Supreme Court urged to clarify law on journalist source protection
Vice Media journalist Ben Makuch is seen outside the Ontario Court of Appeal on Feb. 6, 2017.
Colin Perkel/THE CANADIAN PRESS
Colin Perkel
Published May 23, 2017 Updated May 23, 2017
Protection for a journalist's sources currently exists in a legal void that needs filling given the importance of media to our democracy, a new application to the Supreme Court of Canada states.
In seeking leave to fight an RCMP demand for a reporter's background materials, Vice Media and journalist Ben Makuch argue Canada's top court has never dealt with journalist-source communications.
"Clarification is desperately needed," their leave memorandum states. "Many key questions remain unanswered or are the subject of conflicting appellate decisions."
The materials in question relate to three stories Makuch wrote in 2014 on a Calgary man, Farah Shirdon, charged in absentia with six terrorism-related offences. The articles were largely based on conversations Makuch and Shirdon had via Kik Messenger, an instant messaging app.
RCMP want access to Makuch's screen captures of those chats. He and others argue that could lead to source "chill" – making people reluctant to provide important information to the media. Two lower courts, however, have sided with police.
"Law enforcement seeks an order to compel an innocent journalist and media outlet, which are not being investigated by any government agency, to produce every available record of their communications with an individual whom the journalist spent months cultivating as a source," the leave memo states.
"The decisions below give short shrift to the chilling effect on the ability of journalists to gather and report important news stories, and place an unjustified high value on law enforcement's interests, without explanation or analysis."
In 1991, the Supreme Court mandated carefully balancing the rights of the media in a democratic society against the public interest in crime fighting. However, the court has yet to deal with the "chilling effects" that arise when police want access to communications with a reporter to prosecute the source, the application states.
The current legal battle, which has attracted attention from numerous media rights and civil liberties groups, is likely to be repeated with rising frequency in future given that journalists are increasingly communicating electronically with sources in adversarial relationships with the state, the leave memo states.
"The stakes are high. The law is unsettled. The results of the decided cases are concerning," the application states. "These issues are recurring and this court's guidance is necessary."
Vice and Makuch argue that it's unlikely Shirdon will ever face trial in Canada, given that it's not known whether he is alive or where he is. They also maintain the RCMP already has a significant amount of evidence against him and don't need the extra materials.
However, in upholding the RCMP production order, Superior Court Justice Ian MacDonnell said last year the screen shots were important evidence in relation to "very serious allegations." He found a strong public interest in effective investigation and prosecution, and downplayed Makuch's contention – shared by the various rights groups – that being forced to turn over the materials would compromise the media's ability to gather news.
Ontario's highest court said in rejecting a Vice appeal that MacDonnell had been "clearly alive" to concerns about source "chill" and had made no errors in his ruling. Shirdon had never asked for confidentiality and had in fact been keen to share his views publicly, the court noted.
A key issue that needs resolving, the leave application states, is that lower courts have consistently tilted toward law enforcement when balancing media rights against crime-fighting needs.
"Far from being given particularly careful consideration, even where journalist-source communications are at stake, lower courts give short shrift to the pernicious effects of warrants and production orders on the media's ability to gather or report the news," the application states.
The government has until June 19 to file its response.
RCMP eyes expanded media protections amid police surveillance concerns
Media 'under threat': Canada slips out of Top 20 in press freedom index
Vice Media reporter must turn over materials to RCMP: court


Why are High Schools Beefing Up Their Sexual Assault Policies? Pressure from Teens.
by Charlie Stuip
Also Featured on All Things Considered
Editor's Note 9/22/2017: Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has reversed Obama-era campus sexual assault policies. Her temporary guidance raises the standard of evidence in cases of campus sexual harassment and violence. This policy change affects young people in college, but also K-12 students.
Oakland Unified School District in California recently revamped their sexual harassment policy. I attended the school board vote with Andrea Zamora, 17, a rising high school senior who helped develop the new policy with local nonprofits, Alliance for Girls and Equal Rights Advocates.
"I feel like all my hard work and everything that we've all collaborated together has paid off," Zamora gushed to me.
The new policy designates a point-person at each school to handle sexual assault and harassment, and lays out the reporting process transparently for students, teachers, and parents alike. Whereas before, Oakland Unified School District had just one person–Gabriel Valenzuela, the district's ombudsperson–who was responsible for fielding sexual assault and harassment complaints from all 36,668 OUSD students.
Putting such policies in place and training school staff can be expensive, running from $40 thousand to $250 thousand at larger school districts. No targeted funding from the federal government is set aside for Title IX compliance, so schools usually pay for it through their general funds.
As we were sitting in the gym of La Escuelita, watching the school board pass the new policy, Zamora noticed her mom quietly wiping away tears. She, too, got choked up.
Zamora became interested in how schools handle sexual harassment and assault after reflecting on an elementary school ritual,"Slap Ass Friday."
"The girls were hiding, putting their butts behind the wall. And then guys would try to hit them and get at them," she said. "The whole time that the girls were trying to cover themselves. The guys were like sharks."
Actually, I've had a run-in with Slap Ass Friday, too. I told Zamora, "I just remember this little twerp sixth grader like running across to me with his hand going up to me and POW!"
Rori Abernethy, former math teacher at Oakland High School, says inadequate support around claims of student sexual harassment left her and other teachers overburdened. Photo: Brett Myers/ Youth Radio
I also spoke to a teacher, Rori Abernethy, a former math teacher at Oakland High School, who regularly addressed sexual harassment and assault between students.
"So I got burned out. I felt like I was doing lawyering more than teaching," Abernethy said. "And that's a big reason why I left Oakland, because I really want to teach."
After almost a decade at Oakland High, Abernethy switched districts last year.
"Just the day-to-day job of teaching is exhausting," she said. "But then you're stuck between a rock and a hard place. Because if another child comes and reports something, you can't just let it go. You have to do something. That's somebody's life."
In fact, federal law requires schools to look into sexual harassment and assault, which both fall under Title IX, a law most commonly associated with women's access to sports.
"Title IX actually covers a surprisingly wide range of activities. It's an anti-discrimination statute. So for instance sexual harassment, sexual violence is covered by it. Creating a hostile environment could be covered by Title IX," said William Koski, director of the Youth and Education Law Project at Stanford University.
The threat of a "hostile environment" is a looming concern for sexual assault victims, especially elementary, middle, and high school students. Imagine sitting in second-period history class next to a guy who assaulted you, or running into him alone in an empty hallway. The responsibility of creating a safe learning environment falls onto schools.
Title IX has been around since the 1970's, but in recent years it has been increasingly applied to sexual violence. Under Title IX, schools may even be accountable for off-campus assaults.
"So for instance, if there is sexual violence at a party or something like that, it's entirely possible that the victim of that kind of sexual violence will feel quite uncomfortable at school," Koski further explains.
After reporting a sexual assault, if students and parents are unhappy with the actions of their school, they are able to file a complaint with the federal government. The Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education has the power to investigate schools for their handling sexual violence. Since 2014 those investigations are up by more than 500 percent.
In one high-profile case at Gwinnett County Public Schools in Georgia, a teen girl says she was sexually assaulted by another student in an empty classroom. In her complaint to the Office of Civil rights, she claims that she was questioned by a school security officer after reporting the alleged assault.
He allegedly asked her, "What were you wearing? Why didn't you tell your mom ASAP? Are you sure you didn't want to have oral sex with him? Did you scream?"
The Gwinnett County Public School district repeatedly declined our requests for an interview, but last year, a representative told local TV news reporters that the investigation was conducted "fairly, thoroughly, and promptly," and that they believed the act was consensual. The district suspended both the accused and the accuser for having sex on campus.
The full message emailed to Youth Radio by a student at Gwinnett County Public Schools in Georgia who says she was sexually assaulted by another student in an empty classroom.
For her part, the girl filed a complaint against the district to the Office of Civil Rights, arguing that her suspension amounts to retaliation for coming forward about her assault. In an email to Youth Radio, the girl has a message for schools:
"My message is simple: It is your job to keep students safe. When a student comes forward and reports an assault, school officials must step up, provide support and take the report seriously."
This case is still under investigation by the Office of Civil Rights. Gwinnett County Public Schools has three open investigations for how they've handled sexual violence–among the highest of any school district in the country.
However, the Trump administration is changing how they handle these complaints. The Department of Education didn't respond to interview requests, but officials released a statement saying that the changes are meant to streamline investigations, which can take years. Critics argue that the administration is weakening requirements designed to protect school children and guard against systemic abuse, in a moment when sexual violence complaints in schools are on the rise.
betsy devoscampusDepartment of Educationdonald trumpEducationelementary schoolHigh Schoolmiddle schoolOffice of Civil Rightspoliticsschool boardsexual assaultsexual harassment
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Home Uncategorized Public apathy blamed as India crash victim ignored
Public apathy blamed as India crash victim ignored
India is being accused of "shameful apathy" after video footage was released showing a man being ignored for 40 minutes after a road accident that killed his wife and child. The husband cried out for help as vehicles sped past the family until finally a city worker came to his aid.
