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Boy Taoiseach & The Disaster Artists Part 1
It's difficult to tell if Irish journalists are Fine Gael Loyalists, propagandists for the establishment, or just blind to reality when they promote a positive image about a government which has completely failed its people.
Recently I picked up an article by Daniel McConnell @McConnellDaniel in which he rated the government's performance by cabinet member in which the average rating was 5/10 with the boy Taoiseach getting 6/10 and the only one to fall lower than a four was Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan.
The message being delivered is one of strong leadership with a shaky cabinet to reflect the turbulent year the Fine Gael government had, whitewashing over the cracks and the real troubles the government face. This is the art of misinformation, everyone knows the government faced problems in the Justice department in 2017 but the journalist simply hangs the department and leaves the boy Taoiseach off the hook as well as representing other members of the cabinet in a more favourable light also.
So for the record here is a breakdown of the cabinet's performance in 2017, even if this is not read today I hope that someday someone may find it useful. The government is not sailing the country in the right direction, if anything it is avoiding the rocks on a course set in 2011, plotted on a web of lies.
Leo Varadker, Taoiseach
First of all it's vital to remember that the boy Taoiseach was not elected to lead the country by the people. The elected Taoiseach was forced to resign because of the growing scandal in the Justice department. Leo stepped up to the role of Taoiseach to quell the storm but evidently took no action to reassure the government or the people that he was here to represent change. The biggest mistake he made was not asking Francis Fitzgerald to resign from her position as Tanaiste.
This isn't simply an easy dig made with the benefit of hindsight; it was fundamentally corrupt to acquire a position from his predecessor but to take no action to tackle the reasons behind Enda Kenny's resignation. Dare I say it was a PR stunt by the party and Enda fell on his sword, albeit with the benefit of a Taoiseach's pension to soften the blow.
Leo's PR stunts and appeasement policies were on display from his first slide down the Westminister banister, to his public glorification of Churchill, his decision to adorn the Shamrockoppy, and the establishment of MerionStreet communications unit which has come under heavy criticism from government partners who see it as a fundamental threat to democracy.
Also worth noting is Leo's odd sense of humour this year which has caused fall out in the party & also making sexist remarks towards Mary Lou McDonald in the Dail similar to which George Hook got fired over.
All in all the boy Taoiseach has proved to be an ambitious runt who seized power at the right moment and has done very little to benefit the country, so how does he get a score of 6/10 from the journalist. Well apparently his handling of the Brexit negotiations is disserved an above average rating, which probably entitles him to a coppers gold card or something. However the journalist once again is being too kind on this occasion. The Brexit negotiations are no different from the Anglo Irish Treaty of 1921 in that we had a chance to unite the country but came away with half the loaf. Arguably the difference being that this time the cowardice avoided a civil war as opposed to creating one.
For me the Boy Taoiseach has not acted with any courage or conviction in delivering a new cabinet or taking this country in the right direction. He has failed his people and should do the honourable thing and set a date for a new election next year. Hard to score him anything other than a 1/10.
Next on the list the journalist very cleverly put acting Tanaiste and co-runner for leadership Simon Coveney with a glowing review of 7/10, but we'll come back to that as more prominently, and as mentioned the Tanaiste for 2017 was Frances Fitzgerald who, as I've already wrote about was forced to resign over the McCabe scandal.
Frances Fitzgerald, Tanaiste
Frances Fitzgerald is a key figure in a scandal that has rocked this government three times now, first with the resignation of Justice minister Alan Shatter, secondly with the resignation of the elected Taoiseach Enda Kenny, and thirdly with her own resignation after a series of lies told to the Dail in defence of an e-mail which revealed her part in discrediting whistleblower Maurice McCabe and a conspiracy of a harassment campaign against him. Undisputed rating of 0/10
Simon Coveney, (Acting Tanaiste) Minister for Foreign Affairs
So to revert to the journalist's glowing rating for the second runner in the leadership race, Simon Coveney. Arguably more qualified for the job as Taoiseach than the boy, but with the personality of Pat Kenny's test tube baby he was never in prime running for the role.
Simon is a very articulate politician, defender of the status quo in previous positions in Agriculture, Defence, and Housing. In summary a well rounded centrist but lacks the PR skills and social media savvy which Leo pulls off in tank tops.
His stance on implementing a soft border in wake of Brexit is reassuring but also needs to be criticised along with the Taoiseach for failing to seize the opportunity to unite the country under one flag. There is no way our forefathers would have given up this gift from the gods.
Simon's failure to implement our born right for self determination is reflected in his departments stance to support democracy in Catalonia stating "Ireland respects the constitutional and territorial integrity of Spain" after the Catalonian region called for independence following an unsanctioned but democratic referendum.
Simon's view on defending the eight amendment is also open to further criticism as the government continue to ignore the recommendations of the Citizens Assembly and Amnesty International in favour of lying in bed with the Catholic church and pandering to a conservative electorate, this shows a lack of courage and real leadership.
Unfortunately for Simon the year of 2017 was not a fruitful period to be Minister for Foreign Affairs for a politician who has made a career out of being exceedingly average, Simon's stance on Catalonia, the North, and religious bias has seen him defending his lot at the cost of progress. 2/10
This concludes part one of my 2017 cabinet review. Part two coming shortly.
Photo from @thephoenixmag
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Who to talk to (when he won't)
You might remember we recently told you about Employee Assistance Programs and the free professional support they provide to Australian families in mining and resources. To reinforce the message, here's Lindsay McMillan, CEO of EAP provider Converge International...
There are always times when husbands or partners play the strong, silent types - men retreating into their cave, stoically weathering the storms of their troubles alone.
I'm guilty of it myself ... it's the way men are made as we're taught not to ask for help; to get over it; to take responsibility and be a man.
But when is the time to intervene? Have the blues and the silent treatment gone on for far too long? Or the other extreme: is he frustrated, angry, uncommunicative and taking it out on you and the family?
Many wives, partners and family members of FIFO workers don't realise that they too can access his employer's Employee Assistance Provider and workplace counsellors. Employee assistance isn't just about workplace issues – it's also about ensuring the emotional and psychological health and wellbeing of employees in the workplace and in the home. That's where employee assistance organisations such as Converge International take centre stage – impartial, and focused solely on employee wellbeing. And that means your health and wellbeing too.
After all, jobs in the mining sector are incredibly demanding compared to other professions. Employers have a duty of care to ensure their staff have the mental stamina, and emotional resilience to cope with the demands placed on them. If it sounds 'touchy feely', think of someone you know who's suffered depression, or a relationship breakdown, or isolation and anxiety. These situations are real.
Workplace counsellors regularly meet with spouses and partners from the mining industry to help with personal issues that may ultimately impact their work performance. They've even helped to save more than a few relationships and marriages along the way. A spouse or partner who is withdrawn, or angry, or even possibly suffering depression is ultimately endangering not only his own life but that of his team.
Where once these issues would have been considered personal problems best left at home, modern employers demand so much of their employees' time and resources that they must by law also care for their health and wellbeing.
