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Recently the PAP held their first Party convention post election allowing us to scrutinise the cadre system and the iron grip on power that it provides for. AlexAuwrote about it in his blog (http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2011/12/03/four-barriers-to-remaking-the-pap/) where he highlighted his opinion that the cadre system is one of four main reasons why the PAP would fail to learn any lessons from their setback in GE 2011. The rest of his reasons would be worthy of discussion in a separate article in their own right. However as we look back at 2011 I will concern myself with a closer look at the cadre system and how it affects your ricebowl. It is of course not only the PAP who employs the cadre system. For the benefit of those who may be unfamiliar with the term, a cadre system is one in which the leadership of the Party selects certain members to be cadres. The cadres are then the only members who have voting rights and they elect the leadership. It is of course a completely closed system in which the leadership ensures its position by only selecting as cadres people who will be loyal to them. The cadre vote the leaders who select the cadre who vote the leaders who select ………………..and so on. In her 1971 political science thesis, "Singapore's People's Action Party: Its History, Organisation and Leadership (Oxford University Press)", Ms Pang Cheng Lian, who sits on the board of Temasek Cares, describes elections to the CEC by the cadres as a "closed system", in which "the cardinals appoint the pope and the pope appoints the cardinals". Most of us Singaporeans know this system is employed by the men in white. Sadly, as far as I am aware, every other political party in Singapore employs a variant of the cadre system. This includes the Workers Party, the SDP, the NSP and the SPP. I have no information about the other new parties, the Justice Party the USD (does anyone remember them? ) and the new parties still to come in 2012 but I believe it is safe to assume they all employ or will employ the same system. Just as Alex believes the cadre system may explain why the PAP is incapable of learning new lessons so I believe that adherence to the cadre system may be partly responsible for the agonisingly slow progress of the Opposition parties and the dearth of new ideas or renewal. It is certainly the culprit behind the endemic Party hopping which discredits all Opposition equally and has nothing to do with renewal of ideas. Party hopping is the same old faces, with the same old ideas but with new titles. It would take a visionary to develop a party with a radically different structure. Or maybe a democracy veteran with no time left to lose who, looking back on his life's work, realised that closed organisations can't give birth to Open Societies. Yes, The Reform Party is the only political party in Singapore which is a democracy since it alone does not have a cadre system to protect the leadership and all members have voting rights. The cadre system has its origins in the Marxist concept of the "dictatorship of the proletariat" and the "vanguard". This meant that only a small elite group of individuals were fit to lead the Communist Party and the nation. The masses were not ready for democracy and it was better that they be led by those who knew best. The Communist ideal was one of eventual full democracy once the masses had been educated enough. Leninargued (Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanguardism) the ideal vanguard party would be one where membership was completely open and its workings transparent, the "entire political arena is as open to the public view as is a theatre stage to the audience" (from What is to be Done?). He seems to be acknowledging the benefits of competition though cannot speak its name when he goes on to say that a party that supposedly implemented democracy to such an extent that "the general control (in the literal sense of the term) exercised over every act of a party man in the political field brings into existence an automatically operating mechanism which produces what in biology is called the "survival of the fittest"." This party would be completely open to the public eye as it conducted its business which would mainly consist of educating the proletariat to remove the false consciousness that had been instilled in them. The cadre system went on to be adopted by both the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party and by many other Maoist revolutionary parties throughout the world. Lenin originally intended it to deal with the problems of controlling and maintaining the secrecy of the Bolshevik party which was seeking to overthrow the Czarist regime in Russia, in the face of infiltration by the Okhrana, the Czar's secret police. Ironically the goal of preventing infiltration, this time by Communist agents, is the oft-cited justification given by the PAP leadership as to why the cadre system was introduced. If so it does not justify its retention today when there is no longer a Communist threat. Even if there were the ideal way of combating it would surely be through more democracy not less. Of course the Communist roots of the PAP are not a secret. This is why the arbitrary arrest and detention of certain individuals on the grounds that they were Marxists and that they represented a secretive organisation is particularly ironic. The fact that the PAP continue to maintain a cadre system shows how out-of-step they are with modern democratic parties and how little understanding they have of the benefits of competition and transparency and accountability. While they maintain a closed system which ensures that only people, who hold the leadership's views, whether out of principle or self-interest, get to vote, it is difficult to see how any renewal can take place. Perhaps it is too much to expect the ordinary people of Singapore to understand the need for multi-million dollar salaries for ministers. They are afflicted with the false consciousness of a belief in democratic values and the equality of individuals. You need elite (the cadres) who are sufficiently intelligent not to fall prey to false consciousness to understand why servant leaders need millions of dollars as remuneration. Hopefully the review board will be able to explain it to us shortly. However the other parties inSingaporeclearly feel the same way as the PAP that democracy is a dangerous idea and power should not be entrusted to the ordinary members. Or they merely aspire to be the PAP and adhere slavishly to their ideas and methods-PAP LITE, if you will. Whatever the motivation, all of them maintain some sort of cadre system. The argument often given for the necessity of this is that it leads to "stability". This is just another facet of the argument that democracy leads to gridlock and that the people are too short-sighted or stupid to exercise power responsibly. Even if a so-called extreme faction managed to be elected to the leadership, like the AWARE situation, ultimately democracy ensures competition. If the new leadership fails to reflect the will of its members or is unsuccessful at winning electoral office then it can be replaced. It is genuinely worrying that so much of the Opposition shares the same mindset as the PAP. This begs the question as to whether their leadership are genuinely interested in change or representation or whether it is merely power that they seek. To recap on what I said earlier, the only party that does not have a cadre system is the Reform Party. The RP is thus the only genuinely democratic party. Instead of a closed system, the RP CEC is elected by the Party Conference which is made up of delegates. Everyone, provided they fulfil basic criterion, gets a vote. As a result the Party is the purest expression of the will of its members. The Party Conference promotes a free market in ideas as any member can put forward a motion. As it forces anyone running for office to be responsive to the views of the members, it represents the implementation at the Party level of the principles we are fighting for at the national level. We refer to this as Conference being Sovereign. It is clear that when JBJ set up the RP he wanted to have nothing to do with secretive cabals and backroom deals and start a party that would exemplify the virtues of democracy. He learnt from bitter experience, when he was ousted as SG of the WP, how dangerous an unrepresentative clique is. In a way a genuinely democratic party was his legacy to the nation and serves as a model of what we need to see at the national level. Many are scared away from joining the RP because of the lack of a cadre system which they feel makes it inherently unstable. Certainly its first three years have not been an easy ride. But if democracy itself is something we seek and value then a truly democratic Party is a necessity. As the RP is not a good long term bet for ironclad power, it is less attractive as an option to those who are power hungry or egotists. Why go to all that trouble to infiltrate a party to make it less radical, less viable as an agent of change, when you may be voted out in 2 years time and the Party may simply revert to its former state? This is what we saw happen with Aware. A group of women cleverly saw that getting like minded members in the organisation in sufficient numbers was key to changing its identity. But ultimately Aware was strong enough and its original ideology and had been in existence long enough to shake off that challenge. No doubt many initially joined RP in error not clearly realising the ramifications of the democratic nature of the constitution. What a shock it must have been to them to realise that Conference is Sovereign and yes, they would actually need to get a majority vote from ordinary members to change the constitution and bring in a cadre system. How much easier it was to simply do a deal for power and leadership elsewhere in exchange for sabotage. And how much more effective to do it in collaboration with the State media, ever hungry as they are for dirt. But here is the surprising thing. RP as an organisation , as Aware did before them, similarly survived with its democratic nature intact and went on to field 11 candidates in GE 2011. So maybe democracy is not the greatest weakness of a political party but its greatest strength in the long term. Certainly many commentators like Alex are now seeing the cadre system as responsible for hampering progress within the PAP and its greatest obstacle going forward. What next in 2012? Well the PAP cadres have concluded their convention and business goes on as usual within their closed circles. There has been a lot of talk of Opposition parties joining forces in a grand coalition as well as of new parties being set up. However the important question for voters should be whether any of the parties are genuinely democratic. I would not wish the RP to merge with another party for example, unless that party were also to adopt a democratic constitution and abandon the cadre system. My fervent wish for 2012 is that any new party set up will be Democratic and that through openness and with competition fostering progress we will go forwards as a Nation and not backwards. We need to change the old Singapore/PAP influenced Model so that we can have a better future. As always I am daring to imagine a new rice bowl for an advanced Asian nation. Pingback: Who rules Singapore? Who rules Singapore? Who Rules Singapore? The only true mercantile state in the world | OSEAFAS [ One Southeast Asia Faith and Studies ] Peter Kriz says: Probably the most fascinating economic mechanism I came across in my seven plus years on the little red dot.

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Home » Context of '(Shortly After 9:03 a.m.) September 11, 2001: Pentagon Command Center Director Does Not Return to Post, Even though Officials Conclude that US Is under Attack' Context of '(Shortly After 9:03 a.m.) September 11, 2001: Pentagon Command Center Director Does Not Return to Post, Even though Officials Conclude that US Is under Attack' This is a scalable context timeline. It contains events related to the event (Shortly After 9:03 a.m.) September 11, 2001: Pentagon Command Center Director Does Not Return to Post, Even though Officials Conclude that US Is under Attack. You can narrow or broaden the context of this timeline by adjusting the zoom level. The lower the scale, the more relevant the items on average will be, while the higher the scale, the less relevant the items, on average, will be. (Between 8:49 a.m. and 9:02 a.m.) September 11, 2001: NMCC Responds to First Crash at WTC, Notifies Senior Pentagon Officials Officers in the National Military Command Center (NMCC) at the Pentagon begin notifying senior Pentagon officials about the plane crashing into the World Trade Center after learning of this from television, but they are apparently unaware of the hijacking of Flight 11. [9/11 Commission, 7/21/2003 ; 9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ; 9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 35] The NMCC's three main missions are monitoring worldwide events for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), maintaining a strategic watch component, and maintaining a crisis response component. The NMCC has live feeds from numerous television stations, and the operations team on duty there learned from CNN that an aircraft had hit the WTC (see (8:48 a.m.) September 11, 2001). NMCC Directors Notify Senior Pentagon Officials of Crash - In response, members of the operations team monitor media reports and begin making notifications up the chain of command. [9/11 Commission, 7/21/2003 ; 9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ] Captain Charles Leidig, who is currently standing in temporarily as deputy director for operations in the NMCC (see 8:30 a.m. September 11, 2001), will later recall, "Initially… the National Military Command Center was primarily a means to notify senior leadership that, in fact, an event had occurred." [9/11 Commission, 6/17/2004] Leidig and Commander Patrick Gardner, the assistant deputy director for operations, start notifying those on the internal JCS notification list, including the office of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about the crash. They also notify the office of the secretary of defense. Based on incorrect information being reported on television, Leidig tells the senior Pentagon officials that a small airplane has crashed into one of the towers of the WTC. [9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ; 9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 35] NMCC Unaware of Flight 11 Hijacking - According to military instructions, "the NMCC is the focal point within [the] Department of Defense for providing assistance" in response to aircraft hijackings in US airspace, and, "In the event of a hijacking, the NMCC will be notified by the most expeditious means by the FAA" (see June 1, 2001). [US Department of Defense, 6/1/2001 ] However, while details of the hijacking of Flight 11 have been circulating within the FAA, the 9/11 Commission will say it "found no evidence that the hijacking was reported to any other agency in Washington before 8:46." The NMCC apparently learns of the hijacking for the first time when one of its officers calls the FAA at 9:00 a.m. (see 9:00 a.m. September 11, 2001). Leidig will recall that, before the second plane hits the WTC at 9:03 a.m., he and Gardner think it is "something unusual… that a light plane had crashed into the WTC and that there was a report of a hijacking." [9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ; 9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 35, 462] Entity Tags: Charles Leidig, Patrick Gardner, National Military Command Center 9:03 a.m. September 11, 2001: Pentagon Command Center Staff See Second Attack on WTC, Yet Accounts Conflict Over Urgency of Their Response Those in the National Military Command Center (NMCC) within the Pentagon see the second plane hitting the World Trade Center live on television. According to Dan Mangino, an operations officer at the center, the staff there had thought the first WTC crash was a "terrible accident," but after seeing the second one, "we knew immediately that it was a terrorist attack." The American Forces Press Service later reports, "Personnel in the center shifted into hyperdrive.… Phones in the center began ringing off the hook." Mangino says he initiates "the process to stand up a working group in advance of the direction that would come down later." One of his deputies is responsible for this process. Yet, despite this supposed urgency, Mangino later recalls that he "knew he would have little time in the days ahead, so he quickly ran to the concourse to get some money out of an automated teller machine." He will not arrive back at the NMCC until after the Pentagon is hit. [American Forces Press Service, 9/7/2006] Brigadier General Montague Winfield had earlier on allowed a colleague to temporarily take over from him as the NMCC's deputy director for operations (see 8:30 a.m. September 11, 2001). Yet, despite the obvious emergency now taking place, he does not retake charge of the center until more than an hour later, at around 10:15-10:30 a.m. (see (Shortly After 9:03 a.m.) September 11, 2001). [9/11 Commission, 6/17/2004] Furthermore, according to the 9/11 Commission, the NMCC does not begin a "significant event" conference call in response to the attacks until 9:29 a.m., which is 26 minutes after the South Tower is hit (see 9:29 a.m.-9:34 a.m. September 11, 2001). [9/11 Commission, 6/17/2004 ; 9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 37] Entity Tags: National Military Command Center, Dan Mangino, Montague Winfield (Shortly After 9:03 a.m.) September 11, 2001: Pentagon Command Center Director Does Not Return to Post, Even though Officials Conclude that US Is under Attack Brigadier General Montague Winfield. [Source: US Army]Brigadier General Montague Winfield, the deputy director for operations (DDO) in the National Military Command Center (NMCC) at the Pentagon, apparently remains in a pre-scheduled meeting that is unrelated to the terrorist attacks and does not resume his key duties as DDO, even though others in the NMCC have concluded that the US is under attack. [9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ; American Forces Press Service, 9/7/2006] Since around 8:30 a.m., Winfield has been attending what the 9/11 Commission will describe as a "closed-door personnel meeting convened by the Air Force to discuss the rating of Air Force officers." Captain Charles Leidig, who only qualified to stand in as the DDO about a month previously, has taken over Winfield's position while he is in the meeting (see 8:30 a.m. September 11, 2001). NMCC Officers Realize US Is under Attack - Leidig will later recall that after those in the NMCC see Flight 175 crashing into the World Trade Center live on television at 9:03 a.m., "[t]o him it was obvious it was a terrorist attack or a coordinated attack." [9/11 Commission, 7/21/2003 ; 9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ] Other officers in the NMCC also realize this is a terrorist attack (see 9:03 a.m. September 11, 2001). [American Forces Press Service, 9/7/2006] Winfield himself will later describe, "When the second aircraft flew into the second tower, it was at that point that we realized that the seemingly unrelated hijackings that the FAA was dealing with were in fact a part of a coordinated terrorist attack on the United States." [ABC News, 9/14/2002] Winfield Stays in Pre-Scheduled Meeting - According to the 9/11 Commission Report, "The job of the NMCC in such an emergency is to gather the relevant parties and establish the chain of command between the National Command Authority—the president and the secretary of defense—and those who need to carry out their orders." [9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 37] However, Winfield does not return to his post, and apparently remains in the Air Force-convened meeting. The reason for this is unclear. According to one 9/11 Commission memorandum, "Such meetings" as Winfield is attending "are generally not disturbed unless the reason is significant." Winfield will only resume his duties as DDO after Flight 93 crashes in Pennsylvania, apparently at around 10:30 a.m. (see (10:30 a.m.) September 11, 2001). [9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ; 9/11 Commission, 6/17/2004] Whether Winfield and the other officers with him in the meeting learn that America is under attack immediately, or are only notified of this later on, is unstated. Entity Tags: Charles Leidig, Montague Winfield, National Military Command Center 9:29 a.m.-9:34 a.m. September 11, 2001: Pentagon Command Center Holds Significant Event Conference Call The National Miilitary Command Center, inside the Pentagon. [Source: US Department of Defense]The National Military Command Center (NMCC) at the Pentagon finally commences and runs a "significant event conference" in response to the ongoing crisis, 26 minutes after the second plane hit the World Trade Center and officers in the NMCC realized the US was under terrorist attack. [9/11 Commission, 6/17/2004 ; 9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 37; American Forces Press Service, 9/7/2006] NMCC Directors Decided to Establish Conference - After those in the NMCC saw Flight 175 hitting the WTC live on television at 9:03 a.m. (see 9:03 a.m. September 11, 2001), Captain Charles Leidig, the acting deputy director for operations (DDO) in the center throughout the attacks, and Commander Pat Gardner, the assistant DDO, talked about the need to convene a significant event conference so there could be a discussion of what actions were to be taken in response. The DDO and the assistant DDO are the two officers responsible for deciding what type of conference the NMCC should convene, and when it should do so. Because there is no specific procedure for dealing with terrorist attacks, Leidig and Gardner decided a significant event conference would most suit their needs, because it would have the flexibility of allowing more people to be added in as required. They also discussed who would need to be on this conference. [9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ] But Major Charles Chambers, who is currently on duty in the NMCC, will give a slightly different account. According to Chambers, Staff Sergeant Val Harrison had a phone in her hand and said NORAD was asking for a significant event conference. Leidig had agreed, and so Harrison started establishing the conference. Conference Begins with Recap of Situation - According to Chambers, "The computer does a mass dialing to connect to those command centers that are always included" in an NMCC conference call, but Harrison also had to manually call the civilian agencies that were going to be included in the conference, such as the FAA, the FBI, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). [US Department of Defense, 9/2001] The conference then begins at 9:29 a.m. with a brief recap: Two aircraft have hit the WTC, there is a confirmed hijacking of Flight 11, and fighter jets have been scrambled from Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts (see 8:46 a.m. September 11, 2001). The FAA is asked to provide an update, but its line is silent as the agency has not yet been added to the call (see (9:29 a.m.-12:00 p.m.) September 11, 2001). A minute later, Leidig states that it has just been confirmed that Flight 11 is still airborne and is heading toward Washington, DC. (This incorrect information apparently arose minutes earlier during a conference call between FAA centers (see 9:21 a.m. September 11, 2001).) [9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 37] NMCC conference calls are moderated by the DDO. [9/11 Commission, 7/21/2003 ] Leidig will tell the 9/11 Commission that they are conducted over "a special phone circuit, and it's classified to be able to pass information, relay information between very senior leadership all the way over to the White House." [9/11 Commission, 6/17/2004] NMCC Struggled to Convene Conference - Some officers currently on duty in the NMCC will later complain about circumstances that delayed the establishing of the significant event conference. Chambers will recall that the conference took "much longer than expected to bring up." [US Department of Defense, 9/2001] Gardner will tell the 9/11 Commission that the NMCC had been "struggling to build the conference," which "didn't get off as quickly as hoped." [9/11 Commission, 5/5/2004] He will describe his "frustration that it wasn't brought up more quickly." [9/11 Commission, 5/12/2004] Other Conference and Connection Problems Delayed Call - Preparations for the conference were disrupted as a result of the CIA convening a National Operations and Intelligence Watch Officer Network (NOIWON) conference call between government agencies in the Washington area, reportedly at sometime between 9:16 a.m. and 9:25 a.m. (see (Between 9:16 a.m. and 9:25 a.m.) September 11, 2001). According to a 9/11 Commission memorandum, the NMCC had "abandoned its attempt to convene a [significant event conference] so its watch officers could participate in the NOIWON conference." [Federal Aviation Administration, 9/11/2001; Federal Aviation Administration, 9/11/2001; 9/11 Commission, 7/21/2003 ] Another factor that slowed attempts to convene the significant event conference was a problem with connecting some agencies to it. According to Chambers, "A couple of the civil agencies couldn't be reached and others kept dropping off moments after connecting." He will recall, "We finally decided to proceed without those agencies that were having phone problems." [US Department of Defense, 9/2001] Leidig had announced that the NMCC would have to start without those agencies and add them to the conference later on. [9/11 Commission, 5/12/2004] Call Ends after Five Minutes - The significant event conference ends after only a few minutes, following a recommendation by NORAD that it be reconvened as an "air threat conference." It is brought to an end at around 9:34 a.m., and will resume as an air threat conference at 9:37 a.m. (see 9:37 a.m.-9:39 a.m. September 11, 2001). [9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ; 9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 37] Entity Tags: Charles Leidig, Federal Aviation Administration, Val Harrison, Patrick Gardner, Charles Chambers, North American Aerospace Defense Command, National Military Command Center 9:37 a.m.-9:39 a.m. September 11, 2001: Pentagon Command Center Begins Air Threat Conference Call The National Military Command Center (NMCC) at the Pentagon commences an "air threat conference" at 9:37 a.m. in response to the terrorist attacks, which will last for more than eight hours and have numerous high-level government and military officials participating at various times. NORAD Reports Two More Hijackings - Captain Charles Leidig opens the call at 9:39 a.m. [9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 37-38] As the acting deputy director for operations (DDO) in the NMCC during the attacks, Leidig is responsible for moderating the air threat conference and generating a military response to the crisis. [9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ] He begins the call saying: "An air attack against North America may be in progress. NORAD, what's the situation?" NORAD says it has conflicting reports, and its latest information is of "a possible hijacked aircraft taking off out of JFK [International Airport in New York], en route to Washington, DC." [9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 38] NORAD says the FAA has also passed it information about a second additional hijacking. Major Charles Chambers, who is currently on duty in the NMCC, will later recall, "This was probably a communications mix-up, but we all thought for a while that there were a total of five hijackings." [US Department of Defense, 9/2001] NMCC Reports Pentagon Attack - The NMCC reports that there has been a crash into the mall side of the Pentagon and requests that the secretary of defense be added to the conference. (However, despite being in the Pentagon when it is hit, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will not enter the NMCC and join the air threat conference until around 10:30 a.m. (see (10:30 a.m.) September 11, 2001).) [9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 38] The air threat conference is broadcast over a loudspeaker inside the NMCC. [US News and World Report, 8/31/2003] According to Chambers, "Questions were flying left and right on the conference, and trying to keep things straight was very difficult." [US Department of Defense, 9/2001] NORAD Recommended Air Threat Conference - Leidig and Commander Pat Gardner, the assistant DDO, had earlier on decided to convene an all-purpose "significant event conference" in response to the attacks on the World Trade Center. That call commenced at 9:29 a.m. (see 9:29 a.m.-9:34 a.m. September 11, 2001). NORAD had recommended that it be reconvened as an air threat conference. [9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ; 9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 37] According to Chambers, an air threat conference is used when aircraft are considered to be hostile and involves many more people than are in a significant event conference, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the secretary of defense, and officials from the White House. [US Department of Defense, 9/2001] However, Leidig thought a significant event conference was the correct kind of call for the situation. He will tell the 9/11 Commission that an air threat conference "had Cold War implications and brought a different group of people to a conference." [9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ] Gardner will say that threat conferences are intended for dealing with external threats. [9/11 Commission, 5/12/2004] Deputy Director Ordered Upgrading of Conference - All the same, Leidig gave the order to transition to an air threat conference. [9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 37] He will tell the 9/11 Commission that, in retrospect, the reason he thinks he did so "was because he perceived an air threat at that time." [9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ] Therefore, the significant event conference was brought to an end at around 9:34 a.m., and resumes as an air threat conference three minutes later. [9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 37] Staff Sergeant Val Harrison could have established the air threat conference either by leaving all of those participating in the significant event conference on the line and then adding new participants one at a time, or by simply hanging up on everyone in the significant event conference and then having the computer do a mass dialing. Harrison recommended the second option. Leidig had agreed, and directed her to disconnect the conference call and start over. Problem with Connecting Some Agencies - As happened with the significant event conference, there are problems connecting several agencies to the air threat conference. [US Department of Defense, 9/2001] Despite repeated attempts, operators struggle to get the FAA connected (see (9:29 a.m.-12:00 p.m.) September 11, 2001), and it will take until 10:17 a.m. for an FAA representative to finally join the call (see 10:17 a.m. September 11, 2001). [9/11 Commission, 7/21/2003 ; 9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 37] Other agencies had not understood what Leidig meant about convening the new conference, and so did not hang up their phones when the NMCC disconnected the previous conference call. As a result, all the NMCC got from them was a busy signal over the line. Chambers will recall, "As with the [significant event conference], it took longer than expected to convene the [air threat conference]." [US Department of Defense, 9/2001] Top Officials Participate - Throughout the more than eight hours the air threat conference is running for, numerous key officials will participate in it at various times, including President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Deputy National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, acting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers, military personnel from the Presidential Emergency Operations Center below the White House, and the president's military aide on Air Force One. [9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 37] Brigadier General Montague Winfield, the original DDO, who had Leidig take his place so he could attend a pre-scheduled meeting (see 8:30 a.m. September 11, 2001), will later recall, "All of the governmental agencies… that were involved in any activity that was going on in the United States… were in that conference." [ABC News, 9/11/2002] Winfield Runs Conference after Returning to Post - Winfield will take over the running of the air threat conference from Leidig after returning to his post at around 10:30 a.m. (see (10:30 a.m.) September 11, 2001). [CNN, 9/4/2002; 9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ; 9/11 Commission, 6/17/2004] But although NMCC conference calls are moderated by the DDO, Rumsfeld will use the DDO's phone to participate in the air threat conference, meaning that Winfield is unable to moderate the conference when the defense secretary is participating. [9/11 Commission, 7/21/2003 ] Entity Tags: Charles Leidig, Federal Aviation Administration, Montague Winfield, Charles Chambers, Patrick Gardner, North American Aerospace Defense Command, National Military Command Center, Val Harrison Shortly After 9:37 a.m. September 11, 2001: Officer in Pentagon Command Center Only Learns from TV that Pentagon Has Been Hit The Pentagon's National Military Command Center (NMCC) is located on the other side of the building to where it is hit. Therefore, when the attack on the Pentagon occurs, those inside it supposedly do not feel the impact. [CNN, 9/4/2002] According to Newsweek, the NMCC has been called "the primary nerve system" of the Pentagon, from where "commanders can monitor and communicate with American forces around the world." [Newsweek, 9/28/2001] A military instruction for dealing with hijacked aircraft describes it as "the focal point within Department of Defense for providing assistance" in response to hijackings. [US Department of Defense, 6/1/2001 ] But supposedly NMCC personnel do not initially realize the Pentagon has been attacked. Steve Hahn, an operations officer at the center, later says, "I didn't know [the Pentagon had been hit] until I heard the news report on television." [American Forces Press Service, 9/7/2006] Yet an article in the New York Times later claims, "During the hour or so that American Airlines Flight 77 was under the control of hijackers, up to the moment it struck the west side of the Pentagon, military officials in [the NMCC] were urgently talking to law enforcement and air traffic control officials about what to do" (see (Shortly After 8:51 a.m.) September 11, 2001). [New York Times, 9/15/2001] Furthermore, at about 8:50 a.m. according to the FAA, or 9:20 a.m. according to the 9/11 Commission, the FAA had established several phone bridges linking key players, including the NMCC (see (8:50 a.m.) September 11, 2001) (see (9:20 a.m.) September 11, 2001). The FAA states that it shares "real-time information on the phone bridges," which includes "actions being taken by all the flights of interest, including Flight 77." [9/11 Commission, 5/23/2003; 9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 36] Why NMCC personnel do not therefore know immediately that the Pentagon has been hit is unclear. Also around this time, Officer Aubrey Davis of the Pentagon police is outside Donald Rumsfeld's office. He hears what he later describes as "an incredibly loud 'boom,'" when the Pentagon is struck (see 9:38 a.m. September 11, 2001). Yet no mention is made of anyone in the NMCC hearing this "boom," even though the center is located only around 200 feet from where Davis is standing. [WBZ Radio 1030 (Boston), 9/15/2001; Cockburn, 2007, pp. 1] Dan Mangino, an operations officer in the NMCC, went out earlier to withdraw some money from a cash machine (see 9:03 a.m. September 11, 2001), and rushes back to the center after the Pentagon is hit. He finds the people in it are very calm. He says, "There was no panic, no raised voices. We train for emergencies all the time, and that training took over." [American Forces Press Service, 9/7/2006] Entity Tags: Steve Hahn, National Military Command Center, Dan Mangino (Between 9:55 a.m. and 10:25 a.m.) September 11, 2001: Acting Joint Chiefs Chairman Myers Finally Enters NMCC; Prior Whereabouts Disputed Acting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers enters the National Military Command Center (NMCC) within the Pentagon, though exactly when this happens remains unclear. According to his own statements, he was on Capitol Hill, in the offices of Senator Max Cleland (D-GA), from just before 9:00 a.m. until around the time the Pentagon was hit. He'd then headed back to the Pentagon (see Shortly Before 9:00 a.m. September 11, 2001 and (Shortly After 9:37 a.m.) September 11, 2001). [Armed Forces Radio And Television Service, 10/17/2001; MSNBC, 9/11/2002; Council on Foreign Relations, 6/29/2006] According to the 9/11 Commission, Myers joins the air threat conference call from the NMCC at "shortly before 10:00." [9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 38] But the American Forces Press Service reports that he arrives at the NMCC "about 15 minutes" before Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (who arrives around 10:30), meaning at about 10:15 a.m. [American Forces Press Service, 9/8/2006] Rumsfeld claims that, as he enters the NMCC, Myers has "just returned from Capitol Hill." [9/11 Commission, 3/23/2004] Cleland verifies that Myers was with him on Capitol Hill until around the time of the Pentagon attack. [CNN, 11/20/2001; Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 6/16/2003] But counterterrorism "tsar" Richard Clarke claims that Myers has been taking part in a video conference since shortly after the second attack on the WTC, and has been visible on the Pentagon screen (see (9:10 a.m.) September 11, 2001 and 9:28 a.m. September 11, 2001), thereby implying Myers has been at the Pentagon all along. [Clarke, 2004, pp. 3 and 5] Myers tells the 9/11 Commission, "After I reached the National Military Command Center (NMCC), I asked questions to determine where Secretary Rumsfeld was, how the FAA was handling airborne flights, and the status of fighters prepared to intercept any hijacked aircraft inbound to Washington." [9/11 Commission, 6/17/2004 ] Entity Tags: Richard B. Myers, National Military Command Center (10:03 a.m.-10:10 a.m.) September 11, 2001: Flight 93 Crashes; Seven-Minute Discrepancy in Exact Timing of Crash Smoke rising, minutes after Flight 93 crashes in Pennsylvania. [Source: CNN]Exactly when Flight 93 crashes is unclear. According to NORAD, Flight 93 crashes at 10:03 a.m. [North American Aerospace Defense Command, 9/18/2001] The 9/11 Commission gives an exact time of 11 seconds after 10:03 a.m. It will claim this "time is supported by evidence from the staff's radar analysis, the flight data recorder, NTSB [National Transportation Safety Board] analysis, and infrared satellite data." It does note that "[t]he precise crash time has been the subject of some dispute." [9/11 Commission, 6/17/2004] However, a seismic study authorized by the US Army and drafted by scientists Won-Young Kim and Gerald Baum to determine when the plane crashed will conclude that the crash happened at 10:06:05 a.m. [Kim and Baum, 2002 ; San Francisco Chronicle, 12/9/2002] The discrepancy is so puzzling that the Philadelphia Daily News will publish an article on the issue, titled "Three-Minute Discrepancy in Tape." This notes that leading seismologists agree on the 10:06 a.m. time, give or take a couple of seconds. [Philadelphia Daily News, 9/16/2002] The New York Observer will note that, in addition to the seismology study, "The FAA gives a crash time of 10:07 a.m. In addition, the New York Times, drawing on flight controllers in more than one FAA facility, put the time at 10:10 a.m. Up to a seven-minute discrepancy? In terms of an air disaster, seven minutes is close to an eternity. The way our nation has historically treated any airline tragedy is to pair up recordings from the cockpit and air traffic control and parse the timeline down to the hundredths of a second. However, as [former Inspector General of the Transportation Department] Mary Schiavo points out, 'We don't have an NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) investigation here, and they ordinarily dissect the timeline to the thousandth of a second.'" [New York Observer, 2/15/2004] Entity Tags: 9/11 Commission, North American Aerospace Defense Command, Federal Aviation Administration, Won-Young Kim, Mary Schiavo, Gerald R. Baum (10:06 a.m.) September 11, 2001: Flight 93 Crashes into Filled-in Mine in Pennsylvania Countryside Flight 93 crashed in the Pennsylvania countryside. Resue vehicles arrive in the distance. [Source: Keith Srakocic/ Associated Press]Flight 93 crashes into an empty field just north of the Somerset County Airport, about 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, 124 miles or 15 minutes from Washington, D.C. Presumably, hijackers Ziad Jarrah, Ahmed Alhaznawi, Ahmed Alnami, Saeed Alghamdi, and all the plane's passengers are killed instantly. [CNN, 9/12/2001; North American Aerospace Defense Command, 9/18/2001; Guardian, 10/17/2001; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 10/28/2001; USA Today, 8/12/2002; Associated Press, 8/21/2002; MSNBC, 9/3/2002] The point of impact is a reclaimed coal mine, known locally as the Diamond T Mine, that was reportedly abandoned in 1996. [Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 9/12/2001; St. Petersburg Times, 9/12/2001; Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 9/11/2002] Being "reclaimed" means the earth had been excavated down to the coal seam, the coal removed, and then the earth replaced and planted over. [Kashurba, 2002, pp. 121] A US Army authorized seismic study times the crash at five seconds after 10:06 a.m. [Kim and Baum, 2002 ; San Francisco Chronicle, 12/9/2002] As mentioned previously, the timing of this crash is disputed and it may well occur at 10:03 a.m., 10:07 a.m., or 10:10 a.m. Entity Tags: San Francisco Chronicle, Ziad Jarrah, Ahmed Alhaznawi, Saeed Alghamdi, NBC, Ahmed Alnami (10:30 a.m.) September 11, 2001: Pentagon Command Center Director Finally Takes Over from Stand-In Brigadier General Montague Winfield finally returns to his post as the deputy director for operations (DDO) in the National Military Command Center (NMCC) at the Pentagon, after leaving a colleague, who only recently qualified to take over the position, to stand in for him throughout the terrorist attacks. [9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ; 9/11 Commission, 6/17/2004] At 8:30 a.m. Winfield left his post to attend a pre-scheduled meeting that was unrelated to the morning's attacks and had been convened by the Air Force. Since that time, Captain Charles Leidig has replaced him as the DDO (see 8:30 a.m. September 11, 2001). Leidig, the deputy for Command Center operations, only qualified to stand in as the DDO in the NMCC about a month ago. Even though officers in the NMCC realized the US was under terrorist attack when the second plane hit the World Trade Center at 9:03 a.m., Winfield did not return to his post at that time (see (Shortly After 9:03 a.m.) September 11, 2001). [9/11 Commission, 7/21/2003 ; 9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ; 9/11 Commission, 6/17/2004 ] Winfield Returns to His Post, but Timing Unclear - Now Winfield finally relieves Leidig and resumes his duties as DDO. This happens after Flight 93 has crashed in Pennsylvania (see (10:03 a.m.-10:10 a.m.) September 11, 2001 and (10:06 a.m.) September 11, 2001), although the exact time is unclear. In a private interview with the 9/11 Commission, Leidig will say he is "certain that Winfield returned [from the meeting] after the Pentagon was hit" at 9:37 a.m. (see 9:37 a.m. September 11, 2001), but he "is not certain of Winfield's arrival in relationship with the vice chairman" of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard Myers. [9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ] (According to the 9/11 Commission Report, Myers arrived at the NMCC shortly before 10:00 a.m. (see (Between 9:55 a.m. and 10:25 a.m.) September 11, 2001). [9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 38] ) Winfield then takes over as DDO "at some point in relation to the report of the Pennsylvania crash," according to Leidig. As the 9/11 Commission will point out, since the crash of Flight 93 happened around 10:03 a.m., "any reporting would be after that time." [9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ] During a public hearing of the 9/11 Commission, Leidig will similarly say that Winfield takes over from him "[r]ight after we resolved what was going on with United 93." He will also say that a report over the NMCC's air threat conference at 10:37 a.m., about an anonymous threat against Air Force One (see (10:32 a.m.) September 11, 2001), occurs "right after I was relieved on the watch by General Winfield." [9/11 Commission, 6/17/2004] This would indicate that Winfield takes over from Leidig at around 10:30 a.m. Unclear If Winfield Returns to Post Immediately after Meeting - It is also unclear whether Winfield returns to his position as DDO immediately after leaving the Air Force-convened meeting, or he allowed Leidig to continue in his place even while he was available to resume his duties. A 9/11 Commission memorandum will state, "Winfield transitioned into the position [of DDO] upon his return to the NMCC," following the meeting. [9/11 Commission, 7/21/2003 ] Leidig will recall that he "looked up at one point and General Winfield was standing next to him." He will also recall that Myers "looked at him at one time and realized the coordinator [i.e. the DDO] was not a general as the position called for, and asked who the general or admiral was that had duty that day." The guidance that was subsequently given was "to get General Winfield briefed up and in the chair." Leidig Listens to Conference before Returning to Post - After Winfield returns to his position as DDO, Leidig initially "stands next to him and listens to the [NMCC's air threat] conference." Leidig will then transition into his regular job, which involves making sure the NMCC operates properly, and start dealing with the smoke coming into the center and other issues effecting operations there. [9/11 Commission, 4/29/2004 ] Entity Tags: Montague Winfield, National Military Command Center, Charles Leidig (10:32 a.m.) September 11, 2001: Vice President Cheney Warns President Bush about the Threat to Air Force One Will Chandler. [Source: National Geographic]Vice President Dick Cheney phones President Bush and tells him the White House has received a credible threat against Air Force One. [Sammon, 2002, pp. 106-107; Woodward, 2002, pp. 18; CBS News, 9/11/2002] The White House has just received an anonymous phone call in which the caller said the president's plane would be the next terrorist target (see (10:30 a.m.) September 11, 2001). [Woodward, 2002, pp. 18; 9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 554] The caller referred to the plane as "Angel," which is the Secret Service's code name for Air Force One. [Fleischer, 2005, pp. 141-142] Details of the call were passed on to government officials, including Cheney, in the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC) below the White House. [White House, 11/19/2001; Newsweek, 12/30/2001; 9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 554] Cheney Tells Bush about a 'Credible' Threat - Cheney now tells Bush: "We're getting reports of a threat against you. It appears credible," Major Robert Darling of the White House Military Office, who is with Cheney in the PEOC, will later recall. Cheney says, "We're scrambling fighter escorts and the Secret Service is taking internal precautions on board Air Force One." [Darling, 2010, pp. 61] Bush turns to Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Gould, his military aide, and passes on the news, saying, "A call came into the White House switchboard saying, 'Angel is next.'" Bush then continues talking with Cheney and says, "We're at war, Dick, and we're going to find out who did this and we're going to kick their ass." [Sammon, 2002, pp. 107; Fleischer, 2005, pp. 141-142] Pilot Is Told of the Threat and Asks for a Guard at the Cockpit Door - Colonel Mark Tillman, the pilot of Air Force One, is told about the threat. [CBS News, 9/11/2002] Noting that "Angel" is "a classified call sign of Air Force One," Tillman will comment that "the only people that knew that call sign was us, [the] Secret Service, and the staff." Therefore, he will say, "for somebody [to] call into the White House and say that Angel was next, that was just incredible." [US Air Force, 2/29/2012 ] "It was serious before that, but now… no longer is it a time to get the president home," Tillman will comment. "We actually have to consider everything we say. Everything we do could be intercepted and we have to make sure that no one knows what our position is." Tillman asks to have an armed guard at his cockpit door. Will Chandler, the chief of security, is therefore summoned to the front of the plane and stands watch at the base of the stairs leading to the cockpit. No one is then allowed up these stairs. Secret Service agents double-check the identity of everyone on the plane, while the crew reviews the emergency evacuation plan. [CBS News, 9/11/2002; Politico Magazine, 9/9/2016] Threat Influences the Decision to Fly to Nebraska - White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, who is on Air Force One with Bush, will say the threat against the president's plane is what leads to the decision to take Bush to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska (see 2:50 p.m. September 11, 2001) and is also one of the reasons why Bush does not head back to Washington, DC, right away. [White House, 9/12/2001] However, during the afternoon, the Secret Service will determine that the reported threat was unfounded. [9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 554] Shortly after Bush learns about the threat, Tillman will be informed that an aircraft that may have been hijacked is heading toward Air Force One (see (10:35 a.m.) September 11, 2001). [CBS News, 9/11/2002; CBS News, 1/17/2009] White House chief of staff Andrew Card will say he in fact learned a threat had been made against Air Force One almost an hour earlier, while he was being driven with Bush to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (see (Between 9:35 a.m. and 9:43 a.m.) September 11, 2001). [White House, 8/12/2002; White House, 8/16/2002; White House, 8/16/2002] Entity Tags: Mark Tillman, Ari Fleischer, Richard ("Dick") Cheney, George W. Bush, Robert J. Darling, US Secret Service, Will Chandler, Thomas Gould

Wow. Jeff didn't pull any punches on this one. Good job here. I thought you'd like it. The trolls are flying in from all over. I bet. And I wholeheartedly approve. Definitely a step up. Scroll down the Masters article to comment 167 (starNCpws1). There's the whole conundrum in a nutshell! True of the industrial world and particularly the USA. The problem is that irrational, demented people like starNCpws1 actually influence policy, which is why we have Trump in the first place. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Xcel Energy has announced plans to invest $1.6 billion to build two wind farms in eastern New Mexico and West Texas over the next three years. ……………….. Taken together, the two new facilities and the agreement with NextEra will provide a total of 1.23 gigawatts of electricity, or enough to power about 440,000 average homes annually. ……………………… The wind projects will help lower the cost of Xcel's energy, saving the company's Texas and New Mexico customers about $2.8 billion over the next 30 years, said Xcel spokesman Wes Reeves. Trump is fighting against the tide. We just have to give him hell, hold him accountable, and make sure the growth in renewables keeps sticking. Actually would make a good addition. Yes, all those promised coal-mining jobs will go to ROBOTS… run on fossil fuels and by algorhythms. Right now people are employed in both mountain top removal, strip mining and underground mining, but the fossil fuel magnates are working on the removal of the remaining worlers from the equation. Unfortunately Trump is rigid in his thinking so there is no way (in my opinion) to change that viewpoint at least for the four years he'll be in there and maybe 8 if the voters can be flimflammed again. If you think I'm wrong, remember he met with Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio and neither one of them evidently made a dent in his perspective. Now Congress is suggesting 'Red Teams' to question climate scientists conclusions on the topic of GW. To act as 'Devil Advocates' is how it's termed. As one scientist said, it's ridiculous to take this approach at this point. But hopefully renewables will continue to be installed on an increasing scale, essentially acting as a way of ignoring rejections of the science of GW. Resistance at every level is the best policy at this point. Trump was on record some years ago as concerned re AGW. This apparently puts the Paris targets for the US out of reach, from one article I read. We were supposed to beat the insufficient Paris targets, not miss them. If William D. Nordhaus is correct when he says "A target of 2½ °C is technically feasible but would require extreme virtually universal global policy measures" then we are very quickly running out of time before we take this climate beyond human experience. I think that's still up in the air. Looks like there will be a huge assault on Trump's attempts to remove and repeal this plan and many states are moving forward with it full bore. Thanks, let's hope. Where I live in California we're going ahead with measures despite the new administration in DC. Us here in Maryland too. Although I think we can do far better than 25 percent. RS, please remove if you feel it's inappropriate. Thought this gif summed it up nicely. In this case, lack of decorum is highly appropriate. Referring back to Goebells, to paraphrase. When the basis of your power is the Big Lie, it's enemy is the Truth and all actions must be taken to ensure that does not become public. s an Arctic researcher, I'm used to gaps in data. Just over 1% of US Arctic waters have been surveyed to modern standards. In truth, some of the maps we use today haven't been updated since the second world war. Navigating uncharted waters can prove difficult, but it comes with the territory of working in such a remote part of the world. Over the past two months though, I've been navigating a different type of uncharted territory: the deleting of what little data we have by the Trump administration. At first, the distress flare of lost data came as a surge of defunct links on 21 January. The US National Strategy for the Arctic, the Implementation Plan for the Strategy, and the report on our progress all gone within a matter of minutes. As I watched more and more links turned red, I frantically combed the internet for archived versions of our country's most important polar policies. I had no idea then that this disappearing act had just begun. Since January, the surge has transformed into a slow, incessant march of deleting datasets, webpages and policies about the Arctic. I now come to expect a weekly email request to replace invalid citations, hoping that someone had the foresight to download statistics about Arctic permafrost thaw or renewable energy in advance of the purge. "Referring back to Goebells, to paraphrase. Which is why these scandals just won't go away. People instinctively know there's something going on. In the end, it may just be the free press that saves our democracy from these guys. Great post, Robert! And thank you for the hat tip, it's truly an honor for me. I should apologize for my comment on the last thread about the US populace being troglodytes…I know that more than half this country supports clean energy and wants change. And we have some of the hardest fighting individuals and groups on the planet. And the readers of this blog are especially enlightened and passionate and courageous. It's only the minority that support Trump, but they're a very vocal and especially nasty bunch, and sometimes I let them get to me and I feel like the whole country is against me. That's how I was feeling when I made that previous comment. Ryan, no worries, my friend. I think we all here share your frustrations and your impatience with those who refuse to see the—dare I say it—-truth of what is coming at us. . Hey Ryan. Thanks so much for the kind words and perspective. I certainly understand the frustration. But we should do our best not to make blanket generalizations for the whole country. Painting America in a negative light or attacking democracy (which you didn't do, but some here have) is not helpful in the present situation where we have a foreign power that is preying on extremes on both the left and the right in an attempt to heighten divisions, erode democratic institutions, and force our fragmentation. And to be clear, Trump job approval is presently at 35 percent. The guy never had much approval. He lost the popular vote by the largest margin in modern history. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by about as much as Obama did in 2012. With regards to climate change, despite all the constant and loud misinformation, Americans are more and more aware of what's happening. Though it's not in line with the high level of certainty among the sciences, this is not the sentiment of a troglodyte nation. If you're online a lot — and most of us are these days — you can often fall prey to intentionally manufactured false impressions. In one example, a recent twitter meme sought to raise awareness of climate change solutions through the hashtag #stepstoreverseclimatechange. The meme was then invaded by climate change denier trolls aiming to attack these solutions. The hashtag thread got flooded with bots and political operatives. And the effect was basically an internet megaphone trying to shout down concerned citizens. But the truth is that only a rather small group of people were involved in this, authoritarian-style, shout-down effort. The effect was outsized, though, creating the false impression that there were more climate change deniers than there really are. Giving an inappropriately large weight to the denial segment. If you're not a veteran in the climate wars that have been ongoing in the electronic sphere for years and years, when you saw this you might succumb to despair and think that we really are a nation of trogs. But the amazing thing is that, despite all the efforts to shout down people who are concerned about climate change, climate change awareness is rising and people are more and more concerned. The appropriate response at this time is to not lose faith and to hold America up. She is under attack in so many ways (climate change denial being just one). We now need to stand together. To unite. To stand for our shared liberal democratic values (we are, after all, a liberal democracy in a liberal democratic west) Indivisible. But this does not mean that we should give climate change deniers or what appear to be petrostate (Putin) sympathizers an out. In this country, they're the cause of the problem. If we hit near 2 C we start to get significant instances where wet bulbs exceed the human survivability threshold of 35 C. Hansen, one of the authors of this, very pertinent, study (thank you for linking it) has now been highlighting this risk for some time. Well we need to figure out what to do before 2020 and then do it between 2020 and 2050. This involves total decarbonisation of the economy and development of technologies to remove excess carbon out of the atmosphere at at least 5gT per year to reach the 2100 goal of 2 C is what I've read. Trump and the GOP in the places they're in makes this very impossible (Indian immigrant lingo for extremely difficult) now. In the vein of CB adding songs that seem so appropriate to Roberts postings…. (One of my Fav Australian bands). The Screaming Jets – Fat Rich C**ts…. Clean energy IS the future, period. He who manufactures it, owns the future. The Chinese understand this. Those companies / countries / individuals who embrace it own the economy of tomorrow. What value being the last one who can build and deploy a coal plant? It makes me think of the last company (Staedtler) who made slide rules. They made the best slide rules of all, and how is that going today? Last year? Last Decade? We are farting around trying to bring back coal? Charles Dickens is laughing at us now, we have become Greater Expectations, but in a bad way. We are being turned into a nation called "Staedtler". And when I say "He who manufactures it, owns the future. The Chinese understand this."…. I also imply the flip side, he who impedes this, is acting in a treasonous manner. The leader down to the blowhard supporter. They are treasonous towards this nation, and far more (the species). For the trolls that Robert has to sweep up in here, you are treasonous. Your behavior will relegate this nation to the back of the pile. You hate America, you love YOUR own perceived convenience over your nation. YOU are not the greatest generation, and you prove it every day. Congrats, you gave the win to others because you couldn't be bothered to look beyond the convenient headline that dovetails with your laziness. That takes effort, you are too busy for that "effort" thing. Slide rule, coal powered nation. We don't want to go back to that. Really. Your comment made me think of a recent report that explored the arising synergy between powerful computer networking capabilities and the potential to solve the climate crisis. A bit open-ended and speculative. But the central point is absolutely valid. Smarter systems can provide higher energy efficiency, better designs, and provide nimble power sharing infrastructure that synergize well with renewable energy capabilities. In addition, it's worth noting that solar power and electric vehicles are an outgrowth of the electronic technology revolution and have now seen a similar scaling growth curve to what we've seen in computer chips. Together this represents a very capable set of technologies that can be pointed at the climate change problem. And it's emerging just when we need it the most. That photo made my heart ache. Wow. That's crazy, Vic. We've been seeing this kind of thing in the streets of Miami recently during the seasonal high tides. At nearby Springbrook, in the Gold Coast hinterland, a massive 380mm had fallen by midday, with as much as 500mm predicted — more than four times the average monthly rainfall in Brisbane for March. A lot of commentary on the dangers that President Trump poses to the American republic have focused on everything that makes him an extraordinary figure in our politics — his fondness for conspiracy theories, unapologetic contempt for the Fourth Estate, singular incompetence, and unprecedented flouting of norms against leveraging public office for personal profit (to name just a few). But for all his ignominious idiosyncrasies, it's quite possible that Trump's most dangerous quality is one that he shares with virtually every elected Republican — a depraved indifference to the reality of climate change. This week, Trump offered a potent reminder that his most damaging legacy may be his most conventionally Republican, when he signed an executive order reversing a large swath of the Obama administration's climate agenda. A supervisor at the Energy Department's international climate office told staff this week not to use the phrases "climate change," "emissions reduction" or "Paris Agreement" in written memos, briefings or other written communication, sources have told POLITICO… At the meeting, senior officials told staff the words would cause a "visceral reaction" with Energy Secretary Rick Perry, his immediate staff, and the cadre of White House advisers at the top of the department. I gather that sales of "1984" have increased since Trump arrived. Readers will recognise this tactic. People talk about the credibility gap. This is where it starts for me. Climate change. If you're the modern version of a flat-earther then you shouldn't be involved in the governing of a nation that is entering a very round earth situation that is hitting the level of a pretty serious crisis short term and that of an existential threat long term. It certainly is like moving closer to the sun. Some people have explained it that way before 😉 But the metaphor is not the reality. To somehow claim that the Earth is falling into the sun is yet one more pretty ridiculous statement by climate change deniers. Oh yeah. I'm wondering who went back in time to shoot the dinosaur and stepped on the butterfly? NAKOROTUBU district in the Ra Province is laden with picturesque landscapes, some of the most beautiful and peaceful scenery in Fiji. But it is beauty that is fragile. Threatened by climate change, the appeal of this coastal region can be lost in the not too distant future. The adverse change in weather is already impacting the lives of the thousands who live there. Some communities, however, are refusing to give in, making efforts to adapt to the weather patterns rather than let it overtake their lives. A team from this newspaper, visited the district which is home to more than 20 villages. Some dot the coastline — while the rest are further inland. There are so many places like this around the world that are on the brink of simply being washed away. Employees of DOE's Office of International Climate and Clean Energy learned of the ban at a meeting Tuesday, the same day President Donald Trump signed an executive order at EPA headquarters to reverse most of former President Barack Obama's climate regulatory initiatives. Officials at the State Department and in other DOE offices said they had not been given a banned words list, but they had started avoiding climate-related terms in their memos and briefings given the new administration's direction on climate change. This is what tyrants do — they first attempt to erase knowledge. And when that knowledge is a requirement for human civilization survival, then we have a problem not just of tyranny, which is terrible enough, but of a tyrant involved in a self-inflicted genocide. The Energy Department's excursion into newspeak has depressing implications. Whatever happened to "Speak truth to power" ? Trump and his cronies are not interested in serving America. They are interested only in serving themselves. So the Energy Department is under the auspice of the president. The administration runs the department. Scientists are being fired, deniers are being promoted, and the politicization of the agency is now ongoing. The only legal recourse members of the agency have is to go to court with the Administration for malfeasance and to charge political operatives with the same. I can say that there are other active resistances going on at DOE. So the resistance is ongoing. It's just a tough situation when your boss is basically trying to wreck your organization's ability to communicate critical scientific information. Siachen glacier is deemed to be the world's highest and the strenuous battlefield. Located in the eastern lap of Himalayan mountains in Karakoram range, it is the second largest glacier in the non-polar areas of the world, which is being increasingly affected by global warming. An increase in the temperature due to continuous global warming is gradually having an adverse impact on it, which is exacerbating the precarious situation soldiers face from unfavourable weather conditions. An increase in the global warming is melting the snow at an accelerating rate, resulting in dangerous avalanches. …………………….. The impact of the global warming on Siachen glacier is further confirmed by the fact that rain had been a rare phenomenon in the past few decades but at present light drizzling is frequently witnessed. This has resulted in the plantation and greenery on even at 15,000 feet height whereas previously it was not even possible at 12,000 feet height. Good for China — holding Trump to account. Under Obama, we forged an amazing partnership with China regarding climate change policy. Trump is now trying to wreck that and China is doing the moral thing by speaking up. We should be clear that Trump's actions do not benefit the U.S. so much as they benefit fossil fuel corporations and petrostates (like Putin's Russia — which worked so hard to get him elected). This interest group and set of foreign bad actor regimes clearly colluded to get Trump elected and now they're getting a pay-off. Whether it's successful in wrecking the larger switch to renewable energy is still up in the air. But it is absolutely having a deleterious and destructive effect on global climate policy through Trump's bad actions. As Australia remains mired in a broken debate about the supposed dangers of renewable energy, some states and territories are ignoring the controversy and steaming ahead. While Australia is far from the renewable capital of the world, the Australian Capital Territory may soon be among the world's top renewable energy regions. And as it transitions, the ACT is demonstrating the benefits of the renewables boom to the rest of the country. In 2016 the ACT government legislated the target of sourcing 100% renewable energy by the end of this decade. It is the most ambitious renewable plan in the country, although Victoria is pushing ahead with a target of 40% by 2025. New South Wales has lagged behind other states, and doesn't have a specific renewable energy target, but it aims to have net-zero emissions by 2050. As part of the ACT renewable energy plan, the government has run a smaller-scale community solar scheme,says Lawrence McIntosh, project leader of SolarShare, a member-owned company building solar projects in and around the ACT. "Motivations for backing the project are varied. McIntosh himself is doing it because he thinks community ownership of electricity supply is important. He sees it as a form of participatory democracy. "I think that's important because it means people get to take part economically in the way our energy system is changing," he says. A local resident, David Osmondlin, plans to invest in the SolarShare project. He's been involved in a number of renewables projects, and sitting on his veranda underneath a wind-powered Ikea light, he says he's passionate about the political role community-owned renewable energy can play. This is what effective resistance looks like, folks. You too can be the mouse that roared. Arctic sea ice is turning progressively greener, and for years now, scientists couldn't for the life of them figure out what was going on. They knew the green had to come from blooms of microscopic marine plants called phytoplankton growing under the sea ice, but that didn't make sense – phytoplankton need light to photosynthesise, and it should have been far too dark for them to survive down there, let alone thrive. Now, an international team of researchers has cracked the mystery, and the truth is pretty unsettling. The record low levels of sea ice we now see in the Arctic have worn down the barrier for sunlight, so instead of being reflected, it's being absorbed by dark melt pools that are proliferating on the surface. The ice that remains is now darker and thinner than ever before, and below, phytoplankton colonies are booming as light penetrates the ocean below. "[W]e went from a state where there wasn't any potential for plankton blooms to massive regions of the Arctic being susceptible to these types of growth," says one of the team, Chris Horvat from Harvard University. The amplifying feedbacks for albedo loss are considerable. We're seeing an amazing and terrifying state change that's ongoing. One of America's most prominent climate-denying groups, galvanized by the Trump administration listening to their claims, has set it sights on a new target: teachers. The Heartland Institute, a conservative think tank that's become one of the loudest voices when it comes to climate denial, has sent more than 25,000 science teachers across the country a package of material it hopes they'll use in the classroom, according to a report from PBS Frontline. Alongside a note from Lennie Jarratt, the group's project manager for transforming education, the package contains a book called Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming and a 10-minute video about using their guidance. A little more on this very disturbing story. The devil's advocates are gearing up to take their evil flat-earth message into the classrooms of the nation. The only thing that stands in their way is–the teachers of America. They're basically an advertising and lobbying arm of the fossil fuel industry. The fact that it's legal to send this kind of harmful misinformation out to the nation's teachers is unconscionable. As part of Tuesday's order on energy independence, Trump will repeal two of Obama's orders aimed at focusing the government on addressing those risks. Among them is one directing federal agencies to plan for climate change and to coordinate with other offices to reduce its impact. That proposal is "the cornerstone for adaptation planning throughout the government," according to Christy Goldfuss, managing director for the White House's Council on Environmental Quality under Obama and now a vice president at the Center for American Progress. Its effects ranged from the mundane to the radical. For example, the order directed the General Services Administration, which manages federal buildings, to make sure the government wasn't signing long-term leases in areas likely to get inundated with floods, Goldfuss said. It also allowed different federal agencies to coordinate more far-reaching programs, like the relocation of communities most threatened by climate change. Trump's executive order will also revoke a memorandum Obama signed last September directing the Department of Defense to account for climate change in its national security planning and policies. It told the military to account for climate risks when deciding where to build new facilities and also in how it prepares for future threats, according to Sharon Burke, who was assistant secretary of Defense for operational energy under Obama. What better way to create conditions favourable to chaos than to downplay planning and preparedness. "OTTAWA—Environment Canada is projecting that, based on policies in place last November, the country was on pace to miss its reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, pumping out at least 30 per cent more than promised that year. The projections, which were compiled in February and published online this month, are not a forecast of how emissions will change in the coming years. The report describes the projections more as an educated guess based on policies in place as of Nov. 1, 2016….. 161 gigawatts of renewable energy installed is a huge gain for a single year. We are closing in on the range where net global carbon emissions reliably start falling at a substantial rate. If we hit 250 gw of new renewables each year, we will be actively replacing a significant portion of the fossil fuel based system. We're getting close to that mark and we need a good push to make it happen. Of that, nearly half was from China – averaging about 15% capacity growth per year for the past few years. Doubling about every 5 years at that rate, seems they may very well beat their 2020 targets. I think Trump looks fondly at those pictures of smog filled American cities and rivers burning and thinks — gee, that was great… Another WTF moment from this Administration. Sure makes me think fondly of the Obama years. Fantastic work by Gore here. Seems like he's finally got the fire in the belly. We should be very clear though that climate change is absolutely real and that the choice we should be making is column A and that if we make the column B choice it is guaranteed that we lock in climate catastrophes. We should also be clear that the economic benefits of an energy transition alone far outweigh the costs. We are not looking at a global recession risk if we switch away from fossil fuels. We are looking at the removal from power of various harmful corporations and fossil fuel based dictators — which death throes are causing political upheaval, but whose removal will be beneficial to everyone.

Get 'In Your Love' The Monarques - In Your Love The Monarques In Your Love The Monarques Releasing New Album 'In Your Love' Christian indie-folk group The Monarques will release their new album 'In Your Love' on March 12th. Their unique, spirit-filled music shares the message of God's redeeming love. Inspired by folk gospel & early rock'n'roll, the… Christian indie-folk group The Monarques have just released their new album 'In Your Love'. The album features The Monarques' signature harmonies and unique sound inspired by folk, gospel and early rock'n'roll. Louder Than The… Other The Monarques Releases All You Have to Do

Harrah's Entertainment (later named Caesars Entertainment Corporation, previously The Promus Companies) was an American casino and hotel company founded in Reno, Nevada, and based in Paradise, Nevada, that operated over 50 properties and seven golf courses under several brands. In 2013, it was the fourth-largest gaming company in the world, with annual revenues of $8.6 billion. It was acquired in 2020 by Eldorado Resorts, which then changed its own name to Caesars Entertainment. At the end of its existence, Caesars was a public company, majority-owned by a group of private equity firms led by Apollo Global Management, TPG Capital, and Paulson & Co.; and Carl Icahn. Caesars's largest operating unit filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2015, which led to the foundation of Vici Properties as a result. History William F. Harrah era (1937–1978) The company's background can be traced to October 29, 1937, when Bill Harrah opened a small bingo parlor in Reno, Nevada, a predecessor to Harrah's Reno. In 1955, he expanded to Stateline, Nevada, on the south shore of Lake Tahoe, where he would eventually open Harrah's Lake Tahoe. Harrah's Inc. made its initial public offering in 1971. In 1972, it was listed on the American Stock Exchange and in 1973, Harrah's became the first casino company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Bill Harrah died at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, at the age of 66, during a cardiac surgery operation to repair an aortic aneurysm. Under Holiday Inn In February 1980, Holiday Inn acquired Harrah's, Inc. for $300 million. Liquidation of Harrah's collection of almost 7,000 antique automobiles reportedly returned the full purchase price of the company to Holiday Inn. Holiday Inn at the time had interests in two casinos: the under-construction Holiday Inn Marina Casino in Atlantic City, and a 40 percent stake in the Holiday Casino, adjacent to the Holiday Inn hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. In July 1987, Bill's Casino Lake Tahoe opened. Harrah's Laughlin opened in August 1988. The Promus Companies The company that would become Harrah's Entertainment was formed in 1990 as The Promus Companies. To effect the sale of the Holiday Inn hotel business to Bass PLC, Promus was created as a corporate spin-off, holding Harrah's, Embassy Suites, Homewood Suites, and Hampton Inn; Bass then acquired Holiday Corp., which retained only the Holiday Inn assets. The next year, the company's headquarters moved from Reno to Memphis, Tennessee. In April 1992, the Holiday Casino was rebranded as Harrah's Las Vegas. The late 1980s and early 1990s saw a rapid increase in gambling markets with the growth of Indian gaming and legalization of riverboat casinos. In 1993 and 1994, the company opened Harrah's Joliet, Harrah's Vicksburg, Harrah's Tunica, Harrah's Black Hawk, Harrah's Central City, Harrah's Shreveport, Harrah's North Kansas City, and Harrah's Ak-Chin. Renamed as Harrah's Entertainment In 1995, Promus decided to spin off its non-gaming hotel businesses, in part because they had been undervalued by investors due to perception of the company as a risky gaming stock. Promus Hotel Corp. was established, holding Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, and Homewood Suites, while the parent company, holding 16 casinos, was renamed as Harrah's Entertainment. Harrah's continued its expansion over the next ten years, opening Harrah's Skagit Valley, SkyCity Auckland, Harrah's St. Louis-Riverport, Harrah's Cherokee, Harrah's Prairie Band, Harrah's New Orleans, and Harrah's Rincon, and acquiring the Southern Belle Casino, Showboat, Inc., the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino, Players International, Harveys Casino Resorts, Louisiana Downs, Horseshoe Gaming, and the World Series of Poker. On September 4, 1997, Harrah's Entertainment launched its Total Gold loyalty program (renamed as Total Rewards on April 4, 2000 and again as Caesars Rewards on February 1, 2019), developed at a cost of $20 million. It was the first gaming company to offer a systemwide comps program, allowing points earned at one casino to be redeemed for goods and services at any of the company's other casinos. The system would be credited as a major driver of Harrah's growth over the coming years. Harvard Business School professor Gary Loveman joined Harrah's as chief operating officer in 1998, and would go on to serve as chief executive officer from 2003 to 2015. In 1999, the company moved its headquarters from Memphis to Las Vegas. Purchase of Caesars Entertainment, Inc. Harrah's made its largest single expansion in 2005, when it acquired Caesars Entertainment, Inc. for $10.4 billion. Negotiations were spurred on by news of a merger agreement between MGM Mirage and Mandalay Resort Group. The two companies sold several properties ahead of the merger to assuage antitrust concerns, including Harrah's East Chicago and Harrah's Mardi Gras. The acquisition increased Harrah's portfolio to 40 casinos, plus four cruise ship casinos. The deal furthered Harrah's goal of gaining a larger presence on the Las Vegas Strip, where Caesars owned four casinos, and improved its ability to market to high rollers. Harrah's began to push for a larger international presence in 2005, announcing joint venture agreements to build casinos in Spain, Slovenia, and the Bahamas, and applying for a license to build a major resort in Singapore, though none of these projects would come to fruition. Harrah's also acquired London Clubs International in 2006, and the Macau Orient Golf club in 2007. From 2005 to 2010, the company consolidated control of a long stretch of the east side of the Las Vegas Strip, acquiring the Bourbon Street, Imperial Palace, Barbary Coast, and Planet Hollywood casinos, along with large tracts of land behind the Strip properties. In 2005 and 2006, Harrah's Entertainment closed its Lake Charles casino due to damage from Hurricane Rita, sold the Flamingo Laughlin and sold Grand Casino Gulfport. Company goes private Loveman at some point sought advice from private equity tycoon David Bonderman about the possibility of spinning off ownership of Harrah's Entertainment real estate as a separate real estate investment trust (REIT), hoping to attain the higher price-to-earnings ratios at which hotel companies traded, compared to gaming companies. In 2006, the discussions evolved toward the idea of a leveraged buyout of Harrah's by Bonderman's company, TPG Capital. Another private equity firm, Apollo Global Management, approached Loveman about a buyout and he encouraged them to collaborate with TPG. By the end of the year, an agreement was announced for the two companies to buy Harrah's Entertainment for $17.1 billion in cash plus $10.7 billion in assumed debt. The transaction closed in January 2008, leaving Harrah's with $25.1 billion in debt. The Linq It was widely announced in previous years that the company planned to implode properties and build new ones from scratch, but after the market downturn the company conceded that it had little experience in building major resorts. Instead it developed Project LINQ in 2009, which would add 20 restaurants and bars between the company's Imperial Palace, O'Sheas and Flamingo casinos, on the east side of the Las Vegas Strip. The goal was to create an entertainment district similar to what had developed organically in Los Angeles, Memphis and New Orleans but did not yet exist on the Strip, with its enclosed and casino-centric zones. It provided competition for the Fremont Street Experience. Las Vegas Arena The Anschutz Entertainment Group first tried to build an arena in Las Vegas in association with Harrah's Entertainment. In 2007, the joint venture announced they would build a 20,000 seat stadium behind the Bally's and Paris casino-hotels. Caesars Entertainment, Inc. had previously envisioned using the location to build a baseball park, but the company's buyout by Harrah's cancelled the plans. Through the following year, Harrah's got uncertain on continuing with the project, not knowing if AEG would split the costs and whether building a major league-ready stadium without a guaranteed franchise to play on it would be feasible given the enduring financial crisis. The original plans were to break ground in June 2008 and finish the arena in 2010, but by 2009, it was revealed the stalled project had not even done a traffic study despite being located near a busy intersection. In 2010, the plans were changed to use an area behind the Imperial Palace. However, given the financing would require a special taxation district, opposition from the Clark County Commission regarding using public money in the project stalled it even further. AEG eventually backed out completely by 2012, once MGM Resorts International came up with their own project using a terrain behind the New York-New York and Monte Carlo resorts. This attracted AEG primarily for not relying on public funding. The acquisition of Planet Hollywood provided Harrah's Entertainment with a contiguous property bordering the strip. The vacant lots behind the casinos had been slated for a sports arena large enough to hold a professional basketball or hockey team. The three casinos will have over 8,000 rooms which can be directly connected to the arena. It was announced in August 2010 that Harrah's Entertainment would run casinos in Cincinnati and Cleveland in Ohio when they opened in 2012. Renamed as Caesars Entertainment Corporation On November 23, 2010, plans for an IPO were canceled, but a planned name change from Harrah's Entertainment to Caesars Entertainment Corporation did go forward and was made official on the same day. This change was intended to capitalize on the international name recognition of the Caesars brand. The Harrah's brand would remain one of the company's three primary casino brands. On February 8, 2012, an initial public offering took place, with the common stock trading on the NASDAQ under the symbol "CZR." Caesars Acquisition Company merger On December 22, 2014, Caesars announced its intention to acquire Caesars Acquisition Company. Under the terms of the transaction, shareholders of Caesars Acquisition Company would receive 0.664 share of Caesars Entertainment common stock for each share of Caesars Acquisition Company held. Casino unit files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy The casino operating unit, Caesars Entertainment Operating Company, Inc. and approximately 170 of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on January 15, 2015. The casino unit's parent company, Caesars Entertainment Corporation, did not file for bankruptcy protection. The casino operating group's investors initiated litigation against the parent company, Caesars Entertainment Corporation's over the parent company's debt guarantees. Vici Properties was founded as a result. On November 2, 2015, Rock Gaming announced it would begin assuming management of Horseshoe Casino Cleveland, Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati and ThistleDown Racino from Caesars Entertainment and complete the transition by June 2016. Playtika Company acquisition and sale Caesars acquired Playtika in May 2011 for an amount between $80 and $90 million. Playtika, a social game developer company, was founded in 2010 by Robert Antokol and Uri Shahak and produced Facebook social gaming platforms (slotomania.com & caesarsgames.com). In June 2016, a Chinese consortium, which included Alibaba chief Jack Ma's Yunfeng Capital, agreed to purchase it in a buyout for $4.4 billion. On November 29, 2017, Caesars announced it was selling Harrah's Las Vegas to Vici Properties while Caesars continued to operate it. The same day, they announced that they were buying Centaur Gaming. In addition, they were building a new convention center in Las Vegas named Caesars Forum. Caesars and Eldorado merger On March 17, 2019, it was announced that Caesars Entertainment Corporation and Eldorado Resorts were exploring a merger of the two companies. On June 23, 2019, Caesars officially accepted Eldorado's offer, reported to be worth almost $8.6 billion. Caesars controlled 53 assets compared to Eldorado's 26. After completion of the merger, 5 board members would come from Caesars and 6 would come from Eldorado. Shareholders of both companies approved of the merger on November 15, 2019, and it was completed in July 2020. Carl Icahn investment, new CEO On April 16, 2019, Caesars announced that Affinity Gaming CEO Anthony Rodio would become the CEO of Caesars within 30 days, replacing Mark Frissora, who announced his intention to step down in November 2018. Rodio came recommended by investor Carl Icahn, who owned almost 100 million shares (a 28.5% stake in Caesars as of June 17, 2019) and had reportedly been pushing Caesars to sell the company. Fines and settlements In 2015 the US Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) fined Caesars Entertainment's Las Vegas casino $8 million for failing to properly police transactions for illicit activity. A 2012 IRS examination found Caesars had failed to report to the authorities over 100 incidents involving potential criminal activity. The Nevada Gaming Control Board announced a related $1.5 million penalty. Caesars Entertainment was censured by the UK's Gambling Commission in 2015 for lax money-laundering controls in at two of its London casinos. Caesars entered into a voluntary settlement, agreeing to improve its anti-money laundering processes and making a payment of £875,000 to be used for "socially responsible purposes". In 2020 the UK Gambling Commission fined Caesars Entertainment EMEA a record £13m for failures relating to VIP schemes. The failures included allowing a customer to lose £323,000 in 12 months, despite showing signs of gambling addiction. Caesars was also found guilty of failing to prevent money laundering, and failing to check the source of funds of someone who bet £3.5m in three months, and a politically exposed person (PEP) who lost £795,000 in just over a year. Three senior managers lost their licence to run a gambling business. Sale In April 2020, Twin River Worldwide Holdings announced a deal with Caesars Entertainment and Vici Properties to purchase Bally's Atlantic City in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Properties At the time of its acquisition in 2020, Caesars operated the following properties: Bally's Bally's Atlantic City Bally's Las Vegas Caesars Caesars Atlantic City Caesars Palace Caesars Southern Indiana Harrah's Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino Harrah's Atlantic City Harrah's Cherokee Harrah's Cherokee Valley River Harrah's Council Bluffs Harrah's Gulf Coast Harrah's Hoosier Park Racing & Casino Harrah's Joliet Harrah's Lake Tahoe Harrah's Las Vegas Harrah's Laughlin Harrah's Louisiana Downs Harrah's Metropolis Harrah's New Orleans Harrah's North Kansas City Harrah's Northern California Harrah's Philadelphia Harrah's Resort Southern California Horseshoe Horseshoe Casino Baltimore (50% ownership with Jack Entertainment) Horseshoe Bossier City Horseshoe Council Bluffs Horseshoe Hammond Horseshoe Casino Tunica Other Las Vegas Strip The Cromwell Las Vegas Flamingo Las Vegas The Linq Paris Las Vegas Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Other US casinos Harveys Lake Tahoe Indiana Grand Racing & Casino Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino International casinos Caesars Windsor, Canada London Clubs International (12 locations) Properties previously operated by the company included: Atlantic City Country Club Atlantic Club Casino Hotel Bill's Casino Lake Tahoe Binion's Horseshoe Bourbon Street Hotel and Casino Caesars Golf Macau Caesars Palace at Sea Flamingo Laughlin Grand Casino Gulfport Harrah's East Chicago Harrah's Prairie Band Harrah's Reno Harrah's Shreveport Harrah's Sky City Harrah's St. Louis Harrah's Casino Tunica Harrah's Tunica Mardi Gras Casino Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Horseshoe Casino Cleveland IP Casino Resort Spa Rio Secco Golf Club Showboat Atlantic City Showboat Hotel and Casino ThistleDown Racino Tunica Roadhouse Turfway Park (50% stake) References Further reading External links 1990 establishments in Nevada 2012 initial public offerings 2020 mergers and acquisitions American companies established in 1990 Companies based in Paradise, Nevada Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2015 Gambling companies established in 1990 Hospitality companies established in 1990 Gambling companies of the United States Hospitality companies of the United States Poker companies

At 4:30 a.m. April 12, 1861, Confederate Troops under General Pierre G.T. Beauregard began shelling Fort Sumter, an island garrison in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, held by Union troops under the command of Major Robert Anderson. Edmund Ruffin, a 65 year old Virginian serving as an honorary member of the South Carolina Palmetto Guards, allegedly was chosen to fire the first shot on Sumter because he was the oldest member. The firing on Fort Sumter was the first action of the War Between the States. Nancy Douglas of Morrisville NY, who shares a common ancestor with Edmund Ruffin, will present information on her relative at 11:00 a.m. Saturday June 11 at the 19th Annual Peterboro Civil War Weekend. A retired Morrisville State College physics and math professor, Douglas' hobbies now include local history and her family history. Raised in Arkansas, Douglas' family lore has it that Ruffin considered it an honor to have fired the first shot of the Civil War. Secessionist Ruffin had left Virginia because Virginia was not as quick as South Carolina to secede. Devastated by the Confederacy's loss of the war, and driven by his hatred of Yankees, Ruffin also may have fired the last shot of the war. Placing a pistol to his head he ended his life June 17, 1865. Called the "Father of Soil Chemistry" because of his study of the soil depletion of tidewater farms, Edmund Ruffin had distinguished himself as an agriculturist. His success with crop rotation and using lime to raise the pH in peat bogs made significant differences in southern agriculture. Ruffin published The Farmer's Register. He also served in the Virginia legislature and was president of the Virginia State Agricultural Society. The public is encouraged to attend Douglas' family perspective on the famous relative. Nancy Douglass of Morrisville, who shares a common ancestor with Edmund Ruffin (who fired the first shot of the Civil War) will present on her relative at 11:00 a.m. Saturday June 11 at the 19th Annual Peterboro Civil War Weekend. Portraits of Edmund Ruffin courtesy of The National Archives and TheLatinLibrary.com.

Can a private limited company invest in partnership firm? May 29, 2019 By Alexis Flynn Users' questions Which entity Cannot be a partner in partnership firm? Can a partnership firm can be treated as shareholder? Can LLP issue shares to partners? Which is better Pvt Ltd or partnership firm? Can a company invest in a partnership? Who Cannot become shareholder of a company? Is partnership a legal entity? Is partnership better than LLP? How does an investment partnership work? Yes. A company can invest in a partnership firm's business and for making investment it is not necessary for the company to become partner. As per Section 4 of the Partnership Act, only the natural or artificial person can be the partner. Therefore, individuals and Companies can be the partner in partnership firm. A firm is not the person having a legal existence and therefore cannot as such become a partner in another partnership firm. Hence, a partnership firm is neither a legal entity nor a person. The partners in a partnership firm may become joint shareholders of a company and their names can be entered into the register of shareholders. A firm can also become a shareholder of a company if the partnership firm is registered. There can be no allotment of shares to public by LLP. Thus, it cannot issue shares to the general public or float them in the market. It is because of this reason, that it has no shareholders. Owners of a partnership are liable for business debts and obligations. Private limited companies are owned by shareholders and managed by directors. They carry limited liability for business debts, which reduces personal risk. No. This is because of the different ownership interests of a partnership and a company structure. Owners of a company are shareholders as they purchase their interest in the company by buying shares or stocks. 1972, a firm not being a person cannot be registered as a member of the Company. Such firm can be a member of section 8 company. In the case of partners, a firm as such cannot be registered as a member, but the partners in their individual names may be registered as joint holders of the shares. 1) A partnership firm is not a legal entity apart from the partners constituting it. It has limited identity for the purpose of tax law as per section 4 of the Partnership Act of 1932. 2) Partnership is a concurrent subject. Contracts of partnerships are included in the Entry no. Due to higher compliances and transparency in operation, the credibility of LLP is higher and thus it eases the fund raising from financial institutions. Compared to partnership firms, other body corporates are having higher credibility and hence are less preferable. Investment partnership refers to any form of business ownership wherein there would be at least 90% of all of its investments that are held in financial instruments like bonds, stocks futures and options and the predominant income that is derived (usually>90%) would go on to have such financial assets as the source. Can I use IEEE logo? Can a repo man move another car to get to yours in Texas?

Getting an MBA is an expensive choice-one almost impossible to justify regardless of the state of the economy. Even the elite schools like Harvard and Wharton offer outdated, assembly-line programs that teach you more about PowerPoint presentations and unnecessary financial models than what it takes to run a real business. You can get better results (and save hundreds of thousands of dollars) by skipping business school altogether. True leaders aren't made by business schools – they make themselves, seeking out the knowledge, skills, and experience they need to succeed. Read this book and you will learn the principles it takes most business professionals a lifetime of trial and error to master. In 2014, Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes was widely seen as the female Steve Jobs: a brilliant Stanford dropout whose startup "unicorn" promised to revolutionize the medical industry with a machine that would make blood testing significantly faster and easier. Backed by investors such as Larry Ellison and Tim Draper, Theranos sold shares in a fundraising round that valued the company at more than billion, putting Holmes's worth at an estimated .7 billion. There was just one problem: The technology didn't work.

Our Commentary Topic Post link: 'You Can Change Your Life with a Few Simple Steps' by Cindy Nicolson. Good point on conquering ourselves Cindy and Win. Nice to be a winner indeed. But for how long? As you've said Cindy, life is short. What could be better, would it not be a plan for eternity? If we were with wise men we would be wise as in Proverbs 13:20? How does being wise compare with the wisdom of God? Will you not agree with me that being wise here means being as wise as those who follow God's words? I know that some people may find my views boring, many times, though, do we realize that we can get confused and get lost focusing our efforts more on material things in this life which may just be reduced to nothingness? And this may all become meaningless as we come to pass? "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple. With above verses I have learned to understand that truly, 'man cannot live by bread alone' as in Matthew 4:4, and it takes more than anything in this world to make man truly happy, and that is believing and living the words of God in Christ Jesus. For is not God's wisdom greater than human wisdom? If we have to die today, what will we ask our Creator to justify an extension of our life? But how can we ever ask for an extension when we have not truly believed in Him or have just put Him on the sidelines while we have tried to satisfy our own cravings? Is this not similar to denying Him? Is it not better to invest on the long term than on a short term? Even a true businessman knows this, the only difference being, seeing things beyond this life, which is spiritual. Did God not say love one another as He has loved us? Or was it love ourselves first before we love others? I have tried doing this before and loving my ego for it but what did I get, I was humbled with a mild heart attack, and after 8 years, had a mild stroke, perhaps, as a reminder that I need to refocus my life on Him and share the light of Christ Jesus, His Son, through his love, mercy and forgiveness with others. While God wants us to be happy in this life, He simply asks us, as we have been gifted with a free will, to put Him at the center of our life that we may better live this life in true peace and happiness, as we live in harmony with His Spirit. Try to do otherwise, and disregard love for others – a love that is true and responsible – do we not suffer more in pain and put ourselves more into trouble? We may for a time be happy with our material possessions, but will this really last, or, are pressures from material things creating a hell out of our lives? Is the evil one just fooling us by veering us away from the truth in Christ's words and the true meaning of love which is for one another? When we enjoy life out of the love of others, do we not feel a more profound happiness that lasts with fulfillment in our hearts and spirit? The beauty that we see with our own eyes may better be pleasing and more enhanced with the beauty that we see from within our spirit. And God being spirit, can we not better relate to Him also with our hearts and spirit, and in our love and concern for others? Others may say this is Communism, but does communism really paint a picture of love where there is lack of freedom and the absence of God in our midst? Are not the swords of too much materialism, envy and malice towards others causing us to suffer because that is what we have chosen to invest upon? Praying through the Holy Spirit for discernment may guide us better as we live this life. Thank you for this opportunity to share in Christ on your post Cindy, Godspeed to all. "The Truth in Purgatory as in the Vision of Saint Catherine of Genoa" You may not believe in Purgatory, but this may change your outlook in life as Sister Catherine of Genoa shares her vision of Purgatory in her life long devotion to God as you read through our above link. I was just ticketed for parking violation. My lovely wife reminded me on a Thursday morning of July 2011 that I should go look out from the balcony of the apartment building we are staying in Los Angeles, California, and see the ticket on my car's windshield. Sure enough, I saw the familiar small white envelope on my car's windshield. It was my second parking violation ticket, and a charge of another $68 will be another slash on our budget. And to think, I can't imagine that I forgot all about the need to re-position my car the day before when me and my 18 year old son had just done a pretty good hand wash on it two days before the traffic enforcer caught it sitting on that side of the road where the city street sweeper truck was scheduled to do its cleaning routine for that week, and almost all the time that day before, I was just proudly gleaming at it enjoying the sight of my newly washed car that saved me around $10. Oh well, as they say, "if something will go wrong, it will go wrong," and I have to admit of my human weakness, and I rejoice in acknowledging my weakness in my forgetfulness as I am made whole in Christ every time I see myself humbled. And I am happy for those who accept their faults for it is this acceptance of what is true that one learns to renew and better himself and stand strong as witness to God's truth in his words. I just have to console myself that, perhaps, the city needed more funds to cover its bigger deficit. And spending $68 for six months parking near the sidewalk is not really bad, huh? With a weak faith, the evil one could have easily ruined my day, but the Holy Spirit seems to be reminding me always not to worry, for worrying will not add a single hour or day in my life, as Jesus has said to his disciples in Matthew 6:27. What can happen worse is a possible heated conflict among individuals because of a disagreement over flimsy things such as anything material that is never worthy of any argument, as all things that one cannot bring along upon one's death, these becoming eventually meaningless. And it is in treasuring things that may bring one to eternal life, for me, is more worthy of keeping in one's heart and spirit, and being steadfast in our faith that we may never falter in sharing this truth with our family and love ones, if we truly love them and care for them. And is this not the words of God that we should learn to seek and adhere to? And the more I live my life, the more peace and happiness comes in my heart and spirit as I reflect on above powerful verses. In above example, there is nothing that compares with attuning your life in humility and obedience to God's will through God's words in Christ and his commandments, that we can better prepare ourselves ready and duly cleansed and worthy of God's embrace even while we live this life, as Purgatory in itself. The essence of Purgatory coincides with the truth in Christ's teachings and it clarifies the meaning of retribution, confession of sins, forgiveness of sins, prayer and repentance with renewal, and Purgatory's state compared with heaven and hell. Here on earth, according to Saint Catherine, we can already start cleansing our selves from all sins and from all impurities in our hearts and spirit, as we prepare for the afterlife, when we will one day be with our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven, as she has done so herself, manifest in her life long dedication to God, in humility and total obedience to His will, especially in her last 10 years of her life serving and showing her selfless sacrifice in the care and love of others. Come to think of it, how can we be accepted in heaven if we still are attached to things material, to our pride, to sins of lust and other sins that make our souls unclean and unfit to ever be worthy of God's embrace in His Heavenly Kingdom? Will it not help for us to approach all things that is set forth before us as trials from the Lord, and that he may not burden us with something the we cannot bear or endure, so long as we stay faithful to him? That is why, whenever I experience something that goes wrong, I pray for a better understanding of all these and rejoice in God's blessings instead of uselessly panicking and getting tempted with the thought of something that is here to test my patience and my faith, as I always trust in the Lord that nothing on earth can ever be greater than Him and His love for all of us through His Son, Jesus Christ. And in everything unexpected that happens in this life, I believe, blessings will soon come in abundance through faith in Christ Jesus, as has been proven many times in my life with my family. A few days after my parking violation, we saw a long beautiful cabinet table sitting near the recycling bin, seemingly slightly used and made of good material. For whatever reason the former owners discarded it is the least of my concern, but it fit very well our need for our bedroom TV and the need for extra drawers to duly help organize a few clutter in our room. We felt that this saved us another $200 or so if we opted to purchase a similar versatile table. "God is really good," I said to my wife, "he provides us with what we need." My wife smilingly nodded with glee in her eyes. To think it is not the first time that we experienced God's goodness. And it is in the guidance and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit that we can further be guided in this truth as we continuously thank God for giving us the desires of our heart. As early as in the young tender age of 13, Saint Catherine has already confessed of her wish to enter into the convent of Santa Maria del Grazie, in Genoa, Italy. This house of the Augustinian Canonesses of the Lateran was where her elder sister, Limbania, took the vow as a nun. She grew up to become a tall and beautiful lady with a 'well shaped body, fair complexioned and possessed dark eyes. It did not take long before her elder brother, Giacomo, who inherited her father's wealth and possessions when he passed away, planned her betrothal to Guiliano Adorni, from the powerful Ghibeline family, with the support of her mother, and she was left with no choice as she accepted this cross to carry in blind obedience to her mother and her elder brother. She devoted the rest of her life caring for the sick while being guided by the Ladies of Mercy and living in a life of prayer. She was able to obtain from her husband a promised that she would live with her as a brother, which he kept. She lived in utter sacrifice and avoided all kinds of worldly temptations. A few years after her conversion, her husband joined her in her works of mercy after he himself received the third order of Saint Francis. And in 1497, she nursed her husband until he died, extolled her of all her virtues in his will and left her all his possessions. Saint Catherine suffered in her life while serving and caring for sick as 'rector of the hospital with unlimited powers.' She so arranged that her prayerful devotions and her ecstasies will not interfere in her activities while she cared for the sick. And in total humility and faith in the Lord she happily joined our Creator on the 15th of September, 1510. In conceptualizing her vision of Purgatory, Saint Catherine states that those in Hell are careless in their salvation while those in Purgatory are those whose guilt have been wiped away from the moment of their death as they have acknowledged their sins and have earnestly 'repented for their offences against divine goodness,' with their pain ever lessening with the time. Both those in Hell and Purgatory have 'no more free will' upon the time of death, with those in Hell having the will to sin, and 'bears the guilt with them throughout eternity,' as they suffer the pain they would have to endure without end. and all other sins of lust you can think of? If we feel no remorse or any guilt in any of the aforementioned sins of malice, we may be bound to Hell where there is the absence of God. And Saint Faustina, in her 'Vision of Hell,' where God revealed to her the different tortures of Hell that all may know about the truth and the reality of the existence of Hell, also complements the revelation of God on Saint Catherine about Purgatory. Only God knows what punishment one will need to endure in Hell or in Purgatory, depending on how we have lived in this life and depending on the depth of our prayers as we pray with all our heart and in all sincerity, that through our good deeds and love for others, our God of love and mercy and forgiveness, through Christ our Lord and Savior, may hear and listen to us. God wants us to continue to be prayerful, as we praise. thank and show how we adore Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, and to follow him, what we may be guided in his light, and be willing to share this light too with others as we show our genuine love can concern for our neighbors, starting with our own family. Is it not apparent that it is in loving God and others that we truly see a more fulfilling, noble, honorable and respectable way of loving ourselves? Praying for our dearly departed love ones, and for others worthy of our prayers, for God's rays of love, mercy and forgiveness to possibly cleanse those still in Purgatory as a show of our love and concern for them, as we believe in the power of the love of God and the power of prayers, is this not what God wants of us, a show of our intense faith through our love for others? Saint Catherine reminds us too that those committing malice who refuse to repent and renew, they shall bear its guilt for as long as they persevere, that is, for as long as they will to commit the sin or they will to sin again, they may be in danger of being bound for Hell if in this life they continue to sin in malice and refuse to totally cleanse themselves of this sin. We are being admonished by Saint Catherine, by divine enlightenment, to be stronger in our faith than our cravings for anything material, to be selfless in our love for God and of others, less we want to suffer Hell, as early as in this life. It is in dying to one self and being one with God through Christ Jesus, and in Christ, that one may experience this feeling of ecstasy in him as he experiences his oneness with God. She likens our cravings for material things as similar to one who, by instinct, cannot but bear living without bread in this life, to which one reacts so strongly with the pain felt so intense with its absence that one is experiencing Hell, his impatience and his will may lead him to be damned in Hell, as his will may become wholly and solely focused on the bread which he so desires. But for one who lives in restraint and is able to deny himself of his worldly cravings and has accepted the words of Christ as the real and true food for himself in this life, may very well be freed from guilt, as he would bear every pain and suffering necessary to see God in Christ Jesus, our true Savior who has brought us life and love. Leaning towards God through Christ, may very well conform with Saint Christine's message of renewal and redemption that may cleanse one's self and may lead to eternal life, as opposed to that vicious cycle towards evil that lead to Mammon and Hell. Do you see now the clearer picture and the root causes of good and evil? Which cycle would you rather choose? Saint Catherine talks of two kinds of rays from the enormous light from God. One that purifies and another that destroys all the imperfections in our soul, and destroys the 'self' in us, although already in the state of the absence of guilt with complete repentance made during our lifetime. This 'self' refers to our inner being that has caused us to sin in malice, pride and selfishness. As we have accepted the love of God in Christ, there is a need for our purification, one free from all imperfection as one takes away the rust from his soul until it becomes pure as gold ready to face God and be one with Him. Earlier in this life, God wants us to already purify ourselves from any imperfection that we may be cleansed from sin and from all guilt in confession and repentance, followed with total renewal that anytime we are called, we are purified and sinless, as well as guiltless to perfection, ready to be one with him in eternal life. While many in the US were celebrating the death of Osama Bin Laden (OBL), killed by US Navy Seals in a clandestine operation on the first of May, 2011, there was no Muslim outrage condemning his death in Pakistani territory from his supposed Al Qaeda, Taliban and Muslim Extremists or Fundamentalist supporters. Is this a sign of the waning of support to his cause with even many of those interviewed from among the Muslim community across the US welcoming the breaking news as a sign of relief? The Master Terrorist who had inspired many suicide bombings killing thousands of Muslims, Americans and innocent civilians from around the globe which included the daring yet infamous 911 attacks inside the US itself failed to elude his own death this time. Do we not find true peace and love if we choose to love God with our whole heart, mind and soul, and love our neighbors in God's grace with compassion, care, mercy and forgiveness? Otherwise, do we not find more stress in our life as we hide from the truth and see the true light of God? Over the years, US intelligence found it very difficult to locate Osama bin Laden until very recently, as they were closely following his most trusted courier, Sheikh Abu Ahmed of Kuwait, they found what seemed to be a very likely hiding place for OBL, a high-fenced mansion ironically situated a few hundred yards away from Pakistan's prestigious Military Academy. And after weighing his options, President Obama gave the go signal for a carefully planned raid into the compound until the elite Team Six of the US Navy Seals successfully accomplished the operation with the death of OBL. How many times have we seen haughty and proud men who have abused and caused death to mankind, in that they have become evil in their ways, fall down from power and humbled by God? In the death of Osama bin Laden, may we see the light and do what is good for man, and open our eyes that we may find wisdom as we veer away from darkness and evil. That we should see the message of Easter as the dawn of a new beginning renewing ourselves to be one with God as Jesus has paved the way in fulfilling heaven's plan to redeem man through his passion and death on the cross, his miraculous resurrection and ascension. And that we may learn to carry our own cross, deny ourselves by being humble and selfless in our efforts to lead others to him in this life that they too may see God's promise of eternal life (read Luke 9:22-23). May we always remember that God created everything in this world and in the universe, with man and his God given talents making possible the discovery of more wonderful things for man to enjoy life on earth. And that without God, we are nothing. With power over life and death, as God is in him and he in God, Jesus is our true Redeemer who is the Truth, the Way and the Life. Is it not appropriate that we use all things to glorify His Holy Name by doing what is good for man? Have we truly asked ourselves and realize the fundamental truth in this question, can we carry anything with us after our death? Is not everything material left here on earth when we die? Is not only our spirit that remains in us as we are summoned by our Creator when our time has come? Hence, while here on earth, is it not proper to thank him for his goodness by using all things material for the love of God and man that we may attain salvation? As God has revealed to us that we are made in His image and likeness, therefore, do we not consider our body sacred that is worthy to be praised and filled with anything that is good and pleasing to Him? Just pray and lift up to God all our problems, troubles, sufferings, trials and tribulations, and ask forgiveness for our sins as we forgive those who have wronged us as they seek to make amends with us, and think of no malice against others or be judgmental and God will take care of the rest as we do what is best, ever productive and honest in God's eyes as we do our work and chores, for the good of our family and for the good of others as well. In this way we are cleansed of all evil and we are ready to accept Him as our true God and Savior through the Holy Spirit – the Sacrament of Baptism in water, in the name of the Father, the Son and in the Holy Spirit is the first step for a true Christian believer to be cleansed and be under Christ's shield and direction towards salvation – ever prayerful for his faithfulness, love, mercy, guidance and protection. Just trust in Him and follow his words and commandments in praises and good works and you will see abundant blessings, miracles, good health and peace in your life. May God continue to guide and bless us all as we keep Jesus in our hearts.