Frame grab from NDTV shows an accident victim consoling his son as vehicles pass by in Jaipur, India on April 15, 2013
Video footage of a man being ignored as he begged for help following a road accident that killed his wife and child led to accusations of "shameful" public apathy in India on Monday.
Police said Kanhaiya Lal's appeals were ignored for 40 minutes after a speeding truck rammed his motorcycle on Sunday, which was also carrying his wife Guddi, 26, their 10-month-old daughter and four-year-old son.
His wife and daughter died of their injuries at the accident scene while the man screamed for help with his son, who was also injured, CCTV footage aired nationwide on Indian television showed.
The footage showed motorists speeding past the stricken family until a city worker came forward to help.
"It's the duty of all people to take such victims to hospital because lives could be saved," Jaipur traffic Police Chief Lata Manoj said in a televised interview.
Prabhu Dayal, an uncle of the dead woman, blamed the deaths on public indifference.
"Her husband cried for help for 40 minutes but no-one stopped. It's shameful that apathy took two lives," said Prabhu.
Public apathy towards crime victims was brought into sharp relief in December, when a 23-year-old student was ignored by bystanders after she had been stripped and dumped on a New Delhi street, having been savagely gang-raped in a bus by six men.
She died of her injuries nearly two weeks later.
"Following the gang-rape we did an online survey about why people don't help victims of violence and accidents," said Apurva Mahendra of the Delhi-based SaveLIFE Foundation, which encourages bystanders to offer assistance.
"We found legal issues such as being required to appear in court as witnesses are major deterrents for good Samaritans to come forward to help such victims," said Mahendra, who heads the privately run agency's emergency response program.
A total of 131,834 people died in road accidents in India in 2011 — which works out at 15 an hour, according to the government's National Crime Records Bureau.
Traffic experts say the lives of at least 50 percent of victims could be saved if they received timely medical attention.
"We are advocating a good Samaritan law to oblige people to help victims," said Mahendra.
Indian Apathy
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R. de Jong
Notes on the genus Carcharodus (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae)
Zoologische Mededelingen , Volume 48 - Issue 1 p. 1- 9
1. Geographic variation in the male genitalia of Carcharodus alceae (Esper) Carcharodus alceae is widespread in the Palaearctic region: it occurs from the Sahara to Northern Germany and from Portugal to the Altai, Turkestan and Kashmir, from where it penetrates the Oriental region along the southside of the Himalayas to Mussoree; isolated from its main range it occurs in Southwestern Arabia. Although it is a species of dry and warm localities, such as steppes, sunny slopes, dry meadows, etc., even flying in the semidesert in Morocco, it ascends to 1600 m in the Alps (Kauffmann, 1951). The large range of temperatures thus covered by alceae is reflected by the variation in number of broods per year. In the mountains and north of the Alps there are one or two broods, south of the Alps three or four. In the Near East alceae is on the wing from the beginning of February to the end of November (Ellison & Wiltshire, 1939; Wiltshire, 1957). But alceae does not react to ecological differences by varying in the number of broods per year only, it is also variable in size and colouring. As ecological factors such as temperature and humidity are largely geographically distributed, there appears to be a marked geographic variation. This has led to the description of many "subspecies" that are actually climatic or seasonal forms. As undoubtedly a part of the geographic variation of alceae in size and colour is due to geographic isolations during the Ice Age, the study of the geographic variation of this species is very complex. As far as known the genitalia usually do not react to ecological changes to the same extent as size and colour; normally there is no reaction at all. If there is a geographic variation in the genitalia, this can usually be explained as a
de Jong, R. (1974). Notes on the genus Carcharodus (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae). Zoologische Mededelingen, 48(1), 1–9.


The Biggest Salary-Cap Problem Every NBA Team Needs to Solve
Eric Pincus@@EricPincusTwitter LogoLA Lakers Lead WriterApril 9, 2020
Nell Redmond/Associated Press
Predicting the future in the NBA is never easy. Under normal circumstances, a list of possibilities can be culled, even if the final decision remains a mystery.
For instance, Kawhi Leonard was expected to sign with one of the Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers or Los Angeles Clippers last offseason. Anthony Davis wanted a trade to the Lakers, and the New Orleans Pelicans were eager to move him. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were going to team up in New York, be it the Knicks or ultimately the Brooklyn Nets.
The answers weren't clear until the decisions were made, but at least the options weren't difficult to see.
Now, the league is suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, and there's no clear resolution in sight. The 2019-20 campaign may be canceled outright or completed several months from now. The 2020-21 season may be delayed. The financial losses will certainly impact next year's salary cap, which was projected to be $115 million.
Meanwhile, every team needs to plan for the offseason, including the draft and free agency. If the salary-cap and luxury-tax thresholds drop significantly, teams won't have nearly the spending power for the summer. Trades will be more difficult.
This is new territory, but in the hope that normalcy eventually returns, the following list represents each team's biggest decisions once the NBA is back in business.
Scott Cunningham/Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks made moves at the February trade deadline to build around All-Star Trae Young. They'd love to get a look at Clint Capela—who came over injured from the Houston Rockets—before the offseason, but that may not be possible.
The big decision ahead is John Collins' extension availability.
He'll be looking for a lucrative long-term deal likely over $20 million a season. If Collins can flourish next to Capela and Dewayne Dedmon, he's a talented player worthy of a hefty investment. The challenge is putting that money into a team that has just 20 wins this season. The Hawks may be better off waiting until Collins is a restricted free agent in 2021, which would let them take advantage of his relatively low cap hold ($12.4 million).
Meanwhile, Jeff Teague will be a free agent this summer, as will DeAndre' Bembry (restricted), Skal Labissiere (restricted), Damian Jones (restricted), Treveon Graham and Vince Carter (who may finally retire after a Hall of Fame-caliber career). Brandon Goodwin's minimum contract has only $100,000 guaranteed.
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The Boston Celtics are heavily invested in their current roster, assuming Gordon Hayward opts into his final year at $34.2 million. The state of the economy suggests he will, giving Boston three players at a high rate, including Kemba Walker at $34.4 million and Jaylen Brown at $23.9 million.
Boston may find it difficult to retain Hayward long-term, given that Jayson Tatum is extension-eligible this offseason and is arguably more valuable to the franchise than Brown. Look for Tatum to get a near-max deal, though it's harder to say how much that will be given the circumstances.
Other questions include Enes Kanter's $5 million player option, Semi Ojeleye's $1.8 million team option and Javonte Green's non-guaranteed minimum salary. Perhaps the easiest decision will be keeping Daniel Theis another year at $5 million (non-guaranteed). The Celtics will also have Brad Wanamaker as a restricted free agent and probably three first-round picks (including selections from the Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies).
Matt Slocum/Associated Press
Before the shutdown, the Nets parted ways with head coach Kenny Atkinson, installing Jacque Vaughn in the interim. If the league completes the campaign late enough, the Nets could get Irving and Durant back from injury. Vaughn may or may not get a chance to coach the team—currently the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference at 30-34—through the postseason, but the franchise obviously needs to lock in a coach long-term.
Shooter Joe Harris (47.1 FG%, 41.2 3P%) is the biggest question as an unrestricted free agent this summer. The team will also need to decide on team options for Garrett Temple ($5 million) and Theo Pinson ($1.7 million), free agent Wilson Chandler and the non-guaranteed salary ($1.8 million) of Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot.
Another serious question is what to do with center Jarrett Allen, who is extension-eligible. But the team has roughly $10 million a season invested in DeAndre Jordan, a veteran who remains close with Durant. The Nets are already heavily invested in their roster, with luxury taxes on the horizon.
If Brooklyn has to choose, Harris should be the clear priority.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
The Charlotte Hornets have some solid young pieces in Devonte' Graham, Miles Bridges and PJ Washington. Graham was such a nice surprise this season that he all but made Terry Rozier somewhat expendable. Rozier is a solid player, but Charlotte should gauge the trade market this summer, ideally for additional size and skill in the frontcourt.
Malik Monk was playing his best basketball before a drug suspension in February that might make Charlotte reluctant to give him an extension before the start of next season.
Nicolas Batum will undoubtedly opt in to the final year on his deal at $27.1 million, but even if he does, the Hornets could have as much as $27 million in cap room this summer (if the cap somehow stays at $115 million). Charlotte isn't a typical free-agent destination, so that cap room may be better used in trade than overpaying free agents.