But much of that health and wellbeing starts at home. Who am I to tell you of the stresses placed on any relationship by the FIFO lifestyle? Our counsellors find that many spouses left behind to keep the home fires burning feel distant and alienated from their partner's 'other' world. It's easy to see why relationships are tested, challenged and sometimes fail with the frustration of single parenting or loneliness. Or children can't quite cope with the frequent absences and changes to routine and discipline, even ensuring that dad has enough love and affection for all family members after three weeks on.
If you need someone to talk to, or if you think your spouse needs someone to talk to, give your EAP provider a call. Every major mining company provides workplace counsellors and Employee Assistance Programs through organisations such as Converge International. If your partner is unsure, there are usually posters and flyers throughout the workplace promoting EAP contact details. (Tell him to try the loo or the tea room for starters!)
It's also worth remembering that one in five Australians will suffer depression during their lifetime, according to beyondblue: national depression initiative. What starts out as 'the sads' or 'the blues' or anxiety can become more serious. Do not hesitate to contact your Employee Assistance Provider if you're feeling unusually depressed or anxious, or if you suspect your man is not coping. Assistance is swift and mental health plans are immediate.
The mining sector is a tough gig driven by voracious demand, creating great wealth for our country. Yet this immeasurable wealth cannot be at the cost of the happiness of Australian families. The health and wellbeing of employees and their families remain paramount to employers. One bad incident on site has massive ramifications not only for a tight-knit workforce but throughout the industry. An EAP provider is not the HR department. It's an external and impartial organisation which specialises in the emotional and psychological wellbeing of people who are not merely employees – but who are mums and dads, sons and daughters, and valued members of our community.
Don't try and cope alone.
Converge International is a not for profit organisation working with Australia's employees and their families to ensure their emotional and psychological health and wellbeing through workplace counselling,training and employee assistance programs. www.convergeinternational.com.au
More on Health & Wellbeing ...
Miners turn to MensLine Australia to build ties with family and beat the blues
Miners under the Aussie sun - a growing client base for skin specialists
Meet Australia's FIFO bachelor
Making your own life in a mining town
Beyondblue is building Australia's biggest shed - online!
Bit hot on the job? Drink more water!
Relationship struggles of a single FIFO miner
How to turn that beer belly into a six pack
Blokes feeling blue: identifying and conquering depression
De-stress at your office desk with three easy exercises
Ten steps to a great workout
Eight essential strategies for losing weight
Battling the bulge and the bain marie
Turn your donga into a gym (or how to exercise in a tiny space)
Ask Mareike ... your personal fitness trainer


To narrow your results select one or more categories in the below list.
CommentaryChildren's sermonChristianDevotionalDramaIllustrationPreachingSermonStoriesWorship
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Real Life -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Frank Ramirez -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2019
These scriptures remind us that a life worth living must be worthwhile.
How to live apocalyptically -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Frank Ramirez -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2016
In the first chapter of Acts, as the apostles stare into the sky where Jesus has ascended two figure
End of what? -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Sandra Herrmann -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2013
This week's scriptures call us to be awake and alert, fearless and ready for anything.
Of beginnings and endings -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Isaiah 12 -- David Kalas, Schuyler Rhodes -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2010
What's new? -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19, Psalm 98 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2007
Life can be quite onerous depending on the answer given to this question. Many of
TEOTWAWKI -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2001
TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It) speculation and predictions are nothing new.
What a difference the day makes -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 1998
Available at most video stores is a movie called Places of the Heart.
Running against wind and tide -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 1995
Nautical metaphor can be helpful to the preacher in dealing with the Old Testament and gospel readin
The continuing Advent -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 1990
Perhaps we have succeeded in obscuring the meaning of Advent when we have tied it to one time such a
Heaven on their minds -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19, Isaiah 12 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C
At the opening of Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice's Jesus Christ Superstar, Judas laments, "A
Children's sermon
The Kids and the Geezers Shall Graze Together -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19, Isaiah 12 -- Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2019
For November 17, 2019:
Intimidation Or Imitation -- Luke 21:5-19, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Isaiah 65:17-25, Isaiah 12 -- Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2010
This week's Gospel text depicts a traumatic scene, as Jesus prophesies the destruction of the temple
As Others See Us -- 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19, Isaiah 65:17-25, Psalm 98 -- Stephen P. McCutchan, Thom M. Shuman -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2007
It's easy to throw stones at distant targets.
The Blessing And Bane Of Witnesses -- Luke 24:1-12, Acts 10:34-43, Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Timothy B. Cargal -- Easter Day - C
The lectionary's Easter texts for this year give us a good opportunity to comment on the nature of w
Free-Riders, Nominals, And Nones -- Luke 21:5-19, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Leah Lonsbury, Ron Love, Christopher Keating, George Reed -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C
The lectionary readings appointed for Proper 28 provide us with powerful messages about the futu
What's Next? -- Luke 21:5-19, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Christopher Keating, Dean Feldmeyer, Mary Austin, Ron Love, George Reed, Beth Herrinton-Hodge -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C
In the wake of a contentious election campaign that has been fraught with anxiety, many people will
A SERVICE FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY -- Isaiah 65:17-25, Psalm 100, John 15:1-11 -- Gennifer Benjamin Brooks -- 1996
Easter Day -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Stephen P. McCutchan -- Easter Day - C -- 2009
For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered o
Proper 28 / Pentecost 26 / Ordinary Time 33 -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Stephen P. McCutchan -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2009
Evangelist Everett Everlovin -- Isaiah 65:17-25, John 3:23-30 -- John A. Tenbrook -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2002
Thespian Theological Thoughts
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 (2019) -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2019
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 (2016) -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2016
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 (2013) -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2013
A few years ago... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2013
A few years ago, Suzanne Collins wrote a popular trilogy that began with The Hunger Games.
This text is so... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Bob Ove -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2013
This text is so different from the one in Habakkuk where the Lord does not seem to be answering.
NULL -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2010
NULL -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Craig Kelly -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2010
Steven Curtis Chapman is an award-winning Christian recording artist whose career spans twenty-plus
NULL -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Timothy Smith -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2010
Charity Bell is a graduate student who is also a foster parent.
When my parents' bedroom was... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2007
When my parents' bedroom was remodeled, we didn't notice that our family's globe was
Movie and television trailers tease... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2007
Movie and television trailers tease us with promises of innovative, daring, and thrilling
I find that prayer requests... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2007
I find that prayer requests often are dealing with some area of pain that the individual is
Jerusalem is home to the... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 1995
Jerusalem is home to the three great monotheistic religions of the world: Judaism, Christianity, and
Henry and Meg wanted to... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 1995
Henry and Meg wanted to have a family. They wanted a family so badly, it hurt.
The new CEO arrived early... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 1995
The new CEO arrived early that day. Every employee was already there.
Suffering Christians everywhere rejoice in... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 1995
Suffering Christians everywhere rejoice in the belief that God's promise to the Israelites of a new
Former things shall be no... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- 1990
"Former things shall be no more remembered nor shall they be recalled to mind," (Isaiah 65:17) wrote
The famed pianist, Arthur Rubinstein... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C
The famed pianist, Arthur Rubinstein, gave a dinner party in honor of the equally famous composer, S
Third Street United Methodist Church... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C
Third Street United Methodist Church was hosting the organizational meeting for a new chapter of Hab
Proper 28/Pentecost 26/Ordinary Time 33 -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2006
Theme For The Day God promises to make all things new.
