Ana Konjuh (Croatian pronunciation: [âna kôɲuːx, ǎːna-];[1][2] born 27 December 1997) is a Croatian tennis player.
Konjuh at the 2017 Wimbledon Championships
Antonio Veić
anakonjuh.net
141–94 (60.0%)
1 WTA, 1 ITF
No. 20 (31 July 2017)
No. 176 (24 July 2017)
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Last updated on: 22 February 2019.
A successful junior player, Konjuh won both the singles and doubles junior events at the Australian Open in January 2013 and, as a result, moved up to number 1 in the ITF junior world rankings.[3][4] Later in the year, she also won the girls' singles event at the 2013 US Open.[5][6][7] She turned her attention to the main tour in 2014, and in October of that year made her debut in the top 100, aged 16.
Konjuh won her first singles title on the WTA Tour at the 2015 Nottingham Open, becoming the youngest player to win a main-tour event since 2006.[8] She has also won one title on the ITF Women's Circuit. On 31 July 2017, she reached her career-high singles ranking of world No. 20.
Tennis careerEdit
Junior careerEdit
Aged 14, Konjuh was the runner-up at the 2012 Wimbledon Championships in girls' doubles. In December 2012, Konjuh won two prestigious junior tennis tournaments, Eddie Herr and the Orange Bowl.[9][10][11]
In January 2013, she won the singles and doubles events at the Australian Open, and became the No. 1 junior in the world.[3] She also received a call up to the Croatia Fed Cup team,[12] where she scored the biggest win of her career, defeating Poland's Urszula Radwańska, ranked No. 37 in the world, at the age of 15.[13]
In September 2013, Konjuh won the singles title at the US Open, her second singles junior Grand Slam.[5][6][7] Despite being eligible to continue playing junior tournaments for two more years, Konjuh ceased playing junior events at the end of 2013, changing her focus to competing on the main tour in 2014.[14]
Konjuh at the 2013 US Open
2014: First full tour season and top-100 rankingEdit
Konjuh was awarded a main draw wild card for the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. On her debut at WTA-level, she stunned the top seed and world No. 14, Roberta Vinci, in the first round in three sets.[15][16] At the Australian Open, she came through qualifying to reach her first senior Grand Slam draw, but lost in the first round to the fourth seed and eventual champion Li Na.[17]
Konjuh underwent elbow surgery on 23 January in Zagreb.[18] Her recovery lasted four months, and she made her return in May by defeating Allie Kiick at the Open Saint-Gaudens Midi-Pyrénées.[19] Konjuh made it to the semifinals of the $50,000 tournament in France, before losing to the eventual champion Danka Kovinić in straight sets. This run helped her up to a new world ranking high of No. 189 and enabled her to enter the qualifying draw at Roland Garros,[20] but she again suffered defeat to Kovinić in the second round. She was more successful at Wimbledon, qualifying for the main draw with victories over Estrella Cabeza Candela, Laura Siegemund and Stephanie Vogt. She then earned her first career Grand Slam main draw win by defeating Marina Erakovic in the first round, and followed it up with the biggest win of her career to date, toppling former world No. 12 Yanina Wickmayer in the second round. Konjuh's run came to an end in the following round, with a straight-sets loss to the former world No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki.[21]
Konjuh's good form continued at the Istanbul Cup, where she came through qualifying to reach her first main-draw semifinal, defeating top-40 players Magdaléna Rybáriková and Elina Svitolina en route. Her run came to an end with a defeat to Roberta Vinci. Konjuh suffered disappointment at the US Open when she lost to Urszula Radwańska in the first round of qualifying.
In October, she competed at the Japan Women's Open in Osaka and made the quarterfinals before losing to Zarina Diyas. The result saw her ranking climb to within the top 100 for the first time, aged just 16. She completed her year by competing in three tournaments in France, reaching the semifinals of ITF events in Poitiers and Nantes, and the quarterfinals of the WTA 125K in Limoges. This saw Konjuh rise to a new career-high ranking of No. 84, and she completed the season ranked 90, and as the youngest player within the top 100.
2015: First WTA titleEdit
Konjuh began the year in Auckland, comfortably defeating Mona Barthel before losing to Elena Vesnina in the second round. She lost in the first round of the Australian Open to Magdaléna Rybáriková. After a string of early losses, she qualified for the main draw of the Prague Open in April, where she defeated the seventh seed, world No. 34, Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, in three sets in the first round. Konjuh then lost in the second round to wildcard Klára Koukalová. Konjuh's indifferent form continued through the clay-court season, but she earned her first main-draw win at the French Open by defeating Margarita Gasparyan, before losing to the 30th seed Irina-Camelia Begu in the second round.
In June, Konjuh competed in the main draw at the inaugural Nottingham Aegon Open and reached the quarterfinals with victories over Shelby Rogers and Casey Dellacqua. After being delayed for over two days due to poor weather, Konjuh advanced to the semifinals by defeating Sachia Vickery, and later that day reached her first WTA Tour final by beating Alison Riske. Owing to poor weather, the final was held back to Monday. Konjuh dropped the first set to Monica Niculescu, but recovered to earn victory and her first WTA Tour title. At the age of 17, she was the youngest player to win a main-tour title since Tamira Paszek in 2006.[8]
2016: First Grand Slam quarterfinalEdit
Ranked No. 87 in the world, Konjuh began the season at the Australian Open, where she lost in the second round to Daria Kasatkina, after beating Urszula Radwańska. Except for a quarterfinal appearance at the San Antonio Open, she had early exits at most of her tournaments, including Indian Wells, Miami Open and Madrid Open. At the French Open, Konjuh reached the second round after beating Arina Rodionova in straight sets. She then lost to the No. 22 seed, Dominika Cibulková. After a semifinal appearance at the Bol Open, Konjuh withdrew from the Nottingham Open owing to an injury she sustained at the previous tournament, and fell from the top 100.
After early exits at the Mallorca Open and the Aegon International, Konjuh reached the second round of Wimbledon after beating Karin Knapp. She then lost to Agnieszka Radwańska in a three-set thriller in which a late ankle injury halted Konjuh's chances of winning the match.[22] After her campaign, she returned to the top 100. Her next tournament was the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where she beat Annika Beck before losing to the world No. 12, Carla Suárez Navarro. Despite losing in the second round of qualifying at the Western & Southern Open, Konjuh qualified for the Connecticut Open where she reached the second round by beating Kayla Day. She then lost to Roberta Vinci in straight sets.
At the US Open, Konjuh upset the 20th seed Kiki Bertens in the first round. She went on to beat Kurumi Nara and Varvara Lepchenko en route to her first major fourth round. She then beat the fourth seed, Agnieszka Radwańska, in straight sets to become the youngest US Open quarterfinalist in a decade and also the first Croatian female quarter-finalist since Karolina Šprem at Wimbledon in 2004.[23] She lost to the tenth seed and eventual finalist, Karolína Plíšková, in the quarterfinals in straight sets.[24] After the tournament ended, her ranking rose from 92 to 52. Despite failing in the qualifying round in both the 2016 Wuhan Open and the China Open, Konjuh reached the semifinals at Guangzhou and the quarterfinals at the Kremlin Cup, losing to Jelena Janković and Elina Svitolina, respectively. She ended the year as the world No. 48.
2017Edit
Konjuh started the year at the ASB Classic, where she reached her second WTA final, beating the likes of Naomi Osaka and Julia Görges en route. She then lost in straight sets to Lauren Davis. Despite her loss, Konjuh reached a career-high ranking of world No. 36. At the Australian Open, she beat Kristina Mladenovic in straight sets before losing to Daria Gavrilova.
After losing in the round of 16 of the St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy to the top seed Simona Halep, Konjuh played at Dubai, where she thrashed Zhang Shuai in the first round. She then grabbed back-to-back upsets over the No. 12 seed, Samantha Stosur, and the No. 8 seed, Elena Vesnina, en route to the quarterfinals where she lost to the top seed, Angelique Kerber.
At Wimbledon, she defeated the world No. 9, Dominika Cibulková, but lost to the eventual finalist Venus Williams in the fourth round.
