with a couple of the writers who kind of gave me a crash course on Laurie and her relationships.
To me, the script is always what you go with when you look through your guide—research is great, but not if it conflicts with the script. And I just felt like [Lindelof] gave me so much in that first episode. It was one of the best introductions to a character I can imagine. A beautiful gift-wrapped package.
In just this episode, your character has multiple moments where she walks in and commands the whole room. The scene with Looking Glass is amazing.
So. Fun. Tim [Blake Nelson] and I have become buddies. I just adore him. He’s such an amazing actor. He’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever met in my life too. That was our first scene together, so that was sort of fun getting to know each other that way. He’s great.
We know Laurie started out as a vigilante herself, but when we first see her, she’s in full cop mode—and turns out to be prosecuting vigilantes. What happened?
Obviously, she’s got a lot of personal issues…She’s got a great deal of resentment toward her parents, who are masked vigilantes. I think her truth would be that they sort of forced her into the life. But at the same time, it was a very exciting time of her life. She probably misses that a little bit—she was sort of a minor celebrity.
Now, of course, she locks up vigilantes and has very little respect for them or anybody who wears a mask. The whole theme of wearing a mask in the show is very interesting. We find out later why she and how she actually ended up at the FBI. Which we find out in a scene with Jeremy [Irons, who plays Adrian Veidt], actually, toward the end of the season.
He seems like he’s having a great time.
I think he had a really good time. I was very impressed. I didn’t know anything about Jeremy other than about his career, obviously. But that beautiful shot in Wales where he’s galloping across the field. Oh, my God, that is so cool. It’s not all the time you get to shoot in Wales.
I was told he was quite happy to do all the riding. Somebody told me he was actually considering going to the Olympics when he was younger. He’s quite at home on a horsey. [Laughs.]
Viewers have been kept in the dark about what happened to Nite Owl. Is he dead? When did they break up? How did Laurie get his owl?
I don’t really know the answer to most of those questions. I’m hoping we might resolve that a little bit in…season two! Hint, hint!
Laurie’s romances continue into the present too. At the end of the episode—after a brief tease that she might hook up with the senator (James Wolk), she goes for the junior agent Dale Petey (Dustin Ingram), the historian who knows all about her past.
I don’t think anyone saw that one coming.
And he even has a mask! He’s wearing it when she wakes up next to him!
[Laughing.] I know! It was subtle, it was so subtle. His little Lone Ranger mask. I could not stop laughing.
She probably made him wear it! “Hey, before we go any further, where’s that stupid mask you had on the plane?”
After that horrendous day she had, to put it mildly, I think she needed a warm body. Also he was the young guy who kind of idolized her a little bit. And that couldn’t be so bad either. But, oh my God, she was so terrible to him.
[Ingram] is another actor I just fell in love with on the show. I loved all my scenes with him. I mean, actually everybody. Oh, my God, Regina’s incredible.
Your characters don’t like each other.
It was always just a delight. Our relationship kind of changes over the season. At first she’s just sort of a murder suspect, I begin to see that it’s a lot more complicated than that. And then I think I have a bit of a grudging respect for her. And then it almost becomes maybe—could they be friends? No, they’re not going to be friends. [Laughs.] She’s so amazing, we just had such a good time.
Can you tell me anything more about the season?
People are going to be so shocked at the way it ends.
The first episode taught a lot of people about a forgotten piece of history by depicting the Greenwood massacre in Tulsa. What do you find relevant about the series?
The whole idea of fear and fear-mongering. How you can control a population with fear—all the despots and tyrants throughout history have known that. You find what people are frightened of, you’ll have their hearts.
Exclusive First Look: Sally Rooney’s Normal People TV Adaptation
Photograph by Enda Bowe/Hulu.
Sonia Saraiya is Vanity Fair’s TV critic.
Who Watches the Watchmen
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The filmmaking world turned its back on her but the new HBO series may be her ticket back in.
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The unexpected ending was, possibly, 15 years in the making.
Watchmen Star Tim Blake Nelson on His Character’s Traumatic Backstory
How the actor’s three fall projects tackle our “post-truth” culture, head on.
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Reliable serial communications over fibre optic cables.
The Westermo range of fibre optic modems ensures reliable communications over multimode and single mode fibre optic cables. With transparent operation, our fibre optic modems act as converters for serial RS-232, RS-422, RS-485 and PROFIBUS protocols. Whether you wish to create a point to point link, a multidrop network or even a redundant ring, our fibre optic converters provide rugged, reliable communications in the harshest environments.
Point-to-Point Fibre Converter PROFIBUS
ODW-710-F1
1 x PROFIBUS DP 9 600 bit/s – 12 Mbit/s
The ODW-710-F1 has been designed to allow the PROFIBUS DP protocol to be transmitted point to point over a fibre optic link. The design allows the use of a range of Westermo verified SFP (Small Form Pluggable) transceivers which can provide solutions with, for example, only a single fibre or distances up to 120 km.
This unit has been designed for industrial use where the requirement is for a long and reliable service life in a harsh environment. To ensure this reliable operation we manufacture using the highest quality components.
Ring / Multidrop Fibre Converter PROFIBUS
The ODW-710-F2 has been designed to allow the use of fibre optic cables on PROFIBUS DP networks. The design allows the use of a range of Westermo verified SFP (Small Form Pluggable) transceivers which can provide solutions with, for example, only a single fibre or distances up to 120 km.
Both multidrop networks and redundant rings can be formed using a mixture of transceiver types.
Point-to-Point Fibre Converter RS-232
1 xRS-232 port 300 bit/s – 250 kbit/s
The ODW-720-F1 has been designed to allow RS-232 protocols to be transmitted point-to-point over a fibre optic link.
The design allows the use of a range of Westermo verified SFP (Small Form Pluggable) transceivers which can provide solutions with, for example, only a single fibre or distances up to 120 km.
This unit has been designed for industrial use where the requirement is for a long and reliable service life, in a harsh environment. To ensure this reliable operation we manufacture using the highest quality components.
Ring / Multidrop Fibre Converter RS-232
The ODW-720-F2 has been designed to allow the use of fibre optic cables on RS-232 networks. The design allows the use of a range of Westermo verified SFP (Small Form Pluggable) transceivers which can provide solutions with, for example, only a single fibre or distances up to 120 km.
Point-to-Point Fibre Converter RS-422/485
1 x RS-422/485 port 300 bit/s – 1.5 Mbit/s
The ODW-730-F1 has been designed to allow RS-422/485 protocols to be transmitted point-to-point over a fibre optic link. The design allows the use of a range of Westermo verified SFP (Small Form Pluggable) transceivers which can provide solutions with, for example, only a single fibre or distances up to 120 km.
Ring / Multidrop Fibre Converter RS-422/485
The ODW-730-F2 has been designed to allow the use of fibre optic cables on RS-422/485 networks. The design allows the use of a range of Westermo verified SFP (Small Form Pluggable) transceivers which can provide solutions with, for example, only a single fibre or distances up to 120 km.
Fibre optic repeater for TP/FT-10
LRW-702-F2
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LRW-702-F2 is a LonWorks® to fibre optic modem designed for Point to Point, multidrop or redundant ring applications. The design allows the use of a range of Westermo verified SFP (Small Form Pluggable) transceivers which can provide a verity of solutions, for example, only a single fibre or distances up to 120 km.
DeviceNet Router
A-DNTR
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Les Leyne: LNG bonanza can become burden in Prince Rupert
Assume Petronas decides it can live with the final version of B.C.’s liquefied natural gas tax regime and pushes the green light on its massive LNG plant near Prince Rupert.
Les Leyne
A file photo of a ship moored in Prince Rupert.
Construction would start on a four-year project to build two processing plants, an export facility and a 900-kilometre pipeline to northeast B.C. It would be an $11-billion build and bring 4,500 workers at the peak. It’s just one of seven such projects being contemplated in the area.
Is Prince Rupert ready for this?
The city’s chief financial officer, Corinne Bomben, briefed a committee of MLAs recently and the answer seems pretty clear. The place would be swamped.
Coping with a major pulse of activity after many years in the doldrums would put enormous pressure on a community that has been just making do with aging infrastructure for years. She said there are some gaps between what the city offers in services and what the proponents need.
She offered a quick run-through of the city’s infrastructure. The water comes from a 100-year-old dam piped through an equally old supply line. Every component of the system is past its expected life cycle and it would take $12 million to upgrade it.
The sewage system dates back to the early 1900s and discharges into the harbour with almost no treatment, a scenario familiar to Victorians. Ottawa is demanding a treatment plan and the early estimates are up to $150 million.
The city has four traffic bridges and three of them are wooden. “The bridges are on borrowed time,” she told MLAs. The majority of the roads are rated in poor condition, over half are more than 25 years old. Retaining walls are a common feature due to geography, and many no longer meet code requirements. Cost of an overall road upgrade is pegged at $85 million.
The landfill is maxing out and it will cost $7 million to expand it, which needs to be done in the next five years.
The potential LNG hyper-boom could create huge fly-in, fly-out construction traffic, even if only one or two projects go ahead.
The airport was built on Digby Island and the only access is a city-owned ferry. It runs to a single-lane steel ramp at the dock. The system was built in 1959 and now has a reduced weight limit due to its age and is in constant need of repair. The 12-car ferry needs an upgrade or replacement.
The cost of improving the air link is put at $25 million.
That’s $279 million in spending requirements on the near- to mid-term horizon to address deferred-maintenance challenges.
The total doesn’t include anything for housing, another principal concern in a town rife with renovictions.
An LNG plant would bring some tax revenue, but the city isn’t expecting a bonanza. Tax rates on port lands were capped in 2004 to guard against municipalities gouging industries.
Bomben told MLAs the tax regime is a challenge because the nature of the developments is that their assessable value declines.
“A capped taxation rate on a declining value results in a decreasing revenue stream to the city,” she said. And all the major industrial properties in Prince Rupert qualify for the cap. (Petronas’ proposal is outside of the city limits.) The B.C. government provides compensation grants to affected municipalities, but Bomben said it doesn’t make up the amount of subsidization by the remaining tax classes.
The result is that the tax burden shifts to residents and businesses. Since the population has declined by several thousand over the past 20 years, the burden is significant, she said.
LNG plants are not specifically covered by the now-permanent cap on port tax rates. But Natural Gas Minister Rich Coleman warned northern municipalities not to “go crazy” on industrial tax rates at last month’s Union of B.C. Municipalities convention and suggested to the Vancouver Sun some kind of limit on municipal taxes will be included in the upcoming LNG tax legislation.
Divvying up the tax take from prospective LNG plants is a balancing act that’s unlikely to leave all the host communities happy.
lleyne@timescolonist.com
Lawrie McFarlane: Nothing about the new iMac is simple or easy
Charla Huber: I am not promoting toxic optimism, but I am promoting optimism
Trevor Hancock: Health requires a well-being society
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Etihad Airways partnered with Tourism Malaysia to promote travel to Malaysia
By TIN Media | Transportation Published 2 years ago on 5 November 2019
Today Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), announced a partnership and signed an agreement with Tourism Malaysia to attract visitors from Europe and the Middle East to Malaysia, via the airlines of Abu Dhabi. The agreement between the two organizations was signed at the World Travel Market in London, attended by representatives from both organizations and trade partners.
Senior Vice President Destination and Leisure Management, Etihad Aviation Group, Hareb Almuhairy, commented, "Tourism Malaysia has been a proud partner of Etihad’s for many years and Kuala Lumpur remains one of the most important destinations in our global network. The Southeast Asian country continues to be a popular choice for travelers in the UK and Europe as well as the Middle East, and visitors will benefit from the convenient connection through Abu Dhabi."
Datuk Musa Hj Yusof, Director General, Tourism Malaysia, said, "The campaign aims to welcome tourists from Europe, Middle East and beyond to Malaysia as well as to promote the Visit Malaysia 2020 initiative, which seeks to attract 30 million tourists and around RM 100 billion (GBP 18.56 billion) in tourism receipts by the year 2020."
The agreement is basically signed to support the tourism board’s Visit Malaysia 2020 promotional campaign which has been developed in order to encourage the tourism of the country from Europe and the Middle East to Malaysia.
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Mixed messages from the UK government, the Immigration Bill, & an update from the APPG on Cancer - Weekly update 22/05/2020
Understandably, given mixed messages from the UK Government and a number of unclear news reports, there has been some confusion this week around the rules on social distancing and lockdown in Wales. The Welsh Government are still asking that we only go outside for essential purposes. Remember to stay at least 2 metres away from anyone outside of your home and wash your hands as soon and often as you can. You can exercise outside more than once, but you still cannot travel to take exercise. The police are working hard to ensure that we all remain safe during this difficult time, but they are still issuing fines to those who break the lockdown regulations. You can remind yourself of the guidelines here.
I was pleased to be called to speak during the discussions in the House of Commons on the immigration part of the EU Withdrawal Bill this week. I find it extraordinary that even in the midst of this current pandemic, the UK Government still doesn't seem to recognise, or care about, the incredible contribution that so many immigrants are making to this country. Our key workers are caring for our loved ones, keeping our transport services going, and keeping us supplied with essentials - yet, by the UK Government’s own reckoning they are low skilled and therefore low value. The UK Government is pushing this Bill through when the British public are distracted. They’re hoping we won't heed the concerns of organisations like MacMillan Cancer Support who fear that the UK Government’s plan for a points-based immigration system will have a real detrimental effect on our health and social care system, which, as we’ve seen in recent weeks and months, is already under record pressure. We sometimes forget that the crucial jobs of the health service are not only found inside hospitals – there is care in the community, specialist nurses in different medical centres, and nurses in palliative care homes. We need to ensure that social care workers and nurses are included on the shortage occupation list, exempting them from the visa salary threshold. We must also ensure that everyone already here knows that we value the incredible contribution that they make to our country each and every day.
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and it couldn’t have come at a more important time. This has been such a difficult and stressful time for so many, with financial fears for the present and the future and the uncertainty of unemployment among those forced into lockdown and unable to work from home. I’ve heard some truly heart-breaking stories from people who’ve had to say goodbye to loved ones over the phone, and had to plan small funerals without the opportunity for friends and family to say goodbye properly. And then there are our wonderful key workers, those who might have their own fears about catching the virus, but nevertheless are turning up to work each day to keep us fed and cared for. It must be really hard for children too, forced to stay at home, away from friends and extended family, perhaps feeling anxious about what’s happening in a world they no longer recognise, perhaps not understanding why they have all these restrictions. Now, more than ever, we need to make sure mental health support is properly funded and available to all those who need it, and I was really pleased this week to see the Welsh Government announce £3.75 million of funding for mental health in schools that will include new support for children under the age of 11. It's so important we continue to invest in mental health support for our young people during these very difficult times.
Last weekend I should have been doing the Moonwalk with a group of friends in support of breast cancer. It’s disappointing, of course, as it’s such a fun event - so we compromised and did a socially distanced walk within the regulations around our beautiful Gower. The Moonwalk raises such a lot of money for an important cause. It’s hard to believe that it started out in 1996 as just 13 women power walking the London Marathon in their bras to raise money and awareness for breast cancer and look at the thriving multi-million charity event it is today! As chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer it’s a really important event for me. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK, with about 1 in 8 women diagnosed with it during their lifetime. Happily, there’s a good chance of recovery if it’s detected at an early stage, therefore it’s vital that women check their breasts regularly for any changes and always have any changes examined by a GP. For information on symptoms, see the NHS website here.
Stay home, keep well, and remember – keep washing your hands!
Weekly update from Tonia Antoniazzi MP 15/05/2020
The week started off with confusion for many as on Sunday night the Prime Minister announced a relaxing of the lockdown restrictions and the hope that people could soon return to work - but these changes only apply to England. In Wales, the conditions of the lockdown have not changed. We are still asked to only leave our homes for exercise once a day, to go shopping for the essentials, or for a medical need. Otherwise, please stay at home to help protect yourselves and others from this horrible virus. It is inevitable there will be some confusion with the four home nations now following slightly different paths, but, as always, the Welsh Government has taken a decision in the best interests of the people in Wales. We must continue to respect the guidance in Wales to support our Welsh NHS and all of our key workers who are all doing an incredible job.
It was International Nurses Day this Tuesday which this year marked the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. The day was a fantastic opportunity to say a huge thank you to all the nursing staff up and down the country for their remarkable contribution to the lives of millions of people, but especially now during the coronavirus pandemic. I want to say my own special thanks for the hard work that you are all doing in extremely difficult circumstances.
It was reassuring to hear this week that the Chancellor has extended his furlough scheme by four months until the end of October. Employees on this scheme will be paid 80% of their wages up to £2,500 each month until then, although if the situation with lockdown changes, and people are able to go back to work, then the UK Government are planning to look again at the scheme in August to see whether they can share the cost of employees’ wages with employers. We must ensure that this scheme is in place as long as is necessary to support people and to help employers to protect jobs so that when it is safe to do so, there is employment for people to return to.
For pregnant women, the coronavirus has turned what should have been an incredibly exciting and happy time into one of concern and worry. And in addition to the worry of the impact of the virus on themselves and their baby, many have had the added, unnecessary stress of the reaction of their employer to the pandemic. Some pregnant women have been told - incorrectly - that they either had to take unpaid leave or to go on sick leave. The Equality and Human Rights Commission have reminded organisations across the UK that they may face discrimination claims if they treat pregnant women unfairly during this crisis. They also have provided guidance to employers on their legal obligations which can be found on their website here.
We are currently in week eight of the lockdown and it has been difficult for all of us – the worries about work, not being able to see family and friends, and of course, concerns for the health of our loved ones. But there are those for whom this is an even more stressful time - and that includes those who rely on food banks to feed themselves and their families. Our food banks need our help more than ever as they struggle to cope with growing demand and a reduction in donations. Please, continue to make donations at your local supermarket – particularly of toiletries, home cleaning products, snacks and treats, and tinned meat and fish. Thank you to everyone who is working so hard to make sure that families are still able to put food on the table in these difficult times.
The impact of the coronavirus is likely to be felt for a long time to come across all parts of society, even once lockdown is lifted. We heard this week that until a vaccine is developed, it is likely that once rugby begins to be played again, it will do so behind closed doors and certainly without the crowds that our clubs and regions rely on to generate funds. The Welsh Rugby Union is expected to lose millions of pounds of income due to the coronavirus pandemic and that loss of income will have a knock on effect further down the chain. We must find a way to support our clubs until a vaccine is freely available – the game we love gives us so much, from the enjoyment in watching a match, to the motivation for youngsters to take up the sport and keep fit, to the lifelong friendships we make through the sport. I’d be very happy to hear from clubs across Gower about the issues they are facing at this time and the best way to tackle them. Please do get in touch!
Coronavirus Weekly update from Tonia Antoniazzi MP 08/05/2020
I was pleased this week to sign our Shadow Secretary of State, Nia Griffith’s letter to the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to ask that the payment offered by the Welsh Government to our social care workers on the frontline tackling the coronavirus pandemic is not subject to the usual tax and benefit deductions. This is a small recognition of the value of their work in this incredibly difficult time and they must not be penalised or risk their tax or social security entitlements. I really hope that the Chancellor and the Secretary of State heed our call and recognise the valuable contribution of these workers.
The UK Government has this week updated the guidance for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and HMRC have begun contacting those eligible for the scheme, which will provide applicants with 80% of their average monthly trading profits, to be capped at £7,500, and which will be paid in a single instalment to cover 3 months. For more information visit the UK Government pages here and if you get into any difficulty, please contact my office for support.
This pandemic is difficult for us all, but for children who may not fully understand what is happening or why their world has so suddenly shrunk, it will be even more difficult. The Children’s Commissioner for Wales has created an information hub to help answer tricky questions in an honest and appropriate way. There’s also some great ideas for things to do at home that will help keep kids occupied or make them laugh during these tricky days.
Of course, with schools across the country closed to most children, it's even more important to remember that sadly, some children are exposed to or are even victims of domestic abuse in their own homes. If you are worried about a young person, please do contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk.
Monday of this week was International Firefighters’ Day, when we remember the bravery and sacrifice of all the firefighters that we have lost in the line of duty. Our firefighters think nothing of rushing into serious danger in order to preserve and protect life when they go to work. Our emergency service workers are incredible, and we must continue to remember those who risk and tragically sometimes lose their lives for the good of others.
On Friday we will mark, albeit in an unusual way, the 75th anniversary of VE Day. Although the bank holiday weekend may not look quite how we expected, it's important for us to take some time to mark this occasion. Victory in Europe brought nearly six years of fighting on the continent to an end. We must remember the sacrifice of all those involved, and honour their memory today by continuing to stand up for tolerance and against racism and fascism.
You can keep up to date with Welsh Government announcements and information on their dedicated coronavirus page. If you have any issues or concerns to raise with me as your local MP, please get in touch by emailing tonia.antoniazzi.mp@parliament.uk or calling 01792 899025. My office is not open, but my staff and I are working from home, and my email and phone are still being monitored and responded to. You may experience a slight delay in receiving a response from us as the demand has increased, but we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Weekly Coronavirus update from Tonia Antoniazzi MP - 01/05/2020
It’s been a very busy week in the new virtual Parliament. On Monday, I spoke in the debate on the Finance Bill, which was first brought before the House before the coronavirus pandemic and seems something of an anachronism now! MPs, as well as the public, want to know how the UK Government plans to transition out of lockdown and what this will mean for businesses so that they can plan for the future – how they will reopen and what guidelines will mean for their business plans. This must be taken into account in the Bill. I have been contacted by a number of iconic local businesses, including Castellemare in Mumbles and the King’s Head in Llangennith, who all have serious concerns about their future viability. We understand why lockdown cannot be immediately lifted completely and that there must be some form of social distancing in place to prevent a second spike, but businesses need some clarity about how that future will look.
Of course, in many ways, coronavirus has changed how we see our economy. I welcome the UK Government’s support for furloughed workers and our key workers, but our amazing key workers receive an hourly pay that is, on average, 8% lower than for other employees. They have selflessly and with unstinting dedication supported and cared for ourselves and our loved ones throughout this pandemic. We must not return to a world where they are, economically, at the bottom of the pile. Some of these key workers are in the vulnerable category but have not been furloughed because their employer is under no obligation to do so. The UK Government needs to clarify guidelines on furloughing key workers to ensure that those who are clinically vulnerable or who are caring for those who are, are able to be furloughed and are not forced to choose between unpaid leave or statutory sick pay.
I had hoped to contribute to the Second Reading of the Domestic Abuse Bill on Tuesday but unfortunately, due to the time constraints involved with the new socially distanced, virtual Parliament, was unable to do so. This is a crucially important Bill for so many across our community. For those experiencing domestic abuse, the lockdown has proved an incredibly challenging time and it has exposed the weaknesses in our system of support. Refuges have found themselves trying to cope with the increased demand as well as social distancing guidelines, leaving them with too few spaces for all those seeking their help. Calls to helplines across all support services have soared and online traffic to related websites and chat services have also risen dramatically. This Bill must ensure that services are well-funded and linked as a network across the country. It must also look to protect the children who are seriously affected both by perhaps experiencing direct abuse themselves and by witnessing the abuse of a parent. It must also lead to changes in the criminal justice system where children are not put at risk by family courts demanding the abuser is given unsupervised access to children. This Bill is a huge opportunity, not only for us to send the message loud and clear that abuse is not to be accepted, but also to put in place measures that will protect those who unfortunately fall victim to it.
For so many, the coronavirus pandemic has led to financial insecurity and for some, the necessity of navigating the complexities of the benefits system. It can be incredibly difficult for people to understand what support they qualify for, whether it’s council tax breaks or payments through Universal Credit. Citizens Advice Cymru may have closed their offices due to the social distancing rules but they are still open on the phone and through their website for support. There are specialist advisers available so please do get in touch with them if you need support. Call 03444 77 20 20 or visit their website here.
In happier news, I’d like to extend my congratulations to the Prime Minister and Carrie Symonds on the birth of their baby boy and wish them all the best, and as much sleep as is possible with a newborn, for the coming months!
Stay home, keep well, and remember – keep washing your hands!
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Tonia Antoniazzi MP calls for immediate trophy hunting ban
Tonia Antoniazzi MP has called on the government to ban imports of hunting trophies without delay.
The government has released details of a proposed bill to ban trophies, but has not said when the bill will come to parliament.
New figures reveal that – despite COVID - British trophy hunters still killed some of the world’s most threatened animals in 2020, including lions, elephants, hippos, giraffes, leopards, bears, and zebras. Other animals shot recently by British hunters include polar bears, rhinos, wolves and wild cats.
Data from CITES – the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species – shows that British hunters shoot on average 200 endangered animals a year.
The Government says its bill to ban trophies has been delayed due to lack of time.
Tonia Antoniazzi MP said “It’s time to bring this barbaric trade to an end. A ban on trophy imports is backed by 85% of voters. I call on the government to bring this bill to Parliament as quickly as possible. The longer it delays, the more animals are killed for so-called sport, selfies and sick souvenirs.”
Downton Abbey star Peter Egan supported the MP’s call, saying:
“We’ve just had the COP summit in Glasgow where politicians discussed how to save wildlife such as polar bears that could go extinct from climate change. Yet trophy hunters are still allowed to shoot polar bears and bring their bodies back to Britain. It’s utter insanity.
“This Christmas, the government can give defenceless animals the gift of life by either publishing its bill or adopting John Spellar’s one instead. There is no justification for delaying any further.”
Eduardo Goncalves, founder of the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, added:
“It has been two years since the ban was promised in the 2019 Queen’s Speech. Another 300 animals at risk of extinction have been killed by British trophy hunters since then. The Government should be moving as swiftly as possible to stop this terrible trade.
“The Government recently adopted Liam Fox MP’s bill on providing lifelong care for people with Down’s Syndrome, in order to bring the law into effect. It should do the same with John Spellar MP’s bill to ban trophies. Delaying action costs lives of some of the world’s most threatened animals.”
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Victoria's tent city on the lawns of the courthouse on Burdett Avenue.
Youth homelessness an unseen crisis in Victoria
There’s been a lot of attention on the growing amount of homeless people accumulating on the lawns of Victoria’s courthouse.
Pamela Roth
Jun. 8, 2016 8:00 p.m.
Neighbours living in the area continue to deal with an increase in crime. Now police have dedicated two officers to patrol the area six hours a day, seven days a week.
But as the province prepares to take the campers to court again at the end of the month with hopes of shutting tent city down, Mark Muldoon is concerned a bigger homeless crisis continues to be ignored.
According to Muldoon, executive director of Threshold Housing Society, youth homelessness is an unseen crisis in Victoria, but those aged 16 to 24 are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population in Canada. The problem, he said, is that many of them are hidden.
“These young people are couch surfing, they are sleeping 10 to an apartment or sleeping in someone’s RV or in parks. They don’t want to be self identified as homeless, they don’t want to be associated with the homeless population,” said Muldoon, noting many homeless youth are trying to finish school or hold down low paying jobs.
“This age group has less resources to bounce back or to even get into the housing market without proper job training or education…I would think today, even with tent city, trying to find 15 really street entrenched youth would be hard to find.”
Threshold Housing Society operates four homes that provide semi-independent transitional housing for youth aged 16 to 21. The youth can stay at the home for up to two years, where they are provided a safe, stable shelter to concentrate on finding work or finishing school while paying a minimum amount for rent.
During the last three years, the society has averaged between 117 and 140 applications for housing, but can only take 30 youth at a time. Many of the referrals come from school districts, which are finding more high school students trying to live on their own.
“That gives you an indication that something is amiss,” said Muldoon about the increasing amount of applications for housing. “When they focused on tent city a couple months ago, about one or two youth were there. Where are the other 115 youth that you don’t hear from?”
Most of the youth the society deals with are escaping an abusive home or have aged out of foster care and have nowhere else to go other than a homeless shelter. Muldoon has also seen an increase in the amount of transgender youth requesting services after getting kicked out of their homes.
Brittany MacDougall has been living at Holly House since November after leaving her dad’s home — a place she said wasn’t good for her mental health. The 17-year-old stayed in a youth homeless shelter for a week, then began couch surfing. Venturing into the world alone at such a young age was scary.
“It was either I find somewhere to live or I had to move to a different part of the country to stay with family. After moving so many times, I kind of got tired of that and I wanted to stay put for a while, but I wasn’t sure that was possible,” said MacDougall, who went to 15 different schools throughout Nova Scotia, the Yukon and B.C. during her unstable childhood. Recently she applied to the welding program at Camosun College.
“It’s really nice to know that I can actually do things on my own and I can make it. When I was growing up, it was always the ‘if’ mentality — if I get a job, if I ever move out or if I can take care of myself. If you are willing to do the work, you can do it.”
Muldoon believes a lack of affordable housing in Victoria is the driving force behind the city’s homeless youth crisis, followed by a lack of sustainable employment in a place that’s expensive to live.
But the crisis is national, he said, and many adults who’ve wound up living on the streets started their homeless journey at the age of 18 or under, which is why it’s important to prevent youth from becoming homeless in the first place.
In order to keep up with the growing demand, Threshold Housing Society will be opening another facility this September in Oak Bay, offering eight more beds to youth in search of a brighter future.
“They want to prove themselves. They don’t want a hand out, they want a hand up,” said Muldoon. “These are not street entrenched kids that look street entrenched. These are kids who come from various levels of family dysfunction and they just find themselves in very bad circumstances.”
Under the umbrella of the Victoria Cool Aid Society, the Pandora Youth Apartments offers another eight transitional housing units for youth aged 15 to 19.
For more information about Threshold Housing Society visit thresholdhousing.ca.
Concepts unveiled for public spaces around new Johnson Street Bridge
B.C. adopts temporary assisted death protection
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Home » Mar 2016 1st Edition
Let us move SA forward together
Written by Chris Bathembu and Amukelani Chauke
President Jacob Zuma has moved to assure South Africans, uneasy about the current unfavourable economic conditions, that they should not be despondent, but rather the country should work together to turn the situation around.
In his State of the Nation Address last month, which was watched by millions of people, President Zuma highlighted that the tough global and domestic conditions should encourage “us to redouble our efforts, working together as all sectors”.
“We have had fruitful meetings with business, including the high level meeting with CEOs…we have heard the suggestions from the business community on how we can turn the situation around and put the economy back on a growth path,” said President Zuma.
He announced that government was developing a ‘One Stop Shop/Invest SA’ initiative to signal that South Africa is truly open for business. Government would speed up the implementation of this service, in partnership with the private sector.
Global Economic Downturn
President Zuma reminded South Africans that the country, like many other developing economies, has been affected by the global economic downturn.
“Our reality right now is that global growth still remains muted. Financial markets have become volatile. Currencies of emerging markets have become weak and they fluctuate widely.
“Because our economy is relatively small and open, it is affected by all of these developments. Our economy is also affected by domestic factors such as electricity constraints and industrial relations, which are sometimes unstable,” he said.
The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank predict that the South African economy will grow by less than one per cent this year. The lower economic growth outcomes and outlook suggest that revenue collection will be lower than previously expected.
The President also acknowledged that South Africa seems to be at risk of losing its investment grade status from ratings agencies.
“If this happens, it will become more expensive for us to borrow money from abroad to finance our programmes of building a better life for all, especially the poor.”
He urged South Africans to take advantage of the exchange rate as well as the recent changes of visa regulations, to boost inbound tourism. SA Tourism will invest R100 million a year to promote domestic tourism, encouraging South Africans to tour their country, he said.
Progress Is Being Made
Reflecting on the progress that has been made in the past few years, President Zuma mentioned that state-owned freight company Transnet has built rail infrastructure which has enabled the country’s mines to move massive bulk of commodities through the ports to markets around the globe.
The South African Road Agency Ltd (Sanral) has built some of the best roads in Gauteng and in many parts of the country.
The Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority has built dams of varied capacities, making it possible for South Africans to have access to safe drinking water.
“Eskom, in spite of the challenges, still manages to keep the economy going, against all odds. Our development finance institutions such as the Industrial Development Corporation, Development Bank of Southern Africa and others have provided finance for infrastructure, various industries and agricultural businesses without fail, even in the aftermath of the global financial crisis,” he noted.
Nine-Point Plan
President Zuma also reflected on developments related to the Nine-Point Plan he announced last year saying, among others, that progress has been made to stabilise the electricity supply.
The plan aims to boost economic growth and create much-needed jobs. It consists of, among others, revitalisation of the agriculture and agro-processing value-chain, promoting beneficiation, unlocking the potential of small business and the energy challenge.
President Zuma said government has invested R83 billion in Eskom, which has enabled the utility to continue investing in Medupi and Kusile, while continuing with a diligent maintenance programme. Additional units from Ingula power station will be connected in 2017, even though some of them will begin synchronisation this year.