Do Tibetans Need a Democracy in Exile? In the midway results of ongoing "Online Opinion Poll on 2011 Kalon Tripa Primary Election", 23 percent of participants responded "Yes" and 19 percent responded "Don't Know" to a concluding question, "As a result of the entire Kalon Tripa electoral process, do you believe we, as a Tibetan, are more divided now than before?" Even though the poll lacks a good sampling technique to generalize the findings, from my personal experiences so far, I see indicators of what the 23 percent of respondents may be trying to communicate through their responses. Throughout the process of Kalon Tripa (Tibetan Prime Minister) election, three groups of interested Tibetan electorates emerged: first, the supporters and campaigners; second, the writers; and third, the observers. The supporters and campaigners have been very vocal and clear about their choice of candidates. I see this category not a problem. They help the general public to learn about their choice of candidate via video footage, fliers, fund raising events, and so on. Most importantly, people in this group generally have faces. However, the biggest concern I see is the second group of people i.e., the writers. When I say writer, I mean to include every individual who writes (and comments on) articles, opinions, blogs, notes, pieces, and Facebook statuses. I agree with the role the writers play in the development of our nascent democracy in exile. However, on a flip side, these writers may also play a covert role in misdirecting our nascent democracy to a degree where the will and interest of general Tibetan in democracy will be lost in the transition. We can see an example of such democracy in and around our own country of residence. The definition of writers expanded several folds in recent decades with the enormous growth of social networking sites. Scott Galloway in his presentation on "Trends and Impacts on Digital Competence" highlights Facebook and Youtube are the two major sites that shares the highest global online time spent by web users. Therefore, in this social network age, anyone with an Internet connection and a Facebook account can write, post, and comment; and similarly, anyone with a smart phone can capture a video for Facebook or Youtube. The most recent and remarkable inspiration of this digital competence is the uprising in Egypt where protesters connect and organize via Facebook and shares their video to the world via their smart phones. Even though Kalon Tripa election is in no way comparable to Egyptian revolution, one can see the connection on the popular use of social networking site such as Facebook and Youtube i.e., to share views and opinions on Kalon Tripa election and candidates among the exile Tibetan Diaspora. One of the most popular groups in Facebook on Kalon Tripa election is, "The youths responsibility for Kalon Tripa 2011". On this group wall, a member can see several categories of wall posts, notes, video footage, links, and comments related to Kalon Tripa election and candidates. Unlike the supporters and campaigners, some of the group members, who writes and comments frequently, have "NO FACES". They come with an anonymous profile name and picture which not only makes it easier to be "No One" but also share their opinions with less or no hesitation. These anonymous members are a concern because they share their views and opinions with no accountability and obligation, yet leaving behind a footprint of hatred, disrespect, and division. Tibetan democracy should not embrace faceless Tibetans who do not share a sense of responsibility towards the larger cause i.e., to establish a vibrant society wherein every Tibetan shares responsibility for his or her role in the growth of Tibetan democracy in exile. Remember, democracy is for the people and by the people. It is not for the faceless and by the faceless web users. Let me share three of the postings in this Facebook group in the last 24 hours. These writings are self-explanatory. One member said, "don;t embarrass urself by abusing me again and again, and please, no half truths..if u got an answer..reply..if u don;t know much about it..reasearch well and answer"; the next one said, "don't try to be slimy and twist the workds, do us a favor ..... if you can't do that then damn you"; and another said, "you brought up the drama so the question should be directed towards you". These three postings are directed towards each members of the group. I chose not to quote postings directed towards individual Kalon Tripa candidates. When I read postings and comments in this Facebook group, I reflect on what President Obama said at a press conference on Feb 9, 2009: "The strongest democracies flourish from frequent and lively debate, but they endure when people of every background and belief find a way to set aside smaller differences in service of a greater purpose". On this Facebook group page, I don't see a debate. But, regretfully, I see frequent and lively arguments where a majority of the group members engage in accusing or belittling each other's views/opinions while keeping their biases firm. It seems every member is trying to prove his or her views, generally based on assumptions, as the absolute truth. I don't see learning by debate or discussion among the group members, setting aside their differences in service of a greater purpose. Rather, they dislike each other by using Facebook as a medium to press their opinions. Is this the reason why a quarter of the poll respondent thinks Tibetan are more divided now? Or are there some other reasons? I will leave other reasons for you to think and analyze. Also, please remember it is not only President Obama but also the "Basic Education Policy for Tibetans in Exile" that embraces the importance of setting aside small differences and to focus on working for the greater purpose. The meaning of education is not to be recognized as merely grasping what is heard from others. Instead, it is to be recognized as realization of what is heard through the power of self-confirmation and actualization of what is realized through persistent contemplation (Article 2.2 of Basic Education Policy for Tibetans in Exile). I hope Tibetans recognize and embrace this meaning of education to help flourish our democracy in exile in the right direction, bringing Tibetans closer to each other. Tibetans need to grow with the popular saying, "Unity in Diversity". The final group is the observers. Literally, they are the people with no harm. They confine themselves from writing, commenting, or speaking for anyone or on anything. However, the group is a concern for a democratic society. Democracy works best when it hears the peoples' voices. In other words, in democracy, there should not be a space for "Voice of the Voiceless". On a side note, the entire problem with Tibetan democracy in exile may be its origin. Democracy for Tibetans in exile was not earned. Instead, the Dalai Lama, regardless of resistance from the general Tibetan public, bestowed democracy upon the exile Tibetan populace. The problem, associated with the blessed democracy, is the lack of shared responsibility by Tibetans to study the democratic principles, ideals, values, and citizen's responsibilities among others. The problem seems true among Tibetans as a large number do not share the responsibilities as well as embrace and respect the differences. It needs to be seen how Tibetans will accept the will of the majority when a candidate wins the Kalon Tripa position. Looking at the problems of blessed democracy as well as the divisions created by the Kalon Tripa election, the questions that lingers - Do Tibetans need a democracy in exile? How Tibetan democracy in exile should develop or flourish? Will the future exile Tibetan Diaspora strengthens with the democracy in exile? *Published in The Tibetan Political Review on Feb 23, 2011. Here is the link http://sites.google.com/site/tibetanpoliticalreview/project-updates/dotibetansneedademocracyinexile The Coming Collapse of Tibetan Freedom Movement? Failures of Tibetan Leadership at all Levels: Post March 10 Event in New York Online Opinion Poll on 2011 Kalon Tripa Primary El... An Ode to Egyptian

Latest News Top Categories Watch the 1.91-Second Fastest Pit Stop in History, Courtesy of Red Bull Aston Martin Valkyrie Makes Its Dynamic Debut at British F1 Grand Prix Race For The Planet With The Extreme E Off Road Challenge The Bentley EXP 100 GT is Crewe's 100th Birthday Present to Itself Volkswagen ID.R Demolishes Goodwood Record With 39.9 Second Climb GT Sport Daily Races: Twins in the City, Lakeside Racing, and Super Fuji Gran Turismo Nurburgring World Tour Recap: Fraga Wins as Rivals Stumble GT Sport Daily Races: The European Grand Tour, With a Hint of Muscle GT Sport's Goodwood Circuit Chicane Exploit Fixed, Leaderboards Wiped Gran Turismo Sport 1.40 Balance of Performance (BoP) Changes Detailed You Can Win a Season Driving Aston Martins With World's Fastest Gamer Logitech G Challenge Kicks Off for 2019 Season Live Stream: FIA Gran Turismo Championships Nürburgring World Tour (Nations Cup) Live Stream: FIA Gran Turismo Championships Nürburgring World Tour (Manufacturer Series) Team GTPlanet x Hooncorp Survives The 24 Hours Of Lemons NZ 2019 Le Mans 24 Hours: Preview, Live Streams, Schedules and Discussion This Week's Forza Horizon 4 Season Change: Rare Cars Return for Autumn The PS3 Era Was a "Nightmare" For Polyphony Digital, Says Kazunori The Real Story Behind the Mysterious Cat in Gran Turismo 5 Sony Faces Down Gran Turismo Trademark Lawsuit in California Courts Gran Turismo 5 Update 2.17 Released, Previously Purchased DLC Available Again Polestar's First Ever Car is a 600hp Hybrid Heart-Throb Automotive News 44 October 19, 2017 by Joe Donaldson We first told you about the Polestar spinoff from Volvo back in June. Back then we knew the company planned to bring out several electrified models including a sports car. We just didn't expect it to get going so quickly, or for the car to be a rocket ship. Polestar has now unveiled its first car as an independent company. Dubbed the Polestar 1, it's everything we expect from a Volvo offshoot combining Swedish styling and loads of power. The car is a plug-in hybrid and the power is split between a fuel engine in the front and two electric motors in the rear. The gas-powered engine, a twincharged, 2-liter four-pot, drives the front wheels and puts down 377hp. Powering the rear wheels are a pair of electric motors good for 215hp. The combined system output is 592hp, with 731lbft of torque. Polestar hasn't made any performance data available for the car, but we wager the 0-60mph time starts with a two. Top speed is probably limited with battery power in mind, but expect it to hit 155mph. The performance doesn't just end with the horsepower though. The Polestar 1 is a sports coupe through and through. The suspension uses the Öhlins Continuously Controlled Electronic Suspension system. This trick suspension adapts to road conditions as you drive along making sure you get the most performance and comfort possible out of the car. The driver can also adjust the system from inside the car too. To stop the car, Polestar has fitted some monster brakes at all four corners. Using a set of 400mm Akebono rotors and six-piston monoblock calipers, the Polestar should stop on a dime. Moving on to the design, there's obvious similarities to the Volvo S90. However, Polestar has adapted that car's classic Scandinavian styling to a coupe form — like the Volvo P1800 of old. It's simple, but really works and makes the car nice to look at without being flashy. One of our favorite parts on the car though is the headlights. Polestar stuck with the Volvo lamps that use a stylized Thor's hammer design for the running lights — that's pure Sweden. Another unique feature shows itself when you pop the trunk. Polestar used a clear display panel to show off all the electrical connectors. Standing out in bright orange it gives the car a sci-fi feel. It's gimmicky for sure, and it serves a safety purpose as all high-voltage lines in cars must be orange, but we love it. The only real major downside to the car is its purchase model, or rather lack thereof. Upon its release, you won't actually buy a Polestar one, but rather subscribe to it. With no down payments or even the need to set foot in a dealership, you can simply subscribe to the Polestar using your smartphone. Once your subscription is placed, a Polestar 1 shows up at your house much like the Sunday paper. The subscription fees include not only the car though, but all maintenance too. Using an app you can call for any repairs or general maintenance you might need and someone will swing by and take care of it for you. You can even request a car wash if you so choose. For a small additional charge, you'll also be able to get accessories when needed. Polestar states that if you plan on taking a ski trip for the weekend and need a roof rack, simply order one and someone will fit it. Once you return home simply let Polestar know and it will collect the car from you. The subscription period will be either two or three years. However, it does include the ability to request a short-term use of larger Volvo vehicles so you aren't stuck with a sports coupe if you're planning a family trip. It's not a model for someone who prefers to own their car or even modify it in any way. But this will attract those who lease vehicles or also want the latest and greatest. There's no word on what the monthly fee is, but since insurance and everything else comes with it, don't expect it to be cheap. Fuel economy is also under wraps for now. However, the car shares a platform, its petrol engine and part of the hybrid system with the Volvo S90 T8, so figure on something close to that car's 142mpg rating, or about 40mpg in the real world. Still, that's not bad with 600hp on tap. On electric power only, the Polestar 1 totes a range of around 90 miles. That's nearly four times further than the Toyota Prius Prime. You also get the added bonus of not driving a Prius too! The car will use a Phone-as-Key technology which means your smartphone acts as a way to access your vehicle. We told you about the dangers of this when Ford briefly forgot about its app for iOS 11. The likelihood for issues here is very real, however, we are sure Polestar will work it out prior to release. The Polestar 1 will start production around mid-2019, but you can get your name on a list now. In addition to the Polestar 1, the company gave a preview of their future roadmap as well. Towards the end of 2019, the Polestar 2 will start production. This will be a smaller, less expensive fully electric car set to compete with the Tesla Model 3. After the Polestar 2 debut, Polestar will roll out a model called — you guessed it — 3. This will be a full EV SUV that will set its sights on the Tesla Model X. Thankfully, Polestar is using a naming convention that isn't confusing. Even if it's a little dull, it's still better than the mess Audi uses. More Posts On... PolestarVolvo 44 Comments Discuss this post in our forums... Toyota GR Supra First Drive Review: Worthy of the Name Here's How to Earn Every F1 2019 Trophy and Achievement Assetto Corsa Competizione Review: Laser-Focused Yet Fun Sim Racing Bus Simulator 18 Review: Who Knew Public Transit Could be Fun? What Are the Best Tracks Never to Appear in Racing Games? Why Resurrecting a Dead Badge Is Not Always a Bad Thing Automotive News 62 Jul 16 by Andrew Evans Lotus has been teasing us for a little while, but has today revealed its new hypercar, Evija. The brand, from Norfolk, UK, unveiled the car's name at the Goodwood Festival… Automotive News 8 Jul 13 by Andrew Evans It's a car we've been hearing about — and indeed hearing — for months, but until now not one that's been used in anger. That's all changed today, and if… Car Reviews 90 Jul 12 by Kyle Patrick Depending on where you stand, that title will elicit either a nod of approval or a beeline to the comment section to tell me how wrong I am. That's the… If you want to experience the most challenging racing around, you need to leave the race track behind. We don't mean taking to the skies, but getting away from the… Automotive News 8 Jul 11 by Kyle Patrick In case you've missed it, Bentley has spent 2019 celebrating its centenary. After the $250,000 book and the new Bentley with bits of old Bentley in the interior comes this,… Automotive News 15 Jul 9 by Kyle Patrick After two decades, the Goodwood Festival of Speed hillclimb record has fallen. It did so not to a thunderous combustion engine, but the near-silent whirring of an all-electric, purpose-built machine.… The New Porsche 911 RSR Features Its Largest Flat-Six Yet Porsche has given its 911 RSR a thorough remodel to prepare it for a WEC title defense next year. The German marque showed off its new GTE contender at the… Tom Brooks, the 'Voice of GT Sport', is Restoring a Jaguar E-Type on YouTube Car Culture 66 Jul 7 by Jordan Greer Whether you realize it or not, if you've followed GTPlanet or Gran Turismo over the past few years, you have probably heard Tom Brooks. After commentating on many of our…

Tech Digest daily roundup: Blue Origin loses NASA court case 6th November 2021 6th November 2021 Chris Price News Image: A Blue Origin rocket blasts off into space A judge has dismissed Jeff Bezos's private spaceflight company Blue Origin's lawsuit against NASA over the awarding of a moon-landing contract to SpaceX. In a single-page ruling, which Blue Origin has until 18 November to redact before it is released in full, the US Court of Federal Claims granted the government's wish to have the lawsuit dismissed. It poses a potential end to Jeff Bezos's bid to take part in NASA's Artemis programme, which aimed to take the first woman and the next man to the lunar surface by 2024 – although that date is in question. Sky News Instagram has brought back support for Twitter card previews after removing the feature nine years ago. Now, when users share an Instagram link on Twitter, a small preview of the post will be displayed. Instagram controversially removed the feature shortly after being acquired by Facebook in 2012. Twitter card previews started for some users on Wednesday and will eventually be available to everyone. Instagram and Twitter are both promoting the change. BBC For several months, WhatsApp has been testing a feature that would allow users to link their account to secondary devices and continue to send and receive messages without the primary smartphone online. This feature is now officially rolling out to all WhatsApp users in the most recent update of WhatsApp on both Android and iOS versions. Previously, you had to make sure your main smartphone was still connected to the internet before you could carry a conversation on your linked web browser. When enabling this feature on your smartphone, you need to opt into the feature – labeled as still in "Beta". Once enabled, you'll be unlinked from all devices before re-linking to a new device. GSM Arena After passing the Senate in August, the US House of Representatives early Saturday morning passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill 228-206. The passage hands President Biden a win after months of negotiations and wings of the Democratic party attempting to attach the infrastructure bill to the president's Build Back Better bill. With its passage, it heads to the president's desk for a signature…The bill includes major support for electric vehicles and clean energy, specifically, there is $7.5 billion set aside to create a nationwide network of EV charging stations to expedite the adoption of electric cars this decade. Another $65 billion will fund an investment in clean energy and renewables for the nation's electricity grid, and promises to create a more resilient system. Funds will also funnel to various clean energy technology projects. CNet Ukraine has filed charges of espionage and attempted state overthrow against five people who allegedly were part of a hackers group controlled by Russia. The Security Service of Ukraine said Friday that the hackers group known as "Armagedon" was responsible for some 5,000 cyberattacks on Ukrainian state agencies since 2014. The service said it had intercepted and recorded conversations of two group members it claims are agents of Russia's Federal Security Service, the main descendant of the Soviet KGB, working in Russia-annexed Crimea. The five alleged hackers were charged in absentia. There were no details on the extent of the damage any of the group's attacks may have caused. AP News Nov 6, 2021 Chris Price For latest tech stories go to TechDigest.tv Tagged Blue Origin Jeff Bezos WhatsApp Tech Era and Health: Why Are People Researching Natural Remedies Again? Tech Digest daily roundup: Elon Musk to sell 10% of Tesla shares

Fitness financials: Nautilus Q3 net sales up, lowers Q4 guidance, plus adidas, Sara Lee, Everlast, Under Armour, Puma, Foot Locker, Amer, Costco, Wal-Mart Fitness financials: Nautilus touts 33 percent gain in net sales but 4Q expectations lower. adidas reports Q3 earnings. Sara Lee profits drop 81 percent. Everlast gets Q3 net income in the black. Under Armour to sell IPO shares. U.S. footwear bolster Puma's Q3. Same-store sales on the rise for Foot Locker. Amer told Franklin Resources owns nearly 5 percent capital. Costco reports October sales. Total comp sales up 4.3 percent for Wal-Mart in October. Nautilus touts 33 percent gain in net sales but 4Q expectations lower While Nautilus' (NYSE: NLS) third-quarter sales were up 33 percent and profit increased 11 percent, the forecast for its fourth-quarter was lower than analyst expectations. The increase in sales includes sales from the June acquisition of Pearl Izumi, with estimated annual sales at that time of about $50 million. Net sales were $163.3 million compared to $123.2 million for the corresponding period last year. Net income for the quarter was $8.3 million, or $0.24 per diluted share, up from $7.5 million, or $0.22 per share, or 11 percent for the corresponding period last year. The year ago quarter included a pretax $1.8 million gain on sale of land, which contributed $0.03 per share, the company said. "We returned our business to growth," said CEO Gregg Hammann in a call with analysts Nov. 2. "We acquired two fitness companies… and we expanded distribution." Despite all of that the company executives said they had fallen short, partly because of technical and quality assurance issues (such as problems with the TreadClimber in its exclusive placement commercially at 24 Hour Fitness) that were in its control and partly because of issues (such as weather and consumer confidence) that were not in its control. Hammann has now also taken on the role overseeing manufacturing and operations since its Senior Vice President Holly Valkama, who began in May 2004, had left the company recently. Wrote Mark Rupe, an analyst with Adams Harkness, prior to the Nov. 2 call: "Hammann's direct oversight will restore a sense of urgency and accountability to an initiative of critical importance, in our opinion. To date, supply chain efficiencies have materialized more slowly than we had expected."  Analysts said they had expected Nautilus to earn $0.24 a share, but sales of $163.3 million missed their target of $175.48 million. Wrote RBC analyst Ed Aaron after the call in an analysis: "Overall, the Q3 earnings release brings resolution to our primary concern -- that estimates were too aggressive for 4Q05 and FY-06. While we are not yet prepared to revisit our rating, we now see a better risk/reward profile than we did prior to our recent downgrade. We have reduced our Q4 and FY-06 estimates…" In the retail channel, Nautilus said sales were up 80 percent over the same quarter a year ago, or had reached $29.7 million. The company said it now has an average of five SKUs in 800 Sears stores, will appear in the seasonal Sears fitness catalog, and in Sears ads later this fall. In addition, Nautilus is now averaging about four to five SKUs at Dick's Sporting Goods, compared to one to two a year ago. In 25 Dick's stores, it is testing a larger display with 11 SKUs in a display called "Fitness that Fits." At specialty, the company said sales were up 37 percent compared to a year ago to $17.8 million. For the fourth quarter of 2005, Nautilus estimates that net sales will grow approximately 25 percent compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, fourth quarter 2005 earnings are expected to grow to $0.44 to $0.48 per diluted share, up from $0.42 per share during the year ago quarter when it achieved 50 percent earnings improvement. Nautilus said it expects its full year 2005 earnings to be $1.06 to $1.10, on annual sales of around $660 million. Analysts, on average, currently expect Nautilus to earn $0.56 per share for the fourth quarter, on sales of about $230.6 million. For the year, analysts call for a profit of $1.18 per share, on $692.6 million in revenue. Nautilus also reported that it repurchased approximately 190,000 shares of stock during the third quarter at an average price of $23.75, as part of a $100 million buyback authorized by its board earlier in the year. Also, the board declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.10 per common share, payable Dec. 9, 2005, to stockholders of record as of Nov. 20, 2005. "We're doing everything we can to affect the controllables," said Tim Hawkins, chief customer officer. "We're going to continue to hold our plan." The company did say that it continues to consider the acquisition of a nutrition company, in response to a question from an analyst, with two being looked at closely. A few years ago, Nautilus had a relationship with Champion Nutrition that included options to buy, but they have not been finalized although Champion has continued to have a presence in Nautilus booths at past shows. Nautilus closed on Nov. 2 at $18.30 on the New York Stock Exchange, up $0.19 from the day before. adidas reports Q3 earnings As it gets closer in its bid to takeover Reebok, adidas-Salomon (ADS.DE) reported a third-quarter net profit increase of 20 percent and that earnings for the year would increase a like amount. The company earned Euro 215 million (USD $259 million), or Euro 4.36 (USD $5.26) a share, compared with Euro 179 million (USD $216 million), or Euro 3.92 (USD $4.73) a share, in the year-ago period. Excluding results from its discontinued operations -- particularly its Salomon unit, which it sold to Finland's Amer Sports Corp. earlier this year -- the company earned Euro 209 million (USD $252 million), up 28 percent, and beat analysts' expectations of Euro 190 million (USD $229 million). Sales rose 9.4 percent to Euro 1.92 billion (USD $2.31 billion) from Euro 1.76 billion (USD $2.12 billion) in 2004. This is also the last quarter that includes results from Salomon, which was sold to Amer Sports in a deal that closed Oct. 20. adidas said it is now seeing a high-single-digit increase in revenue on a currency neutral basis due to increased expectations in North America, and said net profit should rise at least 20 percent in 2005 and by at least 10 percent in 2006. adidas said that it was confident its planned $3.8-billion-takeover of rival Reebok would lead to an earnings jump despite a sales slump at Reebok in its third-quarter sales. CEO Herbert Hainer reiterated the merged group would see double-digit net income growth in the medium term, while sales are expected to grow by a mid-to-high single digit percentage. (Conversion of Euros into U.S. dollars is for information only, is not necessarily relative to earnings, and is based on the currency rate as of Nov. 3.) Sara Lee profits drop 81 percent Sara Lee Corp. (NYSE: SLE) posted a drop in first-quarter profit of 81 percent hurt by declining sales and restructuring charges. Among its numerous brands is Champion, which has a license agreement with Lamar Health, Fitness & Sports for Champion-branded equipment. Net earnings for the quarter ended Oct. 1 sank to $67 million, or $0.09 per share, from $352 million, or $0.44 per share, a year earlier. The company said impairment charges, costs from restructuring and closing businesses reduced earnings by about $0.25 per share. Excluding those items, earnings would have been $0.34 per share, exceeding the consensus estimate of analysts of $0.26 per share. Revenue totaled $4.31 billion, down 2 percent from $4.4 billion a year earlier and well short of the consensus target of $4.64 billion. Sales volume fell 3 percent. Brenda Barnes, who took over as CEO in February and was recently given the additional title of chairman, acknowledged the operating results were subpar. "We knew this would be a tough quarter as we realigned our organization, began to change the culture, moved employees and changed jobs," she said of the company, which is in the process of selling assets and relocating to its new corporate headquarters in the suburb of Downers Grove, Ill. "The worst is behind us now." Leaving its guidance unchanged with charges factored in, Sara Lee forecast second-quarter earnings of $0.25 to $0.30 per share and fiscal 2006 income of 97 cents to $1.07 per share. In the day's trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Sara lee's stock was as high as $18.49 and as low as $17.64, to close at $17.87. The stock, though, is still down from its 52-week high of $25 in January, before it announced its restructuring. Everlast gets Q3 net income in the black Net revenue for Everlast Worldwide (Nasdaq: EVST) was up 13 percent in the third quarter to$12.6 million over last year's $11.1 million. The company attributed the increase in net revenues to net sales from continuing apparel operations and sporting goods, which increased 13 percent to $9.8 million compared with $8.6 million in the third quarter of 2004. Net licensing revenues were also up 13 percent to $2.8 million compared with $2.5 million in the prior period. The company posted a 443 percent increase in operating income from continuing operations to $1.2 million, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") increased to $1.6 million compared with $21,000 reported in 2004. The increase in operating income and EBITDA was largely a result of a reduction in operating expense ratio of 28.2 percent compared with 40.5 percent in the 2004 comparable period. Net income was $391,000, or $0.12 per basic share, compared to a net loss of $134,000, or $0.04 loss per basic per share, in the 2004 comparable period. Net income, after $216,000 in costs associated with the discontinued women's business component, was $175,000, or $0.05 per basic share, compared with a net loss of $249,000, or $0.08 per basic share in 2004. "I expect revenues from our licensing, apparel and sporting goods equipment businesses to continue to achieve double-digit increases through existing merchandising and marketing strategies, along with our recently announced continued participation in the second season of The Contender reality television show," said George Q Horowitz, chairman and CEO. "The cost containment programs put in place, along with these anticipated revenue increases, will allow us to show improved operating margins in the quarters ahead." Under Armour to sell IPO shares Under Armour said it plans to sell 12 million shares priced between $7.50 and $9.50 per share in an initial public offering. The company has applied for a Nasdaq listing under the symbol "UARM." It will sell 9.5 million shares and selling stockholders plan to sell another 2.5 million shares. The IPO could raise as much as $114 million in proceeds based on the high end of the estimated price range. U.S. footwear bolster Puma's Q3 Puma's third-quarter profit rose 11 percent as demand for its sports shoes surged in the United States, it said. The company earned Euro 91.9 million (USD $110.6 million), or Euro 5.70 (USD $6.86) a share, in the quarter, compared with Euro 82.4 million, or Euro 5.14 a share, in the year-ago period. Analysts had estimated a profit of Euro 89.4 million (USD $107.7 million). With U.S. and European markets leading the way, Puma's sales during the third quarter rose 16.4 percent to Euro 536.4 million (USD $645.9 million) up from Euro 460.9 million last year. Demand for its clothes and shoes rose in all its key markets, it said, including Europe and Asia, but rose 63.6 percent year-on-year in the United States to Euro 137 million (USD $164.96 million), with footwear accounting for nearly 49 percent of the revenue. In Europe, sales rose 5 percent to Euro 346 million (USD $416.6 million), while in Asia and the Pacific Rim, sales rose by 11.6 percent to Euro 54 million (USD $65 million) in the quarter. Puma raised its full-year earnings outlook, saying it now expects high single digit percentage growth in contrast to earlier projections of "mid- to high-single digit" growth. The company said it expects its 2005 net profit to reach Euro 270 million (USD $325.1 million) on consolidated sales of Euro 1.7 billion (USD $2.05 billion) and expects earnings per share of between Euro 16 and Euro 17 (USD $19 and $20). Same-store sales on the rise for Foot Locker Foot Locker (NYSE: FL) reported that third-quarter same-store sales rose 2.7 percent on strong sales at its U.S. stores, but lowered its outlook to accommodate hurricane charges. It attributed the same-store sales rise to mid-single digit growth at U.S. businesses, led by Footaction and Champs Sports. Total sales rose 3 percent to $1.41 billion from $1.37 billion for the quarter. Excluding currency fluctuations, sales rose 2.6 percent The company estimates third-quarter earnings from continuing operations of $0.39 to $0.41 per share, down from $0.42 to $0.44, on hurricane-related and other charges of $0.03 per share. Analysts estimate earnings per share of 49 cents. Amer told Franklin Resources owns nearly 5 percent capital Finnish Securities notified Amer Sports (AMEAS.HE) that the total number of shares held by the mutual funds and separate accounts managed by the affiliated investment adviser of Franklin Resources represents 4.73 percent of the company's share capital and voting rights. Amer's capital consists of 71,419,860 shares in issue. Costco reports October sales Costco (Nasdaq: COST) said net sales rose 12 percent to $4.26 billion in the four weeks ended on Oct. 30. U.S. same-store sales were up 10 percent. Excluding a 30 percent year-over-year jump in gasoline prices, they rose 8 percent. International same-store sales rose 9 percent, helped by a strong Canadian dollar. Excluding the foreign currency benefit, the increase was 6 percent. Total comp sales up 4.3 percent for Wal-Mart in October Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT) reported total net sales of $23.255 billion for October. Total same-store sales were up 4.3 percent. The Wal-Mart division posted $15.397 billion in sales, with a same-store sales increase of 3.9 percent. It estimates U.S. comparable sales for November to be in the 3 percent to 5 percent range. For more information about these companies or their financial reports, as well as to view stock prices updated every 15 minutes, visit the SNEWS® Stock Market Updates. Click on:www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/stock_report.html  Fitness financials: Accell Group sales boosted by acquisitions, plus Precor-parent Amer Sports, Sara Lee/Champion, Everlast, Gaiam, Foot Locker, Costco, Wal-Mart Accell Group sales boosted by acquisitionsThe Netherlands' Accell Group, parent of Tunturi and recent acquirers of Wynne International, reported that sales for the first half of 2005 were up 5 percent to Euro 213.8 million (USD $264 million) compared to Euro 204.3 million (USD ...read more Fitness financials: Analyst tells investors to wait on Nautilus, plus Cybex, Johnson Health Tech, Dick's, Hibbett, Sara Lee, Foot Locker, Finish Line, Winmark/Play it Again, Town Sports, Wal-Mart For May 16-22 Analyst issues concerns, tells investors to wait on NautilusAnalyst Merriman Curhan Ford on May 17 issued a newsletter that SNEWS® obtained expressing concern over the quality of earnings for Nautilus as well as trends in the balance sheet. The group concluded by ...read more Fitness financials: Gaiam Q3 posts wider net loss, plus adidas, Costco, Wal-Mart Gaiam Q3 posts wider net loss, sales drop Gaiam's (Nasdaq: GAIA) third-quarter revenue dipped 14.3 percent and its net loss widened. Also, it was among the biggest percentage losers in Nov. 7 trading. For the quarter ended Sept. 30, revenue was $60.3 million, down from $70.3 ...read more Fitness financials: Nautilus lowers Q1 guidance, share prices sink; plus Bally, Puma, Costco, Wal-Mart Nautilus lowers Q1 guidance, share prices sinkNautilus (NYSE: NLS) lowered its first-quarter earnings guidance based on sluggish sales of its home fitness products in North America. For the first quarter, the company said it now expects earnings per diluted share of $0.08-$0.09 ...read more Fitness financials: Nautilus' Q4 net income down whopping 80 percent, plus Brunswick, Icon, Hibbett, adidas/Reebok, Sara Lee, Amer, Costco, Wal-Mart Nautilus' Q4 net income down whopping 80 percentAfter delaying its conference call two days, Nautilus (NYSE: NLS) released fourth-quarter results marred by an 80 percent plunge in net income, pulled down by the company's failure to launch six new products during the holiday ...read more Fitness financials: Dick's comp store sales up 1.1 percent, plus Nautilus, TSI, Saucony/Hind, Gaiam, Foot Locker, Finish Line, Amer Group, Costco, Wal-Mart, Sears Dick's reports 4Q, FY04 earningsDick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) saw its fourth quarter net income shoot up to $43.4 million, or $0.81 per share, from $26 million, or $0.50 per share, in the 2003 fourth quarter. Results include the operating results for the recently purchased ...read more Fitness financials: Nautilus' Q3 net sales plummet nearly 34 percent, Mobia product launched; plus Puma, Costco Nautilus' Q3 net sales plummet nearly 34 percent, Mobia product launched Despite narrowing its net loss, Nautilus (NYSE: NLS) couldn't turn the tide on its sales decline, which dropped nearly 34 percent for the third quarter handicapped by slower consumer spending and tight ...read more Fitness financials: Precor drives Amer Sports growth, plus Nautilus, Bally, Sports Authority, Crocs, Gaiam, Foot Locker, Wal-Mart, Costco Amer's Precor posts 17 percent sales increaseDriven by "particularly good growth" with its Precor business segment, Amer Sports reported net sales growth of 8 percent for the January to March first quarter -- Euro 417.4 million (USD $527.4 million) in 2006 compared to Euro 385.0 ...read more Fitness financials: Nautilus stock drops 6 percent on analyst downgrade, plus Everlast, Crocs, Town Sports Int'l, adidas/Reebok, Foot Locker, Finish Line, Amer, Costco, Wal-Mart Nautilus stock drops 6 percent on analyst downgradeAfter being downgraded from "buy" to "neutral" by Merriman Curhan Ford on March 3, shares of Nautilus (NYSE: NLS) fell $0.96, or 6 percent, to $15.14 in midday trading on the New York Stock Exchange, closing the day at $15.12. ...read more

Shopify almost completely eliminates work meetings Many meetings could be replaced by one or more emails. Many are clear about this, and are aware that endless meetings, in many cases, take time away from employees to do effective work. Therefore, in Shopify they have decided to end the vast majority of them. To do this, since this month of January, the Canadian company has communicated to its employees that it is going to carry out what it has described, according to Bloomberg, as a "calendar purge". that's why he's going to delete all recurring meetings of more than two people forever. It is not the only measure that it is going to take, since, among other things, it has also prohibited meetings of any kind from being held on Wednesdays. Meetings of more than 50 people that cannot be deleted and are truly relevant will have to be held within a six-hour time window on Thursdays, and only one such meeting can be held per week. In addition, Shopify managers have encouraged their employees in a message to reject other meetings, and to leave internal work groups in which there are many people. According to Tobi Lutke, CEO of Shopify«the best founders can do is subtract. It is much easier to add things than to remove them. If you say yes to something, you are saying no to anything else you could have done in that period of time. As people add things, the set of things that can be done gets smaller. So you end up with more and more people who are just maintaining the status quo.«. According to the company, there will be a bot that is in charge of reinforcing this new policy that they have decided to adopt. Among other things, its mission will be to remind meeting organizers of the new rules starting this coming day 5. Kaz Nejatina, Vice President of Product and COO of Shopifyhas sent a message by email in response to various questions that have arisen in this regard, in which he states that «Over the years, we've seen too many meetings creep into our day-to-day lives. We don't know of anyone who logged into Shopify to participate in meetups.«. The meetings purge is the latest experiment that Shopify is doing with their template. In May 2020, shortly after the start of the pandemic, the company went "digital by design," allowing all of its employees to work from anywhere indefinitely. Last year, amid major industry volatility that had a notable negative impact on tech stocks, Shopify changed its workers' compensation practices to let workers choose how much of their salary they wanted in cash and how much in stock. instead of letting company management decide the combination. These changes come after an increase in spending cuts at the company, which allows sellers to create websites to sell their products online, allowing them to have inventory management and payment processing, as well as various tools for in-store purchases. . It was among the most attractive stocks in Canada in the pandemic, when online shopping soared. It even became the country's highest-valued company, but its shares plummeted last year, losing 75% of their value. As a result, Shopify laid off about 1,000 employees of its 10,000-strong workforce last summer, and Lutke was left with no choice but to admit that he had overestimated the impact of the pandemic on e-commerce. Adopting no-meeting policies can boost productivity as well as reduce stress among workers, according to some research. Of course, the company is not going to eliminate them completely, as we have seen. Only the important ones will be held, and there will also be a waiting period to be able to reorganize a canceled meeting: two weeks. This is the minimum amount of time that will elapse in Shopify from when a meeting is suspended until it can be called again. In addition, the company has decided that Slack will only be used for internal IM from now on. Large chat groups, which are very difficult to manage, will only be used for making announcements. Long and unproductive meetings have become a scourge for hybrid work and remote work, which has led more than a few companies to take measures to limit it. In Meta or Twilio, for example, it has already been decided that there are certain days when meetings cannot be held. Employees spend many hours in them, and according to some studies, only less than 15% of them refuse to participate in them. Of course, more than 30% would prefer to do so. And begrudgingly going to a non-critical meeting also makes big companies lose $100 million a year or so. Related Topics:completelyeliminatesmeetingsShopifywork US engineers use 19th century technology to create lithium batteries Microsoft works on a new version for Bing to compete with Google Have you seen it yet? McDonald's has completely changed the beverage system The USA want to completely isolate Huawei: Germany, on the other hand, continues to rely on the Chinese manufacturer The USA want to completely isolate Huawei: Germany, on the other hand, continues to rely on the technology from China So you can watch the first episode of 'The Last Of Us' completely free on your iPhone The fusion of robotization and human work, a great challenge for the supply chain Look, a cat video! Tools prevent such distractions at work Apple Arcade: all the news for February (Castle Crumble, Riptide GP: Renegade+, etc.) 10 million euros in the Eurojackpot Important for autumn and winter: These things should not be missing in any car

As personal chefs we're awfully good at creating delicious, nutritious, ready-to-eat meals for clients. But how many of us also develop little extras that can lift an otherwise satisfying dish into something truly memorable? Extras like condiments–salsas, unique mustards, aioli, pickled vegetables, or some other treat? Our friend Caron Golden, a food writer in San Diego, loves to meet with chefs in their kitchens so they can teach her a dish or technique, which she then shares with readers in her blog San Diego Foodstuff. About a year and a half ago she spent time in the kitchen of Terra, a restaurant in San Diego's East County with a local, seasonal focus. Terra's sous chef at the time, a young man named Pablo Ibarra, taught her how to make Charred Meyer Lemon Chutney. Winter, of course, is prime time for Meyer lemons–well, for citrus in general–although we still have Meyer lemons and conventional Eureka lemons on our trees and can generally find them year round. This chutney is sublime with chicken, seafood, and pork. It's got a mellow combination of tart and sweet. Make it with thicker skinned Eureka lemons and you get an additional intriguing bitterness, not unlike marmalade. This recipe calls for relatively few ingredients, but of course that means they have to be top quality. Set up your mise en place with minced shallots, sliced green onions, sugar and salt. Neatly cut a couple of lemons into quarter-inch slices, hold each slice up to the light to track down seeds, then use fork tines to pop them out. You'll need a couple of sauté pans, one for charring the lemons, the other for sautéing the shallots. Pour a bit of canola oil into each before firing up the burners. Once the pans heat up add the lemon slices into one, then toss the lemons around to get both sides blackened and sizzling. In the other pan, sauté the shallots, and then add the little caramelized pieces to the charred lemons. Just before removing the mixture from the heat, stir in the green onions. The chutney will be almost done, but there is one optional task left: chopping up the rings of lemons. Here, we used Eureka lemons and you can see they're still fairly firm, but Meyer lemons would collapse. In this case you might choose leave them alone. 1. Add oil to sauté pan (not nonstick) and heat to high temperature. Carefully add lemon slices and cook on both sides until browned. 2. Sauté shallots in a second pan until caramelized. Add to lemons, along with sugar and salt. Once the mixture begins to turn soft, add the green onions. 3. Remove from heat and chop the lemon peels. If you want to add a little spice or boldness, you can add a teaspoon or so of whole grain mustard. Serve with tuna, any kind of firm white fish, pork tenderloin, or chicken (or spread on toast). Do you make condiments for your clients that complement the meals you prepare for them? What are your/their favorites?

About Us | News | Foreign Policy | Countries & Regions | Consular Services Top > Foreign Policy > Diplomatic Bluebook > Diplomatic Bluebook 2020 > Chapter 3 Japan's Foreign Policy to Promote National and Global Interests > Section 3 Economic Diplomacy > 2 Rule-Making to Bolster Free and Open Global Economic Systems Diplomatic Bluebook 2020 Back | Next Japan's Foreign Policy to Promote National and Global Interests 2 Rule-Making to Bolster Free and Open Global Economic Systems (1) Promotion of Economic Partnerships Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)1 and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)2 help capture the vitality of the growing markets overseas and strengthen the basis of the Japanese economy, through measures such as the reduction or elimination of tariffs on goods as well as barriers on trade in services, and through rule-making for trade and investment. To date, the Government of Japan has signed 18 EPAs and FTAs with 21 countries and regions, all of which have entered into force. The EPA/FTA ratio in Japan's trade (the ratio of trade value with countries which have FTAs already signed or entered into force with Japan, to that of total trade value) was 51.6% at the end of December 2019, which reached 86.2% when including the trade value of countries and regions with EPAs and FTAs in negotiations. Following on the enactment of TPP113 on December 30, 2018, the Japan-EU EPA entered into force on February 1, 2019. The First Protocol to Amend the Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Partnership among Japan and Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (AJCEP) was signed by Japan on February 27, the nine ASEAN nations on March 2, and Viet Nam on April 24, as a result of many years of tireless negotiations. As a flag bearer of free trade, Japan will work toward the steady implementation and expansion of the TPP11 Agreement as well as the steady implementation of the Japan-EU EPA, while promoting global trade liberalization through negotiations of other EPAs. 1 Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are agreements that aim to create rules concerning trade liberalization, investment, the movement of people, intellectual property protection, and competition policy, and seek to strengthen wide-ranging economic relationships by providing for, among other things, factors for cooperation in various fields. 2 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are agreements that aim to reduce or eliminate tariffs on goods or trade in service barriers among specified countries or regions. 3 TPP11: Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership A TPP11 Agreement, Japan-EU EPA, RCEP, Japan-China-ROK Free Trade Agreement, and FTAAP (A) TPP11 Agreement The TPP11 Agreement is an effort to establish new economic integration rules for the 21st century in a wide range of areas such as tariffs, services, investments, intellectual property, and state-owned enterprises in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region. It will provide Japanese companies an opportunity to be more active in markets overseas and will be a major driving force for economic growth in Japan. Furthermore, the strengthening of the interdependent relations in economic terms with countries that share fundamental values through the TPP11 Agreement has great strategic significance for the security of Japan and the stability of the Asia-Pacific region, leading to peace and prosperity in the region and the world at large. The 12 countries of Japan, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the U.S., and Viet Nam signed the TPP12 Agreement in February 2016, but the U.S. announced its withdrawal from the TPP12 Agreement in January 2017. As such, Japan proactively led the discussions in order to bring about the early realization of the TPP as soon as possible among the 11 countries. As a result, at the TPP Ministerial Meeting held in Da Nang, Viet Nam in November 2017, the Ministers agreed to move forward with the TPP11 Agreement among 11 countries, by incorporating the articles of the original TPP12 Agreement drawn up by the 12 countries into the new TPP11 Agreement, while exceptionally suspending the application of certain articles (agreement in principle). Later, in March 2018, the TPP11 Agreement was signed in Santiago, Chile. Mexico, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia completed necessary domestic procedures and the Agreement entered into force on December 30. Viet Nam became the seventh Party to conclude the Agreement in January 2019. TPP11 Agreement signing (March 8, 2018, Santiago, Chile; Photo: TPP Headquarters at the Cabinet Secretariat Office) Amidst the spread of protectionist sentiments around the world, this sends a strong message to the world that Japan is committed to promoting free trade, and is a major step toward extending the free, fair, and modern trade of the 21st century, and investment rules in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, Japan became the TPP Chair in January and hosted the First Commission of the TPP at the ministerial-level (with Minister Motegi, then in charge of Economic Revitalization, serving as Chair). Decisions were made about four subjects at the meeting; matters concerning administration, accession process of the TPP11 Agreement, rules for resolving disputes involving Parties to TPP11, and about a code of conduct for investor-State dispute settlement. At the second meeting of the TPP Commission, held in October in Auckland (New Zealand), two decisions were made that concerned rules for TPP Commission procedures (rules of procedure concerning execution of Commission activities, including the process for conducting meetings and planning agendas) and for establishing a Roster of Panel Chairs (subcommittee) for dispute resolution. Japan will continue to take the lead on discussions toward the implementation and expansion of the TPP11 Agreement. (B) Japan-EU EPA The Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) entered into force on February 1. Along with realizing a high-level elimination or reduction of tariffs, it also serves as a model for the 21st century's modern economic order based on free and fair rules. Almost six years since negotiations for the agreement started in April 2013, a giant economic zone was created comprising 600 million people and 30% of the world's GDP. While Japan and the EU are geographically distant from one another, they have forged collaborative relationships in numerous fields as important global partners sharing the same basic values. With the enactment of this agreement, Japan-EU relations take a new step forward, supported by a legal foundation for strengthening collaboration. It is expected that trade, investment, and people-to-people exchange between Japan and the EU will become more active than ever leading to closer relations among the citizens of Japan and the EU. One of the concreate examples is the fairs related to the Japan-EU EPA organized by numerous retailers and restaurants followed by the agreement's enactment, which has showed the real advantages of the agreement to SMEs and consumers (see the Column on page 269). At the First Japan-EU Joint Committee meeting held in April, participants mutually confirmed the levels of agreement implementation and discussed possible further ways for Japan-EU future collaboration, expressed by the slogan "Beyond EPA, beyond trade." Japan and the EU are working to strengthen their multilayered collaboration to address various issues through 12 specialized committees and working groups as well as existing policy dialogues among authorities and public-private initiatives. First Joint Committee of the Japan-EU EPA (April 10, Tokyo) Suneya Masahiko Secretary-General, Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council Secretariat QR code integrated with the "Universal Wagyu Mark" Under the government's target of expanding Japan's value of exports for agricultural, forestry, and fisheries products as well as food products to 1 trillion yen in 2019, the Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council Secretariat (J-LEC) is engaged in relevant activities through five export committees for beef, pork, chicken, egg, and milk and dairy products. Among these products, the target export value of 14 billion yen for milk and dairy products was achieved in 2018, and the target export value of 25 billion yen for beef was achieved in November 2019. Wagyu beef, a variety of beef that is produced in Japan, has now become synonymous with high-quality beef and has a growing reputation around the world as luxury food. The framework that supports trust in Japanese beef comprises elements such as a pedigree registration system with a more than 100-year history for Wagyu beef, a traceability system based on the law, and a proprietary meat rating system. This framework is the decisive factor that differentiates Japanese Wagyu beef from "WAGYU" beef produced in other countries. The J-LEC has established the "Universal Wagyu Mark" as an indication of Wagyu beef produced in Japan, and has conducted Wagyu seminars in various countries. At these seminars, crowds throng in once the sampling session begins. Cutting techniques that brings out the unique appeal of Japan-produced Wagyu beef, including the artistic beauty of its marbling and its unique fragrance and soft texture, as well as a menu that reflects the food culture of Japan, are also indispensable. The J-LEC also provides support by inviting overseas stakeholders in the industry and dispatching experts for activities such as domestic training programs in cutting techniques, on-site visits, and exchange of opinions with those involved in the industry. The tireless business development efforts by the beef production industry in Japan as well as initiatives by the J-LEC, including the Beef Export Committee, have resulted in the steady expansion of Japanese beef exports, while the majority of exports is bound for Asia in terms of export volumes by country and region. The TPP11 Agreement, the Japan-EU EPA, and the Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement entered into force in 2018, 2019, and 2020 respectively. The value of exports to the EU for the ten-month period after the Japan-EU EPA entered into force (February to November 2019) showed a 28% year-on-year growth. Furthermore, the value of exports to countries that joined the TPP11 Agreement after it entered into force also shows an increasing trend for each country, with the value of exports to Canada growing by 8% year-on-year for instance. The effects of the agreements, such as the immediate abolition of tariffs on beef as a result of the Japan-EU EPA and the reduction in tariffs as a result of the TPP11 Agreement and the Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement, are expected to further expand exports not only to Asia but also to Europe and the U.S. In the Asian market, certification marks that are similar to the "Universal Wagyu Mark" have emerged on the back of the popularity of Japanese Wagyu beef. In addition, in luxury beef markets in different parts of the world such as Europe, the U.S., and the Middle East, brand awareness of Japanese Wagyu beef─which entered the market later─is still relatively lower than that of "WAGYU" beef produced overseas. Moreover, with the strong consciousness of terroir (referring to environmental factors that characterize the habitat of food production) in Europe, there are also strong calls for the provision of accurate and detailed information. In response, the QR code that describes the individual identification numbers of cattle was integrated with the "Universal Wagyu Mark" in June 2019, and a system that provides quality information on the spot, such as individual identification, registration, and rating, as well as unique information on individual suppliers, was launched as a model project. This system is scheduled to enter full-scale operation from FY2020. The Japan-EU EPA includes provisions on the mutual protection of a geographical indication (GI), which is a system that protects the name of specialty products unique to the respective production-area, by registering them as intellectual property. Such provisions strengthen the protection of the Japanese Wagyu beef brand in the EU, and are expected to enhance its differentiation from other products. Moves to resume beef exports to China are currently attracting the greatest attention among various export strategies for respective countries. There are growing expectations of the market potential not only on the Japanese side, but also on the Chinese side. With the signing of the Japan-China Agreement on Cooperation in Animal Health and Quarantine in November 2018 and other developments, the acceleration of negotiations with a view to resume Japanese beef exports, including Wagyu beef, is anticipated. In order to further protect the brand of Japanese Wagyu beef and expand its market, in addition to the initiatives that have been implemented to date, we are facing the urgent task of establishing a supply system that can meet global demand. This can be achieved by promoting compliance with Standards of Rearing Hygiene Management and HACCP* certification for farms, as well as by increasing the number of Wagyu beef cattle and expanding HACCP-compliant meat processing facilities for export. Furthermore, in order to realize stable production and export of Japanese Wagyu beef, it is also important to prevent the invasion of virulent, infectious diseases from overseas, such as foot-and-mouth disease, through a complete and secure animal quarantine system. To that end, the J-LEC will cooperate closely with the government's proactive economic diplomacy to work on each and every possible measure. *A method for hygiene control to ensure the safety of products and management procedures that are particularly important for eliminating or mitigating hazards in all processes, from the procurement of raw materials to the shipment of products, based upon an understanding by the food (or other products) business operator of hazards such as contamination by food poisoning bacterium or foreign substances. (C) Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) The RCEP is a pillar of East Asian economic integration, aimed at realizing the establishment of an integrated economic zone that covers approximately half of the world's population, and about 30% of the world's gross domestic product (GDP) and total trade amount. Since the launch of negotiations in May 2013, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states and their FTA partner states (six countries, namely Japan, China, the ROK, Australia, New Zealand and India) have been working together to advance negotiations toward a comprehensive and high-level agreement in areas that include trade in goods, trade in services, investment, competition, rules of origin, intellectual property, and electronic commerce, and customs procedures and trade facilitation. As of December 2019, 19 ministerial meetings and 28 rounds of have been held. At the 3rd RCEP Summit Meeting held in November in conjunction with the ASEAN-related Summit Meetings, leaders of 16 RCEP Participating Countries (RPCs) released the Joint Leaders' Statement on the RCEP. The statement noted that the 15 RPCs have concluded text-based negotiations for all 20 chapters4 and essentially all their market access issues, and tasked legal scrubbing by them to commence for signing the RCEP Agreement in 2020. RPCs also agreed to work together to resolve outstanding unresolved issues concerning India. Japan will continue to play a leading role, following the Joint Leaders' Statement. 4 1) Initial Provisions and General Definitions; 2) Trade in Goods; 3) Rules of Origin, including Annex on Product Specific Rules; 4) Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation; 5) Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures; 6) Standards, Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment Procedures; 7) Trade Remedies; 8) Trade in Services, including Annexes on Financial Services, Telecommunication Services, and Professional Services; 9) Movement of Natural Persons; 10) Investment; 11) Intellectual Property; 12) Electronic Commerce; 13) Competition; 14) Small and Medium Enterprises; 15) Economic and Technical Cooperation; 16) Government Procurement; 17) General Provisions and Exceptions; 18) Institutional Provisions; 19) Dispute Settlement; and 20) Final Provisions. (D) Japan-China-ROK FTA The Japan-China-ROK FTA is a negotiation with Japan's major trading partners: China and the ROK. The negotiations were launched in March 2013, and 16 rounds of negotiations were held by December 2019. The three countries have been engaged in discussions over a wide range of areas including trade in goods, investment, trade in services, competition, intellectual property, and electronic commerce, with the shared objective of pursuing a comprehensive, high quality, and mutually beneficial FTA. (E) Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) Concept Discussions are being held at the meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) on next-generation trade and investment issues to be addressed, and capacity building programs mainly for developing economies (countries and regions) are being implemented. The Lima Declaration on the FTAAP adopted at the 2016 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting confirmed mainly the following three points: (1) the FTAAP should be high quality and comprehensive, and incorporate and address next-generation trade and investment issues, and it should be built on the TPP11 Agreement, the RCEP, and other agreements as the pathway; (2) APEC would begin on implementing the work programs supporting capacity building aimed at promoting the realization of FTAAP; and (3) progress made toward realizing the FTAAP would be reported to the Leaders in 2018 and 2020. Following workshops in 2017 and 2018, Japan held a workshop on "competition chapters" in the FTAs and EPAs in 2019, with the goal of capacity building of developing economies in APEC. Through the sharing of successful cases, particularly from the perspective of regulations, with regard to "desirable and optional elements" in competition chapters, Japan has provided capacity building support for FTAs and EPAs policy makers and negotiators. From the viewpoint of achieving a comprehensive and high-quality FTAAP, it is significant that the TPP11 Agreement entered into force at the end of December 2018 and that negotiations are progressing toward the early signing of the RCEP Agreement. B Bilateral and Other Agreements (A) EPAs Currently Being Negotiated a Turkey As an important country that serves as a hub among Europe, the Middle East, the Central Asia and Caucasus region, and Africa, Turkey has considerable economic potential and is attracting attention as a production base for exports to surrounding regions. The country has signed FTAs with over 20 countries and regions, and the need for developing conditions of competition for Japanese companies through the conclusion of the current EPA has been recognized. Furthermore, business communities in both countries have high expectations for the early conclusion of an EPA between the two countries. The leaders of Japan and Turkey agreed to launch EPA negotiations at the summit meeting in January 2014, and 17 rounds of negotiations had been held as of the end of December, 2019. b Colombia In December 2012, Japan began the EPA negotiations with Colombia, a country with rich natural resources and high economic growth. Colombia has concluded FTAs with several countries (the U.S., Canada, the EU, the ROK, etc.), and there is a growing need to regulate the competitive environment for Japan as well. The strengthening of bilateral relations through the conclusion of an EPA is expected to lead to improved cooperation in the international arena and promote cooperation among Japan and the Pacific Alliance (Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Chile). 13 rounds of negotiations have been held to date. (B) Suspended EPA and FTA Negotiations a ROK Japan and the ROK are the third largest trading partners with each other. Based on the recognition that EPA negotiations with the ROK will provide both countries with a stable economic framework and bring about benefits for the future, both countries launched negotiations in 2003 but they have been suspended since 2004. b Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) For Japan, the GCC member states (the six countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) constitute one of the most important regions as an oil and natural gas supplier and an important market for exporting infrastructure, among others. The Japan-GCC FTA negotiations were launched in 2006 to reinforce economic ties with GCC member states, but they have been suspended since 2009 on the grounds of the GCC side. In 2012, Japan launched EPA negotiations with Canada, with which Japan shares fundamental values and has a complementary economic relationship. Seven rounds of negotiation meetings had been held by November 2014, in order to achieve an EPA that can contribute to a stable supply of energy, minerals and food to Japan. However, since the TPP11 Agreement entered into force with six countries including Japan and Canada on December 30, 2018, the EPA negotiations between the two countries have not been held. (C) Existing EPAs The existing EPAs contain provisions concerning the joint committee, which is a body that discusses the implementation of the agreements, and a process to review the agreements after a certain period of time since their entry into force. In addition, a variety of consultations are being held in order to smoothly implement these existing EPAs. C Movement of Natural Persons In accordance with the EPAs, Japan has been accepting candidates for nurses and certified care workers from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. In 2019, 335 Indonesians (38 nurses and 297 care workers), 330 Filipinos (42 nurses and 288 care workers), and 217 Vietnamese (41 nurses and 176 care workers) were accepted into Japan. 2018 also saw 69 nurses (15 Indonesians, 31 Filipinos, and 23 Vietnamese) and 266 care workers (78 Indonesians, 95 Filipinos, and 93 Vietnamese) pass the national examination. A total of more than 400 nurses and 950 certified care workers have passed the exam as of the end of FY2018. D Investment Treaties, Tax Conventions and Agreements on Social Security (A) Investment Treaties Investment treaties constitute an important legal basis to promote investments, by stipulating the protection of investors and their investment property, enhancement of transparency in regulations, expansion of investment opportunities, procedures for investment dispute settlement, and other matters. In order to promote the improvement of the investment environment overseas and to attract foreign investment to the Japanese market, Japan has actively engaged in concluding investment treaties. In May 2019, the Japan-Armenia Investment Treaty entered into force. As of the end of December 2019, there are currently 44 investment-related treaties that have entered into force (30 investment treaties and 14 EPAs), and five (three investment treaties and two EPAs) that have been signed but not yet entered into force, bringing the total to 49, covering 76 economies. Including investment-related treaties that are currently under negotiation, 94 economies and around 93% of Japan's direct investments overseas will be covered (as of the end of December 2019).5 5 Regional balance of Direct Investment (Assets), Ministry of Finance (All regions) (B) Tax Conventions Tax conventions are intended to eliminate international double taxation in cross-border economic activities (e.g. to reduce or exempt withholding taxes imposed on investment income such as dividends), or to prevent tax evasion or avoidance, and provide an important legal basis for promoting sound investment and economic exchange between the two countries. Japan is actively working in line with the Government's policy that "the Government will expand tax treaty networks, both in terms of quality and quantity, that are necessary for supporting the sound overseas business expansion of Japanese companies, through the conclusion of new treaties with countries/regions where investment relations with Japan are expected to develop, as well as amending existing treaties." ("Growth Strategy 2019" (Cabinet decision, June 21, 2019)). Entering into force in 2019 were a new (completely revised) tax treaty with Belgium in January, a revised protocol to the tax treaty with the U.S. in August, a tax convention with Croatia in September, and a tax treaty with Ecuador in December. Additionally, the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (Convention to Implement Measures to Prevent BEPS) entered into force for Japan. Meanwhile, Japan signed tax treaties with Argentina in June, Uruguay in September, Peru in November, Jamaica in December, and Uzbekistan (new, completely revised treaty) in December. Negotiations for tax treaties reached an agreement in principle with Morocco in September and Serbia in November. As of the end of 2019, Japan has signed 76 tax conventions that apply to 135 economies. (C) Agreements on Social Security Agreements on social security aim to resolve the issues of social security insurance premium double payment and annuity insurance non-refunds. They are expected to facilitate interpersonal exchange and strengthen further bilateral relations, including economic exchange, by reducing the burden on Japanese companies and citizens working overseas. The total number of countries that have concluded or signed such agreements with Japan now stands at 23, as of the end of 2019. In 2019, Japan signed agreements with Sweden and Finland and enacted agreements with Slovakia and China. (2) Initiatives with International Organizations (WTO, OECD, etc.) A World Trade Organization (WTO) (A) Issues Confronting the WTO The remarkable economic grow that Japan achieved with scarce natural resources after World War II is owed to the free trade system. The WTO has facilitated free trade through various efforts such as rule-making for trade liberalization, dispute settlement between WTO Members, and conducting monitoring to ensure the implementation of the WTO Agreements. But the WTO is now facing considerable challenges. Hampered by dysfunctional rule-making mechanisms due to the stall of the Doha Round,6 the WTO has been unable to adequately address structural changes in the international economy, including the rise of emerging nations and the digitalization of the economy. As explained below, criticism became heightened over the Appellate Body being blamed for overstepping its expected role by making overreaching judgments. In December 2019, following a disagreement among WTO Members to elect successors for outgoing members, the Appellate Body ceased to function. Moreover, to monitor that the WTO agreements are observed, the WTO's system requires countries to notify about their trade-related measures. In reality, however, notifications concerning mainly policy to protect domestic industries, including subsidies, are often not being made, and WTO obligations are sometimes not complied with as needed. 6 "Rounds" are trade liberalization negotiations in which all WTO Members participate. There were eight rounds of negotiations held during the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) years, from the first negotiations held in Geneva in 1947 to the last round held in Uruguay in 1994, and with each round held in response to the global economic demands of the time. The Uruguay Round saw decisions made to implement rules for new fields at the time, including trade in services and intellectual property, and strengthen mechanisms that included establishing the international organization that is the WTO. Later, the Doha Round became the first round to be held under the WTO system. (B) Increasing Momentum and the Push for WTO Reform In light of the above-mentioned circumstances, the need for WTO reform is becoming broadly acknowledged at numerous multinational fora while momentum builds toward implementing such reform. In particular, G20 meetings chaired by Japan have significantly pushed the discussion forward concerning WTO reform (see the Special Feature on page 280). At the G20 Ibaraki-Tsukuba Ministerial Meeting on Trade and Digital Economy in June, despite a difference of opinions among participants, a ministerial statement that encapsulated an agreement on necessary WTO reform leading to the summit was released as G20. In the same vein, the G20 Osaka Summit affirmed a commitment to the basic principles of free trade ─ free, fair, non-discriminatory, and open markets, as well as fair competition ─ even amid growing tensions over trade issues. After it agreed to promote WTO reforms, such as the development of a dispute settlement system and rule-making including on electronic commerce, the G20 Osaka Summit gave political support to WTO reform by "reaffirming our support for the necessary reform of the World Trade Organization." Furthermore, at the G7 Biarritz Summit held after the G20 Osaka Summit, leaders expressed their desire to "change the WTO." In response to this international momentum, moves for WTO reform are accelerating in the following three areas: (1) reform of the dispute settlement system, (2) rule-making appropriate for the current global economy, and (3) strengthening monitoring functions for agreement compliance. (C) Reform of the Dispute Settlement System In the aftermath of the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in March 2011, the ROK imposed a series of import restrictions on foods and other products from Japan. Despite Japan's explanation on the safety of Japanese food products based on scientific evidence, the ROK made no indication of relaxing or removing its restrictions. In response, Japan initiated the WTO dispute settlement procedures on the grounds that the said measures were trade-restrictive in violation of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement). While Japan held consultations with the ROK in accordance with the procedures, no mutually agreed solution was reached. Japan then turned to a WTO panel for a first instance adjudication in September 2015. In February 2018, after considering the opinions of five experts, including the committee members of international organizations, the panel ruled that the measures by the ROK were unnecessarily restrictive, arbitrary and unjustifiably discriminatory, which constituted violations of the WTO Agreement, and published a report recommending the ROK take corrective action. Dissatisfied with the panel's ruling, the ROK appealed to the Appellate Body for a second instance adjudication in April 2018. In April 2019, the Appellate Body reversed the panel's ruling on the grounds that the panel's legal analysis was insufficient. It then offered no ruling on the WTO-consistency or inconsistency of the ROK's restrictive measures. The Appellate Body report was not only extremely regrettable and putting a damper on recovery efforts for disaster-stricken areas in Japan, but failed to deliver a judgement whether the ROK's disputed measures were WTO consistent or not. For its failure to fulfill its function of settling disputes, the report significantly undermined the confidence in the WTO dispute settlement system itself. With this concern in mind, Japan has been proactively participating in discussions on the dispute settlement system reform. The panel's factual findings on this case that Cesium concentrations in Japanese food products fall below the levels that the ROK itself set in accordance with international standards have been accepted without contestation. Japan is now explaining the panel's findings to countries and regions with import restrictions still in place, while taking every opportunity to encourage the relaxation or removal of such restrictions (see the Column on page 287). (D) Rulemaking Appropriate for the Current Global Economy The situation above makes it clear that accommodating the digitalization of and structural changes in the international economy will require more than just the existing rules of the WTO Agreements. At the 11th Ministerial Conference (MC11), in December 2017, Japan issued a joint statement concerning e-commerce with 71 WTO Members, including the U.S., the EU, and many developing country Members, and in January 2019 issued a joint statement together with WTO Members that affirmed their intention to begin negotiations. With respect to negotiations participated in by all WTO Members, as a means to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), progress is being made with negotiations on fishery subsidy aimed at regulating subsidies that adversely impact fishing resources. Japan is also actively participating in these negotiations. The WTO allows Members to self-declare as to whether or not they are a developing country, and even economically-advanced countries may be exempted from the WTO Agreements obligations by declaring themselves to be a "developing country" (Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT)).7 Japan and other developed countries see it as a problem that exemptions are granted to the "developing countries" that make up two thirds of the WTO's membership. The situation is gradually changing in 2019, as exemplified by the fact that Brazil, Singapore, and the ROK are renouncing the S&DT in current and future negotiations. 7 S&DT: Special and Differential Treatment (E) Strengthening of Monitoring Functions The WTO's system is based upon transparency and predictability with regard to Members' trade policies, and requires that Members notify their trade-related measures. In reality, however, notifications mainly concerning policy to protect domestic industries, including subsidies, are often not being made, and sometimes WTO obligations are not complied with as needed. Japan is actively leading discussions in this regard, which includes coordinating with the U.S. and the EU, among other parties, to submit a notification reform proposal aimed at strengthening the monitoring function of the WTO Agreements. By thoroughly explaining the purport and goal of the proposal together with the U.S. and the EU, Japan aims to gather support from WTO Members and achieve reform as early as possible. (F) International Economic Dispute Cases The WTO dispute settlement system is for resolving disputes among WTO Members under the covered agreements according to the dispute settlement procedures. It serves as a pillar that imparts stability and predictability to the WTO system. In addition to "Korea ─ Import Bans, and Testing and Certification Requirements for Radionuclides" (DS495),8 Japan has most recently been directly involved in the following cases (as of December 2019): -Korea – Anti-Dumping Duties on Pneumatic Valves from Japan (DS504): A panel was established in June 2016. In April 2018, the panel found the ROK's measures to be in violation of the WTO Agreements. In September 2019, the Appellate Body issued a report reaching the same conclusion, which led to the DSB recommendation vis-a-vis the ROK to take corrective action. -India – Certain Measures on Imports of Iron and Steel Products (DS518): A panel was established in April 2017. Appellate Body procedures have been suspended due to the cessation of Appellate Body function since December 2019. -Korea – Sunset Review of Anti-Dumping Duties on Stainless Steel Bars (DS553): A panel was established in October 2018. Panel procedures are currently ongoing. -Korea – Measures Affecting Trade in Commercial Vessels (DS571): Japan requested bilateral consultations with the ROK in November 2018. The consultations were held in December, 2018. -India – Tariff Treatment on Certain Goods (DS584): In May 2019, Japan requested bilateral consultations concerning whether the tariff increase measures by India for information and communications technology products were consistent with the WTO Agreements. -Japan – Measures Related to the Exportation of Products and Technology to Korea (DS590): In July 2019, Japan announced on the application of its export control measures on three semiconductor materials (Fluorinated polyimides, Resist, and Hydrogen fluoride) to the ROK and implemented individual export licensing requirements for such materials. In September, claiming that Japan's measures violated the WTO Agreements, the ROK requested bilateral consultations and the two countries conducted two rounds of such consultations. In November, the ROK announced that it would suspend the WTO dispute settlement procedures while the Export Control Policy Dialogues were pursued on a normal course of action between the relevant authorities. In December, the Seventh Japan-Korea Export Control Policy Dialogue was held for the first time in three and a half years. 8 "DS xxx (numbers)" is the serial number since the launch of the WTO's dispute settlement system in 1995 assigned to each and every dispute at the time a request for consultations is received by the WTO Secretariat. B Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (A) Features The OECD is the "world's largest think tank," covering a wide range of economic and social fields such as macro economy, trade and investment, agriculture, industry, the environment, and science and technology. It makes policy recommendations and forms international norms, including through discussions at relevant committees. Japan acceded to the OECD in 1964 as the first country to do so outside of the U.S. and Europe. Since then, Japan has been actively engaged in OECD initiatives through discussions at relevant committees as well as through contributions in terms of financial and human resources. (B) Visit by OECD Secretary-General Gurria to Japan During his visit to Japan in April 2019, Secretary-General Gurria held meetings with Prime Minister Abe, Foreign Minister Kono, and other high-level officials. They reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and strengthening the multilateral trading system as well as the importance of establishing fair competition conditions. They also reaffirmed the importance of strengthening outreach in anticipation of Southeast Asian countries' future membership in the OECD, while affirming cooperation toward the G20 Osaka Summit, which is chaired by Japan. The talks also saw the announcement of the OECD Economic Survey of Japan, which praised Japan for its Abenomics strategy and set forth policy proposals for improving productivity, among other matters. (C) 2019 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting Chaired by Slovakia and co-chaired by Canada and the ROK, the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting was held in May under the theme of "harnessing digital transition for sustainable development." At the meeting, Japan expressed its views and points concerning such issues as the digital economy, including data flow; quality infrastructure investment; innovation-based efforts toward achievement of the SDGs; free and open trade; securing a level playing field; and the importance of WTO reform. It also emphasized the importance of Southeast Asian nations' future accession to the OECD. Japan's statements contributed to discussions in the OECD, many of which were incorporated into the outcome documents, and drove discussions toward the relevant G20 Ministerial Meetings and the G20 Osaka Summit that followed. (D) Initiatives in Various Sectors For the issue of steel excess capacity, following the G20 Hangzhou Summit, China in 2016, the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity (GFSEC) was established with the participation of China, which accounts for approximately half of the global production volume of crude steel. As the standing G20 Presidency and the Chair of the GFSEC since December 2018, Japan has demonstrated strong leadership toward and played an active role in solving the above-mentioned problems, including at the third GFSEC ministerial meeting in Tokyo in October 2019. Meanwhile, the OECD is strengthening its cooperation with the G20 in the areas that include reviewing international taxation principles in response to economic digitalization, as well as the formulation of principles concerning quality infrastructure investment and corporate governance. (E) Strengthening Relations with Asia In light of the growing importance of Southeast Asia as a center for global economic growth, the OECD places importance on strengthening relations within the region. The 2019 Forum of the Southeast Asia Regional Programme was held in Paris in March. Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Yamada Kenji attended and delivered a speech on such matters as Japan's ongoing commitment toward the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme, which was established under the leadership of Japan in 2014, as well as Southeast Asia's connectivity and the role of the OECD. Going forward, it is important to effectively utilize the Southeast Asia Regional Programme in order to continue to support economic integration and domestic reform in the region with a view to the future accession to the OECD by ASEAN countries. (F) Contributions in Terms of Financial and Human Resources Japan was the second largest financial contributor to the OECD after the U.S. in 2019, covering 9.4% of the OECD's mandatory contributions (Part I Budget). Moreover, Japanese nationals have successively served as the Deputy Secretary General (currently Deputy Secretary General Kono Masamichi), the second-highest position at the OECD Secretariat. Japan was the largest contributor to the OECD Development Centre in 2019, and a Japanese national (Ms. Ueda Naoko) serves as a Deputy Director of the Centre. Thus, Japan supports the OECD through contributions in terms of financial and human resources. (3) Initiatives in International Meetings (G7 and G20 Summits, APEC, etc.) A G20 and G7 Japan actively participates in G20 and G7 Summits, which are attended by the world's major nations, and makes efforts to maintain and strengthen the international order. (A) G20 Osaka Summit At the G20 Osaka Summit held in June, discussions were held on subjects that include the G20's efforts to promote free trade, drive global economic growth through innovation, address disparity, and contribute to solving environmental issues and other global problems. With Japan as the Presidency, Prime Minister Abe actively led discussions, issued the G20 Osaka Leaders' Declaration, which covered a wide range of initiatives, and demonstrated the G20's strong commitment to the world. G20 Osaka Summit (June 29, Osaka; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office) (1) Leaders agreed on principles in support of the international free trade system amid global trade-related tensions, including free, fair, non-discriminatory, and open markets, as well as a level playing field. Leaders also reaffirmed their support for WTO reform, including reform of the dispute settlement system and establishing rules relevant to the times. (2) Japan shared its Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT) concept inspired by economic digitalization, and used the Summit as an opportunity to give political momentum to international rulemaking concerning digital economy particularly data flow and electronic commerce by launching the Osaka Track (see the Special Feature on page 280). Japan also formulated the G20 AI Principles based on a human-centered approach to AI. Japan also issued an individual statement about the exploitation of the Internet and social media by terrorists, and emphasized the importance of initiatives taken in cooperation with the digital industry. (3) Leaders agreed to promote women's empowerment through women's participation in labor market, girls' and women's education and training, and improved women's access to business leaders and entrepreneurship. They also announced a policy for addressing disparities fueled by gender inequality. (4) With an eye to achieving global inclusivity and sustainability, leaders approved the "G20 Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment," which include elements of international standards concerning things such as openness, transparency, economic efficiency, and debt sustainability. With respect to global health, leaders focused on (1) Universal Health Coverage (UHC) achievement, (2) population aging, and (3) health emergencies. They also agreed to strengthen measures aimed at the debt issue in developing countries, disaster prevention, education, and achieving the SDGs by utilizing science, technology, and innovation (STI). (5) Regarding urgent issues concerning the global environment, leaders agreed on the importance of achieving a "virtuous cycle of environment and growth" through innovation. Additionally, concerning the problem of marine plastic litter that grows more serious every year, Japan shared details on the Osaka Blue Ocean Vision, which aims to reduce additional pollution by marine plastic litter to zero by 2050. Prime Minister Abe speaking at the "Leaders' Special Event on Digital Economy" on the sidelines of the G20 Osaka Summit (June 28, Osaka; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office) During the period of the G20 Osaka Summit, the words "Osaka Track" were featured in the headlines of many newspapers. You may recall seeing this photograph of Prime Minister Abe, U.S. President Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping sitting at a desk. This was the moment, in Osaka, when Prime Minister Abe declared the launch of the "Osaka Track," which is the road toward promoting international rule-making on the digital economy. We face the urgent task of establishing rules for data flow and electronic commerce, which are the engines of growth for the digital era. Based on this perspective, Prime Minister Abe advocated the launch of the "Osaka Track" at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos in January, with the aim of advancing discussions on global data governance. Five months later, Prime Minister Abe took the opportunity of the G20 Osaka Summit in June to host the Leaders' Special Event on Digital Economy, during which he declared the launch of the "Osaka Track" as a process for promoting international rule-making on the digital economy, and in particular, data flow and electronic commerce. The leaders of the 24 countries and regions participated in the launch of this initiative and affirmed the importance of maximizing the benefits that digitalization and emerging technologies bring, of promoting innovation and harnessing the full potential of the digital economy, and of promoting international policy discussions on the digital economy to that end. With the boost provided by the "Osaka Track," more than 80 like-minded countries are now advancing negotiations on electronic commerce in the WTO, with a view to establishing rules on the digital economy. The WTO, established in 1995, has fulfilled a major role in the world economy as an international organization responsible for establishing and enforcing rules related to goods and services trade. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the existing rules set out in WTO agreements are inadequate for responding to the various challenges raised by Internet trading and the digital economy. Negotiations on electronic commerce in the WTO bring stability and predictability to trade in the ever-changing digital society. At the same time, it ushers in a new phase for the WTO, which has not succeeded in new rule-makings in recent years, and also represents one of the pillars of WTO reforms. Negotiations are now ongoing in Geneva, where the WTO is headquartered, with the aim of achieving substantial progress at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference, and Japan is taking the lead in these negotiations as the co-convener. The progress achieved here is also expected to serve as an important guidepost along the path of the "Osaka Track." On the other hand, the "Osaka Track" is not limited to negotiations in the WTO. Diverse stakeholders, including international organizations that possess specialized knowledge in various fields and private-sector corporations that play an active role on the frontlines of the digital economy, collaborate to advance a wide range of discussions on the digital economy. While each country has its own national strategy on the digital economy and legal systems on data flow, the "Osaka Track" has an important purpose of establishing rules that overcome such differences in the standpoints of each country in order to realize "Data Free Flow with Trust" (DFFT). Japan will continue to exert its leadership toward the realization of a world where all people can enjoy the fruits of digitalization fairly and equally. (B) G20 Aichi-Nagoya Foreign Ministers' Meeting At the G20 Aichi-Nagoya Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which was held in November and closing the year of Japanese G20 Presidency, discussions were held on the themes of (1) promotion of free trade and global governance, (2) SDGs, and (3) Africa's development. Representatives from local high schools also gave a presentation themed on educational disparity. Chaired by Foreign Minister Motegi, this meeting affirmed leaders' achievements made at the G20 Osaka Summit and TICAD7 and served as a springboard for discussing concrete measures toward future action. During the closing session, Foreign Minister Motegi handed over the presidency mallet, a symbol of the G20 Presidency, to Saudi Arabia, which will become the G20's next Presidency. G20 Aichi-Nagoya Foreign Ministers' Meeting (November 23, Nagoya) (C) G7 Biarritz Summit (France) At the G7 Biarritz Summit held in August, G7 leaders held candid discussions on the theme of "Fight Inequalities" with regard to major topics for the G7, namely the global economy, global trade, diplomacy, and security. On the topics of Africa, the environment, and digitalization, views were exchanged from a diversity of viewpoints, with participation by invited outreach countries, international organizations, and civil society. With the goal of the G7 nations banding together on its foundation of shared values to play a leading role in the international community, Prime Minister Abe led candid discussions among G7 leaders on the back of achievements at the G20 Osaka Summit. G7 Biarritz Summit (August 25, Biarritz, France; Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office) (1) With respect to discussions on diplomacy and security, Prime Minister Abe led discussions on North Korea as one of the foremost priorities for the G7. G7 leaders agreed on the importance of achieving the complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement (CVID) of all of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges, and confirmed the international community's commitment to fully implementing the relevant UN Security Council resolutions while continuing to support the process between the U.S. and North Korea. Moreover, support was expressed to Prime Minister Abe's call for understanding and cooperation toward an immediate resolution of the abductions issue Discussions were also held on Iran, Syria, and other aspects of the Middle East situation, as well as recent conditions in China, including the situation in Hong Kong. (2) With respect to global economy and trade, Prime Minister Abe called for leaders to instruct their ministers to provide support for rule-making at the WTO under the Osaka Track established at the G20 Osaka Summit, and to ensure that substantial progress will be made before the WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference is held. (3) Regarding Africa, leaders agreed on matters including the importance of improving transparency in public procurement with a regard for the G20 Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment. They also expressed their expectations for TICAD7, which was held immediately after the Summit. On the environment, leaders welcomed the Osaka Blue Ocean Vision concerning measures to combat marine plastic litter, while also affirming the Metz Charter on Biodiversity at the summit level. B Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) APEC is a framework of economic cooperation in which 21 economies (countries and regions)9 in the Asia-Pacific region participate. The Asia-Pacific region is the "world's growth center," accounting for about 40% of the world's population, about 50% of trade volume, and about 60% of GDP. APEC, in order to liberalize and facilitate trade and investment in the region, conducts activities such as promoting regional economic integration, and enhancing economic and technical cooperation. The Asia-Pacific region, which thrives by liberalizing trade and investment and strengthening connectivity in accordance with international rules, is the core of the "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" that Japan has been promoting. Japan's contributions to APEC's development are of great significance to Japan's own economic growth and development and to the overseas expansion of Japanese companies. At APEC Chile 2019, discussions were held under the overall theme of "Connecting People, Building the Future" at various meetings throughout the year in line with four priority areas: (1) Digital Society, (2) Integration 4.0,10 (3) Women, SMEs and Inclusive Growth, and (4) Sustainable Growth. Japan, which chaired the G20 in 2019, shared in APEC the G20's outcomes related to the digital economy, marine plastic litter, and women's empowerment, and achieved synergy through cooperation with Chile, the APEC Chair. At forums such as the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting held in May, as a standard-bearer of free trade, Japan expressed its commitment to continuing efforts aimed at achieving growth and development throughout the Asia-Pacific region, which is the core of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific. The APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting discussed such subjects as driving APEC support for the WTO, promoting regional economic integration, and advancing comprehensive and sustainable growth in the digital age, and gained a positive outcome, the Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting Joint Statement, which was adopted for the first time in four years. The 2019 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting was canceled due to domestic instability in Chile as stated in an announcement on October 30 by Chile's President Piñera. Meanwhile, despite being scheduled to be held immediately prior to the Leaders' Meeting, the Concluding Senior Officials' Meeting was held on December 7 at the APEC Secretariat in Singapore. In the meeting, three roadmaps related to women and inclusive growth, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and marine debris were endorsed as the main outcome documents. Chile also released the APEC Chile 2019 Host Economy Leader's (read: President of Chile's) Statement. Malaysia will host APEC in 2020. 9 Countries and regions are referred to as "economies" in APEC terminology. 10 Discussions were held concerning initiatives that include using technologies arising from Industry 4.0 to promote global value chains (GVCs), with a focus on strengthening connectivity and achieving regional economic integration. (4) Intellectual Property Protection Strengthening intellectual property protections is extremely important to promoting technological innovation and, ultimately, economic development. Japan has actively participated in multilateral consultations such as APEC, the WTO (TRIPS),11 and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and is working to develop an environment for ensuring that Japanese intellectual property is appropriately protected and utilized overseas. During bilateral talks, as well, Japan calls on other countries to proactively strengthen intellectual property protections. With respect to China, at the first Japan-China Innovation and Cooperation Dialogue and Japan-China Economic Partnership Consultation, held in April 2019, Japan called on China to prohibit forced technology transfers, protect trade secrets, and stamp out counterfeit and pirated goods. For EPAs as well, Japan strives to establish regulations on intellectual property rights to ensure the adequate and effective protection of intellectual property. The Japan-EU EPA, which entered into force on February 1, 2019, and the TPP11, which entered into force on December 30, 2018, both incorporated contents on further promotion of the protection and use of intellectual property. Moreover, for the purpose of rapidly and efficiently providing assistance for Japanese companies that have suffered from counterfeit and pirated goods, MOFA appoints Intellectual Property Officers at almost all of Japan's diplomatic missions overseas so that they can advise Japanese companies and make inquiries with or requests to their counterpart governments. Japan is also engaged in efforts to improve the capacity of government employees in developing countries to counter the spread of counterfeit and pirated goods, and to strengthen the protection of intellectual property, such as by dispatching experts through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). 11 Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Contents | Photo Index Back to Diplomatic Bluebook Diplomatic Archives Diplomatic Bluebook Japan's Security / Peace & Stability of the International Community Global Issues & ODA Economic Diplomacy Information about Japan (Links) The Hague Convention 2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8919, Japan MAPTel: +81-(0)3-3580-3311

Home » News & Events » GoMRI Newsletter » GoMRI Newsletter: Summer Issue 2018 – "GoMRI Outreach Coordinators Publish Recommendations Article in Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin" – Guest Frequently Asked Questions: Safety at Sea and During Field Work – Notes from GoMRI's Chief Scientific Officer – GoMRI Researcher Interview with Dr. Ryan Rodgers – GoMRI Synthesis & Legacy Study Assesses a New Class of Safer, More Effective Dispersants O. Owoseni, Y. Zhang, M. Omarova, X. Li, J. Lal, G.L. McPherson, S.R. Raghavan, A. Bose, V.T. John Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2018, Vol. 524, pgs. 279- 288 Study Analyzes How Environmental Disturbances Affect Whale Recovery A.S. Ackleh, H. Caswell, R.A. Chiquet, T. Tang, A. Veprauskas Natural Resource Modeling, 2018, doi.org/10.1111/nrm.12166 Study Finds "Business as Usual" for Hypoxic Zone Following Deepwater Horizon N.N. Rabalais, L.M. Smith, R.E. Turner Continental Shelf Research, 2018, Vol. 152, pgs. 98-107 Study Finds Environmental Factors Influence the Selection of Oil-Degrading Microbes J. Liu, H.P. Bacosa, Z. Liu Frontiers in Microbiology, 2017, 7:2131 Study Describes Design and Testing of an Effective Biodegradable Ocean Drifter G. Novelli, C. Guigand, C. Cousin, E. Ryan, N. Laxague, H. Dai, B. Haus, T. Ozgokmen American Meteorological Society, 2017, Vol. 34(11), pgs. 2509-2532 Study Evaluates Short-Term Oil Toxicity in Deep-Sea Crustaceans A. Knap, N.R. Turner, G. Bera, D.A. Renegar, T. Frank, J. Sericano, B.M. Riegl Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 2017, Vol. 36(12), pgs. 3415-3423 Study Tracks Sediment Resuspension Events in the Gulf of Mexico A.R. Diercks, C. Dike, V.L. Asper, S.F. DiMarco, J.P. Chanton, U. Passow Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene, 2018, Vol. 6(1):32 Study Finds Currents One Centimeter Below Ocean's Surface Greatly Affect Material Transport N.M. Laxague, T.M. Ozgokmen, B.K. Haus, G. Novelli, A. Shcherbina, P. Sutherland, C.M. Guigand, B. Lund, S. Mehta, A. Alday, J. Molemaker Geophysical Research Letters, 2018, Vol. 45(1), pgs. 245-249 Study Finds Seaside Sparrows Change Food Sources in Response to Environmental Stressors J.A. Olin, C.M. Bergeon Burns, S. Woltmann, S.S. Taylor, P.C. Stouffer, W. Bam, L. Hooper-Bui, R.E. Turner Ecosphere, 2018, Vol. 8(7), e01878 Study Finds Dispersants Reduce VOC Emissions and Increase Airborne Particles with PAHs N. Afshar-Mohajer, C. Li, A.M. Rule, J. Katz, K. Koehler Atmospheric Environment, 2018, Vol. 179, pgs. 177-186 Researchers with the RFP-V project Understanding Resilience Attributes for Children, Youth, and Communities in the Wake of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (RCYC) recently produced video shorts describing the project's goals and methodologies. The RCYC project is led by Dr. Tim Slack (Louisiana State University) and Dr. Jaishree Beedasy (Columbia University) in partnership with researchers at Louisiana State University's Department of Sociology and the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University's Earth Institute. It is focused on assessing the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on children and their families, and the factors which play a role in their ability to recover both as individuals and communities. In the videos, doctoral student Kathryn Keating answers questions about RCYC, including what the project is, how the researchers gather their information, how they are using social media in their study, and how projects like RCYC can improve community preparedness in the future. Be sure to check out the video series' Twitter Moment here, the video compilation on Vimeo here, and join the conversation using the Twitter hashtag #rcycqa. The Relationships of Effects of Cardiac Outcomes in Fish for Validation of Ecological Risk (RECOVER) consortium released the third video in their Mini Mahi Tags series, called Behavior and Tags. This final installment in the series follows up from Part 2 in which the RECOVER researchers assessed the metabolic impacts of carrying a satellite tag on the mahi-mahi. Part 3 focuses on understanding any subtle behavioral changes in the fish when carrying a satellite tag, particularly any changes they exhibit when associating with fish that are untagged. These include parameters like acceleration, turning radius, swim speed, and average proximity to other fish. Check out Part 3 here. Researchers from the Deep Pelagic Nekton Dynamics in the Gulf of Mexico (DEEPEND) consortium participated in the History Channel's new series In Search Of, hosted by Zachary Quinto and inspired by the original series of the same name hosted by Rod Serling and Leonard Nimoy from 1977-1982. The team was featured in episode three, titled Monsters of the Deep. All episodes of In Search Of can be found on the History Channel's website here, and more information on DEEPEND's participation is available on their Twitter page. Don't forget to check out GoMRI's YouTube Channel <here, including new videos from a workshop held at the 2018 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science (GoMOSES) conference in New Orleans, Louisiana called Sharing Science Effectively: Know Your Audience and Speak Their Language presented by science communicator Dennis Meredith. The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) Research Board Chair Dr. Rita Colwell was recently selected as the recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2018, a prestigious award given to individuals or organizations who have made significant contributions to solving the world's water challenges through the development of new technologies, policies, or programs. Through her research in water microbiology, Dr. Colwell discovered the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) phenomenon in bacteria, and she also discovered that sari cloth can effectively filter drinking water. Both of these findings have aided significantly in addressing waterborne diseases, such as cholera. Dr. Colwell received the award at the Singapore International Water Week, held in July 2018, in conjunction with World Water Day and the launch of the International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028. GoMRI congratulates Dr. Colwell on this recognition of her incredibly important work and for receiving this award. GoMRI congratulates Dr. Martin Grosell, principal investigator and director of the Relationships of Effects of Cardiac Outcomes in Fish for Validation of Ecological Risk (RECOVER) consortium, on receiving the Award of Excellence in fish physiology from the American Fisheries Society. Dr. Grosell received his award during the 13th International Congress on the Biology of Fish. Congratulations Dr. Grosell! Researchers funded through the RFP-V project Genomic Responses to the Deepwater Horizon Event and Development of High-Throughput Biological Assays for Oil Spills, hosted a series of workshops in 2017 and 2018 focused on developing genetic markers to characterize the taxonomic composition of benthic communities. Benthic communities can be significantly affected by events such as oil spills, but lack of genetic sequencing and taxonomy for these communities makes it difficult to assess their impact. The workshops, called Benthic Invertebrate Taxonomy, Metagenomics, and Bioinformatics (BITMaB), were convened to bring together nearly 100 researchers with the goal of addressing this critical gap. They were organized by principal investigator Kelley Thomas from the University of New Hampshire, Holly Bik from the University of California-Riverside, Paul Montagna from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Francesca Leasi from the Smithsonian Institution, Krystalynne Morris from the University of New Hampshire, Jon Norenburg from the Smithsonian Institution, and Michael Reuscher from the University of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Participants identified more than 360 benthic organisms from nearly 100 taxa, and the results were published in two reports; read them here and here. GoMRI recognizes the graduate students whose vital research contributes to improving understanding about the damage, response, and recovery from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Candidates for this program must be graduate students who have participated in a GoMRI-funded project for at least one year, whose research is primarily funded by GoMRI, and who are working on a dissertation or thesis based on GoMRI-funded science. Grad Student Richards Uses Fish Muscle Tissue to Explore Deep-Sea Food Web Structure Grad Student Seeley Investigates the Longevity of Toxic Oil Compounds in Coastal Environments Grad Student O'Brien Analyzes Sediment Movement to Help Predict Oil Transport The Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Oil Spill Science Outreach Team recently released three new publications. The one page fact sheet Storm and Spills shares how storms can cause oil spills. The one-pager details who to contact if a storm-induced spill occurs in your area and includes some examples of oil spills caused by hurricanes. The team also recently announced their year-long collaborative project with the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative and the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The one page fact sheet Collaborative Project: Regional Priority-Setting for Health, Social, and Economic Disruption from Spills shares more about this partnership, including the goals of the program, possible workshop locations, and anticipated outcomes. Underwater Vehicles Used to Study Oil Spills describes the remotely operated vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles, and human occupied vehicles scientists use to study oil spills beneath the sea surface. All of the Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Oil Spill Science Outreach Program publications are available here. In addition to the publications, the team also released a set of modules on oil spill science, originally created for the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry North America/World Congress (SETAC) meeting in 2016. The series includes an Introduction to the Sea Grant Oil Spill Science Outreach Program, an Introduction to Crude Oil and Petroleum Substances, an Overview of Oil Fate Transfer and Transformation Processes, and Oil Spill Management and Response Options and is available here. Finally, the team hosted a seminar on Technology Used to Study Oil Spills, Part 2 at the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs, Mississippi on August 29, 2018. This seminar was a follow up to their Technology and Deepwater Horizon seminar, hosted in August 2016 at the University of Miami. The seminar featured several guest speakers who highlighted many of the technologies used to study spills, including drifters, aerostats, and unmanned surface vehicles. More information on the agenda and speakers is available here. Information on all of the Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Oil Spill Science Outreach Program seminars and workshops can be found here. Smithsonian Ocean Portal recently released a new article in partnership with the Relationships of Effects of Cardiac Outcomes in Fish for Validation of Ecological Risk (RECOVER) consortium called Fish Heart Out of Water. The article shares how RECOVER scientists are learning that exposure to even small amounts of oil negatively impacts mahi-mahi, a strong, fast fish that can swim up to 40 miles per hour and migrate over thousands of miles. RECOVER graduate student Derek Nelson was able to perform open heart surgery on the fish and expose their hearts to varying levels of oil. Even small concentrations of oil were found to reduce the mahi-mahi's ability to efficiently pump oxygen, making it more difficult for them to swim and capture food. From these findings, RECOVER post-doctoral researcher Rachael Heuer began investigating mahi-mahi hearts at the cellular level by removing the hearts from the fish completely and exposing them to oil. Similarly, she discovered that even small amounts of oil reduced the hearts' ability to contract. RECOVER is now using these discoveries to investigate the impacts of oil exposure on other fish in the Gulf, like the cobia and the red drum. Read the article here. Virtual Lab Creates More "Wow" Moments in Science Discovery Understanding How Deepwater Horizon Affected Fishing Community Decisions

Narendra Modi Daily Routine All Daily Routines, Politics Narendra Modi Ji wakes up at 5:00 AM and starts his day with yoga and meditation for 30-45 minutes on a daily. By 8:00 AM, he attends to his calls of party employees and friends. If he is in Old Delhi, at 9:00 AM, he will his breakfast sometimes a Gujarati one in fewer amounts and checks his Tweets and private websites before reaching PM workplace at 9:30 am sharp. He gets informing by his secretary regarding a daily schedule that incorporates the main points of his meeting with ministers, officers. He checks files and shows given by PMO officers and ministers throughout the day. Narendra Modi Ji has his lunch by 12:30 PM and later works until 9:00 PM and has his dinner at constant time. often he takes breaks in between supported feasibleness. His time schedules might vary supported his tours to varied states and foreign countries. Throughout the day, he interacts with folks via tweets, and his websites while not fail. Narendra Modi Ji works for 16 hrs that too at the age of sixty-nine may be a commendable effort he puts sure the welfare of the country. This is all about Narendra Modi daily routine. All of us are well aware of the fact that PM Modi begins his day with yoga. In fact, the Prime Minister often posts fitness videos on social media. Recently, ahead of Yoga Day on June 21, the health-conscious PM had also tweeted a series of videos showing an animated version of himself performing different asanas to inspire citizens to embrace a healthier lifestyle such as yoga. The physical and mental health benefits of yoga are immense, ranging from increasing flexibility and muscle strength to reducing stress and insomnia. Panchtatvas Apart from yoga, the Prime Minister also said that his fitness regime includes walking on a track inspired by the Panchtatvas or 5 elements of nature – Prithvi (Earth), Jal (Water), Agni (Fire), Vayu (Wind), Aakash (ether), which he said is extremely refreshing and rejuvenating. According to Ayurveda and Yoga, these five elements have different characteristics and are associated with the overall health of the human being. For instance, it is claimed that any disorder in the human body indicates an imbalance of one or more of these elements. Reflexology path Revealing some interesting details about his fitness regime, PM Modi also posted a video in which he can be seen doing foot reflexology (barefoot) path. Basically, foot reflexology is a form of exercise designed to massage and stimulate acupressure points on the soles of the feet. Reflexology walking paths are claimed to offer many health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, relieving stress, stimulating reflex points and vital energy. PM Modi had also revealed that he practices breathing exercises, whose purported benefits range from calming the nervous system to improving the cardiovascular system. The benefits of breathing exercises also include improving the respiratory system and boosting digestion among many others. A post shared by Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) Modi is one in all the primary Prime Ministers to eat the employee's canteen and once he did he opted for a feeder thali that featured saag, salad, dal, and curry. After finishing the feeder thali at the Parliament canteen, PM Modi ordered a salad. On many occasions, we have seen PM Modi elect a straightforward Gujarati thali. Let's see the 5 favorite dishes of PM Modi White Khatta Dhokla This nourishing, protein-free Gujarati snack is among the highest favorites of Modi Ji. It's kind of like south Indian snack idli, however a lot of spongy. Khilli hui Khichdi No matter however boring we discover khichdi and classify it as a food item to be ingested only we tend to are unwell, we tend to cannot ignore its advantages. Khichdi is straightforward to digest, terribly nourishing and aids in digestion. Besan Khandvi Again a Gujarati snack item, that's each tasty and healthy. A combination of besan, milk, and seasoning with some spices creates it a mouth-watering dish. Undhiyu It is a classic Gujarati dish that's cooked with a ton of vegetables in an aromatic mix of spices. It may be served as a main dish or a dish. This Gujarati dish is preferred by all and therefore, by our Prime Minister too. Almond Pistachio Shrikhand A Gujarati dessert recipe, it's served chilled counterpart to all or any the new and spicy curries. Healthy daft like almonds and pistachios area unit used for it's garnishing. For all people who have an appetite, Narendra Modi's favorite dessert could be a should try for everybody. This is all about the Narendra Modi diet plan. https://www.timesnownews.com/health/article/4-fitness-lessons-to-learn-from-pm-narendra-modi-daily-routine/451501 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/one-with-nature-always-pm-narendra-modi-shares-video-of-his-morning-routine/articleshow/77701496.cms https://www.health-yogi.com/narendra-modi-diet-plan-daily-routine/

OUTSIDELEFTmusic American Idols Live! Review by Rene Williams first published: August, 2005 Daddy wet the sheets because he drank to much proof. I'm not sure how I got roped into it - this concert that is, but there I was - tenth row, center at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and the massive overhead PA system is pumping out a strange, bouncy horn intro which sounds a little like that same horn intro that used to signal that Elvis was seconds from hitting the stage during his final Vegas years. So the horns are blaring in quadraphonic sound and the two glasses of wine from the lobby bar are finally starting to hit me. For a second, I'm actually getting a little excited - not because of the performers, it's just that the fanfare is really contagious: teen girls standing on their chairs going apeshit, the Elvis horns, the enormousness of the Staples Center structure - it's hard not to get caught up in the grandiosity of it all. And then some girl named Jessica Sierra starts singing a really homogenized version of the Bus Boys "The Boys Are Back In Town" and the illusion that something interesting was going to happen screeched to an abrupt halt. Ask anyone - I'm a sucker for reality television. Have you caught the new Battle of the Reality Network Stars? Amazing! But I must admit, American Idol ranks incredibly low on my list - I only watch it because the wife watches is (her being a former stage performer) and this year, I got caught in the drama of it all. Then, when the wife's mother found out that we watch the show on a regular basis, she thought we'd actually want to see the live show. Which I didn't, but I'll never pass up a night of drinking without the parental duties that I've taken on since 2002. So there I am, kind of just watching the show - the first four performers gets two songs each. Each song is a cover naturally and they're always either familiar Top 40 tunes or a moldy oldie that gets played by your local classic radio station at least six times per day. Not a particularly bad way to go as these kids (average age about 18) probably know nothing about crafting original songs, but every number sounds like something you'd hear on a Superbowl halftime show from the '70s. Yes, Up With People - that old American song and dance troupe. No real soul or feeling. Standouts? Admittedly there were a few. I thin that black kid that thinks he's Bobby Brown was very good for the genre that he obviously wants to go into. Nikko Smith is his name, I believe. Interesting fact: he's the son of the great St. Louis Cardinals' shortstop, Ozzie Smith (I based my whole little league baseball career on Ozzie's teachings). The second place winner, Bo Bice - the hillbilly from Alabama also provided a few grins. It's obvious this guy is having fun with freaking out the mainstream. He took the stage, grabbed a pretty nice Fender Flying V guitar and wanked off to a five minute extended intro of Jimi Hendrix's Voodoo Child. I don't know if I liked his rendition (doubt it) or the fact that he just killed the momentum of the entire show with his swampy wah wah-drenched solo, but after 90 minutes, I was finally enjoying myself. Of course, the enjoyment came all due to the fact that the demonic sounds of Voodoo Child knocked the wind out of every kid in the arena. It was the equivalent to Santa Claus taking a huge dump in every kid's stocking - - that moment of discovery was exactly the response Voodoo Child got. The psychedelic lighting and smoke machines only added to the head shop atmosphere. How did the show end? Don't ask me, I left right after Carrie Underwood - the show's winner and de facto headliner - sang some song about her daddy urinating in his bed because he got drunk on proof the night before. "Daddy wet the sheets because he drank to much proof" I think is how the lyric went. Brilliant. Rene Williams about Rene Williams »» All His Happiness Is Gone In 1984 He Was Hospitalized for Approaching Perfection Renegade: The Lives and Tales of Mark E. Smith Could the sad plight of today's culture really be the fault of TV's Through the Keyhole? GatorGate, Lake Machado, Harbor City, Los Angeles Goodbye Morrissey I've Known It's Over before, says Jason, only this time he doesn't cling to blaming himself Happy Shopper #23: Tav Falco Legendary rocknroller Tav Falco shares his shopping tips with outsideleft readers From The Allman Brothers to The Monkees with Most of Your Dignity Intact The frightening world of neo-adult-contemporary has some saving grace from Bill Callahan, Glenn Jones and The Client?®le

Meet our Partners, an Overview by Diana Arellano | posted in: ACM SIGGRAPH | 0 photo by Andreas Psaltis © 2018 ACM SIGGRAPH As a thriving international leader in computer graphics and interactive techniques, ACM SIGGRAPH maintains standing committees of volunteers that provide valuable input into various segments of the organization. One of these committees is the External Relations Committee, which is in charge of strengthening ties and collaborating with organizations within the computer graphics industry and other industries and communities that intersect with computer graphics. Forging new ties between ACM SIGGRAPH and the global computer graphics community has been vital to our mission to continue to move forward and evolve. We are very proud to have built relationships with each of the following successful organizations and/or conferences: Digital Content Association of Japan (DCAJ) DCAJ is a government-approved non-profit organization that promotes the creation, distribution, and use of high-quality digital content in Japan. This is essential to the current information society, encouraging the healthy development of digital content-related industries, and improvement of culture. Every year, DCAJ hosts its Digital Content Expo (DCEXPO) during which the most recent innovations in digital content and technology are exhibited. Thanks to our agreement, an exchange of contributions between DCEXPO and SIGGRAPH takes place every year within the Emerging Technologies venues. Spark Computer Graphics Formed in 2008, originally as an arm of the Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter the Spark Computer Graphics (Spark CG) Society has been working behind the scenes of Vancouver's computer graphics community, organizing and hosting events (SPARK FX and SPARK ANIMATION) that foster community, ignite the imagination and advance technology. Laval Virtual Throughout its 20-year history, Laval Virtual has become an indispensable catalyst and facilitator for organizations in VR/AR or immersive technology. The conference takes place annually in Laval, France. And, thanks to our agreement, an exchange of contributions between Laval and SIGGRAPH takes place every year. FMX is a major European conference on animation, visual effects, game development, and immersive media. At it, creators share insights on the latest in production/development, and present cutting-edge tools and pipelines, fascinating real-time technologies, and innovative business models. FMX is held in Stuttgart, Germany every spring, and is organized by one of the world's leading animation and VFX schools, Animationsinstitut der Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg. The SID is comprised of the top scientists, engineers, corporate researchers, and business professionals in the display industry, valued at over $100 billion annually. The organization was formed in 1962 to promulgate display technology. That work continues today, publishing a monthly journal, Information Display magazine, and an annual "Digest of Technical Papers" that is presented during the Display Week Symposium and Exhibition. ISEA International Founded in the Netherlands in 1990, ISEA International (formerly Inter-Society for the Electronic Arts) is an international non-profit organisation fostering interdisciplinary academic discourse and exchange among culturally diverse organisations and individuals working with art, science, and technology. The main activity of ISEA International is its annual International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA), which began in 1988. The next ISEA event will take place in Gwangju, Korea at the end of June. IEEE Visualization and Graphics Technical Committee (IEEE VGTC) Visual computing encompasses a wide field of research and practice in visualization and computer graphics, and each is represented by its own VGTC conference: visual analytics (VAST), information visualization (InfoVis), scientific visualization (SciVis), virtual reality (VR), augmented and mixed reality (ISMAR), visualization of large and big data (LDAV), visualization of biological data (BioVis), 3D user interfaces (3DUI), and mixed topics on visualization and computer graphics (PacificVis and EuroVis). VIEW Conference VIEW Conference is the premiere computer graphics event in Italy, and covers topics like digital cinema, 2D/3D animation, VR, AR, gaming, and VFX. Held annually in Turin, Italy, VIEW focuses on exploring the increasingly fluid boundary between the real and digital worlds. Through lectures, meetings, tributes, exhibits, screenings, and demo presentations, VIEW reveals the new digital frontier from cinema to architecture and automotive design to medicine, and so much more. The exhibition floor, which houses VR installations and a recruitment fair, is free to access. Brazilian Association of Visual Technology The Brazilian Association of Visual Technology organizes VFX Rio, which brings national and international specialists in production/effects and entertainment to Brazil. In its latest iteration, the three-day event featured more than 20 lectures and workshops, and was sponsored by TV Globo, Foundry, and Intel, in partnership with Nvidia and ACM SIGGRAPH. Local institutional partners completed the support to such international event. Computer Graphics Arts Society (CG-ARTS) CG-ARTS, officially recognized by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology in 1992, is a publicly funded body dedicated to promoting Japanese computer graphics education. Its projects range from drafting curricula to the development and publication of teaching materials, nurturing instructors, and providing certification tests. Eurographics, a European professional computer graphics association, supports its members in advancing the state of computer graphics and related fields, such as multimedia, scientific visualization, and human-computer interfaces. Through a worldwide membership, Eurographics maintains close links with developments in the U.S., Japan, and other countries, and promotes the exchange of scientific and technical information and skills on a global scale. Eurographics 2019, its 40th annual conference, took place from May 6–10 in Genoa, Italy. For information on how to become an ACM SIGGRAPH affiliate, or to volunteer for the External Relations Committee, contact the ACM SIGGRAPH External Relations Chair. ACM SIGGRAPH, Brazilian Association of Visual Technology, CG-ARTS, Computer Graphics Arts Society, Digital Content Association of Japan, Display Week, Eurographics, External Relations, FMX, IEEE, ISEA International, Laval Virtual, Society for Information Display, Spark CG, VFX Rio, VIEW Conference SIGGRAPH Spotlight: Episode 63 — The Evolution of Art: From Human Perspective to Tech-driven Innovation What's next for the world of art, innovation, and design? This episode of SIGGRAPH Spotlight... SIGGRAPH ConferencesJanuary 27, 2023 Applying to SIGGRAPH 2023 Student Volunteer Program Thinking about applying to volunteer at SIGGRAPH 2023? The Student Volunteer program is now accepting... Living Fearlessly in Computer Graphics Michael Running Wolf shares his incredible career journey, including how he has used immersive technologies... Rylee DuvallJanuary 17, 2023 2022 Was the Rise of GPU Suppliers What can we expect from the architects, engineers, programmers, and testers in 2023? Jon PeddieJanuary 10, 2023 Cameraless Photography With 'RAY' SIGGRAPH caught up with Weidi Zhang to discuss the inspiration behind her SIGGRAPH 2022 Best... SIGGRAPH ConferencesJanuary 5, 2023 Our Top 10 Most-read Blogs of 2022 As you look ahead on all you will accomplish in the coming year, reflect on... SIGGRAPH ConferencesDecember 29, 2022

Delaware Legislature Adopts Amendments to Delaware General Corporation Law By Mark D. Wood & Martin Q. Ruhaak on August 9, 2013 Posted in SEC/Corporate Effective as of August 1, 2013, the Delaware legislature adopted several significant amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL). No Stockholder Vote Required in Certain Second-Step Mergers Prior to the adoption of the amendment to Section 251 of the DGCL, following the consummation of a tender or exchange offer, an acquirer was required to obtain approval of a second-step merger from the target corporation's stockholders unless the acquirer owned at least 90% of each class of the target corporation's voting stock. That was the case whether such ownership was acquired directly in the first-step tender or exchange offer or through the use of a "top-up option" following the offer. That meant that, if the target corporation was a public company and the acquirer failed to achieve the 90% threshold, the target corporation would need to prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a proxy or information statement with respect to the stockholder vote (which proxy or information statement would have been subject to potential SEC review). As a result, there could have been a meaningful delay between the closing of the tender or exchange offer and the completion of the second-step merger, which could adversely impact debt financing for the transaction. Under new subsection (h) of Section 251, unless the target corporation's certificate of incorporation expressly requires otherwise, a vote of the target corporation's stockholders would not be required to authorize a second-step merger following a tender or exchange offer if: (1) the merger agreement expressly provides that the merger will be governed by Section 251(h) and that the second-step merger will be consummated as soon as practicable following the offer; (2) the acquirer consummates the offer for any and all of the outstanding stock of the target corporation that would otherwise be entitled to vote on the adoption of the merger agreement; (3) following the consummation of the offer, the acquirer owns at least the percentage of the stock of the target corporation that otherwise would be required to adopt the merger agreement; (4) at the time the target corporation's board of directors approves the merger agreement, no other party to the merger agreement is an "interested stockholder" (as defined in Section 203(c) of the DGCL) of the target corporation; (5) the acquirer merges with the target corporation pursuant to the merger agreement; and (6) the outstanding shares of the target corporation not canceled in the merger are converted into the right to receive the same amount and kind of consideration paid for shares in the offer. Section 251(h) applies only to target corporations with shares listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 holders immediately prior to the execution of the merger agreement. Pursuant to a parallel amendment to Section 262 of the DGCL, appraisal rights are available to the target corporation's stockholders in connection with a second-step merger effected pursuant to Section 251(h), unless all of the stock of the target corporation is owned by the acquirer immediately prior to the merger. Ratification of Defective Corporate Acts Under new Section 204 of the DGCL, no corporate act or purported stock issuance would be void or voidable solely on the basis of a failure of authorization, so long as the act is ratified in accordance with the procedures outlined in new Section 204 or validated by the Delaware Court of Chancery in a proceeding under new Section 205. In order to ratify a defective corporate act, the board of directors of the corporation is required to adopt a resolution stating (1) the defective corporate act to be ratified, (2) the time of the defective corporate act, (3) if such defective corporate act involved the issuance of shares of stock, the number and type of shares of stock issued and the date or dates upon which such shares were purported to have been issued, (4) the nature of the failure of authorization in respect of the defective corporate act to be ratified and (5) that the board of directors approves the ratification of the defective corporate act. The corporation's stockholders are also required to adopt the resolutions adopted by the board of directors, unless (1) stockholder approval was not required at the time of the board's adoption of such resolutions or would not have been required at the time of the defective act and (2) the defective act did not result from a failure to comply with Section 203 of the DGCL (the business combinations statute). New Section 205 grants the Delaware Court of Chancery exclusive jurisdiction to determine the validity of any defective corporate acts ratified pursuant to Section 204. Under Section 205, the Delaware Court of Chancery has broad powers to determine the validity of any defective corporate act, including the power to modify or waive any provision of Section 204. Formula for Stock Issuance Consideration Section 152 of the DGCL was amended to clarify that a board of directors may determine the price at which the corporation's stock is issued by approving a formula by which such price is determined. Public Benefit Corporations New Sections 361 through 368 of the DGCL authorize the formation of for-profit corporations, known as "public benefit corporations," that are formed for the purpose of promoting public benefits. A "public benefit" is broadly defined as a "positive effect (or reduction of negative effects) on one or more categories of persons, entities, communities or interests." The board of directors of a public benefit corporation is required to balance the pecuniary interests of the stockholders, the best interests of those materially affected by the corporation's conduct, and the specific public benefit or public benefits identified in the public benefit corporation's certificate of incorporation when it manages the corporation's business and affairs. The stockholders of a public benefit corporation owning a specified threshold of the corporation's outstanding shares are permitted to bring a derivative suit asserting that the board of directors is not fulfilling the public benefit mandate. Shelf Corporations Amendments to Sections 312(b) and 502(a) of the DGCL are designed to discourage the establishment of "shelf" corporations having no activities, directors or stockholders. As amended, Section 312(b) provides that only directors or stockholders may authorize a renewal or revival of a corporation that has ceased to be in good standing. As amended, Section 502(a) prohibits an incorporator from signing any annual franchise tax reports (other than the corporation's initial report) and requires a corporation to list at least one director on its franchise tax reports. SEC Statements Regarding SPACs Address Warrants and Projections SEC Approves Amendments to NYSE Shareholder Approval Rules for Certain Equity Issuances and Requirements for Related Party Transactions SEC Corp Fin Staff Issues Statement on SPAC Transactions

