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Focus Area:Prevention
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Behavioral Interventions: Partner Reduction
I. Definition of the Prevention Area
Partner reduction is a prevention strategy focused on decreasing overall number of partners in order to lessen the risk of becoming infected with or transmitting HIV. Increasingly, partner reduction efforts have focused not only on reducing the number of partners, but also the number of concurrent partners.
II. Epidemiological Justification for the Prevention Area
Partner reduction is one of the most effective HIV prevention strategies to date, with a large evidence base to support this intervention. During the HIV epidemics of the late 1980s and early 1990s, campaigns advocating partner reduction and fidelity among couples and other prevention strategies were launched in the United States and Uganda. Among these was Uganda's "Zero Grazing" campaign.
Surveys showed that the campaigns were at least modestly effective with some survey participants reducing both their concurrent sexual relationships and their total number of sexual partners. These changes were followed by declines in the incidence of new HIV infections, first in the United States among men who have sex with men, and later in Uganda among heterosexuals.
HIV incidence and/or prevalence has declined in other countries, such as Cambodia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Thailand, Ethiopia, and Kenya, and most experts attribute these declines, at least in part, to partner reduction strategies.
III. Core Programmatic Components
Partner reduction strategies may be directed at specific risk groups, such as those who engage in commercial sex or men who have sex with men. In hyper-epidemics in Southern Africa, where HIV is prevalent among the general population, some experts have advocated more generalized strategies that address the entire population.
Partner reduction efforts must take into account complex, interrelated social, class, cultural, and economic factors. For example, social and gender norms play an important role in perpetuating attitudes and beliefs that encourage, or at least tolerate, men and/or women having multiple or concurrent partnerships. Researchers have found that despite a high level of knowledge about the mechanisms of HIV transmission and prevention, many people continue to engage in high-risk partnerships for a multitude of reasons, including poverty, economic "wants," and violence. Men who, often by necessity, take jobs at a distance from their families may engage in commercial sex. Impoverished women may be compelled to engage in transactional or commercial sex. Young girls may engage in intergenerational sex with older men—who are more likely to have HIV—to obtain gifts.
Partner reduction messages are often coupled with other prevention messages, such as abstinence, delay of sexual debut, correct and consistent condom use, and HIV testing. Programs may need to deliver difficult messages that individuals are put at risk of HIV not only by their own behavior but by their partners' behaviors. Another important message is that alcohol abuse is often associated with less cautious behavior that can lead to sexual activity with multiple partners, thereby increasing the risk of HIV infection.
IV. Current Status of Implementation Experience
It can be difficult to prove that partner reduction programs are the cause of declines in HIV prevalence because multiple simultaneous factors may play a role. Most experts agree, however, that the body of evidence, especially studies of regions where partner reduction strategies preceded other interventions, suggests that partner reduction strategies play an important role in reducing the incidence of HIV.
Surveys conducted in Uganda provide some evidence that the partner reduction campaigns of the 1980s and 1990s led to the decline in HIV prevalence that began in the early 1990s.
Educational activities alone may not be sufficient to change behavior, however. Some regions showed stable or escalating rates of high-risk behaviors despite widespread knowledge about HIV transmission. In these instances, structural changes are needed to allow people the freedom to make choices that can reduce their risk of HIV infection, such as the choice to leave a violent spouse with concurrent partners.
Alcohol Abuse, Sexual Risk Behaviors, and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Women in Moshi Urban District, Northern Tanzania
Ghebremichael, M., Paintsil, E., & Larsen, U. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (2009), Vol. 36 No. 2, pp. 102-107.
This study found that among nearly 1,000 women living in an urban district of northern Tanzania, those who abused alcohol were more likely to report having been a victim of physical abuse or sexual violence. They were also more likely to report having more than one sexual partner in the previous three years. There was no significant association between alcohol abuse and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The authors concluded that alcohol abuse was not directly associated with prevalence of STIs but was indirectly associated through its association with multiple partners. The authors suggest that the subordinate status of women may lead some women to stay with men who are unfaithful and violent and that such women may use alcohol to "self-medicate" underlying problems. They conclude that alcohol use screening should be a part of comprehensive STI and HIV prevention programs.
Role of Widows in the Heterosexual Transmission of HIV in Manicaland, Zimbabwe, 1998–2003
Lopman, B. A., Nyamukapa, C., Hallett, T. B., et al. Sexually Transmitted Infections (2009), Vol. 8 Suppl. 1, pp. i41-i48.
AIDS is the most common cause of young widowhood in southern Africa and was found among 11% of women in this rural population. This study of over 900 widowers found HIV prevalence rates at follow up to be 54% among ever-widowed men and 63% among ever-widowed women. HIV infection was largely acquired prior to widowhood, however. While 50% of 48 sexually active widows reported engaging in transactional sex, only 3% of married women reported doing the same. Widows were significantly more likely to use condoms than married women, however (53% vs. 8%, respectively). The authors used their findings in a mathematical model, estimating that between 8% and 17% of HIV infections over 20 years could be attributed to widow/widower sexual activity. Although widowers were more likely to transmit HIV to their partners, the greater prevalence of widows contributes to their higher overall transmission of HIV. The authors conclude that increasing the financial independence of widows through employment opportunities may reduce their reliance on new sexual partners for financial support.
Changes in Sexual Behaviour Leading to the Decline in the Prevalence of HIV in Uganda: Confirmation from Multiple Sources of Evidence
Kirby, D. Sexually Transmitted Infections (2008), Vol. 84 Suppl. 2, pp. ii35-ii41.
Seven diverse sources of information— including historical documents, newspaper articles, and multiple small- and large-scale surveys from 1988 through 1995—provided evidence about changes in sexual behavior following a campaign launched in 1986 to reduce sexual partners in Uganda. According to these varied sources, the dramatic decline in HIV prevalence in Uganda during the 1990s was preceded by a reduction in sexual partners. Furthermore, they indicate that increases in condom use did not take place until the early 1990s, after HIV prevalence was already declining. The author concludes that concurrently emphasizing partner reduction and condom use is "much more effective than primarily promoting condom use (or abstinence)."
Gender Differences in the Risk of HIV Infection Among Persons Reporting Abstinence, Monogamy, and Multiple Sexual Partners in Northern Tanzania
Landman, K. Z., Ostermann, J., Crump, J. A., et al. PLoS ONE (2008), Vol. 3 No. 8, p. e3075.
Data from over 6,500 clients attending a HIV testing and counseling center in northern Tanzania between November 2003 and December 2007 found that one-fourth of females and one-tenth of males seeking testing were living with HIV. As expected, an increased number of sexual partners was associated with increased risk for seropositivity for men and women alike. Monogamous women who reported that their partner had other sex partners (or did not know) were 36% more likely to be infected with HIV than a monogamous woman whose partner was also monogamous. Furthermore, monogamous women were more likely than monogamous men to become infected with HIV. Despite study limitations, the authors concluded that their research demonstrates the limited protection of monogamy for women and highlights the role of male partner concurrency in infecting women. The authors suggest that the "overly simple formulation" of the ABC prevention strategy (if not abstinence, then be faithful, and if not faithful, then use condoms) is misguided. They argue that HIV prevention efforts that promote abstinence, partner reduction, and mutual monogamy take place concurrently with efforts to empower women to "better control their exposure risk."
Trends in HIV-related Behaviors and Knowledge in Uganda, 1989-2005: Evidence of a Shift Toward More Risk-Taking Behaviors
Opio, A., Mishra, V., Hong, R., et al. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (2008), Vol. 49 No. 3, pp. 320-326.
According to several large-scale surveys of adult Ugandans, knowledge about HIV peaked in 2001 and then remained stable while self-reported behaviors both improved and worsened. At the same time that the proportion of men who were abstinent increased, the number of men who had sex with multiple partners also increased, rising from one in four men in 2001 to one in three in 2005. The authors suggest that two factors may underlie increases in sexual risk-taking behaviors: complacency as antiretroviral drugs have become widely available between 2000 and 2005, and a shift in funding away from behavior change programs to medical access programs.
Sexual Risk Factors for HIV Infection in Early and Advanced HIV Epidemics in Sub-Saharan Africa: Systematic Overview of 68 Epidemiological Studies
Chen, L., Jha, P., Stirling, B., et al. PLoS ONE (2007), Vol. 2 No. 10, pp. e1001.
Multiple partners, paid sex, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are considered risk factors for HIV infection at the early stages of the HIV epidemic when HIV is concentrated among high-risk groups. These risk groups are assumed to be less important once the epidemic has spread into the general "low risk" population. The study authors used 68 epidemiological studies from 18 countries in sub-Saharan Africa from 1986 to 2006 to test this common assumption. The general trends over time indicate that these risk factors are also strong predictors of HIV infection in high-prevalence settings, where epidemics were considered generalized. Contrary to common wisdom, multiple partners, paid sex, and STI infection remain important risk factors in countries with high HIV prevalence. The authors recommend reexamination the UNAIDS definition of a "generalized" epidemic and the recommendation that STI treatment in countries with advanced epidemics is likely to have a low impact. This analysis indicates that prevention efforts should focus on vulnerable groups, regardless of where the trajectory of the HIV epidemic lies.
Evidence for Population Level Declines in Adult HIV Prevalence in Kenya
Cheluget, B., Baltazar, G., Orege, P., et al. Sexually Transmitted Infections (2006), Vol. 82 Suppl 1, pp. i21-i26.
National survey data show that HIV prevalence in Kenya peaked at about 10 percent in the late 1990s and declined to 7 percent by 2003. Age at first sex and use of condoms increased while the percentage of adults with multiple partners fell. Gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis all declined in young women attending an antenatal clinic in Nairobi. The researchers concluded that HIV prevalence decreased in some but not all areas of Kenya and that some of the decline was due in part to high levels of AIDS deaths. Prior to 2000, there were more new infections than deaths—a situation that reversed after 2000. Prevention interventions increased after 2000, too late, say the authors, to explain the earlier decline in HIV prevalence.