The team also has a few free agents in Bismack Biyombo, Willy Hernangomez and Dwayne Bacon (restricted). Graham's $1.7 million non-guaranteed deal is a bargain. The team also has Jalen McDaniels and Caleb Martin on minimum non-guaranteed contracts.
Paul Beaty/Associated Press
The Chicago Bulls may be a challenge to predict as they change over their front office, reportedly hiring Arturas Karnisovas as their new executive vice president of basketball operations, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Karnisovas is currently an executive with the Denver Nuggets, but if he is officially hired by the Bulls, he "will be tasked with reshaping the totality of an organization … including hiring a new general manager and additional basketball operations and scouting positions."
Karnisovas has been an integral part of Denver's recent success.
Assuming Otto Porter Jr. opts in to the final year on his contract at $28.5 million (he's unlikely to get anywhere close to that as a free agent), the Bulls would have $106 million in committed contracts.
That's the existing core of Zach Lavine, Thaddeus Young, Porter and nine others, not including a high draft pick. Kris Dunn, Denzel Valentine and Shaquille Harrison can all be restricted free agents.
Is Lauri Markkanen a long-term part of Chicago's future? As Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported, Markkanen was "unhappy enough that if the direction of the organization was going to stay unchanged, he'd rather be elsewhere."
Will Karnisovas be the change the young forward/center is looking for? Markkanen is eligible to sign a contract extension at the start of the 2020-21 season. He should be a keeper, but the Bulls will go through several changes in the coming months before making that decision.
When the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for Andre Drummond, the expectation was he'd opt out of the final year of his deal at $28.8 million, presumably to re-sign on a new long-term pact. That's still a possibility, but if the salary cap does drop far enough, Drummond may be better off opting in and extending.
At a $95 million cap, Drummond's option would be about $252,000 above the max. If he chose to opt in and take an extension, he'd earn $34.5 million starting with the 2021-22 season. That's about $3 million below what he'd earn if he signed as a free agent in 2021, but that's only if the cap stays at the last projection of $125 million.
At this point, it's far too early to know what impact the hiatus will have on the coming years' caps.
Cleveland also has free agents in Tristan Thompson, Matthew Dellavedova, Ante Zizic and Sheldon Mac (still on a long 10-day contract). Alfonzo McKinnie's minimum deal is non-guaranteed.
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If the season doesn't restart, that's a disappointment for young star Luka Doncic and the rest of the Mavericks, who had climbed to the seventh seed in the Western Conference. It's fair to assume Tim Hardaway Jr. will opt into his final year at $19 million unless he can work out a long-term deal with Dallas.
Most of the team will be back, barring trades, with just a few free agents, including Courtney Lee, J.J. Barea and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Willie Cauley-Stein has a $2.3 million player option, which he'll probably decline, even if he chooses to re-sign with the Mavericks.
Justin Jackson is extension-eligible, but he may not have proved himself enough for Dallas to commit beyond next season.
David Zalubowski/Associated Press
The Denver Nuggets are one of the best teams in the Western Conference, but they may not get a chance to prove they're on par with the two squads in Los Angeles.
Jamal Murray begins a sizable extension next season at 25 percent of the salary cap. He's expected to earn $166.8 million over five years, but that could drop significantly. If the cap plummets to $95 million, so would Murray's deal to about $137.8 million.
The Nuggets would like to know how much they've invested in their young guard. They will also need to decide on big men free agents Paul Millsap and Mason Plumlee, along with Noah Vonleh, Torrey Craig (restricted) and Troy Daniels. Jerami Grant has a player option at $9.3 million. Monte Morris and Keita Bates-Diop have non-guaranteed deals at roughly $1.7 million each.
At Morris' figure, he is a lock to keep. Millsap and Plumlee are both valuable but should be looking at pay cuts (especially Millsap, who won't near the $30.4 million he's currently earning).
Brian Sevald/Getty Images
The Pistons are a team in transition with a sizable investment in Blake Griffin ($36.8 million for next season), who has knee problems. Most of the roster can turn over, with a long list of free agents that includes Brandon Knight, John Henson, Langston Galloway, Thon Maker (restricted), Christian Wood and Jordan McRae.
Tony Snell can opt into his final year at $12.2 million (he probably will, given the market relative to his 8.0 points a game). Svi Mykhailiuk is a steal on a team option of $1.7 million. Bruce Brown Jr. and Khyri Thomas are both worth keeping on minimum deals. Luke Kennard could be worth keeping on an extension this summer, though the Pistons may be better waiting until he's a restricted free agent in 2021.
The team could have over $30 million in cap space this offseason (less if the cap drops), but just about everyone on the roster should be available in a trade as Detroit finds direction.
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The Warriors have made a significant investment in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins. They'll add a high-level lottery pick to their cause and will certainly be a taxpayer next season.
They nimbly managed to get under the tax at the trade deadline, which will help reset their repeater clock. That will make going back over the tax a little easier to manage in the coming years.
Otherwise, the team has just one free agent in Dragan Bender, and he's on a 10-day contract that never expired with the league shutting down. The rest are players on minimum contracts like Damion Lee, Marquese Chriss, Ky Bowman, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Mychal Mulder. Both Lee and Chriss are near-locks to return.
Looking ahead, keep an eye on Giannis Antetokounmpo. If he wants to leave the Bucks, the Warriors are hoping to get a chance to make a trade offer before he ever hits free agency.
Kathy Willens/Associated Press
The Houston Rockets have several issues to resolve long term, including the status of head coach Mike D'Antoni, whose contract expires after the 2019-20 season.
There was also general manager Daryl Morey's tweet that supported democracy in Hong Kong, which prompted team owner Tilman Fertitta to condemn his comments and China to cut ties with the organization.
There's a lot to sort out behind the scenes before moving forward.
Meanwhile, the team has several free agents, including Bruno Caboclo, Tyson Chandler, Thabo Sefolosha and Jeff Green. Austin Rivers could opt out of his final year at $2.4 million. Ben McLemore, Isaiah Hartenstein and Chris Clemons all have non-guaranteed minimum contracts for next season.
The Pacers are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference even though Victor Oladipo missed much of the season. They're locked in to most of their roster as is for next season.
Indiana will undoubtedly look to stay below the luxury-tax threshold (which should work, provided the NBA shutdown doesn't dramatically lower that line), but that might limit how aggressive the team will be to sign players. Justin Holiday, JaKarr Sampson and Alize Johnson (restricted) are the team's only notable free agents.
TJ McConnell has a team-friendly $3.5 million salary, with only $1 million guaranteed. The Pacers have the luxury of Aaron Holiday and McConnell in addition to Malcolm Brogdon and Oladipo. They can look to make a trade if they desire, but on their terms. TJ Leaf is extension-eligible but is unlikely to get a deal.
Several executives around the league remain skeptical of the Myles Turner/Domantas Sabonis pairing, but the Pacers have been happy with their big-man combo to date.
Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press
The Clippers have a huge decision to make on Montrezl Harrell. They'll have his Bird rights this offseason, but how much should they invest in a 6'7" center?
A postseason run against teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz and Nuggets would have given the Clippers more information on how their undersized inside scorer can fare in physical playoff matchups. They may not get that chance.
Harrell is believed to be looking for around $20 million per season. The Clippers would need to go into the tax, and they probably should to keep their potent core together. Both Leonard and George can opt out after the 2020-21, so the Clippers shouldn't make decisions just to save money. They can always look to make trades (in the short- or long-term) if they find they've over-invested.
The Clippers will also have to decide whether to re-sign Marcus Morris, whom they can pay up to $18 million via his non-Bird rights. JaMychal Green will likely pick up his $5 million player option. Reggie Jackson, Patrick Patterson and Joakim Noah (currently on a very, very long 10-day contract) will also be free agents.
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The league shutdown was brutal for the Lakers, who had just defeated their greatest competition this season in back-to-back games against the Clippers and Bucks. Their championship aspirations now might be extinguished because of almost unimaginable factors.
Looking ahead, retaining Anthony Davis is their primary goal this offseason. The Lakers are in a similar situation as the Pistons are with Andre Drummond, in that it might not make as much sense for Davis to opt out as initially thought. If the cap drops far enough, Davis may want to maximize his income by opting in and then either signing an extension or re-signing in 2021.
Meanwhile, the Lakers have several players with team options such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($8.5 million), Avery Bradley ($5 million), JaVale McGee ($4.2 million) and Rajon Rondo ($2.7 million). Most if not all of them could pick up those options given the economic uncertainty ahead. Quinn Cook only has $1 million of his $3 million deal guaranteed for next year. Kyle Kuzma is extension-eligible, but the Lakers may want to wait for him to hit restricted free agency in 2021.