In September 2017, Konjuh underwent surgery on her right elbow.[25]
WTA career finalsEdit
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Premier Mandatory & Premier 5 (0–0)
Premier (0–0)
Finals by surface
Win 1–0 Jun 2015 Nottingham Open, United Kingdom International Grass
Monica Niculescu 1–6, 6–4, 6–2
Loss 1–1 Jan 2017 ASB Classic, New Zealand International Hard
Lauren Davis 3–6, 1–6
ITF circuit finals (1–3)Edit
Singles (1–2)Edit
$100,000 tournaments
$75,000 tournaments
Runner-up 1. 5 November 2012 Antalya, Turkey Clay
Jovana Jakšić 3–6, 1–6
Runner-up 2. 27 May 2013 Maribor, Slovenia Clay
Polona Hercog 6–3, 3–6, 3–6
Winner 1. 17 June 2013 Montpellier, France Clay
Irina Khromacheva 6–3, 6–1
Doubles (0–1)Edit
Runner-up 1. 15 July 2013 Contrexéville, France Clay
Silvia Njirić
Vanesa Furlanetto
Amandine Hesse 6–7(3–7), 4–6
Junior Grand Slam finalsEdit
Girls' SinglesEdit
Winner 2013 Australian Open Hard
Kateřina Siniaková 6–3, 6–4
Winner 2013 US Open Hard
Tornado Black 3–6, 6–4, 7–6(8–6)
Girls' DoublesEdit
Runner-up 2012 Wimbledon Grass
Taylor Townsend 4–6, 3–6
Carol Zhao
Oleksandra Korashvili
Barbora Krejčíková 5–7, 6–4, [10–7]
Australian Open 1R 1R 2R 2R A 2–4
French Open Q2 2R 2R 2R 1R 3–4
Wimbledon 3R 1R 2R 4R 1R 6–5
US Open Q1 2R QF 1R A 5–3
Australian Open A A 1R 0–1
French Open A 2R 2R 2–2
Wimbledon 2R A 3R 3–2
US Open 1R A 1R 0–2
Award Category
2013 Dražen Petrović Award Junior Female Athlete Won [26][27]
Female Promise Won
EOC Piotr Nurowski Prize European Young Athlete Nominated [28][29]
Top-10 winsEdit
Season 2016 2017 Total
Wins 1 2 3
AK rank
Agnieszka Radwańska No. 4 US Open, New York Hard 4th round 6–4, 6–4 No. 92
Johanna Konta No. 10 Fed Cup, Tallinn Hard (i) Zonal Group I 6–4, 6–3 No. 37
Dominika Cibulková No. 9 Wimbledon, London Grass 3rd round 7–6(7–3), 3–6, 6–4 No. 29
^ "Ȁna". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 18 March 2018. Ȁna (Ána)
^ "kȍnj". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 18 March 2018. Kȍnjūh
^ a b Rogers, Leigh (26 January 2013). "Konjuh wins girls' title and No.1 junior ranking". Australian Open.com. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
^ Cambers, Simon (26 January 2013). "Kyrgios and Konjuh take home singles titles". International Tennis Federation. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
^ a b "Borna Ćorić i Ana Konjuh osvojili US Open". Glas Istre (in Croatian). 8 September 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
^ a b "Konjuh outlasts Black to win girls' singles title". US Open. 8 September 2013. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
^ a b Harwitt, Sandra (8 September 2013). "Coric and Konjuh secure US Open titles". International Tennis Federation. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
^ a b "COMPOSED KONJUH CROWNED NOTTINGHAM QUEEN". WTA Official Website. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
^ Fialkov, Harvey (9 December 2012). "Teen prodigy Ana Konjuh coasts to OB 18s title". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
^ Van Smith, Bill (5 December 2012). "Konjuh plays like she belongs, advances". The Miami Herald. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
^ "Djere and Konjuh win Orange Bowl titles". International Tennis Federation. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
^ "Konjuh called up to Croatia Fed Cup team". International Tennis Federation. 10 January 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
^ "Fed Cup - Poland get promoted to Fed Cup World Group II". tennisworldusa.org. 10 February 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
^ "In the Spotlight: Ana Konjuh". tenniseurope.org. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
^ "WTA Auckland Classic: Top seed Roberta Vinci beaten by teenager Ana Konjuh". Sky Sports. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
^ "La perf de Konjuh". L'Équipe (in French). 31 December 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
^ Crooks, Eleanor (13 January 2014). "Venus takes her eye off the ball in Melbourne as American loses to Makarova". Daily Mail. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
^ "Ana ipak treba na operaciju". Dubrovački vjesnik (in Croatian). 7 January 2014. Archived from the original on 11 February 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
^ "Ana Konjuh vraća se tenisu nakon četiri mjeseca". Večernji list (in Croatian). 12 May 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
^ Juillard, Alexandre (20 May 2014). "Women's qualifiers: 12 from 96". French Open. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
^ Imhoff, Dan (5 July 2014). "The future is in good hands with these women". Wimbledon Championships. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
^ "Radwanska saves three match points to survive Konjuh test". www.wimbledon.com. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
^ Eichenholz, Andrew (6 September 2016). "Konjuh advances to her first major quarterfinal". usopen.org. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
^ Graham, Bryan Armen (8 September 2016). "Karolina Pliskova brushes aside Ana Konjuh to make US Open semis". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
^ "Ana Konjuh: Mukotrpan oporavak nakon operacije". Gloria (in Croatian). 8 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
^ "HOO: Dvostruka nagrada Ani Konjuh". Glas Istre (in Croatian). 30 August 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
^ "Two reputable awards go to Ana Konjuh, Dubrovnik's greatest tennis player". dubrovniktoday.net. 1 September 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
^ "Promising Croatian Teen Up for Prestigious European Olympic Committee Award". Croatia Week. 31 October 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
^ "Ana Konjuh među pet najboljih, a najbolji je..." (in Croatian). dubrovacki.hr. 28 October 2013. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ana Konjuh.
Official website ‹See Tfd›(in English) ‹See Tfd›(in Croatian)
Ana Konjuh at the Women's Tennis Association
Ana Konjuh at the International Tennis Federation
Ana Konjuh at the Fed Cup
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US Defense Policy
The fundamental paradox of the Bush Administration's Quadrennial Defense Review [QDR] was overshadowed by the September 11th terrorist attacks. The American response to the attacks has reversed, at least for the moment, the fundamental premise of the QDR.
The premise of the QDR was the inexorable extension of American hegemony, largely through unilateral initiatives focused on military power. Following September 11th, the Bush Administration has embraced a multilateral diplomacy unprecedented in recent history. But the paradox of American military power remains. The QDR found it far easier to articulate a vision of American military hegemony than to describe how this might be achieved with available resources. The report was filled with new and ambitious goals, and virtually devoid of details as to what must be done anew so that these goals might be achieved.
The most widely heralded innovation of the QDR Report was the abandonment of the previous "two war" planning requirement, upon closer inspection rather the opposite appears to be the case. The requirement to fight two nearly simultaneous major theater wars was the centerpiece of post-Cold War planning, and the central focus of criticism of that planning. Some critics suggested that the force structure was inadequate to meet these requirements, while others suggested the threat had been inflated to justify excessive force structure.
The QDR Report states that "The new force-sizing construct specifically shapes forces to: ... Swiftly defeat aggression in overlapping major conflicts while preserving for the President the option to call for a decisive victory in one of those conflicts - including the possibility of regime change or occupation ... The United States is not abandoning planning for two conflicts to plan for fewer than two. On the contrary, DoD is changing the concept altogether by planning for victory across the spectrum of possible conflict." The construction "overlapping major conflicts" would appear to be little more than a reformulation of the previous two-war requirement. Indeed, far from reducing the previous requirement, the QDR Report raises the ante by stating decisive victory through regime change as the desired end state of at least one of the two wars. While regime change through occupation has reportedly been the objective of US war planning on the Korean peninsula, at least for the past several years, this marks the first time the US has authoritatively stated war aims that went beyond restoration of the status quo ante-bellum, or the vague "termination on terms favorable" to the United States.
The two-war requirement was apparently modified, through extension of the theaters in which such wars can be waged. Hitherto, North Korea, and either Iran or Iraq, were the stated adversaries for the two wars. The QDR Report states that US forces must be capable of "Precluding hostile domination of critical areas, particularly Europe, Northeast Asia, the East Asian littoral, and the Middle East and Southwest Asia." Upon close reading, it becomes clear that the only areas evidently excluded from the zone of vital American interests are Russia, China, and Africa.
Another fundamental innovation in the QDR Report "... was to shift the basis of defense planning from a "threat-based" model that has dominated thinking in the past to a "capabilities-based" model for the future. This capabilities-based model focuses more on how an adversary might fight rather than specifically whom the adversary might be or where a war might occur." While the operational implications of this construct remain obscure, it is difficult to avoid concerns that this new model will create open-ended force requirements divorced from those created by real-world adversaries. In the absence of reality-testing imposed by considering "whom the adversary might be or where the war might occur" there would arise an unavoidable tendency to plan against largely conjectural adversaries whose capabilities are precisely those that would justify the parochial priorities of the services and defense contractors. The driving force in this new construct would appear to be the capabilities of American forces, rather than a military postured to respond to actual threats.
The open-ended requirements levied by the QDR Report are further accentuated by the new strategy to " ... dissuade other countries from initiating future military competitions.... by maintaining or enhancing advantages in key areas of military capability.... dissuasion will also require the United States to experiment with revolutionary operational concepts, capabilities, and organizational arrangements." Although the QDR Report refers generically to "other countries," there can be little doubt that this should be understood to mean China. Or rather, not the actually existing China of the year 2001, but the worst case China of the year 2020. During the Cold War the tendency towards worst-case Soviet threat assessments was always at least partially tempered by the existence of a real Soviet Union against which such assessments could be measured. Taken at face value, "dissuasion" presents a far more demanding and less constrained planning requirement. The United States must overmatch the full range of potential future Chinese military capabilities, while China itself need only pursue some smaller subset of such capabilities.