Proper 28 -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Elizabeth Achtemeier -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2003
This text forms the last portion of the long judgment-salvation oracle that is contained in Isaiah 6
Proper 28 -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Jerry L. Schmalenberger -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2003
Seasonal ThemeJesus' acts of compassion and teaching ministry.
Proper 28 -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- E. Carver Mcgriff -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2000
COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONSLesson 1: Isaiah 65:17-25 (C)
A New Beginning -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- R. Kevin Mohr -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2009
I am a lousy typist. My keyboard skills are rudimentary and functional, at best.
What Was Broken Is Healed -- 2 Corinthians 5:1-5, Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Charles L. Aaron, Jr., Charles Cammarata -- 2006
For a young woman killed by a drunk driver
Isaiah -- The Prophet Of Gloom And Glory -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- John W. Clarke -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2006
Of all the writing prophets of Israel, Isaiah stands out above them all.
Supporting Others As God Supports Us -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Richard E. Gribble, CSC -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2003
In 1921 Lewis Lawes became the warden at New York's infamous Sing Sing Penitentiary.
A Vision Of Freedom -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Mark Ellingson -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2000
Freedom is such a lovely word, a compelling image. What is freedom? How would you define it?
In Stride -- Isaiah 65:17-25, Romans 8:35-39 -- Ruth L. Boling, Anthology -- 1994
We have come today to celebrate the life of ____________; beloved son, grandson, brother, and friend
All Things New -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Janice B. Scott -- Easter Day - C
On a recent visit to Sweden to a parish just south of the Arctic Circle, we took Easter eggs as gift
The Days Will Come -- Isaiah 65:17-25, Luke 21:5-19 -- Peter Andrew Smith, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2019
Contents "The Days Will Come" by Peter Andrew Smith
The Days Will Come -- Luke 21:5-19, Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Peter Andrew Smith, Frank Ramirez -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2019
Gaining Your Soul -- Luke 21:5-19, Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Isaiah 12 -- Peter Andrew Smith -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2016
Contents "Gaining Your Soul" by Peter Andrew Smith
Knowing No Limits -- Luke 21:5-19, Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Isaiah 12 -- Frank Ramirez, John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2013
Contents"Knowing No Limits" by Frank Ramirez
Brother Beahm Is Here! -- Luke 21:5-19, Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Isaiah 12 -- Frank Ramirez -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2010
Contents "Brother Beahm Is Here!" by Frank Ramirez
In That Day -- Luke 21:5-19, Isaiah 12, Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Argile Smith, Richard A. Jensen -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2007
Contents What's Up This Week "In That Day" by Argile Smith
Two Stories Of Freedom -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19, Isaiah 12 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C
Contents What's Up This Week
A Vision For The Future -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Richard A. Jensen -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 1994
A few years back a west coast bishop returned home from a meeting of his denomination's bishops in K
Proper 28 / Ordinary Time 33 / Pentecost 26 -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-9, Isaiah 12 -- Julia Ross Strope -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2009
If we love the Lord with all our hearts, minds, and strength,
Proper 28/Ordinary Time 33 -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Frank Ramirez -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2006
First Lesson: Isaiah 65:17-25Theme: Sweeping Changes
The New Creation -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- H. Burnham Kirkland -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2003
First Lesson: Isaiah 65:17-25 Theme: The New CreationCall To Worship
Fully Alive -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Dallas A. Brauninger -- Easter Day - C -- 2000
Proper 28 | OT 33 -- Luke 21:5-19, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Dallas A. Brauninger -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2000
First Lesson: Isaiah 65:17-25 Theme: A Joy And A Delight
God's new earth -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- James R. Wilson -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 1997
Call To WorshipLeader: Let all who seek the Kingdom of the Lord gather now for worship!


Harvey Cedars
What does it take to be a lifeguard at the Jersey Shore?
Do you think you have what it takes to be a lifeguard at the Jersey Shore? It's more challenging than you may think.
Former Harvey Cedars Sgt sentenced to probation for theft of ATV
A former police sergeant in Harvey Cedars has been sentenced to probation for taking an ATV meant for the beach patrol or police department and storing it at his home.
Harvey Cedars Detective loots silver necklace from evidence
A Harvey Cedars Detective has been suspended without pay following his arrest for stealing a silver necklace worth $200.00 from the evidence room.
NJ lifeguard crews still not in full force for 2019
Memorial Day Weekend has come and gone, but summer hasn't yet started for lifeguard crews along the Jersey Shore.
Dino Flammia
Harvey Cedars Sgt pleads guilty to stealing ATV donated to police
A now former police sergeant in Harvey Cedars has plead guilty to theft after he took an ATV being donated to the department and used it for personal reasons.


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Ginny and Georgia, Both Lovable and Likable
Netflix new series "Ginny and Georgia" released now.
Brittany Sackett, Writer
On Feb. 24 Netflix released their new series Ginny and Georgia with only 10 episodes. This show stars Georgia who is a mother of two kids. Virginia, also known as Ginny and Austin. After Georgia's recent husband dies and her patchy past she picks her family up and moves. After many moves over their life they end up in a small suburban town in Massachusetts called Wellsbury.
This show has many different ways of portraying high school, whether that be stereotypical which is mostly what it shows and the truth of high school and how teenagers really deal with it. Ginny had never really made friends anywhere else she lived, but once she arrived in Wellsbury she instantly made a friend named Max. Georgia tries her best to try and fit into the community with all the other parents. When meeting with all the parents around town she quickly finds out who to steer clear from and who to keep close. Meanwhile, Ginny has met a new guy, Marcus, who turns out to be Max's twin brother. Now stuck in a love triangle she tries to figure it all out on her own.
Although moving around a lot, both mother and daughter feel that this place is different. As Georgia starts her new job at the mayor's office she has to plan the new fundraiser with the plan to beat last year's by a lot. Ginny starts to have problem's in her new relationship with Hunter, while still thinking about Marcus in the back of her head. Georgia's past catches up with her as many people from her past start coming back in. After discovering new things about her mother Ginny starts to question her mother and all that she has done. Georgia starts noticing a difference in Ginny's behavior and questions her, but Ginny lashes out and it puts them in a rough spot. After a while Georgia decides to surprise Ginny with a sixteenth birthday party that doesn't end in the way that she planned.
As the story goes on viewers get to see both the lives of Ginny and Georgia, and how they work out the new town with different perspectives. Ginny's father Zion makes a surprise visit to Wellsbury, but because of his and Georgia's past it puts tension between her and Paul's relationship. After Ginny finds out all of Georgia's secrets and her patchy past she makes decisions that set up the final episode.
This show has become a very popular show in a short amount of time. Senior Elizabeth Harder says, "I would recommend this show to others because it shows that no matter how untraditional your family is, or the issues that arise, you can continue to love and support each other through anything." With many good and little bad reviews it became one of the top shows on Netflix in only a few days. Many viewers are wishing for the second season already. Netflix recently came out saying that there will be a second season. After the cliffhanger left at the end of the last episode, many viewers will be back to enjoy the next season.