The multiple bid windows of the Renewable Independent Power Producer Programme have attracted an investment of R194 billion. “This initiative is a concrete example of how government can partner with the private sector to provide practical solutions to an immediate challenge that faces our country.” The President said this year government will select the preferred bidders for the coal independent power producer.
SA has made a lot of progress
Addressing The New Age business briefing, in Cape Town, a day after he delivered the State of the Nation Address, President Jacob Zuma said despite being a young democracy, South Africa has made a lot of progress in building a resilient economy that is inclusive.
He added that while a lot still needs to be done, he is satisfied with the progress that has been made by the country.
“I believe that as a country, given our age and the challenges, we have made good progress. We have dealt with the social issues that affect our country and we have created jobs but the only problem is that while we are creating jobs, we are losing jobs at the same time,” said the President.
Boosting Investment
Government, through the Department of Trade and Industry, introduced a number of incentives in the past few years to boost investments in the manufacturing sectors, especially textiles, leather and the automotive sectors.
The President said incentives that were introduced for the automotive sector have attracted investments of over R25 billion over the past five years.
Construction has begun in at least five Agri Parks, which include the West Rand in Gauteng, Springbokpan in North West, Witzenberg in Western Cape, Ncora in the Eastern Cape and Enkangala in Mpumalanga. The President said government often made difficult decisions and has invested in several areas to improve the quality of the life of all citizens.
“We have been working very hard to invest. For example, infrastructure is one of the very visible areas of progress that we have made in the country. We are building huge power stations to satisfy the needs of the economy and the needs of the people.
“We have worked out a national plan that is accepted by all South Africans... We have made education priority number one and we have divided the department into Basic and Higher Education to make the majority of South Africans, who were excluded before, part of the economy,” he said.
‹ Leratong Hospital a shining example up Mega housing projects in Gauteng ›
Mar 2016 1st Edition
Government delivers houses in the EC
Blitzbokke aim for the top
Ex-Offenders’ Desk brings hope to EC community
Gauteng swimmers show off their skills
Govt sets aside billions for new port facilities
Jobs: The Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries
Jobs: The Department of Science and Technology
Joburg – an innovative city
Know Your Ministers
Leratong Hospital a shining example
Mega housing projects in Gauteng
New school for autistic children
Physical education gets thumbs up
Road upgrade for Lephalale
SA urged to register to vote
Smart city opening new worlds
Support for rural youth
TB screening campaign bearing fruit
TRC victims receive educational assistance
The Department of Basic Education
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
The Department of Water and Sanitation
Traditional leaders to help with drought relief
We are moving forward
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David Ignatius: An emerging market problem
By David Ignatius
David Ignatius
Columnist covering foreign affairs
A funny thing happened on the way to the decline of the United States and the rise of China, Brazil and other emerging markets: Many prominent analysts began wondering if the pessimistic predictions about America were wrong — and whether it was the emerging markets that were heading for trouble.
These international economic fads are always suspect, up or down. They seem to follow what I was (facetiously) told years ago was the guiding rule for columnists: Simplify, then exaggerate. So beware this latest revisionism, just like any other variety.
But some startling new assessments of global economic trends stand the “declinist” wisdom of recent years on its head. The revisionists argue that U.S. economic fundamentals are now stronger than they seemed, and that those of the BRICs — the emerging giants Brazil, Russia, India and China — are weaker.
Certainly, the financial markets are registering this new view. The Morgan Stanley Emerging Markets Index fell 5 percent last year, compared to a nearly 30 percent gain for the U.S. benchmark Standard & Poor’s 500 index. Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted Tuesday that economic growth will rise this year and next in the United States and decline both years in China.
One influential revisionist has been Antoine van Agtmael, the economist who coined the hopeful term “emerging markets” in 1981. Van Agtmael has written several blistering assessments recently about the former rising superstars.
Tom Toles goes global
A collection of cartoons about international news.
A collection of Tom Toles cartoons about international news.
Wait 1 second to continue.
“A few years ago there was a widespread feeling that the developed world had fallen off its pedestal — that Asia had not only escaped the global financial crisis but that its system was somehow superior. That overconfidence seems gone now. Instead there is a sense of vulnerability,” he wrote in Foreign Policy in June 2012. “[T]he despair and fear felt by many in the United States is misplaced. In fact, there are early signs that the United States may be regaining some of its lost competitiveness in manufacturing and that China is losing some ground.”
The reversal of expectations was summarized last month in a report by Goldman Sachs titled “Emerging Markets: As the Tide Goes Out.” The authors warned that economic difficulties in China, Brazil, Russia, Turkey and other investment darlings aren’t just cyclical but require “a significant reassessment of emerging market countries” and an expectation of “underperformance and heightened volatility over the next 5 to 10 years.”
China is the bellwether, and here the Goldman Sachs report echoed themes cited by China’s own leaders: the country’s unbalanced growth; its demographic decline, with fewer young workers resulting in higher labor costs; its potentially deadly pollution problems; and its financial weaknesses. This last theme was highlighted in a December report by China’s Academy of Social Sciences, which noted that local-government debt reached the “alarming level” of about $3.3 trillion by the end of 2012, double what it was in 2010.
This municipal credit bubble poses a delicate dilemma for Chinese leaders: The country’s growth is slowing, with the IMF projecting that it will fall from 7.7 percent last year to 7.5 percent in 2014 and 7.3 percent in 2015. As the rate of growth shrinks (especially compared to its double-digit expansion of a decade ago), there’s a danger the local-debt balloon will pop, with significant social and political repercussions.
Brazil is another “economic miracle” that’s getting a skeptical new look. The Goldman Sachs report cites the country’s problems of high taxes, costly and distorting government subsidies and low labor productivity. Financial markets have taken note, with Brazilian equities, currency and local debt all falling by double digits last year.
One surprising new problem economy is Turkey, another stellar performer over the past decade. Because of its heavy external debt, estimated at about 45 percent of its gross domestic product, “Turkey is one of the economies most vulnerable to a shift in sentiment away from emerging markets,” noted Goldman Sachs. Turkey has new domestic political strains, too, as Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Superman of a few years ago, copes with a domestic corruption scandal and the fracturing of his Islamist political base. Some analysts predict Erdogan will face a challenge from Turkey’s popular President Abdullah Gul.
As global competitors stumble, the United States has been picking up speed. Remarkable new shale oil and gas discoveries have reduced America’s energy vulnerability and made it a relatively low-cost manufacturing nation. It was a telling example of the new mood that the Wall Street Journal titled an article last year about van Agtmael and other revisionists: “Is the U.S. the Next Hot Emerging Market?”
Tom Toles on the economy
A collection of cartoons about the state of the economy.
Tom Toles/The Washington Post
Read more from David Ignatius’s archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Fareed Zakaria: Can China change its economic course?
Robert J. Samuelson: The BRIC rescue that wasn’t
The Post’s View: Brazil and Turkey experience growing pains
The Post’s View: Turkey’s power struggles threaten the nation
David Ignatius David Ignatius writes a twice-a-week foreign affairs column for The Washington Post. His latest novel is “The Paladin.” Follow
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Under-17 - Malta meet England, Germany face Switzerland - News
Malta meet England, Germany face Switzerland
Wednesday 9 April 2014
Debutants Malta will open their UEFA European U17 Championship campaign against England, with three former winners drawn in each section in Valletta on Wednesday.
The UEFA European Under-17 Championship final tournament draw in Valletta threw up three former winners in each of the two groups.
Hosts Malta, automatic entrants into Group A, were paired with former champions England (2010), the Netherlands (2011 and 2012) and Turkey (2005). Group B, meanwhile, involves Scotland – in the U17 finals for only the second time – and three other countries who have previously lifted the trophy: Germany (2009), Switzerland (2002) and Portugal (2003). The draw was conducted by tournament ambassadors David Carabott and Fr Hilary Tagliaferro, as well as UEFA Youth and Amateur Football Committee chairman Jim Boyce.
Group A: Malta (hosts), England, Netherlands, Turkey
Group B: Germany, Switzerland, Scotland, Portugal
Malta – making their first ever appearance in a UEFA final tournament – will start against England, back at this stage for the first time since 2011. Also in their section will be the Netherlands, who won successive titles under former coach Albert Stuivenberg in 2011 and 2012. The Jong Oranje also reached the 2005 final, where they lost to Turkey, whom they will once more face this year.
Switzerland, the only team remaining from last year's final round in Slovakia, take on neighbours Germany, who have a rich history at this level, winning the U16 version in 1984 and 1992, as well as the U17 crown five years ago. Portugal and Scotland make up the rest of the pool.
The group stage games will be disputed on 9, 12 and 15 May at the Ta' Qali National Stadium, Paolo's Hibernians Stadium and Gozo Stadium. The top two from each section advance to the semi-finals on 18 May in Ta' Qali, where the decider will also be held three days later. This will be the last eight-team final tournament before the expansion to a 16-nation event in Bulgaria next season.
© 1998-2022 UEFA. All rights reserved. Last updated: Thursday 10 April 2014
UEFA network sites
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Home > Industry > The economic value of the UK's VFX sector
The economic value of the UK’s VFX sector
The economic value of VFX in the UK is measured periodically in the BFI’s Screen Business report. This was published in 2021 and covered data from 2017, 2018 and 2019. The previous version of Screen Business was published in 2018 and featured 2016’s data. The latest report also updates 2016’s data. The data presented on this page is drawn from the 2021 report.
UK Screen Alliance is part of the steering group for the Screen Business report.
The primary purpose of the report is provide the evidence of the return on investment generated by the Screen sector tax reliefs necessary to ensure continued government support for these incentives. The data in the latest report provides a benchmark for the level of pre-pandemic activity in the industry. The report shows that every £1 of film tax relief generated £8.30 of value for the UK economy and each £1 of high-end TV relief returned £6.44 of value.
Even though VFX does not have a specific tax credit in the UK to incentivise inward investment, it can be an eligible expense within claims for the Film Tax Relief (FTR) or High End TV Tax Relief (HETR), Animation Tax Relief (ATR) or Children’s TV Tax Relief (CTR).
The BFi’s remit does not extend to commercials and other non-film/TV work but Screen Business does estimate the whole size of the VFX market whether or not its was work supported by the Screen Sector tax reliefs.
From a combined UK VFX spend during 2019 of £710m for tax relief related activity and non-tax relief related work, such as advertising, the report estimates that the sector contributed £1.68bn in GVA to the UK economy and supported 27,430 jobs. This is known to be an under estimate as the analysis of spill-over impacts attributable to advertising and brand promotion work, which creates considerable value through increased sales of the advertised goods and services, was outside the scope of the report.
The overall UK VFX workforce was estimated at 10,680 FTE (full time equivalents), of which 5,470 were employed on tax relief related work. These jobs generate high productivity, delivering £89,743 of GVA per FTE, which is £23,643 more per person than the average for the whole UK economy.
In 2019, an estimated £363.5 million was spent on VFX services in the UK for projects claiming FTR, HETR, ATR and CTR. This was up from £239.8m in 2016; a growth of 51.6%.
Overall production spending via the FTR rose by 7.6% between 2016 and 2019 but the VFX portion of FTR spending rose by 42% over the same period, to reach £309m in 2019, which is 15.3% of the total FTR supported spending.
There has been strong global growth in HETV production driven by the streaming video providers and overall the UK has seen HETV production spend grow by 113% from £977.2m in 2016 to £2078.3m in 2019. The VFX spend in the UK claiming HETR, mirrors this increase and has risen by 131% since 2016 and stood at £50.9m in 2019. However this represents just 2.5% of the total HETR claimed in that year.
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In Dialogue with Bolivia, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Asks About the Labour Market, and about Women in the Economy
06 октября 2021 Meeting Summaries
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today concluded its consideration of the third periodic report of Bolivia on measures taken to implement the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, with Committee Experts asking about the country’s labour market, as well as about the role, function, and remuneration of women in the formal and informal economy.
Committee Experts inquired about Bolivia’s progress in reducing poverty, and progress toward greater equality in education and the labour market for women. Focus areas in the discussion also included the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the State party, as well as Bolivia’s unique legislation giving rights to nature. The Committee also asked questions about the country’s large informal labour market, as well as tax policies in place.
Ivan Lima Magne, Minister of Justice and Institutional Transparency of Bolivia and head of the delegation, said Bolivia was a State based on plurality and pluralism. The country had designed and implemented an economy on the principles of complementarity, reciprocity, solidarity, redistribution, equality, sustainability, balance, justice and transparency. Its Patriotic Agenda 2025 aimed to build a more inclusive, participatory and democratic society and State, free of discrimination, racism, hatred and division. Bolivia aimed to eradicate extreme material poverty and significantly reduce moderate poverty, and had designed, enacted and implemented various laws in favour of traditionally vulnerable populations. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bolivian households had experienced negative economic impacts, yet every effort had been made to guarantee free vaccination. A set of tax incentives aimed at strengthening national production, in harmony with Mother Earth.
In the ensuing discussion, the delegation noted that one of the most progressive changes in Bolivia was its Universal Health System, created for people who did not have any health- or social insurance. The situation of people from the LGBTI community was also a subject of discussion, with the delegation explaining how progressive legislation allowed people to alter information included in registries. Following the “de-patriarchalization” strategy in Bolivia, an action plan was in place aiming to train civil servants, prosecutors and others to combat violence against children and women. Education was a key pillar of such efforts.
The delegation of Bolivia was comprised of representatives of the Ministry of Justice and Institutional Transparency; the Ministry of Health and Sports; the Ministry of Education; and the Permanent Mission of Bolivia to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee will issue the concluding observations and recommendations on the report of Bolivia at the end of its seventieth session, which concludes on 15 October. Those, and other documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, will be available on the session’s webpage. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed at http://webtv.un.org/.
The Committee is next scheduled to meet in public on Thursday, 7 October at 3 p.m. to consider the fifth periodic report of Nicaragua (E/C.12/NIC/5)
The Committee has before it the third periodic report of Bolivia (E/C.12/BOL/3).
Presentation of the Report
IVAN LIMA MAGNE, Minister of Justice and Institutional Transparency of Bolivia and head of the delegation, introducing the report, said Bolivia was a State based on plurality and pluralism in the political, economic, legal, cultural, and linguistic dimensions. Among the most fundamental rights were the right to life, to water and food, to education, to health, to habitat, to housing, in addition to access to basic services such as drinking water, sewage, electricity, household gas and telecommunications. Bolivia had designed and implemented an economy on the principles of complementarity, reciprocity, solidarity, redistribution, equality, sustainability, balance, justice and transparency. Bolivia’s Patriotic Agenda 2025 aimed to build a more inclusive, participatory and democratic society and State, free of discrimination, racism, hatred and division.
In Bolivia, most extreme poverty in its material dimension had the face of indigenous peasants, women, and children. Communities with enormous cultural, historical and social wealth lived in such conditions due to the impacts of colonization, expropriation of their lands, and sacking of their natural resources. Through its Patriotic Agenda 2025, Bolivia aimed to eradicate extreme material poverty and significantly reduce moderate poverty. Bolivia had designed, enacted and implemented various laws in favour of traditionally vulnerable populations, including laws that protected the rights of Afro-Bolivian peoples, indigenous peoples, women, children, adolescents, young people, adults and older adults, and persons with disabilities. Adding to that set of national legal norms, Bolivia was party to all the international human rights standards.
In the social area, plans, programmes and projects had been implemented as a result of public policies aiming to reduce inequality gaps. A Ministry of Cultures, Decolonization and Depatriarchalization had been created, which promoted cultural policies of dignity and sovereignty, inter alia. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bolivian households had experienced negative economic impacts. The Government made every effort to guarantee free vaccinations, and by December 2021, Bolivia hoped to have immunised approximately 90 per cent of the population over the age of 18. In 2020, the school year had been suspended. Bolivia was working steadily to deepen its social and productive community economic model and was moving forward with an emergency employment plan aimed at generating decent work for Bolivians.
The Plurinational Legislative Assembly had also approved the creation of a trust fund to support the reactivation of public investment. Tax incentives aimed at the industrialization of Bolivia’s natural resources and the strengthening of national production, in harmony with Mother Earth. Bolivia’s position remained that access to vaccines against COVID-19 was a right. In conclusion, Mr. Lima Magne observed that land, earth, and fire had been given to everyone as a gift of life; therefore, Bolivia believed that fighting over land or water was not brotherly.
Questions by the Committee Experts
RENATO ZERBINI RIBEIRO LEÃO, Committee Member, noted the delay in submitting the report to the Committee. As regards the general provisions of the Covenant, there was a question whether an ordinary Bolivian could take a case to national courts based on the Covenant. On climate change, what had Bolivia achieved on measures taken in that direction? Were there any examples and structural changes in the water or the agricultural sectors? Regarding the energy sector, how did Bolivia distribute incomes from that sector? He asked for statistical data concerning poverty levels, especially indigenous people, as well as the tax policies in place. He also asked about the measures taken to protect human rights defenders. Was the State party planning to update the legal framework on prior consent for populations affected, in the light of international human rights law and the Covenant?
The delegation said that the equal conditions in terms of exercising rights applied to all people, including indigenous people. Specific legislation was in place for indigenous and “campesino” people, which ensured their protection. Any citizen could go straight to courts with claims invoking the Covenant or other international legislation adopted in the country. It was specifically outlined in the national legislation of Bolivia that where international instruments recognized more favourable rights than those of the Constitution, it was preferentially applied. Jurisprudence on that was very wide-spread, and would be communicated to the Committee.
In response to questions about climate change, the delegation said that concerning water resources, a river basin national plan had been implemented, as well as a training program to share local environmental water management techniques. Bolivia was seeking solutions to the challenges concerning climate change risks. There were clear commitments to work rigorously, to ensure that the national resources were used well, while complying with environmental standards. The Bolivian government considered the application of new measures in line with the Paris Principles. There were already environmental projects in place to combat climate challenges, including hydroelectric programs using renewable resources. As for redistribution of energy resources, Bolivia had recovered a lot of the income that was being generated in the country. It was distributed among different levels of government in an equitable way. Those resources contributed to fostering socio-economic policies.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bolivia had worked to reach indigenous people with targeted vaccine efforts. A team had been set up to provide support to them, and understand the needs of those communities. In some indigenous communities, the setup was very difficult due to the geographic context. Bolivia would send out a team under the Ministry of Health to provide support, working hand in hand with traditional medicine practicioners.
The most negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic had been felt in the educational system. A system offering three types of education had been developed, in line with pandemic preventative measures. There were remote, hybrid, and in-person classes, and a free online platform had also been launched to support education. Many classes were broadcast on television and radio.
With regard to prior consultation of indigenous and “campesino” people, a methodology and administrative process had been established in Bolivia to support them. In Bolivia, prior consultation had to be carried out with regard to legal norms which might affect “campesino” or indigenous peoples. The issue of racism was very important in Bolivia, and a comprehensive report had concluded that there was a need to recognize progress made in combating racism.
As for the protection of human rights defenders, Bolivia had signed up to the conventions and recommendations and normative frameworks that ensured protection of activists and human rights defenders. That context had led to a standard which Bolivia applied across its courts. Cases were prioritized within the legal framework. A directorate was responsible for dealing with emblematic cases relating to human rights. Bolivia had carried out training courses for human rights defenders from the LGBTI community.
Follow-up Questions by the Committee Experts
RODRIGO UPRIMNY, Committee Vice-Chair, requested more information about the report mentioned on the 2019 crisis, also asking which measures Bolivia was taking to guarantee legal independence? As to the self-determination of indigenous peoples and prior consent, the Committee had information about instances in infrastructure works, where that was not taken into consideration. What was the status of a draft bill on prior consent? Concerning racism, the Committee had received information about cases of breaches of the law. What mechanisms did the State party have to effectively combat racism? Regarding management of the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted that significant progress had been made in terms of promoting vaccination, but mortality levels were reported to be very high. Was there under-registration of COVID-19 deaths?
LUDOVIC HENNEBEL, Committee Member, asked for further clarification of the recognition of rights for nature enshrined in Bolivia’s legal order, in particular in the law on the right of Mother Earth, who was recognised as a rights-holder. What was the level of compatibility between rights for Mother Earth and human rights? International human rights law was quite human-centered in its approach, while the initiatives of Mother Earth might adopt different approaches. Were there any conflicts of standards between them? Were there any observations that the legal order recognizing rights for nature could have a positive vector for the respect for economic, social and cultural rights?
PETERS SUNDAY OMOLOGBE EMUZE, Committee Member, noted a ministerial decision on a strategy for agricultural risk management and response to climate change. How had Bolivia implemented the national strategy, in light of the effects of the economic crisis and debts?
Follow-up Replies by the Delegation
In response to questions about national law, the delegation said what Bolivia wanted to do in its Constitution was provide the highest possible level of protection. Bolivia offered higher protection for human rights compared to regional standards. Regarding legal independence, there were unique opportunities for Bolivia to secure the kind of independence for judges and lawyers needed through ongoing changes in the country. A national debate was occurring around potential new measures.
Regarding LGBTI rights, and the fact that they could not marry, the delegation acknowledged that regulations and legislation had to be developed to ensure the rights of that group were safeguarded. As for equality between men and women, work was being done as regards an economy of care, with a care policy strategy aiming to improve the economic empowerment of women.
In response to questions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the delegation said that according to the most relevant statistics, mortality rates had actually been reduced recently. Strategies previously implemented had included virtual closure of hospitals not treating cases related to the pandemic, leaving many cases of chronic, acute disease and other maladies without any healthcare treatment. Bolivia was now trying to normalise the health services, allocating an increased budget for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. The drop in the mortality rate was a clear demonstration of the effectiveness of the new measures. Furthermore, testing rates had been improved, and a centralised digital data system provided better oversight of the recording and registration of COVID-19 cases.
As for questions regarding LGBTI rights, the delegation explained that the main improvements had been in the gender identity law which established procedures for altering one's name and sex. Many people had changed their identity following that. As for same-sex marriage, rulings hindering their registration should be overturned. On treaty body law and how it stood with the Constitution, Bolivia had opted for the highest level of human rights protection. When international instruments, such as the Covenant recognized more favourable rights for individuals, it was applied. The Constitutional Court had developed jurisprudence regarding sentences handed by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and other inter-Americans systems.
Bolivia was trying to make its justice system more independent, equitable, efficient and people-friendly. To that effect, the country was trying to ensure careful selection of candidates to enter the system, as well as providing them with relevant training. Concerning initiatives to overcome patriarchal domination, Bolivia was implementing policies which tried to improve conditions for women. The allocation of more resources would allow women to live free of violence. Projects and plans were implemented on a central level, but also on a regional and municipal level.
MICHAEL WINDFUHR, Committee Vice-Chair, focused his questions on the right to work, trade union rights and social security. Noting that Bolivia was leading the South American ranking of employment in the informal sector of the economy, and given how rooted informality was, he asked if Bolivia had adequate incentives to change the status quo. The salaries paid in some informal jobs were inadequate to ensure a decent standard of living for the recipients and members of their families. More women than men were employed in the informal sector, and the disproportionate burden of unpaid work on women constituted a further significant barrier to their full realization of the right to work. Within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, working in the informal sector had a greater impact on women who were already living under a vulnerable situation, especially for indigenous women, migrant women, female asylum seekers and female refugees as well as Afro-Bolivian women, he noted. How did Bolivia judge its efforts to transition from the informal to the formal economy? Was there disaggregated data, especially indicating the gender and the background of people being employed, on people working in the informal sector?
Concerning the situation of persons with disabilities, progress had been made, Mr. Windfuhr noted. What had Bolivia done to increase persons with disabilities’ participation in the labour market through education and vocational training? On the right to just and favourable conditions of work, he noted that while Bolivia was implementing a “Multisectoral Plan for Advancement in De-Patriarchalisation and the Right of Women to Live Well,” civil society organizations claimed that the State had not implemented concrete and comprehensive policies designed to accelerate gender equality in access to work and conditions of work. There was a persistent gender pay gap. What had Bolivia done to identify and address unequal remuneration between men and women for work of equal value? Regarding indigenous people, he asked about measures taken by the State party to prevent and penalize any form of violence against indigenous peoples, especially at the workplace.
As for the situation of LGBTIQ people, Mr. Windfuhr noted that a large part of the population works in the informal or casual sector, with some forced to engage in sex work due to rejection in the labour sphere, particularly transgender women. What could Bolivia do to improve that situation? Which labour regulations could be applicable? Refugees and asylum seekers also faced limitations in accessing the labour market, particularly women and girls. He noted that there had been overall progress against child labour, but there was no updated official disaggregated information on the dimension and characteristics of child and adolescent labour in Bolivia.
Mr. Windfuhr also inquired about the organization of trade unions and the right to strike. Concerning the right to social security, the universal health system had achieved remarkable progress. What was Bolivia’s own observation on the functioning of its family bonus and its universal bonus? Persons in an irregular migratory situation, as well as asylum seekers in a vulnerable situation, had seen obstacles in accessing the health system; how would Bolivia deal with that?He asked for current data regarding the number of people in the country without access to an improved water source.
RODRIGO UPRIMNY, Committee Vice-Chair, asked about early teenage pregnancy. While there was a plan in place, the rate continued to be quite high. Was it due to lack of sexual education or lack of resources to implement a strategy? Regarding early marriages, he said the Committee had received information about cases of young girls marrying their rapists. A significant number of children received corporal punishment, and were victims of ill-treatment. What measures was Bolivia contemplating against that? There were also many cases of gender violence, what measures against it would Bolivia take?
Regarding issues around the right to a proper standard of living, Mr. Uprimny noted that progress had been impressive, with lower inequality figures than other countries in Latin America. The tax system itself was not a redistributive one, however. Extreme poverty in Bolivia had decreased dramatically, yet there remained a poverty gap between indigenous and non-indigenous people. What were the reasons for those gaps? Regarding housing programs created by the government, the Committee could not understand the clear results of those programs. Bolivia continued to have relatively poor results compared to the rest of Latin America in the area of nutrition, he said, asking what measures Bolivia would take against malnutrition in the country?
Concerning the right to health, Mr. Uprimny noted that the maternal and child mortality rates had dropped for the past 15 years, but the rates were still high. What was the reason for gaps in maternal and child mortality rates between groups? Turning to sexual and reproductive health and women’s rights to voluntary interruption of pregnancy, according to information the Committee had received, unsafe abortions were a significant cause of maternal mortality. There were obstacles to women’s access to safe abortion. What was the policy of Bolivia on sexual and reproductive health of women, and on the right to safe abortion? Would there be a broader decriminalization of abortion in the future? Finally, on Bolivia’s policies on controlled substances, otherwise known as illegal drugs, he observed that Bolivia’s laws on the matter were old and grounded on prohibitionism. Was Bolivia planning to introduce strategies to reduce harm or address the needs of users? Would Bolivia allow the medicinal use of cannabis as part of its overall strategy on health?
The delegation, responding to questions about regulation of the employment market, said some regulations aimed to encourage young people and people with disabilities to join the employment market. The government was trying to help women to leave poverty. The current pension system and social security system improved on previous measures Bolivia had had in place; workers could contribute to the pension system and retire. The non-contributory system, called the dignity income, allowed all the adult population to have access to pension and social security systems. Media was used to spread information on social security, and those spreading misinformation on the topic could be held accountable.
An initiative aimed at women heads of households aimed to help make women financially independent. Health services had been strengthened to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Bolivia had signed a few inter-institutional agreements supporting refugees’ access to education, and other aspects of social welfare. Bolivia was working on public policies to integrate refugees locally, with the support of relevant institutions. The idea was to help them to join the labour market.
Regarding the integration of people with disabilities in the labour market, Bolivia took measures to support their employment, or provided them with benefits if it was not possible for them to join the labour market. In response to questions about access to education in urban an rural areas, the delegation said that according to statistics, the number of students enrolled in rural areas had increased. The Ministry of Education was working on a range of agreements with various institutions including civil society.
As regards addressing equal pay, women were encouraged to enter the labour market. Inspections were carried out by the Ministry of Labour to ensure that women had equal pay. Inspections were also carried out to eradicate child labour. Bolivia had a Fundamental Rights Unit which worked to spread knowledge throughout the country to eliminate the gap between the pay of women and men. Mobile units could go to more remote parts of the country, and ensure that labour rights were implemented and upheld. Training was provided to labour inspectors to identify harassment of women or children and pass on any complaints.
In response to a question on indigenous people’s involvement in the labour market, the delegation explained that the Bolivian State had implemented projects to support indigenous people, with a focus on human rights and institutional strengthening. Bolivia ensured that all legislation was applied in practice, without discrimination. As for the rights of LGBTI people, a registry had been set up as regards personal identity; a service for identification was capacitated to provide the opportunity for people to change their gender identity. Protection was given to people with HIV and AIDS in accessing the labour market, as well as access to hospitals and treatment.
Regarding people working in mines, Bolivia was trying to eliminate children conducting such work. The right to strike was guaranteed by the government, as well as freedom of association, and independence of trade unions. The right to strike was guaranteed.
Bolivia had established social measures to support all its citizens, including ensuring access to all hospitals. The same applied to access to water and sanitation. In response to questions about early pregnancy, a number of different strategies were put in place in the country, through the collaboration of different ministries. Comprehensive training was provided to teachers regarding teenage pregnancy. There were also ministerial units supporting the prevention of such pregnancies. There was also a strategy for sexual education in place.
A comprehensive system to protect adolescents was in place involving families and society, and all relevant institutions and bodies. Following the “de-patriarchalization” strategy in Bolivia, an action plan was in place aiming to train civil servants, prosecutors and others to combat violence against children and women. Education was a key pillar of such efforts.
Bolivia had implemented a number of measures to amend the tax system in the country in order to fight poverty and improve the general situation. A few new taxes had been introduced, including a tax on gambling. There was no value added tax on books to encourage reading. For the current financial year, tax incentives had been created to boost productivity. A number of measures aimed to reduce the poverty gap between the indigenous and non-indigenous people. Some reduction had been observed, but it still remained a problem in Bolivia.
The government was taking measures to ensure that housing was provided to vulnerable people in Bolivia. Food nutrition guidelines were provided throughout the country, and a number of programs against malnutrition were in place. The Universal Health System was created for people who did not have any health- or social insurance, and it represented one of the most progressive changes in Bolivia. The gross domestic product of the country had significantly increased, according to statistics the delegation provided. Bolivia’s national information system on health, following the COVID-19 pandemic, had made efforts to consolidate data, and provided information on the number of pregnancies and legal adoption. There was no specific cannabis regulation or legislation in place in Bolivia.
Committee Experts asked whether there was broader legislation to guarantee safe abortion for women. The Committee had information that there was overcrowding in Bolivian prisons; could legislative changes improve matters? Another Committee Expert asked for information about regulations clarifying the right to strike for public employees, or for other sectors that were of particular importance to the State. Committee Experts further inquired whether there was a definition in Bolivian law for consent to medical treatment.
The delegation explained that Bolivia’s constitutional framework governed matters concerning indigenous people. Regarding abortion legislation, there was no definition on decriminalisation, or defined policy on the issue. In terms of drug use, a policy that was previously implemented by a social movement was the reason it was strongly punished. With international assistance, the law was being revised. The constitutional principle that currently applied to the right to strike was also being considered for revision. In response to Committee Members’ comments, the delegation pointed to statistics demonstrating a gradual increase of Bolivia’s gross domestic product following increased resources to health.
LAURA-MARIA CRACIUNEAN-TATU, Committee Member, asked about the right to education. Which measures were taken to ensure that all vulnerable and indigenous children had equal access to education? Could the delegation provide statistical data? Which measures had Bolivia taken to limit child labour? She noted that the Committee had received information that Bolivia lacked a policy, strategy or specific resources devoted to children with disabilities. Were any measures envisaged to improve such children’s access to schools? Ms. Craciunean-Tatu also asked for figures on inclusive education. During the COVID-19 pandemic, had Bolivia managed to address the challenges of online education?
The delegation noted that some of the questions Committee Experts had asked relating to education were not issues only in Bolivia. There were some economic incentives, and financial grants, as well as administrative support, provided to promote education throughout Bolivia. Teaching staff were trained to provide relevant education to students with disabilities.
Committee Experts expressed gratitude for the positive dialogue and the delegation’s high-quality answers. After receiving the delegation’s written follow-up remarks to the questions, work would begin on the observations of the Committee to Bolivia, which would aim to strengthen human rights in the country.
The delegation expressed its commitment to protecting and promoting economic, social and cultural rights. Future reports to the Committee would not be as delayed. The Committee was also invited to visit the country to personally assess the progress Bolivia had made in the fields of housing, health and education, following all relevant international standards. Work remained to be done, including in regards to economic policies, with the support of the Committee and the international community.