The QDR Report was predictably focused on the new priority of Homeland Defense, and the enduring priority of ballistic missile defense. The high priority attached to these topics, however, substantially exceeded the sparse programmatic details contained in the Report. With both programs under ongoing review and revision, the QDR Report was probably not the appropriate venue for articulating specific program objectives.
The QDR Report was surprisingly, and frustratingly, short on specific changes in programs and force structure to respond to these new requirements. The Report did state that the Navy would " develop new concepts of maritime pre-positioning, high-speed sealift, and new amphibious capabilities for the Marine Corps.... DoD will accelerate the conversion of Trident submarines to guided missile submarines." There was no foreshadowing, however, of the restructuring of the DD-21 Zumwalt destroyer program that was announced a few weeks after the Report was released.
Surely more program changes are in the works, on homeland defense, missile defense, and other programs. But only when these details are fleshed out will the significance of the Rumsfeld "transformation" come into focus.


« At the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris | Main | No place to park: Merci Monsieur Delanoë! »
Ségolène Royal and the Rainbow Warrior
Yesterday I was reading Le Parisien's special on Ségolène Royal. There was an interview with one of her brothers, Antoine, who runs a sawmill in the south of France. "Hey, listen to this!" I said as I read. "Ségolène Royal's brother was one of the French secret service guys who blew up the Rainbow Warrior!"
Antoine said in the interview that their brother Gérard had told him that he had actually put the bomb (posé la bombe) on board .
For those of you too young to remember, the Rainbow Warrior was a Greenpeace ship that had gone to New Zealand in 1985 to protest French nuclear testing in the South Pacific. The explosion sank the ship and one of the crew died. Later the French secret service people who were imprisoned for it in New Zealand were given the Legion of Honor.
My family showed a typical lack of interest in this startling admission, but to my surprise Antoine has gotten his sister into hot water and the Parisien interview is big news-- especially in New Zealand, of course. Ségolène Royal came out swinging, attacking the media for publishing this kind of thing during an election campaign "without verifying it." As for her brother, she could not answer any questions about him and suggested reporters talk to the Defense Department.
Hey, one of my uncles was a pilot in the Korean War and used to fly a nuclear bomb around. But don't quote me.
Update: The plot thickens! It turns out that in 1985, when Mitterrand gave orders for the Rainbow Warrior to be exploded, Ségolène Royal was working as conseillère technique au secrétariat général de la présidence de la République, i.e. working with Mitterrand.
02 October 2006 in Current Affairs, France | Permalink
And you're not running for President, are you?
But seriously, do voters really read? Will they care? Is it true? I guess we'll find out soon. Let's just hope the Royal Sego ain't too much like her bro.
Posted by: nardac | 02 October 2006 at 01:53
As I recall, she has so many brothers that statistically one of them would almost have to have been involved.
From Sedulia: Hm. I'm from a big family myself but you don't actually lose track of them.
Posted by: ZF | 02 October 2006 at 05:53
I was in Auckland when the Rainbow Warrior was bombed. It wasn't just that a ship was sunk - there was also a person aboard it who was murdered by the act of terorrism as well. It was the only act of terrorism or war in New Zealand in the whole twentieth century, so you can see why it is a big deal there.
What Segolene DIDN'T say was interesting: in that Le Parisien interview she expressed pride in her brother as a soldier and she didn't express any sadness for the murdered photographer or regret at the irresponsibility of an act of war against a friendly nation.
That tells an awful lot about her fitness for office - that she lacks human compassion and lacks judgement in handling international affairs.
Having said that, one of her rivals - Laurent Fabius - was the prime minister at the time. He may not have known about the attack in advance but her helped to cover it up afterwards.
Jaques Chirac praised the bombing, so none of them emerge with credit.
Posted by: John | 03 October 2006 at 13:30


Tag: Trump
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The Reconnect is a daily radio show hosted by Carmen LaBerge designed to help listeners reconnect the eternal with the everyday. The show airs live in Orlando on WTLN 94.9 FM and 950 AM and is accessible anywhere via the iHeartRadio app. Too often Christians are sidelined from conversations which leaves God without a spokespersons in…
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ULM Pharmacy school on probation
The Franklin Sun-12 hours ago
The University of Louisiana-Monroe's School of Pharmacy's failure in recent years to comply with certain accreditation standards such as the sufficient retention of ... Dr. Glenn Anderson, who is the dean of the College of Health and Pharmaceutical Sciences, told The Ouachita Citizen on Monday the School of Pharmacy had ...
ULM School of Pharmacy on probation
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MONROE, La. - After a recent review of the University of Louisiana Monroe's school of Pharmacy, many are asking, what put its accreditation on probation? And how does this affect students? Hannah Daniel, a student, says there's no place like the school of Pharmacy. "We have our little saying we're like a 'pharmily'


Deadbeat ant species branched off as parasite inside its own colony
In Animals, Research News, Science & Nature / 21 August 2014
A newly-discovered species of ant supports a controversial theory of species formation. The ant, known to live only under a single eucalyptus tree on the São Paulo State University campus in Brazil, branched off from its original species while living in the same colony, something thought rare in current models of evolutionary development.
A queen of the parasitic "Mycocepurus castrator" rides on the queen of its host species "M. goeldii"; the pair of ants are surrounded by fungal gardens that the host species grows for sustenance, while the parasite species simply eats without contributing. (Photo by Scott Solomon)
"Most new species come about in geographic isolation," said Christian Rabeling, assistant professor of biology at the University of Rochester. "We now have evidence that speciation can take place within a single colony."
The findings by Rabeling and the research team were published today in the journal Current Biology.
In discovering the parasitic Mycocepurus castrator, Rabeling and his colleagues uncovered an example of a still-controversial theory known as sympatric speciation, which occurs when a new species develops while sharing the same geographic area with its sister, yet reproducing on its own. "While sympatric speciation is more difficult to prove," said Rabeling, "we believe we are in the process of actually documenting a particular kind of evolution-in-progress."
A queen ant of the host species "Mycocepurus goeldii". (Photo by Christian Rabeling, University of Rochester)
New species are formed when its members are no longer able to reproduce with members of the parent species. The commonly-accepted mechanism is called allopatric speciation, in which geographic barriers—such as mountains—separate members of a group, causing them to evolve independently.
"Since Darwin's Origin of Species, evolutionary biologists have long debated whether two species can evolve from a common ancestor without being geographically isolated from each other," said Ted Schultz, curator of ants at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and co-author of the study. "With this study, we offer a compelling case for sympatric evolution that will open new conversations in the debate about speciation in these ants, social insects and evolutionary biology more generally."
A queen ant of the parasitic species "Mycocepurus castrator". (Photo by Christian Rabeling, University of Rochester)
M. castrator is not simply another ant in the colony; it's a parasite that lives with—and off of—its host, Mycocepurus goeldii. The host is a fungus-growing ant that cultivates fungus for its nutritional value, both for itself and, indirectly, for its parasite, which does not participate in the work of growing the fungus garden. That led the researchers to study the genetic relationships of all fungus-growing ants in South America, including all 11 known species of the genus Mycocepurus, to determine whether the parasite did evolve from its presumed host. They found that the parasitic ants were, indeed, genetically very close to M. goeldii, but not to the other ant species.
They also determined that the parasitic ants were no longer reproductively compatible with the host ants—making them a unique species—and had stopped reproducing with their host a mere 37,000 years ago—a very short period on the evolutionary scale.
A big clue for the research team was found by comparing the ants' genes, both in the cell's nucleus as well as in the mitochondria—the energy-producing structures in the cells. Genes are made of units called nucleotides, and Rabeling found that the sequencing of those nucleotides in the mitochondria is beginning to look different from what is found in the host ants, but that the genes in the nucleus still have traces of the relationship between host and parasite, leading him to conclude that M. castrator has begun to evolve away from its host.
A queen of the parasitic "Mycocepurus castrator" rides on the queen of its host species "M. goeldii" to mask her presence amongst the host worker ants. (Photo by Scott Solomon)
Rabeling explained that just comparing some nuclear and mitochondrial genes may not be enough to demonstrate that the parasitic ants are a completely new species. "We are now sequencing the entire mitochondrial and nuclear genomes of these parasitic ants and their host in an effort to confirm speciation."
The parasitic ants need to exercise discretion because taking advantage of the host species is considered taboo in ant society. Offending ants have been known to be killed by worker mobs. As a result, the parasitic queen of the new species has evolved into a smaller size, making them difficult to distinguish from a host worker.
Host queens and males reproduce in an aerial ceremony only during a particular season when it begins to rain. Rabeling found that the parasitic queens and males, needing to be more discreet about their reproductive activities, ignore seasonal cues. By needing to hide their parasitic identity, M. castrator males and females lost their special adaptations that allowed them to reproduce in flight, making it impossible for them to sexually interact with their host species.
The research team included Ted Schultz of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, Naomi Pierce of Harvard University, and Maurício Bacci, Jr of the Center for the Study of Social Insects (São State University, Rio Claro, Brazil).