Social media buttons are blamed for their poor performance and privacy offending nature. We've tested 10 popular solutions to find out the truth. Social media buttons are a natural choice for most of us when building a website with content we want to be shared. Despite what we might of heard about how badly they affect performance or break visitors privacy, they seem like a necessary choice. Are they? Certainly not for some people. But what if you think that social media buttons can be useful to certain degree or you are limited by project requirements? What options do we have? Because our new brand and website redesign is just around the corner (yes, we are aware XHTML is not cool anymore), we would like to make an informed decision when it comes to replacing those 'old school' sharing buttons on this blog. * If you just want static social sharing buttons or links you can use social share URLs. The requirement for the custom buttons solution in this test was that the buttons needed to show the number of shares. To simulate a real world scenario, we set up a test WordPress site running on the Twenty Fifteen theme on our preview server. We then created a sample blog post with no buttons. This blog post served as a reference point that we could compare all of the other solutions to. We installed the social media sharing solutions using their respective WordPress plugins and made a copy of the sample blog post for each solution. For each solution, we set up 5 basic buttons for each post – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Reddit. Before running our test for any particular solution we made sure to deactivate all other plugins so they wouldn't interfere. We used Webpagetest.org for testing performance. We ran 2 tests for each blog post, one from San Francisco with DSL connection and another one from Frankfurt with 3G connection. Each of the tests were run 3 times and the results were compared to our control post which had no buttons. Evaluating performance of social media buttons is tricky. Authors of social media buttons claim that by loading them asynchronously they can minimize their performance impact. This means that often there are only a few requests and KBs on the document complete event, but many more requests and KBs appear on the fully loaded page. This doesn't mean those additional requests and KBs only count when you pay for the transferred bytes. In an ideal situation they shouldn't prevent a user from interacting with the website. However, especially on mobile devices, additional network activity can slow down your browser or cause the page to act weird when the buttons start rendering. This also affects perceived performance. Speed Index is a good indicator of perceived performance, however it cannot catch some issues mentioned above. To make the results more objective we compared all solutions to the No buttons results and calculated differences in Speed Index, Time, Number of Requests and Size both for the Document Loaded and Fully Loaded events. For each of these criterias (7 in total) we have determined the solution rank among the others. Finally we made a sum of all ranks to determine the final performance rank. Check the spreadsheet with all results and links to the WebPagetest tests. Our main criteria for how each solution respects visitors privacy was how many first-party and third-party cookies were set. Realistically you don't need any cookie for the share functionality to work on your site. Some buttons proved this to be true with zero cookies set, while others were clearly more of a tracking platform than just sharing buttons. Sometimes additional cookies were set when a user clicks on a certain share button, as the social platform comes into play. This is also a matter of how sharing is done internally within the plugin, because no cookies are really needed for sharing functionality to be initiated on your page. However, we didn't take these additional cookies into account as we assumed that when a user decides to click on a sharing button they might be aware of the privacy consequences. Thus our main criteria for privacy remains whether the solution sets any cookies at all, which may be important for those visitors who have no interest in interacting with social sharing buttons on our site. If it can hide zeroes – because the zeroes on sharing buttons don't look good. If it displays consistently – the buttons should provide consistent look and feel. If buttons work without signup – why you should sign up somewhere for having social media sharing available on your site? For each of these criteria we assigned points and calculated the overall scores. Almost every button set offered some version of premium features if you were willing to pay for them. For simplicity we only compared what was available in the free versions. Before we get to the top 3 winners, let's take a look at the results starting from the 4th place right down to the worst solution in our test. Simple Share Buttons shown here with an underline coming from Twenty Fifteen theme which would have to be fixed by custom CSS. When it comes to performance, Simple Share Buttons is quite specific in our test. It has very few requests and only adds an additional 45KB on the fully loaded page. However, it suffered from a long delay to load the first byte and had the worst Speed Index result of the entire group. Simple Share Buttons suffers from the very long time to the first byte. Even with 9 different image sets the buttons counters look a bit old-fashioned. The link underline comes from the Twenty Fifteen theme and would have to be removed by custom CSS. This shows that the buttons are not fully immune to your own styles. Another small issue was that after our own test share, the counter initially hadn't updated and was only updated when we checked the page the next day. On a positive note, this plugin doesn't set any cookies and the WP admin interface is very easy to use. Despite the initial critique, this plugin can be one of the best solutions out there especially if you pay for the additional features in the Plus version (10 USD per site). The plus version might solve most of the issues we had with the plugin – it can hide zeroes and should load faster with the cached share counts (this may improve time to the first byte but we haven't tested it). Flare cannot handle placement of the bottom buttons very well but this might be a specific issue with the Twenty Fifteen theme. Flare by Filament isn't a classic WordPress plugin which adds social media buttons to your posts. Rather it's a sharing bar application which requires you to register for an account. The WordPress plugin simply redirects you to your Filament account where you can change buttons' settings. This is understandable but the process of setting up or updating the buttons is not very user friendly. When you do any change to your buttons you have to drag and position them on the page again. Flare is also the only solution which literally doesn't work on mobile – it doesn't break, it simply doesn't display at all. That's because mobile support is only included in the Pro version ($89 / year). Flare's performance is decent and it doesn't set any cookie but limited features and cumbersome setup prevented it from scoring better in our test. AddThis only shows aggregated count and also seem to count incorrectly. This post was only shared once for test purposes. AddThis performed 2nd best in our test, however like other competitors it wasn't amazing performance either (consider it's still just 6.8 out of 10). One of the problems with AddThis is that it doesn't show individual shares – only the aggregated count. Also, the shares count increases immediately after you click the button not when you actually share the content, which raises some questions of how the shares are counted. In our case, the blog post was shared just once, yet the counter shows 3 shares, probably because we clicked the Twitter button 3 times. Like most other solutions, AddThis doesn't allow you to have both Facebook Like & Share buttons in one set. AddThis is a marketing platform so naturally it tries to go beyond simple sharing which sometimes may result in questionable practices like the canvas fingerprinting 'scandal'. Indeed it sets many 3rd party cookies and also content breakdown by domain looks a bit disturbing. So if the visitors privacy is your main concern, you should probably avoid AddThis. On the other hand the WP plugin is easy to use and setup. For some reason AddToAny can only display standard Google buttons. One of the problems of AddToAny buttons was its performance. Apparently the buttons are not loaded asynchronously and made 16 requests and loaded around 400KB before the document complete event. The buttons cannot hide zeroes (in this case really big ones) and for some reason, only standard Google buttons are displayed which don't make them look consistent. AddToAny itself sets only 1 cookie (2 others come from Google) and the WP Admin is a standard one with clear options. Maybe with some tweaking you could get more out this solution, but average performance and inconsistent graphics doesn't make it the first choice for us. Shareaholic made the most requests out of all solutions on fully loaded page – 53, and shortly we will see why. Obviously, with so many requests, your performance will always be just average / poor. The buttons look nice and display consistently. The WP admin isn't difficult to navigate but you are required to set up an account at Shareaholic. The biggest issue comes with privacy. Shareaholic sets cookies like a drunk person having one free drop after another at a party. Some of the domain names for which 3rd party cookies are set are w55c.net, openx.net, nexac.com, ih.adscale.de, yahoo.com, bidswitch.net, casalemedia.com. The content breakdown by domain is intimidating and makes clear what's the main purpose of this platform – tracking users and monetizing it. If you know what you are doing (eg. looking for a "Content Amplification Platform") you can give Shareaholic a try, but otherwise better stay away from it so you don't wake up with a hangover the next day. Achieving consistent look and feel with official buttons would be difficult. What can we say about the official buttons except that you should never use them if you care about performance. Performance is the 2nd worst in the test with the biggest total file size both for the document complete and fully loaded events. This is no surprise as the buttons are provided by different vendors and cannot benefit from combining resources. Privacy surprisingly isn't a big issue, with only 1 cookie set by Google and 1 by Reddit. If you believe in the goodwill of large corporations, you have nothing to worry about (at least you know that you will be tracked by someone who is already tracking you). Of course, there is no common WP plugin for the official buttons which makes the setup and updates difficult and inflexible. No one would really like to deal with it if there are better options for WordPress. Thus official buttons rather serves as a comparison purpose in this test. ShareThis performed the worst in our test. It made the most requests (36) and had the 2nd biggest files size (469KB) on the document complete event. Whatever it had to do (or thinks it has to do), this isn't the best starting point – it's like starting your triathlon wearing one of these. WordPress admin interface is not very convenient with options spread to 6 steps you have to go over and over if you want to change something. Similar to AddThis and Shareaholic, ShareThis is also one of those 'platforms' which sets a lot of cookies and makes big number of requests to the 3rd party domains. Whether this is intentional or unhandled technical challenge, together with other issues it makes ShareThis the worst solution in our test. Share by SumoMe is similar to Flare by Filament. Even in the way it 'incorrectly' attaches to the bottom of the blog post in the Twenty Fifteen theme. Share by SumoMe is like a sibling of Flare by Filament. Again, it's a collection of tools you have to sign up to. Once you install its WP plugin you can load your SumoMe account. Contrary to Flare the admin interface is displayed as an overlay inside the WP and updating your buttons is much easier. SumoMe beats Flare in terms of free features too – it works on mobile by default and allows to have Facebook Share and Like displayed at once as 2 different buttons. On the other hand, it didn't avoid setting at least one cookie (although, it's a first-party cookie) and its performance score is slightly worse than Flare. However, the 3rd place shows that a good user experience and well balanced features play an important role in the rating of any software. SumoMe also offers a handful of other applications to grow your website traffic so it's probably best used in combination with those. In such case don't forget to test how adding additional applications affects overall performance of your website. Jetpack offers 2 basic buttons styling, displayed here are icons with text (icons without text are rounded minimalist icons). Jetpack is another specific solution in our test. It's a plugin which brings various advanced functionality of WordPress.com to self-hosted WordPress sites. In total there are about 35 different features and one of them is sharing buttons functionality. One disatvantage of Jetpack is that it forces you to connect your site to a WordPress.com account. The sharing buttons available are currently limited to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, Google+, StumbleUpon, Tumblr, Pinterest and Pocket but you can add a new sharing service through WP admin dialog. Shares are counted correctly. Be aware that even if you want to a simple sharing functionality, Jetpack might activate other features after installing the plugin. So review and turn off those which you don't need for better performance. Jetpack developers could do some performance optimization too, for example the sharing JS library isn't fully minified. Jetpack (at least its sharing functionality alone) doesn't set any cookies. Its WP admin is easy to use and obviously is very similar to the WP admin itself. Jetpack showed a good mix of decent performance, features and privacy, which brought it to the 2nd place in our test. Custom buttons using Genericons icons from the Twenty Fifteen theme. And the winner is …. not that surprising. Custom buttons offer the best performance and with a little bit of effort also the best flexibility out of all solutions. In addition to excellent performance, one of the biggest advantages is that you can easily make the buttons match your website design and tailor them to your overall UX. We have implemented custom buttons using Genericons icons available in the Twenty Fifteen theme and by Barebones Share Buttons library which also counts the number of shares. By default Facebook and Twitter counts are available but it shouldn't be difficult to add counters for other providers too. By default zeroes are displayed but again this is something which can be handled with a simple update to the library. Adding counts for other providers might slightly affect performance with additional requests. If top performance is your main concern you should use a service like SharedCount and query its API for number of shares for each service at once. Free service offers 1000 requests a day (or 10,000 if you later log in with Facebook account). In such case the solution would really be just using social share URLs in your share links or buttons, and finding out shares counts using the SharedCount API. We realize that some our evaluation criteria can be subjective. That's why we have made the spreadsheet with results available here. It includes detailed performance results, links to the Webpagetest tests and our rating of the features. You can make a copy of it and play with the criteria and their weight. For example if you increase the Privacy weight, the results might be different. Our recommendation based on the test results is clear – if you need them, and if you can, build custom social media sharing buttons. That's by far the best performance solution and can help you avoid any potential privacy issues. It requires some effort and might not be as fancy as some other solutions in the test, but you will have the buttons code fully under control and can customize them to match your brand and UX needs. As you can see, the counters (one of the things which differentiate social media buttons from the plain social share URLs) are also doable with the custom buttons. If you require or can benefit from additional features then your second choice can be solutions like Jetpack, Share by SumoMe or Simple Share buttons. Use our test to help you decide if potential trade-offs in performance and privacy are worth it. If you have some remarks on the test, its methodology or tested solutions, please share them in the comments below. Thank you. Brilliant article. I really enjoyed it! Awesome article! I'musing this as a guide. Thank you! Thanks, the post is really impressive. Hi there, I noticed that you are linking to Sharedcount.com on your article https://www.xfive.co/blog/social-media-buttons-test-performance-privacy-features/ . As that service is being discontinued, perhaps it could be useful to replace the link for Sharescount.com, a new working alternative. Keep up the great work! Hey Lubos, thanks for the great effort. After reading your article, I disabled SumoMe plugin in my WordPress websites and went on with simple JetPack sharing buttons. Thanks for the great comparison, but what about MashShare which is actually one of the most rated in the WP repository? Im really curious for a test and scores. I was wanting to gain links for my site from Add This. It turns out it doesn't create true links that can boost a website ranking. I was really p*ss*d off to say they least. I dumped them and did 1,000 pages of art one link at a time. Thanks, Simone. I've installed MashShare and it looks pretty good - only 2 requests (CSS and JS) and around 30kB (minified, gzipped). It doesn't set any cookies. However, I only tested it with FB and Twitter buttons as you need to buy an add-on for others. Anyway, it would probably get to one of the top places in our test. or are you talking about "Custom Share Buttons with Floating Sidebar"

13 August 2016 ~ 4 Comments BEHIND THE SCENES ON VACCINES – Knowledge is power Need to know info Sad but True It's been 7 years since I began to study the dangers of vaccines. Their effect on our most vulnerable is both sad and maddening. Thank goodness there are now reliable sources for all to find the truth. A special thank you to Dr. Andy Wakefield, Polly Tommey, Del Bigtree and the team at VAXXED, whose commitment to saving our children makes them all heros. As a therapist and nutritionist, the most important thing I believe I can tell parents is that they are not guilty of harming their children if their kiddos have been vaccine injured. Following the advice of the doctor is what we have been taught to do. Once we know better, we can do better. Whether to vaccinate is definitely the most important decision a parent can make. Please watch this video: IMPORTANT PLEASE, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. And when you do, be aware of funding sources. The immune system: * We have a 2 part immune system: The cellular branch of the immune system digests & expels waste and is the expression of illness. The humoral branch of the immune system produces antibodies and recognizes/identifies things that would harm us ("germs"). A healthy balance of cellular and humoral immune function is vital to good health. Vaccines bypass the cellular system by direct stimulation of the humoral branch. * Research shows that vaccines can overstimulate the humoral branch and inhibit the cellular branch, leading to immune suppression. Immune suppression and over stimulation of the humoral branch may show up as allergies, autoimmune disorders, neurological disorders, etc. * Breastfeeding, probiotics, antioxidants, and allowing the natural course of illness to occur enhance immune balance while heavy metals, toxins, infant formula, Tylenol, antibiotics and sugar lead to immune imbalance. The eradication of disease and facts about vaccine use (Main source – Suzanne Humphries, M.D. BE DILIGENT! Fact check!) : * 80% of the total decline in mortality, since records began to be kept in the United Kingdom in 1860, occurred before any vaccine or antimicrobial drugs were available and 90% or more before there was any national vaccine program. * Diseases declined and longevity increased due to hygiene, running water and refrigeration. * Japan stopped using MMR vaccine in 1993 due to side effects and cost of compensating victims. They reconsidered using it again in 1999 but decided not to reinstate its use. The MMR is still used in the U.S. * In France, government officials halted hepatitis B vaccine school requirements in 1998. France's health minister acted after numerous reports of symptoms resembling arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Hep B is still given in the U.S. * The H1N1 flu vaccine is 60 times more likely to cause a miscarriage than regular seasonal flu vaccines according to VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System). * In October of 2013, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Austria, France and Canada suspended the use of a number of Novartis flu vaccines. Novartis is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. * The oral polio vaccine was banned from use in the United States in 2000. The reason for this ban was because too many children were developing vaccine associated paralytic polio (VAPP) as a serious side effect of the oral vaccine. * In 1977, Dr. Jonas Salk who developed the first polio vaccine, testified along with other scientists, that mass inoculation against polio was the cause of most polio cases in the USA since 1961. naturalnews.com/026940_vaccine_vaccines_children.html * "A single vaccine given to a six pound newborn is the equivalent of giving a 180-pound adult 30 vaccinations on the same day", Dr Boyd Haley, Ph.D. Interesting statistics: * In 2016, there have been 48 cases of Measles in the U.S. through July and ZERO DEATHS. * 2012: 20 pertussis-related deaths compared to 2010: 3,404 DEATHS due to asthma. * From January 1 to May 2, 2014, 464 people in the United States have been reported to have mumps. ZERO DEATHS. There are 100,000+ DEATHS yearly due to adverse drug reactions. * According to the New York State Department of Health, 2 of 20 people infected inthe 1994 measles "outbreak" in New York City were children who had not been vaccinated by their parent's choice. What about the other 18? Why didn't their vaccines work? * Regarding the current DTap vaccine, the FDA says, "This research suggests that although individuals immunized with an acellular pertussis vaccine may be protected from disease, they may still become infected with the bacteria without always getting sick and are able to spread infection to others, including young infants who are susceptible to pertussis disease." Vaccine Ingredients From www.reversingvaccineinduceddiseases.com Rebecca Carley, M.D. : TOXIC INGREDIENTS FOUND IN VACCINES: * aluminum hydroxide * aluminum phosphate * ammonium sulfate * amphotericin B * animal tissues: pig blood, horse blood, rabbit brain * dog kidney, monkey kidney* chick embryo, chicken egg, duck egg * calf (bovine) serum * betapropiolactone * fetal bovine serum * formaldehyde * formalin * gelatin *glycerol * human diploid cells (originating from human aborted fetal tissue) * hydrolized gelatin * mercury thimerosol (thimerosal, Merthiolate) * monosodium glutamate (MSG) * neomycin * neomycin sulfate *phenol red indicator * phenoxyethanol (antifreeze) * potassium diphosphate * potassium monophosphate * polymyxin B * polysorbate 20 *polysorbate 80 porcine (pig) pancreatic hydrolysate of casein * residual MRC5 proteins * sorbitol * tri(n)butylphosphate * VERO cells, a continuous line of monkey kidney cells * washed sheep red blood. – Here's what the CDC tells us of the common substances found in vaccines: • Aluminum gels or salts of aluminum which are added as adjuvants to help the vaccine stimulate a better response. • Antibiotics which are added to some vaccines to prevent the growth of germs (bacteria) during production and storage of the vaccine. • Egg protein is found in influenza and yellow fever vaccines, which are prepared using chicken eggs. • Formaldehyde is used to inactivate bacterial products for toxoid vaccines, (these are vaccines that use an inactive bacterial toxin to produce immunity.) • Monosodium glutamate (MSG) and 2-phenoxy-ethanol. • Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative that is added to vials of vaccine that contain more than one dose to prevent contamination and growth of potentially harmful bacteria. In late August, 2014, Senior Scientist William Thompson from the CDC came out about research data modification in the MMR/autism study of 2004. Data was omitted and changed to hide the significant link between vaccines and autism. As of April 2018, Dr. Thompson still has not testified before Congress even though he wants to. Dr. Andrew Wakefield – Gastroenterologist: * Dr. Wakefield and his team's research found the vaccine strain of measles virus in the intestinal tracts of children whose parents reported regressive autism and IBD after the MMR vaccine. * Dr. Andrew Wakefield had no ties to the pharmaceutical industry. * Dr. John Walker-Smith who supervised Wakefield and was accused of the same wrongdoings was fully exhonerated of all charges. Dr. Wakefield is now suing the British Medical Journal and the journalist who attacked him. * Over 400 papers in peer reviewed journals have been published documenting and exploring vaccine injury and death. Profits from Vaccines * In the year 2006, drug companies made $4.3 billion on pediatric/adolescent vaccines. That number is projected to be over $16 billion (per year) by 2016. * Based on the CDC schedule, the average pediatrician makes $3000 per child in the first 5 years of life from vaccine "well child" visits. ($1600 in the first 12 months alone). vaxtruth.org * The CDC offers financial incentives to state departments of health for each "fully vaccinated child". In a recent year, the Ohio Department of Health received $1 million in such CDC bonus payments. wellbeingjournal.com Kristine M. Severyn, Ph.D. * Total projected pharmaceutical profits for (the first 5 years of life) vaccines for children born in the year 2010 alone is $5.273 billion (if the vaccination rate overall in the U.S. is 90%). vaxtruth.org And yes, it is Big Pharma funding the movement against those who are for vaccine choice. Settlements: (PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES ARE IMMUNE TO ANY LIABILITY FOR VACCINE INJURY – settlement funds come from our tax dollars {75c per vaccine}) * As of early 2018 of this year, $3.8 billion had been paid out to vaccine victims even though two out of three plaintiffs are denied compensation. Thousands of cases are waiting to be heard. * The first case where a vaccine/autism connection was acknowledged was in 2007 (Hannah Poling), though the family saw no funds until 2010. * Bailey Banks – the court ruled (or the government conceded) that vaccines had caused encephalopathy, which in turn produced permanent injury, including symptoms of autism and ultimately an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Exemptions: * In Michigan, right now, you have 3 ways to protect your child from vaccines – medical, religious and philosophical. * Philosophical exemptions do not require any written reasoning. * Religious exemptions do not have to be associated with a specific organized religion. * Parent philosophical exemptions are CURRENTLY UNDER ATTACK in Michigan through the Michigan Medical Society. Stay aware and be ready to contact your legislators if a bill is written. If you do decide to vaccinate: * Ask your doctor to run titers to check to see if your child is already immune (LabCor offers these for MMR, varicella) * Wait until at least 2 years of age and only give one vaccine at a time. * Run a blood test for the MTHFR gene. Those with this gene are highly at risk for vaccine injury. * Do not give child any acetaminophen after vaccination. Source: http://cmdfa.wfzup.servertrust.com/Adverse-Side-Effects-of-Acetaminophen-s/196.htm * The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child by Robert Sears, M.D offers a modified schedule. * Before you go to the doctor the day you want to vaccinate, ask yourself: 1. Am I or my child sick right now? 2. Have I or my child had a bad reaction to a vaccination before? 3. Do I or my child have a personal or family history of vaccine reactions, neurological disorders, severe allergies or immune system problems? 4. Do I know the disease and vaccine risks for myself or my child? 5. Do I have full information about the vaccine's side effects? 6. Do I know how to identify and report a vaccine reaction? 7. Do I know I need to keep a written record, including the vaccine manufacturer's name and lot number, for all vaccinations? 8. Do I know I have the right to make an informed choice? SPECIAL NOTE: If you obtain literature on vaccines from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, please be aware that the Director of Infectious Disease and the Vaccine Education Center is Dr. Paul Offit. Offit holds the patent for the rotavirus vaccine. His earnings for this are in the tens of millions. Public health departments, at least in Michigan, use literature from this source. Sources and Resources: Please watch the movie VAXXED which describes in detail the CDC whistleblower, William Thompson, Ph.D.'s attempts to share the truth about the cover-up at the CDC in the 2004 study of the MMR vaccine and autism. AgeofAutism.com/vaccines/ vactruth.com vaccinetruth.org Childhoodshots.com (Biblical support for not vaccinating can be found here) The National Vaccine Information Center – NVIC.org Vaccineresistancemovement.org DrPalevsky.com DrTenpenny.com DoctorEisenstein.com DrCarley.com The World Association for Vaccine Education – novaccine.com BOOKS (these are just a few!) A Shot in the Dark by Harris Coulter and Barbara Loe Fisher Callous Disregard by Andrew J. Wakefield. M.D. The Crime of Vaccination, by Dave Tennison Dissolving Illusions: Disease, Vaccine, and the Forgotten History, Suzanne Humphries, M.D. and Roman Bystrianyk. (this book shares all the graphs and historical proof that vaccines did NOT stop contagious diseases) Immunizations: The Terrible Risks Your Children Face That Your Doctor Wont Reveal by Robert Mendolsyn, M.D. Make an Informed Vaccine Decision, Dr. Mayer Eisenstein (every parent should read) The Business of Baby: What Doctors Don't Tell You, What Corporations Try to Sell You, and How to Put Your Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Before Their Bottom Line, Jennifer Margulis No Vaccines for Me! by Kathleen Dunkelberger The Parents' Concise Guide to Childhood Vaccinations by Lauren Feder, M.D. The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby and Child Care, Sally Fallon Morell and Thomas Cowan, M.D. Shaken Baby Syndrome or Vaccine Induced Encephalitis by Harold Buttram, M.D. Vaccine Illusion by Tetyana, Obukhanyeh The Vaccine Court: The Dark Truth of America's Vaccine Injury Compensation by Wayne Rhode Update in 2016 ~ A textbook has now been written about the causative link between autoimmune diseases, like lupus, arthritis, and fibromyalgia and vaccinations. Vaccines and Autoimmunity, edited by Yehuda Shoenfeld, Nancy Agmon-Levin and Lucija Tomljenovic contains the research of over 70 researchers. It warrants exploration. Special Thank You to Pinwheels for Vaccine Injury Awareness. Everyone is encouraged to visit their site and join together to help our young people and those not yet born. We do this by raising awareness that vaccine injury is very real. "Vaccine injured are everywhere and we need to stand up, stand out and be seen and heard in a way that can not be ridiculed." You can Google individual vaccines to look at copies of their inserts to see the actual ingredients – please do! You can also Goggle Michigan Care Improvement Registry Participation in the MCIR Reporting to get the form to opt your children out of vaccine use registration (so they don't keep track of your choices). please think about the implications of this… 4 Responses to "BEHIND THE SCENES ON VACCINES –" Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function ereg() in /home/thrive15/public_html/wp-content/themes/mainstream/mainstream/includes/theme-comments.php:66 Stack trace: #0 /home/thrive15/public_html/wp-content/themes/mainstream/mainstream/includes/theme-comments.php(20): the_commenter_link() #1 /home/thrive15/public_html/wp-includes/class-walker-comment.php(179): custom_comment(Object(WP_Comment), Array, 1) #2 /home/thrive15/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-walker.php(145): Walker_Comment->start_el('', Object(WP_Comment), 1, Array) #3 /home/thrive15/public_html/wp-includes/class-walker-comment.php(139): Walker->display_element(Object(WP_Comment), Array, '5', 0, Array, '') #4 /home/thrive15/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-walker.php(387): Walker_Comment->display_element(Object(WP_Comment), Array, '5', 0, Array, '') #5 /home/thrive15/public_html/wp-includes/comment-template.php(2174): Walker->paged_walk(Array, '5', 0, 0, Array) #6 /home/thrive15/public_html/wp-content/themes/mainstream/mainstream/comments.php(22): in /home/thrive15/public_html/wp-content/themes/mainstream/mainstream/includes/theme-comments.php on line 66

In today's episode of The Plant Trainers Podcast we talk to the man of everyone's hour, Dr. Michael Greger. He is the author of the popular book, How Not To Die and the genius behind NutritionFacts.org. Dr. Michael Greger and his team read through every scientific study written about nutrition, so we don't have to. He has a funny and effective way of explaining the data, showing the viewers if it was a good study, how it compares to others and in which ways the information may have been bias. But don't be fooled, this is not his day job, Dr. Greger is still a practicing physician, presents about numerous public health issues and is the Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States. In this episode, we explore that question we hear so often, "But what about fish and eggs" and he shares some information to comfort the plant-based pregnant ladies out there. With his wit and charm, Dr. Greger has some messages for parents and anyone out there who wants to know How Not To Die. How Not To Die: Discover The Foods Scientifically Proven To prevent And Reverse Disease, by Michael Greger, M.D.

A far from complicated policy minimizing or limiting out-of-pocket financial risks. Health insurance policies often exclude or limit coverage for third party reproduction, including egg donation and surrogacy.With this Egg Donor and Recipient coverage in place, any expenses related to the complications from an egg donor retrieval and embryo transfer do not have to be paid out-of-pocket. YOU HAVE OPTIONS – Plans can be purchased for Donor only, Recipient only, or Donor and Recipient with a variety of coverage options. COVERAGE PERIOD – Coverage begins at start date of medication and continues through four months. CHOICE OF PROVIDERS – No network of providers allows the client to choose their preferred provider and the plan will cover any hospital, clinic, or physician nationwide. PREVENT A LAPSE IN COVERAGE –An insurance that protects everyone involved (Intended Parents, Egg Donors, and Gestational Carriers) to prevent any lapse in coverage in the event of any egg retrieval or embryo transfer complications. REDUCE OUT-OF-POCKET FINANCIAL RISKS – With zero deductibles and policy limits ranging from $100,000 – $1M, the small premium paid for coverage can prevent personal risks of claims totaling $150,000 and upwards. COMPETITIVE PRICING – Insurance coverage is competitively priced.Given that UFI/ART Risk Solutions shares about 35% of the market, our clients agree. OUR GUIDELINES GO ABOVE THAT SUGGESTED BY ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) – ASRM recommends six cycles and underwriter, Universal Family Insurance has approved on average 8-9+ cycles. EASY APPLICATION PROCESS– Simple, online application process for applicants; no need for lengthy forms or time needed to complete the enrollment process. EXPERTISE – ART Risk Solutions has been placing policies since 2010.$1.6M has been paid out in claims since 2011 by Universal Family Insurance and approximately 2600 EggDonor and Recipient polices are put in place yearly by ART Risk. Our expertise in finding the right coverage for our clients that lowers their financial risk should a complication arise, only allows for more peace of mind for all involved. Egg Donor and Recipient Complications Insurance is provided by Universal Family Insurance and backed by Lloyd's of London, rated at A+ superior. All insurance plans are brokered by ART Risk Financial & Insurance Solutions, Inc.

The sodium-activated potassium channel is encoded by a member of the Slo gene family. Na(+)-activated potassium channels (K(Na)) have been identified in cardiomyocytes and neurons where they may provide protection against ischemia. We now report that K(Na) is encoded by the rSlo2 gene (also called Slack), the mammalian ortholog of slo-2 in C. elegans. rSlo2, heterologously expressed, shares many properties of native K(Na) including activation by intracellular Na(+), high conductance, and prominent subconductance states. In addition to activation by Na(+), we report that rSLO-2 channels are cooperatively activated by intracellular Cl(-), similar to C. elegans SLO-2 channels. Since intracellular Na(+) and Cl(-) both rise in oxygen-deprived cells, coactivation may more effectively trigger the activity of rSLO-2 channels in ischemia. In C. elegans, mutational and physiological analysis revealed that the SLO-2 current is a major component of the delayed rectifier. We demonstrate in C. elegans that slo-2 mutants are hypersensitive to hypoxia, suggesting a conserved role for the slo-2 gene subfamily.

French law provides for a prohibition in principle to exclude a shareholder, which is nevertheless subject to exceptions. First, as regards listed companies, for a controlling shareholder to implement a squeeze-out following any public offer, shares of the target held by minority shareholders should represent not more than five percent of the shares or voting rights. Secondly, in the case of an non-listed company, only an express stipulation of the shareholders' agreement may justify the exclusion of the minority shareholder. Egyptian law does not recognize squeeze-out mechanisms. As such, no mechanism is available to compulsorily acquire minority stakes. 100% control can be achieved contractually under a merger, equity acquisition or upon the terms of a scheme of arrangement, each as described above. 100% control may also achieved by a bidder availing themselves of the statutory squeeze-out provisions as more particularly described above. Art. 111 of the Consolidated Financial Act contemplates a "squeeze-out" provision that applies each time that – following the launch of a takeover bid for all of the outstanding voting shares of the target company (whether the takeover bid is voluntary or mandatory) – the bidder holds at least 95% of the voting rights. Under this rule, a bidder in this condition has the right to purchase the remaining shares of the target company within three months from the expiry date of the offer, provided that the bidder asserted its wish to do so in the offer document. Conversely, no mechanisms exists for compulsory acquisitions of minority stakes in privately held companies. A bidder can effect a compulsory purchase or squeeze-out of the minority shareholders in the target. Where the target is a Takeover Regulations company, the bidder can squeeze out the minority shareholders where it has received 90% acceptances both in value and voting rights of those shares that are subject of the offer. Where the target is a non-Takeover Regulations company, the bidder can effect a squeeze-out where it has received 80% acceptances in value within four months of the terms of the offer being published. Under Brazilian Corporate Law, if less than 5% of all shares issued by the target company remain outstanding in the market after the De-listing Tender Offer auction, the target company shareholders may approve the redemption of such shares ("squeeze out") based on the price reached in the De-listing Tender Offer, provided the company deposits the amount owed to the minority shareholders with a banking institution duly authorized by the Brazilian securities and exchange commission (CVM). ii. where the offeror holds or has irrevocably agreed to acquire, following the acceptance of a takeover bid, securities in the offeree company representing not less than ninety per cent (90 %) of the capital carrying voting rights and not less than ninety per cent (90 %) of the voting rights included in the takeover bid. Schemes approved by 75 per cent of shareholders (or creditors) are binding on all shareholders (or creditors) and either by the order sanctioning such scheme or a subsequent order, a court can make provision for the transfer of a company's undertaking or its shares, pursuant to such scheme. In addition, the approval of an offer to buy the shares of a public company by 75 per cent of shareholders within four months of such offer will give rise to a right on the part of the acquirer to compulsorily acquire the shares of dissenting shareholders upon notice within two months, subject to any objection proceedings. Under Law 2190/1920, a majority shareholder that maintains 95% or more of the company's capital has the right to enable the acquisition of the remaining share capital. A squeeze-out right is available to majority shareholders that, following a takeover bid, hold 90% or more in a listed company, for a consideration equal to the one contained in the takeover bid. Squeeze-out mechanisms are available under German law following a successful acquisitions of shares in a company. The takeover related squeeze-out option allows a bidder who acquires at least 95% of the target's voting share capital to purchase the remaining voting shares within three months following the expiry of the acceptance period by filing an application to Frankfurt am Main District Court. In this case, the consideration offered under the tender offer is deemed to constitute an appropriate cash compensation under the squeeze-out procedure, provided that the bidder has acquired shares constituting 90% or more of the registered share capital of the target as result of the tender offer. No formal shareholders' meeting is required. Corresponding to the takeover-related squeeze-out, the minority shareholders of the target have a put right if the above described conditions for a takeover-related squeeze-out are met. Practically, this results in an extension of the acceptance period by additional three months if the bidder acquired shares with a total value of at least 95% of the registered share capital of the target. Such procedure is uncommon as bidders usually fail to reach a shareholding of 95% after the offer. the required squeeze-out resolution is made within three months following the signing of the merger agreement. The squeeze-out compensation is based on the current value of the target pursuant to a formal fair market valuation of the target. The resolution and the valuation may be challenged by minority shareholders. The bidder may also utilize the traditional corporate squeeze-out procedure at any time following the bid if it owns at least 95% of the registered share capital of the target (including non-voting shares). However, this procedure requires a shareholders' resolution. The squeeze-out compensation is based on the current value of the company pursuant to a formal fair market valuation of the target and must be paid as cash compensation. The resolution and the valuation may be both challenged by minority shareholders and are subject to a lengthy judicial review, which usually delays the implementation of the squeeze-out. No. No such mechanism exists in Vietnam. Upon completion of a tender offer, the bidder has basically to means to squeeze-out minority shareholders. Under FMIA, the bidder holding 98% of the voting rights of the target can apply for a court decision cancelling the remaining equity securities of the target against the same consideration as offered under the offer. The request must be made within three months of the offer's additional acceptance period. The proceedings are generally uncontroversial as minority shareholders' defense possibilities are very limited. In particular, minority shareholders cannot object to the price they obtain. In addition, the Swiss Merger Act allows an offeror to complete a squeeze-out merger if it holds 90% or more of the voting rights of the target. In such a case, minority shareholders can be forced to accept cash or any other merger consideration in exchange for their target shares. However, in case of a squeeze-out merger, minority shareholders have appraisal rights. The Swedish Companies Act provides for a squeeze-out mechanism including both a right for the minority owners to sell and the majority owner to purchase minority shares in a company in case one shareholder's ownership exceeds 90 per cent of the shares in the company. There is none. The Philippines has no squeezed-out mechanisms as they are known in other jurisdictions. Section 103 of the Companies Act, provides that holders of 95% or more of the shares of a Company may compulsorily acquire the remainder. The principal difference between section 103 and section 102 is that a dissentient in section 103 can only apply to court to appraise the value of its shares. It cannot seek to vitiate the compulsory acquisition. The English case law on equivalent statutory provisions will be persuasive in Bermuda courts. English case law is such that a minority shareholder will find it very difficult to persuade the Court that on offer accepted by a majority of 95% is not reasonable and fair. Squeeze out mechanisms are available for controlling shareholders that are in control of the company, directly or indirectly holding no less than 90% of the shares and voting rights. A squeeze out of minority shareholders is not designed to be exercised at the controlling shareholder's sole discretion. The TCC permits squeeze outs only where the minority acts in bad faith, adversely affects the functioning of the company, or acts recklessly. The TCC also provides an exit opportunity for minority shareholders of publicly traded companies at the closing of "material transactions", where a merger is defined as a material transaction. Shareholders objecting to material transactions at the shareholders meeting are allowed to exercise a buy-out right and exit the company. In other words, dissenting shareholder have the right to sell their shares to the company and the company is required to buy these shares accordingly. Shareholders who do not exercise these buy-out and exit rights are entitled to receive shares in the surviving company in proportion to their shares in the dissolving company. II. where the acquisition is effected pursuant to Section 129 of the ISA, the bidder can effect a squeeze-out within two months of the expiry of the four-month offer period, where it has received the acceptance of the contract by not less than nine-tenth in value of the shares whose transfer is involved. Such approving shareholders must not be less than three-quarters in number of the holders of the shares the acquirer seeks to acquire.

Even After Sanders Beats Trump, There's Still the Deep State Blob In the aftermath of the 2016 election, the paranoiac hard right adopted as part of their larger conspiracist worldview the notion of a "deep state" that was gunning for Donald Trump. Crackpots like Alex Jones claimed a shadowy cabal of dubious government actors were operating in the background, trying to take out the Donald, in a production mirroring recent Color Revolutions seen in Eastern Europe. August Bebel rather infamously called antisemitism "the socialism of fools," a sentiment that holds true in spades for the goobers that reduce the systemic analysis of phenomena down to a clique of individuals whose exorcism from the body politic would make America great again. Well, it actually is a little more complicated than that… We do have actual reports about individual actors who have made conscious decisions from within the deep recesses of the state in order to stymie policy efforts. Indeed, around the time that InfoWars was honking like a gaggle of geese, Ken Silverstein called me up and said out loud "This is a coup!" Regarding the Obama administration, there were two noteworthy quasi-exposés. The first, published in the final months of 44th presidential term, came from the New York Times Magazine by way of a profile of Ben Rhodes, who angered a few powerful folks over these passages: He referred to the American foreign-policy establishment as the Blob. According to Rhodes, the Blob includes Hillary Clinton, Robert Gates and other Iraq-war promoters from both parties who now whine incessantly about the collapse of the American security order in Europe and the Middle East… [Obama] openly shares Rhodes's contempt for the groupthink of the American foreign-policy establishment and its hangers-on in the press. Yet one problem with the new script that Obama and Rhodes have written is that the Blob may have finally caught on. Next, a September 2018 New Republic piece by David Dayen about the early days of Timothy Geithner's tenure as Treasury Secretary certainly caused eyebrows to levitate: He's lying like a rug here, FYI. According to credible accounts, Geithner slow-walked a direct presidential order to prepare the breakup of Citigroup, instead undertaking other measures to nurse the insolvent bank back to health. This resistance to accountability for those who perpetrated the crisis, consistent with Geithner's demonstrated worldview, had catastrophic effects—including the Trump presidency itself… Larry Summers, then the National Economic Council director, was intrigued by the concept of nationalizing the sickest commercial banks, similar to what Sweden had done a decade earlier. Summers had discussed the mechanics of it with FDIC chairwoman Sheila Bair… Obama had already publicly rejected nationalization in an interview with ABC News, but his economic team had differing viewpoints, which they hashed out in the March 2009 meeting. They decided that the remaining bailout funds would be used to support a "resolution" of Citi. The worst assets would be put into a "bad bank," with shareholders wiped out and the rest of the firm downsized and restructured. Obama…approved the order that night and tasked the Treasury Department with nailing down the details. Geithner simply didn't follow the request, failing to produce any proposal for the unwinding of Citi… It was a classic Washington move: When your boss asks for something you don't like, just ignore it and hope that the request isn't necessary when the boss follows up. Thus we have two verifiable accounts about how domestic and foreign policy have been prevented from significant alteration by powerful forces within the Washington establishment. Robert Gates and Hillary Clinton are/were representatives of the aggressive elements in the State and Defense Departments who urged Obama into the catastrophic Libya debacle. Geithner is a disciple of neoliberal economic gurus Robert Rubin and Larry Summers, two quacks who, along with the certifiably-delusional Alan Greenspan, encouraged Bill Clinton's pillage of the American welfare state in the 1990s. These are just a few of literally thousands (if not millions) of career civil servants, federal workers, policy wonks, and other apparatchiks that are wed to a deeply-regressive set of doctrines. In every municipal, state, and federal office across the country, people that subscribe to these dogmas have been installed with no resistance by countervailing progressive forces. There's a number of things that could happen were Bernie to be elected president. Taking on these forces are going to be a serious challenge that will need to go outside the realm of electoral politics in order to be successful. Please consider supporting us with as little as $1 per month via our Washington Babylon Patreon account. Every little bit helps and will keep us delivering great coverage Ben Rhodes The Blob Timothy Geithner Previous articleMnuchin Admits Trump's Budget Cuts Social Security Even as President Claims He Is 'Not Touching' the Program Next articleCheck Out Our Latest Bella Robinson VP Podcast! Why Hollywood Sucks: Third Time's a Charm with "Dune"? Glenn Greenwald Explains How Pierre Omidyar Became a Bad Billionaire — After He Stopped Taking His Money Colin Powell: Diversifying the Staff of Empire

Together, Maplesoft and Perimeter want to ensure the next generation of leaders and innovators have 21st century math and physics skills, and are prepared for a quantum future. Waterloo, Canada; July 13, 2016: Maplesoft has entered into an agreement with Perimeter Institute (PI), a leading centre for scientific research, training and educational outreach in foundational theoretical physics, to serve as its Educational Outreach Champion. As part of the agreement, Maplesoft will provide financial support and greater access to its education technology software to researchers, teachers and students at PI. Maplesoft's contributions will support Perimeter's Teacher Network Training activities, core educational resources, development of online course material, the EinsteinPlus workshop for high school teachers, and the International Summer School for Young Physicists (ISSYP). Perimeter will also facilitate the distribution of complimentary Maplesoft product licenses to students and teachers for personal use. Maplesoft's online courseware development and deployment platform focusing on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs, Möbius, will be used by PI to offer online content for suitable programs at the Institute. The ISSYP program at Perimeter has been using Möbius for two years now, offering preparatory course materials that aid in making the summer program a more productive and dynamic experience for the students. Researchers, teachers and students will also have access to Maple, the symbolic math computation tool from Maplesoft that makes it extremely easy to analyze, explore, visualize, and solve mathematical problems. As part of the agreement, Maplesoft will also offer lectures and seminars to PI staff and researchers on topics of shared interest. The agreement with PI is part of Maplesoft's partnership initiatives with similar institutions such as the Fields Institute and the Mathematical Science Research Institute, keeping the company connected with leading-edge research and academic programs in science and mathematics. Maplesoft has provided mathematics-based software solutions to educators and researchers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields for over 25 years. Maplesoft's flagship product, Maple, combines the world's most powerful mathematics engine with an interface that makes it extremely easy to analyze, explore, visualize, and solve mathematical problems. Building on this technology, Maplesoft also provides STEM-focused solutions for online assessment, modeling and simulation, and online courseware, offering modern solutions to meet the particular needs of STEM education and research. Maplesoft products and services are used by more than 8000 educational institutions, research labs, and companies, in over 90 countries. Maplesoft is a subsidiary of Cybernet Systems Group. For further details, please visit http://www.maplesoft.com. Perimeter Institute is the world's largest research hub devoted to theoretical physics. The independent Institute was founded in 1999 to foster breakthroughs in the fundamental understanding of our universe, from the smallest particles to the entire cosmos. Research at Perimeter is motivated by the understanding that fundamental science advances human knowledge and catalyzes innovation, and that today's theoretical physics is tomorrow's technology. Located in the Region of Waterloo, the not-for-profit Institute is a unique public-private endeavour, including the Governments of Ontario and Canada, that enables cutting-edge research, trains the next generation of scientific pioneers, and shares the power of physics through award-winning educational outreach and public engagement. For more information on Perimeter Institute, please visit https://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/.

Whether it's the holidays or your bestie's birthday coming up, finding the perfect gift for that special creative person in your life can be a little tricky. What if they already have plenty of watercolor sets (disclaimer: that's pretty much unheard of) or what if they already have tons of sketchbooks? Or what if you just don't know where to start in terms of looking and just need some quick recommendations to get you started? This is exactly why I wanted to put this little guide together – to help you find the perfect gifts for artists that are not only awesome but also affordable. Most of these items I have personally used and absolutely love and stand by them. Be like Leslie Knope and be a winner at getting the perfect gift for your artist friend, creative, or art lover! This is a collection of gift ideas for your artist friend who may be in need of new art supplies. And honestly, an artist can never have too many of these, so if they happen to already have these art supplies, they will be delighted to get another set because these are all amazing products that you can come back to time and time again. You know what instantly makes you the best gift giver ever? Getting a set of these for (yourself!) that special creative artist in your life. Why? Because glitter makes EVERYTHING ten times cooler! These various shades of gold watercolors are a perfect tool for embellishing and adding more awesomeness to your already awesome watercolor sketch. I've used these for a variety of projects (adding pizzazz to my business cards, making lettering pop, adding gold accents for highlights or shadows, you name it and I've probably used the gold watercolors on it). Sample art using these gold watercolors can be seen here. I've recommended water brushes before in my blog post on how to get started with watercolors, and since then have discovered this awesome brand of MozArt water brushes! They are great for artists of any level because you can fill the containers with water which makes painting with watercolor super easy. You can also use these with watercolor pencils or other water soluble media. So instead of worrying about dipping your paint brush into your cup of coffee or tea, you can fill up your water brushes with water and get to sketching. They are fantastic for sketching en plein air, urban sketching, or just playing around with watercolors during a commercial break from your favorite show. I've used mine for over 5 months now and I like that the container doesn't get dirty, nor blocked. And you get 6 of them for $10, what a steal! (oops, did I just add this to my amazon cart as well?). I love my posca paint markers! They are awesome to add highlights onto any of your sketch and the white comes up super bright and clear. You can use them in tons of creative projects like writing out lettering, or outlining your lettering to make it pop. You can also add accents to your abstract art in form of dots, lines, or squiggles. I made this lettering art piece with posca markers! Microns are some of my favorite ink pens because they dry super fast (so perfect for lefties) and do not run if a watercolor wash is applied. They are great for outlining a certain part of a sketch, for creating hatch lines, or adding various texture to your art. And did I mention that they don't smudge? They are truly an indispensable product for an artist, illustrator or sketcher. And this set comes with ink pens of various sizes which is bonus and hella cool when you need to vary up your sketch stroke. Here are some sample sketches I've done with micron pens. The next section of this gift guide is great for anyone who loves and appreciates art, wants to keep being creative or someone who just needs a little push to get unblocked and tell that negative self talk to take a hike. I own and have read and loved these books and so I truly think they will be a great gift for your artistic or creative friend. This is one of my favorite books because it puts the idea of creativity in simple terms – you can and are creative. You just gotta look around. It also shares the positive message of just being yourself and the fact that original art doesn't exist. It's also a fairly quick read, but jam-packed with great insights and call to action for creatives and artists. We all struggle with negative self talk and often are our biggest critic. This book has been monumental in helping me get art work done. It's written in an encouraging voice that is not only supportive but also assertive and inspiring to go get that canvas or sketchbook and make some art happen. Self-doubt doesn't stand a chance with the insightful chapters of this book. It's also another lighter read and can be enjoyed in a weekend or a cozy Sunday afternoon (the chapters can be skipped around according to your most urgent artistic needs). This is the book that gave me permission to be a sketchbook artist without having to follow any "rules" that go into sketching. It is full of fun exercises to get you into sketching and seeing your world differently. Suddenly everything around you can be sketched and anything can become art. The illustrations are super colorful and inspiring and will get you craving to start making art right away! Every art lover will appreciate the beautiful watercolor portraits of famous women in literature. It's a gorgeous book with inspiring quotes in artistic lettering style and it makes a perfect addition to a creative's library. I love this book filled with beautiful illustrations and lettering from the artist Lisa Congdon. The quotes are all inspirational and perfect to read on a Saturday morning when you know you have some art work to do, but just can't even. Flipping through just a few pages will invigorate the mind and soul of any art lover or creative. Oh my Frida! These socks are amazing! I have a pair of these and love to wear them every time. There's lots of other artistic sock options, but these I think, take the cake. This is the cutest little artist pin I've seen to date. Super awesome quality. I couldn't resist and got one for my friend too! Speaking of friends, here is a shirt that my friend Bree designed. It's a great little reminder for yourself (or your art friend) to keep showing up, to keep creating, to keep being. I don't personally own this (yet) but it is such a fun mug and anyone who's ever dipped their brush in their coffee or tea will definitely appreciate the humor! This blog post has been updated in November 2018 with new & additional gifting ideas for artists. This book quickly became one of my favorites because it an art book all about WOMEN artists. So if you had a female artist in your life that is seeking some encouragement and resilient stories of how other women grew their art careers, this art book is for you (and your friend!). I also love the little art project ideas that Danielle includes with each chapter. In case you aren't familiar, Skillshare is an online membership site where you can watch tons of fun classes on all kinds of subjects. It is truly the gift that will keep on giving because there are always new classes being added on all sorts of subjects (and the creative ones are definitely my favorite). I have a few classes on there myself and I hope you'll give them a try :). This is one of my favorite tiny, compact AND cute watercolor sets that I always take with me when I travel. I especially love this color combo from Prima Watercolors – Pastel Dreams. It is truly dreamy and a joy to play around with (especially if you have flight anxiety and need something creative to do while you travel/fly). One of my all time favorite journals that I've ever purchased is the Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith. It's a magical journal that will help you get out of your creative rut, start creative destruction of paper and give you a jolt of creative flow like never before. Seriously, one of the prompts is something like taking your journal and throwing it out of the third floor balcony. This gift is great for a certain someone you might already know (hey, no judgement here) who hoards tons of art supplies and beautiful paper or sketchbooks but who just can't bring themselves to start creating. This journal makes it easy and super fun to start. It removes the pressure and kindly guides you to just start doing something creative. I highly recommend it. Are you on the popsocket train yet? Ok, hear me out on this one. I know they've been around for a while but lots of people still surprise me when they say they've never used one. It makes using a phone SO much easier and it also creates a mini stand for it so if you want to watch a video hands-free, you can totally do it. Now, there's so many freaking options you can get for these! Possibilities are endless. Here's one of my favorites (created by yours truly) which instantly inspires some creativity and art action. If you want to see a few other popsockets I designed, visit here.

Meredith Pellon clasps her hands and looks down, movement stirring inside her before it escapes in clunks that still manage to have grace. She looks over an invisible ledge with ambiguous focus, as if she could be looking through a hole in the earth or a display of jewelry under glass. While held close at first, her popping has the quality of a VHS skipping, in the most pleasurable way. Slowly rotating, she builds tension by keeping her bursts of movement relatively contained. Relief finally hits when Etta James' "I'll Be Seeing You" starts playing, bringing an entirely different environment to the sculpture of Pellon's ideas. Her stances get wider, her feet start leaving the ground more often, she lifts her eyes and stretches her arms away from the grasp they once held each other in. Meredith Pellon. Photo courtesy of artist. 12 Minutes Max, Open Studio, Choreography, Etc., and now Performance Lab – the name has evolved, but the concept remains the same. On The Boards is dedicated to showcasing local artists' work (such as Pellon's) not only in the final stage, but also in development. Those selected for this session presented their works-in-progress "in the round," with an audience on four sides. Tension builds differently when WAREHAUS dance collective takes the stage. Clad in Adidas tracksuits, dancers Akeisha de Baat and Megan Hunter run their hands over their legs and arms. The satisfying "swoosh" sound of the sports fabric immediately awakens the senses. Assuming traditional warm-up positions, squeezing joints, and finding deep, preparatory stretches, the duet not only limbers up their bodies, but our perspective. Circling the space, their "warm up" evolves into more stylized angles, and moments of spinning that doesn't seem to stop. Sliding across the floor in their socks, I feel as if I could still experience this dance with my eyes closed, which is exactly what Hunter does next. With one sense gone, the two finally make contact and dive into a full bodied, half-blind duet. Lifts, assisted falls, flips, and weight shares follow one after another, without certainty as to who's leading. WAREHAUS expertly investigates how the experience of the senses changes when not all of them are available. Hope Goldman's work seems to cover all the senses, in all directions, shapes, and moods. Six dancers in red and blue pedestrian clothes take turns setting off a chain of events, over and over in Shoal. They stumble onto stage, inch with baby steps, rub their legs, reorient randomly yet organize thoughtfully at the same time. It seems as though every possible verb enacts in front of me, through different bodies, collectively, yet separate. A wonderful flurry of contradictions, her work utilizes unison phrase work, intensely internal gestures, and popcorn progressions to build a sort of society of movement. Goldman makes the appropriate choice not to include added sound, which lends itself well to the percussion of the quirky stomps and shuffles. Toward the end, it becomes hard to find a pattern as the group stands, kneels, and twists in all different ways. Yet in this moment of individualism, we see the group come together in a collective humanity, which we can sense was there all along. Photo by Shelley Rose Photography. Humanity combats an object, and the personal trauma it represents in the Naomi Macalalad Bragin's work. She stares down a violin, like a bullfighter across an arena. Her strained relationship with the instrument shows right away, as she prepares for battle by applying red lipstick. Sounds of a thunderstorm and dishes shattering rattle the space as she approaches and takes the violin out of its case. All hell breaks loose as she thrashes around, pantomiming through a classical piece, seemingly possessed by the violin. Broken is the story of Bragin's tortured background in growing up a competitive classical musician. As a street/hip-hop dancer, friction is created between her body's pathways and the Western history of the object she holds. At one point her shoulders quiver to the sound of a typewriter, and she mouths the words "her English never breaks," a reference to her harrowing experience as the daughter of an immigrant, removed from her Filipino culture. By far the most emotionally evocative piece of the night, Broken is an intimate look at Bragin's childhood trauma of cultural assimilation in her family. Performance Lab showed at On The Boards on September 20th, 2018. Find more about the program here. Naomi Macalalad Bragin will also be showing work in Solo: A Festival of Dance at On The Boards October 4-7, 2018. Find tickets and info here.

Tag Archives: of Quincy Jones III Recalls Michael Jackson Turning Down 2Pac Collab Because Of His Loyalty To Biggie Smalls Son of the incomparable and legendary Quincy Jones, Quincy "QD3" Jones III, recently recalled working with the late 2Pac during BET's oral history of The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory. During the latest installment of the feature, QD3 not only reflected on the musical relationship he had with one of the most prolific voices… Rolling Stone Names Notorious B.I.G.'s 'Ready To Die' The Greatest Hip-Hop Album Of All Time We are halfway through the 2022 calendar year and there have been numerous "so far" lists popping up all over social media. Whether it's the best hip-hop albums of 2022 so far, or the biggest rappers of the year, the coveted Rolling Stone publication has released their Top 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time,… Suga Free & Kokane Explain Why Eazy-E Deserves A Hollywood Star & Detail Upcoming Collab Album photo credit: 935 KDAY Suga Free is back to tap in with KDAY Morning Show co-hosts Cece and Romeo, and this time he came through with his friend and collaborator Kokane. Repping as the Pomona legends, Suga and Kokane worked on a new album throughout the difficult pandemic and their latest offering is just the… Snow Tha Product's "Queen Of The South" Role Inspired Her To Share Authentic Latin Stories In Film photo credit: 935 KDAY Snow Tha Product has wasted no time in developing her career, so when the pandemic hit, the lockdown experience gave the Cali native had the opportunity to take a step back to appreciate how far she's come and how much she has accomplished on her come up. Consistently touring back-to-back, for… Flavor Flav Addresses Chuck D Feud & Details Terms For Public Enemy Reunion A few months back, during the ground-breaking ceremony for the upcoming Universal Hip Hop Museum, Chuck D caught up with TMZ and spoke on the long-standing riff between his Public Enemy bandmate Flavor Flav. While Chuck did share he was ready to move past any disagreements with Flav, it looks as though the beef hasn't… Kanye West Previews Unreleased "Life Of The Party" Collab With André 3000 It hasn't even been a full week since Kanye West somewhat surprised dropped his much-hyped and highly anticipated tenth studio album 'Donda' and now there is already a chance at more new music from the current Ye era! With many artists quickly coming to social media to express their grievances with being left off of… Digital Underground's Shock G's Cause Of Death Revealed By Medical Examiner The hip-hop community mourned the sudden loss of the pioneering artist, rapper, and producer Shock G back in April, and while details surrounding his passing were not determined, the cause of his death has been revealed. According to TMZ's recent report, the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner determined the late 56-year-old rapper died from an overdose of… Michael Jordan Shares Last Kobe Bryant Text Conversation He Can't Bring Himself To Delete Ahead of the late Kobe Bryant's induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend, there has been much news surrounding the basketball legend, as his stature continues to be forever immortalized. Close friend, mentor, and basketball legend himself, Michael Jordan, recently spoke with ESPN and revealed the last text conversation he had with… DMX Shared He Thanked God "For Every Moment" Of His Life During Final Interview As hip-hop continues to process the sudden death of the iconic DMX, TVOne announced their exclusive sit down, first-person interview with the late rapper. After his passing just a month ago, several moments and memories of X were shared across social media, as many paid tribute to the hip-hop giant with past interviews and heartfelt… Nas' Debut Album 'Illmatic' Inducted Into Library Of Congress Nas is being delivered the flowers and recognition that has been rightfully overdue for quite some time. With the NY native recently receiving his first Grammy trophy, just a few weeks ago, for Best Rap Album for his latest 'King's Disease', Nas is now cementing his legacy in hip-hop culture and U.S. history. The classic,…

Legal Escalation Against Catholic Activists Facing 25 Years for Anti-Nuclear Weapons Action Seven Catholic peace activists are facing 25 years in jail for entering the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in Georgia last April to protest U.S. nuclear weapons policy. The activists are knowns as the Kings Bay Plowshares 7. They sought to "nonviolently and symbolically disarm the Trident nuclear submarine base at Kings Bay, Georgia" on April 4, 2018, the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. On Friday, a magistrate moved to hinder their motion that the charges against them be dismissed under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. See the group's statement: "Anti Nuclear Activists, Kings Bay Plowshares 7 Respond to U.S. Magistrate Cheesbro's recommendation that our Motions to Dismiss be denied." They are appealing this decision in the next 30 days. Last month, the group gained the backing of Rev. Desmond Tutu, several Catholic Bishops and noted critics of U.S. foreign policy Noam Chomsky and Daniel Ellsberg, who exposed the Pentagon Papers and recently wrote the book The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner. See recent a episode of "Intercepted" podcast with Jeremy Scahill: "Catholic Workers Carmen Trotta and Martha Hennessy Discuss Their Protest at Kings Bay and the History of the Plowshares Movement." See recent "Democracy Now" segment: "Kings Bay Plowshares: Peace Activists Face 25 Years for Action at U.S. Nuclear Submarine Base." The defendants are Elizabeth McAlister (the widow of Phil Berrigan), Martha Hennessy, granddaughter of Catholic Worker co-founder Dorothy Day, Stephen Kelly S.J., Clare Grady, Patrick O'Neill, Mark Colville, and Carmen Trotta. Some of the defendants are out of prison for the time being and, along with some close supporters and legal representatives, are available for interviews: Defendant Martha Hennessy, marthahennessy at gmail.com Mary Anne Grady Flores, Ithaca, NY, gradyflores08 at gmail.com Bill Ofenloch, NYC, billcpf at aol.com Attorney Bill Quigley, quigley77 at gmail.com, @kingsbayplow7

High school teacher creates GSA club to give students safe space he never had l GMA Studies show that LGBTQ+ youth who do not have access to safe spaces are more likely to experience depression and thoughts of suicide. SUBSCRIBE to GMA's YouTube page: https://bit.ly/2Zq0dU5 SIGN UP to get the daily GMA Wake-Up Newsletter: https://gma.abc/2Vzcd5j VISIT GMA's homepage: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com FOLLOW GMA: TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@gma Instagram: https://instagram.com/GoodMorningAmerica Facebook: […] Mom shares the 'chant' her blind daughter uses to empower herself | GMA Dora Chhith's daughter Sadaya Paige was born with septo-optic dysplasia, which caused complete blindness in both her eyes. SUBSCRIBE to GMA's YouTube page: https://bit.ly/2Zq0dU5 SIGN UP to get the daily GMA Wake-Up Newsletter: https://gma.abc/2Vzcd5j VISIT GMA's homepage: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com FOLLOW GMA: TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@gma Instagram: https://instagram.com/GoodMorningAmerica Facebook: https://facebook.com/GoodMorningAmerica Twitter: https://twitter.com/gma #GMA #Moms […] 3 tips to help you maintain a more sustainable wardrobe Sustainable fashion blogger and labor rights activist Aditi Mayer shares why she believes it's important to view sustainable fashion through a "human-centered lens." The future of nuns in America ABC News correspondent Steve Osunsami shares how fewer young people are choosing to dedicate their lives to religious service. SUBSCRIBE to GMA3's YouTube page: https://bit.ly/3kNlst8 VISIT GMA's homepage: https://abc.com/shows/gma3-what-you-need-to-know FOLLOW GMA3: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abcgma3 Twitter: https://twitter.com/abcgma3 Instagram: https://instagram.com/abcgma3 #GMA3 #nuns James Corden On Being Confused For Leonardo DiCaprio | #TheShop James Corden hilariously recalls one of his early encounters with paparazzi on the beach. Catch the season finale of #TheShop, streaming now on HBO Max. Stay connected with #UNINTERRUPTED: Website 👉 https://uninterrupted.com Instagram 👉 https://instagram.com/uninterrupted Twitter 👉 https://twitter.com/uninterrupted Facebook 👉 https://facebook.com/uninterrupted TikTok 👉 https://tiktok.com/@uninterrupted Newsletter 👉 https://www.uninterrupted.com/#subscribe From busboy to star, Leon Bridges is redefining his sound Guest Author 2 years ago Leon Bridges breaks down his new album, "Gold-Diggers Sound." TJ Holmes highlights Georgia businesses during run through Atlanta l GMA "Good Morning America" takes a look at the reopening of the Peach State amid the pandemic. SUBSCRIBE to GMA's YouTube page: https://bit.ly/2Zq0dU5 VISIT GMA's homepage: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com FOLLOW GMA: TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@gma Facebook: https://facebook.com/GoodMorningAmerica Twitter: https://twitter.com/gma Instagram: https://instagram.com/GoodMorningAmerica WATCH full episodes: https://abc.go.com/shows/good-morning-america https://hulu.tv/2YnifTH #Atlanta #Georgia #ATL #GMA Hula competitions return in Hawaii as state reopens post-pandemic l GMA Hula is a way of life in Hawaii, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, hula competitions were put on hold and communities had to practice virtually. LEARN MORE: How various Asian cultures, immigrants and ingredients shaped authentic Hawaii cuisine: https://gma.abc/3ykpFcj Subscribe to GMA's YouTube page: https://bit.ly/2Zq0dU5 Visit GMA's homepage: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com #Hawaii […] LA Charger, Melvin Ingram Charges Up With New Single "Dark Side" Discussing the Current State of America I Caught U Slippin 3 years ago LA Chargers star, Melvin Ingram, better known by his stage name – King Mel, stepped into the current conversation of social justice and systemic oppression with new single, Dark Side. "See a cop, sh*t I get nervous. Turn on the news and America makes my heart cry," Melvin cites, discussing the turn of […] WalletHub Study: 2019's Happiest Cities in America With March 20 is International Day of Happiness and with the aim to find out whether money really does buy happiness, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2019's Happiest Cities in America as well as accompanying videos. New Morning Consult/The Hollywood Reporter Poll: Who America Thinks Should Win The Grammys By Jack Barnes In light of the music industry gathering, Sunday for the 61st annual Grammy Awards, a new Morning Consult/The Hollywood Reporter survey reveals Americans expect film soundtracks to win big at this year's ceremony. The survey, conducted among 2,000 U.S. adults, asked consumers who they think should win some of the […] Buzz That WalletHub Study: 2018's Best Foodie Cities in America By Jack Barnes With Oct. 16 being World Food Day and restaurant prices rising 2.8% between July 2017 and July 2018, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2018's Best Foodie Cities in America as well as accompanying videos. To determine the best and cheapest local foodie scenes, WalletHub compared more than […] Rick Ross Talks about his Side Hustles [Interview] By Jack Barnes Between running his Maybach Music Group empire and pumping out albums as a rapper himself, Florida's own Rick Ross is also bossing up as the franchise owner of several WingStop and Checkers restaurants across America. TIDAL heads to Miami for a savory conversation with the self-proclaimed "Bawse" […] Childish Gambino Video Actor Confused for Trayvon Martin's Dad | TMZ Guest Author 5 years ago 19 The guy in the opening scene of Childish Gambino's "This Is America" video is NOT Trayvon Martin's dad, Tracy … contrary to a flurry of social media buzz. SUBSCRIBE: http://po.st/TMZSubscribe About TMZ: TMZ has consistently been credited for breaking the biggest stories dominating the entertainment news landscape and changed the […] Childish Gambino's "This Is America": How Did You Interpret It? I Caught U Slippin 5 years ago 34 ► Listen LIVE: http://power1051fm.com/ ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Power1051NY/ ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/power1051/ ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/power1051/ source "This Is America" | The Joe Budden Podcast Childish Gambino's "This Is America" video became a viral moment, which led Joe, Rory, and Mal to discuss the impact and talent of Gambino. Subscribe for more exclusive Joe Budden footage: http://bit.ly/BuddenYTSub Watch Joe Budden's Exclusive Series and Footage: The Joe Budden Podcast – http://bit.ly/BuddenPodcast Pull Up – http://bit.ly/JoeBuddenPullUp Oh, […]

Bombardier Celebrates Opening of New Rail Maintenance Depot in Contiship's Italian Rail Hub in Melzo, Milan Low Resolution 90 Kb High Resolution 2.6 Mb New Melzo maintenance depot to strengthen Bombardier's rail services offering with rapid, 24/7 maintenance capability Growth of Logistics and Rail Business District is a joint investment with Contship Italia Rail technology leader Bombardier Transportation is celebrating the official opening of its new 300,000 square meter rail maintenance depot in Melzo, Italy in the Rail Hub Milano (RHM) logistics district. The state-of-the-art depot will support locomotives and rolling stock with rapid assistance and further enhance the growth of the Milan Logistical Business District. The event was attended by railway operators, customers and public institutions and organised with the partnership of the owners of Rail Hub Milano, Italian logistics company Contship Italia. Pierre Cicion, Head of Services Middle East, Africa and Italy, Bombardier Transportation said, "The Melzo depot will enable Bombardier to strengthen its services offering by providing rapid response to locomotives that need urgent support. The workshop is engineered to offer "pit-stops", high-turnover, brief and frequent on-site operations. Bombardier estimates the site will be able to manage around 400 locomotive maintenance operations per year. This number can be further increased by taking over international operators which use in-house assistance abroad." Sebastiano Grasso, Group Managing Director, Business Services, Contship Italia described the facility's importance, saying, "The Melzo, Liscate and Vignate areas near Milan are developing into a powerful logistics region able to support and add value to the nation's manufacturing industry. The shared investment in Melzo depot with Bombardier has enhanced this intra-European and intercontinental crossroads with a powerful, rapid-reaction maintenance capability. This not only keeps trains rolling, but also lowers environmental impact by limiting the logistical reliance on freight trucking." The depot will offer standard services with preventive and corrective maintenance activities and the goal of guaranteeing 24/7 service. Melzo's new 300,000 square meter intermodal terminal features 12km of rail track with four tracks matching international standards and measuring 750m, another three tracks measuring 550m and 12 tracks used as junctions and for external parking. Bombardier is headquartered in Montréal, Canada and our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, we posted revenues of $16.3 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier. To receive our press releases, please visit the RSS Feed section. Bombardier is a trademark of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. Head of Communications, EMEA [email protected] Group Media Relations [email protected] You can also contact one of our worldwide contacts for specific press inquiries.

Pakistan Edition Pakistan court to indict ex-PM Khan on Feb. 7 in case involving sale of state gifts Pakistan's currency to weaken further, exacerbate inflationary pressure – Fitch Ratings Envoy says three Afghans who died in Pakistan jail were denied cancer, heart treatment Bangladesh secures $4.7 billion from IMF as Pakistan, Sri Lanka see delays What's behind the Pakistani Taliban's insurgency? Pakistan Takes Hard Steps in Efforts to Secure IMF Bailout Plan Debt restructuring framework must improve to help distressed countries, Pakistan's ex-central banker says Pakistan-IMF talks to begin today Police, judiciary among top most corrupt institutions in Pakistan — Transparency International Police, judiciary among top most corrupt institutions in Pakistan — Transparency International /node/2213686/pakistan Police patrol outside the central jail in Multan, Pakistan, on December 21, 2019. (AFP/File) https://arab.news/9trex Arab News Pakistan The findings are part of National Corruption Perception Survey (NCPS) of Transparency's Pakistan chapter A majority of Pakistanis believes that anti-corruption institutions have failed to eliminate corruption ISLAMABAD: Police in Pakistan remain the top most corrupt institution, followed by tendering & contracting, judiciary and education, local media reported on Friday, citing a survey by the Transparency International's Pakistan chapter. The findings were part of the National Corruption Perception Survey (NCPS) 2022 of the Pakistan chapter of the Berlin-based international civil society organization, which was released on Friday. In Sindh, education remained the most corrupt sector, police was seen as the second most corrupt, while tendering and contracting was the third most corrupt institution. In Punjab, police remained the most corrupt sector, followed by tendering and contracting and judiciary, according to the survey. The judiciary remained the most corrupt sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) this year, followed by tendering and contracting and police. In Balochistan, tendering and contracting topped the list of corrupt institutions, followed by police and the judiciary on second and third slots. The report said a majority of Pakistanis believed that anti-corruption institutions had failed to curb corruption in the South Asian country. "At the national level, the majority of 45% of people considered anti-corruption institutions' role as 'ineffective' in curbing corruption in Pakistan," Pakistan's Geo News channel reported. "The three most important causes of corruption, according to NCPS 2022, are delayed decisions in corruption cases (31%), use of state institutions by governments for their gain (26%) and incompetence of the government (19%)." Pakistanis continued to believe that corruption in public service delivery was high. According to the participants, the three most corrupt public services for which people had to bribe officials were contracts of roads (40%), access to uninterrupted electricity (28%) and access to clean drinking water (17%). Around 33% of Pakistanis said corruption should be punishable by life imprisonment, while 28% said all government officials, including politicians, military officers and judges, should disclose their assets to the public. Of the participants, 25% recommended that anti-corruption courts should hear corruption cases on a daily basis and decide them in six months. Pakistan court to indict ex-PM Khan on Feb. 7 in case involving sale of state gifts /node/2242051/pakistan Updated 5 sec ago Khan faces the charge of making 'incorrect declarations' of earnings to the country's top election body ECP disqualified him last October while referring the case to the judiciary for further proceedings ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court on Tuesday announced to indict former prime minister Imran Khan on February 7 in a case that led to his disqualification by the country's top election body last year which found him guilty of making "false statements and incorrect declarations" after receiving gifts from various international leaders. The Toshakhana – or state repository for gifts – reference against Khan gained momentum after the downfall of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) administration in a parliamentary no-confidence vote last April. Members of the current government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to expedite the proceedings before Khan was disqualified under Article 63 of the Constitution. According to local media reports, an additional sessions court in Islamabad announced to frame charges against the former prime minister in the coming week after his lawyer and the ECP counsel appeared before it and presented their arguments. "District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal heard the case and fixed February 7 (Tuesday) as the indictment date," The Express Tribune said. "The former premier was also ordered to pay a bond of Rs20,000." The case involves accusations against Khan for misusing his position as prime minister to purchase and sell gifts received during state visits abroad that were worth over Rs140 million – or $5.4 million. A major charge was that he had also failed to declare some of the earnings in his annual statements of assets submitted before the election commission. Khan's disqualification was followed by protests in different parts of the country, though the situation did not deter some local media outlets to continue their investigation into the issue. Pakistan's private news channel Geo TV interviewed a Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor who said he had paid Khan $2 million to buy a watch the ex-premier had received after he went to Saudi Arabia on an official trip in 2018. The account presented by the channel contradicted the ex-premier's narrative who has consistently claimed innocence in the case while pointing out that all receipts and records regarding the gifts and their sales were already present in the Toshakhana. Khan subsequently filed a defamation case against the media house and the UAE-based businessman. However, the reference against him has been taken up by the court after the ECP referred the matter to the judiciary in its ruling last October. Topics: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan Imran Khan Toshakhana reference Election Commission of Pakistan Pakistan's currency to weaken further, exacerbate inflationary pressure – Fitch Ratings /node/2242036/pakistan Updated 13 min 21 sec ago Pakistan's rupee plummeted to 24-year low last week after markets removed cap on exchange rate Fitch says rupee devaluation 'positive' for long-term outlook, helping unlock future IMF disbursements ISLAMABAD: An international credit rating agency on Tuesday forecast that Pakistan's national currency would depreciate further, exacerbating the imported inflationary pressure across the country in the days to come. In its bid to revive a stalled $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan program, Pakistan agreed to remove artificial controls from its exchange market. The rupee plummeted to a record 24-year low last week after foreign exchange companies removed the cap on the exchange rate. The removal of the currency cap has been one of the principal demands of the IMF. Pakistan, with a staggering $3.6 billion in reserves barely enough to cover three weeks of imports, is actively seeking an IMF bailout program to avoid a balance-of-payments crisis. In its latest forecast for Pakistan, Fitch Ratings said its earlier forecast of the dollar rising to Rs248 is "now looking out of date." "We believe that the rupee's weakness still has further to run, particularly with Pakistan's balance of payments position likely to remain weak for several more months," Fitch said. The rating agency said currently there is "a considerable amount of uncertainty" at this juncture, adding that it is difficult to gauge the extent to which the latest rupee devaluation has caused investor confidence to dip. It said a weakening rupee would also have broader economic implications in the near future. "In the near term, it could exacerbate imported inflationary pressure, and may eventually result in steeper policy rate hikes from the SOP," Fitch added. While it said that Pakistan's economy was expected to contract by 0.3 percent in FY2022/23, the rupee's devaluation would help Pakistan secure further disbursements from the IMF. Fitch said it would be "a positive for the longer-term outlook," helping Islamabad ease its balance of payments strains. An IMF mission is currently in Islamabad till February 9, 2023, to discuss the loan revival. The mission will examine Pakistan's policies to restore domestic and external sustainability, including strengthening the country's fiscal position with durable measures while supporting those affected by devastating floods last year. Topics: Pakistan Pakistan currency Inflation Fitch Ratings International Monetary Fund Envoy says three Afghans who died in Pakistan jail were denied cancer, heart treatment /node/2242011/pakistan NAIMAT KHAN Afghanistan's acting consul general Karachi says jail authorities did not get Afghan prisoners the medical help they needed Superintendent Malir Prison says all inmates get treatment, including three Afghan nationals who died of cancer and heart disease KARACHI: Three Afghan citizens imprisoned in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi had died in jail from cancer and heart diseases since October last year, a Pakistani jailer and a senior Afghan diplomat said on Monday, with the latter alleging the patients were denied medical help during their incarceration. Several Afghans flee to Pakistan without valid documents to seek medical treatment, evade persecution by the Kabul government, or to seek employment opportunities. In a report released last year, Pakistan's National Commission on Human Rights said there was a "drastic rise" in the number of Afghans seeking to leave their country following the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021. Pakistan last year intensified its crackdown against Afghans who illegally cross the border and enter its territory without valid documents. In a letter seen by Arab News, the superintendent of a correctional facility in Karachi's District Malir informed the Sindh prisons police chief on Monday that three under-trial Afghan prisoners incarcerated there had died in judicial custody due to health complications. Taj Muhammad, who was arrested on January 22, 2022, died on October 24, 2022, according to the letter, while Abdul Khalil, taken into custody on November 6, 2022, died on December 15, 2022. A third Afghan, Wali Khan, was arrested on November 5 last year, and died on January 22, 2023. His body is being kept at the Chhipa morgue in Karachi, the letter added, while the bodies of Muhammad and Khalil were handed over to family and the Afghan consulate respectively. Syed Abdul Jabbar Takhari, Afghanistan's acting consul general in Karachi, said Khan passed away last week from a heart attack while Muhammad and Khalil had succumbed to cancer. "These people died because they didn't get treatment," Takhari told Arab News, saying that his mission had informed Sindh authorities about the inmates' health condition. "They knew about their health condition as these people had come here for treatment." Takhari said nearly 870 Afghan nationals were still languishing in Sindh prisons, many of them struggling with health issues, and as per the law, jail authorities were not allowed to detain cancer or heart patients. "Instead, they should have been admitted to a hospital," he said. Superintendent Malir Prison Arshad Shah rejected Takhari's allegations, saying all inmates were provided treatment, including the three Afghan nationals who died. "We have medical facilities but the ones with serious conditions are sent to hospital, either to the Jinnah Hospital or the Civil Hospital," Shah told Arab News. Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui, a Sindh government spokesperson, said any person who violated Pakistani law would be prosecuted: "Ailment can serve as grounds for bail to be granted but that doesn't mean they can't be arrested." Muniza Kakar, a lawyer who campaigns for the release of Afghan nationals in detention, said around 2,000 people had been arrested since authorities started a crackdown against Afghan nationals in July 2022. "Of them, about 900 have been deported, some possessing refugees' cards were released on bail while around 1,000 are still languishing in jails in Karachi, Hyderabad, and Sukkar cities of the province," she told Arab News. "These include women, children, and aged people and most of them are patients with serious diseases." Kakar gave the example of an Afghan asylum seeker who she alleged was not provided treatment after suffering a cardiac arrest in jail on Sunday. An afghan asylum seeker named Fatima, had a cardiac arrest in the prison yesterday but she is still not been shifted to the hospital. I humbly request the sindh govt. and jail authorities to immediately shift her to NICVD for immediate relief.@BBhuttoZardari @Refugees @UN pic.twitter.com/E4dUOcz9pK — Moniza Kakar (@Moni_Kakar) January 30, 2023 "She was seen by a jail doctor and on Monday, she was brought to court where she fell down," Kakar said, "but she was taken to jail instead of being taken for treatment to a health facility." Topics: Pakistan Pakistan Afghanistan Ties Pakistan jail Karachi Afghan Nationals Afghan prisoners Sindh minister says only Afghan illegal immigrants jailed, children not under arrest Bangladesh secures $4.7 billion from IMF as Pakistan, Sri Lanka see delays /node/2242006/pakistan Bangladesh has seen a sharp widening of its current account deficit, depreciation of its currency Pakistan, IMF negotiations expected to begin from today as Islamabad seeks to shore up its foreign reserves The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved loans of $4.7 billion to Bangladesh for disbursal starting immediately, making it the first to secure such funds out of three South Asian countries that applied last year amid economic trouble. The loans are a win for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ahead of a general election early next year and will help the country, which has seen a sharp widening of its current account deficit, depreciation of the taka currency and a decline in its foreign exchange reserves. Bangladesh will get about $3.3 billion under the IMF's extended credit facility and related arrangements, with an immediate disbursement of about $476 million. The IMF executive board also approved about $1.4 billion under its newly created Resilience and Sustainability Facility for climate investments for Bangladesh, the first Asian country to access it. The IMF said the loans will "protect macroeconomic stability and rebuild buffers, while helping to advance the authorities' reform agenda". The agenda includes creating fiscal space to enable greater social and developmental spending, strengthening Bangladesh's financial sector, boosting fiscal and governance reforms and building climate resilience. "Since independence, Bangladesh has made steady progress in reducing poverty and significant improvements in living standards," Antoinette M. Sayeh, the IMF's deputy managing director, said in a statement. "However, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent Russia's war in Ukraine interrupted this long period of robust economic performance," Sayeh added. "Multiple shocks have made macroeconomic management challenging in Bangladesh." The country last year also sought $2 billion from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank amid efforts to bolster its foreign exchange reserves. Bangladesh's regional counterparts, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, are doing much worse economically but have not been able to get final approval for IMF loans. Bangladesh's current account deficit hit a record $18.7 billion in the last financial year, which ended on June 30, as exports of garments failed to offset a surge in energy costs. The Bangladesh central bank expects the deficit to fall to about $6.8 billion at the end of the current fiscal year. The government has also raised fuel and energy prices in recent months as it approached the IMF. It announced a 5% increase in retail power prices from Wednesday, the second such rise this month. Topics: #bangladesh IMF Pakistan IMF talk What's behind the Pakistani Taliban's insurgency? /node/2242001/pakistan TTP commander Sarbakaf Mohmand claimed responsibility for one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in recent months TTP spokesperson Mohammad Khurasani distanced the group from the bombing, saying it was not its policy to target mosques ISLAMABAD: When a suicide bomber struck a mosque inside a police compound in the northwestern city of Peshawar on Monday, suspicion immediately fell on the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. In a post on Twitter, a commander for the group, Sarbakaf Mohmand, claimed responsibility for one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in recent months. But more than 10 hours later, TTP spokesperson Mohammad Khurasani distanced the group from the bombing, saying it was not its policy to target mosques or other religious sites, adding that those taking part in such acts could face punitive action under TTP's policy. His statement did not address why a TTP commander had claimed responsibility for the bombing. The TTP's denial also came after the Afghan Foreign Ministry condemned attacks on worshippers as contrary to the teachings of Islam. Relations already are strained between Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, who are sheltering the TTP leadership and fighters. A look at the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which has waged an insurgency in the country for 15 years: WHY IS THE TTP FIGHTING AN INSURGENCY? Angered by Pakistan's cooperation with Washington in the war on terrorism, the TTP was officially set up by Pakistani militants in 2007 when different outlawed groups agreed to work together against Pakistan and support the Afghan Taliban, who were fighting US and NATO forces. The TTP seeks stricter enforcement of Islamic laws, the release of its members in government custody, and a reduction in Pakistani military presence in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the province bordering Afghanistan that it has long used as a base. The TTP has stepped up attacks on Pakistani soldiers and police since November, when it unilaterally ended a cease-fire with the government after the failure of months of talks, hosted by Afghanistan's Taliban rulers in Kabul. The TTP has repeatedly warned police not to take part in operations against its fighters in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TTP AND THE AFGHAN TALIBAN? The TTP is separate from but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban, and that group's takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 emboldened the TTP, which shares the group's ideology. TTP fighters used to hide in Pakistan's tribal northwest and also had sanctuary in Afghanistan, but they mostly lived a fugitive existence. However, the Afghan Taliban started openly sheltering the TTP when they came to power. The Afghan Taliban also released TTP leaders and fighters who had been arrested by previous administrations in Kabul. The Taliban have repeatedly said they will not allow anyone, including the TTP, to use Afghan soil for attacks against any country, including Pakistan. But Pakistani officials say there is a disconnect between the words and actions of the Afghan Taliban, who could stop the TTP from launching attacks inside the country but are failing to do so. The Pakistani Taliban have expressed their allegiance to the head of the Afghan Taliban, said Abdullah Khan, a senior defense analyst and managing director of the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies. He added, however, that they have their own agenda and strategy. TTP's operations have largely been aimed at targeting Pakistani forces, similar to the Afghan Taliban's agenda of ousting foreign forces from the country. Khan fears that Pakistan will see a surge in militant violence in the coming weeks and months. HAS VIOLENCE INCREASED RECENTLY? Pakistan has seen innumerable militant attacks in the past two decades, but there has been an uptick since November, when the TTP ended a cease-fire with the government that had lasted for months. The Pakistani Taliban regularly carry out shootings or bombings, especially in rugged and remote northwestern Pakistan, a former TTP stronghold. The violence has raised fears among residents of a possible military operation in the former tribal regions of North and South Waziristan, now two districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Hours after Monday's mosque bombing, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan told the independent Geo news channel that Afghan Taliban rulers must stand by their commitment to the international community to not allow anyone to use their soil for attacks against another country. "They should honor their promises," he said. Topics: Pakistan Pakistani Taliban Peshawar Peshawar Blast Death toll from mosque blast surges to 93 as Pakistan Taliban deny responsibility Saudi Arabia strongly condemns Pakistan blast, offers condolences for victims about arabnews Privacy & Termes of Service

The MBW Review offers our take on some of the music biz's biggest recent goings-on. This time, we ponder how Universal and Sony's continued ownership of stakes in Spotify is set to affect some delicately poised licensing negotiations over the next 12 months. The MBW Review is supported by Instrumental. Spotify has today (November 13) launched in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). As previously predicted, the company's ad-funded and premium offerings are now available in 13 MENA territories including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories and Egypt. The move takes Spotify's global footprint to 78 markets, and comes with some tempting price points: monthly Premium subscription will cost the equivalent of just over $5 in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, for example, and just under $3 in Egypt. SPOT's growth into the Middle East will be a welcome dose of positive news for the company's investors, who have seen its share price sink 33% over the past four months. Clearly, despite reportedly blocking Spotify's expansion into India this summer, the major labels have ordained that Daniel Ek's company deserves its shot in this essential emerging territory. Two of those major labels, of course – Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment – remain noteworthy shareholders in Spotify. Which leads one to wonder how inter-related these two facts (Spotify's new fully-licensed expansion, and its requirement for some stock-boosting news) might be. Do you know how much equity the major labels still own in Spotify today? According to MBW's estimates, it's approximately 6.35% – divided between Universal (3.5%) and Sony Music Entertainment (2.85%). Before we discuss the significance of that figure, let's quickly remind ourselves how we got here. Thanks to early licensing negotiations which took place in 2008, the three major labels, plus Merlin received an 18% cumulative stake in Spotify (see below). Over the subsequent decade, due to share dilution, this original stake was cut in half, down to approximately 9%. That left UMG with 3.5% in Spotify when it floated on the NYSE on April 1 this year. Warner, meanwhile, had circa 2% in the company, while Merlin had 0.5%. Sony Music was a bit of a special case: according to MBW's sources, the company still owned 3% of these 'organic' original shares in Spotify on April 1. However, Sony also topped up its stake by buying additional shares in the run up to Spotify's flotation – meaning that it held 5.7% in Spotify when the streamer went public. In total, then, when Spotify hit the NYSE, the majors plus Merlin owned around 11.7% of the streaming platform. Three of these participants have since sold some or all of their Spotify shares. Warner Music Group cashed in its entire 2% share for $504m in the quarter ending June this year. Sony Music Entertainment, meanwhile, cashed in 50% of its stakeholding for $768m in the same three-month period. Finally Merlin – whom MBW believes had a 0.5% share in Spotify come flotation day – sold its stake pretty much right away, on day one of trading. So here's the current situation, and how it may relate to Spotify's expansion into the Middle East. At the height of Spotify's recent market cap value – in late July – the company was worth $35.3bn. Had Universal and Sony both cashed in their remaining stakes in the firm at this point – jointly sitting at 6.35%, remember – they would have pulled in around $2.24bn between them. Universal's 3.5% would have been worth approximately $1.24bn. Sony's 2.85% would have been worth around $1bn. Yesterday (November 12), however, things were looking rather different. At the NYSE bell, Spotify's share price hit an all-time low of $131.13 – and its market cap value sunk to $23.8bn. Universal's 3.5% stake was therefore worth around $833m, while Sony's 2.85% was worth roughly $678m. Do you see the issue? UMG and Sony's cumulative stake would have been worth circa $730m more in July, at Spotify's value peak, than it was 24 hours ago. That's a serious amount of money. It means the world's two biggest music rights companies really need to care about Spotify's future stock performance on Wall Street. And yet… the narrative Spotify requires to improve that stock performance may often sit in direct contradiction to the major labels' favored outcomes. Both Universal and Spotify will have seen their current deals expire with Spotify by this time next year – with UMG's deal up first, in Q1 2019. Spotify, it appears, with an eye on gross margin improvement, is going to ask the majors for a few things during the consequent re-negotiations. For starters, Daniel Ek and co are going to want the freedom to expand their aspirations in two areas which already concern the majors: podcasting and direct licensing/distribution deals with independent artists. Both of these ideas threaten the majors' current market share on Spotify – and both of them are not taken lightly at Sony or Universal. In addition, Spotify has all-but confirmed that it is going to try and sell the major labels tools to help them better cut through on its service. Again, the majors aren't likely to enjoy this conversation. Universal and Sony, then, must now give Spotify just enough corporate leeway to bolster the firm's market cap – that is, if they're planning on banking their equity in Daniel Ek's company for the optimum price. At the same time, they have to leave enough leverage in the tank – like the ability to refuse to license Spotify in India – in order to protect their negotiating position when it comes to global music licensing. One entity who won't have Spotify's equity playing on its mind during its re-negotiation with Daniel Ek and co is Merlin. When we asked Merlin CEO Charles Caldas (pictured) why the org decided to sell its Spotify stake right away on April 1, he explained: "It is outside of Merlin's remit to hold a long-term equity position in a publicly-listed company where there is a liquid and transparent market for that equity. In other words, Merlin doesn't want to play the stock market with its members' – not to mention their artists' – money. Universal and Sony have both chosen a riskier approach. If that strategy is ultimately going to pay off, financially at least, it's going to require a delicate balancing act.

New Culture Media Snoop Dogg Criticizes Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's Hit Single W.A.P Lil Pump Show Off His New $400k Worth Rolls Royce Chicago Rapper RondoNumbaNine Curses Out Trump For Lack Of Pardon Yaya Mayweather Shares Heartwarming Photo of Floyd Mayweather Holding Her Newborn Lil Wayne Drops Song Two Days After Trump's Pardon Soulja Boy Sued Over Sexual Assault and Battery Allegations 11 Best Valentine's Day Gifts For Moms 2021 10 Artists Who Shouldn't Drop Songs in 2021 The Best Hip Hop Producers in 2021 10 Best Boosie Badazz Songs The 10 Best A Boogie Wit da Hoodie Songs 10 Cannabis Strains That Won't Make You Hungry Get a Bag of Weed for a COVID-19 Vaccine Top 5 Strongest Cannabis Strains 7 High-Energy Cannabis Strains To Help You Get Active Top 10 CBD Cannabis Seeds in 2021 The 10 Best Lil Baby Songs in 2021 The 10 Best French Montana Songs 2021 testing 11 test code The 10 Best Food Delivery Apps in America Weed and Mushrooms: How Do They Interact? How to Start Your Own Cannabusiness: 6 Easy Steps New York is Set to Legalize Weed and Betting in 2021 Nicole Calier Seems like talk regarding how explicit the hit song W.A.P is still continuing. During an interview with Central Ave, Snoop Dogg did not shy away from giving his opinion on Cardi's and Megan Thee Stallion's hit W.A.P. Snoop Dogg shared that he believes female rappers shouldn't rap about their anatomy or sexuality. He thinks the W.A.P song is too explicit. "Oh my God. Slow down. Like, slow down. And let's have some imagination. Let's have some, you know, privacy, some intimacy where he wants to find out as opposed to you telling him." The rapper feels that privates are special and they should be cherished and kept secret for the bedroom, and W.A.P is the exact opposite of that. Also Read: Top 8 Rapper Owned Cannabis Brands "To me, it's like, it's too fashionable when that is secrecy, that should be a woman's… that's like your pride and possession. That's your jewel of the Nile. That's what you should hold onto. That should be a possession that no one gets to know about until they know about it," he said. Coming from a rapper who has plenty of songs that talked about sex in general and sexual acts, his current reasoning and perspective on life stem from having a daughter and the fact that he sees things differently now that he's older. He, however, shared that as a younger man, he would have loved Cardi's hit and would even have jumped on the remix. Also Read: Cardi B Responds To Claims of Offset Offering Celina Powell $50,000 To Get An Abortion "I may have been with the movement. I probably would have been on the remix." He went on to add that he supports women in rap. "I love it that they express theyself and they doing they thing. I just don't want it that fashionable to where young girls, they can express themselves like that without even knowing that that is a jewel that they hold onto until the right person comes around." Watch Snoop Dogg's full interview with Central Ave below. https://youtu.be/E0fpy0IIhm8 Related Topics:cardi bMegan Thee StallionSnoop DoggW.A.P Kanye West's Yeezy 750 Prototype Looked a Lot Like Nike Air Yeezy 2 Where To Buy The New Jordan 11 Retro "Jubilee" Early Death Row Records Co-Founder Micheal 'Harry-O' Harris Gets His Sentence Commuted Top 8 Rapper Owned Cannabis Brands The 10 Richest Rappers in the World Top 10 Highest Earners on OnlyFans Cardi B Responds To Claims of Offset Offering Celina Powell $50,000 To Get An Abortion Lil Pump / Instagram What is fame without a show-off? In the entertainment industry, especially for rappers, it is essential to have the drip, the money, the bars, and the ride. It is a net worth battle. Lil Pump just bought a Rolls Royce Truck for a whopping four hundred thousand dollars. The Gucci Gang rapper also revealed that he paid the money in cash. He flaunted his ride's pictures on his social media platforms, and we can't lie, the rapper has a reason to brag. The car he bought is one of the most expensive and luxurious in the car industry. In the caption of his post, Pump wrote, "Spent yo lifesaving on a whip 🎁 🎁Pink slip Lil b—h !! Love u." The white Rolls Royce Cullinan has a comfortable space for Pump's passengers and pretty comfortable seats. Also Read: Top 10 Highest Earners on OnlyFans Some of his fans showed love to the rapper's ride, while others claimed that he couldn't afford the Rolls Royce since he had fallen off. "How to does this guys still got money? Didn't he fall off or something," one tweet read. Today we are asking you two questions. Do you think the rapper can afford the ride and do you like Lil Pump's music? Hit us up in the comments section below. We love your responses. RondoNumbaNine / Instagram As a way of leaving office, Donald Trump decided to issue pardons to some convicted criminals. The list was rapper Lil Wayne, Kodak Black, Kilpatrick, Roc Nation's CEO Desiree Perez, and Steve Bannon, among one hundred and sixty-eight others. There is, however, the lot that the 45th president of the US forgot or didn't pardon. Among them are Ross Ulbricht, Julian Assange, and famous Chicago rapper RondoNumbaNine. The angered convict, currently serving a thirty-nine-year sentence for murder charges, used his social media to bash Trump for not pardoning him. Fuck Trump his Bitch ass ain't pardon me — Rondo600rn4l (@rondonumbanine) January 20, 2021 "F–k Trump his Bitch ass ain't pardon me," the Chicago rapper tweeted. In 2014, RondoNumbaNine and his accomplice Courtney Ealy shot their victim Javan Boyd seated in a parked car. After a thorough investigation, Rondo's fingerprints and surrounding CCTV footage pointed at the guilty rapper and Ealy. He was a star rising, but fate chose a different route. Some fans think that he should rot in jail, while others promised to try and convince Joe Biden to pardon him. we'll convice biden — osoBDaP (@NeaimiNicholas) January 20, 2021 Do you think that the president should free him? Talk to us in the comments below. Also, visit our website for more news-related articles. Yaya and Floyd Mayweather at 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. It seems like former professional boxer Floyd Mayweather is stoked about being a grandpa. Days after Yaya and NBA YoungBoy welcomed their firstborn son, Yaya posted an adorable photo of Floyd Mayweather. The undefeated boxing star was holding his grandson. The 20-year-old and new mom shared the adorable photo on her Instagram. Over the photo, she wrote, "My (hearts)." In another slide, she wrote, "My mom $ dad just love the baby so much." Her baby boy was born on Saturday, January 9. It is still unclear where she and NBA YoungBoy stand given their on-off sort of relationship. NBA YoungBoy, who is rumored to be in a relationship with another, reportedly has seven children. YoungBoy and Drea Symone welcomed a daughter over the Thanksgiving holiday. A post shared by Dre (@dreasymone) Yaya also shared with her 1 million Instagram followers that she would be giving them an insight into her life on her YouTube channel through a reality series. Stay tuned for that! A post shared by Moneyyaya (@moneyyaya) Lil Wayne and Donald Trump / Instagram Two days after getting lucky and landing a spot on the 173 acts of clemency list from the former U.S. president, Dwayne Carter Jr., popularly known as Lil Wayne, released his latest single. Titled "Ain't Got Time", the surprise project features Fousheè and pays tribute to the late Juice WRLD, including the story of his gold plated handgun saga. "They raided my private plane/ I went got one that's more privater/R.I.P. Juice WRLD, wrote that on two cups/Pour out a Lil juice for him/Shit gave me goosebumps/N-gga been through too much/Lookin' in the rearview to see the future," a snippet of the lyrics read. Wayne seems to have planned his release. In the recently concluded election, the Lollipop rapper endorsed Trump for president and didn't seem to care about what other people or rappers said. Also Read: The 10 Richest Rappers in the World It worked, and he was pardoned along with other names, including Kodak Black. Other names like Ulbricht didn't make it to the list despite rumours of Trump considering them. Lil Wayne's lawyer claimed that the pardon had nothing to do with the endorsement adding that "I think they had a very strong connection. He's in the entertainment world. He's got a style that's similar in terms of the way that he carries himself, and a lot of rappers and people in the industry relate to that." Stay with us for more stories as they unfold. DeAndre Cortez Way aka Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, (Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for BET) US rapper Soulja Boy once responsible for the biggest hits, has been accused of sexual assault, battery, and holding his former assistant hostage. The rapper whose hits include Crank That and Kiss Me Thru the Phone has denied the allegations. The former assistant who is not named filed a complaint against the 30-year-old rapper on Thursday, January 21. In the complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, the woman claims the rapper repeatedly raped her and held her hostage for three days. She also claims that he did not pay her 18-month wages even after subjecting her to a hostile work environment. Also Read: DJ Akademiks Says Megan Thee Stallion Has 'One Flow and Lazy Bars' As reported in People magazine, the woman began working for Soulja Boy, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez, in 2018. She was expected to be readily available at all times. Her job description went beyond personal assistant duties. She was expected to cook, clean, and chauffeur. The woman filed as 'Jane Doe' and Soulja Boy developed a romantic relationship in January 2019. The brief consensual relationship turned violent. The rapper first physically abused her around January 23, 2019. The rapper also threatened to kill her on one occasion. Soulja Boy first sexually assaulted her in February 2019. Filled with remorse, he offered her $1,000 after the incident. He, however, continued to rape her on several occasions and sometimes twice a day. He locked her up for three days when she attempted to leave. "Way's treatment of our client…has traumatized and filled her with fear. His abuse imprisoned her physically, mentally and emotionally… We believe he should be held accountable," said the woman's attorney, Neama Rahman. Home4 hours ago Music8 hours ago World News3 months ago A High School Teacher Loses Her Job After Students Discovered She Was On OnlyFans 12-Year-Old Rapper Incarcerated Until he is 19 For Murder 25-Year-Old Onlyfans Star Charged With Drug Trafficking Claims Police Bust Is A 'Witch Hunt Home3 months ago Sommer Ray Dons On A G-String For Unwarranted Phone Call On Instagram NSFW Brawl Breaks Out At Waffle House, Again… AMBER ROSE POSTS NUDE PHOTO TO PROMOTE HER ONLYFANS ACCOUNT Police Release Footage Of Dababy's Interrogation On Miami Robbery Allegations Copyright © 2020 New Culture Media, LLC. | Sitemap

Social media is an effective place to find and engage with the tribe of people who understand the message and product that you're developing. They're not just your ideal target audience, but loyal fans who want to spread the word about what you're doing. By sharing relevant updates and engaging with followers, you can rapidly build your email list, develop buzz for a launch, connect with strategic partners, and much more to give your business a boost. Unfortunately, social media is also the perfect place to alienate people. A poorly timed joke, a customer service meltdown, or a disgruntled customer can lead to a mass exodus of followers. Even your most loyal fans can be lost in the crowd. To avoid a global snub across your social media channels, you'll need to avoid certain traps and stay in tune. Here are eight surefire ways you can lose followers on social media. It's normal to want your social media followers to care about you and buy your products and services. But if that's all you talk about, you'll find yourself hemorrhaging followers until there's no one left. Operate under the assumption that no one is really interested in you. Instead, they're really interested in themselves and how you can help them. If you don't talk about your audience's pain points and how you can help them solve their problems, they'll find someone who will. Approach your conversations about yourselves in a way that shows how you can best help serve your audience. You've probably heard that it's important to post frequently, especially on Twitter. But don't overdo it and saturate your feed without giving your followers a chance to catch up and care enough to respond. The life of a tweet is only 24 minutes, but that doesn't mean you need to be posting something new several times an hour on Twitter. Even on Facebook, you'll likely be better off posting just once or twice per day. Think about it from your own perspective as a consumer – if you followed an account that posted more often than that, wouldn't you find it annoying and stop following the profile? Sometimes companies worry that their followers aren't seeing every post, so they say the same thing over and over on social media. This practice is especially rampant Twitter. However, keep in mind that repetitive posts give the impression that your company is lazy, uncreative or just clueless. It's even worse if the repeated content is promotional in nature — you're essentially making two dangerous mistakes with one set of tweets. Another way that companies make this mistake is using the same source for posts repeatedly. Your industry may have a great blog with thought-leading posts, but if you share those posts over and over, you'll get a "me-too" reputation that will cause people to stop following you. It's amazing how much of a difference graphics and video make when you're engaging followers online. Visuals are a central part of how we consume information, and tweets with images receive 18 percent more clicks, 89 percent more likes, and 150 percent more retweets. A picture really is worth 1,000 words, and if you don't use pictures and videos, you'll find that your fans stop following you and look for accounts with more interesting content. Social media has become the arena where consumers feel comfortable interacting directly with brands. Whether it's replying to comments, thanking fans for shares, or providing amazing customer service, your company has to interact with followers on social media or risk losing followers in droves. #Not #every #word #in #a #post #is #a #hashtag. If your posts look at all like the preceding sentence, it's not only annoying, it's really difficult to read. Use hashtags sparingly and judiciously if you want your messages to stand out and make an impact with your audience. The reason you use hashtags is to find targeted followers and extend your reach, so only incorporate them with relevant keywords in your headline or post. Certainly, some platforms – Instagram, in particular – allow for extra hashtags, as they're used more for commentary than for customer reach. A good rule of thumb on other platforms, however, is to use no more than two in one update on Twitter and Facebook. Repeatedly asking followers for shares, retweets, referrals, sales, and more without offering a single thing in return is alienating. People won't follow accounts that feel like they're simply leeches looking for people to do their legwork for them. If your company doesn't offer value, you won't be able to keep followers on social media. Mass-tagging without permission isn't just annoying, it's also against the Terms of Service on most platforms and could get your account suspended. If you post something and tag everyone under the sun without their permission, you'll ended up on their spam lists or be accused of being a social media bot. Regardless of why you're mass-tagging without permission, the end result is still the same. You'll end up losing followers in waves. Running a powerful social media presence for your company is relatively simple in theory, but surprisingly difficult to execute. It takes time and patience to build a following, engage those followers and turn them into fans and customers. By avoiding these eight mistakes that'll lose you followers quickly, you'll avoid sabotaging those efforts and protect your growth online. What other mistakes have you seen companies make online to lose followers on social media?

Jonan Everett RuPaul's Budget Race: How to Be a Drag Queen When You're Broke Kelly Meehan Brown 6 second take: Being beautiful is such a drag, right? Let Farrah Moan of RuPaul's Drag Race and three other fabulous queens teach you how to channel your inner queen for less. So you want to become a drag queen, but you are one broke-ass son. How are you ever going to become the next Bianca Del Rio when you're struggling to pay the rent? Worry not, my good Judy. I have the answers for you from the Holy Book of Drag (or rather, some international drag stars who gave me the low down — same thing). And really, how much money can you make from this art form? Sadly, tipping culture doesn't exist in Ireland, and prices for a single gig vary wildly. But in the States, you have more of a chance of making serious cash — tipping there is alive and well, after all. However, you must be dedicated. Reddit user and drag queen Cosmo gave me some insight into how life can be in the United States for someone just starting out. "It really depends on your crowd that night and where you're performing," she says. "More tips definitely come with more experience and more performance know-how. The more gagged [engaged] your audience is, the better the odds that you'll make more money. Granted, you can be sickening [amazing] all you want and make zilch with the wrong audience. But if you stick to it, you'll definitely see it pay off." Try this online accountant for free for 30 days see how much it saves you >> What about them numbers, though? "When I started out, I generally made only $10 to $20, which has upped gradually, albeit slowly over time," Cosmo says. "I have had the off-night of getting much less or much more. The lowest was $8, and the highest was $103." In Australia, if you're just starting out, you can probably expect to earn $10 to $25 per number for your first paid gig (as in not paid with free drinks). In Japan, you are sometimes expected to work for free or even to pay to play when you are just starting out. So who do we have lined up for you today? Farrah Moan If, like me, you're a RuPaul's Drag Race fan, then you'll know exactly who Farrah Moan is from Season 9 of the show. Need I say more? One of the most popular queens in my hometown of Dublin, wittily named Victoria Secret, also lent her expertise. Unlike Saint Patrick, she's been bringing the snakes back to Ireland in the form of performances from other Drag Race contestants. Madame Fabulous Madame Fabulous from Saint Augustine, Florida gives us the scoop on the trials and tribulations of doing drag in the South. She also shares tips on looking expensive while wearing a garbage bag. And if that's all your bank balance will let you buy these days, your attention will be rapt. Havana Fair Puns! Who doesn't love a punny name? Havana Fair from Newcastle, Australia provided me with endless entertainment. Queen turned multi-award-winning filmmaker, Havana gave me some of the most thoughtful drag advice that anyone could ever hope to hear. But enough pleasantries and ass-kissing. Let's get down to business. How to Do Drag on a Budget Kelly Meehan Brown: What is your experience with doing drag when you haven't got much money? Madame Fabulous: Like many people, I live paycheck to paycheck, so I don't have money to spare for a gown or an expensive wig. Everything is on the cheap, with the hope of looking expensive. I would like to think I'm pretty crafty and good at bargain shopping. In the end, you can walk out there in a garbage bag and some makeup and really sell it with attitude. It's been done! Havana Fair: I did drag at a time when your payment could range from just a free drink at the bar all the way up to getting $50 for a number in Taylor Square [in Sydney]. Considering all the money that goes into a costume, you're always losing money. That's why you have to perform the same song so many times: because you want at least to break even on your investment. But if you're doing drag for the money, get out. It's too difficult to treat it just as a job. You have to have a passion for the art form for it to work. Victoria Secret: Well, unlike what Michelle Visage told Chi Chi DeVayne in season eight of Rupaul's Drag Race, drag is not cheap. You can do some types of drag much cheaper, but I'm guessing that if you did, Michelle would be the first judge to read you to filth [mock you]! Download this app to say goodbye to overdraft fees Start Now My start was probably as cheap as I could manage, and even at that it was expensive. With size 13 feet and shoulders more suited to rugby than ladies' wear, I have never really been able to buy off the rack. But I started as cheap as I could, finding any stretch clothes that would work for my 6-foot-2 body, grabbing the ugliest shoes I could find as long as they fit, and investing in a limited amount of makeup while begging, borrowing, and stealing the rest. Wigs were way more expensive at the time, and I still remember my first wig costing 300 euros [about $362]! Farrah Moan: I started out with no money. You have to get creative. Go thrifting and vintage shopping; learn to rhinestone and customize what you find to make it work. Watch hair tutorials online and try and get your wigs just right. KMB: Jokes get told all the time about using the stuffing from old couches to get that womanly shape. Is there an element of truth to that? What other tips and tricks do you have? MF: I may not have savaged innocent upholstered furniture, but I do have rolls of upholstery foam that I pick up at the fabric store with my 40-percent-off coupon. For just $20, a roll lasts a while, and you can make a variety of pads for yourself. The real trick is to sculpt the edges so they're tapered and you don't look lumpy. And duct tape. Duct tape is a girl's best friend, Henny! HF: For starters, in Australia, there's no need to pad because in my day it was all about the performance, not about looking like a woman. But my biggest tip to someone starting out is to think of yourself as a business. As my creative partner Paul Leeming often says, "If you want it to be good and cheap, it's not going to be quick." So give yourself time. VS: Haha — this is the total truth! I don't know anyone who has used an old couch, but we do use a type of couch-cushion filling that we cut up and shape with a carving knife for hip pads. It's an art form in itself to get a pad the right shape and not looking lumpy. FM: Absolutely. That's still a trick many queens use to this day. If you're looking to save money with drag, taking care of your shoes, wigs, and wardrobe is a must. Save Time and Money with an Online Bookkeeper >> Challenges of Being a Drag Queen KMB: Have you ever faced any difficulty in doing drag because of money? MF: Definitely. While Drag Race has really put drag on the map, there is this general misconception that drag has to be high drag or fishy [overtly feminine] drag. That's not me. I'm more of your middle-aged bimbo, secretary, cougar-type of girl. Plus, if you don't do the splits and death drop — I would probably break a hip at this point — you aren't seen as interesting. That's okay. That's why I pursue other avenues of developing my craft, including theater productions and developing a drag home-and-garden show to pitch to cable networks. I'm going to be the next drag Martha Stewart! Bottom line is that unless you are doing pretty, polished drag, you're less likely to get bookings, because that is what the mainstream audience wants, especially if you can do the stunts. I mean, I could, but my insurance sucks and I would have to use a crowdfunding site, as Jackie Beat did, so I could get a hip replacement. So there's that. HF: All the time. As a filmmaker now and as a drag queen then, money is the biggest difficulty. But difficulty is the mother of innovation. That thing between your ears is the best thing you have. You may not have money, but with a little work, you can be creative. VS: I started drag for the love of it and as a hobby. A polished look wasn't sought after or, to be honest, overly celebrated. So my lack of money to invest in it didn't really matter. I lived in the same hair and clothes for the first few years, and to this day those drag experiences were some of the most fun of my life. Now as I work a fair bit, I try to pick up bits and pieces constantly so that I don't have to overspend in one particular month. FM: Absolutely. Drag is the most expensive profession ever. And it doesn't become cheaper when you make it on the show! In fact, it only gets more expensive. I used to host a show in Austin that aired once a month, and they gave me $75. I usually had to try and figure out how to get the next event's looks with half of that. Thrifting and rhinestoning saved me there. KMB: If you had any advice for someone just starting out doing drag without much money, what would it be? MF: Just do it! It doesn't matter if you look a busted mess — express who you are unapologetically and have fun with it. Drag is what you define it as. It doesn't have to be any one thing, just make it your thing. Don't worry about the money, and do what you love — that is all that matters. The rest will follow! HF: Just have fun. All drag has value. No matter how you look, you have value. Drag queens and trans people are the heroes of our community. You are a part of a legacy that includes kabuki, shamanism, the two-spirit, Divine, and RuPaul. Go out there and carry that torch. VS: Be creative and remember that an audience will respond far more to a queen who has thought out her number with the aim of entertaining than to someone who walks onstage aiming to look head-to-toe polished, but who has not really invested anything into making a performance entertaining. FM: I think anyone starting out as a drag queen should really look deep inside herself and figure out why she wants to do this profession. Do you think it looks like an easy way to get rich and famous? Or do you actually have a passion for entertaining and fashion or makeup? I've seen people get into drag for the wrong reasons, and they never last. You have to be completely dedicated to your craft and understand you will be turned down so many times before you actually get a paid job. Need a Job That Accommodates Your Lifestyle? Get More Interviews Final Thoughts From Our Queens MF: Where I am, drag is pretty limited unless you head further south toward Orlando or Miami or west toward Tampa. It's a scary place, so you can't be hanging out at Walmart shopping for bras without most likely getting shot — unless you have more teeth than their old lady, and then you have a fighting chance. There is so much out there online. It may be hit or miss, but there is a lot to explore and play with. Just experiment. Don't try to be perfect, don't compare yourself with any other queen (others will do that for you), and just have fun! Smooches! HF: Don't limit yourself in terms of what you can accomplish. So many young queens are focused on working in bars when with a little time and work, you can put yourself out there on the corporate party circuit. You'll work in the daytime and raise money for charity, and the pay is so much better. Mainstream culture knows RuPaul, but they don't see a difference between Lady Bunny, Trixie Mattel, or a man in a wig. They are all just referred to as drag queens. Use that to your advantage, and contact your local event planners and pitch yourself to them for their next event. Also, don't think that just because you are a drag queen you have to work as a hairdresser or in makeup. I successfully transitioned from doing drag to getting behind the camera to become a multi-award-winning filmmaker [writer and producer of the short film An American Piano, available on Amazon Prime] and the director of my debut feature film, Kodokushi. As Bebe Zahara Benet says, "Drag will take you everywhere"! VS: Drag is fun! Make sure you enjoy yourself. Do everything, try different vibes, and don't take yourself too seriously. FM: Drag is not easy. It's extremely hard. And it only gets harder the bigger you get. When you're starting out, you will spend every cent you have on drag, until you're broke. If the passion, drive, and dedication is there, you will persevere. How to Be a Drag Queen: Lessons Learned So what have we learned? You don't have to be rich to do drag, kids. But you do have to be serious and dedicated, investing both time and money. With these tips, you're sure to do it in the most financially viable way possible. All our queens have also taught us to just have fun, no matter who or where you are. Here I am with my best friend, makeup artist Jessie O'Neill, imitating skinny legend Trixie Mattel. I can't take the credit for the makeup — that's on O'Neill. From left to right: Makeup artist Jessie O'Neill, drag queen Trixie Mattel, and author Kelly Meehan Brown Coincidentally, I also randomly ran into Farrah Moan at LAX last year. Now she's one of the stars of what is surely the favorite article I've ever worked on! Brown (left) with Farrah Moan of RuPaul's Drag Race fame Where to Find the Best Sites and Stores Apart from actual clothes, thrift stores are great for fabrics, curtains (to use for fabric), and costume jewelry. Amazon is great for wigs, shoes, and undergarments. The prices are good; and when you ship with Amazon Smile, a portion of the proceeds of any purchase can go to one of your fave — maybe even LGBT-plus — charities. In Sydney, the place to go to for cheap wigs is Paddy's Market. At wig shops and warehouses, ask if they have a factory-seconds bin. Great for bargains! And when starting out, eBay can always be your friend. While most queens will keep their suppliers to themselves, most shoe and wig websites sell a very similar stock. Quick Tips and Tricks Here are a few last drag queen words to the wise: Befriend staff at secondhand and thrift stores to stay ahead of the game. You can use weave bond glue — normally used to affix weaves or hair extensions to the scalp — to stick on lashes. It's less than half the price of typical glues for four times the amount. But be careful, some people are allergic to it. Don't have your ears pierced? Drag legend Roxxxy Andrews glues a magnet to the back of her earring and places a magnet behind her earlobe to hold it in place. Genius! Save your fake lashes and nails to reuse again and again. It will save you a ton of money. The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide — Give Big, Save Big 21 Weird Scholarships That Can Help You Afford College Smile Like You Paid for It! The Cost of Teeth Whitening How to Side Hustle 101: Managing Your Extra Money By: Leslie Tayne, Esq. RuPaul's DragCon NYC: What a Drag! Minimalist Fashion: How Many Shades of Lipstick Do I Really Need? By: Megan Rosado Surprising Side Hustles: Make Money as a Clown or Princess! By: Kayla Sloan Slow Fashion vs. Fast Fashion: Be Trendy, Not Broke By: Kara Stevens Side Hustle: Yes, I Earned Some Good Change. You Can Too! By: Tonya Stumphauzer

In the small town of Greenland, New Hampshire (population 3,653, based on the 2012 US Census estimates), on the day after Christmas 2013, a town employee opened an email indicating that they had received a voice message from AT&T … and infected the computers at the Town Hall with malicious software known as CryptoLocker. CryptoLocker is a relatively new example of one of the fastest growing areas of cybercrime, referred to as ransomware – malware that takes a computer or its data hostage, so attackers can extort payment from their victims. To date, CryptoLocker has been spread through fake emails such as the one received in Greenland; tracking notices from UPS and FedEx were especially popular during this recent holiday shopping season (I happen to have received several of those). CryptoLocker is designed to find – and encrypt – your files, not only on your hard drive but also on any accessible external hard drives, USB drives, network drives, file shares, or cloud storage. CryptoLocker uses very strong (RSA 2048) encryption to generate a public-private key pair for each infected system: the public key (which is used to encrypt your data), and a corresponding private key (which can be used to decrypt your data). Victims of CryptoLocker see a pop-up screen that delivers the bad news: your data has been encrypted; to gain access to the single copy of the private key that will enable you to decrypt them, you have 100 hours to pay US$300 in an anonymous currency (e.g., BitCoin); non-payment or any attempt to remove CryptoLocker will automatically destroy the sole copy of the private key. And now back to our discussion of what happened in Greenland, New Hampshire. Unfortunately, the Town Administrator did not learn of the infection until December 30 … after the 100 hours had already expired. And just like that, the Town Administrator of Greenland, New Hampshire lost eight years of work. No opportunity to weigh the cost of $300 of taxpayer money versus the cost of eight years of taxpayer-funded salary and benefits … no opportunity to ponder the policy of negotiating with terrorists … just gone. One will be left, one will be taken. It really pains me to acknowledge it, but how very clever of the criminals to leverage the same encryption technologies that companies are using to protect their information, in combination with an encryption-based, government-free currency that provides a cloak of anonymity, to extract monetary value at arm's length from their victims – a brilliant sort of encryption jiu-jitsu. Sources such as McAfee Labs predict that we will see significant growth in these types of exploits in 2014. I still remain optimistic that technology such as DMARC will increasingly help to thwart the most common delivery mechanisms for malware such as CryptoLocker – e.g., see my blog Don't Click on That Cat! (24 October 2013).