HIV Decline Associated with Behavior Change in Eastern Zimbabwe
Gregson, S., Garnett, G. P., Nyamukapa, C. A., et al. Science (2006), Vol. 311 No . 5761, pp. 664-666.
Researchers followed a cohort of nearly 10,000 adults in Manicaland over three years to assess the trajectory of the HIV epidemic. Overall HIV prevalence declined among men and women, with steepest declines taking place among men ages 17-29 (23%) and women ages 15-24 (49%). At baseline, nearly half of 17- to 19-year-old males reported being sexually active; three years later, only one-fourth of such males reported the same. Women ages 15-17 also reported declines in sexual debut (21% to 9% over three years). Furthermore, there was a significant decrease in the number of casual partners that men and women reported in the previous year. Similar declines in HIV prevalence took place in areas with and without partner reduction interventions. Because these findings mirror national HIV and local antenatal clinic HIV prevalence rates, the researchers concluded that there is a trend toward a declining prevalence of HIV in Zimbabwe. This decline may follow a pattern similar to Uganda's—driven by delay of onset of sexual debut, partner reduction, with some contribution of consistent condom use with casual partners. Because prevalence estimates "reflect accumulation of infections over a period of more than 10 years," however, the researchers state that HIV prevalence is "insensitive to behavior change."
A Typology of Groups at Risk of HIV/STI in a Gold Mining Town in Northwestern Tanzania
Desmond, N., Allen, C. F., Clift, S., et al. Social Science & Medicine (2005), Vol. 60 No. 8, pp. 1739-1749.
HIV prevention interventions have generally targeted risk groups such as migrant laborers and commercial sex workers in mining communities in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2002, the authors conducted several hundred informal interviews of women who openly engaged in commercial sex, and of women who engaged in less visible forms of transactional sex, such as shopkeepers or barmaids, who made most or part of their income by selling sex. They concluded that traditional epidemiological categories of "general," "bridging," and "core" populations did not adequately describe the range of HIV risk. The lure of economic opportunity in mining towns led to dislocation and travel that facilitated spread of HIV among seemingly low-risk individuals. Interventions, say the authors, should focus on decreasing income disparities and providing housing for mineworkers' families.
Masculinities and Multiple-Sexual-Partners in Historical Perspective in KwaZulu-Natal: The Making and Unmaking of Isoka
Hunter, M. Culture, Health, & Sexuality (2005).
Perceptions of masculinity change over time and within various social and political contexts, according to this doctoral dissertation of a student describing his assessment of male behaviors in KwaZulu-Natal. South Africa, says the author, has been greatly influenced by capitalism, migrant labor, and Christianity. In the 1970s, high rates of unemployment affected men's ability to marry, establish an independent household, and become the head of a household. Multiple partners were a means by which men could express their masculinity since traditional customs were more difficult to achieve. The author closes with critical assessments of groups that are currently challenging old concepts of masculinity.
Barriers to Preventing Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Women: Experiences from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Abdool-Karim, Q. Journal of the American Medical Women's Association (2001), Vol. 56 No. 4, pp. 193-196.
The authors of this study surveyed women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, from 1991 to 1993, and found that nearly 9 out of 10 women were sexually active. Virtually all of the women understood the role of condoms in HIV prevention, but only a little over 1 in 10 had ever used a condom. Many women said they did not insist on using a condom because their partners would get angry if they did. Unlike other researchers, these authors found that high levels of knowledge about HIV transmission did not influence safer-sex behavior changes for several reasons, including threats of violence against women, alcohol abuse, financial dependence on men, and women's status as child bearers.
Changes in Sexual Behavior and a Decline in HIV Infection Among Young Men in Thailand
Nelson, K. E., Celentano, D. D., Eiumtrakol, S., et al New England Journal of Medicine (1996), Vol. 335 No. 5, pp. 297-303.
The prevalence of HIV among commercial sex workers in Thailand is 50 percent or higher, leading Thai officials in the 1990s to promote condom use for commercial sex workers. This study evaluated the effects of that and other HIV prevention programs in Thailand. Five cohorts of 21-year-old male army conscripts in Northern Thailand were evaluated. There were modest declines in HIV prevalence between 1991 and 1995. The percentage of men who had sex with a commercial sex worker declined while condom use increased. The authors concluded that active monitoring of brothels to "encourage and enforce" condom use are critical to the success of HIV prevention.
The Role of Partner Reduction and Faithfulness in HIV Prevention in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Cameroon, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe
Mishra, V., Hong, R., Bignami-Van Assche, S., & Barrere, B. USAID, Demographic and Health Surveys Working Papers (2009), No. 61.
This study used national-level data to explore the association between risk of HIV infection, multiple sexual partnerships, and partner faithfulness among men, women, and cohabiting couples in the HIV epidemics in Cameroon, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. M ultiple sexual partnerships varied among countries, but tended to be common in these countries. In general, men reported having more partners than did women, and were less faithful (lifetime faithfulness and recent faithfulness) than were women. As one would expect, the higher the number of lifetime sexual partners, the greater the likelihood of HIV infection. Similarly, those who reported being faithful to their partners were less likely to be infected with HIV than those who were unfaithful.
Reassessing HIV Prevention
Potts, M., Halperin, D. T., Kirby, D., et al. Science (2008), Vol. 320, pp. 749-750.
This paper provides an overview of current prevention interventions, their effectiveness, and recommendations on how interventions should be redirected to increase their impact in the sub-Saharan African hyper-epidemic countries. Programs that demonstrated weaker evidence for effectiveness at the population level included condom use, HIV testing, sexually transmitted infection treatment, vaccines and microbicides, and abstinence. Programs that have achieved promising results are male circumcision and reducing multiple sexual partnerships. The authors argue that funding priorities should be reassessed, in light of what is known about their potential for impact.
Transforming Male Gender Roles to Combat Cross-Generational Sex, 'Be a Man' Campaign
Clifton, D, Population Reference Group, Interagency Gender Working Group (2009)
The 'Be a Man' campaign is one component of the Young Empowered and Healthy (Y.E.A.H) initiative that is being implemented in Uganda to address cross-generational sex. The campaign was initiated in 2006 to challenge traditional male norms, attitudes, and behaviors. Objectives of the campaign included improving gender equtable beliefs and attitudes, and redefining what a "respectable" African male is in modern day society.
The campaign used a combination of television, radio, small media, and community channels. A qualitative evaluation was conducted in 2007. It found that the target group favored responsible men who did not have multiple partners, drink or use violence against women. However, respondents also identified certain circumstances when a man was justified in not performing these behaviors.
Couple-to-Couple Influence in HIV Prevention: The UPHOLD-TUKO Network Experience in Uganda
Kintu, P., Mugume, A., Buzaalirwa, L., et al. HIV Implementers Meeting, Kigali, Rwanda (2007).
This presentation describes the experiences and lessons learned of the UPHOLD-TUKO Network in Uganda. The Tuko Club is a civil society organization of married couples that promotes mutual faithfulness among couples. The 2004 Uganda National HIV/AIDS Sero-Behavioral Survey found that the overwhelming majority of high-risk behavior occurs with spouses and that almost half of new infections arise from sex with one's spouse. Married couples are trained as trainers. The definition of "marriage" is broad-based (e.g., religiously married, cohabiting, traditional) to ensure inclusivity of all couples. Standardized messages are supported through the use of training materials with consistent content that are translated into the local languages.
Listen to the Bell: HIV/AIDS Prevention Through Zero Grazing
Kivamwo, S. Association of Journalists Against AIDS in Tanzania (2007)
The Sikia Kengele ("Listen to the Bell") campaign uses community opinion leaders known as "Bell Ringers" to initiate talks on the risks of multiple partners and the benefits of knowing one's HIV status. The campaign is conducted in high-risk areas of Tanzania such as major transportation corridors, mining communities, and plantations. The Bell Ringers initiate discussions in bars, stadiums, churches, mosques, farms, and bus stations, and they prepare "Giant Bell" road shows in which a high profile team of influential individuals and educators (and large bell) travel to communities, using music, dance, dramas, and cinema to encourage people to reduce the number of sexual partners.
Evaluation of the African Youth Alliance Program in Ghana, Tanzania, and Uganda: Impact on Sexual and Reproductive Health Behavior among Young People (Summary Report)
Williams, T., Mullen, S., Karim, A., & Posner, J. JSI Research & Training Institute (2007).
The African Youth Alliance (AYA) Program, implemented in Ghana, Tanzania, and Uganda, uses peer educators to encourage counseling and testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections. A 2005 evaluation of the program found that it had a significant impact on condom use, partner reduction, and several knowledge measures. The impact of the AYA program was greater for females than males. For example, partner reduction was demonstrated in both males and females in all three countries but it was statistically significant only in females in Ghana and Tanzania.
Proven HIV Prevention Strategies
The Global HIV Prevention Working Group. (2006).
This fact sheet reviews effective strategies to prevent all three routes of HIV transmission: sexual, blood-borne, and mother-to-child. The interventions are listed by route of transmission. Although effective interventions have been identified over the past two decades, access to these interventions is low. Researchers with UNAIDS and the World Health Organization estimate that increased program access could avert half of the 62 million new HIV infections that are expected to occur between 2005 and 2015.
Trusted Partner Campaign
Population Services International (PSI). (2005).
PSI's "Trusted Partner" mass media project was launched after a research team found that youth often use ineffective criteria to evaluate their personal risk of HIV within trusted relationships. Trusted Partner uses a variety of media messages to counter myths about HIV and to promote fidelity, awareness of the risks of mixing alcohol and sex, and HIV testing. One poster produced by the project provides a visual reminder that even healthy-looking people can have HIV. Trained field officers encourage community leadership and peer education in drinking establishments, while creating forums to address partner reduction and risky drinking. The program has been reproduced at low cost in 11 countries in east and southern Africa.