Otherwise, Dwight Howard, Markieff Morris, Jared Dudley and Dion Waiters will be free agents. The Lakers would be wise to retain both Howard and Morris if they can, though they still need to upgrade at point guard and defensively at the wing.
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The Grizzlies have been one of the most active teams on the trade market over the last year or two. They have the presumptive Rookie of the Year in Ja Morant and a talented, young roster. Justise Winslow came over injured from the Miami Heat at the trade deadline. Memphis would love to get him in the rotation this season if the NBA can start back up.
Josh Jackson was a surprise contributor after spending much of the season in the G League. Because the Grizzlies declined his 2020-21 team option, they can pay him no more than $8.9 million in free agency this offseason.
Their only other free agent of note is point guard De'Anthony Melton (restricted), although Jontay Porter has a minimum-salary team option.
Layne Murdoch Jr./Getty Images
The Heat will protect their cap space to make a run at Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021. That's why Andre Iguodala took an extension with a team option in 2021-22, and Miami didn't acquire Oklahoma City Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari at the trade deadline because he wasn't open to a one-year extension.
With that in mind, will the Heat extend Bam Adebayo this summer? The All-Star big man will be looking for a hefty raise, but the Heat would be better off waiting until he's a restricted free agent with a $15.3 million cap hold in 2021 instead of locking in a higher extension.
Miami will also have to decide on free agents Goran Dragic, Solomon Hill, Meyers Leonard, Jae Crowder, Derrick Jones Jr. and Udonis Haslem. Kelly Olynyk has a $13.2 million player option, and the Heat are unquestionably going to keep both Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn, whose minimum contracts are non-guaranteed.
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There's only one decision that matters for the Bucks this offseason: Giannis Antetokounmpo and his forthcoming supermax offer. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the salary-cap projection for 2021-22 was $125 million. Only the Bucks will be able to pay their All-Star the 35 percent max (an estimated $253.8 million over five years), while other teams can give Antetokounmpo only $161.3 million over four seasons.
Those numbers may shrink considerably if the cap declines over the coming years, but the dilemma remains. Others like Anthony Davis, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard weren't concerned about losing out on a supermax when they demanded to relocate. Antetokounmpo might sign off on a long-term stay in Milwaukee, but what if he doesn't? The Bucks will have to risk losing him in free agency, much like the Oklahoma City Thunder lost Kevin Durant in 2016.
Meanwhile, the Bucks do have other several other considerations this offseason, including the free agency of Pat Connaughton, Marvin Williams, Kyle Korver and Sterling Brown, the player options of Robin Lopez and Wesley Matthews, and Ersan Ilyasova's non-guaranteed $7 million salary for 2020-21. Ilyasova is the likely casualty to help reduce the team's potential luxury-tax burden. DJ Wilson is extension-eligible.
Stacy Bengs/Associated Press
The Timberwolves wanted to sign D'Angelo Russell last offseason, but he ended up with the Warriors. It took significant work to get Russell to Minnesota before the February trade deadline, but the T-Wolves got it done. They now have $58.1 million invested in him and Karl-Anthony Towns in 2020-21, for better or worse.
Assuming James Johnson picks up his $16 million player option, the Wolves won't have significant cap room. They'll need to decide whether to re-sign Evan Turner, Juancho Hernangomez (restricted) and Malik Beasley (restricted) in free agency. Beasley is the keeper if they have to choose, but that might take a contract north of $10 million per season.
The Wolves are still a few pieces away from a title contender, but Russell, Towns, Beasley and Jarrett Culver are an interesting launching point for the franchise.
Rusty Costanza/Associated Press
The Pelicans need to re-sign restricted free agent All-Star Brandon Ingram. He'll be seeking out a maximum deal like the ones Jamal Murray, Ben Simmons and Pascal Siakam signed this past fall. New Orleans will probably give it to him considering how well the team played together once healthy.
Zion Williamson, Lonzo Ball and Ingram are all vastly different players both in physical makeup and style. Keeping free-agent big man Derrick Favors, a rock-solid, low-maintenance veteran, would help the Pelicans' continuity, even if the price is near $10 million per season.
The more complex question will be whether to extend Lonzo Ball, and to a lesser extent, Josh Hart. Are the Pelicans willing to lock in their core long-term, or does the front office need more time to decide? Both Ball and Hart will be restricted free agents in 2021 if they don't sign extensions before the start of next season.
Other questions include free agents E'Twaun Moore, Jahlil Okafor, Frank Jackson (restricted) and Kenrich Williams (restricted). Darius Miller, who missed the season with an Achilles tear, has a non-guaranteed year at $7 million.
The Knicks recently hired Leon Rose as their new team president. What is his personality as an executive? It's too early to tell, but the Knicks are one of many teams that have lined up their contracts to have a shot at signing Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021.
If they hold to that, the franchise won't invest heavily this offseason beyond 2020-21, unless the Bucks All-Star inks an extension to stay in Milwaukee.
If the Knicks are standing pat for a year, they should keep most of their players on short-term deals, including Bobby Portis ($15.8 million team option) and four players on deals with only $1 million guaranteed: Taj Gibson ($9.5 million), Wayne Ellington ($8 million), Elfrid Payton ($8 million) and Reggie Bullock ($4.2 million).
Mo Harkless, Allonzo Trier (restricted) and Damyean Dotson (restricted) will also be free agents. Mitchell Robinson's $1.7 million salary isn't guaranteed, but he's one of the most valuable pieces the Knicks have on their roster. Both Frank Ntilikina and Dennis Smith Jr. are extension-eligible, but neither appears likely to get a deal this offseason.
Michael Dwyer/Associated Press
The Thunder were expecting to convert two-way player Luguentz Dort to a standard contract to make him playoff-eligible (he was starting for the team). But if the season doesn't return, he'll be a restricted free agent this offseason who's all but certain to return.
Danilo Gallinari will be a much bigger question in free agency. Considering the Thunder engaged in trade talks with several teams for Gallinari, most notably the Miami Heat, they may not be inclined to invest heavily in him moving forward. Gallinari has been a valuable part of the team's impressive regular-season run. Unless the 2020-21 salary cap plunges, taking away other suitors, Gallinari may move on.
That might be best for the Thunder, who don't have many long-term fixtures on the roster outside of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Chris Paul is still one of the best point guards in the league, but he's almost 35 years old. Look for Oklahoma City to shop the $85.6 million he's owed through the next two seasons (the final year is a player option).
Andre Roberson's time is probably up in Oklahoma City as well. Free agent Nerlens Noel has been a solid role player, while Mike Muscala has a player option. The Thunder also need to decide on the team options for Abdel Nader, Hamidou Diallo and Deonte Burton. Terrance Ferguson is extension-eligible, too.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
The Magic (30-35) were the No. 8 seed in the East when the season shut down. That isn't great, and the team reportedly "tried hard" to trade Aaron Gordon at the February trade deadline, per Sean Deveney of Heavy.com.
If Orlando follows through on that move over the offseason, it will be a huge deal. Gordon will earn $18.1 million and $16.4 million over the next two years, respectively, which is a reasonable contract for the athletic forward. The return would dictate how the Magic proceed with the rest of their roster.
Both Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Issac are extension-eligible. Orlando should eventually pay both players, but the franchise may be better off waiting until they become restricted free agents in 2021.
The team will also need an answer from Evan Fournier on his $17.2 million player option. Other free-agent questions include D.J. Augustin and Michael Carter-Williams. James Ennis has a $2.1 million player option, while Melvin Frazier Jr. has $1.7 million team option. Wesley Iwundu and Gary Clark will be restricted free agents as well.
Like Denver's Jamal Murray, the value of Ben Simmons' extension is yet to be determined. The Sixers are heavily invested in their roster, with $143.6 million locked in if Simmons does earn the full $28.8 million next season (based on a $115 million cap). Regardless of where Simmons' starting salary lands, the Sixers are going to be in luxury-tax territory.
As such, it's concerning that they were only in sixth place in the East when the NBA suspended the season. Injuries were partially to blame, but the Sixers would clearly benefit by adding more shooting to the roster. If they're concerned that Embiid and Simmons aren't natural fits with one another, there may be a blockbuster to be had.
Outside of any potential trades, the team won't look too different next season. Their key free-agent decisions are role players such as Glenn Robinson III, Alec Burks, Raul Neto and Kyle O'Quinn. Both Furkan Korkmaz and Norvel Pelle are keepers on non-guaranteed minimum salaries.
The Suns seemed to turn a corner this year before injuries derailed their run.
Aron Baynes proved to be an important fit as a stretch big and experienced defender. He'll be a free agent this summer and will have several suitors among playoff contenders. Phoenix may need to offer near the non-taxpayer's mid-level exception, which was projected to start at around $9.8 million this summer. A lower salary cap might drop that to around $8 million.