Calling all oversees operators and investors! Now is your chance to take a strong foothold in London! That's the rallying cry that we're hearing from a number of recent client enquiries at Mystery. There is always an opportunity to profit from an economic downturn, you just have to position yourself and know where to look for the right opportunities… And in F&B/hospitality it's a great time for entrepreneurs and foreign investors. With the GBP at an astonishing low against the US Dollar, the opportunity to acquire or establish a brand in London has never looked so appealing: Not only does the exchange rate mean that the cost is nearly 20% less than a year ago, but the Capital market in the UK seems to be temporarily paralysed by the Brexit aftershock, which means businesses in need of funding for expansion will need to put their plans on hold or grow out of cash flow (at a far slower pace). In the last few weeks, Mystery has been contacted by three international restaurant operators looking to make the most of the financial advantage and seize the opportunity to develop business both in London and in the wider UK. An established market, Britain shares many of the cultural eating habits with Americans particularly and with the growing number of US brands thriving in the UK such as Five Guys and Shake Shack, the low 'Pound' means that the restaurant and hospitality sector, in London particularly, will see a boom in tourism customers over the next year. However, having been based in the US over last couple of years, my foreign perspective has illuminated some of the key cultural differences with the UK when it comes to eating out in the mid-market casual dining sector. One worth mentioning is the size of Menu. The US market seems to demand huge amounts of choice and customization from their restaurants, whilst conversely, the British seem to prefer help making the their decision. We helped turn around a struggling New York bagel concept that had launched in the UK by adapting their menu from a build-your-own offer with a dozen types of bagel; a choice of fillings; and another choice of toppings - which in New York had been the de facto format – by simplifying the offer to their 8 most popular orders. The speed of sale dramatically increased and they stopped losing customers from the back of the line, driving a similar increase in sales. Flavour profiles are also worth considering. We have had to tweak the recipes for a UK concept that we have recently helped launch in the States. The cultural differences are subtle, but worth taking seriously. However, judging by the number of enquiries we get at Mystery, there is still a strong appetite for American concepts here in the UK with operators considering Barbecue and Smoke House concepts in particular. Mystery helped develop the Hawaiian Kua'Aina concept for the UK market, with successful sites in London and Belfast. In short, if you're a foreign investor, looking for hospitality or F&B retail opportunity, the UK is the place to search! And if you're a start up with a great idea or an independent looking to move to the next level, make use of the Brexit fallout while you can. It's a great time to pitch for foreign investment. Over the last 18 years, we've worked with a large number of F&B operators and been fortunate enough to build solid local knowledge and a network of expert partners in menu development, hospitality recruitment, training, marketing, PR and property. We love to connect operators with investors (sometimes investing ourselves!). With that in mind it's hardly surprising that we're noting this increase in attention from overseas. Be inspired - get in touch and see how we can help you. Contact us here.

Flash Fiction - COLD FAIRY MOON by Linda Mooney COLD FAIRY MOON A fantasy romance flash fiction Sassa sensed him coming up from behind her. Her heart sped up a little, but she kept her attention focused on the large crowd gathered in the distance. More specifically on the fireworks and other things people were shooting into the sky. Brinn sat down next to her. "What 'cha doing?" "Watching." He gaze out at the celebration. "It's loud." "It always is." "But they seem happy." "I bet they are." He cast her a side eye. "You sound…" "Bitter?" "Cynical." She snorted in reply. To her surprise, he scooted closer to her, to where their shoulders almost touched. "It'll be the new year pretty soon. That's always a reason to be happy," he observed. "Why?" Realizing how she must sound, Sassa apologized. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out sounding the way it did." "It's all right. No offense taken." A shriek of joy rent the night sky as another rocket zoomed upward and exploded in a kaleidoscope of colors. Brinn raised an arm to point to something overhead, and the feel of it brushing up against hers sent a little thrill through her. Glancing over at him, she noticed the delight on his face. "See that?" he asked. She following his pointing finger. "Yeah. So?" "It's a full moon tonight. Know what people are calling it?" Sassa grinned. "Other than a full moon?" "They're calling it the Cold Fairy Moon." "It's supposed to be an omen of good luck." This time she reared back to give him a quizzical look. "Good luck?" Spreading a big grin across his face, Brinn nodded. "With a Cold Fairy Moon?" "What does that even mean? That fairies get cold?" The smile drooped slightly. "I guess that's what they think." "Or that fairies are cold-natured?" He shrugged. "I don't know, Sassa. I'm just repeating what I've heard." Realizing she'd trodden on his good nature again, she reined her tone in. "So what kind of good luck is this moon supposed to bring?" "A happy new year." He appeared reluctant to elaborate. "Is that all?" she pressed. "Well, I heard someone say that dreams will come true. People will find true love. There'll be better health all around, and everyone will find happiness." She blinked. "All because of a Cold Fairy Moon?" "All because this Cold Fairy Moon appears on New Year's Eve." She stared up between the bare tree limbs at the huge, milky white orb that sat almost directly above them. "Did someone ever tell them that fairies don't get cold?" He chuckled. "I don't think it matters to them." He moved his arm again, this time bumping against hers and sending another little shiver through her. He noticed the slight movement. "Are you sure you're okay?" His hand folded over hers. Unconsciously, she spread her fingers to let him lace his between them. "Yeah. I'm sorry I'm being such a goose. I do hope the Cold Fairy Moon brings us good luck this next year." A loud explosion made her jump. Instinctively, she leaned over to Breen and clutched the front of his shirt. His other arm went protectively around her shoulder. She turned to look at him as the sky turned a brilliant blue, then red, then yellow. They were almost nose-to-nose. She didn't want to disengage herself from his embrace, but neither did she want him to think she was asking… Oh, shoot. What does it matter? "So we're supposed to find love, happiness, and good health?" she confirmed. "And have our dreams come true." "How's that going to happen? Do we have to…ask?" It was difficult to read the expression in his eyes. Luckily, she didn't have to. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he closed the distance between them to touch her lips with his. It was a sweet kiss. A warm kiss, in spite of the chilly temperature. Sadly, it ended too soon. Sassa didn't try to hide her disappointment when he pulled away. "I guess it depends on who you ask, and what you ask for," he softly replied. "Sassa? I'm tired of seeing you so sad. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to find love." It was difficult to tell what sound was louder—the crowd of revelers, the fireworks, or her thudding heart. "Brinn." She got no further. He leaned in again to kiss her a second time, another sweet, warm, but too-brief pressure. When he released her, she almost reached for him. "I have a request to make. I'm going to ask," he informed her. "Give me a chance, Sassa. Let's both start the new year afresh. Let's look for happiness together. Let's work on being healthy together. Let's…see what love has in store…for the both of us. Whaddya say, Sassa? Are you willing to give us a chance?" She drew a shaky breath. Would now be the time to tell him how much she'd been wishing to hear him say what he was saying? She cast her eyes upward once more at the brilliant moonlight flooding the world. The Cold Fairy Moon. "All I have to do is ask?" she whispered. "Uh-huh." He raised an eyebrow at her. "And I'm all ears." Her eyes automatically went to the side of his head. Brinn had some of the sexiest looking ears of any man she'd seen. Their pointed tips almost curled. "I would love to start this new year fresh with you," she confessed. "I'm ready for some happiness." "And love?" She didn't try to hide her smile. "And love." Another bone-jarring boom rattled the sky, ending in cascading white trails. Brinn got to his feet and held out a hand. She took it, and he helped her to her feet. "Come on. How about we go somewhere where it's not so noisy? Where we can look at the moon in private?" "Sounds wonderful." Spreading his iridescent wings, Brinn launched himself off the twig they'd been sitting on. Sassa unfolded her wings to follow after him, and together, they soared into the sky, keeping just above the treetops to avoid being seen as the celebrations continued throughout the night. Labels: Cold Fairy Moon, Fantasy Romance, flash fiction, Linda Mooney, short story HERE BE NEWS for Monday December 28, 2020 Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic: Tuesday December 22, 2020: Author Deborah A. Bailey discusses the challenges of writing fiction and nonfiction. Wednesday December 23, 2020: Author PG Forte shares an excerpt from Winter World of Love on WIP-It Wednesday! Did you get a new e-reader for Christmas? Stock it with awesome reads from today's bestselling and hot new authors: http://bit.ly/2020StockingSale #PNR #UF And if you didn't get a new e-reader, check out our contest for a chance to win one! http://bit.ly/2020StockingSale WiP-It Wednesday for December 23, 2020 PG Forte: I'm currently working on a new short Christmas story set in my Winter Hearts Steampunk world. When it's done (hopefully by week's end) Winter World of Love will be available ONLY to members of my FB Readers Group, The Crone's Nest. Here's a sneak peek at the cover and an excerpt. Link to join the Crone's Nest will appear below. Enjoy! Republic of New Texacali Ophelia rubbed her sleeve across the glass of the airship's porthole hoping that if she cleared away the condensation, the view outside would improve. But to no avail. The wintery landscape—rocky earth lightly dusted with snow, stunted trees and gray-green shrubs—continued to flash by at a dizzying pace. "Dario?" she called—but quietly, trying to keep the alarm from her voice. "We seem to be traveling extremely fast." "Amazing, isn't it?" Her husband, perched beside the pilot's seat, flashed a smile at her over his shoulder. "I told you the ride would be smooth. Why, it hardly feels like we're moving at all." "Yes," Ophelia repeated faintly. "Amazing." She folded her hands in her lap, in an attempt to project poise, but the cold weather—or perhaps her own inner tension—caused the fingers of her injured hand to twist and bend at such odd angles that the resultant jumble of digits looked ridiculously awkward. She grabbed her muff from the seat beside her and thrust her hands inside, where at least she'd be spared the sight of them. "What's wrong?" Dario asked gently. "You're not frightened, are you? Because, I assure you, we're quite safe." "Frightened?" Ophelia forced a smile. "Oh, good heavens, no." She clenched her hands together a little more tightly. "I'm just…surprised, that's all." There was absolutely no sense in arguing the point. Of course, Dario believed them to be safe. She had no idea why he thought that needed saying. Not when he was currently demonstrating that belief by allowing their eight-year-old son to pilot the airship. But a belief, no matter how sincerely it was held, was not a fact. And it just so happened that Ophelia had her own thoughts on the wisdom of entrusting so important and delicate an operation to a child. Regardless of how intellectually advanced said child happened to be. "But, even so, this rate of speed is surely not necessary?" "Maybe not, but really, Lia," Dario chided. "There's nothing at all to worry about. I promise you! This ship could easily go much faster. I'd be happy to show you, if you'd like." "Oh, pray, do not!" Ophelia protested. "I find this present rate of speed quite sufficient. Really, I do." "I'm forgetting. You're used to traveling only on very large ships, aren't you? Very well." Dario tapped one of the levers on the control panel. "Here, Arthur. This one—the throttle—pull back on it a bit. Yes, like that. There's a good lad." "The thing to remember about big ships," Dario said, addressing Ophelia once again, turning his back on Arthur even as the boy matter-of-factly slowed the ship to a less nerve-wracking speed. "Is that they're harder to maneuver. It takes more time to alter their course, more space to turn them. So, of course they move more slowly—they'd have to. They also tend to have relatively weak engines and, much like traditional sailing ships, they rely largely on the wind to take them where they need to go." "I'm sure you're right," Ophelia allowed, recalling the ponderous transcontinental cruiser that had brought her here. Old, and not in the best of shape, every minute it had stayed aloft had seemed a miracle. Had that fateful, and perilous-seeming, voyage really taken place only a year ago? It seemed a lifetime had passed since then. So much had happened. So much had changed. "However—" "This little craft, on the other hand, besides being smaller and more responsive, was designed with an aerodynamic shape that lets it slice through the air with very little resistance," Dario explained, clearly warming to his topic. "Also, for its size, it boasts an extremely powerful engine. If you'd just let me demonstrate, I'm sure I could make you feel more comfortable." Ophelia shook her head. Why could not Dario understand that it would make no difference? It didn't matter how powerful the engine was, or how smooth the ride. It wasn't even really the speed, per se, that frightened her, or even the fact that it was her baby who held their lives in his inexperienced hands; it was the thought of them falling out of the sky, the pain they'd experience upon impact, the all but inevitable bursting into flame. Having literally crashed and burned a year ago, albeit not while in an aircraft, she felt her fears were not unreasonable. Of course, she hadn't exactly communicated those fears to Dario because…oh, because she didn't want him to fuss. She didn't want it to be one more thing about her that needed fixing. She wanted him to stop looking at her like she was a failed project and more like, well, a lover. A wife. As someone desirable; not someone who was merely hopelessly flawed. "Papa—look!" Arthur interrupted, briefly stopping his mother's heart (and, not incidentally, proving her point) by gesturing at something beyond the ship's front windscreen, and letting go of the steering wheel as he did. "Horses! But why are they out here all on their own? Are they escaping?" "Where?" Dario leaned in for a better look, casually reaching out a hand, as he did, to steady the wheel before it could begin to spin on its own and send them all tumbling to their deaths. "Oh, yes, I see them. No need for alarm, my boy. I believe that's a herd of wild mustangs you've spotted." "Wild? D'you mean they don't belong to anyone?" With his free hand, Dario ruffled his son's hair. "On the contrary, Arthur. They belong to themselves. Which is as it ought to be for all God's creatures." Ophelia felt a surge of emotion. This easy relationship between Dario and their son—the son she'd denied him for so long—the implicit faith, trust and affection, the shared interests, the casual acceptance, was everything she'd dreamed of, and barely dared to hope for, when she'd first thought to bring Arthur to New Texacali. And, even now, all these months later, after they'd all settled into their new life and their new routine; after they'd re-established themselves as a family; long past the point where she should have become inured to it, the sight still had the power to bring tears to her eyes. Although, if she were honest, they were not always tears of joy. Because this could have been the life they'd always had—if she and Dario had made different choices earlier in their marriage. If they'd reacted differently to provocation; if they'd been more open and honest with one another; if they'd trusted each other more, then, perhaps, the entire last nine years could have been like this; not just the past nine months. To read more (when it's finished!) join The Crone's Nest: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheCronesNest Labels: Christmas stories, free read, PG Forte, Steampunk Challenges in Writing Fiction & Non-Fiction I've met a few fiction authors who have also wanted to write non-fiction books. Maybe because they want to share their expertise, or want to provide writing tips or some kind of coaching. It can be tricky when you want to go from one to the other. It's been a balancing act for me for many years. My first professional writing job was as a catalog copywriter for JC Penney, where I wrote about women's fashions and toys. In that position I learned how to put a lot of description into a very small space. We were limited to 1 or 2 sentences of copy to describe an item. That included all the selling points the customer needed to know. To make it even more of a challenge, the copy had to be engaging and not just a list of features. On the plus side, when you're forced to make every word count there's no room for fluff or filler. My copy had to sell the item to the reader. It had to catch their attention and provide all the information they needed to make a decision to buy. Writing lean is something I still do today. Which might explain why I tend to favor novella-length books when I write. Though I did write one book with over 100K words, that isn't my norm. After several years in catalog copywriting, I changed careers into IT, which is about as far away as you can get from writing sales copy. During my time as a computer programmer, I didn't write any fiction, or non-fiction for that matter. During that time I put my fiction writing on hold. There was never enough time to focus on my interests outside of work, and being on-call took up a lot my leisure time. What's really funny is that when I decided to transition into technical writing, I was once told by an HR person that I was "too technical to write." As though those years in IT somehow wiped away all my communications skills. Unfortunately I think a lot of people believe that it's hard (if not impossible) to bridge the gap between creative writing and non-fiction writing. That's obviously not true, though. I know of a few non-fiction authors who later decided to publish novels. So it is certainly possible to do both. As a technical writer my "voice" has to be more formal. Usually the passive voice is the way people in corporate communicate. But unless you want to put your readers to sleep, I wouldn't recommend it for fiction. Of course writing non-fiction books doesn't have to be like writing technical documentation. Non-fiction authors can, and do, write in very creative ways. But it can be daunting to go from writing one to the other. Not to mention that, just as I had with that HR professional, expectorations can end up discouraging the author who wants to do both. It can also be tough letting go of the passive voice, or the instructional one so that you can write fiction. So it never hurts to take classes (if you've only ever written one or the other) and to do free writing in order to find your own voice. What helped me bridge the gap between those two writing styles was to start a blog. At first my writing was quite formal, but in time I was able to loosen up a bit. At times it's still challenging, especially when I'm working on a book. It's not always easy to turn off my work laptop and forget all the technical items I've been working on all day. But I can say that blogging did help me when I wrote my first book, Think Like an Entrepreneur: Transforming Your Career and Taking Charge of Your Life. In fact, many of the blog posts ended up being included. Though at that time I was also writing and publishing short stories. My first published novel, Hathor Legacy: Outcast was rewritten about 3 times, which isn't exactly a bad thing. It took a while for me to get into the fictional world I was building, and let go of the more formal language I'd been using at work. Looking back, I don't think I was completely successful in letting go of the formal structure. But it taught me how to do better the next time around - which is always good. To me, the big difference between fiction and non-fiction is allowing yourself to get lost in a character (and a fictional world). Sure, you can have creative non-fiction as well, but that's not what I'm referring to here. Business writing (even if you're a coach writing about personal experiences) still isn't the same as writing from a character's POV. But, if you enjoy writing and you do it regularly, I think you can find your balance between the two. That's how you get better at it. No matter what it is: short, long, non-fiction, fiction, poetry - just write it. Once you're writing, you might find it's not so much about striking a balance as it is finding the flow. Maybe by that point, it won't really be challenging at all. It will be a natural way for you to tell your stories and express the things you want to say. Labels: fiction, writing HERE BE NEWS for December 21, 2020 Thursday December 17, 2020: Maureen Bonatch wraps up the year with a contest, a cookbook and a cutie. :) Several of PG Forte's holiday-themed books are on sale between now and the end of the year. IRON, OAK, Finders Keepers and This Winter Heart are all available for only .99 each. Previously published as The Oak King. Twice each year, Aine Murphy ventures into the woods to hold ceremonies to honor the Oak King and the Holly King, never dreaming these Lords of the Forest could be anything more than myth. When the legends spring to life in front of her, how can she help but fall for the sexy demi-gods she's loved all her life? From midwinter to midsummer, Fionn O'Dair rules the Greenworld as the Oak King--a role he feels is beyond his abilities, and one that dooms him to a loveless future, forever craving the one man he can never allow himself to have. How can he resist what Aine offers--the sweet devotion that soothes his aching soul, and the slim chance to live a "normal" life as her husband, if only for half a year? Holly King Kieran Mac Cuilenn never desired a human lover--until now. Seeing Fionn and Aine together fills him with longing for the love he threw away and awakens feelings he thought he'd buried with the last Oak King. Is there enough magic in the solstice to correct the mistakes he made years ago? Or is he doomed to be forever left out in the cold? Buy Links at: https://www.pgforte.com/celtic-legends Sometimes finding what you want is the easy part. Caleb is a bionic soldier with little-to-no memory of his past. Aldo's an undercover cop who's searching for the man who got away. Then there's Sally, an ER physician who used to be married to Aldo's late partner, Davis. Sally's just looking for a reason to keep on getting up every day. This holiday season, chance will bring them together and give them an opportunity to help one another find what they each want most. But every gift comes with a price. And keeping what they've found once they've found it? Yeah, that's gonna be the hard part. Buy Links at: https://www.pgforte.com/finders-keepers This Winter Heart Eight years ago, Ophelia Leonides's husband cast her off when he discovered she was not the woman he thought she was. Now destitute after the death of her father, Ophelia is forced to turn to Dario for help raising the child she never told him about. Dario is furious that Ophelia has returned, and refuses to believe Arthur is his son - after all, he thought his wife was barren. But to avoid gossip, he agrees to let them spend the holidays at his villa. While he cannot resist the desire he still feels for Ophelia, Dario despises himself for being hopelessly in love with a woman who can never love him back. But Dario is wrong: Ophelia's emotions are all too human, and she was brokenhearted when he rejected her. Unsure if she can trust the man she desperately loves, she fears for her life, her freedom and her son if anyone else learns of her true nature... Buy Links at: https://www.pgforte.com/winter-hearts Nineteenth century Ireland. Blacksmith Gavin O'Malley is a bitter man, with a heart as hard as the iron he forges. He wants his life back--the one that was stolen from him the day his wife died in childbirth, taking their firstborn son with her. When Aislinn Deirbhile, an immortal, shape-shifting fae, arrives on his doorstep, he knows he's in luck. For Aislinn can give Gavin everything he's been missing: A devoted-seeming wife in the image of his beloved Mairead, and children who are sure to outlive their father. Now, all he has to do is find a way to keep her--without losing his immortal soul in the process. But Aislinn has an agenda of her own. On the run from a vengeful fae lord who's vowed to either make her his or end her existence, she knows the iron that allows Gavin to take her captive will also keep her pursuers at bay. In order to put herself permanently beyond her enemy's reach, however, Aislinn will need something more. She'll need to win Gavin's heart and convince him to willingly part with a piece of the very soul he's trying to save. That Christmas was the happiest Gavin had known since childhood. He was up early for Christmas Mass, leaving the house shortly before dawn, and leaving a pouting Aislinn in his bed with the promise he'd be back within a few hours time to fix breakfast for her. While the world lay silent and cold, he made his solitary way into town, his path lit only by the stars that sparkled overhead and the Christmas candles that burned in the front window of every house he passed. And a thought occurred to him, as he walked along the empty lane, that each flame was a sign of hope for the future—and that, perhaps, he could feel an answering flicker, newly kindled in the darkness of his own heart. And he laughed at himself then, for putting on such airs and for the absurdity of his thoughts and his breath puffed out in little white clouds that melted away in the frosty air. When he got to Saint Ita's he found a seat in the very last pew, where he'd be sure of being among the first out the door when mass ended. He didn't take Communion, although he'd made his Confession just the day before and he was sure Father Cullen would remark on that fact the next time he saw him. But too much had happened between then and now and his soul did not feel easy with the thought of it. Although he'd still have sworn to anyone who'd asked him that the woman he'd made love to the day before had been his wife, a small part of him doubted whether the Church—or Mairead herself—would choose to see things in quite the same way. Not that he regretted his actions of the day before. To the contrary, he felt more at peace with himself that morning than he had in many a year. But his mind was so consumed with thoughts of repeating the act he barely heard a word of the service and hurried off as soon as it was over, before anyone could engage him in conversation, or take notice of his agitation. Then it was home again, where breakfast and a sulky fae awaited him. Aislinn was wearing her own, repaired green dress and, at Gavin's request, she once again resumed her impersonation of Mairead. It was obvious she was less than happy about it, however. But Gavin was in a good and generous humor so, once the goose was cooking, he took a few minutes to tease her out of her bad mood. He sat her on his lap, just as if she were his bride in truth, and fed her pieces of orange, tickling her as she tried to eat them until she laughed and then licking at the juice as it ran down her chin, until, finally, her smile was restored. And she rewarded him with several songs while he saw to the rest of the meal. He did nearly spoil things again, though, before the food was even on the table for he would speak mockingly of the fae and their heathen ways, and question the usefulness of a woman who couldn't even cook a decent meal for herself, just to watch her eyes smolder. And, also, to remind them both that she was not Mairead. But when at last he bowed his head to make his prayers—over Christmas dinner, at his own table, and with the semblance of his wife seated across from him, once again smiling at him indulgently—he was all but overcome with gratitude. Even knowing it to be an illusion, and a short-lived one at that, he still felt as though he'd been granted a taste of the life he'd once hoped would be his and he felt anew the wonder of the day. Bring It Back(list) ~ IRON by PG Forte I've put several of my holiday-themed books on sale between now and the end of the year. IRON, OAK, Finders Keepers and This Winter Heart are all available for only .99 each. Labels: Bring It Back(list), ebook sales, holiday romance, PG Forte Wrapping Up the Year with a Contest, a Cookbook & a Cutie This has been an ugly year for many of us, so why not wrap up the year with a cutie, a free cookie cookbook, and a chance to win a gift card to start off 2021 with some positive vibes. Scruff happens to be my writing assistant, in that he blocks my chair so that I'm often forced to stay in my seat longer than I anticipated or risk running him over. He reminds me to take breaks when he decides that it's time to play with a toy, or that he needs a treat. Scruff can help put life into perspective with his no worries attitude. Unless, of course, it's about delaying dinner time, now that's something to worry about. A Cuddly Cutie 2020 didn't look anything like we planned, leaving us all looking a bit shell-shocked— like Scruff here— and I'm ready to start 2021 with a clean slate. Many of us have been spending more time at home this year, or working remotely, so Scruff decided to see what all the fuss was about. He didn't see the allure since he rarely leaves home anyway and has never had to dress up for work. Scruff's "people" have been home far more than usual this year. This is good for the company and sometimes extra treats, but it really cuts into nap time. Scruff's advice for when all else fails, or everything gets to be a little too much, is to take a nap—or at least feign sleep until everyone leaves you alone while you recharge. Want to see more of Scruff? He's a regular in my newsletter so be sure to sign up. A Cool Contest Enter right here to win a gift card for yourself for after the holidays & find new authors to read during the holidays! A Cookie Cookbook If you're signed up for my newsletter, or follow my author Facebook page- you might be already baking up some goodies because you would've gotten this free cookbook already. If not, grab it now and start baking up some treats! Click here to download your free copy of the Garden Gourmet Cookie Cookbook Have Your Own Furbaby? Share a Pic of Your Cutie in the Comments- Happy Holidays! Author Bio: Maureen Bonatch grew up in small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four seasons—hockey, biking, sweat pants and hibernation—keeps her there. While immersed in writing or reading paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music, and laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line. Find Maureen on her website, Facebook & Twitter Be the first to know about Maureen's book sales and new releases by following her on BookBub, Amazon and/or signing up for her newsletter Labels: 2020, cookbook, dogs, ebook sale, free ebook, holiday recipes, Maureen Bonatch, short stories THE ANGEL AT THE TOP OF MY TREE Contemporary Fantasy Romance (Although this is a sweet romance, it contains scenes of violence.) After purchasing a beautiful and unique antique angel tree topper, Marq North is excited to gift it to his long-time girlfriend, but he should've known she appreciates a bigger price tag more than sentimental value. Why has he wasted years of his life trying to buy her love? When she tells him she's ending their relationship right before the holidays, he's almost…relieved. Ione and her fellow archangels are used to the rise in demonic activity during Samhain, but at Christmas? That is a surprise to them all. Yet it seems more and more people are focusing on the greed and commercialism these days rather than the real reason for the season. And the demons plan to take advantage of mankind's vulnerability and overtake as many mortals as possible this time of year. It's up to Ione and Heaven's best protectors to save every valuable soul. He'd swear he saw her literally fall from the sky, to find her injured and vulnerable. After Marq rescues her, he discovers she's the spitting image of the angel doll. She says her name is Ione, and claims to be an archangel. After he offers her a place of safety in order to recover, he finds she's become jaded through the years, which has him determined to have her see that it's not greed, but the love of giving that makes this time of year special. Despite knowing she must return to Heaven, or risk drawing the demons' wrath to Marq, Ione wants to remain with her rescuer, but she must let him go to save his life as he did hers. After all, a relationship between a mortal and a celestial being would never work. Or can it? Warning: Contains hot cocoa, a flaming sword, a celestial mission, a red sweatshirt, similar names, and discovering that sometimes the best gift on or under the Christmas tree is love. Tuesday December 8, 2020: PG Forte takes a trip down memory lane... December is the Month for Christmas With a Twist! And you can get all 3 of these ebooks for just 99c each! TUFFY CLAUS It's another night on the job for Deputy Sheriff Barbara Mero, giving chase to a suspect in a stolen vehicle. But when someone beats her to the perp, she's not sure whether to step in or not. Before she can stop him, a sledgehammer-wielding bearded biker on a red Harley delivers his own punishment, but with his parting words, Babs isn't so sure he's another bad guy. After further investigation, Babs knows this vigilante "Santa" meant well, but there's no proof he was even there. And after a few more run-ins with the red-cloaked badass, she's torn between duty and justice, but in her heart she knows he's the real deal. You see, there's a side of the story of Santa that doesn't get told, and that's where Dominik comes in. Being the twin to Kris, Dom's job isn't near as merry, though still necessary, answering the letters from the kids who want more than just toys. Those who want a better, safer life, food, and shelter. Basic needs a kid shouldn't have to wish for on Christmas. Although he's accepted his own lot in life, Dominik still has one regret. It's a lonely life. There's another side to jolly old Saint Nick, and he ain't a saint. Warning! Contains German chocolate cake, a modified red Harley, Sadie, justice served, a child's letter to Santa, a coffee date, and the promise of love when no hope of love had ever existed. Tickle My Candy Cane Tales of the Blakeney Sisters, Book 2 Humorous Erotic Urban Fantasy Paranormal Romance $0.99 e / $6.99 p / $6.95 a Once upon a time, there lived a man with five rambunctious daughters. They were an average American farming family except for one minor detail. The man was a warlock, and all of his daughters were witchlets--half witch and half human. With Christmas only two days away, Tamberly Blakeney has given up hope of finding her heart's call this year. That is, until Jonathan Mauk walks into the market and into her life. With the magical swirl of a candy cane's stripes, she knows he is the man meant to be her lifelong love. But first he has to pass the sex hex test, which she is sure won't be a problem. What she doesn't realize is that there is something in Jonathan's past that deeply disturbs her father. And until Daddy gets all the answers, there could be hell to pay. SILENT NIGHT, FINAL NIGHT A Paranormal, Post-Apocalyptic, Christmas Horror Story by Linda Mooney writing as Gail Smith A family on the run, searching for food, shelter, and others not infected. A plague is wiping out the population, stealing the humanity from people and turning them into monsters. Kem and Armand are willing to do whatever it takes to protect their daughter and survive. Nothing is promised, not life, not their next meal, not even a decent night's rest. The quality of life is quickly diminishing. How much is too much? How long until the fight for survival is no longer worth it, and it's time for a dignified end rather than a slow, painful death? Labels: Bring it Backlist, Christmas stories, Linda Mooney, new releases, PG Forte Bring It Back(list) - December is the Month for Christmas With a Twist! Labels: 99 cents, Bring It Back(list), Carolyn Gregg, Gail Smith, Linda Mooney, Silent Night Final Night, Tickle My Candy Cane, Tuffy Claus Wrapping Up the Year with a Contest, a Cookbook & ... Bring It Back(list) - December is the Month for Ch... New! THE ANGEL AT THE TOP OF MY TREE, a Contempora... HERE BE NEWS for Monday December 7, 2020 Why I Don't Read Blurbs

A Deeper Look at China's "Going Out" Policy Hongying Wang In recent years, the world has seen rapid growth in China's financial reach beyond its borders. Following the announcement of a "going out" strategy at the turn of the century, many Chinese enterprises have ventured to invest and operate abroad. After three decades as primarily a recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI), China has now emerged as a major FDI-originating country as well. Much of China's foreign aid is closely entangled with its outgoing FDI, and it has also been rising. Since 2013, the Chinese government has been pushing for a new One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative, aiming to connect China with countries along the ancient Silk Road and a new Maritime Silk Road via infrastructure investment. In addition, since 2009, China has actively promoted the internationalization of its currency, the renminbi (RMB). There has been a great deal of anxiety about the motivations behind China's going out policy and its possible international consequences. Many view it as an expression of China's international ambition and a strategy that threatens the existing international order; however, that is not the whole story. An equally important but often less understood issue is the role of China's domestic politics and political economy in shaping its new activism in foreign financial policy. Moreover, it is unclear how successful the going out policy is. The complexity of China's going out policy was the topic for a recent round table discussion hosted by the Centre for International Governance Innovation and the Foreign Policy Institute at the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University in Washington, DC.[1] Participants discussed a number of issues around two broad themes: the impact of domestic political economy on China's foreign economic policy and the challenges for China's external financial strategy — in particular, its OBOR initiative. Domestic Political Economy and China's Going Out Policy China's going out policy is no doubt part of its overall more activist foreign policy. But China's domestic political economy has also been a major driving force. In particular, the growing problems with the old growth model, the changing relationship between the government and state-owned enterprises and banks, and the public dissatisfaction with the government's management of its foreign reserves have all contributed to the increase in outgoing FDI and aid programs. Meanwhile, many unconventional characteristics of China's going out programs, such as the ties between China's foreign aid and exports, resource-backed financing of many investment projects and the low level of attention paid to corporate social responsibility by Chinese companies operating abroad, are deeply rooted in the domestic political and economic institutions. Domestic politics has also shaped the way China promotes the international use of its currency. The control of credit has long been a crucial source of political power of the Chinese party-state. Maintaining that control is fundamental to preserving the Chinese Communist Party's control over other actors in the country, including local governments and large enterprises. To minimize the threat to its power in the process of promoting RMB internationalization, Beijing has resorted to offshore RMB centres, in particular in Hong Kong. More recently, it has also looked to the OBOR initiative as a potential channel to expand the international use of the RMB. The close relationship between domestic development in China and its foreign economic undertaking raises questions about how the economic slowdown in China may be affecting its outward investment and aid, as well as RMB internationalization. A major driving force of China's outgoing FDI has been its massive foreign reserves accumulated since the early 2000s. Invested mostly in US government debt, China's reserves were generating low returns, incurring discontent from certain groups in China. Following the global financial crisis in 2008, this discontent turned into widespread anxiety that China's holdings of US dollar assets would lose their value as a result of American economic problems and macroeconomic policies. A consensus emerged that China would be better off investing in other types of assets overseas. The amount of outgoing FDI and aid rose dramatically. In the last couple of years, the economic slowdown in China has led to pessimistic forecasts of China's economic performance for the foreseeable future. Multinational corporations are reallocating their resources. Financial market operators are betting on further RMB depreciation. Wealthy individuals in China are transferring their wealth out of the country, and China's central bank is intervening in the foreign exchange market in order to maintain stability of the exchange rate. As a result, in 2015, China's foreign reserves diminished dramatically from nearly US$4 trillion to US$3.33 trillion. January 2016 saw another drop of nearly US$100 billion. If this trend continues, it will undermine China's desire and capability to fund its outgoing FDI and aid. The economic slowdown and the financial market volatility in China are also decreasing the pace of RMB internationalization. The international use of the Chinese currency has expanded rapidly in the last few years. By 2015, the RMB had become the second-most-used currency in international trade and the fourth in global payment. Late last year, the International Monetary Fund agreed to add the Chinese currency to the basket of currencies that determine the value of the Special Drawing Right. But the RMB is not a currency widely held in the reserves of other countries. For the RMB to become an international reserve currency, China has to further liberalize its financial market. In fact, for many reformers in China, the main purpose of internationalizing the RMB is precisely to deepen financial liberalization in China. However, such reforms are losing momentum in the current economic climate. The focus of Chinese leaders is now on keeping the economy growing at above 6.5 percent and on maintaining financial stability in the country. Voices arguing against further capital account opening have become louder and stronger, and even the reformers in the Chinese central bank are prioritizing prudential regulation over further market reforms and RMB internationalization. In a recent interview, the governor of the People's Bank of China, Zhou Xiaochuan (2016), stated, "We are pragmatic, patient and determined with our goals, but do not target to move in a straight line toward reform goals." Challenges for China's Going Out Policy China's fast-growing outgoing FDI and aid, in particular, its grand strategy of OBOR, have generated great enthusiasm in China and serious concern in some other parts of the world. The official rhetoric in China describes these as win-win arrangements — connecting the world, helping other developing countries grow their economy and improving China's access to resources and markets abroad. Cynical outside observers view these initiatives and programs as part of China's plan to build its sphere of influence in Asia and beyond, threatening the dominance of the United States in world politics. Both of these perspectives may be underestimating the challenges for China's going out policy. An important rationale for infrastructure investments, which account for large shares of China's FDI and aid programs and constitute a central component of the OBOR initiative, is the dire need for infrastructure in many countries in Asia and elsewhere. It is not clear, however, how effectively Chinese investment is able to fill that gap. First, the estimated gap is much larger than the funding provided by China either unilaterally or through China-led multilateral banks. The global infrastructure gap approaches US$1 trillion a year, dwarfing the US$40 billion of the Silk Road Fund and the US$100 billion of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, both of which are designed to serve the OBOR initiative. Chinese officials have talked about leveraging government funding for private investments, but that will be difficult because of the shortage of bankable infrastructure projects that will likely generate sufficient returns to make the investment profitable and sustainable. While some projects (such as telecommunication networks and ports in strategic locations) may have no problem making enough revenue to pay back the investments, the same cannot be expected of other projects (such as roads going through poor rural areas, or water treatment plants). It is hard to imagine successful public-private partnerships for the latter. Second, China's infrastructure investment projects abroad also face potential political and security challenges. When investing in transnational infrastructure such as roads and rail, China will need to engage in prolonged, complex and costly negotiations with many stakeholders to ensure the smooth implementation of its investments. The challenge of political engineering may be far greater than mechanical engineering. In addition, many of the countries along the "belt" and "road" are plagued by conflicts, corruption and political instability. For instance, Pakistan has assigned 100,000 troops to protect Chinese investment projects, while US troops have protected a China-invested copper mine in Afghanistan (Clover and Hornby 2015). Finally, while China's going out strategy, in particular its OBOR initiative of connecting countries through infrastructure, is welcomed by some countries, others have not been as enthusiastic. In pluralistic societies, different interest groups have different priorities. For instance, while infrastructure may bring economic benefits, it may result in environmental damage. Opponents of projects can interrupt them in ways Chinese companies are unaccustomed to. In Indonesia, a high-speed railway largely financed by the China Development Bank was recently put on hold because of opposition and bureaucratic procedures. Furthermore, more than a few of China's neighbours are wary of its political and strategic ambitions in the region. The recent acceleration of Chinese maneouvres in the South China Sea has only heightened the geopolitical tension in that area. Neighbouring countries are trying hard to strike a balance between economic and strategic calculations in dealing with China; their embrace of China's OBOR initiative will therefore remain partial and hesitant. To summarize, China's going out policy is driven and shaped by complex domestic and international factors. It is important to consider both sets of dynamics in trying to understand the trajectory of its course. There is a tendency to underestimate the obstacles for China's OBOR initiative both inside and outside of China, which has led to excessive optimism on the part of its supporters and exaggerated concern on the part of those fearing a more powerful China. Clover, Charles and Luny Hornby. 2015. "China's Great Game: Road to a new empire." Financial Times, October 12. www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/6e098274-587a-11e5-a28b-50226830d644.html#axzz4116DrzgG. Zhou, Xiaochuan. 2016. "Transcript: Zhou Xiaochuan Interview." Caixin Online, February 15. http://english.caixin.com/2016-02-15/100909181.html. [1] Participants included Pieter Bottelier, Carla Freeman, Alex He, Randall Henning, Ho-Fung Hong, David M. Lampton, Domenico Lombardi, David Steinberg, Hongying Wang and Shahid Yusuf. China's fast-growing outgoing FDI and aid, in particular, its grand strategy of OBOR, have generated great enthusiasm in China and serious concern in some other parts of the world. China's Role in the Global Economy Schism: China, America and the Fracturing of the Global Trading System Paul Blustein Chinese Industrial Actors in Global Rule Making: A Preliminary Exploration Hanzhi Yu Made in China 2025 as a Challenge in Global Trade Governance: Analysis and Recommendations Anton Malkin

Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images & Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images Are Liam Payne & Naomi Campbell Dating? He Was Spotted On A Date Night With The Supermodel By Jamie LeeLo OK, wow. I've seen some unexpected Hollywood couples, but this one might take the cake. It's as if the universe put a bunch of celebrity names in a hat, shook it around, and pulled out two random hot people who just happen to be Liam Payne and Naomi Campbell. Rumors are circulating about the singer and supermodel since they recently began popping up on each other's social media feeds and were caught on what appeared to be a "date night" out. Are Liam Payne and Naomi Campbell dating, like, officially? Neither has made any official statements, but they aren't denying anything, either. Elite Daily reached out to both Payne and Campbell's team for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication. Payne, 25, shares a son with British singer Cheryl Cole, 35, whom he recently broke up with in July 2018. Six months later, it looks like the former 1D member is ready to move on with another woman. Campbell, 48 (who is 23 years Payne's senior) is arguably one of the most famous supermodels out there and has built a career out of fashion and confidence. While some people might be intimated by her resumé and supermodel-icon status, Payne seems to be all about it. On Monday, Jan. 28, The Daily Star caught Payne and Campbell sneaking in and out of London's O2 Arena where they watched Nigerian singer Davido perform. According to eyewitnesses, they were careful to enter and exit via a back door and did not take any pictures together. One source explained, "Liam and Naomi were keen to keep a low profile. They entered and exited the arena via the back door and were quickly whisked up to a VIP suite on Level 3." Additionally, the eyewitness explained, Naomi was more than happy to pose for official pictures inside the venue but didn't have a single one with Liam. After the show they left together in the back of a blacked-out green Range Rover and Liam was seen putting his arm around Naomi's waist. Well, well, well. What do we have here? In doing a little more research, it looks like the two haven't shied away from publicly flirting. Both Payne and Campbell have left cheeky comments on each other's Instagrams, like, in plain sight, for all the world to see. Campbell recently posted a sultry selfie which seemed to catch Payne's attention. He commented, "Perfection in a person... don't give me those eyes." Instagram/Naomi Campbell OK, Liam. Campbell returned the favor when she left her own flirtatious comment on one of Payne's smoldering pics. Campbell chose a photo of Payne, shirtless, gazing at himself in the mirror. She wrote, "Beautiful sole," to which he responded, "@naomi takes one to know one." They're also really liberal with the lovey-dovey emojis. Just sayin'. Instagram/Liam Payne Who knows if this duo is actually dating? Maybe they're just flirty friends? Then again, maybe it's exactly what it looks like and they're totally a thing. For now, it's simply fascinating to observe from afar.

Jun 2, 2003, 09:25am EDT | PeopleSoft's Hard Deal Making headlines this morning, PeopleSoft says it struck a deal to buy its competitor J.D. Edwards for $1.7 billion in stock. The terms call for J.D. Edwards shareholders to receive 0.86 shares of PeopleSoft for each share of J.D. Edwards they hold. At $14.10 per share, the deal is valued at a 19% premium over J.D. Edwards's closing price of $11.81 per share on Friday. The combined entity will rank as the world's second-biggest business software company. Click here for more from the Forbes.com Video Network U.S. stocks were looking stronger this morning, as investors wait for the release of the Institute for Supply Management's ISM Index for May at 10:00 A.M. ET Along with the manufacturing report, construction spending for April will also be released. Elsewhere, the dollar strengthened against the yen, following comments made by U.S. President George W.BushGeorge W. Bush that the U.S. backs a stronger dollar. Bush was meeting with other world leaders in France at the G8 summit. In stocks, ImClone Systems shares could be stronger after results from European trials indicated that its experimental cancer drug Erbitux was as effective as the company claimed, while Genentech said its experimental cancer treatment increased the lives of colon cancer patients 50% more than standard chemotherapy. And, Vivendi reportedly will say it's selling its Spencer Gifts retail shops to Gordon Brothers Group and Palladin Capital Group for an undisclosed sum. In other news, Levi Strauss has retained outside counsel for the second time to probe into claims that two fired executives filed false financial statements. Media reports say the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating into the allegations, which center on tax positions that the company took during the late 1980s. That's it for now. For all the latest business headlines, log on to Forbes.com.

Home » News & Events » GoMRI Newsletter » GoMRI Newsletter: Summer Issue 2018 – "GoMRI Outreach Coordinators Publish Recommendations Article in Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin" – Guest Frequently Asked Questions: Safety at Sea and During Field Work – Notes from GoMRI's Chief Scientific Officer – GoMRI Researcher Interview with Dr. Ryan Rodgers – GoMRI Synthesis & Legacy Study Assesses a New Class of Safer, More Effective Dispersants O. Owoseni, Y. Zhang, M. Omarova, X. Li, J. Lal, G.L. McPherson, S.R. Raghavan, A. Bose, V.T. John Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2018, Vol. 524, pgs. 279- 288 Study Analyzes How Environmental Disturbances Affect Whale Recovery A.S. Ackleh, H. Caswell, R.A. Chiquet, T. Tang, A. Veprauskas Natural Resource Modeling, 2018, doi.org/10.1111/nrm.12166 Study Finds "Business as Usual" for Hypoxic Zone Following Deepwater Horizon N.N. Rabalais, L.M. Smith, R.E. Turner Continental Shelf Research, 2018, Vol. 152, pgs. 98-107 Study Finds Environmental Factors Influence the Selection of Oil-Degrading Microbes J. Liu, H.P. Bacosa, Z. Liu Frontiers in Microbiology, 2017, 7:2131 Study Describes Design and Testing of an Effective Biodegradable Ocean Drifter G. Novelli, C. Guigand, C. Cousin, E. Ryan, N. Laxague, H. Dai, B. Haus, T. Ozgokmen American Meteorological Society, 2017, Vol. 34(11), pgs. 2509-2532 Study Evaluates Short-Term Oil Toxicity in Deep-Sea Crustaceans A. Knap, N.R. Turner, G. Bera, D.A. Renegar, T. Frank, J. Sericano, B.M. Riegl Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 2017, Vol. 36(12), pgs. 3415-3423 Study Tracks Sediment Resuspension Events in the Gulf of Mexico A.R. Diercks, C. Dike, V.L. Asper, S.F. DiMarco, J.P. Chanton, U. Passow Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene, 2018, Vol. 6(1):32 Study Finds Currents One Centimeter Below Ocean's Surface Greatly Affect Material Transport N.M. Laxague, T.M. Ozgokmen, B.K. Haus, G. Novelli, A. Shcherbina, P. Sutherland, C.M. Guigand, B. Lund, S. Mehta, A. Alday, J. Molemaker Geophysical Research Letters, 2018, Vol. 45(1), pgs. 245-249 Study Finds Seaside Sparrows Change Food Sources in Response to Environmental Stressors J.A. Olin, C.M. Bergeon Burns, S. Woltmann, S.S. Taylor, P.C. Stouffer, W. Bam, L. Hooper-Bui, R.E. Turner Ecosphere, 2018, Vol. 8(7), e01878 Study Finds Dispersants Reduce VOC Emissions and Increase Airborne Particles with PAHs N. Afshar-Mohajer, C. Li, A.M. Rule, J. Katz, K. Koehler Atmospheric Environment, 2018, Vol. 179, pgs. 177-186 Researchers with the RFP-V project Understanding Resilience Attributes for Children, Youth, and Communities in the Wake of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (RCYC) recently produced video shorts describing the project's goals and methodologies. The RCYC project is led by Dr. Tim Slack (Louisiana State University) and Dr. Jaishree Beedasy (Columbia University) in partnership with researchers at Louisiana State University's Department of Sociology and the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University's Earth Institute. It is focused on assessing the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on children and their families, and the factors which play a role in their ability to recover both as individuals and communities. In the videos, doctoral student Kathryn Keating answers questions about RCYC, including what the project is, how the researchers gather their information, how they are using social media in their study, and how projects like RCYC can improve community preparedness in the future. Be sure to check out the video series' Twitter Moment here, the video compilation on Vimeo here, and join the conversation using the Twitter hashtag #rcycqa. The Relationships of Effects of Cardiac Outcomes in Fish for Validation of Ecological Risk (RECOVER) consortium released the third video in their Mini Mahi Tags series, called Behavior and Tags. This final installment in the series follows up from Part 2 in which the RECOVER researchers assessed the metabolic impacts of carrying a satellite tag on the mahi-mahi. Part 3 focuses on understanding any subtle behavioral changes in the fish when carrying a satellite tag, particularly any changes they exhibit when associating with fish that are untagged. These include parameters like acceleration, turning radius, swim speed, and average proximity to other fish. Check out Part 3 here. Researchers from the Deep Pelagic Nekton Dynamics in the Gulf of Mexico (DEEPEND) consortium participated in the History Channel's new series In Search Of, hosted by Zachary Quinto and inspired by the original series of the same name hosted by Rod Serling and Leonard Nimoy from 1977-1982. The team was featured in episode three, titled Monsters of the Deep. All episodes of In Search Of can be found on the History Channel's website here, and more information on DEEPEND's participation is available on their Twitter page. Don't forget to check out GoMRI's YouTube Channel <here, including new videos from a workshop held at the 2018 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science (GoMOSES) conference in New Orleans, Louisiana called Sharing Science Effectively: Know Your Audience and Speak Their Language presented by science communicator Dennis Meredith. The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) Research Board Chair Dr. Rita Colwell was recently selected as the recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2018, a prestigious award given to individuals or organizations who have made significant contributions to solving the world's water challenges through the development of new technologies, policies, or programs. Through her research in water microbiology, Dr. Colwell discovered the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) phenomenon in bacteria, and she also discovered that sari cloth can effectively filter drinking water. Both of these findings have aided significantly in addressing waterborne diseases, such as cholera. Dr. Colwell received the award at the Singapore International Water Week, held in July 2018, in conjunction with World Water Day and the launch of the International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028. GoMRI congratulates Dr. Colwell on this recognition of her incredibly important work and for receiving this award. GoMRI congratulates Dr. Martin Grosell, principal investigator and director of the Relationships of Effects of Cardiac Outcomes in Fish for Validation of Ecological Risk (RECOVER) consortium, on receiving the Award of Excellence in fish physiology from the American Fisheries Society. Dr. Grosell received his award during the 13th International Congress on the Biology of Fish. Congratulations Dr. Grosell! Researchers funded through the RFP-V project Genomic Responses to the Deepwater Horizon Event and Development of High-Throughput Biological Assays for Oil Spills, hosted a series of workshops in 2017 and 2018 focused on developing genetic markers to characterize the taxonomic composition of benthic communities. Benthic communities can be significantly affected by events such as oil spills, but lack of genetic sequencing and taxonomy for these communities makes it difficult to assess their impact. The workshops, called Benthic Invertebrate Taxonomy, Metagenomics, and Bioinformatics (BITMaB), were convened to bring together nearly 100 researchers with the goal of addressing this critical gap. They were organized by principal investigator Kelley Thomas from the University of New Hampshire, Holly Bik from the University of California-Riverside, Paul Montagna from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Francesca Leasi from the Smithsonian Institution, Krystalynne Morris from the University of New Hampshire, Jon Norenburg from the Smithsonian Institution, and Michael Reuscher from the University of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Participants identified more than 360 benthic organisms from nearly 100 taxa, and the results were published in two reports; read them here and here. GoMRI recognizes the graduate students whose vital research contributes to improving understanding about the damage, response, and recovery from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Candidates for this program must be graduate students who have participated in a GoMRI-funded project for at least one year, whose research is primarily funded by GoMRI, and who are working on a dissertation or thesis based on GoMRI-funded science. Grad Student Richards Uses Fish Muscle Tissue to Explore Deep-Sea Food Web Structure Grad Student Seeley Investigates the Longevity of Toxic Oil Compounds in Coastal Environments Grad Student O'Brien Analyzes Sediment Movement to Help Predict Oil Transport The Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Oil Spill Science Outreach Team recently released three new publications. The one page fact sheet Storm and Spills shares how storms can cause oil spills. The one-pager details who to contact if a storm-induced spill occurs in your area and includes some examples of oil spills caused by hurricanes. The team also recently announced their year-long collaborative project with the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative and the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The one page fact sheet Collaborative Project: Regional Priority-Setting for Health, Social, and Economic Disruption from Spills shares more about this partnership, including the goals of the program, possible workshop locations, and anticipated outcomes. Underwater Vehicles Used to Study Oil Spills describes the remotely operated vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles, and human occupied vehicles scientists use to study oil spills beneath the sea surface. All of the Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Oil Spill Science Outreach Program publications are available here. In addition to the publications, the team also released a set of modules on oil spill science, originally created for the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry North America/World Congress (SETAC) meeting in 2016. The series includes an Introduction to the Sea Grant Oil Spill Science Outreach Program, an Introduction to Crude Oil and Petroleum Substances, an Overview of Oil Fate Transfer and Transformation Processes, and Oil Spill Management and Response Options and is available here. Finally, the team hosted a seminar on Technology Used to Study Oil Spills, Part 2 at the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs, Mississippi on August 29, 2018. This seminar was a follow up to their Technology and Deepwater Horizon seminar, hosted in August 2016 at the University of Miami. The seminar featured several guest speakers who highlighted many of the technologies used to study spills, including drifters, aerostats, and unmanned surface vehicles. More information on the agenda and speakers is available here. Information on all of the Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Oil Spill Science Outreach Program seminars and workshops can be found here. Smithsonian Ocean Portal recently released a new article in partnership with the Relationships of Effects of Cardiac Outcomes in Fish for Validation of Ecological Risk (RECOVER) consortium called Fish Heart Out of Water. The article shares how RECOVER scientists are learning that exposure to even small amounts of oil negatively impacts mahi-mahi, a strong, fast fish that can swim up to 40 miles per hour and migrate over thousands of miles. RECOVER graduate student Derek Nelson was able to perform open heart surgery on the fish and expose their hearts to varying levels of oil. Even small concentrations of oil were found to reduce the mahi-mahi's ability to efficiently pump oxygen, making it more difficult for them to swim and capture food. From these findings, RECOVER post-doctoral researcher Rachael Heuer began investigating mahi-mahi hearts at the cellular level by removing the hearts from the fish completely and exposing them to oil. Similarly, she discovered that even small amounts of oil reduced the hearts' ability to contract. RECOVER is now using these discoveries to investigate the impacts of oil exposure on other fish in the Gulf, like the cobia and the red drum. Read the article here. Virtual Lab Creates More "Wow" Moments in Science Discovery Understanding How Deepwater Horizon Affected Fishing Community Decisions

In the small town of Greenland, New Hampshire (population 3,653, based on the 2012 US Census estimates), on the day after Christmas 2013, a town employee opened an email indicating that they had received a voice message from AT&T … and infected the computers at the Town Hall with malicious software known as CryptoLocker. CryptoLocker is a relatively new example of one of the fastest growing areas of cybercrime, referred to as ransomware – malware that takes a computer or its data hostage, so attackers can extort payment from their victims. To date, CryptoLocker has been spread through fake emails such as the one received in Greenland; tracking notices from UPS and FedEx were especially popular during this recent holiday shopping season (I happen to have received several of those). CryptoLocker is designed to find – and encrypt – your files, not only on your hard drive but also on any accessible external hard drives, USB drives, network drives, file shares, or cloud storage. CryptoLocker uses very strong (RSA 2048) encryption to generate a public-private key pair for each infected system: the public key (which is used to encrypt your data), and a corresponding private key (which can be used to decrypt your data). Victims of CryptoLocker see a pop-up screen that delivers the bad news: your data has been encrypted; to gain access to the single copy of the private key that will enable you to decrypt them, you have 100 hours to pay US$300 in an anonymous currency (e.g., BitCoin); non-payment or any attempt to remove CryptoLocker will automatically destroy the sole copy of the private key. And now back to our discussion of what happened in Greenland, New Hampshire. Unfortunately, the Town Administrator did not learn of the infection until December 30 … after the 100 hours had already expired. And just like that, the Town Administrator of Greenland, New Hampshire lost eight years of work. No opportunity to weigh the cost of $300 of taxpayer money versus the cost of eight years of taxpayer-funded salary and benefits … no opportunity to ponder the policy of negotiating with terrorists … just gone. One will be left, one will be taken. It really pains me to acknowledge it, but how very clever of the criminals to leverage the same encryption technologies that companies are using to protect their information, in combination with an encryption-based, government-free currency that provides a cloak of anonymity, to extract monetary value at arm's length from their victims – a brilliant sort of encryption jiu-jitsu. Sources such as McAfee Labs predict that we will see significant growth in these types of exploits in 2014. I still remain optimistic that technology such as DMARC will increasingly help to thwart the most common delivery mechanisms for malware such as CryptoLocker – e.g., see my blog Don't Click on That Cat! (24 October 2013).

Chris Warren our Managing Director shares his inspiration behind the philosophy of Rocks Lane. It all started on a chilly Saturday in Yorkshire when I was 9 years old. I'd just finished playing for my school team and I headed down to the local park with some mates. We arrived at the park and there in the distance were 6 massive football pitches with big goalposts and even more exciting …… something we'd only seen on TV …. NETS! So we sprinted over to the nets and smashed the ball in to the back of the net, what a thrill seeing the net bulge and then recoiling, arm in the air and my index finger pointing to the sky in celebration ( just like Alan Clarke on Match of the Day). Then, all of a sudden, we hear a shout "Oi, get off of that pitch!' and a man in a donkey jacket is running our way. So we all leg it as fast as we can in to the woods and then sneak back on at half-time, while they are distracted eating their oranges, to re-live some more of our goal scoring dreams. The full time whistle goes and we can get our last 5 minutes of fantasy football before the groundsman comes along and takes the nets away ….. and the goals don't seem special anymore, so we wander off in the twilight for our tea. When summer arrives the groundsman takes the goals down for the whole summer and begins marking out a little pitch on the grass, with little goals and shiny white nets. Perfect for us, we think. So we run on to the pitch and try out a few moves and dribbles. But, before long an irate groundsman comes running up to us and tells us to 'Get out of here'. So we reluctantly wander off and throw our jumpers on the ground waiting for a chance to sneak back on and score the winner in the Cup Final! We have based our philosophy at rocks lane on those feelings, desires, hopes and dreams of that 9 year old boy. So you can Play, Learn, Compete and Have Fun at all of our centres whenever you feel like it and I promise that no irate parky will chase you off when you're about to win the Cup!

French literature summaries - 2021 Short summary - Confessions "I told the truth. If anyone knows anything contrary to what is told here, he knows only lies and slander. " The author of these lines calls his first misfortune his own birth, which cost the life of his mother. The child grows up, showing the defects inherent in his age; "I was a chatterbox, a gourmand, a liar sometimes," Jean-Jacques admits. Separated from his father since childhood, he falls under the care of his uncle, and he gives him to study. From the punishments of the mentor, an early sensuality awakens in an eight-year-old boy, which left an imprint on all his subsequent relationships with the fair sex. "All my life I longed for and remained silent in front of the women whom I loved most," the author writes, making "the first and most painful step in the dark and dirty labyrinth" of his confessions. The teenager is given to the engraver as an apprentice; at this time, for the first time, he shows a thirst for theft. "In essence, these thefts were very innocent, since everything that I carried from the owner was used by me to work for him," Jean-Jacques chides himself. Simultaneously with addictions, a passion for reading awakens in him, and he reads everything. At sixteen, Jean-Jacques is a young man "restless, dissatisfied with everything and himself, without affection for his craft." Suddenly, the young man drops everything and goes to wander. Fate brings him to the charming twenty-eight-year-old Madame de Varence, between them a relationship is struck, which largely determined the life of Jean-Jacques. Madame de Varence convinces the young man to convert from Protestantism to Catholicism, and he goes to Turin, in a refuge for new converts. Having escaped after the completion of the ceremony, he leads a carefree life, walks around the city and its environs and falls in love with all pretty women. "Never before have the passions been so strong and so pure as mine; love has never been more tender, more disinterested, "he recalls. When he runs out of money, he goes to a certain countess as a lackey. In her service, Jean-Jacques commits an offense, which he then regrets all his life: taking a silver ribbon from the mistress, he accuses the young servant of this theft. The girl is kicked out, her reputation is irreparably damaged. The desire to finally confess this sin is one of the reasons that prompted him to write this confession. Jean-Jacques' mistress dies; a young man joins a wealthy family as a secretary. He studies a lot and diligently, and avenues for further career advancement are opening up for him. However, the desire for vagrancy overpowers, and he is sent back to Switzerland. Having reached his native land, he appears to Madame de Varence. She happily accepts him, and he settles in her house. Madame de Varence puts him in a singing school, where he thoroughly studies music. But the very first concert, which young Jean-Jacques dares to give, fails miserably. Of course, no one even suspects that time will pass, and the works of today's loser will be performed in the presence of the king, and all the courtiers will sigh and say: "Oh, what magic music!" In the meantime, upset Jean-Jacques starts wandering again. Returning to his "mother," as he calls Mme. De Varens, Jean-Jacques continues his music studies. At this time, his final rapprochement with Madame de Varens takes place. Their close relationship prompts this middle-aged woman to take up the secular education of a young man. But everything she does for him in this direction is, in his own words, "lost work." The manager of Madame de Varence dies unexpectedly, and Jean-Jacques unsuccessfully tries to fulfill his duties. Overwhelmed with good intentions, he begins to hide money from Madame de Varens. However, to his shame, these hiding places are almost always found. Finally, he decides to start working in order to provide "mom" with a piece of bread. Of all the possible occupations, he chooses music, and for a start he takes money from Madame de Varens to travel to Paris in order to improve his skills. But life in Paris does not work, and, returning to Madame de Varence, Jean-Jacques becomes seriously ill. After recovering, they together with "mom" leave for the village. "Here begins a short period of happiness in my life; here comes peaceful, but fleeting moments for me, giving me the right to say that I lived, too, "the author writes. Rural work alternates with hard work - history, geography, Latin. But despite the thirst for knowledge overwhelming him, Jean-Jacques falls ill again - now from a sedentary life. At the insistence of Madame de Varans it is sent for treatment in Montpellier, and the road becomes the lover of his random fellow traveler ... Returning, Jean-Jacques discovers that eliminated from the heart of Madame de Varans "high colorless blond" with farcical manner handsome ... Confused and embarrassed, Jean-Jacques with a pain in his heart yields to him his place next to Madame de Varence and from that moment looks at "his dear mother only through the eyes of a real son." Very quickly, the newcomer settles life in the house of Madame de Varens in his own way. Feeling out of place, Jean-Jacques leaves for Lyon and is hired as a governor. In the fall of 1715 he arrived in Paris "with 15 louis in his pocket, the comedy" Narcissus "and a musical project as a means of subsistence." Suddenly, the young man is offered the post of secretary of the embassy in Venice, he agrees and leaves France. In a new place, he likes everything - both the city and work. But the ambassador, unable to come to terms with the plebeian origin of the secretary, begins to survive him and eventually reaches his goal. Returning to Paris, Jean-Jacques tries to get justice, but he is told that his quarrel with the ambassador is a private matter, because he is only a secretary, and besides, not a citizen of France. Realizing that he will not get justice, Russo settles in a quiet hotel and works on the completion of the opera. At this time, he finds "the only real consolation": he meets Teresa Levasseur. "The likeness of our hearts, the conformity of our characters, soon led to the usual result. She decided that she had found a decent person in me, and she was not mistaken. I decided that I found in her a warm-hearted girl, simple, without coquetry, and I was not mistaken either. I announced to her in advance that I would never leave her, but I would not marry her either. Love, respect, sincere honesty were the creators of my celebration, "Jean-Jacques describes his meeting with a girl who has become his faithful and devoted friend. Teresa is kind, intelligent, quick-witted, endowed with common sense, but strikingly ignorant. All attempts by Jean-Jacques to develop her mind fail: the girl has not even learned to tell the time by the clock. Nevertheless, her company is enough for Jean-Jacques; without being distracted by vain affairs, he works hard, and soon the opera is ready. But in order to promote her on the stage, it is necessary to have the talents of a court intriguer, and Jean-Jacques does not have them, and he again suffers a fiasco in the musical field. Life demands its own: now he is obliged to provide food not only for himself, but also for Teresa, and at the same time for her numerous relatives, led by a greedy mother, who is used to living at the expense of her eldest daughter. For the sake of earnings, Jean-Jacques enters the secretaries of a noble nobleman and leaves Paris for a while. When he returns, he discovers that Teresa is pregnant. From the conversations of his companions at the table d'hôte, Jean-Jacques learns that in France unwanted babies are handed over to the Orphanage; deciding to follow the customs of this country, he persuades Teresa to give the baby. The next year, history repeats itself, and so on five times. Teresa "obeyed, sighing bitterly." Jean-Jacques sincerely believes that "he chose the best for his children, or what he considered to be." However, the author "promised to write a confession, not a self-justification." Jean-Jacques is close to Diderot. Like Jean-Jacques, Diderot has "his own Nanette", the only difference is that Teresa is meek and kind, and Nanette is quarrelsome and spiteful. Learning that the Dijon Academy has announced a competition on the topic "Has the development of the arts and sciences contributed to the deterioration or purification of morals?" Jean-Jacques enthusiastically takes up the pen. He shows the finished work to Diderot and receives his sincere approval. Soon the essay is published, noise rises around it, Jean-Jacques becomes fashionable. But his unwillingness to find a patron for himself earns him a reputation as an eccentric. "I was a person they were trying to look at, but the next day they didn't find anything new in him," he notes with bitterness. The need for constant earnings and failing health prevent him from writing. Nevertheless, he achieves a production of his opera "The Village Sorcerer", at the premiere of which there is a court led by the king. The king likes the opera, and he, wishing to reward the author, appoints him an audience. But Jean-Jacques, wanting to preserve his independence, refuses to meet with the king and, therefore, from the royal pension. His act causes universal condemnation. Even Diderot, approving in principle an indifferent attitude towards the king, does not consider it possible to refuse a pension. The views of Jean-Jacques and Diderot diverge further and further. Soon, the Dijon Academy announces a new topic: "On the origin of inequality among people", and Jean-Jacques again passionately takes up the pen. Political clouds begin to gather over the freedom-loving author, he leaves Paris and goes to Switzerland. There he is honored as a champion of freedom. He meets with "mom": she became poorer and sank. Jean-Jacques realizes that it is his duty to take care of her, but he shamefully admits that a new affection has pushed Madame de Varence out of his heart. Arriving in Geneva, Jean-Jacques returns to the fold of the Protestant church and again becomes a full citizen of his native city. Back in Paris, Jean-Jacques continues to earn his living by writing notes, because he cannot write for money - "it is too difficult to think nobly when you think in order to live". After giving his compositions to the public, he is sure that he is doing it for the common good. In 1756 Jean-Jacques left Paris and settled in the Hermitage. "The changes in me began as soon as I left Paris, as soon as I got rid of the sight of the vices of this big city that caused my indignation," he says. In the midst of village dreams, Jean-Jacques is visited by Madame d? Udeto, and love flares up in his soul - "the first and only". "This time it was love - love in all its strength and in all its frenzy." Jean-Jacques accompanies Madame d? Udeto on walks, ready to faint from her tender kisses, but their relationship does not go beyond the boundaries of tender friendship. Madame d? Udeto served as the prototype for Julia from New Heloise. The novel was a resounding success, and the author even improved his financial affairs. Forced to leave the Hermitage, Jean-Jacques moved to Montmorency, where he began to write Emile. He also continues to work on Political Institutions; the result of this hard work is the famous Social Contract. Many aristocrats begin to seek the favor of Jean-Jacques: Prince de Conti, Duchess of Luxembourg ... But "I did not want to be sent to the pantry, and did not value the table of nobles. I would prefer that they leave me alone, not honoring or humiliating me, "says the philosopher. After the publication of the "Social Contract" Jean-Jacques feels how the number of his enemies - secret and overt - increases dramatically, and he leaves for Geneva. But even there he has no rest: his book was burned, and he himself faces arrest. All Europe casts its curses on him, as soon as they do not call him: "possessed, possessed, predatory beast, wolf" ... Teresa voluntarily shares the fate of the freedom-loving exile. In the end, Jean-Jacques settles on the island of Saint-Pierre, located in the middle of Lake Bienne. "In a sense, I said goodbye to the light, intending to shut up on this island until my last days," he writes. Jean-Jacques admires the beauty of the island and its surrounding landscapes; "Oh nature! oh my mother! " He exclaims in delight. Suddenly, he receives an order to leave the island. The question arises: where to go? First, Berlin was declared the destination of his journey. But, he writes, "in the third part, if I only have the strength to write it one day, it will be seen why, intending to go to Berlin, I actually went to England" ...

Home Rodolfo Vieira Countdown to the 2016 Worlds: the thrills, the drama and the most amazing pictures of last year's edition With the 2016 World Jiu-Jitsu championship rapidly approaching we still have time to look back into last year's edition. As always, there were all… Countdown to the 2016 Worlds: travel from 1998 to 2013 in three historic black belt open class finals It's Saturday, a nice day to sit back, relax and watch some classic matches that the World championship offered us in the past 20 years.… 2016 WPJJC: watch how Buchecha became the only three-time male open class champion Marcus Almeida Buchecha is without a doubt the biggest name in the history of the World Professional Jiu-Jitsu championship. Buchecha reigned over the black belt… Train with Rodolfo, Cyborg, Marte and help a good cause in the Dominican Republic Black belts Rodolfo Vieira, Roberto Cyborg and Abraham Marte will gather for a very special seminar on Feb. 18-21. They will host the Winter BJJ… Rodolfo signs with Real Fight Championship for MMA debut on the fall of 2016 Five-time black belt world champion Rodolfo Vieira traveled to Tokyo, Japan, and has signed a contract to make his MMA debut in 2016. According to… 2015 ADCC: watch some thrilling highlights by Stuart Cooper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2RkLXMY7kI The 2015 ADCC had so many thrills that Stuart Cooper had to release two highlight reels. Here's number 2. Watch and enjoy. GM #224: JUST DRILL IT! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcmfhD9Zyg0 Rubens Cobrinha shares his knowledge and explains how important it was for him (and how important it could be for you) to include drills… Relive the thrills of the 2015 ADCC in 6 minutes of highlights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQcI_0hNyc8 The 2015 ADCC was a never-ending rush of thrills at the end of August, in Brazil. Filmmaker Stuart Cooper was able to extract… Watch the highlights of Rodolfo vs. Ben Henderson at the 2015 ADCC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfGCKi7js7g Rodolfo Vieira and Ben Henderson met at the first round of the open class division of the 2015 ADCC. Watch how the duel… 2015 ADCC: a brief analysis of each division and a daring attempt to point out favorites The 2015 ADCC is finally here. Milton Vieira was the last athlete to be confirmed for the -77kg division. With all the names laid out,… 2015 ADCC: athletes put final touches on preparation for two days of war in São Paulo Scheduled August 29-30 in São Paulo, the 2015 ADCC is less than 10 days away. Many athletes already made their way to Brazil, as their… Watch Braulio Estima and Rodolfo Vieira on a light roll a month before the 2015 ADCC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsRq3wf1z-c The 2015 ADCC is one month away. Scheduled August 29-30, in São Paulo, Brazil, the event will be the setting for some exciting…

Bucks County man Andy Reid pleads for return of stolen Eagles sign By Annie McCormick LEVITTOWN, Pa. (WPVI) -- A fanatic Eagles fan in Levittown, Bucks County, is in desperation mode. It's not because of the game on Sunday, but because somebody stole a prized possession right off his front lawn. The victim in this case - Andy Reid - shares a name with the former head coach and a passion for the team. Reid is an avid collector of Eagles' memorabilia. He has signed footballs and jerseys from seasons spanning decades. To him, the stolen sign isn't just a decoration, it's a family heirloom. "My sister made it for my mom 30 years ago, and we've been putting it out every season since in yard," Reid told Action News on Wednesday. "I just woke up and it was gone." The sign is made up of the E-A-G-L-E-S letters. His sister owned a sign company, so it was professionally made and it was durable enough to survive 30 Bucks County winters. "We used to put it up here, every Eagles game," said Reid. "It really meant something to the family." Reid said it was stolen last Wednesday night, just days before the Eagles beat the Atlanta Falcons. "It's just hard because the spirit of the season, we had such a good year and it comes down to someone stealing a sign," said Reid. "If they were true Eagles fans, they wouldn't be stealing someone else's sign." The Reid family said whoever took the sign can return it, no questions asked. They just want it back in time for Sunday to spell E-A-G-L-E-S on their front lawn. sportspennsylvania newstheftphiladelphia eagles

Shujaa Graham is coming to the march! We talked to Bill Pelke, president and cofounder of Journey of Hope…From Violence to Healing, and Shujaa Graham today and found out that Shujaa can come to the march. Shujaa was convicted of a murder he did not commit and spent three years on death row in California. He was later found innocent, exonerated and released. Thanks to Bill, the Journey of Hope…from Violence to Healing and Shujaa! Journey of Hope…from Violence to Healing is an organization led by murder victim family members joined by death row family members, family members of the executed, the exonerated, and others with stories to tell, that conducts public education speaking tours and addresses alternatives to the death penalty. Shujaa was born in Lake Providence, LA, where he grew up on a plantation. His family worked as share-croppers, in the segregated South of the 50s. In 1961, he moved to join his family who had moved to South Central Los Angeles, to try to build a more stable life. As a teenager, Shujaa lived through the Watts riot and experienced the police occupation of his community. In and out of trouble, he spent much of his adolescent life in juvenile institutions, until at age 18, he was sent to Soledad Prison. Within the prison walls, Shujaa came of age, mentored by the leadership of the Black Prison movement. Shujaa taught himself to read and write, he studied history and world affairs, and became a leader of the growing movement within the California prison system, as the Black Panther Party expanded in the community. In 1973, Shujaa was framed in the murder of a prison guard at the Deul Vocational Institute, Stockton, California. As a recognized leader within and without the prison, the community became involved in his defense, and supported him through 4 trials. Shujaa and his co-defendant, Eugene Allen, were sent to San Quentin's death row in 1976, after a second trial in San Francisco. The DA systematically excluded all African American jurors, and in 1979, the California Supreme Court overturned the death conviction. After spending three years on death row, Shujaa and Eugene Allen, continued to fight for their innocence. A third trial ended in a hung jury, and after a fourth trial, they were found innocent. As Shujaa often says, he won his freedom and affirmed his innocence in spite of the system. Shujaa was released in March, 1981, and continued to organize in the Bay area, building community support for the prison movement, as well as protest in the neighborhoods against police brutality. In the following years, Shujaa moved away from the Bay area. Shujaa learned landscaping, and created his own business by starting reading the bollinger bands trading strategy pdf. He and his wife raised three children, and became part of a progressive community in Maryland. In 1999, Shujaa was invited to speak about his experiences on Death Row at fund raiser for the Alabama Death Penalty project, sponsored by the New York Legal Aid Foundation. This was a new beginning, and provided Shujaa the opportunity to begin to tell his story, his experiences and grow through work with other death penalty opponents. Pelke originally support the sentence of death for Cooper, but went through a spiritual transformation in 1986 after praying for love and compassion for Paula Cooper and her family. He became involved in an international crusade on Paula's behalf and in 1989 after over 2 million people from Italy signed petitions and Pope John Paul II's request for mercy, Paula was taken off of death row and her sentence commuted to sixty years. Bill, a retired steelworker, has dedicated his life to working for abolition of the death penalty. He shares his story of forgiveness and healing, and how he came to realize that he did not need to see someone else die in order to heal from his grandmother's death. He also helps organize Journey tours nationally and abroad. Pelke has traveled to over forty states and ten countries with the Journey of Hope and has told his story over 5000 times.

Home News Will Microsoft Help Retailers Counter Amazon Go? Will Microsoft Help Retailers Counter Amazon Go? Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is developing a technology that could eliminate cashiers from stores, according to a Reuters report citing six people familiar with the project. Shoppers would scan their smartphones upon entering a store, sensors would detect items being removed from shelves, and cameras would track the items in the shopping cart. Shoppers' accounts would be charged once they left the store. This setup sounds nearly identical to Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) Go, which launched in Seattle this January. In February, Recode reported that Amazon could launch "as many as six" new Amazon Go stores this year. Amazon already stated that it won't install the technology in its Whole Foods stores, but the move still probably spooked traditional brick-and-mortar retailers like Walmart (NYSE: WMT). Image source: Amazon. That's why Walmart is reportedly in talks to install Microsoft's cashier-free technology at its stores. If that test is successful, many other retailers could follow suit and change how brick-and-mortar stores operate. Why is Microsoft copying Amazon Go? Unlike Amazon, Microsoft isn't interested in running an e-commerce platform or retail stores. It wants to expand its commercial cloud services to more businesses. These services include Azure, the world's second-largest cloud infrastructure platform after Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Dynamics CRM, its cloud-based customer relationship management platform, which competes against Salesforce's flagship service. Microsoft's commercial cloud revenue rose 58% annually to $6 billion last quarter — supported by 93% growth in Azure and 65% growth in Dynamics. The widespread use of Windows and Office, another pillar of Microsoft's cloud growth, makes it easier for Microsoft to cross-sell cloud services to more enterprise customers. Offering an all-in-one package for cashierless shopping could tether many more major retailers to that cloud ecosystem. How Microsoft could help struggling retailers One of the biggest dilemmas for Walmart is balancing its promise to raise wages with bottom-line growth. In January, Walmart hiked its U.S. minimum wage to $11 per hour, offered cash bonuses, and expanded parental leave benefits — but also announced store closures and thousands of layoffs. Image source: Walmart. The company's investments in e-commerce — including its acquisitions of Jet.com and Flipkart — further weighed down its earnings growth. That's why analysts expect Walmart's earnings growth to decelerate from 9% this year to about 4% next year. A look at Walmart's operating margins over the past five years summarizes that bleak tale. Source: YCharts Therefore, installing Microsoft's cashierless systems at its stores could enable Walmart to significantly reduce its employee headcount and boost its margins. It would also help it gather more real-time shopping data from individual consumers (which it was already trying to do via its Walmart Pay app), that information could help it optimize its store layouts, inventory, and promotions. Should Amazon be concerned? Amazon clearly has a first mover's advantage in the cashierless market. Moreover, it took Amazon nearly four years to develop Amazon Go, and it accumulated data for almost 14 months before opening its first Seattle store. This means that Microsoft probably can't launch a competitive service overnight. Amazon Go is also currently designed for convenience store-sized areas. Expanding that system of cameras and sensors to Walmart's superstores could be costly and impractical. Certain unpackaged products, like produce, could also be tougher to track. That's probably why Amazon hasn't expanded cashierless systems to its Whole Foods stores yet. Lastly, Amazon could also sell its cashierless system to other retailers, which could tether them to services like AWS and Amazon Pay. Rivals like Walmart probably wouldn't sign up, but smaller retailers might. The key takeaway A cashierless platform could help Microsoft expand its cloud presence and help retailers like Walmart, but it probably won't arrive anytime soon. Meanwhile, Amazon will likely retain its first mover's advantage in the space as it opens more Amazon Go stores across the country. 10 stocks we like better than Microsoft David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Microsoft wasn't one of them! That's right — they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Teresa Kersten is an employee of LinkedIn and is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. LinkedIn is owned by Microsoft. Leo Sun owns shares of Amazon. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon and Salesforce.com. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The White House opposes the proposal of purchasing Ericsson Nokia, and the 5g construction depends on itself 2020-02-09 05:38:47 category:Internet Foreign media CNBC pointed out that such a proposal also made the shares of the two companies rise on the same day. Nokias shares rose 4% on the New York Stock Exchange and Ericssons shares rose nearly 5.4% on the NASDAQ. So far, the combined market value of Nokia and Ericsson has exceeded $50 billion. It is not clear what funds the U.S. government may use to acquire shares in the two companies, or whether it has the approval of foreign regulators. However, regarding the proposal, White House economic adviser Larry Kudrow said on Friday that as an important partner of 5g infrastructure construction in the United States, the United States is working closely with Nokia and Ericsson. But Mr Kudrow also said: the U.S. government does not engage in acquisitions, whether domestic or foreign. Vice President burns also said: we have great respect for attorney general Barr, but we think the best way is the proposal put forward by Ban Kit (Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission) in the past few days. U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman ban kit said recently that the U.S. will pay about $10 billion to allow some satellite radio and television companies to recover part of the C-band spectrum, so that the U.S. telecom companies can build 5g communication network in this band. After recovering these frequency bands, the U.S. government plans to auction them to telecom companies at the end of the year, so as to cooperate with the telecom companys 5g network expansion plan. It is reported that in 5g network deployment, Huawei, ZTE, Ericsson and Nokia are core manufacturers, and the latest data released by each company shows that: Data released by Ericsson in December last year shows that: 78 5g network construction contracts have been obtained in 14 countries and regions around the world, 24 of which are in progress; According to the data released by Huawei in October last year, Huawei has obtained 65 5g network construction contracts in the world, half of which are from Europe, and the shipment volume of 5g base stations has exceeded 400000; According to data released by ZTE in November last year, ZTE has won 35 5g network construction contracts in the world and has launched 5g cooperation with more than 60 operators around the world. It is worth noting that Ericsson is a Swedish Telecom manufacturer, Nokia is a Finnish Telecom manufacturer, and Huawei and ZTE are Chinese telecom manufacturers. At present, although the United States has gathered a large number of technology giants, the 5g layout is slightly weak. On the other hand, at the beginning of this year, under the pressure of the United States, the United Kingdom finally gave Huawei a green light on 5g infrastructure construction - approving Huawei to carry out 5g network infrastructure construction in the United Kingdom. According to Lei Fengs previous report, on January 28, the NSC meeting chaired by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and attended by senior ministers and intelligence personnel decided to approve part of Huaweis work on 5g network construction in the UK. Thats why U.S. attorney general Barr will propose a stake in Nokia and Ericsson. However, Burns said the US could use the power of free markets and US companies to expand 5g.. Read the White Houses proposal against the acquisition of Ericsson Nokia, how will the construction of 5g rely on its own coronavirus affect the global telecom industry grand meeting MWC? 5g life starts from Jingdong. Source: Lei Feng. Com editor in charge: Liao ziyao. Nbjs10040 It is worth noting that Ericsson is a Swedish Telecom manufacturer, Nokia is a Finnish Telecom manufacturer, and Huawei and ZTE are Chinese telecom manufacturers. At present, although the United States has gathered a large number of technology giants, the 5g layout is slightly weak. On the other hand, at the beginning of this year, under the pressure of the United States, the United Kingdom finally gave Huawei a green light on 5g infrastructure construction - approving Huawei to carry out 5g network infrastructure construction in the United Kingdom. According to Lei Fengs previous report, on January 28, the NSC meeting chaired by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and attended by senior ministers and intelligence personnel decided to approve part of Huaweis work on 5g network construction in the UK. Thats why U.S. attorney general Barr will propose a stake in Nokia and Ericsson. However, Burns said the US could use the power of free markets and US companies to expand 5g..