Men as Partners (MAP) Project
EngenderHealth and The Planned Parenthood Association of South Africa. (2011).
Men as Partners (MAP) focuses on gender equity which includes gender based violence and behaviors that make both men and women vulnerable to HIV infection. The program is implemented through workshops with men, and through local and national public education campaigns that use a variety of channels to reach men. MAP challenges stereotypes that equate manliness with risky behaviors, such as violence, alcohol use, pursuit of multiple sexual partners, and domination over women. The program takes a positive approach toward male involvement and the sessions are respectful, open-minded, and address the needs of the men in the community. The project is active in over 15 countries.
Current Thinking About Behavior Change and Prevention of Sexual Transmission of HIV
Wilson, D. World Bank (2006).
This PowerPoint presentation outlines how HIV epidemics are more heterogeneous than initially thought. Concurrent sexual relationships in southern Africa are cited as an important factor with half of all transmissions occurring during the first five months of infection. The "lethal cocktail" of concurrent sexual relationships and low circumcision rates are said to increase transmission up to 30-fold, and may be a factor explaining the hyper-epidemic in southern Africa. The effects of protective strategies are reviewed for concentrated and generalized epidemics, and male responsibility for reducing transmission is emphasized.
Men As Partners: A Program for Supplementing the Training of Life Skills Educators
EngenderHealth and the Planned Parenthood Association of South Africa. (1999).
Developed for use by Men As Partners educators, trainers can use this manual to design workshops that best fit their needs: A one-day HIV/AIDS workshop, for example, or a five-day life skills workshop. It can also be used for different groups, such as men only, adolescents, or men and women together. Interactive exercises, case studies, and icebreakers are used to highlight key points about life skills. Training activities include topics on gender and sexuality (such as gender stereotypes, sexual orientation), male and female sexual health (anatomy and physiology, myths and facts about family planning), HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, relationships (fatherhood, unhealthy relationships), and violence, including examining and defining sexual and domestic violence.
Partner Reduction and Protection: Outreach Guide 10
Pact/Botswana. (undated).
This practical 48-page outreach guide with picture codes details 18 exercises aimed at educating participants about partner reduction and condom use. Some of the exercise titles include "Personal Risk Assessment," "Double Standards," "Excuses not to Use Condoms," "Condom Relay Games," and "Encouraging Reluctant Partners." Case scenarios (such as a young woman with a poor boyfriend and a married sugar daddy) along with a series of related questions provide structured guides for discussion and education.
Partner Reduction Session Flip Chart for the General Population
Population Services International. (undated).
The flipchart has 11 question sheets with accompanying pictures to stimulate discussion among people participating in HIV prevention group discussions. The topics cover multiple partners, assessing risk, condom use, interspousal communication, sexually transmitted infections, voluntary counseling and testing, gender and HIV, and drug and alcohol abuse.
UNAIDS Combination Prevention Briefs
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). (2008).
The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) published a series of briefs to provide an overview of combination prevention approaches in high-prevalence countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. The briefs contain background information, programmatic challenges, and recommendations for action with a focus on modes of transmission, multiple concurrent partnerships, vulnerabilities of women and girls, and male circumcision.
View Report
"Know Your Epidemic, Know Your Response": A Useful Approach, If We Get It Right
Wilson, D. & Halperin, D. T. Lancet (2008), Vol. 372 No. 9637, pp. 423-426.
This commentary provides advice to the HIV prevention community for responding effectively to vastly differing HIV epidemics throughout the world without becoming overly complicated. Despite differences in concentrated, generalized, and mixed epidemic settings, partner reduction can help reduce HIV transmission in generalized epidemics. The authors argue that the response to AIDS has "given insufficient emphasis to aligning prevention priorities with epidemic transmission dynamics, compromising effective prevention with mismatched or unfocused responses." They conclude that much can be done to help curb HIV transmission around the world if the right approaches are taken, such as partner reduction and male circumcision.
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Outreach Guides: HIV/AIDS Prevention Programmes
Pact/Botswana. (2007).
This series of outreach guides developed in Botswana address many topics that HIV prevention programs can use for their efforts. The guides include participatory methods, and were developed to help promote changes in behavior. Ten guides include information and activities on abstinence promotion, alcohol abuse reduction, improving couple communication and parent-child communication, as well as partner reduction.
View Report
Field Assessment of Emergency Plan Centrally-Funded HIV Prevention Programs for Youth
Speizer, I. & Lopez, C. (2007). MEASURE Evaluation Project, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
This report evaluates "abstinence and be faithful for youth" (ABY) programs funded through The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The researchers visited 20 sites in Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania to assess how program efforts had fared. The authors recommend how these programs can strengthen their work, and also provide an assessment tool that can be used by funders, program planners, and program managers to identify characteristics of strong ABY programs.
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I will say if Apple will be not as belligerent toward the OEM's They will play ball with them, HTC case in point. Outright copying is bad and Samsung is still in a pitched battle because of this. Apple now though really does have to step up it's game. Otherwise what has happened to RIM may be in Apples future. To be Honest that works to nobodies favor.
HTC statement about Apple royalties confirms the money is irrelevant
When HTC settled its patent lawsuit with Apple by agreeing to some set of undisclosed terms, analysts did their job, which is to estimate what this means to the stock.
The most commonly thrown-around number was $6-8 per handset in royalty payments. For some perspective, in Q2, according to IDC estimates, HTC shipped 8.8 million units. Let's annualize this and call it 35 million units per year. It's not a perfect estimate because phone sales are seasonal, but it's close enough to get a handle on the overall size of a deal.
If HTC was paying even $6 per handset, then Apple's profitability would go up by $210 million per year. Hardly chump change. But when you compare it to Apple's profitability, which was over $40 billion in the last 12 months, it's inconsequential. It would grow Apple's bottom line by a mere 0.5%.
Today, HTC's vocal CEO Peter Chou has gone on record saying that $6 per handset is an "outrageous" amount. I'm guessing this means the real settlement is way, way lower than $6, meaning that the effect to Apple's profitability will be impossible to notice.
These patent settlements (and lawsuits) make headlines because they represent challenge, or resolution of challenge. It's very similar to seeing two big fighters go toe to toe on a poster advertising the next big UFC match. It's human nature to want to speculate about who's going to win.
For Apple, it just doesn't look like these royalties are going to matter. So winning in court shouldn't be the goal.
Let's look at the math another way. What if Samsung were forced to settle, paying Apple the $6 per handset that people thought HTC was paying (even though Chou says it's outrageous, and wrong). Samsung is shipping on the order of 200 million smartphones per year. So $6 per handset means $1.2 billion per year. Again, compare this against Apple's profitability over the last year and we're looking at a 3% rise on team Cupertino's bottom line.
The math points to a clear conclusion. Apple needs to focus on making awesome products and selling the hell out of them. The court battles just don't make much difference at the end of the day.
I really enjoyed listening to the latest iMore show where Rene brought on CrackBerry.com's Kevin Michaluk to discuss his month-long use of the iPhone 5. A lot of really good points were brought up. If Apple put as much energy into fixing some of the obvious problems with its product as it does into court battles, I think it would be an even stronger company.
Have something to say about this story? Leave a comment! Need help with something else? Ask in our forums!
Reader comments
HTC statement about Apple royalties confirms the money is irrelevant
I feel like Apple probably doesn't see this as a way to make money, but rather a way to keep any competing smartphone out of any potential customer's hands that they can, in any way that they can. Apple might sell more phones if people see/think "oh, maybe I'll buy the iPhone instead..." after seeing a highly-publicized court battle in favor of Apple. And if Apple can take it a step further and have the phone removed completely, they will.
The question everyone seems to ask of Apple though seems to be how much business are they going to drive away with their legal pursuits?
I think you've come to a faulty conclusion when you say at the end "The court battles just don't make much difference at the end of the day."
What you really mean to say is that the court battles don't make much difference to the profitability of the company's product mix, which is not the same thing at all. There are many more reasons to go to patent court than simply the money.
It was a given from the first day that Apple has no need for the money. That doesn't equate to it being a bad idea to take all this stuff to court.
"I really enjoyed listening to the latest iMore show where Rene brought on CrackBerry.com's Kevin Michaluk to discuss his month-long use of the iPhone 5. A lot of really good points were brought up. If Apple put as much energy into fixing some of the obvious problems with its product as it does into court battles, I think it would be an even stronger company."
Did someone else write this?
Re: "The court battles just don't make much difference at the end of the day."
Not at the end of any given day. But at the end of, say, 20 years, they all add up. Bit by bit, Apple is building a massive wall of legal precedent. They're being granted patents, they're being awarded damages, they're causing injunctions against infringing products. And they'll use all of that legal precedent as ammunition in future court battles. The 21st century is still young.
I understand the need to appear "impartial" at nearly all costs, even if it means spinning Apple legal wins to soothe non-Apple-fans. Alienating all readers except Apple fanboys will reduce your Page ranking. But at some point, the spin reaches a tipping point. It becomes too obvious. Just sayin'.
With these wins, Applemearns more than enough to fund their army of litigators, with more than enough left over to hire a bunch of engineers....
Why do people think that if you litigate, you can't innovate. That's like saying one can't do both drama and comedy or be an athlete and a scholar ... It is the silliest form of typecasting.
And let's get it straight, the purpose of patents is to block your competitor from using your ideas with out paying you what you demand, or you may even refuse to license*, but in any case, this forces your competitor to innovate to create a unique technical solution different to the one you patent protected.
In my book patents are good for creativity because they prevent mindless copying, and drive creativity, and employment of problem solvers, if the company without the patent really wants to compete.