CESCR21.011E
Делегатам
Постоянным представительствам
Гражданскому обществу
Учащимся и исследователям
Доступность здания, информации и услуг
УСЛОВИЯ ПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ | КОНФИДЕНЦИАЛЬНОСТЬ
© ООН ЖЕНЕВА
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‘Harmful Language Alert’ Placed on US Constitution
(UnitedVoice.com) – In 1787, the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution of the United States. Americans can read it in its entirety on the National Archives website. However, when they visit the website these days, they’re greeted with a warning that’s outraging many citizens.
The National Archives Records Administration recently added a “harmful language alert” to the website’s catalog, including on the page with the Constitution. According to the statement linked on the warning, the content on the page might “contain harmful language that reflects attitudes and biases of their time.”
The National Archives have now put a disclaimer on their website that our historical documents may include Harmful Content.
They even slapped this warning on the Constitution.
We tried to tell you the Left wanted to get rid of it! pic.twitter.com/UeJtqgudMm
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) September 7, 2021
In the past, liberal activists have complained that the Constitution still states that black people are “three-fifths” a person and uses “he” when referring to who can run for various positions. The warning reportedly came as a result of a government task force formed after the killing of George Floyd.
Members of the task force have also complained about “structural racism” in the Capitol Building Rotunda because of paintings and displays depicting the Founding Fathers signing the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.
Ken Cuccinelli, who previously worked for President Donald Trump, slammed the most recent decision to add a warning to the Archives website. On Twitter, he asked, “What are we becoming?” A former Geroge W. Bush official, Mike Gonzalez, said the government has now given a “trigger warning to the Declaration of Independence.” He wanted to know if America has had enough.
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https://www.universitypressscholarship.com/search?f_0=keywords&q_0=internment%20camps
Keywords: internment camps x
Cornell University Press (1)
Hong Kong University Press (4)
University of Hawai'i Press (1)
University of Illinois Press (1)
Asian History (4)
European Modern History (3)
Ethnomusicology, World Music (1)
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History of Physics (1)
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Open Section Religion (3)
Philosophy of Religion (2)
Hong Kong Internment, 1942-1945: Life in the Japanese Civilian Camp at Stanley
Geoffrey Charles Emerson
Hong Kong University Press
10.5790/hongkong/9789622098800.001.0001
History, Asian History
This book tells the story of the more than three thousand non-Chinese civilians — British, American, Dutch, and others — who were trapped in the British colony and interned behind barbed wire in ... More
This book tells the story of the more than three thousand non-Chinese civilians — British, American, Dutch, and others — who were trapped in the British colony and interned behind barbed wire in Stanley Internment Camp from 1942 to 1945. From 1970 to 1972, while researching for his MA thesis, the author interviewed twenty-three former Stanley internees. During these meetings, the internees talked about their lives in the Stanley Camp during the Japanese occupation. Long regarded as a reference and frequently consulted as a primary source on Stanley since its completion in 1973, the study is now republished with a new introduction and fresh discussions that recognize later work and information released since the original thesis was written. Additional illustrations, including a new map and photographs, as well as an up-to-date bibliography, have also been included in the book.Less
Hong Kong Internment, 1942-1945 : Life in the Japanese Civilian Camp at Stanley
This book tells the story of the more than three thousand non-Chinese civilians — British, American, Dutch, and others — who were trapped in the British colony and interned behind barbed wire in Stanley Internment Camp from 1942 to 1945. From 1970 to 1972, while researching for his MA thesis, the author interviewed twenty-three former Stanley internees. During these meetings, the internees talked about their lives in the Stanley Camp during the Japanese occupation. Long regarded as a reference and frequently consulted as a primary source on Stanley since its completion in 1973, the study is now republished with a new introduction and fresh discussions that recognize later work and information released since the original thesis was written. Additional illustrations, including a new map and photographs, as well as an up-to-date bibliography, have also been included in the book.
Keywords: non-Chinese civilians, British colony, Stanley Internment Camp, internees, Japanese occupation
in Hong Kong Internment, 1942-1945: Life in the Japanese Civilian Camp at Stanley
This chapter discusses the administration and control of Stanley Camp. It notes that from the beginning of internment the Camp was under the control of the Japanese Foreign Affairs Department, a ... More
This chapter discusses the administration and control of Stanley Camp. It notes that from the beginning of internment the Camp was under the control of the Japanese Foreign Affairs Department, a civilian administration with offices in Hong Kong. Later, on 1 January 1944, it notes that the Camp came under the control of the Japanese military, and its designation was changed from Civilian Internment Camp, Hong Kong, to Military Internment Camp, Hong Kong. It describes how, during the occupation of Hong Kong, many difficulties occurred between the Japanese civilian and military departments. It recounts how Hong Kong was controlled by the military and the two Japanese governors, Lieutenant-Generals Isogai Rensuke (1942–1945) and Tanaka Hisakasu (1945), who were military men. The chapter notes that for the internment camp, the Foreign Affairs Department officials had to get military approval for everything concerning the internees. It describes how the military did what they liked and took what they liked.Less
This chapter discusses the administration and control of Stanley Camp. It notes that from the beginning of internment the Camp was under the control of the Japanese Foreign Affairs Department, a civilian administration with offices in Hong Kong. Later, on 1 January 1944, it notes that the Camp came under the control of the Japanese military, and its designation was changed from Civilian Internment Camp, Hong Kong, to Military Internment Camp, Hong Kong. It describes how, during the occupation of Hong Kong, many difficulties occurred between the Japanese civilian and military departments. It recounts how Hong Kong was controlled by the military and the two Japanese governors, Lieutenant-Generals Isogai Rensuke (1942–1945) and Tanaka Hisakasu (1945), who were military men. The chapter notes that for the internment camp, the Foreign Affairs Department officials had to get military approval for everything concerning the internees. It describes how the military did what they liked and took what they liked.
Keywords: Stanley Camp, internment, Japanese Foreign Affairs Department, civilian administration, Japanese military, Civilian Internment Camp, Military Internment Camp, Hong Kong, Tanaka Hisakasu
Residues of Rightlessness: Ghosts and the Afterlife of Internment
A. Naomi Paik
in Rightlessness: Testimony and Redress in U.S. Prison Camps since World War II
10.5149/northcarolina/9781469626314.003.0003
This chapter examines the lasting reverberations of internment that persist even after the camps have closed, rights are restored, and the suffering of victims is acknowledged through official ... More
This chapter examines the lasting reverberations of internment that persist even after the camps have closed, rights are restored, and the suffering of victims is acknowledged through official redress. It examines three testimonial texts offered by descendants of internments—CWRIC testimonies, Janice Mirikitani’s “Breaking Silence” (1981), and Rea Tajiri’s History and Memory: For Akiko and Takeshige. It argues that rightlessness is not limited to the body’s confinement within a barbed-wire perimeter, but by a history that endures in the U.S. state’s continuing creation of rightless persons via camp imprisonment and in the lived histories that the rightless carry with them. It argues that, endowed with an ever-adaptable and expanding capacity, rightlessness can become an inherited condition, one that exceeds legal definitions or empirical ways of knowing. The testimonial and aesthetic works at the chapter’s center offer a useful resource in deciphering a dimension of rightlessness as nebulous and resistant to empirical interpretation as the afterlife.Less
Residues of Rightlessness : Ghosts and the Afterlife of Internment
This chapter examines the lasting reverberations of internment that persist even after the camps have closed, rights are restored, and the suffering of victims is acknowledged through official redress. It examines three testimonial texts offered by descendants of internments—CWRIC testimonies, Janice Mirikitani’s “Breaking Silence” (1981), and Rea Tajiri’s History and Memory: For Akiko and Takeshige. It argues that rightlessness is not limited to the body’s confinement within a barbed-wire perimeter, but by a history that endures in the U.S. state’s continuing creation of rightless persons via camp imprisonment and in the lived histories that the rightless carry with them. It argues that, endowed with an ever-adaptable and expanding capacity, rightlessness can become an inherited condition, one that exceeds legal definitions or empirical ways of knowing. The testimonial and aesthetic works at the chapter’s center offer a useful resource in deciphering a dimension of rightlessness as nebulous and resistant to empirical interpretation as the afterlife.
Keywords: Rea Tajiri, Janice Mirikitani, Japanese American Internment, 1988 Civil Liberties Act, Commission on the Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC), Poston Internment camp
Bocce behind Barbed Wire: Checks on Government Power in the Camps
Mary Elizabeth and Basile Chopas
in Searching for Subversives: The Story of Italian Internment in Wartime America
Chapter 4 is a social history of the daily lives of the internees in INS camps and Army camps. It shows how many internees developed a sense of powerlessness as requests for a reevaluation of their ... More
Chapter 4 is a social history of the daily lives of the internees in INS camps and Army camps. It shows how many internees developed a sense of powerlessness as requests for a reevaluation of their situation went unanswered. The United States chose to extend prisoner of war protections in the 1929 Geneva Convention to enemy aliens in internment camps, allowing them to refer to the convention’s guarantees of safe and humane treatment and a good standard of living to redress complaints. This chapter shows how the internees exercised agency by finding ways to prove that they could be loyal American citizens, particularly by exhibiting a good work ethic. Although the balance of power still weighed heavily in favor of the government, the personal letters of internees tell a story of resiliency in the bleak setting of internment.Less
Bocce behind Barbed Wire : Checks on Government Power in the Camps
Mary ElizabethBasile Chopas
Chapter 4 is a social history of the daily lives of the internees in INS camps and Army camps. It shows how many internees developed a sense of powerlessness as requests for a reevaluation of their situation went unanswered. The United States chose to extend prisoner of war protections in the 1929 Geneva Convention to enemy aliens in internment camps, allowing them to refer to the convention’s guarantees of safe and humane treatment and a good standard of living to redress complaints. This chapter shows how the internees exercised agency by finding ways to prove that they could be loyal American citizens, particularly by exhibiting a good work ethic. Although the balance of power still weighed heavily in favor of the government, the personal letters of internees tell a story of resiliency in the bleak setting of internment.
Keywords: social history, INS camps, army camps, prisoner of war protections, 1929 Geneva Convention, internment camps, convention’s guarantees, agency, loyal American citizens, resiliency
Small Escapes: Gender, Class, and Material Culture in Great War Internment Camps
Iris Rachamimov
in Objects of War: The Material Culture of Conflict and Displacement
10.7591/cornell/9781501720079.003.0007
History, Military History
This chapter examines the prisoner of war (POW) camps of the First World War that became the temporary homes of officers. POWs creatively sustained prewar class and gender roles through the ... More
This chapter examines the prisoner of war (POW) camps of the First World War that became the temporary homes of officers. POWs creatively sustained prewar class and gender roles through the production and use of domestic objects and clothing in internment camps. Indeed, letters of the POW officers portray almost without exception the attempts to structure daily activities according to civilian patterns. Amidst the uncertainties and dislocations of captivity, POW officers and civilian internees relied on artifacts to perform meaningful social scripts and deployed them to articulate a range of emotions and identities. Although these scripts had multiple collective and personal meanings, many of them were aimed at sustaining prewar notions of “normalcy,” “respectability,” and productive masculinity. However, because these social scripts emanated from the prewar bi-gender world, recreating them in one-gender settings often led to transgressions of respectable masculinity.Less
Small Escapes : Gender, Class, and Material Culture in Great War Internment Camps
This chapter examines the prisoner of war (POW) camps of the First World War that became the temporary homes of officers. POWs creatively sustained prewar class and gender roles through the production and use of domestic objects and clothing in internment camps. Indeed, letters of the POW officers portray almost without exception the attempts to structure daily activities according to civilian patterns. Amidst the uncertainties and dislocations of captivity, POW officers and civilian internees relied on artifacts to perform meaningful social scripts and deployed them to articulate a range of emotions and identities. Although these scripts had multiple collective and personal meanings, many of them were aimed at sustaining prewar notions of “normalcy,” “respectability,” and productive masculinity. However, because these social scripts emanated from the prewar bi-gender world, recreating them in one-gender settings often led to transgressions of respectable masculinity.
Keywords: prisoner of war, POW camps, First World War, gender roles, prewar class, internment camps, domestic objects, POW officers, captivity, social scripts, masculinity
Political Imprisonment and the Irish, 1912-1921
History, British and Irish Modern History, Political History
This book analyses the role of political imprisonment during a period in Irish history when prisons were at the heart of a series of contests, including the violent campaign for Irish independence. ... More
This book analyses the role of political imprisonment during a period in Irish history when prisons were at the heart of a series of contests, including the violent campaign for Irish independence. It tells the story of suffragettes, trade unionists, and revolutionary nationalists who were sent to prisons and internment camps in Ireland and Britain for their causes, and examines the ways in which they then used those prisons and camps to promote their causes. The book explores the roles and identities claimed by the political prisoners. It analyses the strategies—including hunger strike—that they, and their supporters, developed as they sought to exploit their imprisonment by making the prisons sites of revolution. It assesses the ways in which the state (in particular the prison systems and the army) responded to this challenge and emphasizes the impact these contests had upon the ordinary servants of the state charged with managing the resultant crises. Through their campaigns the prisoners challenged the effectiveness of a crucial arm of state power in both Ireland and Britain—the prison systems—with intent and sophistication. The book argues that these prison campaigns had a significant influence on the politics of the revolutionary period and in doing so explores the fluctuating relationship between prison conflict and the wider revolution. Ultimately, the prison contests investigated here changed Ireland and changed political imprisonment.Less
This book analyses the role of political imprisonment during a period in Irish history when prisons were at the heart of a series of contests, including the violent campaign for Irish independence. It tells the story of suffragettes, trade unionists, and revolutionary nationalists who were sent to prisons and internment camps in Ireland and Britain for their causes, and examines the ways in which they then used those prisons and camps to promote their causes. The book explores the roles and identities claimed by the political prisoners. It analyses the strategies—including hunger strike—that they, and their supporters, developed as they sought to exploit their imprisonment by making the prisons sites of revolution. It assesses the ways in which the state (in particular the prison systems and the army) responded to this challenge and emphasizes the impact these contests had upon the ordinary servants of the state charged with managing the resultant crises. Through their campaigns the prisoners challenged the effectiveness of a crucial arm of state power in both Ireland and Britain—the prison systems—with intent and sophistication. The book argues that these prison campaigns had a significant influence on the politics of the revolutionary period and in doing so explores the fluctuating relationship between prison conflict and the wider revolution. Ultimately, the prison contests investigated here changed Ireland and changed political imprisonment.
Keywords: Political prisoners, revolution, Ireland, hunger strike, internment camp, nationalism, suffragettes
Camps after Camps: Internment and Memorialization in the Early Post-War Period
Helen J. Whatmore-Thomson
in Nazi Camps and their Neighbouring Communities: History, Memory, and Memorialization
10.1093/oso/9780198789772.003.0003
History, European Modern History, Social History
Chapter 2 examines what happened to the Nazi camps in the immediate aftermath of the war. It narrates the transition from KZ to internment camp at each location in the context of cleansing responses ... More
Chapter 2 examines what happened to the Nazi camps in the immediate aftermath of the war. It narrates the transition from KZ to internment camp at each location in the context of cleansing responses to Nazism and transitional justice. It demonstrates how local populations responded to the renewed camp presence and the new inmates in their midst, and outlines the extent of official municipal involvement. It addresses the earliest forms of KZ memorialization, in particular the ways and means by which local communities were involved in enacting and debating commemoration, both of their own accord and in conjunction with other actors (namely survivors and the state). It details the swift consummation of Vught’s Fusilladeplaats as an official KZ monument and highlights local fraternity with prisoners as a key aspect of early post-war KZ commemoration (in formerly occupied nations). The chapter finally examines the significance of the actual KZ sites in terms of heritage and tourism.Less
Camps after Camps : Internment and Memorialization in the Early Post-War Period
Chapter 2 examines what happened to the Nazi camps in the immediate aftermath of the war. It narrates the transition from KZ to internment camp at each location in the context of cleansing responses to Nazism and transitional justice. It demonstrates how local populations responded to the renewed camp presence and the new inmates in their midst, and outlines the extent of official municipal involvement. It addresses the earliest forms of KZ memorialization, in particular the ways and means by which local communities were involved in enacting and debating commemoration, both of their own accord and in conjunction with other actors (namely survivors and the state). It details the swift consummation of Vught’s Fusilladeplaats as an official KZ monument and highlights local fraternity with prisoners as a key aspect of early post-war KZ commemoration (in formerly occupied nations). The chapter finally examines the significance of the actual KZ sites in terms of heritage and tourism.
Keywords: post-war, cleansing, internment camp, Fusilladeplaats, KZ monument, local commemoration, heritage, national ceremony, fraternity
“Manzanar, the Eyes of the World Are upon You”: Internee Performance and Archival Ambivalence
Emily Roxworthy
in The Spectacle of Japanese American Trauma: Racial Performativity and World War II
10.21313/hawaii/9780824832209.003.0005
Society and Culture, Cultural Studies
This chapter explores the self-conscious construction of Japanese American identities and the internment experience in the internee-run Manzanar Free Press, which epitomized the camp newspapers ... More
This chapter explores the self-conscious construction of Japanese American identities and the internment experience in the internee-run Manzanar Free Press, which epitomized the camp newspapers independently published in each of the ten relocation centers. In the face of political spectacularization and racist media slander, internee journalists drew attention to a “spectacle-archive,” recording the ambivalent scrutiny imposed upon them from all sides. At the same time, internees staged intercultural performing arts festivals that defied the U.S. government’s mono-Americanist assimilation policy, which pitted second-generation Nisei against their “Japanesey” Issei parents and criminalized displays of Japanese culture. For internee audiences these intercultural performances made visible the contradictions of American racial performativity. Unfortunately, the fact that this performed resistance lives on mainly through embodied memory has meant that progressive narratives of America’s triumph over adversity—epitomized by the U.S. National Park Service’s celebration of internees’ festivity at Manzanar National Historic Site—have appropriated only the “model minority” interpretation of camp performing arts as rehearsals for assimilation and accommodationist endorsements of U.S. policy.Less
“Manzanar, the Eyes of the World Are upon You” : Internee Performance and Archival Ambivalence
This chapter explores the self-conscious construction of Japanese American identities and the internment experience in the internee-run Manzanar Free Press, which epitomized the camp newspapers independently published in each of the ten relocation centers. In the face of political spectacularization and racist media slander, internee journalists drew attention to a “spectacle-archive,” recording the ambivalent scrutiny imposed upon them from all sides. At the same time, internees staged intercultural performing arts festivals that defied the U.S. government’s mono-Americanist assimilation policy, which pitted second-generation Nisei against their “Japanesey” Issei parents and criminalized displays of Japanese culture. For internee audiences these intercultural performances made visible the contradictions of American racial performativity. Unfortunately, the fact that this performed resistance lives on mainly through embodied memory has meant that progressive narratives of America’s triumph over adversity—epitomized by the U.S. National Park Service’s celebration of internees’ festivity at Manzanar National Historic Site—have appropriated only the “model minority” interpretation of camp performing arts as rehearsals for assimilation and accommodationist endorsements of U.S. policy.
Keywords: Japanese American identity, internment camps, Manzanar Free Press, internee journalists, intercultural performing arts, racial performativity
Tonny Banham
in We Shall Suffer There: Hong Kong's Defenders Imprisoned, 1942-45
This introductory chapter discusses briefly the contents that are found in this book. The author tells the tale of the people who were caught in the Japanese invasion and occupation of Hong Kong. In ... More
This introductory chapter discusses briefly the contents that are found in this book. The author tells the tale of the people who were caught in the Japanese invasion and occupation of Hong Kong. In order to get the information presented in the following chapters, he conducted personal interviews and found other primary sources. The author further stresses that the book does not contain experiences of being in a POW or Internment Camp.Less
This introductory chapter discusses briefly the contents that are found in this book. The author tells the tale of the people who were caught in the Japanese invasion and occupation of Hong Kong. In order to get the information presented in the following chapters, he conducted personal interviews and found other primary sources. The author further stresses that the book does not contain experiences of being in a POW or Internment Camp.
Keywords: Japanese invasion, occupation, Hong Kong, personal interviews, primary sources, POW, Internment Camp
Guilt Confessions and Amnesty Campaigns
Katharina von Kellenbach
in The Mark of Cain: Guilt and Denial in the Post-War Lives of Nazi Perpetrators
Religion, Religion and Society
Germany's guilt discussions began immediately after the military defeat of Nazi Germany in May 1945. The Protestant Church in Germany (EKD) and the Roman Catholic Church shaped these conversations: ... More
Germany's guilt discussions began immediately after the military defeat of Nazi Germany in May 1945. The Protestant Church in Germany (EKD) and the Roman Catholic Church shaped these conversations: they issued public guilt confessions and sent clergy into internment camps and military prisons to counsel Nazi functionaries on trial before Allied military courts. The churches’ position on guilt was contradictory and ambivalent: church representatives affirmed a German solidarity of guilt but rejected collective guilt; they denounced the depravity of the previous Nazi regime but promised rapid reconciliation and quick reintegration to anyone willing to return to the Christian faith; they preached the Christian gospel of forgiveness and campaigned against the Allied prosecution of high-ranking Nazi officials as victors’ justice. The Christian paradigm of guilt confessions and forgiveness validated the politics of Hour Zero, which closed the past and condoned impunity for actions committed before the Schlussstrich, or line of closure.Less
Germany's guilt discussions began immediately after the military defeat of Nazi Germany in May 1945. The Protestant Church in Germany (EKD) and the Roman Catholic Church shaped these conversations: they issued public guilt confessions and sent clergy into internment camps and military prisons to counsel Nazi functionaries on trial before Allied military courts. The churches’ position on guilt was contradictory and ambivalent: church representatives affirmed a German solidarity of guilt but rejected collective guilt; they denounced the depravity of the previous Nazi regime but promised rapid reconciliation and quick reintegration to anyone willing to return to the Christian faith; they preached the Christian gospel of forgiveness and campaigned against the Allied prosecution of high-ranking Nazi officials as victors’ justice. The Christian paradigm of guilt confessions and forgiveness validated the politics of Hour Zero, which closed the past and condoned impunity for actions committed before the Schlussstrich, or line of closure.
Keywords: stuttgart declaration of guilt, internment camp ministry, nuremberg trials, amnesty campaigns, secret ekd memorandum on war crimes trials
Reception, internment and repatriation, 1939–40
Scott Soo
in The routes to exile: France and the Spanish Civil War refugees, 1939-2009
History, European Modern History
Outlines the reactions of the French authorities, press and public to the refugees’ arrival in France. Although some French nationals reacted with gestures of solidarity, the refugees faced a ... More
Outlines the reactions of the French authorities, press and public to the refugees’ arrival in France. Although some French nationals reacted with gestures of solidarity, the refugees faced a considerable level of discrimination and pressure to return to Spain. The most visible sign of exclusion existed on the beaches of the French Mediterranean where close to two hundred thousand refugees were penned into sprawling ‘concentration’ camps. The remaining refugees, mostly women, children and the elderly, were housed in reception centres elsewhere in France where conditions were often very basic. Comparisons are drawn between the reductive and scaremongering reporting of the Spanish refugees by much of the French press, and French officials’ descriptions of refugees arriving in their localities. The chapter reveals how French officials mobilised cultural difference in order to secure the exclusion and return of the refugees to Spain.Less
Outlines the reactions of the French authorities, press and public to the refugees’ arrival in France. Although some French nationals reacted with gestures of solidarity, the refugees faced a considerable level of discrimination and pressure to return to Spain. The most visible sign of exclusion existed on the beaches of the French Mediterranean where close to two hundred thousand refugees were penned into sprawling ‘concentration’ camps. The remaining refugees, mostly women, children and the elderly, were housed in reception centres elsewhere in France where conditions were often very basic. Comparisons are drawn between the reductive and scaremongering reporting of the Spanish refugees by much of the French press, and French officials’ descriptions of refugees arriving in their localities. The chapter reveals how French officials mobilised cultural difference in order to secure the exclusion and return of the refugees to Spain.
Keywords: Spanish republicans, Repatriation, Spanish Civil War, Refugees, Concentration camps, Internment camps
Jim and Jap Crow: A Cultural History of 1940s Interracial America
Matthew M. Briones
Following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the U.S. government rounded up more than one hundred thousand Japanese Americans and sent them to internment camps. One of those internees was ... More
Following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the U.S. government rounded up more than one hundred thousand Japanese Americans and sent them to internment camps. One of those internees was Charles Kikuchi. In thousands of diary pages, he documented his experiences in the camps, his resettlement in Chicago and drafting into the army on the eve of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and his postwar life as a social worker in New York City. Kikuchi's diaries bear witness to a watershed era in American race relations, and expose both the promise and the hypocrisy of American democracy. This book follows Kikuchi's personal odyssey among fellow Japanese American intellectuals, immigrant activists, Chicago School social scientists, everyday people on Chicago's South Side, and psychologically scarred veterans in the hospitals of New York. The book chronicles a remarkable moment in America's history in which interracial alliances challenged the limits of the elusive democratic ideal, and in which the nation was forced to choose between civil liberty and the fearful politics of racial hysteria. It was an era of world war and the atomic bomb, desegregation in the military but Jim and Jap Crow elsewhere in America, and a hopeful progressivism that gave way to Cold War paranoia. The book looks at Kikuchi's life and diaries as a lens through which to observe the possibilities, failures, and key conversations in a dynamic multiracial America.Less
Jim and Jap Crow : A Cultural History of 1940s Interracial America
Following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the U.S. government rounded up more than one hundred thousand Japanese Americans and sent them to internment camps. One of those internees was Charles Kikuchi. In thousands of diary pages, he documented his experiences in the camps, his resettlement in Chicago and drafting into the army on the eve of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and his postwar life as a social worker in New York City. Kikuchi's diaries bear witness to a watershed era in American race relations, and expose both the promise and the hypocrisy of American democracy. This book follows Kikuchi's personal odyssey among fellow Japanese American intellectuals, immigrant activists, Chicago School social scientists, everyday people on Chicago's South Side, and psychologically scarred veterans in the hospitals of New York. The book chronicles a remarkable moment in America's history in which interracial alliances challenged the limits of the elusive democratic ideal, and in which the nation was forced to choose between civil liberty and the fearful politics of racial hysteria. It was an era of world war and the atomic bomb, desegregation in the military but Jim and Jap Crow elsewhere in America, and a hopeful progressivism that gave way to Cold War paranoia. The book looks at Kikuchi's life and diaries as a lens through which to observe the possibilities, failures, and key conversations in a dynamic multiracial America.
Keywords: Pearl Harbor, Japanese American, internment camp, Charles Kikuchi, diary, American race relations, American democracy, civil liberty, progressivism, multiracial America
Censorship and the Work of Art (Where They Barbed the Fourth Corner Open
Sharon Luk
in Life of Paper: Letters and a Poetics of Living Beyond Captivity
As interned communities were barred from normative channels of communication and self-representation, this chapter argues that the life of paper facilitated distinctive forms of both individual and ... More
As interned communities were barred from normative channels of communication and self-representation, this chapter argues that the life of paper facilitated distinctive forms of both individual and collective being, in the latters’ essential dialectic. Chapter Four analyzes how this dialectic operates through the letter’s dialogical form in ways that necessarily exceed dominant Anglophonic literary assumptions and processes. With attention to how interned communities thus turned to aesthetic practices to exist through and beyond the terms of “population management,” this chapter places the life of paper broadly within pre-existing Japanese aesthetic traditions and corresponding onto-epistemologies of presence, absence, and the work of art. Close readings of letters focus on how they communicate affect to produce alternate forms of knowledge and truth-value under historical constraint: ultimately creating an archive of material for the re-assertion of social bonds, sutured through difference and across generations.Less
As interned communities were barred from normative channels of communication and self-representation, this chapter argues that the life of paper facilitated distinctive forms of both individual and collective being, in the latters’ essential dialectic. Chapter Four analyzes how this dialectic operates through the letter’s dialogical form in ways that necessarily exceed dominant Anglophonic literary assumptions and processes. With attention to how interned communities thus turned to aesthetic practices to exist through and beyond the terms of “population management,” this chapter places the life of paper broadly within pre-existing Japanese aesthetic traditions and corresponding onto-epistemologies of presence, absence, and the work of art. Close readings of letters focus on how they communicate affect to produce alternate forms of knowledge and truth-value under historical constraint: ultimately creating an archive of material for the re-assertion of social bonds, sutured through difference and across generations.
Keywords: Censorship, Internment Camps, Haiku, Aesthetics, Affect, Reproductive Labor
Organisations, networks and identities, 1939–40
This chapter explores the Spanish republicans’ responses to the onset of exile with a focus on the reconstruction of their organisations, networks and collective identities. The chapter presents an ... More
This chapter explores the Spanish republicans’ responses to the onset of exile with a focus on the reconstruction of their organisations, networks and collective identities. The chapter presents an overview of the Spanish republican government and the main organisations in exile before looking at the reconstruction of inter-personal and organisational networks in the camps. It additionally reveals the effects of internment and the various ways in which refugees recreated group identities, from the telling of stories to the commemoration of dates from the Spanish and French republican calendars.Less
This chapter explores the Spanish republicans’ responses to the onset of exile with a focus on the reconstruction of their organisations, networks and collective identities. The chapter presents an overview of the Spanish republican government and the main organisations in exile before looking at the reconstruction of inter-personal and organisational networks in the camps. It additionally reveals the effects of internment and the various ways in which refugees recreated group identities, from the telling of stories to the commemoration of dates from the Spanish and French republican calendars.
Keywords: Commemoration, Identity, Spanish republicans, Concentration camps, Internment camps
Monica Kim (ed.)
in The Interrogation Rooms of the Korean War: The Untold History
This chapter begins the story in the Japanese American internment camps of World War II, and follows how the Japanese American subject moved from being an “enemy alien” under surveillance to laboring ... More
This chapter begins the story in the Japanese American internment camps of World War II, and follows how the Japanese American subject moved from being an “enemy alien” under surveillance to laboring as an interrogator of Koreans during the Korean War. It reconstructs the types of interrogation rooms these Japanese American interrogators invented, what they resisted, and what they reinterpreted. In contrast with the interrogation rooms of the past that were cloaked in darkness, secrecy, and violence, the US military interrogation room was now supposedly an idealized site of regulated and willing exchange between the interrogator and the interrogated prisoner.Less
This chapter begins the story in the Japanese American internment camps of World War II, and follows how the Japanese American subject moved from being an “enemy alien” under surveillance to laboring as an interrogator of Koreans during the Korean War. It reconstructs the types of interrogation rooms these Japanese American interrogators invented, what they resisted, and what they reinterpreted. In contrast with the interrogation rooms of the past that were cloaked in darkness, secrecy, and violence, the US military interrogation room was now supposedly an idealized site of regulated and willing exchange between the interrogator and the interrogated prisoner.
Keywords: Japanese American internment camps, World War II, Korean War, enemy alien, interrogation rooms, interrogators
“They’re Just like White Kids”: Genealogy and Theory of Japanese American Non-Binary Silence
Brett J. Esaki
in Enfolding Silence: The Transformation of Japanese American Religion and Art under Oppression
Religion, Religion and Society, Philosophy of Religion
The Introduction presents a genealogy of Japanese American silence throughout modern Japanese American history and the theory of non-binary silence. It focuses on the survival strategy called ... More
The Introduction presents a genealogy of Japanese American silence throughout modern Japanese American history and the theory of non-binary silence. It focuses on the survival strategy called gaimenteki doka (outward assimilation), especially how it has enfolded multiple dimensions of silence into non-binary silences and multiple cultures into Japanese American culture. The genealogy covers silence from sixteenth-century Japan, through immigration in early twentieth-century United States, the World War II internment camps, and to the redress movement. The theory of non-binary silence outlines how to move beyond the binary of sound and silence to conceive of multidimensional silences and argues that a perspective of non-binary silence can provide a fresh perspective on the sacred of Emile Durkheim. The chapter also introduces the relationship between silence and alternating racial shame and racial pride by contextualizing it within the author's own experiences with his elders.Less
“They’re Just like White Kids” : Genealogy and Theory of Japanese American Non-Binary Silence
The Introduction presents a genealogy of Japanese American silence throughout modern Japanese American history and the theory of non-binary silence. It focuses on the survival strategy called gaimenteki doka (outward assimilation), especially how it has enfolded multiple dimensions of silence into non-binary silences and multiple cultures into Japanese American culture. The genealogy covers silence from sixteenth-century Japan, through immigration in early twentieth-century United States, the World War II internment camps, and to the redress movement. The theory of non-binary silence outlines how to move beyond the binary of sound and silence to conceive of multidimensional silences and argues that a perspective of non-binary silence can provide a fresh perspective on the sacred of Emile Durkheim. The chapter also introduces the relationship between silence and alternating racial shame and racial pride by contextualizing it within the author's own experiences with his elders.