A good point well made Posted on May 26, 2014 by Rev. Stuart Campbell We're rather kicking ourselves for not having spotted this one when it was staring us in the face, so kudos to Welsh professor of political science Roger Scully for the catch. In the 2009 European elections, UKIP got 16.5% of the vote in the UK as a whole, and 5.2% in Scotland – a gap of 11.3%. In this year's election the tallies were 27.5% in the UK and 10.5% in Scotland – a gap of 17%. In other words, despite all the bluster from Unionists about how Scotland can no longer claim to be different to the rest of the UK in terms of supporting Nigel Farage's party, in fact the degree of difference has substantially increased, by a whopping 55%. It just seems worth pointing out. Tags: arithmetic fail Category comment, scottish politics, stats, uk politics 1 Trackbacks/Pingbacks 26 05 14 23:20 A good point well made | Scottish Independence News 244 to "A good point well made" Hugh Wallace says: You might also like the take from this chap who concludes 'Scotland is a very different country' and goes on to say "if I was a resident of Scotland I'd much rather brave the uncertainty of independence and self-determination, than risk facing a Tory-UKIP coalition ruling over Scotland from down in London." http://anotherangryvoice.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/12-things-european-election-2014-results.html Domhnall Dods says: If the tory share is up that also marks us out as different, just not in a good way Croompenstein says: posted on last thread but.. Hold the front page – balanced and truthful report from BBC shocker. Allan Little reporting from Edinburgh telling it like it is ukip came 4th 10% of vote and England ukip 1st 30% Scotland's result looking more like Germany than England and Wales. If you want Scotland to stay in EU then you might want to think about voting for independence in September..picks self back up… Thinking about it, UKIP getting a footing in Scotland may be exactly what the Yes side has been needing. We've been behind in the polls since the get-go of this campaign. We've been pulling back ground to a point where we're not far off 50-50, but have not been quite able to reach over into the 51 mark quite yet. Some people have been hefty undecided, and as of UKIP's footing in our beautiful wee country last night, we've heard that this has encouraged some undecideds to declare support for or sway further towards Yes. Even on Twitter some hardcore No people have stated that the result last night might just make them think twice. Put it this way, if Gideon Osborne's currency threat gave Yes a surge, imagine what UKIP's involvement could do. Adrian B says: I think that with Scotland now having this UKIP MEP things are about to get a whole lot more lively. Scotland has seen the future under the Union with a Tory/UKIP coalition as a distinct possibility in 2015. Add in all the taking UK out of Europe and I think that small business is going to start squirming. An Indy Scotland does not look very scary a prospect in comparison to the UK right now. I think we must also recognise the possibility that some who voted for UKIP came from both the Yes and No camps who would rather see Britain/Scotland out of the EU and used this opportunity as a protest vote. A small number I grant you. I have heard David Coburn on the BBC today and he floundered in response to basic questions. He is a buffoon who is more a threat to UKIP itself than he is to the YES Campaign. It will be interesting to see if BBC continue their UKIP sponsorship leading up to the Eastleigh by election in a couple of weeks. Grouse Beater says: Cockroaches have a way of flattening themselves to scuttle under the gap of doors. They can move very fast, tend to come out at night, are very noisy feeding, and sustain themselves on rotten detritus humans leave around. Annie: Newark. Schrodingers Cat says: bbc labour scotland hate ukip brooster coburn is out of his depth, no doubt about it we should bum up his better togher credentials, and let bbc scotland destroy him i think they will discredit him fast before he gains any traction in bettter together camp he is poison to them he is a gift to us get digging folks, i want to know where he buys his socks please, could someone please produce a photo of him with a bt logo or banner behind him? this needs to be shared on face book Retro_Rabbit says: What was the overall turnout figures for both years… very low turnout this year I thought… could be wrong. A low turnout would increase percentage share of outlying parties as proper protest voters didn't vote and lazy buggers that don't see that, like it or not, EU elections aren't a joke and does affect us all. im not going off topic, sarwar counted the ukip votes in his total they cant have it both ways eezy says: Scotland's 'actually' bucking the trend! http://www.eezypeezylemonsqeezy.com mjaei says: Another Angry Voice makes a really good point about this: 'UKIP took just 10.2% of the Scottish vote, and UKIP and the Tories combined only managed to get 27.7% of the vote between them. Meanwhile in England the two Tory parties took significantly more than 50% of the vote between them. The hugely different voting patterns between Scotland and England are demonstrated by the fact that the Tories and UKIP bagged 65% of the seats available in England, but in Scotland they were quite lucky to even sneak away with 33% of the seats.' http://anotherangryvoice.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/12-things-european-election-2014-results.html?spref=tw Doh! Just spotted the 1st comment. Sorry. Interesting to go back to the 2009 European election. This took place when the Labour Government was in chaos. Ministers plotting to get rid of Gordon Brown the week of the election. Expenses scandal broke before the election was a recipe to depress the Labour vote for that election and many Labour supporters stayed at home, hence the lower turnout than the previous election. The media darling in the run-up to that election was not just UKIP but the BNP which resulted in the BNP gaining 2 seats. UKIP's vote share was only slightly up. Last Thursday a lot of Labour voters who sat on their hands in 2009 came out but not enough to reverse the 2009 figures which flipped the SNP/Labour share from 2004. The SNP vote share more or less the same percentage share as 2009 despite the SNP being in Government from 2007 and open to a protest vote. It is easy to say that the increase in the Labour or UKIP vote came from X party. What is needed is an academic study into the election as I suspect votes went between all the various parties. cearc says: Grouse Beater, You are surely not suggesting that Coburn could flatten himself to get under a door? goldenayr says: The BBC at lunchtime today said that Coburn had been resident,solely,in Scotland since December last year. Glen Campbell on the John Beattie Lunchtime prog on Radio Scotland. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0444z8c Did Edinburgh Eye catch that? heedtracker says: BetterTogether C4 news was weird tonight with big report oop North, Farage stood for Westminster MPness 5 times!, yougov poll says England was a better place to bring up children 20 years ago, an EU ruined Grimsby fish industry, white English people on Clethorpes bank holiday BUT the mere 10% UKIP vote in London was because London is so sophisticated, cosmopolitan and clever. Absolutely nothing at all about the 10% UKIP vote in Scotland, ofcourse. Cathy still quite doable though. heedtracker "Cathy still quite doable though." You nicked my wine? He is pretty capable of limbo dancing under any question from the media no matter how low they set the bar, even to the extent of showing openly he's a class airhead. A really interesting piece from the Guardian which all the regulars here should read: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/may/26/ukip-founder-alan-sked-party-become-frankensteins-monster @ goldenayr, Cathy's nae bad. C4 need to send her to Washington like what they did with oor Sarah Smith. She came back fair glammed up, big hair, whitened teeth etc. Check it all out tomorrow as Sarah tries fill old Sweaty Brewers cheezee shoes and may god have mercy on our Yes voting souls. Murray McCallum says: Very good of Professor Scully to help Murdo Fraser see that he got it totally wrong. Well done the Welsh education system and WOS for communicating this information. Sent a complaint to the beeb last week when I saw the trailer for the new show. "It's only sweaties,just give them some sport and the rest can be One Show guff" Still waiting on a reply,probably think I'm agreeing with them and wondering why it's in complaints. I met Murdo Fraser once, he was lost on a back road in Fife and asked me for directions. It looks like he's still lost, Adrian B It did leave me with the feeling that this guy shouldn't be teaching though. Brian Doonthetoon says: Alan Little, from Edinburgh, was on the main BBC news at the back of 6. I was waiting for his very even-handed and true account of the results in Scotland to be interrupted but it was allowed to be completed. I thought, "We won't see him again." Well blow me down with a white leather feather! He was on again with, more or less, the same report at 10.30! Could it be that all the criticism of BBC bias is striking home? More on UKIP, this time from Left Foot Forward: http://www.leftfootforward.org/2014/05/15-reasons-women-shouldnt-vote-for-ukip/ Cindie says: Thanks to Rev and all you wonderful Wings folk for the positive comments and articles today. Last night, having stayed up to see the voting results, I went to bed with a very heavy heart. I live in Highland and couldn't believe that over 7000 people voted for UKIP. I was shocked and disgusted, I still am. But, having seen a number of people that I know were apathetic, undecided or no voters suddenly decide that this was the last straw and become engaged, or even state that the results last night have made them decide to vote yes. I think a number of people have not really been engaged until now, but what happened in England has been a wake-up call. I've been away for the last few weeks in the South West of England and saw UKIP posters everwhere, I found it chilling. Scary, that a significant number of people were not only ready to vote for UKIP, but they were willing to put huge billboards in their gardens and tell the world that's what they were planning to do. I have been so very heartened today to see so very many people, upset by what has happened. Good. They should be upset. So many folk are re-evaluating their previous apathy and realising that if they are against the increasingly right wing politics in rUK then they have to do something about it and the only thing that they can do is vote yes in September. CameronB Brodie says: At last, balance from Better Together. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you oor Anas and oor Murdo. P.S. What more can Scotland expect of political representatives drawn from a deficient gene pool? 🙂 P.P.S. We are all diminished. 🙁 Good post Cindie. Democracy Reborn says: Coburn is now Murdo, McDougall et al's new best pal. Will they now be saying at Indyref debates, "I agree with David"?… Newark – where did Eastleigh come from, I stand corrected. Monty Carlow says: @Croompenstein Hold the front page – balanced and truthful report from BBC shocker. P45 for Alan Little. Ian Brotherhood says: @Adrian B – Cheers for those links. That's important documentary right there, and will no doubt come back to bite mssrs Coburn/Farage. Of course UKIP have failed, relatively, in Scotland compared with the rest of the UK. Even the BBC's figures show this – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27576104 The Scottish increase in UKIP's vote share is the lowest of all the constituencies at 5.2%, nearly half of the lowest rUK increase outside London and less than a third of the highest. Scotland is different and Murdo Fraser is talking bollox. James123 says: @Brian Doonthetoon I'm afraid not, Alan Little has been the sole voice of sanity at the BBC for several months now. The rest of his colleagues will continue to peddle the BT message all the way to September. Check out tomorrow's Scottish Daily Mail front page:- "Farage : I'll Fight Salmond to Save Britain" Folks, Coburn winning his seat & UKIP topping the poll in England is a gift for us. I have grown cheerier as the day has gone on. And the beauty is – for once – the MSM have done the job for us. They've given hours & hours of exposure to UKIP. All we need to keep saying is Vote No = Get the toxic Tories & UKIP in 2015. Lesley-Anne says: Can I just say that I think 24 hours on we are all a lot calmer regarding our Nige's representative in Scotland. Whilst last night a few of us appeared, to me at least, to be getting a bit fraught about our Nige's rep. Personally I thought our Nige's arrival on the scene would actually help us in our fight for independence. From snippets I read around the web today I think this may actually be coming true. Anyone who hasn't seen how their council vote count went can check them out here. http://tinyurl.com/le7wexa Thanks Goldenayr x Cindie Looks like our Nige thinks Alex salmond actually cares a jot about anything he, our Nige, says or even thinks. Apparently when no one speaks to him our Nige resorts to threatening to to fight them. Unfortunately for our Nige the First Minister has far better things to do like run a country than *ahem* fight with Farage. Come to think about it I think our Nige will be doing a lot of fighting with his new unionist best mates to get a foot in the door of Better Together HQ. 😛 http://tinyurl.com/l5x6avp You have to feel for Nick Cleg, He has physically aged a year for every MEP he has lost. What a cheek Nigel Farage quoting Ghandi/Wings "First they ignore you" on Sky News tonight in reference to UKIP results. There are very few positives to be taken from Westminsters manipulation and disenfranchisement of democracy. The UKIP one however is a startling slip up by the Ox/Cam dons and their failure to fully appreciate human nature. Harry Enfield expressed it best on Sunday night with his parody of Seventies OU progs and spectrum deficient academics. Tam Jardine says: Am getting a bit bored with the self determination of Scotland being reduced to these UK terms. I see the plusses and minuses of last night's results but ultimately the issue is unchanged – are we best looking after our own affairs with double the representation in the European parliament or are we better continuing in our diminished role? I have 2 bros making the best of their emigration (but then they are the good kind of immigrants, ie not polish, not asian). I hate using the UKIP threat on my polish, pakistani or Indian friends but Fuck me there cannot be an immigrant who can vote no after this. My main man, a great packistan newsagent is fully Yes and these guys have sway over their family. I don't think the MSM understands anything about what is happening on the ground. Nobby Power says: Given that BT rejected Farage's 'offer of help' out of hand; it will be interesting to see how they cope with Coburn, when push comes to shove. Whether they like it or not, he's on the boat now. And all that bluster and hot air he's notorious for, won't fill the sails to their benefit. He'll have the net effect of chucking the rudder overboard. For me the only question is whether it'll be the sound of the penny dropping, or the sound of implosion we hear first! Appreciate the sentiment but your newsagents family,and him,are now probably fully integrated into the Scottish psyche. I agree goldenayr, the Westminster *ahem* elite have been screwing this country, I mean UK here, for decades and no has been watching what has been going on. Even after the SNP appeared on the scene they were just seen as a toy political party for the nutty few Scots. Now however things have taken a serious jerk to the right and every politician worth their salt from a UK political party is jumping through hoops as and when our Nige says jump! I think most of us on here and other independence sites have seen this UKIP destroyer steaming in unfortunately for the unionists they were blinded to its imminent arrival. Well guess what Mr unionist, the destroyer sitting at the end of the quay is HMS UKIPPER! 🙂 As others have said I think the arrival of UKIP in such a storming fashion will be the fillip that YES needs to really get going once the real war starts at the end of the month. UKIP are, in my view, the best possible present any unionist could give us who are fighting for a YES win. 😉 The Ox/Cam dons are going to rue the day they tried to rewrite history. After the ref the British establishment will hold no sway at all. As I said to the unionits online 12 yrs ago(jeez). "The wolves are circling London,the question is do you..roll over or join?" Steve C says: As a suggestion why does Alex not debate with Farage on independence? Two belief politicians, confident, charismatic, aggressive and both flying high would give a fascinating debate and enable Alex to put Farage in his place or not, once and for all. In terms of the debate. Farage will be able to discuss without being limited by the subservience to EU that LibLabCon all have to follow. The UK Oxbridge politicians are all the same and are tied to the same dictated mantra. Do not the Scottish people deserve a real debate a capable UK politician, noting such a debate could provide a decisive moment in the referendum. Whilst EU membership needs to be Scotland's decision, the EU question is the elephant in the room in Scotland's independence debate and I believe should be discussed by people driven by beliefs and not UK spin masters. Farage: I'll Fight Salmond to Save Britain" So, Ukip completely unlike the SNP, after all. Thepnr says: Listen! Fear not. The truth will prevail. And you are part of that. Call, and what you see is not a busted flush, but a pair of twos. Farage and Cameron, potentially our next government? Are we that mad that we could vote for that? Nah, I'm saying AYE! Truth says: I don't reckon Coburn will get a look in frankly, for a couple of reasons. One, he would be immensely damaging to the BT campaign, so that's a good enough reason for the media to ignore him. And two, what coverage do ANY of our MEPs get anyway? Next to nothing except every few years when there's an election on. He will be hidden from view and never discussed. You forget the London line that anything anti-indy is good. Don't think for a second that what's shown up here will be announced down there. The establishment has created clear guidelines for the hard of thinking. "Go with us or your fucked." Trouble is,most of us grew up in the malcontent years. joe kane says: Let's not forget it was MP Jim Murphy's New Labour which first introduced immigration onto the UK political agenda as an important issue for no reason anyone can figure out, in the same way it adopted and ramped up welfare bashing as an issue as well as whole host of other traditional right-wing obsessions. Here is Richard Seymour quoting Dan Hodges – "How successful did this strategy for managing immigration as a political issue, as opposed to the management of migration itself, prove to be? At the time of the 1997 election, MORI's Issue Tracker recorded the number of people citing race or immigration as the most important issue facing the nation at 3%. By last May's election it was 38%. In 1997 the BNP stood 54 candidates and secured 36,000 votes, at an average of 664 votes per candidate. In 2010 they stood 339 candidates and obtained 566,000 votes, an average of 1,663 votes per candidate. A YouGov poll taken in March found that 69% of those questioned believed Labour's management of immigration had been bad for the country, compared to 21% who thought it had been beneficial. "Set aside principles or morality. Even on its own terms, our political management of immigration has been a disaster. Trying to ape the language of the BNP succeeded only in boosting the BNP." http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/article_comments/patriotism_a_dead_end_solution_to_a_non_problem fifer says: Interesting numbers from the BBC Smallest increase in UKIP vote: Scotland 5.2% Largest increase: E. Midlands 16.5% http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-27583545 Ken500 says: All the Unionists/Westminster's tax evaders have done is to turn bankrupt Britain into a corrupt State in order to line their own pockets. They just can't get enough. Pathetic failures. Barrel scraping time "Labour msp Jackie Baillie says Alex Salmond should spend less time telling us why he hates the UK and more time explaining the consequences of separation" BBC news this morning Be careful what you wish for Jackie. but just for any pedants on here (I know there are none) Anyone recall Alex Salmond saying he "hates the UK"? James Kay says: My apologies if anyone else has done the same calculation, but there is another measure which shows how small was the UKIP 'success' (and different from the voting pattern in rUK). They won the 6th seat of 6 on offer. The margin of victory was so small that, even if there had been 13 MEPs to be elected, there would not have been a second Kipper. On the votes as cast, the d'Hondt system gives an allocation of 4 each to SNP and Labour, 2 each to the Tories and one each to UKIP, the Greens and LibDems. I have read an opinion that iScotland's will be entitled to 13 MEPs, and that the extra numbers will be allocated from the results of this election. So the calculation is not an empty one: there is a real chance that it may be used. Ivan McKee says: @James Kay Yep, looks like your d'Honte calculation is right. That assumes they would keep it all in 1 big Scotland-wide constituency and not split it into 2 or 3 smaller ones. It they did split it up into smaller constituencies then there might not be any Kippers (as their vote was fairly evenly spread throughout Scotland compared to other parties). The majority of 'immigrants' coming into Britain, are the Brit ex pats coming back from Spain because of the banking crisis caus by the US/UK controlled banks and Merkel's EU policies not being effective. The affected countries needed time to recover not austerity, causing further economic collapse. The ConDems were elected to cut the deficit and protect NHS/Education. They have failed. The debt is reported to be increasing, NHS/Education have been cut. The Westminster tax evaders have increased the wealth of themselves and their associates from Public monies. The reason they went into politics. Never have so many been promoted above their capabilities. The Ghost train to nowhere is underway, wasting £Billions of Public monies, but increasing the Wedtminster's tax evaders wealth for friends and families. There is absolutely no business case for the train track to nowhere at present. The train service should be taken back into public service and the public monies should be invested in improving the service, especially in the North. bunter says: Saw a nice map of permitted participants in the referendum and where they are based. There are no pro Union organisations based in Scotland, and no sign of the entities known as "Scottish Labour, Libdums or Tories. There are however Labour, Conservative and LibDums who are all based in London. How telling! Just to round it off, other delights listed are EDL, BNP, Britain First, OO, Apprentice Boys of Derry, and some other YES vote producing delights! Tattie-bogle says: The Union has just handed itself the longest rope in history. A few interviews with coburn should give folks a jolt or will he be binned to the side and give the Fridge a platform. happy days 🙂 It appears Murdo opened his mouth and inserted his leg. After the tweet fest that he and certain members of the press participated in, do they really think they did themselves any favours in the public's eyes? All they've done is reveal for all to see, just how low they're willing to stoop to score political points. And boy is that ever low. I hope to hell Murdo cringes every time he looks upon that tweet now. I can hear the sound of pennies dropping all over Scotland. Deeply shocked lefties, Labour supporters, immigrants, genuine undecideds and otherwise sensible soft NOs are waking up to the fact the a NO vote in September will be catastrophic. JLT says: It makes me wonder… All those 'Undecided's'…obviously, they weren't voting UKIP before, or else, they would have said so. We are guessing that what (speculating here) that 10 to 15% of the country are still 'Undecided'. I think it is fair to say that most folk who voted UKIP were disenfranchised Tory-Labour-Lib supporters, therefore, the UKIP vote came from the 'No' camp. In one sense, the 'No' camp is no longer looking all-out democratically and moderately Unionist …it now has serious Racist and Bigoted elements within its core. Excellent. Just what we needed! Now that UKIP have barnstormed England, but just got a toe in Scotland, it makes me wonder how many of those Undecided's' feel now. In fact, with the UKIP wolf at the front door, I wonder how many 'Undecided's' have just edged into the 'Yes' camp. Obviously, the prospect of a Tory-UKIP coalition must be alarming to them. The old term in Chess of '…sacrificing your queen' to win the game. UKIP win a seat in Scotland, and all the 'Undecided's' move into the 'Yes' camp …You win the game. Not the worst bit of strategy… http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=746063432083449 Arabs for Independence says: John King @06:38 Of course Mr Salmond has never said that he 'hates the UK'. However, the BBC have put that phrase in every GMS bulletin this morning presumably to counter anything positive the First Minister has to say about an independent Scotland. Never drop your guard with the BBC; they are constantly attacking the Yes side at all levels David Wardrope says: Did I miss something on BBC breakfast at around 7:50 the bloke from Brown Shipley saying, "…….so it's a good idea to get out before the Scottish referendum vote" just as I turned on Just seen your comment, mate. Totally, totally agree! In fact …a part of me wonder if it is a win-win scenario that the SNP thought out. If we can't win that 3rd seat (which 'implies' that half of Scotland will vote 'Yes'), then keep saying in your own statements 'UKIP, UKIP, UKIP …bad' and let the buggers win a seat, thus scaring the horses (undecided – Soft No's) into the 'Yes' camp. The tax evading Unionists have lied so much about immigration, it has come back to bite them. Still laughing all the way, the right wing Tory bankers, benefiting from the lies. Nigel uses Botox and is a lying alcoholic. T222Deracha says: Consider that the SNP vote more or less stayed static from 2009, despite the efforts of the Rev and other interweb media. What would the results be without the contribution of all these YES stalwarts?. It is complacent to say that the SNP maintained their vote despite being in government for seven years. The sad fact is that not enough Scots have been convinced that the SNP are good for Scotland. We need to remember that without the SNP, there NEVER would be any independence referendum for Scotland. There is a hell of a lot of hard work needed in the following months to counter the UKOK propaganda machine. 🙁 @David – He was talking about Lloyds floating TSB shares and getting them out before the referendum. caz-m says: The quote from Jackie Baillie that "Alex Salmond hates the UK", is an example of why the SNP and even the YES camp should have a direct line to Pacific Quay to nip these lies in the bud. The SNP/YES press offices really need to start justifying their wages here. They must hear the same shit that we hear. We will soon be inside the official campaign, and allowing Scottish Labour, aided by BBC Scotland, to spout out whatever lies they like, must stop. Thanks for that, guy looked quite pleased with himself when he said it I thought The YES campaign will be reputing the lies. It will not be reported. The MSM is Wetminster controlled. The UK does not have a balanced Press, as required by a Democracy. Thatcher saw to that. Selective viewing. Don't watch it. Boycott it. Viewing/listening gives it a voice. The driving age should be increased to stop deaths and accidents. 10% of drivers age 17-24 caused 25% of accidents. @JLT I think it is fair to say that most folk who voted UKIP were disenfranchised Tory-Labour-Lib supporters, therefore, the UKIP vote came from the 'No' camp There's a section of society for whom politics is a series of basic prejudices. Ukip has tapped into them. The English have always been suspicious of foreigners, and intellectuals, for that matter. It's the least likeable aspect of the national character. A good number of countries control immigration tightly, mostly because there is not enough jobs and houses for them, and they don't have a medical service wealthy enough to cope. That's a fair policy, in my opinion. But Ukip go further, they advocate English is best. Whatever way you look at them they are a racist party. Fergus Green says: O/T poll in the Courier right now asking if the European election result will make you more or less likely to vote YES: http://www.thecourier.co.uk/ YES currently on 45% Giving Goose says: Jackie Baillie hates the UK, or more specifically the people of the UK. The Labour party retreated from it's own people centric core values and essentially rejected those people to the rapine results of ultra Neo Con economics. The electorate are the living, breathing heart of every state and by walking away from them you betray them. Labour adopted the London centric, Neo Conservative economies of division. That to me indicates a deep hatred of the UK. Her pal Murphy is equally wrong; http://whitefeatherclub.wordpress.com/2014/05/27/jim-murphy-is-an-ostrich/ Famous15 says: BBC at 8.30am repeating Jackie Bailley's vile sound bite that Alicsammin hates the UK. I am so glad I no longer pay for the BBC.(my neighbour plays his radio sooo loud,wee smiley thing) Taysideterrier says: Coburn is an extreme liability for the no campaign and everyone knows it. I agree with the comments earlier that he will be completely ignored by the MSM and i think farage will be told to keep out of the debate as well. Mind you, saying that, the media could push for a farage/salmond debate because they would love to frame the two as the outlying, on the fringe buffoons. (Tar the SNP with the same brush as ukip ect) think torrence has already went there? Torrance! Someone in BTUKOK must be getting patted on the head this morning. How would anyone even begin to get the statement 'Alex Salmond hates the UK' in the main news bulletin on national airwaves at peak listening time? The presenter can't just come out and say it, so it has to be done in the form of a quote. And there's the rub – you would need a truly shameless desperado to repeat such guff to order… Anyone else think that the latest narrative from the msm/BBC is an anti-English one. "English voters may hold key to referendum" "3 1/4 of immigrants are white English" BBC sponsoring the rise in Scotland of UKIP and just this morning on Good Morning Scotland at 0801 they played Fe Fi Fo Fum, I smell the blood of an English man". I'm offended, if that was me in England and this kind of narrative was pushed I'd be a bit worried and offended. Complaint going in! Training Day says: Of course when Unionists like Fraser (and David Torrance, much beloved of Newsnet Scotland, on GMS this morning) say that there is 'no difference' between England and Scotland what they really mean is that there's therefore no reason for Scotland to exist at all. gerry parker says: The UKIP result pissed me off to such an extent I went out and delivered another 200 Yes papers last night. Was dying for a pro unionist encounter but didn't meet a soul. Well, now that I think about it, it was Saturday evening, and most people were out imbibing. Watched the Lanark live stream. No got trounced. Fergus Green I can't see the poll you are talking about in the Courier. Do you have a direct link to the poll. TA! the statement 'Alex Salmond hates the UK' Did someone actually say that? I did see and hear Darling, in front of the Scottish Economic Committee say to SNP's Biagi the SNP hates Labour, but that's typical of his thinking on all democratic issues affecting us. By what criteria does Salmond hate the UK? Opposition to Scotland's ambitions is getting really shrill. Helena Brown says: @Grouse Beater, the opposition to Scotland's ambitions are ignored furth of Scotland. The media down south are completely involved in their own concerns only mouthing off when someone reminds them to. I do think that Murdo's wee remark may work to our advantage as how many Scots do you know who like being said to be just like the "English". I have never heard Alex Salmond say at any time he hates anyone. I have heard it from the opposition all the time how much they hate the SNP and alicsammin, well he is the devil incarnate. Gerry parker I'LL be doing likewise tonight Gerry. Another 250 newspapers will be dropping through letterboxes tonight. This little UKIP setback will now be turned on it's head and used as another reason to get out of this rotten union. That's all true, Helena. Like others, I find Ukip's rise on the back of exteme prejudices disturbing. But voter apathy is a key element in such candidates getting elected. Folk think European politics of less importance than domestic problems – Ukip encourage that outlook – hence voters sacrifice one for the other no matter the cost to integrity and honesty. yerkitbreeks says: Yes, Jackie baillie's comment stood out this morning. Viv a vis the post, I think the gap would have been wider if UKIPs soon to be Shadow Chancellor had lined up with the other three. Ian Brotherhood Aye Ian, it's Paul Sinclair, Johann Lamont's puppet master. David Harvey is always relevant and might help shed a little light on what the future might hold for a society dominated by the financial sector. A Brief History of Neoliberalism by David Harvey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhzkBRyhjlc&list=PL34DCA397A00E6144&index=4 Arithmetically flawed. 2009, UK more than three times Scotland, 2014, less than three times Scotland. I'm a Yes supporter, but there's no denying the gap is narrowing. Well, racism has stopped the career of many a smart politician, but Coburn is the least able of any politician I have ever encountered. He'd be welcomed by the Tea Party. I enjoyed his inability to articulate a single Ukip policy other than to say, by way of a croaky voice, "70% of Europe's immigrants" are heading our way. ronnie anderson says: Rev, Im having problems getting into Of Topic ( continues loading ) Flower of Scotland says: O/t The vote in the courier is now 46% yes to 19% no . Would the result in the Euro election make you vote more for Independence or against. It's underneath Lochgelly, Cowdenbeath both say YES! Made my morning!( sorry I can't do links ) We are Better Together but not with anybody of European stock? Alex and Nigel debating Scottish independence would sideline the whole of the No campaign leaders. Think of what people would feel about David Cameron, think of linking UKIP to No – and linking them to the next Westminster government/coilition, think of how David Cameron would feel having to sit back and watch a debate taking place that he has refused to take on. Think of how pleased Nigel would think himself at getting important air time. The idea has its merits. Craig Brown says: The people from other countries in the EU that are resident here are able to vote on Sept 18th. Will they vote to remain in the UK and risk being thrown out of the country or will they vote for Scotland, a country that WANTS them here? Yes, the BBC has promoted Ukip so much they now have a seat in Scotland but from their own personal experience they will know they are valued as part of Scotland. Robert Louis says: Not sure what you are saying there, a bit abstract. The poll is in the right hand column not very far from the top. X_Sticks says: @John King et al I heard the bbc Baillie quote "alicsammin hates the UK" quote as well – it was on both TV and radio. Baillie and the beeb should be asked to back up this quote with substance. It doesn't exist. Typical bbc north british branch spin. Good message from Alex? Bookend it with piece of nastiness from the BT mob to taint the message. PS – tweeted the Courier poll – thanks for the heads up. @ Grouse Beater 08:15 re English Xenophobia The French want no-one to be their superior. The English want inferiors. The Frenchman constantly raises his eyes above him with anxiety. The Englishman lowers his beneath him with satisfaction. Journeys to England and Ireland (1835) OT – Also in the Courier: A public discussion on the Scottish referendum organised by Yes Kirkcaldy is to be filmed by Al Jazeera, the Arabic TV channel. Royal United Services Institute reports that the UK has spent £34 Billion on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and branded them as "strategic failures". http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/04/24/359858/military-operations-cost-uk-billions/ Les Wilson says: I am concerned that Coburn will make such an arse of himself on behalf of Scotland in the EU, that he will drag down the whole Scots effort. Which of course may be his sole purpose for being! That £34 billions was only the variable cost, and not the cost of having all the equipment bought and the cost of the troops wages. The logic is that these fixed costs would have been necessary whether we had fought the wars or not. I reckon that makes Scotland's saving would have been £3 billions plus. Re the bbc – remember the new newsnicht with Sarah Smith starts tonight. I will be watching with interest to see if her union underwear will be on show 😉 Papadox says: When will people understand EBC is a arm of government (UK). The YES campaign can contact the EBC/MSM till they are blue in the face but EBC does not have to broadcast it. EBC is a propaganda organ of the state. They are neither fare or honest and ar'nt ment to be they will not change so don't be surprised at anything they say. They are just part (a big part) of the corrupt Westminster propaganda machine. Lies damned lies and bile that is their stock in trade. English Xenophobia I remember a comment from a French actor, one who could never understand English jokes, preferring French wit instead. His English pal's hat blew off his head and disappeared over a hedge. His friend said, "Hell, I've lost my bloody hat. Oh well, nevermind. At least I've kept my head." His French companion replied, "Ah, so zat eez Eenglish humour. Now I understand." Grouse Beater You going to the Counting House in Glasgow this Friday? Bugger (the Panda) You can buy an awful lot of school books for £3 Billion. FFS, every time UK expenditure is looked into, there are £Billions of pounds to be saved in EVERY department. So much waste and overspend within UK. Scotland is getting ripped off left right and centre. Clootie says: I'm still down after the election. Not because I fear any impact on the YES vote. Not because of any value to BT in this vote. It is far more basic – I cannot believe my fellow Scots would align with such an openly racist party. 140,000 people living in Scotland listened to that poison being spewed out night after night and thought "just what we need". I don't care if it was a protest vote. In fact I respect a protest vote if you retain your thinking process i.e. The Greens would have made the perfect choice for a 6th MEP I hope those UKIP voters reflect long and hard on what they have announced to the world as their values. It will have no impact on the referendum outcome but it will leave a stain on Scotland in that enough of us(Scots) voted to put a bigot in Europe as our representative. Papadox 9.48am SURELY the SNP press office have a direct line right into Pacific Quay to arrange interviews with the FM or other Scottish Government ministers. Now can this same press officer not get in touch with BBC Scotland and tell them that the story they are running is a complete and utter lie and must be withdrawn immediately. X Sticks the new newsnicht with Sarah Smith starts tonight. I don't know about you but I am not impressed with the jokey nature of the trailer; exactly what is to be the tone of the programme, or is it the Sarah Smith Show?: Sarah gets her make up applied, Sarah walks down a corridor, Sarah smiles, Sarah goes to the …" Personality presenters seem inappropriate on the occasion of an historic plebiscite. @Tom Steele That came third in a list I constructed yesterday of reasons why some non homophobic or non xenophobic people might vote for UKIP, but for some reason it wouldn't post on Wings. Re Ian Brotherhood I'd be careful with that acronym BTUKOK in case of a typo 🙂 I think we must also recognise the possibility that some who voted for UKIP came from both the Yes and No camps who would rather see Britain/Scotland out of the EU and used this opportunity as a protest vote It's difficult for me to accept that any thinking person would vote for Ukip even as a protest vote. We appear to have reached the stage where folk vote for Hitler because he builds such great autobahns. Control of our nation's affairs can't come soon enough, as far as I am concerned. Last occasion I assumed it the one in Edinburgh, near the uni – d'oh! Don't think I can make it though I'd like to say hello to all. By the way are Blair McDougall and David Coburn related in any way? They look awfully similar. Clootie Cheer up. Just think how funny it will be once Scotland votes Yes. No more UK to become independent of the EU. And how funny will it be for Coburn to defend unionism at the same time as campaigning for independence. What party will he be representing? I'm not sure if UKIP strategists have thought this one through fully. 🙂 @caz-m says: 10:04 am Who are you going to complain to if they do nothing? MSM/HMG/UN? I agree with your sentiment but it ain't going to happen. I got that a bit muddled but I hope you get the drift. @Giving Goose – Indeed, the casual deployment of acronyms is a dangerous game – in this case, a game of two halves (and we all know what two halves make). Of one thing we can be sure – Alistair Darling is at the centre of it all. @MajorBloodnok – They've never been spotted together. One way to distinguish between them would be to find out what instrument Coburn plays. Looks to me like a comb and Izal man….brrooowwooot! I agree. But then not everyone is a 'thinking person'. I reckoned the top reason for those who don't hold with UKIP's more repugnant views but who still voted for them to 'send a message' is likely to have been those who would seek to damage the indy campaign by stopping the SNP getting that third seat. I reckoned second place would probably be those doing so to give the main Westminster parties a kicking. BTW I think (and hope) a lot of UKIP support in England was for that reason as well. @Clootie Don't let it get you down Clootie. Bear in mind it is 140k sphincters out of 5.5million, so hardly a spit in the ocean. Unless we resorted to ukip policies we'll always have some sphincters in the country and maybe we need some to remind the rest of us how to be civilised 😉 @Grouse Beater Yeah, I know what you mean, and I do not have high hopes about the new format or presenters. I will reserve judgement until I've seen for myself. Sarah was good on C4, but then the news was London/international. Whether she can overcome her establishment upbringing (dyed in the wool establishment) and give a fair crack of the whip remains to be seen. I kinda doubt it though. I suspect she, like Naughtie, has been brought in to 'do a job'. Robert Kerr says: Yes acronyms can be traps for the unwary. When I was a student the Tories had to change the name of their student umbrella body from "Federation Of Conservative and Unionist Associations" if my memory holds. Alistair Darling is at the centre of it all. Labour MP Hamilton, creator of the 40% devolution rule, electorate dead or alive, disappeared from public view once his anti-democratic ruse won the day for those who wish Scotland kept docile. One wonders where Darling will scuttle to after the Referendum. @Major Mark Coburn just cycled 1500 miles to raise money for the Yes campaign, the other one looks like he would struggle to cycle 1500 feet. @Ian Brotherhood You're right, but to my mind David Coburn has the look of a flugelhorn player, whatever that is. However, apparently there is a hybrid instrument called a fluba, which I have just learned of, although its genesis in this context is too distressing to contemplate. Duggie says: "In the 2009 European elections, UKIP got 16.5% of the vote in the UK as a whole, and 5.2% in Scotland – a gap of 11.3%. In this year's election the tallies were 27.5% in the UK and 10.5% in Scotland – a gap of 17%" Or, alternatively, you could say that the Ukip vote in Scotland has increased by 50%, whereas in the UK as a whole its only gone up by 40%. And Scotland is (currently) still part of the UK, so you can't really compare Scotland's percentages to the UK's percentages, since the former are included in the latter. Surely you should be comparing Scotland's percentages to England's? "In other words, despite all the bluster from Unionists about how Scotland can no longer claim to be different to the rest of the UK in terms of supporting Nigel Farage's party" The fact that more Scots voted for right wing parties than voted for the SNP certainly puts to bed any claims that Scotland is uniquely left wing and doesn't 'do' right wing. is likely to have been those who would seek to damage the indy campaign by stopping the SNP getting that third seat. Could well be right, I hope so – I need something to wash the bad taste from my mouth! The irony is, it was the Tory's (a different sort from the unreconstructed Thatcherites we know) that first agreed upon Home Rule as appropriate for Scotland, although many Scots thought the conditions attached inferior to that offered to Ireland. And it was Gladstone, a Liberal PM, who supported the Bill, ultimately defeated by the UK parliament. In the next few months up to the September vote, we are going to have UKIP and the SNP linked in the same phrase – a la Mags 'furriners' Curren. The BBC/Brit establishment will now turn against Farage – after al they made him, as his job is now done – all parties will move to the right. We are going to have more of 'it's the English voters which hold the balance in the indy ref vote', in order to turn us against each other. It works easily, only the other day, the Green and SNP voters were blaming each other for letting in UKIP. We must keep the heid – don't let them divide us, it's what they want. BTW, I despise Labour, Scottish branch. GrahamB says: The Labour MP was George Cunningham, don't know if he devised the 40% rule or just had that bit of the legislation pushed through in his name Whatever, it was the complete Labour Government who passed it and are therefore collectively guilty. Cunningham fairly soon after left to join the LibDems or SDP or whatever incarnation it called itself then. He disappeared into nonentity after that. Duggie The rUK's 2009 percentage support for UKIP, must have been higher than the UK's 16.5%, as this average will have been lowered with the inclusion of Scotland's low 5.2% support. No? If you wish to contribute sensibly to this site you had better sharpen up as only 27.6% of the vote in Scotland went to right wing parties (and I doubt if the 10.4 who voted UKIP are all right wingers) Duggie says: "The fact that more Scots voted for right wing parties than voted for the SNP certainly puts to bed any claims that Scotland is uniquely left wing and doesn't 'do' right wing." SNP 29.0% Lab 25.9% Green 8.1% LD 7.1% Tories 17.2% UKIP 10.5% Others 2.3% Duggie, I suppose your assertion holds if you count Labour, the Scottish Greens and the Lib-Dems as right wing parties. (my numbers came from Wiki – there may be rounding issues). And I should have added that over 50% of the vote in England went to right wing parties which represents as chasm of difference In the event of a Yes vote and considering the costly "UK brand" implications, I believe what remains of the UK should continue to be called the "UK". It's full name will be the Untied Kingdom. Now, I just need to find a firm that specialises in country re-branding. @ Liz, I have to say that as someone who does not have a twitter account nor Facebook, the one thing people should be careful of is someone suggesting you do something without thinking through the consequences. I noticed a few people here talking about voting Green in order to keep out Ukip, surely a moments thought should have persuaded them to think how that would work. You are right though, we need to keep the heid and keep focused. We must not be divided or we are conquered and that is what the Establishment in Britain wants. Neither Farage or Salmond is on the paper in September it is Scotland or Greater Englandshire, the people have to choose. seanair says: O/T but hope you don't mind Rev Stu. For those having trouble connecting to Derek Bateman's blogsite try this. Go to the Bella Caledonia site and scroll down the right-hand side, where you will find a link to DB. Now showing a piece from yesterday, complete wth comments, but don't know if it will continue. WOS still the best RevStu, don't know how you do it! pmcrek says: Comparing the entire right wing vote to the SNP vote is cherry picking, UKIP + Tory + BNP + B1st got 29% of the vote in Scotland. Higher than I would like I'll grant you but the political consensus in Scotland is still center left by miles. Duggie, For comparison rUK minus Scotland, the Tory + UKIP vote was 54%. Duggie says: Or, alternatively, you could say that the Ukip vote in Scotland has increased by 50%, whereas in the UK as a whole its only gone up by 40%. By that logic, if UKIP's share went from 1% to 2% you'd be hailing it as a remarkable 100% increase. 'Or, alternatively, you could say that the Ukip vote in Scotland has increased by 50%, whereas in the UK as a whole its only gone up by 40%." You could say that, but it would be totally meaningless as you don't get elected based on how much your vote's gone up, you get elected based on how much of the total vote you get. And you'd probably find that as such, people would question your motives for saying it. I see the Courier referendum poll dissapeared very quickly 😀 John Beattie show asking incomers to Scotland how the referendum is affecting them and something about the Sarah Smith show too. crisiscult says: A lot of commentators obsessing over the differences, or lack of differences between Scotland and rUK. Can't be bothered doing the calculation but could we say that when you add new Labour votes to Tory and LibDem votes, we can say that generally Scotland votes Neo liberal/Right wing economically? Specious commentary like that is surely just a wind up. My interest is not so much where we are right now, politically, but where we are going. How different is Scotland to England, Germany, South Korea, or anywhere else in terms of voting preference, I don't really care that much. Do I want Scotland to vote like England, or should I say, certain parts of England, in 10 years time? Eh, no. So looking forward to the next BT photo op. Ali, Ruthie, Johann, Willie and Nige. Oh dang. 😀 As I suggested yesterday the destruction in the media of David Coburn as the political fanny he very obviously is has started already. He has served his purpose in preventing the SNP or the Greens getting the third Scottish MEP and is now expendable. Unintended consequence however is already very obviously in full flow and the establishment which colluded in UKIP promotion into Scotland are about to find out how their behaviour has contributed to a new determination by many Scots to vote YES in September. crisiscult, To be fair to Lib Dems and Labour almost every party and country in Europe including the SNP, support a capitalist economic model. @Dave McEwan Hill Regarding your latter point I spoke to an English left-leaning northern-solidarity definite NO colleague this morning and asked him (jocularly) whether he had been brooding over UKIP's gains. He immediately told me that he was seriously contemplating YES now (as a least worst option) because he knew fine well that Scottish votes don't make any difference to the complexion of the UK government. The penny is dropping… Cymru Rydd says: This a shame-faced Welshman's explanation for the 14% rise in UKIP's vote in Wales. 1. The main reason has to be the fact that the vast majority here consume media produced in England, and that people have been force-fed a UKIP diet for weeks on end. I know that the bias shown against Scottish independence in the media in a Scotland is a constant refrain on this site-but at least you have got a nominally "Scottish" media in place! The lack of a proper Welsh media( we only have one "national" daily paper, The Western Mail, with sales at around 25,000) is one of the main problems facing our Welsh democracy at present. People here don't actually know what is really going on in Wales, and without that level of involvement in Welsh affairs, people are easy prey for UKIP propaganda from English papers such as the Sun, Daily Mail, Daily Express etc. 2. We also have to face up to the elephant in the room- that 25% of the people in Wales were actually born in England. With the Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems signed up for the devolution project, along with Plaid Cymru of course,it could be argued that UKIP are now providing a natural home for people who really want no truck with Wales at all, and who are still primarily attached to England. It seems to me that this group is growing in political confidence- even though Wales has had its own form of self-government for 15 years. It's one reason that nationalists in Wales are maybe more concerned about immigration than our counterparts in Scotland. For example, people from England moving to Welsh-speaking areas and making no attempt to learn Welsh has also led to a significant fall in the percentages of Welsh-speakers in such areas over the past 30/40 years. 3. Labour's poor governance in Wales is another reason, with people also voting UKIP to register their dissatisfaction with Labour's record on health, education and the economy here. Labour seem content to run Wales as their own fiefdom- secure in the belief that they can not really be voted out, unless all the other parties get together in an unlikely coalition. This has led to a massive sense of complacency and worthiness, which is totally at odds with the real situation in our communities. 4.A poor performance by Plaid Cymru( losing 15,000 votes from 2009), even though the European seat was retained. Yes, of course Plaid had a huge problem getting its message across compared to the megaphone media attention given to UKIP. But, it was an uninspirational campaign, which did not really stand out in any way. No effort was made for example to link Wales with Scotland, and the revitalized grass-roots political awareness which the referendum campaign has sparked off in Scotland. That could have made Plaid's campaign more distinctive and given people a sense that things could be different here in Wales as well. It would seem to me that UKIP are going to be a force in Welsh politics for some time to come. The only consolation for nationalists is that they are now likely to challenge Labour in some of their heartlands as well, making it more possible for Plaid Cymru to win such three-way constituencies. Greannach says: Not at all fair to claim Jackie Baillie doesn't like people. She seems to mix very happily with the Cowal Conservative Ladies' Lunch Club where she was recently guest speakers. Very at home amongst like-minded people. Grahame says: I'm noticing a lot of people jumping off the fence to YES now as a result of the UKIP result, on my Facebook, in my work and among my friends, perhaps the best thing that has happened to the YES campaign. on another note : I'm taking the YES advert trailer out this afternoon to Stirling – i'm doing a reconnaissance mission of the Albert Halls, if anyone is in the vicinity please come out and see me. please donate to the YES Scotland Advert Trailer Fundraiser Thing about Coburn is he says the same stuff that Scottish Conservative voters say all the time, hate Salmond, ballly windmils ruining Scotland, cybernazi blighters, outrageous EU rules killing business, Scotland too poor and so on. I hear Coburn's schtick ll the time up here in Aberdeen from wealthy old Conservatives and that's why UKIP are here. UKIP are not daft and a lot of very vocal wealthy English people retire to Scotland with all that Thatcher/UKIP fun and games throbbing away between their ears. @ Dave McEwan Hill I know you live in Dunoonish but I fancy having a drink with you at the Counting House in St Vincent Place on Friday Night. I am a guy, btw, so don't panic. Tomorrow's Cardonald livestream has been postponed. Bummer. @Cymru Rydd No need for apologies my friend, I think most of us here are well aware of what you are up against in Wales. We are still in shock at ukip getting a seat here in Scotland, but are hoping that it will ultimately help the Yes cause. I think if we can get a Yes vote in Scotland it will hopefully galvanise the Welsh to move in the same direction. Many of us here will have more time and resources to join with you (at least online) to help your cause after September. Good to get a view from the ground from you. Onward and upward! I know how over the moon we all are with UKIP winning their first seat in Scotland. Well folks, our new UKIP M.E.P. has spoken. He has issued a statement concerning our need for immigration here in Scotland and here it is. ;P http://tinyurl.com/na58ykf Noticed a couple of claims on recent threads that the Greens needed less votes to stop UKIP than the SNP, a minor point, but I don't think that is right. By my reckoning the SNP (being 10,700 short of beating UKIP) would have required a top vote 32,100 more than they got, where as the Greens needed 32,230. Apologies if this has already been pointed out. @Lesley-Anne Oh dear, Coburn appears to have been monstered by the Edinburgh Evening News. alexicon says: I like many others have posted, in total, hundreds of thousands of YES newspapers over the last year and has it done much? I'm not saying give up, or they're no use, what I'm saying is the message they're carrying working? I've been a bit frustrated of late delivering the YES newspapers with the oh so positive message on them, it's about time some of the articles had a bit more negative and fear content in them. Give them the scarestory headlines just at the right time. It seems to work for the no camp somewhat. Time we came out fighting a bit. Aye Major, the poor wee fella never even saw it coming. 😛 I wonder what his next *ahem* announcement will be about. 😉 scottish_skier says: @Lesley-Anne, Major Looks like it could be rather fun having our own wee Skipper. You know that wee question I asked in my last post Major, well you can forget trying to answer it cause our Nige's representative in Scotland has already answered that question, the drug fuelled homophobic idiot that he is! http://tinyurl.com/ojj4zzc alexicon says: I agree what we need is a bit of scaremongering, well more like telling people what they are actually doing when they vote NO. Better Together are all for telling them what Independence will mean, though like everyone else they do not have a crystal ball but we can see the picture on the horizon if there is a No vote and it isn't nice. Yes, another thumbs up in the work this morning. Directly citing the Euro results and the thought of a very blue and purple 2015 as the deciding factor. 🙂 Who knew? 😀 I wonder what size the largest THANK YOU card is. I'm only pondering this cause I'm sure we'd all love to sign it on the 19th of September before we send it off to Brussels addressed to a certain Mr Farage. 😛 Damn I forgot to add that I hope we can send it FREE POST to Brussels. 😛 KOF says: Major Bloodnok 10:58 says Well, the Greens aren't certainly and the SNP is a slightly left of centre party, but considering this then he may be right. http://www.politicalcompass.org/ukparties2010 Just because a voter thinks a party may be "left wing" doesn't make it true. That you winding up our new ukip toy on twitter – lol 😀 You're a very naughty girl, but I like it! @alexicon. I was a wee bit disappointed with this issue too, thought it would have more meat in it. I've been slipping in "Aye Right" cards that Patrician gave me. One more issue before the referendum, I hope they can make it a goodie. Who…ME…wind someone up…anyone up…even our utterly fantastic UKIP M.E.P. …NAH think you've got me confused with some one else X Sticks. 😉 call me dave says: Here is that information in Courier. http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/politics/courier-roadshow-finds-resounding-support-for-yes-in-lochgelly-and-cardenden-1.390328 I don't think some people in Scotland quite got the message on Sunday night. We are better together, our Nige says it is so so it must be so! Looks like the message hasn't reached the Scottish Borders Council yet thank goodness. 😉 http://tinyurl.com/pmvx8df @ pmcrek Hi. I was thinking more of the Milton Friedman type model that the Tories since the 80s and Labour since the 90s have subscribed to. If political compass have it right, then the Greens and SNP are the only mainstream parties (are Scottish socialists mainstream?) left of centre. Whether people on this website agree with that or not, I would think they will agree that this obsession of the media with trying to gain traction with listeners/readers that Scotland is not different from rUK is pretty meaningless, unless the message they want us to accept is that we shouldn't be so narcissistic in thinking that somehow we can get better than what we're currently getting. In other words, belt up Jocks, you're going down with the rest of us, so just accept that it's actually what you want anyway. Debbiethebruce says: Im pretty depressed by the UKIP result in Scotland,however im out canvassing on thursday and im sure the result will be mentioned on the doorstep. My English friend,who has been in scotland 2 years, told me last week she is a NO "and you wont change me either".But she is also anti UKIP , and was worried they would do really well in Euro elections. I think I might work on her a bit now! The Borders coming out for YES. YES, there is hope for us all. Well done Mr David Parker. Peebleshire close to a lot of hearts. Impressive. manandboy says: Nigel Farage. Member of the EU Fisheries Committee for 3 years. The Committee had 42 meetings in that period. Nigel Farage attended 1 – that's one, out of forty two. Well, you can't really blame him – Nigel's more of a pie 'n a pint man. Probably doesn't like fish. By the way. Nigel draws £78,000 p.a. as an MEP. http://anotherangryvoice.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/ukip-fish-and-ivory-voting-record.html http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/eu-elections-what-moneyed-meps-get-salary-expenses-1449492 http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/may/24/mps-expenses-ukip-nigel-farage During a debate about Europe at the Foreign Press Association, Farage was asked what he had received in non-salary expenses and allowances since becoming an MEP in 1999. "It is a vast sum," Farage said. "I don't know what the total amount is but – oh lor – it must be pushing £2 million." Farage insisted that he had not "pocketed" the money but had used the "very large sum of European taxpayers' money" to help promote Ukip's message that the UK should get out of the EU. 2 million quid in expenses in ten years – to help promote the UKIP message that the UK should get out of the EU. To the 140,534 people in Scotland who voted for UKIP, I hope you don't make the same choice again. To Scotland's voters in the Referendum – Buy a ticket for the YES to Independence train. Tear up your ticket for the Tory, Labour, Lib Dem, UKIP Gravy train. David Coburn, of uncertain address, with very limited abilities but shed loads of attitude, has lived in London for 20years, stands for UKIP in the Scottish EU elections, gets 140,534 votes, is now a voice for Scotland in the European Parliament, on an annual salary of £73,000 plus pension, plus annual expenses of anything around £200,000. This is an alarm bell. Vote Yes. UKIP have had an easy ride. They cream the EU for expenses and absolutely no work. That and their propensity to say outrageous, inaccurate and offensive things will ensure that the Scottish media will have a ready made (and not inconsiderable) target in Coburn. It will be entertaining watching Murdo and Anas and Severin defend their poster boy. Andy-B says: A very good point by Roger Scully, showing that the gap has actually grown. Though to look at the front page of the Express, you'd have thought Nigel Farage, was a certainty to become the next FM of Scotland. http://www.express.co.uk/scotland What a lying conniving little shit rag the Express newspaper has become. Annie Lennox pictured with the Union flag, make of it what you will. http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/478402/Cybernats-go-for-Annie-Lennox-over-Union-flag-photo Phil Robertson says: Given that you regularly criticise others for a cavalier use of statistics, you should be careful with figures. Frankly your statistics are mince. The ratio of UK:Scottish votes for UKIP was about 3.2 in the last election. It was about 2.5 last week. So the gap has narrowed. I await the retraction. Sorry I forgot to add that we are all under the misconception that pro Independent websites will answer all our prayers. They help, but the sooner we all realise they won't do it all the better. Too many people, including the YES campaign, are resting on their laurels in this respect and there's no use anyone moaning about unionist corruption, lying leaflets etc. after the effect, the job will have been done. whereas we all should have been out there countering these tactics before they take place. Strike first. I hope this is a wake up call for many, especially the YES campaign leaders. @Phil Robertson – link please.. Phyl says: It still looks pretty different to me – even on the BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27576104 I found this info-graphic quite informative. https://infogr.am/scottish-eu-election-results-by-population?src=web Paula Rose says: Phil Robertson darling, what exactly is the point you are trying to make? Is it that Scotland has a few gullible people? Kestral says: Oh look thankfully I have run out of my twenty free reads of the telegraph I so refuse to pay a subscription to the paper that might result in 1p of my money paying the wage of this man So I won't be able to read the rabid foaming ranting drivel of Alan Cochrane Petulant Nats cant face up to their role in boosting Ukip But there's an idea of what the article contains – probably just as well for my blood pressure that I can't read it 🙂 I do think we really ought to have more police patrolling Alex's area, that man is exhibiting hatred bordering on deranged Croompenstein – there is no link, the figures are all in the post at the top of the page. It states "the degree of difference has substantially increased, by a whopping 55%" trying to make the point that support for UKIP in Scotland has become relatively less last week when compared with the previous Euro election. If you do the arithmetic properly, the figures used Rev Campbell indicate the opposite. Relative support for UKIP has, in fact, increased. The point (Paula Rose) is you should not claim something when even your own statistics indicate the opposite. It's got something to do with honesty. Oh I see – you agree that the difference has substantially increased, but not by as much as 55%. I'm sure someone will be along soon to explain it to us non-statisticians. Oh I see – you agree that the difference has substantially increased, but not by as much as 55%" No, the difference has substantially decreased. The final sentence summarising the post is wrong. "Substantially decreased"? Please see my previous post. Phil darling – a 17% difference seems to me to be substantially more than 11.3%, wouldn't you agree? Oor Wullie says: There are lies, damned lies and statistics. Numbers are easily twisted any way you want when you start using percentages and making spurious comparisons. The UKIP vote in Scotland is up by 102% – in the UK it's up by "just" 67%. This really was a pointless post Rev – just one more example of you, erm, "preaching" to the converted. Spin it any way you want but UKIP's popularity in Scotland has more than doubled, despite Mr Salmond's boast that the SNP would freeze UKIP out of Scottish politics (and the SNP would have 3 MEPs). Sad, very sad indeed. But true nonetheless. Erm, real maths shows that in 2009, 31.5% of UKIP voters were Scottish. And this year, 38.1% of UKIP voters were Scottish. And whilst I'm doing GCSE maths even the stated 55% is 10% too high (or 5%, whichever proves your point better since most people don't understand maths anyway). You'd be in uproar if statistics this bad were on a pro unionist website. If you're going to troll, at least troll on stuff that hasn't already been answered in the thread, eh? You get seats based on your share of the vote, not on how much you increased your OWN vote by. Otherwise you could get a single vote one year, then get five votes the next year and be guaranteed a seat because you'd gone up 400%. Comparing how much UKIP's vote, as opposed to vote SHARE, increased is just idiotic. We don't have much tolerance for idiots around here, so mind how you go. "Erm, real maths shows that in 2009, 31.5% of UKIP voters were Scottish. And this year, 38.1% of UKIP voters were Scottish." Eh? Don't talk such utter pish. 2014 UKIP VOTES UK – 4,352,051 Scotland – 140,534 140,000 isn't 38% of 4.3 million, you ridiculous arse. It's 3.2%. "If you wish to contribute sensibly to this site you had better sharpen up as only 27.6% of the vote in Scotland went to right wing parties" You missed out the 2.3% who voted for the BNP, No2EU, and 'Britain First' (I'm assuming the latter are right wing). In total, including the Tories and Ukip, that makes 30% of the vote for right wing parties – which is more than voted for the SNP. Duggie – your point is? Come on Duggie the SNP polled the highest number of votes and this after seven (yes seven) years in Government, absolutely phenomenal result and I'm sure you will give credit where it's due 😀 My point is it is a fantasy that Scotland is uniquely different from the rest of the UK in regards to voting for right wing parties and its attitudes towards the UK. It certainly is less eurosceptic and less right wing than other areas of the UK, but certainly not to any great extent. Of course its obvious why the SNP like to portray Scotland as being a nation of EU lovers – because they think that somehow justifies their plan to force Scotland to become an EU member after a yes vote without giving the people of Scotland our democratic sovereign right to have a say on that issue. "Come on Duggie the SNP polled the highest number of votes and this after seven (yes seven) years in Government, absolutely phenomenal result and I'm sure you will give credit where it's due" Indeed. The SNP have done very well to keep getting people to vote for them. By comparison, after 7 years in power in the UK, Labour got 22.6% of the UK vote in the 2004 European elections, so the SNP's 28.9% certainly compares well. Duggie dear – I think you'd better get your act together and do some homework, I suggest the 'New readers start here' page might be a good place to start, otherwise you are going to look very silly and we don't want that do we? "You could say that, but it would be totally meaningless as you don't get elected based on how much your vote's gone up" My apologies. Given that you yourself are talking about how much the SNP's number of voters went up in the election over on the 'kiss of death' I thought it was okay to discuss how much other party's votes went up too. "Duggie dear – I think you'd better get your act together and do some homework" What do I apparently need to do some 'homework' on, in your opinion? Duggie dear – here might be one… Yes, we'd like to make that decision for ourselves – in Scotland, not have it decided for us – as it could be if we remain in the UK. "Yes, we'd like to make that decision for ourselves – in Scotland, not have it decided for us" Presumably therefore you're strongly opposed to the SNP's plan to force Scotland to become an EU member after a yes vote, despite not having a mandate to do so, and without giving the people of Scotland any opportunity whatsoever to make a decision on that issue? Yawn – as opposed to another party's plan to force us out? When we are Independent we will democratically decide such matters for ourselves. You really are being rather silly dear. "Yawn – as opposed to another party's plan to force us out?" What other party is planning to force us out? Even Ukip would give us a referendum first. I see you're yet another SNP follower who pretends to believe in democracy and the sovereignty of the Scottish people, but is quite happy to actively support your party's plans to override our democratic rights. "When we are Independent we will democratically decide such matters for ourselves" No we won't. The SNP are planning to force Scotland to become an EU member (and Nato member and form a currency union), before the next election, without giving us any democratic decision whatsoever, and without having a mandate to do so. Funny isn't it – we're already in those things, when we have a GE we can elect parties according to their manifestos. Where do you get your silly ideas from? "No we won't. The SNP are planning to force Scotland to become an EU member" Oh FFS. We're ALREADY IN THE EU. Oh and btw dear I'm not a member of the SNP – which party do you support? "we're already in those things" Scotland isn't a member of either the EU or Nato, and it isn't in a currency union with a separate state. "when we have a GE we can elect parties according to their manifestos" No we can't, the SNP are planning to force us into those things before the next election. "Where do you get your silly ideas from?" What exactly is 'silly' about the idea that the people of Scotland have a democratic sovereign right to have a say on whether we want Scotland to become an EU and Nato member and form a currency union with a separate state? "We're ALREADY IN THE EU" Correct. Where did I suggest otherwise? As you're well aware, Scotland is not currently a member of the EU, it is PART of an EU member state called the UK. Even that Irish minister whose views the SNP put such stock in last year admitted that going from being part of a member state to being a member state in our own right would result in our EU status being "somewhat different" to the status we have currently. No one who believes in democracy and the sovereignty of the Scottish people would deny that we have a democratic right to decide whether we want Scotland to become an EU member state. In the specific context of refuting the Times's claim that it hadn't. And that was about numbers of votes, not percentages. You're really starting to try my patience. Lets cut to the chase. Do you think Scotland is a country and do you think countries should govern themselves? Here's some factual stuff for you to digest Duggie… http://www.bbc.scotlandshire.co.uk/index.php/city-news/739-fury-in-u-kok-hq-as-treasury-sabotages-the-union-and-does-it-deliberately.html "Do you think Scotland is a country and do you think countries should govern themselves?" Yes and yes, which is why I support independence. As you'll see from my previous comments, I also support democracy and the sovereignty of the Scottish people, which is why I don't support the SNP's plan to override our democratic rights and force us into EU/Nato membership and a currency union after a yes vote, without giving us a say and despite not having a mandate to do so. Rather a rude response Rev surely? Why didn't you just delete my post if you felt so strongly about it. It's your blog after all? Sorry if you felt I was trolling but I was just pointing out what I believed to be the pointlessness of your post. It seems I'm not entitled to an opinion? How about I put it in simple terms for you? Compare last time – no UKIP MEPs from Scotland – with this time – one UKIP MEP from Scotland. Get it now? There you go – hopefully you'll be able to understand that without taking a hairy LOL I feel you're actually doing good work with your arguments for the "yes" campaign – just that this particular post was a bit pointless. Apologies if I touched a nerve enough for you to accuse me of trolling – I suppose, judging from all the other congratulatory comments on here maybe I came a cross as being a bit too negative, somhhting this site doesn't really see that often but accusing me of being a troll and an idiot is a bit much don't you think? I'm afraid that reflects rather more badly on you than it does on me. I will continue to pop by though to see how things are going. Lad to hear it and I did try to be careful with mt question. 😉 Glad, doh. Duggie – campaign for an Independent Scotland and then for the party that best reflects your views on what you think is best for Scotland. That is the way things will work, we want to join the world not retreat into isolation. I put it a bit more earthly. Which do you do first, unzip or pee? Each to their own though, so long as we get over the line. 🙂 Duggie – I feel for you. You're facing an uphill battle on here if you try and put across any view contrary to that of the Rev and his acolytes – even if you're a supporter of the "yes" campaign. I was accused of being a troll and an idiot and you are trying the Rev's patience. It seems what started as a good idea (WOS) has become entrenched in self congratulatory belief of its own hype – to the detriment of the independence debate. Maybe, just maybe though, the contributors can try and get things back on an even keel. I look forward to more of your posts. And to the Rev maybe just calming himself down a wee bit LOL You're exactly wrong. I've got no time for stupid whether it's on my side or the other side. You're both officially warned. "Apologies if I touched a nerve enough for you to accuse me of trolling" Actually, screw the warning. That line'll do it. Rock says: "Yes and yes, which is why I support independence." (Duggie) But you are voting No because you hate the SNP right? morgan mc says: The SNP's 389,500 votes is only 9.48% of the 4.1Million entitled to vote in Scotland's referendum. @morgan – What is with the SNP obsession? the referendum is not about the SNP Seems the post EU election rain has brought out all the wee bugs. "You're both officially warned" What am I warned for? David Smith says: An infestation of sympathy trolls? Alistair says: Explain UKIP hate to me please! I stumbled across this site as part of my educational reading in prep for making an informed yes/no vote later this and I have a question. There are a lot of anti UKIP comments here such as "Chic McGregor says: "It's difficult for me to accept that any thinking person would vote for Ukip" and Cindie says " couldn't believe that over 7000 people voted for UKIP. I was shocked and disgusted, I still am. I think the rationale on why people are voting for UKIP is very very clear, even if you do not agree with it, it is no secret…. but…. Can someone explain to me in a succinct manner why UKIP policy is not aligned with a scottish Yes vote? And, probably linked, is the YES vote toally aligned with staying in the EU? Or is there an argument for a YES vote, but for leaving the EU? I'd really appreciate reading explanations for the above, not everyone is as politically savvy as this sites demographic but I'm looking to wise-up before voting 🙂 And, probably linked, is the YES vote totally aligned with staying in the EU? Or is there an argument for a YES vote, but for leaving the EU?" The two things aren't inherently linked. It's perfectly possible and legitimate to want an independent Scotland to leave the EU. People's antipathy towards UKIP is based on their attitudes to immigration and a host of other issues, but as the main party opposed to EU membership anyone holding that view tends to get associated with UKIP. Before slagging off other people's maths you should check your own figures. The statement "the degree of difference has substantially increased, by a whopping 55%" is, on the evidence of your own figures, factually wrong. The degree of difference has narrowed significantly. ← Friends and enemies The kiss of death → winifred mccartney on Diversionary pointing dave on Diversionary pointing

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Project Reports & CMA Data for Bank loans Business Due Diligencenb TAN FAQs VAT FAQs NRI FAQs PAN FAQs E-Filling Your Return Tax Reckoner Services Business Establishment Services GST Consultants in Bangalore Taxation Accounting,Payroll Outsourcing Services Company Law And Allied Services Auditing And Assurance Services Articals that are worth reading Allowability Of Expenditure Incurred By Pharma Companies On Medical Conferences. 23 Jul,2018 Recently the Delhi high Court in Bostom Scientific India (p) Ltd.v.Asst.CIT 2017 Tax Pub (DT) 3985 (Del –HC) has give it's verdict regarding allowability of expenditure incurred by pharma companies on sponsoring medical conference in and outside India. The learned author analyses the impugned issue in the light of this recent verdict. It is general practice of pharma companies to sponsor and conduct medical conferences in & outside India and for this purpose these companies also make arrangements for travel and accommodation of doctors attending the conferences. In a recent past, a serious controversy arose as regards allowability of expenditure incurred b pharma companies for organising such conferences. These expenditure incurred by pharma companies for organising such conference.these expenditure are claimed to be allowable as business expenditure for being incurred for business purpose, however, the department tends to disallow the same by invoking Explanation 1 to section 37 (1). Explanation 1 to section 37(1) disallow illegal expenditure The Finance (No. 2) Act, 1998 has inserted an Explanation to section 37(1), with retrospective effect from 1-4-1962, so as to clarify that any expenditure incurred by an assessee for any purpose which is an offence or which is prohibited by law shall not be deemed to have been incurred for the purpose of business or profession and no deduction or allowance shall be made in respect of such expenditure. Nature of expenses incurred by pharma companies The pharma companies incr expenditure to sponso and conduct doctors' conferences , to distribute its product amongst doctors as free samples, to give gift articles to doctors , etc. These expenditure are classified as advertisement and sales promotion expenditure and claimed to be allowable on the ground of being incurred wholly and exclusively for the business purposes. CBDT's clarification as regards allowability of expenses incurred in providing freebies to medical practioner The Medical council of India in excersise of its statutory powers amended the Indian medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Reguations, 2002 (the Regulations ) on 10-12-2009 imposing a prohibition on the medical practitioner & their professional associations from taking any gift travel facility , hospitality, cash of monetary grant from the pharmaceutical and allied health sector industries. Section 37(1) of the Income Tax Act provides for deduction of any revenue expenditure (other than those failing under sections 30 to 36) from the business Income if such expenses is laid out/expended wholly or exclusively for the purpose of business income if such expense is laid out/expended wholly or exclusively for the purpose of business or profession. However,the explanation appended to this sub-section denies claim of any such expense, if the same has been incurred for a purpose which is either an offence or prohibited by law. Thus the of any expense incurred in providing above mentioned or similar freebies in violation of the provisions of Indian medical Council (Professional Conduct Etiquette and Ethics ) Regulations, 2002 shall be inadmissible under section 37(1) of the Income Tax Act beingan expense prohibtited by the law. This disallowance shall be made in the hands of such pharmaceutical or allied health sector industries or other assessee which has provided aforesaid freebies and claimed it as a deductable expense in it's accounts against income. It is also clarified that the sum equivalent to value of freebies enjoyed by the aforesaid medical practitioner or professional associatiosns is also taxable as business income or income from the other sources, as teh case may be,depending on the facts of each case.The assessing officers of such medical practitioner or professional associations should examine the same and take an appropriate action. However,the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations,2002 which has been amended on 10-12-2009 prohibits medical practitioners and their professional associations from taking any gift, travel facility, hospitality, cash or monetary grant from the pharmaceutical and allied health sector industries. Thus, the expenditure incurred on freebies are disallowed on the ground of being incurred in violation of the provision of Indian medical Council ( Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002.- circular No. 5/2012,dt.1-8-2012. Judical controversy as regards allowability of expenditure incurred by pharma companies In live Healthcare Ltd. v. DCIT (2016) 161 ITD 63 (Mum),the Mumbai Bench of the Tribunal held that the expenditure on foreign travel and accomdation of doctors and their spouses was incurred with the intent and the objective of profiteering form the distribution and entertainment that had a direct nexus with promoting the sales and profitability which made such expenditure violative of the provisions of the said regulations of 2002.It held that the expenditure was incurred to seek favours from the doctors by way of recommendation of the company's product which was an illegal gratification ,was against public policy,was unethical and was prohibited by law. Accordingly,the expenditure in question was liable for disallowance. However in PHL Parma (p) Ltd. v. ACIT (2017) 163 ITD 10(Mum),the decision was given in favour of the assessee by observing that the code of conduct has meant to be followed and adhered to by the medical practironers and doctors alone and did not apply in any manner to pharmaceutical companies. The Indian Medical Council did not have any jurisdiction nor had any authority upon the pharmaceutical companies and could not have prohibited such companies in conduct of their business. The CBDT in issuing Circular No. 5, dt. 1-8-2012 had enlarged the scope of the said Regulations by applying it to the pharmaceutical companies without any enabling provisions to do so. Further the circular in any case could not be reckoned retrospectively i.e., it could not be applied before the date of its issue, i.e., on 1-8-2012. Thus the expenditure incurred by the assessee company was in the nature of sales and business promotion and was to be allowed; the gift articles bore the logo of the assessee and could not be held to the freebies,the free samples proved the efficacy of the products of the products of the company and again were not in violation of the said Regulations framed by the Medical Council of India. Applicability of CBDT Circular No. 5/2012 In Syncom Foundations (I) Ltd. ( IT PPEAL Nos. 6429 & 6428 (Mum) of 2012, it was observed that CBDT circular would not be applicable in the assessment years 2010-11 and 2011-12 as it was introduced w.e.f. 1-8-2012. Similarly it was held in UCB India (P) Ltd.v. ITO (IT Appeal No. 6681 (Mum) of 2013, dt 13-5-2016), that the CBDT circular colud not have a retrospective effect. Recent decision of delhi High Court in Boston Scientific India (P) Ptd.'s case In Boston Scientific India (P) Ltd v. Asstt. CIT 2017 Tax Pub (DT) 3985 (Del-HC), the assessing officer on the specific heads of 'advertisement and business promotion' and travel related expenses ' made the following disallowances : (i) Expenditure of Rs. 13,14,548 was stated to be constituting freebies provided to medical consultants and other doctors, disallowable in view of Explanation 1 to section 37(1) of the Act , read with CBDT Circular No. 5/2012, dt.1-8-2012. (ii) Expenditure of Rs 19,06,000 incurred on conducting seminars conventions, meetings, etc., for the purpose of Appellant's business. This was disallowed on the ground that details were scanty, despite ample opportunity being given to the assessee . (iii) Expenditure of Rs 8,00,000 incurred on sponsorship for organizing conference/seminor. This was disallowed on the ground that the payment was made after the event had place. On appeal before ITAT , it was held that as the assessee had incurred expenses in the garb of marketing the cardiac machine, onus was upon the assessee to prove that the expenses incurred did not violate any law that may be applicable. The burden lies uopon the assessee which has not been discharged by evidences/materials. Merely by placing the bills of payments, the travel details, the hotel details , where the doctors were stationed , and the seminars / conferences that were actually attended by such doctors. Assessee had also not demonstrated that the doctors by participating in such conferences and accepting the hospitality extendedby it (the assessee ) have not contravened any MCI Regulations. The High Court ,however, said that the ITAT placed an unfair burden on the assessee to prove that the above expenses was incurred bona fide for the business purpose of the assessee. The assessee had placed before the ITAT all the relevant details thereby discharging the initial onus. Thereafter,it was open to the Revenue to prove to the contrary . It was not possible for the assesee to show that doctors "actually delivered any lectures, attented any meetings for, providing training courses and seminars for assessee, etc. As regards other disallowances, it was held that since the ITAT proceeded on and conjectures and failed to deal with the contentions of the assessee in that regard , it is only fair that the ITAT considers the entire appeal of the assessee on merits afresh. Thus, the High Court rendered decision in favour of assessee and against the revenue and all the contentions of the assessee raised in the appeal before the ITAT would be considered afresh. The decision of the Delhi High Court has provided some rays of hope in favour of Pharmaceutical Companies for doctors. If relief is provided, it wil be of great help in sharing and upgrading knowledge in the field of medical science and ultimately whole mankind would get benefitted therefrom. Have questions? Get it cleared by ADCA, one of the top chartered accountant firms in bangalore. Can Accommodation Services Be An Inter-state Supply. Accommodation services are under the purview of tax net since a long time It was a handsome source of revenue under service tax law and the legacy is continuing in refined manner,even under GST law. Accommadation service is the service to provide a place to live or stay, it has been introduced in the service tax net since positive list regime.The same is carried forward in the GST law also.Under GST law there is classification of services and accordingly accomdation services have been classified into the various categories according to the practice prevailing in the industry. 2. Classification Accommodation services have been classified under HSN/SAC 9963 wherein the further classification ia as under. Heading/Group Service Tariff Code (HSN/SAC) Room or unit accomdation services provided by Hotels, INN,Guest House , club, etc Camp Site Services Recreational an vocational camp services Room or unit accomdation services for students in student residences Room or unit accomdation services provided by Hotels, Capms, Paying Guests, etc. Other room or unit accomdation services not specified else where 3.Nature of supply Accommodation services are generally provided at the premises used for providing accomdation services. Since the GST is destination based consumption tax, therefore, the place of supply of accomdation services is the place where the property used forproviding such services is situated and the nature of supply is intra – State supply. However, before reaching at the conlusion we need to understand the relevantprovisions of the GST law. The relevant provisions of law determaining the nature of services are coverd under the provisions of section 8 and setion 12 of the IGST Act,2017 read together. According to setion 8(2) of the IGST Act,2017 supply of services where the location of the supplier and the place of supply of services are in the same State or the same Union territory shall be treated as intra-state supply. According to setion 12(3)(b) of the IGST Act,2017, the place of supply of service by way of lodging accomdation by a hotel, inn, guest house ,home stay , club or campsite, by whatever name called and including a house boat or any other vessel shall be the location at which the immovable property or boat or vessel, as the case may be, is located or intended to be located. Thus, on a combined reading of the above two provision,one can easily figure out the nature of supply of accomdation services is intra-State supply. 4.Whether accomdation services can be an inter-State supply Although by referring to the provisions cited above, it can be inferred that the basic philosophy of implematon of destination based consumption tax goes in line of taxing accommodation services as intra-State supply. Howeve, the following provisions of IGST Act,2017 are worth noting- (a)Provisio to section 8(2) : The said provision reads as –"the intra-State supply of services shall not include supply of services shall not include supply of services to or by a Special Economic Zone developer or a Special Economic Zone unit". (b) Section 7(5) (b) : Supply of goods or services or both to or by a Special Economic Zone developer or a Special Economic Zone unit shall be treated to be a supply of goods or services or both in the course of inter –State trade or commerce. The direct implication of the above provisions on accomdation services is that the said services if provided to any unit in SEZ shall not be considered as intra-State supply. In other words, it shall be considered as inter –State supply. Hence, it can be fairly concluded that the accommodation services when provided to any unit in SEZ or by unit in SEZ evolves a concept divergent to the basic intent of the GST law of taxing the services on consumption basis.Now the question that flashes in the minds is the need of such a provision. The purpose of introduction of such provison can be understood with the provisions of section 16 of the IGST Act, 2017 Implication of sections 7(5), 8(2) and 16 of the IGST Act, 2017 The implication of sections 16 and 8(2) can be understood i two parts. In one part the supplier of services is outside the SEZ and in other part the supplier of services is in the SEZ. The impact on both the transaction shall be different. (i) Supply to SEZ – Zero- rated supply Accordingly to section 16 of the IGST Act, 2017, "zero-rated supply " means any of the following supplies of goods or services or both namely :- (a) export of goods or services or both; or (b) supply of goods or services or both to a Special Economic Zone developer or a Special Economic Zone unit. The provision stated in section 16 clearly mandates that the accommodation services provided to SEZ developer or to a unit in SEZ shall be treated as zero-rated supply. To put it differently, the same shall be considered at par with export of services. Thus, such services shall fall under zero –rated supply under GST law and shall be eligible for benefits attributed to zero rated supplies including refund of taxes paid on the relevant , services,subject to the other provisionsof GST law. (ii) Supply by SEZ-Inter-State-supply On a close reading of section 8(2) and section 16 as mentioned above, it can be inferred that accomdation services provided by the unit in SEZ to any person outside SEZ shall be treated as inter-State supply. Meaning thereby that the said services provided by SEZ shall be considered as inter-State supply and IGST shall be considered as inter –State supply and IGST shall be chargeable on the same. (iii) Supply within SEZ–Zero–rated supply Since in case of supply within SEZ the recipient shall always be in SEZ, therefore, such supply shall always fall within the meaning of zero-rated supply.Hence,supplies within SEZ shall be eligible for benefits at par with the benefits available to zero –rated supply. Accomdation services are generally taxed as intra-state supply, however the law contains the relevant provisions for treating the same as inter-state supply also. Thus, before reaching at any conclusion about the place of supply, it is essential to refer the lwa as a whole and relevancy of sections 7(5) and 8(2) cannot be undermined. Need personal assistance in dealing with GST registration & filing? Get in touch with ADCA - One of the best ca firms in bangalore. Anti-Profiteering Measure Under GST-An Overview The learned author attempts to make an overview of anti-Profiteering measure introduced under the GST regime and the scope of powers of National Anti- Profiteering Authority. Anti- Profiteering measure- Meaning It is fundamental spirit of an indirect tax regime that reduction in rate of tax any supply of goods or services or the benefit by input tax credit should have been passed on to the recipient by way of commensurate reduction in prices. However, it has been the experience of many countries that when GST was introduced there has been a marked increase in inflation and the prices of the commodities. This happended in spite of the availability of the tax credit right from the production stage to the final consumtion stage which should have actually reduced the final prices. This was obviously happening because the supplier was not passing on the benefit to the consumer and thereby indulging in illegal profiteering. With the introduction of GST regime in india, National Anti- Profiteering Authority has been constituted central Government to examine whether input tax credits availed by any registered person or the reduction in the tax rate have actually resulted in a commensurate reduction in the price o fthr goods or services or both supplied by him,this is to ensure that thecosumer is protected from arbitrary price increase in the name of GST. 2.Statutory provisions The statutory provision relating to anti- Profiteering measure are enshrined under section 171of the CGT Act.Rules 123 to 133 of the CGST Rules,2017 deal with provision in respect of constitution of the National Anti- Profiteering Authority and scope of its powers. As per sub–section (1) of section 171 of the CGST /SGST Act, any reduction in rate tax on any supply of goods or services or the benefit of input tax credit shall be passed on to the recipient by way of commensurate reduction in prices. As per sub- section (2) of section 171, the Central Government may, on recommendation of the Council, by notification, constitute an Authority, or empower an existing Authority constituted under any law for the time being force, to examine whether input tax credits availed by any registreted person or the reduction in the tax rate have actually resulted in a commensure reduction in the price of the goods or services or both supplied by him. It is clear from the above that when input tax credit is availed of by an registered person, the amount of tax is excluded from the purchase price or cost the goods and the input tax credit is used for discharge of output tax on outward supply. The Authority constituted under sub-section (2) of section 171 is required to examine that input tax credits availed by any registered person results in a commensurate reduction in the price of the goods or services or b both supplies by him. The Authority is also required to ensure that any reduction in the tax rate must result in a commensurate reduction in the price of the goods or services or b both supplies by him. 3. Constitution of Authority The National Anti- Profiteering Authority shall be a five-member committee consisting of a Chairman who holds or has held a post equivalent in rank to a Secretary to the Government of India ; and four technical Members who are or have been Commissioners of State tax or central tax or have held an equivalent post under existing laws. The Additional shall cease to exist after the expiry of two years from the date on which the Chairman enters upon his office unless the Council recommends otherwise. 4.Power to determine the methodology and procedure The Authority can determine the methodology and procedure for determination as to whether the reduction in the rate of tax on the suppy of goods or services or the benefit by way of commensurate reduction in prices. 5.Duties of Authority As per rule 127 of the CGst Rules, the Authority would have the following duties: (i) to determine whether any reduction in the rate of t axo any supply of goods o services or the benefits of input tax has been passed o to the recipient by way of commensurate reduction in prices; (ii) to identify the registered person who has not passedon the benefit of reduction in the rate of tax on supply of goods or services or the benefit of input tax credit to the recipient by way of commensurate reduction in prices; (iii) to order; (a) Reduction in prices (b) Return to the recipient , an amount equivalent to the amount not passed on by way of commensurate reduction in prices along with interest at the rate of eighteen per cent. Fromthe date of collection of the higher amount till the date of the return of such amount or recovery of the amount or recovery of the amount not returned, as the case maybe, in case the eligible person does not claim return of the amount or is not identifiable, and deposite the same in the Consumer Welffare Fund; (c) Imposition of penalty; and (d) Cancellation of registration. (vi) to furnish a performance report to the Council by the 10th of the close each quarter. 6. Application to the Authority According to sub-rule 128, the Standing Committee shall within a period of two months from the date of the receipt of a written application froman interested party or from a Commissioner or any other person, examine the accuracy and adequacy of the evidence provided in the application to determine whether there is prima-facie evidence to support the claim of goods or to the recipient by way of commensurate reduction in prices. All applications from interested parties on issues of local nature shall first be examined by the State level Screening Committee constituted in each State by the State Government consisting of an officer of the State Government to be nominated by the Commissioner, and an officer of the Central Government to be nominated by the Chief Commissioner. 7. Initiation and conduct of proceeding In terms of sub-rule (1) or rule 129, if the Standing Committee is satisfied that there is a prima-facie evidence to show that the supplier has not passed on the benefit of reduction in the rate of tax on thesupply of goods or services or the benefit of input tax credit to the recipient by way of commensurate reduction in prices , it shall refer the matter to the Director General of Safeguards for a detailed investigation. In terms of sub-rule (3) of rule 129, if the Director General of Safeguards shall conduct investigation and collect evidence necessary to determine undue profiteering and before initiation of the investigation,issue a notice to the interested parties (and to such other persons as deemed fit for a fair enquiry into the matter) containing, inter alia, information on the following, namely:- (a) The description of the goods or services in respect of which the proceedings have been initiated; (b) Summary of the statement of facts on which the allegations are based; and (c) The time limit allowed to the interested parties and other persons who may have information related to the proceedings for furnishing their reply. The evidence or information presented to the Director General of Safeguards by one interested party can be made available to the other interested parties participating in the proceedings in the proceedings. The evidence provided will be kept confidential and the provisions of section 11 of the Right to Infomration Act,2005, shall apply mutatis to the disclose of any information which is provided on a confidential basis. The Director General of Safeguards can seek opinion of any other agency or statutory authorities in the discharge of his duties. The Director Genearal of Safeguards,or an officer authorised by him will have the power to summon any person necessary either to give evidence or to produce a document or any other thing. He will also have same powers as that of a civil court and every such inquiry will be a judicial proceeding. The Director General of Safeguards will complete the investigation within a period of three months for reasons to be recorded in writing as allowed by the Standing committee and, upon completion of the investigation, furnish to the Authority, a report of its findings along with the relevant records. 8. Confidentiality of information For the purpose of ensure confidentiality of information, it has been provided that notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rules (3) and (5) of rule 129 and sub-rule (2) of rule 133, the provisions of section 11 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, shall apply mutatis mutandis to the disclosure of any information which is provided on a confidential basis. It is also provided under sub-section (2) of section 130 that the Director General of Safeguards may requie the parties providing information on confedential basis to furnish non-confidential summary thereof and if in the opinion of the party providing such information, the said information cannot be summarised, such party may submit to the Director General of Safeguards a statement of reasons as to why summarisation is not possible. 9. Cooperation with other agencies or statutory authorities As per rule 131 of the CGST Rules, where the Directors General of Safeguards deems fit, he may seek opinion of any other agency or statutory. Authorities in the discharge of his duties. 10. Power to summon persons to give evidence and produce documents In terms of sub-rule 132,the Director General of Safeguards, or an officer authorised by him in this behalf,shall be deemed to be the proper officer to exercise the power to summon any person whose attendance he considers necessary either to give evidence or to produce a document or any inquiry in the same manner, as provided in the case of a Civil Procedure,1908. Every such inquiry referred to in sub-rule (1) shall be deemed to be a judicial proceedings within the meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code. 11. Order of the Authority As per sub-rule (1) of the CGST Rules, the Authority shall (after granting an opportunity of hearing to the interested parties if so requested) within a period of three months from the date of the receipt of the report from the Director General of Safeguards determaine whether a register person has passed on the benefit of the reduction in the rate of tax on the supply of goods or services or the benefit of input tax credit to the recipient by way of commensurate reduction in prices. If the Members of the Authority differ in opinion on any point, the point shall be decided according to the opinion of the majority. Where the Authority determines that a registered person has not passed on the benefit of the reduction in the rate of tax credit to the recipient by way of commensurate reduction in prices, the benefit of input tax credit to the recipient by way of commensurate reduction in prices, the Authority may order- (a) Reduction in prices; (b) Return to the recipient, an amount equivalent to the amount not passed on by way of commensurate reduction in prices along with interested at the rate of eighteen percent. from the date of collection of the higher amount till the date of the return of such amount or recovery of the of amount including interest not returned, as the case may be, in case the eligible person does not claim return of the amount or is not identifiable, and depositing the same in the Fund refered to in section 57; (c) Imposition of penalty as specified under the Act ; and (d) Cancellation of registered under the Act. Any order passed by the Authority shall be immediately complied with by the registered person failing which action shall be initiated to recover the amount in accordance with the provisions of the Integrated Goods and service Tax Act or the Central Goods and Services Tax Act or the Union territory Goods and Services Tax Act of the respective States , as the case may be. The Authority can direct any authority of central tax,State tax or Union territory tax to monitor the impletion of the order passed by it. 12. Decision to be taken by the majority As per rule 134 CGST Rules, if the Members of the Authority differ in opinion on any point, shall be decided according to the opinion of the majority. 13. Compliance by the registered person In terms of rule 135 of the CGST Rules, any order passed by the Authority shall be immediately complied with by the registered person failing which action shall be initiated to recover the amount in accordance with the provisions of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act or the State goods and Services Tax Act of the respective States, as the case may be. 14. Summing up Anti-profiteering measures are globally Accepted policies which are implemented by various countries for controlling temporary inflationary prices of goods and services during the transition phase of implementation of GST. Anti-profiteering measure are adopted for providing benefit of GST to the consumers in terms of reduced prices and curbing more profit margins to the businessmen sought to be earned due to rise in prices of goods and services resulting inflation in country. Facing problems with gst registration? Call ADCA for hassle free gst registration in bangalore. Have Any Question? We Can Help You.. Call Us +91 80-2572 4815 Anil D'Souza and Associates (ADCA) , is a chartered accountants firm, based out of Bangalore, managed by qualified Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries, Corporate Financial Advisors and Tax consultants. Company Registration in Bangalore GST Consultants in Bangalore Tax Consultants in Bangalore Company Law and Allied Services Auditing & Assurance Services No 1169, I Floor, 5th Main, Opp: Vasudeva Adigas HSR Layout 7th Sector, Bangalore -560102 © 2020 adca - All rights Reserved.

incredible post and just what i needed! i'm actually kinda new to blogging (my first year coming around) and so far my expertise has been in copy writing/seo copy writing. however link building has become tedious for me. your talk about influencing influencers makes perfect sense, but i find it difficult for my niche. my blog site is made as "gift ideas" and holiday shoppers complete with social networks. i get shares and such from my target audience, but i find that my "influencers" (i.e etsy, red box, vat19, etc.) don't allow dofollow links and usually can't find suitable sources. I guess my trouble is just prospecting in general.

Agricultural business stocks have been fighting for survival amid falling commodity prices that threaten to pull them into the abyss. Corn, wheat and soybean prices all hit year-to-date lows this week as crop yields continue to produce an overabundance of supply. These statistics have made an impact on the Market Vectors Agribusiness (ETF) (NYSE:MOO), which contains 52 stocks engaged in the global agriculture industry. Constituents of this ETF must be primarily engaged in the business of agriculture by deriving at least 50 percent of total revenues from it. This ETF currently has $1.7 billion in total assets and charges an expense ratio of 0.55 percent annually. Top holdings in MOO include well-known names such as Monsanto Coand Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. In addition, only 50 percent of the total holdings in MOO are U.S.-based companies. The other half is spread among a variety of emerging and developed nations, making this a truly global basket of securities. So far this year, MOO has struggled to remain above the flat line and has recently breached its 200-day moving average for the second time in the last six months. While this weakening price action is concerning, a potential turn in commodity prices may be just what these stocks need to regain footing and reestablish a new uptrend. Other key ETFs in this space include the Global X Fertilizers/Potash ETF (NYSE:SOIL) and iShares MSCI Global Agriculture Producers ETF (NYSE:VEGI). SOIL includes 24 companies that are actively involved in the fertilizer industry, while VEGI has a wider index of 122 global agriculture stocks. Both alternatives offer a unique index construction methodology that is markedly different than MOO. However, this entire group is suffering from sideways price action since the beginning of the year that has been marked by uncertainty. The next phase for these ETFs will likely be driven by increased global demand for agriculture production as a result of commodity cycle expansion and growth in emerging or frontier nations.

Church Page www.murrayledger.com 1001 Whitnell Avenue Email: [email protected] [email protected] Racers visit Louisville for Lenny Lyles Invite Grizz, Morant lose again to Golden State Racer men return home to face Mo State after Tuesday loss at SIU Kentucky All 'A' State Boys Basketball Tournament; Evangel's size, turnovers doom Tigers Mark McLemore, whose last day as executive director of the Murray-Calloway County Senior Center was Friday, shares a laugh with a table of patrons during his farewell party. HAWKINS TEAGUE / Ledger & Times Interim Senior Center Executive Director Dacia Barger, center, explains how senior employee Kim Odom, right, is dressed in black to mourn the departure of former executive director Mark McLemore, left, as Odom brings him a gift. McLemore leaves senior center after 8 years at helm By HAWKINS TEAGUE • [email protected] MURRAY – After eight years as executive director, Mark McLemore is leaving the Murray-Calloway County Senior Citizens Center. Prior to his employment at the senior center, McLemore worked for Wesley Living, a group of retirement communities. He previously worked for the organization in multiple positions, including regional manager, and he was recently hired to manage Wesley's Jackson, Tennessee facility, of which he said he was very familiar from his earlier job. McLemore's last day at the senior center was Friday, and the center held a celebration in his honor after senior patrons had gathered for lunch. Dacia Barger, who is serving as the senior center's interim executive director until the board officially chooses a permanent replacement, talked about some of McLemore's memorable quirks, such as always saying the center staff is "making the magic happen" and finishing singing "Santa Baby" if he hears anyone hum it. Continuing that enthusiastic temperament, he was also often heard to exclaim, "Isn't it neat?" When training someone on how to handle one of his duties, he would always say he was teaching them the task "in case I get hit by a bus," and Barger said McLemore is also known as a "whistler." "When I first started here, on my first day, he said, 'The way I see it is, I whistle, you hear me coming. If you're still doing the wrong thing when I enter the room, then you deserve what you're going to get because you heard me coming,'" Barger said. Barger, who has worked at the senior center for five years, reflected on all the changes McLemore had overseen there, including some recent facility improvements. "Mark has been with us for eight years, and we've been super blessed," Barger said. "He has brought the senior center to another level. I had my first meeting with the directors of several other senior centers in the area; it is amazing how healthy and vibrant and energetic and wonderful this senior center is. A lot of that has to do with his vision and his dream of taking it to the next level. Our fitness room is crazy, crazy, awesome (with) state-of-the-art equipment, and it's going to last us for many years." Even after McLemore had made the decision to retire, he never stopped trying to get the senior center every resource it needs, Barger said. "Let me tell you all, we went to (a recent) director's meeting, we sat at a table with all of our regulatory (administrators), all the people who are in the chairs that give us money and advocate for us in Frankfort," she said. "Mark, to his last breath walking out of that office, was advocating for us so big. He's done that for eight years, and it has showed because he's made a lot of good things happen." "First and foremost, thank you all for giving me the opportunity to be part of your lives the last eight years," McLemore said to the gathered crowd. "I was very blessed eight years ago to walk through the doors to an organization that … was already pretty strong. (Former director) Eric Kelleher, I thought in my mind could never be replaced, and that was a hesitation I had for even wanting to come into the building and start doing things. But he said, 'You'll do fine,' and what I was able to do because of a collection of folks – the board of directors at the time and now continuing on the support they've given – but most importantly, the staff." McLemore said that although he will be working daily in Jackson, he will continue residing in Murray since Wesley Living is providing him with a place to stay during the week so he can come home on the weekends. McLemore said he grew up in Akron, Ohio, but his family is from this area, and he attended Murray State in the 1970s. He met his wife, Linda, while they were students there and eventually married in 1978. He said he spent almost 25 years managing various Kentucky state parks before taking his first job with Wesley Living. "I retired from the state park system about 15 years ago and relocated back here to Murray with Linda and initially I had talked with (the late) Bjarne Hanson, the former transit director, (telling him) 'All I want to do is to be a part-time bus driver,'" McLemore said. "I just wanted a little part-time retirement job, but in the 90 days it was going to take for me to go to work for them – because I was drawing state retirement and that's the same that they paid into – that's when an opportunity for me to go work for Wesley Living came up. I started as a part-time manager there and very quickly got more involved with that organization and was not just the manager in Murray, but was a regional manager for (locations in Kentucky and western Tennessee)." McLemore said he is proud of the facility improvements and expansion of programs he has been able to implement during his time at the senior center, including an indoor pickleball court, a pool table room and a new fitness equipment room that he said rivals that of any gym. He said the center now has 12,000 square feet available for senior programs. Between Meals on Wheels and the building, the senior center serves more than 500 people every day, which he said is more than any other senior center in Kentucky. "We've got something every senior in this community could benefit from, whether it's enjoying your lunch, exercising or participating in social events," McLemore said. "I just encourage anybody to come and visit." One of the staff members, Kim Odom, was dressed in black to mourn McLemore's departure and said he hired and trained her a year-and-a-half ago to drive the city route for Meals on Wheels. "He's just a remarkable man," Odom said. "He is just hands-on and he's not afraid to get his hands dirty. He's a very positive, energetic man and we are definitely going to miss him." Mark Mclemore Wesley Living Kim Odom Would you like to receive our weekly news? Signup today! Obituaries Jan. 24, 2023 Medical marijuana in Kentucky: What patients should now CCSO requests help finding suspect Online obituaries Jan. 20, 2023 Murray man charged for meth, suspended license To view our latest e-Edition, click the image on the left. Letters to Santa 2022 To view our latest Special Section, click the image on the left. murrayledger.com 1001 Whitnell Ave. Email: [email protected] © Copyright 2023 Murray Ledger & Times, 1001 Whitnell Ave. Murray, KY | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Arts|Spare Times for June 22-29 https://nyti.ms/MDLZxF Spare Times for June 22-29 By Anne Mancuso LUMEN 2012 (Saturday) It wasn't until February that Christopher Eamon, the curator of Lumen festival on Staten Island, knew that the mountains of salt weren't going anywhere. This free festival, dedicated to video, interactive and performance art, is being held from 6 p.m. until midnight at the Atlantic Salt Company, which provides New York with road salt. This year's mild winter meant the mounds didn't budge. So Mr. Eamon and Melanie Cohn, executive director of the Council on the Arts and Humanities for Staten Island, the festival's sponsor, decided to use the 150,000 tons of salt as a canvas. The biggest mound will serve as a screen for projections — Marco Brambilla's re-creation of the lunar landing, and a neon salt digger courtesy of a Brooklyn artist, Jeanne Verdoux, who made the cut in a local open call. The others will be surrounded by performances and site-specific installations. "We're going to shape the salt in various formations and do something like a salt Zen garden," Mr. Eamon said via Skype on Tuesday. This is the largest Lumen yet, said Ms. Cohn, with 50 artists — including the likes of Tony Oursler and Alex Prager — across an industrial site, a Poemobile (a truck that shares local poets' work) and food trucks. The setting, on the bank of Kill Van Kull tidal strait, is its own attraction: "You can see the edge of Manhattan," Ms. Cohn said, "and these huge container boats come through." She added, "There's something very dramatic about that." The festival also includes film, dance, projections on buildings, and other things that would not necessarily fit into a gallery setting. Rama Chorpash is using live fireflies to recreate what Staten Island looked like, preindustrialization. "It's such an amazing opportunity for experimentation," Mr. Eamon said. "So outside the white box." More details are available at lumenfest.org. (Melena Ryzik) Spare Times American Folk Art Museum: Free Music Fridays (Friday) Dave Doobinin, Nick Africano and Halle and the Jilt will perform. Visitors can also view the exhibition "Jubiliation/Rumination: Life, Real and Imagined." Starting at 5:30 p.m., American Folk Art Museum, 2 Lincoln Square, Columbus Avenue, at 66th Street, (212) 595-9533, folkartmuseum.org; free. El Museo del Barrio: Walking Tour (Saturdays) This weekly tour of East Harlem will cover the culture and daily life of the neighborhood, meeting at the museum at 11:30 a.m. (through July 28). 1230 Fifth Avenue, at 104th Street, East Harlem, (212) 831-7272, elmuseo.org; $9. Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum (Friday through Sunday, Tuesday through Thursday) Sometimes looking at ships or standing on ships isn't enough; you have to hold one in your hand. For those nautical souls who love model ships and want to see how they are put together, including those encapsulated in bottles, the exhibition "Ship-Shape: Nautical Scale Models" is for you. Among the models on display is one of the U.S.S. Constitution, the oldest commissioned vessel still afloat. (It was launched in 1797.) Also on view is "Women in Aviation: World War II," a special exhibition in honor of women who have served the nation. Both displays are on view through July 8. Pier 86, 46th Street and 12th Avenue, Clinton, (877) 957-7447, intrepidmuseum.org; museum admission ranges from $12 to $24 (free for active and retired military members and children under 3). Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Museum of the City of New York: 'Booms, Bubbles and Busts: Spectacular Moments in New York Banking History' (Monday) A discussion on the history of the stock market with writers and others including Steve Fraser, author of "Every Man a Speculator: A History of Wall Street in American Life"; Barry Ritholtz, author of "Bailout Nation: How Greed and Easy Money Corrupted Wall Street and Shook the World Economy"; and Robert E. Wright, a professor at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D.; the moderator will be Mark Gongloff, the chief financial writer for The Huffington Post. At 6:30 p.m., Fifth Avenue, at 103rd Street, (917) 492-3395, mcny.org; $12, $8 for students and 65+, $6 for members. New York Society Library: 'Edith Wharton's New York City: A Backward Glance' (through Dec. 31) This exhibition, a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the writer's birth (her actual birth date is Jan. 24), includes family photographs, books and ledgers documenting the book-borrowing habits of her father, George Frederic Jones. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m., 53 East 79th Street, Manhattan, (212) 288-6900, nysoclib.org; free. New York Transit Museum: 'ElectriCity: Powering New York's Rails' (continuing) A historical display of items from the museum collection, including switches and circuit breakers, that illustrates how electricity powers the subway system. Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, (718) 694-1600, mta.info/mta/museum; $7; $5 for those ages 2 to 17 and 62+; free for members and for 62+ on Wednesdays. New-York Historical Society: 'Beer Here: Brewing New York's History' (Saturday) In conjunction with a summer exhibition on the local history of beer, "Beer Here: Brewing New York's History," the New-York Historical Society will host half-hour beer tastings on most Saturday afternoons at 2 and 4 p.m. (Tastings run through Aug. 25, exhibition runs through Sept. 2.) 170 Central Park West, at 77th Street, (212) 873-3400, nyhistory.org; $35, $20 for members. $150 for a package of six separate tastings, $100 for members. Uptown Festival of New Plays (Friday through Sunday) This playwright festival, hosted by Morris-Jumel Mansion in partnership with the People's Theater Project, will showcase works in progress inspired by the Washington Heights neighborhood: "Waiting for the 'D' " on Friday, "On the 1 Train" on Saturday, and "The Juxtaposition of Gladys Ricart" on Sunday. Performances are followed by a discussion with the playwright, director and actors. Performances on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m., followed by a closing garden party at 4:30 p.m., Morris-Jumel Mansion, 65 Jumel Terrace, at Sylvan Terrace, Washington Heights, (212) 923-8008, morrisjumel.org; pay what you can. Avenue of the Americas Summerfest (Saturday) From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., between 34th and 42nd Streets. Sponsored by the Church of St. John the Baptist. Bleecker Street Merchants and Residents Association Street Fair (Saturday) 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Bleecker Street, between Avenue of the Americas and Broadway. Aaron Burr Exhibition (through July 28) While Aaron Burr is usually remembered as the man who killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804, he was also a highly regarded Revolutionary War hero, lawyer and politician. Those aspects of his life — along with his prominence as the third vice president of the United States and a senator from New York — are the focus of this free exhibition of books, letters, manuscripts and art. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 47 East 60th Street, Manhattan, (212) 838-6690, grolierclub.org; free. Center for Jewish History: 'Destination Shanghai: The Jewish Community of Shanghai, 1936-1949' (Friday through Sept. 21) This exhibition brings together rare archival documents, photographs and artwork pertaining to a period of migration of almost 20,000 German and Austrian Jews to Shanghai from 1936 to 1941 before leaving China by 1949. Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, Flatiron district, (212) 294-8301, cjh.org; free. Community Board No. 6 Street Fair (Friday) 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on 43rd Street, between Third and Lexington Avenues. Delta Dugout (Friday through Sunday) The setting will be indoors at Grand Central Terminal, but a lot of the action featured at this annual baseball event will be taking place outdoors at Citi Field in Queens. Visitors to the terminal can view the subway series between the Mets and the Yankees on screens set up at the station, and take part in activities that include trivia contests, batting games and discussions with players and coaches. The free event is sponsored by Delta Air Lines. Friday from 7 a.m. to 10:10 p.m.; Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10:15 p.m.; Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vanderbilt Hall, Grand Central Terminal, grandcentralterminal.com. International Immigrants Parade (Saturday) The parade will set off at noon on Avenue of the Americas, between 43rd and 56th Streets. Mermaid Parade and Ball (Saturday) The mermaids and mermen will gather for the 30th edition of this salute to summer on Coney Island. Guest participants include the actress Annabella Sciorra as the Queen Mermaid and the comedian Jackie Martling as King Neptune. The parade sets off at 2 p.m. at West 21st Street and Surf Avenue and continues to the Boardwalk and West 15th Street. An after party for those 21 and older, with music, comedy and burlesque, runs from 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at the New York Aquarium, Surf Avenue and West Eighth Street; tickets are $30 or $75 (which includes drinks and food); otherwise there will be a cash bar and food for sale. Sponsored by Coney Island USA. coneyisland.com. New Haarlem Arts Theater: 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' (Friday through July 8) This play, written by August Wilson and directed by Eugene Nesmith, explores the blues and race relations in America. Friday, Saturday and Thursday at 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday a 2 p.m., Aaron Davis Hall, Theater B, 135th Street and Convent Avenue, Harlem, (212) 868-4444, newhaarlemartstheatre.org; $30, $25 for 60+, $15 for students, $10 with CUNY ID. New York Public Library for the Performing Arts: Titanic Concert and Noël Coward (Friday and Saturday, and Monday through Thursday) "All Hands on Deck: Remembering the Titanic (1912-2012)," an exhibition of sheet music, photographs and other items associated with the ship and its voyage, commemorates the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the ship; it remains on view through Sept. 3. Also on display is "Star Quality: The World of Noël Coward," a multimedia tribute with manuscripts, paintings, set and costume designs and personal items, including photographs and images of Coward. The exhibition is up through Aug. 18. Mondays and Thursdays, noon to 8 p.m., and Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m. New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, 111 Amsterdam Avenue, at 65th Street, Lincoln Center, (917) 275-6975, nypl.org/lpa; free. NYC Pride Events (Saturday and Sunday) This annual celebration of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender pride takes to the streets and piers this weekend with music, dancing and a procession. Two dances — one for men and the other for women — will take place at Pier 57, 15th Street and the West Side Highway. The "Rapture on the River" for women takes place Saturday from 4 to 11 p.m., and the "Dance on the Pier" for men is on Sunday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tickets for Saturday are $25 in advance, $35 at the gate or $75, which includes the after party; Sunday's is $90 or $165 for V.I.P. admission. On Sunday the NYC LGBT Pride March will begin at noon at Fifth Avenue and 36th Street and head south to Christopher and Greenwich Streets. Already under way will be the street celebration known as Pridefest, which will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Hudson Street, between Abingdon Square and West 14th Street. Details for all events can be found at nycpride.org. Photoville (Friday through Sunday) Shipping containers function as gallery space for this photography exhibition in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Sponsored by United Photo Industries, this exhibition, which runs for the next two weekends, features works by photographers from the around the world, as well as panel discussions, workshops and other activities. It is all free and runs rain or shine on Friday from 4 to 10 p.m.; Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Also Thursday through June 30.) photovillenyc.org. 'Political Subversities: Global Warm THIS!' (Saturday) Members of the People's Improv Theater have put together this revue of skits lampooning politics and popular culture. The show will run Saturdays at 9:30 p.m. People's Improv Theater, 123 East 24th Street, Manhattan, (212) 563-7488, thepit-nyc.com; $15. River to River Festival (Sunday through Thursday) This free monthlong cultural festival in Lower Manhattan will feature concerts, art and family activities. This weekend the choreographer Sylvain Émard will lead an interactive performance, "Le Grand Continental," on Pier 16. Dancers and nondancers of all ages will perform a blend of line dancing and contemporary dance. Each performance is followed by a dance party on Pier 17. Presented by the Joyce Theater and River to River Festival. A full schedule of festival events is at rivertorivernyc.com. Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m., Pier 16 and 17, South Street Seaport, Fulton and Front Streets, Lower Manhattan, (212) 219-9401; free. Times Square Block Party (Sunday) 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., on 46th Street, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue. Sponsored by the Church of Scientology. Tropfest New York (Saturday) Films by three New Yorkers will be among the works being screened during Tropfest New York, a short film festival and competition that will take place in Bryant Park. Eight shorts will be screened during the festival, which will begin with music at 3 p.m. The screenings begin at 8 p.m. The festival is modeled after the first Tropfest that was held 20 years ago in Sydney, Australia. The judges include the actors Rose Byrne ("Bridesmaids"), Judah Friedlander ("30 Rock") and Jennifer Westfeldt ("Friends With Kids"), as well as Scott Foundas, a film critic and associate director of programming at the Film Society of Lincoln Center; the actor Hugh Jackman is the host. For more details visit tropfest.com. Kevin Kline and Dianne Wiest in Benefit Reading (Monday) The two actors will take part in a staged reading of "I Take Your Hand in Mine...," a play by Carol Rocamora based on the love letters of Anton Chekhov and Olga Knipper. Tickets are $125; proceeds will benefit the Acting Company. At 7 p.m., Kaye Playhouse, Hunter College, 68th Street, between Lexington and Park Avenues, (800) 838-3006, (212) 258-3111, brownpapertickets.com. Theater at the Actors' Temple (Sunday) Two veteran television actors, Larry Storch ("F Troop") and Marie Wallace ("Dark Shadows") will appear in A.R. Gurney's two-character play "Love Letters." At 7 p.m., Actor's Temple, 339 West 47th Street, Clinton, (212) 245-6975, theactorstemple.org; $25 in advance, $30 at the door, $20 for students. 'Morrisania: From Suburbia to the Grand Concourse' (Sunday) This two-mile walk in the Bronx, sponsored by the Municipal Art Society, will focus on the redevelopment of the neighborhoods of Mott Haven, Melrose and Morrisania. It begins at 10 a.m., (212) 935-2075, mas.org/tours; $20. The meeting place will be given with reservations. Flatiron District Walking Tour (Sundays) A free tour of the Flatiron district will meet at 11 a.m. on the southwest corner of Madison Square Park, at 23rd Street and Broadway, in front of the William Seward Statue. Sponsored by the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership; discoverflatiron.org; free. Fort Greene, Brooklyn and a Greenwich Village Tour (Saturday) Both of these tours, led by Big Onion Walking Tours, focus on the social histories of these two areas. The Brooklyn walk, at 11 a.m., will touch on the lives of the writers Marianne Moore and Richard Wright, as well as the neighborhood's connection to the Underground Railroad; it will meet on the southeast corner of Lafayette and Flatbush Avenues. The history of the gay and lesbian residents of the Village, in the days before the Stonewall Rebellion, is the focus of a walk meeting at 2 p.m. on the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and Washington Square North. (888) 606-9255, bigonion.com; each tour is $18, $15 for 63+ and students. Manhattan During the War of 1812, the Revolution and Civil War (Saturday and Sunday) Sponsored by NYC Discovery Tours, this Lower Manhattan tour stops at sites associated with noted individuals, including Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, and events like the Draft Riots of 1863. It meets on Saturday at 11:45 a.m. and Sunday at 2:45 p.m., (212) 465-3331; $20. The meeting place with be given with reservations. New York's Lost Eden (Saturday and Sunday) In colonial days the Collect Pond was the main water supply serving Manhattan. This tour, led by In Depth Walking Tours, will focus on its location and why it disappeared. The meeting time is 11 a.m., at the northwest corner of Lafayette and Canal Streets, (917) 607-9019, indepthwalkingtours.com; $20, $15 for 65+. Old Astoria Village (Saturday) A walking tour of this old Queens neighborhood, sponsored by the Greater Astoria Historical Society, will meet at the entrance of Socrates Sculpture Park at 11 a.m., 32-01 Vernon Boulevard, Long Island City, Queens, (718) 278-0700, astorialic.org; $15, $10 for members. Spanish Harlem Salsa Tour (daily) This tour focuses on the neighborhood's cultural roots and includes stops at botanicas and the homes of noted musicians. Led by Jose Obando, an ethnomusicologist, the tour meets at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on the southwest corner of Fifth Avenue and 110th Street; $25; reservations, [email protected]. 'Union Square: Crossroads of New York' (Saturday) A tour focusing on the area's political history meets at 2 p.m. by the statue of Lincoln in Union Square Park, near the 16th Street transverse. Sponsored by the Union Square Partnership. (212) 517-1826, unionsquarenyc.org; free. Arthritis Walk (Saturday) This 10th annual fund-raising walk will again consist of two routes — walks of one and three miles — with both beginning and ending at Battery Park. Start time is 10 a.m.; registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation. newyorkaw.kintera.org. Bicycle Tour of Woodlawn Cemetery (Sunday) Riders can learn about the history of this Bronx cemetery and the noted people who are buried there on this tour led by the Friends of Woodlawn Cemetery. It will meet at 10 a.m. at the Jerome Avenue entrance, near Bainbridge Avenue. (718) 920-1469, thewoodlawncemetery.org; $15, $10 for students and members. ANNE MANCUSO

Vector Security® signs sponsorship agreement with the Carolina Hurricanes The company is now the "Official Security Partner of the Carolina Hurricanes" as part of a multi-year agreement PITTSBURGH, August 7, 2018 – Vector Security, the fourth largest provider of security and smart automation services to homes and businesses in the US with local presence in Raleigh, NC and Authorized Dealer relationships across North Carolina and South Carolina, announces a multi-year sponsorship agreement with the Carolina Hurricanes. Vector Security will receive in-arena sponsorship exclusivity in the home and business security categories; and is named the "Official Security Partner of the Carolina Hurricanes" through the 2020-21 season. "Raleigh has been synonymous with growth and we are excited to be in the middle of such a dynamic market," said Art Miller, Vice President of Marketing for Vector Security. "This partnership with the Hurricanes is a perfect fit for us, a match-up based upon two teams focused on the fan/customer experience and driving a winning culture. We look forward to promoting our brands side by side and sharing our collective attributes of creating value, delivering outstanding experiences and keeping them coming back for more. Let's Go Canes!" Vector Security will receive dasherboard signage and title sponsorship of the Hurricanes Siren Sounder feature for maximum brand exposure to the nearly 550,000 fans that fill the arena for home games each year. The agreement also includes digital and social promotion, radio advertising and other benefits. "We are very pleased to add Vector Security as our official security partner," said Don Waddell, Team President and General Manager for the Carolina Hurricanes. "Vector Security shares our vision and commitment to excellence, and we look forward to a successful partnership for many years to come." About Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes were established in Raleigh in 1997 after relocating from Connecticut, where the National Hockey League franchise was originally founded in 1979. Since their arrival in North Carolina, the Hurricanes have captured three division championships, two Eastern conference titles and the 2006 Stanley Cup championship. The team also hosted the 2004 NHL Draft and the 2011 NHL All-Star Weekend at PNC Arena, where it plays its home games. Individual-game tickets for Hurricanes home games are sold at the PNC Arena Box Office and via Ticketmaster. For information on Hurricanes ticket packages, please call 1-866-NHL-CANES, or visit www.CarolinaHurricanes.com/tickets. About Vector Security For nearly 50 years, Vector Security, Inc. (www.vectorsecurity.com) has been a premier provider of intelligent security solutions tailored to the needs of the customer. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, the company offers a full suite of electronic security services for residential, business and national account customers across North America and the Caribbean through a network of branches, authorized dealers and their ADS Security division. The Vector Security Networks division offers customized physical security and managed network services to multi-site commercial customers. Vector Security is a sister company of the Philadelphia Contributionship, a mutual insurance company founded in 1752, and currently provides cost-effective, technology-based security and automation solutions to nearly 400,000 homes and businesses across 58 branch locations.