* obviously I'm not talking about frand patents here.

subset: commoncrawl


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|48 posts found
Novice Member
Joined: 3/01/06
I don't think we have this problem at all.
I spend half my internet time on a specific console gaming forum as well as here and the same hype and disappointment is apparent in other genres too, SOCOM series on the playstation would be a fine example.
The amount of original Counter Strike players that think CS: Source and Global Offensive are utter trash is through the roof, but if you go in now you'd probably play the most recent one and enjoy it too. There are thousands of people that prefer the original Team Fortress over the current TF2.
I cut my teeth online playing SOCOM 1 and 2 and have been a part of that community since around 2003, I have followed every game and watch the series get worse and worse, they even tried to make it more like call of duty. This is the same trend we see in MMO's too, the publisher is never happy, they want more, they push developers in certain directions to try and maximise profit.
I know now that I will never like any FPS or TPS as much as I did SOCOM 1 and 2, I know I won't like any Call Of Duty game as much as I liked COD4, I won't like any MMO as much as I liked Matrix Online and SWG.
Once people come to terms with the fact that there old game won't be created they can move on and enjoy other things. This happens all over the place not just in the mmorpg community.
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Apprentice Member
Joined: 8/24/05
The genre has gone backward to cater to idiots for increased profits. We do not like this.
Made History
Joined: 7/11/11
Pink, it's like red but not quite.
Originally posted by Macecard
It's not possible to answer that question without a great deal of well-deserved insult.
Honesty = ban. Someone should grab and shake them, the Drill-Sergeant Reality Check. But forum rules prohibit it.
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
Apprentice Member
Joined: 1/10/12
I beg to differ that MMORPG's haven't progressed or evolved compared to what they were 10-13 years ago. If you look at it purely objectively and make a list of the features and mechanics that have been introduced or upgraded in the MMORPG field, and then put that list next to a list of features and mechanics that have been changed or added in the shooter genre, then you'd see that the shooter genre or some other genres have seen less change or evolution in the past 10 years than the MMO genre.
I think it's more the case that a number of MMO gamers don't like the direction into which the mainstream of the genre has evolved to, nor do they care for the majority of feature changes and additions that came with it.
In the '90s you had something like god games like Populous and Dungeon Keeper, and adventure games like Secret of Monkey Island and King's Quest series and such. If I was one that hugely loved those types of games (which I did), I could say that for example gaming has deteriorated since then, when those genres faded away and other changes happened. In a way, I'd have been right if those specific games were the types I most enjoyed and loved. However, in other ways, in other areas, gaming grew and evolved, and offered great gaming. But maybe not to people if they only really loved those god games or that type of adventure games. Same with the MMO genre: the genre evolved, changed, offered other paths of great gaming - but probably not to those who only really love sandbox type of games or a very specific type of MMO gaming.
I think it's mostly a case of expectations. There's also a lot of heated bickering and emotions when it comes to singleplayer games, just check the whole ME3 ending debate, or the metacritic figures of Diablo 3 or the last 2 CoD/MW games (even if those sold like 10 million). But overall the expectations might be less than people do of an MMORPG. In contrast to singleplayer games, a number of MMO gamers expect and want 1 single MMO to be able to be their virtual world, their main hobby, maybe even their alternate or replacement life and lifestyle for many years and thousands upon thousands and thousands of hours to come. That's a large wish to fulfill in any case, regardless.
For such a large expectation and requirement that some MMO gamers want an MMO to fulfill in their life, disappointment will be equally magnanimous.
Elite Member
Joined: 6/10/06
I'm not sure it's fair to say that MMO players regard each new release as the new saviour of the genre. You only need to read these forums to see that. Even before games release you can see the love/hate posts starting. We're seeing it right now with GW2, just as we did with TOR, TSW, Rift, and the list goes on.
Once these games release we see even more of the fueding between fans and those that are not.
I personally wasn't at all thrilled by TSW leading up to it's release. I tried the open beta and wasn't impressed so I never bought it. I don't trash it at every opportunity, but I have posted my feelings that Funcom could have done a better job on the character models and animations.
I was excited when I first heard about TOR but as more information came out I was less and less interested in the game. GW2 kept my interest through it's development and I'm quite happy with the way it turned out. Is it perfect? No, but it's still a good game and I'm enjoying myself playing it.
I used to be a huge WoW fan but as the game has devolved with each expansion I've let that one go too, didn't even bother to pick up MoP.
So, no, I don't think everyone has unrealistic expectations. I do think that MMO's are expected to be a cut above FPS and SP-RPG's if only because they need to create a world that engages so many people at the same time, and the fact that most of the AAA's will still be looking for a sub fee. That £10 or $15 a month means you expect your money's worth from your current MMO, so it better be damned good.
Novice Member
Joined: 9/25/12
Because MMOs are more expensive and take a much larger time commitment, and in the Golden Age (97-04) we were exposed to amazing fantastic innovative games, and so we're still expecting them.
Novice Member
Joined: 8/22/10
I assume you're talking about modern 'MMO gamers'. In that case it is a difficult question. These people don't actually like traditional Western MMORPGs. It's unclear what they want, whether or not know they know what they want, and whether what they want has any intellectual basis at all.
EDIT: Also, you're an idiot.
Novice Member
Joined: 9/16/12
Because no matter what you do, people will love it, people will hate it.
Make a MMORPG with lots of solo content? Some hate it, some love it.
Make it with a strong death penalty? Some hate it, some love it.
Allow FFA PvP? Some hate it, some love it.
Go for science fiction or fantasy?
Sandbox or themepark?
First person or third person?
Active combat or pushing buttons on a computer?
And basically every other issue.
You can never please everyone, if a MMORPG consists of even 50 questions that players could vote on, no player would have every 50 questions the same, or at least, no sizable amount. They'd all be divided fairly randomly.
Thus, you cannot create a perfect game, you can either cater to the masses, or niches.
You might absolutely love most features of a game, but hate a few.
You can love the graphics of a game, but hate its combat style, or you might love the combat, but hate the economic system of the game, or love/hate the genre, but love/hate the characters, etc...
So the perfect game would be different for everyone. Every game will have features you agree upon, and features you dislike.
Novice Member
Joined: 6/23/09
Originally posted by Kyleran
I think all genres are the same. Due to the nature of these forums the focus is just on MMORPGs.
If you look at XFire, all of the top played FPS games are 6 or more years old (except Borderlands 2 which just released but that will fade off fast). It isn't like the genre is coming up with new ways to do things all of the time. The genre as a whole isn't much different from its beginnings. Hell CS 1.6 is still high up on the daily played list, so is CS:S.
The only changes over the years have been to add vehicles and to add special abilities you can call in.
No genre in gaming changes fast. People on a site called MMORPG.com just focus on the MMO industry more. RTS/FPS/RPG/Racing/Sports games have all evolved very slowly. I think people are more content with RTS/FPS/Racing/Sports games evolving slowly because it is a very focused type of game and they want it for what it is. MMOs try to be wider games, trying to capture the interests of several different types of gamers. Because of that I think there are always a couple groups who feel a new MMO let them down.
I don't ever pick up a new FPS and go "Wait, I just aim and shoot at people trying to kill them? Why have they not added any innovation????". But when I pick up an MMO it is "Ok I just paid $60 for what I can do in all of those existing games that no longer have a box price and because this game is new there is far less content. Well that sucks."
Elite Member
Joined: 11/16/07
To the OP:
I'll turn this around and go the other way and ask this: why do some people think MMOs and MMO companies are "something different" and deserving a special exception to normally accepted corporate business practices and behavior?
Other products, not MMOs, are delivered in functional, working shape, as expected. You pay for the product, and you the get product you paid for. When there is a problem, you call the company and it gets sorted out.
Now with MMO companies, games launch without the features that were advertised as having, or the features don't work. There are massive exploits and serious bugs in many games at launch, that made it through QA testing. Getting customer service in regards to MMOs, especially at/near launch is very difficult, if possible at all. Unsatisfied customers are shouted down on forums and often publicly criticized by the companies themselves.
How is any of that acceptable in the MMO space, it certainly isn't outside it.
So, while I grant that some customers have unreasonable expectations, that is true for any product.
What is not reasonable is treating MMOs and MMO companies as some special thing: they are companies like any other to make money and when they don't they deseve to be treated the same as any other company that does not deliever.
If these companies"can't" make a good MMO that meets customer demand, or don't like how their customers respond to the products they put out, they should get into a different business.
Hard Core Member
Joined: 1/25/12
I'm only playing the role chosen for me. Who you supposed to be?
Originally posted by Macecard
Probably because you expect to play MMO for years. While a console or other game type is finite and will end. The more EPIC you believe or feel a game is, the more you will want to explore and experience the content.
Elite Member
Joined: 1/13/10
Currently playing EVE, SMITE, ArcheAge, and Combat Arms
MMO gamers, in general, don't have unrealistic expectations. Some subsets, such as the crowd here, are more invested and entrenched in MMOs than the majority are. As such, they notice and often focus on the details that the average gamer wouldn't notice at all, let alone care about even if they did. Their view of the game is different, so the expectations are different, often forgetting that their perspective is skewed and greatly different from the majority. this is true of any hobbyist or enthusiast group, and not just limited to MMO fans.
The most classic example is when an MMO violates individual definitions of what an MMO is or forever should be. It becomes a threadnought of epic proportions. The reality is that most MMO gamers don't really care about these things. The number of instances, the square footage of the game world, that someone can get to cap in only x weeks... immaterial to the majority but they are points of concern for the more invested players and that group sets their expectations accordingly.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
Novice Member
Joined: 11/30/11
Honeslty i could care less about having a Bigger and Brighter game. What bothers me is the same game getting released over and over. MMORPG's feel like Ice Cream we have over 100 flavors of WoW. and those who try to make something new get insulted, Attacked, an called failures by the same people who are asking for something new. the community needs to make up its mind. if it actually wanted something new it would play the games with innovations, instead they find the first free game they can play and pile into it. They swap it out each month too.