Brittany Sackett is a senior this year at the OHS. Sackett is not involved in a lot of activities but YoungLife and she is also a boy's lacrosse manager....
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Entertainment Daypop
Penélope Cruz, Dua Lipa, Michaela Coel and Roger Federer to co-chair 2023 Met Gala
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Michaela Coel, Penélope Cruz, Roger Federer, Dua Lipa and Anna Wintour will co-chair the 2023 Met Gala, which benefits the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. Honorary chairs of the gala include Tom Ford and head of Instagram Adam Mosseri.
This year's exhibition will celebrate the opening of "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty," featuring about 150 pieces spanning Lagerfeld's start in the business in the 1950s to his final collection in 2019. According to an announcement, "guests will be invited to pay homage to Lagerfeld's affinity for aesthetics and theory of art by embodying the 'line of beauty' through the appreciation and execution of the 'straight line' and the 'serpentine line,' which delineate, respectively, Lagerfeld's modernist and historicist tendencies .. Along with the straight and serpentine lines, the exhibition will conclude with the 'satirical line,' in effort to highlight Lagerfeld's 'ironic, playful, and whimsical predilections expressed through visual puns that reflect the designer's razor-sharp wit.'
The 2023 Met Gala will resume its annual tradition of taking place on the first Monday in May (this year on May 1, 2023). Date changes had been made for the last two years due to the pandemic.
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Take a look at Zachary Levi and Helen Mirren in new 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' trailer
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Warner Bros. Pictures has shared the trailer for the DC superhero film 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods,' featuring Zachary Levi, Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu. The film is a sequel to the 2019 film 'Shazam!' which follows Billy Batson (aka Shazam), a teenager who transforms into an adult superhero (Levi) after saying the name "Shazam."
According to a film synopsis from Warner Bros. Discovery, 'when the Daughters of Atlas, a vengeful trio of ancient gods, arrive on Earth, the kids are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives and the fate of their world.' The trailer shows Shazam (Levi) taking on Hespera (Mirren) and Kalypso (Liu), daughters of Atlas. Adam Brody, Rachel Zegler, Ian Chen, Faithe Herman and Djimon Hounsou also star.
Shazm! Fury of the Gods, written by Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan and directed by David F. Sandberg, opens in theaters March 17. Take a look at the trailer – here.
Rock Daypop
Foo Fighters replace Pantera at two German music festivals
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Foo Fighters will replace Pantera at Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park, two German festivals taking place simulatenously this summer. Foo Fighters will headline Rock Am Ring on Friday, June 2nd and Rock Im Park on Sunday, June 4th. The Foos wrote on Instagram: "Germany – we'll see you Friday, June 2nd at @rockamringofficial and Sunday, June 4th at @rockimparkofficial! Tickets are on sale now!"
The reformed Pantera features original members Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown joined by guitarist Zakk Wylde and drummer Charlie Benante paying homage to the late Abbott Brothers who founded the band in the 1980s. Pantera was removed from both festivals earlier this week after controversy over singer Philip Anselmo making a Nazi-style salute and screaming "white power" during a Dimebash event in Hollywood back in 2016. The singer says he made an "off-color joke" about drinking white wine backstage and made the comment and gesture to audience members taunting him, but apologized later that month. The German Green Party for the Nuremberg City Council released a statement earlier this month asking that organizers to remove the band for "stirring up anti-racist and anti-fascist circles."
The Foo Fighters have announced headlining appearances at Boston Calling, Sonic Temple and the Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival, their first performances since the passing of drummer Taylor Hawkin in March 2022.
Dave Matthews Band announce summer tour and new album
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Dave Matthews Band has announced their first studio album in five years, titled "Walk Around the Moon," out May 19. The band's 10th studio album consists of 12 original songs, produced by Rob Evans, and longtime DMB collaborator John Alagia serves as executive producer on "Walk Around the Moon." According to a press release, the album "took shape" during the pandemic and "is as much a reflection on the current times as it is an urge to find common ground.:
The band also revealed dates for a 2023 North American summer tour, kicking off May 9 in Mexico City and ending on Sept. 3 in George, Wash, with the band's traditional three-day Labor Day weekend celebration at Gorge Amphitheatre. Members of the DMB Warehouse Fan Association can now register for presale here, while Citi cardmembers will have access to presale starting Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. local time. General sale begins on Feb. 17 at 10 a.m. local time.
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Michael Strahan receives first sports entertainment star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
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Good Morning America and Fox NFL Sunday host Michael Strahan received the 2,744th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — the first sports entertainment star to achieve the honor. Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, said in a statement: "We are very excited to inaugurate the first sports entertainment star for Michael Strahan. Sports fans will be thrilled to be able to see their favorite sports figures who are involved in the entertainment business receive their stars. Michael's extensive background in sports and sportscasting makes him the perfect choice to add to the famed sidewalk."
Actor and former NFL player Terry Crews, along with his 'GMA" co-hosts, Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, Fox NFL Sunday hosts Jay Glazer, Curt Menefee, Howie Long, rap star Wiz Khalifa, and Entertainment Tonight host Kevin Frazier were there to support Strahan at his Walk of Fame ceremony. Strahan's three daughters, Tanita, Isabella and Sophia, also attended the ceremony along with his mother, Louise. You can see the ceremony honoring Strahan at the link – here.
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Paris Hilton and husband Carter Reum welcome first baby together
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Paris Hilton announced that she and husband Carter Reum have welcomed a baby boy together via surrogate. The 41-year-old Hilton posted the news on social media, sharing a picture of her son's hand holding onto her thumb with the caption: "You are already loved beyond words."
Hilton later confirmed to People that her baby boy had arrived via surrogate, less than two months after she revealed that she and Reum had started IVF treatment toward the beginning of the pandemic. The couple were married in November 2021. Hilton told People: "It's always been my dream to be a mother and I'm so happy that Carter and I found each other. We are so excited to start our family together and our hearts are exploding with love for our baby boy.
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Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones officially join TikTok
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The Rolling Stones and Mick Jagger have officially joined TikTok (@TheRollingStones), which enables creators to access their full music catalog on the platform. The TikTok community will be able to use the Stone's tracks in their video creations, creating covers and remixes of their iconic hits including "Start Me Up," "It's Only Rock 'N Roll (But I Like It)" & "Miss You." These tracks are all available on the TikTok Sounds Page.
Frontman Mick Jagger will also be joining TikTok with his own personal account [@jagger], joining band mate Keith Richards who joined the platform last year [@officialkeef]. Fans can follow both accounts as well as the band's official channel, which will feature exclusive behind-the-scenes content from live shows, studio recording & more. The band have also posted their first videos, featuring rare archive footage & encouraging fans to perform, move & dress like the Stones.
TikTok will be launching the official hashtag #TheRollingStones, and TikTok creators can also enjoy a brand new guest playlist curated by the band. The playlist features 44 hit tunes from their catalog including "Start Me Up," "It's Only Rock 'N Roll (But I Like It)," "Miss You," "Angie," "Beast Of Burden" & more.