// Copyright 2019 The Chromium Authors // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be // found in the LICENSE file. package org.chromium.chrome.browser.tasks.tab_management; import static org.hamcrest.CoreMatchers.equalTo; import static org.hamcrest.CoreMatchers.instanceOf; import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull; import static org.junit.Assert.assertThat; import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.any; import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.anyBoolean; import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.anyInt; import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.anyString; import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.eq; import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.isA; import static org.mockito.Mockito.doNothing; import static org.mockito.Mockito.doReturn; import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock; import static org.mockito.Mockito.never; import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify; import static org.mockito.Mockito.verifyZeroInteractions; import static org.mockito.Mockito.when; import android.app.Activity; import android.text.Editable; import android.text.TextWatcher; import android.view.View; import android.widget.EditText; import org.junit.Before; import org.junit.Rule; import org.junit.Test; import org.junit.rules.TestRule; import org.junit.runner.RunWith; import org.mockito.ArgumentCaptor; import org.mockito.Captor; import org.mockito.Mock; import org.mockito.MockitoAnnotations; import org.robolectric.Robolectric; import org.robolectric.annotation.Config; import org.chromium.base.Callback; import org.chromium.base.ContextUtils; import org.chromium.base.supplier.ObservableSupplier; import org.chromium.base.test.BaseRobolectricTestRunner; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.flags.ChromeFeatureList; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.share.ShareDelegate; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.tab.Tab; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.tab.TabCreationState; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.tab.TabImpl; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.tab.TabLaunchType; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.tab.TabSelectionType; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.tab.state.CriticalPersistedTabData; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.tabmodel.TabCreator; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.tabmodel.TabCreatorManager; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.tabmodel.TabModel; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.tabmodel.TabModelFilterProvider; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.tabmodel.TabModelObserver; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.tabmodel.TabModelSelectorImpl; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.tasks.tab_groups.TabGroupModelFilter; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.ui.messages.snackbar.Snackbar; import org.chromium.chrome.browser.ui.messages.snackbar.SnackbarManager; import org.chromium.chrome.tab_ui.R; import org.chromium.chrome.test.util.browser.Features; import org.chromium.content_public.browser.LoadUrlParams; import org.chromium.ui.KeyboardVisibilityDelegate; import org.chromium.ui.base.TestActivity; import org.chromium.ui.modelutil.PropertyModel; import org.chromium.url.GURL; import org.chromium.url.JUnitTestGURLs; import java.util.ArrayList; import java.util.Arrays; import java.util.List; /** * Tests for {@link TabGridDialogMediator}. */ @SuppressWarnings({"ArraysAsListWithZeroOrOneArgument", "ResultOfMethodCallIgnored"}) @RunWith(BaseRobolectricTestRunner.class) @Config(manifest = Config.NONE) // clang-format off @Features.EnableFeatures({ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_ANDROID}) @Features.DisableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public class TabGridDialogMediatorUnitTest { // clang-format on @Rule public TestRule mProcessor = new Features.JUnitProcessor(); private static final String TAB1_TITLE = "Tab1"; private static final String TAB2_TITLE = "Tab2"; private static final String TAB3_TITLE = "Tab3"; private static final String DIALOG_TITLE1 = "1 tab"; private static final String DIALOG_TITLE2 = "2 tabs"; private static final String REMOVE_BUTTON_STRING = "Remove"; private static final String CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE = "Cool Tabs"; private static final int TAB1_ID = 456; private static final int TAB2_ID = 789; private static final int TAB3_ID = 123; private static final int POSITION1 = 0; private static final int POSITION2 = 1; @Mock View mView; @Mock TabGridDialogMediator.DialogController mDialogController; @Mock TabModelSelectorImpl mTabModelSelector; @Mock TabCreatorManager mTabCreatorManager; @Mock TabCreator mTabCreator; @Mock TabSwitcherMediator.ResetHandler mTabSwitcherResetHandler; @Mock TabGridDialogMediator.AnimationSourceViewProvider mAnimationSourceViewProvider; @Mock TabModelFilterProvider mTabModelFilterProvider; @Mock TabGroupModelFilter mTabGroupModelFilter; @Mock TabModel mTabModel; @Mock TabSelectionEditorCoordinator.TabSelectionEditorController mTabSelectionEditorController; @Mock TabGroupTitleEditor mTabGroupTitleEditor; @Mock EditText mTitleTextView; @Mock Editable mEditable; @Mock ObservableSupplier<ShareDelegate> mShareDelegateSupplier; @Mock SnackbarManager mSnackbarManager; @Captor ArgumentCaptor<TabModelObserver> mTabModelObserverCaptor; private TabImpl mTab1; private TabImpl mTab2; private Activity mActivity; private PropertyModel mModel; private TabGridDialogMediator mMediator; @Before public void setUp() { MockitoAnnotations.initMocks(this); mTab1 = prepareTab(TAB1_ID, TAB1_TITLE); mTab2 = prepareTab(TAB2_ID, TAB2_TITLE); List<Tab> tabs1 = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1)); List<Tab> tabs2 = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab2)); List<TabModel> tabModelList = new ArrayList<>(); tabModelList.add(mTabModel); doReturn(mTabModel).when(mTabModelSelector).getCurrentModel(); doReturn(tabModelList).when(mTabModelSelector).getModels(); doReturn(mTabModelFilterProvider).when(mTabModelSelector).getTabModelFilterProvider(); doReturn(mTabGroupModelFilter).when(mTabModelFilterProvider).getCurrentTabModelFilter(); doReturn(POSITION1).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).indexOf(mTab1); doReturn(POSITION2).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).indexOf(mTab2); doReturn(mTab1).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).getTabAt(POSITION1); doReturn(mTab2).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).getTabAt(POSITION2); doReturn(tabs1).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).getRelatedTabList(TAB1_ID); doReturn(tabs2).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).getRelatedTabList(TAB2_ID); doReturn(mTab1).when(mTabModelSelector).getCurrentTab(); doReturn(mTab1).when(mTabModelSelector).getTabById(TAB1_ID); doReturn(mTab2).when(mTabModelSelector).getTabById(TAB2_ID); doReturn(TAB1_ID).when(mTabModelSelector).getCurrentTabId(); doReturn(2).when(mTabModel).getCount(); doReturn(mTab1).when(mTabModel).getTabAt(POSITION1); doReturn(mTab2).when(mTabModel).getTabAt(POSITION2); doReturn(POSITION1).when(mTabModel).indexOf(mTab1); doReturn(POSITION2).when(mTabModel).indexOf(mTab2); doNothing() .when(mTabModelFilterProvider) .addTabModelFilterObserver(mTabModelObserverCaptor.capture()); doReturn(mView).when(mAnimationSourceViewProvider).getAnimationSourceViewForTab(anyInt()); doReturn(mTabCreator).when(mTabCreatorManager).getTabCreator(anyBoolean()); doReturn(mEditable).when(mTitleTextView).getText(); doReturn(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE).when(mEditable).toString(); if (!TabUiFeatureUtilities.isTabGroupsAndroidContinuationEnabled( ContextUtils.getApplicationContext())) { mTabSelectionEditorController = null; } mActivity = Robolectric.buildActivity(TestActivity.class).get(); mModel = new PropertyModel(TabGridPanelProperties.ALL_KEYS); mMediator = new TabGridDialogMediator(mActivity, mDialogController, mModel, mTabModelSelector, mTabCreatorManager, mTabSwitcherResetHandler, mAnimationSourceViewProvider, mShareDelegateSupplier, mSnackbarManager, ""); // TabModelObserver is registered when native is ready. assertThat(mTabModelObserverCaptor.getAllValues().isEmpty(), equalTo(true)); mMediator.initWithNative(mTabSelectionEditorController, mTabGroupTitleEditor); assertThat(mTabModelObserverCaptor.getAllValues().isEmpty(), equalTo(false)); } @Test public void setupListenersAndObservers() { // These listeners and observers should be setup when the mediator is created. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.COLLAPSE_CLICK_LISTENER), instanceOf(View.OnClickListener.class)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ADD_CLICK_LISTENER), instanceOf(View.OnClickListener.class)); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void setupTabGroupsContinuation_flagEnabled() { assertThat(TabUiFeatureUtilities.isTabGroupsAndroidContinuationEnabled( ContextUtils.getApplicationContext()), equalTo(true)); // Setup editable title. assertThat(mMediator.getKeyboardVisibilityListenerForTesting(), instanceOf(KeyboardVisibilityDelegate.KeyboardVisibilityListener.class)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_WATCHER), instanceOf(TextWatcher.class)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_ON_FOCUS_LISTENER), instanceOf(View.OnFocusChangeListener.class)); // Setup selection editor for ungrouping. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.MENU_CLICK_LISTENER), instanceOf(View.OnClickListener.class)); verify(mTabSelectionEditorController) .configureToolbar(eq(REMOVE_BUTTON_STRING), anyInt(), any(TabSelectionEditorActionProvider.class), eq(1), eq(null)); } @Test public void setupTabGroupsContinuation_flagDisabled() { assertThat(TabUiFeatureUtilities.isTabGroupsAndroidContinuationEnabled( ContextUtils.getApplicationContext()), equalTo(false)); assertThat(mMediator.getKeyboardVisibilityListenerForTesting(), equalTo(null)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_WATCHER), equalTo(null)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_ON_FOCUS_LISTENER), equalTo(null)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.MENU_CLICK_LISTENER), equalTo(null)); assertNull(mTabSelectionEditorController); } @Test public void onClickAdd_HasCurrentTab() { // Mock that the animation source view is not null, and the dialog is showing. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW, mView); mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); View.OnClickListener listener = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ADD_CLICK_LISTENER); listener.onClick(mView); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW), equalTo(null)); verify(mDialogController).resetWithListOfTabs(null); verify(mTabCreator) .createNewTab( isA(LoadUrlParams.class), eq(TabLaunchType.FROM_TAB_GROUP_UI), eq(mTab1)); } @Test public void onClickAdd_NoCurrentTab() { mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(Tab.INVALID_TAB_ID); View.OnClickListener listener = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ADD_CLICK_LISTENER); listener.onClick(mView); verify(mTabCreator).launchNTP(); } @Test public void onClickCollapse() { // Mock that the keyboard and the dialog are showing. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_KEYBOARD_VISIBLE, true); View.OnClickListener listener = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.COLLAPSE_CLICK_LISTENER); listener.onClick(mView); verify(mDialogController).resetWithListOfTabs(null); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_KEYBOARD_VISIBLE), equalTo(false)); } @Test public void onClickScrim() { // Show the group of {tab1, tab2} in dialog to trigger the set of scrim observer. List<Tab> tabgroup = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)); createTabGroup(tabgroup, TAB1_ID); mMediator.onReset(tabgroup); Runnable scrimClickRunnable = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.SCRIMVIEW_CLICK_RUNNABLE); scrimClickRunnable.run(); verify(mDialogController).resetWithListOfTabs(null); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void onTitleTextChange_WithoutFocus() { TextWatcher textWatcher = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_WATCHER); // Mock tab1 is the current tab for the dialog. mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, TAB1_TITLE); assertThat(mEditable.toString(), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); textWatcher.afterTextChanged(mEditable); // TabGroupTitleEditor should not react to text change when there is no focus. verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor, never()).storeTabGroupTitle(anyInt(), any(String.class)); verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor, never()).updateTabGroupTitle(any(Tab.class), anyString()); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(TAB1_TITLE)); assertThat(mMediator.getCurrentGroupModifiedTitleForTesting(), equalTo(null)); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void onTitleTextChange_WithFocus() { TextWatcher textWatcher = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_WATCHER); // Mock tab1 is the current tab for the dialog. mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, TAB1_TITLE); assertThat(mEditable.toString(), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); // Focus on title TextView. View.OnFocusChangeListener listener = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_ON_FOCUS_LISTENER); listener.onFocusChange(mTitleTextView, true); textWatcher.afterTextChanged(mEditable); assertThat(mMediator.getCurrentGroupModifiedTitleForTesting(), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void onTitleTextFocusChange() { View.OnFocusChangeListener listener = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_ON_FOCUS_LISTENER); assertThat(mMediator.getIsUpdatingTitleForTesting(), equalTo(false)); listener.onFocusChange(mTitleTextView, true); assertThat(mMediator.getIsUpdatingTitleForTesting(), equalTo(true)); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void onKeyBoardVisibilityChanged_updateTextAndKeyboard() { KeyboardVisibilityDelegate.KeyboardVisibilityListener listener = mMediator.getKeyboardVisibilityListenerForTesting(); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_CURSOR_VISIBILITY, false); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_TITLE_TEXT_FOCUSED, false); listener.keyboardVisibilityChanged(true); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_CURSOR_VISIBILITY), equalTo(true)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_TITLE_TEXT_FOCUSED), equalTo(true)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_KEYBOARD_VISIBLE), equalTo(true)); listener.keyboardVisibilityChanged(false); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_CURSOR_VISIBILITY), equalTo(false)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_TITLE_TEXT_FOCUSED), equalTo(false)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_KEYBOARD_VISIBLE), equalTo(false)); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void onKeyBoardVisibilityChanged_StoreGroupTitle() { KeyboardVisibilityDelegate.KeyboardVisibilityListener keyboardVisibilityListener = mMediator.getKeyboardVisibilityListenerForTesting(); TextWatcher textWatcher = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_WATCHER); mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, TAB1_TITLE); // Mock that tab1 is in a group. createTabGroup(new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)), TAB1_ID); // Mock that keyboard shows and group title is updated. keyboardVisibilityListener.keyboardVisibilityChanged(true); View.OnFocusChangeListener onFocusChangeListener = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_ON_FOCUS_LISTENER); onFocusChangeListener.onFocusChange(mTitleTextView, true); textWatcher.afterTextChanged(mEditable); assertThat(mMediator.getCurrentGroupModifiedTitleForTesting(), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); keyboardVisibilityListener.keyboardVisibilityChanged(false); verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor).storeTabGroupTitle(eq(TAB1_ID), eq(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor).updateTabGroupTitle(eq(mTab1), eq(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); assertThat( mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void onKeyBoardVisibilityChanged_NoFocus_NotStoreGroupTitle() { KeyboardVisibilityDelegate.KeyboardVisibilityListener keyboardVisibilityListener = mMediator.getKeyboardVisibilityListenerForTesting(); TextWatcher textWatcher = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_WATCHER); mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, TAB1_TITLE); // Mock that tab1 is in a group. createTabGroup(new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)), TAB1_ID); // Mock that keyboard shows but title edit text is not focused. keyboardVisibilityListener.keyboardVisibilityChanged(true); textWatcher.afterTextChanged(mEditable); assertThat(mMediator.getIsUpdatingTitleForTesting(), equalTo(false)); keyboardVisibilityListener.keyboardVisibilityChanged(false); verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor, never()).storeTabGroupTitle(anyInt(), anyString()); verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor, never()).updateTabGroupTitle(any(Tab.class), anyString()); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(TAB1_TITLE)); } @Test public void tabAddition() { TabImpl newTab = prepareTab(TAB3_ID, TAB3_TITLE); // Mock that the animation source view is not null, and the dialog is showing. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW, mView); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); doReturn(true).when(mTabModelSelector).isTabStateInitialized(); mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().didAddTab( newTab, TabLaunchType.FROM_CHROME_UI, TabCreationState.LIVE_IN_FOREGROUND); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW), equalTo(null)); verify(mDialogController).resetWithListOfTabs(null); } @Test public void tabClosure_NotLast_NotCurrent() { // Mock that tab1 and tab2 are in the same group, but tab2 just gets closed. doReturn(new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1))) .when(mTabGroupModelFilter) .getRelatedTabList(TAB2_ID); // Mock tab1 is the current tab for the dialog. mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); // Mock dialog title is null and the dialog is showing. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, null); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().willCloseTab(mTab2, false, true); // Current tab ID should not update. assertThat(mMediator.getCurrentTabIdForTesting(), equalTo(TAB1_ID)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(DIALOG_TITLE1)); verify(mTabSwitcherResetHandler).resetWithTabList(mTabGroupModelFilter, false, false); } @Test public void tabClosure_NotLast_Current() { // Mock that tab1 and tab2 are in the same group, but tab2 just gets closed. doReturn(new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1))) .when(mTabGroupModelFilter) .getRelatedTabList(TAB2_ID); // Mock tab2 is the current tab for the dialog. mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB2_ID); // Mock dialog title is null and the dialog is showing. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, null); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().willCloseTab(mTab2, false, true); // Current tab ID should be updated to TAB1_ID now. assertThat(mMediator.getCurrentTabIdForTesting(), equalTo(TAB1_ID)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(DIALOG_TITLE1)); verify(mTabSwitcherResetHandler).resetWithTabList(mTabGroupModelFilter, false, false); } @Test public void tabClosure_Last_Current() { // Mock that tab1 is the last tab in the group and it just gets closed. doReturn(new ArrayList<>()).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).getRelatedTabList(TAB1_ID); // As last tab in the group, tab1 is definitely the current tab for the dialog. mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); // Mock the dialog is showing and the animation source view is not null. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW, mView); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().willCloseTab(mTab1, false, true); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW), equalTo(null)); verify(mDialogController).resetWithListOfTabs(null); verify(mTabSwitcherResetHandler, never()) .resetWithTabList(mTabGroupModelFilter, false, false); mMediator.onReset(null); assertThat(mMediator.getCurrentTabIdForTesting(), equalTo(Tab.INVALID_TAB_ID)); } @Test public void tabClosure_NotLast_Current_WithDialogHidden() { // Mock that tab1 and tab2 are in the same group, but tab2 just gets closed. doReturn(new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1))) .when(mTabGroupModelFilter) .getRelatedTabList(TAB2_ID); // Mock tab2 is the current tab for the dialog. mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB2_ID); // Mock dialog title is null and the dialog is hidden. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, null); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, false); mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().willCloseTab(mTab2, false, true); // Current tab ID should be updated to TAB1_ID now. assertThat(mMediator.getCurrentTabIdForTesting(), equalTo(TAB1_ID)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(DIALOG_TITLE1)); // Dialog should still be hidden. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE), equalTo(false)); verify(mTabSwitcherResetHandler, never()) .resetWithTabList(mTabGroupModelFilter, false, false); } @Test public void tabClosure_NonRootTab_StillGroupAfterClosure_WithStoredTitle() { // Mock that tab1, tab2 and newTab are in the same group and tab1 is the root tab. TabImpl newTab = prepareTab(TAB3_ID, TAB3_TITLE); List<Tab> tabgroup = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2, newTab)); createTabGroup(tabgroup, TAB1_ID); // Mock that newTab just get closed. List<Tab> tabgroupAfterClosure = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)); doReturn(tabgroupAfterClosure).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).getRelatedTabList(TAB1_ID); doReturn(tabgroupAfterClosure).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).getRelatedTabList(TAB2_ID); // Mock that newTab is the current tab for the dialog. mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB3_ID); // Mock that we have a stored title stored with reference to root ID of tab1. doReturn(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE).when(mTabGroupTitleEditor).getTabGroupTitle(TAB1_ID); assertThat(mTabGroupTitleEditor.getTabGroupTitle( CriticalPersistedTabData.from(mTab1).getRootId()), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().willCloseTab(newTab, false, true); // Dialog title should still be the stored title. assertThat( mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); } @Test public void tabClosure_RootTab_StillGroupAfterClosure_WithStoredTitle() { // Mock that tab1, tab2 and newTab are in the same group and newTab is the root tab. TabImpl newTab = prepareTab(TAB3_ID, TAB3_TITLE); List<Tab> tabgroup = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2, newTab)); createTabGroup(tabgroup, TAB3_ID); // Mock that newTab just get closed. List<Tab> tabgroupAfterClosure = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)); doReturn(tabgroupAfterClosure).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).getRelatedTabList(TAB1_ID); doReturn(tabgroupAfterClosure).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).getRelatedTabList(TAB2_ID); // Mock that newTab is the current tab for the dialog. mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB3_ID); // Mock that we have a stored title stored with reference to root ID of newTab. doReturn(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE).when(mTabGroupTitleEditor).getTabGroupTitle(TAB3_ID); mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().willCloseTab(newTab, false, true); // Dialog title should still be the stored title even if the root tab is closed. assertThat( mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); } @Test public void tabClosure_SingleTabAfterClosure_WithStoredTitle() { // Mock that tab1, tab2 are in the same group and tab1 is the root tab. List<Tab> tabgroup = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)); createTabGroup(tabgroup, TAB1_ID); // Mock that tab2 just get closed. List<Tab> tabgroupAfterClosure = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1)); doReturn(tabgroupAfterClosure).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).getRelatedTabList(TAB1_ID); // Mock that tab2 is the current tab for the dialog. mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB2_ID); // Mock that we have a stored title stored with reference to root ID of tab1. doReturn(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE).when(mTabGroupTitleEditor).getTabGroupTitle(TAB1_ID); mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().willCloseTab(mTab2, false, true); // Even if there is a stored title for tab1, it is now a single tab, so we won't show the // stored title. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(DIALOG_TITLE1)); } @Test public void tabClosureUndone() { // Mock that the dialog is showing. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, null); mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().tabClosureUndone(mTab1); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(DIALOG_TITLE1)); verify(mTabSwitcherResetHandler).resetWithTabList(mTabGroupModelFilter, false, false); verify(mSnackbarManager).dismissSnackbars(eq(mMediator), eq(TAB1_ID)); } @Test public void tabClosureUndone_WithStoredTitle() { // Mock that the dialog is showing. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, null); mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); // Mock that we have a stored title stored with reference to root ID of tab1. doReturn(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE).when(mTabGroupTitleEditor).getTabGroupTitle(TAB1_ID); // Mock that tab1 and tab2 are in the same group, and we are undoing tab2. List<Tab> tabgroup = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)); createTabGroup(tabgroup, TAB1_ID); mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().tabClosureUndone(mTab2); // If current group has a stored title, dialog title should be set to stored title when // undoing a closure. assertThat( mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); verify(mTabSwitcherResetHandler).resetWithTabList(mTabGroupModelFilter, false, false); verify(mSnackbarManager).dismissSnackbars(eq(mMediator), eq(TAB2_ID)); } @Test public void tabClosureUndone_WithDialogHidden() { // Mock that the dialog is hidden. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, false); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, null); mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().tabClosureUndone(mTab1); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(DIALOG_TITLE1)); // Dialog should still be hidden. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE), equalTo(false)); verify(mTabSwitcherResetHandler, never()) .resetWithTabList(mTabGroupModelFilter, false, false); verify(mSnackbarManager).dismissSnackbars(eq(mMediator), eq(TAB1_ID)); } @Test public void tabClosureCommitted() { mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().tabClosureCommitted(mTab1); verify(mSnackbarManager).dismissSnackbars(eq(mMediator), eq(TAB1_ID)); } @Test public void tabPendingClosure_DialogVisible() { mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().tabPendingClosure(mTab1); verify(mSnackbarManager).showSnackbar(any(Snackbar.class)); } @Test public void tabPendingClosure_DialogInVisible() { mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, false); mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().tabPendingClosure(mTab1); verify(mSnackbarManager, never()).showSnackbar(any(Snackbar.class)); } @Test public void tabSelection() { // Mock that the animation source view is not null, and the dialog is showing. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW, mView); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); mTabModelObserverCaptor.getValue().didSelectTab( mTab1, TabSelectionType.FROM_USER, Tab.INVALID_TAB_ID); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW), equalTo(null)); verify(mDialogController).resetWithListOfTabs(null); } @Test public void hideDialog_FadeOutAnimation() { // Mock that the animation source view is null, and the dialog is showing. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW, null); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); mMediator.hideDialog(false); // Animation source view should not be specified. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW), equalTo(null)); verify(mDialogController).resetWithListOfTabs(eq(null)); } @Test public void hideDialog_WithVisibilityListener_BasicAnimation() { // Mock that the animation source view is null, and the dialog is showing. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW, null); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); // Set visibility listener. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.VISIBILITY_LISTENER, mMediator); mMediator.hideDialog(false); // Animation source view should not be specified. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW), equalTo(null)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE), equalTo(false)); verifyZeroInteractions(mDialogController); } @Test public void hideDialog_ZoomOutAnimation() { // Mock that the animation source view is null, and the dialog is showing. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW, null); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); mMediator.hideDialog(true); // Animation source view should be specified. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW), equalTo(mView)); verify(mDialogController).resetWithListOfTabs(eq(null)); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void hideDialog_StoreModifiedGroupTitle() { mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, TAB1_TITLE); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); // Mock that tab1 is in a group. createTabGroup(new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)), TAB1_ID); // Mock that we have a modified group title before dialog is hidden. TextWatcher textWatcher = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_WATCHER); View.OnFocusChangeListener onFocusChangeListener = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_ON_FOCUS_LISTENER); onFocusChangeListener.onFocusChange(mTitleTextView, true); textWatcher.afterTextChanged(mEditable); assertThat(mMediator.getCurrentGroupModifiedTitleForTesting(), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); mMediator.hideDialog(false); verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor).storeTabGroupTitle(eq(TAB1_ID), eq(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor).updateTabGroupTitle(eq(mTab1), eq(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); assertThat( mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void hideDialog_ModifiedGroupTitleEmpty() { mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, TAB1_TITLE); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); // Mock that tab1 is in a group. createTabGroup(new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)), TAB1_ID); // Mock that we have a modified group title which is an empty string. TextWatcher textWatcher = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_WATCHER); View.OnFocusChangeListener onFocusChangeListener = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_ON_FOCUS_LISTENER); onFocusChangeListener.onFocusChange(mTitleTextView, true); doReturn("").when(mEditable).toString(); textWatcher.afterTextChanged(mEditable); assertThat(mMediator.getCurrentGroupModifiedTitleForTesting(), equalTo("")); mMediator.hideDialog(false); // When updated title is a empty string, delete stored title and restore default title in // PropertyModel. verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor).deleteTabGroupTitle(eq(TAB1_ID)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(DIALOG_TITLE2)); verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor).updateTabGroupTitle(eq(mTab1), eq(DIALOG_TITLE2)); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void hideDialog_NoModifiedGroupTitle() { mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, TAB1_TITLE); // Mock that tab1 is in a group. createTabGroup(new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)), TAB1_ID); mMediator.hideDialog(false); // When title is not updated, don't store title when hide dialog. verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor, never()).storeTabGroupTitle(anyInt(), anyString()); verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor, never()).updateTabGroupTitle(any(Tab.class), anyString()); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(TAB1_TITLE)); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void hideDialog_ClosingLastTab_SkipStoreGroupTitle() { mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, TAB1_TITLE); // Mock that the last tab in the group is closed. doReturn(new ArrayList<>()).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).getRelatedTabList(TAB1_ID); // Mock that we have a modified group title before dialog is hidden. TextWatcher textWatcher = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_WATCHER); View.OnFocusChangeListener onFocusChangeListener = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_ON_FOCUS_LISTENER); onFocusChangeListener.onFocusChange(mTitleTextView, true); textWatcher.afterTextChanged(mEditable); assertThat(mMediator.getCurrentGroupModifiedTitleForTesting(), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); mMediator.hideDialog(false); // Skip storing dialog title when the last tab is closing. verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor, never()).storeTabGroupTitle(anyInt(), anyString()); verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor, never()).updateTabGroupTitle(any(Tab.class), anyString()); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(TAB1_TITLE)); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void hideDialog_SingleTab_SkipStoreGroupTitle() { mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, TAB1_TITLE); // Mock that tab1 is now a single tab. createTabGroup(new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1)), TAB1_ID); // Mock that we have a modified group title before dialog is hidden. TextWatcher textWatcher = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_WATCHER); View.OnFocusChangeListener onFocusChangeListener = mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.TITLE_TEXT_ON_FOCUS_LISTENER); onFocusChangeListener.onFocusChange(mTitleTextView, true); textWatcher.afterTextChanged(mEditable); assertThat(mMediator.getCurrentGroupModifiedTitleForTesting(), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); mMediator.hideDialog(false); // Skip storing dialog title when this group becomes a single tab. verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor, never()).storeTabGroupTitle(anyInt(), anyString()); verify(mTabGroupTitleEditor, never()).updateTabGroupTitle(any(Tab.class), anyString()); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(TAB1_TITLE)); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void hideDialog_withTabGroupContinuation() { mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); mMediator.hideDialog(false); verify(mTabSelectionEditorController).hide(); } @Test public void onReset_hideDialog() { mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, true); mMediator.onReset(null); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE), equalTo(false)); verify(mDialogController).postHiding(); } @Test public void onReset_DialogNotVisible_NoOp() { mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, false); mMediator.onReset(null); verifyZeroInteractions(mDialogController); } @Test public void finishedHiding() { mMediator.finishedHidingDialogView(); verify(mDialogController).resetWithListOfTabs(null); verify(mDialogController).postHiding(); } @Test public void showDialog_FromGTS() { // Mock that the dialog is hidden and animation source view, header title and scrim click // runnable are all null. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, false); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW, null); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, null); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.SCRIMVIEW_CLICK_RUNNABLE, null); // Mock that tab1 and tab2 are in a group. List<Tab> tabgroup = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)); createTabGroup(tabgroup, TAB1_ID); mMediator.onReset(tabgroup); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE), equalTo(true)); // Scrim click runnable should be set as the current scrim runnable. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.SCRIMVIEW_CLICK_RUNNABLE), equalTo(mMediator.getScrimClickRunnableForTesting())); // Animation source view should be updated with specific view. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW), equalTo(mView)); // Dialog title should be updated. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(DIALOG_TITLE2)); // Prepare dialog invoked. verify(mDialogController).prepareDialog(); } @Test public void showDialog_FromGTS_WithStoredTitle() { // Mock that the dialog is hidden and animation source view, header title and scrim click // runnable are all null. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, false); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW, null); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, null); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.SCRIMVIEW_CLICK_RUNNABLE, null); // Mock that tab1 and tab2 are in a group. List<Tab> tabgroup = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)); createTabGroup(tabgroup, TAB1_ID); // Mock that we have a stored title stored with reference to root ID of tab1. doReturn(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE).when(mTabGroupTitleEditor).getTabGroupTitle(TAB1_ID); mMediator.onReset(tabgroup); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE), equalTo(true)); // Scrim click runnable should be set as the current scrim runnable. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.SCRIMVIEW_CLICK_RUNNABLE), equalTo(mMediator.getScrimClickRunnableForTesting())); // Animation source view should be updated with specific view. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW), equalTo(mView)); // Dialog title should be updated with stored title. assertThat( mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); } @Test public void showDialog_FromStrip() { // For strip we don't play zoom-in/zoom-out for show/hide dialog, and thus // the animationParamsProvider is null. mMediator = new TabGridDialogMediator(mActivity, mDialogController, mModel, mTabModelSelector, mTabCreatorManager, mTabSwitcherResetHandler, null, mShareDelegateSupplier, mSnackbarManager, ""); mMediator.initWithNative(mTabSelectionEditorController, mTabGroupTitleEditor); // Mock that the dialog is hidden and animation source view, header title and scrim click // runnable are all null. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, false); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW, null); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, null); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.SCRIMVIEW_CLICK_RUNNABLE, null); // Mock that tab1 and tab2 are in a group. List<Tab> tabgroup = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)); createTabGroup(tabgroup, TAB1_ID); mMediator.onReset(tabgroup); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE), equalTo(true)); // Scrim observer should be set as the current scrim runnable. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.SCRIMVIEW_CLICK_RUNNABLE), equalTo(mMediator.getScrimClickRunnableForTesting())); // Animation source view should not be specified. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW), equalTo(null)); // Dialog title should be updated. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(DIALOG_TITLE2)); // Prepare dialog invoked. verify(mDialogController).prepareDialog(); } @Test public void showDialog_FromStrip_WithStoredTitle() { // For strip we don't play zoom-in/zoom-out for show/hide dialog, and thus // the animationParamsProvider is null. mMediator = new TabGridDialogMediator(mActivity, mDialogController, mModel, mTabModelSelector, mTabCreatorManager, mTabSwitcherResetHandler, null, mShareDelegateSupplier, mSnackbarManager, ""); mMediator.initWithNative(mTabSelectionEditorController, mTabGroupTitleEditor); // Mock that the dialog is hidden and animation source view, header title and scrim click // runnable are all null. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, false); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW, null); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE, null); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.SCRIMVIEW_CLICK_RUNNABLE, null); // Mock that tab1 and tab2 are in a group. List<Tab> tabgroup = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)); createTabGroup(tabgroup, TAB1_ID); // Mock that we have a stored title stored with reference to root ID of tab1. doReturn(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE).when(mTabGroupTitleEditor).getTabGroupTitle(TAB1_ID); mMediator.onReset(tabgroup); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE), equalTo(true)); // Scrim observer should be set as the current scrim click runnable. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.SCRIMVIEW_CLICK_RUNNABLE), equalTo(mMediator.getScrimClickRunnableForTesting())); // Animation source view should not be specified. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW), equalTo(null)); // Dialog title should be updated with stored title. assertThat( mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.HEADER_TITLE), equalTo(CUSTOMIZED_DIALOG_TITLE)); } @Test public void showDialog_FromStrip_SetupAnimation() { // For strip we don't play zoom-in/zoom-out for show/hide dialog, and thus // the animationParamsProvider is null. mMediator = new TabGridDialogMediator(mActivity, mDialogController, mModel, mTabModelSelector, mTabCreatorManager, mTabSwitcherResetHandler, null, mShareDelegateSupplier, mSnackbarManager, ""); mMediator.initWithNative(mTabSelectionEditorController, mTabGroupTitleEditor); // Mock that the dialog is hidden and animation source view is set to some mock view for // testing purpose. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE, false); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW, mock(View.class)); // Mock that tab1 and tab2 are in a group. List<Tab> tabgroup = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)); createTabGroup(tabgroup, TAB1_ID); mMediator.onReset(tabgroup); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_DIALOG_VISIBLE), equalTo(true)); // Animation source view should be set to null so that dialog will setup basic animation. assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.ANIMATION_SOURCE_VIEW), equalTo(null)); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void testDialogToolbarMenu_SelectionMode() { Callback<Integer> callback = mMediator.getToolbarMenuCallbackForTesting(); // Mock that currently the title text is focused and the keyboard is showing. The current // tab is tab1 which is in a group of {tab1, tab2}. mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_KEYBOARD_VISIBLE, true); mModel.set(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_TITLE_TEXT_FOCUSED, true); mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); List<Tab> tabgroup = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab1, mTab2)); createTabGroup(tabgroup, TAB1_ID); callback.onResult(R.id.ungroup_tab); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_KEYBOARD_VISIBLE), equalTo(false)); assertThat(mModel.get(TabGridPanelProperties.IS_TITLE_TEXT_FOCUSED), equalTo(false)); verify(mTabSelectionEditorController).show(eq(tabgroup)); } @Test @Features.EnableFeatures(ChromeFeatureList.TAB_GROUPS_CONTINUATION_ANDROID) public void testGetTabGroupStringForShare() { Tab newTab = prepareTab(TAB3_ID, TAB3_TITLE); String url1 = JUnitTestGURLs.SEARCH_URL; String url2 = JUnitTestGURLs.EXAMPLE_URL; String url3 = JUnitTestGURLs.MAPS_URL; doReturn(JUnitTestGURLs.getGURL(url1)).when(mTab1).getUrl(); doReturn(JUnitTestGURLs.getGURL(url2)).when(mTab2).getUrl(); doReturn(JUnitTestGURLs.getGURL(url3)).when(newTab).getUrl(); mMediator.setCurrentTabIdForTesting(TAB1_ID); // Setup two sets of tab group and share strings. List<Tab> tabgroup1 = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(newTab, mTab1, mTab2)); String shareString1 = "1. https://maps.google.com/\n2. https://www.google.com/search?q=test\n3. https://www.example.com/\n"; List<Tab> tabgroup2 = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(mTab2, newTab, mTab1)); String shareString2 = "1. https://www.example.com/\n2. https://maps.google.com/\n3. https://www.google.com/search?q=test\n"; doReturn(tabgroup1).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).getRelatedTabList(TAB1_ID); assertThat(shareString1, equalTo(mMediator.getTabGroupStringForSharingForTesting())); doReturn(tabgroup2).when(mTabGroupModelFilter).getRelatedTabList(TAB1_ID); assertThat(shareString2, equalTo(mMediator.getTabGroupStringForSharingForTesting())); } @Test public void testSnackbarController_onAction() { doReturn(mTabModel).when(mTabModelSelector).getModelForTabId(TAB1_ID); mMediator.onAction(TAB1_ID); verify(mTabModel).cancelTabClosure(eq(TAB1_ID)); } @Test public void testSnackbarController_onDismissNoAction() { doReturn(mTabModel).when(mTabModelSelector).getModelForTabId(TAB1_ID); mMediator.onDismissNoAction(TAB1_ID); verify(mTabModel).commitTabClosure(eq(TAB1_ID)); } @Test public void destroy() { mMediator.destroy(); verify(mTabModelFilterProvider) .removeTabModelFilterObserver(mTabModelObserverCaptor.capture()); } private TabImpl prepareTab(int id, String title) { TabImpl tab = TabUiUnitTestUtils.prepareTab(id, title, GURL.emptyGURL()); doReturn(true).when(tab).isIncognito(); return tab; } private void createTabGroup(List<Tab> tabs, int rootId) { for (Tab tab : tabs) { when(mTabGroupModelFilter.getRelatedTabList(tab.getId())).thenReturn(tabs); CriticalPersistedTabData criticalPersistedTabData = CriticalPersistedTabData.from(tab); doReturn(rootId).when(criticalPersistedTabData).getRootId(); } } }

21-Jul-2005 12:00 AM India's Jet Airways Q1 to June net profit rises 84 pct amid booming market BOMBAY (XFNews) - India's largest private airline, Jet Airways, said its net profit for the first quarter ending June rose 84 pct from a year earlier, amid a booming aviation market. Net profit for the quarter ending June increased to 953.4 mln rupees from 519 mln a year earlier, on revenue that rose 44 pct to 13.45 bln rupees from 9.36 bln rupees. The airline's management said it is confident that its newly-launched international operations will boost revenue growth. Jet Airways started international operations in the April-June quarter this year. "We expect our Southeast Asia operations (which include Singapore and Kuala Lumpur) to bring in 40 million dollars annually, while the US-UK operations are expected to bring in another 100 million dollars," Saroj Dutta, executive director and board member, said in an interview with NDTV television. "We will continue to operate as a premium brand but will not ignore the fast-growing lower income bracket," he added. The company listed in March after it sold a 20 pct stake or 17.2 mln shares. The initial share sale price was 1,100 rupees. Jet Airways stock closed up 22.5 rupees or 1.74 pct at 1,318 rupees on the Bombay stock exchange before the earnings announcement. Want More Analysis Like This?

Brazil Launches Successfully Its First ... Activists Urge Brazil to Stop ... Brazil Launches Successfully Its First Ethanol-Propelled Rocket by Andreia Verdélio September 8, 2014 The first Brazilian rocket with liquid propellant was launched last week at the Alcântara Launch Center, in the Brazilian state of Maranhão. According to the Institute of Aeronautics and Space (IAE), connected with the Department of Science and Aerospace Technology, which spearheads the undertaking, all technical requirements have been fulfilled and the operation was a success. The launch took place at 11:02 pm, and lasted three minutes and 34 seconds. During the test, data were collected for studies on a space-run GPS system developed by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, and on a security device for space vehicles, built by the IAE. The experiment worked throughout the forecasted 90-second period. The cargo aboard the rocket, named Liquid-Propellant Propulsion Stage, consists of an engine that uses ethanol and liquid oxygen. The system was developed by Orbital Engineering in partnership with IAE. The operation also served to make the technical teams involved more prepared for future launches of engines with liquid propellant. The good performance of the engine will enable the German Space Agency to resume the launching of Brazilian rockets. German experts took part in the operation collecting flight data by means of a movable telemetric station. The total production of oil and natural gas in Brazil hit a record 2.82 million barrels equivalent per day (boepd) in July, reported the National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) on Tuesday (September 2). Of this amount, 2.267 million barrels of oil per day (bpd) and 87.9 million cubic meters (m³) of natural gas were reported. The oil output was up 1% in July from the previous month, and 14.8% in the year-earlier comparison. The production of natural gas was also reported to rise 1.5% compared to June this year, and 12% to the same month in 2013. However, a dip of 0.1% was observed in the production of 34 pre-salt wells in July against June, totaling 582.8 thousand boepd – 480.8 thousand bpd plus 16.2 million m³ of natural gas. In the July on July analysis, there has been a expansion: in 2013, the average pre-salt production reached 358.8 thousand boepd – 296.4 bpd and 9.9 million m³ of natural gas per day. According to the agency, 90.7% of the oil and natural gas were produced in fields operated by Petrobras. Out of the total figure, 92.5% of oil and 73.5% of natural gas were extracted from offshore oilfields. Alcântara base Andreia Verdélio Activists Urge Brazil to Stop Killing of Amazon Dolphins Polls See Dilma and Marina Tied for President. But Marina Would Win a Runoff Are You Thinking About Growing Your Money in Brazil? Read This First The million-dollar-question, these days, is what to do in 2010 with what's left of ... Regina Scharf December 8, 2009 Lula Goes to Davos, But World Doesn't Care About Brazil Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has arrived in Davos, Switzerland, where he ... Francesco Neves January 25, 2007 Brazil Using Biometric Voting Machines After Getting Presidential Results in One Hour Brazilian have been using electronic voting machines for 15 years. The process has been ... Débora Zampier November 1, 2010 Brazilian Maid and Mother, 19, Gets 4 Years In Jail for Stealing Tub of Butter The tub of butter she stole from a market in São Paulo, in the ... Elma Lia Nascimento December 6, 2006 Small Oil Company from Brazil Looks Overseas for Business Representatives of the RedePetro Bahia recently participated in two international missions with the objective ... Fátima Emediato October 4, 2008 Brazil Invites World to Make Tourism Money in the Northeast It ends today, May 30, in the northeastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco the Nordeste ... Newsroom May 30, 2008 28 comments 0 Shares By Brazzil Magazine 9:00 PM – Clauduarte Sá at Brazil Samba Café – (954) ... Brazzil Magazine May 1, 2002 Hugo Chavez Finds Out He Has Few Friends in Brazil's Senate Brazilian senators postponed on Wednesday until next Tuesday the vote on Venezuela's incorporation to ... Newsroom December 11, 2009 Brazil Can't Make Its Mind on Transgenics Marina Silva, Brazilian Minister of Environment is calling for a definitive ruling on transgenetic ... AB September 1, 2003 Brazil Counting on New Minimum Wage for Economic Boom The minimum wage in Brazil will be raised in May from US$ 96 (260 ... Bruno Bocchini January 4, 2005

This week's haftorah describes the birth of Shimshon, a lifetime Nazir (Nazarite). This is an appropriate haftorah for this week's Torah reading, which discusses the laws of the Nazir, who may not drink wine, partake from anything made from grapes; cut the hair of his head, nor come in contact with the dead. In Parashat Naso, the laws of the Nazir follow the unfortunate story of the sota (the woman suspected of adultery) to teach us that "anyone who sees the sota in her disgrace will vow to abstain from wine" [as does the Nazir](Babylonian Talmud, Sota 2a). In contrast, our haftorah prophesies the birth of Shimshon, who was supposed to be a Nazir from the womb, not as a result of a moral flaw of any woman, but rather, it was the merit of his mother – Manoach's wife – which brought about the birth of Shimshon. "An angel of Hashem appeared to the woman, and said to her, Behold now, you are barren, and have never given birth; you shall conceive and bear a son. Consequently, beware now, and do not drink wine or strong drink, and do not eat any unclean thing. Because you shall conceive, and bear a son; and a razor shall not come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazir to G-d from the womb; and he will begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines. And the woman came and said to her husband, saying, A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of an angel of God, very awesome; but I did not ask him from where he was and his name he did not tell me. But he said to me, Behold, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine or strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazir to G-d from the womb to the day of his death" (Shoftim 13:3-7). Why did the angel appear to Manoach's wife and not to Manoach? Perhaps it was because the angel appeared without prayer or preparation, and spontaneous prophetic experiences happen more to women. Malbim explains that the reason why the angel didn't appear to Manoach but rather to his wife is because she was more ready than him for the appearance of the angel. In the end of the haftorah we see how Manoach's wife excels in emuna (faith), and through the high level of her faith she is able to reassure her husband who was afraid that "We shall surely die, for we have seen a G-dly angel" (Shoftim 13:22). Manoach's wife reassured him, "Had Hashem wanted to put us to death, He would not have accepted from our hand an elevation-offering and a meal-offering, nor would He have shown us all this, nor would He let us hear such tidings at this time" (ibid. 23). She understood that if Hashem wished them to die, he wouldn't have sent them an angel informing them that they would bear a son who would fight the Philistines. Even though Manoach's wife had witnessed far less miracles than Am Yisrael in the desert, she would have much to teach the Jewish people in the wilderness. Had only the Jewish people in the desert used Manoach's wife's principle of thinking, many complaints and fears could have been avoided. Using her logic, Rabbi Nebenzahl explains how they should have realized that had Hashem wished to let the Jewish people die of thirst in the wilderness, He would not have accepted their Korban Pesach only a few days earlier. He would not have shown them all the great miracles in Egypt and by the sea, and He would not have promised them entry into Eretz Yisrael. When we succumb to irrational fears, it is our yetzer hara (negative inclination) that makes us think like Manoach rather than his wife. If we only realize all the endless miracles that Hashem showers upon us every single day, there would be no room for pessimistic thoughts. When things don't go our way, rather than being afraid that Hashem is punishing us, we can learn from Manoach's wife to recognize Hashem's great love for us and that it is all a test to bring us closer to Him. Who was Manoach's wife, the mother of Shimshon? Although her name is not directly given in Tanach, according to the midrash, her name was צללפוני Tzelalfoni(t) or הַצְלֶלְפּוֹנִי Hatzlelponi (Babylonian Talmud, Baba Bathra 91a). This name appears in 1 Divrei haYamim 4:3, being the name of a woman from the tribe of Yehudah. As a rule, it is mainly the males who are mentioned in genealogies, as the heads of families, Hatzlelponi stands out, and there must, therefore, be a special reason for mentioning her. Radak concludes that she was an important woman. The midrash explains, that Manoach's wife was righteous, for she merited to speak with the angel. Since she saw an angel her name is called Tzelalfoni. The "Poni" part of her name refers to "Ponah beMalach," – she saw (or turned to) an angel. The "Tzelal" part of her name refers to being in the shadow of the angel. "Tzel" is a term used in the Torah when Lot sees an angel (Bereishit 19:8), and Manoach's wife sees an angel twice, therefore she is called "Hatzlel" (with a double lamed), rather than just "Hatzel." (Bemidbar Rabah 10:5). This is congruent with Malbim's explanation of Song of Songs 2:17 "Hatzellalim" – "The shadows" referring to prophetic visions. Rabbi Nachman said: Manoach was an ignorant man, as is written, "Manoach rose and went after his wife" (Shoftim 13:11). But Rabbi Nachman bar Yitzchak disagreed, asking: Does this mean that Elkana was ignorant, from the verse "Elkana went after his wife" (Tosafot note that they were not able to find such a verse), or Elisha, as is written, "He rose and went after her" (2 Melachim 4:30)? In these cases the verse simply means that the man followed the advice of the woman. The same is true of Manoach, who followed his wife's advice. Rabbi Ashi said, in view of Rabbi Nachman's words, claiming that Manoach was ignorant; it would seem that he did not even study the Torah. For it is written, "Rivka and her maids arose, and they rode the camels, and they went after the man" (Bereishit 24:41). They did not go before the man (Babylonian Talumd, Berachot 61a). Perhaps one reason why Chazal teach that a man should not walk behind a woman even his own wife, is that seeing the behind of a woman, may cause a man to have improper thoughts. Even in regards to his own wife, it seems to me, that he should not regard her rear, in order not to think of her in a lowly immodest way. Rather her face should be foremost in his mind. Rabbi Nachman in the gemara defends the great men (Elkana and Elisha) who are described as walking after a woman, by explaining that they did not necessarily walk after (behind) a woman in the physical sense, but rather, they followed the advice of the woman, which is totally legitimate. The gemara implies that women have what to say even to the greatest prophets. (According to the midrash, Elkana was also a prophet.) Rabbi Ashi still insists that although Elkana and Elisha followed the advice of women, in the case of Manoach, he was ignorant and was not only under his wife's influence, but he did, in fact, walk behind her. This had to be so, since the angel appeared to her and not to him, "She alone knew the place where [the angel] appeared" (Metzudat David, Shoftim 13:11). However, according to Rashi ibid., Manoach went after his wife's advice. We can, therefore conclude that Manoch followed his wife both in the physical and spiritual sense. A possible reason why it is only acceptable for a man to follow a woman in the spiritual but not in the physical sense, is that on the exterior level it is important that the husband comes before the wife. He needs to feel important in this way in order for him to be ready to follow the internal advice of his wife, for on the innermost level, "The woman of valor is the crown of her husband" (Mishlei 12:4). Hatzlalponit, the mother of Shimson, is one of the seven barren women in the world corresponding to the seven days of creation. She corresponds to the sixth day of creation – the day Adam and Chava were created. (Sefer Kehilat Ya'acov 95). The Rama of Pano reveals that Tzelaponit was the reincarnation of Lamech's wife Tzila, which also means shadow. She had two shadows (as the word tzelal indicates) and was later reincarnated in Chana who sat in the shadow of Hashem. Both of these women, who gave birth to special men after being barren, rectified the original Tzila who drank a potion in order to prevent pregnancy, so her husband, Lamech, could enjoy basking in her undivided shadow. (Sefer Gilgulei Neshamot 30).The Rama of Pano, furthermore brings that Tzelalponit was the reincarnation of the wife of On ben Pelet, whom she saved (hitzila) from the wicked congregation of Korach. The first part of the name "Tzelal" (צלל) shares the same root as the word for saving (צלה). Since she saved On ben Pelet, in her reincarnation as Tzelaponit, she merited to see the angel first. (Ibid. 90). The last reincarnation of Tzelalponit and Manoach was during the time of the Talmud. Abba Chelkiah, the grandson of Choni HaMa'agal (who was famous for causing the rain to fall) was Manoach the ignorant man who went after his wife. The Talmud recounts, that people would come to Abba Chilkiya to ask him to pray for rain. He went after his wife and placed himself between the sages and his wife, because he didn't trust the sages not to look at his wife. Moreover, the clouds of rain came up first from where his wife was standing rather than from where he was standing. The reason is that the wife has more merit since she is in the house and she gives bread to the poor. In this way, she benefits them more than her husband who just gives them money. Another reason why the rain would fall for the wife of Rabbi Chilkiya is that their neighborhood was full of ruffians. Abba Chilkia prayed (מצלי) that they would die; whereas, his wife prayed that they would repent, and so it happened (Babylonian Talmud, Ta'anit 23b). The Rama of Pano adds that Abba Chilkiya went after his wife to show that what he did in the reincarnation of Manoach was well intended and for the good, for his wife was very pious. Just as the rainclouds came to her first, so did the angel come to her first in her previous reincarnation of Manoach's wife – the Tzelalponit (Gilgulei Neshamot 1). beautiful insights.. thank you for enlightening us more on the Torah and righteous Jews!

Pattern Energy Group Inc (NASDAQ:PEGI) has experienced a decrease in activity from the world's largest hedge funds of late. PEGI was in 15 hedge funds' portfolios at the end of September. There were 17 hedge funds in our database with PEGI positions at the end of the previous quarter. The level and the change in hedge fund popularity aren't the only variables you need to analyze to decipher hedge funds' perspectives. A stock may witness a boost in popularity but it may still be less popular than similarly priced stocks. That's why at the end of this article we will examine companies such as International Bancshares Corp (NASDAQ:IBOC), Bitauto Hldg Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:BITA), and RBC Bearings Incorporated (NASDAQ:ROLL) to gather more data points. Heading into the fourth quarter of 2016, a total of 15 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey held long positions in this stock, a 12% decrease from the previous quarter. On the other hand, there were a total of 12 hedge funds with a bullish position in PEGI at the beginning of this year. So, let's review which hedge funds were among the top holders of the stock and which hedge funds were making big moves. According to Insider Monkey's hedge fund database, Phill Gross and Robert Atchinson's Adage Capital Management has the largest position in Pattern Energy Group Inc (NASDAQ:PEGI), worth close to $47.2 million. On Adage Capital Management's heels is Ecofin Ltd, led by Bernard Lambilliotte, holding a $38 million position; 9.8% of its 13F portfolio is allocated to the company. Some other professional money managers with similar optimism comprise Israel Englander's Millennium Management, Dmitry Balyasny's Balyasny Asset Management and Philip Hempleman's Ardsley Partners. We should note that none of these hedge funds are among our list of the 100 best performing hedge funds which is based on the performance of their 13F long positions in non-microcap stocks. Is Cryolife Inc (CRY) A Good Stock To Buy? Hedge Funds Are Selling Concordia International Corp (CXRX) Is Cohu, Inc. (COHU) A Good Stock To Buy Right Now? Is 2U Inc (TWOU) A Good Stock To Buy? Is Tobira Therapeutics Inc (TBRA) A Good Stock To Buy? Is Bottomline Technologies (EPAY) A Good Stock To Buy?

Church Page www.murrayledger.com 1001 Whitnell Avenue Email: [email protected] [email protected] Racers visit Louisville for Lenny Lyles Invite Grizz, Morant lose again to Golden State Racer men return home to face Mo State after Tuesday loss at SIU Kentucky All 'A' State Boys Basketball Tournament; Evangel's size, turnovers doom Tigers Mark McLemore, whose last day as executive director of the Murray-Calloway County Senior Center was Friday, shares a laugh with a table of patrons during his farewell party. HAWKINS TEAGUE / Ledger & Times Interim Senior Center Executive Director Dacia Barger, center, explains how senior employee Kim Odom, right, is dressed in black to mourn the departure of former executive director Mark McLemore, left, as Odom brings him a gift. McLemore leaves senior center after 8 years at helm By HAWKINS TEAGUE • [email protected] MURRAY – After eight years as executive director, Mark McLemore is leaving the Murray-Calloway County Senior Citizens Center. Prior to his employment at the senior center, McLemore worked for Wesley Living, a group of retirement communities. He previously worked for the organization in multiple positions, including regional manager, and he was recently hired to manage Wesley's Jackson, Tennessee facility, of which he said he was very familiar from his earlier job. McLemore's last day at the senior center was Friday, and the center held a celebration in his honor after senior patrons had gathered for lunch. Dacia Barger, who is serving as the senior center's interim executive director until the board officially chooses a permanent replacement, talked about some of McLemore's memorable quirks, such as always saying the center staff is "making the magic happen" and finishing singing "Santa Baby" if he hears anyone hum it. Continuing that enthusiastic temperament, he was also often heard to exclaim, "Isn't it neat?" When training someone on how to handle one of his duties, he would always say he was teaching them the task "in case I get hit by a bus," and Barger said McLemore is also known as a "whistler." "When I first started here, on my first day, he said, 'The way I see it is, I whistle, you hear me coming. If you're still doing the wrong thing when I enter the room, then you deserve what you're going to get because you heard me coming,'" Barger said. Barger, who has worked at the senior center for five years, reflected on all the changes McLemore had overseen there, including some recent facility improvements. "Mark has been with us for eight years, and we've been super blessed," Barger said. "He has brought the senior center to another level. I had my first meeting with the directors of several other senior centers in the area; it is amazing how healthy and vibrant and energetic and wonderful this senior center is. A lot of that has to do with his vision and his dream of taking it to the next level. Our fitness room is crazy, crazy, awesome (with) state-of-the-art equipment, and it's going to last us for many years." Even after McLemore had made the decision to retire, he never stopped trying to get the senior center every resource it needs, Barger said. "Let me tell you all, we went to (a recent) director's meeting, we sat at a table with all of our regulatory (administrators), all the people who are in the chairs that give us money and advocate for us in Frankfort," she said. "Mark, to his last breath walking out of that office, was advocating for us so big. He's done that for eight years, and it has showed because he's made a lot of good things happen." "First and foremost, thank you all for giving me the opportunity to be part of your lives the last eight years," McLemore said to the gathered crowd. "I was very blessed eight years ago to walk through the doors to an organization that … was already pretty strong. (Former director) Eric Kelleher, I thought in my mind could never be replaced, and that was a hesitation I had for even wanting to come into the building and start doing things. But he said, 'You'll do fine,' and what I was able to do because of a collection of folks – the board of directors at the time and now continuing on the support they've given – but most importantly, the staff." McLemore said that although he will be working daily in Jackson, he will continue residing in Murray since Wesley Living is providing him with a place to stay during the week so he can come home on the weekends. McLemore said he grew up in Akron, Ohio, but his family is from this area, and he attended Murray State in the 1970s. He met his wife, Linda, while they were students there and eventually married in 1978. He said he spent almost 25 years managing various Kentucky state parks before taking his first job with Wesley Living. "I retired from the state park system about 15 years ago and relocated back here to Murray with Linda and initially I had talked with (the late) Bjarne Hanson, the former transit director, (telling him) 'All I want to do is to be a part-time bus driver,'" McLemore said. "I just wanted a little part-time retirement job, but in the 90 days it was going to take for me to go to work for them – because I was drawing state retirement and that's the same that they paid into – that's when an opportunity for me to go work for Wesley Living came up. I started as a part-time manager there and very quickly got more involved with that organization and was not just the manager in Murray, but was a regional manager for (locations in Kentucky and western Tennessee)." McLemore said he is proud of the facility improvements and expansion of programs he has been able to implement during his time at the senior center, including an indoor pickleball court, a pool table room and a new fitness equipment room that he said rivals that of any gym. He said the center now has 12,000 square feet available for senior programs. Between Meals on Wheels and the building, the senior center serves more than 500 people every day, which he said is more than any other senior center in Kentucky. "We've got something every senior in this community could benefit from, whether it's enjoying your lunch, exercising or participating in social events," McLemore said. "I just encourage anybody to come and visit." One of the staff members, Kim Odom, was dressed in black to mourn McLemore's departure and said he hired and trained her a year-and-a-half ago to drive the city route for Meals on Wheels. "He's just a remarkable man," Odom said. "He is just hands-on and he's not afraid to get his hands dirty. He's a very positive, energetic man and we are definitely going to miss him." Mark Mclemore Wesley Living Kim Odom Would you like to receive our weekly news? Signup today! Obituaries Jan. 24, 2023 Medical marijuana in Kentucky: What patients should now CCSO requests help finding suspect Online obituaries Jan. 20, 2023 Murray man charged for meth, suspended license To view our latest e-Edition, click the image on the left. Letters to Santa 2022 To view our latest Special Section, click the image on the left. murrayledger.com 1001 Whitnell Ave. Email: [email protected] © Copyright 2023 Murray Ledger & Times, 1001 Whitnell Ave. Murray, KY | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

The Time Since Liberty Friends Rise! Ballot Inclusiveness PCR Program Home-State Senate candidate Steven Zilberg featured in St Cloud Times State Senate candidate Steven Zilberg featured in St Cloud Times Steven Zilberg, a student, world traveler, and liberty advocate, was featured in the St Cloud Times. He is the Libertarian candidate for State Senate District 14. Supporters can follow his campaign via his Facebook page. The original article can be found here. A different kind of candidate Kirsti Marohn, [email protected] 10 a.m. CDT September 5, 2016 Steven Zilberg Ask Steven Zilberg a question about his political beliefs or the key issues in his campaign for the state Legislature, and don't expect to get a simple answer. He might quote Nelson Mandela or Malcolm X, or talk about his belief in the right of everyone to carry a weapon. He'll mention his teaching and travels to two dozen countries in five years, including far-flung places like Yemen and Indonesia. The conversation might drift from the war on drugs to the Black Lives Matter movement to fighting AIDS in Africa. Zilberg is running as a Libertarian Party candidate in Senate District 14, against Republican candidate Jerry Relph and DFLer Dan Wolgamott. In many ways, he is emblematic of young voters' disillusionment with the traditional political parties that often don't represent their views in a system that offers few alternatives. "I'm just someone who's very cynical when it comes to two parties and just like, give people choices," he said. "Let people believe what they want to believe. Why does it have to be so restrictive?" Zilberg knows his candidacy is a long shot. But while he'd like to win, he's not focused on achieving a certain percentage of the vote. It's more about helping to shape the debate and ask questions no one else is asking. "It's more or less the ideas, and the fact that if more people talk about issues that are important – I mean, whether I lose or win, OK, fine," Zilberg said. Zilberg grew up on Lake Street in Minneapolis. By age 9, he was an orphan after both of his parents died of drug overdoses. He still has photos of his parents and memories – mostly bad ones, like seeing mirrors with lines of cocaine around the house. "Growing up with that – it's very impactful," he said. "You don't walk around the same when you're 25, and you don't have the same thinking on issues that other people do." Zilberg spent a year in foster care, then was adopted by a Jewish father and Catholic mother when he was 10 or 11. He attended college as an undergraduate at St. Cloud State University, studying linguistics. Then the travel bug hit. Zilberg studied in South Africa during his freshman year in 2010, where his roommate from Somalia gave him a Quran. He converted to Islam, taking the Muslim name of Khalid. "I like the difference of opinion," Zilberg said. "There's tons of differences of opinion, and there's not a right one and a wrong one." In the next few years, he would travel to 25 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. He met his future wife in Indonesia, where she remains awaiting a visa. The travels weren't always smooth. As a Muslim with a passport stamped in numerous war-torn countries, he's frequently stopped at airport security checkpoints and was once detained by Toronto authorities for a week. Zilberg is now a graduate student at St. Cloud State, pursing a master's degree in social responsibility. He decided to run as a Libertarian candidate because of his dislike of both political parties. It's hard to cubbyhole Zilberg into traditional positions. He likes former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul and shares the libertarian view that all taxes are theft. But many of Zilberg's social views are liberal. His parents' deaths have shaped his views on drug policy. He believes marijuana should be legalized and thinks too many people are in prison for drug offenses. "They need rehab. They need healing," he said. "They don't need to go behind bars." Although he's white, Zilberg frequently talks about racial disparities and wants to see more accountability for police shootings of civilians. He believes officers should be required to be trained in non-lethal methods. "We have to make sure the police officers understand that's first, before taking out their gun," he said. "The gun is there for the worst-case scenario, not just for you to pull it out because you're trigger happy." But Zilberg also believes in civilians' right to carry a weapon, believing it deters crime. So far, Zilberg's campaign has relied on his involvement on campus and social media. He hopes voters will be more open this year to choosing a third-party candidate, such as presidential contenders Gary Johnson from the Libertarian Party or Jill Stein from the Green Party. "I just wish that more people would run that way, because then it would make people easier to vote based on are they actually good candidates," Zilberg said. "Rather than, 'Oh, he's a Democrat. I'll just vote Democrat, because I have for the last 40 years.' " Follow Kirsti Marohn on Twitter, Facebook, or contact her by phone at 320-255-8746. Concerned about the expansion of government control and the erosion of individual liberty? Please consider joining and becoming active with the Libertarian Party of Minnesota. Libertarians support liberty on all issues, all the time! Libertarianism is a philosophical and political movement to promote personal freedom, strong civil liberties, a genuinely free marketplace, and peace. Want to comment? Join this conversation on our Facebook thread. LPMN 2016-09-08T23:07:40+00:00 September 8th, 2016|Comments Off on State Senate candidate Steven Zilberg featured in St Cloud Times FacebookTwitterLinkedinRedditTumblrGoogle+PinterestVk What The Future May Look Like For Homeschooled Graduates by Jennifer Oswald Minnesota elections: Why we must open the gate to minor parties Our state's current restrictions on groups like Libertarians are, well, un-American. These three reforms will help level the playing field. By Chris Holbrook HOMESCHOOLING PERSEVERES DESPITE PRESSURE FROM THE LEFT Roger Parras (L) re-appointed in St. Peter Sen. Scott Jensen/Closing Argument-Ballot Access & Recreational Cannabis Legalization 2.11.19 Donate | Join | Contact © Copyright | Libertarian Party of Minnesota | All Rights Reserved | Minneapolis Website Design by Nativ3 PAID FOR BY THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF MINNESOTA. © 2018, LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF MINNESOTA 1710 Douglas Drive N, Ste 225U Golden Valley, Minnesota 55422 P: (612) 440-1776 | E: [email protected] NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE'S COMMITTEE.

Students are excited about making new friends as the school year is starting (or any time of year, really), but some of them will need help. By practicing what to do and say when meeting new people, students can become more comfortable in these situations and more likely to find someone who shares common interests. How does it feel to approach someone you don't know to ask them a question? What are some ways you can do that politely? Is this different if there is more than one person there? It's understandable to be anxious about talking to new people, and this game will help students practice so they can be more confident. In the main activity, students will have to find a classmate who fits the description in each box on the page, and have that classmate sign his or her name in the box. Students should use the strategies covered in the pre-discussion to confidently and politely approach classmates for their signatures. Approaching others in a polite, confident way is practicing good social initiation, and is part of knowing when and how to work or play with others. This skill is an important part of making and keeping friends. Hang the social initiation poster in your classroom after this lesson for students' future reference. This Buddy Binder activity has students fill out a survey about their interests, like "My favorite things to talk about" and "If I could get anything as a gift, I would want…" (Younger students can also draw pictures in the boxes instead of writing!) After your kids fill them out, use transparent plastic sleeves to organize the pages in a binder so they're easy to flip through.

The true experience of the largest concentration of elephants in Africa was shared by guests and guides alike. In early August, we successfully identified a BROWN hyena den at Lagoon camp - much to everyone's excitement! Our guests were treated to a sighting of a lifetime when a pack of 22 wild dogs attacked a lioness and her cub. Nick Leuenberger, shares the sad news of the passing of one of Mombo's resident and beloved leopard Pula. It is always unpredictable and fascinating and when you add the adventure of viewing game from horseback.

Now the husband and wife team continues to work together, taking the time to slow down and help others. The business enables them to live their lives with flexibility, spending more time with family and one another. The strengthening of their bond depends on a connection with others; building trust and helping others find a way to meet whatever goals they may have. In nutrition, a business line representing nearly half of their sales, safety and trust are key issues. "In Asian countries," Dr. Calvert explained, 'Made in the USA' carries cachet because of the safety and traceability of the U.S. food system." Clearly offshoring food bar production would be the wrong choice. "Similarly, consumers want beauty products from the U.S., France, Japan, or Korea, not from developing nations." In a column published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper in August 1997,[77] reporter Molly Ivins wrote that Amway had "its own caucus in Congress...Five Republican House members are also Amway distributors: Reps. Sue Myrick of North Carolina, Jon Christensen of Nebraska, Dick Chrysler of Michigan, Richard Pombo of California, and John Ensign of Nevada. Their informal caucus meets several times a year with Amway bigwigs to discuss policy matters affecting the company, including China's trade status."[78] "The time is ripe for cultivating entrepreneurs, as evidenced by this year's AGER results" said Jim Ayres, Managing Director, Amway North America. "Over the past five years, we have seen how age, education levels and gender influence attitudes towards entrepreneurship. Through this research, we realized the importance of understanding what motivates individuals to start their own businesses. This year's AGER reveals a growing number of Americans continue to express a desire to start their own business. This desire is shared among the many independent business owners we work with year-round." @JonBrandusa @luv sweets Are you really hassling? Drop ship to house of products they already buy and are not being paid from? Small business owner vs. Consumer, hands down no contest, tax deductions make money off of products vs. just buying them and going back to your job again for more money? Being broke sure is fun! Apple knows more than all of us, reflecting on others your own insecurities is sad. Yes the challenge is issued and open. When it came to designing the architecture required for its IoT platform, Amway used AWS Professional Services to help it create a continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline to automate delivery of platform software updates. The pipeline picks up source code changes from a repository, builds and packages the application, and then pushes the new update through a series of stages, running integration tests to ensure all features are intact and backward-compatible in each stage. All user reviews posted on Best Company are subject to screening and approval. We reserve the right to approve or deny any review posted to this site in accordance with our Review Guidelines. Best Company never suppresses user reviews—unless they are being investigated for authenticity, or if they violate our review guidelines. We encourage anyone who suspects a user review to be fraudulent or intentionally inaccurate to please notify us here. Though they aren't quite as large or wealthy as the DeVoses, the Prince family—even further west, in Holland, Michigan—shares one big trait in common with their in-laws: the idea that patriotism and politics are inseparable from Christianity. Elsa Prince Broekhuizen, Betsy's mother, donated $75,000 to the successful 2004 ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage in Michigan; four years later, she gave $450,000 to an identical initiative in California. Betsy's brother, Erik Prince, founded Blackwater, the military contractor that gained notoriety in 2007, when its employees fired into a crowd of Iraqi civilians, killing 17. (In 2009, two former Blackwater employees alleged in federal court that Prince "views himself as a Christian crusader.") It is rare to see poverty mentioned in Amway's literature. When it is, it's usually in the context of an Amway distributor having escaped it. Success is equated with wealth. With wealth is promised an enhanced way of life, one crafted of your own dreams – and Amway gives you The Plan to achieve that life. To let your attention stray from The Plan is to invite doubt and negative thinking, which can only result in failure. 'As successful distributors tell people they are recruiting, the pursuit of excellence can be achieved only when they discipline themselves to tune in the positive dialogues and tune out the negative ones,' says Cross. Poverty makes us feel bad. Feeling bad is negative. Negativity causes failure. It makes poverty feel contagious. So don't think about it. "What I love about Amway the most is the natural ingredients used in their products. They keep my family healthier and make everything look fresher and cleaner. I appreciate the confidence I have with their customer service that was careful to my concerns and problems. They managed to make things right quickly. It is easy to make an order in a convenient way. They have products for all people of any ages, no matter what you are looking for. I would definitely recommend this company and their products to anyone." These five distributors now appoint five distributors each. So we now have 25 distributors at the second level. Each of these distributors now in turn appoints five distributors. So we now have 125 distributors at the third level. If the chain continues, at the 12th level we will have around 24.45 crore distributors. This is equal to around 20% of India's population. The total number of distributors will be around 30.51 crore. Like many people who are still with Amway I too cannot say anything bad against it. But I think people who come in and drop out are expecting an easy ride or a job and do what they are told. But with the mentor ship and the team fellowship the only thing that holds you back is your mindset With a positive mindset and skill set that is offered to you all you have to do is be patient persistent and persevere. It works if you work it The embarrassing jerk was my parents' upline, Vincent, who had Emerald status. I don't remember this man. My dad says, 'He was a creepy guy, just an incredibly creepy guy. I don't know how else to describe him . . . You actually felt, after being around the guy, that you needed to take a shower. Nobody wanted to be around him. He was a jerk, he was a liar. Just a despicable person.' Amway China launched in 1995. In 1998, after abuses of illegal pyramid schemes led to riots, the Chinese government enacted a ban on all direct selling companies, including Amway.[29] After the negotiations, some companies like Amway, Avon, and Mary Kay continued to operate through a network of retail stores promoted by an independent sales force.[30] China introduced new direct selling laws in December 2005, and in December 2006 Amway was one of the first companies to receive a license to resume direct sales. However, the law forbids teachers, doctors, and civil servants from becoming direct sales agents for the company and, unlike in the United States, salespeople in China are ineligible to receive commissions from sales made by the distributors they recruit. Building network marketing teams that last is incredibly difficult in North America (specifically USA). This may sound a bit harsh, but I have not seen Amway break a single Diamond in the USA in 2 decades (it was brought to my attention recently that there was 1, but I have not verified this). The reason teams are difficult to keep together, even with the promoting of events, is because building a business entirely offline is not attractive to most people in this country. And as much as leaders may complain that the internet has ruined this industry in some circles, it doesn't change the fact that the marketplace is an entity all of its own; it's not up to us to determine what's best for the marketplace, it's our duty to find out how they want to be marketed to and then meet that desire. Building solely offline gets tiring and the vast majority of people simply don't want to burn the rubber off the tires any more. Now don't get me wrong, building a local team can be extremely powerful (I do it in fact), but if you are not leveraging the power of the internet then your method of marketing may not be attractive to most prospects. Additionally there are a lot of companies that have embraced the internet, and since most people go to the web for information it is easy for Amway reps to get discouraged and explore other options when they find out a business can be built online. Again, don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with the local offline approach, but it's best when combined with the internet. I was invited by a gentlemen from eastern Suffolk area, NY and had told him I was busy in other things. What I didn't realize was how I had went to see this same presentation in someone's house about 20 years prior to 2015. So it was May 2015 and people want to return to the American dream and here comes these floating characters straight out of a horror video game. So they smiled their way and have their game plans down to a science. There's no way I'm going to sit through a presentation that makes me feel I am chained down in my seat 24/7. In 2013, eSpring was one of the Reader's Digest Trusted Brands Award winners in the water purifiers category in Malaysia.[62] In 2015, Amway was recognized for the sixth consecutive year by Frost & Sullivan as Asia Pacific Water Filtration company of the year.[55] According to an Amway commissioned study of global sales conducted by marketing research firm Verify Markets, eSpring was the world's largest selling brand of kitchen water treatment systems and home water treatment systems in 2014.[63] At the heart of Amway is the love of 'free enterprise' – an equal-opportunity system in which determination alone is the path to achievement. If you have a dream, Amway says, and you try hard enough to achieve that dream and let nothing stand in your way, then success is guaranteed. That is the promise of what Rich DeVos calls 'Compassionate Capitalism' – helping people help themselves. @cookie1972 I agree this business shows your relationship, you either build it together or your relationship parishes, not because its bad but because one or the other is unwilling to grow, it also has you learn about relationships an example is reading the book about the 5 love langues to IMPROVE your relationship. You only fail the business if you quit, weird how its like the gym, if you go you succeed if you don't you fail, challenge is open. When HIV first came out, President Reagan formed a commission and I was honored to be on that commission. I listened to 300 witnesses tell us that it was everybody else's fault but their own. Nothing to do with their conduct, just that the government didn't fix this disease. At the end of that I put in the document – it was the conclusion document from the commission – that actions have consequences and you are responsible for yours. AIDS is a disease people gain because of their actions. It wasn't like cancer. We all made the exceptions for how you got it, by accident, that was all solved a long time ago. As global leaders in phytonutrient research, skincare, water and air purification advancement, nearly 1,000 Amway scientists, engineers and technicians collaborate to create new products that support IBOs and the needs of their customers. The company's global research projects influence not only Amway's product development, but also contribute to the larger R&D community. Now, however, the DeVoses were on their own, pushing Prop 1 with minimal support from the state's Republican establishment. Among the broader public, the opposition was fierce and widespread. "That was one of the best campaigns I was ever on," says Julie Matuzak, who was, at the time, the American Federation of Teachers' top political hand in the state. In July 2007, a lawsuit was filed by IBS (Internet Business Solutions), owned by Quixtar Emeralds Henry and Sue Skaggs, naming Bill and Peggy Britt, Paul and Leslie Miller, Rocky Covington, Kevin and Beth Bell, and Britt World Wide, all of whom are Emeralds and above in Quixtar, as defendants. The suit alleges that the Skaggs, having developed a software system to allow for direct order fulfillment of tools to their downline, received approval from Britt to continue the development of the software program for eventual rollout to all of BWW (a tool system within Quixtar). During this time, the Skaggs state that they carried the burden of the development costs. According to the lawsuit, Bill Britt stated in 2005 that the program would not be rolled out across BWW. The Skaggs then claim they were de-edified by their upline. The suit alleges breach of contract, racketeering, and intentional interference with economic relations.[citation needed] In response, the defendants claimed that no contract was entered into and challenge the lawsuit on various other legal grounds.[citation needed] I would rather attend training that are proven success from people that I know are reputable. I have attended a meeting with a "mentor" and then the first house meeting. Not for me. I can build big business elsewhere not through this pyramid. First of all I have no problem buy the products from my own store, but they do tell you to get a whole new group of like minded people, which gurus do, that are not on your same agenda. Amway has been around for 50+ years which has resulted in deep market penetration in most of North America. During this time frame it acquired a negative reputation that lasted the better part of 2 decades. This resulted in the need to re-brand Amway as Quixtar (during the 90s). The baby boomer generation is very aware of this and many will be quick to discourage their younger family members from doing Amway. If you are thinking of joining Amway and think this may be inaccurate, simply ask someone in your family in their 50s, 60s, or 70s whether or not they think you will make money with Amway, and why. There are ways around this when approaching the cold market, but it typically involves meeting with the same individual a multitude of times, playing verbal jujitsu, and not exposing the Amway name until the fifth or sixth approach. I personally know an Amway distributor (and good friend) that makes ~50k per year so it is absolutely possible, but he works his butt off driving all over the state and he constantly deals with high attrition. Before the meeting, I had worried that my hand-held tape recorder would stand out. As it happened, everyone was recording Scott: I kept track of time by the sounds of cassettes being flipped. I was on Side B of a ninety minute tape before Scott dropped the word "Amway," and I was on another cassette entirely before I captured the heart of the "best business opportunity in the world": the Amway Sales & Marketing Plan. This was not, however, a topic to be discussed without considerable preparatory spadework. To understand the DeVos family, it helps to understand West Michigan. A sweeping landscape of flat, rolling farmland freckled with small towns, it sits on the opposite side of the state—in more than one way—from the big, diverse, reliably Democratic Detroit metropolitan area. Broadly speaking, it's a region where people are deeply religious, politically conservative, entrepreneurial and unfailingly polite—think Utah, if it were settled not by Mormons but by Dutch Calvinists. "There's an old expression here," chuckles Gleaves Whitney, director of the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids. "'If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much.'" Methodology: Source Euromonitor International Limited. Claim verification based on Euromonitor research and methodology for Amway Corporation conducted from May through June 2018. Euromonitor determined the highest possible total historical sales of the leading global and/or regional Amway competitors and eliminated those whose total sales are less than double that of Amway's own stated historical total bonuses paid out to distributors historically. Of the remaining companies, Euromonitor eliminated companies whose average share of bonuses and cash incentives paid out totals were less than 70% of Amway's stated historical total of bonuses. No companies remained after this stage. To the extent permissible, Euromonitor does not accept or assume responsibility to any third party in respect of this claim. Amway business owners span the globe, from the Americas to Europe, India and Africa to Greater China and the Asia-Pacific region. The company's low-cost, low-risk business model sets IBOs up to reach their goals. It quickly and efficiently addresses the needs that may vary according to geography and culture. Details large and small, from navigating local selling regulations to product sizes and brand preferences, are coordinated in conjunction with local governments, business owners and consumers. The houses in Carlton Estates were a magnitude above those in our old neighborhood, where all of the concrete homes followed more or less the same design. These sat on larger lots and had deeper lawns, and each was entirely unique. There were second and third stories, and sloping, multilevel roofs. There were bamboo thickets obscuring homes from the street. Stone and wood exteriors. Stained glass windows. No sidewalks. No streetlights. To achieve success through Amway, we must not only work hard but also have faith. We know that we should have faith in ourselves – Amway tells us this all the time. And we must have faith in our convictions – for instance, in the efficacy of free enterprise. The theologian, author, and 'longtime friend of Amway and believer in its work ethic' Dr. Robert Schuller takes this one step further. In his writing he actually provides a list of six 'existing strengths' in which Amway distributors should have faith, both individually and collectively: yourself, family, community, free enterprise, America, and faith itself. Amway is a good company and has helped a lot of people worldwide already which should be because they existed since 1959(?). There's just one thing I did not like and that was when some top distributors introduced their own training seminars and made it a part of Amway. Then some uplines made it compulsory to attend these meetings which are not free but on one hand you'll get trained. Some distributors just gets hyper-excited acting queer instead of thinking business-like. It's up to you how you'll behave. Their products are mostly good. Surely, you'll not earn if you don't work it out. Of course, prospecting is part of it just like any other business. Then the business presentation, then closing the deal or have the prospect sign up. It doesn't end there. You have to guide your distributors until they can made it on their own. Just like any distribution business, you have to check how your dealers are performing. Have a business mindset and hardworking attitude and you cannot avoid earning. Es importante desempeñarse en lo que uno ama pues esto te ayuda a hacer el máximo esfuerzo por cumplir con todas y cada una de las tareas a ti encomendadas,debo decir que aunque el salario no corresponde en algunos casos a el trabajo que he deseempeñada si he dado mi 100%,por satisfacer a quien me emplea y sobre todo a quienes siervo,estaría feliz de formar parte de un equipo unido de trabajo,con misiones claras. I love their laundry soap, but hate the fees you have to pay. You either have to become a distributor for the company, which is quite expensive, or pay a much higher retail price. There is no loyal customer program or incentive to continue ordering. They also always seem to be high pressure sales people who continuously pester you until you join. There were quite a few products that we liked, such as some of the protein bars and energy drinks. Then they decided to make some changes to those items that we no longer cared for. Despite the mediocrity of Amway products, one can't help but be impressed by their sheer number and variety. Other multilevels offer one or two miracle products, such as nutritional supplements like bluegreen algae or "minerals in colloidal suspension," etc., about which wild claims can be made with impunity. Such products defy conventional sales methods, usually because they require some sort of conversion experience on the part of the customer or elaborate person-to-person instruction. Amway, with its Liquid Organic Cleaner, began this way. But today Amway insists that all products are better sold through multileveling: couches, VCRs, cookies, socks, toilet paper, you name it. The Amway goal is not to push one wildly fraudulent product, but to offer a just barely convincing imitation of consuming life, allowing Amwayers to exhaustively shift all of their consumption to dues-paying mode.[10] Next, talking with other IBOs or Amway representatives may make it seem like a great opportunity to earn a lot of money, to make your own schedule, to build your own business, and more. However, the reality is that any type of direct sales opportunity takes a huge amount of time and money in order to become successful, not to mention a natural ability to sell. And frankly, MLM companies like Amway are often very misleading in how simple they make their business opportunities appear, because the reality is nothing could be further from the truth (see the following section for additional details). As a testament to this, be sure to watch Dateline NBC's year-long undercover investigation of Amway right below. Amway: The True Story of the Company That Transformed the Lives of Millions reads like an extended advertisement. Its author, Wilbur Cross, became acquainted with Amway cofounders Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel when they commissioned him to write the first 'official' history of the Amway Corporation, Commitment to Excellence, published in 1986. In Amway, Cross repeatedly references the work of Shad Helmstetter, PhD, a 'motivational expert' specializing in 'programming' yourself to change negative self-talk into positive self-talk. Negativity is expressly verboten in the world of Amway, as it breeds doubt – distributors are advised to get rid of any negative people in their downline as soon as possible if they can't train them to be positive. My husband and I tried Amway, and here's the story: My husband's BEST friend and his wife started asking us to hang out a lot, which was cool because we enjoyed their company. I thought she was my best friend at the time, stupidly enough. It didn't take long for them to tell us about this "amazing" opportunity. We thought we would give it a try since we sincerely trusted our friends. We would go to their house for a "meeting" in their basement with a bunch of strangers and two guys in suits. The guys would talk about how nice it is to work from home, make tons of money and generally just talk about nothing to do with the actual business. After every meeting I would think, okay but what is the business all about!?!?!? So eventually they set us up as "business owners" and we purchased a ton of crap from Amway totaling over $1,000 because, "that is what you do." Eventually, we decided that we would not continue with the business. There was nothing wrong with it, but we knew it wasn't for us. We didn't want to approach complete strangers in coffee shops and present them with an "opportunity"; we didn't want to stay home on the weekends to attend meetings instead of spending them at the lake; we didn't want to choose Amway partners over friends and family like you are taught (yes, there is a "tier"); we didn't want to spend thousands of dollars on products and guilt-trip our friends and family if they didn't want to buy our products (yes, this was also taught). All in all there was nothing very wrong with it, it's not a scam, but it's definitely NOT for everyone. I am writing this not to bash anyone but to give anyone an insight if they are wanting to be part of Amway. Oh, and as for the "friends"... they now completely ignore us. And I mean, I'll see them in public and they'll turn away from me when I wave; they will talk to anyone BUT us. And this was my husband's long-time highschool friend; they were even in eachother's WEDDINGS. So to be quite frank I will talk everyone out of doing Amway and it's their fault. If that is how they will treat others for simply not continuing with the business then I will tell NO ONE to join. To opponents, right to work ran counter to every story Michigan told itself about who it was, a repudiation of generations of hard-won gains. In metro Detroit, labor's historic triumphs are retold like folklore by men with thick, calloused hands, lest future generations forget the Battle of the Overpass or the Flint Sit-Down Strike. Right-to-work, labor feared, would undo much of that. Thanks for the information on these company. I have been scam by a company Named Creative Stream or AKA Private Community Creative Enterprises, or AKA CEP Community. They promise to give you money if you recruit people into the company. Get 6 to 8 people get 6 figure salary. They claim an investor was placing the money in a money market account that increase our income. The conference calls had over a thousand people on the line waiting for their return of investment. They even came to the state I live in and did a meeting to confirm they were legit. People took picture of them and with them. I join in September of 2012. The money they took was over $700,000 to $800,000 maybe more. that amount I'm aware of. There were policemen and other people with degrees that got scammed. BE Aware of this company. You can contact me if you have any additional questions. In 2002, the first election of GLEP's existence, its PAC had more money than the Michigan Education Association, United Auto Workers, or any Democratic-affiliated PAC in the state. And if they lacked the influence and statewide presence of those groups, it was only a matter of time. "They take a very long-term view," says Matuzak. "If you pick up a few new Republican legislators every two years, and throw a fair amount of money at legislators who are already there, you can create coalitions of folks who can tackle what seem to be impossibly large issues." To get the full Amway experience, I started buying my groceries through The Business. I found that, despite Amway's growth, its "cutting-edge" distribution system preserved all the pitfalls of a small buying club run out of somebody's apartment. My local supermarket, ironically, actually did start as a buying club run out of someone's apartment in the 1930s; as it grew, however, it accreted all the efficiencies of the retail system. Now it's open fourteen hours a day, seven days a week, with professional managers, stockers, and checkers; a visit there is quick and hassle-free. To make my "pick-up" at Josh and Jean's apartment, on the other hand, required an hour-long el ride and arrangements with a friend to haul the stuff back home, all scheduled only during those brief windows of opportunity when Josh and Jean could be there to meet me. For those talking about Amway (alias Quixtar) not being scam or fraud should actually gather some knowledge before talking about it, does not matter if from inside or outside of the "business" as you like to call it. If you wish, please just type in Amway lawsuit, Quixtar lawsuit just in Google if you do not want to bother searching too much. Oh, bot companies have been sewed several times for what exactly? Hmhm, how strange, fraud, pyramide scheme, violating laws, and we could go on. One of their biggest payouts was around 150 million dollars. So stop lying to people and yourselves. These are not beliefs, these are facts. Rather study business, read a book, improve your skills, make your own business or be a part of a business that actually is not just about a few overfed money preachers stuffing themselves with your time. Think, learn, read. Great people; love their company and the Grand Rapids area; devoted to Amway's founding values of self-determination, opportunity, etc. Great place if you want to stay and grow with the same company for many years; everyone is open to the idea that you'll switch roles and teams more than once for the sake of personal growth and satisfaction. Great place to feel like you are cared about by the company. The company offered plenty of learning experience but is all about what you put in, to get out. Good for friends to get involved with and also families to work on the side of other full-time positions. Otherwise, it can become overbearing if you are not an "on your feet" thinker and planner. A very competitive environment with teams all over the US. This Lady is terribly misinformed… As a Amway IBO we give you plenty of chance to say no and ways out of this. People will always bad mouth things that they don't understand you know why because its easier tosay something negative than to take the time out of your day to find out what your really talking about and here is just some food for thought. I started this business a few years back and just listened and did what they asked me too. Because of it i was Able to bring my wife home. Successful people will away do what unsuccessful people aren't willing to do. The Club Level at the Amway Center -- between the Terrace and the Promenade -- splits into several types of premium seating. There are suites, including the Founders Suite which can accommodate 16 and the larger Presidents Suite, each providing a plush and roomy space from which to enjoy the game. Loge seats are among the most popular though, combining great additions like all-inclusive food and drink with a close-to-the-action feel. Aubrey, the facts that you stated basically just tells us you failed and because you couldn't figure it out it is a scam grow up and realize life is not easy.... Mag, Playing professional sports works and makes people lots of money but not every does it, Why? because not everyone have the ability to do things others can do. Same bodes for the MLM business, most people don't have enough patients to Reap what they sow. Basically I use to be in Amway, I left because I needed to focus on getting my life together, I admit I was failing at the business and wasn't making money but the people around me including my Downline (Aubry) were very successful and was making more than I was. I left to get my life situated this is only a scam to those who are ignorant enough to think there is only one way to do things. The Amwayers who had brought me to Dream Night were flying high on the drive home, whooping occasionally just to vent their exhilaration. I felt as though I had just sat through a year's worth of infomercials, with some high school pep rallies and a few Tony Robbins lectures thrown in. But to see all this as an exercise in mass hypnosis, according to Amway's literature, would be to "misunderstand" what is, simply, "the best business opportunity in the world"—an assessment, strangely enough, with which the rest of world is starting to agree. When it comes down to it, Amway has been in business for more than half a century, and they pay according to their compensation plan. As such, despite their negative general reputation, they do not fit the traditional definition of a scam. However, if you're thinking about becoming an Amway Independent Business Owner, there are several things you should keep in mind. [2]Nowadays, nearly all Amwayers identify with a "distributor group." Dream Night, in fact, was arranged not by Amway, but by World Wide Dreambuilders LLC, which is constituted by the downlines of Crown Ambassador Bill Britt. These groups, which do the heavy lifting of building and inspiring downlines, have no legal connection to Amway (as indicated by the disclaimers on the back of tickets for Dream Night and every other World Wide function I attended: "This event is produced and offered independently of Amway Corporation and has not been reviewed or endorsed by Amway"). The corporation uses the legal independence of distributor groups to its advantage. In a class-action lawsuit brought by former Amwayers charging Amway Corporation, World Wide head Bill Britt, and Dexter Yager with fraud and price-fixing, Amway claimed that it was itself, in effect, a victim of Britt and Yager's tactics—and thus not liable. (The case has since been settled out of court.) I did pick-ups for several depressing weeks. Apart from Sherri, I never saw any sign of another customer. It was like one of those dusty, deathly-still mom-and-pops frequented only by regulars who come mainly to chat—and I was oppressed with a similar sense that the proprietors needed my money more than I needed their merchandise. It was actually a relief when, one week, Josh and Jean left town without warning me. Disguising the upward flow of fees within a downward flow of commissions definitely has its advantages. One of the decisive factors in the 1979 FTC decision exonerating Amway from allegations of pyramiding was that most of its revenues came from product sales, not from enrollment fees. The assumption is that those sales are based on rational consumer choices—made on the basis of price and quality—and that the money paid into the bonus system is not an extraneous surcharge, but merely the portion other corporations would pour into their marketing budgets. Amway claims, in fact, that it's able to save even its small time distributors money by avoiding things like pricey mass advertising. These savings are the source of the alleged wholesale 30 percent Basic Discount that every distributor is supposed to enjoy even before the bonuses kick in. Amway's time in business has not been without controversy. The multi-level company is not new to dealing with lawsuits. One lawsuit in the last ten years resulted in Amway paying $56 million to settle a case alleging it operates a pyramid scheme. Amway agreed to the deal to close a 2007 class-action suit. Here are some of the accusations Amway has received in its more than 50 years of business: 'No,' says Dale. 'I've only been playing seriously for six or seven years, and I don't have much time, working in hospitality. But I love playing at Bayou Club. You join a private club hoping that during season when every other golf course is swamped – I mean, we own a public course nearby, and they're running on six-minute tee times. They're herded through there like cattle. It's tough during season, and it's not enjoyable golf. Because if you're playing golf, especially if you're kind of a quick player, when you run into someone else and then you have to stop and you have to wait for those people to play ahead of you, to get out of the way, it interrupts your rhythm playing the game.'

The Movie Review Blog Tag Archives: huma qureshi Ek Thi Daayan Once there lived a witch and she promised to return… Ek Thi Daayan; Pic Source: Wikipedia "So sweet, I could just eat you up…" how many times have you heard people, especially women say this to cute little kids? It's meant as a compliment to the kid and nobody cares how sinister it sounds, not even the parents. But when Konkona Sen Sharma says this to a little girl in Ek Thi Daayan, you know she means it. It's a normal scene and she looks like a regular woman but this time you are scared, just like the kids who are talking to her. That's where Kannan Iyer's debut film as a director wins; the sequences that stay close to reality are scary and tense. Once the film starts explaining things, it starts going downwards. A brilliant first half makes Ek Thi Daayan a must watch, even for people like me who don't enjoy horror as a genre. But post interval, the film starts losing the tension that was built and the climax is a major let-down. The film revolves around a famous magician named Bobo (Emraan Hashmi) who has a disturbing past… a past that has a mysterious woman who, as he claims, was a Daayan (witch). His girl-friend, Tamara (Huma Qureshi) loves him a lot but is not comfortable with him being secretive. And then there is a young NRI woman, Lisa Dutt (Kalki Koechlin), who shares her name with a woman convicted of murdering children in the 60s. Based on Mukul Sharma's short story and adapted for screen by Sharma himself and Vishal Bhardwaj, the screenplay is as interesting as it gets till there is time for the conclusion. Ek Thi Daayan is one of the better horror films made in India. The last good one I remember is Ram Gopal Verma's Bhoot; the others churned out by the Bhatt camp and the likes are laughable at best. The film's strength lies in the actors' performances, especially Konkona who makes evil so deliciously menacing and normal at the same time. She has always been a fine actor who makes it easier for us to relate to the characters she portrays. In this film also, she uses the same quality to make the Daayan so scary by looking and behaving normally. Huma Qureshi is very confident on-screen and it's good to see her playing a modern character after her small town girl roles in Gangs of Wasseypur and Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana. Kalki brings in the right level of mystery and Emraan strikes the balance between a loving boyfriend and a troubled soul. While Kannan Iyer has done justice to the script, somethings appear funny and take away from the seriousness of the film. For instance, it's difficult to take a brooding hero seriously if he's called Bobo; then there are scenes where Hashmi loses his cool and goes after women's braids – there is a perfectly good explanation for the behavior but it still appears funny. The climax appears straight out of co-producer, Ekta Kapoor's old TV show, Mano Ya Na Mano. Discount that and you have a near perfect horror film. Vishal Bhardwaj's music with Gulzar's lyrics elevates the film further and creates the right mood at the right moment. Rekha Bhardwaj's "Lautungi Main…" and "Yaaram…" by Sunidhi Chauhan and Clinton Cerejo are the best songs from the album. Ek Thi Daayan is a good attempt and is definitely worth a watch. It could have been a brilliant film if the makers took a different approach towards the end; something that could have been more disturbing and open-ended than the current overly simplified end. Still watch it for a riveting first half and a brilliant performance by Konkona Sen Sharma. PS: If you are scared of lizards, be prepared for an uncomfortable ride. By Shrey Khetarpal • Posted in Hindi Movie Reviews • Tagged Bollywood, Daayan, Drama, Ekta Kapoor, Emraan Hashmi, Gulzar, Horror, huma qureshi, Kalki Koechlin, Kannan Iyer, Konkona Sen Sharma, Lizard in Ek Thi Daayan, Lizards, Mukul Sharma's short story, Rekha Bhardwaj, Vishal Bhardwaj, Witch, Witchcraft, Yaaram Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana The case of the missing 'masala' Pic Source: Wikipedia Bollywood has made a habit of churning out irresistibly fun trailers for films that are ordinary at best. The funniest parts of the films are incorporated in the two-and-a-half minute preview and the rest of the 118-minutes dull minutes are served after you shell out a hefty sum for the ticket. That's the problem with director, Sameer Sharma's first film, Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana (LSTCK). It is not a bad film but does not live up to what one expected after watching the trailer. LSTCK has a very interesting premise with a man looking for his grand-father's secret recipe for the famous dish of Chicken Khurana (Hollywood can think about making Ocean's Fourteen where Clooney and friends go about stealing the secret recipe of KFC's fried chicken or Coke's formula). With this interesting premise and a few interestingly written characters, the film is watchable and enjoyable in parts. But it lacks the chutzpah of a fun film with Punjabis as main characters like Vicky Donor, Khosla Ka Ghosla or Oye Lucky Lucky Oye. Kunal Kapoor plays Omi, a Punjabi guy in London who returns to his village in Punjab to get some money from his family to pay off his debts – a family that he abandoned ten years ago. However, he finds that the source of his family's fortune – the famous dhaba (highway restaurant), Chicken Khurana, named after his Daarji (grandfather) and his popular chicken dish – is now shut. Daarji (Vinod Nagpal) now suffers from Alzheimer's disease and no one else has the secret recipe for the dish. He also meets his cousin Jeet (Rahul Bagga) who has a secret of his own; his childhood sweetheart, Harman (Huma Qureshi) who is now engaged to Jeet; his maternal uncle, Titu Mama (Rajesh Sharma) and a great-aunt, Buaji (Dolly Ahluwalia) who is a self-proclaimed spiritual guru. Writers (Sharma and Sumit Batheja) have developed some good characters but been unable to give them enough witty lines and situations. There is a scene where the whole family expresses concern over Omi not having a change of underwear; then there are a few with Titu Mama that leave you laughing out loud. But that's about it; the emotional scenes do not do much for you and Omi and Harman's romance also does not have that spark. The revelation of Chicken Khurana's recipe is an interesting twist though. Casting (Mukesh Chhabra) for the film is perfect except for one major role which is Omi's. I like Kunal Kapoor a lot and his sincerity and charm worked well in Rang De Basanti. However, he seems a misfit in the role of a rascal in this film. Rajesh Sharma as Titu Mama is the highlight of the film and Huma Qureshi has an amazing screen presence. Music by Amit Trivedi is largely based on Punjabi folk and goes well with the film but nothing memorable. Overall, LSTCK is an average entertainer but I wonder if you'd choose this one over Mr. Bond's next adventure that hits the theatres on the same day. By Shrey Khetarpal • Posted in Hindi Movie Reviews • Tagged Amit Trivedi, Bollywood, Comedy, Dolly Ahluwalia, Films about Food, huma qureshi, Kunal Kapoor, Rahul Bagga, Rajesh Sharma, Sameer Sharma, Vinod Nagpal Gangs of Wasseypur 2 A to Z of Wasseypur Anurag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur 2 lives up to the huge expectations set by its prequel; the director once again delivers an entertainer that is full of masala but unlike any other revenge dramas dished out by Bollywood. The film picks up the story of Wasseypur and its goons from where the first film left it. Sardar Khan is killed by those he wanted dead in the first place; Ramadhir Singh continues to gain prominence in politics and the Qureshis are left divided between the Khans and the Singhs. Gangs of Wasseypur 2 (GoW 2) follows the story of Faizal Khan as he picks up and lives his father's unfulfilled purpose – revenge. Here's A to Z of Gangs of Wasseypur 2 (minor spoilers ahead): A – Anurag Kashyap: Writer, producer, director – Kashyap is truly changing the game for Hindi cinema. His keen eye for detail, amazing story-telling ability, penchant for style of a different kind and quirky sense of humour makes him one of the best filmmakers of this generation. GoW 2 is gory, funny and ironic… all credit to the director for giving us a pair of fine and memorable films this year. B – Badla: Faizal Khan is not like is father, he is a different man. He likes movies, he likes to live in his own world… but he is given no choice but to follow the destructive path treaded by his father. Revenge (badla) – an emotion that sets the tone of GoW 2 from the first scene itself and consumes each and every character in the film. C – Ch**iya: The preferred expletive amongst the inhabitants of Wasseypur along with some others. I chose this one specifically as the two main characters; Ramadhir Singh and Faizal Khan use it quite often and with style. D – Dialogue: Excellent screenplay, peppered with some brilliant dialogue make GoW 2 also quite enjoyable like its prequel. Though there is less fire in the lines as compared to the first film; full credit to Zeishan Quadri, Akhilesh, Sachin Ladia and Anurag Kashyap for infusing humour in a film where there are more gun shots than dialogues. E – English: These gangsters' fascination with the English language is simply adorable. There is a whole sequence dedicated to understanding the meaning of the word, 'Definite', which incidentally is a character's name in the film. Then there is this irritatingly sweet song that Mohsina sings for Faizal – 'Set Rightva Karo Ji'. F – Film Festivals: Both GoW films have become the darlings of national and international film festivals – from their premiere at Cannes to Toronto International Film Festival to Sydney to Osian's Cinefan Film Festival in Delhi; the films have got the film snobs hooked along with the general audience. G – Guns: From the desi kattas to rifles to AK 47s, there are guns and guns on display and use in the film. People shoot more and talk less in GoW 2. Guns are not the only patakhas in the film, there are apples too… watch to figure out. H – Huma Qureshi: Delhi girl, Huma Qureshi plays Faizal's love interest and trophy wife in the film. She is sexy and she knows it… unlike his father, Faizal is a loyal husband and Mohsina stands by him always. He likes to flaunt her with her Ray-Ban sunglasses, carefully styled hair that gives her an unkempt look and bright outfits. She doesn't have a lengthy role but has great screen presence and is extremely likeable. I – Ishtyle: From razor-blade loving young gangsters to the gadget loving mafia dons who flaunt their pagers; Kashyap's Wasseypur world is carefully designed with small details that show style, reflecting the period and the people's aspirations. Then there is the gore, Tarantino style – the severed head, the spray of blood and the screw driver in the eye. Faint-hearted be warned. J – Jail: It is like a comfortable guest-house for the characters in GoW. They walk in and walk out as per convenience and usually use the prison for safety. K – Keh Ke Loonga: The first film's attitude stays throughout the sequel as well. Faizal Khan may not want what his father left him but he is not afraid of anything or anyone. L – Ledar: From the whole soundtrack, 'Dil Chhi Chha Ledar' song stands out for me. Not only because it is catchy but it is used with the most amazing chase sequence I have ever seen in Indian cinema. M – Manoj Bajpayee: While his character, Sardar Khan dies at the end of the first film, one cannot forget him in this saga. N – Nawazuddin Siddiqui: He had a tough job laid out for him. Manoj Bajpayee was brilliant in the first film but Nawazuddin as Faizal Khan not only met but exceeded expectations. Faizal thinks he is Amitabh Bachchan but the discovery of him being Shashi Kapoor in real life jolts him – the actor brings this alive brilliantly. Honest film award juries will have a tough time choosing the best actor between Bajpayee and Siddiqui next year. O – For all the moments in the film that make you go – 'Oh God!' P – Perpendicular: What a wonderful character and what a wonderful name! Perpendicular is a star – a fourteen-year-old nuisance that plagues Wasseypur and loves a razor blade in his mouth. Aditya Kumar as Perpendicular is fantastic. And where there is Perpendicular, there is Tangent also. Confused? Mathematics nahi padhe ho kya? Q – Qureshi: There is only one evil Qureshi left in this film, Sultan (Pankaj Tripathi) who is also less menacing than the last film. But he makes up for the entire clan with one heinous act. R – Richa Chaddha: Where has an actress of this caliber been hiding till now? If Richa Chaddha was good as Nagma Khatun in the first film, she is better in this one. From the fiery wife of Sardar Khan to a vengeful mother, she ages well on-screen. She is fabulous in a scene where she gets emotional while singing a happy wedding song. S – Sneha Khanwalkar: Her music takes the film to another level. Apart from 'Dil Chhi Chha Ledar', I loved 'Kaala Re' that she also gave vocals for; and 'Taar Bijli', which is folksy and captures the mood well in its two versions. T – Tigmanshu Dhulia: He has played the most memorable villain in Bollywood in a long-long time. Ramadhir Singh will be remembered like Shakaal and Mogambo. Dhulia plays the character with élan and makes him believable. U – Unexpected: The first film trained us to expect us the unexpected but GoW 2 does not cease to surprise. Bollywood music at a funeral; characters acting against what is expected and a lot more unexpected fun is packed in the film. V – Vineet Kumar: While Nawazuddin Siddiqui gets all the attention; this man as Faizal's elder brother, Danish Khan shines in the first half an hour of the film. He is the one who makes Faizal Amitabh Bachchan feel like Shashi Kapoor. This actor certainly deserves more good roles. W – Womaniya – Reemma Sen: Hell has no wrath like a woman scorned. X – Xtra: Just like the first film, GoW 2 is extra long and could have done with some editing. Y – Yashpal Sharma: Cameo of the year. Period. Z – Zeishan Quadri: He has not only the man behind the story of the film but also plays one of the most important characters – Definite. A Salman Khan fan, Definite is an enigmatic gangster, who proves most dangerous to both his allies and enemies. By Shrey Khetarpal • Posted in Hindi Movie Reviews • Tagged Anurag Kashyap, Bollywood, Comedy, crime, definite, Drama, huma qureshi, Manoj Bajpayee, nawazuddin siddiqui, perpendicular, reemma sen, richa chaddha, Sneha Khanwalkar, tangent, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Yashpal Sharma, zeishan quadri Shrey's Tweets RT @Netflix_PH: Just when I thought 2020 couldn't get any better, this happens. Studio Ghibli films arrive on Netflix on February 1. ✨ http… Published 1 day ago @glossier hi my order no is GLO425866902267 I shopped yesterday at Melrose, and I now discover I was given 5 balms… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… Published 2 days ago If you enjoyed @MarriageStory, read this twitter.com/Variety/status… Published 3 weeks ago @PhippsSinead Merry Christmas ❤️ Published 3 weeks ago RT @chrissgardner: I've never seen this before - @netflix newsstand for its Queue magazine, set up right now on Santa Monica Promenade ...… Published 1 month ago RT @seewhatsnext: #Special has been renewed for Season 2! https://t.co/d8fmzdzSDt Published 1 month ago Cinemaaaa (12) English Movie Reviews (25) Hindi Movie Reviews (71) World Movies (3) Beyond Movies Aao Award Award Khelein Band Baaja Baaraat Barfi! Best of Bollywood in 2012 BollyBad 2011 Bollywood Wishlist Bollywood's Animal Heroes Celebrating the duds – 2010 Delhi Belly Dum Maaro Dum Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu Ferrari Ki Sawaari Gangs of Wasseypur Good Night Good Morning Ishaqzaade Jab Tak Hai Jaan Kambakkht Ishq Kaminey Karthik Calling Karthik Khichdi – The Movie Ladies vs Ricky Bahl My Week With Marilyn Nautanki Saala Nolan made me a Batman fan Ra.One Raajneeti Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year Rom Com Gone 2010 Romance On Screen Rowdy Rathore Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Shaitan Small Films Big Impact Stanley, Kalam, Books and a Lunchbox Tanu Weds Manu Teen Kanya – Satyajit Ray The Dirty Picture The Genius of Vishal Bhardwaj Vicky Donor Wake Up Sid Well Done Abba What's Your Raashee? Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

Bloc party: Here are the buddies of UN climate talks Cliques are the name of the game as countries seek power in numbers to drive shared interests. Here's a rundown of the negotiating blocs in Paris Bolivia president Evo Morales and Peru's environment minister Manuel Pulgar-Vidal joke in Lima in 2014 in front of UN chief Ban Ki-moon, though the counties belong to separate negotiating blocs (Flickr/ UNclimatechange) By Alex Pashley The United Nations' climate change body or UNFCCC is a real alphabet soup. Heard of AILAC? How about AOSIS? G77, perhaps? These are some of the groupings set to spar over a new global warming pact in Paris from next week. Some link up due to their geographical ties, like the African Group or European Union. Report: Meet the envoys with a UN climate change deal in their hands Others of a similar development status pack together. Take the Umbrella Group. It is made up of wealthy non-EU countries like Canada, Russia and Australia. Then there are some surprising partnerships. The Environmental Integrity Group gives Mexico and Liechtenstein a rare chance to hang out. So who are the groups and what do they want in Paris? 1. Formed in 1964, the G77, catch-all bloc for 'developing' countries has swelled from an original 77 to 134 members. If you were deemed 'developing' by the UN in 1992, you're in. That means Somalia and super-rich Qatar join ranks, though it is hardly a united front. The G77 continues to put the onus on wealthy countries doing more to cut greenhouse gas emissions. South Africa have the chair this year and led a revolt at a preparatory meet in October with claims a draft text was biased towards rich countries. Expect fireworks. 2. The Umbrella Group is a loose bunch of non-EU developed countries which formed following the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. With large economies, these are wary of liability for future claims for compensation. Though they have mostly contributed cash for poor nations to adapt to a warming planet. Members include Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Kazakhstan, Norway, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the United States. Just don't mention Crimea. Negotiating chamber in Bonn, the HQ of the UNFCCC (Pic: UNFCCC/Flickr) 3. A string of 43 low-lying island nations in the Caribbean, Indian and Pacific ocean, the Alliance of Small Island States will be the first to bear the brunt of rising sea-levels and extreme storms. The Maldives will lead their calls to cap warming to 1.5C this century in Paris. A mechanism to make big polluters compensate loss and damage from climate change is another sticking point. Members Kirabati and Tuvalu are the first in line to be submerged. 4. The Environmental Integrity Group formed in 2000 after some of its members outgrew the G77 and comprises Liechtenstein, Mexico, Monaco, South Korea and Switzerland. Spanning three continents and three time zones, as well as the firewall between developed and emerging economies, the tiny group punches above its weight. 5. The European Union's 28 members negotiate with one voice. Croatia was the last to join in 2008. The No 1 provider of climate finance wants a binding agreement, a mechanism to review country pledges every five years and a long-term carbon-cutting goal. In the run-up to Paris, it's taking on the US with demands for a legally binding deal. 6. The Least Developed Countries are world's 48 poorest countries. They lack economic clout and have minimal emissions, but hold moral authority as some of the most vulnerable. Chad, Burkina Faso and Zambia are some of the members in line for harsher droughts and more erratic rainfall. Angola leads the group. The African Group herds the continent's 50-plus countries and shares many of the LDCs' objectives. (Flickr/ UN Climate Change) 7. The Independent Alliance of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC in its Spanish initials) formed in 2012, similarly disgruntled with the binary divide between rich and poor nations. Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Peru, Guatemala and Panama make up the team. They are involved in the Cartagena Dialogue, which seeks to bridge the north-south divide which has long blocked progress on climate action. All AILAC members have made carbon-cutting pledges so far except Panama. 8. ALBA or the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America is made up of Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Cuba. These countries are one of the more radical groupings, demanding developed countries pay their 'climate debt' with deep emissions cuts. Bolivia refused to sign an agreement in 2010. Venezuela and Nicaragua are among 20 countries yet to submit pledges. 9. The Central America Integration System (SICA) is one of the lesser-known blocs including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic. Funds for adaptation to climate change is key here with fears of tropical cyclones and sea-level rise looming large. 10. The Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs) are another splinter group of the G77. Representing China, India, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Iran among its 20 or so members these countries are the bruisers of the negotiations. In 2014, they threatened to veto a deal. Negotiators discuss plans for a global climate agreement in 2015 in the infamous 'huddle' of COP17 (Pic: IISD Reporting Services) 11. The Coalition of Rainforest Nations does what it says on the tin. Some 40 countries including DR Congo, Indonesia and Fiji are fighting for an agreement that favours their carbon-sucking forests. The bloc has helped drive progress on the forest protection scheme REDD+, arguing for better safeguards and the means to implement such programmes. 12. Another grouping that keeps a low profile is the Central Asia and the Caucuses, Albania and Moldova (CACAM). For extra points remember the Mountainous Landlocked Developing Countries, made up of Armenia, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. 13. Countries in the Arab World negotiate chiefly through the G77, though the Arab Group is another forum. While Persian Gulf countries which form the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE, share office space and resources at UN talks. Most are large oil and gas-exporters with limited will to tackle climate change. 14. Finally there's BASIC which brings together the major emerging economies: Brazil, China, India and South Africa. It's another outlet for China and India to express their demands for carbon-intensive development, and Brazil's main space to negotiate. Small island states secure climate talks funding Meet the unlikely climate allies bridging divides in UN talks Climate vulnerable coalition eyes deeper links African campaigners call for US to be kicked out of climate talks Read more on: COP21 | UN climate talks COP21

Life Storage As of January 15, 2021 LSI $4.44 3.7% 7.0% 0.0% Self Storage REIT 3.6% 2 3.2% Quarter 1995 Life Storage hikes dividend by 3.7% Monday 4 January 2021 LSI logo © Life Storage, Inc. Life Storage Inc. (LSI) will raise its quarterly dividend by 3.7 percent to $1.11 per share in 2021. This comes after a dividend hike of 7.0 percent to $1.07 per share announced in 2020 by the company formerly known as Sovran Self Storage. This is the second dividend increase announced by the real estate company since 2017. Life Storage also announced a three-for-two stock split of the Company's common stock, which will be made in the form of a 50% stock dividend. In a press release dated January 4, 2021 Life Storage announces the dividend hike and stock split: Shareholders of record at the close of business on January 15, 2021 will receive one additional share of Life Storage common stock for every two shares owned. These additional shares will be distributed on January 27, 2021. Cash will be distributed in lieu of fractional shares based on the closing price on the record date. The Company has approximately 49.5 million shares outstanding and, after the split, the Company will have approximately 74.3 million shares outstanding. Life Storage's common stock will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis on January 28, 2021. On a pre-split basis, the quarterly cash dividend equates to $1.11 per common share or $4.44 annualized. The increase is effective with the quarterly dividend to be paid on January 27, 2021 to shareholders of record on January 15, 2021. The dividend, based on today's opening share price, equates to an annual yield of 3.7%. The dividend will be paid on pre-split shares. The new annual dividend rate of $4.44 per share yields 3.9% at a stock price of $114.65. Life Storage pays an estimated $216 million in dividends to shareholders annually. "As we deliver strong operating results and cash flows, we will continue to reward our shareholders. We are confident in the company and its growth prospects," commented Joe Saffire, Chief Executive Officer of Life Storage, Inc. in the company's press release. Life Storage, Inc., formerly Sovran Self Storage, Inc., is a self-administered and self-managed real estate company. The company acquires, owns and manages self-storage properties in the United States and Canada. The company serves both residential and commercial storage customers with storage units rented by month. Life Storage (formerly Sovran Self Storage) has been in the self storage business since 1984; the company went public in 1995. Life Storage Real Estate REITs Mid-Cap Life Storage 4 Jan Life Storage hikes dividend by 3.7% 12 Jan Gladstone Land hikes dividend by 0.1%

Brownie awarded to the reimagined Auto BLDG in Toronto's Lower Junction "This site required a unique series of collaborations to invigorate Toronto's Junction Triangle," said Alfredo Romano, president of values-based developer Castlepoint Numa Inc. "These collaborations have brought a renewed and palpable energy to the Auto BLDG and the surrounding community for which it serves as an anchor." The restoration of the Auto BLDG from conception to completion took five years with a development team that included amongst others, primary consultant architectsAlliance, heritage architect ERA Architects, environmental engineering firm WSP Global and Castlepoint Numa's lender Equitable Bank. "It was a privilege working with Castlepoint Numa to revitalize this local landmark, and add new cultural and employment uses to a site that had been dormant for a decade," said Adam Feldmann, founding member of Toronto's architectsAlliance, when receiving the Brownie, Nov. 23, 2021, at a gala dinner in downtown Toronto. "The rebirth of Auto BLDG has laid the groundwork for a transformation of the Lower Junction, with more housing, employment and public spaces in its future." Marlin Spring Investments, Hines Interests Ltd. and Castlepoint Numa continue to invest in the community. Hines is well underway to complete two new office buildings with their innovative T3 timber technology. Marlin Spring and Castlepoint Numa will each break ground with residential buildings next year. Toronto's Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), the lead tenant occupying three of ten floors, shares the building with a select group of eclectic companies that includes ad agency Junction59, Zeidler Partnership Architects, Pride Toronto and arts group The Toronto Biennial. The Akin Collective maintains studio space for 20 working artists. FuseFX, an award-winning visual effects company based in Los Angeles, is relocating its Toronto studio to Auto BLDG. In conferring the Rebuild Brownie on Castlepoint's Auto BLDG and the consulting team led by architectsAlliance, the Canadian Brownfields Network (CBN) noted that Auto BLDG "serves as a model for other architects and developers for preserving employment land and significant heritage assets." It specifically commended the team for revitalizing Auto BLDG in a manner that is "complementary and sympathetic to the building's original use and character" and for taking pains to restore "significantly contaminated soil." "The Rebuild category is one of the most competitive and challenging because of the high number of nominations it typically receives, which was the case this year as well," said Chris De Sousa, chair of the CBN Brownie Committee and a professor at Ryerson University's School of Urban and Regional Planning. As part of its restoration of Auto BLDG, in 2020 Castlepoint Auto BLDG Inc. acquired and protected a 400-acre forest north of Toronto that offsets 8,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year. About Castlepoint Numa Inc. Castlepoint Numa is a leader in the property development industry across the Greater Toronto Area and select markets in the United States with 5.5 million sq. ft. of development currently in the pipeline. It is a values based real estate development company with expertise in heritage preservation and adaptive re-use, brownfield reclamation and the regeneration of large urban development sites. The Castlepoint Group was founded in 1988. For further information, castlepointnuma.com About Canadian Brownfields Network (CBN) The CBN is a not-for-profit national network for brownfield practitioners and stakeholders. The Canadian Brownfield Awards (Brownies) honour excellence in the rehabilitation of brownfield sites that were once contaminated, under-utilized and undeveloped into productive residential and commercial projects that contribute to the growth of healthy communities across Canada. Winners are selected in seven categories including program initiatives, technological innovation and public engagement. For more information, canadianbrownfieldsnetwork.ca SOURCE Castlepoint Numa Inc. For further information: Jasmine Frolick, [email protected], (647) 616-2810, castlepointnuma.com; Tammy Lomas-Jylha, executive director, [email protected], Phone: (647) 873-5873, canadianbrownfieldsnetwork.ca Previous articleCannabis Movers & Shakers: Leafly, Origin Therapeutics, ECGI Holdings, 22nd Century Group Next articleWith U.S. Borders Reopening, Domestic Buyers Should Get Ahead of the Competition From Overseas Investors