Because i can.
Hard Core Member
Joined: 1/28/05
Correcting wrongs on the Internet...
While an RC plane hobbyist might know how an RC plane operates and perhaps can build one, a MMORPG enthusiast likely knows jackshit about software engineering. This is why it is easy to have expectations beyond feasibility or even reality.
Some expectations, while feasible, come from a small niche so they may not be worth fulfilling.
I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been -Wayne Gretzky
Hard Core Member
Joined: 7/26/04
Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son.
Originally posted by Quirhid
This , Also people don't like the parameters determined by the Dev and would rather play a game set in their parameters of what the game should be in their minds. The immature mind, at work.
Novice Member
Joined: 12/17/10
I think it got alot to do with how RPG started out. When mmorpg first made their mark, we where vary few to choose from. Because of this, many folks stayed with one for many years, hence they feel a mmorpg should provide many years of joy. Tow factors have entered since then that cripple this idea. First, now we have hundred of mmo's to choose from (vs. simply two or three) and second, all the games have the same basic layout as they have since mmo's started so people are tired of the rince/repeat offerings.
Sure Dev's have added features, changed things up, better graphics and the like; however, not many have combined what many players would deem as the best features into one game. ANd, even if they had, most likely - people would still be bored if it right out of the box because it stall at is core, the same layout (quest, kill, get, make, etc).
People are looking for the new wow factor from years ago and it simply hasn't happened yet.
Hard Core Member
Joined: 1/04/05
Originally posted by Loktofeit
I'd like to believe that, but when you look at vloggers like Jessie Cox, it becomes very hard to believe. I've seen blogs, podcasts, and vids of people talking about 'what MMOs should be', and whether they admit it or not, it always ends up describing a game that not only doesn't exist, but never actually existed.
I don't think even classic games like UO would live up to the expectations of today's gamers. There's just too many conflicting expectations that are all based off of idealized moments.
Elite Member
Joined: 1/13/10
Currently playing EVE, SMITE, ArcheAge, and Combat Arms
Originally posted by aesperus
Those people are, again, part of the heavily invested subset. Jessie Cox (OMFGcata) is the not the average gamer. The average MMO gamer just plays the game; they don't livestream their gameplay and make hour-long videos of beta. In most cases, they won't even play a beta.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
Hard Core Member
Joined: 1/04/05
Originally posted by Loktofeit
Actually, pretty much the only reason I even listen to him is because he is very much an 'everyman'. He rarely ever has anything profound to say, and he's usually pretty bad at articulating why exactly he likes or dislikes a game, but his views mimic that of quite a large number of MMO gamers to varying degrees. He is very much of the WoW-fan majority, and I see many of the same arguments he uses mimicked by that subset of fans.
And while it's true the average gamer isn't livestreaming, it doesn't mean their voices don't get projected through livestreamers. Many of these people are popular because their fans are those very same gamers, and they support their views. Furthermore many of the followers do submit questions or comments, and some of those end up getting brought up by the leavestreamer.
To give a reason example, look at MoP. Many did actually play the beta (or tried to). Many do criticise the expansion for the same very reasons they left WoW to begin with. However, they are mostly still playing MoP, grinding to 90, and preparing for raiding inspite all of that. You also see a lot of the same demands of games having 'real, significant, & permanent change' but anytime any of them tries to get down to the details, they can't.
Novice Member
Joined: 6/24/06
Originally posted by Randayn
- Vanguard: Saga of Heroes -


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Contacts Sidebar 0.7.1
oleh Jeroen Peters
Displays the address books in a sidebar in Thunderbirds 3-pane-window and can be toggled with the F4 key or a toolbar button.
Visit my Contacts Sidebar site for recent versions and news.
This add-on is not compatible with your version of Thunderbird because of the following:


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Walk Off That Sugar
Couch potatoes take note, especially those with type-2 diabetes—exercise may be the best way to manage your blood sugar. So what's new about that? Anyone diagnosed with diabetes knows (or at least has been told) to lose weight, watch what they eat, quit smoking, and get regular exercise. But those same people will tell you how hard it is to make all those changes simultaneously. So the big question is, which one has the most effect on blood sugar?
In the journal Diabetologia, researchers recently reviewed 103 studies involving more than 10,000 people and found that studies advocating exercise alone lowered blood sugar levels two times better than those testing multipronged approaches. But don't think that means you face hours-long workouts or sessions with a drill-sergeant personal trainer—studies investigating those approaches showed no better results than regimens specifying less exercise time and group sessions.
The trick, of course, is to get started. Take a stroll after dinner, park at the far end of the lot and walk to the store, take the stairs when you can—and as you get stronger (and feel better), you can increase your level of activity.


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Brian Neal compiled a 171-31 (.847) overall record as head coach at Thomas More.
Oct. 9, 2013
CINCINNATI - Xavier Director of Athletics Greg Christopher has named Brian Neal interim head coach of Xavier University's women's basketball team for the 2013-2014 season.
Neal replaces Amy Waugh, head coach since April 2011. Waugh is stepping down after a two-year tenure with the Musketeers.
Neal, a third-year assistant with Xavier, will lead the Xavier team for the 2013-14 campaign. Prior to joining Xavier, Neal was head coach of Thomas More's women's program for seven years. A graduate of Northern Kentucky University, Neal has also served as an assistant coach at NKU and Wilmington.
"Brian knows our student-athletes and will serve as a strong foundation for the team this year," said Christopher. "We are fortunate to have Brian and his head coaching experience on staff."
Waugh completes her role as head coach with a 21-36 record. The 2003 Xavier graduate was a star player for the Musketeers and returned in 2009 as an assistant to then head coach Kevin McGuff.
"I have been wrestling with this decision through the summer," said Waugh. "There is no perfect timing, but with practice getting started and our fall break on campus, this was the time to make my decision. I frankly need to hit the pause button and will use the season to focus on my future. This program is headed in the right direction and in good hands with Brian."
"This was a difficult decision for Amy and I wish her the best going forward," said Christopher. "Amy has been a big part of Xavier women's basketball as both a player and coach. She walked into a challenging situation and has worked hard to rebuild the program for future success."
Neal posted a 171-31 (.847) overall record in seven seasons as the head coach of the Thomas More women's basketball program prior to joining Waugh's Xavier's staff in 2011. He recorded six consecutive 20-win seasons at TMC and guided the Saints to five consecutive Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) championships. Neal is a four-time recipient of the PAC Coach of the Year Award (2006, 08, 10, 11) and was twice named the Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year (2008 and 11).
The Saints made five straight NCAA Championship appearances under Neal. During the 2010-11 season TMC earned the school's first-ever No. 1 ranking, posted program's second undefeated regular season in four years and advanced to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Division III Championship for the second time in three seasons and fourth overall. In March of 2011 Neal was named the Russell Athletics/Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Region Six Division III Coach of the Year.
Neal graduated from Northern Kentucky University in May of 1991 with a bachelor's degree in journalism with an English minor.


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James Howell
Staff Writer
The N.C. Supreme Court upheld the statewide prohibition of "sweepstakes gaming machines" on Dec. 14, deciding that the 2010 legislative ban on the games was not a violation of free speech protected by the state's constitution.
This ruling overturned the N.C. Court of Appeals March decision that said the ban was unconstitutional.
"Plaintiffs have attempted to 'skillfully disguise' conduct with a facade of speech to gain First Amendment protection for their conduct. We have stripped the transaction of all its thin and false apparel and consider it in its very nakedness and have found plaintiffs arguments unavailing," read the N.C. Supreme Court's decision.
"We conclude that N.C. (General Statutes) 14-306.4 regulates conduct, with only incidental burdens on associated speech, and is therefore constitutional," read the decision.
This court battle began in July 2010, when the General Assembly passed House Bill 80, also called N.C. General Statue 14-306.4, which prohibited "sweepstakes gaming machines" utilizing an "entertaining display."
Sweepstakes games are not exactly games of chance, offering some legal wiggle-room. When using a sweepstakes game, customers purchase Internet service or phone time and receive one or more sweepstakes entries for a chance to win prizes.
The customer isn't paying to place a "bet," but is paying for the privilege to access the machine.
Also, the sweepstakes gaming machines don't actually "decide" anything, the result given to a customer is predetermined.
Proponents of these sweepstakes games liken the machines to the monopoly game played at McDonalds. When a customer receives a winning or losing monopoly piece, the result was predetermined, and the customer purchased items off of the menu, rather than the monopoly piece itself.
These factors cause many to feel not be considered gambling.
"The way these video gambling outfits work is that every time the legislature passes a law that shuts them down, they can quickly change the machines or software just a little bit to make it legal again," said Williams in June.
Williams also said he's unaware of any machines operating within the county, but said he did think one of the cafes is now operating near Miller's Creek.
"We are watching to see if the industry appeals it further or makes other changes in the games. We will continue to work on an ordinance so that we can effectively regulate them if they become legal again," said Ashe County Manager Dr. Pat Mitchell.
Mitchell also said Ashe County "cannot tax them (the sweepstakes gaming machines) like the towns can. Counties and towns have different laws (NC Statutes) that we have to follow and we have no way to tax them - unless the State were to give us that authority."
"Even if the county would benefit from them (sweepstakes gaming machines), I still don't think it would be a wise decision," said Ashe County Commissioner Gary Roark. "I'd be 100 percent against having them. It's gambling any way you look at it."


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Showing 1-24 of 278 items found in Events
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Rock 'N Wheels
Join us on Thursday evenings in June, July and August for themed food fests, music and Bike & Car Cruise Nights. Themed nights include All American Night, Italian Night, Taco Night, and more. Complete schedule available online.