Mystery solved? Ants Protect Young From Infection By Cocooning Them in Fungus Simultaneous hermaphrodites: Understanding Speciation in fish called "hamlets" Sugar is key ingredient to evolutionary success of ants, researchers find Ant colony 'personality' may play role in survival of its host plant
Tags: ants, biodiversity, conservation biology, evolution, insects, National Museum of Natural History, new species, Tropical Research Institute


Home >> Bouvier's Law Dictionary >> Equal Protection Of The to Family Arrangement >> Extent
services, lands, tenants, extents and writ
EXTENT. A writ, issuing from the ex chequer, by which the body, goods, and lands of the debtor may all be taken at once to satisfy the judgment.
It is so called because the sheriff is to cause the lands to be appraised at their full extended value before he delivers them to the plaintiff. Fitzh. N. B. 131. The writ originally lay to enforce judg ments in case of recognizances or debts acknowl edged on statutes merchant or staple ; see stat. 13 Edw. I. de Mercatoribus; 27 Edw. III. c. 9 ; and by 33 Hen. VIII. c. 39, was extended to debts due the crown. The term is sometimes used in the various states of the United States to denote write which give the creditor possession of the debtor's lands for a limited time till the debt be paid. Rob erts v. Whiting, 16 Mass. 186.
Entent in aid is an extent issued at the suit or instance of a crown-debtor against a person indebted to himself. This writ was much abused, owing to some peculiar privi leges possessed by crown-debtors, and its use was regulated by stat. 57 Geo. III. c. 117. See 3 Bla. Com. 419.
Entent in chief is an extent issued to take a debtor's lands into the possession Of the crown.
Manorial.extent. A survey of a manor made by a jury of tenants, often of unfree men sworn to sit for the particulars of each tenancy, and containing the smallest details as to the nature of the service due.
These manorial extents "were made in the in terest of the lords, who were anxious that all due services should be done; but they imply that other and greater services are not due, that the customary tenants, even though they be unfree men, owe these services for their tenements, no less and no more.
Statements that the tenants are not hound to do services of a particular kind are not very uncom mon ;" 1 Poll. & Maitl. 343. "Many admissions against their own (the lords) interests the extent of their manors may contain ; they suffer it to be re corded that a 'day's work' ends at noon, that iu re turn for some works they must provide food, even that the work is not worth the food that has to be provided ; but they do not admit that for certain causes, and for certain causes only, may they take there tenements into their own hands. As a matter of fact it is seldom of an actual ejectment that the peasant has to complain;" id. 359. Many examples of the manorial extents have been preserved in the monastic cartularies and elsewhere. "Among the most accessible are the Boldon Book (printed at the end of the official edition of the Domesday) ;• the Black Book of Peterborough, the Domesday of St. Paul's, the Worcester Register, the Battle Cartu lary, all published by the Camden Society ; the Ramsey, Gloucester, and Malmesbury Cartuiaries or registers published in the Rolls series ; the Burton Cartulary of the Salt Society and the Yorkshire In quisitions of the Yorkshire Record Society;" id. 189.
The "extents" of manors are descriptions which give the numbers and names of the tenants, the size of their holdings, the legal kind of their tenure and the kind and amount of their service; Maitland, Material for Hist. E. L. in 2 Sel. Essays in Anglo-Amer. Leg. Hist. 87.
From "Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia" by John Bouvier (1914)


Hampstead Highgate Express > Lifestyle > Heritage
Shortlisted designs for the future of Highgate Cemetery
Published: 7:00 PM May 5, 2021
The four shortlisted landscape designers have produced artists' impressions showing what their schemes for Highgate's West Cemetery could look like - Credit: Highgate Cemetery / competition entrants
New images of visions for Highgate Cemetery, by four shortlisted landscape designers, have been released.
A decision is due this month after a competition was launched in 2020 to come up with designs.
The four finalists are Colvin & Moggridge, Gustafson Porter + Bowman, J&L Gibbons and Periscope.
Colvin & Moggridge's sketch of Highgate West Cemetery - Credit: Colvin & Moggridge / Highgate Cemetery
Colvin & Moggridge's sketch of Highgate's East Cemetery - Credit: Colvin & Moggridge / Highgate Cemetery
Colvin & Moggridge's proposal, the designers said, would be summarised as "evolution not revolution".
The firm's presentation says: "Our masterplan responds with sensitivity and imagination to its myriad interests and users, to reverse the slow erosion of significance and resolve existing conflicts."
It would contrast a "pragmatic, structured" East Cemetery with the more picturesque West, and work to use landscaping to reveal views of St Paul's in the distance.
Gustafson Porter + Bowman imagine the future of Highgate West Cemetery - Credit: Gustafson Porter + Bowman / Highgate Cemetery
Gustafson Porter + Bowman's impression of Highgate East Cemetery - Credit: Gustafson Porter + Bowman / Highgate Cemetery
The team at Gustafson Porter + Bowman say they want to "create a topographical experience". They would focus on using the landscape to help tell the "inexhaustible wealth of stories" of the cemetery.
Discussing the East Cemetery, GPB add: "We wish to emphasise the major north south paths with new avenues of trees, framing meadows of graves, woodland bosques and mosaics of flowering perennials."
J&L Gibbons' artistic impression of Highgate's East Cemetery - Credit: J&L Gibbons / Highgate Cemetery
J&L Gibbons imagine Highgate Cemetery's future - Credit: J&L Gibbons / Highgate Cemetery
J&L Gibbons describes its masterplan as "an extraordinary mosaic of culture and ecology". The firm's Joanna Gibbons said: "We want it to be a source of great delight but we also want to enhance the biodiversity of the place by drawing in light, by diversifying the flora."
Periscope's impression of the Highgate West Cemetery - Credit: Highgate Cemetery / Periscope
Periscope's artist's impression of plans for Highgate's East Cemetery - Credit: Periscope / Highgate Cemetery
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And Periscope has a more unusual vision. The firm wants to see Karl Marx "joined by the last white rhino" in being memorialised, and would have the cemetery "managed as a circular, zero-waste woodland".
Periscope's exhibition would highlight how nature and humans have co-existed. Daniel Rea from Periscope said: "We would take a seven generation look at the life and death cycle of the cemetery."
He said the proposal would address the climate crisis along "how the culture of burial and death will change in the future".
Dr Ian Dungavell, chief executive of the Friends of Highgate Cemetery, which manages the site, told the Ham&High the project is going to be "really exciting" and that a decision will be announced in "late May".
He said the finalists had produced "engaged, ambitious" designs to consider how best to manage the cemetery in the future.
After the winning landscape designers are chosen, they will have to come up with a complete "landscape masterplan" governing how the cemetery's extensive grounds will be managed in the medium and long-term future.
Meanwhile, six architectural practices have been shortlisted as part of the parallel competition focussing on how the cemetery's buildings and facilities can be conserved.
They are Caruso St John Architects, Dow Jones Architects, Hopkins Architects, Manalo & White, MICA, and Purcell. The designs in that competition will be showcased later in 2021.
Currently passing through the Commons is the Highgate Cemetery Bill which, if passed, will give the Friends the power to "renew" abandoned graves or unused burial plots.
The management are determined to keep it as an active cemetery and both the private bill and the competitions aim to ensure the cemetery continues to be sustainable .
"I wouldn't have necessarily timetabled this to be all happening together," Dr Dungavell said. "But of course they are linked. The private bill gives us a good, sustainable way of managing for the future.
"Although it's never going to be possible to keep everyone happy."
On Thursday May 6, Alan Dein is giving this year's Marx Memorial Lecture, entitled 'The Plot for Karl Marx', discussing how Marx came to be buried in Highgate. To attend, visit highgatecemetery.org/events
Motorists handed fines for visiting Covid-19 car park test centre
Ben Lynch


Minnie Frisby (b. 1877): Purpose and Audience
Billie-Gina October 21, 2014 Minnie Frisby (b.1877), Purpose & Audience
Regenia Gagnier points out that many working-class writers begin their autobiographies with 'an apology for their ordinariness' (Gagnier, 338). However, Minnie's Memories are unapologetic as she discusses her childhood, family life and adulthood with pride throughout her work.
Nevertheless Minnie's desire for writing is fuelled by the lack of fulfilment she has due to her illness. In her writing, she regularly recalls how she is bedridden. The opening sentence clearly sums up her need to write,
'I have been bedridden now nearly 5 years and although crippled with Arthritis and limbs and arms practically useless, my mind is very active …' (Frisby, I:1)
Minnie writes her memoir at the age of 65, with her last written entry being December 28th 1951. There are then 'Lines of Comfort' added by Jean Morton. On researching Minnie further I have found that she passed away 27th December 1953 leaving £1690 15s 9d in her will, equivalent to nearly £40,000 in today's money.
England and Wales, National Probate Calendar, (Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1966
It is possible that Minnie writes her memories down to consolidate them and keep them alive. It is also a distraction from the constraints of her arthritis.
Heavy reliance on childhood and early adulthood is common in working-class writing. However, Vincent argues in terms of family experience that 'it is not what is said but rather what is not said' (Vincent, 226). This idea lends itself to Minnie as she fails to discuss her husband or potential children. Although it is important that Minnie recognises how the 'happy past' is easier to live in than the 'painful present' (Frisby, I:1). Suggesting how she is comfortable living in the past.