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Stevie Nicks expands 2023 tour with solo dates
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Stevie Nicks is expanding her 2023 touring, which include previously announced stadium dates with Billy Joel. After Nicks' March 10 show with Joel at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Nicks will begin her own headlining tour on March 15 in Seattle, concluding on June 27 in Louisville. Five more stadium dates with Joel will follow on Aug. 5 in Columbus, Ohio., Aug. 19 in Kansas City, Mo., Sept. 23 in Foxborough, Mass., Oct. 7 in Baltimore, and Nov. 10 in Minneapolis.
As previously reported, Nicks, 74, appears on the track "Oil" from the upcoming Gorillaz album Cracker Island, which will be released on Feb. 24. She will also feature on Dolly Parton's upcoming rock album, having collaborated with the fellow music icon in the studio last week.
Tickets for Stevie's new solo tour dates go on sale starting Friday, January 27th at 10 am via Ticketmaster. Presales start Thursday, January 26th at 10 am local time.
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Netflix's 'Cobra Kai' ending with Season 6
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Netflix announced in a video clip that Season 6 of 'Cobra Kai' will be its last. A premiere date hasn't been set. with the video only saying it is "coming soon."
Creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg said the decision to end the series is bittersweet: "Reacquainting the world with the Karate Kid universe has been our humble honor. Making Cobra Kai has allowed us to join the same hallowed dojo once inhabited by the great Robert Mark Kamen, John Avildsen, Jerry Weintraub, and all the amazing original cast members. It has also enabled us to play sensei, expanding the original storylines and birthing a new generation of underdogs. We've never once taken this opportunity for granted. Our day one goal with Cobra Kai has always been to end it on our terms, leaving the Valley in the time and place we've always imagined. So it is with immense pride and thankfulness that we are able to announce that achievement. The upcoming season six will mark the conclusion of Cobra Kai."
Cobra Kai began as a YouTube series, s continuation of the 'Karate Kid' movie franchise with original stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reprising their roles. After two seasons at YouTube, the show moved to Netflix in 2020.
2023 Oscar Nominations: 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' leads with 11 nods
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The 2023 Academy Awards nominations were announced on Tuesday by actors Allison Williams and Riz Ahmed. from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif. 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' leads the list of nominations with 11, including the coveted Best Picture category.
Following closely behind is the World War I epic "All Quiet on the Western Front" and the dark comedy "The Banshees of Inisherin," both of which earned nine nominations. Blockbusters "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Avatar: The Way of Water" each landed nominations in the best film category. Other nominees in the Best Film category are "Elvis," Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical "The Fabelmans", "Tár," "Women Talking," and "Triangle of Sadness."
Jimmy Kimmel will return as host of this year's Oscars for the third time. The 95th Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, and will be televised live on ABC.
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VW leadership troubles continue
Some stories attract international interest, while others remain almost unnoticed. Serious Volkswagen watchers will be aware of one leadership story that has not gained much international attention.
I picked up the scent of something of interest, because of a little surge of numbers of visitors to this site searching for news about the VW company. That's when I came across a Reuters report
Volkswagen supervisory board member Guenter Lenz has resigned his seat, becoming the latest casualty of a scandal involving the use of corporate funds to bribe the carmaker's senior labour leaders. According to a statement from the Hanover works council, Lenz told employees on Tuesday at a plant staff meeting that he would now resign his board seat and his post as the site's works council boss after previously ceasing to actively execute his duties. The public prosecutor's office in Brunswick accuses him of aiding and abetting fraud and partaking in parties with prostitutes paid for out of a VW slush fund. Lenz, who has also resigned from the Lower Saxony state parliament, would accept a court sentence for his wrongdoing, the Hanover works council said.
The scandal has already cost the jobs of VW management board member Peter Hartz, group works council chief Klaus Volkert, as well as a member of the German federal parliament.
The Financial Times also commented on the story. As did
Eurotribune a self-declared 'left-leaning' publication with communitarian goals. It writes about what it sees as unhealthy industrial arrangements in Germany's internationals, and is particularly suspicious of the relationships between State, workers councils, and boards of organizations. It sees more trouble ahead for Volkswagen over its leadership and governance.
VW is plagued by a series of corruption scandals involving top union and work council members. Those already netted include the author and name-giver of the infamous Hartz-IV law, VW human resource manager Peter Hartz, as well as an SPD member of parliament. Now the scandal forced the resignation of Günter Lenz, who was at the same time the work council head for VW's utility vehicle branch, a member of VW's oversight board, and a member of the regional parliament for SPD. He is under investigation for visits to brothels on company money… Lenz denies the accusation. However, prostitutes have confirmed his story in the case of the top work council man, Klaus Volkert — who now sits in prison. The payments for the prostitutes were approved by Hartz himself.
It seems strange that this story was not been followed more closely by the international financial press. Maybe Angela Merkel and Nicholas Sarcozy have found time, in their new-found friendship, to muse over the matter as they explore the equally taxing issues of EADS governance.
1 Comment	| Angela Merkel, EADS, FT, Guenter Lenz, Klaus Volkert, Nicholas Sarcozy, Peter Hartz, Volkswagen, VW	| Permalink
The positions change on the EADS chess board
A major restructuring is announced at EADS, the parent of the high-profile Airbus organization. The complex double helix of German and French bonds has been split apart. The reconsituted entity is a more recognizable structure. Will it provide for more effective corporate governance and strategy, as it faces severe internal and external challenges?
The announcement on the EADS website was calm, hardly signifying any major changes. It all read as if everything was well-planned.
EADS shareholders have decided – together with the EADS management team – to modify the company's current management and leadership structure. Guiding principles of the modification are efficiency, cohesiveness and simplification of EADS management and leadership structure, towards governance best practices and in the respect of balance between the French and the German shareholders. The German Government has been consulted as well.
Under the simplified management structure, EADS will be led by a single Chairman and a single CEO.
Rüdiger Grube will assume the position of sole Chairman of the Board of Directors of EADS. In this role, he will be responsible for overseeing the Group's strategic development and dealings with its Shareholders. In particular, he will chair the newly created EADS strategic committee.
Louis Gallois will assume the position of sole CEO of EADS. In this role, he will be responsible for leading the management team in the execution of the Group's strategy and managing the company's interaction with public shareholders.
Thomas Enders will assume the position of CEO of Airbus in the Toulouse headquarters of the company, reporting to the CEO of EADS. He will be supported by Fabrice Brégier as COO of Airbus.
According to the BBC,
The French joint chief executive Louis Gallois will take sole charge at EADS while his German co-head Tom Enders gets the top job at Airbus.
EADS' complex structure has been blamed for many of its recent problems.
"We need to be a normal company," Mr Enders said.
Previously, EADS had two chairmen and two chief executives: one French and one German. Daimler executive Ruediger Grube will become sole chairman of EADS, a post he previously held jointly with France's Arnaud Lagardere.
The implied abnormality by Enders was the double-harnesses imposed on EADS by the influences exerted by two co-chairman, and two co-CEOs This was the heritage of the company's formation, and reflected the 'least worse' way of maintaining cooperation between the company's two main national interests in France and Germany. No alternative better could be found than the structure which permitted one French and one German chairman, one French and one German CEO on the main board.