Jeff Bezos passes Warren Buffett to become third richest person in the world by Chris Isidore @CNNTech July 22, 2016: 8:06 AM ET 5 stunning stats on Amazon Move over Warren Buffett. Jeff Bezos is richer than you. The Amazon founder is worth $65.1 billion as of Thursday, according to Bloomberg's Billionaire Index, which puts him just slightly ahead of Buffett's $65 billion. Bezos moved into third place on the global index, behind Bill Gates and Amancio Ortega, the majority owner of Zara's parent company Inditex. Bezos backed into his new spot on the list, after his net worth fell $136 million thanks mostly to a 0.2% decline in Amazon (AMZN) shares Thursday. But Buffett's net worth slipped $754 million, according to the index, thanks to a 1.2% slide in shares of Berkshire Hathaway (BRKB). Related: Everyday is Prime Day for Jeff Bezos Forbes still has Bezos slightly behind Buffett in its real-time billionaire's ranking, $64.8 billion to $64.6 billion. When Forbes started this year's ranking, Bezos was much farther back in the pack: No. 5 on the list at $45.2 billion. Amazon shares are up 10% so far this year. They reached a record high earlier this month. CNNMoney (New York) First published July 22, 2016: 8:06 AM ET

COLIN R GEORGE Writer of wrongs. Mid90s Review Posted on October 26, 2018 by Colin R. George under Uncategorized You're so cute. You're like at that age before guys become dicks," muses a perceptive partygoer to protagonist Stevie (Sunny Suljic) AKA "Sunburn," a thirteen-year-old barnacle on the LA skate scene circa—you guessed it—the mid 1990s. Marking the directorial debut of actor Jonah Hill, Mid90s probes this adolescent inflection point. For Stevie, afternoons spent skating and shooting the shit dissolve into drunken evenings that end beneath a set of Ninja Turtles bedsheets in the suburban home he shares with his single mom (Katherine Waterston) and volatile older brother (Lucas Hedges). If not overtly autobiographical, the film feels deeply personal. Hill himself came up on LA's west side in the waning years of the twentieth century—and he fills each frame with authentic ephemera of the era, from Super Nintendo to Ren & Stimpy to Nirvana to Bill Clinton. Its nostalgia catnip for a certain generation, but the iconography masks an ugly undercurrent. Contrasting moments of comedy and comradery are dark hints of the tragic and the cruel. These influences snake their way insidiously into Stevie's life, further straining his relationship with his family and poisoning his once wide-eyed worldview. Mid90s is unflinching in its depiction of selfish and impulsive teenagers, and uninterested in tidy redemption. It can sometimes be difficult to root for the characters as they stumble from one bad decision to the next, but Hill is helped along by an incredible cast of up-and-comers who bring these flawed outcasts to life. Of particular note is Na-kel Smith as Ray, pro skater-hopeful and surrogate sibling to Stevie when he's not at home being pummeled by his actual older brother. Rounding out the crew is Olan Prenatt as "Fuckshit" (yes, really), Ryder McLaughlin as "Fourth Grade," and Gio Galicia as Ian. Together, they comprise a dysfunctional makeshift family whose relationships and collective behavior are equal parts endearing and alienating. Because Mid90s is Hill's first feature, it's easiest to analyze his approach to character in the context of his apparent influences. Harmony Korine's Kids comes to mind, though Hill is nowhere near as provocative or antagonistic a filmmaker. A better benchmark, maybe, is Marty Scorsese. In a seemingly throwaway scene midway through the movie, Stevie arrives home after bailing on family "Blockbuster Night." In his absence, his mom has rented Goodfellas—another film perhaps not-so-coincidentally featuring a cast of morally dubious characters. Yet the scene Stevie walks in on finds Joe Pesci's character, a Mafioso with a hair-trigger temper, sitting down to dinner with his mother. "I like this one," Pesci deadpans, blithely critiquing her art. "One dog goes one way, and the other dog goes the other way." It's a scene that not only establishes the distance between man and matriarch—it establishes the dichotomy at the core of his character; a murderer isn't a murderer at dinner with his mother. Likewise, Stevie and his friends aren't one-note ballers and brawlers. They're kids too. Another boon to Hill is the cinematography of Christopher Blauvelt (Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot; Meek's Cutoff; The Discoverers), who captures a sunbaked Californian summer with uncommon authenticity. Shot on 16mm film in a tight 4:3 aspect ratio, Mid90s feels scrappy and raw, lo-fi yet lived in. From the stucco of suburban homes to the freedom of sloping city streets, the aesthetic is uncompromising and all-encompassing. Mid90s is an accomplished if unambitious first effort for director Jonah Hill. The filmmaker shows real talent and true potential behind the lens, though it's hard not to shake the impression that this esoteric snapshot means more to the artist than it does to the audience. Perhaps it's a matter of setting expectations upfront. The title, aside from being egregiously generic, suggests an attempt to capture something universal about the era, yet the film reflects only a single perspective—Hill's. Everyone else is just along for the ride. The Happytime Murders Review Posted on August 24, 2018 by Colin R. George under Uncategorized Sex. Murder. Puppets." The Happytime Murders delivers on the promise of its poster—if precious little else. Judging from the outtakes reel, this one-note comedy must have been a blast to shoot; divorced from a barely-coherent plot, the prurient puppetry is an absurd and amusing achievement. But in the context of a bland noir narrative, its novelty is limited. After 90 minutes, you'll be more than ready to stuff a sock in it. Written by Todd Berger, the bawdy script has been wafting around Hollywood for a decade. Various talent has been attached over the years, spanning three generations of 'in' comic actresses: first Cameron Diaz, later Katherine Heigl, and finally Melissa McCarthy assumed the role of Detective Connie Edwards. She joins a decidedly comic cast—including Elizabeth Banks, Maya Rudolph, Leslie David Baker, and Joel McHale—which undermines the intended juxtaposition between cartoon characters and a grim, gritty world. The premise would have been better served by the supporting cast of The Sopranos. This is a world in which puppets walk among us as second-class citizens, forced to sing on street corners for quarters and support their addictions with more demeaning services still. Against this backdrop, the washed-up cast of hit sitcom "The Happytime Gang" are on the eve of a big syndication payday when, one by one, they start to succumb to dramatic and suspicious deaths. On the case are McCarthy's Edwards and puppet P.I., Phil Phillips (Bill Barretta). Intoning the character with shades of self-deprecation and world-weariness befitting a down-and-out ex-cop, Barretta—himself a 20-plus-year veteran performer and puppeteer with the Jim Henson Company—is one of the film's few genuine highlights. An earnest attempt at hard-boiled detective fiction set in this world has real comedic potential, but the humor in The Happytime Murders is too boring and boorish to elicit many laughs. The mystery too is broken, and becomes increasingly unglued as it expands—until its already elastic logic snaps entirely. This is a failing first and foremost of the screenplay, but also of director Brian Henson (The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island), who fails to generate agency or atmosphere to get the concept off the ground. I can't recommend The Happytime Murders, but I can suggest some alternatives. Comparisons to Robert Zemeckis' Who Framed Roger Rabbit? are inevitable—and unflattering; Rabbit plays smartly off noir convention and boasts a greater command of character and tone. Consider seeking out the early Peter Jackson effort Meet the Feebles if you've got the stomach for some truly transgressive puppet comedy. Feebles centers around a Muppets-esque troupe of variety show stars, but is infinitely darker, sleazier, and more memorable than the slickly produced film that arrives in theaters this weekend. Having spent years languishing in development hell, The Happytime Murders feels at once outdated and undercooked. Its outrageousness may occasionally prompt a sideways smile or light chuckle, but the humor demonstrates a distinctive lack of imagination. If there's a saving grace, it's the magic of the Jim Henson Company (here branded as Henson Alternative, or HA!). There's real, tangible talent on display from the countless creature designers and puppeteers whose work shines even when the storytelling doesn't. Here's hoping for a future production worthy of their talents, and our time. Isle of Dogs Review Posted on March 29, 2018 by Colin R. George under Uncategorized Animated or otherwise, Wes Anderson films bear an unmistakable paw print. The filmmaker's style is by now so recognizable that his lavishly manicured sets and deadpan dialogue can grate when he's not pushing the envelope narratively. Fortunately, Isle of Dogs—the oddball odyssey of a Japanese orphan to recover his lost pet from the Neo Tokyo-adjacent Trash Island—feels fresh and forward-thinking. The format affords Anderson a second opportunity to unleash his imagination in a playground of infinite possibility, and the director charges in with mischievous glee. Like Fantastic Mr. Fox, Isle of Dogs is quick to delight, though pushes further into territory some may find uncomfortable. Take it from gruff mutt "Chief" (Bryan Cranston) when he snarls the following two-word warning: "I bite." Maybe the most surprising element of Isle of Dogs is its pointed political perspective. Although production began shortly before the 2016 presidential election, the film vividly reflects the malaise of US politics today. It's hard not to see reflections of a certain real-world villain in authoritarian antagonist Mayor Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura), who campaigns on a platform of deporting all dogs. The outspoken high school students who rebel against Kobayashi's agenda likewise invite comparison to the Parkland survivors and supporters who marched on Washington last weekend. Anchored by American exchange student Tracy Walker (Greta Gerwig), this group must navigate a trail of deceit, corruption, and even murder that leads all the way to the major's office. If that sounds like a lot to unpack in a kid's cartoon, fear not. While Anderson indeed indulges the shadier side of this vibrant world, he counterbalances it with a surplus of heart. Isle of Dogs doesn't have a dishonest bone in its body (or mouth); it's an affable coming-of-age comedy about friendship and family among pets and the people who love them. The breezy tale whizzes by with inexhaustible enthusiasm and earnest curiosity, driven ever onward by the thunderous accompaniment of Japanese drums. The booming percussive score by Alexandre Desplat lends a natural sense of rhythm and gravitas to the impressively expressive animation. Isle of Dogs is an easy recommendation on the merits of its craftsmanship alone. Even (and perhaps especially) in the era of immaculate computer generated animation, stop motion still has staying power. The painstaking photographic process demands enormous dedication, and every ounce of effort is conveyed on screen. It's a testament to the incredible team of artists and animators working behind the scenes that Isle of Dogs feels so alive. Nearly every scene teems with ingenious visual design detail, and each concept is executed with the delicate precision of fine stagecraft—from strands of cotton that billow like steam off an uncorked beaker to a kaleidoscopic enclave constructed entirely from multicolored sake bottles. As previously evinced by Fantastic Mr. Fox, Anderson's sensibilities suit the medium perfectly. His is the eye of an obsessive compositionist, which in his live-action efforts can occasionally feel fussy or forced. But in a fantasy world of his own design, Anderson's all-consuming attention to detail becomes his greatest asset. Isle of Dogs, like its fantastic predecessor, is bursting with passion, personality, and purpose. Each frame exudes a mastery of the magic of the medium and the movie explodes with thousands of tiny miracles wrung from clay by a small army of enormously talented artists. Some things never go out of style, like chess, red wine, and—well—dogs. Wes Anderson's latest feels similarly timeless. It's a visual showcase with universal themes and appeal that will weather generations gracefully. Years from now, it seems destined to be discovered and cherished anew, like a best friend you never knew you had. Star Wars: The Last Jedi Review Posted on December 14, 2017 by Colin R. George under Uncategorized Rian Johnson milks it. His is a brawny, strapping Star Wars anchored by inherited strength, yet weird and wily enough to assert a sense of self identity. The primary challenge facing the filmmaker, whose small but impressive body of work includes Looper, Brick, and The Brothers Bloom, lies in establishing urgency and consequence in the middle chapter of a massive trilogy in a rapidly expanding movie universe—to that end, The Last Jedi is entertaining yet effervescent, and honestly? That's enough. Episode VIII picks up pretty much where J.J. Abrams' Force Awakens left off—with hopeful hero Rey (Daisy Ridley) having at last tracked down legendary Jedi Master Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), now a scruffy-looking recluse whose self-imposed exile has brought him to "the most unfindable place in the galaxy." Suffice it to say he does not welcome company. Meanwhile, the Empire—ahem—the First Order strikes back, blasting the ragtag rebel forces led by Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) ever nearer to the brink of defeat. Aiding them is stormtrooper-turned-sympathizer Finn (John Boyega) and cocksure pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac). Repping the dark side is hapless General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson), who squirms under the skeletal thumb of Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) and his brooding apprentice, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). It's standard Star Wars stuff, but the novelty of having the franchise back on the big screen holds steady, at least for now. Its serial-esque simplicity is a welcome juxtaposition to Marvel's convoluted and overcrowded cinematic universe, though The Last Jedi suffers its share of plotty preponderances too. At over two-and-a-half-hours, it's the heftiest chapter in series history, and runs at least one large-scale skirmish too long. Granted, these indulgences feel of a kind with the original trilogy, and The Last Jedi effortlessly replicates that same clumsy energy throughout. Unlike J.J., Johnson receives sole screenwriting credit for his installment, which loosely follows the thematic arc of Star Wars' 1980 sequel. The filmmaker faithfully ticks a number of familiar boxes, yet jukes expectation often enough to keep the film from crossing into been-there-done-that territory. He writes characters we know and love respectfully yet unexpectedly, allowing them to surprise us, to stumble, to grow. The few new faces are less nuanced and interesting, though admittedly they're playing against some of the most cherished characters in contemporary fiction. Still, everyone is given their moment to shine as the plot ping pongs from one side of the galaxy to another—and Johnson proves expert with a paddle. In more ways than one, Episode VIII resembles another big franchise that returned in 2017: Blade Runner. Both films were overcautiously advertised, and both excavate ancient mysteries that span generations. Without divulging the spoilerific specifics, perhaps the most interesting similarity between The Last Jedi and 2049 is the implicit suggestion that greatness is made, not inherited; that our destinies are what we make them. Both films depict conflicted characters grappling with this reality, trying to separate truth from legend. Johnson ascribes great power to the latter; his take on Star Wars is as much a space opera as it is a study of the power of storytelling to spur action, to instigate change, to bring hope. That we're left with a story unfinished is less a cliffhanger and more a call to arms. So where does the franchise go next? Disney has invested heavily in the stewards who have chaperoned the series this far; Abrams will return to direct Episode IX, while Johnson has been tapped to lead a new trilogy unbound from the Skywalker saga. The prospect of a Star Wars sustained ad infinitum suggests an uphill battle against creative ossification that Disney will one day have to reckon with. But for now, Johnson's Jedi is a refreshing swig of Grade A escapism that will help keep the series strong for years to come. Blade Runner 2049 Review Like the marginalized replicants thrust into its dreary, dystopian world, Blade Runner 2049 shoulders a burdensome, existential weight. The sequel to Ridley Scott's seminal cyberpunk masterpiece has a daunting legacy to uphold, and the laudable effort made to contribute to that legacy is worth mentioning upfront. Beyond that, the less you know about this film—and the more you know about the original—the better positioned you'll be to appreciate director Denis Villeneuve's formidable attempt at an impossible sequel. So, to borrow a phrase from the late Dr. Eldon Tyrell, indulge me. 1982 was arguably the greatest summer movie season ever and a benchmark year for science fiction. Six enduring classics dropped in a span of just seven weeks: The Road Warrior, The Wrath of Khan, E.T., Blade Runner, The Thing, and Tron. Though E.T. went on to become the highest grossing movie of the year, Blade Runner may yet be the most important. In the interim 35 years since its release, the film has ascended to a position of almost unrivaled influence in the pantheon of cinema's sci-fi greats. Its lurid neon lights and its rain-slicked, smog-choked streets have forever polluted our vision of the future. It wasn't a simple journey to the top. The film has been sliced and diced into no fewer than five distinct cuts; among them the US theatrical cut, marred by concessions to an anxious studio; a more violent international version; an unfinished workprint; the remedial director's cut; and the (perhaps) definitive final cut. The making of the film, its lukewarm reception, and its unmistakable effect on the direction of the genre is a story in itself; in fact, there's an exhaustive three-and-a-half-hour documentary on the subject, produced in 2007 as a supplement to one of the film's many home video releases. All of this is to say that a sequel is kind of a big deal. Set 30 years after the events of the original film, 2049 follows K (Ryan Gosling), a cop tasked with hunting down and dispatching non-compliant replicants. It's the same job Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) had until he dropped off the map three decades ago. How 2049 picks up the pieces is best left unsaid, suffice it to say screenwriters Hampton Fancher and Michael Green aim to preserve the integrity of the original Blade Runner while expanding upon its universe, its characters, and its mythology. Yet 2049's most important inheritance isn't in the script—it's the meditative mood and hallucinatory aesthetic Scott established in 1982. Villeneuve captures the surreal yet banal vision of a dystopic future with uncomfortable plausibility, bringing the streets of Los Angeles to vivid life with breathtaking images that ride the fine line between dream and nightmare. As in Blade Runner, the dull narrative throb will sometimes subside to explore inconsequential yet emotionally evocative sequences that serve the central questions of the piece better than any dialogue: what does it mean to be human, and how do we retain our humanity as life on Earth fundamentally changes? These respites give viewers permission to abandon the binary progression of the plot in favor of abstract introspection. Time seems to slow as Villeneuve ponders and prods, visually accentuating the loneliness of the characters who populate this ugly, artificial world. Genuine connections are few and far between, and in their absence, prejudice and resentment fester. Empathy isn't easy in an increasingly solitary existence, yet hope remains; those of us who are most isolated may also prove to be the most humane. Its deliberate, defiant pacing makes Blade Runner 2049 an anomaly in the modern movie sequelscape. It's a big-budget gamble for the studios involved, and is likely to divide audiences as much or more than Ridley Scott's obtuse, ambiguous original. Blade Runner, despite its obvious cultural impact and sterling reputation with the cineaste crowd, remains relatively little-seen and even less appreciated by the masses; modern audiences may not have patience for its successor's protracted two-hour-45-minute runtime and fans may be disappointed by impossibly high expectations. Neither group is wrong to be skeptical—this is not a mainstream movie, nor could any follow-up hope to immediately assume the classic status Blade Runner has slowly built for itself over five cuts and 35 years. Still, the concerted effort of Fancher, Green, Villeneuve, and cinematographer Roger Deakins elevate an unnecessary sequel into something worth seeing, worth discussing, and worth recommending to those with an open mind. Indulge at your own risk. Baby Driver Review Posted on June 30, 2017 by Colin R. George under Uncategorized Baby Driver, like the rest of director Edgar Wright's oeuvre, is a collision of conflicting influences. Wearing the chassis of a high-octane heist flick atop the proven comedic engine that propelled his earlier efforts, Wright's latest cruises through familiar territory—the kinetic camera captures a few searing action sequences and the quippy dialogue is delivered by an affectionately archetypical cast of characters—but it sputters when attempting to drive at anything deeper. In many ways, it's the director's most straightforward and earnest film, wholly separate from his "Cornetto Trilogy" of genre sendups (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World's End), and unshackled from the expectations that come with an established franchise and fan base (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and his aborted attempt at Ant-Man). As such, Baby Driver is difficult to contextualize within Wright's career; it's a mixed bag that showcases his strengths as a filmmaker and exposes his weaknesses as a screenwriter. Let's cut to the chase: Wright casts up-and-comer Ansel Elgort as Baby (that's B-A-B-Y, Baby), an aspiring, adolescent musician who derives his incredible skill behind the wheel from his naturally honed sense of rhythm. Music is more than a passion for the character—it's a coping mechanism. Baby carries with him at all times a collection of iPods to drown out the ceaseless ringing in his ears developed after a childhood car crash. Years later as a wayward youth, he lifts the wrong ride and finds himself deeply indebted to Doc (Kevin Spacey), a criminal kingpin who presses him into service as a getaway driver—and, naturally, takes a fat slice of his cut. Baby is on the cusp of repaying Doc in full when he falls for a diner waitress, Deborah (Lily James), who shares his dream of one day leaving town—and a troubled past—in the rearview mirror. The only thing standing between the two star-crossed lovers and the open road is one last big score… and if that sounds like a half-baked premise, that's because it is. Wright constructs a stilted, cartoon reality informed by Hollywood cliché, which is fine as long as he's delivering full-throttle thrills behind the lens. But as the film barrels into its protracted, trite, and morally atonal third act, the wheels nearly come off. Wright sticks the landing, but he lands hard. Baby Driver wobbles across the finish line after an entertaining but uneven hour and 53 minutes, at which point the checkered flag arrives with a wave of relief rather than revelry. Granted I'm no mechanic, but as a practiced backseat driver, I'd say Wright's trouble stems from the gearshift. His is a cheery, lighthearted take on the crime genre delivered with gee-shucks southern sincerity by the two romantic leads. Compelling these characters to commit acts of outlandish, R-rated violence burns the clutch. Baby's climactic U-turn feels especially inappropriate given what we know about the character; Wright purposely portrays his protagonist as a pacifist early on, then sadistically pushes him closer and closer to the point of no return. But what should feel like a moment of cathartic empowerment instead feels unearned and unbecoming. And Baby's not alone—supporting characters perform similarly sloppy reversals to satisfy the mediocre script. Unimaginative casting only exacerbates the lazy writing, forcing talented performers to trot out old shtick: Spacey plays yet another reptilian villain, Jon Hamm encores his drunken playboy routine, and Jamie Foxx plays a cocky thug with a short fuse. It's not groundbreaking stuff. Nor does it need to be. Edgar Wright can do wonders with a simple story and a surplus of style—and he leaves his energy and enthusiasm on the screen. Those qualities shine in several standout set pieces, and separate Baby Driver from the soulless dreck it will chase at the box office this summer. The film wears an almost embarrassing amount of earnestness on its sleeve, and it's only when the director betrays that foundational positivity that Baby Driver careens off course. It's a testament to Wright's skillful direction that he averts an outright wreck—and as he starts to pick up the pieces for his next feature, I'm confident he'll find a lot worth saving. Let's hope Baby is an organ donor. Get Out Review Posted on April 27, 2017 by Colin R. George under Uncategorized The line between comedy and horror is tightrope thin, and sketch star Jordan Peele's directorial debut is a nimble balancing act atop a live wire. Charged with a current of social commentary, Get Out surges along the circuits of genre convention — only to abruptly about-face, jolting the audience into frequent, giddy chaos. Emblematic of these narrative left turns is the scene that spawned the #GetOutChallenge meme, in which a character sprints homicidally toward the screen, then jukes at the last possible second. The moment perfectly encapsulates Peele's mischievous M.O. Right from the get-go, the filmmaker seeks to upend audience assumptions with a prologue that paints the suburbs as an unwelcoming and unsafe place — at least for an adolescent black guy. In the uncertain aftermath of this warning salvo, we're introduced to our introspective protagonist, photog Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) and his Caucasian girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams of Girls fame). At her invitation, Chris reluctantly commits to spend a weekend in bucolic (strike that — waspy) upstate New York with her well-to-do parents (cue a very game Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford). But what begins as a recipe for awkward comedy unfurls as a portentous mystery, with beguiling hints of malice that mount and mount until the film topples into its bloody, raucous third act. Peele deploys comic ballast in the form of Chris' confidant Rob (Lil Rel Howery): temporary apartment-sitter, TSA agent, and one-man Greek chorus. As Chris relays each inscrutable encounter over the phone, Rob becomes the voice of the audience's increasing anxiety. These lighthearted interactions keep Get Out from becoming overly comfortable in the cobwebbed entrapments of the genre and help shepherd the film safely past the pitfalls of self-seriousness. A healthy sense of humor proves Peele's strongest asset as a filmmaker. Like all great comedians, he's keenly aware of when and how far he can push his audience, and that talent translates into surprisingly strong narrative instincts and an impressive command of tone. Though Get Out rarely wows in the visual department, one sequence stands out as an exception to the rule—one that exemplifies the director's willingness to dig Under the Skin, to borrow a title to go along with the borrowed motif. It's the middle of the night and Chris, having slipped out to sneak a cigarette, returns to find Keener's character — a therapist—awake in her study. She offers to hypnotize Chris to help him kick his smoking habit while not-so-subtly plying him for information about his past. Peele conveys the gradual erosion of mental resistance through the repetition of an unnerving and oppressive audio cue; before Chris knows it, he's in over his head in the black ocean of own subconscious. The realization of this abstract, psychological hell, though familiar, is one of the film's few genuinely awesome and arresting visuals. Horror, like comedy, relies on maintaining a sense of the unexpected, and Get Out goes above and beyond to keep its audience guessing. Delivered with a defiant wink by a director with a unique knack for social commentary, the film slyly subverts expectation without compromising on entertainment. This darkly absurd and vitally relevant American hypothetical follows in the footsteps of socially conscious genre greats like Night of the Living Dead — but beyond its woke thrills, perhaps what's most shocking is how little has changed in the 50 years since George Romero radically redefined the face of terror. Oscar Spoiler: Hot Takes on the Nine Nominees Posted on February 24, 2017 by Colin R. George under Uncategorized The Academy doesn't always get it right. Okay, they rarely get it right. Still, there's something hopelessly endearing about the inflated political theater of the evening, from the cringey attempts at comedy to the bloated acceptance speeches. This year, again, nine nominees compete in the Best Picture category—who will win? Who should win? Read on and tune in; the awards air this Sunday, February 26 at 7:00PM on ABC. Arrival Sci-fi flicks are Best Picture poison, and don't expect Denis Villeneuve's Arrival to break the genre's long losing streak. Fact is, no science fiction film has ever taken top honors (and until the category was expanded in 2009, they were rarely even acknowledged). Arrival follows in the footsteps of Mad Max: Fury Road, Inception, and Her as this year's token admission and, like each of its precursors, is destined to lose to more conventional fare. The upshot: Arrival is expertly crafted science fiction for adults—undoubtedly one of the year's best. It has no shot at winning Best Picture. Fences' inclusion reads as a cynical placation of last year's #OscarsSoWhite controversy, rendered all the more unnecessary by the relative strength of the other minority-centric nominees (namely Moonlight, Lion, and Hidden Figures). Marking the meh directorial debut of Denzel Washington, this paint-by-numbers stage-to-screen adaptation is overlong, overlit and single-handedly saved by Viola Davis' remarkable turn as self-sacrificing housewife Rose Maxon. The upshot: Davis is currently and deservedly favored to win Best Supporting Actress, but Fences should be shut out elsewhere. Mel Gibson is a filmmaker of searing passion and stunted emotional range. Hacksaw Ridge revels in that screwy dichotomy, ratcheting the digital gore up to 11 in garish tribute to veteran Army pacifist Desmond Doss. Gibson draws so lustily from the well of War Movie Clichés (including, egregiously, a caricatural drill sergeant played by Vince Vaughn) that Hacksaw Ridge makes Tropic Thunder seem positively prescient. Seek out the 2004 doc The Conscientious Objector instead. The upshot: The Academy may have freed Mel Gibson from Director Jail, but expect him to go home empty handed on Sunday. In at least one extremely specific respect, Hell or High Water recalls another recent Best Picture nominee. Like 2010's True Grit, the film features an aging, mustachioed lawman elocuted with toothless conviction by Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges. As Texas Ranger Marcus Hamilton, he's tasked with apprehending two brothers who take to robbing banks after their family ranch is foreclosed on. Unfortunately, the film lacks that signature Coen brothers' crackle. The upshot: Hell or High Water is a fun but forgettable neo-western, and probably won't win any of the four awards it's nominated for. The portrait painted in history books of the US space race is as white and as phallic as a NASA shuttle. Hidden Figures widens that narrow perspective, admirably illuminating a few of the brilliant African American women whose unbridled ambition and expertise helped put a man into extraterrestrial orbit. Director Theodore Melfi mostly follows the Best Picture playbook, but the story inspires even when the filmmaking doesn't. The upshot: The Oscar odds aren't great, but Hidden Figures is undoubtedly a true story worth telling. Plus, space is cool! Conveying an infectious joie de vivre through its impressive, expressive camerawork, La La Land is a rare beast among Best Picture nominees. Director Damien Chazelle dazzles with virtuoso cinematic vivacity, mixing just the right cocktail of Technicolor optimism and modern pragmatism. Each of La La Land's intoxicating song-and-dance numbers resonates with clear thematic purpose, while its poignant conclusion will likely stay with you for days. The upshot: La La Land is not only the heavy favorite to take Sunday's top prize, it's also—arguably—the best film of the year. The Academy fancies itself terribly relevant, and with the heightened global controversy surrounding immigration, Lion's nomination takes on added significance. The film depicts the true story of Saroo, a misplaced Indian boy who is adopted, relocated, and raised by a kindly Australian couple. 25 years later, he returns to his home country in search of the family he left behind. With crisp cinematography and understated direction, Lion gracefully explores themes of identity and assimilation. The upshot: A Best Picture upset seems unlikely, but expect a politically charged acceptance speech if Lion wins one of the lesser awards. Manchester by the Sea is also awash in controversy, owing to the sexual harassment allegations leveled against star Casey Affleck. The film casts the impeached actor as a sad sack uncle saddled with the guardianship of his teenage nephew after his older brother's untimely demise. The lead performance is vulnerable and nuanced, and Affleck remains the favorite in the Best Actor category—but don't be surprised if the Academy opts for a safer alternative. The upshot: If Mel Gibson can still land a Best Director nom in 2017, don't count Affleck or Manchester out. Moonlight is a melancholy meditation on love and loneliness set in a Miami that starkly contrasts the postcard ideal. In place of swaying palm trees and neon nightlife, the film depicts an emotional shoreline upon which the tide of individuality nips at the dunes of an exclusive and indifferent world. It's a sober story told with uncompromising honesty and empathy by director Barry Jenkins. Read our full review here. The upshot: Moonlight has more than a shadow of a chance. Expect an all-out brawl with La La Land for the night's top prize. Split Review Posted on January 30, 2017 by Colin R. George under Uncategorized What does success look like for M. Night Shyamalan in 2017? With The Visit, the excessively maligned director seemed to acknowledge a need to scale back the lofty ambition that tanked his two highest budget, least interesting efforts (namely The Last Airbender and After Earth) but Split fails to further that momentum. Despite an ace performance by James McAvoy, the film fizzles just when M. Night seemed poised to rekindle a spark of his early genius. At this point, another smash on the scale of The Sixth Sense might be too much to hope for. Heck, I'd settle for a Signs. Split, despite its PG-13 rating, ventures into darker territory than previous Shyamalan fare, and the director struggles to balance the emotional maturity the premise deserves with the endearing, lighthearted humor he's made his hallmark. The plot revolves around the kidnapping of three teenage girls by Kevin Wendell Crumb, a psychopath with multiple personality disorder (a committedly unhinged McAvoy). His victims include birthday-girl Claire (Haley Lu Richardson, The Edge of Seventeen), best friend Marcia (Jessica Sula, TV's Recovery Road), and cool-headed outcast Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Witch). The terrified trio awakens in a dank, windowless room, where they're forced to placate the myriad personas of their captor, including a lisping nine-year-old, a buttoned-up British woman, and a Walter White lookalike. The intent is pure pulp, but with its aggressive undercurrent of sexual violence, Splitoften feels flip when it should feel dire. It's a tonal mismatch that might feel nihilistic in the hands of another filmmaker, but M. Night is nothing if not earnest. The themes he explores, however inartfully, are backed by a respect for the characters unfortunate enough to inhabit this ugly and unfair world. Sliding in at just under two hours, Split feels oddly overlong and undercooked. The film's belabored B story centers on analyst Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley, Carrie, The Happening) and her complicated relationship with Kevin's constituents. Involved is a peripheral attempt to dramatize the real-world controversy surrounding the existence of multiple personality disorder (known as dissociative personality disorder in modern medical parlance) and Shyamalan posits an unconvincing supernatural explanation. Fletcher eventually becomes a key player in the film's messy third act, but her sessions with Kevin feel especially superfluous given the nagging near-certainty that something more interesting is happening to our imprisoned protagonists off-screen. This specific shortcoming shouldn't come as much of a surprise; Shyamalan's strength has never been his screenwriting. But where he committed to the grotesque, Raimi-esque comic mayhem of The Visit, Split feels constantly at odds with itself. Between the dark, erratic script and his light-footed direction, the filmmaker is forced to confront an identity crisis of his own. Is Split meant to be a fun, frivolous genre diversion, a confident comeback piece, or something else entirely? No clear answer emerges, and the question is further muddied by a perplexing postscript that reframes the narrative in the context of M. Night's career. Split may not provide the kindling Shyamalan needed to once again set the industry ablaze, but it's not a bucket of ice water either. The film features a few showpiece sequences of his signature directorial panache, including the girls' claustrophobic first encounter with McAvoy's Kevin. With deranged determination, the actor provides a lynchpin that keeps Split together, in spite of even its most glaring flaws — flaws destined to be amplified and snidely derided by the hive mind of internet fandom, which deals only in absolutes. For now, M. Night scrapes by with a minor success and something still to prove. And it's hard not to root for an underdog. Moonlight Review Posted on November 13, 2016 by Colin R. George under Uncategorized Moonlight is a melancholy meditation on love and loneliness set in a Miami that starkly contrasts the postcard ideal. In place of swaying palm trees and neon nightlife, the film depicts an emotional shoreline upon which the tide of individuality nips at the dunes of an exclusive and indifferent world. It's a sober story told with uncompromising honesty and empathy by director Barry Jenkins. Adapted from the stage play, In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, the film follows Chiron, a gay African American adolescent who struggles to find his place in a society that seems to run perpendicular to him. It's a triptych of episodes in which three distinct actors portray the character at critical junctures of his life. In the first, a young Chiron, nicknamed "Little" by his classmates, must navigate the conflicting influences of two flawed parental figures—his drug-addicted single mother (a volatile Naomie Harris) and her penitent dealer (Mahershala Ali), who takes him in and teaches him to swim. Wide-eyed yet wounded, first-time actor Alex Hibbert convincingly captures a child adrift, forced to fend off the stones and epithets hurled his way. By high school, Chiron's social discrepancies have painted a permanent target on his head. Rail thin, awkward, and outcast, he faces abuse both from bullies in the classroom and his unraveling mother at home. Amidst a daily torrent of humiliations, he finds salvation in an unexpected friendship that transforms the course of his burgeoning adult life, and not entirely for the better. In the film's final segment, Chiron grapples with regret and reconciliation, torn between the adult persona he's created for himself and the vulnerable kid he still is at heart. A complex character emerges from the patchwork of these experiences, one as nuanced as it is familiar. Though Chiron represents a specific and seldom acknowledged minority, his is a quintessential coming-of-age tale that isn't afraid to stare unflinchingly into an ugly abyss. Jenkins emerges from that void with moments of quiet humanity rooted in his deep sensitivity and compassion for his characters. Even when they fail, Jenkins doesn't judge. He understands the emotions that pilot them, and lets them steer—for better or worse. This naturalistic storytelling approach eschews cliché at the expense of closure. Moonlight is sparse by conventional Hollywood standards and its intimate, shallow-focus cinematography further narrows the periphery of Chiron's isolated world. However, in illuminating the perspective of a single individual, the film reveals something universal about the malleability of the self. Chiron is a direct reflection of the people who surround him, and it takes tremendous courage to turn away from that mirror—to start a new conversation. And Jenkins has done just that. Moonlight is an invitation to observe an often-unseen America, a country in which even one's most innate impulse feels alien and unwelcome. It's a journey that clocks countless miles against Chiron's emotional odometer—but the destination is a shoreline that transcends race, upbringing, or orientation. Perhaps the takeaway is that the distant dunes are less a division between us and more a collective destination; we're all out here in the water, struggling to learn to swim.

PTSD, Bill Blaikie, and This Site! Bill the Speaker What is PTSD Families and Friends Links to sites that help Please send me your book reviews to upload to the site vvvvv When the War Never Ends: The Voices of Military Members with PTSD and Their Families By Leah Wizelman(Author) The chances of service members developing PTSD after military-related traumas is, according to a U.S. study, at least 30 percent. The effects of PTSD can be devastating, ranging, for example, from distressing flashbacks, nightmares, sleep disorders, physical symptoms, irritability, aggressions, memory and concentration problems. These symptoms often cause severe impairment in all areas of life and may lead to despair and hopelessness. PTSD is neither a localized nor a temporary problem. Here, Leah Wizelman relates the true stories of service members from different service branches and ranks from the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Germany, who were participants in various wars (Vietnam, Gulf war, Iraq, Afghanistan, Grenada) and peace missions (Kosovo, Bosnia, Croatia, Cambodia, Somalia, Cyprus, Haiti). They talk openly about their lives after trauma and share their fates with the reader. Spouses of affected military members also tell their stories. They talk about how difficult it is to live with a partner with PTSD and how it affects their children, but also how they manage to cope. As these stories show all too vividly, military-related PTSD has not been dealt with effectively or with enough empathy or sympathy. Those affected by PTSD will realize that they are not alone in their suffering, and others will gain insight into the realities of this challenging mental disorder. All Blacks Don't Cry by John Kirwan (Author)John Kirwan was one of the most devastating wingers New Zealand, and world, rugby had ever seen. A prominent and revered figure at the dawn of the professional age of rugby, he seemed to live a charmed life. Nobody knew, though, that behind closed doors 'JK' was living a life of tormented fear. Afflicted with depression for many years – including those as a high-profile sportsman – Kirwan was able to survive by reaching out, seeking help from those closest to him. All Blacks Don't Cry is John Kirwan's story of hope, of working through the pain and living a full life – a poignant, inspirational and helpful example for anybody battling depression. 'I've been to hell and I'm back. If you're in that same place, then I understand what you're going through.' The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook: A Guide to Healing, Recovery, and Growth by Glenn Schiraldi (Author) The Definitive Resource for Trauma Survivors, Their Loved Ones, and Helpers Trauma can take many forms, from witnessing a violent crime or surviving a natural disaster to living with the effects of abuse, rape, combat, or alcoholism. Deep emotional wounds may seem like they will never heal. However, with The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook, Dr. Glenn Schiraldi offers a remarkable range of treatment alternatives and self-management techniques, showing survivors that the other side of pain is recovery and growth. Live your life more fully-without fear, pain, depression, or self-doubt Identify emotional triggers-and protect yourself from further harm Understand the link between PTSD and addiction-and how to break it Find the best treatments and techniques that are right for you. This updated edition covers new information for war veterans and survivors with substance addictions. It also explores mindfulness-based treatments, couples strategies, medical aids, and other important treatment innovations. The PTSD Workbook: Simple, Effective Techniques for Overcoming Traumatic Stress Symptoms by Mary Beth Williams (Author), Soili Poijula (Author)In The PTSD Workbook, two psychologists and trauma experts gather together techniques and interventions used by PTSD experts from around the world to offer trauma survivors the most effective tools available to conquer their most distressing trauma-related symptoms. Readers learn how to determine the type of trauma they experienced, identify their symptoms, and learn the most effective strategies they can use to overcome them. Healing from Trauma: A Survivor's Guide to Understanding Your Symptoms and Reclaiming Your Life by Jasmin Lee Cori (Author), Robert Scaer (Foreword) While there are many different approaches to healing trauma, few offer a wide range of perspectives and options. With innovative insight into trauma-related difficulties, Jasmin Lee Cori helps you: Understand trauma and its devastating impacts Identify symptoms of trauma (dissociation, numbing, etc.) and common mental health problems that stem from trauma Manage traumatic reactions and memories Create a more balanced life that supports your recovery Choose appropriate interventions (therapies, self-help groups, medications and alternatives) Recognize how far you've come in your healing and what you need to keep growing Complete with exercises, healing stories, points to remember, and resources, this is a perfect companion for anyone seeking to reclaim their life from the devastating… No Comfort Zone: Notes on Living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder by Marla Handy (Author) No Comfort Zone exposes a jagged slice of humanity that is all too present, but often shielded from our view. The author challenges us to see life as she does, so we can understand a bit of what it's like to live with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With insight and humor, she describes the fear and unpredictability of growing up in an unstable household, the terror of being raped as a young adult, and the confusion and shame of living with perceptions and reactions that are often so very different from others'. After years of treatment for depression, a diagnosis of PTSD came as a surprise. Isn't this something that only happens to combat veterans? But it made sense. In writing this highly personal account, Marla Handy helps the rest of us understand what PTSD is and that… Once a Warrior–Always a Warrior: Navigating the Transition from Combat to Home–Including Combat Stress, PTSD, and mTBI by Charles W. Hoge M.D. (Author) The essential handbook for anyone who has ever returned from a war zone, and their spouse, partner, or family members. Being back home can be as difficult, if not more so, than the time spent serving in a combat zone. It's with this truth that Colonel Charles W. Hoge, MD, a leading advocate for eliminating the stigma of mental health care, presents Once a Warrior—Always a Warrior, a groundbreaking resource with essential new insights for anyone who has ever returned home from a war zone. In clear practical language, Dr. Hoge explores the latest knowledge in combat stress, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), mTBI (mild traumatic brain injury), other physiological reactions to war, and their treatment options. Recognizing that warriors and family members both change during… Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder For Dummies by Mark Goulston (Author) As Dr. Mark Goulston tells his patients who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), "The fact that you're still afraid doesn't mean you're in any danger. It just takes the will and the way for your heart and soul to accept what the logical part of your mind already knows." In Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder For Dummies, Dr. Goulston helps you find the will and shows you the way.A traumatic event can turn your world upside down, but there is a path out of PTSD. This reassuring guide presents the latest on effective treatments that help you combat fear, stop stress in its tracks, and bring joy back into your life. You'll learn how to:Identify PTSD symptoms and get a diagnosisUnderstand PTSD and the nature of traumaDevelop a PTSD treatment planChoose the ideal therapist for… When Someone You Love Suffers from Posttraumatic Stress: What to Expect and What You Can Do by Claudia Zayfert PhD (Author), Jason C. DeViva PhD (Author For trauma survivors struggling with intense memories and emotions, it often feels like life won't ever be "normal" again. Effective treatments are out there, but the needs of family members are often overlooked. Will the person you love ever get better? What can you do to promote healing? Where can you turn when you just can't cope? From experienced trauma specialists Drs. Claudia Zayfert and Jason C. DeViva, this compassionate guide is packed with information, support, vivid stories, and specific advice. Learn to navigate the rough spots day by day and help your loved one find a brighter tomorrow. (20110615) Alcoholics Anonymousby Various Writers Alcoholics Anonymous, affectionately known by members as "The Big Book," is the textbook for the original 12-step recovery program. Written by Bill W., founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, and many of the first 100 members of the group, it was actually written by committee, with drafts of the book sent back and forth between Bill W's group in New York and Dr. Bob, the other founder of A.A., in Akron, OH. Many long-time members of the Alcoholics Anonymous program regard The Big Book with the same esteem that others do the Holy Bible, considering it to be divinely inspired. Since the founders of the 12 step program began their spiritual journey of recovery in the Christian Oxford Group and borrowed many of that group's and other Christian group's principles in forming the 12 steps, it stands to reason that some would regard The Big Book with reverence. The Big Book is divided into two main parts. The first part, known as the first 164 pages or the "original manuscript" explains the 12 step program and how it can be used to overcome the affects of alcoholism. The first part of Chapter 5, titled "How it Works," contains the 12 steps and is usually read at the opening of every A.A. meeting worldwide. The second part of the book contains stories written by some of the original members of A.A. relating their personal experiences with alcoholism and how they found a path to recovery. In the three editions of the book, some of these stories have been deleted and others added, but the message is the same — the only way to fully recover from the effects of alcoholism is to practice the principles found in the 12 steps, which can lead to a "spiritual awakening" for the alcoholic. For those whose lives have been changed by it, Alcoholics Anonymous has become more than a mere book — it has become a life-long companion. Pinch Me: How Following the Signals Changed My Life By Logue, Bernadette Often our goals feel out of reach, and our dreams seem destined to stay just that. But the way forward and the means to change our lives is being shown to us, every day. Pinch Me is for anyone who is ready to learn the simple art of paying attention to The Signals that each of us receives each day. Following The Signals completely changed life for Bernadette Logue. A typical corporate-driven, slightly cynical thirty-something, she had a big dream with no idea how to achieve it. Then, things started happening. Strange coincidences, dreams repeating over and over, song lyrics that came to her from nowhere, and people and things turning up at the time she needed them, all pointed her in the direction of her dream. When she paid closer attention, she discovered that everywhere she looked there were signals beckoning her forward on the path to making her dream happen. Pinch Me is her account of how she followed The Signals, achieved her dream and created the life she always wanted. Have you noticed The Signals being sent your way? Do you know what to pay attention to? What if you understood what they were telling you? What if you acted on them? Achieving your dreams is not a matter of trying harder, working longer, or trying to figure out how to make the seemingly impossible, possible. The clues to how to change your life are right in front of you. If only you know what to look for. Join Bernadette as she shares with you how she created her Pinch Me life by following The Signals. What if you could do the same? Confucius from the Heart: Ancient Wisdom for Today's World Yu Dan(Author) As one of Chinas's all-time bestsellers, Confucius from the Heart unveils the wisdom of The Analects, a major text of Confucian philosophy that has dominated Chinas's intellectual and spiritual culture for more than two millenia.Yu Dan helps readers attain spiritual happiness and harmony. Her simple, conversational prose finally makes the ancient wisdom of Confucius accessible to all, ultimately unveiling the immense value of Confucian teachings.In today's increasingly demanding world, Confucius from the Heart is a beacon of light, ready to soothe our souls with wisdom that has guided a whole culture and withstood the test of time. View ptsdyouarenotalone's profile on Facebook My new book is available here! Hi there is my new book "Back from the Brink. PTSD: The Human Cost of Military Service" . PLEASE SHARE THIS! Two amazing websites on information and tools for those suffering with substance abuse, addiction and treatment. PTSD treatment confronts the trauma behind the disorder The battle after the war PTSD: A Growing Epidemic Robert Miller on PTSD, Bill Blaikie, and This Site! [email protected] on PTSD, Bill Blaikie, and This Site! ian on Contact Nigel on PTSD, Bill Blaikie, and This Site! Dedicated to You (and my wife Nancy and our children) This website is dedicated to my wife Nancy and our children This website is a place for people suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to come to, find out more about the illness and seek help and friendship from others that are affected by PTSD. I have established this resource as I found that when I was on my journey to recovery I wanted somewhere I could go to get information on PTSD to help me in my journey to wellness. Most importantly, I wanted to read and hear about others' stories of their journey through PTSD. In addition, I wanted to be able to talk to others with PTSD, as suffering alone is not the way to recovery. "PTSD—or any mental illness—does not belong to mental health professionals, but to the people who live with it and are in recovery from it."[i] To find out about my journey go to Bill's story. [email protected] [i] Howard Kudler, M.D., of the Duke University Medical Center; When the War Never Ends: The Voices of Military Members with PTSD and Their Families by Leah Wizelman © 2020 PTSD.

the weeknd on The FADER www.theweeknd.com SZA, The Weeknd, and Travis Scott share new Game of Thrones single "Power Is Power" SZA, The Weeknd, and Travis Scott link up for the latest Game of Thrones soundtrack cut "Power Is Power" released on Thursday. NAV and The Weeknd share apocalyptic video for "Price On My Head" NAV and The Weeknd's new video is an intense look at their city under attack. NAV's new The Weeknd-produced album Bad Habits is here NAV shares his new album, with features from The Weeknd, Meek Mill and more. The Weeknd confirms he executive produced NAV's new album Nav's new album Bad Habits, executive produced by The Weeknd, is released on March 22. Listen to episode 4 of The Weeknd's Memento Mori on Beats 1 Tune in to The Weeknd's Momento Mori Radio now. The Weeknd drops Asia tour merch The Weeknd released a run of merch to coincide with the end of his recent tour across Asia. music / R&B Watch Gesaffelstein and The Weeknd's "Lost In The Fire" video Gesaffelstein and The Weeknd have released the music video to their new collab track "Lost In The Fire." Gesaffelstein and The Weeknd share "Lost in the Fire" Gesaffelstein and The Weeknd team up for a new single from the French producer's forthcoming project. Gesaffelstein teases new song with The Weeknd French producer Gesaffelstein shared a brief teaser clip of a new song featuring The Weeknd on Monday. music / Reggaeton The Weeknd working on new album: "Chapter 6 coming soon!" The Weeknd updates fans at Toronto show on the progress of his 6th studio album. The Weeknd and Daft Punk reportedly being sued over "Starboy" The Weeknd and Daft punk are facing a lawsuit from a singer/songwriter named Yasminah over their 2016 hit single "Starboy." The Weeknd drops limited-edition Kiss Land merch in honor of album's five year anniversary The Weeknd dropped a run of limited edition Kiss Land-themed merch to commemorate the album's five-year anniversary The Weeknd played a "Try Me" remix on Memento Mori radio The Weeknd played an exclusive remix to his My Dear Melancholy track "Try Me" during episode two of Memento Mori radio via Beats 1. The second episode of The Weeknd's Memento Mori radio show is here. Tune in live via Beats 1 on Apple Music.

I came across an interesting data set for stock market performance for incoming Presidents of the United States. In their initial month, the results might be described as underwhelming. Upon the November election of Trump, investor hope reigned supreme on everything from corporate tax reduction to Dodd-Frank regulatory restructuring to monumental spending on infrastructure enhancement. Six weeks later? Many may be troubled by the haziness surrounding the specifics. Take the "unaffordable" Affordable Care Act (ACA). A large percentage of citizens and small businesses want the ACA to disappear, but many of those same folks and businesses do not want it to be repealed without a suitable replacement. It follows that we really do not know what the next health care package will look like. Will the investing public blindly decide that anything is better than what currently exists? Or will optimism for small business wither under a watered-down replacement? If the latter occurs, the run up in small cap stocks via iShares Russell 2000 (IWM) may bear the brunt of risk repricing. The exchange-traded tracker is already testing its 50-day moving average. And it's not just repeal-n-replace the ACA that may create angst for U.S. stocks. For example, if you listen to CEOs on recent conference calls regarding earnings guidance, few things get mentioned as often as tax rate reductions. Will tax policy change occur in some form, way or shape? Certainly. Yet the potential for over-promising and under-delivering is enormous. Equally worthy of note, favorable fiscal policy shifts may not be able to "trump" the dizzying number of negatives that continue to haunt. For instance, how long will investors disregard insolvent European banks, the rapidly fading Chinese yuan, the potential peril of higher borrowing costs alongside Fed rate hikes, a dollar that has appreciated 25% against global currencies, and/or exorbitant asset valuations? On the latter point alone, stock prices land in the first, second or third most extreme valuation levels across one dozen or more traditional measures. Keep in mind, investing optimists who believe that we are on the cusp of another "Reaganesque" revolution may not be accounting for the differences in 1982 stock valuations and 2017 stock valuations. For instance, in the chart above, median S&P 500 EV/Sales in 1982 hovered around bargain basement levels of 0.5. They are off the proverbial chart at 2.7 today. And the comparison between 1982 and 2017 does not appear any more favorable when one checks out equity capitalization to gross national product (GNP). Yes, I am well aware of the differences between the exceptionally high interest rates in the early 80s versus the exceptionally low rates today. Yet therein lies the rub that the "low-rates-are-everything" crowd tend to miss entirely. Rates dropped 50% in the heart of the 80s, providing monetary stimulus at the same time as Reagan's fiscal stimulus measures. Right now? The Fed's plan is to continue tightening. And that is coming after a rate spike of 50% that occurred in the 2nd half of 2016. There's more. EPFR fund flow data has been depicting less enthusiasm than one might glean from Dow 20,000 cheerleading. Specifically, bond flows logged their 4th consecutive week of inflows ($4.5 billion) while U.S. stocks experienced outflows in four out of the last five weeks. Perhaps not surprisingly, the S&P 500 has actually churned sideways since breaching 2270 in the 2nd week of December. Granted, the technical uptrend for domestic equities may simply be taking a breather. On the flip side of the coin? When I review the list of conditions that often correspond with market tops – economic cycle deterioration, asset valuation extremes, monetary policy tightening, inflationary pressures, financial instability, political unpredictability – I appreciate my higher-than-usual allocation (25%) to cash.

Tabloid News Bars, Pubs, Restaurants Clubs & Discos Global Cinemas Entertainment Fri, 18 Oct 2019 I'll reunite Wutah brothers - Amarh Pino promises Ghanaian Highlife icon Amarh Pino has promised to reunite the Wutah brothers indicating that the two are fantastic together recounting a concert he had with them. Speaking to DJ Nyaami of SVTV Africa monitored by MyNewsGh.com, the prominent Ozimzim band director said "they have to come together. Last year one of them had a concert together but I think they have to come together and do things. They have the vibes". Asked if he will champion their re-unity he answered in the affirmative indicating that he is looking forward to working with both when returns to Ghana from his based in the UK. "I have spoken with my friend Afriyie and he is cool because he never raised any objection to my proposition…so we will see about it", he stressed. After several years after their split, music group, Wutah was brought together by Guru and managed to produce an instant hit song titled "Bronya". Ghanaians were of the view that the two will stick together in order to produce hit songs but that wasn't the case as both shockingly split again. Wutah Kobby confirmed that the group is dead and that there's no way the group can be revived. He recently indicated that he's taken a personal decision and that will be binding using the opportunity to thank everyone who is supporting the Wutah Kobby brand in order for him to achieve greatness. According to him, any individual who is willing to acquire his shares in the music group should see him so they discuss business because he's open to anything that will bring money his way. Source: svtvafrica.com

Updated October 2018 Credly and its agents ("Credly") are committed to data security and the fair and transparent processing of personal data. This privacy policy describes how Credly treats the information you provide to us or that we otherwise collect. This Privacy Policy also describes your choices regarding use, access and correction of your personal information. "You" refers to the person or entity using the Service. The "Service" is the digital credentialing and certification functionality, associated insights and connection to relevant career, education and training opportunities provided through any website or application offered by Credly. "Personal Information" includes the information we collect directly from you as well as personal information from Issuers (defined below) and Third-Party Services (defined below). This Privacy Policy sets out how we will treat the personal data which you provide to us in compliance with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR). Please read this Policy carefully as it contains important information on who we are, how and why we collect, store, use and share personal data, your rights in relation to your personal data, how to contact us and supervisory authorities in the event that you would like to report a concern about the way in which we process your data. This Privacy Policy describes our broadest potential use of your Personal Information, although we may actually make far less use. The basis for our processing of your Personal Information is your consent. No law requires you to provide us with your Personal Information. You may withdraw your consent for us to process your Personal Information at any time, but that may preclude you thereafter from using the Website and the Service. We will delete your Personal Information following the withdrawal of your consent, however, such withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing prior to withdrawal. Credly collects Personal Information when you choose to submit it through e-mail, an online form, or other method. We also collect information through cookies (see "Credly Use of 'Cookies'" section below for detail). Credly also maintains a log of certain information concerning visitors to our websites, including but not limited to, internet protocol ("IP") address (a computer's numerical Internet address), third party websites from which visitors access our website, type of web browsers used, and pages viewed. Such information may be treated as Personal Information. By your use of the Service you consent to our use and disclosure of your Personal Information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. Credly is a Delaware corporation with offices in New York City. Our registered address is 349 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5019. The Credly Service is an internet-based, hosted platform designed to enable subscribers to the Service ("Issuers") to issue digital badges and credentials ("Credentials") to individuals who meet prescribed requirements ("Earners"), and for those Earners to display the Credentials online on the Service or on third party sites, as elected by Earners. We may provide your information to trusted partners who work on behalf of, or with, Credly under confidentiality agreements to help Credly provide the Service. They may also assist Credly in communicating with you about the Service and about offers from Credly and our partners, where you have given us appropriate permissions. For the purposes of the GDPR, Credly is the 'processor' of certain types of Personally Identifiable Data provided by Issuers and the 'controller' of other types of Personally Identifiable Data provided directly to us by Earners. Credly offers a Data Protection Addendum (DPA) for qualifying organizations available upon request by emailing [email protected]. You may contact our Primary Point of Contact for data privacy and security with any questions, comments or concerns about this policy by sending an email to [email protected]. Credly owns and operates Credly.com and YourAcclaim.com. This Policy, together with our website terms of use and any other documents referred to in them, sets out the basis on which Credly processes Personal Data. Privacy Shield Compliance Credly participates in and has certified its compliance with the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework and the Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework. We are committed to subjecting all personal data received from European Union (EU) member countries and Switzerland, respectively, in reliance on each Privacy Shield Framework, to the Framework's applicable Principles. Credly is committed to the Privacy Shield Principles of (1) notice, (2) consent, (3) accountability for onward transfer, (4) security, (5) data integrity and purpose limitation, (6) access and (7) recourse, enforcement and liability with respect to all Personal Data received from within the EU in reliance on the Privacy Shield. The Privacy Shield Principles require that we remain potentially liable if any third party processing Personal Data on our behalf fails to comply with these Privacy Shield Principles (except to the extent we are not responsible for the event giving rise to any alleged damage). To learn more about the Privacy Shield Frameworks, and to view our certification, visit the U.S. Department of Commerce's Privacy Shield List at https://www.privacyshield.gov. Credly is responsible for the processing of personal data it receives, under each Privacy Shield Framework, and subsequently transfers to a third party acting as an agent on its behalf. Credly complies with the Privacy Shield Principles for all onward transfers of personal data from the EU and Switzerland, including the onward transfer liability provisions. Credly is subject to the regulatory enforcement powers of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In certain situations, we may be required to disclose personal data in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements. If you have an unresolved privacy or data use concern that we have not addressed satisfactorily, please contact our U.S.-based third party dispute resolution provider (free of charge) at https://feedback-form.truste.com/watchdog/request. Under certain conditions, more fully described on the Privacy Shield website at https://www.privacyshield.gov/article?id=How-to-Submit-a-Complaint, you may be entitled to invoke binding arbitration when other dispute resolution procedures have been exhausted. When registering for or using the Service, you may be prompted to give us information about yourself such as your name and email address. When you configure your account settings, you may enter additional information about yourself. You may also select user configuration settings that determine how the Service looks and functions. You may, at times, also send us an e-mail which may contain not only your e-mail address, but other information about you, including home or business addresses, telephone numbers, or account details. The information you give us may also include statements you make on the Service such as testimonials, services reviews, or other statements that may identify you personally. We will provide you with a user ID (an e-mail address) and account activation e-mail for you to access the Service and create a user "profile" for use as described below. When you first sign onto the Service, you will be presented with your profile, which contains the information supplied to us. In addition to the required information, including name, email, password and country, you may provide some or all of the following information, including but not limited to, a photograph of yourself, a short "bio," your zip code, current employer, current job title, birth year, your phone number, and your time zone. You will be able to update or correct any of the contact information in your profile. You may receive certain e-mails relating to your use of the Service. Your contact information is also added to Credly's directory of current and former users of the Service. If you receive another Credential from other Issuers, your user ID will be authorized to access the Service, and your contact information will be added to the participant list for that Issuer. If you have consented or opted in to receiving news and updates from Credly on professional growth or further education opportunities, you have the right at any time to prevent us from further contacting you by following the unsubscribe or opt-out instructions included in the relevant email or through the privacy tools provided to you through the Service. We may use your Personal Information to contact you regarding your use of the Service, for customer support purposes, and to inform you of updates, modifications and other matters relating to the Service, and information about others services that we offer in accordance with your subscription preferences. You may decline to receive mail or e-mail from us that does not relate directly to your access to or use of the Service by selecting the opt-out link contained in any such e-mail or by contacting us at [email protected]. Information we collect about you Credly also will maintain a history of your access to the Service, and certain actions taken by you while accessing the Service, a log of users' IP addresses, the third-party Website from which users access the Service, the type of web browsers used to access the Service and the browser's settings that may affect Service performance (collectively, "Usage Log Information"). For purposes of maintaining and enhancing Service performance and security, Credly may use Usage Log Information, information about your browser, and other local computer settings. We also may use Usage Log Information to tailor our communications to you about the Service, and contact you in relation to providing support. We also may aggregate Usage Log Information to create or publish statistical analyses and reports about Service usage. We will not authorize the publication of Personal Information about any user without the prior written consent of such person. Information we receive from Issuers Issuers provide Personal Information to us, including Credential requirements, and information about you to confirm that you have earned the applicable Credential. The use of information collected from Issuers shall be limited to the purpose of providing the service for which these Organizations have engaged Credly. If you are an Issuer, by using the Website or Services, you confirm that you have obtained prior, specific, and informed consent to provide Personal Information to us. We may request a copy or evidence of such consent. Credly collects information under the direction of the Issuer, or as provided directly to Credly by the Earner. If you are a customer of one of the Issuers and would no longer like to be contacted by one of the Issuers that use our service, please contact the Issuer that you interact with directly. An individual who seeks access, or who seeks to correct or amend inaccurate Credentials should direct their query to the Issuer. We retain Personal Information we process on behalf of the Issuers for as long as needed to provide services to the Issuers and the Earners. Credly shall continue to make the Service available to Earners, including in cases where the Issuer terminates its use of the Service. Individual Credentials and an Earner's entire account may be deleted by the Earner at any time directly through the Service. Credly will retain this Personal Information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Information about You Received from Mobile Application When you download and use the Service via our mobile application, we automatically collect information on the type of device you use, operating system version, user identification, and device identifier. We may send you push notifications. You may turn off push notifications at the device level. We use mobile analytics software to allow us to better understand the functionality of our mobile software on your phone. This software may record information such as how often you use the application, the events that occur within the application, aggregated usage, performance data, and where the application was downloaded from. We do not link the information we store within the analytics software to any Personal Information you submit within the mobile application. We may statistically aggregate in non-person-specific form information collected to improve our websites, our quality controls, operations management, security processes, future marketing and promotional efforts, and the overall Service in attempt to better understand our users' interests and preferences. In some cases, we may transfer this information to our third-party service providers. By using this Site, you consent to this non-person specific data aggregation and the use and transmission of this aggregated statistical data as outlined above. Information about other people If you provide information to us about any person other than yourself, such as your relatives, next of kin, your advisers, your suppliers, or your Earners, you must ensure that they understand how their information will be used, and that they have given their permission for you to disclose it to us and for you to allow us, and our outsourced service providers, to use it. Additional Uses of Service Information In addition to the uses described above of the information received in connection with your use of the Service, Credly uses and, where specified, shares your information: To display Credentials. Credly may use your information to display Credentials that you receive through the Service or through Third-Party Services, embeds that you make on the Service or third parties' Website, or on social network services you link to your account. To provide support or other services that you have requested, and to respond to your inquiries. To engage in transactions with you, including contacting you about your account or transactions. To process transactions, Credly may use financial, credit card and payment information that you provide. Credly may need to share some of this information with suppliers, delivery services, credit card clearing houses and other third parties to complete the transactions. To notify you of relevant opportunities such as new product releases and service developments, related facts or programming that may be relevant to you. To provide online forums and social networks. The Service allows users the option to participate in interactive discussions and post comments and other content. Note that any information you share may become publicly accessible. To improve quality and facilitate use of the Service. To operate the Service through the assistance of third parties. Credly may use services from third-party service providers, such as hosting services and software developers, in support of its operation of the Service. When doing so, we will take steps to ensure that such service providers implement appropriate privacy and security measures consistent with this Privacy Policy to safeguard against the unauthorized use or disclosure of your information. These companies are authorized to use your personal information only as necessary to provide these services to us. To comply with legal requirements. In addition, we may also disclose information about you as required by law, such as to comply with a subpoena or other legal process, when we believe in good faith that disclosure is reasonably necessary to enforce our rights or protect our operations or users or others investigate fraud, or in response to legal processes or governmental investigations in accordance with our internal policy on access by governmental authorities, or under exigent circumstances in response to a perceived significant threat to a person's health or property. The device you use to access the Website or Service may provide your location to us. This information may be shared with Issuers in connection with the issuance of Credentials, where location is relevant to completion of the achievement recognized by the Credential. The Service allows you to customize the information about yourself that is made accessible to others. When you establish an account, the Service applies default settings. Default settings also apply to new features introduced on the Service. Credentials issued to you will default to the "public" setting. You may activate a "private" setting such that the Credential will no longer be publicly accessed at any time, on a Credential-by-Credential basis. Until you terminate your use of the Service, the fact that you are a user, as indicated by the public display of your full name and avatar, is available to others on the Service. Review your privacy settings regularly to ensure that they match your preferences. Credly takes appropriate and reasonable precautions to implement appropriate administrative and technical procedures to protect the security of Personal Information provided or generated through the Service. We permit persons working for us to access and use your information only in a manner consistent with this Privacy Policy. We protect the security of your information during transmission by using Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) software or other encryption technology, which encrypts information you input. Wherever appropriate, we obfuscate and/or encrypt information in our systems and/or during information transfer. Credly regularly reviews the cryptographic protocols it uses to protect the privacy and security of your Personal Information. Because of the nature of internet and for other reasons, we cannot guarantee the security of your Personal Information, so you should take precautions to protect it when you are on the internet, such as changing passwords often, using a combination of letters and numbers when creating passwords, using a secure browser and being sure to log off the Service when finished using a shared computer. The Service may include hyperlinks to third-party website neither owned nor managed by us, and, as described above, you may use certain Third-Party Services in connection with the Credentials issued through the Service. Credly has no control over these Third-Party Services and your interactions with those third parties are subject to their privacy policies and terms of use. Information collected by Electronic Communications Protocols and Web Beacons We may collect information about you and your use of the Service through electronic communications protocols, web beacons, cookies, embedded URLs, pixel tags and related devices or technologies. As is true when you visit most websites, certain information is automatically generated and stored about your visits. Such information may include: network routing information (for example, where you came from); equipment information (for example, device type, operating system, browser type); IP address, and dates and times of your visits. We may use your Personal Information to inform you about other Credly services that might interest you and to gather feedback from you. Sensitive Information Do not send us any sensitive Personal Information (e.g., social security numbers or other national identifiers, or information related to racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, health, sex life or sexual orientation, genetic or biometric information, criminal background, or trade union membership). Credly Use of "cookies" A cookie is a small piece of information, sent by a web server to a web browser, that is stored on your computer so that it can later be read, allowing the server to uniquely identify the browser. Some cookies may remain on a user's computer after the user leaves the Website. Most browsers provide you with information on and control over cookies, including a feature to opt-out of the use of cookies. You can set your browser to alert you when a cookie is being used, and accept or reject it. You can also set your browser to refuse all cookies or accept only cookies returned to the originating servers. However, you may not be able to use some features of the Service if you disable cookies. For more information on managing cookies, please go to www.allaboutcookies.org, or visit www.youronlinechoices.com which has further information about behavioral advertising and online privacy. Our Website uses cookies or similar technologies to distinguish you from other users and to collect information about your online preferences and to analyze trends, administer the website, track users' movements around the website, and to gather demographic information about our user base as a whole. This helps us provide you with a good experience when you browse our websites and allows us to improve our websites. Our main purpose in using cookies is to facilitate and enhance communications and interactions between you and our websites, but cookies can be used for other purposes. Cookies for the Service may collect a unique identifier, user configuration settings and profile information. Credly also uses cookies to collect general usage and volume statistical information that does not include personally identifiable information. By continuing to browse the Website, you consent to our use of cookies. Strictly necessary cookies required for the operation of our Website. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our Website. Analytical/performance cookies that collect information about how you use our Website. They allow us to recognize and count the number of visitors and to see how visitors move around our Website. This helps us to improve the way our Website work. These cookies are sometimes placed by third party providers of web traffic analysis services, such as Google Analytics. Functionality cookies that remember choices you make and recognize you when you return. This enables us to personalize our content, greet you by name and remember your preferences (for example, your choice of language or region). Targeting cookies that collect information about your browsing habits such as the pages you have visited and the links you have followed. We use this information to make our Website more relevant to your interests, and, if we enable advertising, to make advertising more relevant to you, as well as to limit the number of times you see an ad. These cookies are usually placed by third-party advertising networks. They remember the other Website that you visit and this information is shared with third-party organizations, for example advertisers. We use Google Analytics. For information on how Google processes and collects your information regarding this product and how you can opt-out, please see https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. Credly and its service providers, vendors and partners, may use cross-device/cross-context tracking. For example, you might use multiple browsers on a single device, or use various devices (such as desktops, smartphones, and tablets), which can result in your having multiple accounts or profiles across these various contexts and devices. Cross-device/cross-context technology may be used to connect these various accounts or profiles and the corresponding data from the different contexts and devices. Third-Party Cookies and Functions Certain Third-Party tools are available for your use through the Service – such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn – and these Third Parties may use cookies, pixel tags and other technologies to, among other things, record your use of these tools and which pages you were viewing when doing so. Information so collected is subject to the privacy policies of those third parties (please see the Third-Party Sites Section above). If you wish to opt out of any interest-based advertising, which would include the use of the above-mentioned Third-Party tools, click here, or if located in the European Union click here. How long will you keep your personal data? Access, Retention and Deletion Upon request Credly will provide you with information about whether we hold any of your personal information. You may access, correct, or request deletion of your personal information by logging into your account or contacting us at [email protected]. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe. Credly may retain your Personal Information for as long as your account is active and so long as retention is required or permitted in accordance with this Privacy Policy, or otherwise by law. When Credly deletes your Personal Information, Credly will do so in a manner designed to ensure that it cannot be reconstructed. Viewing of Data for Support For the purpose of providing the Service and associated support including answering any questions you may have, Credly may view and process your Personal Information from nations outside the EEA that are deemed by the EU to have non-adequate data protection laws, including the United States. Where do we store your personal data and how is it protected? We take reasonable steps to protect your personal data from loss or destruction. Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of your personal data transmitted to our site; any transmission is at your own risk. Once we have received your personal data, we will use procedures and security features consistent with industry practices to try to prevent unauthorized access. If you reside in California, under California Civil Code Section 1798.83, a California resident with a business relationship with Credly that is primarily for personal, family or household purposes, may request certain data regarding Credly's disclosure, if any, of Personal Information to third parties for the third parties' direct marketing. To make such a request, please send an e-mail to [email protected] with "Request for California Privacy Information" in the subject line. You may make such a request once per calendar year. If applicable, we will provide you a list of the categories of Personal Information disclosed to third parties for their direct marketing during the immediately preceding calendar year, along with the third parties' names and addresses. Not all Personal Information sharing is covered by Section 1798.83. Your European Data Protection Rights If you reside in the United Kingdom (UK) or a country within the European Union, or your Personal Information is processed in the UK or a country in the European Union, subject to certain exceptions, you have the following rights: Right to Access: Learn whether we are processing your Personal Information and, if so, to gain access to it and certain information about it. Right to Rectification: Have inaccurate Personal Information corrected or removed, and have incomplete Personal Information completed. Right to Erasure: Have your Personal Information erased when: It is no longer necessary for the purposes collected; You withdraw consent to process it; We have processed it unlawfully; or EU or Member State law to which we are subject requires erasure. Right to Restrict Processing: Restrict our processing of your Personal Information when: You contest its accuracy (for a period necessary to verify it); The processing is unlawful and you prefer restriction of use to erasure; or We no longer need the data, but you need it in connection with legal claims. Right to Data Portability: Obtain in usable form the Personal Information you gave us and, if technically feasible, require its transmittal directly to another controller that you designate. Right to Object: In certain circumstances, you have the right to object to the processing of your Personal Information. If you would like to object to the processing of your Personal Information, please contact us using the contact details provided below. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with an EU member state data protection supervisory authority. To exercise these rights, you may communicate with our Primary Point of Contact for Privacy, using the contact information at the end of this Privacy Policy. If you reside in the UK or a country within the European Union, or your Personal Information is processed in the UK or a country in the European Union, Credly will, and will ensure that its data processors will, process your Personal Information in accordance with all applicable data protection legislation, including the GDPR. Use by Minors & COPPA Compliance Credly seeks to comply with all applicable laws, including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act ("COPPA"). COPPA requires that online service providers obtain parental consent before they collect personally identifiable information online from children who are under 13. If you are an individual under 13, please do not send any personal information about yourself to us if you are not sure that your parent or guardian has provided consent to the Issuer of your Credential, and please do not send any personal information other than what we request from you in connection with the Services. If we learn we have collected personal information from an individual under 13 without parental consent being obtained or if we learn an individual under 13 has provided personal information beyond what we request from him or her, we will delete that information as quickly as possible. If you believe that an individual under 13 may have provided us personal information in violation of this paragraph, please contact us at [email protected] with "Notice of Underage Person" in the subject line. If you are an Issuer, you represent and warrant that you are responsible for complying with COPPA, meaning that you must obtain advance written consent from all parents or guardians whose children under 13 will be accessing the Services. When obtaining consent, you must provide parents and guardians with our Privacy Policy. You must keep a record of all consents on file and provide them to us if we request them. If you are a teacher, you represent and warrant that you have permission and authorization from your school or district to use the Services as part of your curriculum, and for purposes of COPPA compliance, you represent and warrant that you are entering into these Terms on behalf of your school and/or district. You can read more about COPPA through the website of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, available here. Credly may provide our investors, partners, and others with aggregated information (i.e., information that does not identify users personally) concerning users of the Service. In addition, Credly may disclose your Personal Information to a successor or acquiring entity as part of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or other transaction involving all or substantially all of Credly's assets or shares, or the business to which the Service relates. If Credly were sold to or merged with another company, that company will agree to abide by the terms of this Privacy Policy. You will be notified via email or a prominent notice on our website, of any change in ownership, uses of your personal information, and choices you may have regarding your personal information. You have the right to request that your Personal Information be removed from our records at any time. To support delivery of our Services, we may engage and use data processors with access to certain personally identifiable data of Earners (each, a "Subprocessor"). Credly maintains and updates a list of approved Subprocessors at www.credly.com/subprocessors. We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, and the updated version will be effective upon posting as to our treatment of subsequently acquired Personal Information. If we make any material changes we will notify you by email (sent to the e-mail address specified in your account) or by means of a notice on this website prior to the change becoming effective. Please check the revision date at the beginning of this Privacy Policy periodically to check for revisions. By continuing to use the Service, including the Website, after a revised version has been posted, you agree to be bound by the revised Privacy Policy as to subsequently acquired Personal Information. If you have questions about this Privacy Policy and our information practices, please contact our Primary Point of Contact by e-mail at [email protected] or at the following address: Credly, Inc. Attention: General Counsel

A tanker loads at a mooring station near Russia's Sakhalin oil project. Rex Tillerson, who is likely to be named Donald Trump's secretary of the State Department, played a key roll in negotiating a deal that allowed Exxon Mobil Corp. to explore for oil in Russia. Photo courtesy of Exxon Mobil Corp. The CEO of Exxon Mobil Corp., a shrewd negotiator of global oil deals and a confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is in line to become the United States' next top diplomat. Rex Tillerson is expected to be President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the State Department, signaling that Trump intends to dramatically transform the icy relationship between the United States and Russia. If Trump nominates Tillerson, the 64-year-old careerlong Exxon man would bring to the State Department a wealth of experience in forging partnerships with foreign leaders. But Tillerson is expected to face tough questions during a Senate confirmation process about everything from his position on climate change to Exxon's reputation as a ruthless corporation that sidesteps U.S. foreign policy to secure resources and profit around the world — a "private empire," as a 2012 book on Exxon called it. Exxon is in nearly four dozen countries and has operations on every continent except Antarctica. Valued at nearly $400 billion, Exxon is among the world's largest publicly traded companies. Since 2006, when Tillerson replaced Lee Raymond as CEO and chairman, Exxon has continued to aggressively build a portfolio of global oil and gas reserves, including in North America. To get there, Tillerson has been a master negotiator and a risk-taker, often pursuing multibillion-dollar projects in impoverished countries where corruption is rife. Tillerson contends that Exxon's oil diplomacy and U.S. interests are aligned. Yet he's been willing to buck two presidents, and his views on free trade are in conflict with Trump, who took aim at U.S. trade deals during his campaign swings through the American Rust Belt. "I think anything that promotes global energy security is in the U.S. national interest," he told talk show host Charlie Rose in 2013. "And so any steps we take to develop new resources, to promote trading relationships, to promote stability in countries from a socioeconomic and geopolitical perspective, that is all in the U.S. national interest." When Tillerson retires from Exxon in 2017, he will own millions of shares of company stock. As Trump's secretary of State, Tillerson could inflate or deflate the value of his shares by influencing the price of oil. U.S. sanctions targeting Russia's oil and gas sector as a result of Putin's invasion of eastern Ukraine and annexation of Crimea threw a wrench in Exxon's plans to expand its footprint in Russia. Exxon and the Russian state-owned oil giant Rosneft signed a strategic cooperation pact in 2012 to explore the tight oil reserves in Siberia. U.S. sanctions against Russia essentially froze those plans. In 2013, Tillerson was awarded the Russian Federation's Order of Friendship by Putin, a fact the company notes on its website. Almost two decades ago, Tillerson headed Exxon's Russian and Caspian Sea operations, establishing drilling and liquefied natural gas infrastructure on the island of Sakhalin in Russia's far east. Exxon is a descendant of the world's first oil monopoly, Standard Oil Co., which the Supreme Court split up in 1911. To this day, Irving, Texas-based Exxon is incorporated in New Jersey, where John D. Rockefeller ran his conglomerate. Exxon's largest corporate campus is near Houston. Tillerson was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, in 1952. He earned an engineering degree from the University of Texas, Austin, and he started his career at Exxon in 1975. Tillerson has worked there ever since, and he has no experience in the public sector. Rex Tillerson, CEO of Exxon Mobil. Photo courtesy of AP Images. Tillerson competed with another executive for the CEO job after the larger-than-life Raymond announced his retirement. Tillerson's commanding physical presence — he stands over 6 feet tall, with silver hair and an air of confidence — became a selling point at Exxon, said Fadel Gheit, an analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. "He is the kind of guy that walks into a crowded room and everyone will look at him and say, 'Who is this guy?'" Gheit said in an interview. "He commands attention." Tillerson has likely spoken to more heads of state than the rest of Trump's Cabinet picks combined, and has built relationships by keeping his word over decades, said Gheit, who has followed Tillerson's career for 12 years. That could prove to be a point of friction with Trump, he added. "Rex Tillerson wants a five-year budget, 10-year projections. Donald Trump [uses] one 15-character tweet to tell people what he thinks," he said. Tillerson's compensation was $27 million in 2015, down from $33 million the previous year, according to corporate filings. In 2015, with oil in a steep decline, Exxon still booked a profit of $16.2 billion. When oil prices spiked to $140 a barrel in 2008, Exxon notched what was then the largest annual profit of any American corporation, $40.6 billion. Tillerson owns 2.6 million shares of Exxon stock, which were worth $233 million at Friday's closing price. He has hundreds of thousands of shares that will vest over the next 10 years, according to company filings. Exxon's stock price has gone up about 4 percent to $89 a share since Trump was elected, adding $9.3 million to the value of Tillerson's shares. If Exxon's stock rises to $94 a share, the peak during the 2008 oil-price spike, Tillerson's stake would be worth $246 million. In the late 1980s, Tillerson headed operations in the south-central United States, including Texas and Oklahoma. Exxon shifted much of its attention to the Middle East, and then to Russia, by the late 1990s. In 1999, Tillerson was appointed executive vice president at ExxonMobil Development Co., the division that leads planning, designing and construction of its largest capital projects around the world. The oil industry experienced a wave of mergers in the 1990s, with some of the largest U.S. oil companies combining to become vastly larger entities. Exxon and Mobil merged in 1999 to create the nation's largest publicly traded oil company. Exxon has earned a reputation as a reclusive yet relentlessly plodding oil and gas colossus, unafraid to take on immense technical challenges in some of the most extreme environments on Earth. Exxon's experience in the harsh climate and seas off the island of Sakhalin in the Russian sub-Arctic allowed it to open up offshore oil and gas production east of Canada's island of Newfoundland, in waters plied by icebergs floating south from Greenland every spring. Exxon is on the cusp of expanding its operations offshore from Newfoundland and Labrador. Under Tillerson, the company also executed a technically complex LNG export project in Papua New Guinea. PNG LNG is up and running today. The company is known to be fearless of political risk, as well, cutting deals with dictators and managing operations in politically volatile regions. "All things come down to your personal relationships," Tillerson told Rose in the 2013 interview. "When you're going to make significant commitments, you have to look the head of state of that country eyeball to eyeball and say to them, 'I'm going to make this commitment. And I'm counting on you to meet your commitments, because I will be here a long time.'" President George W. Bush once said of Exxon, "Nobody tells those guys what to do," according to the 2012 book "Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power" by Steve Coll. Under Tillerson and his predecessor, the idea that Exxon operated as a "private empire" became conventional wisdom. Securing access to oil meant forging partnerships and extraction deals with dictators the U.S. government either had condemned or had limited relations with. Exxon was a key player in developing the tiny former Spanish colony of Equatorial Guinea from a deeply impoverished backwater with a horrific human rights record into one of Africa's leading oil exporters. The current president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, assumed power by overthrowing his murderous uncle in a bloody coup d'état. Obiang himself was the target of a botched 2004 coup attempt by U.K. and South African mercenaries. The nation routinely tops the ranks of Transparency International's list of most corrupt countries. Exxon's Equatorial Guinea affiliate is today the leading oil producer there. In 2010, Exxon established an office in Turkmenistan, where the nation's leader, Gerbanguly Berdimuhamedow, has been accused of creating a cult of personality around his presidency. Exxon established offshore projects in post-civil war Angola. The company is a major investor in war-torn Iraq, inking deals to refurbish operations in southern Iraq and a 2011 production sharing agreement with the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government. Not only did Exxon bypass the U.S.-backed Iraqi national government, but the company didn't tell the State Department about the deal until it was over, Coll wrote in "Private Empire." After signing the deal with the Kurdish government, Coll wrote, Tillerson told State Department officials, "I had to do what was best for my shareholders." In the field of international oil diplomacy, Tillerson is best-known for thumbing his nose at State through his aggressive pursuit of opportunities in Russia. The Obama administration's attempted diplomatic "reset" with Russia failed miserably almost at the outset, and the two governments' relationship began souring during former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's period as the nation's top diplomat. The 2010 release of classified Department of State cables by the website WikiLeaks revealed how U.S. diplomats deemed Putin's government to be a cynical, hopelessly corrupt kleptocracy with ties to organized crime. A 2015 episode of the PBS TV documentary series "Frontline" alleges the same, adding that Putin may owe his rise to power in part to fostering ties to crime syndicates while serving in St. Petersburg's government. The United States and Russia butted heads at the United Nations over North Korea's nuclear weapons tests and Iran's secretive nuclear weapons programs. But eventually they came together, passing Security Council sanctions regimes addressing both matters. Those instances of cooperation would later prove to be exceptions. Russia vehemently opposed NATO's intervention in Libya's uprising on the side of rebelling forces. Russia and Iran flocked to the defense of Syria's government when violence erupted there. The United States supports rebel forces attempting to overthrow the government. None of this bad blood between the two governments deterred Tillerson's Exxon from pursuing major deals with Russia, right up until, and even after, Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In 2012, Tillerson flew to Russia to oversee the signing of agreements with Rosneft President Igor Sechin that would expand on plans to jointly develop new sources of crude oil in Siberia and the Russian Arctic. The agreements, signed with Putin in the room, also called for joint offshore energy exploration in Russia's Arctic (Energywire, June 18, 2012). Ukraine's political crisis erupted less than two years later. Putin became further isolated from the West following the downing of a Malaysia Airlines flight over eastern Ukraine skies, likely from a Russian-supplied surface-to-air missile fired by Ukraine anti-government forces. Tillerson continued to defy State on its Russian policy well into this year with a move aimed at ending Putin's isolation. In June, the Exxon CEO participated in a forum held in St. Petersburg with a delegation of executives and politicians, led by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Tillerson's participation defied a direct recommendation from the State Department. According to the Associated Press, Tillerson made light of the lack of U.S. government representation at the event. On Iran, Tillerson has expressed more neutral views. Trump has talked about reinstating sanctions on Iranian oil exports, which would require the cooperation of European powers. In a March interview with CNBC, Tillerson noted that U.S.-based oil companies are barred from doing business with Iran, leaving them out as European oil companies seek deals with Tehran. He said Exxon would look for opportunities in Iran if it could. But he didn't see Exxon as "necessarily at a disadvantage" from the ban on U.S. company dealings with Iran. "The history of Iran, in foreign investment in the past, their terms were always quite challenging, quite difficult," Tillerson said. "We never had large investments in Iran for that reason." A lifelong oil man, Tillerson sees the world through a sheen of crude. Under his tenure, Exxon has stood out from its supermajor peers by almost entirely shunning investments in renewable energy, aside from forays in advanced biofuels research. Executives there have long dismissed electric vehicle technology as a niche curiosity unlikely to challenge oil's dominance in global transportation anytime soon, if ever. Tillerson's Exxon is well-known for taking an extraordinarily long-term view around investing. The International Energy Agency largely agrees with Exxon's view that fossil fuels, particularly oil and natural gas, will power the majority of the planet for some time to come. But for more than a decade, Exxon and its peer group of companies have been plagued with problems that pre-date the recent oil price crash. The oil and gas multinationals have grown so large that they've found it difficult to maintain their reserves replacement ratio, a key metric used for valuing their businesses. Exxon and other producers are constantly depleting their reserves as they pump oil, so they search relentlessly for new sources. Replacing 100 percent of its reserves means an oil company has maintained its overall size, neither expanding nor contracting. Several supermajor oil companies have struggled to do so. When oil majors were flying high before the oil price crashed in 2014, cash flow declined as capital expenditures skyrocketed. Credit Suisse analysts blithely noted that "no major has covered themselves with glory" (Energywire, April 14, 2014). Still, of the top eight European and U.S. oil companies, Exxon stood out as revenues outpaced its rivals. But Tillerson's Exxon has warned shareholders that Securities and Exchange Commission rules could force it to drastically write down the value of its reserves this year. Exxon has stood out as a lightning rod for climate activists and attorneys. It has resulted in inquiries by state attorneys general in New York and Massachusetts and by SEC investigators. Under Raymond, Exxon contributed millions of dollars to a web of think tanks and foundations that argued against the idea of human-induced global warming. Tillerson has expressed at least partial acceptance of the science underscoring the reality of climate change, and since he became CEO, Exxon has halted its funding of efforts to sow doubt on climate science. But Tillerson has said that he opposes government policies that would put strict regulations on emissions of greenhouses gases or limits on fossil fuel consumption, arguing that such measures would cause economic harm far in excess of any potential environmental benefits that might be derived. Instead, Exxon and Tillerson view climate change as an engineering problem that can be managed by, for instance, protecting coastal areas from rising seas (Energywire, May 29, 2014). "How do you want to deal with that great social challenge?" Tillerson said at Exxon's annual meeting in Dallas in 2013. "What good is it to save the planet if humanity suffers in the process of those efforts, if you don't know exactly what the impacts are going to be?" (Energywire, May 30, 2013). Tillerson and Exxon have criticized the scientific models that link global emissions of carbon dioxide to rising global temperatures. At the 2013 shareholders' gathering in Dallas, Tillerson openly dismissed an audience member's assertion that scientists agree that concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere must be brought down to 350 parts per million or lower to avoid future catastrophe. "I cannot conclude that there's something magical about 350, because that suggests these models are very competent, and our examination of the models are that they're not that competent," he said at the time. "To suggest that 350 versus 450 is somehow a known outcome is just not respecting the competency of the models." While at Exxon, Tillerson has encouraged philanthropy, in particular support for university-led research and development. For instance, the company recently donated $15 million to Tillerson's alma mater. It committed funds to boost the University of Texas, Austin, Energy Institute's research aimed at "integrating renewable energy sources into the current supply mix and advancing traditional energy sources in ways that improve efficiency and reduce effects on water, air, and climate," the university said in a release. The company is also well regarded for its efforts to encourage young girls and women to consider pursuing careers in so-called STEM fields, an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Each year, the oil giant hosts schoolgirls at corporate offices in Houston, where female Exxon scientists and engineers mentor them in projects. Exxon announced in 2015 that Darren Woods, who previously was chief of the company's refining business, will likely succeed Tillerson in 2017.

「Matching」タグアーカイブ Diddy Gifts Daughters Jessie and D'Lila Matching Range Rovers at Twins' Lavish Sweet 16 Photo: diddy/instagram (2) Sean "Diddy" Combs' twin daughters are growing up! On Saturday night, the iconic producer threw a lavish party celebrating his daughters, Jessie James and D'Lila Star, as the twins turn 16. The twins changed outfits several times during their futuristically-themed event, which included performances from older brother Quincy Combs, as well as Coi Leray. At one point in the festivities, Diddy, 53, led his daughters outside where he presented the teens with a pair of matching black-and-white Range Rovers. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. On Instagram, Diddy paid special tribute to his daughters, whom he called "intelligent and ambitious young ladies." "I know your mother is proud and smiling down on you," he continued, referring to the twins' late mother, Kim Porter, who died of pneumonia in 2018 at the age of 47. "I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU!! May God continue to bless and protect you both," he concluded. The twins also posted about the special event, writing, "We had some much fun last night. Thank you to everyone who came out. Thank youuuu @diddy for everything we had the best time ever." Diddy Announces the Arrival of New Baby Girl, Love Sean Combs: 'I'm So Blessed' diddy/instagram In addition to the twins, Diddy also shares sons King, 24, and Quincy Taylor Brown, 31 — Porter's son from a previous relationship — with the late model. He is also dad to daughter Chance, 16, whom he shares with Sarah Chapman, and Justin Dior, 28, whom he shares with Misa Hylton. Earlier this month, the hip-hop mogul announced the arrival of a new addition to his family via Twitter. "I'm so blessed to welcome my baby girl Love Sean Combs to the world," wrote Combs, who did not share the identity of the baby's mother. "Mama Combs, Quincy, Justin, Christian, Chance, D'Lila, Jessie and myself all love you so much! God is the Greatest!" カテゴリー: CelebrityNews | タグ: Daughters, Diddy, Gifts, JessieDLila, Lavish, Matching, Range, RoversTwins, Sweet | 投稿日: 12/20/2022 | 投稿者: loh

>>>>> Culture Public metro schools receive chairs made from confiscated lumber Bicol Street Journalist 5 years ago 11:17 pm (UTC/GMT -8 HRS) 30 Nov , 2014 QUEZON CITY, Dec. 1.– Some 1,709 armchairs, made from wood confiscated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), were turned over Tuesday, last week, to three public schools in the cities of Quezon and Parañaque under the government's logs-to-chair project. The three schools are Pasong Tamo Elementary School and Old Balara Elementary School, both on Tandang Sora Avenue in Quezon City, and Tambo Elementary School on MIA Road in Parañaque City A turnover ceremony was held at the Pasong Tamo Elementary, where some 300 armchairs were turned over to the school management. Another 330 armchairs were brought to Old Balara Elementary School, with the remaining 1,079 were delivered to Tambo. The DENR, along with the Department of Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), had earlier signed a P2-million deal with Jollibee Foods Corporation to produce school chairs out of seized logs. The agreement is part of the government's project in which the DENR turns over confiscated lumber to be made into chairs, desks and other school essentials for distribution to public schools nationwide. The JFC shoulders the production and shipping cost of the armchairs consistent with DepEd specifications while DENR provides the wood and TESDA for the manpower and equipment. From 2011 to June this year, the project has produced 146,295 school furniture and repaired 369 school buildings using confiscated logs and lumber. Latest posts by Bicol Street Journalist (see all) VESPERS: Pope Franciscelebrates Te Deum of Thanksgiving - December 31, 2019 ROBREDO: Let us welcome the new year with HOPE in our eyes - December 31, 2019 WATCH: The Special Edition of BISERBISYONG LENI with VP Leni Robredo - December 29, 2019 This entry was posted in Culture and tagged Department of Education, Environment and Natural Resources, Green, NATION, Technical Education and Skills Development. Bookmark the permalink. ← PH APEC hosting, ARMM P24-B budget, E-cigarette carcinogens, SSS beneficiaries, Mindanao SciHS ABS-CBN files $12-M suit against online pirates → Discover Nora Aunor in her "Kinabukasan" Discover Nora Aunor in her "Kinabukasan" Nora Aunor, Alden Richards and Rossana Roces stars in a short, short film titled Kinabukasan (The Day After) megged by Director Adolf Alix. The short film graced the just concluded 3rd Pasale 2015 held at the Ateneo de Naga University on February 2 to […] How CamSur Towns Fared On Their Annual Budget We just got hold of information about income and expenditures of towns, cities and provinces. So this post begins a series related to that, and we will try to make the most logical presentation with analysis and comparison to better understand the data. Watch: Good Friday Celebration of the Passion of Our Lord with Pope Francis This is our continuing coverage of the observance of the Paschal Triduum, the three-day Passover of the Lord, of the Catholic Easter festivities. Just to clarify, the three-day passover is being counted this way: From Holy Thursday at sunset, we count the days in the Jewish perspective, as in from […] Watch PNoy favorite of hecklers, now twice in June Watch here. President Benigno S. Aquino III is a favorite of hecklers. 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He delivered an Independence Day speech and acknowledged the 15 Bicol martyrs during the Philippine Revolution. The president raised the […] inMotion Watercooler Ginger selects winning team for 2014 FIFA World Cup Just for the fun of it, we made Ginger select randomly the team to covet the 2014 FIFA World Cup, between Germany and Argentina. She picked Argentina. But wait, during the match between Netherlands and Brazil, she picked Brazil, which we know now lost 2-0. On the match between Japan […] This is GMA's reaction on her newfound freedom courtesy of the SCOTP Free at last! 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Senator Paolo Benigno 'Bam' Aquino IV, one of […] >>>>> More Human Events & Stories On Culture TRASH TALK: How Canadians bash Trudeau on garbage sent back by Duterte Canadians react with disdain on government officials, which include PM Justin Trudeau and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, due to garbage dumping in the Philippines. Watch how independent conservative YouTube channel shares reaction and more below: [At 1:40, notice the government official sitting right of President Duterte make face, reacting to […] WATCH: VPOP Robredo on 121st Independence Day rites Culture Politics Sharing here the attendance of Vice President Leni Robredo during the 121st Independence Day rites this morning at Rizal Park in Manila. And below is the commemorative message of the vice president for the occasion: Sa araw na ito, bilang nagkakaisang lahi, ipinagdiriwang natin ang ika-isangdaan at dalawampu't isang taon […] WATCH: Woman feels a 'sense of peace' getting an abortion A short clip derived from a PBS (US tv channel) documentary highlights a woman acquiring a "sense of peace" after aborting her two (twin) babies. The woman was shown getting clear instruction from the doctor on the dosage and timing of taking "medical" abortion pills. The doctor was so blatant […] TRUTH BITES: The plight of mass migration hurting Europe The most important and relevant documentary movie drops today. Will it be truth bites the plight of mass migration hurting Europe? We are referring to the much awaited "Borderless" movie by independent Canadian activist-journalist Lauren Southern and her team. After months enduring the rigors (and danger) of (clandestine) location filming, […] Sri Lanka bloody Christian Easter Sunday massacre expose leaders, mainstream media bias Some world leaders, and even the mainstream media, didn't get it. But at least, Pope Francis on Easter Sunday speaking after the special Easter 'Urbi et Orbi' message and blessing, expressed his "heartfelt closeness to the Christian community [of Sri Lanka] wounded as it was gathered in prayer, and to […] THROWBACK: Official Trailer BIRD OF PREY Philippine Eagle Culture Watercooler This is a throwback post on the feature documentary about the Philippine Eagle. The much awarded and acclaimed film work about the rare and critically endangered Philippine Eagle was officially released less than a year ago. 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The […] Social News Network Rappler CEO Maria Ressa arrested for cyber libel Culled from the online news portal itself, Rappler reports agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested Rappler CEO and executive editor Maria Ressa early Wednesday evening, February 13. The arrest was done in connection with a cyber libel case filed by the justice department. NBI officers in civilian […] Watch Teaser If We Erase Traditional Politics We Win Culture NOAH Red Monkey Talks This Philippine province of almost two million people, or 1.9 (1,952,544) million warm bodies according to the official census count of 2015 is the biggest in the Bicol region in terms of population and land area. While it is rich in natural resources and beautiful scenic places, majority of its […] Real reasons I fly high on Philippine Airlines I am back, yet again, after a long hibernation of sorts. 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His co-accused, bussinesswoman Janet Lim Napoles […] Eco-airport of Bohol Panglao International opens for commercial flights We get it. Bicolanos and travelers to and from the region will have to get used to flying and landing on four dated airports, one each in Legazpi, Pili (for Naga), Virac and Masbate. The one and only, but much vaunted, Bicol International Airport, or the Southern Luzon International Airport, […] The truth about migrants "invading" US and Europe To get a good grasp of the illegal immigrant crisis in the United States (America), and in Europe (European Union), we are sharing below two video coverage, one for each. These are different takes on the massive migrant caravan that began marching from Central America, mostly coming from Honduras, with […] Watch Yes Speak English Please While I am not required to explain why I am using English as the medium or language of this channel, I am too happy to explain why. Also, I think it is time to share our reason. 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Senate passes bill increasing maternity leave to 100 days The Philippine Senate on Monday passed on third and final reading a bill seeking to increase maternity leave in the public and private sectors to 100 days regardless of the mode of delivery. The senators voted 19-0 to approve Senate Bill No. 2982 would change the current laws that 60 […] World Bank to finance Legazpi dump sites with P12-M grant LEGAZPI CITY — The city government of Legazpi will soon receive a P12M grant from the World Bank to finance the closure and rehabilitation of an old dump site and the operation of an adjacent landfill in Banquerohan, here. Mayor Noel Rosal said on Monday a WB supervision team and […] NGCP hits Leyte, Samar provinces with one-day power outage Samar and Leyte provinces braced for a day-long power outage Saturday as the National Power Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) transfer transmission wires from emergency restoration system to permanent tower structure. The scheduled interruption starts from 6 AM to 5 PM said to hit the three provinces of Samar […] Video: Departure of President Aquino for climate talks in Paris Departure ceremony at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for President Benigno S.Aquino, III. The President's first stop will be Paris, where he will attend the 21st Conference of Parties (COP 21) for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) scheduled on November 30 to December 11 in Le […] Why DOLE has to always remind employers on early release of 13th month pay? As the last of 'ember months' end this year, the Department of Labor emphasize it is a must for employers to pay workers' 13th month pay no later than December 24th. Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III emphasized this on Monday because companies either do not comply with the law […] Military, local police ready to secure President Duterte on Second SONA Military, local police ready to secure President Duterte on Second SONA. 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Hence, workers are warped into a time very much comparable when there exist no justice for all but for the people wtih deep pockets and capital. Kins of presidential, vice-presidential candidates are highly motivated, invested in campaigns Now, more than ever, in the history of Philippine elections that we see more kins and relatives personally, and highly invested in the candidacy of their family members. It would seem in a very short span of campaign time, they have turned the endeavor into a very personal career, and […] Money laundering in the Philippines detrimental to OFWs sending remittance During the Senate hearing on the alleged money laundering case involving a Philippine universal bank Tuesday, OFW advocate Susan Ople disclosed that banks in more than 10 countries and territories have ended correspondent banking operations with Philippine-based banks and remittance companies. These foreign banks, include among others, are those in […] Comelec to start printing of 55.7 million ballots for May 2016 elections The Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) will start printing of more than 55.7 million official ballots for the May 9 polls at the National Printing Office (NPO) in Quezon City on Monday. Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said that the start of ballot printing will involve the dry run of the […] Bicol House Journal Culture The Bicol House Journal Debuts Monday On Monday, we revive The Bicol House Journal on the online pages of Cbanga360. It will follow the same attitude and aspiration in publishing literary content as before. Looking back we republish here the idealism and objective of the BHJ: The Bicol House Journal is a modest attempt at publishing […] Why ghost month 'phenomenon' plunges PH stocks The 'phenomenon' is back. The (stock market) ghost month begins. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) dived 149.34 points, or 1.86 percent to 7,888.44 from previous day's 8,037.78 finish on Wednesday. Almost all counters suffered a massive decline, led by services and holding firms that plunged 2.85 percent and […] Livestream: Senate hearing on the alleged $81-M money laundering Watch the live stream coverage on the Philippine Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the alleged $81 million money laundering scam which was coursed through the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation Jupiter-Makati branch, PhilRem Service Corporation and other financial institutions. On an earlier hearing, the remittance company that converted most of […] Decline in PH export brings down total trade revenue in July 2016 MANILA, Sept 14 — The Philippine's total merchandise trade declined as exports continue to slide in July 2016, given that global economic recovery remains slow, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). This was revealed as the Philippine Statistics Authority reported total revenue from trade fell from US […] Unforgiven? Oral Arguments on burial case of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos The unforgiven? Watch here direct from the Supreme Court of the Philippines (SCOTP) the second live stream coverage on the presentation of oral arguments on the burial case of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani. Scheduled for Aug 31, 2016, G.R. No. 225973 the parties with […]