The seventh child of ten, Minnie demonstrates throughout her autobiography a strong sense of family loyalty and support. She discusses how she lived with her sister after her sister was widowed. Minnie also worked in her sister's shop to support her. She also recognises her strong relationship with her Granddad Quiney.
Rural Victorian family. Minnie had 9 other bothers and sisters.
Having lived in Bromsgrove all of her life, Minnie conveys a sense of local pride and belonging through her narrative. She remembers many individuals from her childhood such as, the rivalry between her father and neighbour Mr Davenport. Her headmaster Mr Jeffs and how she was jealous of her school friend Sarah's sportiness – something Minnie did not possess.
In the latter part of her memoir Minnie recalls the deaths of those she knew:
'I was counting the other night those who I remembered and who have passed away since we have lived here, and counted between 90 and 100'. (Frisby, II:5)
The sheer volume of people she remembers highlights the impact they had on her life. Although Minnie does not allude to a definitive audience she regularly uses words such as 'we' and 'us' as if reverting back to herself as a child. This could be a coping mechanism as she is growing older. However, it is more likely that she is appealing to the readership of family members to keep her memories alive.
Memories is split into two books. Although she does not include chapter titles she dates her writing, allowing the reader to be aware of the nine year span of work.. The varying lengths of the instalments and periods in between the writing show how Minnie's illness affected her daily life.
Due to Minnie's variety of careers, Memories could appeal to many working women. She specifically discusses her dressmaking in her late teens addressing the change of fashion in her lifetime. She seems upset at the idea that fashion is losing the delicate quality she would have produced, 'how different to some of the beautiful styles in sleeves that I used to work on' (Frisby, II:14).
Silk Chiffon Sara Mayer Morhanger 1892. Minnie would have made dresses similar to this.
Although it is evident that Minnie is celebrating her own life, without realising Minnie celebrates the lives of many working women. By discussing her childhood and working life she recognises a range of jobs women completed.
Her mother was a housewife, farmhand, midwife and herbal healer. Minnie herself was a domestic servant, dressmaker, school teacher and shop worker. Therefore, Minnie shows the variety of jobs available in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and what was expected of them.
Gagnier recognises how working-class auto-biographers have individual reasons for writing but claims they all write for 'functional rather than aesthetic' purposes (Gagnier, 342). Writing her memoir allows Minnie to reflect on her life and appreciate her opportunities in terms of careers and family.
In weighing up the possible limitations of autobiography as a historical source, Vincent says, 'What is to be feared is not so much the deterioration or misuse of memory, but a failure to make full use of its powers.' (Vincent, 225) We cannot say this of Minnie. Although approaching the end of her life, her memory was still vibrant and alive. Through remembering her past she was able to control what she told. This was in comparison to the uncertainty of her future and the apprehension she must have felt.
Frisby, Minnie. 'Memories', Burnett Archive of Working Class Autobiography, University of Brunel Library, Special Collection, 1:250
Gagnier, Regenia. 'Social Atoms: Working-Class Autobiography, Subjectivity, and Gender.' Victorian Studies, 30. 3 (1987), 335-363
Vincent, David, 'Love and Death in the Nineteenth-Century Working Class', Social History, 5:2 , (1980), pp. 223-247
Image references:
England and Wales, National Probate Calendar, (Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1966 (Accessed: 20/10/14)
Rural Victorian Family (Accessed: 20/10/14)
Silk Chiffon Sara Mayer Morhanger 1892 (Accessed 20/10/14)
Arthritis Bromsgrove Death family Farming illness Love Relationship writing
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Joe Biden proposes $775 billion to expand, improve care for children, the elderly and disabled
Bart Jansen
Former Vice President Joe Biden proposed Tuesday to spend $775 billion over the next decade to expand and improve caregiving for children, the elderly and people with disabilities while creating 3 million new jobs as part of his economic recovery plans.
Biden's goal as the presumptive Democratic nominee to challenge President Donald Trump is twofold: to take better care of caregivers, which in turn would free other members of families to enter or return to the workforce.
"This is about easing the squeeze on working families," Biden said at the Colonial Early Education Program at Colwyck Center in New Castle, Delaware. "We're in a child care emergency. And it didn't need to be this way."
Funding for the proposals would come from eliminating a Trump-supported tax cut for real estate investors who earn more than $400,000 a year and by better enforcement of existing tax laws against the wealthy.
Trump has warned voters against electing Biden and other Democrats who he said would approve "Massive Tax Hikes" that would kill the economy.
Hogan Gidley, a campaign spokesman, said Biden's trillions in proposed new taxes followed decades of past policies hurt American workers.
"It's bad enough that for nearly five decades, Joe Biden's liberal policies crushed the American worker, closed 60,000 manufacturing plants, and sent 3.2 million American jobs straight to China, now, he's unapologetically promising something even worse by admitting he wants to remake America with socialist policies," Gidley said. "President Trump has always and will always put America First – which has resulted in historic economic growth and created countless new opportunities for families across this country to achieve the American Dream."
The same day as Biden's speech, the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living called on Congress to provide another $100 billion for caregivers during the coronavirus pandemic, with a "sizeable" portion going to nursing homes and assisted-living communities. Care facilities for the elderly have become hot spots for the virus throughout the pandemic.
The industry groups representing 14,000 facilities nationwide said nursing homes received only 4.3% of the $175 billion that Congress provided so far for health care providers. Assisted-living centers got nothing. But the facilities need help providing constant testing, personal protective equipment and staffing, according to the industry groups.
"With the recent major spikes of COVID cases in many states across the country, we are very concerned this trend will lead to a dramatic increase in cases in nursing homes and assisted living communities," said Mark Parkinson, CEO of the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living. "Without adequate funding and resources, the U.S. will end up repeating the same mistakes from several months ago."
The caregiving proposals combine to become the third plank in Biden's Build Back Better plan to restore millions of jobs lost during the coronavirus pandemic and grow the economy. His earlier proposals dealt with manufacturing for $700 billion and clean energy to combat climate change for $2 trillion.
Biden proposes to increase pay and training for caregivers, reduce turnover and recruit more workers to join and stay in the field. He would provide tax credits for businesses to build more child care and to improve homes for the elderly and disabled.
"This is a fresh, bold way to build a critical part of the labor force," said Biden, who was a single parent raising two sons for five years after the deaths of his first wife and daughter in a 1972 car accident. "These jobs can be filled now."
Biden proposed a refundable tax credit of $8,000 for families with a child under 13 – or $16,000 for families with more children.
Based on legislation from Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., Biden's plan proposes that no family with children under 5 and with income less than 1.5 times the state average would pay more than 7% of their income on child care. The federal and state governments would provide subsidies to those families on a sliding scale under the proposal.
Biden proposes universal preschool for 3- and 4-year-old children through tax credits and subsidies. And he would support construction of more child care through construction tax credits, which he estimated would create tens of thousands more facilities.
Spending on child care would create an estimated 1.5 million jobs, according to Biden's campaign.
Biden proposes to eliminate the wait list of 800,000 people for home and community services under Medicaid. States would receive enhanced federal matching funds. Biden also proposes to create jobs for 150,000 community health workers nationwide. He also proposes 12 weeks of paid family medical leave.
Spending on care for the elderly and disabled would create another 1.5 million jobs, according to the campaign. And by freeing up people who now care for children or parents with little or no compensation would allow another 2 million people to enter the workforce, the campaign says.
"This is a moral and economic imperative for the nation," Biden said. "This is about dignity and respect for working people."


Justice Ginsburg illustrates the
problems of a liberal judiciary
United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg defended the use of foreign law by American judges at a symposium at the Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University not long ago. Her comments have spawned somewhat of a mild uproar, as not everyone agrees with her on this issue.
"I frankly don't understand all the brouhaha lately from Congress and even from some of my colleagues about referring to foreign law," she said. Justice Ginsberg, now the Court's only female member, continued, "Why shouldn't we look to the wisdom of a judge from abroad with at least as much ease as we would read a law review article written by a professor?"
Of course, if all one is doing is reading the wisdom of a judge from Germany, it isn't so different from reading a law review article, and there is no reason not to read the German judge's opinion. However, when one attempts to take the wisdom of a German judge applied to a case in a German court under the control of German law, and then apply it to a case in an American court covered by our Constitution and the laws enacted under it, we have entered into an entirely different realm.
The court's judicial conservatives — Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. and Justices Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas — oppose the citation of foreign law in constitutional cases.
Justice Roberts addressed this situation at his confirmation hearing, saying, "If we're relying on a decision from a German judge about what our Constitution means, no president accountable to the people appointed that judge and no Senate accountable to the people confirmed that judge, and yet he's playing a role in shaping the law that binds the people in this country."
Justice Ginsburg seems distracted by immaterialities, such as the fact that she is now the only woman on the Court. "I am there all alone, and it doesn't look right," she commented. But what the Court looks like is not at all important; what is important is the law, and the law of the land is the United States Constitution.