Keywords: silence, Japanese Americans, Japanese American history, assimilation, internment camps, Emile Durkheim, racial shame
Monuments, the Silence of Legacy, and Kodomo Tame Ni
This chapter explores monuments to Japanese American heritage created after the internment camps, with special attention to the era after the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which granted reparations to ... More
This chapter explores monuments to Japanese American heritage created after the internment camps, with special attention to the era after the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which granted reparations to internees. It examines the history of monuments by Robert Murase and Isamu Noguchi, including the artists' utilization of the silence of legacy, which passes down a political message integrated with modern art and conceptions of indigenous religions (a practice called “spiritual indigeneity”). While previous chapters analyzed how non-binary silence helped Japanese Americans to survive and to preserve religion, this chapter challenges this narrative by illustrating silence's potential to contribute to oppression. Japanese Americans, facing controversy, made monuments abstract, but this obscured messages of legacy. This is problematic because Japanese Americans want to convey racial uplift, yet without clarity the monuments may be used to contribute to racial oppression. In this respect, this chapter focuses on reception and interpretation.Less
This chapter explores monuments to Japanese American heritage created after the internment camps, with special attention to the era after the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which granted reparations to internees. It examines the history of monuments by Robert Murase and Isamu Noguchi, including the artists' utilization of the silence of legacy, which passes down a political message integrated with modern art and conceptions of indigenous religions (a practice called “spiritual indigeneity”). While previous chapters analyzed how non-binary silence helped Japanese Americans to survive and to preserve religion, this chapter challenges this narrative by illustrating silence's potential to contribute to oppression. Japanese Americans, facing controversy, made monuments abstract, but this obscured messages of legacy. This is problematic because Japanese Americans want to convey racial uplift, yet without clarity the monuments may be used to contribute to racial oppression. In this respect, this chapter focuses on reception and interpretation.
Keywords: silence, Japanese Americans, monuments, legacy, internment camps, Civil Liberties Act of 1988, indigenous religions, racial oppression, Robert Murase, Isamu Noguchi
The Japanese Invasion
Eugene Marlow
in Jazz in China: From Dance Hall Music to Individual Freedom of Expression
10.14325/mississippi/9781496817990.003.0007
Music, Ethnomusicology, World Music
During World War II, the Japanese constructed prisoner of war camps in fifteen countries, including China. These camps numbered approximately 240. The Japanese—whose attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 ... More
During World War II, the Japanese constructed prisoner of war camps in fifteen countries, including China. These camps numbered approximately 240. The Japanese—whose attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 brought the United States into World War II— saw their global role as manifest destiny, particularly with respect to China. Militarist Japan's attempt to conquer China began by seizing Manchuria in 1931 and became a full-fledged invasion from 1937 [when they attacked Shanghai] to 1945. This chapters shows that American jazz musicians—all of whom were playing in Shanghai—were not immune to the Japanese invasion and occupation. Some landed in internment camps in China and the Philippines.Less
During World War II, the Japanese constructed prisoner of war camps in fifteen countries, including China. These camps numbered approximately 240. The Japanese—whose attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 brought the United States into World War II— saw their global role as manifest destiny, particularly with respect to China. Militarist Japan's attempt to conquer China began by seizing Manchuria in 1931 and became a full-fledged invasion from 1937 [when they attacked Shanghai] to 1945. This chapters shows that American jazz musicians—all of whom were playing in Shanghai—were not immune to the Japanese invasion and occupation. Some landed in internment camps in China and the Philippines.
Keywords: World War II, China, Japan, prisoner of war camps, American jazz musicians, internment camps, Philippines, Japanese occupation
Out of Darkness, 1941–1953
Stuart Wolfendale
in Imperial to International: A History of St John's Cathedral Hong Kong
The Japanese invaded Hong Kong in December 1941. Some members of the congregation died in the fighting. Members of the clergy were interned at Stanley. Union services were held in the internment camp ... More
The Japanese invaded Hong Kong in December 1941. Some members of the congregation died in the fighting. Members of the clergy were interned at Stanley. Union services were held in the internment camp while Sunday school and worship continued in Bishop’s House. During the Occupation, the Japanese used the Cathedral as a social club, it was stripped of its Christian imagery and furniture. Chinese and Japanese Christians gave their support while Roman Catholics offered to house the furniture. After the Occupation, donations and loans from the business community helped restore the Cathedral. Once again, St John’s became the centre of activity. But the traditional debate over the status of the clergy persisted. In 1951, after the Chinese Revolution, the Diocese of Victoria separated itself from the Diocese of Kwangtung and became the Diocese of Hong Kong.Less
The Japanese invaded Hong Kong in December 1941. Some members of the congregation died in the fighting. Members of the clergy were interned at Stanley. Union services were held in the internment camp while Sunday school and worship continued in Bishop’s House. During the Occupation, the Japanese used the Cathedral as a social club, it was stripped of its Christian imagery and furniture. Chinese and Japanese Christians gave their support while Roman Catholics offered to house the furniture. After the Occupation, donations and loans from the business community helped restore the Cathedral. Once again, St John’s became the centre of activity. But the traditional debate over the status of the clergy persisted. In 1951, after the Chinese Revolution, the Diocese of Victoria separated itself from the Diocese of Kwangtung and became the Diocese of Hong Kong.
Keywords: Japanese Occupation, St John’s Cathedral, Hong Kong, Anglican Church, Stanley internment camp, Bishop’s House, Diocese of Hong Kong, Diocese of Kwangtung, Chinese Revolution
“Asia for the Asians,” Bushido, and Japanese War Crimes in the Netherlands East Indies, 1942 to 1946
Fred L. Borch
in Military Trials of War Criminals in the Netherlands East Indies 1946-1949
The 300,000 Europeans and Eurasians residing in the Indies in March 1942 soon learned that the Japanese occupiers planned to implement political, economic, and cultural policies that would integrate ... More
The 300,000 Europeans and Eurasians residing in the Indies in March 1942 soon learned that the Japanese occupiers planned to implement political, economic, and cultural policies that would integrate the newly “liberated” colony into the “Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere.” This goal of “Japanization” was to transform everyone living in the Indies into loyal subjects of the Emperor, with one important exception: “Asia for the Asians” meant there was no place for the white race in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). Additionally, the Japanese in the archipelago were true believers in the warrior code of Bushido, which led to widespread mistreatment of prisoners of war and spilled-over into the treatment of civilian internees. This chapter explains how the Japanese intended to eradicate Dutch civilization and how the “Asia for the Asians” philosophy and Bushido code of behavior resulted in the commission of horrific war crimes, especially against whites and Eurasians.Less
The 300,000 Europeans and Eurasians residing in the Indies in March 1942 soon learned that the Japanese occupiers planned to implement political, economic, and cultural policies that would integrate the newly “liberated” colony into the “Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere.” This goal of “Japanization” was to transform everyone living in the Indies into loyal subjects of the Emperor, with one important exception: “Asia for the Asians” meant there was no place for the white race in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). Additionally, the Japanese in the archipelago were true believers in the warrior code of Bushido, which led to widespread mistreatment of prisoners of war and spilled-over into the treatment of civilian internees. This chapter explains how the Japanese intended to eradicate Dutch civilization and how the “Asia for the Asians” philosophy and Bushido code of behavior resulted in the commission of horrific war crimes, especially against whites and Eurasians.
Keywords: “Asia for the Asians, ’ Bushido, ‘Japanization, ’ prisoner of war camps, civilian internment camps, Japanese occupation policy
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Beyond Jazz, Beyond Music: Samora Pinderhughes Blurs the Lines Between Music, Poetry, and Activism
by Siddhartha Mitter
Pinderhughes began writing The Transformations Suite six years ago at Juilliard. Courtesy Samora Pinderhughes
Last October, when Samora Pinderhughes released The Transformations Suite, his jazz and poetry ensemble work keyed to Black Lives Matter and the issues that drive it, the pianist and composer put it up for free, making purchase optional even though years of effort had gone into the project. “I wasn’t trying to have people buy it,” he says. “It was important for this project, because of its content, that there were no barriers for anybody.”
Pinderhughes, 25, doesn’t separate music and activism. He began writing the suite six years ago, while at Juilliard, rankled by the limits of the jazz performance program and seeking a wider canvas. “I studied with Kenny Barron, so I can’t complain,” he says. “But as far as making my own work, that was not my schooling. The suite allowed me to realize what I believe, at least at this point, is my purpose, which is to create projects that in some way address these larger questions, as well as hopefully being of artistic merit.”
So far, Pinderhughes is living up to his standard. At a time when many jazz artists are making work with a renewed political edge, Transformations Suite feels particularly complete. It opens with a soft, insistent drumroll, as if calling a restive assembly to purpose, before settling into a processional beat as the full sextet joins. “We shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye,” sings vocalist Jehbreal Jackson. “Give us justice….” In the course of six movements, the collection travels from contemplation to exaltation, anger to healing. It received rave reviews and a fresh set of concert dates, one of which aired in full on NPR’s Jazz Night in America the day before the presidential inauguration.
This week, the Transformations Suite receives its last New York performance for the foreseeable future, on Thursday, at Le Poisson Rouge’s monthly “We Resist!” event. At the same time, Pinderhughes will showcase some of his many other projects. Headlining with him are actor-rappers Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal, whom he has known since his teenage years in Berkeley, California; the three have an ongoing electronic project. The concert will also feature clips from Whose Streets?, the “people’s documentary” on the Ferguson uprising by Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis, which premiered this year at Sundance; Pinderhughes wrote the score. “It’s going to be a giant hodgepodge celebration, but everything fits together,” he says.
Pinderhughes is a songwriter, too; he has written for Common, Herbie Hancock, and Lalah Hathaway, and for his own new band, called Venus. He is developing a multimedia installation on healing and trauma in communities racked by violence, guided by playwright Anna Deavere Smith. “We’re fortunate that Samora is involved in so many endeavors,” says pianist Vijay Iyer, whom Pinderhughes calls a mentor. “He’s a brilliant and engaged human being, as well as a wonderful musician full of ideas and promise.”
Pinderhughes lives uptown, in Hamilton Heights, where he shares an apartment with his younger sister, Elena, a brilliant flutist who has performed with numerous jazz greats, and is also currently recording her upcoming debut as a pop singer. Musicians from a young age, the siblings have long worked on each other’s projects. Their parents, a Black father raised in Boston and Sephardic mother from New York, are professors with a deep political streak. Samora was named for Samora Machel, the Mozambican revolutionary.
“It’s a family thing,” Pinderhughes says. “Even if we hadn’t lived in the Bay, I would still be political, radical, super-duper Black.” Still, the regional setting, with its strong and overlapping jazz, poetry, and hip-hop communities, was key to his creative growth. He is an alumnus of the Berkeley High School jazz band, which produced saxophonist Joshua Redman, pianist Benny Green, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, and many others. He also attended another crucial local institution: the Young Musicians Choral Orchestra.
It was a supportive scene, Pinderhughes says. “That’s what’s cool about the East Bay: It’s very community oriented, and the old heads would look out for the younger cats.” Artists who had moved to New York would come back for visits and catch up with the next crop at the homes of the local teachers they all shared. “They would come and see them and kick it, and we would just be there, and that’s how we’d meet them,” he says.
Pinderhughes imagines he’ll move back to California eventually. “I do see myself at some point wanting to have a family, and that’s the only place I’d want to raise my kids,” he says. For now, he feels he’s finally at ease in New York City, after years of trying to find his comfort zone and community. For his new band, Venus, a quintet that includes Elena but otherwise a different roster than the Transformations Suite regulars, he is writing and singing songs from his private side, catching up with his feelings. “It’s a very personal project, about relationships and different losses I’ve sustained,” he says. “It’s very different from the macro level that was The Transformations Suite.”
His method has not changed, however. When working on a project, he immerses himself in a set of music and books, for months at a time. For the suite, it was Marvin Gaye, the poems of Saul Williams, the Wayne Shorter’s Classic Blue Note Recordings, Nina Simone, Schumann’s song cycles, Tupac’s Me Against the World. These days his diet includes Frank Ocean, Laura Mvula, James Blake, James Joyce’s Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Gabriel García Márquez’s autobiography, and August Wilson’s plays. “And I’m always reading [James] Baldwin, because he’s my hero. That’s a constant.”
Pinderhughes’s mix of projects and inspirations signals the limits of “jazz” as a category today. Some musicians reject the term on political grounds; he generally agrees, but feels it’s not worth the debate. “That argument is a waste of time because it’s all outdated,” he says. “Not only am I past the word jazz, I’m past the word music. I’m not interested in being limited by any barriers of what I’m supposed to be. And I think almost every musician that I know in my generation feels that way.”
We Resist! presents Samora Pinderhughes, Daveed Diggs, & Rafael Casal at Le Poisson Rouge, April 20, at 7 p.m. Info: 212-505-3474, lpr.com
More:Jazz
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Central Massachusetts
Welcome to Central Massachusetts!
Great Things to Do in Central MA
Family fun at farms, orchards, and historic Sturbridge Village
The slightly hilly topography of this central swath of Massachusetts is the home of farms, orchards, and small towns. The major town is Worcester, an attractive smaller city with an excellent art museum.
Just north of Worcester, in Boylston, is a wonderful botanical garden with special areas and features that invite visitors even for winter time enjoyment. Families with kids enjoy Old Sturbridge Village, where life of the 1830s fascinates visitors in all seasons.
Places for outdoors sports are abundant at this region’s many lakes and state parks. Wachusett Mountain ski area is hospitable to skiers of all abilities.
Worcester, the region’s biggest town, teaches about the natural world and entertains visitors at its Ecotarium, New England's leading museum of science and nature. Worcester also prides itself on the Worcester Art Museum. Southwick’s Zoo in the town of Mendon offers plenty of fun among its animals, like its Woodlands Express train and Skyfari Sky rides.
Fruitlands, a collection of four museums near the town of Harvard, was founded in 1843 by Bronson Alcott, father of the writer Louisa May Alcott, as an experiment in utopian living. Today, the 210-acre landscape includes a Shaker Museum, a Native American museum, a fine art gallery of Hudson River landscapes, and trails through woodlands and meadows. Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, just north of Worcester, blooms all year, and hosts a nice annual artwork-and-flower show.
A fun attraction for kids and adults is Old Sturbridge Village, a living history museum that invites visitors to explore daily life in a New England farming town in the mid-1800s. Old Sturbridge Village offers lots of seasonal programs about cookery, farming, animal husbandry, home crafts and more from the 19th century. The area is Johnny Appleseed country, named for its native son, the arborist John Chapman. Route 2, from Lancaster on the east end to Turner’s Falls on the west end, travels through beautiful countryside typical of mid-Massachusetts. Great for a fall foliage drive.
Outdoor fun carries through at Quabbin Reservoir, an 85,000-acre property that contains one of the largest public drinking water supplies in the country. Visitors may fish from the shore or small boats, hike on 250 miles of discontinued roads, and hunt, bird watch, snowshoe, bicycle, and picnic (no swimming or dogs). For skiing and winter sports, hike yourself over to Wachusett Mountain ski area in the town of Princeton.
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Sarah Kelly - 0
The Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship tells the desperate stories of those who fled the Great Famine in Ireland, in search of a better life abroad. Many of these people died in harrowing circumstances and the sadness of these people is etched in many of the stories from the ship. Any yet there is hope for those that make it. The tales from this recreated ship are both heartbreaking and hopeful, the tantalising promise of a new life always pulling at those people with life changing choices to make. And...
Get to Dublin's Docklands and you'll discover a relatively new, award winning, attraction in the city. Anyone who knows anything about Ireland knows that it has a long history of emigration right across the world. The EPIC Irish Emigration Museum will give you an entertaining and sophisticated interactive experience with a myriad of information on why and where the Irish emigrated to all over the world. Learn how a small island on the periphery of Europe made a huge impression and impact on the world. The museum brings you on...
The National Wax Museum Plus isn't an exquisite showcase of the best that can be done with wax sculptures. However, it is a interesting walk-through of Irelands social and cultural history. Kids will really enjoy the wax museum especially the science & discovery section and the tunnels. They can also get a sculpture of their hands in wax which is great fun. Zoltar is available to tell fortunes and the Chamber of horrors is sure to get a couple of screams, although it might be a little too scary...
John Kenny - 0
The Teeling Distillery was established in 2015 in Dublin. It is the first distillery to open in Dublin in 125 years. This is unusual given that Dublin was once the whiskey capital of the world. However the emergence of Scotch whiskey, and other factors, led to a decline in Irish whiskey making in the early 20th century. Now however Dublin is getting its mojo again and Teeling is a major part of that. Stephen and Jack Teeling founded the distillery, whose father John had previously established the Cooley Distillery...
The Dublinia Viking Museum focuses on Dublin's rich Viking and Medieval past. It is located in the Christ Church area which formed the centre of the Viking settlement in Dublin. The focus of this museum is very much on having an interactive and immersive experience. See how the Vikings lived, worked and entertained themselves. You can visit a smokey Viking house, try on clothes of the time and learn the mysteries and myths surrounding this ancient race. This museum aims to stimulate your senses, allowing to feel everything about...
This space is a relatively new addition to the streets of Dublin, but its a museum which gets to the core and the heart of 'Dublin'. Many people in Dublin refer it to as the 'Peoples' museum. It's full of trinkets and treasures donated by ordinary Dublin people making it a fascinating mix of culture and heritage. The museum mainly focuses on life in the 20th century, with a collection of over 5,000 items. There are different spaces in the museum with a focus on specific themes, for example...
Government Advice Ireland is at level 5 restrictions. All details are available at the official government Covid-19 page. Tourism Industry Partners Further information for our industry partners can be found on the Fáilte Ireland corporate website which is being updated regularly. We will be updating this page as and when we receive further information.
O’Donoghues Pub, a Dublin Institution
O ’Donoghues of Merrion Road is probably the most famous traditional pub in Dublin with a storied and rich history. Steeped in musical tradition, it occupies a special place in Dublin’s pub culture.The bar opened first in 1934 and soon developed a reputation for traditional Irish music, becoming a bee hive for many of the up and coming musicians and bands of the time. Perhaps the band most associated with the pub is the Dubliners. Fronted by the irrepressible Ronnie Drew the band went on to find international success,...
Dublin’s longest running theatre in continuous production, The Gaiety Theatre had its opening night all the way back on 27th November 1871. Since then it has maintained its position as the city’s top venue for musical, opera, dance and drama shows. ‘The Gaiety is the most aptly named place I know ‘ – Maureen Potter With extensive refurbishments carried out in 2007 the Theatre is a wonderful and comfortable place to spend an evening. Did you know it hosted the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest? Location: South Kings Street, close to Grafton Street....
The Project Arts Centre located in Temple Bar is Ireland’s leading centre for the display and performance of contemporary art. It helps grow the next generation of performing and visual arts. Each year the venue hosts over 600 events including 6 exhibitions per year and co-producing 38 productions. Over 50 years young, the centre evolved from a festival in the Gate Theatre in November 1966 which gave impetus to the setting up of a venue on Lover Abbey Street in 1967. After a number of moves through the years, the...
The IFI has quite the cult following and simply a must visit for any film buffs. Supercool, this is where you go for more alternative and arthouse movies. Located in an 18th Century Quaker Meeting House the cosy and atmospheric cinema rooms transport you to a time when movies were to be immersed in and experienced, a far cry from the very commercial chain stores which by all means serve a purpose but are not what a lot of people really want. The IFI also supports Irish films and their...
Out in Dublin’s Temple Bar
Dublin's Temple Bar is an enigma! Set up originally as a cultural quarter in an effort to regenerate a run down part of town, it now is a mish mash of culture, cobbled streets, stag/ hen partys, beautiful buildings and (some) terrible pubs. Its definitely worth a visit and is a fun lively way to spend a few hours. However you need to understand what it is you are visiting. Firstly, you will find very few Irish people will socialise here (see our Dublin 2 guide). There are a...
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Space Coast Trip Ideas
There’s space for your next adventure on Florida's Space Coast. With 72 miles of beach to play on, miles upon miles of trails to explore, and out-of-this-world attractions to experience, we can promise you’ll never want to go home. Check out a few of our favorite trip ideas and suggestions to make the most of your next Space Coast getaway and launch into a vacation you’ll never forget!
Featured Trip Ideas
Culinary Surprises on the Space Coast
Eating is more fun on vacation Florida’s Space Coast is 72 miles of sun-soaked shoreline, America’s launch pad, and a foodie's dream come true. Tucked in strip malls, unassuming avenues...
Explore the Outdoors on Florida's Space Coast
It’s easy to distance yourself from crowds on the Space Coast, you’ve just got to know where to go. The Space Coast is unlike any other Florida destination. Where most...
Snooze'n'Cruise with your Family on the Space Coast
Launch into your cruise vacation when you stay on the Space Coast Cruising out of Port Canaveral on Florida’s Space Coast is an exciting experience for the whole family. With...
Uncrowded Beaches of the Space Coast
Find your space in the sun You want to go to the beach, but you also want to avoid the crowds. On the Space Coast, that’s an easy order. While...
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Cooling off when the Sun Goes Down on the Space Coast
Cool Down Before you Melt Down With sunny days followed by warm nights and hundreds...
Father's Day on the Space Coast
Celebrate Dad's Day the Space Coast Way The Space Coast is full of fun activities...
What to do in Cocoa Village
Not all who wander are lost Check out this Cocoa Village guide and wander with...
4 Great ways to enjoy Melbourne’s Eau Gallie Art District
Eau Gallie Arts District Preview The diversity of Florida’s Space Coast isn’t limited to space...
Vacation Planner for Florida’s Space Coast
The official Space Coast Vacation Planner Guide is now available. There are two ways to get yours:
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Romanza: Mama Blue Concert
Sunday, May 9, 2021 – 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Soulful singer Mama Blue will perform a special Mother's Day concert during Romanza Festivale of Music & the Arts.
St. Augustine Community Chorus Concert
Tuesday, May 11, 2021 – 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The St. Augustine Community Chorus will perform 'How Do We Keep From Singing?' as part of the Romanza Festivale of Music and the Arts.
Roscolusa Songwriters Festival
Saturday, April 24, 2021, 5:00 – 10:30 p.m.
Featuring Nashville singers and songwriters, Roscolusa is an annual outdoor festival in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Sail on Victory III
Dine on Greek food, enjoy music, and sail in the evening on Victory III to celebrate Greek Landing Day in St. Augustine!
Salute to Veterans and First Responders
Saturday, November 3, 2018, at 7 p.m. (Gates open at 4 p.m.)
Beach 105.5 presents a free concert honoring veterans and first responders, featuring David Ball and the Pellicer Creek Band.
Sara Bareilles
July 26, 2014 - 7:00pm
Come see Sara Bareilles on her Little Black Dress Tour at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre.
March 25, 2015 - 7:00pm
Sarah McLachlan performs songs from her latest album at the Amphitheatre stage in St. Augustine!
Sebastian Maniscalco: Nobody Does This Tour
Thursday and Friday, March 31, and April 1, 2022 | 7 p.m.
Funny man Sebastian Maniscalco will perform at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre for two nights this spring.
St. Ambrose Fall Fair
CANCELLED for 2021
St. Ambrose's Annual Fall Fair has been cancelled for 2020.
St. Anastasia Concert Series: Jacksonville University Symphony Orchestra
Sunday, May 2, 2021 | 6 p.m.
The Jacksonville University Symphony Orchestra will close out St. Anastasia Catholic Church's concert series May 2, 2021.
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Virginia's first Black woman lieutenant governor says we need to move on from slavery
VPM | By Ben Paviour
Steve Helber
Virginia's Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin, pictured on the campaign trail, speaks with now Lt. Gov.-elect Winsome Sears after a rally in Fredericksburg, Va., Oct. 30, 2021. Youngkin and Sears, both Republicans, won election on Nov. 2, and will be sworn into office Jan. 15, 2022.
On Saturday, Republican Winsome Sears will make history in Virginia by becoming the first Black woman to hold statewide office when she is sworn in as lieutenant governor alongside the governor-elect, Republican Glenn Youngkin.
Sears will preside over the state Senate and cast tie-breaking votes that could prove decisive on her political priorities, including restricting abortion and adding new charter schools. The Jamaican-born Republican frames her success as proof that the U.S. is progressing when it comes to race.
"I'm from another country, another culture," Sears says. "But here I am. I see racism as one more hurdle in life."
The 57-year-old doesn't fit easily into a box. In her campaign literature, Sears is a gun-toting Marine Corps veteran who will banish Critical Race Theory from Virginia's schools. Sears is also a philanthropist, a former director of a homeless shelter and a volunteer for a prison ministry. And she is a comeback story – someone who overcame a traumatic childhood, political setbacks and family tragedy to come within one heartbeat of the governor's mansion.
Sears plans to use her new power to address what she sees as pressing problems: a country that under-educates its children and over-taxes its citizens, as well as a state unwilling to move on from its dark past.
"Slavery happened, absolutely," Sears says. "And there are some vestiges of it. But how long are we going to go back there?"
A fiery response to a racial reckoning
It's an uncommon message for Black politicians in Richmond, the former capital of the Confederacy. Virginia has been shaped by centuries of racial trauma, from slavery to redlining. Democrats have been talking more about the lingering impact of those scars since racial justice protests rocked the country in 2020.
For supporters like Bishop E.W. Jackson, a former GOP candidate for lieutenant governor who is also Black, Sears embodies a firey Republican response to a racial reckoning that's gone too far – a response to the idea that the U.S. remains rooted in white supremacy.
"The people who traffic in that, and benefit from that, hate Winsome Sears because she's the antithesis of that and proves the thesis that America is a place of decency and fairness," Jackson says.
In her campaign, Sears ran as a pro-Trump underdog who lit up crowds with her speeches. Off-stage, she remained deeply religious, listening to worship music as she crisscrossed the state. Her name recognition – dimmed after two decades out of office – was propelled by the iconic photo of her holding her military-style rifle, taken at a gun range while on the trail.
Beautiful day ☀️ = Range day!
Marines know how to use guns and I won’t ever support a red flag law! The 2nd Amendment says “shall not be infringed!” #SemperFi
Always good to see my friends at Clark Brothers Guns. pic.twitter.com/nNXq4SjazT
— Winsome Sears (@WinsomeSears) April 15, 2021
Sears has spent the last two months training for her new role, watching footage of the state's current lieutenant governor, Democrat Justin Fairfax. Democrats hold a 21-19 advantage in the state Senate, meaning Sears, like Fairfax, could break ties when a Democrat breaks ranks.
The soon-to-be lieutenant governor's critics note she came to power on a ticket fueled by racial themes. Taking a cue from former President Donald Trump, Sears and Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin claimed that equity programs in schools – designed to address systemic racism – were pitting students against each other and painting an overly pessimistic portrait of U.S. history.
Ravi Perry, chair of Howard University's political science department, says Youngkin and Sears' rhetoric misrepresented the reality of Virginia classrooms, where he says the history of slavery is still undertaught.
"It gave them a chance to harp on an issue that really does not exist," Perry says. "The rhetoric is not only divisive and tiring and exhausting, it's also inaccurate."
That's not the only Trumpian talking point that Sears repeated on the campaign trail. "I guess dead people voted," she told members of the Fairfax GOP in February, winking at false claims of widespread election fraud. "We Republicans have never been able to get our dead folks to vote."
A bootstraps biography
Sears says she grew up around newspapers and dinner-table political chatter in Jamaica. At the age of 6, Sears moved to New York to follow after her father. Everything was unfamiliar – the smells, the cold, the deadbolts on her apartment door in the Bronx. Her family wasn't wealthy; she says her father arrived in the U.S. in 1963 with only $1.75 in his pocket.
"When I stepped off that plane at JFK, it was very traumatic because I stepped into a new world," Sears says.
But she thrived in her new home. Sears graduated high school early, joined the Marine Corps, got a master's degree, raised three children, served in Virginia's legislature and on the state Board of Education, and started her own business.
In 2001, she became the first Black Republican elected to Virginia's General Assembly since Reconstruction. She pulled off the win in a heavily Black and Democratic district in Hampton Roads against a longtime incumbent who was ensnared in scandal.
Gary C. Knapp / AP
In this photo from Nov. 2001, Winsome Sears, left, attends a student leadership forum at Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake, Va. Sears' victory against a Democratic incumbent in the House of Delegates that month stunned her opposition.
Sears' win shocked the political establishment. Backers like Republican state Sen. John Cosgrove says Sears showed up in public housing developments where residents had long been ignored. As a lawmaker, he says Sears was an independent-minded conservative who got along with everyone.
"She was never one to back down from a position that she had taken and nobody expected her to," Cosgrove says.
Sears' legislative record doesn't have the same blistering tone as her later campaign rhetoric. Many of the dozen or so bills she sponsored during her time in the legislature had bipartisan support, including a successful push to reform the state's medical board. She was one of two Republicans to vote against a GOP effort to raise taxes. When Sears announced her resignation after a single term, the editorial board of the Virginian-Pilot lamented the "loss of moderating voices" in the chamber.
A more divisive tone
Sears' next move – an unsuccessful 2004 campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives – tested that label. According to the Daily Press, Sears ran a TV ad claiming that her opponent, Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott, had voted against legislation that would make child pornography a crime. Scott noted that it was already a crime and said Sears was misconstruing his record. Sears also claimed Scott had "forced" Virginians to accept same-sex marriage because of his vote against a constitutional amendment that would ban the practice.
After her loss, Sears published a book, Stop Being a Christian Wimp, and opened a home appliance business. In 2011, she was appointed to the state Board of Education where she served as vice president. Sears defended the board's efforts to create different testing benchmarks in reading and math for students of different races, with lower standards for Black and Latino students compared to white ones. "We're starting with Black children where they are," Sears told NPR at the time.
Then, in 2012, Sears suffered a family tragedy. One of her daughters, as well as two grandchildren, were killed in a car accident. When she got the proverbial knock on the door, Sears says a Bible verse came to mind: "It was 'The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord,' " Sears recalls. "And then I collapsed."
Sears re-emerged on the political scene in 2018 when she staged a write-in campaign against Republican Corey Stewart, a U.S. Senate candidate who openly associated with white nationalists. In 2020, she chaired a group backing then-President Donald Trump called "Black Americans to Re-elect the President." When Sears considered a run for lieutenant governor, she called up Andrew Leppert, a Republican campaign operative who was working on Trump's unsuccessful attempts to challenge the results of the vote in Wisconsin. Leppert says he liked her odds.
"If you assess where Republicans and how Republicans were successful in 2020, it was veterans, minorities, or females, and Winsome Sears is all three of those things," says Leppert, who went on to become an early campaign manager.
It was a message Sears repeatedly made herself in the GOP nominating fight. Republicans hadn't won a statewide election in Virginia since 2009 and Sears offered a fresh face without compromising on conservative credentials.
Leppert took the now-famous photo of the lieutenant governor-elect holding her gun and peppered voting sites across Virginia with yard signs featuring the picture. "If you've seen one of those signs in person, one of them looks like three, and six looks like 15," Leppert says.
Sears' campaign ran into headwinds during the general election. The Hill reported that she said she would back hardline Texas-style abortion restrictions in Virginia, sparking an immediate outcry. Days later, she fired her campaign staff.
Cliff Owen / AP
Virginia Republican Lt. Gov.-elect Winsome Sears, then candidate, addresses the Virginia FREE Leadership Luncheon in McLean, Va., on Sept. 1, 2021.
The problems didn't appear to affect Sears' performance at the ballot box, where she won a slightly higher percentage of votes than either Youngkin or Attorney General-elect Jason Miyares.
Sears says she can help win over conservative Black voters and chafes at President Joe Biden's remarks during the 2020 campaign saying Black voters who favored Trump "ain't Black."
"How dare you tell me that?" Sears says.
But Lamont Bagby, a Democrat who chairs Virginia's Legislative Black Caucus, says it's still not clear what Sears' policies are or how they will help Black voters.
"Black folks aren't just voting for Democrats because they like the color blue. It's based upon the issues," he says.
Sears has been quiet on one key issue – she won't say whether she's vaccinated against COVID-19. But she says her main focus in office will be education by trying to add school vouchers and create charter schools. For Sears, education is the backbone of her optimism about the country's future.
"America is progressing," she says. "I'm proof." Sears has four years to make that case to Virginia voters.
Copyright 2022 VPM
Ben Paviour
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Topic: Education News
Life & Wellbeing
From the Classroom to Congress
Meet eight teachers running for office in 2018.
Jennifer Fink on July 27, 2018
Education, says Jeanie Smith, is “dramatically underrepresented in our legislature.”