Phoenix also has a $5 million team option for Frank Kaminsky, who is probably worth keeping at that price. Dario Saric will be a restricted free agent and a potentially difficult decision for the team if he gets any significant offers. Cheick Diallo has a $1.8 million team option, while Elie Okobo's $1.7 million salary is non-guaranteed. Jevon Carter will also be a restricted free agent.
Cameron Browne/Getty Images
If the season does resume, the Blazers need to hope it isn't only for the playoffs. At 29-37, they're 3.5 games behind the eighth-seeded Grizzlies.
Portland should get Jusuf Nurkic, Zach Collins and Rodney Hood ($6 million player option that he's all but certain to pick up) back healthy next year. They may let Hassan Whiteside leave in free agency unless he's willing to return at a more reasonable price. Collins is extension-eligible before the start of next season.
Big-picture, the Blazers need to decide whether they can win with the core of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Other than speculation and buzz around the league, there's no real reason to believe they're actually ready to change course.
In the meantime, they'll have to weigh whether to re-sign Carmelo Anthony, Caleb Swanigan and/or Wenyen Gabriel (restricted). Mario Hezonja has a $2 million player option, and only $1.8 of Trevor Ariza's $12.8 million salary is guaranteed.
The Blazers may be able to stay out of the luxury tax if they let Whiteside go, but either way, they should keep Ariza. He's a valuable, experienced, lengthy defender to complement Lillard and McCollum.
Adam Pantozzi/Getty Images
The Kings spurned offers for Bogdan Bogdanovic at the trade deadline with the intention of retaining him in restricted free agency. Under normal circumstances, Bogdanovic would probably be seeking over $18 million per season.
It could prove to be an expensive summer for Sacramento with De'Aaron Fox extension-eligible. A new contract wouldn't start until the 2021-22 season, but the Kings (28-36) are looking at a sizable investment in Harrison Barnes, Buddy Hield, Bogdanovic and Fox, the core of a team that sat 3.5 games out of the playoffs at the time of the shutdown. Hield could be the sacrifice if Sacramento needs to make a trade to clear money off its books.
Other questions include free agents Kent Bazemore, Alex Len, Yogi Ferrell and Harry Giles. Jabari Parker has a $6.5 million player option, which he may be inclined to take at this point. Nemanja Bjelica's $7.2 million salary is non-guaranteed.
Jason Miller/Getty Images
The Spurs were 12th place in the Western Conference at the time of the shutdown, which is still difficult to believe given how long they've been a playoff fixture. However they're only four games behind the Grizzlies if play resumes.
The Spurs should always be in the postseason mix with coach Gregg Popovich and the veterans they have on the roster, but they're far from a true contender. With that in mind, they may have a significant decision to make with DeMar DeRozan, their primary return in the Leonard trade with the Raptors.
If DeRozan declines his $27.7 million player option for 2020-21, he'll become a free agent this offseason. The Spurs may prefer he opts in so they can hit the 2021 free-agent market with minimal salary on their books. Making a large investment in DeRozan might be short-sighted.
Other questions include free agents Jakob Poeltl (restricted), Marco Belinelli and Bryn Forbes. Trey Lyles is probably worth keeping on his $5.5 million contract (with only $1 million guaranteed). Chimezie Metu has a non-guaranteed minimum season left on his deal. Derrick White is extension-eligible.
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
The Raptors are a potential front-runner for Antetokounmpo if he decides to leave the Bucks, so they need to remain mindful of their cap room in 2021. Pascal Siakam, who has a strong relationship with Antetokounmpo, signed a four-year max extension before this season. Like Jamal Murray and Ben Simmons, he won't know the actual value of his deal until the 2020-21 salary cap is set.
In the meantime, the Raptors need to re-sign Fred VanVleet to a multi-year contract, perhaps in the $15-18 million per year range. Re-signing Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol would be ideal if they're on inflated one-year deals or reasonable long-term contracts.
Other decisions include Stanley Johnson, who may opt into his final year at $3.8 million (likely making him trade bait), along with free agents Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Chris Boucher (restricted) and Malcolm Miller (restricted). Three players have minimum deals: Matt Thomas ($725,000 guaranteed), Dewan Hernandez ($500,000 guaranteed) and Terence Davis (non-guaranteed). OG Anunoby is extension-eligible.
Alex Goodlett/Getty Images
While Mike Conley hasn't been a perfect fit in Utah, he appears certain to ignore his early termination option and stay with the team for one more year at $34.5 million. If he does, the Jazz could look to move Conley's expiring contract or try to make him work more naturally on the court next season.
Jordan Clarkson will be a free agent and would be an important piece for the Jazz to retain as a vital bench scorer. Their midseason trade for him was huge in keeping them competitive. Under normal circumstances, Clarkson might be looking for $15-16 million per year, but all free agents may be signing for less than they had hoped if the cap plunges because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Utah's front office also needs to look closely at the summer of 2021, which is when Rudy Gobert and Conley's contracts expire. Donovan Mitchell is extension-eligible before the start of next season. He'll be expecting a massive payday that would start in the 2021-22 season.
Tony Bradley can also be extended, while Emmanuel Mudiay will be a free agent this offseason. Utah also has five players on non-guaranteed minimum contracts next season: Georges Niang, Nigel Williams-Goss, Miye Oni, Juwan Morgan and Rayjon Tucker ($340,000 guaranteed).
Nick Wass/Associated Press
The Wizards should finally get John Wall back next season. Given that he's set to earn $41.3 million, they can only hope he'll be back to his old self after he missed most of the past two seasons because of injuries.
Washington's top offseason priority appears to be Davis Bertans, who has proved himself to be a vital piece both as a shooter and team defender. He could end up back in the $10-12 million per year range.
Ian Mahinmi's ill-advised 2016 contract will finally expire this offseason. Other free agents include Shabazz Napier and Gary Payton II. Both Isaac Bonga and Anzejs Pasecniks have non-guaranteed minimum deals.
The Wizards shouldn't be in a rush to make any big moves until they can get a feel for Wall's impact. The team has an All-Star in Bradley Beal and a solid, young roster. Re-sign Bertans and call it a day.
Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @EricPincus.


VIVA TEEN May 26, 2016
Disney's Newest Teen Star Jenna Ortega Talks 'Stuck in the Middle', Fashion, Fame, and More!
Brianne Nemiroff
Bunk'd's Karan Brar Talks Diversity in Television, Education, and his Minimalist Sense of Style
A Conversation about 'Anchor', Positivity, and Fangirling with Cailee Rae
Russell Baer/Vince Trupsin
Do you remember what you were doing on March 11th of this year? Unless it was your birthday, that date probably holds no significance to you. But for 13-year-old actress Jenna Ortega, that was the day that changed it all: her show Stuck in the Middle officially aired on the Disney Channel and she was the star.
Now two months later, Stuck in the Middle has become a fan favorite show on the network and she's already gained almost 200 thousand followers on Instagram alone. Besides Stuck in the Middle, she is also going to be the voice of Disney's first Latina princess, Elena, in the new series Elena of Avalor, coming soon, and she plays the role of Young Jane on Jane the Virgin.
Ortega plays one of seven siblings on Stuck in the Middle. In her real family, she is one of six! We had to ask about how her life has changed since the premiere of the show, how she's handling her stardom, and if she's starting to learn beauty tips on set!
Q&A with Jenna Ortega
Stuck in the Middle premiered only two months ago. How has your life changed since the show premiered?
Well, I am no longer in public school, I have gotten busier, and I get recognized wherever I go. It is definitely different than anything I have ever experienced before, so it is going to take some time getting used to it.
On the show, you are one of seven siblings. In real life, you are one of six. In what ways is your TV family different from or similar to your real family?
My siblings are actually very similar to the Diaz children. Each and everyone of the Diaz kids reminds me of one of my own siblings. My oldest sister Mariah reminds me of Georgie because they are both clumsy. My older brother Issac reminds me of Rachel because sometimes as a joke he likes to make comments that he is super hot, even though I know he is kidding. My sister Mia reminds me of Daphne because she is very sneaky, bossy, and she is always watching! My younger brother Markus reminds me of Lewie and Beast combined because he is down to try any kind of stunt and is full of energy. Lastly, my little sister Aliyah reminds me of Ethan, because she is my BFTF (Best Friend in the Family).
SOCIAL INFLUENCE
You've built up a big following in a short amount of time on social media. How do you balance your personal persona and your social media/professional persona?
On social media I try to stay true to my real self. I want followers to get a feel for what it is like in my life and who I really am. Commenting back to people is something that I like to do also because I feel that I can connect with them. I feel like that is super important. I want people to know that I am just a normal person!
As someone in the public eye, your fans see you as a role model. What do you hope to do with your influence?