ASIC Class Order [CO 13/655] In force - Latest Version CO 13/655 Orders/ASIC Class Orders as amended, taking into account amendments up to ASIC Corporations (Amendment) Instrument 2019/784 ASIC Corporations (Amendment) Instrument 2019/784 - F2019L01206 sch 1 (item 3) Registered 13 Nov 2019 Compilation No. 5 This is a compilation of ASIC Class Order [CO 13/655] as in force on 18 September 2019. It includes any commenced amendment affecting the legislative instrument to that date. This compilation was prepared by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending instruments and the amendment history of each amended provision. Australian Securities and Investments Commission Corporations Act 2001 — Subsection 601QA(1) — Declaration 1. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission makes this instrument under subsection 601QA(1) of the Corporations Act 2001 (the Act). 2. This instrument is ASIC Class Order [CO 13/655]. Declaration —Amount of the consideration to acquire interest 4. Chapter 5C of the Act applies to a responsible entity as if provisions of that Chapter were modified or varied by: (a) in section 601GA: (i) in paragraph (1)(a) before "the", insert "except as provided by sections 601GAD and 601GAE,"; and (ii) in subsection (4) omit "must:", substitute "must, subject to section 601GAF:"; and (b) after section 601GAC inserting: "601GAD Constitutional provisions about the amount of the consideration for the acquisition of interests (1) The constitution of a registered scheme does not have to make adequate provision for the amount of the consideration that is to be paid to acquire an interest in the scheme to the extent that it contains provisions that have the effect of enabling the responsible entity to set the acquisition price of interests in any of the circumstances set out in subsections (2) to (9). (2) The responsible entity may set the amount of the consideration to acquire interests where: (a) the interests are in a class of interests that are quoted on: (i) the financial market operated by ASX; or (ii) an approved foreign market and the quotation of interests in that class is not suspended; and (b) except where the interests are in a class of interests quoted on the financial market operated by ASX, either of the following applies: (i) the issue, together with any related issue in the previous year does not, immediately before the issue, comprise more than 15% of the interests in that class; or (ii) all of the following apply: (A) members who hold interests in the same class approve the issue by a placement resolution; (B) unless the responsible entity reasonably considers that the issue will not adversely affect the interests of members in another class (if any)—members in that other class approve the issue by a placement resolution; (C) any notice convening a meeting to vote on the issue contains particulars of the use to be made of the money raised by the issue. Rights issues (3) The responsible entity may set the amount of the consideration to acquire interests where both of the following apply: (a) the responsible entity offers the interests to persons who are members of the scheme on a date determined by the responsible entity, in proportion to the value of each member's interests in the scheme or, where the offer is made only to members who hold interests in a particular class of interest in the scheme, in that class of interest in the scheme at that date subject to the exclusion of any member from the offer where it is not a contravention of paragraph 601FC(1)(d); (b) where the interests are to be issued on exercise of an option for the issue of interests and the responsible entity offers the option to persons who are members of the scheme on a date determined by the responsible entity, in proportion to the value of each member's interests in the scheme or, where the offer is made to members who hold interests in a particular class of interest in the scheme, in that class of interest in the scheme at that date subject to the exclusion of any member from the offer where it is not a contravention of paragraph 601FC(1)(d). Interest purchase plans (4) The responsible entity may set the amount of the consideration to acquire interests issued in accordance with ASIC Corporations (Share and Interest Purchase Plans) Instrument 2019/547. Distribution reinvestment plans (5) The responsible entity may set the amount of the consideration to acquire interests where the whole or part of any money payable to a member under the constitution, by way of distribution of capital or income, is applied in payment for the issue of interests in the scheme. Negotiated fees (6) The responsible entity may affect the amount of the consideration to acquire interests by applying a fee payable in connection with the issue that is permitted under the exemption provided in ASIC Corporations (Registered Schemes—Differential Fees) Instrument 2017/40. Stapled securities (7) The responsible entity may set the amount of the consideration to acquire interests that form part of stapled securities if the constitution contains adequate provision for the amount of the consideration to acquire the stapled securities or has provisions about the amount of the consideration to acquire the stapled securities that would be permitted by other subsections of this section or by section 601GAE if the stapled securities were interests in the registered scheme. Schemes where there is limited or no pooling (8) The responsible entity may set the amount of the consideration to acquire interests where the only contributions that may be used in common with or pooled with any other asset in the scheme are: (a) money placed in a account with an ADI held as scheme property pending disbursement of the money to pay fees or expenses, acquire investments or carry on business; or (b) not proprietary rights and no income in which a member has any interest is to be paid or worked out by dividing up a pool; or (c) used in common or pooled between joint tenants or tenants in common where: (i) none of the tenants is the responsible entity or an associate of the responsible entity; and (ii) each tenant is a person known to each other tenant before being offered an interest for issue or invited to offer to acquire an interest. Forfeited interests (9) The responsible entity may set the amount of consideration to acquire interests that have, in accordance with the constitution, been forfeited to the responsible entity on trust for members of the scheme where all or part of the amount (the outstanding amount) payable by the member in relation to the interest has not been paid when called and both of the following apply: (a) on the payment of the outstanding amount, the interest would be in a class of interests that are quoted on the financial market operated by ASX; (b) the sale of the forfeited interest is in accordance with section 254Q, other than subsections (1), (9), (10) and (13), as if the interests were shares, the scheme was the company and the responsible entity was each director of the company. (10) For the purposes of this section: approved foreign market has the meaning given by section 9. Note: The definition of approved foreign market is notionally inserted by ASIC Corporations (Definition of Approved Foreign Market) Instrument 2017/669. ASX means ASX Limited. foreign member means a member of a registered scheme who has a registered address outside of this jurisdiction. offer includes, in relation to an issue of interests, inviting an application for the issue of interests. placement resolution means, in relation to the approval of an issue of interests, a special resolution where votes are only permitted to be cast in respect of interests that are held by a member: (a) who will not acquire any of the interests that are to be issued or an interest in those interests; and (b) who does not hold the interests on trust for or on behalf of another person, unless that person will not acquire any of the interests that are to be issued or an interest in those interests . related issue means, in relation to an issue of interests, an issue of interests in the same class at a price set by the responsible entity, which has not been: (a) approved or ratified by members in accordance with a provision in the constitution to the effect of subparagraph (2)(b)(ii); or (b) issued in accordance with a provision of the constitution other than one to the effect of subsection (2). stapled security means two or more financial products including at least one interest in a registered scheme: (a) that under the constitution must be transferred together; (b) where there are no financial products in the same class as those financial products which may be transferred separately; (c) where one or more of the financial products is a share of a body corporate, the body corporate has not issued any share that may be transferred separately; and (d) where one or more of the financial products is an interest in a managed investment scheme, no interests in that scheme may be transferred separately. 601GAE Discretions in constitutional provisions that set the amount of the consideration for the acquisition of interests (1) The constitution of a registered scheme may provide a formula or method that is to be used to determine the amount of the consideration to acquire interests in the scheme that complies with subsection (2) but gives the responsible entity a discretion to do one or more of the following: (a) decide a matter that affects the value of a factor included in the formula; (b) decide a matter that is an aspect of the method; (c) determine the amount of an adjustment to the amount determined by the formula for the costs in acquiring or disposing of scheme property, for assets of the scheme that are not scheme property or otherwise. Note: The responsible entity may appoint an agent or otherwise engage a person to do anything it is authorised to do in relation to a scheme: see subsection 601FB(2). (2) The formula or method must: (a) if it applies when the interests in the scheme: (i) are not in a class of interests that is traded on a financial market; or (ii) for exchange traded funds or managed funds—are in a class of interests that are able to be traded on a financial market operated by ASX or Chi-X, be based on the value of scheme property attributable to interests in that class at the time of issue less any liabilities that under the constitution may be met from that property attributable to interests in that class divided by the number of interests on issue in that class; or (b) if it applies when the interests in the scheme are in a class of interests that are able to be traded on a financial market and the scheme is listed on the financial market—be based on the market price of the interests in that class on the market at or around the time of issue. Note: A reference to interests in a particular class includes a reference to all interests in the scheme if there are no separate classes of interest: subsection 57(2). (3) A discretion in the constitution of the kind referred to in subsection (1) must not be exercised on the basis that it will result in a particular amount being set as the amount of the consideration to acquire an interest in the scheme. (4) For the purposes of this section: Chi-X means Chi-X Australia Pty Ltd. exchange traded fund means a registered scheme in relation to which all of the following are satisfied: (a) interests in the scheme are in a class that are able to be traded on a financial market operated by ASX or Chi-X but the scheme is not listed on either of those markets; (b) the responsible entity has the power and approval to issue interests in that class on any day that those interests are able to be traded on the relevant financial market; (c) the responsible entity allows applications for and redemptions of interests in that class on any day that those interests are able to be traded on the relevant financial market; (d) the price or value of any financial product, index, currency, commodity or other thing that the scheme invests in or tracks is continuously disclosed or can be immediately ascertained; (e) the name of the scheme does not contain the expression "managed fund" or "hedge fund". managed fund means a registered scheme: (a) that satisfies paragraphs (a) to (d) of the definition of exchange traded fund; and (b) whose name contains the expression "managed fund" or "hedge fund". 601GAF Discretions in constitutional provisions about amounts to be paid on withdrawal (1) The constitution does not have to specify the right to withdraw from a scheme or set out adequate procedures for making and dealing with withdrawal requests to the extent that it provides a formula or method that is to be used to work out an amount that will be paid to a member making a withdrawal that complies with subsection (2) but gives the responsible entity a discretion to do one or more of the following: (c) make an adjustment to the amount determined by the formula for the costs in acquiring or disposing of scheme property, for assets of the scheme that are not scheme property or otherwise. (2) The formula or method must be based on the value of scheme property attributable to interests of the relevant class less any liabilities that under the constitution may be met from that property attributable to interests in that class divided by the number of interests on issue in that class. (3) A discretion in the constitution of the kind referred to in subsection (1) must not be exercised on the basis that it will result in a particular amount being set as the amount that will be paid to a member making a withdrawal." 5. Paragraph 4 only applies to a responsible entity in relation to a managed investment scheme: (a) if it became a registered scheme after 30 September 2013; or (b) in relation to which the responsible entity has at any time published on its website a notice that it will rely on this instrument. Note: A notice under subparagraph 5(b) cannot be revoked. 6. Chapter 5C of the Act applies to a responsible entity in relation to a registered scheme covered by subparagraph 5(b) as if provisions of that Chapter were modified or varied by inserting before section 601GB: "601GAG Notice of reliance A responsible entity that has elected to rely on ASIC Class Order [CO 13/655] in relation to a registered scheme must publish and maintain on its website a notice that it will rely on that instrument." Declaration — Variation to ASIC Class Order [CO 05/26] 7. ASIC Class Order [CO 05/26] is varied by after paragraph 4 inserting: "4A. Paragraph 4 only applies to a managed investment scheme that became a registered scheme before 1 October 2013 and in relation to which the responsible entity has not published on its website a notice that it will rely on ASIC Class Order [CO 13/655]." Notes to ASIC Class Order [CO 13/655] ASIC Class Order [CO 13/655] (in force under s601QA(1) of the Corporations Act 2001) as shown in this compilation comprises that Class Order amended as indicated in the tables below. Table of Instruments Instrument number Date of FRL registration Date of commencement Application, saving or transitional provisions [CO 13/655] 7/6/2013 (see F2013L00936) 10/3/2017 (see F2017L00204) ad. = added or inserted am. = amended LA = Legislation Act 2003 rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted Para 3.......................... rep. s48D LA Subpara 4(b) (notional subsection 601GAD(2)) .............. am. 2018/3 am. 2019/548 Subpara 4(b) (notional subsection 601GAD(6))............... am. 2017/41 Subpara 4(b) (notional subsections 601GAD(9)) .............. Section 4 (definition of approved foreign market in subsection 601GAD(10)) ............ am. 2017/6 and 2018/3 Subpara 4(b) (notional subsection 601GAE(2)) ............... am. 2018/3 and 2019/784 Subpara 4(b) (notional section 601GAE(4)) ... ad. 2018/3

> Homes Princess Marie-Chantal shares peek inside her lavish home as she prepares for Christmas The Greek royals own five fabulous homes around the world December 09, 2019 - 10:10 GMT Chloe Best Princess Marie-Chantal gave fans a peek inside her incredible house as she put up her Christmas tree with daughter Princess Olympia Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece gave her fans a peek inside her gorgeous living room as she decorated her home for Christmas at the weekend. The fashion designer, who has five houses around the world, prepared for the holidays with the help of her daughter Princess Olympia. WATCH: See 11 of the most stunning celebrity living rooms The 23-year-old had to stand on a chair to hang baubles on the branches of the towering tree, which takes pride of place in front of the window at the family home. The tree has been adorned with white fairy lights, gold and red baubles, and a star on the top. "Balancing act," Marie-Chantal captioned the post, as her daughter balanced on one leg to position her bauble in the perfect spot. RELATED: See inside the Greek royals' five fabulous houses around the world The royals' beautiful tree won the approval of Marie-Chantal's famous followers including Elle Macpherson, who wrote: "Wowsa." Stylist Rachel Zoe commented with a string of heart emojis, while Elizabeth Hurley also liked the post. Princess Marie-Chantal showed off her beautiful Christmas tree The festive post also offered a look inside the family's gorgeous living room, which boasts high ceilings, dark wooden flooring and three huge windows with grey ruched blinds hanging at the top. It is just one of five properties owned by Marie-Chantal, her husband Prince Pavlos, and their five children – all of which are equally luxurious and elegantly styled. MORE: See the most lavish royal Christmas trees The Greek royals own five homes around the world The Greek royals primarily divide their time between their £2.4million residence in Chelsea, London, and an apartment in Manhattan, New York. They also have holiday homes in the Cotswolds, Harbour Island in the Bahamas, and Yorkshire. They recently spent time at their country retreat, located in Gunnerside, where they donned their wellies and tweed caps for a winter walk. Their North Yorkshire home is based on a sprawling 32,000-acre estate with its own hunting lodge, ideal for a relaxing escape from the city. Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox. Princess Marie-Chantal More about princess marie chantal Greek royals gather for pre-Christmas lunch at their beautiful Cotswolds residence Celebrity daily edit: Princess Olympia gets into the Christmas spirit - video Princess Marie-Chantal opens the doors to her New York townhouse Royal family shares Christmas tree snap from lavish London home Inside the Greek royals' 5 amazing homes around the world Inside Buckingham Palace at Christmas Deck the halls with inspiration from these celebrity Christmas trees

MLB: Red Sox fans warn Liverpool that owners will do a 'Mookie Betts' with Mohamed Salah Until not long ago, it was believed that the superstellar of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Mookie Betts, would stay with the Boston Red Sox throughout his career, being one of his best players in the recent history of the franchise being World Series champion and MVP winner. However, the team's owners had other plans and … Read more Categories Baseball Tags Betts, Boston Red Sox, fans, Liverpool, MLB, Mohamed, Mookie, Mookie betts, owners, Red, Salah, Sox, warn Dodgers: Mookie Betts gives motivational talk to basketball team December 19, 2021 by Terrence Terrence Mookie betts wanted to share what he has learned as a professional baseball player from the MLB Y gave a motivational talk Recently. However, he did not team baseball but one of college basketball from a Kentucky school. The player from Los Angeles Dodgers He is known for his ease of speech and for his … Read more Categories Basketball Tags basketball, Betts, Dodgers, Kentucky Wildcats, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, Mookie, Mookie betts, motivational, talk, team Dodgers: Mookie Betts shares moments of his wedding with emotional video Mookie betts contracted marriage recently with Brianna hammonds taking advantage of the time of the off season. The gardener of Los Angeles Dodgers shared moments of his wedding with his followers with a video published on their social networks and which has captivated those who have seen it. After more than 10 years of courtship … Read more Categories Baseball Tags Betts, Dodgers, emotional, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, moments, Mookie, Mookie betts, shares, VIDEO, wedding Relief at Dodgers! Mookie Betts is now 'nowhere' from returning to the line up after injury August 23, 2021 by Rodolfo Scott Los Angeles Dodgers received very good news in the last hours because it was announced that Mookie Betts will already have a return date to the 2021 Season activity from MLB. The gardener has been away for a few days hip injury but it would be this week that it is activated on the poster … Read more Categories Baseball Tags Betts, Dodgers, injury, line, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, Mookie, Mookie betts, relief, returning Fernando Tatis Jr.'s only rival for the MVP award is his own body Despite his injuries, the Dominican shortstop has had a spectacular season, which could give him his first Most Valuable Player award, if health permits. Fernando Tatis Jr. is one of the players with the most impact in the Big leagues. The new one "baseball face"Has maintained a solid production since its arrival in MLB and … Read more Categories Baseball Tags award, Baseball, body, Fernando, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jrs, Mike trout, MLB, Mookie betts, MVP, rival, San Diego Padres, Tatis Sucker Punch! Dodgers send Mookie Betts back to disabled list Los Angeles Dodgers could not avoid unavoidable and on the afternoon of this Wednesday, August 11, it was announced that Mookie Betts was again placed on the disabled list for 10 days. The player will miss at least 10 games of the 2021 Season of MLB It presents pain in the hip area that needs … Read more Categories Baseball Tags Betts, disabled, Dodgers, list, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, Mookie, Mookie betts, punch, send, Sucker Oh no! Mookie Betts is nowhere near going on the Dodgers DL yet again Los Angeles Dodgers received and shared a complicated news in the last hours because it was announced that Mookie Betts is close to being put back on the disabled list. The gardener suffers from hip ailments, a situation that would make him miss other days of the 2021 Season of MLB, being a blow to … Read more Categories Baseball Tags Betts, Dodgers, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, Mookie, Mookie betts Dodgers: Didn't miss a beat! Mookie Betts returns and hits a tremendous home run August 2, 2021 by Rodolfo Scott It can be fun for fans of Dodgers see the offensive potential realized, as in days like today Sunday, when the Los Angeles bats continued their outburst with a 13-0 slate victory over the Los Angeles Arizona D-backs at Chase Field. The Dodgers scored 21 runs in the last two games to secure a series … Read more Categories Baseball Tags beat, Betts, didnt, Dodgers, hits, home, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, Mookie, Mookie betts, returns, run, tremendous Dodgers give good news about Mookie Betts injury and possible return to MLB July 30, 2021 by Rodolfo Scott Things for Los Angeles Dodgers have not turned out as I would have expected during the 2021 Season of MLB, since it is one of the teams most hit by injuries among its players. One of the most important casualties in recent days has been that of Mookie Betts, whose injury was released good news … Read more Categories Baseball Tags Betts, Dodgers, give, good, injury, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, Mookie, Mookie betts, news, Return Bad for Dodgers! Mookie Betts goes back to the disabled list After being out of the lineup for seven straight games, the Los Angeles Dodgers They put their star outfielder Mookie Betts on the 10-day disabled list on Sunday because of a swelling in his right hip and what, it's a very tough blow for one of the best players in all of MLB. Manager Dave … Read more Categories Baseball Tags bad, Betts, disabled, Dodgers, list, Los Angeles Dodgers, Mookie, Mookie betts Clippers will give PG13 more time off

Washington College women's soccer head coach Tom Reilly was inducted into the Soccer Coaches Association of New Jersey (SCANJ) Hall of Fame yesterday during that organization's annual induction banquet at Pines Manor in Edison, N.J. Reilly had a long and highly-successful career as a high school coach in New Jersey before coming to Washington College. Senior midfielder Arianna Sabatino has been named to the United Soccer Coaches Division III Scholar All-South Region first team. The Scholar All-Region teams recognize the student-athletes with high levels of both academic and athletic accomplishment. The Washington College women's soccer team will be hosting an ID Clinic on Sunday, March 17th. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. with the clinic running through 4:00 p.m. Senior midfielder Arianna Sabatino has become the first student-athlete in Washington College women's soccer history to earn All-Region honors. The United Soccer Coaches Division III All-Region teams were announced today and Sabatino was named to the All Mid-Atlantic Region third team. Washington College senior midfielder Arianna Sabatino has been named the Centennial Conference Women's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year. In addition, she and twin sister Olivia Sabatino have been named Academic All-Centennial Conference and are two of eight student-athletes from the Washington College women's soccer team to have qualified for the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll for fall sports. Three Washington College women's soccer players garnered All-Centennial Conference honors in a vote conducted by the conference's 11 head coaches. Senior midfielder Arianna Sabatino was named All-Centennial second team and both senior midfielder/forward Olivia Sabatino and freshman forward Emily Jacoby received all-conference honorable mention. This is the first time Washington College has placed three players on the all-conference team as the Shorewomen had two players make all-conference in 2010 and 2017. Senior soccer players Olivia and Arianna Sabatino share this week's Shorewoman of the Week honor. The two twin sisters both scored in their final collegiate game and finished tied for the school record in career goals. The Washington College women's soccer team secured its first-ever winning season at 8-6-1 by downing visiting Muhlenberg for the first time, 2-0, in Centennial Conference women's soccer action on Saturday afternoon at Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium in the season finale for both squads. Host Ursinus was outshot by visiting Washington College, 15-6, but got the match's lone goal in the 77th minute by Kelly Gardus from Mackenzie Groff in a 1-0 win for the home side at Patterson Field in Centennial Conference women's soccer action on Wednesday night. Visiting Washington College rallied twice from one-goal deficits to tie with host Stockton, 2-2, in double overtime at G. Larry James Stadium in non-conference women's soccer action on Sunday afternoon. The Shorewomen, who are now 7-5-1 on the year, clinch their first-ever non-losing season in team history, while the Ospreys are 12-3-4 on the year. Tonight's women's soccer game between host Washington College and visiting Wesley College has been canceled due to a lack of officials. The game will not be made up; the Shorewomen's Senior Day game will now be next Saturday at home against Muhlenberg at 4 p.m. Senior soccer player Arianna Sabatino is this week's Shorewoman of the Week. Sabatino tied the school record for career goals in a 2-0 win at Franklin & Marshall Saturday. The Washington College women's soccer team has clinched its best-ever Centennial Conference record in a season by picking up its third league victory of the year, 2-0, over host Franklin & Marshall this afternoon. Arianna Sabatino pulled into a tie for the school record for career goals with twin sister Olivia Sabatino in the victory. CHESTERTOWN, Md. — Visiting Haverford scored off of a corner kick in the 55th minute to record a 1-0 win over host Washington College in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game played tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Visiting Dickinson College pulled out a hard-fought 1-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory this afternoon over host Washington College on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. United Soccer Coaches announced today the Team Academic Award winners for the 2017-18 academic year and both the Washington College men's and women's soccer teams qualified for the honor. Washington College is one of 191 schools across all divisions to have both of their teams qualify for the award. 19th-ranked host Swarthmore College remained undefeated this season with a 2-0 win over visiting Washington College in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game tonight on Clothier Field. Visiting McDaniel College rallied from a 1-0 halftime deficit to post a 2-1 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory over host Washington College this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Erin O'Reilly scored two goals and Arianna Sabatino tied the school record for career goals as the host Washington College women's soccer team topped visiting Cabrini, 3-0, in a non-conference game this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. BALTIMORE, Md. — Michelle Santangelo scored a hat trick to lead host and eighth ranked Johns Hopkins to a 4-1 win over visiting Washington College in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game played tonight on Homewood Field in Baltimore, Maryland. CHESTERTOWN, Md. — Freshman forward Emily Jacoby (Jackson, N.J. / Jackson Memorial) broke the Washington College program record for assists in a season and equaled the program record for assists in a match as the host Shorewomen cruised to an 8-1 win over visiting Bryn Mawr in a Centennial Conference women's soccer match played tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The win also gives the Shorewomen their first ever five match winning streak, and their first 2-0 start in Centennial Conference play in the history of the program. Freshman soccer player Erin O'Reilly is this week's Shorewoman of the Week. O'Reilly scored two goals and added one assist in a 2-0 week for the Shorewomen, who improved to 4-0 for the first time ever. As part of Washington College's REACH: Prevention, Education, Advocacy Center's weeklong "These Hands Don't Haze" collaborative anti-hazing campaign, the College's athletic home games on Saturday, September 29th will be "These Hands Don't Haze" games and will feature several hazing awareness activities, including a tailgate. Freshman forward Erin O'Reilly has been named the Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Week for women's soccer for the week ending September 16th by the conference office. The visiting Washington College women's soccer team defeated host Gettysburg College, 3-2, in the Centennial Conference opener for both teams this afternoon at Clark Field. The win was the first-ever for the Shorewomen over the Bullets and improved their overall record this season to a program-best 4-0. The Washington College women's soccer team improved to 3-0 for the first time ever with a 2-1 win over host Hood College this afternoon in Frederick, Md. Senior Olivia Sabatino took sole possession of the Washington College school record for career assists during the game. Freshman soccer player Emily Jacoby is this week's Shorewoman of the Week. Jacoby scored the first goal in the Shorewomen's 2-0 win over Rutgers-Camden Saturday. Sophomore goalkeeper Annalie Buscarino has been named the Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week for women's soccer for the week ending September 9th by the conference office. The Washington College women's soccer team will be hosting an ID Clinic on Sunday, August 19th. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. with the clinic running through 4:00 p.m. Ten student-athletes from the Washington College women's soccer team have qualified for the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll for fall sports. Among those 10 are juniors Arianna and Olivia Sabatino, who were also named Academic All-Centennial. Washington College women's soccer juniors Arianna and Olivia Sabatino, who are twin sisters, have both been named to the 2017 All-Centennial Conference second team in a vote conducted by the conference's 11 head coaches. Host Muhlenberg got a pair of goals from Makenzie O'Brien to take a 2-0 lead on its way to a 2-1 win over visiting Washington College at Varsity Field in Centennial Conference women's soccer action on Saturday evening. Despite the loss, the Shorewomen finish with their best winning percentage ever as they had a .441 winning percentage this year going 7-9-1. Despite being outshot, 16-2, visiting Ursinus College came away with a 1-0 double-overtime win over host Washington College in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Junior soccer player Olivia Sabatino became the Shorewomen's all-time leader in career points with a first-half goal in a 2-1 overtime win over Franklin & Marshall Saturday. Despite outshooting host Cabrini 28-7, the visiting Washington College women's soccer team had to settle for a 1-1 double overtime draw at the Edith Robb Dixon Field in non-conference women's soccer action on Tuesday night. Washington College junior forward Olivia Sabatino became the team's all-time leader in career points and her twin sister Arianna scored the game-winning goal as the host Washington College women's soccer team scored a 2-1 Centennial Conference overtime win over visiting Franklin & Marshall on Senior Day today. Host Haverford took a 2-0 lead into halftime and added one more in the second half to register a 3-0 victory over visiting Washington College at Walton Field in Centennial Conference women's soccer action on Wednesday afternoon. Host Dickinson overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit with three second half goals on its way to a 3-1 victory over visiting Washington College at Miller Memorial Field in Centennial Conference women's soccer action on Saturday afternoon. In the loss, junior forward Olivia Sabatino becomes the second Washington women's soccer player to reach the 40-point career mark. 23rd-ranked Swarthmore College defeated host Washington College, 3-1, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Host McDaniel College scored the first four goals of the game en route to a 5-1 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over visiting Washington College this afternoon in Westminster, Md. The Washington College women's soccer team scored a season-high six goals on its way to a 6-1 victory over host Bryn Mawr at the Applebee Field in Centennial Conference women's soccer action on Tuesday afternoon. Junior midfielder Maribeth Harrington factored into three of the six goals as she totaled career-highs of two assists and four points to go along with one goal. CHESTERTOWN, Md. — 11th-ranked Johns Hopkins got a goal in each half and defeated host Washington College 2-0 in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game played today on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Host Washington College scored three times in the second half to turn a 1-0 halftime deficit into a 3-1 victory over visiting Delaware Valley at Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium in non-conference women's soccer action on Wednesday evening. Junior soccer player Lindsay Russell is this week's Shorewoman of the Week. Russell had a pair of goals in a 1-1 for the Shorewomen. Visiting Gettysburg College defeated host Washington College, 4-2, in the Centennial Conference women's soccer opener for both schools this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Junior midfielder Lindsay Russell scored the only goal of the game in the 99th minute as the visiting Washington College women's soccer team defeated Gwynedd Mercy, 1-0, in overtime this evening in non-conference action. The Shorewomen improved to 4-1 for the second time in team history with the win, matching their best-ever five-game start. This Saturday, September 16th, between the home women's and men's soccer games (approximately 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.), join Washington College President Kurt Landgraf for a tailgate in the Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium parking lot. Washington College freshman goalkeeper Annalie Buscarino has been named the Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week for women's soccer for the week ending September 10th. Buscarino did not allow a goal in 83:23 of action to help the Shorewomen to a pair of wins at the UMW Classic over the weekend. FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Washington College scored on their first three shots less than 15 minutes into the game en route to a 4-0 win over Marymount (Va.) in a non-conference women's soccer game played today at Battleground Grass Field on the campus of Mary Washington at the UMW Classic in Fredericksburg, Virginia. With the win, the Shorewomen are now 3-1 through the team's first four games for the first time since the 2009 season. Senior defender Steph Scott scored the game's only goal on a penalty kick in the 87th minute as the visiting Washington College women's soccer team stunned host University of Mary Washington, 1-0, on the opening day of the UMW Classic. Junior forward Olivia Sabatino has been named the Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Week for women's soccer for the week ending September 4th by the conference office. SALISBURY, Md. — Host Salisbury University got a pair of goals in the opening 12:15 of the contest and defeated visiting Washington College 3-1 in a non-conference women's soccer game played this afternoon at the Sea Gull Soccer Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland. DOVER, De. — Visiting Washington College got a goal and an assist from Olivia Sabatino and dominated possession en route to a 4-0 win over host Wesley in a non-conference women's soccer game played tonight at Miller Stadium in Dover, Delaware. It was the season opener for both teams, as well as the first career win for Shorewomen Head Coach Tom Reilly. Senior defender Lexi Young joins returning captains, senior defender Steph Scott and junior midfielder Arianna Sabatino, as the captains of the 2017 Washington College women's soccer team. In 2016, the Washington College women's soccer team had its best non-conference record in the history of the program as they went 5-1-1 and scored nine more goals than the season prior. In 2017, the team seeks to improve on its Centennial Conference slate and become a contender for the Centennial Conference Tournament under the guidance of first-year head coach Tom Reilly. Steph Scott of the women's soccer team spent the Spring 2017 semester in Hong Kong and writes about her time in the Far East. Here is her experience. Lauren Neary of the women's soccer team spent the Spring 2017 semester in Scotland and writes about her time in the Northern British Isles. The Washington College women's soccer team will be hosting an ID Clinic on Sunday, August 20th. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. with the clinic running through 2:00 p.m. Washington College Director of Athletics Thad Moore has announced the hiring of Tom Reilly, winner of 446 high school soccer games and an inductee into the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association Hall of Fame, as the College's new head women's soccer coach. Washington College will be opening a search for a new head women's soccer coach to replace Kerry Smith, who served in that role for the past three seasons. During the search, assistant coach Julia Kantor will handle the program's recruiting efforts as well as its non-traditional spring practice season. Nine student-athletes from the Washington College women's soccer team have been named to the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll for fall sports. Washington College sophomore forward Arianna Sabatino has been named an All-Centennial Conference honorable mention in a vote conducted by the conference's 10 head women's soccer coaches. Host #22 McDaniel scored three times in the first half on its way to a 4-0 win over visiting Washington College at the Green Terror Soccer Complex in Centennial Conference women's soccer action on Saturday afternoon in the season finale for the Shorewomen. Visiting Haverford College clinched a spot in the upcoming Centennial Conference Tournament with a 3-0 win over host Washington College in a women's soccer game tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Visiting Franklin & Marshall scored the game's only goal in the 63rd minute to earn a 1-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over host Washington College this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. — Host Ursinus got goals from three different players en route to a 3-0 win over visiting Washington College in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game tonight on Patterson Field in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. Host Dickinson College scored the final five goals of the game en route to a 5-1 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over visiting Washington College this afternoon in Carlisle, Pa. Washington College sophomore forward Olivia Sabatino tied the Shorewomen's single-season school record for assists in the loss. Visiting Muhlenberg College scored the game-winning goal in the 81st minute of a 2-1 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory over host Washington College this afternoon on a rainy Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The Washington College women's soccer team boasted the fifth-best team grade-point average in the nation, among all divisions, for the 2015-16 academic year according to the list of College Team Academic Award-winning programs released today by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). CHESTERTOWN, Md. — Visiting sixteenth ranked Swarthmore College got a goal early in the second half and survived a valiant effort and hard fought contest with host Washington College to post a 1-0 victory in Centennial Conference women's soccer action tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The Garnet improved to 10-1 overall and 3-1 in the CC with the win, while the Shorewomen slipped to 5-4-1 overall and 0-3 in the CC with the loss. The Washington College women's soccer team won its final non-conference game of the season tonight, topping host Delaware Valley University, 2-0. The Shorewomen finish the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 5-1-1 non-conference record - the best non-conference record in the 19 seasons of varsity women's soccer at Washington College. GETTYSBURG, Pa. — Host Gettysburg College scored once in each half en route to a 2-0 win over visiting Washington College in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game played this afternoon on Clark Field in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Bullets improve to 5-2 overall and 2-0 in the CC with the win, while the Shorewomen slip to 4-3-1 and 0-2 in the CC with the loss. Visiting Washington College doubled up host Immaculata University, 2-1, in a non-conference women's soccer victory tonight. All three goals in the game were scored in the second half. CHESTERTOWN, Md. — Visiting #22 Johns Hopkins scored twice in the first half and three more times in the second to post a 5-1 win over host Washington College in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. It was the Centennial opener for both teams. CHESTERTOWN, Md. — Olivia Sabatino scored a pair of goals 6:14 apart in the first half, both assisted by Laura Tocci, as the host Washington College women's soccer team posted a 2-1 non-conference win over visiting Goucher in a game played tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Both teams are now 3-1-1 for the season. The 3-1-1 start by Washington is the team's best five-game start since the 2000 team started the season 4-1. Visiting Washington College played to a 2-2 double-overtime tie with host Widener University in a non-conference women's soccer game today in Chester, Pa. Sophomore midfielder Arianna Sabatinoscored both of the Shorewomen's goals in the game. Due to excessive heat in the forecast, tomorrow's women's soccer game between host Widener University and visiting Washington College has been changed to a 10 a.m. start. The game was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Host St. Mary's (Md.) scored five times in the second half to break a scoreless tie on its way to a 5-0 win over visiting Washington College at Seahawk Stadium in non-conference women's soccer action on Wednesday afternoon. Both teams are now 2-1-0 on the season. Sophomore soccer players Arianna and Olivia Sabatino share this week's Shorewoman of the Week. The twin sisters combined for five goals and four assists as the Shorewomen got off to their first 2-0 start to a season in 14 years. Washington College sophomore midfielder Arianna Sabatino has been named the Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Week for women's soccer for the week ending September 6th. Host Washington College scored twice in the first 10 minutes and controlled most of the game en route to a 2-1 non-conference women's soccer victory over visiting Gwynedd Mercy this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The Shorewomen improved to 2-0 for the first time in 14 years with the victory, while the Griffins fell to 1-1 with the loss. CHESTERTOWN, Md. — Host Washington College scored four goals in each half en route to scoring their most goals in a game in 12 years as the Shorewomen defeated visiting Rosemont 8-0 in a non-conference women's soccer game played tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. It was the season opener for both teams. After setting a team record for fewest goals allowed for the second year in a row last fall, the Washington College women's soccer team will look to step things up on the offensive end of the field and continue their improvement on defense as the Shorewomen aim to move up the Centennial Conference standings in head coach Kerry Smith's third season. Senior forward Paige Cahoon, sophomore defender/midfielder Arianna Sabatino, junior defender Steph Scott, and senior midfielder Laura Tocci will serve as the captains of the Washington College women's soccer team for the upcoming 2016 season. The Washington College women's soccer team will host an ID Clinic Sunday, February 28th, with sign in beginning at 9:30 a.m. Women's soccer player Erin Smedley spent the Spring 2015 semester in Peru and writes about her time on South America's Pacific Coast. Here is her experience. Women's soccer player Julia Jakus spent the this past's spring semester in Turkey and writes about her time from the Crossroads of Europe and Asia. Here is her experience. The Washington College women's soccer flash store is open until November 25th. This is your chance to purchase Shorewomen soccer gear and support the team in the process. Seven Washington College women's soccer student-athletes have qualified for the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll for fall sports. In order to qualify for the Academic Honor Roll, a student-athlete must be a sophomore, junior or senior and carry at least a 3.40 cumulative grade-point average. Junior midfielder Julia Jakus is the Washington College women's soccer team's representative on the 2015 Centennial Conference All-Sportsmanship Team, which was announced today. The visiting 19th-ranked McDaniel College women's soccer team clinched the third seed and a first-round bye in the upcoming five-team Centennial Conference Tournament with a 1-0 win over host Washington College this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Host Haverford College scored once in the first half and twice in the second to post a 3-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory over visiting Washington College this afternoon. Today's scheduled women's soccer game between host Haverford College and visiting Washington College has been postponed until tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. due to rain impacting Haverford's home field, which has a natural grass surface. The Washington College women's soccer team played to a 0-0 double-overtime draw with Centennial Conference rival and host Franklin & Marshall this afternoon. Visiting Ursinus College scored in the 18th minute and that early goal held up as the Bears posted a 1-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over host Washington College tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. enna Lamb scored the game's only goal in the 47th minute to give visiting Dickinson College a 1-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over host Washington College this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Visiting Bryn Mawr College scored three times in the final 6:14 of the game to rally for a 3-2 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over host Washington College tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. A goal in the 16th minute was all host Muhlenberg College needed in a 1-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory against visiting Washington College this afternoon. #11 Swarthmore's Marin McCoy scored two goals and assisted on another score as Swarthmore downed visiting Washington College, 5-0, at Clothier Field in a Centennial Conference women's soccer match on Wednesday evening. The contest was called with 18:44 to go due to issues with the lights. Sophomore soccer player Emani Silva is this week's Shorewoman of the Week. Silva tied a school record with three assists and scored two other goals in a 6-0 win over Immaculata Tuesday. Sophomore forward Emani Silva has been named the Centennial Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week in women's soccer for the week of September 28-October 4 by the conference office. This is the first time that Silva has won the conference's weekly award. Silva shared the award with McDaniel's Nicole Hill. Sophomore forward Emani Silva dished out a Washington College Women's Soccer single-match record four assists and tied the program mark for points in a single match with eight as the host Shorewomen shut out visiting Immaculata, 6-0, on Tuesday night at Kibler Field at Roy Kirby Jr. Stadium in a non-conference women's soccer match. The Shorewomen, who also set a record for assists in a single contest with nine, improve to 3-4-1 overall, while the Mighty Macs slip to 2-6-1. A goal in the 16th minute proved to be all the scoring visiting Gettysburg College would need in a 1-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory over host Washington College this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The Washington College men's and women's soccer teams have both qualified to receive a College Team Academic Award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) for the 2014-15 academic year. Host Goucher College got one goal each from three different players in a 3-0 non-conference women's soccer win over visiting Washington College this afternoon on Beldon Field. Host Johns Hopkins University scored four of its goals in the first half of a 5-1 victory over visiting Washington College in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon at Homewood Field. The game was the first conference match-up of the season for both teams. Visiting Washington College got a pair of goals in the second half to tally a 2-0 victory over host Gwynedd Mercy at the Gwynedd Mercy Athletic Complex in non-conference women's soccer action on Tuesday evening. The Shorewomen improve to 2-1-1 on the year, while the Griffins fall to 2-2-1. The women's soccer game between host Penn State-Harrisburg and visiting Washington College was suspended with 1:39 remaining in the first half due to heavy rain and a flooded field. Penn State-Harrisburg was leading, 2-0. There is no word yet whether or not the game will be completed at a later date. One goal in each half turned out to be enough for visiting St. Mary's College of Maryland in a 2-1 non-conference women's soccer victory over host Washington College tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Senior forward Bailey Howard scored as time expired for the Shorewomen in the loss. Despite some chances late in the game, neither team could find the back of the goal this afternoon as homestanding Washington College and visiting Widener University played to a 0-0 double-overtime women's soccer draw on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The game was the Shorewomen's home opener. Check out the women's soccer roster video, complete with outtakes! Sophomore defender Lexi Young scored off an assist from junior forward Melissa Barry in the 97th minute to give visiting Washington College a 1-0 overtime win over host Rosemont tonight in the collegiate women's soccer opener for both schools. Senior midfielder Bailey Howard will serve as the captain of the Washington College women's soccer team this season. Do you like baseball, food, music, and outdoor games? The Washington College women's soccer team is hosting an event this Friday, April 24th, from 3:00-6:00 p.m. outside Sassafras Hall, next to Athey Park. The Washington College women's soccer team will host a Spring ID Clinic on Sunday, April 26th, from 9:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The clinic is open to players ages 14-18. Cost is $75, but a $10 discount will be applied to registrations completed by March 30th. Three Washington College women's soccer student-athletes returned to campus early this semester to take part in a Leadership Seminar. Freshman Taylor Stofko shares her experience. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) recently announced the 883 collegiate soccer teams to receive a College Team Academic Award for the 2013-14 academic year and the Washington College women's soccer team was among those honored. Eight student-athletes from the Washington College women's soccer team have qualified for the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll for fall sports. Washington College freshman midfielder/forward Emani Silva has been selected as an All-Centennial Conference honorable mention in women's soccer via a vote conducted by the conference's 11 head coaches. In addition, sophomore goalkeeper Melissa Barry was chosen as the Shorewomen's representative on the Centennial Conference All-Sportsmanship Team. Host McDaniel scored once in the first half and twice in the second half to down visiting Washington College, 3-0, at the Green Terror Soccer Complex on Saturday afternoon in a Centennial Conference women's soccer match. Visiting Haverford College scored the game's only goal in the 55th minute of a 1-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over host Washington College tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The Fords improved to 7-6-3 overall and 3-5-1 with the win, while the Shorewomen fell to 3-10-3 and 0-7-2 with the loss. Shorewomen Soccer Tackles "Shake It Off" The Washington College women's soccer team puts their own special spin on Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off." The Washington College and Franklin & Marshall College women's soccer teams played to a 1-1 Centennial Conference double-overtime tie this afternoon on Washington's Lower Bermuda Grass Field. The installation of the new turf on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium is wrapping up this weekend and the facility is scheduled to host this season's remaining home varsity soccer and field hockey home contests beginning Tuesday. Jeannie Jasinski scored the lone goal of the match in the 23rd minute as host Ursinus downed visiting Washington College, 1-0, at Patterson Field in a Centennial Conference women's soccer match on Wednesday evening. Host #22 Dickinson raced out to a 3-0 halftime lead en route to a 4-0 win over visiting Washington College at Miller Field on Saturday afternoon in a Centennial Conference women's soccer match. The Washington College women's soccer team played to a 0-0 double overtime tie with host Bryn Mawr in a Centennial Conference game this afternoon. Today's women's soccer game between host Bryn Mawr College and visiting Washington College has been postponed until tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. Visiting Muhlenberg College made a 10th-minute goal stand up in a 1-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory over host Washington College this afternoon. The Mules improved to 7-3-2 overall and 3-2 in Centennial Conference play with the win, while the Shorewomen fell to 3-7-1 and 0-4 with the loss. Elizabethtown's Lauren Berry scored three goals as the host Blue Jays downed visiting Washington College, 4-1, in a non-conference women's soccer match on Wednesday night at Ira R. Herr Field. Freshman midfielder/forward Emani Silva and freshman forward/midfielder Maribeth Harrington each scored one goal as the host Washington College women's soccer team posted a 2-0 non-conference win over visiting Delaware Valley College this afternoon. Host Gettysburg scored three times in the second half to break open a 1-0 halftime lead en route to a 4-0 win over visiting Washington College in a Centennial Conference women's soccer match at Clark Field on Saturday night. Visiting Swarthmore scored a pair of goals in the first half en route to a 2-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over host Washington College on Tuesday afternoon at the WC Lower Bermuda Field. Support Washington College women's soccer by purchasing some great gear from the Shorewomen's flash store. Store open until Monday, September 29th. Visiting #9 Johns Hopkins scored three goals in a span of 17:46 in the second half to turn a scoreless tie into a 3-0 win on Saturday afternoon at the WC Lower Bermuda Field in a Centennial Conference women's soccer match. Sophomore goalkeeper Melissa Barry recorded her school record-breaking eighth career shutout as the host Washington College women's soccer team played to a double-overtime scoreless draw with visiting Rutgers-Camden in non-conference action this afternoon in Chestertown. Sophomore goalkeeper Melissa Barry has been named the Centennial Conference Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for the week of September 8-14 by the conference office. This is the first time she won the Centennial's weekly award. Host Washington College had three players notch multiple points and scored two late goals to break open a 1-0 lead en route to a 3-0 victory over visiting Penn State Harrisburg on Thursday afternoon at the WC Lower Bermuda Field in a non-conference women's soccer match. Widener's Eva Reyes scored the lone goal of the match at the 72:53 mark to give the host Pride a 1-0 win over visiting Washington College on Saturday afternoon at Leslie C. Quick Stadium in a non-conference women's soccer match. The Pride and Shorewomen are both now 1-2-0 on the season. Host Cabrini College improved to 1-1 on the season with a 3-0 win over visiting Washington College in non-conference women's soccer action this afternoon in Radnor, Pa. Sophomore midfielder/back Kelsey McCurdy (Walkersville, Md./Walkersville) scored on a penalty kick in the 61st minute to give host Washington College a 1-0 non-conference women's soccer win over visiting Gwynedd Mercy on Sunday afternoon at the Washington College Lower Bermuda Field in the season opener for the Shorewomen. The victory was also the first win for head coach Kerry Smith in her Shorewomen Soccer head coaching debut. The student-athletes of the Washington College women's soccer team introduce themselves around campus and Chestertown in this video, edited by freshman defender Breanna Caruso. Freshman women's soccer player Katie Doyle reflects on her experience volunteering at the Special Olympics Maryland Unified Bocce Ball event hosted by the Washington College Student-Athlete Mentors May 2nd. Kerry Smith has been hired as the new head coach of the Washington College women's soccer team. Smith, a former Women's Premier League player and veteran assistant coach at the NCAA Division I level, will be making her collegiate head coaching debut with the Shorewomen. Women's soccer player Erin Smedley '17, participated in the First-Year Reading for freshman creative writing students on November 21 at the Rose O'Neill Literary House on the Washington college campus. She read about watching the band Galilei perform. Here is her experience. Kanute Drugan has announced his resignation as the head women's soccer coach at Washington College, effective February 19th, after two seasons. Drugan is leaving Washington College to accept the head coaching position at Texas-Dallas. Junior forward Marisa Atkins has been named as a captain of the Washington College women's soccer team. Sophomore forward Bailey Howard has been named as a captain of the Washington College women's soccer team. Four members of the Washington College women's soccer team have earned spots on the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll for fall sports. Washington College senior midfielder Kathleen Maleski s the Shorewomen soccer team's representative on the 2013 Centennial Conference All-Sportsmanship Team. Host Swarthmore broke open a 1-0 halftime lead with three goals in the first 5:57 of the second half en route to a 6-0 win over visiting Washington College at Clothier Field in a Centennial Conference women's soccer match on Saturday night. Catholic's Lindsay Aleman scored the only goal of the contest 5:17 into overtime to lift visiting Catholic to a 1-0 victory over host Washington College at Kibler Field at Roy Kirby Jr. Stadium in a non-conference women's soccer match on Tuesday night in the home finale for the Shorewomen. Visiting McDaniel scored a pair of first half goals en route to a 3-0 win over host Washington College at Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium on Saturday afternoon in a Centennial Conference women's soccer match. Host Haverford College defeated visiting Washington College, 4-0, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon in Haverford, Pa. The Fords improved to 11-4 overall and 5-3 in conference play with the win, while the Shorewomen slipped to 4-9-2 and 1-7 with the loss. Stephanie Bartner of host Franklin & Marshall scored the golden goal at 2:53 of the first overtime to lift the Diplomats past visiting Washington, 1-0, in overtime at Tylus Field in a Centennial Conference women's soccer match on Saturday afternoon. The Diplomats improve to 5-53 overall and 3-2-2 in the Centennial, while the Shorewomen fall to 4-8-2 and 1-6 respectively. Visiting Ursinus scored the lone goal of the match in the 31st minute en route to a 1-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over host Washington College on Wednesday afternoon at Kibler Field at Roy Kirby Jr. Stadium. Visiting Dickinson College improved to 6-5-2 overall and 2-2-2 in Centennial Conference play with a 3-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory over host Washington College this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The Shorewomen fell to 4-6-2 and 1-4 with the loss. Senior midfielder Heather Smith scored the only goal of the game on a penalty kick in the 83rd minute to give host Washington College a 1-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over visiting Bryn Mawr tonight on a rain-soaked Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. freshman goalkeeper Melissa Barry recorded her school-record fifth shutout of the season for the Shorewomen (4-5-2, 1-3 Centennial) in the win. A goal by Abby Lazofsky in the 60th minute proved to be all the offense host Muhlenberg College needed today en route to a 1-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over visiting Washington College. Visiting Washington College and host Delaware Valley College played to a 0-0 double-overtime tie in a non-conference women's soccer game today in Doylestown, Pa. The tie snapped a six-game losing streak for Delaware Valley as the Aggies are now 2-8-1 on the season. The Shorewomen's record now stands at 3-4-2. Visiting Goucher College scored the game's only goal in the 64th minute to defeat host Washington College, 1-0, in a non-conference women's soccer game this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The Gophers improved to 3-5-1 with the win, while the Shorewomen slipped to 3-4-1 with the loss. Visiting Washington College scored three second-half goals to defeat host Penn State-Harrisburg, 3-0, in non-conference women's soccer action today in Harrisburg, Pa. The Shorewomen improved to 3-3-1 with the win, while the Lions fell to 5-3 with the loss. Senior midfielder Heather Smith scored twice in the victory for Washington. Visiting Gettysburg raced out to a 3-0 halftime lead en route to a 4-0 win on Saturday evening over host Washington College in a Centennial Conference women's soccer match. This year's Homecoming and Family Weekend both fall on the same weekend - this weekend - and Washington College Athletics has a full slate of varsity events and alumni games on campus scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Junior forward Suzanne Patinella scored both of the goals for visiting Washington College and held off a late rally from host Wesley as the Shorewomen downed the Wolverines, 2-1, at Scott D. Miller Stadium in a non-conference women's soccer match on Monday night. The contest was originally supposed to be played this past Thursday night, but was postponed until tonight due to a lightning storm that hit the Delmarva Peninsula on Thursday. Top-ranked host Johns Hopkins University jumped out to a 2-0 halftime lead en route to a 4-0 victory over visiting Washington College in the Centennial Conference women's soccer opener for both schools tonight on Homewood Field. The Blue Jays improved to 7-0 overall, while the Shorewomen fell to 1-2-1. Last night's women's soccer game between visiting Washington College and host Wesley College, which was postponed due to lightning, will be made up this Monday, September 16th, at 7:00 p.m. Visiting Widener got two goals and one assist from Karen Thomas and one goal and two helpers from Kelly Buckley en route to a 3-0 victory over host Washington College on Saturday afternoon at Kibler Field at Roy Kirby Jr. Stadium in a non-conference women's soccer match. Host Washington College and visiting DeSales played to a 0-0 tie in a non-conference women's soccer match on Saturday evening at Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Both teams are now 1-0-1 so far this season. Freshman midfielder Laura Tocci scored her first collegiate goal to give host Washington College a 1-0 season-opening win over visiting Neumann University in non-conference women's soccer action tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The 2013-14 regular season in Washington College varsity athletics gets underway Friday as field hockey, men's and women's soccer, and volleyball all open their 2013 campaigns. Paul Kohorn, the assistant women's soccer coach at Washington College has been selected as an instructor for the EXACT Soccer ID Camp, which will take place at Benedictine University in Lisle, IL on July 10-11. Women's soccer player Gabby Antalffy and field hockey player Erin Lewns reprsented Washington College at the 14th Annual Snell-Shillingford Coaching Symposium held January 25-27 at Muhlenberg College. The event was sponsored by the Centennial Conference and the NCAA Committee for Women's Athletics. This symposium is a chance for female athletes to network and learn about opportunities in the coaching arena. Women's soccer sophomore Kelley Holocker spent her spring break in Georgia participating in Washington College's Habitat For Humanity. She was one of three student-athletes who were on the trip, the other two being sophomore field hockey players Meredith Andrews and Brit Barr. Here is her experience. We asked you to vote for 2012's Most Amazing Performance in Washington College Athletics and you did. Check out which performance won. Washington College head women's soccer coach Kanute Drugan recently announced the team's captains for the 2013 season: junior midfielder/forward Heather Smith, junior midfielder Kathleen Maleski, sophomore midfielder/forward Suzanne Patinella, and sophomore defender Taylor Matteson. Senior defender Kim McClellan is the Washington College women's soccer team's representative on the Centennial Conference All-Sportsmanship Team for fall sports. Five members of the Washington College women's soccer team have earned spots on the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll for fall sports. Visiting McDaniel College topped host Washington College, 2-1, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The game was the season finale for both the victorious Green Terror (7-10-1, 2-7-1 Centennial) and the Shorewomen (6-9-1, 2-7-1). Host Haverford College outshot visiting Washington College, 32-6, en route to a 6-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory this afternoon on Walton Field. Paul Kohorn, who is spending this fall as an assistant coach for the Washington College women's soccer team, has been named the 2012 Girls High School Coach of the Year by the Illinois High School Association. Washington College sophomore goalkeeper Rebecca Potochney has been named the Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week for women's soccer for the week ending October 21st. Potochney made 15 saves and did not allow a goal in 200 minutes of action in a 1-0-1 week for the Shorewomen. Washington College sophomore goalkeeper Rebecca Potochney recorded her school-record fourth solo shutout of the season as the visiting Shorewomen played to a 0-0 double-overtime tie with host Franklin & Marshall in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon in Lancaster, PA. Junior midfielder Brittany Weaver scored the game's only goal and sophomore midfielder/forward Suzanne Patinella broke the school record for assists in a season as host Washington College defeated visiting Ursinus College, 1-0, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The Shorewomen beat the Bears for the first time since 2002. Visiting Dickinson College defeated host Washington College, 2-0, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Host Washington College ran off five goals in a span of 8:47 during the second half en route to a 7-0 win over Division II Washington Adventist University in women's soccer action tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The seven goals in the game for the Shorewomen (5-6) were their most in a game in over eight years. Antalffy Reflects on the Origin of "Girls on Fire" Women's soccer senior Gabby Antalffy writes about her and her team's experience in dealing with the bus fire they went through on August 31 just south of Chestertown on their way to Randolph-Macon for the season opener and how they got ready for their next match 48 hours later at Cedar Crest. Host Muhlenberg College scored three of the game's goals in a span of less than seven minutes en route to a 4-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory over visiting Washington College this afternoon in Allentown. Host Swarthmore College topped visiting Washington College, 3-0, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game tonight in Swarthmore, PA. The Garnet improved to 6-3 overall and 4-1 in conference play with the win, while the Shorewomen fell to 4-5 and 1-3 with the loss. Junior midfielder/forward Heather Smith scored two goals to lead host Washington College to a 4-2 non-conference women's soccer win over visiting King's College tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Visiting Gettysburg College improved to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in Centennial Conference play with a 4-0 win over host Washington College this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. This year's Homecoming and Family Weekend both fall on the same weekend - this weekend - and Washington College Athletics has a full slate of varsity events scheduled for Saturday. The host Washington College women's soccer team topped visiting Bryn Mawr, 2-1, in a Centennial Conference game tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The Shorewomen improved to 3-3 overall, surpassing their win total from all of last season, and 1-1 in conference play with the win. The Owls fell to 2-3-1 and 0-1 with the loss. Due to the imminent threat of severe weather, tonight's scheduled women's soccer game between host Washington College and visiting Bryn Mawr College has been postponed. The game has been rescheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday) at 7:00 p.m. Hannah Kronick scored all four goals as host Johns Hopkins University, ranked sixth in the nation by D3Soccer.com, shut out visiting Washington College, 4-0, in the Centennial Conference women's soccer opener for both schools tonight at Homewood Field in Baltimore. Host Washington College won its home opener over visiting Immaculata University, 2-0, in a non-conference women's soccer game tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The Shorewomen improved to 2-2 with the win, while Immaculata fell to 0-4 with the loss. Host Goucher College broke a scoreless tie in the 50th minute and made that goal stand up as the Gophers (3-0) defeated visiting Washington College, 1-0, in a non-conference women's soccer game today in Towson, MD. Host Neumann University shut out visiting Washington College, 1-0, this afternoon in a non-conference women's soccer game that included a 105-minute lightning delay. The Washington College Shorewomen added another meaning to their new "Girls on Fire" moniker this afternoon by opening their 2012 campaign with a 5-0 win at Cedar Crest, their first five-goal performance in nearly four years. Today's women's soccer game at Randolph-Macon has been postponed. It may or may not be rescheduled. Four Washington College student-athletes have been named to the Centennial Conference All-Sportsmanship Team for fall sports. Each Centennial Conference member institution was permitted to nominate one student from each fall program who exemplifies the best in sportsmanship. Washington College senior goalkeeper Tori Ripple has been named an All-Centennial Conference honorable mention in a vote conducted by the conference's head coaches. In addition, six of her women's soccer teammates have earned a spot on the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll. Hilary Hanus scored at the 97:30 mark to give host McDaniel College a 2-1 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory in overtime over visiting Washington College in the season finale for both team this afternoon in Westminster, MD. The women's soccer season finale between host McDaniel College and visiting Washington College that was snowed out on Saturday has been rescheduled for Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. Katie Van Aken scored on the first shot of the game to provide all of the scoring a 1-0 win for 24th-ranked Haverford College over Washington College in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Visiting Franklin & Marshall defeated host Washington College, 1-0, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Five new members of the Washington College Hall of Fame will be inducted Saturday night on the most action-packed induction Saturday in the Hall's history. Four teams will celebrate Senior Day and two home contests will benefit cancer research. Host Ursinus College scored four unanswered goals in a 4-2 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over visiting Washington College tonight in Collegeville, PA. Tonight's scheduled women's soccer game betwee host Ursinus College and visiting Washington College has been postponed until tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. Host Dickinson College downed visiting Washington College, 4-0, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon in Carlisle, PA. The Red Devils improved to 9-3-1 overall and 5-2 in conference play with the win, while the Shorewomen fell to 2-9-1 and 0-5-1 with the loss. Visiting Muhlenberg College defeated host Washington College, 2-0, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The Mules improved to 5-5-2 overall and 2-2-1 in conference play with the win, while the Shorewomen fell to 2-8-1 and 0-4-1 with the loss. Visiting Swarthmore College defeated host Washington College, 2-1, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Host Cabrini College scored twice in the first half and hung on for a 2-1 non-conference women's soccer victory over visiting Washington College this afternoon in Radnor, PA. Sophomore midfielder/forward Heather Smith scored the only goal of the game in the 20th minute to give visiting Washington College a 1-0 win over host Hood College in non-conference women's soccer action this afternoon. Host Gettysburg College blanked visiting Washington College, 7-0, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon in Gettysburg, PA. Visiting Washington College and host Bryn Mawr College played to a 0-0 tie in Centennial Conference women's soccer action on Wednesday afternoon at Applebee Field. Visiting Washington College picked up its first win of the season tonight as the Shorewomen topped host King's College, 3-0, in a non-conference women's soccer game in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Fifth-ranked Johns Hopkins scored four times in the first half en route to a 5-0 win over host Washington College in the Centennial Conference women's soccer opener for both schools this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The Washington College Student Government Association presents Homecoming 2011 this weekend. Homecoming will kick-off with a tailgate and pep rally Friday night and continues with a full slate of home athletic events Saturday. An opportunistic transition offense for visiting Goucher College netted three goals for the Gophers in the second half of a 3-0 non-conference women's soccer win over host Washington College this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The Gophers (2-1) picked up the three-goal win despite getting just five shots off in the game, compared to 20 for the Shorewomen (0-3). Zena Tracey scored 41 seconds into overtime as host Immaculata defeated visiting Washington College, 1-0, in a non-conference women's soccer game this afternoon. Immaculata improved to 1-1 with the win, while the Shorewomen fell to 0-2 with the loss. Visiting Neumann University spoiled the season opener for host Washington College, defeating the Shorewomen, 1-0, in a non-conference women's soccer game this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. With seven seniors among 15 returning players, the Washington College women's soccer team will have a wealth of veteran leadership during the 2011 season. Washington College head women's soccer coach Julika Blankenship has announced that seniors Gabby Devaud, Jennifer Kiarsis, Kelsey Newborn, and Tori Ripple will serve as the Shorewomen's captains for the 2011 season. Women's soccer players Kira Pancotti and Mallory Kahn-Johnston spent the spring semester abroad. Pancotti spent the semester in Australia and writes about her experience in the Land Down Under, while Kahn-Johnston was in Israel for the semester and chronicles her time in the Middle East. Four Washington College student-athletes have been named to the Centennial Conference All-Sportsmanship Team for fall sports. Sophomore Kim McClellan represented the women's soccer team. Thirteen Washington College student-athletes have been named to the Centennial Conference's Academic Honor Roll for fall sports. The women's soccer team had six student-athletes qualify for the distinction. For the first time in team history, two Washington College women's soccer players have earned All-Centennial Conference recognition. Junior midfielder Gabby Devaud and junior goalkeeper Tori Ripple have been chosen as all-conference honorable mentions in a vote conducted by the conference's head coaches. Visiting Dickinson College scored in both halves in a 2-0 win over Washington College on Saturday afternoon in Centennial Conference women's soccer action at Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Junior goalkeeper Tori Ripple made 11 saves for WC. Host Bryn Mawr College scored three times in the second half to post a 3-2 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory over visiting Washington College this afternoon. Jennifer Kiarsis and Katie Weida scored for the Shorewomen. Tuesday's women's soccer game at Bryn Mawr has been moved up to a 3:30 p.m. start. It was originally scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Host McDaniel College scored the game's only goal in the ninth minute of a 1-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory over visiting Washington College this afternoon in Westminster, MD. Join us for the first-ever "WAC Attack" on October 23rd at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. Host Haverford College scored twice in the first half to post a 2-0 win over visiting Washington College in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon in Haverford, PA. Visiting Gettysburg College scored three times in the first half to post a 3-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory over host Washington College this afternoon. The Washington College men's and women's soccer teams were scheduled to host a youth clinic tonight, but the event has been canceled. Visiting Ursinus College defeated host Washington College, 3-2, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Junior midfielder Gabby Devaud scored one goal and assisted on another for the Shorewomen in the loss. Host Muhlenberg College topped visiting Washington College, 4-0, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this evening in Allentown, PA. Junior forward/midfielder Kira Pancotti scored two goals as visiting Washington College to a 3-1 win over host Penn State-Berks in a non-conference women's soccer game this afternoon in Reading, PA. Today's women's soccer game at Penn State-Berks has been postponed due to field conditions and tentatively rescheduled for Thursday at 4:00 p.m. Visiting Swarthmore College scored one goal in each half to post a 2-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory over host Washington College tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Visiting Franklin & Marshall topped host Washington College, 3-1, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Freshman forward/midfielder Heather Smith scored for the Shorewomen in the loss. Join Sports Information Director Phil Ticknor as he live-blogs from tonight's women's soccer game at Wesley College. Visiting Washington College scored a pair of second-half goals to defeat host Wesley College, 2-0, in a non-conference women's soccer game tonight in Dover, DE. The Shorewomen improved to 3-2-1 with the win, while the Wolverines fell to 1-5-1 with the loss. Seventh-ranked host Johns Hopkins scored four first-half goals and went on to post a 7-0 win over visiting Washington College in the Centennial Conference women's soccer opener for both teams this afternoon. Junior goalkeeper Tori Ripple made a career-high 19 saves for the Shorewomen. Junior goalkeeper Tori Ripple made 11 saves and the Washington College women's soccer team scored a pair of second-half goals to blank visiting Hood College, 2-0, this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Visiting Cabrini College scored a pair of second-half goals to secure a 2-0 win and spoil the home opened for the Washington College women's soccer team this afternoon on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Junior goalkeeper Tori Ripple saved a shot by Goucher's Sisley Pumilia with two seconds left in the second overtime to preserve a 1-1 tie for the Washington College women's soccer team in its season opener. Four Washington College teams open the fall 2010 season this weekend, with a men's soccer home night game headlining the action. The volleyball, women's soccer, and field hockey teams each open on the road. Shorewomen Soccer to Take "Shots for MS" The Washington College women's soccer team will partner with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for "Shots for MS," a fundraiser to help in the battle against the disease. The good news? The 2009 seasons was the best in seven years for the Washington College women's soccer team. The better news? Nine starters return for the Shorewomen, who turned a corner last season and look to continue their progress in 2010. Washington College head women's lacrosse and women's soccer coach Julika Blankenship recently announced the hiring of Leanne Hollinger as an assistant coach for both sports. Four Washington College student-athletes have been named to the All-Centennial Conference Sportsmanship Team for fall sports. Sophomore defender Corinne Welker represented Washington's women's soccer team. Fourteen Washington College student-athletes, including five from the women's soccer team, have been named to the Centennial Conference's Academic Honor Roll for fall sports. Host Dickinson College scored four second-half goals en route to a 6-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over visiting Washington College this afternoon. Host Washington College scored twice in the first half en route to a 3-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory over visiting Bryn Mawr tonight. Freshman Jen Stafford tallied a goal and an assist for the Shorewomen. Visiting McDaniel College posted a 1-0 win over host Washington College today on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game. The game was interrupted by a 90-minute lightning delay. Visiting Haverford College scored two goals in each half of a 4-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over host Washington College tonight. Host Gettysburg College topped visiting Washington College, 2-1, in a Centennial Conference women's soccer game this afternoon. Washington freshman Katie Bradley scored her first collegiate goal in the loss. Host Ursinus College netted four second half goals and went on to post a 4-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory over visiting Washington College this afternoon. Visiting Muhlenberg College scored both of its goals in the second half of a 2-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer win over host Washington College this afternoon. Host Cabrini College scored a pair of second-half goals to post a 2-0 non-conference women's soccer victory over visiting Washington College this afternoon. Host 20th-ranked Swarthmore College scored three goals in the first half and went on to a 4-0 victory over visiting Washington College in a Centennial Conference women's soccer match on Tuesday evening. Freshman Jen Stafford scored the game's only goal as visiting Washington College snapped a 31-game Centennial Conference losing streak with a 1-0 overtime win over host Franklin & Marshall. Visiting Washington College fired off a school-record 40 shots and recorded 18 corner kicks in a 3-0 non-conference women's soccer win over host Trinity University this afternoon. Visiting Washington College and host Hood College played to a 2-2 tie in a non-conference women's soccer match this afternoon. Sophomore Gabby Devaud and freshman Jen Stafford scored the Shorewomen's goals. Seventeenth-ranked Johns Hopkins University scored four goals in a span of less than 12 minutes in the second half to turn a 1-0 halftime lead into a 5-0 Centennial Conference women's soccer victory over host Washington College this afternoon. The Washington College women's soccer team posted its third consecutive shutout this afternoon by defeating visiting Penn State-Berks, 2-0. The win marks the second time in school history that the Shorewomen, off to a 3-1 start for the first time since 2002, have recorded three straight shutouts. Sophomore forward Kira Pancotti scored one goal and assisted on the other as host Washington College blanked visiting Neumann, 2-0, in a non-conference women's soccer game this afternoon. Freshman defenders Gabby Antalffy and Tara Keefe each scored a second-half goal to give host Washington College a 2-0 win over visiting Goucher in non-conference women's soccer action tonight. Visiting Wesley College scored once in each half of a 2-0 women's soccer victory over host Washington College tonight.

Today we have another 2011 Operation First Novel finalist, Clarice James, In The Edit. Clarice's manuscript, Party of One, tells the story of a widow coming to terms with her new life. In this sample, which comes from Chapter 4, the protagonist is dealing with some pretty heavy emotional baggage. Clarice handles this well. The emotions she shares seem real and, as a spouse who worries excessively about losing my wife, I was able to relate even though a man. Read my edit with track changes in place. If you're a regular reader of these In The Edit posts, you know I always cut words. This is a key self-editing skill every author needs to learn and internalize. In most cases, with a few allowances for style and voice, if you can cut a word, do so. Shorter sentences are powerful. They keep the reader moving and engaged in the story. An occasional long sentence of exceptional beauty—one that needs every word in it—offers the reader sweet, satisfying variety. For instance, in paragraph 5, Clarice has her protagonist describing what life without a loved one is like by showing how the protag relates in everyday situations. It's a powerful idea and it works. But there are extra words. In that sentence, I added really because it helped show the character's state of mind, but I deleted at work and that because the previous sentence indicated the location and because that can almost always be deleted. While this sample already contains strong emotions, I thought there were ways to enhance them. In this scene, because Clarice chose to write it as her character talking in general (when this happens to you, then you experience this), it distances the reader just when you want to draw them in. What I think works better is to have the protagonist share this section from her own point of view. This requires changing the focus from you to I. In other words, instead of A friend complains about her job and you outwardly sympathize, but what you think is… we get Now, when a friend complains about her job, outwardly I sympathize, but inside I'm thinking…. This makes it much easier for the reader to empathize with the character and gives the character more authority. This is a significant change in approach. If I were really editing Clarice's book, I'd want to chat with her about it to hear why she wrote it the way she did. Writers have this passion for telling things in threes. It's a natural fact that humans like threes, but sometimes we use the trick too often and rob it of it's power or end up writing as Mr. Obvious, leaving nothing to the reader's imagination. In Clarice's sample, she did this while trying to get across her protagonist's mental state of mind following her husband's death. First she had the co-worker complaining about the day she had at work. Then another co-worker shared about the movie she saw. Finally, the example of the waitress asking about the salad. It seemed like too much. I changed it to come from the protagonist's point of view, but after that it really screamed "too much!" to me. Of the three examples, the salad seemed the least evocative so I cut it. Now, combined with the point of view switch, the other two examples have more power. One last note: You'll see in yellow highlight where I ask Clarice a question. Her answer to that would affect the edit going forward from that place. Clarice, thanks for coming Into The Edit with me!

Halle Berry's Treatment Of Black Reporters On A Red Carpet Totally Surprised Them Her publicist tried to whisk her away. By Moriba Cummings (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic) May 17, 2019 / 3:41 PM Halle Berry has always had a love/hate relationship with the press and paparazzi — but made it clear this week that she has the backs of certain reporters. While on the red carpet for her new film, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, the Oscar winner refused to skip a pair of Black journalists who were waiting to ask her questions in the press line, despite being whisked away by her publicist. One of the two Black reporters, Emerald Marie of Where Is the Buzz TV, shared the heartwarming moment with her Instagram followers, noting that at red carpet events, Black media is often placed at the end of the press line. Due to this, celebrities often tend not to make it to them before heading in for the event or their publicists urge them to skip them as "time has run out." The latter applied in Berry's case, with Marie recalling that, despite being cut off by Berry's publicist while trying to get her attention, the actress, instead of walking away, turned around and made a conscious effort to speak with them, as she did with the other outlets. "I can't skip my brother and sister," Berry said, according to Marie. This, unfortunately, continues to be a common occurrence for Black journalists everywhere. "Oftentimes, Black reporters and Black outlets are pushed to the end and [are] unable to get the proper interview that they need," Marie said in a video posted to her Instagram page. After seeing Berry take the initiative to give her and Lamar Dawson, the only other Black reporter, a fair chance to interview her, Marie said she now has a "newfound respect" for the actress. Take a look at her explanation, below: Dawson spoke with Vibe about the moment as well, explaining that while it is encouraging to see Berry defy the odds with this kind gesture, the system needs to change for Black journalists to have a fair shot. "It's a big issue that needs to be addressed," he said. "Our stories deserve to be told, too... I'm grateful for Halle for seeing us out there." Halle's new film, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, hits theaters today (May 17). celebrity newsHalle Berry 'You People' Kiss With Lauren London And Jonah Hill Was Reportedly Fake Thanks To CGI The studio has yet to confirm if the lip lock was not real. Janelle Monáe Jokingly Threatens 'No New Music' Following Fan's Claims She Used To Dress Like 'The Monopoly Man' The singer proved she definitely has a sense of style and humor. Naturi Naughton-Lewis And Xavier 'Two' Lewis Are Expecting Their First Child Together! You'll never believe where the actress was when she found out about her pregnancy! Miracle Watts Reveals How She Feels About Her Postpartum Body, And Fans Are Praising Her Transparency! The actress and first-time mom posted unfiltered photos on Instagram. How Tracey Lee Pivoted From Major Lable Emcee To Sought After Entertainment Lawyer The Howard and Southern University Law Center graduate is still putting out music including a modern update to 'The Theme (It's Party Time)'. 2023 NAACP Image Awards: Meet the Women Dominating the 'Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series' Category The future of writing is female. Tati Gabrielle Talks Keeping Her Authenticity As A Black Woman in 'You' In an interview with BET, the actress shares what she learned from playing her character Marienne in season 4 of the Netflix series. Former Officer Requests For Patrick Lyoya Wrongful Death Suit To Be Dismissed Under Qualified Immunity The African immigrant was killed by Grand Rapids police at only 26 years old. Yes, It's LeBron James Moment, But Don't Forget These 5 All-Time NBA Scoring Leaders The G.O.A.T. conversation has been bubbling over all day, as it should, but despite James' accomplishment, nobody can overlook these five ballers. Dr. Heavenly Refuses To Bring Negativity Into 2023: 'I've Learned A Lot Through My Mistakes' [EXCLUSIVE] The 'Married To Medicine' star revealed to BET Lifestyle that she no longer drinks alcohol and has made a conscious effort to use less profanity.

Bengough Jones Kirkup Random Records [email protected] >> Hindmarsh >> Percival Hindmarsh (1694) >> Percival Hindmarsh (1742) >> Percival Hindmarsh (1781) >> William Hindmarsh (1780) >> Percival Hindmarsh (1812) Percival Hindmarsh 1812 Percival Hindmarsh, son of Percival of Belsay Barns and brother of William Hindmarsh the prison warder. Birth 1 Dec 1812 in Low Stokoe, Falstone Northumberland Death 25 Feb 1859 in Sydney, NSW, Australia Christening 1812 24 Dec Falstone Northumberland Presbyterian Perceval HINDMARSH : Fathers Forenames:Perceval, Mother:Margaret. Birth day:01/12/1812, Abode:Low Stokoe Falstone from FindMyPast Percival had an interesting and noteworthy life and indeed death. Percival was born at Stokoe Farm in the depths of the Cheviots after his mother Margaret Young had lost maybe 2 daughters at an early age, he then moved with his parents to a remote farm at Belsay Barns in Bolam where his brother William, was born in 1819 just before, his mother died, plus also his paternal grandfather at Peels Wellhouse and his paternal aunt Eleanor who died at 37, within weeks of his grandfather. At this stage Percival was 8 years old and his brother William was a toddler. A year later his father Percival died young in 1821 leaving both boys orphans. His father died intestate ie with no will. Events seem to have been complicated at this time as many of the wills were dealt with very slowly and the intestacy of Percival of Belsay Barns, the boys father, wasn't dealt with until 1843 some 20 or so years later by which time both orphan boys were grown up and living their own lives. It would seem that William the grocer and his contacts in Alnwick changed the direction of these 2 farmer's sons as both ended up joining the civil service, Percival joining the customs service and William joining the prison service. Percival in Canada Percival worked as a Customs Clerk at St John's on Newfoundland Island in Canada, and you can see him listed in the Newfoundland Almanac 1844 here at page 35. At some point in the early 1800s, probably in Alnwick, Percival had got to know The Baillie or Bayly family of Tadcaster, Yorkshire. In Canada Percival worked with George, James and Robert Bayly in the Customs department, and in the 1840 Indenture relating to his uncle William's intestate estate one of the parties was Richard Baillie of Tadcaster. This Richard Baillie had, on 29 September 1829, in Alnwick married a Jane Cattanach. In the 1840 Indenture regarding the estate of William (1780) Percival is described as; "... and Percival Hindmarsh esq late of Alnwick in the County of Northumberland but now of St Johns in the Island of Newfoundland Clerk in Her Majestys Customs ...." In the grant of administration in respect of Percival's father's estate in 1843, Percival is described as; "... we, Percival Hindmarsh, late of St Johns Newfoundland and now of Alnwick in the County of Northumberland Gentleman ..." This seems to indicate firstly that, in order to sort out his families affairs he was forever travelling from Canada to England, and secondly that his service at Newfoundland started before 1840 and by 1843 he had ceased work with Customs in Newfoundland however he is listed in the Newfoundland Almanac as a Clerk in Customs up to 1849, so he must have returned to Canada after sorting out his father's affairs. Percival in Australia Percival then travelled to Australia in 1850 to take up a similar Customs House position as a tide-waiter. Arrival 1850 4 Aug Age: 37 Port Jackson, New South Wales on the Duke Of Richmond (a small boat of cargo with only a few passengers). In Australia in order to work as a customs man £500 sureties had to be provided. These were given by William Hindmarsh of Alnwick, Tea Dealer, and John Dodds, of London, Gentleman, the bond being deposited at The Custom House London. Percival worked in Australia from 1850 until 1859 when he met an early death at the age of 46. His cause of death is given as natural causes however as he was only 46 years old at his death an inquest had to go ahead, which makes for very interesting reading as clearly the jury completely ignored the evidence, to the frustration of the coroner. The jury were John Bell (Foreman), Thomas Crossley, Alfred Mayo, John Girvan, James Gosstry, Ebenezar Dewar, Henry Dodds, John Bros and Nicholas Giffard. It is interesting to note that the Hindmarsh family had links to the Bells and the Dodds families in Northumberland. At one point in the Inquest Report there is a note after Dr Cox's evidence; "NOTE-When Dr Cox was under examination, the foreman constantly interrupted the proceedings, the Coroner remarking, you are determined to allow no evidence to be recorded that discloses facts. The foreman, Mr Bell, remarked, that he was a most intimate friend of the deceased, and that he would have been his Executor if he had but lived to have perfected it. Coroner: You ought not to have been on this inquest then" It is quite clear from the Coroner's comments that he is completely baffled by the jury's conclusions and the report says; "... when, how and by what means the said deceased Percival Hindmarsh came by his death, do, upon our oath, say that we find that the said Percival Hindmarsh came by his death from natural causes. RIDER - The Jury beg to express their opinion, from the evidence produced, that the deceased Percival Hindmarsh was a man of steady, regular and sober habits, and consider that there were not sufficient grounds to warrant an inquest. In witness thereof ... etc NOTE - Gentlemen, I am bound to receive your verdict, but I must inform you that it is not in accordance with the evidence. JOHN S PARKER, Coroner" Following publication of the Coroner's Report in the newspaper John Bell wrote to the paper complaining that the Jury's Rider had not been included. "To the Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald Sir - In your report of this date of the inquest held on the late Mr Percival Hindmarsh ..... but the "rider" attached to the verdict .... is omitted... The jury thought the "rider" necessary, from the circumstances of the coroner having publicly stated in Court that reports were in general circulation of a contrary nature, and that a letter, duly signed by the write and received by him, had rendered an inquest needful. ....the letter on production, appeared with a ficticious signature, and was otherwise utterly unworthy of credit or attention. In requesting insertion of these lines, .... to rescue from unmerited aspersion the fair name and reputation of the deceased gentleman, who living, was widely known and respected .... JOHN BELL, foreman of the jury. Lower Fort-Street, March 1" I find this case quite fascinating. It is quite clear that the Jury were agreed that nothing should besmirch Percival's name, but the question is, why? It is entirely possible that he was part of an "old boys network" in Sydney where there was a level of corruption, but where they all looked out for each other, and maybe he had been a particularly well-respected member of that group and so earned their protection. But clearly this kind of behaviour with regard to Inquests was not usual, and so if the "old boys" argument is to work you would expect this to happen more frequently. In addition there is the matter of the letter referred to in John Bell's letter to the Sydney Morning Herald. His use of the English of the time makes what he says a little ambiguous but to my eyes the gist is that, someone had masqueraded as him and had written to the coroner with concerns that led to the inquest. No mention is made of what the letter said and so I can only surmise as to its contents - one thing I think is for sure, if it had simply said that Percival had drunk himself to death then there would not have been an inquest in those times where deaths in your 40's would not have been uncommon. It would be so interesting to see what that letter had alleged particularly bearing in mind the impending enquiry regarding the functions of the Customs Officers. John Bell, foreman of the Jury, not only was a close friend of Percival, which should, by rights, have barred him from service on the Jury, he also attempted to disrupt Dr Cox's evidence with some fortitude and this only beggars the question as to why, what was at stake? He either had a great bond of honour to Percival or desperately needed the inquest to conclude that Percival simply died of natural causes, with no further investigation needed. Interestingly, no post mortem was done and it appears that no-one suggested that he may have been poisoned, however this is quite feasible as clearly he had information relating to the upcoming enquiry. Why did John Bell fight so hard to disrupt the evidence and ensure that the verdict of the Jury was accepted by the general public? What did he have to gain? We will probably never know, but I will keep looking. Certainly on the face of it it does look as if he was very troubled by the impending enquiry and drank too much, which combined with the extreme heat led to dehydration and an early death, although it does seem more than likely that other factors may be more than relevant. My justification for this is; the extreme measures John Bell and the Jury went to, to disrupt the medical evidence and to bring a false verdict. One thing that really concerns me is that as I try and transcribe what was written in the paper, it does not correlate with what was written in the report of the inquest, but why? Transcription of The Report in the Sydney Morning Herald INQUEST ON THE LATE MR. PERCIVAL HINDMARSH, OF H. M. CUSTOMS. JOHN S. PARKER, City Coroner. City Coroner's Office, 2nd March. On Saturday evening last a jury of nine persons was sworn in, and the body of deceased viewed, In order that it might be interred; the proceedings being then adjourned to Monday. On Monday, at 1 p.m., the jury and witnesses assembled at the Neptune Inn, Prince-Street, when the following evidence was taken: Finney Eldershaw, being duly sworn, deposed on oath as follows - I am clerk in the Legislative Council, and have known the deceased Percival Hindmarsh for about eight years; he was landing waiter in the Customs: he was a single man and of late resided in Princes Street; he was about 47 years of age, was a single man, and never, to my knowledge, had a days illness, he was remarkably healthy, and had resided for some time past in Prince street; I believe he dis-charged his duties up to the 19th instant, and on the evening of that day was at my house, when he appeared in perfect health, but somewhat uneasy about the then pending enquiries into the Customs department; he left my house at about half-past eight; on the morning of the 21st I saw him again at his lodgings, having heard that he was unwell; he was in bed, and looked very pale, though perfectly conscious; he again talked about the Customs enquiry; I stayed with him about half an hour, and then left; I again went of my own accord on the following morning and saw him; he was still in bed, and appeared better, though his mind was slightly wandering; on Thursday, the 21th, at about ten o'clock, I accompanied the deceased, with Dr. Cox, to the Infirmary in a cab; deceased was not violent, but his mind was still wandering; his removal to the Infirmary was on the advice of Dr. Cox; on Friday morning I went to see him, and then heard he was dead. By the Coroner: I consider deceased's illness originated in fretfulness about the Customs enquiry; I am not aware of any other cause; I never saw him suffer from the effects of drink; I am not aware that he Indulged in drink, nor did I hear that he kept spirits in his room. By the foreman: I never for one moment supposed that Mr. Hidmarsh died by unlawful or improper means administered by his own or other hands; I am of the opinion that he died from natural causes; deceased complained several times of the excessive heat of the sun, especially about a week before he was taken ill, but it did not occur to me that he had had a sun-stroke. John Macfarlane, M.D, deposed: The deceased Mr Hindmarsh was brought to the infirmary on Thursday morning, at about ten o'clock, and placed under my care and treatment; I found him exceedingly nervous and very much depressed; his mind was slightly wandering; I ordered morphine to procure sleep and tranquillize the system: he died at five o'clock on the following morning of effusion within the chest. By the Coroner; The complaint from which he was suffering might or might not have been the result of natural causes; I had never seen him before; his mind was wandering, but that might have been caused by finding himself in a strange room with a number of other occupants; such suffering did not necessarily follow from the effects of drink; I have, known persons in apparently ordinary health to have effusion of the chest; exposure to the sun is calculated to produce wandering in the mind; the deceased was under no restraint in the infirmary, and I believe he was sent there for more skilful nursing; he was not sent there as a person dangerous to be at large; I do not remember having heard Dr. Cox make any remarks about deceased having suffered from delirium tremens; I did not expect that be would have died so soon; when I first saw him it was my impression that he was under the influence of some sedative. By the foreman: Had I thought that deceased came by his death by any other, than fair means, I should have communicated with the coroner; sun-stroke might cause similar symptoms to those of delirium tremens; the symptoms of the disease from which he died would show themselves some hours before death. William Marchant deposed: I have known the deceased for three or four years; he lodged with me in Fort-street for eighteen months previous to his removal to Prince-street; he was a man of regular habits, and very healthy; I never saw him drink, nor have I heard that he indulged in drink; latterly he seemed troubled in his mind about the Customs enquiry; I have seen him almost daily, and he always appeared sober. Edward Lyenal, being sworn in the usual way, deposed: The deceased Percival Hindmarsh resided with me for about two years past; he was very healthy and kept regular hours; occasionally I have seen him excited from drink and, the effects of exposure to the sun, while engaged in his duties: I have heard him complain of the heat repeatedly; he was taken ill on Saturday night, and was very sick during the night, vomiting, accompanied with a violent cough; on Sunday morning his mind wandered, and a medical man was sent for; Dr. Cox attended, and remained in attendance until his removal to the Infirmary; before his removal he had become delerious, but not very violent; as long as I have known him he has generally kept a case of gin in his room; I have seen a gin bottle and tumbler on his table, but had no idea what he drank; I have never seen him incapable of putting out his own light, or in a state to require others to look after him; I have heard him walking about his room at night, and have some indistinct notion of his having fallen out of bed some time since: I cannot say how long a case of gin lasted him; but I do not think that more than four cases came to the house for him since he has resided with me; his friends participated freely with him; I have observed that latterly he suffered very much from excitement respecting the Customs enquiry, so much so that I have refrained from mentioning the subject to him; he had never been an annoyance in my house until the two days prior to his removal to the Infirmary; he attended to his duties on Saturday, the 19th, and after returning complained of the heat of the sun; he was much affected, and I was not surprised to find him ill on the following morning; when Dr. Cox first saw the deceased he (Dr. Cox) asked me whether he had been drinking; I replied I believed he had; I also intimated that change of climate, with the heat of the sun, &c, might have produced delirium; he appeared to recover rapidly, and was sensible during the greater part of Monday, but I believe that so many friends seeing him caused the serious relapse; he was in an excessive state of perspiration, he trembled, was not violent, nor did he require holding; on Monday he was conscious, but on Tuesday he was only conscious at intervals. By a juror: He had birds In his room, to which he was much attached, and used to get out of bed at night occasionally to feed them. By the foreman: During the time he has been with me I have never seen him incapable of doing his public or private duties; I should not call him a man of drunken habits; he did not indulge too freely when at home; I had never any occasion to go into his room on account of noise; I know of no cause for a coroner's inquest being held, and was much surprised to hear that such was to take place; I am not aware that inquests are held upon cases of delirium tremens. William R. T. Passmore deposed : I am a landing-waiter in the Customs, and have known deceased for five years; he was generally employed out of doors, and, consequently, much exposed to the sun; on Saturday, the 19th. deceased and myself were gauging casks on MaCnamara's Wharf, when he complained of the excessive heat; he complained it affected his head, and had to go into the landing-waiter's box to rest ; I requested him to take a nobbler of brandy, but he declined, saying he had already taken one that morning; I did not see him again until Monday morning. By tho Coroner: So far as I know he was a sober man; I never saw him under the influence of drink; I have been almost constantly with him on duty during the last twelvemonths. By a juror: I saw Mr. Hindmarsh several times during his illness, but saw no occasion for an inquest; I sat up with him on Wednesday night; he was delirious, but knew me the whole time and took his medicine from me regularly. By the foreman: I never knew Mr. Hindmarsh unable to do his duty; he was in the habit of assisting his brother officers in their duties; they applied to him for assistance, having confidence in him, but he generally volunteered his services when ho saw others pressed with work. James Charles Cox, M.D, deposed: I am at present acting for Dr. McEwan, who was sent for on Tuesday night, the 20th instant to see the deceased; I attended, and found him in his room reclining on his bed with his clothes on; he appeared agitated and confused; I explained to him Dr. McEwan's absence and tendered my services in his stead; he perfectly understood me, and expressed himself happy to be placed under my care; I asked him of his complaint, and he said he suffered from pain in his head and right side; he was tremulous, tongue furred, and very fidgetty; be also complained that his stomach was out of order; from his appearance I thought he was verging on a state of delirium tremens; I asked him if he had been drinking, he said he had, and showed me a gin bottle and glass in the room; he told me he had drank a few glasses the night before, raw; I then examined his chest and the state of his liver; he had tenderness over the region of the liver; I examined his chest stethoscopically, but could detect no symptoms of inflammatory action there; I asked him if he had a cough, be said not more than a slight one occasionally; I prescribed for him and treated him as I thought right. By the Coroner: He made no remark to me about suffering from the heat of the sun; he said he had some matters preying upon his mind, which I did not enquire into; he had taken no narcotic; the effect appeared to me to be caused by ardent spirits; I saw a case bottle on the floor; I think it was not quite empty; he told me he had only indulged at night; I did not think his case was hopeless; at one time I thought he had taken spirits again after I had ordered their removal out of the room; they were taken out of the room; he was not fit to answer any questions as to his condition; he was not removed to the Infirmary on the supposition that he was in a hopeless state, but for safer attendance; prior to his removal I went to Dr. O'Brien and to a Custom-house officer to get a fit attendant for him but failed; before this he got out into the street and went to the Custom-house; I have had great experience in cases of this nature, and feel confident that that was the nature of his case whilst under my charge, and I mentioned the same in the Infirmary. By a juror: I have never seen a sun-stroke; I ordered the spirits to be removed from his room on my first visit; he told me he had undressed the night prior and on former nights; my statement that he had got out of the house was made from information by the parties living in the house. By the Coroner: Congestion of the liver, and the irritable state of his stomach would produce vomiting. The jury retired, and after half an hour's consultation agreed to, and returned with the following verdict: "We find that the said Perceval Hindmarsh came by his death from natural causes." Rider-"The jury beg to express their opinion, from the evidence produced, that the deceased Percival Hindmarsh was a man of steady, regular, and sober habits: and consider that there were not sufficient grounds to warrant an inquest." The Coroner returned the jurymen thanks for the time and attention they had given to the enquiry, and intimated that he was bound to accept their verdict, though he must inform them that it was not in accordance with the evidence. Votes and Proceedings - Inquest of Percival Hindmarsh p733 You can also go to the Gallery and read the book. ADDENDUM: some further information I have found is written up on my Family Research website. Percival Hindmarsh Death Certificate (NSW reg no. 1859/000243) Death: 25 February 1859 at Princes Street Cause of Death: Inflammation of Lungs, duration 3 days Buried: 26 February 1859 at Camperdown Cemetry, witness John Bell Birth: Northumberland, Time in Colonies:7 years (this is wrong as it was 9 years) Percival's Estate Percival died without a will and there is extensive paperwork with regard to his estate. John Dunsmore and Charles Stafford of Sydney were bound by a sum of £2500 as administrators of his estate. Charles Stafford was the legally appointed attorney of William Hindmarsh of Dartmoor Prison Service. William, Percival's brother, did not travel to Australia and instead swore various documents including a Power of Attorney in Plymouth in front of John Bayly, Notary Public. (the Baylys do seem to have many dealings with the Hindmarsh family however as yet I have not found a family link) William swears; "I William Hindmarsh storekeeper at the Dartmoor Prison in the Parish of Lydford in the County of Devon England do solemnly and sincerely declare as follows, namely that I am the Brother of Percival Hindmarsh late of Sydney in the Colony of New South Wales landing waiter who some time since departed this life at Sydney aforesaid Intestate and without ever having been married and that the said Percival Hindmarsh had not either Father or Mother or Brother or Sister or issue of Brother or Sister other than myself and my issue living at the time of his decease...... sixteenth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty nine." In another document appointing John Dunsmore and Charles Stafford as his attorneys, William says; ".. and whereas I the said William Hindmarsh am now absolutely entitled as the only next of kin of the said Percival Hindmarsh to all the Personal Estate Goods Chattels and Credits which the said Percival Hindmarsh was possessed of or entitled to at the time of his decease..." Another document whereby Charles Stafford confirms he is attorney for William Hindmarsh acknowledges receipt of the document from William on 14 March 1860 and so the letter from Plymouth to Sydney took about 3 months to arrive. Percival's possessions had to be sold off and early in 1859 the following advert appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald; "By Order of the Official Assignee, E. A. Mackechnie, Esq. In the Intestate Estate of Percival Hindmarsh, Esq. - On SATURDAY, the 19th instant, at 11 o'clock- Very superior Household Furniture Ditto Office Furniture and Fittings Oil Paintings and Engravings Books, Stereoscope and Slides Gold Snuff Box Gold Watch and Chain Canaries in Breeding and other Cages Maps, Wearing Apparel, and A variety of valuable Sundries. MR. ROBERT MURIEL will sell by public auction, at his New Rooms, Wynyard street, THIS DAY, the 19th instant, at 11 o'clock precisely, A variety of valuable effects belonging to the intestate estate of Percival Hindmarsh, Esq., and a large quantity of useful sundries. Terms, cash." Later he advertised a sale for; "The personal effects of the late Percival Hindmarsh, Esq., and 114 shares in the Australian Gas-Light Company at 12 o'clock precisely" Percival was buried at Camperdown Cemetry; Newtown: Erskineville Anglican http://neac.com.au/ 7422 Hindmarsh; Percival. South Wall The gravestone says "Percival Hindmarsh of Her Majesty's Customs and late of Northumberland England died on 25 February 1859" Percival's estate raised about £1700 of which, I believe, £1300 was paid out to William Hindmarsh, his brother. << PREVIOUS NEXT (William Hindmarsh 1819) >> Hindmarsh Family History Request Family History Newsletter Search our website or contact Us. Hindmarsh | Kirkup | Dunn | Anderson | Bolam | Robson Copyright © 2022 Gill Keeble. All Rights Reserved. | [Owner Login] | Website Designed by S3 Web Design This website uses cookies to help us improve your experience. By using our website you are accepting our Privacy Policy and use of Cookies.

Q: SQL query to calculate stock order data? I have a table with orders for shares of stocks that looks like this: The first column is the ID of the respective stock, the second column is the order price, third column is whether its a bid (buy) or an ask (sell) and finally the the last column is the volume remaining in this order. What I'm trying to do is get these values: * *Highest and lowest bid prices and highest and lowest ask prices. *sum of the volume at highest bid and sum of volume at lowest ask I realize this is pretty complicated query and it's likely going to involve one (or probably several sub-queries) but what I have so far is this: SELECT SYMBOL_CODE as symbol_code, MAX(ORDER_PRICE) as highest_bid, MIN(ORDER_PRICE) as lowest_bid, SUM(VOLUME_TRADED) FROM ORDERS WHERE ORDER_TYPE = 'buy' GROUP BY SYMBOL_CODE order by SYMBOL_CODE; There are two issues with this as I see it, first of all, it sums the volume of all the prices, not the prices of highest bid orders only, couldnt figure out how to do that and secondly, this only does the bids, I'd have to write another query for the asks. I tried grouping by order_type but I didn't get the expected result (stocks had 1 or 2 rows in result depending on whether they had a bid/ask order or both) A: You can filter the table for the highest and lowest price using row_number(), and then do conditional aggregation: select symbol_code, max(case when order_type = 'buy' and rn_high = 1 then order_price end) highest_bid, sum(case when order_type = 'buy' and rn_high = 1 then volume_traded end) volume_at_highest_bid, min(case when order_type = 'sell' and rn_low = 1 then order_price end) lowest_ask, sum(case when order_type = 'sell' and rn_low = 1 then volume_traded end) volume_at_lowest_ask from ( select o.*, row_number() over(partition by symbol_code, order_type order by order_price) rn_low, row_number() over(partition by symbol_code, order_type order by order_price desc) rn_high from orders o ) t where order_type = 'buy' and rn_high = 1 or (order_type = 'sell' and rn_low = 1) group by symbol_code A: I created a view as Follows to keep all the specified details and then just select from the view depending on order_volume and type columns. alter view MinMax as select [SYMBOL_CODE] as Symbol, MAX(ORDER_PRICE) as 'Price', 'Max' as 'Type', case max(order_type) when 'buy' then 'BID' else 'ASK' end as 'Order Type' , 'Order' as 'Order_Volume' FROM ORDERS where ORDER_PRICE in(select MAX(ORDER_PRICE) FROM ORDERS) group by [SYMBOL_CODE] union select SYMBOL_CODE , sum(VOLUME_TRADED), 'Max', case max(order_type) when 'buy' then 'BID' else 'ASK' end , 'Order' FROM ORDERS where VOLUME_TRADED in(select MAX(VOLUME_TRADED) FROM ORDERS) group by [SYMBOL_CODE] union select SYMBOL_CODE as Symbol, MAX(ORDER_PRICE), 'Max', 'BID', 'Volume' FROM ORDERS where VOLUME_TRADED in(select MAX(VOLUME_TRADED) FROM ORDERS) and order_type='buy' group by [SYMBOL_CODE] union select SYMBOL_CODE, MAX(ORDER_PRICE), 'Min', 'ASK', 'Volume' FROM ORDERS where VOLUME_TRADED in(select min(VOLUME_TRADED) FROM ORDERS) and order_type='sell' group by [SYMBOL_CODE] I also added a new column named 'OrderType' if you want to get in the orders depending also on budget type. Select from the View to get the specified result. Select * from minmax If you want only SYMBOL_ID and price then: select symbol,price from minmax A: Have you tried using The Min()/Max() function in addition to the Partition-- function? That way you can "split" the query results into each "symbol code"-partition and get the respective Min/Max Because it seems like, what you really want to do is look at all data for a certain "symbol code", and then "iterate" through them A: I think window functions and appropriate aggregation do what you want: select symbol_code, max_buy, min_ask, sum(case when order_type = 'buy' and order_price = max_buy then volume_traded) as max_buy_volume, sum(case when order_type = 'sell' and order_price = min_ask then volume_traded) as min_ask_volume from (select o.*, max(case when order_type = 'buy' then order_price end) over (partition by symbol_code) as max_buy, min(case when order_type = 'sell' then order_price end) over (partition by symbol_code) as min_ask from orders o ) o group by symbol_code, max_buy, min_ask;

Tesla shareholder T. Rowe Price cut its stake in half in the fourth quarter, a regulatory filing showed on Monday. The carmaker more than halved the division that delivers its electric vehicles to North American customers, two of the laid-off workers said. According to two workers, who had been laid off during the process, said that about 150 employees out of a team of 230 workers had been sacrificed on January at the Las Vegas facility, who used to deliver thousands of Model 3s into the hands of Canadian and United States buyer. Staff from Tesla's United Kingdom sales office have said that the EV maker is on track to start delivery for its best-selling Model 3 sedan in June 2019. The company is now prepared to expand to Europe and China. "There are not enough deliveries", one of the former employees told Reuters. This will come in addition to the Cabin Overheat Protection, a feature released in 2016 that ensures the cabin temperature does not exceed 40.5°C up to 12 hours after you leave your auto. The Model 3 is crucial to Tesla's plans for long-term profitability. Unfortunately, many potential buyers continue to wait for the output of the base model at that price, so at the moment, sales of electric cars subsided. The company also needed to impose price cuts on its Model 3 sedans to compensate for the elimination of federal tax incentives. In absolute terms, Tesla Model 3 sales topped 140,000, with Chinese BAIC's EC-Series at about 90,000 vehicles and the Nissan Leaf slightly lower than that. As Tesla CEO and founder Elon Musk noted in May 2018, the EV maker has planned the Model 3 in such a way as to minimise disruption to its assembly lines when switching to RHD production. Analysts say that if Tesla can produce a quality auto at this price, this will allow it to outdo the competitors and significantly increase sales. Tesla workers around the company were reassigned to pitch in, that source said. The company said that they will focus on the demand for the cars this year. At the Model 3 launch in July 2017, Musk said over half a million buyers had put down deposits on the new auto. This may not seem like much but comes out to Baillie purchasing nearly 109,000 Tesla shares during the fourth quarter. However, Tesla has a reputation for shaking things up in the markets they enter. Musk was no longer in Norway on February 11, the spokesman said. Presumably in the middle of this year, the market still appears Model 3 for 35 thousand dollars, then the demand for the products the company has to jump. Asked about the reservations list last week by analysts, outgoing CFO Deepak Ahuja declined to disclose how many people remained, calling it "not relevant". A Tesla spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Musk's comments. Since Tesla is planning to compete with that, the new Tesla Model Y may also be an affordable SUV with the signature touch of Tesla's electric-powered and self-driving technology. The $7,500 credit dropped by half for Tesla on 1 January 2019.

Responsible Ministry: Screening in Faith Planning the Screening Process Links within Parish Administration Information for Parishes Financial and Business Records Parochial Records Electronic Records Facility Rentals & One-time Events Claims Reporting and Assistance Treasurers' Info Workplace Violence and Harassment Liturgical Standards and Resources Selecting a New Incumbent Vacancies & Calls Clergy Application Resource New to the Diocese Remuneration and Benefits Part-Time Clergy Accessing Funds Clergy Assistance Program For Retirees Discretionary Medical and Dental Grant AODA for Parishes Parish Human Resources Manual Additional Resources for Parishes Parish Staff Compensation Supervising Staff Selection Errors Employee v. Contractor Parish Leaders' Manual Q&A's from the Workshops Parking Spaces/Lots Buying and selling church property Building Inspections & Maintenance Rectories Renovations/Capital Improvements Greening Initiatives Theological Foundation Assessing Risk Implementing Standards Police Record Checks Ongoing Review Ministry Descriptions Sexual Misconduct Policy Training Parish Workshop Kit Baker Grants Carleton Grants Ferguson Grants MAF: Real Estate MAF: Congregational Growth MAF: New Forms of Ministry MAF: New Hope Reach Grants Stretch Grants York Rectors Fund Area Ministry Grants Anglican Foundation of Canada To begin screening you must draw up a plan and get organized. Here are a few helpful steps: Decide who will oversee the screening process. This person may not have to do the actual screening but will train and support those doing the screening, make sure all the steps are followed and keep track of the paperwork. This person must be well respected in the congregation, able to handle confidential information, be well organized and if possible have human resources/management experience. It could be the Incumbent, a Deputy Churchwarden, a qualified parishioner or a committee. (See sample Ministry Descriptions, Parish Screening Coordinator, Appendix C) Appoint the screening overseer and recognize this ministry within the life of the parish. For example, place an announcement in the Sunday bulletin, bless the ministry within the Sunday liturgy. Make sure the screening overseer has read and understood the Responsible Ministry: Screening in Faith policy, and has had an opportunity to ask any procedural questions. Work with the screening overseer to create a list of names of those who will do the actual screening. In general, it is the responsibility of the supervisor of the ministry to screen those who report to him or her. In order to assist this process, the Incumbent and Churchwardens should establish clear lines of accountability between clergy, staff and parishioners/volunteers. In most cases, parish employees report to the Incumbent, a Churchwarden or a Parish Administrator. Contract people must also be accountable to someone in the organization. Decide who needs to be informed of this program and how you will inform them. For example, Churchwardens, Advisory Board members, ACW, choir members, parishioners, outside groups. Remember, the effectiveness of this program will depend on how you introduce it to the parish. Set up a filing system. You will need a lockable file cabinet and letter size folders for each parishioner who ministers in high-risk ministries. (See Records Keeping below) It is the responsibility of the organizational leadership (Bishop, Churchwardens, Director, Incumbent, Priest-in-Charge) to ensure that screening standards are implemented in the parish or organization. If the leadership does not comply with this policy, it could jeopardize insurance coverage. It could also result in disciplinary proceedings. The Area Bishop serves as the supervisor of the clergy. For the purposes of this policy, the Churchwardens are mutually accountable regarding all screening issues. The policy applies to all lay and ordained people under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Toronto, that by virtue of their ministry or work are in positions of trust. It is a requirement that this policy be implemented in all parishes, ministries or other organizations which: are funded, in whole or in part, by the Diocese of Toronto; function on behalf of the church (whether on or off its premises); operate on church premises; The Responsible Ministry: Screening in Faith policy establishes minimum standards for the screening of staff and volunteers. Any parish or organization may develop more comprehensive policies of its own to reflect its own circumstances provided such policies at least meet the minimum standard of protection for children and vulnerable adults, and physical, spiritual and financial responsibilities contained in this policy. Screening standards must be consistently applied to all appropriate ministries. The policy complements and strengthens the commitment of the Diocese of Toronto to "strive to ensure that … [our] places of work … and [our] congregations are free from sexual exploitation, harassment and assault." (Section 1.4.2, Sexual Misconduct Policy, Anglican Diocese of Toronto) Records Keeping The minimum records that must be sent to the Diocesan Centre are: A copy of the Screening Checklist for all ministry positions ranked as High Risk. (Appendix E, Screening Checklist) The police background records check for those ministering in positions ranked at High Risk. (Appendix M, Police Records Check Procedure) This information must be sent to the Diocesan Centre so it can be permanently stored in the Archives in a manner consistent with the Privacy Standards policy of the Diocesan Centre. All screening documents (excluding the police background records check) should be stored in a locked filing cabinet in the parish for an indefinite period of time. Access to the filing cabinet shall be limited to the Incumbent and the Parish Administrator or Director. Those who have access to the files have a moral obligation to do everything within their power to maintain confidentiality. The location of the locked filing cabinet may or may not be at the parish. However, if it is not at the parish, it must be in a location mutually agreed upon by those who have access to the files. Files must never be left out in the open or in a readily accessible location. People being screened should know who has access to their file. Only documentation that is necessary to the screening process should be kept on file. Although this type of record keeping and storage may be a difficult adjustment for some congregations, maintaining appropriate documentation is key to a meaningful screening program and is required as proof of implementation of the screening practices. Your parish may also want to develop an electronic means of tracking the steps of the screening process. To assist with this, the Diocese has created a Screening Steps Worksheet. Outside Groups Using Church Property While the church or organization is not directly responsible for screening leaders of other organizations that use the church's property, it could be named in a legal action and held vicariously liable should there be charges of negligence or abuse. It is therefore necessary the church inquire into the screening procedure of the groups using the facilities. Where the screening procedures of an outside organization do not meet the standards outlined in this policy, a discussion should take place between the churchwardens and the user organization to determine an appropriate course of action. If the user group ministers to vulnerable people and is unable or unwilling to undertake proper precautions in terms of risk-reduction and/or screening procedures the church must consider terminating the relationship for safety reasons. For the full list of resources available to help with the implementation of the Responsible Ministry: Screening in Faith program, please see Forms and Resources. Human Resources Manager Phone: 416-363-6021 ext. 241 (1-800-668-8932) Responsible Ministry: Screening in Faith policy © 2003 The Incorporated Synod of the Diocese of Toronto. The Incorporated Synod of the Diocese of Toronto willingly shares these resources with anyone who may find them helpful. However, no responsibility will be taken for how these resources are used, interpreted or applied.

Notice of Allotment Listing Rule 7.12.1 a. Class of security and ISIN: Ordinary shares, NZATME0002S8. b. Number issued: 5,000,000 ordinary shares. c. The issue price: $0.10 per share. d. Payment for the shares: The shares were issued for cash. e. Amount paid up: Partly paid as to $0.001 per share. f. Percentage of the total class of securities issued: 1.329% of total ordinary shares (post the issue). g. Reason for issue: The shares were issued in accordance with an executive director's employee incentive arrangement. h. Specific authority for the issue: A resolution of Directors. i. Terms or details of the issue: The shares have been issued as partly paid shares pursuant to certain transfer restrictions which remain in effect while the holder is employed with the Company and also in certain other circumstances. j. The total number of securities of the Class in existence after the issue: 376,319,240. k. Acquisition of shares: N/A. l. Date of issue: 10 September 2009.

Chelsea Matiash | Visual Journalist TIME Digital Editing + Writing Photos from Election Day A Year on the Campaign Trail with Donald Trump A Syrian Refugee Story (video producer) A Love Story: The Obamas One Photographer Traveled the Full Length of the Border 45 Americans Who Defined the Election How to Eat Like an Olympian An American Muslim Community After Paris (photo editor) Mismatch 2016 Trump's Prosperity Preachers Sense and Absurdity: Photographs from the DNC Historic Moments Captured at the DNC A Girls' Night Out in New York's Meatpacking District Inside the Lives of Two Young North Korean Defectors How Cuba's Reggaeton Defies Internet Restrictions Philippines: Ground Zero for Climate Disaster New York City's Blue-Collar Industry Isn't Dead Walter Ioss: 50 Years of Super Bowl Discover China's Love for Pre-Wedding Photos Go Behind the Scenes at the Westminster Dog Show Kobe Bryant, In Pictures (And Words) WSJ Digital Editing & Writing Unnatural Disaster: Canadian Reserve Flooded Out by Government Afghanistan's War Widows (producer, editor) Inside the Dangerous Lives of Child Gold Miners (producer, editor) HIV, Healing and a Legacy of Pain Myanmar's Stateless Muslims Long for a Place to Call Home In Srebrenica, Burials Continue 20 Years On 30 Years Later, Suffering Continues in Bhopal 'Up Against the Wall' Explores International Borders The Graying Face of California Prisons Venezuelan Youths Spur Protests Philadelphia's Concrete Cowboys Uganda's Outlaws Behind the Mask: Health-Care Workers at Ebola's Epicenter California's Ghost Resort Haunted Spaces Searching for Home Print Editing TIME | WSJ London Olympics The Beating that Changed America Buckley & Clucky Fighting Foreclosure Unemployment Opportunities Life Underground Give Her a Voice Hair is Where the Heart Is A woman rode the subway from Eastern Parkway station in New York's Brooklyn borough in March 2015. A child looks out the window while riding a Rockaway Beach bound A-train on July 25, 2015. Bathers wade into a creek June 11, 2015, in Charlottesville, Va. A woman holds her baby on the Metro Mover in Miami on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012. A woman walks along 31st Street in Astoria, N.Y., Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. A couple kisses as they celebrate their engagement at the Moulin Rouge Friday, Aug. 17, 2012, in Paris. A bride and groom, left, and group of tourists, right, pose for photos at Central Park on Friday, May 4, 2013, in New York. A child walks with an umbrella at a playground in Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood on July 30, 2015. A man crosses an empty Times Square in New York, late Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, as Hurricane Irene approaches the region. Irene has the potential to cause billions of dollars in damage all along a densely populated arc that includes Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Boston and beyond. Rain pours down on visitors at Barclays Center ahead of a Brooklyn Nets NBA basketball game on March 10 2015 in New York's Brooklyn borough. A woman walks down Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood April 17, 2015. A couple rides a carousel at the London Wonderground Tuesday, July 24, 2012 in London. A couple in costume kisses on the platform edge of 49th Street metro station early Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012, in New York, in celebration of Halloween. A group of people walk through the Leake Street graffiti tunnel Wednesday, July 25, 2012, in London. A man walks past Infinity Shoe Shine at the Lexington Ave/53rd Street metro station, Thursday, March 14, 2013. A motorcyclist burns out in the Leake Street graffiti tunnel Wednesday, July 25, 2012, in London. Daniel Jones, left, and Liam Baker perform in Friars Bridge Tunnel, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in London. (Photo by CX Matiash) Children play in the shade of the Anglin's Fishing Pier at Commercial Blvd Beach in Fort Lauderdale, Fla, on Tuesday, July 27, 2010. A man kiteboards at Crandon Park as a cruise ship passes in the background Monday, April 16, 2012 in Miami. A sailboat passes by as the sun sets over the Hudson River as seen from New York's Manhattan borough, Sunday, June 23, 2013. A couple shares a Halloween kiss outside of a bar at the Coconut Grove in Miami early Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008.