That’s one reason why Smith, a seventh grade social studies teacher, is running for office.
She’s not alone, either. Across the country, teachers are stepping into the political ring. Some are distressed by the current state of politics in America. Some are sick of attacks on teachers by elected officials. And some are seizing the opportunity to advocate for students and families.
Meet eight teachers running for office in 2018:
1. Tom Niermann
26 years; high school social studies
U.S. Congress, 3rd Congressional District, Kansas
Why He’s Running
At one point, Niermann worked three jobs to pay the bills.
During the day, he taught American and world history to high school students. After school, he hauled furniture. Nights and weekends, he taught at a local community college.
“I don’t think I saw my oldest son awake during the week in his first year,” Niermann says. “Sunday was the only day that I wasn’t working anywhere.”
That experience resonates with the voters of Kansas’ 3rd congressional district. “People often say it’s so refreshing to have someone run for office who knows what it’s like for working families, people who are working as hard as they can, following the rules and still finding it really hard to make ends meet,” says Niermann, who is hoping to be the Democratic candidate to unseat Republican Kevin Yoder.
Despite a keen interest in politics, Niermann has never before run for public office. “The timing was never quite right,” he says. “But now we’ve got an incumbent who is vulnerable.” The current political climate also inspired his run. “I’ve always told my students that our freedoms come at a price, and that price is participation. If we don’t participate, we witness the slow erosion of our democracy,” Niermann says.
More than 1000 of Niermann’s former students have already volunteered to help with his campaign.
2. Carri Hicks
7 years; fourth grade teacher
Oklahoma State Senator, District 40
Why She’s Running
Teaching is a second (or third) career for Hicks. She spent the early part of her professional life working for nonprofit agencies, including the United Way, and transitioned to teaching at the beginning of Oklahoma’s current teacher shortage.
“We didn’t have enough certified professionals to fill our classrooms and I truly just wanted to help,” Hicks says. “I made the decision to go after my teaching credentials and can say that teaching has been the most rewarding and difficult career imaginable.”
During Hicks’ time in the classroom, public funding for education continued to decline. “We experienced a 28% budget cut over the course of the last 10 years,” Hicks says. “I’ve only ever taught in a classroom that was never fully funded.”
Like many Oklahoma educators, Hicks traveled to the state capital and regularly shared her concerns with state legislators over the last few years, but her input, she says, “fell on deaf ears.”
“One of our state senators called me a liar,” Hicks says. “That underlined the fact that our current lawmakers are not only out of touch with what’s actually happening in public education, but also unwilling to hear how out of touch they are.”
Hicks won the Democratic primary in late June, and will face Joe Howell, who defeated the District 40 Republican incumbent, in the general election on November 6.
3. Aimy Steele
16 years; elementary–high school Spanish teacher; elementary–high school principal
North Carolina House of Representatives, District 82
“It’s not okay to sit back and wait for Superman to save us,” says Steele, a teacher-turned-administrator who was inspired to step after the 2016 election.
“I spent years thinking, ‘If there was a teacher or principal at the decision-making table—someone who could really inform lawmakers about how proposed laws would really impact students and teachers – perhaps they would make different decisions.’” Steele says. Now, she’s taking action. She’s connecting with community members, studying the issues and hoping to use the advocacy skills she honed as a teacher and administrator to represent the interests and concerns of District 82 residents.
The only Democrat to run for her district’s House of Representative seat, Steele is running against incumbent Republican Linda Johnson, who currently serves as a chairman of the North Carolina House Education committee.
4. Christine Marsh
26 years; high school English
Arizona State Senator, 28th District
Arizona’s 2016 Teacher of the Year wants to be a voice for educators and students.
“I’ve seen the impact systematic cuts to education have had on teachers and students,” says Marsh, noting that Arizona currently ranks 49th in the nation for high school teacher pay and 50th for elementary teacher salaries. “We lose a lot of teachers because of that, including really good ones who leave the profession and go do something that’s more lucrative, so they can sustain a family.”
Marsh is running as a Democrat and hopes to unseat Republican incumbent Kate Brophy McGee. Republicans currently dominate the state Senate by two seats; Marsh hopes to change that equation. “I see an opportunity to flip the Senate, or at least create a tie,” she says.
5. Jeanie Smith
5 years; seventh grade social studies
Kentucky State Senator, 32nd District
“Teachers see the realities of our communities. We put food in backpacks to send home on weekends. I have students with parents in jail, students with parents working two jobs. And I realized we can do better,” says Smith, a teacher at Drakes Creek Middle School in Bowling Green. “We need lawmakers who understand the middle class and those striving for middle class. Who better to do that than a teacher?”
Though she’s not held office before, Smith has long been engaged politically. “I’ve written letters to my legislators, and I’ve lobbied them on various issues,” says Smith, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for Kentucky’s 32nd district.
As a teacher, Smith learned the value of storytelling and authentic engagement, and she believes those skills will translate well in the political arena.
“One of my greatest jobs over the next year is to listen to the people in my community,” Smith says. “I want to know what their hopes are and what they think we could do better right here in Warren County. And I want them to feel that their voice is heard.”
If elected, Smith vows to “listen to people with varying opinions, with expertise in relevant fields.” All too often, she says, legislators skip that step—and pass education laws, for instance, that fail to address on-the-ground realities.
“If you haven’t been in a classroom, you don’t understand the challenges,” Smith says. “We have to listen to experts.”
6. Mark Vancuren
30 years; high school biology
Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 74
The 2016 election of his colleague, J.J. Dossett, to the Oklahoma Senate “opened my eyes to the fact that classroom teachers could be viable candidates and have a positive impact in state government,” says Vancuren.
The long-time high school science teacher and coach (Vancuren has coached golf, track, basketball and baseball) was also moved to action by his “concern and frustration regarding the current state of Oklahoma politics, particularly as it pertains to education,” he says.
The Republican won the Republican primary in late June. Because there is no Democratic candidate in his district, Vancuren has already secured his seat in the Oklahoma State Legislature. He is the Representative-elect for District 74.
7. Cathy Myers
U.S. Congress, 1st Congressional District, Wisconsin
“Resisting and protesting are good things to do—and obviously an important step—but it’s not enough. We need teachers stepping up to protect public education,” Myers says.
The February 2017 confirmation of Betsy DeVos as United States Secretary of Education inspired Myers’ run for Congress. She’d been jolted into action before: after Wisconsin’s Act 10 stripped teachers of their collective bargaining rights and soured communications between district administrators and staff, Myers ran for the Janesville School Board.
“I ran on a platform of being a voice for teachers and restarting the communication between the administration, teachers and staff,” Myers says. “I was the top vote getter.”
Now, Myer’s goal is to win a congressional seat and an appointment to the Committee on Education and the Workforce. “I want to make sure that we stop the expansion of voucher programs in this country and stop the damaging effects of policies proposed and enacted by Betsy Devos,” says Myers, a Democrat who will face ironworker Randy Bryce in the August 14 primary election.
The winner will square off against a Republican contender in November.
8. Jack Reavis
24 years; high school history
“If you’re a single mother in northeastern Oklahoma, you shouldn’t have to take a full day off work and lose that day’s pay, just to take a sick child with an earache to a clinic,” says Reavis, noting that seven hospitals and many healthcare providers have vacated his part of the state within the last two years. “If we truly are pro-life—and I am pro-life, not just pro-birth—you need to support the programs that support life after a child is born, including public education and healthcare.”
A Democrat who lost a bid for Oklahoma state senate in 2016, Reavis won the District 14 Democratic primary in June, and will face a still-to-be-determined Republican challenger in November.
What teacher-turned-politicians do you have your eye on? Please let us know about other teachers running for office in the comments.
Posted by Jennifer Fink
Jennifer L.W. Fink is a freelance writer who specializes in education, health & parenting. She's also the founder of BuildingBoys.net.
All Posts Website
Jenny Marshall December 23, 2017 at 10:09 am
Jenny Marshall running for NC 5th Congress
http://www.marshallforhouse.org
Anthony Clark running for IL 7th Congress
http://Www.anthonyclark2018.com
Rob Jarvis December 23, 2017 at 2:21 pm
My name is Rob Jarvis (High School Govt. 4 years) and I am currently running for U.S. House in the Ohio (15th) district. A teaching friend of mine let me know about this amazing wave of teacher candidates in the hopes that I would be able to contact you. Here is a link to my campaign website. https://www.robjarvisforcongress.com
Gwen Combs December 23, 2017 at 9:59 pm
Congratulations to all who are running! I am also running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Arkansas’s Second Congressional District.
Daniel Roldán-Johnson December 25, 2017 at 3:00 am
Daniel Roldán-Johnson is also running in the Illinois 14th Congressional District. http://www.voteroldan.com
Elaine Berman December 27, 2017 at 2:08 pm
Meet one more educator running for office! Mariah Phillips, a high school teacher, is running for Congress to represent Tennessee’s 4th district. Mariah4congress.com. #haveyoumetmariah
Mike Maes December 28, 2017 at 10:38 am
https://www.bri4colorado.com/
Dustin Parsons December 28, 2017 at 11:44 am
I’m running for Arkansas House District 28. I teach 5th grade Science.
https://m.facebook.com/Parsonsforarkansas/
Heath Hamrick December 29, 2017 at 8:02 pm
Todd Allen, a lifelong teacher in Texas, is running for US Congress! He just got endorsed by the Dallas AFLCIO. Give him a look, he needs support! http://Www.toddallenforcongress.com
Margaret Shafer January 1, 2018 at 9:42 pm
https://briandetersforcongress.com/
Robyn Howton February 20, 2018 at 6:31 pm
Laura Sturgeon State Senate District 4 Delaware
Rachel Blumenfeld State Representative District 12 Delaware
10 Super-Innovative Teacher Ideas for Close Reading
18 Creative Ways to Dress Up Your Classroom Clock
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Severe Storms for Portions of the Northeast on Sunday
Record heat will give way to a brief cool down across the Northeast Sunday into Monday as a cold front quickly moves across the region. Enough heat and moisture will be available as the cold front moves through Sunday morning and afternoon to trigger a few strong thunderstorms, some of which could produce damaging wind gusts.
A marginal risk (category 1 out of 5) is in effect across the highlighted portions of the Northeast, indicating potential for isolated and short lived severe thunderstorms. Damaging outflow winds will be the primary concern, though isolated large hail or a brief tornado cannot be ruled out.
Timing for severe weather potential will mostly be in the early to mid afternoon hours, however, a stray severe storm is possible before noon in portions of Maine where the energy from the front will arrive first.
Expect areas from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania to see their best storm potential in the mid to late afternoon hours.
Some heavier showers are possible in thunderstorms that form, however, flooding is not expected to be more than an isolated urban issue. Temperatures will drop sharply behind the front on Monday for most of the Northeast before record heat potential returns during the mid-week.
Be sure to check this article again for additional updates or stay up-to-date with us by watching our broadcast and/or livestream.
Rob Bradley
Rob grew up in South Florida, where daily afternoon storms and hurricanes piqued his interest in meteorology early on. That interest was fostered by his teachers and his father, who one time brought him onto the roof of their home to watch a funnel cloud move through the Everglades several miles away. ... Load MoreYears of filmmaking and tv production in high school gradually pushed him toward broadcast meteorology at Florida State University, where he joined and eventually led the student run daily weather show. After graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Meteorology, he began his career at KESQ in Palm Springs, California before heading to KFSN in Fresno and WLOS in Asheville, North Carolina. He has covered a diverse array of extreme weather events, including haboobs and flash flooding in the desert, extreme snow in the Sierra, hurricanes, and Appalachian ice storms. He also enjoys telling stories and reporting about weather issues. Connect with Rob on Twitter
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Cloud Platform & Cognitive Solutions Co. IBM Reports 2021 Q2 Results
Improved Revenue Growth Led by Hybrid Cloud Platform Adoption, Consulting and Software
Second Quarter:
Revenue of $18.7 billion, up 3 percent (flat adjusting for divested businesses and currency)
— Cloud & Cognitive Software up 6 percent (up 2 percent adjusting for currency)
— Global Business Services up 12 percent (up 7 percent adjusting for currency)
Net cash from operating activities of $17.7 billion and adjusted free cash flow of $11.0 billion, over last 12 months
Total cloud revenue over last 12 months of $27.0 billion, up 15 percent (up 13 percent adjusting for divested businesses and currency)
Total cloud revenue in the quarter of $7.0 billion, up 13 percent (up 9 percent adjusting for divested businesses and currency) led by
— Cloud & Cognitive Software cloud revenue up 29 percent (up 25 percent adjusting for currency)
— Global Business Services cloud revenue up 35 percent (up 30 percent adjusting for currency)
Red Hat revenue up 20 percent (up 17 percent adjusting for currency), normalized for historical comparability
GAAP gross profit margin of 48.0 percent, flat; Operating (non-GAAP) gross profit margin of 49.3 percent, up 30 basis points
Debt reduced by $6.4 billion since year-end 2020
IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced second-quarter 2021 earnings results.
“In the second quarter client adoption of our hybrid cloud platform contributed to strong performance in Global Business Services and software and drove improved overall revenue growth. At the same time, we continued to help clients infuse our AI-based technology offerings into their core business workflows,” said Arvind Krishna, IBM chairman and chief executive officer. “We are pleased with our progress and we remain on track to deliver full-year revenue growth and meet our cash flow objective.”
“We expanded operating margins and grew profit dollars in the quarter, providing a key contribution to our cash performance,” said James Kavanaugh, IBM senior vice president and chief financial officer. “In the first half of the year we increased adjusted free cash flow, invested in strategic acquisitions to strengthen our hybrid cloud and AI capabilities, continued to deleverage and, consistent with our commitment, again increased our dividend.”
Cash Flow and Balance Sheet
In the second quarter, the company generated net cash from operating activities of $2.6 billion. IBM’s free cash flow was $1.0 billion, which includes $0.6 billion of cash impacts from the company’s structural actions initiated in the fourth quarter of 2020 and the transaction costs associated with the separation of Kyndryl. IBM’s adjusted free cash flow, excluding these cash impacts, was $1.6 billion. The company returned $1.5 billion to shareholders in dividends.
In the first six months of the year, the company generated net cash from operating activities of $7.5 billion. Free cash flow for the first six months was $2.6 billion. The company’s adjusted free cash flow, excluding cash impacts of $1.2 billion for the structural actions and transaction separation costs, was $3.8 billion.
Over the last 12 months, the company generated net cash from operating activities of $17.7 billion. IBM’s free cash flow for the last 12 months was $9.7 billion. The company’s adjusted free cash flow, excluding cash impacts of $1.3 billion for the structural actions and transaction separation costs, was $11.0 billion.
IBM ended the second quarter with $8.2 billion of cash on hand (includes marketable securities), down $6.1 billion from year-end 2020 due primarily to acquisitions and debt reduction payments. Debt, including Global Financing debt of $17.5 billion, totaled $55.2 billion, down $6.4 billion since the end of 2020, and down $17.9 billion since closing the Red Hat acquisition.
Segment Results for Second Quarter
Cloud & Cognitive Software (includes Cloud & Data Platforms, Cognitive Applications and Transaction Processing Platforms) —revenues of $6.1 billion, up 6.1 percent (up 2.5 percent adjusting for currency). Cloud & Data Platforms grew 12 percent (up 8 percent adjusting for currency), led by the company’s hybrid cloud platform and Cloud Pak growth. Cognitive Applications grew 12 percent (up 8 percent adjusting for currency), led by growth in Security and AI applications. Transaction Processing Platforms declined 7 percent (down 11 percent adjusting for currency). Cloud revenue up 29 percent (up 25 percent adjusting for currency).
Global Business Services (includes Consulting, Application Management and Global Process Services) — revenues of $4.3 billion, up 11.6 percent (up 7.3 percent adjusting for currency), with growth in Consulting, up 16 percent (up 11 percent adjusting for currency), Application Management up 5 percent (up 1 percent adjusting for currency) and Global Process Services up 28 percent (up 25 percent adjusting for currency). Cloud revenue up 35 percent (up 30 percent adjusting for currency). Gross profit margin declined 60 basis points.
Global Technology Services (includes Infrastructure & Cloud Services and Technology Support Services) — revenues of $6.3 billion, up 0.4 percent (down 4.1 percent adjusting for currency). Both Infrastructure & Cloud Services and Technology Support Services were flat (down 4 percent adjusting for currency). Cloud revenue down 1 percent (down 5 percent adjusting for currency). Gross profit margin up 110 basis points.
Systems (includes Systems Hardware and Operating Systems Software) — revenues of $1.7 billion, down 7.3 percent (down 10.2 percent adjusting for currency), driven by declines in IBM Z (down 11 percent; down 13 percent adjusting for currency) and Storage Systems (down 7 percent, down 10 percent adjusting for currency). Power systems declined 2 percent (down 5 percent adjusting for currency). Cloud revenue down 16 percent (down 19 percent adjusting for currency).
Global Financing (includes financing and used equipment sales) — revenues of $242 million, down 8.6 percent (down 11.6 percent adjusting for currency).
Year-To-Date 2021 Results
Revenues for the six-month period ended June 30, 2021 totaled $36.5 billion, an increase of 2 percent year to year (down 1 percent adjusting for divested businesses and currency) compared with $35.7 billion for the first six months of 2020. Net income was $2.3 billion, down 10 percent year to year. Diluted earnings per share was $2.52 compared with $2.83 per diluted share for the 2020 period, a decrease of 11 percent.
GAAP earnings per share results include a ($1.58) per-share impact for charges related to amortization of purchased intangible assets and other acquisition-related charges, retirement-related charges, U.S. tax reform enactment impacts, and transaction costs associated with the Kyndryl separation. The impact of the Kyndryl separation costs was ($0.20) per share.
Operating (non-GAAP) net income for the six months ended June 30, 2021 was $3.7 billion compared with $3.6 billion in the prior-year period, an increase of 3 percent. Operating (non-GAAP) diluted earnings per share from continuing operations was $4.10 compared with $4.02 per diluted share for the 2020 period, an increase of 2 percent.
Full-Year 2021 Expectations
The company expects to grow revenue for the full year 2021 based on mid-July 2021 foreign exchange rates. The company continues to expect adjusted free cash flow of $11 billion to $12 billion in 2021. Adjusted free cash flow expectations exclude approximately $3 billion of cash impacts from the company’s structural actions initiated in the fourth quarter of 2020 and the transaction costs associated with the separation of Kyndryl.
Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements
Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements contained in this release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on the company’s current assumptions regarding future business and financial performance. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, the following: a downturn in economic environment and client spending budgets; a failure of the company’s innovation initiatives; damage to the company’s reputation; risks from investing in growth opportunities; failure of the company’s intellectual property portfolio to prevent competitive offerings and the failure of the company to obtain necessary licenses; the possibility that the proposed separation of the managed infrastructure services unit of the company’s Global Technology Services segment will not be completed within the anticipated time period or at all, the possibility of disruption or unanticipated costs in connection with the proposed separation or the possibility that the separation will not achieve its intended benefits; the company’s ability to successfully manage acquisitions, alliances and dispositions, including integration challenges, failure to achieve objectives, the assumption of liabilities, and higher debt levels; fluctuations in financial results; impact of local legal, economic, political, health and other conditions; the company’s failure to meet growth and productivity objectives; ineffective internal controls; the company’s use of accounting estimates; impairment of the company’s goodwill or amortizable intangible assets; the company’s ability to attract and retain key employees and its reliance on critical skills; impacts of relationships with critical suppliers; product quality issues; impacts of business with government clients; reliance on third party distribution channels and ecosystems; cybersecurity and data privacy considerations; adverse effects from environmental matters, tax matters; legal proceedings and investigatory risks; the company’s pension plans; currency fluctuations and customer financing risks; impact of changes in market liquidity conditions and customer credit risk on receivables; risk factors related to IBM securities; and other risks, uncertainties and factors discussed in the company’s Form 10-Qs, Form 10-K and in the company’s other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or in materials incorporated therein by reference. Any forward-looking statement in this release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by law, the company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.
Presentation of Information in this Press Release
In an effort to provide investors with additional information regarding the company’s results as determined by generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the company has also disclosed in this press release the following non-GAAP information, which management believes provides useful information to investors:
IBM results —
adjusting for currency (i.e., at constant currency);
total revenue and cloud revenue adjusting for divested businesses and currency;
Red Hat revenue normalized for historical comparability;
presenting operating (non-GAAP) earnings per share amounts and related income statement items;
free cash flow;
adjusted free cash flow.
The rationale for management’s use of these non-GAAP measures is included in Exhibit 99.2 in the Form 8‑K that includes this press release and is being submitted today to the SEC.
IBM’s regular quarterly earnings conference call is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. EDT, today. The Webcast may be accessed via a link at https://www.ibm.com/investor/events/earnings-2q21. Presentation charts will be available shortly before the Webcast.
Financial Results Below (certain amounts may not add due to use of rounded numbers; percentages presented are calculated from the underlying whole-dollar amounts).
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13 of the Top News Podcasts – 2020 Edition
Let’s face it. In terms of breaking news, 2020 has been a whopper! From Brexit to Megxit, Coronavirus terror to impeachment woes – there has been no shortage of massive developments and breaking news stories from all around the world, and it’s only March! And as citizens of this crazy, amazing, but sometimes chaotic world, we want reliable news sources to keep us up-to-date with all the latest developments and in-the-know when those breaking news stories hit. But what we definitely don’t want are reports filled up with fake news! We also don’t want to have to sit through the copious repeats of segments on news channels, nor do we have the time to page (or swipe!) through news articles in news publications. No, what we need are reputable, news podcasts giving us access to all the latest stories and developments when and how we want them.
So to help you get exactly what you need, we’ve sifted through the contenders and selected only the best news-related podcasts to ensure that you’ll always be fully aware and well-informed of all that’s happening both nationally as well as globally, making sure that you’ll never be left in the dark or without a clue.
1. The Daily
Hosted by one of the most well-known and reputable news sources out there, The New York Times, The Daily podcast is fast-paced, reliable journalism at it’s finest. Host Michael Barbaro knows that time is money and ensures that all stories are brief and to the point, while still conveying the important details of all the biggest stories. A true journalist, Michael gives us all the information in a manner that everyone will understand. It’s a quick, punchy show, with each episode no longer than 20 minutes, but all the necessary research has been done to ensure that you stay up-to-date with all the tops stories covered by The New York Times.
2. PBS NewsHour
PBS NewsHour has been a popular place to get your fix of daily news for the past 40 years. They’re known for their comprehensive coverage of any news or events that might be happening all over the world. One of the standout points of this podcast is that they present stories without any political leaning. They report with empathy and consideration, and always with fairness and integrity. They avoid “fluff” and stick to good, old-fashioned, solid reporting. The weekday episodes are 60 minutes long, covering the day’s most important stories. On weekends they also have a 30-minute episode, ensuring that you always stay up to date with the latest news.
3. The Globalist
One of the longest-running news podcasts, The Globalist is also one of the most highly-respected and highly-trusted sources of global news. This show boasts hosts from all over the world, ensuring that you’ll always get a diverse perspective on global issues, as well as exposure to international stories you might not otherwise be aware of. As such, it should be no surprise that their main focus is giving their listeners all the important news from all around the world with diverse opinions, insights, and perspectives.
4. Time’s The Brief
Time Magazine’s podcast, The Brief, is a great way to catch up on the magazine’s excellent articles on the go. Read by professional voice artists, the narration of each episode is of a really high standard, as well as being rather soothing, making this show a wonderful accompaniment for your commute. You’ll get the gist of the world’s top stories from a variety of fields, as there is no heavy focus on one particular topic. The articles are well-researched and exceptionally-written – this is Time Magazine after all – and you’ll feel well-equipped to discuss the poignant issues with colleagues and friends. This podcast is a really great way to get thorough knowledge of some of the world’s most pressing issues with a show that is a pleasure to listen to.
5. Today, Explained
Brought to us by Vox Media Podcast Network, Today, Explained does just as its name suggests, explains the biggest stories and hottest developments at the end of every weekday. The reporting is stellar, the insights are always on point, and the show has a way of explaining heavy, complicated matters in a way that everyone can understand. The content is easily digested, with just the right amount of humor thrown in the mix, and the variety of guests always adds depth and dynamics to the discussion at hand. It’s a really great way to debrief and process all that takes place around the world in a day.
6. Up First
Covering the three biggest stories of the day, NPR’s Up First is just what you need to start the day off right. Rachel Martin, David Greene, and Steve Inskeep are the charming weekday hosts, and the new additions of Lulu Garcia-Navarro and Scott Simon will keep you informed and entertained every Saturday. With their episodes being only between 10 to 15 minutes, it’s easy to listen to them while you’re getting ready for the day, and with its unbiased reporting on stories ranging from politics to pop culture, you’ll quickly find this show becoming a part of your morning routine.
7. Skimm This
Skimm This is the perfect news podcast for those of us who want to be in the know, but have very limited time to do it in. At 5 PM every Monday through Friday, you’ll get all you need to know about everything that has taken place throughout the world, but you’ll also be given the reasons why they matter. The show is upbeat, informative, and gives a really thorough overview of the biggest stories in a really well-written , bite-sized piece of audio. This show is a must for a quick news fix!
8. CBS Evening News
If you’re looking for a news podcast to enjoy while driving home or cooking dinner, then tune in to CBS Evening News. Tune in and listen up to top-notch reporting, giving you an overview of all the big stories at the end of the day. Hosted by Norah O’Donnell, this podcast is a great way to find out what’s happening both nationally and as well as in the world at large. The reports are well-rounded and well-researched, making this an easy listen and a great way to catch up on all the top stories.
9. BBC Global News Podcast
For some stand-out news reporting from across the pond, look no further than BBC Global News Podcast. This podcast is fast-paced, always relevant, and always engaging, and in 30 minutes, twice on weekdays and once on the weekend, you’ll get succinct coverage of all the latest stories to keep you in the loop. They have been able to capture the crux of all the biggest stories but convey the information in a manner that is upbeat, and occasionally, a little bit cheeky. If you like your news with a little British flare and a spot of English charm, this show should definitely be the one you turn to.
10. NPR News Now
NPR News Now is the definition of a quick news update, perfect for those who like their news in little bite-size chunks. This show shares the most important news with you in a very brief 5 minutes, but with a new episode launching every hour of every day, making sure that you never fall behind on developing stories or breaking news. This podcast will work perfectly with your schedule; it’s there when you need it and just short enough for you to get your news-focused fix during your coffee break or between tasks. This show will help make sure that you’re always up to date and always in the know, quicker than the time it takes to brew your favorite beverage.
11. Morning Joe
Spend your morning getting informed with Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, and Willie Geist on Morning Joe. Every morning, these three journalists come together to give you the latest stories and political conversations. All of their episodes are between 30 to 60 minutes and are filled with a thorough analysis of the daily news and diverse opinions and insight into the day’s top stories. There are also plenty of great interviews with prominent politicians, newsmakers and world shakers. It will always ensure an informative start to the day.
12. NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt
NBC Nightly News is a great source of information, and the perfect way to consume your evening news. In each 20 minute episode, host Lester Holt analyzes both national and international events taking place in the day. In his capacity of news reporter, Lester Holt aims to tell all sides to every story and always tries to remain unbiased in his analysis of both local and international events, making him, in the eyes of many, a reliable, dependable source of news and information.
13. The Takeaway
Last but not least, we have The Takeaway. This show serves as a great companion podcast to most of the shows mentioned on this list. Each episode is filled with in-depth conversations covering all the latest events, and exploring these in greater detail. Host Tanzina Vega is not afraid of controversial topics, but strives to discuss these in a calm and respectful manner. The segments include live reports from out in the field and even segments where the listeners are able to participate in the discussion at hand. Covering local, national, and international news, The Takeaway will ensure that you are always well-informed and understand the intricate details of all that is happening in the world around you.
Whether you are an avid consumer of the news or avoid it like the Coronavirus for all of it’s negativity, that choice remains yours. However, if you are looking for reliable news sources, free from fake news but filled with up-to-the-minute info and insights, then these podcasts are just what you are looking for. They are a truly great way to be socially aware and in the know about all that’s going on, both nationally as well as globally. All of these shows bring the truth, in-depth analyses, and help us process and digest all that’s going on in this world around us. Backed by highly-skilled journalists, diverse perspectives and (mostly) unbiased viewpoints, they are the perfect source for bringing us some of the biggest stories of our time. They’re just what you need to keep abreast of all the developments and breaking news taking place across our crazy globe.
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Chemical and Materials Industry
All the metals we mine each year, in one visualization
An employee for a mining company works in a metal workshop.
Image: REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
This article is published in collaboration with Visual Capitalist
Govind Bhutada Author, Visual Capitalist
In 2019, billions of tonnes of metal were mined.
Some of the most essential metals make up this large number, including iron, aluminium and copper.
The world's population is growing, therefore, the need for materials will also grow.
This image shows all the metals that were mined on the planet in 2019.
Image: British Geological Survey
Metals are all around us, from our phones and cars to our homes and office buildings.
While we often overlook the presence of these raw materials, they are an essential part of the modern economy. But obtaining these materials can be a complex process that involves mining, refining, and then converting them into usable forms.
So, how much metal gets mined in a year?
Metals vs ores
Before digging into the numbers, it’s important that we distinguish between ores and metals.
Ores are naturally occurring rocks that contain metals and metal compounds. Metals are the valuable parts of ores that can be extracted by separating and removing the waste rock. As a result, ore production is typically much higher than the actual metal content of the ore. For example, miners produced 347 million tonnes of bauxite ore in 2019, but the actual aluminum metal content extracted from that was only 62.9 million tonnes.
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Here are all the metals and metal ores mined in 2019, according to the British Geological Survey:
Iron ore is mined more than any other metal.
Image: Visual Capitalist
Miners produced roughly three billion tonnes of iron ore in 2019, representing close to 94% of all mined metals. The primary use of all this iron is to make steel. In fact, 98% of iron ore goes into steelmaking, with the rest fulfilling various other applications.
Industrial and technology metals made up the other 6% of all mined metals in 2019. How do they break down?
From construction and agriculture to manufacturing and transportation, virtually every industry harnesses the properties of metals in different ways.
Here are the industrial metals we mined in 2019.
Virtually every industry harnesses the properties of metals in different ways.
Beryllium makes up just 0.0001% of the mined industrial metals.
It’s no surprise that aluminum is the most-produced industrial metal. The lightweight metal is one of the most commonly used materials in the world, with uses ranging from making foils and beer kegs to buildings and aircraft parts.
Manganese and chromium rank second and third respectively in terms of metal mined, and are important ingredients in steelmaking. Manganese helps convert iron ore into steel, and chromium hardens and toughens steel. Furthermore, manganese is a critical ingredient of lithium-manganese-cobalt-oxide (NMC) batteries for electric vehicles.
Although copper production is around one-third that of aluminum, copper has a key role in making modern life possible. The red metal is found in virtually every wire, motor, and electrical appliance in our homes and offices. It’s also critical for various renewable energy technologies and electric vehicles.
Technology and precious metals
Technology is only as good as the materials that make it.
Technology metals can be classified as relatively rare metals commonly used in technology and devices. While miners produce some tech and precious metals in large quantities, others are relatively scarce.
Rare metals commonly used in technology and devices.
Despite being so well known, gold makes up just 0.3% of the rare metals mined.
What is the World Economic Forum doing around the issue of deep-sea mining?
Minerals critical to the clean energy transition have been found in the deep ocean floor. These include cobalt, lithium, copper, nickel, manganese and zinc that are used in batteries for electric vehicle and portable electronics, electronic appliances, energy generation and many other aspects of our daily lives.
Deep-sea mining could offer lower financial cost and a lighter carbon footprint than conventional terrestrial sources of these minerals; it also has the potential to significantly harm one of the last natural wildernesses on our plant. In this relatively young sector, scientific knowledge is still being built on the potential impact of the industry, and the effectiveness of the proposed management methods. As the date for decisions on permitting deep-sea mining contracts gets closer, a fierce debate is emerging on if and how mining should take place. The need for a platform to host a balanced exchange on the issue has become evident.
The World Economic Forum’s Platform for Shaping the Future of Global Public Goods has the Deep-Sea Mining Dialogue, an impartial platform that allows different stakeholders to share their knowledge and perspective on the topic and participate in an evidence-based discourse. The Dialogue invites companies in the metal value chain, manufacturers that use metals, environmental groups, institutes and scientists across different disciplines to come together in a constructive, collaborative and open exchange.
The Dialogue helps inform downstream businesses that use metals in their products about the implications of this potential new source of minerals. The World Economic Forum will be gathering available data and analysis and highlighting critical gaps of existing knowledge to establish a fact-base. Through establishing a framework on responsible metal sourcing, the Dialogue reframes the heated debate on deep-sea mining as a collaborative exploration for a shared vision for the future. The aim is to reach an informed and consensual agreement on the most responsible path forward.