Addison By the Slice Pizza Bakeoff
Local pizza vendors compete in a blind taste test in various categories, such as Best Deep Dish, Best Sausage, etc. The entire community gets to cast ballots for the top prize of "People's Choice Award" for best pizza in Addison! Just $1 per slice! Also features kiddie rides, and entertainment; in conjunction with National Night Out.
Alsip Street Fair
Featuring children's Musician "Laura Doherty and The Heartbeats". and the headlining "Brass from the Past". Also a petting zoo, pony rides, inflatables, kids crafts and gaming, face painting, balloons, bingo, cocktails, food, a raffle, vendors, and more!
Paramount Theatrical Production: Oklahoma!
This is the show that set the standard for all future musicals by incorporating music, lyrics and dance into a well-crafted serious story. It's also the debut collaboration of one of the most prolific writing teams in American theater history – Rodgers and Hammerstein. Set in the turn of the century Oklahoma Territory, tensions are mounting between the local farmers and cowboys over the use of land. In the midst of it all is the rugged cowboy Curly who's fallen for the strong-headed farm girl, Laurey. Despite their fiery spirits and at times tumultuous relationship, the two are destined to start a new life together in the soon-to-be state called Oklahoma!
Paramount Theatrical Production: A Christmas Story
One of the most watched and beloved Holiday movies ever made comes to life in a full-blown musical production on the Paramount stage. It's the story of nine-year-old Ralphie Parker growing up in middle-America in the 1940s. With Christmas right around the corner, Ralphie has his bespectacled sights set on one thing – a Red Ryder BB Gun. But at every turn, the young daydreamer hears those five words that are the bane of his existence: "you'll shoot your eye out."
Paramount Theatrical Production: West Side Story
It's quite possibly one of the greatest love stories ever to be told in a musical. Set in the blue-collar neighborhood of New York's Upper West Side, racial tensions run high as residents try to grind out a daily living. A turf war is being fought as the Jets, a white gang, and the Sharks, a Puerto Rican gang, battle over boundaries. In the heart of the turmoil, former Jets member Tony meets Maria at a local dance. The chemistry is instantaneous, and for a few hours, there is no race, no hatred, no barriers, just two young people in love. But Maria is the sister of Sharks' leader Bernardo, and no one is going to make it easy for Tony and Maria to escape.
Downtown Alive! Maggie Speaks & Catfight at RiverEdge Park
The talented musicians of Catfight have a reputation of turning every venue they play into a massive party. So grab a beer, get ready to sing along and have some serious fun when Catfight kicks off the night. Then Chicago favorite Maggie Speaks rocks the Park by bringing your music library to life right before your eyes… and ears. Their huge repertoire includes 5 decades of songs - everything from 50s favorites to Top 40 hits you heard last week, and their unstoppable energy is totally infectious. With their seamless transitions from pop to rock, country to hip-hop and everything in between, Maggie Speaks is ready to fill the RiverEdge air with the soundtrack of your life.
Sing-A-Long Frozen
Disney's Frozen shattered records, won a few Academy Awards and introduced the world to one of the greatest songs in cinema history. Now, get ready to sing along to this incredible movie that's fun for the whole family. It's the story of sisterhood and snowmen, royalty and reindeer and, most importantly, true love appearing in the ways you least expect. The Frozen fun starts with games for the kids, Anna and Elsa costume contests and tons more. Then, when the sun goes down, the Park fills with voices young and old singing along to "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" "Love Is An Open Door" and, of course, "Let It Go." Bring your kids, friends, neighbors, friendly neighborhood snowman… oh, just bring everyone.
Get the Led Out
Experiencing Get the Led Out is the closest you'll get to seeing Jimmy, John, Robert and John Paul back on stage. The 6 talented rockers have made it their mission to bring songs from Zeppelin's legendary albums like Led Zeppelin I-IV, Physical Graffiti and In Through the Out Door to life… and they're totally explosive. After all, there's a reason rock journalists say Get the Led Out "didn't just pass Zeppelin 101 with flying colors – they're working on their Ph.D. They didn't just do their Zep homework – they're teaching the class."
Earth, Wind and Fire at RiverEdge Park
They bring the Earth, Wind and Fire, and the Fox River brings the Water. This will be a night you'll never forget. Earth, Wind & Fire is one of the best selling and top touring group in history. With a signature sound beyond categories – Soul, Pop, Jazz & Funk fusion, they have a groove as deep as the soul of the planet. Earth, Wind & Fire has influenced music and pop culture for over 4 decades. With mega-hits like, "Shining Star," "September" and "Let's Groove" it will be hard to stay in your seats, so get up, let your spirit fly and groove the night away with the legendary band, Earth, Wind & Fire.
Meat Loaf
His album "Bat Out of Hell" is certified platinum 14-times over (yep, you read that right), selling over 43 million copies worldwide – it's still regarded by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest albums ever. He's a Grammy-winner, he's one of VH1's "Great Artists of Hard Rock," and he puts on one hell of a show. It's the one and only Meat Loaf. Known for his wide-ranging voice, over-the-top energy and totally theatrical performances, Meat Loaf's rockin' the Park this August with his one-of-a-kind concert style that's going to bring the place down. And with a new album written by "Bat Out of Hell" genius Jim Steinman in the works, you never know what this hard rock superstar's got up his sleeves.
Fox Valley Irish Festival at RiverEdge Park
No need to fly across the pond to get in on all that Irish fun. With beer and whiskey tastings, vendors offering phenomenal Irish fare, crafts and games for the kids and, of course, the hottest Irish bands around, the 2nd Annual Fox Valley Irish Fest is the biggest Irish party the Chicago suburbs have ever seen. There's a little Irish in all of us – come celebrate the food, drink, music and spirit of the Emerald Isle at the Park. There's something for the whole family at Irish Fest. There's a huge children's play area filled with crafts and games, Irish beer will be flowing, and tons of cool vendors will be offering authentic Irish food, gifts and more. Then, when the sun starts to go down over the green hills of the Park, to see three of the hottest Irish bands: Brendan Loughrey, The Ploughboys and The Mahones.
Fiestas Patrias at RiverEdge Park
Celebrate the sound, culture and taste of Mexico at Fiestas Patrias. From the delicious food to the variety of musical acts to the children's play area, there's something for everyone at this fun festival right on the Fox River.
Hairspray: The Broadway Musical
Tracy Turnblad is a plus-size teen with plus-size hair, and she has one big plus-size dream – to dance her way onto Baltimore's smash hit TV show, "The Corny Collins Show." Every day after school, she and best friend Penny bee-line home to watch the cool kids shake the rafters to the hottest tunes on Collins' program. When a dance slot opens on the show, Tracy gets help from her friend Seaweed, who puts enough groove in her step to win that dream role – and life is never the same again. But Tracy doesn't rest on her stardom, instead she uses her new celebrity to racially integrate the TV show and change the lives of Baltimore folks forever.
Pumpkin Weekends
The Fox Valley Park District makes the glorious season of fall last a little longer with its annual Pumpkin Weekends at Blackberry Farm. During every weekend in October plus Columbus Day – nine days in all – fall is celebrated in its full glory. Families can enjoy safe and fun Halloween festivities including seasonal crafts, harvest décor and pumpkin stories!
Donny & Marie at the Paramount Theatre
From recording artists to television stars to Vegas headliners, Donny & Marie are the epitome of entertainment superstars. Just ask any of the thousands of people who saw them light up the Paramount last summer. Now, this duo is back at it in Aurora, and they're bringing the songs, the choreography and, of course, the charm. With more than 90 years in show biz between them, Donny & Marie are bringing their catalog of chart-toppers like "Puppy Love," "Paper Roses," "A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock N Roll" and countless more to the stage. Add in their fun-loving personalities, high-energy style and serious dance skills, and this is one production that's a total blast for the young and young at heart. Get in on all the Osmond fun, and come see for yourself why, year-after-year, Donny & Marie are voted the best of Vegas.
Happy Together Tour 2015 at the Paramount Theatre
The Happy Together Tour is back at it, bringing your radio to life on the Paramount stage… and this year's line-up will totally rock your world. It's stacked with The Grassroots and their "Midnight Confessions." Mark Lindsay from Paul Revere & The Raiders. Chicago's very own The Buckinghams. The Cowsills taking you down "The Path of Love." The Association and their slew of chart toppers. And, of course, Flo & Eddie singing that classic Turtles hit the tour is literally named after: "Happy Together." Get ready to celebrate the golden age of rock-n-roll with your favorite hits, and the artists who play them, live on the Paramount stage.
Peter Cetera at the Paramount Theatre
With his unmistakable tenor voice, legendary songwriting skills and bass guitar chops to boot, Chicago frontman and solo star Peter Cetera defines an entire era of American rock music. Penning and singing lead vocals on Chicago's first No. 1 single "If You Leave Me Now," Peter propelled the group into the worldwide spotlight. His power ballads like "Baby, What a Big Surprise" and "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" drove Chicago to become one of the best-selling American rock bands of all time.
The Duke Ellington Orchestra at the Paramount Theatre
Over the course of 50 years, the great Duke Ellington led a world-renowned jazz orchestra, wrote thousands of compositions and changed the American musical landscape forever. Even decades after his death, Duke's Orchestra still honors his incredible legacy in the best way possible: by performing his cool musical masterpieces for audiences around the world. These world-class musicians are packing up their pianos, trumpets, drums and more and heading to Aurora – and when they get here, it's going to be spectacular. They'll spend a very special evening playing Duke's biggest numbers, including his foot-tapper "It Don't Mean A Thing," his sultry "Take The A Train" and his heart-pounding "Rockin' in Rhythm," all with that swinging jazz grandeur that would make Duke proud.