Justice Ginsburg is a judicial activist, and the problem with judicial activism is that it suspends the concrete judicial foundation set forth in the plain language of the United States Constitution in favor of a set of ideals based on personal opinion, changing social concepts and the emotional preferences of the moment. Liberals and activists euphemistically call this a "living Constitution," which means that the Constitution doesn't really mean what it says, it means whatever five of the nine Supreme Court Justices decide it means.
Using Judge Ginsburg's rationale, why not use the "wisdom" of judges in Zimbabwe, China, Venezuela, Cuba or Saudi Arabia? And if there were judges on the Moon, Mars and Jupiter, why not use their wisdom, too?
It is such infidelity to the expressed intent of the Framers of our Constitution that has produced some of the most horrid legal decisions and interpretations in the history of the United States.
Justice Antonin Scalia is a strong voice for the "originalist" interpretation of our Constitution, which means adhering to the meaning of its content when it was adopted. Justice Scalia is a judicial conservative who believes those who wrote the Constitution meant what they said and said what they meant.
Justice Ginsburg, on the other hand, believes that revising the Constitutional interpretation to make it more "up to date" is the correct approach.
Justice Ginsburg and other proponents of the "living Constitution" might believe that the Constitution means whatever their moral and political intuitions tell them advances the cause of human progress. Originalists believe the Ginsburg view is manifestly incompatible with the core tenets of our constitutional republic.
American law is unique in its strong emphasis on solving important policy issues by the use of the rule of law. Our legal system and our Constitution become irrelevant if they are constantly subject to reinterpretation and revision every time popular opinion about important laws and social strictures changes.
We simply cannot abide that sort of judicial philosophy.
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kingstongraham said:
Has anyone got an unlocked copy of Fraser Nelson's - last of the Spectator Podcast hold outs - article in the Telegraph begins to realise that he backed the wrong horse..?
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/11/25/right-support-brexit-global-britain-starting-wonder/
Refresh and then stop loading almost straight away.
Be warned though, it's just another "brexit was a good idea, but this version isn't" take.
Yup, that's a decent summary.
The next stage of acceptance will be to realise that no-one, even someone more industrious, honest and principled than Johnson would have been able to deliver those sunlit uplands, in a world which is not benign (or going to give anything away without reciprocal gain), and in which alliances with like-minded, geographically close neighbours is likely to be valuable to all parties overall, despite some loss of autonomy and the annoyances that that causes.
At the moment, Fraser Nelson is checking Google for unicorn hunters with five-star ratings.
Which stage of acceptance are you at?
That it's happened, and it's shît.
Out of interest, @TheBigBean, what stage of acceptance are you at that this might be just a little shîtter than you thought it might be? I do seem to remember you were quite bullish, even though you voted remain. Perhaps you didn't believe that we'd get the hard Brexit we've ended up with.
Given the Tories have an 80-seat majority, and can get pretty much anything through parliament (see Paterson affair), shouldn't there be a bit more to show other than a few minor trade treaties rolled over from our EU days? Is it that the government is incompetent in following through on the treaty they signed, or is it that the whole project was flawed in the first place?
Occam's Razor might be a good place to start...
It doesn't really matter how I voted, and I have never said (or been asked) on this thread. The only thing that matters is that the UK collectively voted for Brexit, and I accepted that on the day of the result. I believe in self-determination above all else.
The outcome was always likely to be what the UK now* has or a renegotiation followed by a another vote. The latter was ruled out quite quickly by the EU, so I'm not surprised by the current arrangement.
Your issue is that of a vegetarian being served a steak. No matter the cut, the sauce or how long it is cooked, it will always be terrible to you. I'm much more of an omnivore and able to appreciate both meals.
I think the NI outcome could have been better and I have repeatedly said so. Tailwindhome has my sympathy; however, by all accounts NI is booming under the protocol, so it is not all bad.
*I know many won't agree and will post comments about promises to stay in the single market. The concept of "take back control" was fairly clear to me.
To torture your metaphor, I'm happy to eat anything if it's nicely cooked and tasty. A beautiful fillet steak was promised, but there's no disguising the microwaved low-fat pork chop we've been served. It's edible, but that's about it.
Voting for Brexit would also bring the apocalypse according to some. You took a view whether you believed any of these more extreme positions and voted accordingly. Others did too.
Fairly sure the mainstream projections on the cost of Brexit have been remarkably spot on
Not sure what you are driving at here. The reasons behind individuals' votes are water under the bridge now. And not really relevant to the muddled execution of that decision. Having decided to Leave, I think we could have made a much better job of it and done far more to mitigate the inevitable disruption that such a fundamental change brings.
surrey_commuter Posts: 15,074
When you have spent decades promising sunlit uplands it would be a severe knock to the pride to start announcing plans to mitigate disruption. Fundamentally each plan would be highlighting a benefit of EU membership.
surrey_commuter said:
So the plan is not to make any mitigation plans, and to keep on blaming the EU?
That does fit remarkably well with government behavior so far.
My opinion in August 2019.
The narrative now is that those in charge not only want a no deal Brexit, they want to pin the blame on the EU.
I am sure they have mitigation plans but you have to see why they would not publish details warning people that if they import/export part loads from the EU they may want to think again.
Or publishing a list of upcoming skill shortages hardly adds to the aura of success.
With Mr. Wetherspoons whining about a lack of staff causing him to restrict opening hours it does raise the question of what he expected Brexit to look like.
The mitigation plans - something you would need with any change of this scale, so nothing to be embarrassed about - should have been worked through and executed before we actually left. What we have actually had is reactive management, waiting for a problem to really set in before belatedly issuing a few extra visas or whatever to paper over the cracks.
kingstongraham Posts: 18,709
Could have done worse than listen to this guy in 2016:
If you judged what was happening in Britain by watching Twitter, you could be forgiven for thinking, as the Dutch Prime Minister apparently does, that the country is in a state of political and economic collapse. In reality, the only collapse is among commentators whose world view has disintegrated and experts whose expertise is suddenly a lot less valuable. They should stop flapping. The country is carrying on and is no more ungoverned than it is during a general election campaign.
Instead, we should be preparing seriously for what is to come. Business is already doing so. The Conservative leadership candidates must do so too, and I have three thoughts for them as they set out their stalls.
First, be realistic about how to negotiate Brexit. It will be our most complex negotiation ever. We can't afford to get it wrong. Whole industries could be destroyed if we do so.
There is a solution. It is to go for Norway status for now, but explicitly as a transitional arrangement. We should say that we intend, after exit, to retain this status for say five years and to use that period to reflect and if necessary negotiate a Free Trade Agreement like Canada's, if that is what we want to do, or to keep Norway status if we don't.
The advantages are that it's an off the shelf option with a largely pre-written Treaty, so politically can hardly be refused to us. It keeps us part of the single market for at least a transitional period and so avoids huge disruption for business. It allows government to sequence negotiations, focusing on issues like the UK's own trade agreements or support for farmers, which are not part of the EEA and will be complex enough to bed down in the two-year exit period.
Remainers and Leavers should also be able to unite around this as a transitional arrangement. Remainers because it is the least disruptive in the short run and would preserve important economic and business interests like the financial services passport. Leavers because it would achieve Brexit quickly, extract us from everything bar the single market and some closely associated policies, return to us our own farming and fisheries policies, and gives us at least the protection of the EEA safeguard clause for free movement. And if we want to go further, we always have that option.
Of course both sides would have to compromise. But they are going to have to anyway. As a former trade negotiator, I don't believe we can agree, ratify, and implement a Canada or Swiss-style FTA in two years. It is just too complex. Nor can we put in place and effectively enforce quickly an Australian-style points system for immigration. We need time and this gives us it.
Second, remember this is not just about Britain. For now, we are hearing the bruised reactions of those who run the EU institutions and those in Foreign Ministries who have a vested interest in them. In reality the EU has been in slow-burn crisis for years, and there will be an economic impact in the rest of the EU from Brexit too. Once the shock is over, normal politics will reassert itself across Europe. In politics, the business community, and civil society there will be voices arguing for a pragmatic solution. We will have supporters. We can afford to wait so they can be heard and cooler heads prevail.
Finally, let's start building capacity now to be an independent actor again. We will need a major enhancement of capability in the civil and diplomatic Services, most obviously in trade negotiating. There are also some skills we won't need any longer, just as we didn't need experts in the Berlin Four Power arrangements after 1990.
But it is not just people, it's also an attitude of mind. Supporters of independence for Scotland sometimes argue that Scotland should behave internationally as if it was independent and it would gradually come to seem natural that it should be. Similarly, Britain should start behaving now for an independent trade policy. We should have our own dedicated WTO Ambassador again. British Embassies should be active on market access problems for British business. We should start discussing the scope for our own trade agreements. It is going to happen and it would be neglect if we didn't get going soon.
In short: don't rush, prepare well, and start to act for ourselves again. And let's be positive. A new chapter is opening in our national story. We are a great country – all of us: all of our political parties, all of our nations. Whatever we do, we are going to be successful. Let's make it happen.
Yes. That.