But let's see what can be concluded beyond the formal statement:
One or two commentators suggested that the changes were not particularly unexpected. I will be charitable and suggest that those commentators must have been holding back on the outcome for some reason or other. The details are far from expected.
In ealier posts I had chronicled the various problems at EADS and its the troubles that have piled up for its major subsidiary, Airbus. The recent press reports had led me to conclude that attempts to resolve the complicated dual-management structure appear to be centering on co-chief executive Tom Enders.
Mr Enders is a controversial figure in France after he publicly criticized political interference from Paris and suggested the possibility of sensitive asset disposals. However, Daimler, the core German industrial shareholder in EADS, is determined that Mr Enders should not be sacrificed in any final deal.
Let me put a few pieces on the chessboard. Louis Gallois, head of Airbus, is widely admired, and believed to be needed to stick it at Airbus, and see though Power 8, the strategic plan to streamline the business. This is a production and commercial imperative. He is co-CEO of EADS with Tom Enders at present.
Arnaud Lagardère of the media group of the same name is French Co-chairman of EADS. His German co-chair is Rudiger Grube.
Nicholas Sarcozy and Angela Merkel are also in play, with special concerns for their national interests (and for their own political positions). EADS Shareholder DaimlerChrysler has signaled willingness to increase its holding, a positive gesture to Sarcozy who would like to reduce the holding of the French Government. DaimlerChryser's bid is linked to their interests in keeping Tom Enders in play.
The rumors in the French press
Rumors suggest the game will involve taking Enders off the board. This has been denied emphatically by the company.
So what is 'behind the headlines?
The company statement seems to have airbrushed out Arnaud Lagardere, the earstwhile Co-chair of EADS. Strange. So the German Rudi Grube takes over as Chair of the EADS main board. But Lagardere remains a powerful figure and shareholder. It has been suggested that he has escaped scrutiny over earlier share scandals, and is 'protected by Sacozy, who in turn is aware of a rather soft-ride from M Lagardere in his recent election campaign. And there is the possibility that the media figure will be in line to return as sole Chair of EADS in the future, in an agreement in which the Chair will rotate from German to French holders every five years.
Another 'solution' left Louis Gallois as CEO of EADS and Tom Enders in charge of the subsidiary Airbus. This grants Gallois his (alleged) wish to avoid being left to sort out Airbus while answering to Tom Enders. On the other hand, the one figure widely regarded as key to implementing the Power8 plan at Airbus is Gallois, now expected to play a more political role.
The changes are sufficiently complex to warrant a working party investigating them.
3 Comments	| Airbus, Airbus leadership, Angela Merkel, Arnaud Lagardère, Chess as a source of strategy insights, EADS, Louis Gallois, Nicholas Sarcozy, Rudiger Grube, Tom Enders	| Tagged: Global Issues	| Permalink
Sarcozy, EADS. Qu' est-ce qu'il a les demaneaisons?
Nicholas Sacozy may be finding that EADS and its Airbus operations are giving him a most irritating itch that refuses to go away. One of his first acts as President was to visit the Toulouse sight of Airbus. Now the earlier governance problems at EADS may be returning to chafe him, with suggestions of his own peripheral involvement.
Last year, A380 project executives, including Airbus CEO Gustav Humbert, were dismissed, primarily for failure to deal effectively with the project delays. Humbert was also was accused of concealing the seriousness of the problems. In a short space of time, Humbert's replacement, Christian Streiff resigned, and the current leader, Louis Gallois was brought in. Streiff was believed to have failed to secure backing for a financial package (The Power8 plan) he believed necessary to turn things around with the A380.
The Airbus Power8 announcement
The Airbus Power8 announcement of 28th of February indicated:
A third A320 Family FAL [Final Assembly Line] will be set up in Hamburg immediately to cope with the steep production ramp-up currently under way. This FAL will be established in already existing facilities and will have full type flexibility when demand for A320s exceeds rate 14 per month. The A320 will continue to be assembled in Toulouse up to 14 [per month]. Hamburg will also perform final assembly of the future New Single Aisle family.. Furthermore, in order to allow parts to be fitted in the most logical place to optimize the overall cycle time, some upstream preparatory A320 and A380 cabin installation work will be transferred from Hamburg to Toulouse.
Which did not prevent vigorous opposition to the plan at Toulouse, and an early problem for Nicholas Sarcozy's Presidency.
The itch that won't go away
Within weeks of his election, Sarco was at Toulouse. He bought some time, obtaining some wriggle room by promising to return in July with Angela Merkel, thus indicating the international dimension of the problem. But the earlier itch remains.
The French co-chairman of EADS, and known to be close to M Sarcozy has been questioned by financial investigators still exploring into alleged insider trading in EADS last year. M. Largardère, claims that he had no inside knowledge of delays in deliveries of the A380, when his family group sold off 7.5 per cent of the Franco-German planemaker's shares in April 2006.
According to The Independent, reports from the French press, that
[S]ince taking over the family empire after his father died in March 2003, M. Lagardère has cultivated a chatty and approachable style. He has, however, been plunged into controversies. His group is one of France's biggest media players, owning a controlling stake in Hachette-Filipacci Media, the company that owns Paris-Match. He also has smaller stakes in Le Monde, Le Parisien and L'Equipe … M. Lagardère has been accused of interfering in editorial decisions to protect his friend M. Sarkozy and especially to prevent discussion of alleged problems in the President's [private life]. Le Monde quoted a "close adviser" of M. Lagardère yesterday as saying that "whatever happens" he will be protected by M. Sarkozy.
I took this to mean that his friend would continue to conform to the French distaste for airing the personal problems of politicians. Nevertheless, in England, The Independent's article may be taken for evidence of a political cover-up.
The EADS itch will not be going away for the new President.
Leave a Comment »	| Airbus, Airbus leadership, Angela Merkel, Arnaud Lagardère, EADS, Louis Gallois, Nicholas Sarcozy	| Permalink
Sarcozy finds some wriggle-room at Airbus
Early into his honeymoon period, President Sarcozy finds himself in action at the fermenting Airbus organization. Contrary to his reputation and inclinations, he finds a waiting move, buys himself some time, and preserves some of his limited options.
Airbus was always likely to be an indicator of M. Sarcozy's presidential style. Politicians may be accused of not listening, but they do listen to the evidence provided by popularity polls, especially those connected with the votes they may be winning or losing in democratic elections.
During his own leadership campaign, his call was for a strengthening of the leadership of the company through attracting new investors to its board. This came through more clearly than his views on the difficulties facing the company, such as immediate production difficulties and the longer-term strategic and governance issues which have been the preoccupations of its chief, Louis Gallois. The plan to address these problems has led to Union unrest not only in France, but elsewhere in Europe where the plans also threaten jobs.
In an earlier post, I suggested that for all Sarco's intentions, it is hard to see him being in a position to make a difference to Airbus, in the short-term. A gesture of masterful inaction is likely to be his best outcome at the moment.