I want to spread positivity around the world. The world is filled with negativity and I do not want that to interfere with children following their dreams and loving themselves.
Related Itemsdisney actress jenna ortegaelena of avalorJane the Virginjenna ortegajenna ortega disney channellead girl stuck in the middlestuck in the middlestuck in the middle disney channelyoung jane jane the virgin
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50+ World > Entertainment > Biography > Celebrating Seniors – Janis Ian is Not "At Seventeen"
Celebrating Seniors - Janis Ian is Not "At Seventeen"
Vintage music video of a young Janis Ian singing At Seventeen, and what she's been up to since then. Below, Janis Ian singing her classic #3 hit single from 1975 – At Seventeen – live in 1976:
Now a new senior citizen, singer-songwriter Janis Ian (born Janis Eddy Fink) was born on April 7, 1961 in New York City. A child progidy, by age 13 in 1964, Janis had not only learned to play piano, guitar, and 4 other instruments; she'd written her first song – Hair of Spun Gold (included in her first album in 1967); and legally changed her name to Janis Ian (her brother Eric's middle name).
Janis Ian's first single song, Society's Child (1965), was about interracial romance, which was frowned upon at the time.
(Janis Ian 1981 Photo: Eddie / monosnaps)
Although Janis Ian has recorded many albums and released numerous singles since 1967, At Seventeen remains her top-selling hit and won the 1975 Best Pop Vocal Performance – Female, Grammy Award. At Seventeen resonated with the angst of baby boomer teenagers at the time, and with teenagers in the decades since it was released.
Janis Ian was married from 1978-1983 to boyfriend and filmmaker Tino Sargo; she referenced abuse from him in her 2008 autobiography Society's Child.
In 1989 Ian moved to Nashville and met criminal defense lawyer Patricia Snyder. Ian came out as a lesbian in 1993 and is a regular contributor to The Advocate, a LGBT magazine. Janis Ian and Patricia Snyder got married in August 2003 in Toronto.
In addition to writing songs, Janis Ian founded the "Pearl Foundation Scholarships" to fund continuing education for older students, in memory of her mother Pearl Fink.
Ian also writes science fiction, starting with fan stories in 2001, in her 50+ years. More recently she's acted on an episode of Getting On on HBO in 2015.
(Janis Ian Then & Now Photos: JanisIan.Com)
Happy 65th Birthday, Janis Ian!
*Images are public domain or Creative Commons licensed & sourced via Wikimedia Commons, Vimeo, or Flickr, unless otherwise noted*
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You: Just A Bunch Of Brands
Filed to: Books about Sheep
Books about Sheep
Buy Shiny Things
You are what you buy
This image was lost some time after publication.
Rob Walker, who writes the "Consumed" column in the New York Times Magazine every weekend (a sweet "job"), has a new book out in which he draws the sad—but unavoidable—conclusion that we are all a bunch of sheep blindly obeying a world of marketing messages. You think you're able to use your education, morality, and philosophical beliefs to rise above advertising? Ha! That's what all the sheep think. Walker's not a gung-ho Corporate America kind of guy, which makes his thesis that much more depressing. But it's hard to argue with him. Go drown your sorrows in PBR like the hipster that you are. Your chosen brands make up your very soul:
Pabst Blue Ribbon co-opts Naomi Klein and plays on hipsters' idea of independence from the machine:
PBR was more sure-footed: The brewer carefully cultivated its image among the indie crowd by taking great care not to cultivate its image: no ads on local radio, no celebrity endorsements (despite nibbles from Kid Rock) and certainly no TV. PBR's divisional marketing manager, cribbing tactics from Naomi Klein's anti-corporate manifesto, "No Logo" (full of "many good marketing ideas," he told Walker!), worked to make PBR "always look and act the underdog." He was so successful at retaining the brand's cachet (or anti-cachet) that one 28-year-old Oregonian whom Walker interviewed had a foot-square Pabst logo tattooed onto his back. "Pabst is part of my subculture," the kid told the writer, pointing to the absence of Pabst advertising as evidence that "they're not insulting you."
Red Bull spends millions on extreme sports events, but conceals it to retain its cachet:
"The perception that these events don't cost much to produce is good for us," a Red Bull executive told Walker. "We don't want to be seen as having lots of money to spend." Walker attended a kite-boarding exhibition in Miami (enthusiasts of this new, wind-boarding-like sport were aiming to ride from Key West to Cuba) and found that it looked (very intentionally) like a nonevent: no press releases, no onlookers, no news crews, no free samples. (A videotaped press release about the stunt did get picked up on by 40 local TV stations after the fact.)
There is no escaping the system. Stop fooling yourself:
Another young brand-maker he interviewed, the founder of an outfit called Barking Irons, which sells products vaguely connected to the "forgotten" history of New York City, considers his enterprise "a revolution against branding" — by which he means not the rejection of commercial expression but "the elevation of commercial expression." Instead of big-time corporate logos with nothing to say, he offers boutique designs with a message.
[Salon]


Ypsilanti in Washtenaw County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
220 N. Huron
A Home Becomes a Museum
Photographed By Joel Seewald, April 16, 2016
1. 220 N. Huron Marker
220 N. Huron. A Home Becomes a Museum. , This lovely building has been many homes. , It was built in the Italianate style in 1860, as our nation's Civil War approached, for the family of bank president Asa Dow. It continued as a home for families until 1922. As apartments, it provided vital housing for production workers at the Willow Run bomber plant during World War II and for Eastern Michigan University students in the 1960s. Since 1970 it has been nurtured back to loveliness as the home of the Ypsilanti Historical Museum. , , "James, Edwin L. fctywkr Ford (Gen) h220 N. Huron , Lenix, Flortta fctywkr Ford (WR) h220 N. Huron" , Ypsilanti City Directory 1945 , These are two of the world war two war production workers who lived in apartments in the 220 N. Huron building in 1945. Edwin James made electrical parts at the Ford Generator plant for jeeps, tanks, and other war vehicles. Floretta Lenix worked at the Ford Willow Run bomber plant. , , "Meissner, Diane student , h220 N Huron apt 6" , Ypsilanti City Directory 1967" , This is one of the students who lived in apartments in the 220 N. Huron building in 1967. Diane Meissner was a student during dramatic growth in the student body of Eastern Michigan University. , , You Auto Know , Visitors will find the best collection of Ypsilanti area history and genealogy in this museum and archives. . This historical marker was erected by Motorcities National Heritage Area, National Park Service. It is in Ypsilanti in Washtenaw County Michigan
This lovely building has been many homes.
It was built in the Italianate style in 1860, as our nation's Civil War approached, for the family of bank president Asa Dow. It continued as a home for families until 1922. As apartments, it provided vital housing for production workers at the Willow Run bomber plant during World War II and for Eastern Michigan University students in the 1960s. Since 1970 it has been nurtured back to loveliness as the home of the Ypsilanti Historical Museum.
"James, Edwin L. fctywkr Ford (Gen) h220 N. Huron
Lenix, Flortta fctywkr Ford (WR) h220 N. Huron"
Ypsilanti City Directory 1945
These are two of the WWII war production workers who lived in apartments in the 220 N. Huron building in 1945. Edwin James made electrical parts at the Ford Generator plant for jeeps, tanks, and other war vehicles. Floretta Lenix worked at the Ford Willow Run bomber plant.
"Meissner, Diane student
h220 N Huron apt 6"
Ypsilanti City Directory 1967"
This is one of the students who lived in apartments in the 220 N. Huron building in 1967. Diane Meissner was
2. Left image
a student during dramatic growth in the student body of Eastern Michigan University.
You Auto Know
Visitors will find the best collection of Ypsilanti area history and genealogy in this museum and archives.
Erected by Motorcities National Heritage Area, National Park Service.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the MotorCities National Heritage Area series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1860.
Location. 42° 14.684′ N, 83° 36.777′ W. Marker is in Ypsilanti, Michigan, in Washtenaw County. Marker is at the intersection of North Huron Street (State Highway 17) and Emmett Street, on the right when traveling north on North Huron Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 220 North Huron Street, Ypsilanti MI 48197, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Ypsilanti (a few steps from this marker); In Loving Memory of Carpenters Post No. 180 (within shouting distance of this marker); Ladies' Literary Club House (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); First Presbyterian Church (about 400 feet away); 107th Field Signal Battalion U.S.A. / World War Memorial (about 400 feet
3. Middle image
Museum bedroom
away); First City Hall (about 500 feet away); Facing the Fire (about 500 feet away); First Methodist Episcopal Church (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ypsilanti.