Is not what we are doing.
Can I ask who wrote it?
I advocated a norway style transitional period in here for the 4 and a half years between the vote and the actual brexit.
Unfortunately in that time, the party that foisted the whole debacle (that was low on everyone's agenda apart from theirs) onto the publoc then managed to gaslight them to say that only they, the people who brought Brexit into everyone's lives, were the ones who could "get it done" in order to "move on" and shut up about it.
Problem is these f*ckers are not very good at this whole governing thing, and now we have an excess death body count that if you stacked all the coffins up in 3 columns would each reach the edge of the earth's atmosphere.
The second to last paragraph is the giveaway that it's Frost.
🙄Yes, should have guessed.
So what happened? Blow to the head? How do you get from that to threatening to invoke Article 16 every couple of weeks?
Change of negotiation style/boss.
Yup. It's still rumbling on
https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1466150633216561165
What is it with the fixation with the EU? Hasn't someone told The Telegraph that we've left?
They've gone full self-parody with that one 😂
In the same vein:
....so desperate to import US Culture wars..?!?
Not that anyone gives a sh!t but this is the first year since 2012 that I've not been able to get all the Sinterklaas sweets, decorations, etc in for the celebration.
I used to get them all from the Hema, but since this year they've stopped selling to the UK.
Just at the age when my daughter would actually notice.
When even the Express is struggling to find the positives... is there an irony that they are now complaining about EU red tape resulting from being outside the EU?
https://twitter.com/BestForBritain/status/1467928229482614787
The red tape they're complaining about is UK red tape
EU red tape doesn't kick in until January.
But only applies to our exports whereas the Express refers to HMRC the 'EU'.
Amazing people felt Brexit would lead to less "red tape"
Plenty of chat about that on here pre vote.
skyblueamateur Posts: 767
It's been the single, biggest source of beaurocracy, red tape and paperwork in my 24 years of working.
This is before UKCA regulations and divergence from CE has happened. That pointless censored -show starts in January.
Pross Posts: 30,359
You have to look at it from the point of view that this was what they were told, they were too stupid and / or lazy to do their own research or thinking and they'd had enough of experts who told them anything they didn't want to hear.
https://twitter.com/benchu_/status/1468599706708324355
👌🏻👌🏻


Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital
Dharamshila marg, Vasundhara Enclave, , Near New Ashok Nagar Metro Station, Dallupura , New Delhi, DL, India, 110096
4.5 / 5 - (4 Reviews)
Dharamshila Narayana Superspecialty Hospital is a premium multi- super specialty healthcare provider established in 1994 and has a capacity of 300 beds with outstanding infrastructure, latest technologies and a panel of highly trained doctors of international reputation.
This healthcare facility is in a class by itself, having top-notch facilities like one-of-its kind Blood Bank equipped with Blood Irradiator, high end Endoscopic suiteThis hospital holds a distinction of its own for having a world class facility for Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplantation with a 21 bedded Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Unit.
The centre is performing Autologous BMT, Allogeneic BMT with fully matched family donor / unrelated donor, cord blood as well as half matched family donor.
Dharamshila Narayana Superspecialty has NABL accredited high-tech Laboratory Services and BMT Research Lab equipped with next generation Molecular Diagnostic equipments which ensure accurate and rapid diagnosis.
Facilities available 24X7 at Dharamshila Narayana Hospital are Emergency, Trauma and Critical Care Services, Pharmacy, Radiology services and state-of-art Blood Bank equipped with first-of-its-kind Blood Irradiator.
7 modular Operation Theaters with Laminar Air Flow, 42 bedded Intensive care units (ICUs), and 19 bedded High Dependency Unit (HDU), 22 bedded Dialysis Unit.
Radio-Imaging department has high-tech equipments like PET CT Scan, MRI, CT Scan, Nuclear Scans, Dexa Scan, Mammography etc.Cardiopulmonary Lab has services of ECHO, Stress ECGs, Holter Monitoring, DSE, TMT, Pulmonary Function tests etc.
Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Services with Lymphedema Clinic
The Oncology Unit is equipped with world's best Radiotherapy Treatment Planning Systems like Monaco and other advanced technologies like Triple Energy Linear Accelerators with VMAT technology for IMRT, IGRT, SRS /SRT, SBRT and Respiratory Gated Radiotherapy.
Cancer treatment with Brachytherapy using Microselectron Digital (HDR-V3) Brachytherapy afterloader For Precise And Targeted Cancer Treatment.
India's first and world′s 11th hospital which has performed Haploidentical Bone Marrow Transplantation in an adult sickle cell disease patient.
India's first and only world class facility for Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplantation for patients without fully matched family donor. The Centre offers comprehensive evaluation and treatment of blood disorders (Malignant and Non-Malignant).
Only Cancer hospital of North India that does the most challenging Head and Neck Surgeries with results at par with European Cancer Institutes.
First Cancer hospital in India to get certified for implementing integrated quality and environment management systems conforming to ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 standards by TUV-NORD, Germany in 2002.
The hospital was accredited for Diplomate National Board (DNB) Program in medical and surgical oncology by National Boad of Examination (NBE) in 2001 and 2004.
Dharamshila Narayana Superspecialty Hospital is globally renowned medical facility and has provided treatment to more than 50,000 international patients from 78 nations, in the past year.
This hospital ensures that the patients are provided the best quality medical care and treatment here and intend to make their as comfortable as possible.
The dedicated department of International Patients Services at Dharamshila Narayana is responsible for catering to the need and requirements of overseas patients and their attendants.
Patient representatives and Relation Managers are skilled professionals who assist the patient across the border in planning their medical travel starting from their home country to India and then back to their nation.
Facilities for International patients
Query response within 24 hours
Assistance with Medical Visa
Transportation facility - airport pickup and drop
Aid in making accommodation arrangements close to the hospital
Dedicated Relationship Manager
In-house translator/interpreter services
Currency exchange services & travel assistance
Support staff to help in visa registration/extension process
Packages with deluxe & private rooms with luxurious amenities
Nearest Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport which is around 26 Km away from the hospital and it takes about 45 min drive to reach the hospital.
Nearest Railway Station: New Delhi Railway Station which is around 12 Km away from the hospital and it takes about 15 min to reach the hospital.
Nearest Metro Station: New Ashok Nagar Metro Station which is around 1.5 km away from the hospital.
Languages spoken : English, Hindi
Total of 35 doctors
Total of 300 beds
Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital performs 388 different procedures. Click on a procedure name to see more details and to view doctors for that specialty.
Dr. Nikhil Agrawal
Gastroenterologist | Senior Consultant
MBBS, MS, M.Ch
Dr. Nikhil Agrawal is an accomplished surgeon with specialization in Gastroenterology, hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery. In his rich experience of over 15 years, he has performed a number of complex and advanced laparoscopic hepato-biliary and pancreatic procedures. He is amongst the top bariatric and gastroenterology surgeon. Dr. Agrawal has been trained from world-renowned institutes and holds expertise in gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeries.
Dr. Ashish Kumar Srivastava
Neurosurgeon | Senior Consultant & HOD – Neuro Surgery
MBBS, MS (Surgery), M.Ch. (Neurosurgery)
Dr Ashish Kumar Srivastava is amongst the top neurosurgeons in New Delhi and holds 25 years of rich experience in his field. He has obtained his medical qualifications from renowned institutions and further went to work and train in advanced courses at internationally medical facilities in the U.K., U.S.A, Singapore and Germany.Dr. Srivastava specializes in brain and spine related surgeries including Brain tumour surgery, Cyberknife, Epilepsy surgery, Skull Base surgery, Neuro-Endoscopy, treatment of Parkinson′s disease and many more.Dr. Srivastava has received many awards for his achievements and has been honoured by renowned medical associations for his endeavours.