Kissing Angela Merkel
Sarco has had to balance his new international role with his inclinations to preserve what he sees as a cherished French asset. So he has already made warm overtures to German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Hamburg's Airbus manufacturing plant is, like Toulouse in France, facing major job-cuts. The International Herald Tribune acknowledges this as a necessity, commenting from the Toulouse:
As Louis Gallois, the French chief executive of Airbus, noted wryly in a session with reporters here , "He is kissing Angela Merkel every time they meet, but that doesn't mean anything."
For Gallois, a seasoned executive with ties to the Socialist Party, the election of Sarkozy injects another volatile element into what is already one of the hardest repair jobs in European industry.
The article further points out that Sarkozy has been sending out mixed messages during his campaign, leaving it unclear whether
… he is, at heart, a free-market reformer or an economic nationalist determined to prop up France's industrial patrimony. Given his track record and the imperatives of French politics, several experts said, he is likely to be a bit of both. Sarkozy, they predicted, will give Airbus leeway to proceed with cost-cutting, while at the same time moving to strengthen France's influence over the enterprise.
Sarco finds a waiting move
There are times in politics, when as in chess, the leader has to find a waiting move. In chess, the idea is to move without disturbing the delicate balance in a complex and dynamic situation. You do best by effectively not disturbing the status quo.
So it was in Toulouse. Facing angry Unions, represtatives of the Company's French leadership, and the wider international press, he signals two somewhat contradictory positions. Yes, he will 'stand by' and 'do his duty' to the interests of the French employees. But in the longer term, he does not rule out selling the Government's stake in the company.
I will return, he promises. In July. When he will be accompanied by his new friend Angela.
If not masterful inactivity, we have seen an example of how to create a little wriggle room in a tricky situation.
Leave a Comment »	| Angela Merkel, Chess as a source of strategy insights, General Leadership Concepts, leadership honeymoon, Leadership principle, Louis Gallois, Nicholas Sarcozy, Political leadership, Wriggle room	| Permalink
Airbus struggles: A killer fact analysis
Strategic decisions at Airbus have been increasingly mired in political wrangling. Killer facts appear to include serious production delays difficulties in France; job preservation priorities of French and German politicians, share disposals by BAE to Airbus parent EADS, and leadership changes as the political, economic and technological challenges play out. Leader Louis Gallois will have to find some wriggle room to secure the restructuring required for the company.
Considerable changes have occured at EADS since this post was first written. These can be tracked through the Airbus posts, including details of the corporate restructuring. The longer term Power8 plan seems still on the agenda, but delayed. Angela Merkel still visits Toulouse, but with new French President Nicholas Sarcozy. The post has been retained as a useful historical context to more recent developments in the company.
[Original Post follows …]
You know an international company is in trouble when it becomes the topic of discussion between corporate and political leaders. Today, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Jacques Chirac meet with executives of EADS in Germany. The subject on the agenda employment, and potential job losses at the planemaker Airbus. The company's largest sites, with greatest potential for job losses are at Toulouse and Hamburg.
Last year, A380 project executives, including Airbus CEO Gustav Humbert, were dismissed. Humbert was blamed for the failure to deal effectively with the project delays, but also was accused of concealing the seriousness of the problems.
In the same period, it was revealed that the joint CEO of EADS, Noel Forgeard had sold EADS stock weeks before its Airbus subsidiary announced the Airbus A380 would be delayed again. M. Forgeard resigned, and the stock plummeted.
In a short space of time, Humbert's replacement, at Airbus, Christian Streiff resigned, which was when Louis Gallois stepped in. Streiff was believed to have failed to secure backing for a financial package he believed necessary to turn things around with the A380. Gallois is a much admired leader with a track record of top-level negotiating skills as well as industry experience. This week, the famed negotiating skills of Louis Gallois have been strained. An announcement of the restructuring with losses of over 10,0000 jobs was postponed, and now will follow the meeting of EADS executives with Merkel and Chirac.
The Killer facts
The killer facts that will pervade the talks are as follows. The mighty and innovative airbus 380 project has been mired in technological challenges (particularly over gigantic wiring problems) at the Toulouse plant. At minimum, these will cause huge compensation payouts to customers. (The financials would be much worse if competitor Boeing were not working to full capacity). The governance of EADS has been an extended story of struggle between French and German interests (in which the Franco-German co-leadership plays a part). British political influence disappeared after UK defense and aviation company BAE Systems announced its plans to sell 20% stake in Airbus to EADS last year.
What will happen next?
Don't expect to find a neat Business School solution on the strategic issues. The dreaded PEST analysis (Political, Economic, Social and technological factors) seems more relevant than simple SWOTting (analysis of corporate strengths and weaknesses, against external threats and opportunities).
Structural production factors dictate that the pain of job losses will be spread around with greatest potential losers in Germany, France, and England. Interestingly, the share price has had its medium term downward adjustment, and has been remarkably stable over the last six months of corporate turbulence.
There seems scope for some wriggle-room, and political / economic trade-offs. Louis Gallois may yet lead by facilitating some creative (win-win) decisions of national involvement in future business streams. We will soon find out who will be doing the most wriggling, and where.
12 Comments	| Airbus leadership, Angela Merkel, BAE Systems, Business leadership, EADS, Jacque Chirac, Louis Gallois, Nicholas Sarcozy, Political leadership, Wriggle room	| Permalink
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SFC James F. Grissom Honored in 2014
James Grissom graduated from Mt. Eden High School in 1999 and attended college at the Art Institute of San Francisco, earning his Associates Degree in Computer Animation. He enlisted in the United States Army in June 2003, under the 18 x-ray Special Forces Enlistment Program. After graduating from the Special Forces Qualification Course in October, 2005, he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. During his time as a member of 2nd Battalion, James deployed on several occasions including Iraq in 2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to 4th Battalion in 2010 as an engineer sergeant and deployed to Afghanistan in 2012.
On 21 March 2013, SFC Grissom past on due to injuries sustained from small arms fire he received three days earlier. SFC Grissom was on his 5th deployment to an Overseas Contingency Operation when he was fatally wounded.
SFC Grissom's military education includes the Special Forces Qualification Course, Warrior Leader Course, Advanced Leader Course, Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape know as SERE, the Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance, Target Analysis, and Exploitation Course, and the Airborne Course.
His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal with 2 oak leaf cluster, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Afghan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Overseas Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 2, Army Service Ribbon, the Special Forces Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Parachutist Badge. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Start Medal.
He is survived by his wife Angela (Pictured Right), his parents Margery and James Grissom; and his sister Rebecca Grissom.
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You are at:Home»News»Sabah»Teacher gets 11 years, two lashes for sexual offences
Teacher gets 11 years, two lashes for sexual offences
By Safrah Mat Salleh on May 30, 2020, Saturday at 1:41 AM Sabah
KOTA KINABALU: A primary school English teacher was sentenced to a total of 11 years jail plus two strokes of the cane for two sexual offences against two girls.
Sessions Court judge Elsie Primus imposed the sentence on the 50-year-old man after he pleaded guilty to the charges which were read to him yesterday.