Also see . . . The Story of the House at 220 North Huron Street. (Submitted on August 19, 2016, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)
4. Upper right image
220 N. Huron in 1967. Photo courtesy of Ypsilanti Historical Society Archives.
5. Lower right image
6. 220 N. Huron Marker and Ypsilanti Historical Museum & Archives
7. Historic Structure Plaque
Plaque on building between the two windows to the right of the main entry.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 13, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 19, 2016, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 443 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on August 19, 2016, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.


April 9, 2020, 4:30 p.m.
Poop back and forth, forever
Remember that scene from Me, You, and Everyone We Know where the little boy says
I want to poop back and forth.                                                           Like, I'll poop into her butt hole...                              and then she'll poop it back...                              into my butt hole.
And then we'll just keep doing it back and forth...                              with the same poop.
I've been trying to figure out what swap lines are and I'm pretty sure it's just that.
How'd I get to swap lines?
One of my favorite capitalists is Zoltan Poszar. He's kind of like a ruling class finance clergyman, an analyst at Credit Suisse who advises the Treasury Department and predicted the repo market crisis last year. He also described the pandemic crisis earlier and more clearly than anyone I saw at the time. He also looks like a vampire.
Every month or so he writes essays for Credit Suisse. His most recent Research Note last month was all about swap lines, and why the US Federal Reserve needs to open up dollar swap lines to way more central banks than it has in the past.
He wrote that on March 17. Two days later the Fed did it, opening lines to 20 foreign central banks, which has never happened before.
The other thing that got me thinking about the swap lines is inflation. Will there be inflation after the US government prints all this money and puts it into circulation to bailout out the mode of production? We'd expect yes.
But since dollars are the world's currency standard since 1971 (instead of gold), dollar inflation is an international currency issue. I thought the swap lines might have something to do with the situation.
Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. I'm still learning. In any case, I wanted to know about these swap lines. What are they?
Dollars everywhere
Every time I found a definition, there was another term I didn't understand. When I looked up swap lines I got:
Central bank liquidity swap is a type of currency swap used by a country's central bank to provide liquidity of its currency to another country's central bank.[1][2] A liquidity swap is an offer by a central bank to lend its local currency to another central bank, taking the latter's currency as collateral for the loan. The lender uses its currency to purchase the borrower's currency at the market exchange rate, and agrees to sell it back at a rate that reflects the interest accrued on the loan.
Okay, so it's when a central bank lends its own currency to another country's central bank. The lender says "give me some of your money and I'll give you some of mine, and I'll give you your money back later with interest."
After more definitions, technically the currency swap is an interest rate derivative, which is a contract deriving its value from an underlying interest rate.
So the dollar swap line between central banks uses the exchange rate of the currencies (basically the interest rate in the currency market between the two currencies) as the underlying entity.
The other thing about a swap is that it 'unwinds', or ends after a certain period of time. The Fed's dollar swaps with the 20 banks ends in three months. At that point, the other central banks give back their dollars and the Fed pays them back at the original exchange rate.
Right. But these are central banks. They actually just sustain private banks in certain regions. So these are private banks all over the world that are getting infusions of dollars.
Basically, the US is flooding other countries' private banks with dollars. Why?
All about liquidity
The Fed has a nice little FAQ page for their move. The swap lines are supposed to reduce "risks to U.S. financial markets caused by financial stresses abroad" because "such difficulties can add materially to pressures in funding and credit markets in the United States and abroad."
It's as much about protecting US lending—funding and credit markets—as it is about protecting international finance.
It doesn't say anything about inflation, just various 'stresses' in foreign markets that come to bare on the US economy. I guess I'm still wondering: are the swap lines a protection against inflation? The more I read, probably not.
It's more about liquidity. Pozsar says in his March 17th note that:
The Fed's liquidity injections appear not to be working. All segments of funding markets – secured, unsecured and FX swaps – continue to show growing signs of stress. The Fed may have to do more still. In the U.S., we watched, but didn't feel the funding impact of large banks in other countries being asked to help their economies. Now that U.S. banks are asked to do the same, dollar funding markets are starting to feel the impact. As U.S. banks increase their lending to the real economy as corporations draw on credit lines and banks lend more to households and firms, lending will consume more balance sheet and risk capital and that will leave less room for market making and arbitrage.
The problem is that there'll be more debt than money to pay it off, and shoring up other countries' central banks (becoming a lender of last resort for the world) will help that. So the swap lines actually add to the potential issue of inflation rather than try to address it. I think?
In any case, I can say this much: the swap lines are the the Fed passing its poop back and forth to the buttholes of other central banks, forever.
You just read issue #22 of Schooling in Socialist America. You can also browse the full archives of this newsletter.


A Couple Walked Into a Bar . . .
We were new to the area, driving around to the different small towns on weekends to get a feel for the state of Delaware. I had begun collecting postcards of local towns, so we went where we had been given a recommendation or found a postcard that showed something that looked interesting enough to visit.
There was the sign that said "This is Magnolia, The Center of the Universe Around Which the Earth Revolves" in a town with 225 people.
We were warned not to go near Rehoboth Beach on the Delaware Bay, self-dubbed "The Nation's Summer Capital," until after the tourist season because the traffic was impossible. We walked the windy and deserted boardwalk in October and found a wonderful saltwater taffy shop, which stirred memories.
Lewes (only outsiders call it "LOOS," the local citizens call it "Lewis") was the site of the first Dutch settlement in Delaware in 1632. It has charming streets with a Dutch-style museum.
New Castle, in the far north, is both a town and a county name. It was fought over by the Dutch, the Swedes, and the English throughout the 1600s. It has a formal town green and a classic courthouse and other appropriate buildings.
One Saturday we visited Milford. There was a postcard that showed what we later came to know was a rolling-lift drawbridge, where only the single span opens (as opposed to the great majority of drawbridges where the river is wide enough to have two spans). Was it still there?
DRAW BRIDGE ON DUPONT BLVD. MILFORD, DEL
It was. And working, as we found out.
Pleased with ourselves, we looked for a lunch spot along the Mispillion River and found a place that served burgers. We also ordered hot tea, which was served with thick rectangular drink coasters.
The coasters had a whimsical drawing and were imprinted with "Fat Tire Amber Ale" and "New Belgium" below a drawing of (what else?) an old-fashioned fat tire bicycle.
"Cute," we decided. Not that we knew anything about the craft-beer world, but it was attractive. Idly, I turned the coaster over and discovered — it was a postcard!
The restaurant let us take the coasters home and the next day I called New Belgium in Colorado to ask if they did any other coasters. Within three months they were kind enough to send 18 more coasters and I had a new category — "Beverage Coasters."
The coasters are only slightly smaller than a regular postcard, 3½ x 5 inches. The four lines of text at the top of the message area refer to "the First State" (Delaware prides itself on being the first to ratify the Constitution in 1787) and uses the phrase "small wonder," which is one of a myriad of slogans used by the state tourism people to describe Delaware.
New Belgium was founded in 1991 and clearly was expanding to national distribution by 2014 when we found the coasters. Industry statistics say New Belgium is the fourth-largest craft beer company in the United States and by the time we found the coasters it had sales in all 50 states. In 2019 it sold itself to Lion Little World Beverages, an Australian subsidiary of Kirin Beer of Japan.
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Paris Travel and Transportation: Airports and Trains
July 15th, 2019 - Posted in Paris Travel Tips.
Whether you're arriving from the airport or by train at Gare de Lyon, our guide will help you map out your route to Paris! (Photo credit: George Kourounis via Unsplash)
For being so iconic around the world, Paris is a relatively small city despite its suburban sprawl. It may surprise you to learn that Paris is served by only one major international airport, along with a smaller, primarily domestic airport. Also, as is popular in most of Western Europe, trains are a major form of transportation into and out of the City of Lights! Sound confusing? Don't worry, we're here to help with a comprehensive guide to the most common forms of travel and transportation to and from Paris, and how to get from the airports in the suburbs to the city center.
Of course, once you understand your transportation, you'll need a destination! Make sure you have your accommodations in Paris booked for your arrival. Staying in a Paris vacation rental (for short-term stays) or a Paris furnished apartment (for one month or longer) gives you the authentic experience of living in a real local's apartment, plus the assistance of a licensed real estate agent in case of any communication difficulties or changes in travel plans. With our guide and an agent on the line, your journey to Paris will be as smooth as possible. Bon voyage!
Flying to Paris: Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
Charles de Gaulle airport is one of the most trafficked airports in Europe and welcomes most international travelers to Paris. (Photo credit: Gary Bembridge via Flickr)
Charles de Gaulle Airport (also known as CDG or Roissy Airport) is Paris's main travel hub for overseas and international travelers to the city. If you're coming to Paris from abroad, your flight is likely to land here! CDG is located about 16 miles northeast of the city center in the Paris suburb of Roissy. Here are some quick facts to help you learn more about the airport:
CDG is not only the largest airport in Paris, but the largest airport in France.