Tin was the most-mined tech metal in 2019, and according to the International Tin Association, nearly half of it went into soldering.
It’s also interesting to see the prevalence of battery and energy metals. Lithium, cobalt, vanadium, and molybdenum are all critical for various energy technologies, including lithium-ion batteries, wind farms, and energy storage technologies. Additionally, miners also extracted 220,000 tonnes of rare earth elements, of which 60% came from China.
Given their rarity, it’s not surprising that gold, silver, and platinum group metals (PGMs) were the least-mined materials in this category. Collectively, these metals represent just 2.3% of the tech and precious metals mined in 2019.
A material world
Although humans mine and use massive quantities of metals every year, it’s important to put these figures into perspective.
According to Circle Economy, the world consumes 100.6 billion tonnes of materials annually. Of this total, 3.2 billion tonnes of metals produced in 2019 would account for just 3% of our overall material consumption. In fact, the world’s annual production of cement alone is around 4.1 billion tonnes, dwarfing total metal production.
The world’s appetite for materials is growing with its population. As resource-intensive megatrends such as urbanization and electrification pick up the pace, our material pie will only get larger.
Govind Bhutada, Author, Visual Capitalist
This article is published in collaboration with Visual Capitalist.
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Billions of tonnes of metal were mined in 2019 - but which were the most mined?
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Albert Folch · The Conversation 19 May 2021
Scientists have developed truly biodegradable plastics
Olivia Rosane · EcoWatch 28 Apr 2021
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U.S. Workplace Safety Rules Missing In The Pandemic
Hundreds of workers tested positive for COVID-19 at a Smithfield Foods hog-processing plant in Sioux Falls, S.D.
As more businesses start to reopen and people go back to work, some companies are looking for advice on how to keep employees safe from the coronavirus.
So far, the federal government hasn't been much help.
"It's the Wild West out there," said Geoff Freeman, president of the Consumer Brands Association, which represents grocery manufacturers. "The federal government, particularly CDC and OSHA, is failing to provide the clear and specific guidance necessary to encourage relatively consistent adoption across the country."
Freeman complains the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration — the federal workplace safety agency — offered little direction about protective gear or what to do when a worker tests positive for COVID-19. That left essential businesses that kept operating during the pandemic to figure it out for themselves.
"Industry has provided that direction," Freeman said. "But it remains disappointing to us that we're not seeing that same level of clarity and direction across the board from government."
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce sent a letter this week to President Trump and state and local leaders around the country urging them to harmonize workplace safety standards so employers don't have to deal with a patchwork of different measures. At the same time, the chamber argued safety standards should be advisory and not mandatory.
"Businesses want to do this right," said Neil Bradley, the chamber's chief policy officer. "They absolutely want to figure out how they can bring their employees back safely. But a regulatory approach that is more rules-based and less flexible just won't allow them to do that."
The CDC has offered general guidelines for workplace safety — encouraging workers to stay six feet away from each other, for example, and to wash their hands frequently.
But the Trump administration, which is typically allergic to regulation, has resisted writing rules to make those recommendations enforceable.
Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., who chairs the House Committee on Education and Labor, has introduced legislation that would require OSHA to mandate what the CDC suggests.
"You don't need politicians guessing as to what they need or businesses themselves guessing. You need the expertise of OSHA to tell them what to do to protect the workers. And it's not taking place," Scott said.
Last weekend, the CDC and OSHA did issue more detailed guidelines for meatpacking plants, which typically employ hundreds of workers in close quarters and which have proven to be a breeding ground for coronavirus infections. The guidelines echoed advice the CDC gave to Smithfield Foods after touring the company's hog-processing plant in South Dakota, where hundreds of workers tested positive for COVID-19.
The government recommended Smithfield space workers out, install more portable bathrooms, and structure bonuses in a way that wouldn't discourage employees from calling in sick. The CDC stressed, however, this advice came with no regulatory hammer to back it up.
"The recommendations in this memorandum are steps that Smithfield Foods may want to consider," the agency wrote in a memo. "These recommendations are discretionary and not required or mandated by CDC."
Deborah Berkowitz, who directs the worker safety program at the National Employment Law Project, says employees deserve stronger protection.
"I was at OSHA for six years," Berkowitz said. "Some companies do it right. But many companies need to know that if they don't do something right, there may be a penalty or there may be a citation. And that is the incentive that they need."
In a pandemic, she stressed, the lack of regulation has consequences beyond the workplace.
"In this situation, protecting workers is more than just protecting an individual worker," Berkowitz said. "It's protecting the public."
More than a dozen meatpacking plants were shut down after coronavirus outbreaks. But this week, under pressure from the packing companies, the president ordered plants to stay open — to avoid disrupting the nation's food supply.
"They're putting in laws to protect the employer. They're not enacting laws to protect the worker," said Kim Cordova, president of United Food and Commercial Workers union Local 7. She represents workers at a Colorado meatpacking plant where six people died.
"These workers only signed up to process meat," Cordova said. "They didn't sign up to lose their life over this job."
NPR NewsAll Things Considered
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Twitter Attack Underscores Broad Cyber Risks Still Facing U.S. Elections
By Philip Ewing
President Barack Obama's Twitter page was hacked on Wednesday as part of a widespread cryptocurrency scam.
The brazen security compromise at Twitter this week underscored the broad and lingering vulnerabilities of U.S. elections to sophisticated cyberattacks.
A number of accounts of political, technology and business figures were captured apparently from within Twitter's own systems — as opposed to via individual attacks against the end users — and the social network's response included silencing nearly all of its highest-profile users for a time.
The incident delivered a reminder about how much the U.S. information environment depends on one service in Twitter, how disruptions to it can cascade into the broader world, and how many targets an adversary has from which to choose in order to cause disruption.
"We're lucky this didn't happen election night," tweeted Laura Rosenberger, the director of the Alliance for Securing Democracy, after the attack was over.
In all seriousness though, this attack shows just how vulnerable our infrastructure is to attack - regardless of motive. We’re lucky this didn’t happen election night. But remains to be seen if any info was compromised as part of this. https://t.co/1ppM4jPyaQ
— Laura Rosenberger (@rosenbergerlm) July 16, 2020
"I hope it was a one-time incident," said Lawrence Norden, director of the election reform program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School. "There are plenty of nightmare scenarios you can spin out."
In Wednesday's attack, the attackers posted messages asking for transfers of the electronic cryptocurrency Bitcoin. It quickly became obvious that the big accounts had been compromised, and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey — whose account also was seized for a time — said administrators " were working to make this right."
As they were doing so, Twitter froze many of the accounts of its most prominent users, ones ostensibly "verified" to confirm that the person or organization using it is truly what it claims.
Such verified users include President Trump, Vice President Pence, members of Congress, political candidates, heads of Cabinet departments, local governments, celebrities and journalists.
In the past, foreign attackers have used Twitter from the outside in and the bottom up, creating fake accounts to pose as Americans to spread disinformation and aggravate discord.
In one case, a number of accounts linked to Russian influence-mongers existed for years and posted what appeared to be normal local news headlines.
That kind of activity remains in effect across social media. Twitter, Facebook and Google report regularly on their efforts to expunge, report or "down-rank" material following years of pressure from national security officials and Congress.
What this week's compromise confirmed was that the social networks also are vulnerable to attacks from within that could compromise many accounts, with implications for the U.S. information environment in the remaining months of the presidential campaign.
Norden also observed that the Twitter incident shows how much of the services and systems that Americans depend on aren't government-controlled or necessarily government-secured.
"There are lots of private companies that work in our elections making voting machines and companies that build and maintain voting registration databases — they're not the primary people or organizations that we think about when we think about elections but they're critical to elections — and they're outside of the government," he said.
In 2016, Russian operatives attacked a Florida company, VR Systems, that provides state and local governments with voter registration systems. That attack may have been linked to Russian efforts to gain access to county voting systems in Florida, as documented by former special counsel Robert Mueller.
Like governments, however, such organizations must deal not only with external enemies but also with what U.S. officials call the "insider threat." According to some reports, a Twitter employee may have had a hand in this week's disruptions.
Demand for answers
Many of the details aren't yet clear. The FBI is investigating the Twitter cyberattack, it said. Members of Congress want answers, too.
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, asked Dorsey for a briefing soon and observed how much the Twitter attack had exposed a single point of weakness in the U.S. information ecosystem.
Comer also said he wants to know whether user information might have been stolen.
"The specifics of the attack remain unclear — at least to the public," he wrote in a letter.
"One area of concern is whether the perpetrators gained access to individual users' accounts or Twitter's entire interface. Twitter's failure not only created an opportunity for criminals to perpetrate a crime broadcasted to millions of Twitter's users, but the hackers' potential breach of Twitter's security poses broader risks regarding hackers' access to private direct messages."
The company says it's investigating what else the attackers might have done or taken as part of the cyberattack.
The presidential issue
Comer's letter mentioned Twitter's best known political user, Trump, but one important subplot to the main story is that the president's account apparently did not come under the control of the attackers in the Bitcoin scam.
That suggests that either thanks to special attention from Twitter, the U.S. Secret Service or both, there are additional safeguards protecting Trump's account to avoid either simple embarrassment to the president or some more serious implication. Then again, attackers may simply have not gone after it.
Those details are unclear, too.
Not much imagination is needed to picture the kind of disruption that could be caused by the compromise of Trump's account or those of other important government officials — Defense Secretary Mark Esper, for example, or an account used by the CIA or one of the military services.
In 1984, an NPR radio engineer in the pool of correspondents covering President Ronald Reagan asked him to test his microphone. The president obliged and made a joke parodying the prepared statement he planned to read, one in which he announced an attack on the Soviet Union: "We begin bombing in five minutes."
Americans didn't hear Reagan's words live, but an incident like that involving a social media account used by Trump or another top leader could lead to a flash of uncertainty.
Although it might not take very long for outside observers to catch on that something was amiss, the prospect for compromise and disruption in the critical few hours before an event, such as a debate or Election Day itself, always has been a possibility about a social media compromise.
Norden described the prospect of a big county's election supervisor's Twitter account spreading false information about voting hours or polling places or the coronavirus: "That's very concerning," he said.
Blueprint for disruption
What's also possible, now that the precedent has been set, is for an attacker simply to try to get Twitter to again deactivate all the accounts of its verified users or more. What many foreign adversaries want out of election interference is simple chaos and a corrosion of faith in democratic institutions, national security officials say.
The Department of Homeland Security, led by its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, has focused much of its attention on helping to guard voting machines, registration systems, vendors' networks and other potential targets ahead of Election Day this year.
But as other critics said, including the liberal group Common Cause, the loss of Twitter access not only meant that politicians couldn't talk directly to voters. It also meant that many official entities or organizations lost that channel with their audiences too, which was and could again be disruptive.
"[The] hack occurred in an age when the current president conducts official business on his Twitter account," said Karen Hobert Flynn, president of Common Cause.
"Federal agencies such as the Census Bureau and the Center for Disease Control also share news and information through social media. It is time for real government oversight and for meaningful legislation to safeguard these important yet extremely vulnerable platforms."
Philip Ewing
Philip Ewing is an election security editor with NPR's Washington Desk. He helps oversee coverage of election security, voting, disinformation, active measures and other issues. Ewing joined the Washington Desk from his previous role as NPR's national security editor, in which he helped direct coverage of the military, intelligence community, counterterrorism, veterans and more. He came to NPR in 2015 from Politico, where he was a Pentagon correspondent and defense editor. Previously, he served as managing editor of Military.com, and before that he covered the U.S. Navy for the Military Times newspapers.
See stories by Philip Ewing
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You are here: Home / Indy / Latest News - Indy / iMPACT Wrestling Ratings (10/6): Lowest of 2011
iMPACT Wrestling Ratings (10/6): Lowest of 2011
Posted on October 7, 2011 by Joe Vincent
Source: TNAStars.com
The final cable rating and viewership estimates for last night’s episode of iMPACT Wrestling on Spike TV are now available. The numbers show that last night’s show was hit very hard by its cable competition – scoring the lowest rating and viewership numbers for all of 2011. Last night’s episode of the show scored a final cable rating of 1.01 which represented about 1,376,000 viewers over the course of the show’s two hours.
Last night’s final rating is 0.13 of a point lower and approximately 114,000 less viewers than last week’s episode, which scored a final cable rating of 1.14 with an average audience of 1,490,000 viewers.
When we know more about how last night’s show scored during the first and second hours, we’ll report it right here – so check back on Monday! Last night’s episode of iMPACT Wrestling on Spike TV had more total viewers than prime time and late night programming on other cable channels with a national audience including FX, Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, the Food Network, Versus, TBS, E!, Discovery, Tru TV, A&E, and HGTV – among others.
It is also worth noting that the show’s total viewership is hard to estimate. This is because DVR+3 figures (the amount of people who watch the show on their DVR within three days of recording it) usually adds about 200,000 more viewers in addition to the viewership number reported above. Plus, Spike.com uploads each full episode of iMPACT Wrestling to its website for free online streaming for a three month period. The online streaming versions of the show typically generate about 20,000 views before they are taken down (some episodes have many more viewers, others have less). However, there is no way to know whether or not DVR or online viewers are part of the original viewership estimate, so these figures are rarely reported by wrestling websites (but they’re still good to know!).
If you’re interested in iMPACT Wrestling’s ratings performance for 2010 and 2011, then check out TNAStars.com’s Ratings War area. In the Ratings War area you can see a comparison of iMPACT Wrestling vs. Monday Night RAW from the spring of 2010 and iMPACT Wrestling vs. Superstars from all of 2010 and the first part of 2011. Also, you can see a comparison of iMPACT Wrestling’s viewership numbers from week-to-week in 2011. Enjoy!
Tagged With: IMPACT Wrestling, Viewership
Joe Vincent says
Hey folks – I just wanted to add a small portion of commentary on this ratings report story. First, last night’s American League Divisional Series on TBS brought in 9,720,000 viewers. That’s a HUGE audience to draw on cable! In fact, that’s such a large audience that – when combined with the second highest rated cable show last night (MTV’s Jersey Shore with 6,599,000 viewers) – every other regular, episodic show on cable television had considerably lower ratings and viewership last night.
In fact, for iMPACT Wrestling to hold on to an average of 1,376,000 throughout the night is pretty good. Is it impressive, per se? Hmmm… I’d have to do more analysis on the other shows that were on cable last night and how they fared in the ratings. Yet, it is certainly a good showing for iMPACT Wrestling – regardless of what the anti-TNA hate sites and smarks say.
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Death penalty off the table for man charged in killing Mount Wolf woman
Edia “Richie” Lawrence, 20, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with first- and second-degree murder and related offenses in the killing of Ahshantianna Johnson, 19, of Mount Wolf.
Dylan Segelbaum
The York County District Attorney’s Office is no longer seeking the death penalty against a man who’s accused of luring and fatally beating his on-again, off-again girlfriend outside her home in Mount Wolf.
In court documents filed on July 12, then-First Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Russell wrote that Edia “Richie” Lawrence had provided information related to “mitigating factors in this case matter.” Prosecutors reviewed it and then decided to withdraw their intention to seek the death penalty.
Lawrence, 20, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with first- and second- degree murder and related offenses in the killing of Ahshantianna Johnson, 19, who died from her injuries on March 30, 2017. She was a full-time cosmetology student and a 2015 graduate of Northeastern High School.
RELATED:Mount Wolf woman mourned and remembered for 'her love, her smile, her laugh'
On March 25, 2017, Lawrence and two other men who were wearing masks and armed with weapons including baseball bats broke into her home on South Second Street at about 2:15 a.m., Northeastern Regional police said.
Next, Lawrence coerced Johnson's mother into calling and telling her daughter to come home, police said.
Johnson was beaten outside.
Lawrence, police said, was the leader of a drug ring in York County. Law enforcement has said Johnson was working with him in some capacity.
No one else has been charged in the killing.
READ:York County judge throws out death sentence against double-murderer due to jury error
Paul Hirsch, Lawrence’s attorney, said he provided information to prosecutors, who then apparently agreed that the death penalty wasn’t appropriate in the case.
Kyle King, a spokesman for the York County District Attorney’s Office, said it would not be commenting beyond what's in court documents.
Lawrence is set to go to trial on Sept. 9 and, if convicted of first- or second-degree murder, faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. He’s being held without bail in York County Prison.
ALSO OF INTEREST:Missing word helps lead to new trial for man on death row in 1998 double-murder in York
Contact Dylan Segelbaum at 717-771-2102.
Check out this photo gallery of York County's most wanted: (The photos and information published are provided by the York County Sheriff's Office. To report information on any ofthese individuals, call York County Crime Stoppers at 717-755-TIPS.)
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ZOË LINTZERIS
select works + projects
arts in health
The Maskyoulinity Project
solo exhibition at 56 Ludlow , New York [2019]
What makes someone a man or masculine? Throughout all cultures, men have been presented as warriors, intellectuals, and geographical guardians — powerful and prestigious, pointing fingers, grasping weaponry, making fists and standing on soapboxes. In light of #MeToo and the angry, patriarchal rhetoric resonating in the United States as well as the rest of the world, it is important to view another side of the masculine equation — an intimate take on what lies underneath this concept of masculinity.
This portrait series was a reflective exploration into the minds of those that identify as masculine and what it means to them. These people show their hands as is — with scars, tattoos, jewelry, and other markings that lend themselves to a complex, unique narrative which only they know. The portraits worked in tandem with raw, unfiltered words scrolling alongside them, offering insight into the lives of these documented few that would otherwise go unnoticed or unknown.
The Heartbroke Project
solo exhibition at PWRPLNT, Brooklyn [2018]
An exhibition diving into the world of love, loss, and emotional resistance, this photo series was born out of back-to-back events experienced by Zoë in early 2018. It grew into a personal documentation of how people experience and work through heartbreak.
The monochrome portraits on view showcased a microcosm of faces that experienced distress from love. Whether the heartache stemmed from familial, platonic, work-related, or romantic loss is inconsequential — the focusas w solely on uncovering the depths of the psyche and human emotions in handling love and loss. When exhibited, audio snippets of conversations discussing heartbreak’s aftereffects played throughout the space, and various melodies — at times mimicking a heartbeat — resulted in a multi-sensory experience.
Eleven statements were heard over the exhibition’s duration and are taken verbatim from recorded conversations had with Zoë about heartbreak. These snippets were re-recorded using her voice to provide a privacy shield for those disclosing their stories. (It is easy to assume something about a person when they are heard as well as seen; however, if they are only heard in a monotonous tone, it is harder to pair with an image and harder to stereotype.)
Living in a society that seems to be increasingly divisive and judgmental, The Heartbroke Project served to challenge stereotypes and acted as a platform for recognizing that regardless of the color, creed, gender, or sexual orientation of a person, humans are invariably complex and unified by several emotions certain to be experienced in a lifetime, including — no matter the cause — a broken heart.
The Ladies Project
solo exhibition at Evergreen Studios, Brooklyn [2017]
Over a period of eight months, 13 women took part in a project aimed to transport women to a state that was only present in their imaginations. Asked to dress up as their dream personae, they traveled to a makeshift studio with props, and styled themselves to temporarily take on a figure they always wanted to be. From Joan of Arc to Maya Angelou, to journalists and just being themselves, these women connected to emotions and feelings that had only existed in their minds before -- turning them into a brief reality.
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Fleeing Global Warming? ‘Climate Havens’ Aren’t Ready Yet
Kate Yoder
Climate migration is already underway. Here's how cities can prepare.
Photograph: Alena Mozhjer/Getty Images
This story originally appeared on Grist and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration.
Forget the palm trees and warm ocean breeze. The upper Midwest could soon be the most sought-after living destination in the United States.
The curb appeal of the Great Lakes region is that it appears to be a relatively safe place to ride out the wild weather of the future. It’s far from the storm-battered Eastern seaboard and buffered from the West’s wildfires and drought, with some of the largest sources of fresh water in the world. The Great Lakes help temper the bitter winds of winter and cool the muggy summer. And rising temperatures are beginning to take some of the bite off that winter weather: Michigan, in fact, is turning into wine country, with vineyards growing warm-weather grapes like pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon.
Long-simmering speculations about where to hide from climate change picked up in February 2019 when the mayor of Buffalo, New York, declared that the city on Lake Erie’s eastern edge would one day become a “climate refuge.” Two months later, a New York Times article made the case that Duluth, Minnesota, on the western corner of Lake Superior, could be an attractive new home for Texans and Floridians looking to escape blistering temperatures.
“In this century, climate migration will be larger, and is already by some measures larger, than political or economic migration,” Parag Khanna, a global strategy advisor, told me over the phone. His recent book, Move: The Forces Uprooting Us, analyzes where people are relocating to and how the “map of humanity” will shift in the coming decades, with an eye toward climate change, politics, jobs, and technology. Khanna is particularly bullish on Michigan. When I mentioned I grew up in northern Indiana a couple of miles south of the Michigan border, he said, “Go back and buy property now. At least, that’s the way some people are interpreting it.”
There’s a big market for mapping out where people will live in a hotter climate, with the consensus landing mostly on northern latitudes buffered from rising seas, heat, and drought. These forecasts are already shaping reality, with Great Lakes cities planning for an influx of residents and rich preppers buying bunkers in New Zealand to ride out the apocalypse. Vivek Shandas, who studies climate change and cities at Portland State University, says he regularly gets calls from real estate investors asking where to buy up property.
More Americans are moving for jobs and affordable housing than because of climate change, Khanna says. But migration from wildfires, hurricanes, and drought is already well underway. “The global answer is, it’s already happening, right?” Khanna said. “In America, you’re only seeing early signs of it.” Around 25,000 migrants fleeing Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017 settled in Orlando, Florida, and as many as 5,000 moved to the proclaimed “climate haven” of Buffalo. Many of the thousands of evacuees from the 2018 Camp Fire that destroyed Paradise, California, relocated to the nearby town of Chico.
Recent headlines have predicted that the state of Michigan will be “the best place to live by 2050” and that cities in upstate New York will be among the “the best ‘climate havens’” in the world. In October, a local paper in Minnesota declared that “climate-proof Duluth” was already attracting migrants from the smoke-filled, wildfire-ridden West.
With as many as 143 million people worldwide expected to be on the move because of climate change by 2050, would-be havens are sure to face new challenges—gentrification, housing shortages, and issues scaling up services quickly. But advance planning can alleviate the stress on cities as well as on their newcomers. With expert advice, these climate havens can learn how to become a fair and welcoming refuge for everyone, as opposed to a hostile citadel surrounded by, say, a giant wall.
Step 1: Figure out what a “climate haven” really is
There is no escape from the effects of an overheating planet, even in a so-called haven. The Great Lakes region is witnessing heavy flooding: 11,000 people in central Michigan evacuated last year as severe rains overwhelmed dams. This summer, wildfire smoke from Canada blew into Minnesota, bringing an unprecedented haze and making it hazardous to breathe.
So defining what makes a city a “refuge” isn’t simple. A recent study by researchers at MIT and the National League of Cities attempted to lay out the qualities of “climate destinations” like Duluth, Buffalo, and Cincinnati, Ohio. First, the effects of climate change should be considered “more manageable” than other places—in other words, not subject to monster hurricanes, fast-moving wildfires, and the relentless rise of the sea. Havens should also have ample fresh water, lots of affordable housing, and infrastructure to support several thousand new residents.
The final qualifications are a bit squishier: These cities must express a “desire to grow and be welcoming” and work on becoming sustainable and resilient. The study points to Duluth investing $200 million over recent years into improving its shoreline protections and wastewater system, and Cincinnati’s plans to cut carbon emissions and host climate migrants (prompted in part by a wave of former New Orleans residents that moved to the city after Hurricane Katrina in 2005).
Nicholas Rajkovich, a professor studying resilience and urban planning at the University at Buffalo, says he wants more concrete action behind Buffalo’s “climate haven” promises. “In some cases, it’s become more of an economic development slogan than the real detailed and robust planning that is going to be necessary to actually make these places a haven from climate change,” Rajkovich said.
Step 2: Put people first
Cities that want to attract climate migrants emphasize the opportunities that come with people moving in, like economic growth and attracting new, skilled workers. But it’s important to remember that “migrants are not a tool to an end” and that they get the support they need, said Susan Ekoh, an adaptation fellow at the America Society of Adaptation Professionals, an organization preparing towns in the Great Lakes for the expected waves of future inhabitants.
Some residents in self-declared climate havens don’t want the title. Ekoh has had conversations with business groups, environmental justice organizations, local and state officials, and representatives from tribes around the region. She often hears worries about gentrification, that their towns will attract wealthy people, drive up housing prices, and push out poorer residents. Another critique is that climate “refuges” are failing to protect the people that already live there. For all the talk of Michigan being surrounded by ample freshwater, it’s also known for lead-poisoned water in cities like Benton Harbor.
Shandas, the professor at Portland State, said cities should implement housing policies that can guard against gentrification and also prepare for a backlash. Idaho, for instance, has seen an influx of California expats escaping fires and drought and looking for someplace more affordable. One researcher told Politico that some locals, conservatives and liberals alike, resent the newcomers, painting things like “California sucks” on highway overpasses.
“That’s the kind of stuff I worry about,” Shandas said. “We can build the schools, we can build the housing, but is that local community ready for big shifts of people moving into the location, and potentially people who are very different from them?”
Step 3: Build smart
The next step is to make the city an appealing place to live while trimming emissions, using resources wisely, and keeping the dangers of climate change at bay.
There are many ways to cut a city’s carbon output, like building dense housing, improving public transit, and cleaning up the electric grid. “You’d want to build in such a way where you have a lot of access to renewable and decentralized power,” Shandas said. But what you don’t build is also important. Constructing a new “green” building still leads to a lot of carbon emissions; retrofitting existing buildings is often cheaper and less wasteful.
The Midwest is already prone to flooding, and climate change is expected to make it worse. So building in floodplains is not ideal, nor is covering everything in impermeable pavement. Cities should also find ways to beat the heat—parks keep things cool, while highways make it hot. Nothing here should come as a surprise to city planners. “I mean, it’s not rocket science,” Shandas said. “We’ve been doing this for a while.”
Shandas said he’s heard people in Midwest cities get pretty excited about their future. “I was in a couple of meetings with a group of folks in the Great Lakes, and they were just like, ‘We are the climate haven—we are going to be the best place in the country and people are gonna flock to us,’” he said. While that kind of enthusiasm is “fantastic,” Shandas said, if cities don’t start preparing for the actual reality of thousands of people moving in, “it’s going to be a hard sell.”
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TopicsClimate Deskclimate changeclimateurban planningCitiesInfrastructureenvironment
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A digital art gold rush? – the regulators are watching
Article 01 April 2021 Experience: Art
In every gold rush from this one to the Klondike, the suppliers and service industries will gather up the dust while ninety-nine per cent of the miners go home with empty pokes.
- John McPhee, Assembling California
The cataclysmic $69 million sale of Beeple’s EVERYDAY-THE FIRST 5000 DAYS NFT at Christie’s on March 11th has sent shock waves through the art world. Never before had a new media artwork of this scale received the imprimatur of a major auction house and commanded a price exceeding that of the works of some of the world’s leading contemporary artists. Prior to the auction, Christie’s stated, “acquiring Beeple’s work is a unique opportunity to own an entry in the blockchain itself created by one of the world’s leading digital artists.”
Clarity in a changing art market: NFTs
Hear more about NFTs
In a demonstration of the new economics impacting the art market, Christie’s accepted cryptocurrency, in this case Ether, in addition to standard forms of payment for the sale of the singular lot.
The NFT mania has spread well beyond the usual corners of the art world. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey sold his first tweet for cryptocurrency valued at $2.9 million on March 22nd. Billionaire entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is building a new gallery for digital art and collectibles, a platform that will enable users to share their collections on social media. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk entertained a $1.12 million offer for a short techno music track to be sold as an NFT. Wealth managers are adding NFTs to their high net worth clients’ portfolio as a growing asset class. So, the inevitable question arises: will the buyers and sellers of digital art NFTs see their net worth explode, or will they ultimately go home with empty pokes? In what appears to be a super-heated digital art gold rush, one thing is certain: the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), IRS and other regulatory agencies are watching closely. The intersection of cryptocurrency and NFTs may give rise to potential civil and criminal liability even to the sophisticated buyer or investor in this new medium. Based on the federal government’s interlocking enforcement regimes, we can anticipate the impact of federal regulations on transactions involving the use of cryptocurrency to purchase digital art NFTs.
As a threshold matter, there has been much discussion whether the SEC will deem NFTs to be securities subject to the SEC’s rules and regulations. The answer—as is true in most areas of law—is that it depends. If an NFT is connected to a singular, unique work of digital art or collectible on the blockchain, the answer is that the SEC will probably not view the NFT as a security. If, however, that same NFT is fractionalized, meaning that it is sold to the general public in shares as a passive investment subject to the continuing services of the issuer of the NFT, then the SEC is likely to view the NFT as a security. The SEC essentially takes the position that if you only own only a fraction of an asset and not the entire asset yourself, then what you own is a security.The analysis set forth in the seminal 1946 U.S. Supreme Court case SEC v. W.J. Howey Co. will determine whether a digital art NFT will be deemed by the SEC to be a security. In Howey a Florida corporation offered units of an orange grove coupled with a contract for cultivating, marketing and remitting the proceeds to an investor. In what has become known as the Howey test, the Court held that “a contract, transaction or scheme whereby a person invests his money in a common enterprise and is led to expect profits solely from the efforts of the promoter or a third party” creates an “investment contract” subject to the regulations of the Securities Act of 1933. Consequently, if investing in one share representing one orange in an orange grove can be considered to be part of an investment contract, then so, too, will offering one share representing one image of the 5,000 days constituting Beeple’s EVERYDAY-THE FIRST 5000 DAYS NFT be considered part of an investment contract subject to federal regulation.
In fact, that is exactly what Vignesh Sundaresan a/k/a “Metakovan,” the Singapore-based blockchain entrepreneur and purchaser of EVERYDAY-THE FIRST 5000 DAYS, has done. In January of this year prior to his $69 million purchase at Christie’s, Sundaresan launched a fractionalized investment vehicle offering shares of other digital art by Beeple he had previously purchased through a digital token called B.20. This fractionalized investment vehicle has all of the hallmarks of an investment contract: an allocation of 10 million shares, a vesting period, a buyout process, the promise of profitability. Whether Sundaresan will do the same with EVERYDAY-THE FIRST 5000 DAYS is unclear. What is clear is that he has created an investment vehicle which, had it been offered in the United States, would have triggered the numerous SEC reporting requirements relating to the registration, marketing and sale of the NFT fractional interests. NFT offerings could be held to be in violation of the anti-fraud provisions of the securities laws if determined to be misleading to investors, resulting in civil and criminal penalties to the issuer. Non-compliant NFTs could also cause shareholders to mischaracterize the asset for tax purposes, resulting in civil fines for underreporting taxable income.
Using cryptocurrency to purchase NFTs adds another layer of potentially even more serious consequences for the unwary purchaser or investor. On their face, transactions involving the use of cryptocurrency provide a platform for international bad actors to launder illicit funds. FinCEN, an agency of the US Department of the Treasury, is primarily responsible for and has spearheaded the United States’ anti-money laundering (AML) efforts. In the past, these efforts have been primarily focused on the traditional financial institutions, such as banks. However, over the past decade FinCEN has been expanding its regulatory reach to entities in the crypto-finance space. This expansion has caused friction as, on the one hand, AML regulations require that entities collect and preserve customer identification information and, on the other, crypto transactions on decentralized blockchains are inherently pseudo-anonymous.
Despite pushback from the crypto community, FinCEN recently consolidated a decade’s worth of piecemeal guidance and solidified its expanded jurisdiction. Additionally, the concern that cryptoassets facilitate money laundering has received bipartisan support from US lawmakers. If Democrats and Republicans are aligned on any single issue, it is the need, real or perceived, to curb the use of cryptoassets for illicit financing, such as laundering profits of online drug traffickers and financing terrorism. As part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020, Congress enacted (with bipartisan support and over President Trump’s veto) the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 (AMLA) to strengthen the Government’s tools to combat these issues. The AMLA expanded the definition of financial institutions to include “dealers in art” for this purpose. Although virtual currency traders and NFT platforms are not specifically mentioned in this legislation, it is more than likely than not that FinCEN will ultimately issue regulations applicable to them as well.