Under the Streetlamp at the Paramount Theatre
The Boys are back in town! That's right, former castmates from Chicago's very own Jersey Boys are headed back to Aurora, and Michael x2, Chris and Shonn are bringing their stunning voices, their slick dance moves and their electrifying charm with 'em. These guys sell out the Paramount every season, and with their unforgettable show featuring your favorite Doo-Wop, Motown and old time rock-n-roll tunes (and some surprises, too), this year's no different. Retro never sounded so now – it's Under The Streetlamp.
Jay Leno at the Paramount Theatre
Yes, it's true. Comedy and talk show legend Jay Leno is headed to Aurora for one-night-only, and he's bringing Paramount audiences along for one of the funniest nights of the season. From performing 300 nights a year in comedy clubs to dominating the late night circuit as NBC-TV's Tonight Show host for over 17 years, Jay's Emmy-winning humor has had audiences around the world laughing for decades… and earned him a spot in the Television Hall of Fame while he's at it. Now he's bringing the jokes that made him a Rockefeller Center star right here to the Paramount, and you don't want to miss it. Here's something special: America's Got Talent finalist, CMA nominee and recording artist Emily West is kicking off this awesome night with her amazing songs. Get ready for this rising star to light up the stage.
Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl
It's become a tradition in the Fox Valley to honor the area's rich Mexican culture with Ballet Folklorico – that tradition continues. The Ballet Folklorico celebrates the traditional Mexican folklorico with colorful costumes, wonderful music and electrifying, elegant and beautiful choreography. You'll feel your spirits rise and eyes light up as this celebrated group of artists share an important piece of their wonderful culture.
Jack Hanna's Into the Wild Live at the Paramount Theatre
Bring the family for a wild afternoon with "Jungle" Jack Hanna and his animal pals! From lions to lemurs, gorillas to geckos and everything in between, everyone's favorite animal expert has brought the wonder of the animal kingdom to multiple generations, introducing furry, feathery and just plain fascinating creatures on The Late Show with David Letterman, Good Morning America and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He's hosted his own Emmy-winning educational and entertaining TV programs like Animal Adventures and Into the Wild. And now, Jungle Jack's bringing his hat, his khakis and his coolest friends to Aurora.
Kim Russo: The Happy Medium at the Paramount Theatre
She's been called a translator for the spirit world. She just recently won Best Psychic of 2015 by The Best of Long Island. But you probably know her as Kim Russo, The Happy Medium, and she's got a pretty rare talent: she can communicate with spirits. From her appearances on A&E's hit Paranormal State and The Biography Channel's Celebrity Ghost Stories to her deeply personal readings, Kim Russo has been changing the lives of celebrities and citizens alike with her shocking talent for years. Come experience Kim's other-worldly skill for yourself, live on the Paramount stage. Who knows – maybe she'll pick YOU for a reading!


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ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) Hong Kong today delivered the tax-related recommendations for the 2014/15 Budget which will be announced by John Tsang Chun-Wah, Financial Secretary, on 26 February 2014.
The budget proposal focuses on two key areas: enhancing a business-enabling environment; and supporting the community by introducing tax measures of middle-class families.
The coming financial year will see Hong Kong faces a number of economic uncertainties due to the uneven pace of recovery of economies in developed countries. ACCA Hong Kong has long advocated that the Government needs to fulfill its role as a facilitator of economic development and create a business-enabling environment to enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness. This can in turn foster Hong Kong businesses to grow and survive.
Enhance a business-enabling environment
ACCA Hong Kong fully supports the expansion of tax treaty network by the Hong Kong Government and believes this will help facilitate and strengthen Hong Kong's position as a region financial and business centre.
To ensure taxpayers can truly enjoy the benefits of tax treaties, Fergus Wong, vice chairman of ACCA Hong Kong, said: 'We suggest that the Government should not only further consider the implementation of tax treaties and streamline the procedures, but also allocate sufficient resources to the related administrative procedures required.'
The tax framework should be changed in time with the change in the business environment. Given the New Companies Ordinance will soon come into effect on 3 March 2014, ACCA Hong Kong urges the Government to conduct a comprehensive study between the New Companies Ordinance and the Inland Revenue Ordinance.
Wong added: 'Under the current tax legislation, the tax treatment of an amalgamation is not clearly specified. A comprehensive study would be more helpful to identify and bridge any discrepancies between these two legislations, to ensure tax certainty for taxpayers.'
Innovation and technology is the future of Hong Kong economic development.
Wong said: 'For this reason, we suggest a super tax deduction of 200% for qualifying research and development expenditure for the innovation and technology industries.'
This helps encourage businesses to invest in significant research and development activities and promote the development of products which are technologically advanced and with significant intellectual property content.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are identified by the Government as a significant contributor to the Hong Kong economy, constituting over 98% of businesses and employing about 20% of the workforce in the private sector.
Wong said: 'We are concerned about the rising business costs and recommend the Government to provide a concessionary profits tax rate to support new businesses in their start-up stage.'
Supporting the community by introducing tax measures of middle class families
Instead of one-off cash rebates, effective tax measures are enablers for the Hong Kong workforce to ease the overall salaries tax burden in view of rising living costs. According to the consultation package issued by the Government, only 45% of the working population paid salaries tax in 2011/12.
Davy Yun, chairman, tax sub-committee of ACCA Hong Kong, said: 'To relieve the burden on this group of people, we suggest that salaries tax income bands should reflect an inflationary adjustment or be widened to $50,000. We also advise that the Government should relax the home loan interest provision and allow any direct dependents who do not have chargeable income to nominate the taxpayer to enjoy the full interest deduction.'
An aging population is one of the primary issues causing increasing pressure on government expenditure for healthcare and social welfare services. ACCA Hong Kong considers that a tax deduction under salaries tax should be given for private medical insurance premiums. This would encourage the public to prepare for their own medical care expenses in the future.
Yun said: 'We recommend that the annual allowable deduction be capped at $15,000 for a single person and at $30,000 for a married couple.'
Most couples in Hong Kong need to work to maintain their living standards, especially when they suffer from the great pressure of housing expenses. ACCA Hong Kong understands that most couples in Hong Kong employ domestic helpers in order to free themselves for work.
Yun said: 'We care about the burden of the middle class, and suggest allowing a deduction equal to the actual wages for employing one domestic helper, capped at an amount equivalent to the minimum wage of $4,010 per month for each married couple or each single parent situation for every year of assessment.'
ACCA Hong Kong believes that the proposals are sustainable within the current fiscal strength and beneficial to the long-term economic development of Hong Kong.
Wong concluded: 'We understand that some proposed tax incentives will cause a short-term reduction in revenue, but we trust that all of them are aimed at the long term objective to sharpen our competitive edge in steering future business growth.'
- The ACCA Hong Kong Budget Proposal 2014/15 is available via the 'Related links', left of this article.
About ACCA
Founded in 1904, ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants. We aim to offer business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.
We support our 162,000 members and 428,000 students in 173 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills needed by employers. We work through a network of 89 offices and centres and 8,500 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development.
As the first global accountancy body entering into China, ACCA now has over 23,000 members and 48,000 students, with 8 offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shenyang, Hong Kong SAR, and Macau SAR.
For more information, please contact:
Weber Shandwick
Willa Lau/Winky Chow
Tel: (852) 2533 9971 / 2533 9923 Fax: (852) 2868 0224
Email: email@example.com / email@example.com
ACCA Hong Kong
Jacqueline Lam
Tel: (852) 2973 1106 Fax: (852) 2868 4909
Email: email@example.com


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Lynn Nottage
Tony Cenicola/The New York Times
News about Lynn Nottage, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.
Highlights From the Archives
2009 Pulitzer Prizes for Letters, Drama and Music
The winners include the play "Ruined," by Lynn Nottage, and the work of history "The Hemingses of Monticello," by Annette Gordon-Reed.April 20, 2009 booksNews
Approaching Brecht, by Way of Africa
Lynn Nottage traveled to Uganda to conduct research for her play "Ruined," an adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's "Mother Courage and Her Children."January 25, 2009 theaterNews
Advocates Make Another List of Plays by Women Deserving of Productions
"You Got Older" by Clare Barron and "Small Mouth Sounds" by Bess Wohl are among the recommended plays.
June 21, 2015, Sunday
MORE ON LYNN NOTTAGE AND: Barron, Clare , Coppel, Fernanda , Diamond, Lydia R , Nottage, Lynn , Wohl, Bess , Kilroys , Theater
What Lies Underneath
In "Intimate Apparel," at the Westport Country Playhouse, intricate plotting carries a lonely African-American across the boundaries of color and class.
October 12, 2014, Sunday
MORE ON LYNN NOTTAGE AND: Theater , Robinson, Mary B , Nottage, Lynn , Westport Country Playhouse , Cahan, Abraham , Jefferson, Margo , Bryan, Leighton , Wharton, Edith , Lamos, Mark , Moyer, Allen , Westport (Conn)
David Henry Hwang and Lynn Nottage Joining Columbia Playwriting Faculty
The playwrights David Henry Hwang and Lynn Nottage are joining the faculty of Columbia University's School of the Arts.
June 17, 2014, Tuesday
MORE ON LYNN NOTTAGE AND: Hwang, David Henry , Nottage, Lynn , Columbia University , Writing and Writers , Theater
Labyrinth Announces Readings of Pulitzer-Winning Plays
The event, called "Pulitzer Fest," will run April 7 to 13.
March 19, 2014, Wednesday
MORE ON LYNN NOTTAGE AND: Wright, Doug , Parks, Suzan-Lori , Wilder, Thornton , Bogosian, Eric , Burstyn, Ellen , Nottage, Lynn , LAByrinth Theater Co , Theater
A New Lynn Nottage Play
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival has announced that the world premiere of a Lynn Nottage play will be among the highlights of its 2015 season.