It's also the second largest airport in all of Europe!
If that wasn't impressive enough, CDG holds the unique distinction of being the airport with the most connections to foreign destinations of any in the world.
Charles de Gaulle also has nine main terminals. Terminals 2A through 2F are connected, but you will need to take the CDGVAL light metro train to access Terminal 1 or 3 from the airport's main hub. Alternately, if your flight lands at Terminal 1 or Terminal 3, you'll need to take the CDGVAL to access Terminal 2, where you can catch the RER rapid transit train system to the city.
The RER is the fastest way to reach Paris's city center from the airport.
Now that you know the airport, you need to know how to get there! Because it's so trafficked, CDG is conveniently served by a variety of different transportation options that will take you to the center of Paris or even other cities in Europe.
One of the fastest, easiest, and cheapest ways to get to Paris from Charles de Gaulle is via the RER train. The suburban train system offers direct service from the airport to seven metro stations in the Paris metropolitan area, including Gare du Nord, Châtelet les Halles, and St. Michel/Notre Dame. You can catch the RER directly from either Terminal 2 (RER station name Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 – TGV) or Terminal 3 (RER station name Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 1), and train tickets can be purchased at kiosks in either station. Make sure to take RER Line B bound for Paris, and keep in mind that trains run only from 4:53 a.m. to 11:56 p.m. daily.
From Terminal 2, you can also catch the TGV, a high-speed train that connects cities across France and Brussels, Belgium.
Roissybus is an easy connection offered by CDG Airport between the airport and the Operá district of Paris.
Another easy option (though not as fast as the RER) is Roissybus, the airport's own bus system. The bus offers direct service between Terminals 1, 2A and 2C, 2D, 2E and 2F, and 3, and the Paris-Operá bus stop. Buses depart every 15 to 20 minutes, and though service is direct, the journey takes about an hour. Tickets can also be purchased in the airport's bus stops or directly from the driver.
If you prefer, you can also opt for the slightly more expensive Le Bus Direct, a coach limousine bus from CDG to several popular destinations in Paris like the Eiffel Tower, Trocardéro, Champs-Élysées, Gare de Lyon train station, and Orly Airport. The bus departs every 30 minutes and like the Roissybus, tickets can be purchased in stations or from the driver.
Finally, a taxi for hire is usually pretty easy to come by at any terminal, but be prepared to pay a heftier fee. A taxi will cost you a flat-rate fare of €50 for destinations on the Right Bank of the Seine and €55 for destinations on the Left Bank.
Official Paris taxis are only allowed to pick up customers in designated areas (marked by signs that say "taxi") and will have a fare meter, a badge, and a sign on the roof that says "Taxi Parisien." Only accept a ride from an official cab for your own safety (and you can be Paris street-smart with more travel and general knowledge tips here!). Taxis will take you anywhere in the city, making them convenient for those staying or renting in more residential neighborhoods of Paris.
Flying to Paris: Paris Orly Airport (ORY)
Though smaller than CDG, Orly Airport is a major hub for travelers within France and French territories.
Paris Orly Airport (abbreviated ORY) is Paris's other main airport. Much like LaGuardia Airport in New York City, the airport is primarily a hub for domestic flights, but unlike LaGuardia, it also receives flights from overseas territories and even select flights from the United States. Though CDG is certainly Paris's most famous airport, Orly has come into its own thanks to statistics like these:
It's the busiest French airport for domestic traffic
Orly is the second busiest French airport overall
The airport saw over 33 million passengers in 2018
The airport is located partially in the suburb of Orly and partially in Villeneuve-le-Roi, about 10 miles southeast of Paris. The airport is one of the primary bases of Air France and has four terminals, all of which are connected as of the opening of the brand-new Terminal 3 in April 2019. Because the airport is smaller and not as trafficked, travel to the center of Paris is not quite as direct as CDG. Fortunately, though, it's still very possible!
Orlybuses are a direct bus line option between Orly Airport and Paris.
Like CDG, Orly also has its own light rail system called Orlyval. The Orlyval connects passengers from the airport to Antony Station, part of the RER network, in only two stops. Once you get to Antony, Mitry-Claye or Aéroport Charles de Gaulle-bound RER Lines B5 or B3 (respectively) will take you to Paris and connect you with the Métro.
The airport also has its own self-named bus line: the Orlybus. The bus offers direct service from the airport to Métro stations around Paris, including Denfert-Rochereau, Porte de Choisy, Savigny-sur-Orge, Rungis-Marché Intl, and Villejuif-Louis Aragon. Tickets for the bus are available in the terminals and from the driver.
Le Bus Direct shuttle service transports passengers from Paris's airports to some of the most popular tourist areas of the city.
Le Bus Direct also offers service between Orly and Etoile – Arc de Triomphe station, or Orly Airport and Charles de Gaulle (if you need to make a transfer!). Lastly, as with CDG, you can always hail a taxi at your terminal! There is also a flat fare: €35 for destinations on the Right Bank in Paris and €30 for the Left Bank.
Book a furnished apartment like this 1-bedroom in the 5th Arrondissement on Paris's Left Bank to ensure your accommodations are ready and waiting for you when you arrive from the airport! (Rental ID: PA-4561)
Whether you're flying to Orly or CDG, you can find an apartment convenient to your destination with New York Habitat! You can find apartments all over the Left Bank and beyond, plus guides to individual Paris neighborhoods on our blog to familiarize yourself with your chosen area.
Our wide selection of furnished apartments, vacation rentals and bed and breakfasts are all fully furnished with kitchens equipped for meal preparation, linens, towels, and cookware. That's one less thing to worry about when you're carrying heavy luggage on the bus, Métro, or RER! Plus, you'll have the assistance of a licensed agent at all stages of the rental process, from initial booking, to check-in, to move-out. If you experience an unexpected delay or cancellation in your travel plans, contact your agent who will be happy to liaise with your apartment's owner or landlord on your behalf!
Train travel to Paris
A bustling train station like Gare du Nord, the busiest station in Europe, is an exciting and fast way to arrive directly to Paris!
If you're traveling to Paris from within France or Western Europe, train travel may be an even more convenient option for you. Paris has seven major train stations that serve every corner of France and even offer connections to other destinations in Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Here are Paris's major stations, all of which are connected by Métro service:
Gare d'Austerlitz (13th Arrondissement, metro lines 5 and 10 and RER)
Gare de Bercy (12th Arrondissement, metro lines 6 and 14)
Gare de l'Est (10th Arrondissement, metro lines 4 and 7)
Gare Montparnasse (14th Arrondissement, adjacent to metro lines 4, 6, 12, and 13 and TGV West)
Gare Saint-Lazare (8th Arrondissement, metro lines 3, 12, 13, and 14)
Traveling by train to Paris is fairly simple, and may even be faster than flying! To get around Paris from any train station, simply follow signs for the Métro. Tickets are sold at kiosks in all stations.
A South of France getaway from Gare de Lyon
Walk outside of the beautiful Gare de Lyon and you'll already be in the heart of Paris!
You can have a unique multi-destination travel experience from Gare de Lyon in the 12th Arrondissement! The station offers service on the TGV, France's high-speed rail. The TGV travels east to multiple cities in Switzerland and Italy, as well as south to the many exciting cities in Provence and the French Riviera, including Nice, Montpellier, Marseille, and Avignon. It even goes all the way to Spain!
If a destination in the South of France is calling your name from Paris, talk to one of our agents. We have a full selection of furnished rentals and vacation rentals in the South of France too, with all the same perks of renting in Paris (a licensed agent to assist your search and move-in-ready rentals!).
Additionally, Gare de Lyon is served by Métro lines 1 and 14 and the RER.
Big Ben to the beaches of the Riviera via Gare du Nord
Gare du Nord is a reliable transportation destination between some of the most popular destinations in Europe.
The busiest railway station in Paris and all of Europe, the Gare du Nord serves about 22 million passengers per year (there's even an eponymous film located in and about the station!). One of the reasons the Gare du Nord is so busy is that it's a great central stop for travelers on the Eurostar Line. The Eurostar is a high-speed train that connects London, Paris, and the South of France—a travel corridor much loved by us at New York Habitat!
As you might expect from such a busy station, Gare du Nord is well-connected by the Paris Métro (lines 4 and 5) and RER. Between the Eurostar's service and our furnished rentals in London, Paris, and the South of France, you can stay connected all along some of Europe's best destinations.
Now that you're a professional navigator of Paris's airports and trains, you can get in and out of the fabulous French capital city with ease! You may still need help with your apartment search—if that's the case, submit a request to get in touch with a licensed agent who will help you look. And stay tuned for our guide to Paris's public transportation within the city, coming soon!
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