What would this mean for “dealers in art” who accept cryptocurrency in exchange for NFTs and for individuals or entities who use cryptocurrency to purchase digital art NFTs? If dealers in NFTs are deemed to be “dealers in art” for purposes of the AMLA, they will have to, among other compliance measures, register with FinCEN; establish robust internal AML protocols and policies; and comply with rigorous recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including the filing of suspicious activity reports and currency transaction reports with the Government. Depending on the presence of certain aggravating factors, violators could be subject to criminal fines up to $500,000 or 10 years in prison or both. The regulations imposed on NFT “dealers in art” would have the further effect of unmasking the identity of the ultimate beneficial owner of the digital art.
Imagine 5,000 ultimate beneficial owners of Beeple’s EVERYDAY-THE FIRST 5000 DAYS, each one owning one image of the digital art and having paid for it in cryptocurrency. Imagine further that these fractionalized interests are bought and sold internationally. The opportunity for money laundering on a global scale would appear to be limitless. With the disclosure of the ultimate beneficial owner of these fractionalized interests, FinCEN could decide to issue regulations designed to gain access to the ultimate beneficial owner’s cryptocurrency wallet—an app where one can store cryptocurrency to be used to purchase NFTs—to uncover whether the source of the cryptocurrency is tied to money laundering activity. The AMLA has already provided for the equivalent enforcement mechanism in the traditional banking context: the US Department of Justice’s subpoena power has been expanded to allow access to information pertaining not only to a foreign bank’s correspondent account in the US but also to any account at a foreign bank that has a US correspondent account, including records that are located outside the United States. It would not be a great leap for the Government to view the traditional and virtual currency trading platforms as no different for purposes of law enforcement.
With the likely issuance of regulations impacting the cryptocurrency market and digital art NFTs, who will bear the consequences of the new enforcement regime? The digital artist? The issuers of the digital art? The buyers and traders of the digital art? Potentially all, if the source of the cryptocurrency used to purchase the digital art is demonstrated to be illicit funds. In that case, violators will end up not only with empty pokes but also potentially much worse.
Christopher N. LaVigne
Partner | US
Georges Lederman
Special Counsel | US
Stories of success: Mike Culhane of Pepper Group
New York State continues to investigate tax evasion in art sales
San Francisco Los Angeles Rancho Santa Fe San Diego Texas New York Greenwich New Haven Boston British Virgin Islands Tokyo Cambridge London Geneva Milan Padua Hong Kong Singapore
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Getting Into the Swing With Swingin’ Denver
Kastle Waserman January 18, 2018 9:00AM
Swingin' Denver Morgan Petroski
A group of nervous first-time students gather around the edge of the dance floor, watching a class of more advanced swing dancers with curiosity. All eyes are fixed on their footwork and the way they move into twirls and bops. When the time comes for the beginner class to start, the first-timers are stiff and self-conscious, but instructors BreAnna Morris and Joshua Aughenbaugh are their perky cheerleaders, guiding them through their first “rock steps” and “triple steps” into swing dance.
The students are all ages. Most are dressed in jeans and casual tops, and on their feet, sneakers, flats and boots that will hopefully move easily across the large wooden floor. Some come alone, others as a couple; all are told to rotate partners with each song (though it’s not enforced). Those who catch on quickly help others who are struggling with the steps; instructors also keep an eye out to see who needs extra help. Soon, missed steps lead to laughs and smiles that quickly take over the students’ faces as they discover moves they didn’t know they had and begin to enjoy moving to the music. High-fives take place between all the pairings after each song finishes.
“I love seeing people fall in love with the dance,” says Morris, who’s been teaching at Swingin’ Denver for almost two years. During the class, she takes a moment to educate the students on the origins of swing dance, which began during the jazz age in Harlem in the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s with the Charleston and the Lindy hop and later saw a resurgence in the 1980s and ’90s.
Swingin’ Denver dance school was formed in 2014 by internationally known swing-dance instructor Kenny Nelson, who moved from Kansas City to Denver after discovering the city's swing scene through the Denver Lindy Exchange event and a friend in the swing community. “I wanted a stronger scene than where I was. I thought Denver would be the place for that, and it was.”
Prior to moving here, Nelson traveled the world teaching swing. He knew he had something to offer from his experiences. “There wasn’t an organization in Denver that allowed teachers control over what they taught. I knew that in order to be happy, I needed to start my own venture.”
He and his wife, Jessica, whom he met at a dance camp during his travels, began Swingin’ Denver by offering beginner and advanced classes. It has since grown to offer several levels of classes, with various styles of swing. “What’s nice is that once you reach the upper levels, it’s not always the same stuff. They refresh the material so you learn new things," says longtime student Jaimielyn Burke.
Students often repeat classes, particularly the beginner level, in order to become secure in their footwork. And if they want to practice outside of class, Swingin’ Denver also hosts a series of events, including the Wednesday Night Hop on the first and third Wednesday of each month. The event will re-launch on February 7 at a new location — VFW Lodge No. 1, in the Santa Fe Art District.
Swingin' Denver
GMark Arts
The Speakeasy Soiree, one of two major events that the Nelsons host each year, takes place January 20 at Stanley Marketplace in Aurora. The program will include live music, vintage-clothing vendors, craft cocktails, swing and burlesque performances, and, of course, dance lessons from Swingin’ Denver.
Nelson’s goal with Swingin’ Denver’s classes and social events is to not only tap into the existing swing scene, but to grow it. “We try to really be involved in the Denver community as a whole. I want new dancers, and I want to introduce people to swing music.”
He does this with a for-hire performance group of professional-level dancers called The Ladies and Gentlemen, and by striking partnerships with venues and local bands in order to bring swing dance to unexpected places. Over the summer, Swingin' Denver did a series of events with Little Man Ice Cream, and Nelson often tag-teams with musical acts such as La Pompe Jazz and Jeremy Mohney. His dance team will bust out a demonstration of awe-inspiring swing moves as the band plays, inspiring people to join in, both on the dance floor and during classes.
“I want to attract the people who go to these places, because they are people who love going out, especially to bars, breweries, wineries,” says Nelson. “Those are people who would be good at dancing and supporting the venues.”
Swing dance also provides a way to get out and meet people. With Denver’s booming influx from other cities, it’s a struggle that most newcomers can relate to. “Some of my first friends and closest friends in Denver are people I met in the swing scene after I moved here two years ago,” says Burke. “When you go out to the social dances, you see a lot of the same people from the classes. Friendships form really quickly because you already have a common interest. All it takes to be part of the community is to love to dance. That’s the only thing that matters.”
Swingin’ Denver’s Speakeasy Soiree takes place January 20 at the Hangar at Stanley, 2501 Dallas Street, Aurora. Tickets are $20, VIP $50. For more information about classes and upcoming events, visit Swingin' Denver.
Kastle Waserman is a freelance contributor to Westword covering music and culture. Prior to Denver, she lived in Los Angeles and worked as a staff editor/reporter for the Los Angeles Times covering music, nightclubs, lifestyles and fashion. She’s been published in the New York Post, Women’s Wear Daily and Fodor’s Travel Books.
Contact: Kastle Waserman
Twitter: @KastleWaserman
Instagram: @stilettocity
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By John Bear
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Temporary closure of the Maltings car park in Salisbury
To allow essential electrical works to take place, Wiltshire Council will be implementing temporary closures across the Maltings car park in Salisbury during October and November.
To reduce disruption, the works will be done in stages so that there is still ample parking available for users. Signage and coning will be in place to direct users to the alternative available parking.
The first closure, from 13-14 October, will see the whole underground car park beneath Sainsbury's closed, then on 20-21 October, the underground section behind the City Hall will be closed. 3 November will see the closure of the left-hand side of the underground section from the entrance up to (and including) the Shop Mobility car park, and finally on 4-5 November the rear underground section, and Shopmobility parking will be closed.
Cllr Dr Mark McClelland, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste, Street Scene and Flooding, said: "These closures are required to complete essential electrical works, but we hope to keep disruption to a minimum by still providing parking alternatives.
"I would like to take the opportunity to apologise for any inconvenience that it may cause, but we will ensure that appropriate signage and cones will be in place to make it clear to the public which areas are open for use."
Highways and transport
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Pennsylvania Home s "Total Loss" After Charging Tesla In Driveway Spontaneously Combusts
Posted by Willem Post on November 28, 2021 at 7:30pm
BY TYLER DURDEN
SATURDAY, NOV 27, 2021 - 01:15 PM
Once again, an inanimate Tesla has burst into flames.
The latest incident comes from Upper Dublin, Pennsylvania, where a charging Tesla in the driveway of a home reportedly caught fire, resulting in what could be a "total loss" of the home it was parked at.
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/pa-home-total-loss-after-charging...
The Tesla was parked in a driveway and caught fire at about 10:30pm, the report from Patch says. ABC also posted video of the incident
The Fort Washington fire department was dispatched to the scene at about 10:19 after a report of a vehicle on fire. When they arrived at the scene, fire was "eminating from the rear of the Tesla" and had made its way to the house and the attached garage, the report says.
There was "extensive damage" to the vehicle and the house. Photos posted to the Fort Washington fire department's website show a car engulfed in flames.
CBS later reported that the home was a "total loss" following the incident.
It's the second incident of a Tesla catching fire in the Philadelphia suburbs this year. This summer, a Model S Plaid Tesla caught fire with the driver at the wheel. The driver's lawyer claimed the vehicle "burst into flames while the owner was driving" it.
In other news, the NHTSA has yet to act on a wide ranging investigation it is performing into hundreds of thousands of Tesla vehicles, while the NTSB continues to warn consumers about safety issues related to the vehicles' autonomous driving features.
The NHTSA said it had opened a formal investigation into Tesla's Model X, S, and 3 for model years 2014-2021.
CHEVY BOLT CATCHES FIRE WHILE CHARGING ON DRIVEWAY IN VERMONT
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/chevy-bolt-catches-fir...
THETFORD; July 2, 2021 — A fire destroyed a 2019 Chevy Bolt, 66 kWh battery, battery pack cost about $10,000, or 10000/66 = $152/kWh, EPA range 238 miles, owned by state Rep. Tim Briglin, D-Thetford, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Technology.
He had been driving back and forth from Thetford, VT, to Montpelier, VT, with his EV, about 100 miles via I-89
He had parked his 2019 Chevy Bolt on the driveway, throughout the winter, per GM recall of Chevy Bolts
He had plugged his EV into a 240-volt charger.
His battery was at about 10% charge at start of charging, at 8 PM, and he had charged it to 100% charge at 4 AM; 8 hours of charging.
Charging over such a wide range is detrimental for the battery. However, it is required for “range-driving”, i.e., making long trips. See Note
NOTE: Range-driving is not recommended, except on rare occasions, as it would 1) pre-maturely age/damage the battery, 2) reduce range sooner, 3) increase charging loss, and 4) increase kWh/mile.
Charging at 32F or less
Li-ions would plate out on the anode each time when charging, especially when such charging occurred at battery temperatures of 32F or less.
Here is an excellent explanation regarding charging at 32F or less.
https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/263036/why-charging...
Fire in Driveway: Firefighters were called to Briglin’s house on Tucker Hill Road, around 9 AM Thursday.
Investigators from the Vermont Department of Public Safety Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit determined:
1) The fire started in a compartment in the back of the passenger’s side of the vehicle
2) It was likely due to an “electrical failure”. See Note
NOTE: Actually, it likely was one or more battery cells shorting out, which creates heat, which burns nearby items, which creates a fire that is very hard to extinguish. See Appendix
https://www.vnews.com/Firefighters-put-out-blaze-in-car-of-Vt-State...
https://www.engadget.com/gm-chevy-bolt-fire-warning-215322969.html
https://electrek.co/2020/11/13/gm-recall-chevy-bolt-evs-potential-f...
GM Recall of Chevy Bolts: In 2020, GM issued a worldwide recall of 68,667 Chevy Bolts, all 2017, 2018 and 2019 models, plus, in 2021, a recall for another 73,000 Bolts, all 2020, 2021, and 2022 models.
GM set aside $1.8 BILLION to replace battery modules, or 1.8 BILLION/(68,667 + 73,000) = $12,706/EV.
https://insideevs.com/news/524712/chevrolet-bolt-battery-recall-cost/
https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/568817-gm-expands-bolt-ev...
Owners were advised not to charge them in a garage, and not to leave them unattended while charging, which may take up to 8 hours; what a nuisance!
I wonder what could happen during rush hour traffic, or in a parking garage, or at a shopping mall, etc.
Rep. Briglin heeded the GM recall by not charging in his garage. See URLs
https://www.ericpetersautos.com/2021/09/16/electric-social-distancing/
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/some-ne-state-governme...
- Cost of replacing the battery packs of 80,000 Hyundai Konas was estimated at $900 million, about $11,000 per vehicle
https://insideevs.com/news/492167/reports-lg-chem-cost-hyundai-batt...
- EV batteries should be charged from 20 to 80%, to achieve minimal degradation and long life, plus the charging loss is minimal in that range
- Charging EVs from 0 to 20% charge, and from 80 to 100% charge:
1) Uses more kWh AC from the wall outlet per kWh DC charged into the battery, and
2) Is detrimental to the battery.
3) Requires additional kWh for cooling the battery while charging.
Comment by Thinklike A. Mountain on November 29, 2021 at 1:40am
Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn Sounds the Alarm, Says Dems Are Going to Try and Disrupt 2022 Midterms With a Financial Collapse
https://noqreport.com/2021/11/29/lt-gen-michael-flynn-sounds-the-al...
Comment by Thinklike A. Mountain on November 28, 2021 at 9:29pm
Australian MP Calls on Free Citizens to Rise Up Against Covid Tyranny
https://www.infowars.com/posts/powerful-australian-mp-calls-on-free...
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Casinos: Almost four in ten of the public want to see mask compliance globally
Aishwarya Dabhade
Entertainment, arts & cultureInternationalSociety
June 03, 2021, 9:27 AM UTC
COVID-19 restrictions across the world have now relaxed for various sectors. And that means that in many markets, the doors of casinos have opened, even if those in others are still waiting.
But even if there are differences between markets, COVID-19-related compliance tends not to differ much across businesses. Therefore, following social distancing and wearing masks may well be a part of a casino’s rules even once vaccination programs have caught up throughout the world. But are visitors and gamblers comfortable with hiding their faces behind a mask in casinos?
A recent survey by YouGov shows that 37% of the population globally would like to see staff and employees wearing face masks in casinos even after 60% of their country's population has been vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines. More than half of the population in Mexico (55%), Spain (53%) and Singapore (52%) want staff in casinos to follow mask compliance.
In the UK, nearly 70% of the population has already had its first dose of the COVID vaccine. Casinos, bingo halls and other public places are set to open as the government moves to the next phase of its exit from Covid-19 lockdown. And when that does happen, nearly half of all respondents (46%) say they would want the staff in casinos to wear masks.
The USA is not too far behind in wishing to see mask compliance in casinos even as mask-wearing generally has been eased down. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) has relaxed its guidance, saying that fully vaccinated people can now drop the use of masks in public places. In Las Vegas, casinos have been allowing fully vaccinated guests to enter mask-less. Yet despite this, 45% of Americans would prefer casino staff to don a mask.
Australia too has relaxed COVID-19 restrictions, yet 27% of all respondents in Australia would want casino staff to wear mask. A similar percentage (27%) of Indonesians agree, followed by Sweden (23%) and Denmark (21%) towards the bottom of the list.
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Methodology: The data is based on interviews of adults aged 18 and over in 17 markets with sample sizes varying between 927 and 8,221 for each market. All interviews were conducted online in April 2021. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from Mexico and India, which use urban representative samples, and Indonesia and Hong Kong, which use online representative samples.
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For years explorers have searched the Neotropics for extraordinary finds; lost cities of gold, lands of warrior princesses, mythic beasts, and most recently the source of deadly frog poisons. Frog poisons were said to be used by indian tribes for hunting and were powerful enough to kill a man several times. The poisons gave the group of frogs from which they were derived the name of poison-dart frogs, poison-arrow frogs, and dart poison frogs. All of these names could be considered an exaggeration, however. This family, Dendrobatidae, currently consists of less than 200 species with well over 100 of these species being in the non-toxic* genera, Colostethus1. The brightly colored frogs in the genus Dendrobates are assuredly toxic but are not considered lethal, at least to humans. In fact, only three species of frogs in the five species genera, Phyllobates, were used to poison darts2. This use was also limited to the western Colombian tribes of Noanamá and Emberá Chocó3 whereas most arrow and dart poisons used by other tribes are plant-based curares from the Strychnos genus2. Over the last several decades nearly 500 chemicals have been isolated from dendrobatids4. These chemicals are in a group called alkaloids, generally plant-derived chemicals, which contain nitrogen rings. Alkaloids frequently have very strong effects when administered to animals. Nicotine, cocaine, morphine, and strychnine are all examples of alkaloids5. The hunt for these poisons began in earnest in the early 1960’s by Dr. Bernhard Witkop and has been joined by a number of researchers, primarily Dr. John W. Daly and colleagues of the National Institutes of Health. The work began with the discovery of batrachotoxin in Phyllobates bicolor and P. aurotaenia and quickly expanded to include several other major classes of dendrobatid alkaloids2. Currently there are 22 structural classes4. So what are these classes, what do they do to make them toxic, and where do they come from?
These structural classes are based on the number of carbon rings, the placement of the nitrogen atom, and other chemical components such as presence and number of hydroxyl (OH-), methyl (CH3-), or other side chains (R-, R’-). Five of these 22 classes are considered major classes and they are batrachotoxins, pumiliotoxins, histrionicotoxins, indolizidines, and decahydroquinolines. Some classes have many constituent alkaloids and may be widespread in dendrobatids6. Others may be limited in variety e.g. stereochemistry, or frequency. The batrachotoxins are highly toxic and found only in frogs in the genus Phyllobates and strangely enough in feathers of New Guinean birds in the genus Pitohui7. Pumiliotoxin and its subclasses are also very toxic and capable of causing death in mammals in high enough doses7. Indolizidines and decahydroquinolines cause locomotor difficulties in mice, while histrionicotoxins require much higher doses to elicit similar responses7.
The efficacy and importance of these chemicals is based on vertebrate physiology. Animal muscle and nerve cells act as miniature batteries. The cells utilize ions such as potassium (K+), sodium (Na+), chlorine (Cl–), and calcium (Ca2+) that, when not in a state of equilibrium within the cell, cause a slight electrical current. Embedded within the surface and interior membranes of these cells are ion channels and ‘pumps’. The channels can be opened and closed based on chemical imbalances or ion concentration gradients, and molecular occupation of receptor sites. Furthermore, the pumps can move these ions against concentration gradients. This complex arrangement is what allows nerve cells to ‘fire’ and muscle cells to contract and relax. Alkaloids, and dendrobatid toxins in particular, interfere with the channels and pumps in cell walls causing loss of function or hyperfunction of cells. For example muscle cells can twitch excitedly to the point of spasm and permanent contraction.
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What religion is in Taiwan?
Question: What religion is in Taiwan?
What is the main religion in Taiwan?
What is the religious makeup of Taiwan?
Does Taiwan have freedom of religion?
What is the largest religion in Japan?
Why is Taiwan so cold?
For the most part, the traditional religions practiced in Taiwan are Buddhism, Taoism, and folk religions; except for a small number of purely Buddhist temples, however, most of the islands traditional places of worship combine all three traditions.For the most part, the traditional religions practiced in Taiwan are Buddhism, Taoism, and folk religions
The principal religions of Taiwan according to the number of adherents are: Buddhism, Daoism (Taoism), Christianity, and Yiguan Dao (I-Kuan Tao; “Way of Unity”). Buddhists and Daoists are by far the largest groups.
The U.S. government estimates Taiwans total population at 23.6 million (midyear 2019 estimate). Based on a comprehensive study conducted in 2005, the Religious Affairs Section of the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) estimates 35 percent of the population considers itself Buddhist and 33 percent Taoist.
Legal and policy framework. Taiwans constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the authorities generally respect this right in practice. There is no state religion. Although registration is not mandatory, 26 religious organizations have registered with the MOIs Religious Affairs Section.
Shinto Shinto is the largest religion in Japan, practiced by nearly 80% of the population, yet only a small percentage of these identify themselves as Shintoists in surveys.
Because Taiwan is a relatively small island, the ocean breezes have a cooling effect so it never feels too hot. Please note that the high alpine areas like Alishan do get cold. The annual average temperature is a comfortable 22 °C, with lowest temperatures ranging from 12 to 17 °C (54-63 °F).
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Risks and Controls
OFAC
Secondary Sanctions
BIS/Export Controls
WMD Proliferation
CSS Exam
Cyber Related Activities
Midde East
Editorial Task Force
OFSI
With 15 programs in place, UN sanctions now key tool to punish bad actors
By: Anna Sayre, reporter SanctionsAlert.com
Among the several unique characteristics of the economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations is the fact that they apply to every nation. While economic sanctions imposed by the United States or another single nation may be powerful, they only apply to the nation or organization against which they are directed.
Of the world body, the actions of the United nations applied worldwide. In recent years, the UN has dramatically increased the pace of the economic sanctions it imposes. Presently, the UN has 15 sanctions programs in place. It is the largest number of simultaneous UN sanctions programs that have been in effect since the multinational body was created in 1945.
The increasing number of UN sanctions increases the consequences to financial institutions and nonfinancial businesses – and their customers and foreign representatives. This underscores the importance of knowing the intricacies of sanctions programs not only of the United Nations, but also of the United States, Canada, European Union and other nations and multilateral organizations that impose sanctions. It is also important that businesses and financial institutions familiarize themselves with the sanctions process of the UN and other, how the sanctions are implemented and enforced, and who is liable for sanctions violations.
What are sanctions and why are they typically imposed?
When nations impose economic sanctions on other nations, they are viewed as a more cost effective and lower risk alternative to military force. The same considerations apply with United Nations sanctions.
Sanctions take various forms from those that are diplomatic in nature, such as removal of embassies, refusal to participate in an international sports or business event, the majority of economic sanctions focus on economic punishment and pressure. Sanctions may include things as simple as travel bans or restrictions or asset freezing, arms embargoes, foreign aid reduction and trade restrictions. They may prohibit commercial activity with a country, like the now-softening U.S. embargo of Cuba, or they may be targeted, such as by blocking transactions with specific businesses, groups, or individuals, such as the sanctions against certain members of Al Qaeda.
United Nations process for sanctions approval and implementation
United Nations sanctions come about by resolutions of the Security Council, the organization’s most powerful body. The Security Council passes resolutions by majority vote of its members. Rule 83 of the Rules of Procedure of the UN General Assembly requires a two-thirds vote for “recommendations with respect to the maintenance of international peace and security”, including imposition of international sanctions. (For the full rules of procedure, click here.)
Of the 193 member nations, only five that sit on the Security Council are permanent members, or the P5s. They are China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and United States. These five states, and only these, can veto a proposed resolution. If any P5 exercises this veto power, the resolution cannot pass. Over the years, this has has received wide criticism. Much of the criticism has been directed at Russia, the P5 that most frequently uses its veto power. Russia has blocked sanctions against Syria, the regime of Bashar al-Assad, four times and also against Ukraine, where Russia is party to the conflict.
UN Security Council “P5” born after WWII, serve as ‘global policemen’
The P5’s privileged status has its roots at the founding of the UN after World War II. The United States and Russia (then the Soviet Union) as the victors of the war, along with the United Kingdom, shaped the postwar political environment. US Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt insisted on China’s inclusion as a P5 state. Roosevelt envisioned international security presided over by “four global policemen.”
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill saw France as a European buffer against potential German aggression and insisted on France being included. At a famous meeting in San Francisco, the P5 drafted the Charter of the United Nations. On October 24, 1945, the UN Charter was ratified by 49 nations, officially establishing the new body as a principal international peacekeeper.
According to Chapter VII, Article 41 of the UN Charter, the Security Council may take assertive action, including the imposition of sanctions or the use of force “to maintain or restore international peace and security.” Throughout its history, this has taken the form of peacekeeping missions.
In the early 1990s, the Security Council began to make regular use of economic sanctions, starting with Iraq, the former Yugoslavia, and Haiti. As of 2016, 15 Security Council sanctions regimes, including more than 600 individuals and 400 entities and other groups, are in place. (For a complete list of UN sanctions, click here.)
Enforcement of UN sanctions and penalties
The United Nations has no enforcement powers of its own, relying instead on member states to enforce sanctions imposed within their respective territories. This involves and requires member states that take action to incorporate UN sanctions into their national laws. Only when a UN sanction has been incorporated, may individuals and firms be potentially liable for breaches of the pertinent sanction. Because the UN relies on member states for enforcement, penalties for violations of a UN sanctions can vary greatly from country to country.
A Clear-Cut Way to Reduce Penalties
Judgment Rules Companies Must Know End Destination of Products
How Effective Licensing Keeps Your Activities on Schedule
How Hidden Goods Can Jeopardize Your Supply Chain
What’s in the Pipeline for the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline?
Piecing Together the Jigsaw of Sanctions Programs
The Collecting and the Spending of Sanctions Fines
Do’s and Don’t of Sanctions Investigations from Different Sources
In Our Archive
2018 (3) Actions (11) Asia (2) BIS/Export Controls (9) Brexit (4) Career (11) CDD (2) Chapters (1) compliance (2) Corporate Sector (12) Corruption (7) Cryptocurrency (5) CSS Exam (3) Cuba (10) Cyber Related Activities (2) Due Diligence (7) Editorial Task Force (24) Enforcement (39) Essentials (34) EU (19) Featured Article (4) Financial Sector (15) International (24) Iran (34) Iran Sanctions (4) JCPOA (5) Maritime (11) Myanmar (3) News Round Up (12) North Korea (4) OFAC (46) OFSI (1) Risks and Controls (44) Russia (16) SDN (2) Secondary Sanctions (3) Shipping (2) Technology (4) Terrorism (6) Training (1) UK (21) UN (6) Venezuela (9) Vietnam (3) WMD Proliferation (6)
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Gebrüder Weiss concentrates on CEE
Gebrüder Weiss CEO Wolfgang Niessner has revealed plans to invest in Austria and the Czech Republic.
Niessner said today (Weds) that his company – one of Central and Eastern Europe’s (CEE) leading transport and logistics enterprises – considered expanding some of its facilities. He said that the provinces of Salzburg, Lower Austria and Upper Austria were target destinations for possible investments in the foreseeable future. Speaking to the Kurier, Niessner added that business was prospering especially in the western regions of Tyrol and Vorarlberg but also in Switzerland and southern Germany.
Niessner told the Kurier that a new logistics centre situated in Jenec near Czech capital Prague would be put into operation within this year. Gebrüder Weiss is spending 15 million Euros on its construction, according to Niessner who also disclosed that the Lauterach-based firm could imagine expanding some of its representations in Bulgaria and Hungary.
Niessner underlined that Gebrüder Weiss fared well in Hungary in the past years despite the general downturn of the country’s economy. He added that his company achieved a turnover of 1.066 billion Euros last year by doing business in Austria and abroad. Niessner said that it was the first time that Gebrüder Weiss managed to take the one-billion-Euro hurdle. The logistics expert had a turnover of 978 million Euros in 2010.
Niessner told the Kurier that he was pleased with last year’s performance but warned that it was not the time for excessive euphoria. The businessman said that there were always “some clouds” and made aware of the immense difficulties his company experienced in 2009 when Austrian and foreign firms felt the full impact of a global crisis. Gebrüder Weiss’ turnover tumbled by 15.7 per cent from 2008 to 2009 to 830 million Euros. The company does not provide information about profits.
Niessner told the Kurier that Gebrüder Weiss planned to increasingly concentrate on the Caucasus region. The company started operating in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, only recently. Gebrüder Weiss is also represented in South America, the United States and Asia. The transport and logistics firm is part of joint ventures doing business in all of these regions. However, several affiliates of Gebrüder Weiss are operating all over the globe as well.
Speaking about Europe’s future Niessner said the region could only survive economically by focusing on excellent education and traineeship programmes, innovation and infrastructure as other regions would beat the continent as far as prices were concerned. He appealed to Europe’s movers and shakers to “leave this cosy comfort zone we have created for ourselves.”
The European Commission (EC) said earlier this week that the Eurozone was currently experiencing a “mild recession”. EC officials added that the average gross domestic product (GDP) of the group – which consists of Austria and 16 other European Union (EU) members – inched back by 0.3 per cent from the final three months of 2010 to the same time span of 2011.
Tags Austria, company, Euros, Gebrüder, Kurier, logistics, Niessner, regions, Weiss, year
← Hole Lot of Bother → Wehsely wants equal sharing of AKH costs
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Bearing the Burden of Injustice: Black Maternal Mortality
When it comes to maternal mortality, American women don’t all live in the same country. While white women live in Qatar, black women live in Mongolia.
Maternal mortality is death related to complications from pregnancy or childbirth. Most of us don’t come from a time or place where the prospect of dying in childbirth is a tangible possibility — in the past century, as medicine has advanced, maternal mortality rates have plummeted.
To raise healthy families, we need access to general and reproductive health care, including preventive care, prenatal care, and maternity care.
The United States, though, hasn’t come as far as would be expected. Although its wealth should have put it on par with other developed nations like Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, and those in Scandinavia, women in these countries fare far better than those in the United States. So do women in Libya, Bosnia and Herzogovina, Bulgaria, and Kazakhstan, indicating that national priorities — and not necessarily national wealth — are key to ensuring maternal health.
The United States’ high maternal mortality rate is heartbreaking no matter how you look at it, but is even worse for women of color. African-American women are 3.5 times more likely to die as a result of pregnancy or childbirth than white women. Between 2011 and 2013, the maternal mortality rate for white women was 12.7 deaths per 100,000 live births. Comparing that to 2015 data from the World Health Organization (WHO), that rate puts white women’s maternal mortality on par with mothers in Qatar and Bahrain, two wealthy Persian Gulf nations. African-American women, however, suffered 43.5 deaths per 100,000 live births, putting their maternal mortality on par with those of Turkmenistan, Brazil, and Mongolia.
Shalon Irving’s Tragic Death
Judging by her resume, with multiple graduate degrees and a prestigious career in public health, Shalon Irving was the last person you’d expect to die three weeks after giving birth, but her shocking death shook her family and community to the core.
Irving was an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she was an expert on racial disparities in health care. After giving birth, she developed a hematoma, a rare complication of a cesarean-section. Irving was given blood thinners to reduce risk of blood clots, but they prolonged the healing of her C-section. Irving’s blood pressure skyrocketed to levels that some experts say should have been considered an emergency — but wasn’t treated as one. One night, she passed out, never to regain consciousness. Tragically, her expertise and access to quality health care didn’t save her. After four days on life support, her family said goodbye.
Irving’s Twitter bio declared, “I see inequity wherever it exists, call it by name, and work to eliminate it.” The fact that she was a victim of this inequity makes her commitment to eliminating it that much more bittersweet.
A Tangled Web of Problems
It’s difficult to sort through the many culprits that collude to give African-American women higher maternal mortality. They run the gamut, from relatively concrete issues like health care access, to the messy matters of racism, which itself can worsen black women’s health through stress or contribute to biases among health care providers.
It’s important to address racial inequities around health care access. Black women have nearly triple the risk of pregnancy complications compared to white women, and those with high-risk pregnancies are 5.6 times more likely to die compared to white women with high-risk pregnancies. Nearly half of African-American maternal deaths are preventable, compared to 33 percent of white women’s maternal deaths. Health conditions that make childbirth more risky — obesity, high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, and heart disease — are on the rise among pregnant women, especially among African-American women. Black women also have a higher rate of uterine fibroids, which increase risk for problems during pregnancy.
Women of color have lower access to family planning services, and, consequently, higher rates of unintended pregnancies, which carry with them increased risk for complications. Amnesty International cites a study that found 69 percent of African-American women’s pregnancies were unintended, compared to only 40 percent of white women’s pregnancies.
Black women are more than twice as likely as white women to receive delayed prenatal care, which itself predicts riskier pregnancies. Additionally, access to maternity care is notoriously spotty in rural America — in 2014, 54 percent of rural counties had no hospitals offering obstetric care, and counties with large African-American populations bore the heaviest burden. But city living isn’t the solution, either: New York City has the staggeringly high black maternal mortality rate of 83.6 deaths per 100,000 live births. That puts black women in New York City in the same ballpark as their counterparts in North Korea and Guatemala, according to WHO data.
The Affordable Care Act was supposed to expand access to contraception, prenatal care, and other preventive care, but many states opted not to expand Medicaid, denying these benefits to millions. African Americans were hit hardest by states’ refusal to expand Medicaid.
Black women, along with other women of color and low-income women, are more likely to get medically unnecessary C-sections and less likely to get medically necessary C-sections — a paradox that sees them at higher risk for a dangerous surgical procedure that is less likely to save their lives. To save the most lives, obstetricians must be judicious when deciding who needs a C-section and who does not.