On the first count, he was sentenced to seven years in jail and a stroke of the cane for touching the private parts of his eight-year-old pupil in a classroom of the primary school in Kota Belud between 7.30am and 8.30am between middle to end of August, 2019.
For the second count, the accused received another four years in jail and a stroke of whipping for touching a 15-year-old girl's thigh and trying to touch her chest while they were in a Perodua Kancil car at Kota Belud at about 5pm on October 30, 2019.
Both offences were under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and liable to whipping, upon conviction.
Facts of the case stated that, on the first count, the eight-year-old victim told her mother, who was bathing her, about her English teacher (the accused) who touched and pressed her private parts.
It was not the first time she heard as the victim's mother had jotted down everytime her daughter told her about a similar incident that had happened.
The victim's mother went to the school to discuss with the headmaster regarding the accused's act and incident, in which the response from the school was to investigate and refer it to the District Education Office.
Then, on September 5, 2019, the victim's mother lodged a police report against the accused and he was arrested on the next day at the school.
Investigation revealed that the sexual offence had happened to the child three times in the classroom when the girl was at the teacher's desk.
The accused had lifted the child's lower cloth to access to the girl's private parts.
Meanwhile, the facts for the second count stated that the accused was helping his friend, whose car broke down, to fetch the friend's daughter at Kota Belud Town.
The 15-year-old girl hopped on the accused's car after he arrived and sat on the front passenger seat.
The court was told that on their way to the teenager's house, the accused had touched the girl's thigh repeatedly while he was driving and the girl pushed his hands away.
Upon arrival at the girl's, the accused had also attempted to touch her chest and kissed her but she managed to run out of the car.
She told her father about the incident and he was shocked knowing about his friend's (the accused) act, who was released on bail for a sexual charge against a pupil.
In mitigation, the accused, who was not represented, pleaded for a lenient sentence on the grounds that he has six children and an unemployed wife to support.
He said four of his children are still schooling and had loans, including house and personal loans, to settle until 2030.
Deputy public prosecutor Mas Izzaty Lokman said the accused had taken advantage of his own pupil and the daughter of his best friend.
She said the accused, as a teacher, should provide care, education and good examples to the girls.
Mas Izzaty also said that the incident had affected and caused trauma to the girls and therefore, she urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence including whipping to be imposed against the accused.
Apart from the custodial and whipping sentence, the court also ordered the accused to be placed under police supervision for two years on each charge, after he serving his sentences.
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New Study Significantly Narrows Search for Elusive Dark Matter Particles
By Crystal Jones on January 10, 2023
Dark matter is a hypothetical form of matter that is believed to make up a large portion of the universe. It is called "dark" because it does not emit, absorb, or reflect light, and therefore cannot be directly detected with telescopes or other instruments that detect electromagnetic radiation. However, its presence can be inferred through its gravitational effects on visible matter, such as stars and galaxies. Scientists believe that dark matter may make up about 85% of the mass in the universe, and its existence is necessary to explain a number of observed phenomena, such as the rotational speeds of galaxies and the distribution of matter on a cosmic scale.
An international research team has made significant progress in the search for dark matter with the use of a precision experiment developed at the University of Bern.
Cosmological observations of the orbits of stars and galaxies have revealed that the gravitational forces acting between celestial bodies cannot be fully explained by the visible matter we can see. This suggests that there may be another, unknown type of matter influencing the movements and development of galaxies.
In 1933, Swiss physicist and astronomer Fritz Zwicky suggested the existence of dark matter, a type of matter that is not directly visible but can be detected through its gravitational effects. It is believed to make up about 85% of the mass in the universe and consists of approximately five times more mass than the visible matter we are familiar with.
Part of the experimental apparatus in the laboratory in Bern with Ph.D. student Ivo Schulthess. Credit: F. Piegsa
Recently, following a precision experiment developed at the Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics (AEC) at the University of BernFounded in 1834, the University of Bern (German: Universität Bern, French: Université de Berne, Latin: Universitas Bernensis) is located in the Swiss capital of Bern. It offers a broad choice of courses and programs in eight faculties and some 150 institutes." data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]">University of Bern, an international research team succeeded in significantly narrowing the scope for the existence of dark matter. With more than 100 members, the AEC is one of the leading international research organizations in the field of particle physics. The findings of the team, led by Bern, have recently been published in the highly-regarded journal Physical Review Letters.
The mystery surrounding dark matter
"What dark matter is actually made of is still completely unclear," explains Ivo Schulthess, a Ph.D. student at the AEC and the lead author of the study. What is certain, however, is that it is not made from the same particles that make up the stars, planet Earth or us humans. Worldwide, increasingly sensitive experiments and methods are being used to search for possible dark matter particles – until now, however, without success.
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Ivo Schulthess, a Ph.D. student at the Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics (AEC), University of Bern. Credit: I. Schulthess
Certain hypothetical elementary particles, known as axions, are a promising category of possible candidates for dark matter particles. An important advantage of these extremely lightweight particles is that they could simultaneously explain other important phenomena in particle physics that have not yet been understood.
The Bern experiment sheds light on the darkness
"Thanks to many years of expertise, our team has succeeded in designing and building an extremely sensitive measurement apparatus – the Beam EDM experiment," explains Florian Piegsa, Professor for Low Energy and Precision Physics at the AEC, who was awarded one of the prestigious ERC Starting Grants from the European Research Council in 2016 for his research with neutrons. If the elusive axions actually exist, they should leave behind a characteristic signature in the measurement apparatus.
"Our experiment enables us to determine the rotational frequency of neutron spins, which move through a superposition of electric and magnetic fields," explains Schulthess. The spin of each individual neutron acts as a kind of compass needle, which rotates due to a magnetic field similarly to the second hand of a wristwatch – but nearly 400,000 times faster. "We precisely measured this rotational frequency and examined it for the smallest periodic fluctuations which would be caused by the interactions with the axions," explains Piegsa. The results of the experiment were clear: "The rotational frequency of the neutrons remained unchanged, which means that there is no evidence of axions in our measurement," says Piegsa.
Parameter space successfully narrowed down
The measurements, which were carried out with researchers from France at the European Research Neutron Source at the Institute Laue-Langevin, allowed for the experimental exclusion of a previously completely unexplored parameter space of axions. It also proved possible to search for hypothetical axions which would be more than 1,000 times heavier than was previously possible with other experiments.
"Although the existence of these particles remains mysterious, we have successfully excluded an important parameter space of dark matter," concludes Schulthess. Future experiments can now build on this work. "Finally answering the question of dark matter would give us a significant insight into the fundamentals of nature and take us a big step closer to a complete understanding of the universe," explains Piegsa.
Reference: "New Limit on Axionlike Dark Matter Using Cold Neutrons" by Ivo Schulthess, Estelle Chanel, Anastasio Fratangelo, Alexander Gottstein, Andreas Gsponer, Zachary Hodge, Ciro Pistillo, Dieter Ries, Torsten Soldner, Jacob Thorne and Florian M. Piegsa, 4 November 2022, Physical Review Letters.
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.129.191801
The research was funded by the European Research Council and the Swiss National Science Foundation.
Published in Astrophysics, Dark Matter, Particle Physics, Space and University Of Bern
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