March 17, 2014, Monday
MORE ON LYNN NOTTAGE AND: Theater , Waters, Sarah , Nottage, Lynn , Whitty, Jeff , Oregon Shakespeare Festival
Producer Hopes to Send 'Vera Stark' to Broadway
The theater producer Elizabeth I. McCann said that she had acquired the rights for a Broadway production of Lynn Nottage's satire about black actresses and typecasting in Hollywood.
September 14, 2011, Wednesday
MORE ON LYNN NOTTAGE AND: Theater , Nottage, Lynn , McCann, Elizabeth Ireland , By The Way, Meet Vera Stark (Play) , News
A Black Actress Trying to Rise Above a Maid
"By the Way, Meet Vera Stark" imagines the back story of one of those talented black actresses seen on 1930s movie screens almost exclusively in the roles of maids, slaves or mammies.
May 10, 2011, Tuesday
MORE ON LYNN NOTTAGE AND: Theater , Nottage, Lynn , Lathan, Sanaa , Bonney, Jo , Block, Stephanie J , Breaker, Daniel , Second Stage Theater
Just a Maid in Movies, but Not Forgotten
Theresa Harris, a black actress whose usual role was as a servant, is one of the inspirations for a new play by Lynn Nottage.
April 24, 2011, Sunday
MORE ON LYNN NOTTAGE AND: Theater , Nottage, Lynn , Blacks , Second Stage Theater , Race and Ethnicity , Actors and Actresses , Movies
Meet 'Vera Stark': Sanaa Lathan to Star in Lynn Nottage's Follow-up to 'Ruined'
Ms. Lathan, who was nominated for a Tony for "A Raisin in the Sun," will play the title character in Ms. Nottage's new Off Broadway play.
February 2, 2011, Wednesday
MORE ON LYNN NOTTAGE AND: Second Stage Theater , Theater , Nottage, Lynn , News
As the World Turned for Women in 1905
Lynn Nottage's play "Intimate Apparel," at Two River Theater Company in Red Bank, takes a deep look at the lives of African-American women.
October 3, 2010, Sunday
MORE ON LYNN NOTTAGE AND: Theater , Red Bank (NJ) , Two River Theater Co , Nottage, Lynn
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text: Belle 1,732pages on this wiki View source History Comments0 This article is a disambiguation page for Belle The following is a list of links to pages that might share the same title. Please follow one of the disambiguation links below or search to find the page you were looking for if it is not listed. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. There are two pages sharing the name Belle on the Once Upon a Time Wiki: Belle, the Enchanted Forest character. Belle French, the Storybrooke character. Start a Discussion Discussions about Belle Belle's Mother Is Coming! 23 messages ChocolatEyes613 Belle's mother will be appearing in episode 3.06. Seems that OUaT would prefer to cast, a french woman in the role. 2014-08-29T13:07:23Z Lady Junky Someone from my country :D So impatient to see who it will be, a lot of good French actresses could play perfectly Belle's mom :D 2014-08-29T13:10:36Z Rumbelle wedding! 9 messages BrownEyedBirdie I don't think Rumple knew quite what to do. I don't blame him for wanting to destroy Zelena; he did promise Neal first. But, as always, I do... 2014-05-25T12:42:49Z BeckyClooney DconsKJK wrote:I don't think Rumple knew quite what to do. I don't blame him for wanting to destroy Zelena; he did promise Neal first. But,... 2014-05-25T13:56:11Z See more discussions > Retrieved from "http://onceuponatime.wikia.com/wiki/Belle?oldid=430331" Categories: Disambiguations


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Sierra Club Coastal Bend Group, P.O. Box 3512, Corpus Christi, TX 78463
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe." - John Muir
Meeting Minutes
COASTAL BEND SIERRA CLUB GROUPMeeting Minutes
May 2015
The Coastal Bend Sierra Club Group (CBSCG) met on Tuesday, May 5 at the Progressive Center, 413 Waco. (Last minute change in location due to a scheduling issue; thanks to Carolyn Moon for her assistance.) Chairperson Lois Huff opened the meeting at 12:10 and reminded members that minutes of the April meeting are posted on the CBSCG Website. They were approved on a motion by Jim Holm which was seconded by Teresa Carrillo.
Treasurer Teresa Carrillo reported that the CBSCG's checking account now has $252.82 and the total of the three CD's is $8,518.15. Teresa informed members of a need to consider some sort of fundraiser so that the checking account balance can be increased to at least $500. Lois reminded members that minutes of previous meetings are posted on the CBSCG Website; Secretary Venice Scheurich circulated a copy of last month's minutes for those interested to read.
The first Issues Report was given on air quality by Joyce Jarmon and Lois Huff who had attended the April meeting of the area's Long Term Health Committee. They reported that there had been no episodes of dangerously high emissions of benzene or other organic toxins during the past month, and they stated that an interesting presentation was made on how limits are set for when air emissions reach the danger level. Efforts continue to find funding to continue supporting air monitoring.
Hal Suter serves on the Lone Star Sierra Executive Committee (ExCom) and he is an active participant in the Blue Green Alliance which is comprised of union members as well as members of environmental and conservation organizations. He was in Washington D.C. last month to serve as a panelist with CWA members to discuss the Trans-Pacific Partnership and implications of fast-tracking. Hal also gave a report on implications of the passage of HB 40 and the anticipated passage of HB 1865.
Jim Holm, who is in charge of environmental justice issues, led a discussion on his work with residents in some of the northern rural areas of the Coastal Bend as they seek cleaner air and water. He described the concept of a land ethic and gave insights into the Texas Rural Leadership Program and how a community development corporation (CDC) could organize citizens within their communities to address issues having a negative impact on them. Discussion included notice of a future $500 funding request.
Carolyn Moon, who meets with local and area citizens on the Bay Area Smart Growth Initiative, gave brief reports on the 2025 Growth Plan, storm water, bay bacteria (CARP), and waste issues. On marine matters, Mina Williams stated that the Kemp's ridley nesting season is underway and that seven nests were documented on the Texas coast yesterday. In the matter of mining, Venice Scheurich reported that she, Mina, and Teresa had testified on proposed rule revisions for 40 CFR Part 192 re uranium ISL at the EPA hearing in Corpus Christi on April 14, and she stated that the comment period is open until May 27.
Under the topic of New Business, Lois appointed Teresa Carrillo and Carolyn Moon to begin planning for this year's membership appreciation party, and she stated that she and Jim Holm would talk about the feasibility of holding such a party in the Victoria area. Lois also raised the issue of when and where some future evening meetings could be held and what topics would be of interest to citizens.
In the matter of Old Business, Lois reported on last month's Earth Day/Bay Day celebration and asked members to consider having CBSCG be a co-sponsor again next year. She also reported that someone is still needed for taking on the task of webmaster.
Submitted by Venice Scheurich on May 5, 2015 and modified by Lois Huff on May 13, 2015.
April 2015
The Coastal Bend Sierra Club Group (CBSCG) met on Tuesday, April 7 in the Retama Room of the Corpus Christi Public Library at 805 Comanche Street from 11:30 am until 1:45 pm. After lunch, Chairperson Lois Huff opened the meeting and reminded members that minutes of the March meeting are posted on the CBSCG Website. They were approved on a motion by Carolyn Moon which was seconded by Hal Suter.
Treasurer Teresa Carrillo reported that donations of $240 have thus far been received to help cover the fee for CBSCG's being a co-sponsor of Earth Day/Bay Day (ED/BD) which is scheduled for April 11. Members approved Teresa's request to write a check for $500 to pay the sponsorship fee. This would leave approximately $500 in the checking account. The three CD amounts total is $8,507.77.
Hal Suter, CBSCG's representative on the Lone Star Executive Committee (ExCom) reported that he will be in Washington D.C. next week on business with the Blue Green Alliance. He informed members of his involvement in activities opposing fast tracking the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). He also reported on Texas legislative matters—in particular of his activities in Austin re HB 40 and HB 1165.
Joyce Jarmon reported that one of the local refineries had an incident in February which resulted in benzene being emitted for more than fifteen minutes. This was the first time in more than three years that benzene emissions this large had occurred. Joyce also alerted members that she is concerned about lack of monitoring near tank farms which have recently been permitted.
Brief reports were given by Jack Pope on activity at the Port of Corpus Christi, by Teresa Carrillo on a March meeting of the Eagle Ford Task Force, and by Carolyn Moon on her attendance at a recent RTA meeting.
Tony and Cynthia Garcia have volunteered to organize and work at the CBSCG's ED/BD booth at Heritage Park on Saturday, and they need members to help at the booth in the afternoon—especially between 2:00 and 5:00.
Lois and Teresa reminded members of two April events: Water Management in South Texas on April 16 (See www.lwv-cc.org.), and Bountiful Benefits of Riparian on April 14. (For more information, contact email@example.com.) Both events promise to be excellent, and members are strongly encouraged to attend.
Mina Williams and Venice Scheurich reported that the EPA will hold a public hearing in Corpus Christi on Tuesday, April 14. The purpose of the hearing is to take comments from stakeholders and citizens on EPA's proposed revisions in 40 CFR Part 192 which regulates in-situ recovery of uranium. For details see:
Submitted by Venice Scheurich on April 7, 2015
Visit the Archives tab for prior meeting minutes
Action Alert posted 4/24/2015
HB 40 is heading to the Senate. We are asking folks to email their mayor and county judge since it is their power that the Legislature is going to take away if this bill passes.
Despite heavy citizen opposition to this bill written by the oil and gas industry, the Texas House passed it overwhelmingly on April 17.
Do your mayor and county officials know what's in this bill? Maybe you should tell them.
If HB 40, or its companion SB 1165, passes the Senate, Governor Abbott is likely to sign it,