Addressing disparities in health care access is complicated enough — but it’s nothing compared to dismantling racism. There is evidence that health care providers, infected by racist stereotypes, can subconsciously (or deliberately) deliver substandard medical care to their black patients. Outside of the clinic, the stress of racism is thought to be the cause of dramatic racial disparities in health, even after other factors like socioeconomic status are taken into account. It’s a social force that African-American women can’t escape, even if they’re wealthy public figures like Oprah Winfrey or Michelle Obama.
Serena Williams’ Brush with Death
The direct and indirect effects of racism manifest themselves in black women’s maternal mortality. So it is not surprising that the black maternal mortality rate is higher even when socioeconomic status is taken into account — a sad fact illustrated by the near-fatal experience of tennis champion Serena Williams.
Shortly after giving birth to her daughter by emergency C-section, Williams developed a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the lungs. Having already experienced one in 2011, she was familiar with the symptoms and relayed her concerns to a nurse — but says she was initially dismissed. The downplaying of her potentially serious symptoms mirrors the reported experiences of women and people of color, who are less likely to be taken seriously by health care providers.
Williams was able to advocate for herself, and tests confirmed the pulmonary embolism. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of her ordeal — Williams found herself at the brink of death as doctors raced to tend to her C-section wound, control internal bleeding, and prevent the formation of further blood clots. During the first six weeks of her daughter’s life, Williams underwent three major medical procedures before being confined to bed rest.
Answering the Call for Change
Reproductive rights encompass so much more than access to contraception and abortion. To raise healthy families, we need a system that supports us before, during, and after our pregnancies. Such a system includes expanded access to reproductive health care, including family planning, prenatal care, and maternity care.
One victory took place in North Carolina, which closed the black-white racial divide in maternal mortality between 1999 and 2013. North Carolina can credit their accomplishment to expanding access to lifesaving resources, such as early prenatal care that connects people with risky pregnancies to “pregnancy care managers” for extra support in maintaining their health. Other states might see similar successes if they adopted North Carolina’s unique model.
However, nine months of care during pregnancy don’t make up for a lifetime of neglect — to be healthy, people need general health care to prevent and manage chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, which increase maternal mortality risk. Unfortunately, the country is in the midst of a shortage of general and maternity care providers, and people of color are disproportionately affected. This shortage might be addressed by recruiting more people of color to health care professions — where African Americans are underrepresented. Some argue that the relative rarity of black health care providers accentuates the health disparities this community suffers, and a more diverse workforce could help reverse those inequities. To achieve that goal, we must improve the pipeline from K-12 schools to colleges, universities, and medical schools — which means serious investment in education in communities of color.
Employers can also do their part by making it easier for workers to maintain good health. If black women are less likely to have jobs with flexible schedules, sick days, and paid family medical leave, they are less likely to be able to take care of their health before and during pregnancy. Even when they do have jobs with good pay and benefits, black women are still subjected to higher levels of stress, whether it comes in the form of sexual or racial harassment, or the extra work they often put in to prove themselves in the face of sexist and racist workplace biases.
For most Americans, phrases like “human rights violations” conjure images of political dissidents languishing in dark prison cells. But Amnesty International considers racial disparities in U.S. maternal mortality rates to be a violation of international law. Even our overall maternal mortality rate, which is lower than the rate for black women, is seen as a sign of “significant systemic human rights failures.” To be the country we want to be — the country many of us believe we already are — we need to uphold the right to a safe, healthy pregnancy. Instead of letting some of us live in Qatar, and others live in Mongolia, we must bring equally high standards of care to all of our citizens, so that we are all living in one United States.
Planned Parenthood health centers across the country can help educate you about prenatal health and refer you to additional resources if necessary. To help you have a healthy pregnancy, Planned Parenthood Arizona offers smoking cessation, and our Title X centers can provide you with prenatal vitamins if you qualify.
This entry was posted in Pregnancy & Parenthood, Racial Justice and tagged accessibility, Affordable Care Act, African American, African Americans, Amnesty International, black women, blood clot, blood pressure, C-section, Caesarean section, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cesarean-section, childbirth, complications, diabetes, education, family leave, health care, health disparities, high blood pressure, human rights, hypertension, maternal death, maternal death rate, maternal health, maternal leave, maternal mortality, maternal mortality ratio, maternity care, maternity leave, Medicaid, Medicaid expansion, medical leave, Mongolia, New York City, North Carolina, Obamacare, obesity, parental leave, paternal leave, paternity leave, people of color, pregnancy, pregnancy-related deaths, preventive health services, Public Health Service, pulmonary embolism, Qatar, racism, Serena Williams, Shalon Irving, stereotype, stress, systemic racism, uterine fibroids, work-life balance, World Health Organization by Anna C.. Bookmark the permalink.
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多媒体区>
今日视频>
A Place for Modern Industrial Education: The Historical Record Archives of Korea National Open University
今日视频
今日视频 Registration date 2014/08/08 WriterSMG 观看次数3545
http://english.seoul.go.kr/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/68_080813.mp4
In the northeast area of Gyeongseong (as Seoul was known during Japanese Colonial rule), the National Industrial Institute, the first public school in Korea, was established in 1907. Japan pushed ahead with its plan to set up a two-year industrial school that would be separate from the existing four-year agricultural-commercial-industrial school, after curbing higher education for Koreans and secured the land in the most underdeveloped region in Gyeongseong to build a school and train highly-skilled workers. In 1912, Japan constructed a new building to serve as the Central Research Laboratory, where studies and researches on various industries would be carried out, and even built the three-year Gyeongseong Industrial College in 1916. Later, the Korean peninsula was liberated from Japan and endured the Korean War, which resulted in the destruction of the buildings. Only one building, incorrectly identified as the National Industrial Institute, remains intact. The building was mistaken for the National Industrial Institute because it was built with the same wooden architecture method as the National Industrial Institute. However, Ju Sang-hun, PhD of Architecture at Seoul National University, through a review of the geostrophic drawing of the Central Research Laboratory area, written in 1912, discovered that this building had been the Central Research Laboratory. The Central Research Laboratory is now the only western-style wooden building that is still standing. Therefore, the discovery of its mistaken identity is one of the important discoveries in Korea’s modern architecture history.
2020 8月 (No.186)
首尔市博物馆、美术馆等66处文化设施恢复开放
Aspiring to Democratization: Former Yeongdeungpo Prison
Persistence of Korean Landscape Painting: House of Yi Sang-bom
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Metaphors and Models
February 1, 2006 daviding
What is a business? How can (or should) an expert business practitioner relay his or her knowledge to another interested party? Trying to understand these questions leads down a path of debating the merits and demerits of understanding through metaphors, and understanding through models. This eventually ends up with a discussion of roots in philosophy of science.
During the Seiad project in 1977, Ian Simmonds and I had many discussions about understanding business, filling up the whiteboard in his office at the Watson Research Center.1 My studies into business strategy reflected the two primary foundations: microeconomics — Michael Porter is a leading proponent of this approach — and organization theory — with roots in the research of the Tavistock Institute, and the sociotechnical systems thinking from Fred Emery and Eric Trist. Add onto that my personal bent towards decision support systems — Peter Keen‘s research while at CISR at the Sloan School at MIT was highly influential — and a strategic view of marketing that can be described as Market-Driven Strategy, as described by George Day. These all represent models of business.
Ian — as I recall, starting from a side discussion with Doug McDavid — brought up an alternative approach to businesses, with the book: Images of Organization, by Gareth Morgan. I had a visceral response to this work, because it prescribed the use of metaphors to describe business. The problem that I’ve found with metaphors is that they relay an initial — and possibly superficial — portrayal of business. The layman gets an initial comprehension about the subject, but then starts going off the rails as the metaphor becomes overused. As an example, Stafford Beer wrote books on the Brain of the Firm, and The Heart of Enterprise, that build off models from biological systems. For a information systems analyst who doesn’t understand that a business is a social system — as would be described by Russell Ackoff — what assumptions would be built into the computer system that he or she was instrumental in developing?
The essential challenge, as Ian and I dug deeper forward, was: how to we develop a description of business — in our case, it was an industry reference model for consumer goods distribution and retailing. Doug McDavid had created a more general model in his article on "A standard for business architecture description" in IBM Systems Journal in 1999. Could we get industry people to buy into a more specific version of this type of modeling?
In real life, despite our information-systems-based interests, business people don’t really care for these types of models. Sure, they have their own mental models — as Peter Senge describes — but they’re not really interested in hearing a novice regurgitating rigourous depictions of them. Analysts working towards information systems deconstruct meaning, often drawing lots of charts with bubbles and arrows between them. These aren’t how the experts understand their worlds. It’s how someone who doesn’t understand their worlds tries to express a second-hand understanding.
The interesting statistic — it’s written up by Gerry Zaltman in How Customers Think — is that humans speak at a rate of just under 6 metaphors per minute.2 This statistic has at least two implications:
charts with bubbles and arrows between them are unlikely to capture the richness of the understanding of content; and
the transmission of knowledge from a practitioner deep in the domain to another practitioner in the same domain (at the same or a shallower depth) isn’t probably going to be the same as to an "objective observer" who doesn’t share the same practices (and pool of metaphors).
Thus, no analyst — save for one who may also be cross-trained as a practitioner in the domain — is ever going to be able to replicate the knowledge of an expert. The analyst may get close to an understanding … but then what about the views and opinions of second (or third) expert who doesn’t quite see things the same way?
I guess that’s why analysis for information systems becomes an exercise in abstraction. Alternative paths to understand what practitioners really do include Pierre Bourdieu‘s theory of practice, and disclosing new worlds as described by Charles Spinosa, Fernando Flores and Hubert Dreyfus.
1 The depth of the discussions reflected our backgrounds. I spent 8 years in university in the formal study of business: an undergraduate degree in commerce at the University of Toronto, a master’s degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and two years in the doctoral program in the Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration at the University of British Columbia, before I joined IBM Canada in the headquarters finance and planning function.. In my studies, I had minored in computer science and had concentrations on Management Information Systems throughout that time. My childhood included a rich training in business in my father’s furniture and appliance store in Gravenhurst (northern Ontario), and my career path in IBM had led me through the retail and distribution solutions units in IBM. Ian had studied math at the University of Cambridge, worked in France on the Esprit project, spent some time in IBM’s Toronto Lab, and was settling into the Watson Research Center, on projects related to Insurance Application Architecture. He had done with research with Haim Kilov, with a particular focus on what has become known as Kilov-Ross Information Modeling. In some respects, the challenge could have been described as as a typical "system analysis" question. In reality, because the Seiad project involved IBM Research, we were motivated to develop a deeper understanding of business and information systems, rather than a rushing to a quick-and-dirty answer.
2 I first heard the statistic of "5.8 metaphors per minute" from Jay Ogilvy at a talk at the IBM Advanced Business Institute, on October 14, 1998. In How Customers Think, Gerry Zaltman cites the statistic with a footnote to Raymond W. Gibbs, Jr, "Categorization and Metaphor Understanding", Psychological Review 99, no. 3, (1992).
Posted in by David Ing
Tags: metaphors, models, sociotechnical-systems
Perhaps in addition to looking at understanding through metaphors and model, we ahould also be looking at symbols.
Paper in progress…for submission to ISSS 2006
Working title: “Back to the Future: Towards Visual Communication Systems as an Organizational Process”
Images, Text, and Actions >>>>Which is the better time saver?
http://astro.temple.edu/~ruby/wava/worth/sthree.html
Also see Margaret Mead’s thoughts on anthropology of the visual…
Under writing, i will discuss the barriers of language, the time consumption of translation, etc. I might also go into the processes used for organization and communication by the “primitive.”
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Two new projects underway, two projects finished
in News / by Andy Barrett
So as we move into August work has begun on two projects in two very different contexts. First of all though we’re really pleased how two other projects have worked out and the feedback we’re getting from the audiences for these.
The work we’ve been doing for Mantle Arts and their Voices from the Coalfield project has resulted in a series of short books and this podcast series that was recorded with a community cast in Loughborough. This work has been based on a wonderful series of oral history interviews carried out in the 1980s and we’re really pleased that we’ve been able to dig into this material to explore the life and culture of the post war community of Coalville and the surrounding villages.
Our work with Loros hospice has also come to an end with the writing and recording of a series of eight stories looking at issues around end of life care. As well as being a really challenging subject to research and write about it’s been a project with our most diverse cast to date – Sokari Erekosima, Jim Findley, Gurpreet Grewal-Santini, Violet Hais, Mufaro Makubika, Irfhan Ali Mururajani, Dipti Patel and Ling Peng. We’d like to thank all of the readers for their sensitive handling of these stories which will be used as a training tool for those who are engaged with end of life care. Here’s one of the pieces, read by Irfhan:
So onto our two new projects, and the first is part of our ongoing work in India and a series of ten films set in Kerala that we’ve written the stories for. These are for the MeHeLP project and are replacing the theatre project that has had to be cancelled because of the Covid situation in India. Four of these are currently in production and we’re working with Lokadharmi on turning these stories into scripts. The first of these, The Cake, was filmed this week (July 30th and 31st), and will be followed by The Friend, The Make-up and The Bicycle.
We’re waiting to find out who will be filming the other six stories but are looking forward to collaborating with them. All of these films explore issues of mental health in Kerala.
Here in the East Midlands we’ve started work on an ACE funded project in partnership with Inspire and Miner2Major. Sherwood Voices will work with communities across the heart of Nottinghamshire to create a series of seven walks and audio stories that will explore the culture and hidden histories of the region. We’re currently in the research phase of the project, with our Sherwood Storycards ready to land at libraries across the county and our team will be out and about talking to people and community groups and gathering stories over the next weeks.
We’ve also recruited a new team of associates and are in the process of planning our first project as a team together, so will let you know more when those plans are confirmed.
That’s it for now. Have a good summer.
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Sherwood Voices is up and running →
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Tag Archives: law student
Camden Scholarship brings a fresh start and legal opportunities on the horizon
Birkbeck has supported disadvantaged, low-income Camden residents with full scholarships to progress their studies for the past few years. One of the programme’s students discusses her new lease of life following family woes and the lack of confidence she struggled with for years.
Helen recently started her studies at Birkbeck on the LLB Law programme, with the full cost of her course funded by the Camden Scholarship, available to two Camden residents each year who have already applied for their undergraduate courses at Birkbeck and who fulfil a number of criteria.
If you’d asked Helen a few years ago if she could have envisaged being a student on a law programme, she most likely would have replied with an emphatic ‘No’, given that she had to shelve her education after becoming pregnant while at university previously in her late teens. Any chance of education was further compounded with her ensuing role as caregiver and home provider, her strict upbringing and the observance of cultural norms.
As a child, Helen was obedient, respectful and quiet. She recalls always feeling anxious and conscious of her culture’s perceptions of the place of a woman. This created certain limitations on what she perceived as a reality for her future and she delicately reflects on her childhood as ‘difficult’.
She says, “Since becoming a parent and with life in general, my anxiety has become progressively worse. I believe this is linked to my childhood as I’ve gone through a lot of things. My upbringing taught me that women are subordinate and I’ve seen personally how women are oppressed. Over time, it’s left me feeling that I’m not good enough. I always knew I had potential but I always find myself experiencing barriers. I put it down to the anxiety…I realise I’ve had this my whole life.”
It wasn’t until her early thirties that Helen would endeavour to resume her education. She attempted to complete a statement for university five years prior to the Camden scholarship application. However, family life got in the way and she once again felt discouraged and “let got of the dream”. Helen then applied for a number of apprenticeships but was unsuccessful; and then an email came through with information about the Camden scholarship.
She decided to take a chance and put the application in April 2020, giving it her all. She still had her reservations, concerned she couldn’t complete the course with a family. But she called on the advice of people who had done the course and they assured her she would be okay. She shares, “I’m so glad I did. I realise I’m determined and made the right decision. At first I thought the timing of my life- leaving it too late- would make it impossible. Then I realised, it’s me who has been stopping myself and I needed to change my mindset.”
Following a successful application, an invitation to interview and the positive outcome, she reflects on the jubilance of hearing the good news: “I felt ecstatic, like a weight had been lifted. I was so happy, like I had a new lease of life given to me, a second chance that I didn’t even think I deserved. It’s just a dream.”
Now in her late 30s, she still feels the oppression of her past: “Sometimes you revert back to how you were as a child. Regardless of your achievements in life, you revisit your past. I’ve struggled with that my whole life.”
But the course has given Helen a fresh start and she observes a change in herself with increased confidence. She is particularly thankful for Birkbeck in helping her adapt to the academic world, especially since she’s been out of education for many years. Being around people who come with different perspectives has given her the ability to balance work and family life and has given her networking and learning resources. She adds, “Birkbeck really motivates people to think of different areas, exposes you to a wide range of careers and expands the possibilities.”
Now she’s looking ahead to the next five years and feels lucky and blessed: “I’m so happy that I even attempted to apply. I’m really grateful for this opportunity. I hope this is seen by people and someone’s life changes by seeing this.”
Helen is now planning to advance her legal studies and hopes to practice in the field of Law. Her encouraging words to others: “It’s never too late. Take small steps and follow your dreams.”
The Camden scholarship 2021/22 is now open for applications. Birkbeck’s funding support for Camden residents and other groups, administered by the Access and Engagement team, can be found here. The work of the Access and Engagement team at Birkbeck supports those from groups who are underrepresented in higher education in their university journey through resources about accessing university and free learning opportunities. This includes mature learners without a first degree, those with non-traditional qualifications and forced migrants.
DID YOU KNOW? Camden is home to the largest student population in London (2011 Census); with over half educated to degree-level- 5th highest in England and Wales.
*The student’s name has been changed owing to sensitive family matters.
This entry was posted in College and tagged Access and Engagement, birkbeck funding, Birkbeck Outreach, camden scholarship, law student on February 4, 2021 by Katrinah Best.
Bringing his own dose of magic to the field of Law
Tomas McCabe is a recent prize-winner in the inaugural British Inter University Commercial Awareness Competition 2020. BIUCAC was established to provide opportunities for non-Russell Group students to develop commercial awareness and to highlight the talent at respective law schools. Contestants receive support with enhancing their CVs and win one of twelve prizes at top City law firms. Tomas won the prize offered by Simmons & Simmons and in this blog, he shares his path to success, a smart mix of the conventional with the unconventional, including a 10-year career as a magician.
Tell us about your course, what you’re studying and how you came to study at Birkbeck?
I am in my second year of the LLB course. My job for a long time has been as a magician, however I decided last summer (2019) that I would love to study a law degree around that work. I’ve always been interested in law and have considered studying it for a long time, and when I finally decided to go for it, Birkbeck’s evening structure allowed me to study it conveniently as well as giving me a University of London degree.
What’s your view on the opportunities available to Law students once they graduate?
I have researched a lot about the opportunities for law students after they graduate. While there are some fantastic opportunities, it is a very competitive industry and a majority of students will never get the chance to work as a barrister or solicitor simply because everyone wants to. However, with a good degree behind you and a lot of extra volunteer work, competitions and experience on your CV, it seems you stand a better chance. Thankfully, as I learnt in BIUCAC, the city law firms traditional tendency to hire from Oxbridge and Russell Group universities is being steadily improved to give more students a chance at obtaining the top positions.
What are your career plans following your course?
I have been awarded work experience at two law firms- Simmons & Simmons and CANDEY. Following my placements there, I will have a much better idea where exactly I would like to take my law career. Currently, I am simply trying to take advantage of every opportunity and keep doors open.
How has Birkbeck supported you with those plans?
Birkbeck has supported me in numerous ways. As I mentioned, I much prefer the evening scheduled work as it frees up my day to do my own combination of studying, legal research and other work to support life in London. I have jumped at opportunities presented to students, including this one (BIUCAC), representing Birkbeck at the Landmark Property Moot Competition and applying for some volunteer work. I think students themselves, however, need to do a bit more research into what needs to be done early on in order to build experience and stand out at the time when you are applying for jobs.
Tell us how you came to hear of the competition and how you went about applying?
I heard of the competition through an email sent to students. Initially I wasn’t sure about taking part as I hadn’t really thought about commercial awareness or why I might need it. As it was multiple choice, I decided to give the first few rounds a go. By the time I got to the interviews and presentations stages, I was sucked in and loved it.
How do you see competitions like this helping students, especially non-Russell Group students?
The most obvious answer here is that anything that can make your CV stand out, against the hundreds applying for the same job as you, is important. After all, most – if not all – will have a law degree. That aside, this competition has built my commercial awareness a lot and from doing my research I now realise how important this is. Also, the opportunity to network with graduate recruiters, trainees and more senior lawyers from the top firms in London – magic circle included – was brilliant. Finalists also got a Just Eat voucher!
What were your thoughts on winning 3rd place- an incredible achievement?
To say I was shocked would be an understatement. However, as the competition moved through the rounds and I became more invested in it, I decided soon enough that if I was going to do it, I should do it right. I put in the time and effort for the finals and was really pleased with my achievement. However, the whole way through I was aware of the standard of the other students and didn’t believe I could place third from over 4100 entrants. I’m really happy with myself for doing so though.
Any final takeaways from the competition?
My main takeaways from the competition are: degree class is becoming more important to the top firms than the university you study at, so never think you can’t compete with the best. And also, take every opportunity you can. At worst it’ll cost you a few hours, at best it could get you your dream job.
More about Birkbeck’s School of Law
This entry was posted in College, Law and tagged British Inter University Commercial Awareness Competition 2020., careers, Competition, Law, law student, Student advice on December 13, 2020 by Katrinah Best.
From asylum seeker to student: how the Compass Project changed my life
An asylum seeker from Sri Lanka, who successfully applied to the Compass Project, tells of how he became a student at Birkbeck and his ambitions to help future asylum seekers have their voices heard.
My name is SJ. I belong to an oppressed ethnic minority in Sri Lanka, the Tamils. Due to my ethnicity and my political views, I was abducted and tortured. Therefore, I was unable to pursue higher education. I had basic school education in Sri Lanka and fled to the United Kingdom in 2010 when I was 17-years-old.
While my asylum case was under processing, I was unable to keep up with life as it took different stages every day. There was no one to help me find things or to advise me. At first, I did not even know how to use a microwave oven and ended up eating the food ice cold. I was left to sleep in a parking garage at a house. I struggled and felt strange. It was a haunting experience for me. There was nobody to hear what I had to say. Instead, they heard only what they wanted to hear. Those days were filled with solitude and emptiness. With whom should I share? How much should I share? Is it okay to share? Such questions crowded my mind. And they kept me drowned in thoughts and fear all the time.
Years passed. So much has happened between the years 2010 and 2014. I was homeless for a while and slept on the street while having chicken pox. The house owner did not let me stay in their garage as his wife was pregnant at that time. It was a fair concern and who am I for them to take extra care? By 2012, I was living with a friend in Doncaster. I was desperate to talk to someone and I was lucky to meet someone who had gone through what I had gone through in Sri Lanka.
In 2014, I gave up on myself and handed myself over at a police station as a failed asylum seeker. I was being a burden to my friend and I could not cope up with my life. I was detained in an immigration detention centre for about five months. I was able to witness the dark side of the UK while I was there. It was horrendous in many ways, from the food given to the detainees to how they are being treated.
The detention centre atmosphere forced me to relive my dark days in Sri Lanka. I was not aware of the pains and feelings that were hidden inside me until I was locked away. I used to isolate myself in a room for years. But living behind the big gates and razor wires made me feel so scared and unsecured. I met people of many kinds there. They belonged to different ethnicities and culture. They spoke various languages. There were few Sri Lankans as well. I faced various situations there, such as many violent incidents, suicide attempts, deaths, riots, and riot police invasions. I was so broken at that time and lost all hope. So, I went on a hunger strike to kill myself. I thought that life was not worth living.
One day the doctor at the detention centre examined me and told me that they must move me to a different detention centre, which has an inpatient bed, as my kidneys started to malfunction. I had weekly reviews and one of the detention supervisors told me that I could be the next one to die in detention if I was not given medical treatment. It frightened me. Those words echoed what I heard back in Sri Lanka.
From 2010, I took up learning English as a challenge. I have used resources such as YouTube, Google, newspapers, reading English books with the help of an English-to-Tamil dictionary and listening to conversations and observing the method of communication in the community. I could not possibly be able to explain the hard work I put in to learn English here. While I was in detention, I had some help from a charity. I explained to them the situation through the English I had learned by myself.
Once I could speak English, I was asked to translate for Tamil people as an emergency translator in the detention centre. I was still in an unstable situation. However, I helped the people in need. By doing this, I was able to identify and relate my situations to that of many other detainees. I understood that it was not happening to me only, but to many others in a systemic way as well. Many of us in destitute situations did not get any proper legal advice. It was the experience of a lifetime and it was what motivated me to fight for a good cause.
I tried to apply for local colleges and institutions once I got out of the detention centre. I did not have many friends in the community to get information about institutions outside Doncaster. All my applications were turned down by the colleges. I was told that I do not have the right to study. They said that if I got a letter from the Home Office saying I can study, they would let me study. When I requested the said letter from the Home Office, they refused to give me one and asked me to get the letter from the court, as my case was still pending at the court. When I approached the court, I was questioned by my solicitor about how I was going to pay the fee if they allow me to study. So, I gave up the dream to study.
Knowing that all these detainees are suffering inside the detention centre, I could not just sit. I was unable to let them suffer on their own. I wrote to many MPs about the bad treatment of asylum seekers and the prevailing conditions inside the detention centres. Due to this, I was contacted by someone who runs a counseling service for Tamil asylum seekers. I was fortunate enough to be identified as someone who needed the help as well. She invited me to attend counseling sessions. The days flew by, filled with nightmares and panic attacks. But this time I had someone to share my sorrows and thoughts with.
In 2017, she shared with me a link to a university project for asylum seekers called the Compass Project. I was not so sure about what to do. I attended the workshop for the project. It was the first time I ever stepped inside university premises. I was very nervous and was hardly controlling my anxiety. I entered the room allocated for the workshop. The project manager greeted me with a smile on her face and my nervousness faded away a little. However, I did not know what to expect or to ask. So, I kept quiet. I was given a friendly introduction to the project and guidance on how to apply. Finally, we were given a university tour.
With enormous support from the project manager and people at the counseling programme, I applied to the Compass Project Fund. I was so worried about not having any qualifications. It had been almost eight years since I was in the school. My personal statement explained my circumstances, my aspiration to study law, my experiences at the detention centre, poor handling of the asylum cases and a detainee’s dream to be a qualified immigration lawyer.
After a few weeks, I received an email saying that I was awarded the Compass Project Fund. I could not express how happy and accomplished I felt. I was finally given an opportunity to study. I was asked by the university to do an examination as well an interview to see if I am fit to study law as I did not have any prior academic qualifications. I was able to pass the exam and the interview with some great support. Getting the Compass Project Fund and a place at the university were the biggest things that ever happened to me. This was the first step in reaching my goal.
Meanwhile, my asylum case was still pending. The Home Office accepted that I was tortured in Sri Lanka and the case proceeded to the court for the hearing. Just a week before my first day at the university, I had to attend the court for my hearing. I was worried, but I was also hopeful for a change. I attended university without any decision from the court. Initially, it was so strange to me. For the first time in many years, I was sitting in a classroom with a pen and an exercise book before me.
It was very hard for me to understand the lectures at first as English is not my native language. I had to read the text at least four times to understand. But I did not give up. I continued to put in all my energy and worked hard at home and at the university. For my first essay, I received 68 marks. I was in joy since this was my first ever academic essay. By correcting the mistakes in my first essay, I was able to score 70 marks for my second essay. My hard work started to pay off. Now, I started to communicate with my fellow students in a better way.
Then I was granted refugee status by the court. It was life-changing and finally, my life got a little steady. However, I still must wage war with my unstable mind. University education is the ideal tool for me to break my solitude. It gave me hope and tools to learn from. I believe that by obtaining the necessary qualification, I will be able to get my voice heard.
The Compass Project Fund is a life-changing opportunity for me and many others. Being an asylum seeker in an unfamiliar place with restricted access and limited knowledge about the system limits many people from gaining access to further education.
I am looking forward to taking the available opportunities to desperate asylum seekers and to continue my work in the human rights field, to advocate for the betterment of all the asylum seekers and refugees.
This entry was posted in Law and tagged asylum seekers, birkbeck, compass project, Law, law student on February 8, 2018 by Jess.
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Explore John Muir's Yosemite - Maps - Introduction - About
Multimedia installation Explore John Muir's Yosemite illustrates the writings of naturalist and conservationist John Muir through interactive photography and music, offering an engaging new interpretation of Muir's vision of nature.
Explore John Muir's Yosemite was launched in 2014 to commemorate the centennial of John Muir’s death, the 150th anniversary of the Yosemite Grant, and the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act.
Please email [email protected] with questions or comments.
Nell Shaw Cohen at the site of John Muir's cabin at Yosemite Falls.
Interactive Media Design, Music, Photography, and Web Development:
Nell Shaw Cohen
Mobile and Web Development and Production Assistance:
John Resig
Production of Explore John Muir's Yosemite was supported in part by a Challenge Grant from New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.
Explore John Muir's Yosemite was exhibited at the 2014 international John Muir Symposium at The University of Pacific in Stockton, CA, with support from New York University's Student Senators Council Academic Conference Fund Grant.
Special thanks to Ben Moskowitz and Herschel Garfein.
All photographs, video, audio, and texts were produced for this web site and are © 2014 Nell Shaw Cohen, All Rights Reserved, unless explicitly attributed to an outside source.
All third-party materials are either in the public domain or released under a Creative Commons license. Attributions for third-party photographs, where applicable, are located in the lower left of the screen or directly below the related image. Attributions for quotations from John Muir's books are located at the end of each chapter.
Icons by Dave Gandy via Font Awesome.
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Sorry Mr. Bangar, but Rohit Sharma's stats aren't impressive
Tags: India, Rohit Gurunath Sharma, Sanjay Bapusaheb Bangar, batting coach
Published on: Sep 08, 2015
India's batting coach Sanjay Bangar has come out in support of the oft-criticised Rohit Sharma, stating that people must take a look at his numbers
India's batting coach Sanjay Bangar has come out in support of the oft-criticised Rohit Sharma, stating that people must take a look at his numbers, and compare with those of some other prominent players at the same stage, before taking a dig at the Mumbai Indians captain. According to Bangar, Rohit has been singled out unfairly, and he extended his support by stating that Rohit has 'definitely contributed to the team's cause'. Pointing out to Rohit's figures, Bangar commented that he has two hundreds and four fifties in 14 Tests at an average of nearly 38. While the numbers are not bad, they don't tell the entire story.
Stats can often be misleading, as is the case with Rohit. His average is a poor 38, despite the fact that he scored big hundreds in his first two matches. Also, while Bangar points out that Rohit has four fifties to his credit, those have come over a span of 12 matches, which basically means he has scored one fifty every three Tests. Acceptable? Definitely in ODIs, but not the five-day game. Of course, it cannot be assumed that Rohit batted twice in each of these matches. To be fair to him, we break down his numbers innings-wise. In 25 visits to the crease, he has crossed 50 on six occasions. This still translates to a high failure percentage -- 19 innings.
Had Rohit been constantly batting at number six or seven, one could understand his lack of big scores. But that clearly hasn't been the case. On the contrary, he has batted up the order at number three a few times. And, even in the lower order, he has got enough opportunities to play himself, as he has been batting at number five. Thus, the theory that Rohit has to constantly bat with the tail, something which was very true in the case of VVS Laxman, doesn't hold ground here. He has been getting his chances to make his mark, but has clearly failed to do so.
The backing that Rohit finds with the team management is definitely helping his cause, but it cannot deviate from the fair criticism of Rohit, particularly in the wake of some abysmal dismissals he has featured in. In the first innings at Galle, he embarrassingly played down the wrong line against Rangana Herath, getting the basics of playing spin wrong. In the second Test, he lost a great opportunity to stamp his authority with a hundred, when he lost concentration, and was trapped lbw in the last over of a day's play. At the SSC, he again eased to fifty before hooking one straight into the fielder before lunch.
The abovementioned dismissals make it clear that Rohit has definite concentration issues. Fifties and sixties aid the team for sure, but don't win you Test matches. And, it must also be noted that although Rohit has played only 14 Tests, he has actually been around the international scene since 2007. And if still one feels that Rohit has played too few Tests, it would be pertinent to note that another former Mumbai player Vinod Kambli played only 17 Tests despite averaging 54. Rohit will possibly be competing for a spot in the playing eleven with Cheteshwar Pujara. And, in the wake of the latter's magnificent comeback, he should be given no favour.
-- By A Cricket Analyst
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