Dr. Chandan Choudhary
Urologist | Consultant
Dr. Chandan Choudhary is a Senior Consultant - Urology at Dharamshila Hospital And Research Centre. He has been in the field of Urinary Tract Pathologies (Urology), Impotence - Erectile Dysfunction and Infertility (Andrology) for almost 12 years. View Detailed Profile
Dr. Devesh Kumar Singh
Neurosurgeon | Consultant
Dr Devesh Singh has started his surgical career in year 2004 from King George′s Medical University, one of the prestigious institute of India & thereafter he was trained in Neurosurgery at SGPGIMS by doyens of Neurosurgery. Previously he was attached in Department of Neurosurgery at PGIMER Dr RML Hospital, LNJP hospital and BLK SS Hospital, New Delhi. View Detailed Profile
Dr. Deepak Singhal
Orthopaedics | Consultant
Dr. Deepak Singhal is a Senior Consultant Orthopedic Oncologist, working with Dharamshila Hospital And Research Centre, Delhi since 2000. He has been in the field of Orthopedic surgery for almost17years. He has been in the orthopedic oncology for the last 12 yrs. He has extensively experience in this highly specialized arena of bone tumors. View Detailed Profile
Dr. Suparno Chakrabarti
Hematologist | Senior Consultant
Dr. Suparno Chakrabarti was born in Kolkata (India) in 1964. He completed his post-graduation in Internal Medicine from PGIMER, Chandigarh in 1993 and left for CMCH, Vellore to train in Haematology and BMT. Dr. Chakrabarti returned to PGIMER after a year's training in CMCH Vellore and was instrumental in setting up the department of CLINICAL HAEMATOLOGY. IN 1998, he left for the UK to undertake a fellowship in BMT at Birmingham Heartland's Hospital and Bristol Children's Hospital for 5 years. View Detailed Profile
Dr. Sarita Rani Jaiswal
Hematologist | Consultant
Dr. Sarita Rani Jaiswal trained in Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine and Pathology before initiating her career in Hemato-Oncology and BMT. Dr.Jaiswal trained in BMT for three years including fellowships in Italy at University of Parma under Prof Franco Aversa and San Martino Hospital at Genova under Prof Andrea Bacigalupo. She has also received a fellowship as a Visiting Physician at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre, Seattle, USA. View Detailed Profile
Dr. Kanika Sharma
Dr Kanika Sharma has been trained at premier institute of regional cancer centre Shimla and senior residency from Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi. She also received short term training at IRCH, AIIMS Delhi. She has a vast experience of working with Tele therapy units (3DCRT, IMRT, IGRT, SBRT, SRT, VMAT) and Treatment Planning Systems (ECLIPSE, PLATO, ASHA, MONACO, XIO, FOCALSIM, ONCENTRA). She has keen interest in brachytherapy to all subsites including head and neck, cervix, oesophagus etc. View Detailed Profile
Dr. Parbhat Gupta
Dr. Parbhat Gupta has done his graduation from MAMC (Delhi), Post-graduation from Amritsar Medical College Punjab, (He topped in MS) and M.Ch. from Gujrat Cancer Institute Ahmedabad. He brings with him rich experience in Surgical Oncology from Gujrat Cancer Institute Ahmedabad, Dayanand Medical College Ludhiana and Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. View Detailed Profile
Dr. Atul Srivastava
Dr. Atul Srivastava is well known Surgical Oncologist, practicing in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). He has practiced in some of the most reputed hospitals such as Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Center, Safdurjang Hospital, Rockland Hospital etc. and has an experience of more than 10 years. View Detailed Profile
Emergency & Trauma Centre
Pacemaker Implantation - Ruwadzano - March,7 2019 | 4 / 5
Good hospital with great ambiance. Staff is well mannered and caring. Doctors are experienced. I had good experience in the hospital.
Lung Cancer Treatment - Rehman Ali Khan - January,9 2019 | 5 / 5
Dharamshila Narayana is an excellent hospital in my opinion. The doctors and medical are very thorough in their examinations. I am satisfied with their services.
Aortic Valve Replacement - Eelena Gomez - November,23 2018 | 4.5 / 5
I had a very positive experience with all of the staff. The team is just super
Aortic Valve Replacement - ZANE - June,2 2018 | 4 / 5
I took my mom to Dharamshila hospital for valve replacement surgery... the staff there are excellent from the doctors to the nurse they were excellent.
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Study Shows How Growth Factor-Modified Stem Cells Help Repair Spinal Cord Injuries in Rats
Feb 19, 2020 | Conditions, Spinal Cord Injury | 0 |
A study published in Stem Cells Translational Medicine illustrates the presence of oxygen-deprived clusters throughout the damaged site of a compressed spinal cord, and shows how transplanting basic growth factor with the use of a viral vector to target the oxygen-deprived sites enhances the injured spinal cord's recovery.
The study, conducted on a rat model that the study's researchers developed just for their investigation, could eventually have great implications for cellular treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI) in humans, the researchers suggest, in a media release from AlphaMed Press.
The initial blunt force from a spinal cord injury damages or kills spinal nerve cells, setting in motion a cascade of secondary events that include loss of an adequate oxygen supply at the tissue level — a condition called hypoxia. The results could lead to complete paralysis, depending on the severity of the injury and where along the spinal cord it occurs.
There is currently no effective way to repair the damage, the release continues.
"A better understanding of the events of secondary injury would provide a target to optimize pharmacological and cellular therapies, the timing of surgery and early rehabilitation," says Jian Xiao, MD, PhD, the study's senior author.
In the study, conducted with Xiao's colleagues at Wenzhou Medical University in Zhejiang, China, the team focused on the hypoxia aspect of an SCI. To begin, they established a compressive rodent model of SCI.
"We then investigated the SCI using this rat model and found that areas of hypoxia were unevenly interspersed throughout the injured sites," Xiao states.
The team then generated embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs) expressing basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), under the regulation of five hypoxia-responsive elements. They then used a lentiviral vector (LV-5HRE-bFGF-NSCs) to specifically target the oxygen-deprived locations.
"A number of growth factors have been shown in previous studies to reduce the harmful effects of an SCI while improving neuronal survival and regeneration," Xiao explains. "However, controlling the release of these factors has been a significant challenge. That's why we introduced the lentiviral vector. We suspected it might ensure the bFGF made it to the hypoxia-targeted sites."
Results showed their suspicions were correct. At 60 days after SCI, the rats showed a reversal of the hypoxic microenvironment, paralleled by a decrease in cellular autophagy (a process that can lead to cell death) and reduced glial scar formation (glial scars can set up a barrier that interferes with delivering a therapy to the injured site). The team also saw an increase in axon regeneration and better locomotor function in the treated animals, per the release.
"This approach allows bFGF to target the right place at the right time and has the therapeutic potential to treat SCI via a timely improvement in the microenvironment," comments Sipin Zhu, MD, the paper's first author.
"These findings led us to propose that LV-5HRE-bFGF-NSCs might, therefore, be a good candidate to evaluate cellular SCI therapy in humans," Xiao adds.
[Source(s): AlphaMed Press, PRWeb]
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NDP's racial thinking fits the definition of madness - Business Day, 5th August 2013.
John Kane-Berman says that the reaffirmation and reiteration of Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) and Affirmative Action in the National Development Plan is nothing short of madness.
One of the best proposals in the National Development plan (NDP) is that school principals should be appointed purely on merit. The proposal sticks out like a sore thumb, however, for just about everywhere else the NDP favours continuation - indeed tougher enforcement - of the Government's racial policies.
The document says that "for at least the next decade, race should continue to be given the greatest weight in defining historical disadvantage". Individual businesses should double the size of their businesses and set employment targets that include employment equity targets.
Employment equity should focus on providing opportunities to young people from historically disadvantaged communities. More specifically, race and gender should continue to be the main determinants of selection. "It will be critical in this regard to put in place a more robust and efficient monitoring and enforcement system."
Whether prompted by the NDP or not, proposed amendments to employment equity legislation provide for fines of up to 10% of turnover for companies failing to meet stiffer employment equity targets.
Proposed amendments to the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment Act are also in line with the NDP's desire for "more robust" enforcement of racial legislation. These amendments provide for fines of up to 10% of turnover for companies found guilty of "fronting". Directors could go to prison for up to 10 years.
Fronting is defined so widely as to go beyond mere misrepresentation. It includes failure to ensure the success of small black enterprises selected as business partners to gain empowerment points. This type of "fronting" will also incur the penalties of 10% or 10 years.
The NDP argues that black economic empowerment (BEE) should continue, even though it "has not succeeded in broadening the scope of ownership and control of large firms". Broad-based BEE should be promoted, the document says, by more effective use of the State's procurement lever to advance socio-economic targets in certain geographies and industries. Licensing arrangements should also be used to change private ownership patterns.
The NDP further proposes the introduction of a statutory body to regulate BEE verification. At the same time, the document says, the Department of Trade and Industry should be empowered to revoke the accreditation of verification agencies that deviate from officially defined processes of verification.
As far as the public service is concerned, the NDP points out that "many departments struggle to recruit appropriate people". Nevertheless, it says, "recruitment drives at universities should target people from disadvantaged backgrounds".
This despite the NDP's own admission that the country's infrastructure is "crumbling". The NDP also admits that "there is a real risk that South Africa's developmental agenda could fail because the State is incapable of implementing it".
Somebody once defined madness as doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different outcome. The NDP's proposals for "more robust" enforcement of racial preferencing policies fit this definition.
Backing for the NDP in the business community entitles the Government to claim that these proposals for "more robust" enforcement of its racial laws enjoy business support - even though the magnitude of the fines proposed could bankrupt their companies. The Democratic Alliance has already voted for the 10%/10 years BEE penalties, further confirmation that that party is modelling itself on the old United Party rather than on Helen Suzman's liberal Progressive Party.
History is repeating itself. But for a few well-known exceptions, and despite what it now claims, South African business failed in any meaningful way to speak out against the National Party government's racial policies.
The African National Congress (ANC) is routinely accused of lacking leadership. But it has successfully led business, the official opposition, and most of the Press up the garden path of racial preferencing. It is telling that so few of the country's professional economic commentators have provided much critique of the recycling of racial thinking on to the Statute Book. All the consequences of the distortions that racial legislation introduced into the labour market and other aspects of the economy pre-1994 seem to have been forgotten.
A version of this article appeared in Business Day on 5th August 2013.